Same day, feeling better...

So I got my workout in today and I feel much better for it!  Plus, I did some yardwork and housecleaning so that helped.  Thanks Amanda and Becky for your posts and words of encouragement.  I value your opinions and you all keep me motivated daily!  Yeah, the schoolwork was definitely a do or die thing the past 3 days, but would not have been had I focused on getting it done gradually, daily, instead of trying to cram 4 assignments for each class (8 total) in 3 days time, when they are supposed to be done 1 each class per week!  My bad!  Anyways, you already know my breakfast/lunch today...  Dinner is Fuze Cranberry Slenderize drink, salad no dressing, my "mock" spaghetti but no sauce, and an apple...  "spaghetti" cooking as we speak!  Bummed that I am out of cucumbers as that sounds good tonight too.  Oh well!  Snack for later, while watching American Idol will be 3 Tbs. soynuts (my new fav snack).

Three days of forced laziness and my body is FEELING IT!!!

For the past 3 days, I've been forced to sit at my computer and catch up on my school work.  I knew that if I didn't, I would fail my courses.  I've had soooo much energy lately that I'm in near constant movement, which is good for my weight loss efforts but detrimental to my studies.  I simply could not get myself to sit down long enough to focus on my school work.  So I took Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and FORCED myself to stay put until my schoolwork was caught up.  Now, I feel so sluggish from not getting the exercise that I am used to that I feel right back at square one.  I'm going to have to find a way to incorporate the studies AND the exercise time. Unfortunately, that means changing my entire routine around which, with my bipolar, will upset my sense of stability.  So many setbacks in life... UGH!  So, here it is 3pm and I was up until 4 am doing my schoolwork and I feel DRAINED, mentally and physically.  My "breakfast" wasn't even until 2 pm, but it did consist of hb egg, chicken breast and avacodo mix, and a small clementine... so I am considering that both Lunch and Breakfast.  At 4 pm I will incorporate what I hope to be a regular workout time.  Here's my thoughts on the schedule:

8am -- Breakfast and pills
8:30a- Housework (cuz I can't function if my house is dirty)
10am-First workout of the day, 30 minutes Wii Active
11am-schoolwork
1  pm-Lunch (or snack depending on hunger level) and pills
2-4pm-gardening/yardwork
4 pm-2nd workout of the day, 30 minutes Wii Your Shape by Jenny McCarthy and/or weight training
5:30p-Dinner and pills
6-6:30p-Bike ride (weather permitting)
6:30-7p-work on crochet/knitting projects
7-8pm-more schoolwork
8pm--Bedtime, and evening pills which I would then be asleep by 10pm

For those of you that know me, I HAVE to be regimented or nothing gets done.  For those of you who don't know me, now you know.  Becky, please check over this and let me know if I need to have this schedule for M-W-F and incorporate a different workout schedule for muscle confusion on the off days.  Sunday will be my only "lazy" day.

LAST DAY OF THE 24 DAY CHALLENGE:

Still feeling absolutely great.  Not as much actual WEIGHT loss, numbers-wise I only lost 8 lbs.  BUT inches lost is a whole other story.  I lost a total of 18 inches overall from my body, mostly in the thighs, hips, and waist which is where I needed it the most.  So, all in all, I am very pleased with my results.  I'm going to continue taking the Catalyst, Zzz, reintroduce the Omega Complex, finish the meal replacements, the Spark, Oasis, my green tea pills (not advoCare), and continue on my exercise circuit for a month.  Then I'm going to do the 24-day challenge again.

Oh, ouch! I want to lose weight in my butt, not have it CHEWED off....

Well, I just got my butt chewed out by a personal trainer for taking AdvoCare!  She says to plan on spending $$ for the rest of my life if I am going to rely on that.  WELL...  here's how I see it:

A.  I don't rely on it, it is a boost.

B.  a PERSONAL TRAINER costs upward of $15-20/hour,  MY personal trainer on my Wii Active is free and kicks my butt just as hard.  Junk food and cigarettes (which I no longer buy ANY of) costs a bundle.  So I'm actually saving money.

C.  I workout just as hard as anyone who is NOT taking supplements
                           and
D.  My sedentary lifestyle is now VERY ACTIVE... so HOORAY FOR ME...

E.  and most importantly....  IT'S MY MONEY!!!!!!

AND THANK YOU ADVOCARE FOR GIVING ME THE PUSH I NEEDED!!!!!!

3 days left of the challenge:

I'm on day 21 of the 24 day, so I guess including today is 4 days left.  Still feeling absolutely fantastic!  I've noticed the scale being stuck at 160 for the past week.  Hoping it goes down next week, but for now the clothes are still fight better, I have way more energy, and my measurements are also going down.  Did measurements this week, along with weighing.   Here are the results:

3/24/11
R. ankle 9  L. 9
R. calf  13  L. 13 3/4
R. knee 15 1/2 L. 15 1/4
R. thigh 22 3/4  L. 22 1/4
hips 42
waist 32 3/4
bust 37
R. upper arm 12 3/4  L 12 3/4 (hey, they match YAY!)
R. L. arm 8 3/4  L 9
neck 12 1/4

3/19/11 (JUST 5 DAYS AGO!!)
R. ankle 9 1/4  -1/4  L. 9  stayed the same
R. calf 13 3/4 -1/4  L. 13 3/4 stayed the same
R. knee 15 +1/2 (that's odd)  L. 15 + 1/4
R. thigh 25 -2 1/4  L. 25 1/4 -3 (I KNEW it, I can see a big diff in my thighs)
(note for above...  probably from all the squats on the 30 day Wii challenge)
hips 43 -1
waist 36 -3 1/4
bust 37  stayed the same (thank God.  Don't want to lose that)
R. upper arm  13 7/8 -1 1/8  L. 13 5/8 -1 1/4
R. lower arm  9 -1/4  L. 9 stayed the same
neck 12 1/2 -1/4
GRAND TOTAL OF OVERALL INCHES LOST: -9 3/4" 


ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.....  that was only in 5 DAYS!!!  I wish I would have taken my measurements right BEFORE the 24 day challenge!!  But I didn't think of it.  So, it's been 30 minutes and I'm going to drink my "Almond Joy" (for those of you who haven't been following, that's my advoCare chocolate meal replacement and 1/4 tsp. of almond extract!)

Zzz kicking in now, so this will be quick...

Still feeling great!  My scale isn't showing #'s going down, but my energy level is still through the roof and my clothes are fitting better.  Real quick:  Breakfast=meal replacement shake, and grapes
                                                         Lunch=strawberries, lettuce, tomato (3 grape size) no dressing
                                                         Snack=trail mix
                                                         Dinner=1 chicken breast (boneless, skinless) cooked on the grill,
                                                                     stouffer's spinach souffle (however you spell it) cooked in microwave.
I'll post more tomorrow, before I fall asleep right at this computer.  Gotta love the Zzzz......

What a fabulous night and day!

Hannah-banana and Noah-bologna spent the night last night.  We played Wii for HOURS and made some bracelets and key chains, then watched a movie until they fell asleep.  This morning, I let them plant some hummingbird flower mixture seeds in a pot for their mommy, and some plastic starter pots that I had laying around.  Then we played more Wii.  I definitely got my exercise today.  Tomorrow is 3 miles on my bike, along with my Wii Active 30 day challenge and my Flexbelt.  Breakfast today was my "Almond Joy" meal replacement drink and grapes.  Then I got real busy with the kids all day and kinda skipped lunch.  Snack was a mixture of sunflower kernels, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and almonds.  Dinner was salad with cherry tomatoes, hard boiled egg, onions, and diced avocado.  Got to get on seminar, but I'll be back tomorrow, of course!!!.....

Wish it were tomorrow already!!!

I can't wait for tomorrow to come...  For one thing, I picked up my almond extract today at the store so when I make my chocolate meal replacement in the morning, I'll put about 1/4 tsp of that in it and it tastes just like an Almond Joy candy bar with none of the guilt!!!  yummy!!  Plus, my friend's kids are over spending the night and we are going to garden tomorrow.  Tonight, we are going to play Wii.

Measurements today!

Ok, so these measurements are going to sound HUGE to most of you, but I'm happy about them and I'll tell you why at the end....

3/19/11:


R. ankle:  9.25"  L. ankle:  9" ?? odd
R calf:  13.75"  L. calf:  13.75"
R thigh: 25"  L. thigh:  25.25  ??  odd again ??
hips:  43
waist:  36
bust:  37
r. upper arm:  13 7/8"  L. upper arm:  13 5/8"  it's just me or anyone else see L/R halves not matching???
R. lower arm 9  L lower arm: 9
Neck:  12.5
weight:  161

OKAY, THAT'S YUCKY...  BUT NOW FOR THE GOOD PART:

1202/10:


R. ankle: 10"  L. ankle: 10.25"
R. calf: 14"  L calf:  14"  (hmmm... it was the same then???)
R. thigh:  25.25" L. thigh:  25.25"
hips:  45"
waist:  40"
bust: 38"
R. upper arm:  14  L. upper arm:  14.25
R. lower arm:  9 L. lower arm:  9  no change there for either one
Neck:  13
weight: 180

So, as you see...  even though I have a really long way to go, I have lost 8.9" and 20 lbs. overall!!  I am very happy about that.    Now for the goal measurements:

GOAL MEASUREMENTS:


R. ankle:  7" and same on the left
R. calf:  9" and same on the left
R. thigh:  20 and same on the left
Hips:  34
waist:  26
bust: 36
R. bicep:  10 and same for the left
R. lower arm: 8 and same for the left
neck: 10
weight:  between 115 (first goal)  110 (ultimate goal)

MY VOW TO MYSELF IS THAT I WILL ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES:  PLEASE!!! CLICK TO FOLLOW ME TO HELP ENCOURAGE ME ALONG THE WAY!!!!!!!!  I NEED ALL THE MORAL SUPPORT I CAN GET!!!

Very quick post....

I am extremely tired right now.  I have been running since 8 am yesterday morning, as well as doing schoolwork.  So, long story short....3/17:  BREAKFAST:  meal replacement shake, Spark, strawberries
                                            LUNCH:  Spark (heated, yummy!), melon balls, almond/sunflower seed mix.
                                            DINNER: Cod packet-cooked on the grill with pineapple sage leafs, asparagus,
                                                             and salad.

                                  3/18:  BREAKFAST:  Spark (heated), hard boiled egg,
                                            LUNCH:  Spark, Meal Replacement (chocolate)
                                            DINNER:  lean pork roast cooked out on the grill (2 oz.), "Mock" spaghetti (my                                                           own recipe that is made with spaghetti squash for the "noodles" and the sauce is fresh tomato, basil, minced garlic, minced onions, and 1 tbls. olive oil pureed together in a food processor).  Very, very healthy!


                                  

just LOOK at the difference a year 1/2 and being unhappy does to a body....

Although I was by no means thin or healthy, this pic (with my friend's baby) is me at 145 lbs.  This was 2 years ago (nearly).  Then I got back with Jeff and was miserably back with him for a year.  The pic with the red shirt is me now (even AFTER losing weight recently).  Just goes to show you what life can do to you if you let it....  I'm very upset with myself for letting myself go!

AND EVEN MORE UPSET WITH HIM FOR ONCE AGAIN MAKING PROMISES HE NEVER INTENDED TO KEEP!!!!!

Just as I feared....

So days 12 and 13 went smoothly.  However, as I had feared, I am NOT losing the pound/day as I was during the cleanse.  Rather than letting this discourage me, I am switching to weekly weighing instead of daily.  As my good friend and advoCare advisor, Becky Edwards, pointed out it took years to gain the weight and it's not going to come off overnight.  It will, however, come off in weeks rather than years!!!  Thank you, Becky, for keeping me motivated and on track!!!

Tuesday~Day 11....

Ok, so in addition to the regular exercise I've been getting (walking, biking, Wii, gardening, Flexbelt), I did "baby leg lifts" like I used to when my boys were babies.  For those of you who do not know what that is, I lay down on the floor, put my knees to my chest, put the baby (8 mos old and weighs approx. 15 lbs.) on my shins.  Then, hanging onto the baby of course, I lift my shins up and down, bending at the knees.  The baby has a BALL (laughing the whole time) and I get a great work out!  Then, I did "baby bounces" with the baby.  THAT one is when I sit on the edge of the couch, sit the baby on my knees and bounce my legs up and down, like a pony.  Another fun time for baby and workout for me.  With that one, it's important to keep your toes on the ground and bounce with your feet to lift the weight.  It works not only the thigh muscles, but also the calf muscles. I also added the resistance band to my nightly routine to work my arm muscles more.  That "before/during" pic that I posted the other day freaked me out!  I'm still a lot heavier than I even realized.  Breakfast today was an apple and a hard boiled egg, with my during pills.  I took the pre-pills 30 mins prior to eating.  I had an Oasis as well.  Lunch was 1 celery stick w/guac, 2 small (about 2 oz. total) b/s boiled chicken tenders no breading/sauce. For dinner, I had 1 turkey burger cooked on the grill with no bread/roll or sauce, steamed broccoli, and 2 slices of dried mango.  During these 14 days of the program, I will be taking pre-meal pills 30 mins prior to Breakfast and Lunch as well as during-meal pills WITH breakfast and lunch...  that will be consist daily so I will not repost each time on that.  Each evening will be the Zzz and with each dinner will be the 4 (not six because I get 2 during the day) of the Omega-3's.  I've bought a dry-erase board for on my fridge to check off each time I take them, so I can't forget.  Water, of course, remains at 64-80 ozs. daily by itself with additional water used for the Spark and Oasis drinks.

As promised, my pink rose bush already in bloom.....

'Til tomorrow then......

Last day of the cleanse.... Day 10

I'm a little nervous, as today is the last day of the cleanse process of my 24-day challenge.  The reason I am nervous is because starting tomorrow, my system will no longer be flushing itself out.  I am starting Day 11, with pre-meal pills, during meal pills, and still taking the Omega-3's at evening.  I am also still going to be taking the Catalyst.  I have been steadily losing a pound/day and I don't want that to stop.  I plan to increase my exercise even further to make sure that my weight loss stays steady.  I am starting to look a lot better, and I FEEL tremendous!!  The energy level feels like I did when I was in my early 20's, and that is saying a lot, because I am 43!!!  Today's breakfast consisted of melon balls, an apple, and an egg white.  Lunch was a piece of celery with my homemade guacamole on it and 3 tbs. of dried fruit w/pumpkin seeds.  Dinner consisted of 4 oz. of b/s chicken breast and steamed broccoli.  Snack was 18 grapes.  I have also been taking Zzz every night 60 mins. before bedtime and I am consistently getting between 8-10 hours of sleep!  Advocare and Becky are quickly becoming indispensable to me!!!!  On the gardening front, my cucumbers (both the climbers and the bush ones) are starting to pop through the soil, as well as the peas and 2 of my tomato varieties.  I picked my first ripe strawberries today.  Those are part of my breakfast tomorrow!!  Nothing like garden fresh fruit!  Tomorrow's post will include a picture of my rose bush (the pink one has SEVERAL roses on it~gorgeous!)....

Past bedtime, but quick post

Very proud of myself.  Walked 4 and 1/2 miles today through town and beyond.  Terrain was varied and it was up and down hills.  I was exhausted and exhilarated all at the same time once I got home!  For lunch I had celery sticks with my homemade, very healthy guacamole, and melon balls.  For dinner, I had boiled chicken breast and boiled sweet potato and two more celery sticks.  For snack, 15 almonds, 1 tbs. dried berries, and 2 slices dried mango.  Good night all, very tired tonight.

So, yuck... "before" picture....

Had a huge letdown yesterday in my personal life, but I'm not letting that stop me from continuing to be motivated.  Oasis to the rescue, yet again!  Love that stuff!!  Down another pound.  Here's a "before" pic that is kinda actually a "during" pic because at the end of December, my stomach stuck out past my boobs!  Gotta laugh at myself, or I'll cry!  Still SOOOOOO much to do to get where I want to be.  Gotta work more on those arms too.  Been concentrating on the stomach/lower body areas....

Oops... missed posting for 3 days

Sorry, all...  but to get you up to speed, still steadily losing weight.  I went up .8 lbs yesterday because mother nature came calling.  Which, usually at that time of the month, I gain anywhere from 3 to 5 lbs without fail.  This time was only an eighth of a lb so I'm pretty happy about that.  Then today, not only is that .8 lb gone, but also another lb.  Almost down into the 150's now!!  So happy.  Energy level still through the roof!  Stopped drinking coffee because I don't need the caffeine with all of the energy I have, but I love the taste of it, so I bought some decaf instead.  I don't put any creamer in it and use 1/2 pkt of Truvia.  I put on a size 9 pants yesterday!  They fit and zipped up, but after about 1/2 hour felt too constricting.  Next week, I'll be wearing that size.  I'll stick with the 10/11 for now.  Size 12 and size 14's got put away as I had to keep pulling them up and it was uncomfortable!!!  YAY, ME!!!  Anyways, Day 5 - 7 consisted of all of the advocare products I'm supposed to have along with tons of water, fruit (melon balls, watermelon, apples, strawberries, and mandarin oranges), Spark, Oasis, salad, 1 chicken breast per day grilled on the grill outside using mesquite charcoal and seasonings, steamed vegetables, and for snacks a handful of nuts and dried berries.  Breakfast yesterday consisted of oatmeal with almonds and a tsp. of flaxseed in it.  I've been trying to take flaxseed once/day also.  Breakfast today (Day 8) consists of fiber drink, V-16 (which taste almost identical to Sunny D to me), and 30 mins later, oatmeal with blueberries mixed in.  Will post more later.  Going to try to post at night time, like I was but will go back to daily posting as it's too hard for you all to distinguish what was eaten/supplements taken, etc. when it's all blogged into one post.  Til later then....

Day 4~Monday..... also day 4 of no smoking :)

Loads of energy still.  Last night was a bad night due to unwanted phone calls in the middle of the night, but thanks to Oasis from Advocare, the stress and tired feelings went away.  Did 3 hours of gardening today, putting in my rose garden and fencing.  Breakfast was Oasis and Spark and oatmeal with dried berries and almonds in it.  Lunch was a cucumber, some almonds, and a hard boiled egg for protein.  Dinner consisted of tilapia cooked on the grill using hickory charcoal~yummy, steamed peas, and romaine lettuce with balsamic vinegar on the side.  I took my 5 omegaplex at dinner time and my 3 fiber pills 30 mins. before breakfast.  Feeling great!!!!  I am NEVER hungry! But I do force myself to eat or the 24 day challenge is not going to work the way it is supposed to.  Need the calories for my metabolism to get--and then stay--in gear.  Trying my Flexbelt for the first time tonight, as it arrived in the mail today.  I'll tell you how my abs feel tomorrow.

Bringing you all up to date.... Days 2 and 3 of 24 day challenge

I missed posting for the last 2 days.  Doing, and feeling, absolutely fabulous on the 24 day challenge.  The energy level I have feels like I'm a teenager again.  I found out through my friend and advocare advisor that I was doing part of the program wrong.  I was taking the pre-meal pills and those don't start until the 11th day.  Thank you for catching that so quickly, Becky!!!!  Also, I needed to be taking 4-6 of the Omegaplex with dinner.  So all is corrected now.  For the past 2 days, B-L-D has pretty much been the same so I'll condense.  Breakfast=fiber drink, fresh fruit consisting of melon balls, apple, and canteloupe, advocare Oasis drink~yummy blueberry flavor.  Lunch=trail mix, dried berries, hard boiled egg, advocare Spark (fruit punch flavor).  Dinner=steamed peas, dried apricot, romaine lettuce w/tomatoes, and chicken breast. And water, water, water, water,.... all throughout the day.  Day 2 I babysat for a 10, 5, 8 month, and 2 month all at the same time and cleaned the house while I was doing that.  Then I came home and gardened, which included mulching and laying soil beds, so heavy lifting. Day 3, I walked a mile and rode my bike a mile, gardened some more.  Still waiting for my Flexbelt to get here.  Should be any day.  Today's fish day as I am going to strive for fish or tuna 3 times per week.

Since weight loss journey began, STATS SO FAR:    Down 19 lbs. and 2 pant sizes.

Since advocare 24 day started:  STATS SO FAR:  Down 2 1/2 lbs. in 3 days!!!  Energy level thru the roof!!!!!

3/4~24 Day Challenge Begins:

Day one of my 24 day challenge (Advocare)  Starting weight 164 lbs. 8:00am: For breakfast, I took my pre-meal pills 30 mins. b/4 eating (I will be doing this throughout so I won't repeat).  Then I had fresh fruit consisting of 5 strawberries, 1/8 of a honeydew melon, and a cup of watermelon and a fiber drink, along with the "during meal" pills.  Also, 16 ozs. of water.  I didn't even BEGIN to get hungry until 2pm, so: Lunch was advocare meal replacement shake (chocolate) and 16 oz. of water, along with my pills.  It is now 5:44pm and I am not feeling the slightest bit hungry so I'll wait til 6:30 to have dinner which will be:  salad w/tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and balsamic vinegar; chicken breast cooked out on the grill using seasoning only, no sauces or oils; and steamed broccoli.  I KNOW that I am not getting nearly enough calories, but I am seriously not even the slightest bit hungry and I have so much energy right now!!!  I'll also be consuming about a gallon of water per day so I'm not going to list that with each meal either.  Suffice it to say that I will be drinking NOTHING but water unless it's a meal replacement drink.  Still waiting on my Flexbelt to get here.  Would have thought it'd be here by now but neither is my yarn that I ordered the same day so, possibly tomorrow.  Got the rest of the stuff for my gardening.... pink Mandevilla, pink roses, white marble to put around my baby trees, rose gardening soil, topsoil for the vegetable garden, white fencing for along the flower beds and solar lights to put up the walkway.  Needless to say, I have my work cut out for me tomorrow.  But gardening is such a joy to me that "work" is not the right word for it!  'Til tomorrow then......

OK, NOW I'M ARMED AND READY......

Wii Fit... check
Advocare 24 day challenge... check
Flexbelt for abs.... check
Bike.... check
iPod Shuffle... check
Motivation.... check
Happy.... YOU BET!

I am sooo BEYOND motivated now!!!  I can't wait to get bikini beach body ready!!!  Told you 2011 was my year!!!  LOVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST RIGHT NOW!!!!