Operation B.A.L.E

Looking Back, Going Forward

When I began this year, one of my resolutions was to get back into working out, and get buff. The same as every year. I am that rhino on the treadmill above, impossibly trying to be a unicorn. So how am I doing?

P90X

My program of choice was P90x, a three month program combining all forms of workouts. Several friends have had success with it and I found a “virtual” workout partner in Seth Caskey.

I managed to stick with it for a month a half and definitely I could feel myself getting stronger and healthier. BUT …

When I started on the program I was 190lbs with the goal of LOSING weight. And while I did lose pounds at first, I soon found myself creeping up to 195lbs, and even scratched 198lbs at one point. Yes, it was probably muscle. But getting BIG was not the agenda.

I stopped for a week, and reevaluated.

Running

One good thing that came out of P90X was that I finally stopped running for a good long while giving my leg a rest. Even better, the accompanying yoga program helped stretch out my strained knee.

So I began running again over the last five weeks, following a program from Runner’s World. The result? From my 195lbs high, I dropped down to 183lbs! Again, some of that is no doubt lost muscle mass. But given where I started, and where I am, I feel safe to say I am on the right track.

Conclusions

P90X is a great program, if you have the time and the patience for it. I was thrilled at first, but soon lost interest in the program with the exception of the yoga. Plus I was always struggling to fit time in to get it done. The only one I really went out of the way to do is …
Yoga! Never had I got so sweaty (calm down ladies) and felt so relaxed by the end of a routine. It’s long but truly felt cross-trained, and it was something I could do dealy.
Running works for me for a simple reason; stats. Every time I run, I try to get better, logging it with Nike+. Unlike last time, I am not trying to overdo it. I take joy in the little advancements I make.

The New Program

So here is my workout for the next quarter of the year:

Running and walking Daily: I will continue the training program with the combined running and walking. After that, I am going to train to get faster, and hopefully plan to run a race this summer.
Yoga Daily: Post-run, to stretch the knee, and overall toning. Plus it leaves me so serene.

Optionally, three times a week I will try:

Weight Training: Following this program, also from Runner’s World. Quick and simple, it hits all the groups.
Ab! Ripper! X: I hate it! I love it! When I stopped the overall P90X, I was cranking out the full 349 reps the core series workouts.

I’ll try again to blog this regularly. Hope you will all join me for this ride.

12 April 2010 • review plan

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Day 5 and 6: Cheat Weekend!

Well, an unexpected personal crisis that had me up until 4am put paid the idea of compressing my P90X workouts to catchup, so instead I took it easy and planned to restart on Monday!

My eating was a mix of good and bad. I paid attention to my calorie count, but due to sleeping in and parties I would have very late lunches. Not pictured above are the goodies at a baby shower I attended, or the number of granola bars I consumed.

Weight loss over a week: 5lbs! Down to 185lbs, mostly due to good eating.

17 January 2010 • diet

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My first problem day, which actually both Day 3 and Day 4.

In my last post I mentioned I had to actually move my Day 2 workout into Day 3 early morning; this was because I missed my evening workout time as I had to write sketches for A Comicbook Orange. I thought I would then do my Day 3 workout in the evening.

Sadly, thinking and doing are two different things. I missed my Day 3 window due to oversleeping a nap, which was followed by a late night watching our show being shot under our talented cast and crew, and extremely late dinner (midnight!)

This resulted in me gaining half a pound. Which is actually not that bad; I feel if I had ate earlier, and not succumbed to eating my woman’s cookies (hey now; mind out of the gutter, its not big enough for both of us) it would have been a half pound loss.

But I am still a day behind, and given I have no time at lunch or this evening, it’s going to be two days behind!

Enough of the problem then, its time for the solution:

Accept this as a one time problem: A Comicbook Orange writing and shoots only happen every 3 months.
Stick to the morning schedule: My petty side would have me frustrated about the show and social activities around it consuming my free time … accept that wouldn’t be true. For if I wasn’t doing A Comicbook Orange, I have other projects I SHOULD be working on, and if not that, personal time with my lady.
Double up over the weekend to catchup: Since P90x alternates a weight workout with cardio/aerobic exercise each day, I think I can safely pair them. Plus the muscle groups are radically different. It will also get me to a Monday - Saturday workout schedule, where I should really be at.
Worst comes to worst, restart Monday: This is my safety net, as at this point I have only done 2 of the 6 days, so reboot is not that hard. Just shameful. ;-)

Let’s bring it!

15 January 2010 • diet lunch dinner breakfast

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2010, Day 2

The day began with some good progress. I lost another 1.5 lbs, so I am around 186.8lbs. The rest of the day was rough!

First, I missed out on Pylometrics BUT did it early on Day 3 (I am going to do Day 3’s exercise at night, doubling up to catchup). Pylometrics are the hardest part of P90X; trainer Tony Horton himself says so. I did the low impact variations, so as not to strain my weak left knee. Last time I tried to tackle P90X (early 2009), pylometrics left me nauseous, and I had to take huge breaks, gasping for air. This time though, I actually kept up, and felt drained but good post-workout!

As for eating, I think I pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable. I had chinese for lunch, and hot & sour soup, but made conscious effort to not getting anything with sweet sauces and not to completely eat everything. Plus dinner was homemade chicken salad.

Breakfast: Kashi Go Lean Cereal and Orange Juice (310 Cal)
Snacks: Two Venti Skinny Vanilla Lattes throughout the day. (250 Cal each)
Lunch: Kung Pao chicken, Beef and Brocolli, Mixed vegetables, and Hot & Sour soup. (650 Cal)
Dinner: Chicken Salad (Stir fried chicken, mixed with romaine, pesto, minced garlic, dollop of extra virgin olive oil, fat-free ceasar salad dressing) (400 Cal)

13 January 2010 • diet workout p90x lunch dinner snack breakfast

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Day 1 began with a solid start, as I already dropped 2lbs, and tackled the first day of P90x. I got through the workout, but due to time I dodged the Ab Ripper X and my planned walk.

While I was truly winded by the end of the workout, I did find some of the band based exercises really easy. I would switch to a pull-up bar and dumbbells, except I don’t have a solid door frame that can support the former, and my love vetoed the latter. A possible solution I am toying with is to workout at the gym, walking/running there and back. In fact, I am going to do it!

My eating was pretty solid today too:

Breakfast: Protein Shake (175 Cal)
Morning Snack: 20 almonds (220 Cal)
Lunch: Roasted Chicken Breast and Garden Salad, and 1/2 whole wheat pita (300 Cal)
Afternoon Snack: Venti Skinny Vanilla Latte (250 Cal)
Dinner: Pitfire Chicken Salad and Veal Meatballs, shared with my lady (470 Cal)

Here’s looking to Day 2!

12 January 2010 • workout diet breakfast lunch snack dinner p90x

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Meet the New Year; same as the Old Year.

It’s been nearly 2 months since I have actively pursued my weight-loss and fitness goals, and when I stepped on my scales this morning, I saw the destruction I had wrought. My weight has returned to the same place it was at the beginning of last year - 190lbs!

So, is now the time to get depressed and introspective? Hell no! No regrets in partaking of Holiday goodness. Instead, it’s time to kick in the New Year with some Resolutions!

Three of my resolutions I twittered today had to do with fitness:

To complete P90x, starting today! Got to look fit and fine for @streamyawards!
Get back into running, with the goal of running a 5k by midyear.
Upon success of training, do a shoot (bare-chested?) with @vubui & @lanbui.

With those goals in mind, here is how I am going to “get it done”.

As stated above, I am going to try out P90x! It will be challenging, but I am in a mood for hard-headed challenge.
Likewise, I will get back into running. Or rather walking to build up my leg strength and check out my knee. If in 4 weeks I can’t do a 1 minute runs with 2 minute walks, I am going to see a physiotherapist.
In bed by 11pm! Sleep is the biggest thing I failed on last year, and everything else was a domino that crashed after it.
And finally food log and watching what I eat. I ate somewhat badly when I was doing this. I ate REALLY badly when I wasn’t.

Instead of the trickly posts here and there, I will try to do one post per evening to get it all in.

So, my starting stats: