P90X - The results are in!

Many of you know I have been doing P90X. Some of you have asked how it's going or if it's worth it. I would answer that with a resounding "YES, it's worth it!" But I will let you be the judge of that....

Two years ago I was told by my doctor that I needed to get my blood pressure under control or she would put me on medicine. BP meds at 36 wasn't really what I had in mind for my life, so I got to work. I lost weight, I worked out, I lowered my BP. Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to understand why the most important results of P90X to me are the ones that have to do with my heart health and cardio endurance. Yes, I can to more push-ups and more bicep curls; yes, I lost a little weight, but I'm most interested in the other stuff.

I lost only 8 lbs, but I lost 8% body fat (the true marker) over the 90 days. I think I could have lost more if I had stuck to their nutrition program more strictly and I plan to improve that when I start over. (Yes, I'm going to do it again!) :) I lost 2 1/2 inches in my waist, 1 1/2 inches in my hips and 1 1/2 inches in each thigh. My arms remain the same measurement, but they don't look the same!!! You can actually see definition in my biceps and thighs--I almost forgot I had muscles under there!! :)

I still can't do a pull-up and I'm okay with that.

Here is what I CAN do:

Before: 15 push-ups
Now: 30

Before: 4 1/2 inch reach past my toes
Now: 8 inches

Before: 90 sec wall squat
After: 125 sec

Before: 30 bicep curls with 10 lbs
Now: 20 bicep curls with 15 lbs

Before: 23 In & Outs (an ab move)
After: 55

Here is what I'm most proud of: my resting heart rate went from 70 to 60. After doing 2 minutes of jumping jacks before P90X (and feeling like I might die), my heart rate went from 180 to 120 recovery after 4 minutes. After P90X (I could actually still breathe and talk when I finished), it went from 178 to 108--a MUCH better recovery, which indicates a much healthier heart.

Do others have more dramatic results? Definitely. However, I am very pleased with my results and thrilled with how much healthier I feel. I just got home from the YMCA where I ran, without stopping, for 2 miles at a 10-minute-mile pace. That was unheard of for me 90 days ago. So, even though much of P90X is weight-lifting and toning-focused, it obviously is improving cardio endurance as well.

I plan to begin some form of P90X again next week. There were workouts I didn't care for (not because they are too hard but because I don't burn as many calories!) and I probably won't keep doing 6 workouts a week, but I'm going to do most of it again. I'd like to lose the 5% body fat that would move me from the "acceptable" category to the "fit" category. :)

So, what do you think? Was it worth it? :)