I am a P90X Grad!!

I made it to the end. All 90 days came and went. I am really proud of myself. Here are some measurements from Day 1 vs. Day 90:

Day 1/Day 90

Chest 37.5" /34.25"

Waist 30.75" /28.75"

Hips 30.75" /28.75"

Right thigh 22.25"/ 22"

Left thigh 22.25" /22"

Right arm 12.25" /12"

Left arm 12.25" /11.75"

WEIGHT 148 /143

BODY FAT 23.4%/ 21.6%

Pounds of PURE NASTY FAT LOST: 3.7

The pounds of fat may not seem like a lot, but think about a 2-liter bottle filled with pure fat. That is what I no longer have on my body.

Now these numbers don't look very dramatic, I know that. But you have to remember, I wasn't overweight or obese to begin with. I was in the normal range for both body weight and body fat percentage. The biggest change is how my clothes fit and also my body fat. I am most proud about that. I went from a size 8 pants to a loose size 6. My breasts shrunk slightly, but oh well. I feel great in anything I wear. The extra fat around my waist, stomach area and thighs is melting away. I am much more firm than I was three months ago. Not to mention I can do a few pull-ups now. That is something I have never done before. Very proud of that.

Yesterday I decided to let myself eat whatever I wanted and it was the biggest mistake ever. I felt like crap and I still kind of feel like crap today. I don't think I will do that again. Next time I want to indulge it will be in very small doses and very spread apart. I guess my body is used to eating highly nutritious food and the greasy BBQ ribs just weren't going to cut it. Or the piece of chocolate cake or biscuits for breakfast. Hey, just being honest! I learned my lesson there. Once you start eating healthy you just need to stay that way. I absolutely love eating in exact measured portions. You get to eat more often and your stomach never hurts from being too full.

OK, OK, here are some pics. I hate them,I look really horrible. I am usually pretty photogenic and this is just not how I usually take a picture. Oh well, here they are:

Day 1 wearing a black bra and Day 90 wearing a white bra

So there it is everyone. I am going to start a new blog right away with the next P90X round with a new twist. Actually, I have already started so I better get on it!

I want to thank everyone for all their support, you have no idea how much it means to me. It means everything. It was very motivating. Please keep reading and hopefully you can be motivated to getting in the best shape of your life, too! :)

Pros and Cons

I wanted to share a few advantages and disadvantages that I have found with P90X. A lot of people have asked me about it and some people have actually bought the started the program. I feel like my experience can be shared and it could help someone make the decision of whether they want to give P90X a try or not. My recommendation overall is definitely a YES!!





PROS:

• I love that I have a workout schedule to follow that requires absolutely no planning on my part. It is all laid out so all you have to do is "Push Play" everyday.


• I also love having all my meals planned for me. I don't have to spend any time planning and deciding what to eat, it's just all there laid out.


• Speaking of food, the meals a delicious. The recipes are tasty and the meals are well put together.



• I really enjoy working out at home. Who knew?! It saves so much time. I don't have to get all my things together, drive to the gym, go the locker room, lock up my belongings, get my iPod ready, wait for machines, finally workout, then go back to the locker room, get my things and drive home. It probably saves about 30-45 minutes per day.



• I learned to enjoy a lot of new foods. Off the top of my head I now eat broccoli, pecans, mango, swordfish, halibut, quinoa, among many other things I can't think of at the moment.



• I have so much energy. I feel like I can accomplish anything in one day and I never feel exhausted or worn out.



• I need a new wardrobe! I love to shop and I love new clothes so of course this is great. This is also a con, however, so see below.



• I really learned a lot about working out and nutrition. I will have another post in more detail about the things that I have learned from this experience.


• I have saved money from not dining out EVER.

CONS:

• Fat Shredder phase is expensive! It is a very high protein and low carb diet which means a lot of variety of meat, cheese and tons of eggs.



• I spend a ton of time cooking and preparing food. This is not such bad thing, as I am getting used to it now, but at first it was a little tedious and overwhelming.



• I need a new wardrobe. The only reason this is on the con side is because it is expensive buying all new clothes. Especially work clothes. I feel like setting up a PayPal account that people can contribute donations towards my new clothes. J/K!


• It is difficult to plan to go out of town for any period of time. I sometimes visit my mom for a night and so far what I do is work out in the morning, go to visit, and then workout again the next evening when I get home. The food situation is difficult, too. For just one day it is easy to prepare everything and throw it in a cooler, but more than a few days requires a lot of will power to order healthy restaurant menu options. Plus it is not always easy to find them.


• If you don't like to cook, then the cooking would be a con for you. But I like to cook so it's not a con for me personally.

The Final Week!

I finally made it to the last recovery week of the P90X program. It is absolutely amazing. I have to say this is one of the coolest, most challenging and best things I have ever done with my life. I have never felt better than I do now. I have to admit I am completely hooked. I love being healthy, I love working out and I love eating to fuel my body. My energy is through the roof and I really feel like I can accomplish anything. Nothing seems like too much anymore. It really is an awesome feeling.

Don't let the title of "Recovery week" fool you. It is no walk in the park. Tonight I did the core synergistics workout which is pretty intense. I like it though for a change of pace. I actually got up and did Cardio X this morning even though that is not part of the program. That is how motivated I am now. That should tell you something.

Nothing about this program gets much easier. It is a tough program. But my motivation and drive just increases as I go along. I don't quite have the six pack I was aiming for but I have to say, I have great abdominal definition. I will post pics and all my measurements and stats this weekend for comparison.

My plan is to just start over again with Phase one and Fat Shredder on Monday. Yep! I am that into it. Crazy?! You know it! I really want that six pack! I know that I am already the most lean that I have ever been in my life, not to mention I am pretty ripped, too. You got tickets??

My final post will be this weekend but I do plan on starting a new blog for round two of P90X with a little surprise twist to switch it up. Stay tuned....

Drum roll please....

I have a new accomplishment. Before I get to that though, I just got back from a mini-vacation. Didn't miss a beat working out though. Went to the hotel gym, brought my laptop and DVDs and got it all done the way I was supposed to. That is something that I have definitely never done before. Workout on vacation...gotta love it. Anyway, while I was in the hotel gym I decided to try some pull-ups and see if I could do them for real. The pull up bar was really high so I could hang completely down. And then, I did a pull up! A real, live pull up! I jumped down because I was so excited and then I got back up...and did another one!! And another one!! Three pull-ups! It's amazing. I have only done one pull-up one time a long time ago. Back in the good 'ole college days, my roommate and I trained ourselves on the pull-up machine and I finally was able to do one but then I quit training after that. I was never able to do one ever again, until now! I am so pumped. Last night I worked out Back and Biceps which includes a lot of pull-ups. I used the chair for all of them so that I could get higher reps. At the end of the workout, after doing lots and lots of pull-ups with the chair, I actually did one and a half real, no chair pull-ups.

Besides my totally ripped pull-ups...haha...I am almost completed with this entire P90X program. I have to finish this week and next week is recovery week, which is really no walk in the park either. I am looking forward to it though. I have done really great completing the Cardio X in the mornings. I think I have only missed one this phase and that was because of the messed up alarm situation. Otherwise, it has been rather easy getting up early and getting started with cardio and it makes me feel so great all day.

I have to say I am really enjoying the ride of P90X. I have never felt better and I am really proud of myself for taking up and working through a challenge like this. I can't wait to complete it-not that so it will be over, but for the sense of accomplishment.

Well here I go...10 days and counting!

I gotta new move!

Coming to a close on week two of phase 3. I succeeded in all four of my morning Cardio X workouts. I am really proud of that. I totally would have last week if I had set my alarm correctly and I wasn't sick, too. This week I am feeling so much better with that cold behind me and totally kicked P90X in the ass this week. I have gotten so many compliments this week about how chiseled and lean I am looking and it means SOOO much to hear that. It is very encouraging that my hard work is paying off and people can actually notice a difference. Very motivating. Makes me what to keep bringing it!

My new move is the Dreya roll. Not that I couldn't do it before this week, but now I can do the Dreya roll for the full minute and without my hands. Still not at the same pace as the video though. It part of the core section of Cardio X every morning and also part of the Core Synerginics during the recovery weeks. Let's see if I can explain it...from standing position, sit on the ground with your hands beside you, roll back and lift your legs to the ceiling lifting your butt and back off of the floor, roll back down and up onto your feet without pushing with your hands and stand up. And repeat. And repeat...for a minute. So my accomplishment with that is now I can do it without pushing up with my hands. Before I needed the extra little boost with my hands on the side to get all the way back up on my feet. It's really hard and exhausting.

I can't believe I only have three weeks to go and P90X will be completed! I'm excited to compare my pics and stats. I won't get too excited it's still a little way away...

Feeling better!

So I don't think it was allergies now. It was definitely a cold of some sort. But I am feeling better now and it's on its way out. I'm a trooper.

I messed up my alarm Friday morning and didn't set it early enough for Cardio X. That's OK though, I probably needed the extra rest to kick that cold. I busted out legs and back last night along with abs and this morning I got Kenpo completed right away. I figured I would just get it out of the way before I shower so I could just get on with my day. I'm glad I did, too.

I've finally mastered (well like a step below mastered) the "star block". It's a combination of all four blocks, high, cross, side and low, while taking a step forward or backwards each time. It sounds easy but it's not. I mean, it's taken me this long to get it! That was a step of progress today.

OMG today's lunch was so good. It was spicy Chinese noodles. Basically, pasta with a spicy crunchy peanut butter, soy sauce, and honey sauce. It was real thick and covered the noodles. It was great and super easy. Didn't take much time at all. Seems like the recipes and meals this phase are easier and quicker to prepare. That first phase of recipes took up all my time it seemed. Maybe I am just getting better at managing my time preparing the food. Tonight I eat salmon and I found a delicious way to cook it, easy too. I grind up some pecans and garlic with a dash of cayenne in my mini-processor then, after brushing the fish with EVOO, pat the mixture to make a crust. Then I just grill it on my indoor grill for a few minutes and that's it. It's great and very mild for salmon. It is hard to find ways to prepare food without fattening ingredients but that doesn't mean it doesn't come out tasty.

Checked my stats this week. Lost a few more pounds since last time and overall it looks like I have lost 2% body fat. Doesn't sound like much but when it comes to pure body fat, that is a big deal. Imagine 4 pounds of pure fat. Like a 2 liter bottle full of fat. I think that would be about right as a visual. GONE! Melted off my body. Amazing!

Only 4 weeks to go!!

Hanging in there

Half way through the first week. I have done everything so far. Woke up both Tuesday and Wednesday for Cardio X. I am thinking (hoping) that this respiratory thing is just allergies. That would make a lot of sense because I feel fine otherwise. My energy level is up, and there are no aches or stuffy nose. I was talking to someone at work today and he gave me a few tips about how to manage the allergies so I am going to give it a shot and see how that goes. Goes away is what I hope.

I am sore as hell, that's for sure. My quads are so sore it is nearly impossible for me to squat down. My back and chest are pretty sore from Monday's military workout of push-ups and pull-ups. Feeling pretty good though (aside from the possible allergies), and proud. I feel like I am kicking butt. My body feels good and I feel confident. I have gotten a few compliments from people noticing a change but most people see me all the time and it is hard to notice changes on a daily basis. It will be interesting to see some friends and family that I haven't seen for a while and see what their reactions are.

I am really enjoying the menu for this phase so far. That has been a huge "plus" for the program. The first phase was a little tough with all the eggs and protein and vegetables, but everything is great. Well rounded and portioned meals. I'm really learning the portions that I should be eating while being active. I found on beachbody.com they have plan to use when you are not as active. Sometimes I just swap out the vegetable I don't like with one on the list I do like. It's pretty flexible. Like last night I supposed to eat steamed spinach; yuck. Instead, I sauteed some onions and tomatoes in the pan I cooked my blackened fish and added the veggies to my brown rice, making a version of brown rice and it was great. Who knew eating healthy was so delicious?! Love it!!

Quite a few people are getting interested in trying P90X because of me and I think that is so awesome! Anyone who wants to do it should definitely try it. If you don't think you are in good enough shape to even start P90X, then do the Power 90, which I think is like a pre-P90X. However you want to do it, getting healthy and in shape is so rewarding. and it feels SO good. I mean, even with these allergies or whatever, I feel better than ever. I never get that "Ugh I'm so full I could barf" feeling from eating. Let me brag just a little and then maybe it will be a bit of inspiration to others: The other day when I was trying on some clothes, every single thing looked great on me. I had to choose which items I wasn't going to buy because I couldn't afford them all. That is like the opposite of how it normally goes. I never imagined. It was the best feeling ever. Bring it people!

Here we go again!

I am starting the next phase of P90X with ANOTHER upper respiratory thing. What the heck?! Last night I was going to bed with a tickle in my throat and today I am coughing. This is the third time I have had this since August. I am beginning to think there is something wrong with me. I don't usually get sick this often. And to think that I am being so healthy, eating right, exercising, taking vitamins, I should be getting sick less. It's very frustrating. Hopefully this is just a minor 24 hour thing and I will be all better sooner rather than later.

I got up this morning for Cardio X. I didn't sleep very well, I guess because of the time change which I didn't realize until today when it was pitch black out still at 7am. No wonder I didn't want to get up. But I did and kicked butt. I was starving when I woke up but ate breakfast after the workout and then I was starving again by like 9:30. My snacks are a little different this time. No more protein shake. So I've decided to split my one snack I get into two, since that is what I'm used to. Like today I am eating my sourdough pretzel now, and I will eat the three fig newtons after work and recovery drink after the workout as usual. One sourdough pretzel?? I'll be starving again by lunch at 1:40, it's only 11am right now.

Forgot to take pics last night so I will have to do that tonight. I did a tiny bit of shopping for new clothes and I am definitely a size six now, which is absolutely insane. I have never been a size six, ever. I feel great and look great. I love it! I can only imagine what the next 5 weeks will bring. I'm very excited.

Made it to the second recovery phase

Whoo Hoo! I made it to the 8th week of P90X; the recovery week. Thank goodness. I was getting worn down. This week, like the last recovery week, focuses on core and cardio. Last night I did the Core Synerginistics workout. It was fun and nice to do something different. That is not to say I didn't work my butt off. I wasn't really getting hot because the air conditioner was on in the house (yes, it is warming up nicely here in Florida) but I was pouring sweat. I slightly pulled my left upper tricep or deltoid muscle during a push up exercise that I guess I got too excited to do proper form and jumped in too quickly. I didn't pull it hard enough to quit or skip any exercises though and it it only hurts a little today. Nothing that is going to stop me from Kenpo X tonight! No pain, no gain, right?

I am still loving this phase's meal plan. I worked about two hours on my grocery list for the next phase and it is ready to go. I actually have a system. I use Microsoft excel to make a spreadsheet with different categories; meat, groceries, produce and dairy. I go through each day and add the food and the amount to the spreadsheet. I use the equation function to add an amount each time the food is repeated in the menu to keep track of how much of each food I need. I do this to every single item in every meal and recipe. Then I print it each week and just cross off the things that I don't need that week and I am left with the my grocery list. It's a pretty good system. And now that I have it all saved, I can just reuse the grocery lists for the next round of P90X. Yes, I said it, the NEXT ROUND OF P90X. Let me get through this one first.

Speaking of getting through the next round, it is 5 weeks long instead of 4. In the fitness manual phase 3 is described as "football hell week in high school except 5 weeks long". OMG. It's going to be killer. Cardio is increased to 4 times a week instead of 3. Now is the time to mention that I didn't quite keep up with the Cardio X in the mornings like I wished I had. I completed 7 of 9. Not bad, but not perfect. The hardest thing for me was getting up Wednesday morning after Plyo on Tuesday evening. Plyo kicks my butt and my legs and back and body in general was just too tired and sore to do it again in the morning. That's about a 78% success rate for morning Cardio X for phase two and I am aiming to increase the success rate for phase 3. They always say to set short term goals, right? So here it is: there are 16 total Cardio x workouts scheduled for phase 3 so I have to complete at least 13 of them to beat my phase two success rate of 78%.

Last time I mentioned some newly discovered foods that I like because of P90X and I forgot to mention pecans. Especially in that quinoa stuff. Very good.

I am looking forward to enjoying this recovery week of core and cardio. It is right up my alley. I really want to go to the step class at the gym Thursday night. I kind of miss it. It's a lot of fun. I am hoping I will be able to make it to that since Thursday is a rest night anyway. I can come home and stretch afterwards.

Crane Pose!

Last week I switched out Rest/Stretch day with Yoga. Yoga is such a long DVD (1.5 hours) and by Thursday I am so tired, plus if Braden works he gets home late so switching it to Sunday is actually better. It gives me more time and I am more rested for the long and actually strenuous Yoga X. So I did it on Sunday. Yes, I actually did the crane pose. I only could balance for a few seconds at a time but I my feet were up and I was upside down on my hands. There are some other very difficult poses and moves that I still need a lot more work on but, overall, I am seeing improvements. One really bad thing is I get this pinched nerve on the right side of my lower back after a while of doing yoga. This Sunday it only started irritating me during the last few minutes. But other times it has irritated me much earlier. Once it starts to hurt I can't really do much else, it practically paralyzes me. I have no idea what it is. I have felt it before I ever started yoga but the yoga seems to bring it out. I'm hoping that over time as I gain my yoga strength that it will go away. It only bothered me during the last 3 minutes this past yoga workout so I'm hoping that is a good sign. Maybe it is because I am using muscles that I have never used or rarely used before so they are easily irritated. I don't know. Nerve or muscle I'm not sure. I will be monitoring it.

I slept so good last night. After waking up early for Cardio X, pumping it for shoulders, back and tris, work and everything else I was worn out. It probably took me all of 2 minutes to fall asleep. And I don't think I even moved my body until my alarm went off this morning. I'm not exactly looking forward to Plyometrics tonight. It is the hardest workout ever! After tonight I don't have to do it for two more weeks though! Next week is recovery week, which I think I will desperately need. I am definitely starting to get worn out and tired from this phase. Next phase kicks it up another notch so I really have to get rested during recovery week and prepare for another grind.

I am getting to like some different kinds of foods that I never really enjoyed before. I know to most people it may sound crazy but I never liked orange juice or oranges. I have been getting the navel oranges and they are pretty good and I buy the Simply Orange Juice with pineapple and it is very good. I also never really liked pancakes. I made whole wheat with blueberries and they were really good. I am eating more tomatoes than I ever would have normally but those have to be cooked. Otherwise I hate tomatoes. Most everything uses fresh herbs so that it a nice change like fresh parsley, cilantro and basil. I use my mini food processor and it chops them up perfectly. I am absolutely LOVING all the fresh berries right now. It is like peak season for them and they are sooooo delicious. I have had blackberries and raspberries out of season and they are pretty gross. Not to mention very expensive. Maybe I should stock up and freeze them for smoothies and other things while they are cheap and delicious. Something to think about...

Feeling a Little Guilty

I skipped my Cardio X this morning. I feel guilty! :( My legs hurt so bad from Plyo last night that I couldn't bear to jump around some more. If I had thought about it a little more I would have just done it because now that I do think about it, my legs will probably just get more sore throughout the day. I want to make it up when I get home, then eat my snack, rest a little bit and then do my regularly scheduled resistance training. Tonight is back and biceps. I really want to kick this thing in the butt and stick to it and do a good job. I mean, what's the point if I am not going to do it the right way?

I am really starting to see results. My clothes are not just fitting me better but are actually fitting me worse because they are almost too big for me. I don't want to go out and buy new clothes at this point because even those may not fit by the end of the 90 days. However, I may have to break down and buy some transition clothes at Marshall's or TJMaxx or somewhere to just get me through the next half of the program. Well, a little longer than half. I'll see by the end of the month if I really will have to. Kind of hoping I get to do that because not only will I get to shop, but that means P90X is working so well that my clothes are falling off of me. I am almost in disbelief that I could actually be a size six pants but my size eights are getting very baggy. One thing I absolutely hated a while back was getting in the car and I could feel my stomach roll over my jeans and I had to like pull up my jeans or pants up over the roll. Ewwww!! Or the fat underneath my bra rolling over the bra wire. Like where does my boob end and where does it begin? LOL Gross! None of that anymore. I will probably have to buy new bras after all this too because, unfortunately, I'm losing fat in that area, also. Oh well. I guess it comes with the territory. I'm not complaining.

Well wish me luck with following through this afternoon and making up Cardio X I skipped this morning. Can't start whimping out now!

Still at it

Shew! Just finished Plyometrics for the fifth time ever. That is the hardest workout and it has definitely not gotten any easier. I have gotten better but I still have to pause every now and then to catch my breath and not pass out. My quads are killing me! They are pretty much sore all the time. Just think...I am getting up at 6am tomorrow to do another Cardio X workout that includes more Plyo! OMG!

I am really noticing a difference in my body. My torso is becoming very firm and my legs are much leaner. My arms are getting more defined. It's pretty cool. My chest is sore in places that my it has never been sore before from all the crazy push-ups last night. I was doing push-ups to the side, fast push-ups, slow push-ups, push-ups with my butt in the air, jumping push-ups with a clap and who knows what else. Usually my chest is sore near my armpits but today it is sore there and also lower down the pectoral muscle. Like I said, a completely different type of sore than I've had before. I guess that's a good thing!

I am really enjoying the new menu. Bunless burgers on the grill are pretty good and breakfast has been great as well. I think my favorites are the pear and oatmeal muffins and the waffles. Good stuff.

Well, I am only a third through my workouts for the week. But it is already more than most people can say they do! Bringing it!

Hanging in There

I am halfway through my first week of phase two. I am exhausted. Waking up yesterday at 6am for cardio was not my favorite thing in the world. I did it though, and I'm proud. In three days of P90X I worked out more times than I usually had in an entire week (5 times total). I've decided that at the end of 90 days I will be able to endorse this product or completely debunk it because I am following it so thoroughly. I just don't see how it can't work though. I am working out nine times a week this month. That's insane!

Plyometrics is still the hardest workout. I nearly died Tuesday. My body is very sore right now. Sore from a million push-ups Monday, Plyo Tuesday, and a million pull-ups and bicep curls last night.

I am enjoying the food much better this month so far. I was sooooo sick of eggs. This month for breakfast I get to eat muffins, pancakes, and waffles. All whole-wheat of course. It doesn't specify the type of waffles or pancakes and I found some healthy recipes I might try for next week. Today I am trying to find a recipe for salmon because last week poaching it made it disgusting. I found a good one for pecan crusted salmon that I think I will try tonight to make it edible. It will take a little bit more work and time but I think it will be worth it.

Anyway, I can't wait to sleep in Saturday!

Phase 2 Begins!

Today started Phase two of P90X which begins doubles. Actually, doing the doubles program is an option that I decided to do. It incorporates Cardio X three times a week in addition to the cardio or resistance training normally scheduled. It is recommended to do the Cardio X in the morning, before breakfast. It will be every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for me. That means every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I will get up extra early (probably around 6) to do the Cardio X DVD, come home later after work, do the regular resistance training workout PLUS Ab Ripper X. All the other days will just be whatever cardio is scheduled for the day. Shew! Luckily, today is a holiday and I had off work to start Phase two and try out Cardio X first thing this morning without having to get ready for that, too. I think I'll be able to handle it. The workout starts off real slow, warming up, stretching and then about 10 minutes of yoga. Then, it's about 10 minutes each of Kenpo, Plyo, and finally Core. But the way it kind of eases into the workout will be good for me. I have NEVER worked out in the morning before. It was a first for me today. And it wasn't too bad! I'm actually still sore from Core Synerginics on Friday.

I'm spending the day hanging out and doing my food preparation for the week. As much as I can anyway. Today I had shrimp pomodoro for lunch which was practically gourmet it was so good. Eating healthy definitely does not mean eating gross food. There is a huge difference in how much produce I purchase than I used to. Both drawers and an entire shelf in my refrigerator are filled with fresh produce. Everything from assorted berries, beans, and even herbs. It's much different from the way I used to shop for groceries. If you go to the right store though (like a produce store or a farmer's market) produce is very cheap.

Tonight is a new resistance workout; shoulders, chest, and triceps. I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow. I wonder how many pull-ups and push-ups I have to do...??

Sickie

That's me. Sick. What a hassle! Had to take off 3 days of work (but I'm not really complaining there) and stop working out for a few days. It's frustrating. So far, I've missed Core Synergenics and Kenpo X. Tonight is Stretch X so I plan on participating in that and tomorrow is Core Synergenics again. I'm hoping I'll be up for it tomorrow. I'm not so terribly sick that I feel like crap and can't move off the couch, but I am coughing a lot and have a slight sore throat. I went to the doctor and she gave me four prescriptions, told me to stay home the rest of the week, and stay out of the cold. So that's what I'm doing. I want to be good and healthy for Monday when doubles and Phase 2 begins and I start doing Cardio X three times a week in the morning. I am scared but also super excited. The results of the first 30 days have been fantastic so I can't imagine what the next 30 days will bring. I noticed I weighed six pounds less than I did the last time I went to the doctor six month ago. So that was nice. Sunday I am going to drag myself to the gym to get my weight and body fat so I can keep track. I am also going to take my 30 day photos. I probably won't be posting any pictures until the end of all 90 days when I'm all sexy and proud!

Here is a pic sometime last week bringing it! LOL

Still Bringing It!

I know, I know... it's been like 10 days since my last post. I'm sorry. But this program kind of takes over your life and keeps you very busy. I have been keeping it real still and going strong, finally making it to the first recovery period. I have to say the last week was pretty tough for me. It was probably a combination of fatigue and also coming down with a little cold. I first felt my throat becoming sore on Friday morning. I managed the leg, chest and ab workouts and pushed myself to not slack on them. Saturday I woke up again with a sore throat, but it felt better throughout the day and I got all the shopping done for this week. I kicked butt through Kenpo X, my favorite workout, Saturday evening. I stayed in all weekend and just worked out, shopped and rested. Like I said, I was feeling a bit worn out. Sunday I felt even more sick, thank goodness it was rest day. I slept for most of the day, trying to recover a little bit. If you have ever lived with me, you would know that it is really hard for me to just sit and do nothing all day. I am usually up and running around constantly doing little errands and chores that need to be done. There is always something that needs to be done. But Sunday, I forced myself to just chill out. Of course, Sunday was the stretch routine which was really nice and much needed.

It is finally the last week for the high protein and almost nonexistent carb diet. I am craving carbs!! Practically everyday someone in the lunch room has some kind of delicious looking dessert that I have to pass up. UGH! But my will has stayed strong and I am sticking to the diet practically perfect. As I said in my previous blogs, it's the vegetables that trip me up. I don't like very many and I have been supplementing a lot with V8 drinks. Hey, I gotta do what I gotta do! I am getting sick of salmon though. I have been broiling it and it's been turning out nicely until last week. The piece of salmon was so thick that I had to broil it for so long and the house ended up all smokey and the thin part of the fillet was crunchy like jerky. Hmph. So this week, I opted to try something different and I poached the salmon. That was even worse because it made the salmon extra fishy-tasting and I had to practically choke it down. Since salmon is on the menu for the upcoming months I will definitely be looking on the P90X message boards for a recipe that will make the salmon tasty.

Last night was the first time I completed the entire Yoga X DVD. It is over an hour and a half. I have seen a lot of improvement in this area. My back, shoulders and arm muscles must be getting stronger because I was able to do the million sun salutations, upward dogs and downward dogs. Some of the movements are quite tricky but I am learning as I go. Braden and I helped each other hold a "crane" pose for a little while. That one is crazy! Upside-down, balancing on your hands while your elbows are between your knees and feet off the floor. Here is a picture of what it looks like:

That will be the day!

I'm still feeling pretty sick. Tonight is a new workout, Core Synergenics. Not sure what it is or how hard it will be but if it's like any other workout I will be dying by the end of it.

I have gotten a lot of attention from my friends regarding P90X recently. I guess a lot of people have heard about it by now. A few people asked me if they should try it or think they could even do it. Here is my advice so far (granted I have only been doing this three weeks so my opinion may change as I go along):

1) A lot of my friends party a lot. It takes a lot of time away from that. Drinking a few nights a week is definitely out of the picture. Plan on having like 3 drinks of vodka and soda maybe once a week. My friends know me and I like to go out, drink, and stay up late and that life is practically over...for now. I was over it anyway and needed a break so it didn't really phase me to cut down drastically.

2) If you have never worked out in your life, I would say it will be very hard to get into the routine of doing so. I think you would already have to have a lot of self-discipline to workout normally anyway and P90X takes it to a whole new level. I would say anyone who wants to change for the better to give it a shot, but to set realistic goals. No way anyone is matching reps and weight with Tony Horton and his DVD minions even the first round through. They are serious. But if you are up for the challenge and are good at sticking with things, then go for it. Many people have addictive personalities and so this might be a good thing for them. A healthy addiction.

Anyway, I am going to enjoy this week of so -called "recovery" and hopefully kick this cold in the ass. Thursday I actually get a bonus stretch day. Next week starts doubles, which means I have to wake up extra early three times a week to do Cardio X. I have never done Cardio in the morning time or woken up extra early in my life for anything so we'll see how that goes.

Keeping it Real

Made it to another weekend. I have been way too busy to blog. This may become only a weekly thing that I can do. Last week, when I started P90X, I was able to blog more often because I had a very short work week. Only worked three days plus got out earlier than usual. This week was back to normal so I was extremely busy.

The new band I bought last weekend worked much better than the bands I had previously. I was very sore (again) from Monday's back and chest workout consisting of a million push-ups and pull-ups. It helped that I also got push-up bars which help align the wrist but also make the push-up more effective and challenging. I did pull-ups with last night's workout also. I don't know if I will ever be able to do a pull-up. The girls on the DVDs can do about a thousand of them. Hopefully, by the end of the program I can do at least one. That's my goal! One!

I made it through another Plyometrics session. It's pretty fun. My calves weren't as sore as they were last week. Thank goodness. Last Wednesday, I could barely walk in my heels I wear to work!

I already can see and feel some changes in my body. I feel stronger and leaner. Not sure if it shows or not, but it feels that way. It is very hard to resist all the temptation of food everywhere. I have this horrible sweet tooth I have been trying to ignore. It's not easy! for instance, yesterday at work, there was a plate of cookies in celebration of all the January birthdays. They looked so good! I was telling myself, well, my birthday was this month, why can't I have just one?? I thought and thought and really, really had to resist. I stayed strong and did not eat a single cookie. One thing that has helped is putting a scoop of peanut butter in my chocolate protein shake. It's pretty good and has the resemblance of a Reese's PB cup. Hey, it's what I gotta do!

It really is a lot of preparation to eat as well as I do. It's like, the better tasting and fewer nutritional value food has, the cheaper and faster it is. The more preparation and more nutritional value food has, the more expensive it is. It is really a big commitment. But that's not to say that everything I eat is gross. Actually, it is really good. The recipes are practically gourmet. It just requires hours and hours of shopping, planning, preparation and then cooking and cleaning. I probably run the dishwasher twice a day almost everyday. On the other hand, I could take 10 minutes, run to McD's, spend $3 on a double cheeseburger, fries and a drink, have no cleanup and a lot more time to.....watch TV? go drinking? get fat and lazy? spend more money on new clothes because I can't fit into my old ones? Hmmmm...no thanks! All this work is really worth it. I hope I don't get burned out though and my energy and confidence grow so that I won't. I tend to get bored doing the same things for a while so I have to make sure I plan some cool things to do to mix it up. Next week Paul Oakenfold will be at Firestone and I really want to go.

This week I have to do Yoga on Sunday instead of rest because I took a Thursday as my rest day. Not my choice, but something came up so that's just what I have to do. That's fine with me though. Yoga X is the longest DVD so it will be good to do it on a day off when I actually have more time to do it. Tonight is one of my favorites, Kenpo X. This is how I'm going to learn how to kick ass. :)

Round 1 Complete!

I have all weekend to catch up on. Friday's leg workout was really good. It's Monday and my butt is now just starting to feel better. No pain, no gain! Lots of lunges and squats. Along with the legs, it was also a back workout which was full of different kinds of pull-ups. I'd be surprised if I wasn't able to do a pull-up in 90 days. I'd have to say Saturday was my favorite workout. It was Kenpo X, which was basically a kickboxing cardio workout. It was really hard and really fun! Sunday was an hour long stretch routine. I kind of anticipated it to be hard like everything else, but it was really nice to get all stretched out and relax for a day.

I returned those bands that totally sucked and got a new one from Play It Again Sports. I tested it out a little bit yesterday and it seemed like it would be much better; stronger and better handles. I think I'll get to use them tonight with round two of chest and back. Another night of push-ups and pull-ups! Oh, and I also got a set of push-up bars. They are supposed to help you do better push-ups and help your wrists, too. So a couple new things to look forward to tonight.

I have to say, that the meals are all very good. Practically gourmet. For instance, the other night, was swordfish with mango-ginger sauce. To be honest, while putting together the mango-ginger sauce, I was a little apprehensive. I mixed red onions, mango, ginger, lime juice, orange juice and some other stuff. But it was sooooooo good! I was pleasantly surprised. It was delicious on the fish. Last night I even got to eat chicken thighs. I thought dark meat would definitely be off the healthy food list, but I was wrong. I baked them in a molasses, lime juice, and Worcestershire sauce mixture. Again, very good. So now, I begin the menu all over for the next few weeks. Three to be exact.

Overall, I've noticed my energy level as been much higher and I am always keeping busy. Kind of have to though with all the cooking, cleaning, loading and unloading the dishwasher this all requires! I had to set my alarm all weekend to get and eat my breakfast at a decent time so I could fit all the rest of my meals in during the day. Saturday afternoon I finally crashed and got a long nap in. Oh, well, I did forget to mention I was up late Friday night having a couple cocktails. A little cheat, yes, but very little. Hey, I have to realistic about all this! Plus, I went to Blue Springs and walked around all afternoon so I was exhausted. I think I earned it.

Not like I expected

I started the Yoga DVD with the mind set that it would be really easy. Just a bunch of stretching and relaxing music. Kick my shoes off and have an easy day of P90X. I was right about the music and not wearing shoes. But that's where my correct perceptions of Yoga ended. It was not easy at all! The DVD is about an hour and a half long. I could only do about 45 minutes of it before I had to turn it off. I had no idea the amount of strength and endurance that would be required. I felt nice and all stretched out by the time I was finished (well, more like quit). My goal next week will be to do at least 10 minutes more than this week. It was very difficult. But I guess that is why it's called Yoga X and not just Yoga. Braden made a good point. He said, "I guess that's why you don't see any fat people going into Yoga class at the gym!" No kidding!!

Dinner was actually really good last night. I just baked some chicken breasts in some salt and pepper. Earlier, I made a honey-chili sauce and toasted some pecans to sprinkle on top. The side was this stuff called quinoa, some kind of weird looking grain. By itself, it didn't taste like much, but I mixed in some of the honey-chili sauce and pecans and it was delicious! Now that I think about it, I forgot my V8. Oops!

For breakfast I had another variation of scrambled egg whites. This time with spinach and feta cheese. It was OK. I'll eat eggs, but they aren't my favorite. I look forward to the berry protein shake tomorrow morning. I'd rather have that everyday.

Tonight I get to work my favorite, legs. I am sure it will be excruciating and I probably won't be able to walk much for the remainder of the weekend.

I have to give a shout out to my friend Rebekah from work. We share lunch duty every other week for each other and she said she would do my special P90X diet for me. That's super nice of her to be so flexible (or really inflexible) so that I can complete this program successfully. Thank you!

Grrrr....

I got sooooo frustrated yesterday working out! Yesterday was the arm workout, which in itself, was fine. However, those stupid bands I go at Target suck!!! The handle was like grinding on my wrist every time I did a bicep curl or shoulder raise and today I have bruises on the outside of my wrists. I tried to stick out the pain as much as I could but I don’t think my workout was very effective. Plus, like I have said before, the bands are a little weak for me. I guess that’s what I get for going to Target for my workout gear. I had a gift card though! Now I know what to look for. Actually, it would be nice to just have a set of weights, like an 8 and 10 pound set. Just depends on the price, I guess.

Ab Ripper again after the arms. I really like ab burning for some reason. I usually push through the pain pretty good and just keep my reps up to failure. In a few weeks I’m hoping to keep up with the pace of the DVD. They are pretty fast.

I didn’t get to eat dinner until about 9:30/10 last night. That’s OK though. It was easy; halibut with pesto sauce and wild rice. Very good. Again, I don’t like the veggie (zucchini) so I had a V8 instead.

This morning at work I went to the nurse’s office and took my weight and body fat percentage. Found out my BMI, which is already in the normal range, so I was happy about that. Depending what Internet chart you look at, my body fat is either normal or fitness level. So it’s probably borderline. I am happy about that, too. I’d like to get down to 20% or less.

I’ve noticed, even just after a few days, that I am getting hungry much faster between meals. I eat about every 3 hours so I’m assuming that means I am burning more calories. I hope so!

Tonight is the Yoga workout. I have never, ever done Yoga in my life. Mostly because it is very trendy and for some reason I’m anti-trendy about some things. It will interesting

Jump up, jump up and get down!

Found out what Plyometrics is.... it’s a lot of jumping around and squatting. A hardcore cardio workout. My calves and glutes are killing me today. I stuck it out pretty well though, I was proud of myself. I only got dizzy twice and I had to pause it often to catch my breath. I just kept telling myself...this is the hardest it will ever be...my first time. I enjoyed it overall, though.

My abs are still killing me from Monday night. Tonight is Ab Ripper again. I think it's every other day.

My biggest challenge is part of the nutrition. I don't like very many vegetables. For instance, last night I was supposed to eat green beans and a cup of butternut squash soup with a tbsp of protein powder mixed in. I don't like green beans or butternut squash. Instead, I mixed the protein in with 2 V8 drinks and pounded it. I hope that is a good substitute. I don't see why not.

Another eating issue is one of my snacks. I am supposed to eat 2 oz of soy nuts. If you have ever seen a soy nut, they are these tiny little things. And an ounce of them is like a million of them. It took me 35 minutes to eat them all today. That was with continual eating. Plus, after a few of them, they are just dry and plain tasting; not very enjoyable eating. I have to find something else. I'll do some research but I think if I just eat edamame it should cover it. I love edamame. It’s really cheap at Costco, too.

I couldn’t quite finish my breakfast this morning of a chicken scramble (made of 6 egg whites), turkey bacon and apple juice. Hopefully I am turning into a lean, mean, fat-burning machine.

I am also taking a supplement called Mytropin. I take two pills in the morning and two in the afternoon. I took it a few months back when I was working out hard at the gym and it helped me get over my plateau and lose a few more pounds I was trying to get off. I have since gained a few back with the holidays and my birthday, but now my goal is to really get tone and lean and reduce my body fat.

I think it’s the arm workout tonight. Not sure how effective it will be with my weak bands but I’m going to give it my best shot.

Day 1 Complete!

Made it through my first day of P90X successfully. I worked out my chest and back, along with my abs last night. As I was working out to the DVD, I thought "No wonder!" The entire chest and back workout was alternating between push-ups and pull-ups. I think anyone can get ripped if they do push-ups and pull-ups for 45 minutes a day! It was intense. I had to use a chair spot for my pull-ups because I can't do a single one at this point. I really never have been able to. For a while in college I trained myself to do pull-ups and I think I managed to do one single pull-up one time. Goal accomplished, I quit my self-training; never to do one since. So hopefully, I will be able to do another pull-up again soon.

I will need some stronger bands for my exercises. The bands I got at Target yesterday are WEAK! I will use them the rest of the week and then return them this weekend and hit up Sports Authority for a better set.

After the chest and back workout was the Ab Ripper workout. It was 15 minutes of intense ab exercises. I think 11 total at 25 reps each. I hung in there pretty good I must admit. I can't say I made all the reps. The pace was really fast and I just worked at my own pace. But I would guess I was at least 60%. Not bad for the first day. I would love to have a 6 pack. My belly has always been my biggest flaw (at least to me).

After breakfast yesterday I ate 2 oz of soy nuts for a snack. If you have never seen a soy nut, they are small. It was like a million of them in 2 oz. It took a while. Plus they are very dry, not much flavor. Lunch was great, a chef salad that had more meat and cheese than lettuce and dinner was salmon, wild rice, and red pepper soup (which I prepared this past weekend). Not bad even though after working out and everything I didn't get finished eating until about 9:30/10.

I forgot how much cooking and cleaning this program requires. Good thing I don't hate to do ether one. The amount of dishes it produces is insane. The dishwasher is constantly running and I am forever putting them away. I think they should put that as a disclaimer on the package.

Overall, I would say a very successful first day. Only 89 more to go! Tonight's workout is plyometrics, which I have NO IDEA what that is. Let ya'll know tomorrow!

The Beginning of the Beginning

Here goes nothing.

Day one of P90X. I spent all weekend preparing for this day. I had no idea how much prep work this would require. I was buying groceries, cooking, cutting, portioning food for hours upon hours. Not to mention the entire rearrangement of the downstairs living room to accommodate a workout area that we (Braden and I) won't have to assemble and dissemble everyday. I actually really like the new arrangement. It's new and fresh...inspiring.

It's good I have today off work for my first day of P90X. I had to wake up at a decent time, 9am, so I could eat my first P90X breakfast. I'm stuffed! A cup of cottage cheese, a cup of strawberries, and an omelet made with mushrooms, green onions, a generous amount of cheddar cheese and....wait for it....six egg whites!!! And I'm supposed to lose weight eating like this?!? I guess Phase 1, which is the first four weeks, is the "Fat Shredder" phase. So my diet will be high protein, low carb for now. Luckily, for the past year or so I have really changed the way I eat so I don't think the nutrition part will be too much of a challenge.

I have a few things I still need to pick up for my first workout tonight. I need some 8 or 10 lb dumbbells. It will be the chest and back plus ab ripper workout. I'm pumped. Took my "before" pictures last night. That will probably be something I'll post later, when I post my "after" pictures. Not exactly comfortable showing off at this point.

I said farewell to my dietary freedom (as Braden calls it) last night with a big calzone and some chocolate chip cookies. :) Yum! But it's not like I have been exactly depriving myself lately. It was my birthday last week and I think I had birthday cake everyday if not twice a day. Now I have to keep that sweet tooth in check!

On a side note, it's a nice day off work and I am really excited about beginning this workout program. I'll be all ready to show my new body come Spring Break! Betta watch out ya'll!!