Now that I am in my mid-40s, I can tell my body chemistry is changing. I'm holding on to fat in places that I didn't before. It's taking more attention to nutrition and more intense exercise to get the results I want. This article nicely summarizes how women should exercise for each decade of their life. I hope you find the information helpful!

I have several friends that walk to lose weight. Eventually, they reach a plateau just as in any exercise program. This article tells you how to change things up to increase your fitness and continue on your weight loss journey.

I have been introduced to so many new foods while on the Beachbody Ultimate Reset. One of my favorites is Kabocha squash. That was delicious. I baked it in the oven and then pureed with coconut milk. Well, tonight I had one even BETTER!!!! Jamaican Calabaza squash! I have never tasted something so delicious that wasn't chocolate! It was delicious right out of the oven. I bought it pre-cut in a large slice. The linked article likely explains why it was pre-cut! I ate some right out of the oven and pureed the rest in vegetable broth. Water would have sufficed just fine. This was heaven on a spoon! It has a similar nutrition profile to sweet potato which means twice as many carbs as the Kabocha. For that reason, I would likely have the Calabaza squash as a mid-morning carb snack rather than at dinner unless it was a small side dish. I try to limit carbs to leafy greens at dinner time.

There are no words to do this video justice.

It's time to plan dinner. On the Reset, you really have to plan. I haven't found Kobacha squash yet so I decided to do some research on it. "Kabocha is like butternut squash's sadly underappreciated sister. A single cup of kabocha has forty calories compared to butternut squash's 60, and has less than half of the carbs of butternut squash (7 grams vs. 16 grams). But, it tastes better... the perfect substitute. "

I did a 5 week Insanity/Asylum/X2 hybrid in prep for my back to back live workout weekend w/ Shaun T. It was a great hybrid and I enjoyed it. It was tough and I noticed my resting heart rate creeping up. I was also under a lot of stress which contributed. My resting heart rate was back up into low 60s after being in low 50s which can be a sign of over-training/stress. After Tai Cheng in the evenings, it would even be 49bpm. Well, I'm on week 2 of the BUR, and last night took my resting heart rate. It was 45bpm!!!!!! Look at what a week of rest does for a body! YES!!!!

Well after having three bad, bad days on the Reset w/ only 4hrs/night due to aches, I slept through the night (well I got up once to pee)! When I got up, I had a bit of an ache in one shoulder blade but I was finally able to fall back to sleep. I probably slept 9hrs!!! I woke up feeling fantastic!!!! And I'm down 2.5lbs from yesterday!!!!! I haven't been below 140lbs in a long time dealing with what I think is food sensitivity issues as well as hormonal issues. I just bloat up and gain 4lbs in 2days and then it just hangs on. I looked so much skinnier in the mirror I just had to hop on the scale! I'm on day 6 today. Looking forward to a good day!

Are you ready for Asylum Vol2?

Beachbody Ultimate Reset

Here is a great review of the Beachbody Ultimate Reset!!! I'll be doing this in September! Why don't you join me for the ride? http://www.thefitclubnetwork.com/2012/05/ultimate-reset-cleanse-review-and-results/

Do you get enough vegetables in your day? This is one of my struggles. One way I've solved that is by adding Shakeology to my day. The second way I've solved that is to add a cup of organic fresh spinach to my Shakeology. Before you start gagging, you can't even tell it's there! It just disappears! Here is my current go-to Shakeology recipe. 1/2 scoop Chocolate Shakeology 1/2 scoop Tropical Strawberry Shakeology 1c organic fresh spinach 1/2 serv frozen fruit (peaches, mango, strawberry, mixed berry) 1/2 cup Coconut dream 1 cup water about 1/4 cup crushed ice.

"Research shows that in women, metabolism declines by an average of 2 percent per decade, starting at age 20. But here's the good news: There are simple ways you can tweak your daily routine to counterbalance this natural dip." Yep, that explains it! I have to workout so much more and be more attentive to my nutrition to not even get as great of results as I did in my 20s!!! But that won't deter me! It spurs me forward!!! Check out this article on what you can do to rev up your metabolism! "After age 30, we lose 3 to 8 percent of our muscle mass per decade, which is one of the main reasons metabolism slows. To counteract that loss, aim to do two to three 30-minute strength-training sessions a week, using moves that engage as many muscles as possible, like squats, planks, and lunges."

From: InsuranceQuotes.org

French Lentil Soup

French Lentil Soup is one of my favorite meals to have in the freezer for those days when I'm short on time. I put this recipe into My Fitness Pal to check out the nutrition profile. 1 serv (about 1cup) is 108 calories when prepared with chicken stock, 25g of carbs, 8g of protein, 1g of fat, and 7 g of fiber.

Finally, a clear and concise article explaining TDEE (Total Daily Expenditure) and BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and why these things are important in weight loss. Definitely read this article!

Here is a great video which beautifully and succintly sums up what Team Beachbody is all about! These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

At my age, almost 45yrs old, my exercise is mostly about functional fitness. Yes, I'd like to be competitive in 5K, 10K or Spartan races, but that is just icing on the cake. To be able to run around a tennis court with my kids is what it is all about!

I am short on time today but I came across this fabulous article by Steve Edwards on weightloss and fitness plateaus that I just had to share. I've been in a fatloss (not to be confused with weightloss) plateau for awhile now. I think the Beachbody Ultimate Reset will be just the thing to give my body the break it needs and also give my insides a good cleaning. I hope then to kick my metabolism into overdrive. I think by not eating enough, I put myself into this plateau when I did the Insanity/Asylum hybrid....1500calories was not enough for such a demanding training schedule.

If you prefer to stick with the whey-based Chocolate Shakeology, here is a video which explains the four new superfoods which will be phased into the current Chocolate non-Vegan Shakeology formula!

I am very excited about the new Vegan formula of Chocolate Shakeology. It makes doing the Beachbody Ultimate Reset a bit less daunting knowing that if I have to, I can have my chocolate shakeology!!! In this video, Shakeology co-creator talks about the new Vegan formula!

I've posted about my favorite lunch before!!! I know have a new favorite lunch!!! CHOCOLATE VEGAN SHAKEOLOGY!!!! I tried it at Summit last week and it is delicious. The chocolate taste is a bit more mellow than whey-based Chocolate Shakeology. It has some new superfoods, an increase in fiber to 6g. So for all those Vegans who like chocolate, this one is for you!!!!!

I am a Team Beachbody coach. I enjoy helping folks get more fit and healthy even if they never buy a program or product. I attended our annual conference in Las Vegas to learn about new products coming out, meet all of our fabulous trainers, award over $200,000 to people who had amazing transformations in their lives, and being entertained by our CEO and other BB Execs. We had an amazing workout with over 5000 people at 6am in the morning in Vegas...gotta beat the heat! Carl Daikeler, our CEO, remarked how telling it is about our society that the local media did not cover this epic and record breaking event. The media and government pay a lot of lip service to the state of the health of Americans but actions speaks louder than words.

You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain if you want to try one of these products!!!!! Leave a comment or email me if you want more info!!!!

Restaurants really set us up for failure. My son and I ate at a Mexican grill, Qdoba, coming home late from an all day soccer tournament.  I got the chicken burrito w/out cheese, guacamole or sour cream. It wasn't a huge burrito like you get at a lot of places. It was a nice size. I ate 3/4 of it comfortably. I finished off the rest and was a bit overfull but I hadn't eat much that day. When I checked MFP, it said that burrito was TWO servings! It wasn't even cut in half! The whole burrito is about 800 calories!! If they are going to sell something that is 2 servings, it should be on the menu listed "For two." That's what I'm sayin'.

Need to get more veges in your day? Today I tried 1 cup raw spinach in my Shakeology and it was delicious! I could not tell the spinach was there! So on top of the 4 servings of veges already in Shakeology, you can add more, especially if you do not like spinach! Today I had 1/2serv Tropical Shakeology, 1/2serv Chocolate Shakeology, 1/2c Coconut dream, 1 1/4c water, some frozen mango, and a 1c raw spinach! Blend and enjoy!

I found a link to this article today about Hormones and Body Fat and it is a fascinating read! If you are trying to lose weight or maintain your current weight, this is a must read.

This part is particularly fascinating. "A new study published this year in the May 16^th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association shows what we have always known.  People respond differently to diets based on their individual nature.  This study was interesting because it showed the determining factor for success or failure with a diet was hormonal responses in the body.  The goal was to use two different diets that affected insulin differently and see how these diets performed in people with varying insulin responses.

The diets compared were a low carbohydrate diet (40 % carbohydrate and 35% fat) and a low fat diet (55% carbohydrate and 20% fat).  In this study “apples” (individuals who store fat primarily in the midsection) were compared to “pears” (people who tend to store fat in the hips and thighs). Apples secrete more insulin after meals and pears secrete less. The apples lost more weight on the low carbohydrate diet and were able to maintain that weight loss for 18 months. The pears lost weight on both diets as long as the calories were reduced.  Pears lost weight more slowly and tended to regain weight more quickly.  What this study showed is that body shape and hormonal influence play a role in responses to dietary interventions."

I am more of an apple. And this next part explains A LOT for me! "As cortisol rises and progesterone falls women in particular will begin to develop fat storage at the belly.  Working to lower stress by engaging in cortisol lowering exercise like yoga, Tai Chi, and meditation will help as will high intensity shorter duration cardio and weight training."  I think as I approach 45yrs old, I have declining progesterone. I know my cortisol is likely high since I'm type A and I do not take the time to unwind and relax. Tai Cheng is certainly helping with that. Insanity and Asylum certainly covers the high intensity cardio! And I have P90X/X2/ and Les Mills PUMP for weight training. So perhaps I'm on the right track...the track is just longer than I thought I would be!

 After P90X2, I wanted something different. I chose to do Les Mills PUMP!!! It's resistance training but with high repetitions and low weights. It's a change in mind set when you're used to doing 8-10reps with the highest weight you can lift properly. Les Mills PUMP involves cool and varied music and wonderful trainers! The music helps you to forget you are doing over 800 reps! This builds long, lean muscle!!! I am currently in week 6 and am loving this program. It will definitely be a staple in my arsenal of workout programs! Here is a video of one of the week 5 videos, Pump and Shred!

Do you think you will never be able to do chin-ups or pullups? The Team Beachbody Pull-up Assist strap can bridge the gap! Here is a quick and dirty video on how to use the Pull-Up Assist strap.  

My friend, Kristin, did Beachbody's Brazil Butt Lift DVD program. I was under the erroneous assumption that this program worked your butt and thighs. I was pleasantly corrected when my friend posted her before and after photos! You can see for yourself that Brazil Butt Lift works your entire body. The definition in her arms and back is amazing! Check out the smoothness in her legs! If you want to try Brazil Butt Lift, contact me!

Beachbody Ultimate Reset

There is nothing like doing pushups on four medicine balls to get your heart pumping!

Look what came in the mail! I earned this one!!! 30days in the Asylum, 30 days in the Insanity/Asylum hybrid, then 30days in the Asylum/P90X! This is one of my favorites!

You don't have to do it alone! Let the momentum of the group keep you motivated! I have an on going group as well as new groups forming! I will be doing Tai Cheng with a challenge group. It debuts March 22nd!!!! Leave me a message if you're interested!

This is a pet peeve of mine so please bear with me while I clear up a misconception that many people have. What weighs more - a pound of feathers or a pound of bricks? They both weigh the SAME! A pound is a pound is a pound. What is different? The density is different. Muscle and fat weigh the same. A pound of muscle = a pound of fat. The density is different however. Muscle is more dense (ie takes up less space/volume) than fat. So you may gain weight but lose a dress size when you gain muscle b/c you're tighter and leaner.

 Here is a great photo to illustrate this taken from this site. 

Look at the two men below. They have a lot in common. They are both 6feet tall. They both weigh 250lbs. They both have a BMI of 33.9. The body shape is VERY different between the two men. The buff man in his skivvies has a much lower %body fat than the man on the right. He also takes up much less space ie is more dense than the man on the right. Body composition is more important than the number on the scale and is more telling than BMI.

I hope to have my actual BMR determined as well as body fat and lean muscle mass measured at some point in the near future because the simple scale just does not give a complete picture.

 

I keep finding more great things about foam rolling. This site has a great PDF with details about foam rolling. If you need a foam roller, please check out my  store.

Now that I'm in phase 3 of P90X2, I realize there are four weeks until I'm done! What to do next? I have lots of options. I have decided on Les Mills Pump! I think it will help me to build endurance for my first Spartan Sprint race. It will also help to build that long, lean physique I want without the bulk. The core of the program is 3-4 days per week. The other days you do cardio. You can do PUMP cardio by upgrading to the Deluxe kit with the step and corresponding DVDs or you can do your own thing. I will be doing Insanity/Asylum so I don't lose what I've gained with those programs. If you'd like to join a Les Mills PUMP challenge with me, leave a message in the comments!

More love for the foam roller. Previously when I rolled my calves, I had no pain which means there aren't any knots in the tissue in that area. However, after doing a lot of leg work with Asylum Speed and Agility, both calves had lots of knots! After rolling, my flexibility is so much greater due to working out those knots! This will make me less prone to injury. Thank you Tony Horton for introducing me to the foam roller!

I have fallen in love with the foam roller. It came in my kit with P90X2. I can get a massage any time I want now. One night I had a terrible kink, muscle spasm, pain just under my right shoulder blade. I spent about 15min rolling on the foam roller and the pain was gone!

Here is an article I found which gives the history of foam rolling for your reading enjoyment.

Foam rollers come in different lengths, diameters, smoothness, and hardness. Here is a link to the  Foam Roller at Team Beachbody and which comes with the P90X2 kit.   The advanced kit comes with the Rumble Roller 2000 as Tony puts it. It has knobs on it to simulate a masseuse digging into your flesh with their elbow!

If you've had a stressful day, put on your favorite TV show, pull out your foam roller and roll the stress away!

I remember when I first started P90X nearly a year ago. Yoga X was so difficult. I dreaded it. I went to bed at night thinking about having to survive YogaX the next morning. But it gradually grew on me as I got stronger. X2 YogaX is 30min shorter than P90X Yoga X. I am still amazed at how much balance has improved. I still need to work on my tight shoulders!

I feel like a kid counting down to Christmas. What am I waiting for? Beachbody's latest creation - Tai Cheng. I think it will help iron out wrinkles in my body and help to prevent me from injuring myself with my more advanced programs such as Insanity and Asylum. For years I watched people doing Tai Chi in the park and it looked so meditative. I've always wanted to try it but never had the time or energy to go somewhere to do it. I'm hoping this will be the answer....Tai Chi at home. If you want more info, follow this link.

http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/tai-cheng-workout.do

Workoutroom

I am a 44 year old mother of three. I realized that when routine tasks left me breathless, that it was time to make a change. I will be nearly 60yrs old when my youngest leaves the house for college and I intend be alive and kicking at that time!

I used to be very fit when I was in my early 30s, weight training and running every day. I needed to get back to that level of fitness for my physical health and my mental health. I started with P90X. Within a few weeks, insomnia, which I battled for years, was a distant memory. I felt great. I lowered my blood pressure and my resting heart rate went from upper 70s to upper 60s. I also finally began to shed the last of those pounds from my pregnancies. I did a second round of P90X doubles.

After P90X, my muscle tone was great but I knew I needed more cardiovascular conditioning. I also needed extreme measures to shed the belly fat. My Beachbody coach convinced me to try Insanity. I fell in love. I did a round of Insanity, which lowered my resting heart rate into the low 50s.

Next, I was intrigued by the agility, coordination benefits promised by Asylum. It delivered! Asylum really showed me that my body was uneven in coordination and strength. Mastering the agility ladder and jump rope at my age was exhilarating! I found that when I went back to P90X YogaX, my balance and coordination was much better! I could do YogaX moves that I couldn't do before.

The icing on the cake was a 30day Insanity/Asylum hybrid followed by a 30day Asylum/P90X hybrid. If you're willing to put in the work, these programs can take you where you want to go!!!!

Here is my before after photo for P90X!