Well it’s no real secret that my overwhelming passion for fitness evolved from a little 90-day program called P90X.  However, that’s not to say, that even after 3 years of absolutely loving the results that it gifted me, not to mention education on what I was doing horribly wrong at the gym….I always love to entertain and challenge other facets of fitness.

Now, there is SOOO much controversy out there about P90X-this and CrossFit-that, and each “cult”, as they tend to form, saying their regime is better than the other.

Admittedly, I may have had a hint of the P90X cult mentality, thinking it was the bee’s knees and nothing was better than it….but then I allowed myself to be open minded about CrossFit and the potential and opportunity behind it.  But don’t worry Tony Horton….I won’t stray far, just improve my strength so I can beat you in an arm wrestling contest!!

So, the intention of this blog is to simply give my PERSONAL REVIEW of CrossFit, based on my recent experience at CrossFit Interbay. Don’t worry, those of you reading this that have an opinion one way or another, I’ll invite you to comment below!

As you may know, I’m all about recommendations and referrals (thanks to Kate Kester for introducing P90X to me), I have heard so many of my trusted fellow fitness freaks rave about CrossFit.  Naturally…my interest was piqued. So I hoped on the internet and literally Googled: WHAT IS CROSSFIT?

Further piqued, I checked around at the Seattle area CrossFit gyms and saw that CrossFit Interbay was a stones throw away.  Perfect.  I wanted to check it out and if I could keep it to the neighborhood,#WINNING!!  I called up my sister-in-law, well ok, likely texted her, in fact, to see if she wanted to check it out with me.  She’s always down to try something new…that’s what I love about her!

I emailed Ron, the owner of my neighborhood CrossFit gym and asked if I could come in with my SIL to check out a class or two, to see what all the craze was about.  As luck would have it, I caught them on a weekend that all the gym Coaches were away on a CrossFit conference in Vegas…hmm…conference???  Yeah, ok guys!  Haha.  Hey, more power to them – work hard, play hard.  But Ron was great and immediately invited us to take a weekend “group class”, which was very different than the typical workouts that are typical throughout the week.

Whatever it was, we were there.  And it was fun.  They called it more of a “team workout”, so we worked in groups to challenge, motivate and encourage one another to get through the Workout Of the Day (aka WOD).

Since the class was split equally with Men & Women, we were, naturally, split up as “Men’s Team” and “Women’s Team”.  Go figure.  But it was great.  We started out doing a warm up of a group 400 Meter run, where we ran in tandem, and the last runner sprinted to the front of the line, then tranisition to a jog, until we make our way to the back of the line again, and repeated the sprint to the front.  A twist on a relay race, if you will.

After that, we went into the gym, stretched a bit and went over the general techniques to the WOD.  If you were to ask me what that was today…I can’t totally remember.  BUT, I know there were pull-ups, rowing, inch worms, push ups and maybe a clean or two, involved.

Overall, kicked my butt and I was pleased.

As Ron returned from his (ahem) ”conference”, he and his wife, Erin, of which they own the gym together, invited me back to experience a full week of the gym and the opportunity to work with them and learn the “fundamentals” of the format.

I won’t detail every single WOD I did when I took him up on the offer to check out the week (you can visit CrossFit Interbay’s website to check out the previous WOD’s – Ron is great about posting everyone’s results and photographic evidence, daily)….but it certainly tested my strength, endurance and stamina.  The adrenaline junkie that I am…I was intrigued.  I will brag for a second, thanks to one of the female trainers that is this petite little thing that you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley (she’s STRONG AS HELL), helped me learn what my 1RM (1 Rep Maximum) was with Dead Lifts.  If it wasn’t for her, I would’ve never thought or attempted to lift 205 lbs!!!  Of course no match to her 255 1RM, but I was rather impressed with myself.

After my week trial, I enjoyed the challenge and oddly, the fact that I was so sore that I could barely walk for days.  Clearly, I was ready and NEEDED the challenge, as I haven’t felt that sore since the day I started P90X or may even say Insanity gave me that too. Not to mention, I did like having a “Coach” to even guide me, hold me accountable, challenge me and bring my strength abilities to the surface.

I was convinced this was a facet I was interested in learning more about and seeing what I was made of.  So, I’m the biggest newbie to CrossFit, but as I said, I enjoy learning more about other fitness platforms and continuing to apply and educate myself.

Again, as I can only speak to my personal experience, I can certainly see how and why there is so much negativity from the “industry professionals” about CrossFit and how some can be suseptable to injury.

BUT, and that’s a big BUT, I also believe that if you have the opportunity to work with a well educated trainer, that will properly guide you through the techniques and fundamentals of the “sport” to avoid injury, then, this could be a very effective workout for many.  Yes, even us P90X’ers!

My parting message to those that are reading this review (and thank you for reading my banter, by the way), fitness is a “sport” and one that you need to find that works for you and motivates YOU.  It’s not about the latest craze or trend, but finding that core solution to reach YOUR goals.  Do your homework and research from reputable sources, which workout is best for you, if either of them.  I enjoyed reading Mark Sisson’s recent article on P90X and CrossFit. **Note, I don’t get into the nutrition aspect of the two, as each camps have their own opinions, as do I (hint: CLEAN EATING).

For me, this is allowing me to expand on my goals, as my personal motto is: ALWAYS BE A WORK IN PROGRESS. I challenge even the elite athlete reading this (whether a 12x P90X grad or a born and bred CrossFitter), to have that mind frame as well.  Oh, and also to be open to all aspects of fitness and don’t HATE on the other dilienations of fitness.  We are all in it for the same purpose and should support and applaud one another for being active and contributing to ending the trend of obesity!

Am I right, or am I right?

Ok, if you are reading this and wondering what all this talk is about P90X is, be sure to check out a previous article to learn more about it, as I will always been it’s #1 fan, due to how it transformed my entire Mommy-physique!

If you’ve tried both, I’d love to have you share YOUR experience with either workout and what you like best/least about either.

Your partner in health & fitness.

As a P90X and Insanity grad, my husband and I were looking for an extra challenge.  Lucky for us, we have an incredible library of Beachbody programs to work with.

Since we both saw great results with both P90X and Insanity, we wanted to marry the two and decided to commit to a 90 Day hybrid of them both.  That 90 days has come and gone and we were both thrilled with the outcome.

I am down about 5% in body fat and my husband lost close to 25lbs, in the 90 day period!  Pretty sweet.

So what did the P90X & Insanity Hybrid look like?  Here is what our general calendar consisted of:

As a 6x grad of P90X, variety is one of the most important aspects of fitness. As that continues to follow the famed path of MUSCLE CONFUSION.  What I’ve come to learn, is that no matter how complex or challenging your respective workout program is, if you don’t switch it up, your body will stop responding to it. And that’s what led me to P90X in the first place, as I was running circles at the gym and seeing ZERO results.  WTF??

Fortunately for us, having the library that we do, we’ve got the great opportunity of combining various trainers’ fitness workout programs.  Thus, creating an intricate web of muscle-confusing possibilities and make it virtually impossible for your training program to go stale.

So what’s next?  I’m thinking a ChaLEAN Extreme & Insanity Hybrid, until Insanity Asylum comes out!  Oh, and to make you jealous, mine gets shipped NEXT WEEK!!  WOOOHOO.  Want your own copy?  Send me a message!

If you have a similar library of workout programs and need a little guidance on how to create your OWN hybrid, hit me up!  Happy to offer some suggestions.

Your partner in health & fitness.

Sometimes we all just need that little “boost” or accountability to fire things back up, right?  Well, that’s what I need, as I prepare for a cruise with 300 of my favorite fitness & nutrition buffs in a few weeks.

For you, maybe it’s time to do some Spring-cleaning in the ol’ diet, create a new nutrition habit or just hit the RESET button.

Regardless of why you decide to join the program, have faith knowing you are doing something GREAT for yourself.  And you know what, share it with other people!  I’ve got many of my friends, family, customers and partners doing it with me, because there are power in numbers.  I know I won’t fail if I have encouragement.

So, thank you to my dear friend Steph Perez, it’s come to this: The 14-Day Shakeology Rapid Results Challenge.

Here’s the game plan – starts on MONDAY FEBRUARY 28TH:

1. Get on Shakeology Home Direct (HD = get yourself free shipping & 2 Free workouts).  FREE stuff, yeah! **Psst: if you are new to Shakeology and purchase it on HD as my new customer or upgrade to a Club Membership or Coach account on HD, I will send you a Tony Horton One on One workout of your choice OR Insanity’s Fast & Furious workout at the completion of the contest period.

2.  Commit to replacing just ONE meal a day with your favorite Shakeology and recipe. (Check out the 30 Day calendar).

3.  Press play at least 4 to 6 x’s a week and CHALLENGE yourself!  Don’t just go through the motions.  If it’s your 2nd round of P90X or ChaLEAN Extreme, up the weight, do 2 more reps or SLOOOOOW down your repetitions.

4.  Either at kick off or end of the 14-day program, do the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse.  For me, it will come at the end.

5. Request to join our Facebook Group – Success with Taryn: Accountability Group (please, only customers of Taryn’s – no Coaches) and post your success (so we can celebrate), questions (so you can be successful), tips (if you have ‘em to share with the group) and any feelings that may come during the challenge period.

6. Check into the group page as often as you can.  I’m not going to set any daily requirements, but by posting AT LEAST, 3 x’s a week, may just enter you into winning some end of challenge prizes!

As as participant AND my customer in the 14-Day Rapid Results Shakeology Challenge, I will assure your success in feeling better about your nutrition selections and helping you establish realistic expectations and a strategy to get there (success will only come with YOUR commitment to change bad habits).  I will also share with you how and what I eat to keep my energy up and sustain my weight through tools available as a Team Beachbody community member (free member and club member).

It’s not rocket science or a deprivation of foods and taste, but more of learning to make smart choices, with which, in my opinion, really clicked as I had Shakeology as my staple in my diet.

Ok, so you saw PRIZES and said, “pick me, pick me”!!  Now, on to the FUN PART!

You stay within the 14 Day Challenge period (but it doesn’t’ end there, right?), there’s some prizes in store for the remaining participants!  Here’s how staying motivated can win you some loot:

• When the challenge begins, check in as often as you can.  I’m not going to set any daily requirements, but at a minimum, check in and post on the Group Page, 3 x’s during the 14-day challenge.
• As mentioned above, if you become a new Shakeology HD customer, upgrade to a Club Membership or a “discount” Coach account (you’ll need to confirm TARYNPERRY is your Coach via TeamBeachbody.com), I will send you a One on One video of your choice OR Insanity’s Fast & Furious DVD for free!!  BUT, you also have to commit to sticking through the challenge to earn it!
• At the end of the 14-Day Challenge period, for anyone still active and successful (you’ve been on Shakeology HD, posted in the group page, pushed play, etc.), I will select 2 winners, AT RANDOM, to receive a another special gift.

Who’s with me??

Have questions or need help ordering up?  Send me an email and I’m there for you: taryn@choose2befit.com.

Your partner in health & fitness.

I recently took a poll from my customers and fans of my Facebook “like” page, as to what they need answers to, since most are in the midst of  their workout program of choice or looking to start up a nutrition and exercise regime.

The big ol’ question??

What should I eat or drink before I workout?

What can I drink during my workout?

What should I eat and drink after my workout?

All great questions and all very important in getting the most out of your workouts and to sustain you throughout the day as your body recovers.

1. What should I eat or drink before I workout?
   • Fluids: Drink at least 8 ounces of fluid prior to exercise, ideally, water.
   • Food: If you were to have a meal before your workout, allow between 3 – 4 hours prior to exercise.  Be sure you meal is rich in complex carbohydrates, so your body can use it as fuel during your workouts.
   • Snack: In a perfect world, consume a snack at least 45 – 90 minutes before exercise (depending on type of workout.  For interval training or HIIT workouts, 60-90 mins prior is best).  Best to get approx 30 – 60g of complex carbohydrates, plus 5 – 10 gr of protein to provide energy for prolonged stamina and to decrease exercise induced muscle protein breakdown.
2. What can I drink during my workout?
   • Fluids: Drink about 8 ounces of water every 10-20 minutes; sipping a glucose-electrolyte sports drink can extend endurance, although be mindful, as many are filled with artificial sweeteners and useless junk.  My vote, stick to water!
3. What should I eat and drink after my workout?  And when?
   • Fluids: Drink at least 8 ounces of fluid immediately prior.  In addition, consider a cleanly formulated recovery drink like the P90X Results & Recovery Drink or pure Coconut Water.
   • Carbohydrates: Consume about 1.5 grams/body weight (BW) of a higher glycemic index (GI) carb within 30 minutes after exercise and again 2 hours for muscle glycogen resynthesis.
   • Protein: Consume about 0.5 grams/BW of protein with the carbohyrdate to encourage hormonal balance and repair.  And NO, I’m not saying go grab a Big Mac from McDonald’s!  If you are at the gym, go prepared and throw a protein bar, like the P90X Protein Bar, in your gym bag so you don’t run the risk of “bonking” or grabbing crap.

So there you have it.  Whether you are firing up P90X, a new circuit training or interval class, be sure you prepare and PLAN AHEAD!  Don’t work so hard to only suffer from extreme exhaustion or dehydration.

Your partner in health & fitness.

Source: IDEA Fitness Journal

Home Made Granola

I can’t take ANY credit for this recipe, but I just had to share it straight from Tony Horton’s book, BRING IT!, which is in stores now.

As many of you know, Tony is the creator of P90X and a major contributing factor to my physical and mental make over.  I gel with much of what he says, as it JUST MAKES SENSE!

When I say “contributing factor”, it’s just that, as I am the ONLY person that can implement it.  I just had great direction when I was ready.

That being said, any chance I can bring light to anything easy and tasty, I will share it!  Especially when it comes t granola…as I love it!  Just no longer the store bought kind.

So many Granola’s out on the market claim they are healthy, but are loaded with fat and added sugar.  You certainly won’t find any added sugar in this one, as concocted by Tony’s personal chef, Melissa Costello or Karma Chow.

It’s so incredibly easy to make, deliciously HEALTHY and will fall in line with any nutrition and exercise program you may be on.

Makes 4 – 6 servings

3 Cups Rolled Oats (I prefer Gluten Free)

1 Cup Oat Flour or Spelt Flour (Almond or Millet Flour are good too – Gluten Free)

1 cup chopped walnuts or any other nut (optional)

1/2 cup flaxseed

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

3/4 cup grapeseed oil

3/4 cup agave syrup or maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (alcohol free)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper (I used a non-stick baking sheet, so didn’t need to line it.

In a large mixing bowl combine the “dry” ingredients (oats, flour, nuts, flaxseed, salt, cinnamon and cardamom).

In a small bowl, combine the “wet” ingredients (oil, syrup and extract).  Whisk together until well combined.  If you whip too quickly or long, it will crystalize.  Pour the oil mixture over the oats mixture and stir to combine.

Spread the granola evenly on the baking sheet.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes (the book calls for 30 minutes, but it turned my first batch too dark).  Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes to crisp up, and break into chunks.

So easy…even a 5 year old can make it AND eat it!

This granola is great with some unsweetened coconut, almond or hemp milk, topped on some Greek Yogurt, dessert topping or put in your favorite shake (for me, it’s Shakeology).

BUT, if you need a little grab n’ go snack, check out what Melissa added to the mix (1 serving):

1/2 banana

1/2 cup Granola (above recipe)

1 tablespoon of Almond Butter

Use fork to mash up the banana and mix with the granola and almond butter.  Roll mixture into a bar.  Freeze.  When ready to eat, either allow to soften on the counter or zap in microwave for 20 seconds on high.  DELICIOUS!!!  OH, and you can double, triple or quadruple the recipe…it’s THAT good.

Ok, just one of my favorite quick to make meals and snacks I had to share.  Again, this and SO much more is in Tony Horton’s book, BRING IT! in stores now.  It’s chalked full of valuable information to really set the foundation of proper nutrition and exercise.  It’s a way of LIFE people.  Not a fad.

Your partner in health  & fitness.

A few days ago, I wrote a post on “What is P90X?”.  I mean, who hasn’t heard for P90X??  With the $150M + in advertising Beachbody shells out per year, you’d have to be living in a cave not to know the program.  But, I had to appease my audience and be sensitive.

I get asked this question by young women, seasoned women (I don’t dare say “old”), new and old Mom’s. ALL-THE-TIME. Immediate answer, YES!  Doesn’t it look like it can work for women?? And I’m no preview fitness model, personal trainer, etc..  Just a newer Mom that needed a new workout program to change my life.

It’s amazing how more and more women are starting their physical transformation with P90X®. Why? Because it works. If you’ve ever watched QVC and seen the airings of P90X®, about 80% of the callers, are women in their 40’s and 50’s, that are starting the program and GETTING RESULTS.

And you know what, ladies, you don’t have to fear building bulk. Majority of us females, don’t carry enough testosterone that inhibits the bulk in muscle growth. This type of dynamic workout, will build LEAN, sexy muscles, without the bulk. Find out why weight training is important for women.

How stellar is that??

Ok, so what is P90X®? It’s a 90-day, fail proof system, that gives you all the proper tools to be successful in both the nutritional category (Nutrition guide with phased eating plan) and fitness (breakdown of each exercise and options for modification.

I embarked on my own journey with P90X® after my 2^nd baby was born, as I was tired of being the “frumpy, fat” Mom. As a former gym rat, I needed a plan. A plan that worked with my limited time and failure to get back to the gym with, now, 2 kids, on hand. A plan that was spelled out for me, told me what to eat, what exercises to do and how to do them. BINGO. Enter P90X®.  It came full circle with my missing link in nutrition and exercise.

What you get with the entire P90X® Extreme Home Fitness system? See my prior post on it’s contents.

After reading through entire box of contents (Nutrition Guide, Fitness Guide, “How to Bring-It” DVD and 12 DVD set), I was nervous and excited about what was on the horizon.

Push ups??  Pull ups??  Oh HECK NO!  I sucked at push-ups and never could do a pull up if my life depended on it. How was I going to keep up?

Well a few things to consider, it’s a 90 day program, so I had 90-days to work on improvement and see progress. If I stuck with the nutrition and fitness guidelines, I was pretty much guaranteed progress. Also, Tony Horton prepared me to know, it’s not just a 90-day system and you are done. It’s a lifestyle switch and a lifetime of better health, ahead, if I so choose.

Yes, I CHOOSE!

So what can you expect?

- To get in the best shape of your life!

- To develop skills, coordination and flexibility to enhance every aspect of you physical abilities.

- To increase your knowledge and educate you on smart and CLEAN eating through healthy diet choices.

- Oh, and to SWEAT a lot!  Think DNA removal, fat shredding and major lean-age in your future.

If you squirmed at the last one ladies….buck up!  Sweating is good for you!  That, and you can just shower off.

And ladies – you can modify ALL the moves! Yup, you don’t have to get through a military boot camp to qualify for the program, despite what some say, but with the beginning fit test, it acts as a STARTING POINT for you. Not a scare tactic.

Want Guidance?

Be sure to join my Newsletter List (>>>>>>RIGHT SIDE BAR >>>>>>) to get access tips and advice on how you can be successful with a program like P90x, not to mention advice on nutrition, life and balance.

The workouts.  

Fit Test:

A starting point to gauge your level of fitness out of the gates. An opportunity to evaluate HOW you need to start, which version of the program to start with (Classic*, Lean or Doubles) and quite frankly, a reality check.

So I kicked things off with the Classic Version with my husband and there was no looking back. I started and low and behold, I started to see it.

Here’s a summary on each of the workouts, from a women’s perspective:

Chest & Back:

Push-ups, although on my knees at first, were getting deeper and stronger. I didn’t have a pull up bar, so modified by using resistance bands. Someone in the video is ALWAYS modifying each move. Mom’s, picking up your babies after this day…geesh! Come week 3, your baby never felt more like a feather! LOL.

Plyometrics:

Dubbed “The Mother of All Cardio Workouts”. How fitting! Starting out, I was exhausted from the warm up. But pushed through and did my best, and forgot the rest. This phrase will be seared into your brain as you do the program.

Shoulders & Arms:

I felt rather successful with this workout, as I could mange most of the moves, even if it was with light weight. I learned, through the material, to PERFECT each move with GREAT FORM, rather than banging out 16 sloppy reps.

Yoga X:

I HATED this day. Hated it. Dreaded waking up on Thursday’s to do it. Why? Because I’ve never survived a Yoga session a day in my life, let alone, enjoyed it. But, I kept at it, as I’m stubborn and wanted to truly see what this program could do for me. I won’t lie ladies, even for those yoga enthusiasts that live and breathe yoga, I’ve been told it was even hard for them. But I came to enjoy it and the results I felt as it lengthened, stretched and worked out all the kinks…even though it was tough as sh*t. Check out this video from Tony Horton on his message on the importance of Yoga.

Legs & Back:

I love working my legs, so I really enjoyed the legs portion. Pull-ups, not so much, as I wasn’t good at them…yet! All in due time. Different variations of lunges, deep squats, calve raises, wall-squats, balance moves (core work!!) and isometrics. Good stuff.

Kenpo X:

A great workout to pretend you are kicking the snot out of someone. Often times I took it out on Tony Horton, as I was so miserably sore from the week’s workout. And oddly enough, I found I CRAVED that feeling of soreness. It’s a cardio based kick boxing that brings together your mind & body through focus and precision during each punch or kick series.

Ab Ripper X:

This is a series of core moves that is tacked on to the weight training workouts, in the Classic Version. So basically after Chest/Back, Shoulders/Arms, and Legs/Back, came Ab Ripper X. A variety of 367+ dynamic core exercises that had my holding my stomach in and avoiding any jokes, for days. Ahhh, again, good stuff!

This series of 6 workouts repeats for 3 weeks, then comes the Recovery Week. Oh, how I was looking forward to this. Until I embarked on my first Recovery Week.

What is the purpose of Recovery Week?

It’s intended to give your muscles a break from all their hard work in the week’s prior of challenging them, pushing them to fatigue and ultimate soreness. While still working hard during this Recovery Week, your body gets a break from the heavy resistance and allow those little “micro-tears” to heal, so you can push harder as you enter the next phased training block.  Also maybe even a test to see if we, women, could still life our arms to wash our hair! Ha.

It’s 6 days of that alternates in some newer workouts and cardio from the weeks prior:

Yoga X: See above

Core Synergistics*:

Still cardio based, but uses a lot of your core stabilizers to carry you through each motion. Good news, NO Ab Ripper! Bad news, still working on core stretch. Ok, I think that’s actually still good news.

*My personal favorite.

Kenpo X: See above

X Stretch:

A great series of stretching exercises that come as a MUCH needed break in addition to minimize any potential for injury as you go about the program.  Although you may be craving the sweat and heart pounding workouts, TRUST ME, this is well worth it and your body will crave it.  DON’T YOU DARE SKIP IT.

The second and third Phase of the 90-day Classic program, bring in other strength training exercises on the notion to continue to stimulate your muscles via Tony’s trademark – Muscle Confusion.

What’s muscle confusion?

There is no opportunity to hit a plateau here…thus the welcomed appeal to muscle confusion.  The combination of the strength workouts, cardio and flexibility, constantly challenge your muscles to be activated and continue to develop.  By switching routines through the various “training blocks” (30 day phases) your body never has the chance to adapt to any one routine.  Thus, why results happen so quickly.

Want to see what each 30 days can do?

Day 1                           Day 30                          Day 60                            Day 90

Believe it ladies and gents!!  It can happen!  You just have to WANT and be willing to work for it.

Remember, we didn’t put this weight on all over night, it may have taken months or years.  So don’t expect overnight results.  But, you certainly can expect results in the initial 30 days, if you follow the plan!

And men or women, I’d be happy to be YOUR Coach and help you succeed with this program or ANY program for that matter.  Let’s find a workout program that works for YOUR goals.  Is it P90X?

Your partner in health & fitness.

This may be the #1 question I get asked by women as new Mom’s, seasoned Mom’s and all others looking to shed excess belly fat. Ok, men too! Who doesn’t want to shed belly fat??

Whether that excess belly fat be post-baby weight, the “Freshman 15” or years of neglect of YOURSELF, the answer is simple and straight across the board.

Nutrition and Exercise. It doesn’t get any more tricky than that. Certainly no magic pill, “fad” diet or magic wand is going to intervene. At least not for the long haul.

Magic Pills and “fad” diets are SO yesterday. Agree?

Almost a year ago to the date, I wrote the article Top 7 Tips to a Tighter and Stronger Mid-Section.  Ring a bell?  These all go hand in hand in how to dial in on your mid-section.  There is NO spot reducing…sorry to burst the bubble to ya my friends!

The wave of the future and your flat belly, comes down to what you consume and how you move.

As a former gym rat and 2-pack contender for YEARS before I had kids, I thought I was of the elite in the dingy gym I went to. Often feeling confident about the abs I was creating with countless crunches and wasted time on the treadmill, only to go home and refuel with all the wrong things.

Hmmm….why wasn’t I getting that 6-pack I knew was in there?

Fast forward a few years and 2 kids later. As a Mom and a women, I was prepared by so many friends that being “mushy” and “frumpy” just comes with the territory. You mean, um, sort of like a reward we reap for bearing little miracles? Shoot, really?

No way…I wasn’t going to settle for that.

As you may know from my success story, post-baby, I surpassed the “frumpy” Mom category and got that 6-pack I knew I had in me, even 15 years since I saw my last one, from high school.

How? Well, for me, it came with a home fitness program called P90X®. Never heard of it, right?? Hahah. If you know me, chances are you SICK of me boasting about it.

Why do I boast about it? It taught me so many things I was doing wrong with my Nutrition and Exercise. Boy, and was I WAY off on how good I thought I was by hitting the gym 3-4 x’s a week and eating “selectively”. And Mom’s, selectively doesn’t mean eating the crusts of your kids sandwiches, picking at the remains of their Mac N’ Cheese or drinking the remnants of their Organic Chocolate milk. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Ok, so aside from the lessons I learned about overall nutrition and exercise, I learned HOW and WHY I was, just NOW, in my 30’s and after bearing 2 children, successful with achieving that 6-pack. And guess what, it didn’t come from the 367 or so ab exercises that comes with the famed Ab Ripper X. Of course a contributing factor? Yes!

But, it was how I nourished my body with CLEAN and WHOLE foods, is what shed the BELLY FAT and BODY FAT, from my post-baby-former-frumpy-self!

YES, those abs I so adamantly wanted so I could prove some of my friends wrong – they were APPEARING! Right before my eyes. Holy cow! Imagine that, ladies!

The best part was, it was simple. Sort of. To me, I find peace with eating well and exercising. Others, find it a chore. So I suppose I use simple as a selective term.

But the core of the story here, (pun intended) is that any Mom, Dad, former athlete or anyone else in between, has the chance to see those abs again! Yes you do, and don’t you dare say that it’s in your genetics to have belly fat! Don’t get me started on that topic.

People, it starts with your nutrition. Eating clean foods will sculpt your core giving you those lean, flat and sexy abs you admire from your favorite fitness model, P90X® grad or athlete. We are ALL capable of having them and they don’t need to be airbrushed on.

Did you know that 80% of any success in weight loss comes from what and how you eat?? 80%!

Here’s another little thing that P90X, but namely Tony Horton (the celebrity brains behind this 90-day Extreme Home System; pictured below with me), you don’t need to train your abs DAILY, just to firm up that 6-pack. In fact, in my recent stint on QVC with himself and another crew of P90X grads, I asked him that very question.

His response? “There is no need to beat yourself up over 3,000 crunches a day, just to get a lean core.”

That’s going to come from A) what you EAT B) how you TRAIN (train with a purpose; train like an athlete – think Pull-ups, push-ups, functional training moves and C) how you FEEL.

It’s amazing how a good attitude can be the foundation for success in your 6-pack abs.

Generally, happy people are healthy people. Thus, healthy people are happy people. Why? Because we ENJOY taking care of ourselves.

Ok, so think outside of the box when it comes to training your core/abs (just say no to 3,000 crunches a day!). A few little tips to leave you with:

- EAT CLEAN and LEAN (Remember, it’s 80% of your weight loss, core-tightening, success).

- Engage your core with any exercise activity you do. Pull belly button into the spine and focus on your breathing.

- Body weight training exercises are major core stabilizers: Pull-ups, Push up’s, Plyometric jumps, Squats, plank)

- Watch your posture. Stand up TALL with shoulders back, chest up, core strong.

- Get P90X®. Oh, is that a shameless plug? Ok, yes, but only cause it WORKS!

Again, shedding that belly fat isn’t going to come by way of a magic pill, quickie “fad” diet or countless crunches. And it’s certainly not going to come over night. It’s all in how you nourish your body and train as you exercise.

I always advise my customers to TRAIN and LIVE with a PURPOSE.

Your partner in health & fitness.

Congratulations!! You’ve gotten back into the regime of working out, eating right and feeling GREAT, right? Well, maybe the later isn’t so true if you are just getting back to your fitness and feeling the fruits of your labor.

Muscle soreness!!

Well, if you are demented like me, you may enjoy that feeling and find you actual crave it. Heck, I even push myself through each new Phase of P90X®, in hopes that the following day, I will “feel” it in my muscles. Sick, I know, right?

Well for all women (Mom’s and otherwise) out there, we can stand united in knowing that we can tolerate a lot – kiddie puke, sleepless nights, squealing & fighting and the endless amounts of laundry. Uggh..which reminds me, must get to laundry! LOL. Ok, I digress…

In talking with a lot of new Mom’s or even women that have been sedentary for a while now, they are afraid to getting back to working out, as they just can’t bare the physical pain and restraints that muscle soreness brings on, after they get back to lifting weights or doing any training of sorts. Or think there is something wrong as they experience this muscle soreness. Sound familiar?

Well ladies, listen up! Time to tackle a new obstacle, step out of that comfort zone and EMRACE THE PAIN! Yeah, I said it. Embrace the muscle soreness. As you know why? I like to think of it as a little reward for my hard work in working on MYSELF!

So, you’ve now allowed yourself to EMBRACE THE PAIN. But don’t get me wrong, there is pain and there is pain.

Because of experienced every bit of soreness out there, from the “ok, yeah, I felt that and it’s working for me” to the “holy heck, I can’t walk and I’m in misery”, and all else in between, here are a few tips I picked up from Steve Edwards of The Straight Dope, on how to deal with muscle soreness.

1. ANTICIPATE IT. If you are starting out a new training regime or workout program, you have to expect a certain degree of soreness. So start out with ease and don’t go full bore on Day 1. By day 2 and 3, you can up the ante, knowing what to expect and the result of a day’s hard work.

2. STRETCH. After a good workout and while your muscles are warm, you should allow at LEAST 5 to 10 minutes for a good stretch. This will allow your body time to recuperate and recover quickly. A forethought to this is to be sure BEFORE your workout, you warm up (3-5 mins) and do a quick stretch (3-5 mins) before you hit it. NEVER STRETCH COLD MUSCLES as you run this risk of injury.

3. MASSAGE. And no, I’m not saying you need to rush out to a masseuse after each workout, but if you have that ability, I’m jealous!! But self-massage is just as great. Use a foam roller or any other massage tool to work out the kinks.

4. ICE. As we exercise, our muscles are experience slight tears in the muscle fibers, dubbed “microtrauma”. This is a good thing, as awful as a “tear” sounds. These micro-tears allow our bodies to get stronger and build muscle. But to heal quickly, icing is a great addition to your regime. Icing a body part for up to 20 minutes a day, even a few times a day, can do a body good, not to mention, promote proper circulation.

5. EAT WELL. Your body craves proper nutrition to function as a well oiled machine. Even more so, as it’s working frantically to recover. Don’t go through the effort of hard work in your fitness, just to go scarf down a McDonald’s Big Mack. Bleh!! Good core nutrition will aid in proper recovery, not to mention promote weight loss versus reaching for the junk. Remember, within about an hour of your workout, be sure to get some complex carbs and a protein in your system. These will seek out the wailing muscle fatigue and work to mend it.

6. WORKOUT. Yes, keep at it. Although the pain may be barking at you and that devil is saying “NO, NO MORE”, but keep charging. The more you keep up with your regime, the better of and more conditioned your body will be in response to muscle fatigue and soreness. Keeping with the momentum not only keeps you on track to your weight loss and/or strength training goals, but again, maintains circulation to keep the body useful for you.

7. EMBRACE THE PAIN. Yup, I said it. Embrace it. Own it. Love it. And although muscle soreness may be foreign to some, relish in it. Why? Because a) you know it’s only short lived, b) it can be thought of your badge of honor and c) the more you can stick with it, the stronger you’ll be and closer you’ll get to your goals.

Moral of the story, don’t let a little muscle soreness derail your ultimate goal. You are WORTH is as a new Mom, seasoned Mom, non-Mom, new Dad, seasoned Dad, former athlete or new fitness buff.

To learn more about Steve Edwards and his passion for good health, nutrition and fitness, you can visit his blog at: http://steve-edwards.blogspot.com/

Your partner in health & fitness.

Congratulations!  You’ve made the decision to commit to embarking on a life changing journey.  Now, this isn’t a short trip that stops at 6 weeks, right?  Hence my above statement of “life changing journey”.

As busy Mom’s, whether we are stay-at-home Mom’s, working Mom’s or empty nested Mom’s, we have busy lives!  And we tend to live them in the near and not-so-distant future.  So thinking 6-weeks ahead of time is almost impossible.  Heck, I barely can wrap my head around tomorrow, until I finish with TODAY!

Sound familiar?

In the efforts for it truly to be a life-long, life changing journey, you have to switch your mentality.  With that, comes a lot of questions, feelings, actions and confusion.

Mostly, what do I do before I start?

It’s not all about ripping open your new home workout program and pushing play, or signing up for a year long membership at your neighborhood gym and going.  You have to take action steps to set yourself up for success and reward.

So, what do you do before you start a workout program?

1. Commit to it as a new lifestyle. The sooner you can recognize this is a new lifestyle you are embarking on, the better off you’ll be and the sooner you can embrace and celebrate those small successes.  Remember, it’s not a race to the end.
2. Purge your pantry.Out with the old, in with the new.  In the efforts of being successful with your new transformation, the root of it stems from your kitchen.  Restock with fresh and clean foods.  Things to get rid of:
   1. Process or packaged foods
   2. MSG laden foods (privy in most pre-packaged meals, canned soups, etc)
   3. Artificial Sweeteners, sugary foods and/or foods sweetened artificially (High-Fructose corn syrup, Splenda, Equal).
   4. Any and all JUNK FOOD (soft drinks, candy, chips, ice cream…you get the drill)
   5. Non-Fat/Fat-Free foods.  They are typical loaded with additives, chemicals and artificial flavoring.
3. Weight Yourself.  Go ahead…step on the scale. It will be quick, so just get it over with. Once you do it, put the scale away and don’t bring it out for another 30-days.  The worst thing you can do is weigh daily or weekly.  Each 30-day phase, be sure to use the same scale and weigh at the same time of the day as your last weigh in.   This will be your best bet to see measurable results.
4. Take your Before Picture.  Sounds awful, daunting and down right frightening, right?  Well, it’s amazing how powerful these pictures can be when that day comes about that you just aren’t “feeling the day’s workout”, had a bad day or are just plain tired.  Trust, me, when I started my first round of P90X, I kept that before picture in the fore front of my mind and visible daily.  This before picture will be seared in your brain…trust me! Some tips for taking your before pictures:

*  Take in AM

(Suggested attire for women: sports top & shorts; Men: shorts only – DON’T SUCK IN OR PUSH OUT YOUR GUT):

* Picture angles:

i.      Front view; arms at side.

ii.      Front view; arms flexed at 90 degrees

iii.      Side view (right and left)

iv.      Back side; arms at side.

v.      Back side; arms flexed at 90 degrees

*  SAVE THEM.

(Create a folder on your computer for “before” pictures.)

1. Print out one picture and carry it with you in your purse, diaper bag or man bag.  It’s powerful to refer to it often.
2. Repeat every 30 days to mark and celebrate success.
3. Do your Before Measurements.Yes, much like your before pictures, this isn’t very pleasant either.  But, that’s why we are embarking on this, right?  Some tips for taking your before measurements.
   1. Take in AM
   2. What to measure (write it down!): waist, hips, thighs (both), biceps, chest, neck
4. Get your Body Fat %. This may  just be your wake up call! You can get a cheap Fat Caliper (skin fold test) at any health or sports store, go visit a gym and have a trainer take it or your physician.  Regardless, which method you use, be sure it’s the same every 30 days.
5. Repeat every 30 days to mark and celebrate success.
6. Keep a Journal or Blog about it. This can be an emotional journey for many.  Especially if you are a new Mom, hit a little Post-Pregnancy Depression (PPD) or that seasoned/empty nested Mom that can now focus on herself.  What to write about?
   1. How you feel.  Getting your emotions out on paper or on computer can be powerful.
   2. Any emotions you experience.
   3. Daily thoughts. Whether is a revelation in Motherhood or life in general.
   4. Successes.  As you embark on this journey, you’ll reach small success points and you should CELEBRATE those.
   5. Catalog or time stamp your journey.  In 3 years, would be interesting to reflect back and reflect back on what you experience and how your responded.
7. Set Goals and Expectations.  These should be small and obtainable.  Don’t set out with the “I have to shed 50lbs in the first month or else”, mentality.  Right there, you set yourself up for failure.  Tips for goal setting:
   1. I will get up at ___:___AM/PM every morning (for me, it’s 5:15am EVERY morning – yup, only time the house is MINE and QUIET…try it!  I dare ya.)
   2. I will commit to celebrating every 30 days of commitment.
   3. I will plan my meals out ahead of time. Last minute planning doesn’t always work out for us busy Mommy’s!
8. Get Free Online Support.  My favorite part before my workout commences at 5:15am, is logging into our online SuperGym, and logging into my workout for the day.  Here I get to see who’s up with me, doing the same thing.  Not to mention, I’m qualifying myself for the daily cash prices.  SCORE.  But cash prizes aside, you have FREE online support from ME and a host of other people going about their respective journey’s.  Other ideas:
   1. Myfitnesspal.com
   2. FitDay.com
   3. Facebook Groups
   4. Smartphone Apps (there are a TON!!)
9. Get Accountable.  Find an accountability partner or forum that you can stay committed to and help keep you on track.  It’s powerful when you can buddy up with a friend when starting with a new program or meet people on the same journey, via websites and forums.  Most sites and forums even have nutrition trackers.  Some of my favorites:
   1. Teambeachbody.com (get a your free account here)
   2. Myfitnesspal.com
   3. Fitday.com
   4. Sparkspeople.com

Getting started on your journey to better health can only be the BEST thing you can do for yourself, your future and those that look to you for inspiration.  But, getting on that path can be challenging.  Set yourself up for success by following these basic steps and feel free to reach out to me, for any support, advice or information you needed.

Wishing you the very best on your amazing journey.

Your partner in health & fitness.

As a stay at home Mom and P90X® grad myself, I get the question ALL THE TIME.  “What is this PX90 stuff I hear all about?”

It’s funny how many more people call it PX90, than P90X®.  Hmmm…maybe they need to rebrand.  {Insert shouting} “TONY!!!!!”.

Or, maaaaaaybe not.  To those that really want to get into incredible shape and change their mentality for good health, this is a total game changer.  After the birth of our 2^nd child, I was all over it like a wet rag.  Check out my before and after HERE.

Ok, so what exactly IS, P90X®??

Well if you are looking to reshape your physique beyond what you’ve been working towards in the gym, day in and day out…this is your calling!

Tony Horton, your personal, in-home celebrity trainer and mastermind behind this program, uses the science of Muscle Confusion™ to constantly challenge your body with new moves and routines within a 90-day period.

Now the program.  What do you get?

P90X^® has 12 highly diverse and intense workouts. It’s a total-body program that incorporates strength training, cardio, core work, yoga, and flexibility. You’ll learn how to customize P90X for your specific goals so you’ll get the results you want.

The Tools:

You’ll also get the complete P90X 3-Phase Nutrition Plan, the P90X Fitness Guide, the How to Bring It Video, the P90X Calendar, and 24/7 Online Support for access to P90X experts.

Why Muscle Confusion™?

So your results never plateau, and you get in better shape in less time.  Can you imagine that??  I couldn’t….then I embarked on it myself!  Insert, again, MYSTORY.

There you have it.  Whether you are a former athlete (or new athlete) wanting to get back to your “former self”, training for a Marathon, a new Mom needing to shed those post-baby pounds or simply embark on an entire new way to live healthy – P90X will get you there.

Oh, and here’s the best part – I WILL HELP YOU!  Yup, I will Coach you, support you, mentor you and encourage you through the ENTIRE 90 days, and beyond, if you decide to take on the commitment.

So, do you have it in you to be the next P90X grad?

Your partner in health & fitness.