Category Archives: life

advocare 24 day challenge update

Posted in advocare, life, motivation, weight loss by

hey there!  after a four day weekend away from just about everything other than the gym, i’m feeling.. awful. i know part of the reason for my feeling like this is cramps + bloating; but, there’s nothing i can do to control that so i’m not going to let it get in my way.

this morning, i fell got out of bed,  got all my things together, then headed down the road to my gym.  (sidenote: my gym is 30 minutes away, along with most civilization, but it’s only 5 minutes from my work; so, i shower at the gym and the distance doesn’t phase me, since i would be driving that far to work a couple hours later anyway).  15 minutes down the road, i realize something: i forgot my work clothes. ugh. i drive home, scoop them up, then head back to the gym.  i started out a little early this morning, so my mishap made me on-time to the gym around 5:15ish a.m.

once i got to the gym, i jumped right into squats and kettlebell swings for leg day, but something just felt off.  my legs felt exhausted and my right quad/hamstring kept feeling like it was about to pull.  so, i backed off and did as much as i could and followed-up with 15 minutes in the sauna.  i’ve been going into the sauna for about 5-10 minutes after every workout and i haven’t felt that sore compared to how i think i should feel.  i’m really pushing myself in the gym and the sauna seems to help keep the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) away.

here’s the thing, i’m not happy with my day in the gym this morning, but i’m also not upset.  i could have easily pushed sleep on my alarm clock and slept for two more hours, but i didn’t.  i’m not saying i’m new and improved and will never skip a workout, but, after 3 weeks of this, i can feel a change in my attitude.  something i’ve never felt before.  i want this change to stick and become permanent.

i know it wont be easy and i know its going to be a long road, but i know it will be worth it if i just keep sticking to what i’m doing.

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i’m currently down 12 pounds since the start of my Advocare 24 day challenge, and before i became a bloated mess, i seriously just felt ‘slimmer’.  i wont say these are magic pills that are going to make you skinny overnight, but i do think this challenge gives you the right tools to get on track with a healthy push along the way.

can’t wait to complete my final weigh-in next wednesday and share the results with you all! sorry for being whiney this afternoon.

have a great day!

happy friday!

Posted in life by

hey guys! happy friday! my sister is coming into town to stay with me for the weekend and i have monday and tuesday off! (i didn’t take any time off work this summer, since its our busy season, so i figured i would try to catch a few days just to relax and enjoy the last few rays of summer!)  i’m planning on dragging my sister into the gym with me to see how sore i can make her.

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i’ll be reporting back with how i like the max phase in a few days.  i’m only on day 2, but its going great; i still have a ton of energy and eating is going well!  i’m really pushing myself in the gym and my muscles are definitely ready for a rest day on sunday.

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Q: any plans for the weekend?

day nine.

Posted in life, weight loss by

hey there! happy tuesday!  i’m currently on day 9 of the Advocare 24 Day Challenge!  i haven’t taken any official measurements, but so far i’ve lost 7 lbs.  what i love is that i already feel a lot lighter, not just like i lost some water weight.

i’ve kept my meals pretty simple, since i’m trying to cut out everything processed for the challenge.  i wanted this to be a complete overhaul on my body and mind, and i feel like i’m really getting to where i want to be with these products.  i’ll post a complete write-up of the cleanse phase once i’m done. tomorrow is the last day!

i’ve read some different stories about what to eat while completing the burn phase. some look like they incorporate some carb-cycling, while others look like the cleanse phase [protein + veggies + complex carbs].  i may try the carb-cycling approach because i’ve wanted to try it and its only 14 days, i think i can manage 🙂

three new things i’m excited about:

1. trying out this sleep works by Advocare.  it should be coming in tomorrow!  the reason i’m excited is because recently, i’ll lay in bed and my thoughts wont shut off; i also don’t sleep well once i get to sleep because i’m worried i’m either going to sleep through my alarm clock or i have terrible dreams that keep me awake.

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2. this cookies & cream protein by Beverly International.  i’m all out of my chocolate protein, and i’ve never ventured out on flavors, so this will be a new protein experience for me all around.  plus, it’s a casein/whey mixture, and i’ve never tried casein protein, so i’m excited.  (who am i? getting excited over protein purchases?)

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3. this headband from LP3.  i found them fumbling around on instagram one day and fell in love with the headbands! i got the granite rose, but i cant wait to stock up on the rest of the colors! there’s so many to choose from!Capture2

that’s it for today!  i’m excited to share my final results of the cleanse phase on thursday or friday!  i’ll leave you with a picture of my sweet boy 🙂

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Q: any new purchases for you recently that you’re excited to try out for the first time?

valentine’s day.

Posted in life, weight loss by

its working(source.)

i have been a combination of all those things at some point this week.  its been my first week back into the gym, consistently, for quite some time.  i’m lifting and lifting heavy, because i want to challenge myself.  i’m sore in places i forgot i had. i’m tired, too.  my alarm clock goes off at 4:15 a.m. and by lunch time, i’m feeling it.  my body is tired, my mind is tired, I’M TIRED.

but.. i know this will be worth it.  i’m not wishing for all my dreams to come true at the end of this challenge.  i know i’m a work in progress and it’s going to take TIME. and STRENGTH. and WILLPOWER.  i don’t expect abs, or even a flat stomach.  what i’m hoping for is to find the motivation i lost somewhere along the way.

this time two years ago, i was just starting body-for-life, with the help of Janetha.  about two months after that, i was down over 30 lbs and really feeling great.  i haven’t been on a strict meal plan or workout regime since then.  not saying i completely gave up.. but i would binge, then realize i needed to snap back; i’d  go to some body pump classes, do some zumba at home, clean up my eats, but i never really found that motivation again. i got stressed out from buying a house and ate junk to make myself feel better, only i felt ten times worse.

my weight spiraled out of control and i woke up one morning the highest weight i had ever seen.  a number so high, it literally makes me sick to my stomach.  in december 2012 i woke up one day and decided to weigh myself (because when i’m not on track, i’d rather not see the number climb) and i weighed in at 303 pounds. ugh, there are tears in my eyes typing out that number. how did this happen?  how did i LET this happen??  the calories didn’t jump down my throat.. i stuffed them down there. i wasn’t overeating while i was at work, because i would pack a sensible breakfast and lunch; but i got tired of cooking, so, fast food for dinner it was. or a pre-made pizza. or hamburger helper. or pasta with more pasta.  i was having seconds for dinner; not small-just-two-more-bites seconds, more like the-same-size-as-my-first plate seconds. i was also eating a pint of ice cream for dessert more than 3 times a week; and there was always something sweet in the house because i now had the worst sweet tooth i’ve ever had.

i took matters into my own hands and decided if i couldn’t do this on my own, i didn’t want to wait a minute longer to help.  i saw a doctor and was enrolled for the LAP-BAND surgery in feb 2013.  actually, feb 14, 2013 to be exact.  i have not had the surgery yet, because i have to complete a 12-month coaching program through my insurance company to make sure i’m prepared for surgery (and that my insurance will pay for it).  announcing this to someone other than close friends and family makes me feel like a failure.  i thought i could do this on my own. i WANTED TO do this on my own.  my dad offered me this surgery multiple times in high school and college and i refused.  but i look at my parents and see that they’re still doing the same thing i am (yo-yo’ing), only they’re 30 years older.  i don’t want to wake up at age 50 and still have things on the back burner ‘waiting to lose weight’ before i do them.

i know this wont be the answer to all my prayers, but it will hopefully be the tool i need to make this thing work for me.  please don’t judge me, because, unless you’ve been in my shoes, you don’t know how this feels.  if everything works out as planned, i will be eligible for surgery feb 14, 2014.  if i can go in that day and have the surgery done, you bet i’ll be there.  this is why i’m currently trying to work on myself. i’m not going to show up to operating table 50 pounds heavier than i am now just because.  i want to lose as much weight as i can on my own, have the surgery, and continue right back to what i was doing.  i’m actually really excited.

so, this post took a crazy turn from what i had planned, but my brain just started pouring out thoughts and i can’t help they were all over the place.  this was the hardest decision i have ever made in my life, so i’m hoping to find some support to go along with it.  and i hope that everyone can see where i’m coming from and that i’m not just trying to take a magic pill and make all the fat go away.

sorry for such a heavy post on friday, but i needed this. i needed to get it out there so i can do everything i need to do to be successful.

i hope y’all have a great friday.