One of the few downsides to pregnancy is that, for some of us, our feet get bigger. My podiatric result of two pregnancies: my already large feet grew one full size. I'm sportin' the 10s. Wearing my 9.5 running shoes was bad news for my little piggies when I started working out recently. Trying to train for my first 5K was not going to happen with those shoes. I tried running barefoot. I won't do that outdoors, too many unknowns on the ground that could damage my feet. And, it can be gross. So, I tried it on my treadmill. CAUTION: The belt on a treadmill gets hot after a few minutes making it difficult to complete a 30-minute barefoot walk. I tried walking in my flip-flops. (I know. That's a no-no.) I strained my pinky toes because I used them too much to grip my shoes. I decided to stick to barefoot barre workouts and to tough it out on the treadmill in my 9.5s as often as I could until I could buy new shoes.
I cannot stress enough the need for shoes that fit properly. When I tried on the size 10 Asics, which I now own, I was amazed by how great my feet felt. I'm all for being barefoot in the house or on lush green grass, but these shoes feel better than being barefoot. Yes, now I can run on the treadmill or outside whenever I want and know that I won't end up with crooked, cramped toes, among other things. But, I've also noticed improvements in my other workouts. I have much better form and alignment when I do my workout DVDs because I'm not thinking about my aching feet or trying not to grip the ground too hard with my poor little pinky toes. I don't have to worry about my feet because they're taken care of. I've entrusted them to a great shoe. One day, after a great workout/walk, it hit me.
God is like a great running shoe. Go with me on this.
I have better form, posture and alignment when I wear my shoes. I have a better attitude, outlook, and day when I'm doing life with God, rather than casually remembering Him when I put my kids to bed at night. When my feet are encased in a good shoe, they're safe and capable of helping me accomplish much more in a day than my bare feet alone. When my life is surrounded and sustained by God, when I allow Him to truly be Lord of my life, I am safe and capable of accomplishing so much more than I could on my own. It doesn't mean I'll never be hurt. It means I'll survive and learn and grow stronger and be able to help others heal from or avoid similar injuries. Some people would say that wearing shoes is like imprisonment. No freedom. Some would say the same about committing your life to Christ. No freedom. Too rigid and controlled. Closed-minded. In reality, Christianity is the best of both worlds. It's the security of running fully-shod knowing I can tackle any terrain no matter how thorny, muddy, rocky, steep, long, hard, dark. I can handle anything. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. It's also the freedom of running barefoot down a hill of lush, soft grass on a bright, clear spring day. Arms open wide. Laughing and screaming with joy all the way down. Exhilarating.
To those who say Christianity is just another form of captivity, I say you have no idea the freedom and life you're missing.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Herbalife Challenge - final results
After 30 days of two shakes a day three times a week, one shake for breakfast every day, drinking aloe and tea, and taking Cell-U-Loss and Cell Activator, the results are in.
Pounds lost: zero, gained a pound
Inches lost: zero, but didn't gain an inch =)
Overall, I'm glad I did the challenge. Sometimes it's nice to wipe the slate clean and start over, like doing a cleanse or gutting a house or installing updates on your computer. That's what the challenge did for me. It helped me clear out the clutter of fast food, fattening meals, and inactivity and refocus on my nutritional and exercise needs. However, I will not continue using any of these Herbalife products.
That said, I know several people who have had great success with Herbalife. If you are reading this and wondering if Herbalife is for you, then give it a try. For me, based on the results I got from my challenge and my overall sense of well-being, Herbalife just isn't worth it. I have no passion for it, to continue trying it. I don't have room in my budget for it. But, I can honestly say that I love the Herbalife distributors I know, and if you would like more info on the products or the company I'd be happy to get you in touch with them. Some Herbalife products are available on Amazon.com. I recommend buying from a distributor, but you can read some good, unbiased product reviews on Amazon.
Let's face it: one size does not fit all. Herbalife isn't for everyone. Weight Watchers isn't for everyone, even though it's users have also seen great success. For some of us, like me, proper nutrition comes down to planning my family's meals and snacks and NOT keeping empty calories in the house. The same thing applies to exercise: no one certain thing gets everyone excited about a sweat session. For example, I don't enjoy Zumba, but I love Pilates. I can't enjoy the benefits of swimming, but I'm excited to be training for my first 5K.
So what now? Throw in the towel and resign myself to a roly-poly existence based on fried, fatty food? Nope! I've revamped my workout schedule, set new weight loss goals, stocked the fridge and pantry with mostly high nutritional food. I'm looking into a year-round garden (save some money on all that produce we eat). And, I'm dreaming of the Disneyworld marathon in 2013. Who wants to come with me? =)
Pounds lost: zero, gained a pound
Inches lost: zero, but didn't gain an inch =)
Overall, I'm glad I did the challenge. Sometimes it's nice to wipe the slate clean and start over, like doing a cleanse or gutting a house or installing updates on your computer. That's what the challenge did for me. It helped me clear out the clutter of fast food, fattening meals, and inactivity and refocus on my nutritional and exercise needs. However, I will not continue using any of these Herbalife products.
That said, I know several people who have had great success with Herbalife. If you are reading this and wondering if Herbalife is for you, then give it a try. For me, based on the results I got from my challenge and my overall sense of well-being, Herbalife just isn't worth it. I have no passion for it, to continue trying it. I don't have room in my budget for it. But, I can honestly say that I love the Herbalife distributors I know, and if you would like more info on the products or the company I'd be happy to get you in touch with them. Some Herbalife products are available on Amazon.com. I recommend buying from a distributor, but you can read some good, unbiased product reviews on Amazon.
Let's face it: one size does not fit all. Herbalife isn't for everyone. Weight Watchers isn't for everyone, even though it's users have also seen great success. For some of us, like me, proper nutrition comes down to planning my family's meals and snacks and NOT keeping empty calories in the house. The same thing applies to exercise: no one certain thing gets everyone excited about a sweat session. For example, I don't enjoy Zumba, but I love Pilates. I can't enjoy the benefits of swimming, but I'm excited to be training for my first 5K.
So what now? Throw in the towel and resign myself to a roly-poly existence based on fried, fatty food? Nope! I've revamped my workout schedule, set new weight loss goals, stocked the fridge and pantry with mostly high nutritional food. I'm looking into a year-round garden (save some money on all that produce we eat). And, I'm dreaming of the Disneyworld marathon in 2013. Who wants to come with me? =)
Friday, August 19, 2011
Herbalife Challenge - week 1 check-in
So, I have been doing this 30-day challenge for a week now. Several things have changed, nice improvements, though I am still a pound heavier and wearing the same size clothes. Eh, it's only been a week. I'll cut myself some slack...for now.
Reprogramming the brain...I'm an emotional eater. If something upsets me or someone hurts me, then I binge. Not in huge amounts, but enough to consider it binging. I don't do it until I'm alone, though, so most people don't know that about me. If I'm discouraged about anything, I eat. If I'm bored, and I've already checked Facebook a gazillion times, I eat. If I'm exhausted, I eat. Until this week. I'm actually about to cry right now because I have hope that I can overcome this problem. This week I have finally started thinking of food as fuel. For some reason, it finally clicked. Yes, food should taste good and be pleasurable, but it can be healthy and proportional, too. I've been bored this week, when both boys were napping. What did I do? Laundry. Dishes. Blogged. Epiphany! There's a whole world of options other than food!
Another problem I have with food is that I have had to learn about proper nutrition. When I was growing up, we lived on a farm. (Technically, I guess it was a ranch since we raised cattle. But, "ranch" implies rich, "farm" implies not-so-rich. Therefore, it was a cow farm.) My mom, older sister and I would be at school from about 7:30am-4:30pm. My mom is teacher so that meant leaving a little earlier and staying a little later. As soon as we got home, we had to change clothes, grab a snack, and head outside for 2-6 hours of chores. How long it took depended on the weather, seasons or how much sunlight was left in the day, and how much trouble the cows had caused my dad. My dad can handle anything, but we've had some of the orneriest cows on the planet. Anyhow, we needed a snack that would boost our energy and keep us going until we finished the chores. That was usually some form of Little Debbie. I've known for a few years now that what I truly need for sustainable energy is a mix of lean protein and complex carb. Like a string cheese and some whole-wheat crackers. I've done a much better job of applying proper nutrition this week than I ever have. The few times I've needed a snack, I've chosen a lovely banana or tart apple or a strawberry and mozzarella salad.
I've done better with portion control this week, too. I know how to eat until I'm satisfied instead of stuffed. I had only once slice of pizza yesterday instead of two or three. And, I was satisfied. I've also realized that's alright to say no when someone offers me food and I'm not hungry. If I'm truly worried about my rejection hurting the person's feelings, then I'll just take a bite or two.
Water is my new wonder elixir. I can't get enough. I drank about a gallon a day during both of my pregnancies, but I stopped drinking as much after giving birth. Now, I'm back to drinking a gallon a day, sometimes more. I'm grateful that my bladder has adjusted.
I've researched nutrition and exercise for about three years now. You would never know that if you saw me. It's kind of like auto mechanics who drive clunkers. I know the facts. I can share them with anyone, help anyone else to learn and succeed. I just haven't been able to apply them to myself. It feels so good to finally have the discipline and confidence to apply all this knowledge to my own life.
Shakes...I still like them. Actually, I find myself craving them. They're so easy to make and taste so good. I like that I can have a great tasting, healthy shake that fills me up for three or four hours. I love that it's good nutrition.
I did the math on some of my shakes this week. For example, one day I had a turtle cheesecake shake. I don't have the Herbalife protein drink mix, so I used some I bought at Wal-Mart awhile back. I only have the vanilla flavor F1 so I threw in 5-6 chocolate teddy grahams to create the cookies 'n cream flavor. And, the pudding mix I used was not sugar free. Keep all of those factors in mind when you see the final the numbers, and I should tell you that I always round up when calculating calories and sugar. The total calories for this shake was 535 with 45 grams of sugar! Note to self...buy sugar free pudding mix next time!! However, that "535" doesn't seem horrific to me, even though I know I could have eaten a quarter-pounder with cheese for fewer calories. Here's why:
1. Not all calories are the same. There is a ton more fat in that burger than in the shake. There's way more nutritional value in the shake than in the burger. No oil in my shake. No fried anything in my shake. Five hundred calories of Herbalife is a far greater good for my body and health than even three hundred calories of fast food.
2. The shake fills me for several hours. With fast food, I eat and am hungry again in two hours or so. And, I need a nap. Not so with the shakes. I do get a little bit of crash about an hour after drinking the dessert-flavored shakes (not the fruity shakes), but I'm too full to want to eat something else to boost my energy. And, I'm never as sluggish as I am after eating fast food. If I really need more energy, I'll have a cup of Herbalife tea.
Exercise...I had a vast variety of options to choose from when deciding on what exercises to do for this challenge. I've heard that you should find something you enjoy and stick with it. What would I enjoy? I've always wanted to have the long, lean, toned body of a dancer or swimmer. Well, the "long" part will never be. I was born a Lankford, and no one in my family could ever be referred to as long or tall. But, on the bright side, we rarely have to duck under things like tree branches, and our pants are never too short. So, lean and toned dancer or swimmer it is. Wait...I don't know how to swim. That settles it. I shall be a lean and toned dancer, albeit a clumsy, ungraceful one. Two styles of dance stand out to me: Zumba and ballet. Zumba looks like fun, but this body jiggles enough as it is. I don't need to add to the jigglies with all that shaking and bouncing. The grace and peace of ballet appealed to me so I have been doing a barre workout that I thoroughly enjoy. It's the Xtend Barre DVD with Andrea Rogers, if you're interested. It's available on Amazon. I have two more barre DVDs lined up for the rotation, and I'm also looking into the Physique 57 DVDs. These workouts give my muscles, especially those in my legs, a great burn. You know that feeling. It hurts so badly you want to roll around on the floor and wail, but at the same time you feel incredible even though you can't move. Yep, that kind of burn.
I'm also trying to convince myself to start running. My family and I walk down our road sometimes, and I have the convenience of a treadmill. I'm following the beginning runner guidelines from the book Run Your Butt Off (also available from Amazon). At this point I'm still in the 1st stage which is to walk for thirty minutes three or four times a week. It's a twelve week program. My goal is to run the Jesus Day 5K in December.
When I started this challenge, I wrote out a contract and had my husband sign it. He was basically agreeing to let me continue buying and using Herbalife products if I succeeded at my goals. He works six different jobs to provide for our needs and enable me to stay home with our boys, so I think he's earned a say in what I buy. Coy was also agreeing to let me seriously consider becoming an Herbalife Independent Distributor if I saw great success, the products were significantly beneficial for me, and I successfully completed all of the goals. Well, I've blown it. I made goals that I will be able to fulfill in the fourth week, but not for all four weeks. So, the contract is broken. It's liberating, though. I wrote it for him, to show him I was serious about this, to give him a way to measure Herbalife's success instead writing goals that would enable me to measure my own success. Coy couldn't care less if I lose ninety pounds or gain twice that much. He just wants me to be happy and to know that he loves me. Contract or no contract, he'd be happy for me to continue spending some of his hard-earned money on Herbalife if it is a help to me, and so far it is. With the contract out of the way, I feel like I'm doing this for myself, which is what Coy wanted all along. I have more flexibility in my schedule. I can figure out what works for me and make adjustments as needed instead of being stuck with a rigid schedule. That makes for a happier wife and momma. So, I had to break the contract, but it's for the best.
This way we all win.
Reprogramming the brain...I'm an emotional eater. If something upsets me or someone hurts me, then I binge. Not in huge amounts, but enough to consider it binging. I don't do it until I'm alone, though, so most people don't know that about me. If I'm discouraged about anything, I eat. If I'm bored, and I've already checked Facebook a gazillion times, I eat. If I'm exhausted, I eat. Until this week. I'm actually about to cry right now because I have hope that I can overcome this problem. This week I have finally started thinking of food as fuel. For some reason, it finally clicked. Yes, food should taste good and be pleasurable, but it can be healthy and proportional, too. I've been bored this week, when both boys were napping. What did I do? Laundry. Dishes. Blogged. Epiphany! There's a whole world of options other than food!
Another problem I have with food is that I have had to learn about proper nutrition. When I was growing up, we lived on a farm. (Technically, I guess it was a ranch since we raised cattle. But, "ranch" implies rich, "farm" implies not-so-rich. Therefore, it was a cow farm.) My mom, older sister and I would be at school from about 7:30am-4:30pm. My mom is teacher so that meant leaving a little earlier and staying a little later. As soon as we got home, we had to change clothes, grab a snack, and head outside for 2-6 hours of chores. How long it took depended on the weather, seasons or how much sunlight was left in the day, and how much trouble the cows had caused my dad. My dad can handle anything, but we've had some of the orneriest cows on the planet. Anyhow, we needed a snack that would boost our energy and keep us going until we finished the chores. That was usually some form of Little Debbie. I've known for a few years now that what I truly need for sustainable energy is a mix of lean protein and complex carb. Like a string cheese and some whole-wheat crackers. I've done a much better job of applying proper nutrition this week than I ever have. The few times I've needed a snack, I've chosen a lovely banana or tart apple or a strawberry and mozzarella salad.
I've done better with portion control this week, too. I know how to eat until I'm satisfied instead of stuffed. I had only once slice of pizza yesterday instead of two or three. And, I was satisfied. I've also realized that's alright to say no when someone offers me food and I'm not hungry. If I'm truly worried about my rejection hurting the person's feelings, then I'll just take a bite or two.
Water is my new wonder elixir. I can't get enough. I drank about a gallon a day during both of my pregnancies, but I stopped drinking as much after giving birth. Now, I'm back to drinking a gallon a day, sometimes more. I'm grateful that my bladder has adjusted.
I've researched nutrition and exercise for about three years now. You would never know that if you saw me. It's kind of like auto mechanics who drive clunkers. I know the facts. I can share them with anyone, help anyone else to learn and succeed. I just haven't been able to apply them to myself. It feels so good to finally have the discipline and confidence to apply all this knowledge to my own life.
Shakes...I still like them. Actually, I find myself craving them. They're so easy to make and taste so good. I like that I can have a great tasting, healthy shake that fills me up for three or four hours. I love that it's good nutrition.
I did the math on some of my shakes this week. For example, one day I had a turtle cheesecake shake. I don't have the Herbalife protein drink mix, so I used some I bought at Wal-Mart awhile back. I only have the vanilla flavor F1 so I threw in 5-6 chocolate teddy grahams to create the cookies 'n cream flavor. And, the pudding mix I used was not sugar free. Keep all of those factors in mind when you see the final the numbers, and I should tell you that I always round up when calculating calories and sugar. The total calories for this shake was 535 with 45 grams of sugar! Note to self...buy sugar free pudding mix next time!! However, that "535" doesn't seem horrific to me, even though I know I could have eaten a quarter-pounder with cheese for fewer calories. Here's why:
1. Not all calories are the same. There is a ton more fat in that burger than in the shake. There's way more nutritional value in the shake than in the burger. No oil in my shake. No fried anything in my shake. Five hundred calories of Herbalife is a far greater good for my body and health than even three hundred calories of fast food.
2. The shake fills me for several hours. With fast food, I eat and am hungry again in two hours or so. And, I need a nap. Not so with the shakes. I do get a little bit of crash about an hour after drinking the dessert-flavored shakes (not the fruity shakes), but I'm too full to want to eat something else to boost my energy. And, I'm never as sluggish as I am after eating fast food. If I really need more energy, I'll have a cup of Herbalife tea.
Exercise...I had a vast variety of options to choose from when deciding on what exercises to do for this challenge. I've heard that you should find something you enjoy and stick with it. What would I enjoy? I've always wanted to have the long, lean, toned body of a dancer or swimmer. Well, the "long" part will never be. I was born a Lankford, and no one in my family could ever be referred to as long or tall. But, on the bright side, we rarely have to duck under things like tree branches, and our pants are never too short. So, lean and toned dancer or swimmer it is. Wait...I don't know how to swim. That settles it. I shall be a lean and toned dancer, albeit a clumsy, ungraceful one. Two styles of dance stand out to me: Zumba and ballet. Zumba looks like fun, but this body jiggles enough as it is. I don't need to add to the jigglies with all that shaking and bouncing. The grace and peace of ballet appealed to me so I have been doing a barre workout that I thoroughly enjoy. It's the Xtend Barre DVD with Andrea Rogers, if you're interested. It's available on Amazon. I have two more barre DVDs lined up for the rotation, and I'm also looking into the Physique 57 DVDs. These workouts give my muscles, especially those in my legs, a great burn. You know that feeling. It hurts so badly you want to roll around on the floor and wail, but at the same time you feel incredible even though you can't move. Yep, that kind of burn.
I'm also trying to convince myself to start running. My family and I walk down our road sometimes, and I have the convenience of a treadmill. I'm following the beginning runner guidelines from the book Run Your Butt Off (also available from Amazon). At this point I'm still in the 1st stage which is to walk for thirty minutes three or four times a week. It's a twelve week program. My goal is to run the Jesus Day 5K in December.
When I started this challenge, I wrote out a contract and had my husband sign it. He was basically agreeing to let me continue buying and using Herbalife products if I succeeded at my goals. He works six different jobs to provide for our needs and enable me to stay home with our boys, so I think he's earned a say in what I buy. Coy was also agreeing to let me seriously consider becoming an Herbalife Independent Distributor if I saw great success, the products were significantly beneficial for me, and I successfully completed all of the goals. Well, I've blown it. I made goals that I will be able to fulfill in the fourth week, but not for all four weeks. So, the contract is broken. It's liberating, though. I wrote it for him, to show him I was serious about this, to give him a way to measure Herbalife's success instead writing goals that would enable me to measure my own success. Coy couldn't care less if I lose ninety pounds or gain twice that much. He just wants me to be happy and to know that he loves me. Contract or no contract, he'd be happy for me to continue spending some of his hard-earned money on Herbalife if it is a help to me, and so far it is. With the contract out of the way, I feel like I'm doing this for myself, which is what Coy wanted all along. I have more flexibility in my schedule. I can figure out what works for me and make adjustments as needed instead of being stuck with a rigid schedule. That makes for a happier wife and momma. So, I had to break the contract, but it's for the best.
This way we all win.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Herbalife Challenge - I did a bad thing
I did a bad thing.
I knew better. I knew not to do it. I KNEW BETTER. But, I caved-in to the temptation. I weighed myself Monday morning, day 4 of the challenge. And...
I've gained a pound.
This is the point when I usually quit whatever weight loss plan I'm doing. This is what always happens. I watch what I eat, though not obsessively. I exercise. I drink lots of water. And, I gain weight. Never mind that I'm eating fewer and healthier things. Never mind that I feel better and have more energy. Never mind that I can see more muscle tone and already feel the tautness on the backs of my thighs. Never mind normal day-to-day weight fluctuations. That all-important number on the scale went up instead of down. I want to quit. I want to give up. I want to stop the hard work because for me it's easier to be fat and unhappy than to do the work to be slim, happy and healthy. It's easy to put everyone else first, to spend all of my time caring for my husband and our children. It's hard to put so much emphasis on myself, to really look at myself and my body and make improvements. It's hard for me to make time for myself, to do anything for myself. That isn't as noble as it may sound.
It's times like these when that old familiar, haunting voice slinks back into my mind from childhood and my high school days. You'll never be good enough. You'll never be pretty enough. You'll never be thin enough. You will NEVER be enough. My response usually goes like this: I know people are kind enough to sort of love me now, as I am. But, what if they don't love me through the process of becoming happier and healthier? What if they don't like the end result? What if I can't be any thinner than I am now? What if no one ever likes anything I write about any topic? What if I'm never able to write a screenplay and see it produced? What if I'm never a good enough writer to be published even in a local magazine or newspaper? Am I supposed to just accept the way I am and never try to change, never try to pursue my goals and God-driven dreams for fear of failing or losing someone's love? I've almost always believed that voice, yielded to its power.
But, not today. I will do what's hard. I have a husband who deeply loves me. I have two precious little boys who deeply love me. Me. Obese or fit. Hideous or gorgeous. Published or not. Success or failure. They deserve my best effort. I deserve my best effort. We deserve to see me become the best Chenell Cypert I can be. And, then keep getting better. Keep trying new things and learning about things and writing new stories and loving my family and friends more and more every day. I thank God for the people in my life, for giving me life. For the plans He has for me, to prosper me and not harm me. What He has prepared for me that I can't even fathom. He looks at my dreams and says, "Dream bigger. And, watch me bring it to pass." I thank God for God, for who He is and what He does. I thank Him for inspiring people to write the books of the Bible and more people to translate it into a language I can understand. I thank Him for giving me this book that is full of declarations of His love for me. I thank Him for daily showing me His love, for pursuing me wholeheartedly, for caring about my dreams and my goals. I'm so grateful that He never looks at me and says, "You're enough." He tells me I'm so much more than that. So, I'll do what's hard. I'll do it for Him, for my family, my friends and myself. And, for people I may never meet but who can be encouraged by part of my story.
I knew better. I knew not to do it. I KNEW BETTER. But, I caved-in to the temptation. I weighed myself Monday morning, day 4 of the challenge. And...
I've gained a pound.
This is the point when I usually quit whatever weight loss plan I'm doing. This is what always happens. I watch what I eat, though not obsessively. I exercise. I drink lots of water. And, I gain weight. Never mind that I'm eating fewer and healthier things. Never mind that I feel better and have more energy. Never mind that I can see more muscle tone and already feel the tautness on the backs of my thighs. Never mind normal day-to-day weight fluctuations. That all-important number on the scale went up instead of down. I want to quit. I want to give up. I want to stop the hard work because for me it's easier to be fat and unhappy than to do the work to be slim, happy and healthy. It's easy to put everyone else first, to spend all of my time caring for my husband and our children. It's hard to put so much emphasis on myself, to really look at myself and my body and make improvements. It's hard for me to make time for myself, to do anything for myself. That isn't as noble as it may sound.
It's times like these when that old familiar, haunting voice slinks back into my mind from childhood and my high school days. You'll never be good enough. You'll never be pretty enough. You'll never be thin enough. You will NEVER be enough. My response usually goes like this: I know people are kind enough to sort of love me now, as I am. But, what if they don't love me through the process of becoming happier and healthier? What if they don't like the end result? What if I can't be any thinner than I am now? What if no one ever likes anything I write about any topic? What if I'm never able to write a screenplay and see it produced? What if I'm never a good enough writer to be published even in a local magazine or newspaper? Am I supposed to just accept the way I am and never try to change, never try to pursue my goals and God-driven dreams for fear of failing or losing someone's love? I've almost always believed that voice, yielded to its power.
But, not today. I will do what's hard. I have a husband who deeply loves me. I have two precious little boys who deeply love me. Me. Obese or fit. Hideous or gorgeous. Published or not. Success or failure. They deserve my best effort. I deserve my best effort. We deserve to see me become the best Chenell Cypert I can be. And, then keep getting better. Keep trying new things and learning about things and writing new stories and loving my family and friends more and more every day. I thank God for the people in my life, for giving me life. For the plans He has for me, to prosper me and not harm me. What He has prepared for me that I can't even fathom. He looks at my dreams and says, "Dream bigger. And, watch me bring it to pass." I thank God for God, for who He is and what He does. I thank Him for inspiring people to write the books of the Bible and more people to translate it into a language I can understand. I thank Him for giving me this book that is full of declarations of His love for me. I thank Him for daily showing me His love, for pursuing me wholeheartedly, for caring about my dreams and my goals. I'm so grateful that He never looks at me and says, "You're enough." He tells me I'm so much more than that. So, I'll do what's hard. I'll do it for Him, for my family, my friends and myself. And, for people I may never meet but who can be encouraged by part of my story.
It's good!
I mentioned in an earlier post that I didn't like the taste of the tea anymore and that I would try it sometime without the mango-flavored aloe to see if that made it better. Well, I didn't get in a workout yesterday morning and was dragging by late afternoon when I finally had a chance to do it. I decided to give the tea a shot at perking me up and to see how it tasted sans aloe. It was great! It was the mango-flavored aloe that was throwing the taste off a bit too much for me. And, the tea gave me enough of boost to do a full one hour workout. So, here it is: the tea by itself is good. The aloe by itself (mixed in water) is good. I'll just drink the two separately from now on.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Herbalife Challenge Day 3 - seeing results!
Gross out alert!!! If you are grossed out by bathroom/diaper talk or just find it undignified, then stop reading this post now! Proceed at your own risk...
As I mentioned in my first Herbalife post, I am a breastfeeding mother. My youngest child, Titan, is almost seven months old and still gets most of his nutrition from breastmilk. Therefore, Titan is basically on this challenge with me.
Titan was 11lbs 1.7oz at birth. He's a solid chunk of baby. Before any of you say anything about putting babies on diets or whether he needs to lose weight or not, let me say I am not doing this challenge to make my baby skinny. He takes after my family more than my husband's family. We are all short and stocky. And, I am perfectly fine with my 6-month-old weighing almost as much as my two-and-a-half-year-old. They're just built differently. Titan is just that, a titan. I don't think he will ever have serious weight issues. He'll be strong and muscular. He is strong now. Though he has started getting slimmer, that started about a month before I started using Herbalife. Now, back to Day 3's results...
I had hoped to exclusively nurse Titan for six months. He was ready to start solid food around four months, but we managed to wait until he was a little over five months old before starting rice cereal. A couple weeks later, we started feeding him oatmeal. His bowel movements almost stopped. Titan would go three days without a dirty diaper. His pediatrician recommended adding a vegetable to see if the extra fiber would help induce more frequent bowel movements. The doctor and I weren't worried because Titan didn't seem to be in any pain, and his stool wasn't hard as a rock. It was just a little dryer than it should be for an infant who just started solids and it was less frequent. Adding the vegetables didn't do much. He would have a dirty diaper every other day, and the consistency of the stool was about the same. Enter Herbalife.
Toward the early evening hours of challenge day 2, I smelled something. It smelled like the dirty diaper of a breastfed infant. I checked Titan's diaper. Lo and behold, it was full of poo! The perfect consistency! Eh, a little on the runny side, but way better than what it had been. I actually thought he might be having a bout of quasi-diarhea. Day 3 comes and nears its end, and the same thing happens but with even better stool consistency. And, no grunting from Titan while he's trying to push it out. I'm typing this on day 4 of the challenge. Titan has had at least one dirty diaper every day. Those diapers for days 2-4 have been normal consistency for his age and diet. I call that a huge success.
As I mentioned in my first Herbalife post, I am a breastfeeding mother. My youngest child, Titan, is almost seven months old and still gets most of his nutrition from breastmilk. Therefore, Titan is basically on this challenge with me.
Titan was 11lbs 1.7oz at birth. He's a solid chunk of baby. Before any of you say anything about putting babies on diets or whether he needs to lose weight or not, let me say I am not doing this challenge to make my baby skinny. He takes after my family more than my husband's family. We are all short and stocky. And, I am perfectly fine with my 6-month-old weighing almost as much as my two-and-a-half-year-old. They're just built differently. Titan is just that, a titan. I don't think he will ever have serious weight issues. He'll be strong and muscular. He is strong now. Though he has started getting slimmer, that started about a month before I started using Herbalife. Now, back to Day 3's results...
I had hoped to exclusively nurse Titan for six months. He was ready to start solid food around four months, but we managed to wait until he was a little over five months old before starting rice cereal. A couple weeks later, we started feeding him oatmeal. His bowel movements almost stopped. Titan would go three days without a dirty diaper. His pediatrician recommended adding a vegetable to see if the extra fiber would help induce more frequent bowel movements. The doctor and I weren't worried because Titan didn't seem to be in any pain, and his stool wasn't hard as a rock. It was just a little dryer than it should be for an infant who just started solids and it was less frequent. Adding the vegetables didn't do much. He would have a dirty diaper every other day, and the consistency of the stool was about the same. Enter Herbalife.
Toward the early evening hours of challenge day 2, I smelled something. It smelled like the dirty diaper of a breastfed infant. I checked Titan's diaper. Lo and behold, it was full of poo! The perfect consistency! Eh, a little on the runny side, but way better than what it had been. I actually thought he might be having a bout of quasi-diarhea. Day 3 comes and nears its end, and the same thing happens but with even better stool consistency. And, no grunting from Titan while he's trying to push it out. I'm typing this on day 4 of the challenge. Titan has had at least one dirty diaper every day. Those diapers for days 2-4 have been normal consistency for his age and diet. I call that a huge success.
Herbalife Challenge Day 2
The tea...
It blends perfectly with water. All I do is put it in 8 ounces of water, add the aloe concentrate, and stir with a spoon. No grittiness. No little brown specks swimming around my cup. Just a nice cup of tea.
I really liked the original-flavored tea the first time I tried it. I bought the original flavor because I've never been a fan of fruit-flavored teas. (The Herbal Tea Concentrate comes in Original, Peach, Raspberry, and Lemon flavors.) Now, after drinking it for two days, I still like it but not as much. I've always liked green tea but never liked orange pekoe tea. This tea concentrate contains both, and the aloe concentrate is mango flavored. The original flavor has a little bit of a bitter aftertaste to me. I think I would like it better if I had gotten the peach or raspberry flavored tea, add a little sweetness without adding sugar while complementing the mango-flavored aloe. If you like your coffee black or barely sweetened, or if you enjoy orange pekoe tea, then you would like the original flavor. I'll try it later without the aloe and see how it tastes.
Here's a link to the product info:
http://catalog.herbalife.com/weight-management/enhancers/herbal-tea-concentrate?start=null
It blends perfectly with water. All I do is put it in 8 ounces of water, add the aloe concentrate, and stir with a spoon. No grittiness. No little brown specks swimming around my cup. Just a nice cup of tea.
I really liked the original-flavored tea the first time I tried it. I bought the original flavor because I've never been a fan of fruit-flavored teas. (The Herbal Tea Concentrate comes in Original, Peach, Raspberry, and Lemon flavors.) Now, after drinking it for two days, I still like it but not as much. I've always liked green tea but never liked orange pekoe tea. This tea concentrate contains both, and the aloe concentrate is mango flavored. The original flavor has a little bit of a bitter aftertaste to me. I think I would like it better if I had gotten the peach or raspberry flavored tea, add a little sweetness without adding sugar while complementing the mango-flavored aloe. If you like your coffee black or barely sweetened, or if you enjoy orange pekoe tea, then you would like the original flavor. I'll try it later without the aloe and see how it tastes.
Here's a link to the product info:
http://catalog.herbalife.com/weight-management/enhancers/herbal-tea-concentrate?start=null
Herbalife Challenge Day 1
I'm loving the 24 Formula 1 Sport in creamy vanilla. The original Formula 1 in french vanilla isn't really doing anything for the ol' tastebuds. They are basically the same thing. The main difference between the two is the protein source: 24 uses whey protein, original Formula 1 uses soy.
Here's a link to each of the products where you can view the nutrition labels.
http://catalog.herbalife.com/weight-management/formula-1-nutritional-shake-mix
http://catalog.herbalife.com/energy-and-fitness/herbalife24/herbalife24-formula-1-sport?start=null
I made one shake of each Formula 1 (I'll refer to it as F1 from now on) on Day 1. For each, I blended two scoops of powder with 8 ounces of 1% milk. I didn't add any fruit because I wanted to see how each tasted on it's own. 24F1 blended better. The shake didn't have any grittiness at all. The F1 shake was a little gritty, but still better than any other nutrition shake I've ever tried. 24F1 flavor is much nicer to my palette than F1, but maybe that's just a difference in creamy vanilla versus french vanilla. Maybe I don't like french. =)
Here's a link to each of the products where you can view the nutrition labels.
http://catalog.herbalife.com/weight-management/formula-1-nutritional-shake-mix
http://catalog.herbalife.com/energy-and-fitness/herbalife24/herbalife24-formula-1-sport?start=null
I made one shake of each Formula 1 (I'll refer to it as F1 from now on) on Day 1. For each, I blended two scoops of powder with 8 ounces of 1% milk. I didn't add any fruit because I wanted to see how each tasted on it's own. 24F1 blended better. The shake didn't have any grittiness at all. The F1 shake was a little gritty, but still better than any other nutrition shake I've ever tried. 24F1 flavor is much nicer to my palette than F1, but maybe that's just a difference in creamy vanilla versus french vanilla. Maybe I don't like french. =)
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Personal Herbalife Challenge
A 30-day Herbalife challenge.
What do I get out of this? Hopefully, a few pounds and inches lost and never to be found again, healthier eating habits, a healthier body, and maybe a 25% discount on all of my Herbalife products.
What do you get out of this? My honest opinion about the products I use during the challenge. I am not an Herbalife Independent Distributor, though if all goes well in the next thirty days I may become one (hence the aforementioned 25% discount). I will also research questions about the business side of Herbalife, such as If it's so great, why can't I get it at the local health food store or Wal-Mart?
So, here's the challenge:
Lose a minimum of 8 pounds and a total of 3 inches in 30 days.
How?
* Replace every breakfast with a 24 Formula 1 shake.
* Replace 2-3 lunches with a regular Formula 1 shake.
* Drink the Herbal Tea Concentrate with Herbal Aloe Concentrate first thing in the morning to wake me up and get me ready for my workout.
* Walk/run for thirty minutes a day.
* Do weight/resistance training six days a week.
* Use Cell-U-Loss to help alleviate fluid retention.
* Use Cell Activator to help my body better absorb all the good stuff it's getting.
Sounds pretty easy, eh? Not so much...
* I am a breastfeeding mother. Severe calorie restriction is absolutely out of the question as it would deplete the milk supply for my baby.
* I have never been and never will be a two-shakes-a-day-every-day kind of girl. I need food. Texture. Crunch. Salt. A shake for breakfast is easy. Another for lunch? Nope. That kind of calorie and food restriction would make me one CRANKY momma.
* Most doctors and medical people would not recommend losing more than two pounds per week. Consistently losing more than that can be dangerous. And, since I'm only replacing breakfasts and a few lunches, it will be harder to shed those two pounds a week. Also, my body likes to function in starvation mode. It thinks I'm never going to feed it again so everything I ingest gets stored away as fat.
* I've read books about people who start a running/healthy eating regimine, and after twelve weeks lost around three inches from the waist. I'm pushing for three inches from anywhere in 30 days.
* My muscles have always responded quickly to weight and resistance training. However, my fat likes me too much to leave regardless of how much cardio I do. So, usually, instead of losing inches by losing fat, I gain inches by gaining muscle and keeping fat.
* To get my workouts in and do them uninterrupted, I have to get up at 6am. I know the Proverbs 31 woman was "up before dawn," but I like sleep. I crave sleep. Sometimes I'm so tired that I can tase how good sleep would be. This is a mega-sacrifice for me.
Other information that you might appreciate:
* When it comes to weight loss, I'll try anything, but I doubt everything. I always think I'm going to be the exception to any weight loss guarantee.
* I am overweight. I am not some skinny chick who thinks she needs to lose a few pounds to fit back into her size 2 skinny jeans. I really want this to work. I want to be on this earth for as long as possible and to feel good and energetic for the length of my stay here. I want to be able to enjoy running and playing with my kids, with my grandkids, and, God-willing, with my great-grandkids.
* As I said, I am not an Herbalife Independent Distributor. I'm not pushing a product. I just want to know if it will help me lose some weight and be a healthier person, a healthier wife, a healthier mom. And, I want to be able to help others along the way.
* The only Herbalife products I tried before starting the challenge were 24 Formula 1 and the herbal tea with aloe. I like 24 because it's the first nutrition shake I've had (and I've had plenty) that didn't leave me with a headache for an hour after drinking it. I like the tea because it made me feel great after I drank it. I haven't been that clear-headed since before I was pregnant with my first child over three years ago. Pregnancy-brain has lasted way too long for me.
* I will not post my weight. Publicizing the challenge creates enough accountability for me. I don't feel the need to humiliate myself by posting that number.
* I will not weigh or measure myself again until the morning of day 31.
* These products aren't cheap. The six products I'm using for the challenge are a sizable investment for our one-income family. That makes me even more committed to completing the challenge (I paid for the stuff; I'm going to use it.) and to being brutally honest about its effects (Is it really worth it to spend that much money every month or two?).
So, that's it, in a nutshell. I hope this challenge is beneficial for all of us. I may not post daily, but I will post often. Feel free to ask any questions. I'm off to bed now. 6am is coming way too soon.
What do I get out of this? Hopefully, a few pounds and inches lost and never to be found again, healthier eating habits, a healthier body, and maybe a 25% discount on all of my Herbalife products.
What do you get out of this? My honest opinion about the products I use during the challenge. I am not an Herbalife Independent Distributor, though if all goes well in the next thirty days I may become one (hence the aforementioned 25% discount). I will also research questions about the business side of Herbalife, such as If it's so great, why can't I get it at the local health food store or Wal-Mart?
So, here's the challenge:
Lose a minimum of 8 pounds and a total of 3 inches in 30 days.
How?
* Replace every breakfast with a 24 Formula 1 shake.
* Replace 2-3 lunches with a regular Formula 1 shake.
* Drink the Herbal Tea Concentrate with Herbal Aloe Concentrate first thing in the morning to wake me up and get me ready for my workout.
* Walk/run for thirty minutes a day.
* Do weight/resistance training six days a week.
* Use Cell-U-Loss to help alleviate fluid retention.
* Use Cell Activator to help my body better absorb all the good stuff it's getting.
Sounds pretty easy, eh? Not so much...
* I am a breastfeeding mother. Severe calorie restriction is absolutely out of the question as it would deplete the milk supply for my baby.
* I have never been and never will be a two-shakes-a-day-every-day kind of girl. I need food. Texture. Crunch. Salt. A shake for breakfast is easy. Another for lunch? Nope. That kind of calorie and food restriction would make me one CRANKY momma.
* Most doctors and medical people would not recommend losing more than two pounds per week. Consistently losing more than that can be dangerous. And, since I'm only replacing breakfasts and a few lunches, it will be harder to shed those two pounds a week. Also, my body likes to function in starvation mode. It thinks I'm never going to feed it again so everything I ingest gets stored away as fat.
* I've read books about people who start a running/healthy eating regimine, and after twelve weeks lost around three inches from the waist. I'm pushing for three inches from anywhere in 30 days.
* My muscles have always responded quickly to weight and resistance training. However, my fat likes me too much to leave regardless of how much cardio I do. So, usually, instead of losing inches by losing fat, I gain inches by gaining muscle and keeping fat.
* To get my workouts in and do them uninterrupted, I have to get up at 6am. I know the Proverbs 31 woman was "up before dawn," but I like sleep. I crave sleep. Sometimes I'm so tired that I can tase how good sleep would be. This is a mega-sacrifice for me.
Other information that you might appreciate:
* When it comes to weight loss, I'll try anything, but I doubt everything. I always think I'm going to be the exception to any weight loss guarantee.
* I am overweight. I am not some skinny chick who thinks she needs to lose a few pounds to fit back into her size 2 skinny jeans. I really want this to work. I want to be on this earth for as long as possible and to feel good and energetic for the length of my stay here. I want to be able to enjoy running and playing with my kids, with my grandkids, and, God-willing, with my great-grandkids.
* As I said, I am not an Herbalife Independent Distributor. I'm not pushing a product. I just want to know if it will help me lose some weight and be a healthier person, a healthier wife, a healthier mom. And, I want to be able to help others along the way.
* The only Herbalife products I tried before starting the challenge were 24 Formula 1 and the herbal tea with aloe. I like 24 because it's the first nutrition shake I've had (and I've had plenty) that didn't leave me with a headache for an hour after drinking it. I like the tea because it made me feel great after I drank it. I haven't been that clear-headed since before I was pregnant with my first child over three years ago. Pregnancy-brain has lasted way too long for me.
* I will not post my weight. Publicizing the challenge creates enough accountability for me. I don't feel the need to humiliate myself by posting that number.
* I will not weigh or measure myself again until the morning of day 31.
* These products aren't cheap. The six products I'm using for the challenge are a sizable investment for our one-income family. That makes me even more committed to completing the challenge (I paid for the stuff; I'm going to use it.) and to being brutally honest about its effects (Is it really worth it to spend that much money every month or two?).
So, that's it, in a nutshell. I hope this challenge is beneficial for all of us. I may not post daily, but I will post often. Feel free to ask any questions. I'm off to bed now. 6am is coming way too soon.
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