24 day challenge day 6: MOVE SCALE MOVE

Up and at 'em at 4:45 this morning.  I weighed. I just couldn't take it. I had to do it. I know I'm still dealing with hormone craziness, but I've only lost 3.4 pounds.  Yes, I know that it's only been a week since starting boot camp and 6 days on the challenge, but I NEED to lose more!! I gained 9 pounds over the holidays so I want to lose all that plus some on the challenge.

Anyways, I took my pro biotic restore, Spark and Catalyst, ate my apple as quietly as possible and headed to bootcamp.  I CANNOT believe I am about to say this, but I am actually like waking up early and going.  The mornings seem to go so much smoother.  It was raining today so our entire workout had to be inside.  It was tough; heavy on the burpees,  but I could actually feel myself getting stronger.  We did 20 strength exercises, then 10 burpees, 20 different strength exercises and 9 burpees, etc.  Now, I cannot do a burpee So It looks more like a squat thrust but I'm getting there! Once that was done down to the last burpee, we started over!!! AGHHHH! 

Once I got home and showered, I ate the quinoa prepared yesterday.  It was just ok. But it's got a good bit of protein and low in calories, so I can eat it.  I had a cancellation this morning so I debated on heading to Zumba just for fun.  But it was raining and I didn't want to overdo it so I came home an cleaned instead. 

For my first snack, I ate one of my baked boiled eggs. I know that in reality it tastes the same, but I just want my boiled eggs boiled.  Lunch was leftover chicken tortilla soup and it was just as good today as last night.  Took 3 of my OmegaPlex and kept on a working. I ate my second snack in the car line to pick up Bennett- a banana and a Drew Brees bar.  These are not cleanse friendly, but it was all I had and I was still hungry after my banana. Better than chips, right?

I have soooo much energy!! The boys wanted to play the Wii and since it was raining outstide, I let them.  I cleaned both bathrooms.  I mean cleaned like scrubbed walls, shower, mopped everything.  It felt so good to have the energy to do it and to have clean bathrooms (for 5 minutes)

For supper, we had sweet potato hash.  It is one of my favorite things to eat on the cleanse. I would eat it every week but Quinn disagrees.  This time he shredded the sweet potatoes instead of diced and he liked it better. I didn't.  That along with a few watermelon chunks and 3 OmegaPlex and dinner was delish!

 



The National Championship game was tonight so that meant that Quinn was out of commission after supper.  He cleaned the kitchen and I bathed kids and got them ready for bed.  After taking my herbal cleanse pills, I laid down and fell asleep with them. 

24 day challenge day 4: I will eat your face!

I have to work today.  It's not ideal working on a Saturday, but it's one Saturday a year. I enjoy the work and the pay is great.  I set up my chair in a conference room at a development company in town and they pay me to do chair massages on their employees.  I started the day running late- you know thinking you have more time than you actually do.  I planned on eating these muffins, but didn't have time so I grabbed a piece of turkey bacon (we used in place of prosciutto because I am cheap like that) and a boiled egg and ran out the door.  Side note, I left my 4 year old screaming "Don't leave me mama!!" That was brutal and didn't add to the stress of the morning.

My eating times were going to be off because the massages were 10 minutes back to back so right before I started I ate a KIND bar. OMG I could eat a whole box.  They aren't ideal but good in a pinch.  I set my water next to my chair so I could take a sip between every appointment.  By lunch, I was really hungry.  They provided me lunch- again not ideal but I knew that going in.  A sandwich from Jimmy Johns. I took my Carb Ease, ate an apple I brought from home and ate the sandwich, forgoing chips and cookie.  I finished the day around 2:30 and headed home-starving.  I. am.  Starving.

I got home and wanted to eat everything in site.  I gave Bennett my chips and Levi my cookie but I HAD to try the cookie to be sure it was peanut free for Bennett to have some.  I ate another apple and some peanut butter. Then had a glass of almond milk.  Still hungry. I made the grocery list for next week and we went to Saturday night service at Church.

I loved church tonight.  Very low crowds (we usually sit with about 900 other folks) But I was hungry so I had to really focus on not thinking about eating afterward.  The message was great and just what I needed to hear.  After church, we headed to Applebees for supper.  I had planned my meal in advance- chicken tortilla soup and a salad but the waitress told me the soup was super spicy.  Scratch that.  I ate some new shrimp and brocolli pasta thing that was in their "low calorie" option.  I ate it all and WAS STILL HUNGRY!!

Next, came the grocery store.  Last week and this week, we have gone shopping as a family on Saturday evening to keep from having to do it on Sunday. We are trying to make Sunday more about family time and less about chores to get ready for the next week.  We spent way too much money, as usual but I feel ready for a healthy week. Got all the groceries put away and guess what? I am starving.  I had another KIND bar and told Quinn I had to go to bed so I would stop eating. Maybe tomorrow I will be full.

24 day challenge day 1: the dreaded fiber drink

Once again, I had a hard time sleeping last night.  4:45 came too soon, but I got up, drank a SPARK and made it to boot camp.  I loved it today!! I don't know if it was the Spark/catalyst combo or just the days workout, but I was in my zone! We did a thing called "plus 1's". For example, we started with 1 push up with rows at the bottom, then did 3 squats with dumbbell raises, and 5 mountain climbers.  The next round we did 2, 4, and 6. We continued this for 7 minutes then went outside to run 1 lap, came back in and did another 7 minutes with different exercises, 3 times through.  I liked that everyone went at their own pace and did their own modifications. We did abs, ran again outside and stretched.  Boy did I feel great!!






When I got home, it was time for the worst part of the advocare 24 day challenge- the fiber drink.  The taste isn't nearly as bad as the texture, and I have a real thing with textures. I have learned in my past challenges to mix it with really cold orange juice and drink it quickly through a straw.  I got it down with very little issue, except for the last little bit.  GAG!! But its done for a day so Yay! PS- the peaches and cream isn't nearly as bad. I try to alternate which one I do each challenge, as one is geared more toward digestion and the other for kidneys. 




Since school started back, I had to get the boys up and ready for school.  They fell asleep super early last night so it wasn't too bad getting them out of bed.  I made my green smoothie and sipped on it while we all got ready- it was amazing!! But pretty high in calorie for breakfast. Luckily, 1/2 a serving filled me up so it was about 200 calories.  It's called a buckeye smoothie and it tasted like a milkshake! As long as you didn't look at it! You can find the recipe here. I will for sure be having that bad boy again! 




Work was great.  Fairly easy day. Ate my snack of hummus and carrots/celery, drank my water, did my thing.  For lunch, I had another shrimp salad because it was so yummy the other day.  I tempted myself by going by the cookie store and picking up both boys a "colossal cookie"  My plan was for them to eat their cookies and I would eat my snack outside when we got home.  Of course, they sniffed out their cookies like bloodhounds and ate them on the way home.  When we pulled up in the driveway, our neighbors were outside.  We love our neighbors, so I let the boys play with their kids while we talked.  Uh oh. I haven't eaten!!! All is good until my little cutie didn't want anymore of his cookie.  I may have finished it for him,  The first day I am already cheating!! Somebody stop me!! Well, we hung out with our neighbors while Quinn grilled chicken and prepared the fixings for another salad. We normally don't eat this many salads, but I am digging the right now, so salad it is! Oh yeah, and mom of the year right here fixed our children a frozen pizza.  I did pair it with some fresh cucumber so I get some points for that. 




I drank my green tea with a shot of apple cider vinegar while I listened to Bennett read.  Any parent out there who has a child learning to read, go buy your kid's teacher something nice.  Right now. It's a painful thing, helping your kid read when he cries every time he misses a word.  Anyway, by this point in the day, I can barely keep my eyes open.  My body hurts.  I'm ready for bed!  It's 8:30...


I succumbed at about 9:00, with only 300 only steps and 16 oz of water left in my daily goal. 

Losing it in 2015

It is no secret that I have fought, and lost for the most part, with my weight.  I started with advocare last year and have done fairly well and getting the weight off. Last fall, I got really serious.  Very long, pitiful story short- a kid in Bennett's class told him his mom was fat.  I hate all the personal issues that come along with being unhealthy; from heartburn to clothes shopping. But this, this was what got my butt in gear.  So, 25 pounds and several inches were lost.

Now, to the present.  I have gained about 9 of those pounds back since Thanksgiving. It always sucks having to redo something you worked so hard for, but it's worth it and if I don't do it now, I will be right back where I started 6 months ago.  So, I have a plan!!

Today, I had an orientation of sorts at Her Strength Boot Camp with Maria.  I have never done a boot camp and this one is actually at 5:15 IN THE MORNING!! One of the things I am convicted of on a daily basis is that I HATE MORNINGS!! I am constantly reminding myself of "his mercies are new every morning" and that in the morning, when everything is still, you can really appreciate the Goodness of God.  But, I still hate them.  I worked out with a friend in college before classes and I literally threw up every leg day.  So, this should be interesting.  But I was thinking it would be a good change up from what I was already doing at the gym and kick me into high gear after the holidays. Six weeks.  Eighteen mornings.  I. Can. Do. It.

I have also hooked up with some pretty amazing ladies in facebook group devoted to Disney fans losing weight together.  I don't know any of them in real life, but they encourage me more than a lot of the people I see everyday.  Several of us have decided to run a Disney race together in the fall, so on the days I'm not whining about the time, I will be training for a 10k/half marathon (not sure which I will be ready for!!)

January 7 begins my next 24 day challenge.  I love the Advocare challenges because I am such a structured person and I like knowing what I will be eating when.  And the products just make me feel awesome! After the 24 days are up, I will be doing the Lean in 13 plan to finish up the weeks I am in boot camp.

my picture for a dietbet challenge 1/3/2015

So, along with the support of my family and friends, and lots of prayers, I will continue on this journey.  The finish line is far away, but the race is worth it! I hope to post everyday during this challenge in case anyone else may be interested in how this fat girl is losing it!!