The New Vanilla Shakeology has finally arrived.  It has been a long time coming as well.  Back at the 2010 coach summit, Carl Daikeler (the CEO of Beachbody), announced that Vanilla Shakeology may never happen.  This was due the the fact that it is extremely difficult to get an Organic Vanilla flavor without cutting the corner of product quality that Shakeology stands for.  But, at this years coach summit, Beachbody announced that they finally found a way to make Vanilla a reality.  The journey took them all the way to Madagascar but they cracked the code.  We now have an awesome Vanilla Shakeology.

What Is Shakeology?

For those of you who don’t know what Shakeology is in the first place, let me explain.  Shakeology is a meal replacement, whole food, high protein shake that is a daily dose of dense nutrition.  It is something that I have been using everyday for the last 3 years.  But believe it or not, I wasn’t always sold on it due to the price.  At $120 per bag, ( $4 per serving), I didn’t think think I could fit it into my budget . But MY Coach showed me how to use it…as a meal replacement.  I realized that if I replaced my pre-workout protein bar ($3) and my multivitamin ($1) that it would equal my cost!  I also realized that the VALUE of nutrition that I would receive from Shakeology would be much greater than a protein bar.  I also decided that I would use it for Lunch occationally which ended up saving me $6 each time I did it!  I still wasn’t convinced however.  So I decided to keep my schedule completely the same except for adding in Shakeology for 30 days.  I was amazed by my results.  I had gone from 8% body fat to 6% and went from 160lbs to 162lbs!  Muscle gain and fat loss!  I was hooked.

Shakeology is by far the healthiest meal I have all day.  I believe in it so much that I have everyone that I care about the most (my wife, mom, dad, friends, etc) using it.  I also now recommend it for everyone going through any Beachbody programs like P90X, Insanity, TurboFire, Body Beast, T25, and for those I Coach (if I’m not your Coach yet, click here, it’s free to sign up).

Vanilla Shakeology Review

Back to Vanilla Shakeology.  I was lucky enough to be able to try it as soon as it was announced at the 2013 Coach summit this year.   I have already tried it over 5 times and can tell you that it is already one of my favorite flavors.  I would put it either tied or right behind Chocolate Shakeology.

Taste:  The taste of Vanilla Shakeology is smooth and settle.  It has a very nice, not too sweet, Vanilla flavor with a hint of Cinnamon.   This combo blends extremely well with Milk, Almond Milk and rice milk.  I also like the fact that I can use a vanilla protein powder with it and it makes it taste great as well.

Overall I would say that Vanilla is definitely a flavor that I will use often.  For me, it is definitely worth trying.

Vanilla Shakeology Recipe

There are a ton of recipes to try but right now, this is my favorite.

• 12 oz of Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• 1 Scoop / Packet of Vanilla Shakeology
• 1 Scoop Vanilla Protein powder
• 1/2 Banana
• 1 cup of ice

Vanilla Shakeology Samples

Want to try Vanilla Shakeology?  There are two ways to do so.  First, you can take up Beachbody on their “Bottom of the Bag” guarentee…this means that you can try the whole bag of Vanilla Shakeology risk free.  If you try the whole thing and are not satisfied then you can just call up Beachbody Customer Service and they will refund you your Money!  It’s a great way to try it for 30 days to see the full effects.

I also have samples of Vanilla Shakeology that I will be sending out every week or so.  In order to receive a free Vanilla Shakeology Sample you have to visite the Shakeology Sample Page Here.  There are some easy requirements to receive it.

1. I have to be your Beachbody Coach! If not, click here.
2. You have to be SERIOUS about purchasing if you like the taste! I have no issue with sending out the sample, but if you don’t plan on purchasing if you like the taste, please don’t request one because it does cost me about $10 to send out a sample. This is something that I’m confident will work for you because of how it did for me, my family, friends, and the other people I coach, so please only request one if you’re really looking to make a change in your health! To request one, either contact me on my Facebook Page or email me at scal11083@beachbodycoach.com

How to Buy Vanilla Shakeology

Buying is vey easy.  Just Click on the link below.  Select your flavor.  Select if you want to get Monthly Auto Ship (which gives you free shipping) or a 1 time order.  Add it to your cart and check out!

Shaun T‘s brand new home workout fitness program, FOCUS T25, has now been officially released at this years Coach Summit in Las Vegas.  I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy and will be posting a review in the coming weeks.  FOCUS T25 is a 25 day workout program, where all of the workouts are only 25 mins, 5 days per week.  There are two 5 week phases called ALPHA and BETA.  These phases build upon each other allowing you to FOCUS on specific things during each phase.  There is also an additional phase called GAMMA that focuses on muscle building resistance routines.

I had  a chance to try one of the workouts live and it was a short, intense and focused routine that allows for total body conditioning and fat loss.  The main idea of T25 is that you are getting a 25 min workout 5 days per week.  The shorter workouts allow for you to push yourself to your MAX, allowing you to get the most out of your time.

Buy Focus T25 Challenge Pack

Buy Focus T25 Base Kit!

Buy Focus T25 GAMMA Kit Add On!

There are two phases in T25, ALPHA and BETA, equalling 12 total workouts.  There is also an additional phase called GAMMA for those looking to take it to the next level with resistance routines.  In the ALPHA phase, you build on your foundation. In the BETA phase  you focus on your core, which will get you those Shaun T abs you are looking for.  The GAMMA phase is for those wanting more muscle building resistance routines and is considered the advanced phase.

Here are the workouts from T25:

ALPHA PHASE Cycle 25-Minute Workouts:

• Cardio. 25 minutes of calorie-burning, sweat-drenching cardio.
• Speed 1.0. Ignite your quickness. Burn the fat. Fast-paced for fast results.
• Total Body Circuit. Focus on strength and resistance—without lifting a single weight.
• Ab Intervals. Cardio and ab intervals that shred the fat from your midsection.
• Lower Focus. Focus on your lower-body muscles—the key to burning fat and kicking up your metabolism.

BETA PHASE Cycle 25-Minute Workouts:

• Core Cardio. Get your sweat on! This progressive cardio-core workout is about you getting shredded fast.
• Speed 2.0. Rev it up with Shaun’s calorie-scorching, core-focused speed drills.
• Rip’t Circuit. Cardio … upper body … legs … abs … repeat! This is how you get ripped in 25 minutes.
• Dynamic Core. You’ll go from vertical to horizontal and back again in this dynamic, crazy core routine.
• Upper Focus. Shaun will help you develop the upper body of your dreams. All you have to do is FOCUS.

You also get some Tools to Make Every Minute Count:

• Quick-Start Guide. Hit the ground running with this step-by-step guide for how to achieve your best results.
• Get It Done Nutrition Guide. We make eating simple too! 5 meals a day, 5 ingredients, 5 minutes to prep. It’s that simple.
• ALPHA-BETA Workout Calendars. Shaun gives you each day’s workout so there’s no guesswork. All you have to do is nail it!

Plus, 4 FREE Gifts:

• Stretch Workout. After 5 days of hard work, stretch it out—and enjoy this one! You deserve it.
• 5-Day Fast Track. Get a jump start on your weight loss with this 5-day meal plan. It’s not easy but it works!
• B-LINES^® Resistance Band (15 lb.). Burn fat and carve lean muscle faster with our lightweight pro-grade resistance band.
  
• 24/7 Online Support. Stay motivated with ’round-the-clock access to fitness experts and peer support.

And a FREE Bonus Workout:

• Core Speed. Push hard, burn fat, and get shredded in record time with the FREE bonus workout DVD Core Speed (a $19.95 value) when you order FOCUS T25 through a Beachbody Coach like me.

Shaun T experimented for the last year to design a program that delivers the same kind of results you’d expect from an hour-long program, in under 30 minutes. He’s pulled out the rest to give you everything you need, nothing you don’t. The result is FOCUS T25 and the name implies the intent: If you focus your intensity for 25 minutes, and you do it 5 days a week, you WILL get results.

Buy Focus T25 Base Kit!

Buy Focus T25 GAMMA Kit Add On!
 
 
 
 

There are times when you see people’s potential that they can’t seem to see in themselves.  You try to get them to see it but they just aren’t ready to make the change.  Jeremy is NOT one of those people.  When he finally decided that enough was enough and starting taking the steps to change his life, there was no stopping him.  It just goes to show that you can fall off the wagon, get back on and get AMAZING results.  Jeremy has been a extremely active member of my team and his results show it.  He has gone from 260lbs, started P90X and is now 185lbs!!  But that’s not all.  I have had the pleasure to get to meet Jeremy, workout with him, and I’m privileged to call him a fellow coach and friend.  His story is truly inspiring.  He has a huge heart for helping others and is true example of what you can do if you just put your mind to it.  Awesome Job Jeremy!  Here is his story in his own words…

Jeremy’s Fitness Journey In His OWN Words….
Last summer (2010) I was 260 pounds…260!!!When I was in high school I was “stocky” because I’ve always had broad shoulders but I was never necessarily overweight.It wasn’t until after high school I developed bad eating habits.Lots of fast food, and soda.After a time I decided to go into the Marine Corps.I went in weighing 240, and came out of boot camp a trim 165 pounds.I thought I was on top of the world.However I slowly started to pile on the pounds again with bad eating habits and no commitment to my personal overall health.I had blinders on and didn’t realize I was doing damage.At one point I was able to put away entire large pizzas and 2 liter bottles of soda in one sitting no problem.After I became engaged to my wife, I decided to lose weight for the wedding and spent 3 months doing nothing but 45-minute cardio sessions 6 days a week in my garage.I had started eating a little better and I lost 50 pounds.When I got married I weighed 175.However because I lost it all doing non-stop cardio, I didn’t build any muscle and therefore didn’t maintain any lasting changes.

My wife became pregnant with our first son, and wouldn’t you know it?I gained it all back.Some say “sympathy weight.”I call it laziness and again, poor nutrition.Our first son was born in 2005 and I spent the next 5 years weighing anywhere from 230 to 250 up until last summer where, as I stated I was at my heaviest ever at 260.The real eye opener was that I had to take off work (I’m manager at Disneyland) because I developed sciatica due to being heavy and I couldn’t walk or stand for any length of time.I was overweight, immobile, depressed, and didn’t have much to be happy about.

On a hot summer day in August last year I was watching the P90X infomercial.I had seen it before but something clicked and I made the phone call.I ordered the program and took the first step into what I would now call a significant turning point in my life.I received the program and tried it for one week and….. I failed! I couldn’t get through it.I was totally deflated.I started checking out success stories on the Beachbody web-site and on You-Tube, which led me to meeting my current Beachbody Coach and a major influence in my life Sean Callahan.I was completely inspired by his personal results, his determination, his unwavering support, and his resolve to make me the fittest person I could be.

With new motivation and commitment to MY personal fitness, I plowed through my first round of P90X and completed it.I made it!I felt so good I wanted to do it again and again.Before the beginning of my 3^rd round, Sean sent me a sample of Shakeology.It was great and totally filled in the gaps of my nutrition.At the end of my 3^rd round, with Shakeology as a major ally in my new fitness journey, I was down to 195 pounds.Overall I dropped 65 pounds and I felt great.I felt so good that I wanted to share my experiences in proper nutrition and fitness so I became a coach under Sean and I love my team.I’m still new but I’ve managed to inspire others by my example.And I love, love, love (till my daddy takes the T-Bird away) my new place in life!

Update-

I’m on my 2^nd week of Insanity-The Asylum and it..is…awesome!I love how hard I have to work, I love the new challenges, and I’m down to 182 with 10% BF.The abs are commin in nicely J

-Oh and our second son was born last Sunday and no “sympathy weight” was gained in the making of this child.

Want to make a change like Jeremy?  Try P90X!  You can also ask Jeremy Questions and ask for his Help by CLICKING HERE!

I wanted to make today’s post nutrition oriented, so I decided to take share with everyone this great article that I came across last week.  Nutrition can be a tricky subject, and when you think you’re eating something healthy you may not be. There are foods out there that can fool you.  You see, the food industry is constantly trying to cut corners to make food cheaper and more easily manufactured.  The problem is that the consumer (you and I) wouldn’t want to eat something that we think is inferior quality.  So food companies market their foods different to make sure we still THINK that we are eating what we THINK we are eating.  This leads to use consuming added preservatives, artificial flavors, processed sugar, artificial sweeteners, binders, thickeners, etc….The list literally goes on and on.

One of my favorite examples of how messed up our food industry is, is Peanut Butter.  It should be literally 2 ingredients…can you guess what they are?  Peanuts and Salt.  That’s it!  But time you’re at the store look on the back of the original Skippy Peanut Butter and you will find a LIST of ingredients.

So here are some foods that can fool you.  Please be aware that these foods SHOULD be healthy in their most natural form.  It’s up to you to look at the label, the ingredients and the nutritional info to figure out if you’re being mislead.

9 Foods That Can Fool You

by Denis Faye

Today, it’d be nice to think we’ve transcended the Diet Plate. Sadly, this isn’t the case. Even today, there are dozens of foods we fool ourselves into thinking are healthful when in truth they do nothing but pad our hips and arteries. Here are nine of the worst offenders on your grocery store shelves.

1.  Yogurt. It starts out as good stuff. Fat aside, there’s the calcium and protein you find in all milk products, along with probiotics, which make it easier to digest for those with lactose issues. The only problem is that straight yogurt can be pretty bitter, so manufacturers load the stuff with sugar and masquerade those carbs as fruit in an effort to make the whole thing more palatable. Have a look at most flavored yogurt and you’ll find the second ingredient to be sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. One container of Yoplait^® Original Strawberry has 170 calories, with 5 grams of protein and 33 grams of carbohydrates, 27 of which are sugar. Oddly enough, these are the exact same nutrition facts for Yoplait’s other, less healthy-sounding flavors, including Key Lime Pie and White Chocolate Raspberry.
Solution: Buy plain yogurt and flavor it yourself. You’d be amazed at how far a handful of raspberries or a tablespoon of honey will go to cut the bitter taste. And while you’re at it, choose the low-fat or fat-free stuff. You’ll still get all the nutritional benefits.

2.  Wheat Bread. If you’re reading this, you probably know enough about nutrition to understand that whole-grain wheat is better for you than refined wheat. By keeping the bran and germ, you maintain the naturally occurring nutrients and fiber.

But for some reason, manufacturers constantly come up with new chicanery to lead you back to the refined stuff. One of their latest tricks is to refer to refined flour as “wheat flour” because, obviously, it’s made of wheat. But just because it’s wheat-based doesn’t mean it’s not refined. The distracted shopper can mistake this label for “whole wheat flour” and throw it in his cart. Another loaf of cruddy, refined, fiberless bread has a new home.

Solution: Slow down when you read the label. That word “whole” is an important one.

3.  Chicken. Just because you made the switch from red meat doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. If you opt for dark meat—the wings, thighs, and legs—you’re losing protein and gaining fat. Three ounces of raw chicken breast, meat only, has 93 calories, 19.5 grams of protein, and 1.2 grams of fat. Three ounces of dark meat, meat only, is 105 calories, 18 grams of protein, and 3.6 grams of fat. It may not seem like much, but it adds up.

Solution: Go for the breast, and while you’re at it, ditch the skin. It’s nothing but fat.

4.  Frozen or canned fruit. Any food swimming in juice or “light syrup” isn’t going to work in your favor on the scale. Furthermore, most canned fruit is peeled, meaning you’re being robbed of a valuable source of fiber.

Frozen fruit is a little trickier. While freezing preserves the fruit itself, adding sugar during the freezing process preserves color and taste; so many store-bought frozen fruits throw it in.

Solution: Read that ingredients list! You want it to say fruit, water—and that’s it.

5.  Canned veggies. “What?” you declare. “There’s light syrup in canned string beans too?” Nope—actually, they add salt to preserve this produce. A half-cup serving of canned string beans has approximately 300 to 400 milligrams of sodium.

Solution: Many companies offer “no salt added” options. If you can’t find one to your liking, go frozen instead—no salt (or light syrup), or better yet, buy fresh.

6.  Peanut butter. Squish up peanuts, maybe add a little salt. How hard is it to make that taste good?

Apparently, it’s so incredibly difficult that many companies feel compelled to add sugar or high-fructose corn syrup into the mix. Why? I don’t know. Some manufacturers, such as Skippy^®, are up front enough to admit this and call their product “Peanut Butter Spread,” but many others still refer to this sugary concoction as good old “peanut butter.”

Solution: Read the label. (There’s a theme emerging here.) Considering real peanut butter has one ingredient—two ingredients, max—it shouldn’t be too hard to figure it out.

7.  Juice. The range in the nutritional value of store-bought juices is massive. On one end, you have “fruit drinks” with just a modicum of actual juice in them. On the other end, you have fresh-squeezed, 100 percent preservative-free juices like Odwalla^® and Naked Juice^®. But no matter which one you choose, it’s important to remember that it’s never going to be as healthy as whole fruit. And if you’re trying to lose weight, it’s a flat-out bad idea. First off, it’s been stripped of fiber, so you absorb it faster, which makes it more likely to induce blood-sugar spikes. Secondly, you consume it faster and it’s less filling, so you’re more likely to drink more.

Solution: If you must buy it, go fresh-squeezed, but you’re usually better off just skipping it entirely.

8.  Canned soup. As is also the case with canned veggies, you’re entering a sodium minefield. Half a cup of Campbell’s^® Chicken Noodle Soup has 890 milligrams of sodium. That’s 37 percent of the recommended daily allowance*—and who eats half a cup?

Solution: Read those labels carefully. Most companies make low-sodium versions.

9.  Fat-free salad dressing: Dressing by definition is supposed to be fatty, and thus highly caloric. You use a little bit of it, and in doing so, you get a healthy hit of the fats you need for a nutritionally balanced diet. Unfortunately, people prefer to buy fat-free versions so they can drown their greens while avoiding excess fat. Nothing’s free. All this stuff does is replace the fat with carbs and salt, so you’ve basically gone from pouring a little healthy unsaturated fat on your salad to dumping on a pile of sugar. For example, Wish-Bone^® Fat Free Chunky Blue Cheese has 7 grams of pure carbs and 270 milligrams of sodium for 2 tablespoons, which you’ll never stop at anyway. Also, given that there’s no fat or protein in this particular dressing, one can only imagine what makes it chunky.

Solution: Make your own salad dressing. One part vinegar and one part olive oil with a blob of Dijon mustard makes an awesome vinaigrette. And here’s another trick: Make your salad in a sealable container, add a tiny bit of dressing, and shake it up. It’ll coat so much more than tossing will.

And finally, make that salad with romaine lettuce, spinach, or some other nutrient-rich leafy green. As far as we’re concerned, nutrient-poor iceberg lettuce should have gone the way of the South Dakota Diet Plate.

resource: http://www.beachbody.com/product/p90x-online/nl/p90xnl_097.do#article2

Have you been fooled before?  Did you just realize something you are eating isn’t what it seems?  Let us know!

Basically your post workout meal should include both protein and carbs, and should not include fat.  Although Fat is NOT the enemy and should be eaten in your diet, eating fat post workout defeats of purpose of your post workout meal.  This is because fat is slow digesting.  This is not something you want to happen with your post workout shake.  The protein and carbs you eat need to be digested quickly so your body can take advantage of the “Window of Opportunity” that your body has within 1 hour post workout.  This time is when it’s the most beneficial for your body to get protein and carbs so it can help to rebuild and repair your muscles quickly.

Post Workout Protein

So, know you know you need both protein and carbs post workout.  But which type of protein is best?  There is a reason why people have shakes post workout instead of full meals.  Liquid digests more quickly.  The point of your post workout nutrition is to get those amino acids to your muscles as quickly as possible.  The best way to do this is to use a Whey protein powder.  Whey Protein is the fastest digesting protein that you can get.  This is why whey is the first choice for most people looking for a good post workout protein (Vegans tend to gravitate toward brown rice protein and pea protein). During your resistance days, you should be adding 1/2 – 1 scoop of whey protein powder to your post workout shake, depending on your goals.  If your looking to build muscle you will want to get 0.15-0.25 grams of protein per your desired body weight.  The P90X recovery drink has enough whey protein in it for your  cardio days.

Post Workout Carbs

As important as post workout protein is post workout carbs.  Typically you will hear me say to always stay away from sugar and simple carbs.  You should be eating complex carbs because they digest slowly and don’t spike your blood sugar.  They are better for weight loss and will help to regulate your energy levels throughout the whole day.  Well, this changes post workout.  Post workout you want to have Sugar in the form of Glucose (dextrose).  Let me explain…

When you workout at a high intensity you deplete Glycogen that is stored in your muscles.  Glycogen serves as energy that your muscles use to function and it’s what fuels your workouts.  Once it depletes, it needs to be restored as quickly as possible.  If it doesn’t get restored then your body realeases a hormone called Cortisol, which is your body’s stress hormone.  That creates a catabolic effect, that causes your body to eat up muscle tissue for protein and convert it to glucose.  The results is a loss of muscle tissue…kinda defeats the purpose of working out doesn’t it?  The good news is that a post workout shake consisting of dextrose, like the P90X recovery drink, helps to stop this from happening, keeping your body in an anabolic state.

Your muscles soak up the glucose sugar like a sponge, restoring the glycogen lost.  At the same time the whey protein shuttles into the muscles as well providing them with the amino acids they need to recover and repair as quickly as possible.

I Highly recommend the P90X Recovery drink for this exact purpose.  It contains both Dextrose (a rating of 96 on the glycemic index) and Maltodextrin (like dextrose, maltodextrin is absorbed directly through the gut. So it raises blood sugar and insulin levels as much as dextrose does).  The P90X recovery drink also contains whey protein.  This is why I recommend that you use the P90X recovery drink after your resistance and cardio workouts.  Beachbody made sure they put a lot of thought into improving the recovery drink so they made sure that it has everything your body needs to help recovery, repair and build new muscle.

My Post Workout Recommendations

For those trying to gain muscle than I recommend having a post workout shake consisting of 1 scoop of whey protein + 2 scoops of P90X recovery drink after all of your resistance workouts and 2 scoops of P90X recovery drink post cardio.

For those trying to lose body fat than I recommend having a post workout shake consisting of 1-2 – 1 scoop whey protein and 1 scoop P90X recovery drink for resistance workouts and 1-2 scoops P90X recovery drink post cardio.

You can also add additions like creatine and glutamine to your post workout shake.  Both are beneficial in muscle repair and growth.

Please let me know if this helps you or if you have any questions on what is right for you!  Comment below

Most people think that there is some sort of secret that I’m keeping from them, but really it all comes down to having a good well rounded fitness program like P90X, TurboFire and eating good clean food.  If you think your doing both of these things and still are not seeing results then here are some tips for nutrition and exercise to keep in mind that will help you lose belly fat.

Nutrition Tips

1.  Eat 5-6 meals per day.  Eating every 2-3 hours helps to keep your body fueled, and helps to keep your metabolism working throughout the day.  A sample of this would be having Breakfast, snack, Lunch, snack, Dinner, optional snack.  Having your larger meals consist of 400-500 calories and your snacks around 200 will put you in a good caloric intake to help burn body fat.

2.  Eat Healthy. No surprise here right?  As they say “abs are built in the kitchen”.  This saying has been around for years because it’s absolutely true.  If you eat junk/processed foods you won’t lose body fat.  So the idea here is to eat good clean, whole foods that are as not processed.  Some examples are:

• Protein:  Lean proteins consisting of chicken, fish, turkey, whey, eggs, and grass fed beef, etc.
• Carbs:  Complex carbs like Oats, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Farro, Black Beans, whole grain bread.
• Fats:  Heart healthy fats that come from Olive Oil, Seeds, Nuts, Avocado,
• Veggies:  The more the merrier.  Eat as many veggies as you can
• Fruits:  What ever is in season at the time, Berries, Bananas, Apples, etc.
• Low Far Dairy:  Organic dairy like skim milk, low fat cottage cheese, Greek Yogurt.

3.  Adjust your Caloric intake. Most people try crash diets when they are trying to lose belly fat.  The problem with this is that your body goes into starvation mode and immediately burns the most abundant source of energy in your body which is your muscle tissue.  So your body will hold onto fat so it can keep itself going.  Do Not Do This.  You need to make sure that you are eating enough calories in order to promote muscle growth and have your body functioning at a high level.  If your doing a program like P90X or Insanity it is very important you follow the calories suggested in those programs so you can build muscle and burn body fat.  Sometimes you need to eat to lose.

That being said, there are those who are eating too much.  So make sure your not on the other end of the spectrum.  This is a lot easier to determine because most people know when they are eating too much.  This can usually be fixed by following tips 1 and 2.  Not sure where you stand on this?  LOG YOUR FOOD!

4.  Eat Less Carbs. One way that I drop body fat is to drop my carbs by adjusting my ratios of protein/carbs/fat.  The fat shredder phase of the P90X nutrition plan is a perfect example.  This is a high protein, low carb diet that you can do for 2-4 weeks to help drop body fat.  The idea is to get 50% of your calories from protein, 30% from carbs, and 20% from fat.  When doing this route make sure you eat plenty of veggies and keep your carb intake to that ratio.  This will force your body to use up the carbs you do eat for energy while keeping your protein high enough so you can keep building muscle.  Your body will be forced to burn body fat as fuel.   Also try to keep your carbs to mostly around your workout and limit them at night.

5.  No Alcohol.  A lot of times people don’t count the calories they drink.  Drink too much alcohol can completely undermine your success when it comes to your health and fitness.  Especially with losing body fat.  If you really want to lose that belly fat then start by not drinking alcohol for 90 days.  After that point you can limit your alcohol to the weekend only and never drink to get drunk.  Drink your water people!

6.  Don’t Eat 2 hours before bed.  If your trying to lose body fat then the last thing you want to do is snack late.  If you eat make sure it’s at least 2 hours before you go to bed so your body can burn the calories while your awake. If your trying to build mass muscle then this goes out the window and you want to try to have some sort of casein (slow digesting) protein before bed.

Exercise Tips

1.  Add Resistance Training. weight training helps to build muscle which in turn helps to burn body fat.  As Chalene Johnson says “muscle burns fat”.  Getting stronger is a great indicator that your doing something right.  Far too often people get obsessed with cardio and end up with poor results.  Don’t get me wrong, Cardio has it’s place in your program but you must do some resistance training to help build muscle which will help you lose body fat.

2.  Add some HIIT training.  If you are doing tip 1 then you can add some 15 min HIIT training to your post resistance workout to help burn more fat.  HIIT training has been shown to help burn body fat and preserve muscle mass.  Adding just 15 mins can help you get rid of that stubborn belly fat. It’s important that you don’t overdue the cardio though.  Think of a sprinter vs a marathon runner.  Who seems more fit to you?  A sprinter does resistance training and HIIT training a marathon runner does only long cardio training.

3.  Bring Intensity to your workouts. This doesn’t mean that I want you working out so hard that your hating life and throwing up.  This means that your working out with purpose.  We all can take each ourselves a little further a lot of the time.  So before you start make sure you have a weight and rep range in mind and go to it.  If your feeling good that day then go until it’s tough.  Write that down and try to match that or do more next time around.

4.  Keep your ab routine to 3x per week. You don’t need to do abs every day to build a 6-pack.  Even Tony says “Once or twice per week.  That’s all you need….Do you do chest everyday?  Do you do back everyday?  Do you do calves everyday?  No, No, No!  So why would you do abs everyday?”  I do abs 3x per week and have a very strong core.  Keep your ab routine to 3x per week and you will be doing plenty to get that great looking stomach.

Well I hope that helps.  I know it’s a lot of tips but these are some things that you can keep in mind while your going through your fitness program.  Whether your a man or women these tips should help you with your results and help you get that beachbody you have always wanted.

Do you think these tips will help you lose body fat?  Do you have any more tips?  Let us know!

This is why I would recommend everyone to monitor their body fat while they are going through a program like P90X, Insanity or TurboFire.  It might even be easier than you think, and it will give you a much better idea how well you are doing with your fitness.

There are several ways you can measure body fat so I will try to touch on all of them so you can determine which is best for you.  The first, is through scaless that do Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis… or BIA for short.  These work by sending a harmless electrical signal through your body and measure the resistance.  It’s basically a way to measure body density.  The only problem with this form is it can be thrown off very easily.  Too much water, too much muscle mass, different temperatures can all throw off the number and make it less accurate.  If you are consistent, scales can be a better way to monitor your body fat but not the initial measurement.  When I have used the scale version it has registered me at 10% body fat…I am down in the 4-6% rage so it can be off if you are muscular.  But there are better ways….

One of the more accurate ways to measure body fat is by using a Body Fat Caliper.  They are fairly inexpensive but a great tool that you can find on here or on amazon.  The only downside can be human error, so I recommend you have someone help you with your measurements, but it is a quick and easy way to determine your body fat more accurately.  I really like a website called www.liner-software.com that has a great place to put your measurements and have it calculate it for you.  They also provide multiple methods so I would try a few and determine which you like and which seem the most accurate.  It won’t give the exact number but you can definitely find within + or – 1% where you are at.  For example if you measure out at 12% body fat you can assume that your probably around 11-13%.  As you start using this method as your body fat decreases you can definitely monitor your decrease correctly.  If you go from 12% to 11% you can definitely assume you have lost 1% body fat.

The other form of measuring body fat is Hydrostatic body fat Testing (Getting Dunked) and Air Displacement Plethysmography or the “Bod Pod” (As seen on The Biggest Loser).  Both of these types of measurements take machines/facilities and trained staff in order to do them.  Both of these methods are quick, easy and usually cost around $50 per session.  If your looking to get a super accurate look at your full body composition then this is the way to go.  The only problem is that they are usually hard to find and cost a lot for what you can figure out using a body fat caliper basically.  Regardless, I decided to try the Hydrostatic testing and found out that I was at 4.5% body fat when I was determining how to get ready for the P90X2 Filming.  So it can definitely be worth looking into if your interested in getting another perspective.

Often we place to much emphasis on body weight.  When the scale doesn’t move we feel like we aren’t accomplishing our goals.  This isn’t necessarily the case.  What you should care more about is how well your clothes are fitting, and what is happening with your body fat %.  So instead of weighing yourself all the time, try using a body fat caliper and determining where you are at every 2-3 weeks.  Write it down, take your pics and monitor your progress.  I started at 16% body fat when I started P90X and finished at 8% on day 90.  I also went from 150lbs to 160lbs…if I wasn’t monitoring my body fat I might of thought I was doing something wrong.  I hope this gives you a better idea of how you can measure your body fat.

If you have any questions please feel free to comment!

Before we start, I want to make sure everyone knows that no matter what schedule you choose (classic, lean, doubles) you can get great results depending on your desired goals.  If you are looking to lose some body fat and gain some muscle in the process then classic will be for you.  Lean and doubles tends to increase leanness due to the higher amount of reps and cardio nature of these schedules.  That being said….

Who should try tailoring P90X for maximum weight loss?

• Those who want to avoid over developing their muscles.  (women tend to want this more)
• Those who need to lose rapid amount of body fat in 90 days
• Those looking for endurance over strength

Keys to Losing Weight with P90X

1. Nutrition/Diet: This is the most important part about getting lean.  Most people are afraid of overeating (which can be true) but with a program like P90X it is more important that you don’t under-eat.  Really? Yes!  You will be burning a ton of calories on this program and eating the right amount of calories is crucial so you don’t go into starvation mode and your body holds onto the fat.  This will help you avoid the plateau effect and increase your strength and endurance as you progress.  The P90X nutrition guide does a great job of giving you the right amount of calories.  If you aren’t losing the body fat like you desire, Steve Edwards (P90X nutritionist) suggests, zig-zagging your calories by eating less than suggested on some days and “normally” on others.
2. Resistance and Reps: Using the proper repetitions and resistance is crucial for not only getting the best results with this program but also for tailoring the program for your goals.  If you want to get lean we need a combination of some muscle gain with weight loss.  The best way to do this is with higher reps and lower weight.  Using enough weight to fail at the end of each exercise is going to be the goal.  The key is to know when to fail.  For staying lean anything over 12-15 reps will be enough.  But as you progress going as high as 25 reps will increase heart rate, endurance and promote lean muscle.  Increasing your weight as you progress is going to be key.  If you read my article on Gaining Mass with P90X you will know see that this is the opposite of that approach.

• Pull ups and push ups need to be modified so you can do higher reps.  Using a chair (pull ups) or dropping to your knees (push ups) will be the best way to accomplish this.  Try beginning, both pull up and push up exercises, regularly then drop to a chair or knees when you fail.  Finish each exercise until complete failure.

The Schdule:

Some people will think that doing this program to stay “lean” would be much easier than for gaining mass…they would be wrong.  Technically using heavier weight/lower rep is more intense than higher rep/lower weight but you won’t notice.  This lean program will build muscle endurance.  You will be very sore while your body adapts.  Don’t be afraid to drop weight mid set in order to reach your high rep goals.  Remember to keep good form as much as possible to avoid injury. Feel free to pause if you need to continue in order to reach your rep goal.  If you stick with it and you will get some great results.  Below is the Lean X schedule courtesy of Steve Edwards, pay special attention to the amount of reps for each week/phase:

LEAN X

Weeks 1 through 3

• Day 1: Chest & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 2: Plyometrics
• Day 3: Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X
• Day 4: Yoga X
• Day 5: Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 6: Kenpo X
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps: 12 to 16 (focus on the higher number)
Recovery
Week 4

• Day 1: Core Synergistics
• Day 2: Kenpo X
• Day 3: X Stretch
• Day 4: Core Synergistics
• Day 5: Yoga X
• Day 6: X Stretch
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps: maximum
Weeks 5 through 7

• Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps, Ab Ripper X
• Day 2: Plyometrics
• Day 3: Back & Biceps, Ab Ripper X
• Day 4: Yoga X
• Day 5: Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 6: Kenpo X
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps: 16 to 20
Recovery
Week 8

• Day 1: Core Synergistics
• Day 2: Kenpo X
• Day 3: X Stretch
• Day 4: Core Synergistics
• Day 5: Yoga X
• Day 6: X Stretch
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps: maximum
Weeks 9 and 11

• Day 1: Chest & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 2: Plyometrics
• Day 3: Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X
• Day 4: Yoga X
• Day 5: Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 6: Kenpo X
• Day 7: Off

Weeks 10 and 12

• Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps, Ab Ripper X
• Day 2: Plyometrics
• Day 3: Back & Biceps, Ab Ripper X
• Day 4: Yoga X
• Day 5: Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 6: Kenpo X
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps for weeks 9 and 10: 20 to 25
Targeted number of reps for weeks 11 and 12: 25 (try to max out each exercise)

Please feel free to comment or visit the message boards with any questions.  You can also email me

-Coach Sean

Get Ripped, Make me your P90X Coach

• Overweight?
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If you have answered “YES” to any of these, then you have come to the right place! If you make me your coach now and I will be here to help you achieve your fitness goals and keep you motivated while on your path to GET RIPPED! The best part about it is it’s free! P90X and Beachbody have CHANGED MY LIFE and it can change yours!

Before I started P90X, I didn’t feel like I was living up to my full potential.   I had just come out of college and started my first real job. I should have been feeling confident and energetic, but my poor eating habits and lack of physical activity left me feeling lethargic and self conscious.  Business Lunches, Co-worker pressure, and long hours did me in.  I was tired after work, too lazy to eat well, and got sick every other month.  I gained 25lbs and decided that enough was enough…I started to go to the gym.

The gym was crowed and intimidating.  When I went I had to put up with the dirty locker rooms, bad parking, and wasting time/gas driving to and from.  But I reluctantly stuck with it and lost some weight.  It only took me a year….Then came the plateau.  Any effort I was putting in I got nothing in return.  I had completely stopped progressing.  ENTER P90X.

I saw the P90X infomercial for the first time right before I went to bed. I was immediately intrigued but skeptical because there are so many products that make empty promises out on the market. In the year that I had been going to the gym I never saw those type of results, how could people get into that kind of shape in 90 days? What about gaining mass…could I gain mass on this program? When I woke up the next morning there it was again, Tony Horton talking about muscle confusion. For the next couple weeks everywhere I looked I saw something about P90X. A co-worker was talking about it and I saw people wearing P90X t-shirts, so I kept researching the product. I was convinced! I was going to get into the best shape of my life, and P90X was my solution.

I never thought that a home workout could be that intense. My transformation results started to happen in the first 30 days. The nutritional guide was my food bible.  I soaked up every word.  I soon found out that Nutrition was going to be the key to extreme results.  I immediately started to follow the guide and eat clean.  And guess what?…it worked!  I started dropping body fat and gaining muscle mass almost immediately. After 60 days I was stronger than I had ever been. At 90 days, I had dropped 9% body fat and gained 10 lbs of lean muscle. I played sports in high school but was never in this kind of athletic shape.

These workouts pushed me to the limit…and I loved every minute of it. Tony Horton is one of the most inspirational guys I have ever seen. The man was pushing 50 and doing things that I would never dream of. How many 27 year olds can say that? Before(P90X) I would get bored quickly with exercise but the muscle confusion always kept the routines fresh and fun. Just when I thought I was getting used to the routine, another phase would start and I would be doing totally new moves. My skepticism was erased, literally ten minutes into the first Chest/Back video, and I have never looked back.

I now proudly call myself a P90X grad. I have more energy, motivation and I am excited to challenge myself in every aspect of my life. I live a healthy lifestyle, eat clean and I have more energy in everything I do. I have also become a Beachbody Coach. I try to help others achieve their goals and change their own lives.  Making money helping people with their health/fitness is one of the best jobs around.  If you can imagine having a job where you create my own hours, take as many breaks as you want, help hundreds of people get into shape, and still be home to spend time with your family, then this opportunity can change your life.  It has for me.

I now workout with Tony Horton in person. Tony is the real deal. He walks the walk and talks the talk. He is personable, motivational and inspiring.  I have also been cast in the new P90X2! P90X is truly a life changer.  In two years I went from watching the infomercial in bed, to getting ripped at home with P90X, to becoming a coach, meeting Tony Horton, and now a cast member in the new P90X2.

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