Supplements: Tyrosine

Tyrosine is an amino acid and is used in protein supplements to treat an inherited disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU). People who have this problem can’t process phenylalanine properly, so as a result they can’t make tyrosine. To meet their bodies’ needs, supplemental tyrosine is given.  Phenylalanine converts to L Tyrosine, followed by L-dopa which in turns is metabolized to dopamine which can convert into norepinephrine and then to epinephrine.  It's defiantly a mind power supplement.

Some people also apply tyrosine to the skin to reduce age-related wrinkles.
It can improve alertness in people who experience lack of sleep.
Can be used to treat:

• moderate depression
• ADD
• ADHD  Awesome 8 part blog series on Tyrosine and ADHD
• Stress
• Sleep Deprevation
• Narcolepsy
• Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
• loss of interest in sex
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Parkinson's disease
• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
• Alzheimer's disease
• Heart disease
• Erectile dysfunction (ED)









• Schizophrenia

Side Effects:

• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Joint Pain

Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or Graves disease: The body uses tyrosine to make thyroxine, a thyroid hormone. Taking extra tyrosine might increase thyroxine levels too much, making hyperthyroidism and Graves disease worse. If you have one of these conditions, don’t take tyrosine supplements.

Do not take while pregnant or breast feeding, as effects are unknown.

I've found conflicting information on recommended dosage.  Doses of 150 mg are recommended for start.  People report Tyrosine Shots starting at 500 mg daily, increasing in increments of 500 mg increments up to 2000-3000 mg is effective for increased alertness and fighting fatigue.  My guess is start with 500 mg, since it's hard to get capsules less than 350mg with typical capsule size at 500 mg.

It is most effective when paired with protein.  It crosses the blood/brain barrier quickly, so effects are fairly quick.

L Tyrosine side effects can include over-stimulation, restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia. Heart palpitations or arrhythmias are potential side effects that occur from high doses of tyrosine. These can occur in sensitive individuals in as low a dose as 200 to 500 mg.  Doses above 500 mg can cause anxiety.

Talk to your doctor before starting Tyrosine supplements, as there are negative drug interactions.

You can pick up a bottle of 500 mg capsules for under $10, but I'm having a hard time finding anything under 350 mg capsules.

Foods containing Tyrosine:egg, dairy, seaweed, fish, shellfish, wild game, poultry, beef, bison, pork, crustaceans, mollusks, soy, leafy greens, kidney beans, tofu.  A serving of any of these contains over 1000 mg.  Check out the monster list

Workouts

 

 Top 25 At Home Workouts

22 Plank Variations - Great!

Belly Flattening Workout

Hydration

Hydration is VERY important.  I know, I talk about it a lot.  But, it allows your body to operate more efficiently when it gets enough H20.  There are other things too that make your body operate at peak efficiency, but water is the #1 thing you can put in and see better results!

Now, if you're like me, it's not easy.  I don't necessarily like to drink water when other more appealing options are lingering around my house.  There's just not much for flavor in water.  There are alternatives that, although aren't as good as water, will help you stay hydrated by not drinking as much of it.

1. Eat foods with high water contents. Thinking about grabbing a banana? Go for an orange. An orange contains much more water and will contribute to your hydration level. If you looking to hydrate yourself, avoid dried fruit. This means, for example, grapes instead of raisins.
2. Try no- or low-calorie water alternatives. Crystal Light. You can use the powder packets or buy it pre-mixed. You can also try Kool-Aid, but go for the sugar-free. This now comes in individually-sized packets as well.
3. Consider diet, caffeine-free clear sodas. If a few bubbles make things more appealing to you, go for Sierra Mist Free, Diet 7-Up, or Sprite Zero. Caffeinated beverages, even if calorie free or low calorie, are not as good for providing your body with hydration.
4. Consider carbonated water. There are many fruit-flavored, carbonated beverages at your supermarket. Basically, these are no different from diet, caffeine-free clear sodas. However, you may have more choices in flavors (white grape, wild cherry, raspberry, etc.). Some brands, in my opinion, carry a little bit of an annoying aftertaste, so try a few different kinds until you find one to your liking.
5. Add lemon, mint, cucumber, raspberries, limes....anything you can think of to spruce up your water with flavor that makes you WANT to drink it. 

Be A Success, Find A Buddy

Workout buddies are the best!  They keep you accountable for your workouts on those days you just don't want to.  The most successful times in my life were when I had a workout buddy, someone to be there, to push me and to keep me going.  It tends to overflow into other areas of your life too!  Double bonus!  Take a look at the most successful people you know.  Do they work out?  Chances are, yes.  Statistics show that people that work out are more likely to be successful.  They're also happier and more goal driven.  If getting fit doesn't motivate you to work out, what will like a successful and happy life?!

I get it, all you who don't work out and are successful....why are you reading my blog anyway?  This is about fitness, nutrition and success.  Ya.  You could prove me wrong, and the statistics about successful people.  Go ahead.  I dare you.  I like to be wrong, it just doesn't happen very often.  My dad and I had a conversation one day about being right.  We're those people; the ones that are right all the time.  We're really good judges of character and what motivates people.  We were talking about how not-so-fun it is to be right all the time.  People think it'd be the greatest thing in the world.  In all honesty, when you're right all the time, you end up begging others to prove you wrong.  Please, prove me wrong.  It's way more sweet than me being right about bad things that happen to people all the time.  I LOVE to see people change their lives for the better, it's just the more complicated thing to do, so it isn't what happens most often.  People tend to take the easy road. 

Back to your workout buddy.  Or buddies in general.  Focus on spending time with people whom you strive to be like.  It enforces positive habits.  My grandma always told me when I was younger, "You are the company you keep."  I didn't understand it for a while.  Then I understood it an didn't always like it.  Then I realized, that old bird knew what she was talking about!

How Active Are You?

New Balance Via Step Counter

Pedometer with Radio

When asked that question, I was MAJORLY mistaken on my thoughts of how active I am.  Yesterday I bought myself a New Balance Via calorie step counter.  It was a middle of the road step counter I found at Target.  I thought I was just moderately active.  Today was my first day wearing it.  14,000+ steps is what I found I did today.  I thought "no wonder I'm to exhausted after I get the boys in bed!"  Today was what I call a lazy day.  Royce was home to help out with the kids.  I hung around and did dishes, folded laundry, went to my in-laws for a while so the kids could play in the pool and mowed the lawn for a while.  It was nothing to strenuous.

The FitBit is really hot in the fitness world.  There are pedometers for ipad and iphone.  Nike makes the fuel band.  Some do more than others.  You just have to figure out what you want in a step counter.  Some are heart rate monitors too, some play music, some sync with your computer and help you track calories burned while you log your food and nutrition.

I highly recommend having one of some kind, it's a really helpful tool to keep you moving and motivated to stay active!

Nutrition, The Key That Unlocks Healthy

 We all know good nutrition is key to keeping our bodies healthy.  Getting healthy has great formula consisting of 80% nutrition and 20% fitness.  Now, that doesn't mean focus on food and forget your workouts or vice versa.  Yes, if weight loss is your focus, you can lose weight by focusing on nutrition.  But just eating right isn't going to get you healthy and keep you there.  It's not going to help you live a longer, more quality life in the end.

Try and focus on eating something of every color each day.  It's hard!  I find it easy to get in my greens, oranges and reds.  I have a hard time with some of the others at different times.  Asparagus, sweet potatoes, carrots and bananas are staples in our diets.  We have fresh strawberries from our strawberry patch in the summer.  I stock up on ripe mango in the summer, cut it up and freeze it.  And Schwan's has a nice selection of frozen veggies when the delivery man stops by.  The peas, asparagus and sweet potato chunks I love.  And the Golden Fruit Blend is awesome for shakes and smoothies.  Schwan's fruits and veggies are hefty bags and good quality.  I can't complain.  And, the cheese and herb biscuits rival those of Red Lobster!  The delivery guy brings it to my house and I don't have to drive to get it.

We raise cattle, so our beef supply is amazing!  We also just started raising chickens, so we should have a steady supply of chicken and eggs soon, too.  We LOVE salmon and eat a lot of it when I can get it at a good price.  Other seafood we eat when I can get it on sale.

Lets face it, it can be expensive to feed a family the healthy way.  It's easy to feed them crap cheaply; macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, pizza, balogna, hot dogs....not that it's all bad.  Everything in moderation is ok.  You have to moderate the processed foods and focus on eating fresh.  So, how do you do it and not have it cut drastically into your pocket book?

For starters, you can garden a lot of things in containers that can save you BIG $$$ during the growing season.  Lettuce, out of season, it gets cashy for no more than it is.  I try and keep lettuce in a container in a south facing window sill.  It doesn't keep us overflowing in lettuce, but it sure does stretch our purchases.  I also cut dandilion greens in the yard to mix in.  I put carrots in a pot near a window.  And, I buy buy buy all summer for things I don't grow and preserve.  Canning, freezing, they're old traditions that work!  Canning takes time though.  I have a large deep freeze, so I have plenty of space once we grill a few steaks in early summer.  So, you have to weigh your options.  The USDA has a great food preservation guide.  On the left there's how to freeze, can, pickle, cure, smoke, ferment, dry and make into jellies and jams!  USDA also has Healthy Eating on A Budget.  Check it out, they have great tips!

Some of these are the choices I make that allow me to stay at home with my kids.  If I worked, paid daycare for two kids and drive to work every day, there wouldn't be much of my paycheck left anyway.  So, I try and save where I can.  Local farmer's markets are great and I try to make it to at least one a week and I haggle for a good price if the produce isn't amazing.  Buy bulk, it'll get you a better price too.  Tomatoes, I'll buy a dozen, so I'll often ask for a deal since I'm not just buying one or two.  I get great produce in season and I don't spend hours and hours planting, weeding and harvesting.  I still get it at a good price from local growers and can preserve it myself, usually without tedious hours of work too!

Workout Harder

Sore Today, Strong Tomorrow

This is too true!

A Little Motivation

The Science of Nutrition

I've gotten really good at reading labels with my 1 year old's gluten issues.  It made it easy to eat clean and fresh.  Now I need to focus on portion size and tracking what I eat a little better.

This WILL be my next purchase.  I can't wait to get it as it will help my nutrition.  I will try to document everything in weight and volume so there's never a question about what I ate.  This digital measuring cup and scale is something I will use every day and am very excited about.

The other thing I need to concentrate relating to nutrition on is portion size!





 

I'll be purchasing this portion sizer from Amazon!

My Next Fitness Goal

Pull-Ups!

Muscle vs Fat

We've all gotten on the scale and it doesn't change.  You feel better, you thought you looked better and the endorphins are pumping like crazy.  Then you step on the scale with no change and you thing HOW?

This is how!  These both weigh a pound.  A pound of fat is jiggly like jello.  The muscle is denser and takes up less room than the fat.

Don't worry, you're also boosting your metabolism!  Body fat is completely related to calories.  Fat on the other hand is completely related to physiology or movement and use.  The more you use your muscles and push them to their limits, the stronger you'll get and the more muscle you'll build.

You look at 5 lbs of muscle vs 5 lbs of fat, the little bit of difference it looks like in the picture grows exponentially.  And, it keeps going as the pounds go up too!

The thing about fat, is you can't target where you lose it.  You just lose what you lose.  You can target which muscles you work, so you can gain definition where you want it.

A pound is a pound, they weight the same, but the volume of a pound of fat vs the volume of a pound of muscle is different.

How Much Should I Be Eating?

There's a formula for that, or should I say series of formulas to make it easier.  I'm sure there are many out there to figure out what your caloric intake should be.  This is what I use:

1. Calculate your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): Your current body weight x 10 = RMR

2. Calculate your Daily Activity Burn (DAB)

• Sedentary RMR x 10%
• Moderately Active RMR x 20%
• Very Active RMR x 30%

3. Add Calories burned from Daily Exercise (DE)

4. Subtract or add your Caloric Deficit (CD) or Surplus.  This is the number of calories you'd like to cut out (or add) of your current diet in order to lose (or gain) weight. A good number is +/- 500 calories to gain or lose a pound a week.

5. Put them together:
RMR + DAB + DE - CD = Your Calorie Target

Write it down!  You're diet and nutrition will be more effective and complete if you write it down.  You won't have to wonder.  Measure and weight out your portions too.  You'll get it accurate.  Nutrition is a science, treat it that way!

Don't forget to recalculate as you lose or gain weight!  As your weight changes, so does your calorie target.  Your activity level may also change as you feel better and change your lifestyle.  Look at all factors separately when re-calculating.  And, do it about every 3-4 weeks.

Eat smaller amounts more often to boost your metabolism and lose weight more effectively.  You need to eat every 2-3 hours!  Eat breakfast within an hour of waking and eat at least 3 hours before going to bed.

Keep Snacking AND Drink plenty of WATER!

What's working?

Right now, I'm working on trying everything.  I want to know what works, what doesn't work and what I can do to keep myself motivated.  Lets face it, it's tough to get into shape when you start from a fat blob.  First you have to lose the fat.  But in order to lose the fat you really have to focus on nutrition.  80% of your weight loss is going to come from your nutrition efforts, then the other 20% is going to come from getting off your ass and doing something.

What am I doing?

• Shakeology as a meal replacement.
• P90X, Turbo Fire, chasing after my boys that are 1 and 3, yard work
• Nutrition consisting of mostly gluten-free.  I do eat an occasional wrap or sandwich.  Lots of veggies.  Lots of fruit.  The even more occasional frozen yogurt cone or gluten-free chocolate cake or cookie.
• Raspberry Keytones
• Daily Multivitamin
• H2O and LOTS of it

Any time I step on the scale and I only lost one pound I look at this.  It gives me a little more motivation.  When I look at this, I think "Wow, I lost a whole pound!" vs "Crap, I only lost one pound!"

A pound of body fat equals 3500 calories.  So, for every pound of fat you loose, you have to burn that many extra calories.  You have to restrict your diet, boost your metabolism AND be active.  It's the only way you're going to get it off.  If you try and starve it off, your body clings onto fat and burns your foot.  You'll feel tired and unmotivated to boot and you probably won't lose much, if any and you may end up actually gaining weight.

Commit to being healthy and the rest will follow.

Smoothies & Shakes

In addition to eating the things you should, smoothies and shakes can add a great snack to your daily routine.  It's a great way to get in your breakfast, a healthy snack or just enjoy something cold on a hot day!

 Detox: Green Smoothie

1/2 c OJ
1 Banana
1/2 c cake
1/2 c baby spinach
1/2 c apple

 Pin-acado Smoothie


1 1/3 c OJ
1 1/4 c Pineapple (Frozen)
1/2 avocado
1 banana
1/2 c ice
Juice from 1/2 Lime

Blend.

 Kiwi-Mango Layered Smoothie
(layered smoothies are SO cool)
bottom layer:
2 1/2 c Mango (frozen)
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp lime zest


top layer:
1/4 c yogurt
2 Tbsp honey
3 kiwifruit
2 ice cubes
2 Tbsp Green Tea
1/2 c baby spinach

 

 Be creative. You can spruce a smoothie or shake up with anything you can think of or just use strictly a fruit with ice, frozen fruit, juice, water or milk (rice milk, almond milk, they all work!)  Don't forget about things you don't "like" or don't normally eat.  You might be surprised by the flavor they add to a shake.  For instance, I'm not too crazy about kale, but I LOVE it in a shake.  Bananas aren't my favorite fruit, but I like them with berries.  I HATE Orange Juice with passion, but I like it in many of my smoothies and shakes.

For a lighter colored top, save a little back while filling glasses, add yogurt, blend and garnish (like mint!)!  Talk about an easy party drink!

Then, for added nutritional value, I add Shakeology.  Yes, I'm a BeachBody coach, but I'm also a product of the product.  I'm dropping pounds weekly and I feel great!

Scales are the Devil!

Every morning I feel like throwing the scale in the trash because it doesn't say what I want it to.  Then I remember, I will win the battle.  So, I pick myself up, drink my shake, see my hubby out the door, get the boys their milk and move on with my day.

Then I get determined to show the scale just who the boss is, pick up the measuring tape and laugh at the scale.  Even though the numbers on the scale don't move, the measurements do.  That feels even better than the numbers on the scale.  It means I'm getting strong again, it means I can reach my goals if I just keep pushing myself to stick with my workouts and keep my goals in mind. 

Gaining Weight

Now, I'm not one of these people, but I do have a few people in my life that have problems gaining weight.   They struggle with it as much as I struggle with losing weight.  If you're one of those, this may help you.

• Eat every 2.5-3 hours
• Eat BIG to get BIG
• Steak, chicken, fruit, milk, vegetables, cheese and assorted types of nuts are the foods to feast on. 
• Eat 4 – 6 pieces of fresh fruit a day, and at least four tall glasses of milk. Low fat milk is a great, cheap protein source – take advantage of it. A sample snack meal would be a glass of milk, an apple, and a hand full of peanuts.
• Start with breakfast, it should be your largest meal of the day....easier said than done.  
• Throw all of your fruit in a blender and drink it.  Keep high protein snacks handy; protein bars, nuts, jerky and peanut butter!
• Get Lifting 
• 3-4x/week and focus on form to prevent injury
•  Extra calories + Strength Training = weight gain
• Go Big: squats, military press, bench press, chin ups, dead lifts and rows
• Cut Bad Fats - Eat the good stuff, nuts, seafood, veggies, lean meats and protein
• Drink - Water and Milk ONLY...the rest will hinder your weight gain and lead to dehydration.  Get lots of it too!
• Sleep - At least 8 hours/night

When can I expect results?  6-8 weeks, more than 1-2 lbs a week is unhealthy and will only gain you fat.

If you don't see results, see your doctor.  Thyroid disease can be a huge contributing factor to struggling with weight (gain or loss) along with a lot of other factors that can effect weight.


If you're getting really sore, add in some Whey Protein to your milk.  It'll give you extra protein without making you feel a ton fuller, like with nuts and meats.  A lot of people swear by P90X Recovery Formula. P90X is hardcore on strength training and should help you add muscle mass and gain weight quickly.  Be careful, stay hydrated and follow the nutrition guide to make sure you're getting all the nutrients you need.

Strength Training

Strength training can help you look good and feel even better.  It leads to increases in muscle and bone mass contributing to long-term health and wellness, help control your weight, reduce risk of injury, boost stamina and focus.  It can also help manage chronic conditions, like arthritis, back pain, depression, diabetes, osteoporosis and obesity.

Muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. "If you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you'll increase the percentage of fat in your body," says Edward Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. "But strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass — at any age." 

I LOVE strength training for one simple reason right now; muscle burns fat.  The more muscle you build, the more fat you burn.  Get in your zone with cardio and keep it there with strength training and you'll burn more fat and increase muscle mass.  I don't mean you'll bulk up like the Hulk, but you'll add a little definition where you didn't have it before.  There's nothing wrong with defined legs, arms, back and abs and nobody drools more over something than a well defined butt!

Where can I start?
Small amounts of weight, resistance bands and yoga, pilates are all forms of strength training.  Use lots of repetitions and repeat in sets of 3.  It will defiantly help you get the definition you've been wanting.  P90X uses a lot of strength training workouts.  I've been doing P90X for almost 6 weeks now and I've seen huge results!

If you're looking to add bulk, take your max weight -10% and you'll get what you should be doing to add bulk in smaller repetitions.

How often?
2-3 times a week is optimal.  After 3 days of not using muscles, you'll start losing them.  So, you want to keep your muscles active and keep targeting the ones you want to define.  However, you want to give your body a day of rest and recovery between strength training workouts.

Find Your Fit

 You can't deny sound measurements.  So, if your numbers aren't where you want them, don't get mad, get even.  Work harder and work smarter toward your goals!

I have some blog posts about goals; Goals, Baby Steps and Goals that can get you started.  Goals are great to give you positives to focus on and a starting point in life to get what you want and work hard to get it.

 If you're working out and not getting the results you want, take a look at your diet and nutrition.  Are you meeting your daily nutritional needs?  Are you eating to comfort yourself, eating every time you crave something, or giving your body food for fuel?  Are you eating because you need to or because you want to?  Start with a food diary if you're not keeping one and write down EVERYTHING... including the M&Ms!  Your body is a temple, it's the vessel for which we get to live life.  Embrace your mind, body and spirit and if you can find health in each the mind, body and spirit, you'll find yourself a more healthy and fit person.  You have to control your mind with your spirit, keep the mind focused and the mind controls the body.  Keep your focus on the goals

And, YES!  This feeling really does suck!

Climb Out Of That Hole!

I become more motivated and optimistic in other areas of my life as I become more active and healthy. The mind and body connection really is amazing. When everything is “working” together, life can feel pretty amazing too.  In the past 6 weeks, Royce and I feel like life has just fallen into place.  Things are changing as we work hard toward our goals; accomplishing some and setting new ones.

Deal with your Issues

Life’s too short to waste time being unhappy.  Don't be bitter.  Maintain a positive outlook and only foster positive relationships in your life.  After all, you are the company you keep.  Work towards your goals.  And, if you don't have goals, you need to start setting them!  Check out the book Push, I have it on my Nook Color.  If I could lend it, I totally would!  You can pick it up on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.  My husband, Royce, and I went through parts of Push together.  Not surprisingly, a lot of our goals aligned perfectly.  I think that's great when you have a significant other that you can share goals and aspirations with; not everyone is that lucky.

I have some blog posts about goals; Goals, Baby Steps and Goals that can get you started.  Goals are great to give you positives to focus on and a starting point in life to get what you want and work hard to get it.

Work Diligently to Find Yourself

During my bout of depression, I completely lost myself. I forgot who I was, I forgot what I enjoyed doing, I forgot the things I liked, I forgot what made me ME. It can happen too easily when the whirlwind of life takes over with marriage, kids, work, ect.  Take some time to reflect on who you are and what makes you special or what makes you YOU and what makes you HAPPY.  Maybe it’s your fun sense of humor, the way you laugh, doing crafts, spending time outdoors or dancing like it’s nobody’s business! You can’t find happiness, you have to create it. Sitting around waiting for it to show up at your door with a smile on its face is not gonna work.  You have to find joy in the little things in life and truly enjoy them.

Here are some of my motivations:

Music

Music a HUGE motivator for me – in all areas of life. I started playing piano at age 7, which means I've been doing it for 23 years.  I played bells in marching band and clarinet/bass clarinet/alto clarinet in concert band in high school.  Then in college I took up learning guitar in my spare time between class, studying and drinking.  I think music saved my life to begin with and it really has the ability to lift your mood and give you strength. Music is powerful – no matter what genre you like.

Fitness

Blogs, magazines, websites, stuff I find on Pinterest; they motivate me to mold a better me, eat healthy and be active. The model(s) on the front covers are always inspiring and make me wanna workout. It’s always fun getting the new Oxygen and Muscle and Fitness (His and Hers) in my mailbox. The very first fitness magazine I started reading was Muscle and Fitness!

Remembering the Things You’ve Accomplished

Once you start living an active, healthy lifestyle, you begin to notice accomplishments – no matter how small or large they might be. Things start to fall into place where you're not sure the planets would align.  You start reaching goals you set that weren't sure you could do and accomplish more than you felt possible.  The power of one single person with dedication always surprises many!

Kids

Not everyone has kids.  I get it.  I didn't used to want kids.  I'm not sure now how I felt complete without them or what I'd do without them in my life now.  They drive me nuts!  But, they give me great purpose, lots of joy and make me get out of bed in the morning.  Now, they're the reason my body went to hell and my pregnancies with both of them were TERRIBLE.  But, they make me get up and move, play outside, make cookies......because they don't like to sit down and watch daytime television!  They'd rather go swimming.

Just Give Yourself 5 Minutes

On the days you don’t feel like working out, give yourself five minutes. Make a promise to yourself to workout for at least five minutes.  Chances are, once you get started, you'll go longer and feel better.  If not, any workout is better than no workout, you did your five minutes. You’ll feel so much better – physically and mentally.

“Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man.  Sooner or later the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.” 

-Vince Lombardi

“If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.”

 -Anonymous

"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times,if one only remember to turn on the light." 

-Albus Dumbledore

Quick Home Workout

Jump Rope 1.5 minutes

30 crunches

30 Ab bikes

60 second Plank

REPEAT x 6

"Don't let your workout challenge you, challenge your workout."

Supplements: Ginger Root

A perennial herb native to China and India, ginger root has been used for centuries in Asian cooking and medications. Ancient peoples used ginger root to cure everything from menstrual cramps to seasickness to food poisoning to body odor. The roots of the plant, called rhizomes, are where the benefits of ginger root lie.  It's health benefits include, lowering cholesterol, aids in digestion, lowers blood pressure, treats nausea and morning sickness (I can attest to this one!), athlete's foot, increases circulation and can help with diarrhea and indigestion, halitosis, hay fever and allergies and sinus.  It has immunity boosting properties, possesses anti-inflammatory properties that aid in alleviating arthritis pain and may help treat ulcers.



To achieve maximum benefits of ginger root, you have to make sure you are taking a supplement with standardized herbal extract of pure ginger root. Many ginger products on the market do not use standardized extract, because it is much cheaper to produce. Also, you must make sure that the ginger root product is manufactured at a facility that follows strict GMP compliance for quality standards.
Pregnant women should be careful with ginger due to its potential to cause uterine contractions. Ginger has also been shown to interfere with the absorption of dietary iron and fat-soluble vitamins. Stomach upset is a common side effect with larger doses. Ginger may potentate the effects of blood thinners, barbiturates, beta-blockers, insulin, and other diabetes medications. Due to the blood thinning effect ginger should not be used before surgery. Ginger root works best in coordination with other herbs, so taking more than one together maximizes benefits.
For example: Ginger root can work together with other herbs such as gingko biloba and olive leaf to ease blood flow. Vitamin E works in conjunction with Vitamin C in a similar fashion. Ginger root can alleviate nausea, while turmeric can protect your digestive system and still another herb can ensure that your nausea won't return.

So you can see how important it is to find a high quality product, and how a blend of herbs, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients may be more beneficial to your health than a single herb product, not to mention safer!

Total Balance is a great blend of herbs that work well together to help your body achieve an increased level of homeostasis.  Here is the extensive list of ingredients that formulate a great herbal blend.  It comes highly recommended by herbalists and naturalpaths.  For those of you with allergies or intolerance, Total Balance is gluten and dairy free, but does contain soy, shellfish and peanuts.

Supplements: Konjac (Glucomannan) Root

Konjac Root is an excellent source of water soluble dietary fiber.  It is beneficial for blood cleansing, cholesterol levels, constipation, diabetes, digestion, detoxification, digestive disorders, and diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, hypertension, hypoglycemia, obesity and pancreas disorders.  Side effects include the ability to inhibit absorption of cholesterol and glucose by the gastrointestinal system, as well as strong laxative effects, bloating, and gas.  It can also help you feel fuller after taking it, which will promote weight loss by eating less.  Make sure to take a multivitamin while taking Konjac Root.  Dosage is 1 gram 1 hour before meal times and can be taken up to 4 times daily.  The plant is grown primarily in parts of Asia.

Shakeology Recipe Calendars

Fit In Your Workout....At Your Desk

I LOVE these workouts by QuickieChick on YouTube.  Check them out if you have time getting your workout in because you're always at the office!  I don't have this problem because I stay at home with my 1 and 3 year old, but I know many people struggle getting their workout in because they're so tired after a long mentally challenging day at the office.  I know I used to be.  Now I'm just tired from chasing my boys around!  So, no excuses, squeeze in your workout however you can work it.  Even if it is in stilettos instead of workout clothes!

QuickieChick's Workouts

Commit To A Healthy Life

There's no better time to start being healthy than now.  You'll always have setbacks, injuries and endless excuses if you let them hang around.  It takes dedication, determination, committment and a whole lot of genuine work.  It takes a lifetime to be healthy, not a fad diet.  You have to train your mind and your body, not just one or the other.  You have to have a support system of people to help guide you and pick you up when you are down.  You have to make healthy a habit, not a series of daily choices.  Choices can be good or bad.  Start with good choices.  Make a choice to eat clean and fresh at every meal.  If it's fresh, it's not crap.  Your body needs nutrients to thrive.  If you're feeding it sugar, caffeine and other CRAP, it's' not getting nutrients.  It's storing extra sugars for energy and making you fatter!

Nothing replaces a good diet and proper nutrition.  You can work out all day long, but if you go home and eat CRAP, you're not doing yourself any favors.  If you're going to make the choice to be healthy, don't just do it in part.  Make the decision to dedicate your body to being healthy.  You'll live longer, feel better and have a more quality life for doing it!  It's a lifelong commitment.

30 Day Shakeology Challenge

June is the month to start summer off right with 30 days of healthy eating, exercise and making healthy habit!

What is Shakeology?  A meal replacement shake and so much more!   It has a whole bunch of super great nutrients to help you lose weight, increase energy, lower cravings and make you feel full longer. 


Shakeology is a great tool to help you make healthy a habit!  Lets face it, if you can feel full with a 150 calorie shake that tastes great and not stuff your face full of those temptations that seem to be everywhere and feel satisfied, you're off to a great start, whether it's in the morning, lunch or evening.  Or honestly, it's better than the candy bar you grab at the gas station because you're starving after work!

Please check back, as I will be holding more challenges soon!

The month of June, I will be holding a 30 day weight loss challenge.  Starting June 1, Ending June 30!

What's it cost?  $119.95 + tax & shipping for Chocolate and Greenberry
                        $129.95 + tax & shipping for Tropical Strawberry (it's a vegan formula!)

Click here to order your shakes!

It's that simple.  30 shakes, 30 days, and 30 minute workouts

Only 1 can win a BeachBody gift certificate, but everyone wins in weight loss through fitness and nutrition.  Get on track and get fit and check out Shakeology, pick a flavor (greenberry, chocolate or tropical strawberry), or a mix of all three.  Let me know I'll help you get on track.  I'll stick with you through the challenge and beyond to help you set and reach your fitness goals through fitness and nutrition.

Make sure to sign up for your FREE BeachBody Membership to log measurements, weight, workouts, get recipes and meal planners and connect with others who are doing the same.  AND, get entered in a drawing to win $500 or $1000 just for logging your workouts 8x a month.  My coach, Jessica, recently won $500!  Ask me for details!

You'll Start By Filling In Your Measurement Tracker

After you fill out the measurement tracker, send me your Day 1 measurements and weight at the start of the challenge.  Then after Day 30, take your measurements and weight again and send me your results!

If you're interested in trying Shakeology, but don't want to do a challenge, I do have samples to try.


Leave a comment below, give me a shout of Facebook or Twitter or send me an e-mail at cassjo2@hotmail.com with Shakeology in the subject line (so it doesn't get lost in my junk mail) or hit me up on my phone at 309.333.8519 with a call or text.

Spots are limited, so don't delay.

5 Day Shakeology Challenge

What is Shakeology?  A meal replacement shake and so much more!   It has a whole bunch of super great nutrients to help you lose weight, increase energy, lower cravings and make you feel full longer.

Please check back, as I will be holding more challenges soon!

May 21-25 I will be holding a 5 Day Shakeology Challenge:
5 Days
5 Shakes
5 30 minute workouts

What's it cost?  $25 for greenberry and chocolate and $26.50 for tropical strawberry (it's vegan)
It's that simple.  5 shakes, 5 days to start to make a change toward healthy habits!

Only 1 can win a BeachBody gift certificate, but everyone wins through fitness and nutrition.  Get on track and get fit and check out Shakeology, pick a flavor (greenberry, chocolate or tropical strawberry), or a mix of all 3 and let me know.  I'll help you get on track.  I'll stick with you through the challenge and beyond to help you set and reach your fitness goals through fitness and nutrition.

Make sure to sign up for your FREE BeachBody Membership to log measurements, weight, workouts, get recipes and meal planners and connect with others who are doing the same.  AND, get entered in a drawing to win $500 or $1000 just for logging your workouts 8x a month.  My coach, Jessica, recently won $500!  Ask me for details!

You'll Start By Filling In Your Measurement Tracker

If you're interested in trying Shakeology, but don't want to do a challenge, I do have samples to try.


Leave a comment below, give me a shout of Facebook or Twitter or send me an e-mail at cassjo2@hotmail.com with Shakeology in the subject line (so it doesn't get lost in my junk mail) or hit me up on my phone at 309.333.8519 with a call or text.

Spots are limited, so don't delay.

30 Day Challenge to come....check back for details!

P90X: Week 5

Training Block 1: Classic was 4 weeks or core killing, ab ripping, body sculpting madness.  Yoga, mixed martial arts, push ups, pull ups, jump training and stretching.

I started Training Block 2: Lean today.  I don't need to step it up to Lean, but I felt by week 4 things were starting to get a little easy for me on Classic, so I decided "why not?"

Day 1, today, was core synergistics and it kicked my butt all over again!  I find myself pausing to rest, out of breath, hurting, stopping to stretch like day 1 all over again.  This training block will most certainly kick my butt into shape, which is obviously the goal.  If you can work out 60-90 minutes a day and not get your ass in shape, you let me know what the hell you're doing, or the more probable situation, not doing.

Give me a call, I'll help you kick your ass into shape!

8 Minute Buns

Push by Chalene Johnson

Click to get it on Amazon

It was suggested to me by my upline coach, Jessica (who's amazing by the way), to read Chalene Johnson's book Push: 30 Days to Turbocharged Habits, a Bangin' Body, and the Life You Seserve!.  So, I immediately downloaded it to my Nook Color (which I love and so does my 3-year-old).  So, I started reading it yesterday.  I have to say that the concepts aren't new to me, nor if you read my blog should they be new to you either.  But, it's a good book full of goal setting, homework and the basics on how to achieve your dreams.

I've been saying for a long time that to achieve what you want, you have to set goals.  I'm always willing to help people reach their goals, whether it's starting a business or losing 10 lbs.  Would I suggest Chalene's book, YES!  It's a good and easy read.  I even went through some stuff with my husband.  Not to my surprise, many of the questions we asked each other had answers that aligned perfectly.  I will say, there are many activities and lots of homework in this book.  So, if you're not serious enough about your life and the goals you have to do it, don't buy it.  Wait a couple of years, then buy it when you decide to make a commitment to what's important to you.  That statement alone may have made something click in your brain.  If it did, buy the book and get serious about it!

Get Great Glutes

10 reps x 3 sets

20 reps x 3 sets

10 reps x 3 sets

10 reps x 3 sets

10 reps x 3 sets

10 reps x 3 sets