So, I took the P90X fit test today, with the plan to start doing the workouts by Saturday, at the latest, depending on the kid’s schedule. It seems like we’re consistently able to carve out a couple hours in the evening after the kiddo goes to sleep, so even though I’m definitely not used to working out at 10pm, if that’s what I’ve got, it’s what I’ve got.

The before pics are scary, to me. It’s weird how different I think I look in photos versus how I look in the mirror. I think when you see yourself every day in a mirror, it’s easy to convince yourself you look better than you do – and I already thought I was out of shape.

I remember a few years ago, back when Klay & I were doing the weightloss challenge, that I thought 213 was great – and for then, it was. I was down from 233. With changes in diet, I was able to drop the weight quickly, but because I didn’t develop good *habits*, I slowly put it back on again – where Klay had more discipline, and kept it off (and even hit a better goal). It’s been what, three years? Four years? Clearly, though I won the contest, I lost the challenge.

So this time, I’m taking a different approach. Yeah, P90X is an infomercial product. But I’ve got at least three people who swear by it, and since they’re people I trust, I figured I’d give it a shot. I miss doing some sort of exercise, but without a structured regimen, I’m useless. I’m also useless if I have to go out of the house to get said exercise, so honestly, P90X seems like the perfect fit. But I need to be more committed to it than I was to stuff like EA Sports Active (which I never felt was challenging *enough* to really feel like a solid workout).

Just as an aside, the biggest problem with EA Sports Active and Wii Fit is that the hardware isn’t up to the task. While the Wii Balance Board is an entertaining input device, it requires too much time-intensive calibration, and it can’t stand up to a solid beating, which is what a piece of workout gear needs to be able to do. It forces you to slow down the workout and be gentle about everything, and frankly, that’s not what I want.

Everyone I know who’s done P90X has the same thing to say – that the results are the primary motivator. You keep doing it because you feel better, and because you look better.

I suppose I’m gonna find out soon.