Week #3 Weigh In

Sigh...this week's weigh-in was not where I wanted it to be. I only lost a half a pound, and with it gained in inches on my waist and bust. Water weight? I don't know. But here's the ugly...

• Weight: 144.5 pounds (down 5.5 pounds in three weeks; had hoped to be down 8 pounds by now)
• Waist: 36.5 inches (that's a half inch more than I started at three weeks ago! And up an inch since last week)
• 1" Below Waist: 38.5 inches (just a half inch less than starting size and same as last week)
• Hips: 39.5 inches (just a half inch less than I started with)
• Thigh: 21 inches (just a quarter inch less than starting size and the same as the last two weigh-ins)
• Bust: 35.5 inches (down 1.5 inches from the start, but up .5 inches from last week)
• Below Bust: 32 inches (down a quarter inch from the start but up three-quarters inche from last week)

Now, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I'm keeping my calorie count very low--my goal is 1200 calories a day, but in reality I'm averaging about 900-1000 a day. I'm also keeping a careful watch on my sugar intake. And I get no empty calories in my drinks, which is mostly water or flavored water under 10 calories per serving. So when it comes to food, I'm not sure where I'm going wrong. (I'm taking good supplements in order to make sure my energy and nutrition are there.)

The one place where I know I can do better, though, is with the exercise. I'm not getting nearly enough; it appears three times a week isn't going to cut it. So I'm going to have to figure out a way to step away from my work desk during the day to get moving. Perhaps I can fit an hour in mid-day and extend my work hours later into the night. (I can't get on the treadmill at night because the sound will keep my boys awake, but my working then won't bother them.) I'll figure something out, because I'm already behind in my goals. If I'm to make my goal weight by April 1, then I need to get a move on.

Days #12 - 17 - Where Did the Time Go?

Guess I haven't been too good about posting this last week. And yes, I have an excuse. (Don't I always?) I've been trying to pull together info for my business taxes and help my son do his FAFSA and scholarship applications for college. All on top of the regular workload. The last thing I want to do is to sit at my computer any additional time to post to a blog--and so I haven't. If only this work counted as "exercise", I'd be super thin and healthy right now. But alas, it doesn't.

I've pretty much been keeping to my diet, under 1200 calories per day (I'm actually hanging in there around 900 calories) and minimal sugar, though I did allow myself a couple glasses of wine, cheese & crackers, and some poppers on SuperBowl Sunday. Hey, we all need a holiday sometime. My exercise, however, has been very sporadic. I had to take my new pedometer back because it wasn't keeping score...I first discovered this when a nearly 2-hour trip to Costco registered only 16 additional steps on my pedometer. It then dropped to 400 steps a few hours later, when I had been over 2000 steps the last time I had looked. Go figure. Got a replacement now...I just need to break it out and use it.

Monday was my second weigh-in. Two weeks into the diet and I have:

• Lost 5.5 pounds
• Lost .5 inches from my waist
• Lost .5 inches from my hips
• Lost .25 inches from my thighs
• Lost 2 full inches from my bust (there is no justice!)

Not great stats, but I have to tell myself this was the day after letting everything go for the SuperBowl.

I'd much prefer to see the inches drop from my waist than the numbers fall on the pounds, but so far that's not happening. The first week I mysteriously gained a quarter inch around my middle, so I should at least be happy that the numbers are moving south now...but I still don't think it's fair that the bust is the first to go.

Day #11 - Finally, Some Exercise

Today was Aqua Exercise class and so I got in some real exercise. It's amazing how much of a workout you can get in the water. The best part about it? You don't sweat. (Or if you do, you don't know it.) Fortunately, we're having unbelievably warm weather this winter, so it's not so bad getting in the outdoor pool. They heat it, but because the air has been on the warm side (low 70s) the pool water doesn't feel all that warm.

I also went out and purchased a new pedometer this evening. My old one that I've relied on for two years now died. Tomorrow I plan to wear it without doing anything out of the ordinary (in other words, without consciously exercising) to see how many steps I take in an ordinary day. I'm guessing that I'll reach maybe 2000 steps. That's a pretty far cry from the 10,000 steps recommended. I know I'm spending far too much time sitting at my desk working, or on the couch reading manuscripts, or typing on the computer. But it will be interesting to see just where I fall in the step count. (See how I just gave myself permission not to exercise tomorrow? I'm good.)

Breakfast: 31g carbs / 1g sugar / 195 calories

• Sprouted Grain English Muffin (30/0/160)
• with Light Laughing Cow (1/1/35)

Lunch:  22g carbs / 0g sugar / 200 calories

• Think Thin Bar, Lemon (22/0/200)

Snack:  22g carbs / 5g sugar / 95 calories

• 15 Special K Chips (12/0/55)
• 2T salsa (3/1/10)
• 1 Arbonne Weight Loss Chew (7/4/30)

Dinner:  55.5g carbs / 11.5g sugar / 297 calories

• Hungry Girl Funkadelic Chili Mac (55.5/11/5/297)

Snack:  29g carbs / 18g sugar / 152 calories

• Skinny Cow Vanilla & Caramel Cone (29/18/150) - Yikes! Didn't realize there was so much sugar in this! Don't think I'll do this again; it didn't taste good enough to be worth it.
• SleepyTime Tea (0/0/2)

Daily Total:  159.5g carbs / 35.5 sugar / 939 calories

Exercise:  1 hour of Aqua Exercise

Day #10 - Plowing On

Another very busy day; another day I failed to exercise. This has always been the hardest part for me...finding time to fit in the exercise. As for the actual diet, I can't say I feel like I'm missing anything by watching what I eat. I don't feel hungry or deprived...although Davis's Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake looked mighty tempting tonight. I passed it by, though, and had two Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies instead.

Breakfast:  3.5g carbs / 2g sugar / 143 calories

• Egg Mug Lorraine from Hungry Girl (3.5/2/108)
• Coffee w/ half & half (0/0/35)

Snack:  7g carbs / 4g sugar / 30 calories

• Arbonne Weight Loss Chew (7/4/30)

Lunch:  27g carbs / 16g sugar / 215 calories

• Arbonne Vanilla Protein Shake (13/9/160)
• with half banana (14/7/55)

Dinner:  61.5 carbs / 11.5 sugar / 297 calories

• Hungry Girl Funkadelic Chili Mac (55.5/11.5/297)
• Sobe LifeWater (6/0/0)

Snack:  11g carbs / 5g sugar / 82 calories

• Sleepytime Tea (0/0/2)
• 2 Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies (11/5/80)

Daily Total:  110g carbs / 38.5g sugar / 767 calories

Day #9 - My Rules of Weight Loss

Looking back, it's difficult to pinpoint just when I started putting on excess weight. I know it was sometime in my early thirties, perhaps right around the time that I became pregnant. Two things changed about that time: first, I became more sendentary. Not just with the four months of bed rest, but after delivery as well. Sure, with a baby (who quickly became a toddler) I seemed to be running around constantly--to the point of exhaustion--but it wasn't an active running around...it was more overwhelming than anything. My focus turned to my child and his needs and away from my earlier activities of bike riding, dancing, and hiking. Second, I developed a fondness for sweets during my pregnancy. Prior to that, I was never much of a sweet-lover. But during my pregnancy I craved mud pies, chocolate, ice cream, etc. I thought the craving would go away after the baby was born, but that never happened. I still prefer a really good ice cream or gelato over just about anything else. And I guess there truly is a third thing involved: I was aging. And with age, my metabolism slowed.

The days of being called a beanpole, a skinny-belink (my dad's favorite term), are long over, and now I have to work at keeping the weight in check. But there are so many "diets" on the market, so many different theories about what to eat and when to eat it, so many gimmicks that promise easy weight loss, that it's difficult to know what to do. Am I doing things right? I don't know. But I do know that drastic changes in my diet and lifestyle, things that restrict me, will not give me the results I'm seeking. And so I'm attempting a hybrid of things based on the teachings of various diet gurus, the ones that make sense to me. And so I am going to:

• Minimize my sugar intake and eat every 3-4 hours to eliminate spikes in blood sugar (Jorge Cruise)
• Limit my fat intake and keep my calorie count below 1200 calories a day (Weight Watchers)
• Cut out processed foods wherever possible, limit dairy and gluten. (I found that last year when I cut all dairy and gluten from my diet for a month, I lost 11 pounds and felt great. But it was just too difficult to sustain a diet that limits these completely. So this time I'm just avoiding them as I can.)
• Do my best to walk 10,000 steps per day. (I'm still working up to this. It's amazing just how little I walk. I knew I was fairly sendentary in my job, but when I put the pedometer on I was shocked to see just how little I move in a day.)

That's pretty much the gist of it. We'll see how I do and whether or not it works. I'll keep you posted.

Today's damage:

Breakfast:  (37g carbs / 7g sugar / 204 calories)

• Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice cereal (25/0/110)
• with blueberries (10/7/39)
• with almond milk (rather than dairy) (2/0/20)
• Coffee with half & half (0/0/35)

Snack:  (7g carbs / 6g sugar / 52 calories)

• 5 mint M&Ms (I'm bad! They were in a bowl on the counter and I scooped them up and put them in my mouth before thinking.) (7/6/52)

Lunch:  (11g carbs / 4g sugar / 233 calories)

• 3 oz hanger steak (left over from Sunday's dinner out) (0/0/174)
• Peas (left over from Saturday) (11/4/59)

Dinner:  (31.5g carbs / 2.5g sugar / 262 calories)

• Cheesy Beefy Supreme (left over from last night) (31.5/2.5/262)

Snack:  (11g carbs / 5g sugar / 82 calories)

• Sleepytime tea (0/0/2)
• 2 Girl Scout Thin Mints (11/5/80)

Daily Totals:  97.5 carbs / 24.5g sugar / 833 calories

Steps: Pedometer stopped working at 2013 steps. Time to buy a new one.

Day #8 - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I was both looking forward to and dreading today--the first weigh-in. I so wanted to see the pounds and inches melt away, yet I was worried that nothing was happening. My clothes still fit the same as they had been and I didn't feel any different. So here it goes...

THE GOOD: I lost 4.5 pounds! Yippee! I had hoped to lose 4 pounds the first week, and I did. Patting myself on the back.

THE BAD: I actually gained a 1/4 inch on my waist. Go figure!

THE UGLY: I lost the weight in my bust! Seems like a cruel joke, doesn't it? I went down a full inch!

Now I'm wondering how the fat from my bust dropped to my waist. Gravity? So, now I'm not only fatter around the middle, I also have less up top to balance out the appearance and fool everyone into thinking my waist is smaller. Guess I'll have to up my distance on my treadmill today.

As for food, here's how the day went:

Breakfast:  (37g. carbs / 16g. sugar / 204 cal)

• Coffee with half & half (I've weaned myself off adding sugar, but I can't skip the creamer) (0/0/35)
• Erewhorn Crispy Brown Rice cereal (25/0/110)
• with Unsweetened Almond milk (2/9/20)
• with Blueberries (10/7/39)

Lunch:  (31g carbs / 15g sugar / 360 cal)

• Arbonne Chocolate Protein Shake (15/9/210)
• 1/2 slice of homemade pizza (I needed something solid) (16/6/150)

Dinner:  (31.5g carbs / 2.5g sugar / 262 cal)

• 1 Cheesy Beefy Supreme--Hungry Girl, p. 78 (31.5/2.5/262)

Snack:  (11g carb / 5g sugar / 82 cal)

• Sleeptime Tea (0/0/2)
• 2 Girl Scout Thin Mints (and they were ohsogood!) (11/5/80)

Daily Total:  110.5g carbs / 38.5g sugar / 908 calories

Didn't get on the treadmill as planned. Ran out of time.

Day #7 - Quick Update

Tomorrow is the first weigh-in and I've messed up two days in a row--no exercise and had to eat out. Here's the down and dirty:

Breakfast:  (24g carbs / 2g sugar / 180 calories)

• Coffee w/ half & half  (0/0/35)
• Light English Muffin with Light Laughing Cow  (24/2/145)

Lunch:  (25g carbs / 0g sugar / 230 calories)

• Think Thin bar (25/0/230)

Snack:  (7g carbs / 4g sugar / 30 calories)

• 1 Arbonne Weight-Loss Chew

Dinner:  (don't have a clue)

• Hanger steak (I only ate half!)
• Roasted assorted veggies
• Potatoes
• Handful of fries I pulled off Cody's appetizer plate while waiting for food to arrive

Snack:  (15g carbs / 6g sugar / 102 calories)

• Sleeptime Tea  (0/0/2)
• Fudge-dipped Sandies (15/6/100)

Daily total: 71g carbs / 12g sugar / 542 calories + whatever that dinner was
The good thing about hanger steak is there aren't many calories in the meat itself. Most of the calories, carbs, and sugars come from the balsamic reduction sauce that was on it and the veggies and potatoes.

Day #6 - An Unavoidable Cheat

Spent the day away from home, so eating was a bit of a challenge. I'm not sure of the nutritional value of my lunch, but outside of that meal I did all right. Didn't get a lick of exercise in, though. Will need to make up for it tomorrow--but it's also going to be a challenge because I need to drive to Huntington Beach for Cody's two-hour hockey practice.

Breakfast: (24g carbs / 2g sugar / 180 calories)

• Coffee w/ half & half (0/0/35)
• Light English Muffin w/ Laughing Cow (24/2/145)

Lunch:  (mystery guess on the high side: 86g carb / 13g sugar / 531 calories)

• Chicken & veggie rice bowl (don't have a clue)

Snack:  (31g carbs / 0g sugar / 270 calories)

• Handful of Chex Mix (6/0/40)
• Think Thin Protein Bar (25/0/230)

Dinner:  (42g carbs / 15g sugar / 250 calories)

• Amy's Chunky Tomato Bisque (21/14/130
• with Cannoli Beans (21/1/120)

Snack:  (4g carbs / 4g sugar / 62 calories)

• Sleepytime Tea (0/0/2)
• 1 Dark Chocolate Truffle (4/4/60)

Total:  187g carbs / 34g sugar / 1293 calories

Sigh...got to find a way to do better tomorrow.

Day #5 - Trucking Along

Okay, I haven't made it a week yet, but so far this hasn't been difficult at all and I'm wondering 1) why I didn't do this sooner, and 2) if I'm going to lose any weight at all since I don't feel like I'm dieting. I'm still doing my 7-Day Cleanse (two more days to go), so I'm hoping that will draw at least a pound or two away. The most difficult part for me is getting the exercise in...there just aren't enough free hours in the day...but I'm not doing too badly.

Today's meals:

Breakfast:  (15g carbs / 9g sugar / 212 calories)

• Arbonne Chocolate Protein Shake mixed with coffee (15/9/212)

Snack:  (8g carbs / 2g sugar / 67 calories)

• 2 stalks of celery (2/1/12)
• with 1T hummus (3/0/45)
• with 2T salsa (3/1/10)

Lunch:  (66g carbs / 17g sugar / 395 calories)

• Amy's Chunky Tomato Bisque (21/14/130)
• with Cannoli beans (21/1/120)
• Light English Muffin with Laughing Cow (24/2/145)

Dinner:  (36g carbs / 9g sugar / 340 calories)

• 3 oz. Ham steak (4/3/100)
• Mashed potatoes (20/1/180)
• Peas (12/5/60)

Snack:  (15g carbs / 6g sugar / 100 calories)

• Sleepytime Tea
• 100 calories Fudge-Dipped Sandies (15/6/100)

Daily Total:  140g carbs / 43g sugar / 1114 calories

Day #4 - Water, Water Everywhere

One of my primary goals in getting healthy is to start drinking more water, and I've been doing a pretty good job of it lately. In the past it seems I've always been dehydrated...and that's part of the reason for my headaches, too. After a bit of research, I discovered that they (who are "they" after all??) say we should halve our weight and drink that many ounces of water per day. So, at 150 pounds, you should be drinking 75 ounces of water a day. That's a LOT of water.

Now if you're someone like me who has always hated drinking water, I've got some good news for you. It's possible to get over it. I used to feel bloated when I drank more than a glass of water, but the more I forced myself to do it, the easier it became, and now water doesn't bother me at all. But to get past it, I had to flavor my water...with lemon juice, apple slices, cucumbers, or the Arbonne Energy fizz tabs. Now, I drink about half my quota of water plain, the other half with some sort of light flavoring. And to keep track of my consumption, I have two BPA-free Thermos 24-ounce water bottles and each has a rotating monitor on it so that I can keep track of how many times I fill it. The blue one I fill with plain water; the pink one I fill with my water and fizz tab. If I drink two blue bottles and one pink bottle, I've met my quota more or less. It's become a visual reminder to keep the water going down.

And speaking of water, today was Aqua Exercise class. And the weather was absolutely perfect--80 degrees in January. Who would have thought it. Although I usually have to force myself to get to the pool, it was such a glorious day that I had no trouble at all getting there. I always feel great afterwards, even if I'm dragging beforehand.

So here's today's meals:

Breakfast: (24g carbs / 2g sugar / 180 calories)

• Coffee w/ half & half  (0/0/35)
• Light Eng. Muffin w/ Light Laughing Cow Wedge (24/2/145)

Snack: (22g carbs / 10g sugar / 165 calories)

• Coffee w/half & half (0/0/35)
• 100 Calories Fudge-Dipped Sandies (15/6/100)
• 1 Arbonne Chew (7/4/30)

Lunch: (29g carbs / 16g sugar / 295 calories)

• Arbonne Chocolate Protein Shake (15/9/210)
• with Almond Milk (2/0/40)
• and half banana (14/7/55)

Dinner:  (46g carbs / 10g sugar / 445 calories)

• Chicken (left over from last night) (17/7/175)
• in tortilla (24/0/150
• with sour cream (2/2/40)
• with cheddar cheese (0/0/80)
• with salsa (3/1/10)

Snack: (12g carbs / 0 sugar / 55 calories)

• 15 Special K Chips

Total: 133 carbs / 38 sugar / 1140 calories

Day #3 - A Bit of Excess

I didn't plan today's meals very well and ended up exceeding my self-imposed limit in carbs and sugar,  but under my 1200 calorie limit. Looking back on the day, I shouldn't have put cherries (30 carbs/22 sugar/100 calories) in my Arbonne Protein Shake. I used cherries because yesterday I put mixed berries in and ended up spitting seeds out all through the meal. Yuck! Guess I'll have to look for another solution. Tonight my dinner had too many carbs and grams of sugar, too--shouldn't have done the chicken and rice together.

I did a lot of running around today and am heading out to a hockey game in a few minutes, so it looks like I won't get to the treadmill tonight, either. Sigh. Only the third day and I'm already struggling. It would be all too easy to give up, but I'm not going to do it. Fall down, get back up.

Here's today's damage:

Breakfast: (37 carbs / 7 sugar / 204 calories)

• Coffee with half & half (0 / 0 / 35)
• Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereal (25 / 0 / 110) with
• Unsweetened Almond Milk (2 / 0 / 20) and
• Blueberries (10 / 7 / 39)

Lunch: (45 carbs / 31 sugar / 300 calories)

• Arbonne Vanilla Protein Powder (13 / 9 / 160) with
• Unsweetened Almond Milk (2 / 0 / 40) and
• Frozen cherries (30 / 22 / 100)

Snack: (1 carb / 1 sugar / 35 calories)

• 1 Wedge of Light Laughing Cow Cheese (1 / 1 / 35)

Dinner: (93 carbs / 22.5 sugar / 596 calories)

• Honey Mustard Pretzel-Coated Chicken Fingers (39 / 13.5 / 349)
• Trader Joe's Rice Medley (42 / 0 / 200)
• 1 Medium Tangerine (12 / 9 / 47)

Total: 176g carbs / 61.5g sugar / 1135 calories

Oh...and I'll have my cup of Sleeptime Tea when I  get home from the game. But that doesn't count.

Day #2 - Moving Along

It's only Day #2, so I can't say I fully have the hang of this, but surprisingly I haven't been hungry. For dinner tonight, I made Cheesy Beefy Supreme Wraps from my Hungry Girl 1-2-3 cookbook. It was very easy and very tasty. I made one for Cody, too, but didn't tell him it was "meatless beef". He ended up eating two wraps and asking for more. I told him I was out of tortillas, so he got in the car, drove to Albertsons for more tortillas, and then came home and had me make him a third one! So much for the "meatless beef" I had planned to have for my lunch later this week. He ate it all!

I also managed to complete 1.25 miles on the treadmill this evening after dinner while I watched the State of the Union address. I've decided that the best time for me to do this is in the evening. This is because if I try to do it during the day, I know I'll find tons of work-related excuses to skip it...a book that needs reading or editing, phone calls to make, conference calls to listen to, emails to answer. I also know that I won't do it in the morning...I wasn't born a morning person, despite the fact that I had to get up at 4am to take care of the horses before school, and fifty years later that hasn't changed. I also heard that exercising about 4 hours prior to bedtime helps with sleep. I've never been a good sleeper, and over the last couple years I've had bouts of insomnia that have lasted months at a time, so I'm going to try it and hope that it works.

When I sat down to tally up my carbs, sugar, and calories this evening I was shocked to see how low it came in. I didn't feel deprived or hungry at all; probably a result of the extra protein and additional water I'm drinking. So, I'm going to splurge and eat a half of a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie I bought at Sprouts. I love them...and it's been calling my name for two days. I don't know how many calories are in them, but even if it's 300 in 1/2 a cookie, I'll still be under my daily calorie quota. So when I'm done here, I'm going to sit and watch American Idol with a hot cup of Sleepytime Tea and my cookie.

So here's today's damage:

Breakfast:  (24 carb/2 sugar/230 cal.)

• 1 Arbonne Metabolism Boost (forgot to take one before lunch and dinner though!)
• 1 cup coffee with half and half
• 1 Light English Muffin spread with Light Garlic & Herb Laughing Cow wedge and topped with two-egg white scramble

Lunch:  (15 carb/9 sugar/210 cal.)

• Arbonne Chocolate Protein Shake mixed with unsweetened Almond Milk

Dinner:  (31.5 carb/2.5 sugar/262 cal.)

• Cheesy Beefy Supreme Wrap from Hungry Girl 1-2-3 (page 78)

Snack:  (???)

• Sleeptime Tea (0/0/0)
• 1/2 Sprouts Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie (?/?/?)

Daily Total: 70.5+ carb / 13.5+ sugar / 702+ cal.

Considering my allowance is 120 carbs / 15 sugar / 1200 calories, I don't think I've done too badly. I've got to tell you, though, the tough part is going to be the sugar. Sugar seems to be in absolutely everything--even the healthy stuff like fruits and vegetables--so I'm not going to beat myself up over it should I exceed those 15 sugar grams on some days. But being conscious of it should help.

How are you doing on your healthy living goals? Thanks for keeping me accountable.

The Journey Begins - Day #1

It's definitely time for a change.

No more excuses...it's time to get started on that weight-loss journey. So today, this is what I did:

Started my Arbonne 7-Day Cleanse
Exercise: 1 mile on the treadmill (less than 25 min.)
Water: 52 ounces (need to get to 70 ounces)

Breakfast: (27g carbs/5g sugar/265 calories)

• 1 cup coffe w/BSweet (3g carb/3g sugar/10 cal) and half & half (0 carb/0 sugar/35 cal)
• 1 Light English Muffin (23g carb/1g sugar/110 cal) spread with Light Garlic & Herb Laughing Cow wedge (1g carb/1g sugar/35 cal)
• Topped with 1/2 c. Egg Whites (0 carb/0 sugar/75 cal)

Lunch: (30g carb/14g sugar/280 cal)

• Arbonne Vanilla Protein Shake (13g carb/9g sugar/160 cal) mixed with 3/4 cup frozen berries (15g carb/5g sugar/80 cal) and 1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk (2g carb/0 sugar/40 cal)

Snacks: (12g carb/2g sugar/215 cal)

• Handful of cashews (9g carb/2g sugar/ 170 cal)
• Hot Chocolate, Unsweetened Chcolate Almond Milk (2g carb/0 sugar/40 cal)

Dinner: (50g carb/? sugar/330 cal)

• Creamy Rosemary Wild Rice Soup (27g carb/? sugar/210 cal)
• 1 Parmesan Rosemary Roll (23g carb/0 sugar/120 cal)

Before Bed:

• 1 cup Sleeptime Herbal Tea

Grand  Total: 119g carb / 21?g sugar / 1090 cal.

Not a bad start.

Lose Weight With Massage?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could massage away the extra weight? Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way, but massage can be a great support as you make changes toward healthier living. Studies have shown a number of benefits to massage during weight loss. Check these out!

1. Improves circulation. When your circulation is working at its optimal level, increased nutrients and oxygen are circulated throught your body, improving your overall health.
2. Reduce fat deposits. OK...there is some validity to massaging away the fat. Breaking up these deposits helps your body to flush them more easily.
3. Rid the body of toxins. When you exercise, muscles release lactic and carbonic acids, and if they build up they can cause muscle tension and soreness. Massage helps the muscles get rid of these waste products and other toxins.
4. Eliminate bloat and water retention. Did you know massage therapy works as a diuretic? It helps to move the fluids in your body to make them easier to eliminate. It's just water weight, but any loss on the scale is a motivator in my book.
5. Ease muscle pain and tension. If you're not in pain after exercising, you're more likely to exercise more. Massage helps to alleviate soreness so that you won't have any excuses not to exercise.
6. Increases metabolism. Massage helps your body to work more effectively, increasing metabolism, which enables you to burn fat and have more energy.
7. Releases endorphins. Massage therapy promotes the release of these "feel good" chemicals. When you feel better you're more likely to stay motivated and active. And these endorphins also boost your metabolism and make you lose weight faster.

So, while massage isn't an alternative to healthy eating and exercise, it does support your quest to lose weight and tone your muscles. And best of all, it feels great! I think I need a massage...

Quick Clarification of Arbonne Fit Kit

I've had a couple people ask me about the prices of the Arbonne Fit Kit. The prices I listed were retail, but if you're a Preferred Client your cost is 20% less, making the $276 retail kit $220.80. And with that order you still qualify for the Detox at half price and an additional $100 worth of product for $20 (that's how I purchased the Daily Power Packs at 80% off!) If you have any questions or would like me to help you with your order, let me know. And if you're not yet a Preferred Client, I can tell you how to become one.

This Is Your Year!

This arrived in my inbox this morning...what perfect timing!

I've printed this out and pasted it to my wall. You can print your own copy at Passive Panda.

Ready, Set, Go!

Spent a bit more time planning today. I purchased an e-book called 52 Small Changes: One Year to a Happier, Healthier You by Brett Blumenthal. It looks like it's going to be a good (and easy) read. Putting the ideas into practice, however, will take more effort.

I also purchased my Arbonne 30-Day Feeling Fit Kit. It includes 2 Protein Shake Mixes (I opted for the Vanilla so that I can mix it with fruit), 2 Energy Fizz Tabs (I chose Pomegranate, my favorite), 2 Chocolate Fit Chews, 2 Herbal Detox Teas, 1 Daily Fiber Boost, and 1 Feeling Fit Guide. (Retail $276)

I then added in the 7-Day Body Cleanse ($24.50 as a purchase with purchase--instead of $49 Retail), 1 Chocolate Protein Shake Powder for more variety ($59), and 1 Caramel Fit Chews ($19), and the Daily Power Packs for Women ($99). I plan to use the shakes for meal replacement once or twice a day, and I drink the energy fizz tabs on a regular basis, just as I would drink a glass of water or a soda, if I drank sodas. The Detox Tea will be nice in the morning hot, or as an iced tea with my meals. And the Power Packs will give me the vitamins, minerals, and energy needed as I limit my calorie intake and increase my physical activity. The Power Packs and Fiber Boost will only last me the 30 Days, but the rest should last me a good two months, if not more.

Now that I have the framework built, I'm ready to begin thinking about meal plans and signing up for some exercise. I'll start on that tomorrow.

Out With the Old, In With the New

It's a new year, and with this it seems I'm suddenly on a frenzy to make some changes. I spent a good part of today cleaning out my walk-in closet. What a job! But it feels so good to feel like I've accomplished a job that has been nagging at me for the last six months or so. My side (okay, I admit that my side is a good 3/4 of the closet) is finally organized, I have a bag of shoes for a friend who is collecting shoes for charity, a good six bags of clothing and purses to bring to the Goodwill, and a bag of clothes that I need to take to the tailor for hemming. (I couldn't believe it when I found two pairs of pants I bought years ago, tags still on them and waiting to be hemmed. I can't fit in to them at the moment, but I will!) I finally admitted that I will never get down to the size 4 clothes cluttering up my closet, so I dumped them all. But the size 8 ones I've saved...because I WILL get into those one day!

It was made very clear to me this evening that I'm out of shape. My back and arms are so sore from the up and down of cleaning the closet, and by 8pm I was pretty much maxed out and collapsed on the couch. By 10pm I caught my second wind and sat down to plan out more of my journey to get fit. I'll be using the Arbonne 30-Day Feeling Fit Kit as the basis for my daily quick meals and eating low sugar, low carb for my main meals. I've learned that I can't fully deprive myself of the things I want to eat or I just won't stick with it, and so my "diet" allows for an occasional glass of red wine, dark chocolate, and reasonable portions of what I want when eating out. As for meals, I'll be working with recipes from Jorge Cruise (The Belly Fat Cure), Hungry Girl, and Arbonne's 28 Days to Healthy Living program. A little over a year ago, I did the 28 Days to Healthy Living program and lost 11 pounds in 4 weeks. I never felt hungry, the meals were very filling, but there was too much deprivation for me to stick with it beyond the 28 days...no gluten, no dairy, no sugar, only organics. This time I'm taking a more reasonable approach that will better suit my lifestyle.

Today I signed up for a weekly Aqua Exercise class through the city. The pool is outdoors, but it's heated so hopefully I won't freeze...and if the weather we're having this week continues it shouldn't be a problem. What a glorious 85-degree day we had today...who would ever guess it's January! I also plan to walk 3-4 days a week, starting with one mile and working up from there. I plan to "read" some books while walking (thanks to my iPod and Audible subscription), which should encourage me to get out there and get the walking done, especially if the book is good. I'm still looking for a program that will give me some weight-bearing exercise without going to the gym. I've discovered that I'm just not a gym person...I've had memberships for years and rarely used them. Maybe, once I've got some walking and aqua exercise under my belt, I'll try a boot camp. Maybe with a regular small group I'll be more inclined to go. (I can always find an excuse not to sweat!!) A friend suggested I try the Wii Fit or Wii Zumba; she thought the "fun" element might be a plus for me. I'm a total klutz with very little rhythm, so when I took some Zumba classes I was well out of my league...but maybe in the comfort of my own home with no one to see me I could work my way up to trying another Zumba class. We'll see.

Would love to know if any of you are as exercise challenged as I am, and how you managed to get beyond all the excuses and stick with a physical program. I could use the help.

The Dreaded Weigh-In

Okay...I'm not proud of what I'm going to be putting down here in writing. And, if I'm being honest, I'd love to cheat and take a few pounds and inches off. But I'm not going to do that. With a big red face, here are the stats:

Weight: 150 lbs.
Waist: 36"
1" below waist: 38.75"
Hips: 40.5"
Thigh: 22"
Bust: 36.75"
Below bust: 33"

Pitiful, I know. But this is all going to change...I promise myself. Remember I said I was going to give you the good, the bad, and the ugly? Well, this is the ugly.

How utterly embarrassing...

It's a New Year!

As I sit here on the first day of 2012, I find I have a great number of goals for this year. Some are business goals, some are education goals, some are financial goals, and some are fitness goals. I'm going to go out on a limb here and share my goals as they pertain to healthy living. I've hit the big 5-0 and I know that it's now or never when it comes to maintaining my health and enjoying the world around me. So here it is...I WILL LOSE 20 POUNDS BY APRIL 1, 2012! Okay, I said it. I think that's a reasonable goal; one that I'll have to work for, but at the same time one that is possible to reach.

I plan to use this blog to monitor my progress. I'll share the good, the bad, and the ugly, day by day. Why am I doing this? Because I know from past experience that I need to hold myself accountable. And the best way for me to do that is to put things in writing...and then let others know so that you can hold me accountable too. I'll use my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/KarenGroveArbonneConsultant to share tidbits of information in combination with this blog. So, if I find an exciting diet or exercise site, or some funny or useful information, I'll share it there. Here you'll find my daily meal plans, exercise goals, and how I'm doing with my goal to get in better shape. You'll know when I've stuck to my plans...and when I've fallen off the path.

If you'd like to join me on this quest for better health, please do so. I'd love to read your successes and challenges, so feel free to comment when you have things to share. We can encourage one another. I will be preparing for this journey for the next two weeks, developing a shopping list, stocking my pantry, making meal plans, and pulling everything together. Then on January 15, I will begin with daily postings. (Why January 15? Because I'll be back from Northern California, my husband will be back at work, my son back at school, and our schedule will be back to normal! I don't want to defeat myself before I even get started...and with our holiday schedule right now and a trip looming next week, I'd be doing that if I tried to start today. An excuse? Yes. But knowing myself, a valid one.)

Tomorrow...the dreaded weigh in!