Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Shakeology

Are you craving candy as much as this girl?! That Halloween candy did a number on me as far as wanting more! However, Shakeology is saving me! I made this recipe this afternoon, and it totally didn't disappoint! Try.it!

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 scoop of Vanilla Shakeology
• 1 tsp of dark chocolate cocoa
• 1 tbsp of peanut butter (or 2 tbsp of PB2)
• 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 5-6 ice cubes

DIRECTIONS:

Mix in a blender and enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Shake

First day of October; fall is in the air. This time of year I love everything apple and pumpkin, so after trying this new recipe, I just had to share.

PUMPKIN PIE SHAKE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology (Could use Chocolate too!)
• 1 cup rice milk (This is what we use at home, so just use whatever milk you have.)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened can pumpkin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 5 ice cubes 

DIRECTIONS: 

• Blend and enjoy!

Let me know if you try it out and what you think. :-)

Caramel & Sea Salt Shakeology

If you have been following me for any amount of time then you know by now that I have quite the sweet tooth. Since I started drinking Shakeology two years ago now, that has helped tremendously. When I came across this recipe about a month ago, I knew I needed to save it to have on hand for when my cravings hit a peak. I adjusted the recipe to fit my tastes, so know that you can do that too. I am guessing this would be amazing with Chocolate Shakeology, so I will be trying that soon.

This hit the spot, and I am not going to lie when I say I went and hid in my room to drink this. My kids usually take sips of my daily drink, but I wasn't allowing that this time. ;)

Caramel & Sea Salt Shakeology

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rice milk {or whatever milk you use}
• 3/4 cup water
• 5 ice cubes
• 1 tsp caramel extract
• A dash of Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

Directions:
Blend well and enjoy!

My Daily Eating Plan

One thing I have found since starting my healthier lifestyle is that it is so important to eat six small meals everyday, making breakfast your largest meal of the day. Eating smaller meals more often keeps your blood sugar levels steady and your metabolism going. You want to eat breakfast within one hour of waking up. Breakfast is the most important meal of your, so do not skip it!

If you are struggling with weight loss, be sure that you are pairing complex carbs with protein at each of your meals. It could be a reason for not seeing results.

What I eat on a daily basis is pretty simple. I wanted to share it today, because it is a question I get asked. I am pretty repetitive with my eating. That doesn't bother me at all. Once I find something healthy that I love, I tend to stick with it.

BREAKFAST
Before I eat breakfast, I drink one large glass of water. This helps cleanse my body, remove toxins and aid in digestion.

My breakfast is almost always Vanilla Shakeology. If I don't have my Shakeology for breakfast, I will eat oatmeal with cinnamon, fruit, and chia seeds.

SNACK #1
Two to three hours later, I have my first snack. This is usually an apple with one tablespoon of natural peanut butter.

Some other great options:

• Baby carrots and celery with two tablespoons of hummus
• 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt with fresh berries, honey, cinnamon, and 1/4 cup slivered almonds
•  1/2 - 1 cup of grapes with a low-fat string cheese

LUNCH
Again, two to three hours after my mid-morning snack, I will have lunch. This usually is a salad. I will take one chicken breast and put that on my bed of lettuce. I will toss on any veggies I have on hand, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, slivered almonds, and one tablespoon of a low-fat balsamic vinaigrette dressing. I make sure to have another big glass of water with my meal.

Here I have a creamy homemade Greek yogurt dressing.

SNACK #2
I have 12 whole almonds and a cup of fresh fruit, along with a glass of water.

SUPPER

This varies depending on our weekly meal plan, but it usually consists of a protein and veggie. We eat a lot of venison at our house, and if we aren't having that, we are eating chicken or fish. We have sweet potatoes and quinoa or brown rice quite often here.

SNACK #3
If I am still hungry in the evenings, I will have a bag of air-popped popcorn or Greek yogurt with berries, along with a cup of tea.

This is my daily eating plan. I have found what I need to fuel my body and meet my caloric needs. I strongly suggest figuring out what your daily calorie intake should be. If you have any questions or need help with this, I would be happy to help. You can contact me by messaging me here.

High-Protein Chocolate/Vanilla PB Bars

On Sunday, my 5-year-old daughter and I decided to try making the protein bar recipe that came in my 21 Day Fix book. We had to improvise a little, because I only had a little Chocolate Shakeology on hand and no peanuts on hand. I am known to just mix and match recipes with whatever I have in my cupboards. ;)

Super easy to make and they have been a great snack to have on hand during our week.

High-Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Bars
{Makes 24 servings, 1 bar each}

Container Equivalents {per serving}: One Yellow Container

Ingredients:
4 Scoops Chocolate Shakeology {We used 2 scoops Chocolate & 2 scoops Vanilla.}
2 cups quick-cooking old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup chopped raw peanuts {We used almonds.}
1/2 cup golden raisins {We used raisins.}
1 cup unsweetened almond milk {We used vanilla flavored almond milk.}
1/2 cup all-natural creamy peanut butter

Directions:
1. Combine Shakeology, oats, peanuts and raisins in a large mixing bowl; mix well.
2. Add almond milk and peanut butter; mix well.
3. Press mixture into 8 x 8-inch baking pan; cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
4. Cut into 24 bars.

3-Day Shakeology Cleanse // Explanation & My Results

Last week I decided I was going to do the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse. You can see a bit about my day one here, day two here and I will be updating you on how my last day went in this post. :-) I know those of you that followed me on this may be wondering if I survived and stuck to the plan on that final day!

Before I give you that update though, I want to share why I chose to do this and go into more detail on how this cleanse works. I did not do this with the intention of losing weight. My main reason was because I needed to detox from the sugar I put in my body over Easter. I still can't get over how having sugar just made me go crazy wanting more and more.

What is the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse?

The main purpose of the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse is to jump-start your fitness, break a plateau, or shred pounds fast and effectively in a healthy way.

The Plan

• 3 Shakeology Shakes a day
• 2 Green Teas a day
• 1 or 2 pieces of fruit a day (optional for those needing additional calories - I chose to have one fruit each day... why not? ;) )
• 1 salad for dinner (only white grilled protein in salad)

No:

Dairy or extra sugars

Only low fat dressings 

You can put your snacks before or after any of your major meals (breakfast, lunch or supper).

This cleanse is not for pregnant or nursing women.

Example of how my days went:

Start: 

Drink one cup of green tea to start your day.

My girls joined in one of the mornings.

Breakfast: 

Make your Shakeology (140 calories) with ice and water. You can have 1/2 cup of fruit at this time too (60-90 calories). Like I said above, I chose to have my fruit all three days. I love to eat, so if it is an option, I will take it.

Snack #1: 

One piece of fruit (85 calories)

Lunch: 

Shakeology (140 calories) with ice and water and 1 cup of green tea

Snack #2: 

Shakeology (140 calories) with ice and water

Supper: 

Salad... this thing ended up monstrous every night. I was full afterwards, no issues there! You put three servings of greens in your bowl, top with 2 tablespoons (no more!) of non-dairy dressing, and then add 4 ounces of grilled white meat (fish or poultry). 

I mentioned last week that I tried to do this cleanse back in November and failed from the start. I was worried I wouldn't make it through this time, but I stopped those thoughts in their tracks after My Hunter reassured me that I *could* do this. So, day one and day two, as you read earlier, were followed to a "T" for me. I couldn't have felt more proud or better! 

Now, let me catch you up on how day three went. My Hunter got home at 5:00 pm so that I could get out the door and get to the church for setting up my conference. This was the end of my day for eating. The cleanse had been followed to a "T" again. YAY! A success!

I have to share this next part though. I thought some of you would get a good laugh. On my drive to the church, I had to stop by and pick up the rosettes and verse cards that a friend put together for me that I needed for the event gifts. I was chatting with her real quick, with my hand on the door ready to jump back in my van to keep moving when she said, "Oh! I made an awesome dessert for the conference tomorrow. You have to try it!" {This is where I should have just told her I was doing this cleanse and I really, really did not want to eat anything outside of my plan, but do you think I did that?? Nope. Silly me! Worrying about what other people will think again.} 

She pulled me into her kitchen and handed me the dessert. I just held it in my hand thinking about what I was going to do now, while she stared at me waiting for me to take a bite. And I waited for her to turn away, but she watched, smiling, waiting for me to eat it. So... I did, because what else could I do?! And it *was* good, but I hated that I had a bite! She then turned her back to close the fridge and I quickly shoved the rest in my sweatshirt pocket saying, "Mmm! That was *so* good!" And, it really was, but I wasn't going to eat the rest of it, and I was certainly not going to let her know I hid the rest in my sweatshirt. {Sorry if you read my blog, Carla. I know you will laugh and wonder why I just didn't tell you! :-)}

Here it is, the dessert with a small bite missing that caused me from saying I had a "perfect" cleanse.

The only other slip-up I made was at church. We were working until midnight, and my friend had brought me a coffee. It smelled so good, and I honestly could have gotten by just fine without having any, but throughout the night I had 5 or 6 small sips just because.

So, other than those two small bumps in the road, my cleanse was almost followed to a "T".

Now, let me share how I felt and what I noticed while doing this cleanse.

My Results:

• I felt clear-minded and focused! No foggy-brain.
• My digestion got a restart! {Oh yes it did! They don't call it a cleanse for nothing! Sorry if this is T.M.I., but I am an honest gal. ;) }
• I slept so much better!
• My metabolism got a boost because of the green tea!
• I kicked the sugar cravings!
• The plateau that I was on was kicked! 
• I was not starving at all!
• I challenged myself and proved I could do this; the biggest, and by far my favorite, result of this whole adventure!!!
  
• I lost 4.2 pounds in three days! I have never felt better... honestly! I SO, SO, SO wish I would have taken measurements beforehand, but I wasn't trying to lose weight, nor thinking I would ever possibly lose that kind of weight in three days. My legs, stomach, arms... everything felt slimmer and more toned, so I am certain I lost inches. I am planning on offering this cleanse in a challenge group setting sometime in the future, and you can bet I will be making my challengers take their measurements beforehand.

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Questions:

• Have you ever done a cleanse? 
• What do you think would be the hardest part for you with doing a 3-day cleanse like this?
• Do you think it would be fun to do something like this in a group setting with me coaching you now that I have gone through it successfully myself?

Day 1... DONE!

Tuesday night I decided I needed to hit the reset button! I was slipping on my eating habits and starting to gravatate to all those sugary treats after having some Easter weekend. Isn't it funny how once you get that sugar back in your system, your body craves it just like that again?!

What I am doing to get back on track is the 3-Day Shakeology Cleanse. This isn't about weight loss for me, but already since completely day one yesterday, I am down a little over two pounds! Not going to complain since I had put about four pounds on recently. For me, this is more about getting back on track physically and mentally.

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I will do a complete recap post on the cleanse next week, so pop back over to check it out. But right now I can already say I feel fantastic!

For now, I off to enjoy my green tea, followed up by my Shakeology for breakfast and a lot of water so that I can stay hydrated.

My workouts for the next few days are just going to be light recovery days. Since I am cutting back the calories for this cleanse, I want to keep those lower impact because my energy will definitely not be there to get through my regularly scheduled Insanity workouts. {Sorry Shaun T! I will be back Saturday morning to work out with ya. ;) }

Hope you all have an amazing Thursday!

Questions for you:

• Have you ever done a cleanse before?
• If so, how long and what did you think?
• What was {or would be} the one food/meal you couldn't wait to have afterwards?

What I Ate Wednesday

I have been taking a lot of pictures of my meals lately, so I thought I would link-up with Jenn over at Peas and Crayons to share some of my favorite eats from this past week.

First up, my all time favorite meal! Oh my, I just love when My Hunter makes this for me! The sautéed mushrooms add just the right flavor to the steak. Mmm! He surprised me with this over the weekend, and it's always such a treat.

What a guy! ;)

We also tried out this new meatloaf muffin recipe and it was definitely a hit!

I am starting to wonder if or when I will ever get sick of Greek yogurt, strawberries and granola. This has been part of my day for quite a few days in a row lately. I add a dash of cinnamon to top it off. Yum, yum, yum! 

Breakfast yesterday morning was similar, but sadly I was out of granola. :-( I added blueberries to spice it up though, and I have to say I loved it.

My morning snack yesterday was my Vanilla Shakeology. I tend to stick to my same recipe for this, but I switched it up and made this Snickerdoodle one. It was good, but next time I will be cutting back on the cinnamon. Two teaspoons was a tad too much for me.

I didn't get a picture of lunch, because I pretty much ate it one handed, which wasn't too easy with it being a turkey and avocado wrap, but such is the life of a mom, right?! :-) The girls were having me help them carry some of their toy houses out to the yard so they could sit on a blanket and play. It was 70 degrees here, so I was all for them being out enjoying the day!

My afternoon snack was three celery stalks and a tablespoon of natural peanut butter. 

Am I the only one that thinks peanut butter makes everything better?? Haha! Monday I threw some on my banana too. I just can't get enough of it. ;)

Supper was later than normal, because I waited for My Hunter to get home from work so we could workout together. We did Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs from Insanity. I didn't get as much out of the workout because I had the baby clinging to me wanting to be held. His little eyes looking up at me got me every time. I would sit down for a bit on the floor with him and then try to pop back up when he started playing again.

Photo bomber, haha! ;)

Supper... salmon over quinoa with snow peas. No picture. Completely forgot because it was nice just visiting with My Hunter.

Lately I have become quite obsessed with macadamia nuts. When we run to Costco, I will pick up a big container of them to have on hand for an easy, fulfilling snack option. 

Call me a nerd, but I love looking up and finding out the health benefits of things I am eating. I thought I would share the benefits of this yummy little nut with all of you in case you have a little "nerd" in you as well. ;)

1. Anti-Aging
2. Prevents Dry Hair
3. Strong & Healthy Nails
4. Heart Diseases
5. Weight Loss by speeding up metabolism, reducing body fat
6. Antioxidants
7. Help Reduce Cholesterol
8. Effective for Treating Dry & Damaged Skin 

{Umm... yes, I will take a whole pallet please! :-) }

So there you have it. A peek into what I have been eating lately. I enjoy seeing what others are having; thought maybe some of you would like to see mine.

What has been your favorite meal lately?

Do you work out in the morning or evening? I prefer morning, but when My Hunter is here, I work out whenever he does. More fun to do it together.

What is your favorite nut?

So What is Shakeology? And is it Worth it?

Alright, I am not going to lie. I was probably the biggest skeptic when I first heard about Shakeology. I have never been a believer of fad diets, trends or things that seem too good to be true. And when I heard about Shakeology, those were the first things I thought.

However, I was wrong.

I put in some time researching it and found that this is actually just what I needed in my life.

Why did I choose Shakeology? 

Not because I had a lot of weight to lose {although this is a benefit of Shakeology too & it did help me lose the last of my baby weight}, but for me the main reason was because I was the worst eater on this planet. I am not joking when I say that. I would eat sweets the majority of my day, and I was lucky if I got in one single serving of fruits or veggies! So when I found you could get all of this in one drink, I knew I needed it! 

Also, finding out that Shakeology has a "Bottom of the Bag" Guarantee, which means you can use the entire bag and return it to get your money back if you are not 100% satisfied, I figured I really have nothing to lose! {I mean, this tells you right there that this company knows they have a great product!}

What is Shakeology?

Shakeology, although a powder, is food. Unlike other "protein shakes," this is complete nutrition and is so much more than a protein shake! Highly trained professionals have searched all over the world to find the best foods and made them into this shake. The ground that they grow in is *not* treated with chemicals or pesticides. It is not made in a factory. It is made in a LAB right here in the U.S. It is not processed and contains NOTHING artificial, which is why there are limited flavors! Shakeology is much higher quality than something you can pick up in the store. There are four flavors to choose from: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry and Greenberry. The Chocolate also comes in a Vegan option.

What is in Shakeology?

This one drink holds almost all the nutrition I need in one meal, one meal I don't even have to plan or think about! There are 70 ultra high-quality ingredients in this one drink that will be used to repair, change and improve your body! 

• Protein & Amino Acids - Helps build lean muscles, improve skin and hair, support optimal brain function, improve mood, and reduce cravings.
• Antioxidants & Super-Fruits - Helps reduce oxidative damage from free radicals, promote heart health, support joint health, and keep your brain healthy.
• Phytonutrients & Super-Greens - Helps alkalize the body and promote detoxification of the liver, kidneys, and blood to restore health and vitality.
• Adaptogen Herbs - Helps protect the body from stress, support the immune system, and balance the endocrine system.
• Prebiotics & Probiotics - Helps promote regularity, support a balanced microflora environment in the intestinal tract, and improve digestion.
• Digestive Enzymes - Helps the body break down foods and increase absorption of nutrients. 

What can you expect?

There are so many benefits to drinking this; I just can't list them all here. When you drink this every day, along with working out and eating a balanced diet, here are some of what you can expect to happen:

• Lose weight 
• Improve your digestion and regularity
• Reduce junk food cravings
• Increase your energy and stamina
• Regulate blood sugar
• Lower cholesterol
• Improve hair, skin, eyes & nails

Is this a quick fix? 

Absolutely not! To put on weight and be unhealthy takes time, so it is going to take time to get that back off. However, I will say that people have seen results in a week... one week!

What if I can't afford it?

I do hear this often... "It's too expensive!" And, well, it is! It breaks down to about $4 a shake. But what it comes down to is priorities! If you are going to Starbucks everyday or if you are like my husband who is on the road each day for work and was eating fast food, then those are things you could choose to cut out. Eating out costs about $7 each time. Switch to Shakeology and you will not only be making a healthier choice, you will be saving money too! 

And then there are some of you who truly can not even afford any of the above things I mentioned. If this is the case, talk with me about becoming a coach and I can share with you how to save money on your Shakology or even get it for free.

What are other people like you saying about it?

• Lindsey O., 26 - "Shakeology is the most important piece of the fitness puzzle to me. In my first week I lost 12 pounds and my cravings were all gone, which in turn has helped me lose even more weight and keep it off! I never go a day without my shake."
• Richard N., 27 - "When I tried Shakeology, I said, 'This is HEALTHY?' It was so good. I felt a big boost in my metabolism. I craved it! I even quit using it to see if it was legit - and started craving junk, was fatigued and irritable. I got back on Shakeology and it's let me keep my body on a healthy schedule."
• Allison S., 38 - "Shakeology is KEY in helping me keep the weight off and helping my digestion. I struggled with constipation and on the days that I miss a shake I am bloated and uncomfortable. I have never been a veggie eater, so Chocolate Shakeology is a perfect way for me to get the nutrition my body is calling for. Love the stuff!"
• Walt S., 43 - "When my doctor told me drinking Shakeology was like eating a cup of mixed berries but healthier, I went straight home and mixed up a Chocolate shake. I was in CHOCOLATE HEAVEN! The first week on Shakeology, I lost 8 lbs. Being a health drink, it shouldn't be delicious, yet even on my limited diet plan, Shakeology remains my guilty pleasure and it's great for me!"
• Adam B., 24 - "Shakeology is a game changer for sure. Since using Shakeology, my energy levels increased, I feel more focused and alert, I don't have sweet cravings, I recover faster from my workouts, and one of my favorite things about Shakeology is how it satiates my appetite. It's filling, delicious, and can travel with me.
• Kim D., 40 - "Shakeology was huge in my transformation. Since I didn't know what it was like to eat healthy, it played an important part in my new diet. Within days of starting it I could feel a difference. I was amazed by the natural energy I began to feel. All of the cravings that I once had for sweets and chocolate were gone!"
• Robb P., 28 - "I LOVE SHAKEOLOGY! Shakeology has saved me money and changed my life! Every morning, it helps me detox, satisfies my hunger, and jump-starts my day! It completely kills any cravings I have for sweets!"
• Deidra P., 27 - "After having my second child I was unable to get the weight off. So I replaced one meal a day with Shakeology and instantly my ice cream, chocolate, and cereal cravings went away - and my body started to change. I lost 37 lbs., my digestion improved, and my self-esteem and energy skyrocketed! Now I'm in better shape and feel so much happier with myself than ever before!"

What are doctors saying?

• Dr. Arno Sungarian, Neurological Surgeon - "Shakeology has changed the way I live my life."
• Dr. Lauren Kallina, Ophthalmologist - "I would absolutely recommend Shakeology to family and friends."
• Dr. Gwendolyn Cobbs, OB/GYN - "I have definitely found that Shakeology has suppressed my appetite."
• Dr. Marvin Slepian, Cardiologist and Co-Creator of the Artificial Heart - "Use Shakeology as a substitute for a meal if you're attempting to achieve weight loss. I've used this product, and I think it really works."
• Dr. R. Dale Christensen, Emergency Medicine - "You look at the cost of Shakeology vs. going out and having a fast-food meal. It's half the cost but you're getting 10x the nutrients."

How do you make it?

I have never tried it with just water, but I know many have. I honestly don't think I would like it just that way, although if that was my only option, I would still do it. I have a Ninja that blends up the recipes I like to a super creamy texture that makes it taste like I am having dessert. My favorite is the Vanilla Shakeology with almond milk, ice cubes and natural peanut butter! There are over hundreds of healthy recipes that you can try out. If you want to see some of my other favorites with Vanilla, check out my post here. And, be watching for when I share my favorite Chocolate and Strawberry recipes soon. :-)

How do I order? 

It's easy! 

1. Go to my website, here: shakeology.com/brirun23.
2. Click on the "Buy Now" tab in green on the top
3. Select Your Favorite Flavor
4. Choose your "Packaging Size": a. 30 Servings in a resealable Bag or b. 24 Single-Serve Packets in a box {As you can see, you get more servings in the bag.}
5. Select "Monthly Autoship (with Super Discount Shipping)" {This is how you save money each month, because it is FREE s/h when you do it this way.}

That's it! :-) Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to chat more about this. I would be happy to help!

My Favorite Vanilla Shakeology Recipes

I am absolutely in LOVE with the new Vanilla Shakeology flavor, and I couldn't wait to share my favorite recipes with you!

If you try any of these out, let me know what you think by commenting below.

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My Hunter's "Vanilla P.B. Ice cream" Shakeology

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

1 cup Skim Milk

1 tbsp Natural Peanut Butter

5 Ice Cubes

3 oz. Water

Blend Well

There are so many recipes out there, and so many I have not tried yet. Here is a calendar full of even more, some that I have listed above, many that I don't. Try out some of the ones I haven't mentioned yet, and be sure to let me know your thoughts so I can add it to my list. ;)

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