What Next?

2005 is coming to a close and it's time to look forward. The beginning of every new year is filled with so much promise. We start the annual process known as "getting our acts together" on January 1st. We tell friends & family that we're going to improve our lives in one way or another. There's an energy and enthusiasm that seems palpable. Everyone is talking about quitting smoking or starting projects or losing weight and getting fit. It's fun to be around people when they talk like this. The focus is so positive. There's never any talk about obstacles or failure. We clean our slates of the muck and mire, look to the future, and set goals with exuberance. A brand new attitude to kick off the new year.

Why the hell does it all fade away? Why isn't this mojo sustainable for most people? Where does all the energy and enthusiasm go? The short answer is; happy thoughts are easy, action is hard. Talking a good game is an American pastime. Talk is cheap. Talk doesn't cook rice. Great Americans turn their hopes and dreams into something real with persistent action. An un-relenting constant movement forward. The ups and downs, twists and turns don't detour them. This is behavior that must be learned. It doesn't just happen based on some nice thoughts about the future. If you've started something and could not finish it then you weren't ready in the first place. The foundation and plan were never in place on day one.

If you really want to succeed, if you really want to see something through to the end, then you need a new approach. You need deadlines, goals and help. This is why Power90 has worked so well for so many people. There is a start date and an end date. You stick with it because I guarantee that if you do what I tell you to do then great change will happen. You take your photos, your measurements and your weight and you begin to move your body. You get into the boards, chat rooms and WOWY and get connected with other people who need you as much as you need them. Success is achievable because this system is time tested.

If you take this simple system and apply it to all other aspects of life then they will dramatically improve as well. From finance to romance deadlines, goals and help are how you get there. Winging it with happy thoughts will surely fail. Deadlines and goals can and will change sometimes (that's okay) but if you continue to seek help from people you trust then the process and journey are enjoyable and rewarding. With the new year fast approaching it's time to see if you're willing to apply a method to your gladness. See if you can turn positive wishes into substantial life long change.

Law # 6

Sport

Take the onus off of weight, inches and body fat percentages and put the focus on MOVING. From dancing, rock climbing, mountain biking to ping-pong. I love that ping-pong. Think in terms of “can do” instead of “look like”. Sports are fun and help develop balance and coordination--which in turn accelerates your results. Jump, kick, run, spin, throw, skate, shoot, hit, score, compete…PLAY!

Every Sunday I head down to the original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica and meet a group of friends for a two and half hour fitness extravaganza. We do a crazy combination of pull-ups, handstands, swinging plyometric dips, 15 and 25 foot rope climbing (hands only and sometimes up-side-down) a myriad of wacky push-ups--we even throw in a back flip or two, and finish with a rendition of AB Ripper X. Anyone that has attended one of the Santa Monica Fitness Camps has seen the fun first hand. It’s extreme with a capital X. I love it, because it kicks my butt. This is NOT a routine I would do alone. The main reason why I show up is to hang with my buds. As hard as the workout is, I believe the reason why we’re all there is for the camaraderie, laughter and encouragement.

We look at Sundays as an opportunity to incorporate sport into our weekly fitness routines. What started out as push-ups, pull-ups and dips, has turned into (thanks to Chuck and Mitch Gaylord) gymnastics for old guys. Sport is the main reason I stay fit. Every other Wednesday night, I meet up with a group to go rock climbing. Every fall, I get together with ski buddies and come up with ways to get our legs ready for the hill. Where do you think the P90X Plyo workout came from? The Leg/Plyo workout in the new Power 90 Master Series was the routine I used to get ready for this year’s ski season.

To me, there is nothing better than the great outdoors. My sports involve cool crisp air, gorgeous views and climbing up or ripping down mountains. When I’m skiing or rock climbing, I’m one with my surroundings. I’m happy as a clam and at peace with the universe. I also try to mix in other sports like inline skating, ping-pong (it’s a sport…sort of) basketball and mountain biking. These are great ways to get into shape. I encourage you to get involved in SOMETHING athletic—anything that would be fun and enjoyable for you. You need to care less about weight loss and more about accomplishment. There are so many different kinds of sports to choose from. Set a goal, take a class, sign up for a race, anything that gives you a reason to focus on “can do” as apposed to “look like”. When you’ve shifted to an athletic mindset you don’t obsess about calories, inches, and weight. You focus more on “can do” numbers like reps, range of motion and amount of resistance. Athletes care about improving their game, not how they look in their climbing gear.

If you can find one thing/sport that you really enjoy, then your day-to-day workouts will be less of a chore and more of a means to an end. Sport will also give you the opportunity to better connect and share with a partner. And whether your single or partnered with someone, it will give you a chance to meet like-minded folk. The people I know who have a regular sports pursuit are consistently fit over time, are rarely depressed and anxious and meet tons of amazing people in the process. (See Fitness Camps) Sport also develops balance and coordination--giving you a more well rounded level of fitness.

For some of you the excuse of time or money, or fear of looking uncoordinated in front of other people will keep you from trying something athletic. There were tens of thousands of Power90 and P90X customers who had those same fears, but they stepped through the door anyway and found a brand new and exciting reason for staying fit and healthy. Remember when you were a kid and you just did stuff? Explore and be curious. Open the door to Sport and you will discover a new and greater level of excitement.

Pain & Suffering

At the age of 47 I'm begging to realize how much my fitness and healthy lifestyle is preventing the pain and suffering that many of my peers are going through. It's freaky and somewhat sad to see a lot of my friends fall apart. I've been watching many of the people in my life slowly age in the traditional way. It's that ache in the back, knees & shoulder talk I hear all of the time. Fit and active kids, teens and young adults are turning into old men and women right before my eyes. Thin friends from high school and collage are now obese. Most of them are resolved to the idea that this is a normal pattern in life. They say it's genetic or bad luck or some other environmental phenomenon. I have heard them say that it's too late to turn nature's events around. It was this way with their parents, so it's inevitable that it will happen to them. They talk like 40 and beyond is the beginning of the end.

I can not tell you how crazy all this is. I've seen hundreds of stories of people in their 30's, 40's, 50s, 60s, 70's and beyond turn nature on it's ass. What happens to our hope and optimism as we get older? Are we letting life beat us down to the point where we think all the fun stops at 30? Is youth left for the young? The answer is NO! Can you turn it around after 40? Hell YES! The first step is believing it can happen. The "This is what happens when you get older." talk has got to stop. It has to be replaced with something, anything that gets you to make better choices every day. Turning an old ground in thought pattern around isn't easy. I've got friends & family I can't seem to help. There needs to be a tipping point (something extraordinary) that shifts the balance. Maybe it's a mentor, book or heart attack. Something that says life can get better through better choices.

You're only good at the things you do often. If you're telling yourself often enough that life after 40 is full of aches, pains and suffering from one aliment or another then it will be true. If you wake up every day committed to do something that demolishes those incorrect negative thoughts then you will create a happy, healthy, youthful life, no matter what age you are.

Mighty Me

Kids,

One of my best friends in the world has created a DVD for children. Mighty Me helps young kids develop confidence through exercise and simple yoga. It is fun, entertaining and beautifully produced. If you have a child and love children then I demand that you buy one for the holidays. For kids ages 3 and up. You'll find the link to his website in this e-mail he sent to his friends and family.


Dear Family and Friends,

Finally, my children’s show MIGHTY ME is available on
DVD!!! I am really excited about my grassroots
endeavor to get Mighty Me out in the world and I am
asking for your support. Currently, MM is available
through Discovery Education at a whopping
institutional price of $89, BUT I would like to make
it available to my family and friends via my website
for $14.95 plus tax and shipping (a limited supply of
T-shirts are available too)! Please allow up to 2
weeks for delivery.

To buy the DVD/T-Shirt or to learn more, please visit
my safe & secure site http://www.mightyme.com and be
sure to check out the trailer, play the games and get
your free Mighty Me certificate! Long story short, I
am distributing MIGHTY ME myself, initially with
family and friends to try and create a “movement” if
you will. Please consider getting some (the holidays
are coming) for YOUR family and friends (and schools:
I would be more than happy to ship in mass and discuss
subsidized donations especially to economically
struggling areas).

I believe our children need MIGHTY ME now more than
ever.
My best to you all and THANK YOU,

Brian Donovan (and Mighty Me!)

P.S. If you can’t afford a DVD or you want to buy in
bulk (12 or more at a discount), please email me at
tobriand@sbcglobal.net
I just want MM out in the world.

The Other Dr. Ruth

Kids,

While doing some research I found this article on line. I've been getting 8 hours of sleep ever since. Give it a read.

Tony


Ruth M. Benca, MD, PhD
Associate Chair and Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin



Individuals with insomnia are known to have significantly elevated rates of depression, and insomnia is a predictive factor for the future development of depression, both for new onset of a depressive disorder as well as recurrence of depression.[1] Conversely, some patients with depression report significant worsening of depressive symptomatology following a night of poor sleep. It is not definitively known whether (1) insomnia causes depression, (2) depression leads to insomnia, or (3) insomnia and depression are both caused by a common underlying process. Nevertheless, insomnia is more closely related to depression than to any other medical disorder, and the fact that insomnia most commonly precedes depression suggests a possible causal association between sleep disturbance and depressed mood.
One approach to study the relationship between sleep and mood is to assess the effects of sleep deprivation. Normal subjects typically show acute worsening of mood, with complaints of irritability, depression, and decreased motivation. Some depressed patients, however, show a seemingly paradoxical response to sleep deprivation; about half of depressives will show an acute antidepressant response following total sleep deprivation, or even partial sleep deprivation, usually involving the second half of the night. Unfortunately, depressive symptoms recur following even a short amount of recovery sleep. Patients with bipolar disorder may have episodes of mania triggered by periods of sleep restriction or sleep deprivation and, conversely, they may report excessive sleep during periods of depression.

The mechanisms for the antidepressant effects of sleep deprivation are not known, but have been attributed either to activating effects[4] or the build-up of pressure for rapid eye movement (REM) and/or slow-wave sleep (SWS). Recently, it has been suggested that sleep deprivation and antidepressants both may act by increasing expression of brain plasticity genes, with sleep deprivation leading to acute induction of these genes and antidepressant treatment increasing expression of these genes only after chronic administration, paralleling the clinical effects of the drugs.

The association of insomnia with depression and sleep deprivation with antidepressant effects or even mania seems contradictory on the surface. This may be related to essential differences between sleep deprivation (inability to obtain sufficient sleep due to lack of opportunity) and insomnia (inability to obtain sufficient quantity and/or quality of sleep despite adequate opportunity). Although patients with insomnia may experience chronic sleep deprivation, it is possible that the deprivation is not severe enough to trigger a sleep rebound response, and in fact sleep restriction therapy is often helpful for treating insomnia. Alternatively, a subset of depressives may have a qualitatively different response to sleep loss. For most normal individuals and many depressives, however, sleep loss -- either through insomnia or sleep deprivation -- is associated with a worsening of mood.

Is it fun being you?

I was watching Boston Legal last night. I love that show. James Spader and Bill Shatner together make me laugh and applaud. Typically Spader's and Shatner's characters (at the end of the show) sit on a balcony at their law firm and discuss the week's events. William Shatner's character Denny Crane is completely crazy in that "like a fox" kind of way. He's this right wing Republican who feels like his best years are behind him and he goes around telling people that he has mad cow disease. What's great about Denny Crane is that he doesn't care what other people think of him. He's very happy and content with being Denny Crane. He also loves to walk into a room saying his name to everyone. You've got to love the guy.

At the very end of the show last night he and James Spader are sitting on the balcony and Shatner tells Sader, "It's fun being me." He turns to Spader and asks, "Is it fun being you?" Well...that got me thinking about how incredibly important this is to me. I also starting thinking about what that actually requires. I asked myself if having fun is the most important thing in my life. Not just having fun but also, "Is it fun being me?" Upon reflection I felt that fun-ness is certainly in the top five. But at the same time I figured out that fun being me is priority number one. The difference between the two is substantial. I believe that most people are capable of having fun while at the same time not having fun with whom they are. This simple reality made me sit up and think about what that means. Having fun and having fun being who you are (at the same time) is critical for a happy, purposeful and successful life.

There are hundreds of thousands of people in this country that have fun all the time. Those same people are over weight & out of shape. The vast majority of obese people can have fun, but are they having fun being who they are? If you are not happy being who you are then you need to do something to change that. What are the odds that this whole thing is going to come around to the importance of exercise and a healthy diet as a way to get there? And you thought I was just going to talk about a TV show. Think about it...what if liking who you are got mixed with being able to do the things you love? That is called fun being you. You can't have fun being you if you're treating yourself badly. Lack of physical movement and eating sugar and fat makes it impossible to have fun being you. You're still capable of having fun, but that fun fades and you're left with just you...not liking who you are. This can be easily remedied by taking care of yourself through fitness & a healthy diet.

Before I discovered fitness as a solution to my situation I had fun all the time. The whole time I was having all this fun I was very unhappy with me. The fun I was having was a means to try to give my life value, but it wasn't working. The highs were short lived and the lows were deep and often. It wasn't fun being me! The day I started lifting weights and got off of Dr. Pepper and cheeseburgers I began to combine having fun with liking who I was. This changed everything. I was beginning to have the life I always wanted. No one gave it to me. I earned it. And it allowed me to combine having fun and liking who I was. All by simply deciding to shift my lifestyle to a healthy one. So, if you'd like to have fun being you then decide and commit to the healthy lifestyle that can make that happen.

Grand Plan Stan/Stella

So you want to be fit and lean and you want all the news on how to get there. Well, you need a plan man/woman. Your plan must be simple. Exercise and eating right does not have to be convoluted. You need a philosophy for getting there. Know ahead of time when you're going to workout. Write it on a calendar (I'm old school...that's what I do) or in your PDA and get into WOWY with a group of committed people. Schedule out the whole month in advance!

If you really want results you have to stop with the FOOD PORN. Remove the porn from the house and buy fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. If switching over makes you feel deprived then do what I do. I call it the 90/10 Plan. Ninety percent of the food I eat is in the top two tiers of Michi's ladder. The other ten percent of the time I dip into Michi's basement. I stay away from grease, fat and salt but I do relish in the sweet side of life. Can you say chocolate chip cookie? Another plan is the 50/50 plan. This is for people who have been eating poorly at every meal for years. Your job is to clean up your act just half the time while sticking with the old ways for the other 50%. You have to decide ahead of time which meals are clean and which are PORN. Three meals a day, seven days a week makes for 21 meals. Make 11 of them healthy (you know what that looks like) and keep the rest ugly. This plan will improve things immensely for many of you. The hope over time is that 11 good meals becomes 12 and 10 bad becomes 9, etc.

If you really struggle with your healthy diet then start writing down what you eat. Try this for just 3 weeks. Buy a small note pad or some 3 x 5 index cards and start keeping track of every morsel. Grade yourself at the end of each day. Healthy foods get no grades while junk/porn get a negative number. That blue cheese dressing in your healthy salad gets a negative 1. Add bacon bits and you're at a negative 2. On a 1 to 10 scale 8, 9, & 10 are best. Below 5 means you've been cheating all day long.

Your simple plan is to schedule workouts so that you can stay consistent and find a food philosophy that works for you.

Choose To Feel Good

From The Heart

HEART RATE MONITORING

Everyone's Heart Rate (HR) varies and it's not uncommon for yours to go outside of the training zones shown below. Keep in mind, your HR is only a gauge of fitness in relation to you as an individual and not to anyone else. Knowing this, you should closely monitor your HR throughout each workout, while continuing to push yourself as hard as you can.

Training Zones

AGE ~~~~ BEATS PER MINUTE

25 to 29 ~~~~ 140 to 170

30 to 34 ~~~~ 136 to 169

35 to 39 ~~~~ 132 to 160

40 to 44 ~~~~ 128 to 155

45 to 49 ~~~~ 117 to 150

50 to 54 ~~~~ 115 to 145

55 to 59 ~~~~ 113 to 140

60 to 64 ~~~~ 111 to 135


These are general calculations based on 70% to 85% of Maximum Heart Rate. Whenever doing intense cardiovascular exercise it's also a good idea to use the 1 to 10 Intensity Scale. A 1 would equate to being very relaxed and comfortable, whereas a 10 would feel far too intense and difficult to continue exercising. Between a 6 & 8 is ideal.

Food Porn

Help!

I need your help. You look to me for help. We all need to give and receive some help now and then. Giving and receiving help is how things move forward and get done. If it wasn't for the hard working team of people at Beachbody none of us (including me) would be as fit and healthy as we are. If it weren't for the message boards, coaches threads, WOWY, the chat rooms and My Beachbody many us would have failed long ago. This community of giving and receiving keeps us moving forward. If you live on that Island by yourself it's tough to make it in this world. The folks who don't know how (or are not willing) to reach out, fail time and time again.

Everyone of us gets a little lost once in a while, and when that happens it's important to remember that friends and family are there to catch our fall. And if the friends and family at home come up short on occasion then your other family is right here. I've told people at the fitness camps that my desire to press on day after day comes from seeing all of you work so hard at making life better. We are a community (regardless of background, race, religion or political persuasion) that is interested in supporting one another in the quest for lifelong health and fitness.

When I plan my workouts, 90% of them are with someone else. My favorite sports and activities (rock climbing, skiing, Sunday workouts and yoga) are done with friends. This blog, my mailbag and the camps are the best ways for me to connect with you. I feel like I'm hangin and talking with family. It is such a thrill for me to help somebody figure things out. I don't have all the answers all the time, but after 20 plus years I've seen and experienced problems people have when it comes to their health and fitness. In that time I've learned how to help people find their way through the weight lose, health and fitness maze.

When I try to make it on my own I (more often than not) end up where I started...nowhere. When I ask for help and guidance from someone I trust, the experience is always positive and rewarding. The more you know, learn and do, the more you can help others. Human beings evolve by continuing to explore and share what they know. Sitting at home in front of the tube too often (doing nothing) has nothing to do with sharing and helping each other. Down time is important and everyone needs a reprieve from other people once in awhile, but if that down time makes you feel down then it's time to give & receive a little help.

Forget The Rest

When I was in Yoga class the other day I noticed how I needed to back off a bit because I felt like I was getting a cold. Yoga has always been a practice where I never compete with the class before. I never tell myself before a yoga class that I need to go deeper in Warroir 2, or that Crane has to be better than the last time I did it. I'm just glad I'm there, and I do what I can based on how I feel in the moment. That's what yoga is supposed to be anyway.

I'm beginning to apply this philosophy in all areas of fitness. It's making my workouts easier and with better results. My focus is no longer on how to beat my numbers from the time before. I focus on "Doing My Best And Forgetting The Rest." The rest is the mind chatter that prevents me from enjoying what's happening right now. That mind chatter tells me that if I don't continue to improve every time then something's wrong.

Your numbers, reps & strength will improve automatically if you work hard and stay consistent. But if you beat yourself up during the workout because you can't do as many push-ups as last time then the "I'm a failure" mind babble wins every time. Big deal, so what & who cares that you're weaker this time then last. It just is. Are you doing your best? If you are and your numbers are lower than last time, then it's perfect.

Don't let the workout you're in the middle of suffer because you're comparing it to others. Just be glad you're in the middle of a workout and not in the middle of the couch. Stop judging yourself based on past achievements. It'll make you crazy, and it will cause you to ultimately fail in the end.

Forget The Rest & Do Your Best!

San Antonio Campers

Cold Buster

Real Burden

As a trainer I take on various rolls to help encourage, motivate or inspire my clients. I've learned that saying the right thing the right way is the key to getting results. I'm passionate about fitness but at the same time I don't treat it like rocket science. I like to make it fun, interesting or at least tolerable, so that people can stay with it for a lifetime. I've also learned that certain people need different kinds of encouragement to help them through their workouts. Someone who is first starting out needs lots of positive reinforcement because their fear factor is high. Other folks want tons information right away because the more they know the more they can understand the path to success. The opposite of that are the people who say, "Just hurt me & tell me what to do!" I need to be a caretaker, therapist & drill sergeant with different clients on different days because the "my way or the highway" technique will alienate most people.

One of the greatest lessons I'm learning in this life, is to be aware of the truth of what's happening in my world from moment to moment. This is only possible when I really listen to what people are saying combined with how I react to it. I have a tendency to try to manipulate a situation (with humor, bravado & sarcasm) so that the perceived future outcome is positive, for me. When I break the rules I lose touch with the other persons need to be heard or understood. My ego and need to appear a certain way becomes more important than the truth of the moment. In other words, I'm trying to appear to be something or someone that I'm not. And at the same time I'm denying others to be connected to their truth in that moment.

This leads me to Law # 6 of the 11 Laws of Health & Fitness...Reality. Reality is that thing that is happening to you right now. Reality is that feeling in your gut and that state of your mind before, during and after everything you do. Reality is the truth of every moment, not the manipulated or fantasy versions we put out there for others to see. Being real requires letting all of your defenses down. Exposing yourself to the truth of who you are right now. If you can do that simple thing, you can remove many of life's burdens. One way to practice this is to risk bearing your own burdens. My friend Scott Fifer lives by this philosophy. The man never complains or tries to manipulate a situation. He is honest and fair and clear and he never focuses on the problem. He gathers information and plows ahead.

*Risk bearing your own burdens. The weight of your problems is determined by how much you fear them. But the only weight any fear can have is determined by how much you try to push it away. Risk not "sharing" (pissing, moaning, blaming & complaining) your burdens. Stop pushing them on others. The less you burden other people (especially loved ones) with your problems, the less of a burden they'll be for you. Letting your defences down while at the same time learning to focus on answers and solutions is the key to becoming clear, productive and real.

Getting Young

Just 4 years away from 50 I'm noticing that there are a lot of people I know complaining about getting old. Yuck! These Baby Boomers and even Gen X types are lamenting over their limited & finite state of being. Almost all of them believe that this process is a natural state of things. They say, "This is what happens when you get old."

I can't imagine filling that way...ever. Regardless of age, I've always felt that I would continue to get stronger, fitter, more flexible and healthier. I have always wanted to do everything I could to avoid aging in the traditional sense. Aging without exercise and healthy eating sounds like suicide to me.


I've been asking friends and family what they think aging is doing to them. The list was long but I thought I'd share with you the things I've heard most often.
1. Tired a lot
2. Slowing down
3. Stiff & tight all over
4. More illness more often
5. Frail & vulnerable to injury
6. Muscle & joint pain (knees, back, shoulders, neck)
7. Saddness & depressed
8. More fear
9. Forgetfulness
10. More anger & less open minded to try new things

I don't think any of us can be fond of this top 10 list. Quite often I heard about these problems coming from people in their 30s! Life can be pretty tough for all of us sometimes. But as we get older, it gets even harder, especially if we don't discover the importance of exercise & healthy eating. Does a healthy lifestyle cure us of the things on this list? Maybe not, but it sure will give us a fighting chance.

Every time you read a Power90 success story you hear about how someone's life changed. These changes relate to the items on the list above. Most of you started Power90 because you didn't like the way you looked. After completing it you cared more about how it made you feel, physically and mentally. Aging without a healthy lifestyle will guarantee some level of physical and/or mental malfunction.

Look at the list above and ask yourself if you're suffering from anything on it. Look at some of the seniors around you and see if they're suffering from anything on the list. They are you just down the road. You control your future and your destiny by making simple choices now. Give yourself a fighting chance and avoid the suffering that goes with unhealthy aging.

Let me hear that you're Getting Young.

T. S. Horton

Stay In The Game

Fear Buster

This past weekend we held my 4th annual fitness camp in Santa Monica California. It was the 4th camp so far this year and it was just as amazing as the last three. It feels like every camp has a theme and this one was no exception. On Thursday August 11th some of the early campers and I met on the beach for a mini version of the Sunday workout. I was asking the group how they were feeling and Nina (aka Neeeeeeeeeena) said she was scared to death. She explained that she was truly petrified on every level!

Upon further investigation I learned that Nina was not the only one suffering from this fear factor. Several in the group expressed that they too were very wary of the weekends proceedings. This is very common when a group of strangers (for the most part) come together to look at how they live in this world. This was not a vacation. It was a Fitness Camp with rock climbing, seminar/workshops and new workouts, so it's easy to see why folks were a bit apprehensive on day one.

I thought that the fear busting began during the Circle Of Love. This is the first event that occurs after Friday night's group dinner. It gives everyone the opportunity to open up and talk about where they've been, where they are, and where they're hoping to go. The stories in that circle were mind blowing. Everyone there was open and honest and willing to tell their story. As we went around the circle you could feel the fear give way to hope and excitement for the rest of the weekend.

There was rock climbing in the morning followed by the workshop on the 11 Laws of Health & Fitness. That afternoon we went through another workout which was a hybrid of YogaX and the new Power90 Master Series Workout, Core/Cardio. We closed out the evening at Gotham Hall with great food, music by Travis Howard and the famous one legged bag game (for photos see 4th Annual Santa Monica Fitness Camp thread in the Power90 boards). Early on Sunday morning we had our Form & Function seminar followed by the Sunday morning beach workout.

With every passing hour I could see folks crushing any and all fears about what was possible. "I can't" turned into "I'll try" over and over again. It seemed like everyone had a breakthrough moment. Motivation, Inspiration & Information were the key ingredients for smashing apprehension, trepidation & fear.

Next stop, San Antonio!

Big Fish First

Back in the day I was the master procrastinator. I knew what I needed to do to make dramatic changes in my life but instead I would waist hours of my day putzing (sp) around with all kinds of small fish tasks. I would tell myself that once my ducks (or fish) were in a row I could tackle the big job. Laundry, dishes, food shopping, cleaning up the house, paying bills etc. were endless busy jobs that kept me from going after the big fish. This stuff had to be done, but I would spread it out throughout my day to avoid going after the Big Fish, my purpose.

I still have a tendency to drift back to my old ways but for the most part I make a conscious effort to keep my eye on the prize. My life changing Big Fish tasks involve
writing these blogs, answering your questions in the mail bag, the monthly chats, promoting a healthy and fit lifestyle at the fitness camps, working out 5 to 6 days a week, spending and investing my money wisely, working on my first book and getting
proper rest and nutrition so that I'll have the energy and enthusiasm to do it all.

If you're having trouble getting and/or staying in shape, check to see were your priorities have been lately. Do you have a plan for your success? Have you scheduled your workouts in advance? Are you watching the tube when you could be getting the small tasks out of the way? Are you eating lame food and getting less than 7 1/2 of sleep? To achieve what you want and deserve in this world you must know when to do what. Stop flittering away your time and LIFE with mindless tasks that keep you from going after the Big Fish.

I know single Mom's with 4 kids who make the time to get it all done. If you want this amazing healthy life, you have got to make exercise priority one. Maybe that means getting up early and working out first thing in the morning. If that doesn't fit in your schedule then make a plan for when you can. Make a plan where you focus on the things that make for a great life. Put your mind and energy into your purpose for being on this earth. Something tells me it's not neatly folded laundry.

Food Fight

The Time Is Now!

May a new Renaissance begin.

I honestly believe that we have an opportunity to be born again through exercise, fitness & healthy eating. Not born again in a religious sort of way but in a brand new perspective kind of way. Lets face it, when you're eating fast food and getting winded going up a flight of stairs, how can you be part of a new Renaissance? You can't. You're too tired and self-conscious. A Renaissance requires clarity, enthusiasm, vision and purpose. To change the world you must first change yourself. To be part of a New Renaissance you'll need physical, emotional and mental balance.

The original Renaissance starting in Italy and moving through Europe between the 14th and 17th century saw an explosion of art, literature, science, and architecture. It was a time in our world history when people were searching, creating, exploring, experimenting and producing incredible things. If we want to be part of the New Renaissance we need to see the big picture. The big picture involves making health and fitness a priority NOW! If you feel miserable, tired and self-conscious how can you possibly be the amazing person that awaits you? Being healthy is the first step...the foundation for who you can be in this world.

Our good friend Tony Barca was overweight, contributing to his heart attack. His wife Dawn was out of shape and also overweight. They were neck deep in health problems. They did Power90 and got healthy. Tony is now a certified fitness trainer and Dawn is a certified Holistic Health Counselor. That's what I call a re-birth! A dramatic & dynamic 180 degree switch form who they were. They are part of a New Renaissance. They now take the onus off themselves and but the focus on helping other people feel better. When we feel better we can do more. When we do more we meet more people. We become part of something that is bigger than all of us. We are given the power to explore, search, create and produce.

The Time Is Now to Start A New Renaissance.

Main Entry: re·nais·sance
Pronunciation: "re-n&-'sän(t)s
Etymology: French, from Middle French, rebirth, from renaistre to be born again, from Latin renasci, from re- + nasci to be born —more at NATION
Date: 1845
1 : REBIRTH, REVIVAL

New York Fitness Camp

Birthday Run

Why Go To Camp?

I'm heading to Stanfordville New York on july 7th. My good budies Tony & Dawn Barca have volunteered to run my fitness camp at the Roseland Ranch. We had such a blast at the Chicago and Portland camps. These camps give you the opportunity to really get this fit lifestyle wired. So often I see people with tons of desire, but not enough information. We know that variety, consistency and intensity are important, but going about it the right way isn't always clear.

The two workshops on form & function & The 11 laws of health and fitness have proved to be invaluable when it comes to really understanding what it takes to get awesome results and to stay motivated for a long time. Watching a workout on TV and reading the material that comes with it is only part of the many steps needed to become and stay healthy and fit into old age. These camps are like taking a giant step forward.

As I turn 47 I'm still learning the nuances of health, fitness and proper eating. As time moves forward, so do my priorities. Benching 350lbs is not one of them. Staying flexible and less vulnerable in day to day life is more of a priority. These camps are designed to give you the opportunity to understand your journey better. The information, inspiration and motivation that occurs at these camps will allow to get better results faster, avoid injury, bordem & plateaus and keep the whole process fun and interesting.

I encourage you to put your fears aside, put your money down and come join me and the kids at camp this year. The New York camp is July 15 - 17. the Santa Monica Camp is August 12 - 14. The San Antonio Camp is September 9 - 11. The Miami Camp is October 14 - 16. If you want more information go to the Power90 Message boards and look around. You'll see the threads for all 6 camps. Chicago & Portland Camp threads are still going strong. Check out how much fun we had. You learn ~ you laugh. It's good clean American fun. Sign up now!

Feeling Good

Monday's Off

I woke up today feeling like I was hit by a truck. Everything hurt. My neck was killing me. My shoulders tight as a drum. I pushed a little harder this past Sunday because I felt like I could. Eighteen lever pull-ups, Thirty switch grip pull-ups, two rounds of swing hand-stands and far too many (or not) plyo push-ups. It felt good (at the time) to dig down and go hard. The way I felt this morning reminded me of the way I felt every morning during football season in High School.

My good buddy (and yours) Traci Morrow and I had scheduled a workout on the Santa Monica stairs (a well known place to have your butt kicked) for 2:00 today, before we went to Beachbody for some Power90 Master Series work. When she showed up I informed her of my condition, and after a short discussion she went for a 4.2 mile run and I headed for the tailor & dry cleaner. My mind and neck pain convinced the rest of my body to take the day off.

Before, during and after my decision my noggin was filled with oodles of mind chatter. Disappointment about skipping the workout, guilt about letting Traci down, mad at myself for pushing too hard on Sunday and frustrated about a bad night of sleep. What could I have done differently that would have allowed me to show up for today's workout? The answer is nothing. Things change and that's okay. The best laid plans...

I want to believe that I'm Superman all the time, and the truth is, that sometime I need to be Lay Low Guy. Can Lay Low Guy and Superman live in the same bat cave? Only if Robin has a spare room. I digress. Burnout, injury and disappointment crash together when you don't know when to say when. If you don't listen to your body (I mean really listen) you'll get fried. I'm here to motivate you to rest and relax. The positive changes you're looking for also come on the days you leave your body alone.

Me & The Kids

This morning I was in Glendale California at the Horece Mann Elementary School hangin & playin with 7 amazing kids. Andrea Glassner their equally awesome teacher had posted on the boards that she and her amazing 7 were all working out to "Tony & The Kids." Mary Cecy (Wisconsin Superstar) contacted me and Mike K. at Beachbody to let us know that Andrea was using "Tony & The Kids" on a regular basis in class. After hearing that Andrea and the kids were having so much fun, we decided to head over to Horece Mann Elementary and see for ourselves.

The momment I walked into their classroom I felt like Elvis. I was the King...of Crunch Frogs. At first we all got to know each other, then we got right into the workout. They knew routine better than me. Heather Church was flasing me mini Q-cards with the hope that I could keep up with the kids. We ran through all the classics. Marching, Swimming, Leapfrog, Muscle Maker, The Radar Twist, Wacky Jacks, Bunny Rabbit & no workout is complete without the Loosey Goosey Shuffle.

It was an awesome morning filled with fun and inspiration. I want to thank Andrea Glassner for having us in her classroom today. I also want to thank her amazing 7 special kids for bringin it.

Yoga Y

You can say what you want about Pete Rose, but when asked why he was such a good player he said, "I work on my weaknesses." The exercise that makes you crazy, that's hardest for you is the one that changes and improves everything else. When you presently struggle with something and you're willing to be open to the possibilities you will discover levels of fitness you never thought possible.

As some of you know I've been working on this gymnastic move called a swing handstand for almost two years. Two years! I was foreverly struggling with this thing. I was questioning why I was even bothering with it from week to week. It was so frustrating to be so lousy at something for so long. Finally I asked my friend Phil (Chest-Shoulders-Triceps Phil) to meet me at the beach on Fridays to work on it with me. He agreed (he was struggling with it as well) and in three short weeks we improved ten fold.

Today we each nailed it three times in a row. It was the best feeling in the WORLD! I hated yoga at first. Too slow. Too long. Too many silly moves that don't do anything. blah, blah, blah. I was so wrong, wrong, wrong. Yoga made everything else I do better. Yoga made that swing handstand possible. Fit stiff people get hurt. Fit flexible people get better.

Yoga...that's Y

Fight or Flight

I sometimes suffer from what I call the "fight or flight" syndrome with some of my workouts. When everything is perfectly lined up, I'm fine. It means the weather is perfect. I'm meeting buddies at a specified time. I've had plenty of sleep the night before. My energy and willingness is high. Under these conditions I never miss a workout. But sometimes when the stars are not lined up properly, all I want to do is find a good reason to flee from exercise.

Today was one of those days. I awake to a dreary gray morning after a night of restless sleep knowing that 6 out of 9 workout buddies are away for the weekend. Everything was saying..."blow it off!" Should I fight or flee? I just hate when that thought meanders inside my head. I layed in bed and thought about how much crap I'd get from the three guys who were showing up. I kept telling myself to go through the
routine of getting ready. Before I knew it, I was dressed and fed and ready to go to the beach a do the workout.

About 20% to 60% of the time, flight wins out under these kinds of adverse conditions. Fight or flight sydrome hits me once or twice a week. So, 2 out of 6 workouts a week are in jeopardy. This is why people who pre-schedule only 3 workouts a week have a very hard time seeing results. Most people suffer from fight or flight once in awhile. If you schedule 6 workouts a week your less likely to ruin the big plan.

I've been working on this crazy exercise called a swing handstand for almost 2 years. Today is the first time I nailed it. I felt like I won the lottery. And to think I was so close to blowing it all off. Fight or flight...whatcha gonna do?

Beyond The Walls

When I was a kid I was scared all of the time. I'm not kidding. All the time! Everything around me seemed frightening. I was so self conscience that I put up hundreds of barriers (in my mind) to keep me from changing and growing and exploring the things that would help me. As a boy I was convinced that I was dumb, weak & ugly. I walked around with that in my head 24/7. The one thing I had, was a sense of humor. Silliness saved my life. It was the one thing I could count on when things were looking bleak.

Getting laughs helped me get by, but my brain and and heart were telling me that there was more to life. In my 20s I had the wherewithal to seek betterment for myself. At that time I was always stuck, lost (dazed) and confused. I hated it! In my stuckness I would try to figure things out alone. Without help. What an amazing waist of time. My intentions were so good, yet my results were so lousy. I would tell myself to be more positive, but I didn't know how to find the tools that could make that happen.

Thank God for self help books. The first one I ever read was Dr. Wayne Dyer's "Looking Out For Number 1". The book didn't change my life forever, but it did allow me to look at things in a new way. It gave me a new perpective to see beyond the walls I had created in my life. It was one tier on a long ladder to help me scale some of those walls.

This web site with it's message boards, chat rooms, WOWY, coaches threads and MyBeachbody are here as a support system to help you move beyond the walls that keep you from your life. You change, grow & learn every time you eat better than before. Every time you push play. Every time you listen to someone who asks for your help. Every time you look for help.
~See Beyond The Walls In Front Of You ~ Bruce Springsteen

Tip-O-The-Day

Bachelor's Lunch

I threw together an awesome lunch today...bachelor style.

I dumped a handful of brown rice on top of half a bowl of frozen green, yellow & red bell pepper strips. I then placed an AMY's frozen black bean vegetable enchilada on top of that.
Covered the whole thing and stuck it in the microwave for 5 mins. Can you say FOOD/FUEL?

Eat On!

T. S. Hortonhead

Project Earth

What if we lived in a country where everyone had tons of energy and motivation to be their best? Some folks have that. Most people don't. What is being your best anyway? Curious, hard working, happy people don't just happen. Most of the folks that come under that catagory work on mind, body & soul. I use a combination of reading, research & seminars for the mind. Yoga, weight lifting, skiing, gymnastics & cardio for the body. My soul work stems from philosophies that teach me to live and let live, avoid judgement and share what I know with people who want to learn it.

I believe that the root of all joy and happiness starts with the body. The use of body feeds the mind and soul. Food and exercise provides the chemical balance required to be your best. A sedentary garbage eater has little energy and motivation to do anything. If you decide to clean up your fuel and begin to move your body then the whole Earth starts to change. The things you talk about change. The things you do change. People around you see the change in you, so as a result you change their perception of you. All this positive change is effecting thousands of people every day.

This energy that flows out of you and around you doesn't just evaporate into thin air. It has very powerful consequences. The fitness camps are filled with it. The message boards are jam packed with it. We go from being lost, stuck and confused to people who want to help each other. That change in us grows and grows into something bigger than all of us. It is the energy of love. It's certainly not hate or fear. We don't yearn to connect with other people because we hate or fear them. We do it because something good is happening inside of us. It's the desire to connect, help, share, communicate and explore without judgement. That's love people...and what the world needs now... is love. A healthy diet and exercise is a simple and powerful way to change the world. Who knew?

Blog-O-Rama #1

Hey boys and girls, sitting here with my ole pal Neil the wheel at Beachbody Central....

Here we go on a glorious super-incredible LaLaPaBloga journey....

I have no idea what that means, but I'm sure it's gonna be a blast! :-)

Here's my opportunity to fill you in on everything I know when it comes to health, fitness and life in general....So sit back, relax... cause we're gonna have some fun!

Stay tuned...T.S. Hortonhead