New Years Ultimatum

It's finally here. 2010 is around the corner and many of you have jumped on the health tip and plan to start off the new year right. January 1st and 2nd are the two dates that people have told me they plan to begin to change their health around. You are not alone, but to make sure you follow thru, here are just a few things I want to get across to you.

First, it's great that you set a start date, now just stick to it. The night before your start date, make sure everything is in order, and I can't say this enough--schedule your meals and your fitness routine. Doing this will be key in breaking your old routine and beginning a new, healthy one to replace it.

Second, don't come up with excuses like, "...well, I've never been disciplined so..." or "...I have too much to do today..." Save that crap and instead, come up with reasons why you need to eat more responsibly and reasons why you can't skip your workout. For example, "...I've made a decision, and I have to stick with it..." or "...my health is important to me..." or "...I want to look great in a bikini by june..." When you focus on your goals instead of your obstacles, there are no obstacles that will stand in your way.

Finally, create a "New Year's Ultimatum" and not a resolution. What is a resolution, really? One of the definitions on dictionary.com is

a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal organization, a legislature, a club, or other group.

Ok so basically, you are stating your intention do do something? I think an ultimatum, or


a final, uncompromising demand or set of terms issued by a party to a dispute, the rejection of which may lead to a severance of relations or to the use of force.

sounds much more final and suggests there will be consequences for taking no action, which is true. Ok, so no one will beat you or arrest you, however, there may surely be short or long term health consequences like diabetes, heart disease, obesity, etc. Make some daily ultimatums, and make them incentives for you instead of punishments, and they should help. And if you don't stick to the plan, then don't allow yourself your "treat". Confusing? Not really. Here are some examples:

"Only if I workout today, I'll get to watch my favorite show!" or
"If I eat right all day today, I'll treat myself to a glass of wine with dinner!" or
"After I workout and run my errands, I get to go on facebook!"

Sounds good, right? This way, (and oddly similar to treating your pet), you will incent yourself positively, and believe me it will not only work, but you will feel better when watching your fav show and/or enjoy the extra activities you love to do knowing that you are healthier doing them.
And be firm with yourself because it will teach you discipline.

Hopefully, these tips can help you succeed. Remember, take it day by day and the linking days will lead to weeks, months, etc, and you WILL succeed. I'm here to help you so please lean on me when you need to, and we can get around your obstacles and celebrate your milestones together. Thanks for reading, everyone. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

The Skinny on Soy

A couple weeks ago, a credible trainer that works at Equinox in Chicago, made a comment regarding soy milk that got me thinking. We (at work at Freshii) asked him if he preferred skim or soy milk in his smoothie, and he said "skim...men shouldn't eat soy unless they want female features..." That may be slightly paraphrased but it's pretty much what he said. This statement definitely hinted toward a hormone fluctuation in men based on consumption of soy milk and/or soy generally in the diet. So this morning I decided to look into this and I looked up "soy and estrogen" on google and found an interesting discussion which helped me learn some things, but the conclusion is still speculative to me.

Some conversation leaned towards the idea that non-fermented versions of soy (soy milk, edamame, tofu, etc) were harmful and that fermented versions (soy sauce, miso, etc) were not, and an argument with online studies showed that this was not conclusive. Such was the same for other arguments that soy consumption in men led to reduced sperm counts, but this is not conclusive as well because it was actually "environmental estrogens" not "soy estrogens" that led to this. What's also interesting regarding men is that some studies pointed towards evidence that soy products could help reduce prostate cancer risks. For women, some beliefs are that soy increases breast cancer risks while other studies don't produce a definite conclusion in this area. Other personal testimony claimed that regular soy milk consumption (in women) led to longer periods and sometimes larger, more tender breasts. This is interesting, but one reference to this explained that it may be possible to become dependent on these estrogens from soy and it may force the body to produce less.

I throw my hands up. All I know is that I use soy milk every day, and I feel like the strongest man I have been and I feel it is a better choice than cow's milk, which is milk from a different species of animal, (which in theory is just weird), not to mention that 75% of the world's population is in some way lactose intolerant. Also, a point was made (which is also somewhat known) that soy and soy products have been in use, especially in Asia, for centuries, and their lifespans are some of the longest on the planet. Another useless correlation? Maybe. My belief is that if you are drinking soy milk or using other soy products but the rest of your diet is riddled with saturated fats, excessive sugars, high-caffeine, non-whole grain carbohydrates, etc, then I would conclude it is the other crap messing you up. If you feel that soy products (or any other specific product or food) effects you in a certain way, then do your own experiment and stop using the product for a while and see how you feel. Your body will usually respond in a notable way if there was something messing with you, and you should be able to realize how to change what you are doing to optimize your health. Please comment on this blog because I am not an expert on soy; I'd love to hear more personal stories on this. Click on the title of this blog to see the discussion I referred to earlier, and thanks for reading everyone! Have a great day!

Holiday Recovery

Looking in the mirror after the weekend and stepping on the scale showed me I had gained a good 5 lbs from last week. I'm not perfect folks and you know I've got weight issues! Sound familiar? Well, for me, I didn't necessarily eat horrible foods, but I will admit I took in some extra calories and I had a few beers on a few separate days. It was also a "recovery" week for me in fitness, so generally I didn't have as many intense workouts scheduled and I took an extra day off and a stretch day, so going into this week, I expected as much. But I thought I'd take this opportunity to document the start of this week that I'm around 151 lbs. (according to my scale), and my goal is to lean back down to 145 by Jan 2nd. Should be no problem because my eating habits are clockwork during the workweek, I don't drink (yes it puts on fat folks), and I will try to get back to a 12/12 eating schedule, which I've mentioned before but basically it means eating within 12 hours of your day and fasting for the rest (which means no snacking after dinner and getting a good 7-8 hours of sleep). Also, my workouts are back to intense-mode, where I do P90X strength workouts 3x/week with a stacked INSANITY workout, and on the other days split up an intense cardio and abs workout, Yoga X, and on Saturday I'm finishing up with a "Spinervals" DVD which I will use with my new indoor bike trainer which I got for Christmas! I'll blog on Saturday and tell you my results, what I did right, and where I could have improved.

"Why do we fall?...So we can learn to pick ourselves back up"-quote from Batman Begins. It's okay to fall folks, just don't remain on the ground, but get up right away and get back in the race. Please post comments or notes on how you have done this or your own personal holiday recovery challenges. Thanks!

Play To Win

It was all over sportscenter this morning. The Colts potentially perfect season was tainted by a loss to the Jets yesterday, and people aren't happy about it. The thing that is upsetting to fans and others is the fact that Peyton Manning, arguably the most prolific passer playing today, was pulled from the game to rest in the third quarter with the Colts only up by five points. The Colts from that point gave up 19 unanswered points, which one could point out that the defense is ultimately responsible for, however, anyone who knows anything about Peyton Manning knows that he would have answered those points and the score would have most likely been different and even favored the previously undefeated team. I did not personally witness the game or even watch many of the highlights, but I did see Peyton Manning's face while he stood on the sidelines, and it was a face of anxiety and I could tell he was really holding back his emotions, most likely to show his class and leadership, which is difficult but appreciated. Jim Caldwell's decision is questionable, but his statement was on point--"Our goal was never to have a perfect season..." and he went on to allude to the fact that the main goal as an NFL team is to win the Super Bowl and in order to do that you have to make it through the playoffs, which they are on the road to for sure.

I don't know, though. Momentum is a huge factor and to pull Manning and interrupt the chemistry and magic that this team has had the whole season for a few minutes of rest may prove to do more harm than good. A popular phrase from analysts this morning was, "Play to Win". Mike Ditka also stated that you "keep score for a reason". I would have to say I agree because now the players have this thing on their shoulder that's going to no doubt be eating at them. Not because they lost, but rather because they had a great shot at winning and they allowed the team to play at a sub-par level and this may have led to the loss. If they had played their best and simply gotten beaten by a better team that day, they still would have known that they played their best. But since this wasn't the case, they are forced to look back and wonder what could've happened or "what if...?" You get the idea and no matter what happens from here, the idea of "what if...?" leaves a sour taste in your mouth.

So of course I am tying this in to our pursuit of a healthier and fit lifestyle! Do you want to wake up one day and wonder, "What if I had just stuck to the program?" or "I wonder what it feels like to have ripped abs?" or even more serious "If I had gotten healthy when I had the chance and listened to Mike and allowed him to help me, would I still be sitting in this hospital bed?...would I still be taking this blood pressure medication?...would I still cringe at my reflection in the mirror?" Think ahead a little bit and see how great a healthy life can be! Then "Play to Win" and don't look back. I'm never looking back and I'm giving 100%. Are you ready to join me? Make today the day you make that decision, and if you've already joined me or are on your own quest to better health, don't look back and keep going! Thanks for reading, everyone!

Everyone's Doin' It

Each day it seems someone else contacts me to ask me how they can get in on this health revolution "bug" going around. I am so happy to be a part of the success and health of my family, friends, co-workers, and other people I randomly meet and/or influence through living the example. Well, I'm committing this blog to let all of you know how to get started with me, and if you commit to following these steps, you too will find yourself not only in the best shape of your life, but empowered by the education and understanding that you can live healthily, enjoy more of your life, and help others to do the same as I am doing now. Here is how you should approach your own health transformation:

1. Make the decision to put yourself first. This is possibly the most important step, and though it seems simple, I find that people often love the idea of getting healthy and fit, but don't ever make the decision to make it happen. I can give you all the tools and advice, but if you don't get your mind right and prioritize, you will have a hard time succeeding and/or sticking to a plan.

2. Figure out your "why". Why do you want to get fit and healthy? Why is it important to you? Who will benefit from you being healthy? This is DEFINITELY the most important thing to be conscious of, and it will be your driving force for every health decision you make. Some common answers I get are: "I want to look good without a shirt" or "I want to be around for my family" and "I want to set a good example for my children". Surely, if you don't even care about your health for your own reasons, you will probably agree that you want your children to have a positive role model and a good example to follow. Think about your "why" every day and you should have no problem eliminating the things that aren't benefiting your health now.

3. Sign up for a FREE profile online with me as your coach. There are other options, but at least set up a free profile by visiting my site at www.premierhealthsource.com (which will forward you to my official coach site) and clicking "join". A chart will come up which will show you the benefits of both the free and club memberships, and you can decide. Follow either selection to fill out the registration. Note: It should say "mikenickles" will be your coach; otherwise, when it asks you if you have a coach, please look me up (my # is 27629), and we will not only be directly connected, but you will have access to online tracking and support tools, all products available, and other great benefits. This is very important as it will serve as your home fitness hub and link you directly to me and the Beachbody community. If you are interested in becoming a coach for the discounts, to make extra income, and/or to help others get in shape, feel free to sign up as a coach and choose me as your coach. Please contact me if you are considering this option and I can give you more info.

4. Commit to a program and/or fill out and submit a profile sheet. If you have already decided to use a program (such as P90X, Shakeology and/or Slim In 6, etc.), then by all means, log in and follow the "shop" tab to search through and purchase the appropriate products and/or supplements you'd like to use. Also, I have created a profile sheet that you can fill out, print out and/or submit to me via email, which will allow me to create an analysis for you and help you to find a fitness/nutrition solution to fit your needs. Follow this link: questionnaire link to the profile questionnaire, fill it out, print a copy, then send it to me and I'll have your answers and be able to help you out. Some people have funny ideas about what home fitness is, so let me clear this up: these aren't just videos or gimmick products that over-promise and under-deliver. These are full programs backed by real, proven results. If you can follow directions, you can learn to be fit and live a healthier lifestyle. Further, if you choose a program and find it's not for you, you can return it for a refund because Beachbody and I stand behind these programs and believe they are the best way to get results. Just imagine working out with a personal trainer and nutritionist every day...that's what these systems are like, and that is why they can work for you. Just "show up" every day, press play, and you will succeed.

5. Keep Pressing Play and Succeed! Follow your program, schedule your eating and fitness, and keep doing this. Creating a routine is key to ensuring you stay on track, and soon you will find that by prioritizing your health, your desire to engage in unhealthy activities will decrease, and people will start asking you, "What have you been doing?...You look great!...Can you help me?" When this happens, contact me about becoming a coach so you can help others get healthy too!

So what's holding you back? Join me and everyone else and make 2010 the year you changed your life for the better. Thanks for reading, everyone, and I hope to hear from you soon!

Shakeology Life

The past couple weeks as we ramped up for Christmas, I felt I would give the gift of health, and I did this mostly through a new Beachbody product called "Shakeology". Shakeology is a meal replacement shake mix, but it's no "Slim-Fast" for sure. Shakeology contains over 70 high-potency, natural, exotic ingredients, many of which are from indigenous countries where people have used specific foods packed with nutrition for healing and a better quality of life for centuries. It's funny how Western medicine thought they had everything figured out by refining vitamins and excluding the foods that these vitamins come from. Well, if you are one of those who takes a Centrum or One-A-Day every morning then eats fatty and/or other foods that don't support nutrition and think you are getting everything you need, think again. Nutritional textbooks and research keeps supporting the fact that it's not just the vitamins and/or antioxidants that you need, but also the actual whole foods that these vitamins come from to support and maintain proper health and to get the most from these foods. Now, if it seems difficult for you to fit in a nutritious meal or get all the vitamins and other nutrition from foods available to you, lose weight, increase energy, improve focus, regularity, and overall health, Shakeology is for you.

It comes in two flavors: Chocolate, and Green Berry, and both of them are awesome!! In a test group of people who replaced one meal a day with Shakeology and exercised moderately 3 days a week, the average person experienced the benefits listed above, including an average reduction in overall cholesterol of 30% and an average LDL (bad) reduction of 38%!! If that doesn't make you want to even try this miracle shake out then you must want to be unhealthy. Listen, don't take my word for it: Check out my shakeology site at www.shakeologylife.com and see for yourself. Contact me with any questions/comments, etc, and make 2010 the year you put your health first! Thanks for reading everyone, and a special shot-out to my brother, Chris, who turns 27 today and who is using P90X to get healthy and fit!

Christmas Miracle

Earlier this month and last, the prospect of this Christmas looked bleak. As we are still in recovery mode from our flooding last year, I found myself jumping from end to end and trying to get these ends to meet again. Not an easy task, as many of you can attest to. Anyway, at Thanksgiving, which I hosted with much help from my mother-in-law, my parents and we discussed how we would approach this Christmas. We talked briefly of grab-bag and as-seen-on-TV themes to keep the cost down, but we definitely knew we wanted to trim it down. We definitely value being with family, but lets face it, it's fun to give and receive gifts as it is part of the excitement and tradition.

Over the past month or so, a lot has happened. Victor, my brother-in-law started his career and has begun to contribute monetarily to the family cost, which has helped tremendously. I have been making some headway with this Beachbody business, and soon should have some more coaches joining my team, but I also won the Million Dollar Body Game for November, which yielded me a nice check for $1,000! We have been able to catch up on some essential bills, and I soon realized that besides keeping the lights on and the heat flowing through the house, we would be able to have food on the table and presents under the tree, which really made a difference. I feel very blessed to be in the position I'm in. I have an awesome family, great friends, and much more than most. True, things can and will get better, but it is important to remember that there are usually way more people that are worse off than better, and I pray for those.

We just came home from Bolingbrook, where my parents host the annual Christmas get together, and it was so great to see not only my parents and brother, but my aunt, cousin and her husband and children, another cousin from Texas, and long-time family friends as well. It was a packed house and we had plenty of good food to go around, and the gifts were plenty as well. We ended up having to leave earlier than normal since my wife was working and we had to leave to pick her up, so we left our gifts and took those meant for us with us. When we got home, we opened these and considering these as well as the ones we exchanged among our household, we had a miraculous slew of presents that we couldn't possibly have anticipated. This was basically the icing on the cake as it was such a joy just to spend some quality time with the family. A special thanks to my family for not only Christmas gifts, but for love, support, and for being the people they are and have always been. It is you, the people I love and that love me that truly make Christmas what it is, and I appreciate you.

I'll end with this--I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas filled with joy and love, and I am praying for those who are struggling just to keep their utilities up to date. You must believe that your situation will improve, and through your action, planning, and willpower, it can and will. I wish everyone a prosperous and hopeful new year as we roll into 2010. Thanks for reading everyone! Happy Holidays!

Control What You Can Control

"It's your fault...I'm gonna be late for my hair appointment..." These are some of the lighter sentences that my wife told me earlier today on the way to her scheduled hair appointment to start her spa day today. It's basically our Christmas today since she will be working a (lucrative) 12-hour nursing shift tomorrow and also over the weekend. Anyways, we went back and forth for a few minutes as couples do, telling each other what the other could have done in the morning differently to prevent us from running late. It's true that I could have just not showered, driven her, and came home. But then I would have had to come back soon after (all the way from Albany Park to Evanston) and the extra trip seemed pointless to me. True, she could have walked the dog while I got ready and left the counter-cleaning til later. True, we could have both woken up earlier to get our breakfast in and had plenty of time. I could go on, but I'm sure you understand through some of your own experiences and arguments. Well, we got there only 10 minutes after the scheduled time, and she had called when we left the house as a courteous customer should, and her stylist told her, "You got here in good time." (This is what she told me apologetically in a text message not too long ago.)

Basically, all of the arguing and anxiety could have been excluded from the morning, especially when we realized that at a certain point, we would be late, but that we would have to deal with whatever repercussions came from our choices. In the same way, we all have experiences that we would rather have go a different way, but let's face it-we can't go back, so the best thing to do is just deal with it. Control what you can control. That saying rings in my head all the time, and I use it a lot as a tip to you and others. It makes sense--there's no use getting upset or angry over something that you no longer have control over. Instead, my advice to you would be to stay calm, breathe, and try to think ahead of your situation as it has changed. When you do this, you will be more equipped to handle the remainder of the event, commute, workday, etc. Just thought I would leave you with that thought for today since it is fresh in my mind. Thanks for reading everyone! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Never Say Never

"I've never had the discipline to get up in the morning..." That was one of the phrases told to me by a friend when I asked him if he had been keeping up with his workouts. "During Thanksgiving break I had time..." There's another one. Why is it we always seem to come up with reasons to NOT do the things that are most important, but we somehow find time to keep doing the things that aren't helping us? We can't expect to change if we keep doing the same things. Eating McDonald's hamburgers won't be healthy if they keep making them the same way. In the same manner, if we can't break our usual routines then we, too, cannot move forward. Yes, it is hard, you are right. But stop focusing on all the reasons why you can't make some changes and start focusing on why you want and need to make those improvements.

Ask yourself, "what is my why?" (and yes, you've heard this in at least 2 prior blogs if you've been reading, but it is the most important element.) "Because I want to look like a man and look good without a shirt..." or "so I can look how I did before I was pregnant. I don't like being fat..." Those are some real examples from two of my friends, and yours may be the same or different, but focus on that. I asked him, "Do you think I am just naturally stronger than you? Do you think it was easy for me to accomplish what I have?" Not at all. Never believe that someone has a stronger mind than you or a natural metabolism, etc. Everyone has their own obstacles to deal with. It's whether or not we decide to go around those obstacles or let our minds divert us away from the course.

One of my friends that I am most proud of currently is Chris Williams (yes I'm puttin' your name out there, dog!) I met this kid a few months ago, and he has really been listening to my advice and learning from me and on his own through tackling his own obstacles and reaching for his own goals. He understands, especially when following a set program, that the most important thing is showing up, and he keeps showing up. He is in his second month of P90X, and he just showed me he was on the last notch in his belt. His pants were ruffled up and he looked silly, but I almost shed a tear because this happened to me, and I know how awesome it feels (though how goofy it looks!) I gave him a hug because we have to celebrate! These are RESULTS people. You have to work hard and stay focused, but when you do, you will find that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. My whole mantra. So thank you to those of you who are succeeding and not taking your mind off of your goals. You will reach and exceed them. And to those of you who have diverted from the course, it's NEVER too late to get back in and make great things happen for yourself, your health, and your family. Please contact me, comment, etc. Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays!

Plyo-Fo-Sho

I want to address a specific workout today. Plyometrics, or jump training, is an essential part of athletic training and incorporates various agility, jumping, and leaping drills both laterally and vertically at an interval pace to improve your speed, quickness, fast-twitch muscle strength, endurance, and cardiovascular strength and conditioning. The specific workout named Plyometrics in P90X, is an absolute must-do for this program, and even Tony Horton calls it "the mother of all P90x workouts". It truly will help you achieve a level of athleticism that regular cardio such as spinning and running simply can't help you with.

Recently, two people have had different experiences/questions regarding this workout and I wanted to share these as they might help other people out. The first experience is a question from a new "buddy" on teambeachbody.com, and his concern was this:

"My plan is to follow the P90X system to a T, with the exception of Plyometrics. I am working out in my basement which has 7-foot ceilings. If I follow the jump routines, I will put my head into a rafter which will not work for me! Last week I substituted the plyo with Yoga and this week I plan to substitute the Plyo with Kenpo. Do you think this will hinder my progress much?"

The vertical space described here is definitely not adequate to perform this workout at a 100% level, but here are some options in this situation:

1. If you can, move at least this workout to a different room in your house. This is EXACTLY what I did, actually. I, too, workout primarily in my basement, which has closer to an 8-foot ceiling that would make it hard to extend my arms in jumps and I also have limited lateral space. Now, I have the luxury of having an upstairs with 10-foot ceilings and plenty of room once I move the coffee table and couches out of the way. This is how I am able to give 100% during this extreme workout, and I strongly suggest you do the same.

2. If you really have no other option but to use this confined space, it may be almost impossible to jump vertically, especially at an intensity level that you need to get results. So you would have to substitute the Kenpo X workout (or other extreme cardio interval activity). Your overall visual results will still be impressive, however, your athletic ability as far as jumping, leaping, agility, and speed won't improve as much without Plyometrics. It will definitely be a sacrifice, but you will still be in stellar shape.

3. The final option, and a great one, would be to learn the moves, take a list and a stopwatch with you and go outside and workout in your backyard or a park where there is an insane amount of room. Also, you will get the nature element involved, which can only help you when doing outdoor activities and sports.

A couple days ago, another friend had a concern with doing this workout because he lives above his father and didn't want to bother him and his girlfriend with the noise that jumping around would create. He mentioned he was planning to workout in his garage where he would have enough space and wouldn't bother anyone. His plan, however, was to take the guide with the moves with him and do them on his own. I advised him that it was very important to work at the intensity level and also be mindful of time and breaks. So I asked him if he had a portable dvd player he could use. He did, and he found that this worked out perfectly, and he was glad he could follow along with the dvd and appreciated the instruction and intensity he might have missed out on otherwise.

Hopefully these experiences will help you see that you have options and there are solutions to your obstacles. The most important thing is to not forsake your fitness if you don't have to, especially when following a specific program like P90X or one outlined by your personal trainer or coach. Please post your challenges and/or solutions as they may help someone else, or feel free to contact me by clicking the title of this blog to link to my coach site. Thanks for reading everyone!

Who You Are not What You Do

"It's who we are, not what we do..." That was a recent quote from Carl Deikeler, the CEO of Beachbody, from a recent conference call describing the Beachbody Revolution and how we as coaches and advocates for health and home fitness have a passion and live a lifestyle instead of do a job. I want to take a moment to recognize the importance of BEING as opposed to DOING. What I mean by this is to find something, a career, a passion, etc. that you really can live, breathe, and enjoy because only in this way will you find success and happiness, and your clients/patients/family, etc, (basically who will benefit and who you serve) will appreciate it and your success will be endless. I.E.-if you don't drink, you won't be a successful bartender, wouldn't you agree? And if you can't draw or paint, your career as an artist might be short and painful. Likewise, if you are into health, fitness, etc, then you will be a great Beachbody coach, personal trainer, Physician, Chiropractor, etc. I am so glad to have found health to be my true passion, even though I had to go through an extreme life change to find it. Call it education, if you will, but I am 100% committed to my own health and am constantly hungering for more knowledge and more challenges in this area. However, I don't want to highlight myself today.

Dr. Jeff is a chiropractor in Bolingbrook. i am not (yet) a patient, but my mom is and she is constantly telling me about the great relationship she has built with this doctor and how he continues to help her feel better through his form of medicine, and how passionate he is about helping people and promoting health. What an awesome guy, huh? I am so grateful that my mom has been able to learn from me when it comes to fitness and nutrition as well as from Dr. Jeff in terms of recovery, nutrition, and the body's workings and systems. She feels so good from this type of medicine, and her experience will result in my seeking out this doctor and I'd love to learn more about this form of medicine and how it can help me out, just from her experience. Also, it seems there has been a huge eruption in positive energy with my family because of the joy that a healthy lifestyle can bring, and I am extremely happy about this. Dr. Jeff specializes in a form of medicine that helps your body work better so that you don't need to medicate with as many pills and supplements that you may not even need! Isn't that awesome! Click on the title of this link to check out his site, his blog, etc. and learn more about Chiropractic medicine and how it can help you. Call Dr. Jeff today! Thanks for reading everyone, and have a great day!

From Jeans To Wings

..."Go tell it on the mountain where Jesus Christ was born..." You may or may not know this gospel Christmas hymn, but that's how we ended the church service today at Berry United Methodist, with faux-fruit percussion instruments and tambourines in-hand and smiles all around. We stopped to share a few words with Pastor Sherrie, then left to do some last-minute shopping. One of our stops was Lincolnwood Mall, where, among other things, I did a little shopping for myself. It was necessary because even now, months after I've dropped a whopping 80 lbs and several inches, I own very few articles of clothing, and am even packing up several coats to give away. We went to Express, one of the places I am now able to shop since attaining my new, leaner figure. They had a jeans sale, and I definitely needed some since the only two I currently own are beat-up hand-me-downs from my brother-in-law, who I am now close to in size.

As I searched for 32/30 size pants, I was reminded of the size I used to search for not too long ago, 38/30! That's six sizes! I excitedly entered the dressing room, threw 4 pairs of jeans down on the bench, and began disrobing with a smile on my face. I tried on the first, then second and soon realized even this size pant was a bit too loose! My mother-in-law advised me that I probably needed a 31 or 30, and I hastily traded sizes for the styles I had and began trying these on. 30/30...Eureka! Perfect fit! I came out of the dressing room for each pant to show my mother-in-law and glance in the mirror, lifting my shirt to examine my waistline and turn my hips to check out my legs, butt, and hips. We both ridiculed the event since it was such a profound one, and marveled at how great I fit in each pair of jeans. And the descriptions...low-rise, slim-fit, etc, were definitely not a part of my vocabulary. I thought those descriptions were only for skinny women, but I was wrong.

I can honestly say that trying on new jeans never felt so good, and actually, it was a euphoric and emotional experience. I am still amazed at the miraculous changes my body, mind, and spirit has gone through during this chrysalis of sorts, and I feel like a butterfly, coming out of my cocoon and for the first time fully able to spread my wings. I also want to point out that many of my friends, family members, and co-workers are joining me in this metamorphosis and will soon be breaking out of their proverbial shells and spreading their wings with new life. Won't you join us and see how beautiful your colors can be and how majestic the world can be while floating through the air instead of crawling on the ground? Be a part of something big: YOUR LIFE. Thanks for reading everyone, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Trainers Coming Home

Another nice Saturday today. I got up, had breakfast, worked out, showered, then errand time! Got my usual Costco fix and Jasmine (my wife) joined me. From there went to Target for a few things, and since Christmas is coming up, we decided to stop at Dick's Sporting Goods to browse and possibly pick up a few things. We went upstairs by the fitness equipment, and I found myself immediately drawn to the home fitness gadgets, namely the doorway pull-up bars. It's amazing how many varieties they have now. They even have full suspension kits that mimic expensive fitness club "TRX" training setups. While staring at these, a husky dude walked up and also began scanning these different models. I asked him casually, "So man you tryin' to get on this P90X?" We began talking and soon enough I had told him about my success and handed him one of my cards. I discovered through this conversation that this guy was actually a personal trainer at L.A. Fitness in Chicago and that he was looking for some various home solutions so that he could moonlight on his own by doing some training with his clients at home and at their homes.

He didn't have a card to trade back to me, but it was a meaningful and educational conversation because it reinforces the need for home fitness specialists and strengthens the market that is being created by more frugal consumers. Why pay 30-50 bucks or more per month just to get in the door, and another 70 or more dollars per session with a trainer when you can spend the same from one month or less of that on a proven system that virtually brings a celebrity trainer into your home to train you every day? What am I talking about? Well, if you are asking that question then this must be the first blog of mine that you've read. Please visit my coach site by clicking on the title to this blog. Here you can link to my profile, my facebook, twitter, and (this) blogger pages, and set up a free profile by clicking "join" and follow the directions. Come home and jump in on the home fitness trend and change your health and your life today. Thanks for reading!

Take Charge in 2010

So today I'm doin' things a bit differently. I am currently uploading a raw "Vlog" or video log for my full post. I want to reach more people, and maybe some of you may find it easier to watch a video than read a long article. So I'll be using a combination of blogs and vlogs coming up which will include interviews, cooking and nutrition tutorials, real-life experiences, and more. It's time for you to make 2010 the year you took charge of your life and your health. Make the decision, and I'll be here to help you. Thanks for reading and have a great friday and a wonderful weekend!

Burning Calories or Dollars?

The economy is still in bad shape...but then again so are you...the new year is right around the corner and you feel it is time for you to make a resolution to take control of your health and your life, but you are still concerned with what it will cost you. Am I pretty close? If this is a big obstacle you are having trouble steering around, you are not alone, and you are absolutely right. You can't work out in the dark or cook nutritious foods with no gas, right? Maybe that is a little extreme, but let's face it, people (like you and me) are broke these days. So how can you burn calories without burning through your wallet? Join a cheap gym? Hire a trainer? Go to Blockbuster and rent some cheap dvds?

Well, when looking for a gym/fitness club, it's important to do some research and find out what it'll cost you, right? www.costhelper.com reports that "monthly fees average $35 to $40 for a single membership, but can be as low as $20 depending on age, location and whether customers are willing to sign an extended contract. Many health clubs also charge an average enrollment fee of $40, but some can charge more than $100." Let's say that the gym you choose decides to waive the enrollment fee as an incentive to start, and they charge you $40/month to use the facilities. That's almost $500/year but doesn't necessarily include classes, a plan for you to follow, or a trainer to work with to help you reach your goals. Now I'm not saying that it's a bad way to spend that money, but let's consider some other factors. How much time do you have? Depending on how far the gym is to your home, let's say you take 15 minutes to get your bag ready, 20 minutes to get to the gym, 15 mins to change and lock up your stuff, an hour to workout, 20 minutes to shower and change, and another 20 minutes to get back home or work. An hour workout just cost you 2.5 hours!! No wonder people say they have no time! Also, what is your plan? Do you even know how to use the machines? Do you sacrifice those extra reps because you don't have anyone to spot you? How come you are not getting the results you want? Why does it seem so complicated?

I remember a phrase that was posted on a wall somewhere that I used to see all the time: "Fail to plan, plan to fail." This is exactly what has happened. If you are a bank teller or a restaurant server, how could you possibly know what the best way to workout will be? How do you know what to eat? How do you learn this without going back to school and getting your degree in nutrition and/or fitness? I know, it seems elusive. I, too felt like this at one point not too long ago.

Let me introduce you to a revolution in fitness and nutrition: Welcome to Team Beachbody. As you may or may not know, I am a coach for Team Beachbody. I am studying to be a personal trainer, but only for the certification. Currently, I help people to reach their goals as I did: through education, support, planning, and by recommending following a complete home fitness program that will provide a proven system for fitness. I'm not talking about a single dvd from Joe Schmoe or some fad diet plan. No magic pills or silly gypsy techniques will help you lose weight, get healthy, and empower you to live better. This is why Team Beachbody is different. There is science behind each program, and each program is designed with different abilities, goals, and these are comprehensive programs that often include multiple dvds, workout schedules, tracking and online support tools, not to mention a huge community of thousands of people just like you who are getting healthy, improving their lives, and even taking advantage of a lucrative coaching opportunity! Check this quick video out and contact me at 630.220.4084 when you Decide to take charge of your life, and/or check out my site at www.premierhealthsource.com. Thanks for reading and watching, and I'll be here when you're ready!

Commit.

So the past couple days I've been going back and forth on Facebook with a friend regarding his commitment to getting healthy and fit. He told me in the last post that he has no choice but to commit and exercise discipline because he is running in the Fleet Feet Sports Soldier Field 10-mile run on Saturday, May 29th. I have been working with Jason (yes I'll put your name out there dog!) to get him ready for P90X, the most complete athletic training program available. I believe he said he's pushin 375 right now, and although he's a tall dude, he recognizes his need to get fit and healthy for many reasons. When he first told me about his plan to do this race, I immediately put it on my outlook calendar and told him that I would do this with him if that's what it takes, and today, he sent me the link (which you can go to by clicking on the title of this blog) for the actual race. It's a 10-mile race open to the first 10,000 registrants that starts at Soldier Field and ends at Soldier Field at the 50-yard line! How awesome is that?? Without hesitation, I registered myself for this race and updated my comment to tell him about it.

I did this for a couple reasons...first, I love a challenge and getting extreme, but more importantly, I did this to show my level of commitment to Jason and to show him that I am as committed to his success as my own and that this is a team effort, and good team members have to win together. I'm so excited right now, but I have to cut this short. What will it take for you to commit? Make a commitment to your health and to improve your life today. Find out how by calling me at 630.220.4084, or by visiting my official coach site at www.premierhealthsource.com. You owe it to yourself and to your family to find out what you're made of. Just remember, your mindset is the key and that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. Thanks for reading, everyone, and have a great day!

All Or Nothing

Yesterday, a friend wrote me regarding his intent to start P90X at the beginning of the year. He has attempted to start a few times over the past few months and for one reason or another has allowed himself to fail. "I'm here and I aint goin' nowhere" I wrote him. Truly, success often happens following many setbacks (failure isn't in my vocabulary and shouldn't be in yours). He did mention something to me that had been bugging me. He referenced not having all the disks, and this led me to believe that he didn't actually buy the package. Now, many of you and many of my friends have shortcutted a legitimate purchase (and one that would support my efforts as well) by getting burned copies, or downloading the dvds, or buying a bootlegged system from ebay. Whatever the case, I have seen evidence that the people who obtain a system (or many things for that matter) through shortcut methods are actually just shortcutting themselves. Remember, when pursuing any goal, it is your mindset that will get you there, not your tools or methods, and this is why legitimacy is important.

First of all, I believe there should be a true "buy-in" which establishes a commitment to yourself by reinforcing you hve spend hard-earned dollars on something you believe in. In this way, you mentally force yourself to commit, or should anyway. Think about any major purchase--let's think about the first car you actually bought: you create reasons and selling points in your mind that help you tell yourself and others why your car is the best. It's just natural. You don't want to try to say, "This [other car] would've made more sense, but I got [this car] instead." That would be silly, although it may have been true.

The second point is that you know you have a complete package. P90X, for example, is a complete system. Unlike cheap single workout dvds of old, Beachbody products such as P90X includes a series of different workouts (12 dvds), a fitness guide which thoroughly explains the science and instructs you exactly how you should go about scheduling each workout and actually lays out 3 different options for you, not to mention describing every move/lift in every workout. Also included is a nutrition guide, which arguably is more valuable than the workouts themselves. Again, P90X lays out a systematic and calculated approach to nutrition to match the workout schedule in order to maximize results. If you only have a few dvd's, how do you expect to get the full effect? Think of it this way: you can drive your car with low air in your tires and cheap gas and oil, but is that the best solution? Why wouldn't you want to optimize your travel and ensure long-term endurance by making sure your system is well-equipped to handle the road ahead? Same thing here.

The last thing I will say does regard me. I won't sit here and say that I am the only source of inspiration for you and others, and I shouldn't be. However, if you appreciate what I have done and you take advantage of my support, friendship, and if I am the reason you start doing this or another home fitness program, then please don't kick me in the nuts by bootlegging or shortcutting to get the program. I will be your coach no matter what, but I can do that better if you reinforce what I am doing is meaningful and take my advice. Plus when you purchase anything through my site, or through Beachbody after you have a profile set up with me as your coach, I get credit for it and Beachbody rewards me for the sale. Eventually, I am trying to build a team of coaches, and following my lead will help you to see how you can build wealth with this as well. I have bought everything that I use and suggest, so I wouldn't tell anyone to do what I haven't done, and you should follow suit.

Okay, guys, so that's what I have to say. Regardless of your fitness and health endeavors or how you obtain the tools you need, I'll be here because I do care and want to see you succeed. But I only know two speeds: All or Nothing, and I am running at "All" right now. Are you ready to go full speed? I'm ready to try to push you to get there. Thanks for reading everyone, and have a great day!

Monday Thru Friday

First off, I had one of the best nights of sleep I've had in a long time, and I slept in a bit with my wife this morning, I will admit. Yesterday, after a night of little-to-no sleep trying to come up with a plan for a fitness and nutrition club that would help my current church, its members, members of the community...pretty much a win-win-win-win...situation, I got up around 6:15, showered and got ready. My mother-in-law and wife had it planned out to go to Carson's for some kind of early-bird sale from 8-11 in the morning, and we got there right around 8. I went up to the food court to take advantage of the wi-fi while they shopped for some Christmas stuff and also for a new coat for my wife at a huge discount. On the way out, actually, they suggested I check out a coat since I'm too small for my "fat-guy" outerwear from last year, and I found an awesome $375 Marc New York coat which was warm and classy enough to wear with my Sunday best, which we picked up for...$79!! I'm not lyin', and retail must be hurtin', but I'm glad we looked into it. We also stopped at Home Depot to pick up a space heater and humidifier, went home and had delicious grilled chicken artisan sandwiches that I made and we finished the tabbouleh from the night before as a side dish (see my recipe blog on the left). We put up the tree together, watched the Bears struggle against the Packers...uugggh, made some spiked, low-fat eggnog, and I actually got all of the office goals accomplished and bills paid that I had written down for the day and made some cracked wheat jumbalaya for dinner. It was definitely a jam-packed day and I slept like a baby. What a great weekend!

After breakfast today, I went to pick up my wife's medicine from the pharmacy and during the drive contemplated this blog and what I was going to write about. 780 AM was on and the weather man was talking about the foggy conditions being pretty much the same throughout the day, and since it has warmed to melting temps, it's wet, dark, and gloomy outside. Yuck! Monday, Monday, huh? Then he said something that really lit me up:

"You've got to get through the Mondays to get to the Fridays"

So true! I was then reminded of how I continually preach to people who embark on a health revolution in their own lives how I tell them to focus on today, and if you can get through today, you can get through tomorrow. When people start looking back they (or you) can say, "If I made it through yesterday, I can make it through today", and "...last week, I can make it through this week..." and so on. We have to get through day one before we can get to day 90, guys. Just remember this, because so many of you have gotten yourselves geared up for a life change or new challenge, but sell yourselves short because you are too caught up in how far you have to go. Just get through the first day, first workout, first step, etc, and then focus on the next step. Remember, baby steps are still steps forward, and if it takes many baby steps, but no steps backward, you will make it, and I'll be here to congratulate you! Get through this Monday, and most likely you can get through tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday, and 'whallah!' Friday! Thanks for reading, everyone, and have a great day!

There Is No Finish Line

I was talking with my friend, Jared, earlier regarding health, fitness, P90x, etc, not even an hour ago, and he was telling me about his day at work. I'll tell you what I'm getting to in a moment, but let me tell you that each time we have spoken over the last few weeks since he called me to find out how he can get in the best shape of his life, he has inspired me just a bit more. That's right--the motivator is motivated by the people that he motivates. Say that 3x fast, huh? I've said this to almost everyone I speak to, but it's definitely true--the people that look up to me for guidance and motivation actually do the same and maybe more for me. There is surely no turning back, and I don't ever intend to live unhealthily ever again because I am helping others improving the quality of their lives and that is so powerful and meaningful.

Anyways, Jared told me while he was at work, he saw a guy wearing a Nike t-shirt that read, "There is no finish line". Wow! What a quote and so true. We had just been discussing how P90X is so complete and comprehensive. "You determine the intensity level," I told him. This is true not only for the workout program itself, but in your daily lives as well. What intensity do you live? Work? Love? Care? Do you lollygag through your day or do you go at it with such steam and intensity that you know you accomplished everything and more? For most of us, it's the former, and even for us who are hardcore, often times we have set the bar so high that the latter always seems elusive. This is exactly what "no finish line" means, and it is this mindset that will allow you to achieve success.

Often I tell people (as does my wife) how I get up extra early to make my wife a hot breakfast and see her off to work on the days she needs to, run errands, cook meals, and even give her pedicures when we know we can't afford to pay for the service. She says her friends at work would get jealous if she told them everything, but I just tell her that my main goal is to be the best husband I can be. To me, that is an elusive goal, but one I pursue more than any other and take it very seriously. Failure is not an option because I have made the commitment and will continue to strive to be the best at it, and my love is so strong that there is no wavering. I'm not afraid to say this, and some of you should realize that this is the commitment you have made to your spouses, children, health, etc. Once you approach any goal this way, nothing will stop you from success, and that's real. I could elaborate more, but I'm going to turn in early to get cozy with my wife and watch the finale of Dexter which we "DVR'd". Thanks for reading everyone, and have a great night!

Plyo Mom

I got a chance to speak to my mom this morning, which is always a positive thing. I can't say enough about how lucky I am to have such wonderful parents who have always supported my brother and me, and they are responsible for who I am today. Anyways, my mom told me about a recent Chiropractor visit and how her doctor told her that she was looking toned and to keep doing whatever it is she was doing. "I've never felt this great..." she said to me in addition to explaining how she no longer has trouble getting up off of the floor and the reactions she has been getting from her friends. She has been doing Debbie Siebers' "Slim In 6", a progressive home fitness program geared towards healthy adults and is a great Beachbody program with proven results.

I also spoke with my brother, Chris, who is also in pursuit of his own health and fitness goals. He has been working out with P90X in order to get in the best athletic condition of his life, and I am giving both Chris and my mom support and seeing them through their progress and goal completion. Chris mentioned to me how our mom is actually keeping him on track by asking him if he worked out or was planning to. He admitted that this really puts him into the right mindset if he happened to be feeling lazy or his priorities started to shift. If you are familiar with this program, there is a workout called "Plyometrics" which is jump training for athletes. This workout assists you with cardiovascular endurance, lower body strength and conditioning, vertical and lateral leaping ability, and agility, and is definitely extreme. My mom joined my brother on this workout recently, heavily modifying, but finishing the workout. Awesome!!! Go Mom Go!! She's gonna kill me, but she is 66 years old everyone!!! I love my Plyo Mom! Please comment below or visit my coach page by clicking on the title of this blog to find out more about Beachbody, the programs I mentioned, or to check out my complete story. Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend!

Play Like A Team

During the summer this past year, I found a job to help supplement my family's income at Freshii, a healthy fast-food franchise located in the loop. Although a simple and low-paying job, it was about what I needed, and I felt that the sales pressure and stress from a few of my past jobs wasn't necessary nor healthy. I love this job because I can promote health through our menu of salads, soups, and wraps, using fresh, raw vegetables and natural grilled chicken and salmon and other healthy toppings. We also feature non-fat tart frozen yogurt with the customer's choice of topping, muesli, and a wide variety of munchees, nutrition bars, sports nutrition, and beverages. That's the food aspect, though. What I love most is the team members who have become my friends over the past 6 months or so. If you work in a team environment, camaraderie and fun are a key element for the success of your operation, and helps the time go by too. I am currently the night shift supervisor and oversee a smaller crew that caters to a group of corporate workers who often are in the city late and seek out healthy eats at Freshii.

I can't say that we haven't had our share of differences, especially between the employees and management, but through communication of our disagreements we have worked them out pretty well, and I believe it is becoming the workplace that David, the owner, had envisioned from the inception. Last night was our holiday party at Whirlyball, a sports bar and a unique, team-fun type of place that hosts private parties and features "Whirlyball" a game where you form two teams that drive around in bumper cars and pass and shoot whiffle-balls through a vertical hoop with a plastic scoop. (Can't picture it?-go to www.whirlyball.com and check it out) Anyway, we had our share of drinks and food, and we did a grab-bag gift exchange and partied up with members from the morning and evening shifts of the two current Freshii locations. We definitely needed to kick back outside of work and enjoy ourselves, and we also were able to have fun with our management team, which is important, and I believe, brought us closer. I feel that we have forged some memories from yesterday that will only help us grow in the future and recall moments to laugh about as well. If you work in a team environment, you may want to look into a fun team-building outing as well, and just try not to talk about work the whole time and you will come away with stronger bonds in and out of the workplace. Thanks for reading, everyone...Happy Friday and have fun at work today!

Coaches Wanted

I've been training hard and it seems that every day I am impacting someone else's life by inspiring them to find something inside telling them to get healthy. Also, these people (probably many of you reading this) have already inspired people you know. It's a great chain reaction, and today I wanted to remind you I am working on building something much bigger than myself or any single fitness or nutrition system. I am a coach for Beachbody, the company that brought P90X, INSANITY, Slim in 6, Shakeology, and so many other great products as well as a booming online community of people just like you and me who are improving their own lives and the lives of the people they care about. Similar to other growing marketing companies, Beachbody lives and grows with us, the Beachbody coaches and customers who live by the education and lifestyle taught through the programs and transformations that Beachbody is responsible for.

It is no secret that I have started to make money doing this, and unlike some of my past ventures, I did not hastily approach this opportunity. However, when I noticed how powerful leading by example can be and that other people were interested in these same products and tools offered, I decided to take the step to become a coach. Not only do I get a 25% discount on all the things that I buy, but I also get a website that I can customize to a certain extent and the purchases made via my site fuel my retail sales, which I receive a 25% commission on. There is so much more, and today I re-visited my online office to refresh my memory and learn about anything new happening with my compensation. I am posting this same video below, and I urge you in these tough times to look at your life. Are you happy with how you feel? How you look? Your level of health and the health of those you care about? What about your financial health? Isn't it time you found out what you can do if you put your mind to it? Surely, this is not for everyone, but it can be if you believe in yourself. Anyways, I'd love to develop you as my next coach and/or trainee and get fit and healthy with you. It's time to put on your helmet, get off the sideline, and get in the game. Thanks for reading everyone, and be sure to watch the video below to find out more. Please don't hesitate to contact me. My info is on my coach page, which you can access by clicking on the title of this link.

Become

"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I thought I'd start today's blog with an historical quote. This one says it all. I started off with a goal to lose more weight and tone up, but the internal changes that have occurred through discipline, focus, and self-sacrifice have helped me to become much more than I ever thought I could be, and surely, I will continue on this path and focus on an ideal, allowing me to become "more than a man" (a phrase from a quote from "Batman Begins" that has stuck with me). As I strive to hit more milestones in my health and life, I continue to challenge myself and set the bar higher, and I feel myself on the brink of great success. But this blog is really not about me--it's about YOU.

Yesterday, one of my newer trainees, Luis, was telling me about a friend that he says constantly has innovative ideas and possesses musical talent. He told Luis how he wanted to trick out his guitar and always seems to have ideas on what he'd like to do in music, but for one reason or the other, never seems to do what it takes to move forward. Sound familiar? It does to me. I still have some issues with this, especially when I think about many past projects that I had ideas for but never had the "gusto" to carry them out to completion. You, too, have probably experienced this, and may be experiencing this now in your life. Pertaining to fitness, some of my friends have purchased the P90X system, knowing through my example what is possible, but lacking the desire to challenge themselves to do something great for their health and their lives. That is just one example, though. Do you have a dream? Do you have a desire? Truly, if you dare to believe in yourself a little bit and make some small sacrifices, you will start to see that you are capable of becoming much more than the present version of yourself. Once you achieve your goals and hit your personal milestones, you will never again settle for mediocrity.

When I left work yesterday, I noticed that one of my good friends from high school that I had seen at my 10-year reunion had called me. Last Wednesday he had contacted me regarding what I had done (fitness-wise) because he had my business card and saw my results. "I want to get my six-pack back," he told me. We planned to meet on Saturday, but I spoke with him again on Friday, and he told me he wanted to purchase the system. I kind of had to settle him down and explain that I still wanted to meet with him to catch up, get some information, and make my recommendation then, and I realized that something in his mind "clicked" and he had made the conscious decision to pursue greatness. We did meet Saturday for about 3 hours, discussing everything from what we had both gone through in the past 10 years, and also about fitness and nutrition, and he was so responsive to what I was teaching him that I knew when he ordered the system, he was definitely ready to succeed. So yesterday I thought he called me to tell me he received the package, but this wasn't the case. Actually, he called me to discuss his recent trip to GNC, where he was looking into a great protein product to help him with his sports nutrition and the athletic undertaking that lies ahead. He explained to me that he knows he still has athletic ability and wants to pursue a professional sport or other career that involved athletics, and I encouraged him because I know that whatever he, you, or any of us put our mind to, we can and will do it, and it is only this mindset that I, unfortunately, can't help you with.

So my friend went from wanting a six-pack to wanting to be a professional athlete, a dream many of us have had when we were growing up playing sports but that most of us have all but given up on due to a combination of factors. Maybe we lacked talent, maybe we wanted to do something else, maybe we have children and have had to foresake these dreams to sacrifice for them. What I know we lacked was maybe not even the motivation, but the plan. Think of yourself taking on a major project, like building the greatest bridge in the world. Well, if you are not an engineer and you have been given this task and only a pencil and paper, this project's future looks grim. However, if you are given the education, the tools, and the blueprint for this same project, the only thing that will keep you from completing this bridge is yourself. Apply this to fitness, namely P90X. P90X has given me and thousands of other people the education, tools, and blueprint to build the best, most healthy body we could ever dream of, and we did this because we made the decision to do so and to not let anything get in our way of reaching our goal. I challenge all of you to BECOME. Thanks for reading, everyone, and please contact me (via my coach website by clicking on the title of this blog or the link below my signature) with your dreams, whatever they may be, because I honestly will do whatever I can to support you and I am here to tell you that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

-Mike Nickles
www.premierhealthsource.com

Make It Happen

Well, it's finally official...the snow is back and so is winter in Chicago. Today as I got up, I knew I had plenty to do (this blog and yesterday's make up included). I just finished compiling all of the video and pictures that Beachbody wanted to make the special segment on me, so my first priority was to go to Staples and get it shipped out right away. If you didn't know, I won $1,000 for submitting my transformation story in Beachbody's "Million Dollar Body Game"! This will help us out for this Christmas and also fund my A.C.E. personal trainer certification, so I am blessed to have won. (Thanks to Victor for pushing me to get this transformation story in: he was confident I had come a long way and encouraged me to share the whole story in detail).

So after my usual nap after making my wife breakfast at 5AM and also having some breakfast myself, I got dressed and went out to shovel the sidewalk so that we could walk around without trampling the moist, packing snow into the ground. Then I went to Staples, then to Walgreens to pick up some Salt to lay down, which I did after also stopping at the bank. Luckily, all 3 places were in the same area on Lawrence/Pulaski so even though it took some time, there was only minimal driving. After salting the ground and walking my dog, Lola, I came back in and it was around 11:30 already! I usually workout at 10am so that I can fit my stacked-double, a 2 hour long intense workout that I customized from two extreme home fitness programs. Today was a cardio and abs day, but instead of skipping altogether, I did "Insane Abs", which includes cardio, plyometrics, and c-sit and plank position ab moves, altogether an awesome stand-alone workout. I had other options, and even if I had come home closer to noon, I was going to fit in a 10-minute shadowboxing/jump-rope routine to get some intense cardio and some core work and arms in.

So you see, it's all about HOW you look at it. People love to just make an excuse and go to work. Well, last time I checked, most people aren't that physically active at work, and furthermore, they eat unhealthy fast food and sip coffee all day. No wonder everyone feels like crap! People, you must put yourself first, and when you focus on health and integrate fitness, you WILL feel better and perform better in all areas of your life. I can only tell you so much to help you get your mind on track, but once you make the decision, please give me a call or email me because I'm here for you. Thanks for reading everyone, and have a great day!

Please Call Me!!

So real quick--this is a make-up for yesterday's missed blog, but I gotta get to work so it will be short and to the point. Yesterday, a good friend messaged me on facebook that he had picked up P90X, partly due to seeing my results, and he wanted to give it a go and get healthy and fit. Aaaahhh! This is awesome, of course, but people--I am a coach, and I will help you, but also I won't lie-I get paid when you make a purchase--and I appreciate the fact that I have influenced you. So don't be shy: Give me a call, email me, and/or set up a profile on Beachbody where you have access to all kinds of tools and support, and we will be directly connected. I do all this (blogs, profiling, analysis, suggestions, support...you get the idea) for you and to see you succeed! I know how hard it is, and many of you don't have as far to go as I did. So please, lets help each other and I want you on my team! Thanks, everyone! Please remember, it is not just me who inspires you...actually, every single one of you that sends me a message, or picks up a program, or even asks me questions to help with health, nutrition, and fitness...I appreciate! I am inspired by you and you keep me going. Together, we will succeed and live better, more fulfilling lives! Thanks again, everyone, and if you haven't already, click on the title of this link to go to my coach page, check out my story if you like, and click "join" to set up a free or club membership where I can help you the most.

Yoga Flame

Ok so before I began my personal quest towards better health and better life satisfaction, the only things I knew about Yoga were from Street Fighter II and a few buzz clips on TV here and there. "Yoga Flame" "Yoga Fire" were two moves from the character Dhalsim from Street Fighter II, the popular video game back in the day. (Ok so I'm dating myself here...) The Indian character could levitate in a cross-legged pose, could shoot flames from his hands, and could kick and punch by extending his legs and arms like Gumby. Other than that, I thought Yoga was for women and was relaxing and easy. I thought wrong. One of the things Tony Horton has taught me was to get outside of my comfort zone, and change and results will happen.

The first time I did Yoga X, the 90-minute yoga exercise from P90X, I was worn out from the first three workouts early in the week and I thought, "well this will be relaxing". Wow...what I realized is that it was the most challenging aspect of the program. I was forced to do odd stretches and hold weird poses, and though I wasn't doing cardio or lifting weights, I had to modify many of these moves so I could get through the workout, and after the routine I was sweating my butt off! Another thing happened, though. At the end, after concentrating on aligning my appendages and focusing on breathing deeply, and by stretching muscles that I never really knew existed before, we did relaxing, more meditative types of moves which really eased my mind. And the finale of "Ohms" often left my eyes teary due to a euphoric bliss I felt throughout my entire system. I also attribute my huge improvement in flexibility, balance, strength, and peace of mind to Yoga. If you are an athlete, Yoga is essential, and it will help you improve on every level of fitness. I now feel that if I go over a week without some form of yoga, I feel out of whack and I crave it to help me with recovery, which is just as important as working out. Click on the title of this link to find out more about various yoga forms and also which Beachbody programs feature them, and as always, please post a question, comment, or personal story of your own. Please contact me if you are ever interested in any Beachbody products and/or home fitness in general. Thanks for reading everyone, and have a great Sunday!

Excuse Me

So Thanksgiving went well. You went deal hunting on Black Friday. Took it easy on the weekend, too. It's a week later and you haven't been working out. "I...blah blah blah". You know who you are, and you're not alone. I'm not trying to be hard on you, but if you feel that way, it is you who are being hard on yourself. Don't give up!! Even experienced jockeys fall off their horses and pro drivers get into car accidents. What do you think they do? They get up and get back onto the horse or behind the wheel and start winning races again! So for you, get back into the gym (or in front of your T.V. and press play!), continue to eat healthy as you were before (hopefully), and SUCCEED!!

Remember, it's not whether you have this or that to do, 2 jobs, etc. Because you know what? You get all that stuff done, don't you? Let's face it: the most reliable thing we, as employees and/or business owners do is show up for work every day, right? Why? Because we have bills to pay and kids to feed, or whatever the reason is that you show up for work. Well, what does your job do for your health? Not much for most of us. And why do you even go to work? Because you are on the schedule, right? So do this-put yourself on your own schedule, and schedule your eating, too. You have to focus on prioritizing your health, and you will see that daily fitness and proper nutrition are not optional or something to skip. You need to believe that these things will enrich your life, and that you need both to thrive as a human being. Once you do this, you'd agree that it's silly to avoid them during the day. If you still think you have obstacles you need to overcome, please contact me and I will help you out. Remember--you don't have to do this alone. We will beat your excuses and succeed together. Trust me. It's not easy but it is simple. Anyways, time seems like a number one issue so check out this video for "10-minute trainer" with Tony Horton, and your fitness excuses are gone. Thanks for reading everyone, and check back tomorrow!

Capo-what?

So I have been hearing a buzz about Copoeira, a Brazilian martial art that I heard was similar to a type of dance, but that's really all I knew, but I didn't think about it much before last night, to tell the truth. As you may or may not know, I am an Independent Coach for Beachbody, a revolutionary company that markets advance home fitness systems, nutritional supplements, and fitness accessories and other products. A newer program came out not too long ago, called "RevAbs", which is supposedly a 90-day fitness program that focuses on your abs and getting you that slim waistline and six-pack that you are looking for. The program was developed by Brett Hoebel, a hot-shot trainer from California with training roots in New York. Originally, I saw a preview and actually got one disk as a free preview a couple months ago with my monthly "One on One with Tony Horton" dvd. I watched some of it, and it honestly seemed kind of cheesy to me. I put it back on my shelf next to my arsenal of P90X, Insanity, and One-on-One vids, and I haven't thought much of it since.

A few days ago, a high-school friend and baseball teammate called me. He was apparently intrigued by my business card and stated he wanted to regain his six-pack. When asked what I had done to revamp my physique, I told him what I went through last year and began raving about P90X and how it had changed my life. It's true-P90X (and you've heard this from me before) is the most complete athletic training program, period. I explained a bit about the science and how it is comprehensive and the type of training I do now by integrating P90X and Insanity workouts, etc. He was interested in seeing where he was physically, and we have an appointment to meet tomorrow so I can conduct a fitness assessment with him and consult him regarding a solution. So last night, I figured I would look into some alternate options, and remembered about RevAbs. I remembered about what I thought about it from my preview, but figured it might be a viable solution for my friend, so I looked into the workouts. Apparently, Brett Hoebel uses Capoeira-inspired moves integrated into strength and interval training and all of the moves target the abs. When I saw "Capoeira", I realized it was that Brazilian fighting style, and I immediately looked it up online. What I found was jaw-dropping. This is such a beautiful, acrobatic martial art, and watching some videos sparked my imagination, and I actually had trouble getting back to sleep because of the excitement. Check out some vids I saw by clicking on the title of this post to link to a site, and/or check out RevAbs by clicking the link below. I will definitely pick up this program to introduce me to this, and I plan to start practicing and learning this artform very soon. It is another challenge for me, and will no doubt help me with balance, flexibility, core strength, and looks soooo fun too! Thanks for reading, everyone...Happy Friday!!


RevAbs

Sleep On It

Thanks to my buddy and new trainee Luis for providing today's topic. At work, he was telling me about a New York Times article that talked about a particular sleep study that linked regular fitness to better sleep. The experiment found that for every hour of sedentary activity [from the data taken from children participating] it took 3 more minutes to get to sleep. Further, the children who were more active not only got to sleep faster but also slept longer.

In related feedback to this article, (click on the title of this blog), people had various degrees of feedback relating to their own personal experiences. Most of the posts that I saw supported the findings that being more active during the day helped their quality of sleep, but there were a few conflicts. One man explained that his daughter had after-school practices for two different sports and his daughter experienced insomnia. Some posts regarding this explained that this may have been due to overexertion. Also, in other reports, people stated that working out closer to bedtime actually kept them up as did being on the computer or doing other stimulating work.

To some extent, I agree with most of this stuff, but I think there is more that goes into this, and that it also depends on the individual, the stress level, nutritional factors, and anticipation for the upcoming day. Personally, I work evening hours and often get home around 11:30 or 12:00 am. When I get home, I usually shower right away, and sometimes I am exhausted and go right to bed. Other times, I am not tired and stay up to get office work done, read, watch T.V., etc. I feel that I get to sleep better if I allow myself to naturally exhaust myself through doing some stimulating activities and avoiding eating snacks late, although some of the time I most likely could sleep earlier but have important deadlines to meet. If I know the next day will be more exciting or I have a lot to do, I find it is harder to sleep because my mind is on those things. Some things that I find help in this situation are lying on my side and listening to more emotion-envoking music on headphones. This can help me visualize a comforting place or long-term dreams and I feel happier and calmer because of it. Sometimes a light snack such as a small piece of cornbread (recently) helps. Also, I would even say a light alcoholic beverage or a hit of weed helps, although my intention is not to promote drinking or recreational drug use; I am, however, liberal and realistic. Whatever the case, find something that works for you and is healthy, and everyone should integrate better nutritional choices and a daily fitness program for optimal health and wellness. Thanks for reading everyone and have a great day!!

Sweet on sugar?

Ok so I was wrong...I recently advised a friend that a little more fat in her daily diet would be better than eating a little more sugar. Actually, even though the added fats and sugars in our diets should be used sparingly, sugars would be a better choice for various reasons. First of all, if we are staying inside of our caloric goals for the day, replacing some more nutritional items with some added sugar is okay, because sugar and sweetness bring pleasure, and your mind's health is just as important than your body's. Also, sugar and carbohydrates yield less calories, gram for gram, than fat does, so it's harder to overindulge (but not impossible!!). As far as storage goes, fat is [logically] easier for the body to store because it is already in the same form, it just needs to be transported to the storage area (usually our bellies,right??), whereas sugars and carbs, if not used, must be converted, and this conversion uses energy and is a process in itself as well.

Those are just a few things I learned from reading my wife's nutritional textbook yesterday on the train. Now, I'm not saying to drink pop all day and eat cookies!! Studies have also shown a link between what excess sugar can do: sugar, in excess, actually can lead to saturated fats being released into the bloodstream, which is not good, but don't worry too much, this would have to really be an erroneous amount to make this dangerous, just take it easy. Consuming excess fat, however, is much more detrimental, and actually contributes much more to obesity and diabetes than sugar actually does. Studies from groups of obese people and those of normal-weight people eating similar sugar intakes has shown that the obese, and those who take in excess fats, especially saturated fats, are more susceptible to diabetes while normal-weight people and those on low-fat diets show little or no development of diabetes. So it's really just like my doctor told me for a decade or so: "If you want to avoid health problems in the future, just keep your weight down." As simple as that sounds, it is the truth, and if you are obese or overweight and your diet is lacking, please contact me to find out how we can integrate better dietary choices along with home fitness to find a solution to future health problems such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc. I sure don't wish any of that on anyone, and I am doing my best to avoid it. Shouldn't you? Click on the title of this link to connect to my coach page and find out more about what I am doing. Thanks for reading everyone!

Burn Baby Burn

I'm not sure if I already blogged regarding this issue, but it's definitely something that is very important. Some of you reading this right now have been attempting to lose weight and/or get healthier, and I applaud you on making the decision to do so. Some of you might be succeeding greatly while some others are simply struggling to achieve your goals. The latter group may be wondering, "I'm working out and I'm eating healthy foods, but why don't I see any changes?" Well, though you may be eating great foods, you still may be taking in way too many calories, which is not going to help you in the longrun because your body doesn't need so much. The basics are this: your body needs calories to burn for energy so that you can perform your daily tasks including walking around, thinking, exercising, your job, and recovering and repairing your muscles, among other bodily processes. Providing exactly the number of calories you need will vary day to day, but through various calculations (you can find online or in health-related literature), you can come pretty close. If you are trying to lose weight, the obvious would be to consume less calories than you need so that your body will use more of the fat stored, and if you are looking to gain, you should consume more calories. A great tip I got from Men's Health is to consume calories based on your goal weight, and eventually your body will match your eating habits.

I'd like to elaborate on eating habits a bit more. In one of my recent blogs, I talk about scheduling your meals. Further, eating 5-6 smaller meals as opposed to 2-3 giant ones, even if the calories are the same, is extremely better for you and your body, hands down. Think about it like an open fire. When you get a fire going, you should start with kindling and work your way easily to the medium sized logs. Adding a small or medium sized log frequently will keep your fire burning at a consistently high temperature, but it is necessary to keep this going throughout the period you need it for. However, if you start your fire with larger pieces, you will get it going eventually, and when the fire is burning full on it will be nice and hot, however, if you let the fire burn down before putting another large piece on, the temperature will drop and then take a long time to get back up again. This is precisely what happens to your metabolism when you eat in the same way. This is also why you feel so tired after a large meal, and why before the meal when you are so hungry your brain and body doesn't work so well.

The obvious complaint is that "I have no time..." or "...I still feel hungry..." Okay, well changing your routine is not easy, but there are some things you can do. First, schedule your meals (see my past blog regarding this), and if you are on the run a lot, pack nutritious snacks such as nutrition bars and/or dried fruit and nuts, granola, fresh fruit, a baggie with celery and carrots, cans of V8 juice, etc. I consume 3 meals that yield 400-500 calories and in between have snacks that yield around 200-300 calories, and I consume around 2500-3000 calories per day, depending on my workouts. I do intense workout routines, so I have found a schedule and consistency that goes with, and I can stay lean. I tend to hover in between 145 and 150 lbs and have around 5 to 6 percent body fat. I used to only eat lunch and dinner and whatever snacks I wanted, and I ate late at night, which is foolish and unnecessary, especially if you are going right to bed afterwards. It's a great method to pack on pounds of fat, trust me! Anyways, work slow when changing your habits, and if you can make some good changes, after 2 weeks or so when your stomach is an appropriate size again, you won't get the false hunger pangs you tend to feel when going from large to normal sized meals. Please feel free to contact me with specific questions or concerns, and I will do my best to help. Click on the title to link to my coach page as well. Thanks for reading and have a great Tuesday!

Exhausted...Why Not?

Wow. I got my butt kicked today and loved it! I wanted to take a moment to give some feedback on a custom home fitness program I've been tailoring to challenge myself even more than I had over the past year, which is somewhat difficult. Since last year, I've completed the P90X extreme home fitness program twice and the INSANITY program once. I want to emphasize EXTREME because both of these programs are comprehensive and can challenge even the most fit professional athletes and trainers, and that's why I love them so much and have gotten the results that I, like many, have gotten.

P90X, if you are not familiar with it, is the most complete athletic training program. Period. It combines intense strength training workouts which are about an hour or so, plyometrics, or jump training, advanced yoga, a kenpo workout, and much more. The program helps you in all areas including strength, cardio endurance, breathing, flexibility, balance, and even strengthens your mind. The program also eliminates the plateau effect by integrating a schedule with recovery and changes your workout program up to get you consistent and progressive results, and is very physically demanding.

In contrast, the INSANITY program is basically cardio on crack! It uses MAX interval training, an extreme form of interval circuit training to help you burn unprecedented amounts of calories while also enhancing your muscular endurance, strength, and teaches you how to push past what your mind tells you is your physical limit. This is a 60 day program which helped me reduce my body fat from approximately 8.5% to around 5.5%!! 60 days!!

After a recovery week, I began my own customized, hybrid, program, if you will. The first 3 weeks I used a pre-exhaustion method where I used an INSANITY workout to burn calories and get the sweat flowing, then went straight to a P90X strength routine, 3 days a week. On one of the days in between I did extreme versions of P90X plyometrics or kenpo, followed by Ab Ripper X, the 15 min ab routine. On the other day I used INSANITY's MAX Cardio Conditioning, which is basically 45 minutes straight thru with no set breaks (except the stretch), and I followed this with INSANE Abs, a 33-minute INSANITY ab workout. Saturdays were my wild-card days where generally I used a different 1-0n-1 with Tony Horton routine and/or I conducted fit tests on new trainees, and took Sunday off or did Yoga X. I used week 4, last week, as a recovery week and did some intense stuff, but really it was more laid back in comparison. I just started week 5 and am basically doing the same as weeks 1-3 for weeks 5-8, but I have changed 2 strength training workouts, one cardio workout, and the major difference is I am using post-exhaustion this time. Wow what a difference! Today I did "Chest, shoulders, and triceps" from P90X which really killed my upper body, then I made sure by finishing with "Cardio Circuit" from INSANITY and by the end I was completely out of gas from the pushups and plank work, not to mention the bonus after 3x thru which consisted of jabs, uppercuts, and open-handed vertical punches from the plie position. Holy crap! Aren't you glad I shared? If you have any idea what I am describing then you are probably already sweating! I guess I am a masechist cause I love this stuff! Anyways, thanks for reading everyone, and please contact me if you think you're Johnny Extreme and you're ready for a great challenge!

This is why WE'RE fat!!

Unreal. Click on the title to link to a site that contains pages and pages of pictures of the most fatty, disgusting foods that people and restaurants have created. Now, some of you might think that a "picnic pop" or a breaded sausage and boiled egg patty looks good. This is why you are fat. I know, it's harsh, but it's true. Do you know how bad this stuff is? Do you care? Well, next time you want to eat something that is a fraction as unhealthy as this is, just look in the mirror and ask yourself this--"Do I look good...Do I feel good...Am I shortening or lengthening my life?" I'm not sure if you know this, but heart disease is the number one killer in America, and most of the time it's due to poor diet and lack of fitness, both which we have control over. I'm gonna make this short because it was straight to the point, and I gotta write today's cause I'm a bit behind anyway. So you found this blog in a search. What are you searching for? Check out how I turned my health around in less than a year and why I have made it my goal to help people improve the quality of their lives at:

www.premierhealthsource.com

Thanks for reading, and good luck with your quest to a better life. I'm here to help.