The life of a Dad who strives to be the best dad possible

Shakeology Review

Bags of ShakeolgoyIn my opinion, Shakeology is the best nutritional product ever created. Period. Bar none. I cannot stress that enough. There is nothing on the market that remotely compares.

When Shakeology debuted, I was extremely skeptical. To the point that I was completely uninterested in trying it. I had a sample here and a sample there at various events, but was unimpressed. To me, it was just another protein drink, with a few vitamins and things added for good measure. As time passed though, more and more people I respected became converts. They raved about it, like it was the greatest thing on the planet. Shakeology makes me feel like this and Shakeology helped me do that. Yeah, ok, I get it: You are a fan. Big deal. I already eat healthy. I exercise religiously. What’s it gonna do for me?

Ultimately, I relented and agreed to give Shakeology a legitimate test-run. In November 2009, I was racing my first full-length Ironman. Once I was fully recovered from that and able to start training again, I decided I would use Shakeology everyday for ninety days. If, at the end of that, I remained unimpressed, then at least I gave it a real chance and would be basing my opinion on my own experience.

So, mid-December rolls around and I get back to business with training. After each workout (or, on multiple workout days, the first workout of the day), I used Shakeology as a recovery drink. Given that I had zero interest in losing weight, replacing a full meal was out of the question. I mixed it with Almond or Coconut milk, a little peanut butter, and ice and blended it. I immediately had to acknowledge that it tasted pretty good. I tinkered with a few recipes here and there, mostly just trying to see what tasted bad (answer: using water and stirring it with a fork). Gotta admit though, at that point, I was a fan. Not necessarily a convert, but I could understand the hubbub about it.

Fast forward to March and my 90 day test-run is nearly complete. The first week of April, I had a fitness test with my triathlon Coach. Now, this fitness test is something I do with him every calendar quarter. I have been doing these tests since February 2009 and have seen slow, steady, and consistent improvements with each passing one. No big jumps or crazy gains in power or stamina; just small, incremental increases each three months. After each one, my Coach and I discuss the results. Each time, he said that my improvements are an indication of my hard work, that I should be happy with them, and to stay focused on my training. Pretty boring, standard stuff.

To say that my April 2010 test was different would be like saying that summers in Arizona can be a little on the warm side: a grotesque understatement. For the first time, I killed them. I won’t bore you with the metrics, but to quote my Coach (who has been a triathlon Coach for decades): In my entire life of racing and coaching, I have never seen improvement from one test to another like that.

Discussing the results with him, I quickly realized the only true change in my behavior, training, life, etc., was Shakeology. I had been following the same training regime, doing the same stretching protocol, using the same workout programs (namely P90X and Insanity), working with the same Coach, etc. There was nothing different but that little, black bag filled with goodness. Drilling a little further into my workouts and performances, I quickly realized little things that had previously escaped notice. My mile sprints had noticeably improved. I was able to ride with the “fast” riders on group rides. In spite of having two kids in pre-school, I hadn’t been sick in months. In short, I felt good, strong, and fast.

At that moment, I became an evangelical believer. All doubt and suspicion evaporated.

Since then, nothing has changed, except my fitness. As 2010 turned into 2011, I went from being a very strong swimmer who “competed” in triathlons to a legitimate triathlete. When I race now, my goals aren’t “set a new PR” or “beat last year’s time”. No, those objectives went the same way as my reservations about Shakeology: into the garbage. Now, If I have a good day and a good race, my goal is to stand on the podium for my age-group. (Note, please don’t for one second insult me by thinking that an “age-group podium” is easy. In 2010-11, I am racing in the Male 35-39 class, which is BY FAR the most competitive class at any race. Review the results from any legit race and you will see what I mean.)

I fully believe that my improvements as a triathlete are directly tied to using Shakeology. The nutritional content of Shakeology is simply amazing and I have no doubt in my mind that is why I have improved so much. By using it as a recovery drink, I am giving my body the raw materials it needs to work at an optimal level. I can kill myself doing mile sprints Tuesday night and be ready Wednesday morning for a Cruise Interval session on my bike (think: pain; deep, dark pain). Comparing 2009 to 2010, my recovery times improved, I didn’t get as sore, and I got faster.

Here’s a great, short video about Beachbody’s willingness to do whatever it takes to include the best stuff on the planet in Shakeology:

Because of my success with Shakeology, I have shared it with my friends and family and now many of them are using and having great success with Shakeology. I also have many clients using it too. Whether the goal was to lose weight or just get healthier, Shakeology has helped all of them. But, my most proudest story is my wife. Generally fit and healthy, she was not happy with how she looked after having two kids. In the four months that she has been using Shakeology, she has also done ChaLEAN Extreme and some Brazil Butt Lift and INSANITY – The ASYLUM and is now back to her wedding weight. I am extremely proud of her and so happy for her too!

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