My P90X Transformation
Every winter I'd have skates strapped to my feet at least two hours a night—even longer on weekends. It didn't matter if it was the arena or the big patch of ice the city later turned into an outdoor rink, I was on it. That was the life of a competitive skater.
In the spring and summer I was in soccer leagues—which meant at least one practice and two games a week. Add in occasional weekend tournaments with up to three games per day a couple times a season too. Summer didn't mean the skating stopped either. It meant longer practices and more ice time. Throw in dance classes and weight training sessions when I wasn't on the ice and you can get a feel for my activity level growing up.
Enter the ratrace
Over time, the draw of competitive skating lessened. I wasn't playing soccer or running around the park with my friends. It was time to get a job and be an adult.
As you may know, when you get a job everything changes—time, priorities, and daily routines. Running around with friends and playing in the park is replaced with walking around a restaurant, constantly snacking on food in the kitchen, and drinking. None of which help our waistlines.
Fast-forward a couple years and the healthy, active kid has turned into a complete couch potato. Going from weighing 100 lbs in high school to 190+ lbs a few short years later was mind-boggling.
"How did this happen?" I would wonder to myself. Something had to change.
Turning a new leaf
At one point, the only way I would get around town was by rollerblading. It didn't matter if the trip took five minutes or 45. So I started there. It was great getting on the bike paths and out in the sun again. That lasted a week.
Next, some friends and I challenged each other to see who could lose the most weight. We would weigh in regularly and were each left to our own devices on how to lose the weight. I chose to eat slightly better than I was and rode my bike or walked a little more often. A few months past and despite being down about 10 lbs it wasn't the change I was hoping for.
The next step
One day while perusing through the health and fitness section at a Borders book store I found Body for Life. Fantastic! I'll join a gym and follow the program as it was laid out in the book. Good bye beer belly, hello six pack.
I quickly read through the entire book and prepared my grocery list. A gym membership was purchased and the next week I was starting the Body for Life program. It was amazing and invigorating. I felt alive again.
Three months after starting Body for Life I had seen some good results. My weight was down to the low 180's or high 170's and I looked and felt better.
Around the sixth month of working out at a gym I started to get bored with the routine. More often than not I wasn't giving it my all and my diet was getting worse. It wasn't long before I stopped going to the gym altogether. A couple months after I stopped going to the gym the weight was back.
Enter: P90X
This was about the time I was introduced to P90X. Slightly skeptical at first, I read through the materials and nutrition guide. It made sense and looked easy enough to stick to. With my long commute to work those days, not having to spend the extra time driving to and from the gym was a huge bonus.
Before I started P90X I thought I had it in the bag. I was wrong. P90X was harder than anything I'd ever done. It was also giving me the results I was looking for in as little as 6 weeks!
Within the first month changes in my body were already visible. I wasn't totally shredded but the results were better than anything I'd done in the past. Things really started to look up.
Continuing my P90X journey
Since finishing that first 90 days of P90X, I've continued to learn more about proper nutrition, supplements, and healthier living in general. P90X is a staple workout for me and will continue to be for a very, very long time.
All of this brings us to the present. I'm a four-time graduate of P90X, one-time graduate of Insanity, and a Beachbody Coach. There have been bumps along the way and I accept them. The joy of doing all this is the amazing journey I'm on to find out how far I can push myself.
At my last weigh-in, I was down 20 lbs and walk around in the low 160's. Because of P90X and better eating I've been able to lose body fat and gain muscle.
Sure, I was an athlete but P90X is such a simple program anyone can do it. It doesn't matter if you were an athlete or not. What does matter is how much effort you put into your health. Are you dedicated enough to work hard and be consistent? You'll see amazing results if you are.
Do you want to make a change like this? You can do it and I'd love to help you with free coaching. Send me a message on Facebook or Twitter.
