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Supplement Your Way to Success
When it comes to living healthy, working out and eating right, there is no one-size-fits-all system. There is not one grocery list that everyone would be happy with, and there is not one particular exercise that would work for every single person on the planet.
We all have different goals and different needs. We all have different activity levels and food preferences. Therefore, we have to supplement what we are missing, or don’t like, in order to get the most out of our life and health.
Supplementing Nutrients
Sure, anyone can go hard-core on their eating or exercise for a season but, when it comes to a healthy lifestyle, you have to be realistic with what will work for you. This is where supplements come in. Before we continue, let’s take a look at what a supplement really is. Here’s what Webster says.
Supplement: Something added to complete a thing, make up for a deficiency, or extend or strengthen the whole.
Synonyms: Add to, compliment, reinforce, augment, extend, fill out.
Unfortunately, many people don’t use supplements how they are designed. They rely on an energy supplement for ALL their energy, or their protein supplement to get ALL their protein. That isn’t how a supplement is supposed to work. Supplements were created to reinforce your diet and exercise program, not replace it.
Getting all the nutrients you need to succeed is challenging in today’s world, and with our hectic schedules. If you are like me, and you work hard in the gym and care about your health, you don’t want to throw it away on a poor diet. You want your body to be as healthy as possible, to heal as quickly as possible, and to get results as fast as possible. THAT’S why supplements are so valuable.
For example, one of my favorite quick fixes is the Total Lean Breakfast Bar. Some would argue that a homemade healthy balanced meal would be a better choice. My response is this: if I am eating a Breakfast Bar, then the only other choice was eating nothing at all. So, the Breakfast Bar was an excellent choice.
You see, I don’t rely on protein bars and/or pre-packaged meals and snacks for fuel. I use them when whole food isn’t an option. Protein shakes and bars are a fantastic solution for people on the go. Before I supplemented my diet, I skipped breakfast and never got enough protein in my diet. While I eat very healthy, now supplements help me get the nutrients I was once lacking, so I can reach my health and fitness goals.
Supplementing Exercise
If we lived back in the old days, we may not need to add a workout to our schedule. Working on the farm, or doing daily task might have kept our bodies more fit naturally. However, in today’s computer age, where we drive everywhere we need to go and communicate with everyone by a computerized device, we do a lot less walking and expend a lot fewer calories. So, we have to supplement. That’s why exercise is SO important today. The same way most people don’t get all the nutrients they need in their food, most people don’t get enough exercise through regular daily living.
Once you begin exercising, then you learn that not every workout works for you. One thing I love about the Total Lean Challenge workout program is that Steve shows all kinds of modifications. If you don’t have weights, he makes suggestions of how you can “supplement”. Whether you are making the exercise easier or harder, he shows various options so you can adjust that workout to fit your needs.
A healthy lifestyle is doable for everyone at anytime in his or her life – we just all need to learn to get the right supplements. If you lack activity, you supplement it with exercise. If you don’t have all the right tools to exercise, you supplement with what you do have. If you can’t get all the nutrients you need, you supplement it with what you are missing. Whether you supplement a little or a lot, you are better, healthier and happier because you are more complete – reinforced, augmented, extended, fulfilled.
Today’s Surprise Saturday Workout
Try one of the workout routines led by Steve Pfiester or do the Surprise Saturday workout for today (described below). I’m doing the Saturday Workout today! I will be running the bridges with my BFF, Kristie. The route: 5.5 mile loop from Riverside Park, over the Barber Bridge to Indian River Drive, then over the 17th Bridge back over to A1A back to Route 60 to Riverside Park, which will take us about an hour.
CLICK HERE to check out the Total Lean challenge. Try one of the workouts, or try them all. The Total Lean challenge offers a 90 day meal plan and workout program – and you can join the challenge anytime!!
5 Ways I Supplement
1. Total Lean Vitamins. I simply cannot get all the vitamins in nutrients I need, and stay within my desired caloric allowance without vitamins.
2. Total Lean Shake 25. I have one shake right after my workout, and another shake before I go to bed if I haven’t met my daily protein goal. For me, I try to get .75-1gm of protein per pound of ideal bodyweight.
3. Total Lean Breakfast Bars. I keep these on hand in case I am in a hurry and need to eat on the run. They are super yummy and go so good with my coffee!
4. Protein Bars. I keep a protein bar on me at all times, so that if I get hungry, I never am tempted to grab fast food or go off plan. They have saved me from making many stupid mistakes.
5. Activity. I wear the Jawbone UP that helps me track my steps. My goal is to walk 10,000 steps a day. If I know I won’t reach my goal, I go for a 3-mile run to supplement my lack of activity on inactive days.
Realistic Healthy Lifestyle Tips:
1. Cook in advance. I cook all my meat on Sundays (see my vlog below) so I have meat already prepared for all my meals. My favorite meats to cook is grilled chicken, pulled chicken in a crock pot, turkey meatloaf, apple, walnut & chicken salad, curry chicken salad and tuna salad. Chicken and tuna salads are a great solution for eating on the run when a microwave isn’t handy.
2. Plan my workout for the week. If I don’t make a plan, I am not as motivated to workout. If you are new to working out, or don’t like to think, the Total Lean Challenge workout program makes planning easy. Today’s workout is the Saturday Surprise workout, so today I just have to walk, hike or bike for 60 minutes! How’s that for easy planning?!
3. Set weekly goals. I have a few guidelines I try to follow so I never get out of my routine. Workout no fewer than 3 times a week, and never go more than 3 days without exercise. No matter what happens, always start fresh and strong Monday.
Curry Chicken Salad
3 Chicken Breast
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1/8 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup light mayo (or yogurt)
1 C chopped grapes
1 T stevia
1 T curry powder
salt & pepper
Cucumber (optional)
Mix it all up and pop it in the fridge to chill. Cut a cucumber in half, longways, and scoop out the seeds with a tablespoon until it makes a nice boat. Serve the chicken salad on the cucumber boat. Serve with wheat thins if you are serving guests. Dieters skip the chips and just enjoy it as is.
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this Campaign. All opinions are my own.
30 Days of Motivation: Does Your Diet Need More Muscle?
If you want to tone up, you need to put more muscle in your workouts – and in your kitchen. The problem is, most people don’t know how much protein they eat – or how much they need. Well, after you read today’s blog, you will not only know “your number”, but you’ll know how and when to take it too.
First, I want to hit some key pointers.
1. Budget your protein intake. Before you start gulping down protein, you want to make sure you realize you are also gulping down more calories. Many people who start a fitness program hoping to lose weight and tone up ADD protein to their diet, but forget to SUBTRACT calories from carbs and fat. Another words, they are increasing their protein AND calories. Then they wonder whey they GAINED weight trying to get healthy. If you need to lose weight or lean out, remember that adding protein to your diet is great, but you have to account for the extra calories – and protein shakes and bars can add up fast if you aren’t paying attention.
2. Know when to take it. Protein is not a good source of fuel. That’s why marathoners carb up, not protein up. Protein is best for repair. So, the 2 best times to take protein, besides getting it in whole foods throughout your day, is post workout and before you go to bed. Our body is most receptive to absorbing protein within 30-40 minutes of your workout, and it needs protein to help our body repair muscle while we sleep.
3. Know how to take it. If you are taking protein post workout, you want to pair it with simple sugars to help speed up absorption so you can use the protein in that 30-40 minute window. For instance, a protein shake with water and honey, or protein with orange juice would be a good post workout shake. Any other time, you want to slow digestion down so you can absorb as much nutrients as possible. The longer it’s in your stomach, the more protein you absorb, and the longer you’ll stay full. In this case, adding milk or peanut butter is helpful.
4. Know your number. GNC put together a cool calculator to help people know how many grams of protein they should take a day. Note that it also gives you a window – minimum to maximum. For example, my number is 95 – but my range is 78-111. For me, the only way I can get that much protein is to supplement. I can get about 60 or so grams of protein in whole foods (I’m not a big meat eater) and then I supplement with a couple of shakes or a shake and a bar to reach my daily goal. CLICK HERE to find YOUR number.
Today’s Mantra:
Is Your Protein Shake Making You Fat?
I always encourage people to boost their protein intake – however, if you want to lose weight, you have to do more than just add protein to your diet.
This is why many people can’t seem to shake the weight (pun intended). They add protein to their diet, forgetting it’s adding extra calories too. As a result, they gain weight or slow progress.
If you want to lose weight, those calories need to be shaved off somewhere else to make room for the calories coming from protein. Just because it’s protein doesn’t mean it’s “free calories”. Although they are good calories, they are still calories. So, in order to reach your goal, you need to set a budget for your shake matching your needs.
1. The Weight Gainer: Weight gainers can add protein to their diet without really worrying about the calories. If someone is a hard gainer, they probably need both fat and muscle weight in order to increase strength and size. So you are the lucky dog that can ignore this entire blog. 
2. The Dieter: Dieters need to be in a caloric deficit. This means, they need to take in fewer calories than they are burning. In order to budget how many calories are coming from protein, simply multiple the number of grams of protein you are trying to get a day by 4. Since there are 4 calories in one gram of protein, this will give you the number of calories that are required to get your total grams of protein per day. But remember, that is just for the protein. That doesn’t include other ingredients you may add in a shake.
3. The Maintainer: This person wants to either preserve what they already have, or reshape their physique but still remain the same weight. This person will need to trade some fat and carb calories for protein calories so it evens out. In the end, they’ll still be eating the same amount of calories, but they will just be getting more protein.
Shocking Smoothies
FitStudio nutritionist Toby Amidor points out some of the worst offenders in smoothie land.
Smoothie King – NOT SO SMOOTH!
· Forty fluids ounces of “The Hulk Strawberry” weighs in at 1,928 calories, 64 grams of fat, and a whopping 250 grams of sugar.
Jamba Juice – IS JAMMING YOU WITH CALORIES!
· An original “Peanut Butter Moo’d” creamy treat has a staggering 770 calories and 109 grams of sugar.
CLICK HERE to read Smoothie Do’s & Don’ts from FitStudio nutritionist Toby Amidor and get awesome smoothie tips.
CLICK HERE for fun and creative Designer Whey shake & protein recipes
Busting the Plateau: Chat Tonight
COME JOIN US!
I wanted to invite you to join me tonight, with GNC & the FitFluential team, for a Twitter Chat on using supplements to help best plateaus and sculpt muscle. Many of you have already read some of my reviews on Genetix HD (if not, the links to the blogs are below).
This is a great chance to talk to several people who have been trying them out and drill them with questions. I hope to see you tonight!!
April 4th, 2012, 8:00pm EST. Hashtag: #genetixHD
Never done a twitter chat before? Here’s the easiest way to join the conversation:
Sign in to TweetChat. Choose the hashtag to follow (#GenetixHD). Join the conversation! It automatically will add the hashtag every time you post! See you there!
MY REVIEWS ON THIS PRODUCT:
Supplements: Don’t Waste Your Time & Money
Berry Key Lime Pie Protein Shake
Today, I procrastinated and didn’t run until after 10am.
My punishment: The Sun.
There are always repercussions for poor decisions. I got what I deserved. Luckily, some of my neighbors’ sprinklers were on so I got to run throw them to cool me off.
My reward: My Shake.
There is nothing better than a crisp cold shake after a muggy hot run!
Today’s creation…
BERRY LEY LIME PIE
1 cup fat free milk
a nice long squeeze of Nellie & Joe’s Key West Key lime Juice*
1 cap of butter extract
1 cap of coconut extract (for a tropicalicious taste)
6+ black berries
1 scoop Designer Whey Vanilla Praline protein
1 cup ice
Optional: 1/4 sheet of graham cracker (add last so it doesn’t blend all the way)
*Amount of key lime juice depends on how tart you like it.
252 calories, 28gms of protein
Key West Here I Come!!! YUM!
Coach’s Nutty Nanner Protein Shake
Since I’m not a huge fan of oatmeal (even though I eat it all the time because it’s so good for you), I decided to start adding it to my protein shakes. Here’s a meal replacement shake I made today – and BOY is it good!!
Fat Free Milk or Water
2 Scoops Designer Whey Vanilla Praline Protein Powder
1/8 cup Coach’s Oats
1 tsp Peanut Butter
1/2 Banana
Stevia (to taste)
Ice
527 calories, 52gms of protein with milk
427 calories, 42gms of protein with water
The Coach’s Oats, along with the taste of Peanut Butter, gave it an extra nutty flavor and texture. Very yummy!! The fat from the peanut butter and whole grain oats slow digestion so I will not only feel full longer, but I’ll absorb more of the protein. Enjoy!
PROTEIN SHAKES: Who’s Behind the Straw
There are a lot of people that take supplements, but it seems most people think of bodybuilders and athletes first when they think of drinking protein shakes – and there’s no one who knows protein better than Designer Whey.
As the #1 protein brand since 1993, they were around during the peek of spandex and body building, and they are thriving here and now – and fitness looks a lot different than it did 20 years ago. With the informative world wide web, people are more educated than ever and more aware of their need for protein in their diet. With this knowledge, protein has become a part of many people’s lives – and if I have to guess, most of them aren’t bodybuilders.
Of matter of fact, I’d guess they are moms, dads, runners, surfers, cyclists, health nuts, fitness newbies, experienced athletes, youth, seniors and basically every body type, age and race. My guess is there is no one Designer “way”. All of us Designer Whey fans (follow them on Facebook) use Designer Whey OUR way – and are loving it!
As a protein supplement enthusiast myself, I’m constantly looking for fresh new recipe ideas, so you can imagine my excitement when I discovered Designer Whey’s shake recipe page! YAYYYYY!!! Ingenious! Whether you use Designer Whey or another brand, you can start mixing it up like a pro with some of their creative yummy ideas. And, if I had to guess, I bet many of you have some great ideas too!!
In search for more great ideas, I asked what flavors and recipes my facebook friends liked and how they mix it up at home. Below are just a few of the first posts. Join the protein party and help us shake things up by sharing your recipe or favorite protein shake fix mix below! I’ll be doing a follow up blog to showcase YOUR recipes, blogs, web pages and/or personal profiles!
FACEBOOKERS SHAKING THINGS UP:
Melissa Henderson Chocolate protein powder- syntha 6 from BSN-with frozen banana, strawberries and peanutbutter
Christopher Borders GNC Wheybolic Extreme 60 CHOCOLATE
Patti Ambrosia McLean 8oz almond milk, body by vi shake mix (im sure whey mix would work) 1T instant coffee, ice and 1T baking cocoa. DELISH.
Ed Meade I have soooo many, but Butterfinger is probably my tops!
Jenee Simons Blueberry with ViSalus
Kristina Smith Davis Baked oatmeal! 1/2 cup whole oats, 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder, 3 egg whites, 1 cup water, pinch of baking powder and 1-2 teaspoons of cinammon. I usually add 1/2 cup blueberries and sometimes a few pecans, but you can get really creative with your add-ins. Bake it in a preheated 350° oven for 25 minutes and presto! So good I sometimes have it twice a day!
Renee Bissonnette Langlois Kristina, that sounds yummy…maybe sunday for breakfast. vanilla for the protein powder and then the mix ins of raspberries, blueberries and honey.
Ingrid De Groot Suichies · Friends with Alfonso AngryTrainer Moretti
Muscle Milk Vanilla mmmmmm …….. My reward after a workout!
Emily Gibbons Chocolate GNC wheybolic 60, natural peanut butter, and honey, skim milk, ice. Yumm.
Tammie Huff ISO 100 chocolate with a scoop of Myofusion Bananna Cream and a tablespoon of PB2!!!
Supplements: Don’t Waste Your Time & Money
Some of you are probably all ready to LASH out at me just after reading my title alone! Get your panties out of a wad. I don’t mean supplements are a waste of time and money. What I mean is they CAN be! YOU can easily waste your time and money on supplements if you aren’t doing YOUR job.
Supplements Require Team Work
“If you aren’t ready to work, you might as well take the money you want to spend on supplements and flush it down the toilet. You’ll end up just as poor, with less work, and get the same results: the same old out-of-shape body.”
I’m currently on GNC’s GenetixHD, which I love. However, just because I’m popping some pills and gulping down a re-workout drink doesn’t mean I’m going to get results without doing my part.
This is a partnership. My supplements have a job and I have a job. We are working together for the same goal. If I don’t do my share, I can’t expect results.
GNC’s GenetixHD products rock – if YOU rock.
How can you expect increased energy to result in fat loss if you sit on your butt?- How can you expect CLA to support a healthy body composition if YOU aren’t working to improve your body composition?
- Why work to protect muscle cells when you aren’t training muscle cells?
- Why take Meta-Ignite to boost calorie burn before, during and after a workout if you don’t actually “workout”.
- You can’t expect to start seeing abs if you aren’t sculpting abs, and burning off the fat covering them, with cardio. (I could go on and on)
Time to Supplement
Seem like common sense to you? I would expect so, however, MANY people are looking for that magic pill or easy way out – and I’ve got news for ya: “It doesn’t exist”.
When is it time to incorporate supplements in your routine? When YOU are ready to do the work you need to do to get the MOST out of those supplements. Otherwise, stick to vitamins, because that is piratically the only pill you can pop that doesn’t require work to get results!
“Supplements are made to SUPPORT your program, not BE your program.”
Supporting Results with Diet:
My Rules:
- Stick to 100-150 calorie snacks
- Aim for 300-400 calorie meals
- Eat 5-6 times a day
- Eat no closer than 2 hours apart (seems easy until you finish dinner and find yourself staring in the pantry 30 minutes later! ha!)
- Get a minimum of 100gms of protein a day
- Limit drinking calories (coke, alcohol, coffee (creamers), high-cal shakes)
My foods:
White meat, dark green vegetables, oatmeal, grits, long grain rice (sparingly), Chobani greek yogurt, Designer Whey protein bars (for snacks), Smart Ones Satisfying Selections steamers (they ALL are high in protein), Uncle Ben’s Basmati Rice (this is the only 90-second rice that doesn’t taste like it’s drowning in preservatives – plus basmati is one of the lower-glycemic grains), almonds – and my absolute favorite night-time snack, 100-calorie popcorn.
Supporting Results with Exercise:
Cardio: No less than 30 minutes of cardio, at one time, as often as I can squeeze in. Ideally 5 days a week. (being careful not to REPLACE the calories burned with food)
Weights: Lift heavy and hard a MINimum of 4 days a week. The more I can train, the more results I can expect. (being careful to support muscle development with supplements)
My supplements: Everything I’m currently taking and enjoying!
Designer Whey Protein or
Amplified Whey 60 Protein
GNC GenetixHD™ Physio-Burn™
GNC GenetixHD™ Pro-Sculpt™ – Fruit Punch
GNC GenetixHD™ META-IGNITE™
Kre-Alkalyn 1500
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Designer Whey Bars Gone!?
As a fitness professional, I have the privilege to try all kinds of new products – well, I WOULD have a chance to try all kinds of fitness products …if Steve didn’t get his grubby little hands on them first! ha!
Last night, around 2:00am in the morning, I could hear Steve getting back in bed after, what I knew to be, a trip to the kitchen. Then I smelled a sweet chocolatey smell. In that very moment, I realized he raided my Designer Whey protein bar stash.
OUR CONVERSATION:
Secretly smirking, I said, “how was the protein bar?”
He giggled like a 5 year boy and replied “yummyyyyyy”.
I followed with, “make sure you leave me some so I can sample all the flavors and tweet which ones I like”.
He replies “um… that maaaay be a problem. Maybe insteaaad, you can tweet that your husband liked them sooooooooooo(said in a very high little voice)ooooooo much, that they were aaaaaaaaaall (still in that high pitch little-boy voice) gone before you could try them all. YES! That think that would be a GREAT tweet!
He continued, “I like me some Designer Whey protein bars! Boy are they yummy in my tummy!” again, in that little boy voice, as if trying to make sure he sounds so cute he doesn’t get in trouble. And, I’m afraid it worked. Little Devil!
MORAL OF THE STORY:
That little booger ate them all! I only got to have one! The moral of the story is, Designer Whey protein bars were a hit at our house. Steve said he liked the Double Dutch Chocolate the best – but then again, I wouldn’t know! ha! Looks like I’ll have to hit a GNC and pick up some more bars so I actually try them all myself!! I better find a better hiding place!
This was all that was left of the 160 calorie Designer Whey bars with 10gms of protein on the kitchen table. They are a perfect little snack ….if I still had them to snack on!
DIET TIP: If you wake up in the middle of the night hungry, celebrate! That normally means you whizzed right through your calories and your metabolism is on FIRE! A small snack like this protein bar or a hand full of almonds normally will kill the hunger. Typically, something with a little fat will keep you full longer.
Next on my list to try: Designer Whey’s Protein 2GO!
META-IGNITE: My Motivation Pill
If only we could take a motivation pill. Well, maybe you can.
When people talk about having a slow metabolism, they are normally talking about overall energy level. They aren’t referring to how fast their hair or nails grow, or how quick they heal. Most people don’t even know their Basal Metabolic Rate (calories we burn at rest). All they know is how tired they are or how they don’t feel like doing much – especially exercise.
Before I go any further, a person who feels they have a slow metabolism may actually have the same BMR as someone that seemingly has a high metabolism. I think the biggest issue is someone with a “slow” metabolism is more likely to drives past the gym on the way home from work and plop down on the couch. But if they DID go to the gym, they would burn as many calories as anyone else their same weight.
So with that in mind, what if you could get a little boost so you were more likely to workout? This is when a thermogenic is helpful.
People often ask me about fat loss supplements. Some people just want to take a pill, but the pill itself isn’t going to transform your body. However, a pill can give you the edge you need to feel like working out – and work out harder than you normally would.
I’m currently taking the GNC’s GenetixHD line. I don’t normally take supplements, aside from protein and creatine – but when I need a boost, I can definitely tell a thermogenic gives me exactly what I need to take my workouts to the next level. Sometimes, it just helps me just to GET to the gym on those days I want to skip my own workout and plop down on the couch.
Here is what thermogenics do for me:
1.) They give me energy. Most thermogenics have a blend of energizing ingredients. Similar to having a really good cup of powerful coffee, sometimes it’s just what I need to get moving. However, a good thermogenic won’t give you short-lived energy like a cup of coffee, but will give you lasting energy that will help you through the entire day.
2.) They help me focus. It’s not that they give me a special ability to focus my mind, but when I’m spending the time, money and energy on supplements, I am a lot less likely to throw it away by skipping workouts or blowing my diet. It gives me a sense of purpose for each day. Each time I take my supplement, it is a physical reminder that I am working toward a specific goal.
3.) They give me a mental edge. Not only do the energy enhancing ingredients help me to be mentally sharp but, when I take a fitness aid, I mentally feel like I’m getting the support I need. Although supplements do physically help, just knowing I’m doing everything I can to get the best results gives me mental encouragement too.
4.) They give me results. GenetixHD is riddled with natural ingredients to boost results. For instance, although Green Tea Extract isn’t that powerful by itself, mixed with other key ingredients, scientists say it can boost your metabolic rate by 4% – and that is just the effects of Green Tea. Although 4% may not seem all that high at first glance, if you combine that small improvement with other small improvements from other effective ingredients, along with improved workouts – obviously I will get better results than if I didn’t use them.
If you’ve been dragging your feet lately, or just need to draw a fresh line in the sand for a fresh start, maybe adding a thermogenic to your fitness program is just want the trainer ordered!
FitFluential LLC compensated me for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
