It's been a while.....

Hey, sorry to those of you coming by every now and then. I got busy this week and didn't make a single post about p90x. Yikes.

Well, here's an update. I lost some more weight. I am now down in the high 230's (239, to be exact). I am almost in the best shape of my life. I'm not quite there yet compared to when I played football in college, but it's getting close.

My diet has been a roller coaster. I am so good for 4 days in a row, and then bad for 2 days in a row. I just can't shake the weekend eating disease. I'm going to get a handle on it. I swear.

Tomorrow starts week 10. Bring it!

60 Day Fit Test Results

After my last post, I decided to do something proactive. Instead of totally getting down on myself for a long weekend of gluttony, I decided to assess how far I've come so far with p90x. Since it's almost 11:00 pm, I decided that I would forgo trying to catch up with a Kenpo X workout and just do the fit test.

The p90x fit test is the low water mark of where I was physically before I started p90x. If you are wondering if p90x is right for you, you will definitely want to do the fit test. I barely made it into the program. Looking back, I think I would have tried Power 90 first, then p90x. Hindsight is always 20/20.

Here are my numbers from Day 60. Actually, I'm on about Day 56, but who's counting. I didn't do Vertical Leap because I didn't have anyone to measure for me. My wife went to bed around 10:30.

Exercise Day 0 Day 60 Net Gain/Loss
Pull Ups 3 3 Goose Egg
Push Ups 30 40 +10
Toe Touch -1 inch + 1/2 inch +1 1/2 inches
Wall Squat 1 min. 16 secs 3 min 1 sec +1 min 45 secs
Bicep Curls 30 @ 25 lbs 11 @ 40 lbs. Not sure
In & Outs 40 60 +20

Heart Rate Maximizer: This is where you do fast jumping jacks for 1 min. 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of the fastest, most intense jumping jacks of your life.

Time Day 0 HR Day 60 HR Net Gain/Loss
At Completion 168 152 - 14 beats
At 1 Minute 123 118 - 5 beats
At 2 Minutes 130 96 - 34 beats
At 3 Minutes 116 102 - 14 beats
At 4 Minutes 112 96 -16 beats

So, even after a long weekend of gluttony, I can feel good about the overall progress that I've made. One weekend doesn't make or break you. It's a marathon; you've got to keep running. It's okay to slow down a little, just don't stop and get a pastrami sandwich (or a hamburger, in my case).

Falling off the wagon........

Hi Everyone,

This was a weekend that can only be described as falling off the wagon. I didn't work out on Friday or Saturday. I didn't catch up, as of 9:30 PM on Sunday. I ate what I wanted, when I wanted. I had a hamburger at my favorite hamburger restaurant, not once this weekend, but twice. I ate desserts. It was just ridiculous. This is why I blog. This is why I do video journals.

It's not about me. It's not about being this awesome person who always does the right things. It's about a guy, just like most Americans, who struggles with doing the right thing. Daily.

Tomorrow begins a new day. Tomorrow begins a new week. Tomorrow is the beginning of the rest of my life. I will be good tomorrow. I'll work out hard, eat right and get back on track. I am committing to p90x. I have 30 more days. Phase III begins tomorrow.

I will commit to the next 30 days with the same fervor that I committed to in the first 30 days. My only regret is that the 2 or 3 pounds I probably gained this weekend could have been 2 or 3 pounds lost. More reasons to work harder than ever.

Here we go again! Time to recognize the self-destructive behavior, nip it in the bud, and move on to littler (instead of bigger) and better things.

Dream Team? Maybe Not!

Tonight was an off night in p90x world. In recovery week, today was Stretch X, and it couldn't have come at a better time. I spent the 57 minutes stretching my entire body, jumped up, drank some water and went off to basketball.

One of my friends opens the local gym up on Thursday nights. It's a pretty good group for the most part. We have a few people who are either too aggressive or too mouthy, but most of the guys are there to have a good time and work off those chili dogs (or whatever).

The team I played on tonight was really good. We had a new girl come out today. There were actually 3 girls there tonight, which is really rare. Anyway, our new girl, Tiffany was MONEY from the outside. I just kept putting my big body in front of her defender and she just kept draining it. I wouldn't call it the Dream Team, but it was a lot of fun.

I really enjoy basketball more now that I've been doing p90x. Between the weights, the stretching and plyometrics, my athleticism is leaps and bounds (pun intended) above what it used to be. The only thing p90x has not fixed yet is my lower back.

That's okay. Tomorrow is Core Synergistics. Maybe if I can get this gut in shape, it will take a little pressure of my back.

Talk to you soon.

Recovery Week #2

Hey All,
It's Recovery Week #2 in p90x. You know what that means? One week away from 60 day pictures.

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

I haven't noticed a big change in my weight, but I still feel like my body is changing. My energy levels are at an all time high. I work out, sweat my tail off, and then go play with my kids or go for a walk or something. If I recall, my weight came off a little faster during recovery week than it did during the first 3 weeks. I hope the cycle repeats. I know that my muscles are not getting a huge pump, so I won't retain as much fluid.

I remember working out at the gym. After I was done, I felt ZERO energy and was just tired and glad to have got the torture over with. Now, I feel like a machine. I have to be honest, though. I have not been perfect lately. I am getting in every workout, but I haven't been eating right all the time. I find it really hard not to eat normally, so I've probably gained a few pounds where I could be losing a few pounds. Therefore, I am steadfast for the rest of the week. I will maintain my composure and chill out on the snacks.

Today was Kenpo X and I actually feel like I could do some damage should I get in a fight. Not likely though; I'm a lover, not a fighter. Tomorrow is Stretch and then the week's almost over. If you have any questions, I invite them. I get a lot of questions about p90x, but none of them seem to generate from here. Is anybody reading this? LOL

Easy Does It!

Ah, today was such a great day! I love Sundays. It was a nice easy p90x Stretch X. No sweating! No grunting! Just a nice easy stretch and breathe.

One of the funny things about p90x is that I work out 7 days a week. I NEVER did that before; not even when I played college football. I mean, I guess stretching doesn't really constitute "working out," but I can tell you that it is an integral part of becoming ultimately fit.

Without stretching, my muscles would never recover the way they do. I can't believe that even as hard as I'm working, I'm actually going to the Chiropractor LESS than when I started.

Starting Week 8 tomorrow. This is a recovery week. Which means, no weights, but lots of cardio and core work. At the end of Week 8 is roughly 60 days, so I look forward to taking pictures and comparing and contrasting.

Kicking A$$ and Taking Names

I'm glad you talked me into going up there. It was a great p90x workout. Probably one of my favorites. p90x Kenpo X. I really feel like I'm killing two birds with one stone. Not only do I get a pretty envigorating cardio workout, but I feel like I'm learning a little about karate.

In fact, I keep wondering about actually starting my belt journey. That's what is so great about p90x. It makes you feel like you can do things you never thought about doing before.

I wanted to tell you about a couple of "themes" for me lately. Theme 1: I DO NOT want to go workout. It doesn't matter what time of day or night, I just don't want to. What is funny is that after I am done, I LOVE IT! I love the kick-tail workout that I get and how my body feels. I just can't get mentally prepared to Bring It! until I am sitting there in front of the tv. Now I know why they always say "Keep Pushing Play." Because it is so dang hard to keep pushing play, but after you push play, it's all down hill from there.

Theme 2: If I don't workout in the morning, I end up working out at like 8:00 PM at night, after the kids go to bed. Let me just tell you that that is not a good idea. I mean, it's probably okay if you are single, but for me and my wife, it's BAD MOJO. It's the time of the day that is just us, and I'm ruining it. I don't know if any of you are running into this problem, but I just thought I would forewarn those of you that are just starting out. Do not work out during "couples time."

Tomorrow is Stretch X and then it's on to Week 8. Recovery week! I'm hoping to post some pics next Monday of the Day 1 versus Day 60. I can't wait. I hope I look good.

Any chance I grew some hair on the top of my bald spot?

A boy can dream, cant he?

Lazy Day!

Man, I am having a lazy Saturday today. I didn't eat a good breakfast or lunch. It's 4:00 PM and I'm not looking forward to my workout. I think it's the weather. We had sunshine for a couple of days and I got used to it. Now it's gone. It's cold and wet and I just want comfort food and TV.

Wah Wah. Anyone feeling sorry for me yet?

Oh well, I'm going to have to run upstairs and shake this fat booty OR it will be FAT for a long time. Thanks for the talk. You've helped me to see the errors of my ways and motivate me to get going.

You're good at this!

Downward Facing What?

Today, I was working on p90x yoga X. Is anything in p90x not extreme? The answer is no. Even after Yoga X, I'm sweaty and sore. Not that I mind; it's been a long time since I really worked hard.

If going to the gym 5 days a week, reading a magazine while you do treadmill is your idea of working out, then p90x is not for you. There is no time for magazines. In fact, there is barely time for water breaks. Sometimes, I have to pause the dvd in order to get a few extra seconds.

Just an FYI, p90x is not for everyone. I honestly think I am on the very outside of their target group. My Type A personality and former athletic conditioning are the only thing that get me through this workout. But it doesn't matter! There are so many other options at team Beachbody. If you're really overweight, try Power 90. If you're a super athlete, try ChaLean Extreme. There is something for everybody.

Tomorrow is Legs and Back. On top of that, I'm going to move a bunch of stuff out of my storage unit. What a day. I better get some sleep.

Good night! See you tomorrow.

New Update Video

Hi All,

Just thought I would let you know that I have a new video up at Youtube.com. Check it out!

Curls for the girls

Today, I did p90x Back & Biceps. This is the glamour workout, as Tony Horton calls it. This is your ticket to the "gun show." I love this workout. Even when I was a fat ball of sludge (not too long ago), I usually spent an inordinate amount of time on my arms.

You see, my wife loves big arms. So, even when I was roly-poly, I still had big arms. This workout is like all of the other p90x videos in that you have to really push yourself to get through it alive. At the end, you can barely lift your arms to take a shower.

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to ask. That's what I'm here for. Also, when you get a chance, click on the link below and check out the beachbody.com store. If you buy a resistance band or something, I get a nickel or two. :)

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/bgdaddy55

Butterscotch Pudding........

After another tough and fun day with p90x, I got a little surprise from the wifey. Oh yeah! For a little surprise, my wife made butterscotch pudding. Don't worry, it was Sugar Free (although I'm pretty sure it wasn't fat free).

When you work out as hard as I do these days, I'm not going to worry about every little thing. I know that I am getting more fit than I have ever done before. I also know that in order to maintain this pace for life, I need to live a little here and there. I don't think Sugar Free Butterscotch pudding with a little fat in it is going to rock the boat.

Have a great night. Tomorrow is p90x Back & Biceps. A little "Curls for the girls!"

p90x Plyometrics....not for the weak of heart (and legs)

Hi Everyone,
I just finished my p90x Plyometrics workout and BOY DO I LOVE PLYO!
It is the one workout where I feel like I am actually improving every time and it makes me feel like the athlete I once was. I took video of it the first few times I did it and it was UGLY.
I felt like I was leaping in the air and getting super low in my squats. As you can see below....
NOT SO MUCH



Well, I really feel like I'm getting pretty good at it. I have 8 foot ceilings in the upstairs area, so not a big jump. I concentrated on touching the ceiling on every jump squat and I DID IT! In addition, I tried adding height to a lot of the exercises today. Watch out LeBron James; a couple more weeks and I'll be swatting you.



GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN!

I rocked p90x today!

Today was p90x Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps. I have to say, this is the first time that I feel that I really really "rocked" it. I mean, let's be realistic, I didn't do everything they did. Those guys are animals. But I did Bring It. I did do my best. I did 20 one arm pushups (from my knees) and I felt like I should have tried without the knees. I think I could've actually done a few.

And that's what it's all about. When I played football in high school, we used to do this workout program called Bigger, Faster, Stronger. That's what p90x reminds me of. Every day, I fell bigger, faster, stronger. I'm psyched for tomorrow's workout.

p90x Plyometrics - the X in p90x

Kick It! (Beastie Boys)

I am going up to do my last workout of the week for p90x. It's Kenpo X and I've had this tune in my head all DAY long by Beastie Boys, where they begin with "Kick it!" Can anybody name that tune?

Anyway, I really like Kenpo X. It's not as "hard" as the weight workouts, but it's a good cardio workout; a nice wind-down from the heavy lifting. I will say that Kenpo X is the only workout so far that I find myself really working hard at during the "breaks." I have a hard time keeping my heart rate up in the zone. So, during the breaks, I have to run in place and do all the jumping jacks, etc. just to get back in the zone. I have really spent a lot of time concentrated on good high kicks. I think that one of the reasons my heart rate has been lagging is because of the intensity on my part. I think that I'm holding back a little when I should be really trying to.......

"KICK IT!" There it goes again! :)

And here I go again........(another 90's song, extra credit for that guess)

Weigh-In Today

I have been really bummed out as of late. You see, after a lot of hard work, I lost about 12 pounds and was down to 246 lbs. Then I went to San Diego with the boys. Now, I don't normally do the "boys night out!" thing, so I decided to splurge a little. I had brought my resistance bands and p90x videos with me, but they got stolen along with all my other stuff in Tijuana (insert judgmental warning here).

Anyway, when it was all said and done, I had a great time acting like a college fraternity brother for a weekend. The bad news is, I gained 6 lbs. 6lbs? Did I eat that poorly? I guess the numbers don't lie. So, it's been a tough week. That's a lot of weight for 3 days. I have been struggling to see how I could do this thing long term if I wasn't allowed a little freedom.

Well, today I weighed in and 1 full week later, I have lost all 6 lbs. My official weigh-in this morning was 246. I can't help but think that I could have lost that 6 lbs. and 6 more if I hadn't been to San Diego. But you live and learn. I have a trip to Vegas coming up right at the end of p90x with my wife. The question is: "Have I really learned my lesson?" Only time will tell.

Too hard

LOL. I just decided to give up trying to "catch up" my p90x blog. It's just too dang hard. So, from now on, it will be the near present....sorry if you don't like the gap.

Anyway, just finished Yoga X tonight. It felt great. My low back has really been hurting me. My chiropractor thinks I have a bulging disk. One of my friends, who is an MD, said that if I take good care of it, it will go away in about 4 weeks. So, Yoga X is helping relieve a lot of tension/pressure. That and Hookers and Blow (just kidding).

Anyway, I was not really tired after doing it. Is it okay to be relaxed, but not tired? So, after updating my facebook, etc., I decided to come blog. The thought of trying to catch up just made me not want to do it, so I'm leaving that one behind.

What's your favorite p90x video? Want to learn more about p90x, go to my website:
http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/bgdaddy55

They have p90x and a dozen more really cool work out videos. If you have any questions, comments for me, let 'er rip. I'll try to answer as many as I can in the next post.

Peace out!