Guest Post from Barbie Brooks

This month, we're honored to have Barbie Brooks writing for our blog. Barbie offers some ways to stay healthy this holiday season and gives you a jump start on your New Year's resolutions.

Seasons Greetings!

When I think about the holidays, two things come to mind: Stress and Excess. One leads to the other. To relieve stress, most people end up eating too many so-called "comfort" foods and drinking too much alcohol. Both of these methods do not eliminate stress, but cause more!

The way to combat stress and excess is actually very simple: Eat right and exercise... The only problem with this "simple" statement is that most people don't know what is healthy. I mean, did you know corn isn't a vegetable, but a grain? Tricky marketing makes you think you're eating more vegetables than you are. Plus, with so many studies coming out contradicting the last healthy study you read, it's hard to know what to believe and who to trust.

With that being said, I say simply this: Use your head. Do what you know.

We know protein is necessary to repair and build muscle as well as maintaining normal blood sugar levels (which help you to avoid the junk food cravings). We know complex carbohydrates are necessary to give you energy, ensure proper brain functions, and the fiber will help your insides running smoothly and able to better absorb nutrients into your system.

What are "good" complex carbohydrates? Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and potatoes are a good place to start. Just keep them in their natural state as much as possible. What are some good protein choices? Egg whites, lean cuts of beef, chicken, fish, and low fat dairy, like whey protein isolate. I recommend whey protein over soy protein due to research indicating the increased estrogen levels associated with eating soy products (especially in men). If we want to build lean muscle and burn fat, we do not want our estrogen levels to go up! A high quality whey protein (like that found in Better Whey yogurt) can help repair your muscles giving you that toned, defined look, and keep your hunger levels down. This will help you avoid the holiday sweets and festive cocktails. Imagine yourself actually losing weight during the holidays~ That is so much better than grandma's pound cake!

To deal with holiday stress, make a little time in your day to clear your head- even 20 minutes can make a huge difference in your mind and body. When you do your cardio exercise, you may want to eat a little protein and carbohydrate about an hour beforehand. When you strength train, you want to eat protein with a little carbohydrate within 2 hours after working out. How much protein depends on your size, sex, and goals, but getting at least 15g is greatly beneficial post-workout.

So readers, I challenge you this holiday season to take more time for you. Think about yourself, your goals, what you're eating and what exercise you can do that's fun and makes you sweat. New Year's resolutions can begin today! Every day, every meal, every step will bring you closer to becoming the person you were always meant to be!

In Health,

Barbie Brooks

Note: Barbie is a Personal Trainer at a premier Chicago Health Club, FFC Halsted Street.

E-mail: BBrooks@ffc.com

Website: http://www.fitnessformulaclubs.com/

The Power of the Unexpected Thank You

Last week, I felt the shear enormity of this business that my team and I have undertaken. I was at our plant in (no-cell-zone) Wisconsin checking yogurts as thousands came off the line. My team back in the office received notice that we had our first off-shore order (okay -- it was Hawaii). My marketing agency was in Southern California sending me pictures of the product on the shelf. And I was learning through Twitter that our product was moving so fast in NY that stores were out-of-stock! My mind was spinning 1000 miles a minute. Every once in a while, though, something would happen that would make me pause and smile. And those were the unexpected "Thank You's". 

The number of "Thank You" emails from consumers are ever-increasing. And for this I am very very grateful. While I welcome all feedback, I will admit that "Thank You" emails are touching and energizing! I hope that our responses to your emails demonstrate the deep appreciation we feel. Here is a reprint from one of my favorites from today...

Subject: THANK YOU

Yea!! JUST WHAT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR!!!

 

I was at Whole Foods Naperville yesterday and came across the BetterWhey yogurt.  15g of WHEY protein and only 14g sugar - just what I need as part of my post-workout breakfast I eat at the office. 

 

I would love to be able to make my whey protein shake or have some eggs - just not possible at the office. This yogurt is perfect.  

 

I was nervous it was not going to taste good . . . . . . oh, no it tastes GREAT.  (I had the acai mixed berry)

 

9 years ago the Fitness Manager at Buffalo Grove Fitness Center introduced me to Whey protein and he said the is the best source of protein I should incorporate into my diet (I have a ling long battle with obesity).  I bought the Promax protein bars for a while.  I also buy the canister of Whey protein at Whole Foods. 

 

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU . . . . .

 

I will be spreading the word  =)

  

- Chicagoland Consumer and  Wellness Consultant/Training Specialist

A Better Whey For All!

In the last few weeks, our products are reaching farther and wider than I would have imagined! Just this past week, we have had a professional sports team request our products, two major bariatric practices request our products, dialysis patients, and numerous registered dietitions. All this, AND our revenues for Jan/FEb are 2X higher than expected. We are thrilled with our momentum, especially as we go into our next major trade show, Expo West, and begin our first external capital raise.

We want to hear from you, too! Tell us how and why you are using our products!

Thanks Whole Foods! Off To A Strong 2009

15 states, 100 plus stores, and moving as planned! Thanks to Whole Foods, our expansion to the entire Midwest, Northeast, and Southwest Regions has 2009 off to a strong start!

Check out our where to buy page for a retailer near you! And let us know what you think of the product (email me at dmazarakis@tulafoods.com). It's still early, so we are listening and making adjustments accordingly!

Whey Protein Spas – The Next Big Thing?

Today Brian and I had another interview on whey protein and our Better Whey of Life™ brand. This time it was for Food Product Design, a trade magazine whose article is to be published in April.

One of the first questions asked was whether consumers are looking for "back to the basics" when it comes to nutrition or are they looking for healthy, functional ingredients that are more like "bells and whistles" (implying that whey protein is a "bell an whistle").

This question made me realize that it is not well know that whey protein is both "back to basic" nutrition as well as a "functional" food. We all know that I have been touting whey protein's functionality for promoting lean bodies and for helping lose inches around the waist. What you may not know is that whey is a centuries-old cure! Whey was used in Ancient Greece as a reliable remedy for many diseases. Centuries later, Whey Inspired Spas were created in Switzerland, Germay, and Austria in the 1800s. Evidently, they were frequented by royalty.

Since the Better Whey of Life™ brand is about a better life, I think Spas may our next Big Thing! Okay okay...we have to sell some yogurt first :).

If you are interested, you can check out Dr. Mercola's view on whey protein, both its basic nutrition as well as its functional benefits!

Everyone loses!

That's how America's Biggest Loser

touts its show. I just learned that a secret ingredient to aiding these "losers" is the Biggest Loser Protein, made with WHEY protein. "The show trainers and doctors have been incorporating Whey Protein into the lives of our contestants for the last few seasons," says Mark Koops, Creator and Executive Producer of The Biggest Loser. Sadly, The Biggest Loser is a true picture of America's health. Perhaps this is the strongest testimonial yet that whey protein works on everyone from everyday Americans to elite athletes!!!

History Lesson

I thought it might be interesting for people out there to know a little bit about how I came to be here, blogging about A Better Whey Of Life™, my whey protein epiphany, and a cow named Tulabelle : )

It’s a classic “girl meets whey -- girl falls in love with whey -- girl starts her own whey protein business” kind of a story…

I worked for Kraft for eight years, right after graduating from business school in Chicago. I loved my job and always dove headfirst into whatever I was doing. Six out of my eight years at Kraft were spent in the dairy division, and I quickly came to love all things dairy. I’m a huge fan of all the incredible artisanal cheeses available on the market today. The gourmet cheese trend is big right now and I couldn’t be happier…

While I was steeped in the wonderful world of dairy, I learned a lot about whey protein, which is the protein that comes from milk. There was a lot of emerging science around whey at the time (and more and more surfacing these days, too) and I was fascinated by what I was hearing about whey protein’s health and nutritional benefits.

So three years ago, I decided to incorporate whey protein into my own diet to see if there was any truth to the claims people were making.

I was amazed.

Without doing any other exercising (I’ve always been an active person who works out around three times a week) or changing anything else in my diet, I dropped a skirt size within six weeks. This was just by incorporating whey protein into my life! It sounds crazy, I know, but I’m telling you: it happened. I felt leaner, I looked leaner – I’ve been hooked ever since.

I knew right then that someone needed to bring whey to consumers in foods they would want to eat every day. I knew a little whey protein could make a huge impact in the diets of people everywhere.

Flash forward to August 2007, when I left my job to start Tula Foods, Inc. Eight months (and a life-changing event) later, and here I am, founder of my own company, heading into the Great Beyond that is entrepreneurship with my knowledge of whey and a desire to make a difference.

The way I see it, this blog will serve several purposes: it will chart the journey of A Better Whey Of Life™ yogurt (our maiden product!), it will provide a place for me to share my experiences as a start-up, it will hopefully serve as a resource for information about whey protein, and it will give me a place to record my victories, frustrations, and learning experiences throughout this process.

We’ve only just begun…