Day 45 - Rubberband Man

Back and Biceps was today. It was just me, my green band, and my hotel room. I was skeptical at first on if I could use only my green band and get a full Bicep and Back workout.


Since I didn't have a door attachment for my bands I followed one of my MDB (Million Dollar Body) forum buddies advice about putting the band in a open door hinge. I wrapped my band w/ a hand towel so that the hinge or door wouldn't cut or pinch my band. I knew that the band would/can either be too much or too little. In this weird and awkward door hinge time. It was just enough. I did the ISO hold move on every rep, and just did as many in the time alloted for the pull ups. So instead of doing 8-10 or 12-15. I did 16-20. I'm impressed. Got the burn that I'll definitely feel tomorrow.

I have to say that with only one band and a door I got quite a good workout. While I still fancy the chin-up bar, the band is a great alternative. However, after using it during the first part of Phase I and now exclusively during this week, I would highly recommend if a person were going to strictly use just the band to get a complete set. Sometimes the green band wasn't enough, sometimes it was WAY TOO MUCH! So the B-line package of bands would do the trick. Especially if one was to travel alot. Also, get the door attachment. Right now, I've had to use the "door hinge" method to do my exercises.

I, however, would rather use DB's over the bands. Since the "weight"/tension on the bands are never constant, I don't know exactly what I'm lifting. And with me having an engineer mind, I like concrete numbers. I like it when I see one week, I lifted 20#, the next week 25#. W/ the bands, all I can go off of is the # of reps or the size of the loop in the band.Don't get me wrong, I still get a great workout w/ the bands, but I'm a DB man. If you need to get more weights, depending on how much more weight you need, you might want to look into some "Selectable" weights. You know.. those dial-o-matic DB's. Of course there are the SelecTech by bowflex, which are the 5-25, 5-52, and the 10-90. $$$$$, but there are some cheaper ones around town. I know Rebook makes some that 5-25# for about $50/DB. I saw some at Target that went from 5-25 but they were around $60/DB.

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I would like to also add that I've had to eat out for lunch and dinner and I've done really well. While everyone is getting steak, loaded mashed potatoes, sugar and fat loaded desserts, hamburgers and fries... I'm getting grilled chicken, salmon, rice pilaf, sweet potatoes, vegetables, grilled chicken salad. I'm not saying I'm been a saint, a few indulgences like lobster tail, or ordering raspberry lemonade instead of water.

So even though if someone is away from the P90X meal plan, or out with their friends, etc.. You CAN stick to your guns and eat healthy. It's not a matter of "Oh, I'll just eat unhealthy this once." Because that once will turn into twice, then thrice.. Then, your off your diet and the whole world falls apart (joking).

It's a choice. If you can't change the little things like holding out on dessert, getting the right size portions, feeding your body the right fuel. Don't expect any type of gains or losses that you want.
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I'll be back tomorrow pushing play.

Day 44 - Plyo Power

Another day of plyo done, finished, in the books, el fin......

In addition to completing "The X in P90X", it was done in my hotel room. So even plyometrics CAN BE DONE when on the road!! No excuses everyone. I'm putting this one to rest.

Even though I was still huffing and puffing through the entire workout. I was able to reach my goal. After 6 weeks of plyometics, on this 7th week. This Grand, Glorious, Golden Week I have finally been able to keep up with Dominique. YES!! HOORAY!! KUDOS TO ME!!!

Don't get me wrong, this workout still kicks my tail each and every time, but if you've been keeping up with me, you should know that it's been my goal to mirror Domi. Each workout, I get a little closer, and a little closer. Finally, today I was able to creep up right next to him.

I'm writing this done as a MILESTONE DAY!!! The first time I did plyo, my goal was not to throw up or pass out. Seriously!!!!!

Slowly, but surely, "The Mother of All Workouts" is becoming "The Mommy".

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I've been trying to keep my nutritional intake at it's best. However, without my normal kitchen and having to eat out for lunch and dinner, it's a little harder than I thought. I stay to the restaurants that have "healthy" menus. Smaller Portions, Better selection of vegetables, chicken, fish. No mexican food, no heavy italian food, no pizza, no burgers, no bbq. Healthy all the way.

I'm doing pretty good (~8 on 1-10 scale) on making healthier food choices and portion sizes. I also have a folded up copy of Michi's ladder so I know what foods to pick and which ones to not.

I don't expect to eat 100% perfect or healthy all the time in these 90 days. But it's the journey of changing my mindset to make the choices. Small choices today will become habits tomorrow. Throw a bunch of habits together and you have a pretty nice lifestyle which will stick with you forever.
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I'll be back tomorrow pushing play.

Day 43 - Hard Rock Hotel

Today is the first day that I am taking P90X on the road. I'm going to see how well I can take the P90X DVDs, workout book, and the green workout band that came w/ P90X, and put to rest the excuse of not being able to stay true to the a workout program and skipping workouts just because you have to go out of town for whatever reason: work or pleasure.
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When I checked in last night, the first place I went to was what they considered their "workout gym". I was highly displeased that it was nothing more than a small room with 2 treadmills and a StairMaster. So problem #1 is: What am I going to about chin-ups. There was nothing that I could use to attach my band since I did not have the door attachment for the bands. But I will try to fix the problem by the time I have to do Back& Biceps.

The first workout of Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps went fairly well. I had to rearrange some furniture inside my room, but after that I had just an adequate amount of space to do all the exercises. However, Problem #2 showed it's ugly face: The green band is pretty stout and pose a problem of doing most of the shoulder exercises.

To fix this problem, I had to do a "Karate Kid" pose, by placing the band on a chair and then stepping on it with one foot to minimize the distance between my shoulders and the band under my foot. This not only worked my shoulders, but turned out to be a Core balance posture as well. The exercises that needed this Karate Pose were: Scarecrow, Weighted Circles, Fly-Row Press, and Cross Body Blows. All the other moves my feet were placed firmly on the ground.

I'll said it for the past three weeks: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps is my FAVORITE workout. Coupled w/ Back and Biceps. It's the ulimate WHAM-BLAM-THANK YOU-MA'AM upper body workout. I like it better than the mix in Phase I.

Ab Ripper X isn't getting any easier either, but I'm able to go farther into the reps before having to take a few seconds of break time before finishing the 25. Today I was able to get through ALL of the moves WITHOUT stopping. That was my goal. No matter how much it burned, how much it hurt, I would keep going. Alittle mind over matter.
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TIP: COUNT BACKWARDS!!!!!

It was ALOT easier for me to focus on how many reps

I had left than how many more I had to do. I dunno, I like it when

I had 5 left, 4 left, 3, 2, 1. Than saying 19,20, 21.

More like "Backwards Mentality" BUT IT WORKS!!!

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I'll be back tomorrow pushing play.

Day 42 - Kenpo X

Woke up this morning and my legs are still alittle bit stiff. Making the decision to switch Kenpo and Stretch was a very smart idea. Stretching yesterday gave my legs and body the needed down time for all my muscle tissue to rebuild themselves, while allowing me to stretch them out to get rid of all that built up lactic acid.

Kenpo today was just as good as any other day. While my kicks weren't as high and as powerful as they usually are. I still gave each move 100% effort.

The hand weights that I added to my Kenpo X arsenal worked GREAT again today. I highly recommend someone who needs that little extra in this workout to buy/borrow a pair of weighted gloves.

Wish me luck tomorrow as I leave out of town for an entire week. I'll try my hardest to bring it every day with P90X and post on how each day went. I'll only be using the green band that came with my P90X package for weight resistance. Also, being that I do not have a door attachment to take along, I hope that the hotel will have a workout gym and if they do, a chin up apparatus.

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My nutritional plan (a.k.a- Man's Diet) is coming along nicely. After talking to my friends on the MDB message boards, I have some new recipes that taste great, fit into my meal plan, and have the right amount of protein/carb/fat ratios that are in line with my program to getting to my goal of losing body fat % and body weight. So, while staying true to the provide P90X nutritional plan for Phase II. I might switch out one dinner on the plan w/ a MDB recipe.
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I'll be back tomorrow pushing play.

Day 41 - Stretching Out Frankenstein

OUCH! OUCH! OUCH! Yesterday I jokingly commented on me walking like Frankenstein. Well, today, I rolled out of bed and my joke that was so funny yesterday was SO NOT FUNNY NOW!! I felt muscles in my legs hurt that I didn't even knew could hurt. When I say hurt, I mean really sore from working out.

I felt it in my calves, my thighs, my hamstrings AND ESPECIALLY in my Gluteus Maximus!!!! Each step was like someone taking a dull stick and poking me in each cheek. Going up and Down the stairs at my office was a workout in itself. There was NO WAY that I was going to be able to have the workout I did yesterday and have enough leg power to do Kenpo today.

So I switched up the flow of things. I swapped out doing X stretch tomorrow for Kenpo X today. I definitely needed to get these hardwork muscles stretched out before doing any other exercise that needed my legs. I knew that I didn't, it would be only hurting me in the long run. The phrase: "Take one step forward, and two steps back" comes to mind in this situation.

After Stretch, I fell alot better in my legs and especially my Glut. Max. With seeing all this new definition start showing up and my weight going down and spare tire going away, I guess I over did it alittle bit yesterday during legs.

I found out yesterday that I'm going to have to go out-of-town for work. So I'll be taking my DVD's and green band with me. This is a great test of the P90X system to see how easy it is to use P90X and eating "healthy" while traveling. Since I cannot bring my chin-up bar and I do not have the door attachment, I hope (pray) that the hotel that I stay at has a chin-up bar/machine. I'll keep you posted.

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Steps Taken Today: 8,200 "Pain is Good" steps
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I'll be back tomorrow pushing play.

Day 40 - The Frankenstein Walk

Today I tried the "Doubles" regimen of P90X by working out at the gym at work. Once again, I'm really liking it. I'm able to use a wide assortment of weights, mirrors, and benches. I can believe that I didn't think of doing this while I was in Phase I. But, the flip side to working out all the time at the gym is that I would not have gotten the use of the DVD's.--> I'll speak more on that later.

With my printouts in hand, I started bringing it to my legs. MAN, did I work them out. On all the exercises I used 20# DB's that 1)weren't pullups and 2)Had the "Add more weight" under the Intensify note. This weight gave me that burn that Tony wants us to have on the last 3 reps.

I can feel a huge difference in the way my muscles reacts and feels when I switch through exercises without having to waist 20-30 seconds using my old twist lock DB's. Since it's more of a circuit training, they feel like they are always "engaged" since they do not have time to "rest and relax". I felt like I was able to be a better workout on my legs by constantly blasting them through the different exercises. I was feeling the burn alot earlier in my reps that I did during week 4. Also, maybe because I didn't do Legs & Back in week 5, they had alittle TOO much rest time.

Cardio tonight was great! I HATE (and hate is a strong word) to do cardio. Jumping on a treadmill and just run for 20-30-40 minutes is not what I call a fun time. But throw me some basketball, martial arts, couple hours at the dance club. YEAH!! That's what I'm talking about. With all that in mind, CARDIO X is fun, fun, fun!!! I get the cardio that I need to speed up the fat shredding, the sweat that makes it feel oh-so-good all while doing something that I enjoy doing. Mixing up some plyo, kenpo, core, and yoga.

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About working/not working out with the DVD's. I feel that even though one could workout w/ the DVD's, I am so so so glad that BeachBody decided to add in a workout book that is basically a written duplicate of the DVD's. This is great for ANYONE who is traveling alot, or working out at different places other than their home. Even though I have a portable DVD player and a player on my laptop. I'm not going to set it up in a workout gym. Beachbody gives me the option of photocopying the workout descriptions, and my weight/rep sheet so that I can work out when and WHERE I want. But of course, there is always a evil for every good. The drawback is that it's solely up to you to push yourself, to motivate yourself, to keep "Bringing It!". That's the hard part. I try to keep my pace to where I have about 10-15 seconds between exercises to keep my workout under an hour.
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I'll be back tomorrow pushing play.

Day 39 - Yoga w/ my son

Nothing like a good day of Yoga. Unless it's a good day of Yoga w/ my son. He has become obsessed with Yoga. Every night he wants to do yoga, he carries around his Yoga block. Before bed he says: "I have to do Yoga Daddy." It's a riot. He's learned to 1)Turn on the TV, 2)Turn on the DVD player, 3)Push play.

Sometimes I'll be in the other room and all of a sudden hear Tony in the back ground. (I leave my DVD's in the dvd player.) I walk in and my son says "He HAS to do Yoga." Even though, the Yoga DVD isn't even in the player.


Here are two pictures while doing Yoga. He lasted about 15 minutes this time before having to go to bed.

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I'm getting better and better with this thing called Yoga. I'm able to hold some of positions that I couldn't get before.

One positive about this workout, is that I was able to go from downward dog to runner's pose every time on each leg with my foot hitting the ground early and I have to grab it and pull it up into place. (If that makes sense.)

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Steps Taken Today: 8, 125
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I'll be back tomorrow pushing play.