the notebook
Working out with P90X: Part 8
In some ways it's a sad time, in others much happier. My first round of P90X is over. I've changed in a lot of ways over the past three months. Time to take stock on how successful P90X has been for me.
And so it ends, for now. 12 weeks after starting my first P90X workout, I can say that I'm a changed person. P90X is not your momma's workout and it doesn't get any easier from week to week — at least if you're doing it right it doesn't. So, how changed am I? Let's have a look.
In the beginning
Before starting this workout I took some body measurements — I'm not a fan of weighing myself and haven't owned a scale in years. This is how it broke down:
- Total body fat %: 13.88%
- Measurements:
- Chest: 37″
- Waist: 34.5″
- Hips: 35.25″
- Left thigh: 20.25″
- Right thigh: 20.25″
- Left arm: 11″
- Right arm: 11.25″
Not too bad considering I have had quite the on again, off again relationship with exercise. I also took some before photos to see just how much my body has changed (patience, they're coming).
In the end
Now, after 12 weeks of plyometrics, yoga, pushups, pull ups, extensions, raises, lawnmowers, and various other exercises, my measurements are:
- Total body fat %: *8%*
- Measurements:
- Chest: 38″
- Waist: 32″
- Hips: 34″
- Left thigh: 19.5″
- Right thigh: 19.75″
- Left arm: 11″
- Right arm: 11.5″
Alright, those numbers are great on their own but how about a comparison:
- Total body fat: 5% lost
- Chest: 1″ gained
- Waist: 2.5″ lost
- Hips: 1.25″ lost
- Left thigh: 0.75″ lost
- Right thigh: 0.5″ lost
- Left arm: No change
- Right arm: 0.25″ gained
And now, what you've all been waiting for, the pictures:
Always room for improvement
As committed as I was to giving this my full effort, there were a few areas I can improve on. The first and most important one being food. Next time going through the program this will be one of the top areas I focus on. Your body needs the right fuel to run properly and mine wasn't getting it.
I also took it easy on the back exercises a little longer than I should have. Pull ups have always been very, very difficult for me so I stuck with the exercise bands instead of doing assisted pull ups from the beginning. There's a reason pull ups are so prevalent in P90X — they work.
Final thoughts
When I look at the numbers, I remember expecting something different… possibly bigger changes in my chest, arms, and legs. Instead there was a decrease. I also thought I'd lose more around my waist. It's not all bad though; the 5% drop in body fat is amazing.
I'm pretty sure the big change in body fat is what made me think my chest, arms, and legs got bigger while my waist got smaller. Getting rid of all that fat just leaves toned muscle. While the measurements may not have changed much, my muscle mass has certainly increased.
More?
A lot of people thought I was crazy when I told them I was trying P90X. My question to them now is:
How crazy am I for wanting to do it again?
And as a follow-up, is it even more insane for me to do "doubles" this time around? The answer is probably going to be "yes" in both cases but I have no problem with that.
Before starting again, I *do* want a bit of a break in order to set myself up with a nice routine of eating properly. This post is a little late and comes a week after my last workout day — which takes care of one break week. February 2nd seems like a good day to start again. I'll shoot for that.
