Now I have to confess something here, and forgive me if this sounds dumb, but when I first heard of protein shakes years ago I thought they were some kind of back-street illegal powder that muscly men secretly take to bulk up at the gym, causing constantly noisy and unwanted trapped wind and tasting like something you’d lick off of the bottom of your shoe. In reality protein shakes are far more common place in the world of fitness today, and millions of people worldwide use them on a daily basis to supplement a healthy and active lifestyle. In a nutshell muscle fibres which are torn when you exercise repair as they become bigger and stronger with a steady stream of protein from amino acids, and so protein shakes give you a perfect daily dose of nutrients to fuel a workout.
Beachbody Shakeology Health Shake
Shakeology is a health shake created by Beachbody to coincide with their extreme home fitness programs, and when used together the results are incredible, as optimum weightloss is achieved and lean athletic bodies are sculpted from lazy couch potatoes worldwide. Each Shakeology health shake has seventy natural ingredients including spirulina, chlorella, spinach powder, wheat grass, acai powder, pomegranate powder, maca root, gogi berry powder, chia seed, maca root, sacha inchi, flax seed, prebiotic, quinoa, prebiotic blend and many more, all of which are specially selected to offer the best nutritional meal possible. Imagine the sheer amount of food, calorie intake, time and cost you’d face to achieve the same dose of nutrition by sourcing and preparing the ingredients yourself. Seeing as I’ve been a vegetarian for over 22yrs I find it difficult to get enough protein on a daily basis, but thankfully each shake provides the body with all of the nutrients needed whilst helping to deter cravings after meals too. A single shake can be used to replace a meal of 150 calories with pure nutrition, providing 15-17g of protein per serving and keeping you feeling fuller for longer. Perfect for popping into your gym bag, sipping at your desk or drinking on the run. I’d imagine more than half of the ingredients in an average home cooked meal is unnecessary, overcooked, the vitamins boiled away and bloating or containing empty calories that could be better replaced with clean and pure nutrition. So kiss the convenience foods goodbye, ban the bread, cereal and jam, hand over the oven chips, chocolate bars, creamy dressings and sticky pasta bakes, because abs are made in the kitchen and you are what you eat, or should that be shake?
Depending on what your individual fitness requirements are, Shakeology can be used as a pre/post workout shake or an entire meal replacement if you’re looking to limit calories, as for me an average meal is around 500-600 calories, which is almost four times that of a single shake. As I don’t want to lose weight I have my Shakeology on top of my three meals a day to supplement my workout; but if you want to boost the calories to replace one of your meals each day you can add extras such as bananas, ice, oat milk and almond butter and there are hundreds of delicious recipes available. Shakeology comes in a range of flavours including vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, greenberry and vegan friendly options too, each single portion helps build and repair muscles, reduce hunger and food cravings and promote healthy skin, hair, and nails. Whey protein isolate in the chocolate and greenberry shakes is ideal for building and maintaining lean muscle mass, whereas the tropical strawberry and vegan chocolate include high-quality plant proteins from brown rice, pea and other sources. Essential amino acids help to repair muscle tissue and heal wounds with prebiotics, probiotics and digestive enzymes improving the digestion, regularity, and nutrient absorption through supporting a healthy intestinal tract. With antioxidants helping to decrease inflammation, maintain the immune system, neutralise harmful free radicals which contribute to ageing, as well as twenty three vitamins and minerals making up for any dietary deficiencies; suddenly a single Shakeology packs a whole lot of punch and is literally worth it’s weight in gold. And for half the cost of a standard lunch, Shakeology is a very affordable and beneficial addition to your daily nutrition and fitness goals.
And even if you’re not looking to become a rippling muscle-bound bodybuilder, Shakeology provides your body with the optimum nutrition needed to run and function properly, from glossy hair and strong nails to a healthier lifestyle without hunger and cravings through proper digestion. Whether you love juicy sweet fruits such as the strawberry shake, something a little naughtier in the chocolate shake or classically delicious with the vanilla shake, there is something to suit everyone. The vanilla happens to be my favourite, and it’s so satisfying to drink. Each sachet comes already measured for which you simply add water and go, perfect for your gym bag, handbag or desk drawer.
