8.25.2010

Fit Club

I feel like I have always been active. Gymnastics, ballet, tap and soccer as a kid. Horses for over a decade. After my equine retirement I was at a loss on how to stay fit. I first stepped into the gym at 23....before then the world was my playground (are you laughing at the fact that I just typed that? Well, I am. Ha ha!). But it's the truth. I always has a physical activity. Going to the gym had never entered my universe.

Being me, I found solace in the gym. My obsession was short lived, but while I was there I got in the best shape of my life. Then I met a great guy, dug into my new career, got married and had kids. Each live changer took time away from the gym and added a pound here and there. I always had my membership just in case I would end up with an extra hour....an extra hour? What a joke.

For a while I would make it to the gym at least three days a week. Then it trickled to two days, then one, and then once every two weeks. You get the idea. Something else always took priority....or maybe I just let other things become a priority...however ya wanna shake it, I wasn't making it to the gym.

I hurt my back a few weeks ago when I fell with one of the boys in my arm...sounds much more dramatic that it really was. The pain was bad and I limped to a new chiropractor to get a tune up.
After a 15 minute download on my personal, physical and diet history, the doctor gave me my marching orders. Change your diet (no dairy, no meet, no gluten) to cure the every present ulcer and start exercising....chasing kids and cleaning up toys was not enough. Time....couldn't you have written me a prescription for more time? Just one extra hour?

I had been waking up at 4am (truth) to get some work items done. So, why not exercise then? Well, CPS usually frowns on leaving the kids alone for extended periods of time. I was on a mission to find something that I could do at home. What comes to mind first when working out in your living room? The horrors of Jane Fonda or Sweating to the oldies VHS tapes. I can't do that. My ego has enough bruises. Richard Simmons would be the beginning of my complete demise. Next I'd be shopping QVC late nights hoping for a great deal on Quacker Factory clothing. FML.

I had heard of the P90X thing for a while. The infomercials showed fit people working out and getting more fit. But where were the chubby kids? Where were the soft people? The round shape club? Well, when my box of P90X tricks arrived in the mail, I quickly found out.

Getting down to business I completely ignored the note about taking a fit test before hand. Fit test? I'll be fine. 12 CD's complete with a calendar to track your progress. Let's get it on!!!

The first day I didn't have much time so I decided to do the shortest CD. Ab Ripper X. This guy Tony who is in amazing shape appears on the TV screen...remember its before 5am. So chipper people are frowned upon. He doesn't mess around. We did something like 349 ab/core exercises in less than 15 minutes. No breaks, no water, no messing around. It was hell. I looked like a fish flopping on the carpet. I cursed at this Tony dude at least a dozen times as he and his disciples effortlessly crunched and flexed their ripped bodies. P90X isn't for fat kids....it's for fit people....I am not a fit person...yet.

My hip flexors (muscles at the top of your thigh, right where your thigh meets your hip) were so sore that while driving I could not lift my leg from the gas petal to the break with out crying out in pain. She would comment "what's wrong? Why are you making that noise?"
"My legs hurt."
"Do you need a bandaide?"
I wish it was that easy.

Two days later I did plyometrics aka jump training....I could barely walk down a slight incline. It was horror. I continue to curse Tony each time I see his smug mug on the TV screen. Two days ago I did Kenpo X...basically a lot of Karate kicks and punches. I can barely straighten my arms. Tomorrow I will tackle another CD...what can I say, I am a bit of a masochist.

6 comments:

danijane said...

I can relate to 3 things in your post..."going to the gym never entered my mind", "Barely being able to lift my legs from the gas pedal to the brake", and "I can barely straighten my arms". Now, about exercising.....can't relate to that. The best weight loss method I have found is a broken neck. I lost 10 lbs and couldn't gain a pond back if I tried. You carry on with your boyfriend Tony, I will cheer from the sidelines!

Joann Mannix said...

You know who does that series? Pink. And I don't know if you've ever seen her in person, but she looks amazing.

I thought about doing it. I wanted to actually hear from someone who was doing it. When I googled it, it looked like you needed all kinds of equipment and stuff, yes or no? And I'm all about the easy. Although I love weight training and I love, love, love jump training. And I do love the whole point of using different muscles every day. I'm going to check in with you and see how it's going before I make any decisions.

xoA said...

Joann....I would love to sing the phrases of P90X, but we are in a down swing in our relationship. ;) It is great. Good work out, interesting, time flies by, but it sucks. It's hard. I didn't go all "Pink" and do the six days a week thing...not yet at least. I do it when I can. You do need dumbells, bands and the pull-up bar.
All in all, it is worth the money!

dani jane said...

I spelled "pound" wrong and it is bugging the crapola out of me....
I dropped the "u". Excuse me please!

xoA said...

well if you do gain a pond (water pond) I hope it is distributed throughout your body evenly :)

Unknown said...

Ha! I bought this for Andrew a couple of years ago after he put on the freshman 25 (no more high school football, baseball, basketball) and he saw this on TV. He uses it (sparingly these days) and it kicks his butt at 21 years old. I am doing Bob (not Jillian) before I ever attempt the P90X. Keep on it girl, you know you can do it!