I've been reading the Nerd Fitness e-mails, but I never felt the need to join any of the forum discussions until I received the e-mail about The Respawn Point. This is exactly what I need! Background: I spent years going to the gym, then switched to P90X. After two rounds of P90X, my progress was astounding. I dropped a pants size and was getting really strong. I started on my third round and got partway through the fifth week. And then.... I got the flu and was laid up for two weeks.I got right back to it once I was well. I was dismayed that I couldn't do as many reps as before, but planned to stick with it. I worked out that whole week.I then took a trip out of state to visit family. I typically get a gym membership when I'm there, but my 7-day trip turned into a 3.5-day trip due to airport delays, so there didn't seem to be any point. (And quite honestly, I do believe that spending time with out-of-state family and friends was more of a priority than spending time in an anonymous gym when I had so little time there.) So no exercise that week.I didn't exercise the week after I returned home because I was catching up on work and school post-trip. (Or at least that was my excuse.) I planned to get back to it the following week, but my boyfriend of almost three years abruptly broke up with me and it threw me into a tailspin. I told myself it was okay to take a week off to lick my wounds.The following two weeks I wasn't feeling well at all. No exercise.After those two weeks of not feeling well, I finally went to the doctor and was diagnosed with mono. Mono is a horrible thing. Four and a half more weeks off.During the first three weeks after my diagnosis, I was too sick to go shopping or prepare meals. The only food that can be delivered here is pizza or Chinese. I only got pizza on Halloween as a treat, but I basically lived off Chinese delivery the rest of that time. I thought it was a healthy option - I didn't get anything breaded and chose chicken and seafood entrees. (Although the egg rolls were deep-fried, I didn't think they were too bad as they're small. Ha.) They basically use cornstarch as a thickener, which I assumed to be a neutral substance. It's not. I looked it up recently and thought, OH HOLY HELL. I was eating total crap without knowing it, sleeping 15 hours a day, and sitting at a desk the rest of the time. The only calories I was expending consisted of basic metabolism and walking from the bedroom to the kitchen. And I'm completely shocked at how quickly that caused me to gain weight. I seem to have developed a gut overnight and can't fit into my jeans. And I'm panicking because I'm heading on another trip out of state in less than three weeks - I don't want to have to buy a whole new wardrobe, and I don't want to look like crap! I finally got clearance from my doctor to resume exercise as tolerated yesterday. So...if I was dismayed at my loss of progress after only two weeks with the flu, what am I to expect after having worked out only one week out of the last two months?!? I'm completely intimidated and anxious. But, I have an action plan: I talked to my friend who is a personal trainer. He advised the following: keep the same amount of reps, but lighten the weight considerably - e.g., if I was using a 25-pound weight for something, go to 15-pound weights. (I doubt I'll have any choice.) Take breaks as needed, then get back to it.Be kind to myself. Don't expect myself to be able to do what I could do when I left off. This is basically like starting over, and that's okay. I'll have to do pushups on my knees like I was at the very beginning, and that's okay. I might only be able to do 2 or 3 pull-ups, and that's okay. I won't be able to do all the reps during the ab workouts, and that's okay. I won't get down on myself. I'll celebrate the fact that I'm not giving up. I have to start somewhere, right?Recall the advice I received from a fellow P90Xer when I first started: take it easy the first week. Don't do as many reps as I think I can do. Otherwise I'll wreck myself and be too sore to come back to it the next day.I went to the store yesterday and my fridge now is stocked with chicken, turkey, fish, and fresh vegetables. During upcoming lunch outings with friends, salad with dressing on the side is the only thing on the menu. I like ordering sandwiches, burritos, etc., but I also truly do like salad so I don't view it as a punishment.That being said, I'm about to head into the bedroom that I converted into a gym and fire up the P90X. I'm anxious because I know how tough it's gonna be, but I'm also really, really determined. Wish me luck!
