Day 8 of the 24 Day Challenge

   It is day 8 of my 24 Day Challenge and things are looking up. My energy levels have evened out and I feel less lethargic than I did on days 1-4. I started this whole process out of vanity, yep I can admit that when my "fat jeans" are snug I get desperate. Being from Texas I live in jeans and a great pair make my heart skip a beat. I could not ignore the fact that I allowed my hectic schedule and emotional eating packed on a few pounds. A few pounds amounted to around 18 on a 5 '2' frame which A) is not a good look for me and B) my knees were not appreciating the extra weight. Besides vanity reasons I also just wanted to feel good. You are what you eat unfortunately. Eating like a 16 year old boy made me feel like crap.

   Advocare came into the picture via my lovely classmate Ashley. At first, I was completely skeptical and tried out a few products before jumping in headfirst. I'm glad I did because I feel better which is important. My gut can be on the sensitive side and when I don't take proper care of her, she turns into a raging bull. The challenge has been a great tool that helped me to curb my bad eating which has made my stomach feel fantastic. I am no longer bloated or in pain because I am choosing to eat whole foods, even when my wonderful spouse gets pizza, I now abstain. In my opinion the Challenge is a great way for people to get back on track with eating well.

   Abs are made in the kitchen. The Challenge works by having people cook most of their own food. The kitchen can be a fun and happening place to be, with the exception of grease fires. I am not a professional cook but I can at times cook things that are edible and healthy. If I can do it, anybody can!

Kitchen Adventures

   Hey y'all! Yesterday kicked off the beginning of my +AdvoCare 24 day Challenge and today hasn't been half bad. This morning I mixed my fiber packet into my spark drink and the taste was phenomenal but the consistency was awful. Dear Sweet Baby Jesus I finished the drink off using my spoon due to the thickness. Then I drank a chocolate mocha meal replacement shake which was so good that even my husband had one. I am so happy that I listened to the wonderful Ashley Doran when she suggested the chocolate mocha. Hopefully, the next 23 days will go as smoothly as Day 1 did.

   The rest of my day was filled with grocery shopping, visiting with my mama, and cooking dinner. I hit it out of the ballpark with dinner! As I was perusing my kitchen cabinets and fridge I noticed that I had all the ingredients for chicken Florentine. Being the rebel that I am, of course I changed the recipe a little. I thawed out four chicken breasts, cut them into bite size chunks and threw them into a hot pan with olive oil. Salt, pepper, garlic, and crushed red pepper dressed the chicken as it cooked through. A 14 ounce can of tomato sauce went into the pan along with finely chopped brussel sprouts. This lovely concoction simmered for 15 minutes while I tried to work on my essay exam. I am a firm believer in hiding vegetables in most of the meals that I prepare for my husband. Steven likes to believe that man can exist on pizza and +Monster Energy drinks alone. That darling husband of mine ate his entire meal and never once noticed the brussel sprouts which he despises. Winning!

My version of Chicken Florentine

      Another winning moment came when I bought a very adorable octopus from +Bath and Body Works that holds hand sanitizer. This little beauty clips onto my new purse. This was a winning moment because I did not buy several chocolate chip cookies that looked equally delightful.

My new purse buddy. What should I name her?   

  Today has been both productive and satisfying in that I checked off several things on my to do list. Tonight we are taking mama out for her birthday at a nice Italian restaurant which will be so much fun! To top it off the weather has been glorious. Have a lovely evening everyone :).

It's Here!

Thank goodness they sent a daily guide.

A box of happiness and opportunity.

   Today a box came with a special logo on the front of it. Advocare's 24 Day Challenge came today! Steven and I will be tackling the next 24 days together as a team, a fat fighting team. It is high time that we start taking better care of ourselves and I think this program will be a wonderful jumping off point. The Challenge begins Monday which is the start of Spring Break and this means I have a little extra time to cook and focus on the challenge itself. Time to kick ass and take names!

Ready for Change

    When your physical therapist gives you more exercises, its as if he/she handed you a promotion. In addition to the existing things I get to do are: mini wall squats, 10 minutes on elliptical machine, single leg squats done on a shuttle machine, wall ball, calf raises done on foam pad, hamstring curls done on a foam pad, quad sets, and walk aways with exercise band. I am in the gym from 8:30 am till 11:15 completing my workout. Being challenged in the gym has always been fun for me. I like to push my body to the limits to become stronger and faster. It is also very gratifying that my physical therapist feels as though I am healing well enough to handle the added exertion.

    March 10, 2014 will mark the first day of my 24 Day Challenge with +AdvoCare! I want to reset my body, feel better, and see what all the fuss is about. I began my +AdvoCare journey with replacing Monster energy drinks with #Spark and #Slam. The difference was Incredible in that I didn't have a carb crash and felt focused with no sucky side effects. Many of my friends have changed their lives for the better with the help of +AdvoCare. Being a Nosy Nancy I have to try this challenge out and will report back with my results. I will post my starting weight and how my body changes throughout the process. I think its important to back up any claim with verifiable facts. !


    As a graduate student I am constantly thinking about what assignment is due next. I don't always want to make time to eat healthy because usually I am too tired to care. The middle of the semester is upon me and I need to feel better pronto. With the help of +Onida Bountifulbaskets, Advocare, my stubbornest, and getting back in the kitchen I know I can meet my goals. It is high time to take care of me!

Moving On Up

    I like to think that I am a source of entertainment for the PTA's and physical therapists @OptimusPhysicalTherapy. For the past several weeks I have been slaving away at my mind numbing exercises I must do in order to wreak havoc on Odessa once more. Tuesday was a normal session until I heard the magical words, "You have a few new exercises". I became like a kid at Disneyland joyfully clapping my hands and smiling like I had been drinking mimosas. New exercises mean that I am indeed progressing! I was happier than the Vikings conquering Normandy.

     I was not allowed to perform running drills, balancing exercises, heavy lifting, high knees, or squats. But I was allowed to sway side to side while standing on a foam pad and throw a ball at a trampoline. Let the jealousy ensue. They also let me sit on a rolling stool and roll around the room using only my calf muscles to allow me forward momentum. The finale was using a heavy resistance band and doing walk-aways on the left and right sides. This involved me holding the rope and walking my feet out several feet, keeping control of my balance and not allowing the rope to tip me over. What can I say? Physical therapy can be very exciting and challenging.
    
    So far PT this week has been fun and different which makes me a happier person. I still have aspirations of bigger leg muscles with more definition. I am not there yet but I am closer than I was yesterday.

Only cool people perform calf raises with weights.

This band exercise helps to strengthen my ACL. (Right leg)

(Left Leg) Pretty scars.

Growing Up

Today at 0900 Steven and I paid off our car!!! I am so proud and happy that this moment finally came. We are slowly but surely becoming debt free through persistence and good money management. Wow, I feel like such an adult. Thank you for allowing me to have a grownup moment :)

     This morning came way too early but I had some Spark from +AdvoCare and feel more human. I have given up +Monster Energy due to the carb crashes that will follow after my ingesting this tasty energy drink. I first became of +AdvoCare through a classmate's stunning weight loss and energy spike. Being a graduate student I couldn't help but envy the pep in her step or the fact that she felt great all the time. I began to use products like #Spark and #Slam to help me power through long study sessions, orchestra rehearsals, and working all day. The Oasis drink mix helps to keep my stress levels down and my immunity up throughout my hectic schedule.I have decided to step up my game and try the 24 Day Challenge on March 10 to help lose a few lb.'s. I, of course will be posting about the highs and lows of this challenge on the blog.

     I hope everyone has a fantastic day!

This is what is usually in my desk lol. #Advocare

Bam!! Random picture of Dixie the rescue puppy my brother in law brought home :).

Cherry Spark is my new favorite flavor.