Prioritizing Your Health

Questions in my head this morning about prioritizing your health.

Do you think your health is important or do you feel because you are not sick you are ok?

Is the idea of repairing your health with a quick simple plan?

Do you think fixing a health-related issue is going to Doctor?

When should you address your health issues?  Before or after they cause problems?

Do you think being healthy is difficult? Causes you too much stress?

Do you worry about being cool or trendy over prioritizing your health is not cool or trendy?

If being healthy is a priority what would have to change, what would it take for you to be healthy? What would you have to do?

What is YOUR definition of being healthy and fit?

This is how my brain works in the morning and all day. I guess that is why I live the way I do and focused on my business, my income, and helping others around health. I ask myself these questions, I wonder how others would answer them, and I wonder how I can help others with their answers.

Get healthy people
Stay healthy people.

No one can do it for you. You have to do it.  The key to prioritizing your health is all about finding solutions!

I share more of my thoughts on this topic on my podcast.  Check out my podcast titled “Making the Idea of Becoming Healthy Stick and Stay!

Apple Podcast

Spotify Podcast

 

New Program Alert: 9 Week Control Freak

New Program Alert 9 Week Control Freak

Autumn Calabrese is BACK! I cannot wait to take control of 2021 with her brand new program 9 Week Control Freak. So let’s jump right in!

What is 9 Week Control Freak?

You can check out a little about the program here: https://vimeo.com/476947646

The image below goes over all the details and then we will cover them below!

Basics:

Super Trainer Autumn Calabrese is back for her tenth program! You probably know her from 21 Day Fix or 80 Day Obsession!

A 9-week program that is divided into three phases- each increasing in intensity!

5 workouts a week-  three DCT-T workouts (Density, Complexes, and Tabata Training), one day of Total Body Tone, and one day of Tabata Cardio and Core.

Density training builds strength and stamina by bringing the intensity! Perform 5 exercises for as many rounds as you can fit in before the clock expires. The next day, you will try to beat your current best! The new equipment helps to increase time under tension and Tabata cardio scorches calories!

The workouts are only 18-30 minutes long!

With new moves, new equipment, and incredible results, 9 Week Control Freak will help you to take control of the things that profoundly impact your quality of life – including strength, stamina, nutrition, and rest.

Who is Autumn Calabrese?

Can you believe that this is Autumn’s 10th program on BOD?! Autumn Calabrese is the creator of breakthrough fitness programs like 21 Day Fix + 80 Day Obsession, as well as the portion-control weight-loss system Ultimate Portion Fix.

She’s the author of the bestselling book “Lose Weight Like Crazy Even If You Have a Crazy Life” + 2 cookbooks; she also co-hosts the FIXATE cooking show on BOD with her brother, chef Bobby Calabrese.

Autumn is a certified holistic health coach with a true desire to help you take control in 2021 so that you can live your best life!

When Can I Start?

🗓️December 7th: Coaches and discount / VIP coaches can purchase!

🗓️December 21st: Customers can purchase

🗓️January 4th: Our official 9 Week Control Freak Group will start!

What does it mean to be a coach or VIP customer? There are NO purchase or sales requirements for this option- you never have to coach anyone but yourself! This option just allows you to purchase earlier and get 25% off future orders! You can cancel anytime!

You will have access to 9 Week Control Freak once you purchase. However, you do need equipment starting with workout ONE. So I will be hosting a prep/holiday survival group so we can get through the holiday season, explore nutrition options, and all start day one together on January 4th!

What equipment is required?

✨ Control Track with B-LINES Resistance Band – this adjustable resistance device easily attaches to your door frame. It can also be mounted on a wall. (You’ll get a demonstration video + installation guidelines to ensure your safety!)

✨ Fitness step – like the one used in Transform:20, this step will work your body to its full potential!

✨ Core ball – an inflatable, non-weighted ball to help take your workouts to the next level!

✨ Dumbbells – you’ll want a set of light, medium, and heavyweights.

What is the nutrition plan like?

All 9 Week Control Freak Challenge and Completion Packs include BOTH UPF and 2B Mindset – our premium nutrition plans, so we will be able to focus on the nutrition program that works best for you. This combination of nutrition and fitness is amazing!

What support will I have?

I cannot wait to start this test group with you! Our New Year’s groups are always filled with SO much energy, fun and camaraderie- it is the BEST way to start 2021! My groups are on our own app, so you don’t get distracted by social media- plus you can track your workouts and progress right in the app!

Each week I will upload new meal plans and each day we will check in with each other, motivate and inspire! It is a great place to answer questions, brainstorm, and just enjoy the community!

What packages are there?

For New Customers:

For Existing BOD Members:

I definitely recommend the Deluxe Challenge Pack- Autumn is known for having amazing and effective workouts- so having to Energize to power through and Recover so you can move the next day will be key!

My favorite add ons:

Anything else I need to know?!

📋A step is not included in the package, but is required! I know a lot of you have them from previous programs! If you need one, they will be 15% off PLUS free shipping with your 9 Week Control Freak package! Or you can grab one from Amazon!

📋The equipment is needed starting day 1!

📋Prices are a little different than normal packages because of all the new equipment! You will be seeing the control track, etc in other upcoming programs as well! Just make sure that you are paying attention to pricing!

📋We are doing everything possible to get shipments out ASAP, but with the state of the world and holiday shopping, there can be delays- make sure to order ASAP to ensure you have everything ready to go for January 4th!

I am so excited to do this program with you! Make sure that you have filled out this form here to be kept up to date! I will be sending out the order form so you can get on my VIP list!

Frequently Asked Running Questions

Frequently Asked Running Questions

Running seems like it’s easy. Start walking, pick up the pace to fast walk and then into a jog. Then you are running. Everyone should be able to do it, right?

One would think everyone can do it. Some people run, some want to, and some have no desire.

Having been a personal trainer and a runner myself, I tend to get several questions from the people that want to start. I thought I would answer the top questions I get.

 

I want to start running.Every time I start, I end up injured. What am I doing wrong?

A.  This a common question, with a complicated simple answer: TOO. Too much, Too soon. Many of you who start either begin with too far, too fast, too much work or all of them. Running is not just something you do randomly if you are starting out. When training clients I make sure to explain there is long process to adapting to an increase in cardio and its impact that it will have on their current workouts. That process most often starts with a walk to run to avoid injuries while still having productive workouts.

 

What is the number one mistake you see runners make?

A.  The number one running mistake I see runners making is impatience. They want to run but they start the new challenge of running as if they are sprinters. The human body will remind you quickly you are pushing your training and your ability. Don’t bite off more than you can chew too quick early or quickly. No need to burn out on a goal you have. Patience grasshopper, trust the program!

 

What is the best running shoe?

A.  Top three most asked question for sure! There are many brands and shoes.The question should be: What is the best shoe FOR ME? Top level answer is getting to a running store and talk to a professional to see which is the best fit for you, the way you walk, and best overall feel. Running professionals will talk to you about the type of running you do, past issues, watch your running stride(how your foot strikes the ground), and recommend the best shoe for you.

I also recommend trying several pairs as different brands and shoes feel very different, find one that is recommended for you but also feels the best!

I have done just that and found Brooks to be the best running shoe for me. Check out their page. Brooks Running also has an in depth “shoe finder”that will give you an at home test to learn about you, and the shoes that would be good for you Check It Out Here

Pay close attention to your feet, and whether or not you need arch support. If you have high arches running without arch support is just asking for injury.

 

What should/can I eat before I run?

A.  You can eat anything, what you “should” eat is different. Not everyone is the same, has the same goals, run pace or distance they are running.

Guidelines for me and I tend to give:

If it is just a few miles, from nothing to a small amount of water. More than a few miles: (5 miles) small light meal,  Morning runs; I would eat a banana, a bowl of oatmeal, a half bagel with a little nut butter- all carb-based. Energy is key for longer runs. Be ok with experimenting, no 2 stomachs are the same. Afternoon, I would eat a light snack two to three hours before my run and then I would eat fruit, nuts or seeds before I ran. The last thing, you don’t want on a run on an upset stomach.

 

Is there a supplement that will help me run?

A.  Those five supplements are: caffeine, creatine, nitrate/beetroot juice, beta-alanine and bicarbonate

Caffeine is a mild stimulant that can be absorbed into the system quickly for an extra push. Its great for endurance as well.

Creatine: helps boost endurance and with longer runs. It can be abrasive to the stomach, experiment, you don’t want to need a bathroom when running outdoors

Nitrates: Naturally; nitrates are found in leafy greens, beetroot and other vegetables. In low oxygen availability environments(running), nitrite can be converted into nitric oxide, which is known to play a number of important roles in vascular and metabolic control.

Beta-alanine: Helps delay fatigue

Bicarbonate Can help enhance endurance and speed, and Reduce the acidity produced in the muscles during running.

(consult your Dr before taking any supplement)

What stretches should I do before and after my run?

A.  Both are different as they have different needs. Both should be runner specific Before running, add dynamic stretches into your warmup routine, exercises like high knees, butt kicks, world greatest stretch, low back, hip flexors, glutes and calf raises while incorporating ankle mobility. The ability of your ankles is a major contributor to how your knee and hip align and perform.

Also, have a strong glute activation warm-up. A little known key to running without injury is strong glutes(your butt). Remember you propel yourself from the backside, not the front. If your glutes are inactive; your quads take over. Quad dominant running is a recipe for injury.  After your run, focus on the muscles and joints that are involved in your running stride: hamstrings, calves, quadriceps, hips, hip flexors and glutes.

Should I run before or after I workout?

  1. Run before – you will have less energy to lift
  2. Run after – you will less energy to run
  3. Decide what is more in line with your overall current goals.

What rule does strength and weight training play in running?

Strength training is an important tool to reducing injuries, and helping you run faster and more efficiently. Having a well rounding programmed fitness program will compliment your running goals.

A program that is rooted in hip stability, hamstring and quad strength, with a focus on glute activation and strength along with a core and low back emphasis with most effective.

How do I get faster?

A.  Strength(power) training, HIIT(intervals) workouts and runs and run with a heartrate monitor.

Power training with increase exactly that your POWER, your explosiveness, and your ability to propel yourself forward.

HIIT – Interval training and runs will drastically increase your speed, incorporating these into your runs 1-2 times a week to get a full benefit. Use a workload to rest ratio of 1:2 ratio. Example 15 sec fast pace, 30 sec slow walk(rest).

Heart-rate monitor: Maintain a heart-rate of 135 bpm no matter how you slow or fast you go. As you improve your cardiovascular ability and overall fitness your heart with have to do less work. As it does less work your pace will have to increase to main 135 bpm.

How Fast Should I Run?

A.  Beginner programs should focus on time not distance.When you’re first getting started how far you run in a certain amount of time isn’t important. Run at a speed where you are able carry on a conversation(135BPM). Anything faster than that you are running too fast.

If I am sick should I still run?

A.  Here is the thing, I am not a big fan of working out when sick and here is why. When sick your endocrine system – the system that regulates hormones released directly into the circulatory system, regulating your organs is off and can t be pushed to be worse by you stressing it out. Fry that and it will take months to fix.

If your sickness is minor(I am not a Dr)and involves a sore throat, running nose, or sneezing, I would go run.

If your lungs are congested, intense coughing, or vomiting or have diarrhea, then skip your run.Any run where you feel any dizziness or nausea, STOP.

I keep getting side stitches when I run. What can I do to get rid of these painful cramps?

A.  Side stitches(cramps in the side) are common especially to new runners. Stitches happen because running is new, you are not used it and your lungs are not getting enough oxygen. In beginning, not being ready for the demand of running runners tend to not get enough oxygen. This causes “stitches” The cramping happens in diaphragm, as you begin to feel this pain immediately alter your breathing pattern.Inhale quickly from your diaphragm and this will help you bring in a lot of air. You also might a want to check your warm up and try not eating before you run.

These are typically the most asked questions I get about running. I am no expert running coach, but I have consulted them and have coached and training people to run 5k, 10k, ½ marathons, marathons and triathlons.

Water & Workouts

Water & Workouts

As if you did not already know that water is important.

I think it’s safe to agree on: we need water, air, food, shelter and hope.

Pretty much all else falls in after those.

Summing up the importance of water to the body

The body is made up 50-65% water

Percentages

79% Heart

82% Kidneys

75% Brain

85% Liver

65% Skin

80% Blood

25% Bones

75% Muscles

80% Lungs

83% Joints

94% Lymph

How and why does it play an important role in your workouts?

Why is hydration important to your workouts?

Being hydrated means having the right amount of water before, during, and after your workout. My favorite role of water in the human body is its ability to carry nutrients throughout your entire body to vital organs to help them function at peak levels as well as carry toxins out of your system. The role of water also regulates and stabilizes your body temperature, acts as a lubricate for your joints all while giving you energy and keeping you healthy. All that’s means is if you are not hydrated your body ca not perform at its highest level or up to its full potential.

My battle with water was simple, I was not getting enough though I thought was. There a period in my life where my workouts were plateauing. No matter how much caffeine I was drinking(coffee, energy drinks and pre workout) my performance levels did not increase.

My face was blotchy and red, I was not sleeping well, and I always felt fatigued.

Now I am not going to claim water was magic answer, but it was part of the solution and when I started tracking my intake I saw immediately; I was not having enough in my day, which made the lack of water as part of the problem.

Things I do:

  1. Drink 16oz of water immediately when waking up
  2. Drink 12 oz of water before meal: helps with digestion
  3. Drink 12oz Before taking a bath: help lower blood pressure
  4. Drink 12 oz Before taking a bath: helps avoid strokes and heart attack
  5. Drink Water: Before, During and After Your Workouts.

To get into the nerdy exercise side of the importance of water, whether you are working out, running, or any physical activity for that matter water is an important tool in your success.

In one hour of exercise your body can lose more than a quarter of its water. Yes, I said 25% of a vital element of your existence. Losing 25% of my family, income and wealth would scare the crap out of me. Losing 25% of my ability to live should frighten you to hydrate.

Why Performance is Important

Your performance is your body’s ability to achieve your goals, strength, power, endurance, weight loss, fat burn etc. Your focus is on maximizing your body’s ability to performance if you don’t, your ability to succeed will greatly diminish.

Your Lack of Water

Dehydration leads to muscle fatigue and a loss of coordination.

Fatigue will lower your ability to perform long with your ability to perform exercises. A breakdown in your ability to perform and move will increase risk of injury as you will begin to breakdown your movements, move incorrectly and decrease the total time you can exercise.

That lack of hydration will affect your energy levels and ultimately lead to muscle cramps along will a high risk of your endocrine system (system that regulates your hormones) malfunctioning. A dysfunctional endocrine system will take months to correct at a minimum.

Lean muscle tissue contains more than 75 percent water, so when the body is short on H2O, you deprive your muscles of water and you will most certainly fatigue them.

If you have goals with your workouts staying hydrated can prevent the declines in performance in your power, strength, aerobic and anaerobic capacity during your workouts!

If that does not get you to jump on your water consumption this better

And finally. Your heart must work harder to get blood to your muscles in the absence of water. In the presence of lack of water, your blood volume and blood pressure drop, which can and does cause dizziness and fatigue. No thank you!

Simple answer: Drink more water!

Here are a few tips that will help you drink more of that all-important vital liquid:

  1. Carry a bottle of water with you during the day
  2. Set water goals
  3. Track your water in track with app
  4. Hate water? Drink with electrolytes or a hydration supplant. Infuse it with fruit or fresh squeeze a lemon or lime into your glass
  5. If you drink caffeinated drink remember they are diuretics, they dehydrate you. Follow them up with water!

As you hydrate don’t forget to rehydrate. Your exercise and activities are also a source of losing hydration.

Be proactive not reactive. Don’t wait for your body to show or tell you it needs water.

Running

Running

Running

Is it turning into a craze or has it always existed? 

Everyone has an opinion on running. I hate it, I want to try it, or I live for it. There is always an opinion. 

For me I have always liked to run. Mainly I like it because every sport I grew up playing involved quite a bit of running in-order to be good and win! I like winning, therefore I ran a lot and ran fast. I also liked to run as it developed into something for me to do. As a kid if I was not in sports on a team or playing sports in the neighborhood, I was at home alone. I was not the kid people called to “hang out” with. I was always more of an add on. Some things don’t change. 

When I was 10 yrs old I moved from a house where I had a soccer field at our home and from a neighborhood of kids who played sports nonstop. The neighborhood I moved into was filled more with kids who liked music, hiking, guns, and all things motorized (quads, snowmobiles, dirt bikes motorcycles and cars). 

I thought those things were cool, but I liked sports more. Throw in that my family did not have any disposal income for me have those things and when I did get the chance to use/ride one of the neighbors “toys” I sucked, was laughed at and excluded generally just out of sure availability of toy for me to use. This new neighborhood left me as more of a spectator then a teammate.  

At that point I just kind of sat back and waited to get invited as I knew inviting myself was an opportunity to watch or even worse be the butt of a joke. That sitting back led me to find things to do that did not require a toy, money or someone else. I played and I shot a lot of basketballs, worked on soccer drills, and I ran. 

Running was different from shooting baskets and soccer drills. With those I was able to visual competition, scoring the winning goal, burning a defensive guy, competing with myself to see how many times I could hit a certain tree in a predetermined spot with a soccer ball, or how many baskets I could make. 

Running was time spent alone, thinking and actually having conversations with myself, daydreaming, hoping, wishing, and occupying time until my next game, got a call or courage to go hang with other kids in the neighborhood. I also knew in my head, that if I ran, I would be in better shape than the people I played with and against. So I ran, I ran all the time, in the woods, down the street, sometimes for short distances, others for longer ones.  

Running was a place that for me, I don’t know if I ever thought of running as an escape, place to past time, to have inner talks or to get that runners high people speak of. It was something I just did. Looking back on it all and still to this day, it seems I ran and run for all of those reasons. 

To this day I don’t run competitively often, for time or distance. I don’t have a run schedule, or do it consistently. I just run when I feel like or when I program it into once of my training cycles. I still have those inner conversations, the good, the bad and the ugly. That is what running is.  I have run several times for charities that I support for things like breast cancer awareness, Alzheimer’s, and to support friends. 

I have run in one marathon. Which started at Los Angeles Dodger’s Stadium and ended in Santa Monica, CA – where I live, during one of Los Angeles’ worst rainy days ever. I essentially can say ran home 26 miles from a MLB game in a rain storm. I might run another marathon, but I would need to be convinced, training for it is an entirely another story to be told. 

Whatever your opinion on running is, it’s valid. There are days I never want to run again and days I want to train and run my next marathon. Not being a runner means running is not for you. If you have not and want to, or like to run lace up and enjoy all it has to offer.  

 

  

Meditation

Chaos, stress, craziness. You have it, So do I.  

At one point it was far too much for me to handle. Not that I did not think I was handling it, which I thought I was, my body reminded that I was not. I found myself in the living room one night watching preseason football years ago with a small pain in my left arm. That pain seemed to not go away and draw more of my attention. I noticed I was starting to have a shortness of breath, clammy pins and needles like hands, unable to focus and tunnel vision which lead to pulling the medicine cabinet off the wall hunting for aspirin and passing out. Which you guessed it landed me in the hospital for an evaluation for possible heart-attack or stroke.  

Luckily for me, none had happened and after months of tests, MRIs, and countless blood tests with amazing physicians and nutritionists they could not find a single thing wrong. 

 Each doctor said the same thing to me:  

“You are one of the healthiest patients I have seen. It’s rare to see someone with such great test results. But I  got to ask one thing, how is everything else in your life?  Do you have any stress?” 

I knew what they were asking, and what they were suggesting. These episodes were stress induced, anxiety and panic attacks.  Each time I lied to them and said, I was fine. As they then said I could prescribe to you a low dose of… I RESISTED!  

If you know me, you know I am a control freak, Its’ why I never got into drugs. I can’t imagine not being in control or worse becoming addicted to one. I wanted nothing to do with their suggestion of a low dose of feel good, mask the problem or symptom control your thoughts pill. NOTHING!   

For some these medications are essential and work wonders.   For me it was a hard NO. 

Unfortunately, I continued to have a few episodes, one on a plane, which I thought I was going to die and divert the plane, another at a celebrity client’s new house party, in Vegas at a club, in the gym, and at a music concert. They were not stopping.  

My first steps to fix it was to control what I could. After the first one, I went vegan, stopped eating sugar and quit alcohol all in the same day which lasted for 2 years. It’s amazing what you will do when your health and life are involved. As you can see it did not work.  

Six months into my quit everything found out what’s wrong because the Doctors were not finding any answers to why I was going through these episodes, I had one other thing I had not attempted: Meditation.   I was fully against sitting legs crossed, fingers and thumbs together saying ohhhmmmm to fix my shit stuff. Let alone adding in some incense of lord knows what burning in a room of other people or even in my own home.   Was not happening – BUT again it’s amazing what you will do when your health and life depends on it.  

Ok I will give it a shot, anything to do away with having an episode.  

What I found was I was not admitting to myself; I was a mess.  

I was underperforming in my business, my finances and in my personal life. No goal was getting met and I was barely holding it together. I was in chaos 24/7. Basically, the control freak was not in any type of control. 

What I found is I was waking up into a world I had no control over, where the world was existing, moving, causing havoc and thriving without me for the hours while I slept. My chaos was meeting chaos head on all day every day. 

Which meant, the world was in motion, while I laid motionless. I needed to enter the day on my terms not on the world’s terms. With a good mindset, a prepared mind, not a stressful chaotic one. In the past I was entering a world where garbage has been picked up, people where driving to work, jogging, there are traffic reports, news happens and people are already sending me messages; email, text, social media. I was always at 100 mph, entering a world in the fast lane and getting nowhere. 

When I should be entering from an on ramp I choose, on my terms, at the time I choose at a safe speed. What I learned when I began this process was, If I do not begin to set my mind right, I will be meeting chaos with chaos producing chaos. Rather than entering the world’s chaos clearly and in control.  

What I found was subconsciously I was thinking about the chaos that was waiting for me to enter when I woke. What I needed to do was to set my mind up to receive the day, to be focused and to achieve my goals. By doing so I would help me manage episodes and achieve success. Rather than waking up into chaos and entering the world, my goal was to wake up and empty my mind, then and only then could I be in a position to benefit in my health and my life.  

The only way I could be empty was to have ME TIME: time dedicated to calming myself, consciously detaching from the world. Simply put, I needed to mediate. I began to meditate for 10 mins. Yes, just 10 mins to start. Asking a dude, a non-believing DUDE to meditate for me was like asking me to shop instead of going to drive fast cars.  

How did I go and how did I do it?  

I started small and with no expectation. I set up a quiet place for me to lay down on the floor, the night before. This means a place with the least sounds you don’t want to be distracted. I even have a pillow for my head and place my hands and feet would touch nothing. No distractions were key. Even though I said I had them, I learned it’s all part of the process of getting better at meditating. It was rough at first, I thought of everything and anything the 10. Min timer would go off before I knew it.  

Each day I got better. I began to learn to breathe. In on 1 out on 2. All the way to 10 and then back down over and over. IF I ever got lost in count or my mind wandered, I would just restart the count. No harm no foul.  

I began to feel better, I also started trying additional steps to develop a morning routine. Affirmations, journaling, cold showers, visualizations and more to see what worked and fit in my routine. Eventually I came up with a routine that worked for me. That supercharged my day, my goals and my life not to mention I never had another episode.  

Do I meditate every day now? No, only when I feel out of control, unfocused or in a push phase. I use it as a valuable tool to stay in control in our daily chaotic world. 

Do I suggest it?  

Yep, especially to lose that lack of control, have goals, are feeling stuck or unfocused.  

You Have to Start Somewhere

You Have To Start Somewhere - Mike Karpenko

It’s got to start somewhere and someday.

It starts this week.

It starts today.

It’s starts with a cast on.

It’s starts smaller weights.

It starts with mobility.

It starts with feeling weak.

It starts with being out of shape.

It starts with feeling tight.

It starts with self judgement.

It starts with inability.

It starts with frustration.

It starts…

It starts by being focused

It starts by showing up.

It starts when you get out your way.

It starts when you believe in yourself.

It has to start in order to get better.

For me: it starts today – welcome back to doing some strength training, core and mobility.

I have had sooooooo many messages of do upper body.

I’d just like to clarify. Workouts are TRAMA to the body, not a participant muscle but to the body. I did not need additional stress on my body as it repaired.

A body at rest has its highest ability to repair. I was resting, recovering and repairing. Also my ankle required constant elevation to to reduce swelling, chance of infection and heal quicker. ANY workouts would not have allowed for this.

The goal was to comeback to be bigger, stronger, faster and champion life over and over- not win at proving I was the fastest at recovering or tough enough to push through and workout while with a cast – those things are check points not the destination.

For now it will be all functional movements for upper body strength and core.

It starts when you start.

It continues as you show up.

You are start too, you can even join me if you need my support, lord knows I probably could use yours.

Connect to Beachbody On Demand Using Roku Players, Amazon Fire TV, or Google Chromecast

Connect To Beachbody On Demand Using Roku Players, Amazon Fire TV, Or Google Chromecast
Do you want to lose weight, build muscle, or feel more fit? Join Beachbody On Demand, and get access to Beachbody’s world-famous programs, including 21 Day FIX®, 80 Day Obsession™, and P90X®. Don’t miss out on your chance for amazing results. Sign up today!

Beachbody On Demand lets you take your workouts anywhere. And now you can use Roku® players and Roku TV models, Amazon® Fire TV, or Google® Chromecast to stream Beachbody On Demand workout programs on your TV!

The Beachbody On Demand experience is easy to access on all three platforms.

On each, you’ll find the Member Library that lets you access hundreds of Beachbody workout programs, including P90X, P90X3, 21 Day Fix, SHIFT SHOP, PiYo, INSANITY, FOCUS T25, and much more.

You’ll be able to browse videos by type or by trainer and anything you previously purchased will be available to view.

Here’s how to get started with the device of your choice:

Roku players and Roku TV models

1. Start by searching for Beachbody On Demand in the Roku Channel Store. Add the channel and press OK on the Roku remote to install the channel.
2. You’ll next see a screen pop up with a URL and an activation code. Enter the URL into the Internet browser on your computer, tablet, or phone and log in to your Beachbody On Demand account. You will then be prompted to enter the activation code. Do so and press the Submit button. The page will then alert you that the device has been successfully activated.
3. Once activation is successful, the Beachbody On Demand channel will automatically launch on your Roku player or Roku TV model.
4. To choose a workout, select the workout program you wish to do by using the “OK” button. Then, choose which specific workout you want to view.

Beachbody On Demand is supported on current generation Roku players, Roku Streaming Stick, and Roku TV models.

Amazon Fire TV

1. Start by searching for Beachbody On Demand in the channel store. Once you’ve selected it, proceed to install the app.
2. Go to your app library and launch the Beachbody app.
3. You’ll next see a screen pop up with a URL and an activation code. Enter the URL into the Internet browser on your computer, tablet, or phone and log in to your Beachbody On Demand account. You will then be prompted to enter the activation code. Do so and then select “Activate.”
4. Go back to your Amazon Fire TV device. The Beachbody On Demand app will automatically launch.
5. To choose a workout, select the workout program you wish to do by using the “OK” button. Then, choose which specific workout you want to view.

Beachbody On Demand is supported on Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Google Chromecast

1. Install the Chrome browser on your laptop.
2. Open Chrome and install the Google Cast extension.
3. Connect your laptop to the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast.
4. Log in to Beachbody On Demand on your laptop and select a workout.
5. Once you’re ready to begin your workout, click the “cast” icon that appears in the upper right corner of your browser and watch the workout go from your laptop to the big screen.

Apple TV

Follow the steps below to enable streaming of Beachbody On Demand content to a TV from your Mac computer or Apple mobile device. For details on the Beachbody on Demand App for iPhone and iPad, click here.

  1. Ensure that all Beachbody On Demand Streaming Requirements are met.
  2. Make sure the Apple TV and iOS device (iPhone, iPad, or Mac) are both connected to the same in-home wireless network.
  3. Enable AirPlay on the Apple TV device [Enter Settings > Verify AirPlay is active].
  4. Enable Airplay on the iOS device (iOS 7 operating system or higher required).
  5. Open Beachbody workout video.
  6. Tap on the AirPlay icon on the bottom left corner of the player and select your Apple TV device.

 

Roku is a registered trademark of Roku, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Amazon, Kindle, Fire, and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com or its affiliates. Chrome, Chromecast, and the Chrome logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

How to Take Your “Before” and “After” Photos

How To Take Your “Before” And “After” Photos

FIRST LETS TAKE MEASUREMENTS!

 

 

You’re about to embark upon a journey that will change your body and your life, and nothing captures the results of this experience (at least the visible part of it!) quite like a set of “before” and “after” photos.

Whether you just want to keep them as a personal reminder of how far you’ve come, or if you want to shout it from a mountain and share your story with the world, prepare to get your Ph.D. in transformation photography!

Camera, Photographer, and Location

It’s best to use a digital camera so you can take high-resolution photos.

If you have a camera tripod or something similar, that’s great; otherwise, try and get someone (perhaps a Challenge Group friend?!) to take your photos — don’t worry, they don’t have to be a pro photographer!

Choose a well-lit area in front of a plain wall or door. The less clutter in the background, the more attention on you and your transformation.

Dress Code

A swimsuit or form-fitting workout clothes work best. You should show as much of your body as you’re comfortable with, but please keep it appropriate for public consumption.

You might be tempted to take your transformation photos in your undies; after all, they cover the same amount of skin as a swimsuit, right? True, but would you wear your undies out in public? Probably not.

Photo Composition

Take high-resolution full-body photos — or at least from head to hip — and make sure your face is clearly visible.

Try to take the photos from different angles, i.e. a front view and a side view. And remember to include your face in the photos so that we can easily identify you! Make sure each photo doesn’t exceed 20 MB.

Whatever you do, consistency is key! Ideally, your “before” and  “after” photos will show you doing the same poses, wearing the same clothes, in the same place both before and after your transformation. That way, your body is the only thing we see changing.

And don’t “suck it in” or “push it out” — just flex if you feel good and let us see the REAL YOU!

Timing

Make sure to take the photos at the beginning, during, and end of your program so that when you’re done you can submit your photos to the Beachbody Challenge for a chance to win big cash prizes.

If you’re doing a 90-day program, for example, you could take photos on Day 1, and then again every 30 days thereafter (on Days 30, 60, and 90) until you’re done.

To qualify for the Beachbody Challenge, send single unedited photos — please don’t submit collages, altered, or Photoshopped photos; even adding filters is a no-no!

Here are some examples of good “before” and “after” photos:

 

Once you’ve completed at least one Beachbody program and you’re ready to share your “Before” and “After” photos, enter and submit your results to the Beachbody Challenge Contest.

We’ll send you a free gift (while supplies last), and you’ll be entered for a chance to win big cash prizes!

 

Why Not You?

Mike Karpenko

Do YOU:
❓Want to get healthier
❓Want to be part of a fun team
❓Change your current situation
❓Want to help others
❓Want an opportunity to thrive
❓Want to be recognized for your hard work?l
❓ Want to join us

If you are willing learn, I’m willing to teach.
If you are willing to work, I’m willing to guide.
If you are willing to check your ego. I’m willing contribute to your growth.

I am sitting here thinking to myself – how in the world did I get here at the age of 49. I’m so grateful for the risk I took, the extra hours I worked, the mistakes I made, that I gave all I had to jobs I no longer have because that was my work ethic and that others along the way trusted me.

Man what a ride. It’s not been easy. I’ve lost people who I thought were friends, been handcuffed by judgement and fear(self imposed), dealt with non believers, limited belief thinkers and have been laughed at.

As I sit here and look back – extreme highs and extreme lows because it was all worth it. I have some incredible teammates I call true friends, we are blessed with the skills we developed to help people every day. We work together. We struggle together, we help together and we succeed together.

And now we want you to be a risk taker, a dreamer, a hard worker, a teammate. We want you to join us.

If you have been watching me, our team, our boot camps and thought why not me well now is the chance for it to be you and reach out to me. I want to explain what and how we do it.