As I’ve always known, Shakeology is a great product and have a far better respect for it, after listening to Carl’s wife, Isabelle, co-creator of Shakeology, speak to the integrity behind the product and it’s birth.

Shakeology continues to evolve, and as it does, more and more lives will be impacted from it’s great many health benefits.  I am just touched by some of the stories I’ve read and heard, first hand, from people that have experienced a change in their total wellness.

Well, to top that, Carl and his buddies wanted to seek feedback from a population of experts, that many of turn to when our health takes a turn for the worst – our Doctors.  Here is a great video that shares THEIR personal experience with Shakeology and how they feel it’s a stand up product and recommend it to their patients – and NO, they are not being paid to endorse it, strictly voluntary.

Want further validation, take the ingredients list to YOUR doctor and have them see it for themselves.  Or, better yet, walk into your next appointment with a sample, so they can experience it first hand, and give you their honest impression.  I can help you with those sample packets.

But, trusting the 30-day bottom of the bag guarantee, maybe you just experience it yourself.  If you’d like to get on board and try out Shakeology, send me an email: taryn@choose2befit.com or visit: http://shake4wellness.com and check it out for yourself.

Your partner in health & fitness.

*This was recently discussed in last week’s “3-Day Shakeology Explained”, webinar, and since so many missed it or had questions, I wanted to post this written explanation by Steve Edwards, one of the masterminds behind this amazing cleanse.  For more information or to view my experience, visit my website and check out My Blog.

I like to call the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse a “performance cleanse.” This is because it was designed to be done with a workout program. Let’s take a look at how this differs from other cleanses, how to tailor it to your needs, and what to expect if you or your customers decide to try it.

First of all, it’s not a true cleanse. It’s a calorie-restricted and nutrient-dense diet plan. Traditional cleanses contain very few calories and nutrients. Compared to the much more popular Master Cleanse, it’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Traditional cleansing diets are done to rid your system of toxins and bring it into homeostasis. They also contain a spiritual aspect. This process can take a long time, which is why you may have seen coworkers walking around the office in a zombie-like state for weeks on end—swilling a strange concoction of lemons and maple syrup.

The Shakeology cleanse is nothing like that. Depending on how you decide to do it, you’ll be eating frequently and consuming between 800 and 1,200 calories per day, and it could be even more should you feel the need. The point of this cleanse is not calorie restriction, per se—it’s nutrient efficiency. The aim is to get the most nutrients possible into the fewest number of calories. The goal is to put all of these calories to use as a part of your exercise program, to rid your body of undigested foods and toxins, and to bring your hydration levels into homeostasis. The result you’re after is not weight loss—though it will likely occur—but for your body to be running more efficiently. This should make you feel lighter and more energetic, even though you’re doing an exercise program.

How It Works
Your eating structure doesn’t change. You still eat every few hours while you’re awake. Each meal should have a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. And while you’re not eating as much food as you’d normally eat, your calorie-to-nutrient ratio is extremely high. This means that you shouldn’t restrict the actual nutrients you’re getting by too much, so activity can continue as normal.

We recommend you try to keep your shakes to just Shakeology. Adding fruits of any kind, or seeds (for fat and fiber), or the Shakeology Fiber supplement, can and should be done as you see fit.

Ditto for your one solid meal—a salad. As we all know from any salad bar, the definition of salad can be varied. The goal of the salad in the plan is to keep your calories coming from natural sources (no artificial ingredients should be added, including artificial salad dressing). Aside from that, you can add ingredients as necessary. Keep your meat intake to four ounces or less, but add veggies, seeds, nuts, fruits, and legumes in quantities to satiate you.

The goal of the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse is to optimize your performance. You want to eat enough to fuel your day AND your workout. The foods you’re eating are so high in fiber and nutrients that it’s virtually impossible to overeat. You’ll be consuming so much fiber, along with enzymes and digestive aids, that your body’s ability to flush excess foods quickly will be at its peak.

What to Drink
Water, of course, is recommended in quantity. This is vital to any cleanse, because one of your goals is to bring your hydration into homeostasis. When your electrolytes are out of balance—the main problem we have is salt—you often retain water outside of your cells. This situation, which we refer to as retaining water, is cured by drinking more water. As the excess salts are diffused, your body begins to hydrate your cells (using sodium as it should be used) and flush the water held outside the cells. So, oddly enough, you drink water to eliminate water retention.

Sodas, alcohols, juices, etc., should be eliminated entirely during a cleanse. Coffee and tea, which are diuretics, should be minimized at the very least and eliminated if possible. Again, performance is the key, so if you need a cup of Joe as a pick-me-up, go ahead. Just use only as needed, and don’t use additives. Eliminating sugar and chemicals is vital. However, do not use energy drinks or soda for this purpose, including the ones with artificial sweeteners. Coffee drinkers may find that switching to black tea during a cleanse will give you the energy you’re looking for with less upset. Coffee’s acidic nature can heighten the effects in a negative way during your cleanse.

Why You Won’t Lose Weight
I should say why you might not lose weight, but I wanted to get your attention. Most people will lose some weight during a cleanse, but that is not the goal. Those with a lot of undigested gunk in their systems will lose weight as it’s flushed out. Those of you who are properly hydrated and already eat well are less likely to lose. For those of you who need to lose weight, take heart: you are setting up your system to use nutrients more efficiently and improving your ability to lose weight through structured diet and exercise. So while you may not lose much on the cleanse, you’ll be more prepared to lose weight later.

Another reason why we don’t always lose weight on cleanses is due to a stress hormone called cortisol. Restricting calories is stressful to the body, and it reacts by releasing cortisol. Cortisol is performance-enhancing in the short term, but if you somehow keep your body stressed for long periods, it creates havoc in your system and can cause you to doggedly hang onto weight in a type of survival mode. We don’t want this to occur, which is one reason the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse is short. It’s important not to remain in a highly calorie-deficient state for long periods of time, especially when you are trying to exercise hard.

View the entire Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse regimen here >>

If you want to get going on the 3-Day cleanse yourself, check out my website and kick start your metabolism.  *Free shipping on all Home Direct (HD) orders!!!

Your partner in health & fitness.

Shakeology FAQ’s – Part 2!

I’ve had so many great questions, as of late, about Shakeology®, so I figured I’d post them here to hopefully help others that may have the same inquires.  This is Part 2, so be sure to check out the original post – Shakeology ® – Frequently Asked Questions….ANSWERED.

Q:  (Part 1) If I have one Shakeology a day, as suggested for my meal replacement, do I need to continue to take my multi-vitamin?

A:  It depends.  If you are fairly active, meaning doing a high intensity program such as P90X, Insanity or ChaLEAN Extreme, your body is using up far more vitamins and nutrients, than a daily serving found in Shakeology.  So, in that case, you should continue with your daily Activit or multi-vitamin, although strongly suggested to take it at the same time you enjoy your Shakeology.  If you are doing a lower impact fitness regime, Shakeology should suffice with your daily vitamin  intake.  If you have further questions, always a good idea to consult your physician.

Q:  (Part 2) If I take Activit (or any daily multi) each day, when is the best time to take that?  Before or after Shakeology?

A:  During.  It’s strongly recommended to take your multi-vitamin with you Shakeology, as the digestive enzymes found in Shakeology, will aid your body in absorbing all of those nutrients, quicker, than if taken alone.  (NOTE: never a good idea to take a multi-vitamin on an empty stomach).

Q:  Can I really get free shipping?

A:  YES!  Free shipping is available on all Home Direct (HD) orders for any of the Shakeology package options (Bulk bag or Individual Take N’ Go packets).  In addition to free shipping, on your first HD order, Beachbody will include 2 Free Shakeology Workouts – The 30 and The 50) and one more FREE gift!  BONUS!!

Q:  I heard I could save some money by being a Coach.  What if I’m interested in saving the money, but not necessarily being a Coach?

A:  No problem.  There are many Shakeology addicts (and I say that as a GOOD thing), that chose to become Coaches, strictly for the discount (25% discount).  Now, I’d be lying if I said they didn’t spread the word a bit here and there and make a few extra bucks themselves, by sharing their experience with Shakeology.  But, you certainly don’t have to be a “Coach” to be a “Coach” and get the discount.  Here’s how you could save $15/month as a Coach:

Direct Customer Price: $119.95*

Coach Price (25% discount): $89.96*

(Home Direct Orders = Free Shipping)

Initial Savings: $29.99

Monthly Coach fee: ($14.95)

Overall SAVINGS: $15.04

(*excludes tax, as applicable per state)

So aside from the initial Coach set up fee of $39.95 (which could be waived if they were to purchase a Shakeology Starter Kit), you are still money ahead each month, with a savings of $15.04 per month.

Not to mention, as your friends/family start seeing a difference in your overall health, you will likely share what has aided in your new journey (just like you’d share a great new movie you saw, or restaurant you ate at) and can, in turn, earn a 25% commission by having your family/friends purchase Shakeology from YOU.  That’s close to $30 off one retail order!!

Q:  What if I want to sample it.  Does Beachbody offer that?

A:  Beachbody does not offer samples, although if you check with your Coach, they may offer a sample for you.  Personally, I offer all my customers and those interested in trying it, a 4-day Trial offer.  Click HERE to learn more and get your own.

Q:  How can I find out more about the ingredients and what’s in it?

A:  Go to my Shakeology website and it will offer you all the ingredients, recipes (for both flavors) and testimonials to provide you with the confidence to try it yourself.

Q:  What if I don’t like it?

A:  It’s rare that people don’t LOVE it, but if it doesn’t agree with you or you simply don’t care for it– NO PROBLEM!!  Beachbody offers a 30-Day Bottom of the bag money back guarantee.  Which basically means, return it for a full refund (minus shipping, if you ordered one time only).  100% risk free!

Although Shakeology aids in weight loss, lowering cholesterol/blood pressure, digestive issues, etc., there are some that it may not agree with!  As with any new nutritional product, if you have prior health issues, please consult with your physician.

Interested in kick starting your new fitness journey?  Need to get rid of that excess bloat?  Or just “clean” up your insights?  Try the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse.

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!

________________________________________________

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!

This is a great article that was posted by a fellow Beachbody Coach and friend, January Shea Robbins, and it’s been a major topic of discussion with many customers and friends about the basics to getting back into shape.   They are BASIC, straight forward and a must to follow if you want to find success in your fitness goals.

Knowing the four basics listed below will help you to have successful results. Don’t just know them… DO THEM!

By: David Gluhareff

Resistance training
Cardiovascular training
Nutrition/supplements
Rest/recuperation

Resistance Training Exercises

These are anaerobic (without oxygen) exercises that help build muscle. Resistance training can be performed with free-weights, rubber bands, plate-loaded machines, weight stack machines, or by using your own body for resistance such as a push-up or walking lunge. The muscle your body builds will aid in continuous fat burning twenty-four hours per day.

You can work multiple muscles at once by doing exercises such as bench presses (works pecs, front shoulders, forearms, and some triceps), squats (works quadriceps, hamstrings, buns, and inner/outer thighs), and dead lifts (works traps, rhomboids, forearms, low back, buns, inner/outer thighs, quads, hams, and some calves). By doing compound movements such as these your body will work more muscles at once which will really stoke the fat-burning furnace.

Keep variety in your resistance training always! Never keep doing the same exercises week after week. You will only bore your body and progress will be stagnant. Resistance training not only helps burn fat, it helps keep your blood pressure and cholesterol at normal levels, helps strengthen bones, and also helps relieve stress. Always study and learn different exercises, which use different equipment.

Most importantly learn proper form to prevent injuring yourself when performing an exercise. To be on the safe side always look like a chicken when performing an exercise. Keep your chest forward, butt back, and lower back in. Always stretch each muscle after you work it. This will increase your flexibility and decrease post workout muscle soreness.

Cardiovascular Training Exercises

These are aerobic (with oxygen) exercises. These train the most important muscle in the body, the HEART. Aerobic or cardiovascular training, helps burn fat, keep blood pressure and cholesterol in normal ranges, relieve stress, strengthen heart, lungs, and the rest of the cardiovascular system, and also promotes perspiration to help your body sweat out any excess water it does not need.

Examples of aerobic activities are: walking, biking, roller blading, rowing, using elliptical machines, stair stepping, Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, basketball, jogging, hiking, and aerobics classes at fitness facilities. Always remember to do a light warm-up for five to ten minutes before really getting into the exercise, and remember to do a five to ten minute cool-down after you do the exercise. Do not forget to stretch the muscles you worked after exercising.

Nutrition and Supplementation

When you workout you expend energy, which eats up your body’s nutrients. You need to replenish those nutrients as soon as you workout. Within forty-five minutes after a workout consisting of weight training and cardiovascular training you need to eat a meal.

This meal should be a small serving (one handful) of simple sugars (banana, grapes, 12-16 oz. sports drink, or post workout carb drink), a medium serving (two handfuls) of complex carbs (brown or wild rice, sweet or red potatoes, veggie pasta, whole grain bread, or oatmeal), and a large serving (three handfuls) of proteins (lean red meat, deer meat, chicken breasts, turkey breasts, buffalo, egg whites, whey protein powder, soy protein powder, cottage cheese, or tuna) and of two tablespoons of a monounsaturated fat (extra virgin olive oil or canola oil).

That meal was just post workout, which should make you a little full. Your whole day should consist of five to six small meals that should never make you full, but keep your metabolism in high gear. Each small meal, except post workout, should contain a small serving (one handful) complex carbs (brown or wild rice, sweet or red potatoes, veggie pasta, whole grain bread, or oatmeal), a medium serving (two handfuls) of proteins (lean red meat, deer meat, chicken breasts, turkey breasts, buffalo, egg whites, whey protein powder, soy protein powder, cottage cheese, or tuna), and a medium serving (two handfuls) of green vegetables.

With every meal and throughout the day always drink water. Even with all this healthy food your body will not get certain nutrients or enough of them. This is where supplements come in. Taking a daily multi-vitamin/mineral supplement will help give your body important vitamins and minerals it may be missing. Sometimes you may not be able to cook or prepare all of your food on time. This is where meal replacement bars and powders can come into your daily diet routine.

Rest and Recuperation

You can workout hard and eat right for ten years, but never see lean muscle appear or see your body take shape if you do not get enough rest and recuperation. By rest I mean you need to get at least nine hours of sleep at night or eight at night and an hour nap after your workout. Sleep is important because this is when your body is producing its greatest amount of growth hormone which aids in repair and growth of your body.

You can have the best workout of your life and get no growth from it if you go out and party all night and get no sleep. By recuperation I mean not over-training. Do not as a beginner do a total body workout everyday with the weights. If you do you will not ever progress. Your muscles will constantly get beaten up every day and never have time to recuperate and repair themselves. As a beginner give yourself at least a day to two days rest between resistance training exercises. If you are still sore two days later, then do not work that area until the soreness has passed.

Your partner in health & fitness.

Well if you are here, you’ve likely heard me rave about Shakeology and the health benefits associated with it, right??  Chances are, you are pretty sure it will work for you and is good stuff, but you may be that “try-before-you-buy” type.  Sound on par?

Good news!  I’ve created a Shakeology Sample Pack trial offer that will allow you that chance to give it a test run and see if it’s right for you!

Want to see why I love Shakeology?  Check out the level of research that went into creating the ‘healthiest meal of the day’:

Shakeology® – The Breakthrough

Why you need Shakeology® – NOW!

Shakeology can help you:

• Lose weight
• Reduce cravings
• Increase energy and stamina
• Promote healthy digestion and regularity
• Lower cholesterol¹

Tastes delicious, too.

How Shakeology works

• Ingredients derived from whole-food sources deliver the daily vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your body needs to curb cravings, allowing it to shed stored fat.
• 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.
• Fiber, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes help your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently and promote better absorption of nutrients.*

What’s in Shakeology?

• Protein and essential amino acids help build muscles and reduce food cravings.

• Prebiotics and digestive enzymes aid in improving digestion, regularity, and nutrient absorption.

• Antioxidants and phytonutrients help counteract free radical damage that can lead to degenerative diseases.

• A daily dose of vitamins and minerals provides your body what it needs to function for optimal health.

The Healthiest Meal of the Day – Even the Doctor’s Agree!

You are hooked now, right??  So what’s next??  First things first, so we can be sure we stay connected.

***  If you already have a Beachbody account then you already have an assigned Coach!  Before clicking on the BUY NOW option below, be sure to check with your assigned Coach to see if they will offer up samples to you!  I do this exclusively for my own Customers and any new Customers (or newly switched Customers).

If you’ve never heard from them, switching coaches is relatively common and super easy. Just send an email to coachrelations@teambeachbody.com and request a change in Coach to me, Taryn Perry (and be sure to include  my Coach ID No. 11120).  If you CC that email to me at taryn@choose2befit..com, I can then follow up  with Coach Relations.

Don’t have an account? You can create a FREE one here: Free SuperGym Membership Account.

Ok, now that we got that settled, let’s move on.

NEW 4 PACK TRIAL*!

NOW ONLY: $19.99

What you get in the 4-Pack Trial:

• 2 packets each of Chocolate and Greenberry,
• A pamphlet on the health benefits
• 30-day recipe Calendar
• My personal contact information, if you ever have questions or concerns.

Want to immediately reap the amazing health benefits of Shakeology, skip the trial pack and know you have 30-days to give a full supply a try.  If you don’t like the flavor, you can sent it back for the other or a full refund!  Pretty sweet eh??

Choose how to purchase Shakeology:

• Click HERE or visit: www.shake4wellness.com
• The Shakeology Convenience Pack contains 24 single-serving packets you can take anywhere, or
• Choose the 30-day supply in a bag to keep in your kitchen.
• Regardless, be sure to choose home direct auto-shipping and receive free shipping for life PLUS:

2 FREE Workout DVDs in your first shipment†

Now, what do you choose?

Your partner in health & fitness.

I was honored when Malika had asked to interview me on Shakeology® and my thoughts and experience with the product.  I had sent her a sample of each the Greenberry and Chocolate flavor, and as anyone should, she wanted to do her homework to find out the true health benefits from this renowned product.

Naturally, we progressed into talking about eating, when and what to eat and how the P90X® Results & Recovery Formula could do a body good, especially as a compliment to the P90X® workout.  In Malika’s case, she’s doing the Doubles version – definitely NEED that P90X® Results and Recovery Drink!!

Check out our 2 part interview (only because we got cut off mid-way).

Shakegology Q & A – Part 1

Shakegology Q & A – Part 2

Hope you enjoy and if you’d like to try your very own sample of either Greenberry or Chocolate Shakeology® or the P90X Results & Recovery Formula, please don’t hesitate to send me a message.

To your health & fitness!

Well as Fall is upon us, so does the cold & flu season.  Don’t even get me started with the topic of the Swine Flu!!!  I felt my first indication of Fall with the onset of a sore throat – which was HORRIBLE timing, being that I had a full weekend of workouts to achieve my Turbo Kick™ and Hip Hop Hustle™ certifications.  I was not going to let that get in my way.

But as busy Mom’s or Dad’s (heck, anyone for that matter), no one has time or energy to have their days halted by a pesky cold & flue or sore throat.  I’ve had plenty in my past to last me a lifetime.  I’m sure I’m not alone on this one.

After much aggravation of these over the counter medications not working for me, I resorted to searching for something else.  Something more natural that I knew could be found in our kitchen cupboards.  Something that could ward off that sore throat you can just feel “itching” to make its appearance and usually accompanied by its best pal, congestion.

While I was pregnant with my 2^nd, my daughter was in a little school, therefore brought EVERYTHING home and I felt like I was sick all the time.  Well, I was!  So as most know, being pregnant, there isn’t a whole lot one can take, not to mention, if I can avoid taking over the counter medication, I will avoid it to all costs.  Never feel like it works anyway!!

I did a Google search for “natural remedies for sore throat”.  The fabulous site of Earth Clinic was the first to pop up, so naturally (no pun intended J), I clicked on it.  I will preface this with, many other sites popped up that all had Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in the website description.  Hmm…were they on to something?  I mean, I knew I had Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar in my cupboard.  What was the remedy?  If it was to down the whole bottle, I was willing to do it, at that point.

So after reading through countless great testimonials on how ACV, with some other kitchen cupboard ingredients (cayenne pepper, honey, etc) helped cure a sore throat, strep throat the sniffles, I figured, what do I have to lose?  NOTHING!  Can’t do any more harm, than good, right?

I went for it.  Here’s the concoction I dabbled with to gargle for immediate relief:

3 TBSP of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp of cayenne pepper

4 – 6 oz of warm water

Take small sips, gargle for about 5-10 secs and spit.  Repeat until glass is empty.

Now, to keep up with the ACV theme, I read there was a “tea” that others have made the helped relieve cold & flu symptoms and sore throats.  I knew you couldn’t really over do it with the ACV.  So after a bit of a break from the gargling, I would make some tea.  Here’s what was in it:

3 TBSP of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp of Pure Honey (not the generic table honey – the GOOD stuff)

1 tsp of cayenne pepper

4-6 oz of hot water

I would just sip away, until it was gone.  It took a bit of getting used to, but you know what??  I came to enjoy it.  It had a little bit of sweet and a little bit of a bite.  I was starting to feel the tingle getting worked on and could feel it absorbing that bacteria and taking it away.

I knew after just hours of my sore throat and congestion dissipating, that this new ACV concoction was going to be my new BFF come Fall and Winter (ok, and Spring) months.

I hope this recipe will help others that are sick of masking it with those over the counter meds.  This WORKS and works FAST!

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.