Day 12: Carb Attack

One more day until I finish my second week of P90X. They creators of this program are not lying when they say that this is an extreme fitness plan. Yes, the exercises are challenging, but that isn't the hardest part. We not for me at least. I have been active most of my life, not to mention that I was once in the Army. Not that fitness comes easy to me, by no means. It's the challenge that motivates me. Though waking up everyday at 5am to exercises might seem like a drag, it isn't the hardest part. What about the part that the workouts are all at least 60min or longer? No. Honestly the hardest part for me has been the diet plan.

I Hate It!! But I love It!

What a crazy week it was last week. I decided to start doing the P90X. Pretty sure you have probably seen the infomercial. Basic idea: Your body and way of life will be changed in 90 days. No major equipment necessary. After seeing the commercials so many times, I decided to finally check it out for myself. Prefect that I have time this summer and friends who want to do it with me. Did I mention that we are doing it at 0545am most days? Yeah, but this is good for me since I normally am up at that hour for work during the semesters. My plan: going to do it for 60 days. Why? Well, I leave for a big trip in just under 60 days. But, I am really enjoying it so far. Most likely I'll continue for the last 30 days. We'll see.

For those not too familiar, the workouts mostly consist of body weight training for specific muscle groups. It is encouraged to use a pull up bar and free weights or bands. I can't do very many pull ups, so it has been good to start with bands. Each workout really targets what it says it will. I can't remember my upper back being sore after working out. But after doing the back and legs workout, I was sore there for sure. Most of the workouts, ok ALL the workouts last about an hour. There is also a 90min yoga session. I don't remember sweating during a yoga session before! I feel that I call out to Jesus mostly during the ab session. It has become a love/hate relationship. If I want to shape up those abs, I gotta bring it!

A nutrition plan is included that helps you to become better educated on what foods will best help your training and allow for pounds to be shed. I have yet to commit to this plan. Mostly because I didn't prepare beforehand. Didn't make sense to throw away food. I think Tony Horton (creator of P90X) would disagree. But I have already made major changes like not eating out. I have not eaten out since starting the program. If you know me, I love to eat out. I eat out most of my meals. I have also been drinking A LOT of milk, more than I probably have in a short time span. Basically I'm using the milk as a recovery drink. It's packed with whey protein which is great for recovering muscles after exercise.

Don't think that I will be posting a before or after picture on this site. I don't think that anyone should be exposed to that...jk! I think that my current build would be considered "athletic." So my major goals are to get washboard abs and learn better eating habits. I figure I should have already been doing this since I'm an athletic trainer. I have always jokingly called myself a hypocrite of my profession. But no more! Now that I'm 30, it's time to make a change. I will try to post more regularly as I continue to BRING IT! I hope that you too are inspired to get active if you are not already.         

Natalia's Story

Christians Gone Wild

By now, you have probably heard about the woe's of Jim Tressel (recently the former head coach of Ohio State University). And if you don't know, you probably don't care about sports, or at least sports in the mid-west. Tressel just recently lost his cushy head coaching position after it was found out that he had clearly lied to the NCAA about knowing of certain violations in which his athletes had been involved in. This of course is a big deal in the world of college athletics. For us folks in the mid-west, this is a HUGE deal.

Why? Here's a little background...

I was born and raised in the great lake state of Michigan. I will be forever proud that I can show you where I live just by holding up the palm of my hand and pointing. Who else can do that? There are too many things to love about this state. But I think the one thing that makes Michigan stand out is the multiple number of sport rivalries people of this state involve themselves in. I figure when it snows for 5-6 months of the year, people need sports to distract them from the lack of natural vitamin D production. Hands down the most well known rivalry exists between Michigan vs Ohio State. I grew up loving all sport teams from the University of Michigan. Blue through and through! Anything Ohio State is considered blasphemous. Seriously, there are stories where people from both states travel to the other and will not stop for gas so to not contribute financially to the state. Quite possibly a myth, but who knows for sure.