Long drives are for the birds...

I'm blogging from my phone! Cool, huh?!!
What a day! I look forward to the days when we will teleport ourselves! Road trips are no fun with crabby children (x3)! But- we are in our hotel and getting settled in.
Before we left this morning (was that a million years ago???), we did our final measurements and weights. It's a day early, but being on vaca, we wanted to get it done. So (drumroll please), I have lost seven pounds and ten and a half inches!!!!!! All in 23 days! So excited. We both said this is great, but we are far from finished. We have big goals and we will get there!
I told you yesterday that we packed some healthy snacks for the road, but the key was water...and nuts! We stopped at Subway for lunch and for dinner went to BW3. I found a new love... Salt and vinegar wings. I know wings are not the healthiest fare, but when faced with eating wings, I highly suggest ordering the salt and vinegar! Delish!!! Had 5 and was full! :)
Tomorrow we have the last leg of our jaunt to Gulf Shores. It's also our last day of the challenge. Cannot wait to finish our trip, even if our journey is still just getting started!
See you tomorrow.

Happy Spring Break!

Knee deep... Day 22 of the challenge

Ever heard that Zac Brown Band song?  I don't know many of their songs, but that one immediately takes me away to the beach.  Maybe it's because Jimmy Buffet sings w/him, but as soon as it comes on I feel like vacation is on the horizon! 

Actually, it is on the horizon.  Tomorrow in fact!  I've spent the night packing, doing laundry, packing.  My lovely husband made us some whole wheat pasta for dinner tonight.  Nothing fancy, but still a family favorite!  We are getting up early to pack the van and head to Gulf Shores.  Our house will be heavily guarded by Navy Seals and landmines.  Oh, and Murphy!  Just thought you should know up front...

Today we bought car snacks.  We loaded up on nuts and fruit.  In the past we'd have gotten Pringles, pretzels and Starburst.  It will be interesting to see how the ride goes.  We always pack a cooler which will have waters, pre-mixed Spark/Rehydrate, and lots of fruit.  No pop this year.  :)  I have some books to read and a People Magazine, the girls have The Muppetts Movie, and Pat has the road. 

I cannot wait to get to the beach.  We will be running/walking in the sand, lounging by the pool and spending quality time with each other and our friends!  That's what vacation is all about.  Making memories!  I'm sure I'll have plenty to share.

See you in a couple days.

Be positive! There is good everywhere!

Day 21- rounding home...

Pat asked me tonight when I would stop blogging...  made me think.  I'm going to go with never, or when I run out of things to say.  Whichever comes first...

But it does point to the fact that our 24 day challenge is nearly finished.  With so many life changes, you are left with the question of, "Now what?"  I can remember every single time I did Weight Watchers, and I reached my goal weight.  I always remember feeling like a toddler on a bike just after Dad let go.  I'd inevitably fall EVERY TIME.  Sure, the amount of time I stayed up varied.  But you notice I said, "every single time I did Weight Watchers..."?  It was not a life change.  It was a diet.  A very successful diet, I might add.  I did it with every kid and in between at least three more times.  However,  I wasn't treating my body well.  I was not concerned with my health.  I was ONLY worried about weight.  I cannot tell you the difference between that me and this me.  My energy, my will-power, my attitude- different.  I am empowered and driven.  I honestly believe that this is due to the mind-shift I've had.  I have tackled a hurdle that has stood in my path down every road I walked.  I have shattered that myth that I have to deprive myself in order to feel strong, to feel well.  Quite the opposite, really.  I'm nourishing my body with some of the best food choices I've ever made and they are just that- CHOICES!  Sure, during the cleanse my diet was much more restrictive, but that was purposeful.  It cleared the pathway for optimal absorption of the nutrients that I now fill it with. 

And fill it we do- with really good food!  That is one great thing I have begun since we started.  I've started cooking some pretty great meals using clean and (where available) organic ingredients.  Tonight was no different.  I made Ginger and Cilantro Tilapia.  Of course, the girls brought out the ketchup at the sight of the fish, but I loved it.  Pat and I have a favorite place for sushi near our house and they serve a roll called the Houston Roll.  It's soy paper, tuna (or maybe salmon), fresh jalapeno peppers, and cream cheese.  That is exactly what dinner smelled like tonight!  YUM!  The ginger with the fresh jalapenos was perfect.  I paired it with steamed broccoli (with lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice) and whole grain brown rice.    The recipe follows.   It was a little spicy, but not bad.  If you are not a fan of spicy, I'd suggest using half the pepper and adding more cilantro.

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia from http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-ginger-a-24737
serves 2, or 1 with lunch leftovers
2 large tilapia fillets (or similar thin white fish) - about 3/4 pound
1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
3 garlic cloves
1 inch grated ginger (1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons soy sauce I used Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/4 cup white wine This used to not be a problem- having wine around- but all I had was a blanc de blanc sparkling wine.  It was perfect.  Not too sweet, but not too dry. 
1 teaspoon sesame oil I only had olive oil
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Scallions, chopped for garnish
Extra cilantro, to garnish
Heat the oven to 475ºF. Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place in a glass baking dish.
Chop the pepper and garlic, and grate the ginger. Put in a small food processor with the soy sauce, white wine, sesame oil, and cilantro. Whir until blended. Pour the sauce over the fish, rubbing it in a little. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through I did ten minutes. It will be very moist and gelatinous (I hate that word), still.
Serve immediately over brown rice, garnished with scallions and cilantro.

So, what is next?  In three days we will have officially completed the challenge, but we are far from finished!  We will continue with our daily MNS packs.  We will continue with our shakes, and we will learn what other things are necessary to help us reach our potential.  Of course, we'll be on vacation at the beach, so my potential may be limited to morning walks and lounging on beach chairs for a while...  :)
See you tomorrow

Anything is possible! Make today yours!

Day 20- Sa-weet!

Today was another day at home for me, but a much better day by far!  I was hit by a virus according to the doc!  Not the flu, since I didn't have a fever, but just like it in every other way!  Fire-up!  I'm feeling 89% better, though (that's like a solid A-), which is a vast improvement.  ;)

I even ventured out this morning.  I drove the littles to school and to the sitter.  I may have slightly frightened the sitter, as her eyes widened when I walked in.  I'm pretty sure that if I'd have offered her a mask, she'd have gratefully wrapped it around her head!  It didn't help that I hadn't showered since SATURDAY!  WOW- that is not pretty!  Spoiler alert- I did shower later in the day...

Anyway, I did my usual with the MNS packet today.  Yesterday I felt so crummy that I didn't take the last half of the pack.  :(  Today I was determined to get my nutrition on.  So, I did my normal routine with my Spark and my pre-breakfast pack.  I drank a vanilla shake and took Omegaplex.  For snack I had blackberries and bananas (my fav) and some nuts.  I took a rest shortly after that.  I was still really weak and my trip to the sitter didn't help matters.  I decided to shower- which was against my better judgement (just kidding) and that took forever!  I did feel so much better after, but seriously exhausted!  After a grueling session of What Not to Wear, I heated up some of the barley soup from the night before (delish).  I rested for a bit longer and then decided I had to do SOMETHING.  I dried my hair and headed to the kitchen.  It was a hot mess!  I cleaned it up and didn't collapse!  That's progress!

Blah, blah, blah- the afternoon went on in this boring fashion and I decided that I really wanted something sweet.  I haven't had anything really sweet since this process began and today I was craving something!  Typically, I enjoy baking.  I've been trying so hard to make good meals, I've not made time.  I started scouring the bloggersphere for some clean sweet treats.  As luck would have it, there are plenty out there.  The one I found most appealing was the strawberry oatmeal breakfast cookie.  I linked to it from a very interesting article about how our children are eating too many sweets.  You can read that article here. 

I picked up my peeps and we headed to Whole Foods Market to get the goods for these cute little cookies!  I went all organic.  We headed home to get started.  Molly was official strawberry masher.  That little four year old did an outstanding job!  She also helped mix the dry ingredients and then continued to eat the oats as I finished up.  See the recipe below, and make some soon.  They are really great!  I ate three after my dinner of leftover pork chop and wilted spinach.  I took my second round of MNS w/dinner because I forgot to do it at lunch...  That shower really threw me off!  :)

STRAWBERRY OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIES

from http://foodlets.com/ 

Adapted from The Sneaky Chef to the Rescue

These freeze perfectly and individually, so just pull out a few in the morning for an easy on-the-go breakfast

Try to use organic oats, strawberries and jam if you can find them

For an even easier baking process, use a mini-muffin pan instead of baking sheets-I did!

ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup wheatgerm
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed strawberries including their juice plus 1 teaspoon water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam

instructions
With the oven on at 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking sheets. (If you’re using a mini-muffin pan, grease the cups.)
In a medium sized bowl whisk the dry ingredients: flour, wheat germ, baking soda, salt and oats.
Using another larger bowl, whisk together eggs and butter. Add vanilla, mashed strawberries, sugar and honey, mixing until fully combined.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix.
Drop tablespoons or small cookie scoops onto a baking sheet (or fill mini-muffin cups). Press your thumb into the middle and fill with a pinch of strawberry jam. Not too much or the jam will overflow during the baking process.
Bake for 20-24  minutes. Let cool on a rack. Store cookies in airtight container in the fridge for one week or freeze them in a plastic bag for two months.

So, that's it.  Not a really exciting day, but better than the two that preceded it!  Looking forward to tomorrow.  I'm ready to see my students and ready to make it great!
See you then.

What are you drinking for energy?

Be good to your body.

Day 19 is only halfway over, but I have a lot to share...

So, I didn't post about my night on the 17th day, nor have I posted about day 18.  It's day 19 and I think I'll highlight them all! Sorry I was being a slacker...

But it seems I have a virus- not in my computer, in my person.  :(  I can hardly walk down the steps w/o feeling like I need to sit for a spell.  I've been nauseous, headache, chilled, and physically exhausted.  This all began when I woke yesterday.  Let's backtrack, shall we?

Saturday night, as you know, Pat and I headed out on the a fore mentioned party bus.  It was fun, but about an hour and a half into it I got a text from our eldest daughter that she was going to puke.  Actually, it said, "im Gunnar puke".  I wasn't sure if that was her new stage name, or if she was sick.  Turns out, the sitter knew nothing of it and Gunnar Puke was in bed with her little sister...  all was well, but I felt a little odd being out on a party bus when my daughter felt badly enough to text me, poor grammar and all.  Everyone started guzzling early, but not me!  I feel too damn good to mess it up!  I had waters galore and didn't mind being the fun-sponge (believe me, it's not the first time I've been called that).  I did try one drink.  Key Lime whipped vodka and key lime sugar free tonic water.  I made my own, and it was tasty.  I drank about half of it before we arrived at dinner. 

Dinner was interesting.  It was the first time I was faced with all things bad that I LOVE.  Nachos are always better in a brew house, as are beer and soft pretzels.  :)  I did taste the nachos, piled high with jalapenos, and red onions.  MMMMM, but I didn't long for more, so after my taste, I was done.  I ordered a Mexican chicken dish w/beans and rice.  I asked for no cheese, but there was still some in it.  I thought I was getting something seemingly healthy.  WRONG!  It was FRIED!  Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!  There were three fried Mexican chicken wraps on my plate!  I made the best of it.  I ate one, gave two away and downed my beans and rice.  I was full and it was good.  I didn't dwell on it, either.  I'm not defined by what I eat, nor am I going to gain a bunch from eating the occasional nachos and fried chicken thing!  It was good.  I enjoyed the conversation at the table, I tried a few other menu items that others had and I left satisfied and full!

We went to a few bars after.  None too exciting.  I drank water the whole time, danced a little and enjoyed our friends.  Unfortunately, we did not get home until 2:45, and I still had to drive our sitter home.  So, I got to bed at 3:20.  I was so glad to be sober and hydrated!

Sunday I awoke sore.  Like I'd been hit by the party bus sore.  Like I was throwing back shots at the bar sore...  Like I had the flu sore...  It was really very surreal.  I literally felt like I had a wicked hangover.  I even wondered if someone slipped something in my water!  I slept most of the day, eating egg whites and turkey bacon for breakfast w/my MNS packet, along with grilled pork chops and fresh green beans for dinner.  I just felt horrible the entire day!  I knew there was no possible way I would make it at school the next day (being today), so I called around and because I work with wonderful people, they took care of me! 

Fast forward to today...  No better.  I am whipped.  I got up this morning to help get my people ready and took my MNS packet and a spark.  I had a chocolate shake for breakfast and after the fam was gone to their different places, I went back to sleep FOR THREE MORE HOURS!  I awoke to the phone and went down for an apple.  I could not get myself to walk back up the stairs, so I sat outside on the porch and ate my juicy apple.  I really love apples!  :)  I had some almond milk and bear granola for lunch.  It was good, and hit the spot.  The good news is that I just feel weak today.  A slight headache and body is still pretty sore, but I feel a small bit better than yesterday.  Unfortunately, I've gotten NOTHING done that needs done.  We leave for vaca on Friday and I literally have done NOTHING...  I can't even bring myself to try.  Maybe tomorrow.

The one thing I did do today is make dinner.  It's in the crockpot.  I'll post the recipe and if it's as good as it smells, you'll want to make it!  :)  Yes, I had to sit the entire time I made it, but I think it will be worth the effort!


Slow Cooker Chicken Barley Stew- from Clean Eating Magazine- which I love!

INGREDIENTS:

• 32 oz low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp garlic sea salt
• 1/2 tbsp thyme
• 1/2 tbsp basil
• 1/2 tbsp cilantro
• 1/4 tbsp dill- I didn't have dill, so I omitted it
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
• 12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed (uncooked) I shredded the chix, too tired to cut.
• 1/2 cup uncooked black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked through
• 1/2 cup barley
• 1 medium sweet onion, cubed
• 20 oz potatoes, peeled and cubed- I used sweet potatoes
• 10 oz carrots (3 large), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices- We were out of carrots, so I omitted
• 8 tbsp low-fat sour cream (optional)- omitted

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Fill a slow cooker with broth, 8 oz water, garlic, herbs and pepper. Add chicken, peas and barley, then layer onion, potatoes and carrots overtop. Liquid should just cover vegetables. Do not stir.
2. Allow to simmer overnight, at least 4 to 6 hours. Remove bay leaves and stir before serving. Spoon 1 cup into each bowl and top with 1 tbsp sour cream, if desired.

Nutrients per 1-cup serving without sour cream: Calories: 230, Total Fat: 2.5 g, Sat. Fat: 0.5 g, Carbs: 3 g, Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 21 g, Sodium: 240 mg, Cholesterol: 40 mg 

 

 I will let you know how it goes!

See you tomorrow!

 

Even on Monday...

Breathe

It's Sunday.  Take some time to give thanks, breathe and remember why you're here.  Enjoy!

Catching up- Day 16 of the challenge on 17, but who's counting?

WOW!  I saw the Hunger Games movie last night!  It was outstanding.  I'm an avid reader and as a teacher, I love reading the latest in contemporary young adult literature.  The HG trilogy may have surpassed my love of all things Harry Potter (am I showing my inner-nerd too much?)!  If you've read the book, GO SEE THE MOVIE!  If you haven't read the book, read it first.  No movie is EVER as good as the book, and while this (and The Help) is pretty close, it's just not the same.  I'll hop off my "read the book" soapbox.  Just know that this movie is one I'd pay two, maybe three times to see at the theater.  That says a lot, considering I'm pretty cheap!  :)

If you're anything like me, going to the movies is only better when coupled with a large tub of popcorn smothered in melted butter and sprinkled generously with salt.  Guess what...not this time!  I didn't even want it.  It smelled great, for sure, but I never once thought, "...just one piece..." and I was flanked by two heaping bowls of warm kernels!  Instead, I drank my water and immersed myself in Katniss and Peeta!  Two weeks ago, I'd still be flossing!  :)

My yesterday was wonderful, and I felt great!  I ate well.  For the first time in two weeks I had a bit of cheese.  I ate French Onion soup from Panera and it has some shaved cheese on top.  Because it was so little, I didn't notice a difference, and it was soooo good. 

This morning was another milestone for our family.  We took our two oldest daughters to run in the Underground Railroad Walk/Run.  We signed-up for the 5K.  I assumed that I'd stick with out 8 year old and walk/run the race, but apparently she had other ideas.  I think some sibling rivalry was taking over because she tried to keep up with her amazingly fast sister.  They smoked by me early on and I lost them somewhere in the first five minutes.  Left on my own devices, I slowed to a comfortable pace and enjoyed the crisp air... for a while.  I did something today that no one my age should ever do.  I ran in a race (albeit only 3.1 miles) without training at all.  I have not run more than 1 mile in the last two months.  I've really been focusing on anaerobic exercise, and man I felt it today.  My point is, our bodies are instruments and we must prepare them for play.  I have more than prepared myself to continue my body weight focused workouts.  I'm up to 40 REAL push-ups (ok, not all at once, but four sets of ten is pretty awesome for me).  I felt weak and weird after running 3.1 miles in 34 minutes.  Yes, I finished, and yes, I was glad, but I'm a little mad at myself for not taking care of my body the right way to make the most of the run.  I did Spark and Rehydrate first thing, then had a shake prior to the race, came home and showered (and ate some egg whites, spinach, and tomatoes on a whole grain wrap) and then I did a Rehydrate drink again.  THAT was key.  I literally could feel my body re-regulate itself.  It was thanking me!  I will do it again in a couple of hours with my afternoon Spark and catalyst. 

I guess the moral of the story is that regardless of how amazing I feel, it is still a journey, a process.  I owe it to myself and all of steps I've made to do it right.  No one is an instant athlete (right?).  I just have to compare myself to myself and continue to be as proud and happy with myself as I continue to be. 

I will gloat on my girls, though!  Our 8 year old finished 18th out of 29 girls 12 and under.  She was the ONLY 8 year old in the group!!!  This was her first ever run and she did it in 30 minutes!  My 10 year old, who marvels me with her speed at her age, finished 8th in the same group.  She ran it in 27 minutes.  They get it from their dad...  :)  So proud (as always) of my girls.  They are good people! 

Tonight we have our first outing with friends since beginning the challenge.  By "outing", I mean we are joining 13 other people on a party bus headed downtown!  I am ready to put on my (previously) tight jeans, and shake my tail feather!  I've learned that I don't need to drink to have fun.  We end up feeling so much better in the  morning and we save money!  That's a win/win! 

I'll let you know how it goes!
See you tomorrow.

TGIF

If you are a Hunger Games fan, like me, you will understand... I cannot wait for the 8:00 show tonight!

Spreading the word... Day 15 of the challenge

I feel SOOO much better today.  I guess I just needed a good night's sleep!  What a difference that made! 

I had a super day today.  I was starving when I got up, mostly because I didn't eat dinner last night (I felt too bad to eat).  I did things a little differently and had my shake right away.  It's amazing how filling those are.  I came up and got ready, did the usual and came down.  I packed my MNS pack, my H2O and Spark.  When I got to school, a few hours after I had my shake, I took my first set of supplements.  About thirty minutes later I ate a big snack (carrots, nut pack and an orange) with my "with meal" supplements.  Then I was ready for my lunchtime a few hours later.  I felt great and ate really well today.  I had a lean 6 oz sirloin (from Chili's) for lunch today because we ordered out for a co-worker's birthday.  It came with steamed broccoli.  YUM-O!  I realized that it's been over  two weeks since I've had any red meat.  It was really satisfying!  I Sparked after school and took my three catalyst capsules.  I had to make a run to the store for my veggies and some Jasmine rice tonight.  I tried another new recipe (delish).  My dear friend came over and while the girls went to practice, we had a nice healthy meal!  Tonight I had a glass of really good red wine, too.  Just one and very tasty.  It was a lovely evening.

I couldn't contain myself today, though.  I was touting Advocare all over the place!  Two of my close friends at school are ready to begin and I'm thrilled for them.  I cannot wait to be a part of their journey into a healthier self.  Pat couldn't wait to share with my friend who came over tonight.  But the best thing happened when she and I were walking to a neighbor's house to grab my youngest for dinner.  An old friend of mine happened to be leaving another neighbor's house.  I waved and she stopped, literally in the middle of the street.  She proceeded to tell me that she barley recognized me.  I said that it must be my new hair cut/color.  She agreed that was part, but insisted that I look different, younger, fitter.  After I paid her (just kidding) I explained what I've been doing with Advocare products and how they've changed our lives (that sounds so cliche', but in 15 days, I really have a whole new outlook).  I then sent her to my house to tell Pat she needed "sparked".  She left with one for her and one for her husband!  I can't wait to get her on board and see the difference it makes.  I LOVE sharing this with people I care about.  Who's next???


Here's the recipe for the ridiculously good chicken and rice meal I made tonight.  SOOOO good!  Enjoy!

Ginger Honey Chicken from Clean Eating Magazine

INGREDIENTS:

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce I used Bragg's Liquid Aminos
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 2 tbsp freshly ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
• 4 4-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a baking sheet with a thin layer of cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together next 6 ingredients, creating a marinade.
3. Place chicken into prepared baking sheet and brush with marinade. Bake chicken for about 30 minutes or until no longer pink in center.
4. Serve chicken on a bed of brown jasmine rice and your favorite steamed vegetables. Instead of steaming veggies, I roasted yams, mushrooms, red peppers, and zucchini with olive oil and garlic salt at 400 for 20 minutes.  Perfect!!!

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 152, Total Fat: 1.5 g, Sat. Fat: 0.5 g, Carbs: 6 g, Fiber: 0.5 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 27 g, Sodium: 376 mg, Cholesterol: 66 mg

Tomorrow is Grandparents' Day at school- wish me luck!
See you then.

Feeling so much better!!

Happy Thursday!

Hitting the Hump Day Wall- Day 14 of the challenge

My busy weeks and late nights have gotten the best of me.  I'm going to get my ladies in bed and hit the hay myself.  I'll double my updates tomorrow because tonight I feel like I've been hit by a truck.  Must sleep...  Good night.

See you tomorrow.

Happy Wednesday!

Sharing the wealth- Day 13 of the challenge

What a busy day!  It's close to ten and I'm still not done!  It's days like today I am so very grateful for my renewed energy!  I finally got up early and did my workout!  I am so bad about hitting snooze.  Since Pat got home so late last night, we stayed up talking until almost midnight.  Regardless, I got up and did my Maximum Capacity workout.  I did some light weights and crunches, too.  I got started on the rest of my morning in my usual way. 

For my snack today I had some mixed nuts which I love.  I'm so glad they are pre-portioned because I would honestly eat troves of them!  For lunch I ate the leftover chicken/zucchini patty with romaine lettuce, some carrots and for dessert- blackberries and bananas.  YUM! 

After school I had my favorite Spark and some Catalyst while I cleaned up the kitchen and took the gals to soccer.  My baby girl and I tidied up the rest of the house because I had some friends over tonight to share product information with them.  I know that I am truly invested in this for the right reasons after tonight. I was looking at three people that I know and love, who I know would benefit from Advocare, and my sole purpose was to have them feel well.  I don't care if I make a dime, I just want those people that I care about to feel as healthy and positive as I.  That was a really empowering realization and solidified for me why I'm doing this.  I'm so thankful that I have the opportunity to share with them. 

Dinner tonight?  Rushed!  I heated up some leftover salmon and had an apple.  I finished it off with a spoonful of natural peanut butter.  Not gourmet, but did the job! 

So I have to share with you some (vain) positives from today.  I have a favorite pair of jeans (who doesn't) and they have been much tighter lately than they were a few months ago...  until tonight.  I put them on and not only do they fit well, the little pooch of chub (as I call it) that peeks over the sides is GONE!  That's enough to make my heart sing :)  AND- a friend noticed tonight that my arms are looking more cut!  Even better, someone told Pat today that he looks YOUNGER!  Talk about feeling like a million bucks...  we sure do right now!  Am I ready for a bikini?  Not yet, but that day is in the not too far future!  I never thought I'd say that... 

Tonight Pat and I are going to try a product to help us get a restful night's sleep- Sleep Works.  It's a liquid vitamin and an herbal supplement.  I tend to wake at night and have a hard time falling back to sleep (my mind works overtime most days/nights).  Let's hope this gives my thoughts a rest.

See you tomorrow.

Make today great!

Halfway Marker- Day 12 of the Challenge

I have a hard time believing that all this change has come in less than two weeks!  I feel amazing and I'm down six pounds.  I measured my hips and waist this morning and I've lost two inches off each!  That is remarkable!  That's all in 12 days! 

I talked to my girlfriend in AZ tonight.  They had a SNOW DAY!  Holy Global Warming!  I was melting in my classroom (who thought they'd need to use the AC in March) and she was entertaining her kids on their day off school!  Oh the irony!  So, yes, it was another beautiful day in the midwest.  I'm sure we'll pay for it later.

Today was the usual for a Monday.  I was reluctant to get out of bed after the great weekend we had.  All this sunshine is making me long for Summer, and a good long break!  I did, though, and headed down to the kitchen for my Spark.  I mixed our shakes (I'm finishing up the strawberry and saving the last four chocolates until our next order arrives), readied our MNS packets,  and packed our lunches.  Leftover salmon over spinach and cucumbers.  It was so good I didn't even need dressing!  I packed some blackberries and bananas for dessert and a nut pack for snack.  I also made this smoothie, thinking it would be a good afternoon snack.  It's called the Green Goddess Shake.  I love kiwi and avocado, so I thought it would be a safe bet.  Clearly I did something wrong because I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be drinkable.  I'd have been better off dipping some chips in it.  :(  I will try it again with more almond milk and less avocado next time!  When you link to the recipe, know that I used a whole avocado, no protein powder and unsweetened almond milk.  I didn't have applesauce, so I did use only one apple, chopped.  I'm sure (when done correctly) it is great.  My suggestion is to follow the recipe...  I will try it again this weekend.

Tonight Pat went to Lafayette to hear a presenter speak about the Performance Enhancement line Advocare has for athletes (that's not me).  As a coach and an avid sportsman, he is very interested in this.  I am anxious to hear what he learned.  Since he had to drive a good ways, he missed dinner.  I made a good one, too!  Even my girls liked it.  My middle one said, "This is some good meat!"
I'll take all the praise I can get!  :)

I made chicken zucchini burgers.  They are really tasty!  I was skeptical when making the patties.  They are nothing at all like beef burgers.  Very sticky, and not really "easy" to mix.  However, they're worth the effort!  I didn't use any condiments, but next time I will put them on a bed of romaine and top with a tomato.  The girls went with the usual- ketchup.  I did find a recipe for clean ketchup, which I will try sometime when they aren't around to see me make it.  Some deception will need to be involved for them to try it.  I will probably have to wash the Heinz bottle and fill it, but who cares!  I served it with mixed veggies and (for the girls) organic tater tots!  Link to the recipe HERE.  I love that she has pictures to guide you through.  Unlike the smoothie, I did follow the recipe completely.  I removed some of the zucchini though.  It just seemed like a lot.  I hope you enjoy them.

Hope you had a wonderful Monday.
See you tomorrow.

Happy Monday

Must be just like livin' in paradise!- Day 11 of the challenge

Seriously, I sound like a broken record, but this weather is amazing!  It's like May in March!  Ironically, my BFF lives in Sedona, AZ.  They got SNOW today!  She lives in the desert!  It's really sort of scary, but I'll take the sunshine and warm temps everyday of the week. 

We started the Metabolic Nutrition System today.  I'm doing the MNS Max E (for sustained energy) and Pat's doing the MNS Max C (for craving control).  It's uncharacteristically easy.  The vitamins needed are in their own packs, labeled for when to take them.  Of course, we began the day with Spark and Catalyst, then a meal replacement shake.  The only difference is that we have these little packets of supplements to take.   I feel really great.  For lunch Pat went to Chipotle and we had our favorite naked burritos (no tortilla).  We had some trail mix for snack and an apple later in the day.  I was not at all hungry in the in-betweens.  Instead, I was fully of energy.  I helped Pat in the yard, getting our outdoor patio set back up.  It's probably my favorite place to be.  I've been known to nap on our little loveseat while reading.  Not today, though.  :)

Because we got our outdoor living space back in working order, we decided that outdoor dining was the perfect option!  I'm suddenly addicted to salmon, and I made the soy grilled salmon again.  It's too good.  Because we are no longer are cleansing, I was able to add honey to the marinade (I omitted it last time).  I used organic honey, and again used Braggs.  We didn't have green onions tonight, so I omitted those, too.  For a our side I made Moos-cous (recipe follows).  It was really good and I'm so glad I had whole wheat cous cous on hand.  I wilted some spinach to put under the salmon, which was a great base.  Another winning dinner in my book!

Moos-cous (Mushroom Couscous)- adapted from http://www.backtotheroots.com/blog
1 T. olive oil
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 cup chopped pearl oyster mushrooms ( I used baby bellas)
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the onions. Saute the onions, turning frequently, until translucent (about 3 or 4 minutes). Add the mushrooms, continuing to turn them frequently, to cook for another 4 minutes. In a separate pot, heat the chicken stock until boiling. Add the couscous, stir, cover, and remove from heat. Let the couscous stand for 5 minutes, then take off the lid and fluff the couscous. Toss in the onions and mushrooms and serve. 


It's funny the difference 10 days can make.  I'm anxious to see what this next phase brings.
See you tomorrow.

Salmon, St. Patrick and Strep- Final day of the cleanse (day 10)

We had an eventful day yesterday, so much so that I had no time to blog!  My apologies!

So a late, Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!  We could not have created a more beautiful day if we tried!  The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the kids were having fun- well, not all of them...  Our middle daughter was very lethargic, complaining of a headache and a neckache.  Like most moms with more than one kid, I did what I knew was best...  placated her, fed her some Advil and pumped her with water.  I figured she was really fine, just being lazy.  I called a friend and arranged to meet her on the Monon for a walk/run, Pat went to an Advocare meeting, and our morning was lovely.  

On spring days like yesterday EVERYONE is out.  People air up their tires and jump on their bikes, runners lace up after a winter of hibernating, windows are thrown open and everyone finds a pair of shorts to wear!  We were all out chatting, and my neighbor mentioned that her daughter felt a lot like my daughter when she had strep a few weeks ago.  I figured it wouldn't hurt to look in my gal's throat.  WHOA!  Turns out, she has strep throat.  After two hours in the Minute Clinic (ironic) and a strep test, it was confirmed...  bummer!  I had to cancel my run, postpone our sitter, and love on my girl.  She was pitiful.

When we came home, I was still in my workout clothes, and Pat was lounging in the yard with our neighbors watching the dogs play.  My neighbor talked me in to going on a bike ride and doing some interval training in the yard.  I was up to the challenge.  I've been cleansing for 10 days, I'd had my Spark and my Catalyst capsules, I felt like a million bucks!  We started with a minute of jump roping, then ten burpees, and off on our bikes for a ten minute ride (repeat three times).  I started strong!  Then I was quickly reminded that while my energy is better than it's ever been, that doesn't mean I've miraculously gained cardiovascular endurance!  PHEW- I was winded!  The beauty of it is that even though I am still not as fit as I would like to be, I had the energy to hang on, to push myself, to keep going.  I did a shorter route than my friend, but I did it.  Another round of burpees and jumprope, and I stopped.  I know what happens when I push too hard.  I came in a did some light weights for my arms and some crunches.  I felt really good.  I will need to keep up with my cardio, but I know that my renewed energy will enable me to do it.  It's really an empowering feeling to know that I have it in me now. 

Our sitter is a college student (one I had in fourth grade, believe it or not) and she is probably one of the most responsible and mature young people I know.  She insisted that we go (her sister apparently has strep, too) out as planned, so we did.  What you need to know is that last week when she came over we gave her a Spark and a Slam after learning that she uses 5 Hour energy when she needs to be up late studying.  When she arrived yesterday she was positively glowing about how wonderful Spark made her feel.  She was able to have the energy and the mental clarity to get a project done that she'd been dreading.  I'm so glad we were able to help her see great results and get away from a toxic "energy" drink. 

We went to my favorite restaurant last night.  It's called The Local, and it's amazing.  They serve as much local and sustained foods as they can.  The menu changes on a regular basis because of this and I have yet to try something that wasn't outstanding!  Because we were still on the cleanse I talked to my server about eliminating the potatoes and olives (I hate olives) from my meal.  He made a few suggestions for what to add and I ended up with a braised salmon filet with fennel and asparagus!  I would have licked the plate if I could have.  It was delicious.  We went out with another couple and they had equally great meals.  If you've not been there, please do yourself a favor and go.  You'll love the food, they serve local beers and even have organic wines. 

Being St. Patrick's Day, we went to the Brockway Pub after dinner.  It was slammed!  We saw several people we knew and several we didn't!  The wind started to pick up and a storm was on it's way, so we left as quickly as we got there.  It was a fun night and a great way to spend the last day of our cleanse.

I cannot speak enough about my transformation from these last ten days.  I'm not only talking about my physical transformation, but I have really begun to see my health in a new light.  I see food differently.  I want others to feel as great as I do, and I know that this is just the start to a journey that will continue down a much longer path.  I hope you'll continue it with me.

See you later (tonight).

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I love a parade (sung in a Broadway voice)- Day 9 of the challenge

What a fun day we had!  Everyone is tuckered out tonight- myself included!  We got up early today.  I had my Spark and catalyst and headed downstairs for my Maximum Capacity workout.  Today was hard, starting with elevated push-ups on the ball!  After my workout, I took a quick shower, then had my fiber drink.  After getting myself and two of my three ready, we headed out with bottles of water and my chocolate meal replacement shake in hand.  We met up with some friends and made our way  downtown for the St. Patrick's Day parade!  Everyone was decked-out in green and we even broke out the sunscreen!  I cannot remember another time when my girls had to wear sunscreen for St. Patrick's Day! 

What a fun parade it was!  I was interviewed by the local news station about the weather.  The girls had 3,000 Dum Dum suckers and Tootsie Rolls, and they got to see their daddy and grandpa walking in the parade.  I'd say a good time was had by all!  We left hot, sweaty and ready for naps- which no one took!  I had brought my catalyst with me because I knew I would not have a snack before lunch, so I took those in the car.

When we got home I made lunch for everyone.  I had a spinach salad w/leftover Asian chicken and balsamic.  The kids ate fast so they could go out and enjoy more of the sunshine!  After cleaning up, I had another Spark. I went to the door to find our recent Advocare order had arrived, so I unpacked our goodies and got those put away.  We got some Post-Workout Recovery which I am anxious to try.  That is one area I have had a hard time with.  It's vital to fuel your body correctly after a good workout, and I'm not good at doing this in a timely manner.  Your body needs good protein within 30 minutes of working out and I never get this done.  These shakes will be such an easy way to do just that (plus we ordered chocolate, and if they're anything like the meal replacement I'll be working out more just to have them)!

We were invited to eat out with some good friends tonight.  Red Robin it was.  Not the healthiest place to eat, but I was determined to make it work.  I had a grilled chicken breast with Mexican spices, a side salad w/no dressing (just basically mixed greens and diced tomatoes) and salsa.  I squeezed a lime over it and seasoned with some black pepper.  It was good and very spicy!  I think I did ok with that meal, but honestly, I've made better dinners lately!  I came home and took my Omegaplex.

It's almost time for bed and tomorrow is another busy day.  We have our first soccer tournament of the spring season!  It's also the last day of the cleanse for us.  I look forward to the next phase. 

Oh- by the way, Missouri lost tonight...  so much for my stellar research!  :(
See you tomorrow!

Today is beautiful! Make it great!

I'm getting ready to start a really fun day with my girls.  Thought I'd share an image that I come back to often.  Why NOT today?  My today started over a week ago, and it keeps getting better.  Today's another day in our journeys.  Enjoy your day.  Make it great!

March Madness is upon us! Day 8 of the challenge

Anyone in Indiana during the second week of March will tell you that there is only one thing to do- watch basketball!  I actually "researched" my picks this year.  I looked at percentages, read predictions, checked rosters, and guess what... I'm already 9 of 11.  Not bad!  Unfortunately, I had Wichita State playing KY in the sweet sixteen.  We'll see how my research pans out. 

Speaking of research, Pat and I have been doing more reading lately about our product line and the different supplements offered.  We're like kids in a candy shop!  The possibilities are really limitless in the number of ways that we can enhance our wellness and increase our health!  We ordered some new products a few days ago, along with some business supplies.  Seven days done and we are ready to shout it from the rooftops!  I am excited to learn more about everything so we can share it with our friends and families. 

Today was a great day.  Another unseasonably warm and sunny day.  I was hungry today.  I haven't really been that hungry on the cleanse, but today I definitely was.  Today was also the first day I have had any desire to eat something unhealthy!  I started the day with the usual Spark, and today we added the fiber drink back into our routine.  After getting ready, we headed down and had our shakes along with our probiotic capsules.  I must say that the chocolate shakes are ridiculously good.  I always feel very satisfied when I leave for work.  It was around 10:00 when I began to feel hungry.  I was able to eat a couple handfuls of trailmix while the kids were working.  I took them to music and then came back to eat an apple.  Much better!  When lunch rolled around an hour and a half later, I was hungry again!  I ate leftover lettuce wraps and a banana.  Literally, withing two more hours, I was hungry!  I had three catalyst capsules and a Spark. 

Today was especially busy right after school because my middle daughter and two of her friends had to be at the movie theater for a special school viewing of The Lorax.  My other daughters were less than pleased that they didn't get to stay for the show, so I took them to have an ice cream treat at Handles.  I have not had any problem sitting by while others enjoyed treats in front of me, but I looked at Maggie's cookie dough ice cream cone and got weak in the knees!  I was hungry AGAIN!  I was good, though.  I didn't even lick my fingers when I held her cone.  :) 

We headed home and I had some more trail mix and put some limes in my water.  I am still in awe at the amount of water I drink.  I was such a Diet Coke addict before.  Anyway, that helped and I did my running around without much thought to food- until about two hours later!  So, three more catalyst capsules and I started dinner.  It was delicious!  Baked tilapia and roasted asparagus!  Recipe follows.

Roasted Asparagus with Pine Nuts (Adapted From the 24 Day Challenge Cookbook)
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 1/2 pounds asparagus
1 large shallot, thinly sliced (I used red onion)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread pine nuts in a small baking pan and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Increase oven temperature to 450° F. Snap off the tough ends of asparagus. Toss the asparagus with shallot, oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet with sides. Roast, turning twice, until the asparagus is tender and browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
To serve, toss the asparagus with the pine nuts.

Here's the Tilapia recipe .  If you are on Pinterest, feel free to follow my 24 Day Challenge recipe board. 


It's nearly bedtime now and I am not hungry.  I cannot recall another time where I have been so hungry in a day.  Maybe I do have a metabolism after all!  I think I'm going to have to find some more satisfying snacks.  Shouldn't be hard with all the support we are getting from everyone!

Until then, keep watching the boys play basketball.  I know I will and I've got my money on Missouri- literally.

See you tomorrow. 

When Momma ain't happy, nobody's happy... Day 7 of the challenge

Boy, was I grouchy this afternoon!  I didn't start off the day like that, just the opposite, but as the day went on- Grrrrrr...

I got up this morning and took my last day of just probiotic.  Tomorrow we have the fiber drink w/our probiotic.  We are rounding home on the cleanse.  I began the day w/my usual Spark and three catalyst capsules.  I went with a strawberry shake today after I had gotten ready.  I made one for Pat too, and put it in the fridge.  He forgot it though!  His school is near a Subway, so he went there to see if he could find something acceptable for breakfast.  He did!  He had an egg white sandwich (using the egg whites for "bread") with spinach, and other veggies and pepper.  That's it.  He loved it and it was only three bucks!  This is a big deal because it proves that Pat is invested and working hard.  It's not easy for him to change his diet.  He has never had to.  He wants to be healthier and his choices this morning show that he will be!  I'm so glad we're doing this together!

Anyway, the day was usual.  An apple for snack, salad w/tuna and balsamic for lunch (still LOVE it), and trail mix for my afternoon snack.  It was after lunch that I got so crabby!  Sometimes it's hard to be Mom, Mrs. M, and just me.  It's even harder when I have to be all three at once!  I know, boo hoo, but sometimes I just want to be anonymous.  Just shut the door, and be alone!  Remind me that in a few years when my kids are gone and it's just Pat and me...  Regardless, I was cranky!  I was taking it out on everybody and that is not good.  I decided to have a Spark, and that did help some, but what really changed my mood was going home and jumping on the treadmill!  I was in a much, much better place after walking and running for 20 minutes.  In fact, I felt so good that I continued with some light weights, too!  I should have done that a lot sooner!  My kids would have surely appreciated it!

For dinner I took another 24 Day Challenge recipe and created a good meal.  We had Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps (recipe follows).  We used large (washed) Romaine leaves to hold the meat and I shredded some carrots to top them with.  I dressed them with a bit of Bragg's Liquid Aminos.  We really enjoyed them.  The girls?  Not so much...  My middle daughter ate the meat, but the others weren't impressed.  They're grumps.  Maybe they need to work out!

Asian Lettuce Wraps3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
 5 cloves chopped garlic
 1 small onion, finely chopped
 1⁄4 cup Liquid Aminos (A safe soy sauce substitute)
 1⁄4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1⁄2 tsp ground ginger
 1 dash allspice (or a dash each of ground cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper)
 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar- I used Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar,
 Optional: 1 small can of crushed pineapple (I didn't use any)
Bean sprouts and large leafy lettuce for wrapping (I omitted the sprouts and added shredded carrot)

Place chicken in a slow cooker. Add onions and garlic. Mix the liquid and spices together and pour over chicken. Cook on low about 4 hours. Shred chicken in slow cooker and serve on lettuce with bean sprouts.  Because I was short on time, I cooked it on high for two hours.

I did change some things up today.  I started the day with Catalyst capsules (3).  I took three more after school, but I also took three before I worked out this evening.  I want to see results, so I am going to continue to up my dose on the days I workout.  I will be starting boot camp again next week, so I am excited to see the difference this makes!

Tomorrow is a new day.  I am going to be a nicer, gentler person- at least for a few hours...  :)

See you tomorrow.

Go Tell It On the Mountain- Day 6 of the challenge

It was another beautiful day here!  75 degrees and sunshine spilling over!  Everyone seemed in a better state of mind.  This morning we did an abbreviated version of our favorite workout before we jumped in the shower.  Maybe I'm crazy, but I think my arms look more toned already!  Might be wishful thinking, or my new rosy outlook, but either way, I can see a change.  Did I mention that we're both down five pounds?! 

The morning was uneventful, and we followed the day 6 plan with a probiotic packet  and our meal replacement shake.  I had a Spark when I woke-up, too.  Today I was hungry at snack time, so I ate some trail mix and an orange.  For lunch I had left-over Caribbean Chicken over spinach and orange peppers with balsamic vinegar.  I had an egg, too.  Very yummy!  For my afternoon snack I had 1/2 an apple and natural peanut butter because I knew dinner would be light.  We had a meeting to attend.

Stacey and Rollie, our friends who introduced us to Advocare, invited us to go to the monthly meeting for Advocare tonight.  It was remarkable to hear all of the success stories and see first-hand the changes that the products have made in people's lives.  When I was a kid I used to go to church camp every summer.  While there we would go hear sermons everyday, worship together, pray.  I'd leave filled with spirit.  They called it a mountain-top experience.  You go home and want to share the "good news" with everyone you come into contact with.  That's what tonight was like.  No, I'm not saying that this is my new religion- I'm a good Catholic girl- I'm saying that the information people shared, the stories, the investments are inspiring.  This product, this business, it's something that needs to be shared.  I am excited to do just that!  Maybe it's the two Sparks I drank, but it was a "mountain-top" experience for me!  :)

Since we went to the meeting, we didn't get to have a yummy dinner.  Instead we had carrots, hummus and the rest of the leftover chicken.   Thank goodness our refrigerator is brimming with fruit, veggies and healthy snacks.  In the not-so-distant past, we'd have had a bowl of cereal and called it a night!  Those days are behind us.  Tomorrow I will make Asian Chicken Wraps.  I'm pretty sure they serve Chinese food on the mountain-top. 

See you tomorrow.

A new point of view... Day 5 of the challenge

Halfway cleansed!  We are five days into the 10 day cleanse, and I'm quickly noticing the difference in small areas of my life.    I feel great, too!

Today was the usual, busy day.  I slept through my alarm today, so the morning workout I had planned didn't happen!  I overslept by almost an hour.  Luckily I made our lunches the night before because there was little time for anything this morning!  Yesterday we began the probiotic capsules in the morning, so no fiber drink.  I stuck with the chocolate meal replacement shake (now my favorite).  We have a travel shaker for the drinks.  It's really handy and I use it nearly every morning for both our shakes.  I have to tell you that I didn't shut it all the way and shook it...  I'm still cleaning chocolate shake from nooks and crannies in our cabinets!  Note to self...  :)  Anyway, we sped out of here this morning, very rushed!

I was not hungry at snack time today, so I had three catalyst capsules and a pink lemonade Spark (so yummy).  For lunch I ate a hard-boiled egg and some of my leftover dinner from last night (Chipotle).  I have tried at least five different strategies for the perfect hard-boiled egg.  I cannot get them right!  Today's suggestion is to heavily salt the water.  I've not tried it, but I will next time! 

We had a staff meeting today after school.  My school is really amazing.  We go all out for everything.  Even staff meetings!  They had cookies, M&Ms, pretzels, dip, Doritos, veggie tray, every kind of pop, brownies...  you name it.   Teachers love to eat!  I have never NOT eaten at a staff meeting.  There are too many choices.  Today was different, though. 

I have been on several health and fitness journeys.  I've learned many things about nutrition.  Regardless, I have always loved my sugar!  When I did Weight Watchers I'd go without food for lunch just to eat cake that night (I did the same for wine, too).  When I would look at a brownie, it was like greeting a good friend, like hugging your favorite aunt.  Today I didn't see that.  Today I looked at the Doritos on the plate and realized that I had no desire to eat them.  Instead, I was perfectly content with the carrots, celery and veggies on my plate.  I literally had NO craving for any of my former favorites!  I cannot tell you how liberating this was for me.  I really feel like these last five days have truly cleansed me.  I think purging the sugar and refined foods from my system has changed my perspective!  I'm so grateful!!!

Tonight was busy, too.  I got home later than usual and we quickly started dinner.  It was AMAZING!  I had grilled salmon.  The recipe is here.  If you enjoy salmon, try it.  It was delicious!  I also roasted broccoli for the first time.  I garnished it with lemon zest and the juice of half a lemon.  Very tasty!  Dinner was great!

We had our omegaplex after dinner, and now are getting ready to snuggle in after we take our herbal cleanse pills.  Another day is waiting.  Let's hope I hear my alarm!

See you tomorrow!

Luck 'O the Irish- Day 4 of the challenge

When you get a group of Irish people together you are guaranteed a good time.  There's sure to be legendary stories, a thick stout or two, and copious amounts of laughter.  Irish people are a friendly lot and I had the good fortune to spend my day with several- including my own family.  We began with an Irish heritage mass at the oldest Irish Catholic church in our state.  It's a beautiful place to worship.  The mass was really well done and we exited the church to the street where a marching band was waiting to escort us to the Roof Ballroom for lunch and entertainment.  Another sunny day was upon us, so the walk was pleasant.  It was a lovely morning.

I told you yesterday about my fear of going to the luncheon today.  We arrived at the table and the salad plates were already set- laden with ranch dressing.  I found our server (luckily she was right beside the table) and asked her to swap my salad for one without dressing.  I squeezed a lemon over it and seasoned it with pepper.  Not the best salad I've ever eaten, but I'm finding that a squeeze of citrus does add a new freshness to the salads I've been eating.  Lunch was a lightly breaded chicken breast, green beans and two new red potatoes.  I scraped the breading off the chicken and ate only the section that was not doused in the demi-glaze (not easy since I LOVE condiments).  The veggies were good.  We drank water and (although we would have like to) we didn't have anything from the bar!  It's amazing how much money you save when you don't have to buy drinks (chalk that up as another benefit of the cleanse)!

I was bushed by the end.  I didn't sleep well last night and had to get up at the crack of dawn to take the dog to the groomer!  Plus we "sprang forward", so my brain wasn't ready to get up!  I tried something that came in our distributor kit- Slam.  It's like Spark, but already mixed.  It has the same amount of caffeine, so I figured it would be a good thing to keep in my purse.  It was fine and when in a pinch it will do, but I prefer Spark.  Regardless, Slam did give me a bit more energy to get home and spend sometime outside with my girls!

Dinner was to our favorite Mexican restaurant tonight, Chipotle.  We got naked bowls (no tortillas) and filled it with lean pork and chicken, veggies and salsa.  I ate about 1/3 of mine and have lunch for the next two days!  If we are going to eat out, it is going to have to be places like this,  where we know the food is fresh, as organic as they can be, and satisfying.  Tomorrow, I cook again!

So, another successful day on the challenge.  It's harder when you are away from your routine and have to put more effort into it, but I think that's part of the point of being healthier.  You have to make choices- ones that will benefit your wellness.  We did that today.  Another step in the right direction!
I'm off to take my herbal cleanse pills and hit the sack!  Here's a picture I saw on Facebook today.  It seems like it was meant for me!  :)

See you tomorrow!

Spring is coming! Day 3 of the challenge...

Whenever the weather starts to get pretty everyone comes out of hibernation.  I love when the sky is blue and the sun is high just after winter.  The sidewalks are lined with kids on bikes, helmets cock-eyed and parents in driveways.  It's a sign that summer- glorious summer- is right around the corner.  It's also time to start the grill!

Today was beautiful.  We rarely get to sleep in, and today was no different.  Up at 7:00, we drank our mix of Spark and fiber drink.  Today we began our workout routine (again).  I have already mentioned my tendency to jump on whatever fitness bandwagon drives by, but when my good friend started CrossFit, I knew it was no "craze".  Quite the contrary, really.  This is a community of people- all shapes, all sizes, all ages- wanting to be fit for all the right reasons.  There's no lipstick, no fancy pants, just sweat, hard work and encouragement.  I really wanted to do it, but there's a little problem... It's too expensive (for now).  We will do it later.  Our next best thing is called Maximum Capacity.  It's a body weight based workout, 16 minutes and it's hard.  We love it.  It felt great to start up again!

After our meal replacement shakes (I had chocolate today- YUMMY), we went about our day.  I worked on the inside and Pat worked on the outside of our house!  The girls ran all around enjoying the fresh air and Vitamin D!  Even our dog had a playdate!  :)

For lunch I ate a spinach salad with the leftover chicken breast from Thursday night.  I added half an avocado and squeezed half a lime for dressing.  I added black pepper to taste and voila, I had a very filling, super yummy salad!  Later in the day I had three handfuls of trail mix for a snack.  In the early evening, while I was prepping for dinner, I had three Catalyst capsules.

I made Kale chips today to have for a snack.  Didn't love them, but our neighbor's daughter ate a whole plateful!  I sent them home with her!  :)  Her parents are doing the 24 Day Challenge w/us, so they can enjoy that healthy snack!  Here's the recipe if you'd like to try them for yourself.  Kale is a super food, I just wasn't happy with the seasoning I used.

Dinner was delicious!  I made Grilled Caribbean Chicken.  Super easy and great for a day like today!  The recipe is below.  I also peeled and cubed three sweet potatoes.  I set the oven for 400 and put the cubed potatoes evenly spaced on a roasting dish.  I tossed them with a tablespoon of olive oil and some garlic powder.  Once in the oven, I turn them every ten minutes for thirty minutes.  Literally, that is my favorite side.  The potatoes are so tender and soft inside.  I could eat the entire pan- I didn't though...  We had green beans, too, but the potatoes were soooo good, I hardly noticed the greens!  :)

Tomorrow brings a new challenge.  It will be our first meal outside of the home.  We will be attending Mass downtown and an Irish festival to kickoff St. Patrick's Day week.  If you know any true Irishman,  you know that with any celebration comes a fair amount of consumption.  I have no doubt that we'll be successful, though.  I feel wonderful, energized and healthy!  I'm not going to do anything to stop the momentum!  It will be a fun day regardless!  I'll tell you all about it!
See you tomorrow!

Grilled Caribbean Chicken
1/2 cup freshly squeezed juice from one orange (Avoid store bought orange juice)
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar <3
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Mix all ingredients except chicken in a blender.  Pour into a plastic bag.  Add chicken and seal.  Shake to coat.  Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour (I only did it for 20 minutes).  Grill.
*Serve w/sweet potatoes!

T.G.I.F.- Day 2

I don't know about you, but Fridays kick my butt!  I am worthless by 9:00!  Tonight is no different.  After a week of ISTEP I'm spent.  It doesn't help that I was up three nights this week until after midnight to finish the third Hunger Games book (can't wait for the movie)!

I didn't start the day tired, though!  I woke up this morning and went down for my Spark/Fiber drink.  Got ready and then had a vanilla meal replacement shake (so far I like berry best).  By the time I got to school I felt like a million bucks!  I have not felt that good in a very long time!  The sunshine outside was a really nice bonus, too.

I ate well today.  For my morning snack I ate a couple handfuls of trail mix and half an apple w/natural peanut butter.  For lunch I had a spinach salad w/red peppers and celery with a can of tuna mixed in.   Again, I dressed it with white balsamic vinegar (AMAZING).  I had a hard boiled egg, too.  I was really full after lunch.  Again, I drank quite a bit of water with the same results :0)! 

When I got home I had another Spark and three catalyst capsules.  My energy was still up, which was so nice!  Friday nights are usually spent at home and we uncork a bottle of wine and Pat and I talk while we make dinner.  I will admit, I missed that glass of wine tonight.  Small price to pay, though...
Instead, I headed to may newest obsession- Pinterest.  If you've not gotten on Pinterest don't start!  It's a dangerous time sucker, but I cannot quit.  It's a well-organized board of Internet bookmarks.  I have a new board that I've devoted to clean meals and recipes for the 24 day challenge.  Tonight's dinner was one such recipe- Spicy Lime Tilapia.  YUMMO!  We put that with some brown rice.  Pat really enjoyed this meal.  It was too spicy for the girls, but again, there's not much that ketchup can't fix. 

We took our Omegaplex capsules and headed out for a night of shopping with our ladies.  Now home, we are getting ready to call it a night.  Tomorrow starts another day closer to a healthier me.  We start our workouts tomorrow morning.  I'm so lucky to have a husband who is on the same page with me through this.  It's important to have a like-minded person to help you along this journey.  I'm liking how it's starting!
See you tomorrow.

Day 1 of the Challenge

Today we started the 10 Day Cleanse.  We began the day with a mix of Spark and the cleansing powder together.  The Psyllium Husk is grainy, but we both agreed that it just tastes like a glass of OJ with pulp.  About thirty minutes later we both enjoyed a strawberry meal replacement shake.  Admittedly, the shake was tasty and satisfying!  Then we continued the daily hustle and bustle to get the girls in their respective places and get ourselves to work.

I am a teacher, so I have a very predictable schedule.  Around 10:30 each day I get a 35 minute break.  I usually snack at that time.  Typically it's some carb-laden snack, but today I cut up an apple and dipped it in 1 Tbsp. of  natural peanut butter.  I had also had a handful of grapes (our healthy snack during ISTEP week)!  I was not at all hungry the rest of the morning.

Lunch for me is at 12:30 each day, but I rarely make it there on time.  After recess we are usually busy with the "business" of teaching- grading, emails, phone calls, so I'm usually in around 12:40.  Today was no different.  I had packed lunch for both Pat and myself the night before.  Spinach salad w/red peppers, celery, carrots and straight balsamic vinegar.  I have to say how much I love balsamic.  I have a bottle of white and a bottle of traditional.  They are both aged over 15 years and were gifts from friends who know my affinity for vinegar!  If you're going to dress your salad in straight vinegar do  yourself a favor- don't skimp.  Get the good stuff.  Thank me later.  :)  I also ate a hard boiled egg.  I was comfortable, and for the first time in a long time, I did not want chocolate.

After school was the usual hurry-scurry to get the kids rounded up and dropped where they needed to be.  I drank a Spark and took three Catalyst capsules, which helped.  Our evenings are generally busy with homework, sports, extra curricular events and all of the other things that go on.  Dinner, however, is a priority.  We sit as a family at the table as often as we possibly can.  Tonight we had "Terrific Grilled Chicken" (see recipe below), steamed broccoli and long grain rice.  I loved the chicken.  My girls liked it a whole lot better after dousing it in ketchup...  We took our four Omegaplex capsules, too.  After hearing all about the girls' days, we cleaned-up and finished our nightly routines.Our snack tonight was some cut pineapple (really sour).  In a few minutes I will finish with the Herbal Cleanse packet and hit the sack.

With the exception of intentionally eating more fruits and veggies, I had a very normal day.  I will warn you however, I drank a TON of water.  This resulted in several trips to the bathroom.  Luckily, I teach big kids- I can leave the room from time to time!
See you tomorrow!

Terrific Grilled Chicken from 24 Day Challenge Recipe Collection (open the link on the right side)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp onion powder
Ground black pepper to taste
Seasoning salt to taste (I did not use this)
2 tsp dried parsley, cilantro, or oregano- whichever you prefer (I used basil and parsley)

Dip chicken in lemon juice and arrange in large baking dish.  Sprinkle chicken breasts with seasonings and discard any remaining lemon juice.  Grill

A SPARK in the night...

I have struggled with my self-image for some time.  As a teen I was obsessed with being thin.  In the 90s that meant step aerobics and bagels.  I ebbed and flowed with the growing trends in health and fitness;  vegetarian, quasi-vegetarian, carnivore... running, spinning, elliptical- you name it.  Then I became a mom and I no longer took the time to obsess over myself.  Instead, I had (have) three beautiful girls that I had to save from that viscous cycle of self-loathing and fear of being fat.  It was time to think about HEALTH!  Novel, I know.

Fast-forward ten years.  I'm pushing forty and I will admit I do still struggle with my body image (tough habit to break), but more so, I worry about my health.  Cancer is such a prevalent beast, one that has stripped me of a father (and countless others).  I do not want that for my family.  I am blessed beyond measure with good friends, a great job that I love, a beautiful family- and it's because of this that my road has led me here.

Recently a very good friend of ours became a certified health and nutrition coach.  I have watched his transformation into a very good coach and I signed on right away.  With his guidance I've learned a great deal about nutrition and have made some strides in becoming a healthier person.  (I've learned more about fitness, too, but that I'll save for another time.)  This is not enough, though.  Although I have made a conscious effort to eat well (cleaner) and to exercise more, I am still lacking energy, unfit (by my standards) and displeased with my own progress.  That's when I got sparked!

We had never heard of Advocare until recently.  A few different sets of our friends were using the products and were raving about how well they felt.  Someone gave Pat an energy boosting vitamin drink called Spark and he could not stop talking about how amazing he felt.  Pat's generally a tough sell on things, so I was interested.  I needed to try this myself... and I did.  I was sold.

Tomorrow starts a new day- and with that day starts our new journey into wellness.  We are starting the Advocare 24-Day Challenge and I am excited.  It's all about being a better, healthier me.  It's about setting a strong example for my girls.  I've a new sense of purpose and with what I've learned over the last year and what I'm learning each day, I feel empowered and strong. 

Look out!