 HAPPY EASTER!
Wait…it’s April already?!? Has anyone told Mother Nature? Here in PA we’ve had 80-degree weather followed by 35-degree weather followed by warm rain showers followed by snowfall all in a two-week span. The calendar does say spring is here, right?
The weather may be slightly confused at the moment, but warm spring weather will soon be here to stay, and I don’t know about you, but I’m very clear on the fact that I’m not quite ready to display myself in shorts, tank tops, and bathing suits just yet. If you’re feeling the same way, you’re invited to join me for the Spring Into Health Fitness Support Group that’s starting on April 17, and what better timing than right here during a holiday for Beachbody to give us that phenomenal value with the Annual All Access On Demand plus Shakeology package for only $160!?!?! No, I’m not pulling your leg, it really is only $160 for an entire year's access to over 400 workouts, hundreds of recipes, and a cooking show. No, there are no hidden fees. Yes, YOU are welcome to join us as we shed that winter weight/Girl Scout cookie weight/Easter candy weight along with those winter clothes. Oh, and did you hear the big announcement that’s going to add a little flavor to your life? No? Check it out in this video where I also explain in even greater detail about the Annual All Access awesomeness.
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Watch this video for some BIG NEWS and more details on the Annual All Access pass!
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You know you could use a restart on your fitness journey, so will you be joining us? Reply to this Newsletter if you’d like me to save a spot for you in the group!
I want to highlight a few things from this month’s newsletter. I get so many questions regarding which liquid is best for your smoothie or Shakeology, so I’m giving you a little info on quite a few of them so you can make your own informed decision. Also inside…getting the stink out of your workout gear. Oh, I’m the only one who needs that info? LOL! Well, read it anyway so you can share it with your other stinky friends. (Don’t tell them I called them stinky.)
Thank you for allowing me the privilege of being your Coach. It is an honor that I shall never take for granted. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you began inspiring others to get healthier as a side hustle while you continue on your own fitness journey? If your answer is yes, and you’d like more info, CLICK HERE, and let’s talk to see if Beachbody Coaching is a good fit for both your physical and your financial fitness. Have a blessed and healthy Resurrection Day!
Independent Team Beachbody Coach
Contact me at: www.IngridInPA.com
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- Spring Savings on BOD All Access Challenge Pack!
- Comparing Smoothie Liquids, With Recipes
- How to Remove Odor From Workout Clothes
- Best Laundry Tips for Workout Clothes
- Retrain Your Tastebuds to Break Free of Sugar and Salt
- Recipe: Guacamole Deviled Eggs
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The Best Deal in Fitness Just Got Better
The Annual All-Access Beachbody on Demand and Shakeology Challenge Pack is the TOTAL SOLUTION: Fitness + Nutrition including Shakeology + Coach Support!
You get 12-month access to original Beachbody and ALL existing Beachbody workouts: Core De Force, 21-Day Fix, P90X, Insanity, PiYo, and everything else, including the new YouV2 coming out in May AND the new Shift Shop coming out in July! This is more than $6,000 worth of personal training from world class super trainers. You also get IMMEDIATE access to EVERY new program released during your yearly membership (2017 is estimated to have 3 new programs, and you'll get those at no additional cost as soon as they release! No waiting, no extra purchasing...it’s just accessible in your account!)
Through April, this FULL YEAR of FULL ACCESS is available for the special price of $160 – the lowest price ever offered!
Challenge Pack Includes
- A 30-day supply of Shakeology delivered on Home Direct
- Access to every program on Beachbody On Demand for an entire year, including all of our premium fitness programs and all new releases during those 12 months
- The 7-piece Portion Fix system, our revolutionary container system that makes portion control simple
- $2 super saver shipping
- Fixate recipes and cooking show
- Fully customizable Meal Planning Wizard
- 10% off all Team Beachbody purchases during the year
You get all of this for $160 for the entire 12 months, with no monthly fee! You also get me as your free coach to help make sure you are getting the results that you want. Stream your workout anytime and anywhere - from your home, from a hotel room, and even outside in the spring sunshine! You really can't beat this level of super-trainer workouts, flexibility and value. This is not about just starting and completing one program, it is about moving through each stage of your journey and entering into a lifestyle of proper nutrition and fitness.
Already have a BOD account? Contact me to upgrade to the All Access Pass!
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 All About that Base: Comparing Smoothie Liquids
Liquid is the foundation of the smoothie, and the liquid you choose can add a nutritional boost, a sweet flavor, and even an irresistible creaminess. With so many nut milks, coconut waters, and other liquids on the market, how do you choose? Here's how the liquids measure up, with a delicious Shakeology recipe for each:
Water: The simplest base for your healthy smoothie is water, and it’s an easy way to sneak an extra serving into your day. Water keeps you hydrated, provides energy and flushes toxins. It’s the perfect choice when you want the flavors of your ingredients to speak for themselves. To up the creamy factor, use it with frozen fruit.
 Tropical Strawberry Mojito Shakeology
1 cup water
1 serving of Tropical Strawberry Shakeology
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
chopped fresh mint leaves to taste
1 cup ice
Skim Milk: If you like light-textured, frothy smoothies, try skim milk as a base. Packed with essential nutrients but fairly low in calories, skim milk makes an excellent addition to heart-healthy meal plans. Skim milk is loaded with protein, calcium, phosphorous, vitamin D and vitamin A, and one serving provides about 8 grams of protein. Choose skim over whole milk, as it is much lower in calories, containing 90 calories per cup vs. 150 calories while providing about the same amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
 Banana Bread Shakeology
½ cup skim milk
½ cup water
1 serving vanilla Shakeology
1 medium banana
2 Tbsp dry quick oats
1 Tbsp. chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup ice
Almond Milk: Almond milk is a dairy-alternative, warm flavored liquid that will provide you with vitamins A, D, and E. Almond milk also makes smoothies creamy without adding any unhealthy fat. It contains Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids.
Since it is lactose free, it is easily digestible, and it’s even low in fat and cholesterol free. Choose unsweetened almond milk to save calories and avoid sugar. Here’s an example comparing Blue Diamond Almond Breeze options: Unsweetened Original and Unsweetened Vanilla - 30 calories, 0g Sugar; Original- 60 calories, 7g Sugar; Vanilla – 80 calories, 13g Sugar; Chocolate – 120 calories, 20g Sugar.
 Chocolate Almond Spice Shakeology
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 serving chocolate vegan Shakeology
1 tsp almond butter
1 tsp pure maple syrup
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup ice
Coconut Milk: Coconut milk is squeezed from the meat of the coconut, which produces a sweet and tasty liquid that is a delicious dairy alternative for creating a decadent smoothie. It is high in protein, fiber, and other micronutrients, and is a source of heart-healthy fat. It is higher in calories than other options, so choose a light version and measure your portion.
 Almond Joy Shakeology
1 cup light coconut milk
1 serving chocolate Shakeology
1 Tbsp almond butter
1 cup ice
Coconut Water: The tropical flavor of coconut water makes it a perfect base for just about any smoothie, especially ones that require a little boost of natural sweetness. (Fair warning: many coconut waters are heavily processed, so a little research is required to find a truly healthy brand.)
Coconut water is low in calories at 45 per cup, and it contains five essential electrolytes: calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and sodium. Unlike coconut milk, coconut water isn’t creamy, so it’s perfect when you want an icy feel to your drink.
 Green Coconut Shakeology
1 cup coconut water
1 serving Greenberry Shakeology
¾ cup packed fresh spinach leaves
1 cup ice
Hemp Milk: Derived from seeds of the hemp plant, hemp milk is a great source of protein that infuses smoothies with a subtly earthy flavor and a creamy texture. Hemp seeds are technically a nut, so hemp milk is technically a nut milk, too (except it IS, in fact, safe for people with nut allergies). Hemp milk has a higher fat content than other nut milks, but it is cholesterol-reducing omega-6’s and omega-3’s.
The properties in hempseed have been shown to relieve tired muscles, sharpen your focus, boost the immune system, and keep you full. Hempseed is rich with minerals like potassium and calcium, and boasts a significantly higher protein content than chia seeds or flaxseed (about a quarter of the calories in hempseed are from protein). Hemp milk can be one of the best sources of protein for vegans.
Rice Milk: If you struggle to digest lactose in milk or are just looking for something different, then try using rice milk as a liquid base in your smoothie. Rice milk is the least allergenic of almost any “milk” product. Furthermore, rice is a simple and recognizable flavor that won’t overwhelm your smoothie.
Though it is lacking in protein, it is fortified with calcium and low in cholesterol, which makes it a slightly healthier option than cow’s milk, and you can get the lacking protein through various superfoods and leafy greens. It is naturally sweetened, fructose free, and adds creaminess to smoothies.
 Sweet and Spicy Chocolate Shakeology
1 cup hemp milk OR unsweetened rice milk
1 serving chocolate Shakeology
2 tsp pure maple syrup
¼ to ½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup ice
Fresh-Squeezed Juice: Many fresh squeezed juices offer beneficial antioxidants and helpful enzymes. They offer an array of vitamins and taste good, too. The thing to keep in mind about fruit juices is their high sugar content. When using fresh squeezed fruit as a liquid base, use an equal amount of water.
 Orange Dream
½ cup water
½ cup 100% orange juice
serving vanilla Shakeology
½ tsp finely grated orange peel
1 cup ice
Green Tea: Green tea is a fighter against four of the biggest health issues in the western world: cancer, heart disease, weight, and diabetes. The secret? It contains a high concentration of polyphenols, which are a specific type of antioxidant. These antioxidants are also known to rejuvenate skin cells and give you a clearer complexion. Green tea does contain caffeine, which makes it a great base for those who are trying to transition from a morning cup of coffee to a green smoothie.
Tea-Berry Zinger
1 cup cold unsweetened green tea
1 serving Greenberry Shakeology
1 cup raspberries
1 cup ice
 Vanilla Green Tea Frappe
½ cup skim milk
½ cup water
1 - 3 tsp matcha green tea powder
1 serving vanilla Shakeology
1 cup ice
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How to Remove Lingering Odors from Your Workout Clothes
In the ideal world, yoga pants are used for more than running to the grocery store or casual outings. It may be time to evaluate the state of your workout gear - including a sniff test. Chafing spots, stretched straps and waistbands, and holes are all signs it’s time to get new gear. The lifespan of any piece of workout wear will vary, depending on how often you use and abuse it and how well you take care of it, but if you are dealing with lingering odors after washing the garment, there may still be hope.
A lot of workout gear is designed specifically to absorb moisture, making it a different beast when it’s time to do laundry. Here are some tips to keep your workout gear fresh, and there are more specific laundry strategies in a separate article.
Don’t let your clothes fester: It’s unrealistic to do a load of laundry every time you work out, but also don’t forget about them. "When you wear a tank top, sports bra, and leggings for an hour-long workout, then shove those soaking-wet clothes in a plastic bag in the bottom of your desk drawer for the rest of the workday, you've got a recipe for serious stench," Jeannie Kim, and editor at health.com wrote. The same thing goes for adding damp clothes to the dirty laundry pile will only make them stinkier.
If your clothes are totally soaked through, toss them in the wash immediately. No time to wash? Lay them on a drying rack or hang them to dry before laundry day.
Steer clear of fabric softener: Fabric softener not only damages stretchy clothes, but it also leaves behind a film that can hold smells captive. For a natural softener that can stave off stale sweat smells, add half a cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle.
Don’t add more detergent: Smellier load calls for more detergent, right? Wrong. Washing machines are designed to use a set amount of detergent based on the size of the load. Excess soap will just build up on your clothes, which will then trap dead skin and harbor fungus.
Consider natural fabrics: While synthetic fabrics once dominated the athletic-wear sector, natural fibers such as cotton, wool and bamboo have found a home in a number of athletic lines.
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Best Laundry Tips for Smelly Workout Clothes
Jeannie Kim, an editor at health.com, tested various laundry solutions for smelly workout clothes. Here's what she found.
"I tried each method or specialty detergent at least two times (most of them four or five times), always washing in warm water and hanging dry. Each load had at least one super stinky hot yoga item in it. I sniffed everything right out of the wash and after drying, and also noted if clothes smelled worse when worn. I paired the natural methods with my usual laundry detergent, Seventh Generation Free & Clear. For the specialty detergents, I focused on brands that offered a fragrance-free version, since I'm sensitive to fragrances in laundry products."
Best natural method: baking soda
"Baking soda is a known deodorizer, so it's not surprising that this worked so well. I just added a cup of it to the washer as it filled, along with detergent," she said. Cost per load: About $0.64 (plus cost of detergent)
Runner-up natural method: pre-soak with vinegar
"I pre-soaked the entire load of clothes in my top-loading washing machine by running one delicate cycle (on my machine, that's basically a short soak and a spin dry) with cold water, adding a cup of vinegar as it filled. Then I washed the load as usual with warm water and regular detergent," Kim said.
"Though it wasn't as effective as the baking soda, it still got most of the odor out of my clothes," Kim said. "If you buy white vinegar by the gallon for other cleaning uses like I do, it's a super cheap and handy method." She noted that presoaking, rather than adding vinegar to the rinse cycle, was more effective and left no vinegar smell. Cost per load: About $0.64 (plus cost of detergent)
Best specialty detergent: Nathan Sport-Wash
"To be honest, every sport detergent I tried worked fairly well. But Nathan Sport-Wash was the only one that removed absolutely every odor and didn't require any fiddling to figure out the ideal amount or an elaborate pre-wash ritual," she said. Cost per load: $0.60
Runner-up specialty detergent: Win Green
"In a rare exception to the "use less detergent" rule, Win Green didn't pass muster when I used only one capful as recommended for 'regular' loads. But when I used two capfuls (recommended for large loads), it did a fantastic job. Win also comes in a scented version, which some reviewers on Amazon claim works better than the fragrance-free," she said. Cost per load: $0.68
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Retrain Your Taste Buds to Break Free of Sugar and Salt
When it comes to fitness, changing eating habits is key. Maybe you’ve heard the expressions “abs are made in the kitchen,” and “you can’t out-exercise a bad diet.” When you’re used to high amounts of salts and added sugars, cutting them out can leave you disappointed and cause cravings that leave you feeling deprived and dispirited. If you are struggling with intersecting better health and satisfying meals, try these tapering habits (yes, habits!) to retrain your taste buds.
Be proactive. The obvious first step is to simply use less sugar. If you normally take a teaspoon of sugar in your coffee, start using ¾ of a teaspoon. A few days later, drop it down to ½. The same goes for cooking. Whatever amount of sugar your recipe calls for, just use less and less until you find a new level of acceptable sweetness.
Find flavor elsewhere. If salt is your default flavor enhancer, you’re missing out on some easy ways to make your favorite foods taste better. Shallots, garlic, citrus zest and fresh herbs or dried spices (like cardamom, tarragon, basil and cinnamon) all pair well with rice and pasta, meats and fish, soups and sauces. Plus, these additions come with health-boosting nutrients.
Start cooking. Added sugars and salt love to hide out in store-bought sauces, salsas, salad dressings and canned fruits and vegetables. Search out easy recipes for sauces and garnishes, and replace canned foods with fresh or frozen whenever possible.
Avoid "healthy" traps. Yogurt is a prime example of a good food with a bad side. Yes, it contains calcium and probiotics, which are good bacteria, but unless you’re buying “plain,” you’re getting more than 2 teaspoons of added sugar per cup (some even have 5 teaspoons per serving!). Plain yogurt, on the other hand, has lactose, a naturally occurring sugar. Instant oatmeal is another sweet pitfall – the maple and brown sugar variety has nearly 3 teaspoons of sugar. Choose the plain instant variety and add fresh fruit or a small amount of pure maple syrup.
Stick with water. Soda, sweetened ice tea, energy drinks and many fruit juices contain shockingly high amounts of added sugar: Most 12-ounce sodas contain the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar, and surprisingly, so do 100 percent fruit juices. Sports drinks deliver about 5 teaspoons. If these beverages are part of your daily routine, start by cutting yourself off at just one a day. Then begin pouring the drink into a small, 4- to 5-ounce juice glass. Make water more exciting with a squeeze of lemon or other fruit.
Skip the alternate routes. Sugar substitutes and low-calorie or low-fat versions of foods may seem like a smart idea, but in reality they can backfire. Cheese is a good example. Most low-fat cheeses have added sodium to make up for the flavor loss. You’re better off choosing the full-fat cheese but cutting back on the serving size. As for artificial sweeteners, most are sweeter than the real thing. So if your goal is to retrain your taste buds, this tactic will have the opposite effect.
Vary your prep methods. There’s nothing wrong with boiled or steamed broccoli, except it begs for some oomph. Grill and roast that same floret, however, and a robust flavor is cooked right in, no salt necessary. This applies to just about any vegetable.
Never say never. Tweak your palate, but still plan for treats from time to time. Give yourself permission to occasionally have a slice of cake, or to savor your favorite restaurant’s signature dish as part of a special occasion. |
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Guacamole Deviled Eggs
Some people add hard boiled eggs to their guacamole, loaded with a good dose of healthy fats and perfect for dietary restrictions like vegetarian, gluten-free, low-carb and paleo.
6 large eggs, hard boiled
1 avocado
2-3 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp red onion, minced
1 Tbsp minced jalapeno
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp diced tomato
pinch chili powder (for garnish)
Peel the cooled hard boiled eggs. Cut them in half horizontally, and set the yolks aside. In a bowl, mash the avocado and 2 whole egg yolks; discard the rest.
Mix in lime juice, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, salt, pepper and adjust to taste. Gently fold in tomato. Scoop heaping spoonfuls of the guacamole into the 12 halved eggs. Sprinkle with chili powder for color and arrange on a platter. Source: skinnytaste.com |
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