She now has a chance to win $100,000 in the Beachbody Challenege Contest. But she needs our help! Everyone in the Get Ripped At Home Crew needs to vote for Jessica everyday this week. Voting ends on May 18th, so now is the chance to spread the word and help change Jessica’s life forever. It only takes 3 clicks! VOTE For Jessica by clicking the link below! If that wasn’t enough motivation for you, Katie (my fiance) can also win $20,000 if Jessica wins the grand prize, because Jessica nominated Katie for being a great coach! It’s a win/win! VOTE NOW!

Vote For Jessica H.  HERE:

http://www.teambeachbody.com/connect/beachbody-challenge/vote/grandprize

Here is Jessica’s Transformation Story and Chalean Extreme + TurboFire Results…

Tell us about your life before you started the program. How did you feel about yourself and your body?

I absolutely love being a 7th grade English teacher. Truthfully, I tended to let work be my life. I worked all day and continued at night—planning, grading, etc. Work was an excellent distraction from analyzing myself and my life. But, when I really think back to my life before I started the program, I really just was happy enough. Not happy period. Not happy exclamation point. Just happy enough. I had reached this weirdly satisfied but not satisfied acceptance of my life. I weighed how much I weighed. I considered myself the definition of a heavy girl. I was one of many. I had sunk into the realization that I was not a skinny girl, nor would I ever be miserable about who I was. I would not beat myself up or guilt myself because of my weight. I liked food and was prepared to live with the consequences. I had tried (but let’s face it, not really tried) to exercise and diet, but it hadn’t really worked.

What inspired you to change your life and begin your transformation journey?

I had no idea that I was going to change my life. I was looking for a change—just a regular one though. Not a transformation or a journey. I had finished the school year, teaching another fabulous group of seventh graders, and felt tired all the time. Reality really sunk in when I saw our school yearbook. I was happy to be featured in so many pictures, but didn’t like what I saw. Was that really me? I had settled into a life of teaching, eating, watching TV, and just enjoying the life I had. Those yearbook pictures were more than I was used to. I had been getting ready for another summer of being inactive and not doing much, but I just decided to do something about ME. My friend Katie invited me to workout with her (as she had done many times before) and I decided to actually do it and put some actual effort into it. I committed to myself. I was putting myself before my students, the tests that I had to grade, and the lessons I had been planning. I was going to succeed!

Why did you choose the particular program?

She has decided to pay it forward and she became a coach, just like me, to help others who are struggling with their weight. She is extremely knowledgeable and great motivator. If you want to join our team, you can make Katie your coach by clicking here! You can also contact her through Facebook Here!

Here is Katie’s Amazing TurboFire Transformation Results as well as her journey to get healthy and fit in her own words!

We all have a common desire to wake up every day feeling fit, healthy, and enthusiastic about what lies ahead. Yet for so many people that reality seems incredibly unreachable. I can remember being in that overwhelming place, wondering if I would ever get back to that happy, energetic girl I once knew so well…

It wasn’t until I started my graduate program in teaching, that my lifestyle habits took a 180 degree turn. Instead of spending my free time “working out” and studying, I spent my free time “eating out” and studying. I met knew friends, with much different habits, and found myself slowly drifting away from my previously active lifestyle. It wasn’t long before my weight began to creep up, and my desire to hit the gym came to a screeching halt. Over and over again, I gave myself the excuse that I was too busy, too tired, and would start back up Monday. Well, two and a half years of “Mondays” came and went, and I found myself 40 pounds heavier, at 30% body fat, and waking up every day feeling anything but fit, healthy, or enthusiastic.

Ultimately, I decided that the seemingly unreachable goals that had haunted me for the past couple of years, would instead be reachable. I just had to find the right path! I started out my weight loss process by paying a ridiculous amount of money for a personal trainer. (I already knew how the ins and outs of physical fitness, but thought I needed someone else to hold me accountable.) While I did make progress in my time with the trainer, I never felt that spark or enthusiasm that I used to feel during exercise. Upon discussing my concerns with my boyfriend, who had been working out with P90X for over a year, I learned from him that BeachBody offered a variety of programs that could suit nearly every fitness need.

I quickly began my research and came upon Chalean Extreme. The program sounded incredible! I quickly called to cancel my personal training subscription and ordered the deluxe version of the program. Wow! The spark I had been looking for began to creep back up on me, and I was feeling better than ever! THEN, I realized that Chalene Johnson was the girl responsible for creating those amazing turbo kickboxing classes that I had fallen in love with over a decade ago.

I was beyond excited when Turbo Fire was released, and had voiced so much enthusiasm and curiosity about the program that I soon received it as a gift from my now fiancé! He has always been an excellent gift giver, but THIS was one of the best things he had ever given me…

I completed my first TurboFire workout with a huge grin across my face. This was EXACTLY what I had been looking for! I got excited every time I put in a new workout, and the same feelings of empowerment came rushing back to me. I loved the fast-paced choreography, amazing music mix, and Chalene’s ridiculously contagious energy. After reading about the science behind HIIT training, I was blown away by how such a short workout could drastically improve my cardiovascular endurance.

As I worked through this program, I noticed that the muscles I had been building through the Chalean Extreme program were becoming visible! I was leaning out, and for the first time in my life had definition in my obliques and abdominal wall. I LOVED the strength training workouts included, and also soon began using the weighted gloves during the turbo workouts. I began using the gloves on TurboFire 30 and worked my way up to the TurboFire 45 and 45EZ workouts by the end of the second phase. By the end of the 90 days, I was able to accomplish my goal of completing Fire 60 with the gloves on! That was an incredible feeling of accomplishment!

As a result of TurboFire, I went from a girl who had been hiding her figure in baggy clothes, back to the confident girl I used to be running around the beach in her bathing suit. I am finally back and better than ever at 125 pounds and 14% body fat! I feel like more of an athlete today than I did playing Varsity sports in high school!
TurbFire for me, made the unreachable, reachable….I now get to wake up every day the way every person deserves to…feeling fit, healthy, and ready to face the day with positive energy.
TurboFire was the workout I had been looking for….the one that got me excited to press “play” everyday. This is a workout that I will forever love, and forever recommend until my freckled face turns blue!

Simply put:
The BEST version of me has been given the opportunity to come out and play, all because I pressed play with TurboFire! There are not enough words to thank those responsible for that….

-Katie Andruss

You can make Katie your coach by clicking here! You can also contact her through facebook here!

If you would like to try TurboFire, and have Katie coach you for free, you can do so by clicking this link!

 
The biggest news from Chalene’s announcement was that my Fiance and fellow Coach, Katie made the Cast of the New TurboFire Workouts!  I am extremely proud of her.  She has had an incredible transformation and has devoted her time to helping others change their lives through TurboFire, Shakeology and other beachbody programs.  I will post her transformation pictures later this week so you can see for yourself.   Trust me, you will want to see these…amazing! If you want to make Katie your coach for FREE CLICK HERE!

There isn’t a lot of info about these new workouts yet but Chalene did say that these new TurboFire workouts are not going to be a TurboFire 2.  Instead they are going to be additional workouts that will be the “best of the best” of what you know and love about TurboFire.  There will be an emphasis on the HIIT workouts it seems as well.  If you want to see what Chalene said about it herself, check out the video Below (the announcement comes around the 34 min mark):

When my Fiance wanted to change things up from her regular routine I suggested she try ChaLEAN Extreme.  I had heard many great things from those who had done it but never tried it myself.  Having been a fan of P90X but not wanting to do so many pull ups,  I figured this would be more geared toward her main interests.  ChaLEAN Extreme is a program devoloped by beachbody trainer and motivator Chalene Johnson.  Chalene is best known for her TurboFire workouts that is featured in every 24 hour fitness in America as well as Beachbody.

Here are Kate’s impressions and review of ChaLEAN Extreme.  Ladies, pay close attention.

MY CHALEAN EXTREME REVIEW

by Kate

About 9 months ago, I found myself tired of my regular fitness routine.  I was working out six days a week doing cardio and strength training and found myself quickly slipping back into the “cardio-junkie” I had become in college.  I had started focusing less on my strength routine and spending more mindless hours doing steady state cardio.  After all, almost every female on the planet is a firm believer that ”cardio burns fat” and “heavy weights build bulky muscle.”  I wanted to get a little more toned, and a little more lean, so after discussing these goals with my fiance’ he suggested that I try Chalene Johnson’s program, ChaLEAN Extreme.  He had heard great things about it from one of his coaches and thought she might offer the right challenge that I needed.

Boy was he right!  I started the program the day it came in the mail and fell in love with it “almost” instantly.  The only struggle I had in the beginning was letting go of my cardio-obsession.  The workout calendar only had cardio scheduled two days a week and strength training on the other three! I decided to jump right into the first strength workout, and let me tell you by the end of those thirty-seven minutes I was dripping in sweat and exhausted!  So really, it took me less than 40 minutes to see that this program was NO JOKE and that the cardio I had been spending so much time one just might be over-rated.

The whole philosophy of this program focuses on “Lean Phasing,” which emphasizes three phases of building muscle to rev up your metabolism and burn fat.

PHASE 1 – The “Burn Phase” is focused on building muscle by combining upper and lower body exercises that lead you to muscle failure in 10-12 reps. Expect to be sore as you begin challenging your muscles in a whole new way.  PHASE 2 – The “Push Phase” is designed to get you out of your comfort zone by using much heavier weights than you have probably ever used…  The goal is to reach muscle failure in 6-8 reps.  I experienced MAJOR STRENGTH GAINS during this phase…but no bulky muscles.  My arms actually started looking better than they ever had!  Sweet!  Before this phase, I had considered 12 pounds a challenge for bicep curls and was now using 20 pounds for the same exercises.  Awesome!  PHASE 3 – The “Lean Phase” is a dynamic circuit of strength moves that combine upper body/lower body/ and core moves.  You burn major calories in this workout and get even more obvious results!  (I could actually do 2 pull ups after completing this phase – which is not even a part of the program!) Chalene is a seriously awesome personal trainer throughout the videos- She is funny, enthusiastic, and filled with tips on correct technique.  She makes you feel like she is actually in your living room!

The calendar is set up so that you complete a strength training circuit every other day in all three phases.  In the days in between, you complete either the “Burn Intervals” dvd and “Ab Burner/Extreme Abs” workouts or the “Burn It Off” & “Recharge” workout.  I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the “Burn Intervals” workout as it combines short bursts of cardio with high rep/low weight resistance movements.  That workout burns a ton of calories and builds muscle endurance, which is great for creating that lean/toned look!  The ab workouts are also great as they combine a variety of core strengthening exercises with weights to give you an extra challenge.

I have to say that one of the BEST parts of this program is the DELUXE upgrade that you can order.  It comes with seven incredible workouts that have actually become some of my absolute favorites!  Two of my favorites are “Get Lean Intervals” and “Extreme Intervals.”  These are set up just like the “Burn Intervals” workout with alternating cardio/strength moves, and they are just as fun and challenging!  I work these into my calendar on a regular basis and love them all like children – equally!

I also really love the “Extreme Core Circuit” and “I’ve Got Abs” workouts.  They absolutely “Kick my abs” by using weights, push-ups, and a wide variety of core moves that cause you to reach muscle failure from every angle.  The “Dynamic Flow Yoga” is officially the FIRST yoga workout I have ever really enjoyed.  I have tried over and over to like yoga, but could not convince myself of its benefits until I did Chalene’s workout.  I love how she combines yoga, pilates, and more strength training to get your muscles long, lean, and toned.  She uses the hand weights that come with the set to add extra resistance to the dynamic 38 minute workout!  I really could go on about all of the other that come in the set…but hopefully you have read enough to be convinced that it is worth the order!

As for the other features of the program, I again have nothing but positive remarks!  The guidebook is super helpful in providing the initial workout calendar and also the “Lean for Life” calendar that allows you to continue the program after the first 90 days.  I have been doing this program for months and am still seeing results!  The guidebook also has a breakdown of all 12 strength training workouts by exercise, complete with pictures and guided instructions.  You could essentially take this anywhere and complete your workout without a dvd player!  The food guide is broken down into the three phases of the program, and provides lots of simple-yet appetizing recipes.  Protein is an emphasized component of all snack and meals as having enough of it will allow you to repair/build muscle and burn fat for maximum results.

While some programs out there require a certain level of fitness to begin, I firmly believe that ANYONE can make this program work for them!  You are guaranteed to burn fat, build muscle, and spend much less time doing ineffective exercise.  Chalene really disproves the two major myths that only cardio burns fat, and that muscle builds bulk in women.

I highly encourage you to get started soon on perhaps the best workout system you will ever fall in love with!!!  Chalean Extreme works.

Want to try Chalene Extreme?  Click HERE

What do you think of ChaLEAN Extreme?  Does it sounds like it is something you would like to try?  Are you a cadio-junkie who is afraid to add weight training to your routine?

So what was it all about?

Well, this year they hosted it in Downtown LA, at the LA Live center.  LA Live is a entertainment center that combines Staples Center (Where the Lakers Play), The Nokia Center (where you have seen major award shows), Restaurants, Clubs, and Hotels.  Even though I live in the Greater Los Angeles/Orange County area I had never been there.  It was a great venue.

The event started off with a Bang.  Friday was all about some of the BIG things that Beachbody is developing this year.  New Programs, supplements, new opportunities, etc.  (See more below).  That afternoon we were able to go to a live workout with a Beachbody trainer.  Tony Horton, Shaun T, Chalene Johnson, Debbie Siebers, Brett Hoebel, and Leandro Carvalho were all there ready to take us through their tough workouts.  I went to Tony’s (of course)and my fiance went to Chalene’s.  Tony took the group though a P.A.P. workout from the upcoming P90X2.  I was able to do this workout during rehearsals for P90X2 and this one he took us through at summit was just as difficult.  Great fun.

From there, Kate and I were able to go to the Diamond reception, which was a big party at a local club.  That was a blast.  I was able to see a lot of other coaches that I have become friends with throughout the years, watch Leandro dance his brazilian booty off (he is hilarious btw) and have a great time.  A late night turned into an early morning…

The Super Saturday workout was unbelievable.  Each Trainer got up on stage for 20 mins and lead over 2,000+ people in a over 90 min workout, outside at LA Live.  Local news crews were there to cover it.  I was even privileged to go up on stage with Tony Horton and be one of this demonstrators during the event.  What a thrill that was…Seeing all those people working out together in unison from the stage was an amazing thing to witness.  Check out the video below to see me with Tony at the Super Workout.

After that we went to more conferences.  We got to see Chalene Johnson do a motivational speech (which really got me inspired), got to listen to the creators of Shakeology talk about what they do to make it the best supplement on the market and got some training so I could be a better coach to all of you.  That night was a HUGE dinner reception and ceremony to recognize all those coaches who have done great things this year.  That was followed by a Huge party.  Great times.  I was able to speak with Steve Edwards, and Dr. Marcus Elliott (the P3 guy and P90X2 contributor) for a while.  Talk about two fascinating guys.  Their wealth of knowledge in health and fitness is unbelievable.

The next day we got to see the Sneak Preview of P90X2 (I will post more video this week).  That was the highlight for me because I was told that I was in the trailer.  If you haven’t see it yet then go read my P90X2 Coming this Fall post.  After that the even closed down and we went home…extremely tired but pumped up!

What was the Big News from the event?

1.  P90X2 announced:  I know I have already talked about this a ton of times but this was huge so I had to post it again.  What was first titled P90X:MC2 is now officially P90X2.  It will be able to be pre-ordered in August.  We were also told that if you want to get it by Christmas, you NEED to pre order it.  I’ll make sure that you are the first to know if you follow my blog or have me as your coach.  As you know I am in the Chest/Back + Balance and V-Scuplt videos so I have some inside knowledge ;).  This program will blow your mind.  It is muscle confusion taken to the next level.

2.  New Shakeology Flavor: Yep!  Tropical is the flavor.  I was able to try it several times throughout the summit and liked it more and more as the days went on.  If your looking for something fruity that blends VERY well with berries and fruit, you will love this flavor.  It is still being tested but will be available later this year.

3.  P90X iPhone App: I can’t mention a lot about this yet but I can say that we got to see a sneak preview of that the app looks like, how it is put together, the features it will have and when it will be released.  What I can say is that it looks UNBELIEVABLE.  I was SUPER excited to see it.  It looks like the more versatile fitness app that will be on the market.  It will definitely be a must have if you do P90X.  It is only for the iPhone for now.  You should be able to track many things and have it help you with every aspect of P90X.  More to follow when they allow us to talk more about it.  Look for it to be released toward the end of Summer.

4.  Free Coaching Sign Ups for Military: Beachbody wants to say “thank you” to the people who serve our country so they are allowing active military or their spouses to sign up to be coaches for FREE.  No sign up fee and no monthly dues.  How awesome is that?  If you are active military, sign up!  Get on this opportunity if yo have developed a passion for these products and programs.  Feel free to contact me for details.

5.  New Programs!:  There are a TON of new programs in development right now.  These are the ones due out in early 2012.  A Tai Chi program based on the martial art and developed by Dr. Mark Chang.  New TurboFire workouts and new RevAbs workouts are also coming in the near future.  There is also a 21 day Detox program being developed.

6.  New Team Beachbody Facelift: Beachbody is going to keep making teambeachbody.com a great place to go for your health/fitness needs.  Some of the recent changes are the Fit Club Finder, where you can go and find a local fit club in your area, the Beachbody Challenge, where you can submit your success story/transformation and win a cash prize of $100,000!  WOWY has also gotten an upgrade…go log your workouts and win prizes daily!  New Members gallery and well as new Workout Groups you can join.

7.  Next years’ Coach Summit will be in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM: If you’re not a coach yet and have been thinking about it, I would join just for this reason!  I, along with somewhere around 10,000 other coaches will be attending this event.  I have already signed up!  It will be a blast.

8.  Coaching in Canada/Mexico: If your outside the US and ready to be a coach then keep holding on because it’s coming!  No news as to exactly when yet but it is definitely going to happen.

There are more things that will be released that I can’t talk too much about yet, but once I’m given the OK, you will be the first to know! If you’re not a Team Beachbody member yet, make sure you sign up (it’s free), getting me as your coach! Click here to make me your coach.

What do you think about all this News?  Did you go the Summit?  Do you want to go Next Year?

This program looks like it is mostly gauged toward women who are used to doing aerobic type of classes in gyms.  It includes 12 dvds, which has cardio, HIIT style routines and weight training.  If you are looking for a new program that involves great music, kickboxing, dancing, weight training and benefits of HIIT then you will want to check this one out.  The release date for Turbo Fire is June 18, and you better believe I will have it available on this site the day it comes out! Get ready to Get Ripped At Home with TURBO FIRE!