P90X Weight Loss – Get Back On That Bike Dude!
P90X / Biking © Tim Pannell Photography
We just got back from taking my 16 yr. old son to Lacrosse Camp up in Utah and I am anxious to get back in the workout saddle so to speak.
I wrote a couple of weeks ago about how easy it is to do P90X workouts on the road. That post was aimed more at business travel and staying in hotels. I never really tried doing P90X while visiting friends and family.
Let me just say this, it’s a completely different animal. I struggled with working out this last week. It was hands down the worst week I’ve had since starting out on my program. I feel like I lost an entire week.
I did a lousy job of keeping up with my workouts when we were away. I did a series of P90X shoulders and arms with my wife sometime in the middle of the week and the rest of the time I just kept getting sidetracked with other issues.
I got to play golf with my sister a couple of times and that was fun in spite of me playing the worst I’ve played in at least 5 years. Man did I suck!
I’m starting a new photography blog and that consumed me for most of the week as well. I’m teaching people how to shoot better photos of their kids. The website is just in it’s infancy, but check it out if you get a chance and you’re interested in photography. http://photomommies.com
In any case, I’m home now and I’ll be doing P90X chest and back and riding the bike this morning to get things started up again.
The old me would be beating myself up right now for not having worked out consistently all of last week, even though it was nice to get to see family and spend some time with them.
The new me sees the past as the past and today as the present. I can’t change last week, but I can make good choices today. If you’re struggling with weight issues like I do chances are you can get easily derailed from your workout goals.
It’s all too easy to just throw in the towel and give up when things don’t work the way I hope. This is always a major crossroads in my life. What I do in these situations will ultimately show what I’m made of.
I have a choice to give up completely and wallow in self doubt and pity or I can pick myself up and learn from the past instead of dwelling on it. What can I do better, where can I improve?
I’ve been working out with P90X for the last 2 months and 3 weeks. I haven’t last the amount of weight that I’d hoped for, but I am in much better shape than I was.
I would say that my biggest problem over the previous couple of months is that I haven’t been consistent enough and that is what I will be working on this coming month.
I am guilty of letting off the gas once I made a lot of progress. I have to do a better job of keeping my fitness goals a priority and not put them on the back burner.
I know that ultimately getting my body back into good shape will have a profound effect on every other aspect in my life.
So, for now, I’m going to stop writing and I’m gonna go hop back on my bike for an hour and then I’m dropping my P90X chest and back into my DVD player and I’m gonna sweat my butt off for a while.
P90X Reviews – Weight Loss For Women
P90X for Women © Tim Pannell Photography
We talk about P90X as though it’s only for big ‘ole tough guys. That sells the workout program a little short.
Will P90X work for women? For anyone who has ever done or followed a P90X Workout DVD you already know that there’s always a woman on the program, and they all kick butt.
I know that for many women there is a fear of bulking up too much and looking un-feminine from lifting weights. As with all things in life, it really depends on what your goal is. There are women out there that have created enormous physiques for themselves, to the point where most people find it gross.
P90X is not designed with that in mind. It’s purpose isn’t just about losing weight.
It’s goal is for people to get fit and lean. By building muscle, the body naturally uses more energy, aka calories. As your body adjusts to the workouts and the healthier diet you’ll see your body fat % shrink and your lean muscle mass increase. Your arms and shoulders will have greater definition, legs will get more toned and tummy muscles will tighten.
Take a look at the women on the DVD, they actually represent a variety of different sizes and shapes, but they’re all fit.
My wife usually works out at the gym, but we were on a family trip recently and while we were gone she did some of the P90X workouts with me and really enjoyed them. I really enjoyed working out with her.
We did P90X Shoulders and Arms first, followed by plyometrics. She kicked my butt at plyometrics. I still struggle with this set of exercises because of my knees, but I am getting better and better at it.
We had such a good time doing them together that we’re continuing the mutual workouts at home. She keeps me focused and on track on the days that my attitude isn’t as good as it could be.
P90X training can benefit just about anyone that is trying to get back into shape. I realize that it’s marketed for people that are already in fair to moderate shape, but speaking as a guy that’s still 55 lbs. overweight, it’s been great for me as well.
You can go at your own pace, from moderate to really intense and the DVDs always have someone doing lighter weights and more reps. So, for any women that are considering P90X and unsure about whether or not it’ll be too intense for you, I wouldn’t waste my time worrying about it.
My wife says that the workouts she’s done with me seem to be a bit easier than what she does at the gym. I guess that sounds like P90X heresy, but that’s her experience.
She does however like the workouts and it is nice to be doing them together instead of by myself. So whether your a guy or a girl or a couple, P90X will work for you. Just be sure to check with your doctor before you start if you have any questionable health risks or concerns.
P90X Routine – Why Do I Do It?
P90X Routine © Tim Pannell Photography
OK, I’m still seriously overweight. I’ve been doing pretty well with my eating habits and p90x workout routines. I’m losing weight, I’m adding muscle and burning fat.
Today I’m taking an account of where I’m at compared to where I was just a few short months ago.
It used to be extremely easy to talk myself out of working out. I could find all kinds of excuses.
The biggest excuse was the lack of results. I was notorious for getting down on myself when the weight didn’t just fly off my body after a few days or maybe even weeks of “being good.”
My attitude towards living a healthy lifestyle was only based on hard data, numbers…….results that could be seen or measured with some kind of tool. Well guess who the “tool” really was.
Living and dying by your numbers alone is a fools game. All the right things for all the wrong reasons. I’ve changed my attitude around completely.
I now workout for the sheer enjoyment of it. I feel better, I have a better attitude about my life, I look at things differently. Sure, I still have crappy days, just ask my sister about my golf game yesterday. I was a schmuck! It felt nice to do a little venting though and now I’ve moved past it.
I am no longer willing to let a few less than stellar numbers keep me from working out and eating more healthy foods. These are rewards in and of themselves.
Who cares if I’m still overweight today? I’m more healthy today than I was 2 weeks ago. I’ll be healthier still 2 weeks from today. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
I’ve embraced the healthier lifestyle for it’s own sake. The measurable results will come at their own pace and in their own time. The real benefits happen immediately as I consistently workout and eat better.
I’m celebrating a little bit today. That statement doesn’t mean today what it meant 4 months ago. Then it would mean treating myself to a Jethro Bodean sized bowl of ice cream.
Today it just means I’m consciously being grateful that I’ve finally found the key for me to get back into shape. I am now living for the process.
P90X Review – Kenpo X – I Want My Mommy!
P90X Kenpo X Workout © Tim Pannell Photography
The P90X Kenpo X workout is just plain and simple cardio from hell. Holy crap I am dreadfully out of shape. Every time I start feeling good about the direction I’m heading one of these P90X cardio workouts absolutely kicks my butt.
I have been reduced to a sniveling sissy man. The pre workout stretch is enough for me to start praying for the end of the world. I swear my body isn’t made to contort into so many different directions at the same time.
That being said, it’s a great warmup and the workout is intense to say the least. I really do feel borderline spastic while I do this routine and I’m sure that my wife has to hold back full belly laughs at the site of me.
I did it today with my 11 year old son, who ran screaming from the room in complete desperation to escape Tony Horton’s little shop of P90X Kenpo X horrors. This DVD should apparently be rated PG-13……..sorry buddy.
It never ceases to amaze me how much sweat flies off my body doing these workouts. It just keeps coming and coming.
Kenpo X consists or 3 major components: blocking, kicking and punching. There are extended breaks throughout this workout when you will run in place or do jumping jacks the “X” version of jumping jacks to really get your heart pounding.
Currently I am doing about 1 hour on my recumbent bike before each P90X workout that I do. It really does help get my blood flowing and get me into the right frame of mind.
There are a total of 27 exercises which consist of various combinations of kicks, blocks and punches. It’s a nice change of pace from a lot of the more weight lifting, pull up and push up oriented p90x workouts.
My favorite set of exercises is also the one that I’m the least skilled at – Three direction kicks – ball kick, then side kick, then back kick. I’m sure it’s my extra weight that I’m lugging around that causes me difficulty with this, but I like the challenge.
This isn’t quite as intense as the plyometric or core syergistics workouts, but it runs a close third. Have fun with it and enjoy the small lake of sweat that you’ll leave on the floor when you’re done.
Get your butt off that couch!
P90X Workout Review – Attitude Adjustment – 07/13/09
Beachbody Results © Tim Pannell Photography
Last week was actually not a great week. I got through the 4th of July weekend and actually lost weight. Monday morning I weighed in at 268 lbs. and was feeling fantastic.
The problem shift in attitude happened after I ate a bunch of junk that I’d been avoiding for the previous month or so. My oldest daughter also had a birthday on Wednesday last week and I ate cake and ice cream then as well.
In and of itself, that’s probably not such a big deal, but we had extra ice cream laying around the house….well, not actually laying around the house, but calling out to me from the freezer non stop.
I had some ice cream several days in a row and what I noticed was that I had less and less desire to work out once I started systematically filling my pie hole with a lot of junk.
In full confession mode here…..I’ve always liked ice cream, but I became and addict when my wife worked at Baskin Robbins while we were in college and I got used to eating it everyday.
In fact BR is absolutely responsible for me gaining 25 pounds shortly after Kim and I got married. It was the first time in my life that I ever even had a weight issue.
Now that you know the history, you’ll understand a bit better why this is so frustrating to me. I know better, I know I need to be careful around ice cream. It’s not like my fitness quest is over, far from it. It is a setback though.
Had I continued last week the way I had the previous week, I probably would have lost an additional 2 or 3 pounds. Instead I hung out in limbo for a week.
The interesting thing is the shift in my attitude. Prior to the ice cream binge, I couldn’t wait to get to my workout because it always felt so good. The last several days have been difficult for me to get motivated.
I”m sitting here writing instead of lifting weights and riding the bike. So……that being said, I’m gonna stop writing for the moment and go workout, even if I’m not totally fired up about it. I’ll be back in an hour and a half……………..
It’s 2 hours later and I’m feeling a lot better. I rode the bike for 55 minutes and I upped it’s intensity from 3 to 4. Then I did an hour of P90X Shoulders & Arms even though I was scheduled to do Back & Chest.
My arms felt weak and wimpy so I decided to start the week with my favorite set of exercises. I’m really glad I worked through my bad attitude and just did my workout. My body feels great, my arms are nice and tingly and I have a great “fitness” buzz on. My mind is clear now and I’m ready to tackle the week.
I know that there are people out there that once they commit to something they seem to never stumble, but when it comes to working out or eating a certain way, I’m not one of them. I’m going to have a few “down days”.
I’m not making excuses here…….I plan on doing better, but I’m not going to beat myself up for having a set back. That won’t help me reach my ultimate goal. So I’m gonna sit down and take a good long look at what I did last week and how it effected my overall plan and then I will learn from it.
All I can do today is start back on course and make a change for the better. I put in a good 2 hour workout and I feel great! That’s success in my book. The past is now in my past. I can actually do something in the present to have a positive effect on my future.
If you’ve struggled or are currently struggling with your weight, look at the past only to learn from it and then make a plan and stick to it.
Hang in there and don’t let the little or even the big setbacks get you down on yourself. Just keep moving forward and before you know it you’ll be hitting your fitness goals and maybe even moving above and beyond your health related goals.
Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from claiming what’s rightfully yours. It’s your body, it’s your health…..own it for crying out loud!
If I can get into shape, then anyone can. If you’re on the fence, what are you waiting for. There will never be a better time to start than right now. Try the p90x workouts, try a gym membership, get a personal trainer, whatever works or will work for you. Make a choice and follow it up with a bigtime commitment!
If you are waiting for an attitude adjustment to start working out, flip it around and workout so you get the attitude adjustment you want. Just close your eyes and bull your way through it if you have to, but I can guarantee you’ll feel better once you’ve done it.
The times you feel least like working out are probably the most important times to actually get your butt off the couch and start moving.
Special thanks to condron.us for promoting the Fatboy Fitness Blog, we appreciate it!
The Benefits of Water – Nature’s Magic Elixir
With all the miracle weight loss pills and miracle drinks on the market you’d think that American’s would be losing weight hand over fist instead of piling up the pounds. Americans consume billions and billions of dollars worth of diet drinks and energy drinks and have nothing but additional weight gain to show for it.
There has to be a better way to hydrate ourselves. Sadly, the answer is so simple that many people discount it’s effectiveness because it just seems to be too easy.
Do you desperately want a a liquid diet drink that naturally helps you lose weight? Go into your kitchen, walk over to the sink and turn on the spicket…..tada!!!!
Water, Good ole’ fashioned water. It just can’t be that easy…right? Well, it is that easy. Water is miraculous with the health benefits it offers. If you’ve been convinced by all the propaganda out there that the water in your tap is bad, then get bottled water or invest in a water filtration system for your home.
In any case, water is the answer for everyone if they’re looking to get their bodies back into shape. Drink at least 100 ounces a day. Add to that a balanced sensible diet and moderate to intense exercise and watch your weight regulate itself and your body transform itself into a fat burning machine instead of a fat producing blob.
If you don’t believe me when I say that water is nature’s magic elixir, then just watch this video.
After watching this there can be no argument, especially since everything on TV is the truth…..right?
Drink your water guys!
P90X Reviews – Can I Do P90X If I Travel a Lot?
Travel © Tim Pannell Photography
I get a lot of people contacting me, wondering if P90X will work for them if they travel frequently for business and find themselves on the road.
This is an easy question for me to answer since I travel quite often for my commercial photography business. In the last couple of years, I’ve been to Africa, Spain, France, Greece, Costa Rica, Vancouver, Whistler, London, Norway and Prague. I love all those frequent flyer miles!
P90X workouts are easily adaptable for someone that finds themselves on the road. Assuming you have a laptop to watch your P90X routines on or a dvd player in your hotel room, the only other thing you need is a set of the B-Line Resistance Bands and towels to keep the great big pools of sweat from ruining the hotel room floor carpet.
They’re super light weight and can fit anywhere in your luggage without really making a dent on your weight limit on any of the airlines. Those excess baggage fees have become ridiculous lately.
The workouts are a little different and take a little bit of effort to get used to when compared to using dumbbells and the pull up bar. But you’d have to be a completely uncoordinated weenie to not be able to pull this off. If that is the case, you have bigger problems than your weight or lack of fitness. It does mix things up from the norm though and that helps with muscle confusion.
I like being able to workout in my own hotel room instead of heading down to the hotel gym and fighting over the small amount of equipment usually available.
All in all, P90X travels well and easily. Anyone concerned about the effectiveness of the training when on the road, has no need to be. P90X works great whether you’re at home or at a hotel in the latin quarter of Paris with a view of Notre Dame.
P90X Review – Shoulders & Arms
P90X Shoulders & Arms © Tim Pannell Photography
My plan is to review each of the 12 P90X workouts over the next couple of weeks. One a day as I do each of them. When I’m finished you’ll have 12 P90X reviews to pick from to decide where you want to start your workout routine.
Out of all 12 of the P90X workouts, P90X Shoulders and Arms is my absolute favorite. I have to admit right up front that I will be biased with this review.
It starts out basically the same way all the others do, with a typical Tony Horton 10 -12 minute warmup with jumping jacks and running in place, “riding the pony”, as well as some good neck stretches with “head rolls” and arm circles that really get in there and burn your shoulders.
Then it’s off to the races. You jump right in with alternating shoulder presses to start working your shoulders. From there you do “in and out” bicep curls, these are my favorites because when you’re finished your biceps are completely on fire.
You start working on your triceps next with two arm tricep kickbacks which is a great exercise to explode your triceps.
After these 3 exercises you go back to the beginning and start the process all over again. This repeats itself throughout the entire DVD. Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps and repeat.
Each set has a different set of 3 exercises that works those specific muscles in that specific order. At the end of each set Tony does 30 seconds of ballistic stretching to let you catch your breath.
You’ll upright swimmer presses, static arm curls, chair dips, upright rows, hammer curls and a list of other classic weightlifting exercises.
By the time the DVD is over you will have done 2 complete sets of 5 different exercises for each of the targeted areas and you will be fried, but in a good way.
I love how this workout makes my arms feel. By the end of this P90X DVD, my arms are so pumped up it feels amazing. It’s my favorite way to start my day now and that’s pretty amazing in it’s own right since just a few short months ago my morning routine consisted of sitting on the couch to watch ESPN or the news.
In 2 months I added an inch of muscle to my arms……pretty cool!
P90X Workout – 12 DVD’s – Your Personal Fitness Revolution
P90X Success © Tim Pannell Photography
If you’re reading this article, you’ve probably already heard of P90X, but you might not know exactly what it’s all about.
P90X teaches you how your body truly burns fat and builds muscle. It has nothing to do with “magic diet pills” or fad diets that help you lose weight “quickly” with little or “no effort”.
P90X is old school. If you want results, you have to earn them. You have to start eating healthy foods like you find in the P90X nutrition plan. No prepackaged lousy tasting food in pre-measured containers. Just good ole’ fashioned vegetables, fruits and lean proteins. This is not a starvation diet either. You will eat plenty in order to have the energy to handle these workouts.
Speaking of workouts, get ready to sweat and feel the burn. There are 12 individual DVD’s that comprise P90X. Each is a self contained 45 minute to 90 minute workout.
This DVD training collection is not for everyone. You need to be sure to check with your doctor before starting this program to make sure you don’t put yourself at risk.
You can always download and take the P90X “Fit Test” to see if you’re up for the challenge. If you’re not quite ready for P90X you can try starting out with Tony Horton’s first Dvd program..”Power 90″.
Here’s what the team at Beachbody has to say about the 12 P90X DVD’s:
1 Chest and Back – Targeted strength and definition workout emphasizes two classic upper-body exercises.
2 Plyometrics – Explosive jumping cardio routine proven to improve athletic performance.
3 Shoulders & Arms – Potent combination of pressing, curling, and fly movements that will leave you stronger
4 Yoga X – Combines strength, balance, flexibility, and breath work to enhance your physique and calm your mind.
5 Legs & Back – Get ready to squat, lunge and pull for a total-body workout like no other.
6 Kenpo X – Intense cardiovascular workout with punching and kicking for endurance, balance and co-ordination.
7 X Stretch – Achieve a higher level of athleticism over a longer period of time, plus prevent injuries and avoid plateaus
8 Core Synergistics – Build and support multiple muscle groups to buld and support the core while conditioning your body.
9 Chest, Shoulders & Triceps – Target both large and small upper body muscles to push you to the brink.
10 Back & Biceps – Flex those powerful biceps and focus on toning and tightening these showcase arm muscles.
11 Cardio X – Low-impact cardio routine that is a fun fat-burning workout that will leave you feeling lean and mean.
12 Ab Ripper X – Sculpt the 6 pack abs of your dreams and benefit your health and physical performance.
These 12 fitness routines are designed to introduce new moves and challenge your muscles on a daily basis. The “muscle confusion” principle accelerates your fitness results by introducing new moves and routines so your body never plateaus. On top of that, it keeps you from getting bored as well.
There is a P90X workout schedule to follow.
By consistently mixing up the routines and exercises, your body never gets complacent and is always pushing itself. Try it for 90 days and I bet you’ll be amazed at the results.
Whether you’re skinny, trying to bulk up, heavyset and trying to get lean or just trying to get all out ripped, there are countless ways to combine these DVD’s to get the results you’re looking for.
I got P90X for the first time 6 months ago. At my heaviest I was 310 pounds. I am now weighing in at 268. i still have another 58 pounds to lose, but this workout has changed my life. I am more fit now than I have been in decades.
With a 90 day money back guarantee, minus S&H, ( you still get to keep the Ab Ripper X Workout and 3 Phase Nutrition Plan as gifts) what have you got to lose?
If you’re out of shape and looking for a way to get back into shape without spending a fortune on expensive gym memberships or personal trainers that can drain your pocketbook pretty quickly, this might be the answer for you.
P90X is definitely the answer for me.
Make Losing Weight Fun With These Simple Activities
Do you groan when you think of trying to lose weight and exercise? Most of us do! Unfortunately, for so many, the very idea of losing weight breeds negative thoughts and feelings. You might even think it’s an impossible challenge.
After all, who wants to think of climbing on those machines in the gym for 30 minutes to take off the pounds? Or even worse, doing sit-ups at home. Yuck!
If losing weight has become a drag, you need to rethink your strategy.
You’ll be glad to discover that you don’t need to go to the gym to lose weight and get the body you want!
Here are five simple activities that will help you get healthy while having a blast:
1. Play group sports. One great idea for losing weight the fun way is to play group sports. You can even find the recreation center in your area has the equipment you need for free.
* Start playing soccer, softball, volleyball, or basketball. With these activities, you’ll be burning off the calories while enjoying yourself at the same time!
2. Go for a walk with your friends. One sure way to become active and get better health is walking with friends or family members. Meet during the week to take a brisk walk together, either in the morning before your day begins, during lunch, or in the evening after work.
* Schedule your walk into your day as social time. While you’re walking, take time to catch up and chat with each other. This way it feels more like a social experience instead of exercise.
3. Dance. Ballroom Dancing is another great way to burn off tons of calories, while having fun at the same time. Once you get your heart pumping, you’ll enjoy an incredible workout!
* Take a dance class.
* Go out to a nightclub where you can dance the night away.
* Get some dance videos so you can dance at home.
4. Beautify your yard or cultivate a garden. Gardening and yard work are both activities that burn calories so you can lose some weight. Planting flowers or vegetables, pulling weeds, raking, hauling dirt, and doing other gardening chores can really help you get in shape.
* When you’re squatting, bending, and yanking out those weeds, you’ll be working muscles you didn’t even know you had!
5. Play with your family. Even something as simple as playtime outdoors with the family can help you lose some pounds and stay healthy. Having fun with family can give you some much needed activity like running, Frisbee, playing tag, and other games.
You can visit state parks and go hiking, or find trails in your area.
* Climb a tree in your backyard.
You can go to the water, and go swimming or water skiing.
The possibilities are endless! You’ll have fun spending quality time with your family, and teaching your children a healthy lifestyle as well.
Although these activities are fun, regular activity and eating a healthy diet go hand in hand when you want to lose weight. You can’t count one weekend of gardening as your exercise for the week. Vary your activities for more fun, and do something to get moving every day.
If you want to reach your weight loss goal, you’ll need to be consistent.
As you can see, exercising and getting in shape don’t have to be boring or unpleasant. If you want to lose weight and improve your health, there are plenty of easy activities to do!
