Just call me "Coach."

It's time to come clean about my newest obsession. But first, a little background. 

Those of you who know me in real life or those who have spent any time perusing the pages of my little corner of the blogosphere know that I love to eat. My obsession with all things chocolate is fairly well documented on these pages. 

I make no bones about it: I enjoy food. A lot. 

And I am not one to diet. 

That said, I do generally eat well. I cook. I start with fresh ingredients and make our dinners. Almost every night. I do use real butter and refuse fat free salad dressings. I also love hamburgers and pizza. But, I enjoy these things in moderation. I scarf down pizza only once or twice in a given month. 

So, moderation is my key to staying in shape. Well that, and regular exercise. And, of course, being blessed with exceptional metabolism {I do not discount that for one second}. 

And for years the hubs and I have started our day with a protein breakfast shake. We created our own using flax seed oil, frozen fruit and protein powder. They were yummy, but I was always starving a few hours later. 

{Enter Shakeology}

A month or so ago I was starting to feel sluggish. I may have gained five or so unwanted pounds over the last year {of course blogging is partly to blame}. But more than the weight, I just didn't feel like I had  much energy {and I was starting to just blame my age}. I had read about Shakeology from Lindsay at Designer Wife and decided to be radical and try a 3-day cleanse! As I said, I don't diet, but decided  something quick would give me the jump-start I needed to get back on track. 

Here's what I did:

Breakfast - 1 cup of green tea and 1 Shakeology shake with a handful of fruit added {mixed only with water and ice}.

Snack - 1 piece of fruit

Lunch - 1 cup of green tea and 1 Shakeology shake {mixed only with water and ice}.

Snack - 1  Shakeology shake {mixed only with water and ice}.

Dinner - Loads and loads of veggies and a small portion of chicken {think large salad with a little bit of chicken and homemade salad dressing}.
And TONS of water all day long.

Nothing else -- no dairy, no other meat, no alcohol, and no preservatives.

For three full days.

And amazingly I was not hungry {other than the 1st day when I forgot my second snack - oops!} and I felt great. I was even able to fill Easter eggs and bake cupcakes without giving into my cravings. {an Easter miracle some would say!} 

So after the three days I felt markedly better and knew my body was running more efficiently! Exactly what I wanted!!! As an added bonus: I lost 4 pounds. Truly that should be no surprise -- I was drinking gallons of water ever day and effectively eating only vegetables. And let's just say the plumbing was quite efficient during this time. Quite.

Since that 3-day period I have gone to having only one Shakeology shake per day -- generally for breakfast. They are delicious and very filling. And, as the literature says, "the healthiest meal of the day." That is undoubtedly true in my day. Even when I am eating "healthy" foods.

Here is a short {less than a minute video} about the ingredients:

Amazing!

So clearly, I've become obsessed. I literally crave my shake in the morning. Which is probably my body's way of telling me I needed more veggies in my life.

Is Shakeology for everyone?

Maybe or maybe not. Though, I really can't think of anyone who would not benefit on some level. It is a quick, easy, nutritious breakfast you can drink on your way to work, or in my instance, as I stand at the bus stop.

Do I recommend that everyone starts with a 3-day cleanse?

Of course not! I'm just sharing my story. I needed that immediate feeling of well-being that comes from resetting your system. Drinking just one shake a day still makes a difference in how I feel. A drastic start is certainly not needed to reap the benefits.

{My new obsession is expensive}

The shakes are not cheap -- $3-$4/shake. Of course, I generally spend that much on my morning latte! And it is a full and nutritious meal {much better than anything else I could purchase for $3-$4}. But it does add up quickly.

So, in order to fund my new-expensive-shake habit I became an "Independent Team BeachBody Coach." Now believe me when I say this: I do not have a beach body and have no absolutely no coaching qualifications. I simply wanted a discount on my shakes so I didn't have to give up my morning latte!

So if you are curious about Shakeology click through to my new Shakeology site and read more of the scientific information. If you want more information or would like to ask any personal questions please contact me {see the contact tab above}. I am learning more and more every day and am happy to share that with you.

If you too develop an expensive shake habit, I am happy to walk you through the steps to become a "coach" so you can receive the shakes at a discounted rate. Or you can buy from me forever and start funding my kids' college fund. Either way works.

All this said, I'm off to bake a batch of my legendary chocolate chip cookies. 

Balance, folks. 

Balance. 

I promise I will never turn into a complete health nut.