My Inner Shakti

finding strength in everyday things

Focus T25 – Week 5 (Beta) + My Overall Thoughts

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I am DONE with Focus T25! I know I say this about everything, but the 10 weeks just flew by! I can honestly say that I am proud of myself for (more or less) staying on schedule and incorporating some running into the mix.

Before I share my overall thoughts, here’s what week 5 of the Beta phase looked like for me:

Monday – Rip’t Circuit
Tuesday – 3.25 mile run (in the morning) + 2 mile power walk (in the evening)
Wednesday – Rip’t Circuit
Thursday – Speed 2.0
Friday – REST!
Saturday – 3.0 mile run with my sister
Sunday – REST!
Monday – Rip’t Circuit

*For a more detailed explanation of what each workout entails, please read my week one beta post.

This week was a little all over the place. My sleep schedule was completely off, we took a day trip on Friday, and the heaviest dumbbells at my parents’ house are 3 pounds. So I adapted. The run with my sister was killer – GA heat and humidity will do that to you! And because I want to say that I finished the program in its entirety, I completed my final T25 workout this Monday.

I’ve thought a lot about the program over the past week – what I liked, what I didn’t like, if I would recommend it to others. I even talked to Bijal (my cousin), Erin (my coworker), and Robin (my friend) about their experiences since they also did some of the program with me. And it’s funny because for the most part our thoughts align.

What I liked about Focus T25:

  • I could do all the workouts from the comfort of my own home. And if you travel, this is an easy program to take with you. I was able to do the Alpha workouts in my tiny NYC hotel room.
  • You don’t need a ton of equipment – just a mat and some dumbbells (for the Beta phase).
  • You sweat A LOT! I loved knowing that in just 25 minutes I was getting a good solid workout.
  • Shaun T is a great instructor – very motivating and fun.
  • The modifier option is awesome. I loved how every workout came with a modifier and that it was the same person. Very helpful, especially in the beginning.
  • It’s just 25 minutes…and they honestly fly by!
  • I was able to incorporate some running into the weekly plan.

What I didn’t like about Focus T25:

  • It’s A LOT of cardio. I love cardio as much as the next person, but I know for a fact that my body responds better to strength training, so that was little frustrating in the beginning.
  • Not all the workouts are challenging. Don’t get me wrong – by no means was this an easy program. I just felt that some of the individual workouts were a little on the less strenuous side. If I’m only going to work out for 25 minutes, I want to work as hard as I can.
  • Risk of injury is high if you aren’t super careful. Because I have a knee that acts up every now and then, I took it easy when needed. I know that Robin and Erin both experienced some leg pain when doing some of the moves, so it’s a very real possibility.
  • This is probably more my issue than anything else, but I didn’t get the results people talked about on the Focus T25 forums. Of course, I didn’t follow the nutrition plan nor did I drink the Shakeology drinks. I ate the way I usually do (which is healthy for the most part) and started watching my portion sizes around week 3. I most definitely feel a lot stronger, especially in my quads and even my core, but the inches didn’t melt off the way they supposedly did for some people. Erin and Robin also felt the same way. Vishnu thinks it’s because we didn’t have a ton to lose in the first place. Regardless, not the most devastating thing but I definitely pictured my final results to be a tad bit different. Haha.

Would I recommend Focus T25 to others?

So here’s what I think. If you are someone who needs a structured plan to get you back on track in terms of exercise, this is a great program to help you do so. If you have substantial weight/inches to lose and are willing to put in a lot of hard work both in terms of exercise and eating, this may be for you.

If you are prone to injury and have had issues in the past, Focus T25 may not be for you. If you are already in decent shape and are looking for something to take your results to the next level, this may not be for you. If you don’t enjoy tons and tons of cardio, this is definitely not for you!

Would I do the whole 10 weeks again? Probably not. Did I enjoy it? For the most part, yes and am glad I tried it.

My final results:

I honestly didn’t weigh myself on a weekly basis but can say with 99.9% confidence that my weight remained the same. I still fluctuate in the same range I did pre-T25.

And I think I lost a total of 4 inches. I say think because my way of measuring is not an exact science. I tried to be as consistent as possible but I could be a little off here and there. Not too shabby I suppose.

If you have any questions regarding Focus T25 and/or my experience, please feel free to email me at any time!

And that is it…no more Focus T25 posts! If you’re interested in reading my weekly recaps, please find them below…

Alpha Week 1
Alpha Week 2
Alpha Week 3
Alpha Week 4
Alpha Week 5
Beta Week 1
Beta Week 2
Beta Week 3
Beta Week 4

Focus T25 – Week 3 (Beta)

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I read somewhere recently that it takes eight weeks of consistent effort in the food and fitness departments to see results. Well, I just finished week 3 of Beta and week 8 of the overall program, and I would have to agree. While my body looks the same to me, I feel a whole lot stronger. I am no longer taking breaks during workouts, and I am also not totally winded afterwards. And for the first time ever, I feel like I actually have core muscles (although it may take some time for them to be more visible!).

Overall, I am happy with what Focus T25 has helped me accomplish in a relatively short period of time. Only two more weeks to go!

Here’s what week 3 of Beta looked like for me:

Monday – Core Cardio
Tuesday – Upper Focus + 2 mile interval run
Wednesday – REST!
Thursday – Rip’t Circuit
Friday – Dynamic Core + Speed 2.0
Saturday – 3.5 mile run
Sunday – 2 mile walk with Robin and Guinness

*For a more detailed explanation of what each workout entails, please read my week one Beta post.

Like I said earlier, results generally come with consistent effort. But let’s be real. Consistent effort is a pain in the ass sometimes. We all have days where we don’t want to eat healthy foods and we don’t want to exercise. And to be honest, when I have these days, I sometimes give in…I’m a big believer in moderation!

However, because my health is important to me, I try to stay on top of my food and fitness as much as possible.

Here are some of the little things I do to keep those “don’t want to” days to a minimum:

  • Meal plan and food prep (on the weekends). This has undoubtedly made the biggest difference in terms of how well we eat during the week.
  • Experiment in the kitchen. I am always on the lookout for new recipes to try. Even though most of what I make at home has some kind of healthy twist to it, the constantly changing menu keeps boredom at bay.
  • Buy a few new pieces of workout gear. I recently bought me some new sports bras, and as silly as it sounds, knowing that I get to wear something new and pretty makes me happy and gets me out of bed!
  • Set yourself up for success.I am a morning exerciser through and through. It’s not always easy but ensuring that everything is in one place ready for me to grab and go makes the whole process easier and saves me a time. The same idea applies for those who work out after work/in the evenings.
  • Think about the why. I’ve talked about my why in a number of different posts, and I think this is honestly the key to being consistent. If your why is powerful enough, it will trump any excuse you could possibly come up with (on most days!).

How do you stay on track and keep the “don’t want to” days to a minimum?

And just in case you’re interested in my weekly recaps…

Alpha Week 1 
Alpha Week 2 
Alpha Week 3 
Alpha Week 4 
Alpha Week 5 
Beta Week 1 
Beta Week 2 

Focus T25 – Week 2 (Beta)

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For the first time in weeks, I actually did all the workouts as planned. Even the double day on Friday!

Here’s what week 2 of beta looked like for me:

Monday – Dynamic Core + 20 minute treadmill interval run
Tuesday – Core Cardio
Wednesday – Rip’t Ciruit + 2 mile interval run
Thursday – Upper Focus
Friday – Rip’t Circuit + Speed 2.0
Saturday – LOTS of dancing at the wedding reception
Sunday – REST!

*For a more detailed explanation of what each workout entails, please read my week one beta post.

So I kind of take back what I said last week about Rip’t Circuit. While I still think Total Body Circuit from the Alpha phase is way harder, I definitely felt more challenged when I upped my weights. I started the beta phase with my 5 pound dumbbells, and this past week I used my 8 pounders (the heaviest I have at home). Let me tell you – 3 pounds on each arm makes a difference!

As far as the other workouts are concerned, I’m still enjoying the program overall. Core Cardio is still the most challenging workout for me but in a good way!

I find it hard to believe that I only have 3.5 weeks to go. WHAT?!

So what’s next?

In true Parita fashion, I’ve already started thinking about what my fitness routine will look like once Focus T25 is over. In fact, I went through and organized the stash of workouts I’ve printed out and saved over the past 1.5 years. Most of these are Best Body Bootcamp workouts. As I was looking through everything, I had a pretty good idea of what’s next.

I’m definitely going to increase my running in terms of frequency and mileage. Right now I’m running 2 to 3.2 miles about twice a week. After T25, I want to start running at least three times a week with one of those being a much longer run (right now I’m thinking 4-6 miles). I plan to run the ING Miami Half Marathon in January, so I definitely need to keep up with my running!

And while I appreciate T25 finally incorporating weights into some of the workouts, I am itching to start strength training more regularly. I think it’s all the BBB workouts I looked through! Not 100% sure what this will look like but I know I want to strength train at least 2-3 times a week. Can’t wait!

And of course, my weekly workouts will include plenty of stretching…and rest as needed!

If you don’t follow a specific program, how do you decide what your workouts will be?

And just in case you’re interested in my weekly recaps…

Alpha Week 1 
Alpha Week 2 
Alpha Week 3 
Alpha Week 4 
Alpha Week 5 
Beta Week 1 

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