This former college athlete lost 30 pounds and eased his back pain in just 10 minutes a day with the help of 10-Minute Trainer®

Meet Walker M.! He participated in The Beachbody Challenge and won the $500 Daily Prize for December 11th!



At 35, I was nowhere near being seriously overweight, but I was tired of seeing my spare tire grow. I’d avoid the pool, or anywhere that I had to take my shirt off, and I couldn’t stand to look in the mirror and see the elastic band on my shorts fold over because my belly was so big! But with a demanding job and 2 young children, life was busy. Too busy, I thought, for exercise.



Then, a friend who’d lost a ton of weight with P90X told me about 10-Minute Trainer. So after having spent a few years contemplating a fitness routine, I figured that this was one I could commit to since it only took ten minutes a day.  After the first workout, I was hooked. The workouts were short, but intense, and the fat just melted away. I couldn't believe how quickly I was transforming!



Now my stomach is flatter, my core is stronger, my arms are toned, my back pain is gone, and my posture is so much better. I sleep more soundly, have tons more energy, and am no longer ashamed to have my shirt off. Most of all, I love hearing people who haven't seen me in a while say, "You look great. You’ve lost a lot of weight. What are you doing?" When I tell them, they can’t believe that I’ve built this physique in as little as 10 minutes a day.



If it weren’t for 10-Minute Trainer, I’d still be 30 pounds overweight and out of shape. Now I’m a “Lean TMT Machine”. And the best part is, none of my pants fit anymore!



You can change your life, too. Take The Beachbody Challenge™, for the ultimate motivation to get fit! Select any Beachbody® program and once you complete it, share your results for your chance to win cash and prizes.

Les Mills COMBAT

Sneak peek of POWER Kata

Body Beast

Why is Body Beast different than other muscle gaining programs? Press play to find out! Sagi wants to make you a Beast! If you're up for the challenge, click here to learn more: Body Beast

How Many Push Ups Can You Do?

The push up fitness test is a good way to test your overall fitness. This simple exercise engages muscles throughout the entire body -- from  head to toe -- in order to maintain a rigid position. Doing push ups will test your strength and endurance in the muscles of the upper body, specifically the chest, shoulders, triceps and core.


While performing push ups, you lift nearly 75% of your total body weight. Using a modified push-up position reduces this amount to about 60% of your total body weight.



Goal: Do as many pushups as you can in one minute.


Execution: Men will assume a traditional pushup position and females can use the modified pushup position (on knees). When the pushups start, so does the clock! Press yourself up with arms fully extended and lower yourself back until your chest is three inches from the floor (but do not touch your body to the floor). Repeat as many times as you can in one minute. You may rest only in the “up” position if necessary.





Scoring: Here are the age-adjusted standards for men and women.

Hope you do really well. But even if you aren’t able to do enough reps to register on the chart, it’s OK. We all have to start somewhere. Keep at it and your results will improve gradually over time from where you started. Remember, you are looking for improvement in yourself, regardless of what a chart says or how many repetitions someone else can do.

BeachBody Challenge

You don't have to do it alone. Get healthy get fit and have fun while doing it.

LES MILLS COMBAT

Now you can have the confident, empowered attitude and the lean, chiseled body of a martial arts warrior.


Now, with LES MILLS COMBAT—Beachbody's first MMA-inspired program—you'll combine explosive, calorie-scorching moves and fat-shredding sequences from 6 martial arts disciplines to punch, kick, block, and strike your way to an outrageously strong and sexy body. And you'll do it to the rhythm of heart-pumping music tracks.

By blending the most dynamic moves from karate, tae kwon do, capoeira, boxing, muay thai/kickboxing, and jiu-jitsu into explosive, escalating sequences, you'll burn massive amounts of calories, amp up strength, maximize lean muscle definition, and build the best body ever in just 60 days.

Unleash your inner warrior.

6 Moves to Get an Amazing Butt

Leandro Carvalho, creator of Brazil Butt Lift® and the Brazil Butt Lift Master Series®, provided us with a workout of 6 moves that will get you an incredible butt – or, in his words, bum bum – in no time. Follow this workout three days a week for a great behind.

1. Double Diamond and Super Diamond

For the Double Diamond, rotate your legs outward and put your heels together with your heels raised. Move to the right, and do a plié squat. Then, bring your feet together and bounce, going low. Then, move to the left, put your feet together. Repeat four times. Then, for the Super Diamond, jump with your feet apart, then jump together. Repeat four times.

Area Targeted: Gluteus Medius



2. Squat

For the Squat, hold 15-pound weights in your hands. Stand with your feet apart, shoulder width. Roll your shoulders back, lift your heart, stick out your tailbone, and squat as if you are trying to sit on a bench behind you. The movement should start in your bum bum. If you’re having a hard time with balance, Leandro says to “keep your heels very heavy and just go as far as you can with good form.” Do 20.

Areas Targeted: Glutes, hips, quadriceps



3. Stationary Lunge

Holding 15-pound weights, put your right foot in the front and your left foot back. With extended legs, step all the way back and bend your back knee. For the double, lower your body, go halfway up, then go all the way up. Always keep the front knee on top of the ankle. Do not let that knee move in front of the ankle. For the single, go all the way down and all the way up in one movement. Do 10 doubles and 10 singles. Then, go all the way down, check your form, lift your chest, get a straight back, and do 10 to 20 coming only halfway up. Repeat the exercise on the other side.

Areas Targeted: Glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves



4. Deadlift

To do the deadlift, stand with your feet apart while holding 15-pound weights. Roll your shoulders up, around, and back. Drop them down to open your chest and retract your shoulder blades together. Bend your knees a little bit. But, after you bend your knees, don’t move them. Next, push your butt or tailbone back, and with a flat back, let your arms hang. Bend over as if you’re trying to reach the weights to your toes. Make sure to keep your neck straight with your spine. Then go all the way up. Do 20 reps.

Areas Targeted: Glutes, lower back, quadriceps, hamstrings



5. Legs Arabesque

This is a good move to lift your butt. While lying with a stability ball under your bellybutton, put your hands on the floor. Keep your legs straight, flex your feet and lift both legs at the same time. Lift and lower your legs 20 times. Hold 20 short on top. Then lift and lower your legs holding for 20 long on top. Beginners should do this without weights. If you’re at the intermediate level, do this wearing 1-pound ankle weights. And, if you’re advanced, use 5-pound ankle weights. Make sure to keep your core engaged while doing this move so it doesn’t strain your back.

Areas Targeted: Gluteus Minimus, hamstrings



6. Frog Legs

This move will help make your butt fuller and rounder. While lying with a stability ball under your bellybutton and your hands on the ground, put your heels together and your toes apart. The knee should make a right angle. Lift and lower 20 times, then. Then lift and hold for 20 short. Beginners should do this without weights. If you’re at the intermediate level, do this wearing 1-pound ankle weights. And, if you’re advanced, use 5-pound ankle weights. Make sure to keep your core engaged while doing this move so it doesn’t strain your back.

Area Targeted: Gluteus Maximus



For a targeted bum bum workout that will get you a better butt in 30 days, get more info about the Brazil Butt Lift Master Series!

This Is Better Than A UFC Fight

The virtual gloves are off! Once the best of friends, Google and Apple have become sworn enemies, battling in courtrooms and in the consumer marketplace. In the latest version of Apple’s iPhone software, which became available last week, Apple removed two mainstay Google apps — Maps and YouTube. Consumers are innocent bystanders of the brawl in which some would say Apple started. (Depending on who you ask lol) IPhone users now have an extra step to download the YouTube app from the App Store and, so far, Google has given no indication that it will offer a maps app. Apple’s maps, meanwhile, are littered with flaws, some laughable, like a bridge that appears to collapse crossing the Tacoma Narrows Strait of Puget Sound. This battle has only just begun and as long as Apple keeps suing Android the end is nowhere in sight.

This Weekend in DC

There will be a lot going on in the city this weekend. The MPD will have planned street closing so plan ahead and have fun.

Barracks Row Fall Festival: Saturday, September 22, 2012 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

The following streets will be closed Saturday at 7:00 AM and reopen by 6:00 PM:



• 8th Street, SE from E to I Streets

• G Street, SE from 7th to 9th Streets



For more information about the event, please visit www.barracksrow.org.



    Fiesta DC: Sunday, September 23, 2012 from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Fiesta DC will be on the south side of Pennsylvania Avenue, from 9th Street NW, to 14th Street, NW. The following streets will be closed on Sunday from 3:00 AM to 11:30 PM:

• 13th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

• 12th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW

• 11th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

• 10th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW

• 9th Street from E Street Constitution Avenue, NW

(9th Street will reopen after the parade crosses)



For more information about this event, visit www.fiestadc.org.

Finding The Perfect Portion Size For Kids

Have you ever wondered if that giant glob of mac & cheese you packed your kid for lunch was enough? Food portion have become a lot bigger, and because of this determining the right portion size for our children has become a little distorted. Children need the same variety of nutrient rich foods as adults, just in smaller quantities. I often see children with enough food in their lunch bags to feed a small army. Defining your child serving size is actually not as complicated as you may think. A child-size portion of meat is about what would fit in your little boy or girls palm. For whole-grain carbs, such as brown rice or pasta, a serving is roughly the size of his/her fist. -- This measurement also applies to fruits, veggies, and dairy products such as yogurt. A serving of cheese is about thumb-size, and for munching on snack foods, think a handful. The great thing about this system is that it works no matter what your child's age. As his/her hand grows so does their appetite, so you don't have to memorize portions.

Most 2-3 year old children need to consume about 1,000 calories per day. Here’s hot distribute those calories in a healthy eating plan:

• Grain Group: 3 ounces per day, preferably half of them whole grains, (3 regular slices of bread or 1 slice of bread plus 1/3 cup cold cereal and 1/4 cup cooked pasta or rice.)

• Vegetable Group: 1 cup raw/cooked per day.

• Fruit Group: 1 cup fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and/or 100% juice per day.( I would emphasize whole fruits rather than juice because the fiber in the whole fruits help to slow down the sugar rush and insulin spike.)

• Dairy Group: 2 cups of whole milk per day is recommended for children younger than 2. Older children can low-fat/fat free milk, yogurt and cheese.

• Meat and Beans Group: 2 ounces total per day. Options include one ounce of lean meat or chicken plus one egg or 1 ounce of fish plus 1/4 cup of cooked beans (black, pinto, etc.)

• Oils: 3 teaspoons or less per day.





For younger children you should minimize sweet drinks, snacks and desserts. Children have small stomachs and these foods take up space needed for nutrient rich foods. *For more information about eating plans and serving sizes for preschoolers visit MyPyramid.gov

Q&A Video Chat with Steve Edwards about Body Beast

Video chat with Steve Edwards about Body Beast
Video streaming by Ustream

No-Bake Cookies

One of these delicious chocolate and nut butter cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth without wrecking your diet.



Total Time: 10 min.

Prep Time: 10 min.

Yield: 25 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup natural peanut butter or almond butter

• 1 cup quick cooking oats

• ½ cup honey

• 1 cup Chocolate Shakeology



Preparation:

1. Combine peanut butter, honey, oats and Shakeology in medium bowl. Mix well.

2. Roll 24 balls, each the size of 1 tbsp.

3. Flatten each slightly so takes on the shape of a traditional cookie.



Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 115

Fat: 6g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 2mg

Sodium: 39mg

Carbohydrate: 15g

Fiber: 1g

Sugar: 7g

Protein: 5g

Increase Thyroid Function With Diet Change

There are certain dietary changes you can make to improve the function of your thyroid. Consistent consumption of foods with iodine, selenium, zinc, and iron may benefit your thyroid function. You should check with your doctor if you feel that your thyroid is low or inactive. 

Foods With Iodine

Salmon, shrimp and eggs are all highly concentrated sources of iodine. You can also get iodine from lima beans, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, and garlic. Iodine is a crucial trace element and without it, your thyroid can't function.

Foods With Selenium

many people are deficient is selenium. Foods that are plentiful in selenium include halibut, tuna, mushrooms, sunflower seeds and Brazil nuts.

Foods With Zinc

Foods that are high in zinc include walnuts, ginger root, sunflower seeds, lamb, beef, turkey, oysters, grains and maple syrup.

Foods With Iron

Foods that are sufficiently high in iron include lentils, white beans, spinach, and organ meats like liver.

If you just can't fathom consuming enough foods to meet your dietary needs try supplementation.

7 Ways to Prevent Muscle Soreness

Got (DOMS)? Delayed- onset muscle soreness can be brutal after a tough workout. Here are some ways to help prevent post workout pain.

1.Stretch. While fitness experts can’t seem to agree on this strategy I think it helps. Especially if your flexibility is limited.

 2.Eat. A tough workout depletes blood sugar, as well as the glycogen stored in your muscles. Restoring that supply within an hour of finishing your workout is your body's top priority. In a study on "nutrient timing," researchers found that a post workout drink with between a 3:1 to 5:1 carb-to-protein ratio reduced muscle damage and improved recovery times

3.Ice It. Inflammation immobilizes you after a tough workout. It’s our bodies defense mechanism. Icing your muscles immediately after a workout can hold off inflammation.

4.Tweak your diet. Eat foods that are rich in omega-3’s such as avocado, salmon, walnuts and free range meats. These foods have natural anti-inflammatory properties that can dial back soreness after a tough workout.

5.Get a massage. A recent study found that massage can reduce inflammatory compounds called cytokines. One type of massage that's gaining popularity is myofascial release, which targets the connective tissue covering the muscles. You can hit these areas yourself using a foam roller—put the roller on the floor, use your body weight to apply pressure, and roll back and forth over the sore areas for about 60 seconds.

6.Hot tub time machine. You won’t really go back in time but the heat from a Jacuzzi will do wonder for your sore muscles once they have returned to their resting temperature. The focuses heat from a Jacuzzi will increase circulation and hit joints that don’t normally get a lot of circulation.

7. Jump back on the horse. You will be tempted to sink into your couch and skip your next workout until the pain goes away. Don’t do it! Circulation promotes healing so helps to get your heart pumping. Just don’t overdo it. I like to call “active recovery”. Do some kind of low intensity exercise that gets your blood flowing without taxing your muscles like yoga. Most Beachbody programs include a recovery workout.

*Bonus (SLEEP) Our body recovers when we are sleep, so don't forget to get those Zzzz (-:

10 Things I Think I Know About Women

When Be Better Guys first approached me about penning something for them I was ecstatic and very humbled. Once they told me about my subject line my excitement soon turned into fear and panic. I learned a long time ago that whatever knowledge I think I have about women can and will change from day to day. That being said, take this information with a grain of salt. 10 Things I Think I Know About Women

Meet Anna Johannes

Meet Anna Johannes the Olympic Swimmer. It wasn’t until two or three years after swimming competitively on an able-bodied swim team that Anna first started competing on a Paralympic team. Her mom found a website that other parents with children of disabilities were talking on, and someone suggested that Johannes compete in a Paralympic swim meet. Due to a birth defect caused from Amniotic Band Syndrome, Johannes was born without her left hand and forearm. Johannes attended Mount Vernon High School in Alexandria, Virginia and is studying business administration at DeVry University. She intends on either going into physical therapy or massage therapy.

Major Acheivements

•2011: Gold medal, 100m butterfly (S9); gold, 100m breast (SB8); gold, 100m breaststroke (S9); gold, 400m free (S9); gold, 100m freestyle (S9); silver, 50m free (S9)

What's Your Excuse Again?

Meet the Superhumans, the stars of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Meet the Superhumans from STITCH on Vimeo.

Derm Exclusive Instant Anti-Aging

New Products(Body Beast)

If your goal is to get as massive as you can in 90 days, this is your kit. Created by renowned trainer Sagi Kalev, Body Beast's extreme muscle-building workouts and bodybuilding-specific eating plan will give you mind-blowing size, fast. Using Dynamic Set Training™, you'll exhaust your muscles, recruit more muscle fibers, and even increase testosterone levels far beyond what's been possible in a home training system.

Wi-jun, Pigeon's Egg Head, The Light

Catlin first painted The Light in St. Louis, when the latter was en route to Washington in the fall of 1831, as an official guest of the Secretary of War.

Arnold & Porter's DC SCORES Cup Team

For people who believe in a well-rounded childhood, DC SCORES is the quality, team-based approach providing youth with the arts, athletics, and academics that will engage, enrich, and improve their lives. DC SCORES builds teams through after school programs for over 800 low-income DC youth at 27 schools by instilling self-expression, physical fitness, and a sense of community. DC SCORES accomplishes this in an innovative model combining poetry and spoken word, soccer, and service-learning year-round. Where the money goes: •On average, DCPS provides 45 minutes of PE per week; DC SCORES provides 6 times that. •DC SCORES gives kids the skills to connect with and give back to their community. •For many of kids, DC SCORES is the only chance they have to be on a team or play a sport. DC SCORES: Building Teams, Improving Lives

Booz Season Is Upon Us/Summer

The Summer (aka booze season) is upon us. There is beer to be drunk and barbecues to go to. The problem is you're trying to live healthy and trade your keg in for a six pac. Do you dare tell your boys you can't have a beer because you're watching your weight? You don't have to commit social suicide to live a healthier life. You can't be the boozefest champ either. You just have to make conscious choices in order to keep your days healthy. In order for proper weight loss and fitness to be constant in your life you have to remember that it has to be a lifestyle change and not just a diet fad.

We all know that alcohol is stored as fat in our body. It also can disrupt your sleeping patterns,slow your recovery time and cause electrolyte imbalances because it is a diuretic. Alcohol can cause a whole lot of other problems but there are to many to name. Consider that when you workout your blood sugar drops naturally if you drink alcohol post-workout your glycogen stores will not be replenished. Your body will be to busy metabolizing the booze and your blood sugar will stay at an unhealthy level.

Despite all the issues most of us will still have a glass or two on the weekend. It doesn't mean you have to go crazy and binge drink on the weekend. You can be healthy and still drink a little and be social. The key is moderation and knowing what not to drink.

What drink do you choose? Here are your best bets from a caloric standpoint:

• Hard alcohol. Most have under 100 calories and limited carbohydrates in there serving size. The trick is not to add all those sugary mixers. Try club soda,water or drink it on the rocks.
• Wine. A serving of wine can pack in about 100 calories. be careful though because most restaurants will pour larger servings than the 5 ounce serving size.
• Beer. Most light beers have limited carbs and cals. Look for brands that have under 100 cals in a 12 ounce serving. If your not counting calories I suggest craft-brewed beers because they don't have additives and use natural ingredients.

*Tip: When drinking alcohol try alternating with water. This will keep you hydrated and help you slow down. This will help keep your consumption down. When your buddy is on drink four or five you will be on one or two.

Tip* Still want to look like your drinking but don't want to explain why your not: Order club soda and garnish it with a lemon or lime.

If you fall off the wagon and wake up in a rose bush with strange pictures in your phone don't use it as an excuse to go into a downward spiral. Your body will remind you of  what you did to it. Use it as a reminder to make better choices in the future and move on.

*The Dietary Guidelines for America recommend that if you choose to drink alcohol you do so only in moderation- up to one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men.

Examples of one drink include:

• Beer: 12 fluid ounces
• Wine: 5 fluid ounces
• Distilled Spirits(80 proof): 1.5 fluid ounces

The Story of Stars and Stripes Honor Flight - Documentary Trailer

Art Imitating Life

Brock is back doing profesional wrestling and he's using what he learned in the octagone on his fellow wrestlers.

Today's Workout 4/30/12

Michelle Transformed her booty with Brazil Butt Lift

INSANITY: THE AYSLUM

This is the success story of how Tremayne gained 5lbs of muscle with Insanity: The Asylum!

Post Exercise snacks

After a hard workout it's important to replenish quickly so that your body can recover in time for your next workout. Your ideal recovery snack should contain 1/2 gram of carbohydrates per pound of your body weight, and at least 10 grams of protein.

A few great recovery snacks:

• P90X Results & Recovery Formula
• Fruit Smoothie
• 1 Percent Chocalote Milk
• Granola
  

My Lunch Time Workout

Do each exercise straight through 8-12 reps. Once You complete all 11 exercises that is 1 round. *I did 2 rounds in 30 mins. Use a weight that you barely can get to 12 reps with. *If you get to a 2nd round and your reps are higher than your 1st round you need to up the weight your lifting.



EXERCISE



Barbell Squats

Standing Calf Raise

Flat Barbell Bench Press

Incline DB Fly

Triceps Pushdown

Standing Barbell Curl



Water Break


Straight Leg Dead Lift

Bent Over Row

Close Grip Lat Pull down

Push Press

Leg Extension

Ever wonder why the Arnold Classic is held in Columbus Ohio?

Ever wonder why the Arnold Classic is held in Columbus Ohio? Don’t get me wrong It’s a nice place but most people don’t seek it out as a destination lol. It all started back in 1970 when a man named Jim Lorimer made a call that would change his life and body building forever. The call that he made was to a young man named Arnold Schwarzenegger. Lorimer called Arnold who was in Cali at the time and asked him to come to Ohio to compete in the Mr.World which took place the day after Mr. Universe in London. Read more here at bodybuilding.com.

Update: The Arnold Classic has started. Check out the webcast here.

The Training Behind The New Slam Dunk Champ

Jeremy Evans won the slam dunk contest because he put in the work. Shortly after he got drafted he began training at P3 and in this video you will see him doing alot of the same PAP moves we do in P90X2.

This is the winning dunk. Evans jumps over someone and dunks not one but two basketballs!

Insane Results with Insanity

Felicia lost 37 lbs. in 60 days with Insanity. All you have to do is press play and put in the work and you can get the same results.

Jerome Mayberry 10 Commandments

New Tropical Strawberry Shakeology

The Healthiest Meal of the Day just hit the beach. Drink Shakeology's new vegan formula to help improve health and lead a more active life!

European Union and United States Agree to Historic New Partnership on Organic Trade

The USDA and the European Union (E.U.) have agreed to a new partnership, opening their doors to one another's organic products. The two powerhouses are the largest organic food producers in the world. U.S. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan is calling the development "a win" for the American economy.

"This partnership connects organic farmers and companies on both sides of the Atlantic with a wide range of new market opportunities," Merrigan said in the USDA's press release.

E.U. Commissioner Dacian Ciolos says the agreement will bolster competition in the organic food business because farmers and food producers will have easier access and fewer costs when they attempt to penetrate foreign markets. Previously, selling in both markets required separate certification processes, amounting to a lot of red tape

The U.S. and E.U. organic sector together is valued at more than $50 billion.

See the full USDA press release here to learn more about the new partnership.

Guacamole

Ingredients



2 fully ripened Avocados, halved, pitted and diced

1 tsp salt

1 TBS fresh lime juice

2 TBS, chopped cilantro

Dash cayenne pepper


Directions:

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve (NOTE: the avocado might get slightly brown in the fridge. Just stir it up and it'll be good as new.

Prep time: 5 minutes. Makes about 1 ½ cups

DC Car Show 2012

Since my girlfriend really wasn't interested in going to the car show with me I went with my boy @TheJbyrdman. He use to be a car salesman so he has a fairly good knowledge of cars. I was expecting to see alot of prototype/futuristic cars but that wasn't the case. There where only maybe one or two. Luckily Bumble Bee was there and @TheJbyrdman so the day wasn't a total bust.

Energy & Endurance

Need energy? Workout harder and longer with E&E!

Empecemos

P90X & P90X2 The Difference

Hmm Guantanamo Bay Prisoners In DC

Just another normal day at the park in the nations capital. I told my preschool class they where just playing dress up lol.

Fitness Week

Did you miss Tony Horton today on Live! with Kelly?

Chalene Johnson and Turbo Kick