Ryan's Tales

This is definitely something new for me.  I've never been a big fan of lifting weights.  Don't get me wrong, I love to exercise but I'm much more of a swimmer than a lifter or runner.  Maybe it's because lifting was next to useless as a 6'2'' 155lb teenager.  All I know is that I am going to give this a very honest go and really hope I see the results others have.  I'll be honest, I took a before picture but I don't know how comfortable I am posting it until I really start to see some results.  Until then, I'll share my current stats and goals (which are pretty telling)

Goals
Body Fat - 15% (hopefully more towards 10% but I'll reassess after the first month)
Weight - 195lbs.
Chest - 42"
Waist - 34"
Right & Left arms - 16"
ABS


Before Measurements 
Body Fat - 20%
Weight - 200lbs
Chest - 40"
Waist - 37"
Right & Left Arms - 14.5"

So far, I am two days in and am feeling pretty good after my workout today.  This is my first week so I am still getting used to the different exercises and my form definitely needs improvement in certain areas (especially with the ab ripper workout).

Food Diary Tool

Check out this food diary tool when you get a chance.  I don't know if any of you have found a better product that is free but it's a pretty simple design with a very large database.  Both this tool and the P90X food intake calculations say that I should eat around 2,800 calories per day.  Is it just me or is that a bit high?  I've been purposefully eating more than usual since I started working out this week but I am struggling to get close to my target.

Another useful part of that website is that you can input and track the daily calories you are burning during your normal daily activities as well as the calories you're burning when you're working out.

When you click on that "Fitness" tab, type in "Weight lifting: vigorous (free weights, nautilus, universal)."  I believe that is the closest thing to a P90X option.

http://www.livestrong.com/myplate/

Week 1 Reflections

- This workout is definitely not easy
- I've never done this many pullups in my life... I think I did 100+ on Friday
- Tony Horton is annoying enough to be effective. He's a smug bastard, but that makes you want to try to keep up... I just don't know if I can take his lame jokes on repeat for 13 weeks
- It might be because I already lift weights pretty often, but Plyometrics and Yoga were pretty damn tough. I was humbled by both of them. Kenpo wasn't too bad though, except I wouldn't want anyone to see me doing it
- Again, this workout is not easy. My back has never been this sore before, and I've been lifting weights on and off for the last 12 years
- 12 weeks to go... oh jeez

Food Tips

I know we are all going to really have to watch what we are eating and a lot of this is common sense for some but I will be the first to admit that I need help in this area.  I just came across an article on WebMd that talked about the 8 good things to eat/8 bad things not to eat.  The bad are pretty common sense and included items like Packaged Frozen Snacks (Jimmy Dean Biscuit Bacon, Egg, and Cheese sandwiches and Hot Pockets) and Frozen Foods like Tyson Chicken Nuggets.  For me, I think the area that will be more helpful is occasionally posting good snack ideas or quick meals.  A lot of us might not have the time to really cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day so it is important that we all have good alternatives (and if any of you say soy nuts then I'll shake my finger at you like Dikembe Mutombo).  Here are a few snacks from the article.

Healthy Snacks to Try Instead

Toasted 100% Whole-Wheat English Muffin with Peanut Butter

You'll find at least two brands of 100% whole-wheat English muffin (Oroweat and Thomas) in most supermarkets. Toasted and spread with some natural-style peanut butter (the type that just contains peanuts and a little salt), these make a satisfying snack with 10 grams protein and 5 grams of fiber.

	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Sugar (g)	Sodium (mg)
Oroweat 100% Whole-Wheat English Muffin + 1 Tablespoon Natural-Style Peanut Butter	250	10	1.2	5	295

  

Quesadillas

A quesadilla is quick to fix in the microwave or over the stove. If you use a whole-wheat or whole-grain tortilla and reduced-fat cheese, you'll get plenty of protein and fiber (12 grams protein; 8 grams fiber) for hunger-satisfying power. You can customize your quesadilla by adding nutrient-rich vegetables such as tomatoes, chopped green onions, peppers, or avocado.

	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Sugar (g)	Sodium (mg)
100 Calorie 100% Whole-wheat Tortilla, 1 oz. Shredded Reduced-Fat Cheddar or Jack Cheese	190	7.5	3.5	8	560

Fun-to-Eat Frozen Vegetables

Vegetables can be fun to eat, like frozen edamame (green soybeans) from the pod. Just heat in the microwave (you can also serve them cold), open up the pods and snack away at the green soybeans inside. They're low in calories and packed with fiber and protein (8 grams fiber, 10 grams protein). If you're hankering for a potato-based snack, the frozen steak fries are usually the lowest in calories, fat, and saturated fat because they have a higher ratio of potato to crispy exterior.

	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Sugar (g)	Sodium (mg)
Edamame (in pod), 1 1/8 cup	90	2	0	8	30
Ore*Ida Steak Fries, 3 oz	110	3	1.5	2	300

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/best-and-worst-snacks?page=2

Fruity

I don't think you guys have started yet, but I just finished day 3. I feel kind of fruity doing the stretching every video, and am not looking forward to the inevitably emasculating yoga session tomorrow. This stuff is legit though. I did pretty well during the first day and thought this thing might be easy, but day 2 humbled me.

Good luck!