*Warning! More scary pictures at the end. Turn back!*
Today marks 2/3 of the way through my P90X program! This past month was a challenging one, and not just in regards to exercise. We had record snow-fall, which meant record snow-shoveling. We had sick children pretty much all month, and then a very sick wife at the end here, and warding off sickness myself. Stress here and stress there. Yea, life. Exhaustion was setting in, and there were days I was wondering if I was going to make it. And of course that’s exactly why I did. I like a challenge. A big thanks to my wife who made time for my evening workouts, and a special thanks to my Beachbody coach FitDadPDX who encouraged me and gave me a few tips to get through the tough spots this month.
This month I did not see as drastic improvements as I did from day 0 to day 28, but I still saw improvements. I have lost almost 10 lbs which I didn’t set out to do, but I seem to be keeping the same size in everything except my waist, so I think I am primarily loosing body fat and not muscle. Overall I feel very good. I definitely still have some “I need coffee” or “I need a nap” moments, but the cleaner eating and exercising has done good things for my energy.
Here are the results of my fit test I did first thing this morning:
- Starting resting heart rate: Day 0=60, Day 28=60, Day 56=60
- Pull-ups: Day0=5, Day 28=9, Day 56=10
- Vertical leap: Day 0=18″, Day 28=22″, Day 56=24″
- Push-ups: Day 0=21, Day 28=27, Day 56=30
- Toe Touch: Day 0=-2, Day 28=0, Day 56=3.5
- Wall Squat: Day 0=1 min 24 sec, Day 28=2 min 4 sec, Day 56=2min 10 sec
- Bicep Curls: Day 0=12 reps of 20 lbs, Day 28=17 reps of 20 lbs, Day 56=20@20
- In & Outs: Day 0=30, Day 28=40, Day 56=50
- Heart rate immediately after 2 minutes of jumping jacks: Day 0=190, Day 28=162, Day 56=160
- Heart rate 4 minutes after jumping jacks: Day 0=114, Day 28=110, Day 56=90
My measurements:
- Weight: Day 0=147, Day 28=146, Day 56=138
- Waist: Day0=32, Day 28=32, Day 56=30
- Hips: Day 0=35, Day 28=35, Day 56=35
- Chest: Day 0=34, Day 28=35, Day 56=34
- Arms: Day0=12, Day 28=13, Day 56=12.5
- Thighs: Day 0=21.5, Day 28=20.5, Day 56=20.5
- Body Fat%*: Day 0=20, Day 28=16.5, Day 56=12.4
*Body fat was calculated without calipers. I tried a couple different methods and have found a more accurate one. I knew 10% body fat last week was way to low. It would be depressing to be at 10% but not see a 6 pack. I used this formula for the results. I used this formula for the results.
And yes, now for the pictures. I combed my hair this time.
Here is a picture from Day 0
And Day 56
*Warning! This post ends with pictures of a pasty white guy. View at your own risk. Sunglasses recommended.*
Today marks 1/3 of the way through my P90X program. To recap, the first week was a blast. I was up earlier than my alarm almost every day ready to get going. From there, it started becoming harder to get up, especially when babies decided nights were for parties. But I just kept pressing play. I let the decision be the master and override my feelings. I took advantage of the weekends and sleeping in till 6:30 or 7:30 seemed awesome.
The recovery came just in time. It’s called recovery because of the break from resistance workouts. However, the kenpo, yoga, and core synergistics did the job.
So, today after shoveling for 2.5 hours I did another fit test, measurements and pictures.
- Starting resting heart rate: Day 0=60, Day 28=60
- Pull-ups: Day0=5, Day 28=9
- Vertical leap: Day 0=18″, Day 28=22″
- Push-ups: Day 0=21, Day 28=27
- Toe Touch: Day 0=-2, Day 28=0
- Wall Squat: Day 0=1 min 24 sec, Day 28=2 min 4 sec
- Bicep Curls: Day 0=12 reps of 20 lbs, Day 28=17 reps of 20 lbs
- In & Outs: Day 0=30, Day 28=40
- Heart rate immediately after 2 minutes of jumping jacks: Day 0=190, Day 28=162
- Heart rate 4 minutes after jumping jacks: Day 0=114, Day 28=110
My measurements:
- Weight: Day 0=147, Day 28=146
- Waist: Day0=32, Day 28=32
- Hips: Day 0=35, Day 28=35
- Chest: Day 0=34, Day 28=35
- Arms: Day0=12, Day 28=13
- Thighs: Day 0=21.5, Day 28=20.5
- Body Fat%*: Day 0=13.5, Day 28=10.5
*Body fat was calculated without calipers. I used this formula for the results
And now for the pictures (please excuse the hat hair)…
I’ll see you again on March 7th!
Here is what I have eaten on my P90X nutrition plan this past week (not all at once, mind you):
- 20 8oz protein shakes
- 18 eggs (some were just egg whites)
- 7 cups of baby spinach
- 7 cups of of spring mix
- 3 grapefruits
- 3 oranges
- 3 bell peppers
- 1.5 cucumbers
- 4 chicken breasts
- 6 oz of ham
- 6 oz of turkey
- 5 protein bars
- 100 almonds
- 30 grape tomatoes
- 15 carrots
- 20 sugar snap peas
- 1 avacado
- 7 tablespoons of olive oil
- 14 tablespoons of vinegar
- 896 oz (or 7 gallons) of water
The reason I say P90X is not insanity, is because there is actually a workout called insanity, so that title is already taken. P90X, however, is not for the faint of heart (or limbs). Now, for those of you who want to know what P90X is without going the long way about figuring it out, I’ll give you a little insight. P stands for Power, 90 stands for 90 days, and X stands for eXtreme. It is a workout program designed by fitness trainer Tony Horton and produced by BeachBody. I first heard of it a few months ago from my brother-in-law. He had just started it and was telling us how good and challenging it was. Every time we saw him, he was talking about it. He stopped and restarted a couple times, but kept going back to it. I finally decided to check it out for myself. I found it consists of resistance training (using weights or bands and body weight), jump training, yoga, kenpo (martial arts), and a lot of focus on your core. Well, that seemed like enough variation that you would never get bored of it. The major concept behind it is Muscle Confusion, which in theory, never lets your body plateau because just when it is getting used to something, the routine changes after 30 days. The plateau effect is exactly what I had been dealing with for a few months. After working out hard since June of ‘09, and gaining almost 30 lbs, I was finding my gym routine to be boring and unproductive. The program also includes a simple, 3-phase nutrition plan which everyone says is the real key.
I thought back to those days long ago of working out to Gilad with my mom, and thought I would give the ol’ workout video thing a try once again. What I’m finding is, I love it! I like structure and routine, and I can get that along with variation in the form of P90X. I wake up at 5 AM, unless woken up earlier by a baby, and I’m working out by 5:30. All the videos are about an hour long, except yoga which is an hour and a half.
Before starting the program, they suggest you do a fitness test. While anyone can jump in and do it at their own pace, you’ll want to try get to a certain level before beginning. I took the test, and here are my results:
- Starting resting heart rate = 60
- Pull-ups = 5 (recommended 3 for males, 1 for females)
- Vertical leap = 18″ (recommended 5″ for males, 3″ for females)
- Push-ups = 21 (recommended 15 for males, 3 for females)
- Toe Touch = -2, or 2 inches away from (recommended no more than 6 inches away, or -6)
- Wall Squat = 1 min 24 sec (recommended 1 minute)
- Bicep Curls = 12 reps of 20 lbs per arm (recommended 10 reps w/ 20 lbs for males, 10 reps with 8 lbs for females)
- In & Outs = 30 (recommended at least 25)
- Heart rate immediately after 2 minutes of jumping jacks = 190
- Heart rate 4 minutes after jumping jacks = 114
I also took my before (or good-bye) pictures:
And away we go!
Really, I have no idea of what this new year holds. Surprises. Definitely, surprises. I did like this little activity, though, of thinking through some major areas of life and what I would like to accomplish (Lord willing). It makes the year seem a little less intimidating and gives me sense of direction.
P.S. You’ll notice that “Blogging” is not a category on the list, so I make no promises that this won’t be my only blog of 2010.
It has been three months since my last post, and there’s a bunch I could tell you about. Like, we’re expecting our sixth child, or we had an amazing trip to Colorado, or my car is getting $1,000 worth of repair, or I’ve gained almost 30 lbs in 3 months (all muscle… of course), or I aced my two math classes, or there was a dead baby squirrel on our sidewalk. But you can find out all that small stuff from Twitter.
What we’re here to talk about today is… we’re debt free! Wait a second, you say? That’s old news? Well, you’re right. It’s exactly a year old. We are celebrating a year anniversary of being debt free! And God gets all the glory. He has overcome our mistakes, selfishness, impatience, and fears. We’ve done everything we can to make staying debt free a challenge. God keeps proving himself faithful. It is almost two years since we started on that crazy journey. It was an incredible and meaningful adventure for this young family. Thank you for being a part of it. We’re hoping and praying the results are long lasting, reaching to the next generations.
Ephesians 5:22-33:
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Colossians 3:18-21:
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
1 Peter 2:21-3:7:
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
“He committed no sin,and no deceit was found in his mouth.”When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Here is some of the fun captured on film.
I downloaded a couple photography apps, CameraBag and ColorSplash, for my iPhone. I’ve just been playing around so far, but I like the results. Maybe I’ll start a daily iPhone photo like Chad Wright.
Have you ever had that nagging feeling that there was something more to do with your life? I don’t remember exactly when it started for me...
