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One Last Piece of Advice

WHATEVER YOU DO - - DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!!!!



If you do invite someone to take part in the p90x workout with you - don't let one rip!

Just Kidding...

Okay, So that last post wasn't my last post.  I just thought that it would be a good idea to give those of you who are thinking about starting p90x a few last words of advice. 

I would first recommend trying to eat healthy first, before actually starting exercising. By eating healthy I mean starting the p90x diet plan. After you have accomplished the eating right part (something I was never able to master) watch the videos a few times and get a feel for what your going to be dealing with. The p90x workout systems is nothing to jump right into (that's what I did - and look how it turned out for me).

Then I think it would be safe to start the workout. I recommend doing the workout at the same time each day (early morning worked best for me). It is also a good idea to find a spot to do the workout where you aren't going to be bothered by others (or made fun of). It is best if you find an area that offers a lot of room because with most of the exercises your going to need it.

Last but not least, I recommend most of all getting someone else in on the workout too. It is so much better when you have someone who is going through the same thing you are. Having someone else involved really makes the process so much more enjoyable.

Welp, that's the best advice I can give. I hope that if you are considering starting p90x you take all these things into consideration. Best of luck!

Dum Dum Dum....

This will be my final blog post - my apologies to all my dedicated readers. The reason my blog is coming to an end is due to the fact that it was a project for a writing for the web course I was taking this semester - I don't think that I have ever mentioned that before. Our project was to pick a topic that you could blog about for 12 weeks at 1,000 words a week. I chose to do mine on p90x - I would not recommend this for any busy college student in their senior year. It was just too hard to commit to with everything else going on in my life. It is convenient however that now that the project is over I have tons of free time, which I guess makes total sense because it is the end of the semester.

With the idea of the semester coming to an end and having a lot of free time I think I am going to continue on with the p90x workout. Even though I will be continuing the workout - I will not be continuing this blog. Last week I finished phase one (I started over midway through) and I am about to go onto phase 2 this week. I am looking forward to phase 2 because I am really bored with phase 1 because I did it for over 6 weeks. I think it will go a lot better because when I was doing it for this project it seemed like I was putting too much pressure on myself and choking at the task - over thinking it I guess.

I do not think that I am going to be a p90x lifer or anything but I would just like to try finish it and say I gave it a shot - just because everyone is waiting on me to give up at any second. The truth is I don't really think that p90x was the right choice of workout for me. It was just way to intense and serious, which are not two qualities I look for in anything really. I'm more laid back and I think I need to find a workout like that after I finish p90x. I also just found Tony Horton to be extremely annoying.

Anyway, I can't really say that I have enjoyed blogging about p90x really at all and I am glad that it is finally over!

Happy holidays to all! And best of luck in your pursuit to getting fit!

Last Week

Ok - Lets talk about last week! Last week I worked out everyday (believe it or not). I really pushed myself during the workouts because it was my last week in phase 1. I got up earlier than usual everyday had a protein shake and then did the workout. I was able to get them out of the way and go about my day and not have to worry around about when I would make time to squeeze them in.

I think that a big part of p90x is getting into a schedule or routine - I know I have been talking about that throughout this blog, but it really does make a huge difference. It seems that the more organized I am in other aspects of my life, the easier it is to incorporate p90x and get a good routine going. And I think that is most of the challenge to p90x - getting the rest of your shit together.

Even though I have become more organized in the rest of my life and getting on a schedule with the p90x workouts I am failing greatly when it comes to eating. At this very moment I am eating an ice cream sandwich. And I can't just eat one so this is one of the three that I will eat over the course of the night.

In addition to my ice cream sandwich binging - I have been being a fast food junkie all week and I love it. This is my biggest conflict with the p90x system. Oh if only I could do p90x, eat Burger King and Taco Bell everyday and still get an amazing body.  I really can't complain too much about my body though - I mean I'm still fitting comfortably in a 3/4.  I'm sure I'll be doing a lot of complaining in about 5-10 years when all these poor eating habits really start to catch up with me. But until then here is to fast food and hoping McDonalds or BK can come up with something soon that will top the McRib.

Here's a Funny One

Here is a funny one to boost your mood from that last post:

This could possibly be me in the next 30 or so years...

Aren't Cartoons Suposed to Be Funny?

I was looking for something to add to my blog - something cartoony and this cartoon really caught my eye.  I mean it's simple and when I first read it I laughed.  After thinking about it I don't think that this cartoon is really all that funny.  I think that it is sad because it is so true.  There are a lot of people out there getting upset over the numbers on the scale especially young women who have no reason to be bent out of shape over their body image but they are due to society and the pressure being put on young women today to look like celebrities. 

I just wanted to post this and tell everyone not to be concern with what the scales says - BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING HEALTHY!  Being in good health is what matters most.  Learn to love the skin your in and accept it (is that a dove commerical or what)!

Guilty Pleasures

Last week I did really well with the workout but I am struggling when it comes to eating again. I have been drinking more soda than ever in my entire life and eating junk food like no ones business (and really it isn't anyone's business). My guilty pleasure of last week was homemade oatmeal raisin cookies (my mom is super supportive of my diet), icecream, and 7UP - there are so many more, but these are the most memorable.

I'm hoping that once this semester is over I can start eating normal and healthy once again. This semester has been extremely stressful and that really increases my junk food intake.

Sticking to the P90X workout and diet has been just as stressful as school. And it seems like the more I focus on it the worse I do. It is almost like I am thinking about it too much and psyching myself out or something - does this happen to anyone else?

I look forward to your comments.  I hope everyone has a great week and resists the temptation of their own guilty pleasures! Here's to getting/being/staying fit!

Rockin the Beer Gut

I think this song is suiting for my blog because I always talk about how I hate my midsection.  I don't have a beer gut because I don't even drink beer - maybe I have a gin gut haha.  I just think this is a funny song and it has to do with being thick in the middle due to a poor habit.  I think the video is funny too and it's kind of inspiring because some of the people on there have legit guts and they aren't afraid to flaunt it - just like the lady they are singing about in this song. Give it a listen and enjoy! And don't hate me for getting this tune stuck in your head. Just Laugh!

Chest and Back

Went back to using my pull-up bar rather using the bands. I thought that the bands were too easy.


Goal        Actual

Standard Pushups
8               10

Wide Front Pull-Ups
3                 1

Military Push-Ups
5                 3

Reverse Grip Pull-Ups
4                   2


Wide Fly Push-Ups
5                   5

Close Grip overhand Pull ups
3                     2

Decline Push-ups
15                  12

Heavy Pants
15                  15

Diamond Push-Ups
3                   2

Lawnmowers
10                 8


Dive Bomber Push-Ups
3                   1


Back Flys
15               15


I passed on the Ab Ripper X this week.

Kenpo X

Kenpo X
The slow pace of the warm up in Kenpo X is extremely misleading in comparison to the rest of the workout because it is so slow and calm and that's exactly what I like about it. However I did not like the yoga positions that were thrown into the warm up. I liked how we didn't have to repeat any of the exercise - once they were done they were done and that was great but there were just so m any different exercises that were basically the same - if that makes sense.

Twist and Pivot - I think this exercise could get a little out of control. I defiantly wasn't doing it correctly. I just felt like I was flailing around. I found it hard to twist my feet and move my upper body. I'm a little uncoordinated I would say. - 25 each side.

Twist and Pivot with Hook Upper-cuts - A little better when adding the punch but still not so into it. 25 each side.

Jabs - By this point my arms were already tired. It wasn't hard - I'm just lazy and have week upper arms. -25 each side.

Jab/Cross - I liked this one. I just slowed it down a bit compared to the video and I imagined punching Tony Horton each time because he is so annoying in this video.

Jab/Cross/Hook- I really got a sense of a rhythm with this one and it was easier to follow along with everyone in the video. - 25 each side.

Jab/Cross/Hook/Upper-cut- The rhythm really increased adding the upper-cut. My arms were really killing me at this point. I decided to take a little break. - 25 each side.
I didn't participate in the running - I took a seat. I wasn't in the mood to bring it.

Jumping Jacks - I did them slowly. And wasn't sure what those jumping jacks then turned into ?

Step Drag Punch high & Low - I'm not coordinated enough for this exercise. Between the complications I'm having with the workout and Tony Horton's mouth - I wasn't enjoying the workout.
The chanting was a little too much for my liking.

Jab/Cross Switch - Not a bad exercise, but I didn't feel like I was getting anything out of it.

Hook/Uppercut Switch - felt more of a rhythm with this one but still not feeling much of a workout burn except for tired arms.

Knee Kicks - I loved this one - minus the sound. It was a nice change of pace in the workout and I started to get into it.

Ball Kicks - I wasn't very good at turning my front foot and I was feeling a little off balance - but I like the kicks for sure.

Side Kicks - Dragging the heel was a little rough seeing how I'm doing my workout on carpet. I did a few but not 30. I got really distracted with Tony's shoes.
I most certainly was not running in place during my break.

Back Kicks- I couldn't get my like to go back very far but I tried to participate. I think my kick was more of a side kick rather than a back kick.

Three Direction Kicks - I am worst at the back kicks in this one - they killed me!

High Sword/Low Hammer- I am too slow for this one. I don't think I would have liked it even if I was getting it right. I don't get much out of exercises like this one.

Step Drag/Claw/Low Punch - I really had to slow it down for this one and mute it. I am really not a fan of this exercise or any of these exercises that aren't kicks for that matter.
Again - I decided to sit during the break instead to continuing to move. At this point I wanted to quit.

High Blocks - This killed my arms. I like it though I was really feeling the burn from the workout.

Inward Blocks - I didn't like this one as well as the high blocks and at this point I was just suffering through.

Outward Blocks - My arms were just a burning - I had to pause and take a break. I wish I could have just kept going because there wasn't much time left but I took a break.

Downward Blocks - This one wasn't as tiring. I didn't mind it but I didn't think I needed to do 30 so I didn't.

Star Blocks - All I can say about this one is just unnecessary. I'm not going to lie I only did like 5 of these and started my break early.

High Block/ Low Punch - Same as all those other stupid block ones - I think it was just too many of the same exercise.

Knee/Back Kick - Wasn't too bad of an exercise but I'm going to have to work on back kicks.

Back Knuckle/Ball Kick/Back Kick - Too fast, especially towards the end of the video.

Hook/Uppercut/Low Side Kick - same as the above - I was way to tired at this point

Elbow Series- I liked this one. It was a nice ease towards the end of the video.

Vertical Punches- over a hundred, get real. I stopped at 30. It wasn't too bad but my arms were extremely tired.

By the end of this video I had an extreme head ache - I hated it!

Reebok Easy Tone Apparel

I don't know about anyone else - but I am extremely anxious to try the new easy tone apparel by Reebok that just came out.  I asked for the entire outfit for christmas (easytone pants and long bra top).  I have seen the easytone pants and long bra top and they don't look like anything special and they are not even that cute (pretty plain).  But I still want to try the top and the pants just to see if they work.  Here is a link about them and it explains how each of the items work. 

http://shopping.aol.com/articles/2010/11/20/reebok-easytone-apparel/

Has anyone tried either the pants or the top?  I want to hear some feedback and experiences with these items. Is anyone else thinking about trying them??

Once I get mine I will be sure to post pictures and my thoughts and feelings on the apparel. 

P90X Worksheets

Did anyone out there doing the P90X workout system know that there were legit workout sheets for keeping track of your goals, actuals, heart rate, etc.?  I had no idea!  Here was doing the workout and hand writing everything - which took FOREVER and made my workout so much longer when I could have just been printing off these worksheets.  I even came across food tracking sheets as well.  Those of you doing the P90X workout systems know how inconvenient it is keeping track of everything and I think these sheets could really increase the convenience.  I read somewhere that you can get these sheets on the beach body website ( I don't know this for sure - I didn't go and look.)  I also think it would be pretty easy to make one on excel. I will list the link for anyone who is interested. 

http://teambeachbody.com/get-fit/fitness-tools/workout-sheets

Legs and Back

Legs And Back Highlights:

The last workout that I did was legs and back, and that was on Monday before I went on vacation - almost a week ago. Here are a few notes on Legs and Back - I hope it helps any of you who are beginners and wondering what to expect form legs and back.

balance lunge - This exercise is tough. I found it really hard to keep my balance hence the name. It also took me longer to do 25 reps for each leg than the time allotted on the video so I had to pause it until I could complete it.

calve raise squat - I think the calve raise squats are really easy. I thought that I got a better workout the lower that I got. The longer I went the harder it was to go as low but I did 25 reps.

reverse grip pull-up - The reverse grip chin-ups are very tough. I used my pull-up bar because the bans weren't giving me the workout that I was looking for. I only did one reverse grip pull-up and my goal was only 2.

skater squat - I didn't mind this exercise, I just thought it was complicated to get the footing right and achieve the right motion. I had to pause the video and practice it a few times before I got into the 25 reps.

wall squat - I honestly could do the wall squats all day. The wall squats would have to be my favorite exercise of this video. Every sport I've ever played in high school, we had to do this exercise during practice.

step back lunge - I don't mind the lunges at all. Again with this lung I had trouble keeping my balance but I was feeling the exercise in my quads for sure.

side lunge - Balance again was an issue, but the lunges aren't bad at all. I prefer them over the other ridiculous exercise and that's probably just because of the low level of difficulty.

overhand pull-ups - I'm back to struggling with the pull-ups. I really struggled to just do 3. I really need to rebuild my upper arm strength and this video will do that.

dead lift squat - I think I was doing this one wrong because I was basically only feeling it in my shoulders and not really in my back. I didn't think it was working the right area - need to practice it a little more.

3 way lunge - balance off again, had to take it slow.

toe roll lunge - I thought this one was fun. It was hard for me to keep my knee from going over my toes though. I really felt this exercise in my butt and thighs. I really enjoyed this exercise.

speed squat - This one was tough. I tried to practice it while having the video paused, but I still couldn't get the hang of it at such a fast pace so I just paused it and did it at my own pace.

sneaky lunge - too hard to not let your heel touch. It was tough to get through all the reps.

I really enjoyed this video and I really like the lunges. If you have any questions or need any tips - just ask. But my advice is just to go at your own pace and just pause the video and do whatever you need to do to get through it. Best of luck!

Sunday

Today should have been the Yoga X workout but instead I did Yoga on the Wii Fit (my brother has a Wii fit and he suggested I try it).  I found it much more enjoyable than the Yoga X.  After I was finished I took my Wii fit age (which was extremely old) and played some fitness games. 

I also ran/walked/jogged a little over 2 miles today - doesn't seem like much but it's a start for me.  I really enjoy running especially when it's cold out. 

Since I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow I'm sure I will be doing a lot more running (probably on a treadmil) since I will be living in a hotel for the next week and won't have a lot of space to work with. 

I am worried about my trip.  I feel like I'm finally getting on the right track and I just know this trip is going to mess everything up because I have no will power. 

Wish me luck! And I'll keep you in formed with what's going on!

Saturday

On Saturday I got up extremely early and did the shoulders and arms video.  This is still by far my favorite video.  I wasn't as good about taking notes for this one because I was in a hurry to get my workout in and start my saturday ( with all the pausing to take notes it really lengthens the duration of the workout). 

After my workout I have to admit that my workout really wasn't over.  I had my 2 year old niece for most of the day - I now know the meaning of terrible two's.  It was a none stop chase the entire day.  And when I wasn't chasing her I was lugging her around with my already sore arms.  I'm sure your thinking - how heavy could a 2 year old be - she weighs about 40 some odd lbs (not fat or anything, just really tall). 

As for my meals on Saturday:

Breakfast: Steak, egg, and cheese, on an english muffin

Snacks: far too many to list - come on I was with my 2 year old niece all day, what would you expect

Lunch-  breaded cauliflower and cheese sauce and stuffed pepper soup

Snacks - again far too many to list

Dinner - Pancakes with fat free butter, homemade jelly, and syrup

Late night snacks - ice cream (fail!)

I am working on eating more sensible and portion control.

Friday - Plyometrics

Breakfast: 2 pieces of whole grain toast with scrambled egg whites with chicken

Snacks between breakfast and lunch: Dried fruit, cashews, and grapes

Lunch: yogurt, an apple, and a peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread.

Snacks between lunch and dinner: 2 apples and peanut butter, and a bowl of Special K

Dinner: Shrimp stir-fry which was take out so I'm not so sure how healthy that was

Snack before bed - NONE : )

As you can see, I'm not exactly going with the p90x diet - I am just eating sensible.

Workout Recap:
Again I'm winded and tired out during the warm up. I smoke far too much for this business. But I must say that this warm up is easier to get into and really gets you moving for the exercise.

Run Stance Squats - low difficulty, don't really feel like I was getting much out of it.


Airborne Heisman - I love this one! It's probably my favorite exercise out of the workout

Swing Kicks - another favorite of mine, but my stool isn't near as high as the ones in the video.

Jump Squats - I don't mind them, I like to get really low.

Squat Reach Jump - I try and touch the floor every time and I have a really soft landing

Squat Switch Pickups - I don't think these are at all challenging

Double Airborne Heisman - I really like this one for some reason - I really feel it!

Circle Run - I really like this one! I really feel the exercise in my fat ass.

Jump Knee Tucks - Hate it! I'm really not a jumper and I defiantly can't perfect a quiet landing with this one

Mary Katherine Lunges - I did this one with my hands on my hips and it was easy. I would say next time I
could do it with my hands in the air.

Leapfrog squats - I think this one is stupid and I didn’t participate in this exercise. I took an extra break.

Twist Combo - I liked this one. It came natural to me because I’m an avid skier and I just imagined myself on the mountains - not in my living room working out.

Rock Star Hops - nope not having it, it just makes me feel foolish.

Gap Jumps - I really lack the space for this one - but I was into it because it was so easy

Squat Jacks - These made me feel extremely off balance, but I really felt it in my legs - I tried to go as low as possible (so sore the next day).

Military March - I couldn’t get my legs very high, but I was really feeling it. I had to go extremely slow. I was really lacking form.

Run Squat 180 jump switches - didn’t mind them but by this point I was beat for sure and all the spinning made me dizzy - but they weren’t hard at all

Lateral Leapfrog Squats- my thighs were burning so bad - I wanted to quit but didn’t.

Monster Truck Tires - again lack the space for this one and every time I jumped for some reason my dog went after my pant legs

Hot Foot- This one hurt my foot a little and I just felt like I was going to fall over. I think this is a bad one to save for last. I could really feel it in my calf muscles.
At this point my heart rate was 172 - a little high I’d say...

Pitch and Catch - I was into the throwing but then when it came time to get low - I felt like my legs were jelly and I couldn’t get back up.

Jump Shots - again I was so worn out at this point I could barely jump and it also brought back awful memories of basketball training that I'd like to forget

Football Hero - Uhh It was never ending - and Tony just wouldn't shut the hell up. I was
beyond annoyed and I think that it motivated me to just finish and push myself.

After the workout I had a protien shake and tried to catch my breath and regain feeling in my legs.

Back at it - A Recap of Thursday

On Thursday I had a revelation, I hate my fat stomach and I'm sick of just bitching about it. So I decided to start my P90X workout over AGAIN. I have a totally different mindset and I'm in it for the long hall this time.
This was my diet for Thursday:

Breakfast: Bowl of Special K with Skim milk, with a grape fruit (no sugar), and a whole grain bagel with fat free butter.

Throughout the day I snacked on cashews, sugar free pop-cicles, and fat free yogurt.

Lunch: 6 inch turkey and ham sub from Sub-way with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, light mayo, and provolone cheese. I also had baked Doritos.

After lunch I had a home made fruit salad for a snack and then before dinner I had another fat free yogurt.

Dinner: I had a grilled chicken salad

Before bed I had 5 sugar free popsicles ( It doesn’t matter what I am eating, I’m a binge eater when it comes to anything!)

As for the workout on Thursday it went a little something like this:

Chest and Back


I was winded during the warm up and wanted to quit but I pushed on - I had to pause a few times but I mad it through. Then here is a break down of my exercise goals and actuals. (I am using my bands, rather than the pull-up bar.) I’m not sure if I’m using the bands right because it seems a lot easier than an actual pull up and I’m doing a lot.

                                                                                   Goal                  Actual
Standard Pushups                                                           10                       7

Wide Front Pull-Ups                                                      15                      12

Military Push-Ups                                                            5                        3

Reverse Grip Pull-Ups                                                      8                      12

I like to pause and extend my break about 5 extra minutes.

Wide Fly Push-Ups                                                           5                        3
I’m most certainly not ready to lift one leg while doing these - these are so hard

Close Grip overhand Pull ups                                           12                        8

Decline Push-ups                                                               8                        12
I really like this one - it sort of hurts my ankles though but I really feel a the burn during this exercise!

Heavy Pants                                                                     15                       15
I used 8 lb weights for this one - I like this exercise a lot too !

Again another extended water break : ) - about 3 extra minutes. And the soup I decided to stir was broccoli cheddar baked potato and I believe I was salavating

Diamond Push-Ups                                                          5                           2
I hate these so much - they are way too hard! And there is no making contact with my chest to my hands - I just fall down and don’t want to get back up. \

Lawnmowers                                                                   10                       10
I don’t get anything out of this exercise so I’m obviously doing it wrong and that frustrates me. I don’t want to do it at all if I can’t do it right. And I used my 8lb weights for this one not the bands.

Dive Bomber Push-Ups                                                     3                          0
I hate these - I don’t think I’ll ever get the hand of these; my body doesn’t work that way. It’s basically like the yoga moves.

Back Flys                                                                          10                      15
I didn’t extend this break - I just wanted to get it the hell over with. This video just basically annoys me.

Since round 2 is the same workout just a different sequence - I won't recap it.  I kept my goals the same (low) and I did about the same as round 1. 


Ab Ripper X went pretty well. It just took me double the time to finish because I had to take so many breaks - but I did do 25 reps for each exercise.

Recipe for Veggie Pizza

Found a great recipe on http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/veggie-pizza/Detail.aspx for veggie pizza. I changed all my ingredients to fat free and was very suprised to find that they actually have fat free crescent rolls and they actually taste the same as the fat ones.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup halved and thinly-sliced radishes
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
• 1 carrot, grated

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a jellyroll pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Pat crescent roll dough into a jellyroll pan. Let stand 5 minutes. Pierce with fork.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, let cool.
4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese, dill weed, garlic salt and ranch dip mix. Spread this mixture on top of the cooled crust. Arrange the onion, carrot, celery, broccoli, radish, bell pepper and broccoli on top of the creamed mixture. Cover and let chill. Once chilled, cut it into squares and serve.

I got this recipe from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/veggie-pizza/Detail.aspx

How big is your muffin top?

Lets talk figures, as of today I weigh 115 lbs and I’m only 5’2. Ideally, I’d like to be 115 pounds of solid muscle. To me it’s not about the weight, it’s about looking good in a bathing suit; which could be another problem of mine. I guess it won’t be until I have a real problem like high blood pressure or diabetes till I start to become concerned about my health - isn’t that the way it goes.
Anyway I can talk or blog about it all I want that isn't changing the size of my muffin top.

How is everyone else's muffin top, or hate handles?

Hate handles

I was starting to see results with P90x even though I wasn’t following it precisely. As of now I have put back on a fair share of the weight that I had lost. My clothes are back to fitting me somewhat snuggly and it makes me sick. My muffin top is back, oh that dreaded muffin top. The love handles are my main problem area - who even came up with the name “love handles” ? Who could ever love them? I'd perfer to call them hate handles!
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again - I’m not over weight (and no I’m not in denial). I just have those problem areas around my waist. It’s like I get dressed everyone morning and before I put on my top I put an inner tube on around my waist- well that’s what it looks like - uh what a nightmare.
I have been dealing with this for sometime now and I have perfected hiding the love handles in most cases.
Rule #1, always wear a cami under every thing! Why? The cami serves the purpose of smoothing out the lines of the pants against the love handles, as well as, sucks you in a smidge like a girdle. But don’t make the mistake of wearing a cami that is too tight, because then the love handles will just look worse.
Rule #2, make sure that the shirt over the cami is in fact higher than the cami itself. I let about an inch to an inch and half of my cami show, no more or this will defeat the purpose. This creates a distraction from the love handles and breaks up the body more creating an allusion.
Rule #3, when posing in a picture place your hands on you hips like you are pushing the love handles in. Be careful that you aren’t pushing too hard because then the fat just comes over the hands and that is not the look we are trying to achieve. This also creates a distraction and depending on how big your gut is can make you look 3 times skinner. I recommend practicing this in the mirror. I absolutely do not recommend “sucking it in” when it comes to posing in a picture because that is definitely obvious.
Last but certainly not least - Rule # 4, BUY JEANS THAT FIT YOU. This sounds like a simple task but some people have an issue with the size they wear. Some people swear they are a 5/6 and will only buy size 5/6 because oh that is their size. But they have 3 inches of a muffin top hanging out over the jeans - these people would look a lot slimmer if they would go up a size. Who cares what size the pants are - you should be more concerned with how they fit and how they look.

I hope these rules are helpful for those of you with love handles! Let me know if you try any of my tips or if you have tips of your own - I would love to hear!

Confessions part 2 - Who am I Usher?!?

Ugh, here it is, Sunday again... Sunday my favorite day to blog. I like to blog on Sundays to somewhat wrap up the week. The problem this Sunday is that there really isn't anything to wrap up... I didn't workout at all last week - no p90x, no hula-hoop, no box jumps etc. Normally I can at least relate to something interesting I’ve heard or read but not this week.
Recently I just haven't been able to find the time to workout. I know I talk about the time issue in a lot of my posts but it's the truth. I am a full-time college student in my senior year. I work two part-time jobs; with everything going on I find it hard to squeeze in a good workout. Even a day where there isn't much going on, I am mostly so run down and worn out that I just physically and mentally can't find the energy to motivate myself to workout.
These leads me to wonder how high fitness is on my list of priorities - how bad do I want it? Right now I keep telling myself I'll workout extra hard tomorrow and it never happens. I think it's almost like I'm afraid to change my life style. I find this also in my attempts to quit smoking. I become my own worst enemy when it comes down to it. Consciously I know I shouldn't eat those McDonalds' French Fries and that McRib sandwich or smoke that cigarette... Like I said, I think it is the fear of such a drastic life style change. I feel like I’m failing at getting fit on purpose and it’s so frustrating. It’s almost like I have no control when it comes to food what so ever. That makes me think about some other possible reasons as to why I do eat the way I do.
Most people talk about their relationship with food and how they eat their emotions or something like that - that’s not my story. When it comes down to it, I’m just obsessed with things that taste good - point blank. I’m not depressed, I’m not eating to compensate for anything - food isn’t my friend or my enemy - I just down right get excited about food, healthy or unhealthy.
I am constantly thinking about food and that is no exaggeration of the mind. I wake up in the morning and my first thought is what’s for breakfast and after breakfast I’m already thinking about what or where I’m having lunch. I get excited when my favorite restaurants add new things to their menu - I mean who else is doing this - please . I really never realized how much I focus on food until I started doing p90x.
It has really been a real eye opener and I don’t know how to go about changing this fixation on food.
Here is the perfect example of this issue. I am going away on vacation for Thanksgiving. I’m going to be in Georgia and all I am concerned about is what food does Georgia have to offer - like what is their specialty dish - what does one have to eat when in Georgia? That’s all I care about - I have been pondering this since my trip was booked - weird, I know.

I wish I was the guy from man vs. food - where do I sign up to get his job?

Is there anyone out there at all that shares this food fixation at all? If there is anyone out there I would love to hear from you!

Also, It is still fairly early in the evening, so there is still an option to workout - stay posted.

The Skinny on Diet Soda

So many people out there drink diet soda like they should be drinking water. I thought this was a great video that really shows how harmful diet soda actually can be. I also recently read that if you are a diet soda drinker you are more likely to suffer from obesity. Like in this video the researchers talked about life style choices and the thought that the person who is drinking diet soda is probably over weight already - this information was controlled for and did not seem to be statistically significant in the study in which I read.

I also read that diet soda could be linked to cancer - but it seems like basically everything is linked to cancer - who knows....

Just thought it was interesting and wanted to share - - I would love to get some peoples reactions to diet soda and all the new information and harmful effects that are coming about about it recently. Post me your opinion or experience with diet soda!

Eat This, Not That - My Experience

I am a huge fan of the Eat this, Not That! informative books. I have the the basic Eat This, Not That! - 2007 revised copy, also Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide, and Eat This, Not That! The Best (& Worst) Foods in America.

I must admit that I don't use my books as bibles, just basically for entertainment. I say that I don't use it as a bible because I don't take them everywhere with me and I don't always choose to eat the Eat This item. I say that I use my books most for entertainment because I find it so interesting, the comparisons between the eat this item verus the not that item. When I see people eating or drinking an item from the book I feel the need to tell them the facts about it. This mostly happens between family members and they just get annoy with my not so new obsession with food.

I highly recommend these books for all the great information on all foods imaginable! I think that they are great, especially if you are extremely serious about eating the proper things. I think from my blog everyone should realize that i'm not extremely serious when it comes down to my eating habits - which has been a key factor in my lack of success in my p90x pursuits. Even if your not super serious about food choices and enjoy fun facts like I do then you'll most certainly enjoy them!

Eat This Not That

This is a great, somewhat lengthy video of a tutorial on the way that the book Eat This, Not That works. Another thing that is great about the video is how it even incorporates the author of the book. This video also gives examples from the book that you may find surprising - Check it out!

Confessional

I'm currently feeling like an alcoholic who needs to get to a meeting. 

Oh the temptations are everywhere...bowls of left over halloween candy - the McRib from McDonalds is back, not to mention my mom has been going on a full blown out cooking spree.  Last night was homemade pizza, which I guess wouldn't have been too bad but I smothered mine in ranch dressing. Tonight, homemade ham pot pie - talk about carb over load in the worst way. Oh and there was also buffalo chicken dip by the tortia chip load. I'm sure there are a ton of awful things I've ate or drank that I'm leaving out but I'm only giving you the highlights..But come on I mean this has got to be the worst time of year for a diet.  It's getting so cold here I don't want to leave my house let alone get off the couch. 

It's only Tuesday and it's already been a week - I haven't worked out once in the past three days and I obviously can't even say I've been sticking to the diet either... And I only predict worse things to come.  Next week I have 2 huge projects due which is going to increase my stress right along with my cal. intake. Stay tuned for more confessionals.

On an even lower note,  at work tonight I was goofing off and tripped and twisted my ankle - classic. The ankle is a little tender but a workout is on the agenda for tomorrow - if the ankle isn't up to it then i'll do the ab ripper x video and some hula-hooping.


Well folks, that's where I'm at today - Hope it's going great for the rest of you all!

Alternative Exercises to Tony Hortons Plyometrics

Years ago I used to do these box exercises daily for volleyball training. They improve your agility and get your heart rate up quickly depending on the routine your doing. They are good for increasing your jumping height also.

I have recently been doing a lot more with the box jump exercises using them as a substitute to Tony Horton's plyometrics. The man in the video gives a nice explanation of what plyometrics are, as well as, a nice base jump, along with some basic ideas to keep in mind while box jumping.

As you advance in your box jump exercises you can increase the size of your box. I would start out with a small box like the man in the video and then increase box size as you see fit. Also the boxes are very simple to make - my dad built me one out of plywood. However when you make your own out of wood, it lacks support and you are more prone to shin splints. The best way to avoid shin splints are to wear a pair of shoes with good support. You could also add insoles to your shoes for more support

Here is a website with box jump routines:

http://agilitynerd.com/blog/agility/courses/steve/BoxDrills.html

My Experience with Reebok EasyTone Shoes

I have had my Reebok EasyTone shoes for almost a year now. When I first got them I wore them almost everyday for 6 months. I didn't exercise in them or even take walks for the purpose of exercising - I just went about my day in the shoes. I was doing a lot of walking across campus from class to class may be about a mile or so in distance daily.

After my first day of wearing them my legs were fairly sore. After wearing them for almost 6 months consecutively I noticed significant results in my calf muscles and barely noticeable results in my gluts.
I really like the shoes, I think they are very comfortable and convenient for toning your calf muscles.

I also have the Reebok EasyTone flip-flops. I got them in April and wore them all summer. I have been using the EasyTone shoes for almost year now and my legs still get sore depending on the distance that I walk. My calf muscles seem to be remaining toned just from wearing the shoes. It doesn't seem like they shoes have stopped working even after a year now. I must say that I haven't been wearing them that regularly now and I know if I would wear them tomorrow my legs would be sore for sure. There doesn't seem that my legs are becoming immune to them at all.

In my opinion the wearer of the shoes has to at least have some muscle for the shoes to work. I don't think they would work for anyone over 200lbs with not a lot of muscle tone.

I was wearing the shoes while doing the p90x workouts, but I will not be wearing them anymore doing the workouts due to the research found in the article posted below which was found in The New York Times. 
I didn't feel that was getting any better of workout with them on regardless.

Reebok EasyTone Shoes History and Current Research

The Reebok EasyTone shoes have been around now for a few years but there is still some controversy over the idea of getting in shape just by changing your shoes. I found an Article that was published in the New York Times on December 8, 2009 that gives information about how the shoe works, who created them along with why and how, and the most recent research on the shoes.

If you already have the Reebok EasyTone shoes or you are considering getting them, here is some background information about the shoes from the article and some current research on the shoes.

If you would like to read the entire article - which isn't very long here is the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/health/08well.html


Highlights for the Article

The Creation of Reebok’s Easy Tone Shoes:

The EasyTone was created by a Mr. McInnis, a former NASA engineer, who said he was interested in the stability balls used in gym workouts and wanted to translate the technology to a shoe. In particular, he was intrigued by the Bosu ball, a small half-sphere that exercisers stand on during workouts as a way to engage leg and core muscles better.

In designing the EasyTone, Mr. McInnis and his team sought to mimic that concept by adding "balance pods" to the toe and heel of the shoe.

How The Shoes Work:
The "balance pods" are located in the toe and heel of the shoe. As the person walks, the air pushes back and forth between toe and heel, and the person sinks into the shoe. The effect is similar to that of walking on a sandy beach which requires more work, balance and muscle engagement than walking on a flat surface.

Design elements like curved soles and Reebok’s "balance pods" are said to force the wearer to engage stabilizing muscles further, resulting in additional toning for calf, hamstring and gluteal muscles.


The Test Study for the Reebok EasyTone:

In that study, done at the University of Delaware, five women walked on a treadmill for 500 steps wearing either the EasyTone or another Reebok walking shoe, and while barefoot. Using sensors that measure muscle activity, the researchers showed that wearing the EasyTone worked gluteal muscles an average of 28 percent more than regular walking shoes. Hamstring and calf muscles worked 11 percent harder.
But the claim that the shoes offer muscle toning is backed only by this single study involving just five people, and not published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.

Today’s Research and Why the Shoe May Work:But it remains to be seen whether such effects will make a difference over time. In a July 2008 study of instability boards and balls, Canadian researchers found that among experienced exercisers, moderate instability balls like the Bosu had little effect on muscle activation.

The shoes are designed only for walking, and because of the instability design, wearers are discouraged from running, jumping and engaging in other athletic activities while wearing them. So the real effect may come from simple awareness that they are wearing a muscle-activating shoe, causing them to walk more briskly and with purpose.

But the studies don’t show whether more engagement leads to meaningful changes in muscle tone or appearance over time. Nor is it clear whether the high level of engagement continues once the walker becomes accustomed to the shoe.

A Great Lunch

This is a simple suggestion for lunch.  All it is is broccoli, grilled boneless/skinless chicken breast, and brown rice.  I also added a little chicken broth for flavor. 

There is no real recipe - all you do if you want to make it is cook your broccoli, chicken, and rice separately and then add them together - you chose your portions.  I recommend starting the chicken first because it will take the longest to finish and then the rice, and then start your broccoli. 

Another suggestion would be to add soy sauce to this dish. 

I have also been doing a lot of cooking with salt substitute which was recommended to me by my doctor.  If you enjoy salting your meals - salt substitute is a must!

www.thatsfit.com - An Interesting Website

My home page is aol.com and always read the news and interesting storys they have featured for the day.  Today I came across a story about a woman who was inspired by Oprah to lose 160lbs.  I clicked on the story and it took me to a really cool website,  the story was a typical Oprah story - I wasn't too interested in it - it just made me wonder why Oprah isn't inspiring herself to lose a couple of lbs - anyway the site is  http://www.thatsfit.com/.

The website contains dieting tips and dieting reviews.  It also has a list of workout from a-z with detailed instuctions and expected results.  The exercises from the website that I would be most likely to try would be the 15 minute workouts because they would be the easiest to work into my busy schedule. 

The part I found the most interesting in the website was the Finess Myths Demystified.  The fact that I found most interesting was that  current research shows that stretching before exercise actually increases your chance of getting injured and may decrease your workout performance. This I found strange because Tony Horton preaches in the p90x videos about stretching.   This is another fact I found every interesting There's no such thing as spot reducing -- that is, you can't magically zap the fat from an area by exercising it. Wyche says that you could do 5,000 crunches a day and still not see any improvements until you burn the layer of fat over your ab muscles, which is done by trimming your diet and burning more calories.

This really is an extremely interesing website that if you have the time is worth exploring - I think if your into fitness you will really enjoy the website - it is a website you could spend hours on just reading and learning new things about fitness as well as learning new exercises and diets.

I won't spoil anymore details about the site - but if you travel I would recommend checking out their piece on travel fitness.  Another one you have to read is Stop Doing These Exercises - Extremely beneficial!

http://www.thatsfit.com/

A New Toy : )

I got a new fitness "toy" this past week - a 3 lb hula-hoop.  If you have ever enjoyed hula-hooping, you'll love this fitness "toy".  It's actually fairly challenging.  When I first tried it I found it tough to go for 1-3 minutes consecutively.  The reason I found it so difficult to go consecutively is because of the shape of the hula-hoop.  It isn't a smooth circle like a normal hula-hoop; it has dips in it, which I would image add to the way it tones your body.  The dips in the hula-hoop I found to be painful, this wasn't like an extreme pain but enough to make me want to quit - The person who recommended the hula-hoop to me said that the pain was normal and the more I did the hula-hoop the more I would get used to it.  I experienced some bruising and a little soreness which was nothing compared to my soreness from p90x. After doing the hula-hoop for a week it is no longer as painful as it was and I am still a little sore but I feel as though i'm getting a nice workout in. I started out doing it for 1-3 minutes consecutively and I am going to increase to 3-5 consecutive minutes this week. The person who recommended the hula-hoop to me does it for 12 minutes and uses a 5lb hula-hoop.  I'm not sure how long she has been doing it but she has lost 3 inches around her waist and as far as I know all she does is eats semi-healthy and does the hoop.  I find it to be a nice light workout to start your morning or a nice way to end the day.  I highly recommend this product.  I will keep you posted on my results from the hula-hoop but I think it will be hard to say where my results are coming from because I have been trying a lot of new fitness equipment and workouts in addition to my scattered p90x routine.  If you have any questions feel free to just ask!!



Here is the link to the site where I bought my hula-hoop:
http://www.sports-hoop.com/



I am also pretty sure you can purchase them through amazon.com

Jackie Warners Tips for Getting Fit

I first learned about Jackie Warner by way of her t.v. show Work Out. This was on a few years ago. The show was alright but more focused on the drama rather than working out. If you've never seen it I'm sure you could find an episode out there somewhere on the web. I only took away from it a handful of useful exercises. More recently Jackie Warner had a show called thintervention - I didn't watch this show at all but I did catch some of the workout tips during Bravo commercials (the show aired on Bravo). Anyway, I thought this video was interesting and helpful. Enjoy!

To learn more about Jackie Warner you can go to this site:
http://www.jackiewarner.com/jackie_warner.aspx

Pink on P90X

P90X Offical Website

I was just thinking that some people who come across my blog may not know much about P90X or may be super interested in it and want to learn more about it.  And there may also be those of you who are so inspired by my journey that you may want to try it to.  To meet everyones needs - Here is the offical link to the P90X website.


http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/p90x.do?gclid=CLXQgr20x6QCFQNM5Qodc2cAjA&code=SEMB_GOOGLE_P90X&extcmp=164269951&ef_id=1908:3:s_7766f1b0ed0672718fec88aaa5054b44_5980657693:TLE6SQqoEEQAADTB5vwAACFC:20101010040009

Dinner!

Fish and Noodles - That's really all I can say about it right now.  Oh and that it was delicious! This is what I had for dinner tonight - my Mom made it for me.  If you would like the recipe of the fish or the noodles just let me know and i'll get it from her and post it!

Snacks!

Here is a good snack for between meals - I think it would also work well for breakfast but I would add something too it like fruit.  Special K cereal is the best if you are trying to watch your weight.  This was my first time trying the protein plus - It's pretty good.  My favorite is the cinnamon pecan.  You really can't go wrong with any of the Special K cereals!

Breakfast

This is what I've been having for breakfast lately.  Two pieces of wheat toast - one of which goes to my dog.  As for the glob - that is scrambled egg white's with chicken, green peppers, onions, shredded low fat swiss chesse, and homemade salsa - deliciousness! 

It's Getting Serious

I'm sure your all just dying to know how the yoga went - - I must say that it went better than last week but not by much. It took me double the time to get through the video because I was determined to do every move right and to really get the flow of the yoga workout. What helped me to get through the entire video was to watch Tony do it first and then rewind it and go through it again with him - I did have to pause a few times even after that. I still wasn't getting the flow down because there was so much stopping and starting but I feel like I have a much better handle on the yoga and I am looking forward to next time. I think that I could really and enjoy it once I get into the swing of things. It seems to me that if I do conquer this yoga I'm going to be more flexible than I've ever been in my entire life.

As for legs and back - it's still by far my favorite video hands down. And towards the end of the video when you do the exercises that consist of laying down is my favorite. However once I'm down there I don't feel like getting back up - it's like break time. I love the exercise (forget the name - I really should write down the ones I want to refer to) that that you have to put your arm on the opposite shoulder and do like a side-ways push-up - those of you who do the workout have to know what I'm talking about! It's really hard but I'm actually pretty good at it. I can do 15 without stopping and taking a break.

I finished up the this week with the X Stretch video - I'm actually pretty fond of this video as well. I was feeling pretty sore and I didn't think I was up for the Kenpo X this week. I thought the X Stretch would be a good note to end on - and plus it’s easy and I needed the confidence going into week 3. I found the X Stretch video and a nice warm bath were just what my body needed to rejuvenate itself and start out strong for next week. I’m feeling pretty good going into week 3.

As for week 3, I’m thinking it’s just going to be week 2 - seeing how I slacked off so much in week 2 - I need a redo - - I touched on this in my last post. Plus I did a lot of shopping over the weekend and bought pants 1 size smaller for some inspiration - it’s time to get serious!

Stay tuned!!

Forgive me Tony Horton, for I have sinned...

I would first like to start out by apologizing for my lack of blogging this week.  I must admit that my blogging has been going just about as well as my workout.  It has just been really hard to find the time to squeeze in that hour workout this week.  I didn’t do the workout on Sunday because I had to work at both of my jobs plus I had a ton of school work.  By the time I got home and got all my school work done I was exhausted and just went to bed.  Monday I did the workout for the day, plus the workout I should have done on Sunday. 

Both workouts went fairly well.  I exceeded what I accomplished last week with in each workout of the arms DVD by 1 or 3 reps, except for that over under pushup.  For the life of me I just can’t get the hang of it.  Does anyone have any tips or suggestions as to how to take on this exercise?  I also switched from the pull-up bar to the bands.  Even though I can now do a pull-up, I find the bands to be more convenient and they don’t exhaust me in the way that the pull-up bar was.  I also felt a huge difference in the workout I was getting – I think this was because I could get more reps in with the bands. 

The plyometric video went well; I always enjoy the plyometric video.  I really like the exercise (sorry blanking on the name) that incorporates the stool.  I get a really good rhythm when doing it and I can really feel the exercise targeting the right areas.  An exercise that I’m not that fond of in the plyometric video is the runner position jump – the one where you’re at runner’s position  and squat and turn 3 times and on the 4^th time you jump – hate this exercise . I feel like I’m getting absolutely nothing out of it!  Towards the end of the plyometric video I was getting fairly worn out but I finished it. 

At first I thought doing 2 DVD’s in one day was a great idea and  thought maybe I will do this more often, when I don’t have time.  I most certainly wasn’t thinking that when I woke up on Tuesday morning. I was extremely sore, especially my abs.  Another question, is it normal that I’m still getting kind of sore from the workouts? Or should that have only last during week one? 

 So back to my laundry list of excuses, Tuesday I was sore and just didn’t feel like doing it and by Wednesday I was so out of sync with any routine that was starting to form I again just got busy and didn’t do it or even think about it - I actually went out to watch the Yankees game.   

I will say that the diet hasn’t gone as far south as the work has.  I will admit I haven't been following the diet as of late, but I have been making fairly good decisions about food and drinks except for last night.  Last night, I had a few gin and tonics, which by the way is one of the worst alcoholic drinks according to “Eat This not That.”  And the gin and tonics only lead to more bad decisions – bar food; which might just be one of my favorite kinds of food.  I’ll spare you the details you can imagine how it ended. 

I've decide that the past few day didn't count!  That wasn’t my real turn – the dice just slipped out of my hand. I want a do over. 

 I’m going to finish up strong this week - bring on the yoga tonight!

Feeling Defeat on Day 5

Before I even get into today let me just tell you a little bit about yesterdays workout. Yesterdays workout was the yoga. I was really looking forward to it and very anxious to try it. The first maybe 10 minutes of the workout were going great and then it started to get pretty complicated. It was hard for me to watch how to do the yoga pose and then continue with keeping the form and the flow of the workout. Then the workout started to go faster (awesome) and it was even harder to do the pose correctly and keep up. I got frustrated and quit - I HATED THE YOGA! Because the workout went so poorly and because I had a lot of school work to do I ended up not making the whole wheat stromboli. I am going to make it another day but if anyone would like the recipe I can post it sooner. I was planning on just posting it once I made it along with pictures. Instead of the stromboli I had fresh steamed broccoli and chicken that I cooked on the George Forman grill.

Because I didn’t finish the yoga I still wanted to get a good workout in for the day so I ran a mile and a half and worked on my pull-ups. I also did the abs workout that is incorporated at the end of the shoulders and arms video. I really like the abs workout. I am also really coming along with the pull-ups; I can now do three underhand pull-ups without the chair. And I'm extremely proud of myself - I just want to tell everyone!

As for today, I am feeling pretty defeated. The legs and back workout wasn’t too bad but there were a lot of moves that I felt like I wasn’t doing correctly. And there were a lot of moves that I just didn’t care for - like the triple lung I think it was called and the skater move. I was feeling defeated and annoyed with some of the moves and I quit the video with 15 minutes left. I just want to ask those of you out there who have done the workout - do you get better with time? Does it get easier with time? I know Tony Horton the instructor says that you will but with some of the moves I feel like I’m never going to get it and especially with the yoga. And I’m feeling pretty worried seeing how it is only day 5 and I’m having such doubts about the workout.
Another question that I had was when do those of you who did the workout start seeing results? I know this takes time and I was just wondering how much time? I’m feeling disgusted with my body and I am so bloated from drinking all this water - are any other beginners feeling this way with all the water consumption?

Oh and just a side note - I am so out of shape it‘s disgusting. I used to be such a great athlete and worked out all the time and all that went to hell once I went to college. Now I’m about to graduate college and not only has my brain transformed but so had my body. But my body has transformed negatively. I think this could have a lot to do with me feeling defeated. And I guess it doesn’t help that I’ve been smoking cigarettes like there cheap.


Today I guess was just a bad day - I’m not giving up yet, again it is only day 5. Well that’s all I have for now. Stay tuned!

Feeling Pressured to Be Fat

And it’s hump day, day 4 of no fast food, soda, chips, ice tea, anything that includes sugar, and basically everything I love. I haven’t done my workout yet today but I am sticking to the diet for now. I am at work and feeling a lot of pressure to be fat.
I should first say that one of my jobs is at a place called The Bistro. This is one of the places where I feel the most tempted to eat because I am constantly dealing with food. Well actually food isn’t even the correct word to describe what we have going on in here. We have an array of ice cream novelties, tons and tons of chips - I’m talking probably even flavors of chips you haven’t even heard of. We have them and they are delicious. In addition to the chips we have a full display of Gardeners Candy - everything from the chocolate covered pretzels and popcorn drizzled in chocolate and caramel down to the mini peanut butter meltaways . I am salivating just at the thought of all of it. And of course we have pizza and Stromboli’s. I’m sure your probably thinking what type of Bistro is this and the answer would be it’s not even a Bistro at all. This place has had the name The Bistro for years and I’m not even sure if it ever really was a Bistro.
Even though I am terribly tempted to indulge in all that The Bistro has to offer I must say that I am feeling better than ever mentally. I seem to be a lot more focused and driven when it comes to school work. I think this has a lot to do with the diet. I have a lot more energy than ever and I love it.  However I am feeling extremely sore in my abs and legs. 
When I first started the diet I was following the meal plan exactly. This was going well for days 1 and 2 but day 3 I had school and well lets just say the meal plan went to shit. Now I am doing the portion control diet and it is working better for my schedule. I am still incorporating the recipes in the diet book. But some of them I am eating for dinner rather than lunches. For example, on night two I had the shrimp stir fry and it was awesome. I also tried the turkey burger recipe and it was delicious. I bought a George Forman grill and I have been cooking everything on it - It works really nicely and it is very easy when it comes to cleaning up.
Tonight I am making a whole wheat Stromboli for dinner with fat free turkey ham, fat free turkey pepperonis, and low fat Swiss cheese. Depending on how it turns out I will be posting pictures of the process, along with a recipe for the Stromboli. I’m looking forward to it! Another thing I am looking forward to is the Yoga workout tonight! Stay tuned for more updates of my 90 days of the p90x challenge! 86 more days to go

Day 1 of 90

So today was my first day of following the p90x fat shredder diet and day one of the workout.  I am feeling a little intimidated by the workout but I think that the instructor is very encouraging.  I set low goals for the first day so I wouldn't get burnt out. I'm not sure what was harder for me the workout or sticking to the meal plan.  I was most worried about the pull ups, I can't do one. But I used a chair for support to build up strength so hopefully I will be able to do one next week.  I'm thinking it may be kind of rough getting out of bed in the morning, I'm thinking I'm gonna be a little sore - I hope that doesn't effect tomorrows workout.  When it came to the diet I was most worried about snacking while at work.  Last week I ate 4 or 5 nutty buddies just because I knew I wouldn't be able to eat them.  Today I did pretty well and just kept myself busy to avoid snacking. 
I spent all last week feasting on my most favorite foods that I knew I wouldn't be able to eat during the next 90 days.  I must say that after dwelling on not being able to eat at such places as Taco Bell, McDonald's, Dino's Pizza, (the list could really go on and on) I have come to the realization that the food at these places and my relationship definitely isn't the healthiest.  When I first was thinking about doing this diet and workout, I kept thinking about when I would next eat my favorite candy or go on an eating binge at one of the restaurants I mentioned earlier.  After doing the workout and seeing how out of shape I am and how eating healthy isn't as bad as I would have thought, I am now thinking maybe I won't be so quick to get back into old habits.  Of course I say that now and it is only day one and there is a box of icecream sandwiches in the fridge that I think my parents bought just to taunt me. 
I must say that I'm not really over weight and most people wouldn't refer to me as over weight.  The best way to describe my body would be not toned or out of shape I guess.  I have the typical problem areas that most women share.  I would really like to tone up my stomach and butt, oh and the love handles of course.  I'd really like to just tone up and in the process form healthy eating habits. During this hour any other night I would be tapping into the candy stash next to my bed - tonight I'm snacking on almonds. My candy stash was donated to my nieces and nephew - unwillingly.  I considered eating every last piece but before I even had the chance it was already gone; my mom gave it to them while I was at work. 
I stuck to the diet fairly well today - I just wasn't sure what to drink.  In the diet book the only drink I saw was skim milk.  Could someone please tell me the differences between skim milk and fat free milk? or is it the same thing? Also could someone suggest other drinks.  I drank the skim milk and water all day.  I would really like some other options.  Another thing I was wondering was can you skip meals or snacks.  I skipped lunch today and the snack - but I guess the snacking now would count? 
Well that's about it for day one - stay tuned to see what day 2 had instore.