Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Chicken & Cauliflower Fried Rice

Chicken & Cauliflower Fried Rice  (Serves 4)

4 cups shredded cauliflower
1 Tbsp coconut oil
4 large eggs (slightly beaten)

1 clove garlic (minced) 

4-5 Tbsp Braggs Amino Acid (plus more for taste)

6 oz pre-cooked/grilled chicken breast (diced)
1 cup frozen peas (thawed)*
2 medium carrots peeled/diced & steamed*
*(or use frozen thawed carrots or combination peas/carrots)

4 scallions thinly sliced (green parts only)


Preparation:

Combine garlic and amino acids in a small bowl and mix well (set aside)

Heat skillet or Wok on Med/ high then add coconut oil.  Add cauliflower and cook 2-4 minutes. Make a well in the center of the pan and add the beaten eggs (stir frequently until eggs begin to set). Mix eggs into cauliflower.   

Add amino acids and garlic to cooked cauliflower and egg mixture.  

Add chicken, peas, carrots  and scallions to pan and stir until heated through.  (approximately 2 minutes).   

Divide evenly into 4 serving bowls; garnish with additional scallions.  Add additional Braggs if desired for taste.  





Friday, October 23, 2015

SHAKEOLOGY AND NURSING

Moms often ask questions about Shakeology and nursing. Many times this question can come up because many new moms want to keep nursing their baby and they want to start losing weight.
Before we get too far into Shakeology and nursing, here are what a few medical professionals said about Shakeology and Nursing.
“Every pregnant woman should drink this. It has all the nutrition a pregnant woman needs. I wish all pregnant women would drink it.”
“It looks great to me,” after they reviewed the ingredients.
“As long as you get enough calories each day, you should be just fine to drink this. They have to put that notice on the back to cover themselves legally.”
“It looks awesome to me. I don’t see why not, look at what other moms are putting into their bodies and nursing.”

SHAKEOLOGY AND NURSING

Can you drink it while nursing?
You can… Though you can with some specific things to remember.
You must keep in mind that when nursing you typically need 300-500 more calories each day. You also need a lot more water. If you don’t get enough calories each day or enough water, your milk may dry up and/or you could have other issues that arise.
With that said Shakeology and Nursing can be of great benefit to you and your baby. Shakeology has no chemicals, preservatives, no artificial sweeteners, and no artificial flavors or colorings. Shakeology provides the highest quality ion-filtered whey protein in the original, and vegetable based protein in the vegan formula. It has high quality vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes, super-greens, super-fruits and so much more all derived from plants.
With over 70 of the most nutritious foods in the world, it is one of the most nutrient dense foods you could be eating and providing you and your baby.
Think about it… Are you willing to eat at restaurants and fast food places? If you said yes to that, then why would you have second thoughts about putting clean super foods into your body?
Shakeology is an INCREDIBLE tool for your health and the health of your baby. Plus it can help with postpartum weight loss. When the body is truly nourished and is able to heal from damage caused from childbirth and the other things we had done over the years.
Other wonderful benefits of Shakeology include increased energy, improved digestion, curbing cravings and appetite for junk foods and sweets, lowering cholesterol, improved mental clarity, and so much more. Drinking Shakeology also helps people to get more fruits and vegetables into the diet.

SHAKEOLOGY AND NURSING

What new mother wouldn’t want more ENERGY and MENTAL CLARITY?
What new mother wouldn’t want amazing nutrition for themselves as well as their baby?
What new mother doesn’t want to have the nutrition needed for their body to repair and help in losing postpartum weight?
Shakeology and Nursing… You Decide!

Sunday, October 11, 2015

INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR IN A PRE-WORKOUT DRINK

It can be hard to get motivated to work out. We have all said this before… “I just don’t feel like it.” That’s where a Pre-Workout Drink can help, but finding the right one is important. The biggest question is the Ingredients to Look For in a Pre-Workout Drink.
Knowing the Ingredients to Look for in a Pre-Workout Drink will help you pick a pre-workout supplement correctly formulated to get you up and running, both literally and figuratively. You want just the right amount of lift to enhance performance and delay muscle fatigue, but not crash an hour after your workout.
Member Confession
Pre-Workout Drinks are intended for use within 30 minutes prior to exercise. The top Pre-Workout Drink, Energize, was designed with that "time science" and the best ingredients at its core. The three natural ingredients of this superior supplement are low dose caffeine, beta-alanine, and quercetin.

INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR IN A PRE-WORKOUT DRINK

Definitely look for Caffeine on the list for ingredients in a pre-workout drink, but not just any caffeine at any dose. To enhance performance with improved reaction time, mental acuity, and focus, the caffeine has to be from natural, low dose sources. Energize uses a low dose of caffeine from green tea, which has been shown to enhance performance without the side effects of increased heart rate, gastrointestinal distress, insomnia, and jittery or anxious feelings.
Research has shown that low or very low caffeine doses can improve performance without undesirable side effects. Dr. Nima Alamdari Ph.D. and the Beachbody Director of Scientific Affairs, states that performance without unwanted side effects is one of the driving forces behind the Beachbody Performance line and it’s Energize Pre-Workout Drink.
The second ingredient from the list of Ingredients to look for in a Pre-Workout Drink is Beta Alanine. Beta Alanine is an amino acid that combines with another amino acid called Histidine to create a substance called Carnosine. This combination buffers against acid level build up in the muscle. Carnosine is found in meat, but you would need to eat huge amounts of beef to get enough to improve exercise performance. Consuming Beta Alanine over time, may increase muscle carnosine levels, which in turn can increase body’s lactic acid buffering capacity. When this happens it allows an increased period of exercise and greater high intensity exercise sustainability, which in turn can mean greater results.

INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR IN A PRE-WORKOUT DRINK

The last ingredient is on the must list of ingredients to look for in a pre-workout drink is Quercetin. Quercetin in its purest form is a bright yellow color supplement and a potent phytonutrient that has shown to improve performance and decrease exercise-induced inflammation.  Again through human clinical trials Dr. Alamdari has found that this nutrient can also help reduce the effects of delayed onset muscle soreness [DOMS], and speed muscle strength recovery. In this study he also found that Quercetin showed in improvement of the VO2max (the maximum amount of oxygen one can use during aerobic exercise) over the placebo group.
When shopping for a pre-workout drink,  or any other supplements to help give you an edge on your results, you need to look at the entire Performance line. Energize and the other products in the Performance line are NSF Certified. This means its label claims of product contents have been verified and it has been screened for the major stimulants, narcotics, steroids, diuretics, and beta-2 agonists which are banned by most major athletic organizations. What does this mean for you? It means these products are safe, legal, and very clean.
Breaking News
Whether you are pumping iron and kicking butt in your living room, training for an Ironman Triathlon, or a professional athlete, you have found the highest quality products in the Beachbody Performance line. Knowing the Ingredients to Look for in a Pre-Workout supplement, and all of your other supplements, gives you the best chance for greatest results from your workouts.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

AN EASY DIET TO GET YOU STARTED!

Transition diets are the best Easy Diet to start your journey to better health and be a healthier eater. Of course when we say Easy Diet, what we really mean is a nutrition plan that is easy to implement and sets you up for a healthy eating lifestyle. The biggest goal when starting is to create a plan that  includes more natural, whole foods and less junk.  
That first step itself constitutes an Easy Diet. Why is this…? Because there are no secrets to healthy eating. Healthy nutrition is simply understanding that eating healthy means you have to minimize junk food. If 90% of your nutrition is real food (remember, the stuff nature makes?) your body will respond and your exercise efforts will pay off with better results.

AN EASY DIET TO GET YOU STARTED!

Take 2-4 weeks to start implementing some mainstays that are necessary for balanced nutrition. After you clean out the junk it is time to focus on what you can eat, rather than what you can’t eat. You will find that this list is a lot to chow down on. Small changes make healthy eating pretty easy and is the best way to get ready for a new nutrition plan and exercise program.

EASY DIET WEEK 1 – ELIMINATE, CHEAT DAYS, AND FOCUS

  • Cheat Days: Since no one’s perfect, you get two days during this week to cheat. Yep, eat anything you want! Be sure to listen to your body, it will tell you it wants everything that you have cut out and over time, how you feel is a great indicator of what nutrients you are deficient in, rather than a cue to eat junk. Listen to your body. Example: Craving ice cream, you may be short on essential fatty acids. Craving a hamburger, your nutrition may lack protein. Listen to your body and learn what it really needs and then choose food items that can really give it those nutrients, versus giving in to the junk like ice cream or hamburgers. Being in tune with your body is a lifestyle benefit that will pay off for the rest of your life.
  • Eliminate: No junk. Eliminate junk food from your diet. That’s it, just junk. The definition of junk is obvious stuff, like potato chips, candy, ice cream, cake, and other salt- and sugar-loaded foods.
  • Focus: After you rid the junk, focus on the fact that in week one you can eat whatever and whenever you like. Also don’t forget to focus on water, 8-10 eight ounce glasses of water per day, or even better focus on a gallon. As much as 65-75% of us walk around dehydrated. Once you are hydrated you will notice changes in your body and how it craves food. Another focus should be on minimizing or eliminating other drinks such as juice, sodas (obviously), and alcohol.

AN EASY DIET TO GET YOU STARTED!

EASY DIET WEEK 2 – NO JUNK AND PROPER PORTIONS, CHEAT MEALS, AND FOCUS

  • Yes still “no junk” and learning proper portion sizes. Remember that this is a process, and things need to be done over and over again for it to become a part of your life.Eat proper portions of food, and eat more often. Eat every 3-4 hours and try not to eat anything about two hours before you go to sleep. This helps keep your blood sugar levels more static and your energy level more consistent. The basic recommended times to eat are Breakfast, Mid-Morning Snack, Lunch, Mid-Afternoon Snack, and Dinner. Learn proper portions such as – ½ cup of high fiber grains, 1 cup of vegetables, 1 cup of fruit, 3-4 ounces of lean meat, and ¼ cup of healthy fats. Sticking to these portions and the proper numbers of each portion per day will keep your metabolism firing on all cylinders.
  • Cheat Meals: Yes your full Cheat Days from week one are now Cheat Meals. You can have two Cheat Meals per week. You will notice that having an entire day to cheat is not necessary. Though you may be tempted  every now and again, you will see it is not necessary to cheat more often. When cravings come, you will find that having one cheat meal generally suffices. Plus more times than not, cravings are more mental than physical. Gradually decreasing your cheat meals and knowing it’s mostly in your head helps break those mental habits.
  • Focus: Carbs are not the enemy. Your body needs them, just like it needs proteins and fats. The key is choosing the right style carbs. As a society, we eat too much refined sugar. Complex grain carbs, like whole-grain breads, whole-grain rice, sweet potatoes, and legumes are great choices. Keep in mind that vegetables and fruits are carbs as well. The right carbohydrates will maximize your body’s ability to function properly and participate in exercise and other daily activities.

EASY DIET WEEK 3 – SAME FOCUS, MORE VARIETY, AND SUPPLEMENTATION

  • Focus: Stick to No Junk and Cheat Meals on two different days per week.
  • Have more variety, eat more colorful foods, and try foods you have never had before. Try recipes that are easy to make and provide balanced nutrition. For great recipes be sure to check out the Fixate Cookbook by celebrity trainer Autumn Calabrese. Remember the richer the colors, the fresher the products tend to be. Try to eat a variety of colors in your diet. Be sure to have a variety of all food types, including proteins, grains, vegetables, and fruits. Be sure to vary meals as well. You don’t want your meals to be too heavy in one nutrient or another. Balance matters!
  • Total Nutrition Supplementation: Starting to implement total nutritional supplements that are clean and artificial ingredient free is very important. This helps your body do a better job of utilizing the nutrients from the foods you eat, provides the nutrients you cannot get from food sources, and may help with many other aspects of your body function and efficiency. Shakeology and its Shakeology Boosts are some of the best and cleanest total nutrition supplements you can add to your diet.
Taking time to transition and use these easy diet suggestions to get started will make other changes a lot easier along the way. Following the steps of a process you are more likely to succeed than just random efforts. Start here and you will find getting into your nutrition and exercise plan will be easier and results will happen sooner!

Thursday, October 1, 2015

HOW DOES YOUR BODY RESPONDS TO AEROBIC EXERCISE WORKOUTS?

Regardless of age, weight or athletic ability, Aerobic Exercise Workouts are good for you. Regular aerobic activity can help you live longer and healthier. Need motivation? See how aerobic exercise affects your heart, lungs and blood flow. Then get moving and start reaping the rewards.

HOW DOES YOUR BODY RESPONDS TO AEROBIC EXERCISE WORKOUTS?

During aerobic activity, you repeatedly move large muscle groups in your arms, legs and hips. When you do this you will breathe faster and more deeply. This maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. Your heart will beat faster, which increases blood flow to your muscles and back to your lungs. Small blood vessels (capillaries) also widen to deliver more oxygen to your muscles and carry away waste products, such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid. As this is all happening your body will begin to release endorphins, natural painkillers that promote and increase the sense of well-being. What are you waiting for, it is time to get moving!

AEROBIC EXERCISE WORKOUTS: TOP REASONS TO DO THEM!

Aerobic Exercise Workouts are needed by everybody. It may be a bit more difficult at first, but once you get going your body will adapt and you will get stronger and more fit.
Consider the following to see how Aerobic Exercise Workouts can help you feel better and enjoy life to the fullest.

AEROBIC EXERCISE WORKOUTS CAN HELP YOU:

  • Keep excess pounds at bay
  • Combined with a healthy nutrition plan, aerobic exercise helps you lose weight and keep it off.
  • Increase your stamina
  • Boost your mood
  • Aerobic exercise may make you tired in the short term, but over the long term, you’ll enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue.
  • Ward off viral illnesses
  • May activate your immune system. This may leave you less susceptible to minor viral illnesses, such as colds and flu.
  • Reduces the risk of many conditions, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke, certain types of cancer, and more.
  • Boosts your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the “good,” cholesterol, and lowers your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad,” cholesterol. This may result in less buildup of plaque in your arteries.
  • May help strengthen your heart, keep arteries clear, and control blood sugar. If you have coronary artery disease, aerobic exercise may help you manage your condition.
  • It can help ease the gloominess of depression, reduce the tension associated with anxiety, and promote relaxation.
  • Helps keep your muscles strong, which can help you maintain mobility as you get older.
  • Keeps your mind sharp.
  • Increase your longevity
Ready to get more active? How can you not be with all those benefits that Aerobic Exercise Workouts provide?
Start smart with small steps if you’ve been inactive for a long time or if you have a chronic health condition. When you’re ready to begin exercising, start slowly.  Walking in the morning and evening is a good way to begin. After a few weeks you can step it up to brisk walking or jogging. Those types of Aerobic Exercise have their benefits, but you also want to combine Aerobic Exercise Workouts that provide exercises that move you in multiple directions. This allows your heart rate to gradually increase while training your body to move in many directions. It also strengthens tissues around your joints, which gives them more stability.
Beachbody On-Demand offers a varied selection of Aerobic Exercise Workouts. What’s great about Beachbody On-Demand is there are programs for every fitness level and the programs progress properly. Gradual workout progression can keep you motivated, keep you from boredom, and help prevent injury.
So grab all the benefits of Aerobic Exercise Workouts with the best programs on the market through Beachbody On-Demand!