Team Beachbody ¡preestreno!Español Guest

As you may have read in my bio above, the straw that broke the camel’s back was the reality check my wife gave me. To be honest, I didn’t really realize how much weight I had gained until my wife told me so (the before pictures she took of me drive that fact home). Besides just wanting to feel better about myself, for me, the greatest motivation that can be provided is the desire to be attractive to my spouse.
I had seen the P90X infomercial several times and even know some people who had gone through the program, but I never thought that kind of workout was for me. I have thought of working out as an endurance test for a long time now and I figured if I could still run 5 miles, swim 2000 meters, and bench press more than body weight, I must be okay, right? The truth is that I wasn’t okay. The extra weight I had put on was making me prone to injuries especially in my shoulders, lower extremities, and my back. Pain makes the desire to workout wane very quickly, and yet I persisted in the belief that I was okay--that it was normal to gain a few pounds when your metabolism slows in your late thirties, that I wasn’t fat, I was more slender and in better shape than most of America. The psychology of self-image is delicate, but denial can be broken by an objective point of view if you are open to listening. By the way, if your reference point is the majority of America, you might just be in denial.
After my wife’s comment, I saw the P90X infomercial again and decided it was finally time to change the way I workout and the way I eat. I didn’t think it was going to be easy, but I thought even the loss of a few pounds would be great. The day I ordered P90X, I started working out seriously again while I waited for the program to arrive. I lost two pounds before the program arrived. When the program arrived, I jumped right in to the first workout the following day. I didn’t bother with the fit test, perhaps because I was still relying on a self-image that believed I was in good enough shape. That first workout proved me wrong, but pushed through with modified movements. It wasn’t until the third week that I could complete a workout without modifying the movements.
I realized that the workouts alone wouldn’t fix my weight and know from reading fitness magazines that the nutritional plan is critical. I have often heard and read that, “you can’t out train a bad diet.” This is true! I also knew that following a proper nutrition plan would not be easy with business trips and family vacations planned. I persisted anyhow and shifted my eating schedule to 6 small meals a day. I also included vitamins, an essential fatty acid supplement (Omega 3,6,9), and whey protein. I committed to working out despite the planned travels. I have managed to stick to a solid nutritional plan with some help from my wife and I completed workouts in several different states ranging from Kentucky, to Florida, to Nevada, and while vacationing at Lake Tahoe. I did all of this while still maintaining a high level of performance at my job and a 4.0 GPA in graduate school.
The good news from all of this is that my shoulder seems to have completely rehabilitated, my knees feel better, my back no longer suffers, and I generally feel better about myself. I haven’t even completed the first round of P90X yet and I can say that is has been a success story for me. Sure, some days are harder than others, some days the job, graduate school, and family really make me want to skip workouts, but I keep mashing the play button anyway. Persistence equals consistency. Consistency equates to results.
The bottom line: If a guy with an ego can face his denial, then you can too. Keep moving forward, continue following a good nutritional plan, and make your body match your self-image.