Measurements

• Weight: 285.2
• Body Fat: 37%
• Waist: 50.75″
• Hips: 49.5″
• Chest: 49.25″
• Right Thigh: 27.5″
• Left Thigh: 27.5″
• Right Bicep: 18
• Left Bicep: 17.5

Took these a couple of days ago (30 days from when I started) but just got around to posting them. Of note is the fact that I find myself rounding to the nearest 1/4 inch for each measurement – i.e. I lost a little more than a 1/4 inch off my waist, but not enough to legitimately claim 50.5 and I didn’t quite gain a full 1/4 inch on my biceps, but it was well more than an 1/8th beyond my previous measurements.

Having done 60+ days of p90x a little more than a month ago, my fit test results are much better than one would expect from someone of my size. That being said, they’re all still below or just barely at the recommended fitness level to start the program.

Fit Test

• Heart Rate: 72 BPM
• Pull Ups: 0
• Vertical Leap: 16″
• Push Ups: 12
• Toe Touch: +/- 0″
• Wall Squat: 1:32.4
• Bicep Curls: 12 @ 30 lbs.
• In & Outs: 25

Measurements

• Weight: 286.8
• Body Fat: 38%
• Waist: 51″
• Hips: 50″
• Chest: 49.5″
• Right Thigh: 27.5″
• Left Thigh: 27.5″
• Right Bicep: 17.75
• Left Bicep: 17.25

The eating plan to go along with p90x has me eating 3,000 calories, which is an increase from my old goal of 2,500, and I’m tempted to just go with the 2,400 calorie plan they have instead, but that’s exactly the kind of “I know better” meddling I always do, and since what i always do has gotten me here, I’m changing it up for better or worse.

One of the big selling points they use to push P90X is the claim that, if followed properly, you’ll never plateau. The idea is that by confusing the muscles with different exercises and routines, they never have the opportunity to become to accustomed to what you’re doing and are always incentivized to continue improving.

For me, that means that yesterday was my last ‘Chest & Back’ day for a while because starting next week the whole routine gets shaken up. That strikes me as a perfect opportunity to share some of the numbers the program encourages you to record:

So on day one I did a total of 12 full push-ups, and an additional 36 on my knees and then, exactly two weeks later, I did 45 full push-ups and 46 from my knees. That’s an increase of 33 & (10)! The numbers on my back exercises are less impressive, because at the start I couldn’t do a single pull-up and I currently still can’t do one, but I’m not letting that discourage me. I’m seeing real results on this – results I couldn’t have imagined when I started. I actually can’t wait to see what the new routines hold for me next week.

If you’re anything like me, you thought workout videos died a painful death along with other oddities from the 1980′s, but apparently they just ditched Richard Simmons and switched to DVD. For those of you who haven’t heard of P90X, it’s apparently the latest workout video ‘everyone’ has been talking about.

I’d not heard of it until a friend of a friend started talking it up non-stop at lunch a few months back; then, a friend of my sister started posting her impressive results on facebook; soon, my roommate was talking about buying it, and everyone I know seemed to know someone who was doing it. So when the opportunity arose for me to try it out, I figured I’d see what all the fuss was about.

Two days later, I am in incredible pain. I seriously cannot recall a time in my life where my muscles hurt more than they do right now. Yesterday, we only made it half an hour into the workout before I threw up and jogged in place for the rest of video.

If I were sane, I’d probably step back now and consider doing this at some point in a healthier future, but I’m going to try and keep it up, because I made a commitment to my roommate to do it with him (and the fact I’m going to be the best man at a wedding coming up at the end of July might play a tiny part in my decision as well)

But for those of you thinking P90X will help you lose serious weight, I suggest you think again. This program was tailored toward people who are in average to above average shape looking to make the jump to great shape. It most certainly was not intended for people with 80 pounds left to lose.

- Biceps -

• Cable Curls
  1. 80 lbs – 6 Reps
  2. 80 lbs – 5 Reps
• Hammer Curls
  1. 20 lbs – 14 Reps
  2. 20 lbs – 9 Reps
• Standing Supinated Curls
  1. 20 lbs – 8 Reps

- Back -

• Lat Pulldowns
  1. 90 lbs – 10 Reps
  2. 90 lbs – 10 Reps
• Bent-over Rows
  1. 20 lbs – 8 Reps
  2. 20 lbs – 8 Reps

- Chest -

• Bench Press
  1. 130 lbs – 12 Reps
  2. 130 lbs – 9 Reps
  3. 130 lbs – 7 Rep

- Triceps -

• Seated One-Handed Tricep Extension
  1. 20 lbs – 6 Reps
  2. 15 lbs – 8 Reps
• Cable Pulldown
  1. 50 lbs – 12 Reps
  2. 50 lbs – 6 Reps

- Shoulders -

• Lateral Raises
  1. 15 lbs – 8 Reps
  2. 15 lbs – 6 Reps
• Dumbbell Military Presses
  1. 20 lbs – 10 Reps

I’d listed running a 5k as one of my New Year’s resolutions, but like so many things in my life, it was always something I was ‘intending’ to get to, but was unlikely to actually do anytime soon. Two of my buddies at work, who’ve been very supportive of my weight loss goals, took it upon themselves to register for the local race in the hopes of getting me to run as well, and it worked.

Seeing as how this is a blog dedicated to my personal nutrition and fitness, you’d think I would have mentioned the fact that I was registered to run a 5k yesterday. However, given the fact that it was at 7am and that I hadn’t really been training for it at all, I honestly wasn’t sure I was going to show – as anyone who knows me can attest, the only time I’m up at 7am is if it’s because I’m still up from the day before.

But I did show, and I ran (or more accurately – walked, with alittle running mixed in), and I did okay. I was aiming for under 40 minutes and I got decently close with an official time of 41:35. The cold morning air was harder to breathe than the warmer air at the gym, and the concrete/asphalt was waaaaaay harder on my knees than the treadmill, so I’ll happily take that time.

Now, as soon as I can walk without hobbling, I’ll look towards running another.

- Biceps -

• Cable Curls
  1. 80 lbs – 4 Reps
  2. 60 lbs – 10 Reps
  3. 60 lbs – 10 Reps
• Hammer Curls
  1. 20 lbs – 12 Reps
• Concentration Curls
  1. 20 lbs – 12 Reps

- Back -

• Lat Pulldowns
  1. 80 lbs – 8 Reps
  2. 70 lbs – 10 Reps
  3. 560 lbs – 10 Reps
• Bent-over Rows
  1. 20 lbs – 10 Reps

- Chest -

• Bench Press
  1. 150 lbs – 6 Reps
  2. 140 lbs – 8 Reps
  3. 170 lbs – 1 Rep

- Triceps -

• Seated Two-Handed Tricep Extension
  1. 45 lbs – 8 Reps
• Cable Pulldown
  1. 70 lbs – 6 Reps
• Tricep Kickbacks
  1. 20 lbs – 8 Reps

- Shoulders -

• Lateral Raises
  1. 15 lbs – 10 Reps
• Dumbbell Military Presses
  1. 20 lbs – 12 Reps
• Front Raises
  1. 15 lbs – 10 Reps

The gym two days in a row is more or less unheard of for me. I’ve been icing my knees, so hopefully I won’t be hobbling like an 80 year old at work tomorrow.

- Biceps -

• Dumbbell Curls
  1. 45 lbs – 4 Reps
  2. 20 lbs – 10 Reps
• Cable Curls
  1. 70 lbs – 6 Reps
  2. 60 lbs – 4 Reps
• Hammer Curls
  1. 20 lbs – 12 Reps

- Back -

• Lat Pulldowns
  1. 70 lbs – 8 Reps
  2. 70 lbs – 8 Reps
  3. 50 lbs – 12 Reps
• Bent-over Rows
  1. 20 lbs – 12 Reps

- Chest -

• Bench Press
  1. 140 lbs – 8 Reps

- Triceps -

• Cable Pulldown
  1. 60 lbs – 8 Reps

- Shoulders -

• Dumbbell Military Presses
  1. 20 lbs – 15 Reps