This warm summer weather means cookouts on the patio and fresh grilled fruit is so refreshing!! Especially when its topped with a little Greek yogurt and honey! This is definitely going on my 4th of July menu this year!
I just got back from the Beachbody Coach Summit, in Las Vegas, and there was some big announcements that took place! Today I want to share with you the first big announcement! Ever since I started coaching last year the most popular question I've gotten is "when will there be a Vaniilla shakeology?" Well I'm happy to say that that day is TODAY!!! I thought I was going to be a Chocolate fan for life but this will definitely be taking a permanent residence in our home and weekly meal plans!!
These recipes sound absolutely amazing!! I love that there are SO many and such a wide variety...I don't think that we will ever get tired of this one!
Vanilla Shakeology Recipes
Here are some great FAQ's regarding Vanilla Shakeology:
I thought [heard] Shakeology would never be able to launch a vanilla version because of all of the chemicals used in Vanilla flavoring. How did they finally do it?
Because we absolutely refuse to compromise on quality, it took years of searching and testing to hunt down a pure, flavorful, and ethically sourced vanilla bean that would meet Shakeology's standards. By using this particular vanilla we are able to achieve complete traceability of vanilla beans coming from a multitude of small Madagascar farms. Through our purchase of these premium beans, we are helping to invest in a wide variety of training for the indigenous Malagasy farmers as well as the building and ongoing maintenance of schools in Madagascar, enhancing the educational environment & resources for more than 3000 children.
Where can I find the nutritional information and ingredients for Vanilla?
You can download the PDF of the ingredients and supplement facts at bottom of my site.
FORMULA-RELATED QUESTIONS
What is the nutritional info for Vanilla Shakeology?
Vanilla Shakeology has 130 calories, 16g of protein, 14g of carbs, 7g of sugar, and 2g of fat. For more nutritional information and the list of ingredients, please view or download the PDF at bottom of my site.
Does the Vanilla contain both whey and pea protein?
Yes, Vanilla Shakeology still has whey protein in it. We also added a small amount of natural pea protein to round out the amino acid profile.
Vanilla Shakeology Nutrition Facts
Vanilla Shakeology Nutrition Information
Will you be coming out with a Vegan Vanilla Shakeology?
We are considering a vegan version of Vanilla for the future. Check back with us next year for an update.
Is Vanilla Shakeology gluten-free?
The Shakeology formula does not contain any gluten-based ingredients and we make every effort to prevent any ingredients with gluten from coming into direct or indirect contact with our products. However, because of our high standards we do not feel it is appropriate to make a gluten-free claim since Shakeology is produced in facilities that also handle gluten based ingredients. If you have a concern about gluten it is best to consult your doctor before making any dietary changes.
When will Shakeology be certified gluten-free?
There are no gluten-based ingredients in the Shakeology formula. Although we can apply for a gluten-free certification, the safety of our customers is extremely important to us and until we are satisfied that our high standards can be met we will not put a gluten-free certified statement on the package. To meet our internal standards, we are reviewing our entire supply chain of nearly 100 ingredients to ensure that there is no potential exposure to gluten-based grains from the farm to the Shakeology product being sealed in the final package. At this point we cannot say when that assessment will be complete.
Is Vanilla Shakeology free from allergens?
Shakeology is formulated to be free of the common 8 allergens, however, Shakeology is made in a manufacturing facility that also process allergens such as soy, wheat, milk and gluten. While our manufacturing procedures follows strict, required FDA Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), which include cleaning and breaking down of equipment between production runs and proper air filtration systems as precautionary measures, the possibility of cross-contamination can never be 100% eliminated, therefore we include the warning statement as a precaution to make our customers aware that Shakeology is Manufactured in a facility that also processes soy, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, and wheat (gluten) ingredients." We feel this is a responsible approach to help those with extreme sensitivities to such ingredients make an informed decision about the use of Shakeology.
I had the chance to try Vanilla Shakeology last week in Las Vegas. It is smooth and delicious!! Its also mild enough to add things to it like frozen berries, banana etc. to have a variety! I have to say that this is going to be another great addition to an already amazing line of Shakeology flavors. If you are looking to add some nutrient density to your day then this is the way to go. Beachbody believes in creating a product that stands up to its name. They work to make sure that the ingredients are of optimum quality and that they do not compromise your health!!! I truly believe that Shakeology is what keeps me and my family healthy. We replace 1 meal a day with a shake and we are healthier than we have ever been. I used to be a skeptic about meal replacements but not any more. I truthfully believe in clean eating, Shakeology and Beachbody. They have changed my life and the life of my family as well!!
It is now available to order and when you sign up with me you get free on-line coaching! I can also help you customize a meal plan to meet your needs! 80% of your weight loss comes from the foods that you eat. If you put good quality foods in your body you will get a good quality body in return! So while Shakeology is only 1 meal of the day, lets really get the rest of your health under control!!!!!
If you are nervous about trying Shakeology because you are afraid that you won't like it, then this is the perfect opportunity. Starting on July 8th I will be doing a 30 day Shakeology and Clean Eating Group to aid you in finding the balance between diet and exercise. We will focus on the principles of clean eating, preparing healthy meals, snacks, grocery shopping, temptations, emotional eating and more! Especially this time of the year when everyone is traveling, going to graduation parties and weddings. We have to be on the top of our game when it comes to our health! Do you need that gentle little nudge, some encouragement and support along the way? Then join my July 8th challenge group and I will guide you in the right direction!!!
I have three days left of my Chalean Extreme/TurbFire hybrid but I'm doing my review now since I will be extremely busy preparing for my trip to Las Vegas for my Beachbody Coach Summit!!
So to recap on how I did this "hybrid" I did 4 weeks of Chalean Extreme AND TurboFire every day. I absolutely loved the calorie burn on my heart rate monitor but I wasn't getting the physical results I was hoping for. I was losing weight but my physique was soft and my tummy a little flabby. I knew I had my trip to Las Vegas coming up so I needed to re-evaluate the situation and quickly. I talked to some friends about my fitness routine and decided to just stick with Chalean Extreme for the last 3 weeks before my trip. I'm telling you that did the trick!! I'm still a work in progress but I have so much more muscle definition, my abs are getting stronger and starting to show and my pants are all fitting looser!! I am excited to announce that to date I am down 10 pounds since starting this hybrid!!
I made a conscious effort to increase my weights each week and this week is definitely TOUGH but I'm pushing through. The goal this week is to reach failure by 12 reps (but at least to 10). In the past months I usually fatigued at that last rep but this month I'm reaching the 10-11 range. And I'm ok with that because I know that progress is happening and in a few weeks I'll be upping my weights again. This week most weights were at 17.5-25 pounds depending on the move and the muscles being used.
I've also really been focusing on stripping down my meal plan. I know that once I start to remove starchy carbs like rice, bread and pasta from my diet as well as dairy and fruit my tummy is a very happy camper and so am I!! It doesn't take long for me personally to start seeing the positive effects of removing these foods from my diet and in complete honesty I really don't miss the carbs. I've never really been a Carb Queen I usually just gravitate towards the bread baskets and chips because "they're there". So I just push them to the other side of the table at restaurants and I don't keep them in my home. When I return from Vegas I will add back in fruit and small amounts of dairy back into my diet if I find I need it.
Here is the meal plan that I've been following for the last couple weeks. Sometimes I would replace one of the snacks with a second Shakeology. I will be doing the 3 Day Shakeology Cleanse starting today for the final phase of the lean out process.
Like I said I have 3 more days to finish up my "hybrid" program and fly into Vegas to be surrounded my my friends and "family" and learn from the BEST of the best Beachbody coaches!! I am looking forward to this experience for many reasons!! I am excited to learn ways to grow my business, I am excited to learn ways to continue to support others and help them reach their best potential through health and fitness!!!
If you would like more information on how you can get these results or more information on Beachbody Coaching please contact me today. I'd love to set up an appointment to chat!!
When women join my challenge groups I hear a lot of concern that their husband's are picky or wont eat "diet food". So I wanted to share with you what I share with them on the topic of "clean eating for the man in your life"!! Most diets don’t work for men because men don’t like to go hungry, they
don’t like to live on salads, they don’t like excluding food groups and
they don’t like counting calories. Good news! Men can lose weight and get healthy while eating meat and
potatoes in man-sized portions. So men can lose weight and feel
satisfied, with no calorie counting.
First I want to clean up the misconception of "diet food". In our challenge groups we do not munch solely on carrot sticks and salad. We eat real, whole foods and a LOT of it actually. When you eat fruits and veggies in their natural state they are very low in calories as well as lean meats which are high in protein. And since I don't like to cut or limit any one food group in particular you can also eat carbs!! YUP, it's ok to eat complex carbs, in moderation of course. Clean eating is not meant to leave you feeling deprived or eating bland foods, lacking in flavor.
Last week my family had Turkey Meat Loaf and it was a family affair. I love getting my son to participate in cooking healthy meals for several reasons. First it exposes him to creating in the kitchen and exposure to new flavors, smells and textures. Being that he's only 2 we definitely make his "jobs" age appropriate but none the less he has a great time!! I love to pair this meat loaf with sweet potatoes, steamed veggies or a side salad! This is one of my husband's all time favorites! It's hearty, filling, tastes amazing and makes for delicious left overs!! You could also divide this mixture into muffin tins and make meat loaf muffins that are great to pop in a bag and take for a snack!! INGREDIENTS: 1 pound ground turkey 1/4 cup ketchup + 2 Tbsp 2 Tsp Wosterchire Sauce 1/3 onion chopped 1 Tsp Olive Oil 1/2 Cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs 1 Egg DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 Saute onions in pan until translucent Combine meat, ketchup, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well Shape mixture in a 7x5 loaf pan In a small bowl mix remaining 2 tbsp Ketchup and Wosterchire sauce and brush onto loaf. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes Let sit for 5 minutes then serve
Another "manly" clean eating dinner is Black Bean Burgers!! You know men and their grills so get these prepped in the kitchen while they fire up the BBQ and its a win-win for everyone!!While red meat is ok every once in awhile it's not the leanest meat and
there are definitely better forms of protein out there!! Black beans
are a great source of protein. If you have never had a black bean
burger you have no idea what you are missing. These black bean burgers
were full of flavor and everyone loved them. I served the burgers with
avocado, lettuce, tomato and onion with a side of sweet potato fries and
grilled zucchini.
Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 egg
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or granules
Salt and pepper to taste
6 whole wheat hamburger buns
6 green leaf lettuce leaves
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
Put beans in a large bowl and mash
well with a fork. Add egg, yellow onion, bread crumbs, oregano, basil,
garlic powder, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Mix well to combine then
shape into 6 patties.
Heat the grill and cook each burger until
cooked through and golden brown on each side. Transfer to buns, top with
lettuce, tomatoes and red onions and serve. Here is the link to their website where the recipe is. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2565
If you found these recipes to be helpful and feel you could benefit from more one on one help with clean eating and meal planning please contact me today to join one of my clean eating challenge groups!!
Are you a fan of Mixed Martial Arts? Are you looking to get LEAN and CHISELED in only 60 days?? What about your boyfriend or hubby? Father's Day is coming up and the gift of health and fitness is one that just keeps on giving!!
Beachbody has a special promotion going on for the month of JUNE ONLY for the Les Mills Combat Challenge pack!! Challenge packs are the complete package and set you up for success with both your nutrition AND your fitness routines. You will get the complete Les Mills Combat DVD set and a one month supply of Shakeology. You will also get a 30 day free Club membership with access to meal planning, recipes and celebrity trainer chats, free shipping and access to a free coach, ME!!! They have dropped the price of the Les Mills Combat Challenge Pack and they are practically giving away a free program with the purchase of Shakeology!!! AND if you're interested in participating in a free challenge group with your purchase my Summer Slim Down Challenge starts Monday June 10th!!
Les Mills Body Combat is an explosive mixed martial arts inspired body
transformation program that will help rip, shred, and lean you out for
unparalleled results. Blending dynamic martial arts inspired training
with High intensity interval training (HIIT), Les Mills combat pushes
your body far beyond where it's ever been before. You'll punch, kick,
and strike your way to the biggest adrenaline rush and your best body
ever in 60 days!
The secret to Combat is what is called fast twitch integration
training. It is a blend of the most dynamic moves from karate, tae kwon
do, boxing, muay thai/kickboxing, capoeira, and jiu jitsu combined in
explosive, escalating patterns. This works your fast twitch muscle
fibers, which are the ones with the greatest capacity for change, like
crazy!!! You'll be burning massive amount of calories during your
workouts and continue to burn calories even after your workouts, so
you'll amp up strength and maximize lean muscle definition.
What Can Les Mills Combat do for you?
Build lean muscle mass, increase endurance, condition and incinerate fat all at the same time.
Develop coordination, agility, and muscle speed of a mixed martial arts warrior.
Maximize calorie burn during and after your workout.
Improve posture, core strength, and stability.
Build self-confidence, strength, and power.
What makes Les Mills Combat unique?
This mixed martial arts inspired system moves from 6 disciplines that
were carefully selected for the physical response demand they place on
the body as they blast your fast twitch muscle fibers. This type of
training is one of the most effective ways to help stimulate rapid body
composition changes. But you don't have to be a mixed martial arts
expert to have the lean and athletic body of one!
Who can do Les Mills Combat?
People who have a good fitness base. Moderately fit people who are ready to step up their fitness game!!!
Nutrition Guide: The awesome thing is that it comes with a
detailed eating plan that kicks off your body's ability to start burning
through fat while keeping blood sugar constant and helping reduce your
appetite. Features more than 30 workout fueling recipes.
You also get a fitness guide: this will help you map out your plan for success. It includes a workout calendar and training tips to maximize your results.
Coach: You also get me as your free Beachbody Coach! My job is
to help you determine what your health and fitness goals are and then
work with you to get them! Using Beachbody's community of support,
challenge groups and tools in the beachbody website we will have no
problem reaching your goals.
Les Mills combat Kit:
The workouts
The Basics: Master the techniques as well as the MMA based
guards and stances you will use throughout the Les Mills Body Combat
workouts (30 min).
Les Mills Combat 30: Kickstart, this workout is low in
complexity, but high in intensity, as it introduces you to the basic Les
Mills Combat combination moves. It may be short, but it packs a
serious punch. (30 minutes).
Combat 45 Power Kata: Katas are martial arts training methods
that develop technique and flow. This workout combines speed and power
with cross-training for complete calorie scorching. (45 min)
Combat 60 Extreme Cardio Fighter: Challenge your endurance and
push your body to the outer limits of fitness with a high-repetition
sequence of moves that will have your muscles firing on all cylinders
(60 minutes)
60 Live: Ulitmate Warriors Workout: A hard driving blend of
all the martial arts featured in the combat programs. Upper body, legs
and butt, core and cardio, this workout hits every muscle hard (60 min).
Power HIIT 1: High intensity interval training uses short bursts
of maximum effort followed by recovery to push you into metabolic amd
muscle conditioning overload, getting you fighter fit fast. (30 min)
Shock Plyo HIIT 2: Uses propulsion exercises to improve athletic
power and endurance, pushing you into peak performance mode. This
workout is the ultimate body shot! (30 min)
So what do you think? Could this be the right program for you or a Father in your life? Don't delay, Father's Day is right around the corner!! Plus don't forget that my Slim Down for Summer Challenge group is starting Monday June 10th!! Fitness+ Support+ Nutrition = Success!!! Contact me today for more information!!
When you decide to take control of your health, start eating healthy, start
getting active, reducing stress in your life and finding something
to believe in you will want to make sure every bit of your hard-earned
time and money make a dent in your goals right? ABSOLUTELY!! You've made up your mind, set your sights high and there's no turning back now!! So how are you going to do that? What's going to make this time different from the last time you were ready to "make a change"? Well let me tell you! THIS time you're going to have a plan, you're going to invest in your future and you're going to set yourself up for success!!
Let's start with eating healthy...
We live in a society that is BOMBARDED with food. There's a Starbucks on every corner, fast food next to every school, playground and library, billboards flashing the newest $6 Burger from Carl's Jr. It's EVERYWHERE!! These businesses are strategically placed as they know in our fast-paced society we need to grab a quick meal and run to the next activity. They even have us believing that if it's "grilled chicken" it MUST be healthy! WRONG...it may be a healthier option than say a Big Mac but it's loaded with sodium, carbs and not much nutritional value at all!! And literally, at what cost, are we willing to keep doing this to ourselves? Starbucks coffee ranges from $4-$7+, Fast food value meals are $6+, heck even a chicken salad is $5. But it's QUALITY that is lacking in these foods. You are NOT investing in your health when you visit these chains I promise you that! So what can you do about it?
There are several things you can do about it! The first thing is to PLAN YOUR MEALS. I can't stress this enough!!! If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. It's as simple as that! You've decided to invest in your health and that will require a little foot work on your part. No I'm not talking working out...that's coming next. I'm talking about a little thought, planning and preparation!!
You need to set aside some time for yourself on Sunday morning (or whichever day works best for you) and think about the week ahead of you and do some meal planning. Do you have after school sports? Book club? Boy Scouts? Date night? Now take out your blank meal planning template and jot them down. Next plan which meal you will be replacing with Shakeology so you KNOW you're getting the healthiest meal of the day and you don't even have to think about it. Jot that down and list any ingredients you'll be adding to your shake. Next plan the rest of the meals and snacks. If you know your family gets bored easily with left overs try a new dish or two each week, but don't overwhelm yourself. This new chapter in your life is supposed to be reducing stress too!! Rotate in some family favorites with some new recipes and remember left-overs make great lunches the next day!
Now that you've got your meals planned out, create a shopping list and hit the store! Another great way to invest in your health is to STICK TO YOUR LIST!! Don't get distracted by the bakery section or the ice cream freezer. Just get in and get out...you'll be saving money and saving your waist line! Once you're home I highly suggest washing, chopping and bagging all of your produce. You can bag everything individually so that on those days that you have a million errands to run or lots of after school activities you know you have your cooler packed with healthy eats in the car so you dont have to swing by any drive thru.
How about we throw in some exercise???
You don't have to be the next Iron-Man contestant to start exercising. If you belong to a gym, run around the neighborhood, workout to home DVDs or pull out articles from your favorite fitness magazine, JUST GET MOVING!! I think it's a false belief that so many people have that just because you get older you have to get fat or gain weight...That's so FALSE!! Adults tend to gain weight due to lack of physical activity. They're no longer participating in high school or college sports, not running around after their little ones, hitting too many drive thru's and becoming A-1 couch potatoes!! But that stops today!! So what can you do about it?
There are several things you can do about it!
First let's start with the workout gear. We all like to look good no matter what we're doing. So head out and get some new workout gear if you don't have any or yours needs a makeover. It doesn't have to be super expensive, Ross, Old Navy, Forever 21 and Target have some really cute workout clothes and shoes!!
Next you need to pick a workout that you enjoy. Don't worry if it's something different than what your friend or neighbor is doing, do what YOU enjoy!! I promise the more you do something YOU enjoy the more likely you will be to stick to it. If you're not sure where to start you can search Pinterest or Google for some great at home workout tips like this... Pick a few each day and slowly start to add a few more as time goes on and you feel stronger!! Or maybe you prefer a workout DVD you can do in the privacy of your own home like P90X,TurboFire, or Insanity. The best thing about these is that you can do them at whatever time works best for you! You dont have to try to get to the gym on time or wake up super early. The more you make it work for you the more you will stick to it!!
My third tip for investing in your health is to PAY YOURSELF!! Yup, that's right!! EVERY time you do a workout give yourself a tip!! But before you start think about a BIG goal that you want to use that money for. Is it a summer vacation? New workouts clothes? A new outfit? Whatever it is find a picture and print it out. Hang it on the wall over your Tip Jar and let that DRIVE you to workout each day!! When you are thinking about hitting the snooze button REMEMBER that goal you're working so hard towards and go after it!!
My final tip for you is to join one of my 21 day or 60 day accountability groups! They are an excellent option for support, motivation, and accountability! Not only will you learn the tips I discussed here but we will go over in more detail tips on how to eat clean, stay healthy and lose weight through the summer and how to boost your nutrition for optimum weight loss!!
If you are considering joining one of my Challenge groups and getting my
1:1 support with Clean Eating, working out and achieving your health and
fitness goals? Then, contact me about my next challenge group!
My focus is going to be the next 60
days getting you through the summer, helping you lose weight and keep it
off for the rest of your life. Then, really helping you get through
vacations, picnics, weekend road trips, emotional eating, temptation and
more! My goal is to arm you with the tools to find your will power and
be strong!
To be considered for my next group please fill out this application below
Well some how last week totally got away from me and I didn't do my week 3 review so I thought I 'd just combine it here with my week 4 review!
Week 3 and 4 were the last two weeks of the Push Phase of ChaLean Extreme for me. I LOVE this phase because it really forces you to push HARD. Week over week I've made it a point to try to increase my weights, even it if it was only by 2.5 pounds (selecttech weigts). But it's important to me to continue to see progress in my fitness routine. Another thing I really tried to focus on was form and speed. Chalene is always telling us to GO SLOW, and as easy as that might sound it's really not so easy to SLOWLY press 40 pounds 6-8 times over your head. But I did find that the more closely I followed her tempo the better and stronger I got and the more sore I was the next day. Which in my book is a good thing ;)
Weeks 3 and 4 of TurboFire were also great! I love, love, love TurboFire and ALWAYS will but I am finding that I am getting very used to and comfortable in the routines and finding that I catch myself slacking off a little bit. Sometimes I could be punching harder, jumping higher or kicking higher so for the last 3 weeks of this hybrid I will be definitely be keeping myself in check and giving it everything I've got. I only have a small window of time to do my workouts and if I'm not giving it my 110% then really what's the point?
Week 3 Schedule:
Monday: Fire 45 EZ / Push Circuit 1
Tuesday: Fire 45 EZ / CLX Rest
Wednesday: TurboFire Rest / Push Circuit 2
Thursday: Core 20/HIIT 15 / Burn Intervals/ Extreme Abs
Friday: Fire 30 / Push Circuit 3
Saturday: Fire 45 EZ / Burn it off & Recharge
Sunday: Core 20 / CLX Rest
Week 4 Schedule:
Monday: HIIT 15/Sculpt 30 and Push Circuit 1
Tuesday: Fire 45 / CLX Rest
Wednesday: TurboFire Rest / Push Circuit 2
Thursday: HIIT 15 / Tone 30/Burn Intervals/Extreme Abs
Friday: Fire 55EZ / Push Circuit 3
Saturday: HIIT 20/Sculpt 30 and Burn it off & Recharge
Sunday: Fire 30 / CLX rest
During the last 2 weeks I have decided to go back to not weighing or measuring. I find that I do much better with this method and I focus more on how I workout, what I put in my mouth and how my body looks. Yes I had an awesome year last year and lost 43 pounds but a great friend reminded me that this will not continue at this rate. It was like a ah-ha moment! Of COURSE the weight wont keep dropping like that, nor do I want it to so I need to not focus on the scale but how my body LOOKS! And also remember other successes like my clothes fitting better, more stamina during workouts and the ability to make healthier food choices with ease!
I also kept with the same eating plan all month. I know that some people think that is SO BORING...hopefully not my hubby if he's reading this lol, but I really do good when I get into a routine. I don't have to think about anything, I just grab and go and I already know which foods are going to keep my body satisfied and full between workouts and all afternoon long. This weeks challenge was Memorial Day weekend. Luckily we had a pretty low key weekend and I was able to keep the cheats to a minimum. By doing so and prepping for this week now I was able to wake up this morning feeling good and not freaking out about how I was going to get off the weekend weight!!
This coming week starts the LEAN phase of ChaLean Extreme. I've never done this phase yet so I'm really looking forward to it and watching how my body changes!! Stay tuned to see how it goes! 3 weeks till Vegas!!
