P90X Did Not Change My Life

Looking for something good to post this afternoon proved fruitless until I saw a comment in one of my Facebook groups.  It was from a friend that I very much admire who hasn’t been successful yet financially as a Team Beachbody coach.  That is not unusual to hear and that same refrain can be heard in a lot of different forums.  For example, lots of people say that, “I’ve been working out for ____________ and I haven’t lost a pound.”  Or, “This was supposed to be the best fishing spot ever, and I haven’t caught a thing.”  Or, “I’ve been practicing for __________________ and I still suck at ____________.”

If you measure success at something only based on a narrow criteria like how much money you made or how many fish you caught or what place you got, then you can often be disappointed.  Sometimes there are other things that you should be aware of that are broader and more significant measures of success.

When I got P90X on March 25th, 2007, it didn’t change my life.  I had been a personal trainer for years and knew how to work out.  I could have used other workouts to get in shape, we all know that.  But when I look back, the concept that Beachbody was using – with a funny and engaging trainer and a group of other people that you could relate to working out with you – that concept did change my life.  I knew then, that other people would enjoy Tony Horton as much as I did and would get results from doing P90X.

I was also, as a Team Beachbody coach, part of a larger picture of what was possible when I got involved in the Team Beachbody community.  People needed advice and I gave it.  People needed inspiration and I provided it.  People needed accountability and I was there for them.  I got a sense of accomplishment from helping other people that changed my life.  I also became a full time Team Beachbody coach and have been able to raise my children, never having to send them to daycare and being part of their lives in everything that they do.

I also began to meet other people in Team Beachbody – other coaches, members and even got to know most of the people at Beachbody because it is more like a family than a company.  They all changed my life in positive ways and over the last almost 6 years (January 8, 2013 is my 6th anniversary as a coach), they have enriched my life in so many incredible ways.

Jim Jacobsen, the coach who is disappointed in not making money yet, is no exception and I wouldn’t have gotten to know him and have him as a friend if it hadn’t been for Team Beachbody.

When I began this post, I was reminded of a SimpleTruths video entitled, “To A Child, Love is Spelled TIME”.  That video shares the same theme.  I would ask that you click on the image below and watch the 3:00 video and see if you don’t agree that what we do in life shouldn’t be measured by narrow criteria, but instead by the positive impact that it has that we may not even be aware of.  The man in the story found out many years too late what one day meant to his son.

To the father, the day was wasted because they didn’t catch any fish. To the son, it was the best day of his life.

Time Magazine Q&A with P90X Creator and Fitness Guru Tony Horton

From By BELINDA LUSCOMBE

Tony Horton is the creator and marketer of the P90x, a set of workout DVDs that Paul Ryan credits for keeping him in shape. I quizzed him about fitness, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the congressional gym.

Fitness guru Tony Horton arrives at the 27th Anniversary Sports Spectacular at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Century City, Calif., May 20, 2012.

Obviously P90X has been very good for Congressman Paul Ryan.  Has Paul Ryan been good for P90X?
I think Paul Ryan’s been very good for P90X, as much or more so as Michelle Obama.  I’ve worked with the First Lady and her Let’s Move campaign, and more than half the Secret Service came up to me and said, hey man, we’re really loving the P90X.  I’m well aware that they’re using it in the White House. I’ve been to the congressional gym I think, seven or eight times.

Is that a good gym?
It’s surprisingly modest; it’s Democrats and Republicans coming together to share this thing they both enjoy; Paul Ryan and [North Carolina Rep.] Heath Shuler, a Democrat, started the whole thing.  Initially they were the only two in the gym doing the program.  Now men and women from both sides of the aisle come in, they set all their issues aside.

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/08/30/qa-with-p90x-creator-and-fitness-guru-tony-horton/#ixzz2592iMd3W

The Tony Horton Challenge Begins!

For me anyway.  What about you?  Are you thinking right about now that I have bitten off more than I can chew?  Maybe yes and maybe know but the only way to find out is to give it my best shot.  Am I feeling like my friend pictured at right?  I had better not be because I only did Chest & Back this morning and I modified it to achieve my goals and to make it work for me.  P90X is an awesome program that guarantees you results in 90 days or your money back it will do exactly that.  But I am using it as a tool, along with running, to achieve the highest level of fitness that I can and to be the best role model that I can be.  I was in shape to begin with and had done enough Chalean Extreme to build the strength that I needed to do P90X again.  Now I am going to take the leap of faith and commit to doing it and following through with my plan.

In case you didn’t read my first post about it, the reason that I am calling this a Tony Horton challenge is because you don’t have to do P90X or even Power 90.  Tony says, as do I, that you need to find the program that works for you and the family of Beachbody workout DVD’s definitely has a workout that will fit your personality, your time constraints and your goals.

So how did it go this morning with Chest & Back?  It was like putting one of my all time favorite movies in the DVD player and being part of the cast!

Tony Horton Answers the Question, “How Do I keep Going?”

Here’s a question people ask me: “I’m finding that my exercise routine is very intense and I’m seeing the benefits on day 1, so what can I do to stay motivated and keep going?”

Most folks struggle with motivation every day. I’m one of them. Motivation can be broken down into a few subcategories. My Ninth Law of Health and Fitness is “Loving It.” Progress and motivation are possible if you look forward to your workouts. They have to be challenging and interesting to you. If you despise them before you start them, you’re not going to survive them for very long. If your reasons why are meaningful to you, then staying motivated is easier. I’m always promoting health, fitness, quality of life, and feeling good as reasons to get and stay motivated. Not to say that a person’s goal to lose weight or fit into smaller clothes isn’t motivating—it’s just that when these goals are obtained then new ones need to come into play.

When the numbers on your scale and measuring tape are low enough to make you happy then it’s important to start to explore some new numbers. I’m talking about numbers that relate to ability, improvement, and achievement. Your physical appearance will improve at a more rapid rate if you can start to exercise with your focus on power, speed, and strength. This mind set applies to both men and women. This means that your motivation comes from your desire to “Bring It” during exercise at home and out in the world. Let your P90X® or Power 90® workouts trigger something new and bigger than anything you’ve done before. For me it’s skiing and gymnastics. For you it could be anything that pushes you beyond the confines of repeating the same workouts the same way, day after day.

Tony Horton Bloopers

Tony Horton’s long time director/pal Mason Bendewald made this blooper reel after shooting video for Tony’s follow up eBook to BRING IT.  Enjoy!

 

Tony Horton on Dr. Oz

Correction:  Missy Costello, Tony’s personal chef, posted on Facebook yesterday that Tony would be on the show today.  She said that she made a mistake and the taping was today.  Tony will actually be on the Dr. Oz show on October 27th.

I’ve seen this posted on Twitter and Facebook but could not independently verify it, but apparently Tony Horton will be on Dr. Oz this afternoon.  I hope that is true because it should make for a lively show.

I saw this posted on MyFitnessPal, so they don’t exactly agree on things, “Tony Horton says to stay away from coffee and Dr oz says 6 cups a day for men to help prevent prostate cancer.”

Check your local listings for time and channel.

Tony Horton’s Second Law of Exercise: Consistency

Improvement and change occur when you do things often. Stopping and starting all the time will kill any momentum you need to succeed. You must find ways to stay in the game. Done consistently, moderate forms of exercise provide far better results than the occasional full-body pummeling. A lifestyle that includes doing multiple forms of exercise 5 to 6 days a week guarantees results.

Read all of Tony’s article about his second law of exercise from his “11 Laws for a Lifetime of Fitness” by clicking here.

Tony Horton’s First Law of Exercise: Variety

Variety is the spice of life and fitness. A lifetime of health and fitness is achievable when you can think outside the box. You have to mix it up all the time. Stay curious and creative, and stick with the kinds of workouts that you enjoy. A variety of exercises, workouts, and sports will allow you to avoid injuries, plateaus, and boredom.

Read all of Tony’s article about his first law of exercise from his “11 Laws for a Lifetime of Fitness” by clicking here.

Strength Training: More than Just Getting Ripped By Tony Horton

We know that strength training is an important part of a Power 90 or P90X routine. Why? It makes you stronger, and I’m not just talking about the shape of your biceps or the size of your pecs. Resistance training strengthens bones, ligaments, and tendons, as well as your muscles. Altogether, a well-oiled internal machine improves your balance and power while shortening your recovery time and risk of injury.

The difference between a full-spectrum workout like Power 90 or P90X and an all-aerobic workout regimen is huge. People who only do aerobic routines run the risk of developing overuse injuries, and their fitness is imbalanced.  Runners, for example, work their calves and hamstrings hard, but the quads and upper body get off easy. It’s important to strengthen all the major muscle groups for overall fitness balance and to reduce injury risks. No matter how careful they are (varying their workout intensity or the terrain they run on, wearing good shoes, etc.), runners who do not balance their regimens with strength training are likely to suffer from some kind of running-related injury
sooner or later.

Strength and power start at the core. Your core strength, which comes from your abdomen, back, and trunk, is the center for most of your power, agility, and balance. That’s why we bust out the crunches, lunges, and squats.  Strengthen your core and you’ve got a lot more “oomph” to rock out the outer, sport-specific muscles. Another major benefit to muscle training is creating muscle density. The denser your muscles, the higher your metabolism—and you know what that means. You can consume more calories without gaining weight. Now that’s incentive!

Peace,
Tony H.

Tony Horton’s Top 10 Snack Ideas

Tony posted these a while back in the Team Beachbody newsletter, before Shakeology took the market by storm, but I would think that he snacks on most of these, too.

“I rotate through this list of in-between goodies all week long. I’ll even use the Probar and the protein shake as meal substitutes. Most of the things on this list can be packed up for travel time.  The bars, pretzels, nuts, and graham crackers are perfect fast foods for when you’re away from home. So no more excuses! Here are my top 10 snacks.”

1. My sticky bar of course (with banana, peanut butter, and
   granola); see below
2. Almond butter (thinly spread) on
   organic whole-grain toast
3. Snyder’s of Hanover Organic Oat
   Bran Pretzels
4. PROBAR nutrition bar (original
   blend), 380 calories of pure joy—and 100% vegan
5. Protein shakemade
   with banana, half cup of frozen blueberries and strawberries, one tablespoon of
   flaxseed meal, two ice cubes, protein powder, and rice milk
6. Food For Life’s Ezekiel 4:9 cereal
   with almonds mixed into 8 ounces of plain nonfat yogurt and half cup of fresh
   blueberries
7. Handful of raw mixed nuts
8. Mi-Del Honey Grahams (whole wheat;
   eight crackers are 280 calories)
9. CLIF Nectar bars—I like the
   cinnamon pecan (four organic ingredients and only 170 calories)
10. LARABAR snack bars (ingredients:
    dates, pecans, almonds; 220 calories)

Tony’s Sticky Bar

1/2 medium-size banana
1/4 cup chunky
peanut butter (organic minus hydrogenated oils, preferably)
1 cup
unsweetened granola

Mix and mash all three ingredients into a
bowl. Spoon onto a sheet of wax paper. Roll up the contents into hot dog/cigar
shape. Stick in the freezer. Ready in about 90 minutes. Cut off little bites or
eat the whole thing. Eat it frozen or throw it in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Serves 2.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Freezing
Time: 90 minutes

Nutritional
Information: (per serving)

Calories: 389	Protein: 14 g	Cholesterol: 0 mg
Fat Total: 17 g	Saturated Fat: 4 g	Carbs: 47 g