Shakeology Frequently asked questions

Steve edwards,Is a beachbody fitness advisor.  this was posted on his blog and on the message boards.  

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2009

Shakeology FAQs

We've been doing a lot of q & a on Shakeology this week. I've posted my top 20 questions here:

Personally, I try and take this stuff as my default quicky meal. I'm often in a rush and there's pretty much nothing that you can consume quickly that comes close the the nutrient base you're getting here. Unlike other, more sports related, supplements, this one doesn't need to be timed. It's just like grabbing a snack. I like a have an afternoon coffee at the local cafe. It used to be a coffee and a scone or some other goodie. Now I tend to skip the treat and have this instead. I can't gauge how this change is affecting my fitness but I managed to do all the moves on a V10 yesterday, which is something I haven't done in over a decade.

Hey Everyone, At the Team Beachbody Summit this weekend we launched a product we’ve been working on for a few years. It’s called Shakeology. I think it’s better served by its tag line, The Healthiest Meal of the Day.  It’s a protein shake, greens formulation, pre and probiotic supplement, anti-oxidant, phytonutrient, adaptogen, enzyme formulation all rolled into something that tastes like dessert. In short, it’s the smartest 140 calories you can put into your body. It’s not officially out yet, unless you’re a Beachbody coach, but you’ll be hearing a lot about it soon enough.  (update- it's now available, you can order by clicking here!) Today I’m going to beat you to the punch by answering the top 20 questions we had this weekend. If you have more questions, we’ll be holding a series of chats and webinars about it over the next few weeks. You can also read about it on my blog: http://steve-edwards.blogspot.com/ And you can read more about the product at www.shakeology.com Now on to the FAQs. ============================================ 

Should I continue to take Activit, Peak Health, or other multi-vitamins along with Shakeology? 

While Shakeology contains a lot of vitamins and minerals it’s still recommended that you take a multi-vitamin, especially if you’re working out. In fact, Shakeology will help increase the bioavailability of your vitamin if taken together. If you skip your vitamin your nutrient bases will still be covered but an active person—especially doing a workout like P90X—will always be struggling to meet the nutrients requirements placed on the body. Combining Peak Health Formula and Shakeology can keep you charging through even the most intense exercise program. 

I already have some Meal Replacement. Should I throw it out and switch to Shakeology? 

You shouldn’t throw it out but Shakeology is a far more thorough formulation. Use your old Meal Replacement at times when you’re active or as a “poor man’s Recovery Formula”. The higher sugar and lower fiber content of Meal Replacement make it better around the time you are exercising. 

Can I take this and Results and Recovery Formula? 

Yes but not together! Recovery Formula should only be taken during or after exercise when you’ve been exhausting your body’s blood sugar. At any other time Shakeology would be your preferred option. 

Should I still take an omega supplement? 

Yes as there is no EPA/DHA (the two omega fatty acids in fish oil) in Shakeology. 

How about Cal/Mag? 

One serving of Shakeology has 500 milligrams of calcium, meaning that you can cut your dosage of Cal/Mag in half. It’s recommended that you take your Cal/Mag with Shakeology as it will help your body absorb its nutrients. 

There is no food coloring. How is one green and the other brown? 

The ingredients (herbal powders, grass powders, vegetable powders, and some fruit and berry powders) make color green. The base of chocolate blend is also green, but the chocolate and cocoa powders turn the color "chocolate".  

Why does the chocolate have more protein? 

The serving size for chocolate is 8 grams higher than for greenberry. The extra ingredients added for the chocolate blend (mostly chocolate powder and cocoa powder) add an additional 2 grams of protein for the serving size. 

Does this mean I don’t have to eat any more veggies?  

Not that we recommend it but, yes, you could get away with skipping your veggies if your drink Shakeology daily. Keep in mind that you still need to fill out the rest of your caloric needs and veggies are the best source of both nutrients and fiber you can eat. The healthiest diets will still contain vegetables. 

What kind of protein is it made with? 

The primary source of protein is from whey, which comes from milk. Whey is one of the most bioavailable protein sources. Translation: it speeds to its work of repairing your muscles and its amino acids are readily used by your body. 

Is it a good source of fiber? 

At 3 grams per 140 calories Shakeology is a balanced source of fiber. More importantly, its fiber sources are varied, coming from apple pectin, flax, chia meal, and yacon. The latter also happens to be one of the best prebiotic sources known to man. 

Can I drink this right before a workout? 

 Shakeology would be much better than a meal prior to working out. If it’s immediately before, however, you’d be better served by something with more sugar and less fiber for rapid absorption, such as Recovery Formula or Meal Replacement. 

Can I drink this right after a workout? 

Again, it’s better than many other options available but less perfect than something designed primarily for this purpose, such as Recovery Formula. 

Does it contain caffeine? 

Shakeology contains no caffeine. It does contain green tea extract but the caffeine has been removed. 

Is it vegetarian? 

The only non-vegetarian ingredient is whey protein, which comes from milk. 

I am a diabetic. How will it affect me? 

We aren’t your doctor so we can’t give you an official word on this but we’re working on trying to get Shakeology approved by the American Diabetes Association. 

Can I give it to my kids? 

Once again, we’re in a legal realm, which we’re working on. But considering that kids are “approved” to eat Ding Dongs and Cocoa Puffs and whatever other godforsaken junk we’re pretty certain that it will clear the regulatory radar. 

What about pregnant and nursing mothers? 

And, again, we may run into legal stumbles but c’mon, this stuff is nothing but healthy natural foods. 

Can I mix this in with food I'm cooking/baking? 

While possible, cooking would upset the nutrient balance of Shakeology’s ingredients and it’s highly recommended that you drink it at room temperature or cooler. 

Will it mix OK in my shaker cup?  

Shakeology mixes at least as well as most meal replacement shakes and can be hand mixed easily. For a drive-in style creamy shake, however, a blender is preferred. 

Do you have any recipes for Shakeology? 

We sure do! The web site at www.shakeology.com should be up and running soon.  (update - the website is up) That’s all for this week. Until next time, don’t just train hard, train smart, Steve

Here is a few more words from Steve, as posted on his blog.

At the Team Beachbody Summit this weekend we launched a product we’ve been working on for a few years. It’s called Shakeology. I think it’s better served by its tag line, The Healthiest Meal of the Day. 

It’s a protein shake, greens formulation, pre and probiotic supplement, anti-oxidant, phytonutrient, adaptogen, enzyme formulation all rolled into something that tastes like dessert. In short, it’s the smartest 140 calories you can put into your body. 

I’ll be writing, chatting, and blogging about this formulation over the upcoming weeks. Today I’d like to begin by addressing the most popular question of the weekend: Should I keep taking my Activit (or Peak Health) along with Shakeology.

The short answer is yes, but since Shakeology has a lot of vitamins in it already, this requires further explanation. 

First off, taking your vitamins with Shakeology will improve their bioavailability. It’s a perfect transport vehicle for most of your supplements. All of them, really, except for creatine, Recovery, and other sports specific supplements. As you’ve probably heard, you don’t get all the nutrients on the label of a vitamin, nor do you get all of the nutrients in the foods you eat. The better your diet is (more balanced, pH-wise, in short) the better it can utilize nutrients in the foods you eat. Shakeology will help with both. 

Next we need to address the RDA. It’s important to keep in mind that the RDA for everything is targeted for a subsistence level. An active person needs more, and it can be a lot more. When we try and decide how much more we should use the example of an extreme athlete. When you’re involved in something like the Tour de France, you CAN’T consume enough nutrients in a day to recover from what you’ve done. This is why drugs are used and why doping in sports is such a problem. With this in mind it’s easy to see how someone working construction would have a vastly different RDA than a computer programmer. So you can see how RDAs have little relevance to you, especially if you’re doing something like P90X. 

This is why you’ll want to continue to take your vitamins. As you get into better and better shape your nutrient needs continue to grow. The cool thing is that you get to eat more. The downside is that the harder you train the more you’re at risk for overtraining. And the best way to keep from overtraining is to eat well. The more nutrients your calories contain the better you are eating. 

There’s an old sports adage that states, “There is no such thing as overtraining. There is only undereating, undersleeping, and failure of will.” With Shakeology as a component of your diet you stand a better chance of checking off, at least, one part of this equation.

If you are ready to order yours today, stop by www.TheFitnessSpot.net!  If you have any additional questions, drop me an email at HeatherB@Beachbodycoach.com.  And, yes, it really is oh so yummy!

Oh yeah, if you buy Shakeology at retail price, it costs $119.95 ($4 a glass).  If you buy it as a coach, you can get it at $89.95 ($3 a glass).  The cost of becoming a coach is less then the cost of 25% discount you will get.  You still save, and you can actually get a paycheck from Beachbody by being a coach!  Want more details, drop me an email!

-Heather