Knowing the four basics listed below will help you to have successful results. Don’t just know them… DO THEM!

By: David Gluhareff

Resistance training
Cardiovascular training
Nutrition/supplements
Rest/recuperation

Resistance Training Exercises

These are anaerobic (without oxygen) exercises that help build muscle. Resistance training can be performed with free-weights, rubber bands, plate-loaded machines, weight stack machines, or by using your own body for resistance such as a push-up or walking lunge. The muscle your body builds will aid in continuous fat burning twenty-four hours per day.

You can work multiple muscles at once by doing exercises such as bench presses (works pecs, front shoulders, forearms, and some triceps), squats (works quadriceps, hamstrings, buns, and inner/outer thighs), and dead lifts (works traps, rhomboids, forearms, low back, buns, inner/outer thighs, quads, hams, and some calves). By doing compound movements such as these your body will work more muscles at once which will really stoke the fat-burning furnace.

Keep variety in your resistance training always! Never keep doing the same exercises week after week. You will only bore your body and progress will be stagnant. Resistance training not only helps burn fat, it helps keep your blood pressure and cholesterol at normal levels, helps strengthen bones, and also helps relieve stress. Always study and learn different exercises, which use different equipment.

Most importantly learn proper form to prevent injuring yourself when performing an exercise. To be on the safe side always look like a chicken when performing an exercise. Keep your chest forward, butt back, and lower back in. Always stretch each muscle after you work it. This will increase your flexibility and decrease post workout muscle soreness.

Cardiovascular Training Exercises

These are aerobic (with oxygen) exercises. These train the most important muscle in the body, the HEART. Aerobic or cardiovascular training, helps burn fat, keep blood pressure and cholesterol in normal ranges, relieve stress, strengthen heart, lungs, and the rest of the cardiovascular system, and also promotes perspiration to help your body sweat out any excess water it does not need.

Examples of aerobic activities are: walking, biking, roller blading, rowing, using elliptical machines, stair stepping, Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, basketball, jogging, hiking, and aerobics classes at fitness facilities. Always remember to do a light warm-up for five to ten minutes before really getting into the exercise, and remember to do a five to ten minute cool-down after you do the exercise. Do not forget to stretch the muscles you worked after exercising.

Nutrition and Supplementation

When you workout you expend energy, which eats up your body’s nutrients. You need to replenish those nutrients as soon as you workout. Within forty-five minutes after a workout consisting of weight training and cardiovascular training you need to eat a meal.

This meal should be a small serving (one handful) of simple sugars (banana, grapes, 12-16 oz. sports drink, or post workout carb drink), a medium serving (two handfuls) of complex carbs (brown or wild rice, sweet or red potatoes, veggie pasta, whole grain bread, or oatmeal), and a large serving (three handfuls) of proteins (lean red meat, deer meat, chicken breasts, turkey breasts, buffalo, egg whites, whey protein powder, soy protein powder, cottage cheese, or tuna) and of two tablespoons of a monounsaturated fat (extra virgin olive oil or canola oil).

That meal was just post workout, which should make you a little full. Your whole day should consist of five to six small meals that should never make you full, but keep your metabolism in high gear. Each small meal, except post workout, should contain a small serving (one handful) complex carbs (brown or wild rice, sweet or red potatoes, veggie pasta, whole grain bread, or oatmeal), a medium serving (two handfuls) of proteins (lean red meat, deer meat, chicken breasts, turkey breasts, buffalo, egg whites, whey protein powder, soy protein powder, cottage cheese, or tuna), and a medium serving (two handfuls) of green vegetables.

With every meal and throughout the day always drink water. Even with all this healthy food your body will not get certain nutrients or enough of them. This is where supplements come in. Taking a daily multi-vitamin/mineral supplement will help give your body important vitamins and minerals it may be missing. Sometimes you may not be able to cook or prepare all of your food on time. This is where meal replacement bars and powders can come into your daily diet routine.

Rest and Recuperation

You can workout hard and eat right for ten years, but never see lean muscle appear or see your body take shape if you do not get enough rest and recuperation. By rest I mean you need to get at least nine hours of sleep at night or eight at night and an hour nap after your workout. Sleep is important because this is when your body is producing its greatest amount of growth hormone which aids in repair and growth of your body.

You can have the best workout of your life and get no growth from it if you go out and party all night and get no sleep. By recuperation I mean not over-training. Do not as a beginner do a total body workout everyday with the weights. If you do you will not ever progress. Your muscles will constantly get beaten up every day and never have time to recuperate and repair themselves. As a beginner give yourself at least a day to two days rest between resistance training exercises. If you are still sore two days later, then do not work that area until the soreness has passed.

Your partner in health & fitness.

There really are two things that need to happen:

1) Rid yourself of the fatty layer that is covering your abdominal muscles; and

2) Tightening and toning your abdominal muscles.

Easy enough, eh?  And NO, I’m not going to tell you to do 1000 crunches to get abs like Gwen, Fergie or Britney.

With that being said, here are the Top Seven Tips to a Tighter and Stronger Midsection:

1.  STRENGTH TRAINING. Work your midsection with specific core strength training exercises, at least, 3 times a week.  Challenging them will build strength and lean muscle.

2. WATCH WHAT YOU EAT. Ditch the sodium laden and processed foods, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup – IMMEDIATELY.

The fat stores created by excess sugar intake most often accumulate around your waist, covering up your abdominal muscles. Cut these items from your diet and replace them with real whole foods such as lean meats, vegetables, whole grains (lots of fiber!!), nuts and fruits.

3. CARDIO INTERVALS. Not only is 45 minutes on the treadmill or Elliptical incredibly boring, but it doesn’t challenge your fitness, like your body needs, in order to burn more fat.

Break up your cardio training with High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), think INSANITY™, for your cardio workouts. HIIT training uses intense bursts of cardio to fire up your heart rate and metabolism. Great way to blast the blubber.

4. RESISTANCE. Crunches are boring and old school.  Not to mention your core adapts to them quickly and they become ineffective.  Add a little flavor to your abdominal exercises by incorporating some weight or resistance.  Use a dumb bell, medicine ball or resistance band to create a harder workout for your core.  This is how you’ll bring to build that definition.

5. DON’T BE A SUCKER. Never waste your time or money on:

1. Packaged health food that come with weight loss claims. It’s likely packaged with chemical fillers that will hinder the loss of belly fat. (See Tip #2).

1. Goofy abdominal exercise products as sold on late night infomercials – all you really need is your own body weight, an exercise ball and dumbbells or a medicine ball.
2. So-called weight loss supplements. The magic pill for flat abs doesn’t exist, so you’d be wasting your health and money on a bogus product.

6. TARGET YOUR LOWER ABS. It’s easy to neglect the lower abs, but they are an important part of the equation. Incorporate the V-Up or Hip Raise into your exercise routine:

V-Up Starting Position: Sit on the edge of an exercise bench; lean back to a 45 degree angle. Extend your legs out until they are level with the floor.

Movement: Exhale and bring your legs and upper body close together (envision a “V” shape), while contracting your abdominals. Inhale as you slowly release your legs, returning them to the starting position.

Hip Raise Starting Position: Lay with back flat on the mat or floor, place hands beneath lower back for support, legs straight in the air with feet flexed.  Your body should look like a 90 degree angle.

Movement: With no momentum, slowly lift your hips off the mat, using your lower abdominal muscles.  Inhale as you bring your hips back down to the mat.  Accelerate the move by taking your shoulders off the mat as well to work your entire abdominals.

7. CHALLENGE YOUR CORE OFTEN. Don’t limit your abdominal exercise to the gym, incorporate core strengthening during daily life and throughout each workout.  Work on your core even while you sit at your desk.  Sit up straight, shoulders back and chest up, pull your belly button into your spine and contract and flex your core.  Breath as you would normally, then release after 30 seconds.  Continue this several times throughout the day.  Great way to get through a long boring meeting!

A strong core is the foundation for flat, tight abs.

However, keep in mind that your results will be seriously hindered if you do the same exercise routine over and over. Your abs need a progressive challenge in order to transform. This means new exercises, different resistance and increased challenge.

Your partner in HEALTH & FITNESS!

Let’s start with the basics:

1.            What’s your current level of fitness activity?

A.  Very limited, maybe a short walk here and there. (May also have some health issues that inhibit workout activity – high blood pressure, pre-diabetic, Type 2 Diabetes, heart condition, etc).

B.  My activity is sporadic, some weeks are better than others.

C.  I’m fairly active and hit the gym as much as 3 x’s a week, but not seeing results.

D.  I’m VERY active and strong. (i.e.: I run quite a bit, do cross training, boot camps).

2.            What are your fitness goals?

A.   To find a program with a consistent level of lower impact activity.

B.   To find a program that will keep me active and is active.

C.   I want to see results, but I’m not a beginner and I’m not advanced

D.  I want something higher impact and that incorporates weight training & cardio.

3.          What is your time commitment to reaching your goals?

A.  I can commit to about 45-60 minutes, 2-3 days a week.

B.  I can commit to about 30-60 minutes, 3-4 days a week.

C.  I can commit to about 45-60 minutes, 4-5 days a week.

D.  I can commit to about 45-75 minutes, 5-6 days a week.

Ok, so these are just 3 top questions that I generally ask anyone interested in getting started with a workout program, but not really knowing what is the best one for them.

Often times, people want to immediately start with P90X, when they are NO condition to begin with a program that is so advanced.  The beauty of the selection of Beachbody programs, is that there is something for EVERYONE, and not every program will be suited for all…but definitely challenges to work towards.

So here’s a breakdown of what workout program would work best based off these category of questions (scroll down to bottom of the page to review the short video clip showcasing each product and its brief description):

If you answered mostly A’s:

A few recommended programs would be: Slim in 6® Rapid Results, Kathy Smith’s Project: You! Type 2®, Total Body Solution™ or Tony and the Folks® (for active adults 55+)

If you answered mostly B’s:

A few recommended programs would be: Slim in 6® Rapid Results, 10-Minute Trainer®, Power 90® or Yoga Booty Ballet®

If you answered mostly C’s:

A few recommended programs would be: Turbo Jams®, Hip Hop Abs®, Rockin’ Body®, 10-Minute Trainer® or Power 90®.

If you answered mostly D’s:

A few recommended programs would be: P90X®, Tony Horton’s One-on One Series, ChaLEAN Extreme® or Insanity®

Here are the descriptions of each suggested program above:

SLIM IN 6® Rapid Results, by Debbie Siebers

The original 6-week miracle makeover combines daily cardio with light resistance to burn fat fast. Fitness expert Debbie Siebers developed Slim in 6® through a combination of low impact cardiovascular and weight-bearing exercises collectively called Slim Training®. This three-phase, 6-week slimming program helps shed pounds quickly in a healthy manner, while jump-starting the body onto the path of long-term health and fitness.

Kathy Smith’s Project: YOU! Type 2™, by Kathy Smith

Kathy Smith’s Project: YOU! Type 2™ is a step-by-step guide to creating a healthy lifestyle for people with type 2 diabetes and anyone who wants to reduce his or her chance of getting diabetes. Developed in conjunction with doctors, certified diabetes educators, and the American Diabetes Association, this is a comprehensive program to take control of your health and your life!  This 12-week workout system comes with a cookbook, fitness & food journal, workout calendar, workout guide and a wallet to house the 8 workouts.  For more detailed information, click here to review the product page.

Total Body Solution™, by Debbie Siebers & Chad Waterbury

If minor or major post-exercise soreness has sidetracked your workout program, this program will help you get back on track. Created by Debbie Siebers and neurophysiologist Chad Waterbury, Total Body Solution™ is an incredible preventative and rehabilitative series of drills to help you recover without pain pills or chiropractic visits. Even if you’re not suffering from pain, you can use Total Body Solution as part of your warm-up to help prevent muscle strains and pains before they happen. Take control of joint and muscle health today so you can maintain your workout routine—and be comfortable doing it.

Tony and the Folks! by Tony Horton

It’s never too late to get fit!  Now there’s a great way for anyone age 55 and up, with the help of Tony Horton himself!  A fun half hour of fitness for anyone who wants to ease into a new exercise program and get results. You’ll get the heart pumping and blood flowing with each low-impact exercise presented in this program.  In just over 30 minutes, Tony & the Folks! will help you: increase energy, reduce joint stiffness, improve flexibility, strength & balance.  All the moves in this program offer alternate positions to increase or decrease the intensity. It’s truly one of the most entertaining ways to achieve and sustain a healthy lifestyle for someone new to fitness.

10-Minute Trainer®, by Tony Horton

No matter how busy you are, you can always find the time to squeeze in a 10-minute workouts.  With these breakthrough workouts and his easy-to-follow eating plan, you’ll lose weight, get toned, and have plenty of time left over!  Tony’s breakthrough Super Stacking Technique™ using resistance bands, combines the most effective moves I know into each 10-minute workout. Instead of starting with cardio, then working different body parts one at a time, he stacks them to work everything at the same time—in just 10 minutes! It’s multitasking for your muscles!

Power 90®, by Tony Horton

Total body transformation in just 90 days!!  Fat burning and total-body sculpting focused on abs, thighs, and upper body.   This in-home boot camp for dramatic body transformation uses Tony’s Sectional Progression™ technique, which gives you an effective workout in as little as 30 minutes each day.  The program comes with 4 workouts that are progressive to maximize your results and keep you active.  Plus, get a program guide, food plan and a few other special gifts thrown in for fun.  If that’s not enough, with Tony’s Fat Burning Express plan, you can lose up to 10 lbs. and 10 inches in your first 6 days!

Yoga Booty Ballet®, by Gillian Marloth & Teigh McDonough

Hollywood’s fun fitness secret combines yoga, dance, and body sculpting to blast calories and target your abs, thighs, and booty. Yoga Booty Ballet® is a dynamic fusion of yoga, booty sculpting, and dance that will make you feel strong, confident, and beautiful! You could see a dramatic difference in your body after just 2 weeks.

Turbo Jams®, by Chalene Johnson

Kickboxing and body-sculpting workouts set to the hottest dance music.  Get ready to rock your workout!  Chalene packs each workout with calorie-blasting kickboxing, body sculpting, and the hottest dance music. The “Elite 11″ signature moves are proven to burn fat and give you a sleek, sexy body and ripped, rock-hard abs.

Hip Hop Abs®, by Shaun T

Dance your way to hot, sexy abs and burn the fat off your entire body with Shaun T’s fun, exciting dance program! Using Shaun’s revolutionary Absolute Engagement™ technique, you’ll “Tilt, Tuck, & Tighten” your way to 6-pack abs without doing a single sit-up or crunch.

Rockin’ Body®, by Shaun T

Get a hot new Rockin’ Body with Shaun T’s high-octane dance party that will have you sweating off the pounds to all your favorite dance-floor hits!

P90X® Extreme Training System, by Tony Horton

P90X is not for beginners.  Designed by celebrity fitness trainer Tony Horton, P90X gets you absolutely ripped in 90 days. Through 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts, a comprehensive 3-phase nutrition plan, a detailed fitness guide and a calendar to track your progress, the P90X program will define muscles you’ve got and develop muscles you never knew you had. In just an hour a day, it will physically and mentally transform people from being in good shape to being outstanding athletes.  By way of Tony’s advanced training method, dubbed “Muscle Confusion”, your body or your mind, won’t get tired of the workouts, as they switch every 30 days.

Tony Horton’s One-on-One Series

Have you hit a muscle building plateau? Break through the plateau with celebrity trainer Tony Horton’s workout series Tony One-On-One. Designed to compliment or coordinate with his P90X® series, Tony’s constantly introducing new workouts will keep your muscles “confused.”  With this workout series your muscles are forced to adapt to new moves all the time, so they keep growing. Tony’s vastly successful concept of muscle confusion will get you the results you are looking for. Work out with Tony in his own gym, mano a mano. You will love to see Tony sweat and suffer, just like you. It’s like working out with a buddy!

ChaLEAN Extreme®, by Chalene Johnson

Get ready to burn fat and get lean with ChaLEAN Extreme™!  It’s a fact – the more lean muscle you have, the more fat you burn. You can burn up to 60% of your body fat in just 3 months and see visible results every 30 days—GUARANTEED!  MUSCLE BURNS FAT™! This proven circuit training technique shifts your fat-burning focus from cardio to resistance training. You’ll be lifting heavy weights in 3 phases to ignite your metabolism and burn fat long after your workout—even while you sleep!  Click here for the product sheet.

Insanity™ 60-Day Total Body Conditioning System, by Shaun T

Transform your body in 60 days with the most intense workout program ever put on DVD. Shaun T will push you past your limits to get the hardest body you’ve ever had.  The secret to these mind-blowing results: MAX Interval Training. Shaun T took traditional interval training and flipped it on its head—you perform long bursts of maximum-intensity exercises with short periods of rest. Each workout keeps you constantly challenged as you alternate between aerobic and anaerobic intervals performed at your MAX. The results: burn up to 1,000 calories an hour and get the most insane body in only 60 days.

You can view all these products and many more of the Beachbody workout systems at my Team Beachbody Store.  There is something for everyone and maybe a program that I have one that’s NOT listed here, that’s just right for you.  Go ahead, ask me to help you get started with your next fitness challenge.  And why not?  I’ll do a FREE fitness and nutrition analysis.  Who doesn’t like free?

Back in January, when a girlfriend, Adriana, and I made the commitment to run the full Seattle Rock N’ Roll Marathon, I had no idea the daunting task ahead of us.  I was ready to take on the challenge, but was not sure if I could actually pound the pavement for 26.2 miles.  I mean, that’s 26.2 miles!!!  Not a 5k, 8k or 10k, but 26.2 miles.  WOW.  But, being the competitive individual that I tend to be, I wasn’t going to let that amount of mileage bring fear and doubt into my abilities.  Just was not going to happen. 

So, with that said, how was I going to prepare for it?  Many of my friends and family asked me daily, “how are you preparing for this race?”  There was a lot of preparation involved.  Not only physical, but mental.  You have to get into that mental space to be able to prepare for such a long journey.   So, I had to have a little ‘heart-to-heart’ with myself, so I knew what was expected. 

It first started with reviewing my running schedule, as suggested and recommended by a 2-time finisher of the Seattle Marathon, and good friend of mine, Janna Fain, to follow.  She had trained vigorously with Chuckit running group.  In appreciating her advice and guidance, we quickly downloaded the schedule, posted it on my fridge and was time to get to it.  Also, I was fortunate to have met my running Coach, and now, Team Beachbody Coach, Tendi Remy, who helped me get prepared with proper nutrition and pre-event training. 

Another piece to incorporate into my training was my P90X routine.  I was obsessed and addicted to it, so in getting on the Team Beachbody message boards early on, I had learned that many race enthusiasts, had kept up with P90X to train for their respective races – whether it be a Marathon, Ironman, bike race or swimming.  PERFECT!  I was just coming off my last 90- day program of ChaLEAN Extreme, so was chomping at the bit to get back to P90X.  This was perfect timing.  So, just as I was gearing up for my longer runs, I was getting back onto my faithful 90-day regime. 

There are some that caution doing strength training while training for a race like a marathon, which I could never understand.  How could strengthening your upper & lower body and abs/core, hinder your stamina for a race??  I don’t think I could’ve made it through race day without the endurance I built from workouts such as Plyometrics (aka “jump training”), Legs & Back or the echoing remnants of Tony Horton’s famous “tips of the day”.  One of my favorites has to be “don’t smash your face” – just brilliant!  I mean, that just covers all things across the board, wouldn’t you say?  P90X’s regimented routine of muscle confusion not only can get you in great shape, but prepare you for the mental and physical hardship that one experiences in preparation for any kind of race.  A very well rounded program in any regard. 

So on with the running.   My running buddy, Adriana, and I hit the pavement every weekend and followed that schedule to a “T”.  Only until, an unforeseen back injury and elbow surgery would take my running buddy and dear friend out of the race and training, all together.  What a blow that was!  More so to her, of course, but I was crushed, as I so looked forward to our weekly run down of what the kids were up to, how life happens and get a little adult conversation in.  It was our short escape from a busy life of being Mom’s.  Sorry from then on, I had to carry the torch for us both.  I was determined. 

Going forward, I had to yet again, mentally prepare myself for the longer runs and know I was mostly doing them on my own…especially the daunting 20 mile one!!!  I’ve always felt I was a pretty strong runner, but then again, my longest distance may have been 8 miles or so, and that was usually with crowds of people cheering you on.  But, as I started to log my longer runs, I couldn’t believe the energy and stamina I had felt.  Could this been a results of P90X?  You betcha!!   

So, in response to my friends, family and WOWY workout buddies, I was confident in saying that P90X was my crutch, to get me mentally and physically prepared for the race – AND IT DID!!  I beat my goal of 4 hours and 30 mins and completed the race in just 4 hours!! 

I’m already geared up for the next race, although think I’ll shoot for a ½ marathon instead.  Lake Chelan’s Shore to Shore in September.  Any takers?? 

Oh, and my husband is going to begin training for his very first ½ marathon!  Why??  Well, it started out with his sister doubting that he could do it, so that triggered his competitive edge to accomplish it.   Go hun!!!!  I’m rooting for you and know that you can do it!  P90X, baby!  BRING IT!

One final note, the support and encouragement I received from everyone throughout my training was overwhelming.  I truly took each inspiration word, phrase, thought and gesture with me each step of the way.  I’d like to thank everyone that had faith in me that I could do it!  The power of positive thinking! 

What is the Coach Business Opportunity?

It’s a breakthrough income opportunity that lets you turn weight loss into profit. In order to make money, all you have to do is let people know about getting fit and losing weight with Beachbody’s best-selling line of products. You succeed by helping others succeed!

Who is the company behind the Coach Business Opportunity?

Beachbody is a successful 10-year-old, $250+–million corporation based in Southern California. We create and sell the nation’s most popular in-home fitness and weight-loss products – high-quality, well-manufactured DVD workout programs, gear, and nutritional supplements that have been proven to work. When you become a Beachbody Coach, you’re teaming up with a solid, stable company and a best-selling brand.

How do I earn money?

You get paid weekly commissions when people buy Beachbody products and Team Beachbody Club memberships through your personal website. You can also earn cash bonuses based on your team’s sales.

What does it cost to begin?

It only costs $39.95 to start a Beachbody business. That includes your first month’s Business Services Fees and your Coach Business Kit, which comes with everything you need to begin earning income.  There are, however, some great packages available that will kick start your business as a Coach.  The “Ultimate Starter Pack” (Best), “Coach Starter Pack” (Better) and “General Coach Starter Pack” (Good).

Do I need to be a fitness expert?

No, you don’t need to be a fitness or weight-loss expert to become a Beachbody Coach. You just need to be ready to commit to changing your life.

Do I need to be a slick salesperson?

Not at all – the fact is, just about everybody already wants to get fit or lose weight. And our products can get them there – we have thousands of real-life Success Stories to prove it! To make money as a Beachbody Coach, all you have to do is let people know that they can finally achieve the health, fitness, and weight-loss goals they’ve dreamed of.

What kinds of help and support will I receive?

Once you become a Beachbody Coach, you’ll be part of a whole network of successful Coaches who are there for you to learn from and share with. You’ll also get full access to your online office, which has everything you need to market and manage your business with ease – including your own sales website and email account, a full set of sales and marketing tools, and extensive training guides and videos. In addition, our Coach Relations team is available to answer your questions via email or over the phone. And you’ll have a Coach of your own for extra motivation and guidance.

Will I have to purchase products for resale?

Unlike marketing programs that require you to buy a lot of products in order to participate, the Coach Opportunity has no inventory requirements. If you do want to purchase products for your own use or resale, you’ll get them at a significant discount.

Will I have to handle product inventory, billing, shipping, or customer service?

No – when customers purchase products through your website, we take care of the rest.

Is it easy to set up my website?

Setting up and customizing your Beachbody Coach Website is low-tech and simple! We provide you with an easy-to-use system that allows you to add text and photos (or you can just use ours), and you can choose from a number of Beachbody marketing banners to help make sure your site is viewed.

How does Beachbody promote its products?

We spend millions of dollars every week advertising our home fitness programs on the major TV stations and cable networks. (You’ve probably seen our famous infomercials for programs such as P90X, Turbo Jam, and Hip Hop Abs, as well as our magazine and Internet ads.) Millions of people already know about Beachbody, and every time we run an infomercial, we get thousands of new customers. We want those customers to shop through your store, so you get the commission on those sales!

How much of a discount will I get on my own Beachbody products?

As Beachbody Coach, you receive a 25% discount on all Beachbody products available in the Team Beachbody store.

There are many more excellent questions and much more I’d love to share about this business that has changed my life and could change yours, or someone near and dear to you!  Learn more about this ultimate fitness revolution by viewing this short video clip.

Challenge # 4 is……

Take more time to STRETCH before and after workouts.

I’ve known always that this is the key to avoiding injury, increase flexibilty and mobility, but it’s usually the one part in my exercise routine that gets cut short…and that needs to STOP. I do warm up and cool down for roughly 2-3 minutes before each workout, which in asking some trainers, is appropriate. BUT, I really would like to work on more flexibilty, minimize any opportunity for injury and enhance my mobility.

I’m currently training for my 1st marathon (YAH! Go me!) and much of that involved endurance and taking appropriate measure to avoid injury. This is where STRETCHING can be key.

So as Tony Horton reiterates for us in the video above: “Flexibity is the Fountain of Youth”. I’m going to give my body the best reward and enhance its durability – thanks Tony!

Join me in this challenge for now and your future!

Taryn Perry

http://www.choose2befit.com/

EAT 5 X’S A DAY

Well, for those that know me, know that I LOVE to eat. I’ve done a pretty decent job training myself to eat healthy, so with years of hard work on that, I think I’ve reset my lifestyle, although will still enjoy a “cheat” here and there.

So, here’s my new goal and challenge – eating 5 x’s a day at every 2 to 3 hours.

I’m fortunate, with my P90X and ChaLEAN Extreme programs, to have a great nutrition guideline to assist and give me ideas in maintaining healthy eating habits.

Let me know if you are looking for support or assistance in getting onto a healthy eating pattern.

As we met on Twitter, we began “tweeting” about renowned non-profit organizations and their involvement in the fitness and nutrition arena, to help make a difference in our youths and their future. One of the topics we began discussing was Beachbody’s recent alliance with the American Diabetes Association® and the efforts to help combat the effects of type 2 diabetes. As a Beachbody Coach, this has been an incredible time to be apart of the business, in the fact that not only do we aspire to make a difference in those that need to lose weight and get healthy, but those that are suffering a disease that can be managed by proper nutrition and exercise.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems:

• Right away, your cells may be starved for energy.
• Over time, high blood glucose levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.

Source: ADA website.

Throughout much research, it’s been documented that type 2 diabetes can be managed through proper diet and nutrition as by:

• improving your body’s use of insulin
• reducing body fat
• increasing muscle strength and bone density
• lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol
• improving blood circulation
• increasing energy levels, and
• reducing stress

…these all have a direct association with combating type 2 diabetes.

Anyway, in speaking earlier to what an incredible organization Beachbody is to work with, it almost seems historical to be a part of a business that has partnered with an organization like the ADA, to join efforts in helping ward off a disease that touches so many. Together with nutritionists, doctors and certified diabetic educators, in October 2008, Beachbody® launched Kathy Smith’s Project YOU!: Type 2™, in alliance with the American Diabetes Association®. It’s the first all-in-one solution to help manage diabetes, reduce your risk for diabetes complications, and get you back in control of your life!

The program comes complete with a 12 week workout guide, workout wallet with CD’s and DVD’s, Workout Calendar, cookbook, mix and match meal cards, program guides and 12-week food & fitness journal, a Beachbody coach and online support. (**It is important to note that proceeds from the sale of this product support American Diabetes Association’s mission: to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of people with diabetes.

So, if you, or anyone you know is pre-diabetic, suffers from Type 2 diabetes, do them the great reward of introducing them to Kathy Smith’s Project You!: Type 2™ and get them on the road to recovery and back to living a healthy and fruitful live.

Want to get involved in this phenomenon and help change the lives of others? Become a Coach! I’ll show you how and help you grow your business beyond your wildest dreams. Join the Ultimate Beachbody® Revolution.

1.) Muscle is the MOST anabolic substance in the human body (Anabolic processes tend toward “building up” organs and tissues. These processes produce growth and differentiation of cells and increase in body size)

2.) Muscle chews up body fat. If you add 1 pound of muscle, and your body burns an additional 50 calories per day just to sustain that muscle. (Add 10 pounds of muscle and your body burns an extra 500 calories to maintain it!)

Most people in an effort to burn body fat greatly increase their number and length of cardiovascular workout sessions.THIS IS A MISTAKE!!!!! This hamstrings your efforts to burn body fat believe it or not. While you do burn allot of calories during extended cardio sessions you are also chewing up hard earned muscle. That is why you don’t see any competitive
bodybuilders who also run marathons!

You burn alot of calories during extended or extra cardio but that stops when you stop the cardio.

Here is the secret:Your metabolism continues to burn body fat and calories for HOURS after hard resistance training. The muscle repairing itself has alot to do with this.

In effect, building muscle through INTENSE weight training is the key to the lean, muscular body we all strive for.(A prime example of extended cardio not being the key is people that only do aerobics and no weight training. They NEVER change the shape of their body. They stay the same year after year….what is the sense of that?)

What does this mean for P90Xers or ChaLEAN users?

DO THE PROGRAM AS DESIGNED AND WORK HARD ON GETTING STRONGER DURING YOUR RESISTANCE TRAINING NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT

**EMPHASIZE PROTEIN – Eating more protein intensifies the thermogenic effect of the digestive process by 1/3rd and protein is the nutrient that builds metabolism enhancing muscle.

We need carbohydrates to fuel our workouts and repair muscle but don’t get carried away. Too much WILL be stored as fat.

Remember guys and gals:MORE STRENGTH = MORE MUSCLE = LESS BODYFAT

Thanks Mike!! You always put it into perspective.

To learn more about P90X, any of the Beachbody Programs, or how you can be a part of our Coaching program, click here to learn more.