What IS Shakeology and Why do I Need it?

In July of 2013, I was checking out some various juicing support groups (surprise, surprise, right?!?!) on Facebook and I came across a woman in the group who seemed nice and friendly. She was going through a detox and you know me, I LOVE making friends with anyone interested in juicing! So I asked to be her friend on Facebook and I started following her on Instagram. She seemed like a normal person and she was very inspirational. Her passion for health and fitness was contagious. I couldn't be her friend and NOT be interested in what she was doing to get healthy (aside from juicing). 

See, by that time, I had been doing juice fasts off and on for 5 months and I felt very comfortable when I was on a juice fast but I always felt so lost and confused when it came time to reintroduce foods into my diet. When you don't know any better, and when you go to look up "healthy recipes" online, you can see that there are a WIDE RANGE of what people consider "healthy". So I felt like I was just spinning my tires. I'd get done with a juice fast, lose weight, then start eating, going back to what I knew, but not going out to eat processed foods....but still cutting back on portions and I would STILL gain weight back. Not all of it, of course, but MAN! I was SICK OF IT! I was SICK of putting my body through these spans of time where I wouldn't eat ANY food to lose weight, then as soon as I started eating again, I'd gain again! 

Another thing that was very concerning to me was that I had recently begun to lose my hair at what I felt was a pretty rapid speed. For those women who are reading who have had children, it was like what happens after you have a baby and your hormones change and you start losing some of your hair for a short period of time? But my hair loss was NOT slowing down. And life was going SO WELL at the time that I kept telling myself, "It's not a big deal! Everything is going good in your life and you are just trying to find something negative! You are probably making a bigger deal out of this than it really is. Maybe my hair has ALWAYS fallen out like this?? and I'm just being overly dramatic?" And my husband is such a great husband and he is so in love with me that when I asked him if HE noticed a difference, I believe he was being completely truthful when he told me that I looked as beautiful to him as ever and that he didn't notice a difference. It wasn't until I got out of the shower one night, completely self aware of how THIN my hair had REALLY got, and I broke down in tears. It was OBVIOUS I was losing my hair. I am not trying to take away from anyone going through chemotherapy at ALL, but when you see patients who are on chemo and they start losing their hair, that's what I looked like.  It was so twisted. Here I was, having worked HARD to go from 234 lbs down to about 175 lbs and now my HAIR was going to fall out?! Just when I was starting to gain my confidence and just as I was starting to love and accept my body! Man, I still had lessons to learn, I guess.

I knew SOMETHING needed to change and I had no idea what was causing my hair loss but I knew whatever I was doing wasn't working for me anymore. I KNEW I needed help with the proper things to feed my body. I asked my friend more about what she was doing to lose weight and she told me she was an independent coach with Beachbody. She explained the process she has set up for her challenge members but she said more than being a challenge member, she knew I'd be PERFECT for coaching. 

Uhh...me? Did she see my picture? I was OUT. OF. SHAPE. I was about 175 lbs...and not a "fit" 175 either, but she saw my juice coaching and motivating and she said she knew I had the potential. It took me a while, but I FINALLY decided to become a coach in October of 2013, but I was still insecure.
"Who was going to want me to coach them??" I wondered. I wasn't close to a goal weight. And I didn't know how to eat clean, or what that even meant, really. She assured me that she would teach me all of that and help me get started. Something was STILL holding me back....I don't know what it was? Self doubt? Fear? Fear of failure? Fear of what other people would think?  Whatever it was, it was a lame excuse.

After a long talk with my husband (I'll save that for it's own blog...), we decided that since I was already a coach with Beachbody, that is where I was going to put my focus. I wanted to REALLY do something for myself, and more than just a challenge. I wanted to HOST a challenge. I was ready to push myself.

So as a "new" coach, I had a lot to learn. People always ask me what they "need" for my Challenge Groups.  I always recommended that my challenge members purchase a Challenge Pack. A Challenge Pack includes the fitness DVD program, a meal plan and a 30 day supply of Shakeology at a discount. Plus, you would get a 30 day trial VIP membership, a bonus workout and FREE shipping. 

Shakeology is the ultimate nutrition rich protein shake that provides healthy nutrients in a low calorie formula that your body can actually absorb. It takes the guesswork out of nutrition whether you use it as a meal replacement for weight loss, or just to make sure your body gets all the nutrients it needs for the best health (like my kids). With one serving, you get over 70 high-quality ingredients.

People always want a simple overview of Shakeology.

-  Average weight loss is 10 pounds for just adding the shake to your diets. (replacing one meal)
-  Reduces bad cholesterol an average of 38%!
-  Hair & nails grows faster (and thicker).
-  Skin looks and feels better due to the high amounts of antioxidants.
-  Lower your risk of degenerative diseases by 35%.
-  Builds and repairs muscle.
-  Reduces oxidative damage in the body by 45% on average and some even up to 90%!
-  Boost the immune system.
-  Stimulates friendly bacteria in the digestive system to keep you regular.
-  Shakeology is certified low Gylcemic. It is rated at 24 (An apple is 38 & a baked potato 93)

Most people want to know what exactly Shakeology is. 
Shakeology is a nutrition supplement that can be used as a meal replacement or as a snack. Shakeology provides your daily dose of dense nutrition in ONE serving which helps improve your health while at the same time, helping you combat your cravings and increase your metabolism. So it would help you reach your weight loss goals more quickly.

Most people want to know if they REALLY need it: 
It's not as if your daily workouts will be ineffective without it, but it would definitely help you achieve your goals faster than if you did NOT add it. 

Personally, the only things that were preventing me from trying it initially were the price and I remembered how Slim Fast, Special K Protein Drinks and Whey Protein never yielded any decent results for me. I just wanted something (with food included in the daily diet!!) that would work for me! My coach told me that ALL Beachbody products came backed with a 30 day money back guarantee. So that helped ease my mind a lot. I didn't want to be the person who sends back a fitness DVD and a meal replacement shake, but I also wasn't going to pay for crap results anymore, either. I had been feeling lost and I really wanted the help so I sat down with my husband and we went over our bank statements and calculated how had been spending on lunches and dinners eaten out, alcohol on the weekends and when we went out to dinner, jacking up the price of dinner EVEN MORE and all the other things that you never really think of, that really adds up like bottled water and soda, going out with the girls, spoiling our kids rotten..... It was CRAZY!!! and eye opening! And I knew that if we stuck to our budget, we could end up SAVING money. My husband wasn't so sold on the idea, but I was READY so I placed my order THAT NIGHT. That was back in September and I am proud to say I am NOT That Girl who sends back her meal replacement shakes and unused fitness DVD's!!!! 

This was the day my Shakeology came!

and this is me today at 134 pounds and wearing a size 2!!

Almost right away I noticed a major change in my appetite. I was going to bed at night without wanting my night-time snacks..
Within 1 week of drinking Shakeology, I noticed a major change in my energy levels. I was ready to jump out of bed  in the mornings FULL of energy and I noticed that I no longer felt like I NEEDED my afternoon nap, which had become a necessity up until that point.
Within 2 weeks I started to notice change in the way my clothes fit and also, my mood just seemed to be more positive than normal.
Within 1 month I had pretty much removed most of the processed foods and sugars from my diet and I had drastically cut back on grains and dairy. I was feeling AMAZING and the scale was singing my praises!Not to mention, my hair was growing back NOTICEABLY thicker and fuller than before!! I was gaining back my self confidence! My identity! My HAIR! 

-I just found out VERY recently during a training call with the rebootwithjoe.com website that there has been more and more information about long term juice fasting coming out because it's becoming more popular and it's been noted that some people can lose their hair if they are fasting for more than 15 days at a time because of the lack of protein. Now, it makes PERFECT sense that my hair loss stopped when it did and how it started growing back thicker than ever once I started drinking my Shakeology! Plus, my skin is clear and my fingernails are thick and not nearly as breakable anymore. It's like I'm on a prenatal vitamin!

Again, my husband takes a lot more convincing. I think he wanted to sit back and see how well (nor not so well) I'd do on this "Shakeology thing". He is pretty stubborn, but by the time he finally came around, I noticed instantly his nightly sweet tooth went away. He went to bed at night full and satisfied.

We felt great! Our minds were clear, as if we were 21+ days into a juice fast! Our bodies functioned better because we were now both active on a daily basis. Our diets was better than they had ever been. Our digestion improved greatly. It was amazing how 1 serving of Shakeology daily could have such a positive effect on us.   It's not "random", or a "coincidence", or "in your head" that you FEEL BETTER, within days. These are the smartest calories you'll put in your body!

It's so funny, I started drinking Shakeology, completely skeptical, not wanting to be That Girl who sends back her meal replacement shake and DVD, but I was ready to if this happened to turn out to be a waste of money, like every other weight loss gimmick I'd bought into in the past (aside from my juicing, of course). I wanted to lose weight and learn how to eat better. Now, 6 months later, I remain a loyal Shakeology customer for the fact that it keeps us healthy, keeps us functioning properly and because I believe it will not only improve, but save our lives, by keeping us as healthier than your average person. If I didn't stand behind our product 100%, I would never allow my three young boys to drink Shakeology (as a way to get in extra nutrients, not as a meal replacement for them, haha) which is why I am so passionate about sharing this with everyone I can. It's improved my life so greatly, I just want everyone else to feel as awesome as I do!

Just check out what these doctor's have to say about Shakeology! 

Did you know that Canada's version of the FDA (Health Canada) considers SHAKEOLOGY a MEDICINE?? All 70 holistic ingredients had to be approved medicinally before Shakeology could be imported.

Facts:
-  Shakeology is MORE than a protein shake 
-  Shakeology is MORE than a meal replacement. 
-  Shakeology is MORE than an antioxidant drink. 
-  Shakeology is MORE than a weight loss shake.

Are you wondering why you would choose to purchase Shakeology over a protein shake and/or a multivitamin? 

Protein shake – The purpose of a protein shake is to help repair and build muscle tissue after a workout. Protein is an important element of a healthy diet, especially if weightlifting is part of your exercise routine. Muscles are made primarily of protein, so by adding protein post workout you will help them to repair and grow. However, protein shakes do not replenish essential nutrients, vitamins and acids lost during intense exercise. 

Multi-vitamin – This helps to replenish the vitamins and minerals in the body that are often depleted during exercise. Because of this, you need to consume the recommended daily allowance of vitamins, which becomes harder to do as you reduce calories to expedite weight loss. A daily multi-vitamin helps to prevent disease, maintain energy, and keeps your immune system strong. This aids in the prevention of illness and recovery. However, a multi-vitamin cannot be used as a meal replacement and it also does not help to build muscle tissue. 

Shakeology – This provides a protein source (17g) and all of the benefits of a multi-vitamin. Plus, it can be used as a meal replacement. This means that it can promote faster weight loss and faster muscled gains. Shakeology is a premium meal replacement shake that combines many health-boosting ingredients, including real food sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, protein and phytonutrients. These ingredients help to rebuild muscle, maximize cellular health, eliminate toxins, kick start metabolism, and lower cholesterol in as few as 30 days. It can also keep you blood sugar from spiking. A typical Whey protein shake cannot provide you with these benefits and neither will a multi-vitamin.  You get to enjoy a delicious complete shake, just once a day, which combines a protein shake and multi-vitamins plus so much more. I know from my experience that this is easier, more effective and less expensive.  

I have heard this often: "You don't NEED a shake to lose weight. You just need to exercise, watch your calories and eat clean", which is true. 

ALSO TRUE STATEMENT: When you cut your calories, you are consequentially reducing your volume of nutrients. That means you will still have cravings. Having cravings make temptations difficult and you tend to "cheat" more and trust me, the more you cheat, the more likely you are to give up on your goals. Secondly, when you reduce your calories and nutrients, you feel tired and your lack of energy usually leads to you missing workouts or sometimes even finding it hard to get through your day. Then, you reach for caffeine or the sugary junk food, which spikes your heart rate and then drops you flat on your face feeling even worse a few hours later. These are the two main reasons I've fount that people are inconsistent with losing weight and one of the main reasons people end up giving up. They are tired and miserable and that just makes it even harder to stick to anything new, especially a lifestyle change. ... 

IN SUMMARY: Yes, you CAN lose weight safely and successfully with just diet and exercise alone. But, by adding Shakeology, because it's so extremely nutrient dense at just 160 calories a serving, your body is satisfied AND FULL because you are fueling it with some of the best nutrients available, all in one serving. Hence, you don't experience cravings. Additionally, because of super-food blend of ingredients, you naturally get a rested energy so that you don't "crash", you can workout harder and you don't experience those horrible cravings you get from the diets where you deprive yourself . Additionally, because Shakeology is 100% natural, you're not "tricking" your body and harming it with chemicals (or metals) that ultimately reduce your bodies natural performance just so your body thinks it's hungry. 

Bottom line, do you NEED Shakeology to be healthy and lose weight? No. But it sure does make the entire lifestyle change EASIER and also way more enjoyable. It only makes sense to use this remarkable product to HELP you along in the process. Take care of your health and well-being now, while you still have the chance to do something about it!  Add me on Facebook: Teela Juicing Herman or send me an EMAIL (thejuiceathomemom@gmail.com) if you have any questions about Shakeology, Challenge Packs, any of our workout DVD's, or if you are interested in earning income helping other people just like I do!

I hope to add you to our amazingly supportive Challenge Group today!