Pain During and After P90X, Insanity or other Beachbody Programs

I have been hearing from my friends who are in physical therapy that they are getting many clients in due to individuals hurting themselves while doing P90X, Insanity or anyother Beachbody program.  First of all, no one should really be getting hurt during these programs if they follow each movement as instructed, also it is part of the program to do the Yoga, Stretch days or any other recovery day that may come forth.  Stretching your muscles out is just as important as doing the more intense workouts.  Your body needs to recover and does not need to be pushed to it's limits each day.  Let it relax and actually do the stretching.  The results will be much better in the long run because you will not be stalling your training due to injury.  Follow instructions and you will be fine.

If you need some stretching tips, you can read my blog titled "Stretching es muy bueno"

Contact me if you need any tips or assistance with anything Beachbody related.  My goal is to help you achieve your nutritional and health goals. 

-Zak Brown

Shakeology Gives You Natural Energy

Have you ever fallen asleep at work?  Maybe at a certain point in the day, you simply can't keep your eyes open.  I have fallen victim to this many times.  I would have to fight  to try and keep my eyes from shutting.  I wanted to keep my job so I had to continually get up from my desk to stay awake.  Recently I realized something, I haven't been falling asleep at my desk for the past month.  I really had to think hard about this one, but it has been a while since this has happened.  I have been on Shakeology for about two full months now and I am really starting to understand that natural energy claim they make.  I thought they were referring to being more energetic, but it isn't that at all.  Now understand, if you start taking Shakeology and expect to have this magical energy overcome your body within days, expect to be dissapointed.  It takes time for these things to develop, but let me assure you, it works and it worked for me!  What situations have you come across where you have fallen asleep at work?  Meetings, sitting at your desk or maybe somewhere else??  Think of how much more productive you could be!

Enjoy what you do and do what you enjoy! 

Stretching es Muy Bueno!

Building muscle mass and losing weight are both positive outcomes of working out. Something that can prevent you from reaching your goals is injury. I cannot stress enough the importance of stretching. Here is what stretching can do for you:

·  Reduce muscle tension

·  Increase range of movement in the joints

·  Enhance muscular coordination

·  Increase circulation of the blood to various parts of the body

·  Increase energy levels (resulting from increased circulation)

Here are some helpful tips before, while, and after stretching:

·  Warm up first
Stretching muscles when they're cold increases your risk of pulled muscles. Warm up by walking while gently pumping your arms, or do a favorite exercise at low intensity for five minutes.

·  Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds

It takes time to lengthen tissues safely. Hold your stretches for at least 30 seconds — and up to 60 seconds for a really tight muscle or problem area. That can seem like a long time, so wear a watch or keep an eye on the clock to make sure you're holding your stretches long enough. For most of your muscle groups, if you hold the stretches for at least 30 seconds, you'll need to do each stretch only once.

·  Don't bounce
Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears (microtears) in the muscle, which leave scar tissue as the muscle heals. The scar tissue tightens the muscle even further, making you even less flexible — and more prone to pain.

·  Focus on a pain-free stretch
If you feel pain as you stretch, you've gone too far. Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch.

·  Relax and breathe freely

·  Don't hold your breath while you're stretching

·  Stretch both sides
Make sure your joint range of motion is as equal as possible on each side of your body

·  Stretch before and after activity
Light stretching after your warm-up followed by a more thorough stretching regimen after your workout is your best bet.!

For more tips or if you have any questions, please go to www.zakbrownfitness.com to learn more

Shakeology vs Herbalife

With all the different products on the market today, I thought it would be nice to do another comparison so Shakeology.  Today I will be reviewing Shakeology to Herbalife. Both are designed to be used in place of your regular meal, and offer a variety of nutrients and essential vitamins and minerals for optimum health and help individuals reach their weight loss goals. Each product is good, but I think by the end of this comparison, you will realize that Shakeology is the better choice of the two.   

Ingredient Comparison: Herbalife and Shakeology

Herbalife – made with antioxidant vitamins C and E as part of over 20 vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients, Herbalife offers a healthy meal in a glass. Along with 9 grams of protein and fiber per serving, Herbalife contains Aminogen(r) and bromelain and papain, all known to support the digestion of protein to make sure your body puts those 9 grams of protein per serving to use! Herbalife offers a variety of different flavors so you can choose your favorites or keep a variety of meal replacement shakes on hand for a more interesting menu. Choose from vanilla, chocolate, berry, fruit, coffee and others.

Shakeology – features ingredients from all over the world and more than 70 whole food ingredients per serving. The vitamins and minerals in every serving are absorbed by your body at optimum levels due to the phytonutrients, prebiotics and digestive enzymes in every serving, too. Shakeology comes in three flavors of chocolate, greenberry and tropical strawberry.

*Tropical Strawberry is vegan.  Please refer to the following link to get more information about the most delicious vegan shake ever created!

Nutrition Fact Comparison

To really understand what you’re putting in your body, you should always look at the nutrition label. When considering one product over another, it’s a good idea to compare each of the nutrients with the same nutrient from the product you’re comparing. If considering weight loss products like Herbalife and Shakeology, here are the most important nutrition facts to compare (these are for product only and do not include the milk or soy milk you may use to create your shake):

Calories:
Shakeology: 140
Herbalife: 90

Cholesterol:
Shakeology: 15mg
Herbalife: 0

Sodium:
Shakeology: 100mg
Herbalife: 140mg

Carbohydrates/ Fiber:
Shakeology: 3g
Herbalife: 3g

Carbohydrates/Sugar:
Shakeology: 9g
Herbalife: 9g

Protein:
Shakeology: 17g
Herbalife: 9g

Shakeology or Herbalife

Based on nutrient facts, if you have problems with cholesterol, you may be better off choosing Herbalife as a meal replacement shake, since it offers a shake that is cholesterol-free. On the other hand, protein is an essential ingredient for successful weight loss, and Shakeology has larger amounts of protein per serving in addition to amino acids and enzymes which help your body absorb as much protein as possible. Shakeology is a product which can be used long after you reach your weight loss goals, as a daily nutritional supplement to ensure you are receiving all of the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to remain as healthy as possible, so some people decide using Shakeology as a meal replacement shake during weight loss and then continuing it as a daily supplement is a good way to reach health goals.

This is just one of the many different products that you may have questions about.  If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact me directly by visiting my page: Contact Zak Brown

Same Routine Yields Same Results

Every day you keep up the same routine and expect different results. Don’t you think that after doing the same thing for years and not getting the results you want, you should switch up your routine? If not, you are destined for failure. In order to obtain success and greatness, it is necessary to look for new opportunities. There are plenty out there, it is up to you to identify each opportunity and act upon it. Do not let everything pass you by because it may make you step out of your comfort zone. Focus in on what you want and go for it!

 If you are ready to try something new, let me know. I can help you take your first steps towards success!

Contact Me

Keep Your Body Hydrated!

Today I started off my daily routine with a very rough workout. My legs and arms feel week from the exertion of lifting, jumping and running I did today. I was so thirsty and glad I had my water bottle handy to quench my thirst. When working out, it is important to stay hydrated, especially when it is hot outside. During the winter months your body still sweats, but the added heat of the summer will increase the sweat production. Do not let yourself push through to that next level without being hydrated, the consequences can be harsh. Looking for something low key to get your body prepared to get into shape? Contact me through Zak Brown Fitness discuss what programs I have that can get you on the right path to fitness and health!

Rushed!

This morning I woke up late! I was in an absolute panic. I woke up at 6:45 and had to be at a seminar at 7:30! How was I going to have a good nutritional breakfast and get ready in less than 45 min? Obviously Shakeology was the answer. I was able to get my act together in less than 20 minutes! Now, many of you may be thinking, "Zak, I get ready that fast everyday." Well, I don't. Anyways, I threw my Shakeology in my awesome shaker cup and finished it in 2 minutes. Quite the quick turnaround time. Long story short, I arrived at my destination on time and Shakeology made it possible so I wouldn't starve.