How much thought do you put into what you eat?

I bet you didn’t realize that 80% of what you eat will either help assist in your weight loss efforts or cause self-sabotage.  Shocking percentage, wouldn’t you say??  Well, reality is, it’s true.

Good nutrition starts in the kitchen.  Heard the quote, “Abs are made in the kitchen”?  It’s true.  If you are looking for those taught strong abs, or even a toned body, from head to toe, it starts in the kitchen.

So, as we tend to do a “spring clean”, it’s worth doing a quarterly ambush through your cupboards and pantry to rid you nutrition regime of chemical laden foods and additives (aka “processed foods”).

It’s no wonder that so many of us are overwhelmed on what’s good for us and what’s not good for us.  Sound about right?  The media surely doesn’t help.  Depending on what you read or watch, it could be about eating only “free” foods (think “fat” and “sugar” free), or that carbs are the culprit, and then the Acai berry becoming the holy grail of weight loss (which of course is sold in pill form and promised to deliver rapid results).

Aggh…gives me a headache thinking of all the things out there that claim to be good for us.

It’s time to re-examine what you eat.

It all starts with reading nutritional labels. The nutritional content and ingredient list will give you everything you need to know about the quality of the food item.  A good rule of thumb, the more ingredients in the product, the more CRAP it has to prolong its shelf life, not to mention the cheaper it was to make by the manufacturer.  Oh, and if you can’t pronounce it, then it’s likely no good for you.

Ok, let’s start with the basics and rummage through your kitchen to get rid of the top 5 ingredients that, regardless of what eating plan you follow, should NOT be lurking in your home.  PERIOD.

Ingredient #1: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
HFCS is a manmade sugar, derived predominantly from genetically modified corn. The sweet concoction has been shown to promote binges and hysterical hunger, and wrecks havoc on your blood sugar levels, promoting fat storage. (www.naturalnews.com)

The introduction of HFCS into our food supply directly paralleled a 47% spike in Type 2 Diabetes cases as well as an 80% increase in obesity. HFCS is a sweet deal for food processors and soft drink companies because it`s cheaper than sugar and even sweetener.  Here’s just a short list of common products that include HFCS:

• Sauces (including ketchup, BBQ sauce, etc.)
• Yogurt
• Energy Bars
• Soft Drinks / Fruit Juices
• Processed baked goods
• Cereals
• Crackers
• Ice Cream
• Salad Dressing
• Most packaged snack foods
• Basically anything with an extended shelf life

Ingredient #2: Hydrogenated Fat / Partially Hydrogenated Fat (Trans Fat)
Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats have undergone such extensive processing that the chemical structure has changed from a “cis” shape, which the human body recognizes and utilizes, to a “trans” shape, which is foreign and destructive to human physiology.

Check each food label for the word ‘hydrogenated’ and avoid it diligently. Cutting out hydrogenated fats is a simple set towards looking and feeling your best.

Ingredient #3: Aspartame
Um, need I say more?  Ok, what is Aspartame?  It is an artificial sweetener that was denied 8 times by the FDA before being approved in 1973. Many scientists objected the approval, claiming that aspartame hadn’t been proven safe for use as a food additive.

MIT neuroscientist, Richard Wurtman, researched the effects of aspartame and concluded that it promotes cravings for foods high in calories and carbohydrates. Though aspartame is calorie-free it still causes insulin to be released, which job is to stow away sugar – when this sugar is not available, the result is often hypoglycemia and severe hunger. Not exactly a recipe for weight loss.

Additionally, there is growing research supporting claims that chemicals like aspartame disrupt and stunt the normal function of your endocrine system (the system that regulates your hormones) and metabolism. (www.naturalnews.com)

In short, anything that claims its “sugar free”, likely has aspartame.  Such as:

• Yogurt (Yoplait is one that comes to mind)
• Diet Soda’s
• Splenda / Equal or sweeteners
• Gum

Ingredient #4: White Sugar
White sugar comes from the juice of a sugar cane plant that has undergone an intensive refining process. In this process all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals are destroyed, rendering it nutritionally void. White sugar is also extremely high in calories, which your body loves to store away in fat cells.

Refined sugar has been linked to a weakened immune system, hyperactivity, ADD, mental and emotional disorders, dental cavities, hypoglycemia, enlargement of the liver and kidneys, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. All that and it leads to weight gain. (www.naturalnews.com)

Ingredient #5: White Flour
White flour comes from natural whole wheat that has been stripped of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. This results in a nutritionally void product that is packed with calories that release quickly into your system, creating a spike in blood sugar. As you know, this promotes fat storage and leads to hysterical hunger and cravings. You don’t need that. (www.naturalnews.com)

Begin by dismissing just these 5 items out of your diet, you’ll be amazed at the immediate results as it relates to your weight loss efforts, energy and immune system.

Proper nutrition and good eating should come from real food items. That includes lean meats, colorful vegetables and fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds. The more colorful your meals are from REAL foods, the better off you’ll be in the long run.

The bottom line is that your physique is largely a result of what you eat, so the foods that you put into your body should be carefully selected.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.  Never truer words said.

Your partner in health & fitness.

There were a great many of questions, most asked by current Coaches and a few questions that were emailed in, prior to the call.   Questions ranged from How to leverage Social Media/Network Marketing to How you can hold a Coach account without being a “Coach”.

TUNE IN TO HEAR THE ANSWERS:

If you have ever thought about becoming a Coach and have questions of your own, be sure to check out my FAQ’s post, our MyFitnesspays.com site or email me directly: taryn@choose2befit.com.

Your partner in health & fitness.

According to Wansink, overeating can be greatly reduced simply by removing the cues in your environment that cause you to overeat. He goes on to explain some of the top Diet Danger Zones and below offers a solution on how to stabilize your eating habits.  Below I have summarized them and added one of my own (see #6), as I think we can ALL identify with one or another, right??!!

Which one are you?  A little of each?  More of one over the other?

1.            The Meal Stuffer: At mealtime you really stuff yourself. You clean everything off your plate, eat quickly and often go back for seconds. You consider yourself to have a “healthy appetite” an often feel uncomfortably full after eating.

• Use the Half-Plate Rule: fill half of your plate with vegetables and the other half with protein and starch.
• Use smaller plates and wait 20 minutes before deciding if you want seconds.
• Eat slower so your appetite can catch up with what you’ve already eaten.  (Mom’s, sound familiar? I’m lucky if I can get through my breakfast while it’s HOT!)
• Don’t place serving dishes on the table. Pre-plate your food and then put the rest out of reach.

2.            The Snack Grazer: You eat whatever food is within reach, and snack at least three times  throughout the day. You can’t walk past a candy dish without dipping in. Your snacking is rarely done out of hunger.

• Chew gum throughout your day to avoid mindless munching.
• Keep tempting snack foods out of sight and out of mind.
• Never eat directly from a package. Portion out your snack into a dish.
• Don’t purchase tempting snack foods for future snacking. Keep a wide variety of fruits and vegetables on hand instead.

3.            The Party Binger: Whenever you attend a social event where the main attraction is food, you eat without stopping. With all the distraction you quickly lose track of how much you’ve consumed and often stop only when it’s time to leave.

• Stay more than an arm’s length away from the buffet or snack bowls.
• Put only two food items on your plate during each trip to the table.
• Make yourself feel full by eating (and drinking water) the big healthy stuff first, like broccoli and carrots.
• Remind yourself why you are at the party: first to socialize or to conduct business and secondarily to eat.
• Eat before you go to the party.  You’ll likely have less temptation to overeat if you are already full.

4.            The Restaurant Indulger: You eat out at least three times a week and enjoy every minute of it.  You love appetizers, large entrees and rich desserts. When you leave the table you are always stuffed.

• Ask your waiter to remove the bread basket from the table.
• Before you eat, ask your waiter to box half of your entrée to take home.
• Decide to either share an appetizer or a dessert, never have both.
• Skip the appetizer menu and instead start your meal with a side salad.

5.            The Desktop (or Dashboard) Diner: You like to multi-task by eating at your desk or on the go.     Your lightning-quick meals aregrabbed on-the-go from fast food joints, vending machines and convenience stores. You don’t plan your meals ahead of time and end up eating whatever you    can quickly find.

• Pack a healthy lunch and bring it with you.
• Stock your work area with healthy protein-filled snacks.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
• Turn off the computer or pull your car over while you eat.

6.            The “Grab n’ Go” Traveler: You travel often for business or pleasure and find with early or later flights, the options for food are minimal or less than stellar.  This may often lead you to grab that greasy breakfast sandwich at the airport McDonald’s (or any “grab n’ go” restaurant   option), operate just on 20 ounces of coffee, be forced to purchase nasty airline food, or worse, NOTHING.  So, plan ahead.

• While packing for your flight, also pack a snack bag to take in your carry-on (which means, allow enough room to pack it!).
• Allow for time to eat a meal before you leave for the airport.
• Find a grocery store at your destination and stock your room full of healthy meal options ( i.e.: oatmeal, raw nuts, fruit, vegetables, almond butter and/or protein nutrition bars.
• Stay hydrated while traveling.
• Keep active.  Don’t let your vacation or business trip get the better of you.  Staying on track with your nutrition and fitness will sustain optimal energy, thus creating less opportunity to make poor decisions.

By making these healthy changes when it comes to your food decisions you will put yourself back on course and moving in the direction of healthy weight loss.

As nutrition is a vital part to any successful and organic weight loss, coupling it with a challenging and progressive fitness program is equally as key.

If you’d like additional suggestions and/or recommendations on how to stick with your nutritional plan or maintain your fitness while on the go, drop me an email or phone call.

Your partner in health & fitness.

I will never look at a cucumber the same again.  LISTEN UP LADIES…some great tips below.



1.   Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon? put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5.  Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in  equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don’t have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire  cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don’t have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a ‘green’ way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won’t leave streaks and won’t harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Your partner in health & fitness.

Serves 6 to 8 people

Pre-Prep:

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup lime juice (4-6 limes, depending on how large and juicy the limes are)

1/4 of a medium sized watermelon, rind removed, black seeds removed (if there are any), chopped into 1-inch cube-ish pieces, about 8 cups

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup fresh chopped mint leaves

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley leaves

Put it together:

1. Soak the chopped red onion in the lime juice while you are prepping the other ingredients.  Roughly               15 minutes.

2. Gently combine all ingredients into a large serving bowl.

**TIP: Serve immediately. Salad will get soggy if kept overnight.

I found this wonderful recipe in our local PCC Newsletter, which comes by way of simplerecipes.com.

Enjoy!

Have faith in your weight loss success.

At last, you can combine the power of your faith with your desire to lose weight and get fit. Body Gospel^® is a first-of-its-kind program that includes workouts set to inspirational gospel music, breakthrough new resistance bands, and a complete nutrition plan created by fitness icon Donna Richardson Joyner.

She shows you how to combine this effective program with your faith in God to transform your body and your life. With glorious music guaranteed to get you moving, every workout is a “party with a purpose,” and the results will amaze you.

If you believe, you will succeed!

Body Gospel® is a comprehensive physical and spiritual transformation system.

Whether you have 40, 30, 20, or just 10 minutes, Body Gospel gives you uplifting workouts set to foot-stomping gospel hits. Anyone—from beginner to advanced—can do these workouts and see results.

What’s included:

Body Revival: This calorie-blasting cardio workout lifts your spirit, slims your body, and leaves you feeling energized all day long. 
(34 minutes)

Core Revelation: Lose those love handles and define your abs while slimming and trimming your thighs and backside. 
(21 minutes)

Stretch in the Spirit: Increase your flexibility, reduce stress, and breathe new life into your healthy temple. 
(12 minutes)

Power & Praise: An interval-training workout with Donna’s specially designed resistance bands to help tone and define your muscles while you burn fat. 
(37 minutes)

Gospel Glory: An advanced body-slimming cardio workout to help shrink your hips and thighs, and flatten your tummy. 
(45 minutes)

Strength & Spirit: Alternates between strength and cardio training for maximum fat and calorie burning. Sculpt and tone your body from head to toe.
(54 minutes)

Total Transformation Guide: Includes a 30-day workout calendar, goal-tracking journal, and daily scripture to help strengthen your faith in God and yourself.

Feed Your Body, Feed Your Soul Nutrition Guide:Lose weight and have more energy with Donna’s delicious and filling recipes for meals and snacks. You’ll stay satisfied and on track without feeling like you’re on a diet.

Body Gospel^® Training Cards: Perfect for beginners or people on the move for a quick workout on the go—any time, any place.

Body Gospel® Bands: Pro-grade resistance bands that will help you engage your core and upper and lower body–all at the same time. You’ll sculpt and define long, lean muscles with these breakthrough bands.

24/7 Online Access: Body Gospel online is truly a fellowship of fitness. Join live chats with Donna and other Body Gospel users, plus you’ll get free training tips, nutrition tools, and personal assistance from me – your FREE personal Coach.

You ready to have faith in your weight loss success??  Click below to order yours!!

ORDER HERE

 

Your partner in health & fitness.

Burn up to 9x more fat than with regular cardio doing TurboFire. Featuring High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), these 12 workout classes make you sweat with the hottest music and moves. And forget about rushing to the gym for the best spot in class. With TurboFire, class starts when you Push Play.

THE SECRET BEHIND TURBOFIRE

TurboFire workouts include interval training known as “HIIT.”

These routines combine short bursts of intense exercise with quick recovery periods to ignite your metabolism. The result is a phenomenon known as the AfterBurn Effect, which enables you to burn fat at an accelerated rate for a full 24 to 48 hours after your workout.

In fact, studies show that with HIIT, you’ll work out for less than half the time you normally would doing regular cardio, and burn up to 9x more fat.

SUCCESS STORY

See how Deawna scorched calories with TurboFire.

Deawna H.

Lost 45 Lbs.
Lost 48.5″ Total

“This truly is a workout that’s so much fun, you forget you’re exercising.”

THE BEST TRAINER

Chalene has helped countless thousands reach their goals with ChaLEAN Extreme^® and Turbo Jam^®. Now you can turn up the burn with TurboFire.

THE BEST MUSIC

With over 20 hits, the TurboFire soundtrack is smoking-hot. You’ll love scorching calories to remixes of “Bad Girls,” “In the Ayer,” and “Proud Mary.”

THE BEST WORKOUTS

TurboFire classes (some as short as 10 minutes) will have you punching harder and kicking higher to help you burn 9x more calories than with regular cardio.

THE BEST SPOT IN CLASS

Tired of driving to pricey gyms and working around their class schedules? Try TurboFire and you’re always guaranteed the best spot in class.

Want to know FIRST HAND when it will be available to you??  Don’t miss out:

COMING THIS SUMMER!

Shakeology continues to evolve, and as it does, more and more lives will be impacted from it’s great many health benefits.  I am just touched by some of the stories I’ve read and heard, first hand, from people that have experienced a change in their total wellness.

Well, to top that, Carl and his buddies wanted to seek feedback from a population of experts, that many of turn to when our health takes a turn for the worst – our Doctors.  Here is a great video that shares THEIR personal experience with Shakeology and how they feel it’s a stand up product and recommend it to their patients – and NO, they are not being paid to endorse it, strictly voluntary.

Want further validation, take the ingredients list to YOUR doctor and have them see it for themselves.  Or, better yet, walk into your next appointment with a sample, so they can experience it first hand, and give you their honest impression.  I can help you with those sample packets.

But, trusting the 30-day bottom of the bag guarantee, maybe you just experience it yourself.  If you’d like to get on board and try out Shakeology, send me an email: taryn@choose2befit.com or visit: http://shake4wellness.com and check it out for yourself.

Your partner in health & fitness.

So I’ve done the 3-Day cleanse once before, although didn’t track my daily feelings and experience, so 2nd time around, I decided it was necessary to share it.

Here’s my journal in detailing my 2^nd experience with the 3-Day Shakeology cleanse.  If you haven’t already, check out my post on The Science Behind the Shakeology Cleanse.  Please do your research, don’t go in blindly looking for a quick fix.

Here is the general menu that I followed, as previously mentioned in an earlier blog post.

Day 1:

Although the day started out a little rough, not due to the cleanse, but more of my  kids waking up on the wrong side of the bed, the day quickly changed for the better as we got through the day.  The cleanse has so far treated me well!  Although I’ve done the cleanse before, I still am surprised at the energy and lack of bloat I felt, just after the end of Day 1.  Wonderful feeling.

I decided to switch the schedule around a tad, as I teach 2 group fitness classes on Tuesday’s, not to mention had my own workout in the AM.  So instead of having the salad for dinner, I elected to have it for lunch, store my veggie and lean (white) protein spinach salad as energy and fuel to get through my classes, and end my day with a tasty Greenberry Shakeology.  It was a wonderful way to cap off the evening, coupled with some Yogi Peach Detox tea.

Time to head to bed, gear up for tomorrow’s P90X workout – Shoulders/Arms & Ab Ripper X.  I know a good night’s rest is in the cards, and as I recall from last cleanse, I slept like a baby each night.

I’m thrilled I can experience this journey with my fellow cleansing friends – Beverly, Donna, Jayn, Tim, Jessica and all others that are doing it well.  Great encouragement to get by.  I mean, it’s only 3 days, right??

Good night.

Day 2:

Well day started off on the right foot with a great workout – P90X Shoulders/Arms & Ab Ripper X.  This week I’m focusing on lifting heavy and I was amazed at the strength I had being on this cleanse.  Noticing some major definition – but ladies, its LEAN definition.  No bulk here.

My energy was up the entire day and I didn’t feel hungry with how I spaced out my shakes and salad.  I was nervous on  how I was going to work around  my day in my daughter’s Co-Op classroom, but I came prepared and make up my shake before I left and stored it in the fridge to enjoy during their snack time.  While all the kids and parents enjoyed a great spread of veggies, fruit, Ting-Tings and a homemade gluten free snack bar, I sipped away, guilt and regret free.  Not to mention, I shared my experience with a few of the Mom’s.

In talking with my friends that are joining me on the cleanse, they have already experienced great results – losing from 2.5 to 6 lbs in just 2 days.  I haven’t stepped on the scale, as I have a superstition to wait until the final day, so I can really enjoy the full results.

So, ending the day with a great attitude, fun filled with the kids and great energy.  Looking forward to tomorrow and what the day begins.  I know it will start off great, as Yoga X is on the docket.

Good night.

Day 3:

Final day.  I’m feeling awesome, really.  I have tons of energy.  Less bloat, less desire for the bad stuff and overall clarity.  I’ll take that.  Today’s workout was Yoga X and it felt wonderful.  I felt more fluidity in my poses and strength in holding form longer.  The cleanse or just gaining strength?  Hmm…jury’s out. Regardless, I was stoked.

Again, I opted to have my salad for lunch, instead of dinner.  I found that gave me that mid-day boost to fire through the rest of the day, and allowed me to unwind from the day with my final Shakeology after I got home from my Thursday evening class I teach.

There you have it.  3-Day cleanse came and went.  I plan to do this once a month or every other month.  This feeling of clarity is addicting!!

Drum roll…………………………………

FINAL RESULTS – 5 lbs down and an inch of my waistline.  Now, I’m not saying that my overall goal was to drop weight (that came as a bonus), but more of clean out the “gunk” that gets built up.  Mission accomplished.

Now, onto my maintenance program of continuing with my Primal (Blueprint) lifestyle and having 1 Shakeology a day.

If you are interested in hearing more about Shakeology, check it out here: www.shake4wellness.com.  There is a new tab called “The Doctors”.  See what they are saying about the product.  If you want to try the cleanse yourself, you can order from my website as well – but let me suggest that you get it ordered via Home Direct (HD) and get FREE shipping and other free loot.  Well worth it!

Your partner in health & fitness!

*This was recently discussed in last week’s “3-Day Shakeology Explained”, webinar, and since so many missed it or had questions, I wanted to post this written explanation by Steve Edwards, one of the masterminds behind this amazing cleanse.  For more information or to view my experience, visit my website and check out My Blog.

I like to call the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse a “performance cleanse.” This is because it was designed to be done with a workout program. Let’s take a look at how this differs from other cleanses, how to tailor it to your needs, and what to expect if you or your customers decide to try it.

First of all, it’s not a true cleanse. It’s a calorie-restricted and nutrient-dense diet plan. Traditional cleanses contain very few calories and nutrients. Compared to the much more popular Master Cleanse, it’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Traditional cleansing diets are done to rid your system of toxins and bring it into homeostasis. They also contain a spiritual aspect. This process can take a long time, which is why you may have seen coworkers walking around the office in a zombie-like state for weeks on end—swilling a strange concoction of lemons and maple syrup.

The Shakeology cleanse is nothing like that. Depending on how you decide to do it, you’ll be eating frequently and consuming between 800 and 1,200 calories per day, and it could be even more should you feel the need. The point of this cleanse is not calorie restriction, per se—it’s nutrient efficiency. The aim is to get the most nutrients possible into the fewest number of calories. The goal is to put all of these calories to use as a part of your exercise program, to rid your body of undigested foods and toxins, and to bring your hydration levels into homeostasis. The result you’re after is not weight loss—though it will likely occur—but for your body to be running more efficiently. This should make you feel lighter and more energetic, even though you’re doing an exercise program.

How It Works
Your eating structure doesn’t change. You still eat every few hours while you’re awake. Each meal should have a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. And while you’re not eating as much food as you’d normally eat, your calorie-to-nutrient ratio is extremely high. This means that you shouldn’t restrict the actual nutrients you’re getting by too much, so activity can continue as normal.

We recommend you try to keep your shakes to just Shakeology. Adding fruits of any kind, or seeds (for fat and fiber), or the Shakeology Fiber supplement, can and should be done as you see fit.

Ditto for your one solid meal—a salad. As we all know from any salad bar, the definition of salad can be varied. The goal of the salad in the plan is to keep your calories coming from natural sources (no artificial ingredients should be added, including artificial salad dressing). Aside from that, you can add ingredients as necessary. Keep your meat intake to four ounces or less, but add veggies, seeds, nuts, fruits, and legumes in quantities to satiate you.

The goal of the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse is to optimize your performance. You want to eat enough to fuel your day AND your workout. The foods you’re eating are so high in fiber and nutrients that it’s virtually impossible to overeat. You’ll be consuming so much fiber, along with enzymes and digestive aids, that your body’s ability to flush excess foods quickly will be at its peak.

What to Drink
Water, of course, is recommended in quantity. This is vital to any cleanse, because one of your goals is to bring your hydration into homeostasis. When your electrolytes are out of balance—the main problem we have is salt—you often retain water outside of your cells. This situation, which we refer to as retaining water, is cured by drinking more water. As the excess salts are diffused, your body begins to hydrate your cells (using sodium as it should be used) and flush the water held outside the cells. So, oddly enough, you drink water to eliminate water retention.

Sodas, alcohols, juices, etc., should be eliminated entirely during a cleanse. Coffee and tea, which are diuretics, should be minimized at the very least and eliminated if possible. Again, performance is the key, so if you need a cup of Joe as a pick-me-up, go ahead. Just use only as needed, and don’t use additives. Eliminating sugar and chemicals is vital. However, do not use energy drinks or soda for this purpose, including the ones with artificial sweeteners. Coffee drinkers may find that switching to black tea during a cleanse will give you the energy you’re looking for with less upset. Coffee’s acidic nature can heighten the effects in a negative way during your cleanse.

Why You Won’t Lose Weight
I should say why you might not lose weight, but I wanted to get your attention. Most people will lose some weight during a cleanse, but that is not the goal. Those with a lot of undigested gunk in their systems will lose weight as it’s flushed out. Those of you who are properly hydrated and already eat well are less likely to lose. For those of you who need to lose weight, take heart: you are setting up your system to use nutrients more efficiently and improving your ability to lose weight through structured diet and exercise. So while you may not lose much on the cleanse, you’ll be more prepared to lose weight later.

Another reason why we don’t always lose weight on cleanses is due to a stress hormone called cortisol. Restricting calories is stressful to the body, and it reacts by releasing cortisol. Cortisol is performance-enhancing in the short term, but if you somehow keep your body stressed for long periods, it creates havoc in your system and can cause you to doggedly hang onto weight in a type of survival mode. We don’t want this to occur, which is one reason the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse is short. It’s important not to remain in a highly calorie-deficient state for long periods of time, especially when you are trying to exercise hard.

View the entire Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse regimen here >>

If you want to get going on the 3-Day cleanse yourself, check out my website and kick start your metabolism.  *Free shipping on all Home Direct (HD) orders!!!

Your partner in health & fitness.