Supplements for a Healthy Lifestyle

I've cleaned up my diet a bit but let's be honest, it's near impossible to get everything we need from food.  I have turned to supplements to help me in my quest for complete nutrition.  There are so many different options out there and it can be quite overwhelming.  In addition to our multivitamin, what else do we need?  Well that depends on a lot of different factors, but I thought I'd share what has been working well for me...

If you've been reading my blog, you've gathered that I have been trying to find a way through nutrition to have more energy throughout the day and better my overall health.  As a mom of 2 year old twin boys who teaches group fitness, works from home part-time, and maintains a household, my energy gets drained pretty quickly.  On my quest for the right blend of diet, exercise, and supplements, I discovered a line of supplements that truly is amazing.

I am now trying several products that are making a world of difference so far.  I have more energy to keep up with my boys, my workouts are more productive, and my overall health has improved.  Pretty awesome, right?!  As someone who's very cautious about what goes into my body, I researched these supplements thoroughly and found that they are perfect for me.

Here is what I have been taking:

Spark for energy:

I drink this only on days I need a little extra oomph.  I like to drink it pre-workout.  It's amazing how much I can accomplish the rest of the day too!

MNS Max 3 for overall health and energy:

Love love love this combination of vitamins!  It puts all the essential vitamins you need together in easy to use packs.  My favorites include a ProBiotic which is necessary for off setting all those Antibiotics we take in, CorePlex which is an awesome multi-vitamin, OmegaPlex for your Omega-3s, and several others essential to core nutrition and wellness.

Catalyst for amino acids:


I have been taking this a little over a week and I can already tell a difference in my muscle tone and definition. This helps to preserve and enhance what I work so hard for in the gym.

I have only scratched the surface with the products that AdvoCare offers.  There is something for everyone which I love.  This company's high quality products are perfect for someone looking for health and wellness, weight management, energy, or sports performance.  I look forward to continuing to see great results!

xoxo
Sarah Marie

Getting Rid of the Nasty Stuff

I am continuing on with my posts about nutrition.  So if you're curious read on...

It is unbelievable to me the amount of "bad stuff" that we put into our bodies.  A lot of it is unintentional too.  I had no idea how bad some of it is.  My eyes have been opened for sure.  Being vigilant in what you buy at the grocery store and order out is an understatement.  You have to be on top of it!

In an effort to offset all the "bad stuff",
I have made some changes in what I put into my body.

*No more artificial sweeteners

No Equal in my morning coffee and no Splenda in anything.  For those of y'all that know me, know I used to put like 5 or 6 Splenda packets in my tea!  Then my stomach would cramp and I would wonder why...duh!  Our bodies can't process non nutritive sweeteners because it's foreign chemical crap.  Y'all may disagree but I'm staying away if I can help it.  I have been using Stevia sparingly but am finding that I don't really need it.  I am trying to train my taste buds to not want that sweet taste.

*No more diet cokes

I was only drinking 1 or 2 a week but since I know how bad all those chemicals and artificial sweeteners are, no more.

*Buy organic when possible

I am trying to buy milk, lettuce, spinach, apples, grapes, lemons and limes organic now.  It really isn't necessary to buy everything organic.  Just the things that the pesticides and added hormones affect.  Meat needs to be next on the list.  Yes it's more expensive but when you think about all that crap on the good stuff you're eating, it's totally worth it.

*Cut way down on the sugar intake

This one is an ongoing battle for me.  I will allow myself some sugar once or twice a week if that for a cheat meal.  I wish I could cut it out completely.  You have to be so careful too.  Sugar is hidden everywhere!  I am trying not to eat anything unless it has 5 grams or less.  There's just something so satisfying about some yummy chocolate chip cookies though. :P

*Add more protein

I have added protein shakes which I have done on and off for years, but now I drink one daily usually after my workout.  I think I need anywhere from 75-100 grams of protein daily and that may be erring on the low side.  That is dang hard to do in a day!  I try to sneak it in on snacks whether it be nuts, hard boiled eggs, edamame, chick peas, or string cheese.  Obviously I eat it at each meal...eggs for breakfast if I'm not working out first thing, chicken or turkey deli meat for lunch, and grilled chicken, fish or lean red meat for dinner (an ongoing battle) if all goes as planned and let me tell you dinner is so hard most days.

*Cut most dairy out

I really haven't done this one on purpose.  I guess I never really ate that much dairy to begin with.  I'm not really opposed to dairy, but am trying to eat or drink even less just to see if it makes a difference.  I use almond milk in my shakes which I like better anyway.  I'm not a huge fan of yogurt because I got burned out on it a long time ago.  I will eat light cheese every now and then.  It's a good source of protein and a great snack!

*Add supplements 

In addition to my multivitamin I have added Amino Acids, Fish Oil, B-12, B-6, and Vitamin C

         
           

                              

I have very recently discovered AdvoCare, a line of amazing supplements.  I have tried out some of their products and love love love them so far!  The AdvoCare line is so extensive that there really is something for everyone.  There are several products from AdvoCare that have helped me, which I plan to share in a future post.

So there you have it.  Some subtle changes and some big changes.  I have honestly felt a lot better the past couple of weeks.  The main thing is that I have had more energy which is what I struggle with.  I have also gotten great workouts in, been able to keep up with the boys a little easier, and just feel better overall.  So something I'm doing is working.  :)  As I mentioned above in addition to changing my diet a bit, I have had some help from AdvoCare supplements.  I am super excited about the AdvoCare line!  I can't wait to share my discoveries with y'all so stay tuned!

xoxo
Sarah Marie

A Nutrition Journey

Yes, I'm aware it's been quite some time since I've posted.  Before I start my rambling I just want to let y'all know the reason I'm doing all of this research and why I care so much.  I don't know if many people even read my blog or care, but I view this as my personal writing space to talk about whatever is on my mind to share which happens to be fitness and nutrition lately...one of my biggest passions in life.  I would love to inspire or help someone in the process.  If you're interested, keep reading!

I am not getting any younger and basically need all the help I can get to have the most energy I can, stay in shape, and feel great.  I want to enable my body to work the best it can for me.  Our bodies are amazing gifts that need to be taken care of.  If we treat them the right way, they will work wonders for us.  I've been trying some different things and have been waiting to see what works and what doesn't.  It's really an ongoing process though.  

  In my initial nutrition post, I talked about wanting to change up my diet and drop a few lbs of fat.  I have made progress by dropping about 3-5 lbs (it fluctuates daily), added a little more muscle, and trimmed a slight bit.  I am still focused on rocking that bikini this summer and feel I have made a good start.  I thought about posting the obligatory before and after photos but am a little nervous about doing so.  I have mixed feelings about those but do understand why people do it.  I dunno...we will see.  Having said that I have been torn about several things involving my body lately.  Like I've mentioned before losing a few lbs and toning up is only a part of it for me.  I am still trying to find the right mix of foods, exercise, and supplements to provide me with the best energy, and be in the best shape physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Whew!  That's a lot, right?!  Well guess what?!  It all (well for the most part) has to do with nutrition.
I have been doing a lot of research so that's partly why I haven't posted in a while.  I am learning so many eye opening things that I really want to share my findings in hopes that it might help someone else.  I plan on breaking it down into small segments (that's the plan anyway).  

Let's start here...

I am by no means a nutrition expert nor do I have any degrees or certifications in nutrition (although I would like to), so everything I'm going to post is information I have gathered through my own research, reading, and experience.

I left off last time by adding daily 4 veggies, 2 fruits, and more protein to my diet.  I still have a hard time sticking to a hardcore "clean" diet but make sure I am eating all of the above.  I immediately noticed a difference.  I mean it really is amazing what a few florets of broccoli and some spinach will do for ya.  I actually crave my veggies now.  If I don't get my 4 servings in, I am ready to slam some the next day.  The protein thing is a little harder for me.  More on that later though.  Bottom line it has helped me to research and learn why we need to eat certain things and what those things do for your body to keep me on track.  After reading another book and researching a little more, I feel I have a better concept and grasp of nutrition as a whole.  

Sidenote:  I'm currently reading The Body Book by Cameron Diaz.  I wasn't expecting too much, but it has really put a lot of things in perspective.  I would highly recommend it.  It's a lot of stuff I already know but she does a great job of putting it all together to make perfect sense.

After all I've researched, all I really need to say is to eat clean whole foods, which is what we all already knew, right?  It's that simple.  Think farm to table.  The less your food has been touched since coming from the farm the better.  That cuts out processed foods, fast food, and a lot of what we eat.  So simple yet so hard!! We're all busy busy busy so that's how we've gotten away from eating clean in the first place.  That's where planning and prep come into play.  Since it's nearly impossible to get all the vitamins and minerals we need in a day, supplements can help fill the void.  Both topics which I will tackle in future posts.

I just wanted to give an overview today and plan to go more in depth on some things I've discovered in future posts.
Here's to healthy bodies, minds, and souls!

xoxo

Sarah Marie