7 Tips for Portion Control

By Joe Wilkes

An interesting 2009 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine took a look at cookbook recipes over the last several decades (with an emphasis on recipes in The Joy of Cooking). It found that calorie counts per serving have gone up dramatically as authors have increased portion sizes to conform to new cultural norms. Where the 1936 edition of the kitchen classic averaged 268 calories per serving, the most recent edition in 2006 averaged 384 calories. The study theorized that lower costs of food and larger plate sizes are part of the reason for the increase, but nutritionist Marion Nestle says that mainly it's just a reflection of people becoming accustomed to eating more and more per meal. What can we do to monitor and control portion sizes? Here are some ideas:

1. Downsize your plate. One issue the study pointed out is that the average plate size has grown over the years and the amount of food served on those plates has kept pace with that increase. Instead of breaking out the big dinner plate, try eating your dinner off a salad or dessert plate. The smaller plate will make the amount of food look larger by proportion, a visual cue that will trick your brain into thinking you're eating more. Plus you can trade in your big dinner fork for a more petite salad fork, which will also help to slow down any shoveling behavior you might be tempted to engage in at the dinner table.
2. Divide and conquer. When you're cooking more than one serving of something, immediately store the prospective leftovers in single-serving containers. By putting out the entire dish, you run the risk of not having any leftovers at the end of the meal. Depending on what the meal is, I divide my food onto two plates—one for that meal and one for lunch the next day. And as a side benefit, this can help you tighten your wallet while you tighten your waistline.
3. Count it down. If you eat your reasonably sized portion of food in the dining room/living room/den/bedroom/bathroom, etc. and leave the leftovers in the kitchen, it will make this next step a lot easier. Here's the scenario: You've finished your first portion and yet you still want more. This is far from atypical, especially if the big plate of leftovers is sitting in front of you, tempting you, calling to you—maybe just a half a spoonful or maybe just a pick at the serving platter with your fork (just the good parts, of course). That couldn't possibly have more calories, right? Wrong. The calories from the food you sneak in after you finish eating are as potent as the calories from the food you're served. The good news is that if you can hold off, you won't be hungry for long.
   
   After you have a decent-sized portion of food, it takes your brain about 20 minutes to get the message from your stomach that you're full. So try this: Before you reach for seconds, glance at your wristwatch or the clock on the wall. Spend the next 20 minutes chatting with your dining companions, or if you're eating alone, check out the newspaper, read a magazine article, or play along with a round of Jeopardy!^® on TV. Then, after 20 minutes, see if you're still starving for another bowl full of whatever. Chances are that your cravings will have disappeared. If they haven't, maybe you do still need a little more food to achieve satiety. Review what you ate before, and if the calorie count seems low, treat yourself to a little extra. Or, if the calorie count seems about right or high for a regular meal and you're still hungry, fill up on some low-cal veggies or have a big glass of water. Sometimes it's easy to confuse thirst with hunger.
4. Embrace your inner child. We're not suggesting that you have candy for dinner. What we do mean is that when you're on the road or out at a restaurant, don't be ashamed to look at the kids' menu. As the adult menu has been supersized to gluttonous proportions, the children's menu often has the most sensibly sized and nutritious options. Check out Debbie Siebers' portion-control tips below, and you'll see that oftentimes the amount of food in a kids' meal is just the right amount for an adult watching his or her figure. Not to mention, if you play your cards right, there could be a free toy in it for you. Out of the mouths of babes . . .
5. Sharing is good. And while we're getting lessons from the small set, how about sharing? If you're a foodie like me, the hardest part about eating out is passing up all the goodies you want to try on the menu. Instead of ordering too much for yourself, strategize with your fellow diners about how you can maximize the variety of the food instead of the quantity. Most restaurants will be more than happy to provide you with extra small plates so you can split dishes. And make sure you actually split them! Don't dine out with your friend who survives on a nibble here or there and split two dishes; you'll end up eating 80 percent of the food on the table while he or she makes do with a couple of forkfuls. Ever wonder how Top Chef^® host Padma Lakshmi keeps her model-like physique while judging up to 12 meals a week? Easy! She doesn't eat everything. Also, when you're figuring out how to eat family-style, make sure that at least one of the dishes is a healthy salad, a non-cream-based soup, or a vegetable dish. That way you and your family can get full without getting fat.
6. Learn your weights and measurements. As anyone who's a regular reader of this newsletter knows, we're always going on and on about reading labels. And like the calorie, carb, protein, and fat numbers, the serving size is important. This is where the corporate food interests get you a lot of the time, by adjusting the serving size downward to make the nutritional numbers look a little better. As anyone who's recently spent a Saturday night alone with the TV can tell you, the estimate of four servings in a tiny little pint of Ben & Jerry's^® or Häagen-Dazs^® is wildly optimistic. So when the label indicates 300 calories per serving, that means the whole container has 1,200 calories. And since most of the containers are wider at the top than at the bottom, when you eat what seems to be half the container, it can actually be closer to two-thirds.
   
   It's definitely a big hassle to weigh and measure everything you put in your body every day. Even the most anal-retentive people among us don't have the time and energy to be hauling out the scale and measuring cups for every meal. But it's worth it to at least familiarize yourself with a few standard weights and measures. Try learning what an ounce, a gram, a tablespoon, etc., look like. That way you can at least eyeball how much you're eating. I've yet to meet the person who can make a typical bag of potato chips last for 12 servings.
7. Give yourself a hand. For an easy guide to portion sizes, use the following guide from Slim in 6^® creator Debbie Siebers.
   
   Handy Portion-Control Guide
   By Debbie Siebers, creator of Slim in 6
   
   To achieve weight loss—and maintain that healthy weight once you've achieved it—it's crucial to really understand what a portion is. Here's what may prove to be an indispensible tip: Use your hand as a guideline for portion sizes. (If your hands happen to be extra-large or extra-small for your size, adjust accordingly.)
   
   Palm = Proteins: Make protein portions the size of your palm. Protein is found in animal products, like fish, poultry, meats, and cottage cheese. Some veggie protein sources include legumes (beans, etc.), tofu, tempeh, and wheat glutens.
   
   Thumb = Fats: Fats are important, but they're also very dense, so match fat portions to the size of your thumb. Good fat sources are avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds.
   
   Fist = Fruits, Grains, etc.: Your bread, fruit, cereal, rice, and grain portions should be about equal to the size of your closed fist. Remember that it's always preferable to consume whole grains.
   
   Hand = Veggies: Open your hand and spread your fingers as wide as you can. That's a good vegetable portion. Raw vegetables are loaded with fiber and nutrients and they contain very few calories.     

Join Team Beachbody for all your Nutritional needs

8 Tips for Avoiding the Holiday Pounds

By Stephanie S. Saunders 
It's that time of year. The leaves turn majestic hues of red and gold. The air becomes fresh and crisp. We can finally put an extra blanket on the bed and cuddle up with a cup of hot tea. Yes, it's fall. We just spent 8 months killing ourselves to get into that bathing suit, but now we've replaced it with a worn pair of jeans and a much more relaxed attitude towards food. After all, it's the holiday season, and no one'll notice a few extra pounds under layers of clothes. A little extra weight just gives us a New Year's resolution to focus on, right?

Wrong. According to a study by researchers at Sweden's Linköping University, those 4 weeks of celebrating can actually lead to long-term weight gain.

Essentially, the researchers took a group of healthy young people, increased their caloric intake by 70 percent, and lowered their exercise levels. They also had a control group whose diets weren't altered. At 4 weeks, the participants in the test group had gained an average of 14 pounds. After 6 months, and no longer on an increased-calorie diet, only a third of these participants had returned to their original weight. After 1 year, the test group members were each still an average of 3.3 pounds heavier. After 2 and a half years, the "gluttonous" group continued to gain, while the control group still maintained a stable weight.

Now, most of us don't increase our calories that drastically for 30 days straight. Sure, there's Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving leftovers, Hanukkah, the work Christmas party, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day, not to mention the extra sweets, cocktails, and (ahem) fruitcake. But according to the New England Journal of Medicine, the actual average weight gain over the holidays is only 1 pound. (They obviously didn't poll my family or friends.) So what's the big deal? The problem is, a year later, the vast majority of people have not removed that pound. Continue this pattern over 30 or 40 holiday seasons and the problem becomes—quite literally—huge.

So how are we supposed to get through the holidays without gaining weight? Here are eight effective ways to get yourself ready to beat the holiday bulge.

1. Buy clothes that fit right now. This first tip might be a bit pricy, but it's a great motivational aid in staving off weight gain. A new addition to your wardrobe in a size that shows off your summer body can be all you need to prevent those extra pounds from creeping on. Imagine that beautiful holiday dress or great pair of pants, then imagine being unable to zip them up thanks to sugar cookies. Yeah, no one wants that. So before you begin the festivities, go buy yourself something perfect to wear to your parties and hang it someplace visible, so it serves as a constant reminder. Perhaps on the TV where you play your P90X®, INSANITY®, or TurboFire® videos, or in front of that treadmill that might be starting to collect a little dust in the corner, or on your refrigerator door . . . that way, if it doesn't fit quite the same way the next time you try to slip into it, you know it's time to get back to work. 

2. Write it down. We try to write down everything we eat, right? We spend countless hours each month staring at a food diary, adding up our calories, and seeing if we got the correct balance of macronutrients. And then the holidays happen, and our little book ends up in the bottom drawer. It's almost like we're hoping that if we didn't write it down, it didn't happen. Unfortunately, the scale doesn't fit in that bottom drawer. The truth is, if we would write down the not-so-perfect meals and treats, we could find a way to compensate for them, at least a bit. For example, you have a peppermint brownie in the break room at work, which you know is carbohydrates and fat. Eat one less portion of carbohydrate and one less portion of fat for your dinner. It's not ideal, but it'll help. Or perhaps you couldn't resist Mom's homemade scones for breakfast. You could plan on an extra 20 or 30 minutes of your workout tonight. The point is, if we write it down, and do the math, we can lessen the damage. It isn't a good long-term plan, but to help compensate for a few slip-ups, it can help.

3. Keep exercising. Most fitness trainers will tell you the slowest point of their year is between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Sure, their clients schedule workouts with the best of intentions, but then they cancel them for parties and gift shopping. It's hard to remain balanced when you have a million things to do and gifts to buy. Yet the greatest gift you can give yourself is to stay focused on your fitness goals and get your workout in. Shopping getting in the way? Do it online and save some time. Parties getting in the way? Just show up later. Who cares if everyone else is a couple of cocktails ahead of you? You'll be healthier, and you won't have to worry about the embarrassing YouTube® videos in the morning. Just stay consistent, even if it's inconvenient. You'll be much less likely to look like Santa (both belly-wise and red-nose-wise) at the end of the month.

4. Eat before parties. Most holiday parties don't focus on low-fat, low-calorie refreshments, so unless you're organizing the event, the best damage control is to show up with a full tummy. Make sure you eat your meals and snacks throughout the day, and try to eat a healthy meal before attending any party. If you're going straight from work, prepare a healthy and filling snack to eat on the way. You'll be a lot less likely to swim in mayonnaise dips and pigs in blankets if you're full.

5. Get junk out of the house. The majority of people don't get into their car at midnight, drive to the store, buy the ingredients for cookies, bake them, and then stay up to eat them. But if those homemade cookies that Linda in accounting made for you are already on your kitchen counter, you better believe you'll find a way to justify it. Frankly, at 12:30 AM, after a rotten day, for most of us there's nothing like a few cookies to drown our sorrows. The secret is to get the garbage out of the house. Send it to work with your significant other, donate it to a bake sale, re-gift it to your 100-pound friend with the perfect metabolism, or just dump it in the trash. Linda will never know. If you have holiday dinner leftovers, box them up for your guests individually and send them home with them. If your family still sends you that Pepperidge Farm® cookie assortment, invite a bunch of people over for a pre-party party and serve 'em up before the drinks. Try not to be wasteful, but get the less-than-healthy temptations out of your reach.

6. Offer to prepare healthy fare. This suggestion won't be well received by those of us who'd rather spend Thanksgiving sitting around watching football than toiling in the kitchen, but if you do the cooking, you have the control. Your family could have a tasty and satisfying meal without ingesting thousands of calories and fat grams. The way the turkey is prepared, the type of stuffing, how vegetables are made, whether the cranberries are real, and countless other things can make or break the healthiness of a meal. There are tons of cookbooks out there, plus recipes in this and past newsletters that can help you out. Yes, it does require a bit of work. But you're part of the Beachbody community. You can do anything!

7. Choose wisely and proportionally. Something occurs during a holiday meal. It's like a Las Vegas buffet—we feel like we have to eat some of everything. We feel almost like those foods will never exist again, and this is our last meal on the planet. This year, why not try to eat only your favorites, as in two or three items, and keep the portions to the size of your palm? If you're still hungry, try to fill up on veggies (preferably ones that aren't drowned in butter or cream-of-mushroom soup). If you want dessert, lean toward a small slice of pumpkin pie (220 calories) as opposed to pecan (a heftier 543), leaving out the hydrogenated nondairy whipped topping if possible. If you're going to have an alcoholic beverage, go with a flute of champagne (100 calories) as opposed to that rum-laced eggnog (with more than four times more calories, at 420). Just a few wise choices will save you a ton of calories, and probably a significant amount of heartburn as well.

8. Don't beat yourself up. Quite possibly the worst thing you can do is beat yourself up over a bit of holiday indulgence. Yes, it does stink to backslide after working your tail off. But sometimes it doesn't stink as much as dealing with your mother when you turn down her brisket and potato pancakes. Sometimes, we don't have time to go to work, buy a Christmas tree, decorate it with our kids, make dinner, oversee homework, tuck kids in bed, and spend an hour doing our Beachbody workout of choice. We can only do our very best. Mentally beating yourself up will only make you feel worse, which never helped anyone get back to their fitness program. So if you happen to gain that 1 extra pound this holiday season, be part of the rare group who actually follows through with their New Year's resolution and manages to shed it again. A week of hard work and a slight calorie deficit should do the trick. Resolutions don't come easier than that!

A wise person once said, "The toughest part of a diet isn't watching what you eat. It's watching what other people eat." That really is the crux of the problem with dining out in public. When you're surrounded by people who are consuming the equivalent of their body weight in fat grams, it's really tough to stick to that chicken breast and steamed veggies. But if you have a game plan, you're more likely to walk out with both a satisfied tummy and a satisfied mind. So spend a few minutes on researching, on eating, and on exercising beforehand, and be strong when you get there. The effort will be worth it, and you might even be an inspiration to your dining partner. What greater reward is there than that? Oh, yeah—a six-pack.

Join The Beachbody Club

Tear & Share: 5 ways to Fight Fattening Holiday Habits

5 ways to fight fattening holiday habits


Ah, the holidays. Or as those of us who are too fond of cookies and traditional big meals say, AHHHHHH! The holidays!

No one decides to gain 5-15 pounds between November and January. But when family recipes, busy schedules and friendly get-togethers put fat-filled temptations in your face at every turn, who can resist?

You can! With satisfying, delicious Shakeology. It’s your super power, giving you the strength to pass up the fluffiest mashed potatoes and the richest pumpkin pie. And that’s not the only way Shakeology makes your holidays happier. Here are five ways The Healthiest Meal of the Day® helps you stay on track during the most wonderful time of the year:

1) Shakeology helps curb cravings so you won’t overeat.
Want to ease up on the eggnog and back off the brownies? Drink Shakeology before a holiday event. The whey protein isolate in each creamy glass keeps your blood sugar steady and crushes junk food cravings. That buffet table can’t hurt you now—go ahead and stroll past it. You’ll find that resisting temptation will be easier and feels way more awesome than any candied yam tastes.

2) Shakeology boosts your energy just when you need it.
There are never enough hours in the day, but somehow time seems even scarcer in November and December. If you’re like me, you’ve got to run around from sunup to bedtime to get everything done. Thankfully, the vitamins, minerals and protein in Shakeology give you the stamina to keep going. Digestive enzymes in every serving speed up the body’s absorption of nutrients, too, so you can feel the benefits faster. And use any extra energy to prepare a healthy meal instead of grabbing the nearest Holiday Cheese Tray.

3) Guard against illness.
There’s something magical in the air—something viral, too: cold and flu germs making the rounds in the shopping malls and holiday parties. Happily, Shakeology provides a powerful cocktail of natural ingredients to help support immune system function: super-greens, super-fruits, adaptagen herbs, pre- and probiotics and digestive enzymes. I’m not saying Shakeology will make you completely impervious to the flu bug, but it could support your immune system when you share hugs with sniffly loved ones. Come to think of it, maybe THEY could use some Shakeology.

4) Take the stress out of the season.
Let’s face it: the most wonderful time of the year comes with expectations that can cause anxiety. Shakeology’s got your antidote, with protein and amino acids to promote alertness and adaptogen herbs that can reduce feelings of stress and fatigue. So relax with a glass of Shakeology. It’s a healthier way to handle stress than over-indulging in holiday spirits and/or pecan pie.

5) Replace a fattening holiday tradition with a healthy one.
Instead of piling on the calories with Christmas pudding, try Chocolate Shakelogy Pudding:

1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 ripe avocado
1 large banana
1 cup almond milk
1tsp lemon

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into 4 small individual dishes. Refrigerate for an hour. If the pudding ends up too thick, simply add a bit more almond milk. (Serves 1.) Optional: Garnish with some chopped pecans, chia seeds or walnuts.

Treat yourself right with this lean alternative to traditional eggnog, Berry Yule Log:

1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp. almond extract
1⁄2 cup pitted black cherries
1 cup vanilla almond milk
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology

Preparation:
Mix together in blender until smooth, serve chilled.

Try Shakeology Today

How Teresa Seymour Made $500 in 5 Days with the Beachbody Challenge

By Network staff writer Howard Shapiro


After two years in limbo, Emerald Coach Teresa Seymour has found a simple, meaningful way to share Beachbody with the world—and it's payin' major dividends for her business! Read. Rinse. Repeat.

It's one thing to come out of the gate at a nice, even pace. It's another thing to come out guns blazing and scorch a trail through the crowd. That's exactly what's happening to Emerald Coach Teresa Seymour with the Beachbody Challenge™.

"I've been a Coach for almost two years and have tried lots of ways to share the programs, but the Beachbody Challenge blows everything else out of the water!" she exclaims. "The response has been absolutely incredible."

So what exactly was it that created this mega shift in momentum?

"Beachbody Challenge Groups have given me the opportunity to help people get amazing results," says Teresa with the confidence of someone whose business has done a complete 180. "The people in my group have been sharing their success with friends, and now word is spreading fast. In fact, people are already asking when my next Challenge Group is!"

"The Beachbody Challenge has helped me earn my biggest check ever!"
Teresa's Challenge Group, Fit 4 Life, is based around the fitness program, INSANITY. "This group has been off the charts in terms of support and accountability," she says. "Anytime someone has needed encouragement, the other group members have jumped right in to help."

Teresa goes on, "Most people fail in their fitness journey because there's no one to hold them accountable, answer their questions, or motivate them through tough spots. A Challenge Group fills in those gaps, and allows you, as a Coach, to support the group to collectively reach their goals."

She adds, "It's amazing what happens when you get people together with the same goal, the same struggles, and the same philosophy that now's the time."

And how does Teresa get the word out about her Challenge Group?

"I talk about the Beachbody Challenge through every means possible."
One avenue that has been particularly effective for Teresa is social media. "I use Facebook to let people know I'm starting a Challenge Group," she says. "Then, I make sure to post a deadline date to create urgency to join."

Teresa continues, "I also send out emails to any distribution lists I have, or anyone I know that has mentioned they want to get in better shape. I even send out text messages to friends and family, and, of course, I talk about my Challenge Group everywhere I go."

In addition to Challenge Groups, Teresa has found Beachbody Challenge Packs to be another absolute game-changer.

Check out this video:


"I've never earned Success Club points─until Beachbody Challenge Packs."
"Challenge Packs include all the tools to get great results, and are the perfect complement to the Beachbody Challenge," she says with enthusiasm. "The cost is so reasonable and it's a win-win for both customers and Coaches. I made five times my biggest check by selling Beachbody Challenge Packs. They've helped me grow my customer base exponentially."

And when it comes to selling Challenge Packs, Teresa has learned to respond to objections and be steadfast in her determination. "When someone says they don't have the money to buy a Challenge Pack, I encourage them to take a closer look at their spending," she explains. "If they're afraid of the 60-day commitment, I tell them it's actually a short amount of time to get in the best shape of their lives."

And for those who tell her they'll get involved after the holidays?

"I tell them the holidays are actually the best time to do a challenge because they can relieve stress, look great when they see friends and family at parties, and feel great in January, instead of feeling bloated and tired."

"If you start a Challenge Group, you WILL build your business!"
Teresa says that Challenge Group members start out as customers, but it's not long before they become interested in the Business Opportunity, too."Once they see what they can do with the right tools, they wind up making the best Coaches," she says. "Who better to share the message of good health than those who are a true product of the product?"

And now for the biggest difference maker of all.

"Beachbody Challenge Groups have helped make me a better Coach," Teresa says with enormous pride. "I've learned what people need from their health and fitness journey and how to challenge and encourage them." Teresa adds a last piece of wisdom, "The journey isn't just about the group members. You won't believe how much a Coach can learn as well!"

Coach's Playbook:

• Get the word out. Whether it's through Facebook® or word of mouth, talk, talk, talk about the Beachbody Challenge.
• Design an email. Make sure it grabs people's attention and motivates them to take part in your Challenge Group.
• Decide on a deadline. Don't leave things open-ended so people can respond ,ater to your group invitation.
• Pick a meal plan. Choose a plan for your Challenge Group that includes Shakeology®. This will help keep them on the right track with their weight loss goals.
• Hold a meeting. It's a great way for your group members to interact, ask questions, and most importantly, hold each other accountable!

          
Decide, Commit, Succeed - Become a Coach Today


Note: Beachbody does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody® Coach Opportunity. Each Coach's income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill.

What Is Shakeology?

What It Does

In an independent 90-day study, ¹ participants replaced one meal a day with Shakeology ^® and exercised regularly.

Here's what they told us:*

·         "I felt full and didn't struggle with hunger."
·         "I felt a better sustained energy throughout the day."
·         "I have tons of energy. I feel so healthy!"
·         "I replaced all my vitamin supplements. I felt healthy and energized."
·         "I was able to think more clearly and stay focused."
·         "I have more energy, less cravings, more endurance, and feel more youthful."
·         "Shakeology reduced my appetite and increased my energy so that I could accomplish more things throughout the day."
·         "I have tried a lot of protein shakes and meal-replacement-type drinks, and Shakeology is the best tasting of them all. I mix it with a bit of soy milk and ice, and it tastes like an ice cream shake!"

Here's what the doctor who ran the study observed about the participants:*

·         They reduced oxidative stress, a risk factor for degenerative diseases, by as much as 90%.
·         They lowered their total cholesterol levels by an average of 30% and their "bad" cholesterol levels by an average of 38%.
·         They reduced their cardiovascular risk factors by an average of 24%.
 

Try Shakeology Today

How It Works*

This patent-pending daily nutritional shake helps your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need. A proprietary blend of digestive enzymes and prebiotics helps your body progressively eliminate the toxins that build up over time from eating today's highly processed foods.

At the same time, whole-food ingredients deliver the essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to curb cravings, allowing your body to shed stored fat while the more than 20 different antioxidants and phytonutrients help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and stroke

 

What's In It

Even if you searched all over the world, you probably wouldn't be able to find all of the 70-plus, ultra-high-quality ingredients we've included in Shakeology. Not only do you get a wide range of essential nutrients, from the fruits and vegetables you should be eating more of every day, you'll also get the benefits of important foods from all around the world—foods that the latest scientific research has shown to be highly advantageous to your well-being.

More than 70 different ingredients were chosen from around the world for their potency and bioavailability (the ability to deliver the nutrients your body needs). Here are the key nutrient groups that these ingredients deliver:*

·         Protein and Essential Amino Acids to help build long, lean muscles and reduce food cravings
·         Prebiotics and Digestive Enzymes, which aid in improving digestion, regularity, and nutrient absorption
·         Antioxidants and Phytonutrients to help counteract free radical damage that can lead to degenerative diseases
·         Vitamins and Minerals your body needs to function for optimal health

Yes I Want to TryShakeology

Protein and Essential Amino Acids*

·         Help build and repair muscles
·         Reduce hunger and food cravings
·         Help keep blood sugar steady
·         Support brain function to help promote alert thinking and reduce anxiety
·         Promote healthy skin, hair, and nails

Shakeology includes whey protein isolate, an easily absorbable source of high-quality protein that's ideal for building and maintaining lean muscle mass. It also helps keep your blood sugar steady, reducing hunger and junk food cravings. Essential amino acids, found in protein, help the body repair muscle tissue and heal wounds; support the brain to promote calmness and alertness; and reduce hunger pangs. The whey protein in Shakeology provides a highly bioavailable source of essential amino acids.

 

Prebiotics and Digestive Enzymes*

·         Aid digestion
·         Help boost the immune system
·         Increase absorption of nutrients
·         Help keep you "regular"

Shakeology contains many ingredients that are beneficial to the digestive system. Prebiotics, natural components of certain plants, help support the "friendly" bacteria in your digestive tract. They may also help with the absorption of minerals such as calcium. Digestive enzymes, from plant sources such as pineapples and papayas, help your body break down food into its individual components, making the nutrients easier to absorb. Cooking can destroy food's natural digestive enzymes, so there's a good chance that you don't get enough of them in your diet.

 

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients*

·         Get rid of harmful free radicals
·         Help decrease inflammation
·         Help boost your immune system
·         Potentially decrease the risk of degenerative diseases
·         May even increase longevity

Many of Shakeology's fruit and vegetable sources have been chosen for their high concentration of healthy natural substances known as phytonutrients, including flavonoids, polyphenols, anthocyanins, and catechins. These substances have antioxidant properties, meaning they help get rid of molecules known as free radicals, which damage cells and may be a key component of the aging process. In laboratory tests, phytonutrients have shown promise in helping prevent a wide variety of degenerative conditions. What's more, studies suggest that the natural mix of phytochemicals you get from whole-plant sources is more effective than taking them individually as nutritional supplements.

 

23 Vitamins and Minerals*

·         Get a wide range of essential nutrients
·         Get your necessary vitamins every day
·         Make up for dietary deficiencies

Most of us don't get the complete range of essential vitamins and minerals in our daily diets. Some important vitamins, such as vitamin C and the B vitamins, are water-soluble, meaning they're flushed out of your body after a short time and need to be replenished regularly. Others, like vitamin E, can be difficult to get enough of in food. Shakeology provides all these nutrients in an easy-to-take, easily absorbable form, so you never have to worry.

Click here to BuyShakeology Today

How To Become A Beachbody Coach

If you are a fan of Beachbody’s workouts and want to know how to become a Beachbody Coach you have come to the right place. Anyone can become a Beachbody Coach, there are no special certifications required and you don’t have to be a health professional, a nutritionist, or anything like that.

All that is needed to become a Beachbody Coach is a true belief in the products, and a desire to help others lose weight, get in shape, and change their lives. These are the characteristics of people who do well in this business. Of course, anyone can join, even if they don’t know anything about the products. On rare occasions, someone can sign up that is an experienced marketer or has a huge list, and do very well in this business, but I’ve found that those who actually use Beachbody products, and have seen the results firsthand, are the ones who end up succeeding.

How To Become A Beachbody Coach?

Signing up to be a Beachbody Coach is simple. You can be signed up in minutes from the link below:

Sign Up To Be A Beachbody Coach

Immediately upon signing up you will have access to the Online Training Academy which will teach you everything you need to know to get started the right way. This is training that you will want to take the time to go through. It can greatly affect how well you succeed in building your business. If you don’t want to invest time in yourself to learn how the business works, I would recommend not signing up as Beachbody Coach. This is an opportunity that has unlimited income potential, but to take advantage of the potential it needs to be treated like a real business and not just a hobby. Beachbody Coaches should treat their business as if they have invested $100,000 in it. If you invested $100,000 in a business, I bet you would take the time to through the training.

You will also get 2 websites immediately upon signing up as a Beachbody Coach. All sales will be made and tracked to you through these websites. So when people ask you where they can buy Shakeology or how to become a Beachbody Coach themselves, you can just send them to your website. It is great because as a Beachbody Coach, you don’t have to buy any inventory, bill the customer, or ship the products, Beachbody does all of that for you. 

Sign Up To Be A Beachbody Coach Today!

Meals with Higher Percent Protein Can Help Control Overeating

Worried about overeating high-calorie goodies during the upcoming holidays and piling on the pounds? Eating foods with a higher percent of calories from protein may be all it takes to help control appetite and manage weight, a new study suggests.

Researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia, Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, and Massey University in New Zealand found that lean adult men and women fed foods containing 15 or 25 percent calories from protein over a four-day period ate 12 percent fewer calories overall than subjects fed foods containing 10 percent calories from protein.

The study, published in PLoS One in October, also found that the subjects fed the lower protein (10 percent) diet reported they were hungrier after breakfast in comparison to those fed a higher (25 percent) protein diet.

“In our study population a change in the nutritional environment that dilutes dietary protein with carbohydrate and fat promotes overconsumption, enhancing the risk for potential weight gain,” the authors wrote.

“Protein Leverage Theory”

When placing blame on contributors to the increasing obesity epidemic in the United States, the usual suspects that come to mind are easy access to high-calorie foods and too little time spent exercising. This study was designed to test a “protein leverage theory”, which proposes that when faced with a diet lacking enough protein—a more hunger-satisfying nutrient— people compensate by overeating.

The protein leverage theory is not far-fetched—studies in other species including non-human primates, pigs, rodents, birds, fish, and insects all consistently show that when the percentage of protein is reduced in their diets, they compensate by eating more calories from non-protein sources such as carbohydrate and fats.

Between 1961 and 2000, the protein percentage in Americans’ diets declined from 14 percent to 12.5 percent. Although it’s less than a 2 percent drop, it was paired alongside a 14 percent increase in total caloric intake from fat and carbohydrate.

Study Design

Twenty two healthy, lean men and women participated in three, four-day study sessions where the subjects stayed overnight and had all meals provided and their eating habits monitored.

The recipes for the foods made were modified to contain 10, 15, or 25 percent calories from protein. Fat was kept constant at 30 percent, and carbohydrate was also modified to be 60, 55, or 45 percent of calories. The study’s meals were prepared in a way so the participants could not tell the difference in the fat, carbohydrate, or protein content of the foods eaten. Meals served included apricot yogurt muesli for breakfast, teriyaki sushi roll for lunch, and chow mein for dinner. Outside of meals, snack foods, or ‘anytime foods’, were also available to the participants whenever they liked, and these were either sweet or savory options—carrot cake, apple crumble muffins, and cheese scones among the choices.

When comparing what subjects ate on the 10 percent protein diet versus the 15 percent protein diet, researchers found that subjects consumed an average of 12 percent more calories over the 4-day session. Of that 12 percent increase, 57 percent was due to eating more savory foods, and 43 percent due to eating more sweet foods.

The authors noted that 70 percent of the caloric increase in the subjects on the 10 percent protein diet came from eating foods that were available anytime (snack foods). The increase in calories was evident from the first day of the trials and persisted throughout.

“If subjects maintained the level of increased intake observed on the 10 percent protein diet in our study, without an accompanying increase in energy expenditure through increased activity,” the authors wrote, “a 1.0 kg [about 2 pounds] weight increase per month would be expected.”

Shakeology and Beachbody’s Whey Protein Power

One convenient way to obtain hunger-satisfying protein is Shakeology. This complete meal replacement is a patent-pending nutritional protein shake that provides a wide spectrum of healthy nutrients in a low-calorie formula, only 140 calories to be exact. 

Whether you use it as a meal replacement for weight loss or simply to ensure you body gets all the nutrients it needs for optimal health, Shakeology takes the guesswork out of nutrition.

Beachbody’s Whey protein is another product that can be enjoyed by mixing with water added to fruit smoothies sprinkled over cereal or dessert, or mixed with milk for a great-tasting, healthy shake. Whey protein is ideal for boosting fat burning and promoting muscle maintenance.

Reference: Gosby AK, Conigrave AD, Lau NS et al. Testing protein leverage in lean humans: a randomised controlled experimental study. PLoS One 2011;6:e25929. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025929

Risk Nothing - Achieve Nothing

You have ‘run out of’ warm market contracts and basically feel that there is no one left to talk to. In other words you are limiting your perspective on the opportunities in front of you and thus have already decided you are without people to connect with.

Does this story sound familiar? Have you ever felt as though there was no one left to buy your product, get started in your business, become your new client or even listen to what you have to say? Perhaps you have felt as though all of your avenues are exhausted. Maybe you have started to believe that the people you know think your product is too expensive, that your opportunity won’t work or that you are not credible. The likelihood is that the more you believe your own self-defeating thoughts the more your perceived limitations become your reality.

Here is one gentleman’s story that caught my attention from past articles I have read. He shared how a happy circumstance had turned his limitations into a sea of possibilities. One day, Harry was at home wondering who to call about his opportunity. He had presented his business to his friends and family. Some of them had come in while others had simply turned him down. 

On this particular day while Harry pondered the next phone call, his wife asked him to clean out the closet. Initially Harry was a little bit upset. Cleaning out the closet was not an income producing activity. What was she thinking? They had a business to build.

On the other hand, he was a dedicated husband and father. He knew that a happy wife meant a happy home so he complied with his wife. After an hour or so of cleaning Harry found a business card on the floor of the closet. He could not remember ever meeting this person and he also saw that their office was in Puerto Rico.

Harry decided to take a risk and call the gentleman on the card. He was nervous about calling and unsure exactly about what he would say. When the man on the other end of the phone answered, Harry shared how he had found the card and although he could not remember him, did want to catch up and let him know about his business. The man became intrigued and ended up joining Harry’s team. The irony was that Harry’s company had just opened in Puerto Rico and this man became one of Harry’s top producers.

By calling this man, Harry risked rejection and humiliation. In the end his risk yielded a great gain. The truth is that even if the man had not joined, Harry would have had a ‘win’ because every time we make a phone call to recruit a new person or make a sale, we learn something about ourselves; we find out where our ego intersects with our desire to achieve. 

There are risks in business. Some pay off and others do not. Sometimes the result is less than hoped for. Some risks cost money which ultimately teach more lessons than an MBA. Other risks simply cost effort and require overcoming fear or intimidation and these are valuable life lessons. 

At the end of the day, every risk I have ever taken has taught me more about myself than anything else. Will I take more risks? Absolutely. Will some of them yield less than desirable results? Yes. Will I continue to move forward and create more revenue and larger businesses? Yes. That is the difference between winners and those who constantly find challenge – a winner takes more risks.

Shakeology: The Truth As I See It

There have been health fads for as long as people have cared about living long, productive lives, and each decade sees the rise and fall of another miracle cure. Today, word about the Shakeology Meal Replacement is starting to spread like wildfire, with people swearing that it has changed their lives in a fundamental manner. Along with these testimonials there are dark suspicions of it being just the latest fad, and that soon it will be revealed to be a gimmick: which is true? Is Shakeology truly so amazing, or is it just another scam waiting to be revealed?

Let’s start with the facts. A serving of Shakeology has 140 calories, and contains 17g of carbs, 17g of protein, and only 1g of fat. It contains no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or components of any kind; has zero caffeine, and no gluten. Right there you have a solid supplement, regardless of opinion. Plus it’s low glycemic!

Those basics, however, are but the tip of the iceberg.  Beachbody has made it clear that in creating Shakeology they have stinted absolutely nothing in acquiring the best, most wholesome and freshest ingredients around the world. They have promoted how Daren Olien, their nutritionist, literally traveled the world in search of the highest quality ingredients, and now in a manner similar to Starbucks they have cultivated a wide range of partnerships with local farmers in dozens of different countries that have met and passed their quality standards.

As such, Shakeology can boast incredible health benefits. It contains a universe of vitamins and minerals, has a proprietary superfruit blend (acerola, camu-camu, pomegranate, bilberry, blueberry, lyceum, acai, and literally seven more). It has a proprietary nondairy probiotic blend of six incredibly long named different beneficial bacterium, and a proprietary enzyme blend (amylase, papain, cellulose, , lactase, lipase, protease and bromelain.) Finally, it contains a wide variety of random yet beneficial ingredients such as wheat grass, flax, spinach powder, hydrilla, sacha inchi, maca powder, kamut grass, blue green algae… the list goes on and on.

What?!   Shakeology  Has 100′s of NON PAID endorsement from Real Doctors? Are You Serious?

As if all that weren’t enough, licensed MD’s have been coming out in droves to support and endorse Shakeology, including Eastern doctors of traditional medicines. Internists, surgeons, family doctors, endocrinologists, toxicologists—the list goes on and on, and all of them have been unstinting in their praise. These testimonials are available online, and can easily be found with a Google Search.

Here’s a video:

So what does this say about Shakeology? When so much effort and hard work have gone into making such a wonderful product, it’s clear that this truly marks the beginning of new health revolution.

Is It Expensive? Hell Yes! But don’t spend $119 a month just yet! We have a lower cost alternative.

I get really aggravated when I hear people complain about the price of Shakeology. These are the same folks that pay $6 a DAY for a Starbucks calorie bomb or other sugar/fat laced foods. For some reason $6 x 30 days= $180 and in their mind that’s less than $119. No wonder our country is in the dumps. We have an education problem. People need to re learn their multiplication tables.

Then, you have the “I can get this same stuff at Walgreens for $19.00 crowd”.  Similar  level of ignorance since (a) they can’t read and compare nutritional labels, (b) they have not bothered to understand where Shakeology comes from and how it is made and (c) they think that a chemically synthesized vitamin and one extracted from a plan are the same.

Sad. Sad. Sad. For those more enlightened or plain curious folks here’s a great video so you get acquainted with this amazing product:

Home-Based Business

Do you spend more of your waking hours with your co-workers than your family? Are early mornings and late nights at the office wearing you down? Have you had enough of battling rush hour traffic twice a day? Then you may want to consider a home-based career. You can earn a reasonable living in the comfort of your own home and still have time for your family.

Being an employee at any size company can be grueling. Many employers not only expect you to work your scheduled hours, but frequently expect you to work overtime as well. As if that isn't tiring enough, add a spouse and children and you have the formula to become burnt out. Home-based careers offer a nice alternative to the hum drum of eight hours a day, plus.

As a stay-at-home mom with a home-based business you will be a success in more ways than one. You will be contributing to household finances, playing an active role in your children's lives.

According to The Center for Women's Business Research, there are 3.5 million home-based, women-owned businesses in the US. It is easy to see why the number is so high when there are so many perks. Some of the many benefits include:

• Working in the comfort of your own home
• Working flexible hours
• Spending time with your children and spouse during the day
• Having the freedom to incorporate other things into your day
• Not having to commute to the office

With a little creativity and a lot of determination, you too can work from home while raising your family. To get started, I recommend researching which at-home career best fits your experience, interest, finances and time constraints. You may want to ask yourself the following questions:

What will I need to get started?

Do I have the finances to get started?

What type of time commitments are involved?

Am I self-motivated enough to be self-employed?

You no longer have to work in that dead end job that is cutting into your family time. Get started on your new home-based business and you'll be on the road to a new and exciting journey, one that leads to a better family life and a better you.

Home-based business do not always get the recognition they deserve, this does not discourage me. I recognize that I can be a success as an Independent Team Beachbody Coach. I feel very successful mainly because I have the satisfaction of knowing that I am helping people with their health and fitness goals. I also have the blessing of touching others in a small way by helping them build successful businesses so they too can see the dream of owning a home-based business.

Becoming an Independant Team Beachbody Coach is very rewarding work as you see lives of many people completely transformed just with good nutrition and regular exercise at a pace that they can handle. If you are a driven and motivated individual then it is time to team up with one of the top coach groups in the US.

To join our team, Click here