Exercising with Dengerative Disc Disease

Hi Boys & Girls.

I have been working out for a couple of years and always thought that I was using incorrect form or just a tight lower back. But recently I was diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease. I have 1 herniated & 1 bulging disc that is causing me allot of lower back & nerve pain. The Dr’s are saying that I should have a fusion surgery and I am real uncomfortable with that.

I have tried all sorts of alternative treatments (Acupuncture. physical therapy, disc decompression)  and the best I have found so far is plan old exercise. Tightening the core is real important with this disease.

Have I had to change the workouts that I do? Of course, my body can’t handle Insanity or P90X right now and that is ok… I am doing what works for me…

I went through a period of depression, which then led to 20 lbs of weight gain. Can you say STRESS EATING!!! But I am back in the groove and currently doing Yoga Booty Ballet,  some core work and I walk allot on the  treadmill. I will not let this keep me down.

Blessings…

Melinda

Shakeology No-Bake Chocolate/Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew that I HAD to try it. It literally took me less than 10 min to make. I LOVE it! I have a pan in my fridge right now and will always keep some made up for when I may feel like snacking. Guilt-free snacking…can’t beat that!

3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup PB
1 cup skim milk (I like almond)
dash cinnamon
splash of vanilla
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
4 scoops chocolate Shakeology

Mix all dry ingredients, then add skim milk and vanilla to blend. Add peanut butter and mix w/ hands. Put mixture in an 8×8 pan, press flat, refrigerate for 2-3 hours and cut into squares. (I keep them in the fridge because I like the harder texture.)

Taking a WHOLE recipe and the 8X8 pan cut into 9 pieces:
263 cal 30 carbs 9 fats 15 protein …I only make 1/2 that and cut smaller. They are filling!  (It really IS OKAY to make these, eat them, and ENJOY!)

Haven’t tried Shakeology yet? You can order risk-free at http://www.Shakeology.com/CoachMelinda If you choose the Home Direct option, shipping is FREE plus you get 2 free workouts and other goodies. HD can be canceled at any time so it’s a win-win Enjoy!!

My New Home

Happy New Year & welcome to my new home!! This blog is my spot to give you up to the moment events of my journey in fitness.

I am so looking forward to 2011 and continuing on my journey!! On 1/3/11 I will be starting INSANITY a 60 day conditioning program & a 90 Day Challenge on our new thread! I am excited and nervous at the same time. I will be eating off the Top 2 Tiers of Michi’s Ladder to get me the results I want!!

The last year has been a real challenge for me since my surgery in December 2009. I did not know till after the surgery that they were recommending that I never lift over 20 lbs. or no EXTREME workouts.“> P90X is my all time favorite workout. I was devastated and turned to food to soothe my depression. I gained back 27 lbs over a 4 month period. I then decided to take my life back and not let others determine my destination. Since then I have been working out and modifying when I need to and drinking Shakeology! I love this stuff! It has lowered my body fat percentage and given me the a healthy meal option that is simple and so good for me!

Blessings,

Melinda

90 DAY WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

Even though we are enjoying the holidays, and the New Year is around the corner, it’s never to late to make healthy changes to help us reach our weight loss goals. Sometimes, a challenge can be just what we need to help us during this time of the year. If this challenge isn’t for you, please tell your friends, family, coworkers, etc. about this challenge; it may be just what they need to help them stay on track or lose weight.

Here are the rules of the game!

100 POINT CHALLENGE: Adapted from the 100 point challenge on John Stone Fitness Forums (Thank you John Stone!) Some of this has been modified from the original post.

THE MOTIVATION: It is a mathematical fact: if you work out 6 times a week, eat clean 6 times a day (every 2-3 hours), and track your progress, ripped is a mathematical certainty. So that is the basis of this challenge, to track that mathematical certainty with a little math.

MATHEMATICALLY CERTAIN OUTCOMES: These are what I believe to be mathematically certain outcomes of doing these things with consistency and discipline:

#1) You become happy, with a happiness and inner self-esteem that you alone control.

# 2) Your whole life goes to a new level – everything following your fitness – your work, your relationships and friendships, your hobbies and interests, your success.

# 3) You get ripped.PREMISE OF THE 100 POINT CHALLENGE: The premise of this challenge is pretty simple: Each participant starts the month with 100 points. A point is deducted each time a workout is missed, a meal is missed, or an unscheduled “cheat” meal or snack is consumed. The goal, of course, is to finish each month with 100 points!

THE 100 POINT CHALLENGE RULES:

# 1) The challenge begins on Monday, January 3, 2011 and will continue for a total of 90 days. You will have a partner assigned to you. Each month, you both will receive 100 points. At the end of 30 days, you will need to report your points to me. I will average your points together to see what your team points are. The team closest to 100 points will receive a prize from me. At the end of the 90 days, I will average all 3 months of team points to determine who is the closest to 100 and that team will be awarded a grand prize.

# 2) It doesn’t matter if you are aiming to lose weight, bulking up or maintaining. The common goal here is 100% consistency. I also want you to know that you can use ANY exercise program. It can be running, walking, going to the gym or a Beachbody program of your choice. As long as you can workout, then that’s what matters. The same goes for your meal plan. Just be sure to follow the guidelines of that program. If you don’t know where to begin with either one of these, let me know. I can help you with that.

# 3) Each person participating in the challenge should take initial measurements as well as before pictures. This will help you monitor your progress for the 90 days. I also encourage you to tell your team mate about your progress each and every day. The updates don’t have to take long but telling someone else what you are doing will help keep you accountable!

# 4) Miss a workout for the day for any reason, deduct a point. I strongly recommend you log into WOWY and play the Million Dollar Body game! I would love to see your WOWY calendar with a big X to show you are working out! To join WOWY is free! (WOWY= Workout with you, the online super gym at http://www.getfitwithmelinda.com/). I may need to use the team with the most logged in workouts as a tie breaker. So, it may be worth it to join us in WOWY. If you are a member of WOWY, include your screen name in your initial email and I will add you to my buddy list. If I schedule workouts, I will also request you to join me if you can! You can do the same for your team mate too!

# 5) Miss a meal for any reason, deduct a point. You must follow the program that you are on! I recommend eating 3 meals and having 2 snacks. Each of those is worth 1 point. This means 5 points per day allowed, each missed is – 1 point. Need help with how to plan your meals, ask me how!

# 6) Eat an unscheduled “cheat” meal or snack, deduct a point. This is -1 for each cheat meal/snack of the day!
Of course this challenge is based on the honor system. You can cheat, but that would be pointless. The greatest reward is that you are moving in the direction of reaching your goal. Want help with WOWY, your workouts or meal plans, let me know. I am an Online Fitness Coach and a Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant. Let’s ALL work on this together to help you reach your goals! Don’t think you can’t do this? As I had heard someone say “Failure is attempting not to try.” Try it and see where it leads you. Give this challenge a chance to show that you can do GREAT things for yourself. You have me to support you as well as the other participants. We are all in this to better ourselves and our bodies! If you plan on participating in this challenge, please let me know NLT than Sunday, January 2, 2011.

WHAT IS SHAKEOLOGY?

WHAT IS SHAKEOLOGY?
What is Shakeology? It is a meal or snack replacement shake from Beachbody. It has over 70 ingredients in it. That would take up to 7 trips to the salad bar to eat the same amount of nutrients that are inside every Shakeology shake. Shakeology is made from the finest whole-food sources that are available. The ingredients include Camu-Camu, Goji berry, Ai berry, Acerola cherry, bilberry, Barley grass, blue-green algae, Chia seeds, and wheat grass to name few. With Shakeology you take the guess work out of nutrition.

Shakeology was made for people who want a healthy diet but who hate eating fruits and vegetables. Drinking one glass of Shakeology a day will give your body 6 micro-nutrients: amino acids, anti-oxidants, phytonutrients, pre-biotics, digestive enzymes, and adaptogens.

Can you get ALL that is in Shakeology when you compare Shakeology to other meal replacement shakes? NO! I would numerous supplements along with meal replacement shake – which will be full of added sugars and additives – to get all the nutrients that provided in one glass of Shakeology.

NUTRITION SIMPLIFIED

WHAT MAKES THE SHAKEOLOGY CLEANSE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CLEANSES
First and foremost for what makes the Shakeology Cleanse stand apart from the others is that the Shakeology cleanse is not a true “cleanse”. Shakeology is a calorie restricted but nutrient rich cleanse. There are no strange drinks made of maple and lemon or apple cider. With Shakeolgy you will be satisfied. What you won’t be is a zombie.

The main point of the Shakeology is not merely calorie restriction but its nutrient rich. The aim is to get the most nutrients with the fewer calories. These calories are to fuel your workouts and rid the body of toxins and hydration into homeostasis. The result with this cleanse to have your body run more efficiently, the weight lose is just added benefit that most experience.

HOW DOES THE SHAKEOLOGY CLEANSE WORK?

With the Shakeology Cleanse your daily food structure remains close to the same as your everyday eating. You will still be eating every few hours with meals that are balanced and nutrient rich which will make up for consuming fewer calories. All this means you can still continue with your workout routine.

Adding fruits, nuts, seeds, and the Shakeology fiber supplement can be done as you see fit.

Your one solid meal a day, your salad, can also contain fruits, nuts, and seeds, legumes, and veggies along with four ounces or less of a white protein. The point is to keep you satiated. The point is to avoid anything that is artificial including your salad dressing.

The Shakeology Cleanse is designed to optimized your performance. You want to have enough food to fuel you day and your workout. By eating foods that are high in fiber and nutrients it is virtually impossible to overeat. With the high fiber, digestive aids and enzymes your body will be rid itself of excess food and flush out waste.

WHAT DOCTOR’S THINK OF SHAKEOLOGY

During the Shakeology Cleanse you will be allowed to also drink water. Lots and lots of water. Water if vital to the Shakeology Cleanse because you want to bring about homeostasis. By drinking plenty of water you will ridding your body of excess salt.

Sodas, fruit juice, alcohol, and coffee should be avoided during the cleanse. Tea should also be consumed sparingly as it acts as a diuretic. A cup or two throughout is fine but try not to over consume during the cleanse. Also, do not use sports or energy drinks

First off, most people will lose some weight. But weight loss is not the goal of the Shakeology Cleanse. People with a lot of junk in their systems tend to lose the most weight from the cleanse. If you’ve been eating clean there are less toxins and food left in your system to be rid of. While you may not lose much doing the cleanse your body will be ready to lose once you are done.

Secondly, restricting calories can be stressful. This is turn can release the stress hormone cortisol. Which is why you don’t to do the Shakeology Cleanse for longer than 3 days.

SHAKEOLOGY CLEANSE ESSENTIALS

* 3 Shakeology shakes per day
* 2 cups of green tea per day
* 1 or 2 pieces of fruit per day (optional)
* 1 salad for dinner-can include fish or poultry
* No dairy or extra sugars (this includes almond and soy milk)!
* Drink 2 to 4 liters of water every day
* Only use low-fat dressings, and go easy on the salt and/or pepper to taste
* 2 snacks before/after any of the major meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
* Fruit is optional, and it is discouraged (however, some of you will need the calories while others may not)
* Power-workout participants (those who are already super conditioned) are recommended the higher numbers of calories
* For maximum results, do NOT use additives
* Dinner salad may include WHITE GRILLED PROTEIN-poultry or fish only
* Daily Regimen:

1 cup of green tea to start the day

Breakfast:
1 scoop Shakeology (140 calories)
1/2 cup of fruit (60 to 90 calories)-optional
Ice to taste
8 to10 oz. of water

Snack 1 (85 calories): 1 piece of fruit (apple, pear, orange, banana mango, etc.)

Lunch: 1 scoop Shakeology (140 calories) Ice to taste 8 to 10 oz. of water 1 cup of green tea or a detox tea

Snack 2: (you can have the second snack before or after dinner) 1 scoop Shakeology (140 calories) Ice to taste 8 to10 oz. of water

Dinner: Salad with grilled white fish or poultry (roughly 340 calories)
Greens-3 servings of vegetables, plus 4 oz. of grilled white meat (fish or poultry)
2 tablespoons of dressing-no more!

FAQ

  • How many calories per day?800 to 1,100 calories per day
  • How often can I do the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse?
    ~ Ideally, you should do it once per quarter (every 3 months)
    ~ As the seasons change
    ~ When you start a new workout program
    ~ When you feel you need help breaking through a plateau
  • Should/Can I still do my workouts during the Cleanse?
    ~ Depends on the individual
    ~ You’ll have less energy, so consider doing it during your recovery week
    ~ Don’t do it in the middle of P90X or Insanity
  • Can I do a 1-day or a 2-day cleanse instead of a 3-day?
    ~ Yes, some people will see results in one or two days!
    ~ It is not recommended to do the cleanse for longer than 3 days.
  • Should/Can I take other Beachbody® supplements during the Cleanse?
    ~ No Beachbody Recovery Drink as it as too much sugar.
    ~ All other Beachbody supplements are not necessary but won’t hurt.