DAY 90 (P90X COMPLETED)

UPDATE

Finished! Though, I did have a minor setback as you'll see in the photos. A week-and-a-half before I completed, I slipped on some stairs at work and fractured a metacarpal bone in my left hand. For the last few weeks I've had to wear a hard splint on my forearm to my hand and have obviously not been able to lift weights or do push ups. Luckily, I was at the very end of the program, and only missed one heavy resistance day (Friday's Legs and Back routine). I was still able to do cardio X, Ab ripper X, and run, so I my cardio week to finish up was relatively uninterrupted.

PHOTOS

(Compare day-one photos here at Pre-P90X: The Justification)
As you can see, I kind of plateaued after day 60, not putting on any more size, but continuing to tone and slim my midsection. I'm still really happy with the results, and felt much stronger at the end of day 90 than day 60, increasing most of the weight I was lifting by about 5 lbs. per dumbbell. Unfortunately, due to the injury, I was unable to perform the final fit test (which you take before you start), so I don't know how many total push ups I could do, what my final vertical leap is, or how many pull-ups I could do until failure. However, based on my workout worksheets where I kept track of each session, I can say that by my last workout, I could do 18 overhand pull-ups consecutively (only 8 on day one), and barely feel fatigued after 50 push ups (which was my max before I started).

FINANCIAL INVESTMENT OF P90X

A lot of people have asked me how much it costs to do this program so I decided to tabulate everything I purchased including equipment and supplements. My grocery bills also doubled due to the massive addition of produce and meats, but I didn't keep track of those exact figures so they aren't included (but should definitely be considered).

P90X Workout Program including DVD's and workbooks (I borrowed this from a friend, but this is what it goes for): $153.4 (Tax included)

Equipment:

Yoga mat: $14.99
Additional Foam mat for ab ripper (not necessary but recommended): $24.99
Door Chin-up bar: $29.99
4 dumbell handles: $35.96
Weight Plates (about $1/lb.): $89.16
TOTAL
$214.11 (tax included)


Suplements:

Optimum Nutrition Whey Protein (1) 2lb. tub: $31.99
ON Casein Protein (2 @$31.99) : $63.98
Whey Protien Powder by Muscle milk (6lb. bag) : $32.99
N.O.-Xplode (2) @ 38.88) : $77.76
MRI WAR Berry Attack Recovery (3 @46.99): $140.97
Pure Protein Bars 32G Protein (60 @2.79): $167.40
GNC Men's Mega Men Mutli-V's : $33.99
Coral Calcium: $15.99
Fish Oils: $9.44

TOTAL
$630.52 (tax included)

GRAND TOTAL (For 3 months):
________________________
$998.03

CONCLUSION

Though it was pricier than I originally expected, I definitely think that it is has been a worthwhile experiment that I hope will have lasting results. The diet plan has been a great tool that I will continue to use, as I've become accustomed to eating healthy and actually prefer more nutritious options. I will continue doing P90X resistance routines 2-3 times/week (once my hand heals of course) to maintain the fitness levels I've established, including one day of yoga, or running as well. As they say in the pamphlet, fitness is a lifelong challenge, but when you're investing in your health, its worth the effort.

Photo update (Day 60)

UPDATE
So after 60 days, things are coming along just swimmingly. As you can see in the posted photos (compare to day one here at "The Justification"), I am showing a lot more definition in my shoulders and abs, as well as in my upper back. Honestly, if these were the photos after 90 days, I'd be pretty stoked, so I'm very interested to see where I'll be in another 30.

I've been far from perfect over the last month on both my diet and exercise routines, but I'm still hitting the basics. I never skip a resistance day (work outs with weights), or ab ripper, but quite often will neglect my yoga and kenpo responsibilities. I just don't like them. Yoga is an hour and a half, and extremely repetitive. I
usually will find a way to postpone my workout on this day until the very last minute, until I basically don't have enough time to complete the entire thing, and only end up doing the ab portion (which is 7 minutes). Granted, I usually play volleyball on this same day, so its not like I'm doing nothing. I'm not really into the breathing, flexibility, and spirituality that is associated with Yoga, so it just feels like a waste of time. I also feel like the Yoga X and Kenpo were added to attract more female customers, so the program had more "fun" activities and not just a bunch of push-ups and pull-ups. I see the merit in both, and how they can improve overall fitness, but I do a lot of other physical activities so I'm okay missing those particular workouts. That being said, I will still do them if I have time in my day, but won't bend over backward (intentional use of phrase) to squeeze it in.

MY DIET
I've still been pretty good, but not as regimented as I was in the first month. Phase II was a much more balanced diet which I will probably continue to stick with after the 90 days is over. I definitely ate more fruits than I was supposed to (about 3X as many) but I'm okay if that's where I slip. Also, I went on a couple short vacations to Catalina Island and San Diego where I didn't stick to it as well. I would do my best and not go completely crazy, but certainly wasn't perfect. I tried to pack healthy snacks with me on these vacation days (like 4th of July) so that I was putting in some good food with the bad, and didn't fall completely off the wagon. I also had 1-3 drinks about two to three nights of the week (more on 4th of July admittedly) for the past three weeks as things came up socially. I felt this slow my metabolism down, and dragged a bit the days after, but was usually worth it. That's kind of how I view going out and having drinks now: worth it (being the calories and next day effect) or not.

So I'm on to Phase III, the home stretch, and the diet changes again. Its now a lower protein (3 portions/day instead of 7!) and slightly higher carbohydrate intake (one extra portion of starch, two extra fruits, and one extra veggie). Its supposed to give you more endurance during your workout so you can lift heavier and longer, but I don't understand how your muscles rebuild. They tell you that you need an extreme amount of protein in the first two phases because you are tearing you muscles and need the proteins to repair them. Supposedly if you don't have enough protein, the muscles don't properly rebuild and get bigger, so I don't get how they rebuild in this last phase with so few portions. I'm skeptical, but also know that they wouldn't put it into the program if it didn't work so I'm doing it. I am slipping a little extra protein in here and there, at the expense of possibly gaining a little fat.

WORKOUTS
As far as the exercises go, for Phase III its back to what I did in weeks 1-3, Phase I, for a week, then it will be one week of what I did during Phase II, and then back to what I did for Phase I for the final week of resistance, followed by a week of low intensity. I've already noticed big improvements on what I was capable of doing in the first few weeks. On the recent Shoulders and Arms day, I was able to add five pounds to each dumbbell for each workout (a pretty big gain for two months considering I had already increased by five pounds from when I first started). I also felt much more fluid when I did everything because the stabilizer muscles are more developed.

I think in a week or so I will post another blog describing exactly how much I've spent on supplements and equipment, as well as an average monthly grocery cost, like I promised to do in my last entry. 60 down 30 to go...

Day 37 (Weekly recap)

Last week went pretty well, though I did have to do things a little out of order. I had two callbacks on Tuesday (Plyometrics) and planned on fitting the workout in between them, but the first ran long, and only gave me about an hour break. I had volleyball at night, watched game 6 of the NBA playoffs, and spent some QT with the GF, so I had to use it as my rest day. Moving things around is not so easy because the workouts are set up to give you time to rest your muscles before pounding them again. I decided to postpone plyometrics to Thursday (Yoga X day) and do Yoga X on Sunday (my normal day of rest/stretch). This wasn't the best idea because plyo is really intense on the legs, and friday is Legs and Back, so I basically worked my legs two days in a row. Normally I would get Wednesday and Thursday to recover from Tuesday's plyo workout, and my legs are ready(ish) to go by Friday. Not the case this week, and I really felt it. There was a fair amount of straining and burning early, and I had to use less intensity on most of the moves. Its really a testament to how well the program is set up because not a day is wasted. Your body needs the exact number of days to recover, and during those days, you are working other big muscle groups, or doing some sort of cardio.

Also new this week was Biceps and Back. These exercises are really draining and I had trouble keeping up after only a few sets. Its basically like non-stop biceps because the pull-up bar requires biceps strength as well. I was able to do 13 unassissted pull-ups in the first set, which is pretty impressive considering I could only do 8 when I started. Unfortunately, midway through this workout, my arms were so tired that I really couldn't even do one without the chair. I wish there was more variation to the exercise because once my biceps are fatigued, I'm useless on the bar. I'd like to get better at the corn-on-the-cobb (specific pull-up where you move side to side while at the top), but I don't think I'll have the endurance, even after a few weeks.

I skipped Kenpo in place of volleyball this Saturday, but I think I'm going to include it again next week. Volleyball doesn't give me as good of a cardio workout any more, so I think I should do both if I want to keep improving my results.

Did Yoga X with the GF on Sunday night, which was actually kind of nice. She can't do all the moves completely through, but performs most of it, and its good that we can do it together.

Chest, shoulders, and Triceps was awesome again this week. I worked really hard pushing to failure every time, and increasing my weights a bit to max out at 8-10. Its such a thorough upper body workout and afterwards I just feel really pumped up. I was late for work however, and had to postpone ab ripper x until the next day.

I really didn't feel up for Plyo today, but did it anyway. I just didn't feel focused, and repeatedly had to remind myself to push harder and do the moves more intensly. I don't think I ate enough food as I had breakfast at around 10 am, and then a snack at 2 and started working out at 3:30. It was my friend's birthday the night before, so I celebrated with him having two drinks, so that could have contributed to my lethargy as well. I did the entire thing, plus ab ripper x, and then went to volleyball in the evening, so I think I'm good on the PT for the day.

As far as the diet goes, I was just okay this week. I've been eating far more fruits than I should (like 3-4 portions per day, where the allottment is only 1 per day), but I get hungry, and that's what i feel like snacking on, or rounding out my meals with.

I also drank a little more alcohol than in previous weeks which is definitely not on the diet plan. Had a glass of wine on Tuesday, a few beers and a shot on Thursday while watching the final Laker game, a few drinks on Saturday with freinds in Manhattan beach, and two drinks last night for my buddy's birthday. None of it was excessive, but added together its a bunch of extra calories for the week. It definitely could have slowed my metabolism down and affected my workout today.

Next week I will post more photos, and also give a breakdown of how much money I've spent on equiptment and supplements, so that those who are interested can see what the true costs are of completing p90x. 37 down, 53 to go...

Day 30 (Updated photos)

I've pretty much decided to make this a weekly blog because I've only been keeping up with it every few days. I feel like I've given a decent description of what the day-to-day procedures are like, so I don't need to continue describing how "chest and back" was for the 5th time, or exactly what I ate on a day-to-day basis. I will hit on the major points of the week, as well as struggles I had, or things that interested me.

Recap of the last week:

Finished up with the recovery week, which was core synergistics twice, yoga x twice, kenpo, and X stretch. The second time I did core synergistics, I got a lot more out of it because I really tried to intensify each move and "engage" my core (as Tony suggests we do). This week was a little boring for me however, and I had to resist doing push-ups or pull-ups (I did "cheat" a few days and do a some sets of pull-ups because I wanted to get the blood pumping through my veins a little, but I didn't over do it).

I was pretty on top of the diet, but found myself a little more hungry than usual, and craving some really crappy foods. I snuck in a bite of pizza, and a half slice of tuxedo truffle cake, along with a few other less than nutritious snacks, but only had tastings of each. Saturday was the big break from the diet, as I competed in a volleyball tournament in Manhattan Beach. Entitled "LUSHNESS XII," it was more like a beach party with a little bit of volleyball, as there were beer chugging contests, jello shots, and challenges to skim points off the other team that usually involved eating whip cream off someone or drinking something. It was a costume event, and we went as 'Gangstas n' Paradise.' The guys dressed up as gansta's and the girls were our tropical "paradise." It was a good/early time (started at 8 am), and worth the calories, though I do wish there was a bit more physical activity. I had to delay my Yoga X workout until the following day.

I've started Phase Two, which is back to resistance training. The first day (Shoulders, Triceps, and Chest) is my favorite routine so far. It really pumps up my whole upper body, and isolates the muscles that are targeted. Plus, there is no repetition so its a new exercise every minute or two. I crushed ab ripper x, and even intensified some of the moves by raising my arms or legs when it wasn't required. I'm really happy with my improvement in this area after just one month because it used to be like torture.

An added bonus to Phase Two is the second phase of the diet: "Energy Booster." Slightly less protein, and vegetables, with the addition of two more Carb/Starch portions per day. I am super excited about this because I really missed bread, and can now have toast or pancakes with breakfast, a sandwhich for lunch, and rice or baked potato with my dinner (instead of just one of those options per day). I'm able to eat a little more like how I used to, though of course it's all still low fat, highly nutritious.

Photos! As seen above, there have been some minor improvements from my week 2 photos, and certainly from day one (click here to compare to day one "The Justification". I notice the biggest difference in the pictures of my shoulders and back. Biceps and Triceps have gained a little size, and my chest is starting to shape up, but my shouders show a lot of definition, and my lats are starting to form the much sought after "V" (admittedly the growth is slight). Also, my abs are starting to show a bit and I'm starting to get some definition around the pelvic, hip thruster area. Its really motivating to see these kinds of results after just one month of a program, and I am interested to see where I'll be after eight more weeks. 30 down 60 to go...

Day 23 (Core Synergistics)

Something new! Part of this work out can be really intense, but others are manageable . Tony's (instructor on DVD) tip of the day is to remember to engage everything at all times, which I may not have been doing. It took me a little longer to complete this than the 58 minutes that it lists because I had to keep pausing and rewinding to see the demonstration of the moves.

This is a core (abs, lower-back, lower chest, upper legs, trunk) work out that also involves pretty much every muscle in your body. For example, they will have you do a lunge that involves a triceps kickback, biceps curl, and shoulder press in consecutive moves. So far this is the best cardio workout I've had as well. My heart rate was at its highest point, and I was sweating throughout the entire thing. If weights are used, they are light and only to add a small amount of intensity to the already difficult exercises. I'm looking forward to doing this again in a few days now that I am familiar everything and can really push it.

I experienced a bit of hunger today because I was running around town. I had a commercial audition for Garnier (that actually went pretty well), which I was rushing to because it was a last minute call. I finished my workout and had a protein shake, but that only filled me up for about an hour. I had some carrots and a protein bar on the ride from hollywood to manhattan beach for volleyball, but it didn't really do the trick. I had enough energy to play, but had those hunger pangs in the pit of my stomach. When I got home I had a big dinner with tilapia, potato, and green beans, followed by my nighttime shake which satisfied me. I'm really looking forward to next week when the fat-burner phase is over and I get to eat carbs with every meal (I never thought I'd be looking forward to eating oatmeal, a sandwhich, and having brown rice, all in the same day, but so it goes). 23 down, 67 to go...

Day 22 (Yoga X)

This was the first day of the recovery, core week. The was the program works is that you work out with heavy resistance and tear-down muscles for three week, then you give them sort of a break to rebuild for a week. In that week you do Yoga X and Core Synergistics a couple of times, as well as Kenpo for cardio, but no real weight lifting, push-ups, or pull-ups.

I really want to just pound my chest and back because I've been getting some decent results so far, and haven't done so in a week. It seems like all the work i just did would just start going away if I stop pushing it, but I have to just trust the system and know that by allowing everything to repair, I can get even stronger in the weeks to come. (I cheated a bit and did one set of pull-ups just to get the blood flowing in my arms, chest, and back. Immediately I felt guilty and will try to refrain for the rest of the week)

Yoga X was good today, and I was a little more balanced in the moves than in previous weeks. There is one set of moves where I am on only one leg for what seems like 5 minutes that I am having trouble with because the sides of my calves, and quads get extremely fatigued. I fall out of it from time to time, so this will be my focus to improve upon.

By the end of Yoga X I feel a little shaky from holding every pose for so long. It's still a little boring to me as it is an hour and a half, with a bunch of repetition, but I can see how it is worth while. 22 down, 68 to go...

Days 20 and 21 ( Kenpo and Rest/ X Stretch)

I substituted BVB for Kenpo again on Saturday, which I can see becoming a trend for me. I get a really good aerobic workout in the sand, and enjoy it far more than Kenpo, so I don't feel guilty for skipping it. I also get to be in the sun with people instead of in my garage watching a TV so BVB's going to win hands down everytime.

Had lunch witht the GF at a great healthy/flavorful place called Mendocino Farms in the Marina. It's sit down restaurant quality food that you line-order, pick-up and eat at picnic benches outside the store front. They're a part of the "slow-food" movement, which involves providing fresh, locally-grown produce and meats, that are prepared in a delicious and interesting fashion. I highly recommend it to those that live near one.

I chose to rest again on Sunday because I had to work during the day and watched the Laker game at a sports bar directly after (Ref's played a big role in this one; Kobe sidelined for several minutes in the first and second half due to ticky-tack fouls that put him into trouble early). I was going to stretch after, but had some other errands to take care of and talked to my parents for about an hour (Happy Birthday Mom). I'll probably stretch next week since I've skipped it twice now. There's a lot of stretching anyhow thoughout the week, in addition to an hour and a half of Yoga, so I'm okay if it doesn't fit into my schedule. 21 down, 69 to go...

Day 19 (Legs and Back)

More improvement on the back portion of the work out. In the first round of pull-ups, I was able to complete 10 without chair assistance, and maxed out at 14 with the chair. When I first started I could only do 8. This seems like a small improvement, but each single pull-up increase usually takes a while. I also notice that my stamina throughout the rest of the pull-ups has improved, and I'm adding about one extra pull-up to each exercise (there are 4 sets that you perform twice).

I've also added weights to all of the leg exercises to further increase the intensity. I wasn't really feeling fatigued during the work out, but later i was definitely sore in my hamstrings and butt.

Diet was fine today, but I ran out of protein bars and had to eat a chicken breast at work for a snack. Even though it was "charbroiled," I could tell they cooked it on the flat-grill for a minute or so because it seemed to be covered in oil. Needless to say, i spent more on food at work than normal, because I had a salad when I got there, chicken breast, and then an Ahi sandwich for dinner. 19 down, 71 to go...

Day 18 (Yoga X) and Nutrition Plan

I only did part of Yoga X today because I had errands to run and didn't have the full hour and a half to commit to it. I think i will probably do it fully on Sunday (my rest or stretch day), and substitute it for the X Stretch. I also had BVB today so I didn't feel that bad about skipping some of it as I was going to get a cardio workout on the sand.

A friend of mine was inquiring about my daily diet so I figured I might as well post what I emailed to him on this site, in case anyone else is wondering what it looks like on a daily basis. I also included some photocopies of the nutrition guide as examples of what I try to follow.

Here's the email:

Basically, you allow yourself portions of foods. It doesn't lump all carbohydrates into the same category. Fruits and Veggies are separate from potatoes and grains. In the first phase you're only allowed 1 carbohydrate (potato, rice, bread) per day, but I've been having like 1 and half to two portions (English muffin with breakfast counts as half portion, and I really crave it, so I give it to myself). Also, you're supposed to have breakfast, then a snack, then lunch, snack, then dinner. I modify it a bit because I wake up so late. Usually I'll have breakfast, then two or so hours later I'll have a pre workout drink, have recovery drink half way through work out, then at the end of work out recovery drink again, usually followed by protein shake. Then lunch, protein bar a few hours later, then dinner, and before I go to sleep I have a chocolate Casein shake to give me protein while I'm resting (so I have my second snack allotment at the end of the day).

I've attached an example of the meal plan that some people choose to do. I usually prepare one or two things per day from it and the rest I just sort of wing it. Here's just one example of my diet for a day:

10:30:
Breakfast
Mushroom omelet with egg whites, part skim cheese, 3 oz. of skim milk mixed with eggs, green onions and tomatoes. Low fat English muffin, fat free cottage cheese with half cup of strawberries mixed in. 12 oz. coffee with nonfat coffee mate (basically fat free soy milk). It’s filling.

12:30
N.O. Xplode pre work out drink

1:00
Work out

1:30
Half way through drink MRI WAR Recovery Drink

2:15
Drink other half of recovery drink

2:30 protein shake (Optimal Nutrition Whey Vanilla protein powder and skim milk or water)

3:00
Lunch:
6 oz. poached lemon and green onion salmon filet (takes 3 mins in microwave covered), brown rice, broccoli and carrots, salt and pepper to taste.

6:30 eat protein bar at work for snack

8:30-10:00
Dinner (at work)
Improvise some sort of lean meat like 8 oz. steak, pork chop, or chicken, side veggies and cup of fruit.

11:00-1:00am

Casein Protein blended shake with ice and skim milk.

Go to sleep.

I modify it a bit, so I may have a few extra calories here or there, but that's about what they recommend. I'm pretty much full all day, but when I get hungry, I’m starving and eat right away. I've gotten pretty lean quickly (though I’d probably be slightly leaner if I followed it exactly), but I'm also eating enough high energy, high protein foods that I'm able to tone and build muscle as well.

Good luck!
[End email]

Also today, I had to exercise some willpower and turn down a fruit parfait after volleyball. It looked healthy enough, but it had pound cake and custard in the middle which don't really fit into the diet. I could have had it and probably not noticed a difference, but it's a slippery slope before I start accepting everything and justifying it. (sigh) 18 Down, 72 to go...

Day 17 (Shoulders and Arms)

Saw definite improvement on this day. Increased weight on almost every exercise by 5 lbs. The only routine I didn't increase weight was the shoulder press. I still max out around 8-10 reps with 23 pounds, so i kept it the same. My biceps and triceps felt especially strong after the workout and stayed pumped up all day. I really enjoy this workout because I can push myself to the limit without feeling to exhausted afterward (chest and back, and legs and back drain me).

Improvement again on Ab ripper x. Can make it half way through all the exercises without any sort of modification or break. About 15 reps into the leg scissors I do need 1 rep of break, but this is far better than a break every 5 reps when I started. Also, I was able to do all 40 mason twists at the end, which I used to only be able to perform about 8 before failing over and over again.

Stuck to diet well today. 17 down, 73 to go...

Day 16 (Plyometrics)

Today went incredibly well. Like the Ab Ripper X, Plyometrics was another routine that I am noticeably improving on. In week one, I had to keep pausing the DVD as my legs were burned out after only a few moves. Now not only am I finishing without stopping, but I’m increasing the intensity at which I perform the exercises as well. I’m exhausted by the end of it, but I have enough energy to really push myself throughout.

The diet went fine again today, but there was an obstacle I had to overcome. I had an audition for a Jack in the Box commercial, and the burger is supposed to be huge, so they made you take giant bites out of two egg buns. As I’ve said before this is the low-carb, fat-burner part of the diet, so egg bread doesn’t go over too well. I had to keep spitting out the bites (4 takes in all) into a nearby garbage can (and I clearly wasn’t the only one). Then I had a callback for the same spot at 6:30 where we did like 8 takes and a total of 4 buns. If I book it, I’ll be eating burgers all day, but I’ll gladly make an exception for that.

I’ve posted my photos after 16 days, which look pretty similar to my shots after week one (See before photos in very first posting: ">The Justification").
I notice a little more definition in my abs and my lower chest, but mostly I just feel stronger. I can’t really expect to be JACKED after two weeks, but I’m certainly slimmer and starting to build lean muscle. 16 down. 74 to go…

Day 15 (Chest and Back)

I had to do this workout after work, and was a little tired from being up late the previous night and having some drinks. I was really looking forward to exercising tho and couldn't wait to get off and start lifting. I started around 11 pm and instantly felt pumped. My arms and chest were feeling great and I felt really strong throughout every routine.

I really pushed it on each exercise and noticed it in my arms, chest and back. Even though my numbers were about the same as last week, I just felt like I was doing the moves with more intensity and getting a lot out of it.

Ab ripper X was quite a bit easier today as well, and I almost completed everything without stopping. I'm really shocked at how quickly I've progressed with the ab workout because on day one, I could only do about half the moves. It's really motivating to see results so quickly. The program is definitely living up to what it promises in the infomercial. 15 down, 75 to go...

Days 13 and 14 (Kenpo and Rest/Stretch)

I skipped both of these days this week because I played BVB from 11-3pm on Saturday and then went straight to work. It was a perfect day, and I got as good of a work out (if not better) running around in the sand than I would have doing Kenpo. It was a really great day. We had about 30 people hanging out and playing in Manhattan beach. Temp was about 75 and incredibly sunny.

After work, my GF and I drove down to San Diego for a short getaway. Sunday we took in a Padres day game (they beat the Nationals in the 11th inning on a walk off hit BTW), then went to a sushi dinner in La Jolla with friends, followed by a night out in PB, and later Downtown. Monday, we shot over to La Jolla shores and had lunch at a great little Italian place called Osteria Romantica. Then it was on the road back to LA. No traffic luckily.

We had great seats for the game, right down the third base line, lower level. They weren't actually our seats, but they're always open (I've sat in them before) and the usher doesn't ever check your tickets. I won't say which section exactly because its a great kept secret, but we basically buy "Park Passes" ($5), or the cheapest tix we can purchase, and go there every time.

I slipped off the diet a little on this trip, but I wasn't too bad. Mostly just additional carbs. I was on vacation, so I wanted to be satisfied with my breakfast, lunch, and dinner choices. Before the game we got brunch at a great place downtown called Zanzibar and I had an eggwhite omlette with a bunch of veggies in it. It also had mozzarella cheese and Fetta, which I could have ommitted, but chose not to. I had two beers at the game, with some healthy snacks I brought, and a bloody mary when it was over. Before dinner, we had mimosas at Prospect over-looking the water in La Jolla. We went to Sushi on the Rock next door and had a bunch of rolls with edamami and a sake bomb. I didn't over do it and stopped when I was relatively full. I had a few more drinks as the night went on, but tried to keep it low calorie with vodka soda. That's where the real diet slippage occurred, but it was a really good time, so worth it. For lunch today I had a chicken panini and a mozzarella caprese, but didn't eat all the bread in the sandwhich like I normally would.

It was a great little trip, and even though I didn't follow the diet to a T, I kept it within reason and really enjoyed myself. I feel like straying from the nutrition plan from time to time is necessary to keep it from feeling like a punishment. 14 down, 76 to go...

Day 12 (Legs and Back)

I didn't show a ton of improvement on my numbers from last week. In the first round I was able to do about one more pull-up per exercise, but in the second round I was pretty weak. My legs felt fine throughout the work out, so I'll probably push it a bit more next week, or carry more weight on the lunges. The wall squats are still very difficult and definitely suck the energy right out of me.

I was a little weak on ab ripper x as well. A lot of the moves in Ab ripper involve moving your legs while in a seated position, and they felt extra heavy today. I probably notice it more because last week I didn't do ab ripper directly after "legs and back," instead coupling it with the Kenpo the following day. However, toward the end of the ab routines, I was very strong. My core always feels incredibly tight after performing the exercises, so I'm beginning to look forward ab ripper x (not really, but I like the result).

After all the workouts today, I felt extra pumped, and noticed that I am gaining some size and shape in my scrony arms. Its really motivating to see these kinds of results in just under two weeks of regular exercise and balanced dieting. I also notice a big difference in my energy throughout the day. I'm working out twice as much and feel like I've got twice the stamina. I'm eager to see where I'll be 10 weeks from now, but meanwhile, I'm enjoying the jouney. 12 down, 78 to go.

Day 11 (Yoga X)

Wasn't really in the mood for Yoga X today, but I did it anyway. I had forgotten that it is an hour-and-a-half and didn't leave a lot of time between it and going to volleyball, so I was kind of rushed. I was less clumsy with the moves this time, and maintained good balance throughout. I'm always a little shakey afterward though because we hold poses for so long that my muscles fatigue a bit. My upper back is a little tight.

Volleyball was alright tonight, but I felt a little uncoordinated. We grabbed a couple beers after class and watched the last half of the Laker/Sun game. Pretty exciting finish if you watched it (Artest put back FTW with no time remaining). I had a Cajun chicken sandwich (dry, no fries), which really hit the spot. I had another cookie when i got home so the diet was a little messed up tonight, but worth it. 11 down, 79 to go...

Day Ten (Shoulders and Arms)

Today was weird because I feel a little softer than yesterday. My weight is also back up to 179, though that was directly after drinking 32 oz. of water. My workout went well, and rather quickly. Since I have an extra set of dumbbells now, there isn't as much time wasted switching weights on and off. Doing the routine continuously kept my heart rate up for the entire 50 minute workout.

I'm getting really good at Ab ripper, and can almost do every move the entire time now. I'm hoping that by next week I'll be able to bang the whole thing out.

My mom sent some cookies that arrived today, so I had a couple. They're oatmeal based so I felt like they were healthy, but there was probably a bunch of butter in them. Also, I had a salad at work that I forgot to modify with dressing on the side, so it was drenched. Its a lemon vinagrette, but its olive oil based, so it was probably a little higher in fat than the P90X diet would recommend. So it goes. Ten down, 80 to go...

Day Nine (Plyometrics)

The pictures I uploaded were taken today before I did Plyo, so I consider them to be after 8 days on p90x. I just got a new battery for my camera so I decided to take some snappy snaps. Originally I only wanted to post pictures after two weeks, but I was surprised at the results after one week so I figured they were worth sharing. The biggest difference I notice is some slimming around my midsection, and some definition in my back and shoulders. This is definitely due to emphasis on the core (Ab Ripper 3X per week), and pull-ups twice a week. Either way, I'm happy with how it's going so far. (Compare these pix to those I posted before Day one in "P90X: The Justification")

Plyo today was much easier to complete. Partially because I knew what was coming up and could pace myself, but also because I had more endurance. My legs are worked, but they don't feel as fatigued as they did even a week ago. I'm not used to having any definition in my quads, but half way through this DVD, I noticed my legs were getting pretty pumped up. Of course when it was over I was pretty relieved, and happy I don't have to do it again until next week.

Tonight I go to BVB in Manhattan Beach which should be the true test of endurance. Last week I was really feeling the burn and couldn't jump very high at the net. Hopefully today I'll have a little more energy left. Nine down, 81 to go...

Day Eight (Chest and Back)

I didn't see as much improvement in my numbers from last week as I'd hoped for. I was able to do about the same number of pull-ups and push-ups, but this week I was able to do the exercises from the DVD continuously. Last week I spent a bunch of time changing weights back and forth because I only had two handles and didn't know how much to do for each exercise. I also had to keep pausing the DVD to run upstairs to do pull-ups. Today, I did them in my room and used my closet door for the pull-up bar, so I didn't have to stop at all. Also, I purchased two more handles and a few more weight plates so now i have a couple for lighter weight and a couple for heavier weight, reducing the time I was spending changing back and forth.

Its a great work out, but I have trouble believing that it can completely replace what I do on a bench press. My chest feels pumped up, but it doesn't feel sore the way that it does if I'm pressing a bar off my chest, or doing cable flies. I guess we'll see in 90 days.

Ab Ripper X was still incredibly difficult, but I found that I was lasting a little longer on some of the moves than I did the previous time. By the end of it I am completely wasted tho.

Diet was fine again today. For breakfast, I had an english muffin, cheese omlette, coffee, and cottage cheese mixed with strawberries so it was pretty filling. Lunch was grilled lemon pepper chicken with carrots and green beans followed by a vanilla protein shake. Dinner was pork chops, steamed zuchini and a baked potato with mango salsa. I actually didn't feel like I was dieting today, and I think the extra carb I got from the english muffin did the trick. Like I said yesterday, I'm cheating a bit by having a half portion of extra carb per day, but its satisfying my cravings, so I'm fine with it. I also had a lemon drop martini when I got home. Not sure exactly where that fits in.

Tomorrow is Plyometrics, and I'm definitely dreading it. My legs are just feeling normal, and by tomorrow afternoon they'll be fried again. So it goes. Eight down, 82 to go...

Day Seven (X Stretch or Rest)

This is a little like normal yoga. Its a bunch of stretches that we do throughout the week, but these are a little longer and more concentrated. The hour actually flies by pretty quickly and I felt really good afterward. My hips have always been pretty tight, so I'm hoping that by the end of the 90 days, they will have loosened up a bit.

Its been a week, and I definitely feel and see some results. There is a little more definition in my shoulders and chest area, as well as around my torso. My stomach feels a little tighter, and my pants fit a little less snugly. I've lost 3.5 lbs, but that's a tricky measurement to go by because I regularly fluctuate between 175 and 180 depending on the week. Overall I have more energy and just feel fitter of body and mind. So far so good. I've decided to post updated pictures every two weeks (instead of weekly) so the progress is more evident. Seven down, 83 to go...

Day Six (Kenpo)

This workout is designed for cardio, and is basically kickboxing. I'm not in love with it, but I can see why its a part of the program. I've never taken Martial Arts, so I'm pretty clumsy with most of the punches and kicks. That made it difficult for me to get a solid aerobic workout from this because I couldn't add a lot of intensity to the moves. I was still sweating pretty good, but it was no where near the calorie burner that basketball or volleyball is.

Because I am fairly active and play volleyball or basketball at least 3 times per week, I can see Kenpo being the day I skip if I'm a little busy, as I don't really need it. I actually played BVB (beach volleyball) for about 2 hours before the Kenpo, and finished with Ab Ripper X, so I got a good amount of exercise for the day. Ab Ripper X is still extremely intense, and I am unable to do all the core routines without taking a break. They say by the end of Ab ripper X you've done 339 ab moves, but I probably do about 275 at this point.

Today was the first time my cravings got the best of me. As I've said, in the Fat Burner phase of the diet they only allow you to have one portion of carbohydrate (not incuding fruits and veggies) per day, and I had mine for breakfast in the form of an english muffin. By dinner I was really graving a starch or some bread. I worked a late shift and had fish and veggies, but included a baked potato with salsa. I ate at like 7:30, and wasn't able to eat a protein bar later in the night, so I was starving by 1 am when I got home. I snacked on carrots and a protein shake, but it didn't do the trick. I had to have some bread, so I had an english muffin to cap it off. It was exactly what I needed. Each english muffin counts as half a portion of Carbohydrate, so I was a full Carb portion over my allotment for the day. I'm probably going to modify my diet to include two portions of carbs daily now, because I seem to be craving it so much. I also don't have as much fat to burn as others who are doing this program so I don't need as drastic a diet. In Phase two, you are allowed 3 carbs per day, so I figure I'm meeting in the middle. Six down, 84 to go...

Day 5 (Back and Legs)

This was another difficult, but bearable day. I like that the first few days of the week in this cycle are extremely difficult, and the later ones gradually get easier and easier. If they were all super intense, it would make each day feel like punishment and I wouldn't want to start it all over again come Monday.

The back workout is mostly pullups, which I've started looking forward to because I can really feel it. I still max out at only 7-8 overhand pull-ups (the guys in the DVD do like 25 as if its nothing), but now when I do multiple sets, I can do 3-4 before I need chair assistance. On day one, I maxed out on the first set and then found it difficult to do more than two unassisted for the following sets.

The leg workout was tough, but I took it easy because I was still recovering from plyometrics. My quads were still extremely sore and I couldn't walk normally for the third straight day. The leg exercises are a bunch of lunge type moves that you can add weight to if you'd like, but I didn't. It was hard enough and I thought it would give me something to work toward next week. I really liked the calf raises because the three moves we did focused intensely on the entire muscle.

I ran out of time for Ab Ripper X and would have to do it Saturday with the Kenpo X.

Today I was really craving an extra starch in my diet. I had a steak for dinner, but just veggies and fruit on the side and it didn't really hit the spot. Though it was slightly unsatisfying, I dealt with it and didn't cave in.

Later we met up with some friends at the Comedy Store in Hollywood, and saw some equally unsatisfying comedy while paying $9 each for well vodka-sodas. The nutrition plan doesn't really mention anything about drinking alcohol, but I think it just goes without saying that it is not recommended. If I do drink, I will try to keep it as low-cal/low-carb as possible. Five down, 85 to go...

Day Four (Yoga X)

I'm a few days behind in my blogging so a few of these will be pretty brief just to catch up. Yoga X was difficult, but not unbearable. It starts out with a lot of quad endurance testers, but about half way through becomes more about flexiblity.

I was concerned going into this because my legs were still in a lot of pain from the plyometrics workout on Tuesday. In fact, they were more sore than the previous day and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do any of the Yoga X DVD. It starts out slow though and ten minutes in my legs were loose enough to perform everything. By the end of it, I felt much better than before I started, and was able to move around more freely when it was time for beach volleyball.

The diet was a little more challenging today because we usually grab beers and tacos after volleyball. I wasn't really feeling like drinking and didn't want to eat bar food, but I still went to the bar with everyone, so I just ate my protein bar and drank water. I had to eat much later than I wanted which was kind of inconvenient for myself and my GF, but its just something I'll have to get used to. Four down, 86 to go...

Day Three (Shoulders and Back)

Easy Peasy (Well, compared to the first couple of days). I'm not sure if I got the most out of this workout though, because I spent a lot of time switching weight plates on and off of my handles. It was ridiculously annoying. Probably took me twice as long to do this DVD as it normally should because I had to pause so much. Also, I kept choosing the wrong weight to use because I was just guessing as to how much to do and basically missed the first sets (this exercise was another REPEAT where you do everything twice).

I'm sure it will be tougher when I do it next week and have more weights and thus less "break time." These routines were at least somewhat familiar to me. I do variations at the gym so my muscles weren't so clumsy with each move. I'll have to do my best not to drop the dumbbells on my head as there are a couple moves where the weight is directly over me, just missing by a couple of inches. I can see myself getting tired and slamming the bar into my temple, or losing grip during a "skull crusher" (triceps work out where you lay on your back and push the dumbbell away from your head pivoting at your elbow) and dropping it on my face. I'm sure it happens because Tony (instructor) gives you a tip not to exhaust yourself on this particular variation as a safety precaution.

Ab Ripper X was a little easier today, but I was still unable to do the last half without taking a break. Its probably going to take me a while before I can do it all continuously. Its really difficult, but when its over, the relief is amazing.

The diet was fine again today, though I am a little sick of eggs and will probably do the shake for breakfast. Variety is what will save me with this, but that also means a lot of shopping for fresh meat and produce. I had to go to the store again today, and I don't even recognize my cart anymore. Soy sausage, turkey bacon, berries, skim milk... It looks like Joel (good buddy and former roommate) and I switched baskets. Still miss bread a bit, but I'm getting used to it. There were several times at work today where i had to stop myself from grabbing a ring of calamari, bread stick, or some other goodie that was in the kitchen, and snack instead on my protein bar. I'll break the habit though.

Tomorrow is Yoga X. I'm not sure how this will go as my legs became increasingly sore as the night went on from yesterday's Plyo workout. I can't imagine they'd be fully recovered by the morning. I guess we'll see. Three down, 87 to go.