Tony Horton - Bring It!: The Revolutionary Fitness Plan for All Levels That Burns Fat, Builds Muscle, and Shreds Inches

This book is in memory of and dedicated to my mom, Jean Gencarelli Horton.
Her thoughtfulness, honesty, and guidance steered me through life every step of the way.
I miss you and I love you, Mom.

TJ

If you've picked up this book, it means you probably want to make some changes to your life. It also means you are able to lift a weight (this book is heavy!). You may be worried that you're not fit enough to start this program. But don't worry about the shape you're in right now. Instead, think about the shape you'll be in later. And stop feeling guilty about neglecting your body. There's still time to show it some love. Hate exercise? Yeah, well, sometimes so do I. And if you've been working out faithfully and not seeing the results you want, don't be discouraged. No matter what shape you're in, I promise you this: My program will inspire you to find the fun in fitness and keep your body looking and feeling incredible for the rest of your life. Think of this journey as a treasure hunt where you are both the pirate explorer and the hidden prize at the end. In fact, this is the true derivation of the term pirate's booty, which has nothing to do with gold coins (or cheese popcorn) but, rather, the satisfaction of one's own firm glutes after repetitious climbing of the mast with a 5-pound parrot on your shoulder. (Look for this exercise in my next workout program, Pirate 90 Aaargh.)

Being healthy and fit is about more than just seeing the right number on your bathroom scale or fitting into your favorite jeans. Good health and physical fitness have powerful effects on your entire life. They will help you feel better about yourself, accomplish your goals, fulfill your intentions, and change for the better in innumerable other ways. Have you ever noticed that fit and healthy people also tend to be happy and successful? That's no coincidence. Health and success go hand in hand. (Dick Tracy: fit and successful. Homer Simpson: out of shape and miserable.) True success without good health is an illusion.

I admit that getting healthy and fit can be a challenge and requires hard workyou won't hear any superficial rah-rah speeches from me. And for many people, health and fitness prove elusive. Why? Because many of them are bamboozled and tricked by quick fixes, crazy contraptions (can you say thigh buster?), and gastronomic gimmicks (cabbage soup, anyone?). People love em. I've been in this industry for more than 25 years, and I can honestly say that if something came along to make exercise quicker and easier, I'd be all over it.

But the truth is, quick fixes don't work. That's not to say that there isn't room for innovative ideas and new exercise methodsI've tried (and stolen) plenty of good ones over the years, and I've had a hand in inventing a few. But if you're searching for the magic bullet, you'll be looking until the end of time. Because, with the rare exception of my Aunt Ethel's key lime pie and Halle Berry's cheekbones, if something seems too good to be true, wellyou know the rest.

Quite often, when I share my fitness philosophy, I get a groan, a grunt, and other things that begin with gr. I must seem crazy to a lot of folks who were looking for a completely different answer. But I have no interest in helping you lose 10 pounds in a day or get ripped abs in 5 minutes. I am interested in your health. I care about helping you get fit, flexible, and strong. I care about helping you feel good for the rest of your life!

Many people claim they want health and happiness, yet their actions don't support their words. We give lip service to exercising more and changing our eating habitsbut make no lasting changes. The national obesity rate is escalating beyond anything our health care system can handle. That is our faultnot the pharmaceutical companies', not the health care industry's, and not our government'swe've gotten lazy by eating supersized portions and fake food laced with fat, sugar, and salt and by sitting around on our collective keisters.

The way we've been living has led me to conclude that each and every one of us needs to change how we look at fitness. It's not just about dieting and exercising to make ourselves smaller. The reason why needs to be more profound than that. My focus has always been on feeling good, improving the quality of people's lives, being fit, and enjoying good health. Yes, I'm sure you're saying, All that is nice, but I want to look better in a bathing suit.

Don't get me wrong: There's nothing bad about wanting to look good. I love what a fit and healthy body looks like. I'll be the first guy to show off my six-pack or flex like an Arnold wannabe. (I've already done both six times today, and I haven't even shaved yet.) But the problem is that most people exercise for the wrong reasons because they're focused solely on the outcome and not the journey. During this amazing transformation from unhealthy or moderately fit to superfit, your life will undergo several incredible changes: You'll have more energy, more opportunities, more productivity, better mental clarity, and an emotional lift from moving your body, and so much more.

One of the best examples of what I'm talking about came to me recently in the form of an e-mail from two concerned parents. Here is what they wrote.

Dear Tony,

I want to thank you for giving us our son back. For the past 15 or so years (he's 27 now), he's struggled with alcohol abuse. We tried everything we could think of to help him, and nothing worked. Then he popped in one of your P90X exercise DVDs, and the rest is history. He kept at it and stopped drinking. He started his masonry business back up again and is on top of the world. For his birthday we sent him to your fitness camp in Philadelphia, which he loved. Now the tables have turned and our son is our rock, helping us get in shape. Tony, you teach people how to get strong on the outside, but more importantly, on the inside. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

I live for letters and e-mails like that. Unlike physical changes, which take place gradually over time, dramatic emotional and psychological changes can happen fast. Each time you work out, eat clean whole foods, go for a hike, or get outdoors and run around, you are deliberately building a positive self-imagea physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual foundation for your growing self-esteem. The Greeks understood this principle thousands of years ago. They knew intuitively that the mind and body are one. (There are no known photos of Aristotle and Socrates, but it's common knowledge they were dead ringers for Hugh Jackman and Usher, respectively.) There's plenty of modern data to substantiate this ancient philosophy. For example, in the developing brain of a child, the impact of exercise can be long lasting because of physiologically changing and growing brain tissue. The effects are still being studied, but results show enhanced cognitive functioning, as well as improved math, logic, and reading skills, for children who get adequate exercise. Researchers are also discovering clues that vigorous exercise can stave off the beginnings of Alzheimer's disease, ADHD, and other cognitive disorders by causing older nerve cells to form dense, interconnected webs that make the brain faster and more efficient. Missing a workout is just not an option.