Last March after my Step-Mom and Dad came to watch me complete my first half Ironman, I could tell there was a bit of an curiosity from them about what I had gotten myself in to. They had followed my P90X journey last year via my blog while they were living in Paris (my Dad’s company sent him for a project), had come out to cheer me on at the Surf City Marathon last year, and then spectated my half Ironman. They had plans to come out to watch my full Ironman and I think at this point they really registered just how much P90X had changed my life. Not only did it change my physical appearance, it also helped me gain confidence that I could in fact conquer the feat that is an Ironman triathlon.
My parents actually purchased P90X in December of 2011 with the intention of beginning in the new year. But things came up and they put it off. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how they would handle the program. It’s difficult and going from little activity to 6 days of a week of “bringing it” can be intense. I’ve known a lot of people to start the program but few to finish. It takes some serious commitment to get through P90X.
In early August, I received an e-mail from Denice (my Step-Mom), saying that they had found the P90X they purchased back in December and they were going about purchasing the equipment. She also said they intended to follow the nutrition program which I highly advocated since I think nutrition is about 80-90% of weight loss.
A quote from an e-mail from Denice after they did the fit test:
“We tried the pull-ups – bwahahahahaha!”
P90X was difficult for my parents in the beginning. Besides working in the yard, they haven’t been exercising much in the last few years. They spent several months in Paris enjoying delicious rich food and put on some extra pounds. They didn’t let any of this stop them. They gave their all in every workout and found that they made progress faster than they thought. After the first time they did yoga (1 hour 35 minutes and definitely a difficult version of yoga!), Denice e-mailed me telling me it was the most difficult workout of all for them. By the end, it was one of Denice’s favorite workouts.
About a month in, the scale hadn’t moved much for them, but they were seeing great results in their bodies and in their strength. They didn’t give up and kept going, pushing play every day and preparing their healthy meals. They had a few cheat meals but didn’t let themselves over-indulge often. Soon they were seeing their weight drop – first a few pounds then over ten each. They didn’t want to stop and kept going! Denice went for a run during week 10 and felt great. My dad joined her soon after and they began to run more frequently.
Day 90 came along faster than they expected and my parents were officially crowned P90X graduates. Between them, they lost 35.5 pounds and 7.5 inches off their waists. They feel amazing, energized and younger than ever. They aren’t laughing at pull-ups anymore AND they signed up for their first half marathon!
Fit Test Results (Final fit test results first, original results in parenthesis. Description of moves here)
Pull ups: Denice= 1 (0), dad = 4 (1)
Push ups: Denice = 31 (15), dad = 50 (25)
Vertical leap: Denice =9.5 (9), dad – 10 (11)
Toe Touch: Denice = 5 (2), dad = -2.5 (-6)
In&Outs: Denice = 102 (16), dad = 64 (16)
Wall squat: Denice = 2:00 min (1:10), dad = 1:53 (1:07)
Body Measurements & Weight Changes
Weight loss: Denice = -15.5 lbs, dad = -20 lbs (!!!!!!)
Waist: Denice = -3.5 in, dad = -4 in
Hips: Denice= -2.5 in, dad = -3.5 in
Chest: Denice = -3 in, dad = -3 in
Before and After Photos
Dad & Denice Before P90X
Denice Before P90X
Dad Before P90X
Denice After P90X
Dad After P90X
I am so incredibly proud of my parents’ hard work and I am so excited that they want to continue what they’ve started. Their plans are to incorporate P90X into their training for their first half marathon in May! We are also planning a hike up Half Dome in Yosemite with them this summer.
Getting amazing results with P90X has nothing to do with your fitness level before your begin. It’s about your commitment If you want results, you WILL get them with this program. It’s not easy but it’s worth it!
If you want to join my parents as P90X graduates and gain strength, speed and confidence, you can buy it from my Beachbody site here! If you have any questions a bout P90X you can email me at nwoyski at gmail dot com.
II had been running 3 years ago but because of work and other things I had given it up. The most impressive thing for me is we were able to start running almost where I left off, we were able to do a 3 mile hill run easily, so we have stepped it up and have done 6 hill miles and a 5 mile tough hill run (@ 4000 ft.), having not run for 3 years! I was skeptical about the program at first and don’t necessarily believe the theory behind it, but it works if you stick with it. You can de-intensify the moves at first to get through the workouts, and add intensity as you go along. Between doing all the workouts and following the nutrition plan, it has been very successful and easy to follow and maintain, you don’t have to think, just follow the program. I don’t think I ever felt hungry really and always had that good, slightly sore and tired from a workout feeling.
Dad
Aw- I love this story! Congratulations to both your Dad and Denice. Those are impressive fitness gains, and they look awesome!
I love that they’re signed up to do a half marathon now!
Over the last year, my Mom has lost 50-60 pounds through healthy eating and consistent exercise. I couldn’t be prouder of her, especially since she really loves exercise now.
This is so amazing!!! Congrats to your parents and this awesome improvement!