Shamrock Smoothie

Considering it's St. Patrick's Day, I thought this would be a great, healthy way to celebrate!

This minty Shakeology recipe satisfies your sweet tooth and your desire to raise a glass to St. Patrick, but it's great any time of the year.

Total Time: 15 min. Prep Time: 15 min. Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients: 1 cup almond milk, unsweetened 1 kiwi fruit, peeled and diced ¼ cup fresh mint leaves 1 tsp. pure maple syrup 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology 1 cup ice cubes

Preparation: 1. Place almond milk, kiwi, mint, maple syrup, Shakeology, and ice in blender. 2. Cover and blend until smooth.

Nutritional Information: (per serving)

Calories: 254

Fat: 4g

Saturated Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 10g

Sodium: 280mg

Carbs: 39g

Fiber: 6g

Sugars: 25g

Protein: 18g

"Check-out" Shakeology

Our good friend Tony Horton is in a new promotional video for Shakeology! This video cracks me up- but, it's so true!! Many people are hesitant about Shakeology because of the price, but when you see everything you get, and what it would cost you to buy those supplements individually, it can't be denied that Shakeology is a steal of a deal! The video shows the price as $129.95- BUT, if you sign up for home direct before April 1st, you can be grand-fathered into the current price of $119.95! It's too good of a deal to pass up. Please contact me today!! (don't miss out on the video below!!)

The Trouble with Sleeping

We are heading into what can be a busy, stressful season for some people. If you haven't done them already, taxes will be due soon- a task that many consider quite an undertaking. Spring Break is in a few weeks. The kids will be home. Some of us may be taking vacations full of activity and travel. Sleep won't be a priority. In the most recent Beachbody newsletter, Denis Faye has a great article on sleep solutions. He is sure to point out that not all of these worked for him, but they can be modified to fit the individual. As you approach this busy- maybe sleepless- season, implement a few of these and see if you can reclaim the night!

1. Make your bedroom and electronics-free zone.

2. Work out at night.

3. "If you are not asleep in ten minutes, get up."

4. Set a routine bedtime.

5. No coffee after a certain hour.

Weight Loss Conundrums

There is nothing more frustrating than committing to a weight loss program and then finding out that you are still gaining weight. Steve Edwards, over at Team Beachbody, has a new article about common weight loss conundrums. Below are three of the five points that I found most interesting and relevant to my fitness. 1. Cortisol. This performance enhancing stress hormone is present in your body for the "survival instinct". When you begin a new workout program, your body believes it is in survival mode until it adjusts to the demands of the program. So, you retain water to help rebuild muscle tissue. Once your body adjusts to the program, it will release less cortisol.

2. Under-eating. Some of Beachbody's programs have a kick-start eating plan in the beginning which asks that you not eat too much until you work yourself back up to a healthy eating plan. You may see weight gain during this time because of...you guessed it, cortisol. It's important that, while working out, you maintain a healthy eating plan so that your body does not think it's in survival mode.

3. The plateau. If you have been doing the same routine or workout for an extended period of time, you will stop seeing results. It's important to push past a plateau by adding resistance, increasing your intensity, or changing your workout program altogether.

The Ultimate Reset!

Both Robert and I have started The Ultimate Reset in preparation for a big trip this spring. We are only on day 3, but so far so good. Beachbody has a great video up with Ingredient Hunter, Darin Olien. In it he explains what the reset is, why you should take time to do it, and what you can expect from it. I can't wait to see the result we will have!!

Goal Setting for 2013

Every year about this time Robert and I go to a nice dinner and write down our goals for the upcoming year. We also look back on the ones we wrote down the year before. We have our own set of goals in categories of Faith, Fitness, Family, Financial, Business, and personal growth(ex..learn Spanish, take a cooking class). This year Robert and I are taking a free online class from my friend and mentor Chalene Johnson. I took this class August 2012, and it was this course that helped take my business from Diamond Rank to 2 Star Diamond while increasing my weekly checks by 45%. That's a nice raise!! This is not for Beachbody Coaches only. It's for anyone who has a goal he/she wants to achieve like new job, lose weight, increase your income, organize your house..whatever it is, join us and do this course. It's free what can you lose right?

Here is the link: 30 Day Challenge

Staying Fit Through the Holidays

It's so important during this tempting season to continue to remind yourself of ways to stay fit and healthy. When the treats call your name from the break room, or you find yourself at yet another holiday party, remember these tips to stay on track. -Write down what you eat. You are less likely to put a third cookie in your mouth if you have to write it down and be held accountable for it.

-Eat before parties. If you know you will be heading out to a party with lots of treats, eat a healthy meal before hand so you will feel satisfied and less likely to over indulge with sweets.

-Offer to bring a healthy option. There are so many great recipes out there for healthy snacking. You don't have to bring a dessert to a party- opt instead for a healthy dip or veggies.

Most importantly this season, don't stop exercising! It's so easy to use the holidays as an excuse to take a break, but you will find that it will be so much harder to start back up if you stop. Keep pushing and don't give up this holiday season!!!

Dieting Myths

Making the decision to become healthier is exciting but getting started can be difficult. There are so many different ways to incorporate fitness and clean eating into your life that it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Beachbody offers a host of great workouts that you can do right from your home- INSANITY, TurboFire, P90X and P90X2. They also offer great eating plans and dieting resources. One of those resources, the Beachbody Newsletter, has a great article on some of the most common dieting myths. These are the ones that stuck out to me: :

1. It's organic...it must be healthy. Organic foods are great and you should try to eat them as much as possible. But, just because it is organic doesn't mean that it is good for you. Organic simply means that it does not contain or been produced using antibiotics, growth hormones, conventional pesticides, and synthetic ingredients. But, no matter how organic a cookie is, it's still just a cookie. The calories don't magically disappear in organic foods, so be careful!

2. Order a salad if you don't know what you should eat. This myth can be a good option in many scenarios, but again you have to be careful to know what you are ordering. Salads slathered with creamy dressings and topped with bacon, eggs, candied nuts, etc are not a healthy choice. It's best to go with dressing on the side and only fresh veggie toppings.

3. Avoid snacking on fruit- it's just sugar. Yes, fruit contains sugar. But it also contains antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. A candy bar doesn't offer any of those! So, while sugar can be an enemy to you weight loss, fruit is the perfect alternative to junk!

To see the full list of myths, head over here!

Halloween Encouragement

It's probably been awhile since you participated in the Trick or Treating of Halloween. But, now you are probably taking your kids. As kids, gorging on Halloween candy was looked forward to and fun. As an adult, it is not in your best interest to continue in that tradition. So, here's a few tips to get you through this sweetly tempting day:

-Snack on some healthy options. The photo above is a great alternative to a handful of FunSize candy bars. Add a little chocolate or caramel to a juicy apple and enjoy!

-When our children were little, we invented the Candy Fairy. After a night of Trick or Treating, the Candy Fairy would swoop in a take the excess candy while leaving a fun alternative, like a toy. This prevents the whole family from overdoing it for days after Halloween.

I hope these tips are helpful and that you and your family have a safe and healthy Halloween!

It's Never Too Late to Start

Many people just don't know where to start when it comes to improving their health. Jumping into a workout can seem daunting, cutting back on favorite foods is easier said than done. While both fitness and eating right are essential to a healthy life, a great way to ease into the process is by using Shakeology. This patented daily nutritional shake helps your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need. Check out this comparison!

This great shake comes in three different flavors: Chocolate, Greenberry, and Tropical Strawberry. There is even a Chocolate Vegan option for those who prefer dairy free! We would love to get you started on this amazing product. It could be the first step in your fitness journey...and it's the easiest step you can take!

For more info on Shakeology, as well as success stories and statistics visit their site at www.shakeology.com. To order, simply click on the photo above!