Other achievers

Here are 2 other friends who did the challenge with me.  Look at all the inches melted away!

http://24dc.blogspot.com/

Challenge Complete!

Well, like they say, the results speak for themselves. On the morning of Day 25, here were my results:

Weight: 139.7
Total weight lost: 7 pounds
Total inches lost 10.25!!
My 6 year old took the final pic at 6:30 am so it's not the best but she did pretty good, I think!

Day 22

Well, it's been a while since my last post. I didn't want to get too repetitive and honestly, there were some days that were highs and some that were lows. I fluctuated between 141 and 142 the past few days. (Remember, I started at 146.7) I won't lie. I had moments where I just planned to throw up my hands and give up but I promised to stick through it until the end and so I'm proud to say I didn't give up!
As I have been struggling with the scale moving, my advisor set up a meeting with our Diamond, and he had mentioned when he did his challenge, he didn't see anything until about Day 22 or so. Funny, because after a little falling off the wagon Saturday night (not terribly, just corn tortillas, baked chips and guacamole!), I sort of expected a gain this weekend. I went running yesterday, tracked what I ate on the Lost It App, and I'm SO happy to say I woke up to a 2 lb loss this morning!
I can totally see it in my stomach (I was wearing a fitted tank top yesterday and my husband was like, "Wow you have lost a ton of weight!" so the products are working and so am I!)

I know this is a 24 day challenge but I'm not stopping after 24 days. I've learned to make some GOOD food that is good for you, I'm back into working out and I am really starting to like the way I look again. =). I can't wait until Wed. for the final inches tally because I know that is where my big numbers will be.

Today's weight: 140.6
Today's weight on the new body fat measuring digital scale: 139.8 (I really like this one!)
Starting weight: 146.7
Total weight loss: 6.1 lb.

I am taking Thermoplus 30 minutes before each meal and that has tremendously helped me stay on track and give me the extra energy and appetite suppressant I've needed.
I finished Week 1, Day 3 on the Couch to 5 k app and also tracked my food on the Lose It App. I realized the 24 day challenge is a little too many calories for me and that's why I haven't been losing. I should've added one more snack of fruit but didn't have a chance to.

Breakfast: Green Glowing Smoothie: http://www.kimberlysnyder.net/blog/2009/07/11/green-smoothie-recipe/
Lunch: 3 oz shrimp, 1/4 cup bulgur, Avocado, Tomato, Cucumber (yes I measured it!!)
Snack: Rice Cake and 1 tbsp Almond Butter
Dinner: Veggie "Omelette". Had tons of veggies I need to use so I threw together Spinach, Asparagus, Eggs, Egg Whites, bulgur and some Daiya melts.

Day 15

Well, I wasn't going to blog today because I had a terrible day. I felt so guilty because I felt like I need to be the strong one of my friends and husband since I got them all into this program and here I felt like I was failing. But I decided to blog after all. Because no one is perfect and maybe I can help someone else who goes through this and has a rough day. I don't feel guilty anymore because for the past 14 days I have not cheated one time. I have drastically changed my eating, I have started to workout again and my clothes are starting to fit me. We aren't perfect and everyone is entitled to having a bad day! Today was definitely my bad day...

I was so irritable all day; like woke up grouchy. I didn’t feel good about myself, the Spark did nothing, I was annoyed at being at work..just like a terrible day. I was starving all day and seriously craving carbs. When I got home I just said forget it. I’m done, and I ate like 5-6 handfuls of tortilla chips and like 2 handfuls of Pub Mix (that stuff from Costco that’s all carbs). Afterward, I then I felt totally guilty..So for dinner I had a salad; so obviously I ate too much.

Everyone keeps telling me that I need to not focus on the weight. (It hasn't moved at all) that I really need to focus on the how I feel overall. But after a while, I really want to see that scale move! But then I had to remember, I've only been on this for 2 weeks. When you don't have much to lose, a HEALTHY diet should only be 1-2 lb a week and more importantly, I have felt so energized and getting into clothes that haven't fit me in a long time!  I think I've just done so many crazy diets where I've lost pounds in a day that I'm just used to seeing that.  So, I admit, yesterday I sort of fell off the wagon, but the important part is, that's okay.

Today was  a good reminder that we are all human and it's OKAY to have a bad day. You just have to pick yourself up and remember tomorrow is a new day and you have to try again!

Day 13

Starting weight: 146.7
Today's weight: 141.1
Total lost: 5.6

Day 14

So today I woke up really frustrated because I've had no weight loss. But my clothes fit amazing and I just didn't get it.  Then I had to remind myself, I've only been doing this for not even 2 weeks! And whats more, my clothes fit. So who cares what the scale says! I've changed my life to be healthier and that's the bottom line. I think I got so caught up with what other people have done that I forgot to be excited about where I am. I broke out the measuring tape, and on my stomach alone I've almost lost 2 inches. 2 inches! And read up on any healthy diet and the most weight you are supposed to lose in a week is 1-2 pounds. Otherwise you're at risk for losing muscle.
So, I've decide to stick the scale in the closet and not weigh myself anymore until Day 24. When I put clothes on, I get so excited because they look good. Then I step on the scale and that just goes out the door. I realize I need to focus on where I will be in 24 days, as a whole. Energy, inches, weight and over all wellness. So from here on out, there will be no more weights! I took a picture just to compare my Day 1 to today and I can totally see the difference in my stomach. So that's a victory for me!
I also started the Couch to 5K yesterday and ran again today. So I'm eating better and working out so far on a consistent basis. Bathing suit season, here I come!
Today's weight: 141.4
Start weight: 146.7
Total lost: 5.3

For Dinner, I made a variation of this amazing meal.

It was the best for this warm day! http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_22891_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html

For the beans, I just sauteed the bell pepper, onion and some cumin. Added the rinsed beans and a splash of apple cider vinegar. So delicious!

Day 12

Well, I may get a little boring here as from here on out it pretty much stays the same! I will at least post my meals and give any exciting updates. All is well so far and overall I had a great day!
Starting weight: 146.7
Today's weight: 141.8
Total lost: 4.9
Inches loss-LOTS

7:00-MNS and 3 Catalyst and Spark
7:30-Meal replacement shake
10:30-Banana
11:45-MNS and 3 Catalyst and 1 Thermoplus
12:30-Salmon with legume ragout
3:00-Rice Cake and Almond butter
6:00-3 Catalyst
6:30-Lentil soup with veggies (perfect for this rainy day!)

Day 11

The fat burning stage has arrived! So today started out with Pills...ALOT of pills. I can take some pills but I did have some trouble this morning after all that I took. I'm taking the MNS C (the appetite suppressant) and as each pack is different here was mine:
7:30-MNS before breakfast pack=4 pills, 3 Catalyst and 1 Thermoplus=8 Pills

Now, Thermoplus helps suppress appetite and promotes a healthy metabolism. This pill I did feel! However, I heard it burns calories like crazy so I was for it. I didn't need to take a Spark thereafter because it definitely gave me some energy. So that was a plus! As it's imperative to eat 30 minutes after the MNS and Thermoplus, I definitely had to force myself to eat at 8 am but once I did I felt better.  Today was a great day for me and I don't think I ate enough but the supplements I'm taking sure are working. I definitely am going to adjust the Thermoplus and take it at lunch instead of the morning.
I had some friends over for a girls night of Bunco so no workout today. With this extra energy I'm feeling, I plan to start the Couch to 5K again tomorrow and really get moving.

I had several people comment to me tonight that they can really tell I've lost weight. The scale went up again, but that's okay with me. My pants are loose and I can tell I've lost inches all around, especially in my mid section. I love this program! I even served wine and chips to my guests and had NO desire. I'm motivated and nothing is stopping me now =)

Starting weight: 146.7
Today's weight: 142.2
Total lost: 4.5
Inches loss-LOTS

7:30-Pills
8:00-Meal Replacement
10:30-MNS pack
11:00-Chicken, zucchini and bulgur from last night
2:00-Spark
2:30-Rice Cake, Almond butter, banana
6:00-Taco Salad (no taco though!)

Day 10

Day 10 has arrived!
So, I've had an epiphany today. Well, 2 actually. After doing alot of research for eating clean recipes last night, (and not dreading it, I might add), I have realized that this challenge is so much more than losing the weight. I was asked, and myself questioned, what happens after the challenge? The second I eat a piece of bread is all my weight going to come back? At the time I didn't really know the answer but now I do. This challenge has shown me that how I'm eating completely affects how I feel, and how I look. Yes, I know, that's pretty obvious. But it really took my doing this challenge to WANT to change the way I eat. Yes, of course I will have my moments of pizza and wine and dessert, and that's okay. Life is too short to not enjoy those amazing tasty treats. But it's all in moderation. Eating clean doesn't have to be boring chicken and veggies every night. You can do SO much more if you really put your mind to it and the food can actually taste good but more importantly be good for you. In the last 10 days, I have hopefully started a habit that I can continue. I LOVE the way I feel, I love the way I'm starting to look (my stomach hasn't been this flat in almost 2 years!) and I seriously owe it to the Advocare products for helping me stick to it. Did I mention Spark has seriously suppressed my appetite and given me energy? YES!

On another note. I will say, I did wake up a little discouraged again because the scale didn't budge. And I have not eaten anything off the program. (Look at my meal plan yesterday!). However, I put on a fitted shirt that I haven't worn for almost 2 years (my daughter is now 1 and the year before that I was pregnant!) and the shirt fit and I didn't have rolls or muffin top or whatever you want to call it. 10 days ago I can tell you I could not have worn this shirt. Well, I could have but it wouldn't have looked very nice!

Well, at work today we had a wellness screening and a friend had suggested I go because her numbers came back phenomenal. (She is also on the challenge right now). So, I figured, hey, why not. Let's see how this lifestyle change has impacted what truly matters, the INSIDES! So the screening started with a nice finger prick to check my cholesterols/glucose. Then a blood pressure and body fat check. Once the blood test was done, the gentleman writing down my numbers just kept saying, "Wow....phenomenal...wow, these are amazing results." He then went on to explain them and after seeing for my own eyes how HEALTHY I am, I now have legitimate proof that what I'm doing and the Advocare products are safe, effective, and making me an extremely healthy person. As I was walking away, the man still kept saying how he'd never seen results like that and how amazing they were. So, that my friends is proof, this isn't a fad, this is a way of life to ensure a LONGER and healthier life. Below are my results!

My results in BOLD

BMI: : 24        Although I'm in the normal range, I still have some work to do!

Body Mass Index is a tool for measuring weight vs height. A high BMI rate is just one of many factors for develping a chronic disease (cancer, diabetes)                                                        

                                                         Ranges: Below 18.5= Low

                                                                       18.5-24.9-Normal 

                                                                      25.0-29.9: High (Pre-Obese)

                                                                      30.0 or more=Very High (Obesity)

Body Composition (Body Fat%) : 29        Again, although I'm in the normal range, I still have some work to do!

Body Composition refers to the quality or make-up of your total body mass. Your total weight is a combination of bone, ligament, tendon, organs, fluid, muscle and fat. This is to determine the percentage of fat in the body.                                                       

                  Women Ranges: Age 20-39 years= 21-33%        

   

Total Cholesterol: 155 mg/dl         Ranges: Less than 200mg/dl=Desirable

                                                                       200-239 mg/dl=Borderline/High Risk

                                                                      240 mg/dl and over= High Risk

LDL Cholesterol: N/A    My LDL was so low that it didn't even register!! Woo hoo!    

LDL is the bad cholesterol. Too much LDL can build up in the artery walls and block blood flow. Blocked arteries can cause a heart attack or stroke.

                                                       Ranges: Less than 100mg/dl=Optimal

                                                                       100-129 mg/dl=Near Optimal/Above Optimal 

                                                                      130-159 mg/dl and over= Borderline High

HDL Cholesterol: 59 mg/dl    

HDL is the good cholesterol. Experts believe HDLhelps to lower the amount of bad cholesterol in your body. High levels of this can lower risk of hear attach or stroke                                                          

                                                   Ranges: Avg. Male 40-50mg/dl; <40 mg/dl= High Risk

                                                                   Avg. Female 50-60mg/dl; <50 mg/dl= High Risk

                                                                   60 mg/dl and higher: Ideal

Triglycerides: 59 mg/dl    Once again, mine was low and almost didn't register!

Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body and are a major source of energy. Similar to other fats, a high level may indicate a health problem like cholesterol, weight concerns or diabetes.

                                                      Ranges: Less than 150mg/dl=Normal

                                                                       150-199 mg/dl=Borderline High 

                                                                      200-499mg/dl =High

Glucose: 74 mg/dl    The man asked if I fasted because my level was so low. I did have my rice cake with almond butter but still, my results were as low as if I had fasted!

Glucose is one of the most importan carbohudrates in the body. It's most important function is to provide energy by transporting sugar in your blood. Abnormally high levels could point to diabetes.

                                       Fasting Glucose Level Ranges: 60-99=Normal

                                                                       100-125=Pre-Diabetes 

                                                                      126 and higher=Diabetes

                                    Non-Fasting Glucose Level Ranges: <140=Normal

                                                                       140-200=Pre-Diabetes 

                                                                      200 and higher=Diabetes

7:00-Spark
7:30-Fiber, probiotic
8:00-Rice Cake and Almond Butter
11:15-Leftovers from dinner (bulgur, shrimp, avocado, etc)
2:00-Apple
2:45-Spark
4:00-Banana
6:00-Chicken in adobo sauce (soy sauce, vinegar and garlic), brown rice, steamed zucchini

Day 9

So today's weight stayed the same, HOWEVER I am super excited at the fact that I am most definitely losing inches. I put on a pair of pants today that I couldn't button 2 weeks ago. I don't care as much as what the scale says as opposed to how I look. At least I know for a fact I'm not losing muscle :)

I have to say the most important thing is how I feel..not so much in my clothes (which I feel thinner and people have made comments to me about it) but physically; I feel amazing! I'm not sluggish, my every other word is not, "I'm tired" like it normally is. I'm not hungry or constantly thinking about food (like I normally am) and those feelings can't be bought (until now). I'm a firm believer in the products and even more so like the fact that this isn't some fad diet. This is clean eating with some products to assist in the nutrients that I'm not getting from  food. Those 2 combinations equal a super happy and healthily functioning me!

Today's weight: 141.9
Total weight loss: 4.8

7:00- Spark, 3 Catalyst, Probiotic
7:30-Fiber Drink
8:00-Banana
11:00 (meeting ran late)-Brown Rice Cake with Almond Butter
12:15-(did these close together to get me back on schedule)- Grilled chicken, Salad and Balsamic and Olive Oil
2:30-Spark and 3 Catalyst
4:00-(oops)-Apple
6:00-Shrimp, tomato, avocado tabbouleh (SO GOOD). Amazing recipe. Omitted the Feta and added Avocado.  http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/shrimp-and-feta-tabbouleh-salad

Day 8

So today's weight stayed the same. I was starting to get a little discouraged until I spoke to my advisor who said the AVERAGE weight loss in the whole 10 days is about 5lb. So I'm right at the average as of Day 8 so i'm okay with that. She mentioned the Max Phase is when you see the biggest loss so I'm excited for that phase!
She also said I need to make sure I eat every 2.5-3 hours which I haven't been. I haven't even done that today, so if you're following my meal plans, I'm doing that part wrong! I helped out a friend watch some kids this evening so my dinner was later than I should've eaten. But, surprisingly, I wasn't even hungry! This is a rarity for me!!

So here's today:
7:40-Spark, 3 Catalyst, Probiotic Restore
8:30-Fiber Drink, then about 20 min later 3 hardboiled eggs
~9:00-Banana
12:30- (I had to take my youngest to the Dr and went to the store so here's where I should've eaten earlier) 3 Catalyst
1:20-grilled chicken breast on a green salad with FF Balsamic Vinagrette
3:50-Brown Rice Cake, Almond butter, banana
7:20- Open faced Tuna sandwich. Piece of whole grain bread, tuna from a can, chopped celery, lettuce, tomato, shredded carrots and drizzled some FF Balsamic Vianagrette and Montreal Chicken seasoning. not bad for being thrown together!


Today's weight: 141.8
Total loss so far: 4.9 pounds

Day 7

So considering yesterday was a tough day to stay on schedule, I did okay! I technically gained .1 lbs but whtaever, I'm okay with that. ~5 pounds in 6 days is a great number for me. This morning was a little frantic with getting us all ready and 3 kids for church by 9am but we did it. So, today's eating started out a little off but I think I will be okay. Happy Easter!

7:00-Spark
8:30-Brown rice cake, almond butter and 1/2 banana sliced
12:00-3 hardboiled eggs and an apple
2:30-Handful of almonds
3:30-4:30-nice hour NAP!
6:30-Seared Ahi tuna with roasted broccoli and dipped in Low Sodium Soy Sauce
7:00- Plum (I was REALLY craving something sweet; aka candy, so stayed strong and ate a plum instead)
Today's weight: 141.8
Total loss so far: 4.9 pounds

Day 6

Weight loss!
Today's weight: 141.7
Total loss so far: 5 pounds

Today we are having an Easter party so our eating schedule is a little off..After the party, we decided to order in because we were pooped! Today wasn't one of the best eating days, (time-wise) but considering I need to try to be 90% on, I think I did okay.

6:30-Spark
9:00-Berries, Splenda and chopped raw Almonds
11:00-Brown Rice Cake, Almond Butter and 1/2 banana sliced
1:00-Hamburger patty, bulgur, lettuce, tomato
2:30-Spark
6:00-Tri tip, vegetarian black beans, steamed broccoli

Day 5

So, my blogging every day didn't quite work out as planned. But I'm going to try my best! Today I woke up with no weight loss. I am definitely eating much less and much better than I had been. So that's a little frustrating but I'm still eager to go on because I really love the way I feel. I know this is the cleanse and I'm not taking all the Advocare products yet so I'm excited to keep going. I feel like I'm losing inches and that's what matters most to me.

Jon is getting more frustrated because he has done a drastic overhaul to his diet (eating Clean, not drinking 6-8 Diet sodas a day and no beer!) He's only lost about a pound this far so he's not too happy. But, he's still chugging along and hoping for the best. Other diets he has done (aka close to starving) he'd lost lots of weight by now, so it's hard to not compare.
I remain positive and know I'm doing something good for my body. I think the trick is to not weigh yourself daily. Especially because your weight can fluctuate so much from day to day!

Previous weights:
Day 1: 146.7
Day 2: 144.8
Day 3: 143.1
Day 4: 142.8
Day 5, Today's weight: 142.8
Total loss: 3.9 lb

What I ate:
7:00- Spark, 3 Catalyst, Probiotic Restore
8:30- Oatmeal with cinnamon, Splenda and blueberries
12:00-3 Catalyst
12:30- Chicken Breast, Salad with Veggies and FF Balsamic Vinaigrette from Trader Joes and about 1 tbsp bulgur for texture.
3:40-1 Organic Brown Rice Cake, 1 tbsp almond butter and 1/2 banana slices on top. MY FAVORITE!!!
6:30-Grilled Chicken Breast and Roasted Asparagus (drizzled Olive Oil)

We didn't do a snack as we got home late from Church and decided to just go to sleep

Day 3

Well, I'm back tracking my posts because I didn't get to write them like I planned! So far so good. So here's my general info:

Day 3 Weight: 143.1
Total loss so far: 3.6 pounds

Day 1

I just have to start by saying I love Spark. I'm obsessed with it. Now I know why it's the highest selling product. It is amazing! I love the way I feel and the energy it gives me. It's not the jittery/amped up energy that some other products give, it's a clear headed, fog removed, let's get stuff done energy. Today was not hard at all. Like, really. I thought I'd be starving and grouchy without carbs or meat but I swear Spark just makes me not hungry! My advisor says it has no appetite suppressants in it, it may just be filling some voids I have nutritionally. Whatever it is, I don't care. I also talked to my friends who are doing this along with us and they had the exact same comments. This is a great product and if anything, I will continue using this product even after this challenge.

The fiber drink isn't my favorite flavor. I can down fluids so I just drink it in 30 seconds. Some people have issues with this texture but it was fine for me. Sipping on it is not suggested lol.

The only other surprise was the size of the Omegaplex. Wow those are some horse pills. Jon couldn't do it and then he found if he used Orange Juice he was able to take them. Whatever works!

Starting weight: 146.7

Day 0

Well this is the day before we begin this challenge. We are both really excited and anxious to start. I had our food packed and ready to go tomorrow until I found out through my advisor that we should try doing just fruits and veggies only on Day 1. I'm super nervous about being able to do that as I'm such a meat and carb lover.

Jon and I took our before pictures and took our measurements. I will post those tomorrow..the before picture I may just have to wait on. =)

Tomorrow may be tough, however, I'm bound and determined to do my best on this program and give it my all. Only I can control what goes into my body!
So, I say goodbye to this weight today, and good riddance. Until tomorrow!