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!

Mid Week 3

All right, shoulders & arms and abs!  Felt good today, which is good because Monday's weight and ab routine was a bit faltering, I think I may have still been beat from ice hockey the night before.  Plyo yesterday went good too, left a LOT of sweat on the floor.

Weight is coming down, and every day I feel like it's just burning more and more rapidly.  I'm running into "problems" with my pants fitting looser - a belt is no longer an optional item!

I'm finding it really important to find motivation where I can, whether it's doing one more rep than last week, or doing an exercise with better form, feeling the looser fitting clothes, etc.  Find something to get you down the road further, and keep coming back to get that next step higher.

Rest Day

Today's rest day consisted of getting prepped for the hurricane by pulling in/securing all the outside stuff, doing laundry, cooking some perishable food up from the refrigerator/freezer, digging out the flashlights, charging batteries, etc.  Also took a field trip out to survey the pre-storm/early storm areas...tides were high, and there was already some minor flooding.  Winds were pretty steady whipping up the waves...I was kind of tempted to grab the kayak and go play in some waves, but, I didn't.  Also stopped off at Dicks Sporting Goods to look at the camping gear, just to see if there was any camping item that we could add to the inventory for the next couple days.  Apparently the media says I can expect to lose power from anywhere between 1 day and fifteen years.

While at Dicks, looked at the Bowflex Select Tech 552 dumb bells, the ones where you can just turn a dial to get a different weight.  Not a bad system.  A little bulky, but I think it would be workable.  Might pick up a set at some point in the future.  For now, will keep using the plate weights and dumb bell bars, pausing the dvd and changing out the weights as needed.

I closed out the day by playing some ice hockey.  First game of the season for my team.  Ultimately we lost, but I did manage to net a goal and an assist in the loss tonight.  Got a good workout, and noticed some more leg strength and endurance improvements.  Definitely a good workout.

And, one final remark - I saw 229 on the scale tonight after workout.  So post workout numbers are usually lower, but it's been forever since I've seen a number below 230 on the scale.  It's not my official weigh in (saving that for 30-day mark), I'll take the bit of motivation.

Fighting Gravity.

Week 2 Finishing Up

Getting close to finishing up week 2 and I'm still "pushing play" everyday.  As mentioned earlier, small improvements here and there are keeping me motivated.  I still find yoga pretty challenging and have a new respect for that exercise.  Looking forward to another shot at kempo tomorrow and then a stretch/rest day (with some ice hockey mixed in), not to mention some potential hurricane prep for hurricane Sandy moving up the atlantic, expected to curve in towards land right around where I'm at on Monday.

At worst, will probably lose power for a bit and will have to do some workouts from memory/notes.  At best I might get a day or two off work.

Have been doing Shakeology for breakfast since Tuesday, seems to be working ok, weight is still going down, I noticed a big-ish step down at the start of the 2nd week, so maybe the same thing at the start of the 3rd.

Bring it!

Improvement

Got through days 9 and 10.  Will admit that getting up early to do Plyo makes for an interesting morning at the office, what with tired legs.  Finishing out the day with roller hockey adds another layer of sweat to the day.  I was definitely spent by the end of the game.

Was a real good day today noticing improvement in the biceps/triceps/shoulders routine, and choosing the right weights this time.  Moving onto AbX, I'm really happy as I'm seeing some good improvement, getting through In & Outs, Bicycles, and Crunchy Frogs just about at the dvd pace.  A week ago I was a sweaty mess floundering around on the floor.  Another first today was not one, but three!, wide-leg cross situps.  I shocked myself when I got the first one up and over for the first time.  Tried it again and whoa!  I did it again!  The third one got up and over but wasn't pretty.  Four and on I was back to the previous area, just doing the half situp or reverse situp to work the abs.  I also managed to finally get the oblique V situps down, like it just clicked today.

On the diet front, broke open the week trial of Shakeology this morning for breakfast, and will go with that for the next week and see how that is.

Good progress, motivation still high.

Rest and Repeat

Alright, made it through one week and started on the next.

Yesterday was my "rest" day on Sunday.  I may have read "rest" as "go for a 37 mile bike ride.  Got a call from a friend to go out for a Sunday ride; couldn't pass up the nice weather, and recalling from my riding days, an easy spin on the pedals can do some good for stiff/sore muscles, which it did.

Here's the ride, mapped on Endomondo using an app on my phone:


After the ride, in the evening, I did the Stretch X routine and found it quite relaxing and a nice way to unwind in the evening.  Some (well, most) of the stretches are beyond my capability right now (I just wave at my toes, instead of touching them) but I plan to keep working on it.

Onto today, which was starting last week's cycle over again.  The cool thing?  I'm already noticing some improvements.  I'm still not pounding out pushups or hoisting myself over the chin up bar like I'm in micro gravity, but I lasted longer into the workout putting up higher numbers than I did last week.  It's enough to keep me motivated knowing I'm going to get some kind of improvement out of this.  On the Ab front, I actually kept up through the "crunchy frogs" exercise.  Had to pause it there and go at my own pace on that one, and the remainder of the exercises were a hot mess with me in a sweaty heap on the mat just trying to work on the component parts of the moves.

Clothes are feeling a little looser, scale is going down a bit, but I'm not worrying about that hard-data type of stuff until the 30 day mark.  22 more days to go on that, lots of time, lots of time.  I'll do quick checks here and there, but it's more a curiosity thing rather than a motivator or corrective type of inspection at this point.

Looking at a double day tomorrow - with Plyo early in the morning before work, and a roller hockey game after work, weather permitting.

Continuing on!

Bow to your Sensei!!!

Day 6.  My first attempt at Kenpo X presented without comment.

Day 5

Legs and back.  My legs have always been stronger than my upper body, today was evidence of that.  I "brought it" on the exercises and am working to stay balanced on jelly legs for the rest of the night.  I still need to solve the upper body riddle.  Pull-ups still are quite a challenge, though I did manage ONE in good form tonight!  A long time ago in a far away place I used to be able to knock off about 10 to 12 pull ups at a time; I'm determined to get back to there.  It should get easier as the weight comes off and the strength comes up.  My home-brew bar setup (not a door chin up bar) swings a bit and I need to fix that this weekend. 

Another step forward on the ab front, I managed 2 of the v-up rollup moves in good form, and am starting to be able to do some of the other moves at the same pace as the dvd, though not for the complete reps yet.

Progress as week 1 is coming to a close.  Looking forward to Kenpo X tomorrow, and I might also throw in a mountain bike ride over the weekend as well.

One more day of this, and I'll be ripped!

Yoga What?

Day 4.  Yoga X.  Wow.  I only made it halfway through this.  I have never done yoga before, so this was completely new.  I have a new found respect for the exercise.  Isometric, flexibility, and balance.  Got a long way to go on this one, will keep it up and set some goals for things I want to be able to do.

In other areas, staying committed to the program - social hour after work and I avoided the beer and snacks, just went for conversation and water.

Learning.

1/30th of the Way There

Alright, Day 3 in the books.  A good workout of arms and shoulders.  Understanding more about picking the right weight, though I'm kind of limited on weights right now.  I have an old plate weights that can be setup on dumb bell bars, and I played around with changing the weights out, but the pause to change the weight breaks up the flow a bit more than I'd like.  Also, the securing collar is kind of sketch, so I'm always on high alert to make sure the collar and weight plates don't go a-sliding off the bar.  I'm thinking I may pick up some hex dumb bells in the near future.  I have a set of 10-pound hex's now, will probably pick up a pair of 20 and 30's for now.  The 10's work well right now for my weak shoulders and triceps and when I'm trying to figure out the form of the exercise (I'm still new at this).

Made some adjustments on the ab workout tonight, keeping up where I could, breaking the exercises down into parts and just working on the form for each bit individually.  My abs still feel it all over.

On the diet front, I'm trying to stick to the plan, though I need to put some more thought into how the portions are counted.  Breakfast and lunch are easy to count, working in the snacks, figuring out dinner, and how recovery drinks figure into everything is throwing me for a loop for some reason when I try to count up my portions.  I'm feeling full and definitely feeling like I'm eating enough at each meal and throughout the day...potentially eating too much?  Will maybe jump on the google and figure that out some more.


Keeping it motivated.