Exercising while sick...

Should you do it?  How do you know when to push through or hang up your sneakers?

Here is a great article on exercising while sick

Ask the Expert: Can I Exercise with a Cold?

By Steve Edwards

Shut it down and get some rest.. It will help you get well sooner and it might end up improving your results in the long term.

When you're sick, your body uses its recovery properties to fight the illness. When you exercise, you use these same properties to recover. To your body, trying to exercise when you're sick is effectively the same thing as overtraining. You won't be able to recover from exercise, rendering it useless, as well as increasing the risk of making your illness worse and lengthening your downtime.

Believe it or not, there are actually a couple of upsides to being sick. It both raises your metabolism and heightens your immune response, meaning that you can eat more than normal and not gain weight. Your immune system also releases performance-enhancing hormones that both fight the infection and help you heal microtrauma incurred during your training program. Because of these factors, when I'm sick during a training cycle I consider it my recovery week. Here is my protocol:

At the onset of symptoms I bump my vitamin C and zinc levels, drink a ton of water, and sleep as much as possible. If I catch it early enough, I'll miss the cold. However, your body plays an insidious trick on you at the onset of a cold. Before you feel symptoms, your adrenal system kick-starts the immune response, which often results in a great workout—too good. Prior to a competition, if an athlete sets a personal record or looks too strong, their coach will often shut them down in anticipation of potential pending illness. If a workout feels spectacular out of the blue, consider backing off and adding immune-boosting supplements to your regimen.

Once I know I'm sick, I rest as much as I possibly can. I clear my social schedule, work as little as possible, and shelve any projects (even mental ones) that can wait. My diet becomes very clean. No coffee, alcohol, sugar, junk, and I drink a ton of water. Also, I eat a lot of small meals all day long. Your body needs nutrients when it's sick but doesn't want the energy burden of digesting large meals.

When the cold has turned the corner I begin moving more. I'll do low-level aerobic exercise and light yoga—restorative exercise. I'll build this gradually as I feel better, so that when the symptoms are gone I can hit it hard, right where I left off. When I follow my protocol strictly it will actually aid my fitness program in the long run.

Finally, there are times when you're sick when hard exercise might help, but it's rare. The most common is near the end of a cold, where the infection has run its course but you still have minor symptoms. You might have heard someone say, "I blew the cold out of my system" with exercise. Just be careful you don't try this too early or you'll get worse. Patience may not be your favorite part of training, but sometimes you gotta not do what you gotta not do.

Related Articles
"10 Tips to Get the Best Sleep Evert"
"5 Great Tricks to Ward Off a Cold [SLIDESHOW]"
"3 Steps to Beating Your Head Cold This Season"

Questions about your workout program, diet, the latest newsletter, or anything wellness related? Check the Team Beachbody Chat Room for the next impromptu video chat. Or, if you just can't wait, log onto the Information & Education section of the Team Beachbody Message Boards for questions, answers, and scintillating conversation.

I am beyond excited to announce the forming of my newest Challenge Group – P90x3!  We will begin Monday January 6 and be there to support and encourage each other for the entire 90 day program.  90 days seems like a long time, but these “P90” programs are so successful for a reason. 

Since P90X3 is not released until December 10^th, I am taking pre-registrations now.   Email me at thegoars@gmail.com for info on how to pre-register.

For the Challenge group I am recommending the Challenge Pack.

WHY SHOULD I BUY THE P90X3 CHALLENGE PACK?

The Challenge Pack is the best of the best deals.  The combination of P90X3 and Shakeology will get you the absolute best results possible, and you receive a LOT more for your money at the same time!  When you purchase the P90X3 Challenge Pack from me you’ll receive the following:

P90X3 Program DVDs

30 Full Shakeology Meal Replacement Shakes

P90X3 Nutrition Guide

90 Day P90X3 Calendar

Free Shipping

30-Day free Club Membership to Beachbody

ME, as your personal Coach!

The P90X3 Challenge Pack, which includes your entire workout program and the best meal replacement- Shakeology , for $205. BUT for a limited time, the Challenge Pack will be available to you for $180! This is an incredible deal considering the price for P90X3 alone will be around $120. You’ll get Shakeology for HALF the price! A $60 savings AND get FREE Shipping & Handling!

Here is what we’ve found out about the workout so far:

THE MUSCLE ACCELERATION SYSTEM • Studies shows that the most dramatic body transformations happen in the first 30 minutes of exercise. • Tony Horton took everything he’s proven with Muscle Confusion™ and Muscle Integration, and tailored new routines to take advantage of this science of shorter workouts. • The MUSCLE ACCELERATION SYSTEM combines a highly-structured schedule with an incredibly high level of intensity and an unprecedented variety of moves that keeps every muscle challenged for the full 30 minutes. • A 90-day extreme fitness program designed to get you ripped in just 30 minutes a day. Each one of the accelerated 30-minute workouts has been uniquely developed to produce the greatest physical change in your body, in the most efficient way.

The 90 Day Program : Three 30-Day Blocks • 16 30-Minute P90X-style workouts • 6 Days a Week • All you need is weights/bands, a way to do chin-ups (**I personally won’t be doing these, but will be using resistance bands to do seated rows instead), and 30 minutes/day. • a fitness guide • 90 day workout calendar to guide you through the 90 days.

 IMPORTANT NOTE – P90X3 is NOT a sequel to P90X or P90X2, nor is it a graduate program. • Users do not have to be in great shape or need to complete P90X or P90X2 in order to do P90X3.

X3 Schedule Choices • CLASSIC – Traditional balance of cardio and resistance, will help you gain muscle and lose fat • LEAN – Designed for those who prefer a more toned look, where you’ll target functionality, mobility and cardio over resistance training • MASS – For those looking for bulk over getting ripped, you will focus on more resistance training, while incorporating a higher caloric intake into your diet • DOUBLES – As Tony would say, this schedule is for workout “psychos” who have the ability to push through two workouts per day.

Watch the promo video below and get inspired!!!!

P90X3 Promo Video

Undoing the damage!!! Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse

Even though we swore we were not going to do it again this year we did…we OVER ATE.  And now we feel guilty and horrible and bloated.  I am here to help.  I will be putting on a Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse for those who want to undo the damage!

So what is a 3-Day Cleanse?  Well it is not a cleanse in the "traditional" sense.  I like to think of it as a kick-starting your body.  It is best used as a prep for a new workout routine.  So after your killer results on the 3- Day Cleanse, get started on a new workout routine, or increase your current one.  You will see an increase in your results!

The Science Behind the Shakeology 3-Day-CleanseI like to call the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse a "performance cleanse." This is because it was designed to be done with a workout program. Let's take a look at how this differs from other cleanses, how to tailor it to your needs, and what to expect.
First of all, it's not a true cleanse. It's a calorie-restricted and nutrient-dense diet plan. Traditional cleanses contain very few calories and nutrients. Compared to the much more popular Master Cleanse, it's like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Traditional cleansing diets are done to rid your system of toxins and bring it into homeostasis. They also contain a spiritual aspect. This process can take a long time, which is why you may have seen coworkers walking around the office in a zombie-like state for weeks on end—swilling a strange concoction of lemons and maple syrup.The Shakeology cleanse is nothing like that. Depending on how you decide to do it, you'll be eating frequently and consuming between 800 and 1,200 calories per day, and it could be even more should you feel the need. The point of this cleanse is not calorie restriction, per se—it's nutrient efficiency. The aim is to get the most nutrients possible into the fewest number of calories. The goal is to put all of these calories to use as a part of your exercise program, to rid your body of undigested foods and toxins, and to bring your hydration levels into homeostasis. The result you're after is not weight loss—though it will likely occur—but for your body to be running more efficiently. This should make you feel lighter and more energetic, even though you're doing an exercise program.
How It WorksYour eating structure doesn't change. You still eat every few hours while you're awake. Each meal should have a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. And while you're not eating as much food as you'd normally eat, your calorie-to-nutrient ratio is extremely high. This means that you shouldn't restrict the actual nutrients you're getting by too much, so activity can continue as normal.
Now for your one solid meal—a salad. As we all know from any salad bar, the definition of salad can be varied. The goal of the salad in the plan is to keep your calories coming from natural sources (no artificial ingredients should be added, including artificial salad dressing). Aside from that, you can add ingredients as necessary. Keep your meat intake to four ounces or less, but add veggies, seeds, nuts, fruits, and legumes in quantities to satiate you.The goal of the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse is to optimize your performance. You want to eat enough to fuel your day AND your workout. The foods you're eating are so high in fiber and nutrients that it's virtually impossible to overeat. You'll be consuming so much fiber, along with enzymes and digestive aids, that your body's ability to flush excess foods quickly will be at its peak.

So…. let's do this.  3 days.  9 packets.  I will ship you 9 packets of Shakeology at my cost, plus shipping.  That comes out to $50. I obviously make nothing on this transaction.  I just believe in Shakeology THAT much that I know you will love the way you feel.

Halloweenie fun

We had lots of pre Halloween fun this last weekend. We continued with our family costume tradition and dresses as characters from the Wizard of Oz.  Dan was the Scarecrow, I was the Wicked Witch, Denton was the Lion and Riley was Dorothy.  Can't believe we didn't get a pic of Denton in his Lion costume :( and now he won't wear it anymore. Haha

We went to a party at our friends house, shout out Modlins!! We played party games and Dan and I both won our respective strength contest of holding up a full glass beer stein the longest!  The kids all played together and we had a blast.

Saturday was Riley's school Halloween carnival. We had so much fun playing games and hanging out with friends. 

Salad anyone?

Anyone that knows me, knows I love salad.  I literally eat it every day for lunch at work and it is my main choice when out to eat.  Salads taste good, fill me up and most important are healthy.  But...if you aren't careful you can turn that healthy meal into less healthy than a piece of pizza!

Here are the 5 mistakes you can make to turn your healthy salad into a big old high calorie mess.

5 Mistakes You're Making at the Salad Bar

By Zack Zeigler

You can breathe a sigh of relief. We're going to spare you the lecture filled with impractical "rules" for what you should or shouldn't eat at the salad bar. Instead, we're going to level with you about how to refine a few of your salad bar habits with some practical tips.

Don't worry, that doesn't include discussing table napkin etiquette or a brief history of the salad fork (that's the smaller, shorter fork, by the way). But it does include tips for how you can eat the foods you want while keeping your diet in check.

Mistake #1: You Don't Realize Salad Isn't "Free"

You might avoid the iceberg and head straight for romaine, kale, spinach, and mixed greens, but it doesn't take much to ruin what could be a healthy meal. Calorie-dense add-ons like shredded cheese, pasta, or those crunchy sesame noodles won't cause your spare tire to inflate . . . if you are mindful that they are much higher in calories than nutrient-packed veggies like cucumbers and peppers, or fruits like apricots and tomatoes. (We know, we know—some of you consider tomato a vegetable. The outcome of the Supreme Court case Nix v. Hedden [1893] says you're wrong. Yes, the Supreme Court seriously spent time deciding that.)

Mistake #2: You Eat Too Much "Good" Fat

Fats are essential. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in salmon, eggs, olive oil, avocados, and nuts can help fight disease and regulate cholesterol levels. But an ounce of fat also contains more than twice as many calories as an ounce of carbohydrates or protein, so a truck-sized load of "good" fat on your plate still spells bad news for your gut.

Don't avoid fats entirely. Just don't pile 'em on. Use the thumb rule. When you're adding a serving of a fatty food, use about a thumb's worth. Generally, you don't need more than two thumbs' worth of fat on a salad, so maybe a wedge of avocado and a small spoonful of chopped nuts. (And you thought thumbs were just for rating movies.)

Mistake #3: Your Plate is Monochromatic

No need to hit every shade on the color wheel, but a hodgepodge of reds, oranges, yellows, and greens does more than pretty up your salad; it adds variety to your diet and delivers a variety of essential nutrients—particularly phytonutrients, which are unique to fruits and veggies—when consumed.

"Darker color veggies like broccoli, spinach, peppers, and carrots have the most nutritional value," explains Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD, about phytonutrients. "But each color—red cranberries, white onions, orange carrots, green peppers—has different antioxidant properties and different ways to protect against things like cancer or heart disease."

Since variables like your sex, age, and how active you are determine how many fruits and vegetables you should consume per day, let this plug-and-play calculator from the Center from Disease Control and Prevention crunch the numbers for you.

Mistake #4: You Avoid Carbs

If you've turned your back on carbs, fearing they'll make you fat, it's time to put your hat in hand and apologize to them. Carbohydrates don't make you fat (hint: lettuce—and all other vegetables—are carbs); consuming too many calories does. So if you're training hard, you most likely want to go heavier on the healthy carbs, given they're your body's primary fuel source.

"Body weight can increase after a carbohydrate-rich meal because carbs hold water in the body," Clark says. "When you carbo-load, for every ounce of carbohydrates you store in your muscle as glycogen, you store about three ounces of water. So when someone eats a bunch of pasta and wakes up the next day feeling like they've gained two pounds, they have gained water weight, not fat."

Mistake #5: You Really Love Dressing

We've all done it; after pouring our blood, sweat, and tears into making a perfectly balanced salad, the whole operation goes kablooey after we drown it in an inch of dressing.

"Put the dressing in a side dish, dip your fork into the dressing, and then stab a forkful of salad," she suggests. "You can also dilute the dressing with water, vinegar, or even some milk if it's a creamy dressing." Clark adds, "A little bit of dressing on a big salad can be a lot of dressing. Say three tablespoons of dressing is 200 calories. If you have six tablespoons worth of dressing, that's 400 calories. So if you're using all of it, you could have had a piece of pizza."

Sunny San Francisco

This past weekend Dan and I went to San Francisco for his Annual Masonic Communication.  We left the kids with their grandma so we could have some fun on our own.

We did a little sightseeing, a little nightlife and we got to visit with some old friends who moved to San Francisco. Plus Dan's mom and Dan drove in a few hours to have dinner with us. 

We had a blast but couldn't wait to get back home to see the kids

Dan and his Mom

Me and Dan's Dad

Me and my not so little nephew 

Pier 39

Our friend Nao who lives in SF

I went on a tour of the Walt Disney Museum

View of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Museum

Walt's first Mickey Mouse creations

The original Disneyland proposal

Miniature Disneyland display

One of the many newspaper cartoons published when Walt Disney died

Our amazing hotel

Me, Amanda, Lindsey and Nao at the Top of the Mark

Amanda, me and Lindsey who just moved to SF

Grand Master's Ball

Me and Dan at the Top of the Mark

This is your brain on.....exercise

Your Brain on Exercise

By Tony Horton

There was an astonishing article in Newsweek a few weeks back that just blew my mind/brain/cranium/noggin. Here's what I've learned from this article and further research. We all know that working out and exercising do amazing things for our body, and the benefits, other than weight loss and getting fit, are endless. Most of us also know that when our hearts, legs, and lungs get pumping, we feel much better than if we did nothing. Turns out that doing 20 minutes or more of cardiovascular and/or high-paced resistance workouts affects every aspect of our lives. The great thing about the Newsweek article is that it really laid out the scientific findings over the last few years. Here's the scope. When you're forced to pull more oxygen into the body through exercise, you break what's called "the blood-brain barrier." It happens when you climb a long flight of stairs and when you're busting through any kind of workout that gets your heart rate pumping. This oxygen-filled blood makes its way into the temporal lobe of the brain. Inside that temporal lobe is an area called thehippocampus. Inside the hippocampus lies the seahorse-shaped area known as the dentate gyrus. As you exercise, these oxygen-filled blood cells rush into this area of the brain. A chemical/protein called IGF-1 is formed and released inside the dentate gyrus, which ramps up another chemical/molecule called BDNF; both IGF-1 and BDNF are "Miracle-grow" for the brain. Studies with kids right up to seniors have proven that high-paced workouts (www.milliondollarbody.com Power 90®, Power Half Hour®, Power 90® Master Series, P90X®, Tony & the Kids!, etc.) cause the release of these chemicals into the brain. Combine this with even more "brain drugs" like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine and you've got yourself a feel-good party in your head. Aerobic physical movement causes the release of these chemicals, and they all help you focus and give you energy when you need it. They also help you relax and rest properly. It's like a homemade chemistry set inside your skull that produces a cocktail that simulates the effects of Prozac and Ritalin. Children who play outdoors more often score better on tests than kids who don't. Regular physical activity improves memory, mood, and problem-solving abilities. Consistent exercise raises self-esteem and decreases anxiety. Study after study has proven that people who exercise 5 to 6 days a week greatly decrease their need for psychotherapeutic drugs. If your brain goes without regular bouts of exercise, the hippocampus will shrink and erode, which can lead to neurological illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease. When the dentate gyrus is stimulated, neuro-genesis or neuro-plasticity occurs. I'm not talking about just slowing the aging process, I'm telling you that the brain creates new cells through exercise—brand new cells that assist in the reversal of aging. If you're looking for the fountain of youth, you can find it inside your head every time you exercise for more than 20 minutes.