Nancy Age 52

I continue to be amazed at what the human body is capable of.  The goes doubly so for my own body.  I’ve really been working hard and eating properly as I have been on a personal 90 day transformation.  But today I was blown away when I was able to get out 10 pull ups with no toe tapping or break.  My prior best was 6 consecutive pull ups.

I am fond of saying that muscles don’t really understand age (although joints do).  And by that I mean that we can continue to add on lean mass and get stronger no matter what our age or condition of our muscles when we start.  Lifting heavy enough to spark muscle development, eating the right things and getting plenty of quality rest is all it takes.

But if we overtax our bodies, they will rebel.  I just responded to a woman asking questions on PressPlayFitness.com about what exercises she should do.  In addition to doing P90X Lean (I recommend Classic over Lean any day) she was doing a lot of aerobic work and then wanted to add in Insanity on top.  That is just too much!  Overtax is over stressed and that will raise our stress hormones which actually will reduce our muscle mass – not grow it.

So when you are ready to make your own personal transformation, I recommend P90X Classic and good eating and rest.  You don’t then need to add on other activities and should not.  Follow the plan and it will produce wonderful changes for you!

The Amazing Human Body originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on March 18, 2011.

Taken October 2010

Last week I turned 52.  I’m pretty proud of that.  Well, more specifically I’m proud of how fit I am as a woman over 50, a woman post menopausal, a woman who at 50 was fat.

Turning 50 does not mean you are now on the gradual old age slide to a life of infirmity and/or obesity.  Turning 50 can be a starting point for anyone, man or woman, to get fit.

Last night was the finale of season 10 of the Biggest Loser,  I was possibly most proud of the grandfather who was the 2nd biggest loser of the at home group.  I believe he actually lost a greater percentage of body fat than the much younger man who took the main prize. Proof again that you can lose weight even if you’ve carried it for years and are no spring chicken.

I’m not going to say that you can totally remodel yourself overnight.  It most likely took you years to put on all that weight so isn’t  taking it off in 6 – 12 months is still a pretty great deal?  I’m not going to say that it will be easy because working your muscles hard enough to produce visible results in terms of added lean mass (for women that means curves where you want them) takes effort.  And I’m not going to tell you that you can  approach this as a half hearted commitment because you need to show up 5 – 6 days a week.

What I can say is that the commitment, the effort and the time is well worth it.  I cannot believe how much different my life is today now that I’m fit than it was before.  I feel more energized during the day and I sleep great at night.  I couldn’t say either of those things before I got fit.  And I look younger and frankly feel more sexy than I ever did before I got fit.  I actually wear a bikini and look fantastic in it.

What I recommend to all my over 50 sisters is that you start on a path right now to make changes in your life.  You can start with a program like Slim in 6 if you are really out of shape or even P90X if you are willing to take it slowly and make modifications.  Heck just adjusting your diet (check out my P90X diet for ideas) and taking daily walks will make a difference.

Remember a new life is awaiting you too.  And I’m here to help!

Fit Over 50 – A Woman’s Point of View originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on December 15, 2010.

Needless to say we were pooped – dog tired!  This morning I could not believe how tired I still felt.  Chris, who had been busy on Saturday also was with us at the show and was totally beat himself.

So the prospect of doing P90X was a bit overwhelming.

Perhaps you’ve been at this point.  Tired from whatever came up in your life and thinking ‘what’s the harm in skipping this one workout?’  But my approach is that unless you are running a fever or you are injured, you do the exercise.  Good habits like exercising are delicate things.  It’s hard to get into good habits and easy to get out.  Skipping a day just because you are tired is about more than missing just one workout.  It’s an excuse which, if allowed to stand, starts permeating your mind in the future.  Then the next time you are tired it seems OK to give yourself a pass.  And after that, it’s just anytime you aren’t totally up for the workout.  Soon you’ve given up.

But I can make modifications.  Today we were supposed to do the Back & Biceps workout but we decided instead to do the P90X One on One Core Medicine Ball workout.  That’s about 30 minutes of heart pumping, sweat inducing core moves.  While we knew it would be tough, the idea of taking off 30 minutes from a workout (Back & Biceps takes an hour) was more attractive.

After we got done, we felt so much better that we went onto do our own bicep routine.  So in the end, we didn’t take a shortcut.  We actually did almost an hour of exercise.

And that’s my other point.  Once you get started you generally feel much better.  So the next time you feel too tired to exercise, pick a workout that’s shorter and perhaps easier.  Commit to doing that and you’ll feel better physically and mentally.

I guarantee it!

Too Tired for P90X? originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on August 30, 2010.

But even P90X as great as it is has some limitations.  I’d do some things differently (please don’t hate me Tony).  And over the last 10+ months, I started to add other Beachbody programs to my personal library.  I really like the flexibility of mixing in some other routines with P90X and create my own P90X hybrid routines all the time.   I know some of you might like some guidance on how to do this also.

I have already developed a P90X/Insanity/Kettlebell routine for hardcore athletes (you can find that at http://www.pressplayfitness.com/members/m/articles/view/test).   But some of you don’t want that intense a schedule or just have different goals.  So I’m now ready to create more hybrid routines but I want your input.

Just fill in the form below and send me what you want and I’ll try to come up with something that meets your needs and is fun!

P90X Hybrid Routines originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on July 9, 2010.

I’m into hybrid rotations of P90X and other programs and will be uploading what those are shortly.  I don’t feel I’ll ever really outgrow P90X though.  There is just something awesome about a program built around pull ups and push ups that can continue to challenge you.

If you are on the fence about P90X, just do it.  And better yet, let me be your coach.  Learn more about P90X(click here) and join me and thousands of others who have totally transformed their lives.

P90X Round 3 – Fine Tuning originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on July 5, 2010.

When I first started P90X I did all my push ups from my knees and I could not do even 1 pull up.  I thought about this today when even during my second round of closed grip pull ups (the hardest for me to do) I got a solid 8 out.  Now that may not break any pull up records – even among women – but it sure felt like a bit accomplishment to me!

That’s what I like about working out.  What I like best about weight workouts.  They are easily tracked and measured and you can then know exactly how far you’ve come.

I’ve talked before about how working out should be viewed as a lifestyle change, not a project.  So for now, I’m happy with my 2nd round 8 closed grip pull ups.  But sometime in the future, I’m going for 10 – no make that 12!

Set the bar high for yourself and keep on keeping at it.  You’ll be glad you did.

Back to the Basics – P90X Chest & Back originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on April 17, 2010.

It’s been a few months since I introduced you to Bob (see my original post about success being a journey at http://www.pressplayfitness.com/?p=687). If you remember, Bob had been a basic couch potato for over 25 years and it showed. He started P90X to see what it could do for him, he initiated his own personal journey towards fitness.

P90X for men over 50

So how has Bob done? Take a look! Pretty outstanding for a guy who’s now 52 I think.

Bob had to start slowly.  His knees were (and still are) a point of weakness due to some old high school football injuries.  And the fact that he’d been so inactive meant that what muscle mass he had from his youth had long since atrophied to next to nothing.

But he kept with it.  And that’s really the key to success with P90X.  As Tony is fond of saying, ‘do your best and forget the rest’.  If you take that attitude the results will be amazing.

Look, P90X can work for both men and women over 40 and even those of us over 50. I’m 51 and Bob is 52 and we are constantly amazed about how well this program works. If you are interested in reclaiming your lost youth, lost looks and lost energy, P90X will get you there. Just get it and “bring it”.

Click Here to Get P90X

P90X Men’s Success – Fit after 50 originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on February 21, 2010.

Body Sculpting with P90X

I’m continuing with my ongoing body sculpting with a combination of P90X, Insanity and some really short kettlebell high intensity interval training (HIIT) routines.  I have to say I’ve been really pleased with the results.  After the first 90 days on P90X/Insanity I was amazed at how far I had come so I wasn’t sure what to expect with round 2 (P180X if you will – ha ha).

Make your own decision on the continued progress in terms of body sculpting.  I’m working with a 51 year old woman’s body and have practically no testosterone to help me out like men have.  And I’ve moved into menopause so the hormones I do have are sometimes out of whack.

What you can’t see is how much stronger I’m getting.  I’m increasing my curl weights, increasing my push ups and pull ups.  This not only makes me functionally stronger but makes me feel great.

If you are over 40 and wondering if P90X will work for you, stop thinking and just do it.  I’d be happy to coach you through it.

P90X 90 Day Fitness – Round 2 – Body Sculpting originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on January 24, 2010.

Blast Fat Off your Abs with P90X!

Important Update July 2010:

I wrote the following post about 10 months ago when I was just starting to take off the huge amount of fat I had accumulated around my gut. Now I’m a new person at 51 years old looking to see just how ‘hot’ a gal over 50 can get. If you really want to transform your body – and your life – I can help you get there. Click here to learn how and learn a bit more about me.

Original Post:

How much stomach flab can a gal lose in 30 days? Now before you make a guess, this gal is a 50 year old woman who has a significant spine problem which means I have to be careful with my workouts.

But… before the reveal, realize that being careful does not mean I don’t ‘bring it’ to each workout. I do – just with a few modifications.  I have to admit I was a bit embarrassed over the Day 0 view but it’s important to share it to show exactly what P90X can do for women – even women over 50.

And now for the  picture:

For more pictures of me and my ‘Coach’ story, click here

Update to 30 Day Progress:

It’s now October 11th and I’m 60 days into P90X.  I’ve gotten a few emails asking me if I’ve continued to see such great progress.  Well the truth is…

You Bet!!!!!!!

But of course I don’t expect you to just take my word for it so I’m providing a new picture of me with an even leaner mid section.  Trust me, if you have a flabby gut that you want to lose, P90X can get you there.

I’ll be back in another 30 days to show you the final picture from my 1st round of P90X (it’s a 90 day program).  I’m also going to work in rounds of Insanity with the P90X to accelerate my fat loss.

Update to 60 Day Progress: ——————->

Time for another update. I’ve completed the last 30 days (total 90 days) and for this last segment I added in rounds of Insanity. This really helped blast the fat off! The combined mix of P90X and Insanity is a 1 – 2 blow that even stubborn fat cannot withstand. Take a look:

Nancy’s transformation – side view – full 90 days

See all my full 90 day transformation pictures by clicking here.

After the first round of P90X, I started doing P90X Hybrid Workouts as my norm.  I have added TurboFire, some One on One workouts, and Body Gospel to my P90X and Insanity programs.  My current regime is mostly P90X with some TurboFire and One on Ones in it.

Here’s how I look relative to how I ended my first round:

If you are interested in learning more about P90X, click here or learn more about Insanity by clicking here.  If you have any questions about my progress, Insanity or the P90X program please feel free to ask me a question below.  I’ll be sure to answer it quickly.

Ab Makeover in 30 Days (P90X Abs) originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on September 12, 2009.