P90X Update: 60 days

I can't believe I'm into my 60 days and beyond part of the P90X workout. It hasn't been easy but it's been so rewarding. I still have hurdles to get over, and I've still had bumps along the way but all in all I'm in the groove and aside from a bit being bored with some of the routines I'm still loving the program. (And cussing Tony less and less everyday, especially on the Ab Ripper).

What I have learned/How I'm doing: 

• You must follow the meal plan. I said this before in my 30 day listing but it's vital. I think I would be 100 times further than I am if I stuck to the meal plan without fail. I think my two weeks off for vacation hurt me a little bit but I came back swinging. I think a lot of the cheat meals, about 1 per week didn't help me either. I'm going to try my best in this last month to make it happen full tilt. With as little cheating as possible. Truth be told the only reason I've truly cheated was for social meals. If we eat at home I don't want to cheat, I'd rather eat what we are supposed to. If we go to a relative's home or friend's house I'm at the mercy of what they are preparing and usually it's not good.
• Heart Rate Monitors are a MUST. In the first month I didn't bother to purchase one. I will say that one thing P90X isn't is cheap. But I try to remind myself that I can't put a price on getting more healthy and prolonging my life. I purchased a ton of equipment and I still needed the monitor. I finally broke down and purchased it right before my 60 day start. I wanted not only to be sure I was in the right bracket for burning calories effectively but I wanted to see how many I was burning in each workout. Since I've been wearing the monitor I feel like I'm pushing myself harder. So my advice if you're starting the program, run out and purchase one ASAP! I even wore it when I went kayaking the other day just to see how many calories I burned - turns out being on the creek for 3.5 hours can burn up to 1400 calories which isn't to bad considering I think of this as a relaxing day, not a total body workout.
• I have pain in my knee - UPDATE: The pain I had in my first 30 days has gone away but I am noticing that my joints do ache from time to time. Mostly my elbows and my knees and usually after weight lifting and or lunges. I am not sure if this is normal tenderness or if it's something I should truly worry about. If anything I know I need to purchase some new workout shoes and should possibly look into some wrist guards. I'm 33 years old, (yes I just admitted that) I'm not a spring chicken but I wonder if my extra weight for the past few years has anything do to with this. Listen body, I'm working on making you smaller, give me some time.
• Yoga Love vs. Hate. Remember when I said I could hold the Crane pose for 20 seconds before tumbling? I think it was totally a fluke for that first month - and it probably only happened one more time after posting that. I jinxed myself clearly, and like I said my wrists aren't my best friends right now. But it's ok - I don't mind taking a child's pose every now and then during the routine. Yoga X is pretty brutal, even though I've never taken a formal yoga studio class I can tell this one isn't like most. I was over the moon when I discovered after doing it for the first time with my heart rate monitor that I was able to burn over 1,000 calories. That in itself makes me want to continue yoga after this is finished. And after being told by Salt that I had to find a yoga place near me to frequent I did find a business card this weekend with local information so I hope to make her proud.
• Still Eating Healthy and Loving Veggies - I've noticed a huge change - I feel strange without eating veggies. While on vacation I know I didn't eat enough and honestly, I doubt any of the ones I did eat were healthy. When I was back home I took stock of the meals I was eating on vacation. None of them were truly healthy (unless you count the crab feast, even though it was coated in Old Bay which I'm sure is high in sodium). I ate a lot of the things I always loved and I realized just how bad my diet truly was and the years of packing on pounds finally made sense. Seriously I think there was a GE glow over my head light bulb and all. I didn't eat enough veggies, and I certainly ate a ton of fat. I doesn't matter if you eat chicken if it's coated in breading and deep fried, ahhh dur!
• Chocolate protein powder makes me gag. I am still not a fan of chocolate although I made the switch this month and it's growing on me. It still needs lots of ice, a banana and some milk to make me happy. I try to mix it with only water and a little ice as my recover drink but there is still a gag factor.
• Alcohol can hurt your progress. This still rings true for me. I still feel like if I have some cocktails I am not giving my 100% the next day. I've tried to reserve drinking for Saturday night but not going over board. I might have some wine on Friday. I have noticed one thing, my tolerance is much lower now that I've started to lose weight. Two weeks ago let's just say it was NOT pretty. Healthy eating, mixed with one too many Vodka Sodas leads to one hot mess of a rockstar named Kelly.
• Slacking isn't an option. Still SO true. In my full 60 days I have not missed one single workout. I did miss one last weekend, I skipped Saturdays workout figuring I'd make it up on Sunday (my normal off day). I felt like my body needed to rest - I slept for 2 hours on Saturday and I've been exhausted. My body needed this rest obviously so I try not to feel too bad - besides the next day is when I went kayaking and burned all those calories. I will NOT make this skipping a habit. I knew it was a slippery slope and there are days I just want to say SCREW THIS but I don't. I forge through and when I'm done I feel amazing. So try your best not to skip, unless of course you're injured.
• DOUBLES: I claimed I was going to do Doubles for the 30-60 day time period. That didn't happen. I made it up in the AM twice tops for my AM Cardio workout. And while the Cardio X workout isn't bad - I just didn't have the energy and figured I would stick to Classic and maybe when I do a 2nd run of P90X I might try for doubles.
• PULL UPS: When I started this I wanted to be able to do 1 pull up. I can now do three pull ups, with chair assist and I think that rocks. I hope to continue to do this. I think that my doors are way too low to use the bands. I use the highest resistance band, wrapped around the bar 4 times to do pulls etc and I just don't feel like I get the burn I'm supposed to. That being said using a stool/chair is an issue too with the low door jams. We shall see.

Ok enough chatter - I know you really just want to hear my 60 day results so here goes.

P90X Day 0 / Day 30 / Day 60
Weight: 195 lbs. / 189 lbs. / 185 lbs. (-5 lbs.)

Chest: 44" / 41.5" / 41.5 (-0")

Waist 38" / 36.5"  / 36" (-.5")

Hips 42.5" / 42.5" / 40.5 (-2")

Right Thigh: 25.5" / 25" / 24.5 (-0.5")

Left Thigh: 25.5" / 24.5" / 24 (-0.5")

Right Arm: 13.5" / 12.5" / 13  (+0.5")

Left Arm: 13.5" / 12.5" / 13 (+0.5")


JEAN SIZE: 16 / 16-14 / 14
I wanted to start documenting this because I know at times this speaks louder than measurements and pictures. When I started P90X I had purchased my first pair of size 16 jeans December 2009. I purchased them to wear and feel comfortable for a New Years Eve Party I had to go to.  I didn't wear them often because it upset me, they were extremely comfortable and not tight or anything - this is what made me upset. I've never been a girl that let the size of my jeans upset me. That being said my jeans were always a size 10, or 12 (for most of my adult life). I was always comfortable as a size 10 or 12. When I got up to 14 I was a bit upset but I've always said I'd rather be a size bigger to prevent muffin top than rock that horrible style. Well... time came where my size 14's were way too tight and that's when I purchased the size 16's. I vowed after this purchase that I would work to get back into my 14's. (This didn't happen until I started P90X - I continued to wear the 14's to work, with a baggy shirt, to hid the muffin under the cotton. I always say the trend of empire shirts and baggy dress like shirts is what ruined me. I could eat all I want and cover it up with a cute flowing top!

I'm happy to report that the size 16's now fall off me. I wear them from time to time if it's all that is clean in my closet - but I have to wear a belt or be forced to moon the world. My size 14's are perfectly fitted for me right now without any sign of muffin top this alone makes me happy as a clam! I was told through this program that I would drop as much as 2 pant sizes so I hope that my last 30 days make this happen!

Enough jabbering here's the pictures - notice there doesn't seem to be much difference and please excuse my amazing tan lines - I wear tanks and shorts to kayak so I can't help it. Lastly my hair looks classy I know, but it was 7:00 AM and I was in the process of getting ready for work, deal with it!

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I know a few of you are in the middle of your own P90X journeys how are you doing? How do you feel? And please let me know so I can march over and read your reviews.

P.S. I still HATE Fifer Scissors and I can't do 25 reps of bicycles forward or back yet, but I'm getting there! And I have to ask why do most of the girls sound like 5 year olds?