Day 7

Rest Day

I had grand plans of running today - but I stayed up way to late last night, our 2yo son had a Mommy episode for about an hour around 4am, and dog-gone it - I was just to tired.

This is a good time to go over the Elite Nutrition Plan that comes along with the INSANITY program. I can appreciate the sane advice of this program - choose lean meats, whole grains and lots of fruits and veggies. Limit the candy and junk and NO alcohol. Pretty basic.

It uses the Harris Benedict Equation to calculate your BMR. That number is then multiplied by 1.7 (assuming 6 "hard exercise" days per week) to arrive at your calorie intake needed to maintain. Subtract 500 if you want to loose weight, add 300 if you want to gain.

Mine looks like this:

BMR = 1500

1500 x 1.7 = 2550

2550 - 500 = 2050

The idea, then, is to eat 5 equal calorie meals per day. So, for me, this would be 5 x 400kcal meals each day. I have messed around with my intake enough to know that 2000 calories per day will NOT help me loose weight. So, I put it right around 1500 with a little room for a case of the hungries now and then. I eat 300 calories at each sitting, making sure to count my Powerade and Recovery drink (ahem...chocolate milk).

I did take a cursory glance at the scale today. After some salty snack indulgence this week, the scale said nothing has changed. No worries. I know that I need to start pushing more water during the day and stay away from the pretzels, etc after dinner.

I plan to report my weight and measurements next week when I complete the 2nd Fit Test. Until then - I will be here "Digging Deeper" and getting fitter!

60 Days

This post is my 60 Day report on the P90X Extreme Home Fitness System. I won't be posting pictures or telling you a glimmering success story. I have gained strength and definition. I have lost 2% body fat. I have gained 3 pounds. I can't see much of a physical difference, so neither will you.

I am a runner. Like a person trying to switch addictions, I tried to trade in weight lifting for running. It worked on my body - but not my mind. Standing here at the 60 day mark, I am 22 weeks away from the Lincoln Marathon. I am dissatisfied and a little irked at my progress on P90X. I really wanted to loose some weight!

I REALLY WANT TO GO OUT AND RUN!!

So - here is where I bid farewell to the "program." I am going to start training for the Lincoln Marathon & Half Marathon on May 1, 2011. I plan to use P90X Yoga X one day per week on my stretch and strengthen day, and possibly Core Synergistics on my other strength training day. I plan to use Hal Higdon's Intermediate Half Marathon Training Schedule and repeat 8 out of the 12 weeks to make it a 20 week plan.

The last time I ran the Half Marathon, I was pretty burned out on running afterward. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. So my plan after that is to do another round of P90X. For that, I will be back here - blogging away. For now, I've decided to start another blog with a witty title about a Chubby Housewife Runner. Stay tuned for a link - or follow my other blog at:

Life Is Beautiful

Keep setting goals and moving forward!

;o) Andrea

A Scheduling Adjustment

Day 27 - Rest or X Stretch

I am making an adjustment to my schedule. For the last 4 weeks, my rest day has been Thursday. It just so happens that Wednesday is a terribly busy day for our family, in which we are gone all evening. I was squeezing the workout in, but barely...and resenting all of it.

So, on the advice of my dear husband (who is usually right about these things), I decided to skip the Yoga routine scheduled for today and start week 5 tomorrow. I can't believe what a load off my mind it is to not have to figure out when (in between daycare pickups, naps, and home schooling) I was going to get my workout done. And just for a bonus in the peace department, I'm not cooking dinner tonight either.

I won't be writing the Weekly Report this time around. Being very close to the 30 day mark, I've decided to post my thoughts over the entire month at that time, along with *gulp* pictures of "before" and "30 days." Also, the scale is finally beginning to cooperate - so I'm feeling better about things. This day of rest aught to fix me up right and give me the gumption to get at it another 30 days.

Week 3 Report

Day 21 - Rest or X Stretch

Wow.

All of my enthusiasm was spent on week 2. The last 7 days of this program wiped me OUT. There were a couple of days that I almost couldn't make myself push play. Just like anything, though, I'm so glad that I did.

Week 1 weight: 168

End of week 3: 166.6

Boo. Seriously...in the last 3 weeks of busting my butt and keeping my calories between 1600 - 1800, protein up, water chugging...I've lost 1.4lbs!? Whatever. It's not going to stop me, and I'm not going to change what I'm doing. My basal metabolic rate is 1500, I burn an average of 500 calories per workout and at least 300 more chasing around 6 or 7 kids all day. I am confident that I have an adequate deficit, sometimes things just stall.

Calories Burned

Week 1 - 2640

Week 2 - 2980

Week 3 - 2370 (missed 1 workout)

I'm looking forward to this next week. It's billed as a "Recovery Week." I will be doing Core Synergistics, Cardio X, X Stretch and Yoga X. No heavy lifting this week. The Instructional Manual says that exercise is the architect and rest is the builder. Ironically, I may show some weight loss at the end of week 4 due to the "rest."

Week 2 Report

Day 14 - Rest or X Stretch

Once again, taking the total rest option this week. It seems that the cortisone injection (3rd one this year) in my spine did not do the trick last month and I am having quite a little discomfort. While, normally, I would go ahead and work out as scheduled - today I will stick with some light stretching, some Ibuprofen and the heating pad. Why push it on a day you don't have to?

Last week seemed to go by like a whirl wind. I was excited about each and every workout (okay, except the Plyo!) and burned more calories than the week before. I can now actually do a few pull ups and I think I'm ready to straighten my legs and try some "real" push ups next week! The Ab Ripper X routine isn't as daunting as it was in the beginning - and, I can do much more than I could 2 weeks ago.

Calories burned week 1: 2640

Calories burned week 2: 2980

Why the increase? I think my husband was right when he said that I am more capable of working hard. I will add to that by stating I am more flexible and more willing to work hard!

Start Weight: 168

End of Week 2: 166.2

Still not overly concerned about the slowish weight loss aspect. I am trying to loose fat and build muscle. Muscle burns fat 24/7, so the more of that I have, the better! Doing well with sticking to the calorie budget - I find it hard to consume 1800kcal most days - though some days I am so hungry that it hardly seems like enough! I did purchase some P90X Recovery Drink and started taking my Melaleuca Multi-Vitamin more consistently.

Looking forward to week 3 - another repeat of the routines from weeks 1 and 2.

Week 1 Report

Day 7: Rest or X Stretch

Now, see, I'm not completely crazy. I will be taking the "rest" option today. I'll be the first to admit that this program is royally kicking my behind. I sleep better than a baby lately...and I'd really appreciate it if my baby would get the picture and sleep like a worn out Momma!

Yesterday I realized that my Kenpo X DVD was damaged. I e-mailed Beach Body and in less than an hour (!!) I received a response that a replacement would be shipped to me right away. They also have insurance that you can purchase for $13.90 that ensures lifetime replacement. Hmm...great way to protect an investment.

Today is Thursday, and not my usual weigh in day - but I decided to record my weekly weigh here for posterity. And just for giggles, I measured my waist and hips.

Start Weight: 168

End of Wk 1: 167.8

Not worried about the small loss. I had anticipated even even a slight gain the first week or two, maybe three. Unconcerned. Here's the shocker...

Starting Waist Inches: 35.5

End of Wk 1: 34.5

What? Are you kidding me!?! I measured several times - thinking surely I had made a mistake. An entire inch off my waist. I measured my hips as well, nothing there yet - but OH WELL! I thought I was just being silly when I felt tighter in the cage. The 'ol Ab Ripper X is doing it's job!