Check out what John had to say on one of his latest newsletters.

My Quest For The Perfect Shake

by John M Berardi, April 28th, 2010.

My good friends know that I’ve spent years on a very specific nutrition quest. The quest for the perfect protein shake.

Now, to those of you who don’t drink protein shakes, that probably seems pretty strange. And that’s OK, I totally understand. There’s probably a bunch of stuff you do that I’d consider strange.

However, I’ve been working out and using protein supplements for the last 20 years of my life. During these 20 years, I’ve probably averaged 1 protein shake a day. (Heck, that might even be a conservative estimate).

So, at minimum, according to my rudimentary math, I’ve consumed over 7,300 protein shakes in my life. Is it any surprise I’ve made it my mission to find the perfect, tastiest shake?

My Secret Weapon

During this quest of mine, I’ve destroyed many a blender. Indeed, because I like my shakes thick (often so thick I can eat them with a spoon), I’ve blown through, on average, one blender a year.

In fact, I even have a small blender graveyard where I’ve retired some of my favorites. Just in case I’m feeling sentimental and want to pull one out for old time’s sake

Now, for the last 2 years, my blender of choice has been the Magic Bullet. It’s got several advantages: inexpensive, small, portable, and very easy to clean. It’s pretty powerful too.

However, on the disadvantage side, I’ve had to replace my Bullet every 6 months or so. It just wears out too quickly. In addition, it doesn’t let me make large shakes, for when I’m wanting to pack in the calories, or for when I want to share with friends.

That’s why I recently decided to invest in a new device: the highly acclaimed Vita-Mix.

Now, I use the word “invest” instead of “buy” because, when you pick up a Vita-Mix, you have to look at it as an investment in your future of blending and food processing.  Mostly because the thing costs a whopping $400 – $600 (depending on the model you choose).  And that’s around 10x the price of a Magic Bullet.

However, there are a good reasons for the big price tag.  For starters, the Vita-Mix is the most powerful blender around.

Ever seen those “Will It Blend” videos where, using a BlendTec blender, they decimate things like an NFL regulation football, an IPad, a hand gun, and, one of my favorites, a dozen glow sticks?

Well, the Vita-Mix is as powerful as the BlendTec (although I think they’d both be a great choice) and is typically rated higher in terms of the non-decimation variables such as ease of use, quietness, and lifespan.

Which brings up my second reason for choosing the Vita-Mix, the warranty.  With the Vita-Mix I got a pretty comprehensive lifetime warranty.  So I feel pretty good knowing that I won’t have to replace this blender every 6 months.

After all, buying a $50 blender every 6 months means I’ll spend $1000 on new blenders over the course of the next 10 years.  Why not just spend about $500 bucks now and get a superior blender that’ll last?

The Perfect Shake = Precision Nutrition Ice Cream

Ok, so I bought an expensive, powerful blender that should last me a long, long time.  That’s nice and everything.  But how does it perform?

Well, I have to admit, it’s opened up a whole new world of possibilities for my protein shakes!

In fact, using the Vita-Mix, my quest for the perfect protein shake has ended.  And it’s ended with something we call PN Ice Cream.

Call me crazy, but PN Ice Cream tastes like a legitimate DQ Blizzard.  At just a fraction of the sugar, saturated fat, and calories.  In fact, I’m so pumped about my new creations, I’d like to share a few of them with you today.

PN Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream (AT)

This first recipe, our Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream, is considered an AT (or any-time) snack, for those of you who are using the nutrient timing rules in Gourmet Nutrition.  To make this delicious snack, you’ll want to lay out the following:

• Your Vita-Mix with 4 Cups of Ice
• Muscle Milk – Peanut Butter Chocolate Flavor – 2 scoops
• Natural Peanut Butter – Chunky – 2 tablespoons
• Cacao Nibs – Organic – 1 tablespoon
• Unsweetened Almond Milk – Chocolate – 1 cup

Next, you’ll add all your ingredients together, placing the Vita-Mix tamper through the hole in the cover.

Next, you’ll turn your Vita-Mix on low and slowly ramp the speed up from 1 – 10.  Once you get to 10, you’ll flip the switch to high and begin “tamping” your mixture.  Now, I’ll warn you, the blender will be working hard; and so will you.  But keep tamping for about 30 seconds while all the ingredients are pulverized and mixed.

After 30 seconds, shut your blender off (blending for longer may start melting your ice cream).  Then, remove your tamper.  Remove the lid.  And with a ice cream scooper or tablespoon, serve.

This recipe makes 2 servings, 302 kcal each.

PN Vanilla Blueberry Ice Cream (PW)

This second recipe, our Vanilla Blueberry Ice Cream, is considered a PW (or post-workout) snack, for those of you who are using the nutrient timing rules in Gourmet Nutrition.  To make this delicious snack, you’ll want to lay out the following:

• Your Vita-Mix
• Muscle Milk – Vanilla – 2 scoops
• Frozen Blueberries – 4 cups
• Unsweetened Almond Milk – Vanilla – 1 cup

Next, just like above, you’ll add all your ingredients together, placing the Vita-Mix tamper through the hole in the cover.

After that, you’ll turn your Vita-Mix on low and slowly ramp the speed up from 1 – 10.  Once you get to 10, you’ll flip the switch to high and begin “tamping” your mixture.  Keep tamping for about 30 seconds while all the ingredients are pulverized and mixed.

Remove your tamper.  Remove the lid.  With a ice cream scooper or tablespoon, serve.  Makes 2 servings, 330 kcal each.

Nutrition Facts

So, earlier I compared my PN Ice Cream to a DQ Blizzard.  And, based on the texture, taste, and consistency, I think it’s a pretty fair comparison.  However, how do the calories stack up?  Well, let’s look at a comparison for an equivalent serving size:

DQ Blizzard (Peanut Butter Cup)

• 1350 kcal
• 52 g fat (28g saturated)
• 204 g carbohydrate (1g fiber, 150g sugar)
• 24 g protein

PN Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream (AT)

• 604 kcal
• 37 g fat (11g saturated)
• 28 g carbohydrate (10g fiber, 6g sugar)
• 37 g protein

PN Vanilla Blueberry Ice Cream (PW)

• 660 kcal
• 16 g fat (6 g saturated)
• 96 g carbohydrate (33g fiber, 48g sugar)
• 37 g protein

As you can see, the PN ice cream mixes are 1/2 the calories of a DQ Blizzard and contain less saturated fat, fewer carbohydrates, more fiber, less sugar, and more protein.  Plus, there’s no dairy.  In addition, if you follow the recommended serving size (which is 2 servings per ice cream recipe above), you’d be getting 1/4 the calories of a large DQ Blizzard.

In the end, hopefully you can now see why I’m so excited about my Vita-Mix “investment” and my PN Ice Cream creations.  They’re delicious.  They’re nutritious.  And they won’t give you the diabetes.

So give ‘em a try.  And if you’d like to contribute a few recipes of your own, feel free to post them here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

As always, thank you John for your wonderful recipes!  I am so glad that we have you to rely on to come up with new things.  By the way, I think I will have to invest in the Vita Mix!  I am so sick of getting mad at my blender in the morning

Check out Precision Nutrition fore  much , much more!!

Far and away, the most frequent questions had to do with his $20,000 prize – $10,000 to the top female winner and $10,000 to the top male winner.

Click here to check out the blog post announcing this amazing prize:

Precision Nutrition PRIZE!!! Click here for info!

Now, today, I want to share with you a post covering the flip side of the 10K prize.  In other words, if the prize is the carrot, today’s video talks about the stick.

You see, Dr. Berardi’s a coaching expert.  In fact, he’s probably the most successful nutrition coach in the health and fitness business. And after speaking with him, I realized that there’s something powerful to this idea.

You see, the biggest transformations – body transformations or otherwise – are accomplished when people have big incentives.

And I’d say 10 thousand bucks qualifies as a big incentive all right.

But big inspiring goals also need some potential punishment. Or, some risk and in today’s video, Dr Berardi shows you how to coerce yourself into sticking to the plan, even when the motivation wanes.

Enter The Best Kept Secret in Weight Loss.

So, if you’re REALLY interested in changing your body and you’d like a little extra incentive for doing so, this is definately a program you need to check out.

Again, this message is time sensitive.  From what I hear there are A LOT of people clamoring to get in on the program. So check out these posts below.  I know you won’t be disappointed.

Could The Chance To Win $10,000 Help You Get In Shape?

The Best Kept Secret In Weight Loss

Precision Nutrition (Check this out!!!)

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I respect Dr Berardi.  He’s recognized as one of the top nutrition coaches in the world. And his programs get people results.  Fast.

However, when I watched this video he sent over, and learned that he’s giving away $20,000 of his own money, he definitely got my attention.

Check out this blog post for yourself.

Precision Nutrition $20,000 Blog Info

Now, to qualify for this reward, you have to participate in the Lean Eating program.  But that’s a no brainer. You should want to do that ANYWAY if you’re interested in body transformation because there is nothing else like it.

You get 6 months of world class coaching, the type of coaching you can’t find, well, anywhere.  And, during these 6 months, if you achieve the best body transformation, you’ll win 10K.

Sign Up Now!!!  What do you have to lose?

Worst case scenario, you come out with the best body of your life.  Best case scenario, you come out with the best body of your life, and 10 GRAND.

So, I highly encourage you to check out this post below.  In it, Dr Berardi shares with you two critical components for body transformation success.

And then he tells you exactly how one man and one woman are going to swoop in and claim $10 G’s of his own money.

Precision Nutrition $10,000!  Sign up here!

Now, this message is time sensitive.  No, it’s not gonna self-destruct or anything. However, spots are limited in this program.  And LOTS of people want in.

So, if you’re interested in finding out exactly how to eat to get in the best shape of your life, click the link below.  10 grand may be waiting for you on the other side:

Sign up TODAY!!!  Add $10,000 to your bank account!

No matter how well you are doing with your current eating plan, traveling can be almost impossible!  Check out this article from Dr. John Berardi of Precision Nutrition.  This will help to give you some tips that you can take on the road with you.  I hope you like it!

~Alison

Eating on the Road: Nutritional Travel Strategies
by Dr John M Berardi, CSCS

More and more the biggest challenge my clients face is sticking to their nutritional plan while on the road. Therefore in this article, I’ve compiled a list of my top 10 favorite strategies for maintaining your nutritional discipline when traveling.

Strategy #1 — Location, Location, Location
If you’re planning to take to the road for sport or for business, your first item of business is this—ensure that everything you need is in close proximity to where you’ll be working or playing. Location is key.

So let’s say you’re going to a week long conference at the Indiana Convention Centre and RCA Dome. Well first, get on the internet and find all the hotels nearest the Convention Centre. Next, give these hotels a call to find out where the nearest grocery stores, restaurants and gyms are located. Pick the hotel with the best combination of nearby resources. This way, even if you don’t get a rental car, you can easily walk or cab to your fitness and nutritional havens.

Skip this strategy and you’re giving yourself big excuses to skip workouts, miss meals, and make poor food selections while on the road.

Strategy #2 — The Penthouse Suite?
While you don’t necessarily have to stay at a 5 star hotel or choose the penthouse suite, one great strategy for you road warriors is to choose a hotel chain that offers rooms/suites with kitchens or kitchenettes. If you know a nice kitchen set-up is waiting for you, you won’t have much difficulty sticking to your meal plan.

Just have your cabbie drop you at the grocery store on your way from the airport. Once you get to your hotel room you can rest assured that you’ll be able to eat as well as when you’re at home.

If you’re looking for a good hotel chain, Marriott Residence Inns are a nice
choice. You can find other hotels that meet your needs as well. I recommend Marriott because my clients have always had great experiences with them.

Now, if you absolutely can’t find or afford a hotel that has a kitchen or kitchenette, make sure that your hotel room has, at the very least, a refrigerator (most do). As long as you’ve got a refrigerator, you can stock your hotel room with good snacks. My athletes and I pick up fresh fruits and vegetables, bottled water, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, regular cheese, natural peanut butter, whole grain breads and mixed nuts on our way into town and snack on these during our weeks on the road.

Strategy #3 — Can You Ship Egg Whites Next Day?
Here’s a great strategy I picked up former client and current good friend, Austin. This guy is a bona fide road warrior himself and has a ton of great strategies for eating on the road. Instead of going shopping when he gets to town, Austin actually ships his food and supplements via UPS or Fed Ex.
He gets a medium sized cold shipping box, loads it up with ice, protein powders, fruits and veggies, mixed nuts, legumes, meat, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, cooking pans, utensils, shaker bottles and non-stick cooking spray and ships it to his hotel before leaving home.

By doing this, Austin doesn’t need to worry about where grocery stores and restaurants are located. As soon as he arrives in town, he’s good to go—nutritionally, at least. All he needs to find is a gym and he’s set. Again, although the shipping option may seem a bit pricey, you’ll end up saving money on restaurants and the price may work out in the end.

Strategy #4 — The Big Cooler
Here’s another strategy I picked up from my buddy Austin that helps ya’ transport both luggage and groceries simultaneously for shorter trips that might last only a day or two.

Pick up a big cooler with an extendible handle and wheels (much like the wheeled luggage so popular nowadays), put a little partition down the middle, and you’ve got a ready made combined cooler/suitcase that can act as a carry-on. Put your cottage cheese on one side and your drawers on the other!

Strategy #5 — What’s On The Menu?
If you decide to have others prepare your meals for you when on the road, make sure you use Strategy #1 above to find out where the restaurants nearest your hotel are located. Next, visit them on the web for downloadable menus. If they don’t have downloadable menus, call them and ask them to send a menu over to your hotel for when you arrive.

By having the restaurant menus, you’ll know exactly what types of food you can have access to at all times. Also, when dining with a group, you’ll be able to suggest places that conform to your nutritional requirements.

Strategy #6 — You Don’t Have To Order From The Menu
Here’s a hot tip that most people fail to realize. Most restaurants can easily provide a meal custom to your specifications even if it’s not on the menu. So don’t become a slave to the menu offerings. Ordering a specific number from the menu is almost always a recipe for disaster unless the menu is designed for “healthy eating” or whatever the restaurant is calling it. Most normal dishes have too much fat and too many processed carbohydrates for most body-conscious individuals.

Instead of ordering an item directly from the menu, either ask for an item that you like prepared without the sauces or high carbohydrate portions or simply ask for a portion of protein and a few servings of vegetables and fruit on the side. Remember, you’re paying top dollar for your meal and you’re about to tip your waitress. So don’t feel bad asking them to meet your needs, uh, nutritionally, that is.

Strategy #7 —Protein and Energy Supplements
Using some combination of the strategies above, you should be able to ensure that good meal options are always around the corner. But sometimes when you’re on the road it’s impossible to slip back to your room or to get to a restaurant.

For times like this, you’ll need to consider a few supplement options.

Tpically, when at home I only use 1-2 scoops of protein powder per day, but when on the road, I may use up to 6 scoops if necessary. Protein choices are both hard to come by and more expensive than other options. So increasing your dietary energy with protein powders is a good fall-back option.

Strategy #8 — Powdered Veggies
Normally, at home, I get about 10 servings of fruits and veggies per day. But when I’m on the road that amount is usually reduced to somewhere around 2-4 servings unless I’m very conscious of my intake. A great way to make up for this reduction in my micronutrient intake is to use a powdered vegetable supplement such as Greens+.

If I’m on the road, these products help make up for the deficit I may be experiencing. An added bonus is that I seem to better digest my protein supplements when adding some greens+ to my protein shakes.

Strategy #9 — Homemade Bars
If you’re not into drinking numerous protein shakes per day, another great option is to bring some homemade snacks with you. In fact, homemade protein/energy bars are a fantastic alternative to the mostly crappy, store bought, sugar laden, artificial ingredient containin’, protein bars.

Strategy #10 — Sleep Pills
Jet lag, time zone changes, unfamiliar sleeping environments, poor nutrition, altered exercise habits, and the stress associated with big business meetings or competitions can all really impair your ability to get adequate rest when on the road.

Following the previous nine steps will help you take care of your nutritional intake. Making sure not to skip workouts will also help. So will the addition of a ZMA supplement. While research hasn’t provided direct evidence to support a relationship between zinc and/or magnesium status and sleep quality, most ZMA users find dramatically improved sleep quality when taking this supplement. Three capsules before bed should do the trick.

If you’re going to be successful in maintaining a good nutritional plan, no matter what the circumstances, you’re going to have to plan for the unplanned and display adaptability to all circumstances. The guidelines included in this article should help get you thinking about how to become a successful road warrior.

SEE ALSO:
For more great training and nutrition wisdom, check out our complete system, Precision Nutrition. Containing system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want — guaranteed.

And what’s more, your online access allows you to talk exercise and nutrition 24/7 with thousands of fellow members and the Precision Nutrition coaches. Find out more about Precision Nutrition.

Order Precision Nutrition now and get $50 off!

Does your diet make you feel like you are riding a roller coaster? It leaves you feeling up or down. Sometimes you are having fun, and sometimes you could just cry! If this is how you feel, get off the roller coaster and on to solid ground!

What you need is not a diet! A diet is a quick fix that sometimes will help you lose weight, but if you get off the diet, guess what, the weight comes rushing back, and sometimes even brings a few pounds with it! A quick fix is not what you need. You need a lifestyle change! You need a plan for your nutrition! Something with a solid foundation that will not leave you feeling like you are going up and down hills!

The first thing you need to do is realize that there is no quick fix that is going to stick with you. What I mean is, you may lose weight quickly, but it is not going to stay that way. You need to have the knowledge of how to eat, when to eat, what to eat and why. Since you are probably not a nutritionist, how are you going to get this information? How can you educate yourself to know how to eat? Dr. John Berardi has created a system called Precision Nutrition that will teach you everything that you need to know about nutrition. He will teach you about what to eat, when, and why. This is not a diet! This is something that will help you change the way that you eat for life! This will not leave you feeling like you are on a roller coaster ride, but it will feel like you have total control of your nutrition.

So, once you have given yourself the knowledge that you need to get your nutrition in check, I would also recommend Gourmet Nutrition. This is a wonderful cookbook filled with great recipes! It is one thing to know what to eat, but if you are like me, you will also need recipes!

Here is a sample recipe from the cookbook Gourmet Nutrition:

Few meals are as hearty as slow-cooked beef smothered in a red wine sauce. For this recipe, we used a bottle of cabernet sauvignon, given its powerful flavor that is able to withstand 3 hours in the Crock-Pot. If you’re willing to part with a bottle of Barolo, it is the ideal wine for this recipe. However, since Barolo starts at around $30/bottle, most of us would rather use a cheap but potent cabernet.

Ingredients

3 ½ pounds boneless chuck roast
1 bottle cabernet sauvignon
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 medium carrots cut into ¼-inch thick slices
3 medium celery stalks cut into ¼-inch thick slices
5 cloves garlic, chopped
Parsley, rosemary and thyme – 1 tsp each dry, or ½ cup fresh parsley, 1 tbsp fresh rosemary and 1 tbsp fresh thyme
Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Divide the roast into two fairly equal pieces by splitting down the center, using the seam of fat as a guide. Trim the excess fat, leaving a thin layer above the meat. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and coat generously with salt and pepper.

2. Brown the meat in a large nonstick skillet over high heat in 1 tbsp olive oil. Remove the browned roast, leaving the juices and oil behind, and reduce heat to medium. Sauté the garlic, onions, carrots, and celery together with the tomato paste. Add the wine, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, and parsley. Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Occasionally whisking, boil for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables break down and the sauce thickens and reduces to about 3 ½ cups. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Transfer the meat and the sauce to a Crock-Pot, cooking covered on high for 3 hours, turning the meat with tongs every 45 minutes.

4. After the roast is cooked, transfer it to a cutting board and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Cut the meat into ½-inch slices, and served in deep plates with sauce poured over the sliced beef.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional information

Tip: How to get the beef just right

For extra tenderness and juiciness, allow the beef to cool slightly on the cutting board, and cut it against the grain in long, diagonal pieces.

Food Fact: Cattle were domesticated earlier than crops in Africa

Archaeologists have demonstrated that cattle were domesticated as early as 9500 years ago in the marginal environments of the Sahara. This is a very early date, and it is particularly interesting when compared to the date of the first domesticated African plants, after 4000 years ago. Fiona Marshall of Washington University concludes that people during this time herded cattle because it provided a predictable resource suitable for a highly mobile lifestyle. There was just too much risk involved in trying to cultivate in arid conditions. So every time we have a nice helping of beef, we can thank the folks in the Sahara who nearly 10,000 years ago figured out a way to produce food that carries itself around.

Want to change your body — while still eating meals that taste this good?

If you want to build the body you never thought you could have, start eating the meals you never thought you could eat! Get over 100 recipes and a no-nonsense nutrition plan that will show you how to make it work in the new ebook written by Dr. Berardi and Dr. Williams, Gourmet Nutrition.

And if you want new great tasting recipes, cooking tips and nutrition strategies delivered to your inbox every two weeks, sign up for a FREE subscription to the Gourmet Nutrition Report.

I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty good to me!  Now, if I could only have a private chef move in and cook for me!

So, check out Precision Nutrition and then Gourmet Nutrition and let me know what you think!

]]> http://www.waystoburnfatquickly.com/nutrition/diet-roller-coaster-ride/feed/ 0