Time to BEAST UP! {For the ladies, too!}

As y'all know, my third round of 21 Day Fix came to an end on Sunday. It was pretty bittersweet as I said goodbye to my challengers and turned off my last workout. 

But, it was also a moment of excitement as I opened up a new door to a whole new challenge, unlike anything I've ever committed to or attempted before: BODY BEAST!

I have now completed two rounds of P90X3 and three rounds of 21 Day Fix. I absolutely love both programs, but I feel like my body has just kind of hit a plateau, and needs something really different and challenging. I have loved my results, but I want something new.

Body Beast can definitely be daunting for those who have never done a weightlifting regimen before or tried to track their nutrition. It is hardcore strength training for 35 mins-1 hour every single day, and a crazy amount of food for the first two months to build and bulk before the lean phase. I have to admit, I'm really nervous about this. Even as a female who wants to stay lean, I'll be consuming 2,300 calories a day for the first two months. But, that will still be consisting of clean, whole foods, so no junk. Therefore, I don't expect to literally "bulk" that much (since us females don't produce the hormones to do that naturally, anyway).

The whole premise is to seriously build muscle with the strength training exercises. If I was to do the workouts, and then not eat very much and not the correct foods at the correct times, my body would burn from fuel sources that I wouldn't want it to, and break down the muscle building components. So, while I won't be losing weight at first, I will be building lean muscle. The third phase, the Lean Phase, is where the fat scorching weeks will come in. It will consist of much more cardio and way fewer calories. This is when everyone gets seriously ripped and falls in love with the program. I know it'll be hard to undergo such a drastic change, but I'm seriously ready to challenge myself in ways I've never done before!

Before I go into more about Body Beast and my first day, I wanted to share the results from my previous challengers this month and how incredible they did. I am so in awe of their dedication and hard work. Seriously, my job brings me to tears most days as I get to watch women (and men) transform their lives from the inside out. I think these images will speak for themselves. By the way, these pictures are the results of just 21 days in our group together doing whatever program they chose and replacing one meal with Shakeology a day!

Jackie, a coach of mine, who has been in love with 21 Day Fix and Shakeology for quite some time now... I think it shows!!!

My sweet friend who joined me on her 21 Day Fix journey just this past month. I am over the MOON excited for her!

And umm.. this is her husband. OMG, right?! If you thought this program was just for women, you are so mistaken! He blew me AWAY!

This girl just brings me so much joy. She has worked so hard and has left me speechless. Do you see that tummy?! Truly amazing. Nutrition is EVERYTHING, y'all.

The bottom is before and the top is after, on this one! Can you believe the differences from EVERY angle?!! Amazinggggg!

Another coach of mine, Sandi, who has not only been extremely dedicated to her programs, BUT is also breastfeeding and ADDING calories onto her meal plan! And STILL look at her results!

There were even MORE incredible results than this, and I will continue to add them as they come in! You guys... the time to start is NOW. Don't wait for the perfect moment, the perfect day. That's what I had to learn. Who care's if it's on a Wednesday in the middle of the summer? You deserve to do this for YOU. You are worth this life change.

{If you are ready, sign up here and we will talk about the different options!}

And as for my FIRST day of Body Beast... I'm currently dying from food overload just in the first half of the day. haha!!! But, I'm pushing through and hoping for the best!

My first workout was Build:Chest and Tri's! 45 minutes of chest and tricep strength training exercises. Post workout meal was eggs, turkey sausage, and bread! Here we goooo!

Forgot to take a photo til I was halfway done, lol! This was a burrito: lean ground turkey, homemade taco seasoning, refried beans, cheese, whole wheat tortilla, lettuce.

Shakeology snack! 1 scoop shakeo, 1 banana, ricotta cheese, peanut butter, ice, almond milk.

No joke... I still have 1,300 calories left for the day. Y'all pray for me as I go through this crazy ride!!!! :O



With love,

Amanda James

21 Day Fix Day 3: Gotta love LEG day!

Yesterday was so refreshing!

 While I still didn't have my full appetite back yet, I got to have an incredible dinner with an incredible friend, so that made it much easier to get all of my containers in! I swear blogging everything has been the best way to hold myself accountable this go round, as well as the ladies in my online support group with me!

Wednesday is Lower Fix day, or leg day, and that video is tough you guys! I've always been kind of whimpy when it comes to my legs. They're the biggest muscle group, so the hardest to work out and for my body, the hardest to get the definition that I want. But, over time and with consistency of really pushing myself out of my comfort zone and working hard, I have become pretty proud of the stems!

Again, the video is only 30 minutes, so there are seriously no excuses. It was another day of plugging the headphones in and kicking booty til the end! 

I've been all work, work, work lately outside of exercising, so I got a little bit of "me" time and it was nice to spend the evening with a friend who so sweetly cooked us a 21 Day Fix approved meal, as she is in a challenge group with me and doing the program with me! Surround yourself with people that will left you up and support you, y'all. I have such an amazing group of friends and fellow military spouses here, I am so thankful! Our pups got to play together, too! I also got to talk to two of my best friends from afar, one in south FL and the other currently living in Spain. I love the sense of comfort that they bring no matter how far apart we are, or how long it's been since we have talked!

Here's to wishing everyone an amazing Thursday! It is sunny and warm here, so an impromptu day to the beach may be in order! Workout and Shakeology are done, what more could a girl ask for?!

Still definitely have a "white girl booty"... but I'm doing my best to get it better! Haha. It takes time and dedication, that's for sure! 

Post workout shake- my favorite daily tradition!
1 Scoop Chocolate Shakeology, organic spinach, frozen assorted fruits (mango, pineapple, berries), 1 tsp. natural PB
{1 Red, 2 Green, 2 Purple, 1 Tsp} <-i already="" because="" big="" calories="" catch="" day="" eat="" first="" going="" had="" i="" in="" it="" knew="" late="" much="" on="" pretty="" shake="" so="" stuffed="" t="" td="" the="" this="" time="" to="" today="" up="" wasn="">

I copied Tuesday's lunch, again! And I swear I didn't eat all of that PB! haha
Egg salad sandwich with celery and PB.
{1 Yellow, 1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Tsp}

I got hungry later for a snack and had a piece of Munster cheese and maybe like 3 tortilla chips, so I didn't even count the yellow. Or MAYBE I went a half over for the day- ha! But it was leg day, so whatevs. ;) [most people carb load on leg day!]
{1/2 Blue, maybe 1/2 Yellow}

A little something sweet to hold me over for dinner... Shakeology cake! I cut out the peanut butter since I had already had so much already! And I could only eat about half of it, and I saved the rest for today.
{1 Red}

Dinner with Mackenzie! So many noms! Pesto mozzarella grilled chicken with peas and quinoa! and then a fresh kiwi for dessert, Don't worry, we split what was pictured! lol
{1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Yellow, 1 Purple}

As always, stay Happy & Healthy, friends!

Amanda James

Why I Choose Shakeology... and ALWAYS Will!

HEY everyone!

It has been quite a while since I have written an update other than recipes for you guys, so I will definitely get to that in a bit! But in the meantime, I felt very compelled to write this blog post after scrolling through Facebook over the last few days and seeing so many negative jabs at Shakeology (which if you know me, you know how much I TREASURE this stuff).

I know I've written about Shakeology before, but I wanted to take the chance to really revisit WHY I love Shakeology so much and WHY I have chosen it over many other products. And really, why I still continue to drink it daily even though I am in good shape and exercise regularly and eat clean the majority of the time. I would never ever be one to down what someone else believes in or is using to work towards their goals, so that will NOT be what this post is about. But rather, why I took the path I did and why I will continue to for as long as Shakeology and all other Beachbody products are around!

So before I go into my reasonings, I wanted to first share some of the jabs I have read towards Shakeology:

1) "All you need to do to lose weight is exercise and eat clean. You don't need that Shakeology crap."

2) "Don't waste your money on that stuff. You can just go to Walmart and get their protein powder for way cheaper."

3) "It's just a meal replacement shake, so go buy a different meal replacement shake for cheaper and you'll be fine."

These are just some of the comments that I have read about it over the last year, and while it makes me want to bang my head against the wall, I know that SO much of it has to do with not understanding. These comments were made by people that have never even tried Shakeology before, or have maybe once or twice but never fully understood the value of it.

One of my favorite activities... enjoying a shake on my porch in the sunshine!

I just want another chance to have people understand how life changing Shakeology has been for me and that it is NOT just about weight loss. Shakeology is the FURTHEST thing from a sketchy weight loss shake, but we will get into that. This nutrient dense meal replacement shake is one of the main reasons I became a Beachbody coach in the first place, and my undying love for it (lol) I KNOW has been one of the biggest factors for my success in this business. When I talk about it, I'm not just making some fluff up or reading straight from a salesy pamphlet that Beachbody gave me in the hopes of selling it and making some cash. Nada. I am speaking from my HEART and from my personal experiences, and I know that people know and sense that. I know that's why people trust me and have joined me, because they watch me and know me and know that this stuff is legit. I am not in this business for me, I'm in it for you. Now, I continue to drink Shakeology for me, but when I share it via social media with all my little redundant shake pictures (haha), THAT is for YOU. So you can KNOW how GOOD you're made to feel and that THAT is what Shakeology has done for me. So I share it in the hopes that it can help someone else. If not, that's ok. I know it's not for everyone. But if I can find even a few that it IS for... I know that I'll have served my purpose!

So, as for the first jab ("All you need to do to lose weight is exercise and eat clean. You don't need that Shakeology crap.") I took this a little bit to heart. Not just for me, but for those of you out there that have truly struggled with weight loss like me. Of course losing weight is as simple as exercising and eating better- simple calorie deficit, right? But is it REALLY that simple? You see, because I remember the days of waking up and going to the gym, eating a healthy breakfast, and then struggling all day because my cravings for sweets were horrifyingly strong. I know that may seem silly to some, but others of you out there... you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's like it's in the back of your mind no matter what you're doing. You're just wondering when the next time you can get your hand on a brownie or Reese's cup will be. It may sound stupid, but it was extremely painful and real. Then comes the time to get dressed and go to work, or class, or what have you. That's when more pain sets in as it takes hours to find something you even like to look at yourself in, and it usually results in tears and hatred for yourself. And, what does that usually result in? Turning to the sweets you were longing for to ease the pain, satisfy the craving, and then start the cycle all over again.

Therefore, YES, I understand that losing weight is about exercising and eating clean, which is what I love that Beachbody represents and stands for. But for me, I literally had to have something else that would help. I needed something that would curb my cravings but in a healthy way; something that would satisfy my need for sweets and fill me up but not loaded with fake sugars and other artificial ingredients. I had been down the road of jittery pills that make you not want to eat and that was NOT the way I was turning again. When I read that along with the other many incredible side effects Shakeology had, that curbing cravings was one of them, I was immediately intrigued. And it IMMEDIATELY did. I remember after the first time I drank it, I sat there waiting for when I was going to want sweets. And when I didn't the entire day, I was like, "Hey self, are you sure you don't want any sweets? Because donuts are in the work kitchen and you know... we can go over there right now, if you want." But I never did and I was so beyond empowered!

A quick look at what ONE measly serving of Shakeology can equal to in your body. Want some yet?! :)

I know it seems like Shakeology must have all of these hidden unhealthy ingredients to do something so magical then, right? Wrong. I have no problem with sending you a picture of every ingredient in Shakeology right now- I'd do so happily and proudly! Beachbody Corporate wouldn't even have a problem showing you around their offices and labs to see how it's made. They also have a wall of every single ingredient in Shakeology (shown below)! The magic happens when your body is FINALLY, for the first time, enriched with every single ingredient, vitamin, nutrient, etc. that it needs to function and craves. When your body tells you you need a greasy cheeseburger and a coke, or a hot fudge sundae, it's not because you actually need those things. It's because your body is actually deficient in a certain nutrient and we are so dang addicted to those foods, that those are the trigger foods you crave. There's actually ways you can translate your cravings to see what you literally need, but I know it can be hard to go for a handful of almonds and blueberries when you're dying for a piece of pizza. So, I like to use this delicious shake to cut the problem at the source and not get the cravings to begin with! Just think of it that way: your body is finally fulfilled and the switch for nasty foods is turned off, because chemically, your body literally doesn't sense that it needs those things anymore. Now, not only have I been able to really lose weight and get in great shape, but it is also what has helped me maintain this for an entire year- the first time I've ever been able to do that without major fluctuations!

The Shakeology ingredient wall at Beachbody Corporate in CA! Isn't it beautiful? The creators took YEARS to perfect each flavor of Shakeology!

And I'm not joking that when I say it's been a year since I've had those insatiable cravings for sweets and since I also started drinking Shakeology every day. Ask family and friends. ;) Shakeology SAVED me. Now, do I still have cheat meals? HECK YEAH, I do! But I can never eat as much as I used to and I don't enjoy them quite as much, which is ok with me. It makes it so much easier to continue on with my new healthy lifestyle when it's over!

Now, we're going to cut to number two and three jabs in one sitting (i.e. "You can go to Walmart and get their cheap protein powder/meal replacements and it'll be the same thing).

Ok, so my number one objection to Shakeology is always: the cost. And you know what? I totally get it. It seems ridiculous at first to pay $130 (or $97 as a coach/$115 as a club member) for a 30 day supply of a powdered meal substance. Uhhh, come again? I thought the same exact thing. But here's what we all need to remember: You will never have a million dollar body by constantly eating off of the dollar menu. Basically, you eat fast, greasy, cheap foods- what do you think you're going to get? You're definitely not going to walk out looking like a supermodel! The same goes for Shakeology, in my opinion. It may cost a little bit more to supply my body with the things that it truly needs and that's going to fuel it, and that's ok in my book. I know that I'm either going to pay for it now, or big time later when I'm going to the doctor for all kinds of complications.

Another thing to remember, is that this is a legit month of meals. Even if you went to Walmart, don't you think you'd be spending at least $130 on a month of meals in bulk? Pretty much! Shakeology seriously cuts my grocery bill down. It's not an added expense, it's a replacement. And honestly, I drink it multiple times a day which cuts it down even more! Sure, I'll add some spinach and fruit to it, but that's really the only time I eat fruits in a day at all, so still... not adding to my grocery bill. I also spend way less because:

a) Shakeology has all of the vitamins and supplements in it that I need. I no longer buy anything extra at the store. Honestly, you wouldn't even want to because you can OD on vitamins too! It's super safe for pregnant women as well, but you know it's got a lot of vitamins when your doc tells you to replace your prenatal with Shakeology and just add a folic acid to it. (No I'm not pregnant, but that's what all the Shakeology mommas tell me!)

b) Again, it cuts my cravings like crazy so I'm not mindlessly munching throughout the day, which saves me a lot of money again at the store and also while I'm out and about!

c) This is unrelated to me, but I have been in awe at the amount of customers and coaches of mine that have been taken off of multiple medications because of what Shakeology has done for them. They started drinking it daily and after weeks or months they were totally off medications (for anxiety, diabetes, blood pressure, hyper/hyopglycemia, even many autoimmune disease symptoms have practically vanished. Read here for some firsthand stories.)

Also, with the exception of a stomach virus I just caught this past week (BLEH), I haven't been sick in close to two years since starting to drink it. I was drinking it daily long before becoming a coach, in case those numbers didn't quite line up correctly! I was working at a daycare teaching Pre-K, so you can imagine the cooties I was surrounded by daily. I went from being sick, no joke, multiple times a week with what have you to ZILCH. I remember laughing at it almost being a curse because I'd be one of the only teachers NOT calling out sick and getting all of the kiddos when we were short staffed! But that also brings me to the fact that if a super broke Pre-K teacher could afford it, trust me, you can too! I never even noticed a difference in my bank account. If you are drinking a Starbucks drink or getting a fast food meal every day, you are already spending way more a month on those purchases than you would be on Shakeology a month. This would help you cut all of that out anyway, saving even more!

Shakeology has also helped me with extensive hair and nail growth (and thickness), IBS symptoms (won't go too into detail with that... but the probiotics and digestive enzymes in it are incredible. Let me know if you suffer from IBS and I will share my story with you!), energy levels (went from coffee 3x a day to none), and so much more that I just can't think of off the top of my head right now. ;)


Me prior to Beachbody/Shakeology.                         Me currently using Beachbody programs and Shakeology.

My only hope is that this post will help shed some light on why so many people, like me, are so defensive and protective over their Shakeo! Yes, it has been proven to help aid in weight loss, lowering blood pressure and glucose levels, and more.... but it is SO much more than that. I know I didn't go very much into my weight loss story with is, but yes, my results really did skyrocket when I added it in to just my 30 minute workouts a day. I typically drink it as both my breakfast and post workout shake, and it has done wonders. I obviously recommend it. Haha!

Please know that there are also so many ways to get it for a great deal! There are combos called Challenge Packs that let you purchase an entire Beachbody program with Shakeology for a big fraction of the cost of them separately, which at least lets you get your first month supply for at least $30 cheaper, and you can see then if you like it or not. Also, as mentioned before, creating a coach account will save you about $30 as well, and active duty military members, their spouses, and veterans can sign up with a totally free coaching account, which is beyond amazing!

I also always recommend getting it through a coach that you know, because if you purchase it from Amazon, 1) you are still technically purchasing it through Beachbody so that doesn't make a difference, and 2) if you purchase it from someone selling it cheap on a sale sight or something, you cannot guarantee it's freshness. Shakeology expires just like real food because it is real food. Also, by purchasing through a coach and Beachbody, you actually get a bottom of the bag money back guarantee. Meaning, you can consume the entire bag and if it didn't help you or you didn't like it, you can return the bag for your full refund, no questions asked. I swear by it!

As always, love you guys and I will be updating on my fitness progress and life in general shortly! I have exciting P90X3 progress and will be doing a hardcore round of 21 Day Fix before my Cancun trip with Beachbody on April 15! Ah!

Also, some super exciting promotions this month are:

PiYo with Shakeology for only $140 (that's getting the program for just $10!)

P90X3 with Shakeology for $160! (this is HUGE you guys- just the program itself is $120! That's a savings of over $100!!! Ahhhh!!! GRAB THIS, YO!)

Leave some love on here, find me on Facebook, or shoot me an e-mail if you ever have any other questions or need help getting started on your health and fitness journey!


Til next time, friends!

Amanda James

PB&J

I looooove me a a good old fashioned PB&J sammich! However, with following the 21 Day Fix containers/meal plan, a lot of times I don't want to waste 2 out of 3 of my allotted yellow (carb) containers on one sandwich! So, I LOVE that we are able to basically make Shakeology taste like absolutely anything we want to with the right mixture of ingredients!

Chocolate Shakeology has a much more rich, deep chocolate taste, that's very good on it's own, but not always great to mix with a lot of things, in my opinion. Vanilla Shakeology, on the other hand, isn't that great on it's own, but is an amazing base to mix with ANYTHING and is very sweet and flavorful when done so!

This recipe calls for vanilla Shakeo, is sweet and simple, and one of my favorites! Be careful if you share with the kiddos... they may not hand your shake back!

PB&J Smoothie

Image from humusapien.com

What You'll Need:
-1 scoop vanilla Shakeology
-1 handful frozen red grapes
-1 tbsp. peanut or almond butter
-1/2 cup water
-1/2 cup almond milk
*optional: handful of ice to make it frothier
*optional: spinach for some extra greens!

Blend and enjoy your practically carb-less peanut butter and jelly! It doesn't get much better than THAT!

Apple Pie

I think most everyone from the South and up can appreciate a good warm, gooey apple pie! So, why not enjoy the deliciousness of the pie in a milkshake full of veggies, antioxidants, and other nutrients?! I am all about the sweets that won't hinder my health and fitness goals, and this is one of them! But beware, it is SUPER sweet!

Apple Pie Shakeology

Image from pumpkinnspice.com

What You'll Need:

-1 scoop vanilla Shakeology
-1/2 cup almond milk
-1/2 cup water (or 1 whole cup water if you're trying to cut almond milk!)
-1/2 cup whole wheat oats
-1/2 frozen red apple (or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce for it to be less sweet)
-1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Blend and enjoy your delicious, healthy dessert!

P90X3 Week TWO!

This past week has been a little crazy with family get together's, wedding planning, unexpected road-trips, among other things... BUT I am proud that I was able to get my workout in every.single.DAY! I am feeling amazing and already notice some differences. I have missed all of the variety of the P90X3 workouts sooo much. Every single workout is designed to make you stronger, more agile, flexible, and ready for anything.  It will have you working muscles that you didn't even know you had!!!

The Workouts

Since it's week 2, next week will be the last week of doing the same 7 workouts that I've been doing. Then, just when my body is used to the moves and has mastered them, it will already be time for transition week, and then into the 2nd Phase of the program! Which means, even MORE intense workouts!

I am SO close to mastering 100% real pull-ups- I will have to get a video of how I am modifying them now so everyone can have a good laugh! ;) But the plyo push-ups, 5 different kinds of pull-ups, and elevator push-ups, have all increased my upper body strength so much! It's amazing.

The Meal Plan

It has been surprisingly really difficult to up my calorie intake and eat as many of the 21 Day Fix meal plan containers that I'm supposed to for the 1,500-1,800 calorie bracket. I've been able to consume all of them by pretty much throwing in all of the leftover containers I have into my Shakeology shake each night if I hadn't met the requirements yet! 

I know that my diet will be of utmost importance to my overall results, and I want to make SURE I am properly fueling my body! The wedding is less than 30 days away now, so it's time to go FULL FORCE with my nutrition!

I am currently smelling the deliciousness of this pot roast simmering in the crockpot! I love making big meals that will easily be portioned out into tupperware for Stephen and I to eat off of throughout the week! It saves so much time and money. This will be the perfect mixture of lean protein, veggies, and healthy carbs!

My sweet tooth has also been taking a turn for the worst, but Shakeology has come to the rescue, like always! I just recently made these Vanilla Shakeology pancakes and I cannot even describe how delicious they are! I made them out of:

-2 scoops vanilla Shakeology

-1/2 cup whole wheat quick oats

-2 eggs

-1 spoonful unsweetened applesauce

-1 tbsp flaxseed

-2 tbsps fresh blueberries

-2 tbsps almond milk

I blended everything in my food processor and sprinkled with semi sweet chocolate morsels while they cooked into pancakes! I like to be bad and take them off of the stove before they're fully cooked- I love warm, mushy desserts! They are my weakness!

I have also recently made these Shakeology cookies, but with vanilla Shakeology instead and OH MY GOODNESS! I think they are wayyyy better with the vanilla! I love having extra Shakeology around the house to make these delicious, and super healthy clean desserts!

The Business

My team is soaring STRAIGHT to the top, and fast! I could not have been more blessed with more amazing men and women to work with. It took me a bit to find them, but the wait was well worth it. They are the most selfless, hard working, passionate individuals that are taking their results to the next level, and finding other people to help along the way! The fact that we are all working towards either $500/month extra income, or an entire 6-FIGURE CAREER by doing what we love, helping others, and becoming our healthiest selves, is the most AMAZING blessing!!!

We still also have openings for our totally FREE and purely informational 5 Day Sneak Peak into Beachbody Coaching!!! No obligation at the end whatsoever, but if you have been curious as to what Beachbody Coaching entails, and think you might be interested, add me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/amanda.corry.9) and request to join our group TONIGHT! We start all of the information tomorrow! --> https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=686166521455327

Those of them that got Success Club 10 in September are getting these goodies along with me! A totally free P90 baseball cap and women's or men's shirt- I cannot WAIT to see them!!!! I love this company and how it takes care of its contractors so well. This month a lot of us coaches are in the Fall Classic, working hard to help others and earn some fun prizes in the process- so stay tuned to see what we get after October ends!

Everything Else

Stephen and I are so lucky to still be stationed so close to our families! His grandparents traveled down to FL for a few weeks, and we got to meet up with them at a delicious BBQ place right on the bay. It was a gorgeous view, and this October fall weather is FINALLY starting to cool us down during the daytime so we can enjoy sitting outside!

This weekend we also had the privilege of honoring his great grandmother's life in Parker, FL. It's so amazing to know that his family's past generations had grown up right around the corner from my childhood home. His family and my family finally got to meet for the first time, and I could not have asked for a better reunion! November 15th cannot come soon enough!

-->Above everything else, no matter what has happened in the past, no matter what is going on now, no matter HOW hard it is or how long it takes to reach your goals... never, EVER give up! YOU are worth it, and DESERVE everything in the world! Remember- it's going to get tough before it will ever get easy. 

YOU can DO THIS!

If you want help getting to where you want to be, fill out my form below and I will get RIGHT in contact with you!

With love,

Fill out my online form.

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.

Funky Monkey

If you are a huge fan of bananas and peanut butter like me, this will probably be one of your favorite Shakeology recipes! It's simple, full of protein, healthy fats and carbs, and will keep you full for hours!

Funky Monkey Recipe

-1 scoop regular or vegan chocolate Shakeology
-1 tbsp. all natural peanut or almond butter
-1/2 or whole frozen banana, peeled
-1/2 cup slim or almond milk
-1/2 cup water
*optional: handful of ice to make it extra frothy
*optional: have a hard time getting fresh greens in throughout the day? Although Shakeology is full of fruits and veggies in itself, it's never a bad idea to throw in some fresh spinach or kale! It'll be hidden by the wonderful taste of Shakeology.

Blend and drink up your HEALTHIEST meal of the day! Get Shakeology for yourself HERE!

Fill out my online form.

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.

How I FINALLY Kicked My Bad Eating Habits!

Something you may not know about me, is that I have a slight addiction to bad foods. I am not being sarcastic, but totally serious. Honestly, I'm sure about 90% of American children and adults do as well, without us even realizing it. The addicting chemicals in delicious fast foods surrounds us everywhere we turn. Don't lie- you know you can't mistake the smell of McDonald's, even if you just ordered a coke from them and it's sitting on the table! Their smell is just there, and it's there for a reason. They know exactly what they are doing when they make their foods, and it is literally addicting. That is why it is so hard for us, especially adults who have been surrounded by these addicting foods for years, to finally kick the habit.

How many of you, like me, have looked in the mirror horrified at your reflection, and said to yourself, "Ok. This is it SERIOUSLY this time! Tomorrow I'm waking up, eating totally clean, and never eating sugar again!" only to wake up and grab a Starbucks frappuccino and brownie on your way to work? Yeah. Me too. Been there done that at least 100 times. So, what helped me finally kick the bad habit?

There were a few things that played into that fact:

DEDICATION. PERSISTENCE. SHAKEOLOGY. MY FUTURE. MY BODY. MY RELATIONSHIPS.

So, let's start with Dedication & Persistence. Folks, beginning to eat clean is not a walk in the park. In fact, it's not even timed miles in the park, for crying out loud. It is the single hardest thing I have ever done in my life. But you know what? It was also the most rewarding. There are going to be nights that you are on your knees crying to the sky, "WHY OH WHY CAN'T I JUST HAVE ONE PIECE OF PIZZA!?!? Just one piece won't be too bad, right!?" WRONG. One piece of pizza compounded over time is bad news. Say NO. DO NOT eat that one piece when you are fresh on your journey to clean eating. I'm not saying to never eat pizza again. I am saying that when you are in the beginning of your walk to true health and fitness, which starts with your diet, do yourself a favor, say no, and feel CONFIDENT about it. Who cares what people think? Who cares if they tell you you will never succeed with this and you are bound to give up? Who cares if people are jealous of your new lifestyle choice? It's because of who THEY are and the choices THEY are making, not you! The longer you hold out and say no to temptations, the MUCH easier it will become.

It was also all about finding healthy foods and recipes that I truly loved. Eating clean does not have to mean giving up good tasting foods and forcing down disgusting ones! If you cannot stand brussel sprouts, don't think you have to shove them down just because they're healthy. Rather, find your favorite veggies and ways to season them, and chow down on that instead. Hide some spinach in your shakes. Do what you gotta do to succeed. Soon, your tastebuds will change and I swear to you, you will barely be able to tolerate sweets any more. The addiction will be over, and you will be well on your way to a new life of health. And abs. :)

Shakeology. Shakeology is my BFF for real. I am not joking you when I say this: the first morning that I drank Shakeology for breakfast after getting it in my Turbo Fire Challenge Pack, my cravings for sweets (my biggest weakness) were GONE! Shakeology was really the beginning to my everything for being able to eat clean. It was literally satisfying the voids that I had in my life that I used to fill with unhealthy foods. You see, our bodies are more malnourished for nutrients than we realize. There are so many vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants, etc. that our bodies are not receiving in day to day life. When we crave hot fudge sundaes and ooey gooey fatty cheese pizza, it is not because our bodies need those foods. In fact, our bodies need something else- but our brains are so addicted to our easy, yummy fast foods and quick fixes, that those foods are automatically what we revert to. However, when I started drinking Shakeology and actually receiving the nutrients that my body biologically needed, my brain turned off those switches for the bad foods, because it was finally fulfilled, for the first time, like.... EVER. Now, when I crave foods, it is real, whole foods that will serve a purpose and nourish my body, not sabotage it.

Does this mean I eat perfectly every single day and I'm just an eat clean angel sent from above? Absolutely not! In fact, this past week of mine was awful... which is why I was even more motivated to get back to it and write this post! I do still get cravings sometimes, and I do purposefully give in to them once a week! I give myself a cheat meal once a weekend to be able to let loose, and it's really (in my opinion) better for our bodies to feed them some bad every once in awhile. I think it keeps them guessing and get a little more revved up! Also, in case cravings had been particularly bad, I remind myself to hold out until that cheat meal. It helps me know that there's a finish line and time and place to be bad, which is NOT every day!

My Body, My Relationships, & My Family. I hear this phrase a lot: "just eat the damn cupcake" because this is our one life here on earth and we might as well indulge. I have to disagree. Like I said, I give myself times and places to eat "that damn cupcake," but if that was every chance I had, and my excuse was because "this was my one life to live," I would be living an extremely agonizing and miserable life for how unhealthy I know I would be, and how little I would be able to enjoy day to day activities. Our bodies are not meant to process those sugars that way. In fact, one cupcake probably holds more sugars than our recommended serving for the ENTIRE day! Do I judge others that want to eat all of the cupcakes they come across in a day? Not at all, but I ask to not have the same judgement back when I choose not to. I am doing it for my body today, and particularly for the future. I had no idea how good my body was meant to feel, until I truly started eating better and treating it the way it was supposed to be treated with daily exercise.

Which brings me to my family and relationships. I want to get in the best shape of my life that I can now, for my future. I know that may sound a little strange, but I want to have beliefs so firm in my life, that I will pass them to my future children without the blink of an eye. I want be able to bounce back from pregnancies more easily. I want to stay healthy and energized for my marriage and my family. I want to prevent illnesses as much as I can and failed bones, organs, and muscles as much as I can. I want to be that awesome old lady that is still doing her morning walks and yoga and can remember all of her great grandchildren's names.

That is why I do what I do and eat the way that I do. It was a long, hard road for me, and I now want to be able to pass on what I learned to those around me. I want to help them in their journeys, and help hold myself accountable as well!

It will not be easy, but it will be so worth it. I spent years not appreciating what I saw in the mirror, and that is such a dreadful way to live. I am not proud that I ever had negative thoughts, and still do when I see myself, but I am striving to put an end to that every day. I don't do what I do to be skinny, I do what I do to be healthy and fit and be so damn proud of myself at the end of every day, that I know I tried my best in the end!

Losing those first few pounds is priceless. Feeling light and energized has no words. Seeing those first traces of abs for the first time... there is nothing else like it in the world!

Want more help on the track to a fitter, healthier you? Join me as I continue my own journey each and every day!

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