Does P90X Bring It in 90 Days?

I really should try and write stuff about fitness more often. I enjoy it a lot; my wife loves it; we both live better due to it. So, with that said, I will post again next year.

About six weeks ago, my wife and I began Tony Horton's P90X exercise program. We started out doing it together and then branched off due to my wife having to rest two days due to a minor injury. Surprisingly, we discovered that by doing the program's sessions alone instead of together, we were both getting more out of the program doing it at our own pace.

Men's Health Magazine recently wrote an editorial that dissed P90X and Tony Horton, and then shortly thereafter did a follow-up piece by Joe Kita that was more in tune to Mr. Horton and P90X. In between the first and second editorial, Tony Horton's book, Bring It, was released. Meanwhile, the original "dis" article on Horton was pulled down from MH's website. The above link is a reference only to it and not that article.

Now, here is where it gets interesting. Rodale, the publisher of Men's Health magazine is also the the publisher of Tony Horton's Bring It. A reader posted a comment online stating that he would like to see someone, without any ties to Rodale, Tony Horton, MH magazine, P90X, or in general, any other moneymaker here, use P90X and then tell their story.

That sounds like a plan, as I don't know any of those guys. As far as progress with the program goes, so far, so good (I guess?)

As of today, January 12, 2011, I have completed 38 of the 90-day program. We'll see how it goes.

BS-free content; I promise.

Make a Day of It

On Sunday I went to the park and did something I call Basketball Aerobics.

It is fairly simple. I dribble a basketball for about an hour and go from end to end or side to side of a basketball court while listening to my iPod. It is just constant motion. I try to bounce the ball in rhythm to the music ... and that's about all there is to it. It is one of those "it works for me" things. Sometimes I jump rope too. If you try it, make sure you are properly hydrated.

This week I also walked the dogs daily, ran 14 miles, jumped rope once, and lifted weights a couple times. Twice, I think? Definitely, not four.

When you see someone whom you think looks really thin, it could be because of the number people carrying just a wee bit much is the norm. That perspective left an extra five to 10 pounds on me for a long time.

Calculate your body mass index (BMI) and see where you stack. The first time I did this I was floored. And it wasn't in the good way.

When my writing assignments go up, my word count here goes down. I guess that's a good thing.

Did you happen to catch the name of the photographer of the pic?

The Skinny on Thinking Thin

My wife told me that I need to start writing more. Since I work as writer, it is actually hard to find the time to write just to do it. I am not complaining. It is a "good" problem to have if you are a writer. My wife, Teresa, also suggested that I write about something I enjoy doing that would be acceptable conversation in a public forum.

That provision eliminated a lot of my options. However, it did leave two good ones: staying fit and aging gracefully. It was only when I fell out of shape and began noticing it that I knew how important it was for me to be fit. However, I had to become more than 60 pounds overweight before it stuck in my pliable mind.

Aside from the soft spot on my brain, it was the the gut and the butt that were my most noticeable dense zones. The best friend of procrastination is self-denial. (I am not gaining weight; these pants must have shrunk ... just like all the others; yeah, sure.)

And I know that everyone has heard this once or twice. Before getting fat, I was in decent shape my entire adult life. Well, in August 2004, we moved from Los Angeles to Jacksonville, Fl. Apparently, I used that three-hour time shift to add an extra meal or two to my daily routine. How else could I have gained 35 pounds in 18 months?

During that time period, I went from weighing 190 up to 225 pounds. We had moved north to the Greater Philadelphia area in January 2006. Eighteen months later, June 2007, our residency in Northern Delaware was established and my weight went up another dirty dozen. I weighed about 237 pounds.

I think that 237 was my heaviest weight. When I saw the numbers on that digital scale flash 235 and kept blinking that day, I closed my eyes. That photo of me at the top changed everything. When I saw that scowling old fat fart with the ponytail and flab around the neck, it devastated me. How the f--k did I get so fat?

Well, I did and then made it back to the other side, too. My personal Shawshank Redemption scene resulted in me losing more than 60 pounds in six months. I have managed to keep it it off for more than three years. Today I weigh 175 pounds and can easily slide into 30-waist blue jeans. So I am either crazy or doing something that is pretty OK as far as staying fit goes.

While I am proud of what I did, this is not the BragFest Club. All I am trying to say is that if I did this, anyone who is wanting to do so and physically capable of trying could probably do it, too. My wife dropped more than 40 pounds with a few tips, a couple of suggestions, and little bit of self-initiative. Her approach toward fitness is way more scientific than mine. She counts everything and then charts it as well. But that is another story.

Bottom line (saggy or firm?)

Find some activities and a calorie-counting system that you like and make it a part of your lifestyle. Tying to find stuff that works is what this blog is about. By the way, that "Jimmy Warhol" photo of me was taken two days ago. Fake colors; real tone; BS-free content.

Am I thinking thin, or Thin King Thin?

My next fitness goal: Run a 7-minute mile.