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Welcome to Home Fitness Geek!

Thanks for stopping by. This new home for the Home Fitness Geek blog is still under construction. In the meantime, please visit our current home, the Home Fitness Geek blog on Blogspot. Thanks!

Update April 28 2013: 

I’ve changed themes a couple of times since I moved in here, and I’ve educated myself about WordPress a little. I figured out how to redirect searches for the old blog over to the new blog, so “Hi” to everyone who came from the search engines pointing to my blogspot.com address. I will continue to learn, grow, and improve as a blogger. Please subscribe,  and join our Facebook group!

Beachbody Insanity Cast Profile: Jimmy

Don’t forget to check out all my CAST PROFILES!

Insanity Core Cardio and Balance

Full Name: Jimmy Hays Nelson (+Jimmy Nelson)

Video Introduction: Shaun T stops to talk with Jimmy during every Beachbody Insanity workout, it seems. Jimmy is always going full speed, with a smile on his face and some helpful comments. He is the only person described as a Beachbody Coach in the workouts. Five years later, he’s still encouraging others to DIG DEEPER!

Background/Current: The About page on Jimmy’s website (Nelsongy Fitness) describes Jimmy’s progression from the “funny fat guy” to college dropout, then work at a local bar, which led to a coworker who achieved weight loss success with Tony Horton’s Power 90. Jimmy decided to try it for himself, and the rest, as they say, is history. Next came P90X, Beachbody coaching, and opportunities to meet Tony Horton and Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler. When casting began for the Insanity workout program, he was ready! He was a Team Beachbody Elite Coach in 2011, and has appeared with Tony Horton on the QVC shopping network.

My Comments: The motto on Jimmy’s website is “Bodies Transformed, Passions Reborn.” I can see where this is reflected in his own life, as he overcame some obstacles and discouragement in early adulthood. During the Insanity workouts, he also had the stamina to look happy and lift our spirits. Today, his Facebook and Twitter feeds continue to inspire, encourage, and motivate.

Official/Personal Websites

Facebook (Coach Jimmy Like page)
Coaching Website (Nelsongy Fitness)
Insanity Workout Free Tips (Nelsongy Fitness)
Google+ +Jimmy Nelson
Twitter @jimmyhaysnelson
Personal blog (WordPress, last entry 2010)

Websites Featuring Jimmy

selfgrowth.com (Experts/Jimmy Nelson)

FWF: Pinterest (Free Workout Fridays)

My Pinterest Boards

Let’s get this out of the way: I am a guy, talking about Pinterest. (Look to the right of this post for a link to my boards.) I have to admit that I don’t browse too much, but I can see the appeal of all those images, leading to all sorts of interesting sites. So I decided to type “workout” into the Search, and WOW! Within 15 minutes, I had 10 pins for different workout “posters” as well as a link to the Men’s Health Workout Center, which provides a search feature to select a workout type from their online collection (as long as you’re ready for some advertising, of course).

When to Choose a Workout from Pinterest

I work at a desk most of the day. For a while, I was in the habit of sneaking away to a windowless conference room for a 5 minute “wake up” workout. (Then I started Beachbody’s Insanity, and I’ve lost that urge for the rest of the day!) Some of these suggested workouts are great for that, because they require no equipment. As long as you know how to do the exercises (or look them up ahead of time), you can use a sheet of paper as your guide through a quick workout. (I always stop before I work up a sweat, because my coworkers don’t need that!)
A lot of these workouts require some equipment, such as resistance bands, dumbbells or barbells. Not so practical for the office, but they might provide some inspiration to change up your morning or evening workout routine.

When to Be Careful about Workouts from Pinterest
As I was scanning through the pins, I noticed several CrossFit-related workouts, and others that are not for beginners. In addition, a list of exercises does not provide the proper guidance to do the exercises correctly and safely, so if you’re not sure, look for a video demonstration at least. When in doubt, leave it out! (The exercise, I mean.) Finally, Pinterest can be very addicting, so approach it with caution! One board can lead to lots of interesting pins, and there are so many boards…

I’d love to see any boards you can recommend for health and fitness topics. Please leave a comment below, or on our Facebook group.



Related Posts

My Pinterest Boards (includes DVD cast member profiles, and more)

FWF: Ben Greenfield Fitness and Get Fit Guy (Free Workout Friday)

Photo from bengreenfieldfitness.com

Ben Greenfield is a sports nutritionist, personal trainer, and triathlete. He is also a podcaster. It’s no secret that I enjoy the Ben Greenfield Fitness podcast. I have mentioned Ben in the blog several times. In fact, Ben is the host of two podcasts: The previously-mentioned, self-titled one, and another called Get Fit Guy: Quick and Dirty Tips to Slim Down and Shape Up (part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network).

The Ben Greenfield Fitness podcast is sometimes pretty lengthy (an hour or more), with a news section, a featured topic, and listener question-and-answer. In special episodes, he interviews a health/fitness expert about a particular topic, such as low-carb diets or innovative training techniques. This is a great podcast for those who want to “geek out” about health and fitness, especially for athletes or others interested in improving their physical performance and overall health. It might be a little intimidating for beginners, but hang in there if you want to learn a lot! Ben has a great time on the podcast with his co-host Brock, which makes it enjoyable.

Ben’s alter ego “Get Fit Guy

The Get Fit Guy podcast is much shorter, as you might expect from a “Quick and Dirty Tip.” Each episode is 10 minutes, more or less. He provides practical information on a single topic, such as The Best Workout for Fat Loss. For longtime listeners of Ben’s other podcast, some of these topics will seem familiar. They have been summarized and simplified for beginners or people listening for the key points without all the gory details.

So, you might be asking at this point, “Where are the free workouts?” In addition to the encyclopedia of health and fitness information provided by these two podcasts, Ben includes some sample workouts from time to time. Here are a few from each podcast to try.

Get Fit Guy Podcast Sample Workouts

What is the Perfect Workout?
The Best Workout for Fat Loss
6 Ways to Increase Testosterone with Exercise (see Tip # 5)
What Are Paleo Exercises?
Tips for Fitness Bootcamps

Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast Sample Workouts

Episode 186 Transcript (search for “sample workout” to read about water jogging to recover from an injury)
Videos including exercise demonstrations, health/.fitness topics, and more
BenGreenfieldFitness YouTube channel including workouts and exercise demonstrations

Related Posts

Free Workouts

FWF: Melissa Bender Fitness (Free Workout Fridays)

Note: I have come across several sites which offer free workout videos or exercise lists. I thought it would be fun to feature one site each Friday. Please let me know if you find these helpful, by commenting below or in the Facebook group. Thanks!

From Melissa Bender’s “About” page

I was introduced to Melissa Bender Fitness through a Pinterest link which described a Hotel Room Workout.  I am always interested in workouts that can be done anywhere with minimal equipment, so I followed the link to Melissa’s site, and WOW! She has over 300 workout videos, a blog, recipes, and she covers everything from yoga to running to strength training. Yes, guys and gals, she’s even a bikini model (In training… She is preparing for her first competition). My first impression of the website was “I can’t believe she is giving this all away for FREE!”

Melissa’s credentials include a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy, as well as being a certified yoga instructor. She also coaches a high school Cross Country team.

Melissa’s workout videos are homemade, with a male cameraman in the background providing a cue for each exercise, along with some comments and encouragement. Melissa does the hard work all by herself. These are the workouts she does as her daily fitness routine, and she invites us to join her. Here is a list of recent workouts, which really shows a variety of exercises:

Shape and Burn (intervals with dumbbells and treadmill)
Full Body Sweat (cardio, plyometric and abdominal floor exercises)
Stronger Core and More (kicks and plank)
Ultimate Body Weight Workout (the first workout I tried, in a hotel fitness room)

There are so many workouts, but this should give you an idea of what’s available. Each workout listed includes a screen shot, link to the YouTube video, and an exercise list. She uses dumbbells, a barbell, or other equipment depending on the workout that day, but it’s all done in what looks like a spare room of her home. At the top of her website there are tabs leading to different workout categories, such as Full Body Workouts or Beginner Workouts. There are also categories like Recipes and Healthy Life.

She has a very upbeat personality, so don’t expect her to be yelling at you to get those exercises done! I give her a lot of credit for doing all this on screen, by herself. Who knows, maybe she could have a bright future in the fitness video industry!

Melissa Bender Fitness
Melissa Bender (YouTube)
Melissa Bender Fitness (Facebook)
Melissa Bender Fitness (Pinterest)

Related Posts


Free Workouts

Here’s the Ultimate Body Weight Workout: