Who knew cucumbers were good for more things than just our health?  Yup, anything from curing a hangover, bad breath and CELLULITE??!!  Yup, this was an interesting article that was shared with me, so in turn, I had to share with you all.    I knew cucumbers were good for you, but this just takes it’s goodness to a whole new level.

I will never look at a cucumber the same again.  LISTEN UP LADIES…some great tips below.



1.   Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon? put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5.  Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in  equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don’t have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire  cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don’t have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a ‘green’ way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won’t leave streaks and won’t harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Your partner in health & fitness.

SHAKEOLOGY 3-DAY Jump Start:

Shakeology is a meal replacement shake designed to be enjoyed every day, one meal a day. But for this cleanse, aka 3-day jump start, it will be used three times a day for three days. (Click here to learn more about Shakeology).

The Shakeology 3-Day Jump Start is meant to fire up your fitness, break a plateau or shred pounds fast & effectively in a healthy way. The key is caloric efficiency; getting the most nutrients possible out of the fewest number of calories.

This can help you become healthier from the inside out. Internal health is the foundation to external beauty.

People are getting fantastic results ~ Lose weight, feel great!

Here’s what Amanda said: “In 3 days, I shed 3.6 lbs and feel awesome!”

Here’s my experience: “In the 3 days, I shed 5 lbs and had the BEST sleep over!”

Want more Shakeology testimonials, click here!

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Want some options to try Shakeology for 5 Days or the Jump Start?

CHOOSE COMBINATION

3-Day Jump Start $50.00 USD 5-Pack Trial $25.00 USD

SEND ME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

How to Sign Up for the Team Beachbody Club ~ 10% savings How to Become a Coach/Reseller ~ 25% savings I want to Know About Your Next Beachbody Challenge Group

Contact me if you have any questions and/or if you want to get started!

Your partner in health & fitness!

Unlike other “cleanses” and “fasts” they tend to strip the body of vital nutrients leaving opportunity to completely sabotage your body’s metabolism and energy, causing one to “bonk” and/or have massive fatigue.  Shakeology is packed with over 70 vital vitamins and nutrients that will keep your energy charged and immune system strong, all while providing a three day jump-start to looking and feeling better.  This is not a lifestyle option, as it’s too restrictive in calorie consumption, but after the 3-Day cleanse, you can incorporate Shakeology into your nutrition by substituting one full meal a day with it. ENJOY!

I’ve been asked this question in more ways than one, and after talking through it with each person, I decided to make a post about it – well and through great suggestion from a good friend.

Who doesn’t want more energy?

I’m afraid people feel like they need to settle with the lack of energy, because they are killing themselves with a workout.  NOT TRUE!!!  Take care of your body, as you need that energy to successful burn the unwanted fat and build that much needed muscle.  Why?  Because MUSCLE BURNS FAT!!  Sound familiar?

So, are you finding that you are bonking mid-day?  Having a hard time getting up in the morning after a workout the evening before?  Chances are, it’s due to your diet and lack of nutrients.

Not only is your diet a key variable in any successful workout regime, but also the proper supplementation.  We can get an abundant of your energy stimulation from the foods we eat, but chances are – are you really eating the right things?

For those of you that I’ve advised with particular Beachbody at home workout systems or helped guide with proper nutrition*, you know that I will always default to the nutrition guide that came with your workout system, whether it be P90X®, ChaLEAN Extreme®, Insanity™ or Slim in 6®.  These nutrition guides were developed specifically for these programs, so do yourself a favor – and FOLLOW, USE AND ENJOY THEM!!!  The recipes are good and fairly easy, even I can make them!

If you don’t follow a specific workout regime or a nutrition plan, then this could very well be your problem.  If my experience, as a self-professed gym rat, prior to P90X, Insanity and all my new Beachbody favorites, I was at an all time low in the energy department, and I DIDN’T HAVE KIDS AT THE TIME!  Now I have kids and I have MORE energy than I ever have.  Why?  I eat appropriately, according to my workout regime and I have a workout regime that keeps changing.

As many of you may know, I’m in the midst of training for my 2^nd marathon, all while doing the newest Insanity™ workout system.  Well, if Insanity isn’t enough, trying to keep up with my energy to get training runs in each week, I have to be very careful and very particular about what I eat, so I don’t bonk.

Yeah, yeah, many of you are shaking your head saying “Shoot, if you workout that much, you can eat what you want”!  In my case, and the bulk of American’s, not so much.  If I were to eat what I wanted, I surely wouldn’t have the appropriate protein/fat/carbohydrate ratio to properly refuel before and after each workout.   So I need a balance.  That’s where my diet is key here.  This should go for everyone and anyone that is looking for results, good energy and success with their selected workout plan.

Now, as I say diet is the key to most any results, whether it be weight loss or muscle gain, so is proper supplementation.  Do you take a multi-vitamin?  Do you take a Joint Support supplement?  What about your daily nutrients, minerals, antioxidants, etc., etc.?  These are all essential compliments to your diet, in order to sustain good energy to keep you going through the day.

Many know that I’m a big fan of Beachbody’s latest supplement creation, Shakeology®, and won’t go a day without consuming it as either a meal replacement or as a snack.  It’s A) DELICIOUS (check out the recipes) and B)  provides you with over 70 vital vitamins, nutrients, minerals, phytonutrients, prebiotics and a list of other words and terms we would otherwise NEVER use in our vocabulary.  But these are what provide your body with the fuel to keep and stay energized throughout the day, as it fulfills what the body lacks, as we work hard through our fitness program and just day-to-day life.

So, to make a long post even longer, the moral to the story here is proper diet and supplementation (as it’s next to impossible – although not entirely – to get it all from diet) is essential to deliver results and sustain proper energy to avoid that mid-day BONK!

As always, if I can help guide you in a direction towards good health, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me!

To your health & fitness!

* I am not a certified nutritionist or dietitian.  If ever in doubt or have questions about your health and diet, please consult your doctor or a licensed professional.  My advice is based off personal experience and self education and research.  I am also not a certified Personal Trainer…..yet.

It’s likely to no one’s surprise how many of us are aware of all the harmful attributes related to regular sugar intake. It has been a proven fact, over and over again, that sugar increases your insulin and leptin levels and decreases receptor sensitivity for both of these vital hormones.

To be put simply, sugar is an anti-nutrient. Throughout its journey of being processed from its original form, cane sugar, it’s stripped of all the fiber, nutrients, enzymes and any vitamins, thus leaving just empty calories.

Sugar is in most processed foods, which makes it very hard to avoid. The easiest way to get around this is a) don’t buy or eat processed food and b) READ THE LABELS. Sugar has many names and comes in various forms. Here are a few to look out for:

• High Fructose Corn Syrup (the worst!!)
• Fructose
• Lactose
• Sucrose
• Organic Sugar
• Dextrose
• Glucose
• Maltose

As a result, sugar compromises so many natural attributes our bodies inhibit to lead a functional and healthy lifestyle. There are 100’s of negative side affects to regular sugar intake, but here a just a few highlights I want to point out:

1. Sugar can compromise your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.

2. It feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum,        pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.

3. Sugar contributes to obesity.

4. Sugar causes food allergies.

5. It can impair the structure of your DNA.

6. It can cause depression.

7. It is an addictive substance – much like drugs, alcohol or nicotine.

8. It can lead to gum disease.

9. Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein.

10. Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.

Read more about the 76 Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health on Dr. Mercola’s website.

The moral of the story is find a fitness regime that works for your lifestyle and personality AND couple that with proper nutrition. It’s a recipe for INCREDIBLE RESULTS.

As always, I’m the biggest skeptic when it comes to new products, a growing fascination with any one thing, whether it be fashion, fitness or social groups. So, of course, although I’m probably Beachbody’s #1 fan at this point, I held a little hesitation towards their newest product; Shakeology® – The Healthiest Meal of the Day®.

I mean, how can one measly shake be chalked full the proteins, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutritents, prebiotics and digestive enzymes, one needs per day to be healthy? I don’t think I even knew what ½ of those terms really meant, let alone consumed them on a regular basis. Aren’t we suppose to get that from “real” food? Of course we are, but like many, it’s rare that I can stomach enough of the nutritional value in one day to achieve this (10 some cups of raw food), let alone find the time and expense to prepare it. But, I know it’s an essential part of eating and living healthy.

So as a Beachbody® Coach, I knew that this looming product dubbed to be the “healthiest meal of the day” was moments from being launched. What was all the buzz about?? We were about to find out at the 2^nd Annual Dream Extreme Beachbody® Coaches Summit (check out the gallery photos). They basically laid out the red carpet for the launch of this product, and rightly so. After experiencing it for my very first time, I could see the reason behind Carl Daikeler’s, CEO to Beachbody®, excitement. He, and many others, had worked DAMN hard on concocting the perfect ingredients to allow for this to be, truly, the healthiest meal of the day.

Carl has many things in common with us Coaches, the first obvious one being that we are all passionate about fitness and helping others get healthy, and, second, that most of us care not to eat our vegetables, let alone the amount required to get a fraction of what Shakeology® offers, for our daily nutritional value. After many long hours and trips to various countries to capture the finest ingredients, he was finally ready to allow his trusted front line, sample it before it was released to the rest of the Team Beachbody® community and general public.

It was phenomenal. There are two flavors to Shakeology: Greenberry and Chocolate. Both are packed with a punch that will instantly give you the gratification of a full meal and immediate spike in natural energy. Many of us turn to coffee to get our energy, buy by starting the day off with a blended shake, has given me enough energy to keep up with my two busy kids.

Ok, much hype and edification to Shakeology®, so here’s the scoop on it:

How does it work??

A daily shake helps your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need. A proprietary blend of digestive enzymes and prebiotics helps your body progressively eliminate the toxins that build up over time from eating today’s highly processed foods.

At the same time, whole-food ingredients deliver the essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to curb cravings, allowing your body to shed stored fat while the more than 20 different antioxidants and phytonutrients help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and stroke.

What is in it?

More than 70 different ingredients chosen from around the world for their potency and bioavailability (the ability to deliver the nutrients your body needs). Here are the key nutrient groups that these ingredients deliver:*

• Protein and Essential Amino Acids to help build long, lean muscles and reduce food cravings
• Prebiotics and Digestive Enzymes, which aid in improving digestion, regularity, and nutrient absorption
• Antioxidants and Phytonutrients to help counteract free radical damage that can lead to degenerative diseases
• Vitamins and Minerals your body needs to function for optimal health

TESTIMONIALS (Independent Study 90-day study, where participants replaced one meal a day with Shakeology®)*

Here’s what they said:

• “I felt full and didn’t struggle with hunger.”
• “I felt a better sustained energy throughout the day.”
• “I have tons of energy. I feel so healthy!”
• “I replaced all my vitamin supplements. I felt healthy and energized.”
• “I have more energy, less cravings, more endurance, and feel more youthful.”
• “I have tried a lot of protein shakes and meal-replacement-type drinks, and Shakeology is the best tasting of them all. I mix it with a bit of soy milk and ice, and it tastes like an ice cream shake!”

*Results may vary.

Source: Shakeology®

So, still always a skeptic, I did my homework and have been really pleased with the results I’ve experienced from replacing my breakfast with either the Greenberry or Chocolate flavor Shakeology®. My husband and I have them both, and as he’s more partial to Chocoloate, I love them both! Throw in a ½ a banana and scoop of peanut butter, and tastes more like a guilty pleasure! Check out all the recipes other customers and coaches have share: Shakeology® Recipes. I’ve personally recognized more energy, endurance for my marathon training, faster nail and hair growth, reduced cravings and more clarity in my days.

See for yourself what all the hype is about. Visit www.shakeology.com to read the testimonials and science behind this breakthrough meal replacement. Also, feel free to email me or check it out on my website: www.choose2befit.com.

Taryn Perry

taryn@choose2befit.com