Training 277-280/P90X 46-49 - "Success leaves clues. Follow them."

So, yeah, this week started off well again and then got shot all to hell. Thursday was screwed up. The totality of the day was spent fighting off just a brutal headache. So that, despite the amount of aspirin I popped, plus being sore from both Monday's and Wednesday's wkout [Tuesday's Plyo, while hard as fu** doesn't leave me sore after like Chest&Tri/Back&Bi] ...anyways, Thursday was a wash. There was no way I could hang w/90m of ass-kicking Yoga.

Speaking of, as it's the midway point of the whole P90X program, while I'm making progress, it's really slow, and I'm clearly gonna have to do more than one cycle to be able to hang/get up to snuff... so from now to the end of this first cycle I'm gonna sub in the X Stretch for the Yoga X. Yoga X is actually probably the most brutal of the workouts for me. And 90m mid-week is just, honestly, too inconvenient. And I guess it's worthwhile knowing, right now, how much I'm willing to push it.

Friday I managed to knock out Legs&Back [still tore up and sore today]... 2 meals and 2L water. I really have to start getting more water.

And then today and yesterday... man, weekends are a bitch. I had every intention of getting one wkout in this weekend. But between snow and cold and laundry and blah, blah, blah, excuse, excuse, excuse... it just didn't happen. Which I feel crappy about.

But well, this past week while I missed two wkouts, I did hit 4. So I guess I really should try to focus more on what I did well than what I didn't. I have a tendency to beat myself up for my "failings" [I blame my upbringing. And the Catholic Church. And the World.] But, figure, I did mostly okay this week. And next week I'm going to try to do better.

Inspiration/Motivation.

Bodybuilding.com - Over 40 Transformation Of The Week - Over 40 Transformation Of The Week - Judith Corbett!:

"Name: Judith Corbett
Age: 43
Height: 5'9'
Weight: 177 lbs
Chest: 37'
Waist: 30'
Hips: 40'


After:
Age: 46
Height: 5'9'
Weight: 150 lbs
Chest: 35'
Waist: 26.5'
Hips: 36'"

Bodybuilding.com - Female Transformation Of The Week - Female Transformation Of The Week - Vanessa Bailey!:

"Name: Vanessa Bailey
Before:
Age: 22
Height: 5'7'
Weight: 180 lbs
Body Fat: 28%


After:
Age: 28
Height: 5'6'
Weight: 130 lbs
Body Fat: 10%"

T-Nation.com | Seven Keys to a Successful Body Transformation:

"...Sure, most of us add some muscle, lose some fat, get stronger, feel better. Nothing wrong with that. But very few make those head-turning, 'holy shit!' transformations.

So what are the secrets of those who do succeed?

...I asked one question: "What do people who make successful physical transformations all have in common?"

Here's what they told me.

#1: They Become Assholes ... for a While

When you turn on the TV and come across a show about weight loss, you'll see a lot of crying, hugging, and syrupy-sweet one-liners about having a positive attitude.

Well, fuck that. In the real world, successful people get pissed off.

..."People who get angry and fed up with being out of shape always have the most amazing, lasting transformations," says Olesya Novik, a trainer and editor of our sister site, Figure Athlete. "They feel like they've got nothing left to lose, so they push themselves to extremes and keep coming back for more."

...how does a self-pitying whiner deal with discomfort? He quits. How does a guy who's willing to be an asshole deal with it? He gets ticked and fights through it. And he wins.

Anger isn't the only socially unacceptable personality trait that comes into play. "Significant change comes with getting a little selfish," says John Berardi, Ph.D. "That doesn't have to be a bad thing, although some of your friends and family may think so."

Even if it feels weird to set aside time for yourself and your own self-improvement, it's the only way to pull it off, Berardi adds. "You have to get a little selfish and take some of your time back." That allows you to avoid distraction while focusing so intensely on a single goal.

Another dickish trait common to physique success stories is a certain sense of superiority. You don't have to hold the weak-willed people around you in contempt, but it helps to remind yourself that you're stronger and more determined than people who skip workouts and succumb to the siren call of Dunkin Donuts.

...Take-home lesson: Positive changes often occur with the use of a negative attitude. Being an angry, self-centered asshole with a superiority complex helps body transformers reach their goals. Just be sure to cut that shit out when you're done.

#2: They Surround Themselves with Like-Minded People

"Your results and expectations are directly related to those people with whom you spend your time," says Dave Tate, a successful powerlifter, entrepreneur, coach, and transformer...

"You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with," says Charles Poliquin. If you're trying to lose fat, then hanging around sedentary junk-food junkies isn't going to work. They're more likely to bring you down than you are to bring them up...

#3: They Set Specific Goals, With a Deadline to Reach Them...

#4: They Keep Logs...

#5: They Choose a Plan and Stick to It..

Too often, those who want to build muscle and lose fat develop "programming ADD." They adopt a training program or a diet, do it for a couple of weeks, then jump ship as soon as something new comes along. And something new always comes along.

The truth is, the new program probably isn't better. It's just different. Those who win are often those who adopt a plan of action and repeat it until their goal is reached...

#6: They Train Brutally Hard

People who don't achieve their physique goals often underestimate the time and effort it takes to change their body. They're inundated with commercials on TV promising amazing results in only 20 minutes, three times per week. Inevitably, the model using whatever gadget is being advertised is in phenomenal shape.

The implication, of course, is that the model developed his or her physique with the gadget, training just 60 minutes a week. Which, as we all know, is horseshit.

"People who make successful body transformations work out intensely at least six days a week," says Cassandra Forsythe, an author and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Connecticut...

#7: They Pre-Plan Their Meals...

...More Actions for Body Transformation

Chad Waterbury: "They eat fat. Fat is the most underrated and misunderstood nutrient. You need at least one-third of your calories to come from it..."

Alwyn Cosgrove: "Reduced-carb diets seem to outperform any other dietary manipulation..."

Olesya Novik: "People who are most successful allow for minor setbacks. Most people who convince themselves that they'll be 100 percent dedicated and will lose at least two pounds a week for four months usually end up dropping the whole program as soon as they step on the scale and see that it only moved a half-pound down. Those who're patient with themselves, set smaller goals, and actually expect to have a bad day once in a while end up ahead because they're never disappointed enough to quit."

...Success leaves clues. Follow them."