elusive week 3

I will not let Week 3 be the death of me!

This is the mantra I've come to repeat over the last two weeks of struggle with the P90X program. No excuses here, just schedule conflicts leading to my lack of motivation to get the workouts done. I could have made it happen, but I chose not to. I guess this darkling is human after all.

So.... I am repeating Week 3 until I get it complete and done! Even with the two to three workouts that I always seem to finish in the beginning of Week 3, I feel better, stronger, and more energetic than before. And I want to finish Week 3 with a bang because Week 4 is recovery week..and I don't feel I deserve a recovery week until I'm satisfied with the completion of Phase I.

There ya have it.

I'd write more, but I need to get out there and "Bring It!"

Stay dark...

Inspirational Photo

Exercise and application produce order in our affairs, health of body, cheerfulness of mind, and these make us precious to our friends.

- Thomas Jefferson

week 2 and 3

Darkness may reign in the goth world, but it didn't keep me from seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I made it through my untimely illness and repeated Week 2 of theP90X program. I did, however, miss two workouts: Yoga and Kenpo. Yoga was missed due to a scheduling issue and Kenpo because of a beer. One beer during the day completely zaps all my reserves of energy. A big meal seems to have the same effect. Live and learn.

I'm halfway into Week 3 and though I'm still not feeling as good as I did Week 1, I'm able to do more with my workouts. Today I completed Shoulders & Arms and Abs. I moved up to 5 lb weights on the curls, flys, and shoulder presses, but kept the 2 lb weights for tricep exercises. My boyfriend and I are looking into 7-10 lbs weights for next week. I'm also able to do more with the ab training. I can actually feel the muscle in there. Sure, it's covered with a creamy goo, but its in there..and it's getting ripped!

I wanted to mention a website/newsletter that I signed up for a while ago. A Canadian fellow, Vince DelMonte, puts out a great newsletter chalk full of helpful tips, videos, and products for fitness enthusiasts. I think he's onto something here. He doesn't promote supplements, just eating "right", his exercises are simple yet get the job done, and he uses his personal life to connect with his followers. His diet is straightforward (and he even has articles dealing with vegetarian diets), he gives you a wide variety of exercises to use, and since he's newly engaged he does videos and challenges relating to his relationship. Check his blog out and sign up for his newsletter. His programs are a tad pricey, but just the information and videos he provides for free are worth it in my opinion. Way to go Vince!

I'll be posting more about Week 3 over the weekend.

For now, stay dark...

Inspirational photo:










"Eat right, exercise regularly, die anyway." ~Author Unknown

week 2: revisited

I hate getting sick. Even moreso, I hate getting sick right when I've started to get into the groove of something. In this instance, I was at a crucial point in the P90X program. I could actually complete a majority of the exercises and attempt the rest with more confidence than before. I had tons of energy and the diet was going well, too.

In the past, when I was pert and young, I could blow through a cold in a couple of days and bounce back as good as new. This time, as I'm heading toward my mid 30s (sniff sniff), it seems those days of a quick recovery are over. This cold went all over the place - from throat to head, through the sinuses and then down into my chest. Fast forward more than 2 weeks later and I still have a lingering cough. But at least I feel better overall. My boyfriend, who was sick as well, persuaded me to heal up as much as possible before jumping back into the workouts. I followed his advice, but was able to start back up on Monday.

And boy could I feel the 2 week hiatus. I didn't ease back into it and ended up paying for it with some major soreness. I don't mind though since it means I'm back on board and getting my body in gear.

While on the break I stumbled upon a great website/community called veganfitness.net. It's a place where vegans and vegetarians can talk about anything health and fitness related. I was amazed at a post they had on popular vegan athletes. First I hardly new there were more than a handful, but it turns out there are hundreds!! From basketball players to competitive weight lifters, vegans are making a huge presence in the fitness community. I think this is extremely important. If vegans are shown in a light that emphasizes their strength then the days of people seeing them as weak and malnourished will be dashed to little bits. And then we could see more people exploring non-meat options! Yessss! Viva la vegan!!

Anyway, I'm back in business baby!

Stay dark...

Inspirational photo:











"Energy is eternal delight." William Blake

week 2

Week 2 hasn't officially ended, but I've got some decisions to make. And fast. Both my boyfriend and I were derailed this week due to sickness. I started feeling bad on Wednesday night and therefore decided to use Wednesday as my day off from working out. Thursday, I felt worse and had to put in a 9 1/2 hour day for work, which sucked! I didn't work out that night either. Friday, I called in sick and there was no working out. Now it's Saturday morning, I'm still not myself, and I'm wondering what I should do...?

I could try a couple workouts today and tomorrow. But, I'm still trying to recuperate...and I don't want to be out longer than I already have. I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that the best choice of action here would be to finish out the weekend to heal and rest and start back up Monday. Moreover, I would start week 2 over on Monday. I don't mind and that's the best I can do to make sure I reach my goals.

Just to let you know, I did workout Monday and Tuesday, and there was considerable improvement in my stamina and reps. Next week, I want to start writing down my reps like Tony Horton suggests. I printed out the worksheets to keep track.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I'm taking it easy and drinking lots of water and hot tea.

Stay dark and healthy!

Health Quote of the Day: "Ill-health of body or of mind, is defeat. Health alone is victory. Let all men, if they can manage it, contrive to be healthy!" Thomas Carlyle

Inspirational Photo:

week 1

I did it! All right, we did it! My boyfriend and I, and maybe even some of you out there reading this. We made it through Week 1 of P90X. It wasn't easy..and there were adjustments along the way, but I ate right and did every work out.

Monday's video was Core Synergistics. This 60 minute workout engages your core muscle group, basically your abs and back. A strong core helps you in everyday life to support your spine when bending over, lifting heavy objects, or just keeping your body stable. It also protects your internal organs. I can tell you now that my core is fairly weak because my abs in general are weak. Exercises like "superman" and "banana", which can only be done really well with an engaged, strong core are quite difficult for me. But even this first week I've seen improvement in my ability to do some of the more challenging moves.

Tuesday's video was Cardio X. Using bits of yoga, kenpo, and other of the videos, here the goal is to get your heart rate up and keep your moves accelerated. This is a shorter workout at 45 minutes, but it still gives you a complete and hard-core routine. I have a hard time keeping up at certain intervals, but I'm confident that will change moving forward.

Wednesday's video was Shoulders & Arms and Ab Ripper X. During the test week I accidentally did the Shoulders, Chest & Triceps video. Why? Long story. So the Shoulders & Arms video was totally new to me. I decided to incorporate the bands for this one. They work pretty well in giving you great resistance for some of the moves, but for others they seem to get in the way too much. The handles can hit, rub and irritate you, and sometimes between the slack and tension you get jerky rather than smooth motions. My boyfriend and I figured we should use free weights for the exercises that aren't band-friendly. This video really does a number on your arms and in the LEAN program its all about maximum repetitions and lighter weights, so it can be a long, tiring workout. Then you add on the 15 minute Ab Ripper X and you are beat! Ab Ripper is exactly that. The exercises are extremely challenging, but doable with some modifications. Already, I have seen improvement in my ability to do more of the moves.

Thursday's video was Yoga X. I have a love/hate relationship with Yoga. I've always enjoyed it for the meditation aspect, but I'm one of the most inflexible people in the world. I can't even touch my toes. And Yoga relies heavily on a strong core and muscle stamina, both of which I'm lacking. I have high hopes for Tony Horton's frequent use of Yoga throughout the program. This video was tough. At 90 minutes, it's long. A little too long in my opinion. I think some of the repetitions are overdone. And I found my wrists aching after just 30 minutes. But like the other videos I've already seen improvement.

Friday, my boyfriend had his landscaping done and with his friend and friend's kids over to help install a drip system, the house was overrun. Meaning I wasn't able to workout. Saturday, ended up much like Friday and then we decided to have a nice meal and a margarita. Alcohol isn't conducive to exercise so I decided to double on the workouts on Sunday.

Sunday was Legs & Back and Ab Ripper X in the morning. Legs & Back has to be my favorite video so far. My legs and butt are my best features, so I enjoy working those out. It's a very intense workout and I can feel every muscle working and getting tight. The video lasts about 6o minutes. I used some light free weights when instructed and it made a big difference. I am noticing that my left side is severely lacking, so I'm making up for it by doing a few more reps each time when working the left side. In the evening, I made up for my days off with a second and last workout, Kenpo X. Kenpo X is fun and upbeat. It uses kickboxing, karate, and other Asian fighting moves to create a fast, heartbeat increasing workout. 50 minutes goes by quickly with Tony building on simple punches, kicks and blocks to more complex ones. Besides being inflexible, I'm also uncoordinated. But after some time, I began to get the hang of the movements.

All in all, the week was a good one. My goal was to complete every workout no matter what..and I did, even with some modifications. We kept our meals healthy and I make sure to snack on healthy food every couple of hours to get all the calories necessary to keep up with the workouts. We had our special meal on Saturday. I had shrimp scampi and a margarita and Mark had fish and chips. We also started drinking on protein drink once a day. We researched the best tasting drink and the best price and chose Gold Standard Whey Protein Powder. The double chocolate flavor tastes just like hot chocolate. We blend it with rice milk for a healthy treat to end the day.

My next post will feature our second week and a few extras.

Health Tip of the Day:

True life is lived when tiny changes occur.

- Leo Tolstoy

Inspirational Photo

before

Welcome back, Darklings! Are you ready to come along with me on my journey to get fit and ripped the goth way?? N0?! To hell with you then..

In the last post I discussed goths and a little about the goth style and mindset. I also talked about myself and the goals I have regarding health and fitness.

Now, I'd like to show you some "before" pictures and mention some stats to give you an idea of what I'm working with here. OK, like is a strong word. I'd rather not show anyone these photos, but I believe in accountability and when I take another group of photos in 30 days I want you ALL to see results. In other words, I want to prove not just to you that I can do this, but to myself, too.
Weight: 120 lbs
Height: 5'7 and change

Measurements:

Chest - 33"
Arms - Bicep: R 9.75" / L 9.75"
Forearm: R 8.75" / L 8.5"
Waist - 27"
Hips - 34.75"
Legs - Thighs: R 20" / L 19.5"
Calves: R 13.5" / L 13.25"

I wish I could post my fat percentage, because that is really what I'd like to lose. If I get a body fat caliper, I'll make sure to add those numbers, too. My shape is basically flat on top, a little soft and pudgy in the middle, getting saggy in the butt, and strong but undefined legs. In summary, I need shape, poise, flexibility, and strength.

I hope I didn't get too scary you with those photos. Staring isn't nice! It was tough for a vain Leo like me to put that out there. And yes, I am that pale. Dig it.

Now I'll lay out the exercise schedule and diet plan for the first phase. My boyfriend and I are following the LEAN program which is a higher cardio, less maximum weight program. The emphasis is on lean muscles rather than bulky. The first phase of the diet, called "fat shredder", basically focuses on low carb, high protein foods.

Phase I
Week 1- 3
Core Synergistics
Cardio X
Arms and Shoulders, Ab Ripper X
Yoga X
Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
Kenpo X
Rest or X Stretch

Week 4
Yoga X
Core Synergistics
Kenpo X
X Stretch
Cardio X
Yoga X
Rest or X Stretch

Per Day
5 servings of protein
2 servings of dairy
1 serving of fruit
2 servings of veggies
1 serving of fat
1 serving of carbs
3 snacks
1 condiment
8 glasses of water

My boyfriend and I did a test week, sort of a walkthrough, if you will, to make sure we had the proper food for the diet portion and to get our bodies ready for the rigorous exercise we'd be doing for the next 90 days. The results of the first week were quite eye-opening. We both found that we were never hungry throughout the whole week. Matter of fact it was difficult to eat the amount of food required. For me, I had to do some modifications for the proteins since I don't eat beef or poultry. We bring snacks and lunches to work with us and I feel like I'm eating constantly. My boyfriend found he had a lot less indigestion and I felt better in general keeping to eating every couple of hours. The biggest changes for me were eating a big breakfast and eating a much better lunch than what I would usually get at work. Also, I drank a lot more water, especially during workouts. I eat quite a bit of tuna, salads, veggies, black beans, boca burgers, fruit, whole wheat spaghetti...and we try to have one "free" meal a week. The first week, we had pizza and cake at work. But when you're working out that isn't as huge a deal if you keep it sensible.

And so to the exercise videos...They are hard. I'm not going to lie. Some of them I can barely get into the position required to do the exercise! That mostly applies to Yoga X and Core Synergistics. I have incredibly weak abs as well, so the Ab Ripper is virtually impossible. But I do my best. That's all Tony Horton asks. The workouts last from 45 minutes to 90 minutes depending on which day it is, so it's a commitment. But my boyfriend and I diligently came home and got into the groove of working out each day. I ended up looking forward to it after a long day of sitting around crunching numbers at work. Tony's commentary is rather cheesy though and soon we'll be muting him and turning up some cardio jams. When the weekend rolled about I found I had a bunch of energy to get things done, rather then my usual weekend lethargy. What a bonus!

We're both looking forward to the next weeks, even though we'll be working our butts off and cursing Tony Horton for his torturous pursuits. But wait, goths like torture, right? I guess I'm not that kind of goth.

Next post will be the results of the official Week 1.

I'm also implementing a photo at the end of each post for inspiration. Hopefully it will be goth-esque, but if anything it will nurture our need to be motivated.

Stay dark!

intro

Welcome to my world. My goth world. OK, so maybe more of my pseudo-goth world. But I say goth is a state of mind, not necessarily an all encompassing lifestyle. I'm sure there are those that disagree, but whatever. It's a free country.

I know the first thing you might think of when you hear goth is not fitness or even health for that matter, but bear with me on this. Typically, goth may conjure up images of sickly, malnourished, drugged up individuals. And rightly so. All that prolonged angst and constant attention to the morbid can only make you weak, physically of course. And while the sunken eyes, translucent skin, and skeletal frame can be seen as beautiful and important to the gothic style, I'm hoping to change a small aspect of that image. Why be so fragile and delicate? Why not be strong, agile and fierce?

Gothic subculture defines itself by its dark and dreary moods, black hair and dress, and its slight women and frail men. But it is also a rebellious movement at heart...so wouldn't going against its own terms be exactly what it desires? True goth in a sense. My point is why not redefine goth as something more powerful and mighty?

There are already instances of this power in the goth scene. Think Kate Beckinsale in Underworld or Brandon Lee in The Crow. Both are in shape and kick major ass, regardless of their fantastical powers. Lean and sculpted is sexy. Strong is sexy. So why not let the goths' tap into that?

Personally, I've tried many times to get into the kind of shape that I know my body has the potential to be in. Long ago in high school, I was athletic. I was on the varsity track team and in pretty good shape. I ate horribly, but that was when I could and not worry about it. Now, not so much. I would go through phases of getting in shape with exercise and diet and then fall out of it a couple months down the road when it stopped being convenient. Until about three years ago, I played with becoming a vegetarian, or moreso, pescatarian (veggies and fish). It was a combination of factors that led to that decision. I knew I wanted a big change, since I was gaining weight, and I started to research the meat industry. It wasn't pretty or something I was comfortable being a part of so....I became a pescatarian, figuring I could handle mostly vegetables and fish or shellfish every once in a while. I did it for a year and successfully. I lost weight, even without exercising, though I would throw in a workout or two sometimes, and I felt better. Then the meat dreams started. I would have these dreams that I accidentally ate meat and it gave me incredible anxiety. I finally caved and slowly started eating poultry and red meat again. More time and weight added up again as well as the end of a long term relationship. I began doing more and more research into vegetarianism, knowing it was something I felt very strongly about the more I delved into it. Finally, last May I started the way of the pescatarian a second time and have been going along well with it since. No meat dreams and hopefully I'll be able to go full throttle vegetarian someday soon. So with that under control, I wanted to see what I could do to change my body.

My goals are simple. Eating right. Eating fresh and as organically as possible. The proper amounts and types of foods to help burn calories and increase my metabolism naturally. I'm not looking to weigh less now, but to gain lean, sculpted muscle. (See photos above.) I want my body to work for me - internally and externally. Emphasis again on the lean. And most of all I want to feel good and have lots of energy to accomplish all these things that I want to do in life!

How will I do this, you ask? P90X. You've probably seen the infomercials before. It's a fitness program created by Tony Horton, of P90 and 10 Minute Trainer, that uses muscle confusion to sculpt you into a lean and muscled machine. Muscle confusion is just a fancy term for using a variety of exercise techniques 6 days a week to build a solid body. My boyfriend and I are doing the LEAN version, meaning we don't use as much weight and do more reps to get longer muscles rather than bulky ones. Tony gives you a wide array of videos to do each day - cardio, core, yoga, kenpo, and good old weight training. He also gives you a meal plan to help you with each section of the 90 day workout. My boyfriend and I began a trial run last week. I'll post the results in a day or so.

This blog is more of a journal for myself during this whole experience. My trials and tribulations and of course, my progress. I also plan to review the P90X program as I go and if it goes well try the other programs in the Beachbody family.

The Goth girl in me might be a little resistant. But change is always a bit scary. Exciting, but scary. Next post, before pics! Talk about scary! Yikes!