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

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?

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?

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?

I Finally Found Use for My Real College Major

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

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

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?

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!

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,

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

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?

Where Am I Going?

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,

Work in Progress - My Personal Transformation

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.

100 Days + 90 - A Fitness and Weight Loss Journey

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

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

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.)

(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

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

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%

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 3-28-11

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%

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 3-15-11

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%

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 3-14-11

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%

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 3-12-11

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%

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 Kick Start 03-11-11

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%

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.