So Now What ?

As promised back in January in this blog post, at the bottom of this post are my BEFORE and AFTER pictures from my P90X experiment.  I finished the workouts last week, but with my friend's wedding that weekend I simply did not have time to take and post "after" pics until just now.

A few reflections about this journey I was on:

 - It.  Was.  Hard.
 - The results don't always manifest themselves in the ways you hoped or anticipated, but you can see success in many ways.
 - I found that I enjoy the energy boost I earned through regular workouts.
 - I also found that I missed playing basketball.
 - I love not getting as 'winded' walking up 3 flights of stairs at work or playing a few hours of basketball.
 - Working out with a partner (except with yoga) was more fun.
 - Some routines were naturally easier for me.  Others never seemed to go well.
 - I have severly underestimated the value of flexibility (thanks Yoga X!)
 - It is amazing how much more soundly I slept when I consistently worked out.
 - Skipping a workout here and there (for minor soreness or injuries) never made me feel better ... but they surely kept me from feeling worse and quitting entirely!
 - People are generally supportive of your health goals.  Thanks to everyone who cheered me on and even joined in some of the workouts!
 - Cardio workouts didn't provide me with any immediate results, but over time, those probably had the biggest affect on my overall health.
 - I don't actually hate working out as much as I thought I would.
 - It helped to have my supportive wife tell me I was looking ever sexier.  :)
 - We are capable of doing more than we think we are!

A few assorted numbers I've "crunched" for this post:
2 - inches 'lost' off my waist
49 - total P90X workouts completed
16 - total P90X workouts skipped or missed
      (missing 8 of the last 10 was not a smart way to end)
9 - different people who joined me for at least part of one workout
3 - total number of standard pull ups I could do in the first week
25 - total number of standard pull ups I can do now
20 - heaviest dumbbell I had available during these workouts
40 - weight of heaviest dumbbell I estimate I actually need for some reps
1000+ - number of push-ups done throughout the workouts
      (I stopped counting after 1000)
90 - minutes in length of the Yoga X workout
80 - minutes in length of most of the other workouts
15 - grueling minutes for each Ab Ripper X workout

And finally, the pictures themselves (which don't really do justice for the changes I feel have happened during this experience):

(The left side -with crazy beard - are the BEFORE, the right side are the AFTER)

 

Song Of The Day:
An old country song that has nothing at all to do with a workout program but IS relevant to my blog post title, "Then What" by Clay Walker, is actually about cheating on your spouse (which I do not support nor endorse!)  But in this case, I'm just wondering then what after having worked myself into the shape I'm in.  Do I keep at it?  Take a break?  Never do that again?  What's going to happen to the new me?  I guess we'll see.

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