Why I love Kenpo X

Becasue it's this


and this


and a little of this


combined with this


and some of this


and it makes me feel like this


Simple, right?

TODAY'S WORKOUT - Kenpo X

TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - scrambled egg whits, 3 strips of turkey bacon, 1 banana, 1 cup of coffee
SNACK @ 11AM - protein bar
LUNCH - sliced turkey on 12-grain bread, glass of milk, 8 fresh strawberries, protein bar
SNACK - handful or two of dried cranberries, same of almonds
DINNER - grilled chicken, chicken Medley rice, green salad with lite italian dressing, whey protein in 8 oz of milk
MIDNIGHT SNACK - protein bar, frozen berries

Interesting how much "easier" this got...

It's funny how, after not doing it for a month, I come back to Core Synergystics and it was not only "easier" (meaning that I was able to do it without collapsing every other move and dying of a sore midsection), but also much more fun! I guess that's more evidence that this is really working. Wonder what else I could possibly get better at after not doing it for a month.... nothing I can think of right away. Still, it was kind of a neat "acid test" for my physical progress, not to mention a real morale booster during the "doldrums" of recovery week.

Beyond that all is well in my little corner of the world. The stolen truck was unfortunately declared a total loss today, but hey... in this day and age where insurance companies hold suspect every claim for the possibility of fraud, mine has been absolutely wonderful to both me and my ex, who had possession of that car. It's made that little bit of humble pie more palatable. Beyond that, I am actually enjoying the snow out here! Can't drive anywhere, but it's okay... I kinda want to be a hermit this weekend and enjoy the company of my dogs and a few good movies. I'm also jolly because I got the last carton of milk the store had too! YAY! MORE PROTEIN SHAKES!

Anyway, hope you all have a good weekend. Kick-ass Kenpo X tomorrow!

TODAY'S WORKOUT - Core Synergistics

TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - 1/2 grapefruit, strawberry banana muffin, cup of coffee
LUNCH - can of minestrone soup, handful of almonds, protein bar
DINNER - 2 Boca burger patties, 2 tbsp of hummus, a couple of handfuls of baby carrots, glass of milk, 3-4 large (fresh!) strawberries

AUM........ zzzzzzzzzzzz

Yoga X before bedtime last night.... nice way to end the day. But I was so pooped after it was all over that I didn't write last night.
Ah well.

YESTERDAY'S MENU
BEAKFAST - 2 soy sausage patties on a whole wheat English muffin, 1/2 a grapefruit, coffee
LUNCH - grilled chicken with Montreal spices, green beans, protein bar
DINNER - 8 oz steak, serving of broccoli, serving of asparagus, whole wheat dinner roll, slice of vanilla cake for dessert (I'm bad, I know)

Quick Week 7 Review

I'm in a bit of a rush this morning, so this is going to be a real brief review of week 7:

BEST - Feeling great and seeing some physical changes that I really like. The compliments haven't been too bad either! Oh, and most important, I'm still having a lot of fun.

HARDEST - Watching myself on cam compared to the videos was also a real insightful experiment, but I see I still have some places to work on form. Thank God there's another month ahead where I can continue to improve on that.... and a whole lifetime after that too!

WORST - Nothing really. All in all, it's been a very good week.

I have to admit that I am already starting to think about doing this again a couple of weeks after I have finished Week 13, and I am hoping I have just as much fun next time around. Wonder how I can make Round 2 a little more interesting...

Maybe I'll just cross that bridge when I get to it.

Just stretching tonight? Heck with that!

I needed some catharsis after a decidedly odd day. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that after finding that the stolen car I mentioned in another entry turned up completely trashed in Southampton, the IRS Form 990 which had me and the financial agent at work pulling out what's left of our hair, and that the person who is replacing me at my job starts work a week from today, I really needed more than just stretching today. Cardio X preceded that hour of X Stretch tonight.... and that was probably a really good decision.

Anyway, I still can't believe I am almost done with Phase 2... it went by so quickly! Well, the recovery week starts tomorrow. Will be nice to do some Yoga after work, I think. If nothing else it will cleanse out a lot more weirdness waiting on the other side of the night.

TODAY'S WORKOUT - Cardio X and X Stretch

TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - spinach omelet, 3 strips of turkey bacon, 1/2 a grapefruit, coffee
LUNCH - grilled chicken breast with montreal spices, slice of 12-grain bread, serving of green beans, protein bar
DINNER - same as breakfast minus the bacon and the coffee, 1 whole grain English muffin
MIDNIGHT SNACK - I woke up ravenous so I had a couple of handfuls of cashews, a handful of dried cranberries, and a couple of tablespoons of dry oatmeal.

You're so vain, you prob'ly think this workout's about you... don't you?

Well, the workout is indeed all about me, but it was not exactly vanity that drove me to turn on the camera and watch myself today. I will say this much: when you don't have someone watching you while you do this, it's hard to know whether or not your form is good. I suppose it's the same principle that drives every one of these muscle-bound thugs at the gym to stand in front of the mirror while they are working out.... well, in most cases.

Anyway, I decided to run the camera again while I did Kenpo X this morning. No video this time, but I did watch my own form while following Mr. Horton's cues. I was able to see that most of the time my form was good, but surprisingly it was not so good on my side kick. I say "surprisingly" because I always thought it was the strongest of all my kicks... even when I was doing Tae Kwon Do. And it probably was when I was doing it everyday under Master Kim's tutelage (and Master Poos before him). I saw today on the camera that compared to my back kick, which I always thought was the weakest of my kicks, I wasn't getting my knee up enough. It looked more like I was just putting my leg out. Granted, this isn't Tae Kwon Do training that I am doing, but I was taught better than that so I should be doing better than that, right? And hey, had it not been for the camera running at the same time, I wouldn't have caught that and decided to make room for improvement.

So yeah, still feeling good... still excited about the final phase too. Onward and upward!




TODAY'S WORKOUT - Kenpo X

TODAY'S MENU

Looking down the barrel of another recovery week

Well, there's nothing really profound to say today; I think I spent all my creativity on posting yesterday's movies and doing the half-moon pose for Yoga X. All I know is that I am looking down the barrel of another recovery week, and I am hoping that I enjoy it a little more this time around. Legs & Back and Ab Ripper X today... Kenpo tomorrow.

TODAY'S MENU -
BREAKFAST - banana, coffee, protein bar
LUNCH - vegetarian chilli, sliced turkey on 12-grain bread, 1 Polly-o string cheese
SNACK - protein bar
DINNER - Thai chicken peanut sandwich with hummus and puta chips, heaping scoop of whey protein in 8 oz skim milk

There's a moon out tonight!

See this pose? It's called the Half Moon, and I finally did it today! Only took seven weeks of doing Yoga X and continually falling on my face, but I finally did it! Yay!
So yes, everything was right on the money for Yoga X today. My balance was good, my spirit was calm, and my dogs were sleeping (hahaha). Yep, all was well today.

I'm debating spending the money on a yoga block or two, but I have to admit, I get a small kick out of the fact that I use a copy of Homer's Iliad as one. I think it shows that the classics have many uses. Am I right?

TODAY'S WORKOUT - Yoga X

TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - strawberry banana muffin, coffee
LUNCH - protein bar, grilled chicken salad, 1 Polly-o string cheese
DINNER - sesame chicken, stir-fry vegetables, white rice

And here's the video!

Made a video myself today!

Yep, you read that right. I actually recorded myself doing the Back & Biceps and Ab Ripper X workout. I'm still processing and editing it, but you will see that I am indeed doing the work, and that Rodney and Jake are supporting me through it. I'll probably post it later today.

But still, recorded or not, it was kinda neat to have on one half of the screen the P90X video and on the other half a visual of me doing the work. It was a neat comparison shot that got me paying attention to my form and pace a lot more than normal. Made the workout fly by a little faster.... and it also made me push myself a little harder too!

On the topic of visuals, thanks to everyone who has said that the difference between me at Day 3 and at Day 30 is indeed obvious. I'm starting to think so too. But someone did comment that the ligt in te pictures is so terrible that it is really hard to tell the biggest differences. So allow me to re-post the black-and-white Day 3 shots along with some olor pictures taken today (in the middle of Week 7 of 13) in natural daylight. The differences are much obvious now... even to me, and I am REALLY happy about it and proud of myself for keeping up with this:









So there you are! The mot audio-visual intensive entry to date!

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Back & Biceps, Ab Ripper X

TODAY'S MENU:
BREAKFAST - Spinach omelet, 3 strips of tukey bacon, 8 oz OJ, cup of coffee
LUNCH - sliced turkey on 12-grain bread, baby carrot sticks, protein bar, 1 Polly-o string cheese
DINNER -

It's Friday...

...and accordingly, my brain punched the clock a long time ago. Hence, I have nothing particularly profond to say this evening. My knee is giving me a little trouble, so I opted for Cardio X and a few sets of push-ups today. Definitely not the easier softer way to do Cardio X instead of Plyo X, but I probably could have done a little more work had it not been for the knee. So added the pushups. Now I am going to get my sweaty rear-end into the tub and soak.

Still can't believe I am just about halfway through! I looked back at my entries from the first week and am amazed. I remember being tired and thinking I was going to die, but it seems like so long ago. It's almost like I saw it on TV rathar than something went through. Weird, huh?

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Cardio X and about 40 pushups (4 sets of 10-12)

TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - Oatmeal with skim milk and a large glass of OJ, coffee
LUNCH - sliced smoked turkey on 12-grain bread, serving of sugar snow peas, protein bar
SNACK - handful or two of almonds
DINNER - grilled chicken salad with light Italian dressing, 1 whole grain English muffin, scoop of whey protein in 8 oz skim milk

The secret to doing a one-handed push-up...

... still eludes me. Even so, I have really come to like the Chest, Shoulders and Triceps workout the best of all of the resistance workouts. Those floor flys are a killer, but they are a lot of fun to do. I actually tried using a dumbbell to do them this morning, and while it was hard to maintain the plank posture, it was kinda fun rolling the dumbbell along the floor and doing the pushups; that way proved to be so much more fun and intense than sliding a plastic plate along the carpet.

The loathsome Ab Ripper X is tonight... I'd hate it a lot more if I weren't seeing results, though!

TODAY'S WORKOUT - Chest, Shoulders & Triceps; Ab Ripper X

TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - blueberry muffin, coffee (no sugar), glass of milk
SNACK - bottle of Naked juice (Protein Zone)
LUNCH - 2 Boca burger patties, a couple of handfulls of baby carrots, 3-4 tbsp hummus, protein bar
DINNER - don't go there... I kinda went hog wild at the Chinee buffet, but didn't eat a lot of greasy fried stuff... lotsa sushi, lotsa sauteed broccoli, lotsa pork pot stickers and a cuppa red jello. ugh.

Halfway There! - Week 6 Review

A day late, but not a dollar short! Here it is:

BEST- With week six completed, I am really most happy to see that I have stuck with this commitment for so long... long enough to see a substantial blog and also long enough to start seeing some changes in my body as well. My friends who looked at the 30-day pictures said they saw a difference; I didn't, but I am starting to see one now. The ab lines are coming back, and for some reason, I think the small, but present love handles have vanished... either that or my shoulders have just gotten broader. And I actually am inclined to believe it's not just wishful thinking! I look back at that blog entry that I wrote about a month ago about seeing the infomercials and wondering if I am going to get results too, and I am amazed at how oddly hopeful it seemed. I'm glad I hung in there; I think it's happening now! Beyond that, the support I have been getting from my buddies Chris (who is a P90X cohort) and Johnny (who's got the kind of body I'd be glad to have) has just been awesome. Thanks guys!

HARDEST - Well, having a birthday and all the attendant baked goods that came with it was not easy, but I don't think it destroyed anything I have worked for, and I don't think that my new good habits have gone to pucky because of it. I can't really explain the crash in energy that I had in the days following, but I don't think the two are linked. We all have some off-times... had 'em when I was swimming, when I was doing Tae-Kwon Do, and also when I was getting sober. They happen, and I accept it. I'm still going o give all I have physically and mentally to this, tired and wobbly or not.

WORST - Just that mid-week crash, but like I said, we all have off-times. Even with the off times, I am still trying to push myself... the three bands I used on back day are proof of that.

So there you are.... Week 6 and half the P90X program done!

Hi-YA!!!!

Kenpo X.... I brought it. It may not have looked like it to someone watching from the outside, but I did.

TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - 1 cup oatmeal in skim milk, 4 strawberries, coffee, handful of almonds
LUNCH - can of ham & bean soup, whole wheat English muffin, protein bar
DINNER - grilled salmon in Montreal spices, brown rice, sugar snap peas, glass of milk, protein bar

Count 'em... 3 BANDS!

Decided to try the bands on the back and biceps workout. Again, it was mostly to see what I can work with and what I am going to have to try the next time I have to travel and there is no alternative BUT to use the bands for back work. I was very nervous about this because I bought an over the door "robe hook" and laid the bands over it, and every time I did the "chin up or "pull-up," I was worried about the hook breaking, flying at me like a projectile in a slingshot, and splitting my head open. Luckily that didn't happen. What's interesting, however, is that I only felt like I had done an appropriate amount of back work when I put all three tensions (light, mid AND heavy) on the handles and used them together. And even then, it was not nearly as rigorous as it seemed using the chin-up bar! Hmmm.... I don't think I loafed in the back department by doing that, but it sure wasn't the same deal. I know one thing is for certain.... the legs got their usual amount of torture and agony this morning! I BROUGHT IT!

Ab Ripper tonight before bed!

TODAY'S WORKOUT - Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X

TODAY'S MENU
BREAEKFAST - chicken scramble (yum!), glass of OJ, and coffee.
LUNCH - steak tip salad with lite balsamic vinaigrete, 1 Polly-o string cheese, 1 protein bar
SNACK - 1/2 cup almonds
DINNER - 2 Boca burger patties, 3 tbsp hummus, a couple of handfuls of baby carrots, scoop of whey protein in a cup of skim milk.

Happy birthday to me!

It was a great day. Thanks to all my friends and family who called emailed or texted. Love you all.
Yoga X before bed to clear the mind before sleeping tonight.

TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - Blueberry muffin, scrambled egg, coffee
LUNCH - can of vegetable soup, leftover grilled Chicken Breast in Montreal Spices, protein bar
DINNER - leftover grilled Chicken Breast in Montreal Spices, wild rice, green beans

BIRTHDAY DESERT - FRENCH SILK PIE!!!! YUM!

I don't get it...

I broke a sweat, lifted some heavier weights on some exercises, and did more reps compared to last week with this workout... so how come I feel like I dogged it? I still had a ton of energy after it was done. Hell, I did about 50 pushups before Ab Ripper just to try to burn off some steam!

Well, I'd like to attribute to a stronger upper body than before, and that may indeed be the case. Could just be simply that I am feeling good... real good! Besides, whatever qualms I had about not being tired after Back & Biceps were quelled he moment I did Ab Ripper X today. Really felt that one, as usual!

Well, it's been a good day so far. The wash is done; I am worked out, clean, and fed; and I am turning 35 tomorrow! YAY! All good stuff!

TODAY'S WORKOUT - Back & Biceps, Ab Ripper X

TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - 6 slices of turkey bacon, whole wheat English muffin, 1 whole grapefruit, 1 cup of coffee
LUNCH - Subway (6 inch whole wheat sub with grilled chicken, American cheese, shredded lettuce, a litttle bit of onion sauce), apple slices, protein bar
SNACK - 1 Polly-o string cheese
DINNER - grilled chicken with Montreal spices, wild rice, serving of green beans

Busy day yesterday...

With a professor visiting to conduct interviews for the students here at Oberlin, I kinda got swamped and didn't have time to blog yesterday. Even so, I did my Plyo X yesterday, and didn't wuss out by going to Cardio X. I still don't like that workout very much, but I am sticking with it.

Mr. Horton's blog post was very interesting.... about creating an environment for change to happen. Check it out: http://tonyhorton.blogspot.com/2010/02/change.html

Nothing profound to say right now, just eating breakfast and drinking my morning coffee. Back & Biceps and Ab Ripper X today.... will write again after that.

30 Day Comaprison Shots

Just a few. The black and white ones were taken on Day 3, and the sepia toned ones were taken on Day 30.

Okay, heck with modesty... Is there a difference? I need the truth.

My Cheering Section

Thank God for Rodney and Jake on mornings when I wake up on the wrong side of the bed... like today. Just in a foul mood following the news from ASU and the even more unpleasant news about the car being stolen. Picked a fight with a politically conservative friend on Facebook over global warming less than 30 minutes after waking up, bemoaned the unpleasantly cold weather and the snow, and then brought the worst attitude to working out shortly afterwards. Don't get me wrong, I worked hard at P90X this morning, but there was no joy or catharsis in it. And yet after all that, the dogs (who have been watching their silly biped of a pack-leader jump around like a weirdo in the morning for the last five weeks) came right in dring the cool down and licked my face and wagged their tails as if to congratulate me on the hard work. That never fails to make me smile and turn my mood around.... and I smiled brightly and genuinely. I believe their support is going to carry me through the rest of the morning at least.

TODAY'S WORKOUT - Chest, Shoulders & Triceps, Ab Ripper X

TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - oatmeal with skim milk, orange, coffee
LUNCH - chicken burrito (grilled chicken, shredded lettuce, rice, black beans pueblan verde, flour tortilla), protein bar
DINNER - cup of egg-drop soup, 1 serving of Moo Goo Gai Pan, 1/2 bowl of white rice fortune cookie, protien bar.

Week 5 Completed

First week of Phase 2 is done now. So time for the usual weekly review:

BEST - This was overall an excellent week as far as training went. Traveling with P90X was a cool experiment, which I think went well. Gives me some hope for an upcoming extended business trip that I have coming up at the end of March. Definitely seeing improvement with reps and form, but also starting to see some changes in the physique, I think! May have seen some ab lines and broadening of the shoulders! Even if it is just wishful thinking, it made me feel pretty good about the work I am doing!

HARDEST - Doing cardio at the right heart rate... I thought I was a little high this week during Plyo, Kenp and CArdio, but maybe not. I consulted with some colleagues, and they told me not to worry.

WORST - I don't think there WAS a worst part, this week! Aside from being rished a bit when I ate my meals, I think the worst parts of the week had nothing to do with P90X (e.g., not getting the job at ASU and having the car stolen), but instead were dealt with by using P90X. It kinda kept me from flying off the handle too much when those things came to pass.

So basically an "A-" week! (patting self on the back)
Week 6 starts tomorrow!

Forget stretching...

I'm doing Cardio X tonight!

I'm so upset... I just found out hat I didn't get a job I wanted in Arizona, and not a second later the ex calls me up to tell me that the car we still owe money on just got stolen! What a crummy way to start the evening! Would rather pound something than relax, and would rather wear myself out with something physical like exercise than something mental or emotional like worry or resentment.


TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - spinach scramble, orange, 1 Polly-o string cheese
LUNCH - sliced turkey on 12-grain bread, can of vegetable soup, protein bar
DINNER - a couple of handfuls of turkey jerky, large salad with lite Italian vinagrette, 1 whole wheat English Muffin, glass of OJ, protein bar

Kickstart My Heart!

I love Kenpo X! Always a good workout, and always one that I feel I have accomplished the most when I am finished. Today, my heart-rate was a little higher than normal (180 bpm as opposed to 160-165), but I didn't feel winded or light-headed, nor did I feel like I was overdoing it. I used to get that my pulse up that high when I swam competitively too, but never worried about it and never had any truly adverse side effects that I know of. Oddly enough I was able to increase my distance per stroke (DPS) at that pulse rate, even though 160 bpm is the target heart-rate for maximum DPS. I always figured it was just that I had a high resting pulse (which I do... 92 bpm is my resting HR) and that this was the appropriate range for me. Am I wrong for thinking like that? Should I be concerned? Is it truly risky to do cardio at that HR, or is it a non-issue? Anything I should do about it if it is risky?

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Kenpo X

TODAY'S MENU
BREAKFAST - 2 vegetarian sausage patties on a whole wheat English Muffin, 1 Polly-o String Cheese, 8 oz orange juice, coffee
LUNCH - turkey sandwich on 12-grain with lettuce, handful of baby carrots, 4 or 5 strawberries, protein bar
DINNER - steak salad with balsamic vinagrette, 1 slice of 12-grain bread, 1 Polly-o String Cheese, 2 tbsp hummus with pine nuts, protein bar for desert

Silence is golden... and results are platinum!

Oh, the joy of doing the P90X workout with just the music and the cues! Discovering that feature was sheer bliss!
I know I have been harping about it a lot lately but as you will see, there are whole threads on Realjock.com dedicated to Tony's awful jokes: here's just one. But seriously, for all the guff I'm giving the man, I can't deny that he's come up with a good system that has caused, (or is causing, in my case) a lot of people get off the couch and do something physical that actually yields dome results. Today I actually saw them too... up to an additional four more reps in each of the pull ups, and the oddest thought during the legs workout which was: "I could add some weight and do these!" The barrier in the mind is coming down big time! Tired I may be, but I feel like a zillion bucks... and the other day when I was on vacation in the mirror, I thought I started to see some lines down the tummy that looked promisingly like abs re-appearing! Could it be...?

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Legs and Back X, Ab Ripper X

TODAY'S MENU:
BREAKFAST - protein shake with strawberries
LUNCH - turkey sandwich on 12-grain with lettuce, handful of baby carrots, protein bar
DINNER - steak salad with balsamic vinagrette, 1- Polly-o String Cheese, protein bar for desert

Home Again Home Again... Jiggety-jig

Good to be back home after a nice vacation. Huge thanks to my friend Tom for being an awesome host and for a fun, relaxing weekend! Back to work on Monday... and although there was no call from ASU asking me to drop everything and stop by for an interview, I feel pretty good about how that whole thing is going as well.

Anyway, did Yoga X after a four-hour flight home, which is such a weird sensation. Flying tires me out for some odd reason (I mean really... all you're doing is sittin' there) and doing yoga right after it is no easy chore because yoga, for all it's ability to clear the mind requires a huge amount of physical exertion! I really tuckered out fast, but brought what I could.

Legs and back in the morning tomorrow, and abs that night. In between, I'm going to pick up my dogs, whom I have missed terribly, and enjoy a nice turkey sandwich... it's been too long since I had one!

Phil is my new hero!!!

He actually told Tony to get out of his face while he was working out... I love him! Even so he gave ol' Tony a hug after it was all done. Still that he can actully convey to the man what was on mind makes him okay in my book. Even so, had a great workout today and really felt the burn in the Chest, Shoulders & Triceps workout. Used the bands, and boy let me tell you that using them is NOT the easier, softer way! It was flippin' HARD! But I really felt good after that. Ab Ripper X is still the sandpaper on my soul, but I am still plugging along at it. Went bowling for the first time in a while... Boy do I suck! But I had so much fun!!! Hate to be going home tomorrow, but it will also be good to get back home, see my dogs, and resume my life!

No, I didn't forget...

I did indeed do my plyo yesterday, and can't thank my host enough for letting me move the furniture in the living room so that I could jump around like a moron. I had not forgotten how hard plyo is, but I did forget how much space it takes to do. At any rate, here I am, nice and sore and a day behind in my blog, but no biggie. The time difference kinda threw off my eating schedule, so it ended up being two VERY large meals instead of three normal sized ones. Ate pretty well and made good choices, but ended up at Cold Stone Creamery for dessert where I had a small but glorifyingly fattening and diabetes-inducing cup of goodness with no regret! Up yer nose widda rubber hose, Tony!

Hey we all need to indulge a little bit on vacation, right? :-)

Shoulders, triceps, chest and abs today... And maybe more Cold Stone? Heh heh...

Back, Biceps, and Oatmeal!

Ah yes! Back to the good ol' "iron work" that I love and Ab Ripper X that I love to hate! Now I'm feeling energized again! Really like it! Had to switch things up this week and do Back & Biceps X this morning instead of the planned Chest, Shoulders & Triceps because I am going out of town this weekend, and just want to take the tension bands to do some working out. Since I like to do the back work with a chin-up bar (which I can't just pack and take with me), I figured I'd do the stuff requiring that first and then do Chest et al when I am away and only need something simple like bands. So I'm mixing it up a bit.

Today's breakfast was my first bowl of oatmeal in a month..... oh oatmeal, how I have missed you! We have a lot of catching up to do, you and I. Reunited and it feels so goooooooooood....... Starting to make changes now in the diet too. Phase 2's meal plan is actually much closer to how I eat on a normal basis, so I am actually really glad to see that in the month ahead.

All's well beyond that! More anon!

Week 4 and Phase 1 Completed!

Hi folks! Feeling much better after last night's God-awful headache. Because of lack of time, I opted for X Stretch instead of Yoga X this morning, but I feel that it was an okay modification for the end of recovery week.

Well, Phase 1 and week 4 are now done. I have to admit, but for Kenpo and Core Synergistics, this week was not a lot of fun. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be. I guess I like the action and high intensity of the workouts that I was getting during the previous weeks. Kinda looking forward to getting back into that.... well, I say that today, but just watch... after the workout I'll be begging again for the nice slow pace of recovery week again!

Nah... it's gonna be good to getting active and sweaty first thing in the morning again! I know it for sure!

So here's the best, hardest and worst for the last week, and for Phase 1:

BEST: I can really see a change in my flexibilty, my energy, and my attitude after this week. I've lost nine pounds (which is funny because I didn't think I had nine pounds to lose), and I am also seeing a very positive change in the way I am preparing and eating my meals. True there is a little less spontaneity at mealtimes, but there's also a little more thought going into what I eat and when. More than anything, I've really fallen in love with this program despite Tony's really pitiful sense of humor, and have started not only facing but also dismantling a barrier in my mind about the results I am anticipating. People, both P90X graduates and cohorts, have been telling me not to give up two minutes before the "miracle" happens, and I am trusting in those words. Oh, and it's been really nice to meet some people who have not only gone through this program, but are supporting me as I do the same. Thanks ya'll!

HARDEST: Hardest part of last week was wanting to get out there and really pound the exercises out like I am used to, but having to dial back and relax and stretch... settle for more cardio than "iron-work" (as I like to call it). As much as it drains me, the "iron-work" makes me feel the best, physically and emotionally, and I really missed it. I guess this is also part of the philosophy of "muscle confusion," but right now the muscle between my ears is the most confused... but I am trusting that this is part of the program. And as for Phase 1, the hardest part was overcoming the barriers in my mind, obviously.... about all parts of this program, both the exercise routines and the change in diet This blog has been a huge help in just getting things out of my head so that I can focus on the training and the meal plan, and I am hopeful that I will see some change in my psyche and attitude as I review the pages of the last month.

WORST: Took my "30 days" photos today... and I just don't see any huge transformations yet. It's a little disheartening. I know that I've got to keep at it and not expect to wake up with a brand new body overnight. It's tough, though. You'd think that after the kind of work I put into this last month I'd see more, but I don't. I should really just be content with the very significant progress in attitude, general fitness, flexibility, and eating habits that I mentioned above. Even Mr. Horton says it too: "Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was your body." It's one of the few clichés in his repertoire that I can not only live with but also with which I can agree wholeheartedly. Still going to do my best and forget the rest.... what else can I do? I'm sure it will be worth it.

So... overall a pretty good Phase 1. I'm traveling for the weekend, so this next week will not only be the beginning of Phase 2, but will also be the first experiment I have had with traveling and doing P90X. Will probably write from home tomorrow night, but will be writing from out of state Friday and Saturday for sure!

Thanks again guys!

Skullcrusher

Bad headache tonight. Will do yoga tomorrow.

Core Synergistics, take 2

This is still a pretty intense workout. I still have no idea if I am doing everything right, but I did focus a little more on keeping the core tight while I did this and did feel a difference from last week where I was just trying to learn the exercises while doing them. I'm still surprised at how quickly this workout goes... either that or I'm actually losing a sense of time while I do this workout. Either way, it's proven to be a good way to start out this Monday morning.

Although I will complete Phase 1 on Wednesday, this week (February 1- 7) will be my first time to travel with P90X. I'm heading for Arizona this coming weekend for a little vacation (and hopefully an in-person meeting with the folks at ASU), and am bring ing a few of the CDs, some bands, and of course I am bringing "it!" ("it," of course, being my usual intensity and stick-to-it-iveness). Will be sure to let you all know how it goes!

TOday's workout - core synergistics

today's menu
breakfast - protein shake w/ strawberries and a banana, coffee
lunch - leftovers from dinner last night
snack - whey protein in 8 oz skim milk
dinner - grilled chicken breast sub on wheat with lettuce,American cheese, and a little sweet onion dressing; apple slices; water