Week 7

Getting into week 7 here after the Thanksgiving holiday.  I'm finding it takes a lot of willpower and determination to stay with the program, especially after a "cheat" day like I gave myself on Thanksgiving.  It's not that I went overboard on the day, I think it's just the interruption in the habit pattern that made things feel a bit off for the past couple days.  Maybe that combined with my hip flexor issue I seem to be having.  I ended up substituting a mountain bike ride in for Kenpo on Saturday, and took Sunday as a full on rest day, I think only the second complete day without focused activity (the first being Thanksgiving) while on the program.  Felt good on the mountain bike ride, my first since starting the program.  I didn't take any data to see if my overall speed has increased, but I felt lighter on the bike and able to burst with speed pretty good.


I'm still seeing results on the scale, in the mirror, and in my clothes fit.  I was thinking at the end of last week that I might redo the week that got sidetracked, but since I'm still seeing results I'm not going to worry too much about it...maybe I'll add/repeat a week in the last phase, or when my hip is well enough to let me do the ab workout again.

About that hip...

So I'm still trying to rest the hip.  Didn't do any exercises yesterday (Thanksgiving) as planned, but, unfortunately, it seems that the hip/thigh pain didn't progress in the right direction.  After some further research, it's some kind of groin pull I think, though more pronounced than any other I've had in the past.  Tried to do some "test" lunges to decide on doing the leg workout today, but I don't think that would be beneficial, so I'm going to sit out this day of legs/back and just work on some stretching.  Stretching does seem to loosen it up and make it feel better, but I want to wait a little longer before doing major leg movements.

I'll try Kenpo tomorrow, but might just stick with the upper body moves, and skip the kicks; will see.

Turkey Hunting

Back and biceps got my "guns" prepped for some Turkey hunting tomorrow!

I had to pass on the abs again tonight; while the hip is feeling better and I don't really notice pain or tightness during normal daily activities, the range of motion and the intensity with core muscles caused the tightness and pain to rear up again, though not as bad.  I was able to do some wide leg situps and some limited crunches, but that was about it.  Need to let it heal so I can go back to the intense exercises, but I can't become sloth like in doing that, so I need to keep up other exercises I can do and/or modify as needed.

Turkey Day Ahead!

So my first "cheat" day I'm allowing myself is coming up - Thanksgiving.  To date, I've been doing a pretty good job sticking to the diet/nutrition and workout plan.  I've done some form of workout, mostly P90X, every day since October 15th, sometimes two sessions of activity when combining roller or ice hockey with the workouts, or a bike ride on a rest day.  It's all become kind of a lifestyle for me again - I once was a somewhat accomplished enduro mountain bike racer and road biker and just active all around.  During this transition period I need to be real careful to not slip back into the easy path of skipping a workout, then another, then a day off the nutrition plan, followed by another, which becomes a week....

Since I started, I've given up my beer-swilling habits, watched what I ate, tracked calories and nutrients, and I'm now down nearly 20 pounds!  Since I knew this adventure would take me through the holidays, I decided that I would allow myself three "cheat" days - Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's where I can "forget" the nutrition plan and eat what I want, and have a beer or drink or two.

I say "forget" the nutrition plan, but I don't mean tossing it up in the air and running for the buffet for three piled high plates of food.  I'll eat sensible portions, of foods I enjoy - I just can't deny mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving - and not worry if I exceed my carb portion for the day.  I'll have a beer or two, maybe some wine, or my favorite whisky and sip it while maybe watching some football.

I might exercise, if I can fit it in, but I also know I'm planning to try and get some mountain biking in over the long weekend, in addition to normal workouts on Friday and Saturday, so I'm sure that mountain biking will make up for the missed day and slightly off-plan eating on the day of Thanks.

Getting hungry...

Phase 2, Week 2, Days 1 & 2

So I think this is my pivotal week, where I see what I'm really made of.  I played ice hockey on Sunday (rest day) night and think I somehow overworked my left hip, as muscles or tendons around the joint are stiff, slightly painful, and I can get it to "click" a little bit.  The good news is that it seems to be improving.  Bad news is that it prevented me from doing ab ripper last night.  I tried each exercise, but engaging all the core/ab area and hip muscles just wasn't happening - the pain and clicking just wasn't letting it happen, so packed it in, but with a plan to rest up and do my best to favor the hip in order for it to recover/heal.  The upper body workout wasn't a problem (aside from being upper body weak, that is!).

Skipping the abs last night, getting a good night's sleep led to the hip feeling just about normal today.  Didn't notice it at all during everyday normal office work, whereas on Monday I was noticing it.  Tonight, during Plyo, I felt it a little, but I was cognizant of it and modified as necessary.  Still left a puddle of sweat and felt spent at the end of Plyo, so encouraged that I'm making the right choices.  I'll hope for some even better recovery tonight, and will try the abs on schedule tomorrow.

Be careful out there.

Phase 2 Week 1 in the Books

Finished up the first week of Phase 2 today, with Kenpo X.  Definitely getting better at this stuff; I can hang longer into the workouts, and my form isn't so hilariously bad anymore, just hilarious, especially when tired after a few rounds.

The weight and inches are continuing to decline, which is encouraging and motivating.  I'm still sticking with the phase 1/fat shredder diet for a bit longer, as there's still a bit of goo that I want to get gone.  Have been doing pretty good with the nutrition and tracking everything, even managing a few post-work social events without partaking in the beer or snacks and sticking with water.

Another ice hockey game tomorrow night, on the "rest" day.  Upper body strength and increased endurance and power for skating has really upped my game.

Fun times!

Photos and Data

So here are some photos and data of the progress so far.

Day "Zero"
242 lbs
44" Chest
46" Waist (Gut)
42.5" Hips
25" Right Thigh
25.5" Left Thigh
14.5" Right Bicep
14" Left Bicep

Ugh.  I really let myself get like this.  Really.  Don't know if I can put my finger on any one thing that made me decide to make a change, but it was badly needed.

See day 28 after the jump...

Phase 2 Day 1

Feeling the burn of the chest/tri/back shoulders workout, I think that's what it was, on the first day of phase 2.  I noticed a slight bit of regression in some of the ab ripper workout, but should recover quick.  Could have been some latent fatigue from ice hockey last night.  I have some learning to do with the new workouts for this phase, but I look forward to the improvement over the next 3 weeks just like with phase 1.

Took 28 day progress pictures and recorded progress measurements last night, will work on a post later to get them up.  For a text preview, there are some noticeable differences in the pictures, but they're not necessarily "dramatic."

Still bringing it, still pushing play, still doing my best and forgetting the rest.

Week 4 and Phase 1 in the Books.

First off, Happy Veteran's Day and thank you to all those who served and are serving.

Week 4, "Recovery Week," is in the books, closing up Phase 1 of P90X for me.  I'll get around to posting some progress measurements and pictures soon, but it's looking like about 3 or so inches off the gut, an inch or so off the waist, and about 10-13 pounds lost over the first 28 days, as well as noticed changes in endurance and practical strength when doing activities.

So the recovery week was interesting, with two looks at the "Core Synergistics" workout, which I like, even though most of it I probably look like a fish out of water flopping around on the ground in a puddle of my own sweat.  I seemed to feel the soreness of the Core Synergistics workouts more in my shoulders and back than in my abs in the after hours/next day.  Definitely feel the burn all over the core area during the workout, but abs seem to be strangely fine afterwards, making me wonder if I'm working them hard enough/correctly.  I'm definitely getting some benefit out of it, as I can't believe the amount of sweat I leave on the floor after each workout.

Still not a huge fan of the Yoga, but I'm trying to be a trooper with it and doing what I can.  I've noticed a little bit of improvement in flexibility, and a bigger improvement in strength that has let me keep up better, especially in the part of eternal downward dog.  And I'll try to do something if its a pose or exercise I can't do...pushups, pullups, a modified stretch or balance pose, jumping jacks, running in place, whatever, something over nothing to keep going forward.

I haven't done a complete rest day during phase 1; I'm mixing the program with keeping up with playing ice and roller hockey, and threw in a couple road bike rides on the rest days.  Will be skating tonight.

Onto Phase 2!  Hoping for another few pounds and inches off.  Got to BRING IT!

Transition Week Day 1 - Yoga

More motivation during today's yoga exercises.  I'm still not really flexible but I noticed an increase in strength and I was able to keep up through more of the poses/moves/whatever you call yoga stuffs.

For kicks, at one point when I was resting during a pose I really screwed up and fell out of, I grabbed the pull up bar and DID AN UNASSISTED PULLUP!  Boom.  Right up and chin over in a (fairly) smooth motion.  I struggled for a second rep and clumsily got my chin near the bar, but that first one was hella motivational.  I also tried a reverse-grip chinup and managed to get two of those out pretty cleanly!  Yeah, all this when I should have been doing one of those crazy yoga poses...better than doing nothing, I guess, eh?

Previewed "Core Synergystics" for tomorrow - that looks fun...  I'll be getting up early in the morning to get through that hour of power, and will be skating in a roller hockey game in the evening, if the weather is good.

Getting pumped for the 30 day progress photos and numbers.  I've been taking near daily weight measurements, just to keep an eye on things, but not letting that drive things too much.

Bring it.

This Just In!

I managed a reverse-grip chin-up without a chair assist.  Footage at 11.

No, not really footage.

But I did manage to do a full chin up and surprised myself.  The pullups are still a struggle but I'm feeling like I'm "cheating" less with the chair.  This was probably my first chin up in a decade.

Will be finishing up week 3 this weekend and then going into the rest/recovery week and changing things up a bit - looking forward to the second phase of the program.  Official numbers in a week or so but I'm down a good 12 pounds, lost a few inches off the ol' gut and hips, and am noticing more definition in my arms.

Along with all those number successes, I'm also feeling better, more energy, stamina, and strength at hockey.  The other night at roller hockey, a team mate turned to me when we were on the bench resting up for our shift and asked "Hey you seem to be getting your legs back under you, eh?"  I said that yeah, I'm getting my legs back after my knee injury and he replied "Well, it shows!"  I'm finding I can do more explosive starts and go a little faster in the games and take longer shifts.  I don't dread having a short bench so much anymore for the games, just means more exercise time for me.

Anyway, rambling here.

Keeping the motivation up!