3 Day Cleanse Challenge

i am super excited to announce that i can now offer y’all a wonderful way to not only try Shakeology, but clean out your body as well.  how?  by offering you a 3 Day Shakeology Cleanse Pack.  i know there are a lot of detox programs out there (and i’ve tried many of them) but i can honestly say that i’ve never had the results like i have from Shakeology.  before i get to the results both my husband and i had; let me explain the benefits and reasons why everyone should do a cleanse at least a few times a year.

why do a cleanse:  simply put; we live in a toxic world and are surrounded by chemicals, poor quality foods, and pollution on a daily basis.  all of these toxins enter our bodies, and although our liver (and other organs) work hard to remove toxins, it can become overloaded.  once toxins get backed up your body can become sluggish; you may experience a lack of energy, weight issues, and other health problems.  cleansing is not something new; in fact people have been doing it for centuries.  when you do a cleanse it helps give your body a break and provides it with the nutrients it needs to get back to its peak.  many doctors believe you should cleanse regularly but how often is a personal preference.  some people like to do it with the changing of the seasons or just every 6 months. 

cleanse benefits:  why you choose to complete a 3 day cleanse with Shakeology is up to you, but a number one reason is to lose weight.  the overage weight loss is 5-7lbs.  that’s pretty impressive if you think about shedding that much gunk over a weekend.  not only is weight loss a benefit but many people noticed increased energy levels, better skin, and just improved overall health and wellness.  

my personal experience:  both hubby and i have tried the 3 day cleanse.  i was worried that my milk supply would go down fasting but since it’s safe to do water fasting while nursing i figured Shakeology is WAY more beneficial than just water for 3 days!  not only did my supply not diminish but it increased by the second day!  i had tons of energy as well, my digestive tract got on track, my skin tone evened out, and i lost 5lbs!  i wasn’t trying to loose the weight i just wanted to flush my system since i have not done any for of cleanse since right before i became pregnant with BabyL almost 2 years ago.  i like to flush my system with the changing of the seasons but i was leery on what i could do while breastfeeding BabyL.  so as soon as summer rolled around i did my cleanse.  hubby came home and noticed how great i looked, and how much energy i had, so he wanted to try it too.  i set him up on a duty day and off he went!  he was very skeptical and VERY surprised after just the first day.  hubby lost 8lbs, several inches and gained so much more!  he finally found the energy that was missing for many months.  he started craving whole clean foods again.  he was sleeping great again.  he just finally felt whole again.  he told me after it was all done that now he craves Shakeology because of this cleanse.  he feels so much better now and has kept the weight off (so have i) which was great motivation for him to get back into the healthy lifestyle he’s been longing for.  

what is the 3 day cleanse:  you are still getting to eat, all day long in fact, but it’s a little less planing and thought on your part for a few days :-)    the 3 day cleanse is very easy if you think about it in a 3-2-3 rule.  what’s the 3-2-3 rule?  well here it is:

• 3 Shakeology shakes per day 
• 2 snacks per day (can be fruit)
• 2 cups of green tea per day
• 2L (or more) of water a day
• Dinner is a salad with 2c of fresh greens and 3oz of lean white grilled protein (fish or poultry) per day

now you may not loose weight on the cleanse but you will clean all that backed up gunk in your system, and isn’t that what we are all about here?  aren’t we all just trying to get on the path to a healthier lifestyle?

when you order your challenge pack from me you will receive: all the Shakeology you need for the program, a Shakeology shaker bottle, detailed instructions, individual support from me, and a special surprise gift!  all of this is delivered to your door for $55 and free shipping!!  so what are you waiting for?  let’s get this party started!!  i already have a few people ready to do a 3 day cleanse in November, so you won't be alone!  do you want to join the challenge group too?  let me know here via comments, email, Twitter, or FaceBook if you are interested because you can only order these 3 day cleanse challenge packs directly through me!  let's get healthy together people!

hope y'all have a stellar saturday *waves*

Why Diet?

oh that very word DIET; doesn't it just send shivers down your spine?  well it does mine as it should yours!  i don't like the word diet, not one little bit, and i will explain why.  i've seen it time, and time again.  when you use that word to describe your eating habits you are setting yourself up for failure.  see that picture over there; over toward your left?  yep, that sums it up!  you start of by saying "i need to loose some weight," and deiced that a diet will help you do that.  first you limit yourself to grapefruit and saltines, or cabbage soup, or shakes and salads every day for a month.  then it gets boring, bland, unsatisfying so you decide to "cheat."  you "give in" and have that steak, or piece of chocolate, or piece of fruit.  then you start to hate yourself for cheating.  next you are going to get down on yourself.  all of these negative thoughts start swirling through your mind.  you start to tell yourself that you're a failure, stupid for "cheating," and how disappointed you are in yourself.  you start to beat yourself up over being fat, and unhealthy until you finally get to a breaking point.  "That's it!" you say one morning looking into the mirror "tomorrow I'm going on a diet!"  so now you start the viscous cycle all over again!  can you relate to this?  i know i've done this cycle more times than i'd like to admit.  so, no i do not like diets.  diets set you up for failure.  do you know what sets you up for success?  having healthy eating HABITS!!  what's the difference?  well a habit is something you forge over time, it's a part of you.  an example of a good healthy eating habit is eating clean, and this is how i eat.  what does it mean to eat clean?  that's a question i've been asked a lot over the last few years, and there is a simple answer to this.  if it doesn't look like it cam from nature then don't eat it!  so that means no fruit chew snacks, no pre packaged meals, and nothing should be unpronounceable on the label.  easy enough right?

now you can take it a few steps further and look into paleo, raw, vegan, or even primal eating styles.  personally, i fall in-between a paleo and primal eating style and LOVE IT!!  i feel like poooooo when i don't eat this way.  i have NO energy, am bloated, and just don't feel like me.  i like eating clean.  i enjoy the benefits of it too.  i've notice a bigger energy boost (great for the hard workouts i put myself through).  i also have no issues with my IBS (thank you Shakeology) or with my skin now that i've cut out all the gunk from my eating plan.  yes with primal eating you tend to stay away from; grains, beans, and gluten but there are SO MANY things that i eat that i am not deprived.  i can go any where anytime and get good food to fuel my body!  granted; i don't eat the twinkies, sodas, fast food, preservative landed meals that i used to but i don't think of it as a punishment.  rather i have been able to get the biggest reward possible from eating clean...........i have found health and energy!  i have found happiness in myself and my lifestyle.  have you landed into a healthy eating habit that you'd like to share?  or, have you found yourself in the diet vortex?  or have you found yourself plop in the middle of preservative land and are looking for a way out?

i hope y'all have a terrific thursday and don't forget to drink your water!!

Thirsty Thursday

hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!  water, water, water!  i say this so often to people (including my own family) more often than i'd like.  water is so important to our bodies and keeping our over all health up.  i really believe that water is the most important food group :-)

last night i was reading through my Anatomy book and it was discussing the importance of water to our cells and it got me thinking.................how many people really don't understand how critical water is to their bodies?  so that's what we are going to talk about this morning!

did you know:

• your brain is composed of 95% water
• your blood is 82% water
• your lungs are nearly 90% water
• a 2% drop in body water can cause a (small) critical shrinkage of the brain

read that last fact again.................i'll give you a second.............that's right boys and girls  not drinking enough water can shrink your brain!!  WHAT?!?!?!  yes mild dehydration can cause fatigue and that cloudy mind you may sometimes get.  many people get an afternoon slump; where they feel run down, sleep and just not with it.  some grab an energy drink.  some go for a cup of coffee, and others (the smart ones) go for water.  when my kids complain of no energy in the afternoon i tell them to go drink a big glass of water and almost instantly they are their old self again!  why am i making such a big deal about this?  well, it's estimated that 75% of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration.

symptoms of chronic dehydration:

• fatigue
• constipation
• acid-alkaline imbalance
• excess weight/obesity
• high cholesterol
• digestive disorders
• urinary infection
• premature aging

and to think this can all be avoid by just drinking your water!  there are some common causes for water loss: caffeine (though there is now debate over this), alcohol, stress, hot weather, increased sodium intake, and increased physical activity.  now that i've given you all the scary things about not drinking enough water let's talk about water and the benefits it holds for you and your health :-)

  the good things about water:      

• aids in circulation
• reduces risk of disease; decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%
• build muscle & increase tone; remember they are made mostly of water
• increases energy; basic science-water is the medium in which all energy reactions take place
• reduces fluid retention; crazy i know but he MORE water you drink the less you retain because the less your body receives it thinks there is a threat to survival and begins to horde it all (water retention)
• healthier body & mind; it's essential for nutrient absorption and can improvement in memory
• healthier joints; synovial fluid reduces friction between cartilage in joints and contains *gasp* water
• healthier skin; when properly hydrated your skin plumps up and you may notice less wrinkles
• healthier digestive system; helps metabolize food, healthy urinary tract, helps move waste
• weight loss; natural appetite suppressant, increases the body's ability to metabolize stored fat

so let me ask you this; are you drinking enough water?  why not?!?!?!  believe me when i say i drink my water (almost) all the time!  since i am still nursing and i work out i drink a LOT............around 4L and some days even more.  i walk around with my awesome pink water bottle (it matches my hair haha) and sip on it all day long.  if you aren't tracking your water yet why not start doing it today.  you may be surprised what may happen to your body and your mind if you are drinking enough water.  aim for 2-3L and you may find yourself with more energy, a smaller appetite and a smaller waistline in no time!  if you'd like you can go here and it's a pretty niffty calculator to help you figure out how much water you should drink too!  i suggest getting a water bottle that holds .75L or a full liter because then you only have to drink 2 or 3 "cups" vs. a whole bunch.  it's that mind over matter thing, ya know?

well, i hope y'all have a terrific thursday and stay hydrated!!