Max Phase Day 1, November 30th
The “Cleanse Phase” of the 24 day challenge is finally over. I have done this cleanse once before, and I truly felt ‘on top’ of it. This time, I have to say, I didn’t feel that way at all. When I began the cleanse, I think I knew in my heart that it wasn’t going to be perfect. I started this 2 days before Thanksgiving. Most people reacted saying “why not wait till after…” but I just simply couldn’t. I needed this cleanse. I needed something to distract my path of destruction that I was on. Unfortunately, I am the girl who lets food run my life. I have had a long history of food problems. As I am writing this it seems weird because actually, it is not long at all. I guess it just feels that way.
Three summers ago, while out in Hawaii visiting my family, I began to ‘exercise’, nothing too extreme. When I would walk outside, I could see the ocean. It seemed foolish of me not to utilize the beautiful scenery. So, I decided I would run. When I initially began, I could only run down the road (yes, it was a slight incline). Eventually, I was able to run down and back. Before you knew it I was able to run down and back twice totaling two miles. From a girl who cringed at the thought of walking a mile, I was pretty impressed with myself.
Being in Hawaii, it is always easier for me to watch what I eat. Which is weird considering my Dad is a fine diner. I am not sure if it is the fact that I don’t go out and drink, or I simply feel like I have time to work on myself, but it is just a great feeling set a goal for my return and do it. Well, I guess this is where my story begins. I returned from Hawaii and felt good about myself. I really didn’t notice anything that different but I was exercising and watching what I was eating for about a month. Upon my return, the positive reinforcements were overwhelming. Everyone was complimenting me on my weight loss and I felt great! I felt like my boyfriend was attracted to me in a way that I have never felt before. It was a feeling
that I never wanted to lose.
I returned home and began to map out my running pattern, bought healthy foods, and began to read. I would spend my work hours reading recipe after recipe looking for new “low calorie” foods. The lower the calorie, the more excited I would get. I found a website called“Hungry Girl”, this is the best website for those counting calories, and still gives me recipes to this date! Growing up and in my early twenties, I was never one to cook, nor a healthy eater for that matter. Most of my meals came from Chick-Fil-A, or another take out restaurant. From out of nowhere I gained this will power that I never knew I had. Well, from August to December I lost weight. My boyfriend and mother had concerns about my eating habits and my paranoia about eating at a restaurant got out of control, you just never know what they are cooking with. After months of calorie counting I lost about forty pounds and looked great…. Ha! At least I thought so.
After a few months a hearing from my family “Ok, you have lost enough. It’s time not to worry”, I continued to watch my calories, butter, and anything “unhealthy”. Not really because I wanted to live my life counting and stressing about what was going on in the kitchen, but because I couldn’t stop! I was now running 3 miles a day and only eating 900 calories a day. Before you knew it, I was 90 pounds (Oh yea, I am a 5”8 girl). Within the next few months, I flew out to Las Vegas for a Spring Break trip with my boyfriend. My mother and father joined me in Las Vegas as well and right there in the middle of the Cesar’s Palace Bar, I was told I was going to enter rehab for an eating disorder!
At the time, I didn’t think I needed help. I just wanted to be left alone eat my healthy foods. Long story short, rehab was hard and I started swelling from the new foods I had deprived my body of for so long. I mentally thought it was instant weight gain and I just gave up on myself. Basically saying, well if I already gained this weight might as well start eating food and enjoying it. So I did… I ate, and I ate, and I ate. I was so miserable with my new weight of 170 pounds. There were so
many days that I didn’t even want to get out of bed. I went into a state of pure hibernation, even missing my best friends’ weddingL. But in reality, the more I hid from life, the more of an excuse it was for me to continue eating. As everyone always says the “the diet starts tomorrow”, and you bet, that is what I told myself as I sat in bed eating a tray full of brownies. Why the whole tray? Well, I lived a life of all or nothing. If I was going to start the diet, I might as well eat everything I“can’t” eat tomorrow, tonight. This went on for a while and now you can see why I quickly hit 170 pounds.
Well, I finally got my life back on track, but I felt like I was depriving myself by only eating three small meals a day while continuing to run, of course. I did it! I lost the weight and got back down to 138 pounds. Now this time, I looked and felt great! Unfortunately, depriving myself of foods and thinking of certain things as“bad” would lead to a binge. There was a mixture of things going on in my life and one MAJOR stressor (still, not an excuse), but I managed to regain about 25 pound which is where I am at now. I am currently started this cleanse at 163 pounds. I desperately needed something to get my life (yes life, my weight still seems to control my happiness) back on track.
Ok, I know that was a lot of background. But here is where I am at now, 158 pounds. During the cleanse, which I still ate Thanksgiving dinner and Kobe’s at a work outing, managed to lose 5 pounds. I feel better already being “on track”. So that brings me to today, Day 1 of the MAX Phase. My meal plan for the day is listed below. Writing this out will hopefully help me stick to it considering I am in Starbucks and craving a Pumpkin Spice Latte which is what I usually drink when I sit here for hours working. But never the less, I CAN DO IT! Along with the help of Advocare, I WILL lose 15 pounds. I believe in Advocare. Not necessarily the pills (personally, I think that is just mental) but the meal plan combination. For some reason, having something to follow gives me hope. I am good at writing and staying on a plan (I think that is why I was so good at counting). Advocare wants you to eat! Advocare wants you to eat every 3 hours. Let’s be honest anything that lets me eat peanut butter as a “safe” food is alright with me.
So, I have never blogged before, but my ultimate goal is for you (or someone, whoever is reading this) to see that it works. So here we go, this is Day 1 !
P.S. My mother could not lose weight for the life of her… She as well was desperate to find something to work. She has now lost 50 pounds since July 20th. Way to go Mom!!!
Breakfast: Starbucks Plain Oatmeal & Coffee
Morning Snack: 2 handfuls of Plain Almonds (I am obsessed, Although, I think I overeat them) & Spark
Lunch: Meal Replacement Shake with 2 tbsp of Peanut Butter Powder (only 50 calories and tastes great in a smoothie, not so good by itself) & handful of Almonds (again :/ )
Afternoon Snack: 2 tbsp (knowing me, it was probably more) 5 carrots, and a handful of almonds (see, I love those almonds) & Spark
Dinner: Herb Crusted Chicken with vegetables. Recipe from http://skinnyms.com/slow-cooker-herb-chicken-and-vegetables/
or look in the Recipe section
See my recipe review tomorrow :)
Exercise: Ran 3 Miles
The “Cleanse Phase” of the 24 day challenge is finally over. I have done this cleanse once before, and I truly felt ‘on top’ of it. This time, I have to say, I didn’t feel that way at all. When I began the cleanse, I think I knew in my heart that it wasn’t going to be perfect. I started this 2 days before Thanksgiving. Most people reacted saying “why not wait till after…” but I just simply couldn’t. I needed this cleanse. I needed something to distract my path of destruction that I was on. Unfortunately, I am the girl who lets food run my life. I have had a long history of food problems. As I am writing this it seems weird because actually, it is not long at all. I guess it just feels that way.
Three summers ago, while out in Hawaii visiting my family, I began to ‘exercise’, nothing too extreme. When I would walk outside, I could see the ocean. It seemed foolish of me not to utilize the beautiful scenery. So, I decided I would run. When I initially began, I could only run down the road (yes, it was a slight incline). Eventually, I was able to run down and back. Before you knew it I was able to run down and back twice totaling two miles. From a girl who cringed at the thought of walking a mile, I was pretty impressed with myself.
Being in Hawaii, it is always easier for me to watch what I eat. Which is weird considering my Dad is a fine diner. I am not sure if it is the fact that I don’t go out and drink, or I simply feel like I have time to work on myself, but it is just a great feeling set a goal for my return and do it. Well, I guess this is where my story begins. I returned from Hawaii and felt good about myself. I really didn’t notice anything that different but I was exercising and watching what I was eating for about a month. Upon my return, the positive reinforcements were overwhelming. Everyone was complimenting me on my weight loss and I felt great! I felt like my boyfriend was attracted to me in a way that I have never felt before. It was a feeling
that I never wanted to lose.
I returned home and began to map out my running pattern, bought healthy foods, and began to read. I would spend my work hours reading recipe after recipe looking for new “low calorie” foods. The lower the calorie, the more excited I would get. I found a website called“Hungry Girl”, this is the best website for those counting calories, and still gives me recipes to this date! Growing up and in my early twenties, I was never one to cook, nor a healthy eater for that matter. Most of my meals came from Chick-Fil-A, or another take out restaurant. From out of nowhere I gained this will power that I never knew I had. Well, from August to December I lost weight. My boyfriend and mother had concerns about my eating habits and my paranoia about eating at a restaurant got out of control, you just never know what they are cooking with. After months of calorie counting I lost about forty pounds and looked great…. Ha! At least I thought so.
After a few months a hearing from my family “Ok, you have lost enough. It’s time not to worry”, I continued to watch my calories, butter, and anything “unhealthy”. Not really because I wanted to live my life counting and stressing about what was going on in the kitchen, but because I couldn’t stop! I was now running 3 miles a day and only eating 900 calories a day. Before you knew it, I was 90 pounds (Oh yea, I am a 5”8 girl). Within the next few months, I flew out to Las Vegas for a Spring Break trip with my boyfriend. My mother and father joined me in Las Vegas as well and right there in the middle of the Cesar’s Palace Bar, I was told I was going to enter rehab for an eating disorder!
At the time, I didn’t think I needed help. I just wanted to be left alone eat my healthy foods. Long story short, rehab was hard and I started swelling from the new foods I had deprived my body of for so long. I mentally thought it was instant weight gain and I just gave up on myself. Basically saying, well if I already gained this weight might as well start eating food and enjoying it. So I did… I ate, and I ate, and I ate. I was so miserable with my new weight of 170 pounds. There were so
many days that I didn’t even want to get out of bed. I went into a state of pure hibernation, even missing my best friends’ weddingL. But in reality, the more I hid from life, the more of an excuse it was for me to continue eating. As everyone always says the “the diet starts tomorrow”, and you bet, that is what I told myself as I sat in bed eating a tray full of brownies. Why the whole tray? Well, I lived a life of all or nothing. If I was going to start the diet, I might as well eat everything I“can’t” eat tomorrow, tonight. This went on for a while and now you can see why I quickly hit 170 pounds.
Well, I finally got my life back on track, but I felt like I was depriving myself by only eating three small meals a day while continuing to run, of course. I did it! I lost the weight and got back down to 138 pounds. Now this time, I looked and felt great! Unfortunately, depriving myself of foods and thinking of certain things as“bad” would lead to a binge. There was a mixture of things going on in my life and one MAJOR stressor (still, not an excuse), but I managed to regain about 25 pound which is where I am at now. I am currently started this cleanse at 163 pounds. I desperately needed something to get my life (yes life, my weight still seems to control my happiness) back on track.
Ok, I know that was a lot of background. But here is where I am at now, 158 pounds. During the cleanse, which I still ate Thanksgiving dinner and Kobe’s at a work outing, managed to lose 5 pounds. I feel better already being “on track”. So that brings me to today, Day 1 of the MAX Phase. My meal plan for the day is listed below. Writing this out will hopefully help me stick to it considering I am in Starbucks and craving a Pumpkin Spice Latte which is what I usually drink when I sit here for hours working. But never the less, I CAN DO IT! Along with the help of Advocare, I WILL lose 15 pounds. I believe in Advocare. Not necessarily the pills (personally, I think that is just mental) but the meal plan combination. For some reason, having something to follow gives me hope. I am good at writing and staying on a plan (I think that is why I was so good at counting). Advocare wants you to eat! Advocare wants you to eat every 3 hours. Let’s be honest anything that lets me eat peanut butter as a “safe” food is alright with me.
So, I have never blogged before, but my ultimate goal is for you (or someone, whoever is reading this) to see that it works. So here we go, this is Day 1 !
P.S. My mother could not lose weight for the life of her… She as well was desperate to find something to work. She has now lost 50 pounds since July 20th. Way to go Mom!!!
Breakfast: Starbucks Plain Oatmeal & Coffee
Morning Snack: 2 handfuls of Plain Almonds (I am obsessed, Although, I think I overeat them) & Spark
Lunch: Meal Replacement Shake with 2 tbsp of Peanut Butter Powder (only 50 calories and tastes great in a smoothie, not so good by itself) & handful of Almonds (again :/ )
Afternoon Snack: 2 tbsp (knowing me, it was probably more) 5 carrots, and a handful of almonds (see, I love those almonds) & Spark
Dinner: Herb Crusted Chicken with vegetables. Recipe from http://skinnyms.com/slow-cooker-herb-chicken-and-vegetables/
or look in the Recipe section
See my recipe review tomorrow :)
Exercise: Ran 3 Miles