Day nine

8.8 pounds down! A note about last night: I am very happy to report that, despite my husband and I having our second anniversary yesterday, we did not cheat! We did have some of the gravy/a jus that was produced from the rotisserie chicken I made last night as a little treat. But, this was after standing in the kitchen discussing/devising/conniving what "cheat" meal we would have--Bojangle's, Cook-Out, Steak and Shake, Outback, or stay in an make some Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits from the boxed mix (which, for those of you NOT on a diet I recommend extremely highly). But, despite all the talk, we didn't do it--we didn't cheat; we stayed strong! We didn't even go out afterwards and get dessert. And despite how tempting it was and how amazing the food would have probably tasted, I'm glad we didn't. I'm very glad to still be "on" the more restricted meal plan, without any major lapses in strength or judgement.

Anyway, here's the meal plan for today:

DAY 9 (May 20)

• Breakfast- Advocare shake

• Snack- Strawberries & Banana

• Lunch- Sliced turkey breast w/ carrots and boiled egg

• Snack- Pear

• Dinner- Fiesta Soup

I exercised using Debbie Siebers' "Slim in 6" DVD again. I really like that video, and I think it's a tough but fulfilling workout. She works you hard without being annoying. It's exciting that my endurance is building--I'm not getting as sore and I'm able to complete more of the exercises with more ease.

I have been having trouble making sure I'm drinking enough water. I have not been drinking a full gallon, which I know is bad. I'm not really sure how to fix this issue other than to be more conscious of taking a few sips of water ever 30 minutes or so, and big cups of water during snacks and meals.

Thought of the day

A helpful infographic about the how good different foods are for you and the ideal distribution of your calories...

And some words of wisdom...

From the moment we wake, God is with us and is faithful to us. God loves us not for what we can do for him, but because he is full of grace and mercy. It is not because of any work that we do that we are saved--we cannot fast, stop ourselves from cussing, prohibit dancing and drinking, or commit ourselves to any other law/commandment to win his love. If we could do that, what would be the point of Jesus' death? No, the laws and commandments from the old testament are a mirror with which we see our sin and our glaring inadequacy. If all we try to accomplish spiritually is following the law, we will always always fail and religion will crush us. 

However, Jesus replaced the law. The John 1:16 says that we have received "Grace upon Grace," or "Grace in place of Grace." The law was given to us through God's grace so that we know his heart, and then Jesus came, literally, "in place" of the law to show us his love and to fulfill the law. So, when we wake we should think about Jesus and our Father's love, which is unfailing, patient, and so powerful that it conquered death. When we seek him and acknowledge our need for him, that is when we will demonstrate the fruit of the spirit and exhibit the discipline to care for our bodies and for each other. It is because of our love for him, and not because we are forcing ourselves to do it so he will love us. He already loves us--He is within us, he will help us, every moment of every day.

Days six through eight

Sorry, I definitely let the blog slip over the weekend! I am down 7.4 pounds, and I am PROUD to report that I have not cheated (except for one time) at all! I attribute this a lot to my husband, who has been staying strong on this diet plan with me and refuses to allow me to cheat. For example, I was REALLY tempted to get just a tiny little bag of popcorn when we went to see "Godzilla" this weekend, and he put his foot down and said if we cheated now, it would open the floodgates. I guess that's true. It's very nice to have someone resisting temptations with me.

The one time I cheated was when I had a finger-dip of vanilla icing (I know, I know, I said I was going to toss the tub of icing, but I didn't do it in time). However, after having that finger dip, I still was not fulfilled. The icing tasted a little chemical-y, very saccharine sweet, and made my mouth feel like it had a film for the next few hours. I tossed the tub after that, and I learned that sometimes the things we think will taste so good aren't as fulfilling as we hoped.

Anyway, here's the plan for the last few days and today:

DAY 6 

• Breakfast- Scrambled egg & pear

• Snack: Pineapple, orange, grape salad

• Lunch- Grilled chicken w/ veggies & brown rice

• Snack- Pineapple, orange, grape salad

• Dinner- Stir fried brown rice with chicken and veggies (light on the oil)

DAY 7 

• Breakfast- Omlette w/ salsa

• Snack - Leftover fruits/veggies

• Lunch- Rotisserie chicken & leftover veggies

• Snack - Cinnamon oatmeal

• Dinner- Zucchini turkey burger w/ beans

DAY 8 

• Breakfast- Boiled egg

• Snack- Banana w/ peanut butter

• Lunch- Sliced turkey breast w/ baby carrots

• Snack: Apple w/ nuts

• Dinner- Slow cooker rotisserie chicken with gravy, brown rice, and oven roasted asparagus

My husband and I went for a walk on Saturday and took a bike ride on Sunday at Gibson Park, a beautiful greenway near our house. The bike ride was much harder than the walk, and I got winded very easily. I had to walk the bike up the hill a few times, and Henry barely even broke a sweat! I just think we need to exercise separately because I feel like he doesn't challenge himself as much when he works out with me because I am an out-of-shape wimp. I did Debbie Siebers' "Slim in 6" video again today and found that I had a little bit of an easier time completing the exercises. I can't wait until I stop being sore from exercising!

Also, I have been having less sugar "crashes," in the afternoons. This is really helpful with being able to get things done in the afternoons, and I'm happy that my body seems to be adjusting to getting more natural sugars from fruits and veggies rather than from processed foods.

Thought of the Day(s)

After Jesus was fasting for 40 days and was hungry, the enemy comes to him and tempts him to turn stones into bread. Then, Matthew 4:4 says, "Jesus answered, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

I need to remember these words, particularly as I am restricting my diet for the next few days. I may be hungry or I may feel deprived from the foods that I enjoy, but I need to remember that physical food is nothing more than sustenance for my body, and that I need to optimize how I am sustaining my body. What is better? 200 calories worth of veggies and fruits, or 200 calories worth of potato chips (see picture below). Furthermore, I need to remember that the true "bread" of life is found spiritually, not physically. I should pray that I hunger more for God's word and for a relationship with him, rather than focusing my thoughts on my next meal or on the crazy-good things I will eat when I'm done with this diet. Those thoughts do not bring me life like spiritual growth will. So, I should not be tempted to live by bread alone, even though I am hungry and craving actual bread at this time. I am a whole person, and to be whole I must feed my physical needs, emotional/psychological needs, AND my spiritual needs.

(200 calories of different foods)

Day one

Today's the first day of the Advocare 10-day cleanse, the beginning portion of the Advocare "24-day challenge." I'm going to be honest--I felt like I was taking A LOT of pills this morning with all the supplements, catalysts, etc. Not to mention the 3 different types of drinks I had (Spark energy drink, fiber drink, and meal replacement shake). I was full simply after that (and it is a lot to keep track of). Anyway, here's the meal plan for today:

DAY 1

• Breakfast- Advocare shake
• Snack- Apple w/ natural peanut butter
• Lunch- Sliced turkey with baby carrots
• Snack- Orange & strawberries
• Dinner- Grilled herbed chicken (light on the olive oil) w/ steamed broccoli, grilled zucchini, and brown rice

I drank 1 gallon of water (not counting the 24 oz used this morning for the various drinks/shakes). I also exercised-- Level 1 of Jillian Michael's 30-day shred. Exercising was difficult, but I felt pretty good afterwards! I have been very tired today, however, and have felt light-headed at times. I'm not sure if it's because I wasn't eating enough, sugar withdrawals, or if it's all the supplements. Hopefully it will get better, and hopefully this will NOT be the thing I remember about this process! I need to focus on the positives!

I've prepared a big tupperware of brown rice today that we can have for lunch throughout the week as a complex carb (I know, I didn't have any complex carbs today other than for dinner!). I also prepared 2 extra chicken breasts for lunch tomorrow. I think it's good to think ahead about the meals so that I make good choices in the moment. If I know what I'm going to eat for a snack or for lunch/dinner, I'm less likely to go into the kitchen and start grazing on things that are unhealthy.

Thought of the day: 

1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may also be able to endure it."

In this passage, Paul is writing to the Corinthians, challenging their faith. He is basically saying that even though they enjoy many blessings from God, that does not mean they are immune to temptation. Isn't that true of most Americans? We are so blessed as a nation--blessed with accessible food sources, clean water, well-paying jobs, homes, steady government, etc. But, our broken nature has caused us to overlook God for of these blessings--we have come to idolize the blessings themselves, rather than worshipping God for his blessings. That is why Americans are a people of excess, and we are tempted by so many things even though we are so, so blessed! 

In my case, food is sort of an idol--I want it in excess, I want it to be decadent, I want it to be constant, it affects my mood, I turn to it during emotional times, etc. It is a HUGE temptation, but, as 1 Corinthians says, food temptation is common, and many people struggle with it (as evidenced by the obesity epidemic in the USA). I need to remember that God will not let me be tempted by food beyond my ability to resist it. So, when I'm craving some potato chips, diet Coke, or ice cream (which will inevitably happen this week), I need to remember that I am capable of resisting this! And I need to remember that, whenever I am tempted to "fall of the horse" and begin seeking comfort in food, I can escape this by relying on God. Through reflecting on Him and Jesus' victory over sin in my life, I can seek spiritual "food" rather than physical food.

Advocare 24-day Challenge - Grocery list

Tomorrow's the day! I will be beginning the 10 day cleanse of the Advocare 24-day Challenge. The premise of this diet plan is to take supplements that boost your metabolism while drinking lots of water and eating healthy. For the first 10 days, I will be taking and Herbal cleanse product, Omegaplex vitamin supplement product, and a Spark energy drink product that boosts energy and provides extra vitamins. I will also drink 1 meal-replacement shake for breakfast most days. I will also be eating as many raw fruits and veggies as possible, drinking at least 1 gallon of water per day (and only water, no diet sodas, coffee, tea, or alcohol), and eating lean meats prepared in a healthy manner. During this 10 days, I can't eat sugar (except for those in fruits/veggies), dairy, or bread. After the 10 day cleanse, I will continue for 14 days on the healthy diet with no supplements. Click here for the Advocare website.

I have heard mixed reviews about Advocare. Some say that they had long-term success, others say that they had success on the 24-days but gained all the weight back after they stopped taking supplements and following the Advocare dietary rules. To be honest, I think supplements and cleanses are mostly a crock. It could work for some people's bodies, but not others. I have never tried supplements, though, so it will be interesting to see how they make me feel and whether or not I feel they are making the weight loss process easier.

In the end, however, I feel that there is NO easy way to lose weight...the ONLY way to do it is to be conscious of what you're eating and attempt to be active. That is why I am still excited about the restrictions of the Advocare dietary recommendations for the first 10 days. Even if they don't "cleanse" my body, it will still force me to eat fresh fruits and veggies and look up healthy ways to prepare lean meats. I'm hoping this will set me on a good path of thinking about what I'm putting in my body, logging my foods, and religiously drinking water! I will also be either walking or doing a home exercise video (either Jillian Michael's 30-day Shred or Biggest Loser's CardioMax) every day.

So, I have the box of the shakes and supplements from Advocare, and I have just returned from a long, expensive trip to Wal-Mart with some good looking produce, whole grains, and lean meats.

This is my grocery list:

FRUITS/VEGGIES

Oranges

Apples

Bananas

Pineapple

Grape

Pears

Iceberg lettuce

Tomatoes

Avocado

Asparagus

Zucchini

Squash

Broccoli

Onion

Corn

Garlic

PROTEINS

Salmon

Chicken breasts (8)

Rotisserie chicken

Cod

Sliced chicken/turkey (from deli)

Eggs or Eggbeaters

Ground Turkey meat (x3)

SIDES

Whole grain brown rice

Steel cut oatmeal

Black beans

Pinto Beans

OTHER

2 gallon jugs water

Rotel

Tomato Paste

Taco seasoning

NATURAL peanut butter

Nuts

chicken broth