Week Two Weigh-In

Hello, peeps.  Long time, no talk!  I am once again late on my posting.  My apologies.  Let's make this quick.  This is what I've been using this week:

2 fizzy tabs a day
1 pack of digestion plus (in fizzy water)
1 fit chew (if that)
2 Metabolism Boost tablets
Prenatal vitamin
Metformin

This is the part of this little game where I tell you that my eating habits were SUPER crappy this week.  We had pizza 2-3 nights.  We had Stoby's for lunch.  We went out for Mexican food with friends.  We had frozen yogurt once.  While I tried my best to make healthy choices (I had a turkey wrap at Stoby's, for example), I still ended up with a pretty poor foods list by the end of the week (I also had half of a small white cheese dip at Stoby's, for example).  And let's be honest... there's no good way to eat Pizza Hut pizza.  It just is what it is.  I also didn't have a single shake this week.  I just couldn't fit it into my schedule in the morning.  I'll continue to work on that, but it won't be easy.  That a.m. mad dash is just a side-effect of an hour-long commute every morning.  Not conducive to shake-making...

Although this week was not a good week in terms of establishing and maintaining good habits, it is a fantastic week for Arbonne.  Here's the deal... I still lost weight.  For real!  I ate serious amounts of pizza, cheese dip, and the like, and I Still.  Lost.  Weight.  Was this the healthy way to do it?  No.  Did I see my optimum results?  No.  But it says a lot to me about the supplements from Arbonne that they were able to work even some of their magic amidst the absolute and total crap that I shoveled in on top of it.  Go Arbonne.  You make my crappy habits less crappy.

Here we go...

Beginning weight:  202.5
Week 1 Weigh-In:  196
Week 2 Weigh-In:  193

Weekly Weight Loss:  3 pounds
Total Weight Loss:  9.5 pounds - no measurements - I lost my measuring tape :(

Not bad, as far as I'm concerned.  And 9.5 pounds in two weeks is nothing to snort at.  Now, I realize that I probably can't and definitely shouldn't keep up the epic food shove that I managed this week.  I was back to fruit for breakfast, a sandwich and fruit for lunch, and a typical, home-cooked supper today.  I can do this thing.  I can make a long-term change.  And come Vegas at the end of April, I'm gonna be looking good.

The Ick has hit the Torrence house...

Please forgive my blog silence.  I almost died this week.  I don't know what it is about winter, but it makes me sicker than... well... so sick that I can't even come up with a clever way of saying it.  Add in the first "real" week of a new job, plus the stress of a MAJOR work miscommunication that I don't even want to get into, and you're left with one very exhausted dieter.

I'm hoping that my weight loss will persevere through everything this week.  We'll see.  I do know from experience that my blood sugar tends to go up and stay up when I'm fighting off infection.  And when my blood sugar is up, I tend to lose less weight.  Stupid blood sugar.

All of that being said, I feel pretty good about my eating, although this week has presented its share of troubles.  I've had problms fitting in my shakes with my new schedule and I can absolutely feel a difference.  I'm going to have to figure out how to manage my morning time better.  Those shakes were doing a lot more for me than I realized.  I have struggled with more cravings and I've also had trouble staying full.  Ready to get back on that bandwagon.

I also noticed another interesting and (in my opinion) super exciting "side effect" of this program.  For some, it may be TMI, but I promised transparency, and transparency is what you're going to get.

I have been on 1500 mg of Metformin for well over a year now.  I take it to manage my blood sugar as well as my PCOS and have had fairly good success with it.  It does, however, come with a pretty horrible digestive side effect.  Let your imagination run wild (unless, of course, you are a fellow Metformin user.  In that case, just nod knowingly).  In the beginning, I tried over-the-counter meds to help offset the problem, but finally just gave up.  Nothing worked.  I was destined to be a bathroom sprinter for the rest of my days.

It occurred to me this week, however, that I haven't had one problem since starting this diet.  Not a single one.  Can I get a hoorah!?  My digestion has been right on par.  I haven't been uncomfortable in the slightest. I think I give credit to the digestion boost.  It's absolutely my new favorite product.  Ever.  In the world.  Yay for unexpected side effects.

I still plan to weigh in on Monday.  That gives me 2 days to kick the Ick and get back on track.  I will also start the 7-Day Cleanse next week as long as I'm feeling healthy enough.  The Cleanse has been known to make people feel a little yucky on their first go, so if I'm not over whatever this illness is, I might postpone for a few days.  We'll wait and see.

I'm hoping that Sharon and I will have a good turn-out at the Manage the Damage party on Monday night.  If you're in the area and want to come, let me know!  If you're NOT in the area and want more info, also let me know!  That's the beauty of Arbonne.  No regional boundary lines.  Bring on the Canadian clientele!  :)

Today is the Day... WEEK 1 WEIGH-IN!

I know.  You're all sitting at the edge of your little computer chairs, aren't you?  Today is the big day.  Usually, weigh-in's make me nervous, but I felt pretty good this morning.  I'm sleeping better and my stomach is flatter (note I said flatTER, not flat.  Working on that).  Just a recap of what I've been doing/using this week:

1-2 protein shakes a day
2 Metabolism Boost tablets every a.m.
1 multivitamin
3 doses Metformin (prescription)
2-3 fizzy tabs in water a day
1 pack Digestion Plus in my fizzy water a day
1-3 Fit Chews a day
Herbal Detox Tea (one night this week)
Normal dinners, concentrated on portion control/4-5 restaurant meals throughout the week
VERY minimal exercise... like... 10 lunges and those "stick your butt out like you're sitting down" things.  Squats?  Yeah... those.

My starting weight was 202.5 pounds.  My waist measurement was 44 and my hip measurement was 49.  So here we go...


Beginning weight: 202.5 pounds
Week 1 Weigh-in:  196 pounds
Week 1 Waist: 43
Week 1 Hip:  48

Weekly weight loss/inches lost:  6 pounds/ 2 inches
Total weight loss/inches lost:  6 pounds/ 2 inches

6 pounds!!!!  In a week!!!!  I was completely floored.  Jason was just irritated - my squealing is far too shrill for 5:00 in the morning.  But seriously, can you believe it??  I haven't been hungry, I haven't been moody, and for the most part, I've felt fairly satisfied.  And bonus... our grocery bill was SO cheap this week!  Without having to buy breakfasts or lunches for myself, we've actually saved money even after buying the Fit Kit.

I call it success.  Everyone wants instant gratification - it makes it easier to continue any healthy eating plan.  I'm excited to keep going.  You might just see me in a swimsuit yet!



..... Err.... Well.... Yeah, probably not....

I don't know if I can continue to count days...

It's obvious to me now that I will not be writing a post every day lol.  I don't know what's wrong with me.  It's either a) I am truly lazy, or b) Deep down, I know that people don't necessarily NEED daily updates on what I stuff my face with.  I will try my best to give you a good run-down, though, even if it isn't daily.

I'm nearing the end of my first week.  The sugar cravings are kind of getting to me and most of the time, the fit chews help.  Sometimes they don't :)  I need ice cream like I need a hole in the head, but man it sounds good, doesn't it?  I have avoided Wal-Mart alltogether simply because I'm scared of the ice cream aisle.  Scared that Ben and Jerry (my two besties) are hiding in the freezer case, ready to throw anything and everything in there.  They do that, right?  But all things considered, I think I'm doing fairly well.  It might have been my imagination, but my jeans seemed looser this morning when I put them on.  Even if it's a flat-out lie that my subconscious is telling me, I don't care.  I'm owning it.  My jeans are looser.  I'm a skinny minny.

My upline Sharon and I have decided to do a Manage the Damage party at my house on the 16th at 6:30 so that everyone can try out the products and learn about the program.  If you're interested, LET ME KNOW.  I'd love for you to come.  Make sure you tell me I look skinny in my super-loose jeans.

Official Week 1 weigh-in on Monday morning!  Stay tuned!!

Days 3 and 4

Yes, yes.  I'm a slacker.  I missed a blog day.  But I promise, I haven't forgotten.  So let's back-track, shall we? Wednesday... this was the day that I had almost decided that, despite the fact that my husband loves me, sometimes I wonder if he's trying to kill me.  Jason, my dear sweet man, wanted to eat out.  Twice.

Eat. Out.  Does any man know what kind of feeling that strikes into the heart of a dieter?  Hello!?  I haven't even come close to hitting that 2-week mark when everything becomes unbelievably easier.  I'm still ready to drop-kick any skinny little waitress that stands between me and dessert.  That being said, I was a bit wary of the whole experience.  But I love my husband and a man can only eat Beef-a-Roni for so long before he wonders if there's anything else out there.  So we go out for Restaurant Meal #1 - Breakfast.

Mimi's Cafe is my favorite place in the whole world.  Their muffins make me feel like I'm eating a baby angel.  Of course, Jason ordered one.  My favorite one.  I made him turn sideways with the bitten-side facing towards him (everyone knows that the bitten-side of a muffin releases more scent than the un-bitten side).  I was very proud of my self-control.  Scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, and fresh fruit.  No juice.  No muffin.

Lunch was not as easy.  We went to Frankie's cafeteria, which I usually love.  All you have to do is point and food magically appears on your tray.  No one is there to say "You can only have one roll" or "That extra piece of pie doesn't come with your meal."  If I want 27 rolls and 3 different kinds of pie, I can have them.  And I wonder how I got myself into this whole "weight predicament" in the first place.

I choose "Baked Cod" which sounds healthy enough, but one bite tells me that it's most likely been "baked" in butter.  I scraped off the breading (side note:  since when does baked fish have breading??).  Peas and carrots, green beans, and one bite of mashed potatoes that really weren't any good rounded out my meal.  Lunch, done.

Supper is when I fell off the wagon.  Because we spent so much time running around, eating out, and just having a grand time, I had neglected to put supper in the crock pot.  For shame.  I ended up with a tupperware bowl of egg noodles.  That's it.  No meat.  No veggies.  Just egg noodles.  It was a bad decision from the first bite.  I was sick for the rest of the night.  My head was pounding and my stomach was queasy.  So, so dumb.

That feeling followed me into Thursday morning.  Who knew that this detox would work so quickly?  I could almost hear my stomach cursing me.  I jumped back on the wagon as fast as I could.  Pina Coloda shake for brunch.  It amazes me the recipes that these people come up with.  Love it.  I've pretty much decided that with my new job up and coming, I'll have to drop down to one shake a day.  I don't see myself being able to prepare one for lunch where I'm working now.  So that one shake a day had better be good :)

Because I had brunch and not breakfast, I had a couple of fit chews and a very small spoonful of peanut butter to tide me over until supper.  We went out (again) at Cheeburger Cheeburger.  I had a turkey burger, no cheese and the bottom half of the bun.  It was amazing.  I was so proud of myself.  Andrea Torrence eating a turkey burger...

Now, let's discuss some less tangible areas of this diet.  First off, I'm feeling really good.  My only queasy time was the egg noodle catastrophe, which I took as my body's way of saying "Don't you ever EVER do that to me again.  Ever."  My sleep has been amazing.  I typically toss and turn a LOT at night (which is the reason for our king-sized bed), but I have had a much easier time waking up the morning now.  I've started using the Digestion Plus powder fairly regularly as well as making sure I use my fizzy tabs every day.  All in all, I've been very impressed, feeling good, and never hungry.  Oh... and I'm peeing.  A LOT.

Between you, me, and cyberspace, I have already weighed myself once this week.  You'll have to wait until the end of the week to find out the numbers, though.  But I'm not gonna lie... it's pretty great.

Day 2

Day 2.  Muuuch better than Day 1.  Let me tell you why.  First off, I didn't start out with a peanut butter cup hangover.  Always a good thing.  But here's the best thing - I had my monthly Arbonne meeting tonight with my team and learned some GREAT new info on the Fit Kit.  So I want to start out with some share time:

While I've been using the protein shakes, fiber boost, metabolism boost, and fit chews over the last couple of days, I had been avoiding the fizzy tabs and herbal detox tea.  I didn't think I needed the fizzy tabs because I assumed all they did was flavor water that I'm already perfectly fine with drinking plain.  Boy am I stupid.  Enter Gena Fryar, one of my uplines, who has lost 45 pounds on this program and knows EVERYTHING.  Apparently, the fizzy tabs not only make water more palatable for those who don't like to drink it, it also gives you natural energy, increases metabolism, and carries TONS of antioxidants!  Who knew?  Gena did, apparently.  Needless to say, I have a full 32 ounces mixed up and ready for tomorrow.  Woot.

Now, herbal detox tea.  Let me be perfectly clear.  I hate tea.  Hate it.  I hate the smell, the taste, the after-taste, I hate it hot, I hate it cold, I hate tea.  Hate it.  I did not want to try it.  Gena strikes again.  She tells me how amazing it is as part of the overall Fit Kit package.  Then Sharon, my other all-knowing upline, says that a half a fizzy tab makes it better.  Now that I know about the fizzy tab awesomeness, how could I not try it in the tea that I supposedly hate so much?  I brewed up a cup and had Jason stand by in case I had to pass it off on my way to vomit.  He loves tea.  Goober.

The tea was... wait for it... not horrible!  I didn't even gag.  Not once.  I did burn my tongue, but that's beside the point.  I will be drinking it again.  It made my stomach feel good and got me nice and relaxed.

Finally, I also learned about the Digestion Plus powder, which is another product that is supplemental.  Who's heard of probiotics?  Everyone?  I thought so.  We can thank Jamie Lee Curtis for that.  But what about PREbiotics?  I hadn't a clue as to what they do.  But here's the low-down - this powder that you mix with 4 ounces of water helps support extensive digestion of carbs, fats, prteins, fiber, and lactose.  It helps minimize gas and bloating (Jason will be receiving this in his next beverage, for sure).  AND it aids in nutrient absorption.  All in a little bitty powder packet.  Add that to my list.  Done.

Isn't knowledge a wonderful thing?  Sharon is supposed to be sending me some videos on how the whole line works together.  I look forward to them and will share them as soon as I can figure out how :)

Now... learning time over.  Let's discuss the day.  I tried a new shake combo that I MUCH preferred over yesterday's.  The berry seeds just plain got to me, so this morning I used a tropical fruit mix instead - strawberries, pineapple, peaches, mango, and banana.  Understand that the sugar content of this shake was slightly higher, but it was way easier for me to get down.  I consider that a fair trade-off.  I took the same meds and vitamins as before.  Took a nap through lunch, but when I woke up, I wasn't the slightest bit hungry.  I thank the protein for that.  God help me when I go back to work.  This sleeping all day thing is gonna bite me in the butt.

Supper was sausage and rice.  Gena has almost convinced me to follow a more "clean eating" plan to help aid in total body detoxification.  That means that, for 30 days, my diet will be free from all gluten, dairy, soy, high GI fruits, alcohol, simple sugars, and artificial sweeteners.  Good grief.  It's only for 30 days, though.  I can do anything for 30 days... right??  This is one thing that Gena said that struck me:  "You are the only one responsible for your own health.  Just you.  Not your husband, not your family.  You are responsible for this."

Gena should be a Baptist preacher.  She makes you see the light.  Her eyes bore into you (not in a Crazy Lady way... but in an "I'm concerned about your future" way) and you can't help but listen to her.  Maybe I should follow the plan more in its entirety.  Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Recipes?  I welcome them.  And you know I'll keep you updated.  Let me tell you something, though.  My first "no pasta" post will be legend.

Day 1

Alrighty... let's start things off with a confession.  I ate five Reeses last night.  Five.  The only reason I didn't eat more is that there were only five Reeses stuffed in the bottom of Jason's Christmas stocking.  No worries, folks. I traded my chocolate orange for them.  I'm not THAT shallow.  Then I chased those cups with some Ande's mints.  No judgement, people.  This is an open, sharing zone.

And thus begins the change.  Everyone needs one last huzzah.  Now it's over and I'm ready to work.  I put on my "picture clothes," which are tight enough to be truthful without being disgusting.  Let's face it, a swimsuit would have been far more telling as to where I'm starting out, but even I am not willing to reveal that... yet.  I tried my very hardest not to suck in; consider yourselves blessed.  So here we are - pics and stats:

Beginning weight: 202.5
Waist measurement:  44" (This stat was particularly shocking to me - it needs to go down.  Like, yesterday).
Pant size:  16-18W (I haven't shopped in quite a while.  Scrub requirements will do that for you.)

So there we go.  Let's discuss the first day.  I slept through breakfast.  Probably not the best idea, but my brother got married this weekend and we're all more than just a little bit exhausted.  When I finally got up and around at noon, I made my first shake: 2 scoops vanilla protein powder, 1/2 scoop fiber boost, 8.5 ounces milk, ~1/2 cup frozen mixed berries.  I bought a handy dandy individual blender on Black Friday this year, so it made the prep super easy.  Along with the shake, I took my morning dose of Metformin for PCOS, 2 Metabolism Boost tablets (Arbonne), and a prenatal vitamin (suggested by my doctor).  I have to say, however, if you are not pregnant or actively trying, the Arbonne Vitamin Power Pack is FANTASTIC.  Wish I could take it now, but the folic acid level is a little bit too low.

The shake wasn't bad.  The consistency was nice and thick, but the seeds from the fruit got to me a little bit, so I might try some different combos over the next few days.  It definitely kept me full for a solid 4 hours while I was running errands, doing my grocery shopping, and taking a dance lesson with the hubs (woot, workout), which surprised me.  I've had "protein shakes" before, but they never lasted past 3 hours, tops, especially with a workout in the mix.  I ate a spoonful of peanut butter at about 4:30 to tide me over until supper because I couldn't put my hands on a fit chew.  My husband tends to steal them, which should tell you that they must be pretty amazing :)  He describes them as a tootsie roll consistency and swears that they're the best appetite suppressant he's tried.  Arbonne recently re-released the caramel flavor (in addition to the original chocolate), so I ordered them last night.

Supper was leftover smoked chicken (MUCHO thanks to the hubby - he loves his smoker and so do I) and egg noodles with a BIT of butter and garlic.  The most difficult part of the day is yet to come for me - night-time snacking is my biggest struggle.  I have GOT to find those fit chews.

I suppose that's it for Day 1.  My plan right now is to post weight loss once a week and pictures once every two weeks.  I'm sincerely hoping for a change, especially around my midsection.  I'm pretty sure your stomach isn't supposed to stick out past your boobs :)  Just sayin'...

You Weigh HOW much!?

Get ready, people.  I’m about to do something drastic.  Something that most women would never even dream of doing.  Drum roll, please… I’m about to tell you how much I weigh.

Gasp.  I know.  It’s crazy.  But here’s the deal.  I’ve been an Independent Consultant with Arbonne for almost 7 months.  I’ve tried the products and can honestly say that they’re the best out there.  But there’s an entire subset of the Arbonne line that I’ve been avoiding like the plague. 

Nutrition and Health.

Ugh.  If you’re anything like me, you’ve yo-yoed the same 20 pounds for the last 10 years.  And if you’re anything like me, you’re tired of it.  Tired of getting winded walking up stairs.  Tired of laying on your bed with your feet up in the air just to pull your jeans up, or worse, wrestle on a pair of satanic Spanx.  Tired of feeling less than attractive and, well, let’s face it, just plain bad about yourself.

This seems like a depressing post.  Here’s hoping it doesn’t stay that way for long J  I want to document my journey with this product line because I feel that a) my clients deserve a realistic account and b) because I require accountability to do anything like this.  I expect for you to ask me how I’m doing.  I expect to upload my progress.  This will keep me on track.

So here’s the plan.  I will be using the Arbonne 30-Day Feeling Fit Kit, which includes chocolate and vanilla protein powders, fizzy tabs for energy, fit chews for appetite suppression, herbal detox tea for liver and kidney detox, and fiber boost.  I will also be using the 7-Day colon cleanse and metabolism boost.  While there is a 28-day detox meal plan available with Arbonne, I will not be following it strictly.  This is me being completely and totally transparent here - my husband doesn't want to do it and I'm simply not willing or able to prepare two separate meals every night.  I will, however, try to keep our dinners as healthy as possible, while still being "manly."  I will document my progress at least once a week on my blog, including a weekly weigh-in, food journal, and notes about the less concrete results of this system – how I’m feeling, what my energy levels are doing, how my sleep is improving, etc.  Should I use any other supplemental Arbonne products (and trust me, I will), I will include those as well.

I will be more than happy to email any information that you might be interested in seeing, including the Arbonne Detox Diet handbook, meal requirements, and protein shake recipes.

Now, some background on me for those who are interested.  I am 25 years old and have always struggled with my weight.  I am pre-diabetic, have PCOS (Poly-Cycstic Ovarian Syndrome) and am currently undergoing fertility treatments.  This has further affected my weight, energy levels, and skin clarity.  I am hoping to improve all of these issues throughout this process.  I currently weigh 202.5 pounds.  My goal is to reach 155 pounds and stabilize my blood sugar.  My a1C goal is 5.0.  And, oh yes, I would really like to get pregnant J

So there we are.  It’s all out there.  I sincerely hope that you will follow me through this journey.  I appreciate your support and kind words.  I’ve seen this line work spectacularly for others.  I’m ready to see the same results for myself J