It pays to read the directions

Dear P90X Diary,

Today i sat down to really start reading the Fitness Guide that came along with my P90X® boxed set, and i started getting nervous all over again. From the Guide:

P90X Is an extreme fitness program designed for individuals in top physical condition and health, and, therefore, should NOT be attempted by someone who does not meet the minimum fitness requirements outlined in this guidebook or by someone who has any history of health problems, including, but not limited to, heart, respiratory, knee, shoulder, or spinal (back or neck) problems. This warning must not be discounted. There are many fitness alternatives if you have any physical or health condition or are prone to injuries – but P90X is NOT one of them.

I thought i was just going to jump in in Day 1 and get going with the exercises, but now i realize i need to record my baseline first. The fitness test (download PDF from TeamBeachbody.com), while it doesn't seem ridiculously hard, is something i haven't undertaken in some time. And, of course, there are the mandatory warnings that if you are not in adequate shape starting out, you probably shouldn't undertake the program. So with the program purchased and waiting to go, with no time to switch back to the more introductory Power 90, i'm getting the jitters.

I'm doing it; i've already decided that part. I just want to be sure it will work well enough for me to feel good about my results. After all, this isn't just a matter of me trying to get in better physical shape, this has a mental-emotional component for me too. I said was going to do it, and i owe it to myself to follow through. That alone will make a huge difference in my personal integrity. Also, i've been dealing with a protracted period of depression and i think a big part of it has to do with my physical inactivity.

I have to get moving again, in more ways than one.

So, rather than telling myself, "I'll start walking more," or "I can join a local gym," or any of a dozen other generalized, non-specific ideas i've never executed, i told myself to do this one specific program for 90 days. I'm jumping in the deep end. And according to the Fitness Guide, it's pretty deep indeed.

Less than three days to go...