My jeans are too big...

UPDATE: my 34 waist jeans are fall down big on me now... so, luckily, I was cleaning out all my old clothes to take to Goodwill, and found a really sweet pair of jeans I put away a few years ago because they just didn't fit anymore... But now they do! Helllllllllll Yeeeeeeeea

Core and Kenpo

Recovery week is going pretty well - I think I enjoy the reprieve from Ab Ripper X the most! I had my first experience with Core Synergistics, and I gotta say, it's a pretty sweet workout. I will go through it again on Thursday, and I think it will be an even better workout having seen the whole process once. I have definitely noticed, especially with Kenpo, that the more familiar I become with the program, the better the workout. Kenpo allowed me to develop the rhythm I needed to be fluid, especially with the punch sequences. Core is going to be an awesome workout when I can transition easier and focus more on each move without having to rely on watching the TV. BUT, in the meantime, just gotta do my best and forget the rest. BOOYAH!

Tomorrow is X-Stretch day, but I am going to do hot yoga instead. Still get a lot of stretching out of it, plus I like the core work and how great I feel afterwards. It's P90X, right? May as well make it intense.

Another pretty interesting thing I have noticed about the P90 community, is how active it is on Twitter. It's a pretty cool thing to log on and see a lot of familiar names and follow them through their process as well. I am about a third of the way through, and it is definitely a pain in the ass - but in a good way. Sure, I miss wing nights and beer on the weekends, but I feel great and today wore a pair of jeans that I put away a year ago because they didn't fit me anymore - FTW! One thing I see on twitter is a lot of people hate yoga, or just skip it in general. If I could give any advice to people who feel that way, it would be to skip the home yoga workout and find a studio near you to practice. Time flies when you have someone walking you through it, and having a teacher there to help with your form is a big help too.

Kenpo, rest day, yoga!

Friday was KenpoX day. Awesome! I kind of suck at all things kicking, but I imagine I will get better as time goes on. I definitely have gotten a lot better with punch sequences. Had to develop a little rhythm is all!! That was the last session of the third week before moving on to my recovery week, and I definitely brought it pretty well. It's amazing how quickly these workouts go, and just how much sweat I am covered in when all is said and done! Pretty sweet.
Saturday was the rest day, but I spent it doing spring cleaning and dog walking, so I got to be pretty active the majority of the day which was nice.
Today I did yoga at the studio. Because I have a bowling league Sunday nights I had to go to the noon class, which is a beginner level class. There are definitely tough poses, and I made it a point to keep my technique as spot on as possible to get as much out of it as possible, but with all the downtime and rests provided, I didn't feel like I got as good a workout as I would have liked. But it's tough to blame it on the class, because each teacher does their class differently, it just so happens the one today taught her's as a very novice beginning level. From now on, I am sticking to the all levels class... lot more sweat!

Almost recovery time!

Yesterday was my last "lifting" workout of phase one - I did legs & back. Probably not my favorite day of the week, but certainly not the worst. The wall sits are pretty brutal... I remember how much I hated them when I wrestled, and how much I liked making the kids do them when I coached haha. But, they're definitely a good exercise and you know when you've done them!
I was pretty impressed with how much I was sweating by the time I was done witht he workout. For just doing legs and back, I really worked pretty hard and could feel it for about an hour afterwards! The worst part of the workout was, of course, Ab Ripper X. I definitely did better this time around and did the entire Mason twist to finish the workout without stopping for the second time in a row - BOOM! ARX is a bastard though - no doubt about it.
I wanted to note that, even after a pretty good workout, I still have a LOT of energy all night. I have been taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator, and have been walking the dogs to the far grass patch to go to the bathroom. I have even been running the dogs around the block just because I feel like getting up and moving - pretty awesome!
KenpoX tonight then rest day Saturday and RECOVERY WEEK ALL NEXT WEEK*!

*I decided I am going to replace the middle of the recovery week Stretch X with Yoga, which means 3 yoga sessions next week. There's a lot of stretching involved, but I want to burn more calories and keep it a little more intense. Plus, I want to get good at yoga... I hate watching all these tiny girls dominate as I fall all over myself for 75 minutes!

Brefnix

Free breakfast at work today!!!! Unless of course one is dominating the P90X workout regiment and diet... I'll stick with the protein shake.

WHAT'S UP NOW?!

Yoga... it's awesome! Wk 3, Day 4

It's official, yoga and Kenpo are my favorite days in this first phase. Like I wrote previously, I go to a studio to do yoga, but it is definitely more beneficial for me that way. It's hot yoga, so the room is humidified and the temperature set around 95 degrees, so basically it's an insta-sweat once you walk in the room. I also get a lot of help from the instructor adjusting my pose, and by getting to look around and see what other participants are doing (in the cases where I can't keep up).
Yesterday was my yoga day and it was awesome. Went with two friends, Jesse and Travis, which always makes it more fun. I would say it was my best yoga class to date - I was able to hold many of the poses a lot longer than I remember being able to, and was able to modify the difficulty level to make the activity a little more tough... I definitely got a workout yesterday! I wouldn't be surprised if I sweated off five pounds in these classes.
Next week is recovery week - I think that means two yoga classes... woo!
Oh, also looking forward to the core workouts in recovery week... should be pretty helpful with my yoga practice and the Ab Ripper X workouts.
Pull-up update: I am getting way better almost daily. I bet I'll be able to do 20+ by the end of this program. In fact, I am making that a goal!

My arms are tired

Welp, yesterday was Arm & Shoulders (and triceps?) (the glamour muscles!), and boy do my arms feel fatigued today. I guess this is a good sign, though, as it means I am pushing myself pretty hard. I was pretty worried about getting the motivation and keeping throughout the workout by myself, but Tony Horton - who made and walks you through the workouts - does a really good job of keeping you focused on the task at hand. Also, most sets are only about 30-40 seconds, so it's just long enough to wear you out without going overboard, or not being able to finish. The end is always in sight!
I am also learning when to use which level of resistance band for each workout, which let's me get my form on par and, in turn, better results. Speaking of results, the pants are fitting much better these days, and my pull-up form is definitely cleaner. It isn't a struggle for life to get myself up anymore - win!
Looking forward to yoga tonight - going to the studio again. I think I enjoy yoga much more when I am not by myself in my living room, plus the hot yoga is a crazy sweat inducing workout which is awesome. Yea Yoga!

Good to be back!

OK - so, I had to take off Friday, Saturday & Sunday due to a commitment I made to referee a junior wrestling tournament, but I got right back into the swing of things yesterday with PlyoX. It was also my birthday, so I celebrated by having the most intense Plyo session I've had yet. I was able to keep up with the program about 98%... I am almost there!
Pretty tough to believe I am on my third week already - but I am looking forward to my rest week! I have to admit, as much as I love having done Plyo, I dread all the squats. A week of yoga and core work (looking forward to seeing that DVD) will be nice.
Also getting pretty stoked about moving on to the next phase! New workouts, little different diet plan... should be pretty cool. I have settled into the routine and still get pretty pumped to workout each day, which is definitely a plus.
OH - last night I made a pretty awesome dinner. It was definitely light, but did the trick. I put two Boca Burgers on a pan then cut them up into a semi-ground beef type of deal, and made a burrito with a little cheese and taco sauce. It was fantastic... I have been craving Qdoba, and this did just the trick.
My mom bought me a bunch of groceries for my birthday, so I am pretty set for awhile now with chicken breasts, veggiemeat and steaks! I got loaded up with veggies, too... and gala apples and bananas.
All in all, the diet + workout has been pretty awesome so far... definitely enjoying it and feeling better than I have in a long time.

End rambling.

OMFGGG

I am legitimately beat today. The arms/back workout has destroyed me! Push-ups and pull-ups for an hour straight is such a brutal workout, I can't even describe it. But, with that being said, I would say my arms are definitely showing a noticeable change already... and I can do way more push-ups and pull-ups than when I started... so, I guess it pays off!
My arms are really beat today. I am actually looking forward to officiating the next two days to sort of get some extra energy and get myself back on track. I am definitely starting to push it harder and not take any cheats. I will note, however, that I have to do girl push-ups for the diamond series. I cannot get my body to work in that form YET. That is one of my goals - be able to dominate the diamond push-up.
I also have to make sure I hydrate myself during the lifting workouts. I think yesterday I didn't get enough water in me, and it negatively affected me when it came time to AbRipperX. I did not do too great with the abs yesterday. When I get back into the swing of things, I really want to get a good Ab workout in.
OK - I am off to referee the PJW state qualifier wrestling tournament. Big day for a new ref!

2 weeks done!

Well, today is my strecth/rest day, but all the hard work is over... for now.
I am actually going to use this rest day to REST! I tweaked my right shoulder somehow and think the day off could help a lot. It may have happened in Yoga, but I'm not exactly sure. Anyhow, a day off will help!
Yesterday was KenpoX - still my favorite. I think that because it's so different, it seems to just fly by. Punching, kicking, blocking... it's awesome. I do suck at side kicks, though. As my flexibility and balance improves, I'm sure this will get better, though.
I got a call yesterday to go to Corry, PA to officiate a junior state qualifier wrestling tournament, which is nice because it will get my face and name out there with a lot of other refs, and it's definitely good experience. The downside is that it will be ALL DAY Friday and Saturday, so my P90 progress will take a two day set-back. I'm not too worried though because reffing wrestling is actually a pretty good workout, so when I get back into Plyos on Sunday, I will be ready to rock. Another nice benefit to this is my rest day will be Friday and I will get to do Yoga on Tuesdays, which will be a great mid-week break from the norm.

Feeling it...

Yesterday was legs/back + Ab Ripper X, and I have gained the following insight: wall sits, and more specifically one legged wall sits, are awful, but nowhere near as horrendous as Ab Ripper X.
On a positive note, however, I had a great workout yesterday. For just doing legs and back, I worked up a big sweat and was definitely beat when it was over. I did manage to push myself into doing ARX, even though it makes me want to die. I am getting noticeably better at it though, and can do significantly more reps than even two weeks ago when I started. I think once I build up my core and back strength I will be more efficient at it - I think my back is the one thing holding me back with the ab exercises.
Also, for the first time, I laid in bed last night and could feel the soreness in my legs. Good sign - it means I am pushing it harder than last week! Furthermore, my energy is through the roof! I had to get milk for my protein shake last night, and at about 8:20 in the evening, I decided to jog to the convenience store. Sure, it's only about 4 blocks away, but I got up and jogged there! A month ago I would have said "screw it" and just went to bed, now I jogged there and back - lot of credit to the program.

I think I can notice a physical difference as well. All good things. Kenpo X tonight (I think this one is my favorite) and then a much needed rest day tomorrow... still up in the air about Stretch X tomorrow. I have to study for the PIAA Baseball Officials test... but I don't want to make excuses. Time will tell.

Halfway through week 2

So, this was one of the weeks I was dreading when I started the program - Saint Patrick's Day festivities in Pittsburgh. It's possibly the greatest day of the year. Everyone comes in from out of town, we get up at 7am and drink outside until our bodies give up. Awesome, right? Well, a big part of this program for me is cutting out alcohol. Alcohol leads to hangovers (no working out) and drunk eating (pizza at 3 am), so it just doesn't mesh. I feel like God was on my side as the weather was cold and rainy on parade day, which made it much much much easier to stay in and get my workout done early.

I got all my workouts in and, I have to say, week 2 has been considerably tougher than week 1 - which is a good thing. Having gone through the workout once, my technique is better this time around and I know what to expect so I think I am able to push myself harder. I can definitely see a difference, but the biggest difference is the jump in my energy level. I feel like being active pretty much all day; I feel lighter on my feet and up to just about anything.

The only change I made this week was that I went to Amazing Yoga for my Sunday workout program. It's hot yoga so I definitely sweat more, and it's an all levels class so it's a little more advanced than I am used to. I think this will help me more than doing yoga at home, because the instructor will assist if my form is off, and I can look around to make sure I am doing the right thing. It's 15 minutes shorter than the P90X yoga session, but I think the intensity level is a little higher, and in the end, I will be able to get more out of it with the help from the instructor. Plus, I paid for 10 classes back in December and have only used 1... gotta get my moneys worth!

Week 1 done, 12 weeks to go!

yesterday I wrapped up my first week of the P90X routine with XStretch, or Stretch X... X and Stretch are definitely in the title. It was pretty nice to have a slow workout day. I had the option to skip everything, but decided flexibility would be a pretty nice thing to have - since I have NEVER been flexible in my entire life.

It was an hour long but it was basically constant action... just like everything else with this program, there isn't very much downtime at all. Some of the stretches were out of my skeez so to speak, but I tried and I think it will be a good gauge of my progress to see what I am able to do as time passes.

The yoga mat is a lifesaver.. I would never be able to do this unless I had something between me and the carpet. So - if you are thinking about doing this, invest in a yoga mat! (Though I have zero followers, I will continue to write as though I have an audience - keep me honest).

Tonight I start the whole week over again which means a lot of push-ups and resistance pull-ups tonight... YAY! And then... PLYOMETRICS TOMORROW... YAYYYYYYYYY. Actually, they both suck. But, I am strangely psyched to do them. The mental attitude is strong!

First week - DONE!

So yesterday was day 6/90 on my journey to a healthy lifestyle, and it was a pretty awesome way to wind down the week. It was a 60 minute Kenpo X workout. Kenpo is (from what I have read on Wikipedia) a form a martial arts - so this was a 60 minute cardio workout with punches, kicks, bocks and constant moving. I was pretty surprised that even during the "breaks" we were moving non-stop... jumping jacks, "X jumps", juming invisible rope, etc...

All in all though, it was by far my best workout yet. My balance and agility are coming back which is certainly making the cardio workouts a little easier - I can't believe I am saying this, but I am actually looking forward to Plyometrics on Friday... even though I am 100% sure it's going to suck once I start.

Today is rest day OR Stretch X - I am going to make a point to do the stretches because, why not? If I'm going to put this much effort into doing this program, I may as well go all out, right? Besides, I can finally touch my toes again!

HUZZAH!

Day 5/90... officially 5.56% done!

Day 5 was pretty intense - but I think that I am going to have to stop using that word to describe this program; there really isn't anything about it that isn't intense! I have to say that I forgot how much wall sits suck... now I remember all too clearly - they're awful. My entire body was shaking... and then we did one legged wall sits! Very rough, but very rewarding when it was over.

Ab Ripper X is still insanely hard, but I was able to "gut" my way through all 25 reps on a number of the exercises. Some of them I just cannot get the technique down, but I feel like once I build up my core a little more I should be OK.

Tonight is Kenpo X and then REST DAY! I am going to make a point of doing the X Stretch on my off days as a way to keep the momentum going, and I think I would like to see just how flexible I can make myself. I was never very flexible even when I was wrestling, so it should be interesting.

*Also, the diet is going really well. Made a flat iron steak (had about 6 oz for my 2 servings of protein), brown rice and corn for dinner last night. It was actually AWESOME. Washed it down with a glass of skim milk and life was good!

Days 2, 3 & 4... count it!

Well, due to technical difficulties, I was unable to update over the weekend. So - looks like we'll go with the quick update.

Day 2: Plyometrics! Holy crap was this intense. Pretty much a non-stop cardio workout that had me use every available open inch of my living room. It was pretty great, though. I really like the DVDs and Tony Horton's approach to each session. He keeps you motivated and since there isn't any real downtime, the hour flies by. I went out to see my buddies' band play that night and drank water at the show - I am keeping to the rules pretty well so far!

Day 3: If I remember correctly, this was arms/back/ab ripper x day. I had to use the pause button a few times to give myself some extra resistance with the bands on a few exercises, but I think as I get more into the routine of each DVD things will go more smoothly. Definitely some tough moves on this one, but I think I handled it pretty well. I am looking forward to the moment when I realize my form is in line with the people on the DVD and I know I am getting more out of each move.

Day 4: Yoga X! Unlike all the other sessions, which are about 60 or less minutes, this one was 90. I wasn't completely looking forward to it, but once I got started the time flew by. Actually, once I got past the first 30 minutes it flew by. The DVD seems to be divided into 3 sections: the first was a pretty brutal, fast-paced set that was almost cardio - I certainly sweated like it! The next thirty were "balance positions" - nice way to slow things down after the first part. I really had to focus to keep my balance and get the most out of it. Finally, a lot of stretching in the last 30 minutes. I can touch my toes! I actually feel like I am getting more flexible and it's only been 5 days into the program. One thing is for sure - you see results pretty damn quick with this program.

Kenpo X today

Day 1 in the books

Day one of my P90X program is in the books... and I am not completely dead! I thought I would be a lot more sore than I am, but maybe officiating wrestling the past 2+ months has helped me out a bit.

Anyways, I did chest/back yesterday followed by Ab Ripper X. Chest/Back was intense.. about 51 minutes in total, but a decent chunk of it was warm up/cool down - which I think I owe a lot of my feeling all right to. It was crazy intense though, and I definitely felt like a wuss not being able to do the push-ups like I remember being able to. But, I take solace in the fact that it will only get easier.

Ab Ripper X is 16 minutes of hell. Crazy intense! I think once I figure out the form it might get a little easier, but I can see how it works.

I am also doing the diet aspect of it - low carb, high protein. The protein shake I got is pretty good - it tastes like a thick chocolate milk. I got it from Giant Eagle because GNC was closed down, so who knows how great it is. But whatever - I am doin it.