Monday, July 29, 2013

Ultimate Reset Day 4, 5 and 6

This was the first weekend of the reset and I really didn't think I was going to make it on Sunday.  We had overnight visitors on Saturday night who didn't arrive until 2:30 in the morning.  We had to get up early for Mass the next morning, so I really thought I was going to cave to coffee.  Ooh. You didn't know there's no coffee allowed during the reset? Yep, that's right. No coffee.  Fortunately, I was able to catch a solid nap in the afternoon or I don't know what I would have done.  Dinner Sunday night included miso soup, which I HATE.  I'm told that I should've bought the yellow miso instead of brown.  I had leftovers from a dinner earlier in the week, so I switched it out.

Sunday was also our family's traditional "Ice Cream Sunday" in which we partake of homemade ice cream.  I really love ice cream and have serious doubts about my ability to resist, so I made all the ice cream that we'll need 3 weeks ago. I asked my husband to serve the ice cream so I wouldn't be tempted to cheat. However, I still had to be present while my family raved about how good chocolate marshmallow ice cream is.  Surprisingly, I didn't suffer too much.  I didn't feel any cravings or desires to have a taste.  If you know me, you are stunned.  Ice cream is my kryptonite. 

Last night I slept really well and did not have any crazy dream for the first time in a week.  I fell asleep easily and woke up earlier than expected, but feeling well rested.
***TMI ALERT*** 
Skip to the next paragraph if you are afraid.
 I haven't had any odd syptoms, no emotional reactions, no aches or pains to get excited about, but what I have noticed is more complete and slightly more frequent bowel movements over the last few days.  Nothing like you might expect with a cleanse, no running to the bathroom or anything unpleasant.  I think it's just a release of toxins from my body. I'm happy about it.

****YOU ARE SAFE NOW****

Tomorrow is my last day of week 1: Reclaim.  I begin week 2: Release on Wednesday.  I'll be eliminating all animal products during this week and eat a more vegetable, fruit, whole grain based diet.  All-in-all, this has been a successful week. I am looking forward to what's next.


Friday, July 26, 2013

Ultimate Reset Day 3

I'm telling you, if I wasn't taking supplements and eating on a schedule, I'd never know I was on a reset.  Aside from feeling a little spacey, I feel fine. I'm not super tired, I don't have anything more than very minor aches or pains  nothing much seems to be happening.  I'm sure there is plenty going on internally, but I don't feel it.  Frankly, it makes me nervous, like I'm doing it wrong.  I know I'm not, though. I've followed the supplement and food schedule exactly.  Not to jinx myself, but maybe I'm just not as big a mess as I thought I was.  Watch. I'll be hit with a migraine or leg cramps or something and I'll take it all back. But so far, so good.

I finished out yesterday with a delicious dinner of southwestern veggie taco. I was supposed to have kale with it, but I cannot make kale edible for the life of me.  I don't know what I'm doing wrong.  Oh, well. What are ya gonna do?  I slept well last night. I had dreams that started probably around 6:30, I woke up at 7 and felt good. 

Today was the first day I took my reset on the road. I went to a friend's house to take the kids swimming, so I had to pack my lunch and supplements.  I knew I was going last night, so I cooked the lentils for the lentil-lime salad so I could throw it all together this morning.  Everyone else had hot dogs, chips and Rice Krispie treats.  I do not like Rice Krispie treats, (unAmerican, I know) so I wasn't even tempted. What I continue to notice about myself is how often I would have just eaten a chip or licked a spoon if it were just a regular day.  The Ultimate Reset is shining a big ol' spotlight on my bad habits.  It's like Jim Rohn says,

“Failure...a few small errors in judgment repeated every day. Success...a few simple disciplines practiced every day.”

- Jim Rohn 

Whatever physical changes are happening in my body, I'm very grateful for the changes that are happening in my behavior.  

Want more info? Check out this video 
Interested in doing it? Find more info here.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Ultimate Reset Day 2


Yesterday was a pretty decent day. I felt a little foggy-minded and became really cold in the afternoon despite the 74 degrees.  I put on a hoodie and socks and I was good.  I slept really well, except for some anxiety dreams that woke me up this morning, but I was already very rested. Today I've been in the mood to clean and get rid of stuff.  I've heard that can be a side effect of cleansing your body, you also want to cleanse your life.  If that's the case, then I'm thrilled!
What do you mean I have to drink 3 of these?!
This morning I took my measurements.  I told my partners in this challenge that I have the perfect hour glass figure.  Unfortunately, it was a dark hour.  But the darkest hour is just before the dawn!

Taking my measurements was probably the hardest part of the entire reset.  I was afraid to do it. I've gained 8 pounds since Christmas and I had convinced myself that my behavior didn't matter.  "Sure, have this cookie!  It won't change anything."  I believed my own lies, like a fool.  These kind of shifts in attitude creep up on me.  I stopped believing in my dreams. I stopped believing that they could be more than dreams, they could be reality if I was willing to work. They became unattainable.  It surprises me to some extent because I already achieved one unattainable dream: to fit into my pre-children clothes.  I never thought I'd be able to wear that size again, but I worked hard, I never gave in and I achieved it.

Well, NO MORE! I have caught myself just in the nick of time.  I will achieve my dream of feeling confident in a bathing suit.  It's not about the bathing suit, it's about the body I will have that will allow me to feel confident in whatever I wear, not self-conscious at all.  I have an image in my mind and I'm going to find an image on paper that represents my goal and it is going up on my dream board.  I don't currently have a dream board, but I am a visual person and I need constant reminders, so a dream board I will make.

I hope you will keep me in your prayers for these 21 days.  I am not sure what I will be experiencing. Detoxing your body can have some uncomfortable physical symptoms and even emotional symptoms.  That's ok. I'm all in. But I will still welcome your prayers for a successful journey to better health.

Want more info? Check out this video 
Interested in doing it? Find more info here.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Ultimate Reset- Day 1

Today is my first day of Beachbody's Ultimate Reset.  I've waited over a year since it was released to begin this program.  Beachbody suggests finding a three week period of time where you are not traveling or under a lot of extra stress to begin this program.  Summer is always less stressful for me because my kids are out of school and, more importantly, out of sports and other activities.  We do what we want. Yeah! Because the Ultimate Reset is in the process of alkalizing the body to bring it closer to what it should be naturally, you are not supposed to engage in strenuous exercise. Building up lactic acid in the muscles would defeat the purpose.  I was teaching fitness classes for the last year, so that made it impossible for me because I was independent and had no one available to substitute for me.

This is Week 1: Reclaim.  The supplements I've taken so far are called Optimize and Mineralize.  Mineralize is meant to stablize healthy pH, improve digestion, hydration and prevent muscle soreness.  Optimize is all about the enzymes that make our body work. Almost every bodily function in every system depends on enzymes doing their jobs. We've all been compromised by poor diet, stress, illness and injury and age.  Optimize restores us to, well, optimal levels of enzymes in our bodies. 

So, anyway, here I am in my first day.  I can already tell this is going to be challenging.  Not because of what the Reset instructs me to do, but because my bad habits are already becoming more apparent.  One of the biggest purposes of the Ultimate Reset is to awaken me to the habits that I need to change and to instill in me the habit of conscientious eating.  Being aware of what I put in my body at all times is not something I've taken very seriously for the last several months, possibly even the last year!

Halfway through my first day, I've noticed that I feel really relaxed and mellow. This surprises me because I really didn't expect anything to happen the first day.  So far, the food has been pretty good.  I'm excited about what my results might be. Most people report weight loss, clarity and boosted energy, among other things.  Those are the things I'm most hoping to see.

I'm going to try to give a day-by-day report, so be sure to follow along!

Want more info? Check out this video 
Interested in doing it? Find more info here.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

The Trap

Well, it's almost the middle of July and according to retailers, it's time for me to start thinking about sending the kids back to school. Rudeness.  I'm all for being ready, but advertising school supplies in July is as ridiculous as setting up Christmas displays in September.  Worse, actually, because I like Christmas. 

We live in a world that is always saying "What's next?"  Normally that doesn't bother me because it's just life.  I have 4 kids. I've been living a "what's next?" kind of life probably since my second child was born.  There is always so much to do and never enough time to get it done. If you are sitting in front of the computer blogging...ahem, then you are not folding laundry or doing any of the things that are constantly in need of doing.  But sometimes you just have to do what you want to do instead.  Sometimes you have to take a moment to do something that is seemingly unimportant or unnecessary or even time-wasting.  We adults, especially parents, especially mothers, don't ever take enough time to do things we enjoy.  At least, I don't.

What's worse than not taking time to do things that you enjoy is getting lost in the mayhem of family life and not doing the things you know you ought to do. Like praying. Like spending time quietly with God.  I don't know about you, but I know that when this happens, I've gotten caught in the trap (AGAIN) of thinking "If I don't have a solid 15-30 minutes of alone time, it's doesn't count".  If you are a mother, you know that your children have a 6th sense to know when you are on the phone or sneaking to the bathroom.  They can be completely engaged in activities outside, your home is peaceful for a minute and as soon as you sit down, "MOM!" is shouted as the back door slams hard enough to rattle your teeth. It's uncanny!

The truth of the matter is, our whole day can be offered as a prayer.  I don't need complete silence to pray. I don't need 15 minutes.  Some of the most effective and heartfelt prayers I've uttered (possibly yelled)  in my day are simple one-liners like "Lord, have mercy" or "Jesus, I trust in You." I am so grateful that even in the constant noise that fills my home, that Jesus can hear me and is always listening, waiting for me and my hastily said prayers.  I pray that you and I remember this the next time we are in danger of falling into the trap of lies.