Friday, June 27, 2014

Featured Fitness Program - PiYo

PiYo

 

What is PiYo™? 

PiYo is a low-impact, high-intensity body-transformation program. It uses the most effective Pilates- and yoga-inspired moves set to a fast pace to help you burn fat while you sculpt long, lean muscles.

You’ll carve every inch of your body without jumps, without weights, and without straining your joints.

And rest assured, there’s no complex choreography to learn.

Chalene Johnson takes you step-by-step through the moves where you’ll use your body weight to lose weight and get intensely defined!

You get your strength, your cardio, and your flexibility training all in one program.

Why is PiYo effective?

PiYo delivers the muscle-sculpting, core-focused benefits of Pilates along with the flexibility and power of yoga. PiYo’s low-impact compound exercises engage multiple muscle groups at the same time—while keeping your body in constant motion. As you progress from one fluid movement to the next without rest, you’ll maintain an optimal heart rate to incinerate calories throughout the whole workout!

The result? You get a low-impact, high-intensity, total-body workout, giving you a physique that’s long, lean, and powerfully defined



For the beginner there’s no complicated choreography to learn. And, you can follow the modified moves as you build your strength and stamina.

Piyo Kit
 PiYo’s high-intensity compound exercises engage multiple muscles at once, while keeping you in constant motion so your heart rate remains in the optimal range to burn calories throughout the workout


 

What you get

Base Kit

8 workouts plus 1 bonus
workout on 3 DVDs
Low-impact, high-intensity body-weight workouts get you the results of extreme programs, without the jumps, weights, or strain on your joints.
PiYo Quick Start GuideEverything you need to know to get started. Includes valuable insider tips to get your best results possible.
PiYo Workout CalendarWorkouts arranged to make sure you progress each week as you build up your strength, flexibility, and stamina. Turn the calendar over to find the 60-day workout schedule for the PiYo Strength kit.
Get Lean Eating PlanA simplified approach to clean and lean eating designed to fit your lifestyle—and your taste buds.
Tape MeasureTrack your progress as you melt the fat away faster than you ever imagined.

PIYO STRENGTH DVD PACKAGE

Includes two additional accelerated workouts, yoga mat,plus Beachbody Strength Slides with Booties The accelerated Strength Workouts and Training
   Tools will help increase the intensity
The  results,  and the fun!
You’ll get Pilates lean and yoga strong even faster—
and have a blast doing it

Want more information? Fill out the contact form, and we will contact you.


Thursday, June 26, 2014

The Paleo Diet


paleodiet1If you have been living on planet earth, there is a god chance you have heard someone mention the Paleo Diet (also nicknamed the caveman diet, primal diet, Stone Age diet, and hunter-gatherer diet…You get the picture).  The Paleo diet is believed to help you lose weight, save you from several diseases, and end obesity as we know it. Okay the later was me, but again you get the picture. The Paleo diet has been mentioned in the news; an abundance of websites has been dedicated to supplying information, and several books written about this diet.

So what is the Paleo diet?

 I could go through the whole scientific jargon (I mean explanation) of the Paleo Diet, but I much rather just get straight to the point. The Paleo Diet doesn't mean carving hunks of red meat off the bone, or hunting for the nearest Tyrantosaurus Rex.  Instead, the Paleo diet is an attempt to look beyond unhealthy modern food culture, and reap the benefits of eating the foods humans ate before there was potato chips, Twinkies, soda. In the words of the Paleo enthusiast "Foods we were built to eat". (i.e. proteins, fruits and vegetables) The Paleo diet, in a nutshell is a low carb diet with the premise that if  the cavemen (or women) ate it then you can eat it.
Loren Cordain, PhD, who actually wrote the book  "The Paleo Diet", claims that by eating like our prehistoric ancestors, we’ll be leaner and less likely to get diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other health problems. After reading more about the Paleo diet you will notice some familiarity to the Atkins Diet.

How does it work?

According to Loren Cordain, Ph.D. there are seven key fundamentals  to the Paleo Diet that will optimize your health, minimize the risk of chronic disease and cause you to lose weight.
  1. Eat a relatively high amount of animal protein compared to that in the typical American diet.
  2. Eat fewer carbohydrates than most modern diets. It is recommended to eat the good carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables, not from grains or refined sugars.
  3. Eat a large amount of fiber from non-starchy fruits and vegetables.
  4. Eat a moderate amount of fat, with more good (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) fats than bad (saturated) fats, and nearly equal amounts of omega 3 and omega 6 fats.
  5. Eat foods with a high potassium and low sodium content.
  6. Eat a diet which has a balance between acidic and no-acidic foods. 
  7. Eat foods rich in plant phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. (i.e.  green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, berries are usually plants rich in phytochemicals)
The extreme Paleo dieter (and there will always be an extremist in the bunch) would probably tell you that the above list of foods is all you can consume. However, after watching Dr. Oz, and hearing Nell Stephenson, the self-proclaimed original Paleoista. There is some flexibility in the diet. A full 100% commitment to the diet for 30 days is ideal but can be very difficult to sustain. That is why the plan allows for some cheat meals. You can indulge in three cheat meals a week.  Which means you can have that slice of chocolate cake, but only if you focus most of your meals on the Paleo plate. To read more about "The Paleo Plate and "Your Personal Paleo Code" click on the link to Dr. Oz's video

  paleoflowchart 

What you can eat

  1. Grass-produced meats
  2. Fish/Seafood
  3. Eggs
  4. Nuts and seeds
  5. Healthful oils (Olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado, coconut)

What can’t you eat?

  • Processed foods (anything in a bag or box)
  • Wheat
  • Grains and legumes (such as peanuts and beans).
  • Dairy
  • Refined sugar
  • Potatoes
  • Salt
  • Refined vegetable oils, such as canola
  • Fried foods

 Is it safe?

Okay, now this is the tricky part about this diet. The main focus of the diet is to get you to eat lean proteins, fresh vegetables and fruit, and to remove processed foods out of your diet. So how could a diet with those guidelines be bad for you? Critics of the Paleo Diet, (and yes there are always critics) point out what you may or may not know.
Loren Cordain, Ph.D., Colorado State University professor and author of The Paleo Diet told WebMD that there were “Clinical trials that showed the Paleo Diet is the optimum diet that can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, markers of inflammation, help with weight loss, reduce acne, promote optimum health and athletic performance,"
However, according to Dr. Lawrence Cheskin, director of Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center, points out that people who lived on this diet average age was 25, and following the plan was not good then and doesn't seem a good idea now. In addition, according to a U.S. News and World Report analysis, a panel of doctors and nutritionists determined that the diet was not a good choice for decreasing diabetes, improving heart health or losing weight.

What are the benefits of the Paleo Diet?

Whatever your feelings about the Paleo Diet are, there are some advantages. Eating whole foods, lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, eliminating processed foods in my opinion are definite advantages.

 What are disadvantages the Paleo Diet?

Arguably, you may consider the disadvantages to the Paleo Diet are:
  1. It could get very pricey.
  2. The lack of grains; which are a great source of energy
  3. Soybeans, lentils, black beans, garbanzo beans and other legumes are high-fiber, low-fat sources of  potassium, iron and magnesium. They also are an essential source of protein for vegetarians.

Final Thoughts

 My thoughts about the Paleo diet is like with any other diet "Proceed with caution". At first glance the diet seems right on point, by adding lean meats, fruits and veggies, and healthy oils. Removing processed foods that, let's be honest are not good for you anyway. Not to mention, we should not be eating anyway.
However, when a diet eliminates  major food groups; such as dairy (I need my almond milk for smoothie making ) and grains, from your life completely or focuses solely on one food or food group ignoring all the rest it  makes me wonder. In addition, while doing the research I did not see where there was any mention of the importance of portion control.
I going to have to give it the  side eye. To be fair, I tend to give it all a side eye.  That is why I say proceed with caution; if you are thinking about following this diet do your research. Make sure this is something you can do and do safely.  Verify that you are not eliminating from your diet the one thing that you need, and of course GOOD LUCK!!
For more information about the Paleo Diet, there are a few resources I found very helpful:

Friday, June 6, 2014

Featured Fitness Program - Turbo Fire


 Turbo Fire Fitness Program

What is TurboFire®?

TurboFire is a crazy-intense and crazy-fun cardio program designed to awaken your inner athlete and help you get a leaner, sexier body—fast! This 90-day program is packed with kickboxing drills, aerobic exercises, and intense intervals perfectly choreographed to the hottest music, so you stay motivated to push hard and get awesome results. Award-winning fitness expert Chalene Johnson (creator of other successful programs like Turbo Jam® and ChaLEAN Extreme®) is with you every step of the way, until you’re hooked on the adrenaline high, burning tons of calories, and shedding those extra pounds.

 How does it work?

Exercising at your max in short (less than 1 minute) intervals improves aerobic and
anaerobic energy release and cranks up your body’s metabolism to burn calories faster. So you burn more stored body fat to help you recover from the workout. This occurs because the intense intervals fatigue your muscle groups. In turn, your body works overtime to  replenish the tired muscles with oxygen, creating the AfterBurn Effect, which can scorch  calories for up to 24 hours after you’ve finished class.

What makes TurboFire unique?

TurboFire is a high-intensity workout set to the hottest music that pushes you beyond your limits every time. More intense but less “dancy” than Turbo Jam, it can be used as a graduate program for Turbo lovers. Other extreme programs, like ChaLEAN Extreme and P90X®, focus on building muscle and burning fat through weight training. TurboFire, along with its HIIT training, helps you achieve your maximum transformation faster than any other cardio program. And unlike INSANITY®, the TurboFire program can be repeated indefinitely.


What's inside the box

  •  12 classes on 5 DVDs (approx. 30 minutes a day)
    • Gets you fit and lean with Turbo-charged classes that burn up to 9x more calories and fat.
  •  Quick Start Guide
    •  Learn how to ignite your TurboFire program—fast.
  •  Fire Starter Class
    •  Chalene breaks down each TurboFire move. This helps beginners start off on the right foot and fanatics  perfect their form.
  •  Fuel the Fire Nutrition Guide
    •  Gives you tips, healthy snack ideas, and easy-to-prep recipes to help maintain high energy levels while you train and slim down.
  •  TurboFire Class Schedule
    •  Takes the guesswork out of when or how long you should be working out to help you get the best results.
    •  

FREE when you  order TurboFire through this site:
  • Ab Igniter – This seriously intense 10-minute workout is filled with advanced options that isolate your core muscles to help build a strong six-pack.
  • Greatest HIITs – A 20-minute compilation of all the best TurboFire HIIT drills that challenge you to scorch maximum calories.


Watch the video!!



Are you ready for the burn?

http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/TurboFire?referringRepId=399849


Wednesday, June 4, 2014

2014 Summer Sale

This summer, Team Beachbody® is offering deep discounts on a variety of select Beachbody products! The offer is valid for a LIMITED TIME ONLY starting Wednesday June 4th until Monday June 9th ( Offer quantities are limited )



https://www.TeamBeachbody.com/Shop/summer-sale?referringRepId= 399849 

 For a limited time only, save up to 85% on popular Beachbody programs and equipment.

Saturday, May 31, 2014

How to schedule workouts in the BeachBody Supergym

WOWY (“Work Out With You”) SuperGym™ is your interactive, online health club. This is where you can plan and track your workouts, use helpful and motivational tools, keep in touch with Workout Groups and Buddies who share your goals and interests, and chat with others for advice and inspiration.

Check out this video that will show you how to access the SuperGym


Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Lifestyle Changes

Hello Friends,
Just a little update, I thought it was time to share my health and fitness journey, and maybe I could help someone who may be feeling the same way.
During the month of  February 2014, after making yet another major decision, I moved back to the east coast. Unfortunately, life was not working out the way I thought it would.  Without fail, depression kicked in, and my health started to take a turn for the worse. I was tired all the time, I started to use food as an emotional crutch, and the mood swings were getting on my nerves.  Life was beginning to suck big time.
Now anytime a trip to the MAC store (YES, I live near a MAC store) did not make me happy, I knew things was getting bad.
Depression, weight gain, stress…things needed to change and change fast.
Healthy LivingThat is when I decided to do something to pick myself up and change things.
The first thing I believed I needed to do was change my eating habits. Stop eating crap and focus on eating clean and healthy. I started to read "The Eat-Clean Diet" book by Tosca Reno to get a better understanding of what eating clean meant. As a person who does not like eating vegetables, I decided to start there.
So I need to figure out how I was going to incorporate vegetables in my diet. After watching several YouTube videos about green smoothies, I thought that would be a perfect way to get vegetables in my diet.  Why someone didn’t think of a smoothie/drink that had veggies and fruit mixed in it, and tastes like a dessert is beyond me, but I take it now.
change your lifeMy next lifestyle change is to exercise more. I began to research exercise videos because going to the gym was not an option for me right now. One day I was watching television and seen the "Focus T25" infomercial. It seem to be something that I could enjoy and I only had to workout for 25 minutes, I placed the order. That is when I found the BeachBody website. Exercising and adding the Shakeology meal replacement.  I have lost 8lbs, and 8 inches with more to go, and I am still pushing play.
Finding Team BeachBody has been the answer to a few problems I would like to resolve. In the past I would by fitness DVDs with the belief that I would use them to get fit. However, after working out with the DVDs after maybe two weeks I would get bored and stop pushing play. With the beachbody  DVDs, specifically the Focus T25 and now 21DayFix DVDs. I enjoy the workouts, and so far have not gotten bored with any of the programs, and the most important part is that I actually see results.
Admittedly, these lifestyle changes are a work in progress, but I am determined to improve my life. Hopefully, while taking this journey I will meet others on the same path, and we can motivate and support each other to achieve our goals. Wish me luck!!

Drink Shakeology: The healthiest meal of the day