Get Coached!

I've said it before...I'll say it again.  Having a coach is so much better than going things alone.  I honestly believe I've had more gains (in fitness) in the last week with E3 Multisport than I would have had training a couple of months by myself.  I would not have even started the workouts I've completed and certainly not at the effort level I've given.  There's something to the accountability aspect of the relationship.

There's more to it than that.

The other day I read an article in the Huntsville Track Club Newsletter, by one of our founding members.  It was a "recycled" article he had written years ago concerning motivation.  I don't have the article in front of me so I can't quote it directly, but he made a point to talk about the mental motivation a coach provides.  It (mental motivation) is key to a person's success for anything they are trying to accomplish because our bodies follow our mind.  My mom has always said, "you can do anything you put your mind to" but I never  fully understood what she was saying until recently.

What can I say...I'm a Bama fan...

The thing is, it's not like someone who is overweight can produce the desired outcome by just THINKING "I'm going to lose weight".  Even with a "coach" telling them HOW to do it, if they aren't mentally committed to the process (not just the end result) they won't meet their goal. 

This is where the coach comes in.


A coach is someone who's been where you are (either in a more literal sense or even figuratively speaking).  A coach has done what it takes to get to where you want to be.  They have the tools to get you there and are an example of the thing you desire, and have the ability to lead you there too.


I recently had the privilege to "meet" a BeachBody coach, Todd Warren, who impressed the fire out of me.  I've seen so many before/after photos and videos they have all pretty much blurred together.  ((BTW, the reason the photos all look the same is because the booklet that comes with the DVDs tells you what pictures to take.)) 

No doubt, the results he was able to achieve were nothing short of amazing.  However, I think one of the main things that caught my attention about Coach Todd was the fact he sounded just like me.  Here are just a few quotes from his "about me" page:

...assumed that I didn’t have the type of body that could achieve the “after photo” results that we see on TV....I would get frustrated and diet for a month and hit the elliptical for 30 minutes a day, but I never changed my lifestyle...I was doing about 60%-70% of the workouts and my nutrition was not a #1 priority...

Although I'm not (currently) doing P90X, and can't (currently) use any of the supplements (because of my myriad of food allergies...although that is about to change with the debut of the new vegan Shakology), I really love Coach Todd's website RIPPEDCLUB.net because of articles like the ones he wrote recently on Getting Started Right and Nutrition.  Although there's a lot in the nutrition article that simply does not apply to an endurance athlete...the take-away quote from this article I want to tape to my refrigerator door is:

Its all about choices and whether or not you are willing to make the right choices that will propel you toward your goal.

If you're a triathlete with a goal of "maximizing your time - maximizing your goals - maximizing your performance" contact e3 Multisport.  If you're out of shape, and/or overweight (or maybe even under weight), and have a goal to "push your body to its limits and get RIPPED RESULTS" contact Coach Todd.  I'll make it super easy...here are links for you to

• follow Todd (RIPPEDCLUB) on Twitter
• subscribe to Todd (RIPPEDCLUB) on YouTube
• find RIPPEDCLUB on FaceBook
• contact Coach Todd 

((For the record, I'm not related to Todd, have never met him in person, am not receiving any kind of compensation whatsoever for this post...like I said, he just really impressed me and this is my way of giving a big ol' HIGH FIVE to the RIPPEDCLUB!!  If what I wanted MOST was to get RIPPED, Coach Todd would be my go-to guy...as it is what I want most is best served by being part of the e3 Tribe!!))

Thanks for stopping in...come again soon!
:D

P90X turned into P2M

I'm continually reminding myself

Don't give up what you want most for what you (think you) want now.

When I set my goals for this year, I thought I would be training myself for my first half iron and thought it would be a great idea to add in P90X as strength training.  The way I saw it, having overall strength would help me quite a bit in the long run even if it meant my swim/bike/run workouts weren't killer. 

The couple of times I've started P90X in the past I have opted for the "Lean" schedule.  Basically it is more cardio heavy and is geared toward optimal fat burning.  This time around I decided to use the P90X Classic schedule of workouts since I was more focused on toning, okay, who am I kidding...building muscle.

Sunday I did the chest/back workout and Ab Ripper X.  Given the fact I haven't done any strength training since this time last year when I tried to add P90 into my routine, I ended up modifying quite a bit.  The biggest modification--I didn't do ANY pull ups (embarrassing but true).  Most of the exercises on that video are "maximum rep" meaning you do as many as you can and write it down so you will see your improvement over time.  In addition to every kind of pull up you can think of, there are SEVERAL different types of pushups (most of which I couldn't do more than ONE rep each) along with a handful of other exercises.

Monday my arms and chest were so incredibly SORE I had a little trouble swimming!!  ((Okay, I had trouble putting my deodorant on much less anything else!))  The P90 workout for the day was Plyometrics.   I had never done this workout before.  WOW...it's serious stuff!  I did better than what I expected, but still modified some things, and skipped the "bonus" workout at the end altogether.  

That afternoon I received my first week's training plan from E3 Multisport which included some strength training.   I called Coach Eric and asked him if I could add P90X into the plan he gave me.  He basically told me it was up to me, but after some discussion and soul searching I decided I needed to make a choice.

While I remain convinced strength training is more than just a little worthwhile...P90X is more than "simple" strength training.  It's SERIOUS.  If my race were in October I might possibly choose to do P90X now and start training for the race afterward, but that's not the case...my A race is in April.  Knowing what ongoing training with damaged muscles does to your body, I have decided to give up what I want now (to have RIPPED muscles and a body fat percentage in the single digits) for what I want MOST--to have a great race at IM70.3 NOLA. 

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon!
:D

**For anyone who doesn't know...P90X is "90" days of X-treme workouts...P2M was 2 days of modified exercises!**

P-Lifetime-X

I don't even know what week I'm on in P90X anymore...I'm not keeping good records and I'm also not doing it every single day.  I know, I know...I'm supposed to be "writing it down" and I'm aware I won't get all I can out of it if I'm not doing it every day.  But, here's the thing.  This is more than just a 90-day thing for me.  I'm going to be doing some kind of work outs "forever".  (If you've seen the Sandlot, you'll get this YouTube clip...if you haven't, just skip it because it won't make sense...but I can't EVER say the word "forever" without hearing this in my head....)




So, the fact is...not doing the scheduled work out every single day isn't that big of a deal to me, especially when I'm also running and biking.  I typically don't "skip" more than one day, and I haven't skipped any workouts....except one of the DVD's that I'm borrowing from my friend is too badly scratched up to use, so I have to substitute a different DVD for that one....which is why I purchased my own set today!  Once I get my own workout log book I'll start "writing it down" and keeping track of my reps and my weight (that I'm lifting, not on the scale-I do that already).

Yesterday's torture workout was Kenpo X.  That's one of those DVDs that seem like it would be "easy" to me.  It's punching and kicking.  But, let me tell you...my forearms feel as though I've really been in a street fight.  Not that I've ever been in a street fight...but it seriously feels as though I've been blocking myself from being beaten with a baseball bat.  I don't understand it, but I think that means I'm doing it right!

Today's workout was Stretch X.  I didn't realize stretching could feel like a real work out.  I mean I found out a while back that Yoga (which I always thought was just stretching and breathing) really "Ain't for Sissies" but...stretching?  Really??  Who knew??  Not that it was anything CLOSE to the workout yoga is, but it was certainly not easy and certainly NOT fun by any stretch of the imagination!

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon!
:D

Run, Bike, P90X!

Yesterday I did a tri!  Not in the official way... but I did three kinds of workouts, so I'm calling that a tri!

I ran 3.5 miles on the trails with Daisy (not my best run at all, but got it done).  Then, later, I rode the super-fast road bike I borrowed from MV8r on a nearby greenway for seven miles.  Later still, I did the Legs and Back workout from P90X.  (DISCLAIMER:  I didn't do ANY of the pull ups because, 1) I'm not set up yet with the bar, and 2) I can't do pull ups! --I'm going to have to learn how to modify those.)

You might think I'd be sore today, but I'm really not.  I mean, I can tell I worked out, but it's not like I can't move today.  ...I'm getting stronger!!

One thing is for sure....there's nothing I've done that can get my heart rate up like running.  They talk about getting "in the zone" on P90X, but I just can't get my heart pumping doing those work out moves.  I'm sure part of it is because I'm not doing all the moves exactly correct just yet...but I think the other thing is that I can vary my speed while I'm running, to achieve better results with my heart rate, much easier than I can doing anything else.

Having said all that...I'm quickly becoming a fan of the bike.  Riding on the greenway was such a great experience.  I didn't have to worry about cars at all, which was a HUGE advantage, plus, it was much more flat than the route I took the first time.  Having a flatter place to ride allowed me to stay at a more consistent speed.  The only bad thing is that the longest greenway I know of is only 7 miles total.  Sure, I could do it multiple times, but that gets as old as running laps around a track.  YAWN!! 

I just remembered the advice I give to anyone who is looking for a new route.  Amazing when my own words come back to me!!  ...I'm looking on GarminConnect.com, under "Explore"/"Activities".  You can look in your own area for routes that have been shared by Garmin users (running, biking, hiking...all kinds of things!).   How exciting!!  :D

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon!
:D

Before or After?

Since I started P90X, I decided I should take some photos...and, no, I will not be posting them any time soon!  What's interesting about it is the fact that just a few short months ago, I couldn't even fit in the shorts I wore for the photos!!  I was more than just pleasantly surprised when they not only fit, but they were comfortable.  As we were taking all the "standard" before shots, my sweet husband said my pictures looked more like "after" shots than "before". 

Truthfully, they are more like "during".  I've lost about 15 pounds since the first of the year, and several inches all over my body.  Clothes I couldn't even think about putting on are now fitting loosely.  I should be pleased...and to an extent, I am. 

But...(isn't there always a "but")...at the same time, I am not where I "want" to be.  I don't have a certain weight necessarily.  I don't even have a certain size goal in mind.  I just know I have a lot of shaky parts that I'd like to either lose or tone.  My glutes and love-handles are especially jiggley.  I have gotten close to where I would like to be one time, but I wasn't really working out then.  I was walking A LOT of miles each day, every day, and eating VERY LITTLE food.  I don't believe I was healthy then. 

Currently, I feel very healthy.  I pay attention to the kinds of food I eat and I'm working out in several different ways.  I just believe it's going to take time to get to where I want to be with my body. 

And...I'm good with that.  I'm at the place in my life where I'm not really working out to change an outward appearance...I'm working out because I love it.  I love how my body feels so much stronger than it ever has before.  I love feeling muscle in my legs and my arms.  I love that I'm finding muscles that I didn't know existed (thank you P90X!).  I love that every single day I can do more than I did the day before. 

I'm not a before or an after.  I'm a "today", a "now", an "in this moment". 

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon!
:D

BRING IT!!

For anyone familiar with P90X, the title of this post will be all too familiar.

I am now someone who recognizes the challenge for what it is...a dare to do your very best, knowing you (as the average person) will "never" meet the impossible levels of fitness displayed on the screen!

I began the 90 day dare on Monday.  MV8r had posted on Face Book that she was going to start the workout plan and I, blindly, said I would do it with her.  I had heard from a couple of friends that it was a tough work out...one of whom I knew had not only lost a decent amount of weight, but also got totally BUFF in the process.  But, REALLY??  Tough describes something that is difficult, but still doable.  P90X is IMPOSSIBLE to complete as a novice.

In all fairness, the booklet, that I didn't bother to read until peeking at it briefly today (day four), says you should take a complete fitness test prior to starting the series, and if you can't meet a minimum of requirements you should start with P90.  Also...I believe the whole point is to improve through the whole 90 days.  It's set up so that you should NOT be able to do everything they do.  And, really, if you could, you wouldn't be doing those workouts, you'd be teaching them, or strutting your stuff on a beach somewhere or a magazine cover!!

So, I started out bright and early Monday morning at 5:30 with MV8r.  Half way through the hour long torture session, the DVD froze up.  We tried everything we could to get past that spot, but nothing worked.  Not wanting to stop after only 30 minutes, we popped in the Ab-Ripper disc and completed a full 60 minutes of what they call "muscle confusion". 

My muscles weren't "confused", they were crying out, "This is not right! Why aren't you running???"  But, they were really screaming just a couple of hours later when I met up with Daisy to do our usual trail run....and they were outraged when I went to "run" two miles with the NOBO group that evening.  ((I intentionally "swept", meaning I was with the slowest person so we walked the whole time.))  Tuesday morning, my muscles weren't confused at all....they were certainly, without a doubt, in agony!!

I had planned to run with Daisy Tuesday morning, but my right foot was hurting and it didn't seem to be working itself out so I backed out.  Dr Google diagnosed it as tendonitis, so I rolled it around on the Trigger Point barbell thing, and took some anti-inflammatory meds which not only helped my foot, they also calmed the soreness in the rest of my body.   But my muscles were still not ready to "Bring It" again at 2:00...but "Bring It" for day two of P90X!

That night my better half and I were talking about the workout and I was going on about the success stories on the website.  I guess he really does listen to me at least some of the time because the next day, after I met up with MV8r at 5:30 for Day 3 (yoga), he said he thought we should buy the Complete P90X System and do the program together!!!  Since I wanted to capitalize on his resolve before he changed his mind, I ran next door and borrowed the DVDs from my neighbor and had Day One ready to go when Hubs got home.   And....he surprised me by changing into his workout clothes and doing it with me!!!!

Yes, you read that right...I did P90X Yoga X (just 45 minutes, not the full hour and a half) yesterday morning at 5:30, and then P90X Core Synergistics yesterday afternoon at 3:00!!  This morning we backtracked and did the Fitness Test which I stupidly thought would be "easy".  HA.  They fooled me with that one!  I went to total muscle failure on my arms, legs, and core doing the "tests" that were called for.  ....and I'm running tonight with my NOBO 2 group.  They are doing hills, but since I'm coaching at a 5K this Saturday, I get a "by" on the repeats (I'll have to do them next week).

We'll start the nutrition plan next week after I've had time to look at it and go to the store--if I have enough energy to push the cart!!

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon!!  Let me know if you, or anyone you know, has experience with the P90X system...just, please, don't tell me to "Bring It"!
:D

(PS...If I get brave enough, I'll post some before pictures.)