Wow. 30 days. One month. I did it! I can't say that it's been the easiest month, but it sure has been rewarding. I hadn't done Cardio X in quite some time, and it felt good to do it again today. I will, however, have to start phasing it out pretty soon. It's a good workout, but it's not great for cardio anymore. I am going to have to start doing plyometrics, which I was happy to not have to do in the Lean program. BUT--I need to. No more fear of the insanity that is jump training. No more fat pants cardio X. Well, no, it's not that bad. I was definitely working hard. The first half of it is yoga, which is awesome, but just not cardio, you know? But, there's a snip of plyo, kenpo and core synergistics after that, and that's when the burn comes. By the time I get to it, though, it's only about 20 minutes of hard cardio. I'd like to do at least 45 minutes of hardcore cardio. So, plyo, you son of a gun, I'm coming for you!
Only downside to 30 days: pictures. Still don't like them, especially these. I like to be covered in layers upon layers of clothes at all times. These shorts and, um, not so much on the toppage, make me feel whatever's more vulnerable than vulnerable. HOWEVER, by the end, I'm sure I'll be strutting it so much people will be screaming, "Hey, lady, put your shirt back on!" Just try to stop me at day 90. I am, of course, kidding. Sort of.
I just filled out my workout schedule on my calendar, and I mixed up my end date. Oops! It's September 17th, which will give me more time to marathon train!
Day 30: Brought.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Day 29: Core Synergistics
And once again, I'm at Core Synergistics. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I cannot get enough of this workout! I haven't actually said it before in those words. I mixed it up a bit. The idea's still the same, though. It's just so fantastically hard and intricate, and there's always something there to improve upon. Every time I start, all my core muscles do a little jump for joy. Actually, they jump for joy after the workout. Before and during, they brace themselves with happy anticipation. Bonus: no toilet hugging today.
I can't believe how far my body's come since starting P90X. It's truly amazing to me as I push and stretch myself to places I never thought I could go. I mentioned a couple days ago that it was 6 months to my 33rd birthday. At Christmas last year, I had pretty much written myself off, telling myself that I squandered my 20's away and now that I was in my 30's, I was who I was meant to be for the rest of my life: fat, weak, undisciplined. I looked at my wrinkles, my emerging grey hairs, my doughy physique and just resigned myself to the idea that there was nothing I could do. Oh, maybe highlights and a lot of make-up, but physically, I was too old to start something too huge. And now, 6 months later, I'm almost 1/3 of the way done with P90X and have a half marathon calling my name. My thirties have ceased to be my declining decade and have become my defining decade (Jake, you were right! Tony's cheesiness does wear off onto his minions!!!). Core Synergistics is a huge stepping stone in this process. I think I hold this workout so dear not only because of how much it works me but because it was my very first P90X workout. The one that started it all.
Sidenote: HUGE shout out to Josh, who got back on the horse yesterday and amazed himself. And to his wife Lizzie, who hit a big milestone! You guys are my anchors, and I'm so proud to be in this with you both!
Day 29: Brought.
I can't believe how far my body's come since starting P90X. It's truly amazing to me as I push and stretch myself to places I never thought I could go. I mentioned a couple days ago that it was 6 months to my 33rd birthday. At Christmas last year, I had pretty much written myself off, telling myself that I squandered my 20's away and now that I was in my 30's, I was who I was meant to be for the rest of my life: fat, weak, undisciplined. I looked at my wrinkles, my emerging grey hairs, my doughy physique and just resigned myself to the idea that there was nothing I could do. Oh, maybe highlights and a lot of make-up, but physically, I was too old to start something too huge. And now, 6 months later, I'm almost 1/3 of the way done with P90X and have a half marathon calling my name. My thirties have ceased to be my declining decade and have become my defining decade (Jake, you were right! Tony's cheesiness does wear off onto his minions!!!). Core Synergistics is a huge stepping stone in this process. I think I hold this workout so dear not only because of how much it works me but because it was my very first P90X workout. The one that started it all.
Sidenote: HUGE shout out to Josh, who got back on the horse yesterday and amazed himself. And to his wife Lizzie, who hit a big milestone! You guys are my anchors, and I'm so proud to be in this with you both!
Day 29: Brought.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Day 28: Rest
Now, I know I said I was going to start incorporating the stretch video into my routine, but not today. Today, I rested. I have a lot going on this week, including a playdate all this morning and dinner with the pastor and his wife in our home this evening. I've done anything but rest. I'll get there. I promise.
And now, for my buddy Josh who is struggling: Your blog entry today reeks of fear. You say you don't tolerate uninterrupted routines, but what I read was fear of the new routine and desire to go back to the old routine. It's like when I lose weight and still hang on to my "fat pants." In my head, I've told myself that it's just a matter of time before I need those fat pants again and I better not get rid of them. The only problem is, the fat pants, while comfortable and familiar, are also very sad. And the bigger problem is, as long as they're there, I inevitably go back to them. You are holding on to your fat pants old routine when you need to Goodwill that sucker into oblivion. It's not an option anymore. You missed a few runs? Big deal. You ate crap? So what? It's done. You can't change it. LET IT GO.
I need you and Lizzie and everyone who's reading this on board. I can't do it alone. You can't do it alone. You've got the support you need, and if you need me to call you an emo double quitter to get you back on that track, then so be it. I will call you that until the day you die. And if that doesn't work, I'll chop off my ponytail. And if that doesn't work? I'll chop off YOUR ponytail, quit worship team and heckle you each and every Sunday from the cheap seats in the back until you're running like Forrest Gump on steroids. I mean it. Oh, and happy anniversary. That's exciting.
Day 28: Brought.
And now, for my buddy Josh who is struggling: Your blog entry today reeks of fear. You say you don't tolerate uninterrupted routines, but what I read was fear of the new routine and desire to go back to the old routine. It's like when I lose weight and still hang on to my "fat pants." In my head, I've told myself that it's just a matter of time before I need those fat pants again and I better not get rid of them. The only problem is, the fat pants, while comfortable and familiar, are also very sad. And the bigger problem is, as long as they're there, I inevitably go back to them. You are holding on to your fat pants old routine when you need to Goodwill that sucker into oblivion. It's not an option anymore. You missed a few runs? Big deal. You ate crap? So what? It's done. You can't change it. LET IT GO.
I need you and Lizzie and everyone who's reading this on board. I can't do it alone. You can't do it alone. You've got the support you need, and if you need me to call you an emo double quitter to get you back on that track, then so be it. I will call you that until the day you die. And if that doesn't work, I'll chop off my ponytail. And if that doesn't work? I'll chop off YOUR ponytail, quit worship team and heckle you each and every Sunday from the cheap seats in the back until you're running like Forrest Gump on steroids. I mean it. Oh, and happy anniversary. That's exciting.
Day 28: Brought.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Day 27: Yoga X
Ninety more minutes of yoga under my belt. I feel like I did when I was 15 and building up the driving hours in order to get my license. Only now, I'm building up for my License for Yoga Awesomeness. I'm pretty sure there's no such thing, but if there were, that's what I'd be working toward.
I tried "crane" today. Crane is an insane pose that puts you in a low crouch, balances your legs on your armpits and has you going up in the air and balancing on your hands. It's much harder to describe than I thought it would be when I started to describe it. Anyway, Tony cautions you to put a pillow on the floor in front of your face in case you fall. You know it's hardcore when a pillow's involved. Does that even sound right? At any rate, the alternative to doing 60 seconds of crane is 60 seconds of child's pose. That's an easy, relaxing one, and up until today, I've gone for that. I mean, I'm pretty wiped out at this point in the workout anyway. But, today, I decided to try it. I kind of almost did it. I got up for half a second at a time several times, and I even needed the pillow once since I couldn't fall back as instructed. Note to anyone attempting P90X. When Tony says get a pillow, get thee a pillow. Anyway, I was pumped that I could almost do it. A few more weeks, and I'm confident I'll be all up in that crane. That didn't sound right either.
Sidenote: We are 5 months from the half marathon today, and it is 6 months until my 33rd birthday.
Day 27: Brought.
I tried "crane" today. Crane is an insane pose that puts you in a low crouch, balances your legs on your armpits and has you going up in the air and balancing on your hands. It's much harder to describe than I thought it would be when I started to describe it. Anyway, Tony cautions you to put a pillow on the floor in front of your face in case you fall. You know it's hardcore when a pillow's involved. Does that even sound right? At any rate, the alternative to doing 60 seconds of crane is 60 seconds of child's pose. That's an easy, relaxing one, and up until today, I've gone for that. I mean, I'm pretty wiped out at this point in the workout anyway. But, today, I decided to try it. I kind of almost did it. I got up for half a second at a time several times, and I even needed the pillow once since I couldn't fall back as instructed. Note to anyone attempting P90X. When Tony says get a pillow, get thee a pillow. Anyway, I was pumped that I could almost do it. A few more weeks, and I'm confident I'll be all up in that crane. That didn't sound right either.
Sidenote: We are 5 months from the half marathon today, and it is 6 months until my 33rd birthday.
Day 27: Brought.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Day 26: Core Synergistics
I may have overdone it a bit on my free day yesterday. Actually, I know I overdid it. Sometimes I do. I was in the bathroom twice, hugging the toilet, during core synergistics today. I also went ahead and upped some weights and brought it a lot harder to the workout today. I mean, I'm almost 30 days in. I needed to be more uncomfortable. Mission accomplished.
The nausea is gone. The muscles are definitely aching. So, success in many ways.
Nausea aside, I've decided that this is one of my favorite workouts for my core. Ab Ripper just doesn't whip me into an abdominal frenzy of psychotic magnitude like CS does. My brother did tell me, though, that the achy legs in Ab Ripper are my hip flexors working which make the cool v-shape on my underwear line. I may never see that shape, what with the evidence of babies being rather prominent and quite possibly permanent without a bit of surgical help, but knowing that line is there, hidden, will make me feel good anyway. I'll focus on that when Ab Ripper creeps its way back into my routine this coming week.
Day 26: Brought.
The nausea is gone. The muscles are definitely aching. So, success in many ways.
Nausea aside, I've decided that this is one of my favorite workouts for my core. Ab Ripper just doesn't whip me into an abdominal frenzy of psychotic magnitude like CS does. My brother did tell me, though, that the achy legs in Ab Ripper are my hip flexors working which make the cool v-shape on my underwear line. I may never see that shape, what with the evidence of babies being rather prominent and quite possibly permanent without a bit of surgical help, but knowing that line is there, hidden, will make me feel good anyway. I'll focus on that when Ab Ripper creeps its way back into my routine this coming week.
Day 26: Brought.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Day 25: Stretch X
Holy self-massage, Batman! This was one awesome "workout." I put it in quotes because it wasn't so much a workout as it was an hour of making my body feel like a million bucks. As my brother told me, it's like yoga without the work. I am definitely going to start doing this on my "rest" days. That hour of stretching was way more beneficial and relaxing than an extra hour of sleep. Loved it.
It's farm share day! We will go pick up our surprise box of farm-fresh veggies at Whistling Train Farm. Last week's was all greens since it's too early in the season for actual veggies, most of which I had no clue as to their identities. But, man, when thrown in a bowl together, they made for an awesome salad. So awesome, in fact, I had one for breakfast yesterday. Talk about starting your day on a healthy high.
Day 25: Brought.
It's farm share day! We will go pick up our surprise box of farm-fresh veggies at Whistling Train Farm. Last week's was all greens since it's too early in the season for actual veggies, most of which I had no clue as to their identities. But, man, when thrown in a bowl together, they made for an awesome salad. So awesome, in fact, I had one for breakfast yesterday. Talk about starting your day on a healthy high.
Day 25: Brought.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Day 24: Kenpo X
My favorite! I guess my brain was really excited to do this workout because it woke me up a half hour before my alarm. Rather than lie there waiting for the alarm, I just got up and did it. I may have yawned my way through most of it, but I consider that deep, DEEP breathing, so it's all good. I just love working up a good amount of DNA removal before the day starts. That's what Tony calls sweat in this video. It makes me smile. "We don't do spray-ons in here. We do actual DNA removal." They remove more DNA than I do, but I'm just assuming their workout space is slightly warmer than the 55 degrees I keep my space at.
It's the first Friday of summer break. One more week of P90X before my first mini break from it. I head to CO next Saturday to go to a darling, wonderful friend's much-anticipated wedding. I have to admit, though, I'm a little sad that P90 won't be going with me. Maybe I'll sneak the yoga in my carry-on, but then again, it's so powerful, they might confiscate it as a weapon. Hm. Dilemma.
Day 24: Brought.
It's the first Friday of summer break. One more week of P90X before my first mini break from it. I head to CO next Saturday to go to a darling, wonderful friend's much-anticipated wedding. I have to admit, though, I'm a little sad that P90 won't be going with me. Maybe I'll sneak the yoga in my carry-on, but then again, it's so powerful, they might confiscate it as a weapon. Hm. Dilemma.
Day 24: Brought.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Day 23: Core Synergistics
So, what does "core synergistics" mean exactly? Synergistics is working multiple muscle groups at the same time. Jillian Michaels is a huge proponent of this, so doing her workouts really prepped me for this one. Core synergistics means you're working your core (abs to quads, mostly, and everything in between) muscles all at the same time. It's pretty tough, but I love it. You really have to focus on what you're doing because it's easy to not work the right muscles. The more I do it, the more I get the muscles engaged.
I had a little snafu today. The TV wasn't working. Frustrating though that was (and I mean frustrating, people. We're on summer break here. I NEED the TV to get me through the day without killing anybody), I knew I could do this workout with mainly just verbal coaching. I grabbed the portable DVD player, stuck it on the mantle and went to work. That worked fine, and I was proud of myself for overcoming yet another mental battle that pitted my desire to workout against my desire to just go back to bed and figure out the TV situation later.
Of course, when the workout was done, I decided to fix the TV. One well-placed little thump seemed to do the trick. Hopefully that will last. I love that no matter how far technology advances, physical violence seems to still work. That's probably the only case where physical violence works. That and the war on sugar ants. Or any bug for that matter. It's good, really, because we'll need to maintain our physical prowess when the robots take over the world. Conspiracy theory in a workout blog. I aim to please.
Day 23: Brought.
I had a little snafu today. The TV wasn't working. Frustrating though that was (and I mean frustrating, people. We're on summer break here. I NEED the TV to get me through the day without killing anybody), I knew I could do this workout with mainly just verbal coaching. I grabbed the portable DVD player, stuck it on the mantle and went to work. That worked fine, and I was proud of myself for overcoming yet another mental battle that pitted my desire to workout against my desire to just go back to bed and figure out the TV situation later.
Of course, when the workout was done, I decided to fix the TV. One well-placed little thump seemed to do the trick. Hopefully that will last. I love that no matter how far technology advances, physical violence seems to still work. That's probably the only case where physical violence works. That and the war on sugar ants. Or any bug for that matter. It's good, really, because we'll need to maintain our physical prowess when the robots take over the world. Conspiracy theory in a workout blog. I aim to please.
Day 23: Brought.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Day 22: Yoga X
Ah HA! My body was all geared up to do a little Core Synergistics, and I fooled it with yoga. Oh, my.
I'm really mixed about this workout. I go in dragging a bit, and I come out very much not dragging. It is really, really hardcore, and it is really, really long. I will say this, though: I now understand why yoga's essential to have in your workout routine. It's strength training in its most natural, rational form. It's just you and your body and nothing else. You're not pushing to lift a weight. You're not straining for one more pull up. You're just bending in a thousand different directions, waking up every single muscle in your body, strengthening every one with every twist and turn. After 92 minutes, I feel invigorated and alive and awake.
My body is already responding to these weekly (bi-weekly this week) yoga infusions. I'm feeling more and more flexible, and I can feel that flexibility helping me in every other routine. If you don't do it, you have to. Simple as that. (Josh--an idea for when you're on your "inbetweenies" and Lizzie, definitely after you finish the Shred!)
Totally unrelated--we bought a farm share in a mircofarm for half this year. We got our first load last Saturday. It was all greens since the bigger veggies won't be ready for a while. I have no idea what most of it was, so last night, Peter and I just threw it all in a bowl and had probably the most interesting, exciting salad ever. I loved it. Every bite was different. And, also, we got mint. That I recognized. I chewed up a leaf last night. It was incredibly bitter at first, but when I powered through that, I was left with a delightfully minty mouth. I happened to take a sip of my Diet Coke with that minty mouth of mine, and wouldn't you know it? AMAZING. That, you must also try.
My own Tip of the Day, then (although more of a command): Yoga and minty Diet Coke.
Day 22: Brought
I'm really mixed about this workout. I go in dragging a bit, and I come out very much not dragging. It is really, really hardcore, and it is really, really long. I will say this, though: I now understand why yoga's essential to have in your workout routine. It's strength training in its most natural, rational form. It's just you and your body and nothing else. You're not pushing to lift a weight. You're not straining for one more pull up. You're just bending in a thousand different directions, waking up every single muscle in your body, strengthening every one with every twist and turn. After 92 minutes, I feel invigorated and alive and awake.
My body is already responding to these weekly (bi-weekly this week) yoga infusions. I'm feeling more and more flexible, and I can feel that flexibility helping me in every other routine. If you don't do it, you have to. Simple as that. (Josh--an idea for when you're on your "inbetweenies" and Lizzie, definitely after you finish the Shred!)
Totally unrelated--we bought a farm share in a mircofarm for half this year. We got our first load last Saturday. It was all greens since the bigger veggies won't be ready for a while. I have no idea what most of it was, so last night, Peter and I just threw it all in a bowl and had probably the most interesting, exciting salad ever. I loved it. Every bite was different. And, also, we got mint. That I recognized. I chewed up a leaf last night. It was incredibly bitter at first, but when I powered through that, I was left with a delightfully minty mouth. I happened to take a sip of my Diet Coke with that minty mouth of mine, and wouldn't you know it? AMAZING. That, you must also try.
My own Tip of the Day, then (although more of a command): Yoga and minty Diet Coke.
Day 22: Brought
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Day 21: Rest
Ah, rest, how you elude me. We got another wake-up call from our exploding children. This time it was Wendy, but she had the foresight to go to bed with the trash can, so clean up was much easier. I admit, I was slightly more compassionate in my heart, but not much, knowing that it was my morning to sleep in a bit and that those dreams were now shattered. I think vomit just does things to my brain. Oh, well.
It's the first day of summer, the first day of summer break, and the last day of the particular DVD rotation I've been on. This next week doesn't have any weight training, but plenty of strength training. I'm looking forward to a new routine. I'm normally not a fan of change, but this will be good. I'm just trying to figure out if I keep up with the 4-something wake ups as though we were on school schedule or if I try to adjust my times. I'm leaning towards not adjusting. That way I won't dread summer's end when I'd have to start getting up early again. We'll see.
3 WEEKS GONE!
Day 21: Brought.
It's the first day of summer, the first day of summer break, and the last day of the particular DVD rotation I've been on. This next week doesn't have any weight training, but plenty of strength training. I'm looking forward to a new routine. I'm normally not a fan of change, but this will be good. I'm just trying to figure out if I keep up with the 4-something wake ups as though we were on school schedule or if I try to adjust my times. I'm leaning towards not adjusting. That way I won't dread summer's end when I'd have to start getting up early again. We'll see.
3 WEEKS GONE!
Day 21: Brought.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Day 20: Kenpo X
If someone could translate the epic mental battle that goes on in my head some mornings when my alarm goes off and put it on the big screen in the form of an action film, they'd make billions. This morning was TOUGH.
We had a 3 a.m. wake-up call that every parent simply loves to get: "Mommy! Daddy! Nina threw up in her bed!" Now, thankfully, I have a husband who jumps to the call immediately. I took a minute or two to process that information. And wouldn't you know it, my first thought was, "Well, there goes P90X for today." It probably should have been something more along the lines of, "Oh, my poor, sweet Nina," but let's face it, she was the reason I was up at 3 and what had come out of her was no picnic. It's really hard for me to be totally compassionate. That's why I'm so thankful for Peter. He deals with the child, I deal with the mess. We're a good team. Thankfully, I forgot to reset my alarm, so it went off at 4:50 as per my usual Kenpo X routine day. Friends, that was rough. First I thought, I'll just do it this afternoon and go back to sleep now. But, in the end, I opted to get up and take a looooooooong afternoon nap rather than try to catch an extra hour in the morning.
That said, it was tough to bring it today. My kicks weren't as high. My punches weren't as fierce. If someone were to be at the receiving end of my blows today, they'd probably have walked away none the worse for the encounter. But, my heart rate was up. The sweat was pouring. So, all in all, not a total loss.
Now, I'm off to take my baby to her last day of 1st grade. Lord help me, I'm tired and emotional. Actually, Lord help whoever crosses me in my current mental state. I may go all Kenpo X on them. I've done it before.
Day 20: Brought.
We had a 3 a.m. wake-up call that every parent simply loves to get: "Mommy! Daddy! Nina threw up in her bed!" Now, thankfully, I have a husband who jumps to the call immediately. I took a minute or two to process that information. And wouldn't you know it, my first thought was, "Well, there goes P90X for today." It probably should have been something more along the lines of, "Oh, my poor, sweet Nina," but let's face it, she was the reason I was up at 3 and what had come out of her was no picnic. It's really hard for me to be totally compassionate. That's why I'm so thankful for Peter. He deals with the child, I deal with the mess. We're a good team. Thankfully, I forgot to reset my alarm, so it went off at 4:50 as per my usual Kenpo X routine day. Friends, that was rough. First I thought, I'll just do it this afternoon and go back to sleep now. But, in the end, I opted to get up and take a looooooooong afternoon nap rather than try to catch an extra hour in the morning.
That said, it was tough to bring it today. My kicks weren't as high. My punches weren't as fierce. If someone were to be at the receiving end of my blows today, they'd probably have walked away none the worse for the encounter. But, my heart rate was up. The sweat was pouring. So, all in all, not a total loss.
Now, I'm off to take my baby to her last day of 1st grade. Lord help me, I'm tired and emotional. Actually, Lord help whoever crosses me in my current mental state. I may go all Kenpo X on them. I've done it before.
Day 20: Brought.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Day 19: Legs and Back; Ab Ripper X
Oops! The day's over and I almost went to bed with nary a word to you all. And the worst part? I had to kick my husband off the computer so I could do this. On Father's Day, no less. Ah, well, like I said, day's over.
Quick: Legs and Back were great. I need a pull up bar. I've maxed out what I can do in my current situation for this work out. I need more of a challenge. At least for the "back" portion of it. The legs part kicks my tush. Next pay day, I'm kicking it up.
Ab Ripper. Ugh. For the first time today, I completely blew off one of the moves. It hurts my back about 3 reps in, and I just lay there inert and useless while the superstars on the video finish. So, instead of that, I opted for good old-fashioned crunches. It's not Ab Ripper level, but I figured something is better than nothing.
Good day. Free food day for Father's Day. I'm full. Stuffed. Sleepy.
Day 19: Brought.
Quick: Legs and Back were great. I need a pull up bar. I've maxed out what I can do in my current situation for this work out. I need more of a challenge. At least for the "back" portion of it. The legs part kicks my tush. Next pay day, I'm kicking it up.
Ab Ripper. Ugh. For the first time today, I completely blew off one of the moves. It hurts my back about 3 reps in, and I just lay there inert and useless while the superstars on the video finish. So, instead of that, I opted for good old-fashioned crunches. It's not Ab Ripper level, but I figured something is better than nothing.
Good day. Free food day for Father's Day. I'm full. Stuffed. Sleepy.
Day 19: Brought.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Day 18: Yoga X
Um, ouch. I had two wonderful extra obstacles today: a sunburned back and a gimpy right wrist. If you've ever done yoga, you know that those are two obstacles that aren't particularly convenient. I blame Father's Day and the incessant Seattle rain for the sunburn (doesn't sound quite right, huh?). We're hosting FD tomorrow, and I wanted to spruce up the yard a bit. We had a rare stretch of sunshine, so I just worked and worked and worked as hard and as fast as I could to get it all done because rain was in the forecast for today. My back is burned, it's pouring out, but my yard looks beautiful. The gimpy wrist? Well, I grow a lovely ganglian cyst on my wrist, and it popped last night. That's an owie if ever there was one. The fluid was still pooled around my wrist, so it was right tender this a.m. But, I got the job done. Tony talks about working around your injuries, and that's just what I did.
At the end, Tony takes you to the "lotus pose" and you do a set of "ohm's." I love that when he's telling you what you're about to do, you can see that he's frustrated with the negative connotations of the "ohm." He says, "It's a not a cult. It's not a religion. It's JUST ohm's." Then you do them, and they're lovely. Your head vibrates and it's an internal massage. Today, I harmonized with him for an extra little flair. I know, overachiever, but boy was it pretty.
I once saw a video clip of a very popular and prominent pastor who was speaking about the evils of yoga. He says you're inviting little demons into your life when you do it. My guess is that he's tried yoga, failed miserably at it (as would any beginner; as I do often) and feels that in preaching about these little demons, he can happily justify leaving this part of physical training out of his routine. Yoga is just plain awesome, and I'm about as worried about little demons as I am the pagan roots of the Christmas tree.
There's really no relevance to that story except that I always think of that ridiculous video when I do Yoga X.
Day 18: Brought
At the end, Tony takes you to the "lotus pose" and you do a set of "ohm's." I love that when he's telling you what you're about to do, you can see that he's frustrated with the negative connotations of the "ohm." He says, "It's a not a cult. It's not a religion. It's JUST ohm's." Then you do them, and they're lovely. Your head vibrates and it's an internal massage. Today, I harmonized with him for an extra little flair. I know, overachiever, but boy was it pretty.
I once saw a video clip of a very popular and prominent pastor who was speaking about the evils of yoga. He says you're inviting little demons into your life when you do it. My guess is that he's tried yoga, failed miserably at it (as would any beginner; as I do often) and feels that in preaching about these little demons, he can happily justify leaving this part of physical training out of his routine. Yoga is just plain awesome, and I'm about as worried about little demons as I am the pagan roots of the Christmas tree.
There's really no relevance to that story except that I always think of that ridiculous video when I do Yoga X.
Day 18: Brought
Friday, June 17, 2011
Day 17: Shoulders and Arms; Ab Ripper X
4:20. 4:20. 4:20. I'm not gonna lie. That still hurts a lot. Half my battle each and every morning is just getting up when that cursed alarm goes off at a time when God's not even awake. Spiritually, that's not accurate, but it certainly feels like I'm the only one up. Fortunately it's summer, so it's not exactly pitch black when I get up. And the last two mornings, the sky has been brilliantly clear with a huge, bright, almost full moon shining down on me as if to say, "Go back to bed, you nutso!" You don't get that at, say, 6:00.
That said, it was a relatively good workout. Shoulders and arms were amazing, and once again, I watched myself in the mirror, marveling at the tone and definition that's starting to really become apparent. It's a bit narcissistic, really, but don't I get to have a bit of narcissism when I'm working so darn hard?
Ab Ripper, on the other hand...that one is really the bane of my P90X experience. I can confidently say I'm frustrated with it and dread it. All the other workouts are wonderful. I dread none of them. Well, yes, I do dread them, but it's a different kind of dread. My frustration is this: my abs are my yuckiest feature. 3 kids just took a horrible toll on them. I want them to be how they were. Fortunately, I never, ever had a flat stomach, so I'm not being unreasonable. But this workout kills my legs. My legs give out before I feel like my abs have a chance to be worked, and therefore, I feel like I'm making no abdominal progress. I pushed it as hard as I could today, and while there were some minor improvements, I still have a long way to go on this one.
I didn't smash my face. I didn't forget to breathe. I call it success, dead legs notwithstanding.
Day 17: Brought.
That said, it was a relatively good workout. Shoulders and arms were amazing, and once again, I watched myself in the mirror, marveling at the tone and definition that's starting to really become apparent. It's a bit narcissistic, really, but don't I get to have a bit of narcissism when I'm working so darn hard?
Ab Ripper, on the other hand...that one is really the bane of my P90X experience. I can confidently say I'm frustrated with it and dread it. All the other workouts are wonderful. I dread none of them. Well, yes, I do dread them, but it's a different kind of dread. My frustration is this: my abs are my yuckiest feature. 3 kids just took a horrible toll on them. I want them to be how they were. Fortunately, I never, ever had a flat stomach, so I'm not being unreasonable. But this workout kills my legs. My legs give out before I feel like my abs have a chance to be worked, and therefore, I feel like I'm making no abdominal progress. I pushed it as hard as I could today, and while there were some minor improvements, I still have a long way to go on this one.
I didn't smash my face. I didn't forget to breathe. I call it success, dead legs notwithstanding.
Day 17: Brought.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Day 16: Cardio X
Tip of the Day: "Make sure you eat enough calories." It's strange that the mornings I wake up the most hungry seem to coincide with Cardio X and this little TOTD. I don't like to workout with anything in my tummy. It takes about 5 minutes for that food to come back and haunt me, even if it's just a little thing of yogurt. First thing in the morning with an empty stomach for working out. That's how I roll, but boy was my tummy growling by the end. It was an awesome workout, though.
A word on my eating while becoming Free From Fat. I am not following the P90X diet. I haven't even seen it. I borrowed the DVD's from a friend, and I have none of the other materials. Basically, I go healthy 6 days a week. I get in lean proteins, low-fat dairy, whole grains and lots of fruits and veggies. Then, on the 7th day, I give in to my cravings. I let myself have what I want. This is the absolute only way I have found to keep on track. If I tell myself I'll NEVER have a cookie again, then I get sad and give up and eat a million cookies. If I tell myself I can have a cookie on Free From Free From Fat day, I keep on keeping on. It's a system that has worked beautifully for me and has shaved almost 25 pounds from my frame. I got on the scale this morning (something I know I shouldn't do very often) and have discovered that the pounds are still coming off. Slowly but surely, one free day at a time, I'll get down to where I need to be.
And for when the cravings are just totally out of control, I keep a bar of Lindt dark chocolate, either Intense Orange, Sea Salt or Chili. One square is about 48 calories, and it just gets me through and past the need to binge. And if that doesn't do it, 2 cups of plain, air popped popcorn at 50 calories does. Eating the chocolate and the popcorn together? Heavenly.
Day 16: Brought.
A word on my eating while becoming Free From Fat. I am not following the P90X diet. I haven't even seen it. I borrowed the DVD's from a friend, and I have none of the other materials. Basically, I go healthy 6 days a week. I get in lean proteins, low-fat dairy, whole grains and lots of fruits and veggies. Then, on the 7th day, I give in to my cravings. I let myself have what I want. This is the absolute only way I have found to keep on track. If I tell myself I'll NEVER have a cookie again, then I get sad and give up and eat a million cookies. If I tell myself I can have a cookie on Free From Free From Fat day, I keep on keeping on. It's a system that has worked beautifully for me and has shaved almost 25 pounds from my frame. I got on the scale this morning (something I know I shouldn't do very often) and have discovered that the pounds are still coming off. Slowly but surely, one free day at a time, I'll get down to where I need to be.
And for when the cravings are just totally out of control, I keep a bar of Lindt dark chocolate, either Intense Orange, Sea Salt or Chili. One square is about 48 calories, and it just gets me through and past the need to binge. And if that doesn't do it, 2 cups of plain, air popped popcorn at 50 calories does. Eating the chocolate and the popcorn together? Heavenly.
Day 16: Brought.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Day 15: Core Synergistics
Oh, man, did I have a hard time today. After my enthusiastic and ambitious post yesterday, I had to pull out every ounce of "git-er-done" I had in me today. I did NOT want to get out of bed. I nursed thoughts of just doing half the workout for, well, the first half of the workout. I just didn't have pep today. Somehow, though, I pushed through. Barely. I think a good flossing will help.
This is the beginning of the third week and the end of this particular rotation of workouts. Tony's TOTD (tip of the day) on this one is "engage." I usually try to implement his tips and always manage to forget them about halfway through. Except for not smacking myself in the face. That one I've got down. I focused on engaging the entire time today. It was kind of cool to see how I'd have to tweak certain moves to make sure I was working the muscles I was supposed to be working. I know my core will thank me for it, especially if I have to pick up "boxes in my yard and put them on the shelf." That line makes me giggle. Who has shelves in their yard?
So, not my greatest day, but you can't make them all pretty. I'm done. I'm having a bowl of oatmeal. The world will continue rotating. If not, well, then I won't have to get up tomorrow.
Day 15: Brought.
This is the beginning of the third week and the end of this particular rotation of workouts. Tony's TOTD (tip of the day) on this one is "engage." I usually try to implement his tips and always manage to forget them about halfway through. Except for not smacking myself in the face. That one I've got down. I focused on engaging the entire time today. It was kind of cool to see how I'd have to tweak certain moves to make sure I was working the muscles I was supposed to be working. I know my core will thank me for it, especially if I have to pick up "boxes in my yard and put them on the shelf." That line makes me giggle. Who has shelves in their yard?
So, not my greatest day, but you can't make them all pretty. I'm done. I'm having a bowl of oatmeal. The world will continue rotating. If not, well, then I won't have to get up tomorrow.
Day 15: Brought.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Day 14: Rest
And once again, I come to "rest" day. I again opted out of the stretch DVD and instead went for the 5:55 wake-up call. In week 4, the stretch DVD is thrown in with yoga and kenpo, so that's when I'll check it out and be able to make a more informed decision on whether or not I want to do it on rest days.
I can't really believe it's been 2 weeks. 2 out of 13. I've heard over and over and over again that it takes 30 days to make something a habit. This took 14. Flossing, on the other hand. That took about 3 months to make a habit. F90X.
Here's how I ended up where I am:
Day 14: Brought.
I can't really believe it's been 2 weeks. 2 out of 13. I've heard over and over and over again that it takes 30 days to make something a habit. This took 14. Flossing, on the other hand. That took about 3 months to make a habit. F90X.
Here's how I ended up where I am:
- Christmas, 2010: Depressed, fat, angry.
- February, 2011: Fed up with depressed, fat, angry. Started Free From Fat (my own made up name for my new life).
- March, 2011: 30 Day Shred
- April, 2011: Hungry for more. Sign up for 5K in May.
- May, 2011: 5K. Still hungry for more and feeling empowered.
- June 1, 2011: Begin P90X.
- June something, 2011: Read that a friend of mine was going to do a half marathon...last year. He never did. Told him he should. He said if I ran one, he'd run one.
- 2 Days Later, 2011: Told him I would be running the half marathon in November. He banged his head against the wall. And he's going to do it, too. Who else do we get, Josh?
- Last night: Set August 13th as Run For Awareness, which is a preliminary 5K for those who want to run the half marathon, for those who don't want to run the half marathon but want to run a 5K or for those that just want to partake in the post-race cupcake feed. Organize one for where you are, too. You just need a place to do it and something to be aware of. Anything. Be aware that bees will sting when provoked. Be aware that rain is wetter than dirt. Be aware that your hopes of the Cubs winning the World Series this year are slim to none. Whatever you want. Then run for it.
Day 14: Brought.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Day 13: Kenpo X
Practice makes perfect! Well, perfect-ish. Perfect-er. Kind of perfect. I had a great morning with Kenpo. This workout just seems to fly by. It may be the fast pace of it. It may be the "breaks" all throughout. It may be that it's 55 minutes after three days in a row of 75-90 minute workouts. I don't know. Whatever it is, it's good.
I loved being able to do the combos with less concentration today. Don't get me wrong. There were plenty of times I was just flying all over the place, and when that happened, I would just stop, reset and start again. Tony likes to start out slow and then go faster and faster. And then he switches sides. I know it's an equal opportunity workout for the left and the right, but that would be so much easier if it meant democrats and republicans. I can shift my political thinking much more easily than I can shift my actual feet and hands. What? Politics in a workout blog? I aim to please.
My only complaint on this was that I didn't get to do it yesterday morning. Yesterday morning I was still hoppin' mad at the people setting off fireworks until the wee hours, keeping me from my much needed recuperative sleep. I would have been able to take out all my aggression on them in Kenpo yesterday. Last night, though, no fireworks. That meant a lack of anger this morning. Of course, it's probably always good to wake up anger-free. I just pictured algebra equations instead. I always did hate algebra.
Day 13: Brought.
I loved being able to do the combos with less concentration today. Don't get me wrong. There were plenty of times I was just flying all over the place, and when that happened, I would just stop, reset and start again. Tony likes to start out slow and then go faster and faster. And then he switches sides. I know it's an equal opportunity workout for the left and the right, but that would be so much easier if it meant democrats and republicans. I can shift my political thinking much more easily than I can shift my actual feet and hands. What? Politics in a workout blog? I aim to please.
My only complaint on this was that I didn't get to do it yesterday morning. Yesterday morning I was still hoppin' mad at the people setting off fireworks until the wee hours, keeping me from my much needed recuperative sleep. I would have been able to take out all my aggression on them in Kenpo yesterday. Last night, though, no fireworks. That meant a lack of anger this morning. Of course, it's probably always good to wake up anger-free. I just pictured algebra equations instead. I always did hate algebra.
Day 13: Brought.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Day 12: Back and Legs; Ab Ripper X
I'm kind of at a loss for words today. I know, you're shocked. I am having some sleep issues lately which makes things tough all around. We live near an Indian reservation, and they have unrestricted firework usage. This means for the next month, I have to endure late into the night booms. I absolutely cannot sleep with those booms, and it makes getting up more difficult. I also happen to be the most irrational person when kept from sleeping. Just ask my husband who endures regular smacks in the night when his snores get to be a bit too unbearable. And ask him how often he dares smack me when my snores keep him awake. I admit, it's a bit of a one-sided battle, but he lets me win and I love him for that.
Wow, this really isn't about my work-out at all. The workout was great. Sidenote: I don't know if workout is one word or two or if it should be hyphenated. I'm just going to go ahead and type it just how the mood hits me when it hits me. I'll square it away someday, but not right now. I have a nap calling my name.
Again with the digression. I still love the legs routine. I love that my legs are the one part of my body right now that can push the furthest when the burn sets in. I love that I feel strong and empowered when I'm working them out. Having this little ego boost in the midst of this P90X madness is amazing. Of course, I'm brought straight back down to earth when I get to the end of it and have to move on to Ab Ripper X. I am beginning to wonder if I'll ever be able to do what they do. I'm working hard on not being impatient, but some days it's hard. Always something to strive for, my friends. Always.
Incidentally, ever since referencing Cat Stevens yesterday, I have had "Another Saturday Night" stuck in my head. I'm going to call that a blog backfire.
Day 12: Brought.
Wow, this really isn't about my work-out at all. The workout was great. Sidenote: I don't know if workout is one word or two or if it should be hyphenated. I'm just going to go ahead and type it just how the mood hits me when it hits me. I'll square it away someday, but not right now. I have a nap calling my name.
Again with the digression. I still love the legs routine. I love that my legs are the one part of my body right now that can push the furthest when the burn sets in. I love that I feel strong and empowered when I'm working them out. Having this little ego boost in the midst of this P90X madness is amazing. Of course, I'm brought straight back down to earth when I get to the end of it and have to move on to Ab Ripper X. I am beginning to wonder if I'll ever be able to do what they do. I'm working hard on not being impatient, but some days it's hard. Always something to strive for, my friends. Always.
Incidentally, ever since referencing Cat Stevens yesterday, I have had "Another Saturday Night" stuck in my head. I'm going to call that a blog backfire.
Day 12: Brought.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Day 11: Yoga X
Remember that Cat Steven's song: "Another Sat-day night and I ain't got nobody. I got some money 'cause I just got paid. Now how I wish I had someone to talk to. I'm in an awful way." Grammar missteps aside, that song was going through my head this morning, except it went more like: "Another Sat-day morn, and I'm up doin' yoga. I'm really tired 'cause I couldn't sleep. Now how I wish I was still on my pillow. Oh, that would be so sweet."
Here, if you need a little help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLeWB3C2cLo
"She had a strange resemblance to a cat named Frankenstein." Great stuff! I digress.
5:30, my friends, on a Saturday somehow feels wrong, but two things that get me up: 1. I have known myself for 32.5 years, and I know that if I don't get up in the morning and exercise first thing, I won't do it at all. Oh, maybe for a day or two, but not long-term. It's the crack of dawn or nothing. 2. I read once upon a time that it's not really good for your system to adjust your sleep schedule too much and too often. So, letting myself sleep until 7 wouldn't really have much benefit anyway. I might as well be working out.
So, I did. And it was Tony the Tiger Grrrrrrreat! I could see slight improvement over last time. My vinyasas weren't nearly as painful, and I could squeeze my elbows tight to my side with every chaturanga. Do I sound snobby? You have Google if you need help. Or, you could consult with Tony! Maybe next Saturday? 5:30? Sounds great.
Oh, and I sweat--sweated?--a lot more this time. Always a good thing for me. Well, good when I'm working out. Bad when I'm just sitting.
When all was said and done, I rewarded myself with a big, old, hot bubble bath, a mini facial and a cup of glorious legal addictive stimulant. I'm feeling good, my friends. Feeling good.
Day 11: Brought.
Here, if you need a little help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLeWB3C2cLo
"She had a strange resemblance to a cat named Frankenstein." Great stuff! I digress.
5:30, my friends, on a Saturday somehow feels wrong, but two things that get me up: 1. I have known myself for 32.5 years, and I know that if I don't get up in the morning and exercise first thing, I won't do it at all. Oh, maybe for a day or two, but not long-term. It's the crack of dawn or nothing. 2. I read once upon a time that it's not really good for your system to adjust your sleep schedule too much and too often. So, letting myself sleep until 7 wouldn't really have much benefit anyway. I might as well be working out.
So, I did. And it was Tony the Tiger Grrrrrrreat! I could see slight improvement over last time. My vinyasas weren't nearly as painful, and I could squeeze my elbows tight to my side with every chaturanga. Do I sound snobby? You have Google if you need help. Or, you could consult with Tony! Maybe next Saturday? 5:30? Sounds great.
Oh, and I sweat--sweated?--a lot more this time. Always a good thing for me. Well, good when I'm working out. Bad when I'm just sitting.
When all was said and done, I rewarded myself with a big, old, hot bubble bath, a mini facial and a cup of glorious legal addictive stimulant. I'm feeling good, my friends. Feeling good.
Day 11: Brought.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Day 10: Shoulders and Arms; Ab Ripper X
Well, folks, that's it. 10 days down. One-ninth of the way through. It's not quite as fun as counting down to Christmas, but it's way more rewarding and motivating!
Tip of the Day, ala Tony, "Don't forget to breathe." That's a good one, but he gives a secondary TOTD in this one, and that's, "Don't smash your face." I like that one even better. I find his tips go well beyond the confines of the workout. Breathing and not smashing your face are good for all facets of life. Truly, the man is a philosophical guru. At least, he's mine for the next 80 days.
I came at this workout harder than last time. Less fear. More energy. It all worked out really well. In fact, I'm going to have to go get some more dumbbells. I have 3, 5, 8 and 10 pounders, but the 3's and 5's are really being relegated to bottom of the closet dust gatherers now. I pushed myself and discovered that I could lift a lot more than I was giving myself credit for. This was very encouraging. I even worked out in front of the mirror today rather than the distorted image in the window. I had a feeling I was getting some definition in my arms, and I was right. Tony calls this workout the "glamor workout," and I was enjoying the glamor from start to finish.
Ab Ripper X still kicks my bootie. Actually, it kills my legs. I'm hoping that they start to adapt soon. This 16-minute killer is just that: a killer. I'll get it. I mean, I may be 10 days in, but, I'm only 10 days in. It would be bad if it wasn't a challenge at all, right?
Did I mention that I love Slim Fast? I'm sure his recovery drink is delicious, but I can't afford it. The Slim Fast, though? Divine. Perfect way to cap off these Tony Times.
Day 10: Brought.
Tip of the Day, ala Tony, "Don't forget to breathe." That's a good one, but he gives a secondary TOTD in this one, and that's, "Don't smash your face." I like that one even better. I find his tips go well beyond the confines of the workout. Breathing and not smashing your face are good for all facets of life. Truly, the man is a philosophical guru. At least, he's mine for the next 80 days.
I came at this workout harder than last time. Less fear. More energy. It all worked out really well. In fact, I'm going to have to go get some more dumbbells. I have 3, 5, 8 and 10 pounders, but the 3's and 5's are really being relegated to bottom of the closet dust gatherers now. I pushed myself and discovered that I could lift a lot more than I was giving myself credit for. This was very encouraging. I even worked out in front of the mirror today rather than the distorted image in the window. I had a feeling I was getting some definition in my arms, and I was right. Tony calls this workout the "glamor workout," and I was enjoying the glamor from start to finish.
Ab Ripper X still kicks my bootie. Actually, it kills my legs. I'm hoping that they start to adapt soon. This 16-minute killer is just that: a killer. I'll get it. I mean, I may be 10 days in, but, I'm only 10 days in. It would be bad if it wasn't a challenge at all, right?
Did I mention that I love Slim Fast? I'm sure his recovery drink is delicious, but I can't afford it. The Slim Fast, though? Divine. Perfect way to cap off these Tony Times.
Day 10: Brought.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Day 9: Cardio X
"Gettin' the goo out." That's what Tony likes to say. It's a good visual, really, considering I sweat about 3 pounds of goo during this work-out. Gross, right?
I have to say, I was very, very encouraged that "third time's a charm" was pretty much true for the Kenpo portion of this workout. When Tony said, "Jab, cross, hook, uppercut," I could do it! Well, after a couple mess ups. Of course, then he switches sides, and I have to re-coordinate. Still, I saw a very small bit of progress today, and that's encouraging.
Those of you reading this who are prayers, will you please pray for my health? This family has been slammed with one thing after another, and today, I woke up with a sore throat. I took some meds that helped, but if I keep declining, I'm gonna have to break from P90X. At just 9 days in, that's the last thing I want to do. Thank you! My target date for completing the program, when I factor in several summer trips where I won't be able to do it, is September 24th. I want it to be that day very, very badly.
Day 9: Brought.
I have to say, I was very, very encouraged that "third time's a charm" was pretty much true for the Kenpo portion of this workout. When Tony said, "Jab, cross, hook, uppercut," I could do it! Well, after a couple mess ups. Of course, then he switches sides, and I have to re-coordinate. Still, I saw a very small bit of progress today, and that's encouraging.
Those of you reading this who are prayers, will you please pray for my health? This family has been slammed with one thing after another, and today, I woke up with a sore throat. I took some meds that helped, but if I keep declining, I'm gonna have to break from P90X. At just 9 days in, that's the last thing I want to do. Thank you! My target date for completing the program, when I factor in several summer trips where I won't be able to do it, is September 24th. I want it to be that day very, very badly.
Day 9: Brought.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Day 8: Core Synergistics
And here I am, back where I started. Kind of. I like to think that I'm one entire week stronger, fitter and generally awesomer. Yes, that's not a word, but that doesn't mean it should be left out of my vernacular, which is a word. Look it up if you need to.
I'm not sure if there's going to be a pattern, but for the second week in a row, I could not sleep the night before Core. I had a lot on my mind, and I did a bunch of catch-up paperwork, which got my blood rushing a little bit. Organizing for me is really as bad as, say, smoking. Relaxing and addicting. At least it won't kill me. It will, however, keep me up too late, and that could kill me. What would my cause of death be? Hm. Second-hand organizing. I like it.
Much to my dismay, when my alarm went off at 4:45, I could not find my sports bra anywhere. This was most distressing since I'm, let's just say, well endowed. I like support in all forms. Verbal and Cross-My-Heart are my two favorites. So, I suffered through with a regular bra. Turns out, my middle child, The Bean, pilfered it yesterday and hid it at the bottom of her hamper. Crisis averted--at least, averted for tomorrow. That didn't help me much today.
The workout? It was good. I pushed a little harder. Went a little deeper. My core was definitely working more this time than last week. Again, I threw in my own little modifications so I didn't just sit and stare dumbly at the TV. I brought my own versions in, and that seemed to do the trick. I will love when I don't have to do that and am at their level, but I'm pretty sure I've got a ways to go. Oh, well, at least I have a good bra to work with.
And a word on post-Kenpo X arms: YEOWZAS. Also not a real word but applicable nonetheless.
Day 8: Brought.
I'm not sure if there's going to be a pattern, but for the second week in a row, I could not sleep the night before Core. I had a lot on my mind, and I did a bunch of catch-up paperwork, which got my blood rushing a little bit. Organizing for me is really as bad as, say, smoking. Relaxing and addicting. At least it won't kill me. It will, however, keep me up too late, and that could kill me. What would my cause of death be? Hm. Second-hand organizing. I like it.
Much to my dismay, when my alarm went off at 4:45, I could not find my sports bra anywhere. This was most distressing since I'm, let's just say, well endowed. I like support in all forms. Verbal and Cross-My-Heart are my two favorites. So, I suffered through with a regular bra. Turns out, my middle child, The Bean, pilfered it yesterday and hid it at the bottom of her hamper. Crisis averted--at least, averted for tomorrow. That didn't help me much today.
The workout? It was good. I pushed a little harder. Went a little deeper. My core was definitely working more this time than last week. Again, I threw in my own little modifications so I didn't just sit and stare dumbly at the TV. I brought my own versions in, and that seemed to do the trick. I will love when I don't have to do that and am at their level, but I'm pretty sure I've got a ways to go. Oh, well, at least I have a good bra to work with.
And a word on post-Kenpo X arms: YEOWZAS. Also not a real word but applicable nonetheless.
Day 8: Brought.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Day 7: Rest
Aaaaaah! 6 a.m. wake up. Heavenly.
Of course, I promptly wrenched my neck in the shower--who does that? And my boy has vicious diarrhea and is getting it all over my house. I'm thinking these two things almost erase the "rest" portion of P90X. Ceste la vie!
Day 7: Brought (to you by pain, poo and the number 6).
Of course, I promptly wrenched my neck in the shower--who does that? And my boy has vicious diarrhea and is getting it all over my house. I'm thinking these two things almost erase the "rest" portion of P90X. Ceste la vie!
Day 7: Brought (to you by pain, poo and the number 6).
Monday, June 6, 2011
Day 6: Kenpo X
Well, I made it. Today was the workout I'd been waiting for all week. It was Kenpo X day (karate). Remember, during Cardio X on day 2 I was left baffled by the Kenpo portion of that workout? Well, I wish I could say I'm no longer baffled, but I am. This was a fun, face-paced workout that had me going in twelve different directions at once. They went left, I'd go back. They went right, I went forward. I had my arms flying here, there and everywhere, and just when I'd almost get a move combination coordinated, we'd switch to something else. I know that Tony works on the idea of muscle confusion. He pretty much confuses everything.
That said, I had fun. Most of the time I got to picture an invisible target and just kick its butt. I think I need to pick a fight with someone so that I can picture their face. It might help me be a little more aggressive. I didn't realize I was getting such a glute workout, but my bum's screaming at me right now. I am going to scream back.
So, folks, that's one full week of Power 90 Extreme. Tomorrow's a rest or stretch day. I am so exhausted that I'm going to rest. By the end of the 90--well, it's really 91--days, I'm sure I'll be doing that stretch video on the "rest" day regularly. For now, with some health issues and a body that's pretty angry with me, I'm going to take tomorrow easy. Whoopie!
Day 6: Brought.
That said, I had fun. Most of the time I got to picture an invisible target and just kick its butt. I think I need to pick a fight with someone so that I can picture their face. It might help me be a little more aggressive. I didn't realize I was getting such a glute workout, but my bum's screaming at me right now. I am going to scream back.
So, folks, that's one full week of Power 90 Extreme. Tomorrow's a rest or stretch day. I am so exhausted that I'm going to rest. By the end of the 90--well, it's really 91--days, I'm sure I'll be doing that stretch video on the "rest" day regularly. For now, with some health issues and a body that's pretty angry with me, I'm going to take tomorrow easy. Whoopie!
Day 6: Brought.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Day 5: Back and Legs; Ab Ripper X
So much for "Sunday. The Day of Rest." There was no rest for this weary soul, but actually, my soul's great. My body? Definitely weary. It may have something to do with three days in a row of hour and a half workouts. It may have something to do with staying up WAY past my bedtime. I'm thinking both.
Back and legs. I LOVED this workout. Granted, the back part was designed for pull up pros, but I found my band to be more than enough of a workout. My legs are my pride, so having a workout that worked them hard was amazing. I hope to work up to pull ups someday. That would be a huge, huge accomplishment for me, especially considering I never once in my life so much as did the monkey bars. I was a sweating maniac by the end of this one, and that felt awesome. I think it's because I was able to come at it with no fear. Working a part of my body I felt confident in to begin with really made a difference. I do need a "harder" band, though, to be able to get more of a back benefit.
Ab Ripper came at me hard again. This time I did some modifications, and that made for a more productive time. Trying to do a lot of the moves just like they do them had me sitting there watching the DVD and shaking my head. Great for my neck, bad for my core. As I type, 14 hours after the workout, my abs are sore, so my modifications were effective. Love it.
Tonight? Early to bed to rest this weary body.
Day 5: Brought.
Back and legs. I LOVED this workout. Granted, the back part was designed for pull up pros, but I found my band to be more than enough of a workout. My legs are my pride, so having a workout that worked them hard was amazing. I hope to work up to pull ups someday. That would be a huge, huge accomplishment for me, especially considering I never once in my life so much as did the monkey bars. I was a sweating maniac by the end of this one, and that felt awesome. I think it's because I was able to come at it with no fear. Working a part of my body I felt confident in to begin with really made a difference. I do need a "harder" band, though, to be able to get more of a back benefit.
Ab Ripper came at me hard again. This time I did some modifications, and that made for a more productive time. Trying to do a lot of the moves just like they do them had me sitting there watching the DVD and shaking my head. Great for my neck, bad for my core. As I type, 14 hours after the workout, my abs are sore, so my modifications were effective. Love it.
Tonight? Early to bed to rest this weary body.
Day 5: Brought.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Day 4: Yoga X
This is my new life:
I pick the time I'm going to have to be ready for the day and work my way backwards to when I need to set them alarm. Today, Wendy had a 9 a.m. soccer game. We had to be there at 8:45. It takes 10 minutes to get to the field, which means I had to be showered and ready to go at 8:35. It takes me about an hour to get ready--because it's going to be warm, I'll want shorts, and that means shaving the old legs which take 20 minutes--which means I have to be in the shower by 7:35. But, I also have to eat breakfast or I will die, so I better be in the shower by 7:05. Yoga X is 92 minutes long, which means I need to start by 5:30. It takes me about 10 minutes to get out of bed, get changed, get the contacts in and get set up for "bringing it." That means my glorious wake up, on a beautiful Saturday morning, was 5:20! So, last night, as I was contemplating putting in a movie at about 8:30, I decided against it and just read and went to bed by 9:00 on a Friday night. It's a good thing I'm married because P90X is killing my social life.
That said, I was rested and ready to get my vinyasas and chatarangas on bright and early. The workout is a-ma-zing. The first half was all stuff I could do. Granted, I'm not even close to as bendy as Tony and crew are, but I knew the moves and got quite the workout. The second half was more balancing poses, and I pretty much just spent that time falling over. He threw in a "yoga belly 7" for fun, and that took me straight back to the Ab Ripper from yesterday. I mostly cried on that part.
This workout excites me, though, because I caught a glimpse of where I can be in a couple months if I just stick with it. It made the 5:20 wake up worth it. Plus, I can enjoy this beautiful, sunny day totally guilt-free because I don't have the "I need to get my workout done at some point" stress hanging over my head. I'm now going to take a snooze in the sun, my friends. IN THE SUN. It's been such a dreary spring.
Day 4: Brought.
I pick the time I'm going to have to be ready for the day and work my way backwards to when I need to set them alarm. Today, Wendy had a 9 a.m. soccer game. We had to be there at 8:45. It takes 10 minutes to get to the field, which means I had to be showered and ready to go at 8:35. It takes me about an hour to get ready--because it's going to be warm, I'll want shorts, and that means shaving the old legs which take 20 minutes--which means I have to be in the shower by 7:35. But, I also have to eat breakfast or I will die, so I better be in the shower by 7:05. Yoga X is 92 minutes long, which means I need to start by 5:30. It takes me about 10 minutes to get out of bed, get changed, get the contacts in and get set up for "bringing it." That means my glorious wake up, on a beautiful Saturday morning, was 5:20! So, last night, as I was contemplating putting in a movie at about 8:30, I decided against it and just read and went to bed by 9:00 on a Friday night. It's a good thing I'm married because P90X is killing my social life.
That said, I was rested and ready to get my vinyasas and chatarangas on bright and early. The workout is a-ma-zing. The first half was all stuff I could do. Granted, I'm not even close to as bendy as Tony and crew are, but I knew the moves and got quite the workout. The second half was more balancing poses, and I pretty much just spent that time falling over. He threw in a "yoga belly 7" for fun, and that took me straight back to the Ab Ripper from yesterday. I mostly cried on that part.
This workout excites me, though, because I caught a glimpse of where I can be in a couple months if I just stick with it. It made the 5:20 wake up worth it. Plus, I can enjoy this beautiful, sunny day totally guilt-free because I don't have the "I need to get my workout done at some point" stress hanging over my head. I'm now going to take a snooze in the sun, my friends. IN THE SUN. It's been such a dreary spring.
Day 4: Brought.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Day 3: Shoulders and Arms; Ab Ripper X
Ouch. 4:30 wake up and a sore body. I'll say it again. Ouch! Today I did hardcore work on my arms and shoulders, followed by an insane abdominal work out.
First the arms and shoulders. I think I came at it a bit too timidly and didn't push as hard as I could or should. I don't want to hurt myself, but, at the same time, when I'm devoting almost an hour and a half to working out, I don't want to waste that time, either. I'll find the balance. I simply didn't work up a sweat today. Of course, I also had all the windows open in my living room, letting the 40 degree morning air cool me down. The guys on the video were grossly sweaty. It made me realize how much I do NOT miss going to a gym. Being around other peoples' sweat is just icky. Plus, I can pass gas whenever I want. You weren't expecting that, were you?
Then there was Ab Ripper X. Um, yeah. Tony said at the end of that one if you stuck with him the whole time, you did something like 349 core moves. I think I managed to eek out 8 good ones and 15 so-so ones. It was more difficult on my legs than on my abs, which was surprising. My legs gave out a long time before my abs. Interesting.
Still, it's day 3. If I don't start from a place of total, "You want me to do WHAT?" I won't get to the place of, "I got this!"
Day 3: Brought.
First the arms and shoulders. I think I came at it a bit too timidly and didn't push as hard as I could or should. I don't want to hurt myself, but, at the same time, when I'm devoting almost an hour and a half to working out, I don't want to waste that time, either. I'll find the balance. I simply didn't work up a sweat today. Of course, I also had all the windows open in my living room, letting the 40 degree morning air cool me down. The guys on the video were grossly sweaty. It made me realize how much I do NOT miss going to a gym. Being around other peoples' sweat is just icky. Plus, I can pass gas whenever I want. You weren't expecting that, were you?
Then there was Ab Ripper X. Um, yeah. Tony said at the end of that one if you stuck with him the whole time, you did something like 349 core moves. I think I managed to eek out 8 good ones and 15 so-so ones. It was more difficult on my legs than on my abs, which was surprising. My legs gave out a long time before my abs. Interesting.
Still, it's day 3. If I don't start from a place of total, "You want me to do WHAT?" I won't get to the place of, "I got this!"
Day 3: Brought.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Day 2: Cardio X
Well, I woke up sore. SORE. That's good. Things were a trifle achy by the end of the day yesterday, but this morning, I had to literally roll out of bed because sitting up just wasn't an option. And don't even get me started on trying to take my morning pee. My quads got an extra workout there!
Today was Cardio X. This was a delightful blend of yoga, kenpo, plyometrics and some core synergistics from yesterday. The yoga and plyo went well in the sense that I could understand what Tony was asking me to do. Now to work on executing his wishes. And I was quite thrilled with knowing what he meant, during the core synergistics part of the workout, when he said "Dreya Roll." Seriously. I got a little excited, like a first grader, when he said it, and I thought, "I know! I know! I know what a Dreya Roll is!" Of course, my excitement lasted a mere moment as I quickly realized, "Wait! I don't like Dreya Rolls." I'm sure I'll learn to like them in time.
Then there was Kenpo. This was, in a word, confusing. I'm looking forward to tackling that entire workout, but today's preview was mind-boggling, to say the least. Stay with me here: My firstborn did cheerleading this year. Throughout the season, she proved to me that she is, well, not so coordinated. She was always a step behind or, really, four steps completely sideways from how the moves for her cheers were supposed to go. I realized, with Kenpo today, that she totally gets this unique coordination from her mother. I decided to take a page from Wendy's book. No matter how off she was, she always tried. She always went back for more. She could care less that she wasn't doing it right. The point was, she was doing it, and she loved it. That's my approach to Kenpo. I may end up four steps sideways from Tony, but at least I'm there.
4:30 wake up tomorrow!
Day 2: Brought.
Today was Cardio X. This was a delightful blend of yoga, kenpo, plyometrics and some core synergistics from yesterday. The yoga and plyo went well in the sense that I could understand what Tony was asking me to do. Now to work on executing his wishes. And I was quite thrilled with knowing what he meant, during the core synergistics part of the workout, when he said "Dreya Roll." Seriously. I got a little excited, like a first grader, when he said it, and I thought, "I know! I know! I know what a Dreya Roll is!" Of course, my excitement lasted a mere moment as I quickly realized, "Wait! I don't like Dreya Rolls." I'm sure I'll learn to like them in time.
Then there was Kenpo. This was, in a word, confusing. I'm looking forward to tackling that entire workout, but today's preview was mind-boggling, to say the least. Stay with me here: My firstborn did cheerleading this year. Throughout the season, she proved to me that she is, well, not so coordinated. She was always a step behind or, really, four steps completely sideways from how the moves for her cheers were supposed to go. I realized, with Kenpo today, that she totally gets this unique coordination from her mother. I decided to take a page from Wendy's book. No matter how off she was, she always tried. She always went back for more. She could care less that she wasn't doing it right. The point was, she was doing it, and she loved it. That's my approach to Kenpo. I may end up four steps sideways from Tony, but at least I'm there.
4:30 wake up tomorrow!
Day 2: Brought.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Day 1: Core Synergistics
I was hoping to go at this well rested, but it turned out to be a relatively light sleeping night. My mind was full to the brim about this craziness, and when my alarm went off at 4:45, I wasn't asleep and hadn't been for quite some time.
Day 1 in the Lean program is Core Synergistics. I approached as a bit more of an intrepid observer today, although I worked up quite a sweat. I think I need a list of what should hurt the most when a workout is done to help me "engage" those muscles even more. My core? Not so sore. My arms? Sore. So, perhaps I missed the target. Perhaps the core soreness will come later. Perhaps my time spent with Jillian Michaels the last several months prepared me better than I thought for this particular workout. And perhaps I was just a bit too observant/fearful. Probably a combination of all those.
All in all, I'm encouraged. I can totally do this. Tony is corny and motivating, and there were several times I thought he was embarking on a full-blown Will Arnett impression. That made me think that Will Arnett would be a great person to listen to when working out. Perhaps he can do voiceovers for Tony. "Engaaaaage." Oh, yeah, that's the stuff.
I "recovered" with a Slim Fast shake. It seemed to provide the best combo of carbs and protein in my price range.
Day 1: Brought.
Day 1 in the Lean program is Core Synergistics. I approached as a bit more of an intrepid observer today, although I worked up quite a sweat. I think I need a list of what should hurt the most when a workout is done to help me "engage" those muscles even more. My core? Not so sore. My arms? Sore. So, perhaps I missed the target. Perhaps the core soreness will come later. Perhaps my time spent with Jillian Michaels the last several months prepared me better than I thought for this particular workout. And perhaps I was just a bit too observant/fearful. Probably a combination of all those.
All in all, I'm encouraged. I can totally do this. Tony is corny and motivating, and there were several times I thought he was embarking on a full-blown Will Arnett impression. That made me think that Will Arnett would be a great person to listen to when working out. Perhaps he can do voiceovers for Tony. "Engaaaaage." Oh, yeah, that's the stuff.
I "recovered" with a Slim Fast shake. It seemed to provide the best combo of carbs and protein in my price range.
Day 1: Brought.
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