Day 41: Why Am I Blogging?

One of my buddies asked me recently, why I'm doing this blog. He wanted to know if a lot of people were reading it. When I told him that I thought only 10-20 people had visited the site, he said I was crazy. Why would anyone want to put so much effort into such an endeavor for so few followers? Well, this is why I am doing Jeff 2.0. I think my reasons are pretty sound.

• I want to document this whole P90X adventure, so I can see my progress.  I've gotten in shape before but never taken measurements or before-and-after pics. By documenting my efforts, I will be able to clearly see my progress and measure my results.
  
• When I'm finished, I'll be able to print a book of this blog using Blog To Print.
  
• Blogging forces me to write. By maintaining this and my other blogs, I am forced to exercise my writing muscle daily. I really want to become a better writer and that requires daily practice.
  
• Blogging releases my creative energy. When I write the posts and edit the photos, I kick that left brain into high gear. This whole process gets me high. I love the way it makes me feel.
  
• When I write the posts I become more introspective. I look inside myself and learn more about myself and what I am going through. Healthy introspection is always a good thing.
• I want to inspire and help other people who want live healthier lifestyles.
  
• Who knows. Maybe I will develop a readership if I continue to blog. Who wouldn't mind that?

That's pretty much it. I do another blog called Jeff & Sons about me and my boys and the things going on in our lives. Soon I will also be starting another blog called Jeff On Tech where I write about effective technology that I use for business and in my personal life.

BTW, I did the Kenpo X in my crowded garage that I am remodeling. It was so, so frickin' fun. Kenpo is my favorite workout.

Day 40: In the Wilderness

"And immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted ..." Mark 1:12-13

Yep. That pretty much sums up my last 40 days. I'm not equating myself with Jesus, but I've been in the P90X wilderness for the last 40 days facing nothing but temptation. Temptation to blow off workouts. Temptation to not push myself hard enough. Temptation to eat unhealthy foods. Temptation to eat too many carbs. Temptation to drink alcohol. Temptation to smoke cigarettes. Temptation to take the easy path.

P90X is physically demanding. Most of the time I'm walking around sore and achy. My back often feels like it is on the verge of injury. If that happens, I'm going to be out commission for a week minimum. That would really suck.

Scheduling is also a challenge. I'm trying to raise two teenage sons, spend quality time with my girlfriend and fulfill the demands of my business while running my household. This means that some days I have to workout at screwball times like 5:30am or 10:00pm. When I listen to other people tell me why they can't workout, lack of time is always the number one reason I hear, and I can't say I blame someone for not wanting to exercise at 10:00pm.

However, as I said in my post on Day 38, P90X is not only benefiting me physically, it's doing something on the inside. By pushing myself hard, by digging deep, by always showing up,  I'm not finding out what I'm made of, rather I am creating who I want to be. I am getting stronger but I'm not referring to muscles. What's happening to my body is just a side-effect. The real change is occurring on the inside. That's why I chose this silly spiritual-looking photo for the post. I'm doing a simple yoga chair pose and putting a helluva hurtin' on my legs. However, the effort, drive, discipline and determination required is quasi-spiritual at the same time.

I'm not a Christian but I do appreciate the wisdom the Bible has to offer. After Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, He was ready to face the biggest challenges of His short career and kick some serious butt. I've got another 50 days of wilderness ahead of me. By the time I'm finished, I think I'll be ready to kick a little butt myself. Whether that metaphorical butt-kicking is being a better father, rebuilding and growing my business, being a wonderful boyfriend, or just becoming a better person, I know that everything will improve along with my health. P90X is definitely making my candle burn a little brighter.

Day 39: And the Wheel Goes Round and Round

It was a late workout again with Yoga X. I opened the garage door and turned on the fans this time though. No more energy-sapping hot sweaty yoga for me. This makes the yoga workout much easier, of course, but now I'm able to focus on form instead of just trying to finish. I can officially state that Yoga X is not longer the hardest workout in P90X. That honor goes to plyometrics.

I was pleased to notice recognizable improvement in how well I performed many of the forms. My flexibility, although still way below average, is improving dramatically. Also, I am able to do forms that I didn't even try during my first few yoga sessions like plow, shoulder stand, crane and I even tried the wheel (see photo). I know. It looks more like a flat tire. When I finish this round of P90X (yes there will be more), I will continue to do one to two yoga workouts each week. However, I plan on taking a few yoga classes so I can get some professional guidance. Yoga is such a vital component to overall fitness and I want to do it right.

The most difficult thing for me tonight was relaxing and clearing my mind. The demons were whispering in my ear the entire workout distracting me with all the problems, trials and tribulations I am facing in my life right now. I'm not crying but it has genuinely been the toughest year of my life as well as the most fortunate. I really want achieve the mental clarity and peace that yoga offers. As much as I need to limber my body, I also need to limber this mind. I need a place of peace and solace. I know it sounds like bullshit but it's true.

Time for bed. Legs and back at 6:00am.

Day 38: A Hard Day's Night (249 lbs)

I don't know if it was the lack of carbs (I only had 120 grams today), or if it was the lack of sleep (I woke up a dozen times last night with severe cramps in my calves), but tonight was probably the hardest P90X workout I've had. Disc 10 Back and Biceps was a piece of cake last week. Unfortunately, tonight was nothing but a struggle. Sure I was working my back and biceps real hard but nothing compared to what I was doing to that self-discipline muscle.

The neighbors could hear that large scary-looking exercise freak cursing and grousing as they walked their dogs past my garage (I heard a few barks follow by a quick shush). I was tired and angry and suffering and wanted to quit after every damn one of the 24 routines. I was making excuses in my head and looking for justifications to quit, but I couldn't. I knew if I didn't complete my workout, I'd be laying in bed hating myself tonight.

As I type out these last few sentences, I am totally exhausted. I am spent. However, I feel pleased and content with myself because I made it another day.  There's 52 days left in this program and it is going to get a lot tougher. If I'm going to succeed, I need to do what I did tonight and keep pushing on. P90X strengthens your body but I'm discovering that it also strengthens your spirit.

Bring it!

Day 37: How I Eat (249 lbs)

No one would take a picture of me working out last night. The boys piss and moan whenever I ask now, so I'll talk about my dieting strategy instead. Diet, in my opinion,  is probably more important than exercise.

I follow a strict diet for three reasons:

1. To manage my weight:
   First, I do not want to get fat again. I've been as high as 305 pounds in my tubby days of old and was wearing a 46" waist. The inside of my thighs were chaffed because they rubbed together. Secondly, one of the best ways to make your muscles bigger is to make your fat smaller.
2. To grow my muscles:
   I have to eat properly if I want my muscles to grow. They require fuel and fertilizer.
   
3. To be healthy:
   I had a triple bypass in April of 2009. One of my left ventricles was completely clogged and it is an absolute miracle that I am still alive. My cardiologist said that the bypass added another 25 years to my life. I'm going eat healthy and not blow this second chance.

These are the diet rules I follow:

1. Know what you're eating:
   Know how many calories, carbs, fats and proteins you are consuming. Last year I started keeping a food journal because I was frustrated with my lack of weight loss. My weight started dropping immediately and I lost almost 50 pounds. Not only did I learn how many calories were in the foods I was eating, but I started making more intelligent food choices. I'm not going to eat at 360 calorie donut because that takes over 30 minutes of P90X just to burn it off. It just ain't worth it. Currently, I use http://mynetdiary.com to track everything I eat. This is a great tool and it has an excellent iPhone application which synchronizes with the website (see the picture).
   
2. Always take your food with you:
   If you're on a strict diet and don't want to cheat, take your food with you. If I'm on the road and starving and don't have anything healthy to eat, I'm 10 times more likely to eat something I shouldn't...like Taco Bell...or Wendy's...or Mickey D's.
3. No alcohol:
   I don't presently drink alcohol because I don't want the empty calories and it tempts me to smoke cigarettes. That would just be plain stupid after what I've gone through.
   
4. No sugar added:
   I just stay away from stuff with sugar in it and use artificial sweeteners instead. Some people blow me crap about using the sweeteners but they're better than sugar. I can't be perfect down to such detail anyway.
5. Healthy fats:
   I eat food that contains or is prepared with healthy fats. For example, I love broil salmon coated lightly with olive oil.
6. Nothing fried:
   Do I really need to explain why?
7. Have a cheat meal every one to two weeks:
   You've got to live a little and it shocks your body into burning calories again when it's adapted to your diet.
8. 3500 calories per day:
   After doing some research and talking to my personal trainer, I feel comfortable that I can lose fat and build muscle eating 3500 calories per day. Your calories per day will be different based on your age and activity level. Do some research and find out what is right for you. Track what you eat so you don't go way over or way under.
   
9. Eat 5-6 small meals per day:
   This keeps your metabolism burning and you'll drop weight faster.
10. Low carbs:
    Don't go crazy on the carbs even if they are the complex variety. I am currently trying to keep mine under 100 grams per day but it is tough. Everything has carbs. Even air it seems.
11. Easy on the red meat:
    I don't eat a lot of red meat. When I do I eat it in moderation and stick to the lean cuts. I do eat lots of fish and chicken, however.
12. Supplement with protein powder:
    I need to get lots of protein in my for muscle growth so I drink lots of protein shakes. I try to find the low carb variety and stick to whey protein.
13. No other supplements:
    To be honest, when I read labels on these supplements that imply some benefit and then the label states that the claim has not been evaluated by the FDA, it pisses me off. I think most of these supplements are simply overpriced rip-offs. If the stuff works, conduct medical trials and prove it.
    

Day 36: My Male Role Model

This is my 16 year old son, Maxwell, flexing for the camera. Maxwell is on the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School wrestling team and loves to workout. He's 6'2" and 190 pounds and a natural athlete. This is what I want to look like when I've finished my first round of P90X. I do hope it's not too late for an old man like me. Regardless, Maxwell is an inspiration to me and it makes me happy knowing that my sons have emulated one of my few good habits and taken a keen interest in physical fitness and proper nutrition.

I started tonight's workout at 8:00pm and didn't finished until after 9:00pm. That's when I realized that I had done the disc 1 workout instead of the scheduled disc 9. No big deal. I still cranked out over 100 push ups and just as many back reps during the 24 routines. My energy was a little low because I only ate 75 grams of carbs today. I am paying serious attention to my carb input and trying to keep it under 100 grams daily because I want to lean up. This is extremely difficult. I think air even has carbs in it.

I'm off to bed now because I have to get up at 5:00am to do the dreaded plyometrics workout. If I'm going to exercise tomorrow, that's the only time open. I can't miss a workout if I want to look like this stud.

Note: I didn't get up at 5:00am.

Day 35: Things are Looking Up (251 lbs)

I started the morning with Yoga X at 8:00am. My son, Maxwell, even joined me but had to spoil it by showing me how much better he is at yoga than I'll ever be. I kept the fans running during this workout for the first time and it was 10 times easier. I'm thinking I might do this from now on so I get a better workout. When I leave the fans off and make it real hot, I might not be working out harder. Perhaps I am just wearing out faster. I'll ask some of my yoga friends and get their opinion.

After the workout, I was very happy to tip the scales at 251 pounds. I asked my neurologist to prescribe a diuretic earlier this week to offset the water retention caused by the Prednisone he has me on. The diuretic is obviously working, because I weighed 260 pounds just this last Wednesday. I feel much better also and am motivated to eat even tighter. This week I'm going to try and keep my daily carb count under 100 grams.

The big surprise of the day was the hand stand I'm doing in the photo. To be totally honest, my son, Maxwell, and my buddy, Adrian, are standing to the sides ready to pounce if I show signs of collapsing. They also helped me get into position. Also, I'm using the wall to balance myself. However, this is the first time in my life that I've ever been able to do this and I have tried before. For a 6'5", 251 pound, 47 year old man who had a triple bypass six months ago, I think it's damn good.

Day 34: Saturday Night Was Made for Fighting!

The Kenpo X workout went absolutely superb. I gave 100% the entire workout and didn't lose my wind once. In fact, I felt even more energized as the workout progressed. April's triple bypass truly has my heart functioning better than it has in years. I feel like I've drunk from the fountain of youth. I'm young again!

The Kenpo's also fun because I don't need to wear shoes now that I have the rubber flooring. I also get to lose the shirt because it's all cardio based and I don't have to get down on the floor. All I need are my gloves and my trunks obviously (the neighbors insist on this).

This week I wore my 16 oz Everlast boxing gloves instead of the MMA gloves I wore last week. The boxing gloves provide much better protection for my hands and wrists. The gloves are also heavier so I get a better workout. Trust me. When you deliver 100 continuous punches to a heavy bag, your hands start to feel like lead.

Also, as I've mentioned in past Kenpo posts, the workouts are much harder and more fun now that I'm using the bags and not punching air. The bags provide resistance and I feel like I'm getting a plyometric type workout for my upper body. A few hours after this workout my chest and arms get all achy and my muscles feel like stones.

In the picture, I'm getting ready to deliver a side kick. It's so fun to escape the boring world of an accountant sometimes. Life is good.

Day 33: Friday Night Legs

My sons are with their mother tonight. My girlfriend has her daughter. I disconnected the television portion of my cable because it is a waste of time and money. I'm not drinking because I don't need the calories and it makes me want a smoke. So what's a man to do with his Friday night? Well, I'm sure you can guess what I was doing. I was down in my garage doing the P90X legs, back and abs workout for 75 minutes.

I hate evening workouts but I had to see my doctor bright and early this morning and just couldn't squeeze in my P90X. My phone's started ringing again, so I had a full day of appointments and worked until almost 7:00pm. By the time I got home and got fed, it was pushing 9:00pm. Being a P90X fanatic, I couldn't skip my workout, especially when it's time for legs.

The workout was very hard as usual but I am still seeing continued improvement. Not only is my form getting better but I am doing more reps. In the photo, I'm doing my favorite leg exercise, calf raises. These may seem simple but when you do three sets of 35 reps alternating feet outward, parallel and inward your calves start singing Ave Maria. As I've stated in past posts, I work extra hard on my genetically cursed calves because they are in my assessment way too skinny. In fact, I am going to append calf raises to my Tuesday and Thursday workouts also so that I am doing them at least three times weekly. I will do whatever it takes excluding steroids or calf implants.

Day 32: Injury!!! (257 lbs)

Today's Stretching X workout was very difficult because I was trying to work around my first injury. This injury was a product of my blogging, not my exercise. When I posted the Day 30 picture of my feet on the scale, my girlfriend, Karen, said, "You need to clip those toenails. If they get any longer, I'll hear you clickety-clicking across the tile."

"You can tell even with that blurry art effect applied to picture," I responded.

Karen just gave me one of those are-you-frickin'-kiddin'-me stares.

Well, last night I'm running late for an event and rushing to leave my house when I look down at my feet. "Dang! I should probably clip those bad boys before I go." After a 15 minute search of my house, I finally found my toenail clippers. Of course, I was in a hurry so I tried to finish the entire procedure in 30 seconds. That was a very bad idea. When I clipped the nail, I ended up cutting into the uber-sensitive tissue underneath. Ouch!

This morning, it seemed like every stretching routine required me to put weight on my toes and boy did it hurt. Moral of the story: No more do-it-yourself pedicures. From now on, I'm letting that little Vietnamese lady at the nail salon do them for me.

Day 31: Superman to the Rescue (260 lbs)

I stepped on the scales this morning to discover that I had added almost another four pounds to yesterday's dismal reading. However, the day did bring some glad tidings. My personal trainer, Cesar, stopped by with his calipers to give me a body fat reading. After pinching the heck out of me for five minutes and punching numbers into his calculator, Cesar informed me that my body fat had decreased from 13% to 11.4% meaning I added two pounds of muscle and dropped four pounds of fat since my last reading 30 days ago. This is actually considered an excellent reading for a 47 year old man like me. In fact, I would be categorized as lean.

Lean my ass! I feel like a fattened calf being prepped for slaughter. However, after doing more research on the Prednisone that my neurologist prescribed and talking to friends familiar with the drug, I am convinced I am suffering the side-effect of water retention. I'm having my period. Tomorrow, I'm calling my doctor's office and asking him to prescribe a diuretic. Furthermore, when I go to see him in two weeks, I'm telling him I want off the Prednisone all together. My neurologist has me trying different drugs in an effort to cure my idiopathic peripheral neuropathy and neuralgia. In layman's terms, that means I am experiencing progressive numbness and sharp burning electrical pain in my hands, feet and knees and they can't determine why. I swear I am the healthiest sick person I know.

But enough of that crap. Let's talk about the fun stuff! Today's workout was the P90X Disc 10 - Back and Biceps. This was the first time I did this workout but it was fast-paced and a lot of fun. The back and bicep workout crammed 24 different routines into 45 minutes alternating between two biceps exercises followed by a back exercise. Although I was exercising vigorously and feeling the burn, this workout was not as cardio intensive as some of the others making it much more fun. My favorite routine is the Superman that I am demonstrating in the photo. This exercise really helps keep the back pain demons at bay. The workout was followed by an Ab Ripper X. I am getting surprisingly better at this workout and can actually feel those abs turning to steel. Hey, maybe I am turning into the Man of Steel.

Day 30: Frustration

Today was another one of those against the wind workouts as I slugged my way through plyometrics. My shoulder and knees were sore and I just lacked energy. The only satisfaction I gained from the workout was feeling that burn in my legs. Maybe plyometrics will kick start these skinny legs into growing.

After the workout I took a shower and stepped onto the scales and registered a disgusting 256.4 pound. I was pissed. I've worked my arse off for 30 days straight and averaged 3,200 calories per day. For a man of my size and activity level, I should be losing weight. I don't know what's going on. My girlfriend claims my body is changing composition and I'm losing fat and gaining muscle. My oldest son claims I eat too many carbs and not enough protein (I've averaged 225 grams of each per day over the last 30 days). My former trainer, Cesar, claims the Prednisone my neurologist recently prescribed is causing me to retain water.

I don't know what to believe. Tomorrow, I'm going to get a body fat analysis and get to the bottom of this. My last analysis was 30 days ago. I weighed 262 pounds and had 13% body fat. That's 34 pounds of fat and 228 pounds of everything else. In the meantime, I'm going to eat even leaner, stop all alcohol consumption, and tell my neurologist to take me off of the Prednisone (it's not helping anyway).

I wish I was doing Kenpo in the morning. I really need to punch something.

Day 29: Dark, Cold, Lonely, Tired & Sore

This morning was tough. I was up until 2am last night finishing a client's project and then back up at 6am to start my P90X workout. My schedule has changed and I have to leave my house by 7:45am to get my oldest son, Ryan, to work. His car suffered a recent fatal heart attack and he's without a vehicle for a few weeks. I don't mind at all though. Ryan's a huge help around the house and more than worth it.

When I walked into my home gym, it was dark, cold and lonely. The frickin' roosters weren't even awake. Not only was I extremely exhausted but my right shoulder was hurting like hell. I think I strained it during Yoga X on Saturday. However, I dug deep, vowed to do this thing, and popped Disc 9 - Chest, Shoulders and Triceps into my DVD player. This disk is a new workout that P90X incorporates into Phase 2 weeks 5-7.

This workout consists of 24 different exercises and focuses more on intensity than weight. The exercises were hard but I thought the overall workout was easier than normal. That's probably because it was such a cool morning. When it starts to warm up outside, the heat saps your strength and makes any workout seem tough. Since, my shoulder was hurting, I had to skip three of the exercises. I was able to do the push ups and triceps exercises but anything that involved a shoulder press was too painful. I'm not going to risk injury so I stop as soon as I feel pain.

It was a tough morning and a long, hard work day. However, I've finished my workout and know that I can relax when I get home...and make dinner for my sons...and help with homework....and do some laundry...and maybe join Ryan at LA Fitness for some cardio interval training in the spinning room. Eek!!!

Day 28: Phase 1 Complete

Well, today I finished Phase 1 of P90X. It has definitely been a tough four weeks but I'm happy to say I can already feel the results. I'm clearly in better shape than I was four weeks ago. Other than my arms looking a little more cut up, I don't see a lot of physical changes yet . However, my girlfriend says she can see a clear difference and that I'm looking very...never mind. I'll keep that one for myself.  Phase 2 starts tomorrow and I get to try some new workouts. It's going to be nice to mix it up a little bit because it does get a little boring doing the same workouts over and over.

Phase 1's last workout was the Stretching X. Although not glamorous (i.e. producing big muscles), anything related to increasing my flexibility is what I need the most. As you can see in the photo, I am Mr. Inflexible. I'm using my cherished stretching strap and you can see, I still have a long, long way to go to reach those big toes. Surprising, during yesterday's 90 minute Yoga X, I did almost touch my toes by the end of the workout. That might be because we had a cold hit South Florida today and I wasn't sweating that much. Yesterday was a scorcher, and I was raining sweat.

Day 27: I'm a Yoga Convert

The Reverse Warrior pose I'm doing in the photo looks easy, but trust me, today was a 90 minute battle with my willpower. I was really suffering and felt like quitting so badly. I spent the weekend at Karen's and got started early afternoon instead of my typical 7:30am. This made for a very hot workout inside her closed garage. I drank three bottles of water during the workout and still lost five pounds of water weight (Yes, I do weigh myself before and after workouts). When Karen came out to check me and saw the large pool of sweat I was standing in, she insisted on turning on the fans. That was probably a very good idea. I was able to get my second wind and finish the workout.

An hour after the yoga work, like clock-work, I got hit with what I call Post-Yoga-Euphoria. I felt amazing both mentally and physically. Although, the Yoga X is the most difficult workout I do and the one I am worst at, I'm finally becoming a convert. This stuff has to be doing good things to me. Yoga addresses strength, flexibility, balance, breathing, focus...heck, everything. I don't know much about yoga but am going to start doing some research and learning more. Maybe one of these days, I'll even be good at it.

Day 26: Common Interests

I can't believe 26 days have already passed. However, I still have 64 long days to go. I'll finish just before Christmas. I guess sticking with P90X is going to be my Christmas present to myself. I'm going to be in the best overall shape of my life and looking good.

I did my second Core Synergistics of the week this morning. My girlfriend, Karen, joined me. She's a fitness freak also and in amazing shape. In this picture, Karen is doing the "Dreya Roll." To perform this exercise, you do a backwards roll on your mat until your legs almost go over your head, and then you explode into a forward roll, jumping to your feet. My version of this exercise is called the "Jeff Crash" so I don't even attempt to do it.

I'm so glad Karen and I share this common interest. Healthy addictions are a wonderful thing. Karen and I do a little bit of drinking on the weekends but offset it with lots of exercise and an extremely healthy diet. Karen also happens to be an unbelievable cook. I am a lucky guy.

Day 25: Plowing Ahead (256 lbs)

Recovery week focuses on taking care of yourself with lots of yoga and stretching. Today was the first of two Stretching X workouts for the week. Again, I turned off the fans and closed the garage door because I like to get all hot and sweaty when I do my stretching. At times I could hear the tap, tap, tap of my sweat raining on the floor. I was very happy when I noticed modest improvements in my flexibility. Flexibility gains are measured in millimeters and significant progress takes a long, long time especially when you're a big stiff ogre like me. However, I can sense progress and that's all I'm asking for.

In this picture, I'm doing the Plow Stretch. The Plow is an excellent stretch for the back, hamstrings, shoulders and neck. I haven't done anything like this in well over two decades and have to use the dumbbell to even get in the position. You can hurt yourself if you're not extremely careful and execute proper form. In the P90X video, the participants are all touching the floor with their toes. If I did that, I'd have to call 911 assuming I could make it to a phone.

Day 24: Kenpo X Improved (255 lbs)

I really enjoy the Kenpo X workout but hate punching air. Today, I decided to bump it up a notch and use my heavy bag and punching bag during the workout. That was a damn good idea. Not only did I get a good cardio workout but my arms and chest are pretty darn sore. My muscles feel like achy stones and I do love that feeling. However, I wish the Kenpo workout was just a little more cardio intensive. I'm doing everything they're doing in the P90X video and having no problems keeping up. In fact, I'm not even breathing as hard as they are in the video. I have trouble believing I'm in this good of shape. Can't wait to see what's going to happen in another 66 days.

Day 23: Who Says White Men Can't Jump?

P90X introduced a new workout today called Core Synergistics. Although this workout focuses on your core muscles (abdomen and lower back), it was also a great total body workout. The workout was difficult but not as hard as I expected. This is recovery week after all and P90X supposedly doesn't push us as hard. I would have vehemently disagreed if you'd asked me while doing 60 seconds of the Towel Hoppers in the photo.

However, I must say, if I had only one workout to perform, I'd choose Core Synergistics. It's early evening and I can still feel today's workout in every muscle of my body. I'm not in pain but I do have that pleasant ache that lets me know my body is getting stronger. I'm starting to see the changes in the mirror also.

Day 22: Week 4 is Recovery Week?

I've survived three weeks of P90X and am ready to start my first recovery week. Recovery week is somewhat of a misnomer because from what I hear, recovery weeks are even harder. This week includes the following workouts:

• 2 Yoga X's (so far my most difficult workout)
• 2 Core Synergistics (I haven't tried this one yet but I hear it's  tough as hell)
• 2 Stretching X's (anything involving flexibility kills me)
• 1 Kenpo X (the only easy workout of the week)

The purpose of the recovery week is to generate muscle confusion and prevent plateauing. I hope it works because I exercise very hard and very often but only get modest results. Although, my initial transformation when I started working out was quite dramatic, my recent improvements have slowed to a crawl. I'm really hoping P90X takes me to the next level. I want to get ripped. I want results.

I started my morning with the dreaded Yoga X workout. I am making small improvements but this 90 minute workout is still very difficult for me. However, Yoga X is probably the most beneficial of all the workouts for me. I did finally decide to give the ohms and brief meditation at the end of the workout a try. Tony Horton claims it massages your central nervous system. The ohms just freaked out my cats and made me cough.

Day 21: Priorities

I missed my first P90X workout today, but not by choice. I slept late because I was out dancing the night before. If I'm dancing, that means I am drinking. Since my girlfriend, Karen, and I had planned a Sunday cookout for seven including my sons, cousin, and Kar's BFF, Michael, we had to start hustling to get things prepped shortly after we got up. Well, the hard worked payed off and we had an absolutely wonderful family day. The boys were swimming and playing with the puppies. As always, Karen's prepared a 5-Star healthy gourmet meal. Everyone was laughing and talking and enjoying life. However, before I knew it, the day was gone and I hadn't done my P90X Stretching X workout yet.

I'm disappointed in myself but I will survive. It was just a stretching day and P90X gives you the option to skip Sundays if you want. I hated to miss my workout but sometimes you have to focus on priorities like family and friends. I'm glad I made the right choice but I won't miss another workout. I don't want anymore red circles.

Day 20: Upper, Middle, Lower Workout with Gary

My friend and accountant, Gary Gray, heard I was doing the P90X and joined me for an early morning workout. The P90X had the Kenpo X scheduled but I decided the bonus UML (upper, middle, lower) workout would be fun to try. The UML had us hustling for 45 minutes as we rotated between a variety of push ups, sit ups, and lunging exercises. Gary loved the workout and I enjoyed the company. It gets lonely working out by myself sometimes.

My home gym is really coming together. I bought a 5-drawer cabinet to store some exercise equipment and replaced my television with a small flat panel television I wasn't using (I seldom watch TV anymore). The new rubber flooring is working out great and saving my knees. All I need to complete my gym is a pull up bar and that will be coming soon.

Day 19: No Excuses

I start my P90X workout every day between 7:30am-8:00am shortly after I drop my sons off at school. This allows me to get my workout knocked out early and behind me. The only thing I have to deal with for the rest of the day is work and kids unless my schedule goes to hell.

This morning my schedule went to hell. I was dressed and ready to workout when the phone started ringing. It seemed every one of my clients was having a crisis. Within minutes I'm rushing out the door to go put out fires. All day long I'm worried I'm not going to having a chance to do my daily P90X. It especially bothers me because I've gone 18 days without missing once. I'm also dreading the workout because I know I'll be tired by the end of the day.

Well, come 8:00pm, I'm turning on the fans, opening the garage door and pushing the PLAY button. I have 75 minutes of legs, back and abs ahead of me.. I don't feel like working but I have no choice. I have made a 90 day commitment to this program and I'm going to keep it. Besides, the reward is well worth. In 71 more days I'm going to be in the best physical condition of my entire life.

Day 18: Yoga & New Flooring (255 lbs)

I began my morning with 90 torturous minutes of my least favorite workout, Yoga X. However, the workout is getting a little easier and I am noticing some improvement in my performance. The only thing I currently like about Yoga X is how I feel afterward. My energy level was through the roof and I felt like a million bucks all day long. I honestly can't remember the last time I felt this good. I'll try to remember this when I do the two Yoga X workouts next week during the P90X phase 1 recovery week. The workouts switch around during week 4 and include two Yoga X and two Stretching X workouts. It doesn't sound like a recovery week to me.

After work, I stopped by the Sports Authority and picked up some rubber flooring for my home gym. I purchased 128sf of 2'x2' interlocking tiles for approximately $180 ($1.25sf). The rubber tiles are 12mm thick and surprisingly comfy to walk and jump on. I thought I would need the thicker 20mm tiles but purchased these because they were much cheaper. Not only does the flooring make my gym look way cool, but the flooring will provide much needed joint support when I do my plyometrics and kenpo workouts. My sons, Ryan and Trevor, helped me assemble the floor in about 20 minutes.

Day 17: Light Weight

Today was the third round of the shoulders and arms workout with a beautiful ab ripper workout thrown in at the end. The workout sheets that show the prior week's reps and weight for each of the 15 exercises came in very handy. I was able to select and adjust weights more quickly allowing me to keep up with the workout. I hate to hit that pause button. This week's rule of thumb was to go light so I could concentrate on executing perfect form and max out around 15 reps. Using lighter weights produce a leaner look while heavy weights give you bulk. I used 20 pound weights for most of the shoulders and 10-15 pounders for the bicep and tricep exercises. In this post's picture, I'm only using 10 pounders to do the shoulder flys. It may look easy but my shoulders are on fire.

Day 16: I Believe (255 lbs)

After my triple bypass on April 17th earlier this year, I was physically obliterated. I couldn't walk up my stairs without taking a break or two. I couldn't open a pill bottle on my own. I couldn't sit up without one of my sons helping me. I couldn't cough or sneeze without screaming. Actually, I couldn't even scream. It was more like a bleat.

Today, less than 6 months later, I was able to finish the P90X Plyometrics workout without hitting the pause button once. This workout is 60 grueling minutes of jumping, squatting, leaping, twisting, huffing, puffing and some mild cursing. OK, not so mild. My heart rate topped 160 bpm and the sweat was pouring. Shortly after my surgery, my cardiologist said I would feel euphorically better within a few months because I'd been going a year or more with half a heart. To be honest, I thought the doc was full of it. After today's workout, I finally believe him.

Day 15: It's Week 3 Already! (260 lbs)

Just started week 3 of P90X! I can't believe how fast the first 2 weeks passed and how much better I already feel. Although, I've been eating very tight, I've lost no weight. I'm hoping that I am just changing body composition and losing fat while I gain muscle. This week follows the same disks 1 - 7 format as the first 2 weeks. Next week they switch the workouts around during the phase 1 recovery week.

Alas, I'm on my own doing the P90X workouts now. My son and P90X partner, Ryan, just got a job and can't do P90X with me in the mornings. However, my girlfriend, Karen, stopped by before her boot camp to keep me company and make wise ass remarks while I was killing myself. In her defense, she was kind enough to make me a big glass of ice-cold, green tea. Thanks, baby.

Days 13 & 14: Weekend Away

I'm smiling in this picture. Do you know why I'm smiling? Yes, I'm happy to be at the beach and happy to have my beautiful girlfriend in my arms. However, the reason I'm really smiling is because I got up early and completed my P90X workout. I spent the weekend at Karen's and was concerned about missing a workout because I'm turning into a P90X fanatic. Despite some heavy drinking Friday and Saturday night, I was able to drag myself out of bed by 9am and knock out the Kenpo X and Stretching X workouts. I got both workouts out of the way early so I could enjoy the rest of the day guilt-free and not regret having skipped my workout. Both of these workouts are simple enough that I only had to bring an exercise mat, yoga block and my stretching strap to my girlfriend's house.

Day 12: P90X Don't Have to be Purty

Just finished up the P90X Leg and Back workout and jumped right into the Ab Ripper X workout that's included at the end of the DVD. As you can see, I workout in a smaill 12'x17' garage. I don't need a bunch of fancy equipment. All the Ab Ripper X workout requires is a $20 mat and the determination to do 12 different ab exercises for 17 long minutes. Yes, it burns like hell and I've come close to tossing my cookies a few times, but it is worth every minute of the suffering. A strong core improves posture, reduces back pain, prevents injury and looks fantastic at the beach.

Day 11: Yoga Hurts (253 lbs)

As I said last week, P90X is an extremely difficult program and of the 7 different workouts I've done so far, Yoga X has by far proven to be the most difficult for me. Heck, I can push and pull weights all day long. Weights are hard, but I love 'em. Unfortunately, when you ask me to bend, stretch, balance, and breathe while trying to clear my mind, I'm a disaster. However, it's P90X's emphasis on on yoga and stretching (2 to 3 of each week's 7 workouts) that give this program added credibility in my book. I hate Yoga X but I need it and I will keep doing it.

Note: I am using a yoga block to help me maintain the  pose in this picture because don't yet have the flexibility to put my right hand on the floor. By using the yoga block, I can achieve the pose (kind of) without putting undue stress on my lower back. Yoga blocks are one my of my favorite pieces of exercise equipment and they're inexpensive.

Editor's Note: My sons were delighted to inform me that my head looks like a giant penis in this picture. Of course they didn't comment on all of my hard work and dedication.