There's a reason I haven't put a post up in a while. I've been on vacation in Jamaica for the past 6 days. While the trip was fun, I worried about keeping up with my P90X workout and nutrition schedule. I didn't have a DVD player or any equipment with me. Luckily, I am on week 4 of P90X which means that it is a recovery week. I know this doesn't mean do nothing all week. Actually, you are still working out extremely hard each and every day. You just aren't doing the specific body workouts like chest, shoulders, arms, back, legs, and abs.
I had decided before I left for my vacation that I would try my hardest to continue to workout in some way. I was going to stop the P90X schedule for this week and instead workout in other ways such as running. Therefore, I ran hard several times throughout my vacation. It wasn't a complete workout like I would have had with P90X but I at least did something to keep my body in tune so it didn't fall completely apart during this week. It's very important not to lose the muscle gained and the weight lost during your first phase of P90X.
P90X was on my mind during each meal and each day. I ate as much protein as I could and tried to cut down on some carbs and fat although this was extremely difficult for me. It's important that while you are on vacation, and in the middle of your P90X workout, not to throw everything out the window. Do what you can while you are away since it is now your lifestyle. And then when you return, get right back into the P90X workouts! I can't wait to start Phase II on Monday and continue seeing improvement.
Follow me as I give you daily P90X reviews and a P90X diary. I will give you lots of insight into P90X, P90X schedule, interesting tips and facts while exercising, and lots of good information about the workouts, nutrition, and much more! My P90X reviews and diary shows my progress as Tony Horton tries to kick me into shape!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Week 3 Begins
Day 15/90 | 16%
Week 3 has just begun! I can't believe two weeks have already gone by. My weight and body fat have stayed the same. I'm not sure if that's good or bad because I'm not looking to lose much weight, but I am looking to lose body fat. This may be due to the fact that during the weekends I don't pay as strict attention to my diet as I do during the week. Also, it's only been two weeks and I can't expect results too quickly. And also, during this first phase I am looking to bulk up more than losing anything. Next week I'm taking a vacation to Jamaica so I hope I'll be able to continue doing the workout and especially continue doing the diet for the majority of the trip. But, I'm sure there will be my share of adult beverages since it is all-inclusive! Not sure if I should be happy about that or not with my P90X kick going on now. I think my hardest part will be getting enough protein. Luckily, next week is week 4 and it will be my recovery week so I won't need any weights or bars. I will bring the P90X guide along with me so I can do the exercises without the video since there probably won't be a DVD player in the room. If I can't stick to the exercises each day, then I will at least go for a run outside every single day... That, I promise you and myself. Has anyone gone on a vacation while on P90X? How hard is it? Any thing I should prep myself for?
I pushed today's chest and back workout to the max and did as much as I could. The pullups are still very hard for me but I am seeing some improvement. I hope I will be able to do a good number of unassisted reps for all the pull-up exercises before going to the chair, especially on the second set. For all the exercises involving weights, I have slowly stepped up the weight each time if I could perform 10 or more reps using that weight. I have made a good effort of lifting a good amount without overlifting. My new Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells are the absolute best and I recommend anyone looking at new dumbbells to get them.
After the Chest and Back, it was time for Ab Ripper X... killer, as usual... 'nuf said.
Although getting 50% of my calories in protein is definitely tough for me, that will be one of my big goals for this week. And, keep bringing it hard this entire week!
Week 3 has just begun! I can't believe two weeks have already gone by. My weight and body fat have stayed the same. I'm not sure if that's good or bad because I'm not looking to lose much weight, but I am looking to lose body fat. This may be due to the fact that during the weekends I don't pay as strict attention to my diet as I do during the week. Also, it's only been two weeks and I can't expect results too quickly. And also, during this first phase I am looking to bulk up more than losing anything. Next week I'm taking a vacation to Jamaica so I hope I'll be able to continue doing the workout and especially continue doing the diet for the majority of the trip. But, I'm sure there will be my share of adult beverages since it is all-inclusive! Not sure if I should be happy about that or not with my P90X kick going on now. I think my hardest part will be getting enough protein. Luckily, next week is week 4 and it will be my recovery week so I won't need any weights or bars. I will bring the P90X guide along with me so I can do the exercises without the video since there probably won't be a DVD player in the room. If I can't stick to the exercises each day, then I will at least go for a run outside every single day... That, I promise you and myself. Has anyone gone on a vacation while on P90X? How hard is it? Any thing I should prep myself for?
I pushed today's chest and back workout to the max and did as much as I could. The pullups are still very hard for me but I am seeing some improvement. I hope I will be able to do a good number of unassisted reps for all the pull-up exercises before going to the chair, especially on the second set. For all the exercises involving weights, I have slowly stepped up the weight each time if I could perform 10 or more reps using that weight. I have made a good effort of lifting a good amount without overlifting. My new Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells are the absolute best and I recommend anyone looking at new dumbbells to get them.
After the Chest and Back, it was time for Ab Ripper X... killer, as usual... 'nuf said.
Although getting 50% of my calories in protein is definitely tough for me, that will be one of my big goals for this week. And, keep bringing it hard this entire week!
Friday, December 7, 2007
Day 12: Keep Pushing It
Day 12/90 | 13% Complete
It's Friday, today was Legs and Back, and week 2 is almost over! Here are my thoughts about this week. I felt like it was much harder than the first week in some ways. Once I got over the hump in performing some of the exercises from last week, this week was a real burner. I pushed it much harder this second week and felt the burn much longer. I haven't been as sore the day following the exercises which is good and means my muscles are getting used to being worked now. The Ab Ripper X from today was extremely tough as usual. I can get through more of the initial exercises with them but start needing breaks as soon as I get halfway through the Crunchy Frog. For those of you that couldn't get through Ab Ripper X at the beginning of your P90X training, is anyone able to get through it at the end of your training? It just seems impossible to me! I'll keep bringing it though because I do feel like I'm getting stronger.
Nutrition has been a little hard to keep up with since I have to make every meal now and make them as healthy as possible. The Nutrition Guide is so awesome and helpful in putting together meals, but lately I haven't had time to make lunch to bring to work. I still eat what I am supposed to be eating in terms of about 2400 calories a day and 50% protein, 30% carbs, and 20% fats (with little saturated fat if possible.)
I'm excited for Kenpo X tomorrow. By biggest accomplishment that P90X has given me so far is that I'm actually waking up early and working out in the morning which I have never been able to do in my entire life!
It's Friday, today was Legs and Back, and week 2 is almost over! Here are my thoughts about this week. I felt like it was much harder than the first week in some ways. Once I got over the hump in performing some of the exercises from last week, this week was a real burner. I pushed it much harder this second week and felt the burn much longer. I haven't been as sore the day following the exercises which is good and means my muscles are getting used to being worked now. The Ab Ripper X from today was extremely tough as usual. I can get through more of the initial exercises with them but start needing breaks as soon as I get halfway through the Crunchy Frog. For those of you that couldn't get through Ab Ripper X at the beginning of your P90X training, is anyone able to get through it at the end of your training? It just seems impossible to me! I'll keep bringing it though because I do feel like I'm getting stronger.
Nutrition has been a little hard to keep up with since I have to make every meal now and make them as healthy as possible. The Nutrition Guide is so awesome and helpful in putting together meals, but lately I haven't had time to make lunch to bring to work. I still eat what I am supposed to be eating in terms of about 2400 calories a day and 50% protein, 30% carbs, and 20% fats (with little saturated fat if possible.)
I'm excited for Kenpo X tomorrow. By biggest accomplishment that P90X has given me so far is that I'm actually waking up early and working out in the morning which I have never been able to do in my entire life!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
P90X Nutrition and Calories
Day 9/90 | 10% Complete
Today I'm going to write about my nutrition habits on P90X and what I've learned that works and doesn't work. A complete and awesome Nutrition Guide is shipped along with P90X. This guide goes hand in hand with the P90X workouts. It breaks down what calorie range you should be in, calories burned, what percentage of fat, carbs, and proteins you should eat, and even what foods you should eat. I'll tell you specifically what my goals are here. First off, since I am fairly thin to begin with, I am not looking to lose weight. Instead, I am looking to stay lean and build muscle. Therefore, I will follow the guide for Phase I Level II. The formula in the guide tells me that my nutrition level is 2400 calories per day.
150lbs x 10 = 1500 RMR
1500 RMR x 20% = 300 Daily Activity Burn
1500 RMR + 300 Daily Activity Burn + 600 P90X Workout Burn = 2400 Energy Amount
2400 - 2999 = Level II (you should eat 2400 calories per day)
For phase I of the program, I should eat 50% in protein, 30% in carbohydrates, and 20% in fat. I am trying to eat foods that are very low in saturated fats, and I am trying (although it's hard) to keep my sodium to a minimum too.
If you want to follow the Nutrition Guide exactly, it actually spells out every meal for all 90 days, giving you really good recipes for soups, sauces, breakfast, lunch, and dinner! It's one of the best nutrition guides I've seen anywhere just because it's so easy to follow and allows you to pick and choose what you want to actually do.
I follow the guide pretty closely, but it's very hard and time-consuming to follow it exactly every day. Some of the recipes have lots of ingredients and take time to make. Making lunch almost every day is somewhat of a chore for me because I never used to make my lunch and bring it to work. When I go out to eat, I try my best to continue following my guidelines. For lunch, if I go out I might go to Boston Market and get 8oz Turkey with sides of mixed vegetables and red potatoes (and skip the cornbread!)
One final note is that I found a great website that allows you to track your eating throughout the day so you know exactly how much you are feeding your body. The website is SparkPeople. You can use it because it's free and it's made extremely well.
Today I'm going to write about my nutrition habits on P90X and what I've learned that works and doesn't work. A complete and awesome Nutrition Guide is shipped along with P90X. This guide goes hand in hand with the P90X workouts. It breaks down what calorie range you should be in, calories burned, what percentage of fat, carbs, and proteins you should eat, and even what foods you should eat. I'll tell you specifically what my goals are here. First off, since I am fairly thin to begin with, I am not looking to lose weight. Instead, I am looking to stay lean and build muscle. Therefore, I will follow the guide for Phase I Level II. The formula in the guide tells me that my nutrition level is 2400 calories per day.
150lbs x 10 = 1500 RMR
1500 RMR x 20% = 300 Daily Activity Burn
1500 RMR + 300 Daily Activity Burn + 600 P90X Workout Burn = 2400 Energy Amount
2400 - 2999 = Level II (you should eat 2400 calories per day)
For phase I of the program, I should eat 50% in protein, 30% in carbohydrates, and 20% in fat. I am trying to eat foods that are very low in saturated fats, and I am trying (although it's hard) to keep my sodium to a minimum too.
If you want to follow the Nutrition Guide exactly, it actually spells out every meal for all 90 days, giving you really good recipes for soups, sauces, breakfast, lunch, and dinner! It's one of the best nutrition guides I've seen anywhere just because it's so easy to follow and allows you to pick and choose what you want to actually do.
I follow the guide pretty closely, but it's very hard and time-consuming to follow it exactly every day. Some of the recipes have lots of ingredients and take time to make. Making lunch almost every day is somewhat of a chore for me because I never used to make my lunch and bring it to work. When I go out to eat, I try my best to continue following my guidelines. For lunch, if I go out I might go to Boston Market and get 8oz Turkey with sides of mixed vegetables and red potatoes (and skip the cornbread!)
One final note is that I found a great website that allows you to track your eating throughout the day so you know exactly how much you are feeding your body. The website is SparkPeople. You can use it because it's free and it's made extremely well.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Day 8: Week 2 Begins
Day 8/90 | 8% Complete
Today seemed like the hardest workout so far. It seemed like it was much harder than the Week 1 Chest and Back workout but I think that is because I was pushing it that much harder today, which I guess is a very good thing.
One big thing that I bought over the weekend was some new dumbbells! I have been writing about buying some new ones since mine extended my workout time so much more and I kept having to remove and add different weights to my dumbbell bar. Well... I just bought the Bowflex SelectTech Dumbbells and they are so awesome!! They are made tremendously well and seem like they will be tough for a long time. The only con I have about them so far is that they are a little bulky but for this workout, they did the job perfectly. I managed to get a great deal for them at Sears and only paid $242 for the 552 series which go from 5 to 52.5 pounds.
Week 2 started off on the right foot!
Today seemed like the hardest workout so far. It seemed like it was much harder than the Week 1 Chest and Back workout but I think that is because I was pushing it that much harder today, which I guess is a very good thing.
One big thing that I bought over the weekend was some new dumbbells! I have been writing about buying some new ones since mine extended my workout time so much more and I kept having to remove and add different weights to my dumbbell bar. Well... I just bought the Bowflex SelectTech Dumbbells and they are so awesome!! They are made tremendously well and seem like they will be tough for a long time. The only con I have about them so far is that they are a little bulky but for this workout, they did the job perfectly. I managed to get a great deal for them at Sears and only paid $242 for the 552 series which go from 5 to 52.5 pounds.
Week 2 started off on the right foot!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Day 7: X Stretch
Day 7/90 | 7% Complete
I have completed one full week of P90X. Woohoo! I know there's still a lot more to go but I feel great. Today was either a rest day or the X Stretch and I did the stretching workout. It's so relaxing to get a workout that isn't as intense as the others and actually really does improve your flexibility. I can't ever imaging being as flexible as the one woman on the video, Shawna, who looks like she's a rubber band while doing every single one of these stretches.
I crashed on the diet last night because my company had their holiday party so I had to eat everything in sight! (including all desserts.) But, starting this morning, I'm eating right again.
1 Week down, 12 more to go!
I have completed one full week of P90X. Woohoo! I know there's still a lot more to go but I feel great. Today was either a rest day or the X Stretch and I did the stretching workout. It's so relaxing to get a workout that isn't as intense as the others and actually really does improve your flexibility. I can't ever imaging being as flexible as the one woman on the video, Shawna, who looks like she's a rubber band while doing every single one of these stretches.
I crashed on the diet last night because my company had their holiday party so I had to eat everything in sight! (including all desserts.) But, starting this morning, I'm eating right again.
1 Week down, 12 more to go!
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Day 6: Kenpo X
Day 6/90 | 6% Complete
The best part of P90X is the variety! Variety of workouts, variety of exercises, variety of moves, variety of words that constantly come out of Tony's mouth!! :) Variety makes these workouts fun and keeps you interested. Today's workout was something I had never really done before besides for when I was about 10 years old. Kenpo X is a lot of kicking, punching, blocking, and other karate-type moves. It is fun and makes you sweat as well. There were a couple of the blocking moves where I just felt complete uncoordinated and not knowing what they were doing... like the one that you step forward block high, block in, out, and then down, and step to the other foot. I will definitely need to practice that one.
I know it's only day 6, but my workouts are still feeling good, my nutrition is still in-check, and I'm feeling great. Oh, and there's all my muscles being sore every day too! But, I'm sure all of you out there will help keep me motivated.
The best part of P90X is the variety! Variety of workouts, variety of exercises, variety of moves, variety of words that constantly come out of Tony's mouth!! :) Variety makes these workouts fun and keeps you interested. Today's workout was something I had never really done before besides for when I was about 10 years old. Kenpo X is a lot of kicking, punching, blocking, and other karate-type moves. It is fun and makes you sweat as well. There were a couple of the blocking moves where I just felt complete uncoordinated and not knowing what they were doing... like the one that you step forward block high, block in, out, and then down, and step to the other foot. I will definitely need to practice that one.
I know it's only day 6, but my workouts are still feeling good, my nutrition is still in-check, and I'm feeling great. Oh, and there's all my muscles being sore every day too! But, I'm sure all of you out there will help keep me motivated.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Day 5: Legs and Back
Day 5/90 | 5% Complete
So far, I do not like the back workouts because I can barely do an unassisted pull-up. I did 5 full ones in my fit test but after I complete my first set without the chair I am pretty much done doing unassisted pull-ups for the rest of the workout. The legs workout was very good, being able to work out my hamstrings, quads, calves... all over! I was definitely sweating to keep up with the Fab 4 (Tony and his group!) throughout the morning. The energy that Tony gives off actually does come through the TV. He pushes you to do that extra rep or get lower. I've been getting pumped up at the beginning of the DVD when the group gets pumped up and at the end of each workout so far I have been high-fiving the TV, just like the group. It really is a cool thing!
As far as nutrition, I've still been following the Nutrition Guide most of the time, but it's been harder going to the grocery store every other day to pick up the next couple days worth of food. So, today I'll probably be eating lots of leftovers from previous day's dinners. If you are interested in tracking what you eat each day, I have found an awesome website called SparkPeople which is free that allows you to enter what you eat every meal each day and then view reports on each day. Therefore, you can track your calorie intake as well as your percentage fat, carb, and protein intake each day too... just to make sure you are on track.
So far, I do not like the back workouts because I can barely do an unassisted pull-up. I did 5 full ones in my fit test but after I complete my first set without the chair I am pretty much done doing unassisted pull-ups for the rest of the workout. The legs workout was very good, being able to work out my hamstrings, quads, calves... all over! I was definitely sweating to keep up with the Fab 4 (Tony and his group!) throughout the morning. The energy that Tony gives off actually does come through the TV. He pushes you to do that extra rep or get lower. I've been getting pumped up at the beginning of the DVD when the group gets pumped up and at the end of each workout so far I have been high-fiving the TV, just like the group. It really is a cool thing!
As far as nutrition, I've still been following the Nutrition Guide most of the time, but it's been harder going to the grocery store every other day to pick up the next couple days worth of food. So, today I'll probably be eating lots of leftovers from previous day's dinners. If you are interested in tracking what you eat each day, I have found an awesome website called SparkPeople which is free that allows you to enter what you eat every meal each day and then view reports on each day. Therefore, you can track your calorie intake as well as your percentage fat, carb, and protein intake each day too... just to make sure you are on track.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Day 4: Yoga X... who knew?
Day 4/90 | 4% Complete
This was my first yoga lesson ever... and I had no idea what it was going to be like. It turned out to be much much harder than I ever thought. It was peaceful and difficult all at the same time. I felt completely relaxed after finishing it. Some of the moves I couldn't even get close to doing since I am definitely not as flexible as I should be. As usual, Tony is a great motivator even when you think you're completely out of energy, he gets you to do one more set or hold a pose for 10 more seconds. One of the hardest things for me is holding my leg straight and high in a bunch of the moves. So, I just hope that as time goes on, I can start to see a difference with that.
I really liked this workout and I hope it will give me more energy throughout the day today since I have been lacking energy the last couple of days. The only problem I have with this workout is that it's a little longer than the other ones since it's an hour and a half long. However, I feel like this workout will help me so much with my balance and my flexibility as well.
By the way, as I mentioned yesterday, I've been looking at new dumbbells since I can't stand mine. I went to the store and checked out a couple of the adjustable dumbbell sets and it seems like the Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells are one of the only well-made ones out there. A lot of the others are metal and "stick" a lot while trying to adjust the weights. I found a less expensive but smaller SelectTech dumbbell set that only goes up to 20 pounds of total weight per dumbbell but I think I may go with this. It goes from 2.5 lbs to 20 lbs in 2.5 lb increments and is a lot more compact than the larger set. I have heard that the larger set which goes up to 52.5 lbs is sometimes too large and unwieldy. My only requirements are that I can adjust it in 2.5 lb increments and that it goes up to 20 or 25 lbs. I would really like it if these went up to 25 lbs but for $150 I might just buy these and then buy a few individual dumbbells for the larger weights or continue to use my current set as well. Bowflex needs to make another set of dumbbells which adjusts from 20-50 (or 75) so you can use the smaller set for smaller weights and the larger set for larger weights but, oh well, I can't ask for everything, can I?
This was my first yoga lesson ever... and I had no idea what it was going to be like. It turned out to be much much harder than I ever thought. It was peaceful and difficult all at the same time. I felt completely relaxed after finishing it. Some of the moves I couldn't even get close to doing since I am definitely not as flexible as I should be. As usual, Tony is a great motivator even when you think you're completely out of energy, he gets you to do one more set or hold a pose for 10 more seconds. One of the hardest things for me is holding my leg straight and high in a bunch of the moves. So, I just hope that as time goes on, I can start to see a difference with that.
I really liked this workout and I hope it will give me more energy throughout the day today since I have been lacking energy the last couple of days. The only problem I have with this workout is that it's a little longer than the other ones since it's an hour and a half long. However, I feel like this workout will help me so much with my balance and my flexibility as well.
By the way, as I mentioned yesterday, I've been looking at new dumbbells since I can't stand mine. I went to the store and checked out a couple of the adjustable dumbbell sets and it seems like the Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells are one of the only well-made ones out there. A lot of the others are metal and "stick" a lot while trying to adjust the weights. I found a less expensive but smaller SelectTech dumbbell set that only goes up to 20 pounds of total weight per dumbbell but I think I may go with this. It goes from 2.5 lbs to 20 lbs in 2.5 lb increments and is a lot more compact than the larger set. I have heard that the larger set which goes up to 52.5 lbs is sometimes too large and unwieldy. My only requirements are that I can adjust it in 2.5 lb increments and that it goes up to 20 or 25 lbs. I would really like it if these went up to 25 lbs but for $150 I might just buy these and then buy a few individual dumbbells for the larger weights or continue to use my current set as well. Bowflex needs to make another set of dumbbells which adjusts from 20-50 (or 75) so you can use the smaller set for smaller weights and the larger set for larger weights but, oh well, I can't ask for everything, can I?
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Day 3: Shoulders and Arms
Day 3/90 | 3% Complete
I've been going through the last couple days sore from the previous day's workout. But it's good soreness! As long as I'm not in pain anywhere and my muscles are sore, it's all pure goodness. The shoulders and arms workout was another good one but I realized one thing. My dumbbells just won't cut it. As I mentioned before I use the free weight type of dumbbells with a bar where you have to change the weights on each side of the bar every time you want a different weight. Well, for this workout I was switching practically every single set which, first off, is not fun at all. Second, it wastes so much time and, third, it gives me too much rest between sets.
I've been doing the workouts in the morning right after getting out of bed and before going to work and I need the workouts to take as little time as possible so I can get to work on time. So, I'm going to price a few different options. I like the Bowflex adjustable dumbbells, but at $330, they're a bit expensive and I have heard mixed reviews about them. I will also check out regular individual dumbbells from The Sports Authority and see how much they go for, but I definitely need a change! Does anyone have any suggestions?
Besides for that, the workout was awesome. Tony kept me motivated as usual. His "twin" look-alike was in this video which was quite bizarre. At the end just when I thought I was done, I realized I wasn't. The Ab Ripper X was coming up. So, I killed the abs and I felt like I could do a little more than the first time around a couple days ago.
I can't wait to keep bringing it!
I've been going through the last couple days sore from the previous day's workout. But it's good soreness! As long as I'm not in pain anywhere and my muscles are sore, it's all pure goodness. The shoulders and arms workout was another good one but I realized one thing. My dumbbells just won't cut it. As I mentioned before I use the free weight type of dumbbells with a bar where you have to change the weights on each side of the bar every time you want a different weight. Well, for this workout I was switching practically every single set which, first off, is not fun at all. Second, it wastes so much time and, third, it gives me too much rest between sets.
I've been doing the workouts in the morning right after getting out of bed and before going to work and I need the workouts to take as little time as possible so I can get to work on time. So, I'm going to price a few different options. I like the Bowflex adjustable dumbbells, but at $330, they're a bit expensive and I have heard mixed reviews about them. I will also check out regular individual dumbbells from The Sports Authority and see how much they go for, but I definitely need a change! Does anyone have any suggestions?
Besides for that, the workout was awesome. Tony kept me motivated as usual. His "twin" look-alike was in this video which was quite bizarre. At the end just when I thought I was done, I realized I wasn't. The Ab Ripper X was coming up. So, I killed the abs and I felt like I could do a little more than the first time around a couple days ago.
I can't wait to keep bringing it!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Day 2: Plyometrics
Day 2/90 | 2% Complete
For those of you who don't know what plyometrics is, this is the "mother of all workouts" as Tony Horton calls it. This is the "X" in P90X. Plyometrics is jump-training. There are lots of intense, explosive moves. This entire workout lasts about an hour and at the end of the workout, I felt like I had just run a marathon. As usual, Tony broke down the moves for me and best of all kept me motivated and intense throughout the workout. Not only is he funny and interesting as you are working out, but he keeps you in the game the entire time! I've always been a pretty athletic guy, playing lots of sports and activities, and I can tell that this workout would probably do wonders for you if you are an athlete.
Day 2 was a success! I finished the workout with a Protein Shake which I made following the recipe from the Nutriton Guide, but I will go in more depth with my nutrition and exactly what I'm eating in a later post dedicated to it.
For those of you who don't know what plyometrics is, this is the "mother of all workouts" as Tony Horton calls it. This is the "X" in P90X. Plyometrics is jump-training. There are lots of intense, explosive moves. This entire workout lasts about an hour and at the end of the workout, I felt like I had just run a marathon. As usual, Tony broke down the moves for me and best of all kept me motivated and intense throughout the workout. Not only is he funny and interesting as you are working out, but he keeps you in the game the entire time! I've always been a pretty athletic guy, playing lots of sports and activities, and I can tell that this workout would probably do wonders for you if you are an athlete.
Day 2 was a success! I finished the workout with a Protein Shake which I made following the recipe from the Nutriton Guide, but I will go in more depth with my nutrition and exactly what I'm eating in a later post dedicated to it.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Day 1: Chest and Back
Day 1/90 | 1% Complete
What have I gotten myself into? This first day of workouts was harder than I ever imagined, but now that I'm done with it, I feel great! Today was all about working the chest and back. There were lots (and I mean lots!) of different types of push-up and pull-up exercises, some that I have never done before. I have never been good at pull-ups so I used a chair as he shows in the video to help with the pull-up. I did as many as could without the chair and then used the chair for assistance.
One thing I would highly recommend is to buy either a set of individual dumbbells or one of those awesome new dumbbell sets that adjust to the weight which you want. I am currently using the free weight dumbbells which you have to remove and add the weights for each side which was taking way too long between sets to complete. I may soon exchange that for individual dumbbells but I don't want to spend too much money on them.
Then, when the workout was over, it wasn't time to relax, because it was time to do the Ab RipperX workout. This workout is about 15 minutes long and really does a killing for your abdominal area. I couldn't get through all the exercises like they could, but I'll just do as much as I can and then hopefully continue to improve.
Day 1 was certainly not easy... actually, it was downright tough. But, it was exciting and fun and I can't wait to see results in my body.
What have I gotten myself into? This first day of workouts was harder than I ever imagined, but now that I'm done with it, I feel great! Today was all about working the chest and back. There were lots (and I mean lots!) of different types of push-up and pull-up exercises, some that I have never done before. I have never been good at pull-ups so I used a chair as he shows in the video to help with the pull-up. I did as many as could without the chair and then used the chair for assistance.
One thing I would highly recommend is to buy either a set of individual dumbbells or one of those awesome new dumbbell sets that adjust to the weight which you want. I am currently using the free weight dumbbells which you have to remove and add the weights for each side which was taking way too long between sets to complete. I may soon exchange that for individual dumbbells but I don't want to spend too much money on them.
Then, when the workout was over, it wasn't time to relax, because it was time to do the Ab RipperX workout. This workout is about 15 minutes long and really does a killing for your abdominal area. I couldn't get through all the exercises like they could, but I'll just do as much as I can and then hopefully continue to improve.
Day 1 was certainly not easy... actually, it was downright tough. But, it was exciting and fun and I can't wait to see results in my body.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Before Pictures
These are pictures I took before I completed the Fit Test from the P90X booklet. The Fit Test is just several exercises listed which you should complete to monitor your progress so you can compare your results at the end of the 90 days. The exercises included pull-ups, push-ups, vertical leap, etc. and they are to completed in a certain order with a certain amount of rest in between.
These are my pre-P90X pictures!
These are my pre-P90X pictures!
 
 
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Friday, November 23, 2007
It arrived!
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P90X arrived on Wednesday, one day before Thanksgiving! After picking up the box from the front desk of my apartment building, I ran up to my apartment with anticipation. I opened the box and found a very nice and organized layout inside. There were two books and on the bottom was the set of 12 DVD's. I started skimming the books which looked as though they provide very good information. One book is the Nutrition Guide and one is for the P90X workouts. It looks like the first thing that they want you to do before you begin the workout is to read the books completely. The nutrition is just as important as the workouts so I am going to figure out exactly how much I should be eating before I truly begin. Also, there is a fit test you are supposed to take which I will do and let you know about.
Yesterday on Thanksgiving I ate much more than I probably should but I am planning on starting my P90X fit test tomorrow and hopefully day 1 of the workout and nutrition routine on Monday.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
P90X on its way
I just checked the UPS website to see the status of my order and it's on its way! It'll hopefully come just before Thanksgiving so I can still eat a big Thanksgiving meal and work it all off later. I know it's probably against the diet but Thanksgiving is only once a year and is my favorite holiday. So, after that I'll push myself back on the stricter diet. I'll go into my diet on another day once I receive the Nutrition Guide and see what it recommends compared to what I'm currently eating.
I've already begun to prepare for the equipment needed for P90X. I went to Dick's Sporting Goods near me and bought a pull-up bar and a yoga mat. There are two main types of pull-up bars. One is the type that goes in between a doorway and expands to the width of the doorway. The other type goes over the doorway and is the one they sell on the beachbody.com website. I bought the one that you have to install within the door frame and I'm not particularly thrilled with it. First, you need to screw the brackets into the wall for it to be sturdy so you need to put holes in the wall. Second, I don't have much ceiling space and, therefore, I can't stand up very tall while hanging and I also can't get very high above it without hitting my head on the ceiling. I'll see how it goes but I might end up returning it and buying the over-the-door type.
The other equipment that I've found you need are dumbbells or resistance bands. I already have a set of dumbbells so I'm set there. The only problem is that they are the kind that you have to change the weights by releasing the safety clamp, taking off the weight, adding new weight, putting the safety clamp back on... and it just takes forever to switch weights. I really wish I could afford these awesome and easy dumbbells.
Hopefully, P90X will arrive tomorrow. Stay tuned cause the fun is just beginning!
I've already begun to prepare for the equipment needed for P90X. I went to Dick's Sporting Goods near me and bought a pull-up bar and a yoga mat. There are two main types of pull-up bars. One is the type that goes in between a doorway and expands to the width of the doorway. The other type goes over the doorway and is the one they sell on the beachbody.com website. I bought the one that you have to install within the door frame and I'm not particularly thrilled with it. First, you need to screw the brackets into the wall for it to be sturdy so you need to put holes in the wall. Second, I don't have much ceiling space and, therefore, I can't stand up very tall while hanging and I also can't get very high above it without hitting my head on the ceiling. I'll see how it goes but I might end up returning it and buying the over-the-door type.
The other equipment that I've found you need are dumbbells or resistance bands. I already have a set of dumbbells so I'm set there. The only problem is that they are the kind that you have to change the weights by releasing the safety clamp, taking off the weight, adding new weight, putting the safety clamp back on... and it just takes forever to switch weights. I really wish I could afford these awesome and easy dumbbells.
Hopefully, P90X will arrive tomorrow. Stay tuned cause the fun is just beginning!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
I Just Ordered P90X!
Well, I just pulled the trigger and ordered the P90X Extreme Home Fitness System! And I am so excited to begin. I wish the DVD's would arrive tomorrow so i could start working out already. I've been doing lots of research and found some great websites describing how the routine works and what's included in the package. One important part of the package is supposed to be a nutrition guide so as you go through the 90 days of workouts, you will be eating healthy as well. And, you will also be making sure you are getting the correct and complete nutrients needed to fuel your body and see changes.
I've also been searching around the Internet for some sample videos of P90X and I have found a few (I won't tell you where or how.) So, I think I might check these out before the DVD's arrive and get into the routine just a bit. When the DVD's arrive in the mail, I'm going to start over from Day 1 again and do all the workouts with 100% gusto! Plus, included in the package will be lots of other workout sheets and extra videos which I will use (and of course, the nutrition guide.)
I can't wait to see how tough the workouts are and how in or out of shape I really am right now!!
I've also been searching around the Internet for some sample videos of P90X and I have found a few (I won't tell you where or how.) So, I think I might check these out before the DVD's arrive and get into the routine just a bit. When the DVD's arrive in the mail, I'm going to start over from Day 1 again and do all the workouts with 100% gusto! Plus, included in the package will be lots of other workout sheets and extra videos which I will use (and of course, the nutrition guide.)
I can't wait to see how tough the workouts are and how in or out of shape I really am right now!!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
My P90X Fascination and Review
Hi! Welcome to the first entry of my P90X experience. For those of you who don't know what P90X is, it is an intense set of workout videos which alleges to transform your body in 90 days. You can get to the P90X website here. Let me begin with how I discovered P90X and became enthralled by it. I was on a trip in Boston and one night I was watching TV late at night. I happened to come across an informercial (surprise that there was one on during late night TV!) which showed lots of in-shape men and women showing their transformations with before and after pictures. I've seen informercials like this many times, but this one was very different. It wasn't a get-fit-quick scheme or lose weight overnight pill, but instead showed people doing high energy, intense, and extreme workouts. The informercial was for a product called P90X. I became intrigued and over the next couple of weeks did some research on it. This was certainly not your average training videos. All the reviews I read sounded positive about the workout. The only negative thing I could find about it was that many people just did not go through the entire full 90 days of training.
Here's a bit of my background. I've been an off-again, on-again user of a gym, typically doing weight training and some aerobic exercises. However, I haven't been to the gym in about 4 months so I'm starting off this routine as just an intermediate-level trainer. I've decided to cancel my gym membership and buy these DVD's instead. Considering the price is $120 plus shipping and handling, this was not a minor purchase.
I want to make the most of this purchase and I want to keep all of you readers in the loop of how it goes along the way. Whether you've already purchased it yourself and like to read about another user of the system, thinking about purchasing it and want to see what I've gone through, or just interested in what you're reading, then I hope I will keep you interested to learn how my experience goes throughout the 90 days with P90X.
My only goal right now is to get through all 90 days!!
Here's a bit of my background. I've been an off-again, on-again user of a gym, typically doing weight training and some aerobic exercises. However, I haven't been to the gym in about 4 months so I'm starting off this routine as just an intermediate-level trainer. I've decided to cancel my gym membership and buy these DVD's instead. Considering the price is $120 plus shipping and handling, this was not a minor purchase.
I want to make the most of this purchase and I want to keep all of you readers in the loop of how it goes along the way. Whether you've already purchased it yourself and like to read about another user of the system, thinking about purchasing it and want to see what I've gone through, or just interested in what you're reading, then I hope I will keep you interested to learn how my experience goes throughout the 90 days with P90X.
My only goal right now is to get through all 90 days!!
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