Shakeology

There are a lot of taglines that go with a product like Shakeology. Beachbody uses "the healthiest meal of the day." Many coaches refer to it as a "daily dose of dense nutrition." But there is a lot of confusion about what it actually is. Is it a protein shake? A meal replacement? A weight loss tool? A multivitamin? And where it gets even more confusing is the answer is yes, yes, yes yes and yes to other descriptions too.

 Shakeology doesn't really fit into any of the molds we try to squeeze it into. It's a shake and it has protein but not like a creatine powder would...it's not for bulking up after an intense workout. It is a meal replacement or snack replacement that will give you the nutrition you need to get through your day and stay healthy. But it isn't designed to be a meal replacement for weight loss....that is just a typical side effect. So a shake with protein that replaces a meal but isn't just for weight loss. What? Super confusing. I know.

This is why I am really excited to start a new blog series talking about all the amazing ingredients in Shakeology (over 70 made from some of the finest whole-food sources available and what that means---  I know. Super nerdy but at least I can use all that great English major research training for something!) And based on the ingredient list that is going to take some times so please bear with me! I will be posting the links to various ingredients and what I learn about them here for easy access. So check back regularly to see what I have learned -- the good, the awesome and even the not good.

But this is what I know for sure. Shakeology has really helped not just me but my entire family. My husband now drinks it regularly. He has lost close to 25 pounds from doing just this...no exercise added. There is a huge difference in the pics above. There was a 14 month span between the two pictures but I was that size until I started with Insanity in March of 2013. I just avoided cameras. That may be one of the only family pictures of us from that year. (And how sad is that. Avoiding taking pictures with my daughter because I was unhappy with myself. I am so glad I have learned that lesson and moved forward!) In the picture on the left, I had been on Shakeology for about 6 months and had completed Insanity and Turbofire. John on the other hand had been on Shakeology about 3 months and hadn't added any exercise to his life. (Figures! Men. Sometimes I swear if they breathe differently they lose weight while us ladies are shedding blood, sweat and tears!)

For all of my adult life, I have always had a crazy sensitive stomach. I was even on medication for a while to help treat those problems. Shakeology has really helped regulate and calm all of my stomach issues including the ones that happened due to being minus a gallbladder. We get sick less often than we used to and I have even noticed a huge difference in my asthma (which I attribute to so many of the anti-inflammatory attributes of Shakeology. But I am not a doctor and can only talk about my own personal experiences. For more info on how Shakeology can benefit your health please contact your doctor and talk about your options. Click here to download some information to get the conversation started.)

In July of 2014, we found out I was pregnant with our second child. As the news sank in, I immediately started thinking about this clean eating and fitness journey I was on and how it would work during pregnancy. I started looking for others whose doctors approved shakeology or didn't approve it and why. I was thrilled when my doctor approved shakeology with flying colors as long as I added a folate (or folic acid) supplement. (Of course everyone and all pregnancies are different so make sure you talk to your doctor if you are interested in Shakeology and are pregnant or trying to be!)


For more information on Shakeology and to hear more about my experience click here. (And trust me it is not all puppies dancing through rainbows.)


And always if I can help in anyway please don't hesitate to contact me.