So often we are tempted to put a time limit on our health and fitness goals. We see new products make promises we know they can’t keep: “Lose 10 pounds in 10 hours!!”. But because we are lured by a time guarantee we often buy into things that our better sense cautions us against. There is no question that long lasting fitness progress requires hard work, and more than 10 hours and empty promises. A 90 day workout plan that focuses on better eating and really working your body is a realistic timeframe that can give you the results you want, if you are willing to do the work.

The harder you work on your fitness routine, the more drastic results you will see. You know you can’t expect to truly change your body or even change your fitness habits in 10 hours or even 2 weeks. New habits are built through routine and repetition. Hard bodies are built through sweat and hard work consistently applied over a measurable amount of time. A high quality 90 day workout has the potential to not only change your body but to transform your attitude about fitness and health overall.

If you have accepted the fact that the body and mind transformation will take nothing short of seriously hard work and a period of months rather than days, then you may be ready to commit to a 90 day workout program that lives up to its promises when you live up to the hard work required. P90X is the ultimate in 90 day workouts. It is the ultimate in home fitness programs!

P90X can promise extreme results because the program is based on the knowledge and experience of celebrity trainer Tony Horton. Horton knows that there is no substitute for hard work when it comes to a total body transformation. With his expertise and motivation, you will be driven to achieve the results you have been seeking all along.

This 90 day workout goes above and beyond any home fitness system you have ever experienced. There is no doubt that you will likely work harder with this program than any other home fitness routine. The physical and mental rewards that go hand in hand with it, however, make the time and sweat worth it.

You’ve made the decision to get fit. You have also decided that a gym membership is not your style. So now you’re left wondering if you have to purchase a big, expensive piece of home gym equipment to begin your at-home fitness regimen. The short answer is no. It is quite possible to have high quality home fitness without equipment or with very minimal tools.

While we would all love to have a home gym, it’s just not plausible for the vast majority of us. The extra space needed for a home gym can range from a few cubic feet to an additional room. This is why so many pieces of home gym equipment end up littered with clothes and other items: there simply isn’t enough room!

Aside from the space required for many home gym devices, cost is also an issue. This day and age, many of us simply don’t have the expendable income to be throwing away on a piece of equipment like that. Finding a way to get quality home fitness without equipment doesn’t have to be a challenge.

There are many home fitness programs available today that require little to no additional equipment. Programs that only require the resistance of your own body are easy to travel with and also easier on your purse straps. Home fitness without equipment can be more rewarding then a home gym when you consider the convenience. Many programs only require the use of lightweight and easily stored resistance bands, making hulking gym equipment a non-issue in your household.

For high quality home fitness without equipment check out Turbo Jam or Hip Hop Abs. Both programs have optional equipment add-ons, but all optional equipment is easily stored and relatively inexpensive. If convenience is your concern, 10 Minute Trainer could be the perfect match for you. With resistance bands being the only equipment, and optional at that, your convenience is not compromised as you work towards your body transformation.

The bottom line is you don’t have to have a whole room dedicated as your gym. Nor do you need to purchase large cumbersome pieces of home gym equipment. It is very possible to find life changing and high quality home fitness without equipment.

Losing weight and gaining muscle may be your goal, but usually we aren’t the first to notice. Typically people see our face, attitude and body changing before we do. Once you begin to see your own progress, however, you motivation is boosted as you realize your efforts are paying off. Documenting your transformation is vital in maintaining that level of motivation. There are several ways that you can effectively track weight loss.

The scale

The most popular method of monitoring your progress is the old stand-by scale. Although it does not offer much of what other methods do, it is still a reliable way to track weight loss. People’s weight (especially women) fluctuates daily. One reason a scale is not the best method to track weight loss is because it doesn’t account for how much of your weight is muscle and how much is fat. It also doesn’t take into consideration where you are losing the weight.

BMI

Based on height and weight, your BMI will decrease as you lose weight. There are shortcomings to using your BMI as your preferred method to track weight loss, including the fact that, like the scale, no consideration is given to muscle vs. fat loss. Look here for more information about using your BMI to track weight loss.

Body Fat Percentage

Unlike using the scale and your BMI, testing your body fat percentage ignores poundage and instead focuses on how much of your weight is made up of fat. This is a great tool for tracking weight loss because it can show progress even when the scale doesn’t seem to budge. Monitoring your body fat percentage can be done is a few different ways. The most convenient and reliable method for at home use is a caliper. To read more about body fat percentages, check out this earlier blog post.

Before and After Pictures

A great motivational tool, before and after pictures allow you to see your body transformation in a different light. Often even when the scale or caliper readings are changing, we don’t notice an immediate change in how we look. Taking s before picture will certainly motivate you to keep moving. Monthly progress photos will track your weight loss in a visible and fun way.

Measuring Tape

Even when the scale doesn’t move, your body may be changing. Taking your measurements is a very detailed way of tracking weight loss. By measuring once a month or biweekly you can see where progress is being made and where your weight loss is coming from. Using a measuring tape to track weight loss can also tell you when it’s time for a new jean size.

 
Although there are several methods to track weight loss, some are better than others. Choosing a few approaches that fit your goals and lifestyle is a good way to ensure you are getting the full picture. For instance the scale is quite easy and everyone wants to know “how many pounds” they have lost. But pair this with tracking your body fat percentage or measurements and you will get a comprehensive view of your progress, making it easier to know when you are right on track or when it’s time to kick up your exercise and reign in your diet.

If you are debating on whether or not to try P90X, one thing that could be holding you back is the unknown. It is obvious from the commercials and reviews out there on the web that this is quite possibly the most intense workout you will ever do. You may wonder if you can keep up or if the challenge will be too much. So, just how intense is P90X? Very. However, you can’t let a challenge discourage you. Our bodies are built to meet and sometimes exceed our expectations. If you set the bar high, you will be amazed at what your body does to reach that bar.

Tony Horton encourages you to “bring it” and wants to “see” you putting maximum effort into the P90X workouts. However, he knows that this is a process and for that reason, never suggests you do anything that will cause injury or discourage you. You are encouraged to set goals realistic but challenging enough for your fitness level. If you can only do 10 reps of a certain move, then do 10 but make them the best 10 ever!

The beautiful thing about P90X is the versatility. No doubt there will be days where you question your ability to stick with the program. But, as you meet and exceed your own expectations, your motivation will be spurred by your successes. The satisfaction you get from pushing yourself beyond your doubts and through your rough days will give you the confidence needed to carry on.

 
Look at what some P90X customers have to say about the program and its intensity:

“Tony will tell you if you cannot finish an exercise, that it is okay and encourages you to rest and then pick your pace when ready and also ensures you that you will be able to do the whole workout soon.”
-Suzanne F., N.J.

“The Power 90X routines keep you moving for over an hour each day! You really have to “Bring It” but the results are worth it!”
-Vanessa M., CA.

” I look at myself in the mirror now and I can’t even believe it’s me. I work for the Postal Service so I am always on the move, P90X has made my job so much easier!”
-Jeff H., IL.

For a great first-hand look at regular people doing P90X and bringing it on a daily basis, check out this day by day P90X review from husband and wife team, Jen and Tom. The weekly recap videos are a lot of fun to watch and give you a good idea of just how hard you will be working.

Exercising for your health is an excellent idea. However, more people exercise with a weight loss goal in mind. For those people, maximizing their calorie and fat burning during exercise is very important. Knowing your target heart rate for weight loss can be a good tool in ensuring that you are exercising at an intensity that will maximize your fat burning and weight loss potential.

There are a few ways of determining your target heart rate for weight loss. The easiest is to take your age and subtract your age from 220. This is what is called your maximum heart rate. When doing a cardio workout, you can maximize your calorie burn by working out within 70-80% of your maximum heart rate. To determine this number simply multiply .70 x your maximum heart rate and .80 x your maximum heart rate. This will give you the optimal range for cardio workouts.

Example for a 30 yr. old man:
220-30= 190 (maximum heart rate)
.70 x 190= 133
.80 x 190= 152
Target heart rate: 143- 162 (approximately)

A quick internet search will show you there are several ways to determine your target heart rate for weight loss. Any of them will do as they come up with very similar results. This one is simply the easiest. If you are looking for more precise results, you could try the Karvonnen formula or a newer formula from the Harvard’s Men’s Health Watch, available here.

Once you have determined that ideal range for caloric burn, you can periodically monitor your heart rate during cardio activity. Keep in mind that as you become more fit, so does your heart. The intensity that once brought you to your target range may now not be enough. As you get fit, you will have to increase your level of intensity to maintain your target heart rate for weight loss.

A heart rate monitor is a great tool for staying on top of your heart rate. One that helps keep an eye on your target zone is a perfect companion to your fitness and weight loss goals. There are heart rate monitors available that use a chest strap to send ECG readings to a watch style receiver on your wrist. There are also slightly higher end heart rate monitors that require no chest strap and deliver quick results with the push of a button.

Heart health is just as important as weight loss. By being aware of your resting, target, and maximum heart rates, you can ensure you are working within a healthy range for your goals and your overall health.

We all know what it’s like to be too busy for a workout. Sometimes people use their schedule as an excuse to resort to laziness. Often, however, the demands of modern life keep us so busy we have little time for ourselves. If you have become accustomed to the daily grind and have neglected your body, what used to be your biceps are probably soft and undetectable. Your quads may have merged with the rest of your thigh and now may resemble an appendage of flesh rather than the defined muscle it once was. The truth is, you don’t have to dedicate multiple hours everyday to keep your muscle tone in check. There is a strength building routine, even for you.

In today’s world it is hard to find time for anything. It might seem like even when you find the time to exercise, you don’t have the energy. If you are seeking to get back the strength you once had but are on a tight schedule, Tony Horton’s 10 Minute Trainer may be right for you. In manageable increments of 10 minutes, you can redevelop the strength you once had. A high quality strength building routine does not require a gym membership or a weight bench.

When you decide it’s time to get serious about your health and become dedicated to regaining your strength and athleticism, you need a program that is effective and convenient. A strength building routine that can improve muscle tone and overall strength in just 10 minutes at a time is the perfect solution. Celebrity trainer Tony Horton developed 10 Minute Trainer with people just like you in mind.

You might be busy, but with a little dedication you can surely find 10 or 20 minutes to dedicate to a strength building routine, particularly one that gives you results. Tony’s Super Stacking Technique will have you working all of the major muscle groups in as little as 10 minutes. With additional abs, lower body and upper body routines you can isolate your muscles for a customizable workout plan.

Resistance bands and the weight of your own body will work together to have you will feel the burn in record time. Got a little extra time? Squeeze in 2 or 3 of the 10 minute workouts to increase the workload and subsequent results. There has never been a more convenient strength building routine, certainly not one as effective as 10 Minute Trainer.

Who doesn’t want to decrease body fat? In America today the answer is probably: very few. We all know that exercise will cause us to lose weight. Some of us probably even know the science behind weight loss. But for those of us just starting out on a fitness quest or a weight loss journey, the science can seem confusing and frankly overwhelming. With all of the information out there it can be hard to weed through it and find a simple explanation of how weight loss works.

You probably know that in order to lose weight your caloric intake must be less than your caloric output. In other words, you have to burn more than you eat. This doesn’t mean that if you eat 1800 calories you have to burn 1800 calories through exercise. Your body is burning calories right now. Your body requires energy to run. You burn calories simply by breathing and living, not to mention talking, reading, walking, and other daily activities. To find out approximately how many calories you burn on a daily basis, try this calculator.

In order to lose one pound of fat, you must burn 3,500 calories. Don’t’ get scared, this isn’t in one day! A healthy weight loss is considered about a pound a week. So, if you want to decrease body fat at a healthy rate, create a weekly caloric deficit of 3,500 calories. This can be accomplished through cutting calories to a reasonable level and incorporating exercise.

Exercise works to decrease body fat in a few ways:

• First, the immediate effects. When you exercise you immediately bun calories as your body accesses fat stores for energy. By elevating your heart rate you are requiring your engine to run in high gear which requires more energy, and therefore more calories. This immediate calorie burn is best accomplished through aerobic exercise, or exercise that increases your heart rate. Things like dancing, running, walking, biking, and swimming are all good aerobic exercises.

• Exercise can also burn calories in the long term. Your “metabolism” refers to the amount of calories you burn while resting, or simple living. Several things can affect your metabolism. One major influence on your metabolism is your muscles. Muscles burn through calories faster than fat. So, by increasing your muscle mass you will burn more calories, even when you are sleeping! Strength training to increase muscle mass is the second prong in exercising to decrease body fat.

Tracking Your Fat Loss

Incorporating both aerobic (also called “cardio”) routines with a strength training plan will maximize your fat loss. Keep in mind that while you are losing fat you will also be gaining muscle. So, while the number on the scale may not budge, your measurements surely will. To more accurately track your progress try taking your measurements. For even greater specificity on your progress, track your body fat percentage by using a body fat caliper.

We’ve all seen the infomercials for resistance band workout videos and wondered if they can possibly live up to their promises. Those of us who have actually tried some resistance band workouts know the answer to this. But, those of you that haven’t are likely still skeptical. Let’s face it: resistance bands look wimpy. They are typically pretty colors and no bigger than a belt, how could they possibly transform your body? Well, these little unassuming tools can add muscle and do so with many benefits the gym or your weight set can’t offer.

 
• Because resistance bands are small and unassuming, they can travel easily. It would be difficult to get through airport security with your dumbbells and lugging them around wouldn’t be fun either. Resistance bands fit easily in the tight confines of your bag, making a high quality strength training workout at your fingertips, no matter where you are.
• Unlike the gym, a resistance band workout can be done in the privacy of your home. You don’t need spectators when you are getting buff. Sweating and grunting are best saved for private moments. One of the benefits of these small pieces of fitness equipment is the privacy they allow you.
• Resistance bands offer resistance. Simple enough. Throughout the range of motion, resistance bands continually pull. This promotes balance and requires your muscles to work not only on the pull but also while steadily resuming your starting position. This stabilization can help increase coordination and even balance.
• Resistance band workouts also offer a variety of positions. You can use resistance bands in ways hand weights would never work. This diversity in moves allows you to hit muscle groups that would normally require several gym machines all with your little resistance bands.

 
A resistance band workout can definitely pack all the punch of a regular weight routine with some additional benefits not duplicated in the gym. Finding a resistance band workout to fit your needs is simple enough and made even easier with our 30 day money back guarantee. Check out Tony Horton’s 10 Minute Trainer if you are notoriously strapped for time. If you are looking for an intense total body transformation, P90X will have you amazed at the progress that can be made with your body, and a few simple tools, including resistance bands.

With cooler weather around the corner, you may begin to feel the pull of comfort foods and days indoors. Either because the weather prevents you from leaving or only makes it inconvenient, you are likely far less active over the winter months. While a pick-up game of basketball at the park or a hike with a friend may be out of the question, there are many other ways to stay active in the cooler months. An at home workout adds convenience to your winter fitness.While joining a gym is always an option, it is entirely inconvenient, not to mention expensive. At a gym you have to deal with onlookers and waiting for machines. You still have to go out in the cold and pay to be there at that. When you have a busy schedule, the gym just becomes one more thing to add to your to-do list.

Finding a high quality at home workout routine is a much simpler, realistic, and convenient approach. No waiting for machines, no one to see you fumble your way around, and definitely no excursions into the cold! Finding a good at home workout plan doesn’t have to be a chore either. There are several good choices that will keep you fit and active throughout the winter and into the Spring thaw.

P90X will no doubt keep you warm this winter! With 12 fat blasting DVDs from trainer Tony Horton, you will enter the spring like a butterfly coming from its cocoon. P90X will transform your body in 90 days. This winter hibernation will no doubt be productive. Also from Tony Horton, for those of us with little time, there’s 10 Minute Trainer offering to keep you fit and tone your body in as little as 10 minutes a day.

From P90X and 10 Minute trainer, to other at home workout favorites like Turbo Jam and Hip Hop Abs, you are certain to find an at home workout to fit your needs. And with our money back guarantee you are pleased with your selection or you simply return it for your money back. Don’t pack on pounds this winter with holiday feasts and inactivity. Stay active and step out into Spring with a new attitude and warm weather body!

Do you have a pair of jeans that fit in high school? Stashed away in hopes one day you will be able to wear them again? Ignoring the fact that they have zippered pockets and Cargo tool-loops, you aspire to shimmy your way into them and party like it’s 1999. As we get older, we definitely get more comfortable. If we found a spouse and a decent career, we figure we no longer have any reason to look like a fitness star. You might spend your entire weekend on the couch, watching football, eating lil smokies, and drinking beer. But, let a child come into your life and you will realize just how much this comfort level has affected your life.

Chasing a toddler around should not make you winded. They do move fast, but they have awfully short legs! Candy Land should NOT make you hungry. If you need a nap after ring-around-the-rosies, you might want to consider your waistline as the culprit.

Just as children can bring your attention to your couch potato behaviors, they can also motivate you to do something about it. Think about it: how many times do we encourage kids eat their vegetables but reach for chips ourselves? Can you remember the last time you told the kids to “go play!” as you sat in front of the television, distracted or even aggravated by their noise?

The bottom line is: Your children deserve healthy parents. Whether or not you realize it, you deserve it too! Making a lifestyle change can be difficult; that’s no lie. But when you consider the alternative, missing out on a good portion of your kids’ childhood, it’s a no-brainer.

The trick is to ease into it. Don’t expect to be back in those jeans in a month, and don’t let those jeans become your only goal. Do it for your health, your future, and your child and the weight will fall off. Do it solely for your weight and you may become discouraged when it takes too long or complacent once the goal is reached.

Finding your way through the maze of at home fitness routines and nutrition programs can be dizzying. It doesn’t have to be. With the right dedication, nearly any program is better than none. Choosing one that is easier to stick with and follows through on it’s promises of big results can only help. P90X, 10 Minute Trainer, and Turbo Jam are just a few of those top of the line fitness programs that will have you back in those jeans and totally kicking butt when it’s time to play tag!