Challenge #4 for the Week

Since we've embarked on our final decent into Spring, I've decided to get a little more realistic with my personal challenges, so have moved them to weekly. I think many would agree, it's important to master one each time, then to rush on to the next. So, that's exactly what I'm doing. So.......




Challenge # 4 is......





Take more time to STRETCH before and after workouts.

I've known always that this is the key to avoiding injury, increase flexibilty and mobility, but it's usually the one part in my exercise routine that gets cut short...and that needs to STOP. I do warm up and cool down for roughly 2-3 minutes before each workout, which in asking some trainers, is appropriate. BUT, I really would like to work on more flexibilty, minimize any opportunity for injury and enhance my mobility.

I'm currently training for my 1st marathon (YAH! Go me!) and much of that involved endurance and taking appropriate measure to avoid injury. This is where STRETCHING can be key.

So as Tony Horton reiterates for us in the video above: "Flexibity is the Fountain of Youth". I'm going to give my body the best reward and enhance its durability - thanks Tony! :)

Join me in this challenge for now and your future!

Taryn Perry

http://www.choose2befit.com/

Challenge #3 for the Day

Here is my 3rd challenge to stick with:

Don't eat off my kids plate when they are done!!

You are all probably laughing and saying "how tough is that?" Well, when they've got bits of mac n' cheese, toast, waffle, cookie, you name it...it's all very tempting! Especially when I can't stand to be wasteful and the food is in no condition to be salvaged.

I AM NOT A HUMAN GARBAGE DISPOSAL! This is my new mantra!

I'm sure there are plenty of parents out there that can relate, no??

Challenge #2 for the Day

My 2nd challenge is:

EAT 5 X'S A DAY

Well, for those that know me, know that I LOVE to eat. I've done a pretty decent job training myself to eat healthy, so with years of hard work on that, I think I've reset my lifestyle, although will still enjoy a "cheat" here and there.

So, here's my new goal and challenge - eating 5 x's a day at every 2 to 3 hours.

I'm fortunate, with my P90X and ChaLEAN Extreme programs, to have a great nutrition guideline to assist and give me ideas in maintaining healthy eating habits.

Let me know if you are looking for support or assistance in getting onto a healthy eating pattern.

Beachbody® and the American Diabetes Association® - An alliance to Fight Type 2 Diabetes

I had the great opportunity to speak with David Gise, one of the creators behind Fitspott, a social networking site for fitness professionals and enthusiasts, a-like, to share their passion of helping others. So, immediately, David and I had a connection, given our respective businesses.

As we met on Twitter, we began "tweeting" about renowned non-profit organizations and their involvement in the fitness and nutrition arena, to help make a difference in our youths and their future. One of the topics we began discussing was Beachbody's recent alliance with the American Diabetes Association® and the efforts to help combat the effects of type 2 diabetes. As a Beachbody Coach, this has been an incredible time to be apart of the business, in the fact that not only do we aspire to make a difference in those that need to lose weight and get healthy, but those that are suffering a disease that can be managed by proper nutrition and exercise.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems:

• Right away, your cells may be starved for energy.
• Over time, high blood glucose levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.
  

Source: ADA website.

Throughout much research, it's been documented that type 2 diabetes can be managed through proper diet and nutrition as by:

• improving your body's use of insulin
• reducing body fat
• increasing muscle strength and bone density
• lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol
• improving blood circulation
• increasing energy levels, and
• reducing stress

...these all have a direct association with combating type 2 diabetes.

Anyway, in speaking earlier to what an incredible organization Beachbody is to work with, it almost seems historical to be a part of a business that has partnered with an organization like the ADA, to join efforts in helping ward off a disease that touches so many. Together with nutritionists, doctors and certified diabetic educators, in October 2008, Beachbody® launched Kathy Smith's Project YOU!: Type 2™, in alliance with the American Diabetes Association®. It's the first all-in-one solution to help manage diabetes, reduce your risk for diabetes complications, and get you back in control of your life!

The program comes complete with a 12 week workout guide, workout wallet with CD's and DVD's, Workout Calendar, cookbook, mix and match meal cards, program guides and 12-week food & fitness journal, a Beachbody coach and online support. (**It is important to note that proceeds from the sale of this product support American Diabetes Association's mission: to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of people with diabetes.

So, if you, or anyone you know is pre-diabetic, suffers from Type 2 diabetes, do them the great reward of introducing them to Kathy Smith's Project You!: Type 2™ and get them on the road to recovery and back to living a healthy and fruitful live.

Want to get involved in this phenomenon and help change the lives of others? Become a Coach! I'll show you how and help you grow your business beyond your wildest dreams. Join the Ultimate Beachbody® Revolution.

Challenge #1 for the Day

Each day I am going to present one CHALLENGE that I personally want to stick to. I encourage anyone reading this, to follow me and create a challenge for themselves.

Today's Challenge:

PORTION CONTROL

It is one thing to adhere to a healthy lifestyle and "clean" diet, although it's another to overeat those foods, even though they are good for you. Calories are calories, anyway you cut it. So, today, and going forward, my challenge is to manage my PORTIONS and measure out my respective serving sizes.

I want to make the most of my workout program, ChaLEAN Extreme, and in order to see maximum results, I will manage my portions.

I challenge you all reading this, to do the same and follow my journey.

30 Random Things About Me

1. I could stare at my kids for hours and hours and hours. It amazes me that we can create such amazing little humans.
2. I feel honored to have as many wonderful friends that I do…despite getting mocked for having too many. Who can have too many friends???
3. I have a ½ sister that I tend to forget about. Likely because she doesn’t live near us and is only 6 months older than my daughter, therefore I tend to think of her as a “niece”, which would be weird!
4. I married my best friend. He makes me light up.
5. My brother is my hero.
6. My Mother has been through more life shattering obstacles and she continues to amaze me with her strength. I only wish I carry as much strength and courage she does.
7. I would love to get a part time job at Lululemon, just to get a discount on their clothes. LOVE THEM!
8. I’ve always had a secret ambition to be a back up hip hop dancer. Not for a rap star, but someone like Britney, Beyonce or Fergie.
9. I sense my Grandfather, aka “Buppy” in my son. They share many funny mannerisms.
10. I have finally found my calling, aside from motherhood – to help others find a better quality of life through fitness, nutrition and self-employment. I LOVE IT!
11. I secretly love that my son is a little Momma’s boy! 12. I’ve always wanted to travel to Australia and Barbados.
13. I have been enamored with Facebook and how many friends I’ve reconnected with.
14. I love anything SWEET!
15. Although I’m not entirely savvy with it…I love technology. Especially the latest and greatest cell phone/Blackberry.
16. I’m thinking about getting my Group Exercise certificate.
17. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the men and women that serve our country.
18. My goal is to finish my 1st marathon this summer.
19. I would do anything for my family.
20. I’m thankful to be out of Corporate America.
21. I feel badly that our dog spends more time at my in-laws, than our place. It’s for the best, but I still feel bad…and sad.
22. Shows on the WB make me cry!
23. I would love to really learn how to play golf. Then I could keep up with my husband.
24. I’m in love with snowboarding.
25. I sleep with a white noise machine every night. It’s heaven.
26. Although I complain about her bad sleeping habits, I secretly love it when my daughter gets into bed with us in the middle of the night.
27. I have a scar over both of my eyes. It’s amazing I still can see!
28. I miss my Dad terribly and saddened each day that he doesn't get to see his grandchildren evolve into truly exceptional little beings.
29. Getting in better shape has built up my confidence.
30. I have the biggest fear of earthquakes.

What is your "WHY"?

Have you ever asked yourself that? What is my "WHY"?

Well, if you are a Beachbody Coach, like me, you are constantly reminded to recognize your "WHY". For so long I went back and forth on what my "WHY" was. Was it to provide more for my family? To be a role model for my kids? To fulfull a passion in what I enjoy? Or was it to take on a new challenge and know I can succeed?

All of these are valid "WHY's", but you must look deep into your soul and really dissect what your "WHY" is.

By establishing your very own "WHY", you can set the tone for what you want to accomplish. Now, this isn't a "WHY" that your husband, friend, Mother, Mother-in-law or sister wants for you, or expects from you, this is what YOU want to accomplish and what YOU can achieve.

So take a moment, right down your goals and really, truly establish your "WHY". You'll be amazed to see it in plain site and as you focus on it, recognize the power within yourself to achieve it.

Always live by your "WHY" and know you can achieve great things by it.

WANT TO LEAN OUT? Here is the secret....ADD MUSCLE! by Mike French

A great post by a fabulous fellow Team Beachbody Coach to his group - this answers A LOT of questions for most:

1.) Muscle is the MOST anabolic substance in the human body (Anabolic processes tend toward "building up" organs and tissues. These processes produce growth and differentiation of cells and increase in body size)

2.) Muscle chews up body fat. If you add 1 pound of muscle, and your body burns an additional 50 calories per day just to sustain that muscle. (Add 10 pounds of muscle and your body burns an extra 500 calories to maintain it!)

Most people in an effort to burn body fat greatly increase their number and length of cardiovascular workout sessions.THIS IS A MISTAKE!!!!! This hamstrings your efforts to burn body fat believe it or not. While you do burn allot of calories during extended cardio sessions you are also chewing up hard earned muscle. That is why you don't see any competitive
bodybuilders who also run marathons!

You burn alot of calories during extended or extra cardio but that stops when you stop the cardio.

Here is the secret:Your metabolism continues to burn body fat and calories for HOURS after hard resistance training. The muscle repairing itself has alot to do with this.

In effect, building muscle through INTENSE weight training is the key to the lean, muscular body we all strive for.(A prime example of extended cardio not being the key is people that only do aerobics and no weight training. They NEVER change the shape of their body. They stay the same year after year....what is the sense of that?)

What does this mean for P90Xers or ChaLEAN users?

DO THE PROGRAM AS DESIGNED AND WORK HARD ON GETTING STRONGER DURING YOUR RESISTANCE TRAINING NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT

**EMPHASIZE PROTEIN - Eating more protein intensifies the thermogenic effect of the digestive process by 1/3rd and protein is the nutrient that builds metabolism enhancing muscle.

We need carbohydrates to fuel our workouts and repair muscle but don't get carried away. Too much WILL be stored as fat.

Remember guys and gals:MORE STRENGTH = MORE MUSCLE = LESS BODYFAT

Thanks Mike!! You always put it into perspective.

To learn more about P90X, any of the Beachbody Programs, or how you can be a part of our Coaching program, click here to learn more.

Sheryl Crow - Another P90X Fan

We all read in our favorite People Magazine how Poppy Montgomery was able to shed all her baby weight by doing P90X. Now Sheryl Crow has endorsed it as she raved about it on the red carpet at the Grammy's.

It's not just a trend, it's a proven total body program that will guarantee results. Ask me how!

Why Economics Drives Most Food Options You Have

A great article from Mercola.com:

Being overweight is not just a disease; it’s a symptom of many other things that are wrong with your diet. And much of the blame for the current American diet comes down to economics.In a $10 trillion economy, $1 trillion goes to food companies and $2.5 trillion goes to health care. Food companies, like any good businesses, are always seeking to increase the consumption of their product. But in food, there’s an unwritten law of marketing called potato chip marketing equations.That means that 10 percent of your customers buy 90 percent of the product. You may go out and buy one or two bags of potato chips a month. But somebody else is buying one bag a day -- 30 bags every month.When you add that extra 20 percent extra to your weight, you don’t increase your food consumption 20 percent a day. You double it to 200 percent a day. Your caloric intake to maintain 180 pounds is almost twice the caloric intake you need to maintain 150 pounds.Think of that from the standpoint a food company. Food companies, as a result, market to people to make everyone part of their potato chip marketing equation. They spend their marketing dollars getting existing customers to buy more of their product.At what point after two, three, four, 10, 12 bags of potato chips do they no longer taste good? How about McDonald’s French fries? All processed foods never get tiring -- they have chemically altered the food substances in that food to make sure you’re never tired of it.The problem with obesity, which is ultimately caused by poor diet, is really an economic problem. And when people consume this terrible diet, they end up with all types of medical problems, and they go to the doctors for treatment. But the medical companies are in effect in a conspiracy of sorts with the food companies. They’ve almost said to the food companies, “We’ll treat the symptoms of this bad diet. We will never treat the cause, your bad food.”

Sources:
AdvantEdge Newsletter


Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Renowned economist Paul Pilzer has done an excellent job of revealing what’s going on behind the scenes when it comes to food production and marketing in the United States. I encourage you to read the entire article by clicking on the link above.

Regular newsletter readers know that I’m fond of exposing how much the drug industry spends to manipulate and distort your perceptions about health care. Well they only spend $20 billion a year. The food industry is spending TWICE that much to convince you and your kids to choose highly processed convenience foods that will accelerate a massive decline in your health (and facilitate your need to use drugs to control your symptoms).

You can watch this terrific video series by Peter Jennings to find out just how the food industry is quietly sabotaging your health. For instance, 90 percent of foods Americans purchase every year are processed foods, and in 2006, 2,800 new candies, desserts, ice cream, and snacks were introduced to the marketplace, compared to just 230 new fruits or vegetable products.

Food marketers do a masterful job at making it seem like fast foods and junk foods are the obvious choice. They’re relatively inexpensive, they taste good, and they make fixing dinner a snap. No longer do you need to fuss with actually cleaning or chopping a vegetable. Simply pop their prepared boxes of food in the microwave and you’re ready to go.

What the food industry neglects to tell you is that there is a heavy price for consuming this terrible diet. It is one of the major causes of a slew of chronic diseases facing the United States. So for the sake of convenience or good taste now, you are trading the most valuable asset that you have: your health.

Why do You Eat so Much Junk Food?

As I said above, 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food goes toward processed foods. This is, in large part, due to the successful marketing of agribusiness They have also cleverly designed your food shopping experience at most supermarkets to increase the sales of higher profit junk foods, instead of farmer’s markets that display whole foods. Another significant part of the food equation is that most American food crops are currently subsidized by the U.S. government: such as corn, wheat, soy and rice. Growing little else but corn and soy translates to a far higher likelihood we will eating more processed foods.

And then there are the food additives, chemicals added to the foods to make you want more. I found this to be one of the most interesting and spot-on parts of Pilzer’s article. When people struggle with food cravings and overeating, it is typically because they are craving something unhealthy like potato chips, French fries, soda or candy.I doubt if any physician or nutritionist has seen someone come in complaining about their desire to gorge themselves on spinach and asparagus. It just doesn’t happen. This is because your body will naturally crave a variety of different foods to keep you healthy. That is, if you eat unprocessed whole foods. Processed foods are typically chemically altered to increase the appeal to your taste buds, so they can override your body’s signals in your body that would otherwise tell you it’s time to stop eating and try something else. These foods are pumped full of unnatural amounts of sugar, corn syrup, salt, MSG and many others, which radically increases the likelihood of becoming addicted to them. In one study of rats fed a diet containing 25 percent sugar, they became anxious when the sugar was removed -- displaying symptoms similar to people going through drug withdrawals, such as chattering teeth and the shakes.

The researchers conducting the study found a link between opioids, your brain’s 'pleasure chemicals,' and a craving for sweet, salty and fatty foods. It is thought that high-fat foods stimulate the opioids, as when researchers stimulated rats’ brains with a synthetic version of the natural opioid enkephalin, the rats ate up to six times their normal intake of fat.

Further, long lasting changes in rats' brain chemistry, similar to those caused by morphine or heroin use, were also noted. According to researchers, this means that even simple exposure to pleasurable foods is enough to change gene expression, which suggests an addiction to the food.Meanwhile, refined sugar, which is in just about every processed food out there, because it is cheap and improves the flavor of the food, has been proven to be more addictive than cocaine! Your body’s sweet receptors (two protein receptors located on your tongue), which evolved in ancestral times when the diet was very low in sugar, have not adapted to modern times’ high-sugar consumption.

Therefore, the abnormally high stimulation of these receptors by our sugar-rich diets generates excessive reward signals in the brain, which have the potential to override normal self-control mechanisms, and thus lead to addiction.

This is why, if you regularly eat a diet of processed foods, whole foods seem to lack flavor. You have become conditioned to think that these chemically altered foods are the norm, when in reality the opposite is true.When you switch your diet to one focused on whole, unprocessed foods, such as the one I recommend in Take Control of Your Health, your ability to appreciate natural flavors will rapidly return. Suddenly you’ll experience how delicious fresh produce can be. And a piece of fruit will taste very sweet. Once you are eating this way, if you then eat a candy bar or a potato chip, you will frequently be shocked by the excessive sweetness and saltiness.

This is Not About Self-Deprivation

Many people feel that if they can’t eat their favorite junk foods, they are being deprived. In reality, the sooner you switch your eating habits, the sooner you’ll enjoy increased energy, normalized weight, a better mood and improved health overall.

Knowing this, many initially succeed at implementing an improved diet, but then fall back into old habits... and therefore, the "old" body.Why? This is largely due to emotional barriers or injuries that were never healed. This is why to truly succeed at revamping your eating habits, and breaking free from the onslaught of marketing messages telling you otherwise, I highly recommend you work on overcoming your emotional eating challenges.There are clearly many useful and effective strategies in this area. In my clinical practice, I have tried a variety of methods, and have been exposed to many more (both traditional and alternative) but none have come close to the success rate I have experienced with the Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT. This form of psychological acupressure can help you to reduce food cravings, remove negative emotions and implement positive goals so that you are ready to make a change.

Remember, subsisting on junk foods alone is a surefire way to accelerate your aging process and compromise your health. (To get an idea of how quickly and dramatically this happens, watch SuperSize Me.) There is just no way around it -- if you want to reap a healthy life, you and your family need to focus your diets on fresh, whole foods.

HELP ME FIGHT THE GROWING TRENDS OF OBESITY: www.choose2befit.com

Beachbody Revolution - Turn Your Weight Loss into Profit!

5 Tips for Teaching Nutritious Food Choices, By Suzy Buglewicz

It can seem like an impossible task to steer kids toward healthy food choices when they face a daily stream of endless advertisements depicting other kids happily devouring high-calorie foods loaded with sugar, fats, and sodium. But according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), our food and physical activity choices affect not only our health but how we feel today, tomorrow, and in the future. Studies show that a child's nutrition has a direct impact on how healthy he or she will be as an adult. With the holiday season behind us, and fewer visions of sugar plums and other treats dancing through our heads, there's no time like the present to reinforce a balanced diet. And the bottom line is that kids won't know about good food choices unless their parents show them what foods they need for their bodies to grow strong.

1. Plan menus as a family. One of the best places kids can learn about food and healthy eating is in their own kitchens. Sitting down to plan a week's worth of family menus might sound daunting and time consuming, but it will make the next two tips much easier and worth the effort. Pick a time before the week starts and decide on about 5 days' worth of menus. Pull out a few cookbooks, ask the kids for their input, and let them choose some of their favorite recipes. Nutrition experts recommend that parents offer a range of healthy choices that are similar in nutritional value instead of simply asking kids what they want to eat. It's a win-win since the kids feel in control by getting to make the choice, and the parent knows that, whatever the choice is, the choice will be healthy. Encourage them to create a menu board on which they write down and decorate the week's menu. Don't forget to include desserts—healthy desserts, of course!

2. Go shopping. If you want your family to eat healthily, you have to shop healthily. Take your kids to the grocery store (feed them before you leave the house!), and, for the older kids, encourage them to read the nutrition information on the labels of their favorite snack foods. (Get Real with Shaun T™ and Shaun T's Fit Kids® Club both offer guides for teaching kids to read nutrition labels.) Ask them to look at the sugar, fat, and salt contents, and explain that the higher the percentages, the unhealthier the foods are. The more involved kids are in the shopping and meal planning, the better informed they'll be to make healthier choices about what they eat, even when you're not there to remind them.Another benefit of taking kids to the grocery store is giving them supervised control to choose healthy snacks for the family. Consider fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season when they are at their peak flavor, and encourage the kids to choose a fruit and/or vegetable they've never tried before. Include breakfast items on the shopping trip, since studies show that eating breakfast gives our bodies the fuel we need to have enough energy for the rest of the day. And if you don't want your kids to eat junk food, don't buy it. Experts warn that eating too much junk food is contributing to the rise in childhood obesity.

3. Get cooking. It's no secret that eating out puts on more pounds than eating home-cooked meals. Eating at home also gives you a better idea of reasonable portion control, which has gotten out of control at restaurants, where plates are often supersized with extra starchy and fried foods like bread and french fries. Even with multiple family activities and schedules, vowing to cook at home just one more night a week than you do now can make a difference. Teach your kids how to cook; if they're too young, encourage them to help you in the kitchen. Not only will they learn what goes into a healthy meal, preparing meals as a family allows for quality family time. Kids can even reinforce what they've learned in school by helping look up and read recipes and measure ingredients. Even if you're really pressed for time, a meal as simple as grilled chicken breast with a green salad and a baked potato provides a nutritious dinner that can be on the table in 30 minutes.

4. Take a walk on the wild side: try something new. Kids need healthy food choices to fuel their growing bodies and active lifestyles, but sometimes they get stuck in a rut eating only things like carrots or cucumbers as their "healthy food choices." When introducing a new food on their plates, serve small portions so you'll both feel a sense of accomplishment when they finish eating. And be sure to let your kids see you try new foods so they're more likely to step out of their comfort zones and try something new as well.The USDA recommends starting with one new healthy food at a time and adding a new one each day. One of the easiest ways to add more fruits and vegetables to a picky kid's diet is to serve the food cut into bite-sized pieces with healthy but tasty dips or spreads. Apple slices with peanut butter and carrots, celery, and broccoli with low-fat ranch dip, flavored hummus, or even homemade salsa are great choices. Talk to your kids about what different types of foods do for the body, such as the importance of calcium for building strong teeth and bones and vegetables and grains for building healthy muscles and having a healthy digestion system. If the kids only want to eat junk food because they think it tastes good, explain that they will ultimately face issues like fatigue, obesity, and high blood pressure, which will lead to lifelong health problems.

5. Practice what you preach. Be a good role model and show your kids that a nutritious diet is all about balance, not deprivation. Go ahead and let them see you splurge on an occasional chocolate bar or donut, but make sure they also see you regularly eating your fruits and vegetables. Continue the healthy eating trend when eating out as a family and encourage your kids to make healthier choices. A sub sandwich on whole wheat bread with a side of baked potato chips is a much better choice than a greasy burger and fries. The nutrition choices parents teach kids when they're young will likely stay with them as they grow. And while you can't expect bad habits to change overnight, small steps to improve what you eat along with regular exercise will lead to a lifetime of healthy habits.

If you are not a FREE Member of the Team Beachbody Community, then let me know how I can help you get signed in. You can be receiving these and more great articles, tips and info into your own INBOX. Ask me how.

Coca-Cola Sued for Marketing "Vitaminwater" as Healthy

A great article I found through my favorite health and wellness website: www.mercola.com

A class-action suit contends that Coca-Cola is illegally marketing its “Vitaminwater” line as a healthy product.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is one party to the suit, which cites California consumer-protection laws.According to the suit, "Vitaminwater is not a healthy beverage. Rather it is sugar water -- just like soft drinks -- with a few added vitamins."The suit cites the labeling of Vitaminwater with flavors such as "defense," "rescue," "energy" and "multi-v" as proof of its health claims.

The suit asks that California consumers of Vitaminwater be awarded actual and punitive damages.
Sources:
Advertising Age January 15, 2009


Dr. Mercola's Comments:
With a name like “Vitaminwater,” there’s no doubt Glaceau, the maker of Vitaminwater, is trying to pass this brightly colored sugary beverage line off as healthy. It’s their attempt to cash in on a growing trend among Americans and others around the world to seek out health-supporting drinks instead of soda -- and it’s working.

Coca-Cola is not stupid and after significant due diligence they bought Glaceau in 2007 for $4.1 billion. Since then, Information Resource Inc. reported that the brand increased sales by over 19 percent in 2008. There is no doubt in my mind that people are willing to buy these pricey drinks because of the illusion that they will promote their health.

The varieties include such catchy names as ‘defense,' 'rescue,' 'energy' and 'endurance,' and the maker’s claim the drinks can reduce your risk of chronic disease and eye disease, promote healthy joints and support immune function.

What’s Really Lurking in a Bottle of Vitaminwater?

The average person picking up a bottle of Vitaminwater would easily think this is simply flavored water with added vitamins and minerals, which sounds like a good thing, right?

Well, in reality a bottle of Vitaminwater contains 33 grams of sugar, including crystalline fructose. So the average consumer will believe they are doing themselves and their family a huge favor by choosing Vitaminwater over soda when the reality is that there is not much difference -- Vitaminwater has over SIX TEASPOONS of sugar in it.

What is crystalline fructose? According to The Sugar Association, “Crystalline fructose is produced by allowing the fructose to crystallize from a fructose-enriched corn syrup.”

While many people mistakenly believe that fructose is an acceptable form of sweetener, it is far from healthy. Refined man-made fructose metabolizes to triglycerides and adipose tissue, not blood glucose. The downside of this is that fructose does not stimulate your insulin secretion, nor enhance leptin production. (Leptin is a hormone involved in appetite regulation.)

Because insulin and leptin act as key signals in regulating how much food you eat, as well as your body weight, this suggests that dietary fructose may contribute to increased food intake and weight gain.

Additionally, fructose is also known to significantly raise your triglycerides, which puts you at an increased risk of heart disease.

So in no way, shape or form is Vitaminwater something I’d consider healthy. CSPI, who filed the suit against Coca-Cola, was right on when they said:

“ … According to CSPI nutritionists, the 33 grams of sugar in each bottle of Vitaminwater do more to promote obesity, diabetes and other health problems than the vitamins in the drinks do to perform the advertised benefits listed on the bottles.”

CSPI litigation director Steve Gardner went on to say:

"Coke fears, probably correctly, that they’ll sell less soda as Americans become increasingly concerned with obesity, diabetes, and other conditions linked to diets too high in sugar. VitaminWater is Coke's attempt to dress up soda in a physician's white coat. Underneath, it’s still sugar water, albeit sugar water that costs about ten bucks a gallon."

If you think Vitaminwater is a stretch, Coca-Cola even came out with a Diet Coke Plus, which contains vitamins as well, and was being marketed as a health food until the FDA stepped in late last year.

If you gain nothing else from this article, let it serve as a reminder as to the importance of reading labels. As the saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover … and you can’t judge a food product by its cover either. If you are opting to buy any processed food, make sure to flip it over and read the ingredients for yourself, regardless of how healthy it appears to be.

The simple fact remains that drinking any flavored, sweetened beverage is not going to push your health in a positive direction, whether or not it is sprinkled with a few added vitamins. A better choice is to drink pure water, and get your vitamins the way they were designed to be obtained.

The Superior Way to Get Your Vitamins Is …

From your food, of course! No vitamin supplement can compensate for improper eating. So if you want to get all of the great health benefits that Vitaminwater is claiming -- reduced risk of chronic disease, more energy, a healthier immune system and so on -- it’s time to start paying attention to what you’re eating. Proper nutrition really begins with identifying your Nutritional Type, and then following the program, focusing on eating unprocessed, organic and locally grown foods.

As a complement to your diet, a multivitamin can be beneficial, but not in the synthetic forms used in most energy drinks, flavored beverages and vitamin pills on the market. Your body will absorb greater amounts of nutrients if the multivitamin comes in a non-synthetic natural whole food form, and this is the only type I recommend taking.

Hope you enjoyed the article, for more great info on proper health and wellness, keep checking back here on add Mercola to your favorites browser.

Network Marketing and the Revolution of the Beachbody Coaching Opportunity

Carl Daikeler, CEO of Beachbody, is like the rest of us, in touch with the growing revelation of social media. Well with that, he's the MAN behind the most powerful at home workout programs that have given MILLIONS incredible fitness results and business success, and now, the inscrupulous launch of the Beachbody Coaching Home Business Opportunity. His recent blog post Why Network Marketing, is enlightening in the fact that is offers and opportunity for real people to live a financially fit lifestyle. I've fallen in love with the amazing reward that this business has offered me and the lives that I've touched, so I wanted to share how the vision was created, by the man himself.

"I love creating things, building something that will be productive and solve a problem. I also like building income over the long term. Creativity, contribution, and constant steady year-over-year growth... that's how I approach what I do.

Beachbody exceeded $300 million in sales last year, largely due to the success of infomercials like Turbo Jam, P90X, Ten Minute Trainer, Slim in 6 and Hip Hop Abs. We have the most compelling pipeline of new products and infomercial since we launched the company. So, why network marketing?

I believe the real opportunity in fitness is not in building a huge monolithic company that simply sells product to people. Companies have been trying to leverage fitness to build huge businesses for decades. Yet the obesity trend grows, and no fitness company has really succeeded in getting people to REALLY embrace what it takes to get healthy and fit. Not the equipment makers. Not the gym chains. Not the weight loss centers. Not even Beachbody. Yes, we continue to grow, infomercial by infomercial, selling great product to people, and we've had some amazing success stories. But many people still will start-then-quit just like everything else they've tried unless there is another dynamic at work.

That's what the Beachbody Coach Network is about -- adding the powerful dynamic of peer-support, the "Share" of "Play, Shake and Share", to help people stay accountable to their desire to get healthy and fit.

Our network marketing business is 16,000 coach-distributors strong and growing fast. We assign customer leads to qualified coaches (for free) when one of our TV customers says they want support to succeed with their program. The coach helps that customer set their start date, and stay accountable to consistency. Our coaches are not fitness experts or nutritionists -- but friends who care about revolutionizing how people approach their own health and fitness.

In exchange, in the future when those customer leads purchase another product from Beachbody, the coach gets the commission.

And it works. Anne Dovel sent me this email string... Amazing stuff:

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From: Anne Dovel

To: Carl Daikeler

Subject: new customer lead

Hey Carl. Been a while since I’ve sent you a thumb’s up for everything you do. I thought you’d like to see a customer who is grateful for the coaching program. :) Thanks for everything. I hope you had a wonderful holiday and wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year. :) Anne

Hi Anne! I am proud of the difference that I see. I know I can do this. It just takes time and effort. I honestly can't thank you enough for all your help. I am really grateful that Beachbody started the coaching program because I don't know that I would have been able to do all this without your help. I know my husband was trying to help me but he couldn't really come up with a menu for me and he really doesn't understand where I am coming from about hating the way I look. You do because you are a mom too and I think that is so cool to talk to you. You understand so much more than anyone else I've talked too. But anyways I will talk to you later. I hope you get your knitting fixed.

Thanks,Susan

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Anne gets it, and now another customer has had success. As Anne said to Susan in a reply: "The reason Beachbody started the coaching was because they found out that someone had a greater chance of succeeding even if they just had someone to talk to who had been through the challenges they are going through!"

And it's a win-win that will continue to grow. I know that because I get so many emails like this one from part-time coach Joey Petri. While many coaches are still working their way to their first check and income is always a factor of skill and effort, here's a young coach who is one of the many people who are turning this opportunity into a dream job:

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I just wanted to share this with you guys because I'm super excited. I added up all my commission checks from 2008 and I earned $13,394.98!!! This is amazing to me and I know that 2009 will be an ever bigger and better year. This money allowed me to go to school full time and pursue a 2nd degree in Phys Ed, this allowed me to live in my place and not move home, this paid my bills and my gas. (Disclaimer I also had some help from my savings as a pharma rep.) This is going to make 2009 an amazing and exciting year. Thanks again for all of your support!!

Joey

P.S. Traci, I still remember our 5 minute conversation at Tony's Camp in NY and I told you about how I was considering going back to school for my phys ed degree. You said Beachbody would allow me the freedom to do what I want to do and I'm so thrilled and excited to continue to make that conversation, that dream, a reality.

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So when people ask me "Why Network Marketing", I respond that it is an imperative. Growth is one thing, contribution is another. This business model has both, and instead of one giant company, we're going to be a company of a million coaches, each their own independent company, helping 100 million people get healthy and fit. That's what we will achieve, and that's why network marketing is a priority!"

These are just a small example of how Beachbody's DVD's, customer program, Club membership, Coaching Business Opportunity and the people within the community speak volumes to all that is behind the message of Beachbody...changing lives, establishing a lifestyle and paving the way for a healthier future.

If you are not a part of the Team Beachbody Community, Club or a Coach, you are missing out on an incredible journey to your own transformation, either physically or financially. I'll show you how to....

TURN YOUR WEIGHT LOSS INTO PROFIT!

Taryn Perry

www.financiallyfitathome.com

www.choose2befit.com

Follow me on Twitter!

Beachbody Testimonial by Founding Coach, Blake Warrington

I wanted to share this great testimonial by one of our founding Coaches, and I'm honored to have him as our team leader. As a fellow skeptic, I related well with how he approached the business. Enjoy:

"My name is Blake Warrington and I am a Beachbody Coach who has experienced tremendous results with P90X. I was introduced to the Team Beachbody business by corporate and instantly fell in love with the concept. However, I realized that if I was going to do the business I had to become a product of the product. By nature I am a very skeptical person, and even more so when it comes to the in-home fitness programs. I have never done one of these types of programs before and was always an avid "gym rat." While not in tip top shape, I always considered myself as someone in decent shape for my age, and consistently did my "3 sets of 8 to 10 reps" for each body part, along with some treadmill or running about 4-5 days a week. Knowing I had to be a product of the product, I started my P90X workouts and soon realized I was not in the best shape I could be. P90X is the most amazing and intense program I have ever experienced in my life. It has completely transformed my body like I would have never imagined. At 49 years of age, I went from 18.5% body fat and a 36 in waist, to 9.8% body fat and a 32 inch waist. I don't think I can remember ever being 9.8% body fat. I probably blew through it at some time in high school or college. My abs are starting to really show and I get more compliments from people asking me what I do to stay in such great shape. I no longer have to pay my gym membership fee, and I can just about do my entire P90X workout in the time it used to take me just to drive to and from the gym. If you are looking to get in the best shape of your life, and you would like to do it from the comfort of your own home, using nothing more than a pull-up bar and a set of dumbbells or resistance bands, then you owe it to yourself to try P90X. It comes with a full 90 day, no risk, money back guarantee. Try getting that from a gym or personal trainer!"

If you are interested in embarking on your very own fitness lifestyle and also want to get financially fit, let's talk!

Taryn Perry

http://www.financiallyfitathome.com/

http://www.choose2befit.com/

taryn.perry@comcast.net

When Carb's are your friend!

I wanted to share this article as originally written by Mike French. It answers many burning questions relating to our carb intake, when to eat them and when to avoid them.

Controlling your carbohydrate intake from day to day make our workout efforts more effective and take into account what we will be doing each day.

Here is how we break down our carb intake during the week:

Monday ~ Resistance (Strength) Day ~ Higher Carb Day
Tuesday ~ Cardio (Endurance) Day ~ Lower Carb Day
Wednesday ~ Resistance (Strength) Day ~ Higher Carb Day
Thursday ~ Cardio (Endurance) Day ~ Lower Carb Day
Friday ~ Resistance (Strength) Day ~ Higher Carb Day
Saturday ~ Cardio (Endurance) Day ~ Lower Carb Day
Sunday ~ "Active rest" (Run) Day ~ Lower Carb Day

Ratios (carb/fat/protein) for specific days on an average 2000 calories (active male) and 1400 (active female):

Lower Carb: 35% (Protein) 30% (Carb) 35% (Fat)

Higher Carb: 30% (Protein) 40% (Carb) 30% (Fat)

(Fats are mostly HEALTHY fats aka Raw Almonds )

We eat more carbs on Strength days to account for the extra energy needs of the day. Strength training creates a much greater "Metabolic disturbance" than cardio training does. What does this mean? Your metabolism is effected (you continue to burn calories - see my MUSCLE BURNS FAT blog) for hours after an intense Strength training workout. After a cardio workout, you caloric burn stops when you stop your exercise.

What constitutes higher carbs? Here are some examples:

1.) Oatmeal with Breakfast
2.) Whole Wheat Toast with Breakfast
3.) Eating Starchy carbs (Rice, bread, pasta) with lunch

On Cardio training days the carbs are lower because of the reduced energy needs. Here are some examples:
1.) Low carbs with breakfast ~ Egg Whites and Veggie sausage is a good example.
2.) No Starchy carbs with dinner ~ Chicken Breast with a nice salad is a good example.

So, what does this Carb Manipulation do for us on a daily basis? It gives us extra fuel for the days we need it (Strength days). It limits the fuel on days we don't need extra carbs (Cardio days). Also by changing the amount of carbs taken in on a daily basis, we are confusing our metabolisms. When you eat the same things on a daily basis, your body adapts to your program and eventually the results stop coming. Using this Carb Manipulation Plan you can keep your metabolism in a state of confusion, get stronger AND burn fat EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK!

Let me know if you have questions!


Article Originally posted by a fellow Beachbody Coach, Mike French.

10 Ways to Survive and Protect Yourself, in Social Networking

A great article worth reading, if you are getting started with social networking. Learn how to protect yourself AND be successful!


1. Use caution when you click links that you receive in messages from your friends on your social Web site. Treat links in messages on these sites as you would links in e-mail messages.

2. Don't trust that a message is really from who it says it's from. Hackers can break into accounts and send messages that look like they're from your friends, but aren't. If you suspect that a message is fraudulent, use an alternate method to contact your friend to find out. This includes invitations to join new social networks.

3. To avoid giving away e-mail addresses of your friends, do not allow social networking services to scan your e-mail address book. When you join a new social network, you might receive an offer to enter your e-mail address and password to find out who else is on the network. The site might use this information to send e-mail messages to everyone in your contact list or even everyone you've ever sent an e-mail message to with that e-mail address. Social networking sites should explain that they're going to do this, but some do not.

4. Type the address of your social networking site directly into your browser or use your personal bookmarks. If you click a link to your site through e-mail or another Web site, you might be entering your account name and password into a fake site where your personal information could be stolen.

5. Be selective about who you accept as a friend on a social network. Identity thieves might create fake profiles in order to get information from you. This is known as social engineering.

6. Choose your social network carefully. Evaluate the site that you plan to use and make sure you understand the privacy policy. Find out if the site monitors content that people post. You will be providing personal information to this Web site, so use the same criteria that you would to select a site where you enter your credit card.

7. Assume what you write on a social networking site is permanent. Even if you can delete your account, anyone on the Internet can easily print the information or save it to a computer.

8. Be careful about installing extras on your site. Many social networking sites allow you to download third-party applications that let you do more with your personal page. Criminals sometimes use these applications in order to steal your personal information. To download and use third-party applications safely, take the same safety precautions that you take with any other program or file you download from the Web. For more information, see Before you download files, help protect your computer.

9. Think twice before you use social networking sites at work. For more information, see Be careful with social networking sites, especially at work.

10. Talk to your kids about social networking. If you're a parent of children who use social networking sites, see How to help your kids use social Web sites more safely.

For more information or how I can help you achieve success in your internet marketing business, email me at: taryn.perry@comcast.net

MUSCLE BURNS FAT!!

You know what I've found to bring me the best success and rapid results? Is constant strength training. I think we all too often get fixated on cardio and that it's the key to us losing weight, but fail to recognize by weight training, you burn more calories and gain more lean muscle. I've discovered that in some of the Beachbody programs that I've become to LOVE! Something for everyone and they offer some great training from professionals. I've been able to drop my gym membership and get into better shape than I EVER have been, by going to the gym and doing weights and cardio. A simple mantra to remember....MUSCLE BURNS FAT (thanks Chalene)!

I think we've all been conditioned to think that if we lift heavy weights, that we will build bulk and not be feminine. Not true! If you lift heavy weights with low reps, you'll build lean, sculpted muscle, all while burning tons of calories. Why? Because your body is working so much hard lifitng those heavy weights, that by the time you put them down and get on with your day, your body is still burning calories. With cardio, you stop burning calories when you finish your activity. Who would've thought??

Hope this is helpful! I've got lots of great programs that align with this theory. Check them out here: www.choose2befit.com

Here's to your Fitness Success!
Taryn

TOP 10 REASONS TO “FAST” OR CLEANSE” YOUR BODY

I have recently completed a 9 Day Fasting program designed through the Beachbody products. It was an amazing experience, and one that I will routinely utilize for the shear fact of it's necessity. I was a skeptic at first, although after much research and affirmation, I recognized the good it does for one body. In light of that, I wanted to share an article as posted in a Beachbody® newsletter, by Steve Edwards.

By definition, anytime that you don't eat, you are fasting; hence the word "breakfast." But most therapeutic fasts last longer than one night, usually from one day to a few weeks. Juice or liquid fasts, while not traditional, are quite common because many of the desired results are achieved without as much stress on the body (see 2-Day Fast Formula® for one option). It's also common to begin a fast with a period of cleansing foods, such as veggies or soups. A modern fast is often synonymous with a cleanse; or a very restricted diet designed to reprogram your body. The majority of fasts only last a few days. Provided that you stay hydrated, the body can function without food for this long with little stress (though it may not feel like it to you, especially the first time). Those wanting to participate in the longer and more traditional fasts should have medical supervision, or at least be certain they are in condition to undertake such an adventure. While strict nutritionists rarely recommend such things, most alternative medicine practitioners, such as homeopaths, naturopathic doctors, and ayurvedic doctors are well versed at supervising and monitoring patients during fasts. Monitored fasts are almost always safe, but should be entered and exited with care.

Here are 10 reasons why you might want to try a fast or make them part of your lifestyle:

1. To cleanse your system. Most of us eat more than we should, take in more toxins than we'd like, and are subjected to many other things, like pollutants, that we'd rather avoid. Furthermore, the majority of us carry around a lot of undigested food in our system that comes from eating more than we can process. A fast will, essentially, flush these things from your system. Yes, you'll lose weight. But more importantly, your body will run better than it did before.

2. To change bad habits. When you don't eat, your body craves sustenance and becomes more sensitive to toxins. Most habits are based on cravings, but when you completely change how your system is running, those cravings change also. Coffee is the easiest example. During a fast, your body is too sensitive to tolerate highly acidic substances and caffeine very well. Things like coffee will often make you feel terrible, when it has the complete opposite effect normally.

3. To change your health. Many chronic conditions have used fasting as an effective treatment, including allergies, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, depression, diabetes, headaches, heart disease, high cholesterol, low blood sugar, digestive disorders, mental illness, and obesity. It is thought to be beneficial as a preventative measure to increase overall health, vitality, and resistance to disease.

4. To reset your body clock. Fasting gives you a clean slate. Without nutrients, you become more sensitive and sleep and other patterns change. It's an easy time to revamp your schedule and get your body clock working in your favor.

5. To bring your body into homeostasis. This is the balance point your body prefers to be at but is rarely achieved with our hectic lives. When the intake of food is temporarily stopped, many systems of the body are given a break from the hard work of digestion. The extra energy gives the body the chance to heal and restore itself, plus burning stored calories gets rid of toxic substances stored in the body. Essentially, you force your body to work efficiently and, thus, bring everything into balance.

6. For increased mental clarity. Most of us probably first heard of fasting as a religious exercise. There are examples of it in most spiritual texts. It's a great tactic for mental and spiritual rejuvenation because it forces focus on important thoughts and frees the mind from everyday clutter. When you are deprived of nutrients, your body—in a survival mode—begins to focus on things of true importance.

7. To make changing your diet easier. When you fast you become more sensitive to what you put into your body. It's easier to understand how nutrients affect you and, hence, how bad foods make you feel worse. Exiting a fast is the easiest time to change your diet for the better. Your body will crave healthy foods. All you need to do is give it what it wants.

8. To get a better feel for how exercise and diet make your body work. When you take away nutrients your body can't function as well as it did from a performance standpoint. When you add nutrients back, you'll feel your energy increase and how exercise affects you and utilizes nutrients. This understanding can be a great dietary aid. Most of us have a hard time understanding what fats, carbohydrates, and proteins do for us but coming off a fast you'll more easily understand their functions, especially if you are exercising.

9. To improve fat mobilization and physical efficiency. Many physiological changes occur in the body during fasting. Your body turns to stored fat for energy, and this process becomes more efficient under the stress of a fast. Furthermore, the brain, which has high fuel requirements, still needs glucose (sugars converted from glycogen) to perform well. To obtain glucose for the brain, the body finds two sources of fuel, ketosis and muscle, so the body begins to break down muscle tissue during a fast. But to fuel the brain, however, the body would need to burn around a pound of muscle a day. So we've developed another survival mechanism to create energy that saves important muscle mass, a process called ketosis. In ketosis, the liver converts stored fat into ketones, which can be used by the brain, muscles, and heart as energy. Those of you versed in the Atkins diet my have a negative association with this process but Atkins-ers somewhat abused it. It's another survival mechanism the body has that can be developed and utilized. Where Atkins may have overdone it was promoting it as a way of life, not a phase towards improving the body's functionality.

10. To get a forced rest phase. Our bodies do better when we train periodizationally. This is in phases of intensity, one of which is rest. Since we tend to skip this phase because we feel like we'll regress if we don't exercise (either that or over-embrace it to the point of not exercising), fasts force a recovery phase because you can't do hard exercise. The most exercise you should attempt is very—low intensity movements, like walking, hiking, or easy yoga or stretching. During this time, the body heals its cumulative microtrauma that has resulted from exercise. When you come off of a fast, your body will be slightly deconditioned. However, its capacity for conditioning will have increased. This means that once your catch up to the fitness level you were prior to fasting you will more easily exceed this level, instead of hitting a plateau.

By Steve Edwards, Fitness Advisor to Beachbody® and Team Beachbody®