RECOVERY doesn’t get any respect in Fitness. Its like the last kid picked in School at recess when you are picking Teams for kickball. Its just not thought of until its polar opposite, OVERTRAINING decides to kick down the door to your House and stay for awhile! Talk about unwanted company!

This article is going to focus on how your Recovery is essential to attaining yoru Fitness goals and your long term health. Let’s face it my friends, the next 90 days is not as important as the next 20 years! We need to think long term Fitness.

We all get excited about our workouts. We push as hard as we can each day. What you need to understand is that your Body is like your Bank account. You have a certain amount of “cash” in your body’s Recovery account. When you do an intense workout like P90X, Insanity, ChaLEAN Extreme, Turbo Jam, ect., you make a withdrawl from your Body’s Recovery Account.

When you eat nutritious food, rest, and get a good night’s sleep, you make a deposit in your Recovery Fitness account. What happens when your withdrawl’s outnumber your deposits ? OVERTRAINING! You feel achey, tired, irritable, you lose you appetite, and you lose your motivation to workout. Not good at all! “How can I be out of money, I still have checks left!” LOL!

How do you ensure that you Recover from your workouts so you can continue to make the Fitness progress you are looking to make?

First off, be very careful when you design or decide to follow a Hybrid workout schedule. P90X & Insanity are very difficult and intense by themselves, even more so when combining the two. Its very doable but you need to really pay special attention to your Recovery. I wouldn’t recommend doing P90X AND Insanity in the same day EVER.

Seriously people, do you think your body has even a remote chance or recovering from doing P90X Chest & back and then Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning? I cringe whenever I see someone post on Facebook about doing this trype of schedule. IF someone is doing both in the same day, they won’t be posting about following that type of schedule long. Its just not possible long term.

Here are some tips that you can use to maximize your recovery:

1.) Get enough Sleep every day ~ We all have busy lives and not enough hours in the day. Adequate Sleep is crucial in the Recovery Process. It effects everything we do. Get a good 7 or even better 8 hours of sleep every night. Late night TV is just not that important my friends! ;-)

2.) Follow Beachbody’s workout schedules, they account for rest ~ Don’t replace Yoga X for another day of Plyo X. Don’t replace Cardio Recovery with another day of Cardio Power & Resistance. Recuperative days are built into Beachbody’s Workout Schedules for a reason.

3.) Use Beachbody’s Results & Recovery Formula on a Daily basis ~ **Directly from Beachbody about the Results & Recovery Formula**
Water replaces fluids but not the many essential nutrients which are utilized for energy or lost through sweat. P90X Recovery Formula is a re-hydrating, re-energizing drink that helps you recover faster and more completely
KEY BENEFITS*
• Helps you refuel, re-energize, and reduce muscle soreness
• Contains the accepted ratio of four parts carbohydrates to one part protein to support speedy and complete recovery
• Simple and complex carbohydrates to support optimum blood sugar and glycogen replenishment
• A high Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) protein blend to provide critical amino acid building blocks for rapid muscle repair and growth
• Vitamins, including antioxidants, which assist in tissue repair and growth

Tami & I use the Recovery Formula 5 days per week without fail. Its essential to replace the Glycogen(Muscle sugar) that is burned up through your intense workouts. If you don’t replace that glycogen, you have no chance of Recovering from the workout. That means your workout the next day will suffer and you will slowly dig yourself a hole of over training. Don’t listen to any silliness about it having too much sugar. It supposted to! its putting back into your system what the workout takes out and I can’t say enough how important that is! Besides the fact, it tastes AWESOME! :-)


4.) If you feel you are overtraining, REST ~ Listen to your body. If you are experiencing the signs of overtraining that I listed above, take a complete day of rest. You will come back stronger. If you don’t take the rest day, again, you will be slowly digging that hole of overtraining that will eventually lead to an injury or it will FORCE you to take time off. No getting around it.

5.) Make no mistake that your Nutrition is ESSENTIAL to your Recovery ~ Eat enough healthy, nutritious calories to support your Fitness efforts. Undereating is a sure way to drive yourself into overtraining. Undereating is as bad as overeating as you strive to attain your Fitness goals. How can you recover if you don’tFeed the Machine? You can’t. Make your daily nutrition MORE important thatn your daily workout and you will be amazed at your Fitness Progress!

6.) Understand that Fitness is a Marathon, not a sprint ~ We all want results yesterday. Be patient and plan for long term Fitness success. Driving yourself into overtraining by doing too much too often does you no good at all. Focus on following a workout schedule that moves your Fitness forward, makes you stronger & more fit every day.

There it is my Friends. Recovery 101 from my point of view. Pay attention to your Recovery and reap the Fitness benefits!

Live Stronger every day!

Mike

Unfortunately, there are  people today that have decided that Fitness just “isn’t worth the effort”.

Our Fitness will determine our quality of life. That is very important to understand. Our mobility, flexibility, and strength, naturally decline with Age. Fight that with Fitness!

Look at Kids today starting around 13 years old and older. Young girls with “muffin tops” wearing tight clothing because they don’t care that they are overweight or how they look. People have grown to accept that is “ok” to be sluggish and overweight, especially as we age. Its really a shame! People say “Its natural to gain more weight as we age…” What a bunch of bull. Its people’s excuse to be lazy and eat whatever they want to!

People find every excuse to eat something they shouldn’t or to skip a workout. “When I get home from work, I just don’t have the energy to workout.” “Its too expensive to eat healthy all the time.”

My personal favorite is “I just don’t have the time to workout.” LOL! I have the same 24 hours that that person does and I manage to work a full time job, give my wife and children the attention they deserve, eat healthy, and workout EVERYDAY!

People are constantly looking for the “Secret” or something that will give them that extra edge. Doesn’t matter if it’s a diet, workout or supplement. “THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE FITNESS IS YOUR BODY, A DAILY MINDSET OF REFUSING TO QUIT, AND NUTRITIOUS HEALTHY FOODS THAT YOU EAT EVERYDAY.”

Don’t fall into the trap of trying to use science as a crutch to make up for lack of workout effort and nutritional discipline. An example of this is someone that uses a “Fat Burner” and their Nutrition isn’t spot on. Its like eating a combination pizza and a “Diet” soda…What’s the point?

There is a saying that I absolutely love:

YOU CAN’T OUTRUN A BAD DIET!

What does this mean? You can’t burn enough calories in a day to make up for poor nutritional choices. The calories it takes you an hour to burn can be ingested in 30 seconds! Not really fair, but its the the nutritional world works.

Want me to make it simple?

EXERCISE DAILY AND EAT NUTRITIOUS FOODS IN MODERATION EVERY DAY

Do both of those things every day, for the rest of your life. Stop making excuses everyone else is making and start taking responsibility for your own personal Fitness. Quite a concept!

The Key to real Health and Fitness is consistency. Most people lack the commitment to get in shape and really make a difference in their lives. Most people don’t stay disciplined long enough with their workout and nutrition to see their desired results.

We live in a world of microwave World. We want food NOW! We want fitness results NOW! When it doesn’t happen we get frustrated and start looking for other ways to do it.

We want the quick fix. Six Pack Abs in 6 weeks! Get ripped for summer with the latest routine and diet in bodybuilding and Fitness magazines. These magazines are LOADED with the latest supplements to add muscle, get rid of fat quicker than the next guy. Are they concerned with our health or making money?

That is why Beachbody products are such a blessing for all of us. Fitness first. REAL programs and supplements that WORK! Beachbody Fitness systems are designed to change your Fitness habits for long term success. We need to think beyond our Fitness level only 90 days from now. Think of how fit you want to be 20 years from now!

All that really matters is how long we live and how healthy we are during our lifetime. Our health is precious and we need to take personal responsibility for it.

Do everything TODAY to give yourself the best chance to live a long and productive life. Then do it again tomorrow!

Fitness success comes from hard work. Once you have it, you need to fight to keep it. If you don’t, it will leave allot quicker than it took to achieve it. Train hard and earn the Fitness level you want!

Get in shape and then NEVER put yourself in a position where you have to “Get back in shape.”

Train to be ready for ANYTHING that might come your way. Running, swimming, and obstacle course, a pick up football game at a Family Reunion.

I hope it never happens to any of us but what are we going to do if we have to swim out into the ocean to save a loved one, or your Family is involved in a car accident and you are forced to “run” to get assistance? Will you be ready? That is not the time to wish you had paid your dues with your workouts and nutrition. Granted, those are worst case scenarios but if you prepare for the worst, you will be prepared for anything.

Build lean, flexible, muscles, improve your cardiovascular Fitness, and burn calories.

LEANER AND LIGHTER is always better.

Being lighter and carrying less body fat is easier on our joints, and the body’s other systems. Even carrying too much muscle is not good for you over the long term because it forces your heart and lungs to work extra hard.

CHALLENGE your heart and lungs everyday! True “Fitness” is a lean, muscular, flexible physique. It contributes to our overall health and longevity and makes us look and feel much better!

WE CAN GET LEAN AND MEAN FOR LIFE, ONCE WE HAVE COMMITTED TO WORKING OUT AND EATING A HEALTHY, NUTRITIOUS DIET EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

Don’t let your short term fitness GOALS become your limits. Its easy to “relax” once you have achieved a goal. Don’t waste time and let what you have achieved slip away slowly. Set new goals and then set out to accomplish them! Move forward and really see what you are made of and what you can accomplish!

One of my favorite quotes:

“YOU KNOW WHY I WILL ACCOMPLISH MY GOAL? BECAUSE YOU SAID I COULDN’T DO IT!”

Its not how much weight you lift, its how hard you work when you lift it. Remember, we are not just training for today but for many years down the road. Do you want to have healthy joints, tendons, and ligaments later in life? Don’t try and be a hero and play the “How much weight can I lift” Game. That will lead to injury, damaged joints, and torn muscles.

Pay particular attention to your ABS and lower back. Your CORE is the key to your future health and fitness. Invest in the health of your CORE and your body will thank you later in Life!

What you do today affects the rest of your life. We want to look and feel good right now, but we also want to look and feel good when we are eighty. Our quality of life, especially in our Twilight years, is a direct result of our daily activities earlier in life.

Are your activities going to be positive and healthy, or negative and unhealthy? The choice is ours.

What should be EVERYONE’S Fitness goal?

GET BETTER ON A DAILY BASIS!

Strive for daily improvement. Vow to get better every day. Forget about the past and don’t worry about the future. Concentrate on TODAY, what you can control RIGHT NOW. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing, be the best YOU that YOU can be!

If you improve your Fitness today, & your Fitness future will be taken care of…

Even the most effective exercise plan can be destroyed by eating too much or eating the wrong types of foods. Eating a dessert can add more calories than you could hope to burn in an hour long workout.

Scary as it is, you could ruin your entire day of nutrition and hard work in your workouts in just a few minutes by eating junk food.

Depending on your body weight by eating ONE unhealthy meal or snack choice you can exceed or almost exceed ONE hour’s worth of a Butt Kicking workout like Insanity or P90X.

It could be a forkful of our kids macaroni and cheese followed by a “small” chocolate and “Only one soda”. It all adds up and before you know it you have taken in hundreds of extra calories that you don’t need.

Believe me, I know because I did the same thing AFTER my spectacular P90X Day 90 results in July 07. I “relaxed” and put on 15 extra pounds, quickly. (By Oct 07)

I had to fight each day to reclaim my “Abs” and conditioning. I did reclaim my Abs but take some advice and don’t make the same mistake I did.

No more excuses. No more , “Well it was only something small, it won’t hurt me.” You better believe it will. Make no mistake about that. Once you get into the habit of having “something small” every once in while, it quickly becomes every day.

Am I saying NEVER eat cake or candy again? Of course not. Make it a special treat, like at a Birthday Party or Holiday, not something you do because you are bored.

When its a CHOICE rather than giving in to an impulse, you retain the discipline, and strength.

No More Excuses, make a difference in your future…TODAY!

Live stronger EVERY day!

Mike

Now this Chicken Scampi Recipe is based on our family and the six of us, so you may need to scale it back to fit your family or have some good leftovers! ;)

6-5oz boneless/skinless chicken breast, par-cook it then drain, chuck it up and place aside.

combine and cook on medium-low:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup cooking wine

3 tablespoons of fresh garlic(we love it so you may want to start with less and add to taste)

1 tablespoon italian seasonings

2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 tablespoon ground sea salt (or to taste)

Add in the chicken and stir well. Continue to cook the chicken until spaghetti noodles are cooked in a separate pan.

1 box of Barilla spaghetti noodles, cook and drain.

Before you add the chicken/liquid mixture to the pasta you need to add 1/2 cup of bread crumbs to the liquid and mix well. This is soak up some of the oil and make it thicker. Once you have done that, add it to the pasta and mix well. Serve with side salad and homemade garlic bread! Yummy!

I make my own bread crumbs with whole wheat bread that I toast and then put in a food processor. That way I know they are whole and not refined crap! ;)

Make sure that you portion out your meal so that you don’t over do it and enjoy!

Tami

I give FULL credit to my gorgeous wife Tami for the creation of this P90X/Insanity Hybrid workout schedule. AWESOME job Honey!

Week 1
Monday: P90X Chest/back/Insanity cardio abs -
Tusday: Insanity plyo cardio circuit
Weds: P90X Shoulders/Arms
Thrus.: Insanity cardio recovery
Friday: P90X Legs/Back/Ab Ripper X
Sat.: Insanity Pure Cardio
Sun: off

Week 2
Monday: P90X Chest/Back/Insanity Cardio Abs
Tuesday: Insanity Pure cardio
Weds.: P90X Shoulders/Arms
Thurs.: Insanity cardio recovery
Friday: P90X Legs/Back/Ab Ripper X
Sat.: Insanity Plyo cardio circuit
Sun.: off

Week 3
Monday: P90X Chest/Back/Ab Ripper X
Tues.: Insanity Pure Cardio
Weds.: P90X Shoulders/Arms
Thurs.: Insanity cardio recovery
Friday: P90X Legs/Back/Insanity Cardio Abs
Sat.: Insanity cardio power & resistance
Sun.: off

Week 4 - Recovery Week
Monday: Insanity Core cardio and balance-
Tues.: P90X Core Synergistics
Weds.: Insanity Core Cardio & Balance
Thurs.: Yoga X
Friday: Insanity Cardio Recovery
Sat.: P90X Core Synergistics
Sun.: off

Week 5
Monday: P90X Chest/shoulders/tricep/ Insanity Cardio Abs
Tues.: Insanity Max Interval Circuit
Weds.: P90X Back/Biceps
Thurs.: Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning
Friday: P90X Legs/Back/ P90X Ab Ripper X
Sat.: Insanity Max Interval Plyo
Sunday: off

Week 6
Monday: Chest/Shoulders/Tricep/Insanity Cardio Abs
Tues.: Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning
Weds.: P90X Back/Biceps
Thurs.: Insanity Max Recovery
Friday: P90X Legs/Back/Ab Ripper X
Sat.: Insanity Max Plyo Intervals
Sun.: off

Week 7
Monday: P90X Chest/shoulders/triceps/Insanity Cardio Abs
Tues.: Insanity Max Interval Plyo
Weds.: P90X Back/Biceps
Thurs.: Fountain of Youth Yoga
Friday: P90X Legs/Back/ Ab Ripper X
Sat.: Max interval circuit-
Sunday: Off

Week 8 Recovery Week
Monday: Insanity Core Cardio & Balance
Tues.: P90X Core Synergistics
Weds.: Yoga X
Thurs.: Insanity Cardio Recovery
Friday: P90X Core Synergistics
Sat: Insanity Core Cardio & Balance
Sun: off

Week 9 and 11
Monday: P90X Chest/Back/Ab Ripper X
Tues.: Insanity plyo Cardio Circuit
Weds.: P90X Shoulders & Arms
Thurs.: Insanity Cardio Recovery
Friday: P90X Legs/Back& Insanity Insane Abs
Sat.: Insanity Pure cardio
Sun.: off

Weeks 10 and 12
Monday: P90X Chest/Shoulders/Triceps/Ab Ripper X
Tues.: Insanity Max Interval Plyo
Weds.: P90X Back/Biceps
Thurs.: Insanity Max Recovery
Friday: P90X Legs/Back/Insanity Insane Abs
Sat.: Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning
Sun.: Off

Week 13 Recovery Week
Monday: Fountain of Youth Yoga
Tues.: P90X Core Synergistics
Weds.: Insanity Core Cardio & Balance-
Thurs.: P90X Core Synergistics
Friday: Insanity Cardio Recovery
Sat.: Yoga X
Sun: Off

You have accepted the challenge of 90 days of P90X. COGRATULATIONS! However, you have allot of questions. Here are some advice that can help you go from Day 1 Novice to Day 90 P90X Graduate!

You need to a have a specific plan. The P90X Guidebook will be your Fitness Bible for the next 90 days. Settle on a specific Goal. Don’t say “I want to lose weight.” Instead say “I want to lose 25 pounds.

Read and reread the P90X Nutrition Guide and Workout Guide. You need to understand that no amount of exercise, even exercise as intense as P90X will make up for poor daily nutrition.

Decide what Beachbody Supplements you will use to support your Nutrition during your 90 day quest. I highly recommend two supplements that I consider essential to supporting your Nutritional plan when doing P90X:

1.) P90X Peak Health Formula Vitamins
2.) Shakeology

Make sure you get at least 7 hours of quality sleep per night to make sure you Recover from your P90X workouts.

Have a clear understanding of the positive, unstoppable state of mind that you need to cultivate during your 90 Day round of the X. Have your “mind right”.

So what should you expect? I’ll give you some insight so there are no surprises.

DAY 1 - 30 (PHASE 1 - APPROXIMATELY)

1.) This is the adjustment period. Your body is getting into the schedule and tempo of your workouts. It is adjusting to your new nutrition habits. Expect some differences, perhaps not the drastic visual differences you crave but your clothes will become baggier. **STAY OFF THE SCALE!**

2.) Stay the course during this period. I have had allot of people say to me “Something is not right, I’m not getting as lean as I should be.”

This is normal; during Phase 1 you are priming the body and stoking your metabolic fire. **YOUR BODY DOES NOT SPOT REDUCE FAT! I REPEAT, YOUR BODY DOES NOT SPOT REDUCE FAT! **

Your body will take body fat off in “sheets”. What I mean is that it will reduce your overall body fat evenly. Where we hold the largest amount of body fat largely depends on genetics and gender. Women tend to hold their body fat in their butt, leg, hip region. Men generally hold their body fat in their waistlines.

This is what to watch for in this Phase: loosening of your clothes, stay off of the scale and above all, remain patient and continue to work hard.

DAYS 31-60 (PHASE 2 - APPROXIMATELY)

1.) This phase is where your body kicks into high gear. You are getting stronger and leaner. Expect dramatic results during this Phase as long as you remain disciplined and suffer daily. Make your daily Nutrition as important as your workouts. That is the “secret” to astounding Fitness results.

2.) WHAT TO EXPECT: You will start to see that your outer extremities, (Forearms, calves, upper back, shoulders) generally where people hold the least amount of fat, will start to get leaner.

3.) Where you hold the most fat will improve but not to your impatient satisfaction. Why? Because as your body removes the fat in “sheets” naturally the leaner sections of your body will show definition the quickest.

4.) REMAIN PATIENT AND STAY THE COURSE!

DAYS 61 - 90 (PHASE 3 - APPROXIMATELY)

1.) This is the Phase to let it all hang out. It’s an all out assault on body fat. Your metabolism is in high gear, you have noticed a drastic improvement in definition throughout your entire body and your most stubborn pockets of fat are carving away. You will be tempted to change things to enhance your results. This is a mistake. Here is my advice:**STAY THE COURSE** Trust the P90X Schedule and your quality nutrition. You don’t need Doubles, extra cardio, or anythign else but sustained, consistent effort.

2.) At the end of this 3rd Phase you want to be standing tall on Day 90, proudly take your after pictures and be able to say, “I worked as hard as I possibly could have during the past 90 days, I BROUGHT IT!”

My results from my first Round of P90X in 2007: 44 pounds lost!

So there it is, what to expect during a Phase of P90X. P90X is a Fitness gift to each of us. Treat it with the respect it deserves and you will reap the amazing Fitness benefits that only P90X can provide!

If anyone has any questions and would like to discuss some of the finer points of what I have described above, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Live Strong - Live Lean

Mike

Building a strong, V-shaped back is pretty basic. Do pull-ups. Its simple, just not easy! Pull-ups are hard. That is the exact reason that they are so effective in building the upper body muscle we all crave. 

Pull-ups involve more total muscle in your entire upper body than any other back exercise.  Pull-ups cause more stimulus to the muscles of your back, and your entire upper body, than any other exercise you can do in your workouts. Its an awesome feeling to lift your own bodyweight for reps. Its an expression of pure strength. 

If you regularly do pull-ups, there is a good chance that you won’t have back related pain and issues that millions of people worldwide suffer with every day.

The strength gains achieved from performing pull-ups translate into real life scenarios, like pulling yourself onto a boat after water skiing or climbing a rock wall.

When designing P90X Tony Horton centered the Resistance work around pull-ups. Tony is a smart man!

Are you a little nervous before P90X Chest & Back or Legs & Back day? If you are, you are on the right track because you know its going to be hard and as a result super effective.

Pull ups will be an awesome tool in your Fitness Toolbox that you can use to move closer to your Fitness Goals!

Live Strong ~ Live Lean

Mike

Clarity, like the fine edge of a newly sharpened blade.

You have a plan, a goal, a schedule; you have your nutrition down to a point. Your workouts are intense, you suffer daily. You are making sure to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night to ensure adequate recovery from your brutal regimen. You are even doing your own version of “Doubles” whether its 20 minutes of HIIT, running, swimming or any other form of cardio three days a week to burn even more fat.

You have a clear mental picture of what you want to accomplish during your round of the X, you have your “mind right”. So what should you expect? I’ll give you some insight so there are no surprises.

DAY 1 - 30 (PHASE 1 - APPROXIMATELY)

1.) This is the adjustment period. Your body is getting into the schedule and tempo of your workouts. It is adjusting to your new nutrition habits. Expect some differences, perhaps not the drastic visual differences you crave but your clothes will become baggier.

2.) Stay the course during this period. I have had allot of people say to me “Something is not right, I’m not getting as lean as I should be.”

This is normal; during Phase 1 you are priming the body and stoking your metabolic fire. **YOUR BODY DOES NOT SPOT REDUCE FAT! I REPEAT, YOUR BODY DOES NOT SPOT REDUCE FAT! **

Your body will take body fat off in “sheets”. What I mean is that it will reduce your overall body fat evenly. Where we hold the largest amount of body fat largely depends on genetics and gender. Women tend to hold their body fat in their butt, leg, hip region. Men generally hold their body fat in their waistlines. This is what to watch for in this Phase: loosening of your clothes, stay off of the scale and above all, remain patient and continue to work hard.

DAYS 31-60 (PHASE 2 - APPROXIMATELY)

1.) This phase is where your body kicks into high gear. You are getting stronger and leaner. Expect dramatic results during this Phase as long as you remain disciplined and suffer daily.

2.) WHAT TO EXPECT: You will start to see that your outer extremities, (Forearms, calves, upper back, shoulders) generally where people hold the least amount of fat, will start to get leaner.

3.) Where you hold the most fat will improve but not to your impatient satisfaction. Why? Because as your body removes the fat in “sheets” naturally the leaner sections of your body will show definition the quickest.

4.) REMAIN PATIENT AND STAY THE COURSE!

DAYS 61 - 90 (PHASE 3 - APPROXIMATELY)

1.) This is the Phase to let it all hang out. It’s an all out assault on body fat. Your metabolism is in high gear, you have noticed a drastic improvement in definition throughout your entire body and your most stubborn pockets of fat are carving away.

2.) This is the time to do some extra workout sessions. Walk after dinner, take an extra bike ride. Skip rope, box, and do something extra to burn more calories and more fat.

3.) At the end of this Phase you want to be standing tall on Day 90, proudly take your after pictures and be able to say, “I worked as hard as I possibly could have during the past 90 days, I BROUGHT IT!”

**Results from my 1st Round of P90X in 2007. I lost 44 pounds in 90 days!**

So there it is, what to expect during a Phase of P90X. If anyone has any questions and would like to discuss some of the finer points of what I have described above, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Live Strong - Live Lean

Mike

Today Tami and I had Insanity Cardio Power & Resistance. This workout is a BEAST and my favorite Insanity workout. Why is it my favorite?

It starts in the warm up. From Power Jacks to High Knees, the warm up is rough enough on its own. During the 3rd phase of the warm up my heart rate climbs into the 160’s! Now that is a warm up!

If you haven’t figured by now that this workout is going to get brutal very quickly, the 1st exercise verifies that fact: Power Jumps! Seriously! Power Jumps to start things off! Talk about a kick in the face right away! Love it!

The rest of the moves in the workout are an incredible blend of core based strength exercises and heart pounding cardio exercises.

Just when you think you are finished, Shaun says “One more exercise to go! and its a crusher! 8 Hop Squats + 8 Push Ups for 1 minute straight. This is where you hold nothing back and give everything you have left in your tank for that one minute blaster! DEEP squats and FULL push ups!

I burned 640 calories burned in 39 minutes during Insanity Cardio Power & Resistance this morning.

Talk about a short, brutal, effective workout! Perfect! Its an awesome representative of what Insanity is all about!

DIG DEEPER!

Mike

Effective Nutrition is a Lifelong process of adding in new foods & figuring our what works for each of us in regards to total calories, grams of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

I have taken many different nutritional approaches over the years. 2 days after Christmas in 2009, Tami and I eliminated refined carbohydrates from our nutrition plan. We had a specific goal in mind: Achieving awesome conditioning for our Trip to Hawaii with Beachbody the 1st week of March 2010. Eliminating the refined carbs would allow us to burn Bodyfat at an accelerated rate.

I knew it wouldn’t be easy as I am a confessed and well documented “carbaholic” Thank goodness Tami is such an unbelievable cook. She made the transition easy. I actually enjoyed the process of eliminating the refined carbs. That meant no bread, white potatos, rice, or pasta. I have never eaten so many veggies in all my life! LOL! Not a bad thing at all.

We stayed true to our “No Refined Carb” nutritional plan for almost 8 weeks. In that time we both saw dramatic changes to our physical conditioning. It was almost too easy.

Now keep in mind that Tami and I were doing our Hybrid of Insanity/ChaLEAN Extreme. I have some advice for anyone that is planning on following a “Primal” type nutrition plan while doing Insanity. Prepare to “Suffer”. That is why in the Insanity Elite Nutrition Guide there is a nice blend of carbohydrates built into the Nutritional Program. You need the fuel to survive Insanity. The “Primal” nutritional approach goes along with the “Primal” exercise recommendations. Either VERY short intense workouts, or longer very moderate workouts. Nothing like Insanity and the demands that Insanity places on your body’s Systems.

Doing Insanity without complex carbs is not a pain free process. You basically “Bonk” during your workouts because you burn through your body’s glycogen quickly. You need to be mentally strong to finish the workouts. You burn bodyfat like crazy though! We were getting visibly leaner on a daily basis.

About a week ago, the lack of complex carbs started really affecting our Insanity workout performance and our Recovery. With 2 weeks left until our Hawaii Trip, Tami and I decided to add in some complex carbs into our daily Nutrition. Nothing overly dramatic but things like a couple of slices of whole wheat bread topped with natural peanut butter at Breakfast. We had Chicken Scampi with multi grain pasta for Dinner for the 1st time in 2 months. HEAVEN! :-)

My point for this article is that we all have “Transitions” in our nutrition that occur over time depending on our Fitness goals at that time. The cool thing is that you can have control over your physical conditioning and appearance.

The nearly 2 months of “Primal” like nutrition was a “cleanse” of sorts for me. It proved that I can go without bread, pasta, rice, oatmeal, ect for an extended period of time. I have finally “broken” my carb addiction. I have all the nutritional discipline in the world. That is powerful stuff folks!

Don’t get stuck in the same approach when it comes to your nutrition. Experiment and see what happens. The last time Tami and I did anything “Primal” like with our nutrition was during our 1st Round of P90X in March 2007. We made it 11 days in the Fat Shredder phase. We stayed true to our “No refined carb” approach this time for almost 2 months.

So now, having added in some complex carbs back into our nutrition, we are feeling very lean, strong, rested, and recovered rolling into our Hawaii trip in 9 days! Exactly how we planned it! ;-)

Yours in Health & Fitness,

Mike

We all strive to eat as best we can each day. We focus on total calories, grams of protein, grams of carbs, grams of healthy fats. 5 meals per day. Despite our best efforts nobody can have a perfect day of nutrition. We will be missing some nutrients no matter the wide variety of foods that we eat.

This is where a comprehensive Supplement Plan becomes a great Ally in our fight to maximize our daily Nutrition. Proper and effective supplementation “Fills in the gaps” of our Daily Nutrition. It ensures taht we get all of the vital nutrients we need to support our daily workouts, and gives us the best chance at maximizing our Health.

In my humble opinion proper supplementation starts with a good multivitamin.
The Activit Multivitamins are formulated with safe and natural herbal ingredients.

Benefits:
Enhance your physical and mental wellness*
Increase bone strength*
Stimulate your immune system*
Slow the effects of aging with a powerful antioxidant*
Regulate calcium and blood sugar levels*


as well as the P90X Peak Health Formula Vitamins is the highest-quality, most complete multivitamin that Beachbody offers (I take it every day):

Benefits:
High-potency multivitamin/mineral*
High-potency antioxidant coverage*
Immune support*
Energy support*
Cardiovascular support*
Memory and nerve support*
Anti-aging support*
Anti-stress support*
Support for skin, hair, and nails*

I aslo take the following Nutritionals to shore up my Nutrition:

Core Omega-3 ~ I don’t eat ANY fish. This supplement gives me the EFA’s (Essential Fatty Acids) I need.

Joint Support ~ A MUST if you are doing Insanity, P90X, ChaLEAN Extreme


Herbal Immune Boost ~ Rigorous exercise makes for extreme demands on your body’s immune system. This supplement gives me an edge in staying healthy.

Core Cal-Mag -Tami takes it every day because it contains 100% of the recommended daily value of calcium and 125% of magnesium, with added vitamin D so the calcium is absorbed for optimal bone health.*

Whey Protein Powder ~ Allows me to up my total intake of muscle building & supporting protein in my daily meals. Its a very convenient way to get in the 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight that I need to build and maintain the muscle I want. Often my Breakfast staple is 2 scoops of Whey Protein mixed in Water with a Tsp of Natural Peanut Butter.

Results & Recovery Formula ~ Anyone remember Orange Creamsicles? Mix this one up after a very intense workout like Insanity, P90X, & ChaLEAN Extreme to replenish what your body need’s after a brutal workout. I only use the R& R Formula after the toughest of workouts.

Simple and complex carbohydrates for optimum glycogen replenishment*
A high Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) blend to provide the critical building blocks for rapid muscle resynthesis*
Vitamins, including antioxidants, to help reduce muscle soreness and assist in repair and growth*

Protein Bars ~ These are used for convenience in my Supplement Program. If I am going to be out of the house and can’t eat my regular foods, these protein bars give me the nutrients I need in the proper ratios. They also taste great!

Finally, there is SHAKEOLOGY ~ This is the one supplement that I will not do without on a daily basis. There is nothing like Shakeology on the market today. Each serving is so power packed with nutrients it is amazing!

This patent-pending daily nutritional shake helps your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need. A proprietary blend of digestive enzymes and prebiotics helps your body progressively eliminate the toxins that build up over time from eating today’s highly processed foods.

At the same time, whole-food ingredients deliver the essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to curb cravings, allowing your body to shed stored fat while the more than 20 different antioxidants and phytonutrients help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and stroke.

More than 70 different ingredients were chosen from around the world for their potency and bioavailability (the ability to deliver the nutrients your body needs). Here are the key nutrient groups that these ingredients deliver:*

Protein and Essential Amino Acids to help build long, lean muscles and reduce food cravings
Prebiotics and Digestive Enzymes, which aid in improving digestion, regularity, and nutrient absorption
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients to help counteract free radical damage that can lead to degenerative diseases
Vitamins and Minerals your body needs to function for optimal health

The best time to take your Nutritional supplements is with your Shakeology. The Digestive enzymes in Shakeology help your body better absorb the nutrients. That is why I take my P90X Peak Health Formula Vitamins/Minerals, Joint Support, Herbal Immune Boost, & Core Omega-3 while drinking my Shakeology. Maximum absorption!

So really think about how your supplement program supports your efforts to achieve your Fitness goals. The supplements you take can give you the advantage in your quest for good health and maximum Fitness!

If anyone has any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me!

Yours in Health & Fitness,

Mike