Happy Holidays and HAPPY NEW YEAR from Monster Home Fitness!

We had a very busy Holiday break here at the Hudgens household. We took a short trip to Cancun before Christmas to escape the cold here in Dallas and we had a blast.  After what seemed like a short Holiday break the kiddos are back in school and 2012 as begun. Everyone always makes their new year resolutions to lose weight, or be healthy, or get fit. But you have to actually commit if you want to see the changes take place. Ask yourself, how many times have you told yourself you were going to lose weight as your new year resolution? And whether it's 5 pounds or 50 pounds have you lost that weight yet?

Chances are you've lost a couple pounds but still want to shed some of that excess weight. Well we at Monster Home Fitness have all the answers and solutions for your fitness needs. 

First things first. Your nutrition. Like Tony Horton says 

So you HAVE to make the right decisions EVERY SINGLE TIME you open your fridge or pantry door. Our best recommendation is with SHAKEOLOGY. If you've never heard of Shakeology it is the very best in meal replacement nutrition. It's 5 trips to the salad bar, all your fruits and veggies for the day its simply incredible. If you've never tried Shakeology and would like to then let us know ASAP. Comment on this post or go back to our home page and click on our free sample button!

Second we have to work on your fitness.

Thus  and then eventually .

I've done P90X 22 times all the way through and I have achieved incredible results! As you may or may not know, P90X2 has just recently in the past month been released. Being good friends with Tony Horton I got a chance to be in the new videos. I'm in the P.A.P Upper P90X2 DVD! I told myself when I started P90X that one day I would be the ripped guy in the video working out with Tony Horton and look at me now. The same exact thing could happen for you! If you commit then anything can happen. If you want to lose 5 pounds of 50 pounds P90X is the right first step for you! I wouldn't recommend P90X2 until you've completed P90X first. It's a whole different ball game. If you have any questions about nutrition, fitness, health and wellness then we offer FREE coaching! All you have to do is take that first step and ask! Leave a comment or email us at robert@monsterhomefitness.com or to my wife Melissa at Melissa@monsterhomefitness.com

How Long Will Team Beachbody Continue - Carl Daikeler

Somebody asked me the other day how long I would keep working to build Team Beachbody if it doesn’t quickly meet my goal of a million coaches helping 100 million people.  The question is fair, but it shows a misunderstanding of my intent behind the effort to build the Team Beachbody Coach network.

It is not just about a means to grow the business. It is not a clever way to sell more product.

I believe that in over a century of declining health, we have found the way to get people healthy again:  Real Fitness + Real Nutrition + Peer Support + Financial Rewards.

It’s not an easy sell, because it takes work. It takes the realization that the least expensive way to stay healthy is to make sure that we’re feeding our body TRULY substantial nutrition. And it means that we can no longer expect anyone to exercise, eat better, and understand the difference between quality nutrition and pretend nutrition without the courage of someone standing up for it. Those who do put that together deserve to be well paid for it. And I see that formula getting people healthy every single day.

It’s not just about a new miracle fitness product. It’s not just about a simple way to cut calories. It’s not just about a business model that might or might not work.

The Team Beachbody formula is how people get healthy, regain their vitality, and achieve a healthy fulfilling life. Asking me how long I will keep promoting Team Beachbody is like asking Magellan how long he is going to tell people the earth is not flat, AFTER he sails around the globe. The earth is not flat. Whether everyone believes it or not.

Fitness + Nutrition + Peer Support + Financial Rewards = Success, whether a million people sign up to advocate it or not. Whether some people experience it but then decide to promote a gimmick to make a buck or not, there are no short cuts to real success and a strong metabolism. This is what I have seen work, so this is what I promote. Team Beachbody is here to stay. Whether it grows fast or grows slow.

There will always be a those of us who have made it our mission to Help People Achieve Their Goals To Lead Healthy Fulfilling Lives.

Are there faster ways to make money? Ask the fast food companies. Are there easier ways to sell weight loss? Just walk through the diet section of the grocery store. Is there another way to end the trend of obesity? No… It is Real Fitness + Real Nutrition + Peer Support + Financial Rewards = Success.  Team Beachbody is here to stay.

Tony Horton was on Dr.Oz 10.31.11, see what you missed!

Tony Horton fitness guru was on the Dr.Oz show yesterday 10.31.11. He did a special 10 minute daily workout that's a quick and easy way to shed pounds and get toned.

This Miracle Plan is divided up into 3 Steps.

1. 90-10 Diet
2. Accountability Calender
3. Working Out

Step 1:

The 90-10 Diet. Which is 90% healthy food and 10% not so healthy. Tony says its all about finding ways to make the healthy things taste good. "Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats. You know I don't like steamed vegetables either but ya know you put salsa on them and all of a sudden they taste good". You want to look down at your plate and see color. If you have 90% healthy meal then you can slip in half a brownie for dessert. 

Us here at Monster Home Fitness recommend the same. We follow his nutritional tips as well. Whole grain instead of white flour. Opt in for the Parkay fake butter instead of even the I Cant Believe Its Not Butter. Non-fat cheese and etc... If you actually make a list and think about what you're putting into your body and next time you go to the store if you actually buy the right (I mean healthy) ingredients/groceries then you'll start to make a difference.

Step 2: Be Accountable

Tony said, "I've been keeping this calender for over 30 years and I write down appointments with myself because my health and fitness is priority 1."

Write down your appointments and then at the end of the day cross them out and hope you have filled more than half the month. Some months Tony workouts 19 days in a row, some weeks only 5 times a week but that is the MINIMUM. No less than 5 days a week. 

Melissa and I try and workout every single day. Some days because of errands or just spending time with the kids we can't but I can tell you for a fact that we workout 5 days a week.

Step 3: 10 Min Workout

This is the 8 step 10min workout that Tony gives for this Miracle Plan to help lose weight and get toned.

#1 The Push Up Side Arm Balance

You want to do 8 of those each side. 

#2 30 Seconds of feet drills. 

Just 30 seconds of basic feet drills to get the heart pumpin.

#3 Fifer Scissors

We all know the P90X famous Fifer Scissors from Ab Ripper X

#4 Plyo Lunges x15

#5 Two Dog Push-Up. Tony combines upward dog and downward dog with a two step pushup.

#6 Hook-Upper Cut-Back Kick

#7 Abernome (think metranome but with your legs working your abs)

#8 Spider Man Squats

Basically a squat reach touch jump spin.

That's it! We don't all have time for 30+ minute daily workouts and I understand that. Before I was with Beachbody I was a firefighter working hard hours and I didn't have all the time I wanted but I made it work anyways. Sometimes you just have to make it happen if you want it bad enough.

Here are the video links so you can watch the videos for yourself as well.

Intro Video (about 4 mins)

The 10 Minute Miracle Plan with Tony Horton on Dr. Oz

WE GO BOTH WHEYS by Carl Daikeler. BRAND NEW SHAKEOLOGY INFO!

Our CEO Carl Daikeler recently put out this blog. Check it out.

"Recently, we’ve received some questions about what constitutes a good source of protein and what is suspect.

In fact we’ve seen some leading opinion makers start to criticize whey protein isolate -  apparently to justify their own line of protein products. The arguments regarding whey protein isolate vs. whey protein concentrate which I have read are usually one-dimensional and fail to paint a complete picture of the benefits found in both types of whey protein.

On behalf of Beachbody’s formulation and scientific experts, I’ve asked our team to dispel the myths about whey and clear up some of the confusion. Below, we describe why we feel whey protein isolate is appropriate if not more favorable than other dairy-sources of protein, and by far more desirable than soy – even for my vegan wife and Shakeology co-formulator, Isabelle.

Myth #1: Protein isolates are proteins stripped away from their nutritional co-factors.

Whey protein isolate is the most pure and concentrated form of whey protein available. It contains 90% or more protein and very little (if any) fat and lactose. While it is possible that some nutritional co-factors found in whey protein concentrate are not found in isolates, consider that the synthesis of whey protein isolate with the over 70 organic compounds and super foods in our Shakeology product provide a comprehensive and bio-available spectrum of nutrients for the human body. Whey protein isolate is also an exceptional choice for individuals with lactose intolerance or who experience bloating and other problems associated with whey protein concentrate.  Whey concentrate is the better choice for supplements which have a more targeted focus (such as muscle recovery) versus total nutrition. A high quality whey protein concentrate is used in Beachbody’s P90X Results and Recovery and Whey Protein Powder products.

Myth #2- Whey protein isolates are exposed to acid processing.

Isolates can be processed a number of ways. Processing whey protein to remove the lactose, fats, and cholesterol while not losing its biological activity takes special care by the manufacturer. We have gone to great lengths to make sure that the whey protein isolate in Shakeology is purified using a technique called ion-exchange where protein is separated through its specific electrical charge. No acid is used in this process. The Shakeology whey isolate is extracted using a cold-processing method, avoiding high heat, leaving it 90% protein and virtually fat and lactose-free. Great care is taken not to ‘denature’ the protein in Shakeology. That’s why we call it “nature in a bag.” We mean it.

Myth #3: Your body cannot assimilate proteins in isolated form.

There is no credible science to support this assertion. Whey protein is a very high quality complete protein with rich amounts of all the essential amino acids. Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey protein, which is why it is absorbed efficiently into the body.

Isabelle is a great example of someone who cannot ingest Whey Concentrate on a regular basis because she is allergic to dairy (protein & all). She suffered from intense bloating, gas and nausea.

The enzymes and vitamins present in the fat and environment of whey concentrate do not seem to enhance her ability to process it, and that’s even with extra enzymes taken with the meal for good measure. Still no luck.

She has used whey protein isolate in her diet on a regular basis, through Shakeology for years now, and she has not only had no adverse reaction, but the whey isolate has satisfied her protein requirements in an otherwise complete vegan lifestyle.

Myth #4: Due to over-processing, isolates are deficient in key amino acids.

Not true. Protein is made up of essential and non-essential amino acids, which are the “building blocks” for healthy bodies. The body is able to make non-essential amino acids from other amino acids in the body. However, the body is not able to make essential amino acids and the only way to get them is by eating high quality protein foods. Protein sources that contain all of the essential amino acids are called “complete proteins”.

Good news: The whey used in Shakeology is a complete protein containing all essential amino acids exclusively in the more natural L-form (not D-form). Additionally, all of the 3 branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) including Leucine are present in Shakeology at high levels.

Finally, we all need to understand that the human body is exceptionally complex and always changing. What your body needed today it may not need in ten years. What it reacted to ten years ago it may crave today. And every one is different.

We don’t expect Shakeology to be the answer for everyone, and we are always working on ways we can complement the line of healthy options (and flavors, yes… it’s true.)

Every ingredient in Shakeology has been selected carefully to create a nutritional “symphony” of ingredients working together for maximum biological value. We would never include “putrid proteins” or chemical additives in a product we stand behind as “the healthiest meal of the day.”

All Beachbody nutrition products are 3rd party tested to ensure they are free of rancidity, toxins, hormones and all of the other things most people fear from dairy products. When sorting through the endless amounts of nutritional advice found in the Internet, consider the source, and above all else, look to your own body’s response for a clue to the truth. Be wary of individuals or companies offering alarmist nutritional advice while at the same time hocking their own products. (And when someone says their shake is as good as Shakeology, ask them to prove it with an unconditional money back guarantee.)

Oh snap! No he didn’t! (Yes, we did.)"

Original Source 

Words of wisdom from good friend Tony Horton

There's a couple of blogs I tend to read often and I always save the good ones for later.  You know this is one of those posts that I go back to occasionally to learn from one of my good friends Tony Horton, whom I'm blessed to spend two weeks in Europe with training our US troops. Which I hope to come home with more nuggets of wisdom from the man himself.

"When you exercise and eat right, you feel better. When you feel better, you're able to do more. When you do more, you usually end up doing it with other people. 

This lifestyle shift gives us the energy to be better people. People who participate, share, communicate, and build a community. As opposed to isolators, who have nothing to share because they don't do anything. 

Everyone on the Beachbody Message Boards has one thing in common . . . the desire to improve their life. Anyone willing to explore the full Beachbody experience is given the opportunity to participate in something truly unique. Choosing to help yourself can change and save the lives of others. I have seen it thousands of times already. These boards allow us to plant seeds of change that affect much more than our own weight loss and improved fitness. The moment we decide to commit to Power 90 and start to tell our story, we create a shift in energy so powerful that it has the potential to change the world.

Some of you may think I'm nuts (well most of you), but stay with me on this. If you had never found Power 90®, or perhaps just never followed through with it, then you'd be right back where you've always been, in the sad land of what-ifs and wannabes. When we are in a state of panic, fear, sadness, or depression (as a result of our choices in life), the folks around us aren't too thrilled either.

The opposite of that is to be kind, wise, loving, self-reliant, hardworking, and disciplined. The only difference between these diametrically opposed states is CHOICE. Before Power 90, many of you found yourselves lost, overwhelmed, sick, and tired. Shortly after you started the program (even before you saw any real physical change), something remarkable started to happen. You felt better.

When you feel good, you act very differently than when you feel bad. The people around you don't have to be told what kind of mood you're in. Your actions will have enough energy to affect everyone you come in contact with. You become what you eat and what you do! If you eat junk and do nothing about your life, your friends and family will either sink with you or abandon ship. Not a very powerful or productive way to live. If you choose to devote your time and energy to this program with wisdom and courage, you become a beacon of energy so powerful it could change the lives of thousands of people. 

I believe you have a choice to go through this program in three different ways, each one dramatically more powerful than the next: 1) To Feel Good; 2) To Be Good; and 3) To Do Good.
 

1. 1. To Feel Good about our health and our appearance affects our state of mind. The reason why so many people reach for cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, food, and sex is because, for a short while, they'll feel good and alter their state of mind. The problem with this behavior is that you end up trying to solve long-term problems with short-term pleasures. This can also be the long-term flaw for people who approach Power 90 with just the singular desire to look and feel better. It's the same flawed approach to any workout program. I know plenty of people who have stayed in shape for the sole purpose of looking and feeling good. If feeling and looking good are the ONLY reasons why you're doing this program, be aware that you might have some success in the short term, but might not be able to sustain it long term.
2. 2. To Be Good is a different approach because it focuses on ways to maintain this NEW healthy lifestyle. People who want to Be Good search for mantras, affirmations, and other techniques to keep the ball rolling. The vain and esthetic aspects of exercise don't play as much of a role either. The one downfall to the Be Good philosophy is that you end up focusing just as much on not being bad! I know tons of people who have piles of dogma relating to their health maintenance, but fall in and out of shape more often than night turns to day. It's like the God-fearing man who quotes the Bible but can't stop sinning. I'll be good . . . I'll be good . . . I'll be good . . . ooops, I'm bad. The Be Good state of mind works very well for some, but to achieve the greatest selfless level of all you must Do Good.
3. 3. To Do Good is about taking the focus off of yourself and beginning to put the focus on people who need your help. The gift of giving is the greatest gift to receive. The people I know who practice this on a daily basis are the most well-rounded, content, empathetic, wise, and happy people I have ever met. It is also important to recognize when friends and family are not ready to change. The worst kind of advice to give is the kind that was never asked for. They say that about 3% of the people on Earth live in bliss. What the hell are the other 97% of us doing? We are spending too much time on ME, ME, ME! 

   I honestly believe that the key to success with Power 90 comes to people who figure out that when you share your experience, your wisdom, your love, and your truth, you begin to know what it's like to live in that 3%. The Message Boards, chatrooms, and coaches' threads can be a precious commodity where we are given the opportunity to share everything about our journey with people going through the same thing.

Find what you love. Do it. And share it with others. Welcome to bliss!

Peace,
Tony H."

P90X2 IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR ORDERING!

Are you thankful that you ordered P90X but are ready for a new challenge? P90X2 will not only rock your world, it will turn your body into solid rock hard muscle!! P90X was the first fitness program that truly challenged someone right from their own living room or bedroom (wherever they decided to do their workout). Sure other fitness programs started to copy P90X because it was such a huge success and it was allowing people to get amazing results without having to go to the gym. No more drive time to and from the gym. Having to wait for the equipment you needed was not an issue now that you could get fantastic results right at home when you had the time to workout.  Now 7 years later (yes P90X has been out for almost 7 years) P90X2 is ready to kick more butt, get you into even better shape, challenge you like you have never before, and make you push yourself further than you ever thought possible.

Check out my review of P90X2

So did you watch the video and hear about all the free things you get when pre-ordering P90X2 from my links?  Two FREE Tony Horton workouts that compliment the P90X2 workouts!

FREE SHIPPING (Don't you just hate to pay for shipping, I know I do.)

Plus, you're name is entered for some really amazing prizes!!!

There are 3 ways to get P90X2.  There is the Base package, the Deluxe package, and the Ultimate package.  Each one comes with the full DVD workout system and then there are different equipment options in each package.  P90X2 is now available in Blu-Ray as well!!  So, let's get ready to BRING IT in High-Def!  

P90X2 Base Package - $119.85  (Click on the links to see what comes in each package)

P90X2 Deluxe Package - $239.70

P90X2 Ultimate Package - $299.55  (Check out that crazy foam roller..OUCH) 

Always workout in the Fat Burning Zone?

Always work out in the fat burning zone.

The "fat burning zone” has a nice ring to it, right? Using this function on cardio machines keeps you working out at a slow, steady pace—around 60% to 70% of your maximum heart rate—and this low-intensity form of exercise is thought to help your body burn a higher percentage of calories from fat. (So if you burn 100 total calories, 60 of those may come from fat and 40 from carbohydrates in your body.) The problem? The total number of calories burned is the only thing that matters—not what type of calories—and working out at a low intensity ultimately burns fewer calories since you're not pushing yourself as hard as you should be. In order to maximize calorie burn (and, ultimately, fat loss) in less time, do high intensity interval training instead, says Schoenfeld. To try it, alternate one or two minutes of easy running (or pedaling) with a quick one-minute burst of speed (you should be breathing heavily at the end of the interval.) Repeat intervals for a total of 20 minutes, and do two to three interval workouts per week for the best results. Bonus: Studies show intense workout sessions stoke metabolism for up to 24 hours after you've left the gym, burning at least 100 extra calories throughout the day, Schoenfeld says.  (from yahoo.com/health)

I know I use to wonder about that "fat burning zone" area on the treadmill, thinking do I need to stay in that because I hardly sweat when I am in that zone.  But now after a few years of fitness training, I realize..NO you do not stay in that zone. You push your body. Your body can handle so much more than you give it credit for.  Try some interval training and watch your body get skinny.  Insanity is a great workout product that focuses on Interval training. The workout program is based on that alone.  Click on the link to check out more about Insanity.  Also see my Insanity review here on my blog, just a few posts below.  INSANITY WORKOUT REVIEW

Are you ready to BRING IT again? P90X2 Coming soon!

Hey all, here is the latest preview of the long awaited P90X2! This it the video I am actually in! Look for the orange Texas shirt! This is P.A.P Upper, an intense workout that will guarantee results!

Click the photo above or the link below...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO9jlgNA7w0

Shocking Fast-Food Super-sizing Truths

           Being a native Texan I take pride in the Lone Star State, but did you know that over twenty-eight percent of Texans are considered obese. I feel that’s twenty-eight percent too much. The biggest contributor to this disease is fast food. People are on this “Super-Size Me” trend where they feel they want to get the most bang for the buck so they order the largest meal possible. If you went to McDonalds and got a Big Mac meal with the large fry and coke it’s a total of 1,580 calories for one meal that will only fill you up for a short period of time. In the burger alone there forty grams of fat and over seventy carbs.

Add on to that the cost being 7 plus dollars for the meal. After eating fast food you always feel sluggish and fat. But there is an amazing substitute. Shakeology is the key. One shakeology is the equivalent to going to a salad bar; 5 times. It’s got 140 calories with only 1gram of fat and nineteen carbs. It will fill you up, make you feel healthy and keep you going on about your day without a guilty conscious. When you eat like crap you feel like crap, but when you eat good you feel good.

Shakeology has over 70 ingredients in it each with it’s own unique benefit. From the protein and amino acids that help build lean muscle or optimize brain function to the digestive enzymes that help break down foods and increase absorption of nutrients. If you went out and bought all of the supplements in Shakeology: the digestive enzymes, anti-oxidants, phyto nutrients, vitamins and minerals, protein and amino acids and pre-biotics you’d be spending 200 plus dollars.  One of the best parts of shakeology is the price, at only $4 a shake it doesn’t get any better! In this case less is definitely more. Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels.

Shakeology is nationally known and popular as well. CEO and creator Darin Olien was interviewed by the people at Oprah magazine in the May 2011 issue Shakeology was quoted as being “…a crazy cornucopia of good.” The creator of Beachbody Carl Daikeler challenged Olien to make something that was the healthiest meal of the day and I believe he’s succeeded in every way. I personally use Shakeology and recommend it to everyone. There’s no need to go out and get the supersized jumbo anything. Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels. 

Grate Shake Techniques

              We are all about efficiency and results and I’ve got a tip that can help you get the most out of your recovery/workout shake. Yes, the shake. Those of us that use shaker cups know they’re a good tool for mixing your workout drink. It was brought to my attention the other day that there’s even a right and more efficient way of mixing. There is the ever popular method that everyone uses where you just pour it all in, put the mixer-grate on top and then shake. We know that can leave some chunks and take away from the experience. I know it may sound trivial but get this, if you add the ice (of course make sure it’s crushed ice because it will actually make the liquid colder faster) and water up to the bottom of the grate and then put the powder on top and then shake it. You’ll get the best results every time. No chunks, all taste. That’s a grate shake technique. One of my favorite summer time smoothies is chopping half a banana, a couple cut up strawberries, crushed ice, almond milk, and of course a scoop of whey protein. Blend and enjoy. Great fruity taste with the bonus of protein. You could also make it more kid friendly by substituting the whey protein for a packet of stevia. 

Comment with your favorite smoothie/drink/shakeology recipe for a chance to win a free mixing cup pictured above!!