Body Beast Days 1-3!

One of my favorite things about Beachbody is that they have programs for literally everyone. No matter what fitness level you are at, your background, injuries, strengths, etc- there is a program for you.

I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to do so many different programs. Every time I open up a new program, study the book, and go through the workouts, I learn so many different new things and my body changes in miraculous ways. It's so fascinating to me!

I knew going in that Body Beast was going to be a brand new, exciting challenge. I am prepared for my body to change in ways that it never has before. I'm prepared that by the end of the first 60 days, for the first time, I'm going to be bigger and heavier, rather than leaner, from where I started. It's going to be scary and uncharted territory for me, but I will just be proud to have made it. Then I know by the end of the 3rd month... if I do this right... I could quite possibly have the body I've always dreamed of.

I am currently going through Day 3 and can barely move any part of my body. LOL. Even with lots of water, stretching, and a TON of food, this program is TOUGH stuff! 

I am doing 35-50 mins of hardcore strength training each morning when I wake up, and eating 6-7 meals a day to total 2,200-2,400 calories. (I'm calculated to eat 2,300 and Sagi says to round up, so I  just fluctuate between the two calorie brackets depending on how I feel). 

This is my glorious meal plan. Yes, yes it is a LOT of food!

Thank goodness I can still drink my Shakeology or else I don't know what I'd do!

My healthy lean ground turkey burritos. Mmmmm. This whole eating a lot of carbs thing may not be too bad...

Leg day! The HARDEST workout I have ever done so far!

Post workout. One thing I learned: immediately after a workout you should only have carbs and protein at a 2:1 ratio! It fuels your muscles and recovery like crazy!

Chicken, veggies, and brown rice lettuce wraps. :)

Another Shakeology FULL of calories, of course! Shakeology has never been more crucial to a fitness program! The vitamins and supplements are essential to my muscle building.

More meals throughout the next day...

This was from Day 1, Chest & Tris! Loved it!

Alright, and here go the BEFORE pics & stats!
Biceps: 11.5
Waist: 28.3
Hips: 33
Thighs: 22.4

So excited to see where this journey leads me! If you'd like to join, Body Beast + Shakeology are still on an amazing sale for the rest of this month! Click on the link to join me and let's go through this ride together!

With love,

Amanda James

Reese's Cup

Next time you are dying to get your hands on a gas station Reese's Bar or a pint of ice-cream that is SURE to put a dent in your progress, be strong for a few more minutes and make this recipe at home! You will wonder how in the world it's full of phytonutrients, vegetables, and antioxidants, and it will immediately kill those cravings for sure! This tastes and smells so much like a peanut butter pie, it's ridiculous!

Not only would this be a great late night sweet treat, but it is LOADED with protein for an awesome post workout shake as well!

Reese's Shakeology Recipe

Image from traineatgain.com

What You'll Need:
-1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology (or Chocolate Vegan)
-1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
-1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (my favorite brand is Fage- 20g protein per cup and NO added sugars!)
-1/3 cup fat free ricotta cheese
-2 tbsps. all natural peanut butter
-handful of ice

Preparation:
Shake together and ENJOY!


With love,

Amanda James

Strawberry Shakeology Protein Muffins

When I have some extra Shakeology/protein powder around the house, and I'm in the mood for some baking, I love whipping up some healthy concoctions that won't bust the waistline.

With the extra Strawberry Shakeology I had, visions of strawberry pancakes and muffins filled my mind and I had to find a yummy recipe I could make my own with Shakeo! So, this is what I came up with... I even got extra naughty and put some semi-sweet chocolate morsels in there ;) (they're 21 Day Fix approved, ok?!)

Try these babies out when you need a sweet fix the HEALTHY way! They would be great with any flavor of Shakeology.

What You'll Need:

-2-3 scoops of Shakeology (about 1 cup)
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
-1/2 cup applesauce
-1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
-1 1/2 tbsps. maple syrup
-2 egg whites
-1/2 cup mini or regular chocolate chips (*optional)


Preparation:

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
-In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (Shakeology, baking soda, cinnamon),
-In a large bowl, mix applesauce, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and egg whites. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and let mixture sit to thicken for a few minutes.

-Pour mixture evenly into muffin cups and bake 15-20 minutes, or until cooked all the way through.
-Let cool and then enjoy!

 With love,

Amanda James

New Year, New YOU!

Every year in the past, I always stayed far away from New Year's resolutions.

I would tell myself and everyone else that I thought that they were silly, or useless, or what have you, but the truth is... they scared me. I have always been the opposite of a goal setter. I used to think that setting goals was one in the same as setting myself up for failure. I was way more comfortable just going with the flow and never having real goals or reals failures, when in reality, what I didn't realize at the time... is that you MUST fail before you can EVER succeed!

Everything changed when my husband, at the time fiance, deployed shortly after we had moved in together. I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired--- eating poorly, never working out, exhausted from my job, constantly sick, you name it. I decided for the first time to set some goals (and surprise him when he got home), and those goals were to lose 10 pounds, gain my energy, health and life back, and be happy in my own skin.

Getting TurboFire, Shakeology, and joining my first ever Bombshell Challenge Group literally saved my life. For the first time, I had a support group cheering me on and I reached every single one of those goals!

This year, I am at it again! I am setting MAJOR goals for myself, and as a Beachbody Coach for my first New Year ever, I want to be that support system for others around me. I want to help women gain their strength, health, and confidence back, while having fun, feeling comfortable, while really challenging themselves and meeting new friends. It was the best thing to ever happen to my life, and I am ready to pass it on more than ever!

I am officially going back to my second round of P90X3, the fitness program that got me in the best shape of my life! While Turbo Fire helped me shed that last bit of unwanted fat, P90X3 really took me to the next level- extreme fat loss and extreme lean muscle gain! I got back in a size 2 pants and was ecstatic. Check out my YouTube transformation video to really get the whole story!

However, there are so many programs to choose from and I want to help you find the perfect one for your specific wants, needs, and goals for your health! Please comment on this post and fill out my application to be considered for this incredible group. I will be helping you through every step of the way, and I want serious inquiries only! This is your health and future and while I am going to take it very seriously with you, I can only do that if you take it seriously too!

For further questions and information, feel free to e-mail me at a_corry@aol.com!

With love,

Amanda James

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Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Oh my gosh, you guys. This is the single most decadent Shakeology recipe I have ever gotten my hands on! Thank goodness for the holidays. It is thick, creamy, rich, full of healthy fats, and what better way to secretly get your fruits, veggies, antioxidants, vitamins, phytonutrients in, and more with Shakeology?

Not only is this my new favorite recipe for when I seriously need a rich dessert without all of the sugar and calories, but it has officially been over a year since I have been sick one time since drinking Shakeology every day, so I thought it was the perfect time to share another recipe with everyone!

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Shakeology

Image from immaeatthat.com

What You'll Need:

-1 scoop Chocolate or Vanilla Shakeology

-1/4 cup fat free ricotta cheese

-1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt

(*Greek yogurt for extra protein; add Stevia to sweeten as desired)

-2 tbsp. peanut butter (PB2/almond butter)

-1/4 cup water

-1/2 cup almond milk (skim milk)

Blend & ENJOY!

If you are looking for a healthy and safe meal replacement, that is not sketchy, not just a protein shake, and not just for weight loss, please look no further than Shakeology. I could promise you, you will not be able to find another shake like this. I have had many customers look far and wide to try to find a cheaper product, but either a cheaper product is what you'll find, or you will have to put multiple products together to make the same healthy concoction as Shakeology, and end up spending the same amount of money.

I am in love with this miracle drink and what it has done for me and those around me who have been drinking it as well. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me! Want to pair it with a program and start on your health and fitness journey as well? Fill out the form below and we will get started in our New Year's Bombshell Challenge Group!

With love,

Amanda James

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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!

Cinnamon Pumpkin Frappe

Before I begin, here's a little blurb about myself: being a Beachbody coach does NOT make me free from the delicious food and beverage temptations that everyone else endures! I still feel them- a LOT! However, being a Beachbody coach does make me more inclined to try to find healthy alternatives that won't bust the waistline, and that I can share with others!

So, with that being said, I have wanted those dang Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Frappuccinos and lattes like NO ONE'S business!!!! Haha! What I did discover, though, is how delicious of a pumpkin frappe Shakeology can make with some other delicious, and totally clean ingredients! Now every time I get those temptations, and it's not cheat day, this is what I grab!

Cinnamon Pumpkin Frappe

Image from peanutbutterandpeppers.com

What You'll Need:

-1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
-1 to 2 tbsps. pumpkin puree
-1/3 cup chilled or room temp. coffee
-1/3 cup almond milk
-1/3 cup water
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1 tsp. ground cinnamon
-1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice and/or nutmeg
-handful of ice cubes
-Stevia to taste

-->Throw it all in a blender, blend, and ENJOY your delicious & totally clean Pumpkin Frappe!

*To purchase your own Shakeology, order HERE!*

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!

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The BIGGEST Reason I Became a Beachbody Coach!

I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided to sign on as a Beachbody coach.

In fact, I didn't take much time to even think about it at all before I dived into it. I just knew deep down inside that it was meant for me. It took some time to realize that, but it happened. And when I get that burning desire inside to do something, there is no stopping me.

I had been offered the opportunity to become a coach before, but wasn't sure I had the time for it, so I declined. But, the truth was, I did have time for it. Anyone and everyone has the time for this. What I didn't have, was the passion. I didn't have the passion, because I didn't truly have the motivation and determination to be the best me that I knew that I could be. I had bought my fitness program and Shakeology, but I wasn't giving it all I had, and therefore wasn't making any progress. I wasn't in a place where I was ready to work on myself, so I knew I definitely couldn't be helping other people.

It was the day that I decided enough was enough, and I knew I had to make a change, that everything began to slowly fall into place. I pushed play on my Turbo Fire workout every morning, changed my eating habits, and for the first time- was able to focus on me. Two months later of eating clean, drinking Shakeology, and exercising daily- I immediately messaged my coach and said, "I promised myself that if I had gotten the results that I was hoping for by the end of this program, I would become a coach and share this with other people." So, that's exactly what I did! I signed up as a coach right then and there, without question, and began inviting to my challenge groups the very same week!

You see, I didn't need to have all of the answers right then. All I knew, was that Beachbody coaching was a beautiful thing. I had someone amazing in my life that had supported me throughout my health and fitness journey every step of the way, whether they got a penny from me or not. That's what I wanted to be for other people. The exercise program, Shakeology, and support group, did more for me than alter my physical appearance the way I wanted them to. They brought my confidence and happiness back. They transformed me from the inside out. I had never in my life had the support through this journey back to health that I did with my challenge/support group, and I got to meet women from all over the world in doing so.

Getting to help others reach their goals the way I was able to reach mine, is the most breathtakingly beautiful aspect of my life. I knew the second that Beachbody coaching was brought to my doorstep, that I was meant for this. I didn't stumble upon it by accident, I have always loved helping people, and this was the way that I was meant to do it. It may not make me a millionaire (or at least for a very long time), and it may take years to actually have a "normal" income. But, that doesn't matter to me. This is the single most fulfilling job I have ever had!

It's because of women like my new friend, Julie, that remind me of the amazing life transformations that coaches get to witness and support women and men through. Julie just finished her first round of The 21 Day Fix, and is back in her pre-pregnancy pants, and even better, back to CONFIDENCE and FREEDOM!

Day 1 vs. Day 21: just 3 WEEKS!

Health and fitness, and coaching others through it, is so much more than the physical changes... it's about taking control of every aspect of our lives back. It is such a beautiful journey, and I hope to share it with as many people as possible before my ride here is over. :)

If you think Beachbody Coaching could be something for you, please feel free to fill out the form below, and tell me a little about yourself! I am always looking for motivated, determined, coachable, loving people to join me on my team! We are in this TOGETHER! In just a couple of weeks, I am hosting a 21 Day New Coach Training that will give you ALL of the tools that you will need to succeed and go FAR in this business!

*Plus, if you are active duty military or an active duty military spouse, find out how to coach for absolutely FREE!*

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Shakeology: My Miracle Drink!

Shakeology has changed my life. Point black. However, I feel that its objectives can be misconstrued by those who are not familiar with the product, so I thought a blog post answering some of the BIGGEST questions I receive would be appropriate!

What IS Shakeology?: First, let me start off by saying that Shakeology is NOT a PROTEIN OR WEIGHT LOSS SHAKE!! It is clinically proven to aid in weight loss (and lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels), but that is actually not Shakeology's main goal.

Lots of times, I get people telling me that "they have a really good protein powder they are using right now, so they don't need Shakeology." That is great, and I love healthy and natural protein powders as well to help fuel me up, but that's something I would actually add to Shakeology, not replace it with! Shakeology is so so SO much more than that, it pains me to hear it being compared to a protein drink. Shakeology does contain a really great amount of protein in each serving (depending on the flavor, about 18g), but that is just a small portion of its nutritional value.

Shakeology is a nutrient dense meal replacement shake. It is meant to replace just one meal a day, but can safely replace more than one, if you wish to further your weight loss goals in that way (I would just recommend adding additional foods to it for a higher calorie intake).

So what all is IN Shakeology?: Shakeology contains over 70 ingredients of natural superfoods! Each of them are meant to work together to keep you feeling full and to improve your health from the inside out in ways you could have never imagined! Within these 70 ingredients are different categories, which are:
1) Super-Protein Blend (i.e. chia, flax, quinoa, & more)
2) Super-Fruit/Antioxidant Blend (i.e. acai, goji berry, grape seed, green tea, & more)
3) Super-Green/Phytonutrient Blend (i.e. moringa, spinach, barley grass, & more)
4) Adaptogen Blend (i.e. ashwagandha, astragalus. ginkgo, maitake, & more)
5) Probiotic/Digestive Enzyme Blend (i.e. yacon root, amylase, cellulase, & more)

Shakeology also includes your entire day's worth of vitamins, minerals, and supplements (so you no longer need to spend  money on those things), fruits, and vegetables. Therefore, I highly recommend this especially to those who feel like they do not typically get enough fruits, veggies, and fiber throughout the day.

In fact, if you were to go to the store and purchase all of the ingredients in Shakeology separately, it would come out to over $700. This, my friends, is why the price of only $130 (and only $98 for us coaches) for an entire month (30 servings), is AMAZING to me. Think of what you are spending in a day, and realize that your health is worth this plus so much more. Cut out that daily Starbucks frappe. Cut out that daily Panera Bread breakfast. Cut out that lunch trip to McDonald's. Feed your body what it needs! You will probably find yourself saving more money when you get this stuff, because you will a) cut those cravings, b) not need to purchase protein powder or extra vitamins and supplements anymore c) you will no longer have to worry about buying about a 1/3 of your groceries from the store, because you now have one of your meals for every day for the entire month bought in one sitting.

What does Shakeology do for you?: What has Shakeology NOT done for me, is more like it! Here's a list of the most prominent things that have changed in my life from Shakeology:

• It IMMEDIATELY cut my cravings for sweet and fatty foods. It was like my body was finally satisfied for the first time by all of these incredible nutrients, and sent that message straight to my brain! Not to mention the fact that drinking the shake itself is like having a Wendy's frosty. Mmmmm so darn delicious! I would say it was the single most important factor on my path to health and fitness because my poor diet was my biggest problem. I could work out all day everyday, but it never got past a certain point of progress because I'm horrible at giving into food temptations. I was honestly terrified to purchase the Beachbody products in the beginning because I figured the same thing would happen. But that first morning I drank Shakeology after my Turbo Fire workout... I was hooked and never looked back. It satisfies ALL of my cravings and helped me to turn away from my temptations.
• It regulated my digestion. Sorry to get personal, but this was huge for me, too! I won't go into too much detail, but this is one of the things it is most known for. In fact, its sole purpose is for immune & digestive support, and it does just that. Its probiotic and digestive enzymes may have you going a little more or less than usual in the first week or so, but those are just signs that it is working in your tummy! Soon, you will have a set regular schedule and feel better than EVER!
• My hair, skin, and nails are superb. My hair has grown immensely, in thickness and in length, since drinking Shakeology. All of those vitamins and minerals are CLEARLY going to work in my hair follicles! I used to have to trim it every couple of months from dead ends and dryness, and I went a record almost 6 months without having to cut it, and didn't even really realize it! I just went in to get more layers done, really. My nails are also constantly growing and are very strong (which can get annoying if you ever want to get them painted at the salon! haha). I have suffered from acne and splotchy skin my whole life as well, and while I still suffer from the occasional breakout, my skin tone has become drastically more even, in terms of color and texture!
• I rarely ever have to consume caffeine anymore! Shakeology makes me SO much more naturally energized, it's incredible! I really didn't notice all that much until a few months went by and my fiance was like, "Hey, why haven't you made coffee in so long? You used to drink it all day!" Then it hit me HARD! I did used to drink 3-4 cups of coffee a day *gulp* embarrassing moment. But it's true. I haven't made a full pot of coffee in over half a year! Sometimes I like to put 1/3 cup in my Shakeology recipes (because it's delicious), but other than that, I only need the occasional pre-workout for my 5 am exercises and no other caffeine for the entire day. It helps me sleep so much better and has kept my energy levels completely stable.
• I haven't been sick in almost 10 months. Not ONCE! This is the biggest one for me. This almost makes me cry tears of joy, because I used to be sick all of the time. At least 4 or 5 big times a year (upper respiratory infections every Thanksgiving break, chronic allergies year round, strep around summertime, etc), and when I was a Pre-K teacher, literally every other week. I now have not been sick one time since I started drinking Shakeology daily in November 2013. I have a really low tolerance for pain, so I was almost falling into a slight depression my year as a Pre-K teacher from being sick so often. I do not deal well with feeling anything other than my best, healthy self, so this has meant SO much to my life! Immune support is the BIGGEST reward you will receive from Shakeology.

Other Testimonials: Shakeology has also been an amazing testimonial for many of its consumers with autoimmune and other chronic diseases. Check out some of their stories:

-->Jennifer: "I have an auto immune disease and have been in remission since starting shakeology last year. When I told my doctor that I started drinking it everyday, he said 'well don't stop what you're doing because it's working!'"

-->Becka: "I have hashimotos and between shakeology and going Paleo I've completely gotten my symptoms under control."

-->Morgan: "My mom has MS and she bought slim in 6 and shakeology. I started her with slim in 6 because it's more beginner and she says the shakeology is helping with her energy levels and added weight loss to help with her multiple sclerosis."

-->Nicole: "All the remaining symptoms I had with my crohn's after being deemed in remission have completely dissipated since Shakeo. I have also been able to stop taking medications for migraines and depression. Ive had maybe one migraine since I've started and my mood is way better, although I'm pretty hormonal now which I can't help much - haha!"

-->Leanne about her daughter, Tayler: "Taylers eczema has improved too. She doesn't drink it everyday, but she does share mine at least twice a week. I just recently noticed a routine. It flares up when she hasn't had any in a while. Any others notice this?"

-->Andrea: "It's help me with migraines and has helped my coach with PCOS"

-->Tiffany: "I have had a kidney transplant, high blood pressure, diabetes, anemia, gout, acid reflux, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, migraines lol since taking shakeology I have felt so much better! My labs have come back in normal range and my sugar is in control!! :))"



I hope I have helped shed just a small light on the value of Shakelogy and what it has meant to my life, although, I know no one can truly see its value until they try it for themselves.

Interested in purchasing this miracle shake? Check out the different options here, including the trial package in which you can try every flavor for a small fee, in case you're unsure! Every bag also has a bottom of the bag guarantee. Meaning if you try it, even for the full 30 days and feel that it did nothing for you that it promised, you can return it for a full refund. That's how much us coaches and Beachbody believe in this product.

Interested in purchasing a bag of Shakeology along with a top of the line exercise program for a fraction of the price? Check out my favorite selection here, and sign up to be in one of my next free fitness challenge groups!

Have a marvelous day! SHAKE on!!!

With love,