Plyo's Tough, Pumpkin.

My pumpkin really shouldn't have worked out with a full stomach.

P90X Day 84: X Stretch

Stretching feels damn good. I woke up feeling a little achy and creaky, and was happy that X Stretch was scheduled for today.

But does stretching actually do any good? I dug up yet another New York Times piece by Gina Kolata, concluding that "[t]he truth is that after dozens of studies and years of debate, no one really knows whether stretching helps, harms, or does anything in particular for performance or injury rates." Yes, stretching can make you more flexible, but there's no evidence of its benefits.

As I've mentioned before, Kolata also recently wrote an article explaining that cool-downs are unnecessary. Assuming her reporting is accurate, by skipping both X Stretch and our daily cool-downs during P90X, we could save an hour-and-a-half per week -- almost 20 hours over the course of a single round of P90X -- without adversely affecting our overall athletic performance.

Like I said earlier, stretching feels damn good. But sleeping in feels even better.

Stirring Up Trouble

Good Eats

My P90X Nutrition Plan book's been sitting in my work bag for weeks. Since early in Phase 1, I've ignored the Nutrition Plan, preferring instead to go by my own (somewhat haphazardly collected) rules of eating. So it surprises me that a number of you have asked what I've been ingesting during my first round of P90X -- are you not yet aware that I have no idea what I'm doing?

If you're really interested in what I've been shoveling down my throat, click below for the utterly non-fascinating details.

P90X Day 83: Kenpo X

M peered over at the TV screen as I dutifully plowed through the Kenpo X block sequence this morning. "Wesley Idol's jiggly," she observed.

"I know," I grunted.

"He's not down in horse stance," M continued, comparing Idol to Ex-Marine Tony. She thought about this for a moment, and offered, "Maybe he has bad knees."

I shook my head.

"Or maybe," she said, "he has two prosthetic legs."

My Interview with Pam the Blam - Part Four

Have you caught up with Parts One, Two and Three of my conversation with Pam the Blam? If so, click below to read the final segment of her interview, in which Pam discusses her fellow onscreen trainers and life after P90X.

Day 82: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

Over the past 12 weeks, I've formed a love/hate relationship with Legs & Back.

On the one hand, when performed in conjunction with Ab Ripper X, Legs & Back is one of only two P90X videos that offers a holistic, head-to-toe resistance workout. (The other is Core Synergistics, but it doesn't offer as much in the way of lower body resistance exercises.) And now that I'm done with Legs & Back -- actually, with all resistance-focused P90X workouts -- part of me is going to miss its full-body-blasting intensity.

On the other hand: NO MORE FUCKING PULL-UPS!!!*

*Until Round 2, that is.

P90X Blogs?

If you've come across any generally awesome (entertaining, inspiring, non-grossly-commercial, un-spammy) P90X-related blogs that you think I should add to my link list, please leave a comment or email me. I love the ones that are already on my list, but I'm always on the hunt for more good reading. Danke schön!

Douchebag Solidarity

Remind you of anyone?

Day 81: Yoga X

Even with my legs on fire, I maintained good form throughout both Hand-Grab Twisting Right Angle Poses this morning, and I even managed to hold Twisting Half Moon. I stayed perfectly still in Crane for the full minute. And during seated hamstring stretches, I managed to rest my forehead on my knees while keeping my legs straight. After today's 90-minute workout, I felt like one hell of an accomplished yogi.

But then I watched New York Magazine's video about the 7th Annual Asana Yoga Competition, and quickly came to the crushing realization that I have absolutely nothing to crow about. I will never, ever be as grossly flexible as these Gumby-like approximations of actual human beings. (But maybe that's a good thing, because these people look kind of scary.)

My Interview with Pam the Blam - Part Three

Parts One and Two were just the appetizers, folks. Part Three of my interview with Pam the Blam is the main course: It's all about the P90X video shoot.

Check it out after the jump.

P90X Day 80: Back & Biceps + Ab Ripper X

Mentally, I think I've relied too much on the knowledge that once I'm unable to bust out any more full-body-weight pull-ups, I can always plant a foot on a chair to help me crank out a few more. Not today. My goal during this morning's final Back & Biceps workout was to do as many unassisted pull-ups as possible.

Here's how I did on the pull-up moves in Week 5 versus Week 12 (today):

Wide Front Pull-Ups

Week 5: 10 unassisted
Week 12: 15 unassisted

Switch Grip Pull-Ups

Week 5: 5 unassisted
Week 12: 10 unassisted

Corn Cob Pull-Ups

Week 5: 3 unassisted
Week 12: 7 unassisted

Towel Pull-Ups

Week 5: 0 unassisted (yes, I suck)
Week 12: 6 unassisted (still sucking, but less so)

Chin-Ups

Week 5: 4 unassisted
Week 12: 8 unassisted

Max Rep Pull-Ups

Week 5: 0 unassisted (too damn tired at the end of the workout!)
Week 12: 6 unassisted (still too damn tired!)

Not too shabby for a guy who could only muster a grand total of 7 pull-ups on August 6!

What the -- ?

This is seriously fucked up, people.



There's got to be a way to incorporate Shake Weights into a P90X workout.

Pull Up, Porkins -- Pull Up!

For those of you who are struggling to get your chin above the bar, the Art of Manliness shows you how to do more than one stinking pull-up.

The Gross Food Movement

Not too long ago, the soon-to-be-defunct Gourmet Magazine recently highlighted a particularly revolting (yet balls-out crazy-awesome) response to the Slow Food Movement.  It's called the Gross Food Movement.

Which, of course, will soon be followed by the Gross Bowel Movement.

My Interview with Pam the Blam - Part Two

Pam the Author!

If you missed Part One of my recent interview with author and P90X superstar Pam the Blam, click here.  Otherwise, proceed to Part Two, which begins right after the jump...

P90X Day 79: Plyometrics

I'm really going to miss Plyo. It was the first P90X video I attempted, and I'll always think of it (and shudder) whenever I reflect on the start of my 90-day journey.

For my final go at this workout, I decided to focus on form -- I wanted everything to be clean, intense and wobble-free. I almost accomplished this goal, until I Rock Star Hopped so high that I crashed into my elliptical machine upon landing. P90X has been great for building my strength, flexibility and endurance, but my inner klutz appears to be alive and well.

My Interview with Pam the Blam - Part One

Mini-Blam!

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to chat at length with Pam the Blam on a wide-ranging set of topics, including her childhood, travels, life experiences, book, and -- of course -- her involvement with P90X.

She spoke to me from Denver, where she relocated after leaving Los Angeles and traveling around Panama and Guatemala. I found Pam to be a warm, open and genuine; after interviewing her, there's no question in my mind why "Pam the Blam" is one of the most common search terms that lead people to my blog.

But even after substantially editing down the transcript of our hour-and-a-half conversation, I realized that I couldn't fit the entire interview in one post, so I’ve broken it into four parts. I’ll post them all over the next few days, starting today.

Part One starts after the jump.

P90X Day 78: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Ab Ripper X

It's too bad I just finished Chest, Shoulders & Triceps for the last time (at least until I complete my first round of 90 days). Now that I can actually perform all the exercises in this workout, I'm totally digging it -- including the moves I couldn't previously handle, like One-Arm Push-Ups and Airborne Plyo Push-Ups.

I'm also sad that I won't get to hear Tony call Dave the Karate Man / Substitute Teacher by the wrong name (e.g., "Sean," "Jason") anymore.

On the Road

I’m used to traveling quite a bit for work, but thankfully, I’ve been able to beg off any out-of-town trips since I began P90X. I now have a handful of trips planned, though, and know that sticking strictly to a P90X schedule won’t be easy. I’ll probably just hit the hotel gym and take advantage of the standard offerings: free weights and machines. Hopefully, I won’t get stuck somewhere without a decent fitness center.

But here’s another option from Tony Horton himself: Tony recently did an interview with the U.K.’s Exec Digital magazine, and spoke about a P90X-based workout that can be done just about anywhere:

“It’s called UCML and I created it for R&B superstar Usher, conducting this program in Washington D.C. with a group of senators and congressmen at the congressional gym.  It’s a sequence of four different types of moves – essentially muscle confusion all in one workout.”

The acronym UCML stands for Upper, Cardio, Middle and Lower.  In addition, Horton says, all you need is “gravity and a floor” to have an excellent workout.

Horton explains that you start with your upper body and suggests any kind of push up or pull up for 30 to 40 repetitions.  Next, do some cardio for one minute, such as jumping jacks or running in place.  For your middle area, do any type of sit up or core movement for another 30 or 40 repetitions.  And for your lower body, legs, Horton suggests lunges or squats, and once again do the move for 30 or 40 repetitions.

“Any kind of push up you want or have seen with P90X, some jumping-jacks, lunges or squat type moves will make a difference because, after you do your first round of UCML, it’s time to start again for up to an hour.  You will get a tremendous workout, you will burn a bunch of calories and you won’t have needed anything other than gravity,” Horton says.

When it comes to eating on the road, Horton has a five-word answer: “Ask for what you need.  If you need healthy food, ask for it.  If you really care about your fitness, just ask for it. The excuse I was traveling and had to eat out doesn’t work anymore.”

Thank God These Aren't On P90X

I think you'll agree with me when I say HOLY SHIT.

I'm exhausted just watching these videos. And these are just two of thirty-five(!) push-up variations that are shown and discussed on The Art of Manliness site.

Facebook Virgin

Uh, I think I'm on Facebook now.

I've long been a Facebook holdout, but during my interview with Pam the Blam yesterday (which I'll be posting soon), she encouraged me to get off my ass and create an account. "There are tons of P90X people on it," she said. And how could I ignore the advice of someone as impressive as Pam?

But despite the fact that I've managed to get this blog off the ground, I'm kind of a techno-idiot, and utterly bewildered by Facebook. So can you please friend me and tell me what the hell I'm supposed to do with a Facebook account?

P90X Day 77: Cardio X

Given yesterday's snoozefest of a workout, I felt obligated do something more than just X Stretch today. Still, I didn't want to go full-tilt before the start of my final non-recovery week, so I popped in the Cardio X DVD.

It certainly burned some calories and got my heart pumping, but the video also reminded me how annoying Tony Horton can be. I've gotten so used to his weirdness on the other DVDs that I no longer notice when he quotes Forrest Gump or when he half-jokingly suggests that his own face is "perfection." But having only watched Cardio X once before, I wasn't prepared for Tony's god-awful Arnold Schwarzenegger shtick. I was fascinated and horrified, but I suppose every big-and-buff trainer is expected to bust out in a Hans & Franz routine once in a while.

P90X Day 76: Kenpo X

At this point, I'm getting very little out of Kenpo X.

For a while, the addition of dumbbells helped increase the intensity level of the moves, but over the past couple of months, my body has gradually adjusted to the use of weights. It's frustrating to devote an hour to exercise, only to realize that the time wasn't productively spent: My heart's no longer beating out of my chest, and although I broke a (light) sweat during my morning workout, I never had to reach for a towel. I normally sweat buckets, so the relative lack of perspiration is the most telling sign that I'm ready to graduate to a more intense cardio routine. I only have two more Kenpo X sessions before my 90 days are up, but I'm seriously considering whether to switch to Plyo (or even an Insanity workout) instead.

A Crapload of Fitness Tests

You know about the P90X fit test, and I've previously posted about the U.S. Marine Corps Fitness Test. But for those of you who are curious about how you'd fare on other tests of physical fitness, check out this article by Sam Murphy in today's Guardian.

In it, Murphy discusses the U.K.'s National Fitness Test, a free online test that purports to measure your "strength, aerobic fitness, flexibility and 'shape' (weight, height and body measurements), giving you an individual score for each component as well as an overall 'age.'" According to the article, the cardio portion of the National Fitness Test is modeled after the Harvard Step Test and the Canadian Home Fitness Step Test -- both "submaximal" tests that don't require you to reach exhaustion, but instead gauge your aerobic fitness level using your heart rate response (similar to the "Heart Rate Maximizer" part of the P90X fit test).



From this video, it's clear that folks with jelly legs won't be able to get through this test. So for people with weak legs, the article suggests the Rockport Walking Test as an alternative.



On the flip side, if you're looking for a "maximal" test that pushes you to your VO2 max, check out the Multistage Shuttle Test (a.k.a., the "Beep" or "Pacer" Test).



If you're looking for a nice, brisk run instead, a "slightly less daunting alternative is the Cooper Test -- a 12-minute run in which you cover as great a distance as you can, or the 1.5-Mile Run, in which you aim to complete the distance as fast as possible." Note, however, that while "such tests are useful for fit, healthy, active people," they "may be too challenging" for couch potatoes.

Lastly, while it's not included in the Guardian article, all of you "Man vs. Wild" types should check out this circa-1926 fit test by strongman Earle E. Liederman -- it features five fitness benchmarks and is based on the premise that you need to be sufficiently fit to save your own life in an emergency.

Cookie Diet?

Speaking of food: If you're even thinking about starting a "Cookie Diet," please let me be the first to inform you that you are a fucking moron.

The gist of [the Cookie Diet] is simple: Eat cookies and lose up to 10 pounds a month. Or, in blunter terms: Consume a substance whose ingredients and nutritional value are somewhat vague and drop weight, because how can you not when you’re only consuming 800 to 1,000 calories a day?

On the other hand, if you're someone who's developing and promoting such a diet plan, kudos. Who knew it was so easy to dupe people into shelling out up to $600 a month for a nutrient-deficient starvation diet?

Microsoft & Burger King: Bringing Morbid Obesity to Distant Shores

This is just what us geeky, out-of-shape Asians need: A Microsoft Windows-themed seven-patty Whopper from Burger King.

I love burgers, but this is horrifying on so many levels.

P90X Day 75: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

During last week's Legs & Back workout, I completed 132 pull-ups/chin-ups -- my all-time high. This week, I pushed hard to further increase my reps, and although I've lost all feeling from my fingertips, I managed to eke out a few more than before. So as of today, my new personal best stands at 141 pull-ups/chin-ups: 78 unassisted and 63 assisted. My goal is to hit 80 unassisted pull-ups in a single Legs & Back session, and I have one more shot at it before the end of my first 90-day round. My (numb) fingers are crossed.

As for Ab Ripper X, a lot of the moves have gotten much easier for me (e.g., Mason Twists, V-Up Roll-ups), while some continue to be a gut-punch of a challenge (e.g., Fifer Scissors, Heels-to-the-Heavens). But strangest of all has been my experience with Oblique V-Ups. When I started P90X back in August, Oblique V-Ups were the only move in Ab Ripper X that I could do without breaking a sweat. I loved them because they were easy. But as the weeks have gone by, they've become increasingly difficult to perform. They're now among the most difficult exercises in Ab Ripper X for me -- at the end of this exercise, I'm usually doubled over on the floor, gasping for breath. What gives?

P90X Day 74: Yoga X

My mind was on auto-pilot throughout Yoga X this morning, and I honestly can't remember much worth mentioning, other than that I wore my new Vibram FiveFingers shoes during the session. (Read more about them here.)

My transitions from Upward Dog to Downward Dog felt a little clunky because my toes kept getting snagged in the shoes' toe-pockets, but otherwise, they weren't bad. Barefoot is still better, but the rubber soles gripped my mat nicely during the balance poses. I'll give them another shot when I do X Stretch later in the week.

What's Next?

If all goes smoothly, I'll be done with my first round of P90X in about two weeks, so I'm starting to give some thought to what I should tackle next. Here's what I'm thinking:

Option 1: Do another round of P90X. Despite my occasional sniping at Tony & Friends, I've obviously gotten a huge kick out of P90X, and I'm reluctant to abandon the workouts entirely. If it ain't broke, why fix it? On the other hand, P90X is an enormous time-suck, and the workouts will likely get stale if I don't shake things up a bit. Come to think of it, I can't stomach the thought of hearing the same hacky jokes from Tony for another three months. Besides, isn't the whole point of "muscle confusion" to keep surprising your body with new exercises?

Option 2: Do a round of P90X Doubles. "Doubles" is the same as the classic P90X routine, but adds three to four extra cardio sessions per week during Phases 2 and 3. The good news? I already have all the necessary DVDs and equipment, so my bank account is safe.  The bad news? I'd have to spend up to TWO-AND-A-HALF HOURS per day with Tony. Pass.

Option 3: Do a round of P90X+. Beachbody evidently rushed "Plus" into production when P90X exploded in popularity; as a result, reviews of the "Plus" videos are mixed.  In fact, while some sessions look good-to-great (e.g., Interval X Plus, Total Body Plus), even some Beachbody coaches have proclaimed the Kenpo Cardio Plus workout to be "terrible." Smells to me like an inferior, overpriced product.

Option 4: Do a round of P90X, but replace some of the longer sessions with shorter "One-on-One with Tony Horton" videos. Beachbody's subscription-based "One-on-One" series is a stripped-down version of P90X featuring Tony working out alone in his home gym. A new video is shipped every month to subscribers, and each DVD runs roughly 30 to 45 minutes long. Some of the workouts (like "30-15 Upper Body Massacre" and "Fountain of Youth") look like they'd be a nice change of pace from Chest & Back and Yoga X, but I'm not crazy about the cost of the subscription service. For instance, Volume 1 of "One-on-One" (a 12-disc set) is twice as expensive as P90X, but contains far fewer total minutes of exercise instruction. I'm not the most frugal guy, but this sounds like a shitty deal. If I ultimately decide to go this route, I'll probably just pick up a couple of individual discs rather than subscribing to the series.

Option 5: Do an entirely different home fitness program like Shaun T's "Insanity."  While P90X focuses primarily on building strength and endurance, Insanity -- another Beachbody product -- is all about crazy-intense cardio.  According to the Beachbody site, Insanity is "is the most challenging cardio program ever put on DVD ... with 10 workout discs packed with plyometric drills on top of intervals of strength, power, resistance, and core training."  I want to maintain my P90X strength gains, so I'm not sure I want to commit to a 60-day routine that doesn't include weights or pull-ups.  Still, the Insanity reviews I've read are glowing (see here and here), and the infomercial makes the program look mighty tempting:

Option 6: Do some hybrid of the above (e.g., P90X resistance training plus Insanity cardio training, alternating every other day, and throwing in some yoga on the rest day). This would involve a lot of planning, but could be a nice way to introduce some variety (and max interval cardio training) without abandoning the strength-focused P90X workouts.

Option 7: Take a break from home fitness DVDs, and hit the gym once again. My gym membership is still active, so I might as well get my money's worth.  On the other hand, my workouts at the gym have never come close to producing the results I've achieved via P90X.

Option 8: Sit on my ass and do nothing. A shitload of TV shows on my DVR have yet to be watched, and a ton of snacks in my pantry are just begging to be eaten.

I'm leaning towards Option 6 or Option 4, but haven't yet landed on a course of action. Feel free to drop me a note if you have any thoughts or additional ideas.

P90X Day 73: Shoulders & Arms + Ab Ripper X

I've completed my last scheduled Shoulders & Arms workout (in this first 90-day round of P90X, anyway). Given that this DVD's likely to remain in its cardboard sleeve for a little while, I probably should have pushed myself harder. Instead, I was content to match the reps and weights from my previous session -- in large part because I'm certain my arms would have violently detached from my body if I'd attempted to go heavier.

Adios, Daniel Haas. Smell you later, Joe Bovino. See you in Round 2 (assuming I don't flake out).

Cool Down? No, Thanks.

By the end of each morning's workout, I'm not just exhausted -- I'm in a mad rush. The kids are up and require feeding and changing, I need a protein shake and a shower, my hour-long freeway commute beckons, and my Blackberry is buzzing with work emails. Every minute -- every second -- counts.  But as I near the end of my first round of P90X, it's become increasingly difficult to drag my butt out of bed to squeeze in an hour-and-a-half of Tony Time before the day's craziness commences.  How, then, can I reduce my workout time?

Cut out the cool-down.

I warm up without fail, but by immediately turning off the DVD player when the cool-down starts, I save about five minutes every morning (30 minutes each week!) -- enough time to make my shake and get the kids dressed, or to quickly jump in and out of the shower. And according to the experts, this is perfectly fine because cool-downs are an utter waste of time.

As Gina Kolata wrote in the New York Times last week:

[T]he cool-down is enshrined in training lore. It’s in physiology textbooks, personal trainers often insist on it, fitness magazines tell you that you must do it -- and some exercise equipment at gyms automatically includes it. You punch in the time you want to work out on the machine and when your time is up, the machine automatically reduces the workload and continues for five minutes so you can cool down.

The problem, says Hirofumi Tanaka, an exercise physiologist at the University of Texas, Austin, is that there is pretty much no science behind the cool-down advice.

It's not even clear "what the cool-down is supposed to do," writes Kolata.  "Some say it alleviates muscle soreness. Others say it prevents muscle tightness or relieves strain on the heart." But actually,

Exercise researchers say there is only one agreed-on fact about the possible risk of suddenly stopping intense exercise. When you exercise hard, the blood vessels in your legs are expanded to send more blood to your legs and feet. And your heart is pumping fast. If you suddenly stop, your heart slows down, your blood is pooled in your legs and feet, and you can feel dizzy, even pass out. 

But does it matter for the ordinary, average athlete? “Probably not a great deal,” Dr. Thompson said. And, anyway, most people don’t just stand there, stock still, when their workout is over. They walk to the locker room or to their house or car, getting the cool-down benefit without officially “cooling down.”

So where did everyone get the idea that cooling down is a critical part of working out?

The idea of the cool-down seems to have originated with a popular theory -- now known to be wrong -- that muscles become sore after exercise because they accumulate lactic acid. In fact, lactic acid is a fuel. It’s good to generate lactic acid, it’s a normal part of exercise, and it has nothing to do with muscle soreness. But the lactic acid theory led to the notion that by slowly reducing the intensity of your workout you can give lactic acid a chance to dissipate.

Yet, Dr. Foster said, even though scientists know the lactic acid theory is wrong, it remains entrenched in the public’s mind. “It’s an idea we can’t get rid of,” he said.

In fact, Dr. Tanaka said, one study of cyclists concluded that because lactic acid is good, it is better not to cool down after intense exercise. Lactic acid was turned back into glycogen, a muscle fuel, when cyclists simply stopped. When they cooled down, it was wasted, used up to fuel their muscles.

As far as muscle soreness goes, cooling down doesn’t do anything to alleviate it, Dr. Tanaka said. And there is no physiological reason why it should.

Cooling down feels good, and when I have all the time in the world (which is never), I try to do a few "world-famous" Karen Pot Stirrers" and some hamstring and quad stretches.  I love "Huggers" and "Reachers" like you wouldn't believe. But after reading this article, I'm happy to skip the last few minutes of each P90X video -- especially when there are more pressing matters at hand, like eating or pooing.

P90X Day 72: Plyometrics

This morning, I tried to keep up with Dominic during Jump Knee Tucks, Mary Katherines and Rock Star Hops, and although my leaps lagged behind Frog Boy's in terms of speed and height, I felt like I pushed through a mental barrier of sorts.  Before, I always held back a little -- I would dial back my intensity level to 98% to make sure of my footing and balance.  I didn't relish the prospect of landing face-first into a wall or the floor.  Today, I just threw caution to the wind and decided to jump as high and fast as I could.  And it felt great.

Scotty Fifer Saves the World

Scott Fifer appears in just one P90X video (Chest & Back), but I curse his name every other day during Ab Ripper X. Whenever Tony maniacally announces that "IT'S TIME FOR FIFER SCISSORS," P90Xers everywhere emit a collective groan.

I've learned, however, that Mr. Fancy Blue Shoes is good at more than just scissoring his legs up and down.

For starters, as evidenced by his Class of 1979 yearbook photo, he sported an awesome Mark (Dorothy?) Hamill wedge cut in high school (though recent photos show that his Luke Skywalker hair has apparently gone MIA):

During college, he was a Senate aide to the late Ted Kennedy.  After graduation, he studied acting in New York for a year, attended law school in Boston, and toiled as an associate in a prominent (but now defunct) law firm for a number of years.

Fifer then relocated to California to become a screenwriter, penning scripts for "Beverly Hills 90210" and other television shows.  He co-wrote a bunch of award shows (including the Emmy Awards), and produced a Lifetime TV movie-of-the-week called "Twice Upon a Time" (starring Molly Ringwald and her dad).

But most impressive of all?  Fifer created and leads a prominent and respected non-profit foundation dedicated to the care of orphans and vulnerable children in other countries. According to his organization's website:

GO Campaign raises awareness and funds for those programs that would otherwise fall through the cracks, those programs which provide basic human needs to children such as shelter, food, clean water, education, medical care, vocational training, and income-generating activities.

In partnership with small grassroots organizations in the developing world, GO Campaign is currently helping children in Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Cambodia, China, Guatamala and Peru by funneling resources to programs run by local community leaders.  (To find out how you can help, visit GO Campaign's website.)

I'm still sore (literally) at Scott Fifer for inflicting pain upon my midsection three times a week, but how can I send hate mail to a guy who's done so much for underprivileged kids across the globe?

And to top it all off, he just started another round of P90X last month with Bobby Stephenson and Tony Horton, thus reuniting all the guys in the Chest & Back video.  (Maren and her German potato soup don't appear to have been invited, though, so maybe I can still muster up a bit of indignance towards Scott Fifer.)

P90X Day 71: Chest & Back + Ab Ripper X

Today's Chest & Back session is my last (until/unless I start another round of P90X, anyway), so I tried my damnedest to bust my butt.  I'm happy to report that over the course of the one-hour workout, I can now perform:

• 80 Standard Push-Ups
• 39 Wide Front Pull-Ups (17 unassisted, 22 assisted)
• 45 Military Push-Ups
• 33 Reverse Grip Chin-Ups (13 unassisted, 20 assisted)
• 60 Wide Fly Push-Ups
• 30 Closed Grip Overhand Pull-ups (9 unassisted, 21 assisted)
• 45 Decline Push-Ups
• 24 Heavy Pants (using two 35-pound dumbbells)
• 40 Diamond Push-Ups
• 25 Lawnmowers (using 40-pound dumbbells)
• 22 Dive Bomber Push-Ups
• 30 Back Flys (using 20-pound dumbbells)

Not too shabby for a guy who couldn't do a single Diamond Push-Up on Day 1, though I'd like to think I could still improve if I were to stick with P90X after my first 90 days are up.  (Not sure if I'll be able to muster up the commitment to start all over again, though.)

P90X Day 70: X Stretch

X Stretch is a pretty decent way to kick off a Saturday.  Plus, The kids spent the night at their grandparents', so I got to sleep in (until 6:30 a.m. -- woo hoo!).

Sadly, I'm not able to see what's on the TV screen during most of X Stretch, so it's taken me ten weeks to realize that this video features Tony at his finest (read: creepiest), like when he puts his cheek right next to Phil's and closes his eyes so they can breathe in unison.  He also take the opportunity to put his finger on Shawna's butt.

Cheese & Broccoli Stratta

Here's a recipe for a tasty, healthy, and easy-to-make stratta.  M made it for dinner the other night with stuff we had around the house (and using just our toaster oven!), but it's just as good for breakfast.

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups of 1% milk
4 cups of cooked, chopped broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
3 slices of cubed whole wheat bread (remove crusts first)
1 cup of chopped onions and/or leeks, sautéed in a tablespoon of olive oil with salt & pepper
3/4 cup lowfat shredded cheese (cheddar and/or jack works great)
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In a big bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together until blended, and then stir in the rest of the ingredients. Pour everything into a 9-inch square baking dish, and pop it in the oven for 45 minutes (or until it's firm and the crust is lightly browned). Take it out, let it rest for 10 minutes, and dig in.  (This recipe makes about 9 servings.)

Per serving: 180 calories / 8g fat / 18g carbs / 10g protein

P90X Day 69: Kenpo X

I was exhausted going into Kenpo X this morning, having spent half the night dealing with our haywire home alarm system.  (It's fixed now, in case any of you Internet crazies are thinking about breaking and entering.) A handy tip: Punching the air with dumbbells isn't a fantastic idea when you've had less than four hours of sleep, because if you're anything like me, you'll end up bashing yourself repeatedly with the weights.

Still, at least I'm giving 100 percent. Every week, I find myself hoping that Wesley Idol's going to start taking the Kenpo X workout seriously, but every single week, he lets me down.

That's not a horse stance, Mr. Idol.  That's just standing up.

Shake Shack Burger

I want to eat this.

But instead, I'm having an apple, some beef jerky and a stick of string cheese.

Sometimes I wish I'd never heard of P90X.

P90X Day 68: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

Perhaps it's only because I was trying to impress M (who was exercising on the other side of our garage), but I managed to haul myself up and over my pull-up bar more times this morning than ever before.  Sadly, my wife remained focused on her ChaLEAN Extreme video, so I'm fairly certain she failed to notice my supreme awesomeness.

Here's a Week 1 versus Week 10 comparison of how I did on the pull-ups and chin-ups in Legs & Back:

Reverse Grip Chin-Ups

Week 1 / Set 1: 10 unassisted
Week 10 / Set 1: 14 unassisted

Week 1 / Set 2: 7 unassisted, 3 assisted
Week 10 / Set 2: 10 unassisted, 3 assisted

Wide Front Pull-Ups

Week 1 / 1st Set: 5 unassisted, 10 assisted
Week 10 / 1st Set: 12 unassisted, 10 assisted

Week 1 / 2nd Set: 3 unassisted, 7 assisted
Week 10 / 2nd Set: 6 unassisted, 10 assisted

Closed Grip Overhand Pull-Ups

Week 1 / 1st Set: 5 unassisted, 10 assisted
Week 10 / 1st Set: 8 unassisted, 10 assisted

Week 1 / 2nd Set: 3 unassisted, 7 assisted
Week 10 / 2nd Set: 6 unassisted, 10 assisted

Switch Grip Pull-Ups

Week 1 / 1st Set: 5 unassisted, 5 assisted

Week 10 / 2nd Set: 6 unassisted, 10 assisted

Week 1 / 2nd Set: 4 unassisted, 6 assisted

Week 10 / 1st Set: 8 unassisted, 8 assisted

So in total, I performed 90 pull/chin-ups (42 unassisted, 48 assisted) during Legs & Back in Week 1.  And today, I managed to complete 132 (70 unassisted, 62 assisted)!

Frankly, it's about time I upped my pull-up and chin-up numbers.  A couple of months ago, these exercises appeared to be an exciting new challenge, but recently, they've just been a source of dread.  A few weeks ago, my rep count hit a plateau and stayed there, and I soon began worrying that further improvement wasn't in the cards. 

But now, I know that progress is possible -- provided that someone's (possibly) watching.  I guess it's not unusual for people to perform better when embarassment is the alternative; that's why group exercise classes can be so effective.  For the most part, however, P90X is a solitary pursuit, so if I want to boost my performance, I may have to start working out with my garage door open, so that random passersby can shame me into ekeing out more pull-ups while their dogs defecate in our front yard.

Switching gears: When you're lying on the floor during Ab Ripper X, does your belly button remind you of an overflowing birdbath?  Because mine does.

P90X Day 67: Yoga X

With the onset of rainy weather, various insects, arachnids and other unwanted creepy-crawlies have begun amassing in my Deluxe Home Fitness Center (a.k.a. my garage).  Thus, it wasn't much of a surprise when a bunch of ants interrupted my morning Yoga X session.

I didn't notice them during the first half of the workout; I was too busy trying not to collapse while in Warrior 3.  But by the time I plopped down on the floor to stretch my hammies, it was obvious that a good dozen or so ants were scurrying around on the front part of my mat.  Maybe they'd gotten lost on their way to the kitchen, or perhaps they were looking to harvest the salt from one of my many yoga-induced sweat puddles.  Either way, I couldn't continue exercising while an army of ants staged an offensive just inches from me.

In the end, it probably wasn't very yoga-like of me to start flailing around, smashing bugs with my fingers and spraying ant poison all over my mat, but at least it burned some calories.

And despite having to hit the pause button to commit mass murder, Yoga X was a lot of fun.  I'm still rocking Crane, which remains one of my proudest P90X achievements.  My only complaint about Yoga X is its length; to fit in all 90 minutes before the kids get up, I have to pop out of bed no later than 5:15 a.m.  I suppose it's worth it, but I sure could use the extra Zs.

Macaroni Salad Lady vs. Paula Deen's Buttery Doughnut Monstrosity

This video has been making the rounds over the past few days:

Yes, this macaroni salad isn't remotely healthy by any stretch of the imagination.  As described on the video, this recipe contains a grand total of 6805 calories and 358 grams of fat.  But most of the savage mockery unleashed on the web (see here and here) isn't truly aimed at the dish -- it's (unsurprisingly) directed at this particular home chef's weight and appearance.

I'll bet, though, that most of the people who are gleefully delivering this online beat-down routinely stuff their own mouths with much worse.  Not to be preachy and all, but assuming this large bowl of macaroni salad feeds 12, each serving contains approximately 570 calories and 30 grams of fat -- not good, but no worse than a Big Mac without cheese or a run-of-the-mill chicken burrito with cheese and sour cream.  And how many of us post-modern, post-ironic, wanna-be techno-hipsters don't indulge in a burger or burrito once in a while?

In fact, I'll even wager that many of the pots who are calling this kettle fat have -- at one time or another -- considered replicating or ingesting some of the even more frightening recipes featured on the Food Network.  Have you seen Sandra Lee's horrific Kwanzaa cake, complete with gigantic candles, Corn Nuts (which she calls "acorns" for some reason) and canned pie filling?  It should be prosecuted as a hate crime.

Another example: On a recent episode of the popular "Paula's Home Cooking" show, Paula Deen whipped up something called Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding with Butter Rum Sauce, which contains (among other things) two dozen doughnuts, sweetened condensed milk, a stick of butter, hard liquor, and two cans of fruit fucking cocktail.

This barf-tastic recipe contains 10,460 calories and 718 grams of fat.  It's supposed to feed 12, so if you're one of the dozen people digging into this heart attack of a dish, you'll be consuming 870 calories and 60 grams of fat.  It's a nutritional Chernobyl, and far worse for you than the macaroni salad above.

For those of us who have slavishly committed to an exercise program like P90X, it's tempting to sneer at people who don't appear to be taking steps to improve their health.  But while we're all busy pointing and laughing at the Macaroni Salad Lady, we tend to lose sight of the fact that she's actually on our side.  It's the Food Network that's quietly killing us all.

P90X Day 66: Back & Biceps + Ab Ripper X

In Back & Biceps, Tony calls Towel Pull-Ups "one of [his] personal favorites," but that's because he's superhuman (and a show-off).  Me?  I can't stand them.

First of all, there's the whole wetting-the-towel thing.  Tony recommends that you soak your already-damp sweat rag with water from your bottle, which means: (1) your saturated towel will be rendered incapable of soaking up the perspiration that's puddling in your bodily creases and folds, (2) you're going to have to refill your now-depleted water bottle, and (3) you're probably going to spill water all over your mat or living room rug. The alternative, of course, is to keep your towel dry, but it'll be much harder to grip.

Then, there are the actual pull-ups themselves. I have difficulty even throwing the towel up and over the pull-up bar on the first try.  And when I try to do a pull-up with one hand gripping the bar and the other one gripping the dripping towel, it feels like my puny forearm muscles are going to rip apart.  I have a weak grip (unless I'm giving a handshake, in which case I squeeze extra hard so the recipient will marvel at my manliness and hand strength), so I'm sure I'd struggle with Towel Pull-Ups even if they were my first exercise of the day.  But in Back & Biceps, Tony introduces these fuckers a half-hour into the session -- AFTER we've already suffered through three sets of pull-ups (including the obscenely crazy Corn Cob Pull-ups), three sets of various back rows, and six sets of bicep-blasting curls.  Bastard.

As you can probably tell, I crashed and burned with Towel Pull-Ups today, managing to crank out only a handful before having to finish up the set with my foot on the washing machine.

On the plus side: With the exception of the aforementioned disaster, I cruised through Back & Biceps without much trouble.  It helps that I now know what to expect -- from Twenty Ones to In-Out Hammer Curls.  So without having to concentrate on how to perform the moves, I can now focus on more pressing matters, like how Bobby Stephenson needs a haircut, and how Katie the Interior Designer needs to be quiet.

P90X Day 65: Plyometrics

As usual, Plyo reduced me to a sweaty mess.  I love it.

My favorite Tony quote from Plyo: "You should see me play hoops after I've done [plyometrics] for a while -- it's UNBELIEVABLE."

Running Shoes or Cross Trainers?

Until today, I've been P90Xing in my running shoes. For the most part, they've been fine, but I've noticed that my ankles occasionally feel like they're in danger of rolling over when I jump or step laterally -- moves that happen with some frequency in Plyo and Kenpo X. The soles and heels of my running shoes are thick and hefty, and I'm constantly reminding myself not to let them catch on my mat and cause a sprain (or worse).

This may be painfully obvious to everyone but me, but it turns out that running shoes are terrible for exercises emphasizing lateral movement. Running shoes are engineered specifically for running (duh!); they're super-flexible up front, and sport thicker heels and soles to better cushion runners' heel-to-toe footfalls.  Cross trainers, on the other hand, are the utility infielder of the athletic shoe world.  They're built to be versatile, with outsoles designed for use in a number of sports and activities. To boost lateral stability, cross trainers feature soles and heels that are wider and sit lower to the ground.  They also have a roomier (but stiffer) toe box.

I was sold, but needed advice on the best pair of cross trainers for my overpronating feet.  Unbelievably, however, this information is incredibly difficult to dig up.  Specialty running stores are fantastic when it comes to personalized guidance about selecting the right pair of running shoes, but most don't carry cross trainers, and will just recommend that you purchase a pair of tennis shoes for some lateral support.  Numerous websites and magazines dissect running shoes in excessive detail; their reviews helpfully categorize each shoe for those with specific wants and needs (endurance! speed! overpronation! underpronation! motion control! cushioning! stability!).  But cross trainers get no such love.

So with fingers crossed, I blindly purchased two pairs of cross trainers online -- I picked New Balance MX1210s and MX840s -- and a few days ago, my new shoes finally arrived in the mail. (By the way, what happened to free overnight shipping, Zappos?) I stuck an insert for arch support in each shoe, and today, I broke in the MX840s with a rigorous Plyo session.

The verdict?  True to form, my cross trainers handled all the lateral movement with aplomb. I felt remarkably stable while cranking out Airborne Heismans, Monster Truck Tires, Football Heroes, and Lateral Leapfrogs.  I was less tentative about my landings, and could plant my feet without worrying about rolling my ankles. But when performing moves with no lateral action required, I definitely missed the cushioning provided by my running shoes.  During Squat Reach Jumps, Mary Katherines and Run Stance Squat Switch Pick Ups (or whatever the fuck they're called), I felt the impact of the landings in my knees.  (It's possible, though, that I'm just a clod who hasn't yet learned to land softly per Tony's instructions.) 

All in all, I give cross trainers a big thumbs up, as long as you have a thick mat or rug underfoot.

[UPDATED: I totally disavow and refudiate repudiate this post. Viva Vibram Fivefingers and going barefoot!]

OMFG

Pam the Blam posted a comment on my blog!!!

I haven't been this excited since I learned that Tony is a veteran of soft core porn!

P90X Day 64: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Ab Ripper X

I thoroughly enjoyed Chest, Shoulders & Triceps this morning. My form continues to improve, and both my reps and weights are increasing. I'm positively killing the Tony-style airborne plyo push-ups, and I'm now able to squeeze out a respectable number of one-armed push-ups, too. I'm even getting the hang of the various triceps moves.

But thank God I didn't have to do any pull-ups or chin-ups today. I'm having a hell of a time with them. Although I'm now able to gut out almost twice the number of unassisted pull-ups as I could on Day 1, I've been stuck on a plateau for a while.  My rep count hasn't seen much upward movement in weeks, which frustrates and bewilders me. Why is it that I see significant progress in my ability to perform virtually all of the P90X moves except for pull-ups and chin-ups?

I don't have Back & Biceps until the day after tomorrow, and I'm already dreading my rendezvous with the pull-up bar in my garage.

Phil Isn't Feeling the Burn

Two examples of Phil's awesomeness:

Example 1:

Tony: I'm not getting in your space, am I?

Phil: Will you GET LOST?

Example 2:

Tony: Big Phil, you feelin' the BURN?

Phil: No.

P90X Day 63: X Stretch

I'm kind of running out of things to say about an hour-long video of people stretching.

Aerialist, Acrobat, Actress

I roll my eyes every time Tony gushes and crushes over Dreya Weber during a workout.  Isn't it enough that her glamor shots are plastered on all the P90X packaging and posters?  Or that she's the only one of Tony's minions featured in the P90X supplement commercials with Mark "The Zombie" Sisson?  How many times does Tony have to remind us that she's a "world-famous aerialist and gymnast" or that she "flies through the air with the greatest of ease"?  Why is Dreya the only person asked to demonstrate a move before everyone else does it? Just how many P90X exercises has Tony named after her? And will he ever tire of hollering about how he thinks she's "GORGEOUS"?

As a point of comparison, all that Tony says about Bipedal Eric (not to be confused with Erik Stolhanske) is that he's "pure gristle" and that he "lives on a boat," evoking images of desiccated beef jerky and the Gorton's Fisherman.

For her part, Dreya appears to relish her status as teacher's pet.  She beams when Tony heaps praise on her, and curtsies with an overly dramatic flourish when Tony gives her credit for inventing -- no, wait, introducing him to -- Three Way Lunges.  While showing off during a lunge exercise in Legs & Back, Dreya tries to score even more brownie points by proposing to modify the move: "What if I push off with my heel instead of my toe?"  (Thankfully, Tony was uncharacteristically dismissive.  "I don't care," he says.)  Even outside of P90X, Dreya comes across as pretentious; she name-drops like crazy (she's worked with Madonna! And Pink! And Britney!) and calls herself "omnisexual" (because identifying oneself as "bisexual" is too narrow and pedestrian for the "GORGEOUS DREYA WEBER").

But in the end, I have to admit that my criticisms of Dreya largely stem from jealousy.  Dreya's obviously a phenomenal athlete who's managed to leverage her acting, artistic and athletic skills into a successful career in a notoriously tough industry.  She's a total Renaissance woman -- and I haven't even mentioned the fact that she released two albums while performing in an early-'90s folk rock duo called Common Cents.

Granted, she comes across on film like a watered-down version of Tilda Swinton, and I'm not clamoring to rent "The Gymnast" anytime soon, but after watching Dreya's acting and aerialist reels (especially the latter), I can't help but be a little awed.

P90X Day 62: Kenpo X

After finishing Kenpo X today, I put down my weights and -- for the first time in over a month -- performed the punch / jab / hook / uppercut sequence without dumbbells.  Without the drag of weights, the moves felt effortlessly crisp and quick.  I still don't think I could take anyone in a fight (other than perhaps a small, pudgy child), but at least I'm now confident I could break out some fancy karate moves before shrieking and running away.

You're Not Hungry

One of Michael Pollan's 20 favorite food rules:

IF YOU ARE NOT HUNGRY ENOUGH TO EAT AN APPLE, THEN YOU ARE NOT HUNGRY.

P90X Day 61: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

My lower right leg's been killing me for the past few days.  Despite being supported by more orthotics than those worn by Frankenstein's monster, my right foot continues to overpronate and cause shin splints.  Having to limp through Legs & Back wasn't exactly fun, but after popping some ibuprofen, I managed to complete the workout -- as well as Ab Ripper X -- without too much discomfort. 

But believe me when I tell you that Siebers 80-20 Speed Squats (one-legged squats that quickly explode up into a jump) are not a good idea when you're nursing a fucked-up leg.

Day 60 Photos

Okay, here goes:

(Click the image above for full resolution.)

For side-by-side comparisons with my Day 1 and Day 30 photos, click here and here.

I'm not sure I look much different than I did thirty days ago.  The fact that most of my visible gains occurred during my first month of P90X isn't a total surprise; as I've mentioned before, when I began P90X, I (thankfully) didn't have a significant amount of body fat to lose.  Much of my excess subcutaneous fat was burned off in Phase 1, after my first few weeks of intense exercise and low-carb dieting (per the P90X Nutrition Plan).  As a result, I wasn't left with a lot of extra fat to shed in Phase 2.

But at this point, I'm actually pretty happy with where I'm at.  I'm not looking to bulk up, so if my Day 90 photos end up looking exactly the same as the ones above, that'd be just fine.  I would, however, like to increase my strength, balance and flexibility over the next thirty days -- and, of course, avoid backsliding into my pre-P90X state of jiggly flabbiness.

[UPDATED: My Day 90 photos are here.]

Boomin' Granny

For the past few weeks, I've been going around thinking I'm hot shit for being able to stay in Crane position for over a minute.  So finding out that there are octogenarians who can do the exact same thing kind of pisses me off.

P90X Day 60: Yoga X

I'm a little out of it today.  To complete Yoga X before commuting to work for an early morning meeting, I had to stagger out of bed at 4:30 a.m.   My mind drifted in and out during the workout; at one point, I suddenly realized I was in Frog pose, but couldn't remember getting into the position.  And when I tried to recall the previous couple of poses I'd just completed, I drew a blank.  After finishing the 90-minute session, it was still dark outside, and I desperately wanted to crawl back into bed.  Six hours later, I think I'm still in a daze.

Still, with Day 60 in the books, I'm proud to say that I've made it two-thirds of the way through P90X!  (I'll do my best to post my Day 60 photos sometime before I pass out tonight.)

A Change Would Do You Good

I suppose if P90X is good enough for someone who used to have sex with Lance Armstrong, it's good enough for me.

P90X Day 59: Shoulders & Arms + Ab Ripper X

This is more like it. 

I enjoyed the hell out of Shoulders & Arms this morning -- especially compared with Sunday's Chest & Back routine.  I didn't experience enormous gains in reps or weights today, but the workout was envigorating and tough without inducing barf.  By the end of the hour, my skin was stretched tight and my little arms were about as pumped as they can get.  I felt like Lou Ferrigno -- complete with green makeup and shitty haircut -- tearing through the very fabric of my shirt (but never, ever ripping the crotch of my pants).

[UPDATE: My morning Ab Ripper X session was interrupted by a sick, wailing, phlegm-spewing preschooler, but I finished it after dinner, and hit a new personal best: 100 Mason twists!]

Beachbody: Helping You Lose Weight (From Your Wallet)

To achieve "optimal conditioning," the P90X Fitness Guide recommends purchasing a crapload of "official" P90X/Beachbody-branded equipment and supplements, including:

• The P90X Chin-Up Bar ($75);
• Tony Horton's PowerStands ($53);
• P90X Peak Health Formula ($50 for a 30-day supply);
• P90X Results and Recovery Formula ($51 for 25 servings);
• P90X Peak Performance Protein Bars ($29 for 12 bars)
• Beachbody's Strength & Muscle Men's Formula ($51 for 78 servings);
• Beachbody's Whey Protein Powder ($47 for 30 servings); and 
• Beachbody's Joint Support Super Formula ($38 for a 30-day supply).*

If you buy all of the above (and order enough of the supplements to last the entire 90 days), you'll end up shelling out almost A THOUSAND DOLLARS -- and that doesn't even include stuff you actually need, like the P90X DVDs themselves and a set of dumbbells or elastic resistance bands.  Beachbody and its nutrition guru, Mark Sisson (who resembles a grown-up version of one of the freaky-looking kids from "Village of the Damned") may have developed the best damned supplements known to man, but we're still in a recession, people. I can think of much better ways to drop a grand.

Still, if you're dead set on replicating the full P90X experience (without breaking the bank), here's what I recommend:

Pull-Up Bar

Forget about the P90X Chin-Up Bar, and get yourself a rafter-mounted pull-up bar ($50) or the Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar ($40) instead.  The rafter-mounted bar is fantastic if you're working out in your basement or garage; otherwise, buy the removable, door-mounted Iron Gym bar -- it's virtually identical to the P90X-branded version, but sells for almost half the price.

Push-Up Stands

Push-up stands aren't absolutely necessary unless you have serious wrist issues (in which case you probably shouldn't be doing P90X anyway), but if you want a basic set, you can get them for about $12.  The PowerStands are for wealthy Tony cultists only.  (But even Tony himself doesn't use PowerStands in the P90X videos; he uses regular, no-frills push-up stands.)

P90X Peak Health Formula

The P90X Peak Health Formula is basically just another daily multivitamin, but costs TEN TIMES AS MUCH per serving.  Try Costco's 100-pack box instead, which sells for $16.49.

The P90X Recovery Drink

As for the much-heralded P90X Results & Recovery Formula (a.k.a. the "P90X Recovery Drink"), you can just swap it out for a glass of chocolate milk.  Researchers have found that chocolate milk's a perfect post-workout recovery drink; as one article put it:

Believe it or not, 1% low-fat chocolate milk is one of the best recovery foods out there according to the results of a small, randomized trial reported in the February issue of the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. “Our study indicates that chocolate milk is a strong alternative to other commercial sports drinks in helping athletes recover from strenuous, energy-depleting exercise," coauthor Joel M. Stager, PhD, from Indiana University in Bloomington, said in a news release. "Chocolate milk contains an optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio, which is critical for helping refuel tired muscles after strenuous exercise and can enable athletes to exercise at a high intensity during subsequent workouts."

If you compare the P90X Recovery Drink's nutrition label with that of skim chocolate milk, the latter actually has fewer calories (170 versus 220), less fat (0 grams versus 2 grams), fewer carbs (29 grams versus 39 grams), and about the same amount of protein (11 grams versus 10 grams).  Although the P90X Recovery Drink adds a boost of Vitamins C and E, it's not really necessary if you're already downing a daily multivitamin. The Recovery Drink is also spiked with a bit of creatine, L-glutamine and L-argenine, but you can buy these supplements separately -- and a lot more cheaply -- at a health food or vitamin store like GNC.  And while I've seen reviews touting the tastiness of the Recovery Drink, chocolate milk is both delicious AND cheap.

P90X Protein Bars

Clif Builder's Bars offer virtually the same nutrition as the P90X Protein Bars (260 cal., 7g fat, 31g carbs, 20g protein).  And if you buy a box of 12 Clif Builder's Bars for $17 from Amazon rather than buying the P90X variety from Beachbody, you'll save $1 per bar.  The savings add up quickly over a period of 90 days.

Beachbody Strength & Muscle Men's Formula

The "Strength & Muscle Men's Formula" is just creatine and artificial flavoring mixed with some carbs (in the form of dextrose) to spike your body's insulin and drive the creatine to your muscles.  For a much cheaper alternative, pick up some pure creatine monohydrate powder (Vitamin Shoppe sells a 181-serving container for $20) and some grape juice.  Better yet, just mix a scoop of creatine powder into your post-workout chocolate milk.

Beachbody's Whey Protein

You can buy whey protein powder just about anywhere (Sam's Club, Safeway, Costco, Wal-Mart, etc.), and for a lot cheaper than $47 for a one-pound package.  GNC sells a pound of 100% whey protein powder for $16 -- ONE THIRD of Beachbody's price.  You can add whey protein powder to your chocolate milk, too.

Beachbody's Joint Support Super Formula

The main ingredients in Beachbody's Joint Support Super Formula are glucosamine and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), which work together to form the building blocks of collagen.  Costco's version costs $17 for 180+ servings.  The same amount of Beachbody's product will set you back $228.

Frankly, none of the above items are essential for completing P90X (though taking a daily multivitamin's always a good idea, with or without P90X).  But if you're intent on going all-out, consider some alternatives before you take out a second mortgage to fund your Beachbody purchases.

*These prices include shipping & handling charges as listed on Beachbody's website.