I love the bodybugg: in depth review and obsession confession

www.24hourfitness.com/training/bodybugg/

Enter discount code bbgcj24 and earn an additional $15.00 off the price of your purchase!
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MY REVIEW:
Let me preface this for those of you who might be just meeting me. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always prided myself as being the “hot product” go-to girl. Thinking back to my middle school punk-rock days in Portland, Michigan (not exactly a fashion-mecca) it was ME who found a place where we (myself and my Go-Go wanna-be girlfriends) could mail-order the new wave sunglasses we saw on MTV. Mine were white cat-eyes like the ones worn by Belinda Carlisle! (I digress.)







When I bought I my first George Foreman Grill in 1995, I began all my “step aerobic” classes with what I called a “public service announcement” about the benefits and ease of this little gadget.
I still use a George Foreman Grill everyday, though I’ve gone through 2 or 3 models since that first one.

You’d think I work for Nike the way I promote, love on, and generally obsesses over all Nike footwear, Shox, AirForce Ones, Old Schools, boots.. you name it.

I’ve sold more Sleep Number beds than the store in the mall. Not only that but I love letting people know where they can find the best deal on the best bed in the world… (QVC.com) and when it’s on sale.

Surely if you've come to my house in the last 6 months, you didn’t leave before trying one of my Shakeology recipes.

I have no financial or even sponsorship arrangements with these products. I just love it when people come back to me and say…”You were right! It works and I love it!”

Now, that is not always the case. After having his first Shakeology, my father rushed to the bathroom and exclaimed that his body was “rejecteing” the shake because it was “too healthy”. He also asked me where he could find the nearest donut shop was so that he could “make things right” in his system. (He might be a lost cause…**sigh**…but he makes me laugh.)

I’ve just always been one of those people who likes to “stand on my soap box and tell everybody bout it”.

My latest love affair is with the bodybugg®. Let me start by telling you what it is…

WHAT IT IS:
Bodybugg® is a calorie management system that uses an armband sensor (worm around the upper left tricep) and an optional (additional cost associated), but way cool wireless digital display that can be worn as a watch or clipped to your belt, etc which shows you in real time the current calorie burn, your calorie burn per minute during your current workout, your calories burned since midnight, and even the calories you burned yesterday!

Unlike pedometers or heart rate monitors which don’t really tell you what you’re burning all day long, even when you sleep, the bodybugg® lifts the heavily shrouded veil from the mystery of your metabolism, the mystery of your personal and very individual calorie burn.

The armband is worn as much or as little as you like. In my first week of owning one, I only took it off to shower. I slept with it on because I wanted to know what my metabolism was doing when I was sleeping. Sooooooo interesting! It even shows a spike when you have a heart pounding nightmare! Wow!

The armband can than be synced to your computer to see a graphical display, minute by minute, hour by hour of your activity, steps, calories, etc. Again… fascinating to see! Fascinating to compare one workout to the next, to see what your metabolism is doing post-workout, while sitting at your desk and even just walking around the house! Amazing.

THE DIGITAL DISPLAY:
Now the Digital Display is not required, but for those of us who are “need to know now” kind of people, the digital display allows you to glance down and see exactly what’s happening RIGHT NOW!





HOW IT WORKS:
The bodybugg® armband uses 4 sensors, (an accelerometer, a heat flux sensor, a skin thermometer and a sweat rate sensor), which measure over 1000 body algorithms 32-times a second (don’t ask me what that means!). This is what I do understand…based on exensive questions you answer when you set your armband up including weight, height, activity level, etc., those four sensors talk to each other and very accurately determine what motion you are doing, how hard your working and how many calories you’re burning. This info is recorded in the brain of your bodybugg® sensors. Like an Ipod, you can plug it into your computer at the end of the day, or at the end of the week and see minute by minute what you’ve burned. From what I understand it will store info for up to two weeks, though I have only ever gone a few days without syncing to their website which stores and displays your data. However, if you have the digital display, you have instant gratification of knowing what you’re burning…in realtime!


Body Media, a technology company, developed the revolutionary sensor, and partnered with Apex Fitness, a nutrition company, to develop the bodybugg® system. Originally used in a medical setting, this is by far the most accurate calorie monitoring device available today, other than spending some time in a laboratory. 24-Hour Fitness purchased Apex and many have become familiar with the bodybugg® from seeing the contestants of the "The Biggest Loser" use it to achieve insane weight loss.

In fact, that’s where I first learned about the bodybugg®. Two seasons ago, I was contacted by one of the contestants who had been voted off late in the season. She had just a month left when she contacted me to see if I could help her lose those final pounds before weigh in! I offered to let her come and stay at my house and take several Turbo Kick workouts a day, weight training with the test group I was working with on ChaLEAN Extreme and basically just keep her moving all day long! Those final weeks for contestants are CRAZY…but that’s another blog!

We spent every day together for a month. It was a blast. I was totally sold on the bodybugg® that she wore and raved about and had planned to get one ASAP.

I went on line to do some research. I read a few negative reviews and decided to hold off. I forgot all about the bugg until recently a friend and fitness instructor told me how the bodybugg® had helped her lose the last 5 pounds that had been haunting her for years. I told her what I had read. That’s when we realized that in my haste I had read outdated reviews of the “old” model and all of the items which were “negatives” for me, had been fixed with this newest version (third generation)! I asked around and sure enough, everyone I could find wearing one loved the new generation! The concept was fantastic, and now the design and technology was even better! I was convinced and couldn’t wait to get mine!

I bought mine the next day after my class at 24 Hour Fitness with my employee discount (thank you very much!!)


For years I have preached the undisputable weight loss principle of calories in versus calories out. I have long encouraged…no…scrap that…I have been BEGGING people to keep track of their calories since I started helping people lose weight 18 years ago. It’s a weight loss/weight maintenance ideology that is sometimes unpopular. Why? Because it takes a bit of work. It’s an extra step, a calculation, a formula. Americans are desperate for fast and easy. We don’t want to think. Let’s face it, if there were a pill everyone could pop and go about our hedonistic ways, we would.

Many weight loss experts like to simplify the process and suggest you eat a sensible diet and become more active. The problem with that is the unknown. What is sensible when you have no idea how many calories you’re burning? Just think…if you underestimate what you’re burning by just 100 calories a day, that would equate to a 10 pound weight gain over the course of next 12 months. Do you really think you can ‘guess’ at your calories consumed versus calories out and come within 100 calories? Really??? I’m considered an expert, and even with all the knowledge, formulas and information I have engrained in my brain, not until I started wearing my bodybugg® did I realize how OFF many of my calculations were! Wow!

Some activities I had WAAAAYY over estimated what I was burning and others I had way underestimated. The good news is that my three favorite forms of exercise burn the most… Turbo, Hip Hop Hustle and ChaLEAN Extreme. Interestingly with CE the burn isn’t necessarily super high during the class, but it lasts for hours after my workout! Cool!

Now that myself and 5 of my friends have bodybugg’s and have been comparing our calorie burn and though within just a few inches and pounds of each other (we’re all under 5’5”) and all doing the same workouts on the same days, at the same time, we are all burning drastically different calories, by as much as 800 to 1,000 calories!

It makes me realize that when someone asks me how many calories they should consume to lose weight, which people ask me ALL the time, that I REALLY can’t answer that question with any kind of accuracy. I can certainly make an educated guess, and that’s about as much as I can do!

bodybugg®'s armband calorie/mataboism monitoring device this is actually accurate! That's huge! Since I’ve started preaching about it’s many benefits, I’ve had many “heart rate monitor” owners ask me how it compares. No comparison. Its like the difference between meeting with a personal trainer one hour a day and having one with you 24 hours a day. World of difference!

To lose weight or gain weight it really comes down to calories/energy in and calories/energy out. Create too much of a deficit for prolonged periods and the result is a metabolism that slows. There are sooo many factors that determine the number of calories you burn in one day, genetics, muscle composition, height, weight, age, dieting history, exercise intensity, type of exercise, hormones… you name it! This device takes the guess-work out!

Create a deficit of 500 calories per day, report your calories on the web based food log accurately and when compared to your bodybugg data (which is proven to be 90% accurate or better) the result is a weight loss of 1 pound per week. Period. Done. End of story.

I tested it myself. I strapped my on my arm. Filled out my on-line questionnaire, religiously recorded every calorie and monitored my calories burned with the data collected on my device. I set a goal to lose 3 pounds in three week. (I’m short! Three pounds makes a difference in my line of work ;) I applied the weight loss formula to lose a pound a week, i.e. 500 calorie deficit per day. I created an average daily defceit of between 500 and 600 calories and BAM…a pound a week, 3.5 pounds total in three weeks and it had never been so simple! (I never had so much fun eating!)

Here’s the beautiful part….the food log! It actually breaks down the amount of carbs, proteins and fats you need each day and tells you where you’re off! That was huge for me! That’s a lot to try to calculate in your head. With the web based program it does it for you. Just by making some minor tweaks, I was able to drop my body fat at the same time!

MORE PRODUCT DETAILS:
bodybugg® armband is necessary. The digital display is highly recommended, but not necessary to operate the system. The current bodybugg®' is the third generation device. It is 50% lighter, 40% smaller and 20% thinner. The signal it sends to the digital display is apparently much stronger than original versions. Basically you just need to be with 5 to 10 feet of it to find a signal. Occasionally it loses connection, which you re-sync very simply by pressing a button on your armband.

The digital display measures minutes of activity, steps, calories burned today since 12 am, during your current workout and even shows you your previous day’s calorie burn. It also contains a new rechargeable battery. The battery re-charges like an Ipod, when you plug it into the USB port of your computer! Yay!

SUBSCRIPTION PRICING
In my opinion the invaluable information is when you’re able to see minute by minute, step by step, activity by activity, hour by hour what your body is burning. That can only be done on the bodybugg web based program. The program is MAC and PC compatible. True, the web based data does require a subscription, but the cost is nominal (less than .25 cents per day when you buy a year at once!) AND great news.. you’ll get 6 months free and a 45 minute phone coaching session with your purchase (current promotion).

Website subscription pricing:
Online subscription renewal fees are: $9.95 for month to month, $49.95 for 6 month and $79.95 for 12-month.

This is outstanding when you see what this program can do! You also receive a personal coaching session and access to Apex's customer service. I had a bazillion questions and their customer service team has been 5 Star!

Kim Slover at bodybugg tells me a mobile application of the website is in the works, so you can track your food intake on your phone.

Now, as someone who loves QVC and has been a guest on several occasions, I can tell you that the reason I love shopping with them is because they give you the “anti-sell”. In other words, they tell you what the product won’t do. In much the way I would tell my girlfriends the things I see at “negatives” about the product. I will do the same for you! I would lose my credibility as the self-proclaimed “Hot Product Go To Girl” if I wasn’t honest about the few features I wish I could change…

THE NEGATIVES:

1. The armband strap.

It’s very comfortable and you don’t even feel you’re wearing it. But at first I was like, “Oh hell no! I’m not messing up my cute outfit with this big black strap on my tricep.” Certainly nothing a few rhinestones couldn’t cure as you can see from the photo at the top of my blog. Your package will come with two sizes. Bret and I both got one, so we swapped sizes. I gave him my large and he gave me his smaller band. Yes, it’s very sporty and basic, but it doesn’t have to be! ☺ In fact, I’m working on having a couple blinged out designs mass produced and sold on our website at http://www.turbokick.com for those of us who want something a bit more fashionable! Standby!

Second, after about a week of wearing my arm band I realized the “ripe” smell was coming from my arm band. Duh! I don’t know what I was thinking, but obviously if you’re sweating, sleeping and wearing this thing as much as I was the first week, it starts to smell a little, shall we say… “funky”. Again, easy fix…hello…soak it, dry it, wear it! Of course I also bout several replacement bands so that I had several to match different outfits and I really had some fun creating different looks on each armband! Crafty fashion fun.

2. Web based food log. I have to say entering the food the first week was a pain in the butt. To do it right, you really need to know the nutritional facts of everything you consume. This takes some time and it seems their data based doesn’t identify items that should just be in their system. Again, I talked to Kim Slover about this. She acknowledged the systems short-comings and happily informed me that they are expanding the data based expedentially in the coming months for greater ease of use! Here’s my tip: During your first week, keep a small journal with you. Record calories, service size in ounces or grams, fat, protein, sodium, calcium, carbohydrates. This way you will have it all at your finger tips each day when you sit down and enter your food consumption. AND LET ME TELL YOU….accurracy is the key! When people don’t record or write down their calories, on average they UNDERESTIMATE their calories by as much as 40%!

Another tip: When entering your food log… You can go through every single meal and actually enter what you at for breakfast, then skip to am snack, then lunch, pm snack, then dinner, etc. Time consuming. Instead, record all your food on a note pad or journal. At the end of the day enter all of your food as if you ate it for breakfast. The system doesn’t care when /where you enter your calories consumed. This makes entering food much, much faster. Then the next day, around dinner, I click on breakfast from the previous day and just one line at a time click on any item I’ve consumed that day. I recommend you do this in the evening before your final meal. That way you can look at what you’ve burned, what you’ve consumed and have some idea of how many more calories you can allow yourself and still reach your health and weight goals.

3. Obsession. Admittedly I do get obsessed with new toys and gadgets. The bodybugg® has a grip on me. I find myself wanting to buy them for everyone I know. But I’ve also learned that when you “give” people valuable items, they lose their value and importance. (That another blog) But I am totally head over heals for this thing. It’s just fascinating! My wheels are turning! I really think every kid in America needs to be wearing one. I think that we could save Billions on healthcare if we made bodybugg®’s mandatory! I’m obsessed. I suspect it will be a healthy addiction once I get used to this, but at the moment (on my fourth week of wearing it) I can’t stop checking my digital display! I find myself trying to avoid, “inactive” time and admittedly there were a few days that I just pushed myself to see how high I could get my calorie burn in one day and really enjoyed all those extra calories I was able to consume (and still hit my weight loss goal)

Also, you don’t really have to wear the armband while sedentary (sleeping, showering, returning e-mails, writing blogs). Yet, every time I took it off, I sorta felt like I was disconnecting myself from a life support machine. I think I was holding my breath to take a shower. I speed-washed my hair, lightening fast body scrub, dried off like the house was on fire, strapped that thing back on and gasped for breath! Geeesh! Calm down already! I’m laughing thinking back on it now. Funny.


Current promotion through June 30th is about a $100 savings!
$249 with armband and digital display!

www.24hourfitness.com/training/bodybugg/

Enter my discount code and earn an additional $15.00 off the price of your purchase! All lower case: bbgcj24

Finally, if you have a third generation bodybugg, please share your thoughts and reviews here !

BOMBAY OF THE DAY: MAGIC BULLET

MY SHAKEOLOGY APOLOGY

I'm a pretty humble person. I don't ask for favors, or special treatment. I don't name drop or expect that people should treat me like a VIP. I won't cut in line even when a friend waves me up. I play by the rules and know that everyone is important. I think it's rude when people act like they are entitled or that people should help them out because of their name, or who they are, or what they've done, their money, their status, whatever. One of my biggest pet peeves is my fellow fitness instructors who think they're "all that" and the "club" owes them something because their classes are full. Get over yourself! In my book, the grocery store CEO is just as important as the kid who bags your bread and milk.

Which is why today I an apologizing. Publically.

The truth is in a moment of weak desperation, I pulled a "J.Lo" on Wednesday. Well I didn't request white M&M's and all white flowers in my dressing room. Nope. Just a little help in the Shakeology department. And I know an apology with an explanation is not really an apology, but I believe my Shakeology Apology warrants a teeny tiny explanation. You see...ever since Shakeology arrived at our door step, things in my household have changed.

Now before I go further.. know this. I'm not paid to endorse Shakeology. I have no stock in the company. No one at Beachbody has ever even asked me to "try it" let alone to talk about it. I have no relationhip with Shakeology, other than we since we met, i have fallen madly in love. First I fell head over heels which peaked Bret's curiosity. Skeptical, Bret was a "believer" after two shakes. Next, my 11 year old (who refuses to eat anything green or that comes from nature), then my 9 year old, my father-in-law, my Mom, and all my exercise partners all fell under the spell of Shakeology. I admit when my bag of shakeology was full and heavy, it felt like it was last forever. I shared my bag of shakeology readily back in those early days of this month. I passed around my Shakeology like MC Hammer shared his money in those early days when record deal money was plentiful.

I'm a "pusher". When I find something that's amazing, whether it's a new push-up bra, the worlds greatest George Foreman Grill, self-tanner, whatever it is that works like a charm, I tell the world. I push it. I like things that work! I share my findings.

So, naturally I grabbed my bag of Shakeology to pack for our upcoming family vacation (8 days in Maui, Hawaii.) If felt light. Panic overcame my being. A wave of hot blood rushed into my face. I thought, "Oh my gawd! We leave in 3days. This will NEVER last and I don't have time to order more!!!" I freaked. There was only one thing to do.

I puffed my chest up and decided to see if I could pull any strings at Beachbody. I've sold 'em a couple of million videos. That should be worth a favor or two.. right?? "May I ask whose calling?" the receptionist asked. "Yes, Chalene Johnson of Turbo Jam and ChaLEAN Extreme" I announced proudly. She was unimpressed. Probably President of the Shawn T fan club. Next, I found my go-to-girl, the gal with the beautiful smile who always says, "of course! What else can I do to help", The lovely Leili in the production department. I pleaded my case. I told her how I had been to generous with my monthly supply and now I was nearly out! I begged her to ship me two bags...FedEx..priority am delivery. I didn't expect it for free or anything. I mean, come on. I'm not a mooch. "Lieli, I don't expect it for free. Just charge it to my friend Tony Horton's account (I mean come on... P90X is on tv all day everyday! He can spot me on this one... right???)

She did. It worked. Leili came through! It was mid afternoon the next day when the UPS man drove up. I sprinted to his truck, my eyes bulging, body bloated and weak. Digestion irregular and blood sugars all a skew. I was panting, shaking and foam was frothing from he corners of my mouth (I was 4 hours past my daily scheduled Shakeology). He started to dismount his truck, box in hand. "Give it to me!" I shouted as I grabbed the package from the man dressed in brown.

I apologize for my behavior. With blender whirling and smell of chocolate with a hint of wheat grass, I felt the anxious excitment that a drug addict must feel when they score another hit of heroine.

Beachbody has several protein and meal replacement shakes. I've tried and used them all. You've never seen me blog about them. I've been in the fitness profession for 20 years. I've tried every shake, vitamin and protein suppliment. You can imagine because of the huge network of intstructors and customers of my company http://www.turbokick.com, on a monthlly basis I'm sent samples of every miracle nutrient, drink, vitamin, water, protein source, and shake you can imagine. I've tried them all. You've NEVER heard me encourage people to try them. I've talked about things I find yummy or tasty with decent nutrients. But Shakeology is in a class of it's own. Period.


Unfortunately you can only get it from a coach. Some say it's expensive. I say... DO YOUR RESEARCH! It's cheap! You show me a meal with this many veggies, protein, enzymes, fruit blends, probiotics and vitamins that is this low in calorie and I'll show you something much more expensive or that doesn't have as much ! it can't be done. It's less than a cup of Starbucks. Get a clue! It's cheap. Sure it's more than what you've been paying for your normal meal replacement, but this is a total health drink. It's super cheap if you become a coach. Don't quote me here, but you get it about $30 cheaper if your'e coach with http://www.TeamBeachbody.com Now I am ineligible to be coach (because I'm a trainer with BeachBody) so I've been ordering it from my coach as customer. (Well, except for in this recent tantrum!)


BeachBody has just come out with Shakeology and it is truly amazing. Not only does it have all the great stuff I just mentioned but it tastes really really good (I have some GREAT recipes to really make it taste like a dream! Don't just mix it with water and shake it. Boring! Visit my blog later this week for my fav recipes!

It really does take great! You don't have to just take my word for it, take the word of a "very picky eater!!!", my son 12 year old son Brock. Now let me tell you about my sweet son Brock, he HATES vegetables. I understand. I hated veggies til I was an adult. For years my Mom tried and for years, I found creative ways to dispose of the green stuff on my plate without her knowing. The other day Brock and I had a very touching moment. I made him is afternoon protein shake. He gulped it down, commenting, "That was good, but it tasted different today. Did you put something different in it?" I sat down next to him and broke the news to him. "Son, you just had your daily serving of veggies!" For the first time in his 12 year life, a complete days serving of fruits and vegetables and he liked it! Now granted... I needed his shake to taste a lot like what he's used to, so I added the same stuff I always put in his protein shakes, a lil peanut butter and some fat free frozen yogurt. But it was the most nutritious meal he had probably had in his life. I felt a tear roll down my face. ( oh come on! Not really, but it makes the story). Seriously as a mom it gives such peace of mind knowing I can whip up a yummy shake hand it to my child and know he is getting so many great things his growing body needs.

Learn more... http://www.milliondollarbody.com/shakeology/

More details

WHATS IN IT

More than 70 different ingredients were chosen from around the world for their potency and bioavailability (the ability to deliver the nutrients your body needs). Here are the key nutrient groups that these ingredients deliver:*

Protein and Essential Amino Acids to help build long, lean muscles and reduce food cravings

Prebiotics and Digestive Enzymes, which aid in improving digestion, regularity, and nutrient absorption

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients to help counteract free radical damage that can lead to degenerative diseases

Vitamins and Minerals your body needs to function for optimal health.

ChaLEAN Extreme Results equal Weight Loss, Fat loss and Metabolism Boost

A picture says a thousand words...

I worked with all of the people in these photos for 90 days. They live in my area, have kids on my kid's sports teams, one is my assistant, some are neighbors, they are people just like you and me...busy and not sure how they woke up and found themselves "overweight" one day.

Some of them weren't even really overweight, just had belly fat and body fat to lose.

These are 100 % untouched. The real deal. Baby scars included. Aren't they beautiful?? And guess what... they STILL look like this! Why? They still do ChaLEAN Extreme. How do I know...I already told you... I see 'em all the time.

Enjoy... then take action. Can you imagine being lean with abs 90 days from now?

Some people know me as a women's fitness clothing and apparel designer with Turbo Wear, or the owner of Powder Blue Productions. But most people know me as the creator of Turbo Kick, a kickboxing and cardio dance infusion program that I designed for some of the world's largest health clubs over 12 years ago (and still kickin'!) The instructors who certified through Turbo Kick made that workout so popular that those classes lead to the demand for more! In 2005 we brought Turbo Kick to the consumer in the form of Turbo Jam! You may have seen the infomercial :)

I started out as a personal trainer though! My goal was to help people lose weight, feel great and most importantly strike a balance in their life. So, though I'm most well known for my cardio programs, I've long been someone who believed in the benefits of strength training. But see... I hit my late 30's and things seemed to be slowing down. It was driving me crazy. I felt like my own metabolism just wasn't where it should be. I started doing some research. I looked at science. I read the clinical studies and every report I could get my hand. I ignored what was being toted in popular grocery story health and fitness magazines and wanted to see the science. What came out of that is a program Beachbody has named ChaLEAN Extreme.

It works. These are just some of the photos of the 70 test participants who became the undeniable proof that muscle does burn fat.

I have so much to tell you, but I can't do it all in one post. If I sit at my computer much longer my kids are going to disown me. Soooo..... having said that. I'll be back and fill you in on the ins-and outs of this amazing new way to build muscle and change your metabolism called ChaLEAN Extreme

Want it? Go to www.chaleanextreme.com

Want to see the cutest fitness apparel on the planet? The kind that will have you excited about your next workout?

go to http://www.turbokick.com

Want to become a fitness instructor and get paid to change lives? Same place...

More later :)

(oh and luckily all of these people got ripped or they would kill me for making them take these before photos. Don't put it off... you'll wish you had them 90 days from now. And be sure to wear the same clothes in your after as you do in your before. I think that looks cool!)

My New Years Resolutions

When you proclaim your resolutions publicaly you create a greater level of accountability. Setting a New Years REsolutions is the easy part. Staying accountable is the tough part. So here goes...

I resolve to be a more "present" parent, to do my best to refrain from returning emails, voice mails, and text messages when I'm with them (well...most text messages) If it can't be handled between 8 and 2:30 it can wait. I resolve to read more because I have so much more I want to learn, because becoming a better human is a constant pursuit. I resolve to get the people I love and work with to read more because I genuinely want them to feel the joy of learning and enjoy the advantages that come with being smarter, more informed and more compassionate that only comes with wisdom yet learned. I resolve to compliment strangers on their acts of kindness and to be kind to strangers even when I'm in a rush. 

This year I will strengthen my patience with slow moving retail workers and senior citizen drivers. I resolve to stay out of people's business, provided of course they are not in my circle of 5 super air-tight, certifiable quality friends who make me a better person. This year I will share everything I know about the sure fire ways to achieve success with anyone who will listen because I truly want people to live healthier, happier and fuller lives. I resolve to take greater pride in my birth name and politely correct people this year when they say it wrong. It's not Chay-lene, its not Charlene, it's Chalene. The 'Cha' is pronounced like the "shu" in "Shut the door" and not like "Shay" which rhymes with "they". Chalene. 

I resolve to politely decline all invitations to which my first thought is...."Oh man, I really don't want to do that." This year I will only teach fitness classes that give me joy. I resolve to be a better wife and I have started today by ordering the "Language of Love", to read on my new Kindle (book reading device) and to understand better (after 18 years) our preferred method of giving and receiving love for and from each other. 

I resolve to spend less and give more away. I resolve to give money to people who have fallen on hard time and not just victims of a never ending cycle of stupid, stupid, stupid despite all the good advice they get from friends and people who know better. 

This year I will sleep in once in a while and spend Wednesdays in silence, at my home, devoted to writing. This year I will concentrate on doing one thing at a time and doing it well. Lastly, I resolve to enjoy the ride and ride more often (a snowboard that is!) 

Brought to tears

Today I payed a visit to my podiatrist. Just a simple adjustment to my Orthodox. Helps keep my plantar faciatis at bay! (4 years pain free, knock on wood!)

My doctors office is located in a medical building next to a senior community (Laguna Woods). As you would expect most of the doctors in the building specialize in treating the elderly. Sitting in the waiting room amongst much wiser and experienced patience, it was nice to be the youngest!

Most of the patients were escorted by a care-giver or who I assume was their adult child. I watched a woman (probably 60-something), with grey overly permed hair and those weird beige, plastic looking shoes that old people wear, trying to escort her mother out of the waiting room. Her mother was probably in her late 80's, with thinning white permed hair and the posture of someone who once stood much taller. (She also wore the same lovely beige shoes.)I thought how much patience it took on the part of the daughter to follow next to her mom as she slowly, ever so slowly scuffed along with her walker.

How interesting it is that our roles reverse as we age.

I finished scheduling my next appointment and headed toward the parking garage. I could hear beautiful opera music playing loudly from another building. It was unmistakeably Italian, deep, powerful, full, emotional, beautiful. The sound was traveling into the parking garage and as I approached, I could hear it echoing like a concert hall. It was so moving, so overwhelming I actually stopped walking so I could hear it clearly over the clicking of my heels on the pavement. I stood there listening, actually feeling goosebumps form on my arms. The music got louder and more impassioned. I thought I must have been heading toward the car playing this music.

The vibrato of the woman's voice vibrated through my bones. Such power. Such a gift. I wondered what it must feel like to be able to sing with such perfection. Where was this music coming from? Just then, I turned to see the tiny little old lady who had been in the waiting room with. There she stood, propped against her walker, serenading the parking garage. It was the most unbelievable sight. This tiny frail woman with this enormous gift. Her voice brought all who were walking through the garage to a halt.

She sang two songs. We applauded and everyone went on their way. I tried so hard to hold back the tears. I could feel my chest tighten, tears welling in my eyes. It was just the most beautiful moment, the most beautiful reminder of how precious life is. I literally stood there in the middle the lot with tears of joy streaming down my face. She finished and her daughter went about helping her climb into their giant Oldsmobile. I walked to her car and asked I could give her mother a hug.

Her daughter told me that as a young immigrant, her mother supported her large family by singing in restaurants. She said her dream had always been to be an opera singer. "Now," she said, "she lives for her doctor visits so she can sing in the parking garage. Not for anyone in particular. She just loves the way it sounds."

I thanked this tiny woman with a giant voice for making my day, my week, my month. She smiled, patted my hand and assured me, "God gives all of us blessings. May God bless you."

What a beautiful moment.

Come Dance with Me!

Many of you have stumbled upon my Blog through your exposure to Turbo Jam, my at-home exercise video series offered through Beachbody. I get hundreds of emails each week asking if I'm actually a teacher, where they can take live classes, how they can take a live workout with me. So, I thought I tell you exactly how to do that, and a little more!

Yes...you can take a live class with me, but better than that, you can spend 4 days with me and a couple hundred of your closest Turbo fanatics and leave thinner, happier, more motivated and inspired than you ever dreamed!

A little history ....

You see... Turbo Jam is the "at home" version of a class I've been teaching for health clubs across the country for over 11 years, called Turbo Kick. Turbo Kick is the club version, Turbo Jam is the home version. Many Turbo Jammers fall in love with the program, master it and then wonder what's next. That's when so many of you do a little internet investigation and learn that there is a way to take your new passion for Turbo to the streets and you make the jump from exerciser to instructor! YES! You CAN become a Turbo Kick certified instructor. My company, Powder Blue Productions (which I have operated along with my husband for 12 plus years) offers training programs to become a certified Turbo Kick instructor in locations across the United States and dozens of International locations every weekend. To learn more....check out my website at www.turbokick.com

But yo! That's not what I'm blogging about today. Today, I wanted to tell you about an event that brings people who love Turbo, hip hop, dance and all things positive together for 4 days of fit-tab-ulous FUN with me and all your favoirte Turbo Video stars! It's called Camp Turbo Kick! Camp Turbo is a one time, one location event held every summer in Southern California. (And don't even botha asking... cuz we ain't gonna do one in your town, or in the winter or in your state, or a different week....Love it or leave it. It's one time a year, one location!)

http://www.turbokick.com/index.php?content=CampTurboKick

So... the what's the dealio...

In a nutshell, here a few quotes from people who went to Camp Turbo Kick 2007....

"It was like adult cheer camp for those of us who never got to be a cheerleader!

"It's like lightening in a bottle."

"It gave me high that I feel could last me the whole year."

"I've never felt so supported or good about myself in all my life. "

"I'm a changed woman. I leave today with a better body and a plan for a better marriage."

"I will never look at Turbo or any exercise the same way again."

"I feel 10 years younger. "

"It's like going back to a highschool pep rally that lasts 4 days! "

"I wont be able to sleep for weeks. This is just the pick me up I needed."

"I arrived knowing not a soul. I left with 300 new friends."

"I have no idea how to put into words what this weekend has done for my spirt."

http://www.turbokick.com/index.php?content=CampTurboKick

So if 300 hundred hyper, happy, music crazy, turbo frenzied workout fanatics doesn't sound like your cup of tea, this might not be your camp. This is 4 days of motivation. This is an investment in your personal battery pack! You'll workout with me several times every day! Even though there will be 350 participants, you can select to be on any team you want. Being on the team helps you to get to know a small group and really feel connected. Here's a run down of our team captains, which were selected based on your votes! http://freeonlinesurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=ila5ywp9y82d3kx422147

Your team rallies around their 'team color" and your team leaders will make sure you feel a welcome part of the family. Even if you come to camp all by yourself without know a soul, you'll feel welcome and supported! You can pick whatever team you want to be on! Then let the fun begin! We'll work-out, do an evening dance parties, shopping, motivational lectures, hip hop for the non funky, healthy food, and loads of shopping..

So what can you expect? You can expect a nice mix of workouts blended with motivational workshops and lectures. It might look like alot of exercise, but there's just enough spacing for you to regain your energy, even if your not in great shape. Honestly camp attendance is about 85% female, with many gals bringing along husbands (who don't seem too terribly disappointed to be in the minority). Heck, what better gift to give your husband than to surround him with hundreds of beautiful women who love to dance! Of course we have a decent and ever growing population of Turbo Men each year who also seem to love being in the minority! As a matter of fact, we have three male Team Captains this year who can shake it with the best of them!

During the day you'll be wearing workout clothes from sun up til sun down. The evenings are speical events like our meet and greet photo session on Thursday, Friday's fabulous LA style fashion show, and Saturday nights dance party! Basically you'll be having fun and burning calories from sun up to sun down! Check out the slide show from last year's camp at the bottom of the page...

http://www.turbokick.com/index.php?content=CampTurboKick

We limit attendance every year so that it's more of a personal experience. We are already approaching capacity. I had not planned to mention camp on my blog until June, but with so few spaces left and teams filling up fast I didn't want you to miss out on the fun or the early bird discount!

Come on! I promise you wont regret it!

See you at camp!

Koom-buy- yah!

Chalene