Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 31, 2009
Knowing what you like is half the battle of finding a workout routine you can stick with. If you know that high energy music and dance is your thing, dance workout dvds may be right up your alley. There are hundreds of dance workout dvds on the market. Not all are created equally, however, and finding the best dance workout DVDs shouldn’t be difficult if you know what you are looking for.
The best dance workout dvds will not always be hosted by a celebrity. Keep them in the fashion mags. The most effective programs are directed by real trainers and dancers. Just because your favorite star comes out with a new workout program does not mean it’s worth your money. The company behind the dvd often uses celebrities because they will bring in the revenue, not because they are the best fitness role model.
Good dance workout dvds must have good music. You would be shocked at some of the workout programs that have mediocre music and choreography. It is incredibly frustrating to try and keep up when the music doesn’t match the workout and vice versa.
A good way to separate the best dance workout dvds from others is to give extra credit to those that are a complete fitness system. One workout dvd doesn’t require the thought and commitment of an entire system. Complete systems like Hip Hop Abs will feature several workouts and eating plans.
Finding the right workout for you gets simpler as you learn to weed out those that might be inferior. Superior quality programs like Turbo Jam include dance with strength training moves and fun choreography to keep your energy levels up. Pair those qualities with a trainer like Chalene Johnson and you have a formula for success.
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 29, 2009
I don’t think there are many people over the age of 30 who haven’t purchased at least one piece of home workout equipment in their life. I’m not referring to workout DVD’s but the actual equipment, the fitness tools that promise major results. So often we let our impulses direct these purchases and they end up gathering dust in a corner of our homes somewhere. Learning to analyze the equipment purchase before you buy it is crucial in buying the right gear and minimizing needless expenses.
The main thing to remember when deciding on home workout equipment is that the equipment won’t do the work for you. Be wary of fitness gear that claims you can get major rewards with “little or no effort”. These are gimmicks.
The best results come from you, not some tool. Enhanced results come from high quality equipment that helps you put forth the most productive effort.
You don’t need to spend an arm and a leg on good home workout equipment. Fitness equipment that helps you make the most productive workouts isn’t always the highest technology. Something as simple as a high quality pull up bar can give you great results without fancy features and a big price tag. Unless you are planning on starting a neighborhood gym, keeping your home workout equipment simple is typically the best route.
Choose your workout equipment wisely and never purchase on impulse. If you see an infomercial or advertisement and are tempted, give yourself 24 hours to think it over. Often this day will give you a chance to really see what the product is: a basic product paired with clever marketing. Research the equipment before you purchase it and keep it simple.
When considering what home workout equipment is appropriate for your fitness goals, think simple and think effective. Take a look at the fitness accessories we have here for some good examples of high quality goods at a reasonable price.
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 28, 2009
Working out at home is convenient. You can wear what you want, workout whenever you have the time, and you don’t have to worry about what other people think of your sweating and struggling body. However, working out at home also presents its own unique issues. Having somewhere to go for home fitness advice is a great tool to have. Here at the Extreme Body Workout blog we commit to bringing you daily workout and nutrition tips to help you stay on track.
We add to this blog a minimum of 7 times a week. That’s a post every single day. Even weekends. We know your fitness goals don’t stop on the weekends and we do our best to provide consistency that you can count on.
One of the problems of taking your fitness home with you is the lack of accountability. When you are into home fitness, no one knows if you skip a workout. Home fitness routines require a high level of discipline because, let’s face it, your couch is right there! It would be very easy to not take a home fitness routine seriously.
But, when you don’t live up to your goals, even if no one knows, you know, and that knowledge can make it harder to pick back up and make fitness commitments in the future.
Having several sources of support for your home fitness workouts is crucial. Tell people about your goals! Join a message board or online community to talk with people like you. Subscribing to blogs you like is another great way to ensure you are getting daily motivation.
While the majority of our blog posts are related to the programs we sell here, not all of them are. General fitness is as important to us as it is to you. We blog about what we sell because we stand behind these high quality products. However, we also recognize that our customers have questions about things not related to our products.
Here at the Extreme Body Workout blog, we want to address all of your fitness concerns and help you reach your goals. Come here for some of the best fitness advice and motivational posts no matter what program you are working with.
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 28, 2009
The holidays are over and the New Year is upon us. Your P90X resolve may have dissolved over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and now you are looking for a way to get remotivated for P90X. While having motivation is great and it certainly helps the intensity of your workouts, one of the major points that must be learned in order for any fitness program to last is that motivation is not necessary. Having said that, it is a bonus and having it can make you feel better about a workout.
If P90X is your workout of choice and you are looking for a way to get remotivated, consider simply watching one of the infomercials from Beach Body. These infomercials are designed to sell the product and they may have had something to do with your decision to purchase P90X in the first place. If this is the case, then watching them again can serve to get some of that initial excitement back once again.
Also, take a look at the many P90X blogs online. User reviews and transformation stories can always do a good job of piquing your interest in the program again. Before and after photos as well as videos of progress can serve as a great reminder of why you started P90X in the first place.
To get remotivated for P90X, consider setting yourself up with some incentives. Been eyeing the PowerStands for a while? Promise yourself you’ll get them after you get through 30 days. Or think about a new outfit in a smaller size as a reward for your hard work. Call it bribery if you wish but the end results are extremely positive.
While being motivated to work out is good, try and remember that motivation is optional. The greatest athletes work out even when they are far from motivated. The key difference between a dedicated fitness enthusiast and anyone else is their realization that working out requires more consistent dedication than it does motivation.
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 27, 2009
We know it’s good for us. We know “they” say exercise needs to be a consistent feature in our lives. But how many people could list 5 benefits of physical exercise when asked? Chances are, not many. Of course we understand it is important but a good basic refresher on the benefits is a great way to remind you of why you are so concerned with exercise in the first place. Consider this Exercise Benefits 101.
The benefits of physical exercise may change slightly depending on where you look. They may also differ from person to person. However, there are some very basic perks that are pretty universal. The reputable Mayo Clinic lists 7 on their website while others may include fewer or several more. This article from Suite101 focuses only on the emotional benefits of exercise. Let’s take a look at some of the more basic benefits.
1. Weight management
2. Self confidence
3. Stress relief
4. Disease and illness prevention
5. Improved quality of sleep
Of course there are more and everyone has their own reasons for staying fit. What are your benefits of physical exercise. For me, the most important of these is stress relief and self confidence. Regular exercise makes me feel like I can do anything. Call it my daily dose of superpowers, I may not be able to fly after a workout but I certainly feel like it!
The benefits that are most important to you are the ones that can serve as motivation. Consider all of the ways you benefit from fitness and take a second to write them down. Carry them in your purse, your gym bag, or stick the list in your desk drawer. When you feel compelled to fall off the fitness wagon, break out your list and remind yourself of the reason for your goals.
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 27, 2009
The holidays are nearly over and you may have gone a little overboard in your indulgences. In order to get back on track with your fitness, you simply have to jump right back into it. Don’t allow slip ups and transgressions over the holidays send you into a fitness downward spiral. Being able to treat yourself and then immediately return to your healthy habits is crucial in making your health a lifetime commitment. It’s time to, once again, pick up those healthy foods and get moving.
You may have leftover cookies and other holiday goodies in your home but when the holidays are over, it is time to move on. Consider taking some of the treats to the office. There’s nothing quite like an office break room to unload some sweet treats on. If your leftovers aren’t work material, get rid of them. True, it’s not fun to waste food, but the “clean plate” mindset is what hurts many people’s efforts at getting fit and sticking with healthy foods.
You must purge your home of the culprits. Regardless of how you get rid of them, just get it done. Remember the resolve that you had under your belt before the holidays came and recapture that. Whether you had two cookies over the holidays or an entire pan full, get up and move on.
Head to your favorite store to stock up on some fresh veggies and other healthy foods. Allowing yourself a shopping spree in the produce department can be a fun way to get back on track. Check out a few new healthy recipes before you go so you have some direction when you get there. Consider making a big pot of winter veggie soup or vegetarian chili. These are great for freezing and ensure you have a hot comfort food within reach at all times.
Don’t let your December slip ups cost you all of your hard work. By immediately jumping back on track, you can ensure the only leftovers you have from the holiday are good memories.
If you are looking for a fitness program with a great diet, check out the P90X program and its accompanying meal plans.
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 24, 2009
Committing to a workout program is one thing. Following through and making it a regular habit is quite another. Think of all the New Year’s resolutions that get made and then broken and then consider why they fail. Many of us are good at making the decision to get fit. But, somewhere between thinking about it and actually doing it, our resolve wears off. Of course there are several reasons why this happens. One of the major culprits, however, is lack of time and failure to prepare. Those that create workout routine schedules are far more likely to stick with their new-found fitness resolutions than those who do not.
Simply saying “I’m going to get fit!” or even purchasing a high quality fitness program like Turbo Jam isn’t enough.When you have failed at fitness goals in the past, you must prepare for all of the potential obstacles you will overcome. One of the greatest of these is time.
Workout routine schedules simply involve scheduling your workout ahead of time and not letting anything but the direst of circumstances come between them and your desire to get fit and healthy. By making workout routine schedules you are essentially making appointments with yourself. This requires making you a priority in your life. Are you worth keeping an appointment with?
Many of us cram our schedules so tight it becomes very easy to say “I don’t have time” when it comes to fitness. By making workout routine schedules you are setting aside time for fitness and keeping that time sacred as you would any other important appointment.
If you use a planner, pencil in your workouts at least one week in advance. If you can block out the time for a month, that’s even better. Block out at least an hour for 4 to 6 days a week for your fitness time. Commit to this schedule for at least 60 days and see if a workout routine schedule hasn’t helped you.
If you run on a tight schedule and are seeking a fitness program that can easily work into your busy life, consider Ten Minute Trainer. These highly customizable workouts are perfect for the modern adult.
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 24, 2009
With so many choices and so many sources for information out there, when it comes to a fitness program it can be difficult to know what to listen to and which to choose. There are many high quality workout systems on the market. We happen to sell some of the best here and we aren’t ashamed to say it. If you are just embarking on your fitness journey, you may be looking for something that can take you from a fairly sedentary life to having strong fitness habits. If this is the case, Power 90 may be the right system for you.
Power 90 is Tony Horton’s original in home boot camp workout program. This program came before P90X and was designed to give people a hard core, body changing system that they could do in their own home. Unlike P90X, which requires a certain level of fitness to begin, Power 90 is great for beginners. This program can prime your body and prepare you to move on to P90X and eventually P90X Plus.
Don’t think that this program is easy just because it’s appropriate for beginners. It is challenging and you will see a big transformation in a period of 90 days. If you give Power 90 your everything it will definitely return the favor!
Power 90 comes with 7 workouts and additional tools to help you succeed. The variety of workouts is not only great for your body but also does wonders for your motivation. Changing things up will help keep you interested and prevent burn out.
If you are ready to make a change in your life, Power 90 is a great place to start. Committing to 90 days can change your life. If you think programs like P90X Plus are out of your range, just wait! Put in the work and you will see your body become what you have always wanted. Put in the work and you will not be disappointed.
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 23, 2009
There are many styles of pull up bars on the market these days. They’re popular because people know pull-ups are a great way to get fit with minimal equipment. Pull up bars offer an excellent workout for your arms, back, and shoulders. Their effectiveness is widely known. I mean, children begin doing pull ups as early as elementary school. Having a door jam pull up bar in your home is a great way to diversify your home gym equipment and give you convenient access to an all around great workout move.
With the choices of chin up bars currently available, finding the right one can be tricky. It doesn’t have to be, however. The P90X chin up bar is a heavy duty door jam pull up bar that can be easily installed in any 24 to 32 inch doorway in your home. What makes this product better than the others is its quality construction and high grade materials. In addition, with his door jam pull up bar, you don’t have to worry about it slipping as you work.
Some door jam pull up bars work with springs or other tension mechanisms. One only needs to surf the Net for reviews on these products to see they aren’t completely safe or reliable. With any such tension mounted pull up bar you run the risk of damaging your door jam or falling mid-workout.
The P90X Chin Up Bar is a great tool for getting a killer pull up workout. If you have the P90X workout system, it will certainly add to your progress. The bar allows for 6 different grip positions, making it easy to vary your workout and hit different muscles. Once installed the bar can be easily removed between workouts and stowed away out of sight.
A door jam pull up bar is an excellent addition to your home gym that has the potential to maximize results while incurring relatively little cost.
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 23, 2009
The New Year is almost upon us and those resolutions are taking shape in people’s minds. Many people make fitness part of their New Year’s Resolutions and commit to making major changes in the next year. Being prepared for your new lifestyle helps ensure that you will actually follow through with it. Learning the basics is crucial to feeling confident in your fitness endeavor and knowing how to exercise is quite basic.
Keep it safe. In embarking on a new fitness plan it is important to know how to exercise safely. People often get swept up in the excitement and push too hard too soon. Remember, a high powered body takes time to develop. If you start to fast, lift to heavy, or work too hard in the beginning you could end up with an injury that takes you out for months. Take it easy, take your time and always listen to your body.
Keep it productive. Having pointed out the necessity of working out safely, we have to say a word about working out productively. You can’t be so afraid of hard work that your workouts are unproductive. There must be a balance between working out safely and working out hard enough for results. How to exercise within this balance really shouldn’t take too long to discover. Some exercise is uncomfortable; if you’re working hard it should be. However, working out should never be painful.
Keep it consistent. It’s a fact: most people don’t succeed at New Years Resolutions. Although their hearts are in the right place, they often go into the situation with the enthusiasm of a child at Christmas and that energy quickly wears off. Remember, this will be hard. Developing a lifestyle habit takes time and dedication. Keep your workouts consistent and do them regardless of your mood, schedule, or feelings of lethargy.
Learning how to exercise isn’t nearly as important as actually doing it. Get the information but make sure your energy goes towards using the information in the most productive ways. Find a high quality workout program and a source of support and fitness tips. Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to your favorite fitness magazines. But most of all just get out and make your goals happen!
You don’t want to have to make the same New Year’s Resolution going in to 2011.
Posted by nina on
December 21, 2009
The Holiday season is time for giving, receiving and sharing. Sharing drinks, food and fun. Be sure to keep your guest’s stomach safe this year by following a few simple Holiday Food Safety Tips.
Tip #1: Don’t allow your food to sit out for more than 2 hours
Most people think that you need to let your food cool down before putting into the refrigerator. But that is just not true. As a matter of fact, bacteria multiplies most rapidly in temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Everyone’s home fits into that temperature range. So as soon as dinner is done, it would be a good idea to take a minute to pack up the food. Besides, you’ll have to make room on the table for all the dessert!
Tip #2: Don’t let your refrigerator get too warm
Kind of a no brainer, but just remember to keep the temp below 40 degrees.
Tip #3: Stack your food carefully in the refrigerator
When placing all of you food in the refrigerator make sure that there is no cross-contamination. All meats should be packed up tightly so that the juices don’t run off on to other foods.
Tip #4: Don’t wash meat and poultry
Even though it may see like the right thing to do, it’s not. Washing meat and poultry will only spread the potential harmful contaminates around. Putting it in your sink and on you, which could easily be transfered to other foods. Plus, washing meat does NOT kill the bacteria, only cooking it will.
These Holiday Food Safety Tips may seem simple enough, but in the hustle and bustle of it all it could be very easy to forget.
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 21, 2009
A healthy diet is critical in your overall health and wellness. There is no doubt about this. The right foods in the right amounts can keep our body running on its full potential. Improving your immune system, encouraging heart health, maintaining brain health, and an optimally functioning digestive system are just some of the many benefits of a healthy diet. However, a healthy diet can’t do it all.
A healthy diet won’t give you bigger muscles or a tighter rear end. Sure a healthy diet can contribute to physical fitness but it can’t deliver the results all on its own. A healthy diet must be paired with a high quality fitness program for the best overall fitness.
Superior level athletes know that proper fuel (a healthy diet) must be paired with training for the best results The right food is crucial to give your body the fuel for its jobs. However, if you don’t use your body it will not respond in the best possible way. A combination of good fuel and regular use is necessary for optimal health and fitness.
Can you lose weight without exercising? Sure. But I wouldn’t consider that to be a healthy diet. Cutting your calories drastically will lead to weight loss. The problem with this weight loss is it isn’t very sustainable and it often results in the loss of muscle tone as well.
A body that has lost weight via drastic calorie cuts is far less visually appealing and also less healthy than one that was obtained with diet and exercise together.
A good effort should be made to keep your diet healthy, full of nourishing whole foods. But, don’t get swept up in diet and forget about the other necessary component. High quality exercise is a crucial factor in getting the body you want and the health to last a lifetime.
If you are looking at ways to get exercise in a convenient amount of time, consider the 10 Minute Trainer program. It allows you to customize a workout to fit your schedule. Also, as a possible addition to your healthy diet, take a look at the P90X Recovery Formula. This drink mix gives your optimal nutrition to replenish what you lose in a strenuous workout.
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 21, 2009
People begin fitness training programs for a variety of reasons. The vast majority, however, wants to see a major change in how their body feels and looks. Sure, you can begin a program to tone up your back side, or keep your legs looking strong. But more often than not, the motivating factor is body transformation or total body fitness.
There are literally thousands of options when looking at fitness training programs. There are programs for specific age groups and genders, those that appeal to weight trainers and dancers, and hundreds more. When seeking out the right program for you, keep your goal and your preferences in mind.
Fitness training programs for total body transformation must have workouts that incorporate the entire body. Focusing solely on cardio won’t work if you want muscle tone and strength. Likewise, certain strength training programs won’t help maintain your cardiovascular health. Finding a program that offers diverse workouts is often the best choice.
Superior quality fitness training programs like P90X and ChaLean Extreme offer an array of workouts. Not only do these workouts promise total body transformation, they keep you from getting bored. Variety is the spice of life and often a great way to keep you interested in a workout program. Doing the same workout day after day won’t only make you bored, however, it also doesn’t deliver the same benefits.
Find fitness training programs that offer variety and reputability. P90X is one system that includes cardio, weight training, and flexibi9lity. If you are seeking the best program for total body transformation, this is it. Backed with the knowledge of famous trainer Tony Horton, P90X will absolutely change both how you feel and how you look in a matter of 90 days.
Finding fitness training programs for body transformation doesn’t have to be difficult. We offer several right here!
Posted by nina on
December 18, 2009
Throughout the years exercise and health has been studied over and over again. I think we all can agree that exercising is good for you. But where is the hard scientific proof? Is there any evidence on the molecular level?
Supportive evidence of this idea was found in the Dec. 15th issue of the American Heart Association Journal Circulation. The researchers found that subjects who get regular exercise, about 50 miles of running a week, show a significant difference in the length of telomeres on their chromosomes than those who do not get regular exercise. Telomeres are the DNA-proteins on the ends of your thread-like chromosomes. They protect your genes during cell division, it’s like the plastic on the ends of your shoelaces.
As your life goes on and your cells divide, the telomeres get shorter and shorter. Eventually they will get too short and the cell will no longer be able to divide and will die. Researchers believe that this shortening process is critical to aging and causes people to become more susceptible to disease.
So although you eat healthy foods and your weight is appropriate, that doesn’t mean you don’t need exercise. Regular exercise can keep your cells in shape, if your cells are in good shape then so are you. After all, cell are what you’re made of!
Posted by Elizabeth Renter on
December 18, 2009
One of the issues many people have with supplements of any kind are the fact that they are a substitution for actual, nutritious food. Our bodies crave nourishment and proper nourishment at that. They were designed perfectly to process foods, from the chewing to the elimination. Our digestive systems are obviously equipped for food so some wonder why we would substitute liquid or capsule supplements for it. In discussing eating protein vs. drinking a protein shake, looking at the motivation behind supplementation is crucial.
Most people who are thinking about using protein supplements are already healthy. They are typically on a fitness program and seeking a way to get high quality protein in a convenient matter. Very seldom, though it does occur, are people under the misconception that supplements can somehow make them healthy.
For those people weighing the benefits of eating protein vs. drinking a protein shake, it often boils down to convenience.
Plain and simple: when undertaking a muscle building workout plan, protein consumption is often increased to assist the body’s natural muscle building abilities. Protein can help us build muscle by facilitating the repair of tissues broken down in a strenuous workout. In order to further encourage this, you will often see people cutting back on carbs and sugars in exchange for high quality protein.
Wanting to boost protein consumption is easy, stomaching it can be difficult. There aren’t many snack options today that combine concentrated protein levels with convenience. Carrying around a chicken breast isn’t really feasible; neither is making an egg white omelet at work. While real food is always a good choice, supplementing with protein shakes and good quality protein bars like the P90X protein bars is an easy move that allows you to boost your protein while moving throughout the day.
Are we suggesting you get all of your protein from protein supplements? Never. However, using them as a tool in your nutritional arsenal simply gives you a quick and easy way of boosting protein without growing tired of the old standbys. When considering eating protein vs. drinking a protein shake, go with the food when you can but don’t be afraid to use protein shakes as a good secondary option.
If you’re looking for the right kind of protein shakes to add to your plan, take a look at the Vanilla and Chocolate Whey Protein Powders we carry here. These shake mixes taste excellent and deliver 18 grams of protein per serving.
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