the notebook
P90X Round 3: Weeks three and four
This update is a little late but it's important for me to post — accountability and all that. Now, if I remember correctly, weeks three and four were a bit of a blur and some of the problems I've mentioned previously hadn't been fixed. Despite the setbacks, there were some nice improvements.
Week 3
As with the previous week, my schedule wasn't as good as it should have been. Workout times ranged from 7pm to past midnight — most happening around 10pm. This is something I'm still working on.
My food intake started of with a bang. I was very diligent about portion sizes and made sure to eat the right amount of veggies, fruits, protein, and carbs. Unfortunately it didn't last long. About halfway through week 3 it started to decline.
Poor food choices, missed meals, and lack of food available to me at home made eating properly very difficult. Struggling through this week eating as poorly as I was has renewed my desire to take control of my diet.
This video of Jamie Oliver's TED Talk really drove it home too.
Week 4
Recovery week focuses a lot on core and cardio. The fact it's called recovery week is deceptive. I sweat more and feel more bagged during this week than any other, and it feels great!
Aside from the continued lack of groceries and later workout times, week 4 went very well. Now I just need to keep this momentum.
Quick stats for week 3
- 230 total pushups (13 of which were knee pushups)
- 245 total chin ups (186 of which were assisted chin ups)
Closing thoughts
My back and biceps definitely felt weaker during this period — as you can see by the number of assisted chin ups. I'm hoping and working to reduce that number as much as possible and as quickly as possible.
This likely has something to do with the low portion limit on carbs, but for the first month it felt like I was always tired. Even with a not perfect sleep schedule, I still averaged about 7 hours of sleep a day. Despite the low energy I was giving 100% during each workout.
