Success Warrior: The Blog That Embraces ADHD

Homework Help: Future of Brick-and-Mortar Stores

So,

In a rare occurrence, I have managed to finish the primary homework assignments for the week.  For the record, it is always my goal to complete everything except the minor follow-up tasks by Thursday afternoon but it has been a rare occurrence when this has happened in the last 6 months or so.  Too often, homework has carried over to Friday or Saturday and even into Sunday, which is the usual due date at 11pm.

I'm going to take advantage of this week's oddity to get a jump on next week's work, which includes tossing out the Homework Help question of the week:

Will brick and mortar shopping disappear?  Why or why not?

I'm actually not going to ask you to answer this question unless your answer is a resounding "Yes!"  If that's the case, I would love to hear your answer.

Instead, I'll answer this one and ask a question of my own that is a variation of the given question because (1) this one seems too simple and (2), as has been pointed out previously, I'm not the kind of person that just accepts what's given.

My answer:

No, and here are a couple of reasons (feel free to add your own).  First, there are some things that have to be experienced before purchasing.  Clothing seems the obvious choice to me, especially shoes.  Sure, companies have increasingly generous return policies but it's much simpler to just go to a shoe store and try them all on right then and there and walk out with the pair that feels right.  Websites can have virtual models with your measurements but even if they make them into 3D images or holograms, it won't tell you what it feels like.  Cars would be another choice that I would throw out there.  Test driving seems mandatory.

Let me amend my intitial answer by adding an "at least not in the near future" behind the "no".  This is a class centered on the Internet taken by students who are attending via the Internet.  It could be very easy to jump to the assumption that everyone has access to the Internet and a way to make payments over the Internet.  However, this is obviously not the case and it may be sometime until everyone has the Internet at their fingertips.

Now it's your turn.  Look into your crystal ball and tell me what you see for the future of e-commerce in relation to brick-and-mortar businesses?  What is on the horizon?  What do you see as highly probable?  More interesting to me, what do you see in the realm of incredible but possible?

Guest Post - Career Info in Fitness/Nutrition

I'm on the road today and once again, someone has jumped in to do a guest post while I'm away from the computer.

Jobs.

That's the current buzzword and it's going to be for some quite some time.  Brian Jenkins, from BrainTrack is here to share some information on fitness and nutrition careers.

A Short Education Path to a Career in Fitness

What can you do with a certificate or degree in fitness and nutrition? You can become a fitness coach, personal trainer, or nutrition consultant. Many people have full-time jobs in the industry; however, these careers are also for people who just want to work part-time. According to Payscale.com, personal trainers earn a median wage of about $27 an hour, fitness specialists $20 an hour, and fitness coaches $18 an hour.

A certificate or a diploma or a degree in fitness-related subjects will increase your chances of attracting clients, because people typically prefer to work with individuals they perceive as highly qualified trainers.

Fitness and Nutrition Certificates

These programs cover topics like exercise, principles of sports nutrition, training for strength and endurance, and dietary plans that promote optimum physical health. You'll also learn about muscle groups, aerobics, strength training, cross training, sports injuries and injury prevention, dietary supplements, nutrition, and developing nutritional plans. Some programs are more focused on fitness training, whereas others focus more on nutrition. Many of these programs also cover how to start and maintain a business. You can complete a certificate program in six months to one year.

The Fitness and Nutrition Certificate and Possible Careers

Once you obtain a fitness and nutrition certificate you will be eligible to work as a personal trainer or a fitness coach at health clubs. You could also choose to be self-employed and offer your services to the public. Opportunities also exist in the field of sports medicine, natural health, and nutritional counseling. Also, some parents hire fitness coaches to work with overweight children.

Those with a certificate or diploma also have employment opportunities in nutrition consulting, corporate wellness programs, food supplement sales, and in weight loss centers. According to Salary Wizard the median annual earnings for nutrition technicians is $31,229.

Some personal trainers and fitness coaches initially work at health clubs, obtain a base of clients, and then provide private training services.

Fitness and Nutrition Diploma Online Programs

The online programs typically focus on topics such as energy balance and weight management, carbohydrates, water and minerals, nutrition choice, digestive systems, herb usage, meal preparation, and natural science. They provide a solid foundation in nutrition, fitness, and health. Some schools offer hybrid programs which combine online courses with on-campus training.

Heath Fitness Bachelors Degrees

Health fitness bachelor's degree programs are available on-campus and online. They provide in-depth instruction on health and fitness. Graduates are eligible to become personal trainers or work in community recreation. Many of the quality programs provide externships which provide training with a qualified fitness instructor or trainer.

Fitness Workers Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has forecasted a 29% employment growth for fitness workers from 2008 to 2018 which is much higher than the average for all occupations. This expected increase is due to the fact that more and more people are spending time and money on fitness and more companies are understanding the benefits of health and fitness programs for employees. Aging baby boomers trying to stay fit or get fit will be a major force in the employment growth of fitness workers. Also, according to the BLS, in 2008 there were about 260,000 fitness jobs.

Many employers require personal trainers and fitness instructors to obtain certifications. There are numerous organizations that provide these opportunities, but you should select an organization that has been accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.

Fitness related workers have a high projected employment growth. Do your homework before selecting a school.

Brian Jenkins writes about careers, including careers in athletic training, for BrainTrack.com.

Yay For The Tea Party!!!

Just kidding.  I was trying to get some attention to let everyone know that I'm back to blogging.

Well, today, I'm going to take a shortcut but this blog is back, anyway.

First, a quick bit of housekeeping.  While this blog will maintain its focus mostly on fitness, martial arts, Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs), and such, I'm going to go back to my ADHD ways of posting on whatever catches my attention (Look!  Something shiny!).

Today, I have two huge projects going on in the house (true to life housekeeping) that I need to get back to if I hope to complete them today.  However, I promised myself that I would get this blog going today so I'm going to borrow a message from Tony Horton, the P90X guy, to keep my word to myself (I never promised myself that *I* would write the blog, just that I would post to my blog - Semantics?  Maybe). 

So here you go:

Be Part of the Solution

Boys and girls,

I'm unaware of your financial situation but I do believe that you're reading this page because you care about your health and fitness. If you have plenty of income and love your job then what I’m about to tell you might not be for you. If you're not thrilled with the way you make a living, would like extra income, love Beachbody products, like the way they make you look and feel, enjoy helping other people feel and look better, enjoy setting your own hours, get excited about being the captain of your own ship as opposed to working for the man - then listen up.

The reality is, your health and fitness moves beyond you. It impacts the people around you. You (whether you like it or not) have the power to change lives based solely on your own personal transformation. Inadvertently you become a catalyst for change. This is how I got started. I was clueless, asked a few questions based on my need to be strong and healthy, stayed with it and people in my life wanted to know what I was doing. Simple yet powerful.

If you want to share what you've learned with people in your life who want better health (and could use extra income in the process) then you should consider becoming a Team Beachbody Coach.   I felt so strongly about this program that I’ve encouraged many of my friends to become coaches, even my own sister.  She is doing great (even though my contract with Beachbody won’t let me help her).  She is a perfect example of someone who had plenty of doubt and hesitation regarding the coaching opportunity and still found a way to make it work for her. A busy working wife and mother with three very active kids doesn't sound like a good candidate to start an in-home multi-level marketing company. Did you say multi level marketing? What? Ick! You mean pyramid scheme right? Okay chill out. All these fears would be true if BeachBody were selling hats or kitty liter, but this is Beachbody people! The number 1 in-home fitness company on the planet! P90X is steadily becoming the most popular fitness system in US history. Shakeology is the revolutionary replacement meal on the market today. We sell life-altering change - not soap. Tens of thousands of regular folk around this country are doing something they love because of this coach opportunity.    

The unemployment rate still hovers around 10% but it doesn't have to be that way if more people were willing to see that new opportunities exist all around them. The Team Beachbody Coaching opportunity is one of them. Health care companies, pharmaceutical companies and our government are not capable of solving this obesity crisis and we can't wait around for them to do it. The crisis is now and the answer is YOU! I know that sounds a bit Rah Rah but it's true.

Cynics don't need to apply, but if you're sick and tired of the status quo and want to make a difference in your own life and in the lives of those around you, then open the door.  The two major issues of our time - the health care issue and unemployment rate could be resolved if a million more people in this country decided to get healthy and share the wealth. This is a brand new industry waiting to explode. It's not happening in boardrooms or factories – it’s happening in the homes of tens of thousands of Team Beachbody Coaches and in the homes of their customers.  With a tiny investment (actually the company is waiving the enrollment fee through the end of 2010) and a willingness to help people the sky's the limit.  

TH-  

***

Follow me on Twitter to get updates on when new posts show up on this blog (plus get random thoughts on the life of Success Warrior) and feel free to "friend" me on Facebook.

Success Warrior is an Independent BeachBody Coach for BeachBody.com, a company that offers fitness programs, supplements, and equipment that have absolutely changed my life. 

Have you heard of P90X?  That's BeachBody.  They also have Insanity, Turbo Jam, TurboFire, RevAbs, Brazil Butt Lift, and many more.  They have some of the best exercise programs on the market.  These aren't just DVDs but are complete programs to transform your body.  They also have the hugely popular, and what they call "the most important meal of the day", Shakeology.  Go HERE to learn the most inexpensive way to get Shakeology.

They have equipment and supplements in addition to Shakeology and popular exercise programs.  Visit BeachBody.com and click on the "Shop" link to see everything they offer. 

There is also a business side to all this fitness that you can take advantage of.  Whether you're looking to just make a couple hundred extra dollars in fun money or are looking to take complete financial control of your life, BeachBody can help you get there.  If you have a desire to be more fit and would love to help other people do the same while making some money at it, visit BeachBody.com and click on the "Coach" link.  Team up with me and I'll help you reach your goals, in fitness and finance.

Coach Corner - Sugar, HFCS, and Underhand Rows (Back)

The BeachBody newsletter this week was all about sugar.  Most of the information was stuff that I already knew but there was one point that caught my eye.  There was a study done where a bunch of poor unfortunate rats were split into two groups.  One group was fed a solution of sucrose (sugar) and the other group was fed a solution of High Fructose Corn Syrup (a chemically engineered sugar made out of corn).  The rats on HFCS got fatter than the rats on sugar.  Here's a quote from the study:

"Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity," said study leader Bart Hoebel, "but our results make it clear that this just isn't true, at least under the conditions of our tests."

The only thing worse than the fact that HFCS is poison is the fact that manufacturers put it into just about everything on the planet.  If it has been processed at all, there is a good chance that there is HFCS in it.  I was looking for a site that shows foods that have HFCS in them and it turns out that there are a lot of sites that list the foods that DON'T have HFCS in them.  It's easier.

In fact, from looking over the list, if it's not a one ingredient food (you know, like what's the ingredient list for an apple?), you should probably assume that HFCS is in it.

I was listening to or reading something this week (dammit, now I can't remember where I heard this information) and the speaker or author said that HFCS was in everything so that people stayed addicted to it.  I'm sure you've heard the fat, salt, sugar thing.  It's the same theory.  All foods, no matter the logic, are trending toward having fat, salt, and sugar in them to keep people addicted to food that isn't good for them.  HFCS is a cheap way to implement that plan. 

Of course, then the US government pays lip service to "fighting obesity" while subsidizing corn production and the FDA approval system sold to the highest bidder. 

If you want to be healthy, it's up to you.  Shop the outside aisle of the grocery store, buy as many one-ingredient items as you can, read labels, and avoid HFCS as best you can.

I want to be clear that I haven't nothing against sugar (in moderation and eaten intentionally) but HFCS is not good for you and it's especially not meant to be part of every. single. thing. you put in your mouth.

Allow me to step off my soapbox and introduce today's exercise.  It's just like yesterday's except different.  The Underhand Row is another back exercise and I actually like it better than the Overhand Row.  The difference between them is the hand position (as you would guess from the names) and where you pull the weight to.  They can be done with barbells, resistance bands, and as shown here, dumbbells.

We are doing both the overhand and underhand version this month.  They both target the back but hit it from different angles.

Tomorrow, I'll show you the whole circuit.  "Whole" makes it sound like there's a lot to it.  There's only 4 exercises in the circuit.  Yesterday, I did the circuit 12 times.  I strongly suggest that you don't do that unless there is something wrong with your brain.

Here's my food journal for yesterday:

• First thing - Shakeology.
• Breakfast - Eggs, turkey bacon, and grapefruit.
• Snack - Nothing.  I was asleep.  I stayed up late (for me) the night before and then did 12 of my Chest/Back circuits.  When I was done exercising, I ate breakfast so my muscles had some fuel, and then I went to bed for a nap.  Friday's are long days for me so there usually has to be a nap in the day somewhere and today I chose to go right back to bed.
• Lunch - Chicken tenders, crab salad (very little because it wasn't good), and a sugar-free Monster drink (one of my guilty pleasures).
• Snack - Grapes.
• Dinner - Chicken breast, cottage cheese, cantaloupe, honeydew, and grapes.
• Snack - Shakeology.

When all the planets line up, I like to go for a run on Friday but that rarely happens.  The nap takes priority over the running on Fridays.  Without a nap, I would be awake for about 22 hours every Friday and that gets old in a hurry.  So for this Friday, it was a nap in the morning and some writing in the afternoon that had to be done before I went to work.

It's all a balancing act.

***

I am an Independent BeachBody Coach for BeachBody.com, a company that offers fitness programs, supplements, and equipment that have absolutely changed my life. 

Have you heard of P90X?  That's BeachBody.  They also have Insanity, Turbo Jam, RevAbs, Brazil Butt Lift, and many more.  They have some of the best exercise programs on the market.  These aren't just DVDs but are complete programs to transform your body.  They also have the hugely popular, and what they call "the most important meal of the day", Shakeology.  Go HERE to learn the most inexpensive way to get Shakeology.

They have equipment and supplements in addition to Shakeology and popular exercise programs.  Visit BeachBody.com and click on the "Shop" link to see everything they offer. 

There is also a business side to all this fitness that you can take advantage of.  Whether you're looking to just make a couple hundred extra dollars in fun money or are looking to take complete financial control of your life, BeachBody can help you get there.  If you have a desire to be more fit and would love to help other people do the same while making some money at it, visit BeachBody.com and click on the "Coach" link.  Team up with me and I'll help you reach your goals, in fitness and finance.

Feel free to "friend" me on Facebook.

Coach Corner - Cheap and Easy Calf Raise Stand

One of the most common questions that I get is people wondering if they know enough to be a "Coach".  I've gone over that title a couple of times and I just quickly restate that it doesn't mean that you have to be an expert in anything.  A lot of people sign up as a BeachBody coach for the sole purpose of getting the 25% discount on BeachBody products, like joining Sam's Club or something similar.

On the other hand, there's a good chance that as you use BeachBody producst or follow a more healthy lifestyle that you are going to come across hints and tips that people will find useful.  When that happens, you pass them on.  It really can be that simple.

For example, here's the calf raise stands that we use in my class:

For the cost of one 2X4 and a bunch of screws, you can have a perfect piece of exercise equipment for working your calves.  We use them for other things too that I'm sure will make it into the videos at some point.

I had my neighbor cut the wood for me since I barely have enough tools in my house to keep my man-card from being revoked. 

One thing that I would add to this video is that you might want to put some kind of finish on the wood to help protect it.  I didn't do that and I don't know that it really matters.  When it finally starts to give out, I can always buy and build a new one on the cheap. 

Some of this stuff, like exercise equipment and being a coach, is that simple.

***

I am an Independent BeachBody Coach for BeachBody.com, a company that offers fitness programs, supplements, and equipment that have absolutely changed my life. 

Have you heard of P90X?  That's BeachBody.  They also have Insanity, Turbo Jam, RevAbs, Brazil Butt Lift, and many more.  They have some of the best exercise programs on the market.  These aren't just DVDs but are complete programs to transform your body.  They also have the hugely popular, and what they call "the most important meal of the day", Shakeology.  Go HERE to learn the most inexpensive way to get Shakeology.

They have equipment and supplements in addition to Shakeology and popular exercise programs.  Visit BeachBody.com and click on the "Shop" link to see everything they offer. 

There is also a business side to all this fitness that you can take advantage of.  Whether you're looking to just make a couple hundred extra dollars in fun money or are looking to take complete financial control of your life, BeachBody can help you get there.  If you have a desire to be more fit and would love to help other people do the same while making some money at it, visit BeachBody.com and click on the "Coach" link.  Team up with me and I'll help you reach your goals, in fitness and finance.

Feel free to "friend" me on Facebook.

Coach Corner - One on One with Tony Horton

 
BeachBody is running a promotion on one of my favorites this month.  It's the One on One with Tony Horton DVD series.  Tony Horton creates a new workout every month and they send it out to you.  He's always switching things up so that you have something new to try each month, while building up your exercise DVD collection. 

It's common for people that have done P90X to sign up to get these DVDs but completing P90X isn't a prerequisite.  These are for people who like variety and want to keep changing things up.  You know, like me.  I've got about 18 of these and plan on continuing to keep getting them for as long as Tony will keep making them. 

From now until April 5th, you can try the first DVD for just a penny.  You also get a book-like DVD holder that holds all the DVDs for the year.  It's better than having a bunch of loose DVDs floating around. 

Here's mine:

Inside the books, there is space to write down the name of the DVD and a place to make notes in case there is something special you would like to remember about the DVD.  I should do that because sometimes I'm looking for a certain exercise and I have to scan through my ever-growing collection to find what I'm looking for.  I usually find something interesting anyway but if you're smarter than me, you can keep notes inside the book.

Whether you're looking for the next step after P90X or just looking for variety to keep boredom at bay, this is a great collection and you get to start it all of for a penny.  How cool is that?

Here's a sample:

To get your first DVD and DVD holder for a penny, visit BeachBodyand click on the "Shop" link.  If you want to get 25% off all your BeachBody purchases, click on the "Coach" link instead and sign up with the coach membership plan first then get your DVDs rolling.  If you're like me, you're going to love have all these options available to you each day.

Coach Corner - 25% Discount

The first and most obvious benefit of being a Team BeachBody Coach is the fact that you get 25% off of all your BeachBody purchases.  25% is huge and if you are going to be making several purchases or buying supplements each month, it's going to pay for itself and then some to be a coach, whether or not you intend to take an active role in the coaching or not. 

No one is required to do any coaching or business building as a "coach".  It's there if you want it but I know several people that have signed up under the coach option simply to get the 25% discount because the savings on their monthly purchases exceed the $15 membership fee.  It's a simple financial decision if you are going to be using BeachBody products.

That is initially why I joined up for coaching.  I save money each month on every purchase from BeachBody and my savings exceeds the membership fees.  If you like BeachBody products (and really, what's not to like here people?), then it's just plain silly not to upgrade your BeachBody account to "Coach".

Coach Corner - Questions?

 

I'm going to lock this post at the top of my blog for now.  Scroll down for the most recent posts.

I've noticed that a lot of people come to my blog with questions about P90X and Beachbody.  I have also noticed that the initial pages that they land on, while many times are entertaining, don't necessarily provide the answers to their questions.

I would like to state again that if you have a particular question about P90X, BeachBody, Shakeology, or the Team BeachBody Coaching Business, feel free to leave a comment or email me (link in the right sidebar) and I will do my best to answer your question.  I usually have an answer to people within 24 hours.

One question that I get asked often in email is: What's the most inexpensive way to get Shakeology?  So, I have created a separate blog post where I can refer people to get the answer.  I will still answer person-specific questions by email or phone if you have them.  My email and phone number are on my BeachBody page.

 

Coach Corner - Fitness

Starting today, Saturday's posts will be "Coach Corner" posts where I focus on the BeachBody Coaching Business.  These are meant to benefit coaches that have joined me in BeachBody and for people that are considering joining me.  Many of these posts will also contain general information that anyone might find useful or interesting.

Today, I just wanted to talk a little about my early fitness motivators.

Physical fitness has been a part of my life since the day I decided to become a cop.  I had this weird idea that being physically fit would help me stay alive in a couple of ways.  First, is the obvious that many people think of (but many cops don't seem to heed) is the fact that it can be a physical job.  Life or death kind of physical.  I could quite literally be in a fight for my life.  Being fit could tip the scale in my favor.  I lifted weights and ran.  For a while there, I ran A LOT.  I loved running.  I still love running even though it's been a long time since I've put in more that 10 miles on the road in a week. 

The second aspect that many people probably don't think about (not even cops unless they attended my classes) is that a healthy body is more likely to survive and recover from a traumatic injury.  If you're living a lifestyle where you get winded climbing up a flight of stairs to take a burglary report, how's your body going to do if you do get shot? 

There is a third aspect that can come into play as well, depending on how you train.  My current training program doesn't just build physical toughness but it also builds a mental toughness.  Willpower is a muscle.  Use it or lose it.  When I don't feel like I can do anymore push ups but I'm yelling at myself, "one more, one more!"  Whether I get out a good full rep or not is not as important as the fact that I tried.  I've read story after story of cops in deadly confrontations that have considered giving up and letting the bad guy just kill them and then for one reason or another (family many times), they decide that they aren't going to give up.  They're going to fight on and do whatever it takes to win.  That's a mental toughness that I wanted when I was on the street and quite frankly, I still want it.  It's something that can carry over to all areas of life.

I had my ups and downs with my fitness level.  I'd do great for a while then fall off the wagon for a few months, gain weight until I said "hell no" and got back on the wagon.  Part of this up and down is just part of the culture involved with police work.  Peer pressure, eating fast food, and rotating shifts.  Rotating shifts were the worst for me because it was hard to get into a rhythm or stay in a rhythm. 

This up and down cycle went on for years and then my wife got pregnant (with a little help from me).  Doing a quick bit of math, I realized that I was going to be about 56 years old when he was 18.  This changed the picture for me.  Now, it wasn't just all those cop reasons to stay fit but now I wanted to be able to go out and throw the football around with my son when he was in high school.  This would require that I stop the yo-yo weight game and now change my focus from strictly fitness to include health.  In my mind there is a difference. 

Some of my best memories from my childhood are the games that I played with my dad.  The difference being that I was the first born child so my dad was younger through my childhood years.  I would have to take better care of myself if I was going to do the same things for my son.

Five years later and I can say that I'm in great shape and good health and that it's just going to get better.

***

I am an Independent BeachBody Coach for BeachBody.com, a company that offers fitness programs, supplements, and equipment that have absolutely changed my life.  BeachBody also offers their affiliate program for people who want to make a little extra money on the side.  You don't have to be an expert on fitness.  You just need a personal desire for better fitness and a willingness to help others.

Feel free to "friend" me on Facebook.