What I learned from P90x

So 2011 was a great year for me. I continued with a great job and my number one goal was to really take some time to work on myself. The first part of the year I trained for a half marathon. Then afterwards with no goals to achieve I spent most of the summer regaining all that I had lost for the marathon. No problem, I've done it before... let's do it again. Enter P90x.

When I started the program I told myself that I would appreciate and look forward to every workout. The first stage of the workout was uncomfortable, but as I had made my 2011 motto, "Do the Uncomfortable" I pushed through.

This is what I did. Everyday when I got home, the first thing I did was put the DVD in the player and press play. It's hard to skip your workout once the workout started. Next, I made the decision to do everything on the DVD. I had tried starting P90x earlier in the year but failed. I think it was because I would skip the stretching or skip parts I didn't like. During this time however, I had a DVD player with a missing remote. So it forced me to do everything on the DVD from beginning to end. The third thing I keep telling myself during the workouts, was how much I loved it. After the workouts, I would look at myself in the mirror and say "Day __ this was the best workout!" After the first phase, I found that it wasn't very hard to motivate myself, I had become addicted to it.

As I continued to "press play" I found that I became competitive with myself. I wrote down for the most part my accomplishments. When I would review them, it would make me want to beat myself, I made a little game of it. As each day ticked away, workout after I workout, I started to see results. In the end I have lost over 20 pounds (from 200-180), dropped from a 36 to a 32.. I even have lines starting to show up in my stomach. I am more flexible than I was even in high school, my joints don't ache, I don't get headaches anymore and overall I feel amazing. I'm a 37 year single male, and when I was overweight it was hard to date or meet someone, it's feels good to have a pretty girl smile at me at the bar now:) With my outward transformation came an inward transformation as well. I wasn't depressed, I had confidence which not only helped my dating life but my work habits. I found that I was able to concentrate more at work, I had a desire to be good at everything I do. I had replaced the negative self talk with positive self talk. Overall I feel good about being alive, I love my body and I'm comfortable in my skin.

The most interesting side effect of P90x is how it has affected others around me. I have had many friends, relatives and acquaintances tell me that I have inspired them to change their lives. Including one friend who gave up smoking and my roommate who recently grabbed my P90x DVD's and proclaimed he was going to do it.

Finally, the only mistake I made. I bought new clothes during the second phase, I should have waited till the end... but I really do enjoy my new wardrobe!!