So, it's been several months since I've put any new content onto the website, and accordingly, I get email daily asking what I'm up to. Not a week goes by where I don't get an email inquiring whether I've "fallen off of the fitness wagon" (I haven't) or whether I'm "still coaching people" (I am).

So, here's the 4-1-1: I've just been really busy!

In March, 2010 I was just a fat guy who wanted to lose some weight. Since then I lost 50 pounds, became a Beachbody Coach, rose to the top 1% of all Beachbody Coaches, was featured in numerous Beachbody promotional videos, potentially including the upcoming, new P90X infomercial and befriended none other than Tony Horton himself, traveling to Philadelphia with him in September to do some QVC shows.

It's been a wild ride, to say the least. But, it's also been an unexpected ride, one that has been overwhelming at times, considering that I still have a full-time job with the Los Angeles Police Department and another as a father to my two kids.

Don't get me wrong, I'm clearly aware of my blessings and wouldn't trade my life for anyone else's, but, a couple months back it was time to re-prioritize and realize that I'm a dad first, a police sergeant second and a Beachbody Coach somewhere a little further down the ladder.

So, what have I been doing? After finishing Insanity I went on Beachbody's Success Club Cruise and my buddy Wayne Wyatt and I "brain-childed" the Insanity Asylum Challenge, pitting people he coaches versus people I coach in a 30-day, results-oriented competition. We were in regular contact with Beachbody Corporate and we created team videos to submit to Shaun T himself in order to judge the winner. Ultimately, there was so much to do that Wayne and I bowed out of the competition ourselves and decided to let our respective teams represent. Our idea was such a success that Beachbody tweaked the concept and created the current "Beachbody Challenge" promotion ... hey Corporate, are Wayne and I getting a cut of that, ha!

So, rather than tackling Asylum, I started mixing up Tony's One-on-One series videos along with some regular interval work on my treadmill. Some of my favorites include V-Sculpt, PAP, Plyocide, Just Arms, Ab Ripper X II and the old-school, "back to the basics" 100/30/20 (which I set a new personal best at yesterday with 12 full sets during 30 minutes - take that Horton!).

I've had and still have some nagging injuries, most notably a small tear in the rotator cuff of my left shoulder, which really limits my ability to do pullups without pain. The reality is, I went super-duper hard for about 18 months straight, and I was bound to get a little "dinged up" sooner or later.

I've also come to learn that peak physical fitness cannot be maintained 24/7, 365 ... it just can't. I'm certain that if I picked a date 8 weeks from today I could show up in the best shape of my life, probably 175 pounds, 7.5% body fat, pretty ripped, pretty strong and cardio to last for days. But, that type of shape just cannot be maintained indefinitely. I'm a huge Mixed Martial Arts fan, and just like fighters "peak" for fights, I've learned to set dates to be at my fitness "peak." I've also learned that "down time" after reaching a "peak date" - for me anyway - is hugely important in avoiding injury, avoiding "burnout" and just maintaining my focus and interest level in my exercise program(s).

"Down time?" No, I don't mean sitting around like a slob, not working out, eating Doritos and sucking down soda pops all day! I mean setting specific "peak dates," reaching those dates in peak shape and afterward, being a little less intense with my diet and workouts until setting and working towards my next "peak date." It's what works for me.

The past couple months have been "down time" and I've enjoyed it. Tremendously. I'm currently 185 pounds (I'm 5'11") and about 10% body fat ... clearly fit, but not quite "peak shape" for me. My next "peak date" will be Beachbody's Success Club trip to Atlantis in the Bahamas in March 2012, for which I'll start "getting after it" when I return next week from Maui (yes indeed, I'm on a plane to Maui right now! :)

To help me, I'll be using P90X2, Mark Sisson's new book detailing a 21-day Primal Diet program as well as some new supplements (the Indigo 3G program) I've been researching from a great company called Biotest. I'm clearly looking to show up in the Bahamas that first week of March in the best shape of my life.

My YouTube video is closing in on 1,000,000 views! Everyday I receive comments about how inspiring it is (aww geez, thanks!). On the flipside, I've met some great people through Beachbody that constantly inspire ME, and I'd like to let you in on how to let them inspire you too:

Tony Horton (duh!) - www.tonyhortonsworld.com

Wayne Wyatt (Beachbody's No. 1 coach, and more than anything else, a great friend and great guy) - www.teamRIPPED.com

Mark Briggs (from the P90X+ program, my friend, forever my brother-in-blue and a super-fit cat) - www.markbriggsfitness.com

Mike French (from the Insanity Asylum program, Mike's my friend, he served our country for years in the military and he's got a heart of gold) - www.beachbodycoach.com/MIKEFRENCH

David Ingram (Star Diamond Coach with Beachbody and my protege!) - www.symbioticfitness.com

That's about it folks ... I'm still here, like my Facebook profile says, "just chilling in the California sunshine." As always, I'm happy to help any of you with whatever you might need - just reach out to me and ask at joel@xcellentfitness.com. Friend me on Facebook if you fancy, www.facebook.com/joelsyd

Here's wishing you all a very happy and healthy holiday season and an amazing, upcoming 2012.

All the best,

-Joel