So we all know we aren’t supposed to step on the scale daily and yet we do…including yours truly! And there are others of us who don’t own a scale because of how scary it might be to step on it. So much is tied up in the identity of this number, be it in pounds or kilos! I for one have been trying to get to the underside of 130 for the longest time! The last time I saw a 2 in the 10s position of my weight was at my wedding over 8 years ago! (yep, I trained hard to fit into that dress!). And almost every day of this 30 day challenge – the one where I am now at nearly the end (yep, that margarita has my name on it!) I have been tempted to step on the scale. I didn’t manage to do it only the requisite once per week – rather I tried to wean myself slowly and stepped on just every other day instead of daily – and then every third day, and finally now it’s been more than a week since I last stepped on the scale.
What’s most interesting is not the fact that I own two scales, nor is it interesting that I chose to weigh myself on both scales each time, rather the fact that each of them would tell me a different number. Naturally I favored the one where I was lighter by 2lbs always! And naturally I favored the one which showed me consistently dropping weight instead of the one where I would fluctuate the normal 5lb difference on a regular basis. (Yes your body weight can have that margin of error by at least 5lb on a daily basis – so don’t freak out if one day you’re 130 – and the next 135. What’s more important is where are you consistently…week after week.
So I’ve posted a few links to this amazing program, and I thought I would spend a little more time talking about the different products that make up the program…and why today? Well for the first time since my wedding day I saw a 2 in the 10s position of my weight! Yep – I dropped below 130 – not by a whole pound – but how excited do you think I was to see 129.8? VERY!
Remember, I am not a doctor – this is just my personal, incredibly exciting experience with these awesome products! And yes, I do have some pretty darn happy clients!
- Arbonne Chocolate Protein Powder: I have loved this protein powder for the past 4 years. It has been my breakfast for the better part of 2 years now. 20g of vegan protein with no soy, whey, gluten or dairy, less than 10g of sugar (stevia) it packs a powerful punch and is a great way to start the day. I’ve blogged before about my favorite recipe…unsweetened almond milk, almond butter, organic baby spinach, flaxseed meal, frozen berries all in a blender or magic bullet (I have the one by Bella Cucina) and it is absolutely delicious! Add a scoop of the Daily Fiber Booster and you’re getting 1/2 your recommended daily allowance of fiber!
- Herbal Detox Tea – Because I’m Indian, I’m a snob about tea. For me, herbal tea is something I am forced to drink when I am sick…’real’ tea is made with milk, sugar, spices like cardamom, cloves and even ginger…but since I’m doing this program, caffeine is a no no – therefore my beloved loose leaf Tetley is off-limits at the moment. Luckily this one has a really yummy flavor even without sugar. The added benefit is milk thistle which helps support your liver function and ‘unclogs’ your pipes!
- Lemon Fit Chews – I could eat the whole bag (not recommended…defeats the purpose of the detox). These taffy-like chews are awesome for staving off mid morning hunger pangs (mainly due to lack of H20 intake). They keep my energy levels high and balanced and really take my mind of food. I’m convinced that because you need to chew them well – your mouth is so done moving after you swallow!
- Chocolate Protein Bar – mmmmm! with just under 7g of sugar, this is not sugary sweet, but so nutrient-dense that it is the perfect 3pm snack between lunch and dinner. It not only fills me up, but because it’s chocolate it takes care of my desire to have a piece of chocolate! Killing two birds with one stone! NICE!! Drink 8oz of water along with this yummy dessert-like bar and you’re FULL till dinner!
- Pomegranate Energy Fizz Sticks – these yummy little powder packs are great to flavor water if you don’t like the taste of water; they have antioxidants and B vitamins, making them a great source of energy! The small amount of natural caffeine makes it so I am performing with high energy without worrying about the 3pm caffeine crash. I have clients who swear by these! And, they’re YUM!
- Hybrid Supplements – we have them for men too – you guys! But these have transformed my opinion about supplements. Like most people, I shopped at GNC or even Costco for my supplements and always wondered if I was just creating expensive urine! Until I started on these I never really believed that vitamins did anything. I am a mom of two young ‘uns, a wife, a fundraiser, an entrepreneur, an athlete, friend, daughter, sister, now blogger…ah yes add regular 5:30am meditator to that list…on top of which I just had a milestone birthday – yep – the big 4-O (more on that later)! But believe me when I tell you I have boundless energy and have managed to reduce my hours of sleep from 8 to 7 with no change in my levels of energy. The cool thing about these is that they come in pre-made packets and the 5 pills cover me for probiotic, bone health, calcium and multi-vitamin/multi-mineral! So all I do is add vegan Omega-3 pills and yes, an extra calcium supplement with vitamin D and I am good to go! And in fact, what I do so that I am not overdoing the supplements (and yes you can do that) I alternate the pills. On one day, its the power pack, the next its omega and calcium! It works wonders! I’m almost afraid of how much more energy I will have if I took them all daily!
So March 4th will mark the last day of this program for me, but the best thing that it did for me is reset my metabolic thermostat, make me aware of the way my body responds to certain foods ( I will be more aware of this as I reintroduce those foods one by one next week and beyond), and realize that I have total control of my body’s nutritional intake. I recognized that I would have to consume over 5,000 calories a day to get the nutrient values that my body needs to perform at its optimum best – and well…I wouldn’t be seeing the underside of 130…ever, if I did that. So I’m grateful to have found products that are made with pure botanicals enhanced by science and scrutinized by health and wellness professionals before hitting the marketplace and my household.
Healthy living is a choice that most of us find hard to make…it doesn’t have to be. It in fact can make your life a lot simpler. I’m living proof of that! Ping me if you want details.
The Breathing Space 