How I did it: Imperfectly for sure - I started 9/11/2011 but restarted for real after 3 weeks on 10/3/2011 as I was inconsistent the first time around and not really dedicated to change. Plus my eating habits sucked and I was out of balance - went WAAAY overboard on healthy food/spending as I'd always eaten like shit my whole life (I don't blame my parents for the choices I made but they did shape my eating habits growing up...which makes sense - most people in my family are overweight and have health problems). I'm not beating myself up here though as it was a major learning curve in how to take care of myself. Now I have a better idea.

Got rid of anxiety medication which was actually causing me anxiety, depression and weight gain! I think a lot of my emotions came from health issues and were due to external factors rather than internal ones.

Pushed play daily - there were days I was really sick (could be because my body was in shock/changing) and seriously considered quitting/skipping a day, but I knew that if I didn't do that day's workout I would break my routine and would rationalize doing it again the next day and so on until I stopped doing it.

Considered the amount of time I'd already put into it as well as money on supplements/food/equipment as a motivator when quitting was appealing.

Also considered the amount of time I'd have to spend working something off - curbed most junk food (ONLY at one party around day 80 and a little bit on Christmas did I drink beer and indulge.... not perfect but a hell of a lot better than last year as I didn't do Halloween or Thanksgiving either)

No drugs - not only are they addictive and illegal, but they made me feel awful and gave me munchies

Have an incentive: I want to get a new wardrobe so I figure if I lose weight that will be a great reason to get new clothes that fit my new physique. Plus I want more energy, better health, to prevent an early death and major health problems (plus save money on them too), more confidence, and have a better appearance as well as go on more dates!

Lessons & tips: Don't drink booze - I broke this rule towards the end but for 80 days I was good.

Ignore the P90X diet guide calorie rules - according to them I should have been eating 3156 a day! So use an online calculator and slowly decrease from where you are towards your goal (that's also why my progress is less than most - I was an idiot and followed the diet guide to a T until I realized it wasn't working for me)

Do what's working for you - when I realized, hm, I'm gaining weight/not slimming down, then I researched and found what/how much I should eat I adjusted

It took you a while to put on so it will take a while to get it off - (lucky) few get dramatic results in 90 days... most do 2-3 rounds.

Have realistic expectations

P90X Classic is not a weight loss program per se - it's total body fitness: flexibility, strength, endurance, stamina, energy, etc. will improve though if you do it. P90X Leans IS a weight loss routine.

Don't suck in your gut during photos (I did day 60 and regret it) as it's dishonest and makes it harder to see true progress as you go.

Surround yourself with positive people and ignore naysayers - 2 of my roommates would mock me (one is morbidly obese and the other has Diabetes II by the way) but I used that as fuel to spur me on as I realized my changing for the better poses a threat to them as it just goes to show that you can change and you have no excuses when it comes down to it. So I rarely hung out around the house if possible (and am looking for new roommates/to move soon!)

Drink a ton of water! (divide weight in half if in lbs, then that should be the ounces of water a day you take in)

Tell everyone about your goal, post photos/progress, check in on beachbody.com (plus you get $500 if you're randomly picked for the day) as that increases accountability (and if you have shame you will want to change it by making it public)

Push yourself but not to the point of pain/injury

Resources: Shakeology 30 day supply
Shakeology cleanse
P90X Diet/Meal Plan guide - but only in terms of serving amounts for each area for where you want to be, not where you are!!
P90X DVDs
Workout equipment
Food journal
Beachbody.com
Scale
Calorie Counting website (when you don't know what a meal was, also to find how much you should be eating)
Measuring tape
Kicking anxiety Medication
Taking photos every 30 days - track progress!

Dec 31, 2011, 02:29PM PST | 2 comments | 10 cheers