Updated P90x2 weight history

Here is the graph showing my daily weight progress from the start of the program on March 17th.

Start of Phase 2, P90X2

Hey everyone.  I just started phase 2 of X2.  Chest back and balance was today.  For those who have done the original P90x, it works much the same way where you are alternating push ups and pull ups.  But all the push up moves are on medicine balls and/or a stability ball.  You can really tell that is what phase 1 is preparing you for.  Without that 4 week work up, getting used to being on the balls and unstable surfaces you have no shot at doing this one.  Even with phase one in the books I had to do some of the push up moves on my knees to keep from falling off the medicine balls.  Like they say, modify, modify modify.  Trust me you do not want to go flying off when you are doing a push up with medicine balls. 

Here are my 30 day vs day 1 numbers.

Weight  ---179.2   to 174.8 (- 4.4 lbs)
Waist   ----38.8"   to 37.2" (- 1.6")
Hips    -----39"     to  38.4" (-.6")
Chest   -----42.5"  to  40" (-2.5")
Thighs ------ ~23"  to ~22"  (-1")
Arms  ------- ~12"  to ~12" (no change)
Bodyfat ------ ~22% to ~20% (- ~ 2%)

I am posting a pic on my beachbody message board thread.  I posted the link in one of my early posts on X2 so those of you so inclined can head over there and check it out.  Thanks for reading.  Have a good weekend.  Have to give a shout out to my readers from Russia.  I think that is pretty cool. 

P90X2 weight progress

As you can see my weight has fluctuated throughout the program so far, but it has ultimately trended down even though the are stretches where it stays exactly the same, then spikes up then goes back down.  I am still however losing inches every week and my performance in the exercises is getting better each time.   I will update this every so often

X2 weekly update, recovery week number 1

Hey everyone. Today was the first day of recovery week 1 for me. I did the recovery and mobility workout for the first time, and I love it. I can't wait until I can start doing it twice a week regularly. I am a total cheerleader for foam rolling now. I has a foam roller for a while even before getting X2, but I had never really learned how to use it. If you have read through these posts you know before I started X2 I was having lower back and hip pain. Just from the 2-3 min of foam rolling in the regular workouts that has all but gone away. The 20 min sequence in the recovery and mobility DVD is golden. It is probably a beginning type of sequence, but the great thing is he basically says here we are going to do 20 min of foam rolling do what you need to do. I urge you if you are doing X2 without a foam roller or thinking of doing X2, invest in one. You just cannot get the same results from stretching.

Here are my updated stats:

Weight 175.8
Waist 37.8"
Hips 38.5"
Chest 40.5"
Thighs 22"
Arms 12"

As always, my body is holing on to my abdominal fat for dear life. I am still losing quite a bit in my hips and my chest though. I had set a goal to be down to 175 my mid May, and I should hit that mark. I am sure my weight will go back up a little. I am going to post a pic of a chart of how my weight as fluctuated from diet power.   I weigh myself every day so the program can track my metabolism.  I am honestly not sure what my overall scale weight is going to end up after X2. The lowest I have been in my adult life has been about 167 or so.I really do not care as long as I end up looking the way I want.  Anyway, thanks for reading and I will check in with an update next week,

Thinking of getting P90x2? Invest in a foam roller!

Hey everyone.  I just wanted to do a short post on foam rolling and P90x2.  If you go into the team Beachbody store, you will see there are various packages for X2.  The base package includes just the DVDs workout guide and nutrition plan.  Then there are two different packages that include foam rolls, extra workouts, a stability ball, and medicine balls.  While there are good modifications for the exercises where you do not need the stability ball and medicine balls, there is no substitute for foam rolling. 

Basically, a foam roller is just what it sounds like, a roll of Styrofoam (think a big solid paper towel roll-shaped thing) that you use to massage your muscles.  It looks like this:
 

The recovery and mobility workout has over 20min of foam rolling in it, but each "regular" workout has about 3 min of time in the warm-up devoted to it.  You use the roller to work the "hot spots" out.  For example, you put it under your leg on your hamstring and move around until you feel it hit a knot in your muscle.  Then you just sit there and let it work the knot out.  It does not feel good while you are doing it, but it feels soo good when you are done.  Some rollers have "spikes" or raised protrusions that allow them to provide more pressure on the muscle and work the knots deeper and get a better release. But, you have to work up to those as they hurt a lot when you first start using them. Those look something like this:

During my workout yesterday my hip flexor was extremely sore.  In just the 3 min sequence in the warm-up to the core DVD, I worked all the soreness out and had a great range of motion throughout the workout.  Even if you do not want to get the Deluxe or Ultimate packages for X2, I encourage you to invest in a foam roller.  You can buy them separately through the Beachbody store (and if you are a paid member of Team Beachbody you get a 10% discount, and if you are a coach you can get a 25% discount) or they can be found pretty easily online.  Make the investment in one and it will do you a world of good.  Thanks for reading.

Win $500 just to log your P90x or Insanity workouts

Did you know that Beachbody gives away $500 every day just to log your workouts in their online Gym?  If you sign up for a free team beachbody account (you can do that here) under the "get fit" tab there is a selection for SuperGym.  That will allow you to log any beach body workout (as well as any other general workout). There is a $500 (some days it is as much as $1000) winner selected each day.  There is also a team beachbody challenge where you enter your transformation story and pics which puts you in the running for up to $100,000.  Aside from the chance at the cash prizes you will be joining a community of people that will help you get fit whether you need advice or just motivation.  If you join through the link in this post or off on the left you will get me as your coach, and I will be there to support you every step of the way.

Week 4 of P90x2

Hey everyone, today is the beginning of week 4 of P90x2.  I had a pretty good week.  I did take some liberties with my diet this week.  There were a couple days where I was super hungry, so instead of eating total junk, I increased the portions of the healthy food, so I took in more calories on a couple days than I normally would have, but they were clean.  Here are the updated stats.
Weight 177.2
Waist   37.8"
Hips    39"
Chest   41.5"
Right and left thighs 22"
Right and left arm about 12"

Supplements?

There is always a debate out there about whether or not to take supplements when working out. Some people swear by them, others subscribe to the theory that you can get everything your body needs through food. I fall somewhere in the middle. First and foremost I will only take supplements from sources I trust, like Beachbody. The supplement industry is not regulated by the federal government and as a result, a supplement does not have to do what it claims or contain what it claims to have in it. Think of how many times you have seen a commercial or infomercial with some powder or pill that claims to do whatever, only to disappear never to be heard from a few months later. The reality is there is no pill, powder, or shake that can block fat, block carbs, or give you ripped abs all by itself. The only role a supplement should have is to do what it says, supplement, not replace what you are getting through food.

The only supplements that I take on a regular basis are a multivitamin, a joint support, and an immune system booster. All from Beachbody. I do not take the recovery drink. After a workout, you need to consume simple carbs and protein, both of which you can get in a glass of chocolate milk. Which is far cheaper than any of the post-workout drinks and powders in the market. I also take shakeology as a meal replacement because it is the one thing you can do to get all the fruits and vegetables you need (and foods that you would have almost no shot at finding at a grocery store).  If you want more information about it click the link on the left. I have never found things like creatine to be all that helpful to me. I know other people who have really been able to put muscle on with it. The bottom line is, do your research, and once you find a source that you consider reputable, decide wisely. Supplements can get very expensive, but if they work for you the cost will be worth it, but if not using them can amount to throwing money away.