How Many of These Habits Are You Guilty Of?

I have to admit, I do have a few of these bad habits...

20 Habits That Make You Fat

My biggest mistake is the #1 thing that can make you fat; eating "fat-free" and "low-fat."  Who would have thought that those two purchases could lead to obesity?  It seems ironic! I've been on a fat-free kick ever since I started Weight Watchers nearly 10 years ago.  It seems like a great idea. Don't want to get fat? Eat fat-free!  Not so much.  I can tell you one thing,  I will definitely be comparing the sugars, carbs, and additives of regular and "fat-free" foods when I shop now!

This reminds me, I've joined Andrew Wilder's "Unprocessed October Challenge" and have pledged to not eat any processed foods for the entire month of October.  Talk about reading labels!  I feel like our family eats pretty well anyway, but I admit that goldfish crackers and Cheez-its do come in handy as quick snacks for my kids.  So, we will be doing our best to eliminate our dependency on processed foods for just one month and see how it goes. It could end up being one of the greatest changes we'll make in our lives.  Or we could go mad trying to get creative with it.  We'll see. I'll keep you posted, but I encourage you to try it out for yourself as well.  For more information on what constitutes "processed" or for information on the challenge itself please click the link above.

Ok, let's get back on track! I also am guilty of not getting enough sleep at night.  I'm a light sleeper and a restless sleeper.  It's the worst kind, really.  And once my kids were born it became even worse!  However, I have attempted to improve the quality of sleep am I getting by wearing ear-plugs at night.  You would be amazed at how much noise is eliminated by wearing these simple things, and for a light sleeper like myself, it's priceless!

Eating free restaurant food is a killer.  How can you pass up "free" chips and salsa, or bread sticks or those amazing biscuits with apple butter at Lucille's?  This might be why in our house we limit our eating out to only a couple times a month.  It would be too easy to fill up and fill out on these free, much-while-you-wait-on-your-meal foods.  By the time your meal comes, you're already full from the freebies.  And what was intended to be one night of indulgence now becomes two nights of indulgence because you end up taking home your original meal to eat as leftovers the next day.  These freebies are diet busting!!

The last thing I am guilty of is eating too late.  For some reason, right after the kids are down for the night, usually around 9 pm I get the munchies.  So, I go to the cupboard and open and close it about 10 times looking for the healthiest option.  What I want and what I know is best for me are two different things.  What I want is a salty, unhealthy snack.  What is best for me is to just close the cupboard and walk away.  And who do you think wins that argument? My stomach!  So here I am, at 9 o'clock at night eating the worst thing I've eaten all day and it's usually just because I'm bored.  I know that if I refrained from snacking after dinner I would not starve.  In fact, I don't even think my stomach would notice.  It's a matter of convincing myself that yes, even that small bite of cookie or that single Pringle is not worth it in the long run.

Take a look at the other 16 things that are bad for your diet and most likely bad for your health and see how you fare.  What you thought you were doing right, much like I did, could end up being what's holding you back from your fitness goals.  Making changes in our bad habits, however small they may be, could be life-changing.  With so many factors in the world beyond our control, why not take advantage of the things you do have control over, and that is how you treat yourself and your body.

Until next time...

Summer Snack Packing

With temperatures rising this summer, if you're like me, you'll want to be near the beach or poolside to beat the heat.  However, choosing snacks to bring along that will also help you maintain your beach body can be difficult.  It's easy to stash a box of crackers or bag of chips in your tote.  It's easy to throw an apple or or string cheese into the bottom of your purse. It's even easier to stop and get fast food along the way or stop at the snack bar. But, if you're like me, you either leave the beach feeling bloated from all the salty, carb-filled snacks or completely hungry from your apple-string cheese teaser.  So why not do a little pre-beach preparation and plan on taking some of these healthy snacks with you to the beach?  For 150 calories or less per snack, you can feel satisfied that you a) aren't starving, b) aren't bloated and c) will still be able to pull off that bikini tomorrow!

Grilled Fish on Cilantro-Chili Slaw

grilled mahi-mahi with cilantro chili slaw

Light, clean, and crisp; a great summer recipe!

Tarragon Chicken Salad

Tarragon Chicken Salad

Great, light dinner recipe.  Lots of flavor and filling too! Click on the caption above for full recipe.

Eating Healthy Doesn't Necessarily Mean Boring Foods

Healthy Summer Grilling doesn't need to be boring.  If you're hosting a night of summer grilling, think outside the box.  You don't need to limit your selection to celery sticks just because you're trying to "eat healthy."  There are lots of alternatives if you just get a little creative with it.  Make healthy choices to ensure all your efforts to slim down your waistline don't get lost in the bowl of potato chips and barbecue sauce.  If you provide a healthy alternative to the hot dogs and hamburgers I guarantee you someone will eat it!

Sweet and Spicy Pork Chops

Spiced Chops with Mango-Mint Salsa

This recipe had the perfect amount of sweetness to offset the kick in the mango salsa.  Use the leanest cut of boneless pork chop you can find and serve along side steamed vegetables for a delicious low-fat meal.

Another Use for Quinoa

Greek-Style Quinoa Burger with Grilled Vegetables

Are you still stumped on how to incorporate quinoa into your daily diet?  Well, try this quinoa burger; patty made with quinoa, beans and carrots, and infused with Greek flavors.  Top it with Greek tzatziki for added flavor and pair it with grilled vegetables. How can you go wrong?

Summer Grilling

Grilled Chicken, Romaine and Corn Salsa

This is a P90X friendly meal we put together last night.  Inspired by recipes from Taste of Home Magazine, we prepared everything completely on the grill.  So for all you summer grilling people, this might appeal to you.  And who knew you could grill lettuce?  It was all so very delicious.  For complete recipes, click the caption below the photo.

Tip: For a more intense flavor, combine the corn salsa ingredients and refrigerate overnight.  Yum!

Some of the Best Foods for Your Body This Summer

Stock up and fill up on these Superfoods for the Summer.  They all have tons of antioxidant and health benefits, not to mention they just taste great!

How Much is Really Necessary?

We all know that soda is bad for you, when consumed in large amounts.  Everyone I know who has lost a significant amount of weight by dieting has claimed success by switching to diet or no soda at all.  So clearly, soda consumption leads to larger waistlines.  It only makes sense that reducing soda consumption leads to smaller waistlines.

Childhood obesity is on a rise.  Children aren't active enough and drink way too much juice, soda and sugary drinks.  Just think, what do your kids order when eating out?  I'm very proud to say that when my 5 year old daughter was offered a Coke recently, she had no idea what it was.  When eating out we give our kids 2-3 options for beverages.  They choose from milk, chocolate milk or lemonade.  Not that the latter are any less sugary, but the point is that they haven't had the opportunity to drink much soda.  In fact, when they have, they usually don't like it because of the carbonation.  I'm proud of that!  

Adult obesity has become an epidemic in this country.  Adults are under active, too busy to find time to exercise or participate in active lifestyles.  Poor diets and soda consumption contribute to the obesity problem.  Ultimately, obese citizens have more health problems, requiring more medical care.  The more medical care you require, the higher the insurance rates become.  And that affects all of us!  Sure you could blame the insurance companies, the medical doctors or even the hospitals for charging way too much.  You might even go as far as blaming the pharmaceutical companies.  But, what ever happened to personal responsibility and accountability for ones own actions?  Unless there is some underlying medical condition, if you are obese it's because you don't make the right choices.  You choose not to be active, you choose to eat unhealthy foods and drink sugary drinks.  There's no one else to blame for that but you; not even McDonald's super-sized meals!  You chose to order it!  

So when I read articles like this one in the Washington Post, I'm happy that someone is trying to find a solution to the obesity problem.  For those that can't exhibit self control in ordering a 16 oz. soda instead of a 64 oz. soda, this restriction might benefit them.  But, it also saddens me that we are always so quick to blame someone else for our bad decisions.  There is no personal accountability for one's own problems.  While I do believe that restricting beverage containers to 16 oz. at fast food restaurants will help limit how much a person can consume at one time, I do not think it will end the obesity problem in America. Until we're ready to step up and take responsibility for our own poor decisions in life, obesity will always be a problem, and one that will continue on throughout the lives of our children.  They learn by example.  And what kind of example are we setting for them?  The only way we can overcome obesity is by making healthier lifestyle choices, one person at a time. 

Don't Believe Everything You See

My husband recently told me about a conversation he overheard between two coworkers the other day.  They were two middle-aged overweight men, both smokers, talking about the type of fuel they put into their manly trucks.  They were comparing regular octane to premium octane gasoline and both agreed that they are only willing to fuel their tanks with the best, premium fuels, in order to achieve maximum performance out of their vehicles.  Here were two fast food eating, overweight, underactive men willing to treat their trucks better than their own bodies. Shouldn't their own bodies deserve the best in terms of what they put into them;  healthy, well-balanced diets providing their bodies with the fuel they need for maximum performance.  No? Don't they realize the irony in their statements?  Apparently not!

This conversation, as well as Kit's recent blog post, got me to thinking...  Why don't we have more respect for our own health and what we do to and put into our bodies?  Are we too lazy to care?

How often have you heard someone say they tried P90X and it "didn't work" for them?  Or how about, "I wanted to complete the program, but it was too hard."  Or, "I did the workouts, but wasn't as strict with the nutrition plan."  And how many of those people do you think actually "tried their hardest" to get the results they wanted.  Probably none of them.

We are a culture of instant gratification.  We want results now and we don't really want to work all that hard to get them.  Just take a pill, with "natural ingredients," to suppress your appetite and drop lbs instantly!



What about commercials for losing weight in your sleep?  Or by hypnotherapy?


Or how about getting firmer abs in just days by wearing a vibrating belt around your waist?  

How many of these methods do you think really produce lifelong results?  None of them! What these diet and weight loss companies don't tell you (or write extremely small in the disclosure line), is that none of these people got the results they desired by following said advertised programs alone. In fact, what is usually written in small print is "results not typical."  Most of the models in these commercials have participated in some type of diet and exercise program along with taking/using advertised products. But the commercials don't tell you that directly.  All they advertise is instant results with little to no effort on your part. You have to be smart enough to know there's more to it than what meets the eye.

Only diet and exercise together will produce results and there is no "quick" way to achieve overall fitness.  Sure, you might drop a few pounds by taking a diet pill, but are you any healthier because of it?  You probably still eat the same unhealthy foods, don't exercise enough and make yourself feel better about it by using the ab firming belt while watching your reality T.V. programs.  Why do you think so many gastric bypass and lapband patients continue to gain the weight back?  It's because they haven't changed their mindset; and until they do, they will always struggle with weight and overall fitness.

In life, you get out of it what you put into it, and that applies to every aspect of your life.  If you are looking to lose weight and keep it off permanently, you must be willing to continually work at it.  Otherwise, once you give up, the weight will find it's way back to you.  Change is difficult, but it must be met with an open mind that is willing to put in the work.  Nothing comes easy, and without sufficient effort you will continue to be disappointed in your quest for health and fitness.

Until next time...

Looking for Meatless Protein Sources?

Are you looking for more meatless Monday ingredient ideas?  Or how about just getting more protein in your diet in general without having to eat several chicken breasts all day long.  If you are struggling to get enough protein in the P90X nutrition plan, consider some of these meatless alternatives. How many of these have you already tried?

8 Great Meat Free Protein Sources

Summer Salads

 Grilled Pork Loin with Spring Greens (w/blue cheese, radish and toasted walnuts)

Cobb Salad

Here are a few more yummy dinner items we've recently prepared at home.  For the pork loin, we used McCormick's Grill Mates Applewood Rub and grilled it on the charcoal grill.  The spring greens salad was delicious and we used the leftover light blue cheese from that salad in the cobb salad pictured above.  A few modifications in the cobb salad: instead of regular bacon we used turkey bacon, grilled chicken instead of grilled turkey and egg whites instead of whole hard boiled eggs. Two delicious meals, quickly and easily prepared, with relatively low calories and tons of nutritional value!

Alcohol vs. Exercise

Will Alcohol Kill Your Exercise and Fitness Goals?  See what Collette DeBenedetto, from the P90X2 workout videos has to say about it.  It might surprise you!

Some Good Tips for Healthier Meal Planning

http://getfitwithkit.com/blog/fitness-mind/weekly-mind-body-and-spirit-health-and-fitness-tip-from-tony-hortons-sister-kit-horton-caldicott/

Looking for New P90X Friendly Recipes? Try Some of These!

It's been a while since I've posted P90X friendly recipes and pictures.  So at long last, here are a few of our most recent meals we've prepared at home.  If you're wondering how we keep it P90X friendly it's simple.  We cook at home, use fresh ingredients and substitute fat-free, sugar free, ground turkey and whole wheat products as much as possible.  Most of the portions should be easy to figure out.  If you need assistance though, I'd be happy to help.

Grilled Tri-tip with roasted vegetables

Lemony Grilled Salmon with wild rice and grilled asparagus

Margarita Chicken Quesadillas with pinto beans and low-fat cheese

Beef and Spinach Gyros with Zucchini Apple Salad

Veggie Nicoise Salad

In addition to the above pictures we've also tried Chinese Takout-on-a-stick,  Chicken Philly Sandwiches, and Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing.  All of these recipes, by the way, have been approved by my 5 and 2 year old daughters, especially the strawberry salad.  Enjoy!

Wow! Interesting. Where Do You Fit In?

42% of American adults will be obese by 2030, study says

If there ever was a more critical time to get serious about one's health it is now.  Stop making excuses and start getting serious!

Keeping it Going

Last week started out so well.  Then, somewhere mid-week life got difficult and I had to make some changes, ultimately cutting out 3 of my 6 workouts.  I felt pretty bad about that.  However, I still continued to eat healthy and choose wisely.

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary this past weekend and I allowed myself one day to splurge. We went out to a nice dinner and ordered an appetizer (ahi tuna,  pretty healthy), glass of wine, entree (mine was grilled swordfish with vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes), and finished the meal by sharing a slice of cheesecake with raspberry sauce.  It was delicious!  And I don't really feel too bad about it either.  Besides the butter in the mashed potatoes, I think what I selected was pretty healthy.

So, despite my "splurge" over the weekend, I am not discouraged.  I jumped right back into my schedule this week and am determined to make it through, completing 6 workouts.  I know it will be difficult to workout 6 days a week, just as it was during P90X, but I'm challenging myself this week to make it happen.  I've already scheduled them into the WOWY calendar to hold myself accountable.  Here is my schedule so far:

Mon- Core X2
Tues- Kenpo Plus
Weds- Chest, Back & Balance, ab ripper X2
Thurs- Cardio X
Fri- P.A.P. lower, ab ripper X2
Sat- Yoga X2

Life is going to throw you a curve ball every now and then, and you're going to have to make some impromptu changes.  That's okay!  Don't beat yourself up over missing a workout or eating a slice of cheese cake. As long as you are committed to living a healthy life by eating right and exercising, you can't lose.  Enjoy a splurge day every now and then. Just don't allow it to become a habit.

Living a healthy life is about changing your lifestyle and making good decisions.  It can't all just be about diet.  "Diets" will only help you lose weight for a short period and the weight loss is usually temporary.  I know this from experience. If  you don't change your lifestyle you will never attain your full fitness potential.  Dieting does not teach you how to live healthily. If anything, it teaches you to restrict yourself from foods you love and  ultimately you figure out ways to cheat it.   Eating healthy is knowing when to say no to temptation, knowing when to stop yourself from overindulging, and knowing when it's okay to say yes. It's about having a good balance of all three.

Change your mindset about dieting and fitness and be prepared to be in this for the long haul. Being fit is a goal for life and you can only attain fitness when you're willing to challenge yourself, make wise choices in your diet and push yourself to the limit with exercise.  Commit to being fit.  Change your mind, change your body, change your life.

Until next time...

What I've Learned From Kit

About a week ago, I had a great phone conversation with Kit Caldicott.  I've been following her blog and I recently commented on one of her posts.  She emailed me back to thank me for my comment and then asked about my exercise regimen.  I couldn't believe it!  Kit wanted to know about what I was doing to stay fit!?  So, I emailed her back and told her that I've completed two rounds of P90X, P90X Plus and recently finished P90X2. I told her that I wasn't sure where I wanted to go from here.  I want to continue to be active, but not necessarily start up with another full program.  I'd noticed that she mixes a lot of different programs into her workout routine and I was intrigued.  "How do you set up your workout week?" I asked.  "How do you know which workouts to use and when to switch them up?"  Her response floored me.  "Let's set up a time where I can call you and chat about it," she said. I couldn't believe my eyes.  Did she really just ask to call me and talk about fitness?  So, of course I set up a time when we could chat right away and I was so amazed at how friendly, helpful and interested she was in my fitness lifestyle. She made herself completely accessible to me, giving up her personal time, personal diet/workout regimen and personal phone number so that we could talk about continued health and fitness.  She amazed me!

So, what I learned is something I probably already knew, but was great for her to affirm, and is also something that we both discovered by doing P90X.  Eating clean is so important to health and fitness.  Choosing foods with minimal ingredients, keeping away from processed foods and sugar and reducing the amount of carbs is key. In our house we already eat lots of fruits, vegetables and lean meats in our daily meals.  We don't eat fast food or drink soda and occasionally we eat out, and when I say occasionally I mean maybe once a month.  So in that regard we were continuing to follow a clean P90X diet.  She told me she still follows the 80/20 rule with her diet, which is eat clean 80-90% of the time and splurge about 10% of the time.  That made me feel great to hear because I couldn't imagine having to give up ice cream or Dove chocolates for life!  But just knowing that I can have those things if I want to, curbs my cravings for them so I don't go overboard when I do eat them. 

What she also told me is that she still follows the P90X principle of 2 resistance days, 3 days of cardio and 1 day of yoga.  How she chooses them is by how she feels the morning of a workout.  On a resistance day if she feels like working out her arms, she'll choose a workout from any of the programs that tailors to arms. Then, on her next resistance day she'll make sure she chooses a workout that focuses on legs, etc.  Stick with the same schedule for a couple of weeks and then switch up the workouts, but continue to follow the 3 cardio, 2 resistance days schedule.  Muscle confusion will always be attained if you continue to give yourself variety in your workouts. This was the key information that I needed.  I have 3 P90X programs and I've done them all in a set, scheduled manner, finishing one phase at a time.  But what I needed now was the flexibility to pick and choose which workout from which program I wanted to do and Kit's strategy gave me the clarity and flexibility I needed to begin designing my own tailored workout regimen.

So, from her great advice and my understanding of the P90X programs and my own body's needs, I've come up with my own workout schedule.  What I did first was categorize each workout.  I love doing Core workouts, so I made a list of the workouts I felt focused on your core.  Then I categorized the workouts designed for Cardio, Upper Body, Lower Body and of course I'm keeping a Yoga day in the mix.  Ab workouts will be done on resistance days just like in P90X.  With that kind of flexibility there's no way you can get bored with the workouts.  Since it's been a while since I've completed a classic P90X workout I'm going to dedicate this week to all P90X routines.  Here is my schedule so far:

Monday (Core day)- Core Synergistics

Tuesday (Cardio)- Plyometrics

Wednesday (Upper)- Shoulders and Arms, ab ripper X

Thursday (Cardio)- Kenpo

Friday (Lower)- Legs and Back, ab ripper X

Saturday (Yoga)- Yoga X2 (because it's shorter than Yoga X)

With this schedule I will get familiar again with the classic P90X workouts and then next week I will switch it up again. Maybe I'll throw in a Plus workout or X2 workout, but the point is now I have the flexibility and understanding of how to design my own workout routines that will continue to give me the results I desire.  And that is all thanks to Kit! I only hope to one day have the success in inspiring my readers the way she has inspired me. What an amazing woman! 

The Power in Positive Thinking

Recently, I read a great blog post by Tony Horton's sister, Kit.  She has a great perspective on your ability to remain positive and accountable in life, whether it's with your exercise program, relationships or just life in general. It's a great read and a perspective I completely agree with. In fact, she touches on my life's motto and one of my favorite quotes by Boethius, "nothing is miserable in life unless you think it is so..." There is so much power in positive thinking.  You can change your life by changing your attitude about life.  It's truly inspiring and I highly recommend you read what she has to say.

Top Things to Avoid to Get Healthy and Fit

I'm a P90X2 Graduate!

Yesterday was the last day of the P90X2 program.  I completed each phase in 4 weeks without using a single recovery week.  I feel like I pushed myself throughout this program and if my goal was to tone and strengthen I can definitely say I achieved my goal.  However, after taking final measurements today I was really disappointed.  I expected to have lost a lot of weight and inches in every area.  After all, if you've come from no physical activity to intense workouts 5 days a week and a strict diet, you're bound to lose weight and inches, right?  Well, not in my case.  I was really bummed to discover that I had only lost 2 lbs in this 90 day journey and a total of 2.75 inches overall, most noticeably in my waist, hips and legs.  I guess I was expecting extreme results like Damien has had.  I've completed the same ab workouts as him 3 separate times and I have yet to sport a 6-pack like him.  Maybe I shouldn't compare my results to his, as we all know that men lose weight quicker and easier than women do. However, it is still disappointing nonetheless.

So, being in quite a funk this morning I decided to pull up pictures from Day 1, Day 30 and Day 90.  The proof is in the pictures!  I was amazed at how much my body has transformed since Day 1 and started to feel better about my completion of the program.  I noticed the most weight loss after Day 30, which makes sense because it is a fat shredding phase.  Between Day 30 and Day 90 I haven't noticed much difference although I can say according to the photos it looks as though I've built up my shoulders and arms.  I think if I had taken measurements at Day 30 I would have been more impressed with my results, because I truly believe that is when I lost the most weight and inches. However, since then, I feel that I have built more muscle as demonstrated in the Day 90 photos, which also explains why I haven't lost much on the scale.  My fat shredded after the first 30 days and since then I've built  muscle along the way.  Naturally, that would reflect in no weight loss on the scale since muscle weighs more than fat.  And since my final measurements do show inches lost, I have to believe that the inches lost has turned into muscle gained on the scale.

Overall, I can say that my clothes fit more comfortably, my core feels a lot tighter and I've impressed myself with the upper body strength I've gained.  Although, I failed to lose much weight, I have lost inches.  So, I can't say that this program was a compete failure.  I'm still a firm believer that daily activity and healthy eating habits do contribute to overall fitness.  So, in that regard, I suppose I can say I'm as healthy and as fit as I've ever been.

For inspirational purposes, I want to post some pictures so you can nitpick my results.  If you thought that taking pictures was just a waste of time, I suggest you rethink your position.  If it weren't for the pictures I've taken on this journey I would have felt completely defeated.  It just goes to show that the scale doesn't always tell the whole truth.  Believe in the pictures!

An Alternative to Oatmeal

If you have the time, I recommend trying quinoa as your breakfast cereal in the morning.  The P90X2 recipe is delicious.  It is surprisingly filling and mildly sweet.  It makes for a great start for the day.  

Quinoa has an interesting texture and relatively bland flavor, but the vanilla, cinnamon, fruit and honey really sweeten it up. If you've never made quinoa before, it is prepared just like white rice, using a 2:1 ratio of grain to liquid, bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes.   I've been lucky enough to find it at my local Winco, buying only what I need for the week.  In this recipe, I used what fruit I had on hand, which was just fresh strawberries.  I'm sure it would taste even better with mixed berries.  I've even used sliced frozen strawberries, which defrost quickly once the hot quinoa is mixed in with them.

Quinoa is packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, and amino acids.  It's a great substitute for white rice, couscous or other whole grains in your daily meals. This recipe makes 4 servings, so prepare ahead of time, add the fruit just before eating and you'll get 4 daily breakfasts out of it.  Or cut the recipe down to make only 1 serving at a time.  P90X portions are 1 fruit,1/2 grain, and 1/2 fat (if you use chopped nuts).

P90x2 Breakfast Quinoa

The Final Week

Today is the first day of the last week of my program.  I'm anxious to complete this last phase and finish strong. I do have to admit that as much as I enjoy the P.A.P. lower workout I have gotten bored with this phase. So, I'm looking forward to ending this program, taking measurements and final pictures.  I suppose I should try to be a s strict as I can with the diet as well.  I've been experimenting with the P90X2 cook book and have posted a few recommendations. Check 'em out!

Great, Quick Breakfast Idea

Looking for a quick, grab and go option for breakfast?  These Breakfast Cups to Go from the P90X2 cook book are amazing.  Two muffin cups per serving equals 2 proteins and 1/2 grain.  I used diced chiles for a milder flavor, but you can use jalapenos if you like it spicier. The original recipe makes 6 muffins (enough for 3 servings), but I doubled the recipe to make 12 muffins.  Between the two of us doing the program, they will last longer in our house.  Also, just a thought...I bet leftover taco meat would make this recipe even tastier! 

Breakfast Cups To Go

Worth a Try

I had to share a few recipes that we've had lately.  The P90X2 Chicken Chili is amazing!  I was so anxious to eat it that I forgot to take a picture of it.  It is definitely worth trying!  One serving =1/2 protein, 1/2 legume, 2 vegetables.

The second meal we had was one from Cooking Light magazine and it was also killer;  Italian Meatball Sliders with Spinach and Mozzarella Salad.  I would say this would qualify as 1 protein, 1 grain, 1 vegetable and 1/2 dairy? It was very tasty and I modified the fat and calories by using ground turkey instead of pork.

Italian Meatball Sliders with Spinach and Mozzarella Salad

These recipes were relatively quick and easy to make, very tasty and passed the kid friendly test.  Both of our daughters loved it!  The links to both of these recipes can be found in the "Great Recipes" tab of our blog.

Having Tummy Issues?

If you need to increase the fiber in your diet or are having digestion problems, read this article.  There are some interesting food choices that may help you in both areas.

10 Food to Make Your Intestines Happy

Two Weeks Left

Two weeks down and two weeks to go!  Last week I met my challenge of increasing my holds and reps by half.   I struggled in some areas, but pushed through it.  This week I will continue with my goal of full reps and full holds. I want to really push myself these last two weeks and finish strong.  I'm keeping end of program pictures and measurements in the forefront of my mind. I need to see results or all of this was for nothing. Well, I guess not nothing. I do feel stronger, and I do feel better after I workout, but it is so hard for me to make exercise a priority in my life.  So far, I haven't gained any weight and my clothes are fitting a little bit looser. I'm now feeling the day after soreness that I craved during phase 2.  So all of these things are telling me that something is working.  I just can't wait to complete the program and officially be a P90X2 graduate.

Only 3 More Weeks to Go!

So, I survived the first week of Phase 3.  My goal for next week is to improve my reps and holds by half.  So where I was only doing 5/10 renegade rows, my goal for next week is to increase to 7-8/10 renegade rows.  Where I was holding sphinx planks for 30/60 seconds, my goal for next week is to increase the hold to 45/60 seconds, etc. Hopefully by the end of week 3, I will be completing the full workout and finish strong with a fourth week of the same.  The end of the program is coming so quickly.  I'm anxious to see how I've improved since the start of this thing.  I'm still working on the meal planning in this phase.  I hope to have it down by Sunday.

Until next time...

P.A.P. Upper

My arms feel like Jell-o!  This workout was tough for me, but then again, it is "upper" body.  The circuits are repetitive, just like with lower P.A.P., each set repeated 4 times.  The breaks in between are short.  The circuits include push ups, rows, superman, plank, abs, pull ups and presses, just to name a few.  I pretty much completed half of every set in the workout.  When Tony was doing 10 renegade rows, I completed 5.  When they held the plank position for 1 full minute, I held it for 30 seconds before I burned out.  But, with this being my first upper P.A.P. workout in this phase, I think I did okay.  I know I'll continue to get stronger and eventually complete the workout along with Tony and his pals.  I'm feeling optimistic about his phase so far.

On a different note, I tried quinoa for the first time yesterday.  I used the recipe in the P90X2 cookbook.  It was pretty tasty.  And since I'm entitled to a full legume now, I can see myself working it into my breakfast menu.

Until next time...

What is P.A.P.?

The Beginning of the End

Today is the first day of phase 3.   In this phase, P.A.P upper and P.A.P lower are repeated twice with one day of yoga and 2 optional rest days.  Seems simple enough to me, but I wonder if I will get bored with it.  

P.A.P lower was pretty intense today, but definitely not impossible.  It focused a lot on my strengths, which is lower body.  So, a lot of squats, lunges, jumping, etc.  I would definitely consider this a cardio workout in addition to a balance and core workout.   What I haven't seen yet, is a separate ab workout afterwards.  So, I'm curious to see if the core components in each workout will be enough to keep my abs tight.  Something tells me it probably will.

With a new phase comes a change in diet portions.  I lose 2 proteins, 1 dairy, and 2 veggies.  But, I gain 1 fruit, half a legume and half a grain.  What that means for me is I can eat a whole sandwich now at lunch time instead of just a half and I don't have to us my snack portion when I eat an extra fruit every day.  So the portions will take some getting used to, but I'm anxious to see how it affects my weight in the next 30 days. 

I'm about a week late in taking day 60 pictures, but will be doing it tomorrow.  I'll wait to take my final weight and measurements until day 90.  There's only 4 weeks left in this program and it's going to go by fast!  

Until next time...

Conga-Lime Pork

Conga-Lime Pork

A delicious dish!  Super easy crock pot recipe. You've got to try the  Conga-Lime-Pork.

Ready to Get Back on Track

I had some trouble this past weekend.  In fact, one could say I completely fell off track.  Over the long holiday weekend we went on vacation, and as hard as I tried to choose healthy and P90x friendly meals, it was the alcohol that got me.  And I knew this would be trouble for me. As often as I've read about doing the "traveling workout" I had decided ahead of time that I wasn't going to make it a priority. I had gone away for the weekend to have fun and that was going to be my goal.

I decided that I would skip my workout Friday since we would be traveling that day, Saturday would be my regular rest day, skip Sunday's workout, but make it up on my regular rest day on Tuesday.  I would workout Monday when we returned.  So I'd really only be missing Friday's workout.  It all sounded like a good plan to me. Well, as you probably imagined, my plan didn't quite hold up so well.  When we returned I was so exhausted I knew my body wouldn't hold up for a workout.  I needed all of Tuesday to get my motivation and body back to working normally.

So, here we are today, Wednesday, a whole 5 days later from a 5 day p90x vacation.  And of course I feel guilty, but what can I do?  I wouldn't trade my weekend for anything and worst case scenario, I fall back by one week on my program.  I could always make it up by not taking a recovery week, making last weekend my recovery week and moving straight into Phase 3.  Or, I could take off those 5 days, jump back in today and keep pushing through it.  Either way, I have not given up on my commitment to the program.

So, what's the point?  Why did I write about this?  The point is, everyone, even the most committed, can fall off track with their diet and exercise program, but the important thing is that you don't give up on it.  You will have setbacks along the way, but don't throw away all your previous efforts for one weekend of indiscretion.  Get back up and get back on and finish it out.  We've passed the halfway point in this program and the end is nearing.  There's no reason to stop now!

Great Dinner Recipes from the P90X2 Cookbook

So, I've been a little behind in posting these pictures... We've made several recipes from the P90X2 cookbook and most of them have been pretty tasty.  Among the "winning" recipes are Bruschetta Chicken, Pear Pork Medallions and and Southwest Turkey Burgers (not pictured).  We've tried the Easy Jerk Chicken (super easy but too spicy for my taste), Chicken Lettuce Wraps (just ok), and the Fish Tacos (just ok).

Next week I'm going to try to switch up my breakfast menu a bit and add some new recipes from the cookbook.   On my list of to-dos is Breakfast Muffin Cups to Go, and Breakfast Quinoa (because I've always wanted to try quinoa).  So, hopefully next week I will be a bit quicker at posting the photos.

I am in my 3rd week of Phase 2 and intend to complete at least 4 weeks of this phase, just as I did with Phase 1.  Whether or not I will do a recovery week depends on how I'm feeling at the end of week 4. Already, I feel stronger and am surprising myself each workout with my increased abilities in pulling up my own weight and push ups.  I've even completed 1 Chattaronga Rocker without dropping my chest to the floor!  Yay for me!

If you're interested in any of the above mentioned recipes, message me and I will be happy to share the recipe with you.  I haven't been able to find any links to the recipes on the web yet.

Bruschetta Chicken with chopped romaine

Pear Pork Medallions over brown rice

Week 6

Well, last week was difficult for me. Not only did I begin a new phase in this program, but I also had a lot of appointments, which made finding time to workout quite difficult.  I had to rearrange my workout schedule and switch up my rest days to accommodate my additional commitments, but I did manage to get all my workouts in. :)

I'm finding that Phase 2 is very challenging for me (as if I didn't expect it).  It focuses a lot on my weaknesses, which is upper body strength.  Give me some squats and lunges and I'm good, but throw in some L-pull ups or decline stability pushups and I'm toast!  I'm not getting discouraged though. Each week I try to increase my reps by at least 1 and I am finding that I'm getting stronger.  I still have to use the chair to do pull ups and chin ups, but that's an improvement for me, because I struggled to pull myself up using the chair before.  Chest, Back & Balance is by far the toughest workout for me in this phase.

Shoulders and Arms is probably the easiest workout for me, and I've increased my weight to 10 lbs for the bicep curls.  I like the friendly and fun interactions between Tony and his partners.  It keeps the workouts light and fun for me.

Base and Back is no joke!  I paused the video several times to catch my breath.  Think Plyo meets pull ups with little breaks in between!  My legs were like jello after I did this workout and my arms were hanging.  I'm dreading repeating the workout this week, and I've got to psych myself up for it.  I know it will only make me better and I love a challenge!

I like that my abs are getting worked out 4 times a week in this phase. I feel like I'm building a lot of strength in my core still and I love that, and there are still a lot of balance moves.  It feels like a more well rounded phase to me and I'm excited to see what my results will be after completing 4 weeks of phase 2.

I'll try to focus this week on posting more recipes for those of you also working through phase 2.  I have a couple of recipes from the P90X2 nutrition book on my menu this week.  Reviews and photos to follow.

Until next time...

Getting Prepared for the Big Game

With the big game fast approaching,  and parties being planned,  you're probably wondering how on earth you are going to stick to your diet with all the tempting snacks and beverages on display.  Like last year, this year will be just as challenging, but hopefully with a few tips and recipe ideas, you can be successful at sticking to your diet.

Here are a few tips that stood out to me:

1. Get your workout in before the game.  Most likely, you're not going to feel like exercising after the game and working out will reduce your cravings and decrease your appetite.
2. Eat before you go to the party.  If you show up starving, you're more likely to eat everything in sight.  
3. Bring a veggie tray w/dip or fruit platter.  Try using nonfat sour cream or yogurt instead of regular sour cream.  This gives you at least one healthy option to choose from the array of party snacks.
4. Use the 5-to-1 veggie trick.  For every 5 bites of vegetables, allow yourself one full-fat snack bite, such as a meatball or chicken wing.  
5. Skip the beer.  I know, I know. The beer will probably be flowing, but if you have the option to choose wine instead, you will be much better off calorie wise.  And red wine is better for you than white.  If you absolutely must have a beer (or two) try to stick to light beer.
6. Finally, eat during halftime only.  If you are snacking constantly throughout the game you will lose track of how much you've eaten and are more likely to consume more than you would in an ordinary meal. The calories will really rack up.

These are the tips that have really got me thinking.  I will definitely try to put these to use on Sunday.  If you want more tips or recipe ideas, check out the following links.

8 Tips for Surviving the Football Season

The 5 Best and 5 Worst Cocktails

Healthy Super Bowl Recipes   Be sure to scroll all the way down the page to see main dish, appetizer and dessert ideas.

Good luck!

Continuing on to Phase 2

Sunday proved to be another sluggish day for me.  So, I didn't end up starting Phase 2 like I had planned.  However, feeling much better yesterday morning, I started with my first Phase 2 workout.  Chest, Back and Balance was no joke.  I surprised myself a bit with the pull-ups though.  Although I still need assistance from the chair I was able to do a lot more reps than I thought.  I modified a lot of the stability pushups and chose to do them from the floor instead of 4 medicine balls or declined stability ball.  But, hey, I'll get there soon enough.  This was my first workout in this phase and it was more or less a day to size up what I've got coming to me.  I'm glad I did 4 weeks of Phase 1 because I can definitetly feel my core being challenged and I needed that core bootcamp to get me ready for phase 2.  I've read that in this program the biggest change in your body can be seen after the second phase.  This proved to be true with P90X also.  So, I'm pumped and excited to start this new phase and continue on in my journey towards a body transformation.

A side note...yesterday was Day 30!  60 more days to go!

P90X is Legit!

P90X is legit!  As if you didn't already know that.  Those late night P90X infomercials don't lie!  :)  It's nice to see confirmation of what we already know and believe in.  Check out this article from the L.A. Times.

Dragging

Today I'm dragging.  I feel completely depleted.  What a difference from yesterday!  Maybe it's time to move on to recovery week.  I was supposed to do Balance and Power today but knew that I could not make it through even the warm up portion.  I feel like I'm coming down with a cold and my energy reserves are low.  I decided today to move early into recovery week.  Tomorrow is supposed to be my day of rest and I would have begun recovery week on Sunday, but I feel that my body is telling me I need to recover now.  So, I skipped Balance and Power and decided to do the Recovery and Mobility instead.  It was just what I needed; a lot of stretching, foam rolling and only mildly aerobic.  I had just enough energy to get through (most of) it.  I'm hoping to kick this cold soon and look forward to beginning Phase 2.  Until then, I will take a few days to recover and work through the Recovery and Mobility and Yoga workouts.

Week 4

I began my fourth week of Phase I on Sunday.  I can definitely tell a difference in the strength I've built in my core.  I'm pushing through the pushups (not from my knees) and getting better on the balance ball.  I feel like I know the routines fairly well and am pretty comfortable with each workout.

In staying true to the program by listening to my body, I feel like I'll be ready to move on soon.  I haven't been sore each week like I'd been previously and I feel like my core has strengthened enough to continue on. I'm not sure that I need a full recovery week, but I will probably do 3-4 days of the recovery schedule just to see what it's all about.

Damien has already moved on to Phase II and from the looks of those workouts, I have my work cut out for me.   I'm looking forward to the soreness I will feel after completing the new routines and "confusing my muscles."  I'm also looking forward to changing the diet up a bit and adding a whole carb into my menus.

Day 30 pictures are next week and I'll be happy with my progress when I can see real results in the photos, no matter how small they may be.

Until  next time...

Still Needing Inspiration?

Are you still in need of some inspiration?  Have you fallen off the wagon with your program?  Read through the list of the Top 10 Inspirational Fitness Films and commit yourself to renting and watching at least one of them this weekend.

Fitness Secrets

Want to know how to get fit and stay fit?  Read these helpful secrets of fitness.  A lot of them are no brainers, but I'll be putting a few of them on my to-do list.

20 Secrets of Very Fit People

Three Weeks In

Yesterday, I began my third week of P90X2 and I have to say that I'm feeling a lot stronger.  I'm doing a lot better with the stability ball and am trying to improve in my reps each week.  There are still some areas where I am completing modified moves, such as push ups from the floor vs. stability/medicine ball, but I am improving in each area and that's the point, right?  I figure I'm going to need at least another week or two to feel accomplished in each workout video.  So, I've decided that my first phase will probably last 4-5 weeks.  To get the most out of the nutrition plan I will follow the Phase I diet for at least 5 weeks.  With the meal plan getting easier for me each week, this shouldn't be too difficult.

Last week I dedicated my posts to recipes and menu ideas, which I hope were found to be helpful.  This week, I will focus on finding helpful articles and inspirational blogs to help keep the motivation alive.  Some of you might have expected to see greater results after the first two weeks, and if you are like me, were probably disappointed when the scale did not measure up to its expectations.  One thing to remember is that this program is designed to give results in 90 days.  So, naturally a two-week fix is not going to happen.  However, stay with it and stay committed and you will not be disappointed.  I look forward to taking day 30 pictures when I will have visual proof of 30 days of hard work and discipline.

Interestingly, I've discovered a blog by Tony Horton's sister, who also happens to be at the same stage as me in the program.  In keeping true to my promise of posting links to inspirational blogs here is the first one of the week.

 Kit Caldecott's Blog

Broiled Chicken, Couscous and Moroccan Carrots w/Sugar Snap Peas

Broiled chicken, couscous and Moroccan carrots

Tonight we had broiled chicken, couscous and Moroccan carrots with sugar snap peas.  For not being much of a curry lover, this was surprisingly mild in flavor, receiving compliments around the table.

1 chicken breast, 1/2c. couscous and 1 c. carrots/peas = 1 protein, 0.5 grains, 1 veggie.

The Usual

In our house, a chicken breast, brown/wild rice and steamed broccoli is a recurrent recipe.  It seems like we have it at least every other week.  This actually is too easy to make, so I can't really complain.  Usually we grill a chicken breast, but this was cut off one of the roasting birds from the Albertson's deli.  Steam broccoli for about 6-8 minutes, salt and pepper to taste. Cook wild rice according to directions on box.

1 chicken breast, 1/2 c. rice and 1c. steamed broccoli = 1 protein, 0.5 grain and 1 veggie.

Grilled Sirloin with Roasted Vegetables

Grilled Sirloin with Roasted Vegetables

Last night we had 6oz. grilled sirloins and 2 cups of roasted vegetables.  It's amazing how sweet vegetables can taste when they've been roasted, not to mention the wonderful smell that fills up your house.  I will definitely be making this again!

2 proteins, 1 vegetable, 1 legume

Buddha's Delight w/Tofu

Buddha's Delight with Tofu

Tonight we had yet another Asian inspired meal.  Buddha's Delight is a mixture of vegetables such as snow peas, red peppers, bok choy, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.  I thought, why not make this entire meal vegetarian by using chopped tofu instead of chicken?  Portions=  1 veggie and 1 protein

Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes

Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes

Tonight we had curried chicken salad with grapes.  I added 2 cups of chopped kale (a super food) to the iceburg lettuce blend to add more nutritional value.  From 2 heaping cups of lettuce blend and 1 cup of chicken salad, I figured I got 1 veggie portion and 1 protein. The grapes were too insignificant to count.

Curried Chicken Salad

Our girls eat the same foods we do, but occasionally a disguise is needed so they don't start picking out what they like and don't like. Since I know they like to eat wraps, I turned this same meal into a wrap using a whole  wheat tortilla. This is also is a good way to get in a carb if you need it. Another tasty and easy meal!

Teriyaki Chicken and Spicy Green Bean Stir Fry

Teriyaki chicken and spicy green bean stir fry

Last night, we had teriyaki chicken made from a home made teriyaki marinade recipe.  We also had spicy green bean stir fry (Weight Watchers).  The sweetness of the chicken with the spiciness of the green beans was perfect.  Another incredibly easy meal to make!

1 protein, 1 veggie

Kickin' Thai Beef Salad

Grilled Thai Beef Salad

As with many of my daily recipes, my go-to source is my old Weight Watcher's cookbooks.  Tonight we had Grilled Thai Beef Salad.  It was filling, full of flavor and had a spicy kick to to it.  From 2 heaping cups of this salad I managed to get 1 protein, 1 veggie, and 1 legume (I added peanuts to get in the legume).  It was very tasty and easy to make. I highly recommend it!

One Week Down

I've completed a week of P90X2!  Yesterday was Balance and Power, and again I had difficulty with the upper body portions. Anything dealing with pushups from the stability ball I struggled with. Instead, I opted to do the modified moves from the floor and mat, which I proved to be much more successful.  I hope that in a couple more weeks I will eventually be able to do most of the workout from the stability ball.  As with the previous workouts, there was nothing that was impossible to work through in this video.  I attempted each move and recorded my accomplishments in the workout logs even if I achieved only 3-4 reps.

Last night, Damien offered an alternative to a recovery drink after my workout...a long, hot soak in the tub.  It was amazing!  I spent about 30 minutes in this hot bath, soaking my sore muscles and when I came out, my body was more than relaxed.  I compare it to the way I feel after I finish a session of Yoga.  I think hot soaks will continue to be part of my recovery.

Today is another scheduled Recovery and Mobility day.  I chose not to complete this workout on Tuesday and I think I'm opting to make it a rest day today as well.  There is something about only having to complete 5 workouts a week that is especially appealing, and for this first week I am going to take my full 2 days of rest. Perhaps in subsequent weeks I might need to complete a Recovery and Mobility workout, but my body is not telling me I need it this week.  I love the flexibility in this program!

Tomorrow I will begin with Phase 1 all over again.  The longevity of this phase is from 3-6 weeks depending on how much my body needs. I'm supposed to continue through this phase until I feel tired, but not exhausted from the workouts and when I feel I've mastered many of the moves.  At that point, my body will be ready for some muscle confusion as well as the next phase.  I figure I will probably need at least 4-5 weeks of this phase before I truly start to get good at any of the moves.  Mastering the moves and doing as many reps as they do in the videos, especially the pushups and pullups might be a goal for me to reach after a few complete rounds of P90X2.  For now, I will focus on getting good at each move and listening to my body.

Since I've already blogged about the workouts this week and next week will be exactly the same workouts, I will focus this coming week's posts on diet and recipe ideas. If anything exciting comes up otherwise with the workouts I will be sure to post about those as well.

Until next time...

Starting the Day Off with a Little Yoga

Today was Yoga and I needed it.  The positions were familiar to me from the original program with a couple of new ones added.  So I wasn't completely in unfamiliar territory. It included a yoga ab section as well.  The difference it seemed to me was that the moves were simplified and focused more on repetition vs. holding for extended periods of time. Maybe it's been a while since I've completed the original Yoga workout, but these differences stood out to me. The video itself ran for 73 minutes, including talking and demonstrations, which is a lot less than the original's 90 minute session.  The reduced workout time alone is plenty to make me look forward to doing Yoga again.

4 Days In

Yesterday was a busy day for me. It's a good thing that I had the option to rest, so I took it.  Today was X2 Total Body and it was definitely a total body challenge. I had the most trouble with the pull ups, especially since I can't even do 1 yet.  I also had trouble with pushup using the medicine balls.  Since my upper body strength is pretty poor, it hurt my wrists to use the medicine balls. Instead, I opted to do the pushups using only the mat and surprised myself at how many I could do (without going to my knees).  I feel good about it so far.  I know that I can't expect to keep up with the video models yet, but I hope to keep giving it my all and eventually be able to pull my own body weight up to do a chin up by program's end.  

I'm doing well with following the nutrition plan and reminding myself to eat every couple of hours.  I finished all my portions today and I'm actually starting to feel hungry now despite having a pretty filling dinner.  Maybe my metabolism is kicking up a notch?  That couldn't hurt!

Tomorrow is Yoga and I'm really looking forward to it because I could definitely use the time to stretch out my sore hamstrings.  I'm feeling optimistic with this first phase and think that I should be able to complete it with no problems, although I am only 4 days into it.  We'll see how it goes.

Until next time...

Food for Thought

Are you having trouble with the nutrition plan?  Here are some tips that helped me during the first program that I’ve also applied to the new program.

1. Write everything you eat down.  Use the nutrition journals I’ve created or one of your own.  It’s the only way to keep track of your diet and make sure you are getting enough portions of each food group.
2. Schedule a set time to eat throughout the day.  I set my watch alarm to go off every two hours, which is perfect for me.  I’ll eat breakfast, and then two hours later have a snack, two hours later lunch, then snack, then dinner.  It’s a perfect schedule for me.  I never feel starved or full.
3. Try to fit as many portions from each food group into your meals so you don’t feel overwhelmed with eating enough.  When I first started P90X I had a tough time eating all the portions.  I just couldn’t do it.  I’m a toast and yogurt kind of girl, so eating anything more for breakfast was difficult. I especially had a difficult time in phase I eating 5 protein servings a day.  But once I got creative with my menu I leaned that it wasn’t that difficult after all. 
• Here’s an example; instead of having eggs and turkey bacon (2 proteins), try making it a scramble by adding 1 c. veggies and 1.5 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese.  Now, you’ve turned a 2 protein breakfast into a 2 protein, 1 veggie and 1 dairy portion breakfast.   For lunch, I eat a lot of salads during the first phase.  It helps me reach my veggies portions and also fills me up pretty well.  So, I’ll make it with 3oz lunch meat, chicken breast or tuna and then add 2 slices of turkey bacon.  Now, I’ve reached my 2 portions of protein for lunch and a serving of veggies.  Dinner is easy because it leaves me with only 1 protein left, which is usually a chicken breast.
• For more examples and menu ideas please see the recipes page.

I hope these tips help you.  The first phase is always the hardest for me because it takes a lot of advanced planning to know which meal will be fulfilling each daily portion, but once you get a system down it gets easier.

Plyo-what?

Well, I survived Plyocide.  As much as I feared it would kill me, surprisingly it didn’t.  It was tough, a lot of jumping, just like the first plyo workout, but nothing impossible.  My legs felt the burn as I crouched from ready position, to fast feet, to jumping.  I felt like I was at a football training camp!  The best part was the cool down at the end, which was 12 minutes long. A 12 minute cool down!  But, after working my legs out Sunday with Core X2, I appreciated the long hamstring and quad stretching.  So far, so good.  I’m still in it and am excited to see what the next workout challenges my body to do. Although I could choose to use today as a rest day, I am curious to see what the Recovery + Mobility is all about.

Until next time...

So Sore!

Yesterday I began my P90X2 challenge with Core X2. It was difficult, but not impossible.  I had the most trouble, of course, with the upper body portions and the stability ball.  I lost balance quite a bit while trying to do sphinx pushups on the stability ball. But, I am not discouraged because I know that I will only continue to get better.

Having not done any P90X workouts since July, I knew that I would be in trouble this morning.  In fact, I could feel my muscles tightening up yesterday afternoon.  When I woke up this morning I was sore EVERYWHERE!  But, that's the point, right?  What's a better indicator that you had a great workout than being sore, especially in places you'd least expect it!

So, as I begin a new day in the program I am up against Plyocide.  The name alone is enough to make me want to crawl back into bed.  But, I am going to give it my all, like always, and see how I do.  I'll be sure to drink my homemade recovery drink right afterwards to avoid being unable to move tomorrow!

Until next time...