Tuesday evening I had the pleasure of meeting with some officers at the Forney Police Department. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I stopped by and met with a Captain at the P.D. to talk P90X. He was nice enough to let me come back to talk Shakeology. I brought a couple blenders and mixed up both flavors, and then sat down to talk about shift work, fast food, and exercise.
Before I get into what my conversations entailed, here is a little insight on the culinary options in this town:
McDonald's
Taco Bell
Wendy's
Chick Fil A
Whataburger
Taco Casa
Sonic
Jack In the Box
Chicken Express
Mr. Jim's Pizza
And in a few short weeks, Forney will welcome a brand new Pizza Hut and Panda Express to this saturated-fat filled fiesta. So when the night shift (or the day shift, for that matter), needs to eat on the run, that is what they have to choose from. On Tuesday night, one officer summarized a revised version of the four food groups for me: the fry group, the burger group, the pizza group, and the taco group.
Think about how you felt the last time you ate a big old fast food hamburger. It's been awhile since I've had one of those, but if I recall correctly, I really wanted a nap. Police officers, paramedics, and fire fighters are all people we entrust with our safety; to be physically and mentally sharp in case of an emergency. But that's got to be difficult running on soda and grease.
That is one reason why I wanted to bring a healthy option to the table. I've done a couple Shakeology tastings now, and the reactions to the taste have varied greatly. Most people think that chocolate is pretty good, while the greenberry is a little grassy. But the important thing to remember is that this is a health shake, not a McDonald's chocolate milkshake. I think Beachbody has done a pretty incredible job at jam-packing 70-plus nutrients into an 8-ounce drink that is pleasant to taste. It really is nutrition simplified.
Now, I know what you're thinking, because I thought the same thing. No one is forcing anyone to eat fast food -- they could pack a lunch and bring it if they wanted to. And what makes you think that if they won't bring a lunch now, that they'll bother to mix up a shake and bring it with them? That's a valid point. But mixing up a shake takes about three minutes, and it's convenient to drink on a shift. It's not like they've got to locate a plate, utensils, or mustard. It's my hope that if one of the officers tries Shakeology for 30 days, they'll realize a difference in how they feel. Maybe someone will realize that a meal can be an investment in your health, instead of a detriment.
In the end, the chocolate flavor seemed to be the winner in the taste test, and a few people said they'd like to give it a try. If I hear about any great successes (and yes, even any failures), I'll be sure to share them here.
It's also, something you can do once in awhile. As a flight attendant sometimes I only have time to grab a frozen dinner and throw it in my bag for dinner that night. I figure it's better than the options at the airport - which are strangely similar to Forney's options. Having things such as Shakeology on hand are good for the days you just need to grab and go!
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