Muscle Milk! good stuff? how does it really compare to Shakeology!?

Ok so let me say right now in the beginning.. i have been asked MANY times if  Shakeology was really worth it.. and if people could just use muscle milk instead.. since Shakeology is "SOOOO Expensive" ... anyway.. before i answer that question... i'm gonna start stating facts about both.. and by the end you all can decide what you think.. i'm going to try and keep this as unbias as possible.. tho yea.. i prefer shakeology.. can't help it.. i've used both of these products.. i prefer the shakeology.. all the same.. i'm going to do my best and let you see the facts...

ok so first off i'm going to post the prices of these two products:

Shakeology sells for $119.95 for a 30 day supply (2lbs, (10.3 oz))... if you sign up to have it sent you each month as a home direct order the shipping is free...

Muscle Milk sells for different prices and sizes from different places.. so i'm going to have to list a few of them for you..
                               Muscle Milk.com             GNC              Amazon.com                        Walmart
 2.47lb bucket              $48.49                      $49.99                 $22.90                $7.47 (4 pack only)
Ok.. now I could continue to list the other sized and items.. but I just named a few to get a point across..  muscle milk is what..  little less than half the price of shakeology... so right away.. the first thought is why use shakeology? if it's half the price then  why would I pay for the other stuff??? So lets look at nutrition values...

 while looking at values of the muscle milks vitamins and minerals... as well as the values of the shakeology's vitamins and minerals.. something I want to point out first off.. is the calories listed on these!
ok looking at muscle milk we have 350 calories when mixed with water! with 160 of those calories being from fat... ok looking at shakeology the calories are 140 when mixed with water and 10 from fat.... ok now i'm going to say this... just looking at those 2 values... what are you trying to do when you drink these shakes? if your trying to lose weight and use this as a meal replacement for calories alone.. yea.. drink the muscle milk! that's almost as many calories as a full meal! not to mention plenty of fat to make sure it sticks to your bones!  if your trying to bulk up and you need to throw some extra calories in there.. then i think this might definatly put some "calories" in you... ok add milk and you get to double the values! even better.. all i can say at this point is.. if you are trying to lose weight.. you should really think about what these labels say.... ok.. moving on!

ok so muscle milk has 5mg of cholesterol, 200mg of sodium and 600mg of potassium with 12g of carbohydrates... shakeology is running 15mg of cholesterol, 100mg of sodium, 17g of carbohydrates and what appears to be no potassium...  now.. getting into the protein... muscle milk is carrying a heavy 32g of protein while shakeology trails behind with  17g of protein...  ok so taking these into consideration.. once again this is going to depend heavily on your body chemistry.. how much of each of these you need per day and what is not needed... but really .. other than the potassium the numbers are close so the difference is pretty minimal in this department.. the big factor here is the protein.. muscle milk is heavy on protein simply because that is what it's intent is for.. building muscle mass... more protein more mass... simply put that's what it's intended to do! Shakeology is a dietary supplement meal replacement ... ok again.. moving on!

ok now if i were to sit here and keep listing off everything in the nutritional facts then you would be lazy.. so i'm going to make you read a bit.. as you can see.. some of these listed values are NOWHERE near the same... at times some of the vitamins listed in muscle milk are not even half of what is in the shakeology... hmm interesting thought here but.. the only value i'm seeing that muscle milk is showing as more than shakeology is the calcium.. which is double what shakeology has, muscle milk also has a bit more iron.. over double phosphorous than shakeology and more than double magnesium and choromium... so some of the minerals are higher... over all as i stated before.. muscle milk is built for a specific purpose... build muscle mass...

now.. something i need to point out here..  all this stuff on the right side of the shakeology label.. what's all that junk? it's not listed like the rest of the label is.. it's a pain to read.. and who really pays attention to that junk anyway right? hell.. half the time you can't even pronounce it! ok but lets look at what it says anyway.. it's time to put our learning caps on!

ok to put it quick and easy.. without listing every item on that right side... this is what it is! Prebiotics and Digestive Enzymes, which aid in improving digestion, regularity, and nutrient absorption. Antioxidants and Phytonutrients to help counteract free radical damage that can lead to degenerative diseases. In short you might take a little look at what exactly this will do for you... Prebiotics, natural components of certain plants, help support the "friendly" bacteria in your digestive tract. They may also help with the absorption of minerals such as calcium. Digestive enzymes, from plant sources such as pineapples and papayas, help your body break down food into its individual components, making the nutrients easier to absorb. Cooking can destroy food's natural digestive enzymes, so there's a good chance that you don't get enough of them in your diet

Also as i was saying about the antioxidants and phytonutrients .. These substances have antioxidant properties, meaning they help get rid of molecules known as free radicals, which damage cells and may be a key component of the aging process. In laboratory tests, phytonutrients have shown promise in helping prevent a wide variety of degenerative conditions. What's more, studies suggest that the natural mix of phytochemicals you get from whole-plant sources is more effective than taking them individually as nutritional supplements.


ok so now we know what all that other junk on the right side of the label is on the shakeology! so the question here is.. what exactly is the shakeology doing? it's obvious that muscle milk is to help you produce muscle mass.. the items within it make perfect sense! but what does shakeology do? Shakeology is a daily nutritional shake that helps your body gently eliminate toxins more efficiently while allowing for better absorption of the essential nutrients you need. The blend of digestive enzymes and prebiotics helps your body progressively eliminate the toxins that build up over time from eating today's highly processed foods. At the same time, whole-food ingredients deliver the essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to curb cravings, allowing your body to shed stored fat while the antioxidants and phytonutrients help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and stroke.  doesn't sound to bad does it?

over all.. the entire reason i even wrote this blog was because i was being asked if it was ok to use muscle milk instead of Shakeology... now many of the people that have asked me this are doing some sort of program to help them lose weight... now people.. given all the info i just showed you... if you are trying to lose weight... or trying to get your diet under control.. or just simply want to start eating healthier... it kinda seems obvious what you should use doesn't it?

My opinion on these two products is that they are not comparable... they are intended to do two totally different things.. if you are looking to build muscle and gain weight.. muscle milk is a good supplement to add to your diet.. but dont take my word on that i havent' compared muscle milk to other "muscle building supplements" but if you are trying to get your diet in order and lose weight.. muscle milk is definitely not the way to go.. shakeology would fit that realm better!

so moving on.. you are like.. ok great yea i see shakeology is better for my weight lose and and helping me get hold of my diet and health... but, it's EXPENSIVE!  well let me ask you.. what do you eat normally? where do you spend your money on your daily meals? because what we all tend to do is look at something and go.."oh damn.. that's over $100 bucks!" but if you look at what you eat on a regular basis.. you will want to slap yourself!

ok so seriously lets look at some common things... first off.. lets SAY you are trying to stick with your diet! you are eating the kinds of foods you are supposed to but still you have to eat out a little bit.. ok i'm going to use a random example...lets say you stop at IHOP and order from the healthy menu (yes they have one.. you just gotta ask! most places do!) and it's lunch time so you order the Simple & Fit Grilled Balsamic-Glazed Chicken. ok so i'm going to tell you.. this is a really tasty dish and it's 440 calories.. and you get a salad with it! so let me describe it! a grilled tender boneless chicken breast topped with sauteed mushrooms, onions, diced tomatoes and a balsamic glaze. served with a side of steamed broccoli and a house salad with reduced fat italian dressing... ok i have to admit yes i just read that off the menu! so I could type it out for you! and now i'm hungry too... but let me finish! seems pretty good right? well this meal is priced at $9.99 ok now obviously you are saying well yea that's about right.. but i dont eat out every day.. well duh people! I know that! I dont' either.. but sometimes we have to! what i'm getting at here is that over a months time.. lets say you eat out and you still eat healthy..  2 maybe 3 times a week.. you are looking at $19.98 (2 times)  $29.97 (3 times) total money spent not including tax! PER WEEK! at the end of the month you are looking at $79.92 (2 times a week) or $119.88 (3 times a week) of total money you spent eating out.. maybe you were on the go and that was the easier thing to do.. or maybe you were traveling.. who knows.. but this is fairly typical of active people.. sometimes we simply cannot help but eat out.. and we are all bad about skimping for breakfast.. i was imagine less than have of the population eats breakfast.. and then eats a light lunch simply because they are busy..  then when it comes to dinner time.. they cook dinner when they get home or eat out..  so on the average... most people are going to spend the cost of the shakeology anyway! why not make it something you know is going to give you all  of what you will need?

I don't know about everyone else..  but if you are serious about getting your health in order.. getting a meal replacement shake that that will replace a meal every day of the month with the kinds of nutrients that your body needs... seems to make sense.. and the money issue.. come on people.. your gonna spend that money on your food in one way or another.. you need to look at the full month picture.. you are looking at about $4 a day for your shakeology... unless you decide to be a coach.. but that's a whole different point all together! most people will spend about $4 per day on food for one meal in some way or another.. snacks.. an acual meal.. something.. and really if you are looking at getting your health in order.. please! refer back up to  the nutritional facts!!

So that's basically my thoughts on muscle milk and Shakeology... really it depends on what your looking for.. although i think everyone would benefit from using shakeology... just my opinion

If you want more info on shakeology check it out here.. read the reviews from the doctors.. read the reviews from the people using it.. Check out Shakeology HERE!

Asylum!!

If you think you are ready for Summer... then you have already been admitted to the Asylum!

the only way to go from Average to Elite!  ask me how to get a 25% Discount!! save some money and get ripped for summer... what could be better?... oh wait icecream sounds good too!!

Insanity Fit Test!

Ok I wanted to post my fit test results from the last fit test and post a pic of the beginning and the current pic... so take a look at let me know if you see a difference!!

fit test #3..... they are listed as #1, #2, #3


Switch kicks: 45...51...63 (2 kicks= 1)

Power Jacks: 46...46...55

Power knees: 100...113...124

Power jumps: 25...33...56 (i'm really proud of this jump!)

Globe jumps: 10...10...11

Suicide jumps: 15...15...16

Pushup jacks: 22...24...26

LowPlank Oblique: 24...26...32 (per leg)

ok so this pic is from day 1 of  INSANITY!

And this one is from Today... one month and one week of INSANITY!

Insanity Proof

This is a blog i posted in the TBB Blog area  before i had even completed one week of insanity!


Ok so I'm a glutton for punishment....the stretchs were GREAT today but.... I just had to go and take a 3 mile run..... now... let me say this... it was silly of me to do this knowing pure cardio is tomorrow but I need to tell you guys what I found..... lol.... I haven't been on a run in over 6mths. So today was the first time in a while maybe even closer to a year. So the first mile I jogged, I was impressed that I wasn't feeling that pain or loss of breath that typically comes when you haven't run for a while. I was so beside myself I decided to do 60/120s.... ok so for those of you that don't know what this is you sprint for 60 seconds then walk for 2 minutes and keep repeating this process for a specific time frame or distance....so I did my second mile like this.... but here is the best part... insanity is doing something that most people couldn't imagine......when we are digging deep with shaun t on the dvds in our houses and sweating like crazy our bodies are developing... maybe not so much on the outside like we want at first... but after a week of insanity, when I did these 60/120s I sprinted the entire 60 seconds and was surprised it was already over......and it wasn't like a simple jog it was like I had a huge dog chasing me.... yes I'm somewhat fit... but I haven't been on a run in foreve. And EVERYTIME I go for that first run... I'm winded...so as I'm sure you all can imagine...I was beside myself with what great effect insanity was having on me already...then I jogged the last mile feeling pretty good about the whole thing.... I'm sure ill pay for it during pure cardio tomorrow but still! Talk about a kick ass feeling knowing insanity is doing what is supposed to do already. That lil engine of mine is already performing better.... I can't wait to see the results at the end

P90X across the planet!!

Well if this isn't proof that there is a ton of people using P90X to get fit i don't know what else will..  listen to the whole song or skip to about 1 min and 20 sec and he mentions p90x!!



so if you think you can handle the P90X challenge give a click and get yours today!



BUT!!! if P90X still scares you.. try Power 90!!! it will get you where you need to be.. then you can bring it with some P90X later!!

Pause the Workout DVD???

ok i've said this a million times if i've said it once.. so i'm going to post it here and just start pointing!

 

DO NOT PAUSE THE VIDEO.......your heart rate needs to be higher........now obviously if you need to be rushed to the emergency room forget the video period...but there is no need to pause it...if you are pushing hard and digging deep you will do exactly like shaun t says and take a quick break...let your heart rate rest a sec then jump back on it.....if you pause the video you are likely to decide to walk around...go to the kitchen.....get more water....go pee....look at your phone....check your email.....cook lunch.....then finally remember oh crap I was working out....this is not how insanity was designed....its balls to the wall...push with all you got kinda workout....if you hit muscle failure relax for a few seconds...shake it out and hit muscle failure again....the harder you push the better your results are going to be......all you have to do.....is make sure you hold your core tight at all times....and make sure your form is perfect....if you slack and don't hold your form...stop and fix it....then attack it again...insanity is addicting.....it is a workout that when you get done you want to lay there and hum to yourself for a minute....but 20 minutes later you will want to leap small buildings.....most people don't think much on cardio workouts.....if you really work your cardio......when you do a strength exercise....your muscles will explode....because you have strengthened your "strawberry tart" ... you will gain quicker and recover faster cause your heart is built up enough to handle the work...it pushes oxygen and blood faster.....so push yourselves! You won't be cheating anyone but yourself if you don't...

Obesity....... what an evil "little" thing!!

So we all know this Evil word.. we don't want to admit it's an omen... but we all know it lurks behind every donut and ho-ho we crave.. these days it almost seems that you can simply look at some chocolate goodness and your waist and rear end starts to swell up immediately...

Looking into Obesity we find quickly that there is a wikipedia about obesity! Wikipedia states very clearly that... "Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breathing difficulties during sleep, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.." This kinda makes you wonder a little bit if part of those problems we are developing over the years might have something to do with this evil little thing! Furthermore.. Wikipedia states "Obesity is most commonly caused by a combination of excessive dietary calories, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility, although a few cases are caused primarily by genes, endocrine disorders, medications or psychiatric illness. Evidence to support the view that some obese people eat little yet gain weight due to a slow metabolism is limited; on average obese people have a greater energy expenditure than their thin counterparts due to the energy required to maintain an increased body mass".. so.. that being said.. I boldly venture to say.. Just because you have a fat uncle doesn't mean it's in your bloodline and your doomed!

OK.. ok I know what you are thinking.. so lets back up a bit and lets get the definition of Obesity... again according to Wikipedia "Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems." now that doesn't quite sound so ominous right? maybe in the long run we are looking at a speedbump in life.. our fitness and health just need to be checked on occasion it seems?? Ok so lets look into this a little further! "Dieting and physical exercise are the mainstays of treatment for obesity. Moreover, it is important to improve diet quality by reducing the consumption of energy-dense foods such as those high in fat and sugars, and by increasing the intake of dietary fiber." HOLY COW!!! Did you just see that? I think if I read that correctly... it says.. Obesity is Treatable? noooooo there is no way possible some of us here have been fat for YEARS!!! The cold hard truth of it all is people... "Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing prevalence in adults and children, and authorities view it as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century." Also "At an individual level, a combination of excessive caloric intake and a lack of physical activity is thought to explain most cases of obesity. A limited number of cases are due primarily to genetics, medical reasons, or psychiatric illness. In contrast, increasing rates of obesity at a societal level are felt to be due to an easily accessible and palatable diet, increased reliance on cars, and mechanized manufacturing."

So what do we do about it... it's simple! Get up and do something, pay attention to what you put in your body, and for goodness sakes stop saying there is nothing you can do... you wont "always" be fat... you will if you think that way but you have the opportunity to put the things in your body that need to be there and use your muscles as they were intended!! Watch the Video below... this might get you started... then when you finish that... check out my Blog on Shakeology! Fight against Obesity... don't continue to let it win... take control of your health!!
If you need help fighting against obesity... click here and get some help!!    I NEED HELP!!!


Info provided from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity

Why Insanity?

Basically this should sum things up and help to explain why Insanity is king of the hill when it comes to straight out of the box, get you in shape and ready for other workouts in the future....

Insanity is a gateway exercise! I'm a firm believer of this as once you start insanity you get hooked... much like other exercises but with insanity.. you go just a little bit crazy!!! this should explain why you should run insanity over another program first...

Think of a car.. you want to improve this car and you have a few options to choose from.. you can replace the tires... maybe upgrade the steering... maybe even get a body kit for it... so on the outside it looks pretty good! but lets imagine this for a minute.. we want to go fast right? how about we upgrade the engine instead? OK so we have a 4 cyl engine in it right now lets say in 60 days we do something insane and upgrade this engine to a v8... maybe if we have some luck we might even be able to toss a supercharger onto it as well... so at the end of the 60 days.. when we decide to change the tires and put the body kit on... upgrade the steering.. those other changes will help to improve this car.. but that engine upgrade really made the difference that we needed.. now.. it goes faster and longer.. and with the smaller upgrades it looks good and handles well too! :-P

insanity is a heavy cardio workout.. most people wear out during workouts due to cardio issues.. yea you can work a specific muscle group (change the tires) and it will add some slight improvement... but over all your body can only handle what your cardio is going to allow.. if you want an improvement you can see and effect when you make those other little changes then the engine is the piece we gotta upgrade first.. and you are already in the shop turning those bolts, just keep on it.... besides.. what good is it to put racing tires on a moped?

so as you can see... what i was trying to say.. if we work other places.. say we choose to work our abs first, because we all have that muffin top we just HATE. simply doing the abs workout isn't going to be enough.. you need something life changing... something that will really stick with you... getting your cardio amped up and your mind in focus to work out for 60 days straight at this intensity is purely... INSANE... hence the name.. but it will effect you long after you have finished the program.... being physically fit is more than staring at a TV screen for a month or so every 6mths cause you notice your getting a little thick in the middle... so when i say you need to go INSANE for a little while.. it's only because when you come back to sanity... you will be a new person.. and thinking like a healthy person who wants to stay that way!

Fitness "Birthday Presents"

March 17, 2011 6:02 AM



I was typing a post on the boards the other day and i made a reference to a birthday present and i kinda liked it so i figured I'd move it to a blog



the pain you feel when working out... oh that burn.. the soreness... the pain!!! it's like a fitness birthday present where every week is your birthday and you get a new "present"! embrace it knowing that it means you are getting better physically and more than likely mentally and emotionally too.... think back on how you were before you started working out and look how you are now.. you wont see physical change in the first week.. more than likely you will feel it before you can see it!.... the best part about your fitness birthday "Present" is that you get a new one each week!!! and it's never the same!!! just embrace it... that pain means you are improving... the soreness this week will disappear...then it will be time for a new "present"! just keep pushing!!! dig deeper and deeper!!

Nitric Oxide

March 17, 2011 6:51 AM

OK so I have heard a lot about nitric oxide lately.. i know there are many different types and places to get nitric oxide but first i want to explain what nitric oxide is supposed to do... here is a clip from an article about Nitric Oxide: from http://matthewsmuscles.com/nitric-oxide-supplements/

Nitric Oxide is a natural chemical compound which has been found to increase blood flow and improve muscular fullness through vasodilation and oxygen delivery. It may even promote special protection of the heart, says Dr. Louis Ignarro, 1998 Nobel Prize Winner in Medicine.



As a vasodilator, N.O. helps move oxygen into your muscles when they need it most, sparking powerful muscle growth, strength gains and ripped pumps. Nitric oxide supplementation may naturally enhance sexual performance, as increased oxygen flow occurs all over the body as a result of vasodilation. Finally, good levels of N.O. have been found to promote immune response and wound healing.

In other words, even the low doses of nitric oxide that your body naturally produces have great impacts on your overall health, from muscular growth to healthy blood flow.

Benefits of Nitric Oxide

•Drastic Muscle Gains
•Increased Blood Flow and Oxygen Delivery to Muscles
•Transform Your Body
•Boost Your Strength, Endurance and Power
•Improve Your Overall Health
Nitric Oxide is without a doubt the most powerful solution in sparking natural muscle growth, powerful strength gains and incredible, ripped muscles.



What’s the catch? The problem is that although nitric oxide is naturally occurring in your body, you don’t make quite enough of it. As a result, scientists have developed special blends of amino acids that cause increased levels of nitric oxide (N.O.) in the body.

It is a natural compound that helps us build strength, gain muscle, protect our immune systems and promote effective cardiovascular function. It gives the ultimate boost to our overall health. Why would you not want to take a nitric oxide booster?

so looking at this we have to wonder a little bit what we would actually need.... luckily.. there are many types of Nitric oxide out there.. anything from pure to mixed with other supplements... BUT i bet something you didn't know was that you are probably already taking a nitric oxide supplement... team beach body isn't leaving you hanging... you know that results and recovery shake??? yup you guessed it.. it's got a nitric oxide supplement in it... just gotta do a little research to find these things out but in the end.. once again.. team beach body is looking out for you and your health needs!!

here is the results and recovery nutrition facts label... if you notice near the bottom it lists 3 additional supplements... the first one listed is the nitric oxide, along with some other good ones to have after a workout!!
Beachbody's supplements <---clicky for more choices!

Shakeology... even the Doctors agree!

My Shakeology Website!

Shakeology or Not!

March 22, 2011 7:26 PM

Ok something i want to share with everyone!! before i started Insanity i started taking shakeology and adjusted my eating.. so then once i started insanity i started with my supplements as well.. i was taking nitric oxide and creatine... the reason I'm telling you this is i was asked a few times by many people what supplements i was taking.. but let me say this to you.. the nitric oxide and creatine aren't something i needed to take had i been using the results and recovery formula right away.. another thing.. the shakeology most people see it and if they haven't used it don't think much about it... gang.. let me tell you.. i ran out last week around Wednesday/Thursday... about the same time i ran out of the nitric oxide and the creatine... and let me tell you!!! my energy level and power dropped quite a bit during the workouts... now I'm not saying it's something we all should be using.. what i am saying is that if you are a doctor you will have tools that you need to use to make your job easier and more efficient... if you are a writer you can't be a well know writer unless you own a computer and get your writings off to a publisher... but the question is.. can a doctor go without having electronic charts? well yea he can.. and he will take that extra time to find your information and eventually through a course of the day see less people who needed to see him.... can the writer still publish the book without a computer? well yea he can he can dig that typewriter out and hammer away on those keys till he has a stack of paper to drag over to the publisher.. or even hand write it out... so yes you can complete the job without the extra "tools" or "supplements" but in the end it does make things a bit easier and in the long run it's helpful to getting you to your goals sooner!
I've seen a huge difference being off of the shakeology... I'm just waiting for more now lol...
ok.. so I'm going to show you why i didnt' need to take the nitric oxide and the creatine. check out my Nitric Oxide Blog!

Look even the Doctors agree!! Doctor's Video


My Shakeology Website!