How much does shakeology cost?

I believe it is so important for us to know just what we are putting in our bodies. Food is fuel and it can make or break whatever is already in genetics and/ or because of enviromental factors. Please check out this short video on what is in Shakeology and where it comes from. 

When it comes to shakeology, there are a few common questions I get asked all the time. 

Shakeology price

* How much does shakeology cost?

*Are there discounts or coupons available?

*May I have a free sample of shakeology?

The Cost

*Shakeology costs $129.95 for a 30 servings bag or 24 packets. You get 6 more servings with the bag, so if you're looking for more for less, go for the bag! If you do need to take shakeology on the go put a scoop in a sandwich bag or formula dispenser. Each serving of shakeology breaks down to $4.33, which is a lot cheaper than many fast food options out there. I was able to save money by having a shakeology rather than stopping to get food on the go. Not to mention its healthier ;)

Discounts, Coupons, Ect.

*You can save the most money by becoming a Beachbody coach. You will have a one time $39 sign up fee, but after that you will save 25% off on all Beachbody products-including Shakeology, which makes shakeology cost you 99.60 a month. Now, there is a 15.95 monthly fee (waived for active military or spouses), but the savings in shakeology alone make it worth it. By combing the monthly coaching fee and the discounted 30 serving bag, each shake will cost you only 3.85 a serving.

Free Samples

*I used to give out free samples, but it cost me a lot of money. If you really want to change your eating and lifestyle, then become monetarily invested. There is also a 30 day money back guarantee as well. You can also buy a sampler pack. Those range from 19.95-29.95, depending on which you prefer. 

If you do not want to be a coach the biggest savings come from ordering on Home Direct Autoship. This will basically auto bill you and send out your shakes every month on auto pilot and by this you save on shipping which is about $10.

If you REALLY want to get serious and become a coach you could buy a challenge pack, which will actually waive the $39.95 set up fee and allow you to become a coach, get shakeology and a Beachbody workout program of your choice to get you going. :)

In defense of food thoughts...

I'm reading my first Michael Pollan book and wondering why he isn't running for president. He is so factual, so knowledable, and has such a gift for being able to communicate things in such a down to earth way.

I'm reading "In Defense of Food" and I'm blown away by how much I'm learning and a little convicted about food in America in general.

Anyways, what I would like to rant about today is the danger of artificial isolated nutrients. 

How often do we see people taking vitamins, supplements, and health shakes? People who make these things take the hypothosized beneficial nutrients isolated and replicates them into a vitamin or powder. Then we drink it in the name of good health. 

The problem with this is that isolated nutrient benefits are a hypothesis. If it were proven, cancer and so many diseases would be a thing of the past because we would all be taking this pill or shake or whatever. 

So what about what science HAS found?  Well, when a nutrient is studied in a food, you also have to take into consideration the food as a whole. They way the other nutrients work together so that food as a whole goes into the body and fuels or doesn't fuel it.

What am I getting it?

We need real foods my friends. Nutrients taken out of context without the other nutrients in food can be a bad thing. 

Consider fruit juice. Fruit has many many benefits. When you juice it, you leave out the fiber and some of the other things within the fruit needed for your boy to metabolize the fruit's sugar. So now your body has gotten some nutrients, no fiber, and sugar your body can't process.

So if you're out there and taking a vitamin or drinking a shake- find out where it came from. If it's dehydrated real fruits and veggies- like shakeology- drink on in peace. If it's nutrients isolated outside of food- pass.

Are you using all you've got?

I've started reading the book "Spirit Driven Success" by Dani Johnson. Such an awesome book, even if you aren't a business owner.

In this book, Dani Johnson talks about the parable in Matthew twenty five. If you aren't familiar with it, three men were given different amounts of talent. One had five, one had two, and one had one. The man with five and two doubled what they had been given. The man with one hid his, afraid to use the little he had. He was called wicked and slothful. It was expected that even with the little he had for him to grow and make use of it.

This really got me thinking. How often do I feel like I'm "okay" with a gift, but not as good as others, so I don't pursue it?

That's pride. Pride isn't just thinking too highly of yourself, it can also be thinking too lowly of yourself and what God can do through you.

Is that a tough blow to you? It has been to me because I've been using that excuse for quite some time now.

The first think I thing is SO important, and by so, I mean absolutely necessary, it to figure out what your talents and gifts are. Dani Johnson goes through the list of Biblical talents in her book, and I took notes and wrote down what applied to me. If you start going through the list and think "this is kind of, but not something in great at", that's prideful thinking again. If God has given you a little, you're still responsible to use that for His glory.

But, you won't know all that you've been blessed with in a deeper manner unless you study what they are!

Once you know what you are, spend time developing them. Look for opportunities to use them. It doesn't have to be in a formal setting. If you have the gift of encouragement and see that someone is having a rough day, encourage them.

It might be a bit scary to start excercising your gifts. Don't let that fear stop you from doing what God has commanded you to do. He promises to be with you.

Fact the fear. Find what God has blessed you with. He's given you your gifts for a specific reason. Glorify Him with those and trust His promise that He will bless you for being obedient. Let's strive for that "Well done" in the end :)

Meal prep=deal kept

I made it through the first week of 21 day fix extreme! 

Well, the workouts at least. I'm pretty pleased with that because I honestly thought I was too delicate for an extreme workout. Turns out I can hang with the extreme crowd...with some modifications. :)

Where I definitely fell short was the meal plan. I planned, I bought what I needed, and then I half prepped. I told myself I'd finish the prepping in a day or two. Turns out I am NOT the clean eating version of Betty Crocker, able to cook meals fresh every day, stay on track, and parent an active toddler. I was a tad optimistic about my multitasking skills. By tad, I mean the difference between eating clean/mostly following the meal plan and sticking to the meal plan and conquering it.

I want to end week 2 feeling like I conquered it- which I will because I spent all afternoon prepping for success.

Meal planning is great but meal prepping takes your plan and sets it in action. Life always has a way of surprising you and this helps keep those surprises from getting in the way of your meal plan.

Full disclosure: halfway through, I was over slicing sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, packing things, measuring things, and then there was THE MESS. But I knew WHY I was doing this. I knew the benefits. I finished, I cleaned up my mess, and it's done for the week!

We ate dinner and because I already cleaned up the main mess of cooking things, I had enough time to have a dance party with Landon. I can enjoy a cup of tea tonight not stressed over the mountain of dishes.

Why aren't we all meal prepping every week?! 

It saves money, makes us less wasteful, keeps us on track of what we want to be fueling our body with, and gives us more time with the ones we love during the week since we don't have to cook for at least an hour or feel guilty about cheating in the name of sacrifice.

So bring it on week 2! Me and my meal prep are waiting for you!

Turkey Meatballs

Who doesn't love meatballs? They are so versatile. 

I am a big believer in getting kids to help in the kitchen as soon as they are able. It's a great way to bond, teach how to cook, and teach healthy eating habits. This recipe is perfect for that. Between mixing with your hands and rolling into little balls- what a great opportunity to cook a meal with your family that your kids will actually have fun with!

I love everything about these! They are easy to make, healthy, great for freezing, fast, can bring a family together in the kitchen, AND toddler approved! Need I say any more?

Oh, and I didn't even mention that these little gems are 21 day fix and fix extreme approved. That's where I got this recipes.

Anyways, here it goes:

Ingredients:

-nonstick cooking spray

-1.5 lbs of raw 93% lean ground turkey breast

-1 tsp sea salt

-1 tsp dry mustard

-1 tsp paprika 

-1 large egg- slightly beaten

-3/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-2 tbsp tomato sauce- no sugar added

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. Lightly coat large baking sheet with spray- set aside.

3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well by hand.

4. Roll mixture into 30 1 inch meatballs. Place on prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.

 

21 Day Fix Extreme

Today was day 1 of my 21 day fix extreme challenge. I've been so excited about this. As I've said in previous posts, I needed a change and a challenge. I needed to do something that I previously thought I couldn't.

So here I am, before pressing play. :)

I look so excited, right?!

Here I am 30 minutes later.

A little different, huh?

Here's the thing, I knew I needed a challenge. So I found one. I bought it. I dedicated myself to it. I came up with a meal plan for the week, made sure I have everything I needed for the meal plan, and prepped what I could. I have support and accountability from my groups. I have prepared myself to conquer this. And I will!

Today I pressed play and started with Plyo Extreme. Despite the name, it had a lot more jumps than I expected. By "a lot" more I mean I'm pretty sure almost every move had a jump. But I did it! 

Day 1 down!

I definitely wouldn't recommend this to someone just beginning their fitness journey. But when you need to take things to the next level- this is awesome for that.

If you are looking for a challenge, support, healthier lifestyle- lets talk! I'd love to help you meet your goals. Life is too short and precious to sit around and just wish for it!

May the coffee be with you...in moderation

This morning was one of those mornings. Landon woke me up by sitting on my face earlier than I would have liked. I was tired. Most days every mom wakes up a certain kind of tired.

So we do what smart tired moms do. Nothing makes me more of a morning delight than a delicious cup of hot coffee with just the right amount of creamer.

If you're anything like me, coffee is more of a comfort thing. The smell, the taste, the feel as it flows through your veins...I love it all. But if I'm going to be honest, I am not much more awake than before my delicious cup of crack. Maybe a little...but not much. 

On top of that, having more than a cup causes my stomach to hurt. It's the pain of caffeine, I suppose. Small sacrifice for the love of my cup, right?

Wrong. Which is why at 28 I made an old lady switch to decaf after that first cup. (No offense, grannies) 

Okay...so back to my morning.

After reheating it 7 times within a 30 minute period, my cup of joe was gone. My next thought...."I need more."

Now I KNOW that having that second cup is going to make me feel crappy, probably more irritable because who feels crappy and is super sweet, is probably going to be reheated 7 times, and still won't make me feel awake and happy, which is supposed to be why I "need" another cup.

Knowing all of this, off I went to the kitchen for that second cup.

As predicated, while sipping my favorite addiction, my stomach started to hurt.

What was I doing?!

Remember the list of things a second cup would and wouldn't do from earlier? That was still all true.

But I wanted it, thinking that somehow despite all of my other experiences, this time would be different.

How often do we do this with life? It's crazy. 

I know what is going to make me feel better and more energized. It's eating those God given nutrients found in good food. It's using my body to get those endorphins going.

I know this but yet it's so much easier to sit on a couch and sip a second cup of coffee.

Today I put away my second cup of coffee. I reached for my shakeology with 70 whole foods and just the nutrients I needed to get that feeling I wanted. I got my workout in and gave it my all for 30 minutes. 

And you know what? 

My stomach didn't hurt.

I didn't feel like I was dragging.

I didn't have to regret that second cup.

I didn't have that fatty creamer.

But I did get the energy I needed from real foods and nutrients.

And I did get those endorphins flowing with my workout.

The rest of my day has been better because of it. 

Are you living for instant gratification like I was with that second cup of coffee? To the point where you know what you really want, but make excuses to why what you want right now is the "better" choice in the moment?

That's what society has taught us to do. You have to intentionally be different. You have to intentionally be intentional.

I challenge you to do that. If you feel you didn't today, start tonight. In the end, you will be so glad you did.