FitLifeSF

This may seem on the surface to not be a very “Fit Life SF” post. After all, Rob and I started this site because we wanted to bring our friends together in the pursuit of health, with the slant that you don’t have to count every calorie or forever turn your back on Bi Rite Creamery to get there. There is a balance and, at the end of the day, it’s all about your personal goals and how you feel, not being a mindless musclehead with a gym body and no life. (Insert requisite, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that” here.)

So, this is my challenge in writing this post.

On Saturday, I had my 70-something-day weigh-in and measurements since starting the P90X program. I “officially” started on February 14, but I’d been doing the workouts with Rob pretty regularly since mid-January. Not only did I not have any improvement this weigh-in, my bodyfat crept up and a measurements stayed basically the same. And, frankly, I felt all this before we ever broke out the measuring tape and calipers. Frustrating! Especailly considering I’ve been spending at least 1.25 hours per day on the program, plus my Sunday runs, and eating impeccably during the day.

Here are the awesome things that have happened since starting P90X:

• I feel stronger.
• There are muscles under there.
• I can do two whole back-to-back, for-real pull-ups (I could only do .25 of one when starting!)
• My arms are pretty awesomely toned
• I went off Wellbutrin without incident
• I can run 5.75 miles and feel great about it

Here are the un-awesome things to happen since starting P90X:

• My belly is getting bigger/flubbier/more muffin-tastic

Hmmm… seems to me like the whole “pro/con list” crowd would have me just suck it up and stop my whining. But, I don’t wannaaaa! OK, no, seriously. I know that we are all here to live full, healthy lives. But part of that for me is that I want a smokin’ body, dammit! ( I can absolve some of my vanity by pointing out that I also have the kind of chub situation that makes me more likely to die, and that would sorta suck, too. But, really… Britney abs. Circa Slave 4 U, please.) I don’t want to spend the time I’m spending and make the changes I’ve been making only to have no results.

Now, don’t think I’m blaming Tony Horton for this one. I know that the root of my problem is that, while I’ve changed my food intake during the day and on weeknights, for the most part, my love of wine and weekend culinary adventures are holding me back from getting to the place that I want to be. What’s doubly frustrating is that Rob is seeing stellar results from just doing the workouts and making minimal other changes.

So, I figure I can sit around and bitch and moan that I’m spending all this time and not seeing the results I want, or I can realize that things need to change and really kick my own ass to get where I want to be.

I can:

• Realize that I need to get my eating in check, and commit to doing the Slim in 6 quickstart eating program for the next 6 days (which means no wine, lower carbs, very simple foods) It’s like the ultimate no-fun program, but, hell, it’s only six days! (Though, not to toot my own horn– I managed to make baby bok choy, shrimp, ginger, garlic and no-calorie seasonings taste pretty damned good tonight!)
• Commit to doing the P90X Fat Burner eating prgram after that until I reach my goal- which means… I can have wine again! And go back to making fun recipes. Whee, it’s not so bad!
• Realize that P90X “Classic” is probably not enough cardio to power through the fat I need to burn, and switch to “Lean,” with runs or another cardio workout replacing the P90X cardio workouts that simply don’t work for me (Kenpo X and Cardio X.)
• Realize that it’s OK for me to pay closer attention to what I’m consuming for a while to get to the point I want to be… It doesn’t have to rule my life, and it doesn’t mean I’m “one of them”

So, I guess this post is part embarassment at admitting that I don’t have it all figured out; and part heads-up that my posts might veer from the “regulary scheduled program” while I do get it figured out; and part asking for encouragement as I go the next 4 days (I started the 6 days on Sunday) eating totally clean and cutting out my lovely vino, all while working out and still trying to be a reasonably amiable human being.

I guess the message is that we all hit a wall sometimes. And that’s OK, because part of the process of finding out what WILL work for you is finding out what WON’T. Victory here is as much about recognizing when it’s time to change course and try something new as it is in finally having Britney abs. But, dammit… I really want the abs!