The Measure of Success

quote:
Originally posted by tmpk on the 300 Challenge thread on the P90X Message Boards:

Reflections.

I'm about a week away from finishing my first round of P90X. Day 90 should have been in mid-September, but I pushed it back due to missing so many days in late August. On one hand, I should be (and am) really proud that I made it through such a hardcore fitness program. Looking back at Day 1 (or even 30 or 45) or Power 90, there's no way I would have thought I could have conquered P90X. But I have. I know that I've gained strength and endurance. The proof is in the number of reps I can do and the amount of weights I can lift.

On the other hand, compared to Day 1 of P90X, I have not achieved the "infomercial-worthy" results I would have liked to see. This is really no one's fault but my own. And I hesitate to even use the word "fault". Did I follow the workouts as prescribed? Yes. Well... Usually. There were certainly missed days here and there, and I substituted Cardio X or a Power 90 routine in more than once. Was the intensity a 7+ each time? No. And that's something I'm definitely going to focus on for Round 2. Also for Round 2, I must clean up my diet. Yes, it's better than it used to be, but if I want results like I'm talking about, I know I've got to follow the P90X diet guide to a T. This will be a challenge, as I'm a super-picky eater. But I guess some new foods never hurt anybody. Also... There's no more room for slacking off on Ab Ripper. Maybe I should plan on doing it at a different time of day versus right after the workout, as by that time I'm generally pretty whipped.

On the other hand... (3 hands?) Compared to my Day 1 pictures from Pre-Power 90, I HAVE come a very long way, which is something to be proud of to be sure. Along with a physical change, this has all become a routine part of my life now. I've created some much healthier habits and routines than I had 7 months ago. It's most definitely a long-term thing, not just a 90 Day sprint here and there.

So... What's my point? Am I proud of myself? Yes. Could I have done better? Yes. Should I beat myself up about it? No. But I'll learn from it. For Round 2 of the X:

-Continue the supplements I'm taking
-Bring It with high intensity to every workout (if not, what's the point?)
-Ab Ripper X every time it's scheduled, whether I get through it all or not.
-Become intimately familiar with the P90X diet guide
-Continue to be an active part of the message boards, and spreading the idea of fitness and living healthy lifestyleIf I can When I pull that off, I'll be ready to star in the next edition of the infomercial.

Tim

Tim,

Great reflections and you bring up a great point. How do we measure success? (I think this is important to all so please read) You may not have achieved the "P90X Physique" but does that mean you weren't successful? As you continued to write, you wrote that the number of reps increase as well as the increase in weights. So by those standards I would say you were extremly successful. Plus you finished the entire P90X during a move, and a new job. You had a lot of adversity come your way but you over came it. You didn't let life get you down. You were realistic with what you had in front of you and you made the best of it. That's what any one can ever do. We as a society focus too much of success at wins and loses. Pounds lost vs pounds gained. If you ask any c o a c h at any level, Middle, School, JV, Varsity, College and Pro defining success is very important and even more important that it's not defined in black and white. If someone does P90X for 90 days and does not achieve a 6 pack did they fail? Absolutley not What's great is that you took the time to reflect and look back and the previous 90 days and ask yourself tough questions such as How was your diet, intensity, level of weights, consistency etc and you were honest. More importantly by being honest you have looked at what you accomplished and you are looking forward and know how to make those improvements. When it comes to the nutrition side of things, it doesn't mean you have to go all tofu and wheat grass. It means that you just need to look at the ratio better and maybe keep track of Proteins/Carbs/Fats during each phase. That's what I did and once I adjusted those numbers, results city my man. Congratulations on completing P90X. Take a break. Let your body recover but continue to stay active and pick a new start date/finish line. Talk to you soon,

Joey

http://www.JoePetri.com