I looked in the mirror and actually paid attention for once. I could see all that fat that was around my mid section and I wanted nothing more than to get rid of it and start adding muscle mass in the process. It wasn't long before I started doing my research and buying the magazines and really honing in on what was going to help me with lean muscle building and burn fat build muscle workouts.

I saw lots of those workout supplement reviews and some their outrageous promises and pictures they use to back it up. I purchased several products in the process hoping to find that short cut in a can or jar and I found a few that did some amazing thing but others were absolute garbage.

Things were working out real well for me, I was consistent in the gym lifting HEAVY weights because that is my body types preferred method of lifting and I was seeing results. By the way if you don't know you bodies preferred method of lifting you need to check this out!

Then it happened, I was about to turn the corner and break into lean muscle mass guy but instead I started falling apart. The weights were getting heavier and heavier while it took a serious toll on my body and joints. I switched my workout routine to be something less demanding and my results were staggering.

If you have never tried to do a body weight workout before then once you do you will understand how difficult it really can be.

It was late at night on a Friday or something and I started watching the infomercial for P90X. For those that don't know this is a workout that basically uses your body weight against you! You kick your own as!! Anyway, I was intrigued by the 12 DVD's set P90X was offering so I took the plunge. I knew that I couldn't continue lifting those weights because it took so much out of my joints so I took a chance.

P90X turns out to be the most kick ass workout I have done in a very long time. I was so burnt by the end of the first go around that I could hardly stand it. I mean I was in pretty good shape but I had no idea that I wasn't flexible or lacked that much balance.

Since starting I have workout for Free, P90X requires no gym just some simple weights and bands and a yoga mat.

There is a pretty serious meal plan that is part of their Lean Muscle Building Workout Routine. I didn't follow the program initially but since I started you can see some serious results, I am adding muscle mass and the most I lift in weight is a 35 pound dumbbells and a band. I am doing more push up that I have ever been able to do. I don't know this for sure but I bet I could do 100 push up without stopping. Amazing stuff. Pull ups are also part of P90X but I have yet to master these. (I am a big dude at 260 lbs.)

I can't say enough good things about P90X because of all the good it has done for me. It's simple to use, the workouts are still tough even after doing them for as long as I have and I can see the results almost every week! I am stunned!

If you haven't heard about P90X or saw it and thought it wasn't for you I encourage you to take another look at it. There are so many good thing built into the program and so many people getting results it is truly amazing. If you were to look up P90X on YouTube you would have millions of people who have their success stories up there and lots of advice so take a minute and see if it is right for you.

Now in this title I say that working out just isn't enough and I mean that. I used P90X for the longest time without following a good diet and it got me now where near what I wanted. I wanted to burn fat gain muscle, but never ate appropriately even thought I knew how. I finally made the shift and took on the food program and WOW I was shocked when the Fat Loss starting happening thanks to my workouts with P90X. The belly went away, the muscles in the shoulders became more defined and the legs starting looking less like tree trunks! I was happy and it made all the difference. My diet wasn't easy but I managed to work through it and eat what I was supposed to which dramatically improved my results.

Its worth mentioning that my workouts became more successful as well. I was able to add muscle mass and increase my endurance quite easily thanks to the proper diet. I could really tell on those day that I didn't quite reach my diet goals. I was tired and worn out after my workouts which I absolutely hated because I still needed my life but if I ate then I was good to go.

Hope all that is helpful!

Since making this post there is a brand new workout that takes P90X to the next level. INSANITY as its called is offered by BeachBody.com just like P90X and offers a true full body weight program. This extreme program is an absolute must have for anyone.

THE INJURY WORKOUT - Staying Focused on your workouts through Injuries

I have been doing my 3rd round of P90X and during my 4th week I was clumsy.  

I coach high school football and I was demonstrating a drill and low and behold I tripped and hurt my ankle.  In fact the injury was so obvious that the whole team hear the "POP" as I cringed in pain.  The swelling was so bad I had to take my shoe off because it was so tight.

Needless to say I was down for the count.  

Most people in this situation would have given in to their injury especially when looking at the workouts on the schedule require you to be on your feet the whole time.  Now I could have done  the same thing but I decided NOT to let that beat me.  This is what I did:

1.  Took care of the injury- I had a similar injury while playing football in college so I knew what I needed to do.  I iced, soaked and wrapped my ankle carefully for 2 days straight.  I stayed off my feet and elevated it as much as possible.  The result was that the swelling decreased and I started getting some mobility back.

2.  Mini physical therapy - I kicked the therapy into gear.  I rolled the ankle, put weight on the ankle and massaged the ankle.  It was good to help with my mobility but the down side is that the blood has started to show as a bruise near the bottom of my foot but I can walk pretty good.

3.  Went back and "Pressed Play" - I got back on the horse.  I modified what I could do in my workout to burn fat and kept "pressing play" so I didn't lose my momentum.  

I wish I could tell you that I have amazing results but my extreme workout is not kicked in all the way around.  I can tell you that P90X is one of the best workouts I have ever done and that I enjoy it quite a bit.  I can still do more push ups then all my kids I coach for football and that makes me happy.