The PeaceKeepers

Product Review – Shakeology

2012-03-28T07:01:00.000-07:00

So as everyone knows, I am a bit of fitness nut. I have enough passion for it that not only became a Certified Personal Trainer but also a Team Beachbody Coach. As part of my fitness quest, I have consumed my fair share of protein powders and meal replacements powders (MRP). I’ve been drinking them since them original Met-Rx hit the market. Met-Rx was great but what most people do not realize is that due to cost, when they changed it from the original 2 packet (base and a mix) they also changed the formula.

There are many MRP’s on the market today and as I said, I have tried a ton of them. Since joining the Beachbody team I have started drinking Shakeology. Shakeology is made by Beachbody and sold by itself or as part of challenge packs along with the program of your choice. Believe me when I say this, I am not trying to sell you on a product for sake of a sell. I am a firm believer in telling the truth and representing the truth, no matter what it might be. Even though Beachbody has many programs and supplements, if I feel a client is not suited for them, then I let them know upfront and we look for an alternative. With that being said, here is my review:

When I first placed my order for ShakeO as we call it, I was a little reluctant. Everyone was bragging about the taste, saying it was the best tasting and most nutritious MRP on the market. I’ve tried MANY through the years and have tasted some pretty good products. In order to get a fair assessment, I ordered a mix box which contains 12 Chocolate and 12 Greenberry. The order comes with a recipe calendar with various ways to alter your shakes. I started with plain ole Greenberry. I mixed it with 8 oz. of vanilla Almond Milk. The texture was just great. It was smooth and a really pretty color J. The flavor was a very mild fruit taste. It tasted really good but you could tell that its lightness makes it perfect for accepting other flavors. . . and it does. I have tried a few variations and all have been really good. Now to the chocolate. Normally, I am not a chocolate protein drink kind of person. I find most chocolate proteins to be too rich and too chocolaty with the exception of EAS’ Milk Chocolate protein. Chocolate Shakeology surprised me. It actually had a great taste and texture and comes with some really good recipes. As far as being the best tasting on the market . . . I’m not really sure about that in its natural form but it has some really great recipes that do make it the best I have ever tasted.

The great thing about ShakeO is the nutritional value. It contains all natural ingredients that other MRP’s do not have. For instance Maca, is a natural root that gives you a boost in the libido and can be used in eliminating menopause symptoms. Spirulina, is considered the best overall natural protein source and the list goes on and on. So even if it is a little expensive, it takes the place of an entire meal and brings in nutrients that others do not. Substituting just 1 meal per day can help you lose up to 10lbs.I have to say, I am pleased overall. I give it 4 out 5 stars and recommend it to those interested in getting into shape and losing weight.

NOTE:

For any of you wanting to get into great shape and join my team feel free to open a FREE account at www.beachbodycoach.com/TeddyCrouch and if you would like a free sample of ShakeO send me a message or order it directly (US & Canada only due to import/export laws) www.myshakeology.com/TeddyCrouch

The FREE Account is open to everyone worldwide.

Furthering my fitness goals

2012-03-16T10:59:00.001-07:00

So here I am again. I actually just wanted to let everyone know,that besides being a Certified Personal Trainer, I am now an official Team Beachbody Coach. I'm not writing this to try to recruit anyone. It is for the purpose of letting everyone know that there is assistance and groups out there to help them with their fitness needs.

For those of you who do not know, Beachbody is the creator of:

and many many more of the top exercise programs on the market. Adding this to my CPT status will help me reach more people in the hopes of helping others get into great shape.

If anyone is interested in learning more about all of Beachbody’s programs and supplements simply go to my page www.beachbodycoach.com/TeddyCrouch . Feel free to join with a 100% FREE membership (paid Club Membership is optional) and utilize all of the great tools and support groups.

Also feel free to come join my support group, to help you with your fitness goals. You will find me and other Coaches there, as well as members that Pushing Play everyday. It's the perfect place to get your motivation.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/339436406091716/

I personally plan to try out the new Les Miles Pump that is getting some GREAT reviews.

So if anyone wants to join us then we are here for you. Feel free to ask any questions you might have as well.

Be Safe!!!

Product Review - Vibram FiveFingers

2012-03-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

I thought I would do another product review. This time it is for something that I was really skeptical about, so I feel this makes me an ideal person to do a proper and fully unbiased review. This review is on the Vibram FiveFingers. FiveFingers are the shoes that “started the barefoot revolution”.

Vibram FiveFingers® (VFF) were developed by Robert Fliri and Marco Brimani (grandson of Vibram’s founder Vitale Brimani). They are considered to be a healthy alternative for your feet, when living an active life and not a replacement for all of your shoes.

In August of this last year (2011), while I was still in Southern Sudan, my wife and I were discussing buying both of us a pair of Vibram FiveFingers shoes. I thought they might be interesting but wasn’t completely sold on the comfort level or how I was going to feel about having my toes separated and wrapped. But I thought it might be kind of cool to walk around with that feel of being barefoot. After all, when we were kids we always ran around and played outside with no shoes on and it was great. Plus, I was working in Africa at the time and was reminded that shoes were not necessarily needed to survive. Many of the Africans are still going barefoot and it doesn’t seem to bother them. Believe me the environment over there is much harsher than it is here.

So as my enthusiasm grew I continued to research and saw many different styles, some of which are very odd looking and do not look very appealing but some very cool looking. I also learned the health benefits of the “barefoot” fitness and lifestyle.

Well my wife decided she could not wait for me to get home before she went to buy hers. I can’t say I blame her. It was still over a month away. When all was said and done, she had bought 2 different styles that look totally different. The Jaya were a slip on style with just enough sole to let you know there was something on your foot and the Speed, which has laces like a traditional shoe. (The ones pictured below are the exact styles and colors)

She immediately fell in love with both. Even with how much she seemed to really love her new shoes, I was still skeptical. It wasn’t just the toe thing or a matter of comfort but also sizing a shoe that had to be a precise fit. There is no wiggle room when it comes to the FiveFingers and I mean no wiggle room (at least not for me).

Shortly after getting home in September, I decided it was time for me to get my shoes. I went from store to store searching but could not find any that fit me. Vibram has a sizing chart on their website with instructions on how to properly measure your foot. I followed their instructions and found that my foot had the exact size on the women’s chart but was in between sizes on the men's. This kind of explained why I was not happy with the feel for the few I had tried on the stores. In learning this I decided to just take a chance and order straight from the website. Well you might have guessed it. I actually order from the WOMEN’S section. I’m secure, plus they seem to have more colors to choose from and after all, I had an exact size match, so why would I go with an off size?

After a few days of searching, I also decided on the Jaya. (These are the exact ones I chose)

It took me a little while to get used to them, for the same reasons I was skeptical. When you first start wearing them it is VERY different. They feel like nothing I have ever worn before. It is weird walking flat on the ground with no thick soles but feels so good to do so. Now the Jaya’s are not made for high impact but I enjoy working out in them on a daily basis. At first, I had a little discomfort wearing them for several hours at a time but now I forget I have them on and even tend to hang out in the house with them. I have already decided that I will be getting a second pair this year; it is just a matter of deciding which style and what color.

So it is my opinion that you cannot go wrong with a good pair of VFF. I am a firm believer in them. For more information on them go to their website: http://www.vibramfivefingers.com

Am I too serious about my fitness?

2012-02-28T18:06:00.002-08:00

Well as many as you may know, aside from being a career police officer and international adviser, I am also a certified personal trainer. So many of the articles I write are fitness related. I see my time spent in other countries as a chance to reach my peak fitness level. As many of us know, that is sometimes a huge challenge. Some missions/duties provide us with great gyms and good healthy foods, while many leave us alone with barely enough food to survive. If this sounds familiar to you, how did you cope? Did you just ignore health and throw caution to the wind or did you focus on your goal and gut it out no matter what?

While I was in Sudan, I was faced with the frustration of having to struggle to stay in shape. I loved my job and really enjoyed the people I was working with but food and fitness situation had a lot to be desired. I had only a bench with about 250lbs. worth of weight, 1 – 1 inch diameter bar and a couple of small ones for dumbbells. I was confined to space not much larger than that room needed to hold the bench. My food choices weren’t much better. Everyone else in my camp ate whatever and whenever but with me being strict and dedicated it was a little different. We had to beg for meat to be brought to us once a month or so and had to make regular trips out to the market area for things like eggs, onions etc. Fruits and vegetables were NOT available about 90% of the time in our region. I basically ate the same things over and over for 6 months. It wasn’t easy but it was my choice and I stuck by it.

So how does everyone else do it? One thing I do is go prepared. I take my P90X and bands with me to each mission, just in case I don’t have anything else to work with. I load my suitcase with vitamins, supplements, protein powder and whatever else I need. I remember in Sudan, dragging my duffel bag, which I loaded with 3 cases of water, around after my workout for a nice added burn.

So I am interested in hearing what everyone else does. Am I just the freak that does this or am I the norm?

Are you fitness motivated during your mission time?

2012-02-15T16:03:00.001-08:00

There is one thing that kind of bugs me about living in mission. Well, actually more than one thing but for the purpose of this article, we will say 1 thing.J. When I am in mission I take the opportunity to get into the best physical condition I can. I see it as a chance to focus my energy (negative or positive) on being productive toward something that will not only benefit my future well being but also help keep me alive in the present. I will admit that it sometimes takes a huge amount of drive to do this but once you get that train too moving, it gets easier. Now, I understand that this is easier said than done in some situations.

When I was in Kosovo we had a nice little gym. It was tiny but it had what we needed and served its purpose. In Afghanistan, our FOB (forward operating base) had a makeshift gym that was part weights with few “homemade” pieces and a few treadmills. It worked very well but sometimes there just wasn’t enough to go around. I appreciated and respected the fact that MANY felt the way I did, and saw staying in shape was a good way to prolong their life (especially in a hostile environment). On the opposite side of that spectrum was Southern Sudan. Apparently fitness was NOT a concern and most of the people around me thought it to be pointless. While in Southern Sudan I had VERY LITTLE to work with, so as I always did, I went prepared. Each time I go into a new country, not knowing what type of workout facilities will be available; I take by workout bands and my P90X set. P90x really hit the spot for a good workout to start my day out with.

I know this might be an abrupt end to the story but tell me how you stay in shape while in mission. Is it a priority?

Product Review - Fit Freeze

2012-02-12T13:59:00.000-08:00

Well as I said in the first post, I plan to talk about a variety of topics. As some people know, I am also a Certified Personal Trainer. Besides the workouts, I like to experiment with other things as well. I’m not sure how many of you have ever heard of FitFreeze but I bought 6 pints of it back several months ago.

FitFreeze is a protein rich “Ice Cream” product that makes a lot of claims. To learn more about FitFreeze, visit their site by clicking here.

The first batch we whipped up was in a mixer and it gave me a false result. It was powdery, chewy and not very good at all. The texture was just all wrong.

After getting the blender fixed and being able to make a TRUE serving I learned different. I experimented with a few of their recipes; they were okay but not that great. I found the Pina Colada to be kind of plain tasting but the Mint Chocolate Chip gave me hope for the product. My latest batch has been by far the best. I added a ¼ cup of Oreo Cookies and Cream pudding to the mix and it was great.

I have to say that originally I thought this was going to be a flop of a product but I was wrong. In my opinion, it is definitely NOT ice cream, but it will take care of your sweet tooth in a good healthy way. I still think that it is way too expensive but if you can get past that, it is worth a try.

The PeaceKeepers

2012-02-10T17:08:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

I wanted to take a moment to let everyone know who I am and the purpose of this blog. My name is Teddy Crouch and I am, by career, a police officer. I have 10 years of experience in the states (Arkansas) and about 5 years Internationally. I'm a former Narcotics officer and SWAT member, on top of other duties in my career. I won't bore you on this first post with my detailed history of all my positions or where I have worked or even the duties I have performed in other countries, LOL. I have a lot of stories, some good, some bad but ALL mine.

Throughout this blog, I plan to talk about many things. I welcome feedback from everyone on every topic. This blog is focused around "Peacekeepers" around the world. I'll be posting articles, giving my own opinion, asking for yours and even occasionally selling a few things. In the past I owned and operated an online police supply (part-time) and will have it up and running again. The only difference, this time, will be the supply. I plan to focus on fewer items this year and keep less inventory on hand. I will operate on more of a personal level and less on a business level.

I encourage everyone to keep coming back. This site is going to cover an abundance of topics. Having been on the line in my career and in the trenches, I know there is more to being a true peacekeeper than just being a police officer. It takes police, fire, and military that are dedicated professionals that also strive on fitness and keeping a balanced home life. I hope to explore all of this with the help of readers.

So stick around!!!