Protein Shake - good, Barium - bad

It has been a weekend of ups and downs. I'm back into the hard stuff in Power 90X after the first recovery week. Chest, Shoulders and Tri was a workout I like. Push up, presses and more push ups. I was disgusted with myself for not being able to do a 1-handed push up on my non-dominant side (right). My arms were so tired at the end that I just flopped on the floor. After that session I went to a 成体 (seitai) which is like a chiropractor/masseur. It was the first time for me getting a massage here. The guy was shorter than me and was really polite. He asked me where I felt pain and I just explained that I had muscle ache and needed some limbering up. I took the massage for 30 minutes and he worked down my body. My neck was really stiff (surprisingly) and he hit a pressure point behind my left knee and it hurt a bit. He explained that people with lower back problems have pain at that location. All in all it was just what I needed. I will definately go again. Perhaps once a week. After P90X, you need all the recovery you can get to let your central nervous system rest.

Yesterday, I got up at 7 am and without eating Breakfast (the most important meal of the day!) I got in the car and drove to the hospital. I had a medical test. They put me through the usual, chest x-ray, blood sample, abdominal examination. At one point I received an echo of my stomach. I went into a darkened room, slightly perfumed from the medical jelly that the hot young nurse splattered over my stomach. She then put a scope against my stomach to see inside, rather like an ultrasound that pregnant women get. She wore a mask but I could almost see a blush around her cheeks, her first gaijin inspection no doubt! At the end I had the most disgusting, vile examination ever. Barium! I stood on a platform with my back to a large metallic surface. The guy handed me something in a cup and told me to wash it down with another liquid. It was like bicarbonate of soda and frothed in my mouth as it went down. He left the room after handing me another concoction. Through a mike he told me to sip at what I can only describe as a cup of paint thinly disguise with the smell of peach. It went down like limewash treacle and I almost puked it up right there. Then the platform I was on began to fall backwards so that I was lying down. He proceeded to turn me around while no doubt looking inside my guts to see how the liquid was moving around inside me. It was sickening. I asked him later if anyone puked on the table and he said "oh yeah," and laughed. I left the room and wretched twice in the toilet but nothing came out because I hadn't eaten since 9pm the previous night - Urgh.

Did Plyometrics at night. Went well but not as intense as you can imagine with Barium sloshing around in my guts. Back and Biceps today. Two of my favourite muscles.

To end on a good note. I've dropped around 2kg in weight and nearly 2-inches on my waist.
I got some pics as well. Back and front and er..well one for the ladies (ok it's a legs shot).
My fat loss on my stomach crawls along at a snail's pace. I just have to live with it. But my back and legs are looking stronger.













and the before picture. I'd let myself go a bit...I'm ashamed to admit.













Keep pushing play!