- 30 minute workouts rock. After 30 minutes, I feel plenty worked, but not so burnt I can't muster energy to get through the rest of my day. It is awesome to get your workout done and get on with your day.
- Pre-workout drinks taste like antifreeze, but they probably help. The P90X3 Ultimate Kit came with an Energy & Endurance pre-workout drink. I decided to incorporate it into my daily routine to get the full P90X3 experience. The drink is supposed to be lemon-lime flavor, but let me tell you, it's no Gatorade. I chug it down 15-20 minutes before my workout. Most days this week, I did feel pretty energetic throughout the workouts. This could also be placebo effect.
- Recovery drinks taste amazing and they definitely help. The P90X3 Ultimate Kit also came with a Rest & Recovery post-workout drink. It tastes like orange creamsicle and is VERY good. (My spouse, who isn't doing P90X3, will sit on the couch and watch me do my workout just so I'll share 2 sips of my Rest & Recovery drink after I finish.) Prior to P90X3, I was doing fairly intense strength and cardio workouts, e.g. boot camps, kettlebells, sandbags. It felt like every other day, a different body part was sore afterward. This week, I have been surprised at how NOT sore I've been. I did notice some soreness after the pullup/pushup workout (The Challenge), but nowhere near what I was expecting after spending 30 minutes non stop doing those exercises. I truly believe the Rest & Recovery drink has helped my muscles and body recover from these pretty intense workouts. If you do P90X3, you don't have to buy the Beachbody formula; a 3:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio should work too. Many people swear by chocolate milk as a post workout drink. Your local nutrition store could help you too.
- Pullups, where have you been all of my life? I think women traditionally shy away from hard core upper body movements, simply because it's more challenging for us - we find our strength more easily in our legs. I am so glad I purchased the chin up bar with the P90X3 system, as it's challenging me and pushing me in ways I haven't pursued before. If you start P90X3, get the chin up bar; you don't have to get the one through Beachbody, as it's overpriced. Target, WalMart, or your local sports store will sell one for $30-$40 cheaper. But get one! You'll be glad you did.
- You will get out what you put in. This is true with anything in life, but especially when it comes to health and wellness. A popular quote in the fitness world is that you can't outtrain a bad diet. If you're putting in the 30 minutes a day to workout, you have to spend the other 23 1/2 hours a day eating well, being active, and getting enough sleep. It's all part of the equation. Working out has never been an issue for me; eating well is the challenge. But I am committed to progress and reaching my goals and that mindset has helped me stick with the eating plan. I can't say it hasn't made me cranky and a little unpleasant to be around some days, but I'm sure that will pass after the first week or so. It's all worth it in the end, and luckily my family/friends are supportive of that.
After 1 week of P90X3, would I recommend it? Yes! If you have baseline strength and cardiovascular fitness and like to be challenged, go for it. If you are new to working out or extremely out of shape, I would recommend starting with a fitness plan that is NOT extreme and working your way up to P90X3.
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