Well...I was going to complete the Insanity program but, to be honest I just got bored with all cardio work.  So...I decided that I would do a P90x Insanity hybrid.  We will see how it turns out.  Hopfully for the best.

Today is 1000 calorie burn day.  Let's see how long it takes...

Well, lets just say that the INSANITY WORKOUT program is exactly that...INSANE. I started approximately a month ago and I am here to tell you that wow, it is an ass kicker. I will also tell you up front that I don't like the program. That is not to say it doesn't work but more to imply that I don't like it because it is tough. I have been in need of a tough fitness routine for a while and I think this one is the jolt I needed to get some results. I am definitely not a fan of the cardio abs, simply because it makes my lower back scream by the time I am done. It is only 15 minutes or so but man does my lower back feel so tight afterwards. I am going to finish the scheduled workouts and hopefully at the end at least my fitness will be better. My diet isn't the greatest but I am human, and make mistakes often. Hope you enjoyed my initial thoughts on the program.

This has been my diet for the past month. Can anyone please advise on what I should be adding, taking away or stopping alltogether.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  My goal is to loose bodyfat while gaining muscle.  Please hit me with your best shots.  I am not an expert.

2008/11/08
 

10:30am ? post workout shake. 8 ounces skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein. Egg scramble.
 

1:00pm ? 2 crackers, 1 peach, 1 protein shake. 8 ounces skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 1 tbl spoon peanut butter.
 

3:00pm ? 6oz chicken breast, ¼ cup green beans
 

5:00pm ? 10oz tilapia, ½ cup rice
 

7:00pm ? protein shake. 8oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 1 tbl spoon peanut butter, 1 whole banana, 5 ice cubes.
 

2008/11/09
 

9:30am ? 1 cup v8 juice blend.  protein shake. 8oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 1 tbl spoon peanut butter, 1 whole banana, 5 ice cubes.
 

12:30 ? 1 parmasean crusted cod fillet with ¼ cup rice, 1 slice cheese & 5 regular crackers.
 

3:00 - 1 parmasean crusted cod fillet with ¼ cup rice
 

6:30 ? 2 Chicken tacos, cheese, tomato lettuce ranch sauce
 

8:00 - protein shake. 8oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 1 tbl spoon peanut butter, 1 whole banana, 5 ice cubes.
 

2008/11/10
 

10:00 ? 4 egg scramble w/ 1 chicken breast, cheese and tomato.  1 cup v8 juice blend.
 

11:48 ? 1 cup lite popcorn
 

1:50 ? 6oz albacore tuna w/2 tblspns miracle whip,
2 gordita tortillas, 1 slice cheese, 1 banana.
 

5:20 - 1 parmasean crusted cod fillet with ¼ cup rice
 

7:00 - protein shake. 8oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 1 tbl spoon peanut butter, 1 whole banana, 5 ice cubes.
 

2008/11/11
 

11:00 - 1 parmasean crusted cod fillet with 1/2 cup rice
 

1:00 - 6oz albacore tuna w/2 tblspns miracle whip,
2 gordita tortillas, 2 slice cheese.
 

3:00 - protein shake. 8oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 1 tbl spoon peanut butter, 1 whole banana, 5 ice cubes.
 

6:30 ? 8oz sirloin steak, ½ baked potato w/butter, 2 cup popcorn
 

2008/11/12
 

6:00am ? 1 cup v8 juice blend
 

8:30 ? 1 tilapia filet with rice
 

10:00 ? 1 tilapia filet with rice
 

12:00 ? 12oz of sirloin steak w/half baked potato
 

2:00 ? 6oz chicken breast
 

3:30 ? 2 cup popcorn, 8 crackers 1 slice cheese
 

5:50 ? 1 shake n bake boneless pork chop, ¼ cup mac & cheese and ¼ cooked carrots.
 

8:30 - protein shake. 8oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 2 tbl spoon peanut butter, 5 ice cubes.
 

2008/11/13
 

7:00 ? ½ cup oatmeal, 1 cup v8 juice blend
 

9:39 ? 6oz boneless chicken breast
 

12:00 ? 6oz albacore tuna, 3 small flour tortilla
2:00 ? 6oz shake and bake porkchop w/carrots.
 

7:00 ? Footlong chicken breast sandwich on Italian herb and cheese bread, pepperjack cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, green pepper, black olive, jalapeno peppers & mayo.
 

2008/11/14
 

6:30 ? 6 egg omelet w/green pepper and shredded cheese. 1 cup v8 juice blend.
 

8:40 ? banana
 

12:00 ? 6oz tuna
 

2:00 ? ½ bag pretzel, diet coke
 

6:00 ? nut trail mix
 

7:30 ? 2 ½ pound cheeseburger, lettuce tomato, cheese, pickle, mustard, ketchup, cheesy pasta ½ cup
 

2008/11/15
 

10:30 - protein shake. 10oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 2 tbl spoon peanut butter, 1 whole banana, 5 ice cubes.
 

11:40 ? ABB canned protein shake 50 grams protein
 

1:40 ? banana, trail mix
 

6:00 ? mesotech bar
 

7:40 ? chicken dinner bake 2 servings
 

2008/11/16
 

10:00 ? 2 cup v8 juice blend, 1 meso tech bar
 

12:00 ? ½ pound hamburger in flour tortilla w/ mustard and ketchup.
 

2:00 ? 1 serving chicken biscuit dinner bake. 1 cup popcorn
 

4:00 - protein shake. 10oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 2 tbl spoon peanut butter, 1 whole banana, 5 ice cubes.  Finished trail mix
 

6:00 ? 2 bowls of beef stew
 

8:30 - protein shake. 10oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 2 tbl spoon peanut butter, 1 whole banana, 5 ice cubes. 
 

2008/11/17
 

6:15 ? 1 cup v8 juice blend, protein shake. 10oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 2 tbl spoon peanut butter, 1 whole banana, 5 ice cubes. 
 

8:30 ? 1 tilapia filet w/ half cup brown rice
 

10:30 ? 1 tilapia filet w/ half cup brown rice
 

12:30 ? 1 parmasean crusted cod filet w/ half cup brown rice
 

2:30 ? 1 bowl homemade beef stew, 2 tblspn peanut butter, 1 fig cookie, 1 slice tomato
 

6:30 ? 2 flour gordita?s w/chicken lettuce and tomato and ranch sauce, small lettuce & tomato salad w/ranch sauce and mixed topping
 

8:30 -  protein shake. 10oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein, 2 tbl spoon peanut butter, 1 whole banana, 5 ice cubes.
 

2008/11/18
 

7:30 ? Honey bunches of oates cereal with 1 ½ cups skim milk.
 

9:30 ? 1 whole chicken breast w/tortilla
 

11:30 ? 6oz tuna w/tortilla
 

1:30 ? 6oz tuna
 

3:30 ? 6oz tuna w/tortilla and 1 slice cheese
 

6:00 ? 3 fig cookies
 

8:00 ? 5 scrambled eggs w/cheese
 

2008/11/19
 

7:10 ? 1 cup v8 juice blend, ½ cup oatmeal in water
 

9:30 ? 1 boneless skinless chicken breast w/tortilla
 

11:30 ? some fried chicken and a little skin. 1 boneless skinless chicken breast w/tortilla
 

1:30 ? 1 8oz sugar free redbull
 

2:30 ? 1 oh yeah protein bar
 

6:45 ? 1 ½ bowls of homemade beef soup w/hot sauce
 

2008/11/20
 

7:30 ? 1 cup honey bunches of oates cereal with 1 ½ cup skim milk
 

9:30 ? half bowl homemade soup
 

11:30 ? 1 tilapia filet w/ half cup rice
 

2:30 - 1 tilapia filet w/ half cup rice
 

7:30 ? 1 grilled pork chop with scalloped potatoes and grean beans, 2 huge pieces of monkey bread
 

2008/11/21
 

7:30 ? ½ cup oatmeal with butter cinnamon and sugar
 

9:30 - 1 grilled pork chop with scalloped potatoes and grean beans
 

11:30 - 1 grilled pork chop with scalloped potatoes and grean beans
 

1:30 - ? don?t remember
 

6:30 ? 2 ½ garlic & cheese bread sticks w/sauce, 3 slice pepperoni pizza.  2 chocolate chip cookies
 

2008/11/22
 

10:30 ? 4 scrambled eggs, protein shake, 8oz skim milk, 1 scoop ON whey protein
 

1:30 ? 1 turkey sandwich w/miracle whip and cheese, 2 ½ cup popcorn, 3 fig cookies ½ slice pizza.
 

6:17 ? 2 chicken fajitas, 1 slice pizza
 

2008/11/23
 

11:00 - 2 chicken fajitas, 1 cup v8 juice blend, 1 cup popcorn
 

1:30 - turkey sandwich w/miracle whip and cheese, ½ chocolate chip cookie, ½ bowl homemade soup.
 

5:30 ? 2 chili n cheese hotdogs, 4 crackers, 1 pickel
 

9:50 - 1 cup v8 juice blend
 

2008/11/24
 

6:30 ? 1 cup v8 juice blend
 

7: 30 ? ½ cup oatmeal
 

9: 30 ? 1 cup popcorn
 

11:30 ? 1 tilapia filet w/1 cup mixed veggies
 

1:30 ? 1 cup popcorn
 

3:30 - 1 tilapia filet w/1 cup mixed veggies
 

5:30 -
 

Dinner last night was great...Too great in fact.  I had grilled bonless porkchop fillets with scalloped potatos and green beans...Even had some great desert.  Monkey bread.  I know, I know...why did I even do a workout when I completely nullified it by eating like a pig.  I suspect the reason was the last meal I had was at 2:30 in the afternoon.  Oh well, I will make up.

Let me tell you about yesterday...I did legs and back in the morning.  It was a good workout.  No problem right? Well throughout the day I didn't stick to the diet so well, so I decided to do a round of plyometrics to make up for it....Probably not a good idea to do jump training on leg day.  I didn't really get any height on the jump portions or get really low on the squat portions but I did it nonetheless.  It was tough.  THEN I decided to do ab ripper x since I didn't do it right after legs and back...HOLY CRAP, ASS KICKED, POINT BLANK.  I am paying for it today.  I was supposed to get up and do Kenpo X, one of my favorite workouts I might, add but my body said hell no.  Gonna do it tonight though.  Any chance I could get some ratings of my before pics?  Thanks!

Is it just me or are the OH YEAH bars way to good?  I picked one up after lunch for a snack and holy cow.  Is was so good.  It had to have way to much sugar in it.  I am looking at the label and it says it has 19g of fat and way to much sugar.  It does say that it has 27g of protein though.  I think I am going to pass on this one next time.  A little too much indulgence it seems like.  Am I the only one who feels this way?

I got my yoga x workout in last night.  I was much more focused and did a significantly better job than the first time.  It is no joke.  I imagine part of the problem I have is that when I am doing my workout is is on carpet which makes it more difficult to maintain balance.  I still don't like how long the workout is though, but nonetheless I did better which is all that matters.  I did my legs and back workout this morning.  Ass kicked...point blank.  I swear by the end of the program I should be doing 100 dead hangs pullups.  I am requried to do pullups as part of my fitness routine for my job.  I guess this is going to help that out tremendously.  I feel really good today.  I don't know why, but I guess it is the sense of accomplishment I feel for getting my workouts done.

I was supposed to get up this morning and do Yoga X.  I had my alarm set for 4 a.m.   Needless to say I couldn't convince myself to get up.  I will be doing it tonight though.  The only thing I really don't like about yoga, especially yoga x, is the lengh of the workout.  It is an hour and a half.  I guess it really isn't that much longer than a standard weights w/abs day but, the focus is on controlling your breathing and maintaing a posture.  I am the type of person who can barely sit still let alone hold a posture for very long.  I know it is different, and YES IT IS DIFFICULT, but I must say that at this juncture I am not a fan yet.

As I sit here eating my homemade beef stew, I wonder about how this 90 days is going to actually turn out.  There are going to be some pretty serious big events happening during this timeframe...(1) My son will be here on the 23rd, (2)  Thanksgiving and (3) Christmas.  and lets not forget good ol' New Years.  I guess I am just anxious about the future in general.  Being a dad is really going to change the way I live my life.  My priorities are going to change drastically.  It will be all about him and that is ok.  I just hope that I can find that balance where he gets everything he needs and more, but where I get the time to take care of myself and my wife as well.  I guess I will get by.  I always seem to make it through.  Hoepfully these next 90 days will be no different.

I think it is just a personal thing, but I am not to fond of my pull up bar. It is one of the door mounted bars.  I guess it is great for convience but I find it difficult to get good finishing pull ups.  What I mean is that when I get close to my failure reps my elbows flare a bit and the hit the door frame which gives me sort of a cheat, if you will.  I use my chair as a spotting tool, so it would be great if my arms didn't hit the doorframe.  As far as money and space goes my bar is great but for form and good reps, it is kinda crummy.  I am sure that there are plenty of you who share this sentiment.

I am starting my second week of P90x.  The chest and back workout was definitely harder this time.  My wife says it looks like I lost weight.  I can't tell but I guess I am my own worst critic.  I am going to make it through this program I swear it.  Hopefully it will do what it promises.  I guess we'll see.  If there are any other p90xers out there I would appreciate your advice.  Thanks!

The mind is such a powerful tool.  A weapon to aid you in the fight against yourself.  I have been on the winning and losing end many times, as I will be many more.  The question is though, do you understand that you are not always going to win?  I have asked myself this question more than once and I have not always been able to come up with an answer.  Especially the one that I seek.  I have obtained enough mental facilities over the years to comprehend this.  Sometimes it is the understanding that you will not be able to answer that question and that lends you the ability to carry on which is a victory in itself.  I am by no means an expert on how the mind works but it is really is a unique object.  Imagine if you knew everytime you set out to accomplish something that you would succeed and not just succeed but exceed your expectations.  Would you be able to cope with less than that outcome?  I know I wouldn't.  Being able to learn from your victories and your losses is the greatest success.  Being able to consolidate the knowledge that you gained from both and mold it into something you can use to aid you in your future endeavors.  I will steal a quote from Kung Fu Panda.  " The past is the past, the future is a mystery and the present is a gift.  That is why it is called the present." 

I did an extra 30 mins of cardio on my elliptical last night.  I don't know whether it helped or hurt.  I do know that I couldn't muster the umphh to get out of bed this morning though.  I will have to do my workout this evening.  No worries.  The only problem with that though is that it is at home while my wife is awake.  I don't want to take any quality time away from her that I don't have to.  Had a bad dehydration headache this morning too.  I should have drank at least 32oz's before I went to bed but I didn't and I am paying for it today.

I have finally added some profile pics.  They are listed under my progress pics.  Thanks for the support.