Day 90: It's finally over!!!

Well it has been an interesting journey filled with incredible stories. I am glad I had the opportunity to blog and share my thoughts with you all. The results have shown to be amazing. Losing close to 20lbs and becoming more fit was the standard goal.



Last weekend was my friend Pete's B-day celebration. Luckily, I was able to get off from work on Friday and so our adventure started Thursday evening. Since it was my last week and I was in recovery mode, Thursday happened to be my day of rest. So after work we all left straight to Sandusky, Oh Cedar Point and arrived around 2AM to our hotel rooms. Friday morning, I was able to work out to Core Synergistics and was able to finish by 10am once again in a hotel room. I can't count the number of times I had to work out in a confined space.



As we arrived at Cedar point we wondered what our first ride would be. You don't want to know how we started off, but I will tell you anyway. The first ride Pete, Nick, and I were on was the Carousel- which is the lowest level on the totem pole of thrill. Somehow, Kevin manged to take a video of us on it. The next several rides were level 5 and it was an amazing experience. I have to say this, Mean streak is a terrible ride and I thought I was fit and healthy, but I almost tore apart at the end of the ride. After a few more roller coater and water rides it was close to 10 pm. The last Cinderella ride was The Maverick and boy it was it incredible! What a way to end the day.



Our next trip was to make it to Columbus, Ohio where Pete's parents live. We survived the ride and made it in by 1:30 am. Pete's mom made some Phillipiano food for all us. We retired for the night by 3 am. The next morning I woke up early and headed to the basement to finish my last workout of the P90X program-Yoga. What a relief to be all done. I never thought I would be in Ohio and in a basement finishing the program. To finish off the day we had a nice brunch prepared by Pete's mom and then we played several hours of Badminton.



Next stop was Pittsburgh. Showed my friends Lu Lu's a favorite restaurant of mine and where I munched when I was a college student at Pitt after a crazy day of working out at the gym. We took a stroll and I showed them around Pitt campus and where my wife and I met for the first time. Boy did it bring back memories of the good old times. Later that night we went to watch Detroit and the Pens play hockey followed by Dave and Buster's at the Waterfront.

We then went back to my in-laws house to retire after a long day.



The next day, my in-laws, friends, and I all went out to eat at Taj Mahal, an Indian restaurant. It was Ryan's first time eating Indian food. Since it was a buffet he was able to try a variety of things. We had to force him to try different things like the gulab jamun which he ended up liking.

Well it was time to leave and the Indian food sedated us throughout our trip as we fought to keep awake on our trip back to VA:)

P90X is an incredible exercise program that I would recommend to anyone looking to become fit, loose weight, or wanting to get ripped. The results show for themselves as I am happy to be a byproduct of the program. It has been a lifestyle change particularly my eating habits. Now I eat breakfast, 2snacks, lunch, and dinner. Who would have thought I had time to even eat breakfast. With seven people starting the program after being inspired really motivates me to encourage others to live a healthier lifestyle.

So from here I am will continue with P90x exercises on certain days and play sports on alternate days. I will continue with the nutritional plan and make food decisions that are wiser before putting it into my mouth. My wife can attest to my changes as she is making at least some modifications herself from my influence.

Thank you all for being there for me and keeping me accountable to the P90x program!!!


Stan

Day 84: The Final Stretch

I can't believe it is almost over. The time and dedication went into P90x was worth it all. My lifestyle has changed and the people around me have implemented either parts of the program or have devoted themselves fully to take on the challenge of initiating P90X. Losing close to 20 lbs and getting ripped was my goal and I am happy to be getting there.

Today, MBC Frontline had a Memorial Day Picnic. Although it was raining at times we had so much fun. Great food and athletic activities for all those who attended. Somehow P90X had spread to people who I casually mentioned to 2 months ago and who have been surprisingly following my blog. They have been so motivated by the blog and have been getting updates by other random strangers about me. One gentleman who is part of MBC frontline was so motivated that he purchased the P90X program and said if he was not ripped by the Fall retreat he would give me $1000. I gave him fair warning that he had to mentally prepare for it!! I might even have a local pastor start the P90x program.

More exciting news is that Pete finally had to have his first workout in the bathroom of a hotel three weeks ago. He is taking the program seriously and I am proud of him for taking it to the next level. I thought I was crazy but he also has exercised late at 1 am :) There was one time he missed the day's program that he woke up at 4am to do back to back (2hrs) workout regime to keep up to par with his schedule. Now that is dedication.

Recently, I attended two of my friend's 30th B-day party and some have not seen me in months. They were shocked to see the difference in me. A couple at the party who I met for the first time are now seriously considering starting P90X this summer. It is so exciting to see how so many want to make a change in their life and it was just a small push they needed to get started.

This is my last week of P90X and I will be celebrating my friend's B-day weekend. What happens in Cedar Point stays in Cedar Point...lol


See you guys at the end of the week!!

Stan

Day 71: Motivating others to eat right!

There is no doubt in my mind, I am a walking billboard for P90X. I have noticed over the past two months that not only have I been changing my life, but now the program has motivated me to share and give advice to others around me to eat healthier and exercise.

This past weekend it was fun helping Ryan pick out healthy foods from the P90X nutritional manual. He has finally made the "mental "decision to start eating judiciously and eventually incorporating various exercises to living a healthier lifestyle. Bravo!

We both sat down and listed all the foods he would eat from various categories ranging from Protein to Carbs which he could incorporate into his daily meals. After our extensive shopping list we headed over to Safeway. I finally noticed the strategic placement of carb-loaded foods when you walk in the store. I was in shock as I have entered the same door numerous times and it never crossed my mind. We live in a society where we try to fill our stomachs with the quickest and easiest foods available that obviously taste good, but due to convenience and instant gratification, our society is struggling with obesity.

Our first attempt to shop at Safeway failed as they were re-stocking all the shelves and everything was in shambles. We tried another Safeway but by the time we got there it was too late as we had to meet up with a group of friends for dinner and a movie. Luckily, I worked out during the day so I was able to enjoy the night and hangout with friends. We saw X-Men Origins: Wolverine. It was a good movie but for some reason had bad reviews?

The next day, I was able to do my laundry and clean my room, finally. It seems like there is never a weekend free. Another attempt was made with Ryan to go shopping. We went back to Safeway bypassing the carb aisle which Ryan was eyeing very closely:) ....lol We have been talking all week about getting his kitchen in order for him to start on Monday and we finally had all our shopping done. In with the good food and out with the bad as we surprised Ryan's roommates with all the healthy food we brought into the house.

It feels great to help Ryan and other like Pete, Chirag, etc... By no means do I claim to be a nutritional expert but I have laid the foundation for myself and hope to at least inspire and drive others to make healthier decisions.

Thanks for your support!

Stan

Day 65: Bringing P90X to the Family... Philly Style

This past weekend I was in Philly to attend a "meet and greet" of the two sides of the families as my brother is getting married in October. What an incredible surprise it was to see Litty's side of the family! I have been proud to say that I come from a big family consisting of close to 50 people and her side of the family was easily over 70. Take a look at a picture combining just a few of the youth present from both sides of the family and this is by no means everyone!






So after a wonderful meet and greet, I went to my parents house to rest as I was very tired. Around 5pm on Saturday, my cousins decide to come over and they bring over their gym clothes to workout. You must be wondering what that was all about. Somehow word got around about my P90X program (during my Easter weekend in Philly (See Day 42) and the results I have achieved thus far. So they wake me up and tell me to do my workout for the day so they can participate. Without hesitation I proceeded downstairs with my brother's laptop and DVD. There were four of us lined up in a row: Joby (cousin), Rekha (cousin) Charley (brother), and myself. Video coming soon if my brother sends it to me! So we get started and my cousin Joby drops out in 15 minutes and my brother in 30 minutes. So it is Rekha and I trucking through. The only other person that has survived a full P90X workout with me was Michael aka "Lock Dancer" from my small group bible study. As we workout, Tony Horton, (the trainer on the DVD) who likes to joke around tells us that we should keep going even though our muscles are burning and for us not to think about Twinkies! Well, my cousin who I won't mention her name goes upstairs to the kitchen and brings a pound cake and starts eating it while we were working out. I warned her this would go on the blog. With just 5 minutes to go Rekha has a second wind and completes the entire workout. Wow..the first female to workout with me and take it all the way. I was very impressed! She already has emailed me that she was very sore the next day and was having second thoughts about starting the program...lol I remember my first day with the program as my heart was pounding and I wasn't sure I made the right decision to start the program, but I am so happy that I continued.

Later, after our workout we all went upstairs and got some desert. Ice Cream, chocolate cake(my favorite) and whip cream to top it off. What a nice way to finish a workout. Just kidding...just seeing if you guys are awake. Three other family members stopped by and we all decided to go bowling and play pool. Somehow we all got in a conversation about eating healthy and exercising. Now three of my family members Rekha, Jiji and Gibson want to start P90X. Right now I am helping them get started as they buy the basic equipments and DVDs.

I have been really passionate about my health and exercise since I have started the P90x program. Results are proven to be true if you stay steadfast with the program and nutrition manual. The enthusiasm is starting to spread like wildfire and people are starting to gain interest. So far my friend Pete, Chirag, and some others have started the program.

There are others out there who want to do something about changing their lifestyle and I am here to give advice on food or exercise. My friend Ryan who I spoke to today wants to start changing his eating habits so this weekend I will be taking him shopping and showing him all the right foods to purchase as we throw away all his junk food!

Below are some bible verses that motivate and give me a strong will power to succeed!

Philippians 4:13

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (NIV)


Isaiah 40:31

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (NIV)


Thanks for your support..God bless

Stan

Day 59: Pics for my Brother-in-law...He deserves it!

Today was a busy day as I had an add on case at the hospital. Emergency situation where the guy almost lost his limb. Thankfully, by God's grace the man's limb was salvageable. Later came home and ate a good combo of food items: egg whites, spinach, string beans, black beans, two grilled salmon, and a smoothie. Afterwards, I was able to do my workout. I am noticing I am able to do more reps with slightly increased weights.

As many of you know, due to my bashfulness I am somewhat hesitant posting pictures. My brother-in-law has been pretty persistent with me posting pics and so I decided to post something with the help of my friend Ryan. Thanks Ryan! So this is a special showcase just for you Bhavin :) Enjoy!!!

Day 56: Phase 2 complete..Now let's Bring It

What a journey it has been so far. With phase 2 complete I am ready for phase 3. Time to push it to the limits! So far I have achieved my target weight of 135 lbs by losing close to 20 lbs as I am still looking to become more cut.

On Friday, Ryan, Kevin, Eric, and I went to "Breakout", a volunteer service to provide respite to parents who have children with Down's syndrome, Autism, and other disorders. It was quite a task and fun to keep the children busy. Playing freeze tag to jumping in the moon bounce was fun for the kids. The night ended with a movie for the children as the parents arrived at 10 pm to pick them up. Well, the night was still young, so we decided to head to Clarendon to get some protein at a Peruvian chicken restaurant. After inhaling half a pound of chicken with the guys, we decided to hang out until 1:00 am. Mind you I still needed to workout. Ryan stuck around to get me started for about 1/2 hour and left me to complete Core Synergistics. I was done around 2 am and headed straight to bed.

The next day, I slept in to recoup from the previous night. Stayed indoors most of the day as it was very hot outside. I accomplished to get some chores done around the house. Ryan came by later at 7 pm and we decided to get some grocery shopping done and tried to pick up a movie but Redbox was out of order. We went to Blockbuster and picked up "When the Day Stood Still" or something like that. I was dosing off during the movie as it was quite a bore. Well, again it was 1 am and I had to workout. I am not really sure why I didn't workout earlier besides the fact it was another hot day and I waited for it to cool down. Ryan this time waited until I put the DVD in before he left. I was by myself and kept going until my last drop of sweat hit the floor.

The next morning, I woke up and ate breakfast. Eric comes around 11:30, picks me up as we head to Ryan's place to have my Day 56 pictures to be taken. We took several round of pictures and I was happy to be able to compare my Day 28 and Day 56 pictures. Noticeable differences but hoping to take it to the next level at Phase 3. It is now or never!

So all of us decided to meet up with Eric's friends at Baja Fresh to have lunch. Following lunch we visited some more friends at the basketball courts. It was still another blistering hot day. As Ryan headed home, Eric and I went to Tyson's Mall. We just walked around and exchanged stories as it was time to head to Mclean Bible Church. Service was great as always!

Thankfully, today was a day of rest both biblically speaking and for my P90x exercise routine. I can't wait to get started on Phase 3. Muscle confusion here we come as I am ready to get my butt kicked! Thanks for all your support.

Day 50: Bringing P90X to NYC

This past weekend seven of my friends and I went down to NYC. What a great weekend it was to relax and enjoy the sun. After work on Friday, we all met up at Pete and Kevin's place to depart to my house in NJ. Pete who also recently decided to start P90X suggested I do my exercise in HAN's Gym (their basement named after Kevin Han) before we left since it would be late by the time we arrived in NJ. As the guys went out for a bite to eat, I started my workout in the basement. It was a nice and spacious place where there was a projector to view the DVD. Quite different from my routine hole in the wall narrow space I am used to working out when traveling afar.



After 5 minutes into warm ups, Mike who is the infamous "lock" dancer decides to work out with me. He was surprisingly able to keep up for a while. I was happy that at least he tried. The two others who worked out with me during Easter weekend were my mother who lasted 5 minutes and my brother about 20 minutes. It is always great to see their efforts which always motivates and inspires me to work even harder.



So we finally arrived in NJ around midnight as I arrived with a bouquet of flowers for my wife. She was happy with the pleasant gift and card. Some of my friends were meeting Ami for the first time. After a few hours of rambling we all hit the sack and retired for the night.



Saturday morning we all awoke and had breakfast. Mike comes up to me and tells me he wants to give P90x another try. This time he said he was mentally prepared. We decided we would workout in the living room and put in the DVD. It was Kenpo X DVD and I am proud to say that Mike kept up with me the whole 60 minutes from warm up to cool down! I was very impressed by his determination and willingness to try again. It just goes to show you that if you put your mind to something you can achieve greatness.

See Video of Mike and I workout (taken by our very own Mr. Nichols) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABJr88fxsfE



We finally drove into NYC! We initially headed to Time Square and purchased tickets at TKTS for Phantom of the Opera and Chicago. Since we had time to kill before the show we went to Chinatown and ate at Joe's Shanghai. We had Kevin demonstrate once gain the "Double Han" (Video coming soon) After a an incredible dinner we went to Wall street taking some hilarious pictures. I will tell you some of my friends have creative minds when it comes to taking pictures at the rear of a statue of a bull. Well after a night out and a Broadway show we came back to NJ staying up a few more hours playing cards.



We all awoke Sunday morning pretty late. We connected our laptop to the TV and watched live stream at 10:45 am to www.mcleanbible.org/internetcampus to listen to a sermon given by Pastor Lon Solomon. It was a great message that spoke to all us.

It was soon approaching lunch time and what better way to end the weekend but to drive into Philly to get Pat's and Geno's steaks. It was special for a few who came into Philly for the first time and especially for Pete who went all out by ordering steak and cheese fries before he was to start his P90x program the next day. It was his last feast before he started on his 90 day nutrition plan. I remember my "last meal" being at Maggiono's the day before I started P90X.

This journey thus far has been fun and exciting. I have been able to have fun and workout at the same time. Balancing time for everything that comes your way is KEY! I am close to achieving my ideal weight at 135. I have lost close to 15 pounds already.

Will keep you guys posted!