Quiet week

This is week 4 for me in P90x and I am doing the recovery week.  I still find the yoga workouts very challenging.  I am working hard to get my flexibility up and lifting a few weights here and there for shoulders and arms, nothing too crazy.

Eats are pretty good, but this week, I have been craving a beer or 3 something terrible.  It’s been going on 5 weeks since I had one.  This weekend, and then next week when I go on 12 days vacation will be a huge test.  Work remains crazy busy, as it will for the next year or so , so I am just trying to pace myself in that regard, and not let it stress me too much.

All I got for now, I will try and be back with a more substancial post before I leave for camping on Friday night.  After all day on the computer at work, just haven’t wanted to be on here to post, got to catch up on my blog reading as well. 

Some Random thoughts heading into week 4 of P90x

Quiet Sunday night.  Today is my “day off”, but I am tinkering around with some dumbells while doing some reading.  Nothing too strenuous just doing some light shoulders and some stretching. Didn’t do a whole lot this weekend, got a couple walks in, worked out yesterday, and played a little tennis.  Was going to try and do some hiking but it rained.

Been working a little on my Vision, or long term fitness and health goals a little I will post them up as a page when I got something concrete down.  It will be a living document, that is it will change as I go, and its almost down to something readable now…lol.  Also been thinking of some other stuff this weekend, well to be honest, I am always in my head about this transformation/weight loss journey.  Here in no random order are some of the things I have been thinking about:

-Yesterday was a month since I drank ANY alcohol.  I don’t miss it most days, but come the end of the week, the last two weeks, I’ve been thirsty…..lol

-I bitch alot to people about getting old (I am 38 this year).  I know its a matter of perspective, and to people my mom’s age I am “a kid” and to my kids I am ancient.  Some days though, I feel 104 (but not EVERYDAY, like I did before the lastest trip down the road to get healthy)

-most days I feel better right now than I have in 10 years.  I had a flare up this past Thursday where I had to take muscle relaxants and pain killers for the first time in 3 months, but for the most part, in comparison to how I have felt the last couple years I feel great.

-I want to have a transformation video or set of pictures that motivates, just one person, anyone to take control of their own health and fitness.

-I give the number on the scale too much power in my life

-saw a quote by Craig Ballentyne, creator of the fantastic program Turbulence Traning, (paraphrasing) “What we do consistantly everyday, even on the weekends, leads us closer to our goals or further away”.  Great quote

-I need to be more vigilent in my tracking of my eats

-I need to drink more water

-I need to cut down on coffee (because of the sugar I put in it)

-I want to be in my best shape ever by my Birthday , 12/31/2010

Thats about it.  Just a smattering of stuff I have been thinking about.  I am going to go outside and get a little air/go for a walk.  Make it a great week everyone.

Weekly Progress Pics, Big Milestones looming

I am getting very very very close to some big milestones that mean a lot to me.  Sub 200 and sub 40 inch waist.   I will get there soon.  Except for Thursday when I had the racket with my back spasms, I worked very hard this week, both with the eating and exercise. 

It’s hard not to let the scale define you when you are on this journey, and I am fighting letting the numbers decide how I feel.  This week I am very happy with the progress my pics are showing.  Here’s to another great week. 

Blog’s been quiet, but I’ve been working!

I haven’t had much to say this week blog wise, but the beat goes on and I have been working it!

Yesterday had a bit of a setback when I was having really nasty back pain, so much so that I had to leave work as I couldn’t concentrate through the back spasms.  I had to take muscle relaxants and pain killers for the first time since early April.  Then it was night night for 4 hours in bed.  When I got up I did some very light stretching and some light shoulders with the bands and dumbells.  Today I was feeling much better and was back to regular P90x, with no limitations.  I worked very hard, and pushed hard.

Tomorrow morning I have my weigh in at weight watchers haven’t been on the scale since Monday, when I had to weigh in for a weight loss contest I joined on Facebook that runs 6 weeks.  I am hoping for a great week, as I really worked hard.  Again however I re-iterate, all I can do is eat right and do the exercise.  The results have no choice but to come if i do that.

I will be back in the morning with weigh in results and progress pics.

Busting my butt, Day 15 P90x

Today I had probably the best work out of 2010.  I didn’t leave one cleanly done rep behind.

Not one.

I have been stagnating, the last month.  Stuck in neutral

Doing my workouts, sure.  Eating pretty clean, (occasional bad food here or there but not once over my WW points). 

Today I decided no more half assing it.  I am going to so what I can accomplish if I believe I can do this.  If i believe that getting under 200 (and 190 and 180) is no different than going from 225 to 220, or 215 to 212.  I am going to trust in the plan of attack I have chosen (Weight Watchers for food, p90x for workouts) and give this every ounce of energy I got.

Don’t get me wrong, I long for the day that this takes no effort.  It’s just something I do.  Eat clean and move more.  But right now I have to fight for it.  Right now I have to make myself go to I think i can’t safely do another rep.  Eat clean but stay nourished.  The next 8 weeks will be the hardest I have worked this year.  It will be the best executed exercise and eating I have put together consecutively.  I will let whatever results come.  I can only control my effort.  Nothing more.

Tonights workout was chest and back with Ab Ripper X.  I am too tired to post up my results.  I hit some highs for the 6 weeks I have been doing P90x (started originally May 30th, restarted 15 days ago) .  It was a great workout. 

Now, bed.

Day 10 P90x, work contest, First Day push up challenge, busy busy busy

So tonight I hummed and hawed and didn’t get my workout in til nearly 10 pm (started it).  No other reason than I bummed around after work and supper and did anything but move.  Not wanting to start missing workouts this early in the game I went down stairs and banged out my shoulders and arms along with Ab Ripper X.  I still can’t do all the ab ripper x moves but I am getting more and more each time out of the gate!

To add to P90x my buddy Josh started the 100 push up challenge today and well being the competitive sort we are I couldn’t let him start that and me not follow suit so I started today as well.  Following the Day 1 workout of week 1 I did the following sets with 60 sec rest

1.  10
2.  12
3.  7
4.  7
5.  20 (max reps)

My arms and chest were still sore from Mondays workout and I had to follow it up with my p90x workout so I was happy with 20.   Next workout for pushups is Fri.

Also today I found out with one person left to weigh in who was absent today I am leading a work Biggest Challenge contest! yay me.  Looks like I am guaranteed the 90 dollar second prize, and perhaps will win the first prize, (can’t remember the prize, 200 I think?) .  So keeping my fingers crossed for that.  We’ll hopefully find out tomorrow.

Work has been completely balls out busy.  Craziness.  And we just found out something goes into affect in the morning that could make it loads ahhh……we’ll say more interesting.  Sigh.  Can’t wait for 4 pm tomorrow. 3 day weekend.

woo.

Day 8 Chest, Back and Ab Ripper X

Another day down and a great workout in the heat tonight.  I had a good workout, and a good day of eating.  I have not been on the scale since Saturday morning and I don’t plan on getting on all week except when I have to weigh in for a work contest. 

Went for a walk this evening after my workout to the local drug store to get my refill for my blood pressure medicine with my wife.  I also walked home after work the 5km, so I have gotten lots of exercise today, and got in 31 points nutrition wise today.  I continue to come up short with my water intake, gotta work on that. 

Not much else to say tonight, I will be back tomorrow after my workout. 

Another weekend coming to a close

Well another weekend is wrapping up and its back to work in the morning.  I have a short week this coming week being off this Friday.  It’s been crazy busy at week, and I am looking forward to having the day off Friday.  I have no idea what the weather is supposed to be this week, but I break from all this heat/humidity would be great!  It’s pouring rain outside right now but still humid as can be.

Here is this week’s progress pic.

I am going to attempt to stay away from that nasty beast (the scale) this week.  I HAVE to weigh in for the final weigh in of a Biggest Loser challenge at work on Wednesday, but that will be the only time I go near a scale until next Saturday morning’s, weight watcher meeting weigh in.  I am going to have a great week this week, with great decisions.  As alluded to in the link I posted this afternoon, I am going to keep making good, healthy decisions, and in the long run the results will come!

Frustrated

The scale is a frustrating tool.  I have to keep in mind that is just a tool, and not the end all and be all.  I am up this week on the scale at Weight Watchers, after a “perfect” week of eating and starting P90x and not missing a day of exercise.  I ate as well as I can eat, and the only real mistake I made I feel is I didn’t drink enough water.  I will have more to say about this tomorrow as I am headed out for poker with the boys.  I am not drinking, although I could easily drink a case of beer tonight with the heat in town, and the mood the scale has put me in. 

I worked out the last three days including today, and I will be working out tomorrow.  Things are going well in that regard.  But the scale is driving me nuts.

Day 3 in the books and heat wave!

So like much of the east coast we are experiencing a heat wave.  I biked to and from work (just under 5 km) and then after supper went to the beach with the family.  Got home at 9:30 and although beat from the sun and the lonnnnnnnnng day at work I still got my workout in.  Shoulders bis and tris along with some torture, errrrr i mean Ab Ripper X to top it off.

Here’s a pic from the beach of myself my wife and my oldest girl. 

exercise today
P90x day 3 – ARX, delts tris bis
10 km bike
steps 11215 today     32326/1,000,000 total
WW points 31