Q & A on Shakeology

Business Leader Spotlight

Carolina Gutnisky, Shakeology

1. What attracted you to Beachbody^®?I started at Beachbody in November, 2008, and was attracted to the company for a number of reasons. I liked that it was in the health and fitness industry, that the products really worked, and they weren't "get-thin-quick" gimmicks. Beachbody was fast-growing and entrepreneurial—a place where if you had ideas, you could implement them quickly and have an impact on the business. I love its mission of "helping people achieve their goals and live healthy, fulfilling lives."
2. Do you use Shakeology?
   Yes, I've been drinking it every day for 2 years! It keeps me full from breakfast to lunch and I love how good it tastes. But what really surprised me about it was how it curbed my craving for sweets. I never used to be able to pass up cookies, cakes, and brownies, but now I can! Type 2 diabetes runs in my family, so I need to watch my sugars and limit sweets. Shakeology helps me do this. I also see it as my nutrition "insurance." I don't have to worry if I've put an avocado or a maca root in my salad—the wide variety of nutrients from all the exotic super-foods in Shakeology has me covered.
3. What advice would you give to people just starting with the product?I recommend drinking Shakeology every day, preferably for breakfast. (You'll feel the benefits all day long if you drink it early in the day.) I would also recommend using water and not milk as it can contribute to digestive discomfort (even milk substitutes like soy milk or almond milk). Lastly, it's common for new users to experience some digestive discomfort as their bodies get adjusted. This is quite normal and you can always start with half a dose and work up to a full scoop.
4. What do you feel are the key strengths of Shakeology that set it apart from other nutritional products? What's really amazing about Shakeology is that it is so nutrient-dense—you get so much nutrition packed into not that many calories. Of the 70-plus ingredients, it's got over 30 known "super-foods," including 10 adaptogen herbs (the most I've ever seen in one product), and there's over 15 grams of protein. Talk about bang for your buck! In my opinion, it's the most nutrient-dense super-food protein shake on the planet. And it really does taste incredibly delicious!
5. What misconceptions (if any) might Coaches have about Shakeology?
   It seems that a lot of Coaches feel they need to be nutrition experts in order to sell Shakeology. You don't have to be an expert, but you do have to drink Shakeology yourself so you can share your story. That's what I do—I share my story about how it curbed my cravings and helps me maintain my ideal weight. That's usually what gets people interested—that it worked for YOU.
6. What advice do you have for Coaches for promoting Shakeology?First, you have to be a product of the product, so if you're not on Shakeology Home Direct, then get with the program! Second, I'd say that if you're not using the "100 Doctors" audio CD, you're missing a huge opportunity! When you have 100 doctors talking about how great a product is, it's going to hit home with a lot of people.
7. What do you envision as the future of Shakeology?
   New flavors! We're working on them, so stay tuned. Also, Darin, Isabelle, and Dr. Bill Wheeler are always reading the latest research on nutrition and evaluating new, cutting-edge ingredients from the purest, most potent sources. I can't say too much here, but it's exciting stuff!
8. How do you feel about helping others?I love that everything I do helps spread the word about a product that transforms people's health and their lives. Who wouldn't love that? It also helps people have more energy so they can accomplish more, and feel better so they can achieve their weight loss and fitness goals. And for Beachbody Coaches, Shakeology builds their businesses so they can earn extra income. It makes me feel good that my job and my efforts help our Coaches and customers in all these ways.

Order yours here and be on your way to a healthier you!
http://beachbodycoach.com/shayna214

 

 

Exercise with Intent

People focus too much on weight, dress sizes, and tape measurements—and those aren’t motivating. What gets me going is: I’m 31.....and because I work out, I know my fitness will improve and my immune system will stay strong, and my body will prevent injuries. I like being fit, strong, and coordinated.

The Worst Reasons to Work Out

Stay Motivated by Exercising for the Right Reasons

-- By Jennipher Walters, Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor

We all have our own reasons for working out. And while all reasons have merit (and there is nothing wrong with wanting to feel good about the reflection you see in the mirror), some reasons for hitting the gym are definitely better and more motivating than others.

In fact, the goals you set and the reasons why you work out help set the tone for your entire lifestyle and can even play a role in your long-term health and success. Of course, it is recommended that you choose empowering and uplifting reasons to lose weight and work out.

Here are five common reasons people exercise that might seem positive at first glance but can actually be unhealthy or destructive. If you fall into one (or more) of these categories, don't despair! We have included better reasons to work out that will help you flip your thoughts into a more motivating direction.

The 5 Worst Reasons to Work Out
Because you feel fat. Do you hit the gym hard the morning after a night of unhealthy eating to help you undo the previous night's damage? While a good bout of exercise can get you back on track, what you don't want to do is punish yourself with exercise. Working out shouldn't feel like torture or used as a way to right your wrongs when it comes to food. When you do that, you're completely missing how awesome exercise is for your health and well-being—and you could be on a slippery slope that leads to more serious food and fitness issues (such as exercise bulimia).

Better reason: Exercise to feel strong and energetic. Instead of punishing yourself by overdoing your workouts, focus on how great exercise makes you feel. From feeling strong and energetic to perking up your mood and improving your health, moving your body is more than a way to burn calories—it helps you take care of yourself inside and out!

To eat whatever you want. If your sole motivation to work out is to help make up for your regular fast food or dessert habit, it's time to re-examine your priorities. Sure, working out can allow you to offset the calories of indulging in more food, but it's much easier to overeat calories than it is to burn them off. In fact, it takes about an hour of jogging to burn off just one Big Mac (and that doesn't include the fries and soda). Not to mention that exercise can't always undo the negative health effects of a poor diet. Sweets and other junk foods don't give you all the vitamins and minerals you need to reach your fitness goals, either.

Better reason: Exercise to indulge occasionally in your favorite treats. Instead of exercising to eat whatever you want, think of it as a way to support your healthy lifestyle by boosting your health and happiness—not trying to outsmart a bad diet. You'll still be able to enjoy a treat now and again without worrying so much about the extra calories, but the key is to make those treats occasional—not the norm.

To run away from your problems. We all come across problems and stress in our lives, and exercise can be a good stress reducer. But if you're using exercise as a way to escape and run away from all of your problems, you may be asking for trouble. Exercise alone won't solve everything; you must deal with life's stuggles directly.

Better reason: Exercise to be better equipped to handle problems as they arise. Instead of running away from your problems, use your work out time to clear your head for a while or use the time to think through any issues you may be facing. Sometimes, when you're engaged in physical activity, a new solution or idea will come to you that you can then implement in your life to resolve issues. But remember to use exercise as an outlet for improving your life—not a way to stick your head in the sand to avoid your thoughts and feelings.

To energize when you're lacking sleep. Exercise is known as a natural energy booster, but if you're using workouts as a way to get going when you're not getting enough sleep in the first place, you could be doing your body more harm than good. Without proper rest, you could experience the effects of overtraining, which can break down your muscles and make you weaker. Not to mention that too many sleepless nights have many adverse health effects; from weight gain to an elevated risk of heart disease. Add strenuous exercise on top of poor sleeping habits, and your body could view your workouts as yet another stressor.

Better reason: Exercise to improve your overall health, including the quality of your sleep. It's so important to respect your body and give yourself the rest it needs. Instead of amping yourself up with exercise, work out because you want to improve your overall health, happiness, and sleep. Research shows that exercise can improve sleep patterns, so start focusing on the positives instead of using exercise as a quick fix to get through your day. If you have to make a tough choice between sleeping a few extra hours or exercising, choose sleep most of the time so you can meet your body's daily 7-8 hour quota; choose the gym over adequate sleep too often, and your body may not benefit in the way you hope!

To get skinny. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look good, and exercise can help you get there. But if you view exercise as nothing more than a means to fit into a certain size, you could be sabotaging yourself. Regardless of body size or weight, working out is a must for everyone! If you view exercise as a temporary fix, a chore to achieve your dream body, or if you're exercising in extreme amounts or intensities in order to "get skinny", you must change your mentality. These are unhealthy reasons to exercise that are simply not sustainable. If you choose to go this route, the only thing you'll end up with is a major motivation problem.

Better reason: Exercise—at any weight—because it's good for you. Exercise isn't just for people who need to lose weight—even "skinny" people need to work out for their health and well-being! So, instead of focusing your workouts on looking a certain way or being a certain size, refocus on finding workouts that you enjoy—you will then stick with them for the long haul. This goes for intensity, too. If you can't keep up with long workouts five days every week, switch to something that you can maintain as part of your healthy lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with working out to feel more confident about your body—but it's not the only reason to do it. Come up with a list of exercise benefits that matter to you, and think of them when your motivation is low—or when your body isn't responding the way you'd like. Because even then, you will still benefit and reach other fitness goals.

Working out for the right reasons will not only help your body reach optimal health, but your emotional health will benefit too. So, the next time you head to the gym because you "feel fat" or want to undo some hefty eating, think about the real reason you're working out—to improve the quality and longevity of your life!

Find YOUR personal reasons for working out....and push play!

Shakeology®: A Shake Too Good to Be True??

By Dr. Mark Cheng, PhD

This is an article from a professional who teaches for one the most respected kettlebell training communities in the country. It was written by Dr. Mark Cheng in response to some of his students and peers who were questioning his vocal support of Shakeology. Dr. Cheng gave us permission to reprint it here.

---

Lately, I've made mention about my use of the nutritional product Shakeology, and some folks have been questioning if I've abandoned the RKC ranks and gone "P90X" on them. So let me set the record straight . . . definitively . . . once and for all.

I heard about Shakeology before there WAS a Shakeology, directly from the mouth of its inventor—Isabelle Brousseau. The wife of Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler, Ms. Brousseau is a singularly talented coach and highly educated researcher. She's spent years studying the advanced principles of elite human performance from authorities around the world, and I was honored to have the chance to share Pavel Tsatsouline's Hardstyle RKC kettlebell training method privately with her. As an adept student, she was on the fast track to preparing for her RKC instructor certification when she decided to take time off upon learning she was expecting her first child.

During the times I spent training her, Isabelle and I spoke about Chinese herbal medicine, and she mentioned she was researching ways of combining all-natural foods with the highest possible nutrient values into a meal-replacement shake designed for athletes and people-on-the-go. When she mentioned wanting to put in high quality ayurvedic herbs, Chinese herbs, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, prebiotics, and a host of other vitamins and minerals, my initial reaction was, "Yeah, right!"

My doubts were not unfounded. Having spent years studying (and consuming) Chinese herbal medicines, I had a familiarity with a good deal of what Brousseau was talking about. The ingredients she'd mentioned sounded like a wish list that only insiders would know of and only the filthy rich and well-connected could afford. On top of that, the taste of such a mixture, I surmised, would probably make even the least sensitive tasters wretch with disgust. To make a mixture that would contain the type of ingredients she mentioned, be stable enough to ship and store, and not taste like the bottom skim of a Los Angeles sewer was a pipe dream as far as I was concerned. So I filed the conversation away in my mental round file. A couple of years later, when I met with Carl to discuss a project idea, I saw the finished product on his shelf. Eager to see how far from the initial ideal the finished product had to compromise, I was in for a shock.

Not only did Shakeology have EXACTLY the type of ingredients that Isabelle had mentioned during our training sessions, but it had MORE!

Some notables:

• Astragalus: widely used in Chinese medicine as an immune system regulator
• MSM: one of the most popular supplements for joint health
• Chia: the Mayan super-seed with more calcium than whole milk, more omega-3 and -6 than salmon, and more protein than kidney beans
• THREE different proprietary blends and some vitamins and minerals that actually exceeded the U.S. RDA.

This stuff looked like it was fit for a king for sure. So I was curious to put it to the final 2 tests: taste and performance. I wanted to know if it smelled or tasted anything like what I thought it would and was curious if it'd make a difference for my high-velocity, high-output, high-mileage lifestyle.
A little background: I'm a caffeine junkie by virtue of workaholism. Ever since discovering the "joy" of all-nighter homework sessions in high school, I became keenly aware of the value of being able to work harder and sacrifice sleep. So when the NoDoz, Vivarin, and Mountain Dew lifestyle needed an adult turn after I'd graduated and started writing, teaching, treating patients, travelling, training, and trying to spend time with my family, I dove hip deep into energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster, and caffeinated energy bars like Pit Bull. When I speak well about a nutritional product, it's for one reason: it helps me get my work done while keeping me healthy. Another bit of background: I'm a glutton. I love food, especially food that tastes good. I never met a filet mignon that I didn't like, and never met one that I didn't like better wrapped in bacon, with a side of bacon-wrapped scallops, and mashed potatoes—topped with bacon. If it doesn't taste good, I don't care how good it is for me. I'll STILL probably not like it well enough to be disciplined about taking it.

The Greenberry Shakeology bag that Carl gave me turned my ball of preconceived notions and stood it on its ear. From the moment I opened the bag, the scent was wonderful, like a dessert that you're eager to tear into. So I dumped some ice and water into the blender and dropped a scoop of the bright green powder in with it. I didn't add juice or other fruits because I wanted to know exactly how this tasted by itself, unadulterated. The next sound I heard after taking my first sip was, "Yum!" It passed the taste test.
Next was the travel test. I wanted to see how it kept me going while traveling, so instead of my usual chain-drinking habit of Monster or Red Bull, I tried a shake or two during the day, usually with one in the morning. I brought Shakeology with me to New York, New Mexico, and most recently to Australia to see how I'd do with it, and the results were remarkable. I had sustained, stable energy, but without the jitters, aggression, and hard drops afterwards. When I travel, I travel to teach, and I have to be up, energetic, strong, and focused. My days here in LA revolve around teaching, training, treating patients, and trying to steal moments with my family. So if something doesn't give me the energy to do what I need, I can't waste my precious time or hard-earned money with it.
Shakeology has proven itself to be able to give me all of that on multiple occasions, both while traveling and here in Los Angeles. You can draw your own conclusions about any product you want, but I'm sharing my experiences with Shakeology here openly. And if you think I'm endorsing it only for financial gain, you couldn't be more wrong. I signed up as a "Coach" so I could buy the product for myself! If you want to try it, you know where to find it, and get ready to be surprised how little such high-quality nutrition costs!

There you have it!! Feel free to e-mail me (shaynacrossfitness@hotmail.com) ....or visit my website: http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/shayna214?bctid=82906800001

Here's to Health!
~Shayna

Happy 1st Day of Daylight Savings Time!!

Did ya get up on time? Were ya late?? I went to bed early, so I had NO problems :D

LOVING the birds chirping in the morning and seeing the sun out later...now I just need warmer weather!

Been busy with my Beachbody business, looking at houses to buy, and getting back on track at work. Seems everything is SO fast-paced right now...love where life is leading me though!

How are YOU? How is YOUR life? What are your goals? Are you moving closer to them?

Pushing play...
~Shayna

Time to update!!

So I've been off track just a bit. I had a death in the family, so the last week or so is a crazy blur. I did manage to eat mostly healthy, but my workouts slacked....and I FEEL IT!! It's almost 6am.....I've been up for about 30 minutes...and I want to go back to bed!! Usually, I have all kinds of energy and am pumped for my day.

So no more slacking! Today's the day! Back on track with working out! I have Push 3, Fire 45, and Stretch 10 scheduled today! So as soon as I get home from work, I'm ON IT!!

Hope you all have a blessed day!
~Shayna

6 Ways to Fire Up Your Metabolism

By Monica Ciociola
It can be discouraging when your results don't seem to match the efforts you're putting into getting in shape. But instead of giving up on your fitness program, or worse, diving into the Twinkies^® (trust me, you'll regret it!), try making just a few easy changes to your diet and your lifestyle. Sometimes the smallest things—like getting more protein in the morning or enough rest at night—can lead to the biggest weight loss surprises.

1. Don't skip breakfast. Eating lean protein in the morning will help get your metabolism revved up for the day ahead. Protein from egg whites, for instance, will help stabilize your blood sugar, make you feel fuller, and keep you from overeating later in the day.
2. Resistance training. Working out with some form of resistance—resistance bands, weights, or a stability ball—helps build your muscles. And because one pound of muscle burns way more calories than a pound of fat does, the more muscle you have on your body, the higher your metabolic rate will be.
3. Interval training. Short 10-minute explosive cardio sessions followed by less intense cardio for the same amount of time will rev up your metabolism. For some of the best interval training workouts, check out Insanity or Turbo Fire.
4. Get your beauty rest. Human growth hormone works directly on cells to increase your metabolic rate by 15 to 20 percent and can only be produced during the hours of deep sleep. So make sure you get a good night's sleep!
5. The magic mix. At mealtime, try consuming lean proteins from chicken and white fish along with complex carbohydrates from fruits and veggies. This magical combination will speed up your metabolic rate as food is transformed into usable nutrients, and you'll build muscle and burn fat during the digestive process.
6. ¡Ay, caliente! Studies show that hot peppers, spices, green teas, and caffeine can give your metabolism a sudden surge by stimulating the release of stress hormones. If jalapeño and cayenne make you wince, turn to our all-natural Slimming Formula supplement, which contains green tea, for the same metabolism-boosting effect

Click here to view any of the above mentioned beachbody products: http://beachbodycoach.com/shayna214

Have a great day and don't forget to push play!!

~Shayna

7 Secrets of Staying Fit

Hey, even I get the excuse "Not today" from friends and other people. It's natural when energy is low or willpower is absent.....it's just human nature. My answer is, "Yes. Today. I'll see you at 6. You'll thank me." Exercise is NOT AN OPTION. It is a reality, and you've simply got to do it every day. Sure, if you're doing a serious workout program you need recovery time, and we build that into the schedules, but that doesn't mean sofa-surfing time. You should still walk, bike, and be active.
Top ways to stay consistent for the long term:

1. Hold Yourself Accountable–If you don't commit to health and fitness, you have zero chance of working out daily.
2. Change Your Mind–I mean your way of thinking. Don't think of workouts as torture. Consider it maintaining (or improving) your health.
3. Convenience Is Key–Make your home "fitness friendly." Keep small weights, bands, training shoes, and a mat where they're easy to grab.
4. Support Someone–Get a fitness buddy. By supporting them, you'll find that your priorities shift for the better.
5. Get Off the Scale–Only weigh yourself once a week or so. It is so easy to get discouraged by normal weight fluctuation, and discouragement can result in quitting.
6. Keep It Fresh–Don't get in a rut with your favorite workout. Anything becomes stale with too much repetition. (Beachbody gives you TONS of workouts!) Mix it up and keep the pounds melting off.
7. Check Your Ego at the Door–Of course it doesn't feel good to do a move you can't do perfectly, but tell your ego to pipe down and keep working to master moves that challenge you. You will master the move if you stay with it and keep consistent.

Often the only difference between fit people and unfit people is that the fit folks have found a workout program that they love, while the unfit ones haven't yet. With Beachbody® you have a big selection of world-class programs. There is something for everyone to love, and enough loveable workouts to keep your exercise efforts fresh for the rest of your life!

Check out what Beachbody has to offer here: http://beachbodycoach.com/shayna214

Keep it fresh, and keep active!! See you tomorrow....I'm off to push play!!
~Shayna

Get these and other great tips from Beachbody's website :)

6 Simple Rules for Eating Sugar

By Denis Faye (Beachbody Newsletter)

Few topics boggle the minds of dieters and fitness enthusiasts the way sugar does. Is this simple carbohydrate the key to unlocking elite sports performance? Or is it the chains that drag our country deeper and deeper into the obesity epidemic? Annoyingly, the answer is "both." But before you throw your hands up in frustration and grab yourself a Twinkie^®, let's take a minute to talk about sugar. It's not as complex as it seems. In fact, with just a few guidelines, it's incredibly easy to use these simple carbohydrates for good instead of evil.

Rule #1: Just say "know."
Here's a grossly over-simplified look at how sugar, also known as simple carbohydrates, works. Just as with all carbs, you eat sugar and it's absorbed by your blood, where, if you have the right amount of insulin in your system, that insulin converts the sugar to energy. However, if you introduce too much sugar into your system, the insulin stores it as body fat. A little stored body fat is fine; the body likes some emergency fuel. However, if your blood sugar spikes too often and the insulin has to work too hard converting fat, this can lead to a variety of health issues, including type 2 diabetes and heart problems.
As we'll discuss later, when your body obtains sugar from natural sources, like fruits and veggies, the process tends to be checked by fiber, which slows absorption. However, when you eat foods with added sugar, this can overwhelm the usual checks and balances, causing problems like those nasty blood sugar spikes. To make matters worse, consuming too much added sugar can cause a host of other problems, including tooth decay, increased triglycerides (or stored fat), and malnutrition (from overconsumption of foods filled with empty calories and deficient in nutrients).
If you wanted one overarching rule to work from, you might choose to avoid added sugars entirely. You'll get all the energy you need from foods with naturally occurring sugar. That said, there are times when refined sugar is OK or even beneficial. If you're able to build yourself a lifestyle completely free of added sugar, nice work. But for the rest of us, the trick is moderation.

Rule #2: Less is more.

One teaspoon of table sugar has 15 calories. Honestly, if you have a couple of cups of tea or coffee in the morning and you dump the proverbial spoonful of sugar in each, that's 30 calories. If the rest of your diet is tight and you're active, it won't matter. If you're trying to lose weight and are eating at a severe deficit, you'll probably want to skip those few spoonfuls of sugar, because table sugar is nutritionally void and you want every calorie to count nutritionally. Other than that, though, life's short—enjoy your java.

Rule #3: Sugar is sugar is sugar . . .

Agave nectar, honey, beet sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, dextrose, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), whatever. At the end of the day, they're all simple carbs, unregulated by fiber with minimal micronutrient value. Sure, you might prefer one over the other. I like honey because I'm a bit of a whole foods person and it does have a tiny bit of nutritional value, but I still know that if I eat too much, it'll make me fat.

Rule #4: . . . and it's hiding behind every corner.

And you thought Invasion of the Body Snatchers was creepy . . . Avoiding the obvious sweetened foods, like soda, cake, cookies and pies, is only half the battle. Manufacturers add HFCS (as well as other sugars) to a mind-boggling amount of foods because it adds flavor. If it's in a bottle, box, or can, read the ingredients. You'll find sweeteners in everything from ketchup to peanut butter to bread to salad dressing. With a little effort, you can usually find versions of the same food with no added sugars or HFCS that are more nutritious and taste just as good.

Rule #5: No, the sugar in fruit isn't bad for you.

When the low-carb "revolution" hit in the early aughts, fruit was demonized for its sugar content. This is, in a word, ridiculous. Yes, fruit is loaded with sugar, but it's also usually loaded with fiber, which slows sugar absorption, making it an ideal way to get your simple carbs without straining your little insulin buddies. Fruit is also loaded with easy-to-absorb vitamins and minerals. Most fruit is also filled with water, yet another benefit.
Even relatively low-fiber fruits like bananas offer far too many benefits to be denied. Bananas, in particular, are rich in electrolytes, which are crucial to sports performance. As I always say, I defy you to introduce me to an overweight person whose biggest indulgence is fruit.
You can think of the ingredients in Shakeology^® the same way. Sure, there's a little sugar in there, but the protein and fiber slow absorption and the massive amount of nutrients makes it all worthwhile.

Rule #6: Occasionally, a hit of straight sugar is a good thing.

You're sitting around watching television. You haven't done much today. Your glycogen stores are up, and because you've eaten normally, your blood sugar level is balanced. Time for some P90X Results and Recovery Formula^®? Probably not.
Conversely, you just blasted a killer workout. You've blown through your blood sugar and your glycogen, leaving you shaky and tired. Getting some sugar in there now to help you recharge fast wouldn't be such a bad idea. Furthermore, since it'll rush in so fast, it's a great opportunity to add some protein and micronutrients to that sugar blast, because they'll rush into where they're needed just as quickly.
If you genuinely gave the workout your all and you're truly wiped out, you won't even come close to storing that sugar as fat.
So there you go. Not so tough, huh? With a little forethought and self-control, keeping an eye on your carbs can be, ahem, a piece of cake.

Pushing play today on Push 1 and some Turbo Fire!! What are you doing?
~Shayna

How to avoid the salt traps

This was taken from beachbody's newsletter:

Shake the shaker. How many times have you seen yourself or someone you know be served a plate of food and mindlessly begin salting it, before even tasting it? I know I've been guilty of it. I love salt and can think of few meals that couldn't be improved by adding salt. But at least taste your food first before you add salt—especially in restaurants, where, for top chefs to fast-food flippers, salt is often the secret ingredient, and adding more of it is probably unnecessary. If you do think it needs a little salt, shake a little salt into the palm of your hand, so you can at least eyeball the amount you're going to eat (not to mention that it'll save your dish from the old unscrew-the-top-of-the-salt-shaker prank). At home, think about dumping the salt shaker and switching to a saltcellar. A saltcellar is a little covered bowl that holds salt. That way you can visually measure a little pinch and not shake out an unknown amount over your food. You might also consider switching to sea salt, or for the gourmets, one of the fancier fleur de sel products on the market. Sea salts generally contain trace amounts of minerals like iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and/or zinc. This doesn't boost the nutritional profile of sea salt (try nutritionals like ActiVit^® or Core Cal-Mag™ for effective mineral supplementation), but it offers a more complex flavor, which may make less taste like more.

Take processed meats out of the process. I'm devastated to say that this includes bacon. Just two delicious slices contain about 400 milligrams of sodium. One beef hot dog contains 600 milligrams of sodium (a quarter of the recommended daily allotment) and a turkey dog is only a little less salty, at 500 milligrams. One slice of bologna gets you about 300 milligrams of sodium. Most turkey breast lunch meat is as salt-heavy as bologna. And if it's labeled "smoked," "oven-roasted," "mesquite-flavored," etc., it's usually code for "extra salty." Try looking for low-sodium varieties, or save money by roasting your own whole turkey breast so you can control the salt content.

Soup's off. Soup is a great low-calorie meal or snack. Unless it's a creamy variety, it's usually low in fat and a good vegetable delivery system. But watch out for the salt content! One cup of Campbell's^® Chicken Noodle Soup contains 1,780 milligrams of sodium. That's almost three-quarters of your recommended daily maximum. Their Healthy Request^® version is better. A cup of that has 940 milligrams of sodium. You might think about making your own chicken broth from scratch using fresh vegetables for flavor instead of salt. Make a big batch and freeze it or can it for later.

Freeze out the frozen dinner. Men's Health^® magazine recently published a survey about some of America's saltiest foods and found that Swanson^® Hungry-Man^® XXL Roasted Carved Turkey packed a whopping 4,480 milligrams of sodium. That's approaching 2 days' worth of the maximum recommended allowance. It also has 1,360 calories and 70 grams (more than a day's worth) of fat, so there're plenty of reasons not to eat this dish. But several of the lean frozen meals on the market also contain high levels of sodium to make up for the lack of fat or sugar for flavor. And frozen pizza? Fuhgeddaboutit! Two slices of pepperoni will run you about 1,000 milligrams of sodium.

Can the canned vegetables. Or at least the ones that aren't low-sodium. Manufacturers add as much as 1,200 milligrams of salt to a can of vegetables for flavor and preservation. Try buying no-salt-added varieties or frozen veggies, which usually have less salt. Or at the very least, make sure to drain the canned veggies well and rinse them in water to try to get some of the salt out.

The usual suspects. I won't even bother depressing you with how much salt fast food restaurants put in their food, even the healthier ones. I found out that a single flame-grilled chicken breast from my much-loved El Pollo Loco^® has 617 milligrams of sodium. Adding up the sodium from my sides of pinto beans, mashed potatoes, and trips to the salsa bar, and my "heart-healthy" grilled chicken meal has racked up over 3,300 milligrams of sodium. No wonder I have dry mouth all night when I eat there.

Don't forget to push play and have a shake! :D
~Shayna

Salt: No fat. No calories. Not to mention it's delicious! What's not to love? Well, as most of us know, too much salt can be a major contributor to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, or kidney disorders. But our bodies also need a certain amount of salt every day, because it's required by all cells to maintain fluid balance and it's vital for proper nerve and muscle function. And because salt is excreted mainly through urine and sweat, the most intense exercisers need even more of it to maintain a proper balance. So how much salt should we be consuming? Read on to find out how much salt you should consume, plus where extra salt gets hidden in food, and some tips on how you can reduce your sodium consumption.

How much salt do we need?

While how much salt we need on a daily basis varies with each person, depending on age, size, activity level, etc., it's generally agreed that our bodies each need about 500 milligrams of sodium a day to function properly. That's about a quarter of a teaspoon of table salt (sodium chloride, the most typical source of sodium). The federal government recommends a daily maximum of 2,400 milligrams of sodium. Most of us average about 5,000 milligrams of sodium per day—10 times as much as our bodies require and more than twice the recommended maximum. So unless you're working out a lot and excreting excess sodium, you may be getting way more than you need, which can lead to the myriad health problems associated with high blood pressure. The American Medical Association has estimated that a 50 percent reduction in sodium usage in processed and restaurant food could save 150,000 lives every year. But even if you don't believe in or care about the medical repercussions of excess salt consumption, how about this little tidbit? It's estimated that most of us are carrying around an extra 5 pounds of water weight, retained simply because of the excess salt in our bodies. Drop 5 pounds of water weight just by passing up the salt shaker? Sounds like a good deal to me!

Where salt hides . . .

But passing up the salt shaker may not be enough. Almost all processed foods contain high levels of sodium. For example, that Quarter Pounder^® with Cheese at McDonald's^® will pump you full of almost 1,200 milligrams of sodium, more than twice what your body needs and half of the government's daily recommended maximum. But even if you eschew the burger for its fat and calories, there's salt in other places, too. One cup of Cheerios^® contains 200 milligrams of salt, so you're kicking off your day with 8 percent of your recommended sodium allotment.

Why so much salt? Salt has been used as a preservative for centuries to cure meats and pickle vegetables, among other uses. And while we've developed new preservatives over the years, salt has other advantages as a food additive. It can thicken soups and sauces. It can make breads, cookies, and crackers more moist. It can enhance certain flavors (like sweet and sour) and mask other tastes, like the chemical additives in soft drinks. So even if you're steering clear of salty treats like pretzels, pickles, and popcorn, if you check your labels carefully you may find you're getting a fair amount of sodium from food items that don't even taste salty.

Also, if you tend to purchase a lot of foods labeled "diet" or "light," you may find that they have pretty high sodium levels. Adding extra salt can make food taste better while still allowing them to be advertised as low-calorie, low-fat products. Manufacturers can also sneak extra salt into the ingredient list under different names, like monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium caseinate, trisodium phosphate, sodium ascorbate, or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). So even if salt isn't in the ingredient list or is spread out throughout the ingredient list under different names, it's worth checking the overall sodium content on the nutrition label to determine the total sodium content. And don't forget to take the serving size into account. Many food manufacturers will say that their product contains several tiny servings of salt instead of a couple of regular servings to minimize the less savory elements of the product's nutritional profile.

More on salt tomorrow....I get this great info and tips from my team beachbody newsletter. I love tha they keep me so informed!

Push play today and have a great Sunday!
Shayna

Quality over Quantity – Eat When Hungry and Stop when Satisfied

When you first start working out.....count your calories!  I don’t say this because I want you to keep doing it forever.  Quite the opposite.  I do it because if you count calories for a few months, you’ll learn to do it instinctively in your head.  Furthermore, you’ll learn what it feels like to eat a healthy amount of food every day and you’ll know what the feeling of being “satisfied” rather than being “full” is all about.

What you eat is far more important than how much you eat. Spend more time focusing on what type of foods you eat and less worrying about how many calories you are taking in on a daily basis. Knowing your caloric range is important, but don’t get too caught up in that analysis. If you are hungry and have something healthy to eat, then eat it. If you are not hungry, don’t feel like you have to force food down to get to some predetermined caloric count. Just go with that feels right and eat healthy.

The 80/20 Rule.

Try to make 80% of the foods you eat be healthy whole foods that meet all of the criteria in earlier posts. If you can do that, then the other 20% won’t hurt you too much. If your diet isn’t particularly good at this time 80/20 will be a huge improvement. The 80/20 rule came straight from the Tony Horton Fitness Camp seminars. Tony follows a 90/10 rule, so apply this according to your personal goals. 

Hope this helps. If you are reading this, and have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me by clicking the link below. I’m happy to help.

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/shayna214

Don't forget to push play!!

~Shayna

Limit dairy

At his January 2010 Phoenix Fitness Camp Tony Horton famously said, “cheese is a spice”. Use it that way. A little Parmesan on your food is ok, but otherwise ditch the cheese. It is high in fats that don’t help your body. Many people feel that our bodies are not conditioned to process milk from other animals. We are the only species that drinks milk that doesn’t come exclusively from our own mothers. Try to cut milk out of your diet and see how it works. I feel a lot better since doing that. Some people don’t have any adverse reaction, but if you aren’t sure, cut it out for a month and see how you feel. That’s what I did and I only have it in my coffee now. Almond milk makes a great substitute for cow’s milk.

Healthy fats – Get More of Them

You’ve got to get fat in your diet. Huh? Yes, fat is good for you. There is an ongoing debate about saturated fats and whether or not they are beneficial. The generally accepted principle is that they are not.

After reading Mark Sisson’s The Primal Blueprint, in which he presents the theory that saturated fats are not to blame for our society’s weight problems. I limit carbs to my activity level and that means increasing my fat intake.

Here is Mark Sisson’s Definitive Guide to Fats.  Please read this.  I’ve found fat to be a remarkably good source of energy and fatty foods really fill you up, which means you don’t need to eat so much to feel satisfied. Regardless of that debate, you cannot go wrong with increasing your intake of fatty foods like avocados, nuts, and olive oil. Take the time to understand how fats work in your diet, because they are important.

Don't forget to push play!
~Shayna

Correlate Carbohydrate Intake to Activity Level – Controlling Insulin Production

As author Mark Sisson would say, “[i]t’s all about insulin”. You must take the time to understand the metabolic process associated with the intake of carbs and realize that the body views carbs essentially as sugars.  Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNYlI…layer_embedded.

Excess insulin causes all sorts of problems.  Insulin has an essential role.  Without it our blood sugar would rise to toxic levels.  However, if you keep producing too much of it (because your carb intake is too high), you will become insulin resistant, perhaps even Type 2 Diabetic.

Everyone has different fitness goals, and getting the right amount of carbs is key. Limiting carbs, in particular SUGAR, to the amount you need to support your goals is essential. Most people find they need more carbs when doing Insanity than they would doing P90X, but everyone is different.  If you can limit carb intake to below 150 grams per day, you will see fat loss results.

Limit foods that make your blood acidic

Huh? Watch this: http://www.blogger.com/2009/11/how-diet-soda-makes-you-fat/. Soda…get rid of it. It is poisoning your blood. Water…drink way more of it. It helps refresh your blood.



Today - Chalean's Burn Circuit 3 is on tap....finally just ONE workout on tap....feels like a rest day already haha! Hope you all enjoy the weather today...and remember, daylight savings is JUST around the corner!! YIPPIE!!

~Shayna

source: thefitclubnetwork. com

Supplements – Filling in the Gaps

A whole food recommendation followed by a supplement recommendation seems contrary.  Here’s the deal.  Foods are simply less nutritious now than they were 20 years ago.  Farming practices and pressure to produce higher yields have made the end product about 25% less nutritious that it was 20 years ago.  Some of these farming practices have lead to foods that might even be dangerous to us (Google “GMO” and read this: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/gmo-monsanto/). 

In short, we have gaps to fill and the easiest way to fill them is with supplementation.
I take Shakeology (www.myshakeology.com/shayna214) whey protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and on occasion the recovery formula (sugar is an issue, but it has its place).  If/when I get into a lot of endurance training, I will also add in a multi-vitamin. The goal here is to give my body what it needs to process the basics. At the minimum you need a good multi-vitamin.

You have to focus first on making sure your body’s basic functions are addressed. It isn’t going to do you any good to take an expensive supplement if you can’t digest it and process the ingredients. Address your base nutrition first and foremost.

As far as my working out is going - yesterday was KILLER!!! I took a nap around 2pm I was so spent! HAHA!! I did Fire 45, Burn 2, AND Stretch 10.....ready for today!!! I believe HIIT 15 is on tap..and I LOVE HIIT's (High Intensity Interval Training)!!

Have a blessed day!!
~Shayna

source: thefitclubnetwork. com

Whole Foods – Eat Things with One Ingredient

Avoid processed junk. Look past the nutrition facts and read the ingredients. The more ingredients, the lower the likelihood it is going in my mouth. A strawberry has ONE ingredient. So does an egg, or a chicken breast, or broccoli. Take a careful look at the pre-sliced deli meat that may be masquerading as “chicken”.  Why does it have more than one ingredient?  The “manufacturers” probably added sugar (things ending in “ose" on the nutrition label) and sodium to that food.  They do it for two reasons: (1) it lasts longer; and (2) because you’ll eat more when you are addicted to it.
Take a look at the ingredients in the foods you are eating.  If you have trouble pronouncing them…keep moving.

If you can get your foods from a local supplier that is preferable. Foods that are organic do make a huge difference. They are lower in toxic pesticides and generally higher in micronutrients. See if you have a local “CSA” (Community Supported Agriculture) program in your area. A huge bag of organic seasonal veggies and fresh eggs that are raised in a real “cage free” environment and not fed corn and antibiotics are typically available at most farmers markets. These types of eggs are much higher in Omega-3 fatty acids and generally much more nutritious. Check out http://www.localharvest.org/.

I gotta jet....I have a MASSIVE workout scheduled that I KNOW is gonna kill me :D

~Shayna

source: thefitclubnetwork. com