P90X Phase 3

I wish I could say that I have kept up with the exercising. I haven't. I stopped working out for a while, and then tried working out with Turbo Jam. I really like Turbo Jam, but several of the other coaches made the comment that I should finish P90X and THEN move on to Turbo Jam. They said I must finish what I started. So, I am finishing out the final phase of P90X. However, I think that I will do another round when I am finished so that I can get better results. I am not happy with how I look yet. Don't get me wrong, I am liking what has occurred so far, but I want to look better.

That's all for now.

Katie.

Day 37 and counting...

I tend to workout at night now, after my boyfriend has gone home to go to sleep and things have settled down a bit at my house. I have skipped about 4 or 5 days, admittedly, only one of those days was because I wasn't feeling well. The others were just pure laziness. I have found support on Facebook with an awesome group of guys and gals. If you are reading this and struggling with your P90X workout, go to that page on FB - P90X Support Group. They're awesome. My other help comes from looking at pictures of people doing Beachbody workouts on Facebook. I mean, their results are keeping me coming back to the DVD player day after day to push play and BRING IT! The fact that my clothes are fitting looser and I am fitting in my old clothes that had gotten too small are also big helps. Staying away from food....Ah food. I love you so, but you are just so bad for me!!! I wish that I could say that I've been following the Nutrition Plan to a tee, but I haven't. I have cheated waaaaay too much. But, all I can do is take it one day at a time, and see my body as a machine that needs fuel. Keep feeding the machine the preferred octane and stop trying to feed it that awful junk!

That's all for now.

Many days later in Phase 2 of P90X

So, I have stopped writing for awhile because no one follows my site, that I know of. But, have I stopped working out? No sir! I have missed 4 days thus far. Truth be told, 3 of those days were from lack of planning on my part - as in, it is the end of the day, I'm really tired, so I'm not gonna workout. I have also had some setbacks as far as my eating goes. Little things here and there. What can I say? That food is breaking down my willpower. That is why I went out and got some more healthy snacks - to keep me away from the cakes and cookies of the world.

Here is what has happened since we have last "met." I've passed from phase 1 of my workout into phase 2...every 30 days is a new phase. Tomorrow will be day four of my Second Phase. I am like the equivalent of a caterpillar. It is in the third phase where I will emerge as a bee-yoo-ti-ful butterfly. Yes, watch me fly away with all my muscles on display for the world to see. Ha ha!

I have lost 5 lbs. and an 1 - 1.5 inches everywhere except my arms. Only half an inch there. Still, everything is starting to look like muscles are forming underneath the "goo."

That's it for now -ta ta!

P90X, Week 2, Days 2&3

Yesterday, I did some serious bonking. That is when you work out and end up crashing during the workout. I tried to go at full strength, but I went mild strength at best. I grabbed a teaspoon of peanut butter, but I still had to press the pause button several times.

After I did my workout, I showered and went to work. I didn't get back until 10:20PM. Then, I could not sleep! Not that different from other nights - I have a hard time sleeping most every night, but last night I didn't get to sleep until 5AM. It messed up my whole day today.

On to today - I am skipping my workout today. I am in so much pain right now from cramps. Sorry to let anyone know that who isn't prepared to know such things. You do need to know this though - every woman gets their period and a lot of women get cramps. I'm going to let you in on what they feel like. They feel like someone is twisting your intestines. Sometimes the pain goes all they way down your legs to your knees and around the lower back. To say the least it is something that is very hard to ignore.

Anyway, my plan is to take some Ibuprofen and work out anyway. I feel extreme amounts of guilt for not doing this today! You have no idea. I don't even know if anyone will ever read these, but I feel accountable for every unhealthy habit I have now - not exercising, eating junk food...to have so many people knowing what I am doing from day to day (at least 10, I think, even though it's no one from this blog) puts some pressure on me to "do better." Actually, to do my best. I'm actually living like I have those 10 people watching me all the time and cheering me on when I do the right things. I don't know if that's crazy or good but, it's how I roll. Does anyone else have an imaginary audience? I'm even typing right now like I have an imaginary audience. But, I don't. There's a kind of freedom with that. I could write and old cheer I had in Key Club and no one would be the wiser, "Cali-Nev-Ha! Cali-Nev-Ha! A buggah buggah buggah, HA HA HA!!"

Day 1, Week 2

Today, I was stuck at home watching my grandma. Her caretaker was sick. Again. I think I need to start making her take multi-vitamins, cut out the sugar, and put some good vegetables in. She gets sick more then anyone I know. Who knows, though. She might just have a bad case of work-itis. She's supposed to come in tomorrow. Let's hope that she doesn't complain of not feeling good and ask to cut out early.

This time, the workout was not as hard as last Monday's. The weird thing was that right after my workout and a shower, I went bowling with the junior/adult league. (Teams of four, one of the members has to be a minor on the team.) Anyway, I played the worst game I have played in a long time! I really bombed. Good thing the rest of my team was good or we would have lost. We actually ended up winning the four points out of four.

Day 7 - not the day of rest for me.

Today at work, I was astounded by the number of people that came in to shop for stuff. Of course it slowed down once the Super Bowl started, but it was still kind of busy. One of my bosses got ... she seemed like she wanted to fight or something. I don't really like her that much, and I've never been one that's really good at hiding her feelings, so every time she calls my name at work, I heave a big sigh and turn around to ask what. Apparently, she noticed. I didn't even realize I was doing it. She called me over and asked what my problem was. I was confused so I said, "nothing" in a questioning kind of way. She explained that when I was over by the toys, I sighed a big sigh when she called me, and just then when she called me, I did the same thing. So again, she asked what my problem was. I said, "nothing." She kept at it: "is it a work problem?" "No." "Tell me what your problem is." I said, "I don't want to." She said, "is it a personal problem?" (I thought quickly - 'yeah, personally I don't like you.) "Yes, it's a personal problem." She said, "then leave it at home." -WHOA! What the heck was that about? I'm not allowed to sigh now? That's ridiculous! You know, I have no problem with someone telling me when I'm doing something that is I dunno, not helpful...like, if I was yelling at customers or something, but this was...she was just trying to exert her power over me, and she totally did it like she wanted to fight! Why is she always so - she comes across as condescending and arrogant. While it is true that the customer is always right (unless they're wrong), at the end of the day, we all have to work together - as a team. I'm not getting that from her. It's like the rest of us that work there are a rushing river and she is a big rock in the middle of the river that we all have to move around to get where we're going. Why can't she just move with the current? She won't even let us do things our way. If we're working quickly and producing the same results then if she had done the job herself, what does it matter that we don't do it her way? Why micro-manage every little detail? Hey, just do your own job, let me do mine, and check the end result.

Enough about that. Today is day number seven for working out with P90X. P90Xers have two choices on Sundays - they can either rest, or they can do the X Stretch which is good for your muscles and helps "reset" them for the next day's workout. Plus, stretching helps your muscles get stronger, and it helps to gain control over the exercises so the movements are done right. After hearing all those benefits, I chose to do the stretchin'. I'm a little sore in the hips now but my back feels tremendously better. So, I'm happy.

Since I've started doing this program, I've noticed I'm getting stronger and I have more faith in myself that I can do things. I figure, if I can do these exercises that athletes and military people do, I can do things I never thought I could do before. Confidence, an added bonus I didn't know I would get. I'm also able to run and jump and do other stuff without becoming winded now. Sweet deal. I'm receiving encouragement from others doing this program - apparently, I just got through the hardest part of the workout: the first week. Heck yeah! The same person said we (me and other P90Xers) are going to start noticing that we have the ability to do more stuff in the workouts, and we will get more muscle. Now, don't worry. I won't (and you if you decide to do this) look like a strange body building woman. I will be lean, with muscles. Think Brad Pitt from "The Fight Club." Haha! Just kidding.

That's it for now. Thank you my one follower for letting me rant and rave for a bit. Oh, and I will be talking with that boss with another boss present, believe me. I'm not taking this power trip of hers any longer.

Day 6

I think every day is hard, but having done the six workouts I will be doing for the next three weeks (2 now), I think Yoga is by far the most hellish workout I have ever exercised to ... including a spinning class I took once and an exercise thing I did with a trainer that was hell-bent on seeing me cry. Did I give in? NO! I refused to let the tiny little trainer woman make me cry.

I am proud of myself once more for having exercised every day this week. I plan on taking it one day, then one week at a time. No more of that I have 80 something workouts left. I will just keep track of the days and the weeks.

Today I skipped out on church and went to a movie instead. It was an awesome movie called To Save a Life. I think I'm going to put it right up there with the other two movies I've seen and loved lately: Avatar and The Lovely Bones.

I also met with my coach and she told me how to do everything to be a good coach. It was fun seeing her again. She used to go my church but moved away.

Right now I'm waiting for my work clothes to finish drying. I washed them for work tomorrow. I don't know why, they will get dirty in a couple of hours anyway, but it is nice to know that they are clean when I go in. I wish they'd hurry up and dry though. It's almost 1AM and I'm tired. I forgot to start them until late, so that's my fault.

Day 5

Today was weird. Lately, I have been sooo tired, so when I don't have to go anywhere, I sleep in. Not just normal, "oh, I slept in until 9AM, naughty me!" kind of sleeping in. I can't sleep at night, obviously it's the diet soda, so I stay up until around 3 or 4AM. Then, I sleep until 11...to start with. I keep hitting the snooze and then changing the time I have to get up. Yesterday and today, I finally "burst" out of bed at 2PM.

Anyway, I watched cartoons for a bit, ate breakfast. Total makes some awesome cereals, I must say! After breakfast I put on my clothes to workout, and then sat down in front of the TV to watch an episode of "Ned Declassified." But after that, I went into the computer room to work out.

I must have been in a bad mood today, or something. It wasn't made better by the fact that my DVD kept skipping - not the audio part of it, the visual part. I was okay with it, unless Tony (the instructor in the video) was showing me how to do a new move, then I wanted to see what was going on! I was already pissed about that, so I pressed pause on the DVD and went to get some water. I get to the kitchen, and low and behold, my grandma's caretaker wants to talk. She told me about Pink being on Oprah. I said, "That's great," in a very sarcastic way. I got back to the computer room and pressed play, and then the friggin' phone rang. It was my boyfriend. I told him about all the crap going on, hoping he would just say, sorry and let me get back to my workout. Nope. He pretended to be an skipping workout which pissed me off more then I already was so I said, "F*** off!" and hung up on him. I called him back a little later and apologized. He was forgiving. Finished workout # 1 (I figured out after awhile that if I move the DVD from full screen down to part of a screen, it doesn't skip and I was much happier after that) which is Legs and Back (more like legs on fire! that's what they should have called it) and then did the other workout on the P90X schedule Ab Ripper. That one has an appropriate title.

Then, I went to an Italian restaurant with Gary and ate some of the most glorious food ever. I've been so good with my eating ... I never knew Alfredo sauce could taste so good. I did check in the calorie section of the menu to see, and it said it was about 700 calories...I don't think the yummy bread was 0 calories, though. But, I did have water instead of diet coke, so I feel better about myself there.

Anyway, came back home, watched Medium while Gary watched Golf (I don't see the allure there) and here I am. I'm wondering if I will be able to lose this weight if I eat like that every once in a while. I think if I can still lose weight, I will do that so I don't dive into the Little Debbie section of the grocery store and not stop eating until I have to breathe. Mmm, snack cakes... I've replaced those with granola bars. Healthy ones.

My boyfriend has told me once that he doesn't think I'll make it past week one. He's wrong! He's so wrong! In reply I asked him when he was going to stop making fun of me and actually try the workouts. He said he will do them (well, in a non-committal way that let's him back out if I actually do start burning off fat and getting muscles like any guy would) when he started seeing results. Now I have DOUBLE the determination I did before. He will pay!

That's it for now.

Day 4

Oh. My. Gawd. Today's workout was by far the hardest one. I didn't know people's bodies could stretch that much. You know what? mine can't..yet. My biggest problem was staying upright. When it finally got to the cool down I was ready to jump through the TV screen and hug Tony for that, and then slap him for making me workout that hard! I think next time, I'll break that workout into two sessions. My legs hurt.

Okay, so I figure no one wants to hear this stuff. Who wants to hear about workouts all the time? So, I'll break it up. When I have something funny to say about ma workouts, fine. Otherwise, I'll leave a little blurb at the end about it, and that is it. Well, after today, of course.

I work at a crazy store called Michaels Arts and Crafts. Today nothing incredibly remarkable happened except the fact that I didn't know I had to leave at 5, not 5:30. Whoops! It came to about 5:14 and I thought about it and had one of my coworkers check to see what time I was supposed to leave. 5PM. Dang. Nobody even asked for something really weird. One time, a woman came in and kept asking where the hair dye was kept. I kept telling her we don't carry it, but she insisted. I said, "We don't even carry shampoo, sorry." She looked incredibly confused until her husband said they were in the wrong store. They meant to go to the store next to us. Then there are always the awkward silences on my part when I ask someone what they are buying flowers for and they say that they are for their mom's grave or something like that. I don't know whether to say I'm sorry, or just keep quiet. Usually, I tell them about my grandma and how much I miss her.

Next day I have to work is on Sunday. I always go into work with butterflies in my stomach because I'm not sure whether it will be a day where the customers are nice, or difficult (to put it nicely.)

Day 3

You know, the only day I have actually worked out at 10AM is the first one. Every other day, I've worked out at 2PM or later...I haven't started later then 3:30 though. I don't work out as hard if it is past 5 o'clock.

I didn't order the exercise bands at the same time I ordered P90X, so I'm still waiting for them to come in, mean time I've been either using no weights at all - like when the exercise is extremely hard and I'm barely making it as it is, or I will use two soup cans. I can't wait for the exercise bands to get here. On the Shoulders and Arms workout, I was feeling it, but not as much as I would have liked to. I also did the Ab Ripper X. Whoa that is tough!!!

Tony Horton continues to be encouraging and funny which helps me so much. I don't know if any of you have ever worked out with Billy Blanks DVD's but he got on my nerves, teasing me about wanting water but not letting me drink it. Phooey on that! Tony says, "if you need to pause it for a second and drink some water, go ahead. Now, it is true that I could have done that with the Billy B. DVD, but it wasn't my DVD, and I was working out at a friend's house with her, so I had to play by her rules..it's only polite.

At the end of the Shoulders and Arms video (I've been skipping the bonus rounds thus far, is that bad?) the other work out people and he all did an 'X' with their arms and said, "BRING IT!" I was like, "RAWWWWR! Yeah, BRING IT!" I'm starting to feel like a little warrior with these videos. You guys have no idea how proud I am of myself for doing this. Or, maybe you do. 87 more to go. (Don't worry, I'm not going to stop working out when I reach the end, I'll continue with something else.)

Until tomorrow: peace!

P90X, day 2

Today's workout was with P90X's Cardio DVD. At first I thought it was easier then yesterdays. I was wrong. I got to about 12 minutes before the end of the DVD and thought I should just skip to the cool down. But then, I decided to push through it, and do a modified version which I did. Believe me, I did. Yesterday, I was a little apprehensive because I didn't really feel the pain in my stomach muscles. Ah, but today, when I started working out, I felt it. I felt it big time all down my side stomach area and across the front.

I decided to not drink as much water during the workout as I did yesterday and that helped a lot. Yesterday I could feel that water sloshing around, not good.

You know, I already deviated from my schedule. I was supposed to workout every day at 10Am. I ended up working out around 3 today, but I still did it, so that's the main thing.

I don't remember if I posted this yesterday, but the P90X system comes with a nutrition plan so yesterday I had one of the recipes for breakfast. It was for a white egg omelet with mushrooms. If was very good, but it called for 10 egg whites! Why so many? That's crazy. I had half that and still felt full when I was done.

The hardest thing for me is going to be eating right. The rest of my family doesn't know the meaning of "no snacks." We have cookies and pie...I just keep my goals in mind and that sustains me. I am okay with having snacks, actually the program encourages the three meals and two snacks. Pie and cookies are not part of it though. I got some protein bars and I have apples. I need to get other stuff, but I don't have the money for it right now. I have a job that pays just over minimum wage and I don't even work part time.

That's it for now!

Tired of Being Tired

I am fed up with having no energy and I want to...I just want to get through the day without longing for a nap. I also like the idea of not being so aware of how big I am. I'm sure you are wondering, 'Just how big is this lady?' Well, I'll tell you. I am 5'8" and weighing in at 215 lbs. I've been told that I don't look like a weigh that much, that I look pretty good but, I've seen the pictures, I know the truth.

I was previously a member of a gym, which shall remain nameless, and I wasn't seeing any results. After a month of workouts, I lost no weight and 2 inches. Woop-ti-doo. None of that weight was from my midsection. That's the area of myself I like the least.

Today was my first workout with a DVD called P90X. With all the stuff people were saying about it, and the disclaimer on the packaging, I was pretty scared. I am a very timid person when it comes to trying new things and really stepping out there. But, I figured since I passed the fitness test, I'm good to go. I got through the warm up and I was feeling kind of pooped already. But, I pushed through it with the encouraging words of a self-proclaimed computer geek. He said when he first started, the program kicked his butt and he could hardly do anything. Then, as time went on, he could do more and more stuff. I'm banking on that being the case with me, too.

I also joined the beachbody program (the one that sells P90X) as a coach. I talked to one of my friends that was also a coach, because I'm thinking that no one would listen to a 215 lb chica like myself. She told me that it isn't about that. I'm just there to inspire other people, and tell my story. Plus, I get everything I buy cheaper if I'm a coach. When it comes to saving money, I'm down.

I set up my beachbody site, and here I am, hoping I stick with it, or as the guy in the DVD says, "Bring it!" I'll let you know how sore I am tomorrow, especially after my second crazy workout.

For now, I must say good-bye.