ASYLUM COMPLETE!

I finished the Asylum.  It was quite the challenge, but I completed it yesterday.  I saw some great results for a 30 day programs too.  Here is what I got.


Here are my Assessment results!

Agility Heisman - Day 1; 6.5.....Day 30; 7
In and out ab progression - Day 1; 17.....Day 30; 24
Pull ups - Day 1; 12.....Day 30; 16
Mountain climber switch kicks - Day 1; 45.....Day 30; 58
Agility Shoulder taps - Day 1; 3.....Day 30; 4.5
X jumps - Day 1; 17.....Day 30; 21
Moving push ups - Day 1; 2.....Day 30; 3
Agility Lateral shuffle - Day 1; 11.5.....Day 30; 12
Agility Bear crawl - Day 1; 4.....Day 30; 6

Measurements (first number is before second is after)

Weight 234, 230
waist 41, 40
hips 38.5, 41 (I think my glute muscles got bigger)
chest 47.5, 48
arms 16.5, 16.25
thighs 23, 22.5
Body fat 20.2, 16.8

If you are curious about this or other products then shoot me an e-mail at coach_sean75@yahoo.com

If you are interested in purchasing this or other products check out Http://beachbodycoach.com/coachseanx

Or click one of the banners here on the blog!  I am a believer in them!

Days 16 to 24 in the Asylum

Sorry I haven't posted more.  Basically, my internet is on the fritz and my carrier is not too much concerned about fixing it. 

I have sontinued to push myself harder.  Giving everything I got in these workouts.  Pushing beyond belief.  My body is beat all day from the workouts.  The next day though I feel ready to take on the world.  That is until I do the next workout.  ;)

I notice each time, that I seem to be able to push a little harder, and go a little farther in the workouts.  I have sic workouts left.  I am looking forward to finishing.  I am going to hit the finish line with everything I got!!!!

Days 14 and 15 of Asylum

Day 14 was relief.  Stretching those tight muscles to loosen them up.  Preparing them from more of the assault that is to come.

Day 15 - Speed and Agility.  I am moving a lot faster through the ladder.  I am also doing more plank work for longer periods.   I still hate bear crawls though.  They are my arch nemesis.  That is all the more reason to do them though.  To make my self good at them!! 

Days 10 to 13 of Insanity the Asylum

Day 10 - Relief - Lots of stretching, just what the body needed.

Day 11 - Game day - Great workout I pushed hard.  My guts weren't too happy, it being Thanksgiving and all, but I pushed through the best i could.

Day 12 - Back to core - Able to do more and more reps.  Each week I push harder and the results are showing.

Day 13- Strength - Pushed hard- sweaty mess.  I love it.  I am getting better with all the workouts everytime i do them.  i am able to push a little further each time.  Talk about awesomeness!

Day 9 Vertical Plyo

Vertical Plyo is complete!  I tired.  Took my Results and Recovery and now waiting for my lunch to cook.  I did more reps over all, my distance hasn't increased with my jumps but that will come I am sure.  I never was much of a jumper.

Gotta get ready for work so this will be a shorter blog.  Take care!

Day 8 - Asylum Back to core

Back to core again today.  More reps completed and other poses held for longer.  This is a great workout.  I still got to work on the flexibility in my shoulders and triceps.  Those reverse planks are a beast.  I am still amazed at how much I have advanced in just a week.  This is definitely a program that will give results!!!

Between this program, Shakeology, and the Results and Recovery Formula I feel like a beast! 

Days 5-7 of Insanity the asylum

I missed the last two days.  So I am combining Days 5-7 here.

Day 5 - REST DAY!  Much deserved and much earned.  The first 4 days of Asylum were rough.  I got through them.  I am seeing results already and feeling much stronger.  I also feel really sore.  It was a great workout.  I loved it!

Day 6 - Speed and Agility - Still just as tough but got more reps in.  Quite a few more.  Surprising for 1 week of a workout.  I expected a few more reps but it really increased.

Day 7 (Today) - Strength - Weights increased with some sets and reps increased for others.  It all depended on if there was a set number of reps to do (weight) or max reps.  I feel so alive, even though I am beat so bad that I will feel all the pain tomorrow.  Pain is just weakness leaving your body. 

DAY 4 Insanity: The Asylum Vertical Plyo

Vertical plyo, I was already sore from the rest of the week so I guess Shaun T said, "Hey.  If you think you are sore now, try this."  It hurts to walk.  Stairs make my legs feel like jello.  I hurt.  There is no other way to describe it.  I hurt. 

It is a good hurt though.  When you feel sore, it means you have worked your body and made it use muscles that aren't used to being used that way.  It makes you stronger.  Don't fear being sore.  If you aren't sore, you didn't work hard enough.

Day 3 of Asylum- Back to core.

Today marked day 3 of Insanity: The Asylum Back to Core.  It lives up to its name.  It really works the back and the core area.  All with body weight and a band.  Insane.  Asylum is living up to all of its promises.  I can see results happening after just 3 days! 

I am starving now also.  My Metabolism is boosted through the roof.  I had Chocolate Shakeology with peanut butter and banana for breakfast.  A P90X Results and recovery shake post workout.  Then for lunch I had 2 chicken thighs, a cup of baby potatoes, and a cup of green beans.  I even threw in a small hand full of pretzels.  It doesn't feel like I ate at all. I will have a protein bar in a moment to hold me until dinner.  This is some crazy stuff!  I am loving it though!

Day 2 of the Asylum _ Strength

Today was day 2 of Insanity: The Asylum - Strength.  It was a real challenge.  My body is totally thrashed.  It is a whole new level.  I was only using 15 pound dumb bells.  They were plenty!  Then on the pyramid pullups/push ups I had to break out the pull up assist band after the third set.  For rock climbers I had to use a chair to hold help me up.  I didn't use them predominantly.  I used more arm and back than leg.  Check back tomorrow to see where my progress is!

If you are looking for someone to help you with your fitness then go to Http://beachbodycoach.com/coachseanx

Then join.  I will coach you for free and help you reach your goals.

DAY ONE OF ASYLUM

Today was Speed and Agility.  I am a graduate of P90X, P90X plus, and Insanity.  I think that those were just a warm up.  I was so thrashed for the ENTIRE day.  Needless to say I am not going to quit.  I am going to keep pushing, and I am going to overcome the obstacles in my path.  Don't let walls stop you, bust through them. 

Commited to the Asylum

I committed myself.  You heard that right.  I went to the Asylum.  Insanity: The Asylum.  Shaun T's newest workout.  I completed the Performance test today (Day Zero).  My results were as follows. 

Agility Heisman - 6.5
In and out ab progression - 17
Pull ups - 12
Mountain climber switch kicks - 45
Agility Shoulder taps - 3
X jumps - 17
Moving pushups - 2
Agility ladder shuffle - 11.5
Agility bear crawl - 4

Tomorrow starts Day 1 and I plan on pushing myself to the extreme.  I will try to blog daily. 

Are you a 70 percenter?

People spend hours at the gym at a time to get that perfect body they have always dreamed of.  They push and pull and squat like there is no tomorrow.  They run for miles, swim lap after lap, bike mile after long mile.  Yet they are still the same.  Many don't get any closer to their goals and they give up.  It isn't that their body just won't get there.  It is that they don't know how to eat.

The way you eat is 70% of how you mold your body.  It is 70% of how healthy you are.  It is 70% of what you need to do to reach your fitness goals.  The portions you are eating at 70% of the amount of weight you need to lose or gain.  Working out, is only 30% of those goals. 

Ever hear the expression, "You are what you eat."?  If you are putting junk in, you can bet you are going to get junk out.  If you want to look like Adonis or Aphrodite then you got to eat clean and work out dirty.  That means whole foods, in their appropriate portions.  If you eat clean but still eat double the portions, you are still not going to see the results you desire.  When you go grocery shopping, try to stay to the outer aisles.  These are going to be your healthier choices.  If you are going to buy processed foods look at the ingredients, if it contains high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, corn sugar or sugar period and you aren't getting a cake for an occasion, leave it.  If there are ingredients that you don't know or can't pronounce, LEAVE IT! 

Why would you want to leave it?  Your body has to process those chemicals.  Some of those chemicals stay in your body and prohibit the nutrients your cells need from entering.  You can eat how you want or you can be healthy.  You can't have it both ways. 

Sometimes you may be out and unable to eat clean.  This won't bother you occasionally, however, if you want to stay on that clean eating kick, then take some fruit with you.  I love to take a shaker cup, Shakeology and maybe a P90X protein bar.  That will usually satisfy me for three to four hours.  If you want to know more about them then you can go to Http://beachbodycoach.com/coachseanx

You can also check out the programs there too.  They come with a nutrition plan so it takes the guess work out of everything.

Eat clean and work out dirty.

Winter Goals

How are things going?  I hope all finds you well.  We are getting to a cooler part of the year.  Many people slow up their fitness goals in the winter.  They tend to think about homey things.  Things that warmed them like curling up on the couch under a blanket, watching a movie, while eating those sugary snacks, sipping hot cocoa.  People also tend to forget about their workouts this time of year.

Now is not the time to slack off.  You should be bringing it just as hard as ever.  The cooler months is when your body wants to add that extra fat.  That fat you worked so hard to take off.  Don't make it a chore to remove once again.  Keep it off and improve upon the foundation you already have established!  If you have hit your goals, then make NEW ones.  Always look to improve.  That is how we live life to the fullest.

Nevermind the haters

You are achieving your goals, you are in the best shape of your life.  You have worked your butt off.  You are feeling good and your confidence is through the roof.  Then it happens.  Some person eating a triple cheese burger with a belly that laps over their belt comes along and says you not healthy.  You are anorexic.  You are hurting yourself. 

They are the haters.  They are the ones that think they know all the answers but the only goal they have is to visit every destination that "Man Vs. Food" has taped and win the records.  You bust your butt for your health.  They say "you don't live forever."  They are everywhere.  They think they know better.  Yet they have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and/or type 2 diabetes. 

Do not take what these people have to say to heart.  They are generally jealous.  They have been unable to achieve much in their lives.  They don't have any goals and usually stay where they are or sink lower.  Rise above these people.  Turn the tides on them.  INVITE THEM to work out WITH YOU!  Tell them you would be more than happy to help them get healthy too.  9 times out of 10 they will refuse.  But you extended the olive branch.  They were the ones that batted it away.  Then when they continue to put you down you have the upper hand.  Just continue to smile and extend the olive branch.  Who knows.  They may actually take you up on it!

What's the point?

There are some out there that say, "What's the point? I don't want to look like a Barbie Doll."  Or they say that they don't need to look good. 

Here is a news flash!  You don't need to look like Barbie or G.I. Joe.  The point of fitness is to keep your health in check.  To keep your heart healthy and your brain stroke free.  To control your insulin levels.  To have a better quality of life.  For most, they don't care what they look like.  How they look is just a side effect of how they live their life.

Do you have kids or grand kids?  How would you like to be able to keep up with them and enjoy them?  How about living life with them instead of watching from the side lines.  This is what health and fitness is about.  It isn't about getting ripped so you can look good to people you are attracted to.  It is about living your life. 

Until next time, EAT CLEAN and WORKOUT DIRTY!

Pushing past the negativity

We all have issues around us that affect our lives.  We certainly don't need other people adding to that.  I am talking about people I like to refer to as "the negative nannies."  These are people that appear to never be happy, always complain and act like there is no way out of a situation.  Ever hear the saying "misery loves company?"  This is them. Rather than wallow in their own misery, they tend to lower the moral of others so that they can feel up.  They say that if you are around a type of crowd for 5 years you will become that.  So be around people that are negative nannies and within 5 years you will start being that way too.  Unhappy, bitter, and lack of focus. 

There are ways to combat this.  You don't need to become a negative nanny.  First, do not surround yourself with these people.  If there is someone in your circle that is negative then cut them out!  You do not need their influence.  Tell them why if you want.  Rather than try to change their outlook on life though, they will start bashing you.  A negative nanny thinks nothing is their fault and it is everyone and everything around them. 

You may have to work around these people though.  It is a little harder to avoid them this way.  One thing though is when they start saying something negative put a positive spin on it.  For instance, if they are complaining about the employer you both work for, tell them that at least we got a job and that there are thousands of others that would love to be in their position.

Remember, stay away from negative nannies.  They will bring you down and that is not something you need.  It will affect everything you do.  Including getting your own goals accomplished. 

Craving that candy bar? STOP!

Ever sat there and HAD to have a candy bar or that ice cream sundae or even that soda?  You were CRAVING it.  It was all you wanted at that moment.  That is because your body loves sugar.  Sugar is converted into energy.  The simpler the sugar the more your body wants it.  It is easier to process than complex sugars. But there is a problem.  All the sugar that isn't used, gets stored as fat.  And unfortunately the body will use new sugar before it uses the stored fat for energy.  This means any unused sugar gets stored into the fat cells, which makes the fat cells (and your waistline) grow bigger. 

If you are tying to lose weight and slim that waist line I know it is a struggle to avoid those sugary confections and soda.  Especially when you have been consuming them for so long.  The secret is to retrain your body.  Stop eating all those processed foods (yes even the ones that claim they are healthy, in the freezer aisle) and start making your food from scratch.  Yes, that takes more time.  Yes, it can be inconvenient.  You can prepare them in advance and freeze or package them so that you can easily grab them throughout the week. 

But what to do about those sugar cravings.  I recommend eating a piece of fruit.  One candy bar can have 300 calories.  An apple will have around 75.  Big difference.  The sugar from an apple will also be released steadily, over a period of time.  It will give you more sustained energy as opposed to a candy bar which will spike and then make you crash. 

Sugar also messes with your body's insulin production.  This leads to complications such as type 2 diabetes.  By eating the complex sugars, such as fruit,  you are actually promoting healthy blood levels.  Your insulin doesn't spike, but is released over a period of time.  You also get a more sustained energy. 

I also recommend Shakeology.  It helps to control your blood levels and gives you all the nutrients you need for the day.  You can find out more about it at Http://myshakeology.com/coachseanx

Not seeing results? Here are some reasons you could be failing.

I know people that hot the gym everyday and never see results.  They don't understand why and think it is genetics.  It isn't genetics, it is something they are doing wrong.  If you are willing to make changes to renew your results then keep reading.  If you think you got all the answers then you can either stop and go on to something else or keep reading to tell me how wrong I am. 

1- Nutrition is utmost.  If you aren't eating clean then you will have to work harder to get results, if you get them at all.  What is my point?  Work smarter not harder.  Nutrition is 80% of your fitness.  If your nutrition is bad then your fitness will be bad.  Many say that you can eat whatever you want as long as you work out.  These people are wrong.  I also consider them lazy.  They are trying to justify the way they eat because they work out.  Eat clean.  Fresh fruits and vegetables should be the main staple of your diet.  Followed by meats.  Followed by seeds, nuts and legumes and finally grains.  I know, it is a little backwards from the USDA but the research I have done suggests that this will give you the energy you need while accelerating your results. 

2- a) I have seen many people in a gym talking more than they work out.  Or b) they work on the same muscle group.  Or C) they are afraid to sweat.  Yes you heard that last one right.  I have actually heard men and women say that they don't want to sweat because that may be a turn off for someone of the opposite sex.  Let's break these down.

     a- Every time you stop to take a break you are losing the burn.  And the longer you talk to others the more you lose the focus of your workout.  Keep your focus.  You will get a better workout. 
     b- You need to mix it up on the muscle groups.  Doing the bench press every time you go to the gym isn't going to make you bigger.  Nor is it going to help you get into the best shape of your lives.  Mix up your workouts.  Work ALL of your muscle groups.  Make a schedule.  And throw some cardio in.
     c- If you are in the gym to pick up someone or flirt.  You are there for the wrong reason.  You should be there for you, not to impress some hunk or hottie.  Focus on yourself and ignore the meat.

I hope this helps.  Eat clean and Workout dirty!

Find your Why

I want you to sit and think for a moment.  What is it that moves you in life?  Is it family?  Nature?  Sports?  What is it that motivates you?  What is it that you are always eager to get to?  Now ask yourself this.  What if you were unable to enjoy those things?

What if your health was so bad that you couldn't enjoy your family activities and they made you too tired?  Or what if they are just too difficult to do?

What if you couldn't go out and enjoy a walk in the woods and take in the wild life?

What if you couldn't enjoy sporting events because the excitement of them might be too much for you?

Would life be that enjoyable anymore?  Would it be worth it to watch everyone else enjoying the stuff you love while you had to sit on the side lines? 

That thing, no matter what it is, is your why.  Why you need to eat right.  Why you need to exercise.  Why you need to take control of your health.  That is your motivation.  Not some small white guy with an afro and shorty shorts.  Your motivation comes from you.  All you get from others is encouragement. 

You are the master of your health!  Take control of it.  I can help you.  You just have to want it.  E-mail me at coach_sean75@yahoo.com if you have questions or need help getting started.  Or you can go to Http://beachbodycoach.com/coachseanx.

The ball is in your court!  What are you going to do?

Self motivation

Hi!  It's me again.  I know I haven't blogged in a while but life got a hold of me and I was really busy.  I still managed to get my workouts in though.  I did not let my busy lifestyle get in the way of my workouts I FOUND the time and if it wasn't there, I MADE the time.  I told myself that I was in control of my health and I backed it up.


Many people have daily affirmations that they say.  Things like, "I will reach this goal."  "I will be happy."  And many many more.  However they are just words if you don't do what is needed to back up what you tell yourself.  Telling yourself that you will lose 3 pounds this week then eating fast food and not exercising everyday isn't going to do it.  At the end of the day, if you don't do what you need to then all you are is another day older.

People also set unrealistic goals.  This leads to failure and a lowering of their morale.  For instance, saying you are going to lose 15 pounds this week is a little unrealistic unless you are on the "Biggest Loser."  When you miss the goal you feel demotivated and many times want to give up.  Setting a goal such as, 3 pounds is much healthier and easier to achieve. 

At the end of the day, when you look in the mirror, you have to be accountable to you.

Sean Knowles
Independent Beachbody Coach
Leavenworth, KS

Hydration

     With the summer months approaching and people getting ready to go outside to enjoy the weather I figured it would be a good idea to talk about hydration.  Water is vital for everything we do, including cooling our bodies. 

     Our bodies are mainly water.  Our brain alone is 98% water.  Our brain sees to all of our vital functions.  A drop as little as two percent can affect every process in your body.  This leads to our hearts not performing at peak, our metabolisms dropping, our energy levels lowering, our mental acuity lowering, and sometimes an over all "sick" feeling.  Two percent!  That isn't much. 

     The question is how much should we drink.  If all you are doing is staying inside and being pretty sedentary then you may only need 64 ounces.  That is 8 - 8 ounce glasses of water a day.  But what if you are working out, out in the heat, swimming at the pool, or just going for a walk?  You need to be drinking A LOT more.  Sports drinks are all fine and help with electrolyte replenishment but they also contain a lot of sugar.  Diluting a sports drink 50 percent sport drink and 50 percent water is a better choice.  It provides more of a vessel for the electrolytes to travel through the body and replenish you. 

     Caffeine and alcohol are you enemies when it comes to staying hydrated.  For every caffeinated or alcoholic beverage you drink you have to drink 2 waters of the same size to replenish what you will lose.  Even then you need to drink a third water to try and stay a head of the game.  Don't let yourself get dehydrated because it can take hours or even days to rehydrate.

     Finally, how do you determine how hydrated you are?  One method is your urine color.  If your urine is clear to light yellow you are doing great.  However if it is darker in color you need to start pushing fluids.  If you haven't had to urinate for more than 2 hours.  You need to push water.  If you stop sweating, feel fatigued or start cramping, you need to get out of the heat and slowly start drinking water.  I will go into more with those symptoms in my next post.

Keep pushing play!

Sean Knowles
Independent Beachbody Coach
Leavenworth, KS

Nutrition is 80% of Fitness!

When it comes to fitness many think that they can eat whatever as long as they work out.  That is a big no.  Your body needs certain nutrients and throwing empty calories in thinking that will do it, will actually cause you to retain the fat you are trying to burn!  If you are working hard to improve your overall fitness then give your body what it needs.  If you have cravings, you are probably missing a nutrient in that food.  Eat a healthier option.  Here are some tips that will help you. 

If you want something sweet get a piece of fruit.  The natural sugars will release slowly into your system preventing the spike.  It is also less calories. Not to mention the fiber aids in digestion.

If you are going to be out and about take a bottle of water and something healthy like fruit or nuts (unsalted!).  Almonds and walnuts are a good choice due to natural appetizer suppressants in them.  It will keep you satisfied.  Also nuts are a good source of protein and GOOD fats.

If you know you you are going to be out during meal time and won't be anywhere to get a healthy meal, grab a Shakeology.  It will provide all the nutrients your body needs and tastes good.  It also helps reduce cravings.  If you want to find out more about this great product go to Http://myshakeology.com/coachseanx 

Try and eat every 2.5 to 3 hours.  This will help to keep your hunger in check so that you do not gorge yourself at meal time. Eat slower too.  It takes time for the stomach to signal the brain that it is full. 

Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day.  It helps keep your body in check.  If you are sweating a lot then drink more.

Finally Keep a food journal!  We can easily over or under estimate our calories.  By keeping a food journal you will know how much you have consumed.  Even if it is just a stick of gum, LOG IT!

I hope this helps you reach your goals!  If you need to contact me then you can reach me at coach_sean75@yahoo.com and www.facebook.com/coachseanx

The Importance of Sleep

As time becomes more and more precious and our plates become fuller we rarely seem to have time to ourselves.  We try to make up this time by staying up late and taking in those precious moments.  What happens when we do that though?  We lose the precious hours of sleep that we all crave! 

Sleep helps us to rest, sure, but sleep also helps us in all things dealing with our health.  Sleep helps our bodies repair from injury.  Sleep helps our bodies to grow.  Sleep also helps our immune system to fight illness.  Lack of sleep can also increase stress levels.

How much sleep do we need?  Research recommends 7 to 9 hours.  That seems to be the "magic" number that benefits the body most.  Other research has also found that there is a time period we should be sleeping.  This research contends that sleeping between the hours of 10 PM and 6 AM benefit the body most.  Through natural cycles that our bodies follow, our bodies repair themselves between 10 PM and 2 AM and rest from 2 AM to 6 AM. 

What happens when you don't get enough sleep?  For starters your metabolism will slow down.  Your mental acuity is greatly diminished.  Your response time goes down.   Your ability to fight infections and viruses is compromised.  Who wants all that?  Sure caffeine, sugar, and energy drinks can temporarily give you the artificial alertness you may be craving, but they just mask the problem.  They don't solve it. 

In short....MAKE TIME FOR YOUR BODY TO SLEEP AND RECOVER!  It is much better than staying up to watch the late show while you are fighting fatigue.

Sean Knowles
Independent Beachbody Coach

Getting the lead out

There are many fitness blogs out there.  All sorts of suggestions to follow and most of them are good.  Most of them give sound advice.  Well, this is another one of those blogs.  It has been around for a while but hasn't had much action.  I am therefore  REINVENTING IT! 

Let me first introduce myself.  My name is Sean Knowles and I am from Leavenworth, KS.  I go by CoachseanX on twitter and my facebook page is Http://www.facebook.com/coachseanx.  I also have a "like page" on facebook.  Just type in CoachSeanX and it should pop right up.  I am a supervisor in a maximum security prison, E-6 medic in the National Guard, a former S.W.A.T. officer for a police agency, and a Independent Beachbody Coach.  That last one may through you off but basically, I am an independent distributor for products like Turbo Jam, P90X, Insanity, Shakeology, and so much more.  I also help motivate people to get into shape.

The biggest problem most people have is starting an exercise program.  Finding the time and energy.  I know it is hard.  I sometimes have that same issue.  I do not let it stop me though.  I find time to do something!  But what about the energy?  Surprisingly you will actually have more energy working out.  You just got to do it!  Get off the couch, turn off the TV (unless you are using it to do P90X or other great workout from Beachbody :D ), and get moving.  Your health will thank you over time.  Your blood sugars will go down, your blood pressure will get better, cholesterol will diminish.  All from becoming more active!  So, GET THE LEAD OUT! 

If you are interested in seeing the products I have, go to http://beachbodycoach.com/coachseanx or http://myshakeology.com/coachseanx .   Look me up on Twitter and Facebook!  Have a great day and get moving!