What are the Challenge Packs?

Pick from 21 different Challenge Packs!  Get your health and fitness started now with one of these.  They all come with Shakeology in your choice of flavors.  Get more information at www.mandieduke.info

Slim in 6 is on SALE

For a limited time only Slim in 6 is on sale!  Just 39.90 for the Base package.  This is almost 20.00 off the original price.  Hurry though, it is only until supplies last!
Order at www.beachbodycoach.com/mandiemae and click on Shop!

Shakeology: What is MACA ROOT

In this newly-launched blog, we will be featuring regular, detailed spotlights on the ingredients that qualify Shakeology^® as the Healthiest Meal of the Day^®. By now, hopefully you are "in the know" about this incredible, nutrient-dense shake comprised of some of the most amazing, healthy, and potent superfoods on the planet. But which one led Shakeology co-creator Darin Olien and his team to altitudes of 13,000 feet in the Andes region of Junin, Peru, in search of the only crop that can grow and flourish up there? Well, in our first "Ingredient Spotlight," we'll be getting to the "root" of that issue . . . maca root, that is!

Maca has been used in indigenous South American societies as a source of nourishment and healing for thousands of years. Its other known names include:Lepidium meyenii, maca-maca, maino, ayak chichira, and ayak willku. A distant relative of radishes and turnips, maca grows in a variety of colors ranging from purple to golden. For this crop, there is only one season or yield per year. Each variety offers its own strengths: cream-colored means sweeter, while darker variations generally provide a better boost of energy. Maca has a strong, pungent aroma and is traditionally grown at altitudes of approximately 8,000 to 14,500 feet. For Shakeology, we use a blend of these roots, grown and sourced by local Andean farmers in a sustainable manner, which helps not only the land to thrive but the farmers, their families, and the communities in the process!

(Fun fact: The Spaniards valued maca so much, they made it a form of currency. So, when Peru was a Spanish colony, you could pay your taxes with it!)

BENEFITS & SCIENCE

Maca is widely known to promote endurance, strength, stamina, and potency. In fact, ancient Peruvian women would give maca to their men before they went off to battle. It contains high amounts of protein and has been known to energize the central nervous system. For centuries, maca root has been used to combat stress and fatigue, increase stamina, and yes, even boost libido! Maca is a nutrient-dense whole food packed with vitamins, plant sterols, dietary fiber, essential fatty acids, minerals (including calcium, magnesium, and iron), as well as 19 of the 22 essential amino acids. An adaptogen herb, it also may help support a healthy immune system. (Studies have identified four alkaloids present in maca known to nourish the endocrine system.) Ah . . . and let's not forget the extra-special benefit that is attributed to maca; it's an aphrodisiac! The root is sometimes referred to as "Nature's Viagra^®." Lest you doubt the credibility of the aphrodisiac claim, it is in fact rooted in science. Maca root naturally contains high amounts of p-methoxybenzyl isothiacyanate, which studies show does have a positive effect on the libido. But hey, we're just citing the known science . . . You be the judge!

HOW OUR MACA IS "PROCESSED"

We're very proud to say there is very little "processing" at all. Because maca grows best at high altitudes, it's easy for it to be organic. There are few pests that naturally occur at such high altitudes. Once harvested by the local farmers, the maca roots are dried, pulverized by hand into a powder, and go into the final product just like that. There are very few steps from field to finished product, and that's the way we like it. This ensures the natural nutrient profiles stay in place, keeping it as potent as it can be. Whatever it takes for Shakeology, Darin and team will climb the highest mountain to ensure that you get the best quality ingredients available.

THE BOTTOM LINE: DOLLARS AND (COMMON) SENSE

So let's break it down in terms of cost to you. A bag of maca powder at a nutrition store alone would cost you between $15 and $30. And it's highly unlikely you'll be privy to the knowledge of how that bag of maca was sourced, at what altitude it was grown, or how potent it is. If you were to separately attempt to purchase Shakeology's 70+ healthy ingredients from whole food sources from around the world (including anti-oxidants, phytonutrients, adaptogen herbs, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, vitamins, and minerals) and match the benefits and nutritional content of Shakeology, you would easily spend over $300 every month—that's two and half times the cost of Shakeology!

To see photos and learn more about how the maca for Shakeology is sourced, check out Shakeology: Book Two, now available to download atShakeology.com.

There are at least 67 published studies on maca root that have been conducted over the past 12 years, ranging from effects on mice to randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies on humans. Here are a few highlights:

• A review of major studies by Gonzalez at the Universidad Peruana in Lima, Peru, cites: "Evidence from experimental studies indicates effects of maca on nutrition, fertility, memory, and mood. Randomized clinical trials have shown that maca has favorable effects on energy and mood, may decrease anxiety and improve sexual desire. Maca has also been shown to improve sperm production, sperm motility, and semen volume." Read more here.
• You can also follow the links below to read more results of published double-blind studies on maca's effect on improving sexual function and menopausal symptoms:
  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20691074
  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21840656

"Maca . . . Pure energy source. Grown in nature and delivered in Shakeology."—Darin Olien

All trademarks, products, and service names are the property of their respective owners.

Posted in Nancy Marcello , "Ingredient Spotlight: Maca Root" Shakeology Blog

Do you have the BEAST in you? Body Beast

0. Sagi Kalev:
   -The creator of Body Beast
   -Competed in numerous bodybuilding competitions, and won two “Mr. Israel” titles, among others -Has spent many years training bodybuilders for competition, and used this experience as the
   foundation for the Body Beast program -Uses a steroid-free approach to bodybuilding 
   

How Body Beast works:

• Dynamic Set Training is a breakthrough in sports science. By using Single Sets, Super Sets, Giant Sets, Progression Sets, Drop Sets, Tempo Sets, and more, with added resistance, it is designed to exhaust the muscles, activate more muscle fibers, and naturally boost testosterone levels beyond what’s been possible before in a home training system.
  
• An in-depth bodybuilding nutrition plan developed by champion bodybuilder and champion trainer Sagi Kalev provides lots of quick, simple-to-prepare, delicious meals that will help pack on the muscle—fast.
  
• A supplement system developed specifically for Body Beast puts you on the fast track to achieving the physique that millions of men dream of but fail to achieve due to lack of proper supplementation. 
  

Equipment needed

• Bench or Premium Stability Ball
  
• EZ-Curl Bar with weight plates
  
• Dumbbells
  
• Chin-Up Bar or resistance bands w/ door attachment
  
  
  
  
  

Are you Beast enough? 

CHALLENGE

Shakeology Sunshine Bars

Shakeology Sunshine Bars
Chocolate, honey, and bananas blend together to create this delicious snack.
Total Time: 3 hrs., 10 min. Prep Time: 10 min. Yield: 10 bars Ingredients:
• 2 scoops Chocolate Shakeology
• 3 scoops egg white powder
• 2 cups oats
• ½ cup almond milk
• 4 Tbsp. honey
• 4 Tbsp. almond butter
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 2 Tbsp. wheat germ
• 2 Tbsp. flaxseed
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

 Preparation: 1. Mix all dry ingredients together. 2. Add almond milk, honey, and bananas and mix well with a spatula or your hands. 3. After it's well mixed, put mixture in an 8" x 8" pan. Cover with plastic wrap and press down to flatten into pan. Refrigerate for 3 hours. 4. Remove from fridge, cut into 10 squares.

 Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories: 277 Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 3mg Sodium: 120g Carbohydrate: 40g Fiber: 6g Sugar Total: 12g Protein: 18g

Shakeology® Is Low-Glycemic: What That Means and Why It Matters to You!

What's the Glycemic Index? Simply put, the glycemic index is a way to measure how carbohydrates react in your blood. When you eat carbs, your blood sugar level rises anywhere from a little to a lot. The GI (Glycemic Index) uses a scale of 0 to 100, with higher numbers given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar.

What do high-GI foods do to my body? They cause the body to produce higher levels of insulin, but sometimes too much. This gives you an energy burst known as a "sugar rush." It feels good at first, but then your blood sugar drops rapidly and you "crash." Eating low-GI foods is a smart way to avoid this, because they stabilize your blood sugar levels instead of spiking them.

What kind of high-GI foods to steer away from and why:

Foods with a high GI (above 70) include white bread, pretzels, potatoes, and most processed foods. Eating these foods triggers a rapid rise in blood sugar and insulin levels, which:

• Encourages the body to store fat
• Creates a cycle of hunger pangs and feeling unsatisfied
• Causes an energy crash that leaves you irritated or tired
• Can lead to high blood pressure, fluid retention and diabetes

In contrast, foods with a low GI (under 55)—like broccoli, oatmeal, peanuts, and Shakeology—help stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels, which:

• Increases levels of glycogen, a hormone that causes body fat to be burned
• Helps satisfy feelings of hunger
• Helps balance moods
• Reduces the risk of heart disease, helps control diabetes, and positively affects the aging process

So you see, eating low-GI foods like Shakeology is good for you! Shakeology's GI rating of 24 is much lower than most fruits and some vegetables. Low-GI foods help keep your sugar levels in check while supplying nutrition that satisfies, energizes, and helps promote good health!

A must Watch for the Ultimate Reset!

This really sums up why I decided to do this.

Why Reset?
Our environment has become more and more toxic. Our bodies absorb pollution and harmful chemicals all our lives, along with the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. These toxins can get stored in our bodies, clogging our cells and slowing down their natural functions.
It's not enough just to work out and eat right. At Beachbody®, we realized we had to take a break from the everyday and find a way to get those toxins out of our bodies. Along with getting in shape on the outside, we had to start getting healthy on the inside.* We decided it was time for a Reset.
What is the Beachbody Ultimate ResetTM?
The Beachbody Ultimate Reset is a complete, three-phase, 21-day program that provides everything you need to:

• Phase 1: Reclaim your body's natural balance.*
  
• Phase 2: Release the harmful materials you may be storing within you.*
  
• Phase 3: Restore your system to its maximum health.*
  What are the benefits of the Beachbody Ultimate Reset?
  In just 21 days, the Ultimate Reset can help you gently restore your body to its original factory settings," to help you:
  

• Have more energy and greater focus*
  
• Experience better digestion and a more positive mood*
  
• Enable your body to function more efficiently*
  
• Lose weight*
  
• Improve your overall health*
  What the Beachbody Ultimate ResetTM is NOT:
  

• A starvation diet. (You'll eat three filling, healthy meals every day.)
  
• An abrupt cleanse that's hard on the body. (The supplements work together
  gradually to gently shift your body's internal settings.)*
  
• A laxative-based, colon-focused cleanse, which fails to truly detoxify the whole
  body. (You won't be running to the bathroom every hour!)
  What's included in the Beachbody Ultimate Reset?
  Six Essential Supplements:
  The Ultimate Reset Nutritionals are uniquely formulated to help restore your body to optimal health.
  

• Alkalinize – Helps maintain alkalinity.*
  
• Oxygenize – Helps provide supplemental oxygen to the body.*
  
• Mineralize – Adds natural minerals needed by the body.*
  
• Detox – Helps remove toxins and waste in the colon.*
  
• Revitalize – Helps revitalize flora in the digestive tract.*
  
• Optimize – Promotes healthy metabolism and effective body functions.*
  

Program and Nutrition Guide

• Detailed step-by-step instructions on your 21-day Reset journey.
  
• Plus a 3-week eating plan with recipes, cooking tips, shopping lists, and more.
  Two DVDs:
  

• Reset Your Health! Includes a complete program overview, instructions for getting started, and Success Stories to help motivate you.
  
• Cooking Class! Provides an overview of the foods recommended in your Reset, including sample meal-preparation videos.
  Support Tools
  

• Unparalleled support from your Team Beachbody® Coach, fellow Reset participants, and Challenge Groups.
  
• Access to exclusive UltimateReset.com content.
  
• Day-by-day online support:
  o Food preparation videos for each day's meals o Daily cleanse tips, recipes, and shopping lists o Personal experiences from fellow participants
  
• Mobile-enabled Web site content
  How is the Beachbody Ultimate Reset different from other cleanse programs?
  

• The Ultimate Reset isn't a crash diet or a synthetic meal replacement.
  
• It's an integrated, whole-body reset solution—a step-by-step program that lets
  you have real food, provides specially formulated supplements, and teaches you
  conscious living techniques that work to detoxify and restore your body.
  
• You'll not only help return your metabolism to optimal function, but you'll learn
  conscious self-care behaviors that can help you maintain better health, even after your Reset.* 
  
  
  

20 secrets of VERY FIT PEOPLE

By Chalene Johnson

Here are a few Turbofied tips. Read these tips, then print and post them so you have them as a daily reminder. Look at exercise as a pleasure and a privilege, not a burden or chore. Think positively about the changes regular exercise will produce. Rather than obsessing about your next meal, get excited about your next workout! Focus on short-term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing daily exercise. Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity. Make it your goal to do some form of exercise 6 or 7 days a week. If some days you exercise once in the morning and once in the evening, even better! If you're eating right, exercise will fuel your energy level! Create an exercise schedule the day before instead of leaving it to chance or waiting to "find" the time. If the last three Presidents of the United States can make time to work out every day, you can make time too! Enjoy contributing to the health of others by having a partner or friends to exercise with, as well as recruiting others who want to feel better and have more energy. Have a neighbor who's sitting on the porch every morning when you walk by? Ask him or her to join you on your walk! Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising, or using things that keep you motivated and inspired, like new shoes or great music. Invest in the right tools—good shoes, a portable MP3 player or iPod®, fitness equipment, a new series of tapes, etc. Subscribe to fitness magazines to keep focused on health as an overall way of life. Eat well-balanced meals and remember that excess calories, even if they're from food that's fat free and high in protein, will turn to excess weight. No matter what the latest fad diet says, extra calories equal extra weight! Limit caffeine and exposure to even secondhand smoke. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it often. Water should always be your drink of choice. To kick things up every once in a while, try adding lemon, lime, cucumber, or a few berries to liven up the flavor without adding significant calories. Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely. Remember that no matter how hard you're working out, if you're consuming too many calories, you'll never see the muscles that lie beneath layers of fatty tissue. Keep a daily log of what you're actually eating. This includes every time you grab a handful of chips here or eat the crust of your kid's sandwich there, and ALL of your snacking. Enjoy an occasional (once a week) "unhealthy" treat, but never an unhealthy week or unhealthy vacation. If your diet is unbalanced, take daily vitamin and mineral supplements for total health. Don't compare your body to others'. Instead, work to be your personal best. Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total fitness. Measure success by the way your clothes fit, not some number on a scale. Get adequate amounts of sleep, but remember that people who exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. Limit alcohol intake to special occasions.

Turbo Fire anyone???

• Burn up to 9x more fat and calories than traditional cardio with high-energy, intense cardio conditioning, kickboxing drills, and choreographed dance moves. 
• Have fun in the lively class setting with hot music mixes— it feels like a party in your living room. How TurboFire works 
• Shed fat faster with High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) known as “Fire Drills,” short 1-minute bursts of maximum effort. 
• Burn calories at a higher rate for up to 48 hours after the workout with the Afterburn Effect. TurboFire is for 
• Anyone who wants to shape a lean body, sexy legs, toned arms, and tight abs, FAST. 
• Although considered an advanced program, there are special new features to help beginners stick with the program. 
• Anyone who enjoys working out to music and is a fan of kickboxing and intense cardio. Features to help beginners 
• In the Fire Starter Class, Chalene teaches the moves and combinations so newcomers can start off on the right foot and Turbo fanatics can perfect their form. 
• And, she breaks down the choreography in the New to Class DVD menu option for all Fire classes. 
• The product configuration contains: Intro DVD: 
• Get Fired Up – Chalene guides you through the program and provides tips on how to be successful. 
• Fire Starter Class – Chalene introduces the moves, one by one. New lower impact HIITs – Two (high intensity, low impact) workouts to help acclimate the body to the TurboFire intensity. But remember low impact does not mean low intensity. Tools to challenge advanced users • The Base Kit comes with a Thigh Firming Band and Toning Band with Handles. 
• The Complete System includes all of the workouts and tools in the Base Kit. Plus, you get advanced classes, a Jump Mat, TurboTracker journal, and Turbo Sculpting Gloves. 
• Customers who buy the Base Kit can also purchase a Jump Mat, TurboTracker journal, and Turbo Sculpting Gloves separately. Chalene Johnson 
• Creator of TurboFire, Turbo Jam®, and ChaLEAN Extreme®. 
• NY Times best-selling author, dedicated mom of two, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and expert trainer with a background in martial arts and dance. Bonus workouts for your customers Keep on Burnin’ DVD with 2 bonus workouts! ($29.95 value FREE for your customers) Greatest HIITs – A 20-minute compilation of all the best TurboFire HIIT drills that challenge you to scorch maximum calories. Ab Igniter – This seriously intense 10-minute workout is filled with advanced options that isolate your core muscles to help build a strong six-pack.

The Shakeology® Peanut Butter Cups

May we just say, these little things are genius! And even better, you can make them 100% vegan by using the all new Chocolate Vegan Shakeology^®.

Not only will you get all the benefits from Shakeology, such as vitamins and superfoods, but you'll also get the benefits of coconut oil (our new favorite ingredient around Beachbody^® HQ)! Coconut oil is the newest wonder-food known to be great for hair care, skincare, weight loss, digestion, immunity, healing, and more. Key takeaway: It keeps things flowin' and keeps your body, skin, and hair moisturized! What's better than that?

So add one tsp. of coconut oil to your morning shake if you want daily benefits, or pop these delicious treats when you're in the mood for a healthy dessert! Enjoy.

Inside Out Shakeology Peanut Butter Cups (makes 2 servings)

2 tsp. Chocolate Vegan Shakeology
2 Tbsp. Chocolate PB2^®
2 tsp. unrefined coconut oil
2 Tbsp. water
2 mini foil cupcake holders

Directions: In a microwavable dish, melt coconut oil. Stir the PB2 into the coconut oil and set aside. In another small dish, place Chocolate Vegan Shakeology and gradually add water to get the Shakeology into a thick, pudding-like consistency. Now, take the foil liners and put a tiny amount of the PB2/coconut oil mixture on the bottom of the foils. Next, add a layer of the Shakeology. Finally, top off with another layer of the PB2/coconut mixture. Pop in the freezer for at least 30 minutes and enjoy!

PB2 is a registered trademark of Georgia Belle Plantation, Inc.

Posted in Heather MacDonald, Shakeology^® Recipes. "The Shakeology^® Peanut Butter Cups

The Shakeology® Sleuth: An Interview with Darin Olien

Curious about Beachbody's latest creations, revamped Chocolate Shakeology^®and Chocolate Vegan Shakeology? So were we. But instead of living lives of quiet ignorance, we went right to the source for answers: the superfood hunter himself, Darin Olien. Because it's Darin's job to travel the world sourcing Shakeology's ingredients, there's no better person to ask about the fancy new superfoods you'll find in the new formulations.

Tell us about the fancy new stuff that's been added to Shakeology.

I'll start with the wonderful miracle tree, the moringa oleifera. It can grow in a lot of different places because of its ability to uptake nutrients from soils. So you get high chlorophyll, you get about 35 active antioxidants and up to 96 active phytochemicals, and then you've got some of the fun nutrients like really high vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and here's the kicker, it's got all the essential amino acids.

Amazing. Why isn't it already in common use?

It grows really easily but it's hard to process if you want all those constituents. You have a 30-minute window to capture all of those nutrients in it to the best of your ability. As soon as you start whacking off those leaves, you have to get it washed and dried like that.

Let's talk about coconut flower nectar next.

Coconut flower nectar is the blood, basically, of the coconut tree. You literally cut where the flower would come out and this liquid comes out. The interesting thing about coconut flower nectar is its low glycemic index. It has amino acids, it's got brain activators, and so it's got this whole array of other qualities. It's just incidentally a sweet taste, so we can reduce added sugars to the formula. The great thing about formulation is that you find these things that have a pleomorphic effect, not just a linear effect. So you're not just using coconut flower because it's sweet, you're also putting it in there because it has other synergistic qualities.

Let's talk about luo han guo.

The Chinese have been using that for 10,000 years to regulate the systems of the body. Again, this is one of those things where it's a digestive aid, a diabetic supporter, and oh, by the way, it's incredibly sweet, 500 times sweeter than sugar. The challenge is how much you can push it. If you use too much, it will turn your body off to the sweetness.

You're not just throwing things in there to sweeten it; you're going for what other effects can it have and contribute to the healing properties of formula. That's why the new Shakeology has a range of ingredients that impart sweetness. It's like an orchestra.

How about the Himalayan salt?

One of the greatest things we need for our body, unrefined salt. Not to be confused with table salt, the stripped down salt that causes people to say, "Don't use so much." They're absolutely right; don't use that salt on the table. Use unrefined salt. We need it for hydration. In this formula, it's an alchemist. It's delivering up to 70 trace minerals. We need those minerals in the right form, in the food form, in the crystal form, in this form we're talking about the size of the molecule, so that our cells can absorb them without your body needing additional mechanisms to break them down. And in the formula perspective, it's really interesting because it stretches out sugars.

Stretches out sugars?

It enhances the sweetness and dampens the astringent. I even put salt on my salad, right? The negative reports have nothing to do with unrefined salt.

How about the konjac in Chocolate Vegan?

Initially, we went after it because it was a great replacement for the xantham and guar gum. It creates the smoothie effect and the thickening effect of Shakeology. It also has a wonderful effect on the cholesterol of the body, and buffers and supports the digestive system. It can help slow some of the sugar absorption down. It can help coat the digestive system with a positive effect as opposed to the acidic effect of processed foods. In your mouth, it's very supportive with the amylase and the digestive enzymes. In your intestines, it's very supportive and helps replenish the mucosal lining.

So you're happy with the new formulations?

Yes, but if it was up to me . . . well, it's very hard to stop formulating. I'm always tinkering.

My Veganism

Since my Ultimate Reset has ended I have stayed a Vegan.  I wanted to explain WHY here because people keep asking me.  First off, I tried Dairy and I got really sick.  BLAH forget that, dairy and I have never gotten along, but now it is even worse.  That is fine with me so being a Veggie would be out.  Meat, well I don't really miss it.  I have my moments, but every time I have tried it since the reset I have gotten sick.  Valid enough right?  I did add back in my whole grains, though I am starting to think maybe I should go Gluten Free.  I am tossing that around, though I would have to see how much I would be able to eat at that point. Thankfully, Beachbody has a Vegan Shakology oh I would just be lost.  Here are some good Vegan websites I have found.

Ultimate Reset
Shakeology
http://vegweb.com
http://chooseveg.com
http://www.veganconnection.com
http://happyherbivore.com

Before and DURING

Now this has been super hard for me to do.  I really didn't want to do this, though I am so glad I did.  Just by changing my eating habits and working out in just 2 months I have been able to accomplish THIS!  I feel like I can do anything.  I just need to thank my TLS Team, Shakology, Beachbody, P90x and the Ultimate Reset for helping me!  58 DOWN 59 to GO!

Real Results

10 reasons to try vegan Shakeology

1. It's like your own personal cheat sheet. Get the benefits of a vegan diet without fully going vegan or even trying! The health benefits of a plant-based diet are well documented—from lower cholesterol and lower risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, to easier weight management and fewer digestive issues. But you don't have to follow a 100% vegan diet to enjoy some of these health benefits. One vegan meal a day will put you well on your way to a healthier you!

2. No animals allowed. Chocolate Vegan is a completely plant-based formula with NO animal products. Give your system a break from heavy animal proteins by replacing one meal a day with Chocolate Vegan Shakeology®.

3. Superfoods to the rescue! Chocolate Vegan includes 5 new superfoods: moringa, coconut flower nectar, luo han guo, 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.

4. Try all-natural chocolate for the first time. Ever wonder what cacao tastes like right out of the pod from the cacao tree? This shake is the way nature intended chocolate to taste. It's rich, earthy chocolate taste is derived solely from whole-food ingredients with no additional flavoring agents.

5. It's FREE . . . lactose free and dairy free that is! If you're lactose intolerant or have trouble digesting whey protein, then this is the shake for you. Most people have trouble digesting dairy, whey protein, or animal proteins and don't even know it—until they try a plant-based protein meal and they just feel the difference!

6. Fructose is a thing of the past. It takes all kinds of sugars to make the sweet world go round, but there are a lot of fructose haters out there. Chocolate Vegan is made with coconut flower nectar and luo han guo—two whole-food superfoods that are so naturally sweet, there's no need to add fructose! We won't get into the pros and cons of fructose, but suffice it to say that if you're anti-fructose, then Chocolate Vegan or Tropical Strawberry are for you!

7. Protein PACKED. One of the first questions vegans get is "Where do you get your protein from?" Well, plants have protein in them too! And so does vegan Shakeology. 16 grams in fact. Chocolate Vegan and Tropical Strawberry are crafted from an easy-to-assimilate blend of whole, plant-based proteins including sprouted brown rice, pea, sacha inchi, chia, flax, quinoa, amaranth, and spirulina. Not only do they offer 9 essential amino acids, but together they are a complete protein source with sufficiently high levels of lysine and methionine, two important amino acids that are often a limiting factor in plant-based diets.

8. Kiss cravings goodbye. The new ingredient konjac root, in both Chocolate Vegan and Tropical Strawberry Shakeology, will help your cravings disappear! The fiber in this new wonder-food absorbs up to 200 times its weight in water, making you feel fuller, longer. No wonder places like Japan and China have been using it for centuries! Other perks include: help with regularity and healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

9. Take a bite out of the "Tree of Life." Chocolate Vegan's new ingredient moringa is called the "Tree of Life," because it is one of nature's most nutritious foods. This superfood contains 90 nutrients and 46 antioxidants along with ALL of the essential amino acids. Plus, according to some studies, moringa can help boost energy, lead to faster recovery, and balance out blood sugar levels.

10. It's got the stamp of approval. Chocolate Vegan Shakeology is another addition to the Beachbody Ultimate™ line—a collection of the highest-quality products Beachbody has to offer. We are committed to putting the most perfect whole-food ingredients at your fingertips so you can operate at your highest level of nutrition, health, and well-being!

www.mybeachbodycoach.com/mandiemae

 http://www.shakeology.com/web/shakeology/the-blog#10_reasons_vegan_shakeology_06_27_12