chaLEAN Extreme Week 1

chaLEAN Extreme and Shakeology Week 1

I've been using Shakeology for exactly one week and I can't believe I'm saying this but I can already tell a difference. I think like any new user of product marketed as a meal replacement shake + the price is a bit skeptical on the product living up to all that it claims.

But I can tell you that with just seven days into the program I feel AMAZING. If anything I expected to feel worse. With the workout program added to my schedule I am now averaging only about 6 hours a sleep a night on days that I have to work and I amazingly have so much more energy throughout the day. I've cut down on my coffee intake and feel no need for the caffeine.

I'm still working on finding the appropriate meal to replace with Shakeology. I work 10 hour days and it's really difficult to pack enough food for lunch and dinner and take on the train with me. I've resort to blending my drink right after I finish my workout at 6:30 and pop it in the freezer until I'm ready to leave at 8 am and place it back into the freezer at 10 am when I arrive at work. (Yes it's almost a 2 hour commute to work, aren't I the lucky one). Instead of just having small snack around noon I'm now drinking the Shakeology and it's so much better.

The chaLean Extreme Challenge has forced me to really reevaluate my food choices and just how often I eat. Working in the hospitality business you learn early on to eat on the run and to have something that doesn't take preparations. The way our schedules are set up I work 10:00 - 8:30 four days a week and during this 10 hour day I only have one 30 minute lunch break and two 15 minute breaks. I was only eating breakfast and one other meal at about 3:30 every day. No wonder why I was always feeling run down by the time I walked in my door at 10:30. I've now taken to snacking every 2 hours or so and by the end of the day I'm not hungry or feeling as though I have slept in days.

Now for the actual workout I'm only 3 workouts in and I actually had to cut my third one in half as I was running out of time in the morning. Burn Circuit 1 and Burn Circuit 2 are no joke when first starting out. The exercises don't seem that difficult but let me tell you the morning after that first workout I was SORE. But oh how I love that soreness after a good workout. Once I get back to my regular work schedule and life schedule on Monday I'll really be able to commit to the workouts like I need to .

Until next week when I'm sure I'll be full of stories on how the second week goes with all the new challenges of this new lifestyle I have adopted.