Being Bruce -

Top 10 New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-03T11:03:00.002-05:00

Here are the 10 most common New Year's Resolutions, according to The Washington Post.

Top Ten

Get fit
Save money
Increase family time
Quit smoking
Volunteer
Eat better
Lose weight
Gain weight
Better work-life balance
Get organized.

And here's the very cool part from my perspective: Beachbody and Team Beachbody can help people with all of the top ten except #4, quitting smoking. However, anyone who works out with Beachbody programs probably won't be smoking for long!

Just in time for New Year's Resolutions - Weight Loss Books

2012-01-01T07:45:00.001-05:00

Based on our common experiences and successes, Marge and I have written three books on weight loss. They were published on Amazon in Kindle format within the last two days.

If you have serious intentions for better health and fitness, including losing weight, we encourage you to check out these titles. There are no fad diets, quick fixes, or short cuts, but straight forward, real strategies, techniques, and suggestions that work for people who really want to lose weight and maintain their ideal weight.

Links and titles:

Weight Loss Tips - 10 Steps to Success
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006RIHM9G

Weight Loss Plan - 31 Day System
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006RUH866

Weight Loss Program - Personal Coaching Guide
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006RWOK5Q

Get a Lead on Your New Year's Resolution

2011-12-27T08:56:00.000-05:00

Hello,

We hope you had a wonderful holiday and wish you a fabulous 2012.

Is it time now for you to lose weight and get in the best shape of your life?

You can do it. We're here to suppport you.

Would you also like to win money?

Two of the most common New Year's Resolutions are

Lose weight
Make more money

We can help you with both! (Please read on only if you're serious about your health and fitness and potential financial rewards.)

Beachbody is all about people taking their health and fitness seriously and achieving success in their goals. We also offer the Team Beachbody Challenge with financial awards ranging from $500 to $100,000!

Here's how you can participate:

The Beachbody Challenge, along with Challenge Packs and Challenge Groups, gives people the fitness and nutritional products and the support they need for success, plus the chance for financial rewards!

The Beachbody Challenge is a program that anyone can join for free to make a personal commitment for health and fitness.

The Beachbody Challenge Packs are special package deals (which are only available to people who make a personal Beachbody Challenge commitment). The Challenge Packs include:

The best fitness programs - one of the top 10 Beachbody fitness programs (including P90X, Insanity, TurboFire, Slimin6, Ten Minute Trainer, and others)
The best nutrition - Shakeology (our weight loss, protein, superfood, energy shake)
The best support - the elite Team Beachbody Club membership
The best incentives and savings - Super package discounts available only with Challenge Packs, plus the chance to win financial rewards just for working out.

Beachbody Challenge Groups are groups of Beachbody Customers led by Beachbody Coaches who commit to working out for a period of time (usually 30, 60, or 90 days) with a particular program (P90X, Slimin6, TurboJam, etc.). The group supports each other and greatly increases the chances of everyone's success in reaching their goals. Challenge Groups are open at no additional cost to people who buy Challenge Packs.

Like all Beachbody products and programs, anything about the Beachbody Challenge, Challenge Packs, or Challenge Groups that has a cost comes with a 30-day money back guarantee.

If you're ready to get healthy, lose weight, and get in the absolute best physical condition of your life, along with others who are of the same mindset, AND have the chance to win prizes based on your success, here are the steps to follow:

If you're not already a Beachbody customer, Click Here to sign up for the free Team Beachbody Club membership. If you're already a customer, thank you and go on to step 2.
Go to The Beachbody Challenge and click the Take The Challenge button to make the commitment. You will then have the opportunity to
Choose a Beachbody Challenge Pack (available ONLY to people who commit to the Challenge).
To join a Beachbody Challenge Group, contact Bruce (910-297-8753) and we'll make sure you are connected to the right group for your needs and goals. (Note that you don't have to sign up for a Challenge Group to get the Challenge Pack discounts.)

If you have any questions, call Bruce asap at 910-297-8753 or send email to Bruce@BrucetheCoach.com.

In fitness, health, and prosperity!

Got Shakeology?

Bruce@BrucetheCoach.com 910-297-8753 www.BrucetheCoach.com

Marge@MargetheCoach.com 910-431-1508 www.MargetheCoach.com

65 Challenge Day! 12-15-11

2011-12-14T16:53:00.002-05:00

Today is the day!

So, how about you? Will you challenge yourself to do [insert your age] pushups, situps, pullups, chinups, and then walk/run for 65 minutes? You can if you put your mind to it, decide, commit, take the appropriate action (which means eat right and exercise) and train for it.

I encourage you to do your own age challenge and I'd love to hear how it goes for you.

If you have health and fitness goals but haven't had success reaching them before, let's talk. My passion is working with people helping them reach their goals and I'd love to talk with you.

65 Challenge Day 21 12-14-11

2011-12-14T16:49:00.001-05:00

Is this the calm before the storm? Tomorrow's my 65 Challenge. I've been preparing since Thanksgiving Day and I am pumped!

65 Challenge Day 20 12-13-11

2011-12-09T10:01:00.001-05:00

This is Christmas party season! Three this week plus networking events 3 days as well. Having fun AND taking it very easy with desserts. I want to stay on track but allow myself to enjoy the parties - so making choices - like, OK, I'll hold off on the cookies but will try the meatballs! Yeah, life is tough.

Getting ready for Thursday's big challenge day. Today (Tuesday) I did the P90X X Stretch, then a 5K Walk/Run (third best time so far), and then Zumba class. I'm glad I'm doing all three as each adds something special to my workout routine. (And I'm grateful my business allows me to do all this!)

65 Challenge Day 15 12-8-11

2011-12-09T09:52:00.001-05:00

Another running day, another good time. Today was a walk/run day in my 5K series. My time wasn't outstanding, at 35:03, but it was my second best overall time. I have reasons (excuses) for the slower time - it was about 10 degrees colder, plus the delay between my 50 minute P90X stretch was more than a half hour, rather than getting right to it as I did on Tuesday, when I had my best ever (so far) time, but the greatest win for me is that I am consistently getting the 5Ks in my routine and I'm totally enjoying them. After the 5K I also went to a Zumba class and was into it so much someone asked me if I was going to fly out of the room! LOL.

I have a week to go on this Challenge, till the 15th, and I'm really looking forward to hitting ALL the numbers that day.

65 Challenge Day 14 12-7-11

2011-12-07T04:39:00.001-05:00

The 14th day (of 22) of my 65 Challenge was a good one for many reasons. One reason was that my early-ordered copy of P90X2 arrived (I'm starting that program January 1st!). Another pretty cool thing was I had my annual physical yesterday afternoon and my cholesterol, after being off cholesterol meds since May, are better than they were even when I was ON the prescription drugs! My LDL (the good cholesterol is waay up), my ratios are great, and my overall cholesterol is only 128! Right on Shakeology and P90X!

So now to today's walk/run 5K. I had a walking day, and the time was 47:58 - loads more than yesterday's 32:36 when I ran a little more than half the way. That's okay, though, because Thursday I'll run again, unless it's raining, and my time should be under 40 minutes again (if not a new personal best ... of course I'm hoping for that!).

65 Challenge Day 13 12-6-11

2011-12-06T19:42:00.001-05:00

Had another personal best in my walk/run 5K, 32:36.

See the video for deets:

65 Challenge Day 12 12-5-11

2011-12-06T05:17:00.001-05:00

I realized over the past few days that I've been adjusting my P90X workouts in favor of my daily 5K walk/run.

That's not good, not the plan. P90X has been, is, and remains my primary workout regimen and it certainly has cardio, so I'm not lacking that. The walk/run thing is fun and a little variety, but it's not my primary deal.

What I found was I was not pushing quite so hard during P90X workouts, not really "bringing it" because I wanted to save energy for the upcoming walk/run.

So here's how I'm going to change that from now till December 15th (when this Challenge ends). Monday, Wednesday and Friday are my heavy workout strength and muscle building days with P90X, so on those days I'm going to do a fast walk. That's what I did today and my time wasn't all that hot, 45:44, just under a 15 minute mile.

On Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday I'm going to do the P90X Stretch (which is one hour of very active stretching) and then do the Walk/Run working for time by running as much as I can.

On Saturday, which is when I do P90X Kenpo X (a martial arts/boxing cardio workout), I'm also going to walk fast.

Of course on Tuesdays and Thursdays I'll also go to a Zumba class, so that will be a load of fun (I LOVE THAT MY JOB ENABLES ME TO WORK OUT SO MUCH!).

After the 15th I think I'll pretty much stick to the same routine, walking fast on MWFS and walk/running TThSu. Sounds like a great plan to me.

Oh yeah, one more public statement - I am not going to walk/run or even walk/fast in the rain - I just don't enjoy it. At this point I'm also planning that I'll only walk fast, not walk/run, when the outside temp is 35 degrees or lower.

65 Challenge Day 11 - 12-4-11

2011-12-05T05:07:00.001-05:00

Well today was a beautiful day, and I had my best-yet 5K walk-run. It was 46 degrees (F.) when set out and about 50 when I finished. I didn't actually warm up or stretch much before the 5K, which isn't wise, but I started gradually and walked the first 2/10ths of a mile as sort of a moving warmup. My finish time was 36 minutes and 47 seconds, 2:08 better than my previous best time.

I'm a grateful, happy guy.

65 Challenge - Day 10 12-3-11

2011-12-03T05:17:00.001-05:00

Had a great 5K walk today, but it was mostly a walk because when I started running, I felt a couple things I didn't like. May be overtraining a bit, or maybe a little too much too soon. So except for maybe 100 yards I walked. I moved along pretty fast, though, completing the 5K in 43:06.

65 Challenge - Day 9 12-2-11

2011-12-02T17:03:00.001-05:00

So today I didn't wait till the end of the day to take the shot above (or the video below). I captured both immediately after I finished my 5K walk/run.

Mostly walking today, largely because I was on two pretty long phone calls during more than half the distance.

My time suffered, of course, finishing in 43 minutes and 45 seconds, but that's OK, I actually needed to recover a bit from yesterday's run.

Tomorrow I suspect I'll get a better time with more running than walking. I'm looking forward to it.

65 Challenge - Day 8 12-1-11

2011-12-01T19:40:00.001-05:00

Another personal best on my 5K Walk/Run today. Maybe it helped that I started with an hour of stretching with Beachbody's P90X X Stretch. Whatever, it was a little chilly, but I just kept my head down and kept going.

Today I didn't stop to take photos with my iPhone or post Facebook Check-ins or read email. I just kept trucking. I finished in 38 minutes and 55 seconds. Since my previous personal best (just yesterday) was 41:18, I'm pretty happy. I shaved 2:23 off my time, which means of course that now I'm going to have to work even harder.

After the 5K I went to a Zumba class and had a blast! I had to hurry because I was running a bit late and didn't stretch right after running, so I stretched just before the class. Not really enough, I suppose, but it was OK. I sure was warmed up for the class!

Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow! My focus right now, of course, is less on weight or body fat, but on speed, performance, and endurance. Nice to switch it up.

65 Challenge - Day 7 11-30-11

2011-12-01T05:48:00.001-05:00

OK, so no cart-pushing today, just me walking and running. Even though I had to stop to tighten the laces on a shoe, plus take some photos and upload them in a Facebook Check-in (lol), I still cut 2 seconds off my best time. So I'm pleased.

During the day I noticed that my quads and hamstrings were feeling it a bit, but in a good way, not tight, but just feeling exercised! Cool.

I love that I'm able to incorporate exercise and healthy eating and living in my job. Being a Team Beachbody Coach starts with taking care of yourself and sharing what works with people who care or notice. If you'd like to see how some other TBB Coaches feel about it, check this site www.BeACoachWithUs.com.

65 Challenge - Day 6 11-29-11

2011-11-29T19:24:00.001-05:00

Oh-oh, it rained this morning.

I'm a big fan of rain, and I love to walk in the rain in cities and don't mind it when I'm hiking. However, I don't choose to run/walk in the rain, so today I bagged the 5K run/walk.

Instead, I did a P90X stretch workout and then went to a class.

Watch the video to see what kind of class I went to.

I'm really grateful to Marty and John Kosmeh who introduced Marge and I to Team Beachbody. As Team Beachbody Coaches our health and fitness is our business and we get to help lots of other people, too! Love it!

If you'd like info about Coaching with us, go to www.BeACoachWithUs.com to see what some other people like us (and like you?) say about being a Team BeachBody Coach. And then call me!

65 Challenge - Day 5 11-28-11

2011-11-28T20:01:00.001-05:00

Well today was pretty funny, actually. After yesterday's successful 5K run/walk, I decided today it would be fun(?) to rig a video camera up to a golf cart (minus golf bag) and push it along in front of me while I ran/walked.

Well, the good news is I did it and now have a video of my run/walk.

The first not-so-good news is that running jarred the camera mount so it wouldn't stay steady. So I walked. Which played havoc with my time. Plus I just had to take some photos of the rig and then of course I had to post them to Facebook, like right off, so that all took more time as well.

The second issue then was my time. I went from 41 minutes 20 seconds yesterday to 50 minutes and 43 seconds today. (ooops).

The third sorta glitch is that the resultant video file is too large to upload to YouTube (it's almost 4GB in size). So I've got to figure out a way to convert it or something - and that of course even assumes anyone would care to watch it.

65 Challenge - Day 4 - 11-27-11

2011-11-27T18:57:00.001-05:00

Hey, it was better! Today I was actually able to run again! And I had my best time yet!

I was concerned a little when I was getting ready to do my 5K this morning because yesterday my shins burned so much and my hamstrings were so tight I literally couldn't run more than a step.

But today I maybe even half the distance. My time was 41:20, my best time yet by 30 seconds, so the pace was 13 minutes 30 seconds average per mile. (And yes, I know that's not to great, but remember, I'm not a runner and doing this as an extra challenge on top of my usual P90X workout.

So I'm a happy camper. Looking forward tomorrow when I'll try to meet or beat today's time.

Here's a video summary:

65 Challenge - Day 3 - 11-26-11

2011-11-26T21:36:00.001-05:00

Today was the 3rd day of my preparation for the 65 Challenge. I'll come right out and fess up that my time was dismal. I took 56 minutes and 20 seconds to do today's 5K. That's just over an average 18 minutes per mile (ouch).

And "ouch" was what I said when I tried to start running today. Clearly I started this little Challenge without enough preparation, I guess. Too much, too soon, too fast for a non-runner. This morning I had painful shins and extremely tight hamstrings from the past two days.

So I just walked the whole thing. I also paused along the way to take some photos with my iPhone and upload them, plus I confess I read a couple of email, too. So it wasn't that I was totally trying for time. I just wanted the movement over distance.

So I got that goal in, finished the 3rd day in a row and had a good time (if you don't count the shins). My hamstrings were so tight (even after a decent warm up and lots of stretching) that the time was pretty bad, but I'll deal with that in the days to come.

Here's a short video (notice I've been working on improving the lighting) recapping the day.

65 Challenge - Day Two 11-25-11

2011-11-25T19:25:00.001-05:00

Today was Day 2 in my 65 Challenge.

After completing the P90X X Stretch workout, which is a 58 minute stretching routine, I got ready to run again. I headed out and started running and immediately felt it in my shins. Now yesterday, after the first run, I cooled down, stretched for a good while, and then had a recovery drink to replace glycogen and rebuild muscle, but because I've not been a runner for (many) years, this new form of exercise took its toll.

After running for just 2.5 minutes I figured I'd better play it safe so I fast walked the rest of the way. My time was worse then yesterday, but I still finished the 3.1 mile (5K) course in under 50 minutes. Yesterday, when I ran about 1/3 of the way, my time was 41 minutes and 50 seconds (or a 13.46 minute average per mile). Today, with almost all fast walking, my time was 46 minutes and 31 seconds, which corresponds to an average 14.97 mile. So at least I'm (barely) under a 15 minute mile.

Now I know these numbers aren't very good, and likely (right?) I'll see some good improvement in the first week or so and then I'll hit a plateau. Since I'm only doing this for 20 days before the Challenge date on December 15th, I don't expect miracles, and I definitely don't intend to cut back on my morning P90X workouts or the twice weekly Zumba class I like a lot but haven't attended in 3 weeks due to travel and a cold!

I'm having a ball with this challenge and looking forward to how my numbers improve during the next few weeks. I'm also looking forward to my shins not aching. The good news is that my wind is ok, so the cardio I do with P90X and the Zumba classes obviously pays off.

Marge and I were laughing at how tight my hamstrings were this afternoon after the 5K this morning. That will improve, too.

Here's a short video that basically covers the same info. Oh yeah, and I'm still looking for a sponsor for running shoes - I'll trade daily mention in the blog post and video as well an ad in the blog including a live link.

I Was Dogging It - Part 4 - Summary of My Experience and Results with the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse

2011-11-25T06:20:00.001-05:00

So I made it through the 3-Days of the Shakeology Cleanse. Good timing to finish it the day before Thanksgiving, but even though it seemed a lot for us, we didn't really stuff ourselves in the 'traditional' Thanksgiving manner. Sure was good.

So after the 3-Day cleanse my weight dropped 3.5 pounds and, interestingly, my blood pressure readings were significantly lower. I'm wondering if the latter was due to drinking green tea rather than coffee? Could be because today (the day after Thanksgiving and after being off the cleanse for a day and drinking coffee again, I measured my usual stuff and my weight is still the same but my blood pressure up a bit - still healthy, but not as low as when I was on the cleanse and drinking green tea. As much as I love coffee, I may want to reconsider, I'm going to monitor this for a few several day cycles while back on my normal diet and will report.

I felt strong throughout the 3-day Shakeology Cleanse and had plenty of energy. I was able to exercise and laugh and get lots of work done. I did get a little hungry a few times but it was really just from habit and in my mind, I think. That I only lost a moderate amount of weight, given the lower number of calories, is a testament to the nutritional quality of Shakeology.

I also did a 5K run walk yesterday, and I'm not a runner (though I do walk a lot). I did it in 41:50 which isn't all that hot of course, but still ok for a non runner and note that all I had before the run (meaning since finishing the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse) was a couple cups of coffee, and that part was fine, meaning I felt strong and had energy and good mood - what kept my time low was cardio conditioning and legs not used to running.

I also did several series of pull-ups and chin-ups, including some where I was holding my self up in a chin-up taking photos with the self-timer on my camera. That was fun.

So now I'm done with the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse and can report that, for me it was healthy, easy to get through, certainly super simple in terms of diet planning, and it even gave me a nice extra lowering of blood pressure. A nice reset after recovering from a cold and it put me back in my 'good' weight and body fat range.

I Commit to a 65 Challenge - How About You?

2011-11-24T13:35:00.001-05:00

OK, here's what I'm committing to on my 65th birthday on December 15, 2011:

65 pushups
65 situps
65 pullups
65 chinups
65 minutes of running/jogging/walking

(Note that I'm giving myself an out on running for a full 65 minutes. That's what I'd like to do, but I'm not a runner and haven't been for 39 years. So I want to give myself a break if I have knee or back problem. I'll for sure be able to walk and may have to do a combo.)

In preparation for the running I started today doing a 5K I'd previously measured in our neighborhood. I finished it in 41 minutes and 50 seconds, roughly a 13.5 minute mile rate. I was able to run about one quarter of the way (the first half mile and then several shorter bits). I'll keep training daily on the 5K route (it starts just outside front door).

Each day I'm going to post my progress on the running part of this commitment. I'll also create a short YouTube video daily about how the overall training is going.

So, my challenge is personal because I want to commit to health and fitness and by making it public I'm adding a huge accountability factor. This may be a silly idea (I don't think so) but I'm also going to plan on increasing each year - next year it will be 66 pushups, 65 situps, etc.

I'd like to suggest that you consider this commitment as well. More than 2/3 of the adults in our country are overweight or obese, in fact the worst age demographic group is the one I'm a member of, the Baby Boomers - 73% of us are either overweight or obese. Let's reverse that trend, folks.

Here's a short video that covers the same info:

So who's going to join me in this for their birthday or their current age?

And if you're not a Baby Boomer (born between 1946 and 1964) how about you? If you're 21 and can't do 21 of each of the above exercises and run or at least fast walk for 21 minutes, I respectfully suggest you get working. It's good for you.

Oh yeah, and I realized this morning (when I decided to make this commitment) that I don't have decent running shoes (today I ran in some VERY old and worn New Balance cross trainers). So I thought it would also be interesting to test the concept of "social capital." So I'm looking for two sponsors, one for a new pair or running shoes and another for a good heart rate monitor (I have a few models in mind).

Here's what I have in social capital. I have:
3208 Facebook friends
4551 Twitter followers
890 Google+ users who have me in their circles
990 LinkedIn connections
62 subscribers and 155 friends on my YouTube channel.

So each day when I do the update on my blog (www.beingbrucebrown.com, including the YouTube video in the blog post), I'll also post it in all of the above social media services.

If you'd like to sponsor either running shoes or a heart rate monitor, I'll include an ad for your business on my blog and mention you each day in the blog post and on the video. The only limitation (other than legal, good taste, and family-friendly companies) is that the sponsors can't be in competition with my business as a fitness and nutrition coach with Team Beachbody. Otherwise, this is blatant commercialism, I suppose, but I thought it would be interesting to try and a chance for a whole bunch of social media exposure for you. Sporting goods companies, running shoe companies, or fitness or running stores are certainly welcome and appropriate. The best way to contact me is by phone (910) 297-8753 or email at Bruce@BrucetheCoach.com.

I'm having fun with the idea of the challenge and the side concept of getting sponsors via so-called 'social capital' is another interesting factor, for me. I'll report on how that works for me, too, because I know lots of folks wonder about social media with sponsoring and ads and so forth. For sure, btw, I'll include active links to your company in the blog posts daily and in or next to your ad.

I Was Dogging It - Part 3 - Still Going Strong

2011-11-23T12:38:00.001-05:00

On the third day of the 3-day Shakeology Cleanse I'm happy to report all is well and I'm still going strong.

This morning I weighed 148.0 pounds and my body fat measured 14%, so I've lost 2.5 pounds in 2 days and gotten back to my "happy-range" (for now anyway) of 13-14% body fat and 146-148 pounds. Did the P90X X Stretch today as my legs and arms were really feeling it from the past two days hard workouts after a three week stint of taking it much easier.

During Day One I remarked that I didn't mind drinking green tea instead of my usual black coffee, but I'm really ready to get back to coffee tomorrow. I also feel a little hungry at times but then I'm ready for another shake or more fruit or it's time for the green salad and chicken dinner. Last night I had dinner much later than usual for me (8:30PM) because I spent much of the day at networking events and then led a 90 minute clinic on Sports Performance Mental Edge Training at TrySports in Wilmington, so I had a HUGE plate of greens with sliced red onion and cooked chicken breast, drizzled with EVOO.

So I'll finish the third day today and report tomorrow about the final numbers and how it worked out. I was looking for a diet reset after eating huge amounts of yoghurt and crunchy peanut butter in addition to my normal diet while getting over my cold (now thankfully gone), and the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse has definitely helped.

I Was Dogging It - Part 2 - Now I'm Back!!

2011-11-22T09:17:00.001-05:00

OK, I'm back and going strong!!

Today I worked out hard for the second day in a row from my 3-week slow down caused by travel and a lingering cold.Earlier this morning I did the P90X Chest & Back DVD and it felt great! It was hard, of course, it's supposed to be hard, but I really enjoyed the feeling of getting fully back in the groove.

I didn't totally stop exercising during the 3-week period but I just don't get a kick out of getting out of breath and pushing full out when I'm congested and coughing (not a pretty picture). So I stretched and went through the motions of some movement and flexibility exercises, but no where near my usual level.

I also didn't let my diet slide to the gutter either - I didn't start drinking soda or gloming on cookies or desserts. I did however add probably a 1,000 extra calories a day in the form of low or no-fat yoghurt and peanut butter - both healthy foods, but I was eating a LOT extra.

In addition to getting back in the exercise groove with P90X, I'm also now on my second day of the Shakeology Cleanse. Just for the record, I dropped a pound and a half and 1% body fat from yesterday (now 149 pounds and 14% body fat); and of course you and I both know that daily fluctuations don't mean much, but since I weigh myself and measure body fat under the same conditions every morning the numbers are somewhat meaningful and of course the truth will show as the trend continues.

A couple people have asked me about the Shakeology Cleanse. Basically, this is what I have three times a day:

What you're looking at above is 16 ounces of water shaken (not stirred) with a full scoop of Shakeology. Not only does it taste really good, but it's loaded with

vitamins and minerals (more than I really need for the day)
Phytonutrient Super-Greens such a Spirulina, Blue green algae, Oat and wheat grass and several others
an unmatched blend of Antioxidant Super-Fruits including Acai, Camu-Camu, Pomegranate, Bilberry, Blueberry, Goji, and a bunch more
Adaptogen herbs such as Maca, Astralagus, Ashwagandha, and still more
Pribiotoics and Prebiotics including Yacon, Flax, Chia, and Quinoa
Digestive enzymes
And a whole raft of other digestive and healthy nutrients
With all that it also has 18 grams of protein and only 150 calories. And that's per serving!

In addition I'm have a couple of servings of fruit in the morning, two cups of green tea, and then for dinner a huge green salad with other vegetables, 4 ounces of cooked chicken, and 2 ounces of my favorite Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

I'm not a careful calories counter because I keep my focus on just eating good foods. A rough estimate of my total caloric intake per day while I'm on this 3-day cleanse is probably somewhere between 900 and 1,200 calories. That's not enough for long term, my normal caloric intake with my height and weight should be about 1900 or, with heavy workouts, maybe 2400-2500. So it's likely that three days of sticking to this cleanse diet will result in dropping about one to 1.5 pounds (3500 calories to the pound). However, the toxin-clearing benefits of the pri- and prebiotics and digestive enzymes have a good chance of getting my system reset after my lull and in great shape for resuming my normal healthy diet and heavy workout routine.

So that's a lot of detail, and I know most people wouldn't read this far or care about it if they did, but for those who really wonder why I'm doing it and what I'm putting into my body, that's it.

With my normal, healthy diet, of course, I have a serving of Shakeology for lunch or breakfast every day, though I usually blend it with skim milk, fruit, and chunky peanut butter.

This cleanse is gluten free, almost diary free (the protein in Shakeology is whey-based, but in a form that even many lactose intolerant people can enjoy it because of the careful separation of ingredients and inclusion of lactase, which breaks down the lactose similar to over the counter products for that purpose). It's not vegan, neither Shakeology nor the rest of my diet on this cleanse (which includes chicken), but overall this is about as healthy and strict a (safe) diet as I've ever been on.

Oh yeah, and I FEEL GREAT!

(More tomorrow as I get into the third day of the Shakeology Cleanse and then the next day when I report on the final numbers and my final impressions). Coincidentally that day happens to be Thanksgiving so I'll be eating more than usual, but you can still be sure I'll have Shakeology for one meal.)

I Was Dogging It - Part 1

2011-11-21T19:29:00.001-05:00

OK, so I have a confession to make. I've been slacking for the past couple of weeks, three really.

Since the very end of October, when Marge and I went on a trip to the northeast, my workouts have been sub-par. While we were on the trip I picked up a pretty nasty cold that is just now making its final exit.

I worked out a bit each day, but mostly just stretching and moderate Kenpo X, nothing close to really bringing it in true P90X style.

In the three week period my weight didn't change too much - I gained about three pounds, which only made sense because I wasn't exercising much at all and ate more than usual. The good news is I didn't eat junk food, but because I tend to follow the "feed a cold" school of thought, I was consuming a lot of extra low fat yoghurt and peanut butter, both of which I include as part of my normal diet as protein sources. So I'm OK with gaining a few pounds - it makes perfect sense with less exercise and more food, even good food.

I am not happy, however, that my body fat, which for months has been 13-14% has gone up to 15%. So that will be my first goal, by increasing exercise and eating correctly, to get my weight where it's supposed to be (between 146 and 148 pounds, instead of this morning's 150.5 pounds) and definitely getting my body fat back down to 14% or lower.

Today was my first day feeling like I could really work out hard so I started with an hour of P90X Kenpo X. I also started on Day One of a program I've been meaning to try for a while.

I had heard about the Shakeology Cleanse before. It's not an official Beachbody program nor does the company recommend it, so let's start off with a disclaimer that I'm not medically qualified or a nutritionist. I'll just talk about my experience with this cleanse.

I've read of other coaches and trying this 3-day program and even found a graphic that describes it.

My intention is to stick with the 3-day Shakeology Cleanse today through Wednesday. I'll report here how it feels and report my daily results.

So today was the first day. I stuck with the diet exactly as it's outlined in the graphic.

One great thing about Shakeology is that because of its low glycemic index, I didn't feel hungry during the day. And because of the nutrients and superfoods, I had lots of energy - really it just felt normal for me, which means I expect to be high energy and notice it if I start to drag. Today I didn't drag.

I ordinarily like more variety in my meals, but since chocolate Shakeology, which is what I used, tastes like a yummy chocolate shake, even when mixed just with water, I have no objection. One note of slight change is that I mix a full scoop of Shakeology with 16 ounces of water, not 8 ounces and ice - otherwise I stuck with the cleanse just as described above.

It's evening now and I can certainly report I enjoyed my evening meal of greens, some onion, and cooked chicken, topped with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (my fav dressing) and a splash or two of hot sauce.

One thing I might mention in addition is that while I usually have 3-4 big cups of coffee a day, today I only had 2 cups of green tea and and didn't feel any energy drop - nor did I get a caffeine-withdrawal headache. So that's good data for me going forward. I probably won't become a strict tea drinker because I really like black coffee and coffee has helpful antioxidants, but now I know that I can do tea (with chocolate Shakeology anyway - chances are some of the ingredients like Maca, Chia, and some of the many superfood antioxidants in Shakeology take care of the energy need.

So, one day down, and all is good.

5 Ways to Fight Fattening Holiday Habits

2011-11-21T16:12:00.001-05:00

My holiday healthy eating video:Followed by:
5 ways to fight fattening holiday habits
(blog post courtesy of Beachbody Challenge)

Ah, the holidays. Or as we those of us who are too fond of cookies and traditional big meals say, AHHHHHH! The holidays!

No one decides to gain 5-15 pounds between November and January. But when family recipes, busy schedules and friendly get-togethers put fat-filled temptations in your face at every turn, who can resist?

You can! With satisfying, delicious Shakeology. It’s your super power, giving you the strength to pass up the fluffiest mashed potatoes and the richest pumpkin pie. And that’s not the only way Shakeology makes your holidays happier. Here are five ways The Healthiest Meal of the Day® helps you stay on track during the most wonderful time of the year:

1) Shakeology helps curb cravings so you won’t overeat.
Want to ease up on the eggnog and back off the brownies? Drink Shakeology before a holiday event. The whey protein isolate in each creamy glass keeps your blood sugar steady and crushes junk food cravings. That buffet table can’t hurt you now—go ahead and stroll past it. You’ll find that resisting temptation will be easier and feels way more awesome than any candied yam tastes.

2) Shakeology boosts your energy just when you need it.
There are never enough hours in the day, but somehow time seems even scarcer in November and December. If you’re like me, you’ve got to run around from sunup to bedtime to get everything done. Thankfully, the vitamins, minerals and protein in Shakeology give you the stamina to keep going. Digestive enzymes in every serving speed up the body’s absorption of nutrients, too, so you can feel the benefits faster. And use any extra energy to prepare a healthy meal instead of grabbing the nearest Holiday Cheese Tray.

3) Guard against illness.
There’s something magical in the air—something viral, too: cold and flu germs making the rounds in the shopping malls and holiday parties. Happily, Shakeology provides a powerful cocktail of natural ingredients to help support immune system function: super-greens, super-fruits, adaptagen herbs, pre- and probiotics and digestive enzymes. I’m not saying Shakeology will make you completely impervious to the flu bug, but it could support your immune system when you share hugs with sniffly loved ones. Come to think of it, maybe THEY could use some Shakeology.

4) Take the stress out of the season.
Let’s face it: the most wonderful time of the year comes with expectations that can cause anxiety. Shakeology’s got your antidote, with protein and amino acids to promote alertness and adaptogen herbs that can reduce feelings of stress and fatigue. So relax with a glass of Shakeology. It’s a healthier way to handle stress than over-indulging in holiday spirits and/or pecan pie.

5) Replace a fattening holiday tradition with a healthy one.
Instead of piling on the calories with Christmas pudding, try Chocolate Shakelogy Pudding:

1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 ripe avocado
1 large banana
1 cup almond milk
1tsp lemon

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into 4 small individual dishes. Refrigerate for an hour. If the pudding ends up too thick, simply add a bit more almond milk. (Serves 1.) Optional: Garnish with some chopped pecans, chia seeds or walnuts.

Treat yourself right with this lean alternative to traditional eggnog, Berry Yule Log:

1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp. almond extract
1⁄2 cup pitted black cherries
1 cup vanilla almond milk
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology

Preparation:
Mix together in blender until smooth, serve chilled.

Take the Challenge For Your Life

2011-10-30T04:58:00.000-04:00

Are you ready for the Challenge of (and for) your life?

You are going to be hearing a lot more about this, and not just in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and O Magazine.

How about a no-BS guaranteed program to help you get healthy, get fit, and lose weight?

Lots of people talk this stuff, we have 100's of thousands of people with real world results - not paid celebrities, but real people, like you (and like me).

We even give big buck financial prizes to people who accomplish significant results in getting healthier!

Check out this 5 minute video to see what I'm talking about.:

If you can't see the video here, go to www.LoseWeightGetFitandMakeMoney.com to watch it.

Starting November 15th I'm starting a P90X Challenge and Marge is starting a Slimin6 Challenge. Each is limited to just 5 participants. For more info and to contact us about it, go to www.BrucetheCoach.com.

P90X Challenge - 90 Days, Starts November 15th

2011-10-28T06:14:00.000-04:00

Are you ready to get fit, healthy, strong, ripped, and all that?

This page is a fast-moving work-in-progress with the actual launch on November 1st.

Our P90X 90-Day Challenge is a Beachbody Challenge that starts on November 15th and runs through February 13, 2012.

This Challenge is strictly limited to only 5 participants.

To contact Bruce about this Challenge, click the Contact Me button below and be sure to put "P90X Challenge November 15" on the subject line.

We are following a new format launched by Beachbody and implemented only by Team Beachbody Coaches.

Here are some highlights:

Combine the best Exercise, Nutrition, and Support for the best results
Very special discounted prices on Beachbody Challenge Packs
Getting in the best shape, possibly in your life,
Work with, support and be held accountable by 4 other people who are committed and working hard at the same task
The chance to win daily ($500), monthly ($1,000), quarterly ($5,000), and overall competition ($100,000) prizes!

As I wrote above, more info is coming very soon.

So if you're ready to BRING IT!, hit the Contact Me button and get on this list. I'll get back to you to discuss how it's going to work.

P90X Certification

2011-10-27T06:13:00.000-04:00

Get P90X Certified!

Whether you are (or want to be) a:

   Beachbody Coach
   P90X User/Enthusiast
   Group Fitness Instructor
   Certified Personal Trainer

Click the button below and mention "P90X Certification" in the subject line.

Be one of the first to get P90X Certified. You'll have the credibility and opportunity to motivate, inspire, and train others. Just like P90X, Certification is real training and includes:

An online qualifying course
Intensive, 2-day, live training with certified trainers
A resource manual
A physical certificate and an electronic badge

Build a business through Certification: Whether you want to teach in a gym environment, pump up your success as a Beachbody^® Coach, or just increase your Xpertise in P90X—Certification will help you Bring It better!

Of course P90X Certification isn't for everyone, but if you:

Know you definitely want to do it
Think you might want to do it
Know someone else who you're pretty sure would want to do it
Just want some more information

Tell Me - You'll Be Among the First to Get the Details

If you haven't done a round of P90X yet but have wanted to, check out my P90X Challenge Group, starting November 15th (contact me asap for details, this group is limited to 5 participants). You will be in the best shape of your life AND you'll be ready to:
Get P90X Certified!

Click the button below and mention P90X Certification in the subject line.

The World's Best Meal Replacement Shake

2011-10-26T13:02:00.002-04:00

Are you looking for a healthy meal replacement for better nutrition, more energy, sheer convenience, or weight loss? We know Shakeology is the best choice. If you're interested but would like to try it first, go to www.BrucetheCoach.com and click the Free Shakeology box to sign up and have a free sample mailed to your home or office. Also, this is the last day to sign up for our November 30-Day Fitness and Weight Loss Challenge, which you can do by clicking the appropriate box on the same page.

Making Progress

2011-10-25T05:14:00.000-04:00

I guess this shot isn't as dramatic as some I've seen, but it means a lot to me. In January this year those pants were tight. They are size 36 waist with 3-inch expansion, which really makes them 39s. And, as I said, they were tight! Yesterday I bought a pair of 32 waist pants and they fit just fine, actually a bit loose in the waist. So overall, I'd guess I've lost about 8 inches around my waist. I'm for sure not done working out and getting in better shape, but I'm happy to have come this far.

20 People Reveal Their Secret to Success

2011-10-23T09:00:00.001-04:00

I'm often accused of having an excess of enthusiasm. Some people are drawn to it, others are not. This is nothing new for me because I've been enthusiastic my whole life. I can't myself think of any good reason NOT to be enthusiastic.

However, deciding not to let myself be the only judge in this matter, I went to one of my favorite sources (www.thinkexist.com) and found the quotations below. After reading them and thinking about them, I think I'll keep on being enthusiastic. How about you?

“Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.” - Dale Carnegie

"For every sale you miss because you're too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because you're not enthusiastic enough.” - Zig Ziglar

“When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.” - W. Clement Stone

“Knowledge is power and enthusiasm pulls the switch.” - Steve Droke

“There is an eloquence in true enthusiasm.” - Edgar Allan Poe

“I prefer the folly of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom.” - Anatole France

“Enthusiasm...the sustaining power of all great action.” - Samuel Smiles

“Enthusiasm is the mother of effort, and without it nothing great was ever achieved.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“It's faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life worth living.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes

“I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among men the greatest asset I possess. The way to develop the best that is in a man is by appreciation and encouragement.” - Charles M. Schwab

“A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.” - Charles M. Schwab“

A salesman minus enthusiasm is just a clerk.” - Harry F. Banks

“Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do.” - Norman Vincent Peale

“Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.” Douglas MacArthur

“The real secret of success is enthusiasm.” - Walter Chrysler

“Enthusiasm is the leaping lightning, not to be measured by the horse-power of the understanding.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which mean never losing your enthusiasm.” - Aldous Huxley

“If you can give your son or daughter only one gift, let it be enthusiasm.” - Bruce Barton

“Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal, with takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice.” - Arnold Toynbee

“Enthusiasm is the genius of sincerity and truth accomplishes no victories without it.” - Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

“Enthusiasm is the best protection in any situation. Wholeheartedness is contagious. Give yourself, if you wish to get others.” - David Seabury

“Enthusiasm is the divine particle in our composition: with it we are great, generous, and true; without it, we are little, false, and mean.” - Letitia Landon

The Big Shake-Off: Like Comparing Apples to ....Tang!

2011-10-22T05:38:00.002-04:00

This guest post by Team Beachbody CEO Carl Deikeler, originally posted on www.CarlDaikeler.com October 18, 2011

How To Compare Shakeology

Or, “How Do I Really Know If This is Worth the Money When Everything Else Costs Less?”

There are many “protein shakes” and meal replacements that are less expensive than Shakeology. But comparisons – based on the simple “protein shake” or even “health shake” are usually off the mark because of intangibles like quality of sourcing, efficacy, and the delicate balance of incredible health benefits and delicious flavor that is unique to Shakeology.

When we developed Shakeology, our goal was to fill a void in the marketplace where the benefits of the shake would live up to the promise of the line “The Healthiest Meal of the Day.” Shakeology was designed for people who want more than protein, and for people who really expect the health benefits being represented by the ingredients on the label. With Shakeology not only do you get what you pay for, but because it tastes so good and the attention to every detail is so complete, you get more than you pay for.

To really know whether a product measures up to Shakeology, you need to keep some things in mind:

How Much is “Enough”?

We are proud of Shakeology’s 70+ ingredients. Other shakes will trumpet the number of ingredients they have too. But are the ingredients they are counting actually good for you?

Are they derived from whole food sources? They are in Shakeology! Too often the “magic ingredient” has been isolated from the enzymes and phytonutrients which actually are what is needed to make the “magic ingredient” effective when consumed.

And does the competition formulate for the synergistic benefits between the ingredients, or just slap together whatever is hot in the media? Shakeology was specially formulated for the collection of ingredients to work together like a symphony; this combination is so effective some people report dramatic benefits within the first week. We’re not just talking about weight loss here, we’re talking meaningful health benefits; regularity, energy, vitality!

Other supplements point to one or two individual ingredients and build a “story” around their super food attributes… that’s like saying you can put Michael Jordan on a team of amateurs and still have a championship caliber team. Shakeology’s specially selected ingredients work like the dream team, all working together so YOU get the health benefits from the healthiest meal of the day.

Vanilla?

If the shake you’re considering is vanilla, how do they achieve vanilla flavoring? Our research indicates that it is impossible for the superfoods, adaptogen herbs, anti-oxidants, phytonutrients and digestive enzymes to co-exist and taste good in a vanilla flavor, unless the vanilla flavor is achieved chemically and artificially. (It’s the “dirty little secret” of the flavoring industry even though labeling guidelines still allow this artificial flavoring to be called “natural vanilla flavoring”) Other companies are willing to use that labeling loophole for their benefit. But not Shakeology.

So here’s the question; are you drinking the shake so you can enjoy vanilla, or so you can get the incredible health benefits from a shake that doesn’t taste like a “health drink”? We call Shakeology “the healthiest meal of the day” for a reason, and we plan on doing what it takes to live up to that.

Protein:

When it comes to comparing protein quality, you need to look closely to see the truth:

“Say NO to soy”

Does the competition use ANY soy in their formulation? Soy protein contains estrogen-mimicking compounds that can interfere with your hormones, and on top of that most of the soy in the marketplace is GMO (genetically modified), two important reasons why we don’t use soy in Shakeology.
It is our general opinion that many people are consuming too much soy in the pursuit of health – and thus perhaps producing too much estrogen which can cause many adverse issues in the body. Do a little research of your own on the topic, and you will be as shocked as we are at what you will learn about soy.

Likewise, if a company is promoting that their protein is “more absorbable”, be careful. Protein sources like Whey Protein Hydrolysate have been shown to trigger a much higher insulin response in the body. That’s not an outcome we would tolerate in any health shake, much less Shakeology.

Our protein source is whey protein isolate, which is more than 90 percent pure protein. Plus, Shakeology is loaded with digestive enzymes-and lactase, that’s the enzyme that breaks down lactose and is found in over-the-counter products like Lactaid^®. Don’t confuse whey protein concentrate with “isolate”. Whey protein concentrate is the least pure form of whey protein made. The benefits of “isolate” vs. “concentrate” is that the fat has been removed to achieve “isolate”. The fat in whey protein is what carries toxins consumed by the animal. That’s the reason Shakeology can be used by so many people who are lactose-intolerant – because those toxins have been removed through the isolate process.

We also look at the source of every single protein batch that shows up at the manufacturer. If we find the manufacturer is cutting a corner by bringing in protein from farms that use hormones or are ok feeding inorganic materials to their cattle, we tell them to find another source. This is the kind of scrutiny that other companies just don’t give their product, and it’s the kind of attention to detail which doesn’t show on the label. (But it does show in how you feel when you consume the product over the long term!)

Glycemic index tested…

In terms of sugar, many protein shakes have 1g of sugar or less. This is because they are using artificial chemical sweeteners (check the label for sucralose, aspartame, or sugar alcohols). Shakeology’s small amounts of sugar comes from natural sources which are easily processed by the body and in fact has been tested and certified by an independent lab to have a Low Glycemic Index of 24 – that’s lower than most fruits (an apple is 36 and an orange is 43)!

What is not in the base, they may suggest you add later:

Other shakes don’t cost as much as Shakeology at first glance, but they also don’t contain the full profile of vitamins and minerals or whole-food sources of anti-oxidants, phytonutrients, adaptogen herbs, prebiotics, probiotics or digestive enzymes. We’ve seen competitors make you buy a separate vitamin pack for $150 per month! And if you want chocolate flavoring you have to buy a separate flavor packet for an extra $25 a month. If you want metabolism boosting effects and appetite control, you have to buy 2 additional products at $50 each. Once you add it up, this is hardly a “good deal” and it is usually questionably healthy..

To achieve the benefits of Shakeology we’ve seen competitors charge between $250 and $335 per month! $120 doesn’t seem expensive when you realize all of the benefits Shakeology delivers.

SUMMARY:

Formula: 70+ of the healthiest ingredients from whole food sources from around the world (including anti-oxidants, phytonutrients, adaptogen herbs, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, vitamins and minerals VS. protein, fillers, artificial coloring, and isolated glamour ingredients
Winner: Shakeology

Protein Source: Shakeology’s 15g of pure whey protein isolate plus 2g from plant sources VS soy, hydrolyzed whey and/or whey concentrate blend.
Winner: Shakeology

Taste: Rich chocolate or greenberry Shakeology Vs. chemically derived artificial-flavored competition?
Winner: Shakeology

Price: $120 for Shakeology VS. Oops! It’s impossible to compare lesser formulations on price. But if you add in all the separate vitamins and flavoring agents the other companies ask you to buy to (try and) match the benefits and nutritional content of Shakeology, you would easily spend over $300 every month – that’s 2 ½ times the cost of Shakeology! Sure, chocolate milk is cheaper than Shakeology. A vanilla soy shake can be cheaper than Shakeology – until you try to add what Shakeology’s got, and match what Shakeology can do for you, and then it’s no contest.
Winner: Shakeology

The best comparison is results. From weight loss and reduction in cravings, to regularity, to healthier cholesterol levels, to energy, to an overall sense of well being… We give a bottom-of-the-bag money-back guarantee on Shakeology because we KNOW people will be amazed at how they feel. Shakeology is the winner by a total knock out!

Speaking of knock outs, check out Katie F.’s full Shakeology success story here on Thursday!

Copyright 2011 – All rights reserved
The content on this site is protected by US and international copyright law. Any copying, reproduction, or dissemination other than by Beachbody or active Team Beachbody Coaches without the express written consent of Beachbody, LLC or Carl Daikeler is strictly prohibited. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution of any protected materials may result in civil and criminal penalties, and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent of the law.

Why I Go Public

2011-09-30T09:27:00.000-04:00

It's pretty noticeable that as I work on my health, weight, and fitness goals I'm making it all very public. Not everyone is so open about their before and after shots and their continued progress, of course, and I don't claim that it's necessary, or even a good thing, but it is something I do and it works for me in several ways.

Here's the latest photo I posted:

The major reasons I publish photos of myself with my shirt off and with my weight and body fat numbers are:

It helps keep me honest in my fitness journey - if I know I'm going to put up a photo monthly, that's another reason for me to stick with it.
The support I get from family and friends is not only gratifying, it also encourages me to keep to it.
Fairly often I get messages from people (some in person, some on social media, some on the phone or by email) that I've inspired others to make changes for better in their lives by being public with my efforts.
I like to connect and keep in touch with people including sharing photographs of what folks are doing, so this lets me be very personal - these aren't the only types of photos I post, but probably the ones that get the most (positive) reactions.
It's also true that as a Team Beachbody Coach I get business by being out there with my results, but that's fine with me as long as I'm open about it and not endorsing something in public while benefitting in private. So yeah, I do make money if people buy Beachbody products via my website: www.BrucetheCoach.com. I'm using (and selling) the products because they have worked so well for me and I'm healthier and stronger than I've probably ever been ... so why wouldn't I want to share that with people I care about?

So that's it. I'm out there with my photos and progress. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but as I wrote above, it works for me.

My Shakeology Videos - How I Lost Weight, Reduced Body Fat and Got Off Drugs

2011-09-26T07:18:00.001-04:00

As many know, Marge and I have both been having Shakeology as a meal replacement for lunch since late January this year.

As Team Beachbody Coaches we wanted to personally experience the benefits of the Beachbody's highly nutritious (and totally delicious) shake. I also wanted to lose weight and improve my overall fitness, so I was eager to start.

The results we've both experienced with Shakeology have exceeded our expectations and as we've continued to work with Team Beachbody, we've spoken with many, many customers and other coaches who've had great results as well.

We still get some pretty basic questions about Shakeology so I made these three short videos to address the most common ones. Of course if you have more questions or want more information, contact me via phone, text message or email, or just go to my Shakeology website: www.MyShakeology.com/BrucetheCoach.

Enjoy the videos. (And please, let me me know what you think about them or make comments at the bottom of this blog.)

What is Shakeology?

My Shakeology Story:

How to Save Money with Shakeology:

So those are my videos, I hope you did enjoy them. And again, if you have more questions or want more information about Shakeology, contact me via phone, text message or email, or just go to my Shakeology website: www.MyShakeology.com/BrucetheCoach.

Thanks for watching,

Fitness Classes in Brunswick Forest

2011-09-21T18:23:00.002-04:00

Fitness Reporter – September 2011

Let’s Take Some Classes!

By Bruce Brown

Independent Beachbody Coach, www.BrucetheCoach.com

As I’ve written before, we’re fortunate in Brunswick Forest to have plentiful exercise and workout choices. My personal workout favorite is P90X™, which I do in my garage, but during the first two weeks of August I took a recommended two-week break between cycles of P90X and sampled three different classes at the Brunswick Forest Fitness & Wellness Center.

I attended Zumba™, Pilates, and Stretch & Relaxation classes. Zumba is my favorite, because I like to dance, but the three different classes, each offered mid morning weekdays, together give you a varied program that includes cardio, core strength building and balance, and flexibility work.

“Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance fitness program created by dancer and choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez in Colombia during the 1990s. Zumba involves dance and aerobic elements. Unlike a typical dance class where counts are used, Zumba involves following the music with repetitive movements. Zumba's choreography incorporates hip-hop, samba, salsa, merengue, mambo, martial arts, and some Bollywood and belly dance moves. Squats and lunges are also included.” - Wikipedia

A typical Zumba class burns 500-1,000 calories, according to www.ZumbaCalories.com.

Lorrie Gregory, the Brunswick Forest Fitness & Wellness Zumba instructor, brings a wealth of experience in dance, gymnastics, and fitness. The 60-minute class is a lot of fun. The class capacity is 25 and the three times I’ve taken it so far it’s been about full. You can wear sneakers but most people seem to wear special Zumba shoes. I’ve done it with cross-trainers and barefoot and prefer the latter. There was only one other guy in the classes I attended so far, Lorrie’s husband Steve, who also tends the music.

If you like to dance and want an enjoyable cardio experience, zoom over to the Zumba class. You don’t need to be expert, btw, so don’t let that hold you back. None of the individual Zumba moves are difficult and Lorrie and the rest of the class are cheerfully supportive.

“Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. Pilates called his method Contrology because he believed that his method uses the mind to control the muscles. Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps to not only build flexibility, but also strength, endurance, and coordination in the legs, abdominals, arms and back.” – Wikipedia

While Pilates isn’t a weight loss program, per se, according to this article, http://thinkpilates.com/pilates-exercise-and-weight-loss/ a calculator on Self.com shows a typical burn of 240-420 calories depending on the intensity of the program.

Mary Wooten is the Pilates instructor with whom I took the 60-minute classes at the Fitness & Wellness Center. Mary has loads of experience in many forms of group fitness training. As of this writing I’ve taken two classes with her that have been very different, one using a small ‘squishy’ ball during most of the exercises and one with a large exercise ball.

Mary shows plenty of modifications for different exercises and, because Pilates can be tough for beginners, she’s very attentive to and helpful with people who need it (as I did) - even after completing a full cycle of P90X I found myself referring to my “Killer Pilates” class. Most people don’t wear shoes during the class and loose clothing is also probably a good idea.

The Fitness & Wellness Center Director Brooke McCarthy teaches a 45-minute Stretch & Relaxation class once a week. A Certified Health Fitness Specialist, Brooke’s class also varied the two times I attended so far. The first time we just used mats and the second time we also used large exercise balls and bands for stretching.

Against a background of relaxing music, Brooke gently leads you through a series of full body stretches and finishes with relaxation exercises. Stretching and flexibility are important components to overall fitness and Brooke’s very pleasant class helps with both. This is another class most people do barefoot. Also, as with the Pilates class, some folks bring their own mats, but there are plenty of mats for student use in the equipment closet so you don’t need any equipment. So don’t let shoes or gear hold you back. Anyone can do this class.

There are many other classes at the Fitness & Wellness Center, but for me, this weekly combination of two Zumba classes, two Pilates classes, and one Stretch & Relaxation class was great during my break. In fact, I liked them so much that I’m going to continue taking the classes even while I do another P90X cycle.

How and Why I Use Social Media (a work in progress)

2011-09-20T06:53:00.000-04:00

Ok folks,

Here's the overview (a work in perpetual progress)

Why - I use social media to:

Connect with old and current friends and contacts
Meet new folks
Support and promote friends, companies, and causes
Share who I am
Share thoughts of others I find inspiring, interesting, beautiful, or just fun
Share my thoughts
Help others when I can
Promote our business(es)
Have fun
Connect with the collective creative universe

What - I use social media to:

Recognize and celebrate others' birthdays, accomplishments and successes
Draw attention to other people's businesses and efforts
Quote others and myself
Show off my writing, photography, video, graphics, and overall cleverness
Express my love for my wife and my family
Notice questions or problems others ask or state and, if I think I have something worthwhile to share, step up.
Be witty
Share specific examples of foods, exercise, places, people, animals, and nature shots I enjoy.
Share tech tips that matter to me and I think have relevance to my circles
Mention our (Marge, myself, and our companies) events, promotions, progress, missions, purpose, and fun
Comment, "like", and engage with others' social media posts and updates

Where - Social media I focus on primarily include:

Facebook
Google+
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube

Also Where - I also post with varying frequency at (selectively for the same purposes above)on:

en*theos
3rd Street Plaza
my BeingBruceBrown.com blog
our HealthyHappyHotandFit.com website/blog
my Team Beachbody websites: BrucetheCoach.com and Shakeology.com/BrucetheCoach

When - Daily:

en*theos
Facebook
Twitter
Google+
LinkedIn
BeingBruceBrown.com

When - Weekly:

YouTube

Going forward, I intend to:

Publish minimum of 2 Youtube videos per week (cuz video rules - and it's fun!)
Develop a checklist for FB/T/Li/G+ posts that includes:
- workouts
- recipes
- ingredients of Shakeology or other nutritious foods
- team and coach successes
- our physical and financial successes (general)
- specific Team Beachbody and Beachbody events, promotions, new products, news, and opportunities
- promotion of our 31 Days books
Develop a checklist for:
- LinkedIn recommendations
- Comments and 'likes' on others Facebook posts
- Follow more blogs and actively comment (this is pretty vague right now, I realize)
- Actively seeking comments on blog posts, and book reviews on Amazon for our 31 Days books

So that's where it is as of now, folks.

Thanks for reading.

And I would LOVE to hear what you do now and what you want to do more of.

Exactly What Is Business Casual?

2011-09-19T12:26:00.000-04:00

So what is "business casual"?

Our local Team Beachbody group is having a meeting this week and I sent out a note to our team members suggesting that coaches dress business casual.

It didn't take long before the question came up, "What is business casual?"\

Ok, so of course it depends on the region of the country where you live, your profession, and the occasion you'll be attending.

Of the four images in the graphic above, only one is a safe bet. There is another that, given the context, might work, but probably it's better to be safe.

So what do you think business casual means?

How Much? How Hard? How Often?

2011-09-12T06:45:00.000-04:00

Exercise frequency, intensity, and duration are concepts everyone really should consider. While I'm not a big fan of the word "should", preferring to use "could" instead because it implies choice and personal power, when it comes to exercise, like eating and sleeping, you should know enough about the principles of frequency, intensity, and duration that you can reap maximum benefits of exercise while protecting yourself against injury.

To continue the comparison with eating, most people know we should eat every day (frequency), that it's better to eat the proper amounts of the right kinds of food (duration), and also that it's best to have several (3-5) small meals during the day rather than one huge meal (intensity). The difference between intensity and duration may be a bit fuzzy with the food comparison, so let's switch right off to exercise.

Frequency - How often you exercise is the most important of the three factors. Bottom line, you should exercise every day. You don't need to do every type of exercise every day, but every day you really should have a plan to include some form of exercise. Certainly cardiovascular exercise and stretching are good every day. Strength-building with the same muscle groups isn't a good idea because doesn't allow time for muscles to rest, recover, and grow. If you exercise every day, no matter how long or how hard, that's the first and most important step.

Duration - Once you're in the life habit of working out every day, even if that means a 20 minute brisk walk on some days, duration is the second most important principle. How long you work out depends on many factors, certainly including other things in your life like work, family, social obligations, and rest, but for many it's too easy to skimp. Certainly 5 minutes of cardio every day is better than nothing every day, but after a short while the benefit is minimal.

So figure out how long you need to exercise and make it a priority. Unless you're a competitive athlete, whose long, frequent, hard workouts are the rule rather than the exception, you'll likely find that as you get older, the optimum recommended amount of daily exercise increases. When I was in my 30s and 40s, an hour workout a day seemed sufficient. Now that I'm older, two hours a day just seems right for me, split into one long workout and one or two shorter sessions (remembering that as I'm defining it, a workout can be a brisk walk, not always something intense like Insanity or P90X).

Intensity - The third and certainly not the least principle in exercise planning is intensity. To continue to get benefit from exercise, as you get stronger and more fit, you have to increase the intensity, otherwise you will start to backslide - no joke, that's just the way it is. As your bodies accommodates new levels of intensity, the benefits diminish.

You also need to be moderate with increases in intensity, however, because increasing too much can be harmful. Weekend warrior-type injuries and both soft tissue (muscles, tendons, and ligaments) and hard tissue (bone) injuries can results from doing too much too soon, especially if intensity increases aren't accompanied by increase in frequency and duration.

The Sensible Combination - So the smartest, healthiest, and best combination of these three exercise principles for long term health and fitness is firrst to schedule work outs every day, next to increase the duration, and finally to gradually increase intensity. Simple, right?

Shakeology Success Stories

2011-09-11T06:27:00.000-04:00

Shakeology is certainly working for us, but we're not the only ones.

Team Beachbody held a photo contest asking customers and coaches to "snap your success" and send in photos that show how Shakeology has changed their lives. Check out this video and see for yourself how one shake a day is making a BIG difference!

A Quick Video Look at Team Beachbody

2011-09-10T09:45:00.001-04:00

Team Beachbody Coaching

I Finally Found Use for My Real College Major

2011-09-08T07:57:00.000-04:00

I'm quite relieved to discover what I was really doing in the 60s! (We probably don't need to get in to a lot of detail on this point, I'm talking about college majors ... sorta.)

I was an English major and Sociology minor at the University of Connecticut. Officially, anyway. That's what it says on my transcript. However, I now realize my real major was Coffeehouse Meetings.

I may have missed a few inconveniently timed, officially scheduled classes along the way, maybe, but I was consistent, eager, and at the head of the class in attendance on my daily rounds at coffee spots in the dorm, at the student union, and at a marvelous, hanger-size basement called the Campus Restaurant (which I think never closed).

And that's what I do a whole lot in my social and work life now. I hang out in coffee houses.

I suppose back in the day I could have taken a big hint from UCONN Dean Hewes at the end of the semester in the spring of my Freshman year.

Dean Hewes said, "Bruce, if we had a major in extracurricular activities and meeting people, you'd be on the honor roll. But we don't. And you're not only NOT on the honor roll in your real major, but we're going to have to drop you from the Honors Program."

Wow, he knew what I was all about!

He was, of course trying to motivate me to fight my way back into the Honors Program, but the message I might have picked up was .... "Do what you love." Which was indeed what I did, for three more years.

And what I love to do is meet people in relaxed, congenial, convivial settings to talk about their lives, their dreams, their plans, and what's going on to move them in the directions they have chosen. And these days, as a Team Beachbody Coach, often we talk about health and fitness, of interest to just about everyone.

So what better place to hang out and meet and talk with people than in a coffee house? In the Wilmington area I spend a lot of time meeting people in Port City Javas and at times at Atlanta Bread. I like to move around (can you say "moving target"?) and along the way find new coffee places, especially independent spots where everything comes together just right.

One of my new fav coffee places is Courthouse Coffee in the small city of Burgaw. Burgaw is also notable for its wonderful town green and friendly people, but I'm not doing a travelog here, this post is about places to drink coffee and meet people. Courthouse Coffee is the dream fulfillment of Donna Best-Klingel and her husband Barry Klingel and it's a nifty spot. They sell used books, too, which is a big draw for me, plus they have healthy food and snacks, indoor and outdoor seating, wireless Internet, and wicked good coffee. Yay.

So that's actually where I'll be this coming Friday morning, at Courthouse Coffee, 106 Courthouse Avenue in the Historic District of Downtown Burgaw. I'll be doing some post-graduate work in my college major, you see. Stop by and say "hey" if you're in the area.

Here's a link to the Courthouse Coffee Facebook page with info and directions.

And, for those who have the same major, where do you hang out?

Going Bare(foot) with Chris and Rebecca

2011-09-07T07:04:00.000-04:00

Do you exercise with shoes on?

I always did, but thanks to a suggestion from Chris Roberts, a Wilmington area guy I met a few months ago at a networking event, I decided to try barefoot exercise and after two months I am loving it.

Chris and I were talking about P90X and he mentioned he'd done the Plyometrics workout that day. I said something about needing really good foot support for that (I usually wore some old school, highly air shocked Nikes). Chris said, no, that he always did Plyometrics as well as most other exercise barefoot.

So we talked about it a bit and I realized that dancers and gymnasts workout and perform barefoot so obviously it wasn't a totally crazy idea. So the next day I started doing my P90X sessions barefoot.

I also recently also started taking exercise classes in our neighborhood in addition to my early morning P90X workouts. I regularly take Zumba classes and sometimes (depending on how I'm feeling from P90X) I'll take a Pilates class. The Zumba instructor and folks all wear special Zumba shoes, though some wear regular cross trainers. I thought about it and after a few classes started doing Zumba barefoot.

And I love it! I do get some funny looks and more questions about why I'm not wearing shoes and doesn't it hurt my arches and aren't I afraid of slipping. I do pay attention to the very smooth gym floor and to that end I'm also working to toughen up the soles of my feet a bit by walking on safe rough surfaces outside a bit most days, but I love how my feet and toes seem to be more actively involved during exercise. (Don't have as many socks to wash either, lol).

Yesterday after I got home from a Zumba class I posted about doing it barefoot on Facebook and how another barefoot participant was in the room. Turns out she's always been a dance exerciser and never wears shoes either. I got a fast response from another Wilmington area friend, personal trainer and kickbox instructor Rebecca Verlangieri, who commented, "I love working out barefoot. Its become a common misconception that we cannot." And then she sent me a couple of links to articles and sites that address the health and rightness of working out barefoot:

http://corefitnmotion.com/

http://movnat.com/

So thanks to Chris for waking me up to barefoot exercise and to Rebecca for added support and the web links.

I've also noticed a bunch of my friends around the country talk or write about some nearly-barefoot athletic footwear called Vibram 5 Fingers and more recently in magazine ads and on websites I've seen loads of ads for the New Balance NB Minimus line.

(Btw, I don't work for or get anything for mentioning Vibram or NB products, I just think they're interesting.)

Here's a little more about each line:

Vibram Five Fingers -

The most noticeable feature of the Vibram Five Finger line is the individual toe pieces. Here's what Vibram says, "Our revolutionary design makes feet healthier by allowing them to move more naturally and freely.
The typical human foot is an anatomical marvel of evolution with 26 bones, 33 joints, 20 muscles and hundreds of sensory receptors, tendons and ligaments. Like the rest of the body, to keep our feet healthy, they need to be stimulated and exercised." Website: www.VibramFiveFingers.com

NB Minimus -

I read somewhere that the NB Minimus line is based on the Vibram Five Finger design, but I don't know that nor does New Balance mention it. Here's what they do say, "Inspired by barefoot running and designed to be used with Good Form Running principles, NB Minimus introduces an entirely new running experience. A challenge for experienced runners. A great starting point for beginners looking to develop good form. NB Minimus offers the comfort of a running shoe in a minimal, low-to-the-ground package."
Website: http://www.shopnewbalance.com/minimus

Both companies offer men's and women's shoes in a variety of styles for different athletic or lifestyle purposes. Loads of color combinations, too.

Back in the day when I was reviewer-boy I'd get busy contacting the vendors to get some product to test and write about. Now, however, I'm hoping I can get a pair for my birthday or Christmas (hint) or may even eventually buy some myself. I'd love to try both styles, actually, but that's reviewer-boy talking. I think either would be cool to compare to barefoot exercise (and since winter's coming, even in temperate southeastern North Carolina, I don't think I'll be going barefoot outside too much). Oh, and if anyone is so inclined, I like the red and black combinations (can you tell? lol).

Getting Ready for P90X2

2011-09-06T05:36:00.001-04:00

I'm in my fourth week of P90X. I took two weeks off after finishing the first cycle of P90X at the end of July and now I'm back at it.

I found that I started this second round a bit slowly, but now I'm fully back into it (for example, I can feel yesterday's workout a bit in my shoulders, lol).

There are many reasons I'm working P90X hard, but one of them is I want to give myself a good chance to be ready for P90X2 when it comes out later this fall.

I pre-ordered P90X2 the first day it was available (September 1st) so hopefully I'll be among the first to receive it. I know the demand is high and people who delay in pre-ordering P90X2 may need to wait till 2012 to receive it.

The other good things about pre-ordering P90X2 are:

free shipping (saves about $40)
your credit card isn't charged till the order ships
as with every Beachbody product, you can return it in 30 days if it's not right for you and get your money back (except for any shipping charges)
two extra workouts are included in pre-order versions
weekly sweepstakes drawings from among the people who preorder - the earlier you order, the more often you're in the sweepstakes (works for me).

So now I'm off to workout again, enjoying the workout, enjoying the day, and getting ready for P90X2!

If you want to pre-order P90X2, please feel free to visit my website, www.BrucetheCoach.com to get your order in early!

How Much Exercise Is Enough?

2011-09-05T18:11:00.000-04:00

People often ask, "How much exercise is enough?"

If there is one answer that fits most occasions when the question is asked, it's probably this: "More than you're doing now."

Are there people who exercise 'enough'? Most certainly yes, but they wouldn't ask the question that way. They might ask how they can get more from their exercise time or programs but the word 'enough' as used in the opening question implies that exercise is something unpleasant that the asker wants to minimize. That's akin to someone asking, "How long to I have to eat vegetables and skip what I really like in order to get to a healthy weight?" Sometimes folks who ask these questions keep asking till they get an answer they like, whether it's valid or not."

Another question, "How much exercise is too much?" might reveal another concern. It certainly is possible to overdo exercise, possibly at the cost of or to avoid other elements of one's life. Exercise can also be addicting, so there's a concern there as well, best measured I'd say by if exercise interferes with other elements of a healthy, happy, relatively balanced life. You run all the usual addiction tests to discover for yourself if you might be addicted to exercise, such as do you keep exercise sessions a secret from family or friends who are concerned, have you lied about exercise, have you actually tried to cut back and failed?

If someone inquires about "too much" exercise chances are others have suggested it may be an issue. As with the folks seeking just the opposite, people who exercise in excess will also keep asking till they get the answer they want and are then outfitted with justification from someone who may or may not know what they're talking about.

I have a sense of how much exercise is right for me. And it varies at times. Right now I'd say that, in addiction to living a moderately active life, about 90 to 120 minutes a day of exercise is about right for me. Now, of course, that's not all on a treadmill or spinning, or even in Zumba classes (now there's one I'd totally dig as a universal only-do-this exercise, but of course there's no such thing). But that's what's right for me now.

Perhaps in another 10 years the amount will change, possibly it will lessen, but more likely it will go up by another 30 minutes a day. Sounds like a lot, right? Of course it is, actually, but the reality is that as one hits middle age, and beyond, it takes more time and more work to get in shape and stay in shape.

You may not like the prospect of long workouts every day, and not everyone may need as much as I currently think and feel is right for me. However, faced with a choice of living a longer, healthier, happier, more vital life versus giving in to gradual declines in strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular conditioning, why not chose health?

There are lots of articles about how 15 minutes of daily cardio can vastly improve conditioning and that's true, for folks who are mostly sedentary. But then once that 15 minutes gets easy, it's time to add on some minutes and look for some strength building, flexibility work, and stretching as well.

We're used to food groups and pyramids and pie charts (tell me why a country struggling with obesity and diabetes type II uses a 'pie' chart for the new food group graphic, please?); perhaps we should develop and exercise graphic as well.(In fact, that sounds like a task for someone I know.)

For now, however, think about the question you'd most likely ask:

"How much exercise is enough?"
"How can I get the most out of my exercise time?"
"How much exercise is too much?"

What does that tell you about you?

I'd love to hear what you think is your optimal daily exercise allotment, and why.

************* Ad ***************

And, if you're looking for a new workout, don't forget that P90X2 is coming out this fall (remember I have a vested interest in this since I sell it on my Beachbody site). Right now P90X2 is available only for pre-order in limited quantities.

If you pre-order P90X2 now here are the advantages:

Free shipping (saves you about $40)
Two additional workouts included
Shipment before December 25 (once the pre-order inventory is gone, most people won't be able to buy P90X2 until 2012).

And here's where to order it:

www.BrucetheCoach.com

Mix It Up, Baby! Multi-Plane!

2011-09-03T08:39:00.000-04:00

Dear You,

Don't do just one thing.

Should be simple, right? Makes sense, right?

Well, if that's the case how come some people do only one form of exercise, consistently, persistently, day after day. And in many cases, they think they're getting great exercise, all they need.

Nuh-uh, it doesn't work that way.

In fact, if you only do one form of exercise, especially if it's single plane exercise like spinning, treadmill running, stair climbing, or working out with weight machines, even if you vary the frequency, duration, and intensity, you "Hamay strengthen one set of primary and secondary muscles just fine, but because they operate only on one plane of movement, other secondary muscle groups in particular are liable to injury.

I'm not a medical guy or a certified personal trainer (used to be the latter, but not now), but it doesn't take much knowledge, sophistication to understand that if you only practice running forward, for example, that the muscles to run backward won't get strengthened. ("Ha!", you say, who wants to run backwards anyway? Okay, then how about moving quickly sideways, think that might be useful sometimes?)

Anyway, I could go on and on with plenty of obvious examples, but the point is you need to mix up your workouts if you want to maintain your optimum fitness or even just to kind of stay in shape.

So not only do you need cardio (daily, please!), strength training, flexibility, and stretching, for the best overall effect you also need to vary what you do in each of those categories, and realize, that just because one type of cardio exercise or one weight machine may be your favorite or the most convenient, you could be fooling yourself into thinking your getting adequate workouts and, even worse, you could be setting yourself up for injury.

So mix it up, try different stuff, frequently. You're less likely to get bored, you 'll be less likely to plateau in your conditioning, you could very well have a lot more fun, AND you'll improve your overall fitness and injury prevention levels.

And don't just take my word for it, ask a real trainer or health professional.

In fitness and health,

Why It Helps to Know I Suck as a Manager and Administrator

2011-09-01T07:26:00.002-04:00

It feels better and works better when I make the most of who I am, what I'm good at, and what I enjoy. When I try to do things I don't really dig and aren't really among my core strengths, I stumble, scrape my ego, and basically have a bad time. Even when I can actually do that "stuff that isn't really me", it doesn't come easily and it's not as effective or good for others as when I'm on my own "channel".

I recently posted the following thought:

"I soar with wings of passion when I inspire, motivate, and connect. When I try to manage others it's like breathing gravel." - Being Bruce

I was responding to some feelings, some intuitive-like sense that I needed a course correction, and even some thoughts. I was ably assisted by my wife Marge, who can "read me like a road sign".

The details don't matter a bit for this post , but the point was that I was drifting into some management and administrative tasks and found the road a little bumpy and un-fun. I was so involved that I didn't get outside myself to check myself out (had I done so earlier, I might have realized it sooner), but Marge helped by pointing out that I just wasn't as happy as I normally am when I'm doing my thing, which is connecting with folks, sharing strong positive energy, and in some cases inspiring them to make positive change in their own lives.

For me, management and administrative tasks and roles are possible, but when I do them I'm running solely using my mind. And that causes me trouble as my mind second-guesses, seeks problems, mis-communicates, and basically performs in a substandard fashion.

When I'm connecting with people, focusing on their purpose and success, having fun by sharing enthusiasm and energy, that's when I'm most effective and when I help others (and myself) most.

Many have said that it's important to use one's "emotional barometer" to stay on one's proper path. For me that's totally true. Roughly translated that means when something I'm doing feels bad, that means I probably shouldn't be doing it, because it's outside my true purpose. So the more quickly I recognize that and get back to feeling good about what I'm doing, the better it will be for me, and for others.

So thanks Marge, and thanks to other valued friends and colleagues, for helping me see, once again, that managing and administering are not in my core purpose, not even close, so I can get back to what I love doing, and live in alignment with my passions for connecting with and helping others become successful in their own lives.

Should I Work Out Every Day? Yes. Should You?

2011-08-31T04:57:00.001-04:00

My commitment to myself and my health is that I will work out every day.

It may sound odd that I speak of myself and my health as two entities because indeed my health is inextricably part of who I am. However, I can ignore my health, I can abuse it, I can maintain it, and I can improve it. Because the sense of each of those states is one entity doing something that effects the other, it works for me to consider them separate entities.

Having established that duality, it's more clear for me to see how I have responsibility for my health. Health isn't something that just happens. Like happiness or success, my health is directly affected by my actions, my thoughts, and my state of being.

I'm highly conscious that my mind can, will, and in the past has worked against my overall good, and that includes my health. It's easy for me to use my mind to justify having a second piece of pie, or not trying something new, or skipping something I know is good for me.

I don't go through life all tightly wrapped and controlled (at least I don't experience myself that way), but I am aware that I can slide into behavior patterns that, if observed objectively, are clear signs that I'm not being a good steward of my personal health. For example, skipping exercise two days in a row easily slides into weeks off, having extra helpings at dinner or two desserts for lunch one time can become every day practices - I can even trick myself into a twisted sense of "living in the now" to justify each instance of neglect or overindulgence.

So, for me, working out everyday is the best course. I don't need to do the same type of workout every day (in fact, of course, that's not good for you either). So some days I'll work on strength training, other days cardio, some times flexibility with stretching or Yoga, I'll do plyometrics, or pilates, or Zumba or ride my bike, or whatever. The point is, not to skip.

Because here's what I've learned about how my mind will work against me. If I take a day off from exercise, then automatically my subconscious learns, "Ok, a day off is part of Bruce's exercise routine."

Can you see the trap I set for myself? Since my subconscious (just like yours if you're human) is trying to protect me and tends to resist change or effort or struggle or pain, if I give it permission to consider days of no exercise as good for me (i.e., part of my exercise routine), then my subconscious, I've figured out, will continuously try to influence my conscious mind to take a day off because working out is work and it can be hard and it does take me away from other cool, fun, or necessary stuff I could be doing, but since days off are part of my exercise routine anyway (see how devious my mind works? .... as does yours), then I'll suddenly realize that I've gone four days, or two weeks, or three months, or even years without working out. And that I know is not good for me.

Sometimes the only way to break that pattern is for something bad to happen. Like a doctor telling me I need to lose weight, or some bad blood test results, or seeing myself in the mirror and thinking, "Huh? How did I let myself get like that?"

Granted, often the wake up call that moves me back to good habits is somewhat (or all) related to vanity and self-esteem, but in that case I'm served well if I'll re-establish a good habit.

So that's why I work out every day. Your minds (conscious and subconscious) may work differently, but I've learned I need to take charge of my actions and my conscious mind or otherwise my subconscious mind will work against my health and well-being.

I am fascinated to hear your thoughts on this. Has anyone else reached the same conclusions about working out daily or more generally about keeping up good habits not only for your own good but also to harness the potential self-destructiveness of your subsconcious?

Notes on Mastermind Groups

2011-08-29T05:10:00.000-04:00

I currently belong to two Mastermind Groups.

While there is no single definition of what a Mastermind Group is or how it should function, but all Mastermind Groups are based on the expectation that two or more people focusing on a common purpose will result in greater understanding, insight, or progress than the individuals can achieve separately or in smaller groups or pairs.

The two Mastermind Groups to which I belong have different purposes. One focuses on personal purpose and philosophy and each individual's state of "being". The second group was formed to assist its members in achieving specific life goals. So the former is highly subjective and the latter group is objective. There is overlap in the groups in the sense that the members of the first group know of the occupations, people, and activities of the others but focus on being true to oneself while the members of the second group have a sense of the various members' life purpose and philosophy but focus on getting things done. I personally find this a nice mix.

Here are a few other notes about the Mastermind Groups in which I'm proud to participate:

Each group is comprised of members with common background or experience. For example, the members of my first group went through the full Klemmer & Associates (www.Klemmer.com) leadership and personal development training - each of us is a Compassionate Samurai, complete with ceremonial sword. This group has been going since 2006. The members of my second group, only a few months in duration, are all active members of Brian and Alexandra Johnson's en*theos Oasis for Goddesses and Philosophers (we.entheos.me). Because we have those experiences in common we can speak from shared ground and understanding (it saves a lot of time and tends to engender trust).

Trust is a huge factor in Mastermind Groups. When you're sharing your life purpose or your career plans with others it sure helps to know that they will 1. be on your side and 2. keep your information confidential. "What happens in Mastermind Groups stays in Mastermind Groups." Trite, but important in this context.

Size matters. Three is too few, more than eight is too many. Four through six is the optimal group size. Too few and there's not enough shared energy - plus if people miss the meetings the dynamic change is significant. With more than eight people, individual focus is too diluted for significant benefit for all.

Logistics (notes on when, where, how, etc.):

The Mastermind Groups I'm in meet by phone on a conference line. That way members aren't restricted by location or transportation (as long as time zone issues are worked out for the calls). Both of my Mastermind Groups have members from different countries. I was for two years in a group that focused on Internet Marketing and that group, too, had international membership.
One hour per week is optimal. It's regular enough to keep everyone on focus and up to date but isn't an immense time burden. If there's a mix of employees and self-employed people (meaning folks who may or may not have control of their time) the scheduling can work but be more difficult.
Leadership - it's best that once everyone understands how the group operates that the responsibilities shift on a regular basis, perhaps weekly.
Meeting Structure - it is imperative to have an agreed upon structure. With structure you can drift a bit but still be able to get back to insure that everyone gets her or his share of the time and that the group focus is kept. Without structure it's much too easy to get social or to have one or a few people dominate the time and attention of the group.

I've not experienced a live Mastermind Group. Because my personal experience and benefit of telephony-based Mastermind Groups has been so positive and beneficial, I've not felt any loss.

Mastermind Groups are best when they serve to multiply the mind power, meaning the insights, knowledge, intuition, and creativity of the individual members by working in shared purpose with like-minded people.

Why Would You Want Just One Strong Muscle?

2011-08-23T07:28:00.000-04:00

Variety, variety, variety.

If your goal is the be in the best physical shape you can, for the four big reasons (to be healthy, happy, hot, and fit, right?), then you've got to mix it up.

If your training routine keeps you in your comfort zone, change it fast, because you're losing ground.

Too many people find one exercise they like, whether running, spinning, swimming, weight lifting, pilates, yoga, or whatever, and then just "do" that all the time.

Without getting into loads of detail here (happy to if you'd like, just contact me), our bodies are amazing adaptability engines. We can very quickly adapt to something we do repetitively. This is a great benefit when learning something new, but it can work against us in fitness training because once we know how to do something and do that something (and only that something) repetitively, the fitness benefits diminish.

So cross training is clearly the answer, working the same and different body parts and functions in different ways, but many of us can still settle into a comfortable routine. And once again our body's amazing adaptability works against us.

So vary constantly. Variety, variety, variety.

How and Why I Use Social Media (the short version)

2011-08-21T10:25:00.001-04:00

Full disclaimer: I totally dig social media.

As a life-long connector who spent his college years in coffee houses and now spend much of his working time in the same types of places (but now with a wireless Internet connection), social media empowers me to connect with old friends, current contacts, and new folks around the world, 24-hours a day.

I love it when I get up early and can simultaneously share thoughts with friends I've made in Australia, the U.S, the UK, Finland, Portugal, South Africa, Dubai, and India. And they write back!!

So for me that's the big WHY, I have a passion for connecting with people.

I also love to think and write and share thoughts, those of others who inspire me or make me think as well as my own daily inspirational thoughts that I attribute to "Being Bruce". I've been sharing those thoughts daily for almost three years and it's a privilege as well as a discipline that serves me well. I can talk about the mechanics of how I come up with them each day and will in another post, but the discipline of centering, focusing, and expressing is for me a meaningful daily ritual. I also like to hear when others find them helpful as well. And I learn when people react however they react.

I'm a fairly active participant in several of the major social media, sometimes with greater emphasis on YouTube videos, sometimes in NING groups, particularly we.en*theos.me, other times tweeting away in mad fun on Twitter. I probably spend more time in Facebook than any other social media plane now, with Google+ a rising second place.

Each of the social media in which I participate has a different thrust or strength, but I bring the same person to each. I show with as much openness, sharing, and integrity as I can. I realize and value that who I present serves myself and others if I show up in full integrity, so I work at that.

I also try to stay positive all the time, to be encouraging, and offer help. At times I attempt humor, which sometimes works, and other times, especially cross-culturally, falls pretty flat.

I'm grateful for many things in my life and one near the top of my list is my ability to write like I speak and think, and to write rapidly. It's a gift I do not take for granted. So the time some attribute my contributions on social media is generally much more than I actually spend. That said, I probably spend about two hours a day with social media.

Part of my purpose engaging in social media is business and marketing. Because I am living and working in alignment with my passions and purpose, sharing what I do for fun and for work feels very natural to me. Sometimes I put up blatantly commercial messages about a group or a book or a product or opportunity or whatever, but more often I'll just share my excitement and enthusiasm. Not everyone likes that. And I get that. It's really none of my business what others feel, but I do pay attention if social media comments drop off or if someone complains; it's sometimes good feedback that I'm leaning too much in one direction - though again I'll take responsibility for what I write and state that I share what I'm excited about and enjoying and want to share and at times it's more one thing than another. If people get nasty or always negative or offensive or want to go off on something I find distateful, I have no problem unfriending or unfollowing them, and I'll do the same with someone who is always and only selling (whether it's business, religion, politics, or anything else).

I don't play games on social media, nor do I engage in mass surveys that are really like games. I do, however, very often get involved with significant discussions about philosophy or marketing or business or fitness or dogs or parenting or cooking (all of which I really dig). I've made numerous close virtual friends on four continents in this way.

I'm still learning about social media, as are we all, it's a new form of expression and interaction. However, so far, I embrace it enthusiastically.

Where Am I Going?

2011-08-20T06:11:00.000-04:00

Wow, what a ride Marge and I are having!

In the past 11 years we've made (for us) an unprecedented number of transitions and transformations. We have learned a lot. We tried many new ventures, some of which were moderate to great successes and others amazing learning opportunities. We have opened our minds and hearts to the world and the universe as we've grown, been tested, and grown some more. This process will hopefully continue.

It's fair and accurate to say that we are now happier, certainly healthier, and more sure of our individual and joined paths than ever before in our marriage (coming up soon on our 41st!), our respective passions and life purposes, our business directions, and our plans for the next decades.

I am extremely grateful for Marge, for all of our (growing) family, our rapidly growing number of friends (a greater wealth of which we've never had), and for the opportunities to help others and to develop ourselves we see before us.

I am making a new commitment to this blog, to use it as a very personal and open space to explore and share who I am being in the moment and in the process of becoming.

Gratefully,

You don't have an hour to workout? How about 10 minutes?

2011-06-09T19:51:00.000-04:00

Hey, I get it.

You want to get in shape, maybe lose some (or a lot of weight) and maybe you've heard about P90X, the extreme fitness program that so many people are using with great results.

But, you're busy.

You don't have the 60-90 minutes a day it takes to do P90X correctly and consistently.

So what about 10 minutes?

Check out this short (less than 10 minutes, LOL) video/infomercial on Tony Horton's Ten Minute Trainer. The program was developed by Tony Horton, the guy who designed P90X, and this video is hosted by Mark Steines of Entertainment Tonight and he shows photos of his personal results in just 6 weeks.

Check it out!

And here's something else. If you follow the links to my site and buy Tony Horton's Ten Minute Trainer on my Beachbody Coach site, you get a money back guarantee!

So, do you have 10 minutes?

Work in Progress - My Personal Transformation

2011-06-02T07:23:00.001-04:00

The photo above tells most of the story.

I've lost weight and body fat, gained strength, I have more energy, and I'm even sleeping a bit more (which wasn't an original goal but it does feel fine). Not noted in the photo above is the fact that my doctor has taken me off blood pressure and cholesterol medication I was on for about 10 years.

Please note that I'm not giving nor am I qualified to give medical advice, and certainly others' results may vary, but this is how it's worked for me so far.

I know I'm not in line for any prizes, and I'm still a work in progress (I'd still like to get my weight and body fat down some more and my strength up a bit), but I'm truly grateful for the transformation so far from Shakeology and P90X.

It hasn't been hard. In fact it's been fun.

If you have similar goals and would like to talk with me about them, please feel free to email or call.

Email: Bruce@BrucetheCoach.com

Phone: 910-297-8753

Or, for more info about or to order P90X or Shakeology, go right to my Beachbody website:
www.BrucetheCoach.com

p.s. There are a couple of ways to get discounts on P90X and Shakeology, call me on this if you'd like to know more.

My Health and Fitness Journey - Now Prescription Free

2011-05-27T05:50:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a red letter day for me, and for my family. I met with my primary care physician and told him about my lifestyle changes and the results.He checked me out and considered what I told him.

The bottom line, he agreed I could stop taking the blood pressure and cholesterol medications I've been on for 10-12 years!

Now, I need to be careful in writing about this because for sure I don't, won't, can't, and am not qualified to give medical advice or have anything I say or write construed as such. But I can tell you what's going on with me and I will say I am exceedingly grateful to be able to stop needing these medications. I should also say that in neither case was my 'condition' extreme, but the fact that I'm off these meds is pretty exciting to me.

Here's a quick summary of where I am today and where I started:

On January 20th I weighed 181.5 pounds and my body fat was 25%.

This morning, May 27th, I weighed 154.5 and my body fat is 15%.

The lifestyle changes I've made include nutrition and exercise.

Color me grateful.

100 Days + 90 - A Fitness and Weight Loss Journey

2011-05-03T16:01:00.002-04:00

100 Days Can Indeed Make a Difference

Well, I finished both my initial 90-day weight loss challenge and my 10-day interim challenge.

The 90-Day challenge was all about isolating one variable, adding Beachbody's premium meal replacement shake Shakeology to my diet. (Full disclaimer, if you've somehow not seen this elsewhere, I am an independent Beachbody coach, so I have "skin in the game" when I recommend it. - Actually, and this is a good thing, I now have less skin in the game before because I lost loads of weight with this highly nutritional addition.)

In that 90 days I lost 20 pounds. The biggest difference from having Shakeology for lunch that I noticed was that I no longer had between meal cravings. Part of that is because Shakeology has a glycemic index rating of only 24, which means it burns very slowly, releasing energy very gradually, rather than quickly like candy or cookies, for example, so blood sugar doesn't go up and down rapidly (another reason the American Diabetic Association supports the use of Shakeology and the whole range of Beachbody fitness programs).

When I finished the 90 day program, I wanted to have a short time to get ready for adding a more intense exercise program. So for another 10 days I kept on having Shakeology for lunch, and about half the days also for breakfast, but I also added 40-60 minutes of moderately intense (for me) exercise - like a hard bike ride or working out to an intermediate exercise program on DVD. I was surprised by the weight change results, when I actually lost another 8 pounds in ten days!

Overall in 100 days I went from 181.5 pounds to 153 pounds - I know that photo above says "approximately 180 and 150 pounds", but those are the real numbers, an actual 28.5 weight loss plus 8% body fat reduction.

During the 10 day period I also carefully considered what exercise program to start and eventually settled on P90X. Now for some reasons it was an easy decision:

I already owned the program
It is widely known to be very effective at building strength - and bodies
As the most well known home fitness program in the country, since it's made by Beachbody and I now work with Beachbody, it made sense to know what it's all about and be able to talk about it.

There were, however, two big reasons to choose another program:

I'm not an elite athlete nor am I in tip-top condition
I have a ripped bicep tendon in my left arm that went out four years ago and has only partially healed.

In the end, however, I decided to try P90X if I could pass the Fit Test that comes with it. So this past Sunday, May 1st, I took the test. It turned out that I couldn't pass the pull up part of the test (but then the book gave a pass on that one and said most people couldn't do that test but to check out how I did on the others because if I passed the others I could use my own judgment about going ahead. Bottom line, I met or exceeded the minimum standards on all the other tests, so on Monday, May 2nd, I started P90X.

So now I'm only two days into the P90X 90-day program. I've done it both mornings (P90X includes 12 DVDs with a whole bunch of workouts that you do in various combinations) and so far have pretty much gotten through everything. I may not have the best form, lift the most weight, or do the most reps, but I'm doing it and intend to go all the way through. Maybe I'll have to go through the program multiple times to get "good" at it, but that's ok, my reason for doing it, my 'Big Why' is to eat and exercise healthier so I can keep up with Marge and do my best to be around and be strong and flexible for as long as possible (we're talking about quality of life here).

I'll likely shed a few more pounds as I continue the program. I'd like to get to about 143-145 pounds (my ideal weight). I suspect I'll never get huge musculature with P90X, I don't think I have the genetics or the frame for it, so I likely won't gain too much weight that way (but we'll see). In the meantime, I've already dropped 1% body fat and am down to 16% (from the reading 3 days in a row).

Would I recommend Shakeology to others? Unequivocably yes, not just for weight loss, but also for weight gain if people take it in addition to their normal diet. It's also highly recommendable as an energy shake, for it's vitamins and minerals, for it's core natural nutrition (they say it's the equivalent of 5 plates at the salad bar), as well as for its pre- and pro-biotics, antioxidants, and regulatory aids. It has 18 grams of protein in only 140 calories. Good Stuff.

Would I recommend P90X for everyone? Maybe not. It is an extreme, intense workout program that comes with its own nutrition program (which can include Shakeology) and the company is very careful to recommend that you take and pass the Fit Test before starting the program and if you have any doubts to try one of their many, high quality, but less intense programs, either as a substitute for P90X or to get in condition to do P90X. Of course before starting any exercise program you should consult your physician.

If you're wondering about Shakeology, btw, we have a letter to the doctor we can provide that explains what the ingredients are and how they're formulated. We also have great info from a big group of doctors who talk about the various benefits of Shakeology.

I'm passionate about Beachbody, and about fitness and health. Those who have known me over the years know that this interest isn't new.

I'd love to talk with you about any of your own fitness and health goals. I'm not a nutrition or fitness expert, nor am I a certified personal trainer (used to be, but that was in the 1990s). But I know where to find the information you may seek and I'd be happy to be a resource for you.

You can also check out my two Beachbody related websites:

For the full line of Beachbody products and services:
www.BeachBodyCoach.com/BruceTheCoach

For a site focused on Shakeology:
www.Shakeology.com/BruceTheCoach

Beachbody also has a free fitness club you can join at this site where you can join for free and log your workouts (of any kind) to be entered in daily cash drawings of $300 to $1,000.
Here's my link for Team Beachbody:
www.TeamBeachBody.com/BrucetheCoach

The First 100 Days of My Fitness, Health, and Weight Loss Challenge!

2011-04-30T06:21:00.000-04:00

Well, I made it.

Finished my interim 10 day challenge and now have results for the first 100 days..

Met both goals, weight down to 154 (lost another 7.5 pounds for a total weight release of 27.5 pounds) in 100 days and body fat down to 17%, from a start of 25%. Thanks, blog readers, you've been unwitting (maybe in some cases unwilling) accountability buddies in this journey so far, and I appreciate your role in this journey. And now tomorrow I start P90X!

Below is my last day's activity post:

Day 101 - 154 pounds, 17% body fat, resting pulse 67
Exercise: 50 minute Shakeology workout
Intake:
- Several (3) cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast (after workout)- Shakeology with 1% milk, frozen strawberries and blueberries
- lunch - Shakeology with 1% milk, frozen strawberries and blueberries
- dinner - Chili with Romaine salad

Comment: Okay, I made it! I've met my goals. Feels good, and it's interesting how much more weight I've lost in just a short time by upping my exercise and doubling up on Shakeology. I'm looking forward to starting P90X tomorrow, I fully expect to be humbled by the exercises but intend to have a good time and do the best I can.

Overall Progress so far (first 100 Days):

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	4/30/2011	Change
Weight (pounds)	181.5	154.0	27.5
Body fat %	25%	17%	8%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	23.4	4.2

If you want to join me on my Shakeology program, go to this link to order Shakeology. Please note that I am an independent distributor with Team Beachbody, the folks who make and sell Shakeology.

My goals:

I'm 5'8", medium frame, male, 64 years old.
As I start my weight is 181.5 pounds, with 25% body fat, and a BMI of 27.6.

There are lots of opinions on weight ranges and ideal weight and acceptable and ideal body fat and BMI.

Here's what I'm considering for my sex, age, and height. (Your mileage may vary, so please don't take my numbers or statements on this as right for you or as medical facts or advice, they are just what I'm using for myself and what I'm comfortable with after some personal research - check it out for yourself and with your medical professionals if you have questions about yourself.)

Bruce's Healthy Range:
Weight 125-158 pounds
Body fat 14-20%
BMI 19-24

Bruce's Ideal (please remember, this is my opinion only)
Weight: 145 pounds
Body fat: 15
BMI: 22

Bruce's Target Goals for this 90-day program:
Weight: 150
Body fat: 18
BMI: 23

So that's the program I'm on and the goals I've set.

If you want to join me on my Shakeology program, go to this link to order Shakeology.

Wow, Big Results During Interim Challenge.

2011-04-25T13:54:00.001-04:00

Wow, this is crazy (but I'm not complaining).

I've lost 5.5 pounds in 5 days!

I guess my body was really ready for me to step up the exercise (even though I'm certainly not doing anything even slightly extreme).

Still having Shakeology for breakfast and lunch, which is excellent, nutrition and protein-wise, and last night had a huge Easter dinner.

If this is what it's like during the interim stage, what will happen to my weight when I start P90X? Need to think about that because a big part of the P90X strategy is to build muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat. Of course I still have ample extra middle weight to lose (I'm guessing another 15-18 pounds in just that area alone!), so I'm not concerned, but am getting ready for a diet shift to much more protein when I start intense exercise in 5 days.

In the meantime, I'm happy to be seeing less of myself ...lol.

Overall Progress so far (during the interim challenge):

Bruce's Progress Chart	4/20/2011	4/24/2011	5/1/2011
	Start	Today	10-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	161.5	157.0	154	60.0%
Body fat %	17	18	17	-100.0%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	24.6	23.9	23.4	60.9%

End of the 90-Day Challenge - The Results Post

2011-04-20T06:34:00.002-04:00

OK, so this 90-Day Challenge is over.My weight, body fat percentage, and BMI are now all within healthy ranges for my age, gender, and height. So that's triple win because back in January I was significantly into the "not fit" category, a euphemism for "overweight".

At the end of this challenge. I've lost an even 20 pounds and am now. in my healthy weight range. My body fat down to 17%, better than target 18%, is at the top of the range for fit males my age. My BMI score, which is really just a calculation based on height and weight, is now in the healthy range.

So those numbers all are way better than when I started in January. I ended up picking up a couple pounds at the end because my exercise level has been less than even my pre-challenge normal for the past two weeks due to a lingering Spring cold. Since the only significant change in my life was using Shakeology (affiliate link) as a meal replacement, I'm going to credit the 20 pounds I lost to Shakeology.

The chart below shows my start and ending numbers.

Overall Progress

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	4/20/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	161.5	150	63.5.%
Body fat %	25	17	18	114.3%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	24.6	23	66.2%

I intentionally set a VERY ambitious weight loss goal because I like challenges and I also knew if I set a moderate goal I might slip and slide back into my cookie habit. On that score, BTW, I'm happy to report that I no longer have cravings for cookies - a habit with six decades of hardening. It took Shakeology, literally, to help me through the first few weeks to lose the cravings - I credit a significant part of the weight loss to the fact that when I have a shake with the low calorie, high protein, nutrition-loaded, low Glycemic Index (24) shake, I am satiated for a long time, usually 6 to 8 hours. Read that 'satisfied', 'not hungry', whatever works for you, for me it means 'not running to the cookie drawer'.

So now I'm at a good weight to start an exercise program. As I wrote in my original post about this challenge, I wanted to focus just on nutrition, and really just on adding Shakeology to my diet, to see the results for me in weight. Shakeology comes with a light exercise program and I used that some, maybe a dozen times in all, but mostly I just did what I usually do, which is go for a 20-40 minute, moderately brisk walk each day. So no big change in exercise for me. The significant difference was change in food intake - and in this case it was substituting Shakeology for my past lunches, which usually were sandwiches and/or leftovers. The other, related change, which was another benefit from Shakeology, was that I didn't snack between meals - because with Shakeology there's no fast sugar burn so I stay feeling full and satisfied. Clearly, it worked for me.

Now what? Well, I'm going to continue with Shakeology, that's for sure. But for me it's time to start focusing on increased exercise. I'd like to get my body weight closer to my ideal (for height and gender) of 143 pounds, and get my body fat and BMI lower, too, but the real motivator for me is to increase my cardio conditioning, my flexibility, my core strength, and my overall strength. I'm looking forward to all of that, and, of course (here's another pitch), with the vast choice of fitness products from Beachbody I'll have no shortage of choices.

I want to get rid of this cold and decide which way to go, but I think I'm going to do a hybrid workout combination for another 90 day cycle. More on that later, but right now I'm celebrating - NOT with cake, cookies, and ice cream!

For those who like this sort of thing, below is a Before photo, taken during the first week of my 90 day challenge.

And here again is a shot from this week.

The difference may not seem all that dramatic, but I can see it, and, believe me, I can feel it. Pick up a 20 pound weight - that's how much less I'm carrying around all the time.

Thanks for reading.

What's Your Favorite Position; Sitting or Standing at Your Desk?

2011-04-16T15:10:00.001-04:00

More often than not, these days, you'll find me standing at my desk. That's right, standing, not sitting.

During the past week I've been gradually increasing my standing time while I work at my computer (as you can see in this first photo).

While I'm still getting used to it, and now wear sneakers (for padding and support) rather than deck shoes (or no shoes), I'm convinced this is better for me.

And hey, not only will it apparently lower my chances of having a heart attack by 54% (what????), lessen lower back pain, and improve my core body strength, I should also lose some weight by standing rather than sitting at my desk. So how cool is that?

Standing rather than sitting at your desk also apparently decreases the incidence of "numb butt", though I've not heard it does anything to quell PITA accusations.

Ok, so I'm having fun with this whole thing, but there's more to it.

Earlier this week I picked up on a Yahoo!News story that referenced a Men's Health Magazine story about standing at desks. The Most Dangerous Thing You'll Do All Day.

Bottom line, not only will you have less bottom, but significantly lower your chance of heart attack if you work standing up.

So, not wanting to be too late to the party, I immediately started looking around my home and office for a way to elevate my notebook computer (which is my main working computer) on my desk.

The 10.5 inch high wooden box (which actually contains my collection of leftover childhood toys), was just the right height for comfortable typing.

I posted on Facebook about it that day and quickly several people commented. One, Adam McNutt, had tried it before and reassembled his desk and posted a photo on my wall of his set up (much neater than mine)

(photo courtesy of Adam McNutt)

Of course neither Adam or I are as over-the-top (so to speak) as my old friend and business associate Alfred Poor.

In February Alfred constructed a Walking Desk!

The short version of his story is he bought a used treadmill, cut the head off, embedded the electronics in a hollow door, built a mount for the door and now, while he works 8-9 hour days he also gets in some miles. Not aerobic, for sure - he has the treadmill set to 1MPH and a 5% incline.

According to Alfred (who I never doubt because he seems to know everything plus he went to Harvard and all), he found some stats that the average human (whoever that is) burns 100 calories an hour sitting at a desk, 150 calories an hour standing at a desk, and 200 calories an hour walking at a desk.

Here are empty and loaded shots of Alfred's setup (and no, he won't build one for you):

(Photo courtesy of Alfred Poor.)

Turns out he'd already written about his project in Electonic Component News, so here's the link to that story about Alfred Poor's Walking Desk, with a lot more detail about how he built it.

I do still keep a chair handy, I still prefer to read sitting down, but when I'm using the computer or on the phone, chances are I'll be standing.

I would love to hear what you think about this or see photos of your stand up (or walking) workstations.

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 4-5--11

2011-04-05T04:30:00.000-04:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with a fitness tip, birthdays, and motivation:

"Today, I awoke to a morning of wonder and awe" - Being Bruce

Day 77 - 162.0 pounds, 19% body fat, bp 104/71, resting pulse77
Exercise: 30 minute walk
Intake:
- Several (3-5) cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast -Quinoa with onions, oil, and hot sauce.
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with 1% milk, blueberries and strawberries

- dinner - Chicken Caesar

Comment: Just returned from a 7 day trip. Mostly stuck to diet except only had Shakeology 3 times. Weight stayed the same, but didn't lose, which I thought I might - despite lots of pizza and party buffet food! Back on track today, 15 days to go in this challenge!

. Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	4/5/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	162.0	150	61.9%
Body fat %	25	19	18	85.7%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	24.6	23	64.6%

My diet is based on Beachbody's Shakeology:

Please note: I am an independent distributor with Beachbody and I benefit if people buy Shakeology. I make a big deal about it because I think it's fabulous and nothing else on the market compares, so that's why I brought it into our business.

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-29-11

2011-03-29T03:41:00.001-04:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with a fitness tip, birthdays, and motivation:

"Gratitude improves your emotional posture. Try it and you'll see!" - Being Bruce

Day 69 - 162.5 pounds, 20% body fat, bp 116/75, resting pulse70
Exercise: 30 minute walk
Intake:
- Several (3-5) cups of black coffee
- 2 oz berry-based fruit juice with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast -Quinoa with onions, oil, and hot sauce.
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with 1% milk, blueberries and strawberries

- dinner - Vineyard Chicken

Comment: Hmm, on another plateau, in the low 160s. .Could be a lot worse, of course, but I want to press on. Patience .....

. Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/29/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	162.5	150	58.7%
Body fat %	25	20	18	71.4%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	24.7	23	62.9%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-28-11

2011-03-28T13:11:00.001-04:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with a fitness tip, birthdays, and motivation:

"Smiles and frowns communicate more clearly and powerfully than any words. Use the first freely, the second with care. - Being Bruce

Day 68 - 163.0 pounds, 20% body fat, bp 129/83, resting pulse 69
Exercise: 30 minute light aerobics
Intake:
- Several (3-5) cups of black coffee
- 2 oz berry-based fruit juice with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast -Quinoa with onions, oil, and hot sauce. Protein bar
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with 1% milk, blueberries and strawberries

- dinner - chicken pizza

Comment: Ooops, well, the triple breakfast didn't work, lol. Weight stayed the same since yesterday but my body fat back up to 20%. Guess I won't try messing around and just stick with the program.

. Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/28/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	163.0	150	58.7%
Body fat %	25	20	18	71.4%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	24.8	23	61.3%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-15-11

2011-03-15T08:50:00.000-04:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"The gratitude keys = your senses, your emotions, your intuition, and your mind. It's all there, just be open." - Being Bruce

Day 55 - 166.0 pounds, 20% body fat, bp 117/77, resting pulse72
Exercise: 30 Shakeology Workout
Intake:
- Several (3-5) cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO (with chopped onions and habanero sauce)
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with almond soy milk, blueberries and strawberries

- dinner - .Chicken, bean, and sausage casserole and Romaine salad
Comment: Ooops, I did it again. Thought I was off this plateau, but apparently not. Well, I feel wonderful and strong, so will just keep at it and I know its going to work out.

Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/15/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	166.0	150	49.2%
Body fat %	25	20	18	71.4%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.1	23	51.4%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-14-11

2011-03-14T06:17:00.000-04:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"In any circumstance, repeat, any circumstance, there is reason for joy - not always readily apparent, but always there." - Being Bruce

Day 54 - 165.0 pounds, 21% body fat, bp 110/76, resting pulse79
Exercise: 30 Minute walk
Intake:
- Several (3-5) cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO (with chopped onions and habanero sauce)
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with almond soy milk, blueberries and strawberries
- dinner - .Tuna casserole and Romaine salad
Comment: Great! This will be a big week. Progress last week but didn't get quite as far as I wanted. Feeling great, though. (Maybe the two extra meals yesterday didn't help? lol)

Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/14/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	165.0	150	52.4%
Body fat %	25	21	18	57.1%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.1	23	54.7%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-12-11

2011-03-12T10:49:00.000-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"My formula for getting over myself = Gratitude + Attitude + Readiness." - Being Bruce

Day 52 - 163.5 pounds, 21% body fat, bp 123/83, resting pulse78
Exercise: 30 Minute Shakeology workout
Intake:
- Several (3-5) cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO (with chopped onions and habanero sauce)
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with almond soy milk, blueberries and strawberries
- dinner - .
Comment: Wow, another pound today! I've 'released' 18 pounds. Grateful. Not going to take it for granted, but will stay on program.

Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/12/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	163.5	150	57.1%
Body fat %	25	21	18	57.1%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	24.9	23	59.6%

Being Bruce Kick Start 03-11-11

2011-03-11T06:43:00.000-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"Seek inspiration from those who, though their circumstances are worse than yours, happily take positive action." - Being Bruce

Day 51 - 164.5 pounds, 21% body fat, bp 122/79, resting pulse75
Exercise: 30 Minute Shakeology workout
Intake:
- Several (3-5) cups of black coffee -
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO (with chopped onions and habanero sauce)
- lunch - Shakeology Greenberry with almond soy milk, blueberries and strawberries
- dinner - Pasta with Marge's amazing meat sauce, big green salad.
Comment: All right! Lost another pound. Down 17 pounds! Why is it this is actually seeming easier?

Overall Progress so far3

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/11/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	164.5	150	54.0%
Body fat %	25	21	18	57.1%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.0	23	56.3%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-10-11

2011-03-10T06:21:00.000-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"Deeply felt gratitude will never fail you." - Being Bruce

Day 50 - 165.5 pounds, 21% body fat, bp 117/78, resting pulse76
Exercise: 30 Minute Shakeology workout
Intake:
- Several (3-5) cups of black coffee -
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO (with chopped onions and habanero sauce)
- lunch - Shakeology Greenberry with almond soy milk, blueberries and blackberries,
- dinner - ??
Comment: Kept the weight off, so that's a good thing. Today will be another day of progress. Two notches in my belt so far, so a noticeable difference in how my clothes fit (a good thing, since before they were kinda, um, tight-ish.).

Overall Progress so far3

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/10/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	165.5	150	50.8%
Body fat %	25	21	18	57.1%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.2	23	53.0%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-9-11

2011-03-09T06:14:00.001-05:00

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/10/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	165.5	150	50.8%
Body fat %	25	21	18	57.1%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.2	23	53.0%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-8-11

2011-03-08T05:34:00.000-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"It helps to know the difference between pleasure and joy. Pleasure is often short-lived and joy is lasting." - Being Bruce

Day 48 - 166.5 pounds, 21% body fat, bp 113/73, resting pulse76
Exercise: 30 minutes Shakeology workout
Intake:
- Several cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with skim milk, blueberries and blackberries,
- dinner - I think we're having pizza tonight, not decided yet.
Comment: Today's going to be a lot of fun. Seems like I talk with people about Shakeology a lot, partly because of these blog posts but also because it just comes up when people ask how come I'm losing weight and still have so much energy!

Overall Progress so far3

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/8/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	166.5	150	47.6%
Body fat %	25	21	18	57.1%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.4	23	49.7%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-7-11

2011-03-07T06:02:00.000-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"At any moment of confusion, think of something to be grateful for, focus on your passions, and then move forward." - Being Bruce

Today's activity so far :

Day 47 - 167.0 pounds, 21% body fat, bp 122/80, resting pulse 69
Exercise: 30 minutes walking
Intake:
- Several cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with skim milk, blueberries and blackberries,

- dinner - not sure yet (one thing good about having quinoa for breakfast and Shakeology for lunch is it simplifies the whole decision making thing (and both are super quick and convenient, not to mention healthy!)
Comment:Looking forward to a busy busy week, all good stuff. I'm really enjoying the Beachbody business - doesn't hurt to be focusing on fitness and health a lot of the day, for sure. As I wrote yesterday, this week could be a big turning point in continuing weight loss - would like to be in lower 160s by week's end. Wish me luck (of course it's not about luck, it's about exercise, eating right, and, now, including Shakeology each day, which is making a difference in many ways for me (all good, lol).

Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/7/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	167.0	150	46.0%
Body fat %	25	21	18	57.1%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.4	23	48.1%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-4-11

2011-03-04T05:36:00.000-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:
"Choice - the most powerful gift of existence." - Being Bruce

Today's activity so far :

Day 44 - 167.5 pounds, 20% body fat, bp 117/82, resting pulse 81
Exercise: 30 minutes walking
Intake:
- Several cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with skim milk, blueberries and blackberries,
- dinner -
Comment: Ok, I've pretty much been on a plateau for a week or so but I've kept myself there by really over-doing it for lunch two days in a row. So today I'm back to what I know is best for me and keeps me full of energy. Even though I ate more for lunch the past two days, I was loggy and sleepy because of too many of the wrong kind of carbs. Up and at 'em today!, feels great.

Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/4/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	167.5	150	44.4%
Body fat %	25	20	18	71.4%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.5	23	46.4%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-2-11

2011-03-02T06:23:00.001-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"Sometimes I get up early just to enjoy the anticipation of the day to come." - Being Bruce

Today's activity so far :

Day 42 - 166.5 pounds, 22% body fat, bp 119/78, resting pulse68
Exercise: 30 minutes walking
Intake:
- Several cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with skim milk, blueberries and blackberries
- dinner -
Comment: I am seriously pumped. I've now lost 15 pounds and I'm almost half way to my goal. With 42 days in it's like the habitual behavior is established and it's a good feeling to be eating responsibly - my body is responding in all good ways. Loads of energy, and I'm still really enjoying all three meals and loving that I don't have to be concerned about portion control at dinner time so I can really dig in with Marge's great cooking.

Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/2/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	166.5	150	47.6%
Body fat %	25	22	18	42.9%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.5	23	49.7%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 3-1-11

2011-03-01T06:15:00.000-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"This is a day when you can make a difference. What will that difference be?" - Being Bruce

Today's activity so far :

Day 41 - 167.5 pounds, 22% body fat, bp 122/82, resting pulse 74
Exercise: 30 minutes walking
Intake:
- Several cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with skim milk, blueberries and blackberries
- dinner - Not sure, hopefully we'll get to finish the awesome casserole from last night.
Comment:Okay, so two days at the same weight, 14 pounds lost total so far in 41 days (my goal is 31.5 pounds in 90 days). Definitely clothes fit better. Energy high and with Spring coming I'm really feeling wonderful.

Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	3/1/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	167.5	150	44.4%
Body fat %	25	22	18	42.9%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.5	23	46.4%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 2-28-11

2011-02-28T05:55:00.001-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"Gratitude is contagious. Experience it and spread it today." - Being Bruce

Today's activity so far :

Day 40 - 167.5 pounds, 20% body fat, bp 115/75, resting pulse 72
Exercise: 30 minutes walking
Intake:
- Several cups of black coffee
- 2 oz CranRaspberry juice with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with CranRaspberry juice, blueberries and blackberries
- dinner - ??
Comment: Off the plateau! Great. I won't assume anything, but as long as I keep up with my program - which still entails very light exercise, eating normal foods, and the addition of one Shakeology shake a day (made with varying types of milk or juice and fruit), I'm confident that I'm on course. Faster than expected body fat decrease (this morning 71% to goal), especially since I'm not doing much to build muscle, but the fairly steady weight loss (14 pounds in 40 days as of this morning) is gratifying.

Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	2/28/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	167.5	150	44.4%
Body fat %	25	20	18	71.4%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.5	23	46.4%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 2-26-11

2011-02-26T05:52:00.000-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Being Bruce Kick Start video with the weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"I woke up feeling joyful and loved today. I'm not going to over-think it, I'll just enjoy it and be grateful." - Being Bruce

Today's activity so far :

Day 37 - 168.0 pounds, 21% body fat, bp 117/78, resting pulse 67
Exercise: 30 minute walkt
Intake:
- Several cups of black coffee
- 2 oz CranRaspberry juice with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with Almond soy milk, blueberries, and blackberries
- dinner - ??
Comment: How crazy would it be if I called this the bacon and eggs and pizza plus Shakeology maintenance diet? Cuz yesterday I had 3 slices of turkey bacon and three scrambled eggs with cheese and onions plus apple slices and quinoa with olive oil for breakfast and a whole lot (I felt stuffed) of Hawaiian pizza (with Canadian bacon, pineapple, and loads of mozzerella cheese) for dinner plus Shakeology for lunch and I not only didn't gain any weight I dropped 1 body fat on the scale this morning! Probably wouldn't be responsible to call it that and it was only one day and all, but wow, I thought I'd be up a pound or so. I just have to give Shakeology props for keeping me on my progress chart, and largely because of, not only the unmatched core nutritional value, but also because I don't crave snacks or sweets between or after meals, and for me that's a huge difference!

Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	2/26/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	168.0	150	42.9%
Body fat %	25	21	18	57.1%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.5	23	44.7%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 2-25-11

2011-02-25T05:59:00.001-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Kick Start video with weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"The spark of new friendship can brighten your whole month." - Being Bruce

Today's activity so far :

Day 36 - 168.0 pounds, 22% body fat, bp 126/86, resting pulse 66
Exercise: 30 minute Shakeology low impact and resistance workout
Intake:
- Several cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - 1 cup of Quinoa with EVO
- lunch - Shakeology chocolate with Almond soy milk, blueberries, and blackberries
- dinner - ?? not sure yet
Comment: Ok, so even though I had pizza and Coke for lunch yesterday AND two huge bowls of Marge's outtasight chicken and cheese soup with spring onions and carrots yesterday, I still dropped that pesky half pound AND my body fat went down to 22%. It was different having Shakeology for breakfast yesterday (it tastes so much like a dessert it's hard to grasp how good it is for you) rather than lunch, but I coped with it (lol). Now that I've gone 36 days without any significant snacking other than an occasional cup of yoghurt and (a couple of weeks ago) a few crackers with peanut butter, I am a bit amazed and also frankly relieved that I'm not snacking all afternoon and then finishing off each evening with a handful of cookies. That alone is a big help, for weight loss, for more even energy during the day, and I'm sleepping better; it's not will power, as far as I can tell it's clearly the Shakeology that's making the difference. So, yay!

Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	2/25/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	168.0	150	42.9%
Body fat %	25	22	18	42.9%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.5	23	44.7%

Being Bruce Daily Kick Start 2-24-11

2011-02-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Click on the Play Button below to see today's Kick Start video with weather, birthdays, and inspiration:

"Focus on your goals and the path to reach them, not on defeat or what you do poorly or wrong." - Being Bruce

Today's activity so far (earlier days at the bottom of this post):

Day 35 - 168.5 pounds, 22% body fat, bp 128/88, resting pulse 82
Exercise: 30 minute walk
Intake:
- Several cups of black coffee
- 2 oz OJ with vitamins and supplements
- lots of water
- breakfast - Shakeology chocolate with Almond soy milk, blueberries, and blackberries
- lunch - Will be at a luncheon networking event -

dinner - ??
Comment: Funny how it goes sometime. I picked up a half pound yesterday, so I may be on another plateau. It's funny because I actually ate a bit less yesterday than other days recently and I had a pretty exciting day with lots going on. Will keep going, of course, because the path is fun and the goal is worthy. Really feeling great and even a little proud of myself for doing what I know is good for my body.

Overall Progress so far:

Bruce's Progress Chart	1/20/2011	2/24/2011	4/20/2011
	Start	Today	90-Day Goal	% of Goal
Weight (lbs)	181.5	168.5	150	41.3%
Body fat %	25	22	18	42.9%
BMI (Body Mass Index)	27.6	25.6	23	43.1%