Last week of P90X

I've made it to the very last week of P90X. Today was Core Synergestics. I still think this is the hardest workout for me. Man does it work your core the whole time. Maybe it's because I always do it the day after yoga. Not sure, but I still can't finish the whole think. Wow! Is it a workout for me.

week 11

Yeah, Kenpo X today. I'm putting on my Beachbody gloves, to help make the workout better. The good news is that my pants have been falling off. I went shopping over the weekend to buy the next size down. (yeah)!

I can tell that I'm not making as much progress by not doing the workouts in their entire length, but I'm still making progress.

I'm in Love!

I just love P90X Kenpo X. It is so simple, no complicated moves. My knees don't hurt after. I am in love. this will be a workout I will do always!

Week 9, Training Block 3

Here I am on the home stretch, the last month. Today is P90X Shoulders & Arms. Enjoyable workout, no dread factor here. Weight work is so much easier in the morning than jumping around cardio. This workout moves fast & is repeating exercises. Good Workout even with the bands. My favorite exercise today was the Static Arm curls. I enjoy the burn in my biceps.

Tony Horton One on One Medicine Ball Core Cardio

Here's my review. I'm giving this one a try for the first time. This seems to be a slow starting DVD, 5 minutes into it he's finally done stretching and putting on his heart rate monitor. It think this is a good option when you are tired.

I picked out my 6# ball, and a 3 lbs weight. Istarted with the 6 # and then switched down to the three. I enjoyed this workout. I liked that it was short and I was sweating up a storm. I think I'd replace it with Plyometrics, but not my Kenpo. I love my Kenpo punches and kicks too much. The workout was 36 minutes so perfect for squeezing it in early morning before work.

Week 8 - Recovery Phase

HI - This is suppose to be week 8, my recovery phase. I was, however, lucky enough to borrow the One-on-One series from a co-worker so I've been reviewed these disks and replacing them when it fits.

I tried Fountain of Youth and Patience Hummingbird wonderful replacements for Yoga X. I never have the 90 minutes to do the whole workout in the morning. These two are excellent replacements.

I've also tried Bun Shaper. I just thru this in & it is a favorite. I felt muscles two days later that I know I need to work. That's super.

I also did Core Synergistics for the 2nd time now. I didn't have time to finish it, I had to cut is short to 42 minutes. I didn't feel as bad afterward as I did the first time. It's still a very hard workout for me. I felt a little tight all day yesterday, even a co-worker commented on me walking funny. I guess that means I need to do that one more often.

Today, I'm going to replace Kenpo with Medicine Ball Core Cardio, so I get a chance to try this before I have to return the series.

I'm so torn. I think I actually like the first series the best. So as of today, I put Volume 1 on my wish list, of course this could change when I get done quickly previewing the Volume 2 disks.

Week 7 - the good & bad

The good news is that I'm in my 2nd month, & my son starts school. The bad news is that the bus comes so early, I'm going to have to cut my workouts short from now on. I'll only have 45 min to work out each day.

Today was P90X Plyo. I was able to modify this down to 45 minutes. Oh, I'm still sweating. I still worked out, so I feel good. I feel that I've made great strides in the last 6 weeks, so I'm just happy that I can continue to work out.

Week 6 - Legs & Back

Another good workout. I love working out the legs, an area I need to work out. I think the balancing lunges are the hardest. The Groucho walk is pretty fun. It is fun to mix it up & use mostly my body weight for legs. I used 5# for the calf raises, Yes, I felt the burn.

I'm noticing changes in my body this week. The scale hasn't been changing to I took measurements. I'm pleased to see that I've lost inches. That makes me happy to see changes in my body.

P90X - week 5, day 2

Today was Plyometrics. I'm starting to feel more comfortable with this workout all the time. I am able to keep it pretty low impact the whole time and still be out of the breathe and sweating. I found that I need a class of water and a very cool room to make me happy. I think my favorite part today was the rest breaks.

I feel good. A great start to the day.

P90X - 1/3 of the way

I can now say that I'm 1/3 of the way complete. A month grad of P90X, with two more to go. I admire those that have completed the P90X program a couple times. It really takes a lot of hard work and determination to work out for 90 days like this.

So tomorrow, on to Training Block 2, adaptive and mastery phase.

Week 4 - Recovery Phase

I've made it to P90X week 4, called the Recovery Phase. I thought this might be an easy week, but I was wrong. I thing Core Synergistics might be the hardest workout for me. Wow, I was sweating up a storm. My core isn't that strong, from having two babies by C-section. I definetely need to work and define this area.

Week 3 - Chest & Back

Aww, my 3rd time for Chest and Back. I'm feeling good today! Yesterday was an easy day, I had my shake for lunch, and went to bed early. the day started out not so good with my DVD not wanting to work. So after 9 minutes I switched my DVD into a different player. I'll have to cut my workout a bit short today. I won't be able to finish the whole thing.

I'm still doing the pushups on my knees and I think the Dive Bombers are the hardest exercise. I'm enjoying the pull downs with my bands, so that must mean it's time to invest in the P90X pull up device.

P90X - Day 14

Day 14 is Rest/Stretching. I woke up a 1/2 hour late today, because I knew I could. I had some gentle yoga poses and stretching in mind. So for about 25 minutes, I calmly stretched out my body. I feel nice and relaxed. So on to my shower, to start my busy day.

Slow Start on Sunday Morning

It's 7:45 Sunday morning. I woke up about 5 minutes ago. I was thinking that I need to get my body moving so I can exercise before the kids wake up. It's a rainy, dreary day outside this morning. A perfect day to stay in bed. The next thing I know my youngest is by my side wanting to jump in the middle.

So I say to her, "You stay here with Daddy & Mommy is going to go exercise." Nope that doesn't work. She wants to go watch her show on tv. So, I just set her up with a show on tv and started my coffee. My body and mind feel like jello today. I need a little time to warm up before I start the DVD scheduled for today, Kenpo X. So here I am at 7:57 taking a deep breathe and getting ready to exercise.

8:15 - I'm still not exercising. My youngest has been in here wanting to get dressed and eat candy. I set her up with some breakfast and I'm now trying to start again.

9:15 - I made it through with only two interuptions from the kids. I sure find exercising in the early morning more enjoyable and easier than with children underfoot. But we all survived and I have completed Kenpo X!

Saturday Workout, P90X Legs and Back

I slept in today until 7:30. It felt great. When I woke up, I whispered to my husband that I hope I can workout before the kids wake up.

Legs and Back is a 59 minute workout. I don't have enough time to complete the entire workout during the week, so I was kind of excited that it landed on Saturday. Well you can guess what happened. My little one was up before I was half done. I think I paused my workout about 6 times before I made it to the end. I finished the entire workout today, but I know I got lots of extra breaks.

In this workout, I worked both my legs and upper body. You rotate between the two so each one has time to rest. I'm still using my bands instead of pull ups, so you can say I'm taking the easy route. After the workout, I finished Ab Ripper X. Yikes. This is a 15 minute core workout itself. I think it might be getting tougher each time instead of getting easier. I could be that this is the first time I've done it right after a workout. I usually workout in the morning and then try to squeeze this in sometime in the evening (when I return home from work).

So, I got almost 75 minutes in today of exercise. I feel like that's enough. I'm good until tomorrow.

Enjoy your Saturday!

It's a big ole circle!

I was talking to my sister-in-law yesterday about exercising. She has a 10 month old now and is nursing, plus working full time. She's following exactly where I was a couple years back. I have two kids, 5 and 3-1/2. I went back to work after 12 weeks off, full time and continued to nurse both of them until almost 2. I remember how tired I was during this time.

I had been exercising for a long time prior to getting pregnant in 2004. I was so ambitious and exercised throughout my pregnancy. I did lots of walking at an indoor rink and a bit of pregnancy yoga. I was feeling great, then the baby came. It went downhill. I wasn't getting a lot of sleep especially after going back to work. I think the teething and the sickness was actually worse than when they were little & you had to feed them often during the night. I hardly had the energy to make it thru the day much less exercise in my free time. Ok, there wasn't any free time, but it sounds like a nice thing.

So this January, my daughter turned 3. I decided it's time to get myself going again. I'm not feeling very good about my shape after having two kids, plus I'm tired all the time and that isn't good. I decided I need to try again. I need to make time for myself and work out. So 5 years, after giving up exercise, I'm back at it. I'm forcing myself to wake up early and workout so that I'll be a better mom and wife. I know that I have to stay motivated. This usually means that I have to have a lot of variety in my life. I run in phases, sometimes I'm into kickboxing, sometimes weight lifting/kettlebells and sometimes outdoor activities like walking or biking. I'm currently enjoying the challenge of P90X, until I get bored again. . . I'll switch to something new.

Fast and Furious Bonus workout with Insanity order

Did you hear the news? Beachbody will be giving away extra workouts if you order your fitness programs through a Beachbody coach. The first one is a free bonus workout called Fast and Furious that comes with Insanity or Insanity Deluxe.

Insanity is an intense cardio program by Shaun T. You can read out more about it at my website. www.beachbodycoach.com/lilshortstuff

I'm excited to see what other workouts they will be coming out with in the next few months. I'm guessing that one of them will be from Leandro that will go along with his Brazil Butt Lift program. Sounds like they will be releasing them one at a time, so we'll just have to wait and see.

My Shake Packet is Here!

I'm excited, my first Bag of Chocolate Shakeology has arrived. I decided to go with the bag instead of the individual servings. If you know me, I'll all about stretching my dollar. I figured that the 30 serving bag was a better deal than the 24 individual serving packets. I'll get more shake for my money and it isn't too hard to put the shake mix in a re-useable container each day. I also signed up for the monthly auto-ship so I could get the two free gifts (2 FREE Workout DVDs & the Shaker Cup) plus the Free Shipping!

I mixed my shake up for my lunch today with low-fat milk. It was absolutely perfect, a real treat. My lunch hour today was full of errands. I didn't have time to make my lunch this morning (since I spent too much time on my yoga) and REALLY didn't want to pick up greasy fast food. The shake was so easy. I packed ice and milk in my little cooler this morning and mixed it up in my car before I went back into work. It's so very convenient and yummy. Perfect for a busy mom like me.

I was also excited that it really kept me satisified for a long time. I'm usually quite a big eater in the afternoon, and I wasn't sure how long the shake would keep me full. So, I took an apple and nuts for an afternoon snack, but found I didn't need them for over 3-1/2 hours. I was excited to read that the Chocolate shake has extra protein and that the shake is an excellent source of fiber. I'm excited to try to replace one meal during the work week with my shake. I'll see how that goes. Keep your fingers crossed!

See more information about Shakeology at my website: www.myshakeology.com/lilshortstuff

Friday Morning Yoga

I woke up today a tad bit sore from my arm workout yesterday. It was kind of breathe of fresh air to think about yoga today. P90X yoga isn't really a relaxing yoga, though. It's a hard core workout that you would expect in a fitness program like P90X. I don't think the P90X would be happy with an easy yoga program.

I found myself holding poses, shaking and sweating in the first 30 minutes. I stopped at that point to give myself a two minute break so I could get a drink of water. I then continued for another 30 minutes. The whole yoga workout is an hour and a half long. It's an intense workout that really works your muscles from holding the poses. I'm hoping this will come around again on the weekend so I can try the whole workout next time.

So this morning, I feel a little refreshed and energized. I really tried to focus on breathing throughout the workout today. I think it helped calm me and get me ready to start my last work day of the week.

Happy Friday everyone!

Working Out with Tubing!

I was thinking today after working out about how very pleased I am with my new BeachBody B-Line Bands. I always thought working out with tubing was a waste of time, but I've been using my new bands for P90X. They are so much thicker than the tubing I've worked with in the past. I feel like I'm often working out harder with my tubing than I often do with my traditional weights.

It's crazy that they are that effective. In some exercises you are getting resistance both up and down. I've been using my tubing to replace the pull ups. I was able to attach them so I can pull down and pretty much duplicate the exercise in my home. On other exercises, I can make it harder or easier by how I place my foot or feet in/on the band. They are a pleasant surprise and a great addition to my exercise gear. Check out the bands at my website under equipment and gear: www.beachbodycoach.com/lilshortstuff

A Surprising Discovery About P90X!

Ok, I admit it, I was a little afraid of P90X. I've been hearing about this fitness program for years. I've seen the infomercials a couple times, and I just felt that it was too advanced for me. I wouldn't be able to do it. I think all the pull-ups might have gotten to me. I know I can't do even one. But it kept popping back in my mind, should I try it?

Ok, so I ordered it and it arrived. The first day, I started with Shoulders and Arms, that's not disk one, but I know it would be a lot easier than Chest and Back. I told myself that I had 30 minutes to just give it a try. Boy was I surprised, in a good way. It was lots of fun! I like the gym atmosphere that they are in. I like Tony's silly/goofy comments. It was so strangely motivating to make me want to work out harder than I ever have. (to feel the burn)

Thus, I started my P90X journey. I working on my second week, 3rd day, so today was my 3rd time of Shoulders and Arms. I even set the alarm earlier today, so I could be sure to squeeze the entire workout in this morning. I feel pumped and ready to go this morning. I'll admit that this program is heavy on upper body. My upper body is a tiny bit sorry every day, but it makes me smile a little when I think about it. It means that I'm doing something good for me & my body. I'm pushing myself a little further than I have in the past. I have lots of enery. I'm a strong woman & I can do it. I will do it!

I'm a P90X lover!

Yummy start to the morning!

I tried a Shakeology recipe call Chocolate Mocha this morning.

• 1 serving of chocolate Shakeology
• 1 cup cold coffee (cool brewed coffee over ice)
• 1/2 cup of water or milk
• ice to taste
• a little cinnamon

All I can say is yum! What a wonderfully thick chocolaty way to start the morning. I was actually surprised how long I stayed full. I drank the shake at 7 am and didn't start to feel hungry until 11 am. This recipe is a keeper in my book.

To learn more about chocolate shakeology shakes check out this link: www.myshakeology.com/lilshortstuff

Fire 30 Class

I'm on my 3rd time of the Fire 30 Class. I'm loving this one. The music is awesome and I'm starting to really feel the flow of the workout. I'm so happy I got this kit. It's so very motivating and just fun to do. It makes me want to get up and exercise.

Tony Horton training the Military.

I thought this article was interesting. . Tony Horton is training the military all over the world with his P90X. Check out the CNN article HERE: http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/07/16/military.recruits.overweight/index.html?hpt=Sbin

2nd Day of TurboFire!

I started on my TurboFire rotation, Saturday. The first day calls for fire 30 class and the 2nd day HIIT 15. I knew I wanted to take Sunday as a rest day so I combined the two workouts into one. It was fun and a whole lot of work. I felt spent, I didn't feel the need for a walk or anything the rest of the day.

Sunday was a rest day, so today I was back at it. The third day calls for the Fire 30 Class and Stretch 10. I found that since I watched the "New to Class" option the first time, I was able to follow along pretty good this time. The music and energy are awesome in the set.

I really think this was a perfect setup for a quick morning workout. 30 min workout + 10 min stretch. I got in and out, all done.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow, Fire 55 EZ.

TurboFire is Here!

Chalene Johnson has a new fitness program called TurboFire! This is an intense cardio conditioning program that uses the HIIT concept (High Intensity Interval Training).

I love the fact that you get a complete program when you order these dvd's instead of just a dvd. There are 12 workouts on 11 DVDs, a nutritional guide, a tape measure, a class schedule and a band included.

She also offers a "New To Class" option that breaks down the steps for you so starting out is a bit easier. TurboFire is one step up for her first fitness program Turbo Jam.

You can check out more details about TurboFire at my website. Please contact me and we can discuss if TurboFire is a good product for you.

Who am I?

I'm a BeachBody Coach and a busy mom of two little ones. I have been a long time home exercise video lover. I've been using exercise videos since the late 80's mostly because I love the convenience of exercise on my own time without leaving my home. It's so easy to do it on my time instead of waiting for a class time or trying to schedule daycare for the kids.

I did take about a 5 year break from my videos while I had my two little kids. During this time, I felt like I couldn't find the time or energy to exercise. I discovered during this little break that exercising actually makes me feel better both physically and mentally. Taking time for me each day helps out both me and my family. Exercise is going to be part of my daily routine from here on out.

I'm addicted to trying new workouts and new instructors, so joining the BeachBody team as a coach was very exciting. I'll have lots of tools & support coaches to help me learn all about BeachBody products, so I can help others on their fitness journey as well.