Insanity Max 30

Great news everyone! Insanity Max 30 has been released and I'm looking forward to starting this new chapter in my fitness journey. I am looking to get 5 other people with the same aspirations and goals as me to join my challenge group. First here is the information on the program.

What is INSANITY MAX:30?
Welcome to the craziest 30 minutes of your day—and the best results of your
life! If you’re ready to push harder than ever before . . . and Dig Deeper® than
you ever thought you could . . . then Shaun T’s INSANITY MAX:30 can help you
see results you never thought possible. Because it’s not about finishing the
workout—it’s about seeing how far you’ll go before you MAX OUT.
There’s no equipment needed in these killer cardio and Tabata-style strength
workouts. Just push to your MAX and get INSANE results in 30 minutes a day!
Why is INSANITY MAX:30 effective?
INSANITY MAX:30 can help you get ridiculous results in 60 days thanks
to Shaun T’s MAX OUT training. The goal is to work as hard as you can for
as long as you can until you MAX OUT—the point when you just can’t
do anymore or you begin to lose form. Each workout pushes you to beat
your last MAX OUT time to keep you accountable. Go one minute longer
and you’ll get remarkably stronger—every single day. That’s how you
lose more weight and get an INSANE body fast.

What makes Insanity Max 30 so unique? Every day is a brand new challenge in Insanity Max 30.

With killer cardio,challenging Tabata-style strength workouts plus 150 new moves designed to shatter your limits, Shaun pushes you to work harder,go longer, MAX OUT later. It’s not about making it through all 30 minutes. Its about pushing yourself more each day to get the body you’ve always wanted in 60 days! And even though Insanity Max 30 is a challenging program the great thing is you can follow the modifier in a separate screen, whatever your fitness level—to MAX OUT and still get MAX results!

Now the details. To participate in the challenge group you need to purchase the Insanity Max Challenge Pack which includes your first months Shakeology. You will also be added to an elite online group through Facebook where you will be required to post your daily workouts and perform simple assignments. This will help keep you accountable through the duration of the program.

If you prefer to just purchase the program at this particular time you can follow the link below and that will take you to my Team Beachbody home page where you can complete the purchase!

Thanks for reading and if your interested in joining my team and earning some extra income click on the work with Steve tab!  http://bit.ly/1hoUxPm

Thanksgiving Dos and Don'ts

Well we are getting to that time of the year where most of us look forward to spending time with our families and friends and of course plenty of FOOD! You've spent the year completing your fitness program and following the meal plans to the "T". I have some helpful dos and don'ts that will help guide you through without feeling guilty. This article and many more are always available on your Team Beachbody account. If you don't have one please feel free to fill out the free fitness assessment form and I will get you set up!

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Dos and Don’ts for Filling Your Plate

I know you’re probably going to eat more on Thanksgiving than you would on most Thursdays. And, I understand. It’s one of my favorite holidays too! I want to eat all my favorites (stuffing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie…), but I also don’t want to wake up the next morning and feel like I’ve undone my progress. Of course, if you’ve been exercising and eating right, one day won’t undo all the work you’ve done. But, as we head into winter, it’s easy to fall off the horse and really struggle to get back on. So, with that in mind, I snapped these photos during Autumn Calabrese’s most recent video shoot to help you plate your Thanksgiving meal.

The Typical Plate
Honestly, this is kind of what it looks like when I usually eat Thanksgiving dinner. But, after watching Autumn’s video, I learned where I was going all kinds of wrong. First off, where are the greens? And, secondly, this plate is filled with so high in carbs and sugar, it’s no wonder I always want to nap after dinner.

Approximate Nutritional Information for the typical plate:

Our Registered Dietician, Ani Aratounians weighed in on my typical Thanksgiving plate. “It’s high in carbs and there’s lot of sugar and fat. Especially saturated fat. There’s butter everywhere and hardly any fiber. After eating this plate, you’ll feel stuffed and bloated.” And this doesn’t even take into consideration the pie. Or the wine. Or seconds…or thirds.

The Revised Thanksgiving Plate

One easy way to totally redo your Thanksgiving plate (and still have all your favorites) is to start with the green veggies. Put the green beans and the salad on your plate first. Then, add the turkey (aim for the the skinless pieces if you can find them), and then add on your other favorites.

Approximate Nutritional Information for the revised plate:

The calories aren’t low, but they’re much more reasonable than the first plate. Aratounians’s thoughts on this plate were much more positive. “This is much higher in vitamin and mineral content, and antioxidants. Overall, this is much more balanced for your blood sugar with the protein and fiber balancing out sugar content. And, I can’t help but notice that it’s a much prettier plate!” She recommends, if you are going to go for seconds (and really, who isn’t), go for the greens and protein (again, ideally, without skin).

I hope that this comparison will help you come Thanksgiving! Let me know, will you consider trying the “revised plate” approach?

Inflatable 5 K

I had found an advertisement on facebook for one of the Insane Inflatable 5 K races and decided to sign up for it. To my amazement I had a fantastic time! The Insane Inflatable 5K -- a new dynamic and extreme obstacle race, made up solely of inflatable obstacles -- will challenge you, surprise you, and leave you bouncing back for more! We didn’t just throw together a couple slides and bounce houses – we took imagination, creativity, and a collection of notes on bar napkins, and went to the leading manufacturer of custom inflatables. We told them, "Throw out the rulebook, we want to go extreme and INSANE!” This race was so much fun that I can't wait for the next event in my area. Here is a few pictures of some obstacles that we had to complete.

We ended up finishing 3rd place and 4th place overall in the first wave! I talked with quite a few participants afterwards and we all agreed at how much fun and the uniqueness of the obstacles. If your interested in running one of these races with our team message me and I will add you to my group and keep you posted when the schedule is released. 

Glazed Yams

Check out this healthier version of glazed yams!

Countdown to Thanksgiving: Glazed Yams with Cinnamon and Nutmeg

By making a few substitutions to this classic fall side dish, we’ve made it healthier without sacrificing the flavor.

Total Time: 1 hr. 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 60 min.
Yield: 12 servings, 2/3 cup each

Ingredients:
2½ lbs. medium yams, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
1 tsp. sea salt, divided use
2 tsp. grated orange peel
2 Tbsp. 100% orange juice
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. raw honey (or maple syrup)
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Arrange yams in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Season evenly with ¼ tsp. salt. Set aside.
3. Combine orange peel, orange juice, lemon juice, butter, and honey in a small bowl; whisk to blend.
4. Pour orange juice mixture over yams; toss to coat.
5. Sprinkle evenly with remaining ¾ tsp. salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
6. Bake yams, stirring occasionally, for 50 to 60 minutes, or until fork tender.

Dragon Boat With 352!

I must say when I decided to become a beachbody coach 2 years ago I really didn't know what was in store for me. Since that time I have become an avid obstacle course racer, started my own 352 Fit Club, and have been building a team of coaches under me with the same goals and visions as myself. Together this team is accomplishing amazing things and this Saturday was no different. We had been looking for something a little different to test our skills and endurance and decided to enter the Lake Hernando Dragon Boat event in our local area. Two reasons for this choice one, we have never done anything like it and two the proceeds go to our local food bank. Now for the details!! We did a practice session Wednesday evening and it turns out we weren't half bad! We picked up on the commands pretty quick and we did an actual practice run with a professional coach and steerperson. On to race day and our first heat. We were in the mixed (men and women) 10 person open division and there were 5 boats. We were a little slow off the start as none of us heard the horn. We ended up finishing second place at 1:54. We were happy but felt we could do better. The next heat we were pitted against some better competition and we stepped it up finishing 3rd at 1:46. We knocked 10 seconds off of our first run and were excited! Could this be a Cinderella story in the making? On to the 3rd heat we go and let me tell you we left nothing on the table everyone giving 100%. We finished 4th place at 1:47 but earned a lot of respect for our determination and endurance. I am so proud of my 352 Fit Club group as not only are they committed to ending the trend of obesity but are leaders and role models for others. We hold free classes every Tuesday evening at 7PM and offer live Insanity classes on Wednesday and Saturday. If you need a free Team Beachbody account fill out my fitness assessment or message me and I will get you started. Join our team of dedicated fitness enthusiast and be part of something special!

Chicken Pizza

BAM! Here is a recipe for a Chicken Pizza which can be found on your Team Beachbody page. WHAT!! You don't have one? Fill out the free fitness assessment form and I will set you up with yours today. More recipes like this plus access to beachbodys personal trainers and programs.

This healthy homemade pizza is topped with lean chicken, fresh ingredients, and a touch of Parmesan cheese.

Total Time:​ 18 min.
Prep Time:​​​ 10 min.
Cooking Time:​ 8 min.
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients for Pizza Dough:
¼ oz.​​​​ active dry yeast
1 cup​​​ warm water (100 – 110° F.)
2 tsp.​​​​ sugar
3 – 3¼ cups ​​​whole wheat flour, divided use
½ tsp.​​​​ fine sea salt (or Himalayan salt)​
2 tsp.​​​​  olive oil, divided use

Ingredients for Pizza:
½ cup all-natural pizza sauce, no sugar added
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz.cooked chicken breast, boneless, skinless, shredded
1 cup cherry tomatoes
¼ cup thinly sliced mushrooms
2 cups fresh arugula

Preparation:

For Pizza Dough:
1. Place yeast, water, and sugar in a medium bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until yeast becomes foamy.
2. Combine 3 cups flour and salt in a small bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to yeast mixture. Mix with clean hands until mixture does not stick to your hands. Add additional flour if needed. Roll dough into a ball. Brush with ½ tsp. oil. Place in a bowl; cover with a towel. Let rise for 2 hours.
3. Punch down dough to remove air; knead and roll into a ball. Brush with ½ tsp. oil. Place in a bowl; cover with a towel. Let rise for an additional 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 450° F.
5. Roll dough until it will no longer stretch. Let rest for 5 minutes. Continue to roll until it reaches your desired diameter, about 10 to 12-inches, and about ½-inch thick. Place on baking pan lightly coated with spray.
6. Brush with remaining 1 tsp. oil.

For Pizza:
1. Spread pizza dough evenly with pizza sauce, stopping ½-inch from edge.
2. Top evenly with cheeses, chicken, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
3. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until crust is golden.
4. Top with arugula.

My Trifecta Journey

Hey all! I have  returned from my 10 days in beautiful South Carolina where I participated in the Spartan Beast obstacle course race. I had a great time with my partner who just happens to be my better half as we were able to find some beautiful trails to train on before the race. This will be our 4th race of the year but our first beast and we both will be earning our first Trifecta! This consists of completing a Sprint 3+ miles and a Super 8+ miles and a Beast 13+ miles all in the same calender year. The race started off a chilly 41 degrees and didn't disappoint! We immediately encountered up hill terrain and obstacles. This was followed by a stretch of running and we hit the muckiest barbed wire crawl I have ever done.We continued on at a great pace under 10 minute miles and then BAM! I did the tire pull and on the last yank pulled really hard to get done fast and stood up started running and I got the worst abdominal cramp EVER! I fought this thing 10 minutes screaming rubbing yelling trying to get it to go away. Here's the funny part it brought me down to one knee and as my spouse was standing in front of me people were stopping and yelling at me DID SHE SAY YES!! They thought i was proposing to her!! I yelled back she said yes 30 years ago!! We both got a kick out of it and finally were able to continue. I hit the atlas carry and all was well till the second step. If you have been following me you know i have been fighting severe sciatica on my left side and after the second step I wasn't the same. I struggled terribly to run especially up hills. I pushed really hard to get through and then my spouse suffered an injury to her I T band. We both carried each other through the pain and kept going telling stories and trying to stay positive. We hit some pretty nasty mud that you could barely move through and then took a quick break. The spear throw was different than other Spartan races as they decided to put a tether on the spear. I didn't like it and it cost both of us 30 burpees due to catching our hydration packs. Well moving on we hit the rope climb and by far this was the worst we had ever encountered. These ropes were covered in mud and grip was all but non existant. We finished with a time of 4 hours 20 minutes but the key here was we finished. So proud of what both of us had accomplished and I believe that our training with Beachbody programs and supplements was definitely key to our success. I plan on starting a Hybrid workout with P90X3 and Insanity Asylum for next years races and my goals are to be top 3 in my age group all 3 races. Here are some pictures from training and from the event. Please feel free to message me for more information on our programs and supplements or you can even get a free fitness assessment just click on the above tab!