I'm feeling great!

The dog bite didn't slow me down after all... I'm feeling fantastic! Chest and back this morning was such a good workout... and it's so funny that as I look back at my fist week this round (and in my very first round), I was so nauseous and so tuckered out. I'm so glad I stuck with it and didn't collapse under the exhaustion the first week and under the stress of the dog bite. Yay!

This may be a pipe dream, but I hope that, like my friend Greg, a single-digit body fat percentage is at the end of this!

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Chest and Back X, Ab Ripper X
TODAY'S MENU:
Breakfast-->coffee, Activia yogurt, banana, power bar

Kenpo and Activia

HI guys!

The days following my incident with I was dog bit have been really interesting. I know the antibiotic the doctors gave me to ward off infection are supposed to be helping me, but they've done such a number on my system that it actually made me ill to work out or eat, hence I did not blog for a couple of days. Amazing what some yogurt (which a friend of mine suggested) will do to regulate your system. I actually feel like digesting food again... and also like working out again. Opted for Kenpo today partly because it's my favorite and partly because it was just what I needed to chase away some bad dreams that caused me to wake up really in a snit and really short tempered with my poor pups this morning. I feel better now, physically and emotionally.

Let's go do this day.

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Kenpo X
TODAY'S MENU:
Breakfast-->coffee, Activia, banana, power bar
Lunch--> green salad, steak tips, power bar
Dinner--> steamed vegetable medley, grilled pork chop
Snack--> power bar

Once bitten, twice shy....

Spent a lot of the day at the hospital thanks to a dog bite. Just now got home at 4:30pm PST after a shot of antibiotics in the ass and a really bizarre afternoon trying to stem the bleeding. I'll see how I am feeling before bed... may do Yoga X then. If not I hope people will understand and forgive.

"Johnny Combination"

I wonder if that's the "Johnny-" name Tony Horton would give me because I have been mixing the dumbbells with the bands for the Shoulders & Arms workout.... I don't know. I'm still feeling pretty good this week. Ab Ripper X is still an exercise in endurance!

Nothing really profound to say this morning. I'm working out, meeting some friends for lunch, another for coffee later, and am probably going to do some Christmas shopping! Panera Bread gift card and a B&N card for Mom.... USC sweatshirt for Dad.

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Shoulders & Arms X, Ab Ripper X
TODAY'S MENU:
Breakfast--> coffee, Raisin Bran in 8 0z. skim milk.
Snack--> Apple
Lunch-->
Dinner-->

Yes, MUCH better!

I survived Plyo X yet again! And actually this time, I felt pretty good after it was all over. I wonder if it's my body remembering what to do under these conditions, or if it's because it's warmer since the landlord turned on the heat finally! It doesn't matter, really. What's nice is that everyone in the house is in a good space. I don't know if it's because it's Friday or what, but Rodney and Jake (my dogs) are being playful today. On every 30 second break, they were jumping down from the sofa, clamoring for attention and licking the sweat from behind my knees. All around, it seems there's a good vibe. I'd say that's a good sign.

I forgot to log what I ate yesterday, but suffice it to say that lunch was wonderful One of the student workers in my office made this salad with cabbage, shredded rotisserie chicken, dry ramen noodles, scallions and some kind of sweet ginger dressing. It was wonderful! I was especially happy that after everyone in my office got to have some, the student let me have the rest. I'm going to have to get the recipe and post if for any of you who are interested.

Hope you have a good weekend!

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Plyometrics X
TODAY'S MENU:
Breakfast--> banana, coffee,2 Nurtigrain bars
Snack--> Power Bar

MUCH better

Awright!!!! I'm feeling great after Chest & Back today! A few things that made my life easier this morning:

- Bands for pull-ups on round 1, pull up bar for round 2.
- Having written everything down that I did last week. Thanks to that I, was able to set a reasonable, achievable (and in some cases surpassable) goal
- Going to do Ab Ripper X tonight instead of right after. I was doing that on my first round eleven months ago, and it actually felt better to burn some calories before bed rather than wear myself out completely and get frustrated during Ab Ripper because I was so tired.
- Blogging about it!

More later...

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

Week 1 Review

One week down and eleven more to go. It was certainly a tough one. I took some time to review how I was feeling the first time I did this back in January 2010. If memory serves (and my entries are certainly a good memory jogger), then I'm right where I should be, which is feeling shocked at how hard the work is, embarrassed that I can't seem to keep up with the videos, but also hopeful that I will see progress as I keep going. The best part of all is that experience has taught me that I have every reason to be hopeful.

Today, what also lit the pilot light behind my belly button was that a friend of mine on Facebook posted that he was now down to 9% body fat... that, and seeing a picture of how he looks now with his BFP in the single digits was a HUGE motivator today! I'm not usually competitive, but man... when you see hard work pay off so handsomely, you really want it for yourself! That combined with the fact that a few people are following along on this blog again and wishing me well from afar or (even better) joining me on this journey through P90X is a nice little puff of air on an ember that will hopefully be a good fire!

So today was recovery day... and I think I have recovered. Chest & Back and the infamous Ab Ripper X await me in the morning. The DVD is loaded... play is ready to be pressed!

Let's do it!

KENPO X ROCKS!

This is still my favorite of the cardio workouts! I always feel fit and strong during this one. Not always flexible, perhaps, but strong and fit both mentally and physically.

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Kenpo X
TODAY'S MENU:
Breakfast--> 8 oz. OJ, banana, Honey Nut Cheerios and skim milk.
Snack--> Power Bar, apple
Lunch--> carrots, hummous, turkey patty
Dinner-->green salad with mushrooms (olive oil and salt), 2 slices of bread, scoop of whey protein in 8 oz skim milk, banana

Truncated, but still as sore as if I had done the whole thing

I lollygagged in bed for half an hour this morning, resulting in my having to shorten the Legs & Back X workout if I was to get Ab Ripper X, breakfast, shower and dress-time in before I hit the road. I still worked just as hard. Ab Ripper X has once again become my sworn nemesis. When I have time, I am going to have to look back and see how I was feeling at this time when I did my first round of this in January 2010. If memory serves, I was dying then too.

I WILL SUCCEED! DAMN THE LACTIC ACID... FULL SPEED AHEAD!

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Legs and Back X, Ab Ripper X
TODAY'S MENU:
Breakfast--> Banana, Coffee, Honey Nut Cheerios and skim milk.
Lunch--> Carrots, hummous, roast beef sandwich on 12-grain
Snack --> Power Bar
Dinner--> Turkey patty, green salad with olive oil and salt, 3/4 cup of herb stuffing

Too sore to be bendy

Yoga X today. This is probably right behind Shoulders and Arms X in terms of my favorite workouts. It's been a while since I did this on a Sunday morning, and I forgot how nice it can be to start out the day like this. I'm still really sore from the Plyo workout, and it makes it tough to be as flexible as I like. But still, experience has taught me that I need to ride out these first couple of weeks in order for it to feel natural. You know, it's funny how I have to remind myself of these little things. At least I am not doing that set of mental gymnastics that I put myself through the first time where I would see the infomercial on TV and hopefully think 'Now, that is going to happen to me too, right?' It will again... because it has before.

That's my little meditation for the workout. :)

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Yoga X
TODAY'S MENU:
Breakfast --> banana, 8 oz. skim milk with a scoop of whey protein and about six strawberries, coffee

The word I want to use rhymes with "quick"

The interesting thing about being in Los Angeles now is that you actually see and sometimes meet people who appear in the movies and videos you've seen. It's happened many times since I've been here. Luckily, I am not one to fawn over these people, but I do notice. As circumstances have fixed it, I see one of the people from the P90X videos on something of a regular basis. We've met, and while this person proved to be very nice at first, some time has passed and he has proven to be something of a consummate jerk. Ordinarily, I wouldn't care, but seeing this guy in today's workout left a real sour taste in my mouth. The sad thing is that it's my favorite of all the P90X workouts... or was. Luckily I finished it all the way through, but I had to turn away from the TV and set the video for "music and cues." Call it stupidity if you wish, but hey I'm only human. I still took action, and I still brought it. Once again, I'm seeing that all the obstacles are in my mind. And they are, but this one was particularly odd. I certainly never expected to run into it.

C'est la vie. {shrug}

Anyway... combined the weights and the bands today. Want to use the dumbbells more than the bands, but I do want to also be mindful of my limitations. Why cause myself harm, right?

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Shoulders and Arms X, Ab Ripper X
TODAY'S MENU:
Breakfast --> spinach omelette, banana, coffee w/ skim milk
Lunch--> power bar, glass of milk, banana
Snack--> small slice of pumpkin pie (I know I know)
Dinner--> 1/3 rotisserie chicken (white meat), spinach salad, about six forkfulls of stuffing.

ZOMG

I don't know what he Z stands for, but I know it puts OMG a step up. And that's how I feel. I sure would lie to attribute my fatigue to the fact that I was sick with a fever last week, or that I am getting older, but the fact is, I don't know what's to blame. I'm even having trouble finishing the workouts this time around! It makes me mad!

Even so, I am not dogging it. I am indeed doing my best... just wish I could forget the rest right now.

Even though the flesh is weak right now, I am glad that I didn't overdo it last night at the Thanksgiving day table. I actually had only one helping and ate a reasonable sized portion. Aunt Sadie makes a wonderful brisket! Thank you m'dear! And huge thanks to my family in the OC who had me over last night. It was a fantastic night!

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Plyomertics X

TODAY'S MENU:
Breakfast: Honey Nut Cherrios and 8 oz. skim milk, coffee w/ 1/2 & 1/2, half a bottle of Tropicana orange juice.
Lunch: leftover turkey, stuffing, corn, slice of pumpking pie (I'm sorry but I can't let that go to waste!)
Dinner: 1/2 rotisserie chicken, a couple of forkfulls of stuffing, corn

Okay folks, here we go again....

I've slacked off long enough. I was really good about this for a few months in the beginning of the year and got great results... till an injury stopped me dead in my tracks. After I lost my job last summer, I was back in the basement where it was nice and cool, pumping it out with Tony & Company... Didn't blog, but as doing the work. Even so, I fell off again after moving to LA. Guess I was hoping that access to USC's facilities and all the eye candy in the form of Division I athletes was going to keep me motivated. It didn't. Eye candy is nice to look at, but it still provides absolutely no structure.
This has worked in the past... injury or no injury, job or no job. Time to get back to what kept me going, working hard, and excited about what I was doing and the results I was getting. I'm even going back to blogging about it... it kept me accountable. So, tune in... I'll be writing again every day and waxing eloquent about the workouts and about life.

The magic question, of course, might be: "Is it a coincidence that you are picking Thanksgiving (i.e., the "eatingest" holiday of the US calendar) to start again? It is... entirely. Either it's going to be today or it will be never. This is less a pre-emptive strike against the upcoming holidays as it is a pre-emptive strike against that endless cycle of saying "Oh, I'll do it tomorrow" and knowing deep down inside that tomorrow never comes!

So... back to Tony's rather impotent humor, Dreya's enviable abs, Adam's seemingly unachievable torso, Dominic's bounciness, and Pam Ba-BLAM! And back to the accompanying hard work....

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

TODAY'S MENU:
breakfast --> egg salad sandwich, banana, coffee
lunch and dinner --> everything on the Thanksgiving Day table! (heh heh)

So far, so good!

While Plyo X wore me out (as it always has) yesterday, today's workout was the real acid test for whether or not I was ready to get back to it.... shoulders, biceps and triceps. Guess what? I PASSED! Granted I used the bands instead of the weights, and lightened the resistance on the shoulder exercises, but I think we're back on track here... I feel great! I'm so happy to be getting back to this. It's like a little structure has come back into my life.

Because there is no time like the present...

Why wait for Monday to roll around? Might as well get going now, right? That's what I said today. It was either start back again today, or maybe not start again at all. Oddly enough, today was supposed to be the day that I finished my first round of P90X. Instead it turned out to be the day I started again. Ironic, but hey... that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

So after a while of not dong this, I am doing Chest and Back for what feels like the very first time. I'm still amazed that this workout has the capacity to make me nauseous, but it also today made me feel like I was starting anew again. I did baby my shoulder a bit because this was the workout that caused the injury in the first place, so my reps and my intensity weren't as high as I would have liked for them to be. I'm going to trust that there is room for improvement and try to remember that it's really critical that I not hurt myself again.

It was also surprising to see that Ab Ripper X was not the same experience as it was almost three months ago. If muscle has memory, them much of the memory must be in my abs. I was not as fast as I was at the end of the first sixty days, but I also am surprised to see that I am not taking breaks in the middle of it like I used to when I first started, and that I am able to keep the rep count up to at least 25 of each exercise. That was great news.

All in all, it was a good workout. I'm glad to be back on this again. It sure will be nice to not only see results again, but also to have this piece of my structure back in place. Thank God for second chances!

Ready to get going again

It's been a successful "try-and-see" week. I seem to be over my shoulder injury and I am ready to get back into doing this like I was meant to do it! It's probably not necessary to start at Square One again, but I think I want to do so, just because it'll be like starting fresh again. It's also good for the humility I think.... I don't wanna get into the whole thing of "Oh, So-and-so who started this with me is now ahead of me." Please. This is supposed to be fun, not a contest. And if there is anything that I have learned from my first sixty days with P90X it's that my main competition is myself and the barriers are all in my mind.

HERE WE GO!

I'M BACK!!!

Down but not out, I have gotten back on the P90X horse after it bucked me off and caused me a three-week long convalescence. There's still a mild tenderness in my shoulder, but no longer do I have that primal, agonizing ache through my shoulder that had me wondering if I would ever use my arm again normally. On the advice of a friend, I am easing my way back into this. Cardio X today... X Stretch tomorrow... Cardio X again plus Ab Ripper X on Wednesday... Yoga X on Thursday... Kenpo X on Friday... X Stretch on Saturday... and rest on Sunday. Sound like a good way to get back into the program? I my repeat that if I am not feeling decidedly better after the first week, but I have a feeling that I will be able to get back on it. I will probably start again at Square One with the Phase 1 workouts and see what happens.

Okay folks! Here we go again!

UNCLE!

Okay, so much for my big plan to just do recovery week stuff... for some reason last nights session of Cardio X made my shoulder worse. There's been a low, primal ache all night since the squat runs. So I think I am off to the doctor.

I'm actually really upset, bordering on depression of sorts. It's like... I found something I really loved to do that was physical and fun and WORKING, and now I can't do it! It's not friggin' fair!

I'm still eating as per the diet, but I think this may be the end of the P90X experiment for now...

I may be getting a bit melodramatic, and this whole entry may be unnecessary, but just in case, I"m going to ask you all to please consider this program suspended, and ask you to bear with me while I get some needed medical care.

Thanks everyone for all your understanding, support, encouragement, and friendship through this.

Okay, I'm getting worried...

I think I really did a number on my rotator cuff... maybe worse than I realize. The pain is dull and not noticeable most of the time, but every once in a while there's a flare-up that's crippling. Happened yesterday while I was doing the star blocks on Kenpo X. As you can see, for most of the week until today, I've been able to go through the rest of the workouts, including yoga and the back workout this week without much difficulty. Sometimes there's a low primal ache initially that subsides after a few minites of exercise. Last night though, it was bad, and the ache is pretty constant.

So here's my idea (and I am hoping you P90X grads will chime in as well on this thought)... Today is the last day of my workout week, meaning it's "Rest or X Stretch" day. Today I'll rest and start a "mid-phase recovery week" on Thursday which will involve a lt of yoga, Core Synergistics and Cardio X (will have to lay of Kenpo X for a week since the punches and the star blocks seemed to have exacerbated my shoulder). I'll see how I feel after that, and if I see a little improvement I'll decide on whether to go on with Phase 3, do another recovery week, or just stop altogether. Sound feasible?

I sure would be sad if this were the end of the road for P90X for me. I mean, don't get me wrong... if it is for now, I will pick it up again, but I have really been having fun with this and loving the changes it's produced in my mind and body. I'm just hoping it's not.

Oddly enough, that I may have to stop worries me more than what I may have done to my shoulder.... that's no so healthy, huh?

I'm hoping a P90X grad will chime in with some hopeful words here.

Should have done this upon awakening...

I discovered today that I enjoy Kenpo X much better in the morning when I first wake up versus in the afternoon right after work. Will have to remember that. I still put my all into it, but between the aching rotator cuff and the general stress of the day, it was something of a lackluster workout today. I'm going to give myself a B for today.

TODAY'S WORKOUT - Kenpo X