working on my fitness: P90X update

Before I even start yes the whole !#@% means to add your favorite cuss word there. It's fun isn't it? Yep, I'm still at that point, maybe toward the end I can make it into a smiley face or maybe even I :big puffy heart: Tony. For now my favorite !#@% word will have to do. Said as P90FUDGINGX. As of this moment, I don't have a ton of progress to report about P90X but I promised that I would do periodic updates, so here goes. When and if you get sick of these updates just let me know.

It was officially two weeks yesterday that I started the program. I feel great. The first week was rough. I was sore, I was tired and I just wasn't sure if I could do this. They always say in the videos "Do your best and forget the rest". This really does make you feel better when you have little confidence in your fitness abilities. Fast forward to last week the workouts have not gotten any easier but I feel like I'm finally getting my sea legs up to speed. I still get lost with certain moves and I still have a few issues finishing all the reps, especially in the lunge department but the bottom line is, I'm seeing improvements in my hand eye coordination throughout the day as well as improvement in my posture. Could it really be that my chubby neck was all due to me hunching over? I hope that wasn't all of it. I hope that the few pounds I have lost so far are also a result of that. I'm standing taller and feeling better about me so that's a win/win in my opinion.

My jeans are already fitting differently which a few of you warned me would happen quickly. To most of my friends back home that haven't seen me in a while they might not notice but Mike has already commented that he noticed my jeans aren't fitting as well as they used to. {They aren't as tight in the butt or thighs}. I couldn't be more over the moon about this. I'm also excited to noticed that my lovely back fat seems to be slipping a way. Oh it's still hanging out, but there is much less of it - can we say HELL YES!

A few people have told me the diet was hard but I'm actually enjoying it. I'm shocked how much I get to eat. I feel like I'm eating more now than I ever did in the past and maybe that was part of my weight loss hang up. Ok that and cheeseburgers and fries, and sweets. I snuck in a piece of candy today (lifesaver) and after I ate it I felt gross. It's only been 2 weeks can my body actually be making a change now from only 2 weeks of good, healthy eating? I'm also happy that the most sinful thing I've actually been craving is fruit. I'm only allowed one serving of fruit a day. That is usually sucked up by the first meal of the day (protein shake with banana). There are worse things I could be dying to eat and I really think that the protein shakes and bars have curbed that desire for chocolate. I survived my first battle with PMS and passed with flying colors, but I think the bars had some serious play in that battle vs. my actual willpower.

This literally makes me almost pants every time I see it!!

Oh Chris how I miss you so. 
No worries Adam you're still my all time favorite!
"Lay off me I'm starving!!!!"

I am going on vacation for the July 4th week. I'm looking forward to my week at home with family and friends. It will be an off week for me from P90X. I hated to do this right before the start of my 2nd phase of P90X but I feel like I will be active enough during that week to not do serious damage to my progress. Mike and I plan to site see, do a lot of walking with June and not be stationary for long while we are there. I won't be doing the P90X workout at my father's house where we will be staying, but I plan to do my best eating and only indulging a few times while I'm there. Oddly enough the stuff I'm craving the most is actually on my p90x diet. Seafood is huge on the top of my list of must haves when I get home as well as a huge juicy prime rib from my favorite place to dine. Other than that I'm not craving anything other than good times with my friends. I thought for sure when I started this diet I'd die without pasta. I tried to do South Beach years ago and failed miserably. I did a total Linda Blair at least twice a week and I didn't even make it through the whole first 2 weeks. I miss my noodles but not as much as I thought I would. *Fingers crossed* I can stick with it.

I've noticed small leaps in my muscle definition and I'm already starting to feel better in my current wardrobe. Not 100% awesome but much better than I did before. Seeing results starting to happen so quickly is what is rewarding. I'm not starving, I'm working out and becoming stronger and it feels great.

I doubt I will ever learn to love the Ab Ripper X workout that thing kills me everyday that I have to do it but when the results become more evident I'll be over the moon. The Yoga workout is still my favorite a long with the arm, back and shoulder workouts. I always thought I had really wimpy arms and no strength this has shown me otherwise.

So there you have it. Tuesday was the beginning of Week 3 for me, I can't believe it's gone by this fast already. I've noticed that the biggest health benefit I gained immediately was a great nights rest. I haven't slept this great in a long time. All my stress from the day melts away the minute I put in the DVD to workout. By the time I get to bed I know that I have everything figured out for the next day, my food, my clothes, etc. I'm able to lay my head down and sleep like a baby and I love it! {I'm also exhausted sometimes so yeah after a good workout that helps too}.

My first goal that I had set for myself in starting this program was to feel confident in a tank top by the end of the summer {I hate my upper arms}, if all goes well I will make that goal no problem. My other goal was to start pulling out old jeans from storage bins in my closet to wear. I have never been one to hold on to old clothing but most of these jeans are from my mid 20's, most are still in perfect if not new with tag on condition and I plan to rock them all. I also plan to reward myself with a job well done with new shirts and other treats but for now the reward of loving my arms in a tank top is #1 for me. And yes coughmeredithcough, soon I will think about a swimsuit and officially treat myself to a new one when I get to that point!

If you're still with me - thank you for reading. I will try not to let this become a P90X blah-fest but since most of you asked, I thought I would keep you posted.

Thanks for the support! And lots and lots of love to Shandal aka my coach. Thank you for your patience and for helping me in this journey girl!

Sidenote: Last night Mike and I had dinner with his younger brother {JO} and girlfriend {B} (Mike is one of 4 boys and 2 girls in his family) and B said she could already tell I was losing weight. This made me feel amazing! It's only been two full weeks and 1 day into week three, so that's saying something.