Here is Nicks story in his own words:

Those first pictures are from my high school days (circa 2002-2004). Between my junior and senior years of high school, I went from 240LBS to 190 LBS following the Atkins’ Diet (ALL meat, cheese, eggs, and fattening foods). It worked for me, but in retrospect was not the healthiest way to make it happen. Anyway, after high school I went to college and my weight fluctuated between 185-200LBS. After I graduated college, I cut down to 175lbs by eating “healthy” and lifting and doing cardio at the gym. My 175 body was still 20% body fat… I was eating about 16-1800 calories per day (not nearly enough), and much of it was frozen or processed “diet foods”.

Then I discovered P90X. April 2009. Best decision ever. I followed the first round to a T, dropping about 10LBS (from 172-162) and from 20% body fat to around 8%. I was counting every single calorie, and every single macronutrient… but again, in retrospect, my diet lacked MICROnutrients. After my first round of P90X, I started P90X plus, but mobilized a rib and couldn’t lift my arm for about 3 months… I took it a little too easy. I gained some chub back (I was trying the paleo diet), and lost a little muscle. To get back into shape, I did another round of P90X. I finished that round at 170 (the weight I was when I first started P90X, and about 7% body fat (so I gained almost ten pounds, most of it muscle!). After that, I did a round of Insanity. I actually GAINED weight doing Insanity, but lost body fat %. My legs got stronger. Then I did Asylum, and that’s when my diet really started to shift. Asylum recommended cutting out dairy, so I did it, and I’ve never looked back. Asylum got me shredded (that video shows me right after my round of asylum). Then I decided that i wanted to add some mass. I ordered some P90X 1-on-1s and started lifting very heavy, increasing my caloric intake to about 3000 per day. All the while, I continued to tweak my diet, aiming for the highest number of “nutrients per calorie” (nutrients per calorie has since become my mantra whenever people ask me about my diet). It’s not about being Vegan, or not eating meat, or whatever… it’s all about getting the most nutrients per calorie. That’s all that matters. Why? So I don’t have to count calories. So I feel Energized. So I can eat AS MUCH AS I WANT!… and I do eat more than anyone I know. So that brings us to today, Week 6, Day 1 of P90X2. I’m between 172-175 pounds, roughly 8-9% body fat. I don’t count calories. I work hard when I work. And I have fun feeling good and mentoring other people when it comes to health and fitness. I work at Shelton’s Farm Market (my family owned business since 1947) where I oversee the implementation of “Healthful Options” including organics, natural foods, and foods for people with specific dietary needs. I’m also our resident Fruit Peddler. In addition to working at the Market, I am a Personal Trainer at the YMCA, where I work with a multitude of clients, ranging from 10 year old kids to 38 year old 300+ women. Being able to empathize with an overweight person is something that sets me apart from many of the other trainers I know, and I’m happy and proud to have come so far over the past 10 years. Whewwwww!!!! p.s. Here is my first P90X video (parts of it even made it into the P90X infomercial!)

Want to ask Nick how he did it and how he can help you?  You can ask Nick on Facebook by Clicking Here!

Here are the Tropical Shakeology Ingredients and Nutrition facts:

Click Here to Try Shakeology!

Whole Food Based!

Another great aspect of the Tropical Shakeology Ingredients is that it is completely whole food based.  You won’t find any synthetic vitamins/minerals in here.  That is very uncommon, and I am very happy to see it. Whole foods are the best source of anything.  Our bodies can absorb and process whole food based vitamins/minerals much better than the synthetic versions, so you get more bang for you buck.  Beachbody is extremely particular when it comes to what they put into Shakeology, that is why it took them so long to come out with a 3rd flavor.  But it was well worth the wait. 

What are some of the NEW Tropical Shakeology Ingredients?

Since Beachbody is constantly looking to up their game when it comes to the quality of their products, it has come to no surprise that they are introducing brand new ingredients into Tropical Shakeology.  Darin Olein, the c0-creator of Shakeology, is constantly searching for the latest and greatest that nature has to offer.  I remember him talking about some of these great new ingredients when I heard him speak at the coach summit last year.

Konjac Root: Contains glucomannan, a soluble dietary fiber that absorbs 200 times its weight in water. What that does is slow down how quickly the stomach empties after a meal so you feel fuller longer. It also promotes satiety for reduced cravings.

Himalayan Salt: The stuff is completely natural, free from toxins, relatively untouched, and as a result, still contains more than 70 trace minerals. Himalayan salt actually helps to contribute to the sweetness of a product as well.

L uo Han Guo: This is a low-calorie, low glycemic fruit that lends complex sweetness to foods. It is traditionally used in Asia for medicinal purposes. It works as and antioxidant and help support the immune system. The low-glycemic nature of Luo Han guo helps maintain health blood sugar levels and aids in weight loss.

Coconut Flower Nectar: A naturally sweet, nutrient-rich nectar that comes from coconut blossoms. It contains amino acids, minerals, vitamin C, and a broad spectrum of B vitamins. This too is naturally low on the glycemic index which means that it will produce a slow energy release instead of a spike and crash in energy. This ingredients is also sustainably sourced.

I am extremely excited to add Tropical Shakeology to my diet because of these awesome ingredients.  It is always good to keep mixing things up and trying new things.  I think that adding a great plant based protein into my diet will only help.  The Tropical Shakeology ingredients sounds awesome and I hope and if it tastes as good as it did when I tried the “beta” version, I know that you will all love it.

Click Here to Try Shakeology!

Here is Chad’s Story in his own words…

Entering high school as an underweight, unfocused, out-of-shape freshman, I knew that in order to play lacrosse competitively and succeed academically in school, I had no choice but to make profound changes in my diet and exercise regimen. I remember when my own poor diet affected my daily life, making me feel tired, weak, lazy, and irritable, especially before lacrosse practice; that chips and pizza might be the culprits never crossed my mind. Before, my daily diet included a meager breakfast, pizza for lunch, three bags of chips for a snack, and finally, a well-balanced dinner too late in the day to matter. After learning how proper nutrition could change my life, I changed my diet to include a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast, I stopped eating the cafeteria junk food and started making my own lunches, and I put a stop to my destructive snacking habits. After I changed my diet, I wasn’t drained of all my energy when school ended; and, I also saw a major improvement in my lacrosse game.

Even though I had improved my diet, I still needed to get in shape in order to stay healthy and ultimately make the lacrosse team. I knew in order to play lacrosse effectively I would have to gain muscle, so I started working out at the gym and lifting weights. At first I did gain some muscle and increase my weight, but my gains stopped after a while and I didn’t know why. I researched and found that my body had entered the “plateau effect,” achieving results early on but slowing progress after about three weeks. After discussing the problem with my dad, he explained how P90X stops the plateau effect and helps achieve results more quickly. Convinced, I started to see results as the workout program put my body through varying workouts every three weeks so that my muscles kept growing throughout the ninety day challenge. By the end of the ninety day program, I gained considerable muscle mass, but more importantly; I gained confidence from a well-tuned, high-performing body fueled by healthful eating and regular workouts.

Want to ask Chad how he got his P90X Results?  You can find Chad by CLICKING HERE!

• $500 daily winners
• $1000 monthly winners
• $5000 quarterly winners (plus a paid trip)
• $100,000 grand prize

That’s not exactly chump change!  And like I said, it’s free to enter and it will light your fire to push harder than you ever would have before!

There are also some great product bundle deals for those of you looking to start a program or wanting to buy an additional / different program.  You can save some nice $$ with the Beachbody Challenge Packs (see below for details on the packs).

Why just buy a workout program and do it alone?  Why not set a goal and go for the prize??  That will keep you motivated and pushing play every day!  Here’s Beachbody’s CEO, Carl Diakeler, telling you a little more about the great incentive of the Beachbody Challenge =

When signing up for the Beachbody Challenge, you have 2 options. If you already have the workout program and supplements you need, just do the free signup and you are set!  If you still need to get a workout program, or you are interested in trying Shakeology, the #1 supplement Beachbody sells, then you have a way to get both at a much reduced rate.  This is possible through the “Beachbody Challenge Packs”.

The Beachbody Challenge Pack bundles come in 3 options, a $160 pack, a $180 pack, and a $205 pack, depending on which workout program you want.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CHALLENGE PACK OPTIONS

All 3 packs come with:

1) The workout program

2) One month of Shakeology on Home Direct

3) 30 Days of the TeamBeachbody Club VIP membership

4) Free Shipping

5) Free Coach signup (only if you sign up as a coach, then select the challenge pack as part of your coach signup process)

So as you can see, with these Challenge Packs, there are some big savings if you are looking to get a new workout program, try Shakeology, or become a coach.

And if you already have your workout program, you can still enter the Beachbody Challenge without buying anything.  You don’t have to buy a Challenge Pack to enter the Beachbody Challenge.  It’s just an added incentive if you are looking for a bundled package discount.

So for those interested in taking the Beachbody Challenge (which should be all of us because who wouldn’t want to be in the running for free prizes??), click here to TAKE THE BEACHBODY CHALLENGE.

Starting on Tuesday, 1/31 (12AM, 7:30AM, 10AM, 12PM, 6PM, 9PM, and approx. 11:30PM) EST. Remember that’s EST for those on the west coast.
The 1 hour shows will be

• 12 am (midnight, late monday night)
• 6 pm (Tuesday Evening)
• 9 pm (Tuesday Evening)

Ingredients: I am a fan of what Beachbody did with the ingredient list.  They included everything that I look for in a pre-workout supplement.  N.O Boosters for pump, Natural Energizers for energy, Amino Acids for endurance/recovery/muscle growth, Electrolytes for muscle function, B Vitamins for function and metabolism, and a Natural Sweetener.  One thing that I get sick and tired of lately is having a pre-workout drink that is full of crappy sweeteners and color dye.  Nothing like drinking colbalt blue or pink water right?  I also like the fact that they included the amino acid Beta Alanine, which has been shown to help with muscle endurance, as well as Rhodiola Extract (aRoot extract known to help suport Energy and Endurance) and D-Ribose ( which is known to help provide energy to the body).  Very cool ingredient list.

Rating:  9.5/10

Taste/Mixability: I don’t like most pre-workout drinks flavor.  As a matter of fact I would say that I only like about 30% of the ones I have tried.  E&E pre-workout tastes great in my opinion.  It has a very nice lemon/lime taste that isn’t so sweet that it hurts and so sorry that you have a hard time getting it down.  It is a very nice, smooth, clean tasting drink.   This surprised me very much because I honestly thought that with no artificial sweeteners that I would have to choke it down.  Not the case.  I also like the fact that it mixes in only a few shakes of my shaker cup.  There is no weird artificial color or taste to it what so ever.  You may not like it as much as I do but I really enjoy it.  Compared to other pre-workouts that I nearly gag while drinking this one is golden.

Rating:  9.5/10

Effect: For a product that uses no 1,3-Dimethylamylamine, no other untested stimulants and no creatine, I was VERY surprised at how well it worked.  When I judge the effects of a product, I have to judge it by it’s claims.  Does it provide good energy through all my workouts?…Yes!  Does it provide endurance through the most vigorous of P90X2 and Tony Horton workouts?…Yes it does!  And on top of all of that, I was pleasantly surprised by the pump I got from it.  I did Shoulders/Arms from P90X2, took 2 scoops and measured my arms before and after.  Typically I get a good pump, but when I used E&E pre-workout my arms grew over 1″ when I finished.  Honestly very surprised.  The one thing I would like to know is how much caffeine is in the product so I can know how many scoops to use.  So far 2 scoops do just fine during intense workouts.

Rating:  9/10

Conclusion: I have tested Energy & Endurance pre-workout supplement ( E&E pre-workout ) over 5 different workouts now.  In each workout I was full of energy, did not suffer from the typical crash that I do with other pre-workouts and had enough endurance to break some strength plateaus.  The ingredient list shows that Beachbody did everything right.  The taste is smooth and clean.  I would suggest starting with 1 scoop if you haven’t taken a pre-workout before to see how you feel.  If you have then you can most like do 2 scoops right off the bat.  I have tried my share of pre-workouts and this one stacks up there with my favorites so far.  I have been looking for a pre-workout supplement that was effective but clean.  Something that was more natural so I didn’t have to put a bunch of crap into my body. Energy & Endurance pre-workout is definitely a supplement that I Highly recommend.    There was no crash and it performed beyond my expectations.  At $29.95 per bottle, it’s definitely worth picking up and trying.  You can purchase it by clicking here.

Rating:  9.5/10

Have you tried E&E pre-workout yet?  What is your E&E pre-workout review?

BRING IT!

In the program section you will find Les Mills Pump, Beachbody newest program.  Yes, even newer than P90X2.  Les Mills Pump is the home version of Body Pump, that you can find in gyms around the nation.  These classes are widely popular so it is very cool that Beachbody brought them to the home fitness world.  This program is based upon the idea of the “Rep Effect”.  Where you lift light weight for many reps.  This gets your heart rate extremely high so you burn calories and sculpt lean muscle.  The program comes with a barbell and weights, and is available in a Base Kit, Ultimate Kit and Upgrade kits.  There is even a Ab workout called Core that you can buy as a stand a lone to add to your current programs.  Pump is also schedule to be fit into other programs very easily.  It is perfect to hybrid with P90X, P90X2, Insanity, Asylum or TurboFire.

I also added 10 Minute Trainer to the program section.  This is something that has been requested for a long time so I decided to finally add it.  Personally I love these workouts because they are short and intense.  The 10 Minute Ab routine is literally the hardest 10 min ab workout I have ever done.  These workouts are great for those who have very little time and want to get a quick but extremely effective workout in.  As you get stronger you can add a couple together and get 10, 20 and 30 min workouts.  They are also great to add to other programs for a little something extra.

In the “Gear” section of the site you will find the Brand New P90X2 Equipement!  This is for those who didn’t get a chance to buy the Ultimate or Deluxe kits and want to add on the equipment to their P90X2 Base Kits.  They all come with the advanced DVDs as well.  Where you can see V-Sculpt (one of the P90X2 workouts that I am in).  I also added the X2 Stability Balls, X2 Rumble Roller, X2 Foam Roller and X2 Med Balls.  This is all the equipment that I use personally and is all very good quality.  For those who travel or use resistance bands, you can also find the band set with door attachments.  Another cool thing that Team Beachbody is offering is that you can buy the P90X2 Nutrition guide separately!  There are also P90X2 posters, so check those out as well.

I have added some Asylum gear that you can now buy separately as well.  So if you were looking for an extra Agility Ladder or Speed Rope, you can not get it through the site as well.  Did your Strength Bands break from all the wear and tear of Asylum?  Mine did, so I ordered some extra Strength Bands as well.

In case you didn’t hear, Team Beachbody has made a great pre-workout supplement called E&E Energy and Endurance pre-workout supplement, that you can now find here on the site in the “Supplement” section.  I will be adding my impressions and review as soon as It arrives.  (it should be here tomorrow).

Lastly, I also added Apparel to the “Gear” section of the site.  You will find a couple new items in there, including some new T-Shirts and Tank Tops.  Beachbody is also coming out with Branded clothing for their programs.  I had a chance to preview some of these collections at the leadership conference and I was VERY impressed.  They can be compared to brands like Under Armor and Nike.  Very cool.  The first ones released will be TurboFire apparel and P90X apparel.  New t-shirts, shorts, jackets, tanks, workout pants, etc.  I will be adding those when they come out in February.

Well that is it for the updates for now.  Please let me know if you would like me to add anything else.  I will be cleaning up some of the sections and making them into drop down menus for easier organization so you can find exactly what you’re looking for.  Let me know if you find any links that don’t seem to work!

Overall the workout is around an hour.  Tony Horton takes you through the new warm up that you will see during the whole P90X2 program.  The warmup is very well thought out.  Each movement has a meaning and is there to help get you warmed up so you can perform to the best of your ability.  Foam rolling is introduced in X2 Core as well.  The foam roller will become your new best friend as you start to utilize it before and after your workouts.  In just the short time that I had been using the foam roller, I had already seem a difference in decreased muscle soreness and great range of motion…I’m sold.

The Warm up itself is longer than the others you will find in the P90X2 workouts to come.  But that makes sense.  This is the foundation phase after all, so you need to get down the fundamentals first.   By no means does that mean that this is an easy workout though.  Some of these moves are very challenging, especially the first time through.  I know that I struggled a little the first time through but when do you it the second time, you will be amazed at how great of a workout this can be.  The ability to push yourself during the second time through makes all the difference.  So make sure you print out the workout sheets and really get after it.

Some of the highlights from the workouts are moves like Sphinx Plant crunch, Half Angel, 3 Speed Med Ball Push-ups, core circles, Slo-mo Balance Climbers and X2 Divers.  Yes, those are actually exercises…trust me they make more sense when you do them.

The best tip I can give you when doing this workout is make sure you are engaging your core on each move.  These moves are very deliberate and are meant to strengthen your weak points.  So engage, engage, engage.  Make sure you are using perfect form on everything you do.  This is a workout that you will see major improvements on each and every time you do it.  That’s one of the best things about P90X2, each time you do a workout you will see great strength and performance improvements.

If you are looking for extra help with P90X2 then be sure to Sign Up with Me as your Free P90X2 Coach.  Being a P90X2 Cast Member has it’s privileges…I can help you get the most out of P90X2.  You can also Purchases P90X2 by clicking here! This will also automatically assign me as your coach!

What did you think of the P90X2 X2 Core?  Did you like my X2 Core Video Review?