24 days on AdvoCare - JT's results

Technically I should have wrapped up my 24 day challenge yesterday.

It didn't happen.

I got two days in on the max phase when I got the flu. It was brutal for a few days and during those few days I lived off crackers and soup. It was sad for me because I liked the consistency of what AdvoCare provided. I liked checking off my little boxes of what I had accomplished that day. Even though I did it for only a couple of days I hated jumping back in (like I should have) after so many days off. I still have my supplements which will be used soon! That's life though and it is in no way meant to get you down, you just have to buckle up and prepare to start again. 

My friend who started the same day didn't get the flu and pushed right on through completing his first 24 day challenge!! I am SO proud of him and all his hard work!

He lost a total of 18 pounds and 12 inches!! 

It's not a get skinny quick diet fad so if that's what you're expecting keep moving right along. 

This is teaching you to eat properly, often, while also taking supplements that your body needs. 

Remove all the trash. All the junk. All the stuff your body doesn't know how to process and you'll be amazed at your energy levels. The way you feel physically. The way you feel mentally. It's empowering. 

We incorporated 6 days of working out a week. We are training for a half marathon so running 4 days a week is mandatory. We also do weights to help tone our bodies. I saw the change and I certainly saw the change in my friend. Incredible!

Like I said, this takes hard work and dedication. It takes accountability and it takes the want to. You have to mentally prepare to lose weight the right way. AdvoCare can help you do that 

My co-teacher is still on her 10 day cleanse and has already lost 8 pounds!! She has started incorporating exercise as well and I am so excited to see her at the end. 

She even joined us at our 5:00am workouts!!

My other challenger is trucking along doing awesome!!!

I get so excited seeing these people change their bodies in a healthy way. I hope I can help others put one foot in front of the other and begin to get their life on track in regards to health. 

If you want to join me, please let me help! 

Snow days

I don't mind snow days. Really, I don't. I like them just as much as the next mom who is watching Peppa Pig and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse reruns nonstop. I like them as much as the next person who is trying to not give in to temptation, but is scrolling all through Facebook being bombarded with the never ending pictures of cookies, soups, and cakes.

 I like them as much as the next person who is trying to stay fit, but had to seriously weigh the pros and cons of whether a drive to the gym is worth it. 

I like them as much as the next person who is running out of ways to entertain their kids so letting them sit on top of the cabinets and pretend to be Bob Barker seems okay. 

I like them as much as the next person who wears a hat half the day because their two year old demands everyone wears a hat. 

I like them as much as the next person. The one who sees their house covered in beautiful white snow,  but also sees it as a prison.  

I like it as much as the next wife who thinks it will be fun to frolick in the snow with her husband until he spears her into the ground, shoves snow up her coat, and has her son throw an entire handful in her face while she's down. 

I like them as much as the next person. 

By that I mean a couple hours is good. Then? Then I'm done. 

Advocare 24 day challenge- 10 day cleanse

Two things I know for sure. 1.) Calories in 2.) Calories out

Simple science,  no?

I started the Advocare 24 day challenge 10 days ago. 

No, I didn't do it to lose weight. I'm perfectly happy with my weight actually. 

I decided to do it as a challenge to myself and to (honestly) be a support system for a friend. 

I am one of THE world's worst junk food eaters. Seriously, ask my husband, my mom, my dad, heck even Claire could vouche for me because she's my girl and likes them too. 

I visit the cupcake shop and the donut shop weekly. Pudding cups, homemade cookies, cheesecake, pies, anything just sign me up. I'm not really a candy girl unless it's frozen Reese's cups, Snickers bars, Twix, Butterfingers, or Three Muskateers. 

I am also a chip girl. Baked Cheddar and Sour Cream Lays will last all of a day in our house. 

This isn't to brag or say hey! Look at me! I'm the girl who eats what I want and doesn't gain weight. It's to say that there are better ways out there to feel good about yourself. 

I've only completed the cleanse. And that's just it...a cleanse. 

No, you won't be running to the bathroom every 10 minutes. Yes, you will be eating. No, you won't be starving yourself. Yes, you will be giving up the crap. No, you won't be deprived. 

You are eating 6 meals a day and healthy meals at that. Proteins, complex carbs, and fruits or veggies. 

It's a very easy "challenge" to complete really. The hardest thing, I think, for people to be successful is that they lack the want to. You either do, half way do, or don't. And the last two ways are the ways in which you cannot successfully complete your challenge. 

Before you get all, no crap Sarah. I get it. I was skeptical, too, at first because I "know" how to lose weight. I step on the scale every morning and every evening. I know my happy weight. It's 120. When I step on in the morning and it's up 2-3lbs I back off of my sweets and junk food for the day. I work a little harder in the gym. This is what has worked for me for years. 

Advocare has taught me to eat healthier. I already ate 6 meals a day. Easily. I run, I workout, and I am lucky to have a high metabolism so I am constantly hungry. During the cleanse I still ate often so I wasn't deprived. I just made better choices. No junk food, no dairy, no red meats, and no processed food.

I enter the max phase tomorrow. I'm excited to bring back dairy and red meats, but to also continue to make healthy food choices. 

There is a fiber drink taken the first three mornings of the cleanse and the last three. It's not horrible, but it's not good. I mixed it with my water and chugged it like I was back in college. I didn't even take a breath before finishing and drinking another cup of water as quickly as possible and then popping some gum. Mine was citrus,  but I hear peaches and cream is more tolerable. There is also amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids that you take at certain times of the day. Also, herbal cleanse pills and probiotics are provided. I was already on a probiotic so I just continued taking that instead. My favorite product that Advocare offers is Spark. It is a no sugar added energy drink. I love it! I don't drink many cokes at all so this just gives me a little pep in my step or a little more get up and go during my runs. 

I think the best part is that I am doing it with a friend. Yes, we both enjoyed crappy food so it's actually been fun texting each other joking around with how "miserable" we are. But that's just it, a joke. We both feel so much better. We are feeling leaner, healthier, stronger, and a whole heck a lot less sluggish. 

Accountability is key. That's why I like Advocare too. My best friend sells it and has always encouraged me to try it and I got as far as Spark. That's all I wanted, then. Once my friend ordered his my plan was to only give up sweets to be an encourager for him for the 24 days. The day before his challenge  started I decided to join him and I am glad I did. No, I haven't lost hardly any weight at all, but I didn't need to. I'm 5'3". 115 is my gross looking weight and 118 is, for me, my confident weight, and 120 is my comfortable weight. I've stayed right at that during the cleanse and don't expect the next 14 to produce that much more of a difference weight wise. 

I do work out and I am currently training for my third half marathon. It has made my workouts easier and my runs better getting all the junk out of my system. 

I also decided to sell Advocare. I even have my first challenger starting soon and I am so very excited for her. 

I love the way I feel and I am excited to see others feeling happy and healthier. So, if you want to try it let me know! (of course I had to get one shameless plug in there.)

Here's my results after 10 days: 

I'm down 3 lbs. Not that I can really tell,  but I do know my clothes fit looser.