The Journey Begins

After reading up on P90X, I've decided to take the leap and thought I should journal my progress. Here are some suggestions for people starting out:

• The past week I have been trolling the Beachbody forums and WOWY Supergym site and setting up my account. Make sure to take your beginning measurements, so you can refer back to your former self down the road
• Invest in a good pair of cross-training shoes. I did some research on shoes and decided on the Under Armour Proto Speed Trainer II. Most websites had this listed for $89 and I found a pair for sale on Cyber Monday Christmas Sale for $59 at Finishline . I even picked up a women's pair for my wife for $41 in the same model. Shipping was fast and free (on orders over $69). I'll review these shoes once they have been worn a week or so.
• Next up is your "gear" for working out. Needed will be a chin-up bar, dumbells or tension straps and a yoga mat.
• The Beachbody chin-up bar is $59 and while shopping at the local Sports Authority I found an identical size/style called Iron Gym Xtreme for $39. Save yourself the $20 + shipping and get this one. Review to come.
• Next purchase will be a set of 20 lb. dumbells from Sports Authority. I'll start with these until my budget permits me to get the Bowflex 5/52 SelectTechs
  
• After searching numerous websites and Ebay for a Black Mat™ by Manduka™ , the best price seems to be at Beachbody. Even on Ebay they sell for $90-$119. There are cheaper mats on the market, but this one is 1/4" thick and comes with a lifetime warranty.