Shakeology deconstructed. In O, the Oprah Magazine MAY issue page 214

Yes, that's THE Shakeology that is being dissected in the pages of O - the Oprah Magazine in the current (May) issue.

If you checkout our website you can find out all you want to know and more about Shakeology, the site is snazzy-cool and full of testimonials and over 100 doctors that are fans, giving their reasons why they drink Shakeology and why they want their patients to drink it.

Why?  MOSTLY because it is the simplest way to deliver a straight shot of superfoods into your system. Boost your immunity, energy, minimize cravings and cholesterol, side effects? weight loss.
You'd be amazed what happens after just a few days of drinking a Shakeology for breakfast...or as an afternoon snack (what's better than a chocolate milkshake snack?). Click on this pic for the doctors own words. Seriously, they're not actors.

There's SO much to Shakeology and I'm happy that Oprah's team has broken it down for the masses to enjoy.  But you can enjoy the actual shake. After reading all about it and watching these videos...start drinking it.   Once you know how good it is and how good it is FOR you, your body will thank you.

The Zealous Life

I have some pals who keep my brain fresh when it comes to “getting out of your box” type of thinking and have been serving as reminders to just enjoy life.

Now, a couple of these people I don’t really KNOW at all (a la Facebook), and some I’ve met through work. The conversations have progressed in a fun way and they keep me smiling and appreciating these people.

Now, sure, there are plenty of folks who are posting their to-do lists as their statuses, or about the trials & tribulations of life …that’s all fine & dandy and it's definitely a great way to get out information/news that sometimes isn't great, but needs to be shared.   But I’m sort of a positive gal so the good news posts stick with me longer.  At work, there are a few of us who sometimes burst out with “It’s a great day to be alive!”   And no, that’s not said facetiously, we mean it, we say it with vigor and throw our hands in the air.  It started as a jest but – now it’s a good motto and reminder and it makes us smile and laugh every time.  That’s just to say that I’m drawn to people moving forward and looking forward and I have a few of those superstars in my life right now…for instance:

Ed
Ed started running a few years ago and really took to it. He’s run here, he’s run there, he’s racked up the events and the miles (or… K’s) and eventually became an ultramarathoner.  And what does that mean for Ed? It means he found the toughest race…a race across the Sahara that lasts days.  Yes, DAYS.  You’ve heard of the Sahara: heat, sand, scorpions. I’ve followed the website and his blog and he’s kept me on the edge of my seat with his very, very short posts (they only get to put one out a day).  I can’t wait until he gets back – I want to hear EVERYTHING.  Ok, well, maybe not about the tattered feet.  The race is called Marathon des Sables (MDS) or Marathon of the Sands.  It’s really a test of heart. Not OF your heart as much as just…heart.

From the MDS website:  It covers 243km/151 miles (in sections similar to 25, 34, 38, 82, 42, 22 km) run over 6 days (7 for some) - equivalent to 5 1/2 regular marathons. That's a speed of between 3 and 14 km an hour for competitors aged between 16 and 78). In addition to that, competitors have to carry everything they will need for the duration (apart from a tent) on their backs in a rucksack (food, clothes, medical kit, sleeping bag etc). Water is rationed and handed out at each checkpoint. 

MB.

I have a pal who recently tried out for the television show Wipeout. Have you SEEN that crazy show?  It is a huge gauntlet that is set in cold water, or mud, or suds. And you get stuff thrown at you while you get wet, muddy, cold and exhausted.  The humans that run this course look TINY as they are whipped into the air like 3 oz. puppets, as they’re flopped into the water like water-logged stuffed animals. For the amount of people that have run the course during the many seasons of the show,  you could count the hospital visits on one hand.  I find that astounding.  I fear for my friends body.  It’s not that I don’t have faith in his gumption to DO this thing, but I’ve seen the show enough times to know that an ill-timed step,  an unlucky bounce…I’ve seen more than one person bend in ways they shouldn’t. See pic below for an extreme backbend wipeout. (yikes!)

AND I’ve seen a few people quit. Even at the last minute, I’ve seen someone so exhausted that they couldn’t continue and they’re thrown a lifesaver and dragged out.   So yes, I’m worried about him BUT far more proud that he’s even tried out. (For the record, the tryouts don’t require physical feats, it’s mostly a weeding out process- they want personality explosions. Basically, physical fitness ain’t the big point) buuuut you have to be physically fit enough on paper to get through the first step. Again, this is about heart.  If he makes it to the show I’ll be bursting but according to the show many thousands of people respond to tryouts.  Until we find out, I’m really just happy to know that my pal is a little bit crazy.

Spaz.Ok, that’s not her name but since she doesn’t know I’m writing about her, I’m just going to call her Spaz (short for Spazzy, Spazmanian Devil, etc.)

She knows who she is because I’ve already called her Spaz. She’s a person who is excited about life.  She is excited about fitness, competitive events, getting a dog, her upcoming wedding,  and she just USES life up.   I don’t know her in 3D life, only from Facebook.  We’ve exchanged messages and fun and posts.   I can count on her posts to be a good representation of that zest for life that she has.  She's young and you can feel it and it wakes up that young woman inside of me. She appreciates the good stuff that happens and really revels in it.  It’s easy to get swept up in a smile when reading her posts.  I’m glad to have “met” her already so if we actually ever DO meet, (we live close enough that meeting one day isn’t out of the question) it’s going to be a good day.

So I post this to remind myself of my luck to know such people just enough to get their message. To LIVE with zeal and make it your own brand of zeal.  Yes, there are “chores” to do in our daily lives but they become less of a chore if you somehow make it rewarding, even if just in your own mind.  And dwelling on them isn’t the way to do it.  Just as a smile exercises the muscles in your face, a positive thought can fire the synapses in your brain at double the regular rate.  Don’t let someone’s untimely death or illness or injury be a reminder to LIVE every day with purpose, make it a daily thing – for no reason at all and for every reason in the world.

SHAKEOLOGY

 The Benefits of Superfoods

Susan Casey, O’s Editor in Chief, wrote an article that outlined the ingredients in a way that really gets to the core of WHY Shakeology is the healthiest shake on the planet. It was great to see Oprah's team shedding light on our product and it got me to thinking about the simplicity of "superfoods" even though it seems like it's ... difficult.


Growing up, I wasn't much for getting sick, I was more prone to injuries from falling out of a tree or flying off a merry-go-round at the neighborhood park (really, thinking back now, those things were SO unsafe!).  However, when I DID get sick with a tummy ache, my mom would go out into the backyard and pick her herbs and make me a tea. Soon, I'd be out scraping my knee again.
I never complained, it didn't ever taste bad, just warm water that she'd sweeten. It was my body's introduction to superfoods!
Sure, some are plain and ordinary but there are FAR many more difficult to pronounce superfoods (like the ones in Shakeology, harvested in places like Peru).
I'm glad that have a grown-up "tea". I'm healthier, heal faster and have jillions of inner body workings that are working better because of Shakeology.  And it's tasty-good. I don't have to know how to pronounce them, they've been vetted by the best company I know. It's a reminder of when I was a kid and even though I was thinking "mom just picked weeds from her yard and is making me drink them?"  she knew what she was doing, it worked.  I trusted her then, like I trust Beachbody now.  Shakeology is my superfood.

(to purchase Shakeology click here, or on the pretty link on this page - it's AMAZING and comes with a bottom-of-the-bag guarantee!)

ChaLEAN Extreme is $30 off for the next 2 weeks!

 I’ve done P90X, Power 90, Slim in 6, Turbo Fire..lots of Beachbody programs, I believe in them. And this one delivered just as promised!  I loved lifting heavy and I didn’t bulk up however you could see the leaner build and I felt stronger all over. Through January 31st, this program is $30 off for customers. Club members get an additional 10% off and coaches..if you are wanting this program, now’s the time! Almost half off for you! Did you look in your store and see the price? Amazing! It's TIME!  If you have any questions about this program, just ask!

I am a Team Beachbody coach. My coaching is always free. Sign up for your free account or a club membership where you get to use the online meal planner and other tools and get a 10% discount! Or join as a coach and let me help you at least cover your cost of nutritionals and workout programs!

JANUARY IS 1/2 GONE - How's your commitment to health going???
You can't stop time from passing, but you can make the BEST of the time you have left!

No matter what program you do, get started TODAY making healthier choices. Make exercise and eating better a priority.  Look around you, look to your older relatives - how's their health?  what could they have done to help their ailments that you can do NOW and avoid the same fate?  Don’t wait until you have heart problems or cancer threats or worn down joints from too much weight and not enough exercise. Don’t wait.  Don't just join the crowd who thinks that aging means getting fat and disabled by health problems. Be the person who makes a plan now and finds the tools and support to make 2011 your healthiest year!  Join me!

Biggest Loser's new trainer Brett Hoebel ! Who is Brett Hoebel?

Brett has create some phenomenal bodies across the country but he's based out of New York City. His programs taught in gyms, have spread across the country because of the results he gets: sculpted abs and strong bodies that are super lean and gorgeous - he uses traditional moves and then throws in some capoeira to keep it interesting and keep your body in the game.  He's got a body to prove that his method works, and the brains to tell you why (pre-med/science background).

When Beachbody heard of Brett a few years ago, they created REV ABS  and people started getting amazing results right in their own living room.  You can too. RevAbs is fast paced, FAST PACED and demanding.  If you order it, be ready to WORK!

You'll see results you didn't think your body could produce. 

This season of Biggest Loser, Brett Hoebel is joining as one of the two "new trainers on the block."  On the one hand I want him to be exclusively OURS but I also know that this will show people that are so stuck on "I NEED BOB, I NEED JILLIAN" that they just need a plan.  They need to get serious about their health and take steps in control what goes into their health, what goes into their fitness, what goes into their mouths.  It's a combination of all of those things. YES, the contestants on Biggest Loser will  be dropping weight like crazy week after week. It's their JOB when they get on that show, it's ALL they will be doing.  If you've seen any of the interviews with past contestants, you know: It's 6 hours of working out a day on that ranch.  Your food is portioned and provided. While there are tough parts about it (being away from their loved ones is the toughest) it's also a time that they can take and JUST THINK OF THEMSELVES FIRST.  They're away from work and appointments and not having to run around the house or work putting out fires.

With this "new trainer" thing...they'll get to see that it will work (after getting the whiney thoughts about not getting Bob & Jillian as trainers) with hard work, dedication & focus.  You need a plan.  They will get a whoopin' with Brett, I know, I've worked out with him LIVE.  He'll be a great addition to the mix and I'm excited to see him on the telly week after week.  He's not bad to look at. :)

All of our (Beachbody) programs come with several workouts, calendars, relevant nutrition guides. We have online support and you get a free coach, (that would be me!)  And, if you want to later, you can become a coach yourself and help others get fit. Do you need to be an expert? Nope, you're just a guide to point them to the tools, like Brett Hoebel's RevAbs.  You'll see...

Go local, go fresh, make the connection

The obvious connection to your local growers is the nearest farmer's market.  But it might not be all the near so while it might take a little work to find local foods, you might find that either your favorite foods are produced by a local grower or that a locally grown item is in a great grocery item!

For example, I LOVE Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider.  It's 100% apples and it's from the town I grew up in, my parents even worked in the orchards for a time.  They have lots of products now but I like the classics. We have the straight juice less of the time, usually going for the sparkling apple cider to fancy up a meal and the holiday celebrations. (I say that I buy a ton for all the kids but I just want to make sure there'll be some leftover!)

http://www.lundberg.com/

Or, another example: nearby there's a company that I've bought products from for years called Lundberg Family Farms. They're really growing and keeping up with all the sustainable practices and it makes me proud that they're from NorCal. I buy their brown rice in large bags from Costco which is great.  Last year I found a product called Sunshine Burger (a patty, really, not quite a burger) that has some really purist ingredient (Certified Non-GMO) practices and they USE Lundberg Family Farms rice!  What a great discovery that was!  I contacted the Sunshine Burger company and made friends with the rep, had breakfast with him and his colleague when they were coming through town. 

And so the obvious fruits, veggies and grocery items might be easy to find but meats might be harder to locate. If you have been paying attentions to the headlines, you can get a little worried about all the recalls on meat products. If you start asking around you might find that local colleges and universities might have the names of local agricultural extensions and groups that will provide you can with names of local meat producers who will proudly tell you about their sustainable farms, grass-fed, free-range, etc.  If you've seen the video Food, Inc.  (available through Amazon.com or check your local libraries) then you probably have a hankering to know where your meat is coming from.

If you're curious, put out feelers and see what's going on in your neck of the woods. In bigger cities it might not be so obvious but there are surrounding rural areas providing their goods. If nothing else, it's a good way to explore your area and make some great new friends.

Vegan for 4 weeks? Doable! (PCRMs 21-Day Vegan Kickstart)

Today is the first day of the kickstart offered online by PCRM, it's free and a great informational tool. There are no vegan police if you slip and it's on you and only you if you skip a meal or quit.

The first time I did this in August I did it completely vegan, even went for a vegan protein shake to replace my usual one.

I'm not going completely vegan because my morning chocolate health shake - well I'm not going to give it up this time because it makes me feel great and I haven't found anything even close to all the premium ingredients it has for the money. (Plus the company is working on a vegan version so I'll wait.) It's 140 cals by itself but I usually add a banana to it and so it's about 240 cals for my wonderful chocolate treat in the morning.   It's supposed to help you stop having cravings EXCEPT for that I crave the shake. Mmmm...so good. 

So the Kickstart is something you can sign up for and get the emails and just ... peek into it.  No police to say "DO IT!"   There's a daily message, video clips, all sorts of cool little tips and tricks they share. 

The meal plan is cool, goes out every Saturday so you can plan the week. Plenty of recipes that are tasty and not very complicated. 

Again, this is just a cool guideline to have, great recipes that help you use leftovers, etc. If you find something you really like, then make it over and over again, substitute whatever you need to - you don't have to follow the menu exactly.  Go easy on yourself, if you do an "all or nothing" you might quit at your first frustration. This is all about easing into this interesting world of healthy food.   There are often 2 or 3 opportunities to do a kickstart (they don't ONLY do this in January) so peeking in on this one could be a good way to start some good habits.  

List of Health Books I've Read...

I usually find book titles in the library, referenced in a health magazine, maybe a radio show. I try to follow the credible trail. These are in rough order, starting a few years ago as I began adding this health track to my life. I have a ton of new vegan/vegetarian cookbooks, I’ll add them later.

Reversing Heart Disease (Dean Ornish)

Eat More, Weigh Less (Dean Ornish)

Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes

Fast Food Nation (Eric Schlosser)

What to Eat (Marion Nestle)

Sugar Busters (H. Leighton)

The Eat Clean Diet (Tosca Reno)

The China Study (Thomas M. Campbell II)

Omnivore’s Dilemma (Michael Pollan)

Quantum Wellness (Kathy Freston)

The End of Overeating (David Kessler)

Eat to Live (Joel Fuhrman)

In Defense of Food (Michael Pollan)

Get Healthy Go Vegan (Neal Barnard)

Skinny Bitch (Rory Friedman)

The Kind Life (Alicia Silverstone)

Thrive (Brendan Brazier)
Eating Animals (Jonathan Safran Foer)

DVD’s

Food, Inc. (good introductory documentary on all aspects on food & food production)

Earthlings (warning: this is NOT for the faint of heart, it will change you)

The Cove (what goes on in another country, brought to light by some courageous people)

Not a vegan, Not a vegetarian...but I'm leaning that way

TofuXpress

That's been my response when people ask me why I’ve been talking about trying different foods (spelt tortillas, beets)and kitchen gadgets and recipes. ("I GOT A TOFU XPRESS!!")  

To be clear, I do not call myself a vegetarian or a vegan, although I have leanings toward the food aspects and I’ve been considering the consumerism of it (production, suffering, etc.)  When I meet a vegan who says they are a vegan for compassionate reasons, they have my full respect (especially when they take in & use absolutley no items made from animal, from leather jackets to silk to... everything).  That kind of level of commitment is admirable. But, I'm not there yet. If anyone calls me a "bleeding heart" or whatever, that's their issue. I'm not going to be one who judges so I hope people on either side can take my clunky journey into this new world. I'm just learning here.  

Food-wise, I'm lucky that I've liked fruits & veggies since childhood. But of course, along the way, I learned to love crap too. Fatty, sugary, salty crap.  Yummmm, right?  Yeah, I know.  The pull is there.

I've been eating healthily enough for a while to know that your taste buds change and ...taste again. You can go back in time and, after eating healthy for a while, you'll find that fatty foods coat your tongue and leave a residue, that sugary foods are far too sweet and you just don't need much salt anymore. It takes time and the where-with-all to find the foods you love, fix them and eat them regularly enough for the transformation to happen.  Learning where to find proteins and B vitamins and all that...it's a process!

Confessions of a Book Fiend

by Grant Snider

I have been reading A LOT.  I have always loved to read and I use reading up on a subject as a foundation for the next action step. Like many people who love to read, there often isn’t enough time to read all the books you want, but more books keep getting added to the list (am I right?).  Well, as you may have read in a previous post, I was laid up for a several weeks while I healed from ear surgery. That meant not a lot of physical activity and some issues with balance and dizziness.  BUT I COULD READ!!   

I took advantage of reading the books I was piling up in my Kindle and had stacked on my bookshelf.  Since I was curious about the health ones, I read those first.

My interest in health is not just a hobby; it’s helpful in my business as a Team Beachbody Coach. By NO means do you have to be any sort of expert to be a coach and I am NOT, not even pretending to be, but I like to read and I like to share what I learn and it’s helpful with customers and coaches alike. I try to get information from the best sources I can find and I’m always looking.

I have my own issues with lactose intolerance and I seem to have a sensitivity to wheat or gluten or something so it’s not like I’m new to working around regular foods and trying to find good replacements. 

I know people who say “OH! I would DIE if I couldn’t eat cheese!!!”  Well, I do without dairy because the consequences are gross and I’m just not going to deal with it. I've found lots of substitutions and replacements over the years and vegans have a LOT of the BEST stuff!  I know they're not keeping secrets but I feel like I'm really discovering stuff here.  I guess I should save my "finds" for another post; keeping the focus on certain aspects of this journey at a time so you can pick what you want to know about and what you can shelve.

I’m going to list for you the books I have read regarding health that have turned me towards a more vegetarian/vegan path.  I also bought a ton of vegan cookbooks, I’ll list those too, I guess. I’ll keep adding to the list so I'll make a separate post. You can find that list here.   Until then, consider your food choices...just consider where you learned them, what they were as a child, etc.  Just for fun.