It’s a bittersweet Symphony, this P90X…
A bittersweet symphony
Of course, that’s a reference to the subtly infections “Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve — a song, I swear, was played for years every time I entered or left an AMC theatre. But I digress…
This morning’s little ditty is about my progress with P90X, and how it has turned out to be somewhat bittersweet. Don’t get me wrong — the physical transformation I can see is great and what I’m able to see my body do 16 days out in comparison to what I could (or couldn’t) do on day 1 is really quite staggering to think about. So what are those gains exactly?
I’ve successfully found that sweet spot where I can simultaneously develop muscle definition/tone AND burn off fat. Which, now that I think about it, it kinda the point of P90X Phase 1. I’ve dropped 6 lbs in 2 weeks’ time and I’m able to see muscle development in my arms, my back, my chest, my legs and my abs….the whole package. I can see changes. Some slight, some not so slight. In certain areas where I already had some muscle, I can tell it has hardened and toned, like in my chest and my shoulders.
I’m sure it’s no surprise to you X-ers out there and any fitness buff that you can look at other people that are in better shape and think, “Ya, I’d like to have their ____.” I want a chest like Hugh Jackman. I want arms like my friend Thomas Rye. I want Tony Horton’s abs. The list could go on.
So that’s all the sweet part, what about the bitter?
Here’s the bitter….this morning I was getting ready to come into work while my wife was doing the same. We were in the bathroom. I was wearing a black a-shirt and she looked over at me and said, “Honey, aw, your shoulders are getting too big.”
….cue the Epic Fail Music….
My wife’s always been a huge fan of my journey in fitness and she’s even be great about me trying to stick to P90X the way it was intended. She’s not faltered in support. Ever. And to boot, she’s always loved the progress my arms and shoulders have made during weight loss and fitness challenges. But to hear her say that my shoulders were getting too big…it was as though she kicked the wind right out of me. It hurt a little bit. And mostly because I’m shooting to get broad shoulders like an unnamed spokesman of P90X.
To me, shoulders are power. Shoulders are strength. To have the ability to “shoulder” the weight of life is both of physical and mental importance to me.
And shortly thereafter, the bitter pendulum swung right back over to sweet. I put on a grey t-shirt over my under shirt and was floored. The day I bought that shirt, it was a medium, and it was pretty tight all over (American Apparel shirts do that), and it got even smaller when we washed it. but when I put it on this morning, it was LOOSE! All over!
Which just proves that this program, if you stick to it, WORKS! I’m getting smaller and bigger all at once, and I love it!
One final thought: I know that what success I have had with P90X wouldn’t be what it is without the solid diet I’ve been following. I do see some roadblocks ahead as I’m not sure if I want to ever be gaining much more weight. Now, obviously I know that if I’m going to build muscle it’s going to weigh more. I’m just wary about gaining any weight until I’ve scorched every ounce of fat on the ole body…
Time will tell….
