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.
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