It Came And It Went

Week 6 is done! I'm almost half way done with P90X! Today, I finished up Day 42 (X Stretch) of the 90 day program that is helping me to return to a normal, healthy lifestyle. I'm still rocking my workouts each morning...or at least most mornings. The schedule was a little off this week, but I managed to get in 5 workouts total in the last 6 days, thanks to a couple of days with double workouts. It was a little harder recovering from all the celebrating we did last week, but I think I'm finally back on track. This was not a bad week, but my workouts were at different times than normal, and I had 2 days where I did absolutely no workouts =(.

Tuesday- I was supposed to do Yoga tuesday morning, but it didn't happen for me. I still can't get myself very motivated to do this workout. I really don't like it, and its hard for me to get up at 5:00 am to do the 98 minutes of boring yoga. I wish it was different...and I hope my attitude will change over the next week before I have to try again next tuesday. I got a new yoga mat and yoga blocks from my mom for my birthday, so I better get my butt in gear and acutally use them! I did get a cardio X workout done on tuesday, so it wasn't a total waste. Olivia joined in on this workout! She wanted to be close to Daddy...even if I was dripping sweat on her poor little head. Let me just say that its not easy to hold "downward dog" with your 18 month old crawling under your body!

Downward Dog and Runners Pose

And the aftermath of Cardio X!!

Wednesday- This was a totally wasted day for me. Tried to go and play racquetball in the morning but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. It totally threw me off for the whole day. I had a bad attitude until I went to bed, and didn't really get motivated to do anything all day. Wednesday was a bad day...glad it came and went pretty fast.

Thursday is my favorite day of the week. It started off with a great Legs/Back workout, and finished up with FIT CLUB in Temecula. I look forward to FIT CLUB each week. I love being around all the positive energy in that place, and its so encouraging to see new people coming every week! It really helps remind me of how far I have come in the short amount of time that I have been active again.

Today was a rest day, but I just finished up my X stretch routine and I'm totally rested and relaxed and ready to push through the weekend with no distractions and no excuses. Each time the weekend comes, I usually find a way to get off track and break my routine...but not this week. I'll be up at 7 am, working on Chest/Shoulder/Triceps with my brand new resistance bands (also a gift from my mom). Now that I have all this shiny new equipment, I feel like I can really challenge myself and get the most out of the workouts!!!

Double Down

Happy Belated Father's Day to all the dads out there. Nothing we do in life is more important, or provides as much happiness as being a father and raising a family. I'm so lucky to have a beautiful daughter who makes me laugh and smile every single day. And I can't wait to meet my son Owen in less than a month! I can't believe he's almost here!! I want him to meet his skinny daddy and be so proud of me when he grows up!

Its been a few days since my last update, so instead of giving you a complete re-cap of the last 5 days, I'll just highlight the important parts.

- Friday was my birthday, so I gave myself a free pass as far as my diet is concerned. I woke up in the morning and did some light stretching while I watched a few minutes of SPORTSCENTER before I headed off to work. I ate out twice, but I deserved to indulge a little bit. At dinner, I could have done way worse than I actually did. I did have 2 beers, but stopped there...and I did have some appetizers and pizza...but nothing close to how much I would have eaten if I were still in my old ways. In some ways, I'm proud of myself for having the self control to know when to stop. It was great to be able to enjoy a night out with my friends, and not be up all night with heartburn or gas...or worse.

- I have a confession...I skipped my P90X workout on Saturday. Don't worry, I didn't just lay around the house eating donuts and ice cream. I was up bright and early to go play racquetball with a former player of mine, Jimmy Vargas. Turns out, Jimmy has been reading the blog and invited me to get my ass kicked on the court. I haven't played racquetball in about 3 years, but it was fun catching up and playing none-the-less. Racquetball is great cardio, even if we did spend a lot of time talking and reminiscing about days past. We also had a chance to get a quick Chest/Shoulders/Triceps routine in after we played...so I still got all the muscles worked that I needed to. Thanks for the invite Jimmy...looking forward to next week!

- Father's day was awesome. It was a great day from start to finish. I decided that rather than sit around all day and do nothing, I would be productive...like a father should. Brittani and I used the time we had while Olivia napped to wash the car, do some laundry, and clean up the kitchen. I completely skipped my Plyometrics workout, but plan on making it up tonight after Olivia goes to bed. A great BBQ with family (combined with birthday celebrations for my sister and I) ended the day on a high note!

- Today I start doubling my workouts. My plan is to do an extra Cardio X workout for the next 23 days unitl I reach day 60. I'm hoping my body can keep up, and I can stay disciplined enough to stick with it. I think i can make some really great progress if I really push myself for these next few weeks. Keep on reading everyone...It makes me want to push harder to make all of you proud!

Alligator Arms and Un-Hitched Wheels

Phase 2 of P90X is in full effect. Its really fun doing these new workouts, and learning the crazy new exercises. There are two new strength training workouts that have been a lot of fun. Each one focuses on all muscles associated with pushes (chest/shoulders/triceps) and pulls (back/biceps). My arms are still sore from monday's back/biceps. One of the people on the Beachbody website referred to this feeling as "Shampoo X", because its very difficult to shampoo your hair if you don't have full use of your arms. I prefer the term "alligator arms", referring of course to the stumpy little arms that alligators walk around on. Of course its not all fun and games...still have yoga, plyos, and kenpo to go along with the new DVDs. Yoga...ugh. How I have begun to loathe yoga. Its so boring, and so long. I have trouble staying focused for the full 98 MINUTES. Most of the time, I feel great after doing it, but in the moment...all I can think about is how I can't wait for it to be over.

Ok time for a few updates. This week began with Brittani and I celebrating our second anniversary. This year, we went to brunch at one of our favorite restaurants, El Torito. Of course its not really possible to stay on track while having brunch at a mexican restaurant. I ate some things I shouldn't have...and I regretted it immediately. I felt absolutely terrible for the next two days. I felt lazy, tired, and other feelings...but I will spare you the details. Now with my birthday coming up on friday, I'm worried about going out and having a good time, knowing that I may really regret it the next day. I'm going to do my best to not go completely overboard. I know my birthday only comes once a year, but I can't let one day knock me off course.

Its been really cool going into work and hearing praise from people who don't even know that I have been trying to lose weight. I have learned through experience that if you tell people you are trying to lose weight, they will always do the nice thing and say "oh wow you are looking so great". The fact is...I haven't really talked to people at work about my weight loss journey, but they have definately been noticing. Its also really fun getting comments from so many people who are reading my blog. So many people have told me they love reading, and this has been a great accountability tool for me. I promise you all that I will continue to update you regularly, if you promise to keep holding me accountable!!

Now as a special treat...here is one of my 30 day result pictures!

Before
Weight: 304.8 lbs
Belly Measurement: 50.5 in



















30 Days
Weight: 292.2 lbs
Belly Measurement: 47 in

30 Day Results

My first 30 days officially came to an end today. P90X phase 1 is complete, measurements are in, new pictures will be taken tomorrow. Overall, I'm feeling a mixed bag of emotions regarding how they turned out. I'm obviously extremely happy that I have made some progress and have gotten off to a good start with what is going to be a total lifestlye change. When I look back at where I was 30 days ago, I have really come a long way. Every single part of my health is improved. I am more flexible, which means I don't wake up in the morning with aches and pains in my back and hips and feet. I'm smaller, so my clothes are fitting better and my confidence is up. My diet is so much better, so I don't get heart burn or feel like I am so tired that I just want to lay around all day. Its just a great feeling knowing that I'm off to a great start!

The other side of things is...I feel like I could have done better. I feel like I should have lost more weight than I have. I'm not totally disappointed, but I would have liked to see a lower number on the scale. Its hard to imagine that I didn't lose more, because I feel so much different, but I expected for it to come off a little faster. In all honestly though, I am so motivated for these next 30 days...I know I'm going to kill it!

So here are the numbers...the important ones anyways:

Starting Weight- 304.8
Current Weight- 292.2
Total Weight lost- 12.6 lbs.

Starting Belly Measurement- 50.5"
Current Belly Measurement- 47"
inches lost- 3.5"

Starting Chest Measurement- 52"
Current Chest Measurement- 51"
inches lost- 1

Starting Hip (butt) measurement- 49.5"
Current Hip measurement- 48"
inches lost- 1.5

Total inches lost- 6

Not bad Huh??? Thanks again to everyone for your love and support. Just knowing that people are reading my blog and providing small words of encouragement makes me keep pushing harder. I need every bit of it as I continue to improve my health and my life for the better. Tomorrow is our 2 year wedding anniversary, so I am taking extra pride in reporting that I am about 8 lbs lighter than I was on our wedding day! I love you Brittani...here's to 50+ more years with the greatest wife ever!

Low Carb is NOT for me

There isn't a whole lot to report on this week for my workouts. Its been a combination of Yoga and Stretching these last few days, which has left my body totally relaxed and ready to get started on phase 2 of P90X. I'm rested and ready to go. Tonight's FIT club workout was awesome! Rev Abs with Brett from the Biggest Loser is a great way to finish the day!

I've really been experimenting with different things in my diet. As days have gone by, I have realized that a "low carb" diet is NOT for me. There are just too many things that I love, that I'm simply not willing to give up. I'm not going to stop eating cereal for breakfast, and I'm not going to stop eating fruit for snacks. Those are things that I can control the amount that I eat, and especially with the cereal, I can choose better options than Cocoa Pebbles. I know, that for myself to be successful in this lifestyle change, moderation is going to be key. I've started journaling my food this week, and its helped me really keep an eye on what I've been putting into my body. Its cool being able to track my calories each day, and compare with the week as a whole. I've been able to stay right around 2,200 calories a day, and that keeps me totally satisfied. I snack when I need to, I don't gorge at meals, and I am making sure to drink plenty of water. I've also been getting to sleep before 10:00 each night this week, which has made waking up at 5:45 am a whole lot easier.

I only lost 1 lb this week, but again, I know its the big picture that matters. I'm losing inches, and we'll know just how much progress I've made on Sunday because that marks the end o fmy first 30 days. Look for the measurement results in my next blog entry on Sunday!!!

Stretched to the Max

Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh...

That's not me screaming. That's a nice relaxing sigh after a much needed, restful day. Stretch X this morning was just what the doctor ordered! This was my first time doing this 60 minute stretching routine, and I don't think I will be missing it again. It was so great waking up this morning, walking downstairs with no shoes on, and stretching every single muscle in my body until I felt like Gumbi. In all the years I have worked out before now, I have never been big on flexibility. I always used to tell my clients "stretch after you workout", but I never really did it myself. I was a weight lifter...and those guys don't typically stretch. Man was I wrong!! Feels good to try something new and not be totally frustrated with the results. Stretch X may become one of my favorite days of the week =)

Not much else to report on the diet front. I cheated a bit on Sunday, but got right back on track monday and tuesday. I know 1 days is not going to killy my progress, but I felt guilty immediately after I downed a bratwurst at the baseball BBQ. I turned right to Brittani and said "i shouldn't have done that". Miraculously enough, I have managed to stay below my calorie count each and every day since I started my P90X adventure. I feel like this week has been my best week so far. My clothes are definately starting to fit a little looser, and my belly doesn't stick out quite so much...even after dinner when I'm typically pretty full! It feels good knowing I can cut out the junk food, and not crave it or feel like I'm missing out on too much. Plus, we're saving money cus I'm not sneaking in "McDoubles" or getting starbucks 3 times a week.

Big weigh in on Thursday to see if my hard work is paying off. I'm hoping I lost at least 3 lbs this week, but more importantly I'm really hoping that when I go birthday shopping in a week or 2...I can shop at a few more stores. I'm sick of the "Big and Tall" section at JC Penney!

Frustration Abounding

This week begins my recovery week for P90X. Its supposed to let all my muscles recover from the strength training workouts I've been doing for the last 3 weeks. That's all well and good, but I don't know who decided to put 2 Yoga X workouts in the RECOVERY week. Yoga is the toughest workout I've done so far (until Core Synergistics). I have a feeling that I'm going to be much more flexible by the end of this week, but I have a hard time believing I will feel "rested and recovered". Wondering how my last few days have gone? Here are the updates from Sunday and Monday.

Day 23- Core Synergistics

This was by far, the most frustrating workout since I started P90X. Core Syn is a mixture of strength training, and pilates type exercises, focusing on the muscles from your lower chest to your upper thighs. It uses multi joint movements, and burns a ton of calories. The problem I have is that the muscles in my abs, lower back, and obliques are still so weak. Many of the exercises were so hard that I couldn't hold them for as long as I needed to, and some of them I couldn't do at all. I kept falling out of the positions that needed to be held. I got so frustrated that I turned off the DVD about 12 minutes early, and didn't complete the bonus round. I was really down and upset with myself for being such a pansy, but I know I can do better next time. This was a really difficult workout, and next time I will finish the bonus round!!

Day 24- Kenpo X

My favorite workout again this morning! Kenpo is always awesome, and I'm always soaked with sweat by the time I finish. This morning was a little different...I drank a little too much water on one of the breaks and barfed a little while I was in full Kenpo mode. Lucky for me, I made it to the sink in time. It wasn't fun working out with that taste in my mouth for the last 20 minutes either. Its cool though...Its not like i've never thrown up before from working out!

Looking forward to trying Stretch X tomorrow for the first time. I'm pretty sore from Core Syn and could use a good hour of stretching!

Its a Bumpy Road

Rough couple of days. Once again I have had trouble sticking with a routine that was working so well for me in the beginning. The culprit this time...staying up too late. The problem is that once Olivia goes to bed at around 8 every night, Brittani and I usually have dishes to do, showers to take, and a house to clean up after "Hurricane Olivia" runs wild through the house all day. By the time we finish our "chores", we like to sit and relax and enjoy our time together. Unfortunately that usually means we head off to bed around 10:30-11:00 pm. It makes it pretty challenging to wake up at 5:50 am in order to get my workout in before work. Here is how the rest of my week went:

Wednesday I managed to wake up early and do my legs and back workout. This is becoming my favorite workout of the strength training days. I like it because I'm VERY good at it!! My whole body is screaming at me to stop, but I always get through it, and hobble up the stairs and stumble into the shower to start my day. Its brutal and grueling, but I love it.

Thursday was a different story =(. I actually got out of bed at 5:45, went to do my weigh in (2 more pounds down), and stood at the door arguing with myself about working out, or going back to bed. In one of my weaker points...I caved, and climbed back in bed under the warm covers for another hour. I thought all day about how I was going to make up my Kenpo workout, but I just couldn't find the time to get it done. On top of that, I missed the fit club workout to do some grocery shopping and family time. So yesterday I worked out ZERO times...I'm still kicking myself for that.

Today I woke up with a new attitude and a new determination. I got up nice and early (on what was supposed to be my rest day) and jumped, kicked, and punched my way through Kenpo X. I really pushed this morning, really wanted to make up for the fact that I had been letting my head get in the way of my progress. I feel good, and now that I'm starting the second phase of P90x tomorrow, I feel totally ready. My plan of attack...get to bed earlier, even if it means skipping my favorite TV show or cutting back on my XBOX time. I can't expect my body, or my mind to hold up over the long haul if I don't get the rest I need.

Special side note: I made one of my favorite meals last night and managed to cut out a bunch of the fat and calories by making a fuew substitutions. We had a nice big pot of chili, made with ground turkey instead of beef, vegetable juice instead of tomato soup (loads of sodium) and loads of veggies and beans. I had to add in a packet of chili seasoning, which added a bit of sodium back in, but I couldn't afford to buy the cayenne, cumin, and chili powder that the recipe called for. Never-the-less, it was great, filled me up, and best of all: TONS LEFT OVER FOR LUNCH NEXT WEEK! Keep reading people...I love hearing what you have to say about my blog!