Tropical Strawberry Shakeology®—just the sound of it makes you want to enjoy a tall glass on a sandy beach. But there's so much more to it than just an enticing name. What's in it? What's the serving size? When can I get some?

Tropical launches on February 14th. Beachbody put together 10 sips of brilliance to learn everything there is to know about the newest kid on the block.

1) Take a walk on the light side. Tropical Strawberry Shakeology is a new, light, refreshing flavor
featuring strawberry, banana, pineapple, papaya, and coconut. And it's easy to customize with any of your favorite additions.

2) Savor the new flavor. In a coco-nutshell, Tropical has a taste and texture so delicious and
smooth, you won't believe it's vegan!

3) Tropicology 101. Just what the doc ordered—still the healthiest meal of the day 
 
4) No animals allowed. Tropical is a completely plant-based formula with NO animal products.
This makes it very easily digested and assimilated by your body. 
 
5) Share the love. Want a bunch of great new ways to share Tropical with the rest of civilization? How about a new recipe calendar with 60 fresh new recipes? 
 
6) Blinding you with science. Beachbody's proprietary vegan protein blend contains all 9 essential amino acids. It also contains a protein blend featuring raw, sprouted, fermented brown rice protein, along with sacha inchi, chia, flax, quinoa, amaranth, and spirulina. 

7) Superfoods to the rescue. Tropical also includes NEW superfoods, including coconut flower nectar, luo han huo, Himalayan salt, and konjac root. All of the key nutrients come from natural whole foods. There are no added vitamin or mineral isolates and no fortification.

8) Get your mac on this Valentine's Day. Maca, that is. Just like Chocolate and Greenberry, Tropical also contains maca powder (root), which carries strong libido-enhancing properties. Maca also helps increase stamina and energy levels, calms the nerves, and contributes to overall well being. Just
sayin'.

9) Try Tropical on for size. This delicious new Shakeology flavor is available in both 30-day bag
and single-serve packettes. What's more, you'll also find it available in Challenge Packs by the end of this month, too!  With only 90 days til swimsuit season, this deal is a steal.

10) Weight no longer. Eager to try Tropical right away? Can't say we blame you. If you're already drinking Shakeology, you can switch your order now, so delicious Tropical Strawberry Shakeology will arrive to your door in your next shipment.
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 *All trademarks, products, and service names are the property of their respective owners. Content provided by Beachbody.


 

Did you know there are a lot of foods that naturally burn fat? How great is that?  All we have to do to start losing weight is to eat these foods that have natural fat burning properties.  Here are a few to incorporate into your diet to help you on your way to losing weight naturally.

Apples, berries, broccoli, cabbage and citrus fruits: Foods high in Vitamin C liquefy fat and help the body flush out toxins.

Apples and berries: Contain pectin, an insoluble dietary fiber shown to reduce blood cholesterol leves and restrict the amount of fat that our cells can absorb. So if the cells can’t absorb the fat, they’re forced to expel the fatty deposits which results in weight loss.  

Broccoli, cabbage, milk, cheese and yogurt: Are calcium rich foods that help with natural weight loss because they speed up the process of breaking down the fat content of fat cells.

Eggs, lean meat, fish (tuna, salmon and sardines) and unprocessed, unsalted nuts:  High quality protein helps lose weight because it’s a natural fat burner.  It also helps reduce cravings and binge
eating which aids in weight loss.  
 
Garlic:  Reduces fatty deposits and has many health promoting qualities.  
   
Green tea:  Burns fat and boosts metabolism which helps your body operate more efficiently.  It’s also high in natural anti-oxidants, has cancer fighting properties and reduces heart disease.

Hot peppers: Turn up the heat!  Hot peppers speed up metabolism and helps burn more calories.

Olive oil: Helps to keep your cholesterol levels down and is a major fat burning food.

Water:  Cleanses the body, hydrates the skin and flushes toxins out the system. For a diet of fat burning foods to work efficiently and aid natural weight loss, it’s important to stay properly hydrated. Our bodies are made up of 70% water and needs to be replenished every day.  The general rule of thumb is ½ your weight in ounces per day.

Whole grains and oatmeal: contain fat-absorbing fiber, which not only keeps you feeling full and energized but also increases metabolism by burning fat and calories.

Incorporate these fat burning foods into your diet and natural weight loss will come easily to you!


 

I think the first time I heard the word chia, it was during a holiday gift commercial for "chia pets."  Who can forget the jingle - cha-cha-cha-chia?  Surprisingly enough, the seeds used to grow these whimsical terracotta plants is the same seed that is considered a powerful superfood.

The ancient Aztecs used chia seeds over 3000 years ago.  Warriors prized the small seeds for its endurance promoting qualities.  They would eat it in bread before battle or drink it in water before running long distances.

What's so special about chia?  Chia contains Omega 3 which is a rich source of essential fatty acids.  Omega 3 fatty acids are necessary for human growth and supports the development of our brain, eyes and nerves.  Chia seeds are also rich in calcium, potassium, mangesium, iron, zinc, many trace minerals and is considered a biologically-complete protein.  What that means is it contains an adequate proportion of all the nine essential amino acids for our dietary needs.

Why would anyone want to include chia seeds in their diet?  Health benefits include:
- Promotes a healthy heart
- Normalizes blood pressure
- Lowers bad cholesterol
- Has six times more calcium than milk
- Considered nutritionally superior to flax and soy
- Improves digestion
- Removes toxins naturally
- Strengthens muscles and bones
- Supports healthy weight loss due to its high fiber content

Because chia is neutral in color and flavor, it can be added to healthy recipes without changing the taste.  It's delicious in soups, cereal, salad, yogurt, smoothies and baked goods.  You can buy Chia in most health food stores. 



  
 

I’ve had a number of inquiries about the Challenge Pack promotion currently offered by Beachbody, so I thought I’d let you know what it’s all about.  I am so excited to have so many people interested in making a change!  I have 4 people confirmed and others who have expressed interest.  
  
It is so important, especially as we head into the most tempting and dangerous time of the year with holidays approaching, to start focusing on our health.  Won't it be easier to NOT gain weight over the holidays and have to make New Year’s resolutions just to take it all off AGAIN??!! Ok so here are the details so far: 

What is this all about?

It’s a comprehensive approach to losing weight, getting in shape and achieving your goals. The focus is on nutrition, support and fitness.  This challenge is about making some life changes to keep you feeling good forever, not about a diet.  It involves drinking Shakeology once a day, doing a Beachbody workout DVD, logging onto and using the Beachbody website to log your workouts and utilizing Facebook (private group for participants) to hold each other accountable. 
 
 If you are not familiar with Shakeology or the Beachbody site, check out my links below. The Beachbody website has a ton of information on meal planning, recipe ideas, workout ideas, support etc.
Depending on your fitness level or how much you want to challenge yourself, I will be offering 2 options - Slim in 6, a 6 week program which is a more beginner/intermediate level program and a 12 week P90X program which is more appropriate for moderate to extreme level people.  Although any level can participate as there are modifications for the workouts.

Tools needed:

You’ll be able to purchase the challenge packs from my Beachbody website.  The purchase cost is $160 for Slim in 6 and $205 for P90X system.  This is a $55 savings over individually purchasing the three components.  The packs include a month’s supply of Shakeology, the workout DVD and a 30 day membership to the online resource.  These packs are not only discounted in price, but also come with free shipping.  Depending on which program you choose, everyone will be doing the same workout DVD on the same day. If you decide on doing the 6 week program, you will need to be on Shakeology for 6 weeks at least and the same for P90X, 3 months on the shake.  I’m happy to explain more if you commit
to the challenge.

Support:
I will be setting up a private Facebook for you all to use.  The best way to ensure success is accountability.  I will ask that you each log in at least once a day to post how you are doing on our private Facebook page.  I would also hope that you will reach out to your other group members via the page in order to provide support to each other.  Support and accountability are key in goal setting.  You can use the Facebook page to ask questions about your workouts, eating etc.  As we get up and running I will also ask that you post your goals and your stats on the page.  Take your measurements before so that you have a baseline and if you’re comfortable doing so - share them.  This holds you accountable to yourself and to the group.  This isn't about judging here, it’s about making some changes for yourself and your life.  We are all in this together.

Time commitment:

Commitment  #1:
Get your workout in EVERY day. You do get a rest day based on the program schedule.  Trust me, as you start to workout regularly, you will find that you have more energy, you'll lose weight and just feel better about what you are doing.  It gets addictive when you see the changes happening!

The workouts range from 30-45 minutes for the most part. P90X workouts average about 55 min/day. Log your workout on the Beachbody site. You just might win some cash and prizes for doing so!

Commitment  #2:
Drink Shakeology EVERY day.  If you haven't read about this awesome nutritional drink, please check out my Shakeology page under Services.  My husband and I have been drinking it since June and have both lost weight and feel so much healthier.  It's an awesome nutritional drink that will help curb your cravings and eat less. It is supported by the American Diabetes Association and has over 70 ingredients in it.  For those of you that aren't sure of the taste, let's talk about some different recipes you can try. The way I blend it makes me feel like I am having a Frosty from Wendy’s everyday!

Commitment  #3:
Provide support to each other in the group.  Log into our Facebook page every day and tell us how your day is going, how your workouts are, how eating is going etc. Step outside your comfort zone and share your goals and stats with the group.

Commitment  #4:
Commit to the full 45 or 90 day challenge and utilize the eating/food information that comes with your workout DVD. Again, this depends on the workout program you decide to use, but all programs have great nutritional information.

I have a group starting the Monday after Thanksgiving, 11/28 and another is scheduled for  Monday, 12/5.  Won’t you join us?

I’m also happy to offer a start date that works for you if you and 4 friends want your own group.  Let me know if you are ready to get signed up!  We can place your order via my site as soon as you’re ready to go!  
 
This is my commitment to you - I am going to be here for you, to help you through it, guide and motivate you. I am giving you my time at no cost. Sure you buy the program and have a great shake to drink but the support for myself and the others in our group will be what will make you Push Play Every Day!

I look forward to hearing from you! Let me know if you have any more questions!

Kat Ogar
www.beachbodycoach.com/katogar
617-678-4088
Health and Wellness Coach

Special Thanks to Denise MacDonald, Beachbody Coach extraordinaire, for providing the outline and much of the content for this post.