I don't usually promote other blogs on my own but this one is from Steve Edwards, co-creator of P90X. Steve is a great fitness person since he does some of the toughest sports out there (without actually racing in a Spartan Race, Ha Ha!). Steve bikes, runs, and climbs. He is also a sort of Renaissance Man as far as fitness goes. He does not stop with lifting or indoor cycling or running miles on end or keep his workouts confined to the gym. He lays out the P90X2 program a little but mostly as a tease.
There also a link to an evolution of the programs Steve has helped to develop. Take a read. I kept my blog short to give you time for his blog and time to get your sweat on today. Now read a little and go work out!
I can be a computer idiot sometimes so you might have to copy the link and paste it in your browser.
http://steve-edwards.blogspot.com/2011/12/p90x2-for-outdoor-athletes.html
http://steve-edwards.blogspot.com/search/label/P90x%20mc2
Showing posts with label shakeology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shakeology. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Actually Losing Weight over the Holidays
You can start a diet and exercise program during the holidays but you should get some support.
Your friends who invite you to their party do not want you on a diet and you can bet they don't want you doing air squats between Karaoke Carols. So what are you to do? here are a few ways to begin or maintain a weight loss regimen this holiday season (if you can do it now then you can do it at any time during the year!):
1- Most important is to enlist a group of friends to begin together. There are great programs that offer community support, a key cause of success in any behavioral change. (http://www.teambeachbody.com/connect/beachbody-challenge?tracking=BEACHBODYCHALLENGEDOTCOM)
2- Take a before Photo! This alone scares the Hell out of most people. It is a phenomenal way to stay motivated. If you don't like how it looks then start today to change it. Imagine what you will look like in a year if you don't change your behavior today.(refer to #3)
3- Set a goal and put it on paper. Now to make it real: Imagine how you will feel if you achieve your goal. Now imagine how you feel in 1 year if you have not achieved your goal. Write this down or put it on your computer and print it! Look at it every day.
4- Take a picture of everything you eat. That's right! Everything! this will change your behavior by simply making you aware of what you are eating. Most People will choose a healthier option simply by being aware of what they are eating.
5- Make it a Competition! Put some money on the line! Don't like betting for money? Bet something else - sweeping, a movie, a trip. Bet all of your friends. Whoever loses the most or changes the most wins. More inches can then beat out more pounds lost to allow for muscle gain.
Now set yourself up for success by choosing 60 or 90 days. You and your friends can all keep at it for 60 - 90 days. If you start this Sat with me in NYC that will take you to about Valentines Day if you go for 90 days. That could be a great V-day celebration.
Details: Andy and Shay's NYC Fit Club
Shetler Studios
224 West 54th St #12
New York, NY 10019
Saturdays 10-11AM
We will be doing reVabs (since Shay is in it and it is amazing)
Your friends who invite you to their party do not want you on a diet and you can bet they don't want you doing air squats between Karaoke Carols. So what are you to do? here are a few ways to begin or maintain a weight loss regimen this holiday season (if you can do it now then you can do it at any time during the year!):
1- Most important is to enlist a group of friends to begin together. There are great programs that offer community support, a key cause of success in any behavioral change. (http://www.teambeachbody.com/connect/beachbody-challenge?tracking=BEACHBODYCHALLENGEDOTCOM)
2- Take a before Photo! This alone scares the Hell out of most people. It is a phenomenal way to stay motivated. If you don't like how it looks then start today to change it. Imagine what you will look like in a year if you don't change your behavior today.(refer to #3)
3- Set a goal and put it on paper. Now to make it real: Imagine how you will feel if you achieve your goal. Now imagine how you feel in 1 year if you have not achieved your goal. Write this down or put it on your computer and print it! Look at it every day.
4- Take a picture of everything you eat. That's right! Everything! this will change your behavior by simply making you aware of what you are eating. Most People will choose a healthier option simply by being aware of what they are eating.
5- Make it a Competition! Put some money on the line! Don't like betting for money? Bet something else - sweeping, a movie, a trip. Bet all of your friends. Whoever loses the most or changes the most wins. More inches can then beat out more pounds lost to allow for muscle gain.
Now set yourself up for success by choosing 60 or 90 days. You and your friends can all keep at it for 60 - 90 days. If you start this Sat with me in NYC that will take you to about Valentines Day if you go for 90 days. That could be a great V-day celebration.
Details: Andy and Shay's NYC Fit Club
Shetler Studios
224 West 54th St #12
New York, NY 10019
Saturdays 10-11AM
We will be doing reVabs (since Shay is in it and it is amazing)
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Race Report - Spartan Super: Hurricane Heat
For those who have been following this blog you have seen a few of my workouts. I love training and challenging myself. I like to work too but I love a vacation. this was about a goal event. This was where we put the training to the test.
This was all about the Hurricane Heat.
This was about teamwork, Joe Desena, Tommy McCormack, and a bunch of other people who wanted to come out and finish the race. There are no clocks. There are no timing chips. There are no losers. At the start there was not any daylight. There are only people out challenging themselves against their mind and body; overcoming that voice that says "STOP". And of course there is always the founder of the Spartan Race, Joe, telling you "30 Burpees" or "Jumping jacks until your team gets here. No standing around."
To start the day off right I woke up 30 min later than I had wanted to, 3:45AM. I grabbed a to-go breakfast and hit the road out to Staten Island, the boro I have been to the least and only for races. I showed up late but in enough time to prepare for the start.
After a final head count and safety check we were instructed to choose a team of 15-20 people we did not know (flash networking) and come up with a team name. There were 18 of us on "Team Badass", so named for the t-shirt I was wearing. 6 active duty military, 2 defense contractors, and 10 crazies started and finished together.
At 534AM the warm up, led by the founder of Spartan and Death Race, began with 30 burpees, 30 walking lunges, 30 Jumping Jacks, 30 pushups, etc. set the tone for the day. With our headlamps on and teams assembled we followed Joe out of the parking lot and on to the beach for the first obstacle, over a low wall and under a low beam thru a net that obstructed our view and sent a large clump of beach sand into my right eye (it would stay there until Tues). After the first obstacle we were tasked with reassembling the team and doing 30 burpees( are you noticing a theme yet?). 400 yrds later we were on to the next obstacle, the mud crawl (6 inches of stinky mud) under barbed wire 2ft above the mud followed by (you guessed it) 30 burpees. Did I mention it had rained quite heavily the night before the event?
The next obstacle was the famous over/under/through walls followed by 30 burpees(we are up to 120 burpees if you are keeping count).
I won't bore you with the details but here is a list of the remaining obstacles (assume 30 burpees after each and 400-800 meter run between):
Cargo net climb
50lb block hoist
Run through fire (Awesome! no burpees)
River run (beginning to wait longer for some team members)
tire drag (we had to press the tires full of water over head)
enclosed space with water/tunnel crawl through water
trail running
back through another tunnel
400m river trudge (I fell once)
Steep hill run (we did not have ropes)
appr. 2 mile trail run
Uneven monkey bars traverse (Collin was cramping really bad about now)
Balance Zig-Zag walk (after the burpees and jumping jacks as we waited for more team mates) We were told the finish line is 40 min away(mindf&$@k)
longer run
Ocean Wade with a 5 gallon bucket 3/4 full of water.
Cinder Bock drag/carry (no burpees, thank god, I hate burpees in the sand)
Spear Throw
Wall traverse
Soap rope wall (a 45/45/90 triangle with ropes that have been coated with dish soap)
No Burpees but 100 situps instead. Those are elbows to knees situps, wimp!
Finish line waitfest(Jumping jacks until EVERYONE finished the wall and the situps and the media got there)
All 160 of crossed the finish line at the same time.
It was one the hardest races I have ever done. Second only to XTERRA National Championship in Lake Tahoe, NV. The NYC marathon is a slog fest. Many other races have been hard; no race is easy(if its easy its a training run). I would not trade it for the world. (Well, maybe for the world).
Get yourself signed up for one of these races. Get yourself to a training session or Spartan Race Bootcamp.
If you are in NYC on a Wed night at 6PM, come to my Spartan Race Workout in Central Park (CENTRAL PARK!). Every Wed at 72nd St and 5th Ave. We workout rain or shine (mud is and only an obstacle). Only $10!
Now shut your computer down and go move your body.
Andy Nelson
917-226-5271
andy@getfitnyc.com
www.getfitnyc.com
myshakeology.com/tricoachandy
teambeachbody.com/tricoachandy
This was all about the Hurricane Heat.
This was about teamwork, Joe Desena, Tommy McCormack, and a bunch of other people who wanted to come out and finish the race. There are no clocks. There are no timing chips. There are no losers. At the start there was not any daylight. There are only people out challenging themselves against their mind and body; overcoming that voice that says "STOP". And of course there is always the founder of the Spartan Race, Joe, telling you "30 Burpees" or "Jumping jacks until your team gets here. No standing around."
To start the day off right I woke up 30 min later than I had wanted to, 3:45AM. I grabbed a to-go breakfast and hit the road out to Staten Island, the boro I have been to the least and only for races. I showed up late but in enough time to prepare for the start.
After a final head count and safety check we were instructed to choose a team of 15-20 people we did not know (flash networking) and come up with a team name. There were 18 of us on "Team Badass", so named for the t-shirt I was wearing. 6 active duty military, 2 defense contractors, and 10 crazies started and finished together.
At 534AM the warm up, led by the founder of Spartan and Death Race, began with 30 burpees, 30 walking lunges, 30 Jumping Jacks, 30 pushups, etc. set the tone for the day. With our headlamps on and teams assembled we followed Joe out of the parking lot and on to the beach for the first obstacle, over a low wall and under a low beam thru a net that obstructed our view and sent a large clump of beach sand into my right eye (it would stay there until Tues). After the first obstacle we were tasked with reassembling the team and doing 30 burpees( are you noticing a theme yet?). 400 yrds later we were on to the next obstacle, the mud crawl (6 inches of stinky mud) under barbed wire 2ft above the mud followed by (you guessed it) 30 burpees. Did I mention it had rained quite heavily the night before the event?
The next obstacle was the famous over/under/through walls followed by 30 burpees(we are up to 120 burpees if you are keeping count).
I won't bore you with the details but here is a list of the remaining obstacles (assume 30 burpees after each and 400-800 meter run between):
Cargo net climb
50lb block hoist
Run through fire (Awesome! no burpees)
River run (beginning to wait longer for some team members)
tire drag (we had to press the tires full of water over head)
enclosed space with water/tunnel crawl through water
trail running
back through another tunnel
400m river trudge (I fell once)
Steep hill run (we did not have ropes)
appr. 2 mile trail run
Uneven monkey bars traverse (Collin was cramping really bad about now)
Balance Zig-Zag walk (after the burpees and jumping jacks as we waited for more team mates) We were told the finish line is 40 min away(mindf&$@k)
longer run
Ocean Wade with a 5 gallon bucket 3/4 full of water.
Cinder Bock drag/carry (no burpees, thank god, I hate burpees in the sand)
Spear Throw
Wall traverse
Soap rope wall (a 45/45/90 triangle with ropes that have been coated with dish soap)
No Burpees but 100 situps instead. Those are elbows to knees situps, wimp!
Finish line waitfest(Jumping jacks until EVERYONE finished the wall and the situps and the media got there)
All 160 of crossed the finish line at the same time.
It was one the hardest races I have ever done. Second only to XTERRA National Championship in Lake Tahoe, NV. The NYC marathon is a slog fest. Many other races have been hard; no race is easy(if its easy its a training run). I would not trade it for the world. (Well, maybe for the world).
Get yourself signed up for one of these races. Get yourself to a training session or Spartan Race Bootcamp.
If you are in NYC on a Wed night at 6PM, come to my Spartan Race Workout in Central Park (CENTRAL PARK!). Every Wed at 72nd St and 5th Ave. We workout rain or shine (mud is and only an obstacle). Only $10!
Now shut your computer down and go move your body.
Andy Nelson
917-226-5271
andy@getfitnyc.com
www.getfitnyc.com
myshakeology.com/tricoachandy
teambeachbody.com/tricoachandy
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
3 Habits of Those who have lost 30lbs and Kept it off.
Studies show that there are 3 habits common to those who have lost 30lbs or more and kept it off:
1- They weigh themselves regularly.
2- They Work out at Home
3- They eat Breakfast
As a trainer and a coach I have been guilty of some of the bad habits of mediocre coaches, not in a while but I did in the beginning. I have told people not to weigh themselves "because the scale is not a good indicator." However, for those who truly want to lose weight then weighing regularly is a good thing. Weighing yourself regularly(NOT every day, once a week is good) lets you know if you need to change course or reminds you that you are on track.
Working out at home does not limit your ability to work out with others; I coach a team (www.teamwesports.com) of women who workout together to support each other in their athletic endeavours whether they are for weight loss, health improvement, or racing. If you work out at home then you have no excuse to skip workouts; it is never raining inside, or too hot or cold or snowy- there are NO EXCUSES at home.
Eating breakfast sets the rest of the day up for success. I like to start my day with veggies (quick recipe below) just to get the day going on a healthy note. Eating breakfast fuels the brain and the body keeping the hormones better balanced and staving off hunger and cravings. When I am in a rush I drink Shakeology () for breakfast and can go for hours without cravings( it also diminishes my cravings for the rest of the day). Eating a healthy breakfast that is low in simple carbohydrates and higher in protein and fiber helps to fuel you without spikes in the insulin level that can lead to a "crash" later.
Those are the three habits that work for almost everyone. Here are a few habits that work for many people and are worth trying:
4- Work out with someone else/join a group - working out with others keeps you all focused
5- Set a goal - Use a coach or trainer to help you set realistic, time managed weight loss goals
6- Make healthier choices daily - Begin with small steps and add to them daily. More veggies is a good start.
Now that you have some great tools to get you going start by implementing the first 3 today. What are you waiting for? If you need more help getting started then look to a professional for some guidance- a trainer or coach can get you to your goals faster!
Now go out get ahead of the Holiday Weight Gain Season!
-Andy Nelson
www.twitter.com/tricoachandy
facebook.com/getfitnyc
andy@getfitnyc.com
Healthy Recipe:
In a lightly oiled 10" cast iron skillet place 1cup Baby Spinach and cover heating on low.
In a small bowl beat 2 large whole eggs
After the Spinach has steamed for 3-5 min chop it with a spatula and place in the eggs.
Return the whole mixture to the skillet and cover (if rapid weight loss is not your goal you can add 1/2-3/4oz Grass Fed Organic Cheese on top). Heat appr 4 min.
Keep heat low to medium until the eggs are firm throughout.
Fold with a spatula and place on a plate.
Add some salsa for more veggie goodness!
1- They weigh themselves regularly.
2- They Work out at Home
3- They eat Breakfast
As a trainer and a coach I have been guilty of some of the bad habits of mediocre coaches, not in a while but I did in the beginning. I have told people not to weigh themselves "because the scale is not a good indicator." However, for those who truly want to lose weight then weighing regularly is a good thing. Weighing yourself regularly(NOT every day, once a week is good) lets you know if you need to change course or reminds you that you are on track.
Working out at home does not limit your ability to work out with others; I coach a team (www.teamwesports.com) of women who workout together to support each other in their athletic endeavours whether they are for weight loss, health improvement, or racing. If you work out at home then you have no excuse to skip workouts; it is never raining inside, or too hot or cold or snowy- there are NO EXCUSES at home.
Eating breakfast sets the rest of the day up for success. I like to start my day with veggies (quick recipe below) just to get the day going on a healthy note. Eating breakfast fuels the brain and the body keeping the hormones better balanced and staving off hunger and cravings. When I am in a rush I drink Shakeology () for breakfast and can go for hours without cravings( it also diminishes my cravings for the rest of the day). Eating a healthy breakfast that is low in simple carbohydrates and higher in protein and fiber helps to fuel you without spikes in the insulin level that can lead to a "crash" later.
Those are the three habits that work for almost everyone. Here are a few habits that work for many people and are worth trying:
4- Work out with someone else/join a group - working out with others keeps you all focused
5- Set a goal - Use a coach or trainer to help you set realistic, time managed weight loss goals
6- Make healthier choices daily - Begin with small steps and add to them daily. More veggies is a good start.
Now that you have some great tools to get you going start by implementing the first 3 today. What are you waiting for? If you need more help getting started then look to a professional for some guidance- a trainer or coach can get you to your goals faster!
Now go out get ahead of the Holiday Weight Gain Season!
-Andy Nelson
www.twitter.com/tricoachandy
facebook.com/getfitnyc
andy@getfitnyc.com
Healthy Recipe:
In a lightly oiled 10" cast iron skillet place 1cup Baby Spinach and cover heating on low.
In a small bowl beat 2 large whole eggs
After the Spinach has steamed for 3-5 min chop it with a spatula and place in the eggs.
Return the whole mixture to the skillet and cover (if rapid weight loss is not your goal you can add 1/2-3/4oz Grass Fed Organic Cheese on top). Heat appr 4 min.
Keep heat low to medium until the eggs are firm throughout.
Fold with a spatula and place on a plate.
Add some salsa for more veggie goodness!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Only if you want results from your workout
How long have you been going to the gym? How much do you spend every month? The gyms around here range from $9.99/month to $220/month for a good gym with a pool. I paid about $120 for P90X and $120/month for my Shakeology. I do a hybrid workout of P90X, triathlon Training and Crossfit. I know that everybody in most of those groups has one gripe or another about that.
The CrossFit guys can be a little intense for me and a little Black and White, they certainly challenged my comfort zone with their energy. You will not find a better, broadly fit group of people. Some are great triathletes who do well, podium finishes. I just do not have a Box with a schedule that works for me.(I do not like to do Olympic Lifting without someone there watching my form) Certainly close to CrossFit athletes are some of the people who have done....
P90X and followed their eating plan. Sticking to a program for 90 days, especially one as well designed as P90X will get you results. But you have to challenge your comfort zone during your workouts (Do your best and...). If you use the light band all the time, you will never progress to the pull up bar. If you don't do the Plyometrics and the Yoga X, with good effort, then you will not get the results over the long haul. You can replace your cardio days in P90X with...
Triathlon training. I like to compete in triathlons of Olympic distance and shorter but like Xterra(off road Triathlon) the most. I still do 5 or 6 triathlon workouts a week. The swimming Biking and Trail running are great for my head.
This may not be the optimal way to train for Triathlon, or do P90X, or do CrossFit so here is the trade off: I look awesome! The CrossFit gives me the intensity to go hard during my Tri workouts. Combine that with the P90X programming of YogaX, Ab Ripper X, and Plyometrics, I have the stamina and strength to go the distance in my races and preserve much of the muscle lost to Endurance training and its effects on your hormones (low testosterone, high cortisol). I have pushed myself further than I thought possible and have the energy to do so.
You can start at any level, just be smart about your training and take recovery time and recovery workouts. Follow a healthy eating plan and ask for help if you need it.
The CrossFit guys can be a little intense for me and a little Black and White, they certainly challenged my comfort zone with their energy. You will not find a better, broadly fit group of people. Some are great triathletes who do well, podium finishes. I just do not have a Box with a schedule that works for me.(I do not like to do Olympic Lifting without someone there watching my form) Certainly close to CrossFit athletes are some of the people who have done....
P90X and followed their eating plan. Sticking to a program for 90 days, especially one as well designed as P90X will get you results. But you have to challenge your comfort zone during your workouts (Do your best and...). If you use the light band all the time, you will never progress to the pull up bar. If you don't do the Plyometrics and the Yoga X, with good effort, then you will not get the results over the long haul. You can replace your cardio days in P90X with...
Triathlon training. I like to compete in triathlons of Olympic distance and shorter but like Xterra(off road Triathlon) the most. I still do 5 or 6 triathlon workouts a week. The swimming Biking and Trail running are great for my head.
This may not be the optimal way to train for Triathlon, or do P90X, or do CrossFit so here is the trade off: I look awesome! The CrossFit gives me the intensity to go hard during my Tri workouts. Combine that with the P90X programming of YogaX, Ab Ripper X, and Plyometrics, I have the stamina and strength to go the distance in my races and preserve much of the muscle lost to Endurance training and its effects on your hormones (low testosterone, high cortisol). I have pushed myself further than I thought possible and have the energy to do so.
You can start at any level, just be smart about your training and take recovery time and recovery workouts. Follow a healthy eating plan and ask for help if you need it.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Confessions of a Sugar Addict.
I know you think that when you are healthy that you spend your whole life focusing on being healthy. I was lucky for the most part. I had discipline if you count the 80/20 Rule. 80% of the time I was focused, 20% of the time I was a schlub. I would eat scones, candy, and muffins whenever I wanted, justifying it with leading an otherwise healthy lifestyle.
There are sugar abusers and savory abusers, each has its drawbacks. Sugar throws off the hormones by causing the body to store fat and savory is often the delivery system for saturated fat. The whole abuse of food is a lose/lose. Moderation is the key.
On my best days I would still crave sweets, and a bite of chocolate early in the morning leads to more bites of chocolate later in the day. Even eating salads, healthy carbs, adequate protein, and healthy fats would still not be enough.
Here is the thing: I put out a lot of energy and have a physical job as a trainer and multisport coach. I get about 6.5-8 hours of sleep per night but I was still always hungry or craving sugar because something was missing in my diet. I found what was missing with Shakeology. I am not sure what in Shakeology put back the missing pieces but it did. It was like a key that locked the door on my sugar cravings. Now if I crave sugar it is usually emotional, and that is easier to address than an unnamed craving for something missing in your otherwise stellar diet.
I cannot tell you how much Shakeology means to me in my training for races and my otherwise hectic schedule, but I do not want to go a day without it. It stabilizes my mood(probably because i am not eating as much sugar), gives me energy without caffeine, and has reduced the bloat in my belly. I am able to absorb the stresses of working out 2 or 3 x/day and commuting from client to client. I have not lost weight by using Shakeology but that was not the goal. I have lost body fat and feel more energy for my clients and my family.
www.myshakeology.com/tricoachandy
www.revcoachandy.com
There are sugar abusers and savory abusers, each has its drawbacks. Sugar throws off the hormones by causing the body to store fat and savory is often the delivery system for saturated fat. The whole abuse of food is a lose/lose. Moderation is the key.
On my best days I would still crave sweets, and a bite of chocolate early in the morning leads to more bites of chocolate later in the day. Even eating salads, healthy carbs, adequate protein, and healthy fats would still not be enough.
Here is the thing: I put out a lot of energy and have a physical job as a trainer and multisport coach. I get about 6.5-8 hours of sleep per night but I was still always hungry or craving sugar because something was missing in my diet. I found what was missing with Shakeology. I am not sure what in Shakeology put back the missing pieces but it did. It was like a key that locked the door on my sugar cravings. Now if I crave sugar it is usually emotional, and that is easier to address than an unnamed craving for something missing in your otherwise stellar diet.
I cannot tell you how much Shakeology means to me in my training for races and my otherwise hectic schedule, but I do not want to go a day without it. It stabilizes my mood(probably because i am not eating as much sugar), gives me energy without caffeine, and has reduced the bloat in my belly. I am able to absorb the stresses of working out 2 or 3 x/day and commuting from client to client. I have not lost weight by using Shakeology but that was not the goal. I have lost body fat and feel more energy for my clients and my family.
www.myshakeology.com/tricoachandy
www.revcoachandy.com
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