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30 Days of Snacks: Day 6 Grab n Go Protein Snack Bar
Let’s face it some days we are just too darn busy to make celery and peanut butter let alone a fancy snack. For days like that it’s great to have a Grab and Go Snack. For us those are Protein packed Shaklee 180 Snack Bars. One of our favorites is the Toffee & Chocolate Crunch. Some days this will be my morning and afternoon snack – totally satisfies my sweet tooth and keeps me going in between meals. These are loaded with protein and fiber.
- 9 grams of hunger fighting protein
- 3 grams of fiber
- Powered by LeucineTM
- 10 vitamins and minerals
- 140 calories
- Non-GMO soy protein
- Low glycemic
- No artificial flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives added
- Gluten free
Let me know what you think of this snack by commenting below. AND if you are eating this up, why not sign up for my newsletter for email updates, special offers and more tips!
What’s in your fridge?
I get asked all the time, “Do you really buy and eat that produce in all your pictures?” The answer is YES! We do! And we’ve become super efficient about eating it all and not wasting anything. I don’t know about you, but we used to go to the grocery store and just buy food, which means a lot of impulse purchasing and wasteful spending. Then in about a week and right before we do another grocery store run, we’d clear out the fridge. We were always pretty amazed at how much food we didn’t eat and how much was rotten and had to be thrown away. What a waste!
We decided a couple years ago to go on the Dave Ramsey all cash program. Basically, you don’t buy it unless you have the cash. And I don’t mean cash in the bank or on the credit card. I mean cold hard paper and coin cash, envelope style. I won’t bore you with all the ins and outs of the envelope program that Ramsey promotes, but suffice it to say, it freaking works! If you want to be debt free, I suggest you take a look. So, we allot $400 a month for food for a family of 3 {albeit a 4 year old who doesn’t eat too much, but starting to eat more and more}. I am adamant about eating organic as much as possible, not so much because the nutritional value is higher {it might be, but who really knows}, but the main reason is that I don’t want the extra chemicals on my food, nor do I want to consume genetically modified food {GMO}. With this in mind and my budget, we have had to plan and become more efficient in our purchasing power. We purchase organic chicken and meats from Costco in bulk and freeze once a month. Then, I usually plan the weekly menus on Friday night and buy what we need for those meals. No crazy impulse purchases! Often times, I just show up at the local farmers market and buy a few things that are unique or look yummy at the time. This week I got some bib lettuce so I can make some healthy lettuce wraps or perhaps some tacos using the bib lettuce rather than a tortilla {ya 140 calories saved right there}. I also got some purple cabbage and kale for yummy green smoothies! Nothing like drinking your veggies.
So back to my fridge! Here is what I got at the farmers market today:

Farmers Market 2-16-13
And here is my fridge after I made some grab and go snacks {hard boiled eggs whites, hummus, yogurt, etc}, washed and put away all the produce.

What’s in your fridge?
And just to prove this really is how my fridge looks at any given time here is a photo I took a week or so ago because Nicholas was helping me around the kitchen!

Fridge 2-10-13, Nicholas is such a good helper!
I know it pretty much looks the same. We can be incredibly boring with what we buy, but I have to say that we’ve become incredibly creative about not getting bored with the menu items. So while a lot of the food is the same, we don’t eat the same thing all the time….sheesh…give us more credit than that, will ya? 🙂
And now for shits and giggles, here is my pantry…I know, I know, I am crazy organized – it’s just my nature!!!
We pretty much always have a good supply of healthy grab and go snacks and it makes life so much easier if it’s all organized. Nicholas has his own bucket of snacks and I love it when he just goes in the pantry and gets a healthy snack. Believe it or not, his two favorite snacks are the Shaklee 180 Lemon Cranberry bars and Nori Chips! Crazy….takes after his mommy on those – his daddy won’t touch either with a ten foot pole! More for us, I say…
So there you have it! We do buy and eat those fruits and veggies I post. And we do it on a budget!
As a side note and to be fair, our food budget might be less than some others because we don’t buy cleaning products or personal care products from the grocery store. WHAT? You might be thinking, “Gross, you don’t clean your house or bathe?” No, that’s not the case at all. We actually save a lot of money on cleaning products by purchasing the Shaklee Cleaners – not to mention we share the Shaklee products with friends, who also save $ and in turn we get a bonus check which pays for our products {cleaners, personal care products, Shaklee 180 and all our vitamins and protein shakes} – this really helps with the budget ALOT! Does your grocery store pay you to refer your friends? Nope, mine neither, but Shaklee does. I won’t go on and on about this, but if you want to save money on your grocery bills, then let me know and I will help you all the way!
Happy organic, healthy & clean eating my friends!
Much Ado About Leucine
If you have friends who are serious athletes or are into bodybuilding, you might have heard them talking about leucine. What exactly is it and what’s all the fuss? It turns out that this may be the secret weapon to losing weight the right way—and to keeping it off. So let’s give it the attention it deserves.
What’s Leucine?
Leucine is an essential amino acid that helps with protein synthesis. In other words, it’s one of nine building blocks of protein that can only be obtained from diet. It’s present in protein-rich foods, including milk and other dairy products, tofu and other soy foods, as well as fish, chicken, and lean meat.
What’s the Big Deal?
Once absorbed, leucine goes directly to muscle tissue, where activates a chain of events that ultimately creates lean muscle. Think of it as cash to build a home—the home being muscle. When you have enough cash, you can pay the contractor to buy the equipment needed to build your home. Similarly, when you have enough leucine, your body can start making muscle protein. And the more leucine you have, the more muscle you can build.
What Does Leucine and Muscle Have to Do With Losing Weight?
On most weight-loss diets, you end up losing muscle in addition to fat. That’s because when you take in fewer calories than your body needs, your body has less energy to fuel basic biological functions. To make up for that, your body breaks down muscle proteins for energy. This is bad because it’s your muscles that help burn calories. Here’s where leucine does its magic while you lose weight; by stimulating protein synthesis it helps your body preserve muscle mass while you lose the right kind of weight—from fat, that is. In turn, your metabolism stays up, which is the key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight for the long haul.
No wonder our Shaklee 180 Products are packed with leucine and people are seeing results!!!
Ask me how to get started now! This isn’t just for weight loss – get the Lean & Healthy Pack for everyday health!
Photo updated 10-11-13: Image credit: molekuul / 123RF Stock Photo
Get Your Sexy Back!
Whether you are a working mom, stay at home mom, or a single career oriented woman I know you have an insanely busy schedule. Life these days seems to be all about multi-tasking and running at 100 mile hour speeds. It’s tough to stay fit and healthy- who has time – – I get it!! I am a wife and mom with not only a hectic corporate job but I own my own health and wellness business PLUS we maintain our own house {aka, no nanny, no cleaning lady, etc}. I am usually going from sun up to midnight – so I GET IT!!!! Life is busy and there is no time for anything!
For the past couple years, I’ve been working with women who were battling the middle-age bulge and starting to look…well let’s just say it – a little bit frumpy and feeling not so sexy. What they all really wanted was to feel and, more importantly, look sexy or even stunning and to get their body back!
I am guessing you want that exact same thing – an end to yo-yo dieting and a return to the girlish figure you once had – plus to just feel great and have more energy. I am excited to share a special program for the woman {or man} with the insanely busy schedule who has been trying to lose the same 10-50+ pounds over and over and is just plain frustrated with not getting results!!!
You can have your sexy body back (or get it for the first time) and it’s not as hard as you think.
I’m looking for my next group ready to 180 their lives and get their SEXY back.
Will it be YOU?
Visit www.YouOn180.com to start Getting your Sexy back with a Shaklee 180!
THERE WILL BE:
* NO Expensive Gym Membership
* NO Embarrassing Classes
* NO Tasteless Diet Food
* NO Starving
* NO Points
* NO Yo-Yo Dieting
This is a proven and simple formula, and those who commit are more likely to finish and GET THE ABSOLUTE BEST RESULTS!
SEE THESE AMAZING RESULTS!
I lost a total of 50 pounds, 22 pounds in my first 90 days! And it put a spark in my marriage ~Lori
First 90 days, I lost 38 pounds. Our new baby gained a fit new daddy! ~Zack
Shaklee’s 180 program has completely transformed my body and my outlook and myself and life; definitely given me my sexy back and then some! ~Gina
THIS PROGRAM IS FOR ANYONE WHO:
* is serious about taking control of their health & fitness
* is willing to invest in themselves
* wants to drop a clothing size or more
* wants to stop the yo-yo diet cycle once and for all
* wants a step-by-step plan to achieve a healthy weight
* wants to be part of a supportive group of people on a similar journey
* wants to get off of hypertensive and/or cholesterol medications
* wants to get off of their diabetic medications
* wants or needs a low glycemic eating plan
* wants or needs gluten free products
* wants a lifestyle change
* wants to workout but doesn’t want to spend all day at the gym
* wants to be a health example to others and their families
Get ready for some fun!! From the comfort of your home, we’ll show you everything you need to know about the newest program on the market today to help you become your leanest and healthiest and get your sexy back! No one has the technology and healthy products that we have which guarantees you lose fat and inches, not muscle, all while boosting your metabolism so you can maintain your healthy weight – FOR GOOD!! Whether you’re looking to lose weight, maintain your current weight but build muscle mass, become healthier with more energy, we have healthy solutions for you!
Join us on a Shaklee 180 and Get your Sexy Back!
Visit www.YouOn180.com for more details or to contact me directly.
Your Health is Your Most Valuable Asset
Every day we make decisions that affect our health—from what we choose to eat and drink to how much sleep and physical activity we get. But despite our best intentions, our super–busy lifestyles always seem to get in the way of making the very best choices. The good news is you have the power to change this! Make your health a priority. Protect your most valuable asset with smart supplementation. You’re worth it!
Overfed and Undernourished
How is it that Americans today consume an average of 610 calories a day more than they did 20 years ago—yet are still falling short in getting enough of the most critical nutrients needed for a long and healthy life? Blame it on our superbusy, fast food-packed lifestyles that drive us to make compromises of convenience, which are taking a toll on our nutritional status. {see earlier post}
Benefits of More than Just a Multivitamin
Eating a balanced diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; getting plenty of sleep and regular exercise; and managing stress are all important lifestyle strategies to help support and maintain optimal health. But did you know there’s more you can do? Today, many leading experts in the fields of medicine, biochemistry, and nutrition believe wise nutrition supplementation can make a big difference in your health. {see earlier post}
Poor nutritional habits are becoming a national epidemic. Fast food sales have increased by 2,000% over the past 30 years and 90% of Americans fall short in getting all the essential nutrients they need from diet alone. But you are in control. Countless studies show nutrition supplementation can positively affect your health. Watch this video to learn more on why you should consider supplements. Why Supplement?
Photos updated 10-11-13:
Image credit: natalia7 / 123RF Stock Photo
Image credit: poznyakov / 123RF Stock Photo
Maintain Don’t Gain!
As we head into the holidays full of turkey, pie, fudge and stuffing, we all know {and research concurs} that many people gain 2-10 pounds from now until New Years! This tells us that this is a very dangerous time of year for many of us to pack on the pounds unless we plan to maintain our weight, or even commit to losing a few pounds.
The really significant news is that many gain the extra pounds but discover it’s not so easy to lose and so the holidays can contribute to the increasing problem of obesity among adults and even children in the US, who gain pounds each year and never get around to losing it, or maintaining a healthy weight.
Living your healthy BEST starts with a healthy weight. Overweight and obesity is 100% preventable – no one said it’s easy – but with careful planning it CAN be prevented – and reversed. There are plenty of diets out there but the sad truth is that many of them set you up to fail.
Here’s what happens: on most diets you lose fat AND muscle (if you lose anything at all) When you lose muscle, your metabolism DROPS, and you lose your ability to burn FAT! When you go off your diet, you can’t burn calories like you did before, so you gain weight back faster.
Repeat with the next diet. The yo-yo effect!
There is simply a BETTER way to lose weight! It’s called Cinch Inch Loss Plan. Check out the Success Stories
No need to take our word for it, there’s plenty of PROOF and hard science to back up the efficacy of the plan.
Best of all Cinch is a simple, easy-to-follow program – even over the holidays! We suggest you make the decision to either “Maintain – Don’t Gain” (replace one meal a day with a Cinch Shake or Meal Bar) or “Choose to Lose” a few pounds during the next two months (Cinch Transformation Pack). Then get serious on Jan 2nd 2013 and go on the Shaklee 180 (scroll down to view the teaser video!) !
Are you ready to make a commitment to your healthiest holiday season ever? We are!!! Let’s do this together!
Your Almighty Immune System
It’s November! That means shorter days, colder temperatures, and winter right around the corner. From now through May it’s also the time of year we call cold and flu season. In fact, the average adult gets two to three colds a year, and every year about 200,000 people are hospitalized because of the flu. If you get sick, that’s trouble. You won’t be able to keep up with your kids, your spouse, coworkers, and friends. Simply put, there’s just no time for illness! Protect your health so you can protect your family, and start early to stay strong all winter.
Your body has powerful microscopic armed forces to combat germs. Billions of white blood cells vigilantly patrol through the blood stream. Special fighting units, cells in your bloodstream called macrophages (Greek for big eaters) attack germs by surrounding them and digesting them. Other cells make powerful chemicals called antibodies. They are anti, or against, these foreign bodies and attack the outsides of germs. They team with other specialized germ fighters called T cells.Your immune system’s got your back. And your front. All of you, inside and out. Good thing, too, because you’re surrounded by bacteria all the time. A tiny square inch of your skin can contain 50 million of them. Most are harmless. But some, such as viruses, can be downright dangerous. As a catchall, we call them germs.
Each kind of germ has an outer layer that’s different than those on other germs. Antibodies your body produced to fight off last year’s flu virus can’t get a grip on this year’s model. So your immune system has to go back to the drawing board and make new antibodies. But the good news is germs can’t fool your immune system twice. Once your body has withstood an attack by a specific germ, the antibody making cells remain on alert. They’re ready to rumble if the same germs show up again.
Last but not least, your immune system makes the almighty fighter interferon. It interferes with invading viruses trying to replicate themselves inside your cells. Interferon also helps activate macrophages and other immune defenses, including natural killer cells (cells that detect and start killing tumor cells) even before antibodies attach to their outsides, providing a crucial and early assault.
You’re immune system may be complex, but some simple lifestyle habits can help keep it strong. A healthful diet, exercise, supplements, lowering stress, and more can make a difference in maintaining a healthy immune system. Take care of your immune system, so it can take care of you.
5 Strategies for Staying Healthy this Winter
Video: Discover Interferon
Photo updated 10-11-13: Image credit: artisticco / 123RF Stock Photo
Video: Discover Interferon
In 1954 Dr. Kojima discovered interferon, and its crucial role in building your body’s immune response. He then spent over 40 years dedicated to finding a way to naturally boost interferon production.
7 Tips for Choosing a Quality Soy Product
When shopping for a good protein source, the information can be overwhelming. Many media sources try to persuade you away from soy {see my previous article debunking the soy myth}. But we have a different story. It’s not soy, but the way it’s been processed that makes it unhealthy. Soy in it’s right non-GMO form will actually heal your body of many ailments. Consider these tips when shopping for your soy protein:
7 Essential Tips for choosing a quality soy product:
by: Dr. Brouse
1) Were the soybeans ORGANICALLY GROWN?
Studies have shown decreased levels of food nutrients and increased levels of nitrates in chemically fertilized crops, when compared with their organic counterparts. There is a connection between the ingestion of nitrates & CANCER! Therefore, it is important to know that pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides have not been used during the growing process. In particular, with soybeans, since they are such a hardy plant, a powerful and DEADLY weed spray called Round Up is usually used. For your safety, you must know that your soy products are organically grown. [Shaklee soy is organically grown.]
2) Were the soybeans GENETICALLY ENGINEERED?
Genetically engineered soybeans are much cheaper to purchase, and most companies producing soy products look for ways to save money. [Shaklee soy is certified non-GMO (i.e., it is guaranteed to contain no genetically-modified organism.)]
3) Does your soybean powder contain ALL of the nine essential amino acids?
One of the most valuable features of the soybean is that it is a complete protein and provides ALL nine of the essential amino acids. The body requires these daily to produce hormones, digestive juices, antibodies, and enzymes. HOWEVER, not all soybeans are created equal. Quality and amino acid content will vary based on soil conditions, and variable growing and harvest conditions. If one essential amino acid is missing, the immune system can be depressed 30%, and many important body functions are delayed or stopped. Therefore, it is essential that each batch of soybeans be checked for amino acid content if we want to depend on the soy isolate to provide a GUARANTEED supply of the nine essential amino acids. [Shaklee soy contains all nine essential amino acids.]
4) Were the crushed soy flakes washed in alcohol or water?
Alcohol washing destroys isoflavones content up to 88%! It is the isoflavones that reduce the risk of breast, prostate, lung and bowel cancer! As well, it is the isoflavones that are so beneficial in hormone balancing and increasing bone mass. [Shaklee soy is washed only in water.]
5) Was the “anti-thyroid”, “anti-growth” substance in the raw soy removed?
Asians, who have consumed large amounts of soy for years, have known that RAW soy contains an “anti-growth”, “anti-tyrosine” substance. Tyrosine deficiency will cause low blood pressure, low body temperature, and restless leg syndrome. Therefore, Asians always lightly cook their soy foods to deactivate the “anti-tyrosine/anti-growth” substance. Shaklee has designed an extracting process that removes this substance, yet keeps the soy in a raw form in order to maintain the HIGHEST LEVEL OF AMINO ACIDS and ISOFLAVONES, which are very sensitive to heat. [Shaklee removes all pro-goitrogens from its soy.]
6) Is your soybean food RAW or heated?
Amino acids are very sensitive to heat. In some studies, cooking protein has been shown to destroy up to 50% of some ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS. If an individual consistently consumes a diet that is lacking in all of the essential amino acids, inadequate brain development and hormones, or other body tissue development can be the result. [Shaklee soy is raw.]
7) Has CALCIUM been added to your soy powder?
Some negative reports about soy say that soy powders are VERY ACIDIC and cause bone loss because it causes calcium to be drawn from the bones!!!! The raw soy bean is a NEUTRAL food–neither acidic or alkaline. However, the removal of the soybean oil (which is essential so the soy powder will not go rancid very quickly), makes the powder very acidic. Therefore, adequate calcium (which is very alkaline) must be added to cause the powder to be neutral again, or it can cause the above stated problem. Many protein powder manufacturers do not add any or enough calcium. [Shaklee soy has added calcium for proper pH balance.]
About the Author:
Dr. Brouse is a widely recognized authority in the fields of nutrition and prevention of chronic degenerative diseases. Dr. Brouse has a Master’s in Biochemistry and is a Doctor of Chiropractic. He was an Associate Professor of Clinical Nutrition for 14 years and found the renowned Sunnyside Health Center in Clackamas, Oregon in 1977. Since that time many people throughout the world have regained a greater measure of health while following the recommendations of the clinic’s health professionals.
Photo added 10-11-13: Image credit: martinak / 123RF Stock Photo