YOUv2

 

Have you ever wondered what is the right fitness program for you...especially if you are just starting on your fitness and nutrition journey? I would imagine many of us have...and that includes me! So where do you begin?

 

In May Beachbody launched YOUv2, a dance-inspired fitness program!!! This new program is for everyone, of any fitness level...and it is a great place especially to get beginners started. It is a fun and easy program to follow and a new way to approach weight loss and your overall health.

Weight loss is not an easy thing to do. Either is losing body fat while gaining lean muscle...and just getting into shape in general. It takes one day at a time. Successfully losing weight - ideally shedding body fat while gaining lean muscle - requires some sacrifice and dedication, but it does not mean you can't have fun along the way!

Injecting fun into the process will help you to stick with your goals and your newer healthier habits. Consistency, accountability and motivation, along with your workouts and eating healthy, are the keys to your success and meeting your goals.

"Be mindful that you're not going to change in one day. Be patient, and the most important thing is to try to be consistent," advises Leandro Carvalho, Super Trainer and creator of Beachbody's YOUv2 program, a four-week dance and sculpting routine that gives people a fun, positive, confidence boosting place to begin their weight-loss journeys.

What is YOUv2?

• The Meal Guide, K.I.S.S. (Keep it Super Simple) & Just Eat will help you make small, simple changes over 4 weeks with just 4 easy steps...helping you to eat better and create healthier habits. No strict diets.
• Fun workouts with no confusing choreography. Follow along with 4 cardio-dance routines and 2 body-sculpting workouts...moving to party tunes we all know from the 80's and 90's!!
• Low-impact, 30 minute, beginner workouts designed for those who want to develop healthy habits and just want to start moving!
• No modifications...only an intensifier! You will be shown how to burn more calories by making your moves bigger...and it is recommended to use weighted gloves to make you work even more!
• Equipment is not needed to incorporate this program into your new routine.
• Beachbody On-Demand has an exclusive kids channel that the whole family can enjoy and do together.
• The Motivation Wall Art Calendar lays out which workout to do on each day, 5 days a week. This calendar is filled with positive reinforcement and inspirational quotes from Leandro and the women in his videos.
• The Oh Hello YOUv2 Journal will help you track your feelings, your progress, as well as the things that set you back. You will begin to discover what inspires and motivates you to stay on track and move forward.
• No weekend workouts...this is your time to grocery shop and prepare yourself for the following week!
   

Who is YOUv2 for?

• Beginners and those that are just getting started or have not worked out in awhile.
• Those who like to dance to classic party tunes and have fun while moving and grooving!
• Those who want to feel better inside and out, gain more confidence, and begin their life-changing journey.
• Those that don't like strict diets and are discouraged that nothing else has worked for them.
• Those that want to create healthier habits and lose weight.

Who is Leandro Carvalho?

"Leandro knows how to make a easy workout into a fun workout. He's a professional dancer with years of experience in prestigious dance companies. His lifelong love of fitness lets him share his knowledge with everyone from elite athletes to beginners. He's here to show you fun ways to get fit at home with beginner workouts without equipment. Leandro's philosophy is to share his vast knowledge to help everyone and especially those that conventional fitness programs leave behind."

What is Leandro's advice on how to get started?

• Begin to drink more water.
• Make better choices in your diet
• Be patient and take it easy. If your try to do too much, it can backfire and you might hurt yourself.
• Stick with it. Be persistent and be committed so you can improve each time.
• If you can't do the 30-minute workouts all at once, do 10 minutes. Maybe next week you can do 15, then 20 minutes the week after that.

"It might be easier said than done to just start, but it's more about simplifying. Doing something is better than doing nothing. Pick one or two healthier new things to try, such as drinking a glass of water before each meal or adding one non-starchy vegetable to each meal, and practice those new things until they become second nature. Then pick another one or two healthier things to try. Soon these little things will start to show big returns."

 How do I get YOUv2?

• You can stream it already if you are a Beachbody On Demand Member...log in and you'll be off and dancing!
• To get the DVD access to the program please complete the application found on my WAVE FIT Challenge tab on my home page...or go to the SHOP tab and place your order! If you do go to the SHOP tab please reach out to me so I can help you get you started!
• If you would like to have YOUv2 and be able to access ALL the other programs Beachbody has to offer complete the application and I can enroll you with access and help you get started.

 

Exciting new Shakeology news!!! There are two new flavors, now available, and

they are: Vegan Vanilla and Café Latte Vegan! Now you have the choice between four vegan flavors:

 

• Chocolate Vegan
• Vanilla Vegan (NEW!)
• Café Latte Vegan (ALSO NEW!)
• Tropical Strawberry

Whether you love a chocolate shake on the go, a sweet vanilla or strawberry treat...or are like me and love the flavor of coffee in the morning, the choice is yours!

 

So, how do you decide which option is right for you? No matter how you enjoy your Shakeology there is a package that will be perfect for you! If there is a certain flavor that you just love then you can order the 30-day bag or a 24-packet carton.

 

You also have the option of alternating your 30-day bag between two flavors (examples: Chocolate and Vanilla or Café Latte and Tropical Strawberry). Your other option is the Carton Combo Pack.

 

And there's still more news to share!!!!

 

 

 

Shakeology has been reformulated! Don't worry...it still has the same great taste. A constant pursuit of perfecting Shakeology is and will always be important. With this continuous improvement philosophy...the on-going search will always be to look for the most beneficial ingredients, of the highest quality, and the best available ingredients in the marketplace.

 

What new ingredients have been added? In all the Shakeology formulas the following have been added:

 

• Matcha
• Chaga
• Organic Cane Sugar

Matcha

 

Matcha is the powdered whole green tea leaf. If you have ever tried a Green Tea Latte you might have already had a taste! This powerful green tea powder is a superfood-phytonutrient that, along with other superfoods, can help support health and vitality. This ingredient has been used in Japanese tradition and is carefully cultivated and grown from a family-owned supplier that is USDA organic certified.

 

Chaga

 

Chaga is a woody mushroom which, along with other adaptogens, have been traditionally used to help the body adapt and to respond to the effects of stress. Chaga is American grown in cold climates on birch trees. As with Matcha, Chaga is also USDA organic certified. 

 

Organic Cane Sugar

 

This is a high quality sugar that will give a full-bodied sweetness that you will be sure to love. It is made from freshly harvested sugarcane that is minimally processed.

 

What has been removed from the old Shakeology formula?

 

These three ingredients have been removed and I will share why below:

 

• Spirulina
• Fructose (applies to only whey formulas)
• Agave (applies to vegan formulas only)

Spirulina

 

There is a concern about the future ability to source reliable source and consistent high-quality spirulina so it is being removed.

 

Fructose

 

The formulators discovered that replacing fructose with organic cane sugar is a more well-rounded sweetness...plus the sugar source is now organic.

 

Agave

 

Agave was eliminated to reduce sugars, while still maintaining sweetness. Agave was replaced with Organic Cane Sugar.

 

*Also to be noted: There is a 1g sugar reduction in Vegan Chocolate and Vegan Tropical Strawberry!!

 

 

A few changes have also been made to the Non-Vegan Shakeology Formulas.

 

Selenium

 

Selenium as been added. It is an essential trace element that has various functions in the body, mainly through proteins that contain selenium. Seleniumprotiens are a crucial part of the body's antioxidant defense system.

 

Folate, Vitamin K, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin E have all been improved.

 

Folic acid , the main form used in supplements, is effective when it's converted to it's active form, L-methylfolate (i.e. the form that our bodies use). The new form used is already the active form, allowing those with decreased ability to convert folic acid to folate to benefit fully. It is estimated that 30 to 50% of the population do not have adequate enzyme activity to convert folic acid to folate.

 

Vitamin K occurs naturally in two forms...Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2. The new formula uses Vitamin K2, which helps maintain healthy bones. Also...the new formula uses the methylcobalamin form of Vitamin B12...which is quickly available for usage by the body. Vitamin B12 is important for energy production and works together with folate in the synthesis of DNA and red blood cells. It also plays an important role for the nervous system.

 

The new formula also uses Succinate Vitamin E, which is 100% derived from sunflowers, non-GMO, soy-free- certified Kosher Parve and Halal. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps combat free radical damage and is highly stable and more resistant to degrading when exposed to light or air compared to other forms of Vitamin E.

 

Vitamin D and Magnesium have been increased.

 

Vitamin D3 is the same form your skin synthesizes when exposed to ultra-violet-B (UVB) from sunlight...and is more bioavailable than the D2 form. Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption and supports healthy bones and muscle function.

 

Magnesium is required for over 300 enzymes in the body, which supports a variety of processes including normal muscle and nervous system function. Many of us are not getting enough Magnesium. It has been increased in order to help you meet your daily requirements of this important nutrient.

 

Lastly...in the Vegan Shakeology formulas, Sacha Inchi has been added. The non-vegan flavors have always had this ingredient. It is a superfood native to Peru. Also known as the Inca nut. Excellent that it is now part of the protein blend of Shakeology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ginger Soy Flank Steak

Ginger Soy Flank Steak

Before Grill

This recipe is a hit with my family. After the steak has marinated it typically goes on the grill. So delicious!

 

Ginger Root
 

Ingredients:

• 2-inch slice fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped

  

  Chopped Ginger

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. crushed red pepper
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp. raw honey
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame seed oil
• 1 1/2 lbs. flank steak (or tenderized round steak)

Instructions:

• Combine ginger, garlic, red pepper, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, and oil in a small bowl; whisk to blend.
• Place steak in a shallow dish. Pour ginger mixture over steak; marinate, covered, turning once, for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Preheat grill or broiler on high.
• Grill or broil steak for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches desired temperature on your meat thermometer (rare is 120 degrees, medium rare is 125 F., medium is 130 F). Remove from heat; let steak rest, covered with aluminum foil for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
• Slice steak thinly against the grain.

Steak is done! Now to add the side dishes!