P90X One on One Plyocide - December 2010

I am here.

Image via Wikipedia

What can I say ? I've been lax in  my blogging. I have been busy, busy, busy. How many times have you heard that excuse, better yet how many times have you used that excuse. With the holidays coming up it is so easy to fall back on the 'I've been too busy' excuse. What have you been to busy to do ? who have you been to busy to see? It's never easy to look at our faults. This busy excuse thing is rather insulting if you put thought to it. Imagine someone saying "sorry been busy and I couldn't call you'' Why wouldnt they just come out and say "you are not high on my list, too bad, so sad'' *gasp* the horror of it ! Should we feel sorry for the so busy person ? They have been so busy, oh bless their heart poor thing, hasn't had time. Horseshit ! So the next time you are tempted to use the "been so busy'' excuse think about it. What is the real reason. Face up to it....... and don't even tell me you're too damn busy to do so.
Okay onto other rants.... let me see. Oh I finally started TaeKwonDo classes. Decided I wasn't that busy and could fit it in to my 'busy' schedule. I have been putting it for months. I have had all kinds of excuses. And you know what excuses are, obstacles we put in front of ourselves, roadblocks to success. And of course I have to give props to P90X. If I never did it I wouldn't be doing half the things I am doing now. Simply getting out of bed would be painful. Yoga and martial arts are the things that keep our bodies young, durable, flexible. I am planning ahead here with my health. I will do what I can to keep from getting stiff, flabby and rickety.I want to enjoy the next few decades of life to the fullest. I want to walk without a walker, move with ease. I want to breath air without the help of an oxygen tank and a motorized wheelchair. I want to get out of a chair unaided. I want to tie my own shoes and not wear slippers. I want to run. I want to jump. I want to touch my toes. I want to see my kids grow up. I need to set the bar, so they will someday do the same. Good health is something we need to continue to work on. No pills, no doctors visits. No pills. Imagine all the meds that are prescribed suddenly not needing a refill ! No more relying on a pill. The fountain of youth is within our reach. Who is going to drink it in ?

Bodybasicsct.com: TONY'S COMING !!! Get ready people

Bodybasicsct.com: TONY'S COMING !!! Get ready people: "That's right Tony Horton is coming to the east coast. He will be in Long Island on November 6 ! and you are invited. Click the link below or..."

TONY'S COMING !!! Get ready people

That's right Tony Horton is coming to the east coast. He will be in Long Island on November 6 ! and you are invited. Click the link below or find me on Facebook, Like my page : bodybasicsct.com If all else fails and the link below doesnt work , reply here. Easy peasy.
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/event.php?eid=156437924386112&ref=mf

Bodybasicsct.com: It's my party and I'll cry if I want to

Bodybasicsct.com: It's my party and I'll cry if I want to: "Image via WikipediaMy woe is me story. First I was out of commission for a bum shoulder. A little bursitis and tendinitis. The chiropractor ..."

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to

Image via Wikipedia

My woe is me story. First I was out of commission for a bum shoulder. A little bursitis and tendinitis. The chiropractor was getting  me back in the swing (pun intended). No kickboxing or downward dogs for me. A couple weeks off bummed me out. THEN I started feeling awful. What's that you say doc , I have pneumonia AND shingles. UGH ! That took me out for a few more weeks. Don't ever get shingles, like you could help it, it is painful. Not breathing well stinks too.
Today is the day to get back at working this body. I didn't gain weight while I was bursitis, pneumonia and shingling. Shingling is a verb on my blog. I lost a few pounds. The meds take the appetite away.
TOday I just finished Yoga Booty Ballet, the advanced sculpt and abs. Ahhhhhh !! that felt good. Ask me tomorrow how I feel, haha. I dislike the whole starting over thing, I could tell that I lost a lot of energy and endurance. Sure I will get it back its the getting part that makes me crazed. I want to be back to the other me, the one before all the sickness. Patience is not my best virtue if you haven't guessed. I will go easy and slow.Too fast and I know I will hurt myself or feel crummy. Tomorrow I am going to do X Stretch. That has always been a favorite to do after a few days off from exercising due to busy life or getting over a cold. If you have any bad germs, any at all please don't come near me. I may Lysol you or Purell you from head to toe. I am in germaphobe mode. Stay well everyone.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Bursitis - All Information (umm.edu)

Bodybasicsct.com: Speed & pace

Bodybasicsct.com: Speed & pace: "Tony Horton often hears some of you struggle with the speed and pace of some Beachbody® workouts. Here's his thoughts.Some seem too fast w..."

Speed & pace

Tony Horton often hears some of you struggle with the speed and pace of some Beachbody^® workouts. Here's  his thoughts.Some seem too fast while others seem too slow. Workouts are like porridge—you need to find the one that's just right for you. If you're in the middle of any workout and you can't keep up or we're going too slow, then find your own speed and pace. The goal is NOT to match (move for move) the people you're watching. The folks on the screen are a guide. You need to find the speed and pace that work for you. Kick higher or lower, run faster or slower, lift more or less, and find the proper range of motion that's best for your body. This philosophy takes the pressure off and allows you to get the best workout possible.

ah, the turtle ..thanks Tony

There's a reason the age-old story of the hare and the tortoise is still around. It's true. Hares may be quick off the starting block, but they usually crash and burn before reaching the finish line. Tortoises, on the other hand, pace themselves for the long haul and reach their goal.

The difference between them, however, is not speed. It's consistency. Consistency is probably the single most important factor to success in any endeavor. It's showing up for yourself time after time after time. Whether your goal is to lose weight, increase flexibility, improve strength, or learn to play the piano, showing up is half the battle, and it's the only way to get anywhere in the long run.
So focus on consistency first, and worry about ramping it up later—the momentum will build naturally. Before you know it, you'll be cruising along with ease and you'll sail right by that hare like he's standing still, which shouldn’t be too hard to do when he's passed out under a bush.

Yoga, Tony's tips

More Incentive to Stick with Yoga

If there were a way to feel full of vim and vigor in your golden years, wouldn't you want to know about it? Now that I'm pushing 50, I'm writing about the golden years. More and more studies are saying . . . strike a pose.
That's right. Even if you've never tried yoga before, regularly practicing some simple yoga stretches and poses when you're older can give you back some of the energy and flexibility of your younger years. Here's a laundry list of all the other health benefits:
After 6 months of taking beginner yoga classes, men and women ages 65 to 85 reported:

• Feeling more energized compared to how they felt before they started
• Less pain overall in their day-to-day lives
• Feeling more outgoing socially (Can you say hippocampus?)
• Having better balance
• Greater flexibility in their trunk and limbs

Not only that, yoga may also be good for your heart. A study was conducted on a group of people with heart disease who adopted a "yoga lifestyle," a holistic approach to health, including eating right, getting those zzzz's, and maintaining a generally positive attitude. Heart disease lesions diminished in almost half of the people who had signs of the disease at the beginning of the study.
Ommmm . . .

Monkey see, monkey do

This past weekend me and my kids drove by a MacDonalds. 9 times out of 10 "mom can we go ?'' I say "No" and then there is a collective heavy sigh from the back seat. Fast food, or so they claim, is a rare treat from Mom. This time I said "okay we will get MacDonalds" low and behold I was then deemed the best Mom in the whole wide world ! I was waiting for a crowned jewel to be placed on my head.My boys were simply stunned as I turned into the driveway and found my place in the drive thru. My 6 year old wanted a chicken nugget happy meal. "Frys?" I asked. He said "no I want the apple slices" I looked in the rear view mirror to make sure that was actually my kid asking for apple instead of frys. It was him, whew. Next question " Would you like Hi-C to drink ?'' "No thanks Mom, can I have milk?'' "YES !" He told me after that he decided to make healthy choices like I do. I was so very proud of him. He wants to put good food in his body. I guess he has been paying attention to the changes I have been making in my life. We do eat healthier, fruits , veggies etc.
We do really set examples for our children, even when we don't think they are always paying attention. Childhood obesity is at an all time high. We as parents need to be held accountable for what we feed our children. For the first time in history children are not expected to live as long as we , the parents, do.There a are a couple little things we can do to make a switch to healthy eating Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. That is where the best quality foods are kept. Produce, meat, fish, dairy. Try not to venture down the aisles. Most of the aisle food is processed foods. The more we stay away from processed foods the better you will feel. Let your kids be a part of the shopping experience. I let my boys pick out fruits, apples, pears, oranges, berrys, what ever is in season. Kids love to help. The more they help the more inclined they will be to eat the good stuff.
And no, in case you were wondering, I did not eat anything from mickey-D's !

Been awhile

All kinds of things happening. Mostly children related, end of school year, sports, etc. I will skip over that and fast forward a little bit. I finally received my Beachbody Showcase package. Yeah ! They package Power 90, Hip Hop Abs, Yoga Booty, Turbo Jam and Slim in 6 together in a box for easy storage. Nice. P90X was stand alone. When I ordered I asked if I could get Insanity instead of P90x and was told no. IMO Beachbody may sell more if they gave you an option of P90X, Insanity, or now Turbo Fire. I don't know why they won't let you swap out, all it would take is someone at the warehouse to pack the desired program. The way it works now, you would probably end up with another copy of P90X in addition to the one you probably already own. I got some bands but they dont send enough handles. You would have to swap them out. I assumed there would be enough handles for all bands. Got the small ball as well. This package will be great for my shows. I used it at an event in June and it was great.
My goal is to spend about a week on each program from the showcase package. You should know your product and what better way to become acquainted with it. I started with Turbo Jam. Chalene has a disc with her essential 11 moves. There is a guidebook as well that instructs you on the basic moves she uses. Not sure when Turbo Jam was made but you can tell by the music and what the people are wearing it wasn't in the last few years. This doesn't mean the workout is bad at all ! It was a nice cardio workout. It gets the job done. I enjoyed it. Won't know if it is a fav untril I try some others.
Onto to Yoga Booty Ballet. Now I am not a Yoga fan but I will do it because it is good for you and blah blah blah. Well I was pleasantly surprised. I actually love this program. The gals explain everything clearly. The dude banging on the drums is a little much but I like Yoga Booty. I did the exercises on the first disc. Good combo's of yoga, ballet and strength exercises. I tried the Cabaret dancing. That was darn good fun. I am still working on the program. If given a choice between Yoga Booty and Turbo Jam, I would pick Yoga Booty. *ducks and hides* I know the Chalene extremists are gasping as they read this. Keeping it honest people.
On the topic of Chalene, did do Turbo Fire class 15. It was a preview disc that came with a One on One. That was ggoooooodddddd. I really hope to purchase Turbo Fire as an addition to my programs. Sorry Sean T. I was going to go with Insanity but I think Turbo Fire sold me. I think it is the music and the choreography that won me over. Hey I would love to do both! Maybe after I sell more product and sign more coaches.
Want to be a beachbody coach ? simply ask me how. Its a thing of beauty.

The things I see in downward dog

For those of you wondering downward dog is a yoga stretch. You place your hands on the floor in front of you and lift your butt up in the air. Legs and arms are straight. Your feet stay on the floor. You look like an inverted V. You can flex you feet to get a nice calf stretch. Don’t worry about the dust bunnies under the couch you can get them later or that you need a pedicure. Downward dog is best in bare feet. Oh and breathe.At first I though down dog was odd and felt funny doing it. I finally got comfortable with it over time. Since the weather is nicer and I am working out in shorts as opposed to longer yoga type pants I have noticed something. I have new muscles in my legs ! They were always there but now they are out and looking good. My calfs, or is it calves in this case, have definition that I have never seen before in my life. What an excellent discovery. I have tone in places I didn’t know could have been toned. My quad right above my knee has pretty bulges, for lack of a better description. All the hard work is worth it when you see things happening to your body. Muscles are getting stronger. I feel terrific. Downward dog, try it. What do you see ?

Ty, Tony and Buddy

One is a baker, one a carpenter, the other a fitness trainer. They all have one thing in common, passion. Passion can be described in different ways. I think the nuts and bolts of passion is an intense desire. It’s the thing that motivates a person and nothing gets in the way. It doesn’t become a way of life, it is the way of life. When you believe in something so much that you have to ‘be’ it every day that is passion. These guys all share what their passion is with others. It is not something that you keep to yourself, its part of you that needs to be known. Some things cannot be contained. To be fortunate enough to have a passion in life is a true blessing.To make money at something you enjoy is a dream to many. The baker, the builder and the fitness trainer all have the pleasure of making money at what drives them every day. I bet that not one of them considers their job a ‘job’. By that I mean, having to be somewhere they don’t want to, to make money to pay the bills. 5:00 Friday is not on their radar. Imagine getting out of bed and doing what you love and making money. Man that has to feel great. Buddy’s cakes are nothing short of art. Some of them are engineering marvels. If you saw the episode of Cake Boss where they make an actual size NASCAR cake you know the man is passionate about his craft. Ty is not just the host of Extreme Home Makeover he is the heart of getting things done for people in need. Anyone else could host this show and it wouldn’t have the stuff that Ty brings. Ty has an understanding and compassion. He approaches his job using all his talents and passion. Tony, well Tony is an entity unto himself. If you watch a P90x disc and not want to get off the sofa and do your best, then you must watch another. You will want to ‘bring it’.The man is passionate about sharing his knowledge and love of living healthy. Fitness is his calling and we should give him a listen. Some have the gift and we should learn all we can from these people. Ty, Tony and Buddy all have found their passion in life. Perhaps they have more,yet to be discovered. Will we all find passion ? I don’t know. Are we all suppose too? Why not. I became a Beachbody Coach because I want to share what I have learned with others. My life has improved significantly and I want others to have the same. The planet would be a nicer place to live on if everyone took time to find their passion. Passion is love, determination, commitment, desire, motivation and that something that gets you out of bed and makes you want to take on the day. When you take the time to change your quality of life, life becomes a beautiful thing.

Bridal Show

Last night I was at a bridal show. No, I am not getting married. I already am married. I was there selling beachbody products. My company, bodybasicsct.com was there, representing health and fitness to the people. My upline coach Annie was there to help me out. I can not say enough about how helpful she is to me. I hope someday I am just as helpful to my coaches, well when I get some. Want to make 25% on beachbody products ? contact me..... back to the bridal show. It was held at an old manor style house. All us vendors were set up outside in lovely tents. Those things are huge. The manor has a garden setting and must be gorgeous when all the flowers are in bloom. I spoke to quite a few brides. Men and women alike want to look great for their wedding day. After all those photos will be around forever. Many people have heard of P90X or insanity. They have seen the infomercials on tv. Others know someone who is doing one of the programs. Spreading the word about Shakeology was key. Love that stuff ! I am still quite surprised when I speak with people who have never head of beachbody. They need to get up early and watch some tv. People like to talk about getting healthy and are geniunely interested in what beachbody has to offer. Like I told so many last night, they have something for every fitness level and interest. You don't have to be buff to start a program. You just need the desire to do it. Push play every day. I gave samples of P90X Recovery drink. It is so good after a workout, tastes like an orange creamsicle. I met some very nice folks and I hope to become their coach. I am looking forward to teh next bridal show. If you are interested in attending go to http://www.weddingsteps.com/ for upcoming dates and info. And thanks to Wedding Steps for a great show.

oh yum, cheesecake

Life seems to have it share of ups and downs lately. My grandmother passed away and her funeral was this past week. Everything has been an emotional blur. I am not going into details, it will just make me cry. After a few days of mourning, will it ever end, I need to get back in the swing of things.
When someone dies we often bring food to the family. We make a simple meal or something full of sugar. It is an accepted practice in our society. Take the burden off preparing meals for the family and give them some comfort food. We all feel better, the giver and the receiver of the food. The giver is nuturing the family in sorrow. Food, everyone needs it. We cry and laugh over it.
After the funeral there was a family lunch. My cousin Patty and I decided we should start with the cheesecake. Yes, cheesecake has healing properties, especially when eaten with others. In sad times we often turn to food for comfort. I come from an Italian family, need I say more ? Did I feel guilty eating the cheesecake ? Surprisingly the answer is no. It felt good to splurge for a day. The thing is not to make it a habit. We all need to come to grips with the fact that we will on occassion eat 'bad' foods. We don't need to beat ourselves up over it. The next day get back on track, just do not eat the bad foods every day. This is easier said than done for many. Its can be a struggle to stay on track. It makes me happy to realise that good clean eating is now my way of life. No soda, no coffee, most white foods , etc. I feel better, so much now than ever before. The cheescake wasn't that evil after all. Go back to consistantly eating that way , every day, and ugh ! feeling like crap will be the norm. Who needs that ?
I don't know when I will eat cheesecake again. I am sure when ever I do consider it I will think of me and my cousin Patty giggling because we ate it before our actual meal. We were like kids sneaking a cookie from the cookie jar. Food brings us together. The good and the bad.

Shakeology

I'm back! I had a paper cut on a fingertip turn into a nightmare. Not able to type well but I could not stay away. So my thoughts are on Shakeology today. Sadly I will be out before my next shipment. This makes me very unhappy but I gave away a few packets as samples. Fingers crossed that those people take the plunge and buy some so they can experience the wonders of this tasty concoction.
I was really skeptical about what this stuff was going to taste like. I thought it was going to be horrible like SlimFast you buy at the grocery store. I thought I would hate it and be stuck with a box. I was pleasantly surprised.
I ordered chocolate. I opened the packet and was greated with a chocolately aroma. Okay this might not be so bad. I added crushed ice and half water and half milk. Turned my motor boat, hand held mixer, on and gave it a good long blend. It smelled wonderful. I poured it in a glass and took a sip. Whammo ! I was sold. This was damn good. I couldnt wait to try different 'recipes'. Mmmm !
I finally bought some greenberry. Not my fav. I like to add a lot of fruit. Peaches, blueberries, strawberries and juices in various combinations. I found my favorite green berry recipe. It tastses like a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich. Here it is, 1 pack of greenberry, grape juice, strawberries and peanut butter. Blend !!! and enjoy.

P90X

I figured I should write something about my P90X experience. The good, the bad and the ugly. Well the ugly part is when I am all done and my hair is a mess, I stink to high heaven and sweat is dripping off me. Literally peeling off your sports bra is liberating. That's the ugly part of fitness people. If you are doing it right you aren't pretty when you are done.
The good of P90X, hmm. First I will list Kenpo. Love the Kenpo. It's the whole thought of hitting someone with knuckles and ball kicks that is attractive. No I am not a violent person, I like the whole 'make love not war' ideology. It is empowering to know that you could possibly defend yourself. Kenpo seems to be a fan favorite, so I am not alone.
Second I would say Core Synergistic. I have seen the most change in my core than anywhere else. It gets my vote. I am not crazy about doing all the moves, well because I still find some difficult. I have made progress, so I pat myself on the back. Superman-Banana is fun. Still cant grab both ankles at the same time in bow. Someday. I curse through Chatarunga runs. Dreya rolls are out of the question. I have degenerative discs in my neck and those rolls scare me. I don't try crane in Yoga either for the same reason.
Third fav, Plyo. I modify moves because of my neck issues. I find this the best exercise for getting the heart rate up. Its a good kick your butt work out. When you want to really move do Plyometrics. I love the flying Heisman's, not sure why I just do.
So that is a super quick over view of my favorite things about P90X.
My least favorites are........ the chest, arms, triceps,back discs, etc. all of those. I keep at them though, never say die. I modify some moves here again. Somehow I still can end up in pain, not aches, pain. Not to fear, my Chiropractor takes care of me. If you need something to rub on sore muscles I recommend what I call affectionately- green goup aka: BioFreeze. It feels so good when you rub it on your sore spots. Ah relief.
What are your favorites and not so favorite exercises of P90X ?

Visiting childhood

I am so lucky that I get to coach U6 soccer. After a practice or a game I feel happy. The kids have that effect on you. Even my son, who pushes his limits, makes me feel renewed somehow. Hang out with 5 and 6 year old and look at the game through their eyes. They just want to have fun. Simple, old fashioned fun in the sun. I try to make all the lessons a game. This way they have fun while learning, they probably don't even know they are learning. It really doesn't matter.
Watch the way a child runs onto the field. They have a big grin, they are using their whole bodies. They jump, spin, bounce, wave arms, hop and use other movements to express their excitement. We as adults have learned to contain and control ourselves. Watch an adult run on to a field. You will probably see an expressionless face, no hop, no bounce, no huge grin. We would look silly if we did that. Guess what, I can do all that stuff ! I am the coach and that gives me a chance to act like a kid. I can get on the ground and roll around, I can flap my arms like a bird, I can giggle and make silly faces. I can be the adult and act like a kid and no one thinks that is odd. I can run and skip and sing silly soccer songs. I am moving my body in ways that are not typical of the average adult. I feel young and happy. Its mental as well as physical.
Ever wonder why kids are so flexible. It's because they move this way and that way, they stretch and balance. They are doing static and ballistic movements frequently. I have seen kids stand on one leg and balance, just to do it. The kids will have a contest of who can do the most hops. Some have certaintly found their inner Tigger.
How many times have you heard an adult say "where do the children get all this energy?" My theory is that they enjoy moving their bodies. We need to enjoy moving ours as well. If going to the gym and getting on a treadmill is something you dread, you need to find some other form of exercising. If it feels like work to go for a run, find something else. Or you can try something new. Ask yourself, "how would a child approach this". Try that just once and I bet you will find yourself smiling.
My point is to move and exercise in a way that evokes your 'inner child'. Wake up the kid in yourself. Just once, try it.

Ta-da! My first entry

Okay folks, here I am. Repeat after me, P90X is my friend, P90X is my friend..... got it- good. What workout program is your friend ? Is it a beachbody program or something else. Is it the track, or the weights at the gym ? Do you just run, run, run ? If you mix it up, what do you mix up? My newest love has been kickboxing. Wow, do we get a great workout. I take class at a martial art school. It is wonderful. It all stated with Kenpo X. As I got through P90X I decided to go try something new. I would have never considered it before. Which leads to my next question - other than an at home fitness program, what have you done that is totally new ?