Thursday 1 December 2011

Cleanse - Days 4 & 5

My cleanse days went great! I was feeling awesome and my workouts were stronger than ever. On cleanse days you begin with Ionix Supreme and supplements as usual, and add Cleanse for Life http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/cleanseforlife_new.dhtml

Snacks for the day were http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/isagenixsnacks.dhtml

and drinking lots of water. You also take your pm supplements and Isaflush at bedtime.

Last night I attended an Isagenix meeting where I learned more about the products and how well made they are. It's amazing the money we spend on crap from the grocery store, when there is a much better, more natural product out there.

When I weighed in on Day 5, I had lost 5 lbs :)

Tuesday 29 November 2011

Day 3 - Shake Day

Today was my last shake day before my first cleanse day. Because it is a shake day, it looks like the previous days. To see what products I use on shake days, please look at Day 1.

I had a great workout today. I did 600 reps in one hour. We did 100 squats, 100 triceps, 100 bench press, 100 hamstring curls, 100 squat/clean & press with dumbells, 100 lat pull downs. I also walked/ran on the treadmill for 25 minutes prior to my workout. My energy level was very good! The goal is to reach 1000 in one hour. Next time!

Sunday 27 November 2011

Doctors Story

Isagenix Day 2 of 30 (Shake Day) My ass measured WHAT?? Cortisol and Weight Gain

It's been a few months since Ive had a good wake up in the morning. By that I mean, I woke up and wanted to get out of bed. Ive been hitting the snooze button much more lately. Today I woke up feeling a little better. I still didn't immediately want to get up. But I did feel better and didn't spend as much time staying in bed. I had an earlier start and felt great.

In regard to my cleanse, today is much like what I posted for Day One, because today is also a shake day. The only difference is I didn't have any of the Isolean Bar today. At least not yet. I did have an IsoDelight this afternoon. The last time I did a cleanse I only had the chocolate shake and this time I have chocolate and vanilla and am enjoying the change up.

Like yesterday, I had a drop in energy in the afternoon and had a nap but overall I feel good. I haven't felt like cheating today. Not having anything to cheat with in the cupboards helps. The Isalean bars and IsaDelights could definitely be abused so I really have to watch that.

Cindy send me the before pics she took of me this week. Wow. I have to say that it was an eye opener and definitely something I will keep an image of in my mind for the moments I may want to cheat. When I look at those pics I don't see myself. I think the before pics are an important part of the process as are the measurements. My ass measured WHAT?? ;) Looking forward to the after shots and new measurements for sure! Im not comfortable enough to post the before shots right now.

I find it amazing that I have been working out regularly the past year and Im still in this condition. My doctor says stress has a lot to do with it. Ive been doing some research and read that when we are very upset about something and we have a meltdown (the ugly cry) our body is buring calories. When the upset passes we immediatly feel a hunger. When we eat, our body stores because it just faced a trauma. Ive also read, that working out produces cortisol and we need time to recover before our next workout. Working out back to back may seem like a good thing and seem like you're working hard and burning more, but your body is storing because it is buring too much too soon. The following article is a good read about stress, cortisol and weight gain. Cortisol has been linked to abdominal fat which can lead to diabetes and heart disease. I carry a lot of abdominal fat and I am concerned.
http://www.fitwoman.com/support/fitbriefings/stress/

Cleanse for Life, Protection From Our Toxic Environment

Isagenix Day 1 of 30 (Shake Day)

I woke up wanting my usual weekend breakfast fix. Tim Horton's breakfast combo. Sausage and egg on a homestyle biscuit. I only do it on weekends so it's ok. Right? Not today. Probably not ever again. Well, maybe occasionally as a treat? I guess that will come with maintenance after the weight loss. For now, I should focus on today! Day one of the cleanse!

I began my day with Ionix Supreme which gives me energy and replaces my coffee. The cleanse isn't just about weight loss, it's about overall health. To read about Ionix Supreme click here http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/ionixsupreme.dhtml

It contains alfalfa which has many health benefits. I found the following information at http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/benefits-of-alfalfa.html

Health Benefits of Alfalfa

Some of the most important benefits of alfalfa are as follows:

Alfalfa and cholesterol. Alfalfa (leaves) has been seen to reduce cholesterol and reduces blood sugar levels, as well.

Alfalfa and digestion. Alfalfa is enriched with fibers such that they facilitate digestion. Legumes are naturally good for the digestive system.

Alfalfa for detoxification. Alfalfa reportedly has the ability to improve liver health and detoxifies the body from harmful toxins.

Alfalfa and menopause. Alfalfa alleviates symptoms of menopause and makes post-menopausal side effects such as hot flashes more manageable.

Alfalfa for muscle and joint problems. Supplementation with alfalfa is effective in relieving stiffness and pain caused by muscle problems, arthritis and bursitis.

Other Benefits. Alfalfa has also been reported to treat kidney, bladder and even prostate problems, and is seen to be effective for treating urinary track infection. It also has the ability to increase energy levels and reduce fatigue.

Following the Ionix Supreme, I had
Isalean Shake (chocolate) http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/isaleanshake.dhtml
Natural Accelerator http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/naturalaccelerator.dhtml
Ageless Essentials http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/agelessessentialsdailypack.dhtml
Product B http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/product_b.html

For mid morning snack I had a small piece of an Isalean bar. They came with my kit and wanted to try and it was delicious! http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/product_b.html

For lunch I had a meal which was half a skinless chicken breast, broccoli, strawberries and a side of quinoa.

Afternoon snack I had another small piece of the Isalean bar with a Natural Accelerator.

For dinner I had a vanilla Isalean shake and the PM packet of Ageless Essentials and Program B.

I had a good day. I did take an afternoon nap because I was feeling tired today. I was having a great evening but then some plans fell through and of course I felt like binging. I spoke to Cindy and she told me to have a piece of the IsaDelights. They are little blocks of dark chocolate. They boost your "feel good" chemicals and reduce cravings. So I did and they are also delicious! http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/isadelightplus.dhtml

At bedtime I took Isaflush and went to sleep. http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/isaflush.dhtml

Ready to Make a Change

I'll start by saying the last few years haven't been great. Could they have been worse? Definitely. I am very grateful for the wonderful things in my life. Family, friends, their health and mine. I have a job I love, for now. Being an English teacher doesn't leave very much opportunity for full time positions so job uncertainty is always on my mind. My break up was also extremely challenging for me. Who knew heartbreak was so crippling. Ok. Everybody knows. I just hadn't felt it to that extent before. Over the last few years I feel like I completely lost myself inside and out. I am still dealing with issues, but feeling stronger. With these issues came weight gain. Although I had been working out frequently, my diet wasn't balanced. I was eating very well at times but not enough and/or eating things I shouldn't be.

I am an emotional eater. Chocolate is what eases my pain or celebrates happiness with me. It's a reaction for me and not a decision. If I could count the pounds of chocolate Ive eaten while dealing with my break up. Oh wait, I can count the pounds. Im wearing them!

Lately Ive been barely squeezing into my clothes. I put on my jeans an hour before I leave the house so they can loosen up and be wearable. I refuse to buy new clothes in a bigger size. The not fitting into my clothes was probably the last determining factor for me in my decision to HAVE to make a change and do it NOW.

Ive been feeling better lately. I still feel some sadness and regrets. The break up is one of the worst times of my life and not something I handled well or gracefully. In regard to my job, I keep taking courses and doing my best in hopes I will be in the right place at the right time and after seven years, finally have a permanent position. Now that Ive been feeling more like myself again, because the last few years Im not sure who I was, I feel more motivated to take action and make some positive changes in my life. A huge issue for me right now is my weight.

I usually weigh around 160. A size I am not comfortable with but seem to carry well. Ive had successful weight loss in the past. A healthy diet and regular workouts allowed me to drop 18 pounds after which I weighed in at 147. A size I was happy with but didn't stay very long. I gained it back and then some. Today, I am 175!

As mentioned, squeezing into my clothes was the last determining factor. Also, I haven't been wanting to go out because I have been feeling terrible about myself. This weight loss wasn't going to stop until I made a change. I had done the Isagenix 9 day cleanse last year and lost ten pounds and my roomie had just done one and lost 13 pounds so I considered doing that again. The last time I did it it gave me a boost but I did not successfully keep the weight off and I learned why.

I looked online and researched the product again and then found a great representative, Cindy. She suggested I do the thirty day cleanse for a number of reasons. One being that I need to create a lifestyle change and healthy habits. This cannot be done over 9 days. Also, I haven't had energy in, what it feels like, years. Every day feels like survival. Cindy told me that my body is in an acidic state and it takes 21 days to return your body to an alkaline stated or to balance your ph. Over 30 days I will cut out my bad habits and make good ones. The 30 day cleanse will give me antioxidants, supplementation and the healthy meals that I should be having. I reseached online some more, looked at personal success stories real people posted on youtube, and decided to go for it. But thirty days seemed like a long time. How was I going to do this successfully? With friends.

I posted that I was doing a cleanse on my FaceBook page and asked if anyone wanted to join me for support. Three friends replied so we all started together. The other three chose the 9 day cleanse, but Im thinking they'll be back for the 30 ;) So with the support of friends and Cindy, my 30 day journey begins.