I chose to change it up. When I restarted Rev Abs over a week ago, I kicked it up a notch by adding a second workout program. Since I was losing motivation, I went back to the program that I started with in 2007 when I began my health and fitness journey - HIP HOP ABS.
A lot of people are doin ShaunT's program "Insanity". I have done several workouts from the program, but I am not ready for the full program yet. Just as three years ago I was not ready for P90X, I worked my way up to it by working hard. Now I am doing the same.
I installed a blogger application on my phone, so I will be posting blog messages more frequently. So, please keep watching my Facebook page for links to my new blog posts, or check back here.
My Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/irefuse2quit
Until next time...
Friday, June 25, 2010
Rev Abs & Hip Hop Abs
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Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Personal Development / Self-Help
The Beachbody Game Plan event in Chicago, IL in January 2010 sparked my interest in personal development and self-help. It has set me on an incredible journey in rediscovering who I am and what I can do with my life. Yes, this all happened in a WEEKEND!
In addition to the information at the Game Plan, what really sparked my interest was the personal development. Who you are. Developing your personal philosophy. What makes you tick. Why you do what you do. Six months ago, I never had a rhyme or reason of doing things. I did things because they needed to be accomplished. After the Game Plan, my mindset was different - work on MYSELF. Fitness, health, nutrition, self-deveopment, motivational audio, supplemenation.
Prior to the Game Plan, I was listening to Anthony Robbins audio CD, "Personal Power." I listened to it for months, and it motivated me. At the Game Plan, I received the Jim Rohn audio cd "Building Your Network Marketing Business" and that blew my mind!!! I was amazed by it's simplicity. The combination of both completely changed my life!
I began a journey of personal development, seeking motivational audio and self-help books to motivate myself and change my life. What I collected was a wealth of personal knowledge which can completely alter your life and motivate you beyond belief.
I bought books, audio, ebooks, and I have read and listened to them daily. It has helped me in more ways than I have ever expected.
Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler has said, "It starts with you." So I started working on myself. Personal development, eating nutritionally, taking care of myself.
The poet Goethe has many motivational quotes, and I recently came across this one which says, "Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the world will be clean." In other words, organize your own life. I remembered a quote by actor Keifer Sutherland in the movie 'A Few Good Men' which says this in an extremely simple way: "Get your house in order!"
I was an avid reader as a child. In high school and college, I only read what was necessary for my classes. After college, I chose not to read. Today, at age 40, I have made it a point to read daily. Inspiring myself, in addition to inspiring others.
Personal development and self-help asisst you in designing a road map for your life that will take you on a journey beyond your wildest dreams. I highly recommend it.
It will change your life, if you want it to.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Hybrid Workout - Test #2
Once I completed the first test, I wanted to try it out with others before the workout in NYC.
So I took the hybrid workout to our FIT CLUB here in New Jersey. TeamBeachbody coach, Brian Del Gaudio was there. Brian has been using P90X to get into amazing shape.
We did the hybrid - the SAME workout I did at home, and I've filmed that workout as well.
The differences were calories I burned and time.
At home, I completed the hybrid workout in 56 minutes and burned about 430 calories.
At fit club, it took a little longer. The location for the fit club has a wood floor, so it was more of a challenge, and it took a little longer. It took about an hour and twenty minutes to complete the same workout, and I burned over 900 calories this time around.
Brian deserves a TON of credit for trying out the hybrid workout. He's knows P90X very well because he does it every day. But Brian has not tried Insanity or Chalean Extreme. He did do one Rev Abs workout (Rev It Up Cardio) with the NYC workout group in Novemer 2009.
This time, I did a little more research. Instead of being a P90X-focused workout, I pulled more exercises from P90X+ and Rev Abs.
TeamBeachbody coach Joanna Rodriguez-Seiffer deserves a large amount of credit for the Insanity moves in the hybrid. I sent Joanna a message on Facebook, asking for her help with some moves from Insanity, and she sent me a message with a lot of suggestions - and I've used ALL OF THEM!
I've also filmed this. I will edit this video, and post it here.
So I took the hybrid workout to our FIT CLUB here in New Jersey. TeamBeachbody coach, Brian Del Gaudio was there. Brian has been using P90X to get into amazing shape.
We did the hybrid - the SAME workout I did at home, and I've filmed that workout as well.
The differences were calories I burned and time.
At home, I completed the hybrid workout in 56 minutes and burned about 430 calories.
At fit club, it took a little longer. The location for the fit club has a wood floor, so it was more of a challenge, and it took a little longer. It took about an hour and twenty minutes to complete the same workout, and I burned over 900 calories this time around.
Brian deserves a TON of credit for trying out the hybrid workout. He's knows P90X very well because he does it every day. But Brian has not tried Insanity or Chalean Extreme. He did do one Rev Abs workout (Rev It Up Cardio) with the NYC workout group in Novemer 2009.
This time, I did a little more research. Instead of being a P90X-focused workout, I pulled more exercises from P90X+ and Rev Abs.
TeamBeachbody coach Joanna Rodriguez-Seiffer deserves a large amount of credit for the Insanity moves in the hybrid. I sent Joanna a message on Facebook, asking for her help with some moves from Insanity, and she sent me a message with a lot of suggestions - and I've used ALL OF THEM!
I've also filmed this. I will edit this video, and post it here.
Testing The Hybrid
Once I created the workout for the hybrid, I wanted to test it out on myself before teaching it to a class. I'm glad that I decided to do that.
In the first test run, I learned that there were exercises that worked, and some didn't. The ones that didn't work were because they were repeating exercises that occurred earlier.
I filmed the workout primarily for me to see the playback, to see what worked and what didn't. It proved helpful. But what was even MORE helpful was making a video of it for youtube.
In the first test run, I learned that there were exercises that worked, and some didn't. The ones that didn't work were because they were repeating exercises that occurred earlier.
I filmed the workout primarily for me to see the playback, to see what worked and what didn't. It proved helpful. But what was even MORE helpful was making a video of it for youtube.
Creating A Hybrid Workout
Creating a hybrid occurred to me over a year ago while I was doing P90X, except at the time, the hybrid was a 90-day hybrid of workouts from various Beachbody programs:
Hip Hop Abs
Power 90
Power 90 Master Series
Turbo Jam
Turbo Jam Fat Burning Elite
Power Half Hour.
The principle to the hybrid is that there was always a different workout a different day, and the combinations were amazing. It started out as one workout for thirty minutes during the first week. As the weeks progressed, it turned into one workout plus an abdominal workout. Towards the end of the hybrid, it was a cardio workout (the warm-up), a harder cardio workout OR a weight workout, and an ab-workout.
But I never actually tried the 90day hybrid because I began P90X, and that changed everything.
The idea of creating a hybrid workout has been on my mind for quite a while.
Now that I am using programs like Rev Abs, and I have tried programs like P90X+ and Chalean Extreme, I thought about creating another hybrid.
On the TeamBeachbody message boards, I have seen people post 60-day or 90-day hybrids combining different programs. TeamBeachbody coaches Joey Petri and Mark Briggs designed the "Briggs/Petri" hybrid, which used workouts P90X, P90X+, and One On One. I've also seen hybrids using P90X and Chalean Extreme, P90X and Insanity (or P90X+ and Insanity).
My current workout program is Rev Abs, and I combined the progression of Rev Abs and P90X to create a P90X/Rev Abs hybrid, which progressionally gets more difficult throughout the 90days of the program. I will be starting that in June 2010.
I'm part of a few TeamBeachbody coaches that host FREE WORKOUTS in New York City once a month. During the past year, the programs we have used have been P90X, Insanity, and Rev Abs. My goal was to create a hybrid workout, a single workout, using multiple programs.
I designed a heart-pumping workout that has exercises from P90X, P90X+, Chalean Exreme, Rev Abs, and Insanity. I have tested this out three times, and I have filmed it all three times.
Plus, I will be TEACHING this workout to the next FREE WORKOUT in New York City on Saturday, April 17th at Chelsea Studios, in New York City.
THIS is a preview to the workout.
Hip Hop Abs
Power 90
Power 90 Master Series
Turbo Jam
Turbo Jam Fat Burning Elite
Power Half Hour.
The principle to the hybrid is that there was always a different workout a different day, and the combinations were amazing. It started out as one workout for thirty minutes during the first week. As the weeks progressed, it turned into one workout plus an abdominal workout. Towards the end of the hybrid, it was a cardio workout (the warm-up), a harder cardio workout OR a weight workout, and an ab-workout.
But I never actually tried the 90day hybrid because I began P90X, and that changed everything.
The idea of creating a hybrid workout has been on my mind for quite a while.
Now that I am using programs like Rev Abs, and I have tried programs like P90X+ and Chalean Extreme, I thought about creating another hybrid.
On the TeamBeachbody message boards, I have seen people post 60-day or 90-day hybrids combining different programs. TeamBeachbody coaches Joey Petri and Mark Briggs designed the "Briggs/Petri" hybrid, which used workouts P90X, P90X+, and One On One. I've also seen hybrids using P90X and Chalean Extreme, P90X and Insanity (or P90X+ and Insanity).
My current workout program is Rev Abs, and I combined the progression of Rev Abs and P90X to create a P90X/Rev Abs hybrid, which progressionally gets more difficult throughout the 90days of the program. I will be starting that in June 2010.
I'm part of a few TeamBeachbody coaches that host FREE WORKOUTS in New York City once a month. During the past year, the programs we have used have been P90X, Insanity, and Rev Abs. My goal was to create a hybrid workout, a single workout, using multiple programs.
I designed a heart-pumping workout that has exercises from P90X, P90X+, Chalean Exreme, Rev Abs, and Insanity. I have tested this out three times, and I have filmed it all three times.
Plus, I will be TEACHING this workout to the next FREE WORKOUT in New York City on Saturday, April 17th at Chelsea Studios, in New York City.
THIS is a preview to the workout.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Starting Week 7
After moving into phase 2 of Rev Abs and adding Hip Hop Abs, THAT change helped me out tremendously this past week.
For accountability, I completed 4 out of 6 scheduled Rev Abs workouts this week; and I completed 5 out of 6 Hip Hop Abs workouts this week. Statistically, I completed 67% of the Rev Abs workouts this week, and 83% of the Hip Hop Abs workouts. By day 5, I felt it in my obliques and my hips, A LOT, and I’m very glad! The combination of the two workouts are working effectively.
Adding Hip Hop Abs into the workout routine brought the FUN back into my workouts, and I love every workout that I’m doing because I know that I am getting better every day! Wherever I am headed on this fitness and health journey, I am confident that I will be having fun on my way there!!!
For accountability, I completed 4 out of 6 scheduled Rev Abs workouts this week; and I completed 5 out of 6 Hip Hop Abs workouts this week. Statistically, I completed 67% of the Rev Abs workouts this week, and 83% of the Hip Hop Abs workouts. By day 5, I felt it in my obliques and my hips, A LOT, and I’m very glad! The combination of the two workouts are working effectively.
Adding Hip Hop Abs into the workout routine brought the FUN back into my workouts, and I love every workout that I’m doing because I know that I am getting better every day! Wherever I am headed on this fitness and health journey, I am confident that I will be having fun on my way there!!!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Hip Hopping The Rev
I remembered what Jim Rohn talked about on his audio cd “Building Your Network Marketing Business”. He indicated that there are people who will be there consistently to doing something, and then there are people who promise that they will do something – and come up with an excuse why they cannot do it. I found myself falling into the latter. That started happening to me, and I did something about it - I changed up my workouts. Although I had a few weeks left of phase 1 of Rev Abs, I moved right into phase two and will follow that up with the Full Throttle schedule.
To keep the cardio consistent, I also added another program from another trainer – ShaunT. ShaunT is the creator of Hip Hop Abs. ShaunT’s Hip Hop Abs is the program I started with in 2007 which propelled me onto this health and fitness journey. The last time I did any workouts from Hip Hop Abs was in 2008, when trainer ShaunT initiated a 90day challenge to the people on the TeamBeachbody message boards – consisting of his four programs: Hip Hop Abs; ShaunT’s Dance Party Series; Rockin’ Body; Hip Hop Abs Ultimate Results: level 2. In that 90day challenge, ShaunT used all workouts from the four programs, in addition to calisthenics (pushups, situps, crunches, jumping jacks). As a result from the challenge, someone lost 25pounds.
As I move into phase 2, I added the routines from ShaunT’s workouts to work in conjunction with Rev Abs. I am not doing one program in the morning and one at night – I’m doing BOTH workouts. Hip Hop Abs, THEN Rev Abs. If the two workouts are over two hours total, I will do one on the morning and the other at night. But I haven’t reached that point yet – so doubles it is!
I wear a calorie counter in each workout to see how many calories I have burned. Last week, I burned 220-250 calories in per workout. As a result of working out to Hip Hop Abs and Rev Abs, I burned a total of 550-600 calories A DAY!
In addition to a workout program, another key aspect is nutrition. After looking through meal plans for several programs, and researching it on the web, I designed a nutritional program based upon my personal preferences. The combination of the two programs makes a fun workout and caloric burn, plus a simple nutritional program. I can definitely stick with this.
Week 1 is completed. Onto week two….and have more fun!!
To keep the cardio consistent, I also added another program from another trainer – ShaunT. ShaunT is the creator of Hip Hop Abs. ShaunT’s Hip Hop Abs is the program I started with in 2007 which propelled me onto this health and fitness journey. The last time I did any workouts from Hip Hop Abs was in 2008, when trainer ShaunT initiated a 90day challenge to the people on the TeamBeachbody message boards – consisting of his four programs: Hip Hop Abs; ShaunT’s Dance Party Series; Rockin’ Body; Hip Hop Abs Ultimate Results: level 2. In that 90day challenge, ShaunT used all workouts from the four programs, in addition to calisthenics (pushups, situps, crunches, jumping jacks). As a result from the challenge, someone lost 25pounds.
As I move into phase 2, I added the routines from ShaunT’s workouts to work in conjunction with Rev Abs. I am not doing one program in the morning and one at night – I’m doing BOTH workouts. Hip Hop Abs, THEN Rev Abs. If the two workouts are over two hours total, I will do one on the morning and the other at night. But I haven’t reached that point yet – so doubles it is!
I wear a calorie counter in each workout to see how many calories I have burned. Last week, I burned 220-250 calories in per workout. As a result of working out to Hip Hop Abs and Rev Abs, I burned a total of 550-600 calories A DAY!
In addition to a workout program, another key aspect is nutrition. After looking through meal plans for several programs, and researching it on the web, I designed a nutritional program based upon my personal preferences. The combination of the two programs makes a fun workout and caloric burn, plus a simple nutritional program. I can definitely stick with this.
Week 1 is completed. Onto week two….and have more fun!!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Fun Factor
Instead of continuing on with phase 1 of Rev Abs, I made the choice to add another program. This may seem counter intuitive, but now there's a true reasoning behind it.
I added 90 days of HIP HOP ABS. Now Hip Hop Abs is a 30day program. To make it 90days, I'm using multiple Beachbody programs by trainer ShaunT:
- Hip Hop Abs
- ShaunT's Dance Party Series
- Rockin' Body
Maybe, just maybe, I may add "Hip Hop Abs level 2: Ultimate Results", but I haven't decided yet.
The moment I thought about that, the fun factor set in, and that's all I thought about - working out and having fun.
I planned on continuing Rev Abs. So I moved onto phase two of Rev Abs where the workouts are a little more challenging, a little longer, and a little tougher.
THIS WAS MY CHOICE. Nobody told me to do this, no one asked me to join them. I solely did this on my own.
Using the schedules for the various Hip Hop Ab workouts and Rev Abs, I created a schedule that's FUN!
Hip Hop Abs, followed by Rev Abs. Start off with the fun, and just keep it moving.
I did my first workout on Monday, February 22nd, and I had a ton of fun - and I burned over 550 calories!!! I smiled, I laughed, I had a blast, and I couldn't wait to workout again!
So in order to progress forward with Rev Abs, I had to go back to the beginning with the workout program I started with almost three years ago - Hip Hop Abs. I'm loving the combination, and I am anxious to workout again. :)
I added 90 days of HIP HOP ABS. Now Hip Hop Abs is a 30day program. To make it 90days, I'm using multiple Beachbody programs by trainer ShaunT:
- Hip Hop Abs
- ShaunT's Dance Party Series
- Rockin' Body
Maybe, just maybe, I may add "Hip Hop Abs level 2: Ultimate Results", but I haven't decided yet.
The moment I thought about that, the fun factor set in, and that's all I thought about - working out and having fun.
I planned on continuing Rev Abs. So I moved onto phase two of Rev Abs where the workouts are a little more challenging, a little longer, and a little tougher.
THIS WAS MY CHOICE. Nobody told me to do this, no one asked me to join them. I solely did this on my own.
Using the schedules for the various Hip Hop Ab workouts and Rev Abs, I created a schedule that's FUN!
Hip Hop Abs, followed by Rev Abs. Start off with the fun, and just keep it moving.
I did my first workout on Monday, February 22nd, and I had a ton of fun - and I burned over 550 calories!!! I smiled, I laughed, I had a blast, and I couldn't wait to workout again!
So in order to progress forward with Rev Abs, I had to go back to the beginning with the workout program I started with almost three years ago - Hip Hop Abs. I'm loving the combination, and I am anxious to workout again. :)
Rev Abs - week 3
I got about 1/2 way through week three and I started thinking "this is too easy, I have to kick this up". But I was hesitant about moving into phase two of Rev Abs right away. My initial goal was - complete this program 100%, no matter what.
Then I remembered what trainer Tony Horton always says - "listen to your body".
Although I was getting a hard workout with Rev Abs, I did not sweat as hard because my body was getting used to it.
After twelve days of NOTHING, I made the choice to kick things up and change it around.
What I had LOST in these workouts was the FUN factor. Working out because it's FUN. I made it such a chore to workout that I was just doing the workouts for the sake of doing them and not truly enjoying the fun factor of the workouts.
So I took a step back, and wondered "how do I make it fun again?"
Then I remembered what trainer Tony Horton always says - "listen to your body".
Although I was getting a hard workout with Rev Abs, I did not sweat as hard because my body was getting used to it.
After twelve days of NOTHING, I made the choice to kick things up and change it around.
What I had LOST in these workouts was the FUN factor. Working out because it's FUN. I made it such a chore to workout that I was just doing the workouts for the sake of doing them and not truly enjoying the fun factor of the workouts.
So I took a step back, and wondered "how do I make it fun again?"
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
WEEK 2 & GAME PLAN
Week 2 of Rev Abs and Chalean Extreme was a true challenge for me. It wasn’t the nutrition that challenged me, it was a trip.
The first part of the week was spot on with nutrition, workouts, and supplementation. I was very proud of that.
The second part of the week was a challenge because I was travelling to Chicago, IL for an event. I followed the principle of Chalean Extreme – go heavy or go home. I did not bring my workout DVDs or a portable DVD player. Instead, I did an empromptu workout consisting of exercises from P90X, Rev Abs, Chalean Extreme, and mixed in cardio work from the treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical, and also did some ab work for an intense 30minute workout.
After getting cleaned up, having breakfast, my girlfriend and I attended the GAME PLAN EVENT – the main reason why we visited Chicago. We MET so many TeamBeachbody coaches whom I have known, spoken with on Facebook, and whom I met for the fist time. It was a worthwhile event with amazing lessons that I will utilize to expand my coaching business!! That night, I had an amazing two-hour conversation with a TOP coach and an employee from Beachbody who broadened my horizion with new ideas and suggestions I never thought of. It was mind-blowing and exciting at the same time! Afterwards, I returned to my room, and noted everything I was told. This was a true opportunity, and I took full advantage of it.
Sunday morning, we went downstairs for breakfast, and the coach I had spoken with entered the elevator. I asked him to breakfast, and during breakfast, he shared the same ideas he mentioned to me last night as well as many other ideas.
It was an amazing trip, not just for the Game Plan Training, but to meet so many TeamBeachbody coaches, learn from them, and “pay it forward”. Pass along what I have learned, and expand MY coaching business.
Although I did miss a few workouts at the end of week 2, I am confident that they will be done during week three, as well as BOTH week three schedules (for Rev Abs and Chalean Extreme) – and I will continue pushing forwards towards my goals. They WILL be achieved.
The first part of the week was spot on with nutrition, workouts, and supplementation. I was very proud of that.
The second part of the week was a challenge because I was travelling to Chicago, IL for an event. I followed the principle of Chalean Extreme – go heavy or go home. I did not bring my workout DVDs or a portable DVD player. Instead, I did an empromptu workout consisting of exercises from P90X, Rev Abs, Chalean Extreme, and mixed in cardio work from the treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical, and also did some ab work for an intense 30minute workout.
After getting cleaned up, having breakfast, my girlfriend and I attended the GAME PLAN EVENT – the main reason why we visited Chicago. We MET so many TeamBeachbody coaches whom I have known, spoken with on Facebook, and whom I met for the fist time. It was a worthwhile event with amazing lessons that I will utilize to expand my coaching business!! That night, I had an amazing two-hour conversation with a TOP coach and an employee from Beachbody who broadened my horizion with new ideas and suggestions I never thought of. It was mind-blowing and exciting at the same time! Afterwards, I returned to my room, and noted everything I was told. This was a true opportunity, and I took full advantage of it.
Sunday morning, we went downstairs for breakfast, and the coach I had spoken with entered the elevator. I asked him to breakfast, and during breakfast, he shared the same ideas he mentioned to me last night as well as many other ideas.
It was an amazing trip, not just for the Game Plan Training, but to meet so many TeamBeachbody coaches, learn from them, and “pay it forward”. Pass along what I have learned, and expand MY coaching business.
Although I did miss a few workouts at the end of week 2, I am confident that they will be done during week three, as well as BOTH week three schedules (for Rev Abs and Chalean Extreme) – and I will continue pushing forwards towards my goals. They WILL be achieved.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
WEEK 1
WEEK 1
This week was week 1 of - Rev Abs AND Chalean Extreme. I have tried doing two programs simultaneously before, but I did not take in enough calories in the past. Hence, I would be sluggish and not have enough energy during the day or in the workouts. This time around, I compensated for that by planning accordingly. I organized my own meal based on a meal plan that trainer Brett Hoebel has posted, adding along snacks and healthy meal suggestions that I have picked up in the past few years. These meal suggestions came from other Beachbody programs, suggestions I have learned along the way, and things that I have tried. The combination created a healthy meal plan, which I have been sticking to and it works.
Here's a quick description of my meals:
Breakfast - 2/3cup whole oates, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 scoop Beachbody chocolate whey protein, a sprinkle of cinnamon
Snack - 25 raw almonds
Lunch - grilled chicken over green salad
Snack - 25 raw almonds
Dinner - 1scoop Beachbody chocolate Shakeology, 8oz unsweetened almond milk, ice.
The advantage of this meal plan is that the meals are interchangeable, they can be shifted around. If I'm running late in the morning and don't have the time to make the oatmeal, I'll make a glass of Shakeology and drink that as I'm driving to work. Then I'll come home to cook my "breakfast" as my lunch. Then I would make my "lunch" as my dinner. It's a simplistic meal plan that can be altered, changed, and revised.
Another advantage is that I can eat out - and eat healthy meals. My girlfriend and I had dinner out on Friday night. For dinner, I had grilled salmon over greens. Doing this kept me focused and on track.
Throughout the day, I drink 6-8 bottles of water. In addition, I finish two bottles of water in my my morning workout, and another 2 bottles in my evening workout.
As far as my workouts, I completed 100% of the workouts this week for Rev Abs and Chalean Extreme.
My workouts are on schedule, my meals are on schedule, and everything is working according to plan.
Several mornings this week, before the workout, I would receive a motivational text message from my coach
"Good morning"
"I'm up, are you?"
"Time to push play"
By the time I've read the message, my heart is pumpin, I'm wide awake, and I've turned on my laptop. I just put on my workout clothes and I'm ready to go.
A while back, someone asked me "how many calories are you burning in these workouts?" That depends on whether it's a weight workout or a cardio workout. I've been wearing a Bodybugg during my workouts to track the number of calories I have burned. One morning, I did not wear the Bodybugg because it was a weight workout - so it's not a complete reading. After that morning, I wear the Bodybugg in every workout.
On the other side of things, I stopped wearing a heartrate monitor. I did wear a heartrate monitor when I first started Rev Abs in December 2009, and the jumping jacks increased my heartrate. I would complete the workout, and check the stats on the HR monitor - and my max heartrate was 224. I was surprised.
Now, I only wear the Bodybugg during my workouts and go by how I FEEL. As someone once said, "listen to your body", or be aware of how your body responds to intense workouts. Now, if I feel that I'm out of my zone and pushing too hard, I'll back off a little bit. But if I know that I can work harder, I will do it.
This mindset will drive me and help push me to the next level of my fitness.
One thing I have noticed is that my body adapts to the workout routines faster. For instance, the workouts for day one and day 4 of Rev Abs are the same. Day 1 I burned 445 calories, and day 4 I burned 413 calories - in the SAME workout. I will have to step up the intensity for the second half of the week to keep (or increase) the caloric burn.
Positive results for week 1 - I'm standing straighter, feeling stronger, more calmer, extremely positive, very focused - and determined to make this happen.
WEEK 1 TOTALS (caloric burn per program)
Total calories burned in Rev Abs: 1798
Total calories burned in Chalean Extreme: 1178
TOTAL CALORIES BURNED = 2976
Now I know that sounds extreme. But someone once said, that if you want to get extreme results, you have do extreme things.
Extreme workouts, focused nutrition, constant hydration.
Week 1 is complete. Today is a reat day, so I'll do a little yoga to finish off the week.
Tomorrow begins week 2, and I'm excited for it!!!
This week was week 1 of - Rev Abs AND Chalean Extreme. I have tried doing two programs simultaneously before, but I did not take in enough calories in the past. Hence, I would be sluggish and not have enough energy during the day or in the workouts. This time around, I compensated for that by planning accordingly. I organized my own meal based on a meal plan that trainer Brett Hoebel has posted, adding along snacks and healthy meal suggestions that I have picked up in the past few years. These meal suggestions came from other Beachbody programs, suggestions I have learned along the way, and things that I have tried. The combination created a healthy meal plan, which I have been sticking to and it works.
Here's a quick description of my meals:
Breakfast - 2/3cup whole oates, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 scoop Beachbody chocolate whey protein, a sprinkle of cinnamon
Snack - 25 raw almonds
Lunch - grilled chicken over green salad
Snack - 25 raw almonds
Dinner - 1scoop Beachbody chocolate Shakeology, 8oz unsweetened almond milk, ice.
The advantage of this meal plan is that the meals are interchangeable, they can be shifted around. If I'm running late in the morning and don't have the time to make the oatmeal, I'll make a glass of Shakeology and drink that as I'm driving to work. Then I'll come home to cook my "breakfast" as my lunch. Then I would make my "lunch" as my dinner. It's a simplistic meal plan that can be altered, changed, and revised.
Another advantage is that I can eat out - and eat healthy meals. My girlfriend and I had dinner out on Friday night. For dinner, I had grilled salmon over greens. Doing this kept me focused and on track.
Throughout the day, I drink 6-8 bottles of water. In addition, I finish two bottles of water in my my morning workout, and another 2 bottles in my evening workout.
As far as my workouts, I completed 100% of the workouts this week for Rev Abs and Chalean Extreme.
My workouts are on schedule, my meals are on schedule, and everything is working according to plan.
Several mornings this week, before the workout, I would receive a motivational text message from my coach
"Good morning"
"I'm up, are you?"
"Time to push play"
By the time I've read the message, my heart is pumpin, I'm wide awake, and I've turned on my laptop. I just put on my workout clothes and I'm ready to go.
A while back, someone asked me "how many calories are you burning in these workouts?" That depends on whether it's a weight workout or a cardio workout. I've been wearing a Bodybugg during my workouts to track the number of calories I have burned. One morning, I did not wear the Bodybugg because it was a weight workout - so it's not a complete reading. After that morning, I wear the Bodybugg in every workout.
On the other side of things, I stopped wearing a heartrate monitor. I did wear a heartrate monitor when I first started Rev Abs in December 2009, and the jumping jacks increased my heartrate. I would complete the workout, and check the stats on the HR monitor - and my max heartrate was 224. I was surprised.
Now, I only wear the Bodybugg during my workouts and go by how I FEEL. As someone once said, "listen to your body", or be aware of how your body responds to intense workouts. Now, if I feel that I'm out of my zone and pushing too hard, I'll back off a little bit. But if I know that I can work harder, I will do it.
This mindset will drive me and help push me to the next level of my fitness.
One thing I have noticed is that my body adapts to the workout routines faster. For instance, the workouts for day one and day 4 of Rev Abs are the same. Day 1 I burned 445 calories, and day 4 I burned 413 calories - in the SAME workout. I will have to step up the intensity for the second half of the week to keep (or increase) the caloric burn.
Positive results for week 1 - I'm standing straighter, feeling stronger, more calmer, extremely positive, very focused - and determined to make this happen.
WEEK 1 TOTALS (caloric burn per program)
Total calories burned in Rev Abs: 1798
Total calories burned in Chalean Extreme: 1178
TOTAL CALORIES BURNED = 2976
Now I know that sounds extreme. But someone once said, that if you want to get extreme results, you have do extreme things.
Extreme workouts, focused nutrition, constant hydration.
Week 1 is complete. Today is a reat day, so I'll do a little yoga to finish off the week.
Tomorrow begins week 2, and I'm excited for it!!!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Lacking Motivation - And How I Resolved It
Ok, so last week I thought I was restarting Rev Abs. No motivation. MY TeamBeachbody coach sent me a text asking how I was doing, and I told him the truth – that even though I was eating healthy, I was not working out. What he wrote back blew my mind. He said, and I quote:
“I refuse to let you quit”.
THAT was an eye opener, it was a game changer, and completely caught me for a loop. I was excited, motivated, enthusiastic, and I couldn’t wait to workout.
However, instead of working out alone, we devised a plan that will work. He just got Rev Abs, and we’re now doing that together!
It was exactly what I needed to jumpstart everything, and kick things into a higher gear.
Not only did I restart Rev Abs, but I added a second program - Chalean Extreme. The question was, how was this going to work? So I did a little research. There were several programs that I wanted to do in 2010 – Rev Abs, Chalean Extreme, Brazil Butt Lift, P90X+, Insanity.
Rev Abs is 14 weeks.
Chalean Extreme is 17 weeks.
Brazil Butt Lift is 4 weeks (and it has an extended calendar for another 4 weeks).
P90X+ has three schedules, just like P90X, and is 13 weeks.
Insanity is 8 weeks.
How was I going to create a calendar putting all of those programs together? Answer – Excel. By putting the schedules of the programs side by side, I organized a calendar so by the end of 2010, I will complete all 5 programs.
In other words, DOUBLES.
To “see” what it will look like, here’s a quick overall:
Rev Abs – round 1/ Chalean Extreme
Rev Abs – round 2/Brazil Butt Lift / P90X+ Lean
Insanity / Yoga
The reason why I am excited about this schedule, even though it may look “insane” is because these are programs that I haven’t DONE before! I’ve tried two workouts from Chalean Extreme, one from Brazil Butt Lift, one from P90X+ - but I haven’t done their entire schedules yet.
Trainer Tony Horton said, “Variety is the spice of fitness.” In other words, you have to mix it up, change up the workouts – and as he described the principle of muscle confusion – keep your body guessing.
Honestly, I do not know what to expect from this schedule, but I can tell you this – it’s going to be one helluva ride!
“I refuse to let you quit”.
THAT was an eye opener, it was a game changer, and completely caught me for a loop. I was excited, motivated, enthusiastic, and I couldn’t wait to workout.
However, instead of working out alone, we devised a plan that will work. He just got Rev Abs, and we’re now doing that together!
It was exactly what I needed to jumpstart everything, and kick things into a higher gear.
Not only did I restart Rev Abs, but I added a second program - Chalean Extreme. The question was, how was this going to work? So I did a little research. There were several programs that I wanted to do in 2010 – Rev Abs, Chalean Extreme, Brazil Butt Lift, P90X+, Insanity.
Rev Abs is 14 weeks.
Chalean Extreme is 17 weeks.
Brazil Butt Lift is 4 weeks (and it has an extended calendar for another 4 weeks).
P90X+ has three schedules, just like P90X, and is 13 weeks.
Insanity is 8 weeks.
How was I going to create a calendar putting all of those programs together? Answer – Excel. By putting the schedules of the programs side by side, I organized a calendar so by the end of 2010, I will complete all 5 programs.
In other words, DOUBLES.
To “see” what it will look like, here’s a quick overall:
Rev Abs – round 1/ Chalean Extreme
Rev Abs – round 2/Brazil Butt Lift / P90X+ Lean
Insanity / Yoga
The reason why I am excited about this schedule, even though it may look “insane” is because these are programs that I haven’t DONE before! I’ve tried two workouts from Chalean Extreme, one from Brazil Butt Lift, one from P90X+ - but I haven’t done their entire schedules yet.
Trainer Tony Horton said, “Variety is the spice of fitness.” In other words, you have to mix it up, change up the workouts – and as he described the principle of muscle confusion – keep your body guessing.
Honestly, I do not know what to expect from this schedule, but I can tell you this – it’s going to be one helluva ride!
Monday, January 11, 2010
RevAbs - week one
By restarting Rev Abs, I restarted from day 1. Not only did I restart the program, I also dropped the weight. Now I am changing things up. When I started on day one, I did not use hand weights. I used two 9-pound kettlebells (or KBs). I haven't worked with kettlebells before, so this was a challenge. I used the 9-pound KBs throughout the week, and they kept me challenged.
My meals have been healthy and nutritious. I have not "slid" or slacked in them at all. As far as what I ate, I ate oatmeal for breakfast every day and Shakeology for either lunch or dinner. The other meal varied between chicken or fish. Overall, I am feeling great, and I am very confident this round will deliver the results that I am seeking.
I did miss a few workouts this week, but that's alright. I intend on making them up in week TWO. I know that this hard work will pay off. As I begin week two, I will continue using the 9-pound KBs. If it gets too easy with the KBs, I will switch back to dumbbells and use 12.5pound dumbbells.
I will keep you posted on how it goes.
My meals have been healthy and nutritious. I have not "slid" or slacked in them at all. As far as what I ate, I ate oatmeal for breakfast every day and Shakeology for either lunch or dinner. The other meal varied between chicken or fish. Overall, I am feeling great, and I am very confident this round will deliver the results that I am seeking.
I did miss a few workouts this week, but that's alright. I intend on making them up in week TWO. I know that this hard work will pay off. As I begin week two, I will continue using the 9-pound KBs. If it gets too easy with the KBs, I will switch back to dumbbells and use 12.5pound dumbbells.
I will keep you posted on how it goes.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Restarting Rev Abs
After completing three straight weeks of the Beachbody workout program, Rev Abs, I missed three straight weeks in a row because LIFE got in the way. When I started getting bent out of shape about it, I remembered what trainer Tony Horton said at his fitness camp in October.
Someone asked about missing workouts - do you make them up, miss them and keep going forward... what do you do? Tony said, and I quote "If you're in week 2 and missed two days, just keep going. If you're in week 8 and missed three weeks in a row, then yeah, restart the program."
I began Rev Abs on November 8th, two days after my 40th birthday. I completed three weeks of the schedule, 100%. Then I began staying later at work, or oversleeping, or something else... Finally, I had enough and did something about it.
On December 20th, 2009 - I restarted Rev Abs from day 1. This is the week of Christmas, the time of food, overeating, "drinking and being merry". Granted, but that wasn't going to stop me from eating healthy, drinking WATER, and still being merry!
I completed 100% of the workouts from week one, ate heatlhy, hydrated, and felt great.
With a new mindset, a revised determination, (and a week of vacation), I am progressing onward...
Someone asked about missing workouts - do you make them up, miss them and keep going forward... what do you do? Tony said, and I quote "If you're in week 2 and missed two days, just keep going. If you're in week 8 and missed three weeks in a row, then yeah, restart the program."
I began Rev Abs on November 8th, two days after my 40th birthday. I completed three weeks of the schedule, 100%. Then I began staying later at work, or oversleeping, or something else... Finally, I had enough and did something about it.
On December 20th, 2009 - I restarted Rev Abs from day 1. This is the week of Christmas, the time of food, overeating, "drinking and being merry". Granted, but that wasn't going to stop me from eating healthy, drinking WATER, and still being merry!
I completed 100% of the workouts from week one, ate heatlhy, hydrated, and felt great.
With a new mindset, a revised determination, (and a week of vacation), I am progressing onward...
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Achievement
I am taking a little break from my regular posts to write something a little different, something that has been on my mind lately. What is “achievement” or more specifically, what does it mean to “achieve”?
If you look that up in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, achieve is a verb derived from Middle English dating from the 14th century. “Achieve” can be used as a transitive verb meaning “to carry out successfully” (accomplish); “to get or attain as the result of exertion” (reach). It can also be used as an intransitive verb meaning “to attain a desired end or aim: become successful”. A synonym for achieve is “perform”.
In the past few years because of my job as vice president of finance in the family-run electronics distribution business, my perception of achievement was “doing whatever it takes to get the job done”. The “job” I’m referring is not just finance, but verifying everything before shipping orders to the customer, and vice versa when receiving orders from vendors. That’s just the business part.
Personally, there have been different achievements in my life, but I view them more as “accomplishments” instead of achievements. They mean the same thing.
In my life, what HAVE I achieved? What can I say that I have done?
- I have a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in theatre.
- I worked in various aspects of theatre for seventeen years because of my love of doing it.
- I sang in a barbershop chorus for almost four years, and a barbershop quartet for two strictly because of the performance and conveying the meaning to the song.
- I managed and ran a singles group in my church for two and a half years because no one wanted to be in charge of it, so I took the reins and did it the best that I could.
- I taught 3rd grade CCD for a year.
- I sang in the church choir for eight years singing either bass or tenor.
- I have lived and maintained a seizure-free life since 1996.
- I learned to ballroom dance, and fell in love with the old-fashioned romanticism of it.
- I have used and completed most of the workout programs offered by Beachbody because I wanted to have personal knowledge of using the programs, and be able to help people who use them.
- I chose to become an Independent TeamBeachbody coach, an independent distributor of Beachbody products, to help others make a difference in their lives through exercise.
- I volunteered to help Beachbody trainer, ShaunT, with his workout challenge consisting of his workout programs: Hip Hop Abs, ShaunT’s Dance Party Series, Hip Hop Abs Level 2, Rockin’ Body.
- I filmed my own workouts to watch my form. This turned into creating youtube videos which track my fitness progress.
- I filmed group workouts in New York City, not only to say "we did it", but to promote what we have done, and what we will be doing next.
- I am helping other TeamBeachbody coaches by creating videos of their progress to share THEIR story.
- In two and a half years, I reduced my cholesterol from 319 to 184 through exercise, nutrition, supplementation, and hydration.
What do all of these have in common?
I did them because I WANTED to. That is the difference.
I have lived my life by several Goethe quotes which have helped changed and shape my life:
1. “If I treat you as you are, I will make you worse. But I treat you as what you are ought to be, I help you become that.”
2. “Trust yourself, then you will know how to live.”
Most of all, I have learned one true lesson about myself – not to quit. That is why I keep doing exactly what I do. I have thought of the alternative – giving up. If I do that, I destroy everything that I have worked hard at achieving. I refuse to let that happen, because I refuse to quit taking care of myself and my life. I have SEEN what I want my future to be, and I am striving towards it – another reason not to quit (because I want my envisioned future to become MY REALITY).
In closing, I have two questions for you:
1. What do you want to achieve?
2. How can I help you, not just achieve it, but surpass it?
Thank you for reading this. Have a fantastic day!
If you look that up in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, achieve is a verb derived from Middle English dating from the 14th century. “Achieve” can be used as a transitive verb meaning “to carry out successfully” (accomplish); “to get or attain as the result of exertion” (reach). It can also be used as an intransitive verb meaning “to attain a desired end or aim: become successful”. A synonym for achieve is “perform”.
In the past few years because of my job as vice president of finance in the family-run electronics distribution business, my perception of achievement was “doing whatever it takes to get the job done”. The “job” I’m referring is not just finance, but verifying everything before shipping orders to the customer, and vice versa when receiving orders from vendors. That’s just the business part.
Personally, there have been different achievements in my life, but I view them more as “accomplishments” instead of achievements. They mean the same thing.
In my life, what HAVE I achieved? What can I say that I have done?
- I have a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in theatre.
- I worked in various aspects of theatre for seventeen years because of my love of doing it.
- I sang in a barbershop chorus for almost four years, and a barbershop quartet for two strictly because of the performance and conveying the meaning to the song.
- I managed and ran a singles group in my church for two and a half years because no one wanted to be in charge of it, so I took the reins and did it the best that I could.
- I taught 3rd grade CCD for a year.
- I sang in the church choir for eight years singing either bass or tenor.
- I have lived and maintained a seizure-free life since 1996.
- I learned to ballroom dance, and fell in love with the old-fashioned romanticism of it.
- I have used and completed most of the workout programs offered by Beachbody because I wanted to have personal knowledge of using the programs, and be able to help people who use them.
- I chose to become an Independent TeamBeachbody coach, an independent distributor of Beachbody products, to help others make a difference in their lives through exercise.
- I volunteered to help Beachbody trainer, ShaunT, with his workout challenge consisting of his workout programs: Hip Hop Abs, ShaunT’s Dance Party Series, Hip Hop Abs Level 2, Rockin’ Body.
- I filmed my own workouts to watch my form. This turned into creating youtube videos which track my fitness progress.
- I filmed group workouts in New York City, not only to say "we did it", but to promote what we have done, and what we will be doing next.
- I am helping other TeamBeachbody coaches by creating videos of their progress to share THEIR story.
- In two and a half years, I reduced my cholesterol from 319 to 184 through exercise, nutrition, supplementation, and hydration.
What do all of these have in common?
I did them because I WANTED to. That is the difference.
I have lived my life by several Goethe quotes which have helped changed and shape my life:
1. “If I treat you as you are, I will make you worse. But I treat you as what you are ought to be, I help you become that.”
2. “Trust yourself, then you will know how to live.”
Most of all, I have learned one true lesson about myself – not to quit. That is why I keep doing exactly what I do. I have thought of the alternative – giving up. If I do that, I destroy everything that I have worked hard at achieving. I refuse to let that happen, because I refuse to quit taking care of myself and my life. I have SEEN what I want my future to be, and I am striving towards it – another reason not to quit (because I want my envisioned future to become MY REALITY).
In closing, I have two questions for you:
1. What do you want to achieve?
2. How can I help you, not just achieve it, but surpass it?
Thank you for reading this. Have a fantastic day!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Dr. Oz and Hip Hop Abs
ShaunT was recently on the Dr. Oz show. He not only got Dr. Oz to do Hip Hop Abs, but some of the audience members were hip hopping in their seats! Check it out!!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Turkey Burn 2009
What exactly is the turkey burn? It was started by TeamBeachbody Coach Barbie Decker last year after Thanksgiving. We all to overeat on Thanksgiving by having either too many appetizers, turkey, side dishes, or dessert. The purpose of the turkey burn is to BURN OFF the food we ate on Thanksgiving. Pretty simple!
Several TeamBeachbody coaches hosted and attended the Turkey Burn 2009 workout in New York City on Saturday, November 28th. Coaches in attendance were:
James P. Manganiello, Gloria Lee, Barbie Decker, Jason Diebold, Nazly Jordan, Gabrielle Valentino, and Brian Del Gaudio.
The workouts are from the Beachbody program REV ABS:
Rev It Up Cardio
Merciless Abs
A total of sixteen people attended the workout. Three videocameras filmed it. Five cameras took photographs. Between all the video footage and the photographs, I am creating a youtube video for this workout.
I have already reviewed the workout footage and am creating a youtube video consisting of photos and videos. Once completed, I will post it here, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and various other social networking sites.
Several TeamBeachbody coaches hosted and attended the Turkey Burn 2009 workout in New York City on Saturday, November 28th. Coaches in attendance were:
James P. Manganiello, Gloria Lee, Barbie Decker, Jason Diebold, Nazly Jordan, Gabrielle Valentino, and Brian Del Gaudio.
The workouts are from the Beachbody program REV ABS:
Rev It Up Cardio
Merciless Abs
A total of sixteen people attended the workout. Three videocameras filmed it. Five cameras took photographs. Between all the video footage and the photographs, I am creating a youtube video for this workout.
I have already reviewed the workout footage and am creating a youtube video consisting of photos and videos. Once completed, I will post it here, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and various other social networking sites.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Rev Abs - week 3
I fell a little behind, so I've completed week two of the Rev Abs schedule today - but calendar wise, this is week three. I will catch up.
I changed my meals this week. I had my breakfast meal at dinner and my dinner meal at breakfast.
Breakfast - Shakeology
Dinner - oatmeal
As a result of this, my energy level increased every morning which lasted trhoughout the day,and I lost my desire for coffee. In addition, without coffee in the morning, I didn't have creamer, sugar, or caffeine.
This is my mantra when it comes to exercising and eating nutritious meals:
Don't procrastinate, speculate, or hesitate.
Rev it, bring it, work it, DO IT!
I will let you know how it goes in my next blog post.
I hope that all of you had a fantastic Thanksgiving!
Have a great week!
I changed my meals this week. I had my breakfast meal at dinner and my dinner meal at breakfast.
Breakfast - Shakeology
Dinner - oatmeal
As a result of this, my energy level increased every morning which lasted trhoughout the day,and I lost my desire for coffee. In addition, without coffee in the morning, I didn't have creamer, sugar, or caffeine.
This is my mantra when it comes to exercising and eating nutritious meals:
Don't procrastinate, speculate, or hesitate.
Rev it, bring it, work it, DO IT!
I will let you know how it goes in my next blog post.
I hope that all of you had a fantastic Thanksgiving!
Have a great week!
Thanksgiving
Thanksgivng is a holiday where we should be thankful, but we tend to forget that. We get lost with big meals, parades, desserts, and overindulging. I made it a point to eat very wisely for this Thanksgiving.
I grew up on Long Island. We travel to different relatives each year and share Thanksgiving dinner together. Usually, the traffic driving from New Jersey to Long Island is horrendous during the holidays. This year, we beat the traffic, and had breakfast at a diner. I had banana pancakes, fruit cup, water, and coffee. I wasn't stuffed, just satisfied. Overall, it was a great day seeing family and enjoying Thanksgiving dinner. As we drove home, traffic-free, I wondered which Beachbody workout to do that would burn off the dinner.
When I got home, I put on my workout clothes, and put in the Rev Abs workout "Fire Up Your Abs". I worked up a good sweat, burned 275 calories, and I felt great. For me, it was a great way Thanksgiving!!!
I grew up on Long Island. We travel to different relatives each year and share Thanksgiving dinner together. Usually, the traffic driving from New Jersey to Long Island is horrendous during the holidays. This year, we beat the traffic, and had breakfast at a diner. I had banana pancakes, fruit cup, water, and coffee. I wasn't stuffed, just satisfied. Overall, it was a great day seeing family and enjoying Thanksgiving dinner. As we drove home, traffic-free, I wondered which Beachbody workout to do that would burn off the dinner.
When I got home, I put on my workout clothes, and put in the Rev Abs workout "Fire Up Your Abs". I worked up a good sweat, burned 275 calories, and I felt great. For me, it was a great way Thanksgiving!!!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Rev Abs, week 2
I continued challenging myself throughout week two. Throughout the week, my abs fired in the Rev Abs workouts. In addition, they also fired throughout the day and stayed in that “flex” status. In other words, my ab muscles fired all day long. I’ve never experienced this before.
By mid week, my I needed some type of stretching or break. Although I didn’t take a break, I did change things up a little with my workout schedule. I continued to follow the Rev Abs schedule in the morning, and I added a cardio or yoga workout at night.
I added the extra workouts to keep my body consistently guessing and to improve my flexibility. The cardio helped burn off the bodyfat, and the yoga helped stretch me out. The combination worked.
Now, whether I’m doing a morning workout or an evening workout – my abs FIRED, and they continued firing throughout the day. I am really enjoying that feeling!!!
By mid week, my I needed some type of stretching or break. Although I didn’t take a break, I did change things up a little with my workout schedule. I continued to follow the Rev Abs schedule in the morning, and I added a cardio or yoga workout at night.
I added the extra workouts to keep my body consistently guessing and to improve my flexibility. The cardio helped burn off the bodyfat, and the yoga helped stretch me out. The combination worked.
Now, whether I’m doing a morning workout or an evening workout – my abs FIRED, and they continued firing throughout the day. I am really enjoying that feeling!!!
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