People often ask me, “Tony, if you eat like a king with a diet full of organic, free-range, homegrown, farmers’ market food, four or five meals a day, why do you still need to add supplements?”

The answer is simple. You don’t. That is, of course, provided you live in a magical fairy land free of toxins and stress, where you can be 100% sure that the perfect meals you eat fit your exact needs. Also, you need to make sure that you don’t exercise too hard. If your life fits all this criteria, then no supplementation for you! Enjoy your time on the other side of the rainbow. Here on planet Earth, we need supplements to make the most of our lives.

Believe me, when it comes to healthy eating, I walk my talk. I do my best to use only the finest raw materials — and I have the resources to do a great job of it. But for all my good intentions, sometimes I’m still stuck in an airport with nothing but roasted nuts, a bag of baked chips and a bottle of water to get me through the next four hours. Not many micronutrients goin’ on in that exchange. It’s nice to know I can always use that water to wash down a multivitamin as an insurance plan.

Furthermore, as much as I love technology, I don’t run numbers on every single thing I eat and drink. I cannot say for certain that I get every vitamin, mineral, phytonutrient, enzyme, fatty acid, amino acid, acid rock, acid jazz and acid du jour that I need. And even if I were scoring straight As with my RDAs, there are all kinds of external issues that either drain you of nutrients or get in the way of their absorption. Stress, toxins, lack of sleep — these things can be problems. (So can alcohol and caffeine for that matter, but these aren’t issues for me ’cause Tony don’t play that game.)

So, in this hectic modern world, we need a safety net to ensure we’re getting the nutrition necessary for survival.

But that’s not the primary reason I supplement, given that I’m not interested in surviving. I’m interested in thriving — as I’m sure you are. We push ourselves harder, jump higher and run faster than the average bear. We make the most out of this fantastic bag of muscle, skin, bone and organs we call our body. Why do professional athletes, gymnasts, football players, basketball players and lacrosse players kick ass? Is it purely because they eat three squares a day? Do you really think they got that way based on food alone? No way. If you want to perform, if you want to be athletic, if you want your muscles and your tendons and your ligaments to heal rapidly enough so that you can come back and do it day in and day out, then you’re going to need supplementation.

But when you’re downing that creatine, multivitamin, Shakeology or whatever else you’re using, remember that it’s only half the equation. It’s a supplement, meaning it supplements whatever food you put in your body, even the super-healthy stuff. When you combine the two, you greatly reduce your risk of illness and disease. Nutritious foods and the right supplements can assist in lowering fat stores, losing weight, increasing energy, recovering from workouts and maintaining healthy bones, muscles and joints. They can also promote psychological health.

Supplementation is a crucial tool for building a better body, for pushing to the next level. Yes, it’s important to eat like a king or queen, but you shouldn’t stop there. It might be good enough, but since when has “good enough” been part of your vocabulary? It’s certainly not part of mine!

Check out Tony Horton’s new meal delivery service, Tony Horton’s Kitchen, at tonyhortonkitchen.com, as well as his website www.tonyhortonsworld.com.

Read more: http://www.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt/supplement-your-diet.html#ixzz2KomSoQji

I recently put together the 11 Laws of Fitness, a few pearls of lifestyle wisdom that should help folks lead a healthier, happier life. But, lately, I’ve been thinking — why should exercise get all the attention? Sure, No.11 on the list is “Food and Nutrition,” but given the huge role food plays in our health, doesn’t it deserve its own list of laws?

The answer to that question, my friends, is “yes,” so here’s the latest in the 11 Laws of Nutrition, a series designed to get you thinking about what, why and how you eat. Hopefully, it’ll inspire you to take all the hard work and commitment you use on the exercise mat and transfer it to the placemat. Here is law No. 7. (And, in case you missed the others, here are No. 1,No. 2, No. 3., No. 4, No. 5 , No. 6, and No. 7)

I like to call myself a flexitarian. In other words, I eat whatever I need to stay healthy. It’s a diet that shifts and adapts to allow me to perform at my peak as an athlete. Of course, it took me a while to figure this out. For years, I ate a purely vegan diet. Then my body started telling me that it needed more protein. I fought the need briefly but eventually went with the flow, introducing the occasional high-quality animal product — free-range chicken, wild-caught Alaskan salmon, things like that. My body loved the shift — and my performance skyrocketed.

That said, it was a tough call to make, and some people weren’t thrilled. Many of my vegan fans felt I no longer had their back. In truth, nothing could be further from the truth. I’m a huge proponent of the vegan lifestyle, which is why my meal service, Tony Horton Kitchen, offers a vegan plan — and a darned delicious one at that.

But here’s a little secret. I also stand behind my ovo-lacto vegetarian fans. And my Paleo fans. And my locavore fans. And my Mediterranean diet fans. Basically, if you’re eating a healthy diet and it’s giving you the results you want, I salute you. I’m the Grand Marshal in your nutritional parade. I can’t wait to pin a big, fat, golden dinner-plate medal on your chest. I proudly proclaim that you’ve found the Best Diet on Earth — for you.

Here’s the trick. The “flex” in flexitarian stands for more than just being adaptable with your own food system. It’s also about being flexible with other people and giving them a break when they find their Best Diet on Earth.

In other words, your way may be the right way for you, but that doesn’t mean that it’s the right way for the person next to you. If you’re a Paleo, leave the macrobiotics alone. If you’re a macrobiotic, leave the Paleos alone. If you’re jacked up about Shakeology and vegan eating but your husband and kids like to dig into the occasional red meat, let them eat their steak. Don’t harangue them. Yes, they understand that you’re just trying to help, but according to the Law of Flexibility, the worst kind of advice to give is the kind that wasn’t asked for in the first place.

Your greatest intentions, if not well received, will ultimately turn to resentment. If you find that happening, if you’re resentful of the way others eat or they resent you, it’s time to give this law some serious thought.

I know this notion can be tricky, especially for the vegans and vegetarians who weave ethics and morality into their eating choices. But, to paraphrase an old adage, you can lead a horse to tofu, but if the horse doesn’t eat, you don’t shove its face in the wok.

This holds especially true with vegan eating, which requires people to give up meat, something most Americans view as a constitutional right (for the record, the same goes with Paleos and ditching grains). Try badgering most people into not eating a hamburger, and odds are they’ll end up ordering two hamburgers next time ‘round just to prove a point. All you’ve accomplished is perpetuating the resentment I was talking about earlier.

With this in mind, your best bet is to lead by example. Do your thing, do your best at it and forget what everybody else needs unless they come to you for advice. Then you can give them an earful. It’ll happen. When you eat right and exercise, you can’t help but feel and look good. And when you feel and look good, you can’t help but exude confidence. And when you exude confidence, people will ask you for advice. That’s when you lay down your experience and knowledge to their open minds and hearts.

And that’s when you can make the biggest difference.

Check out Tony Horton’s new meal delivery service, Tony Horton’s Kitchen, at tonyhortonkitchen.com, as well as his website www.tonyhortonsworld.com.

Read more: http://www.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt/flexitarian.html#ixzz2JTqNEuqn

I recently put together the 11 Laws of Fitness, a few pearls of lifestyle wisdom that I put together to help folks lead a healthier, happier life. But, lately, I’ve been thinking, “Why should exercise get all the attention?” Sure, number 11 on the list is “Food and Nutrition,” but given the huge role food plays in our health, doesn’t it deserve its own list of laws?

The answer to that question, my friends, is “yes,” so here’s the latest in the 11 Laws of Nutrition, a series designed to get you thinking about what, why and how you eat. Hopefully, it’ll inspire you to take all the hard work and commitment you use on the exercise mat and transfer it to the placemat. Here is law No. 6. (And, in case you missed the others, here are No. 1, No. 2, No. 3., No. 4 and No. 5)

Meet Joe Below Average. He’s a good guy, but he has let stress get the best of him. Because of this, he might get five hours of sleep a night. To deal with his “on the go” lifestyle, he gobbles down fast food. He drinks energy drinks and soda to stay awake so that when he crawls into bed, he can’t fall asleep. Because he doesn’t sleep, his hormones are out of whack, so his ability to pass on those last few French fries when he’s full is compromised. So not only does Joe eat garbage, but he eats too much garbage. He doesn’t have the energy to exercise and is miserable. The ticking time bomb named Joe could blow at any time.

Joe’s situation affects his moods, his immune function and his ability to make healthy choices. Long story short, poor Joe needs help. He needs to learn my next Law of Nutrition: sleep more and stress less.

First, let’s look at stress. When Joe’s stressed out, he makes bad food choices. He doesn’t find pleasure in life, so he looks to junk food to fill the void. He craves fat, salt and sugar. He relies on quick and easy convenience foods as a time-management tool for his hectic lifestyle.

And not only is he eating fast food, but he’s eating food too fast. When he gobbles down a meal, he doesn’t chew it properly. He doesn’t let his teeth and saliva begin the digestive process. Then the half-masticated chow forces its way down the esophagus with a bunch of air. He’s gassy (if you see Joe in an elevator, don’t get in) and bloated, and he’s not giving his body the opportunity to pull nutrition out of his food.

So how can you avoid being like Joe? First off, r-e-l-a-x. What would happen if you took the unnecessary fretting out of every “stressful” situation in life? Life would get a whole lot easier, and you’d have a lot more fun. Remember fun? You’ll always have new problems, and you can panic and freak out all you want, but time will still pass and life will still happen, whether you stress out about it or not. Choose answers, not problems.

Although this advice works across most aspects of your life, it especially applies to the dinner table. Next time you sit down for a meal, slow down and enjoy it. It’s not a means to an end; it’s a meal! Chew each bite until it’s completely mashed up. Set down your fork between bites. Believe me, you’ll notice the difference. Because you’re giving the food time to travel to your stomach, you’ll trigger your satiety with less food. And because you’ve chewed it well, you’ll digest it easier, thus avoiding gas and giving yourself extra energy for other tasks.

Then there’s sleep — which, for the record, does more than make you feel rested. About 40% of adults experience sleepiness that interferes with daily activities.

It’s crucial for exercise recovery and for maintaining a healthy immune system. Furthermore, according to a recent Harvard study, sleep deprivation reduces insulin sensitivity. To be blunt, a lack of sack time increases your chances of getting diabetes.

And that’s what happening to Joe. Because he only gets five hours on a good night, not only is his insulin wonky, but a couple of chemicals in his brain are causing even more problems. A lack of sleep stimulates production of ghrelin, which tells Joe to eat, and decreases leptin, which tells Joe to stop eating. In other words, because Joe doesn’t sleep, his brain pushes him to make bad food choices.

The solution here is obvious. Both you and Joe need to go to sleep! First step, kick the caffeine habit. Any drug that props you up is a problem drug. You might have some serious headaches for a week or two as you break the addiction, but it’ll be worth the detox. Second step, make time to sleep. Turn off the computer at a certain time. If you’re not tired yet, do something that relaxes you, like reading, yoga or meditation. It may seem counterproductive, not packing every waking hour with activity, but in the long run, that recovery time for your brain will actually increase productivity. If you were a Formula 1 racer, would you redline your car for the entire race? Of course not! So why are you redlining your own brain?

Luckily, I’m not Joe Below Average — and neither are you. So let’s learn from him and get that stress in check. Exercise, relax, take on less responsibility. And get some sleep — at least seven to nine hours a night. Sleep and stress management are the linchpin for good health and give you the willpower to make better choices. Stress less, sleep more and strive to be Joe Way Above Average.

Check out Tony Horton’s new meal delivery service, Tony Horton’s Kitchen, at tonyhortonkitchen.com, as well as his website www.tonyhortonsworld.com.

Read more: http://www.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt/sleep-more-stress-less.html#ixzz2HK5WBMt0

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Champion System Partners with Tony Horton for Co-branded Apparel Line Set to Launch on Virtual E-store

NEW YORK, NY – January 3^rd, 2013 – Champion System has partnered with fitness guru Tony Horton to create a co-branded apparel line.  The apparel line features both technical performance tops and cotton t-shirts with motivational quotes from Horton.

Horton is famous for his fitness philosophy and branded work out regimes. Horton has become just as famous for his motivational shout outs –  like “Gorgeous” and “Crush It”— aimed at helping fans and celebrities alike power through the intense works outs.  Consumers will be able to choose between sleeveless and short sleeve technical performance shirts that with quotes from Horton.  Options for cotton t-shirts in a variety of colors will also be available.

“Being associated with such a distinguished and accomplished professional as Tony in the fitness arena takes Champion System to an entire new place in the technical apparel world,” says Scott Kaylin, CEO of Champion System.  “We are very excited to be part of the growing Tony Horton Brand.”

“I have been waiting for this day for a long time. To have my own line of high tech gear sporting the TH Fitness logo is beyond cool. And to have Champion System behind the whole project is what makes it so great. A state-of-the-art apparel company meets a state-of-the-art fitness philosophy.  A dream come true,” says Horton.

About Tony Horton: Tony Horton is the creator behind P90X® - the best selling fitness program in America. Over the past 25 years, Tony has inspired and motivated people all over the world by sharing his fitness expertise with professional athletes, sports teams, television and film stars, recording artists and 4 million plus people.  Tony changes lives with the perfect mix of physical fitness routines, encouragement, humor, discipline and fun. His specialties includes weight/resistance training, cardiovascular/aerobic training, advanced stretching, yoga, boxing and kickboxing, plus circuit, cross and interval training and post-rehabilitation training. Using his personally developed Muscle Confusion techniques, his methodology allows individuals to reach their fitness goals, prevents plateaus and, most importantly staves off boredom from the same old workouts.

About Champion System: Champion System, a worldwide leader in custom technical apparel, was founded in 2005 and has quickly earned the reputation as a company offering the finest quality handmade garments for a wide range of sports and activities. Strong customer relationships and close collaboration with the world’s top athletes has been the key to Champion System’s success. Our distinctive and stylish garments are worn by Olympians, National and World Champions, and recreational athletes of all levels. Our goal is to allow the customer to be their own brand and we are known far and wide for our solid commitment to pioneering innovative, race-proven garments that can be customized with virtually any design.  Along the way we have revolutionized sublimation printing, redefined garment construction and simplified the custom ordering process.   With offices in 22 countries Champion System continues to set the standard in the custom apparel industry

Press Contact: For media questions/interviews in relation to Tony Horton, contact Nicole Dunn, nickyodunn@gmail.com at Dunn Pellier Media (818) 231-5589.  For media in relation to Champion System, contact Claudia Artiles at claudiaa@champ-sys.com.

Check out the line here at http://tonyhorton.champ-sys.com/index.php

Celeb fitness guru Tony Horton is confirmed to ring in the New Year at Health & Wellness Week at the legendary Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing Resort! Join the P90X® creator in Blue River, BC from January 5-12, 2013 for world class powder skiing, boarding, dining and exclusive fitness classes.

Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing and Tony are teaming up again for Health & Wellness Week to offer the ultimate heli-skiing and fitness experience. The program will include full and half day ski packages, exclusive workout sessions with Tony and even more fitness options like spin, stretch, yoga, meditation and Qi gong sessions. Guests can also cross-country ski, snowshoe and dog sled for the complete outdoor experience. Reiki, chiropractic, reflexology and post ski massage sessions are also offered at an additional charge.

Tony Horton states, “There is no better ski adventure in North America than a Mike Wiegele Heli Ski vacation. My experience last season was so good I’m coming back twice in 2013! Skiing well requires flexibility, quickness, stamina, explosive power, good technique and tons of vert. I’ll help you with the first four and I’ll let Mike and his incredible staff help you with the final two.”

The Health & Wellness kitchen will serve up sensational, Tony-approved food offerings including a morning and afternoon smoothie bar that will help guests power through the day.

Guests will be serviced each day by a Bell 212 helicopter with 2 guides who will safely navigate through glaciers, open bowls, trees, and glades. With 1.2 million acres (more terrain than all North American ski resorts combined) there is no shortage of powder and run options. At the end of the day, guests can make their way to the Fitness Centre for après-ski workout sessions. For half-day packages, morning sessions are also available, and our full service spa will also be open for business. Look forward to a rejuvenating, exciting and healthy week.

In the words of Mike Wiegele, “Let’s go skiing!”

###

About Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing: Since 1970, Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing has been delivering the ultimate ski experience unsurpassed by anyone in the world. Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing lies in the heart of the magnificent Cariboo and Monashee Mountains and is one of the world’s most productive regions for high quality, reliable powder snow. With more than 1.2 million acres and over 1,000 peaks, Mike Wiegele’s ski terrain offers world class skiing and boarding and hosts a variety of summer activities. The Resort consists of 22 handcrafted log chalets, 20,000 sq. foot Main Lodge, full-service Sport Shop, Guides Haus, and the exclusive Albreda Lodge. The season runs from December 1, 2012 until April 13, 2013.

About Tony Horton: Tony Horton is the creator behind P90X® – the best selling fitness program in America. Over the past 25 years, Tony has inspired and motivated people all over the world by sharing his fitness expertise with professional athletes, sports teams, television and film stars, recording artists and 4 million plus people. Tony changes lives with the perfect mix of physical fitness routines, encouragement, humor, discipline and fun. His specialties includes weight/resistance training, cardiovascular/aerobic training, advanced stretching, yoga, boxing and kickboxing, plus circuit, cross and interval training and post-rehabilitation training. Using his personally developed Muscle Confusion techniques, his methodology allows individuals to reach their fitness goals, prevents plateaus and, most importantly staves off boredom from the same old workouts.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/11/prweb10157963.htm