Guinea Pig

Well, Here I am again. 30 pounds heavier and trying to get back on the horse back to health and skinny jeans. The bummer about this is, I was 5 lbs away from my goal weight a year and a half ago. Of course I thought back then I still had a lot of work to do. Looking back though, I WAS where I wanted to be. But thats the problem isn't it? We will never be fully satisfied with where we are. Always improving, growing, changing our goals to be better. Many things have contributed to my weight gain over the past year, but in hindsight they are just excuses. Injury, loss, work and stress are all factors. But the truth is, I ate the food that made my body slowly shut down.
It was the point when we planned a family vacation to Dauphin Island, AL that it all shook me aware. The clothes that I bought for our Barbados trip 12 months before no longer fit over my mid thigh. Shirts were popping love handles out of places I didn't know could have them. I am not exaggerating when I say that I lived in leggings and t-shirts and even those were starting to shrink.. I gained 30 pounds in 1 year. I went from 140 pounds to 170 pounds in 12 months.... I'll let that sink in.
Around Christmas I was introduced to a trainer starting his own bootcamp style workouts here in town and I jumped on board. I even joined his challenge for the first 8 weeks of 2017. Determination was my only thought and I jumped in. I was working out 3-4 times a week. Hard workouts. Interval body weight, cardio and weight lifting. I was also trying to work running back into my schedule. I was "watching what I ate". Sometimes logging it into my Fitbit. It appeared that I was doing everything right, everything I knew what to do to get back into my size 8. Not so much. I've lost about 6 pounds since December. Yes I understand, I had added muscle. I take that into consideration. My clothes still don't fit. It's my fault.
I was about to just begrudgingly accept my new fuller body and just buy bigger clothes. Throw in the towel I guess you could say. Until the email came. A friend and old workout buddy contacted me with a vitamin regimen that he and another had worked hard to create. He knew my active lifestyle and workout regimen would be a great accompaniment to his supplements and he contacted me to be a trial customer. No magic was promised me. Just the knowledge he has behind his product that it works. I will shed the "weight", cravings will decrease, and my body will start functioning in the form it was meant to. He provided me with a 30 day supply in exchange for my candid and true testimony to my experience, and that I commit to it for 30 days. So here I am. I'm not great at keeping "food journals" or actually writing everything down everyday, so blogging is the best I can do. Here I will check in every 5 days for an update and photos. I promise, this entry is the longest. So here we go. Day 1. Let's start with Product Review.

The Arsenal

Here is the 3 products that I will be taking for 30 days. These 3 products when taken together are meant to help my body "heal itself" by revamping my digestion. Which will then help with my cravings and help block absorption of all that bad stuff. I will then naturally gravitate and desire healthier food.

Up Close

VitalBoost Greens; Drink 1 glass a day:
Now I wont lie and say I wasn't scared to dive right into this. Obviously its GREEN! and believe it or not, it gets greener when mixed with water. It is also kind of smelly. It is all organic and plant based ingredients, so naturally it reminded me of animal food. I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted it. It has a very mellow and light fruit flavor. No texture, no vitamin aftertaste. Still smelly. I'll get used to that.

Garcinia Cambogia Advanced Slim Factor Formula; Take 1 tablet twice a day:
These look like everyday vitamins. I am to take 1 or 2 of these 30 minutes before my biggest or highest carb meal. I plan to take 1 tablet before lunch and another before dinner. Apparently these specific vitamins Hydroxycitric Acid component is 95% pure and making top of the line.

Two-Per-Day Multivitamin; Take 1 tablet twice a day:
Another average looking vitamin. This holds lots of micronutrients that help your cells create or maintain a healthy metabolism. When coupled with the Slim Factor it should reduce my cravings, specifically for sweets. I will take this at the same time I take Slim Factor.

I am also supposed to keep up my exercise routine, although I shouldn't need to rely on that alone because of this new regimen.
Ok, lets get down to the nitty gritty of my current state. Beware! Disclaimer, I didn't go crazy with measuring every inch of my body. You will notice most of my weight is carried in my mid-section. And, NO, before you ask, I am NOT pregnant. I am tired of being asked if I am which is all the more reason why I am looking forward to this regimen.

The Introduction: 

So there you have it. Me in my most vulnerable form. I chose not to do under wear shots because I won't subject you to that, and honestly, I'm not comfortable putting that out there. I didn't even suck in, against the screaming voice in my head to do so. Here is the stats on paper:

Age: 33

Height: 5'7

Weight: 162.6

Waist:34"

Hips: 39"

So wish me luck. Here we go. 

My new best friend: Meal Prepping

Hello All,
I have tried planning out a weeks worth of meals before. Finding new and different recipes, making the shopping list, forgetting multiple items on said list and returning to the store for the millionth time, making first meal of the week and eating out the rest of the week. So needless to say I was unsuccessful. I have also dieted. Who hasn't?. My last successful weight loss was using the Advocare 24 Day Challenge. 2 years ago, which I blogged about. Recently I jumped on the scale and realized that I am 5lbs away from weighing as much as I did 9 months pregnant with my 3rd child. Now I understand some of my weight is muscle but I know I gained most, if not all of my weight back. So I have been chatting with a trainer out in Colorado and he has helped me think up a general meal plan which includes TONS of protein, complex carbs and fresh green veggies.
Thinking back to my past experiences, I knew I would set myself up for failure if I didn't make my meals ahead of time. I am a busy mom of 3 with 2 jobs. I eat on the run a lot and crave not so great for you foods. However, I have learned that if I have an easy, ready made, healthy meal available I will choose that over McDonalds or a plate of nachos. Enter Meal Prep.
This is my second week meal prepping. Last week ( week 1) went GREAT. I ate good food and felt full all day. It wasn't until recently I realized that I basically cut out everything I crave and never noticed. Cheese ( everything is better when smothered in cheese). Bread, I will eat my weight in bread, especially if it's covered in cheese. White Carbs. and... salt. Not only was meal prep super convenient, but the busy  husband loved it too. So here I am week 2, and some people have asked me to make a quick run down of my general prep. I am by no means a good cook, especially when it comes to cooking clean, so I have Pinterest to thank for most of these recipes. I will include some photos just to make it more interesting. If you are busy, eating on the go and want to eat healthier or just have the ease of supper ready for you all the time, try it! It's worth it I promise! Here we go.

Things you will need:

Menu. Pinterest has some great healthy meals. Make a menu and shopping list. I found if I made meals that had some of the same ingredients then the bill is cheaper and prep is faster. Win.

Measuring cups and food scale: This helps keep your portions in control and helps you fit everything into a container. Portion control is key... so they tell me. 

Tupperware: Lots and lots of tupperware. Think of everything you are prepping. Breakfast, AM snack, Lunch, PM snack and Dinner. thats 5 containers for 1 day. For me anyway. If you choose to just prep lunch and dinner then thats only 2. still, it adds up.

1 Day: All you need is one day. One afternoon really depending on what you plan. Mondays are my easy day, so I have been prepping on Monday. maybe a sunday afternoon would work better for you. just set aside an afternoon, turn up the music and cook!

Ok I'm no pro, so lets get to it. Here is this weeks prep.

Menu: Turkey Tacos, Turkey sloppy Joes, Greek Quinoa salad, and Crab-less cakes( made with left over grilled chicken from last week).

Here is the photo of all the ingredients I am using to prep. A bit more than last week but SO worth it.

I will save you the details of my try at cooking and all its glory, although this week I have to say it's pretty yummy. Basically here you cook everything. I chopped all the veggies, cooked the meat, steamed my broccoli and cauliflower, boiled my eggs. ect. this is the time consuming part. Especially if you are cooking a million small parts to make one large one. I used Quinoa in every meal this week. A salad, in my sloppy joes and a side for my crab-less cakes. I also used Carrots in everything, and the cauliflower is a side and a binder in the cakes too. Catch my drift? Here are some photos of the cooking process.

 

Once everything is cooked and your sink is full of dishes, I suggest using a large space to put
everything on. since I am not a clean cook, my counter tops were non-existent so I have to use my kitchen table. I gather all of the food, tupperware and measuring bits in one area.



Now to putting everything together. Here is where my short attention span comes in. I put together some meals that I planned. But then I get fancy and start mixing things up. Because, well, you can. Do what you want here. just make sure you measure! My measurements are usually 4 oz of meat, 1 cup veggies and 1/2 cup complex carbs. Seems like a lot to me, but it keeps me full. Photos of composed meals. ( not all because I had to run out and buy more TUPPERWARE!)



so thats it. It's really simple. In case you are wondering of the aftermath........

Yep. That is my kitchen.. Told you I'm not a clean cook :) Happy Prepping! and thanks for reading.

I'm Free

So this will be a brief post just to clear my head. I have so many post ideas on health, wellness and my new journey with AdvoCare, but there is something that has been on my heart and mind for a long while. A few times in the past few months, circumstances have made me really think about the type of person I am, the type of person I want to be, and the type of person others see me as. Now, more often than not, those 3 things do not always match, and may not be how we perceive it.
If you have read any of my past posts you are aware that I am SUPER sensitive to how others think of me. I aim to please just about everyone I meet. This can be good or bad, but in my years and honestly the past few months I have begun to just accept who I am and be comfortable in my own skin. I can't always help if someone sees me as something other than what I am trying to be. No longer can I base the way I live my life by others opinions or comparisons. I strive to be Godly, a great wife, a great mother, a reliable friend, a compassionate and kind stranger and a healthy me.
I have had comments made to me that my priorities might be mixed up because I make time to work out, or I'm wasting time and money into my new AdvoCare business.I'm vain for eating healthy and paying more attention to my physical appearance, Or I'm a liar because there are sides to me and my life that not everyone sees.
I do not feel I am any of those things, and it hurts and quite frankly angers me when people make these assumptions about me. I make time to work out to be a better wife and mother to my family, I am happier and have way more energy to play with my kids. I invest the time and money into AdvoCare because I truly believe in the company, what it does for people and I believe it will help me be able to be a stay at home mom soon. I eat healthy to encourage healthy habits for my family, and I pay attention to my appearance for my husbands eyes and no one else's.. And as for the sides to my life that isn't put out in the public that I don't talk about all the time or feel the need to tell everyone about, it's private. Not everything I do with my friends or family needs to be public knowledge, and the pure fact that I don't share those things with everyone does not make me a liar. I don't put on a facade. I don't pretend to be someone I'm not. I don't pretend to lead a life I am not clearly living. If you want to know something about me, ask me. If I feel you need to know, then I will answer you. Most people would classify me as an open book, but because I don't always talk or tell things, this makes me a liar?
I am striving to lead a healthier life style in ALL ways. Not just eating and exercise, but mentally, in my relationships, and cutting off those limbs that do not encourage or build me up. For once in my life I am secure in my faith, my worship, my friendships, my family relationships and in my own skin. I know there are some people out there who will always have a comment or opinion about what I do with my time, I will just have to pray and be content with who I am. I have the support of my husband, my children and my family in everything I do, and that'd enough for me. Thanks for reading and Happy Dropin'

Will you Join the Movement

On March 24th, 2014 I started something that would completely change my outlook on health and fitness. I was very skeptical of AdvoCare. Actually ALL pyramid businesses. I know that these days, businesses promise you that if you buy into their company you will get rich quick, earn this amazing car in 2 weeks, a romantic getaway for 2, loose 20 pounds in 5 days.. How tempting right? I have to be honest and say that I have been that crying lady at a Mary Kay meeting because" Yeah, I'm in debt, the lady talking trippled her income in 2 weeks and I love the that it's 'God First'." I'm not dumbing down Mary Kay, I use their products sometimes, but what they and all the other businesses out there don't tell you, that we forget to tell ourselves is, YOU  HAVE TO WORK AT IT. You will only get out of it, what you put into it.
When I bought the 24 Day Challenge from AdvoCare, I had absolutely no interest in becoming a member. I was just interested and curious to see if I could loose some weight. What I realized out shortly after beginning my challenge was how great I felt. I have done other weight loss programs, and the one thing I remember is how tired and nauscious I felt at the beginning. When you take away all that not so great for you food, your body craves it and crashes in a way, and the effects of that can be quite bothersome. However, I never reached that point on the challenge. I actually had MORE energy and I wasn't wanting to eat the finish off my desk. This in turn, only motivated me even more to keep going. I saw results the first week. REAL results. I know that I would have been super pumped if I lost 10 pounds during the first week, but the truth is, 1) I don't have that much weight to loose, so that's just unrealistic and 2) Most people aren't supposed to loose 20 pounds in 5 days. Healthy weight loss is not a get thin quick game, it's a slow learning process. Because as we all know, in order to keep a healthy body you must make it a lifestyle.
After the 24 Days, it didn't take me long to know that AdvoCare was definitely something I wanted to keep taking. So I signed up as a member. Mainly for the discount I'd get, but once I posted my last blog about the results I had with the challenge, I had so many friends and family show interest in sharing the same journey. That is when I decided, I wanted to do this. If AdvoCare can make me feel this motivated, inspired and awesome, how can I NOT share this with others? And thus, I am now and AdvoCare Distributor. And I am PUMPED! This isn't a business where I have to keep stock. I don't have to sell a certain amount in a certain time. This is a business that will keep me active and living a healthy lifestyle, so I can be a real example for others! I believe in the products, I believe in the results I have personally experienced, and if you have read any of my other posts, you know that I have struggled with loosing these pesky 20 pounds.
I am officially down 10 pounds and still going. I have no doubt in my mind that I can loose these last 10 pounds by the time bathing suit season comes around. That is why I am inviting YOU to join this wonderful challenge and see the real, awesome results for yourself.

Email me for details on how to get started or if you have any questions!!! you will have absolutely no regrets and you have nothing to loose.. But weight!!! Join the movement!
DropinPoundage@yahoo.com

24 Day Challenge: Results

Well, Today is officially my last day. Technically I should be posting these results tomorrow since the challenge will be officially over, and I could still drop a few ounces today, but unfortunately my Grandpa has passed away and we are traveling to Colorado today for the weekend. So here I am, and am I ever excited to share my results.
Let me begin with saying, Advocare does not promise FAST results. They do not promise some magical pill or supplement that will have you dropping 10 pounds your first week like some of the other fads out there. That is because Advocare is NOT a 'fad'. What they do promise that with proper nutrition, exercise in conjunction with their vitamins, you will be able to reach the goals you set for yourself in a realistic time frame. Basically, as with most everything else in life, you will get out of it what you put in it. Of course, you can loose the weight, build muscle, or maintain without their vitamins and other products, but I swear you will be amazed at how much better you will feel, and how much they ease the process. I'm sold just after 24 days of using them. And you will see my results are real and were achieved by eating 3 healthy meals and 3 snacks a day. Not fasting for 2 days, not adding water to a powdered soup packet, and not being overly restrictive. It has helped me train my brain and stomach to eat healthier foods and crave good things in place of the empty calories I used to crave. This is how I know I am not setting myself up for failure. I have truly begun a lifestyle change that I CAN stick to, without feeling alone and deprived. Losing weight and getting healthy is a LIFESTYLE that must be made and kept. So if you are not happy with the journey you take to achieve that lifestyle, how can you expect to stick with it?
OK off my high horse. I am so just excited to have finally jumped on this movement! I am excited to see what more Advocare can do for my personal fitness and share these products with others who want a healthier lifestyle.SO EXCITED!!!
OK results time. My regimen has been the same as I posted before. I can not lie and say that I was 100% angel this whole time, so imagine what my results would have been if I was! I have also been nursing a sad messed up knee. I haven't run in over a week, which is driving me crazy. I was able to take a body pump class last night and my knee seems to be on the mend, but I know I will have to take it slow and really listen to my body. I'm anxious to get back out on the pavement and keep training for that half marathon, and build more muscle. Alright, I will just let my pictures talk for themselves. In a nut shell, I lost 8 pounds and 2 inches in my waist and 2 inches in my hips. 8 POUNDS and 4 INCHES!!! Holy Cow!!! I will apologize for the bathroom mirror selfie's. My before's were taken post workout, the battery in my camera was dead and I was home alone.. So I figured it would be easier to compare the after's if they were taken in the same context. My afters were taken at 3 am this morning, so again I apologize :-)  I am so pumped about what lies ahead.

Jumping on the Bandwagon

Well, I decided to take the leap. I am not sure if I will push this as a business or not, or if I will just use this as a personal gain. I am having such a wonderful experience and success with Advocare, that yesterday I decided to sign on as a member/distributor. There are many great benefits to this decision. The number one reason is because I want to continue using their vitamins and by signing up I get a great discount.PLUS, there is that added bonus for the opportunity to share this wonderful product with others, enhance their lives like it has mine and maybe make a few extra dollars.
So I did it. I signed up, already ordered my first replacement shipment of the products I have fallen in love with over the past 16 days and excited to continue to loose weight. Get healthy and maintain. I'm even going to get my hubby to try some of their stuff that I know he will love.
I have less than a week left in my 24 day challenge. I have lost almost 7 pounds and 3 inches. This is the most progress I have made in ANY attempt to change my life since 2006! if that's not a testimony, I don't know what is. Wish me luck on this new endeavor. If you are interested in trying this for yourself let me know! I would LOVE for you to share in this with me. I still strive to reach my goal of loosing 10 pounds by the end of this challenge. How are you doing on your life changes? Thanks for reading and Happy Dropin'

Seeing Results Feeling AWESOME

I "cheated". Yes it's true. I didn't over do it, and I didn't splurge. But I ate 4 SMALL pieces of pizza Saturday night. It was partly due to convenience and part I just wanted pizza. I felt a tad of remorse after eating the spinach and feta slices, but I also told myself that if I can't teach myself to enjoy pleasures like that in moderation, I am setting myself up for failure. I know it's only 24 days, I could have gone without fast food, but this is where the lesson comes in. I ate it out of convenience.I ran a race earlier that day, and spent the remainder of the day playing outside and doing chores. Completely neglecting to plan ahead for supper, and before I knew it, it was 6:00 and I had 2 hungry kids. I don't think it was enough to completely ruin the work I have done the past 14 days, but will I do it again?.. NO!
I've said it before, weekends are TOUGH! But here is something I learned. If I don't plan, don't eat on schedule and don't keep up with the journal provided, I EAT PIZZA! So a recommendation if you do this, Plan, Follow The Schedule and Keep Track.
Other than this realization, not much has changed. My diet and daily routine are the same. I ran 8 miles yesterday. My farthest distance EVER! Aside from extremely sore knees and an aching body, I feel pretty good! I am now in the 140's!! the last time I was in my 140's was 6 years ago! WHOOP WHOOP!!!
I am officially half way through. I will leave you with my stats:
Day 1                                Day 5                      Day 8                                Day 15
155.8 lb                            154 lb                     151.8 lb                             149 lb
H- 37"                              H-36"                                                                H- 35"
W-33"                              W-33"                                                               W- 32.5"
I'm seeing results!!! you will too! If you're on the fence, JUMP!!! I'm convinced I will stick with Advocare for sure!! I can't wait to see where I am on day 24!!! Thanks for reading and Happy Dropin'!