Recovery Week, Part Deux - #Can'tWait

The second recovery week is here, and with nearly 50 days of P90X complete, I feel like a new person. Even when I got into shape two years ago, I wasn't this strong. The changes have been simple, but significant, and here are some highlights:

• I can do 8-10 pull-ups after struggling with just one 50 days ago
• I can almost complete the entire AbRipperX workout without stopping - I couldn't imagine getting halfway through at first since my abs were definitely my weakest muscle group
• Clothes I haven't fit into in two years are starting to fit again
• I see muscles on my body I haven't seen in 10 years - and there are more of them this time (I was pretty skinny as a 19-year old)
• I've lost 17 pounds and 4.5 inches from my waist
• I have more energy all the time
• I still hate Yoga

My goal is to lose about 35 more pounds  and get down to single digits in body fat. For that, I have a long way to go, being at 19% (down from 24%) right now, but with 40 more days left of round one, I know I'll be fairly close at day 90. Again, at least I'm not where I was 50 days ago!

As if P90X wasn't hard enough, we have done doubles in order to maximize our results. I can proudly say we haven't missed one workout. I know the best results will come in the last 30 days, so I'm excited for that. What I am not excited about is the fact that instead of three two-a-days, Phase III takes it up a notch and has you do four two-a-days each week. We are so busy, that we've had to do some two-a-days back-to-back, which wasn't fun. Now, we'll really see what we are made of after this recovery week!

One other note about "recovery" week - there are two full sessions of YogaX for a recovery week. What kind of sick person would incorporate double Yoga into a week where you are trying to get right mentally and physically? No matter what, we'll take the challenge head on and be better for it.

One final note... I definitely need the Powerblock adjustable weight system. I've been looking on Craigslist for quite some time, and they are hard to find. Everything I've read says they are the way to go. The price tag can be a deterrent at almost $400 direct from the manufacturer, so I'm trying to wait and find the best deal. Either way, I need more weight.

The bottom line is that this process has been fun, and getting into shape was very necessary. For someone who prides myself on being athletic, this decision was a no-brainer. Like I tell all of my friends who ask me about P90X, the thing you choose to improve your fitness can be anything - as long as you commit to doing it. Motivation comes in staying focused on the goal, and not getting discouraged by setbacks. I am excited to see what the future holds and look forward to seeing this through to completion.

Then, we'll do it again... but probably not doubles!