Fitness guru Tony Horton has inspired and motivated millions of people to get and stay fit. In this interview, the creator of the P90X reveals his favorite Olympic sport, dishes on his cheat foods, and shares a 5-minute workout.
Omega: If someone only has five minutes to work out each day, what do you recommend?
Tony: Ideally you want more time than that, but if you get down and dirty you can make a nice little sequence in five minutes.
Start with a set of push-ups, and then do some kind of core movement, like crunches or mason twists. Then go right to a leg movement -- a squat or lunge -- for 20 to 30 reps. Last but not least, do some cardio. Try martial arts, run in place, or do jumping jacks. If you rotate through these four things -- upper body, core, legs, and cardio -- you can get a lot done in five minutes.
Omega: Is it better to stick with the same exercise routine or change it up?
Tony: It's always nice to have some kind of variety in what you're doing. I think a lot of times people are stuck doing the elliptical, treadmill, or bike for 45 minutes to an hour every workout, but this is a repetitive, myopic, one-dimensional approach. It works your heart, lungs, and legs, which is good for your general health, but you want to do more than that.
The idea is to get healthy and fit so you're agile, strong, flexible, and pumping oxygen into your brain to release norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. All these things affect your memory, outlook, and sleep patterns. So whether you have five minutes or an hour, you want to rock 'n' roll with as much variety as possible.
Omega: What's the secret to motivating people to exercise regularly?
Tony: People that exercise regularly understand it has less to do with appearance, numbers on a scale, or dress size. Losing weight is a great short-term goal, but people who maintain and sustain understand that their entire quality of life is improved by exercise. They have the energy and enthusiasm to not just live their life but to go outside their comfort zone and try new athletic endeavors, like rock climbing, mountain biking, skiing, or competing in 5Ks, 10Ks, or marathons.
Regular fitness creates a diametric shift in attitude about who you are and how you can impact others. It brings great joy and happiness to life. If you aren't afraid to struggle a little bit a few times a week, you develop a different perspective than people who don't. That's the nature of the work and the discipline.
Omega: Do you have cheat days? What do they look like?
Tony: I don't have fitness cheat days. I'll take a day off if I'm traveling or if I'm sore or injured, but I schedule workouts seven days a week with the hope that I'll at least workout five or six. I try to exercise 22 to 25 days a month.
When it comes to food, I cheat every once in a while. I'll have some pizza or I'll have some French fries. There are certain things I will never cheat on. I don't really eat dairy. I don't ever drink soda or alcohol. I eat bread once in a while, but have complex carbs more often than simple ones.
Omega: What do you find most effective for making lifestyle changes?
Tony: Strenuous exercising and eating whole foods is not fun for most people. It just isn't. We have to find a delivery system that makes it palatable for people. I happen to use humor -- I just say, "Do your best and forget the rest," and that works for a lot of people.
Omega: If you could compete in any Olympic sport, what would it be?
Tony: Gymnastics. I think what they do physically makes Cirque du Soleil look like playing tiddlywinks. When you look at the floor work and the rings and the high bar and the vault, it's physically amazing.
Explore more in the category of Health and Healing.
© 2016 Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.