Vitamin D

Vitamin D is most commonly known for its role in healthy bone growth, but this vital vitamin has much more to offer. Unfortunately, mose Americans are "D" deficient. Watch this video to find out how to get it and what it can do for you.

Diabetes and Foot Issues

Great Results e-course 2

Lesson 2: Burn Your Ships: The Power of Declaring Your Intention.

Mary Ellen Sheets, founder & CEO of Two Men And A Truck International knows the power of not allowing yourself to fail. She starts the story of the birth of her business with a personal event that seemed devastating at the time, "I always tell people that my husband went to the grocery store and never came back. He left me for a loaf of bread. And that loaf of bread was 23 years old."

When her husband left, as the sole wage-earner, she was forced to find a way to provide for her 2 boys and a girl. For the sake of her family, failure was not an option. While working full-time as a data processor, she bought an old, used truck, staffed it with her high-school age boys, only one of whom was old enough to drive, and created a business to help them save money for college. Today, what should have been named 'Two Boys and a Truck' is the largest moving franchise in North America. Great things often born of necessity. That business is one of them.

Many times it takes a difficult event to force us out of our comfort zone. But we are not helpless, waiting for situations to motivate us. We can create motivation any time we choose.

A great story about creating motivation comes from Napoleon Hill. He says, "A long while ago, a great warrior had to make a decision which ensured his success on the battlefield. He was about to send his armies against a powerful foe, whose men outnumbered his own. He loaded his soldiers into boats, sailed to the enemy's country, unloaded the soldiers and equipment then gave the order to burn the ships that had carried them. Addressing his men before the first battle, he said, 'You see the boats going up in smoke. That means we cannot leave these shores alive unless we win! We now have no choice - we win or we perish!' They won. Any person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to burn his ships and cut all sources of retreat."

Burning their ships was a hugely powerful motivator for those warriors and it can relate to fitness as well. When you cut off your own retreat, your fitness results will skyrocket. Since you can't go back, even when you feel tired or lazy- and we all do at times- you will still make good decisions that move you forward, closer to your goal.

Obviously, these first two are dramatic examples. Eliminating your retreat is quite possible without personal hardship or that annoying threat of death! Burning ships can be fun!

My friend and coaching colleague, Joey Petri is a great example. He decided to issue a challenge to become fit enough to dress as a Spartan from the movie "300" for Halloween. For those of you who may not have seen the film, the main wardrobe piece in "300" is a washboard set of abs. Dressing like a Spartan in the movie meant Joey had to commit to being in the best shape of his life. He gave himself only 90 days to do it.

To make sure he got there, Joey cut off his retreat. He literally told hundreds of people his intention on the Beachbody's public message boards. Fear of disappointing hundreds of people insured that he got the results he wanted.

When you declare your intentions publicly it instantly creates accountability. It is a way of burning your ship and cutting off your retreat. People who you respect and admire will expect you to produce the results you declared. The more people you tell, the more powerful the motivation becomes.

In Joey's case, not only did he tell everyone he was dressing like a Spartan from the movie, he asked his friends to join him! In true Spartan fashion, they all banded together to help each other. Joey and his fellow Spartans achieved results that were off the charts. Why? Because they publicly declared their intentions. By doing so, they instantly created incentives that guaranteed they would achieve their goals. Friends expected to see great results. Since human nature is to please your friends and family, the Spartans did not want to let their friends down. (Not to mention they didn't want to embarrass themselves in a very small outfit!) Every person involved in the challenge helped every other person succeed.

We all can find unique ways to cut off our retreat. Carl Daikeler, CEO of Beachbody, has a great idea about creating an incentive. He says that if he were a hairstylist, he would take his before picture and put it prominently on his mirror so all his clients would see it. When customers ask about it, he would declare, "I'm losing weight with my new fitness program. This is my before picture. When you come back for your next haircut you'll see a thinner me in my 30-day progress photo." Now, he not only created accountability for himself, he insured that his clients will book followup appointments because they want to see his progress.

The more people Carl tells, the stronger his incentive to succeed!

Imagine for a minute how strong the incentive would be if you were a stylist who shared your before pictures and your intention to lose weight with 20 clients! What about 100 or more! Imagine how proud you would feel when customers start commenting on how great your progress pictures look. You would not allow yourself to fail.

What ways can you think of to eliminate retreat and create motivation? Find a way that works for you.

Your homework:

1. Get rid of the junk. Was the ship that brought you to the enemy's shore loaded with Hot Pockets and Whoppers with cheese? If you don't want to go back to the land of ill-health, burn that boat and all the Twinkies on it!

Get junk food out of your house. Give it to your local food pantry. Feed the ducks. Bury it in your backyard in a shallow grave. I don't care shat you do, but get rid of it. You wouldn't but junk in the gas tank of your car. Value yourself higher than that beater you drive and stop putting junk in your tank, too!

2. If you haven't already, TAKE YOUR BEFORE PICTURES AND MEASUREMENTS! You'll start losing weight soon, and you'll never have a chance for a before picture again!
3. Involve friends, family, and your coach. Find a few people who you know well and who care about you. Share with them your goal to lose weight. Be specific, for instance, "I will lose 30 pounds in the next 90 days with Turbo Jam, and I want you to help keep me accountable. I'll be emailing you every week to tell you how I'm doing. I will even show you my progress by sending you pictures every 30 days!" (Don't worry, by day 30, when you stick with us, you will have measurable and visible changes! Soon you'll be proud to show your friends and family!)

If you are serious about success- email, call, or write to everyone you know. Post publicly, once a week on Facebook or start your own weight-loss blog. The more people you can involve, the better.
4. Consider coaching. Another great way to help yourself succeed is to help others do the same! Ask your coach about the Beachbody Revolution and how you can get in the best shape of your life while helping others get healthy with you. You don't have to be in great shape yet. You just need to be interested in helping others. When you do, you'll find that you will want to set a good example for them. It super-charges your motivation to stay consistent with your own workout and healthy eating program! And consistency is the key to lasting success.


I know the idea of opening up and telling people your plans can be scary. I realize that I'm asking you to leave your comfort zone. But if you are serious about losing weight, getting ripped, lowering your blood pressure, or improving your glucose control, I ask you to burn your ships on the enemy's shore. It will guarantee that this time you will succeed and your results will be permanent!

(as always, email your coach with any questions or concerns. Your coach is there to help!)

Next lesson: Find Your Why.


To your success!

Kevin Kane, MD
The Fit Doc



Kevin Kane MD, The Fit Doc, is a practicing physician and home exercise fan. He started with P90X in 2005, and has since done programs including Slim in 6, P90X+, Ten-Minute Trainer. His current exercise interest is Project:YOU! Type 2 and helping people with Type 2 diabetes use lifestyle change to help manage their disease.

Kevin Kane, and The Fit Doc LLC, and your personal coach are independent Team Beachbody coaches not employed by Beachbody.

This e-course and all contents are for informational and motivational purposes only. This is not medical advice. Consult with your physician with medical questions and before starting this or any exercise program.

Not just your ordinary online biz!

From Carl Daikeler, CEO of Beachbody

This is a reprint from Carl's Blog. Please be sure to read the very bottom where I included one of the comments and Carl's answer.

I love creating things, building something that will be productive and solve a problem. I also like building income over the long term. Creativity, contribution, and constant steady year-over-year growth... that's how I approach what I do.

Beachbody exceeded $300 million in sales last year, largely due to the success of infomercials like Turbo Jam, P90X, Ten Minute Trainer, Slim in 6 and Hip Hop Abs. We have the most compelling pipeline of new products and infomercial since we launched the company. So, why network marketing?

I believe the real opportunity in fitness is not in building a huge monolithic company that simply sells product to people. Companies have been trying to leverage fitness to build huge businesses for decades. Yet the obesity trend grows, and no fitness company has really succeeded in getting people to REALLY embrace what it takes to get healthy and fit. Not the equipment makers. Not the gym chains. Not the weight loss centers. Not even Beachbody. Yes, we continue to grow, infomercial by infomercial, selling great product to people, and we've had some amazing success stories. But many people still will start-then-quit just like everything else they've tried unless there is another dynamic at work.

That's what the Beachbody Coach Network is about -- adding the powerful dynamic of peer-support, the "Share" of "Play, Shake and Share", to help people stay accountable to their desire to get healthy and fit.

Our network marketing business is 16,000 coach-distributors strong and growing fast. We assign customer leads to qualified coaches (for free) when one of our TV customers says they want support to succeed with their program. The coach helps that customer set their start date, and stay accountable to consistency. Our coaches are not fitness experts or nutritionists -- but friends who care about revolutionizing how people approach their own health and fitness.

In exchange, in the future when those customer leads purchase another product from Beachbody, the coach gets the commission.

And it's a win-win that will continue to grow. I know that because I get so many emails like this one from part-time coach Joey Petri. While many coaches are still working their way to their first check and income is always a factor of skill and effort, here's a young coach who is one of the many people who are turning this opportunity into a dream job:
============
I just wanted to share this with you guys because I'm super excited.

I added up all my commission checks from 2008 and I earned $13,394.98!!! This is amazing to me and I know that 2009 will be an ever bigger and better year. This money allowed me to go to school full time and pursue a 2nd degree in Phys Ed, this allowed me to live in my place and not move home, this paid my bills and my gas. (Disclaimer I also had some help from my savings as a pharma rep.) This is going to make 2009 an amazing and exciting year. Thanks again for all of your support!!

Joey
============

So when people ask me "Why Network Marketing", I respond that it is an imperative. Growth is one thing, contribution is another. This business model has both, and instead of one giant company, we're going to be a company of a million coaches, each their own independent company, helping 100 million people get healthy and fit. That's what we will achieve, and that's why network marketing is a priority!

Comments:

At 11:52 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Though there may be certain benefits of the coach network, I think it's a net loser for Beachbody. Even for die hard, loyal customers like me, the whole coach thing wreaks of a multi-level marketing scam. I believe you're well-intentioned, but the coach set-up appears unscrupulous from the outside. In the end, I think it leads to people doubting the integrity of your fitness programs, and that's too bad because they are absolutely the best DVD workouts available. If I were you, I'd ditch the coach network and put more resources into keeping your customers happy by improving customer service and shipping.

At 1:39 PM, Blogger Carl Daikeler said...

First, thanks for your business. As far as looking like a scam goes, that's what they said about infomercials... but we've shown that a marketing medium of ill-repute isn't what's guilty, it's simply misused by unscrupulous people. Look at the P90X infomercial. It's more entertaining than most of the stuff I see on TV! And it's promoting a product that's getting people into incredible shape.

Network marketing as a business model has been abused for decades. But the power of people-helping-people is undeniable. The last the society needs is a giant "Wal-Mart of fitness". What I think is needed is a million people with an incentive to help those around them incorporate fitness and portion control into their lives. We've created that incentive. And that incentive, combined with "absolutely the best DVD workouts available" (thank you!) plus constant improvements in customer service and shipping equals a revolution in health and fitness.

All I know for sure is, many of the people who get involved are making money helping people succeed where they failed with fitness and weight loss for years. That's a win worth perpetuating. And that's why this is so important to see through.

My prediction is that in five years, people will look at this business model and wonder why gyms were ever so popular in the first place.

Great Results e-course 1

_{How to get the most of your Beachbody fitness program!}

_{Lesson 1: Decide * Commit * Succeed}

<sub>Allow me to be the first to congratulate you! If you've decided to lose weight and get in shape then you are already on your way. Making the decision is the most important part.

Don't believe me? Ask these people:
"The first step to becoming is to will it." --Mother Teresa
"The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want." --Ben Stein</sub>

_{"You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight." --Jim Rohn}

_{You've done it! You've made the decision to improve your health, your fitness, and your life. Now you just need to push play, eat right, and you'll see results. It's that simple. Really.}

<sub>Ah, but if it was that easy, why do so many people have a hard time?

Many people find that staying consistent with a healthy lifestyle is the hardest part. Now you have help in that department! You are receiving this e-course because Coach Laura, your personal Team Beachbody coach cares about you and your success. Coach Laura is just an email away for support, motivation, and to help you get the absolute best results possible.</sub>

_{When I talk about results, I mean RESULTS!! Thousands and thousands of people have already used Beachbody to improve their health, lose weight and keep it off. I know, because at age 40, I lost nearly 20 pounds and found (for the first time in my life) a six pack in my abs and not in my fridge.}

_{Over the next several weeks, I'll introduce you do some of my friends who have done the same thing. Some have lost 30, 50, even 100 pounds and kept it off without surgery. These aren't Supermen and Superwomen. They are real, regular folks who wanted to improve their lives and lose weight. They've succeeded and kept the weight off by doing the same things that we will teach you will do!}

_{You may have tried a fitness program before and quit in the middle, or maybe you've dieted to lose weight only to see it come right back with interest!}

_{This time, it is different.}

_{Beachbody has created a group of the most fun, effective workout programs ever. What's more, they have paired them with world class nutrition and online support that is the best in the world!}

_{As I had mentioned, part of that world class support is your own personal coach to help keep you motivated. Coach Laura, your Team Beachbody coach is committed to helping you get reach your health and fitness goals. Working together with your coach and all the great tools that Beachbody has to offer, you will not only reach those goals, but you can achieve the body and shape you've only dreamed about. (And by the way, access to your personal Team Beachbody coach comes at my favorite price - FR*EE*!)}

_{This is not about magic pills, cellulite crème, or the latest ab-busting lounge chair (complete with dual action cup-holders!). It isn't easy. It takes time. It takes effort. But you CAN do it and we can help make it fun. You'll see that when you follow the plan you will get PHENOMENAL results. Your body, your health, and your life will change in all kinds of ways that you've never imagined.}

_{If you stick with us, you'll see MEASURABLE RESULTS WITHIN 30 DAYS.}

_{Laura will be sending you this email course, once a week for the next 13 weeks. Each one will cover a different topic to help you get the absolute BEST RESULTS POSSIBLE- at any price. (But BTW, did I mention- this coaching is all FR*EE*! )}

_{You will learn about fitness, nutrition, and all the great support tools available for you. You will meet inspiring real people with unbelievable results. Many of them have struggled with weight all their lives, only to finally get the body and lasting health they have dreamed about with Team Beachbody.}

_{I'm excited for you.}

_{Here's your homework. (You didn't think you'd get off that easy, did you?)}

_{1. Make sure to save this email address in your address book. That way, Doc's Great Results E-Course will not get lost in you junk box and you won't miss a thing.}

_{2. Take your before pictures and measurements. I can't express to you how important this step is. You don't have to show anyone, but you only get one chance to take a before picture. When your belly starts melting away, you'll want to see how far you've come. Before pictures are a great motivator! You'll thank me later. I promise!}

_{3. Set up your profile on Team Beachbody. This is the first step in getting connected to the community for support. Just go to www.exercise2day.com, and then log in. Fill out a few words about yourself and upload a picture. Don't worry, if you don't want you’re before picture, just upload a head-shot. If you don't want to write much, just write "transformation in progress, come back soon to see the new me!"}

<sub>We'll come back to the Team Beachbody website in a few weeks, for now I just want you to set up a basic profile and have some fun driving around the Team Beachbody and WOWY websites.

To contact your coach, email laura@exercise2day.com

Next lesson: Burn your Ships: The power of declaring your intention.</sub>

_{To your success!}

_{Kevin Kane, MD}

<sub>The Fit Doc


Kevin Kane MD, The Fit Doc is a practicing physician and home exercise fan. He started with P90X in 2005, and has since done programs including Slim in 6, P90X+, Ten-Minute Trainer. His current exercise interest is Project:YOU! Type 2 and helping people with Type 2 diabetes use lifestyle change to help manage their disease.


Kevin Kane, The Fit Doc LLC, and your coach are independent Beachbody coaches not employed by Beachbody.</sub>

_{This e-course and all contents are for informational and motivational purposes only. This is not medical advice. Consult with your physician with medical questions and before starting this or any exercise program.}

Top 5 Bun Moves

Top 5 Buns Moves
By Kathy Smith

During an interview the other day, a reporter asked me what my all-time favorite exercise move is. This is a somewhat stressful question for someone like me because there are so many moves I love! However, as I started to name a few, I realized several favorites revolved around working my glutes. Let's face it . . . there's nothing like feeling good in your blue jeans! And since this is an area of the body that so many women ask me about, I thought I'd share some of my favorite moves, as well as some little tricks you can use to achieve a toned derriere!

1. Maximize a flight of stairs.

Take advantage of a flight of stairs by thinking about putting your weight in your heels as you ascend. This will engage your gluteal muscles more than just climbing alone. Walking up hills or on an inclined treadmill is also a great way to tone your glutes. Try shifting your weight to your heels as you walk and you'll get a little more toning action.

2. Squats.

Squats are an excellent glute move, and if you've done my Project: YOU™ workouts, you may already know my squat mantra. To really target your glutes in a squat, make sure you put your weight on your heels, so much that you should be able to lift your toes off the floor. In our Project: YOU test group, I went around and put my fingers under people's toes, asking that they not crush them, of course! Risky, I know, but it got the point across (and thankfully, I walked away with no bruises). By shifting your weight to your heels, not only will you challenge your glutes more (and hamstrings, or the back of your legs), you'll also take pressure off your knees.

3. Squats 101.

Still having problems with achieving proper form in a squat? Practice with a chair. Start by sitting in the chair and then standing up. Repeat this a few times. Then, squat as if you're going to sit back down, but instead of sitting down, just hover slightly above the chair and then come back up. Now, repeat the hover-squat a few times while keeping your weight on your heels as you really think about squeezing the muscles in your butt and your inner thighs.

4. Lunges.

This is another one of my favorite moves for working the glutes. Again, a slight shift in body weight during a lunge will help lift and tone the buttocks. So, when doing lunges, first make sure that you have enough distance between your front foot and your back foot so the front knee does not jut out over the front foot. In fact, the knee should be in line over the ankle when you are in the deepest part of the lunge. Then, put your weight on the heel of the front foot so that you're really working those gluteal muscles. Remember, in order to get the glutes to fire, you need to go down deep enough in the lunge. As you approach a 90-degree bend in the knee, the glutes will start to contract and be used in the exercise. If you do not go down far enough, the exercise will stay in the quads or thighs, and you will not get the benefit of working your butt.

5. Add some imbalance.

Once you've mastered basic lunges or squats, challenge yourself by placing your front foot (for a lunge) or both feet (for a squat) on an unstable surface such as a pillow to add a little instability. This advanced move will call on other muscle fibers to fire and increase muscle toning while burning a few extra calories as well.

Wine...love it or leave it?

Will drinking Red Wine keep the Doctor away? View this video to find out.

A tiny tip for today....

People.....make sure you are getting enough water each day. Let's strive for at least 8-8 oz glasses. It may be tough but I know that you can do it. Add cucumbers and oranges to it or lemon juice for extra flavor. There is also Special K Protein packs that you can add. Let's get into the habit of this if you aren't already. It will help you in so many ways!

It really wasn't that bad!

For dinner last night, I tried something new. I'm not one for fish. I don't know why and probably never will. I grew up near the ocean so it wasn't that uncommon to have it for a meal. It was healthy, inexpensive and abundant. I guess that it's strange that I didn't care for it.


On Sunday, my husband and I were grocery shopping and ran across a display of Seapak's Seasoned Ahi Tuna. I've wanted for a long time to incorporate fish into my diet because of all of the healthy benefits. We decided to give it a try and put it into the cart. I figured, worst case scenario would be giving it to our cats and then making a PB&J sandwich.

When I put it on our plates, all three cats were there. They were circling me as if they were sharks and I were the bait! Even the dog had to make it known that she would take whatever I wouldn't eat. It smelled good, not real fishy like I expected. I had made a salad for our side, using lots of delicious veggies. In the end, it turned out good. I'm glad that I tried it, It really wasn't that bad! I'll be looking at some other fishes to try as well. If you have any suggestions for a mild fish, I'd love for you to comment or post a recipe.