Day 27 TapoutXT

Cardio XT and Ab Ripper - Last workout before the hurricane Isaac is scheduled to hit here in NOLA. Gave a 100% on this one cause I don't know how long I will have electricity so I figured I needed to give something a little extra. Was totally drenched by the time the workout was over with. After the past two days I am really looking forward to a rest day tomorrow. I am not going to lie I plan on charging a computer and saving it just incase I loose power and it's all I have to workout on. What can I say I am dedicated. If you don't hear from me for a couple of days it's cause my powers out. Fingers crossed the outage doesn't last long!

Breakfast - 1 hard boiled egg
Lunch zucchini and shredded chicken pie
Dinner: turkey burger, veggie stir fry
Snack: peanuts, granola bar, raspberries

Day 26 TapoutXT

Sprawl and Brawl -  Oh what a Tapout XT day. As hurricane Isaac approaches my workout partner and I had to baton down that hatches for the approaching storm and fit in a workout. Not an easy task, but it was done! Talk about dedication. On top of some sprawl and brawl there was 2 hours of some pretty intense manual labor. Needless to say I think I got a pretty good workout yesterday times 2! To quit does not exist, even when a hurricane is approaching!

Breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, raspberries
Lunch: beef and broccoli
Dinner: chicken zucchini crustless pie

Day 25 TapouTXT

Yoga XT -  Maybe one day when my foot is healed I will be able to tackle yoga xt but until that day comes I will strive to find new and innovative ways to exercise. Today my workout partner and I decided to try hip hop abs cardio blast. It was a 35 minute much lower intensity cardio burn. It was fun and a change of pace which was nice, but nothing beats Tapout XT. Basically you just danced around in place and contracted your abs. Yeah I sweat, but was never out of breath or really felt like I was pushing myself. I think anyone who isn't in very good shape and wants to start Tapout should look into doing something like Hip Hop Abs. It will help you build up your endurance and get you moving and then when you are looking for more of a challenge you can start an intensive program like Tapout XT. It's also a shorter workout which could be a plus for someone just getting back into working out.  Tomorrow its sprawl and brawl!

Breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, raspberries
Lunch: chicken caesar salad
Snack: peanuts
Dinner: ribs and sweet potato
Snack: raspberries

Day 24 TapouTXT

Muay Thai - Jab, cross, upper cut repeat! Awesome workout. My favorite one by far! Since hurting my foot 2 months ago I haven't been able to practice my karate at my dojo so this was a welcome surprise when popping this DVD in. It was like being at karate class! I felt like I sweat off 5lbs in this workout. I love the videos that really make you feel like you worked out. Not that all of them don't but the more cardio focused DVDs really get me excited about the program and what I am doing. I gave this one my all for the 45 minutes of the workout and I feel like I got out of it what I put in it which was 100%.  This one also grabs my vote for favorite because it didn't have all mat work that the other dvds have. Much easier on my wrists and shoulders than the previous workouts. After 24 days I am still loving it more than any of the other workout programs that I have done in the past.

Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: turkey burger, no bun, corn, 2 oranges
Dinner: turkey burger, corn
Snack: yogurt with peanuts

Day 23 TapoutXT

Buns and Guns + Ab Ripper - Totally not what I expected. I mean there were no push-ups! A Tapout workout with no push-ups is unheard of, isn't it? This workout is all band work. Total strength training. If your looking for cardio this is not the video for you. It's a quick one too clocking in at 35 minutes or so, but you don't think Mike is going to let you off that easy do you? Oh no there is another 15 minutes of ab ripper to tackle after you finish with your buns and guns. I almost felt like I was taking a break today with this one. Every other workout so far has been such high impact I was a little surprised by how low key this one was. I'm not complaining, believe me my shoulders and forearms welcomed the rest, but I was a little surprised. I did feel a little special with a couple of the moves. There was one that was suppose to work your triceps, but I just felt like I was hog tied! It was quite comical trying to wrap the band around my foot and then over my head and around my back while laying on my stomach. Maybe next time I will video tape it!

Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: turkey over romaine lettuce and fat free cheese with italian dressing
Snack: 2 oranges and grapes
Dinner: turkey burger no bun, corn
Snack: yogurt

Day 22 TapoutXT

Competition Core - Totally brought it on this one today. Broke a nice sweat and really felt it in my core. Good workout for the whole body that got me sweating. Got so much more out of this workout as compared to Cross Core Combat which is usually day one of the week. Tomorrow I get to tackle a new video, Buns and Guns, I saw it was a short one so that is kind of exciting! Not that I don't want to work out with Mike and TapoutXT,  but it's nice to know that you are going to get your workout in, in under an hour. Once you reach this point you really start to get into a routine with it and it just because part of your daily life. No big deal to take the time to TapoutXT. I find eating healthy becomes easier at this point too because you are starting to see real results and you know that it is a combination of both the exercise and the nutrition. If your out there and thinking about quitting don't! You'll be glad you stuck with it in the end! 


Breakfast: grapes and 2 oranges
Lunch: shrimp and broccoli
Snack: Yogurt
Dinner: Beef and green beans

Day 21 Tapout XT

Rest - A/K/A Grass cut day. Not too much of a workout today with the grass, which I guess is good since it is technically a rest day. No humidity and the fact the grass was dried out  really lightened the workout load today. Got a little burn in there but not much. I am still feeling a bit sore, but I have a feeling for the next sixty some what days I will be feeling sore.  Been taking my vitamins and drinking more water. Still on the eating healthy band wagon. Haven't had alcohol, fast food, or soda in 21 days. Best I have felt in awhile minus the soreness of my arms and shoulders from all those push-ups, up-downs, and mountain climbers.

Breakfast: 6 slices of turkey
Lunch: chicken ceasar salad, 2 oranges
Snack: grapes
Dinner: grilled shrimp, brocolli, and carrots
Snack: yogurt

Day 20 Tapout XT

Sprawl and Brawl - Another good workout. Love this one. Straight to the point in 46 minutes! No frills just thrills. Throw your punches, kick those legs, and hit the ground for those push-ups. Nothings better than a high intensity workout that gets you drenched! My body is sore though. After 20 days I am seeing results, but I am also feeling the pain. Less than I was in week one, but still some tightness in the mornings. I love that I am seeing progress. Today I did full out push-ups , the pop-ups and the shoulder slaps. Quite impressive after only 20 days.

Weight: 147.5
BMI: 23.1

Breakfast: 6 turkey slices
Snack: orange
Lunch: 2 bell peppers stuffed with chicken and white beans and fat free cheese
Snack: 2 oranges, grapes
Dinner: chicken and white beans and 2 oranges
Snack: yogurt with almonds

Day 19 Tapout XT

Legs and Back - Another hard workout, but another good one. I  feel like I am pushing hard when I do this one. I know it's called legs and back ,but I really feel it in my abs as well. Last weekend I did this one right after I woke up and I didn't really feel like I got what I should of out of it. Today I did it at my normal time and got so much more out of it! I need to stick to my schedule no matter what day of the week it is. I just am a workout in the afternoon kind of person. I think that is something you have to figure out to make a program work for you for the long haul. When is your body ready to workout. Mine isn't ready till the afternoon. You try and push it in the morning and you aren't going to get much out of it. My advice to you today is figure this one out and I bet you will get more out of your daily workout.

Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg, 3 sausage links
Lunch: white bean and crawfish
Snack: turkey, orange
Dinner: bell peppers stuffed with shredded chicken and white beans
Snack: orange

image courtesy of tapoutxt.com

Day 18 Tapout XT

Yoga XT - As everyone who reads this blog regularly knows my workout partner and I always skip yoga xt and do something else, never as much fun as Tapout, because of previous injuries. Last weekend we dug a really big hole and today  we took it out to the total gym and worked on our abs and then we hit the pavement walking. Nothing exciting but something is better than nothing. Got to keep moving. Looking forward to Legs and Back tomorrow. Always a good one!

Breakfast: slice of pork
Lunch: pork, green beans, and corn
Dinner: baked salmon, zucchini and squash
Snack: Yogurt

Day 17 Tapout XT

Plyo - Drenched! That's what I was after the end of this workout. This is one of the best workouts to get your heart rate up in the set so far I think. I think this one is tougher than the cardio DVD.  I do find myself yelling at the t.v. more often then not because Mike is really pushing you in this one. I also just have to say that Eric in the video bares a striking resemblance to a young Carson Daly! Back during his TRL days. But back to the workout. This was round three of this workout too and every time I do the workout I am able to accomplish more and more. You get out of it what you put in it and today I put it all into the workout and am really starting to see results! Keep pushing! To quit does not exist!

Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs
Lunch: crawfish and white beans
Dinner: pork, green beans, and corn
Snack: yogurt

Day 16 Tapout xt

Strength and Force Upper + Ultimate Abs - This was round three with this video. I remember the first go around I could barely make it through the first 40 minutes but this time made it all the way through both workouts and actually felt pretty good. I'm itching for some new videos to be thrown in next week but I'm just going to have to wait. My only complaint about this workout is the length. The Strength and Force portion is over 50 mins and the the abs portion is another 15 minutes. I have to agree with some other bloggers out there that the abs video should have been put on a different day. It's a lot of ab work and I don't feel by the time the second workout rolls around I am giving it my all because my body is sore and tired. Granted I finished them both, but the second workout just didn't get my all there at the end.

Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: chicken zuccini boats
Snack: 2 oranges, turkey
Dinner : Crawfish and white beans with corn

Day 15 Tapout XT

Cross Core Combat - This was the 2nd round with this DVD. This one people is my least favorite DVD in the set. The workout is hard. Push-up, plank, superman repeat! The good thing about it is at least it is one of the shorter workouts. I was tired before I even started yesterday since I decided to brave the southern heat and cut the over grown grass outside my house. Bad idea. Should have done Tapout XT first. Probably would have enjoyed the workout more. The good thing though is I felt like I had done one heck of a workout yesterday when it was all said and done. Still seeing results and that is what keeps driving me. After 15 days of all the programs I have done this one is my favorite. Love the cardio and the martial arts influence in the workouts. I also like that I'm not committing 2 hours a day to the TV to workout. No pain no gain. Keep on pushing!

Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: turkey burger no bread, orange
Snack: orange
Dinner: chicken zucchini boats, orange

Day Fourteen Tapout XT

Rest Day- And boy was I thankful for it. I have been really tired and sore lately and needed a true rest day. I walked 1 mile and other than that just ate my usual healthy stuff. Tomorrow is Cross Core Combat. Can't believe it's been two weeks. It has really gone by fast. If you are thinking about doing the program you really should. It's a tough program but it gets easier each day and I have found it a fun way to get in shape!

Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: zuccinni chicken pie, orange
Snack: 2 oranges
Dinner: turkey burger, corn,  beans, and salad
Snack: fat free sugar free yogurt with nuts

Day Thirteen Tapout XT

Cardio XT - 46 minutes of non-stop sweat. I really thought I was going to quit on this one. First off the set is different than in the previous videos. This one takes you to a MMA gym to get your workout on. Second even the video participants looked like they were dying in this one! There were three of them and they looked they were going to die just like I felt like I was going to die. Jumping jack, sprints in place, knee highs, butt kicks, punches, front kicks, up downs, you name this video has them all! I pushed through and by the end was dripping wet. Then the ab ripper video came on! OMG more workout! I was in shock but to quit does not exist and I pushed on through. I feel like I really burned the fat on this workout. So glad tomorrow is a rest day cause I know I am going to be hurting from this one!

Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: shrimp stir fry, black berries
Snack: orange
Dinner: zucchini chicken pie (better than it sounds)
Snack: 2 oranges

Day Twelve Tapout XT

Legs and Back - This video is one of my favorites, but today it was my enemy. Work up early to get my workout out the way, but was so sore from digging that big hole that the whole workout was quite the struggle. I pushed through it though and finished all 40 plus minutes of it, but I am not going to say it was easy. I did have one exciting moment in the workout when I realized that I could do the superman and then actually do the pop-up into the push-up. 12 days ago I couldn't even do a real push-up and now I am doing pop-up push-ups. Pretty cool!

Breakfast: -----
Lunch : chicken caesar salad
Snack: turkey, grapes, black berries
Dinner: shrimp and vegetables in a garlic sauce
Snack: 1 hard boiled egg

Day Eleven Tapout XT

Yoga XT - Otherwise known as skip the yoga DVD cause I can't do it with a broken foot and go dig a hole outside day. Yep instead of yoga-ing it up I chose to go out into the 98 degree heat and dig some holes for a pool that will hopefully be put up shortly. Felt like I actually got in a pretty good workout from it. 2 hrs, loads of sweat, and lots of biceps, leg and back work. Ready to get back to my normal workout tomorrow! I would rather workout with Mike than dig holes in the heat!

Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg, 3 turkey sasauge links
Lunch: Beef strips, green beans, and peppers
Dinner: chicken caesar salad
Snack: boiled shrimp

Day Ten Tapout XT

Plyo XT - Second round of plyo so much better than the first round of plyo! It was still a challenge but  at least this time around I didn't feel like I was going to die. The greatest part is I am seeing results in my endurance and strength and it has only been 10 days! After the workout it was time to weigh in. I knew I had lost weight before I stepped on the scale but the question as to how much still was hanging in the balance. I was thinking maybe 3-4lbs but when I saw the number I was floored! 8lbs down! I couldn't believe it. Sticking with the 10 day slim down plan and the exercise calendar really worked. The past 10 days haven't been easy but pushing myself has really paid off. Don't quit out there if your on the program stick with it! You can do it!

Breakfast: 2 zucchini tots

Lunch: zucchini egg and onion omelet, chicken and pepper

Dinner: chicken caesar salad

Snack: grapes

Stats:
Weight: 149lbs
BMI: 23.6

Day 9 TapoutXT

Strength and Force Upper + Ultimate Abs - When I did this video on day 2 I thought I was going to die before I even made it to the end. I couldn't even make it through the entire Ultimate Abs portion. But today was a different story. Not only did I make it through the first video, which is not a short one clocking in at over 50 minutes, but I rocked Ultimate Abs and even kept up with the killer move. In just 9 days I have improved. That's something to be excited about! Granted I don't look like the people on the infomercial but like I said in the beginning you have to set realistic goals and get excited when you reach them. Looking forward to weigh in tomorrow.

Breakfast: zucchini egg and onion omlet
Lunch: turkey burger, baked zucchini strips, corn
Snack: orange
Dinner: chicken teriyaki, salad, miso soup, and 3 california rolls

Day Eight Tapout XT

Competition Core: 48 minutes of straight forward core work. Lots of sprints and band work. Not too much on the ground pounding the crunches though. The lunges with the stand up crunch in this one almost killed me. Great Ab workout though. Really liked how the bands were thrown in there. My favorite part about this program is that everyday I really feel like I can feel changes. It's an awesome feeling. One thing you have to remember when doing a program like this is that nutrition is a key factor in getting the results you want. You have to put the right fuel in your body. This has been the toughest part for me. I love fast food and there is no fast food on the TapoutXT workout plan. During the 10 day slim down, which comes to a close tomorrow, there is no bread on the plan either which has also been a challenge. It's hard but feeling better and seeing results already has kept me focused. If your doing the program too, don't quit! Stick with it. You can do it!

Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: spinach salad with carrots and fat free cheese low fat itallian dressing, a small protion of shredded chicken, corn, and black beans
Snack: Black grapes and an orange
Dinner: turkey burger (no bun) w/ cheese and bbq sauce, baked zucchini, and corn

photo curtsy of tapoutxt.com 

Day Seven Tapout XT

Rest Day - I really missed my Tapout XT today. I know that I needed to rest, but I was itching to at least do the abs workout, but I  refrained. Instead on my off day I cut the grass. This might have been just as hard of a workout as Tapout XT today. The heat index was over hundred and it was 6 o'clock in the afternoon. I was dripping by the time I finished. So far I am really impressed with the results and I am only 7 days in. I feel better, look better, and am healthier than I have been in quite some time! Can't wait to step on the scale and see how much it moved. 3 more days till the first weigh in.

Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: 1 bell pepper stuffed with shredded chicken and white beans, and a side of shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and tomatoes
Snack: Orange, black seedless grapes
Dinner: grilled flounder, carrots, and corn and black bean salad

Day Six Tapout XT

Sprawl and Brawl - 46 minutes of pure sweating madness is how I would describe it! This one was non-stop up and down punching, kicking, sit-ups, and push-ups. Anyone who tells you this one didn't work you didn't give it their all. It feels like everyday the videos get harder and harder but I know that is a good thing cause that means everyday I get the most out of the workout I can. This one starts out just like the rest with a warm-up that consists of high knees, jumping jacks, and some butt kicks before moving into the actual workout out. It was tough to keep up with this one and most of the moves I had to modify, but even with the modification of the pop-up push-ups and lunges I still feel like I was pushed to my limits with this workout. I do wish there were more stretches at the end of the video. I spent some extra time after sprawl and brawl  stretching since I was feeling pretty tight in my legs. Ready for that rest day tomorrow.

Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: chicken and white bean filled bell peppers, orange
Snack: grapes and an orange
Dinner: shredded baked chicken with black beans and corn
Snack: Orange

photo courtesy of tapoutxt.com

Day Five Tapout XT

Legs and Back - This workout so far is my favorite! Talk about making you sweat. I was dripping within the first 15 minutes. Lots of band work and explosive moves that not only get your heart rate going, but make your muscles feel the burn. You start out with a warm-up that consists of jumping jacks, high knees, and some speed skaters to name a few moves and then you move right into the workout. Jumping jacks with the foot band, push-ups with the foot band, and some high knees with the running band. You also get some arm band work thrown in there for good measure. My favorite move with the bands is the tire throw. I could really feel all the muscles working to pull that band over my head. This is one of the shorter videos clocking in at around 45 minutes, but it moves so fast that it is over before you know it. I know it is only day 5, but I am already starting to see and feel some changing in my arms and abs. Can't wait till weigh in 5 days!

I'm not going to lie this week's food intake hasn't been easy . I have always been one to work out, but eating super healthy has always been a challenge. I have been good this week staying away from the breads for the 10 day slim down,but yes I have been craving them. What helps though, is the fact that I am starting to see the change I want to see and I feel better than ever.

Breakfast: Orange
Lunch: Grilled Turkey Burger (no bun), black bean salad with corn tomatoes and onions
Snack: boiled shrimp with bell peppers
Dinner: Bell peppers stuffed with baked chicken and white beans with fat free cheese and an orange

image courtesy of tapoutxt.com

Day Four Tapout XT

Yoga XT is the fourth workout in the Tapout XT series. It is the only one so far that was lower impact. Be ready for plank after plank after plank. Unlike the yoga found in the P90X series this video is doable if you have the wrist strength.  There weren't any crazy yoga poses just lots of repetition of the same poses that would be found at an intermediate yoga class. If  you already have good upper body strength than you should do ok with this one. For me it was a challenge. I am recovering from a broken foot and my workout partner has broken their wrist several times so this video was a challenge for us. We stuck with it as long as we could but our bodies couldn't take the plank, sun salutation, and downward dog repetitions.  We had to wave the white flag half way through, but we didn't want to not do a workout, so we popped in the ab ripper video, did some Shotokan katas,  and then took a walk. 

I kept up with the meal plan eating 2 scramble eggs and 3 turkey sausage links for breakfast, grilled eggplant, onions, and bell peppers with grilled tilapia for lunch, some broccoli soup for a snack, and grilled turkey burgers cut with zuccini, minus the bun, with some black bean salad for dinner.  As always I stayed hydrated with plenty of water. 

photo courtesy of tapout.com

Day Three Tapout XT

Plyo XT - Everyday it seems the workouts get a little bit tougher. This workout pushed me to my limits again. My legs felt like jello by the time this one was over. Lunge after lunge punch after punch I could really feel the workout working my body. The warm-up today was a little bit different throwing in some jump roping and hip flexer stretches. The cool down today focused more on actually stretching your muscles out than in previous days. The workout clocked in at 51 minutes so a bit shorter than yesterdays which was nice.

My food intake for the 10 day slim down has been going well. Not too many cravings. For breakfast today I stuck with my old favorite 2 hard bowled eggs and for lunch I ate the last of my grilled chicken mandarin salad. I spiced things up for dinner baking some tilapia, making a fruit salad, and eating some broccoli.  Ready to do it again tomorrow!

image courtesy of tapoutxt.com

Day Two Tapout XT

Strength and Force Upper + Ultimate Abs - Not going to lie these two workouts kicked my butt yesterday! This workout is intense and pushes you the full 53 minutes of the workout. Don't look for any breathers on this DVD cause there aren't any. The warm-up is pretty much the same as in the previous DVD but that is actually the only thing similar. The workout is full of push-up combination and band exercises. I have to say I enjoyed this workout more than the previous one, Cross Core Combat, just because I sweat more.  Around the 30 minute mark I was feeling it pretty good through my abs, biceps, and triceps. By the time the end of the first workout, yes there are two workouts on day two, rolled around I was completely spent. After a grueling 53 minutes of upper body there was another 15 minutes of ab work. I will be honest I only made it through 9 minutes of the ab workout. I am one to keep pushing, but there was nothing left to push last night. Anyone who tells you these exercises don't work obviously isn't giving it their all!
Food wise I stuck by my standards from yesterday: 2 hard bowled eggs, two slices of turkey, and for lunch and dinner I ate the mandarin chicken salad recipe, along with drinking plenty of water. So far no hungry spots yet!

photo courtesy of http://www.tapoutxt.com/workouts.html

Day One Tapout XT

Cross Core Combat the first workout you experience during the 90 day challenge that is Tapout XT.  Be ready for push-ups, but not your everyday push-up these push-ups are explosive! From the get go this workout is jammed packed with moves that will challenge you, but not discourage you. The warm up is your average warm-up encompassing jumping jacks, high knees, and butt kicks. From there you move into your push-ups, planks, superman's, some band work, with some punches and kicks thrown in there for good measure. The workout is intense and most people will need to modify the moves to meet their fitness level. I didn't have a problem completing the workout nor did I feel super drained afterwards. I actually felt energized and ready for tomorrow. I did opt to modify the push-ups, dropping to my knees so that I could complete the reps demanded but I don't feel like this took away from the intensity workout at all.
Today was also the first day of following the 10 day slim down nutrition guide. I have to say I made the mandarin chicken salad and it was really filling and satisfying. For breakfast I had 2 hard bowl eggs followed up with some grapes as a snack today. I drank plenty of water and surprisingly didn't feel hungry at all today. Day one down! Bring on day 2!

photo courtesy of tapoutxt.com

TapoutXT Package

It is day one of my TapoutXT journey. I received my TAPOUT XT package in the mail yesterday and excitedly went through it. It came in a box similar to what my P90X was delivered in. Everything looked as it did in the infomercial with a few extra pieces of information regarding consulting your doctor before you start any exercise program and a couple of flyers about following TapoutXT on facebook and twitter. The 10 day slim down guide gives you 10 days worth of recipes to follow to help you loose 10lbs quickly when starting the program. . The nutrition plan is a bit more in depth outlining what you should eat, what you shouldn't, and why certain foods are good or bad for you. Next I watched the Strike DVD. This DVD outlines what the punches and kicks are called and how to properly execute them. It’s only 7 minutes long, give or take a minute.  The bands seem to be pretty good quality, but I will have to wait and see if they stand the 90 day challenge. The workout calendar allows you space for a before pic, a 10 day pic, a 30 day pic, a 60 day pic, and a 90 day pic. The program states that you should weigh yourself at these bench mark days and no days in between.  The towel is bigger than I thought it would be and an added bonus is a TapoutXT window decal.  So far so good. Time to look at my stats and see if I can make them move in my favor!

Stats:

Weight: 157.7

BMI: 24.5