P90X Kenpo X Style
P90X Kenpo X Workout © Tim Pannell Photography
Okay! I just finished the Kenpo X P90X Workout with my wife and sister in law and feel pretty good.
I’m still struggling with my breathing, my lungs are scratchy and itchy and operating well shy of 100%, but I’m at least able to keep up with the P90X DVD for the entire hour.
The stretching is always the hardest part of the workout for me. I’m amazed at how flexible everybody is even though they’re extremely muscular.
It gives me something to shoot for at the very least.
I can say this…….I’m more flexible today than I was the first time I did the Kenpo X workout.
I’m also not nearly as wiped out as I was the first time I did the exercises.
It’s nice to be able to see progress being made over time.
I haven’t done much of anything the last couple of months because of selling our house and moving. A P90X workout here, a P90X workout there, a 1/2 hour or 45 minute bike ride, but nothing even close to consistent. Things were way too busy and hectic.
I know, I know……….I should have made time to work out more whether or not life was hectic.
Well, that’s in the past. I’ll work on that in the future if my life is ever that crazy again.
For now, I’m working on settling into a routine of getting up early and getting my workout done first thing in the morning.
I’ve got some good workout buddies, my wife Kim and her sister Melanie.
It makes it so much easier to get up and get started when I know that someone else will be working out along side me.
It’s nice to know that I have their support. It’ll help me reach my 210 pound target goal I’m sure.
In the last 9 months I’ve had ups and downs with P90X. I have learned from my mistakes as well as my successes during that time period.
2010 will be about consistency. Slow, deliberate, methodical steps that I will take to once and for all get into great shape.
I’m looking forward to feeling more healthy. Life is too short. I have to take advantage of the time I have left.
P90X Stumbling Blocks
© Tim Pannell Photography
So you went ahead and bought P90X, watched Biggest Loser, vowed to jog several miles a day or ride your bike and were ready to take on the world and drop all your extra weight in just weeks.
Let me guess…….here you are several months later and you’ve done several workouts, eaten better, but for some reason you haven’t lost all your weight.
What could have gone wrong?
Are you frustrated, bummed out, ready to quit?
Have you figured out the problem yet?
If you’re anything like me, the problem might be lack of consistency. My biggest struggle to date with P90X workouts has been setting up an easily repeatable routine that could follow day in and day out.
Here’s what I’ve learned about myself over the last several months when it comes to P90X and working out consistently:
1. If I don’t work out within 1 hour of waking up, the chance of me getting around to it later is almost zero.
2. If I don’t make it an absolute priority each and every day I can talk myself out of it with almost no trouble at all.
3. If I can get 5 days in a row, its that much easier to keep going.
4. After having a successful run of several days I can still make the mistake of becoming “casual” about working out.
5. It’s easy for me to overdo the workout DVDs I like and avoid the ones I have the most trouble with.
6. I actually do better when I forgive myself for not being perfect. I no longer beat myself up when I stumble or fall short.
For me to be successful, it requires a daily commitment. I have to make it a priority. I feel so much better starting my day out with a 10 mile bike ride and an hour of weight lifting and or P90X.
The funny thing though is that even though I love the way it makes me feel, it still doesn’t happen on auto pilot for me. I just have to remember that.
So if you’re struggling with your results, take a good look at your P90X workout habits and be honest. Are you being consistent? If not, what can you do to overcome that and get over that hurdle.
I’d love to hear any ideas that you might have that have helped you get better at this. Please share them so that anyone reading this might benefit.
I have to get to it early, I know that’s the key for me and as long as I consciously think about it as I go to bed the night before and right after I get up in the morning I am more successful.
Just keep hanging in there and if you stumble or struggle, the worst thing you can do is just quit.
Take each day, one at a time and recommit to your fitness regimen, no matter how many times you might fall short of your expectations.
Where Should I buy P90X?
Maybe you’re wondering where you should buy P90X. Well, here’s my two cents, I’d recommend buying it directly from the Official Team Beachbody Store. Beachbody is the company that makes the P90X program, and they actually offer a 90 day, 100% money back guarantee — if you’re not completely satisfied, simply return it within 90 days for a complete refund of the purchase price (minus s&h). They will even let you keep the P90X Nutrition Plan and Ab Ripper X workout DVD as free gifts.
Here’s another thing to think about - As with a lot of other things you can buy on the internet these days there are pirated versions of P90X floating around which are created illegally and being sold. You might think you’re saving a couple of bucks, but you won’t get the amazing support system that Team Beachbody provides, the return policy or access to any of the coaches and workout buddies. The quality of the pirated DVD’s is also subpar. So, protect yourself from fraud and be on the safe side, make sure that you buy P90X directly from the Beachbody Website.
Step 1: Click Here to visit the official Beachbody website (it will open in a new window).
Step 2: Go down to the bottom of the page and click “Add to Cart”.
Step 3: Other product categories are listed in the top left corner that can enhance your P90x experience.
Some of the items I would recommend are:
- The P90X Chin Up Bar
- Push-Up Stands
- Shakeology
- Heart Rate Monitor
- Yoga Mat
- Manduka Plyometrics Mat
- Yoga Blocks
- Resistance Bands
All of the above items can be ordered directly from Beachbody at the same time as your P90X order is placed and they’ll ship together. Some of those items are optional, but highly recommended if you want to get the best results from this program.
Step 4: Once you’ve added all the items you want to order from Beachbody to your cart, click the “Checkout” button near the top right portion of your screen add your credit card info and your shipping address and you’re done.
Enjoy your P90X DVD’s. It’s an amazing workout.
P90X – Time to Reboot
© Tim Pannell Photography
I’ve had a crappy 3 weeks. I think I only did 2 P90X workouts during the entire time. It’s definitely time to reboot and start over.
I could spout off with a bunch of false bravado about how I’m doing so well at this or that, but the truth is that in spite of all the inspirational quotes I surround myself with, I’ve fallen into the “doldrums.”
Well……..no more!! Pity parties suck and are a waste of time, but they’re easy to fall prey to.
I’m getting back into it starting today. No more excuses. I still weigh in at 263lbs. and I’m happy that I haven’t gained back any weight over the last 3 weeks.
I’ve barely done any P90X at all over that period. I’ve been on the stationary bike several times, but nothing consistent.
I just allowed myself to get sidetracked with work and taxes and putting our house on the market.
I’m learning that if I don’t get up in the morning and do my workout within about 45 minutes of getting up, it becomes really easy to not get around to it that day.
I’m not going to beat myself up over the last few weeks. I just want to learn from my mistakes and move forward….it’s a new day.
If any of you have struggled at times like I have with being consistent, try taking it just one day at a time and recommit yourself to make the effort necessary to change your life.
I’m not where I want to be yet, but I’m far ahead of where I was when starting out back in April. Any time that I find myself getting discouraged I start to make a mental list of the things I’ve changed in my life over the last 5 or 6 months.
I’m eating healthier foods. I’m only eating fast food 1 or 2 times a month – still room for improvement, but miles ahead of where I was a year ago. I’ve become much stronger.
My knees are in much better shape that they were a year ago. I had a little blip with my left knee a couple months back, but it’s better now.
I’m still eating ice cream occasionally, but I’m not serving it up in a bucket – LOL – smaller portions – no guilt.
At the beginning of this journey of mine I decided to embrace long range goals. Slow, methodical, long lasting lifestyle changes. I have to admit that there are times that I’ve been discouraged, but overall I’m pleased with how I’ve done so far.
After all, it took me 18 years to gain my extra 125 pounds. It’s entirely unrealistic to think I can take it all off in no time at all.
I have 53 more pounds to lose and if it takes me another year to lose it, that’s just fine with me.
P90X Results – The Weight’s Coming Off!
© Tim Pannell Photography
I started my 2nd round of P90X workouts on Sept 1st. I weighed 268. My P90X results so far? I’m now down to 263. The weight is coming off pretty regularly at the moment. I am so happy to be at a point where I’m convinced I’ll hit my fitness goals and get back into good shape again.
I made a commitment when I started P90X the first time on May 1st that I wouldn’t let myself get discouraged if I didn’t lose weight. I knew then and still know now that working out 5 or 6 days a week for one or more hours a day will make me stronger and healthier, regardless of what happens on the weight scale.
In the long run I’d rather be a “healthier” overweight guy than an unhealthy, inactive overweight guy. I always believed that if I focused on just doing the workouts and feeling better that eventually the weight would come off.
I had some weight loss success with the first round , but not the amount I had actually hoped for. The real success of the first round for me was the added strength and feeling of overall health that I developed. The 3 months of P90X training was worth it just for that alone.
This 2nd round of P90X seems to be producing weight loss results faster than the previous time. I don’t know why that is, but I’ll take it as a sign that I am on the right track.
I’ve struggled with my weight for so long that somewhere along the road I lost the ability to believe I could do anything about it. It was so completely frustrating. It affected every aspect of my life.
I’m not just talking about wanting to look better. Everyone would prefer to look better. I’m talking about “feeling” better. I’m talking about actually being better. Knowing I have the ability to choose the path I’m going to take in life.
I’ve spent most of my life believing I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. I have a great wife and 5 wonderful kids. We have been so blessed throughout our lives. I’ve had a storybook career that’s lasted over 24 years. On the outside, everything tells me I can do anything.
For me though, what was being said on the inside had become more powerful. The inability to get a handle on my physical struggles left me feeling incapable in so many other areas of my life.
I finally got to the point where I couldn’t keep living that way. I had been making irresponsible choices and I was paying the price for all those choices.
Advice from good friends and family, knowing people were pulling for me, and P90X have rescued me from my downward physical spiral. I’m well on my way to being a healthier guy. I’m making better choices and those choices are becoming easier and easier to make on a daily basis.
I will reach my goal weight of 210 pounds. I am eating healthier meals and will continue to eat healthier meals in more realistic portions. I have turned a corner on my fitness journey and I will not ever allow myself to go back to the old ways.
Thank you to everyone for your support, especially during the times when I was unwilling to do anything about my situation but make excuses. I truly appreciate all of your help!
P90X Workout – Hang In There!
© Tim Pannell Photography
I started doing my 2nd full round of the P90X workouts last week and I’ve lost 2 pounds. I’m now weighing 266.
I’m also riding the bike for an hour a day as well. My left knee is still tender, but the motion from the bike doesn’t bother it in the least.
I feel good and I’m feeling all my muscles again after the workout.
I don’t ever remember sweating this much in my life as when I’m doing these workouts. Maybe it’s because I shave my head and there’s nothing there to soak up the sweat. Let me rephrase that………..I shave 1/2 my head, the other half falls out before I can get to it.
In any case, my endurance is better than ever. I have noticed being a bit weaker in general after taking one month off of P90X. I’ve had to drop 5 lbs off some of the dumbbells I’m using for a few of the exercises.
My guess is that I’ll be adding that weight back on within a week or two and quickly surpass where I left off over a month ago.
I’ve basically got close to 3 more months to go on this and my expectation is to have lost at least 24 more pounds by the end of it.
After this round I will be looking at doing Shaun T’s INSANITY Workouts. I hear they’re pretty intense. I hope I’ll be able to keep up.
If you do happen to be overweight like me and are wondering about P90X, I would ask you to check with your doctor first before starting the program.
With that being said…..many overweight guys have asked me if its just too much and too intense of a workout if you’re carrying 50 plus extra pounds.
My answer is it depends on the individual. I took it pretty easy the first month or so. I did what I could do and when it got a little cuckoo I slowed down or even rested and waited for the next set of exercises to begin.
Trust your instincts, if you think its pushing you too hard, take an easier approach. There is always someone on the workout dvd that’s not maxxing out and is taking it a bit easier than everyone else. Pace yourself and most of all, be patient.
The results will come in due time. Some people lose weight right away, some are stubborn losers and yet others may put on weight initially. I put on about 8 pounds before I started losing weight.
I could have gotten discouraged, but instead I just focused on how much better I was feeling and how much more energy I had. I got through it and eventually started losing the weight. At my heaviest I was 310 – now I’m 266 and dropping…..pretty cool!
Hang in there!
Racquetball and Photography
Racquet © Tim Pannell Photography
It’s been a while since my previous post……sorry about that. I’ve been super busy writing content for a photography workshop I’m teaching online in October for moms that want to take better pictures of their kids.
It’s coming along pretty well, but it has consumed almost all of my free time. I haven’t done any P90X workouts since my initial 90 day period.
This week I have been playing racquetball for 1 to 1 1/2 hours a day. It’s been good to get back in the court, but I haven’t played as well as I used to in the past. My go to shots are rusty to say the least and more than anything I think I’m sidetracked with my photography workshop to the point that I’m having a hard time getting my head into the games.
That’s a new problem for me. I’m also struggling with my left knee again. It is sore as crap and my left heel is bruised from a poorly timed landing. I’m falling apart, quite literally. I have stuff just hanging on by threads at this point in my life. Another adjustment, I was pain free for the last 3 months….it was nice!
I’m playing somebody new this morning and I’m concerned I’m too sore to give him any kind of run for his money. I guess we’ll see.
I will be starting round 2 of P90X on September 1st and am looking forward to getting back into those workouts. I’ve taken a little time off just to see what happens to my body and I can tell my arms especially are getting a little softer. I will do some weightlifting next week, but not an all-out P90X assault.
I still weigh 268. I have been there for a month now. At the beginning of this journey one of my main goals was to not get discouraged if the weight didn’t just fall off my body even when I was working out hard. I know that I’m healthier and more fit when I’m exercising consistently. I’ve been riding the bike the entire month of August except for this week when I started playing R-ball every day.
I’m gearing up for September with the goal to hit it pretty hard. I’ll do P90X workouts and ride the bike at least 6 days a week and throw in some racquetball for good measure unless my knee and heel keep flaring up.
It’s been a fun ride so far. I’ve gone from a high of 310 down to 268. I have a total of 58 more pounds to go til I hit my goal weight of 210. Once I’m there I’ll make some decisions about what comes next. I may decide to lose a little more weight or I may decide just to maintain, depending on how I carry it.
Well……I went and played racquetball this morning and I think I totalled my knee. I hit a kill shot along the left wall and went to slide out of the way. My left foot stuck to the floor as if it was nailed there. That almost never happens on this court. My knee hyperextended and buckled and I went down.
As is typical for me, I got back up and played. My adrenaline kicks in and I’m kind of stupid “old school” that way. You never quit unless stuff is actually falling off you. It was really sore yesterday and if I wasn’t paying attention it would buckle and just give out.
I woke up today and can’t even put any pressure on it without it collapsing……..how fun is that! ? ! Getting my knee scoped right now is so not good timing. I guess it never is, but I have so much on my plate at the moment. Today’s Sunday. I’ll stay off it all day and see if it’s any better at all tomorrow and if not……..off to the docs office. I hate doctor’s offices, I know I shouldn’t feel that way, but I hate going.
I also hate surgery. I had 60% of the cartilage in my left knee removed when I was 18 years old. That’s why my left knee has continually given me trouble. I had xrays done a couple years ago and it was pretty close to bone on bone at that time. Who knows how bad it is now.
The real bummer for me is that for the first time in years my knee was pain free the whole time I was doing P90X and riding the bike. No pain, no swelling, no problems. Maybe it’s time for me to give up on racquetball. I hope not, I love the game. It’s also great exercise.
I’ll keep you posted.
P90X Diet Tips – Processed Sugar Sucks So Bad!
Chocolate Chip Devil
Holy crap! My wife made a gazillion chocolate chip cookies to send out as thank yous to a bunch of our friends who’ve been total sweethearts to us and our kids.
It’s a nice gesture. There is a problem though. I like those $#%@^@* cookies. I hear them calling to me when I’m in the other room. My wife has been unsuccessful at packaging up those cookies and getting them delivered fast enough so that I don’t sample the crap out of the dang things.
A ate a couple, I mean a few of them. Ok, ok……I’ve eaten a bucket of the things. Let me tell you, I’m now paying the price. My workout today practically killed me. I haven’t been this lethargic since before I started the P90X workouts 3 months ago. All this processed sugar sucks!
I’ve been riding the bike religiously over the last couple of months with the exception of 2 weeks ago when we were traveling and I can put a good hour in without really even feeling it.
I barely got into it 30 minutes today and my legs just gave up on me. I went to lift weights afterwards and they felt at least twice as heavy as normal.
The rest of these cookies better get delivered tonight or I won’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow. I have never had this much incentive to not eat this junk anymore. I don’t want to feel like this ever again. I have got to remember how I’m feeling right now the next time I’m tempted to eat a bunch of sugary crap.
Tomorrow will be all about healthy foods and balance. I’ll get my Shakeolgy Protein Shake in the morning and eat some fruit. I’ll eat my 5 – 6 small meals and get myself feeling “normal” again.
I’ve said for a long time that it’s not enough to just work out doing my bike riding and P90X, but that I have to eat wisely as well. I’ve really done a pretty good job of not eating too much garbage over the last 3 months.
Today was an exception, I had 6 of these cookies about a half hour before my workout and I was completely wasted. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but I don’t want to take any chances.
I want to feel good again!
Does P90X Really Work?
Does P90X Really Work? © Tim Pannell Photography
A lot of my friends keep asking me…...does P90X really work? All I can tell them about is my experience. I can’t guarantee that the P90X workout will work for anyone else given that not everyone else will use it the same way I have.
Not everyone will stick to the schedule. I would say this though, anyone who truly sticks to the workouts will see results. I would love to hear from anyone that actually did the workouts and after all was said and done believed that they got zero results.
I don’t believe that that’s even a possibility. P90X workouts were designed for people that are already in pretty good shape. I am not one of those somebodies. In the past 19 years I’ve weighed as little as 185 and as much as 310 lbs.
I’m currently at 268 and have been plateaued there for a few weeks. I know that some of you might be saying that P90X says it’s designed specifically to avoid “plateauing”. So you say………….there’s proof that it doesn’t work!
Before you go thinking that it’s P90X that doesn’t work, let me assure you that in this case the “plateauing” was caused by none other than me not working.
We took a family vacation for a week and I lost most if not all of my momentum that week. I wrote a post earlier about how easy it is to do P90X if you travel. I should have clarified that post by saying “if you travel by yourself on business trips.”
We were visiting family and I did a lousy job of keeping up with it. I only did 1 workout that week if I remember correctly and went golfing twice.
I love to golf, but come on, nobody ever got ripped from golfing. Tiger has a great physique, but we all know that he didn’t get it by golfing. He trains like a lunatic in the gym.
I have no one to blame but myself for that week, but it definitely took a toll on my momentum. Thankfully, I got back into the swing of things once we got home.
The other struggle I had that week was what I was eating. I took in a lot more fatty foods than I had been eating at home and I could really feel the difference. I was pretty tired and lethargic for most of the week.
The big difference for me at this stage of having done the P90X routines for the last 3 months is that I’ve learned not to beat myself up for the days that I’m less than stellar. The past is the past, tomorrow is tomorrow. the only thing I can control, is what I do with my life today.
For many of you that might not sound like a big deal, but let me assure you it is. In the past I would beat myself up for any missteps, and since my past is loaded with plenty of missteps you can imagine how negative my “self talk” became.
I still have 58 pounds to lose. The cool thing for me is that I KNOW that I will lose it. The other cool thing for me is that I don’t have to get down to 210 lbs. to enjoy the benefits of P90X training.
I’m already enjoying them even though I’m still overweight. I am pain free in my joints, especially my knees. That’s HUGE!!!
I have gained muscle, especially in my arms. I am noticeably stronger. My resting heart rate is lower than when I started the program. How many 268 lb. guys do you know with a resting heart rate of 58 beats a minute? Not bad, right?
The biggest eye opener for me of how much better shape I’m in was this:
I hadn’t played racquetball in over 3 months because my partner hurt his knee. Usually after that long of a layoff the first couple of days back on the court are excruciating.
After a couple of long drawn out points, I would be sucking wind so badly I couldn’t breath. Mike and I played again a few weeks back and I never once was out of breath.
Now some of you might be picturing a couple of old bald fat guys swinging their racquets like Peter Pan. It’s just 1 bald fat guy….me. You may have seen guys dogging it on the court, hitting the ball underhanded as they jog to and fro like a couple of “english gentlemen” in some kind of sick mama’s boy badminton experiment.
That’s not us! We play hard. Mike and I both hit the ball over 160 miles an hour and even though I’m big, I can move pretty quickly. Mike has close to a 48 inch vertical leap and is faster than anyone else I’ve ever played. He played collegiate volleyball, so diving on the floor to keep balls in play is pretty common stuff for him.
I have to hit absolutely perfect shots to beat him, he gets to everything….it’s infuriating! No one should be allowed to be that fast.
In any case, there was an obvious difference in my fitness level when we hit the court for the first time in 3 months. I’m impressed at how much the P90X workouts improved my overall health and fitness levels over that time period.
I did not do this program like some kind of “uber-robot”. In the past 3 months I have skipped days, I have done 1/2 the workout on some days. Some days I’ve done 2 workouts. I have not been as consistent as I intended to be, and my diet hasn’t always been spectacular, but I’ve experienced plenty of great results from P90X.
P90X really does work!
Getting Fit is Tough? – Then Wear a Cup
You Can Let Go Now Fellas © Tim Pannell Photography
I know what it’s like to be so heavy that it hurts just to get out of bed in the morning. Joints that scream and whine as I walk.
I guess being a ninja is out of the question for me. I couldn’t sneak up on anybody for an assassination attempt without my knees and ankles popping loud enough to alert an entire neighborhood.
I’m proud to say, I no longer have that problem. It’s not that I’ve lost ALL my weight. I’ve lost almost half of my goal. It’s just that all the working out, bike riding and P90X has helped strengthen my muscles which has strengthened my joints.
I wake up and get out of bed in the morning PAIN FREE. That is significant.
Ok, so what if you’re heavy. Get over it. If other people give you crap about being fat, that says more about them than it does about you. Don’t get healthy and fit because of others. Get fit and be healthy for yourself.
The judgmental looks and comments from people get old quickly and sometimes it can cause us to look for unrealistic approaches to weight loss to avoid those situations as quickly as possible.
I know it would be nice to take a magic pill that would help you lose 50 pounds overnight, but it’s just not realistic, and it’s definitely not healthy. If you’re heavy, you need a “life change” moment, not a get skinny quick scheme.
What if you only lost 2 pounds every month? That sounds like a pretty sucky goal doesn’t it? That’s hardly any weight at all, you must not be trying hard enough if that’s all you lose…….
At the end of 1 year you would have dropped 24 pounds, at the end of 2 years – 48 and the end of 3 years 72 pounds. Tell me again that 2 pounds a month is insignificant.
Here’s the cool part……..if you lose all that weight that gradually, the idea that you’ll put it back on is ridiculous. You will have been successful at changing your lifestyle.
No gimmick diets, no get skinny quick pills here, I’m talking about real change of attitude and choices and preferences. Change for life, not just for swimsuit season or somebody’s wedding.
Just resolve to start today by doing something, anything to be more active and to eat healthier foods. Don’t wait until tomorrow or next week. Do it now.
If you think it’ll be too hard, let me tell ya, it’s a lot harder to do nothing at all and progressively experience more and more pain just getting around doing your daily routines.
Think about what you will gain by eating healthier whole foods and how much more energy you’ll have for things that are important to you if you spend even just 30 minutes a day with a fairly intense workout.
In reality, getting fit isn’t that tough unless we insist on making it difficult. I know what I’m talking about here because I’ve done just that for over a decade. I made things overly complicated to justify my lack of action.
Make some healthy choices about the food that you will no longer eat. Make some healthy choices about the kind of exercise that you ARE going to do continuously and commit to it for life.
At least commit to a lifelong journey towards a healthier you. You can change things up as your weight changes or other circumstances change. Just don’t settle for doing nothing because you think it’s hard. If it’s tough…….wear a cup!
