New Beginning

Time for a new beginning. Back in 2009 as I previously posted, I got down under 300 lbs. I went even lower than 298. I actually made it to 289. In the grand scheme of things it's not that great, but from 385 it was almost 100 lbs. How and why would someone ever let that happen again. It is a lot easier than it would seem.

I completed my second round of P90X while my kids were visiting me on summer vacation. I looked and felt the best I had in a long time. I had a bad back, a bad knee and bad outlook on my personal life prior to starting the first round of P90X. I saw all my problems slip away. My back is chronically screwed from a car wreck in 1995. The core workouts, plyometrics and abdominal workouts helped strengthen both my back and abdomen. The Yoga X gave me flexibility I hadn't had since playing college football. My knee was a mess. I had been through PT for it up to December of 2008 and with no positive results the orthopedic wanted me to get on weight watchers as that was the only cure for my knee in his opinion. I had swelling in my knee, unresolved swelling and pain even after physical therapy and cortisone injections. In fact, I got a cortisone injection that should have given me relief for (in his opinion) several weeks, but only relieved the pain for about 24 to 48 hours and the swelling not at all. My knee had withstood the workouts and the swelling was gone and the pain was nonexistent. I would have to say from round 1 to round 2 everything was great.

Round 2 started much the same as round 1 and I plodded through with a little less intensity than the first one. I definitely molded the diet a bit differently and so my weight was not going down as much, but I expected that as I was trying to experiment with different foods and amounts of foods based the models in the P90X nutrition guide. It would have been completely possible to duplicate what I had previously done, but as we all know, the repetitiveness of the foods can be a binge trigger and I was trying to avoid that. I did reward myself after my first round and I did take a week off and eat mostly what I wanted, but I didn't go crazy. I was really trying to avoid all of that "I can do this once" type of mentality which would most likely lead me to a downward spiral. How I was ill prepared for my next few life events.

While doing my 2 full rounds and half 3rd round of X(just tired of typing P90X each time), for some reason I lost focus. I can blame a number of things and it sound justified, but in all honesty it was my own lack of commitment to myself. I was trying other routines in to supplement workouts and I failed, lost focus and then... I'll restart. Yeah, right!! Well needless to say I didn't restart and thought once I moved in Dec of 2009 into a house that my best friend owned to help him with his expenses at the time that I would reset myself and get back on the wagon. Losing the space I once used for a new space only caused me to give an excuse to limit me from forging on.

Now that several months have passed and some random starts and stops had taken place, I decided to get back into it full force again. My room mate was even thinking of joining me. We would get up early and do it together. If you have accountability you tend to become more accountable and in turn do what you need to do. That didn't go well. He tried a few workouts without me and decided with his work schedule he was not going to be able to do it. Ok, I get it. It isn't for everyone, however, I was planning on getting going. Now it gets exciting.

August rolls around and wouldn't you know it I get rear ended by a guy texting and driving. I look in my rear view mirror and watch him approach me quickly then look up at the last minute. Now you think 40 mph isn't that fast until you are sitting still and get hit by someone without stopping. Lucky for me I am in a Jeep Cherokee Sport and he is in an Audi Coupe. We were both lucky and were able to walk away from the accident with minor scrapes. I had some back and neck issues, as anyone would after being rear ended without leaving a skid mark to stop.

Two months go by from the accident, I have a new car, well used but new for me, and things are going good. I break 5 bones in my hand one of which is completely shattered and requires THREE pins to put it "back together". The pins come out on November 23, 2010 and I can hardly use my hand. It hurts and I can barely put any pressure on it. This is going to put a damper on my pushups.

Just over a month later, near the very end of the year but not quite Jan 1, I slip on something at work. I didn't fall. I didn't even go down on one knee or move very awkwardly. Now I think that most of us have slipped on ice and your body jolts and muscles tighten up to catch yourself or prepare for a fall. That is what I did, and that was all I needed to do to send my back into muscle spasm hell. I was in the urgent care facility 4 times in the first 2 weeks of Jan 2011, having muscle spasms and unable to stand for more than an hour or two. I was fine when reclined with no pressure on my back. I had to see a pain specialist. I couldn't even work more than a few hours a day. Needless to say, my workouts haven't started yet. By the middle to end of summer, I was back in some sort of shape to be able to do physical exercise. I still had issues with pushups as the pain in my wrist and hand was there, but not gone with exertion on that joint.

It was probably near the end of 2011 before I felt like I could manage to handle pressure without what I felt would be any issue. So by now, my flexibility and my core strength that I had achieved was all gone. My eating habits were in the toilet and my motivation was not there. I kept myself in my room after work, watched tv and slept then off to work to repeat the cycle every day. I decided mid 2012 that I really wanted to get back into working out. I looked at other programs out there, but X was the one I knew worked and I had been successful at. My space and my accessories were now not around. I just lost my motivation.

I allowed small inconveniences and what I thought were overwhelming circumstances (they were not) to cloud my mind and use it as a crutch of inhibition. I justified my lack of commitment to myself any way I could. I ate what I wanted. I gained weight I didn't need to. I felt sorry for myself, plain and simple. I had in 2012, told my employers that I had an exit strategy from the job I was in. I needed to be able to advance. I felt capped at work, strangled at home and hopeless in my life. I told myself my job had to change. I told myself, when I change jobs, I will start working out.

Aug 2nd, 2013 I left Rhode Island for what I thought was an opportunity and it turns out that is not the case. Or is it? A hiring freeze was put in place on July 31 at the place I was going to be working and I didn't know about it until after I make my move. So now as I sit here waiting for that to be lifted I am stagnate. Maybe it will or it won't, that remains to be seen. In the mean time, P90X3 is coming out. I feel about as good as I have in a few years. I can be active and I can maintain pressure on that arm/hand/wrist almost as well as before. So...

A new beginning starts here and now..... P90X3 ordered and I will officially start eating clean on Monday. Bring it!!!!