Today is...

This year I am starting something new. Every Monday I will post 3 different challenges, a Workout challenge, a Healthy Eating Challenge, and a Mental Challenge. My goals is to help people evolve, and the only way to evolve is to challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone. It's hard coming up with and sticking to anything that's not in your normal routine.

That's where I come in. You can pick and choose which challenges suite you. I will also be doing these challenges along side of you. 

I'm pretty excited about this!

Lets get started. 

Cardio is your friend not your foe. Most people don't have the time to go to the gym for an 60 minute cardio session. Complete these 4 exercises for 3 rounds, 60 seconds each for the next 5 days. 

60 seconds of Burpees

 

I'm feeling great today, heading to Wisconsin right now. Looking forward to visiting the midwest, not looking forward to the crazy weather. 

I did a quick cardio session this morning and even had enough time to find a thick winter jacket at 

Ross. I packed 2 of my thickest, sturdiest, weather resistant boots, and I also threw a pair of sexy boots in just for good measure. My luggage is weighted down with thermals, leggings and undershirts. I refuse to be cold this weekend. I hope I packed enough clothes. I have a feeling that I overpacked... hehehe

I had a great day yesterday. It was the best day of the year thus far. We were planning on going to diner last night, opted to stay home and cook instead. I managed to pull together a great dinner of baked chicken, mixed root vegetables, muchrooms, garlic, onions and leek stir fry, fish sauce spanich, roasted potatoes with warm tomato sauce, and seabass. Everyting was great but by the time I was finished cooking I wasn't able to eat as much as I would have like too. Oh well, there are always room for leftovers the next day. 

This moring I got up and exercised. My workout was hard, just like I like it. Keeping with my New Years goals I started my Hemp protein regiment and strangly I can already feel the diffrence.

This is what I'm using right now

I bet you know where this is coming...

-Incomplete Nutrition

Protein Shakes are desingd to be heavy on protein, which usually mean they fail at providing significant amounts of carbohydrates, vitamins minerals, and healthy fats.  *Protein shakes that advertise being "fortified" will not offer the smae kind or level of nutritionas whole foods. 

-Sustainability Issues

Replacing some meals with protein shakes may be used as part of a successful weight loss strategy, but their use becomes less viable when used for the long term. *You can deveolp nutrient deficiencies if you replace too many meals with shakes 

-Health Problems

Protein Shakes can be harmful if you have them in conjunction with hight-protein diets. *According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, consistently exceeding daily protein requirments can lead to weight gain, high blood cholesterol, elevated heart disease risk, and kidney complications. 

-Considerations

Some - not all- protein shakes have helahty ingredients, are free of contaminants and can act as nutritious meal replacments. Befre you start drinking shakes consdier alternatives such as getting extra protein through a whole food snack or preparing meals ahead of time so you can eat them on the go. If you do turn to shakes, read nutrition lables carefully and avoid those that are high in sugar,cholesterol and/or saturated fat. 

-Weight Control

Used as a meal replacment protein shakes can enable you to control your fat and calorie intake, which is beneficial to weight managment. *Since many protein powders have controled portions of calories, fat, protien, and carbohydrates, it also helps with protion control 

-Muscle Building

Whenever you exercise muscle tissues are torn and must be rebuilt for your muscles to develop. Protein shakes will help the rebuilding process. *Drinking protein shakes enables you to control the amount of proetin you are consuming, and because its in liquid form it enters the blood stream faster

-Convenience

Protein Shakes offer a no fuss, easy, simple way to consum quality ingredients in a convenient package. *Trying to consume a high amount of quatlity protein through soild food can take a lot of preparation 

-Nutrient Intake

One of the main benefits of making and consuming protein shakes is the opportunity to add a multitude of other nutrients along with the protein powder. In one drink you can consume the protein of protein, frozen berries, flaxseed oil, aloe vera gel, coconut oil, natural peanut butter, and much much more. *You will have to experiment so your additions don't make the shake unpalatable, but your options for adding nutritions are abundant

I hope this helps shed some light on the subject and break down what type of protein you need and when. Timing and the right type of protein is the key when looking for the best results

One of the most basic forms of protein that is easily found. 

*People who are looking for an inexpensive protein source can find tubs of stricly whey protein concentrate with a lower price tag them most proteins. 

*Great starting point for beginners. 

*Some people have a hard time digesting the concentrate and can end up feeling a little gassy and bloated. 

*Whey Concentrate can be used both pre and post workout, and can also be used as a snack in between meals 

**This is not a preferred souce of proein to be used at night

This protein will slowly breakdwon over the course of serveral hours, you can use as a meal, or right before you go to bed.

*If you take casein protein before you go to bed you will stay anabolic throughout the night and you will be able to utlize the protein in your body **anabolic: the synthesis of complex molecules in living organisms from simpler ones together with the storage of energy; constructive metabolism.