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What is a Beachbar?

3/25/2018

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What is a Beachbar?  

A place that serves fruity cocktails that have umbrellas in them...  No but I do like that kind of Beach Bar too!  

Beachbody recently launched an all new snack bar to their line of nutritionals and supplements to help promote healthy eating.  Somehow their marketing department landed on "Beachbar" as the winner for what they would call it.  Not the most clever but oh well as long as it tastes good and has quality ingredients I guess I could care less what they call it.  

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So I wanted to share a little bit about this bar;​
  • What it is and what it isn't
  • The nutrition facts
  • The ingredients
  • What it costs
  • How does it compare to other bars
  • How can you add it into your daily meal plan 

What It Is and What It Isn't

I would call Beachbar a snack bar.  The term protein bar gets thrown around way too loosely in the nutrition world out there.  In my opinion in order to qualify as a protein bar the bar would have to get a majority of it's calories from protein.  Very few bars on the market are a true protein bar.  If you are curious to start doing math, a gram of protein and carbohyrdrate both have 4 calories, and a gram of fat has 9 calories.  With 10 grams of protein in each bar it get's roughly 26% of it's total calories from protein.  That leaves 74% to come from fat and carbs.  Overall I would consider it is a balanced macronutrient bar.  

This bar is made from whole foods with no artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners.  That's a win in my book and something I definitely look for in other bars that I've consumed in the past.  

It is a snack, not a meal!  At only 150 calories you likely wouldn't want to replace a meal with solely 1 bar.  With the protein and fiber content it will for sure stave off some hunger for a while.  When I sampled it, it was good enough to hold me over between breakfast and a late lunch.  

The Nutrition Facts

At this point they only have 2 flavors, I have no idea if they will release more in the future.  However I did participate in a poll that asked me what kind of flavors I would enjoy if they added others, so that's promising!  
Chocolate Cherry Almond
​Nutrition Facts
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Peanut Butter Chocolate
​Nutrition Facts
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Facts are facts so they don't need a whole lot of explaining.  As I mentioned above they are pretty balanced from a macronutrient standpoint.  The are pretty low in sugar for a snack bar.  They are a decent source of protein and fiber.  They are low in sodium.  They are also lower in vitamins and minerals which is pretty much the norm for this kind of bar.  

The Ingredients

Let's see what's in them...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Ingredients: Peanuts, Cocoa Whey Crisps (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Tapioca Starch, Cocoa Powder [Processed with Alkali]), Isomalto-oligosaccharides (Prebiotic Fiber from Tapioca), Chocolate Coating (Cane Sugar, Palm Kernel Oil, Cocoa Powder, Sunflower Lecithin, Salt), Pea Crisps (Pea Protein, Rice Starch), Pea Protein, Chocolate Chips (Cane Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter), Cane Sugar, Vegetable Glycerin, Tapioca Syrup, Sunflower Oil, Sunflower Lecithin, Pomegranate Juice Concentrate, Himalayan Pink Salt, Natural Flavors, Almonds, Stevia Leaf Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (Mixed Tocopherols, Sunflower Oil) to preserve freshness

Chocolate Cherry Almond Ingredients: Almonds, Cocoa Whey Crisps (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Tapioca Starch, Cocoa Powder [Processed with Alkali]), Isomalto-oligosaccharides (Prebiotic Fiber from Tapioca), Chocolate Coating (Cane Sugar, Palm Kernel Oil, Cocoa Powder, Sunflower Lecithin, Salt), Pea Protein, Chocolate Chips (Cane Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter), Dried Cherries, Cane Sugar, Vegetable Glycerin, Tapioca Syrup, Sunflower Oil, Sunflower Lecithin, Pomegranate Juice Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Himalayan Pink Salt, Stevia Leaf Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (Mixed Tocopherols, Sunflower Oil) to preserve freshness

A few more ingredients than a Larabar, or Rx Bar but let's take a look at what they all are and what their purpose is and how they can affect you.  

Peanuts and Almonds: If you have nut allergies these bars aren't for you.  Both of these ingredients provide some of the total protein in the bar plus a majority of the fat content.  It's nice to see that they are the main ingredient rather than some obscure ingredient.  Good Ingredient!

Whey Crisps: These are a blend of a few ingredients to give the bars a bit of texture and another source of protein.  Whey comes from milk, so if you have allergies, steer clear.  If you just have an intolerance I doubt the level of lactose in these is significant enough to affect you but consult your physician if you are concerned.  Overall I believe these add to the value of the bar by upping the protein content.  Good Ingredient!

Isomalto-oligosaccharides: This would be one of those things that if you follow the rule, if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it.  Well I could help you pronouce but that will take too long so let me just say this is actually a pretty good ingredient to include in the bar.  Essentially it is a fiber that helps with satiety, improves your gut health, and improves your digestion and it is derived from plants.  If you want to read more on it, this was a pretty easy to read article that cited some scientific studies.  Good Ingredient!

Chocolate Coating: We love chocolate!  We believe in moderation and if you choose the right kind it can actually be good for you.  I wrote a whole other article on that, Let's Talk Chocolate!  The ingredients in the chocolate coating are... ok!  I wouldn't consider this healthy chocolate but looking back to the nutrition facts you are getting very little sugar overall so the serving size of chocolate would have minimal effect if any negative health consequences.  It's more here for taste then anything.  I do like that they sourced a chocolate made with sunflower lecithin versus the soy version, so that's a bonus.  Neutral Ingredient.

Pea Protein and Crisps:  These things are there to help with the protein content.  They are further down the ingredient list likely because too much of them would likely negatively affect the taste of the bar.  Good ingredient!

Chocolate Chips:  Same thoughts here as the chocolate coating for the most part.  Slightly better but still likely not a healthy chocolate.  Neutral Ingredient.

Sweeteners (Vegetable Glycerin, Cane Sugar, Dried Cherries, Pomegranate Extract, Stevia Leaf Extract):  I figured I would lump all these together rather than address them individually.  Overall there is a total of 5 grams of sugar in this whole bar.  Some of that comes with the chocolate ingredients listed above, some because of these ingredients.  Overall I wouldn't be concerned with 5 grams of sugar in this bar.  The cherries and pomegranate extract do bring along some good phytonutrients and antioxidants along for the ride so that is a positive.  I know some are turned off by the stevia aftertaste, but having tried these bars I didn't notice any of that.  Vegetable glycerin was a new one to me so I had to look that up.  Essentially that is a plant based sugar alcohol likely made from palm or coconut.  Browsing a few articles it doesn't appear to have any negative health effects other than it's potential as a laxative in HIGH doses, but you aren't getting that in this bar.  This bar did get a low glycemic certification also which would suggest it has minimal impact on a healthy person's blood sugar levels.  If you have blood sugar issues like diabetes you may want to consult your physician.  Neutral Ingredient.

Sunflower Oil and Sunflower Lecithin: I would say there is nothing good or bad about these items.  They help create the texture of the bar.  There isn't anything inherently bad with them or good with them.  Since they are at the end of the ingredient list, I wouldn't worry about them.  Neutral Ingredient

Natural Flavors: Oh that elusive word you see on so many labels.  What does it really mean.  Well good news the FDA does regulate the use of it so it isn't a catch all for all the chemical crap.  Here is there definition, “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”  Knowing Beachbody's track record with the ingredients that it puts in it's other supplements I doubt anything shady goes into this bar as a natural flavor.  It would be great if they could make this bar taste good without this but I guess it isn't a deal breaker for me.  Neutral Ingredient.

Himalayan Pink Salt:  Salt makes things taste good!  At 85-90 mg of sodium I wouldn't worry about it and at least they got it from a good source.  Good Ingredient!

Mixed Tocopherols: This is a natural antioxidant/preservative that is derived from sunflower seeds.  Let's be honest this is a packaged food and they want it to last longer than a week on a shelf, a warehouse, or shipping truck so some sort of preservative is needed.   There is some mixed messages I got this ingredient whether it is good or bad for an individual.  There were some studies published on Pubmed that said it was completely safe for human consumption.  There were some animal studies that suggested it may raise the risk of cancer, at least in mice.  I like always like to think of the quote, "The Dose Makes the Poison."  Beings there isn't definitive human studies from what I found, I would say that the small amount in these bars would have no negative health impact on a person.  If you are concerned I suggest you do your own research.   Neutral Ingredient.

So those are the ingredients, sorry I wrote so much but if you are thorough enough to search out information on these bars you are likely the kind of person that wants all the information and not just the cherry-picked data that has a marketing slant to it.  

Overall I would say this food is neither a health food nor a unhealthy food.  It's calories come from quality sources.  Is it better than a Snickers, yes!  Is it as good as bowl of broccoli, no!  So it really depends on how you use it and what it displaces in your diet whether or not it would improve your health.  I think it would be a quality snack for most.  Personally I really like that they kept it gluten and soy free too!  
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What Does It Cost?

Affordability... we know your money doesn't grow on trees and neither do Beachbars...well the almonds in them do, so...  I'll be honest these aren't the cheapest bar on the market but they certainly aren't the most expensive either. 

​Beachbars will be sold in packs of 15 and retail for $39.80 or $2.65 per bar.  That price puts it on the higher end compared to other snack bars but pretty close to most protein bars.  

How Does it Compare To Other Bars?

There are hundreds of other bars on the market and a lot of different ways you can compare them.  I thought this graphic highlighted a few key pieces and how the Beachbar stacks up against some of the more popular snack bars.  

It's lower in sugar, higher in protein and fiber!  Basically what that means is that it isn't going to spike your blood sugar as much as others.  It will also likely keep you full longer due to the slower digesting protein and fiber elements.  Which means if if you are trying to lose weight, you won't be hangry in between meals if you use a bar like this to tide you over.  
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†Competitive bar nutrition information collected January 2018 for the following brands and flavors: KIND www.kindsnacks.com/products/kind-nut-bars/peanut-butter-dark-chocolate-bar-bar CLIF shop.clifbar.com/CLIF-Bar-Chocolate-Chip-Peanut-Crunch/p/CLIF-101303&c=ClifBar@ClifBar@Bars RXBAR-www.rxbar.com/shop/peanut-butter-chocolate-whole-protein-bar-box-of-12-bar.html-LARABAR-www.larabar.com/our-products/larabar/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip KIND is a trademark of KIND LLC. RXBAR is a trademark of Chicago Bar Company LLC. CLIF BAR is a trademark of Clif Bar & Company. LÄRABAR is a trademark of General Mills Specialty Products, LLC.

How Can You Add This Into Your Daily Meal Plan

As I've eluded to already, this bar is going to be best be used as a snack substitute.  It could replace other bars that you've maybe used.  It could replace a trail mix that you used to snack on.  It could replace the chocolate chip scone from Starbucks, please don't eat those everyday! 

If you've never been a snacker you could also use it as an experiment and add it in to your morning or afternoon and see how you feel.  Some people do just fine without snacks and can keep portion sizes in control.  Some need that little shot of food to keep their energy levels up.  

I could certainly see us eating this when we travel as a convenient snack that tastes great, doesn't take any prep work, and will satisfy our hunger.   I could also see them used as a great pre-workout snack.   Combine it with some Energize and you are fueled up for a workout with a decent shot of protein and carbs to get you through it.  

If you are a diehard Beachbody person and using the containers a Beachbar will count as a 1/2 a red and 1/2 yellow container, just FYI.

Hope that information has helped you learn more about these bars.  If you have any questions by all means reach out via email or in the comments below.  

If you would like to try a box of these bars just follow the link below that matches up with your flavor and quantity preference.  Bars go on sale beginning April 7th, 2018.  

1 Box - 15 Count

Peanut Butter Chocolate
Chocolate Cherry Almond

2 Boxes - 15 Count per Box/30 Total

1 PB Chocolate, 1 Choc Cherry Almond
2 Peanut Butter Chocolate
2 Chocolate Cherry Almond

3 Boxes - 15 per Box/45 Total

1 PB Chocolate, 2 Choc Cherry Almond
2 PB Chocolate, 1 Choc Cherry Almond
3 Peanut Butter Chocolate
3 Chocolate Cherry Almond
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Golf, Beer and Supplements

11/5/2017

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If you didn't read our bios, in a previous occupation I actually used to work as a golf professional.  No, I didn't play on the PGA Tour.  I worked at a club, ran golf tournaments, sold merchandise, gave golf lessons and every once in awhile I got to play!  People always would tell me how jealous they were of my job, to which I would usually just agree because that was easier.  Easier than saying I work ridiculously long hours, never get a weekend off, get paid a shade above minimum wage, and had 300+ "bosses" called members that all wanted something different.  But I digress...
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This post isn't about my life as a golf pro so much.  I got to thinking the other day after listening to someone else talk about selling nutritional products.  They made the comment that nutritional products and health products are much easier to sell to the healthy!  People that are familiar with things like probiotics, gut health, adaptogens, etc.  That kind of sucks if you think about it.  The healthy people already do a pretty good job of taking care of themselves so why should they invest more into their health.  

That got me thinking about my days as a golf pro and how a similar analogy also rang true.  It was much easier to sell golf lessons and golf equipment to the more advanced golfers.  Four hundred dollars for a new driver, no problem.  Five hundred dollars for golf lessons, sure!  

You can pretty much change this analogy into anything else.  

I also used to be a craft beer nerd too.  Your average Joe wouldn't likely spend $10-20 for a bottle of beer but I didn't blink an eye at that.  Why??? I saw the value in the beer!  
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One of my many beer hauls
​The golfer sees the value in the lessons.  The healthy person sees the value in nutritional products.  ​
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One of my many nutritional hauls
It all comes down to value... whatever you value that is where you will spend your resources!  Since we live in the health world this is a tough predicament to be in and actually quite frustrating.  There is nothing more that I would want to do then help people that are morbidly obese lose 100+ pounds.  To actually save their lives of people that are in a downward spiral. 

What does it take to help a person like that though?  It takes that person seeing value in investing in his/her health!  Unfortunately it usually takes a rock bottom moment for a person like that make a change.  Maybe it is a diabetes diagnosis or a heart attack.  When you take away health, it becomes a lot more valuable and you will be more apt work pretty hard to get it back.  

I know we help a lot of people begin to believe in themselves again and reach a lot of their goals, which is amazing!  We won't stop doing that!  My hope and prayer is is that just one person will read this and think that their health needs to be valued more!  That they are willing to make the investment with their time and money to turn their life around.  That obesity and disease doesn't have to be the trajectory that their life is on.


If that's you, we would love to hear from you.  I know that first step and asking for help can be one of the hardest.  Know that we will meet you where you are at and will be by your side through the whole process.  
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Exercise Is A Lot Like Dating

10/6/2017

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Exercise can be a lot like dating.  

You try a few different versions out.  Some are pretty good and you and stick with them for a while but you maybe get bored or you just stop clicking.  Others are just ok but don't get you too excited.  A few are just terrible and you would be ok if you never tried them again. 

Then... then you find that perfect match.  You are committed!  You enjoy your time when you are doing that exercise or with that special person.  Yeah it is still work and you have to put effort into it daily but it is something you usually look forward to coming back to the next day.  Not always.  Let's be honest, we all have days don't want to workout or you don't want to put effort into your relationship.  When you are with the right person, or doing your soulmate workout those periods pass quickly.  

We just celebrated our 9 year anniversary this week.  What a blessing the past 9 years have been for both of us.   It was almost 11 years ago that we found each other and haven't looked back!  
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Nine Years in the Books
All of those 11 years we've been active, playing volleyball, running, going to the gym.  It's was about 6 years ago though that Laura found her soulmate workout, Insanity!  For me it was Focus T25 and later P90X3.  Pretty much the perfect workout for us was one that we could do in the comfort of our own home or just outside our RV!   We have been able to stay consistent and show up nearly everyday for our workouts.  
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All from working out at home
That just didn't happen for us elsewhere...

For us the gym was like that person that you are attracted to physically but just don't connect with emotionally or mentally.   We tried going and had gym memberships for years but never really accomplished anything.  

We also both dabbled with running!  I was a former cross country runner and Laura ran track.  After we graduated from college running became like that blind date that your friend set you up on.  You know it's going to be awkward and painful.  No thank you!!!

We never did try Crossfit but I could imagine that would be like taking your date out to the most expensive restaurant in town.  Then after dinner your date takes you to a big orgy where limbs and sweat are flying everywhere.  People are comparing themselves to others and walking around slapping each other on the butt!  Sorry crossfitters it's the best comparison I could come up with, I think I would actually join a crossfit gym if it was right next to my house and I had some more cash!  ​

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with those kinds of workouts.  We know a lot of people that have had a lot of success at the gym or running!  They have stayed consistent and continue to put the work in and show up everyday.  They've seen results and that's what it is all about.  
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​Fitness for us looked a little different and that has worked incredibly well for us.  I believe there is a soulmate workout and form of exercise out there for everyone.  Maybe it's dancing, maybe it's powerlifting, or maybe it's running.  If you've tried a bunch of workouts that just don't click, don't give up, just keep trying! 

I will say one other thing though that the environment (people and place) plays a big role. 
  • Maybe you like going to the gym but the one you go to has a bunch of douchey bodybuilders that are grunting all the time flexing in the mirror more than they are working out.  Don't give up on gym, just find another one with different people. 
  • Maybe you like yoga but hate doing it around other people for fear of letting out a loud fart, maybe you need to try doing it at home. 
  • Maybe you love the community of your crossfit gym but hate having to drive to workout, maybe you need to find a way to have a community around you yet can still workout from home.  
​We would love to know what you've found to be your soulmate workout!  If you haven't found one, let us know if we can help you find it!  
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Shift Shop Tracking Worksheets

7/27/2017

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After doing multiple rounds of Body Beast and Hammer and Chisel, one thing I learned is, in order to make progress you need to track your actions.  ​When it comes to doing a program with weights, that means taking Tony Horton's advice and WRITE. IT. DOWN.  

I was a little shocked that Beachbody didn't create a tracking sheet themselves for their latest program, Shift Shop.  Having a little experience creating Hammer and Chisel worksheets, I figured I would do it again for this program too.  

Here are are the worksheets for the 3 strength workouts that you will do during this program:


Strength 25 Worksheet
Strength 35 Worksheet
Strength 45 Worksheet
There is also a bonus workout called Super Strength 50.  The participants mainly use a sandbag for all the moves in this workout but if you don't have a sandbag or if it is too light or too heavy you can use dumbbells and track it via this worksheet.  
Super Strength 50 Worksheet
I hope this helps you make progress as you move through the 21 days of this program.  If for some reason you found this page but aren't working with a coach currently we would love to offer our support and knowledge to you as you go through this program.  You can learn more "Who We Are" or just shoot us an email.   
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Shift Shop Details

6/30/2017

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What is Shift Shop?

Shift Shop is Beachbody's latest program that was developed by Chris Downing.  ​The program is geared for anyone looking to get amazing results in 21 days.  The program is a combination of agility, plyometric and resistance training that will work your entire body.  

The program is designed to slowly progress you from shorter less intense workouts that will "ramp up" in intensity but also your results.  
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Using his cutting-edge ramp effect, Chris starts you off with shorter workouts to help you stay focused and committed—without burning you out.

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Just as your body adapts, Chris ups the level of activity and intensity just enough to continue to accelerate your endurance and your results.

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​Chris cranks up everything for the last time, ultimately shifting your body from the one you had 3 weeks ago to one that’s significantly faster, stronger, and leaner.

Meet Chris Downing

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Proven Results

Want to Try Shift Shop?

There are a couple of ways that you can start this program.  The first option is to purchase the DVDs.  With the DVD package you get a total of 8 workouts, agility markers, and nutrition plan.  You can upgrade that package and get the Deluxe kit that also includes a PT sandbag, 3 bonus deluxe workouts.  The other option is join Beachbody On Demand and get access to all of the workouts including the deluxe workouts.  You can join Beachbody On Demand for free for 14 days, then they have quarterly and yearly memberships also.  

There are also usually specials available if you combine the program or Beachbody On Demand membership with either Shakeology or the Beachbody Performance Line of supplements.  

PLUS... if you purchase any of these options through us you get access to both of us as your health, wellness, and nutrition coaches.  Which also gives you access to our exclusive online accountability groups and our private Facebook group with hundreds of other people like you trying to get and stay healthy.  

If you are curious about more info about whether this program would be a good fit for you, you can comment below or email us and we will get back to you shortly.  

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21 Day Fix Extreme RESULTS

4/11/2017

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Two rounds of 21dfx (roughly 2 months) and I feel like a new person (even though I don't look a ton different on the outside). This program is probably my soul workout...I've done so many rounds of it and every time I see changes in my body...and it's ONLY 30 min a day!

The COOLEST part: I weigh the same in both pictures!! 😳 Don't base your results solely on the scale...please please please take pictures. Take measurements of your hips, thighs, waist, bust and biceps! My goal wasn't to lose inches...so I didn't track those this time around. 

Every workout uses dumbbells or a resistance band in some way. I used heavier weights: 20's for lunges, squats, squat jumps and even got up to the 25's at one point...and 8's - 15's for upper body (There's this one shoulder move with a curtsy I could never do more than 8 with 😳) and PUSHED myself every day to do more and get stronger!!

Without the burn, it don't mean nothin!! (As Shaun T would say 😂)

Jan 7th was the day I took the "before" pictures and the "progress" were taken Mar 1st and I'm so glad I stuck it out for 2 rounds!! My nutrition didn't change a ton...I still ate clean about 90% of the time and treated myself 10% of the time. I maybe drank a little less wine 🍷 and added a bit more protein (try to get some at every meal)...I eat probably between 1800 cal and 2000 cal every day.

PLEASE REMEMBER: you can do anything you set your mind to. Your mind is POWERFUL! Commit to something FIRST and then figure out how to make it happen. Commit first. Then take ACTION! Then be patient! 

Email us if you need help!!
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Are You Living a SuperLife?

1/31/2017

2 Comments

 
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I know we haven't done many book reviews on our blog in the past.  Recently we were approached by a "book tour" company and they asked if we would read and review Darin Olien's book Superlife.  I first read this book back when it came out back in 2015!  I was even fortunate to get to meet Darin and hear some stories behind the book.  Turns out he grew up about an hour from where I did.  Apparently kids from small farm towns in rural Minnesota can have a career in nutrition!  
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When I was approached to share Darin's message I was all for it.  The principles he teaches in the book are also some of the fundamentals of living a healthy life and always good to revisit myself.  Darin breaks out these fundamentals into what he refers to the 5 Life Forces. 

Life Force 1: Nutrition

This is at the core of being healthy.  His basic approach revolves around eating whole foods in abundance and variety.  Eating this way will ensure that you are satiated with micronutrients that all too often we lack.  Being a vegan himself he isn't a huge proponent of eating animal products but is ok if people chose to eat animal products as long as they are high quality and occasionally eaten.  

With nutrition he also stresses the importance of keeping your gut healthy!  This is something I strongly advocate for as well and think can be a real game changer for a lot of people.  For most people that looks like... cutting out processed foods, adding foods/supplements rich in probiotics and prebiotics, and probably supplementing with some digestive enzymes.  

Life Force 2: Hydration

Water... something so basic but something that so many people fail to consume.  As humans, we are water!  Roughly 2/3 of our bodyweight is water.  It does everything from provide pathways to carry raw materials around our body to insulate us and keep us warm or cool.  Let's just say it's super important!  Darin provides some great tips to upgrade the quality of your water also in the book.  

Life Force 3: Oxygenation
Oxygen - it's critical to life and something that gets overlooked in regards to health.  Darin quotes a couple of studies that talk about how cancer thrives in low oxygen situations and dies off in oxygen rich environments.  Pretty amazing stuff!   Increasing oxygen ties back into life forces 1 and 2.  Whole food plants contain more oxygen than processed, packaged foods.  Getting adequate water also increases the amount oxygen that enters our bodies.  Combine that with some intentional deep belly breathing and you are really improving your oxygenation.  

Life Force 4: Alkalization
This life force is one that is definitely overlooked and understudied.  Darin and I maybe differ slightly on this point.  Some of the research that I've done and read suggests that it is highly unlikely your body will become more acidic based on what we eat.  The pro-alkaline movement tends to look at the acid levels of a person's urine which looks at what is excreted versus the pH of a person's blood and cellular fluid.  

My opinion here is the jury is still out, but I would agree with Darin in that a diet high in plant based foods will improve your overall health.  

Life Force 5: Detoxification

Darin is a big believer in the process of detoxing the body.  He points out the constant stress that our bodies are under from everything in our environment to what we consume.  Our bodies have normal detox pathways but they get backlogged when we consume low quality foods and are exposed to chemicals in our environment.  

His advice to handle all of this, focus on the first 4 life forces and your detox system will be able to handle the workload.  

Darin, finishes the book with some recipes and final thoughts on how you can implement the 5 Life Forces into your current life.  

I'm a big fan of Darin's approach to health and this book does an excellent job in getting people to think a little differently about their health.  It's not all about being reactionary and trying to take care of yourself after you get sick.  It's about doing things that produce vitality in your life and keep disease at bay.  If you are looking to up your health game I highly recommend this book to give you a solid baseline of information.  
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I'm Not a Fitness or Nutrition Professional...How Can I Help Others?

12/5/2016

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Don’t think you’re qualified to help other people get healthy?

Do you think you have to be a personal trainer or have some degree to do what we do?

Think you have to be in perfect shape or have all the answers?

Think again.

Do you have a HEART that breaks when you see people hurting? Do you have EARS to listen? Do you have PASSION and FIRE to help others? Do you want to SERVE others greatly and help them change their life? Do you want to make a little extra $$? I put the financial benefits last, but they’re certainly not least. There are so many companies out there now that can make you a little extra money (Thirty-One, Pampered Chef, Jamberry, Younique, DoTerra, Rodan & Fields)…the key is finding one that fits YOUR passions and the things you’re excited about…while fulfilling someone else’s need.

I have to pinch myself day in and day out because I truly can’t believe this opportunity and how it’s changed our lives and changed me from the inside. I’m not going to lie…I didn’t have a lot of weight to lose when I first started, so I don’t have an incredible physical transformation like some people. My transformation has been mainly from the inside. Since becoming a Beachbody coach I have become more confident in my own skin AND in my abilities. I’ve become stronger and able to get past my struggles and insecurities. My focus and time management has gotten better because heck, life is busy but if you have a DREAM you find ways to make things happen. Do I still struggle with these every once in a while? Heck yes. BUT the emphasis that Beachbody puts on personal development and growth definitely makes those struggles easier to get through.


The blessing that coaching has been in my life is just incredible.  I share this not to somehow help myself but to help you!  Beachbody can be that community you are looking for.  It can be the thing that keeps you committed to working out and taking care of your health.  If you want to know more about what this coaching community and business opportunity is all about we would love to share it with you.  
I'm Interested
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Core De Force Launch Details

11/1/2016

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We have been pretty excited for the launch of this program ever since we heard about it back in July.  It just looks like a fun program and we know it will be a good change of pace for us.  We wanted to share some of the details with you all just in case this type of workout might be something you are interested in doing.  

​Here is how Beachbody describes the workout:

​
INTRODUCING CORE DE FORCE
Created by Trainers Joel and Jericho, it's 30 days of zero-equipment, core-defining workouts inspired by the most high-octane sport in the world—Mixed Martial Arts!

SHRED DOWN WITH MMA-STYLE WORKOUTS
If you want to slash inches from your waist and shed body fat, nothing beats CORE DE FORCE’S effective—and addictive—workouts.

In just 30 days you can reshape your body with:
  • Boxing, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai combinations that engage your core from every angle
  • Bodyweight training that sculpts overall definition
  • Explosive cardio intervals to max your calorie burn
This isn’t your run-of-the-mill workout—this is CORE DE FORCE. And if you’re ready to fight for the body you’ve always wanted, you won’t be disappointed…

Check Out These Results!


Core De Force FAQs

How long is the program?
30 Days

How long are the workouts?
21-47 minutes

Do I need any equipment?
No

What's included with the program?
The base kit includes:
  • 10 workouts plus a bonus workout if ordered through a Team Beachbody Coach (that's us) 
  • Quickstart Guide
  • Eating Plan
  • Workout Calendar
  • The Cook & The Coach as your personal health, wellness and nutritional coach

Are there upgrades?
Yes, you can upgrade to a deluxe kit and you get everything mentioned above plus 3 additional workouts, an agility ladder, portion control containers, and a deluxe workout calendar.

Are there Challenge Pack options?
This document explains the 2 most popular Challenge Packs that include Shakeology.  It is also available to order as a Performance Challenge Pack which includes a tub of Energize, a pre-workout drink, and Recover, a post-workout shake.  

Hopefully that answers a few the questions you have regarding this program.  If you do have any other questions or just want to chat about if this program would be a good fit for you we would love to hear from you.  You can comment below or EMAIL us.  
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Road Trip with Nana

9/17/2016

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We left Minneapolis on July 21st with 3 of us and after 36 hour pit stop in Des Moines we had four in our RV.  Laura's mom, aka Nana, joined us on our trip to Nashville.  She was coming along with us to babysit Eli during our annual Beachbody Summit event that was taking place the following weekend.  

We had a couple pit stops between Des Moines and our final destination.  The first one was Hannibal, MO.  This was such a fun little town right on the Mississippi River.  We were originally only planning on staying one night, however due to some plumbing repairs that we had to do we stayed a second night.  This gave us a little time to explore the city.  It also gave me a chance to work on some plumbing skills in 100+ degree weather.  It was hot!  
From Hannibal we moved onto the Gun Creek Recreation area by Benton, IL.  Other than our first campsite being on too big of slope to level out our RV safely, this campground was fantastic.  Big, roomy campsites that were right on a lake.  Oh and it was cheap!  Definitely a great spot and if pass through southern Illinois again we will for sure make a stop here.  
After one night in Illinois we made our final drive to Nashville.  It was only a 4 hour drive roughly.  We happened to time out our arrival exactly as a thunderstorm was rolling in and knocked out all the power in the park we were staying.  Not a huge issue other than needing to run the generator on our RV for an hour or so.  It was hot and humid and our AC's needed to be cranked up!  

We made it to Nashville!  Now to prepare for our coaches to arrive and learn, sweat, and have some fun with them.  
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    The Cook & The Coach

    Healthy is a LIFESTYLE.
    Not a destination. 

    We want to help you build that lifestyle which will then help you 

    **  have CONFIDENCE
    **  become STRONG (mentally          and physically)
    **  lose fat
    **  have more ENERGY

    and finally

    LIVE FULLY!

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Dan and Laura Suedbeck have embraced an entrepreneurial lifestyle.  They are constantly challenging the status quo and challenge others to do so too.  They believe that you don't always have to change your situation, sometimes you just need to change the lens you view the world through.  Their focus is helping people  find purpose and passion with their lives all while getting healthy.   Click here to find out more about them.  

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