This is my original health and fitness story, the one I first built as its own little website back when it happened. In August of 2007 I ordered a program called P90X, did every day of it exactly as written, and graduated 90 days later a different man. That same season I became a Beachbody coach, and I am proud of that era of my life. Coaching gave me accountability, a community, and a reason to stay the course long after the first 90 days ended. Beachbody has closed that chapter since, and I have kept right on going. Same programs, same nutrition, same mission, all these years later. Everything below is that site, gathered into one page: my story, my day by day journal from the first 90 days, the progress pictures from before day 1 through 2009, the tools I used with the people I coached, and the essays I wrote along the way.

Here is the thing I have learned since, and it is the reason this story might matter to you even if your goal looks nothing like mine. Most people who find this page want to lose weight. I needed to gain it. Different goal, same thread. Every one of us has some positive change we want to make, a goal that actually means something to us, that we are emotionally invested in whether we admit it out loud or not. That is the common thread between you and me and everyone in this community. We support each other because the goal underneath is the same shape, even when the details are different. So as you read this, do not just read my story. See yours in it. Picture yourself on your own day one, and then picture your day ninety.

One more thing before you dive in. I still share what I am learning as I go, tips, things I am trying, and the occasional offer that can genuinely help you get healthier and fitter. If you want in on that, join my list here. No spam, no nonsense, just me, and you can leave any time.

My Story

P90X Graduate!!!

( transformation story always in the making – making it impossible to get bored! ) Check back often!

I have a curious personality with many different interests and a bit of a silly side 🙂 Hey who doesn't? I can really buckle down, focus on setting and accomplishing goals and usually I really enjoy that kind of productivity. I think that too many of us get caught up in the notion that you have to work hard doing something you don't enjoy in order to get healthy or make money and never seriously consider doing something you love that can get you super fit and make you a fortune.

In April of 2006 my good job was off shored to India for cheap for labor. I went on to attend college full time and a half so I could get my degree as soon as possible and start making good money again. Then the economy went from bad to worse, and from worse to dire. My degree so far has provided no fruition. My health was also taking a negative turn too. I was approaching thirty and not doing ANYTHING to take better care of myself. I had a multitude of very serious issues all seeming to happen at once that I needed to take care of for my own sake and for everyone else around me.

During my last year of college I took up the beachbody business opportunity because I wanted to tackle all of those real problems of mine together. If I waited any longer, even another day, I would just have an even deeper hole to dig myself out of with every passing day.

Being an independent beachbody coach motivated me to do what had to be done to get fit for the first time in my life. I had tried other things before including a pricey gym membership but it didn't work, so I got frustrated and quit. beachbody is completely different from everything else out there because the programs are very affective (early results fuels the motivation you need to stick with something for the long haul) AND being a coach with the possibility of earning money and having others look up to me creates an incredible sense of accountability all in it's own right. The 25% discount on all programs and supplements doesn't hurt either.

With that kind of motivation and incentive I did what was necessary and completely transformed my body in 90 days with p90X. The coolest thing about that kind of physical transformation and having more "feel good" energy is the self confidence boost that just seems to automatically go with the territory of a meaningful all natural transformation from nutrition and exercise. Why do I believe the huge boost in self confidence is the most amazing thing about the whole transformation experience? Because opportunities come knocking!

There is a saying, "Success is something you attract by the person you become". When you're in great physical and mental shape, when you have high self esteem and you have high self confidence you begin to attract opportunities that other less confident people just don't get. This kind of confidence emotes from you and resonates with anyone you come into contact with. Have you ever tried to go out looking for opportunities? It's like chasing butterflies you come so close but you just can't quite catch them.

Life is a cabaret! I am attracted to people who want to live and focus on the positive rather than to focus on the negative except to learn from their mistakes. I also love guitars, music, nature, outdoors… I just recently built a new 700 sq ft. Garden and I am totally excited about it! The harvest of fresh fruits and veggies will especially be fun 🙂

My Main focus became the marriage between my personal fitness and business building. I became an independent Beachbody coach and business owner, and I fell in love with it, because their fitness programs work AMAZINGLY well and we had the best support system on earth, period. Seriously, I completely transformed my body in 90 days using P90X and my self confidence is through the roof now. The only thing more rewarding than helping myself is helping others who are willing to change. Helping and empowering others is what really drives me to aim high and do very well for myself!

Can I help you with any area of your life? Let me know! You could say that… My motivation depends on my ability to help YOU reach any goal 🙂

– Tom

Author of Passion Fitness!

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The First 90 Days: The Journal

The FIRST 90 Days…

8/14/2007 – I just ordered the p90X program last Sunday the 12th of August which is expected to arrive within 5 – 7 business days from then. I will post my next blog update when my p90X program arrives.

8/15/2007 – My p90X package just arrived today! Actually I purchased the entire showcase because I am a coach. What that means is I was able to buy it at over a fifty percent discount. Today is my first look at the package so that I can tell others what it includes. Its a VERY impressive package. It even includes more than what is advertised on the million dollar body site. In addition to the six most popular work out series you also get five work out bands, hand weights, two tape measures and each program includes instructions as well as precise nutritional information depending on what your fitness goals are so that there is no guess work. I strongly recommend the showcase package to anyone who is a coach so you can get over fifty percent off the regular price and educate yourself for people you talk to about the products. I strongly recommend at least one of the programs to anyone looking to loose weight and or gain muscle mass. If you join the million dollar body club you can enjoy an additional ten percent savings on any of the products you buy.

8/16/2007 – Day one of my P90X journey is complete. It wasn't too pretty but from the success stories I have listened to that is normal for the beginning of this particular extreme program so I am not worried. I did every exercise to the point of failure. My arms feel like jelly right now. Afterwards I took a shower and washing my hair was a chore let me tell you! My arms, chest and back are DONE. They hurt so good and if something hurts good then there has got to be something good going on in my body!

The p90X kit comes with a 3 phase calendar so that I can follow the program as its intended for maximum results, it comes with a fitness guide so that I know what I am doing and it comes with a nutrition plan booklet so that I know what to eat because exercise and diet go hand in hand. I already looked through the nutrition plan booklet and there are lots of yummy foods in their so I do not have to worry about eating food I do not enjoy. Of course some of the junk food will have to go but not all of it 😉 Another great thing about the workout itself is that all of the exercises have alternatives which are demonstrated on the DVD in case I cannot do the more difficult version, yet. Believe me when I say that I had to take the easier alternatives on some of them but that will change as I get stronger. I am fully immersed now.

Those p90X peak recovery formula drinks taste delightfully good. my transformation story is in progress in its earliest stages. in just a few days I already notice that my energy level has increased. I am not as sleepy during the middle of the day any longer when I need to be awake and alert for day to day matters. it feels good to feel good. check back again to see how I am doing.

9/12/2007 – I just completed phase one of my p90X workout. It was very hard and fun at the same time. I have not missed a single day of working out I am right on schedule. Some days I really had to push myself to make sure I got my work out in for the day. I find that when I "bring it" and fight to give it all I have with each exercise the time goes by quicker, not to mention I'm also giving myself the full benefit of the workout that way rather than cheating myself and not getting results. Part of me wants to quit and part of me wants to keep going. Thankfully my dominant part is keeping me going and I attribute my resolve to keep fighting from my peers at million dollar body. My flexibility has increased significantly I can do quite a few stretches now that I could not do at the start of the program. My balance has also improved. Every work out I am dripping with sweat so I can easily see how someone looking to loose weight will indeed loose weight fast on this program while toning up. Visually I have noticed very little differences but its possible that could be hopeful thinking or possibly I have gained muscle slowly enough to not notice yet. I should have some pictures within the next few days or so that I will put up here right next to my before photo so we can see if there are any noticeable differences.

9/20/2007 – I have my day 30 progress pictures. So far phase two is kicking my butt. I continue to see improvements in my flexibility and balance coordination. Phase two has introduced new exercises that have my muscles completely confused and working hard.

10/10/2007 – I am feeling much stronger going into phase three than I was going into phase one or two. My eating has been cleaned up and now going into phase three I will be focusing on consuming approximately three thousand calories per day, clean calories. Lots of Carbohydrates and protein (meat and potatoes) along with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Phase one brought huge visible progress. I and every other person that saw my before and day thirty progress pictures are amazed at the rate of progress I had in a short thirty day period. Its hard to believe I was questioning if I had any big gains before I saw my progress pictures. This experience just goes to show how important it is that I am taking before and after pictures. Without them I could not be aware of my visible progress which provided me with huge motivation.

So far I still have not missed a single day of working out. I am right on track! Phase three here I come! I will have day sixty progress pictures posted in a couple weeks.

11/18/2007 – I am P90X's Newest Graduate as of Sunday Nov. 17th 2007! I am now in the best shape of my life. Phase three was super tough with constant muscle confusion. Every week the weightlifting routines would change instead of every three weeks as it was in the first two phases. During phase three I consumed approximately three and a half thousand mostly clean calories per day and still managed to loose six pounds. What does that tell you???

I am much more lean and mean now. My muscle definition is at its best. While a picture may show impressive results, Much of my progress is the kind of progress you cannot see in a photo. My flexibility and sense of balance have improved enormously. My cardio pulminary system feels invincible. My Resting heart rate is 48 – 50 bpm. What is yours? Average is 60 – 80, olympic cross country skiers have been rarely reported to be as low as 40 bpm. The more effecient your heart is the fewer strokes it has to make to pump blood throughout the body so generally the lower your resting heart rate is, the healthier your heart is. Unfortunately the flash bulb on the camera i was using to take progress pictures with has burned out so I did the best I could with the lighting I had to work with. It will be at least a couple weeks till I can take more pictures again with a working flash bulb.

I am truly in the best well balanced fitness of my life. I don't plan on loosing what I have gained so that I don't have to age =) I am going to do another round of P90X after I take a week or two to let my body recover so that I can start round two super strong. I will be changing the routines up a little bit so that I can focus more on gaining muscle weight without loosing what I have gained in all areas of fitness.

1/25/2008 – The first time through P90X I did the program exactly as its laid out and experienced wonderful results. I have been doing a modified version for the past couple of months now, incorporating new things into my p90X program. I have been doing lots of reading on nutrition and exercise physiology so that I can modify the p90X plan to me specifically, and to help others modify towards there unique individual needs as well. The p90X plan is the best nutrition and exercise plan out there but even that can be modified per individual, as the nutrition plan says so and encourages. Experience combined with reading is filling me with new knowledge everyday.

I recently started olympic ring training for the purpose of pushups. Or in my case, a couple of dumbbells suspended from a steel I beam in my basement with rope. Im doing ten sets of ten reps each for a total of 100 pushups on the rings in a variety of ten different styles of pushups. Without an immoveable surface like you would get from doing pushups on the ground, using the rings forces you to use virtually every muscle in your body to keep your hands from moving in all directions. It especially puts extra emphasis on core muscles and if I were not already a p90X graduate I would not be able to do this without pulling something in my lower back. I have only been doing this once a week to start off with, along with my regular p90X routines. I just started to take a rest from lifting weights because I feel early symptoms of overtraining from constant muscle fatigue. My muscles basically need a couple of weeks to rest, repair, and grow and then I will start again stronger than ever with bigger muscles than ever.

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Before P90X

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Day 30 P90X Pictures

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Day 60 P90X Pictures

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Day 90 P90X Pictures, P90X Graduate

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Progress After Round 1

January 13, 2008

January 25, 2008, Phase 2

April 8, 2008

April 30, 2008

August 26, 2008

January 29, 2009

September 2, 2009

September 27, 2009

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Muscle Burns Fat

We love beauty in our society. Most of us subscribe to a false pretense of what makes the most physically beautiful body beautiful. Many of us believe that dieting and aerobic exercise will increase our metabolism and make us beautiful. Why are so many starving themselves "trying" to be skinny? The most beautiful bodies are ones that are lean, strong, Firm and in perfect symmetry. Peoples methods for trying to be beautiful profoundly underlines the lack of knowledge that exists in our culture. The problem or solution isn't a mystery. It was medically and scientifically proven long ago that there has been too much focus placed on cardio and dieting and not nearly enough on strength conditioning the body and eating nutritiously to fuel a meaningful workout. Strength conditioning is how you shape your body, trim the fat, feel better, feel healthier, age more gracefully and raise your metabolism. Muscle burns fat! The more muscle you have on your body the more fat your body will burn. Lift some weights! Build STRONG active muscles. Those active muscles will burn off the fat from your body because muscle burns fat!

At age 25 your muscles start to deteriorate. Women, you have it worse because you begin muscle deterioration right after puberty. Right up to that point your body is still growing. Muscle is still being built on your frame but after puberty your essential muscle growth is over and your muscles begin deteriorating through every stage of life till death. The ONLY way to stop this, and even reverse this, is to regularly lift weights. If you don't use your muscles you WILL loose them. Weight training will actually re build your lost muscles making you strong again and more youthful! Lean muscle burns fat AND lean muscle IS the bodies natural fountain of youth!

Many women in our society believe that if they lift weights they will bulk up and look scary. This entirely false belief adds to the epidemic like lack of knowledge in our society. Men have a much higher propensity to keep building muscle than women largely because of testosterone production differences. Ladies, You cannot bulk like a man. Lifting weights will not increase your muscle size much, just your muscular density and strength. Forget about your fears of bulking and lift some weights instead of eating less and focusing on aerobic exercise. Adding lean muscle is how women get smaller, not bulky. Dieting and aerobic exercise without strength conditioning causes muscle loss, making it easier to gain fat and exacerbates the affects of aging.

On a very personal and sad note: I have taken my father to physical rehab many times. The rehab facility here is used mostly by older people who have lived an inactive sedentary like life and it finally caught up to them. Combine an inactive life with the passing of time (aging), the inevitable is certain to happen. There is a saying, "Exercise now before you have to" and "For those who think they have not time for exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness". All of us know and even associate aging with growing old and frail. For those of us who do not strength train this process literally begins right after puberty. For those of us who diet and exercise without any strength training, we have the added insult of an even weaker metabolism with screaming bones and joints as we age. I do not believe anyone chooses to grow frail and ill. I believe we all would like to live a life we can fully enjoy and one day pass on peacefully in our sleep. Maybe some of us believe we will spend half of life frail like, worsening till death and just accept it because that's what we see in so many others who grow old. Is it just a lack of knowledge? That is exactly why I am so saddened by good people around me that I see aging, growing frail, and dying in not so pleasant ways. Maybe no one told them about strength training and the enormous benefits to a higher quality of living? Maybe they, like so many others, were fatally miss guided to dieting and aerobic exercise without adequate strength training. According to a source in the American Council on Exercise %80 of deaths in western civilizations is a result of chronic illness largely due to lifestyle choices. This is alarming but also serves as exciting news that if we want too we can live healthier lives and enormously increase the odds of escaping chronic illness forever.

Here are some FACTS about Shaping your body and burning fat the natural way

* MUSCLE BURNS FAT

* Muscle shapes the body

* Muscle is the largest drive behind your metabolism

* Muscle is a MAJOR contributor to the over all higher quality of life and feeling of wellness

* Muscle is a MAJOR factor in enabling you to do more in your day to day functions before feeling Fatigued

* The primary fuels for muscle are FAT and oxygen

The more muscle your body has to support its systems and its frame the more calories from FAT you will burn and the better you will perform your day to day living. failing to use your muscles post puberty will allow your body to weaken progressively and over time you will be able to do less and less without feeling fatigued. If you give your body what it innately wants, strength and good health, you can be handsomely rewarded with a beautiful shapely body, a happier outlook mentally and the ability to enjoy very satisfying meals without it ending up on your gut and butt. We know for a fact that extra muscle requires an ear mark of nutrients just to sustain itself because active muscles are constantly rebuilding themselves. This is WONDERFUL news for us food lovers because this means that if you have a certain amount of muscle supporting your body then you will be able to enjoy more satisfying food without gaining weight. Granted some elements of metabolism are purely genetic but its ultimately the life choices we make that has the largest affect on metabolism. We know this because Muscle Burns fat, there is no way around that fact. There are no loop holes in that beautiful physiological fact whatsoever.

When is the best time to get started? THE BEST TIME TO GET STARTED IS ALWAYS NOW!!! That cannot be emphasized enough. The bodies muscles start to deteriorate right after puberty but even if you are forty, fifty, sixty years old there is enormous amounts of scientific evidence that shows a metabolism, bone density and muscle density can be built back up. At this later stage in the game it may never be what it was when your strength peaked in your younger years but enough SIGNIFICANT gains can be made to significantly improve your over all quality of life and feeling of wellness, even youthfulness. Unless you consciously choose to grow weaker and more ill by the day Don't put it off another day. The longer you wait the further you will have to go to get from point A to point B. The longer you wait the more difficult it will be to rebuild your metabolism because you will have less and less muscle to work with. If you were to live the rest of your life inactive then the strongest you will always be is right NOW, therefore; get started TODAY while it is still easier than it will be tomorrow. If you have no medical reason why you shouldn't start today and are still on the fence about putting it off another day after that profound true reasoning not to wait then think about this and you may get to know yourself just a little bit better. Some will read the information, it will resonate, and they will act TODAY. Others will read the same exact information, it may or may not resonate, but for whatever reason they decide to keep putting it off. Ladies and gentlemen there is a very profound reason why some people, not just in fitness but in anything, seem to excel in life and become successful in many areas and some people seem to never excel in anything except in making excuses which only serve to put to death any dreams and goals forever. TODAY is the day to affirm the truth so that you may learn from the past and make some simple changes to change everything for the future and the future belongs to YOU.

The three points I made that are of the most paramount importance:

1. Muscle burns Fat

2. Get started TODAY

3. Thirst for knowledge always

What is the Value of having a great body? The key to my motivation in my own fitness is to encourage YOU. Helping YOU change your life is the key ingredient to my own success and feeling of accomplishment.

I will do everything I can to help you achieve your goals. Write me freely at [email protected] or on facebook at facebook.com/tombirkenmeyer. You must be willing to reach out for help. Those who "go it alone" have no one to supply them with the endless support and motivation they need to succeed.

it feels good to feel good

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Motivation

Tips to get YOU motivated

Knowing what to do is the first step. If you don't know what to do you need to learn. There is nothing more frustrating than getting busy without any direction or results. You must be confident in knowing that the means of getting from the body you have now to the body you want is going to work. That alone is motivating but it may not be enough. Sometimes there is a gap between knowing what to do and then doing it.

Taking the focus off of yourself and on someone else is motivating. Encouraging others to succeed will give you a boost especially if they reciprocate. Helping others is a powerful human desire that makes us feel good about ourselves and should be harnessed for our own motivation.

You may just be beginning a fitness program along with me and have not experienced any results first hand yet. Observe and absorb the many documented stories of proof that what you are doing does indeed work. You can build your belief on that for endless sources of motivation. There are literally thousands of videos, stories, and other forms of documentation that proves what you are doing is working. Just ask me about it! I can shower you with so many powerful inspirational success stories you won't believe it.

You must know that you are not alone. No one wants to be isolated. In the context of self doubt, health and fitness you are NOT alone. Everyone has been there at one time or another and their are ALWAYS going to be people who are just starting out just like you. Some people will loathe in self doubt and let it consume then, others will reach out to people who make them feel good for help and then do wondrous things and transform into a pillar of inspiration themselves for others who are where they once were, looking for help in their own transformations. It's a cycle that keeps on giving and transforming lives. To be part of a TEAM of people who stand each other up to succeed TOGETHER is very motivating if you allow it to be. The energy and pure excitement you find in my Teams online Virtual Gym, the Club, the Interactive message forums and other mediums is world class and allows more support and closer connections to other like minded people. Many, MANY life long friendships and sources of accountabilities have been founded in these interactions. If you are looking for more motivation this will launch you to new motivation.

Your legacy can and must be used as a source of motivation. When you embrace the simple fact that everything you do and say (negative or positive) has an impact on others FOREVER, your motivation to succeed will go through the roof! Step up! Take hold of your life! YOU have the power to create PERSONAL AND GENERATIONAL HEALTH!

I will do everything I can to help you achieve your goals. Write me freely at [email protected] or on facebook at facebook.com/tombirkenmeyer. You must be willing to reach out for help. Those who "go it alone" have no one to supply them with the endless support and motivation they need to succeed.

it feels good to feel good

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What is the Value of a Beautiful Body?

I Feel Like $31,000,000+ and I Want You To Feel That Good To

To begin with your self esteem will increase drastically. When you transform your body from where you are now to the body you have always wanted your self esteem will go through the roof. You will probably want to re acquaint yourself in the mirror. The feeling you get when you look in the mirror, loving the way you look, is powerful. It is nearly impossible to have low self esteem when you re acquaint yourself with your newly transformed body and self image. If I were to place monetary value on the worth of high self esteem then high self esteem = $1,000,000.

High self esteem leads to high self confidence. If I were to place monetary value on high self confidence then high self confidence = $5,000,000.

Opportunities come knocking! There is a saying, “Success is something you attract by the person you become”. When you’re in great physical and mental shape, when you have high self esteem and you have high self confidence you begin to attract opportunities that other less confident people just don’t get. This kind of confidence emotes from you and resonates with anyone you come into contact with. Have you ever tried to go out looking for opportunities? It’s like chasing butterflies you come so close but you just can’t quite catch them. If I were to place monetary value on opportunities knocking on your door vs. trying to look for those opportunities without developing yourself first then opportunity knocking on your door = $10,000,000.

Who you have become, your self development, is a result of learning and doing. You are creating a legacy. It is a legacy because what you do, both positive and negative, will affect other people you come into contact with. If you become a self employed business owner (in a business of your own, or anywhere else) then in monetary value this legacy you create could be worth $15,000,000 at a minimum because you have the tenacity to pursue your dreams and pass down high self esteem and high self confidence to others you mentor.

If I were to add up the monetary value of having a great body, high self esteem, high self confidence and the tenacity to pursue your dreams then your total monetary net worth = $31,000,000+

– Tom

Arch Enemy, Nemesis, Live in Japan

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Tools

These are the tools from the original Passion For Fitness site, the screening forms and fitness tests I used with everyone I worked with. The interactive calculators from the old site do not run inside a modern page, but the knowledge behind them is all here.

Health Screening First

CardioVascular Respiratory Health-

The key components to a healthy life are Physical Activity, Good nutrition, Stress alleviation/management, Psychological balance, and Routine checkups. (ACE 2003) For the purpose of PassionForFitness.info Il focus on Physical Activity and nutrition which can improve all of the other components as well. But before exercise can begin it is wise to take a Health screening to determine where your cardioVascular health currently is. The majority of people with a cardioVascular illness do not realise they have it because they do not show any symptoms until its too late. A cardio vascular illness or disease can be treated, cured, or aggravated depending on the illness which should be evaluated and cleared by your physician before engaging in any exercise program. The purpose of a thourough health screening is to determine if physician clearance is appropriate to safely begin an exercise program, to establish a base to measure improvement and provide motivation, and determine a safe target heart rate for exercise.

Health Screening:

1. Take a medical history

2. ACSM Risk factor Identification and Risk Stratification as well as a need for referral and or physical clearance

3. Assessment of any medications along with their effect on exercise response

4. Identify lifestyle factors that may affect program design

5. Physical Screening

The forms themselves, free to download:

The PAR-Q, Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire

Health History Questionnaire

Exercise History and Lifestyle Information Form

ACSM Risk Factor Identification and Stratification

Medical / Physician Release Form

Know Your Numbers

Figuring, "The Zone" For your Target Heart Rate (THR)

But first you will need to figure out your Resting Heart Rate (RHR). This is your Heart Rate At Rest. Your RHR is a great measurement of your basic fitness level. After a good nights sleep Before you get out of bed in the morning, before you even get up to go to the bathroom, take your pulse for one full minute. Count each heart beat to figure your heart beat beats per minute (BPM). Because you are just waking from sleep and havent exerted any energy yet, this is known as your resting heart rate. A RHR between 60 – 80 is normal for adults. the ACSM (American College of sports medicine) cites that the average RHR for men is 70, and 75 for women adults. Athletes and others who exercise regularly typically have a lower RHR. Cross country Olympic skiers and other endurance athletes will commonly have an RHR between 45 – 50. Basically the more fit you are, the more efficient your heart is at pumping blood throughout your body which means fewer heart beats per minute. If your RHR is over 100, please see your Doctor A.S.A.P. before you suffer a heart attack.

How fast should your heart be beating when working out? The Karvonen Method for determining, "The Zone". The generally accepted heart rate ranges for the Karvonen formula are between 60% and 80% of maximal heart rate reserve.

Recovery Zone – 60% to 70% (in the text field enter between 0.60 and 0.70)

Aerobic Zone – 70% to 80%

Anaerobic Zone – 80% to 90%

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), Caloric Intake Needs, BMI (Body Mass Index)

lbs In Whole #'s

Sedentary Lightly Active Moderately Active Very Active Extremely Active

Body Composition: the difference between fat mass and non fat mass. It is the number that actually tells you what your weight is made of.

The Rockport Fitness Walking Test

The Rockport Fitness Walking Test (1-mile walk) –

Directly, this is assesed by measurement of oxygen uptake during a maximal graded exercise test, or indirectly by estimating maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) from the heart rate response to a submaximal workload. To keep submaximal, the intensity should not exceed 85% of heart rate reserve (karvonen formula) or maximal oxygen uptake.

Absolute vs. Relative Maximal Oxygen Uptake. Absolute is measured in L/min (liters per minute). Weight is not a factor here. Relative is measured in mL O2/kg/min (milliliters of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute). Weight is factored in, making relative maximal oxygen uptake more individualized. To convert absolute to relative using the following formula: Relative O2 uptake = O2 uptake (L/min) x 1,000 divided by bodyweight (kg).

Tips From the Old Site

• A low fat high carbohydrate doesnt work for anyone who is working out hard to get fit
• Your body burns approx. ten percent of your daily caloric burn by digesting food. (Thermic Affect)
• Voluntary activity including working out burns approx 10 – 30 percent of your daily caloric burn.
• Basal Metabolism and your Thermic Affect account for 70 – 90 percent of your daily caloric burn
• Your Basal Metabolism accounts for an overwhelming majority of your daily caloric burn. Build muscle and your Basal Metabolism increases.
• For men, testosterone production plays a large role in mobilizing fat for energy, building muscle, burning fat, healthy nearological functions, and a host of other areas.
• Men and Women in their 50's and 60's who embark on a solid structured fitness program can reverse a lot of the damage caused by aging.
• Muscle requires nourishment. Put muscle on your body and the more you can eat in order to maintain your muscles. Keep exercising and you get to keep the cycle going!
• Aerobic exercise with no strength training and a diet consisting of low fat and high carbohydrates is a metabolic and physiological disaster.
• Too much aerobic exercise burns can burn more calories than strength training but it has muscle eroding affects lowing your metabolism and ultimately leads to regaining the weight.
• Glycogen (stored form of carbohydrates), Fat, and Protein are the bodies three different sources for energy.
• Glycogen is the bodies preferred source for fuel during an intense workout
• Both fat and glycogen, mostly fat, are the bodies fuels for energy during light cardio and aerobic exercise
• As aerobic exercise intensifies, your body gradually switches from using fat and glycogen to using glycogen only for energy.
• When your first tier energy sources are used up, glycogen, your system enters into depletion and you begin metabolizing your muscles in order to convert protein into energy. This is extremely counter productive.
• The more muslce you have, the easier it is to burn fat and improve good weight management to prevent re gaining the fat.
• Strength training lowers several cardiac risks
• In the population over the age 35, running and bicycling lead to 85,000 more emergency room visits than weight lifting does
• Middle aged sedentary people usually being to have health problems generally experienced by senior citizens.
• If you eat fat (HEALTHY fats), you will loose fat with exercise.
• Fat makes you feel fullest the longest while protein makes you feel fullest the quickest.
• About 1.7 grams of protein per 2 lbs of your weight per day is ideally how much protein to consume if you are working out hard in order to help prevent muscle break down and build new muscle

What I Use

People ask what I actually use. It is the same answer it has been since 2007, back when I was coaching: a structured workout program I follow exactly as written, and Shakeology. These days both live under BODi, and these are my links.

The workout programs I use (BODi)

The BODi subscription, the full program library

Shakeology, the nutrition I have used since 2009

Full disclosure: those are my affiliate links. If you buy through them I earn a commission, and it costs you nothing extra. Nothing here is required. A structured plan and showing up every day is the whole secret, and that part is free.

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The coach era ended. The mission did not. I am still here, still doing the work, still helping people start their own first 90 days, and I am just as excited about what comes next as I was on day one.

Where This Road Led

The story on this page started in 2007, but it did not end at day 90. Years of doing everything right still led me to a blood sugar wake-up call of my own, and that fight became the Blood Sugar Reset. Think of it as the modern chapter of everything you just read. Same structure, same show up every day, aimed at blood sugar.

Everything for it lives on my Blood Sugar Reset hub page. If you want a place to start, start with the 7 Day Blood Sugar Reset. And when you are ready for the full build, the 30 Day Blood Sugar Reset is the deep end.

Disclosure and Disclaimer

A note on the dates. This story was written between 2007 and 2009, when I was an independent Beachbody coach, and I am proud of that era and everything it built in me. Beachbody has since closed its network marketing division, so there is no coaching opportunity or team to join today. What has not changed is the work itself. I still use these programs and this nutrition, and today I share them through the affiliate links above.

Affiliate disclosure. Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through one of them, I may earn a commission. It costs you nothing extra, and I only link to what I use myself.

Not medical advice. I am not a doctor or a licensed healthcare professional. Everything on this page is my personal story and general information about fitness and nutrition. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Talk with your physician before you begin any exercise or nutrition program, especially if you have a medical condition or an injury, if you are pregnant, or if you take medication. If you experience pain, dizziness, or difficulty with any exercise or diet, stop and consult your healthcare provider. In an emergency, call 911. Your health is your responsibility, and your decisions about it should be made with a professional who knows you.

Results. My results are my own. I got them by following a structured program exactly as written and showing up every day. They are not typical, and they are not guaranteed. Your results will depend on your effort, your starting point, and your health.