I still worked out today even though I was feeling sick. The back and biceps routine is my favorite DVD, so I’m sure that helped motivate me to complete the workout.

Overall, the workout went well. I did feel the effects of being sick, but I was still able to get a good burn. I did Ab Ripper X pre-workout again today as I’ve been doing for the last few weeks, and I highly recommend it. I’m killing Ab Ripper X now, with the exception of Fifer Scissors… that friggin’ exercise still has my number.

That’s it for today’s update. For all of you who have left comments and sent emails about getting started with the program, congrats! In all honesty, this program can change your life if you commit yourself to it. Make the decision before  you begin to do this thing the whole way (diet plan and all), and you’ll be absolutely blown away by the results.

Stay tuned.

Plyo gave me some problems today, but I made it through it in one piece. The diet continues to go well, there really isn’t anything new to report in that department.

Listen, if you’re unhappy right now with your current weight, fitness level, or physical appearance — I urge you to do something about it. Get a fitness plan together, whether it be P90X or something else, and get busy.

You know, it can be pretty difficult to change bad habits. But once you stick with something long enough to begin seeing results, there’s no turning back.

I’ve spent a considerable amount of time over the past week or so appreciating the progress I’ve seen since beginning P90X, and I’m amazed at how this program has changed my life for the better…

Here are just a few things I’ve experienced:

• Lost nearly 20 pounds.
• My back is completely pain-free for the first time in several years.
• I feel younger.
• Noticed an increase in self-confidence.
• Clothing fits better.
• Feel more energetic.
• I can outrun a cheetah (Ok, that’s not exactly true..)

Seriously though, make a commitment to yourself. Dig down deep and find that one thing that really motivates you to want to get into shape, and use that to get you where you need to be. It’s not difficult and it definitely isn’t rocket science, you simply need to have a solid plan and then stick to it.

I certainly have a long way to go personally, but if there’s anything that I can do to help get you off the fence and moving towards your goals — please let me know.

Don’t procrastinate and put something as important as this off another week, or month or year. Make this the week that you begin your transformation…

Today, I repeated the last P90X workout that I completed before my trip — chest, shoulders, triceps, and Ab Ripper X. The workout went pretty well overall and although I did feel very nauseous at the end, I managed to avoid getting sick.

Also, I took a break from the supplements while I was away so I started taking them again today…

Stay tuned!

What I’ve decided to do is stick as closely as possible to the nutrition plan while I’m away, and also do Ab Ripper X, push-ups, plyo, and kenpo. I’m going to basically pause the program where I’m at until I return, but in the meantime I’ll be getting some form of workout in each day and doing my best to eat as healthy as possible.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to maintain where I’m at this week and be able to pick right up where I left off on Friday when I return.

The workout went great today, no problems whatsoever. I just ran out of the P90X Recovery Drink, so I’m hoping that my next shipment arrives later today. I’ve also missed eating the meal replacement bars, so I’m looking forward to stocking up on those again as well.

A reader (thanks Kasinyaface) left a comment yesterday suggesting that I add a “Friends” page where others can have their before and after photos posted. I think that’s a great idea, so if you’re getting ready to start P90X, are in the middle of the program, or are a graduate and would like to share your before and after photos — leave me a comment with your email address and I’ll be in touch.

Well, that’s it for today. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s update and I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Here are my progress photos taken this morning on day 49 of P90X:

And here are today’s photos compared with those taken on day 1 of P90X…

And here are my measurements after 6 weeks of P90X:

• Resting heart rate in the AM - 62
• Body fat % - 15.8%
• Weight - 184 lbs.
• Chest - 43″
• Waist - 37″
• Right thigh - 21″
• Left thigh - 21″
• Right arm - 16″
• Left arm - 16″

To be completely honest, at first I was pretty disappointed with the measurements because there really weren’t any week over week improvements — however, I’m not going to let one week of “off” results get me down. I’m not really sure why I didn’t drop any more weight or body fat this week, but I’m going to really try to take things to another level intensity-wise this week in an attempt to change that.

I am feeling better than ever, so that’s definitely a positive that I can take away from this week…

Stay tuned, and thanks again to all of you who have been reading and posting encouragement. You guys rock.

The workout went well today and I really worked up a sweat. As I’ve been doing on kenpo days, I really tried to focus and put as much intensity as possible into each punch, kick and block. This really makes a difference in the quality of the workout that you get from Kenpo X.

I had another great day on the P90X nutrition plan today. Unfortunately, I ran out of P90X meal replacement bars several days ago and I’m dying for one. I am set up on autoship, so my next order should have been processed and shipped today. Hopefully it will be here soon as I’m also down to the last serving or so of the P90X Recovery Drink (oh, the horror!).

Tomorrow is day 49 which means it’s time to post my updated pictures and measurements. Photo day is always motivating for me, so needless to say I’m looking forward to it.

Stay tuned…

I just finished my workout a few minutes ago and just had my P90X recovery drink and creatine. My legs are feeling pretty toasty right now, but overall I feel great. I’m really seeing progress in every workout now, and it’s especially noticeable during the exercises that have typically caused the most problems for me. Tonight, I saw big improvements with wall squats and single leg wall squats — two exercises that used to make me tear up and cry for mommy.

I ate well again today and am actually getting ready to eat my final meal of the day after this post. I got stuck running a few errands this afternoon which resulted in my eating schedule getting pushed back.

Last but not least, I really feel like this week has been the most rewarding to date. Sure, I’ve noticed the gradual improvements to my appearance from the very beginning — but I’m at the point now where I’m really starting to feel the effects of this program. Conditioning, posture, flexibility, balance, relief from back pain… I honestly have not felt this good in a long, long time.

Stay tuned, tomorrow is Kenpo X…

The Manduka eKO is a hefty yoga mat. It is 5mm thick and weighs 5 1/2 pounds. When rolled out, it measures 71″ long and 26″ wide and is currently available in 4 colors: Moss, Lava, Ember (my choice), Aqua, and Sand.

While the eKO mat is supposed to be extremely durable, I can’t honestly back that up yet as I’ve only had the mat for a week now. Manduka does have a great reputation for making extremely high-quality yoga mats that last for many years, so I don’t really have any concerns in the durability department.

As far as grip stickiness goes, this mat was definitely the best out of the bunch that I’ve reviewed so far. The surface has a sticky, textured layer on it that provides pretty good grip and the mat is cushioned which adds to the comfort factor as well. Overall, I would give the Manduka eKO mat a 9.5 out of 10 for grip at this point. This rating will likely get even better as the mat breaks in.

Another thing that I like about the Manduka eKO mat is the fact that it does not have retain “memory” when it is rolled up. Once you unroll the mat, it lays completely flat and you won’t have to deal with annoying edge roll.

And last but not least, for those of you who make a conscious effort to support eco-friendly products with your buying power, you’ll be happy to know that Manduka’s eKO mat is made from 100% natural, non-Amazon forested tree rubber. It’s the only “eco yoga mat” on the market with non-toxic foaming agents. Because of this fact, when the eKO mat is disposed of and biodegrades, it leaves behind no toxic residue.

I was looking forward to the yoga workout even more than usual today because I just bought a new skidless yoga mat last week. The Manduka eKO Mat is an eco-friendly yoga mat that I bought because I needed a mat with a slip-free surface. I’ve had problems with my hands slipping during the downward dog pose ever since I began P90X, so I was hoping that this mat would solve that problem.

Overall, I’m happy with the eKO Mat. It definitely provides a lot more grip than the other yoga mats I’ve tried and I had an easier time staying in the downward dog position today. One word of warning about this mat however… it stinks. Bad. The rubber material that they used has a pretty strong smell to it and although I got used to it by the end of the yoga workout, I sure hope it wears off.

Progress wise, my flexibility was off the charts today. I’ve seen a dramatic improvement in my stretching and I was actually able to lay my face on my knee and wrap both hands around my foot during the seated one-legged hamstring stretches today.

Another thing that jumped out at me today was my posture. I’m starting to notice a big improvement in my posture (standing, sitting, etc.), which is something that I really hadn’t realized until today.

Also, I’ve had some irritating lower back pain for a few years now and I could never get it to completely go away. Well, it’s completely gone now and I’ve been 100% pain-free for a few weeks now. This is the first time in a long, long time that I can honestly say that… I really feel incredible.

Well, that’s it for today. Thanks again for all of the comments and stay tuned for tomorrow’s update…

Today’s workout was back, biceps and abs… and man do I love this workout. This is by far my favorite P90X DVD and I always feel great when I’m finished. My biceps are pretty fried right now to say the least.

Ab Ripper X went incredibly well today. Once again, I did abs pre-workout and it really helped out. Today was the first day that I went straight through the abs routine without pausing the video a single time! It wasn’t pretty in some areas (*cough* Fifer Scissors *cough*), but I made it the entire way through without a pause. If you had only seen me during day 1 of Ab Ripper X, you would understand my excitement!

Stay tuned.

I ate well again yesterday and am still on track with the nutrition plan. I’m actually getting ready to do my favorite P90X workout right now… back, biceps and abs. I just ate so I’m letting my food settle for a little while before I exercise.

Lastly, I was happy with the way things went the other day when I completed Ab Ripper X pre-workout, so I think I’m going to repeat that again with today’s workout. Stay tuned…

Last week, after reading a lot of yoga mat reviews online, I ordered a skidless yoga mat by Manduka called the “eKO mat”. It arrived yesterday and while I haven’t had a chance to officially test it out during a P90X yoga workout yet, it appears to be just what the doctor ordered.

The Manduka eKO mat is a fairly sticky yoga mat that provides added grip for those times when sweat causes hand slippage. It is available in 5 different colors (moss, lava, ember, aqua, and sand) and is made from non-Amazon harvested tree rubber. It’s also free of toxic foaming agents and plasticizers commonly found in mats, such as TPE, POE, and other rubber mats.

I’ll be sure to post a more detailed update on how this non-slip yoga mat holds up during Yoga X this week…

Doing Ab Ripper X pre-workout vs. post-workout definitely makes a difference and I had my best day ever on the abs routine today. I cruised right through until I hit “Fifer Scissors”, which causes me muchos problemas.

The chest, shoulders and triceps workout went great today. I pushed myself hard again and really maxed myself out on weights and reps. I just finished up and I’m fried, my hands are actually still shaking from the high intensity of the workout.

I’m also starting to receive more compliments from people who haven’t seen me in a little while. I’ve run into several people over the past few days who have asked me if I’ve lost weight and said that I look great — it’s definitely encouraging to hear that from people who have no idea that I’m doing P90X.

Lastly, if you’re doing any type of physical activity at all (which includes walking, jogging, sports, etc.), head on over and sign up to play Beachbody’s Million Dollar Body game. It doesn’t cost anything and each day that you exercise you have a chance to win free prizes such as iPods, cash, digital cameras, DVD players, and more. Please note: It is mandatory that you split all winnings 50/50 with me.

Relax, I’m just kidding. That is of course unless you feel strongly compelled to send free gifts my way — in which case I will gladly accept them.

Anyway, that’s it for today’s update. Thanks for following along and for the great comments, stay tuned.

This week went really well overall. I feel like I really progressed with the ab workouts and my overall conditioning is getting better by the day. Another positive to take away from this week is that I didn’t have any feelings of nausea (whew).

I had another great week with the P90X nutrition plan and find eating clean to be pretty easy now. I really don’t have any cravings for junk food unless I’m either way stressed out, or put in a “challenging” environment where I’m bombarded with great smelling food. I haven’t cheated the diet plan at all and I credit a lot of the results I’ve seen up to this point with that.

So without further ado, here are my P90X day 42 photos…

And here are the side by side comparison photos of day 1 and day 42…

And here are my measurements after 5 weeks of P90X:

• Resting heart rate in the AM - 61
• Body fat % - 15.8%
• Weight - 184 lbs.
• Chest - 43″
• Waist - 37″
• Right thigh - 21″
• Left thigh - 21″
• Right arm - 16″
• Left arm - 16″

As you can see there were no dramatic improvements since last week’s measurements, but I did lose another pound and my body fat percentage dropped slightly. Also, there was an improvement in my resting heart rate…

Thanks again to everyone for reading the blog and posting your comments and encouragement, it really inspires me and helps to keep me accountable. Stay tuned!

Coordination is one thing that can be tricky with the kenpo workout. It took me a few times to get the proper form down, but now it’s much easier and comes more naturally. Kenpo X is actually a pretty enjoyable workout.

Tomorrow is the end of week 5, which means that it’s time to update my photos and measurements. I was really excited to see last week’s progress, so needless to say I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I’ll get all my new measurements and pictures taken in the morning and update the blog right after that.

Stay tuned!

The legs, back and abs workout actually made me sick to my stomach last week, so I wasn’t sure how today was going to go. Fortunately, I did pretty well today and didn’t experience any feelings of nausea. I was even able to complete single leg wall squats for the first time.

Another thing that I’m really excited about is my back. I’ve had some nagging lower back pain for the past few years and it seemed as though nothing would cure it. Even when I first began my P90X workouts, my back would occasionally act up.

Well, I’m happy to report that my back is 100%. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that my core has gotten stronger or the fact that I’ve lost quite a bit of fat around my waistline, but I haven’t felt this good in several years. I really didn’t even realize that my back pain was completely gone until today!

As far as the P90X nutrition plan goes, I had another great day today and there’s really nothing new to report in that department.

For those of you who are still pressing play, drop me a comment and let me know how things are going…

I also love the way that I feel following a yoga workout. I feel relaxed, stretched out, and exhausted all at once.

The diet went great again today and I’m still on track in that department.

Lastly, I was a little sore today after yesterday’s back and biceps workout, but nothing too major.

Stay tuned…

The P90X Recovery Drink is an after-workout shake that is designed to refuel, re-energize, and reduce muscle soreness. Although it is called a “shake”, the texture isn’t thick like you might think — it’s more like a drink.

Beachbody’s P90X Recovery Drink has a great orange cream flavor and is four parts carbs to one part protein. It provides all of the nutrients that your body needs to recover quickly after the intense P90X workouts.

The drink contains:

• Simple and complex carbohydrates for optimum glycogen replenishment
• A high Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) blend to provide the critical building blocks for rapid muscle resynthesis
• Vitamins, including antioxidants, to help reduce muscle soreness and assist in repair and growth

A serving size is 2 scoops of the powder, mixed with 12 oz. of water. The drink mixes up easily and all you really need is a sports drink shaker, no blender is necessary.

Each serving contains 220 calories, 1g of fat (no saturated fats), 43g of carbs, 38g or sugar, 10g of protein, and several other vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, etc.

Other ingredients include: Glucose, Fructose, Whey Protein Concentrate, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Lecithin, L-Arginine, D-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Creatine Monohydrate, L-Glutamine, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Oxide, Potassium Phosphate, Sodium Chloride, Carrageenan, Niacinamide, Beta Carotene, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, and Cyanocobalamin.

If you’re looking for a great tasting, post-workout recovery drink, I definitely recommend the P90X Results and Recovery Formula drink. You can purchase it directly from the official online Beachbody store. Simply click on the tab marked “Nutrition”, then scroll down and click on “P90X Peak Recovery Formula”.

I really enjoy the bicep exercises as well as the pull-up routines, although I still can’t do as many pull-ups as I would like. I find that after the first few sets of pull-ups, I start to tire quickly and the number of reps that I can do drops pretty dramatically.

Ab Ripper X went awesome today. This was by far my best ab workout to date and I’m seeing some major, major improvements. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I love the abs routine, but I can see that happening in the very near future. Also, I simply cannot get over the change so far in my stomach area… I’m feeling really good about the way that I look and am fitting into some of my favorite jeans for the first time in a long while.

The diet went great again today, I’ve been ordering Subway footlongs quite a bit, eating half, and then saving half for the next day. I stick to the roasted chicken breast sub on whole wheat, with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots.

Tomorrow is Yoga X and I can’t wait. Stay tuned…