3 reasons shakes shouldn't replace healthy eating

I get a lot of questions about popular weight loss systems that recommend replacing your meals with shakes or smoothies. Most recently it was the Tropical Smoothie Diet and SlimFast.  While this is a convenient and easy way to control your calorie intake, I just don't think it leads to long-term success.

Here's why I don't like smoothies or shakes as meal replacements:

1. Its not normal. You can't sustain that as a lifestyle long-term. 
2. Usually there is a high sugar content, whether it comes from the actual shake mix, fruit or other recommended additives. 
3. You miss the thermic benefits of actually eating real food. Real food takes more calories to digest than emulsified shakes and smoothies. 

You can lose a lot of weight fast by drinking a 90 calorie shake for 2-3 meals per day, unfortunately, its most likely water weight and probably muscle too since your body will have to survive on something. Once you go back to solid food, its going to be hard on your digestive system, slowing the process and causing the weight to come right back.

Don't get me wrong, I think a healthy, low-glycemic shake can be a great meal enhancement, providing the necessary protein and nutrients your body needs and regulating your blood sugar, during a long-term weight loss program or just as part of a healthy lifestyle.  I love having a shake for breakfast in the mornings with an apple or some strawberries.  It's perfect for those of us who don't "feel like eating" that early in the morning.

For lunch and dinner, go for lean protein and thermic vegetables, limiting simple carb consumption.  You'll never feel hungry and you'll burn more calories and fat by eating solid food.

If you're ready for a healthy lifestyle transformation, check out the 90-Day Ultimate Body Challenge:

• Eat real food!
• Restore your energy!
• Burn fat!
• Lose the weight permanently!

This is how I lost 22 lbs over 3 years ago and have kept it off and created a healthy, fit lifestyle for me and my family!  

It may not be as easy as slurping all of your meals with a straw, but my daddy always said "nothing worthwhile ever comes easy"!

If you want to know more or have questions about popular diet programs out today, come over to my Facebook Page and let's chat!

5 Tips to recover from a Christmas Coma

Oh I over did it this weekend!

It all started with the Nettle's Sausage and French Toast I made for my family on Christmas Eve morning. It was fantastic!  Since we've been married, my husband and I have celebrated a psuedo-Christmas morning with our blended family. Our youngest daughter Rachel, the twins and their babies either spend the night or come over in the wee early hours of the morning on Christmas Eve and we pretend its Christmas day.  It gives us the opportunity to share in the magic of Christmas morning and not deprive them of having their own Christmas morning traditions at home.

At our house, I want that breakfast to be something remembered and my family loves my french toast. For Christmas, it comes with extra powdered sugar and Pampered Chef Sweet Cinnamon Sprinkles! Oh its delightful and it warms my heart for the kiddies to come back for seconds!

That was just the beginning of my poor nutritional choices, complete with homemade M&M cookies, homemade cinnamon rolls, a full southern Christmas lunch and movie theater popcorn!  Needless to say, I went to bed last night feeling rather miserable, with a headache and bloated belly.

This morning I slept in and woke up with recovery in mind.  I've shared these tips for Halloween and Thanksgiving and they are my go-to holiday recovery!

These five easy steps will get you back on target in no time:

1. Remove - If you have high-carb, sugary, fatty leftovers in the fridge, remove them immediately.  Either freeze them or trash them now. (I think I ate everything here, so no need for me to worry about this one;))

2. Re-hydrate - Flush out the excess acid, fats, etc. Drink extra water over the next few days to replenish lost fluids and to aid in digestion. Focus on drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces. For example if you weigh 150 pounds, drink at least 75 ounces of water each day. We also recommend SPN Rehydration to re-hydrate.  It's an all natural sports drink with very little sugar and only 40 calories. (I've got my 20 oz. water bottle loaded and ready.  If you have one with a straw, you'll drink even more water without realizing it).

3. Refuel - If you're diet over the last few days has been typical of most Christmas indulgences, your digestive system has been in overdrive! Focus on getting as many raw fruits and veggies as possible this week. Remember, sugar weakens the immune system so the more fruits and veggies you can get over the next few days, the better.  An easy and convenient way to get a balanced meal with added nutrients from nutritious veggies is with a meal enhancement shake and super green supplement.  A shake like the Body FX from FirstFitness Nutrition gives you the vitamins and minerals of a complete meal and is easily digested to get you back on the right track super fast.  Adding the Vital Green adds important antioxidants to strengthen the immune system and help fend off winter colds. (Made my yummy shake in my new Magic Bullet that I got for Christmas from my sweet hubby!)

4. Recommit - Often times guilt follows our over-indulgence and that's understandable.  However, it does not move us forward, it only ties us to our mistakes.  Get over it, move on and recommit to your healthy eating habits starting today! Get out and take a walk, get back in the gym.  It'll give you more energy to get geared up for the New Year!

5. Rest - Drink a full glass of water before bed, take your vitamins, have a cup of tea and relax. Rejuvenate your body with at least 7 hours of sleep each night. (Fortunately, I'm off today and have vowed not to get out of my PJs!)


If your ready to take control of your health and make a lasting transformation, be sure to take advantage of our Life by Design!  Order it this week and get a FREE Trimbolic as my personal gift to you! 

4 Tips to Bounce Back from Thanksgiving

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We had a great time with family and lots of food, shopping, and candy-making. Needless to say, we ate way too much, but its okay. Today we get back on the track, eating right and focusing on our goals.


These four easy steps will get you back on target in no time:


1. Remove - If you have high-carb, sugary, fatty leftovers in the fridge, remove them immediately.  Either freeze them or trash them now. Don't let them linger and tempt you. I personally threw out 2 slices of my mom's homemade pumpkin pie last night. 

2. Re-hydrate - Flush out the excess acid, fats, etc. Drink extra water over the next few days to replenish lost fluids and to aid in digestion. Focus on drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces. For example if you weigh 150 pounds, drink at least 75 ounces of water each day. We also recommend SPN Rehydration to re-hydrate.  It's an all natural sports drink with very little sugar and only 40 calories.

3. Refuel - If you're diet over the last few days has been typical of most Thanksgiving meals, your digestive system has been in overdrive! Focus on getting as many raw fruits and veggies as possible this week. Remember, sugar weakens the immune system so the more fruits and veggies you can get over the next few days, the better.  An easy and convenient way to get a balanced meal with added nutrients from nutritious veggies is with a meal enhancement shake and super green supplement.  A shake like the Body FX from FirstFitness Nutrition gives you the vitamins and minerals of a complete meal and is easily digested to get you back on the right track super fast.  Adding the Vital Green adds important antioxidants to strengthen the immune system and help fend off winter colds.

4. Recommit - Often times guilt follows our over-indulgence and that's understandable.  However, it does not move us forward, it only ties us to our mistakes.  Get over it, move on and recommit to your healthy eating habits starting today! Get out and take a walk, get back in the gym.  It'll give you more energy to get geared up for Christmas!


Here's a bonus tip:

5. Rest - Drink a full glass of water before bed, take your vitamins, have a cup of tea and relax. Rejuvenate your body with at least 7 hours of sleep each night.

Recover from your Halloween Hangover

Good morning! How are you feeling today?  Candy or cocktails got you rundown? Tired? Sluggish?  Too much Halloween fun?


Halloween seems to be a time when all of our inhibitions are thrown to the ghouls and we take on an "anything goes" mentality. As parents and grandparents, we permit staying up late and eating lots of candy for our kids and then sneak into their candy after they've gone to bed. I mean, every piece we eat is a piece they won't, right?  If you don't have children, maybe you dress up and party with your friends, pretending the sugar and cocktails aren't affecting you, but you're costumed character.


Either way, this morning you may have awaken to a Halloween Hangover. Whether it be sugar or alcohol induced, here are some tips for overcoming the monster within you today:


1. Remove - If you have leftover candy and sweet treats left laying around this morning, remove them immediately.  Either find a place to donate it or package it into individual snacks to be used through out the year.  If you keep the candy, put it in a place that is out of sight and hard to reach.


2. Rehydrate - Halloween comes with high sugar consumption and high activity levels.  Its easy to overlook your body's need for hydration.  Drink extra water over the next few days to replenish lost fluids and to aid in digestion. This is especially important if you had a few adult beverages last night. We also use SPN Rehydration to combat dehydration at our house.  It's an all natural sports drink with very little sugar and only 40 calories.


3. Refuel - If you're diet over the last few days has not been the most nutritiously balanced, load up on vitamins and minerals for the rest of the week.  Keep in mind that sugar weakens the immune system so the more fruits and veggies you can get over the next few days, the better.  An easy and convenient way to get a balanced meal with added nutrients from nutritious veggies is with the BodyFx Meal Replacement Shake and Vital Green.  That shake gives you the vitamins and minerals of a complete meal and is easily digested to get you back on the right track super fast.  Adding the Vital Green adds important antioxidants to combat the preservatives, colorings, and chemicals consumed through junk food and candy.


4. Recommit - Often times guilt follows our over-indulgence and that's understandable.  However, it does not move us forward, it only ties us to our mistakes.  Get over it, move on and recommit to your healthy eating habits starting today!


If you'd like more information on cleansing and detoxifying your body for increased healthy and weight loss, be sure to complete our life and body analysis and get a free consultation.

Breakfast...

... don't skip it

We've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  You don't need me to tell you that.  Even knowing this, I meet people all the time that do not eat breakfast.  I used to be one of them. "I just don't feel like it when I wake up in the morning", that was always my excuse.  "I don't have time" is another excuse I hear a lot.

I started eating breakfast every day over 2 years ago and I know it has contributed to my successful weight loss and maintenance.  I no longer skip breakfast, even when "I don't feel like it".

Here's what I've learned about breakfast.

1. It gives you energy to start the day.
2. It helps lower your risk for obesity and diabetes.
3. It increases your metabolism.

That's right!! According to MSNBC Health, eating breakfast can increase your metabolism by as much as 10 percent.  Here's what happens.  When you go to sleep at night, your metabolism slows down because you don't need as much energy.  When you wake up, your metabolism speeds up again, but it cannot sustain the higher level for long without the nutrients and energy found in a good, healthy breakfast.

When your metabolism is boosted, you burn more calories naturally throughout the day and are less likely to gain weight.  Often times people skip breakfast because they "don't feel like it" or because they want to save those calories for larger meals later.  This is a huge mistake. Skipping breakfast makes you more susceptible to unhealthy mid-morning snaking or over eating at lunch.

Keep your breakfast around 250 calories to maintain your weight or for weight loss.  Just because it's the most important meal doesn't mean it should be the biggest. Here are a few healthy suggestions around 250 calories*:

1. whole-wheat English muffin, topped with a wedge of light Swiss spreadable cheese and 1/2 tbsp. of all-fruit preserves, served with one slice of turkey bacon (microwaved), and  skim milk.
2. 3/4 cup of oatmeal (cooked in water), 2 tbsp. of raisins, 1 tsp. of packed brown sugar, 1 tbsp. of chopped walnuts, and a dash of cinnamon or other sweet spice. Serve with 8 oz. of diet cranberry juice cocktail.
3. a southwest omelet made with egg whites, beans, onions, cheese, and salsa.

Of course, my personal favorite for breakfast is a Body FX shake and an apple. I'm usually running late, so this is fast and easy and I can take it right out the door and have it on my way to work. The Body FX  is the perfect combination of complex carbs, protein and essential fatty acids and the apple gives my body enzymes it needs to help digest my food throughout the day.

*These recommendations are made solely based on calorie, carb and fat content.  They do not take into consideration blood sugar, pH or cleansing properties which are the keys to the Suddenly Slim program.

Viva Las Vegas

In case you haven't heard, I'm going to Las Vegas next week! I am so excited!

I qualified for this trip with FirstFitness! I keep saying I won it, but the truth is I earned it. Winning would mean I got lucky and my name was pulled out of a hat. In actuality, the company offered this trip as an incentive, they gave me the qualification requirements up front and I did what it took to meet them! (Yay me!)

I'll tell you a secret, I never imagined in a million years that I could do it! I didn't even get started good until three months after the contest started. I mean I knew they offered DreamVacations, but I never thought they would actually be attainable, especially for someone like me, new to the company...

Now, in 5 days, I'll be flying out to Vegas with my friend and mentor, Carol Brown.

We'll be staying at the Mirage, attending some Leadership Training with FirstFitness' Top Earners and our Medical Advisory team. I'll get to be a part of a special Business Boot Camp session with $11 million earner, FirstFitness Crown Presidential Director, Dr. Eileen Silva! We'll attend Mystère Cirque du Soleil at Treasure Island. We'll tour one of our manufacturing facilities to see how our Reneu and delicious BodyFx shakes are made! The best part...all this on FirstFitness' dime! What a blessing!

Next up, a 7 day Western Caribbean Cruise! That's in September and its not too late for you to get in on it! Just ask me how!

Product Tasting @ Holiday Bazaar

...mark your calendars

I will be on-site at the Spirit of Christ Lutheran Church Holiday Bazaar on November 14, 2009 doing product tasting and information sessions.

Come learn more about our great weight loss and wellness products. You will have the opportunity to taste our delicious Body FX shakes, our cellulite-dissolving Trimbolic and our Amazon Miracle, Zavita.

Additionally, I will be offering a product special for Bazaar customers only!

Also appearing in person, Spa Girl Greene! She will have beautiful gift arrangements, perfect for that special someone that deserves a little pampering for Christmas!

Donna & Terry from Soaps by Design will be among the many other vendors, artists and crafters at the Bazaar!

Trust me, you do not want to miss out on this FABULOUS event!

Saturday, November 14th
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Spirit of Christ Lutheran Church
145 SW Sweetbreeze Drive
Lake City, FL, 32024
Fellowship Hall

Did you say exercise in a can?

...well give me a double!

Skin dimples, cottage cheese or "cookie thighs" are nicknames for the trapped layer of fat and waste that are stuck inside the depths of your skin. We know it better, of course, as cellulite.

According to a recent article, Cellulite occurs when the band of connective tissue that contains healthy fat cells necessary to protect your muscles and organs get overloaded. Since the toxins and waste don't get properly emitted from your skin, they thicken, harden and create that uneven and lumpy texture.

Cellulite is not necessarily a factor of weight. You don't have to be heavy to have cellulite. Though diet and lifestyle affect cellulite formation, a large part of cellulite is comprised of toxins and fat that build up in the body, and can affect women of any size, weight and body structure.

So what can we do about it?

Trimbolic: It’s exercise in a can!

This powerful, great-tasting, all-natural formulation containing a proprietary blend of special dietary fibers, botanical extracts and isolated food factors helps satisfy the appetite and support lean muscle tissue while losing weight.*

Trimbolic is a fat and cellulite fighter. As long as we put in more fat than the body can use per day, we will continue to store the excess fat for future use. We should all start limiting the amount of fat, but when we cannot (or will not) Trimbolic helps to cut it loose from the intestinal tract.

Drink Trimbolic 20 minutes before eating any meal high in fat and sugar. It will absorb up to 75% of fats and sugars. This high fiber, low calorie drink binds and encapsulates fat. A diet high in fiber helps fill you quicker to eliminate overeating. Trimbolic helps oxygenate the body so it can burn fat and cellulite more efficiently and helps stabilize blood sugar this curbs sweet cravings.

Other benefits of Trimbolic:

• Helps oxygenate body so that the muscle can burn cellulite more efficiently.
• Helps stabilize blood sugar, which helps curb sweet cravings. Many have found it to be very beneficial in aiding the control of type 2 diabetes, by stabilizing and balancing blood sugars.
• Used to help many people lower cholesterol and tri-glycerides.
• Many people with blood sugar problems, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglyceride counts, and edema have reported dramatic drops in their counts (or swelling).
• A perfect beverage before any workout because it enhances muscle tone and helps flush fat.
• Natural diuretic.

If you hit a weight loss plateau consider the following:

1. Cut out the breads and grains for a while longer.
2. Substitute a meat for another shake for either lunch or dinner.
3. Add Trimbolic!

Note: For fast weight loss start your day with a double Trimbolic, then drink at least one more tablespoon mixed with cold water about 20 minutes before eating. Most people drink 3 to 4 a day while trying to lose weight. The more Trimbolic you drink, the faster you will lose weight. Like the Biomega, you can drink as much as your pocketbook will allow. Drink it as a “snack” when you are hungry. Add a little ice to keep it from getting too thick if desired.

Contact me today at (386) 623-0476 to order or order online at www.firstfitness.com/amypolk

(Some content posted by River Hills Chiropractic and Wellness Center)

My First Weight Loss & Wellness Session

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm @ the Bethel UMC Fellowship Hall

Please be my guest for a FirstFitness Weight Loss & Wellness Session given by FirstFitness Presidential Director, Carol Brown.

I am so excited to get to train with Carol. She and her husband Bob have been with FirstFitness for over 5 years and she has extensive knowledge of our products and the business opportunity. You can read their story here.

You will learn more about our new Xtreme Cleansing & Weight Loss program, and our wellness products designed to protect your body against illness, including the H1N1 virus. You will also have an opportunity to sample our delicious Body FX shakes and Trimbolic.

FirstFitness collaborates with distinguished doctors, scientists and researchers to give you and your family the finest, most effective health and wellness products in the world. They even have a money-back guarantee!

These products have really WOW'd me in just a few short months. I would not invite you to this event if I didn't believe in them 100%!

You can help me reach my first goal in this business just by being there!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Bethel UMC Fellowship Hall
4843 S US Highway 441,
Lake City, FL
(386) 623-0476