Fitness Rut

My P90X momentum stopped after about Week 5. After a recent trip to Palm Springs, I faced an embarrassing reality: I was looking pink and pudgy.

I consulted a personal trainer friend, an ex boyfriend, and finally a long-time amigo. All had the same conclusion: Spitting Tacks, the secret is that you must get your big-ass belly in motion. Sure, one recommended two weight/two cardio sessions/week, another said Bikhram yoga and Red Tea from Republic of Tea. The ex had the simplest explanation: “you know what to do”.

I do. I went hiking Wednesday and went to the gym at lunch today. Let’s hope the momentum keeps going on, because my current bulk will slow me down if I stop. Plus, I just bought new jeans last month. Oh yeah, eat less crap too…

This is How We Roll in Universal City

It’s hot at the poquito mas on cahuenga.

Legal

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Why did I resist so long? Well, the “Check Engine” light went on almost three years ago a few miles west of El Paso (seriously). My Honda must have wanted to stay in Texas. A misguided mechanic on the Westside of LA – near Brentwood – informed me that my catalytic converter was caput and not the EGR sensor that Autozone’s free Check Engine light computer told me it was. Turns out both of the sources were wrong. My car’s emission problem wasn’t a $1000 catalytic converter (now only $600 aftermarket) or a faulty EGR sensor. Apparently, carbon buildup near the EGR sensor valve was the problem. Also, this was the only area of my Smog Check that actually failed my car. Everything else was fine.
Lesson learned: take your car in earlier. It might not be as bad as you think. Though I’ve been registered in Texas all this time, I am breathing much easier right now. Also, my father will no longer get my notices for parking ticket. This may be the biggest benefit of all.

Legalize it

I’m finally getting legal after 3 years in Cali. Wow. Major contrary action.

Laundry Mountain

I really want to outsource this to wash ‘n fold.

Greasemonkey

Might have taken an hour with the visit to AutoZone and figuring out how to unscrew the headlight, but I changed the air filter and headlight all by myself. Woohoo.

P90X Day 1.5

I must have inhaled all the dust in the floor during my workout last night. I spent the morning sneezing and dealing with unpleasant congestion. I called in sick to work actually. I’m feeling better now. I’m scheduled to work out tomorrow at 6 am. Godspeed!

P90X Day 1

Today was my first day. I’m beat. It was pretty hard, but I did better than I suspected and made it through all the exercises.

Diet:
Had BBQ Brisket and two beers tonight. Feeling a bit queesy now. Otherwise, I ate pretty healthy today.

General:
It’s hard to get out of work dinners. Especially when you’re being offered BBQ.

P90X – Before

My workouts at the gym have declined the past few weeks. Usually, I’m bored, tired, or have some strange ache or pain in my body. The short answer for this is probably obvious – getting older. I have this fantasy that having a trainer or getting a workout buddy will help. Each week I have new hopes of hitting the gym 5 times and having that killer physique in time for summer.
First question: why do I care?
I care because I’m vain. I care about my health and my appearance. I live in Southern California and will spend a good portion of my summer outside in various states of semi-undressedness. One day I would like to remove my shirt at the beach without feeling self-conscious. Not that I’m particularly out of shape. Room for improvement is definitely there.
Question 2:
Any other reasons?
Maybe you can lump this in with vanity – several pairs of jeans are getting snug. I like higher dollar denim and don’t want to pay sick cash for new jeans while my older ones are perfectly good.

Also, health. Honestly, this is the third reason.

I’m doing P90X because a friend gave it to me for free and paying for a trainer seems expensive. The infomercials for it are constantly on and motivate me to do something more. Let’s see how it turns out.

If I feel really confident, maybe I’ll post my before pics.

Baby Spa

Yes. It’s a real ad. Baby spa.