The ChaLEAN Extreme: Extreme Abs is a very effective abs workout. I can definitely see the possibilities of getting the six pack abs you’ve always wanted with this exercise dvd. This is my actual 2nd time doing this dvd, and it was tough both times, but I noticed some slight improvement from the first time. The first time, I think you naturally (maybe even subconsciously) “hold back”, because there is that small voice that tells you, you may not make it all the way through, and to “reserve” some energy. But after the first time, you can ignore that little voice and give it 100% effort knowing you can make it! But don’t worry, even if you are a beginner, there are some modified moves just for you, until you can move up to the more advanced versions. And regardless, beginner or advanced, if you find yourself where you need to stop and take a break, that’s ok. But don’t stop the dvd! Just take a break and start back in as quick as you can, before long, you’ll be taking fewer breaks, and finally not stopping at all.

If you don’t want to read through all the moves of the dvd, just skip down to my “Final Thoughts”.

It’s a short dvd, just over 16 minutes. You start the workout with a basic cat stretch. This is a great stretch for warming up your abs, and is painless. You move quickly from the cat stretch to a slow crunch. You can really feel the slow crunches and can easily intensify this move later by contracting those abs at the top of the move. Building on the slow crunch, you add your legs with a hand clap above and below your leg. Don’t worry if you don’t easily follow me here, this is just a brief overview. Once you do the dvd, you’ll be a pro!

By this time, your front abs are ready for a break, and Chalene Johnson, the trainer, moves you into a nice oblique exercise to work those love handles we all hate so much! Just as you think you can’t do any more, your move back to the floor crunch, and this time you get to add some punches as you crunch upwards. Just imagine your frustration on this move as you make those punches. Keep in mind all of these moves are just under a minute, challenging, but you can do it!

Moving on, you get to do a bicycle move, as you extend and straighten each leg. Next is one of my favorite moves. Chalene calls it “Around the Clock”. You are lying flat on your back, with both legs straight up. You slowly lower your legs in a clockwise motion, making a slow circle. You eventually repeat on the other side. Excellent move, and the lower you go, the harder it is! While your legs are straight up, you then move into a move called “Ankle Crosses”, where you alternate your legs front to back. Again, this will make more sense when you do the dvd. At the end of this move, CONGRATS, you made it about halfway. This workout moves quickly, take breaks if you have to, just do your best!

The next two moves are similar. Lying flat on your back, you reach both hands over your head, and then tuck your elbows into your legs as you bring your legs to your chest. This move is followed by some leg lifts. From a seated position, lean backwards to a 45 degree angle. You then extend and lift your legs. Another favorite move of mine is called “Training Camp”. This move puts you in the push up position. You alternate each leg, one at a time to your elbow, working the obliques. Then your back to more crunches. This set of crunches are even slower than the first, 8 counts up, and 8 counts down. At this point you have about 5 minutes left on the clock. Almost there, and then you ARE done!

The last 5 moves consist of a side plank, working the obliques. Then back to the push up position, and this time you alternate lifting each leg, working your lower back, abs, and core. And the last real ab exercise here is called the “Army Crawl”. I’m going to let this one be a nice surprise. But I like it. I actually love working abs, so I like a lot of them. Then the last two minutes you work your lower back and core.

Final Thoughts.

Then the very last move of all, you hit the STOP button. Stretch your abs some, and give yourself a pat on the back, you just completed a very tough ab workout. Remember this workout dvd is progressive, so as a beginner, you can modify and take breaks. Even modified it’s an EXTREME workout. Then as you get stronger, you modify less, take less breaks and it’s still EXTREME. You see what I mean? Make this workout hard, and enjoy the great results that are sure to follow.

As a final note. Remember, there is an old saying in the fitness circles. “Abs are made in the kitchen.” You can do this workout and have a six pack, but have not yet lost enough weight to show it off. Be sure to get your diet on track, so you can show off your results.

People ask me everyday, I’m just not getting the results I want as fast as I want. And I ask, “How is your diet?” Well, it’s okay they say. They answered their own question. I’m not saying you should be as strict as I am on my diet. I do that by choice. But you can if you like, and the more you get your diet on track, the faster your results! Another great workout for ChaLEAN Extreme!

The importance of carbohydrates and diet is a very essential part of every person’s life. If you do not follow a healthy diet plan, no matter how much you exercise, your total fitness will not be as effective. Diet and exercise go hand in hand, both are needed to get fit and remain healthy.

But, whenever you mention the word “diet”, confusion settles in. With so many diet plans and fad diets becoming popular, people are often confused about what to consume and what not to consume for the diet to remain healthy and provide the necessary nutrition. While some diets advise the reduction of fats and carbohydrates, others recommend only the reduction of fats.

These different kinds of recommendations often lead to undue confusion and people are generally clueless about what to eat and what not to eat. While some diet plans recommend lower carbohydrate intake, the question is raised whether or not this will have any effect on weight reduction and the regulation of weight.

Carbohydrates are very essential for meeting the body’s energy requirements. This becomes even more vital if the person is conducting regular exercise. With regular exercise, the body’s energy requirements go up. If the carbohydrate intake is reduced, there is no doubt that some people might see some initial reduction in weight loss, but this is not sustained in the long term. Having a low carbohydrate diet will gradually lead to an increase in lethargy and will lead to a gradual increase in weight after the initial weight loss. Often the initial weight loss is actually just the decrease of fluids from the cells, or water weight. This loss of fluids is not always healthy.

So, what role should Carbohydrates take in each person’s diet plan?

Although the actual amount of recommended carbohydrate is different from person to person, the total daily calories from carbohydrate intake should be in the range of 45% to 60% in a given day.

But, before we rush into stocking up on foods containing Carbohydrates, we should first learn a few things about carbohydrates, as not all carbs are beneficial and healthy.

Carbohydrates are different forms of sugar that are converted into glucose within the body, which provides energy to individual cells. Each cell needs the required amount of carbohydrates to provide it the energy it needs to function. If the intake of carbohydrates exceeds the required limits, then the extra glucose is then converted into glycogen for future use or it gets stored up as fat.

What are the different forms of Carbohydrates and which of these forms should be consumed for promoting health and improving weight loss?

There are two types of Carbohydrates: complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates. Another classification of carbohydrates is refined and unrefined.

Complex carbohydrates are those carbohydrates that are made up of strings of simple sugars in a chain. The action of digestive enzymes is much slower on this kind of carbohydrates as they need to be broken down into simple carbohydrates for absorption in the body. This slow digestion provides for a slow and steady energy supply to meet the requirements of the individual cells without getting stored up as glycogen or fat.

Simple carbohydrates are made up of simpler units of sugar and they get digested much more quickly. This increases the possibilities that those “simple carbs” will get stored as fat. However, some fruits contain simple sugars, but the presence of fiber reduces the rate of digestions, thus preventing the conversion to fat. As a general rule, consume your fruits in the morning and early afternoon as an extra way to prevent fat storage, as you are more likely to burn off the simple sugars throughout the day.

So which kind of carbohydrates needs to be taken regularly and which kind needs to be avoided?

It is essential to increase the amount of natural complex carbohydrates and limit the intake of simple carbohydrates in the diet. Complex carbohydrates get digested slowly, they provide needed energy, and are an excellent source of nutrition. Simple carbohydrates, on the other hand, have little nutritional value and have a high risk of being converted to fat. Simple carbs should be avoided at all costs. The only kind of simple sugars that can be included in the diet is natural simple sugars contained in fruits.

It is also best to avoid any form of refined and highly processed foods in the diet and to opt for natural foods instead. For example, you should avoid drinking fruit juice and eat the fresh fruit instead; avoid canned foods and opt for freshly prepared foods instead, etc.

Most people hate researching healthy food choices. For those people, examining a food label is another way to check for healthy food, versus the not so healthy. A good rule of thumb is to look directly at the amount of calories and the amount of fat on the food label. For example, if the item provides more than 15g of fat per 100 calories, it is best to avoid that food item or at least restrict the amount of that food in your diet. Additionally, if the food label shows the presence of ingredients like sucrose, sugar, corn syrup, or fructose, it means that it has simple carbohydrates in the food item. If these items are listed first on the list of ingredients, than that ingredient is considered a “primary” ingredient and is best avoided completely.

Some examples of good sources of complex carbohydrates include sweet potatoes, root vegetables, whole breads, bran, whole grain cereals, corn, muesli, peas, beans, oats, etc. Examples of foods containing simple carbohydrates include chocolate, table sugar, honey, white bread, soft drinks, jam, canned fruits, pickles, etc.

As we have seen, carbohydrates are very vital in each person’s diet. Although the amount of carbohydrates still needs to be regulated. It is essential to be able to determine the difference in the good sources of carbohydrates, opposed to the bad sources of carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates provide fuel for the body, and the energy needed to workout hard and to lose weight. Simple carbs will result in stored fat, and will have a negative impact on your weight loss goals. It is also important to understand the number of calories your body needs per day. Eating too many healthy calories can still cause weight gain.

For more information on how to calculate you the proper number of calories needed per day, read this article.

For some examples of super complex carbs, check out this article.

I just finished Burn Intervals. WOW. This workout is about 45 minutes in length. Of the ChaLEAN Extreme workouts I have completed so far, I’ve noticed a pattern: a 5 minute warm up, and almost a 5 minute cool down, sometimes less on the cool down. So far the warm up and cool down has been sufficient for me, but I wouldn’t be afraid to warm up a few minutes before pressing play, or after you finish the dvd. Do what is best for you.

If you’re like me, and READY to workout. Have your remote handy so you can fast forward or skip the typical announcements about playing the game for cash and prizes, and logging in to track your progress.

This workout is excellent. I am very impressed. The workout is a combination of extreme cardio for 1 – 2 minutes, followed by a weighted exercise. As Chalene Johnson states in the dvd, the cardio portion of this workout is to get your heart rate very high. The weighted exercise portion is to bring your heart rate back down and to work your “muscle endurance”. In other words, you are lifting weights for a specified time limit. You are not trying to max out and lift heavy weight. This is an endurance exercise. Throughout the workout dvd, you alternate a cardio routine with a weighted exercise routine. To get more information on your heart rate zones, read this article, the article points out your anaerobic zone, this is where you want to be on the cardio moves.

This type of training, intervals, is actually better for you than regular cardio workouts. A regular cardio workout keeps your heart rate at a specific level for the duration of the exercise. An interval cardio workout, forces you to raise your heart rate to a high level for a short duration, and then lower your heart rate for a short duration, then higher again, etc. This allows you to burn calories long after the cardio workout is over.

Once again, during your workout, take notes. How much weight did you use? Was you able to complete the timed exercise? If so, great! If not, lower your weight next time. There are a few exercises that I will need to adjust for next time. I know this because I had to stop and take a break on a couple of occasions, and the weight was too heavy. But that’s okay, I can correct that for next time.

So if you like lifting weights, and you like burning fat, what a great exercise dvd! During my first time on this video, I managed to burn just over 550 calories, with a max heart rate of 170. My average heart rate was 146. If you don’t have a heart rate monitor, I strongly recommend one. This is a great way to get the most from your cardio workouts! Here is an article regarding the use of a heart rate monitor as well.

I feel great, I just finished my workout, typed my review, and now its family time. Enjoy your workouts everybody! Be sure to check out all of my ChaLEAN Extreme reviews!

After a quick vacation break to my sister’s house, I was able to get back to town, and jump back in to another ChaLEAN Extreme workout.

At the beginning of the workout, you are prompted once again to login to your beachbody website to track your progress with the online gym. If you purchased from Extremely-Fit and not Beachbody, you might be somewhat confused by what they mean here. This is a step you miss by purchasing from a retailer outside of Beachbody, but it is easily corrected. Simply visit my coach page, by clicking here, and then select “Play the Game”. Doing this allows you to set up a free online account, where you can play the game and use an online calendar to track your workouts and your progress. Read more about the game here.

Burn Circuit 1 is approximately 45 minutes. You warm up for about 5 minutes, then get right into the workout. I highly recommend you keep track of your weights used and reps used. The book sent with the program has a place for you to write this information down. Chalene Johnson, the trainer, recommends the same. This way you can go back on the next workout, see where you need to add weight, or drop in weight. She recommends you fail (can not lift another rep) between 10 and 12 reps. So keep this in mind. If you do 8 reps at 25 lbs for example, you may want to reduce your weight on the next workout, so you fail between 10 and 12 reps. She also promotes BowFlex SelectTech weights. These weights are adjustable weights that you can adjust by turning a dial. Very easy to use, efficient, and takes up less room then multiple dumbbells. They are on the more expensive side, but compare them to several dumbbells! Another option is resistance bands or a similar product to Select Tech, PowerBlocks. Don’t worry, the workout shows various methods, so whether you use bands, weights or dumbbells, you are covered in the dvd.

I’m sorry if I get side tracked from my review. Not only do I want you to get a good review, but a useful one too!

Burn Circuit 1 has 9 moves. For my first time, I had to guess the weight, but I did keep track and will adjust accordingly next time. On some exercises, I was too heavy, and other times too light. Most importantly, lift a weight that allows you to use proper form to prevent injury.

Sumo Squat with Hip Lift. This exercise has you in a wide squat stance with weights lifted to shoulder height, or resting on your shoulders. You lower yourself into a squat, then raise back up. Once back at the top of the movement, you raise your knee to your elbow, then repeat for the other side. This is a great exercise to work your legs and your obliques at the same time!

Lunge with Posterior Fly. This move is done by stepping out to a lunge, and then lifting one arm with lighter weight out to the side. This exercise is then repeated on the other side, opposite leg lunges, with opposite arm fly. Be careful on this move, and if this is your first time on the workout, guess lighter rather than a heavier weight, to be on the safe side.

Push-up with leg lift. I liked this one. It’s not just getting down and doing as many push ups as possible. It focuses on good form, slow movement, and squeezing the abs and glutes. At the top of the push up, you raise one leg upwards. Good stuff! I plan on using my Power Stands next time for more depth. You can also use the more affordable push up stands.

Dead Lift with Posterior Fly. Too much weight here could hurt or injury your back, be careful. Focus on form, not the amount of weight. This move has you standing with legs shoulder width apart, you bend at 90 degrees, slowly lowering the weight. Then you lift into a fly movement. This is a great exercise for the lower back, and shoulders.

Lunge with Core Rotation. This move has you holding a single weight. You step out to a lunge, and then rotate at the waist, moving the weight from one side to the next. Focus on the abs and legs during this exercise. I love working the abs, so this is a favorite.

Bench Press and Leg Lower. Another favorite. I’m finding a lot of favorites! This move has you lying on your back, and doing a slow and controlled bench press. While you are slowly lowering and raising your bench press, you lower and lift your legs as well. Chest and abs at the same time. Excellent.

Squat with Side Bend. This move takes you back to a squat with weights on your shoulders again. You squat down slow, and then raise back up. At the top of the movement, instead of the knee to the elbow move, as done in the beginning, you simply crunch to the left and the right. Again working the legs and the obliques.

Forward Lean Lunge with Posterior Fly. This move is similar to the one mentioned above, with the exception of doing both arms at once. Step out, lunge, and then both arms work a fly movement.

Chest Fly with Hip Lift. Would you believe me if I said this was another favorite? Again on your back, you work a double arm fly. At the same time, you have your feet planted on the ground, as you simultaneously raise your hips off the floor, along with your lower back. This sounds complicated, but as you do it the first time, it will make complete sense, and you will likely agree, it’s a great exercise.

Then the cool down and your done! 45 minutes, not too long or too short. And you can really work the intensity and grow with this workout, adding weight as you gain more muscle. As Chalene Johnson states, Muscle Burns Fat. Don’t be afraid to add muscle!

This review and short explanation is in not in any way as good as the book that comes with the program, and the book actually describes them in detail along with pictures of each move. This is proving to be a very thorough program so far.

by Joe Wilkes

It’s the holiday season. Time for goodwill, brotherly love, and time spent with family, friends, and coworkers. And of course, it’s time for an almost daily excuse to drink festive holiday beverages—from about mid-December to the bleary morning of January 1, when the first New Year’s resolution of the day usually involves something about not drinking so much in the coming year. Here are some of the temptations that show up every year fresh off the naughty list, and some ideas to help make them a little bit nicer for your figure.

1. Eggnog

Naughty: The king of the holiday beverages. And what’s not to love? The main ingredients are cream and sugar—which is why one cup of it contains 343 calories and 19 grams of fat. And that’s before you add the liquor. My grandmother, who normally did not drink, kept a bottle of “flavoring” in the garage, so that once a year, the less abstemious could pour a shot of whiskey into their eggnog. Eggnog enthusiasts will argue whether rum, brandy, or bourbon is the proper additive, but whatever liquor you choose, it’s going to run you an additional 64 calories an ounce. So now the cup of eggnog is up over 400 calories.

Nice: Buying low-fat eggnog will save you about 100 calories. Or you could try making your own eggnog from scratch; substitute skim milk for cream and egg substitutes like Egg Beaters for the eggs to reduce the fat and calorie contents. You can also go easier on how much sugar the recipe calls for; it’s almost always more than you need.

2. Wassail

Naughty: The word “wassail’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon wæs hæil, meaning “be healthy.” Its namesake beverage doesn’t quite live up to the advertising. Wassail is essentially hot ale and port or sherry with added sugar, fruit, and spices like cinnamon, cloves, allspice, cardamom, and ginger. On the bright side, it is fat free. But it’s still naughty! It’s about 400 calories’ worth of naughtiness, in fact.

Nice: You could just have a regular pint of ale. A pint of Newcastle, my favorite, only has 187 calories. You could toss in a cinnamon stick to make it festive, I suppose. Otherwise, when making wassail, like everything, the best advice is to go easy on the sugar. Not to mention, excessive sugar is one of the main contributing factors to that post-holiday hangover.

3. Mulled Wine

Naughty: Also known as glögg or Glühwein, mulled wine comes from a northern European tradition of heating red wine, and adding cinnamon sticks, cloves, citrus fruits, and sugar or honey. The tradition of this holiday beverage is believed to have begun when old wine had turned bad and the spices and a spoonful or 10 of sugar helped the medicine go down a little easier. Mulled wine is lower in calories than wassail, about 270 calories a serving, and red wine has been proven to be heart-healthy in moderation, so it’s got that going for it.

Nice: To make it even lower in calories, you could (all together, now) cut down on the sugar. If you use a sweeter, higher-quality wine, you won’t have to dump so much sugar in to make it taste good. By using a more full-bodied wine like a Zinfandel or shiraz for your base, you’ll get more wine flavor instead of cloying sweetness. Ask your wine merchant what a good wine would be for mulling. Then, let the no-calorie spices flavor the wine, and add a little sugar at the end if you really feel it needs it.

4. Hot Buttered Rum

Naughty: Well, I guess it stands to reason that anything that begins with the phrase “hot buttered” isn’t going to be health food. And this drink, largely composed of rum, brown sugar, and melted butter, is no exception. There are various recipes for making it, usually involving some batter made of sugar, butter, and, sometimes, ice cream or regular cream, which is then mixed with some rum and boiling water to taste. A generous serving could set you back 500 calories and 20 grams of fat, half of which are saturated.

Nice: Probably the easiest way to make this buttery beverage a little more figure-friendly is to add more boiling water and dilute the evil. Or, if you can live without the butter, you can make a hot toddy. A hot toddy is a bit of alcohol, like whiskey, brandy, or rum, with hot water poured over it. You can add other ingredients like lemon juice or spices (nice) or a little sugar or butter (naughty). This should take the chill out of your bones nicely without overinsulating them with weight gain.

5. Peppermint Patty

Naughty: This is a drink known by different names, but it’s basically “hooched-up” hot chocolate. I once temped for a couple of days at a morale-challenged company, where the office alcoholic kept a bottle of peppermint schnapps in her file drawer to “flavor” the office-supplied hot chocolate in the afternoon. Truth be told, it was quite tasty (don’t judge me; it was a really bad temp job) but not the most calorie-friendly beverage. Hot chocolate has about 300 calories and 18 grams of fat (11 grams saturated), and the shot of schnapps adds another 125 calories or so, depending on the brand.

Nice: Like almost every recipe, the secret to making things healthier lies in making more of it yourself. As the gift baskets from vendors stack up around the Beachbody® offices, there are lots of packets and tins of instant powders, each one having more sugar than the next. The more you can resist the convenience of the instant sugary powders and mixes, the more you can control how much sugar goes into your drink. For example, for hot chocolate, you can substitute skim milk for whole milk, and add unsweetened cocoa powder or melt in some dark chocolate with a high cocoa content. Then, if you’re going to hooch it up, add the schnapps before you add the sugar. Schnapps and most liqueurs already contain enough sugar to effectively sweeten your drink without it being sweet already. Plan ahead, and you can create beverages that are filled with flavor instead of sugar and empty calories.

Of course, if you really want to cut the calories, you could “virginize” all these drinks, as the alcohol adds a lot of the calories.

Beachbody’s new workout program featuring Chalene Johnson is now available. ChaLEAN Extreme. Since I’m a Beachbody fanatic, I of course, had to give the program a try. Before this program reached my door step, I was a P90X loyalist, and was not that interested in trying it out. But after hearing all the great information and workouts included in this program, I had to give it a shot. So here I am. Now I plan on starting an “official” round, consisting of 90 days starting Dec. 29th with a few friends, but since I’m impatient, I sampled a cardio workout this morning, Burn It Off. Before starting the program, I logged into my Beachbody online website, which is free to all of us, to start my online workout, and get eligible for prizes. You never know, I may win. It is also a GREAT motivational tool, and I use it daily to track my progress.

So in Burn It Off, be prepared to sweat a little. It’s approximately 30 minutes in length. The program starts with about a 4 or 5 minute warm up. After the warm up, you do a series of 5 moves. These moves are high intensity, so you really want to get moving and get your heart rate up. In between each move you get a short breather, and then on to the next move. After the 5th move, you get a much deserved, one minute break. Grab some water, and come back for 6 more moves, with a short break in between, and then the cool down.

Burn It Off, is a interval type cardio program. It’s designed to get your heart rate up, and then bring it down again. Like a roller coaster. Studies are beginning to show that this type of interval training, is burning more calories “long term” than if you did a longer routine of steady state cardio. For example. If you run for 30 minutes, at a steady pace, you burn X amount of calories. If you do an interval workout for 20 minutes, where your heart rate is up and down, and you are raising your heart rate to much higher levels, than you burn a smaller amount of calories (during the workout), but you continue to burn calories longer after the workout, and making it much more effective. As an example. I burned approximately 350 calories during Burn It Off, with a maximum heart rate of 172. I anticipate that long after this workout is over, and as I write this review, I’m still burning away some fat!

So in short, excellent cardio workout, it’s quick, 30 minutes. It’s effective. It’s athletic in nature, so there is nothing difficult to learn, you can jump right in and get to work. There are people on the dvd modifying the workouts so you can follow someone at your pace, and modify as necessary. In addition, I fully expect that next time, after doing this program once, I can really turn up the intensity, and burn off even more calories. First ChaLEAN Extreme review. Excellent.

When the temperature drops and the wind gets chilly, people start to feel under the weather. This time of year is widely known as the time when the flu and common cold threaten our health. However, there are things you can do to ensure you stay healthy all season long. In fact, you can fight these common health busters just by eating the right foods.

Garlic might be lousy for your breath, but it is great for staving off sickness during the cold weather. First, this flavorful food contains a compound called allin, which can be a natural decongestant. Plus, an enzyme in fresh garlic boosts the immune response to viruses, which means it can fight common illnesses and infections. The best way to get benefits from garlic is to crush it and let it sit for roughly thirty minutes prior to cooking. Then, you can add it to virtually any dish for a flavorful health kick.

There’s a reason so many health professionals recommend getting enough vitamin C. This powerful nutrient is great for giving your immune system the support it needs to fight the cold and flu. Don’t worry if you hate orange juice, though. There are plenty of other foods rich in this healthy vitamin. In addition to citrus fruits, your best sources for vitamin C are potatoes, green pepper, and strawberries.

If you do feel yourself getting stuffy, add a spicy kick to your food with some cayenne pepper. This pungent spice contains capsaicin, an element known to thin mucus and help you breathe easier. Just be careful how much cayenne pepper you add. If you don’t like spicy foods, you can easily put too much in. Look to add just a pinch in chili, stews, and other warm dishes.

Finally, don’t forget to keep the good carbs coming this season. Whole grains are an excellent source of zinc, a mineral essential for immune function. Although you can get zinc in many multivitamins, it is much better to get it from a natural food source. Your best bets are whole grain pasta or brown rice. Plus, these delicious grains also contain vitamin E. Like zinc, this vitamin plays a major role in healthy immune function.

Now that you know what foods can help you stay healthy, think of the many ways you can add them to your diet. Stuck for ideas? Go with an old staple, chicken soup. You can turn this cold-fighting treat into a mega healthy powerhouse by adding some of the foods here. Toss crushed garlic into the broth and boil up some green peppers along with your usual vegetables. Instead of white noodles, toss in some whole wheat pasta or brown rice. To finish it all off, add a pinch of cayenne for a flavorful burst, and you have yourself the ultimate winter meal.

So, when you feel the chill coming on this winter, don’t head to the drugstore just yet. Instead, make a beeline for the supermarket and stock up on these great, health boosting foods. Make them a part of your daily diet, and you can feel your best all season long.

Now that you know how to stay healthy during the cold and flu season, start planning on how to stay healthy all year long. A healthy diet and regular workouts will keep you in top shape. You may also consider a workout program that will help you keep your diet on track and keep you exercising on regular basis. I know two of our top sellers P90X and ChaLEAN Extreme, both have nutritional guides that do this very thing. Stay healthy and stay fit!

ChaLEAN Extreme, Muscle Burns Fat!

A workout selection guide to help you get the right product.

The much anticipated ChaLEAN Extreme is here! This workout promises to be nothing short of spectacular. If you are ready to get in shape, want to lose weight, and don’t know where to start, this workout is for you! If you’re like me, an exercise fitness fanatic, this workout is still for you!

This is one workout I personally plan on using, and as a matter of fact, I have a start date of December 29th for my first round. I say round 1, because these workouts from Beachbody are not just 90 day programs. They are lifetime programs that you can use over and over. It’s a complete rip-off to buy a
Beachbody routine like ChaLEAN Extreme, P90X, 10 Minute Trainer, etc, because you actually save money on gym memberships, travel time to and from the gym, and nowadays even gas money is precious. So working out from home is the only thing to do! Can you get in shape at home? You bet! I’ve been doing it for over 3 years and am in the best shape of my life. Anway, let me jump to the reason I wrote this guide for selecting the right ChaLEAN Extreme workout. But let me say one more thing, we have a 30 day money back guarantee, so you lose nothing for trying. But getting in shape takes a real commitment and a real workout program, and this is it!

So as I released the product today at the Extremely-Fit website, I realized…there are 4 programs being
offered by Beachbody, and some of my customers might be asking themselves.

Which one? There are currently 5 ChaLEAN Extreme options.

Let me give you a quick breakdown, and then you can then check each one for your final selection.

The base program is the ChaLEAN Extreme Workout Routine. This is where you need to start if you are starting a new routine, or are just starting out. You will want to get some resistance bands or some weights. I use both, and love using both for variety. You also get the miscellaneous guides with this workout that you won’t get with the upgrade kits and dvd only kit. The guides are going to explain everything, diet and nutrition, motivation, proper technique, etc. A must for those of you starting a new program. This is also a good workout if you already own resistance bands and/or weights, because you don’t have to buy more bands and weights just to get the program.

The ChaLEAN Extreme Deluxe is my personal recommendation.  With this kit you get everything you would get by buying the base kit above, but you also get 7 more workout dvd’s!!  Now if you are anything at all like me, variety makes exercise a lot more fun.  So I like having the extra dvd’s.  With the deluxe you also get some resistance bands, weighted gloves, and a balance ball.  With this kit, you are ready to get started, and should be all set for quite some time! This is an excellent choice for the first time starter as well.

The ChaLEAN Extreme Deluxe Upgrade Kit is not the entire program. Sometimes shoppers see the lower price and jump at a purchase, then realize that they didn’t get everything they wanted or seen on television. This kit was meant for those that have already purchased the base kit, and then later decided to expand their library of ChaLEAN Extreme. So get this kit if you already have ChaLEAN Extreme base kit.

The ChaLEAN Extreme Deluxe DVDs is the same thing as in the Deluxe Upgrade Kit but without the bands, weighted gloves, and balance ball. So if you have plenty of bands, and weighted gloves, skip the Deluxe Upgrade Kit and get this DVD Only kit. Keep in mind, this is the dvd only kit, and only contains 7 extra workouts, and does not contain all the dvd workouts offered with the base or deluxe kit.

The ChaLEAN Extreme NEW Deluxe DVDs is ALMOST the same as the Deluxe DVDs above.  The exception is that with this option, you do not get the “red” DVD as shown in the above picture.  So this option gets you the latest 4 CHaLEAN Extreme workouts.  The “red” DVD above (not included with this option) has 3 workouts on that one single DVD.  Now in my personal opinion, that “red” DVD is a must have DVD.  The reason this option was added, was because originally Beachbody released the “red” DVD as a single DVD purchase, which is no longer available by itself.  But for those that did happen to buy that single DVD, this option would be the way to go, since you would already have it.  Confusing eh? 

So there you have it. A quick guide to the ChaLEAN Extreme programs. Remember, we value our customers, we want more than just a customer that buys from our store, we want customers to get fit, be fit, and live longer, happier, healthier lives. We are committed to customer service and our here to help you. Email us with questions about the programs, the nutrition, anything at all. We also offer a free jump start guide when buying any program from Extremely-Fit. Don’t forget to email us with your success stories, we want to hear about your progress!

Did I answer all your ChaLEAN Extreme questions? If not email me. You might also want to check out our fitness-tips blog. Nutrition tips, fitness tips etc can be found here, you can even subscribe to the blog and get tips when they are released.

Compare all 5 ChaLEAN Extreme Options here:

We are all obsessed with fitness and workout routines, but very few of us can manage to grab the best fitness routines available in the market. With so many fitness programs and workout routines it is really difficult to decide which one’s better than the other. Not all of these “get-fit” workout programs can give you all you need; some of these programs only encourage workout while the others focus on diet and weight training. But there’s one revolutionary program that takes care of the factors, your workout routine and also your diet plans, it’s the P90X program.

P90X is a home fitness program and you can practice all the techniques with the help of a DVD that gives you proper guidance. P90X is a 90 day program that includes everything you need to get fit and stay healthy. From exercise to diet, from yoga to stretches, from cardio to plyometrics; you name it you have it.

P90X involves 12 sweat-stirring and muscle pumping workout plans that has been designed to give your body a proper shape and that ripped look in 90 days. You’ll also be provided with a supplement guide, a detailed guide to fitness, a calendar that will help you keep a track of your progress, and online support from your peers and above all the 3 phase nutrition plan.

The effectiveness of the P90X program lies in the nutrition plan and also the advanced technique of training your body to get fit, which is called “Muscle Confusion”. This technique gives accelerated results as it introduces new movements and routines on a regular basis so that your body doesn’t get the chance to plateau. You get a 3 workout routines to follow, and you get to choose which you want to follow, whether you want a lean body, a ripped one or you want to bulk up.

The 3 phase nutrition plan included in the P90X program is one of the best features and is an excellent guide that gives you energy to carry on with this program. Whichever program you would like to begin with first is your choice, you can alter the timings accordingly.

The 3 phases of the nutrition plan includes –

Phase 1: Fat Shredder

This phase of P90X program focuses on your protein intake and quickly reduces the extra fat stored in your body. With the decreasing fat, your body might also loose energy and as such, you should take care of the fact that you don’t extend the phase for long. If you have lesser fat then you should also shorten the span of this phase. If you want to know more about your body fat, keep track of your fat levels during this program with a Body Fat Tester.

Phase 2: Energy Booster

The second phase of P90X program is a blend of proteins and carbohydrates and it maintains a proper balance between these two nutrients and avoids fat. By this means you’ll be able to lower your body fat and at the same time gain ample energy to perform well during the P90X program. If you feel energetic and notice the significant change in yourself, you can continue this phase.

Phase 3: Endurance Mixer

The third phase of P90X program is based on the athletic diet. By athletic diet we mean a diet comprising of complex carbohydrates, lean protein and lesser fat. The emphasis is on carbohydrates. If you are in a mood to push your body, only then you should be utilizing this phase. There’s nothing to worry, the extra carbs will not contribute to your body fat level. The more you practice this phase, the more energy you gain. It is the best method to get fit.

Eating healthy on the run is tough stuff, All hope isn’t lost, though. You can almost find something healthy to eat anywhere. Here are the best bets at some of the most popular fast food chains. (Unless specified, salad calorie counts do not include dressing.)

McDonald’s

• Hamburger (250 calories)
• Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken (300 calories)
• Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken (220 calories)
• Newman’s Own® Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette (40 calories)
• Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait (160 calories)
• Most misleading item: Chicken Selects® Premium Breast Strips. Premium chicken breast sounds good on the surface, certainly better than the mysterious McNuggets, but the 5-piece version will run you 660 calories (360 from fat!), and that’s before you dip them in the sauce! You could eat a Big Mac and get fewer calories, and fewer calories from fat.

Burger King

• Chicken Tenders®, 4 pieces (180 calories)
• TENDERGRILL™ Chicken Garden Salad (220 calories)
  Note: This salad is without dressing. The KEN’S® Light Italian Dressing will add
  120 calories, and the Garlic Parmesan Croutons will add another 60 calories.
• WHOPPER JR.® Sandwich (without mayo) (290 calories)
• BK VEGGIE® Burger (420 calories)
• Most misleading item: TENDERCRISP® Chicken Sandwich. At 800 calories, and 46 total grams of fat, don’t think you’re cutting calories with this batter-fried, mayo-slathered doozy.

Wendy’s

• Mandarin Chicken Salad, with Crispy Noodles and Roasted Almonds (380 calories)
• Chicken Caesar Salad, with Homestyle Garlic Croutons (250 calories)
• Mandarin Orange Cup (80 calories)
• Small Chili (220 calories)
• Plain Baked Potato (270 calories)
• Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich (320 calories)
• Most misleading item: Chicken Club Sandwich. You don’t want to belong to this “club.” At 540 calories, you’re better off with the more decadent-sounding, but healthier, Ultimate Chicken
  Grill.

Taco Bell

• Fresco Crunchy Taco (150 calories)
• Fresco Grilled Steak Soft Taco (160 calories)
• Fresco Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco (170 calories)
• Spicy Chicken Soft Taco (170 calories)
• Most misleading item: Fiesta Taco Salad. At 820 calories, this is the most highly caloric item on Taco Bell’s menu. You can shave off over 300 calories by not eating the deep-fried tostada shell it’s served in, but still, that’s a pretty hefty calorie count for a “salad.”

Subway

• 6” Veggie Delite® sandwich (230 calories)
• 6” Turkey Breast sandwich (280 calories)
• 6” Roast Beef sandwich (290 calories)
• 6” Ham (Black Forest, without cheese) sandwich (290 calories)
• 6” Subway Club® sandwich (320 calories)
• Most misleading item: Meatball Marinara. What’s in these meatballs? A 6-inch sub is 560 calories; a 12-inch sub has 1,120 calories; and if you double the meat, you can get a single 12-inch sandwich with 1,920 calories and 84 grams of fat. On the bright side, I believe the defibrillation is complimentary.