I started this blog all the way back in 2009. I've never really "blogged" and am not that computer literate as far as creating interesting copy or posts for people to read. My main reason for starting the blog was to post my accountability and have people follow my journey from recoverying from a couple of heart attacks to living a more healthy and fit lifestyle.
Well, 2 years have gone by and I have maintained a 41 pound weight loss for nearly 1.5 years and feel like I am in my mid thirtys again. It is an amazing feeling.
I was obese and on two seperate blood pressure medications and my doctor had just told me that I was borderline type-2 diabetic. He also told me that I would either have to lose weight and exercise regularily, or I would have to go on diabetes medication along with the BP meds I was already taking every day. The bottome line is that I found myself on a slippery slope to every declining health and a early grave. At this point, I had two choices, either take personal responsibillity for my health and fitness, or stay on the path I was on hoping someone would create a miracle pill or potion that would magically transform my body back to that of my youth. I could have done nothing and just stayed on the path I was on and possibly missed the birth of my first grandson or never seeing my loved ones again. I don't know about you, but I am not ready to give up and just lay down and die.
I made a decision that I would change my lifestyle and start living a better life. I had seen the P90X infomercial on TV numerous times but never thought I would be able to do such a intense workout program after having 4 heart attacks in my early 40s. But I decided I would at least do some research to see what it was all about. I took the "fit test" offered by the company and quickly failed and to make matters worse the website recommended I not purchase the program! Wow! I was so unhealthy that the company wouldn't even sell me their program!! They did, however, recommend I start with one of their foundation programs (they have over 130 different programs). I decided to start with a program called Power 90, or P90 for short. It is the basic bootcamp style program that helps build a solid foundation of fitness so you can go on to do more strenuous programs.
Around 3 Jan 2009, I got the P90 program and read all the literature that comes with it and started the next Monday. So, my day 1 for my health transformation started on 5 Jan 2009. Boy, the first day was a workout called Sweat 1-2. It is only 30 minutes long but by the time I finished it I was soaked with sweat and had to lay down on the floor I was so tired. I wasn't sure I would be able to do it but I decided I had to at least try my best so the next day I did Sculpt 1-2 and was really wiped out at the end of that one too. The one thing I realized right away is that it didn't kill me to do the workouts. As hard as they were to me, I managed to get through them and they were only about 30 minutes long. I figured I would do them for a few weeks and see how I felt.
Before I knew it, I was half way through the 12 week program and was feeling better and had lost a few pounds. My energy was improving and I was sleeping like a baby every night. This pushed me to continue to challenge myself and I worked even harder to see how far I could push myself. Pretty soon the 1-2 workouts were getting easier so I moved up to the 3-4 workouts. They are the same but they are 40-45 minutes long so my stamina would be increased. Plus, I was adding more weights on the Sculpt nights so my body was getting stronger every week. In the end, I completed the 12 week program and had lost 18 pounds of fat and increased my lean muscle mass by about 4 pounds. I was feeling great and knew I was on the right track and was ready for a more challenging workout. In hind sight, I never changed my diet while doing the program. I was still eating junk and fast food but still managed to lose the fat but I know now that if I had followed the meal plan that came with the workout program, I probably could have lost 25 pounds or more in those 12 weeks. But I can't change the past and I was on the journey forward but it is a lesson learned.
Even though I was feeling better, had lost some weight, my doctor wouldn't take me off blood pressure medications and told me that if I continued my exercise program and started eating better, he would consider removing my from the meds. I didn't feel like I was ready for P90X so the next program I decided to try was a program called the P90 Master Series. As it turned out, it was a perfect transition program for me from P90 to P90X. The master series tapes are a continuation of the P90 Program with Sweat and Sculpt 5-6, which was the same as the 1-2 and 3-4 tapes but each tape is about 50 minutes long. So my stamina would continue to improve as well as my strength and aerobic conditioning plus there were several new workout tapes included UML, Core Synergistics, and other programs that are related to the P90X programs. This is another 12 week program so I knew I would be in ever better shape by the time I finished my second "round."
I completed the MS tapes and was really ready for P90X. Over the course of 6 months I had gone from barely moving off the couch to working out 6 days a week and looking forward to my next workout. I finally got P90X and jumped right into it. On top of all this, I was taken off the Blood Pressure medications half way through my MS program and have excellent blood pressure now. I just had it checked yesterday at the dentist office and it was 113 over 65! Not bad for a old fart! By the way 120/60 is the median BP guage. Hopefully, I will continue to improve my fitness and can get the 65 below 60.
Anyway, I finished my round of P90X and was literally in the best shape of my entire life! I had leaned out, increased my lean muscle mass and stamina and lost a total of 41 pounds. I decided to enter the Beachbody transformation contest and won $1,000 in Sept 2009 for my transformation. I wasn't even finished my round of P90X by then! So, that motivated me to stick to my journey, which brings us to today, 29 Mar 11.
I am currently on day 16 of my 4th round of P90X. I feel pretty good and my goal is to continue to lean out and maintain my muscle mass and my overall health and fitness level. I also want to help 1,000 people lose up to 20 pounds or more. Why 20 pounds? Well, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) losing 10 pounds of fat can decrease your risk of heart attack by 35% and losing 20 pounds can reduce your risk of developing type-2 diabetes by a whopping 65%!! Those are two of the most serious risk factors of being overweight or obese.
I know I can't reverse the trend of obesity in the US by myself, but if I can just help 1,000 people get into better shape, mabye they will inspire others to do the same and we can start a grass roots movement to get our country back in shape starting with the individual. You have the power, and I can help you. All you have to do is ask.
Cheers
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