Returning to form

Last week I was a total slacker. I'd like to think I was still recovering from the California vacation, which is mostly true. The time change killed me as well as the fact that my 2 year old decided that last week was the week to wake up multiple times in the night screaming bloody murder. So, I didn't do much last week. Played hoop once and hiked on Saturday and that's about it.

Today I'm back at it with a vengeance. I did sleep in a bit this morning until 5:30 so I wasn't able to get the abs in with the chest/back, so I'll try to do that this afternoon after work. Doug has said that he's going to take up the program with me, so that will help in motivation and stick-to-it-ivness. I'll end up finishing the program sometime in January. It'll be a good birthday present. I'm going to try and eat perfectly today, and this week really. I want to really start getting carved up.

Back from vacation, on with P90X

I just got back from a week with the fam at Disneyland and Laguna beach. It was a great time and it was great to get away for a while. I dropped the exercise routine for a week and indulged my natural man, sleeping in, eating crap, and *gasp* drinking soda. And boy, do I love Coke. I remembered how good it tastes at a restaurant with dinner. If that stuff were good for you I'd be in awesome shape.

I'm still adjusting to the change of pace and back into the exercise/work mode. I didn't P90X this morning but I'm going to try and do it this afternoon if I can. I haven't fallen off the wagon; no, not at all. I have just stepped off for a bit, and now I am climbing back on.

My weight...headed up?

This morning i weighed myself and came in at 178. That's the most I've been in a few weeks. It may be good news, though. I'm just not sure. I'm spending a lot of time working on building muscle, so my hope is that the extra weight is new muscle, and not fat. I guess my crappy body fat scale will have to be the judge in that scenario. I'm still waiting for the morning that I wake up and see that baby at 15%. It usually hits 15 in the afternoon, but I don't think I've ever had it there first thing in the morning.

With the P90X thing I'm doing a lot less cardio, so I'm a little worried that I may lose some of that. I may have to add in some running or something. That also worries me a little when I see my weight start to climb. Next week I'll be doing a lot of cardio, though, as I'll be in California on the beach, and there won't be much else to do.

A couple of good days in the books

Yesterday was my first round of plyometrics, p90x style. It was a tough, intense, workout. A lot of jumping and leg work. I'm feeling it in my calves this morning for sure. I sweat more during this workout than I have any of the others. I was actually able to keep up with the guys on the dvd, unlike the upper body and arms dvds. I think this is because I had been doing a bunch of leg work while hiking and getting ready for the hunting season.

This morning was another round of arms and shoulders + abs. Man, I can grit and grind my way through the upper body stuff, but those ab workouts are simply killer. By the end I'm done. The fifer scissors are exceptionally brutal. I think I can do seven at the most.

No love from my brothers.

Well, looks like for the most part I'll be doing this alone. For all the committed canals I had, I think I've gotten about 1/2 a collective canal in return. That's fine, as I am prepared to walk the long and lonely road without the comfort and support of my companions near.

This weekend was rough from the eating standpoint. It started on Friday when I decided that I deserved a half a betos burrito for breakfast. Then it only got worse. The burrito was my gateway drug into more horrific foods, such as oreos and cold cereal. The worst part about it was that the binge lasted almost all weekend, leaving me feeling like I'd accomplished nothing the week before.

With that bad taste in my mouth, so to speak, I hit the exercises hard this morning. It was my second time around for back and chest so I knew what was coming and I pushed myself a little harder. OK, a lot harder. By the end of the push up sets, my sets were about 2 push ups. And the ab ripper? Forget about it. It killed me. Bottom line is that I've got a long way to go before I'm in P90X type of shape.

I love it so far, though. It's tough, it's challenging, and it is what I was looking for. This week I may even give yoga another shot. Or maybe not. We'll see.

My First Blog Entry

So this is what blogging is all about. Wow. And to think my first blog entry is to discuss my expanding gut and double chin. Exciting.

So, fellas, I like to work out. That is not my problem. My big problem is the dieting part. How are you guys avoiding the sweets, the soda, etc?

Yoga anyone?

Today was supposed to be my first attempt at yoga. I've always shied away from that kind of stuff so it was pretty new to me. I manned up, if that's what you'd call it, and popped the P90X yoga dvd in this morning.

The first thing that bugged me was the time it was going to take. On the P90X workouts, every one has a type of timer bar at the bottom that shows your progress and how many minutes you have left. The yoga workout was going to take 90 minutes. I just didn't have that much time. Maybe 75. So, I decided I'd cut it short if needed.

The dude then tried to get me going with such basic positions as lying dog and some kind of soldier something. I gave it a shot. It was really, really tough for me. I think that's mostly because I'm about as flexible as a telephone pole. I'm the kid that never really could touch his toes. So the moves these cats were busting out were not happening for me. Yet, anyway. I know I'd have to build to that, but I'm a long way away.

After about 15 minutes of about a 60% effort on my part, I sat on my couch and started thinking if I could be doing something better with my time. I then decided to scratch Yoga X and run. I had about 45 minutes left. Another thing that tempted me was the womens world cup soccer game that was just starting - US v. Brazil. That way I could run on the treadmill and watch the match. So running it was.

It's the first time I've run in weeks - maybe almost a month. I was pretty worried that all the gains I had made from the training I was doing in July and August would be gone. I'm glad to say I was wrong. I pounded out a little over four miles and felt great along the way. I've got to think it was good for me. I may just change the regular P90X routine a bit and replace Yoga and Kenpo Karate (I don't think I'll be able to do 60 minutes of air punches and kicks) with running or the elliptical machine. That'll add more cardio and hopefully help me lean up a bit.