The Beauty of Using Nutrition Guides

I’ll be honest, I have never spent tons of time reading food labels.  Being a “skinny” girl for all my life, I have never really needed to pay attention to food.  And, what I mean by that is - the calories, the sugar, the fat content, all of it.  I have been pretty blessed with good height and genes, but no matter how thin you are in your youth, it catches up to you if you’re not watching.  A year ago, I decided to take more interest in my health and diet and each day since then, I am learning more and more about “clean” eating and the types of food I put in my body.

From time to time, I hear from people who are using a workout program (in most cases a Beachbody program that I recommend), but are not losing weight. The first question I ask is, “are you following the nutrition guide that came with your program”. Most of the time the answer is “no”. This confirms for me that we should leave it to the experts to recommend meal plans and recipes for us, at least until we figure out what is good and not good for us to eat.

All of the Beachbody programs I have used (P90X, Insanity, ChaLEAN Extreme to name a few) come with a nutrition guide.  These guides take the guesswork out of what I am supposed to be eating and help create a realistic, workable plan for my busy life.

Of note, I am thankful for the guide that Chalene Johnson put together in ChaLEAN Extreme. It’s like she crafted to recipes just for me, the busy mom who never has any time to prepare food! The recipes require basic, inexpensive ingredients and do not take much time to prepare. As a result, I am more inclined to make them, therefore I’m not only eating healthy, but so is my family.  Who doesn’t love Balsalmic Flank Steak and Faux Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Chicken Kabobs and Chicken Bruschetta?  Great tasting meals that will keep you trim and on target with your goals.

Why I drink Shakeology

Have you heard of Shakeology?

What a special treasure that many people do not know about YET!  I found out about it last summer.  I was just about finished with my first round of P90X and was eating well according to the nutrition plan, but had a friend tell me about this new health shake and the amazing benefits of it!  I had never thought about supplements much and how they could improve my health and fitness results and overall life.

What is Shakeology?

In a nutsell, Shakeology is a meal replacement shake and its packed with 70 vitamins and nutrients.  Benefits include weight loss, lowering cholesterol, increasing energy, improved digestion and regularity to name a few.

With my friend’s endorsement and after I winced a wee bit at the price, I determined it was worth a shot! http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/lindsayandrews

Getting started with Shakeology

For me personally, I didn’t see much difference in the first few months of drinking the shake.  While it tastes like heaven (think of a chocolate shake and mix in your favorite goodnesses like peanut butter, bananas, strawberries in it), I didn’t need to lose any weight as a result of it so was really unsure why I needed to drink it.  BUT, I kept drinking it because I knew it was the best nutrition I could put in my body…period!

Why I must now have Shakeology EVERY DAY:

I have been drinking Shakeology for almost a year now…and what I can tell you is that the long-term benefits have been worth it!  Here is what I have experienced:

Increased energy!  Never in my life have I had so much energy.  I can get through each day without feeling so exhausted when it’s time to go to bed!  I am a working mom and wife and like most women have a bazillion things going on in my life.  I don’t always have time to eat properly.  It’s perfect for lunch or dinner on the run!

Improved digestion and regularity.  I have been an IBS sufferer for years!  Most of this changed when I changed jobs five years ago, but I was still battling with regularity.  Did you know that 10-20% of the world’s population suffers from IBS - and mostly it’s women?  Shakeology has changed that for me.  It’s funny to write about, but I am regular and consistent.  Thank God!

These have been the benefits I have experienced - for others, it could be lowered cholesterol (no meds, anyone?) and weight loss.




Is it safe to drink while pregnant?

When I found out I was pregnant last fall, I brought in a sample packet of shakeology for my OB to review the ingredient list. I tell all pregnant moms to do this. My OB was impressed with the ingredients in Shakeology. He is a serious fitness buff (major weight lifter) and was like, “It’s even got the maca in it?!” He said that while there isn’t anything scientific that says why I should or should not drink it, he is hard pressed to find any reason why I couldn’t drink it and said that in lieu of taking a prenatal vitamin, i could drink shakeology instead. I have to take a folic acid supplement - but I will do this instead of taking those giant prenatal vitamins!

Disclaimer:  This was my OB talking to me. I don’t have a complicated health history…everything healthwise has been normal for me.  

I love sharing this product with people, because it is truly special.

For more information on Shakeology and the benefits of super foods, check out the May article entitled, “Good Morning, World” in Oprah Magazine or contact me.