What's All This About??

One of hardest things I had to get under control when I started my health and fitness journey was feeding my machine. I get asked all the time: "What do you eat?" and "Am I allowed to eat (fill in the blank)?" and "How do I get started? This nutrition stuff is confusing!"



As you can see in the picture, I feed my machine with a lot of "stuff" daily. So, let me break it down why I eat what I eat and how it's helped me in my journey.



The first thing I started consuming on a daily basis was Shakeology for my breakfast. Shakeology is a nutritional protein shake that provides a wide spectrum of healthy nutrients in a low-calorie formula. Whether you use it as a meal replacement for weight loss or simply to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs for optimal health, Shakeology takes the guesswork out of nutrition.

What's in Shakeology? It contains over 70 ultra high-quality ingredients conveniently located in one glass, to deliver nearly all the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy diet. It's good for you- and good for everyone- because everyone's diet is deficient in some of the key nutrient groups packed into just one Shakeology serving.

Shakeology helpes me lose weight, increases my energy and stamina, reduces my cravings, and helps keep me regular.

Before I started consuming Shakeology on a daily basis, my lab results were as follows:
August 26, 2009 (205+lbs)
Total Cholesterol: 134 (Reference range: 125-200 mg/dL)
HDL Cholesterol: 69 (Reference range: > or = 46 mg/dL)
LDL Cholesterol: 58 (Reference range: < 130 mg/dL)
Triglycerides: 35 (Reference range: <150>)

After 3 months of working out with P90X and consuming Shakeology daily:
May 21, 2010 (195+ lbs)
Total Cholesterol: 116
HDL Cholesterol: 74
LDL Cholesterol: 36
Triglycerides: 31

I am uncertain what my lab results reflect now that it's October 5th, however, I'd be willing to bet that they are way better than what they were back in May!

Typically, my breakfast consists of the following shake: 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 1 scoop Vanilla Whey Protein, 2 Tblsp PB2, either 1 cup Almond Milk (unsweetened original 40 calories) or 1 cup skim milk, 1/2 cup water, and lots of ice all blended to perfection for a delicious chocolate shake to start the day off right! (140 + 110 + 45 + 40 (or 80) = 335 to 375 total calories)

I've recently discovered PB2 and I think it's the greatest thing ever made! It's powdered peanut butter that has 85% less fat calories than traditional peanut butter because there isn't any oil in it! 2 Tblsp only has 45 calories vs. 190 of regular peanut butter. In my world, this is huge! Also, there are only 1.5 grams of fat in PB2 compared to 16 grams in regular pb. Talk about an enormous difference! If you are a peanut butter junkie like me, I highly recommend this because it will change how you view peanut butter! Go to: http://www.bellplantation.com/ to locate stores that retail it or order it directly from that website. It's the greatest thing!

I've also become a really big fan of the Chocolate Meal Replacement shake. For essentially $40 a tub, I can drink a shake that's good for me AND it's only $1.33 per meal. Where else can you satisfy your appetite, get all the essential vitamins and minerals and a proper balance of carbohydrates, fats, and high-quality proteins to provide sustained energy? I'm telling you, you can't find it elsewhere!

Why do I consume all these shakes? Truth be told, I am a lousy cook! Or, shall I say lazy? I am always on the move and it's so much easier for me to blend up a shake and go vs. spend time in the kitchen figuring out and planning meals. I hate going to the grocery store. I spend way too much time reading labels and it's just too busy. I only visit the produce department, dairy, and outside aisles when I do go because everything else is just pointless and unhealthy. (or so I think)

The multi-vitamins, calcium, and omega-3 supplements are amazing! The vitamins are essentially "insurance" for my diet just in case I'm not consuming enough quality foods with proper nutrition. I take calcium because I rarely ever consume a glass of milk by itself. The only time I drink milk is in my shakes and it's only 8oz a day. And, omega-3 fatty acids help maintain healthy blood triglyceride levels and support healthy cardiovascular, cognitive, and joint function. They also support healthy vision and youthful skin. All of these together provide the core pack of nutrition that my body needs to be fueled properly every day.

Currently, I am experimenting with myself. By this, I mean that I am toying with total calorie consumption; keeping a close eye on my ratios of proteins, carbs, and fats; and eating every 3-4 hours for a total of 4-5 meals a day. With all of the training for 5K's lately, it's really ignited my metabolism and I can see my body composition shifting again. That's a beautiful thing! I started this journey at 205+ lbs and am now 165-170lbs.

If you feel compelled to check out any of the products depicted, go to: www.beachbodycoach.com/sota or www.shakeology.com/sota Feel free to contact me if you have any questions: noell_angela@yahoo.com I've struggled a long time with my health and fitness. I've come a long way but I also have a long way to go. I feel great and that's the most important thing. Once I started exercising regularly and started feeding my machine accordingly, it was amazing how the inches fell off and my energy sky-rocketed! My confidence soared through the roof and my life did a complete 180 right before my eyes. Don't get me wrong, it didn't happen overnight. There were a lot of struggles and setbacks, but I kept pushing through. That's the key: Don't ever give up on yourself...EVER!