Ok, so that didn't go as well as I'd hoped

Since I can remember I've been a big fan of the game show Jeopardy.  In my opinion, it's the only game show worth watching.  No offense to those who like Price is Right, Wheel, Millionaire, or any of the others...they just don't do much for me.  I remember watching Jeopardy with my Dad back when Alex Trebek was still sporting the sweet stash.  Back then I was really happy when I got a question correct.

Over the years I've gotten a lot more educated and can answer a lot of the questions.  Sometimes I can get downright cocky about it.  So this past week I did something I've always wanted to do.....I took the Jeopardy online test.  Here's the bottom line.  50 questions, 15 seconds per question, no going back, no pausing.  Here's what I learned.  Holy crap, 15 seconds is a terribly short amount of time to read a question, process it, and type in the answer.  Needless to say, in that 15 minute test, I became much less cocky about my base of knowledge.  I'd say, on about half the questions I was completely clueless, like the kind of clueless where you can't even make a guess because you don't even know what the question is asking for (see Cliff Claven and "who are 3 people who have never been in my kitchen"). Out of the remaining questions, there were some that I was positive about, and a bunch that I couldn't get the correct answer in before my time ran out.  All this being said, despite the failure, I'll definitely do it again.  It takes 15 minutes, why not?

I've always had a suspicion that the categories on the show are selected somewhat randomly, but that there is some attempt to include categories that correspond to contestants' strengths.  Assuming this is true, and I could expect categories like Marine Biology, NFL Teams, 80's Movies, and Southern Food, I would be rockin' it like Ken Jennings (Google him if you don't know).  Unfortunately, it's much more likely that I'd be saddled with Ballet, 18th Century French Literature, Opera, and Icelandic History.  Point is, you're not likely to see me on Jeopardy, ever.  But I'm pretty good from my couch.  Plus, it's pretty fun to try something different, even if it's a longshot.  Good luck to all of you with your own personal longshots (whatever they happen to be) in 2012. 

2012...Let's Try This Again

Well, how to begin.  When last we spoke it was March and I was about 2/3 of my way through P90X.  Since then work and life caught up with me and a lot of things got shoved to the side, most notably the P90X and this blog.  I'd like to make more of an effort to get the blog going again.  As for the P90X, I still think it's a great program, I'm just not sure I have the time needed to fully dedicate myself to it.  I've been running with my wife and am really enjoying that.  That may be the extent of my work-outs for a while, but it's a good start, and gives us some much-needed time together.

As for the blog, I really want to rededicate myself to posting new stuff.  I've gained a lot of respect for those of you who find the time to write new blogs regularly.  I have a friend who is in seminary school, and has a wife and kids and still makes time to post new entries almost every week.  Until I started this I had no idea how hard that actually is.  Last year I tried to focus my posts on my P90X progress.  I guess it makes sense that when my work-outs fell off, so did the blog.  My hope is to start using the blog as a place to put all the random stuff that pops into my head from day to day, at work or at home with the family.  Narrowing the focus doesn't seem to be a great idea, so there's no telling what you're going to get (like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates).  I've got a few ideas, and hopefully I can get them posted sooner than later.

For those of you who have tuned back in to read this, thanks and welcome back.  My resolution for the year is to try to be better in 2012, both with this blog, and in life in general.  Stay tuned.

P90X Update - Day 59...I think

It's been quite a while since I updated the blog.  So much for updating each week.  I've gotten a couple of messages that have lead me to believe that there are at least a few folks out there interested in the blog.  Thanks for that.

This week marks week 10 of my voyage through P90X.  There have been some ups and downs.  I missed a whole week due to a chest cold, but picked up the following week and felt pretty good.  Along the way I think I've actually missed about 4 workouts (some nights there just isn't enough time).  I'm keeping track of these missed workouts and plan to just tack them on to the end of the program.  By way of update and review, I'm going to answer a couple of the questions that have been asked:

Question: Does it work?
Answer: This is the most frequently asked question.  The simple answer is yes.  To elaborate a little bit, I don't know if it works any better than if I was going to the gym 5 or 6 days a week, but that was kind of the point for me.  I knew that if I was going to get healthier, it would have to be something I could do at home.  Also, the variety of exercises and routines are far more well rounded than I would be getting on my own at a gym.  I definitely wouldn't be doing things like plyometrics, core synergistics, yoga, or intense ab workouts on my own.

Question:  Can you see your abs yet?  (yes someone asked me this question).
Answer:  Not yet, but I can tell they're there.  When I had that chest cold I had a coughing fit and I think I saw a stomach muscle or two.

Question:  What about travel?
Answer:  I haven't had to go out of town lately, but as long as you have a dvd player and some room, there's no reason you couldn't take it with you.  Weights (or chin-up bar) could be a problem, but half of the workouts don't require it, and if you have a resistance band, you can use that pretty effectively.  I have to go offshore for about a week next month.  My plan then will be to treat it like when I was sick.  Skip the week and just pick it up when I get home.

I'll be happy to answer any other specific questions that anyone has, but here's the bottom line.  As with anything else in life, you get out of it what you put into it.  I can't say that this is the best program out there.  I haven't tried them.  This is the one that I have, and it's working for me.  I would definitely recommend it, mostly because it's kind of like having a personal trainer at home.  The routines are all there and you don't have to figure it out on your own.  BUT, if you don't have the willpower to put in a dvd and press play every day (or almost every day) don't waste your money.  Of course the same thing goes for your gym membership, the mountain bike in the corner, the bowflex in your garage, and the treadmill that's become your favorite clothes hanger in your bedroom.

I haven't quite figured how I will handle things after day 90.  I think there are ways to alter and cut down the workouts to less intense, maintenance levels, but I'll jump off that bridge when I get to it.

P90X - Halfway There

When I finish my workout tonight it will mark day 45 of the P90X program.  Halfway there.  Things are still going well.  I've been through most of the workouts several times, and familiarity helps.  It's still very intense and several things (namely pull ups) are still very difficult for me.  The following is a quick review of the program, and the differences, if any, that I'm seeing physically, and with my overall fitness level:

As for reviewing P90X as a whole, I can say I definitely recommend it.  There are a few things to take into account if you're considering it.  First, you need a pull up bar.  Mine attaches to a door frame and works OK for me because I'm short.  I've been telling people for years that I was 5'8" but the doctor informed me last week that I'm 5'7".  If you're taller and have longer arms, you will have trouble doing a pull up without your knees hitting the ground, unless you get a different pull up system.  Secondly, you need some weights.  On all of the workouts they show you how to do the exercises with resistance bands as well, but I prefer weights.  So, the up front cost may be a bit more than you want to spend.  I have a friend who has been doing a program called Insanity, that (I believe) requires no specialized equipment.  From what I hear, it's a very good workout (and I think it's 60 days instead of 90).  I don't know much about that system, but I'm really enjoying P90X.  Especially the variety.  Throughout a week, you work pretty much all muscles, from top to bottom, plus lots of cardio.  It's the beginning of week 7, and I'm still getting sore, which is a good thing.

Physically, I've seen some changes, although things haven't been what I would consider drastic.  This is due to a couple of factors.  First, I need to mention that I'm incredibly blessed with good genetics.  As I stated previously, I'm 5'7" and weigh about 150 lbs.  This is about 10 lbs heavier than I was in high school, 20 years ago.  I've been fortunate to never have weight issues and have always looked much younger than I am.  Like I said, very blessed.  Secondly, I'm not participating in the nutrition portion of the program.  My diet pretty much sucks, but I'm working on it.  So weight-wise things are about the same.  Physically, I feel stronger and am starting to notice more muscle definition.  The biggest improvements I've seen have been in cardio fitness and flexibility (I can touch my toes again). 

We'll see how the next 45 days go, but I'm proud of myself that I've stuck with it.  I probably won't be "before and after poster" material, but it really doesn't matter.  What matters is that it's been 45 days and I continue to press play every night.

Thanks for reading

Parenthood and Germs, a Hypochondriac's Tale

P90X - Day 27.  More on that another time.

Disclaimer - This blog is meant to be entertaining and is not meant to offend or degrade anyone who suffers from severe (or actual) hypochondria or germaphobia.

My parents have been telling me (and anyone else that would listen) for years that I have always been a bit of a hypochondriac, especially as a child.  It's not that I always thought I was sick, or had some horrible disease (although that probably did happen from time to time).  It's more that I tended to exhibit a great deal of anxiety over the possibility of getting sick.  I'm sure compared to people with "real" hypochondria or germaphobia my anxiety was minor, but as a child it felt real and overwhelming at times.  I can remember other students telling stories of being sick or having to go to the hospital, and by the time I got home from school I'd be almost in tears because I was afraid of the same thing happening to me.

As I got older I kind of grew out of those overwhelming periods of anxiety.  While it's always been there, I could deal with it ok, and the anxiety tended to morph into anger....anger if someone showed up to school or to work with the flu, or the dreaded stomach virus (the stomach virus being the queen mother of all of my germ-related fears).  Anyway, I pretty much got a handle on things......

Then the children came.  First my son then my daughter.  And all the old anxiety came flooding back.  There's nothing worse (excluding tragic events of course) than having sick kids.  My son got his first stomach virus at about 6 months, after we took him to a birthday party at a place called "Pump it Up."  You know the type of place.  Lots of blow-up slides and things, with large glorified hamster tunnels, and 50 sweaty, snotty, germ-ridden kids running around like crazy.  It's basically a giant petri dish, with one inept high-school kid with a bottle of blue stuff who's job it is to disinfect the whole place, that is, if he doesn't have his head up his ass the whole time.

That virus made it's way through the whole family and since then we've dealt with all manner of sicknesses (as all parents do), some of which have been strange and worrisome, but luckily minor for the most part.  And the anxiety is back, my constant companion.  Especially this time of year when everyone has a kid with strep throat, the flu, or (oh, dear God, no) a stomach virus.  I use hand sanitizer all day long and try to deal with it, but some days it can be a struggle.  Every time my son says his throat or stomach hurts, or my daughter grabs her ear and cries, or has one of those all-too-common strange and horrible loads in her diaper, I have to fight the urge to freak out a little bit.

My son got an invitation to a birthday party for one of his classmates......at Pump it Up.  We let it come an go with no discussion, and I rationalized it by thinking "he's 3 and he's around these kids all day anyway.  Why does he need to go a birthday party too."  Some of you might think this is horrible, but when I was a kid, I never had big birthday parties.  It was more of a family thing, and I never really missed it and have never understood the obsession with giant birthday parties for little kids.  Plus, there's just no way I'm taking my kids back to that place before I absolutely have to.

I know eventually my kids will get excited about all these parties and I don't want to stunt them emotionally or socially.  I also don't want to impart my anxieties upon them....but honestly, would a little bit of learned germaphobia be a bad thing, really?

As always, to all of you following this blog (both officially - all 3 of you), and unofficially, thanks for reading, and any comments are appreciated.

Quick Update - first ever attempt at yoga

P90X-Day 10

This will be a very short post, not that I have much to say, but one of my goals, besides getting in shape, was to keep this blog going as well.  The dilemma is that I don't want to write just for the sake of writing.

So far I've completed 10 days of P90X and am really enjoying it.  I'm still constantly sore, but I'm getting used to it.  The most surprising workout so far has been the yoga.  I've never done yoga before, and it's no joke.  The workout itself is difficult, but it's also supposed to be a spiritual sort of workout.....you know, clear your mind, and find your chi.  I've never put a lot of stock into that kind of thing, but I recognize that having a good, clear mind has its merits.  Basically what I discovered during week one is that it's almost impossible to find your chi when you have a dog howling to get inside cause she's cold, and a 3-year old getting out of bed to tell you he has to poop.  Oh well, I'll try again tomorrow

Hopefully I'll have some more to say in a few days.  Thanks for reading.

P90X. So Far...So Sore

I just finished day 2 of P90X.  Here's a quick summary:

Day 1. Chest and Back....a series of alternating push ups and pull ups.  It was definitely intense, but not intimidating, as long as you don't try to keep up with the pros on the DVD.  They do sets of 25 or 30, I did sets of 8-10.  Pull-ups...I put one leg on a chair as a support.  Finished up and felt completely exhausted, but good.....until I realized that I also had to do the 15 min. "Ab Ripper."  I won't lie, I was basically a spectator for most of it.  I just really dislike throwing up, and I feel like that was where things were heading.  I actually felt really good today even though I had trouble putting on my shirt or buckling my seat belt.  I know it's a cliche, but it really is a good kind of pain.  That lead us to.....

Day 2.  Plyometrics.  Apparently that means "Jumping Workout."  Bottom line....you do a lot of combination squats and jumps, for about an hour.  I'm pretty sure if there's a hell, there doing pylometrics there.  At least some of the moves had cool names, like the "run squat 180 jump switch" and my favorite, the "double airborne Heisman."  My legs are like jello right now, and I'll probably have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, but so far I'm enjoying it.  Of course, as I mentioned previously, I'm not following every aspect of the program exactly.  For example. after a workout, they recommend the P90X Recovery Drink to refuel, re-energize, and reduce muscle soreness.  My recovery drink this evening is Samuel Adams Winter Lager.  You recover your way, I'll recover my way.

For the record, don't worry, I won't be boring everyone with a 90-day breakdown of my workouts.  My goal will be to update the blog about every week (unless something happens that demands a post), and I'm guessing the P90X will become less and less a part of the content.  There are plenty of other things going on in my life that I know I will want to write about.  For now, thanks for reading, and bring on Day 3.

P.S.  I also donated blood yesterday.  It always makes me feel good, and I would recommend that everyone that is able to donate, should.  It only takes a few minutes and you could help save someone's life.  It doesn't get much better than that.