Barbie Does It Again: Day 1, Round 2 of Chalean Extreme

Dear Boys and Girls,

As I neared Day 90 of Chalean Extreme last week, I toyed with the idea of switching things up, of maybe trying a round of P90X Classic. I kind of found myself missing Tony and the kids. But, then I decided, why mess with something that I am thoroughly enjoying and that is working so well for me. Heck, I'm just going to do it again. And just like that, today, I began round 2 of Chalean Extreme.

My goal for this round:

I will, yes, I WILL have a six pack by the end of this round, July 4th.

I have been promising myself a six-pack since last summer. If I did not achieve it, it certainly was not for a lack of trying. It has taken me over a year to lose half an inch off my waist. I'm not joking. It has taken me over a year to drop three pounds, and it all happened in the last two or three weeks of Chalean Extreme.

I knew better than to throw my arms up in frustration. I made sure to celebrate all my gains, even and perhaps especially when I wasn't getting the exact results I was hoping for. Today, at 35, I am the fittest I have ever been and yes, boys and girls, I am only getting better.

So, what's it gonna take for me to get me from where I am to where I want to be?

I will bring it on the mat like I mean it six days a week

and

I will eat super duper clean six days a week.

Hmm, that's simple enough. I should have just said I'll keep doing what I've always done. I'm ready for even more extreme results!

Bring it!

Barbie, PhD

My Best Me!

Dear Boys and Girls,

For the past few months I have been entering the Million Dollar Body Success Story Contest. For those of you familiar with BeachBody, then you know that the company awards monthly prizes to those folks who have had amazing transformations using BeachBody products. This past March at the Coach's Summit in Los Angeles, BeachBody gave away over $800,000 in prizes. The grand finalists each took home $250,000!

Now, historically the large prizes have gone to those who have lost a significant amount of weight. So, let's be real, I highly doubt that I'll ever be one of the year-end $50k finalists. But, really, that is beside the point.

Why do I want to win?

Um, my friend asked me that question the other day and I didn't really have a good answer. Well, the truth is that I want to win because I'm simply goal-oriented. Yes, winning a $1000 or $10,000 prize would be great, but that's not what drives me every day to press play, to eat clean, or to enter the contest. I enter month after month, knowing that my time will come, well, because I want to win!

So, here we go. I just hit "Send" a few minutes ago and submitted my story. Who knows? Maybe I'll be April's next monthly success story. Who knows, maybe you will be!

At any rate, I'm super duper happy with my results. And yes, to think that I am only getting better! You better believe it!

Bring it!

Barbie, PhD

Lose Weight and Make Money!

Dear Boys and Girls,

Let's face it--The Economy sucks. In Texas alone, as of two or three weeks ago, 75,000 people had been laid off since the beginning of 2009. Folks are hurting and looking for an extra income, taking up second and third jobs just so they can make ends meet.

So:

If you're looking for an extra income, then you might want to listen up!

I became a coach just because I wanted to help others, not because I was looking to make a buck. I already make a pretty comfortable living doing what I love. Also, my motivation has remained the same since I started coaching back in September 2007. But I can honestly say that I think being an Independent BeachBody Coach will be my ticket to financial freedom. No, I'm not kidding. Really and it can also be yours.

Last year, my coach's coach made $370,000. Again, I'm not kidding. If you email me, I would be more than happy to send you the Income Chart of Earnings issued by BeachBody.

I want to stress again that this business opportunity is not just about making money, it's about getting fit and helping others do the same WHILE getting paid.

On Saturday, April 25th, 2009 we will be holding a Business Opportunity Meeting in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area.

If you live near by and would like to attend, please send me an email for more information.

You don't have to attend the event to become a coach. You can sign up here. For a one time fee of $39.95 and $14.95 a month, you can start your online business as a coach!

Your partner in Success! Bring it!

Barbie, PhD


****

Guest Chris Simonian (former President of Team Beachbody who is now a Top Coach), will be joining us for some great training on how to build your business! Chris has been in the Industry for over 20 years and he is going to tell us WHY he picked Team Beachbody!

Not a coach? Wondering what it is all about?
Come join us at 10:00am to find out how you can turn your Fitness into a Business! How to get healthy and get paid!

Here is the lineup:
9:00am-9:55am Diamonds Only Training
10:00am-10:30am Beachbody Revolution Opportunity Meeting
10:45am-12:30pm Coach Training (new Coache training separate from others)

***Get To Sample The New Shakeology***
(www.Shakeology.com)

With this economy, who wouldn't like to make a little extra money?

All we do is:
PLAY. SHAKE. SHARE.

Join us!

RSVP: coachbarbie@getfitwithbarbie

Day 11 or 12 of Chalean Extreme: Go Heavy or Go Home!

Dear Boys and Girls,

In December, I did a two-week test-run of Chalean Extreme using a single resistance band. If that was all you had to work with, then you'd have to make do. Because I was on the road, that was exactly what I did and to my surprise, I was able to get a pretty good workout.

But, now, listen up!

On Monday, I went out and bought some 10, 15, and 20 lb weights to add to my 5 and 8 lb set of dumbbells.

Did it make a difference?

Omg! Absolutely!! I felt that I got a much better workout with the weights, not only because it felt good to go heavy (yes!), but because I had more mobility.

Really, during my entire workout, I kept envisioning my results. Boys and girls, watch out, here comes Barbie, new and improved.

Bring it!

Barbie, PhD

ChaLean Extreme is Squat Heavy: Tips!

Dear Boys and Girls,

In case you haven't noticed, Chalean Extreme is squat and lunge heavy. Virtually every other move involves squats or lunges. What does this mean for so many of us hoping to slim down our hips and thighs? It means we're going to be slim and sexy as hell! One of the drawbacks, for women, at least, that I see with P90X is that there isn't enough lower body focus in the weighted exercises.

Wait, what about Chalean and the boys? A lot of the men I know, I'll be honest, are afraid that Chalean Extreme won't give them the same awesome results as the X. The verdict is still out. We'll need a few courageous souls to give a full go! I've seen some of the test group before and after pics and DO trust in the process, but then again, I understand men's concerns.

Anyway, today I wanted to address proper squat form. I have noticed that my knees have been a little achey, which means that my form has been off. In an effort to save my knees and help my peeps out, I'm borrowing the following from this website:

http://www.topendsports.com/fitness/technique-squat.htm

Here's to Healthy Knees!

Bring it!

Barbie, PhD

***

You Don't Know Squat!

by Jeremy Barnett

Ok, so you think squats are bad for the knees and back. Well then you don't know squat about squats. This is one exercise that can benefit almost every muscle in your body if you do them correctly and safely. So good, in fact, that you MUST do them. I don't care if you're a power lifter, bodybuilder, or a ballerina. You gotta do them! Question is, how? The answer is, as safely as possible without losing any of the benefits! The art and science of medicine dictates that while using drugs, you must minimize the risks while maximizing the benefits. If there's one way to take your iron pill, then, it's in large doses! That means SQUATING!!

Here are a few myths about squats:

MYTH #1: Squats are bad for the knees.

SHATTER THE MYTH
Just as calluses build up on the hands with the application of stress, ligaments, tendons, and other connective tissues thicken in response to the stressed imposed upon the joints during weight training. Also, strengthening the muscles that move the knee joint improves its stability, and there's some evidence that even the portion of the bone into which the tendons insert becomes stronger, further improving the joint's integrity. While proper stress produces adaptation, overly stressful exercise can cause breakdown of bodily tissue.

Whenever you squat, hack squat, or leg press your feet position is an important variable in determining not only the results you'll obtain from the exercise, but also the safety of your knee joints. Although each individual must determine their own best stance exercise per exercise (based on their own anatomical peculiarities such as height and leg length), the following variables must be taken into consideration:

The quadriceps muscles can contract more efficiently when the feet are pointing slightly outward. They should NEVER point straight ahead. If you squat with a very wide stance, your adductors (inner thighs) tend to assist the quads. This can result in stress to the medial collateral ligament, abnormal cartilage loading, and improper patellar tracking.

During the descent phase of any type of squat, leg press, or hack squat, do not allow the knees to extend beyond your toes. The further your knees travel over your feet, the greater the shearing forces on the patellar tendon and ligament in the knee.

Although many top bodybuilders advocate a very close stance for the purpose of isolating the outer quads, this is a myth, and it places you at risk, particularly since you'll have to use a lot of back to execute the lift, or (if you use heels) place great shear and compression on the knees, especially the posterior cruciate ligament which stabilizes the knee joint and limits rotation and hyperextension of the knee.

Always warm up thoroughly before squatting. Your muscles and other tissues of the knee joint LOVE warmth! Think of this analogy, cold taffy breaks, warm taffy doesn't. So warm up to prevent injuries.

MYTH #2: Squats are dangerous for the spine.

SHATTER THE MYTH
If performed with a relatively straight back, the weight is borne directly over the spinal column, and torque as well as shearing force is minimized. Weight training is supposed to strengthen the supportive tissues of the body (bones, muscles, and connective tissues). So wear a belt when the weight is heavy and the reps are low, but stay away from such supportive devices otherwise.

MYTH #3: I can isolate my quads better by using a block or weight under my heels.

SHATTER THE MYTH
The practice of putting blocks or weights under your heels is widespread among bodybuilders in order to gain better isolation of the quads while squatting. The problem is that your knees go way out over your feet, placing great shear and compression on both the cartilage and ligaments of the knee, which over time can cause serious damage to the knee joint.

MYTH #4:Bodybuilders will get bigger, more defined quads with leg extension, and they'll get bigger, more defined hamstrings with leg curls, so they don't need squats.

SHATTER THE MYTH
I recognize the need for other leg exercises in a bodybuilder's routine. Leg curls and leg extensions are great, but don't get the idea that they are how a bodybuilder gets definition! DIET provides definition. As for squatting, well, let me give you words of wisdom from Jeff MADDOG, the ISSA strength coach for the university of North Carolina.

Down the road, in a gym far away
A young man was heard to say,
"No matter what I do, my legs won't grow!"
He tried leg extensions, leg curls, leg presses too.
Trying to cheat, these sissy workouts he'd do!
From the corner of the gym where the big guys train,
Through a cloud of chalk and the midst of pain,
Where the big iron rides high, and threatin' lives,
Where the noise is made with big forty-fives,
A deep voice bellowed as he wrapped his knees,
A very big man with legs like trees,
Laughing as he snatched another plate from the stack,
Chalked his hands and monstrous back,
Said, "Boy, stop lying and don't say you've forgotten!
Trouble with you is you aint been SQUATIN'!!"

MYTH #5: Squats will give you a broad butt.

SHATTER THE MYTH
Lots of people squat without getting big glutes. Fact is that gluteal development is more often due to genetics and not squats. If this myth were true then everyone performing squats would have a broad butt. The simple movement of sitting down and standing back up mimics the same body movements as a squat. So, if this myth were true then everyone would have a broad but just from sitting and standing. Your maker gave you your genetics whether it is a small, medium, or large butt. Be proud of what you have and SQUAT with it!

MYTH #6: Squats are only good for strong men or serious athletes.

SHATTER THE MYTH
If you've never performed a squat before and you're interested in trying this great exercise please seek professional help from one of our certified fitness trainers to teach you proper form and technique. If performed properly and safely the squat can be a very rewarding exercise for every person. There are so many benefits to the body from this one exercise; increased lower body strength, stamina, stability and balance, increased bone density in the legs and hips to help prevent osteoporosis, possible broken bones and fractures, increased strength in the low back, obliques, and abdomen plus so many other benefits to the body that I could write a whole just on the rest of them.

Squats are often called the "KING" of all exercises. Every athlete and fitness person should do squats; but you have to do them correctly and safely! You must maintain a very erect body position when descending into the deep squat position. Leaning too far forward in the squat can be dangerous to your lower back. You should also learn how to go down into the squat position so you are low enough. The top of your thighs should be parallel to the floor in a well-executed squat. Higher than that, and your losing some of the benefit to your strong hip muscles (gluteals and hamstrings). The pressure of the weight should be placed on your heels while descending as well as ascending and never on your toes as this can cause abnormal patellar (knee cap) tracking and over time serious damage to the knee joint. If you've never done squats before or if you've been doing them and are unsure if you've been doing them correctly make sure you see one of our certified fitness instructors. They will instruct you on proper foot spacing and bar spacing on your back as well as proper body alignment and body mechanics.

Related Pages

• Go here for squat technique
• about the quadriceps muscle group
• Are squats bad for your knees? - the squat myth

Burn Your Ships: The Power of Declaring Your Intention

Dear Boys and Girls,

Tomorrow is the day! Tomorrow will be Day 1 of Chalean Extreme. I am ready! I hope you're with me! If you need help planning for your journey, please reach out to me or to your coach.

So...

Originally, I was going to post about my diet, but I just received the second installment of an E-course my coach, Kevin (theFitDoc), conceived for his coaches and customers. This latest installment is about the power of declaring your intention. How very timely!

I hope you enjoy it! I will be sending out the first of 14 installments to my coachees next week. If you'd like to be added to my mailing list, please shoot me an email.

Bring it!

Barbie, PhD

***


Burn Your Ships: The Power of Declaring Your Intention.

Mary Ellen Sheets, founder & CEO of Two Men And A Truck International knows the power of not allowing yourself to fail. She starts the story of the birth of her business with a personal event that seemed devastating at the time, "I always tell people that my husband went to the grocery store and never came back. He left me for a loaf of bread. And that loaf of bread was 23 years old."

When her husband left, as the sole wage-earner, she was forced to find a way to provide for her 2 boys and a girl. For the sake of her family, failure was not an option. While working full-time as a data processor, she bought an old, used truck, staffed it with her high-school age boys, only one of whom was old enough to drive, and created a business to help them save money for college. Today, what should have been named 'Two Boys and a Truck' is the largest moving franchise in North America. Great things often born of necessity. That business is one of them.

Many times it takes a difficult event to force us out of our comfort zone. But we are not helpless, waiting for situations to motivate us. We can create motivation any time we choose.

A great story about creating motivation comes from Napoleon Hill. He says, "A long while ago, a great warrior had to make a decision which ensured his success on the battlefield. He was about to send his armies against a powerful foe, whose men outnumbered his own. He loaded his soldiers into boats, sailed to the enemy?s country, unloaded the soldiers and equipment then gave the order to burn the ships that had carried them. Addressing his men before the first battle, he said, 'You see the boats going up in smoke. That means we cannot leave these shores alive unless we win! We now have no choice ? we win or we perish!' They won. Any person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to burn his ships and cut all sources of retreat."

Burning their ships was a hugely powerful motivator for those warriors and it can relate to fitness as well. When you cut off your own retreat, your fitness results will skyrocket. Since you can't go back, even when you feel tired or lazy- and we all do at times- you will still make good decisions that move you forward, closer to your goal.

Obviously, these first two are dramatic examples. Eliminating your retreat is quite possible without personal hardship or that annoying threat of death! Burning ships can be fun!

My friend and coaching colleague, Joey Petri is a great example. He decided to issue a challenge to become fit enough to dress as a Spartan from the movie "300" for Halloween. For those of you who may not have seen the film, the main wardrobe piece in "300" is a washboard set of abs. Dressing like a Spartan in the movie meant Joey had to commit to being in the best shape of his life. He gave himself only 90 days to do it.

To make sure he got there, Joey cut off his retreat. He literally told hundreds of people his intention on the Beachbody's public message boards. Fear of disappointing hundreds of people insured that he got the results he wanted.

When you declare your intentions publicly it instantly creates accountability. It is a way of burning your ship and cutting off your retreat. People who you respect and admire will expect you to produce the results you declared. The more people you tell, the more powerful the motivation becomes.

In Joey's case, not only did he tell everyone he was dressing like a Spartan from the movie, he asked his friends to join him! In true Spartan fashion, they all banded together to help each other. Joey and his fellow Spartans achieved results that were off the charts. Why? Because they publicly declared their intentions. By doing so, they instantly created incentives that guaranteed they would achieve their goals. Friends expected to see great results. Since human nature is to please your friends and family, the Spartans did not want to let their friends down. (Not to mention they didn't want to embarrass themselves in a very small outfit!) Every person involved in the challenge helped every other person succeed.

We all can find unique ways to cut off our retreat. Carl Daikeler, CEO of Beachbody, has a great idea about creating an incentive. He says that if he were a hairstylist, he would take his before picture and put it prominently on his mirror so all his clients would see it. When customers ask about it, he would declare, "I'm losing weight with my new fitness program. This is my before picture. When you come back for your next haircut you'll see a thinner me in my 30-day progress photo." Now, he not only created accountability for himself, he insured that his clients will book followup appointments because they want to see his progress.

The more people Carl tells, the stronger his incentive to succeed!

Imagine for a minute how strong the incentive would be if you were a stylist who shared your before pictures and your intention to lose weight with 20 clients! What about 100 or more! Imagine how proud you would feel when customers start commenting on how great your progress pictures look. You would not allow yourself to fail.

What ways can you think of to eliminate retreat and create motivation? Find a way that works for you.


Your homework:

1. Get rid of the junk. Was the ship that brought you to the enemy's shore loaded with Hot Pockets and Whoppers with cheese? If you don't want to go back to the land of ill-health, burn that boat and all the Twinkies on it!

Get junk food out of your house. Give it to your local food pantry. Feed the ducks. Bury it in your backyard in a shallow grave. I don't care shat you do, but get rid of it. You wouldn't but junk in the gas tank of your car. Value yourself higher than that beater you drive and stop putting junk in your tank, too!

2. If you haven't already, TAKE YOUR BEFORE PICTURES AND MEASUREMENTS! You'll start losing weight soon, and you'll never have a chance for a before picture again!


3. Involve friends, family, and your coach. Find a few people who you know well and who care about you. Share with them your goal to lose weight. Be specific, for instance, "I will lose 30 pounds in the next 90 days with Turbo Jam, and I want you to help keep me accountable. I'll be emailing you every week to tell you how I'm doing. I will even show you my progress by sending you pictures every 30 days!" (Don't worry, by day 30, when you stick with us, you will have measurable and visible changes! Soon you'll be proud to show your friends and family!)

If you are serious about success- email, call, or write to everyone you know. Post publicly, once a week on Facebook or start your own weight-loss blog. The more people you can involve, the better.

4. Consider coaching. Another great way to help yourself succeed is to help others do the same! Ask me about the BeachBody Revolution and how you can get in the best shape of your life while helping others get healthy with you. You don't have to be in great shape yet. You just need to be interested in helping others. When you do, you'll find that you will want to set a good example for them. It super-charges your motivation to stay consistent with your own workout and healthy eating program! And consistency is the key to lasting success.

I know the idea of opening up and telling people your plans can be scary. I realize that I'm asking you to leave your comfort zone. But if you are serious about losing weight, getting ripped, lowering your blood pressure, or improving your glucose control, I ask you to burn your ships on the enemy's shore. It will guarantee that this time you will succeed and your results will be permanent!

To your success!

Kevin Kane, MD
The Fit Doc

ChaLean Extreme Workout Sheets

Hey, Boys and Girls,

I found some printable/downloadable workout sheets for Chalean Extreme on the Community Message Boards.

Thank you, Krista, for creating them!

Here's the link to Krista's page where you can find the sheets. Please cut and paste into your browser.

http://forums.teambeachbody.com/groupee/forums?a=tpc&s=528299664&f=1751035741&m=8361088941&r=4231011251#4231011251

Bring it!

Barbie, PhD

Reflecting on 2008 and Looking Forward to 2009!

Dear Boys and Girls,

I'm back in New York, just 9 hours away from 2009. Today especially is a time for reflection.

For a few months now, I have been receiving "Notes from the Universe" from the website www.tut.com. Each morning, the Universe sends me a little note, reminding me of my own personal power and that I am in control of my destiny.

This was the note I received in my inbox today:

Dearest Barbie, I was about to wish that your every dream for 2009 come true. That you find yourself surrounded by friends, laughter, and good times. I almost wished that your every cup runneth over financially, romantically, spiritually, and creatively. That good health be your faithful companion, peace your guarded ally, and love your perpetual guide. When suddenly, it dawned on me that as an infinite, powerful, fun-loving gladiator of the Universe, with eternity before you and the power of your thoughts to help shape it... it's you Barbie, who will be granting wishes this year.

10...9..8..7..6..
The Universe

So many of my dreams have already come true for 2009. My cup already runneth over in so many respects. I took my personal fitness and my coaching to a level I never even thought was possible, and to think that this is just the beginning!

What are my goals for 2009?

As far as fitness, I'm ready to take my body and health to yet another level with Chalean Extreme. I'm truly ready for extreme fitness.

As far as coaching, my goal is to continue doing what I'm doing: helping others change their lives through fitness. Also, I also never imagined that coaching could be a way to achieve financial independence. I now know it to be a real possibility. 2009 is going to be an incredible year for BeachBody. I am truly thrilled to be a part of this.

And on a personal level, I'll be working to achieve more balance between my coaching and research as a professor. I recently hired a success coach to help me manage my time better and to set manageable and attainable goals. As productive as I've been this year, I find myself wasting a whole lot of time doing a whole lot of nothing. If I am to achieve the goals I hope to achieve, I'm going to have to really focus and get to work. Mary, I'm looking forward to working with you!

My blog has received over 22,000 hits since I started it in May of this year. Thank you for all your kind emails and support throughout the year. All the while you guys have been thanking me for helping and motivating you, but, truly, I am better because of you.

2009 is going to be a year to remember! I'm looking forward to sharing it with you!

Bring it!

Barbie, PhD

It's One of Those Days...

In a perfect world, we'd always feel like pressing play and eating right. No, no, I've said it before, in a perfect world, we would feel great all the time without having to press play six times a week and without having to watch what we eat.

I woke up feeling pretty blah today after a conversation with a friend turned sour. Aghrr! Wouldn't it be nice to be perfect?

To be honest, I just wanted to surf the net and do nothing. Feeling down seems like such a valid excuse to not work out for some reason.

How do you push past those feelings? How do you get yourself to press play?

I really did sit there for a good 30 minutes, telling myself that I wasn't officially on my round of Chalean, that a day off would be okay. But, I also knew I was making excuses. Actually, I knew quite a few things:

If we only workout when we're feeling in good spirits, we won't be working out with any kind of consistency. Let's face it: life is always throwing us curve balls. We don't always feel like going to work, but we still show up. There are only a limited number of sick days in the bank. We should treat working out in a similar way.

I knew that working out would lift my spirits, even though when you're feeling poopy that's hard to believe.

And, I knew commitment means that you show up. So, I showed up. I want results, I want to be a role model, I want to practice what I preach, I want a beach body, I wanted a pause from thinking.

So, I brought it and yes, just as I predicted, I did feel slightly better. Wouldn't it be nice if pressing play were a cure all? Maybe BeachBody can come up with that one!

Bring it, Peeps! Just show up!

Barbie, PhD

ChaLEAN Extreme: Let's Get Started. The Basics.

Good Morning Boys and Girls,

I'm challenging you to do a round of ChaLean Extreme with Barbie and friends beginning on MONDAY, JANUARY 5th, 2009!

What you'll need:
*Chalean Extreme. Please be sure to be logged in when ordering to be sure your coach receives credit.

I am seriously impressed. I just spent the morning viewing the dvd's and reading through all the material. Whether you are a newbie or a pro, you have EVERYTHING you need to succeed!

Included:
*An instructional dvd: Burn Basics, Band Basics, Healthy Eats and Kitchen Makeover. This is great, especially for those who don't have much experience working out with weights.

*Dvd's 2, 3, and 4 correspond to the circuit (weight) training phases. Each phase is 30 days. There are three phases. And...Hip hip hurray--the workouts are just over 30 minutes long!

*Dvd 5: Burn it Off! (cardio) and Recharge.

*Dvd 6:Burn Intervals (cardio and strength) and 2 Ab-workouts

*Motivation CD

*Thigh toning band
*Body Fat tester

*Guidebook.

Check out the calendar. I'm going to see if there is a downloadable calendar that we can post on our fridge! Does anyone want to make one?



*Fat-Burning Food Guide. It tells you when to eat, what to eat, and how to eat. It includes tons of easy to follow recipes.

Here's the guide, and here I am in my pj's eating my cottage cheese snack. Excuse the messy hair!



What you'll need to purchase on your own:

* Exercise bands or weights.

Bands:
If you decide to use resistance bands, please trust me on this one, do purchase the ones from BeachBody. When I first started P90X, I was being cheap and bought some bands at a local sports shop. They lasted three weeks. No joke. BeachBody bands are the best, and should you receive a faulty one, BB will send you a replacement.

Weights:
If you want to splurge on weights, check out SelectTech by Bowflex. I personally am not ready to drop $400+ on weights, although I think they are well worth it.

I found this slightly cheaper alternative through Sports Authority for $150 (free shipping!). Remember, you will need two of them!

You can also get some dumbells. Depending on your fitness level, you will need weights in the 5 to 30 lb range if you are a woman and 12 to 40 lbs if you are a man.

I currently only own 3, 5, and 8lb weights. I still have some price shopping to do, but I plan to purchase 10, 12, 15, and 20 lb weights in the next month.

Since I am traveling, I will begin PHASE I of Chalean Extreme with the RESISTANCE BANDS. No need to complicate my life. I want to get started and will make do with what I have.

Alright, kids, this morning I'm going to try out the first resistance training dvd, circuit 1, with the band. I'm a little nervous, but definitely excited.

If you're on board, let's do this! If you need a coach, you know how to reach me!

Bring it!

Barbie, PhD

NYC Winter Wonderland Picture Show

Hey, Boys and Girls!

Despite the horrible weather, our fellow P90Xers came out! Most of the folks were from the Community Message Boards and about half of us had never met before. But, it was like meeting old friends. It was truly amazing!

Originally, we were supposed to do a P90X workout, but we were all in the mood for something a little different. Coach Nazly had brought along the new Chalean Extreme, so we all decided to give it a go.

Here we are trying to figure out what to do for the cardio workout:



And of course, I was obsessed with taking pictures with my MAC during the workout:


I loved how ChaLean was projected on the wall. So cool!


No Group workout is complete without a gun show!


I love it how everyone likes to make fun of my picture taking obsession, but no one here or at any of the events is ever camera shy!



We did done bring it for the NYC Winter Wonderland Group Workout. I'm looking forward to many more!

Bring it!

Barbie, PhD

Workout with Barbie in NYC Saturday, December 20th @ 1pm!

Boys and Girls!

Tomorrow we are holding a Winter Wonderland X Workout. I know the weather is less than ideal, but it's not that often that we have this opportunity to hold a group workout.

I'm jetlagged, tired, and my bags never made it from London, but I will be there tomorrow to Bring it with my peeps. Please join us!

'TIS THE SEASON!

WHEN: December 20, 2008 at 1pm.

WHERE: Essential Therapy Spa
122 East 25th street
New York, NY 10023
212 777-2325

http://www.essentialtherapyny.com/

COST: FREE!! It's for the love of the X!

Everyone is welcome!

One on One with Chalene on ChaLEAN Extreme

ChaLEAN Extreme: Taking Chalene Home with You By Steve Edwards "When I'm personally training someone, I don't use Turbo Jam®," said Turbo Jam creator Chalene Johnson. "So when Carl [Daikeler, Beachbody® CEO] asked me to bring personal training to the masses, I jumped at the chance. ChaLEAN Extreme combines legitimate strength training with cardio, along with helpful diet tips, motivation, and other tools. With this program, I essentially come into your home." Since Turbo Jam, which is also called Turbo Kick® at gyms around the country, is one of the most popular fitness programs in the U.S., I was very interested to hear why its founder would embark on something completely different. At Beachbody, we're well aware that there are numerous ways to get someone into shape. But this was the first time we'd turned one of our trainers loose to create a personalized program that would fit the masses. The resulting program is something that's completely different than the movement-to-music medley of workouts that is Turbo Jam. ChaLEAN Extreme test group results were off the charts. Today, we sit down with Chalene to get the scoop on ChaLEAN Extreme. Steve Edwards: When we talked originally about Turbo Jam, you were all about the music (see "The Hottest Class in the U.S. Is Now on Video" in the Related Articles section below). Is it true that there won't be any music in ChaLEAN Extreme? Chalene Johnson: When I'm personally training a client, I don't use music. There is some music [in the videos], but it's in the background. This isn't dance. I don't want a distraction. I want them to slow down. It's about total mental focus, and music can interfere with that. I don't want people moving to a rhythm, using momentum, or anything that can break down form. For entertainment, I use my personality and my 20-plus years of personal training experience. The cardio workouts have great music, though! Steve: So it's not a complete about-face from Turbo Jam. What does the program consist of? Chalene: The program consists of 4 months of workouts. Each week is broken down into strength one day and cardio the next. It's based on undulating periodization, so you can mix and match and continually keep the program fresh. Steve: Let's shelve the technical talk until later. What else do they get? Chalene: I come home with them. Steve: That's got to be expensive. Chalene: It would be, yes. Most people can't afford to pay for a personal trainer, but almost everyone could use one. My goal was to create the one-on-one experience you get when you hire a trainer. I come into your home and help you reorganize your life. Steve: That sounds challenging, to say the least. How do you accomplish such a thing that will work for everyone? Chalene: It's all about changing their lifestyle. First, I get into their car. They get an audio program that covers everything from how their childhood may have affected how they feel about food to how to stop thinking like a short-term dieter. I discuss how to change your way of thinking. This often means changing habits. Sometimes, it means changing friends, or at least finding new ones that support your healthy lifestyle. We've got an epidemic in the country, and someone needs to step forward and do something about it. Especially for moms—we have to break the trend of how we show care. For 100 years, we've been trained to show love and care with fattening sugary foods. There are better ways to show kids how we care about them. There are better ways to show ourselves. I talk about how to rewire the voice that speaks to you. Essentially, if you really care about someone, wouldn't you give them every opportunity for a healthy lifestyle? That's the attitude I try and instill in them, about their loved ones and themselves. Then, I come into their home. They get an instruction[al] DVD, with my family showing you how to reorganize your kitchen to make healthy food prep[aration] more realistic. Some stuff that you hear in advice columns, it's, like, get real[.] They can't do that. They don't have time. So I show them how a crazy busy mom does it, because I am a crazy busy mom. If I can do it, anyone can. Steve: Want to share a few of these tricks with us? Chalene: Sure. We will eat what's convenient, especially kids, so you want to acknowledge this fact and prepare for it. So the first thing we do in the DVD is to rearrange the fridge, the pantry, the whole kitchen. Watch kids—actually anyone—in a kitchen. The first thing they do when they aren't sure what they want to eat is to open the fridge. Then, they move to the pantry. So one of my tricks at home is to wash fruit and keep it at eye level. This makes healthy snacks the first thing you see. Most of this prep[aration] happens when you first come home from the market. I prepackage chips, pretzels, and other [snack] foods into single servings. If you give someone a bag of chips, they'll overeat pretty much 100 percent of the time. But a small serving is plenty to satiate their craving, and it doesn't ruin your diet for the day. If you grab a small serving, instead of a whole bag, your mind tends to sign off on the craving. The tips I give are easy. They won't turn your life upside down. The goal is to simplify it, to make everything easier. Because we're all busy. The more organized we are, the easier life becomes. Steve: What else do they get? Chalene: There's a beautiful nutritional book. It's like a coffee-table book, with big photos of [almost] every recipe. It provides you with all of the ammunition to make simple, healthy meals with stuff you can find in any store. At its core are recipes that are very simplistic. I didn't want you to need to find a certain store and use expensive ingredients. Anyone has the means to make these recipes. And there's a guidebook, of course, but a really thorough guidebook. It had to be thorough because I talk a lot about using heavy weights, and I wanted something that you could take to the gym, if that becomes necessary. It's also designed to take with you when you travel so you never need to miss a workout. There are photos of all the moves, and you are urged to record the weight you use. And there's a lot about the science behind super-slow training and breakdown sets—the reasons that you're doing this program. Steve: Okay, let's talk tech for a bit. Explain why you use weight training instead of cardio when the goal is to become leaner. Chalene: As you know, nothing can reshape your body like weight training. Adding muscle increases your metabolism, resulting in a leaner you. This program utilizes all of the latest research. Movements are done slowly, with strict form. You progressively overload your muscles, which creates the most hypertrophy [muscle growth]. Steve: A lot of women aren't going to want to hear about muscle growth. Want to address the myth of bulk? Chalene: It's such a ridiculous myth! Women who get bulky have to train so hard for it—way over the top of what a normal strength program offers. Not one woman in the test group ended up with larger measurements. They all ended up leaner, tighter, and smaller. Steve: Let's talk about undulating periodization. All of our Beachbody programs use some form of periodization. For those who don't know, this term refers basically to training in different blocks, each with a different focus. The goal is to eliminate a results plateau, which happens whenever you do the same type of training over and over. At its most basic, we see something very simple, like the Sectional Progression™ concept of Power 90®. P90X® is far more advanced, using 4-week training blocks to create what we call "Muscle Confusion." Chalene: Undulating periodization is different than traditional in that it allows you to mix and match your workouts, similar to how you'd create different programs with P90X. Because you can mix and match your workouts and the way your program is structured, you can always keep things fresh, new, and exciting. Plus, if you blow it and fall off the program, you don't need to go back to the beginning. These workouts will allow you to jump back in anywhere. This means that you can restart anytime you want, and this eliminates guilt and excuses for quitting. Steve: Tell us about your cardio element. Is it like Turbo Jam? Chalene: No, as there is no coordination requirement. No dance. [The ChaLEAN Extreme workouts are] like my boot camp workouts. Anyone can do them. You don't have to stay on a beat. But I also encourage you to do any cardio that makes that [happen]. Anything will work with the program. When it comes to cardio, the best workout is the one you look forward to and will do with the greatest intensity. So if you like Tony, Shaun, Debbie, or whomever, I encourage you to do that. Whatever it is that inspires you will work. Steve: Do you worry about this being too complicated for the masses? It sounds like you're attempting to revolutionize the way many people have been taught to think. Chalene: It's actually simple, but the first DVD we want everyone to watch is Burn Basics. I ask you to erase everything you've learned about strength training—again, it's what I'd do as their personal trainer. I then teach anything you'll need to know. I do an in-depth analysis about form, how to know if you've selected the right weight, etc. It teaches the concepts that they need to understand. For example, why we need to use different weights and different exercises, and how to do so in a way you won't get injured. Steve: Speaking of weights, do they need to have a lot at home? Chalene: The bands work great, so you don't need to buy a collection of weights. If you are going to invest in weight[s], I highly recommend the Bowflex® SelectTech® [Dumbbells]. These allow you to move up and down in half-pound increments, which is something that's very rare to be able to do even in a health club. They are a little expensive . . . Steve: But people spend hundreds, and often thousands, of dollars on treadmills, ellipticals, and other machines that only have one application and end up as a place to hang their laundry. Chalene: Yes! And these are so much more useful. You'll use these for the rest of your life, because you can always use weights, no matter what exercise program you end up doing. And they take up very little space. Steve: Since Turbo Jam has been so successful, why would you design something completely different? Chalene: Because I was given the opportunity. As a trainer, I've always prescribed both cardio and strength training. Turbo Jam is what I teach to classes, which are limited by what's in the health club. It's fun, and it's great exercise, but how I teach to a group has always been different than how I work as a personal trainer. Clubs have always been afraid to make an investment for heavy weights for group exercise. More than cost, it's that they think women are afraid of weight. But at the club I teach at in Southern California, we've been offering three classes a day, four times per week, and have a waiting list every month. Steve: How have your legion of Turbo Kick teachers reacted to the new program? They haven't done it yet. They know it's coming, and are excited to teach it to their students. But that, ultimately, will come down to the clubs and whether they will invest in the equipment. What I've created is a way for trainers to do group personal training. It's an outlet for those who can't afford a personal trainer, and hopefully, it will be in the club's best interest to offer it

Barbie's Getting Ready For Something New

I know it, I can feel it, I am gearing up for change. After several hybrid rounds of P90X/P90XPlus/Slim in 6, I feel myself ready for something different. I know there has been a lot of hype about ChaLEAN Extreme, but I hadn't actually jumped on the excitement bandwagon. Well, guess what? I'm on it now! Vacation or travel has a way of doing that to me. I need structure! I need results! I need to feel fit! I need the holiday cookies and delights to get out of my sight! When will the holidays end? Is that grouchy of me? Yes, yes, all things considered, my eating has been okay. But, I think it's about that time again to start thinking toward the future. And the future will come as soon as January. I plan to start ChaLEAN Extreme during the first week of January. If you're looking for support and would like to be in this together, let me know! I'm ready to BRING IT Groupstyle! Barbie, PhD

On the Road Barbie

Hey Boys and Girls,

I've been traveling in Europe for the past week where I have been taking a break from almost all my normal day-t0-day activities. Internet service has been spotty for me as well. Plus, by the time I usually reach the hotel room, I have had little energy to blog. Oh, the life of a traveling Barbie.

While it's wonderful to travel and explore, I miss my routine and most of all, my structured eating. All things considered, this vacation has not reeked havoc on my fitness. In the past, I would have seen a trip such as this one as an excuse to go all out. Not this time. I know I can never completely rest on my laurels because my results are not permanent. But, really, more than that, I think I can finally say that I have adopted a very different approach to eating.

In the past, I would have eaten all the goodies that the given country has to offer without showing any restraint. I simply have no desire to stuff myself that way anymore. Oh, change is a process. I am glad to be at this point, finally.

Yikes, the Starbucks where I'm typing will be closing in five minutes. Oh, there's just so much to say.

Well, I have indulged, in wine, in beer, in duck, in potatoes, and one or two desserts. Eating this way would not cut it in my daily life back home in the States. But, for this week, I can live with that.

It's closing time!

Bring it!

Barbie, PhD