The 412 Fit Club starts THIS SUNDAYYYY!!! From 2 pm - 3 pm...Come out and join us for a fun FREE workout!
Check out www.meetup.com/412-fit-club or send me a message at kemaher@gmail.com for more details...
I hope to see you there!!!
Showing posts with label P90X. Show all posts
Showing posts with label P90X. Show all posts
Thursday, September 8, 2011
It's HEEEEEEEEEREEEEEEEEEEE
The 412 Fit Club starts THIS SUNDAYYYY!!! From 2 pm - 3 pm...Come out and join us for a fun FREE workout!
Check out www.meetup.com/412-fit-club or send me a message at kemaher@gmail.com for more details...
I hope to see you there!!!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Celebrities do P90X too!
Celebrities do P90X too! Check out some of the famous people that are currently doing P90X or are already P90X grads!!
Ray Lewis - Linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens
Demi Moore - Actress
Ashton Kutcher - Actor
Jennie Garth - Actress
Taylor Lautner - Actor
Sheryl Crow - Musician
First Lady Michelle Obama
Pink - Musician
Usher - Musician
Ewan McGregor - Actor
Donovan McNabb - Quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings
Kelly Slater - Professional Surfer
Max Talbot - Center for the Philadelphia Flyers
To learn more about P90X, go to www.beachbodycoach.com/kemaher or send me a message!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Plyo...Oh Man!
So, as I stated yesterday, I have started a new round of P90X with Erika, a fellow Pittsburgh Coach. Well yesterday was Day 2...which is Plyometrics. And let me tell you...it is rough! Now don't get me wrong, this was my first go-ahead at Plyo, but I did not think it was going to be that bad! I mean, Tony isn't lying when he says that it is the mother of all P90X workouts. Here is what is included on the Plyo Video...
Group 1 – Repeats
Jump Squats
Run Stance Squats
Airborne Heisman
Swing Kicks
Group 2 – Repeats
Squat Reach Jumps
Run Stance Squat Switch Pickups
Double Airborne Heisman
Circle Run
Group 3 – Repeats
Jump Knee Tucks
Mary Katherine Lunges
Leapfrog Squats
Twist Combo
Group 4 – Repeats
Rock Star Hops
Gap Jumps
Squat Jacks
Military March
Group 5 – Repeats
Run Squat 180 Jump Switches
Lateral Leapfrog Squats
Monster Truck Tires
Hot Foot
Bonus (Doesn’t Repeat)
Pitch and Catch – Mimics Baseball
Jump Shots – Mimics Basketball
Pitch and Catch – Mimics Football
Now keep in mind, yesterday was my first day doing Plyo and I definitely had a rough time. I was only able to get through each group of exercises one time and I definitely did not do the bonus. But next week, I will do more than I did this week, and soon I will be able to keep up with Tony and the kids. :)
Tonight is Shoulders and Arms and then Ab Ripper X...My FAVORITE P90X day!
Group 1 – Repeats
Jump Squats
Run Stance Squats
Airborne Heisman
Swing Kicks
Group 2 – Repeats
Squat Reach Jumps
Run Stance Squat Switch Pickups
Double Airborne Heisman
Circle Run
Group 3 – Repeats
Jump Knee Tucks
Mary Katherine Lunges
Leapfrog Squats
Twist Combo
Group 4 – Repeats
Rock Star Hops
Gap Jumps
Squat Jacks
Military March
Group 5 – Repeats
Run Squat 180 Jump Switches
Lateral Leapfrog Squats
Monster Truck Tires
Hot Foot
Bonus (Doesn’t Repeat)
Pitch and Catch – Mimics Baseball
Jump Shots – Mimics Basketball
Pitch and Catch – Mimics Football
Now keep in mind, yesterday was my first day doing Plyo and I definitely had a rough time. I was only able to get through each group of exercises one time and I definitely did not do the bonus. But next week, I will do more than I did this week, and soon I will be able to keep up with Tony and the kids. :)
Tonight is Shoulders and Arms and then Ab Ripper X...My FAVORITE P90X day!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Dream Board = Motivation!
Well, I finally got around to putting together my Dream Board...and boy am I glad that I did!
What is a Dream Board you ask? It is where you put your dreams and goals on paper...and make it look pretty (to sum it all up in a sentence). So without further adieu....Here is mine :)
What is a Dream Board you ask? It is where you put your dreams and goals on paper...and make it look pretty (to sum it all up in a sentence). So without further adieu....Here is mine :)
It is hard to see, I know...but you get the idea. But just so you know, I will go ahead and list the dreams and goals that I included!
- I want to pay off my credit card debt
- I want to finish remodeling my house
- I want to be a Diamond Coach by Summit 2012 in VEGASSS
- I want to get and iPad 2
- I want to FINALLY get my iPhone
- I want to get ANOTHER Boxer puppy so that Mr. Bo has a friend when I am not at home
- I want to get my dream car...a Chevy Tahoe
- I want to attain my goal body...one like Carrie Underwood's
On my board I also included a bunch of words and phrases to help motivate me even more...A few of those phrases being "Kick Butt", "It's time to start turning heads", "Sound Mind Sound Body", and "Don't stop kickin' til the clock stops tickin'".
Why did I make this Dream Board? And why do I think it is important? I made it so that I could visualize my goals. Yeah, I see them in my head, but when you put something on paper you are far more likely to do it. It helps hold you even more accountable for your actions. I WILL attain everything on my Dream Board...then I will make a new one with even BIGGER dreams and goals.
On another note...I started another round of P90X...this time the Classic Schedule with a fellow Pittsburgh Coach, Erika! Having an accountability partner while working through ANY workout program will help to keep you BOTH on track...today is Plyometrics...This will be my first time ever doing Plyo! I will let you know tomorrow how it goes. :)
Monday, July 18, 2011
If he can do it...so can you!
This kid is AMAZING! If he can do it, so can you!
10-Year-Old 'Workout Kid' Has Grade Schoolers Sweating And Football Coaches Drooling
C.J. Senter might be the next Tony Horton or the next Barry Sanders, but he is definitely the next 10-year-old to watch.
Granted, when most people hear "child prodigy," they rightfully raise an eyebrow and wonder who is pulling the strings. Add a workout DVD by a fourth-grader with sculpted muscles to the mix and "cute" can turn to "concerning." But it turns out the story behind "C.J. The Workout Kid" is a lot more inspiring than insidious.
C.J. started working out five years ago when his football coach told him and his teammates to go home over a weekend and get some exercise. He did some push-ups and sit-ups and loved it. Not too long after, he saw a P90X infomercial and loved that too. He's been working out ever since. C.J. does his own routines three times a week, after school and homework, and he's given new names to some old and boring moves, like the burpee, which involves a squat, push-up, and jump. C.J. calls that one the "shredder." He even teaches a class of (mostly older) kids at the gym near where he lives in Locust Grove, Ga.
"It feels great," C.J. says by phone from his Georgia home. "I love staying fit and healthy."
But wait a minute. Research shows kids shouldn't be touching weights until at least age 15.
"I don't use weights," C.J. says.
Not even bench press?
"I don't bench press," he says. "It's not good for kids."
Surely he's on some insane diet, right? His dad feeds him wheat grass and cow brain, perhaps?
"I'm not on a diet," C.J. says. "I eat everything."
Disbelieving? So is Carlos Senter -- C.J.'s dad. Carlos has spent most of his son's life in shock, ever since C.J. somehow climbed out of his crib -- at seven months old.
"It was two, three o'clock in the morning," Carlos says, "and boom! My wife would go look in his room and here he comes, crawling out. He would go into the refrigerator, too."
Carlos can't quite figure out how his son got to be so fit. He says his relatives put on muscle easily, but not this easily. C.J. has an older brother and a younger sister who don't really love sports as much. And Dad isn't exactly chiseled like Terrell Owens. In fact, he admits C.J.'s work ethic has shamed him and his wife into getting into better shape.
"He doesn't really eat candy," Carlos says. "I have no idea why."
And for that matter, Carlos has no idea why his son doesn't have an attitude. "This kid will score a touchdown, take the football to the ref and act like nothing ever happened," Carlos says. "If it was me, well, I probably would be a little different."
But as much as the "Workout Kid" routine is working -- C.J.'s DVDs are in so much demand that his dad hired a PR rep -- Carlos says he gives most of the DVDs away for free and the primary objective is to help kids get off the couch.
C.J.'s primary objective has always been the same thing: make it to the NFL. He's a running back and safety, modeling his game after another C.J. -- Titans speed demon Chris Johnson.
C.J.'s already been named MVP for the state of Georgia as an 8-and-under, and last year he played in the 10-and-under group as a 9-year-old. Carlos says that the team run by former NFL running back Jamal Lewis expressed interest in having C.J. commute to Atlanta to join up, but the drive was simply too far.
High school coaches are already aware of C.J., but Carlos, who runs a local barber shop, insists on not looking too far ahead.
"As long as he's happy," Carlos says, "I'm happy."
C.J. does seem happy, even though he's a little bit tired of when kids come up to him at school and ask, "Are those your real muscles?"
The next generation of Atlanta prep football players is about to find out.
Article copied from http://www.yahoo.com/
10-Year-Old 'Workout Kid' Has Grade Schoolers Sweating And Football Coaches Drooling
C.J. Senter might be the next Tony Horton or the next Barry Sanders, but he is definitely the next 10-year-old to watch.
Granted, when most people hear "child prodigy," they rightfully raise an eyebrow and wonder who is pulling the strings. Add a workout DVD by a fourth-grader with sculpted muscles to the mix and "cute" can turn to "concerning." But it turns out the story behind "C.J. The Workout Kid" is a lot more inspiring than insidious.
C.J. started working out five years ago when his football coach told him and his teammates to go home over a weekend and get some exercise. He did some push-ups and sit-ups and loved it. Not too long after, he saw a P90X infomercial and loved that too. He's been working out ever since. C.J. does his own routines three times a week, after school and homework, and he's given new names to some old and boring moves, like the burpee, which involves a squat, push-up, and jump. C.J. calls that one the "shredder." He even teaches a class of (mostly older) kids at the gym near where he lives in Locust Grove, Ga.
"It feels great," C.J. says by phone from his Georgia home. "I love staying fit and healthy."
But wait a minute. Research shows kids shouldn't be touching weights until at least age 15.
"I don't use weights," C.J. says.
Not even bench press?
"I don't bench press," he says. "It's not good for kids."
Surely he's on some insane diet, right? His dad feeds him wheat grass and cow brain, perhaps?
"I'm not on a diet," C.J. says. "I eat everything."
Disbelieving? So is Carlos Senter -- C.J.'s dad. Carlos has spent most of his son's life in shock, ever since C.J. somehow climbed out of his crib -- at seven months old.
"It was two, three o'clock in the morning," Carlos says, "and boom! My wife would go look in his room and here he comes, crawling out. He would go into the refrigerator, too."
Carlos can't quite figure out how his son got to be so fit. He says his relatives put on muscle easily, but not this easily. C.J. has an older brother and a younger sister who don't really love sports as much. And Dad isn't exactly chiseled like Terrell Owens. In fact, he admits C.J.'s work ethic has shamed him and his wife into getting into better shape.
"He doesn't really eat candy," Carlos says. "I have no idea why."
And for that matter, Carlos has no idea why his son doesn't have an attitude. "This kid will score a touchdown, take the football to the ref and act like nothing ever happened," Carlos says. "If it was me, well, I probably would be a little different."
But as much as the "Workout Kid" routine is working -- C.J.'s DVDs are in so much demand that his dad hired a PR rep -- Carlos says he gives most of the DVDs away for free and the primary objective is to help kids get off the couch.
C.J.'s primary objective has always been the same thing: make it to the NFL. He's a running back and safety, modeling his game after another C.J. -- Titans speed demon Chris Johnson.
C.J.'s already been named MVP for the state of Georgia as an 8-and-under, and last year he played in the 10-and-under group as a 9-year-old. Carlos says that the team run by former NFL running back Jamal Lewis expressed interest in having C.J. commute to Atlanta to join up, but the drive was simply too far.
High school coaches are already aware of C.J., but Carlos, who runs a local barber shop, insists on not looking too far ahead.
"As long as he's happy," Carlos says, "I'm happy."
C.J. does seem happy, even though he's a little bit tired of when kids come up to him at school and ask, "Are those your real muscles?"
The next generation of Atlanta prep football players is about to find out.
Article copied from http://www.yahoo.com/
Monday, June 20, 2011
Monday, Monday...
I hope that everyone had a great weekend! I know that I did :)
NKOTBSB was AMAZING! Really was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. I dance and sang like a fool for 2 and a half hours. Definitely burned some serious calories!! I could not hear out of my left ear the next morning and my throat was DEFINITELY on fire the entire next day. If they roll through your town, go! You will have a blast :) I posted pictures on my facebook page yesterday, so ifyou aren't my friend yet...ADD ME! And check them out... www.facebook.com/krissibelle
On Saturday I threw my best friend a big birthday party. It was a pretty epic night...and I passed out a couple of business cards! I have 30 people, most of whom I did not know, in my house...PERFECT opportunity to spread the word :) They could tell that I was excited about this opportunity and Beachbody, so they ALSO showed excitement...it was awesome! I also had a friend of mine that lives in Boston commit to P90X again...he has had it for some time but needed someone (like me!) to push him and help him push play...
I am officially registered for Summit 2012....VEGAS BABYYYYYYY! It should be a completely awesome and inspirational weekend :) I am so excited!!!!
NKOTBSB was AMAZING! Really was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. I dance and sang like a fool for 2 and a half hours. Definitely burned some serious calories!! I could not hear out of my left ear the next morning and my throat was DEFINITELY on fire the entire next day. If they roll through your town, go! You will have a blast :) I posted pictures on my facebook page yesterday, so ifyou aren't my friend yet...ADD ME! And check them out... www.facebook.com/krissibelle
On Saturday I threw my best friend a big birthday party. It was a pretty epic night...and I passed out a couple of business cards! I have 30 people, most of whom I did not know, in my house...PERFECT opportunity to spread the word :) They could tell that I was excited about this opportunity and Beachbody, so they ALSO showed excitement...it was awesome! I also had a friend of mine that lives in Boston commit to P90X again...he has had it for some time but needed someone (like me!) to push him and help him push play...
I am officially registered for Summit 2012....VEGAS BABYYYYYYY! It should be a completely awesome and inspirational weekend :) I am so excited!!!!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
You've Got the Right Stuff....
Happy Wednesday!
Today is a VERY happy Wednesday for me...I am going to the NKOTBSB concert tonight!!! Woohooo!! Which means I will NOT have time for my Insanity or P90X tonight (work til 5, then concert immediately after)...But no worries! I will be dancing like a fool ALL NIGHT and burning calories like crazy :)
SO...in honor of the fun night that I have ahead of me...he is an article about burning calories!!
How Many Calories Do You Burn?
Physical activity simply means movement of the body that uses energy. Walking, gardening, briskly pushing a baby stroller, climbing the stairs, playing soccer, or dancing the night away are all good examples of being active.
For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or vigorous and add up to at least 30 minutes a day.
Some physical activities are not intense enough to help you meet the recommendations. These include walking at a casual pace, such as while grocery shopping, and doing light household chores. Although you are moving, these activities do not increase your heart rate, so you should not count these towards the 30 or more minutes a day that you should strive for.
Moderate physical activities include:
•Walking briskly (about 3 ½ miles per hour)
•Hiking
•Gardening/yard work
•Dancing
•Golf (walking and carrying clubs)
•Bicycling (less than 10 miles per hour)
•Weight training (general light workout)
Vigorous physical activities include:
•Running/jogging (5 miles per hour)
•Bicycling (more than 10 miles per hour)
•Swimming (freestyle laps)
•Aerobics
•Walking very fast (4 ½ miles per hour)
•Heavy yard work, such as chopping wood
•Weight lifting (vigorous effort)
•Basketball (competitive)
How many calories does physical activity use?
A 130-pound woman will use up about the number of calories listed doing each activity below. Those who weigh more will use more calories, and those who weigh less will use fewer. The calorie values listed include both calories used by the activity and the calories used for normal body functioning.
Approximate calories used by a 130-lb. woman in 1 hour
Moderate physical activities:
Today is a VERY happy Wednesday for me...I am going to the NKOTBSB concert tonight!!! Woohooo!! Which means I will NOT have time for my Insanity or P90X tonight (work til 5, then concert immediately after)...But no worries! I will be dancing like a fool ALL NIGHT and burning calories like crazy :)
SO...in honor of the fun night that I have ahead of me...he is an article about burning calories!!
How Many Calories Do You Burn?
Physical activity simply means movement of the body that uses energy. Walking, gardening, briskly pushing a baby stroller, climbing the stairs, playing soccer, or dancing the night away are all good examples of being active.
For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or vigorous and add up to at least 30 minutes a day.
Some physical activities are not intense enough to help you meet the recommendations. These include walking at a casual pace, such as while grocery shopping, and doing light household chores. Although you are moving, these activities do not increase your heart rate, so you should not count these towards the 30 or more minutes a day that you should strive for.
Moderate physical activities include:
•Walking briskly (about 3 ½ miles per hour)
•Hiking
•Gardening/yard work
•Dancing
•Golf (walking and carrying clubs)
•Bicycling (less than 10 miles per hour)
•Weight training (general light workout)
Vigorous physical activities include:
•Running/jogging (5 miles per hour)
•Bicycling (more than 10 miles per hour)
•Swimming (freestyle laps)
•Aerobics
•Walking very fast (4 ½ miles per hour)
•Heavy yard work, such as chopping wood
•Weight lifting (vigorous effort)
•Basketball (competitive)
How many calories does physical activity use?
A 130-pound woman will use up about the number of calories listed doing each activity below. Those who weigh more will use more calories, and those who weigh less will use fewer. The calorie values listed include both calories used by the activity and the calories used for normal body functioning.
Approximate calories used by a 130-lb. woman in 1 hour
Moderate physical activities:
- Hiking 350
- Dancing 265
- Golf (walking and carrying clubs) 265
- Light gardening/yardwork 236
- Bicycling (less than 10 mph) 236
- Walking (3 ½ miles per hour) 224
- Weight training (light workout) 177
- Running/jogging (5 mph) 472
- Bicycling (12 to 14 mph) 472
- Basketball (competitive) 472
- Swimming (slow freestyle laps) 413
- Aerobics 413
- Walking (4 ½ miles per hour) 371
- Weight lifting (vigorous effort) 355
Source: MyPyramid.gov
And of COURSE, in honor of the show...an awesome video :)
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Random ramblings for the day...
"I promise..."
"You can trust me..."
"I love you..."
These are phrases that should not be just thrown around, they are words that pack a lot of punch and you should never say unless you fully intend on following through. Unfortuately, most of us have come to learn that not everyone can fully understand the power that these words possess. Not everyone realizes that there are still some people in the world that hold these words close to them, and do NOT just throw them around trying to make someone feel good. That is what leads to this rambling of the day.
Most of you did not know me before the beginning of this year, so you do not know exactly where I was in my life when P90X came into play. I was absolutely head over heels in love. He was the first guy that I could actually see myself being with forever. He was amazing, and so was his family. I felt like I fit right in with them and they made me feel welcome. More than anything else though, he made me feel so good about myself I could not even belive it. He helped me through my home buying process, and was even set to move in and be my roommate in December. Then, out of the blue the second weekend of December things changed. We had a great weekend, his parents were in town and they finally met my parents. We all discussed our New Years plans because we were all spending it together here in Pittsburgh. On Sunday night, all that he said was "I can't do this right now" and just like that my world fell apart. I couldn't breathe and had no idea what I was going to do. Not even my closest friends could comfort me. It was the worst that I have ever felt in my life.
I had most of his stuff until February, I finally packed it up and told him to pick it up because I needed to move on with my life. Obviously he did not care enough to even give me an explanation as to why things fell apart so suddenly like they did. He picked up the boxes that I packed and it was the most awkward 45 minutes of my life.
Well, now it is June...and I thought that I had moved on...the feelings were gone and I could finally breathe again and feel like myself. Then I found out that he is seeing someone and that waive of hurt and disappointment all came back. Way to ruin my day...
But right now, at this very moment, I am making a promise to myself. No more dwelling on the past. I am moving on with my life. I am in better shape than I ever have been, I have an amazing group of friends, and a fantastic family. I would have never gotten through today if it were not for Kati, Lacey, Kristin, Mike, and Rachel.
So from a girl that has been hurt, torn apart, and slowly put herself back together again...PLEASE DO NOT use the words "I promise...", "You can trust me...", and most of all "I love you..." unless you mean it. Because when all is said and done, it is when we think of those phrases that we hurt the most...
xoxo
"You can trust me..."
"I love you..."
These are phrases that should not be just thrown around, they are words that pack a lot of punch and you should never say unless you fully intend on following through. Unfortuately, most of us have come to learn that not everyone can fully understand the power that these words possess. Not everyone realizes that there are still some people in the world that hold these words close to them, and do NOT just throw them around trying to make someone feel good. That is what leads to this rambling of the day.
Most of you did not know me before the beginning of this year, so you do not know exactly where I was in my life when P90X came into play. I was absolutely head over heels in love. He was the first guy that I could actually see myself being with forever. He was amazing, and so was his family. I felt like I fit right in with them and they made me feel welcome. More than anything else though, he made me feel so good about myself I could not even belive it. He helped me through my home buying process, and was even set to move in and be my roommate in December. Then, out of the blue the second weekend of December things changed. We had a great weekend, his parents were in town and they finally met my parents. We all discussed our New Years plans because we were all spending it together here in Pittsburgh. On Sunday night, all that he said was "I can't do this right now" and just like that my world fell apart. I couldn't breathe and had no idea what I was going to do. Not even my closest friends could comfort me. It was the worst that I have ever felt in my life.
I had most of his stuff until February, I finally packed it up and told him to pick it up because I needed to move on with my life. Obviously he did not care enough to even give me an explanation as to why things fell apart so suddenly like they did. He picked up the boxes that I packed and it was the most awkward 45 minutes of my life.
Well, now it is June...and I thought that I had moved on...the feelings were gone and I could finally breathe again and feel like myself. Then I found out that he is seeing someone and that waive of hurt and disappointment all came back. Way to ruin my day...
But right now, at this very moment, I am making a promise to myself. No more dwelling on the past. I am moving on with my life. I am in better shape than I ever have been, I have an amazing group of friends, and a fantastic family. I would have never gotten through today if it were not for Kati, Lacey, Kristin, Mike, and Rachel.
So from a girl that has been hurt, torn apart, and slowly put herself back together again...PLEASE DO NOT use the words "I promise...", "You can trust me...", and most of all "I love you..." unless you mean it. Because when all is said and done, it is when we think of those phrases that we hurt the most...
xoxo
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Yahoooooo
So, again, it has been a while. Life has been insanely busy and I have been neglecting you all. However, on Yahoo! this morning there was an article about Tony Horton and P90X...enjoy!
The Fitness Revolution Will Be Televised (After Leno)
IT’S 3 a.m., and Tony Horton is talking to you, couch potato.
“Get absolutely ripped in 90 days!”
Viewer, check out those abs, those pecs, those glutes.
“Guaranteed or your money back!”
This man is 52 years old — and probably buffer than you’ll ever be.
“All for three easy payments of $39.95!”
On televisions across America, Tony Horton is selling a burning-sweat vision of physical fitness, and these days, a lot of people are buying. He is the pitchman and wise-cracking star of a brutal, make-it-stop workout called P90X, and he has won converts from Hollywood to Capitol Hill. The singer Sheryl Crow, the sportscaster Erin Andrews, the former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, Representative Paul Ryan and a dozen or more of his Congressional colleagues, and the list goes on and on.
P90X fans swear by the workout, a mix of jumping, yoga, martial arts and strength training that, in fact, isn’t all that revolutionary. But the secret of P90X’s success is the marketing: Mr. Horton and his business partners say they have built a $400-million-a-year empire on what, to many, might seem like a foundation of schlock: TV infomercials.
But wait, there’s more: through these infomercials, P90X has grown into a major player in exercise DVDs, one of the few growth spots in an otherwise shrinking DVD market. Beachbody, the Santa Monica company behind P90X, has expanded into workout DVDs and infomercials tailored to particular audiences. Its Body Gospel, for instance, is aimed at Christians. There is also Tony & the Folks for seniors and TurboFire for women. On top of that is a range of supplements and fitness gear.
Mr. Horton may be the face (and biceps) of P90X, but the man behind the curtain is Carl Daikeler, who has been plying the infomercial trade since the 1980s. His first production was for an industry that isn’t exactly known for its quads: accounting. Later, he produced infomercials for all kinds of pitches, be they dating services or eight-minute abdominal workouts.
His breakout idea was to create a workout program that was so hard that he dared TV viewers to try it. In 2002, he and his business partner, Jon Congdon, took that pitch to Mr. Horton, who had starred in an exercise video called Power 90. The result, released in 2005, was P90X — X for “extreme.”
The early P90X infomercials bombed. But that changed when, at Mr. Daikeler’s urging, customers like “Dallas C.” and “Kristy M.” began sending in before-and-after pictures, now featured on the company’s infomercials and Web site. More than three million copies have been sold since then, with sales increasing every year through 2010 (they are currently running even with last year), company officials said.
Now Mr. Daikeler, 47, wants to more than double his annual sales to $1 billion. To do so, he will have to move beyond the buff clientele who have embraced P90X to an even bigger market: Americans who are overweight or nowhere near as fit as they need to be to keep up with P90X.
That, of course, is a goal that has eluded fitness gurus — not to mention public health officials — for years.
“Whoever succeeds at making the living room an effective place to get fit is going to be a billionaire,” Mr. Daikeler says.
INFOMERCIALS have been around almost as long as TV. But the genre really took off in the 1970s and ’80s, with such wonders as the Ginsu, the kitchen knife that was shown samurai-ing its way through soda cans and leather shoes.
Health and fitness have long been goldmines in this field. Richard Simmons sweated to the oldies. Suzanne Somers extolled the virtues of the ThighMaster. And Jack LaLanne urged viewers to “unlock the power of fresh-squeezed juice” with the Power Juicer.
But P90X has achieved blockbuster status with a new approach. Its infomercials are shot in a more documentary style. They feature testimonials from P90X converts, interviews with Mr. Horton and scenes from the workouts. Old infomercial lines like “How much would you pay for all this?” are not part of the pitch.
Still, P90X is walking a well-trodden path. At-home workout videos took off in 1982, with Jane Fonda introducing aerobics to millions. In the years since, celebrities, models and personal trainers have crowded in. Claudia Schiffer has her “Perfectly Fit Buns.” George Foreman wants you to “Walk It Off With George.” Zsa Zsa Gabor tells her customers, “It’s Simple, Darling.”
Many of these workout fads faded fast. A few have captured the zeitgeist, like Billy Blanks’s “Tae Bo” workout in 1999 and, more recently, videos by Jillian Michaels from “The Biggest Loser,” whose “30-Day Shred” DVD is a bestseller.
Indeed, sales of fitness DVDs are growing by roughly 20 percent a year, even as overall DVD sales decline, according to the Nielsen Company. Billy Law, director of home entertainment measurement for Nielsen, attributes the increase to shows like “The Biggest Loser” and “Dancing With the Stars.”
In 2010, videos from Ms. Michaels and “The Biggest Loser” accounted for seven of the 10 best-selling exercise videos, Mr. Law says. Nielsen tracks sales at most major retailers but doesn’t capture sales of P90X, because P90X is sold only via the Beachbody Web site and over the phone.
Harold W. Kohl, a professor of epidemiology and kinesiology at the University of Texas in Austin, says such at-home programs probably help people who stick to them. But he suspects these DVDs are more valuable to the people who sell them.
“The ideal that is being conveyed in these tapes is not attainable for many, many people,” Mr. Kohl says. “So it very quickly goes into the dustbin with the exercise equipment in the corner.”
So does P90X really work? It’s certainly a tough program. You’re supposed to work out six days a week and follow a standard cut-the-carbs-and-junk diet, which may be harder than the workouts themselves.
Congressman Jeff Flake, Republican of Arizona, said that he had been doing P90X for several years with colleagues and that it was tough to cheat with many people around. “It works, I’ll tell you that,” he said, but added that he was not ready to display before-and-after photos.
The guiding principle is to mix up routines and “confuse” the muscles so as to avoid hitting a plateau. So some days are devoted to dumbbells or resistance bands, in addition to old-fashioned push-ups and pull-ups. Other days are reserved for yoga or cardiovascular workouts that involve a lot of jumping and squats.
But Robert Marting, a personal trainer who sells his own exercise videos, says that “muscle confusion” is a time-tested principle of bodybuilding, and that the idea has been around since the early days of Joe Weider, a creator of the Mr. Olympia contest. Beachbody “kindly borrowed the principle and just retermed it as a training secret,” he says.
True enough, Mr. Daikeler says.
“Trainers love to give negative reviews of P90X, saying it’s not that special,” he said. “They are right. It’s not that special.”
Nonetheless, Mr. Daikeler says Beachbody has managed to package the concept into an entertaining and effective plan that leads to at-home success in — you guessed it — 90 days.
Says Mr. Horton: “I never said I reinvented the wheel. I just made the wheel faster, better.”
TONY HORTON, with nary an ounce of fat on him, sits on a leather couch in his Spanish-style house in Santa Monica. He is wearing a pair of shorts, slip-on Chuck Taylors and a U.S. Navy golf shirt that shows off the veins on his well-pumped arms.
The man sure looks fit. He can do 100 push-ups and 35 pull-ups without stopping. He can climb a 25-foot rope hand over hand — upside down.
“If I don’t look a certain way, I’m just another salesman,” Mr. Horton says.
How he got fit and then rich is a classic Charles Atlas story. Growing up in Trumbull, Conn., he was, by his own account, a “quintessential 98-pound weakling.” He also had a speech impediment.
It wasn’t until he got to the University of Rhode Island that Mr. Horton discovered fitness. He took a weightlifting class, thinking it was an easy A. He ended up loving it and getting “crazy fit.”
“It was a brand new feeling,” Mr. Horton recalls. “It changed me mentally and emotionally.”
Then one summer he and a friend set out to drive across the country. His $400 got him as far as Colorado Springs. So he dusted off an R-rated pantomime routine that he had perfected in college and eventually made enough money to reach California.
Mr. Horton ended up staying in California, waiting tables, painting houses and taking a job as a gofer at 20th Century Fox. He joined a gym to meet women. When a Fox executive asked him for training tips, Mr. Horton became his personal trainer. He worked out of his garage and charged $20 a lesson.
One client led to another. Eventually Mr. Horton was recommended to Tom Petty, who wanted to get in shape for a concert tour. It wasn’t long before he was making a good living training the likes of Billy Idol and Annie Lennox.
“I’m sitting there with the lead singer of the Eurythmics, eating fruit,” Mr. Horton recalls. “It was pretty cool.”
Ms. Lennox could not be reached.
In his free time, Mr. Horton got bit parts in a few movies, tried stand-up comedy and became a pitchman for NordicTrack. He met Mr. Daikeler through a mutual friend and ended up acting in a play, “Pizza Man,” with Mr. Daikeler’s first wife.
Mr. Daikeler’s first video starring Mr. Horton, in 1999, was called “Great Body Guaranteed.” Mr. Horton was paid $2,000. The video did well enough that a group of investors put up money for another video, “Power 90,” an unexpected success and the precursor to P90X.
These days, Mr. Horton spends his time promoting his videos — he recently appeared on the “Today” show and QVC — and conducting workouts for fans, including members of Congress and American soldiers overseas.
With his lawyer and assistants, Mr. Horton also is trying to figure out how to extend his personal brand. He has a new book, “Bring It!: The Revolutionary Fitness Plan for All Levels That Burns Fat, Builds Muscle, and Shreds Inches.” He is discussing other business ventures, including a line of sunglasses and workout clothes, a reality TV show and a syndicated radio show.
Mr. Horton, by all accounts, practices what he preaches. He and his girlfriend, Shawna Brannon, have a home with Hollywood views, where Mr. Horton works out in a tricked-out gym. He rarely eats meat or drinks liquor or coffee.
“When I stop eating broccoli, I don’t get headaches,” he said of his aversion to coffee. “If I’m going to cheat, it’s going to be chocolate.”
At Beachbody’s sleek offices on the edge of Santa Monica, Mr. Daikeler is also trying to figure out ways to extend his company’s brand. Beachbody has continued to produce videos aimed at the hard-body crowd. A current hit is “Insanity.” A follow-up to P90X will be released soon. He is also looking to extend Beachbody’s name to beauty and health products, though he insists he will not overreach.
“We are not going to do the Beachbody deep fryer or car wax,” Mr. Daikeler says.
But finding a way to expand his audience, particularly those not prone to exercise, has proved more challenging.
Mr. Daikeler recently convened a meeting at Beachbody to discuss ways to improve sales for Body Gospel, the workout aimed at Christians. The $80 price tag seemed high, and the diet was proving to be a challenge for budget-conscious consumers.
Another problem: conservative Christians were reluctant to provide before-and-after photos, an important ingredient in the Beachbody formula. The pictures typically feature men with their shirts off and women in bathing suits or workout clothes.
The group batted around ideas for how to lower the price, by offering fewer DVDs, perhaps, or taking out the resistance bands that are normally included. As for the problem of getting Body Gospel’s customers to provide testimonials, Beachbody’s employees suggested allowing written testimonials or “lifestyle photos” with shirts on.
Mr. Daikeler says that if customers aren’t willing to peel off their shirts, his product simply isn’t compelling enough.
“The needle moves on undeniable proof,” he says. “I want to know: did their body change? That’s what we have to solve.”
The Fitness Revolution Will Be Televised (After Leno)
IT’S 3 a.m., and Tony Horton is talking to you, couch potato.
“Get absolutely ripped in 90 days!”
Viewer, check out those abs, those pecs, those glutes.
“Guaranteed or your money back!”
This man is 52 years old — and probably buffer than you’ll ever be.
“All for three easy payments of $39.95!”
On televisions across America, Tony Horton is selling a burning-sweat vision of physical fitness, and these days, a lot of people are buying. He is the pitchman and wise-cracking star of a brutal, make-it-stop workout called P90X, and he has won converts from Hollywood to Capitol Hill. The singer Sheryl Crow, the sportscaster Erin Andrews, the former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, Representative Paul Ryan and a dozen or more of his Congressional colleagues, and the list goes on and on.
P90X fans swear by the workout, a mix of jumping, yoga, martial arts and strength training that, in fact, isn’t all that revolutionary. But the secret of P90X’s success is the marketing: Mr. Horton and his business partners say they have built a $400-million-a-year empire on what, to many, might seem like a foundation of schlock: TV infomercials.
But wait, there’s more: through these infomercials, P90X has grown into a major player in exercise DVDs, one of the few growth spots in an otherwise shrinking DVD market. Beachbody, the Santa Monica company behind P90X, has expanded into workout DVDs and infomercials tailored to particular audiences. Its Body Gospel, for instance, is aimed at Christians. There is also Tony & the Folks for seniors and TurboFire for women. On top of that is a range of supplements and fitness gear.
Mr. Horton may be the face (and biceps) of P90X, but the man behind the curtain is Carl Daikeler, who has been plying the infomercial trade since the 1980s. His first production was for an industry that isn’t exactly known for its quads: accounting. Later, he produced infomercials for all kinds of pitches, be they dating services or eight-minute abdominal workouts.
His breakout idea was to create a workout program that was so hard that he dared TV viewers to try it. In 2002, he and his business partner, Jon Congdon, took that pitch to Mr. Horton, who had starred in an exercise video called Power 90. The result, released in 2005, was P90X — X for “extreme.”
The early P90X infomercials bombed. But that changed when, at Mr. Daikeler’s urging, customers like “Dallas C.” and “Kristy M.” began sending in before-and-after pictures, now featured on the company’s infomercials and Web site. More than three million copies have been sold since then, with sales increasing every year through 2010 (they are currently running even with last year), company officials said.
Now Mr. Daikeler, 47, wants to more than double his annual sales to $1 billion. To do so, he will have to move beyond the buff clientele who have embraced P90X to an even bigger market: Americans who are overweight or nowhere near as fit as they need to be to keep up with P90X.
That, of course, is a goal that has eluded fitness gurus — not to mention public health officials — for years.
“Whoever succeeds at making the living room an effective place to get fit is going to be a billionaire,” Mr. Daikeler says.
INFOMERCIALS have been around almost as long as TV. But the genre really took off in the 1970s and ’80s, with such wonders as the Ginsu, the kitchen knife that was shown samurai-ing its way through soda cans and leather shoes.
Health and fitness have long been goldmines in this field. Richard Simmons sweated to the oldies. Suzanne Somers extolled the virtues of the ThighMaster. And Jack LaLanne urged viewers to “unlock the power of fresh-squeezed juice” with the Power Juicer.
But P90X has achieved blockbuster status with a new approach. Its infomercials are shot in a more documentary style. They feature testimonials from P90X converts, interviews with Mr. Horton and scenes from the workouts. Old infomercial lines like “How much would you pay for all this?” are not part of the pitch.
Still, P90X is walking a well-trodden path. At-home workout videos took off in 1982, with Jane Fonda introducing aerobics to millions. In the years since, celebrities, models and personal trainers have crowded in. Claudia Schiffer has her “Perfectly Fit Buns.” George Foreman wants you to “Walk It Off With George.” Zsa Zsa Gabor tells her customers, “It’s Simple, Darling.”
Many of these workout fads faded fast. A few have captured the zeitgeist, like Billy Blanks’s “Tae Bo” workout in 1999 and, more recently, videos by Jillian Michaels from “The Biggest Loser,” whose “30-Day Shred” DVD is a bestseller.
Indeed, sales of fitness DVDs are growing by roughly 20 percent a year, even as overall DVD sales decline, according to the Nielsen Company. Billy Law, director of home entertainment measurement for Nielsen, attributes the increase to shows like “The Biggest Loser” and “Dancing With the Stars.”
In 2010, videos from Ms. Michaels and “The Biggest Loser” accounted for seven of the 10 best-selling exercise videos, Mr. Law says. Nielsen tracks sales at most major retailers but doesn’t capture sales of P90X, because P90X is sold only via the Beachbody Web site and over the phone.
Harold W. Kohl, a professor of epidemiology and kinesiology at the University of Texas in Austin, says such at-home programs probably help people who stick to them. But he suspects these DVDs are more valuable to the people who sell them.
“The ideal that is being conveyed in these tapes is not attainable for many, many people,” Mr. Kohl says. “So it very quickly goes into the dustbin with the exercise equipment in the corner.”
So does P90X really work? It’s certainly a tough program. You’re supposed to work out six days a week and follow a standard cut-the-carbs-and-junk diet, which may be harder than the workouts themselves.
Congressman Jeff Flake, Republican of Arizona, said that he had been doing P90X for several years with colleagues and that it was tough to cheat with many people around. “It works, I’ll tell you that,” he said, but added that he was not ready to display before-and-after photos.
The guiding principle is to mix up routines and “confuse” the muscles so as to avoid hitting a plateau. So some days are devoted to dumbbells or resistance bands, in addition to old-fashioned push-ups and pull-ups. Other days are reserved for yoga or cardiovascular workouts that involve a lot of jumping and squats.
But Robert Marting, a personal trainer who sells his own exercise videos, says that “muscle confusion” is a time-tested principle of bodybuilding, and that the idea has been around since the early days of Joe Weider, a creator of the Mr. Olympia contest. Beachbody “kindly borrowed the principle and just retermed it as a training secret,” he says.
True enough, Mr. Daikeler says.
“Trainers love to give negative reviews of P90X, saying it’s not that special,” he said. “They are right. It’s not that special.”
Nonetheless, Mr. Daikeler says Beachbody has managed to package the concept into an entertaining and effective plan that leads to at-home success in — you guessed it — 90 days.
Says Mr. Horton: “I never said I reinvented the wheel. I just made the wheel faster, better.”
TONY HORTON, with nary an ounce of fat on him, sits on a leather couch in his Spanish-style house in Santa Monica. He is wearing a pair of shorts, slip-on Chuck Taylors and a U.S. Navy golf shirt that shows off the veins on his well-pumped arms.
The man sure looks fit. He can do 100 push-ups and 35 pull-ups without stopping. He can climb a 25-foot rope hand over hand — upside down.
“If I don’t look a certain way, I’m just another salesman,” Mr. Horton says.
How he got fit and then rich is a classic Charles Atlas story. Growing up in Trumbull, Conn., he was, by his own account, a “quintessential 98-pound weakling.” He also had a speech impediment.
It wasn’t until he got to the University of Rhode Island that Mr. Horton discovered fitness. He took a weightlifting class, thinking it was an easy A. He ended up loving it and getting “crazy fit.”
“It was a brand new feeling,” Mr. Horton recalls. “It changed me mentally and emotionally.”
Then one summer he and a friend set out to drive across the country. His $400 got him as far as Colorado Springs. So he dusted off an R-rated pantomime routine that he had perfected in college and eventually made enough money to reach California.
Mr. Horton ended up staying in California, waiting tables, painting houses and taking a job as a gofer at 20th Century Fox. He joined a gym to meet women. When a Fox executive asked him for training tips, Mr. Horton became his personal trainer. He worked out of his garage and charged $20 a lesson.
One client led to another. Eventually Mr. Horton was recommended to Tom Petty, who wanted to get in shape for a concert tour. It wasn’t long before he was making a good living training the likes of Billy Idol and Annie Lennox.
“I’m sitting there with the lead singer of the Eurythmics, eating fruit,” Mr. Horton recalls. “It was pretty cool.”
Ms. Lennox could not be reached.
In his free time, Mr. Horton got bit parts in a few movies, tried stand-up comedy and became a pitchman for NordicTrack. He met Mr. Daikeler through a mutual friend and ended up acting in a play, “Pizza Man,” with Mr. Daikeler’s first wife.
Mr. Daikeler’s first video starring Mr. Horton, in 1999, was called “Great Body Guaranteed.” Mr. Horton was paid $2,000. The video did well enough that a group of investors put up money for another video, “Power 90,” an unexpected success and the precursor to P90X.
These days, Mr. Horton spends his time promoting his videos — he recently appeared on the “Today” show and QVC — and conducting workouts for fans, including members of Congress and American soldiers overseas.
With his lawyer and assistants, Mr. Horton also is trying to figure out how to extend his personal brand. He has a new book, “Bring It!: The Revolutionary Fitness Plan for All Levels That Burns Fat, Builds Muscle, and Shreds Inches.” He is discussing other business ventures, including a line of sunglasses and workout clothes, a reality TV show and a syndicated radio show.
Mr. Horton, by all accounts, practices what he preaches. He and his girlfriend, Shawna Brannon, have a home with Hollywood views, where Mr. Horton works out in a tricked-out gym. He rarely eats meat or drinks liquor or coffee.
“When I stop eating broccoli, I don’t get headaches,” he said of his aversion to coffee. “If I’m going to cheat, it’s going to be chocolate.”
At Beachbody’s sleek offices on the edge of Santa Monica, Mr. Daikeler is also trying to figure out ways to extend his company’s brand. Beachbody has continued to produce videos aimed at the hard-body crowd. A current hit is “Insanity.” A follow-up to P90X will be released soon. He is also looking to extend Beachbody’s name to beauty and health products, though he insists he will not overreach.
“We are not going to do the Beachbody deep fryer or car wax,” Mr. Daikeler says.
But finding a way to expand his audience, particularly those not prone to exercise, has proved more challenging.
Mr. Daikeler recently convened a meeting at Beachbody to discuss ways to improve sales for Body Gospel, the workout aimed at Christians. The $80 price tag seemed high, and the diet was proving to be a challenge for budget-conscious consumers.
Another problem: conservative Christians were reluctant to provide before-and-after photos, an important ingredient in the Beachbody formula. The pictures typically feature men with their shirts off and women in bathing suits or workout clothes.
The group batted around ideas for how to lower the price, by offering fewer DVDs, perhaps, or taking out the resistance bands that are normally included. As for the problem of getting Body Gospel’s customers to provide testimonials, Beachbody’s employees suggested allowing written testimonials or “lifestyle photos” with shirts on.
Mr. Daikeler says that if customers aren’t willing to peel off their shirts, his product simply isn’t compelling enough.
“The needle moves on undeniable proof,” he says. “I want to know: did their body change? That’s what we have to solve.”
Saturday, April 23, 2011
All Jack3d Up!
I dunno about all of you, but I have a tendency to not always bring it when I am tired after a long day of work. I mean I wake up at 5 am...work from 7 am until almost 5 pm...then deal with traffic
I have to feed puppy and let him out...
Make dinner for MYSELF...
THEN it is time to work out...
I am exhausted just READING all of it...Sometimes I don't get the chance to push play until almost 8 pm! That is when I started looking for something to get my pumped up...give me energy to actually bring it and get the most from my workout...and that is when I heard about Jack3d :)
Now this stuff is intense and should be used carefully! Don't just think, "oh, this is just an energy boosting supplement"...NO, this stuff is CRAZY...but I love it!
I put 1 scoop into about 10 oz of water about 20 minutes before my workout...and it really helps me to bring it! Last night for instance, I almost DOUBLED my number of reps in shoulders and arms...and upped my weight! I really pushed myself and it felt amazing! Plus, I was able to do ALLLLL of Ab Ripper X without stopping, that was a first!
Now like I said, BE CAREFUL with this stuff...They don't keep it in a glass care at GNC for no reason. ALWAYS READ THE LABELS...
Also, if you are currently taking a multivitamin each morning, make sure that you continue to take it! Jack3d will actually prevent some toxins from leaving your body...you multivitamin will help prevent this from happening!
I definitely recommend the stuff...I mean, I have had 2 of the BEST workouts of my life while taking it the past 2 days...but please be careful...
AMAZING
Hello :)
SO Kati already posted this in her blog...but I also want to share it here...
I just got this message from someone that I have been friends with since pre-school. She messaged me back when I started coaching and asked me about Beachbody, and said that she had P90X...well, her and I have been messaging back and forth since then, and because of me being so excited about it, she started doing P90X and living a healthier lifestyle.
Well she just sent me this message...and it put the biggest smile on my face, because if I would have NEVER started coaching, she would have NEVER experienced this...P90X was sitting in her closet...anyway...here it is :)
"Hey!! Just finished yoga x! I didn't want to try it at first but I am so happy I did!! Loved it! I feel stupid tying this but tears were coming out at one point cause I just felt so relaxed and happy. I was proud of myself at some of the moves I thought I wouldn't be able to do! Just had to share that with you. I might look for that cookbook u said u use. Where did u get it??"
She made my day :)
It showed me that I can make a difference and change lives...I LOVE IT :)
SO Kati already posted this in her blog...but I also want to share it here...
I just got this message from someone that I have been friends with since pre-school. She messaged me back when I started coaching and asked me about Beachbody, and said that she had P90X...well, her and I have been messaging back and forth since then, and because of me being so excited about it, she started doing P90X and living a healthier lifestyle.
Well she just sent me this message...and it put the biggest smile on my face, because if I would have NEVER started coaching, she would have NEVER experienced this...P90X was sitting in her closet...anyway...here it is :)
"Hey!! Just finished yoga x! I didn't want to try it at first but I am so happy I did!! Loved it! I feel stupid tying this but tears were coming out at one point cause I just felt so relaxed and happy. I was proud of myself at some of the moves I thought I wouldn't be able to do! Just had to share that with you. I might look for that cookbook u said u use. Where did u get it??"
She made my day :)
It showed me that I can make a difference and change lives...I LOVE IT :)
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Law #8
So I know that in this day and age, it is pretty unlikely that a lot of us are getting the proper amount of sleep that a body should get to function at its highest potential. Tony Horton wrote the piece that I have pasted below...It's a good article/blog/whatever it is...so read it :)
8th Law of Exercise: Sleep (and Stress)
By Tony Horton
Stressed out, sleep-deprived people don't eat right and don't exercise regularly. Stress depletes your energy, strength, and desire, while poor sleep habits affect your moods and immune function, along with your cognitive and motor performance. Burning the candle at both ends makes it impossible to be fit and healthy.
Stress
Do you realize that if you took the fear and anxiety out of every "stressful" situation in life, the end result of that situation would greatly improve? You can panic and freak out all you want, but time will still pass and life will happen, whether you stress out about it or not. So why not choose patience or curiosity? Patience is a virtue, and who wouldn't want to be virtuous in a stressful situation? To be curious means asking the right questions to help find solutions. When does fear, worry, or anxiety ever help a situation? Stress occurs when we are incapable of moving through a situation logically, peacefully, positively, productively, and gracefully. It take a lot of energy to be stressed out. Allowing stress to overtake you means you're having a tough time dealing with reality. Don't let stress get your goat. Stand up, take a deep breath, and see if you can deal with reality under pressure. I like the parable about the 10 people standing in line at a bank. Three robbers come storming in—screaming, yelling, and waving guns around. They terrorize the place and steal everyone's jewelry and money. What's the moral of the story? Ten people experiencing the same event will have very different reactions to it. Some will never recover, while others will have a crazy story to tell at cocktail parties. How do you respond to the events in your life?
I like Byron Katie's 3 Kinds of Business Theory:
God's Business. The things that happen in this world that are out of my control.
Their Business. The choices other people make based on their life experiences so far.
My Business. The choices I make that shape my life.
Don't waste your time on gossip, ridicule, envy, self-pity, anger, guilt, arrogance, impatience, regret, manipulation, jealousy, fear, worry, and anxiety. It's too stressful, and it destroys the energy you need to stay healthy and fit. If you choose understanding, truth, clarity, patience, devotion, gratitude, acceptance, wisdom, and forgiveness, you will have peace of mind and all the energy in the world to do whatever you want.
Sleep
Sleep does more than make you feel rested. Two recent studies with healthy volunteers demonstrated suppression of immunological function in participants after one night of modest sleep deprivation. The activity of certain white blood cells and the production of chemicals essential for immune system performance significantly decreased. After a good night's sleep, most immune functions went back to baseline levels. About 40 percent of adults experience sleepiness that interferes with daily activities. Most U.S. adults get less than 7 hours of sleep per night during the workweek, while research has determined that certain parameters of immune function are enhanced by more than 7 hours of sleep.
Another study showed that the leading cause of traffic accidents in this country is NOT alcohol but sleep deprivation. If you don't have enough energy to stay awake to drive your car, how will you have enough energy for a 6-day-a-week workout plan? We're not sleeping enough hours, and the limited time we spend trying to sleep is filled with so much mind chatter that we never get the rest we need.
My Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary defines sleep as follows: the natural periodic suspension of consciousness during which the powers of the body are restored. In the Taoist philosophy, there's a belief in yin and yang energies. These are opposing energies that create balance. Exercise is yang energy. Sleep and rest are yin energy. There must be proper balance between vim and vigor (yang) and inward calm (yin). If you don't get enough sound sleep, your body will NOT receive the proper restoration it needs to complete or succeed with any fitness program. So TiVo® American Idol and go to bed!
Peace,
Tony H.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8th Law of Exercise: Sleep (and Stress)
By Tony Horton
Stressed out, sleep-deprived people don't eat right and don't exercise regularly. Stress depletes your energy, strength, and desire, while poor sleep habits affect your moods and immune function, along with your cognitive and motor performance. Burning the candle at both ends makes it impossible to be fit and healthy.
Stress
Do you realize that if you took the fear and anxiety out of every "stressful" situation in life, the end result of that situation would greatly improve? You can panic and freak out all you want, but time will still pass and life will happen, whether you stress out about it or not. So why not choose patience or curiosity? Patience is a virtue, and who wouldn't want to be virtuous in a stressful situation? To be curious means asking the right questions to help find solutions. When does fear, worry, or anxiety ever help a situation? Stress occurs when we are incapable of moving through a situation logically, peacefully, positively, productively, and gracefully. It take a lot of energy to be stressed out. Allowing stress to overtake you means you're having a tough time dealing with reality. Don't let stress get your goat. Stand up, take a deep breath, and see if you can deal with reality under pressure. I like the parable about the 10 people standing in line at a bank. Three robbers come storming in—screaming, yelling, and waving guns around. They terrorize the place and steal everyone's jewelry and money. What's the moral of the story? Ten people experiencing the same event will have very different reactions to it. Some will never recover, while others will have a crazy story to tell at cocktail parties. How do you respond to the events in your life?
I like Byron Katie's 3 Kinds of Business Theory:
God's Business. The things that happen in this world that are out of my control.
Their Business. The choices other people make based on their life experiences so far.
My Business. The choices I make that shape my life.
Don't waste your time on gossip, ridicule, envy, self-pity, anger, guilt, arrogance, impatience, regret, manipulation, jealousy, fear, worry, and anxiety. It's too stressful, and it destroys the energy you need to stay healthy and fit. If you choose understanding, truth, clarity, patience, devotion, gratitude, acceptance, wisdom, and forgiveness, you will have peace of mind and all the energy in the world to do whatever you want.
Sleep
Sleep does more than make you feel rested. Two recent studies with healthy volunteers demonstrated suppression of immunological function in participants after one night of modest sleep deprivation. The activity of certain white blood cells and the production of chemicals essential for immune system performance significantly decreased. After a good night's sleep, most immune functions went back to baseline levels. About 40 percent of adults experience sleepiness that interferes with daily activities. Most U.S. adults get less than 7 hours of sleep per night during the workweek, while research has determined that certain parameters of immune function are enhanced by more than 7 hours of sleep.
Another study showed that the leading cause of traffic accidents in this country is NOT alcohol but sleep deprivation. If you don't have enough energy to stay awake to drive your car, how will you have enough energy for a 6-day-a-week workout plan? We're not sleeping enough hours, and the limited time we spend trying to sleep is filled with so much mind chatter that we never get the rest we need.
My Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary defines sleep as follows: the natural periodic suspension of consciousness during which the powers of the body are restored. In the Taoist philosophy, there's a belief in yin and yang energies. These are opposing energies that create balance. Exercise is yang energy. Sleep and rest are yin energy. There must be proper balance between vim and vigor (yang) and inward calm (yin). If you don't get enough sound sleep, your body will NOT receive the proper restoration it needs to complete or succeed with any fitness program. So TiVo® American Idol and go to bed!
Peace,
Tony H.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now it is time for the quote of the day...
"Don't rely on someone else for your happiness and self worth. Only
you can be responsible for that. If you can't love and respect yourself -
no one else will be able to make that happen. Accept who you are -
completely;the good and the bad - and make changes as YOU see fit -
not becauseyou think someone else wants you to be different."
-Stacey Charter
Friday, April 15, 2011
Happy Friday!
Well everyone, we made it through another week...YAY! And for me, this is the end of my Week 1 do-over for P90X! Double YAY! I feel awesome and all of my clothes are starting to fit me a lot better. Exciting stuff!
This ALSO means that in 2 days is our Clean Eating Party! Don't forget! It is at my house, and is an open house from 1pm-4pm...We will have lots of HEALTHY snacks...Plus we will be discussing Shakeology and giving out samples. Also, you will be able to sign up for our AWESOME team if you are not already a member. So stop by! Come and visit! Eat some food, and have fun with us! Message me for more info!
But that is all I have for you today! I am sure that I will have TONS to talk about after this weekend (it is jam packed!)...
I am considering starting a quote of the day texting club? Meaning I would send out a motivational quote every morning to anyone that wants it...I used to get them through a provider but most of them had NO meaning to me (they were terrible!)...So message me you phone number if you would be interested! I promise to not spam you...and your number will be kept secret :)
But I am going to leave you with a quote that Kati wanted me to post...
This ALSO means that in 2 days is our Clean Eating Party! Don't forget! It is at my house, and is an open house from 1pm-4pm...We will have lots of HEALTHY snacks...Plus we will be discussing Shakeology and giving out samples. Also, you will be able to sign up for our AWESOME team if you are not already a member. So stop by! Come and visit! Eat some food, and have fun with us! Message me for more info!
But that is all I have for you today! I am sure that I will have TONS to talk about after this weekend (it is jam packed!)...
I am considering starting a quote of the day texting club? Meaning I would send out a motivational quote every morning to anyone that wants it...I used to get them through a provider but most of them had NO meaning to me (they were terrible!)...So message me you phone number if you would be interested! I promise to not spam you...and your number will be kept secret :)
But I am going to leave you with a quote that Kati wanted me to post...
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our dark, that frightens us most...
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us.
And when we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberatedfrom our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others."
~Marianne Williamson, American Author & Lecturer
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
My "Why?"
So today I was given a homework assignment from my wonderful coach :) And instead of emailing her my answer, I decided that I would post it here and share it with everyone. SO here goes...
When becoming a Beachbody Coach (yes, I know you love my little "click here to join my team!" links), the first aspect of coaching that they ask you to reflect on is your "Why"...meaning why did you want to become a coach? What motivates you? What do you want to accomplish by joining this amazing group of people? So I am going to share with you my why...
My first why is definitely because it is a BLAST! Being a part of this team is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and it makes everyday so much fun! Everyone is so upbeat and positive, and we all keep each other motivated and happy all of the time! I am pretty sure that I have had a smile on my face 24/7 for the past few weeks.
The potential for financial success is also a big driver for me. Granted, I am not in it for the money...but it would definitely be an added bonuns. I mean, who doesn't like to get paid for doing something that they LOVE to do?
But most importantly...My biggest "why" is pure passion. I started this journey on my own, and quickly Kati took me under her wing. I am so greatful for that and I am super lucky to have a coach like her. Because of this journey, we have very quickly become very close friends and I know that I can count on her for more than just health and fitness related things. I want to be to other what she is to me. Not only a motivator and supporter, but a great friend and someone that people can turn to without feeling ashamed or embarrassed. I have quickly become very passionate about being fit and living a healthy lifestyle, and I want to share my enthusiasm with anyone that will listen (and even those who don't know that they want to hear it yet). But I also want to listen to others and learn their goals and dreams, much like Kati did with me! This is a scary thing to embark on alone, but you don't have to! That is why I am here...to be your support system when you are feeling down, to push you to bring it even when you feel like you had a long day at work and you are too tired, to listen when you feel like everything is going wrong in your life, and to help you figure out what you need to do to make you happy!
I am going to end this post with a couple of awesome quotes that I found...
"Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and belive, and it will come naturally." - David Frost
"Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you known you can lose." - Tom Krause
"Laugh at yourself, but don't ever aim your doubt at yourself. Be bold. When you embark for strange places, don't leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory." - Alan Alda
"Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig." - Marcus Aurelius
And my favorite...this is the one that we shoul ALL aspire to live by...
"Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement." - Golda Meir
When becoming a Beachbody Coach (yes, I know you love my little "click here to join my team!" links), the first aspect of coaching that they ask you to reflect on is your "Why"...meaning why did you want to become a coach? What motivates you? What do you want to accomplish by joining this amazing group of people? So I am going to share with you my why...
My first why is definitely because it is a BLAST! Being a part of this team is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and it makes everyday so much fun! Everyone is so upbeat and positive, and we all keep each other motivated and happy all of the time! I am pretty sure that I have had a smile on my face 24/7 for the past few weeks.
The potential for financial success is also a big driver for me. Granted, I am not in it for the money...but it would definitely be an added bonuns. I mean, who doesn't like to get paid for doing something that they LOVE to do?
But most importantly...My biggest "why" is pure passion. I started this journey on my own, and quickly Kati took me under her wing. I am so greatful for that and I am super lucky to have a coach like her. Because of this journey, we have very quickly become very close friends and I know that I can count on her for more than just health and fitness related things. I want to be to other what she is to me. Not only a motivator and supporter, but a great friend and someone that people can turn to without feeling ashamed or embarrassed. I have quickly become very passionate about being fit and living a healthy lifestyle, and I want to share my enthusiasm with anyone that will listen (and even those who don't know that they want to hear it yet). But I also want to listen to others and learn their goals and dreams, much like Kati did with me! This is a scary thing to embark on alone, but you don't have to! That is why I am here...to be your support system when you are feeling down, to push you to bring it even when you feel like you had a long day at work and you are too tired, to listen when you feel like everything is going wrong in your life, and to help you figure out what you need to do to make you happy!
I am going to end this post with a couple of awesome quotes that I found...
"Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and belive, and it will come naturally." - David Frost
"Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you known you can lose." - Tom Krause
"Laugh at yourself, but don't ever aim your doubt at yourself. Be bold. When you embark for strange places, don't leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory." - Alan Alda
"Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig." - Marcus Aurelius
And my favorite...this is the one that we shoul ALL aspire to live by...
"Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement." - Golda Meir
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