Tuesday, October 1, 2013

TAPOUT XT DAY 83: COMPLETE

MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED

Just 83 days ago I decided to undertake a challenge that would push my mind and my body to another level. I decided to purchase a program called Tapout XT which I can honestly say changed my life for the better. 83 days of working out every single week, for 6 days and 1 rest day, has been a great challenge that I am proud to say I have completed. While I may not be in the same shape as the guys or girls in video, I can say that I feel better than I have in the past few years. I have lost fat and gained muscle, my waist has shrunk, my clothes fit me better, I never feel sore or achy, I'm never out of breath, and I know that I can do anything I put my mind to. However, the truth is that I still have work to do.
 Finally Finished With Tapout XT

Finishing Tapout is just as rewarding to my mental state as it is physically. Now, I am ready to push myself to the next level and try something new. I did P90X a few years ago and never finished the program. I got through about 50 days before I stopped for whatever excuse I came up with at that time. Now that I'm in great shape when it comes to my strength and endurance, undertaking P90X is the best step I can take it. 

It's important to not fall back into the bad habits in laziness that I faced before, the months going by where I would not do a single thing to maintain my health physically. I did think that Tapout XT would help me lose more of the wait then I actually did, but to be perfectly honest I ate pretty much the same way I did before I started the program. I don't eat fast food or anything too bad like that, but I do eat big portions and of course I love to drink beer, brew beer, and do anything that has to do with beer. That is going to be a challenge to overcome in itself that I don't know if I ever want to overcome. I would prefer 2 do what I do now because I know that I can maintain the fairly healthy diet I am on now. Sure, I could fast and eat only proteins and low carb foods, but you and I both know that as an Italian American citizen I will always enjoy my breads cheeses meats and prosciutto. There is simply no getting around it and I'm perfectly happy with it. Unfortunately the Mediterranean diet does not translate very well to an American lifestyle where always do is it computers and drive everywhere. Back in Italy everybody walks to wherever they need to go and I'm pretty sure they don't even have gyms yet are the skinniest people I have ever seen. Obviously the prosciutto, mozzarella, olive oil, fish, and figs must be pretty damn good to the human body.

So now I'm excited. I've proven to myself that I can complete a 3 month program despite my busy life. I know I can do it I am ready for the next challenge. Even though it appears as if I was in better shape 4 or 5 years ago than I am in even now, Tapout XT did help develop muscles that I have never concentrated on. My abs, my shoulders, and my core. I always concentrated on my chest, back, and arms. Now that I have improved my core, I feel like my overall success with P90X will be better than last time. I also feel as though I am more mature and can complete the program this time. I'm going to take a week off to allow my body to recover from the three months of strenuous training, and then I'm going to start hanging out with my old friend Tony Horton again in P90X.