Time to Make the Doughnuts

I had planned to do my workouts after work and before dinner/evening activities. So I discovered two problems with my plan. First is that consistently getting out of work at 5:30 pm just wasn't happening (surprise meetings, deadlines, yadda yadda). Second was my desire not to be a complete hermit (Hanging with friends, volunteering etc...). I constantly fought the first 60 days of Power 90 to get those workouts in. While the workout is only 45 minutes the time commitment is really just shy of 3 hours. Here's a breakdown of my post work schedule:

• 20 min to get home (riding my bicycle)
• 15 min to change/recover.
• 30 min take vitamin supplement
• 45 min workout
• 10 min wait to take Creatine supplement
• 30 min shower and prepare dinner
  
• 20 min eat dinner

That is a 170 minute time commitment which is just short of 3 hours. It's pretty hard to get all that in and then go out. There were several times I had some other activity immediately after work and had to do the workout later in the evening. Those days were really tough because I'd wind up working out at midnight and then was stuck having a late night snack for post workout recovery. In some cases I just couldn't do it and had to skip a workout. So after much struggling I decided that the best time to workout was first thing in the moring. Working out first thing in the morning has many advantages:

• No earlier conflicts to delay you
• Helps wake you up
• Schedule is much more consistent in the morning
  
• Don't have to take 2 showers a day
• All day to recover from your workout
• Evenings can be a lot more flexible

So here is what the time breakdown looks like with a morning workout:

• 30 min wake up, immediately take vitaming supplement and drink water
  
• 45 min workout
• 10 min wait to take Creatine supplement
• 30 min shower and prepare for work
  
• 10 min eat breakfast

As you can see put a good dent in the time commitment, only 125 minutes (~2 hours). I was worried about working out on a completely empty stomach but after some research that seems perfectly acceptable, even recommended. Granted the first time my body was definately not happy about the change. I learned it's important to drink at least a whole glass of water when you take the supplement (Now I know what bile tastes like ;-).

60 Day Checkin for Power 90

Here we are 60 days and and still going. Though thick and thin I've been sticking with it. Sometimes having to workout at midnight but I refuse to give up. I don't think these pictures really do justice to the improvements in my physique. Hum maybe the 60W ceiling light isn't the best lighting option for photography. In any case if you look at the front profile you can just see the beginnings of a six pack. I'm very excited. A six pack is one of my major goals. I've always wanted one but never even come close. So this is proof that I'm definitely getting in the best shape I've ever been in.

Here are my current measurements:

• Body Fat: 14.4%
• Weight: 148.8 pounds
• Chest: 38"
• Waist: 29 1/2"
• Hips: 32"
• Right Mid-Thigh: 20 1/2"
• Left Mid-Thigh: 20 1/2"
• Right Upper Arm: 12 5/8"
• Left Upper Arm: 12 5/8"
• Blood Pressure: 123/60
• Resting Heart Rate: 66 beats per minute.

Wow my body fat continues to drop 1.6% lower than the 1 month mark. There is a caveat here tho. I would say it might be a little higher than that since I did the measurement after working out. That's one of the things that can throw off that measurement. But I'm happy at the progress of the physical measurements. My waist size has plunged nearly 3 3/4" lower than when I began the Power 90 Challenge. Also my chest and arms have gotten bigger. I'm + 3/8" for the chest and + 5/8 for the arms, from when I began P90. Now when you consider the fat I've lost and made up in muscle the numbers are even more impressive. I've also noticed and increase in my definition.

Well so far so good. I'm happy with the progress I've made and have already ordered the P90x program.