Helping Hand

Happy Wednesday! You know what?? I just spent an hour working out with my neighbor camper in the fitness center. Here's the catch: He is blind. He yells over to me and ask if I can lead him to the gym, so I say sure. Then once over there he... ask can you hang out with me for my workout? I said not only will I hang out but I will work out with you. This guy is AMAZING!! He didn't make any excuses didn't ask for any special treatment just some guidance. I have a newfound respect and I am forever greatfull for the opportunity this gentleman gave me. I am proud to be a Team Beachbody coach and love helping others.

Grips Yes or No

Had a great workout today did my Body Beast back workout. I have purchased a set of Versa Grip straps because I was having a problem with my one arm dumbbell rows. I have graduated to 90 plus pounds and the issue was grip. I could get 4-5 reps then would have to stop because I lost grip. These new versa grip straps have solved my problem but are a little stressful on my wrist. Overall the workout was great and I also incorporated the straps on my pull-downs which allowed me to focus more on the lats. I am loving this program and seeing tremendous gains in the legs and arms! Can't wait for chest day!    Visit www.beachbodycoach.com/metricmiller for more information or purchase options!                           

Well Sunday is probably a rest day for most but not for me! I decided to grab some of the crew from 352 Fit Club and hit the gym. I had the routine planned out before we left so once we arrived it was GO
time! Started off with a 30 minute SPIN session with some Heisman's, moving plank walks with shoulder taps, plyometric box jumps, and some 1 minute hold leg raises. Once finished we headed to the equipment room and proceeded to torture our legs some more! Hack squats, leg presses, calf raises, quads,

and some hamstrings! If that wasn't enough we went outside in the 95 degree heat and worked on the rope climb, ladder bars, and lateral rope. Made for a fun day and killer workout. I love what I do helping other people get fit! www.myeliteshake.com
 

Pomegranates

Pomegranates are potent, powerful, and delicious!

Have you ever eaten a pomegranate? If you have, you know how delicious one is. If you haven’t, you’re missing out—big time. Not only are you depriving your taste buds of a sweet and tangy treat, but you’re also denying your body of one of the healthiest fruits on this planet.
However, if you’ve ever had a Shakeology®, you’ve fed your body pomegranates, probably without even knowing it. That’s because pomegranates are one of the many superfoods inside of every shake you make.
So now that we’ve told you that pomegranates are incredibly healthy, we have no choice but to elaborate and tell you how this mystical fruit significantly benefits your body.
WHY POMEGRANATES RULE THE SCHOOL:
Packed with more antioxidants than ANY other fruit.
Remember, antioxidants fight those snickering little devils known as free radicals that destroy healthy cells.
Rockin’ with vitamin C.
This vital vitamin promotes a healthy immune system, aids in healing wounds, enhances iron absorption, promotes healthy gums, as well as helps produce collagen and elastin, which are key in helping skin maintain its elasticity.
Incredible source of vitamin B5.
This B vitamin contains tons of anti-inflammatory properties, plus it’s fundamental in metabolizing fats, carbs, and proteins. And who doesn’t want that?
Filled with fiber.
Not only does fiber make our bellies feel full longer, as fiber passes though the stomach and intestines, it absorbs water, which promotes regularity.
Packed with potassium.
Potassium is an electrolyte that helps neutralize acid while restoring alkaline salts into the bloodstream. It also helps prevent muscle cramps, aids in stabilizing blood sugar, and promotes bone and brain health.
Great source of beta-carotene.
Once inside the body, beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A—and this powerful antioxidant is critical for good eyesight, and it also helps promote a healthy immune system.
Rich in tons of other vitamins.
Pomegranates also contain a myriad of other powerful vitamins, such as thiamin, riboflavin, folate, folic acid, and vitamin E—which all play an important role in cell metabolism, enzyme function, and general health.
With all that said, what’s NOT to love about pomegranates?
And since this super-round, thick-skinned, apple-wearing-a-crown-looking fruit is such a densely nutritious food, eat and drink as much of it as possible. And to help you out with your consumption, here are a few delicious pomegranate-infused recipes to enjoy.
SHAKEOLOGY RECIPES
(Add ice to make it thick and frosty)
Pom Razzmatazz
1 scoop Chocolate Vegan Shakeology
1 cup 100% pomegranate juice
½ cup raspberries
Greek Islander
1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
½ cup 100% pomegranate juice
½ cup fresh or frozen blackberries
2 fresh basil leaves
SUPERFOOD SALAD RECIPE
Pomegranate Salad with Walnuts and Cabbage
Total Time: 15 min.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. raw honey
1 dash sea salt
½ medium head cabbage, finely shredded (about 5 cups)
2 medium carrots, finely shredded
½ cup pomegranate seeds
¼ cup chopped raw walnuts
2 green onions, sliced thin
12 fresh cilantro sprigs, finely chopped
Preparation:
1. Combine oil, vinegar, honey, and salt in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Set aside.
2. Combine cabbage, carrots, pomegranate, walnuts, green onions, and cilantro in a large bowl; mix well.
3. Drizzle cabbage mixture with dressing; toss gently to blend.

#antioxidants #healthy #ingredients #nutrients #pomegranate #shakeology #superfood saturday

Clean Eating

This topic has been one of the top questions that I get asked! How expensive is clean eating?? How much more are your grocery bills now that you eat healthy?? How do you stay on budget??

Well let me tell you how I do it! We are basically a one income household so I don't have a ton of money to spend on groceries. We probably do spend a little bit more than we should but we cook 5 nights a week!   Eating at home makes a huge difference not only for our budget but for the quality of food that we eat!

Tip #1: Order groceries Online or Make a list and stick to it!

I know that online grocery ordering isn't available to everyone but I will tell you that is one of the best tips I have for sticking to a budget. I know how much money I can spend in one week and I don't go over that amount. First, I add all of my must-haves to my grocery cart online. I then go through Pinterest and figure out what 5 recipes I will be making that week and add the ingredients that I don't have on hand to my cart. If there is any money left...I use that for fun stuff. No...I don't mean cookies! I mean a new flavor of Larabars, a new flavor of Kombucha, or a little dark chocolate to nibble on that week. I don't have any temptation to buy things that I don't need.
So look around. See if any of your local grocery stores have this option available.   If you do not have online shopping available....make a list and stick to it!! Make that promise to yourself.

Tip #2: Buy organic at least for the items on the dirty dozen list.

 

Honestly, I don't always buy organic EVERYTHING! There are some fruits and veggies that I love that organic isn't available at my local grocery store. I almost always buy organic for items on the dirty dozen list and I buy non-organic on the items that aren't. I also invest in an organic veggie wash spray that I use on any non-organic produce. You do the best you can do. I would much rather eat a non-organic apple than a bag of Cheetos. So buy the produce!!! Buy organic when it is on sale. Buy organic on the dirty dozen and non-organic on anything else!

Tip #3: Compare Prices Online

There are some items that are not available or are ridiculously expensive at my local grocery store. Chia seeds for example. So when I need chia seeds....I Google it! I look around online and find the best price that I can and buy it from there. I also happen to know that Trader Joe's has awesome prices on their raw nuts so I go there once a month or so and stock up! I can't afford to buy that quantity of raw nuts/seeds at my local store. Shop around for anything that seems a little too expensive at your regular store. You can find some great prices for the EXACT SAME THING online! 

Tip #4: Eat Vegetarian at least once a week 

I eat a "meatless" meal probably at least twice a week. I am not a huge meat eater and cutting meat out of at least one or two meals a week makes a huge difference on your budget! I make things like rice and beans,  egg salad and kale salads with a sweet potato for meatless meals. I used to complain about not having MEAT for dinner but now I love my meatless meals!
 I have found that they are just as delicious as any chicken or turkey meal that I make!

Tip #5: Make it yourself!!

Packaged "healthy" foods are expensive! Granola bars, protein bars, and muffins are some of my favorite snacks to make at home. Not only are they delicious and healthy but they are cheap to make! It may seem kind of intimidating at first but give it a try. It may take you 30 minutes to an hour on the weekend but you will have tons of snacks for your family to eat all week. You will know exactly what you put in those items and you will have saved a ton of money making them yourself! Cooking and baking is therapeutic for me. You may enjoy it more than you think! :)

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/metricmiller

WORKOUT

Ok so here's the deal! I know there are lot's of people blogging out there about their workouts and fitness goals. Well mine's a bit different, You see I am 55 years old and make it a point to hit the gym every chance I get. When I do go I am there to workout and I mean workout! I bench press, leg press, squat, curl, and run regularly. I am committed to living a healthy lifestyle and eat as clean as possible (I'm Human) and drink shakeology daily. I just want to show that your never to old to get out and off your ass and get fit. I also have participated in Spartan races and tough mudder and done well First Place in age group at Spartan Beast in South Carolina last year. Get a plan together set some goals and lets do this together. I WILL HELP YOU! It's what I do and love doing it.

Fit Club

Well being the founder of The 352 Fit Club I had to step up my game with tonight's P90X3 workout! We did Triometrics and let me tell you it kicked butt! The cool thing is you take the same move do it 3 times with different level's of intensity. By the time you hit the burnout your pretty much toast! I still can't believe the workout this program delivers in just 30 minutes. If you are ever in my area and would like to join us for a free workout sometime just message me!

What To Eat Before A Workout

 

      

 

The answer depends on two factors: your overall diet and how intense your workout is. If you eat small, balanced meals every few hours while you’re awake, you don’t really need a preworkout meal strategy. Your body should have ample fuel to get you through any workout around an hour or less (longer workouts have specific needs).
However, if you go longer than 3 hours without eating, you should determine your needs based on a few things. First, how hard is your workout? Easy aerobics and other work where your heart rate doesn’t exceed 140/150 bpm (easy yoga, slow jogging, cycling, hiking, etc.) don’t use a lot of fuel (blood sugar and its back-up, glycogen) and can be done effectively on a fairly empty tank. Good hydration (water only) should be all the fuel you need.
Harder workouts, like INSANITY, P90X, or really anything in the Beachbody line that is hard for you, all have an anaerobic interval component which burns your limited stores of glycogen. Your body stores glycogen until you need it, but when your diet is very lean, like most Beachbody diet plans are, you will almost certainly deplete these stores before the end of your workout if you haven’t eaten in a while. This condition, called “bonking,” causes your performance to instantaneously plummet.
Here are some general rules to avoid the dreaded “bonk.” We’re not suggesting you eat 3 separate meals in the hours leading up to exercise. Rather, pick the one that best suits your day.

3 hours prior to a workout: Eat a well-rounded, light meal. As long as it’s not too many calories (more than 500-ish), most of it will be turned into fuel by the time you begin. Almost any meal in any Beachbody diet plan fits this mold, as you have ample time to digest.

2 hours prior: Eat a light snack that’s mainly carbohydrates. Something that’s 4 parts carbs to 1 part protein with little fat will ensure there’s time to convert it into glycogen. “Energy foods,” something like granola with yogurt and fruit, is ideal.

Less than 1 hour: Try not to eat during the last hour before your workout. If you haven’t eaten in hours, liquid fuels, like Results and Recovery Formula, or easily digestible carbs, like half of a banana, will digest fast enough to help you during the later stages of the workout when your glycogen would otherwise run out.

1 hour prior: Eat very light, no more than 200 or so calories at around a 4:1 carb to protein ratio. Any extra protein and fat will hinder your workout. It’s similar to the 2 hours prior snack, but since your body can only convert 200 to 300 calories into energy in a given hour you’ll want to keep the portions smaller.

Mud Endeavor

Well I was going to spend Saturday evening at home maybe watch a movie or just kick back but when you get a call and are asked to participate in an OCR race  because one of your buddies is injured, You just gotta do it! No if ,and , buts! You step up and accept the challenge. Ran the 5k Mud Endeavor night race in Dade City and had a blast. The night races are pretty cool especially with the effects of the dry ice and strobe lights! The course was also pretty challenging and well marked. I love the obstacles not impossible but by no means easy. I finished it in 49 minutes not too bad for 56 year old! I'm glad that I got the opportunity to do it and proud of my performance as well! Thank you Insanity Asylum!!!

5 Ways to Fight Fatigue

5 Ways to Fight Fatigue

By Zack Zeigler

I wanted to share this because I really struggled with my workout yesterday!How many times has that happened to you?? My problem was not enough carbohydrates. There has to be fuel in the tank to burn and this is where the carbs come in.

If you're lucky enough to have a job, odds are you're overworked. A survey conducted by Good Technology found that 80% of participants fielded calls, answered emails, and did other miscellaneous work-type stuff at home after leaving the office. All of that "bonus" time added up to roughly seven extra hours per week—or 30 hours a month.^1,2 Go ahead and cry. We did.

Factor in other stresses like relationship squabbles and money woes, and it's no surprise why you're too emotionally and physically drained to exercise.

And since you're unlikely to take a vacation to recharge—an estimated 577,212,000 available vacation days went unused nationwide last year³—you're going to need to rethink other areas in your life to find the energy to train. Here are four ways you can do that.

#1. Eat More, More Often

Fueling up on caffeine and Tic Tacs may give you the stamina to power through the workday with mocha-colored teeth and minty fresh breath, but you'll need to feast on more than that to keep your engine running efficiently.

"You'll run out of steam when you run out of fuel," says Dr. Felicia Stoler, DCN, MS, RD, FACSM, the author of Living Skinny in Fat Genes: The Healthy Way to Lose Weight and Feel Great. "Eating three meals and three snacks can help you maintain blood sugar levels that prevent huge ups and downs in energy levels."

Many of us aren't following that advice. Data from 2011 compiled by Right Management noted that one in three U.S. employees worked through lunch, while 65% took their lunch "break" at their desks. Last year, CareerBuilder polled 3,600 workers and found that 8% dined on delicious and not-so-nutritious food from their company's vending machine at lunchtime.⁴

Point is, as busy as you might be, you need to make time to eat well to improve energy levels. If you need a reminder, the technology you use to work all of that unpaid OT can also be programmed to alert you when it's time for a snack.

#2. Carb Up

Despite what you've heard, carbohydrates are not hellish calorie ghouls responsible for turning skinny people fat and fat people into morbidly obese planets. In fact, they're a necessity.

"Our brains rely on carbs, and they're a major element to maintaining blood sugar levels," Dr. Stoler says. "Eating only fats and protein won't make you feel more energetic. A basic rule of thumb is to eat carbs with some protein and fat."

Consuming too many simple carbs—foods high on the Glycemic Index (GI)—can cause blood sugar levels to spike, which can lead to additional body fat storage, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Fiber-rich whole foods—veggies, whole grains, and fruit—metabolize slower to provide you with lasting energy

According to Dr. Stoler (and depending on what your goals are), you're looking to eat about 50% carbs, 20% protein, and between 25–30% fat per day. And for crying out loud, listen to Mom and eat more fruits and veggies. They're packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytonutrients.

#3. Stay Hydrated

Caffeine is a diuretic. In more scientific terms, it makes you go potty more often. So if that's all you're drinking from 9 to 5, you're going to get dehydrated. Along with impeding metabolism and making you feel sluggish,⁵ dehydration can also go all Criss Angel on your brain and trick it into feeling hungry when it's really not.

Adequate hydration benefits you in a whole host of ways, including lubricating joints, regulating body temperature, assisting the body with excreting waste, and keeping your immune system strong.⁶

#4. De-Stress

The old standbys to shaking off tension are to meditate and become one with your body. If that doesn't work for you, find a different healthy distraction to pull your brain away from what's stressing you out. If it slows your heart rate and reduces tension, you're golden. If your schedule is too packed to take a walk, read for pleasure, or binge watch season two of House of Cards, give yourself a couple minutes to brew a cup of herbal tea.

The great thing about this option is that you get the benefits of the herb you're brewing in addition to the ritual of slowing down and enjoying a hot drink. Three herbs backed by years of scientific and/or anecdotal evidence are chamomile, kava, and valerian root—but be careful with those last two because they can make you drowsy.

Which leads us to…

#5. Snooze More

An ideal target is seven to nine hours of sleep per night. But most of us aren't getting that, and it's negatively affecting our performance everywhere.⁷ Lack of sleep can also do a number on your innards.

"Not getting a good night's sleep impacts things like heart health and metabolism," Dr. Stoler says. "It's important to adopt good sleep hygiene and make your bedroom a sanctuary for sleep."

That includes powering down smartphones and shutting off the TV. The blue light those devices emit can mess with melatonin levels, and those late night texts are interfering with your REM cycles. Seriously. A 2011 survey from the National Sleep Foundation found that 20% of people ages 19–29 get woken up multiple times a week by calls, texts, or emails.

Sources:

Program Effectiveness

I am always on social media with Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.  In fact for the past 2 1/2 years I have talked non-stop about workouts and the success of those around me when they fully commit to a program and their nutrition.  Still, however, the question always pops up in my email or Facebook that says, “Do Beachbdoy workouts really work”?  Many times there is the mis-conception that because its a 90 day program or even a 21 day program like the 21 Day Fix that “its only that long”  The stories you are seeing are from friends that continue on after their program is done.  They get so excited about the changes that they are going through that they never want to go back?  Is that YOU?  Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired just like I was?   Do Beachbody workouts work?  YES YES YES but only if you work.  You have to follow the nutrition guide and make sure that you put the workout in the dvd player every day and push play.  Will you only be successful if you drink Shakeology?  NO but it will help you make sure that you are getting at least ONE serving of DENSE nutrition every single day.  If you are a case like me than 2 servings a day!  I am super motivated and inspired by Jasyra’s transformation and so that is why I am showing it to you today.  If you are READY for change, message me and lets get you started.

One of the question's people frequently ask me is what do I eat after my workout. I generally don't eat a huge meal but what I do consume helps with my post workout recovery so usually a whey protein shake for starters.
After a hard workout, you've probably used up all or a lot of your body's stored carbohydrates. To replenish them quickly, so that your body can recover in time for your next workout, it's important to enjoy a recovery snack within 30 minutes of your workout. Your ideal recovery snack should contain 1/2 gram of carbohydrates per pound of your body weight, and at least 10 grams of protein.

A few great recovery snacks:

• P90X^® Results and Recovery Formula^®
• 1 percent chocolate milk
• Granola cereal
• Fruit smoothie
• Shakeology
  

Hustled on over to The 352 Fit Club tonight they have free workouts on Tuesday's so I got my Insanity fix! Love me some Core cardio and Balance it just seems to fire me up. I can't believe the passion I have for this program maybe its due to the tremendous results or just Shaun T's humor. Either way if your looking for an exercise program to build a great foundation I would recommend it. Shoot me a message if you have any questions or comments.

Finished my Body Beast workout and I am really starting to see some big gains. My reps are getting a lot easier even as I move up to a higher weight and I starting to see a noticeable improvement in my shoulders. Thank goodness for the Shakeology and Fuel Shot! I have been combining the two because I was feeling a little fatigue. BAM huge difference. I am going to start a 3 Day refresh at the end of July to try and get rid of that little bit of belly fat that just doesn't want to say goodbye. I will be posting the day by day results.
What is The 3 day Refresh

Well I tried something different today I did the PiYo Strength Interval workout. I didn't expect it to be as challenging as it was and it had me sweating my butt off. A series of squats lunges and jumps then some burpees and pushups and my quads were on fire! Very well designed and even a novice could do it. So the next tome your invited to a PiYo workout bring plenty of water and a sweat towel, your gonna need it!

So how many of you have tried drinking Bulletproof Coffee?? Found a really good article on it that I am posting in the blog so enjoy reading it. Should You Be Drinking Bulletproof Coffee? By Denis Faye Cup of Coffee Wellness hipsters across the country have taken to "bulletproofing" their mornings by swapping out a balanced breakfast for coffee topped off with grass-fed butter and coconut oil in hopes that the resulting cup o' greasy joe will spur weight loss and productivity. While the notions behind the practice are interesting and the idea of drinking buttered coffee sounds downright decadent, ultimately, it's an albatross of an idea that should best go the way of the dodo. In other words, it's for the birds. In 1996, I spent three weeks in Nepal reporting on a doctor who was traveling to remote villages to perform cataract surgeries. As much as the experience was life changing, it was also hot, dirty, and exhausting. Being a vegetarian at the time, I lived largely on bread and lentils during the trip—at a fraction of my typical caloric intake. I slept 5–6 hours a night, usually on an Eisenhower-era mattress in a wooden shack resembling a termite-riddled sauna. The Nepalese were magnificent, gracious people who insisted on sharing a cup of chai with us wherever we went. The tea was strong stuff, heavy on the milk and sugared to the point of being crunchy. As not to insult my hosts, I drank 10–15 cups a day. Between the sleep deprivation, exercise, and the lack of other calories, those little cracked cups of sweet, creamy caffeinated goodness were the only thing that kept me standing—a true miracle beverage. So as a nutrition consultant, do I recommend you start filling your hot beverages with refined sugar because, for one brief moment of hard living in an exotic country, it gave me a boost? Um, no. Yet, this appears to be the foundation of bulletproofing. The Science of Bulletproofing Creator Dave Asprey based the recipe (which, for the record, he feels is best done with his brand of coffee and his brand of coconut or palm-derived oil) on an aha moment while climbing in Tibet. As he tells it, he was at 18,000 feet elevation in minus 10°F weather when he sought refuge in a guesthouse where they fed him hot, yak butter tea—which "literally rejuvenated" him. Asprey was freezing cold and clearly exerting himself. They offered him something hot, caffeinated, and highly caloric. Of course this would make him feel better. The fact that it was yak butter is irrelevant. Warm Yoo-hoo with a dollop of Crisco would have done the same thing. As Steve Edwards, Beachbody® VP of Fitness & Nutrition and experienced mountain man, points out, "Mountaineers switch to super high-fat diets at altitude for a number of reasons but, primarily, because the body is fighting for survival (it's technically dying) and calories per gram of food is paramount." Beyond the ancient wisdom angle, the benefits of bulletproofing coffee are supposedly based on "science"; specifically, the growing belief in holistic circles that saturated fat isn't a heart stopper, but rather a superfood. There's some merit to these claims, but it's complicated. Butter vs. Cream Different fats (including different forms of saturated fats) have chemical chains of varying lengths. When you look at the research, it appears that perhaps the long-chain saturated fats are the harmful ones, while the medium-chain saturated fats, or medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), that you find in coconut oil and palm oil, may have some benefits. A review in the Journal of Nutrition found that replacing other fats in the diet with MCTs may promote weight loss and satiety. The only problem is that dairy, even the grass-fed kind, consists mainly of long-chain fatty acids, so to truly bulletproof your coffee, you'd be better off adding just coconut oil. However, Asprey's Excellent Mountain Adventure took place in Tibet, not Tahiti, so he needed to work the butter angle instead of focusing on tropical fruits. Perhaps he did that a bit too well, since many trend followers skip the MCT and just add the butter, making the practice pointless. Another problem with using butter instead of milk or cream is that the latter have more vitamins, minerals, and protein than the former. Asprey claims that butter is better than cream because it doesn't contain "damaging denatured casein protein." Denaturing protein means to break it down. Your body does this naturally in order to access the amino acids, but pasteurization (heat) also denatures the protein in dairy. Some holistic practitioners argue that denatured milk protein is hard for the body to digest and that it binds with calcium, which then can't be absorbed. Unfortunately, Asprey's solution to avoid denatured protein by focusing on the fat is flawed, considering that with pasteurized butter (which does contain some protein by the way) you still encounter many other pasteurization-related dairy issues, including the destruction of calcium-absorbing enzymes. Furthermore, unless you're a raw foods person, you eat denatured protein constantly, since protein sources tend to be cooked. The 3–4 grams of denatured protein in a little milk or cream just don't matter, considering vitamins and minerals take a nosedive when dairy is turned into butter. By volume, butter has a third the calcium of cream and less than a fifth the calcium of whole milk. B and D vitamins also plummet. About the only vitamin that doesn't suffer is vitamin A. Because it's fat based, it increases in concentration—but vitamin A deficiency isn't an issue in the Western world. In other words, if you want to put some cow juice in your coffee, you're much better off with milk or cream since they're more vitamin and mineral dense. Should You Bulletproof Your Coffee? Bulletproofing your coffee is also supposed to keep you extra satisfied. This may be true, but if you follow the recipe of two tablespoons of butter plus two tablespoons of the MCT supplement or coconut oil, you're also eating 500 calories of fat. That's the caloric equivalent of six and a half eggs or three cups of full-fat yogurt and a handful of berries—which would be equally filling and vastly more nutritious. In other words, it's not a miracle. It's just a truckload of slow-digesting calories. I have no problem with Asprey's brand of coffee or his MCT supplements. I'm a strong supporter of quality coffee and Beachbody incorporates coconut oil into our 21 Day Fix® nutrition plan. But, bulletproofing your coffee as a practice is all about the appeal of a shortcut. Who wants to hear that balanced, nutritious foods, exercise, and willpower are the keys to good health and weight loss? We want to hear that there's not only a magic trick out there, but a highly decadent magic trick. It's like learning that a weekend in Vegas cures hemorrhoids or watching HBO will give you six-pack abs. The only thing that could make butter coffee sound dreamier is if it had to be sipped through a bacon straw. And dreamy is always more appealing than realistic!

So being conscious of what I eat and knowing that this time of the year is a popular vacation time and a lot of us like to travel, I came across some great travel snacks that I would like to share. 15 Great Road Trip Foods under 200 Calories By Rebecca Swanner The car is packed, the kids are happily occupied in the backseat, and you're ready to hit the road. But, when stomachs start rumbling, what's the plan? To stop you from making a pit stop at a greasy spoon or swinging through a drive-thru, we've pulled together a list of 15 road trip foods that will keep those hunger pangs at bay—and your car not full of detritus. And, most of them can be taken on a plane as well! Smiling Women in a Car 1. Fruit Fruit's fiber and high water content will help keep you full and hydrated as you travel. But, unless you want a messy car, it's best that you either choose fruit that doesn't have a stem, a pit, or an outside covering—namely, blueberries, figs, and grapes—or prepare fruit ahead of time and place it into Tupperware® containers. Strawberries, banana slices, peaches, and nectarines are great for this. Calories per serving: 85–105 Kale Krunch2. Kale Krunch™ I discovered this when I was doing P90X earlier this year. They're low in calories, high in vitamin A, and totally addictive. Plus, they're flavored with ingredients like organic olive oil and organic chia seeds. They are a little on the expensive side though, so if you want to make your own make these Kale Chips, chop them into bite-sized morsels, and pop them in a Tupperware or Ziploc® bag. Calories per serving: 110 Nut Butter and Jelly3. A Better Nut Butter and Jelly The trouble with most sandwiches is that they require a cooler . . . unless you like eating warm chicken salad. Peanut (or any nut, frankly) butter and jelly is one that doesn't. Make it with whole-grain bread (my personal favorite is Ezekiel 4:9®), an all-natural nut butter, and all-natural fruit spread like St. Dalfour® to up the health factor. Calories per 1/2 sandwich: 150 (varies depending on ingredients) 4. Shakeology® Packets Want to take your Shakeology on the road? Just mix a single-serving Shakeology packet (available in Chocolate, Vanilla, Greenberry, Chocolate Vegan, and Tropical Strawberry) with water and shake! Calories per serving: 160–170 5. Eggs You might find the idea of taking eggs with you on the road a little odd, but hard-boiled eggs are great for a quick power-up. Plus, they're loaded with B vitamins, which may help keep tempers cool on long trips. Calories per serving: 78 Homemade Energy Bars6. Homemade Energy Bars The bulk of prepackaged bars sold at gas stations or convenience stores are loaded with sugar, preservatives, and empty calories. These homemade bars can be made in minutes and contain only good-for-you ingredients like fruit and nuts. Calories per serving: 124 7. Nuts Nuts are highly caloric, but they're also high in healthy omega-3 fats and travel well. Choose raw, unsalted nuts like almonds or walnuts that don't require you to dispose of a shell. Calories per serving: 130–180 8. Spiced Nuts Deepen the flavor of nuts by roasting them with spices. This recipe that combines cinnamon, cayenne, and cumin with a touch of honey will keep you away from the store-bought trail mix. Calories per serving: 120 9. Baby Carrots Maybe we're weird, but we think baby carrots are fun to eat, and they don't make a mess! They're sweet on their own, or you can combine them with hummus for a yummy, crunchy treat. Calories per serving: 30 10. Split Pea Crisps Peas are really good for you thanks to their fiber and vitamins A and C. But, good luck getting your kids to eat them on a road trip. Unless . . . you disguise them as a crunchy snack. These split pea crisps from Whole Living® combine peas with just a touch of olive oil and salt. Calories per serving: 55 11. Other Vegetables It's a classic for a reason. Slice up your favorite veggies—snap peas, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and celery all travel well—and pop them into a sealable container. Persian cucumbers are also a yummy single-serving snack. Calories per serving: Less than 20 Dried Fruit12. Dried Fruit On day 2 of the road trip, when you've run out of regular fruit, try dried fruit. It's higher in calories by volume than fresh fruit, so just be mindful of how much you eat and look for options without sulfites, but it's better for you than a candy bar. Or a Fruit Roll-Up®. Calories per serving: About 150 13. PopChips® This is probably the least healthy option on this list since they're made with potato flour and not whole potatoes, but you could do a lot worse. Plus, they're a Tony Horton–approved road trip snack. Original PopChips contain just potatoes, salt, a touch of rice flour, and oil, so you can feel like you're snacking on chips without loading your body up with who knows what. Calories per serving: 120 14. Spicy Baked Chickpeas Chickpeas, garbanzo beans, little weird things that come in a can . . . whatever you call them, these little nuggets of goodness are high in fiber and will help keep you full. Try this road-friendly recipe for them. Calories per 1/4 cup: About 200 15. Seeds Though high in calories, seeds are high in heart-healthy magnesium and protein. Plus, cracking pumpkin or sunflower seeds open will keep your hands (if you're not driving!) and your mind busy while you're on the road. They can be high in sodium, so just take a look at the sodium levels or consider roasting your own. Calories per 1/4 cup: About 160 Related Articles "8 Superfoods for Summer" "9 "Healthy" Foods That Can Fool You " "8 Tips to Eat Healthy on a Budget"

Had a great morning today started off with a new recipe for my strawberry shakeology then hit the gym for some Body Beast Biceps Triceps. Finished with a 4 mile run on a new trail that I discovered. Love the scenery and the tree coverage helped shield me from the hot sun. Being a 55 year old people always look at me funny when they see me haulin the mail down a trail or slammin weights around but I just look up and smile or ask come join me!!

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Had a great workout with our Fit Club group last night over at the Dance Dynasty studio. Did P90X3 CVX and the stretch afterwards. This is really a great program and who doesn't have 30 minutes to put aside for ME Time! You can also do the program at the gym with the app for your apple or android phone. Pretty cool not to mention the awesome results.

The Best Workout for Those With Bad Knees By Steve Edwards A Person's Knee "What's a good workout if you have bad knees?" – Martha W. The Short Answer: "Bad knees" is a broad term, but in general, the more you can work your knees, the stronger they will get. Unfortunately, this turns into a Catch-22 when your knees hurt during exercise. You need to exercise to relieve the pain, but the pain is caused by exercise. The key is patience. Seek expert medical advice and follow the rehab exercises they give you. Then, when you're ready, return to your regularly scheduled activity, following the advice of your therapist. If that activity happens to be a Beachbody® program, you'll find additional advice below. The Long Answer: Here's a five-step rehabilitation plan to help with those aching knees. Step 1 – Talk to your doctor. Some doctors, whether through laziness or fear of liability, shell out advice akin to "if it hurts, don't do it." Unfortunately, most of us have knee pain at some point in life. If we don't work through it, the situation gets worse. Regardless of your doc's optimism, your rehabilitation begins with a diagnosis. That's why you need a doctor. Whether your knee pain is debilitating or just nagging, it's well worth your time to find out exactly what is going on. The alternative solution is trial and error—and that can make your knees worse. Step 2 – Do your rehab. No matter what your problem is, your doctor will recommend some physical therapy (PT). Like doctors, some PTs are better than others, but do what they say regardless. Even archaic protocols shouldn't hurt you. A good PT will just push you harder and take you further. Either way, you must do your PT before moving on. I know, it's boring (everyone says this), but if you're serious about fixing your knee issues you need to take this step seriously. It's the foundation for everything else! Step 3 – Think holistically. Most chronic knee problems don't begin with your knee. Unless you've had an acute injury, most knee (and back) pain radiate from imbalances in your pelvic girdle (your hips). The simple exercises and stretches in these videos should be incorporated into your regimen as soon as you're cleared from your PT. Hopefully, they're similar to what you've been doing with your therapist. Step 4 – Assess your doctor's clearance advice. This is where the steps diverge, as all knee issues are not the same. Eliminating knee pain follows a "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" rationale, meaning that the more you're able to handle training-wise, the quicker and more effective your comeback will be. Along with that advice, however, is the more important logic that you don't want to reinjure your knee. That is first and foremost, and should dictate all of your actions. For simplicity sake, we'll use the two most-common diagnoses: 1) You are cleared for any activity, and 2) Avoid anything that puts excessive stress on your knees, like running. Step 5, part A – If you are "cleared for any activity." Congrats! Go start exercising! However, if you want to make sure this doesn't happen again, I strongly recommend a round of P90X2®, by far Beachbody's most effective workout program for knee issues. It's designed around protocols used to keep professional athletes on the field—and keeping knees healthy is the biggest challenge they face. The program targets stabilization, especially in the hip area, and building a super-solid foundation. Whether or not you're fit enough for X2 is a different discussion. It has an extremely modified version (hotel room modifications), so you can do the program if you aren't super-fit, but it's still very advanced. If you're in reasonable shape, this would be your go-to. If you are unsure, try the P90X® Fit Test, which you'll find here. If you can handle P90X, you should be fine with P90X2. If you can't do the Fit Test, start with an easier program (see below). Body weight is stress for your knees, and losing extra weight will function in the same way as making your body stronger. So even if you're cleared for anything, if you have a lot of weight to lose, pretend you're cleared for limited activity. Step 5, part B – If you are "cleared for limited activity." Again, congratulations! (Sort of.) This diagnosis usually happens after an acute injury or for those who've ignored pain for years and lost knee cartilage. You still have the same biomechanical goals of stabilizing your body, but you have to be more careful about how you do it. Almost any Beachbody entry program might be right for building knee strength in this situation, depending on the severity of your condition. The rule to think on is this: Whatever you do that doesn't make you worse, makes you better. So every time you finish a workout without pain, or pain worse than you already have (if you're at a constant dull level of pain but still cleared to move), you're improving your ability to eliminate the pain altogether. Also, every pound you lose is less stress on your knees, which will help lessen strain, and, thus, pain. So watch your diet, and move as much as you can. Your body will respond in kind. Here's a rundown and synopsis of some options to consider, from easiest to hardest. Tai Cheng®– This is a great mobility and stabilization program that almost anyone can do. Downside is that it won't burn many calories or quickly change your body composition. Upside is that, no matter who you are, it will improve your knee issues. 21 Day Fix® – Currently, Beachbody's best entry-level, knee-friendly program for those who need to lose some weight. While there is some jumping in this program, and even a "plyo" workout, there are always modifiers you can follow. Hip Hop Abs® – This predecessor to INSANITY® takes jumping out of the equation, combining basic hip hop (you don't need to know how to dance) and a lot of ab and hip work in the entry-level weight loss program. Brazil Butt Lift® – There is some light jumping, and a lot of squatting, but if you can handle it, this program focuses on your butt and hips and greatly improves the stability of your pelvic girdle. This makes your body "track" better, reducing the strain on your knees. Body Beast® – Controlled weight training is a great way to change your body composition without putting a lot of stress on your knees. If you want to lose weight, don't follow the "bodybuilding" focus of the nutrition guide. You can both lose weight and strengthen your knees effectively pumping iron with Sagi. PiYo® – Chalene Johnson's combination of yoga and Pilates is great for hip stability and core strength, both vital for combating knee pain, making it a good choice for those who don't have specific ACL/MCL (or lateral) knee issues, as there is a lot of twisting at speed. P90X3® – While it's a hard program, you can modify every move in every workout and have it serve as an effective entry point. This program, like X2, builds a super-solid foundation. It lacks the specified stabilization movements (because it doesn't use stability balls) but that also makes it a bit easier to adapt to. Back to Top

Good morning! Started my day off with my daily dose of dense nutrition so I can tackle whatever life throws at me today. This is my second of being on Shakeology and the difference it has made is incredible. I have lowered my cholesterol, have more energy, and lost weight! This is why I tell all my friends and family even if your not looking to lose weight but simply for the health benefits you need to be on this product!
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Crushed my workout today did combination of Insanity with a gym workout feeling great!

Insanity round 7 workout today was total Banana's!