Sunday, November 30, 2008

P90X Day 85: Cardio X

Decided to do the Cardio X workout instead of Yoga today. The main reason was that I just ran out of time. Annie joined me for the Cardio X DVD and this was the first time she did this one. It was funny because she was complaining about the Yoga in the beginning and then was complaining about the Kenpo saying how she wanted a more intense workout .... I was laughing to myself thinking just wait until the Plyo and Wacky Jacks begin!!! See the thing about Cardio X is that it is only 45 or so minutes long but it has zero breaks and it is super fast paced once you finish the yoga portion in the beginning. And when the plyo portion begins it kicks your butt pretty hard.

Today's diet went well again. Protein/Carb/Protein/Carb/Protein ...etc.!

I weighed myself this morning and was happy to see the scale at 167.5. I haven't been this weight since I was 15 years old!

Also, I ran out of Anabolic Halo (post workout drink) so I have just been have an additional protein shake after my workouts. I felt like the Anabolic Halo made me a little stronger when I first started using it but about 2-3 weeks in I can't really say it made any difference. So, I am just going to stick with good old protein powder from here on out!

Tomorrow is the always fun Core Synergistics!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Saturday, November 29, 2008

P90X Day 84: Kenpo X

Today was supposed to be the X Stretch/Rest day but since I took off Thursday it became my Kenpo day! I used my new heart rate monitor for the first time. My average rate was 132 bpm and the high was 162 bpm. The high was obtained right after the second time doing the jacks and X-jumps. Then it went down as I moved into the blocking sequences. My total calorie burn was 512. I guess that is pretty good for Kenpo.

My diet went well again today despite all those leftovers in the fridge trying to to talk me into eating them .... I said "no" but it was/is difficult. Annie has been working and won't let me throw them away until after she gets a chance to indulge one more time tomorrow!!

Anyways, tomorrow officially marks the last week of P90X for me as I begin the Recovery Week with Yoga. The good news is that I will be beginning P90X + PLUS on December 15th (along with fellow P90Xer Matt and hopefully Mike). I have decided to keep this site up and continue blogging about the PLUS. I will keep the same format of daily posts and put up a new day-by-day calendar and also do the 1-30-60-90 day accountability pictures. So, if you are wondering how P90X + PLUS is as a product I will be here for another 90 days to give you my unbiased reviews. I am about halfway through a P90X + workout tracker on Google Docs so you will be able to track my progress and I would also welcome any comments or suggestions on the site and if their is something you would like to see or something I can add to make the site better.

See you tomorrow for Yoga

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Week 13:

  • Sunday: Yoga
  • Monday: Core Synergistics
  • Tuesday: Kenpo
  • Wednesday: Stretch
  • Thursday: Core Synergistics
  • Friday: Yoga (Day 90)



Friday, November 28, 2008

P90X Day 83: Leg & Back + Ab Ripper X


The shoulder feels much better today - despite what that picture may show! Last night I alternated ice and heat and it seems to have done the job! Still a little tender but no longer limiting.

Breakfast this morning was a whey protein shake with a banana and a whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter and it was excellent. Then Annie and I went and did some Black Friday shopping. I got a heart rate monitor (which I should have bought 90 days ago!!!) for $29.99 at Sports Authority - excellent deal. We then came home and I had a turkey sandwich on wheat with an apple. Then I went and played golf. I used to be an avid golfer but I haven't played in well over 18 months! I shot a 46 on the front 9 and was 2-over on the back when we quit because of darkness. The course was very busy today and it took FOREVER to play. The reason I bring this up is because two things I noticed. One, I was hitting the hell out of the ball! My strength and flexibility made my game play noticeably better to both myself and my buddy. Two, I did not get tired. In the past when I played golf I alway seemed to play well for about 6 or 7 holes and then limp on in to the clubhouse. Not today. And I attribute the distance and stamina to my overall conditioning with P90X. So this P90X works for Golfers, too!

I just finished up the Legs & Back workout for the last time! My buddy Mike mentioned in his blog that this is not one of his favorite workouts. For me it might be my favorite! I love the pullup bar and I love the way my shoulders and back feel after this workout. I am going to miss doing this one for the next couple of weeks! The good news is that it is incorporated into the "Rest Weeks" on the P90X + schedule. I was a little cautious on the bar today because of my tender shoulder but it didn't effect me too much. I didn't do as many reps as 2 weeks ago but I also didn't play five hours of golf before last week either! It probably helped my focus on my form more than anything which is a good thing!

I am finishing of the last of my Anabolic Halo as I type and Dinner is going to be Turkey and whole wheat shells -- I can tell that I need the carbs right now!

Tomorrow I will do Kenpo X and then Sunday start the beginning of the final week before I will be an official P90X graduate!

<p>Thanks for Reading

Jeff

Thursday, November 27, 2008

P90X Day 82: Rest Day (Sort of ...)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

I played football this morning for two hours with a bunch of guys my age. Good news is my legs and over all stamina was awesome. Jeff of 90 days ago would have died running around like I did today so kudos to P90X. Bad news is my left shoulder, which has been bothering me since about Day 5 or 6, is pretty sore. I started the Leg & Back workout and jumped on the Pullup bar and realized just how sore the shoulder was (hurt like hell actually!). I was a fearful that I would hurt it even worse so I stopped. I think it once again is just a strain because it felt fine while playing and just tightened up later. So, I will take Thursday as the Rest Day and do Legs & Back on Friday and then instead of the normal Saturday Rest Day I will do Kenpo. Not a big change, but needed to save the shoulder!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

P90X Day 81: Yoga X

TGIW!!! I have off the next four days and I am very happy about that! I have had a long month at work and I am just mentally exhausted. I started this morning struggling to get out of bed. By the time I got out of the shower I realized I was going to be late for my first appointment. So, I had a protein bar in the car with a bottle of water. I was able to eat right for the rest of the day swapping my mid morning snack with an appropriate breakfast and having a good lunch and dinner (chicken stir fry...yum!).

I stopped by The Academy sporting goods store today and picked up some 25lb dumbbells. I am going to get some 35's and 45's also but they are pretty expensive so I will space out the purchases a little! During last nights Back and Biceps workout I realized I was ready to give up the bands and start using dumbbells. The bands have been awesome and my results have been even better than I imagined with the bands but I am going to be starting P90X + and I want to be as extreme as possible. And the bands sometimes limit your movements and you have to do the moves modified from what is being done with the weights. I also want to try and add a bit more size in my chest and shoulders during P90X + . So, I've decided to bite the bullet and purchase dumbbells since this whole fitness thing seems like it is going to stick with me!

However, anyone who might be reading this and thinking, "Great now I got to spend a few hundred bucks on dumbbells to do P90X!" -- This is not true and all my results during P90X have been attained using resistance bands so I strongly recommend them not only because they are less costly but also very effective.

Onto today's workout --YOGA. As has been documented this is my least favorite workout of the entire P90X program. But, I actually really enjoyed it today. I have been a little stressed out lately and not real fun to be around. So today I turned off my cell phone and turned off the lights and just focused on relaxing and doing the Yoga workout. I felt so relaxed afterwards, it was great. I also had a pretty good sweat going. It could be that my wife turned the heat on in the house for the first time this year or that I am finally getting half decent at Yoga. Whatever the reason I don't care because I burned some calories! And I did the crane for like 10 seconds today -- still fell on my face but I was happy with 10 seconds!

Tomorrow is Legs & Back. I am supposed to play football tomorrow morning with my buddy Ryan so hopefully the weather cooperates because football will be fun and also a good workout! I will probably come right home afterwards and get the Legs & Back workout in before Annie and I settle in with Turkey and the NFL --- I love Thanksgiving -- Football and Turkey, just awesome!

Happy Thanksgiving to my P90X buddies - Mike, Matt, and Tai Chi Monkey Girl - Don't Forget to Push Play tomorrow!!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff


Tuesday, November 25, 2008

P90X Day 80: Back & Biceps + Ab Ripper X

Hello, Y'all.....Good day today. Started out with a whey protein shake, banana, and wheat english muffin with peanut butter. Very good breakfast! I had a protein bar for my morning snack and a South Beach Diet bar for the afternoon snack. A chicken sandwich on wheat was my lunch and lean beef on low carb wheat shells for Dinner.

When I got home from work I relaxed a little and then did the Back & Biceps workout. I used the black band on pretty much every move and was really able to Bring it hard. I took some NanoVapor for that added boost and it seemed to really help. ABX went okay. I was a little winded from pushing so hard on the Back & Biceps that I didn't leave too much for the AB workout. I still made it through but I felt like my intensity was lacking a bit on ABX.

I added a new feature to the blog today -- if you look to the right on top is a day-by-day tracker of each post of the P90X workout. I figured this would make it easier to follow the P90X and my workouts. Last week I also added the "Followers of this Blog" link. So, if you are a reader click there and it will let you know every time I update this blog.

Tomorrow is Yoga X again and I plan on doing it in the late afternoon.

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff


Monday, November 24, 2008

P90X Day 79: Plyometrics

Well, today was my last day to do Plyo! I think I am actually going to miss this ass-kicking workout. After 11 weeks of doing this it still kills me every time. Now don't get me wrong, I have got better at plyo but it is still very extreme - in my opinion the most extreme workout of P90X! The one move that has you jump and bring your knees up absolutely just destroys me. And then Tony makes you do double time! Sweat is usually pouring down my face after this one.

My diet went very well again today. I was right on with 2700 calories and the 40% Carbs/40% Protein/20% Fat ratios. I've decided I am going to bust up my diet on Thanksgiving. Annie and I are making Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy and a cherry pie for dessert. I have worked very hard so one day of bad eating will not kill me -- I'll just have to work harder to burn it off!

I am pretty beat right now so this is all I got for tonight! I am going to lay down on the couch and watch the rest of Monday Night Football.

Tomorrow is Back & Biceps

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Sunday, November 23, 2008

P90X Day 78: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps and Ab Ripper X

A friend of mine has been away for a year and he is back today. His name is Jack Bauer and he makes Tony Horton look like a big wuss! I am an hour into "24" and Jack has already killed 8 bad guys -- a rather slow start!Jack would eat P90X for breakfast!

Anyways, today was the Chest, Shoulders and Triceps workout. This is always a challenge to complete and my arms are usually hanging by my knees when I am done and today was no exception! I think the hardest move is the weight arm circles. What happens is you hold up a weight with both arms spread out and you make a forward circle for 10 seconds and then a backwards circle for 10 seconds and then you repeat! I only use 5 lbs for this and it burns the heck out of my shoulders. Just an awesome exercise.

ABX was its normal brutal self today. I blew through the in-and-outs, both bicycles and crunchy frogs. The wide leg sit-ups were a bit of a challenge, and then Fifers was rough as usual but I grunted through both! But for some reason the Pulse Ups (Heals to the Heavens) absolutely killed me. The last five just absolutely burned the hell out of my abs!. Then after that I flew through the rest - I even did the extra 10 Mason Twists! Only 2 more ABX's left.

My diet today was a little different. I didn't get out of bed until 10am - which was awesome. So that means my breakfast time was my normal snack time. I decided to just make a huge breakfast since I was starving! I had four turkey sausages, a wheat english muffin, and an EAS Whey Protein Shake. Lunch was a whole wheat turkey sandwich with an apple. I then had a protein bar for a snack. And dinner was Anabolic Halo, some turkey, and a 60G Cookie n' Cream flavored Wheybolic Extreme Protein Shake. I came in at about 2400 calories today - a little short of my goal but I slept longer than usual so it was probably about right.

Only 11 Days to go!

Tomorrow is Plyometrics.

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Saturday, November 22, 2008

P90X Day 77: REST

I did some work this morning and then spent the rest of the afternoon lying on the couch watching College Football and bad movies -- and I loved every minute of it! I thought about doing the StretchX but overall I feel very good so I figured take the rest day. Diet was right on again today so I won't bore you with the details.

I did spend some time reading through my P90X + book and schedule. I am looking forward to jumping into P90X + about a week after I finish P90X. I cannot find an Excel or Google Workout Tracker anywhere for P90X +. So, if anyone reading this has a spreadsheet of P90X + I'd be forever thankful. Please pass the link on in my comments of email to: jeffirvin@gmail.com.

Tomorrow I start Week 12 with the Chest, Shoulders, Triceps and Ab Ripper X and this is my last high impact week of the program ... I am a little sad!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Friday, November 21, 2008

P90X Day 76: Kenpo X

TGIF -- After a long week of being sick and working crazy long hours I am glad that it is Friday! And Friday usually means Kenpo X day which is also a good thing. My wife Annie didn't feel like driving to the gym today so she decided to join me for the Kenpo X workout! It is always nice to have a workout partner so I always enjoy when she decides to BRING IT!

Kenpo was fun. I tried to to really let loose with the punches in the first sequence. I also focused on height with my kicks today as well and I felt like I was able to really Bring It! Annie felt like she got a good work out too! Every time I get to the blocks in Kenpo X and we do the downward blocks it reminds me of "wax on, wax off" from the Karate Kid, hence the pic to the right!

My diet went well today also. No slip ups and I got in about 2700 calories -- right on target. I briefly touched on the subject of switching back to Phase 2 of the Nutrition Guide a few posts back. I was doing Phase 3 which was a high carb diet and I was initially concerned with doing this phase because I felt like I still needed to shed some fat. Phase 2 is the more balanced carb/protein version. When I was doing Phase 3 I gained a little weight and after the first week I cannot say I had a noticeable increase in my energy level from Phase 2 so I switched back. The last day of Phase 3 I weighed 174 lbs. This morning I weighed in at 167 lbs so I am pleased with the switch back. The Nutrition Guide says everyone is different and you need to listen to your body so I did and it has worked out good!

Tomorrow is the rest/stretch day!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff


Thursday, November 20, 2008

P90X Day 75: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

Hello everyone! Today was one of my favorites - Legs & Back! I put the "300" image up because this workout is all about the glory muscles. Especially when you throw in the Ab Ripper X at the end! Oh, and it kicks the Hell out of you!

I started off my morning with a Whey Protein Shake. Then had a protein bar for both snacks, a chef salad for lunch and some grilled chicken wings for dinner with BBQ sauce. I over did my portion size for dinner a little so I will have to "Bring It" a little harder for Kenpo tomorrow!

Today's workout went great! I did over 20 reps on all eight of the pull-up/chin-up exercises and added weight when appropriate on all the squats and lunges. I did struggle a little with the single leg wall squats and the chair salutations. Both of these just burn the hell out of my legs but I just did my best and forgot the rest!!!

Also, I want to thank Elizabeth Renter from ExtremeBodyWorkout.com for writing about P90X blogs and including Dangle the Carrot... in her article today. She mentioned that many people take to the Internet to find out if they should purchase P90X or not and that blogs like this one are beneficial in getting a non-biased review of the product. She is 100% right because I actually did that before my purchase and over the course of the last 75 days I have received a number of emails and comments asking the question. So, hopefully if you are reading this blog I hope I help you make a decision one way or another!

Something else that I feel warrants writing about is how helpful this blog has been in keeping me motivated! Knowing that people are reading daily and will be disappointed if I skip a day or quit has really made me keep my focus and not miss days. Another positive thing this blog has indirectly created is an awesome support group of fellow P90X'ers. Mike, Matt, Tai Chi Monkey Girl and Ryan have helped me stay motivated by matching my commitment and we push each other on a daily basis. Thanks guys!

I guess my point behind this long, rambling post is that if you are planning on trying P90X find out what motivates you and use that because this program is not easy! If you want to see the "after" results like on the infomercial you need to bust your ass everyday. You cannot miss days, you cannot half ass it, you cannot make excuses. You must be committed to "Bring It" everyday!

Tomorrow is Kenpo X!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

P90X Day 74: Yoga X

Today was tough! I didn't get home from work until 9:30pm. I was tired and in a bad mood so Yoga was not what I wanted to do!

But 74 days into P90X I decided to suck it up and Just Push Play!

Yoga was its same old 92 minute self. Long and somewhat painful!

Despite all the driving and long day I still had a very good diet day. Vanilla Whey Protein shake in the morning. A Pure Protein bar for a snack. I then had a whole wheat turkey sub with cheese and lite mayo for lunch. I had another protein bar for my midday snack. I then had a grilled chicken breast with carrots and broccoli for dinner.

Tomorrow is Legs & Back plus Ab Ripper X. I always love Legs & Back. It is very intense and it slams my whole body! Until tomorrow.

Thanks for Reading

Jeff


Tuesday, November 18, 2008

P90X Day 73: Arms & Shoulders + ABX

Hello, I hope everyone is doing well. Sorry for the short posts the last few days. I was short on time and sleep from the long weekend and I am a little sick right now -- very good times!

I sucked it up this evening, hydrated like crazy today and pushed play on the Arms and Shoulders DVD and ABX. It actually went very well. I used the black (50lb) band on most of the exercises. I had been using the green (40lb) and red (30lb) bands so I didn't really increase my reps since the black bands are heavier. But I did increase the burn!

ABX was very strong today also. I got through but really struggled in fifer scissors today. I felt that familiar vomit coming up the throat feeling on about rep 20. The oblique raises were a struggle today also but I grunted my way through

My diet today started off with a whey protein shake for breakfast (52G) with fat free milk. I had a protein bar (20g) for a snack and a chicken sandwich on wheat for lunch. Another protein bar for the afternoon snack and a turkey sub on whole wheat with cheese and lite mayo from subway. I also took NanoVapor to give me an extra boost before my workout and Anabolic Halo as the post-workout recovery drink.

I was talking to Mike yesterday about the Halo and I really think it is working for me! I feel stronger all around and I have really increased my reps on both the push-ups and pull-ups. Back around week 8 I felt like I hit a wall when it came to strength gain and started taking the Anabolic Halo. And since that time I have had tremendous gains! Maybe it is just mental but whatever it is it is working!

It is 7:50 right now and I am ready for bed -- always a good sign the workout kicked my butt! Tomorrow is the always fun Yoga X. I am planning on getting up early and doing this one. I have a working dinner seminar tomorrow night until 9pm so I have to get it in early!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Monday, November 17, 2008

P90X Day 72: Plyometrics

Plyo Day !!! Good Times!!!

I felt like ass pretty much the entire day. For this reason I did not feel like doing Plyo but I took some NanoVapor and pushed play! Amazingly I had a very high energy plyo workout. If you are considering doing P90X I highly recommend using pre-workout drinks. Some days you are going to feel like crap and these pre-workout drinks really help when you just don't think you can do it.



Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

P90X Day 71: Chest & Back + ABX

Hey guys,

Sorry for not being able to post yesterday. I got home around 9pm and did the Chest and Back workout. Then I turned on my computer and my comcast ISP was down? Comcast is my mortal enemy -- I didn't have the energy to walk out to the car and get my aircard, let alone battle the piss poor comcast customer service so I went to bed.

Anyways, I had a long weekend at the casino! I was only down about $200 and had a really good time. My diet was off on Saturday. I actually had a few french fries! And I must admit they tasted glorious!!! Sunday was better. I had wheat french toast and then a protein bar and a grilled chicken salad for lunch and another bar for the snack. I missed dinner because I was in the car driving home so I had a protein shake when I got back just to get the calories and extra protein!

I was exhausted but was still able to do the chest and back workout. Not my best effort but I struggled through and actually increased most of my pullups and pushups --despite the fact I had zero energy! ABX killed me. I had to pause numerous times to catch my breath.

I am glad to be home!

Thanks for reading,

Jeff

Saturday, November 15, 2008

P90X Day 70: Day of Rest

I am at a casino "resting" today! Wish me luck!

Tomorrow is the Chest, Shoulder and Triceps Workout to begin week 11 ... only 20 days left!

This would be a good time to talk about my post P90X plans. I will be finishing on the 5th of December. I am planning on taking off until around Christmas time! Then I am going to begin P90X + (plus). I already purchased it and have the workout guide and schedule! The P90X + is four more discs (5 workouts) and they are supposed to be very intense.

I am pretty sure I will continue the blog so if anyone out there is wondering how the P90X + works this is the place to come!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Friday, November 14, 2008

P90X Day 69: Kenpo X

Today started out good. I had a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and a glass of skim milk for breakfast around 7am. I had a SBD bar for the mid-morning snack and a chef salad with turkey, ham, chicken and cheese with fat free ranch for my lunch. I had to go to an implant case around 11 today so I ate lunch a little later in the day than usual. After that I had a protein bar for my afternoon snack and then got in the Kenpo workout. I just finished off my Anabolic Halo recovery drink and am getting ready to cook some chicken stir fry with brown rice in sesame ginger sauce and some broccoli. Should be a good dinner.

Kenpo went great today! My left shoulder is feeling much better lately and I was able to really bring it hard today because of this. I tried something new today -- I selected the "Music and Cues" option on the DVD. What this was was the same workout but it muted Tony except when it was time to switch moves or go double time. I enjoy Tony but this is the 11th time I have done Kenpo and it was getting quite monotonous. So, I enjoyed the quiter version of Kenpo and may try this on a couple of the other workouts that I have memorized like Kenpo!

Tomorrow myself and a couple of buddies are going to the L’Auberge du Lac Casino in Lake Charles, LA. It is about a 3 hour drive from Houston. We are spending the night and we are planning on coming back on Sunday afternoon before the 4:15 Steelers game. It will work out nicely because tomorrow is my off day for P90X and I don't have to worry about fitting in a workout. Saturday is a day where sleep is going to be very limited!

See you all on Sunday!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Thursday, November 13, 2008

P90X Day 68: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X


Today was Legs & Back. Pull-ups, Squats, Lunges .........

I really enjoy this workout every single time. Always am very sore afterwards and get a great sweat going. I have a poll over on the column on the right that asks if P90X really works .... Well, let me show you my results on the pull-up bar before you answer!

Week #1 (Day5) was the first time I did the Legs & Back workout. Their are 8 different pull-up/chin-up exercises that you complete over the course of the workout. I did a combined 75 reps (9.375 reps per) that first week and I thought that was great. Today, Week #10 (Day 68) I did a combined 168 reps (21 reps per). Based on these results I'd say P90X works!

ABX went great today also. I did every rep and even had my arms in the air for the first three exercises.

I followed the nutrition guide to the letter again today! My problem is that my weight is now 173 lbs?? This is a 4 lb gain in about two weeks time? I do not feel like I gained weight and my clothes are all still as loose as ever but I was a little concerned this was going to happen when I increased the carb intake according to Phase 3 of the nutrition guide. Mike decided to not do phase 3 and his weight has not increased at all. So, with this in mind I think I am going to jump back into the more balanced protein/carb portion of the nutrition guide. AND .... I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I miss having protein shakes for breakfast!

Tomorrow is the always fun KenpoX day!

Thanks for Reading

Jeff

P90X Day 67: Yoga


AAAAGGGHHHHH!! Yoga X ..... I did the whole thing. I didn't like it. It is 92 minutes I'll never get back but it is done!

And Today is Legs & Back + ABX!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

P90X Day 66: Back & Triceps + Ab ripper X

I had a very busy day. Started out with a 8am appointment about 45 minutes from my house. So, I got up around 5:30 this morning and made myself a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and a glass of skim milk! I packed a SBD bar and had it in the car between appointments. I then had a sliced chicken sandwich on wheat with mozzarella and fat free ranch dressing as the condiment. I had to come home then for a conference call and during that I had celery sticks with peanut butter and 3 pieces of turkey jerky. I had a meeting at 6:30 tonight so I did the Back and Triceps workout in between the call and meeting. After the meeting I carbed up and had whole wheat pasta with marinara sauce for Dinner -- very good!

My workout today was very intense. I was feeling good all day and had a ton of energy. I still took the nano vapor for an extra boost and had a great workout. I used the black (50lb) resistance bands on most of the curls and it is very hard. The black band really rips me up! I worked especially hard on the pull-up bar and even was able to do 10 reps on the corn cobbs (these suck). Ab ripper X went well also. I made it through relatively easy. I have been struggling lately on the oblique raises but they went smooth today! I didn't add any extras in because I was a little short on time. Overall pretty good day!

I have another early morning tomorrow so I am going to try and go to sleep in a couple of minutes. Tomorrow's workout is Yoga X. Since this DVD sucks and is boring I will probably sub it out with Cardio X. Unless I feel like torturing myself then I will do Yoga X!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Monday, November 10, 2008

P90X Day 65: Plyometrics


The image on the left is of the "Airborne Heisman's". This is one of the moves executed during "The Beast" Plyometrics. One thing is for sure and that is no matter how many times I do Plyo it will never become easy. Every time, I sweat and pant during this workout. And when I am done with the cool down stretching I am exhausted. My hamstrings and thighs just ache right now. Just like the first time I did Plyo. Now the cool thing about Plyo is that most of the exercises offer advanced moves to keep it interesting. You can put your arms in the air during the Mary Katherine's or you can do 360 spins instead of 180's on a few of the moves. On the squats you can add in jumps and during the jumps you can add extra height. Basically, plyo is as challenging as you decide to make it. It really gives you the chance to Bring the heck out of it! And that is why I love this one so much!

Anyways, I messed up my eating schedule a little today. I had an english muffin with peanut butter and a glass of skim milk for breakfast which was good but then I was stuck in an office from 9am to 1pm and missed both my morning snack and lunch. And since I was stuck there for 3 hrs longer than I though I didn't even pack a lunch. So, I just had a snack bar at 1pm and then a cheese stick and another snack bar at 4:30. I worked out around 5 and had NanoVapor before and followed with the Anabolic Halo for my recovery drink. Then dinner was lean beef marinated in sesame ginger sauce on whole wheat tortilla shells and a bowl of broccoli. I had an extra tortilla to make up for the carbs/calories I lost by missing lunch. Overall, it was not a horrible mess-up but it is crazy how hungry I felt around 11:30am. My body has become conditioned to be feed at certain times and when that doesn't happen my body is not happy!!!

On a side note I want to talk about something that has not really been mentioned in my almost 11 weeks of doing this blog: Legs! What I mean is the effect that P90X is having on my legs. I have always had pretty decent sized calfs and thighs and when I started this program I can honestly say that toning or strengthening my legs was not one of my goals. However, that being said, my legs have really gone through a transformation. I have muscles showing up in places on my legs that I didn't even know had muscles (if that makes sense?). Between all the lunges and squats my legs have really increased in size and strength and I am a little upset I did not take "before" pics of my legs. So, if you are reading this and one of your goals is to tone and strengthen your legs and you are wondering if P90X can do this for you my answer is a definite YES! Let me know if you guys feel the same in the comments.

Tomorrow is Chest & Back --ABX.

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Sunday, November 9, 2008

P90X Day 64: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Ab Ripper X


As I start Week 10 it is back to Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps and ABX! This to me is an okay workout. My triceps are pretty worn out afterwards from all the pushups and variations of pushups but I think a few of the others are more difficult. I took 2 1/2 scoops of the Nano Vapor again today before the workout and it really helped. I already like the Nano Vapor more than the SuperPump 250. I just wish it wasn't so expensive ($50/jug). I kicked the crap out of ABX today. I actually added 15 v-rollups and 10 extra oblique raises at the end! It still amazes me at how hard ABX was in the beginning and how manageable it has become now!

I had a decent nutrition day which is always hard to do during NFL Sundays! Breakfast was four pieces of turkey sausage on a whole wheat english muffin with a glass of skim milk. I got out of bed a little later than usually so after the morning workout it was time for lunch. Which was a sliced chicken sandwich on whole wheat with low fat ranch and the Anabolic Halo as my drink. I had a P90X recovery drink and a couple pieces of grilled sausage for my snack. I went to a friends house to watch the afternoon games and the Steelers shit the bed and had grilled chicken and whole grain rice for dinner while there. I also had probably 10-12 glasses of water today. I usually just carry around a water bottle and refill it through out the day when I am home like this. I feel really good when I am hydrated!

Tomorrow is the always awesome Plyometrics workout!

I am now a member of the Facebook community, click here is you want to post on my wall!

Thanks for Reading

Jeff

Saturday, November 8, 2008

P90X Day 63: REST DAY!

It is nice to not hear Tony for at least one day!

Be back early tomorrow morning before football. Here is the upcoming week's schedule:

Week 10:
Sunday - Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Monday - Plyometrics
Tuesday - Back & Triceps
Wednesday - Yoga
Thursday - Legs & Back
Friday - Kenpo
Saturday - Rest/Stretch

Friday, November 7, 2008

P90X Day 62: Kenpo X


Howdy Y'all. Happy Friday! I started off today with 3 whole wheat waffles for breakfast with skim milk and a banana. I then had a South Beach Diet bar around 10:30. I meet up with Ryan for lunch at a Chili's. i had the "Guiltless" grilled chicken breast with corn, rice, and broccoli. According to the menu it was 580 calories -- seemed like much less because I was still hungry when I left. My midday snack was celery sticks with peanut butter (2 teaspoons). Dinner was baked chicken with some apples and a plain baked potato. Overall, a very good nutrition day

I did the Kenpo workout around 6pm today. I was out of the SuperPump 250 so I bought some new pre-workout drink. It is called Nano Vapor. I decided to ditch the SuperPump because it has been ripping up my stomach for the last couple of weeks -- too high of a fiber content if you know what I mean!!! Anyways, the Nano Vapor did the job because 15 minutes after I took it I was ready to jump out of my socks. As for the actual Kenpo workout, it was rather easy today. I tried to bring it extra hard but overall the Kenpo just was so-so today! I think it is a combination of me knowing the workout now and also that my fitness level is much better than it was before I started. When I was done I jogged in place for about 5 minutes and then did a bunch of jacks to get a better cardio workout in.

Tomorrow is Stretch X/Rest Day. I will probably do the Stretch X because I will have time tomorrow -- for once, not much planned!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Thursday, November 6, 2008

P90X Day 61: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X


This picture shows exactly where is hurts right now! Legs & Back is a very intense workout. Lung, Squat, Pullup....Lung, Squat, Pullup ....over and over! My legs are always pretty sore after this one .. a good sore!

I was very please with how the workout went today! I was a little sluggish after I got home from work today. I drove close to 200 miles and it got to me. I got changed and took SuperPump 250 and it did the trick. After the warm up portion I feel ready to go. I actually did over 20 reps on the pullup bar 3 different times today!!! When I started P90X on day one I was only able to do 3 reps! I am thrilled with this improvement. I also used 5lb weights on all the squats and lunges today to add a bit more resistance. It doesn't sound like a lot but when you get to the calf raises on the 22nd exercise the 5lbs feels like 100lbs!!

Not much to report in the diet today. I was able to get about 2800 cals in and hit the correct portions. I packed a cooler in the car again to make eating easier. I am getting very used to doing this and I plan on continuing this when P90X is over -- actually saving some $$$ by packing a lunch so that is good too!

Also, ABX went great today. I raised my arms on the in & outs and both bicycles and it really made a difference in the burn. I got through Fifer Scissors today and after the Mason Twists I did 5 more Fifers! It really burned!

I got to go to the store tomorrow and get some more protein powder and pre-workout drink. I think I might switch to the NanoVapor instead of the SuperPump. The last couple of weeks the SuperPump has been tearing up my stomach??? Not sure why but I think I will change. Also, the Anabolic Halo seems to be working. I can tell my strength has increased some and my muscles seem to be harder. Maybe it is just mind over matter but I feel like it is helping!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

P90X Day 60: Cardio X (Not Yoga)

Today marked the 2/3rds point of the P90X program! This feels like a big milestone and I cannot wait until day 90! My 60 day picture are on the post below this and on the side bar to the right!

Woke up this morning and had a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and a glass of milk. I also had some water with a scoop of protein powder. My snack today was a SBD bar. Lunch was a Chicken sandwich in wheat with fat free ranch and low fat cheese. I had another SBD bar for a snack and grilled chicken with apples and celery on a whole wheat pita shell. I also took SuperPump and Anabolic Halo for my pre and post workout drinks.

I decided to substitute Yoga with the Cardio X DVD today. Basically, I just did not have the patience to go through the Yoga workout today and I felt like a good workout so Cardio X it was.

Overall I really enjoy this workout. It starts out with the Yoga Warrior poses and then does some plyo and core synergistic and Kenpo. It is only 42 minutes and their are zero breaks. Very fast paced and I get a good sweat going. I then put in the Yoga disc and fast forwarded to the Yoga Belly moves. I wanted to still get the ab workout in so I figured this would be a good idea.

That was pretty much my day. Tomorrow is the Leg & Back workout. This one always kicks my butt. I have an early morning again tomorrow so I will probably not be able to get this one in until the late evening!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

60 Day Pictures


60 DAY PICTURES ARE HERE!!!
Click Here to see the Side-by-Sides Days 1-30-60.
The link is also on the right side tool bar as well.
I was please with the overall results of the pics. My favorite part is to see how much my belly has gone away. Day one I was fat, day 60 I am lean. I also am pleased with the definition in my midsection and the size of my triceps and biceps.
I weighted 181 lbs when I started P90X and this morning I weighed 169 lbs. After 60 days I am more than satisfied with the results of p90X and I can't wait to see my 90 day pics!
Thanks for Reading,
Jeff

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

P90X Day 59: Shoulders & Arms -- Ab Ripper X


Election Day: This isn't a political blog so I will not express my personal opinions about the candidates but whoever you like get out and vote. Many have fought and died for your right to vote - do not waste the opportunity!

Today was Shoulder and Arms. Always a good workout. I used the black (50lb) extreme bands on most of the exercises except for a couple at the end.

My diet was very good today. I had a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and a glass of water with a scoop of protein in it! My snack was the South Beach Diet Bar. I had a turkey sub on whole wheat from Subway for lunch (as recommended in the nutrition guide). My afternoon snack was a banana and another SBD bar. I then took some SuperPump and went right into my workout. After the workout I had two scoops of Anabolic Halo for my recovery drink and then had dinner. I had whole wheat pasta with 96% lean beef and marinara sauce! It was excellent.

I got back to work with Ab Ripper X tonight. I was able to get through the entire ABX without any pauses tonight. During the "Heels to the Heavens" I actually feel it coming up my throat. Always a good sign that you are working hard when you throw up in your own mouth!



Tomorrow is picture day and also Yoga. I will try and post them in the morning!


Thanks for Reading,


Jeff

Monday, November 3, 2008

P90X Day 58: PLYOMETRICS


Plyo Day! Better know as "The Beast" according to Tony! And he is right. Plyo kicks the crap out of me every Monday, but the weird thing is I actually look forward to it.

I can't really say that I have trouble with one particular move anymore on Plyo but as a whole this is by far the hardest P90X DVD to complete. It is none stop squats, lunges and jumps. I sweat more during Plyo than any other workout and probably burn more calories here also!

My diet today was about a 3.5 out of 5. For breakfast I had 3 whole wheat waffles with a banana. My mid-morning snack was a South Beach Diet bar -- which tastes awesome. I liked the protein bars I was eating during phase one and two but I LOVE these SBD bars!!! For lunch I had a chef (turkey, chicken and ham) salad with fat free ranch. Then I missed my midday snack because I was on the phone with the piece of shit DirecTV customer service. I won't bore you with this story but just know I hate them. But, due to my rage I lost track of time so I missed the snack. The good news is my wife Annie made the Apple pork dish in the P90X nutrition guide for dinner and it was excellent. So, I had that and some carrots and celery for Dinner. I only got in about 2300 calories today - which sucks because I needed more for the Plyo workout. But I do have a ton of energy since complex carbs have been increased in my diet and my workouts have been very intense due to this also.

After my workout I took the Anabolic Halo recovery drink again. I did the recommended three scoops today and it still tastes sort of bad!

Tomorrow is the Shoulders & Arms workout. I haven't done this one since Week 3 and if I remember correctly it is a tough one!

My left shoulder is still a little sore after yesterdays workout. The rest week helped heal it up a little but it is still nagging me. I have been putting the Tiger Balm on right before I workout and this seems to really help, but it aches pretty bad after the workouts. Oh well, I am not quiting ... I don't think it is a tear just a strain so it can heal up when I am done in 31 days!

Thanks for Reading,

Jeff

Sunday, November 2, 2008

P90X Day 57: Chest & Back + Ab Ripper X

Today is the first day of Week 9 and Phase 3 of the P90X program. As part of the "Muscle Confusion" the schedule takes you back to the week 1 workout sequence beginning with - Chest & Back!


And I had forgot just how difficult this one was! My arms and shoulders are aching as I type this and it has been 2 hours since I finished the workout! The workout is very focused and upbeat. you do push-ups the pull-ups and repeat. I was amazed at how many more reps I was able to achieve when compared to weeks 1-3. I increased basically every pull-up and every push-up and also used the Black (50lb extreme) resistance band instead of the lighter red and green bands. Here is the workout tracker if you are interested in seeing the gains!


ABX was difficult for me today. I made it through but had to take a couple of rests on Crunchy Frogs, Fifer Scissors and the Oblique Raises. My hip flexors were very tight for some reason and added a degree of difficulty on the moves listed above. However, I am glad ABX is back because I missed it during the rest week and am looking forward to doing it again on Tuesday!


Since I am in Phase 3 now the diet has become more carb focused to help with energy levels so you can Bring It as hard as possible. I actually started gradually adding more carbs on Friday and I can already feel the difference in my energy level as I ate the full ratios today (60%carbs/20%protein/20%fat). Here is what I had today: Breakfast was a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and a glass of skim milk and banana, this was about 600 calories. I had a South Beach Diet bar for a snack, it is 19G protein, 26G carbs and 210 calories. For lunch I had a big sliced chicken sandwich on whole wheat with fat free ranch dressing and low fat mozzerella cheese with water to drink. This was about 600 calories. The midday snack was another South Beach bar with seven slices of apple. The bar was 210 cals and the apples were about 180 cals for a total of 390. I then worked out and had SuperPump before the workout - 100 cals. And after the workout I took the recovery formula Anabolic Halo - 240 calories. Dinner was grilled chicken (6 oz) on two whole wheat pita shells with carrots and celery to get in my veggies for the day. Dinner was about 640 calories. Quick math puts me at 2780 calories for the day and the carb intake was right at 60% of diet. Whew .... deep breath!


This was also the first time I tried the Anabolic Halo and it tastes no where near as good as the P90X Recovery Drink - in fact it sort of sucks - but it is heavy on Creatine and other essential amino acids that promote muscle growth and quick recovery. So, I am going to take it for the remaining 5 weeks of the program to try and maximize my workouts. Some of the reviews said that it makes you tired and I actually will echo that because I was bouncing off the walls before the workout today because of the increased carbs in my diet and I am ready to sleep now!


Tomorrow is the "The Beast" Plyometrics!


Thanks for Reading,


Jeff

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Phase 3 Schedule - Remaining 5 Weeks!

Here is the remaining 5 weeks and how the workouts breakdown. Ab Ripper X will be done on every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday:

Week 9:
Chest & Back
Plyometrics
Shoulders & Arms
Yoga
Legs & Back
Kenpo
Rest/Stretch

Week 10:
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Plyometrics
Back & Triceps
Yoga
Legs & Back
Kenpo
Rest/Stretch

Week 11:
Chest & Back
Plyometrics
Shoulders & Arms
Yoga
Legs & Back
Kenpo
Rest/Stretch

Week 12:
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Plyometrics
Back & Triceps
Yoga
Legs & Back
Kenpo
Rest/Stretch

Week 13:
Yoga
Core Synergistics
Kenpo
Stretch
Core Synergistics
Yoga
Rest/Stretch (Day 90!)

P90X Day 56: REST DAY

And on the 7th Day he Rests .....
Since I already did Stretch X this week and feel pretty good I decided to give my body the full day off. Last week I did Spinning on the Rest Day and my legs were a little tired the next couple of days.

Phase 3 begins tomorrow and I am Ready To BRING IT HARD!!!