24 Day Challenge COMPLETE!!!

My 24 Day Challenge is complete and I am feeling proud of myself!  I lost 24 pounds in 24 days!!!  I have NEVER had that kind of success on any diet plan I have tried throughout my life....and there have been many!  I think the key here has been my frame of mind and my understanding of the fact that it isn't a DIET but rather a lifestyle change.  I went into this knowing that this was simply my kick start!

So now it is time for 25+!  What will be different?  NOT MUCH!!!  I intend to continue to make healthy choices when eating and maintaining appropriate portion control.  I will continue to drink my Spark because, well, I am addicted to the stuff!  Mango Strawberry, Green Apple, and Fruit Punch are great!  I want to try the Limeade!  I may switch up my MNS from 3 to C.  We shall see.

What I have learned about myself is this...
Unhealthy food is an addiction.  If I can quit smoking, I can quit feeding my body crap.  Will I still indulge on occasion?  Well sure!  It will simply be on occasion though and not what my diet consists of.  I have learned that while I can set my mind to something, my mind is still full of doubt and question and I have to be strong enough to do better.  It is not always easy.

I don't know what I will look like when I lose significant amount of weight and that is a bit scary.  I can't remember the time when I was thin.  It was in my childhood.  So, my journey is full of promise and new experiences.  I know there will also be struggles.  I have had some already.

Finally!  I DO NOT want my life to be about making frustrating choices about diet.  I think it may be a mind thing.  But I also don't want to spend excessive amounts of time in the drive thru.  That crap has been killing me and it really DOESN'T taste good.  So, I will continue to work on my mind set and look at the benefits I get to experience from being healthy!

Yoga still sucks!!!  Working out is cathartic!!! And hummus is so very yummy!!

I have to go pee now.  I think that is a new way of life too!

Day 22

Day 22!!!

I don't even know what to do with myself!  I am almost done with this phase!  And now I am in the habit of drinking my Spark first thing in the morning and taking my supplements.  So I will strive to continue to do that.  Eating healthy isn't so hard and it tastes pretty good.  I was telling my sister (Fitness Instructor Rock Star) that I don't even crave the crap I was eating before.  I crave the veggies.  Zucchini and mushrooms and cabbage and green beans, and asparagus!!!  Oh and broccoli and cauliflower!!!  And I don't really care to eat chips...which used to be my "go to" snack!  Now I want stuff like hummus (within reason) and most any kind of raw veggie I can chomp on!  WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!!!!?  I am not a rabbit!  I am getting healthy though!  So I will not complain!  

I am almost 20lbs lighter.  I am a notch tighter on my belt.  I can't wear my pants without a belt for fear that they will fall off of my butt!  I wore a shirt to work last week that I have been self-conscious about wearing because of how tight it has been and it was loose on me!  I feel good!  Part of that is the healthy diet, part is the Advocare supplements and part is because I have been to my new primary care physician, who has prescribed appropriate medication for my MS, my chronic pain and chronic fatigue.  I have less incidents with my IBS and my colon doesn't seem to bother me as much as it was.

So is it the Advocare?  It is a big part! I have only felt this good once, that I can remember.  That was the first time a wore a CPAP all night and actually felt rested for the first time ever.  I can actually FEEL my sluggishness on the weekends before I take my MNS.  That isn't about diet.  I sleep later, so I take the supplements later. So, I attribute much of what I am experiencing to that. 

I am also in a pretty good place mentally.  I am counting down the days at the current job.  Then I plan to take a bit of a vacay to rejuvenate!  And eat CRAWFISH!!!  In the meantime, I am doing my yoga...even though I still suck at it and therefore HATE it!  I am going to try to incorporate some light cardio and possibly some weight training.  I will take this slowly, since I just recently started taking my medication for fatigue and pain.  I am looking forward to it though, and I haven't felt like that about working out since I played ball!

In the mean time....

Yep! Still havin to pee!

Day 14

It is so hard to find the time to be introspective and write it at the same time.  I am pretty good at introspection while driving.  But writing while doing so is obviously not a safe option and I have already been told that my driving is questionable at best...even if I disagree!  LOL!!

I had a VERY busy week last week!  Which presented a number of challenges in the way of fluid consumption and proper diet!  I have yet to just dive into a juicy burger and I have not eaten a sandwich, even though I really wish that I could.  I have done a fairly decent job at avoiding bread, and pasta.  Sandwiches and pasta are 2 of my favorite foods.  I have committed to avoid processed foods though and I have mostly stuck to that.  I have eaten gluten free wheat tortillas.  Maybe that is cheating.

All in all, I am surprised by the fact that I don't crave the crap I have eaten in the past.  And it has only been a short time without it.  I feel good when I am not eating burgers, fries, chips, dip, pizza and excessive amounts of ice cream!  I feel like I get full faster than I did before, which is probably because of all of the water I drink...or maybe because the better food is more filling...or maybe both. I eat more often, but it consists of vegetables and nuts and healthy proteins like nuts and fish and turkey. I have also started the next phase of the 24DC.  I am on my Multi-nutrient Dietary Supplements...which means I am taking vitamins...for perhaps the first time in my life since I put the Flintstones down.  HOLY ENERGY BATMAN!!!!  This may be why I have been so busy!  I feel like I need to keep moving!  Is this stuff speed?  Perhaps it is!  It makes having energy to do things after work so much easier!

I would be remiss if I failed to work on my inner self as well as my outer self.  This is perhaps the most difficult part of this process.  I don't share the inner Shandog very often!  If I only focus on diet and exercise...Yoga still sucks!...I would be just fine.  It allows me to have a focus. But I want more than that. 

Here's the thing...I have walked life's journey mostly on my own. And it has taken a while to be okay with that.  That is not to say that I haven't had GREAT friendships along the way...I have had THE BEST ONES!  That is not to say that I have not had family in my corner.  I have not had a significant other though...not a supportive partner in this life for the day to day complexities of my journey.  I have had selfish ones...that are all about themselves and their own motives. And those relationships were short lived....with reason I think. Through it all, I have relied on me!  And I continue to do so.  There is no mystery here.  I don't need to "find myself" or figure out what I want in life.  I already know.  I have been working on the answers to those issues for 43 years.  I don't have "wild oats" to sow.  They have been sown over time.  I am content with my inner ME.  I am a sexy beast!!  On the inside!  Now...I need the outside to match! 

Today I have had 2 Sparks, 54 ounces of water and a chocolate & peanut butter meal replacement shake....so....as usual...

I have to pee!!!!

By the way....I lost 7 pounds last week!!!  For a grand total of 13lbs in 2 weeks. YAY!!!

Day.....I'm not sure!

I know today is day 8!  And I am here to tell you that the weekend is HARD!!!  My schedule is all screwed up on the weekends.  I get up later, so I start later, so everything is pushed back and it was just uncomfortable.  I try to follow a schedule during the week, although not always successfully.  So a weekend schedule may be necessary....

I went to my first Zumbathon on Saturday. 2 hours of dancing in black light for a Special Olympics team!!  I was not supposed to participate because the doctor said not to until today (Monday).  I was going to jump start that time line a bit but the ole body said no!  I was in a bit of pain. So I took pictures and drank Rehydrate and enjoyed the music.  After the event, I went to a Mexican restaurant with all of those who chose to go...and there were a lot!  I am proud to say that I ate an appropriate meal of steamed veggies and grilled shrimp!  That's right! No cheese!  No tacos!  HEALTHY!!!  and I took enough home to make 2 more meals because while I am pretty sure my bladder has increased in size, my stomach has shrunk.  I felt pretty good about myself when one of my sister's friends (a Rock Star I might add) praised me for ordering appropriately!

On Sunday I went to visit a friend.  She was so supportive!!!  She asked me what I wanted for dinner and we actually cooked it together.  Baked chicken and veggies.  It was tasty!  Again....I couldn't eat much!  I tried to drink as much water as I could but I didn't drink as much as I should.  Social situations in the past have involved consuming beverages...I just need to adjust and consume water!

So here is what I know to be true.  I have a difficult time balancing work and diet.  I get busy doing and forget to drink my liquids.  I know that I am flushing toxins and whatnot so the water is crucial.  I know that!  I get caught up with concentrating on what I am doing and nothing else enters my mind...and thus...no water enters my mouth.  So I either need to do a better job training myself or I need an IV!  The longer I journey down this road, the more I think I am teetering on falling back into old habits.  It takes conscious effort to maintain balance and THAT IS HARD!  The mental effort is what I am referring to. I get busy and don't snack like I should, so by the time I get back to the task at hand...the healthy changes I am trying to make...I am starving and have more difficulty in making good choices.  Still work to be done!

I have made it a point to drink my liquids this afternoon so...you guessed it...I have to pee...

BUT!!!.....before I do....I LOST 6 POUNDS LAST WEEK!!!!

Day 5

My day started very early today. Normally, this would be a HUGE problem because in addition to NOT being a morning person, I struggle to get restful sleep and therefore drag ass until around noon. I don't understand the ins and outs of why my body is the way it is. I struggle with chronic fatigue but can't stay asleep...unless I am medicated...which I hate. This morning...I drug my booty out of bed and made my Spark. I drank it while I got ready for my job interview.

Job interview? Yep. The State of Oklahoma is hiring...And they wanted to interview me for a position with DHS doing abuse and neglect investigations. YIKES! And I was SERIOUSLY nervous...which is not normal. I am usually pretty confident going into an interview.

So, I started my morning with a Spark. While I miss my coffee...It tastes so good!...it does nothing for me like my Spark does. I felt awake...I wasn't draggin my tail thru the house while I was ironing and getting dressed.  The interesting thing about the Spark on Day 5...? It seems to be working even better than ever. Is that possible? I got "sparked" MANY years ago. Probably 15! Cuz I think that is how long Tammy Spake has been pushing this "drug" on me. But today was different. I feel good today. The chronic pain I have struggled with for so long, has not gone away...But I notice it isn't as bad.

I think that Spark, and probiotics and omegas, and the catalyst are all playing a role. But also, I drink a gallon of water a day...AND for the 1st time in a long time...maybe ever...I have ingested ZERO processed food...which is a struggle considering my favorite food is sandwiches!

I know it is only day 5...But I feel better. And that's what matters. And my little sister hero, the fitness instructor, miss "I work out with my friends for fun" said that I am inspiring her. Well...if that ain't motivation I don't know what is!

By the way...they offered me the job...on the spot...with a significant pay increase. Hmmmm?

I gotta pee!

Day 4

Today was tough! Work was pretty busy so I wasn't able to eat like I should have or drink enough water. It's frustrating but I didn't go buy a Fat Guys Burger, which recently open not too far from me. I've only eaten there once and it was over a year ago. But it was OH SO GOOD and memorable!  Not good enough for me to stray tho.

I went to my 1st Advocare meeting tonight. I heard great testimonies of other people starting their journey just as I have started mine. One lady I met has lost 65lbs since she started "putting products into her body." That is motivating! But not as motivating as the guy I met that has lost 120lbs! It gives me hope. It gives me drive.

On another note...
Self assurance, self confidence and positive self talk are critical for me right now. I internalize a lot of what I am feeling. I don't stand up for myself in my personal life most of the time. I am opinionated. I am stubborn. But internally, the smallest negative comment from someone gets analyzed a hundred times over. And disappointment is fixated upon while I try to figure out why things happened the way they did. I am self critical...which is kind of backwards because if that is the case, why haven't I been critical about my weight? How is it that my weight can be compartmentalized and other things can't? It's a strange thing. 

I don't intend to allow myself to become more critical about my weight, but I am more aware of the big picture. I don't intend to compartmentalize anything any differently but I will start to verbalize what I need. I will stop trying so hard to meet everyone else's needs before my own. AND I will demand that I be accepted for who I am and not for what someone else wants me to become. I'm a pretty A-OK kid as I am I think!

I just need to pee!

Day 3

This morning I got a late start. Chronic fatigue doesn't care what plans you have made, nor does it care about the time frame for which you have made said plans. Today's plan only consisted of going to work, but still... I made it in and I am the only one here in my department. All of the other managers are out for one reason or another...So busy day ahead. But first? A thought.

This morning I got to thinking about some pressures I have already considered in my endeavor. First and foremost...what if I fail? What if THIS is like every other attempt I have made to lose weight. I have already allowed negative self talk to enter my mind...although I kicked it's ass right out again! There is that pressure. To FINALLY succeed. To FINALLY see and maintain lasting results. To NOT be another waste of time and money. It's not even something I really want to think about. For me...the right now is more critical.

I am a former collegiate athlete. I played softball from 12 years old and into my 40s. I was a natural. When I was young, I was a beast! I was confident! I knew there wasn't a pitcher I couldn't hit. I knew there wasn't a person alive that could get by me if there was a play at the plate....I was a catcher...and I was really good. My favorite coach, Scott Sadler, used to tell us to watch the ball all the way into the glove. Receive the ball.  Time and again I have been guilty of taking my eye off the ball. I have seen it happen to players at all levels. When it happens, mistakes are made. The ball gets by you....goes "thru the wicket" Scott used to say. If I start thinking too far down the road then I lose focus. I will take my eye off the ball. I can't afford to do that this time. I'm running out of time. So I need to "beast up" and have the confidence of my youth! So...yeah...there's that.

I gotta pee!