Success!

FROM: Jim
TO: Bob
DATE: 9.30.07

Bob,
Here is the result of 90 days of working out for 30 minutes each day.

The last week I was on vacation in Charleston, South Carolina which kind of lowered my work out insensity but helped my skin color -- got a lot of beach time.

I am thrilled that I made the 90 day committment. I plan to keep working out although won't be tied to a video. Breaking a sweat everyday is a great motto to have.

Thanks for being there with all of your support and encouragement. Couldn't have done it without. Let's come up with another challenge once you are done.

Look forward on seeing your final results as well.

Here's to a healthy next 46 years!

Best,
Jim

TO: Jim
FROM: Bob
DATE: 10.1.07

Jimbo,

We did it! Hot damn! And they said it couldn't be done. Congrats, my friend. You have no idea what a psychological brick wall I've just climbed over. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I think I started--and failed to finish--Power 90 at least 90 times over the last several years.

So to FINALLY complete the thing, after all these years of failure, is NOT insignificant.

There are some great lessons to be learned through this process. One thing I learned is that committing to a collaborative effort to get something done can be immensely helpful. Having someone else who's committed to finishing the program--and tracking your progress while you're trying to get it done--gives you an extra incentive to keep plowing ahead. At least, that's how it worked for me.

I know that when you told me the story of how you took a red eye for work, then did Power 90 first thing that morning at your hotel--geez, I couldn't justify blowing off too many days after hearing that one. I can't tell you how many days I didn't feel like exercising. But by 11, even midnight a few times, I'd be rallying my lazy ass to do that day's Power 90 workout. All because I couldn't get that red eye story out of my mind.

So I owe you a deep debt of gratitude for helping me finish this thing. You are now officially my very first collaborator in the great 13 Collaborations experiment, seeing as how this is my first completed collaboration. Thanks for helping me pull it off.

The Power Of Collaboration! It's a concept that could change the world, don't you think?

I'm also grateful to my girlfriend for her support. Many was the day she'd ask if I'd done Power 90 yet. Not in an "I'm repulsed by your gut and love handles so would you please get some exercise" kind of way. Tamale was encouraging in the very best way possible. The combo of the collaboration and the lovingly encouraging companion were the secret ingredients during this adventure into Power 90Land.

You'll be glad to know I celebrated my victory yesterday by eating a pint of Vanilla Swiss Almond Haagen-Dazs on my walk home from visiting my old friend Ruth at her Hollywood retirement home.

I can live with the fact that I didn't get end my 3 month dance with Power 90 by sporting a 6-pack. I was able to eat my share of tasty "bad' food--ice cream, candy, cake, etc.--in conjunction with my attempts to eat "healthy." Like you said earlier, it's not about the physical transformation that's taking place.

It's the internal intagibles that you feel shifting--that's the most satisfying aspect of the whole experience.

Still, I can't deny that it would've been nice to have a 6-pack in my Day 90 pic.

Maybe our next challenge can be to embark on Beachbody's "6 Week Abs" workout?

Here's the final numbers on my Power 90 experience:

Week 1--worked out 5 days
Week 2--worked out 7 days
Week 3--worked out 5 days
Week 4--worked out 5*** days
Week 5--worked out 5 days
Week 6--worked out 5 days
Week 7--worked out 5 days
Week 8--worked out 6 days
Week 9--worked out 6** days
Week 10--worked out 4 days (doh! WTF?!)
Week 11--worked out 6 days
Week 12--worked out 6 days*
Week 13--worked out 5 days


* 5 if you don't count the day I rode my bike to and from school, followed by a hearty ride into town for a guilty visit to Walmart for cheap toiletries.

** 4 if you don't count the day I took a vigorous spin around the San Francisco Bay on Brad's paddle board one evening, followed by an equally taxing trip down the bay on Brad's sea kayak the following afternoon.

*** 4 if you don't count the day I substituted a 2-hour sweaty sex romp for that day's cardio workout. But like I said, that was as vigorous as any P90 workout I've had.


Even though I didn't exercise the recommended 6 days every week, I kept going. In the past I would have beat myself up for not being perfect...and then quit. That's why I kept going back to Day 1 so many times over the years. I guess the lesson here is to persevere. Don't back down just because things aren't going perfectly. If you fail today, tomorrow's another day to make up for it.

I'm gonna try to go another 21 days. 3 more weeks of Power 90. Why? Because I want to make up for the weeks where I only worked out 5 days--and that slacker week where I only did it 4 days. But mostly I wanna keep going because I want my Power 90 experience to be a Power 111 experience. I like all those ones. Or maybe I'll make it Power 113. Either way...

The paradigm shift is in place.

Thanks for the inspiration, amigo!

~Bob O.


P.S. Did you notice that we both look bigger/softer/doughier in our Day 90 pics than we did in our Day 60 pics? What gives?! Can you see why I'm continuing on to Day 111? Time to ignore the dessert tray and just say no to flour!