P90X, A Girl’s Guide, Part 2.  Fitness Myths.

In part 2, of P90X, A Girl’s Guide… let’s address common fitness myths.  I’ve noticed several of the girls doing P90X ask questions that are specifically mentioned here.  Questions about slow metabolism, more and more cardio, bulking up, and more.  If you found yourself wondering about these things, then read on.  Thank you Stephanie Saunders at Beachbody for such an enlightening article!

There’s a lot of pressure on women to look, in a word, hot. Sure, for a chosen few, curves in the right places come naturally, but the rest of us seem to spend all our time snatching up the latest fitness fad, be it the Abs-o-matic 3000, Cucumber Colon Cleanse, or Low-Cholesterol All-Bacon Diet, desperately hoping we’ll discover the new us. Instead, we usually walk away—or occasionally limp away—feeling confused, dejected, and as if we’ve missed out on the genetic lottery. › Continue reading

It’s not uncommon for Extremely-Fit to get questions from girls about P90X.  Let’s face it, girls can be just as good at tackling P90X as the guys.  So when Whitney Provost published this article, I thought it was a must share article and wanted to share it here at Extremely-Fit.  I hope this helps answer some of the questions from the girls, and gives them the support and motivation to take on the X!

Muscles are a girl’s best friend. Not only do they raise your metabolism and help you burn more calories, they also keep you living strong. And they look beautiful. Well-sculpted shoulders and lean, tight legs carry clothes better and allow you to power through everyday activities with strength and stamina. How do you get a body like that? A program like P90X will do the trick.

I know this because I’m a P90X graduate. I can vouch for its muscle-sculpting, fat-blasting, and body-shrinking powers. Before I ever started working for Beachbody, I finished two rounds of P90X and incorporated P90X Plus into my fitness routine. I still do P90X regularly, and Plyometrics is consistently in my cardio rotations.  › Continue reading

I find my customers fit into one of two categories. Those that want to lose weight and those that want to gain muscle mass. An alternative on the second would be that they have lost the weight, and then want to add some lean muscle mass back on. You can read articles all over the internet on how to accomplish these two tasks. Simply google: How to gain muscle mass, or how to lose weight. Well, in my opinion, Beachbody has already proven that losing weight with their programs is easy.  Well,

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There is one thing I always need more of… worksheets. And because I know I’m not the only one, I wanted to provide our customers with an easy place to get the Insanity Fit Test Worksheets. If you want the best results, if you want to maximize your results, not just in the Insanity Workout, but any fitness program, you MUST track your progress. You simply cannot get to where you want to be, unless you know

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I love junk food.  I should probably be a bit more politically correct and call it “comfort food.”  Some of my personal favorites: Cheetoes, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Milky Way Bars, or a bowl of cereal (preferably the kid stuff).  But, if I need something bad to eat, I’ll eat just about any kind of junk food.  Here’s some interesting, some historical, information on some of America’s favorite comfort foods.  A big thanks to Joe Wilkes at Beachbody for this article.

Test Your Comfort Food IQ!
By Joe Wilkes

In what country were potato chips invented? In the good old U.S.A. They were invented in 1853 by chef George Crum, who became annoyed by a customer who complained his fried potatoes were sliced too thickly. The chips quickly became a hit and were put on the menu of Crum’s restaurant, the Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, NY, as “Saratoga chips.” Another great step in potato chip technology was when food entrepreneur Laura Scudder invented an airtight wax-paper bag in 1934, ensuring that the potato chips would stay fresh until the bag was opened. › Continue reading

I am a Southerner….and I like collard greens. But, I have to throw in a disclaimer. Usually, these lovely leaves start out healthy, but end up quite the opposite. After you throw in fried potatoes, pinto beans (cooked with bacon, of course), cornbread (cooked in a cast iron skillet, of course) and fried chicken or pork chops…..you’ve pretty much ruined any chance of healthy this vegetable had! But, there is hope! Substitute the above with a grilled chicken breast and a few small, baked red potatoes and you’ve got the healthy back! Check out the next article in the Michi’s Ladder series by Beachbody’s Denis Faye.

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Collard Greens
By Denis Faye

Look out! Superfood alert! Although popular in the South with the likes of fried chicken and corn bread, this deep green, leafy veggie is all kinds of healthy. It’s closely related to kale and is a member of the Brassica family, which includes broccoli and cauliflower.

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Chard. What? When I hear the word, I think of “charred.” Like, the way I DON’T want my meat cooked. I had no idea what chard is until I read this next installment of Michi’s Ladder foods by Beachbody’s Denis Faye. Another interesting food I’ve never eaten or heard of.

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Chard
By Denis Faye

No, it’s not over-grilled meat. It’s a leafy green vegetable that’s a member of the beet family. However, unlike its shirt-staining cousin, you actually eat the leaves of chard, not the root (although beet leaves are growing in popularity). It also goes by the names Swiss chard and silver beet.

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Lunchtime is another critical moment in the world of those trying to lose weight or stay in shape.  I say critical because usually lunch takes place at the workplace.  If you don’t think ahead, and bring your lunch, you could be in real trouble.  Fast food restaurants at every turn, co-workers ordering in pizza or whatever else that can potentially blow your diet.  It’s important that you plan ahead your meals, and not got stuck with a lunchtime dilemma.  So your options are to dine out, order in, or bring your lunch.  Dining out and ordering in can get expensive.  (Joe Wilkes was kind enough to provide the information you see below.)

The best choice is to make your own lunch. You control what goes into the meal and what goes into your body. Instead of the artificial colors, flavors, and various incarnations of high fructose corn syrup you get from the local fast food chain, you can fill your plate with fresh whole foods that will energize your body and save you a ton of money. As my grandfather used to say, there’s no point putting your paycheck through your stomach. So here are some healthy ideas to get you through the day with high energy and low cost. › Continue reading

Here is another installment in Denis Faye’s series on Michi’s Ladder foods, bok choy. Bok choy seems almost like a perfect food: very few calories, but tons of nutrients!

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Bok Choy
By Denis Faye

You may know it as Chinese cabbage or pak choi or you may not know it at all. A relative of good ol’ American cabbage, bok choy has green leaves and white stalks. If you’ve ever had soup in a Chinese restaurant, you’ve probably eaten bok choy.

The nutrition facts

The beauty of some leafy greens is that they pack a massive nutritional punch while being almost calorically void. At 20 calories for a cup of boiled bok choy, you probably burn more preparing and eating it. But that cup also lands you 144 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)* for vitamin A, 74 percent of vitamin C, 72 percent of vitamin K, and nice little hunks of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, manganese, and potassium. You also get 2 grams of fiber. › Continue reading

I was following up with some customers, and was especially curious about Terry as I knew from previous correspondence that he was getting closer and closer to completing the P90X workout. I was completely surprised when he emailed me back with some before and after pictures, and I could be crazy, but I thought he looked YOUNGER. Read his testimonial, and tell me if you don’t agree. Great job Terry!!

P90X Reviews: I Feel & Look Younger Than Before

From Terry: I had just turned 51 and I had stopped recognizing myself in pictures. I was active, playing tennis twice a week and working out at the gym twice a week but my body was in a rut. I did the same work out every time I went to the gym but I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t losing any weight. When I noticed my chiropractor had lost a significant amount of weight I asked him how he did it. P90X was his answer. I had never heard of P90X or seen any of the infomercials but I googled it and read about muscle confusion, it made sense as to why I wasn’t seeing any improvement. So I made the leap and sent away for the program, bought a pull-up bar, adjustable dumbbells, yoga mat & block and bands. The first few weeks were tough. It took me at least an hour and a half to finish the 54 minute work outs because I had to hit the pause button after almost every exercise. I had bought into the concept of “bringing it” but found myself bringing it to the porcelain deity more often than not. But each week I got stronger and after taking my 30 day pictures and seeing the tremendous improvement I was hooked. I feel like P90X has brought me back to looking like the person I remember. I’ve been told I look years younger and I feel years younger. We now have a saying in our house that we use whenever someone is not putting their all into something…. “Get down there Mr. Haus, this is P90X my brother”.