Daily Fitness Tips from Extremely-Fit » General Fitness

Body Beast – Gain Muscle Mass – Learn from the Pro Sagi Kalev

Robert Harden — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:04:06 +0000

Body Beast

The Body Beast workout is still in development, and will be available for pre-order soon. (Make sure to subscribe for free email alerts to receive new information as it becomes available!) What’s exciting about Body Beast is that this will be the first Beachbody program that is dedicated to help you Gain Muscle Mass. No hybrids, no guessing, a workout designed from start to finish with one goal in mind. Gain Muscle Mass!

So what is the Body Beast Workout?

We’re not talking about modifying P90X or any other Beachbody program, we’re talking about a program dedicated to maximizing muscle gains and fat loss, just like the pros do. Who’s the pro? Sagi Kalev. This champion body builder has created a program that uses a combination of old school and new school bodybuilding techniques to gain muscle mass without expensive equipment, and without having to go to the gym. (I’m sure you’ll need some good dumbbells). Additionally, this program is being designed to work “the natural” bodybuilder way, which means no steroids or other harmful supplements.

You may be asking yourself… Is this going to really work? The same people that put together P90X is behind this program, so the answer is YES! of course the best results will come from those that are dedicated in working out hard and eating right! The good news…. Body Beast is going to encompass a body-building, nutrition and supplement system all in one package.

The Body Beast Workout with creator Kalev Sagi

Sagi Kalev, Maker Of Body Beast Workout

Sagi Kalev is a well known bodybuilder with two “Mr. Israel” titles, as well as many others to his credit. After immigrating to the U.S. from Israel in 1993, Sagi worked as a fitness and bodybuilding model. With a college degree in physical education as well as a minor in nutrition, he’s now a dedicated fitness expert, currently working as a personal trainer and nutrition counselor.

Sagi has helped hundreds of people prepare to win both national and international competitions including Fitness Model America, MuscleMania®, Model America, the Europa Super Show, NPC Ronnie Coleman Classic, and more. So guess what… Now you get the chance to learn the same techniques used by other body builder competitors to carve out your own physique. Not to mention gain muscle mass to get that bigger, muscular body you’ve always wanted.

Who should use Body Beast?

Whether you are a beginner with the desire to get in shape, add some muscle, and get big… Or, maybe you’re already a P90X grad, and want to add more muscle mass…. You might just be tired of paying gym memberships, or having to travel to a gym. Body Beast is being designed to fit any fitness level.

What about Body Beast Equipment, Supplements, or Nutrition?

You’re gonna need to invest some money if you want to get the best results. You need the program (of course), but you’re also going to need a clean healthy diet. I say diet, but its more of a nutrition program. if you goal is to get big and gain muscle, you must consume more calories in a day that you burn from exercise or daily life. So be prepared to buy some groceries! You’ll also probably want to invest in some recommended supplements as well. But we’ll learn more about that later, it should be included in the program. The last thing you might think about is several dumbbells. I use PowerBlocks. it’s an investment, but I’ve had mine for 5+ years and they’re like brand new still. Take a look at them here. Consider investing in them now, and having them ready for later. Or to defer the cost over a period of time, rather than getting hit all at once.

If you’ve ever wanted to gain muscle mass, now’s your chance to learn how…. the right way!

Personally, I’m excited! I’ve always been on the skinny side, I can lose weight, and I can get ripped, but the adding muscle mass part has always escaped me. Now we get a pro to show us how. The weight lifting, the nutrition, the supplements. Can you say BODY BEAST! Get excited with me!

Alright, now it’s time for your part. Subscribe to my free email list below!

I’ll email you updates as they are released to me. When the time comes, you’ll be the first to know when and where you can pre-order the Body Beast workout. I also assure you, your email is never sold or shared, anywhere or to anyone. We’re stingy that way. We take your privacy seriously, and you have now worries there.

Make Fitness Your New Habit

Robert Harden — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:04:07 +0000

For some people, the most difficult part of fitness is making it a regular habit. “I’m too tired.” “I’ll do it tomorrow.” “I just don’t have time today!” There’s always some reason not to workout. That’s only three excuses, need more? Watch the video to your right!

What can you do to stop making excuses and start getting fit? Creating a daily exercise schedule ahead of time often works. If you make exercise part of your day’s plans, you’ll be more likely to do it. As you plan your workouts, keep two factors in mind.

First, decide how many days per week you want to exercise. Most fitness programs recommend working out anywhere from three to six day a week. In my opinion, six days per week is perfect. At a minimum, shoot for five days.

After you’ve selected the number of days you’ll workout, choose your days off. You may decide not to exercise on the days you’re busiest with work, school, or family. You may like weekends off. Worst case scenario, be flexible! If you were scheduled for Saturday off, and something comes up on Wednesday, just shuffle your days around.

Also, carefully consider the best time of day for your workouts. If you’re a morning person, working out is a wonderful way to start your day. Even if you’re a sluggish riser, you may opt for morning exercise. It’ll help you wake up, and you’ll get your daily exercise out of the way first thing. Morning workouts are ideal, in my opinion. Nobody wants to get up at 5 am. (I guess there are exceptions!) But getting it out of the way eliminates any time excuses later in the day. If you do workout in the afternoons or evening, don’t allow distractions. When I worked out in the afternoon, I used to come home from work, and immediately change and workout. I would not sit at the computer, turn on the TV, look at the mail or anything. That only invites an excuse and time delay.

You may have to play with your workout schedule when you first begin. However, once you hit on the best time of day, don’t change it. Make it your habit. As time passes, you’ll come to rely on your workouts to reduce stress and keep you fit. Do your best to workout, the same day each day for 21 days. That’s about how long it takes to develop a habit. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Take it one day at a time, and before you know it, it’s just another part of your day.

If you would like a home workout, take a look at the Fitness Programs link at the very top of this page. We have some great programs for every style. If you’re not sure what you like, compare several programs here. Whatever you do…. just get started. Come see us on Facebook too. Good luck!!

Foam Rolling: Your New Best Friend for Aching & Sore Muscles

Robert Harden — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:39:18 +0000

I have to say, foam rolling is definitely my new best friend. I was always too impatient to slow down and stretch during the P90X Workout program. I frequently skipped X Stretch (sorry Tony). I felt like I could be better utilizing my time, doing something else. Usually I added in more cardio exercise. Cardio burns calories right? It seemed like the best thing to do. Ignore the discomfort, the aching and sore muscles, and push through. But then P90X2 was released, and the X2 Recovery + Mobility routine was built right into the workout week. I did the workout as scheduled, and a light switch came on, and now I see things more clearly. I still believe you should push yourself, break through barriers, set your goals high, and go for it. I can still get behind that philosophy. But pushing through with not time for recovery is just plain foolish. I see that now. Push through, dig deep, workout hard…. but take the time to recover! The foam roller is my new best friend, and will be in my weekly routine from here on out. I have seen what an improvement it can be! The article below is from By Dr. Mark Cheng, who will soon be releasing Beachbody Tai Cheng. If it has a foam rolling workout, I may just have to get this program too. :)

Here’s the article from Dr. Cheng:

One of the biggest obstacles for a new fitness enthusiast to overcome is the soreness that comes with using muscles that haven’t been used in decades. During infancy, we’re learning to fire muscles all over the place. As we grow, spend increasingly more hours in flexion, and use less and less of our God-given ranges of motion, our bodies devolve from the machines of movement they were designed to be into blobs of tension, immobility, and sometimes pain.

Since you’re a part of the Beachbody® family, you know that spending the majority of your day on your duff isn’t doing your body any favors. Being able to move well is a key component of the success that you decided on and committed to!

Oh Those Aching Muscles!

If you’re feeling a little bit stiff and sore after your first few days of working out again, don’t despair. It’s totally natural. If you haven’t exercised in a while, then the several dozen squats, kicks, push-ups, or gingas that you did over the past day or two certainly placed a demand on your body that it hasn’t been used to. That means your muscles got a pump like they haven’t had in quite a while, unless you’ve been doing similar movements in your prior exercises or your daily life. Even if you already work out with some regularity, a significant change in your routine can be enough to leave your body nice and achy. Don’t believe me? Just ask any athlete how he or she feels when the strength and conditioning coach throws a new program into the mix.

While some will tell you that the discomfort of soreness is nothing to concern yourself with, others might use those aching muscles as an excuse to skip a day or two or three, derailing a solid start to a successful workout program. While pain is nothing to trifle with, as it can clearly lead to or indicate injury, don’t use it as justification to bail out on training. I might have a solution for you that’s simple enough to use and seriously effective when properly used!

Enter the Foam Roller

When I first saw the foam roller in different exercise routines in the gym, I admit it . . . I wasn’t exactly impressed. The trainers who I saw back then were focused on using the foam roller as an instability device, training their clients to position the roller across or along the spine to perform different crunch-like exercises. Now while I absolutely recognize the worth of some core engagement exercises that rely on instability training, some of what I saw looked like little more than very poorly taught stupid human tricks.

Fast forward a few years to the Russian Kettlebell Challenge Level 2 certification workshop with former world-class gymnast, powerlifting record holder, and ultra-marathoner Mark “Rif” Reifkind. Rif was teaching a section of the workshop that centered on the foam roller, and his SMFR approach to the roller was completely different from what I’d seen before.

SMFR . . . No, it’s Not What You’re Thinking!

SMFR stands for Self-Myofascial Release, a rather long and fancy word for self-massage. As muscles work, they generate metabolic wastes, such as lactic acid. As those wastes build up in the muscles, they create a balloon effect, making the muscles swell up. While a larger muscle certainly might look cosmetically appealing, the congestion in the muscle tends to make its fascial envelope stretch taut, unable to contract more fully or relax more freely until the extra fluid is moved out. Light massage techniques, such as Swedish, serve to help push these metabolites out of the muscle bed, allowing for a quicker recovery and return to training.

Muscles that “knot up” have trigger points. Trigger points tend to be indicative of more chronic problems, either in movement or posture or exertion. These trigger points can occur at different depths, depending on which section of the muscle is being engaged most with the movements or exercises that are being performed. The fascial membrane that surrounds muscles or the muscle fibers themselves can contract. When the body senses that the level of exertion is above the contractile strength or endurance of the myo (muscular) or fascial tissues involved, the body knots up those fibers as a survival strategy. The only problem with that strategy is that those knots inhibit movement and cause pain.

Not All Created Equal?

Foam rolling helps address the problems of muscle congestion and trigger points by mechanically pressing into the muscle. That said, there are different types of rollers that best address the different problems you might face. A smooth, soft roller is generally more effective for the more superficial trigger points and for moving the metabolites out of congested muscles. A roller with uneven surfaces, such as the RumbleRoller™, is ideal for getting into the deeper trigger points and more deep tissue approaches.

If you’re someone who tends to like deep pressure in a massage, go for the RumbleRoller. If deeper pressure tends to be too uncomfortable for you, go for the smoother roller. The important thing to remember in self-myofascial release is that rolling can feel uncomfortable at the outset. When you find the muscles that are congested or triggered up, the pressure of the roller may cause a bit of discomfort. Roll your body just to the edge of the discomfort. Focus on relaxing the muscles on the roller and breathe. As your nervous system responds to the pressure, it will learn to relax the trigger points on the roller and restore the contractile ability of the muscle.

Ready, Aim, Fire!

The first thing I did when I started rolling was to look for every place on my body that was sore and try to roll them out . . . Bad decision. The muscles that are the most chronically uncomfortable are usually those that are paying the price for other muscles that either aren’t firing enough or are so knotted up that they’re not allowing proper movement. The trick to using your foam roller in the most effective manner is really to look for the places in your body that aren’t obviously hurting but are restricting your movement.

In one of my earliest video clips for Beachbody, I spoke about plantar fasciitis, pain along the underside of the foot. One of the key areas to roll when first trying to deal with plantar fasciitis should be the calf muscles. Using the roller, slowly go back and forth along the muscle, consciously trying to relax as much as possible and going as slowly as possible. When you find the “hot spots,” stay on them, relax some more, and go back and forth a few times until the trigger point releases. You might be pleasantly surprised to find out that the chronic pain in your foot actually had its roots in your calf!

Foam rolling is a prime feature in the upcoming Beachbody Tai Cheng™ program developed by Dr. Cheng and due out in early 2012! Keep your eyes peeled! You’ll also find it being used in P90X2, available now.

10 Tips to Control Your Inner Christmas Cookie Monster

Robert Harden — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 20:23:01 +0000

YIKES! It’s Christmas time. Your Inner Cookie Monster is going to do everything possible to grab cookies, cakes, desserts, all of those tasty, sugar sweets.

They taste so good, but have no nutritional value whatsoever! What are you going to do? Give in? Gain weight over the Christmas break like everyone else? Or are you going to stand strong, resist temptation, and go hard core? Maybe somewhere in the middle, have some sweets in moderation? The decision is yours, and whatever decision you make will have its reward (if you resist) or its payback (if you give in). But if you just be smart, give just a little, use moderation, you’ll do just fine. A great big thanks to Mark Nelson for his 10 tips below.

10 Tips to Control Your Inner Christmas Cookie Monster

1. Treat yourself. Ever notice how denying yourself something only makes you want it more? According to researchers, dieters who were told not to even think about chocolate ate twice as many candies as people who weren’t. The solution? Have a taste instead of eating the whole treat—or make smart substitutions. Instead of Fritos®, have some edamame. Or trade a bowl of ice cream for an ice milk fudge bar.

2. Think 25 minutes into the future. It takes 12 minutes for a thin person’s brain to register that he or she has eaten. But it can take 25 minutes for an overweight person to know this. So set a timer, have a sensible meal, and know that 25 minutes after your first bite, you’ll feel a lot less hungry.

3. Skip the dip and gravy. Gravy is made of flour, salt, turkey fat, and broth. Do you really need all that? And dip? It’s just a lot of goo. You’re better off nibbling on fresh veggies. Besides, skipping these temptations will help you leave room for a little dessert.

4. Flip your script. So you slipped and ate two of Grandma’s killer chocolate chunk cookies. Rather than say, “I blew my diet, so why not just keep eating?” take a breath. Smile and say, “No big deal. I can stop now and still feel good about myself.”

5. Sleep to avoid holiday stress. You know the holidays are hectic. So give yourself a chance to heal. Studies show that when you’re sleep-deprived, the stress hormone cortisol is released at a higher level. This can help you feel hungry even when you’re full. And who needs that?

6. Say no to the ‘nog. Eggnog, that is. An 8-ounce serving contains 343 fatty, high-carb calories. And that’s without the rum. Think about how long it’d take to burn off all those calories, and saying no to the ‘nog gets easy.

7. Walk and talk. It’s harder to fill your mouth with sweets and carbs when you’re talking. Well, OK, a little harder. But it’s worth it, because you’ll be the life of the party. And that can help keep you from eating everything on the buffet.

8. Work out. Bet you didn’t see that one coming. Sure, it’s a crazy time of year. But if you think of your workout as an essential way to stay grounded, you’ll do it. And here’s a hint that will give you more time to fit in your workout.

9. Shop online. With all you have to do, stay home instead. Eat healthy things you have in the fridge instead of grabbing fast food or sweets. Put on holiday music (if you must), and save your energy for a good sweat-soaked workout. Beachbody has some gift cards for all the fitness fanatics on your list.

10. Try tag-team weight control. See if you and a friend can look out for each other. If one of you begins to blow your diet, a little friendly peer pressure can help you step back from the cookie. If you don’t want to burden a friend with this job, try a RISK-FREE 30-Day Team Beachbody Club VIP Pass. Team Beachbody Club members reach their health and fitness goals 3 times faster than people who don’t join, partly because online peer support helps them keep going with their diet and exercise programs.

Now’s the time to plan ahead.

Remember that a holiday is just a day. You don’t really want to undo weeks of sensible eating with a day of crazed eating, do you? And remember, even if you give in for 24 hours, it’s not the end of the world. Just take a breath and think when you’re within striking distance of holiday goodies. Trying these helpful tips can help you keep your inner Cookie Monster under control.

If you enjoyed this article or found it helpful, please share it on Facebook, or using any of the links below. We’d love to see you on our fanpage as well.

Happy holidays!

Your 10-Point Plan for Holiday Diet Success

Steve Edwards — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:32:27 +0000

Good ol’ “holiday cheer” doesn’t always leave you feeling cheerful, especially when you can’t fit into your little black dress or fancy-occasion suit for your upcoming holiday parties, and especially for New Year’s Eve. Here’s a simple 10-step plan to help you enjoy all your holiday events while you begin planning how to make your coming New Year something to celebrate. Let’s start with the big picture, then count down toward a healthy New Year.

10. Visualize. This first step won’t take long. In fact, do it right now, before reading step 9. Close your eyes for a moment and visualize yourself in a place you want to be sometime next year. This is a fantasy, so make it a good one. Imagine looking and feeling a way you’ve always dreamed of. Now hold on to that vision.

9. Target an event for next year. Think of something to focus on as a day for looking and/or feeling and/or performing your best. It can be anything from a class reunion to a triathlon to a trip to Cancun. Your goal is to find something to look forward to that will motivate you to improve between now and then.

8. Plan a training program. Begin by finding a monthly calendar and figure out how much time you have until your event. Next, make a loose training program. You don’t have to decide exactly what to do right now. Maybe start with progress you’d like to make each month leading to the event. Then pick an exercise program (or series of programs) that’ll help you achieve your goals over that time. Be realistic. It might be difficult for you to focus on exercise and diet during the holidays, so you might want to schedule yourself a bit of flexibility for now. At this point, your aim is to plant a seed in your mind to keep you focused on a bigger goal as you go through the holidays. This little extra bit of motivation will help you keep your holidays from becoming one long binge.

7. It’s better to give than to receive. It’s time to get busy. You’ve planted an image of success in your mind and on paper. Now you’ve got to get practical. Just how are you supposed to stick with an exercise program when temptation looms around every corner? Start by becoming proactive about this holiday season. Become a giver. Instead of letting the festivities come to you, where you’ll have little control over them, plan them yourself. Organize your Thanksgiving dinner, help out with the company Christmas party, or plan your friends’ New Year’s get-together. If you’re the organizer, you have a lot more control over the relative healthiness of the event. You must be reasonable, of course. You won’t get the gig again if you turn Thanksgiving dinner into a tofu-and-broccoli Zen-fest, but being in charge allows you to make healthy options available. Plus you’ll be busy, which’ll leave you less time for indulging.

6. Learn to cook. The easiest way to eat healthily is to cook food yourself, because that way you know exactly what’s in it. There’s a wealth of information out there about healthy cooking. Once you start, you might find that it’s easier than you ever imagined to cook decadently tasty yet healthy meals.

5. Plan to snack. Let’s face it, over the next month your workplace is going to be filled with temptation. Willpower alone might not be enough. Since the easiest way to avoid these things is to be full, plan to snack throughout your day. Head to the market and fill your cart with healthy snacking options like fruit and raw veggies. Okay, this probably sounds boring, but these foods are loaded with fiber and have very few calories, so they’ll fill you up without filling you out. A large apple has about the same number of calories as a tiny square of chocolate. By munching on fruits and veggies all day, you’ll keep your stomach full, which will help make you far less likely to dig into the Christmas cookies. And if or when you do choose to indulge a bit, it’ll be far, far easier not to overdo it.

4. Drink water all day long. Another way to ensure that your stomach feels full when workplace temptations present themselves is to drink one glass of water every hour during your workday. This won’t just help you resist treats—it’ll also keep you hydrated, which will help reduce the effects of that aprés-work holiday “cheer,” alcohol.

3. Rise and shine! Begin each day with a few minutes devoted to yourself. Lie in bed, breathe, visualize, and contemplate your goals. By focusing each morning on something you really want, you’ll get out of bed with a better outlook on the day. Then you’ll be more apt to make positive choices throughout your day.

2. How to eat your holiday meals. You’re almost certainly going to overeat, but here are a few rules you can follow to stack the odds in favor of your figure:

Drink a large glass of water 30 minutes prior to the meal.
Begin with a salad. Go light on the dressing, and eat as much as you can. You probably see a pattern but, again, water and fiber are going to fill space in your stomach and make it much harder to overeat.
Don’t be shy. These meals were meant to be social and the more you talk and listen, the less you’ll eat. Have you ever had a meal where you’ve been so involved in a conversation that you’ve forgotten to eat? Try making this your goal.

1. What to do if you blow it. Because at some point, we all do. And you know what? It just doesn’t matter. If we were perfect, life would be boring, right? Anyway, one day isn’t going to hurt you. What you need to avoid is one day turning into two, then three, and so on. So on those days when you’ve backslid, try this nighttime ritual that’ll have those little gaps in your willpower filled in before you wake up:

Have a cup of herbal tea or drink a glass of water before bed. Herbal tea is great. It’s both hydrating and calming. If you’ve been drinking alcohol and fear a hangover, take vitamins and drink some electrolytes (P90X Results and Recovery Formula works well). Don’t worry about calories at this point. Offsetting the effects of alcohol is more important. The most common effects of a hangover result from dehydration and lack of sleep. You need nutrients and water to fight these off.
Stretch. A few minutes of slow and easy stretching will relax you and help you begin the process of recovering from the day’s activities. A scant 2 minutes is a million times better than no minutes.
Relax and reflect. Lie in bed, focus on relaxed breathing, and take a minute to reflect on yourself and your future—then let it go. Don’t think too much. You don’t want to get excited, because you might lose your ability to sleep. You just want to center your thoughts and get them away from any negative associations with having “blown it.” Tomorrow, as Scarlett O’Hara famously said, is another day.

20 Secrets to Fitness Success

Robert Harden — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:01:03 +0000

If you are looking to the secrets of obtaining your fitness, health and nutritional goals, then look no further than this 20 tips, hints, suggestions, to reaching your goals. Not an end all, cure all list… but if you can get follow these, you are well on your way! Special thanks to Chalene Johnson of Turbo Fire fame for providing these!

1. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it often.Water should always be your drink of choice. To kick things up every once in a while, try adding lemon, lime, cucumber, or a few berries to liven up the flavor without adding significant calories.

2. Look at exercise as a pleasure and a privilege, not a burden or chore. Think positively about the changes regular exercise will produce. Rather than obsessing about your next meal, get excited about your next workout!

3. Eat well-balanced meals and remember that excess calories, even if they’re from food that’s fat free and high in protein, will turn to excess weight. No matter what the latest fad diet says, extra calories equal extra weight!

4. Limit caffeine and exposure to even secondhand smoke.

5. Focus on short-term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing daily exercise.

6. Keep a daily log of what you’re actually eating. This includes every time you grab a handful of chips here or eat the crust of your kid’s sandwich there, and ALL of your snacking.

7. Enjoy an occasional (once a week) “unhealthy” treat, but never an unhealthy week or unhealthy vacation.

8. Enjoy contributing to the health of others by having a partner or friends to exercise with, as well as recruiting others who want to feel better and have more energy. Have a neighbor who’s sitting on the porch every morning when you walk by? Ask him or her to join you on your walk!

9. Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising, or using things that keep you motivated and inspired, like new shoes or great music.

10. Subscribe to fitness magazines to keep focused on health as an overall way of life.

11. Invest in the right tools—good shoes, a portable MP3 player or iPod®, fitness equipment, a new series of tapes, etc.

12. Make it your goal to do some form of exercise 6 or 7 days a week. If some days you exercise once in the morning and once in the evening, even better! If you’re eating right, exercise will fuel your energy level!

13. Don’t compare your body to others’. Instead, work to be your personal best.

14. If your diet is unbalanced, take daily vitamin and mineral supplements for total health.

15. Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity.

16. Create an exercise schedule the day before instead of leaving it to chance or waiting to “find” the time. If our last three Presidents of the United States can make time to work out every day, you can make time too!

17. Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total fitness. Measure success by the way your clothes fit, not some number on a scale.

18. Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely. Remember that no matter how hard you’re working out, if you’re consuming too many calories, you’ll never see the muscles that lie beneath layers of fatty tissue.

19. Get adequate amounts of sleep, but remember that people who exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.

20. Limit alcohol intake to special occasions.

Beachbody Gift Cards. The Gift of P90X, Insanity, or Anything Beachbody!

Robert Harden — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:31:40 +0000

When it comes to gift giving, I’m such a cheater. Well, maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. Let’s start over…. When it comes to gift giving, I’m lazy. Ouch… That doesn’t sound too good either. What I meant to say is… I’m considerate. Now that’s better! When it comes to gift giving, I’m very considerate to those I care about. I never know what to give somebody, I want them to be happy, I want the perfect gift, so I shop for hours, or search the internet for ideas. The final outcome: I buy something, hope for the best, but save my receipt. That way, if they want to take it back for something else, they have that option.

But when I think back to my birthday or Christmas, if I get cash, or a gift card to a place I enjoy, I’m ALWAYS happy. I can go buy exactly what I want, and it’s a perfect world. Sometimes, I have been saving up for something, and a gift card helps with that last push, and I can go buy it. I bet if you think back, you would find that you are the same way.

The Beachbody gift cards, are a perfect way to buy for the fitness fanatic. If you have a loved one in your life, working out to P90X, the gift card can go towards Powerstands, P90X Recovery Formula, Shakeology, etc. Same thing for Insanity, Turbo Fire, Asylum. Maybe someone you care about is wanting to lose some weight, and has been considering Power 90, 10 Minute Trainer, P90X, whatever…. Beachbody gift cards are exactly what they need. Now you can be a cheater, um…. lazy…. no, that’s not it….you can be considerate. :)

I can’t forget to mention that these gift cards do not expire. No worries about your gift card expiring before you get a chacne to spend it. See… I’m looking more and more considerate as we go. You’ll be considerate too, when you tell your loved one that there is no expiration. :)

These cards are not just for Christmas. Think birthdays, thank you cards, congratulations for achieving something special, Valentine’s day. Maybe they just finished a fitness goal, and want to move on to another program. Help them continue with their health and fitness!

To help out, I’m including some of FAQs on “How to Buy” the Beachbody Gift Cards.

1. How do I buy a Team Beachbody eGift Card?

Visit and read the Gift Card Terms and Conditions. (Click here to read terms, page opens in a new window). Then choose a design, personalize a message, and complete the delivery information. Click “Add to Cart.” You’ll then be prompted in the checkout to provide your payment information. Follow this LINK to purchase a Beachbody gift card.

2. Do I have to be a member of Team Beachbody to purchase a Team Beachbody Gift Card?

Yes, you must be a member of Team Beachbody to purchase a Gift Card or to make a purchase using one. It’s fast, easy, and FREE to sign up! Here are two ways to become a member:

Follow this link to sign up for a free or club membership. The pros and cons of each membership are listed on this page. If you are buying for a loved one, the free membership is the way to go.
Shop in the store at TeamBeachbody.com and add the items you’d like to purchase to your cart. Once you click “Checkout,” you’ll be prompted to sign up for an account, again FREE.

3. Can I customize the amount on my Gift Card?

You can choose from convenient increments of $25, $50, $100, $250, and $500 for your gift of health and fitness. Purchase one or multiple cards to create your desired amount. If you want more design options, follow this link, then look to the left and click on gift cards.

4. How quickly is my Gift Card delivered?

While most eGift Cards will arrive to your email within minutes of placing your order, please allow approximately 2 hours for delivery. You’ll receive an email with your eGift Card along with simple instructions for how to use it.

If it doesn’t arrive within approximately 2 hours, please check to make sure that it wasn’t filed in your spam or junk mail folder. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, please call our friendly Customer Service staff toll free at 1 (800) 997-5602.

5. Can I personalize a message to the recipient of my Gift Card?

Yes, you can. After your order is finalized, you’ll receive an email containing your eGift Card. Type your message into the applicable space in the email, and then forward the email to the recipient, or print and hand-deliver it to your chosen recipient.

6. What will I receive when I order an Beachbody Gift Card?

You’ll receive two emails shortly after your order is placed. First, you’ll receive an order confirmation email detailing your purchase. Then, you’ll receive the email containing the eGift Card you created and purchased. It will show the design you chose, the card’s value, and the redemption code. Simple instructions for redeeming the eGift Card are also included.

7. Can I print an Gift Card to give as a gift?

Yes, you can print out the eGift Card from the email you receive. Then you can either hand-deliver it or mail it to your recipient with a personalized message.

FAQs on “Redeeming” the Beachbody Gift Cards.

1. How do I use my Beachbody Gift Card?

Simply browse and select the item you’d like to purchase from TeamBeachbody.com, and check out as you normally would. When selecting your payment method, select eGift Card. When prompted, enter the redemption code identified on your eGift Card.

If the item(s) you’d like to purchase exceed the balance on your eGift Card, you’ll be asked to provide a valid credit card to cover the remaining balance. If the item(s) you select cost less than the balance on your eGift Card, the balance remaining after your purchase will be stored on your eGift Card and available for future purchases.

2. I’m having trouble placing an order with my Gift Card. What should I do?

If you’re placing an order and there aren’t enough funds on your eGift Card, you’ll be asked to add another valid form of payment to cover your balance. You’ll be able to view each individual charge when you check out.

If you’re having a problem using your eGift Card for any reason, call our friendly Customer Service staff toll free at 1 (800) 997-5602.

3. Are there any restrictions for using an Beachbody Gift Card?

Yes. Please read the eGift Card Terms and Conditions for a full list of restrictions by clicking here. Among other restrictions, please note that if you purchase an eGift Card on TeamBeachbody.com, you will not be allowed to purchase any products that are sold on Beachbody.com. To purchase items sold on Beachbody.com, please purchase a Beachbody eGift Card on the Beachbody.com Web site.

4. What happens to the unused portion of my eGift Card balance?

The balance remaining on your eGift Card will always be available so you can use it on future purchases. There’s no time limit to worry about—your Team Beachbody eGift Cards never expire.

5. What happens if my purchase amount is greater than the balance on my Gift Card?

When you purchase products on TeamBeachbody.com that exceed the balance on your eGift Card, you’ll be prompted to enter a valid credit card to pay for the remaining balance that your eGift Card doesn’t cover.

6. What do I do if my Gift Card is lost or stolen?

If your eGift Card has been lost or stolen, try reprinting it (provided you bookmarked it in your browser) OR click on the link in the original email.

To report a lost or stolen eGift Card, call us toll free at 1 (800) 997-5602.

A replacement eGift Card may be issued, subject to the eGift Card Terms and Conditions.

7. How do I check my eGift Card balance?

It’s easy to view the balance on your eGift Card. Simply enter your eGift Card number into the form on the right side of the screen to check the remaining balance.

Sleep and Muscle Growth

Karen Tonnis — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:49:54 +0000

Your mission: to add bulk, or form some well-defined curves. The prescription: get some sleep! Sleep is a wonderful thing. Everyone looks and feels better after a good night’s rest. Your body will thank you for it, in more ways than one!

Crazy as it sounds, that’s the advice you’ll get from bodybuilders, trainers, professional coaches, and fitness experts in general. The fact is your body can only heal, repair, and grow during deep sleep.

You can be doing the right things—perfectly portioning out your food, doing hardcore lifting that pushes you to the edge—but all that effort will be negated without enough recovery.

You can’t cheat on sleep. We know sleep is essential to life, just like eating and breathing. But there are many theories as to exactly why we sleep, with no one clear answer.

One is that sleep “restores” what our bodies lose while we’re awake. And recent findings actually support this theory, showing that many of the major restorative functions in the body, like muscle growth, tissue repair, protein synthesis, and the release of growth hormones, occur mostly, or as noted above, only during sleep.

Warning signs that you’re sleep-deprived. Have a sneaking suspicion you might not be getting the sleep you need? You’re not alone. An estimated 50 to 70 million people in the U.S. don’t get adequate sleep every night. Here are a few classic signs:

-   Hitting the snooze button consistently on your alarm clock
-   Yawning uncontrollably and at inappropriate times (e.g., workplace meetings, parent-teacher conferences)
-   Feeling sluggish in the afternoon
-   Getting drowsy while driving
-   Having heavy eyelids and watery eyes
-   Experiencing memory lapses
-   Experiencing irritability and low energy
-   Feeling excessive hungriness or a complete lack of appetite

Tips for catching quality z’s. Now that you know how important sleep is, don’t let it get away from you. Here are some handy tips to make the most of your rest time.

-   From 4 to 6 hours before bedtime, avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and other chemicals that interfere with sleep.
-   Keep a regular sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time every night. And wake up at the same time every morning. If you’re getting enough sleep, you’ll wake up automatically without an alarm clock.
-   Get regular exercise. Physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, can help you fall asleep faster and make your sleep more restful.
-   Have a relaxing bedtime routine that eases the transition between being awake and sleeping.
-   Sleep primarily at night. Short naps are great for recharging and catching up on missed sleep, but too many naps, and naps that are too long, can interfere with your regular schedule.

Make the most of your workouts. Be honest with yourself. If you’re doing the work and the healthy eating plan and you’re still not seeing great results, it could be lack of sleep that’s holding back your progress. Remember, your body is an incredible machine. Give it a chance to recover and build for the jump-start you’ve been looking for.

8 Weight Loss Strategies, Get Your Game Plan Ready

Robert Harden — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:09:51 +0000

The great ones have great strategies for success—Odysseus hiding in the Trojan horse, Ali using the rope-a-dope, Bugs Bunny dressing in drag.

Your weight-loss strategy should be similarly inspired. Willpower alone won’t shrink your waist—you need facts and wisdom on your side if you’re going to maintain the resolve you have to lose weight.

There are scientists who study weight loss so the rest of us can keep track of the important stuff, like spring training and Rotisserie drafts. These researchers regularly come up with good advice, the latest and greatest of which we’ve gathered for you. Pick a few tips, put them in your lineup, and get back in the weight-loss game.

Weight Loss Strategy #1: Weigh Yourself Often

Time was, experts said to stay off the scale—it can be discouraging. But after studying 3,500 individuals from the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) who’ve maintained 60 or more pounds of weight loss for at least a year, researchers found that 44 percent weighed themselves daily.

Unhealthy obsession? No, says James Hill, Ph.D., NWCR cofounder and director of the center for human nutrition at the University of Colorado. “They use it as an early warning system for preventing weight regain,” he explains. “If your goal is to keep your weight at a certain level, you have to have feedback to see whether you’re successful.”

Weight Loss Strategy #2: Turn Off the TV

Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York recently determined that simply seeing food can trigger a physiological “feed me” response. In the study, visual food cues caused brain activity to jump by 24 percent—mostly in the orbitofrontal cortex, the area of the brain related to drive and acquisition. So a constant barrage of pizza-delivery ads on TV could test your limits. And don’t get us started on the Food Network.

Weight Loss Strategy #3: Pray the Fat Away

Christian men who report feeling greater intimacy with God through prayer are more likely to be physically active than other men, according to research from Cornell University. “Studies have shown that those who have more social support move more, and being closer to God may give men that support,” says lead researcher Karen Kim.

Another possible reason: “General religion in the United States encompasses theological teachings about the body as a temple, which may also lead to the consumption of a healthier diet and increased physical activity,” she adds. Amen to that.

Weight Loss Strategy #4: Beware Tastebud Betrayal

“Hunger increases healthy men’s taste sensitivity to sweet and salty substances,” says researcher Yuriy Zverev, of the University of Malawi. This means vending-machine snacks (which come in two flavors: sweet or salty—coincidence?) will taste even better when you’re hungry.

You could trust that you’d savor the flavor by eating only a small amount. (Right.) Or you could sidestep this land mine altogether. “Eat offensively,” says Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D., a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. “Eat regularly during the day to stave off cravings and the bingeing that can result.”

Weight Loss Strategy #5: Snack on Almonds

Seventy per day, to be exact. That’s the number that people in a City of Hope National Medical Center experiment ate daily for 6 months, in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet, to drop 18 percent of their body weight.

Study author Michelle Wien partially credits the satiety factor. “Almonds are a nutrient-dense food that provides healthful monounsaturated fat, protein, and fiber, which together contribute to feeling full,” she says.

Go for whole almonds in their unsalted, raw, or dry-roasted state. Fifteen to 20 will do the trick for a quick snack. Try 50 as a meal replacement.

Weight Loss Strategy #6: Pour a Bowl of Cereal for Lunch

A study from Purdue University shows that eating cereal in place of meals helps you lose weight. Participants consumed an average of 640 fewer total daily calories and lost roughly 4 pounds during the 2-week intervention.

According to study author Richard Mattes, M.P.H., Ph.D., R.D., the approach teaches portion control with a convenient, easy-to-use food. Stick to filling, high-fiber cereals, like All-Bran or Fiber One, and eat them with low-fat milk.

Weight Loss Strategy #7: Eat a Cow’s Worth

Of dairy, that is. Reports of the benefits just keep coming.

Recently, a University of Tennessee study found that people who ate a daily 1,200 milligrams (mg) of calcium from dairy lost an average of 24 pounds, or 11 percent of their total body weight. “When you don’t have enough calcium in your diet, you’re more efficient at making fat and less efficient at breaking down fat, causing a bigger, fatter fat cell,” says lead researcher Michael Zemel, Ph.D.

Get the just-right amount by taking in two 8-ounce glasses of low-fat milk (699 mg), a cup of low-fat yogurt (338 mg), and an ounce and a half of cheese (287 mg).

Weight Loss Strategy #8: Gamble on Yourself

Take a cue from the poker craze and wager against a buddy to see who can shed the most pounds. “Men do really well when they make weight loss a competitive game,” says New York City nutritionist Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., author of Cooking with Joy. “Have a 6-month and a 1-year check-in—none of that 2-week garbage.”

Or try it in teams, as on NBC’s The Biggest Loser, and you’ll double the incentive—you’ll want to win the bet and avoid letting down your team. “Healthy competition can bring out the absolute best in people,” says the show’s red-team trainer, Jillian Michaels, owner of SkySport and Spa in Beverly Hills.

She recommends that the team take on a swimming relay or a 5-K run. “That way, it’s not a scenario like ‘Who can lift the most?’” she says. “Losing weight is ultimately about better health. For $100, somebody might do a pulldown that’s way too heavy and end up tearing a rotator cuff.” It’d be a shame if, after you’d lost all that weight, you still couldn’t button your pants.

Conclusion

Special Thanks to David Schipper over at Men’s Health for these strategy tips. On top of what you’ve read, here’s what I recommend. Jump over and compare some Beachbody programs. Find one that suits you. Personally, I love Power 90, and Chalean Extreme if you’re starting out. If you’re more advanced, P90X is awesome. If you’re crazy…. Insanity or Insanity Asylum. Then check out our free fitness tools page, and get me as a free coach. I’ll help you with questions, support, and motivation. Join us on Facebook too.

Now you have a Strategy, Time to put your plan to ACTION!

5 Pillars of Willpower. You Started Your Fitness Journey, Now Keep Going!

Robert Harden — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:05:38 +0000

willpower (n): energetic determination; the ability to control oneself and determine one’s actions; firmness of will; control of one’s impulses and actions; self-control. Article by By Jeanine Natale.

Congratulations! You’ve made the decision to turn things around, so you’ve ordered ChaLEAN Extreme or Power 90 — or maybe you’re really going for it with INSANITY ASYLUM. But that’s only half the battle. After a long day at work, do you really want to Push Play—especially if it means missing American Idol or happy hour with your coworkers? And what about your coffee-and-dessert movie date the next night, plus don’t forget Sunday is big family dinner night. When is there time for a social butterfly like yourself to squeeze in a workout?

To complicate matters, when you try to explain that you’re on a diet or you’ve already made plans to work out instead, friends and family seem to take it personally, as if you secretly think they should be on a diet! If you’re like me and have an old-fashioned family that eats big, calorie-loaded dinners all the time, telling Mom or Grandma that you’re trying to cut down on portion sizes virtually guarantees that you’ll get handed a second helping of her famous homemade everything—and that second helping will be bigger than the first!

Here are five tips to help you foster and maintain the willpower you’ll need to achieve the fitness goals you’ve just set for yourself, especially when no one else around you seems willing to lend a hand.

1. Take time to explain.

If you’re frustrated that those around you aren’t more supportive, or don’t understand why you’re doing this, it’s possible that you need to be clearer about your new plans to get fit. Take the time to explain to family and friends that this isn’t just a fad or a flimsy excuse to avoid hanging out with them. Showing that you’ve got a fitness goal in mind, and a well-thought-out way to achieve it will not only help them understand you’re really serious about it, it’ll also help reinforce it in your own mind, helping you stay focused on what you really want. Besides, once you’ve told the important people in your life what you’re up to, you might be happily surprised to find out that a couple of them might actually want to join you. Boom—instant buddy system for keeping that willpower focused and motivated!

2. Lend a hand, accept a hand.

Your immediate circle of friends and family aren’t the only show in town when it comes to getting support. Don’t forget that you have literally thousands of friends on the Beachbody Message Boards who are experiencing a lot of the same things that you are, and thousands more people on WOWY® standing behind you 24/7 ready to listen and help. And once you get used to accepting their help, you can start giving back and supporting others. It’s a win-win! Get your free account here.

3. If you must eat, drink, and be merry, at least make it healthy!

Okay, so maybe not everyone’s idea of a fun time is doing a P90X® workout with you or going on a rigorous hike. And let’s face it: Big, communal meals are always going to be a popular way for loved ones to gather together. So how about going to a restaurant that serves healthier choices, or offering to help out in the kitchen for a home-cooked meal by introducing ingredients and recipes that are both more nutritious and perfectly delicious to boot? It’s easier to have the willpower to stay focused on your goals when you make sure healthy choices are readily available.

4. Don’t forget portion control . . .

Even when you do successfully make the switch to healthier foods, eating huge amounts of them won’t help slim down your waistline. A few great tricks for cutting down the amount you eat? Leave the last bite or two unfinished. Never go back for seconds. And if you have a drink, sip it slowly, and one’s the limit! Believe it or not, you’ll still feel full and satisfied without bursting at the seams. (And yes, drink water liberally throughout the evening.) Remember, you simply can’t get magically fit by eating too much and doing all the same old things, no matter how tempting it may be.

5. Give yourself a day off and a well-deserved pat on the back!

So you managed to make it through the day or week resisting all these outside forces, and you’ve stuck to your guns. (And your fitness program!) You finally get some alone time, only to feel like you’re ready to give in to all of your old vices. Don’t do it! But do treat yourself to a relaxing massage or a yoga session instead of a vigorous workout if you like. Congratulate yourself on negotiating the tricky dance of sticking to a serious fitness plan in the face of constant pitfalls. And thank your loved ones who have learned to support and even join you in your new quest for a fit and healthy lifestyle.

Yes, willpower comes from within, but learning how you can inspire your loved ones to help you in your journey to a fitter, healthier lifestyle proves the old adage that what goes around comes around. Letting everyone around you know that you really want to make your fitness plan work, and that you’d really appreciate their support as you do it, makes it easier both for you to stick to it and for them to help you stick to it. By successfully defusing all the classic ways your resolve can be eroded, it only makes your willpower—and you—grow stronger.

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