"Simplicity is the secret of seeing things clearly." - Oswald Chambers

Living a health-filled life doesn't have to be complicated! God designed our bodies to be fit, healthy and available for His use.

Monday, November 30, 2009

The Birth of Shakeology®

By Darin Olien, The Ingredient Hunter

Sometime in the middle of 2006 I was well into traveling, hunting, and discovering many plants, nuts, fruits, and other superfoods around the planet. I was heading to the source and meeting the people in the fields, rainforests, and mountaintops of places like Peru, Costa Rica, Bhutan, Australia, Tahiti, and places in between—drawn by an insatiable curiosity of what is out there. The places I have been are some of the most abundant and ecologically diverse places in the world and home to an amazing display of vibrant, health-filled plants. With the herbal discoveries I was making I was passionately formulating many concoctions—testing, eating, experimenting, importing these miracles of earth. I fueled myself as well as friends and some extreme athletes and celebrity peeps
One day in 2006, I got a call from my Argentine friend, Miguel, who had met a woman at our local vitamin shop who was doing some similar things on the nutrition front. I met and had an amazing, synchronistic conversation with the vibrant and brilliant Isabelle Daikeler! We had very similar points of view and many synergies on nutrition, wellness, and life, really. It is rare that I find someone who is living, demonstrating, and traveling on a path of true commitment to vibrant living like Isabelle is. She told me she had heard of and even tried some of my formulas and thought there might be an opportunity for me to work with her husband's company. A week or so later, I was back at their home, out by the pool, and met Carl Daikeler for the first time.
Carl, too, was very open, caring, and willing to share where he was coming from. He shared with me his vision of the company, where they are now and where he really would like to go and his desire to impact the lives of millions of people and crank up the company's nutritional division! He said he was thinking about a meal replacement called "The Healthiest Meal of the Day." He said to me, "I know you have formulated these other things but could you take us in this direction and formulate a top-notch, incredibly nutritious, yummy meal replacement?" The first thought was: Of course I could do that, it's what I love to do! You see, I have so many ideas in my head for developing avant-garde formulas and using exotic ingredients that of course I want to get them out there to people, millions of people. And here is this guy, giving me an opportunity to do my thing – to take the ball and run with this vision – well, I am in! And I know without a doubt nothing would have happened if it hadn't been for Isabelle trailblazing her knowledge and understanding to Carl, slowly downloading him information about this world of Super-Functional nutrition! And she was such a blessing and hugely instrumental for me then and now, even being able to have this groundbreaking opportunity by the ground she forged with the company well before I arrived. And I have to tell ya, the thing that sealed the deal for me was who Carl and Isabelle were as people, the caring they had and the large vision, rooted in creating a rewarding impact for millions of people.
I have never set out to work for a big company or a corporation or other people, for that matter. I have always been an entrepreneur, doing my own thing… traveling around, formulating, discovering, adventuring, answering to no one… doing exactly what I wanted to do. So, to even consider working with a big company was a big deal for me… probably because I am a control freak and didn't want to have to compromise or cut corners like so many companies end up doing. I have had my experiences with other very large nutrition companies saying they wanted the latest and the greatest, and when it came down to it they were not really willing to do what it takes, not willing to take the risk of giving the customer something extraordinary without cutting corners. That is gonna be a deal breaker for me because I don't cut corners so I naturally turned away from them and continued to do my own thing. It always came down to $$, margins, and their lack of vision from my point of view. It's like when Ferrari made their car… they put the very best parts in it and said, "We are not skimping on quality and if people want the best they will pay for it," so they did it! Well, I knew I wasn't gonna skimp and Carl proved he wasn't gonna either, so we were able to put the Ferrari of shakes together in Shakeology®. Now, Carl knows better than me, but I remember the tension in those meetings at Beachbody when I told them how much it would cost to put something like this together and there were more than a few business dudes in that room who thought I was nuts and it probably couldn't and wouldn't work! Well, the big boss man, Carl, always pulled through and saw it and believed in it even when others didn't… he knew we had to do it no matter what it takes, even if it was more expensive than the average swag product on market. All of that and the invitation from Carl and Isabelle made the difference for me. And from my point of view, Carl basically said in the beginning, "I trust you can do this, so go do your thing!" He supported me in being me and gave me the freedom to create what is best for the product and people. So we had a deal, and with a smile and a handshake we started rollin'!
How do I put a formula – this formula – together? I first had to start from scratch, a clean slate! I didn't want to start with a point of view of something or someone else's ideas. My first question was… what is "Shakeology"? (Of course we were not calling it that at the time. Carl came up with that brilliant name later.) When Carl asked me to create "The Healthiest Meal of the Day," I was beyond stoked! Because I have seen, smelled, tasted, discovered, and experienced some very amazing superfoods in my life and in my travels, the opportunity to start getting that potency and vibrant nutrition into as many BODIES as possible was and is exciting. And given where some of the plants are from and how they are grown, there is no way most people would be able to experience these superfoods otherwise.
It can be quite a daunting task to formulate something that is for everybody when every body is different! However, there are things that are universal when you start to look at what is missing in most people's diets in our society today. That is where I started to formulate from – by filling in the gaps of what people's bodies require, what the typical Beachbody customer's body requires. I asked myself, what are the nutrients that are not being delivered in "normal" eating conditions today? In addition, one of the biggest keys was using ingredients that are as close to their natural, whole-food state as possible. And last, I know firsthand that it doesn't matter how good it is nutritionally if it doesn't taste good. If it's not convenient and good-tasting, it will not work and no one is going to consume it. But, I knew it was possible to make it taste good… it hadn't been done before but I knew I could do it while not making the fatal mistakes others make, like cutting corners and using synthetic, artificial sweeteners and lower-quality ingredients… not this one, not a chance! With all those potent herbs, grasses, and exotics in there… whew, it took some time but we pulled it off! Hats off to all the guys in the lab… we spent many hours, days, and months playing with the formula and ingredients to get it to not only deliver super nutrition but to taste delicious!
It is an exciting thing because even though there are thousands upon thousands of supplements, foods, herbs, and perceived miracles out there, there are so very few that are any good. One of my philosophies when I put formulas together (and, really, how I approach all of life) is to treat others as if they already KNOW even if they don't know! So, even if they don't know cognitively on some level their body does! Meaning, I put the best product together I can at the time with the highest-quality ingredients, testing, sourcing, using sustainable means, period. The selling will come from that integrity, quality, and nurturing we put into the entire process and product. People know when they are being told the truth or a lie. Long story short, that golden rule thing is something that naturally comes out in what I do and formulate… because for me, that's what I would want in a supplement, myself. Have I told you that I am selfish? I don't do anything I don't want to do especially when it comes to quality eating and supplementation. My friends certainly know this! I think of myself when putting together supplements and I only put the things in that I would myself consume. I have never understood why people would do things or promote things that they do not do or believe in themselves. So, of all formulas I produce, foods I consume, recommendations I give, chances are I have lived it and am living it! I certainly did with Shakeology. (And, by the way, I drink it every day!)


Recipe for Pumpkin Pie Shakeology

In addition to all the amazing Shakeology ingredients, you'll also get the nutritional benefits of pumpkin, which contains lutein, fiber, and alpha and beta carotene. Plus, the healthy polyphenols in cinnamon help regulate blood sugar levels.

· 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology
· 1 cup rice, soy, almond, or low-fat milk (plain or vanilla)
· 1/2 cup canned pumpkin, unsweetened
· 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
· 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
· Ice (optional)

Combine all ingredients in blender and combine until smooth. You can substitute pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon and nutmeg or add more pumpkin for a thicker shake. Makes 1 serving.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Nutritional Information (with low-fat milk):
· Calories: 284
· Protein: 27 g
· Fiber: 7 g
· Carbs: 40 g
· Fat Total: 3.5 g
· Saturated Fat: 2 g
* Watch for a future post on the "continuing story" of Shakeology and more great Shakeology recipes!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Pumpkins!!!

It’s pumpkin week at our house! If you have kids, more than likely you have an abundance of leftover pumpkins lying around your house – you know, the ones they got at the Pumpkin Patch field trips, from school parties, and the ones they talked you into buying at the grocery store and roadside stands. Well, DON’T throw them out! You may not realize it, but pumpkin is one extremely healthy food for you and has many uses, not just the usual pumpkin pie. Here’s some ideas, nutrition info, and recipes:
  • Bake or steam the pumpkin and just eat the flesh with a little salt and butter. Mmmmm! I LOVE it this way!
  • Pumpkin seeds – rinse all the “gunk” off and dry; spread out on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil, spray a thin coating of olive oil over the seeds and add a little salt; roast in the oven at about 375 till golden brown. There’s never enough seeds in one pumpkin for our family!
  • Soups – Make a chicken or turkey broth based soup and add about 2 cups pumpkin. I confess I make this year round! For a creamier version, add some milk.
  • Pumpkin can be used as a substitute or partial replacement for the fat in a baking recipe. It makes baked good sooooo moist. Below are some recipes where I add pumpkin.
  • Pumpkins contain the antioxidant beta-carotene, which is known to lower the risk of some cancers. It also has another carotenoid, beta-cryptoxanthin. One half cup of mashed, cooked pumpkin only has 24 calories, 6 carbs, and zero fat!

Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

2 cups cooked pumpkin
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. each of nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves
1 tblsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375º. Blend pumpkin and sugar. Beat in eggs. Stir in milk and vanilla. Add all dry ingredients. Blend until barely mixed. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 20-25 minutes until set and browned. If desired, sprinkle additional cinnamon over the tops before baking.

Pumpkin Pancake Recipe
(we enjoyed this for breakfast Thanksgiving morning)

1 egg
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup milk
1 tblsp. Brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. each of nutmeg, ginger, ground cloves
1 tblsp. Baking powder
1 cup whole wheat flour

Beat egg with pumpkin. Stir in milk. Add all dry ingredients except flour and blend. Blen in flour until all but very fine lumps remain. Cook on a greased surface over medium high heat. Turn pancake when edges become dry and most of top is bubbly.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that everyone is having a blessed day and enjoying time with friends and family.

I planned on posting this recipe yesterday, but wasn't getting a good internet connection out here in the islands. So am trying again today. This my version of a Black Bean Salad recipe I came across awhile ago and really liked. I know it's not a traditional Thanksgiving food, but it looked so festive, I planned to serve it with our Thanksgiving dinner, but wouldn't ya know it, I forgot to put it out on the table, so guess we'll be eating on it with our leftover turkey!


Black Bean Salad

1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 can diced tomatoes (or use fresh if you prefer - it's just hard for us to get fresh tomatoes in the islands)
1/4 cup lime juice
1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 red onion, diced
Cilantro to taste

Combine all ingredients together and refrigerate overnight.
Have a great day!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Random Thoughts and Stuff


Good morning! I can’t believe how fast November has gone by! It still feels like we just started September and here it is Thanksgiving week already! I hope that you all are preparing for a great holiday time of thankfulness this week. Here in our household, we are definitely looking forward to a time off from homeschool and our usual daily activities and some time of relaxation and fun. We have some fun Thanksgiving traditions in our family, and I’m really looking forward to enjoying them again this year.
Meanwhile, I’m now in my 24th week of pregnancy and anxiously counting the days till my due date! This pregnancy has not been my easiest and I’m looking forward to feeling “normal” again. I’m “passing the time” keeping busy with homeschooling my kids, planning and enjoying the holidays, and getting my Beachbody business a little more organized. I’m thrilled with the new coachees I now have and I love hearing how the exercise programs and dietary improvements are changing their lives. I’m just as excited that my team is growing and I love the way we build such relationships in this business. Also, Beachbody continues to give us more tools and resources to get the word out about their fantastic products and opportunities. Included in these tools are TWO websites given to each coach! One is my basic coaching site which tells about the company, my own personal story, links to shop for products, and opportunities to join the community, club, or my team as a Beachbody Coach! The other is my own personalized Shakeology site! This site tells everything you might want to know about Shakeology as well as info on how to order. So stop by one of my new sites today!
Have a great Thanksgiving week!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Our Thanksgiving Feast

Woohoo! Thanksgiving is next week! Thanksgiving is not a national holiday in the country where I live (Micronesia) but our family, being half American, always celebrates it anyway. As there are quite a bit of Americans on the island these days, the stores usually stock turkeys this time of year and some of the other trimmings as well. So I’m gearing up for our holiday meal, I’m sure you all are as well. But do we have to make it “unhealthiest meal of the year”? Let’s pick the menu apart and see what we can do to make it healthier.

  • Turkey! The star of the show. Turkey is a healthy food, one of the healthiest meats there is. So why do we feel the need to take a perfectly good food and make it bad for us by basting it with tons of butter or worse – deep-frying the thing! (Hey, I live on an island where you can actually order deep fried hot dogs at restaurants so I've seen the obsession with frying!). Simply roast the turkey, basting with some olive oil and herbs and ta da, the highlight of the meal!
  • Stuffing. Another holiday favorite. Depending on the amount of butter/oils added and the kind of bread used, it can range from very unhealthy to not-too-bad. Select a stuffing recipe that uses whole grain bread and a lower fat content and hey, keep in mind that you don’t have to cover half your plate with the stuff! Also, stuffing is best cooked separately from the turkey as the juices from the raw bird can contaminate the stuffing.
  • Green Bean Casserole. Check out the recipe I posted earlier this month for a healthier version!
  • Sweet potatoes. Another perfectly healthy food, ruined by well-intentioned cooks over the holidays. I will never comprehend why anyone would want to take such a delicious food and then cook it to death till there are no nutrients left, THEN, mix it with all kinds of sugars and stuff, THEN top it with marshmallows! Actually, my favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is just baked till tender with a small amount of butter added. BUT I know the mainstream holiday crowd is not going to go for that one. So try cooking them, then whipping them with a small amount of butter and milk and if you really want that “sweet” taste, add a little brown sugar or evaporated cane syrup and some cinnamon and nutmeg. Good, and good for you!
  • Ok, other side dishes: Well, seriously, do you NEED to have some of every food on the planet? Usually our Thanksgiving dinner consists of the foods I have just listed along with cranberry sauce, corn (because my oldest daughter is obsessed with corn), and a green salad. I always have a huge tray of raw veggies for the family to munch on throughout the day before the meal as well, served with hummus or some other healthy dip. Sometimes I have whole wheat rolls, sometimes we skip the rolls, because, wow, this is a lot of carbs for one meal! I live in the South Pacific so of course rice is served with every meal, but we only use brown rice.
  • Desserts! Can’t forget the dessert! Again, do you need every dessert in existence? I took a poll in my family this year and have found no one here really likes pumpkin pie or pecan pie so we have decided to skip those altogether this year. They all voted for apple pie! And I will make my pumpkin cake that I posted the recipe for earlier this month.

So there you have it – our Thanksgiving Dinner. I want to enjoy the day and keep the focus on my family and what I am thankful for, not the food. Yes, we have a feast and a fine one at that – just not one that will make us sick for the rest of the day, and possibly for the rest of the week!


Monday, November 16, 2009

Fruit Punch Recipe

If you’re anything like our family, you’re doing a lot of entertaining over the holidays. We have a huge extended family and I love having everyone in for gatherings this time of year. This past weekend I had the opportunity to host a Beachbody Home Fitness Party here at our home and it was a lot of fun. For the refreshments I wanted to serve all healthy foods and wanted to include a punch, rather than just serve water. But I had no recipe for a healthy punch, SO I made up my own! I “practiced” a few times the week before, with my children as official “taste-testers” and the resulting recipe I’m posting here. I hope that you enjoy it as much as we have!

1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen mango chunks
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice
1 cup coconut milk (optional)
Ice

Puree frozen fruit in blender, adding juices as necessary. Add remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly. Blend with ice if a slush consistency is desired. Makes approx. 10 servings. Feel free to adjust the fruit ratios to get a different taste or even try with other fruits!

Friday, November 13, 2009

The Beachbody Coaching Opportunity

Ok, I said I would be blogging this week on the Beachbody Coaching opportunity. So, here it is! One of the best decisions I’ve made in the nutrition/fitness world was to become an Independent Beachbody Coach. It’s a great way to meet your own fitness goals while helping others do the same along with making a little extra money doing something you love. Not only that, but you have the potential to build quite a business! Recently, Team Beachbody has added many new tools and resources for coaches to use to grow their business so really, there’s never been a better time to join the team! As a coach, I not only help others meet their goals by encouraging and motivating them, but I also receive a 25% off discount on all Beachbody products and nutritionals, and receive a “thank-you” check regularly from Beachbody for promoting their products. My upline coaches have put together a fantastic web-site that answers all the questions you may have about coaching and I urge you to check it out at http://www.getpaid2getfit.com/. Once you’ve looked the site over and have decided that this just might be for you, contact me at coachsueann@yahoo.com and I can walk you through the sign-up process or you can go straight to the sign-up page at this link here.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Green Bean Casserole

This version of the classic holiday dish is a bit healthier as it uses frozen green beans rather than canned and replaces the condensed, salt-laden, high- fat soup with a homemade version. Also, using whole grain crumbs and cheese gives it an updated flavor while cutting the fat and calories of the traditional French-fried onions. The nutritional information included is for the casserole using the crackers rather than bread crumbs. Using the bread crumbs will lower the overall calories and fat somewhat. As you can see, this is still a calorie dense part of the Thanksgiving feast so consider taking half a portion rather than a full serving if you enjoying a full feast! Enjoy!

1 16 oz. package frozen green beans
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup sliced mushrooms or one can sliced mushrooms
2 Tblsp. Butter
2 tsp. chicken bouillon
2 Tblsp. Flour
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs OR about 25 whole grain crackers, crushed
½ cup parmesan cheese
½ cup cheddar cheese
Garlic powder to taste

Sauté mushrooms in butter till butter runs clear. Add flour and stir till thick, then add milk and chicken bouillon, stirring rapidly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Add green beans and mix. Pour mixture into a casserole dish; cover and bake at 350º about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine bread or cracker crumbs with cheeses and garlic. Once casserole is bubbly and turning slightly golden, uncover and top with crumb mixture and bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes approx. 8 servings.

Per Serving: Calories: 203; Fat: 11 g; Carbs: 16 g; Protein: 8 g

Friday, November 6, 2009

21 Weeks! Over Half Way There!

I've passed the "halfway mark" of this pregnancy! Woohoo! It's been a great week this past week as I've felt almost human again - no nausea and not as exhausted as I've been. Or maybe I'm just learning to pace myself a little better. I'm looking forward to another great week though. God is teaching me much through this pregnancy about patience, perseverance, and much more.
One of the highlights of this coming week that I'm looking forward to is my first Home Fitness Party! I will presenting the products and opportunities of Team Beachbody to friends and family here at my home. I'm looking forward to a fun time of sharing about fitness, nutrition, and the Beachbody coaching opportunity. Be on the lookout next week for a post here sharing more about Beachbody coaching and how you can be a part of it! I'm excited to share the great opportunities the company is now offering!
Have a great and healthy weekend!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Pumpkin Cake Recipe

I'm starting our Healthy Holiday Recipe Exchange with one of our favorites, Pumpkin Cake. While this is not necessarily what I'd call a "health food", it is a healthier alternative for a nice treat. It's one of the moistest cakes I've ever had! Warning! It's addictive! I've included the nutritional info as well.


2 cups canned pumpkin
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil
3 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour (preferrably organic)
2 tsps. baking powder (preferrable Aluminum free)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves


Orange Glaze (optional)

1/2 cup powder sugar
1 tblsp. orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest


Combine the pumpkin, sugar, and oil, then add eggs, beating well, approx. 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. For glaze, combine powder sugar, orange juice and orange zest; drizzle glaze over cooled cake. Serves approx. 14.


Per Slice:
Calories: 280
Fat: 9 g.
Carbs: 46 g.
Protein: 4 g.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Holiday Survival!

Halloween is over and the big holidays are just around the corner! I LOVE this time of year! I know, though, that for some it’s a time to panic over the possibility of gaining weight being faced with all the treats and goodies of the season. So let’s talk about some tips to survive this holiday season without adding a spare tire (or two) to our midsection.
  • Don’t set unrealistic goals for the holiday season! This is not the time to plan on losing 20 lbs.! Nor is it a good idea to go into the season saying “I will not eat any sweets or fattening foods.” You are just setting yourself up for failure. Set a goal of maintaining your current weight rather than losing or set a very minimal weight loss goal.
  • Allow yourself some treats! I don’t mean go crazy and eat everything in sight on a daily basis for the next two months. What I mean is, consider the treats that are your favorite and allow yourself a serving. You don’t have to take a serving of every offering on the dessert buffet. Pick one or two favorites and enjoy them guilt-free.
  • Eat till you’re satisfied – not till you’re full! Stuffing yourself till you can’t move from the table is not going to get you the results you want. Take smaller servings and eat till you’re no longer hungry. Believe me, you’ll feel better after Thanksgiving dinner this way and be able to enjoy the rest of the day with your family rather than lying on the couch moaning in pain.
  • Find a buddy! Having someone else to motivate you along the way can really help! Find someone with similar goals who you can check in with weekly, or even daily!
  • Plan, plan, plan! If you just decide to wing it, you’re going to cave and eat, eat, eat. Plan ahead, decide your calorie limit for each event, and throw in a little common sense to boot and you’ll find the holidays are not something to dread, but to enjoy.

Focus on the true meanings of each holiday rather than the food, plan some activities and traditions that don’t just involve eating, and treasure each moment you have with your loved ones. After all, when it’s all over and done with, what do you want to remember most about the holiday season?

Disclaimers

I am not a doctor or health care professional in any way. Information posted on this blog is simply what I have found to be helpful to me and is never intended to be used in place of professional medical advice.

Beachbody does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach's income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill. See our Statement of Independent Coach Earnings for the most recent information on the actual incomes for all our Coaches.