Day 24 plus - The end – or just the beginning…

Day 24 plus observations – Final results: Down 8 lbs, 14.5 inches overall!!! (I will post better 'after' pictures when Tom can take them).

It has taken me forever to write this last post. I know it is because it is hard to put down in words how life-changing this challenge has been. I know, those are strong words, and I don’t use them lightly. What had seemed like such a puzzle to me in past seems to clear and EASY now. I felt like I was being bombarded with different ways to make me feel and look good. It was exhausting - just go on pinterest and you can see 101 easy ways to lose weight and feel great – just add ginger to your water, or do a plank every day for 20 minutes, or drink a green smoothie that Lauren Conrad says works (like she is any authority on nutrition),  or the simplest of all – just eat slower! And sure all those things might help but they are not the answer – at least they weren't for me. I had to learn what made my body feel good and my relationship with food had to change. I now eat to fuel my body (at least 80% of the time, 20% is still fun foods). This means I know that I can eat a salad for lunch that is full of protein-packed veggies and lean protein meats and I will be FULL. Maybe not always satisfied in regards to taste (although my salad making is getting much better), but satisfied in regard to what my body needs. And this is biological - high protein foods take more work to digest, metabolize, and use, which means you burn more calories processing them. They also take longer to leave your stomach, so you feel full sooner and for a longer amount of time. And here is the other thing I had to learn - I should not use food or drinks as rewards – or at least as not as much as I was. Listen, I love going out to dinner with my husband or friends and having a little splurge, but it was getting out of control. When you are ‘treating’ yourself every day it is no longer a splurge – but a routine. I had to break the cycle. And the cool thing is, if you eat better than you exercise better. You actually GO to the gym more (no more sluggish mornings or afternoons) and you get better results at the gym. This is also where supplements can come in to play. If I am going to the gym, I want to get the most ‘bang for my buck’ – if I am going to suffer through never ending squats and lunges then I better see results! A lot of this has been taken care of through my diet but the last bit has been aided through taking the correct supplements so that I recover faster, perform better and burn fat and not muscle. And I know much of this can be done on one’s own, but the schedule and the ease of using the Advocare product line was just what I needed. I didn't have to worry that I was taking some crazy drug that was manufactured in China alongside lead toys – I knew their products were of the highest quality. And the support system is the best – I haven’t really mentioned this part but when you sign up to do a challenge, you get a coach that answers your questions and helps motivate you during your journey. In addition, you get access to a huge community of other challengers on facebook where you can ask those hard questions (i.e., anybody else feeling a little blocked up?) or get tips (i.e., try the dark chocolate almonds!) or read their stories of success that will surely inspire you.  So – was it worth it? Absolutely.  And this truly isn't the end – I really, really hope I can use all that I have learned to continue this healthy lifestyle to be a good role model to my children and to be around for many years to enjoy them. And not just on the side-line. I want to be running that Mother’s Day 5K right alongside my daughter and who knows, maybe even my granddaughter – wouldn't that be cool. And if I can inspire or help others to do the same – that would be pretty awesome too. So I’ll leave you with a quote I found on pinterest – yes, I do still look at pinterest – it’s a love/hate thing… But this one I actually think is right on:

Eat well, move daily, hydrate often, sleep lots, love your body, repeat for life…