Saturday, April 3, 2010

I Still Want to Burn his House Down

This was yesterday's Facebook status: I interrupt this Good Friday/Autism Awareness Day broadcast to say to Mr. Tony Horton of P90x, "It's been a month now, and I still want to burn your house down." Now back to your regularly scheduled programs.
Yes, I am closing out the first month of the program and definitely have a better idea of the pros & cons of P90x.
Pros:
- variety, variety, variety! Yoga, strength training, stretching, kick-boxing...you can't really complain of boredom, though you ARE welcome to freely complain about Mr. Horton's inane banter
-you can do it all from the comfort of your own home
-you are told exactly what to do, but you do have some choices within the program
- I am definitely feeling some strength & flexibility benefits
-on many of the routines, the directions and tips given really are instructive in terms of form

Cons:
- I feel that some of the cardio routines are pretty average in terms of intensity. I was feeling the strain more when I was on my indoor bike(and I could watch a TV show simultaneously!).
-There is a lot of reliance in this program on chin-ups/pullups. I can only do them assisted with a chair, and have injured my right shoulder in my attempts. The alternative given is to use the bands, but there is really no comparison. Using even the band with the most resistance is "baby work", using the pull up bar is "a man's work"...I see no in-between option. But I plan to keep trying. Sarah Connor. Sarah Connor. Sarah Connor.
-There is a slight bit of coarse language scattered throughout the DVDs- nothing major, but since little Jordan has been participating with me some, I don't like to hear "hell", "damn" & "ass" sprinkled into my workouts.Though I almost find the dumb jokes and comments even more offensive...
-I found the nutrition plan to be too complicated with too little support. I decided to stick with what I felt was the gist of it: high protein, 3 meals + 1-2 snacks per day, lo-cal. More on this in the final paragraph.
-while I listed being able to work out at home as a benefit, the con is...you are confined to your home. No outdoor activities/alternatives are given as equivalents for even the cardio days. It would be nice if this was a choice given at least once a week.

Month One Parting Thoughts
I am feeling good about the exercise plan, despite the cons listed above. I like that I am trying new things and pushing a few personal limits. I have only missed one day in the month, so I feel that I have followed this part of the program very well.
But the diet...nope. Even my general "high protein, low cal" plan was thwarted (by me) on multiple occasions. Mead...drink of the gods, or drink straight from Satan to my doorstep? Sigh. And this is the probable explanation for why I have thus far yet to lose a single pound on this plan. I will say that I have reservations anyway about eating a lot of animal products, as suggested. I don't think it's helpful in my quest to tamp down inflammation. One thing I feel good about is that I have been eating more healthfully than I normally would, even if not necessarily with high protein and low calorie restrictions. I've enjoyed some delicious raw foods and salads and have been eating substantially less gluten. So even though the weight loss has come to a standstill, I feel good about where I am. I'll report back in a month, and hopefully I'll have more self-control over the coming 30 days, at least in the calorie department...stay tuned!

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