30 Days

Well I'm at the 30 Day mark for Phase II of my Isagenix journey.  I didn't do as well this time as last...and that's because I just wasn't as dedicated.  My first 30 Day period last summer I didn't cheat ONCE.  Not eve so much as a bite of fruit.  But this time I've had cheat days and snuck bites here and there of bread, chocolate, etc.  I need to be more dedicated.  But still, even with it all I've done ok.   I am a bit frustrated that 30 Days later and I"m still not back to where I left off at my 90 Day mark last year.  Once again, it's totally my fault.  If I wouldn't have fallen off the wagon so hard over the holidays I wouldn't have had so much ground to make up.  Well...you live and learn I suppose. 


Here is how the 30 Days went by the numbers:

I weigh 195.5 and have lost 319.5"

I lost 10.5lbs & 12" in 30 Days

So 10.5lbs in a month is nothing to be ashamed of that's for sure.  And I have pushed myself harder at the gym this go-around than last summer...so I may have gained some muscle mass.  My body fat percentage has decreased 2.5% since I began last summer, which is great.  That needs to just keep on coming down.  

I'll be starting the 30 Day regimen back up again today...and hope for results similar or better than this 30 Days. 


And now for the photographic comparisons.  Starting Phase II is on the left, 30 Days is on the right:

 

I think I notice the most on the left facing picture.  I do wonder how come all my pictures are so slanted??  I do try and get them straight but I have to use a timer...ah well, at least they are all equally slanted!  :)

Public accountablility...and reporting on the overnight cleanse

First - the overnight cleanse was great.  I totally spaced taking a before weight, so I can't give you exact numbers, but I know it was at least 1.5lbs.  BUT it was SO much easier.  I ate lunch, then waited and did a cleanse at 4pm, 7pm, 10pm, 5am, 8am, & 11am, and then had an IsaLean bar at 3.  It was easier to have slept through half of it.  

And now for the public accountability...I (along with a few friends) are signing up to run a 5K on the 23rd of this month.  There is also a 2K option in case my stupid knee decides 5K is too much.  (stupid knee) But my goal is the 5K.  It should be fun...it will be held at night and we are supposed to wear glow-in-the-dark clothes, etc. 

Overnight cleanse

I decided to try and overnight cleanse.  I can do the whole day ones, but I thought I would just test and see if the results are similar.  So today I ate my lunch (lettuce wraps, parsnip chips, cucumber, hummus, and a pickle) and then I started cleansing 4 hours later.  I plan on doing two cleanses tonight, then another three tomorrow and then ending with a shake at 3pm.  

I'll let you know how it goes!  

How bad do you want it?

I just spent the last hour alone in a yurt, in a deserted crater of a volcano, in a storm, after dark.  

a yurt...in case you didn't know what one was.

Why?  Because I needed to get my workout in for the day.  The whole experience gave me the heebie majeebies...but I put my earphones in and blasted my music and tried not to think of all the possible crazies that were sitting outside the windows watching me, waiting for their chance to strike.  I could have easily said I'd "make it up tomorrow" with a "double" workout...but I am not going to let myself off that easy.  I hurried as fast as I could to do my workout and got the heck out of there before someone in a Jason mask showed up.  


You know what it taught me?  

I want this.  

Bad.  

Not this - as in being freaked out in a yurt hoping not to die at the hands of a homicidal maniac.  

This:

I want to be toned, and healthy, and fit.  And I'm not going to get it by filling my mouth with crap food OR excuses.  

I have a few friends who are also trying to lose weight right now...some are struggling and I wonder if they really WANT it bad enough.  I know for years I didn't.  I had every excuse in the book to keep me from the gym and keep me from eating better.  No time, genetics, trying to get pregnant, grieving, tired, sick, long work day, no food I like, blah, blah, blah.  

I'm glad I'm now in a better place.  I've actually come to love my hour in the gym each day.  I push hard and love when my brow drips with sweat.  I love that I can now do 5 pushups in a row (a HUGE feat...I haven't been able to do pushups in YEARS...I can't wait until it is 50 in a row) I love that my legs are weak when I walk to my car, and that when I get home, climbing the 60 stairs up to our apartment feels like torture.  I love when my abs are so sore the next day that sitting up out of bed burns. 

Living the Isagenix lifestyle isn't easy.  It takes commitment and planning and sacrifice.  I do have to give up things, like dinners out with the girls because I don't want to take my shake and drink it at the table.  And I don't get to munch on popcorn while we watch an evening movie.  But you know what I will get?  More years on my life...and not just bottom of the barrel, crappy years...but HEALTHY years.  

So my question to you, my friends is this:

How bad do you want it??

Tougher

Isagenix is proving to be tougher this go-around.  I'm still happy with results...it's just that when dinner time rolls around the LAST thing I want to eat is a cold shake.  Our house is about 50 degrees in the evenings (overnight it gets colder...darn cement houses!) and so I usually drink my shake as fast as possible while snuggled under 2-3 quilts with a space heater blasting right on me.  And then I'm all shivery for the evening.  I did learn that Isagenix has a soup mix, so I'm ordering some of that...I'll report how that goes.  

As for new foods...I've tried roasted chickpeas for a snack and they were delicious!!  They are also super easy.  Drain a can of chickpeas (I use the low sodium ones), add 1 Tbs olive oil, seasonings (I've been using cumin, garlic, cayenne & chipotle), spread in baking dish in single layer and bake at 425 for 20 mins, stir and bake another 10.  I also made roasted brussels sprouts...which was the FIRST time I've ever had brussels sprouts and MAN ALIVE...they are wicked delicious!!!  I caramelized some onions, then added the brussels sprouts (halved), a little salt & pepper, tossed them together in a baking dish and roasted them in the oven for 15 mins or so.  Yummy!!

Ugh...

I'm not even a week into this and I've cheated.  I had a really tough day yesterday and I rewarded myself with cheating.  I HATE that my mind automatically thinks like that.  I am NOT a dog...I should not be rewarded and/or consoled with food.  I should not WANT to be rewarded like that.  I will have to come up with something different to reward diet-faithfulness.  

But today I'm back on it...and I'm doing a cleanse day.  I am hungry (obviously...) but it's going ok.  No cheating today!   You would think this Phase II would be easier...because I know how well Isagenix works.  But no.  I've found myself more tempted to cheat this go-around than before.  I've had to be VERY diligent about keeping food prepped and ready so I don't use the "I don't want to cook lunch" excuse.  Eh.

Phase II

We started up the 30 Day program again...I say we, although Nathan is already back at his goal weight so now it's just me. 

The holidays were rough on my body.  I WAY overindulged and didn't exercise at all. I took some before pics for Phase II (that's what I'm calling this go-around).  I was really dissapointed that I let myself go that crazy over the holidays.  I gained back almost 20lbs of what I worked so hard to lose.  And it was all my fault.  Pizza, Coke, candy, baked goods, chips, pasta....and in excessive quantities.  

So here it goes...I'm back on the horse!  

First a comparison of where I left off (at 90 days) and where I'm beginning again:

I gained back 13.5lbs & 20.5".  Ouch.  

Here are my beginning shots for Phase II:

And here are my stats:

Holly's Phase II Before Stats: 

Weight: 206

Total inches: 331.5"

Neck: 14.25"
Upper arm left: 13"

Upper arm right: 13"
Chest (boobs): 42.5"
Diaphragm: 37"
Waist (at belly button): 40.75"
Natural Waist (skinniest part): 36"
Buttocks: 46.5"
Upper thigh left: 27.75"
Upper thigh right: 27.75"
Calf left: 16.5"
Calf right: 16.5"

My goal is to wear a bikini this summer.  A cute one...without a whole lot of extra hanging out all over.  :)

Here we go!!