AdvoCare Success School 2012 Day 2

Today was day 2 of AdvoCare Success School and it was wonderful.  I have been taking notes on my MacBook Pro and so far have about 22 pages of notes, so it's been great.  I discovered a new author/speaker today named Andy Andrews.  I am looking forward to checking his works out very soon.  I also discovered a new AdvoCare product called Carb Ease Plus.  Here are some pictures and today's video:

AdvoCare Success School 2012 Day 1

Okay, so today Tommy and I slept in and then went to the Fort Worth Stockyards to have lunch at a place called Riscky's Steakhouse, and it was awesome!  The ribeye was succulent, but before the steaks came we had...uh...hmm...how to say this politely..."Calf Fries".  Yeah. When you Google that you may run across something else called "Rocky Mountain Oysters".  They are one and the same...Yep...we had cow nuts.  They were good though!  Here's some video evidence.  Now Tommy was the videographer and I haven't had time to edit the video yet, so it gets a little wonky there in the middle, but you get the idea.

End of the Day Wrap Up Video (this was hastily shot at 6:45am the next day after we slept right through the alarm and are about to be late, LOL):

P90X Day 12b (or 13 or whatever)

Click on each picture for a larger version:

Yeah, that's me on the plane. Just in case you didn't know, I hate flying.  Now don't get me wrong, I love the benefits of flying, I just don't like the act of flying, primarily because of my anxiety disorder...it also could be because I almost died in a fiery plane crash caused by lightning back in 2001 flying back from Italy, but I digress.

When we got off the plane we toured Cowboys Stadium, which was both awesome and gross at the same time (awesome because it's impressive, and gross because I hate the Cowboys...like, even more than lima beans and hairballs).  Here are some pictures from the tour:

I have a bunch more pictures, but our internet connection isn't the fastest right now, so I'll post more later, including today's video.  In fact, the internet connection keeps dropping out, so I can't post it now no matter what.

So my OCD won't allow me to NOT post a video for this blog entry before moving on to the next one, so I had to post one using my iPhone, which isn't bad...I've done those before...it's just that...well, from all the travel and lack of sleep, I look pretty rough.  Oh well:

P90X Day 12: Legs & Back and Ab Ripper X

Yesterday I attempted Yoga X in the morning and in the evening I taught a martial arts class and took a martial arts class, so I was exhausted when I finally got home last night.  So exhausted in fact, that I laid down at 9:30pm and didn't get up until this morning to work out again.  I am really pushing my body far more than I've ever done before, so even though I am having a hard time, I know I am getting a great workout.


Low Fat-Low Calorie diets are great for some people, but not me, so I switched back to a Low Carb-High Fat diet, and the results were immediate.  I have lost 7 pounds since this weekend alone.  That is more than with Low Fat-Low Calorie over a period of 3 months!  I also noticed a marked improvement in TaeKwonDo class last night.  We need to be open minded about our ways of eating, find what works for us, and move on.


Today I became nauseated again about 3/4 of the way through the Legs and Back, and tried to push though and finished it, but only got about halfway through Ab Ripper X and decided I needed to stop before I got REALLY sick (like I did Saturday).  I'm losing weight, and I'm getting fit, so this bothers me, but I need to get over it because I truly did my best today.  I honestly think I just need some rest.


Here are some links that I mention in the video:


My AdvoCare Site

Low Carb Discussion Group

Fat Head the Movie (on Netflix)

Livin' La Vida Low Carb by Jimmy Moore

Why We Get Fat and What to Do About it (Gary Taubes)

And today's video:

P90X Day 11: Yoga X (Wasted Days)

CAUTION: Today's blog entry is very honest, and I seriously considered deleting it and starting over, but I think it's an important entry so that when I (or anyone else) looks back, they can see what happens when you overcome an obstacle.  However, this is not an inspirational video, so proceed with caution, LOL.
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Today is Day 11 of P90X, which means Yoga X.  When you watch today's video, admittedly you will see and hear an intense frustration.  I seriously considered reshooting that video after some time had passed so that a cooler headed Brian would be on the video, but that honesty is important so that I can look back in the future and see how I overcame it.


The bottom line is I really dislike everything about yoga and I don't know why.  I am going to spend some time over the next week trying to literally write down why I dislike it so much because I really need to get down to the bottom of it.  Until I can figure it out I am considering switching the Yoga X with Cardio X, or perhaps even some TaeKwonDo forms practice.


As rotten as my attitude is in this video, and as embarrassing as my demeanor is in it, here's today's video:

P90X Day 10: Shoulders & Arms, and Ab Ripper X

I think part of the reason I have been so tired lately is that work has been very difficult, especially the last couple of months.  I am transitioning out of full time ministry to go into the martial arts/fitness/nutrition field full time, and I am in a fishbowl.  I will go into more details after May when I've moved on, but for now, the relevance to this blog is that stress wears you down in a very real, very tangible way, and I think that's a BIG part of what's bogging me down.


Today I woke up and I actually didn't have to drag myself out of bed this time.  Yes, it was hard, and no, I didn't bound out of bed like I was a 4th grader about to go on a field trip to Six Flags.  It still took a bit to get out of bed, but it only too 15 minutes, as opposed to an hour, and that is true progress!


The workout itself was fine.  I absolutely love doing the workouts with the PowerBlock Dumbbells as opposed to the resistance bands.  I will have to use the bands on the trip this week, but unless I absolutely have to, I will use the PowerBlocks.  I found that while using the bands I was using the "20 pound band", but when I did the same exercises today I had to drop to the 15 pound dumbbells.  That solidified my opinion that the bands just are not the same resistance as free weights, and that I'm getting a much better workout with free weights.


Even as I type this I'm a little bit rattled because of some stress I'm having to deal with, but here's today's video (I have no idea why the video and audio aren't synced up properly in this video):

P90X Day 9: Plyometrics (Week 2)

If you've been following my blog I'd like to take just a moment to thank you for tuning in each day.  I know these aren't the most exciting journalistic endeavors, but I wanted to chronicle my journey on a daily basis, AND also possibly give hope to someone else who was in my boat and wanted a daily view into what P90X is like for a REALLY out of shape person.  If I can do it, YOU can do it too!


Today is Sunday and day 2 of week 2, also day 9 in total of P90X, and today's workout was Plyometrics.  Overall, I really enjoy these types of workouts better than the resistance workouts.  I attribute that to my martial arts experience.  Today was tough because the memory of throwing up A LOT yesterday was still VERY fresh on my mind, and I was exhausted from leading worship this morning (it's more physically and mentally taxing than one would think...I liken it to herding cats).  However, I pushed play and decided that I would just move, no matter how slowly it had to be.  So I did, and felt pretty good.  I'm not going to lie to you though, I am really looking forward to sleeping tonight.


There's one video in there that is called the "Rockstar Jump" or something like that.  I'm pretty sure I looked like Mary Katherine Gallagher, the character off Saturday Night Live:

And here's my video for the day:

P90X Day 8 (Week 2's first day): Shoulders and Back, and Ab Ripper X

My Casio Databank 150 (calculator watch) died. Boo!  :(
I got a new Casio CA53 (calculator watch) today yay!  :)
More details later, but for now...


Yesterday I was so exhausted that I didn't have the energy to do ANYTHING, so today I was already worn out.  My schedule was pretty massive today, as I had FOUR hours of TaeKwonDo because of Forms Clinics.  So from 9am-1pm I did TKD with NO BREAK.  YIKES.  Needless to say, when I got home I was bushed.  However, I knew it was time to push play, so I did.  Today was Shoulders and Back again (and Ab Ripper X).  I pushed hard too!  My goal was to at least match my last numbers, but increase each rep by 1 if I could, and I met that goal.  When the whole shootin' match was over, I was so tired I couldn't move. LITERALLY.  I was so tired I couldn't even lift my head up and had to call for a pillow right there where I laid because I was hurting my neck.  After about 20 minutes of laying there like a beached whale, I got SiCk...0_o  REALLY SICK.  Like, fraternity house on a Saturday night kind of sick.  I'll leave the details to your imagination, but it was gnarly.


Here's the lesson of the day though: it won't stop me.  Half my insides are now floating through a sewer somewhere, but by dern, it won't stop me.  Tomorrow I will push play, and if need be, vomit.  And I will repeat that process, vomit and all, until I am fit, and after.  Folks, it's not about being perfect...it's about not quitting.  And I am NO quitter.  I am a Sharp, and that has implications.  Sharps are not quitters, even those of us who are fat.  If you are considering P90X, don't let your lack of fitness stop you.  If a fat, lazy guy like me can do this, SO CAN YOU!


On another note, my beloved Casio DataBank 150 calculator watch died, and despite my best efforts, I could not resurrect it.  I took it apart, monkeyed with it, but it was no use...it was gone.  So, I went and got its replacement, a Casio CA53.  For those of you not into Geek culture or trivia, that is the same watch worn by Marty McFly in "Back to the Future", and Sting on the cover of the single "Wrapped Around Your Finger".  Okay, those were the CA50's, but they don't make those anymore.  Cosmetically they are identical, with a slight modification to the resin band, and the internal mechanisms are a little updated, but the average person can't tell the difference.  I know, I know, I'm a geek, but I'm proud of it.  It's who I am.  I have never hidden the fact that I love science, technology, comic books, games, and Sci-Fi.  Be who you are and be proud of it. 


Here is a picture of my trusty new watch:

And in its historical context:

And the daily video:

P90X Day 7: X Stretch Or Rest

Well, after one week of P90X and TaeKwonDo I can tell you I am exhausted.  Literally.  I have been in and out of sleep all day today.  Thankfully my coach, Matt Mahaley said that day 7 can either be X Stretch or rest.  I am choosing rest because it's now 9:40pm and tomorrow we have the forms clinics at the martial arts academy and I'm in charge of teaching the instructor class at 9am, plus 3 other classes, 4 hours total, back to back to back with no break.  Then I get to come home and start week 2 of P90X.  So yeah...I'm going to rest, LOL.  No shame in my game baby.  Also no video.  Y'all don't need a video about me doing nothing do you?  As an exchange, here are some of my favorite websites:

• My Advocare site:  https://www.advocare.com/11118431/default.aspx 
• Matt Mahaley's P90X site:  www.dynamicfitness.com
• Chris Pirillo's technology site: www.lockergnome.com
• UniWatch, a website devoted to all things sports uniform related:  http://www.uni-watch.com/

And on YouTube, check out LockerGnome, SoldierKnowsBest, HaggisMacJedi (me), and DynamikFitness (Matt).

Time for bed.  Sheesh.

P90X Day 6: Kenpo X (NOT!)

Boy, of all the programs in P90X that I was most excited about, Kenpo X was it, and today was supposed to be the day!  I have struggled through many of the workouts because I knew I would be getting to the martial arts based workout!  So I woke up this morning a little late, really tired, but willing to go because it was going to be Kenpo X, pulled out the DVD, put it in the player and...NOTHING.  NADA. ZIP.  All I got was an error message that said the disc was uplayable.  Okay, no big deal...the DVDs come in a cardboard sleeve holder, so maybe it's scratched or has some grah-doo on it.  No big deal, I'll just clean it up...except that it looks perfect.  Uh oh.  So I pop it in my MacBook Pro and it says, "Scanning damaged sections of the disc", but it never actually plays.  Crap.

So, frustrated, I call customer service and get Aphu from "The Simpsons", except that Aphu would sound like a Shakespearian Thespian compared to this guy.  Now he was nice, but he didn't understand me and I didn't understand him.  I have been assured that the call center has been moved to California, so I guess they brought the workers with them.  Anyway, the replacements are on the way (I discovered the Core Synergistics DVD is faulty as well) and will be here in 5 to 7 business days.  Well that's all fine and dandy, but I'll be out of town at that time and will not have them by then.

So, I decided to rip the DVDs to my MacBook so I could take P90X with me without taking the discs, and called up a high school friend Jose who recommended a free program called "Handbrake", which worked wonderfully.  So wonderfully in fact, that even though those DVDs wouldn't play, they did rip, and the computer files will play, though at a much lesser quality than the DVDs.  Thank goodness I've got an HD hookup for my MacBook.

The point to all this is that I modified, used Cardio X instead, and kept going.  I didn't use my bad attitude or misfortunes as an excuse to not work out.  I pushed play.  I brought it. I pushed through.  And that folks, is what life is about.  Pushing through, even though obstacles come up.  Now if I could just get my diet worked out like that...

See the video below!

P90X Day 5: Legs and Back with Ab Ripper X

So today I got a REAL early start at 5:30am with Anni screaming her head off to be fed.  It amazes me how quickly Sharp children can go from dead sleep to full on cataclysmic catterwalling instantaneously.  Needless to say I leapt out of bed and fed her, and then went on to today's workout.  Bottom line is I feel pretty good, did more reps (especially on Ab Ripper X), and LOVE using the PowerBlock Dumbbells instead of the resistance bands.  It made a HUGE difference all around.  I am tinkering with iMovie to make my videos so you may from time to time see something goofy like an overhanging graphic or something.  Just ignore that.  I'm too lazy to spend much time editing, and this is basically an online diary for me anyway.  That being said, here's today's entry (if you don't like Tennessee Big Orange, be forwarned...I went for the full-on Phil Fulmer effect today):

P90X Day 4 or I Hate Yoga...STILL & PowerBlock Classic 50 Dumbbells

So yeah...today was Yoga X.  Have I ever mentioned how much I hate hate hate hate Yoga? No?  Okay, well, I REALLY hate it. Always have.  It sucks.  Like a new Dyson vacuum cleaner powered by a Binford 3000 Turbo Charged Dodge Charger Hemi engine.  I hate it.  And it's not because I've never done it (I'm actually certified to teach Yoga through Tiger Rock Martial Arts), and it's not because I'm not flexible (I can do a full split to the side)...it's just because it's not my flavor.  I hate it for the same reason I hate pears and licorice...because I hate them...they're not my thing.  


But listen up kiddies...I did it anyway.  I hated it but I did it anyway.  Will I like it more as I become more proficient?  Unlikely.  I've been exposed to Yoga for about 10 years now and not one of those years have I liked it.  However, that will not stop me from doing it anymore than hating vegetables keeps me from eating them.  It's supposed to be good for me, so I'll do it.  Over and over and over.  Apparently Tony Horton realized no one wants to do 90 minutes of Yoga, even P90X graduates, so I hear that the Yoga is only 60 minutes in the new P90X2.  Goodie for those guys.  Do I sound bitter?  I don't know why, but Yoga pisses me off.  Kinda like the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Red Wings, or New York Yankees.  But I digress.  Here's my daily video on P90X and hang around after that because below that I'll post a video about my new PowerBlock Classic 50 Adjustable Dumbbells!

Yesterday I mentioned wanting a set of adjustable dumbbells.  Well, Dicks Sporting Goods had them on sale this week for $100 cheaper than I'd seen them anywhere else so I bit the bullet and got them, and I am THRILLED with them!! See the video below:

P90X Day 3: Shoulders & Arms/Ab Ripper X

I started P90X and the AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge Friday (only did the fit test for P90X on Friday, but it was a workout, so that's my start date) and was 215 pounds.  This morning after my workout I weighed in at 208 pounds.  Losing 7 pounds over the weekend is no joke!  The lesson I learned from today's workout is that I really REALLY want to use dumbbells instead of the resistance bands.  The bands work fine, but honestly I just prefer the physics of free weights to bands.  The bands will be a lifesaver when I go out of town on trips, but for home use, I really want dumb bells.

The kind I have decided I want are the PowerBlock Classic 50's:

And here's the daily video:

P90X Day 2 Plyometrics

Okay, so today was one of those days where I really did NOT want to work out.  That happens to overweight people, like every day.  My plan was to wake up at 6am, do the workout, shower, then head to church.  Well let's just say 7:30am rolled around and I had slept HARD through my alarm clock and apparently my baby crying and being fed TWICE.  Yeah, I was tired.  Am tired.  Anyway, I got home, had some vegetables and chicken breast, and PUSHED PLAY.  I thought I was bringing it...for a minute.  See the video for details:

P90X Day 1

Well I started P90X today. Watch the video below for details.  By the way, at the end I say my email is brian.e.sharp@gmail.net.  I must be so tired I am delirious.  It is brian.e.sharp@gmail.com  .com kiddies, .com.  Geeze.  Time for another nap.

P90X The Day Before & PreTest

So today is the day before I actually begin P90X so I had to take a fit test.  What I determined is that I'm not in as bad a shape as I thought, but I'm pretty much a wuss.  Translation:  I could have done more but wimped out and didn't actually do the exercises to failure.  Anywhoo...see the video entry below for details.

P90X Unboxing

Okay, so I have posted 3 different videos and have learned some great things.  The first video I posted was with my iPhone.  I took the video using the iPhone camera and uploaded it straight to YouTube from the device itself.  I have to say, it was the fastest, easiest, and most efficient way to upload it, but it wasn't in HD.  The second video was using my MacBook Pro and a Blue Yeti recording studio mic and iMovie.  The quality was much better, but took longer to upload to YouTube.  Today's video I used my MacBook Pro and the onboard Mic and camera, and the quality was just as good, if not better.  But man oh man, it took FOREVER to upload.  I have posted that video below.  It was a longer video, so of course it's going to take longer to upload.  Bottom line is that I think I may just use my iPhone because I'm too impatient to wait.

Today's video is an unboxing of my P90X package.  I am starting another AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge (the diet/nutrition part of my routine), and am going to do the fit test for P90X as well.  I hope to start the actual P90X either Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.  Anyway, here's the video.  If you are into geek culture like me and enjoy unboxings, or if you're curious about what comes with P90X then you'll love this video.  If not, you'll be bored to tears, and this is a gentle reminder that this is my own personal video diary so, nah nah boo boo...I don't care.

Blog Video MacBook Version

Okay, this video was shot using the iSight camera on my MacBook Pro and a Yeti USB microphone.

New Blog, New Vlog Video Test

Okay, so I started this blog and have now started a video blog to go with it.  So this is basically a test post.  You may see several of those in the days to come.

New Year, New Transitions, Fresh Starts All Around

Well, for those of you that might have been following "The Wonderful World of HaggisMacJedi" (which would be hard to do since I haven't posted in like a year and a half), for some reason I can't get into that blog, so I'm just going to let it rot a slow death and hope it is eventually deleted off the face of the Internet.  So...here I am with a new blog.


2012 is the year of change for me and my family, and this blog will be where I can air my dirty laundry.  I have tried that at times on Facebook and all that causes is grief, so here I am.  I am going to warn you straight up: this blog will be honest, in your face, and is primarily a way for me to put my thoughts down in words.  This blog will NOT win over any fans for sure, but if I don't express myself somewhere safe like this, it will come out somewhere else.  Therefore, as you sneak a peek into my online diary (which is really what this is, if I'm really honest here), please keep that in mind.  I'll be friendly on Facebook.


For those of you that may not know, Traci is graduating with her nursing degree on May 5th (Yay!  So proud!), and May 6th is my last day at Sunnyside.  I am currently transitioning from full time church worker and office dweller to full time martial artist.  This opportunity will allow me to spend more quality time with my family, and will give me a larger audience to reach for the Gospel of Christ.  I know that sounds strange, but in case you didn't know, the people that come to church now-a-days are either a) Not Lost Folks, or b) Are Lost As A Goldfish in the Gobi Desert But Have Nary A Clue.  So, being "in the field" as it were, will give me a better opportunity to be myself and to carry the Message of Jesus to those who need it.


In order for me to be a decent martial artist again I have ordered P90X and will be starting that as soon as it comes in.  My plan is to be in tip top shape by July, when I will hopefully be testing for my 4th Degree Black Belt.


So, for now please pardon the mess as I construct this blog, and be on the lookout for some video blogs as well (I think all the cool kids are calling those "vlogs" now-a-days, but whatever).  Be prepared for whatever though.  This blog is NOT safe.  ;)