As my readers know I had an accident on the 4th of July in which I slipped, fell and severely twisted my ankle and broke a bone in my foot. My doctor operated and inserted a screw in place but then 1 month later I had a 2nd slip and fall accident that dis-lodged the screw. ANOTHER SETBACK!

So on August 19th I had a 2nd surgery and now I have a bionic foot with pins, screws and a plate. Man, going thru airport security is going to be a royal pain in the butt! I’m sure after taking off my shoes and still dinging as I walk thru the metal detector my new name will be “Mr. Random Bag Check”. Lol.

After my post-op checkup the doctor said I am healing better and I should be ok in 6-8 weeks. Fast forward to now. Two and a half months later I have gained unwanted weight and lost some muscle mass. Not a good feeling. I decided to not balloon up because I have a boo-boo. My diet has been re-done and I am back to the gym.

Last weekend my girlfriend and I went to our gym and I was so happy that even though I did gain weight, my strength and stamina were still intact.

I may have looked like a dork hopping around from station to station on crutches but here’s the cherry on top…I was working out this morning and a random stranger walked up to me to say that it was inspiring to see me working out with an injury and not giving up. He pounded my fist and shook his head in approval. That made my day and caused me to workout even harder. I truely felt at home.

Most people are very intimidated when they go to a gym but in reality we go for the same thing, to improve our own body, no one elses. Who goes to the gym the intention of judging or insulting people? Nobody in my 5 years of fitness! I am guilty of feeling this way too but I had to drop my fears and reclaim my health. If anything you may have encounters like the one I had this morning. When a person you don’t even know says that you are inspiring them or just acknowledges you with a simple thumbs up you have a tendency to continue to work hard and get in a few more agonizing reps.

So my friends I am rising up from the ashes to get back in shape and continue to coach others with their weight dilemmas. It’s not something to ignore or put off or fear. What or who will it take to motivate you to take your health back? What’s stopping you? There are people in wheelchairs that win bodybuilding competitions. I have a lame foot that will heal and I am still in the iron game. What’s your excuse? All it takes is the inner drive to succeed. Once you know it’s there then nothing can stop you.

If you want a better body then you have to get up and work at it. Don’t wish for things to happen…speak them into existence and do what it takes to reach your goals.

Ladies and Gentlemen I must open with an important update. This blog has been quiet due to a family medical emergency. As of today things are still touch and go with a very beloved person that I consider as my 2nd father. I am keeping my optimism for a safe recovery.

Well everyone, prior to my short sabbatical I took the famous Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse and here is the day-to-day findings:

Day 1

The morning began will with a cup of strong green tea followed by ‘The 50′, which is a specially made workout program to be used in conjunction with Shakeology.

‘The 50′ is NOT to be taken lightly. It may look simple on-screen but is fast paced and LIGHT….I say again LIGHT resistance must be used. When ego gets in the way, you may regret it, lol. I enjoyed the moves in this program and have already created a few special ab routines based on them.

I had the Greenberry flavor shake. It has a very interesting flavor. It reminded me of the green tea ice cream I enjoy for desert at my favorite sushi place. It has a mild sweetness that’s easy to get used to. I do recommend blending Greenberry with fresh fruit like mango or fresh orange juice to intensify the sweetness.

Early afternoon I felt a bit light-headed but still energized. When dinnertime came that feeling subsided and I felt much better.

Day 2

I slept very well the night before and I woke up easily without my alarm, which rarely happens. No workout on this day so I prepare my shakes for the day. I switch to Chocolate this time. Who doesn’t love chocolate right? Chocolate Shakeology in INCREDIBLE! It’s thick and very tasty.

A funny thing happened that day. I mixed my Chocolate shake with lots of ice and ended up putting it in the freezer at work. When lunchtime came I realized that I ended up with a chocolate slushy! So what did I do? I let it sit a while to soften up then stirred it around until it thickened to the consistency of pudding and WOW, it was so good!

This is THE WAY to enjoy Chocolate Shakeology. I will only have it this way from now on. Not only is it a different way to enjoy a meal replacement, but having it this way provides better way for it to fill your stomach.

Day 3 – LAST DAY!

Once again I enjoyed a great sleep. I completed ‘The 50′ again but I did notice a slight drop in strength during the resistance portion but I had plenty of stamina throughout. No big deal because this was expected.

I switched between both flavors today and of course I had my frozen Chocolate Shakeology ‘pudding’ for lunch. That was my favorite meal of the day, lol.

I ended the cleanse with my dinner salad and went to bed that night feeling fantastic.

THE WEIGH IN!

Early the next day I nervously approached my scale and was overjoyed by the quick drop in numbers. Folks, I lost 7.5# during those 3 days! Not only that but I immediately noticed my clothes fitting much looser on the 2nd day. How cool is that right?

The fun doesn’t end here…read on!

It was difficult to resume my normal diet after the cleanse because my stomach must have shrunk. I was only able to eat somewhere between half to two-thirds the amount of food than normal. Plus I wasn’t even craving food like I always did. Now here comes the best part……I weight myself the day after this and lost and additional 1.5#! How does that happen? Shakeology sent my metabolism into OVERDRIVE baby!

The Verdict

Without a doubt Shakeology is the best supplement I’ve ever used! The 3-Day Cleanse will be a regular part of my routine….maybe 3 times a year to fine-tune my metabolism. I will continue to use it on a daily basis because I now know that it’s legit. It’s very tasty and can be used in a variety of ways to always keep things interesting. During the cleanse I wasn’t starving. My energy levels were always turned up to 11, I slept very well and I enjoyed an overall feeling of alertness. Whoever created Shakeology is a GENIUS!

Thanks to the brilliant minds at BeachBody for creating one of the best supplements EVER! Shakeology is here to stay!

I strongly urge all of you to try the 3-Day Cleanse. You’ll be very glad you did.

Visit www.MySlimmingShake.com to get Shakeology TODAY!

~Nick~

Just because times are tough it doesn’t give us the excuse to eat poorly from our choices at the local drive-thru. Check out this important video to learn how to eat healthy while on a budget.

Lately the big trend for BeachBody fans is to use their Shakeology meal replacement powder as part of a 3 day “cleansing” diet. There are countless testimonials all over the web praising this diet. I decided to give it a shot.

Currently I am more than halfway thru P90X and at the start of “Recovery Week” before Phase III. So I am using this time period to do the cleanse and speed my results even further. As of now I’ve lost about 20# since starting P90X and there are claims of weight loss from 3#-8# from the Shakeology cleanse.

I purchased Shakeology Combo Pack a week ago and it arrived promptly at my doorstep. I went on the Auto-Ship program and recieved a special freebie called Shakeology: The Workouts, which are specially made workouts to be used in conjunction with daily use of Shekeology. Because of my increased strength and stamina from P90X, I used the advanced portion of the Shakeology workout and WOW… this was a kick in the butt! It felt great! The Shakeology workouts mix light resistance training and cardio intervals for maximum fat-burning. I loved every second of it!

When it was time to have my first shake I chose the ‘Greenberry’ flavor. When mixed with water it takes on a deep green color but it tastes pretty good. It tastes like green tea. I’m sure it tastes much better when blended with fresh fruit and milk. Not bad at all. I will be alternating the ‘Greenberry’ and ‘Cholocate’ flavors each day.

I am in the middle of my first day of the cleanse and so far I feel good. I am still energized from the workout this morning plus the green tea that I drank half an hour ago.

Check tomorrow for another update. In the meantime, check out Shakeology for yourself by visiting www.SlimmingShake.com

Bye for now folks, Nick

The coverage surrounding his health issues has transformed him into America’s new champion. First he’s on tour with his band, he’s on Celebrity Apprentice (in the running to win), then he has an emergency appendectomy. No big deal right? Next thing you know he’s being treated for a life-threatening cerebral hemorrhage. The public found themselves rooting for this guy to pull through. Guess what… HE DID!

Bret appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show and told his story about how he fought to get treatment without scaring his 2 daughters. With tears in his eyes he told about how he wants to be here for his family and will continue to get well to please his fans. Soon afterwards he has a mild ‘warning stroke’ then the doctors find an operable hole in his heart. Did that stop him from fighting? NOT AT ALL!

Days later he wins Celebrity Apprentice! Awesome!

Last nite he made a surprise appearance on the season finale of American Idol, his first public performance since all this happened. Bret looked great and stole the show. I teared up watching him and Casey James rock the house with ‘Every Rose Has It’s Thorn’. He’s a great source of inspiration to all of us to fight for our health and to live life to the fullest, no matter what the odds. The ‘No Excuses’ attitude he has is paying off a hundred-fold. When you beat the odds, you become a Champion!

Ask yourself this question: What odds must I beat to be a Champ?

A fighter fights to the finish. Win or lose, a fighter never quits!

If you have the drive and the spirit inside yourself to succeed, then you will prevail in every area of your life.

I hope you will find inspiration to travel the path to good health. A person with a strong physical body will also enjoy the added bonus of improved self-confidence, a more positive outlook on life and the motivation to conquer all obstacles. People will respect you and look up to you for guidance and your relationships will improve as well.

You are a Champion in the Making…Which Path Will You Choose?

At last, combine the power of your faith with your desire to lose weight and get fit! Body Gospel is a first-of-its-kind program including workouts set to incredible gospel music, breakthrough new resistance bands, and a complete nutrition plan created by fitness icon Donna Richardson Joyner. She shows you how to combine this amazing program with your faith in God to transform your body and your life, just like the customers below. Every workout is a “party with a purpose” and the results will amaze you.

If you believe, you will succeed!

COMING SOON – Click for Details!

I started a project before this blog about safe food choices when grocery shopping. The list I created contains all the common things you buy at the store everyday. Also included is a section dedicated to fitness supplements and meal replacement/snack foods which can be conveniently purchased through YourNewLifePath.com. Most of them approved and used by me.

Please download the list and stay tuned for some great recipes made with some of these food choices.

Your New Grocery List

I owe much of my drive and success in my journey to Tony Horton and BeachBody. The ORIGINAL Power90 got me started in 2005 and was extremely effective. It’s also a perfect starter to prep you up for the intensity for P90X. Millions of people across the U.S. have made decisions just my mine to not let bad food control our lives and took a stand against their expanding waistlines. Which path will you choose?

Visit this page for the full article on Tony Horton’s visit to Capitol Hill.