I have to say, so far, so good. So thank you Becky for getting me involved!
First up the initial 10 day results:
Pounds lost = 5.8
Inches lost = 5.25
Now to be fair, no I KNOW I did not lose 5.8 pounds in 10 days. The initial weigh in definitely dealt with bloating and a body a little out of wack from long runs and salt intake over that weekend. So I am sure the first weigh in number is slightly inflated. However, I can attest I am wearing skinny jeans today and they are feeling mighty comfy compared to a couple of weeks ago when I was feeling less than stellar.
Regardless it is nice to see the progress! I can't wait to see what happens in the max phase, bring it on!
So let's talk a little bit about what happens during the cleanse portion and what a typical day looks like :
Days 1-3:
- Wake up: 1 serving of Spark mixed in 12 oz water + 3 Catalyst, wait 20 minutes
- Fiber Drink mixed with 8 oz water + 16 oz water, wait 30 minutes
- Breakfast + OmegaPlex pills
- Morning Snack
- Lunch
- Afternoon Snack + 1 serving of spark + 2-3 catalyst (if I was working out at night)
- Dinner + OmegaPlex pills
- Before Bed: Herbal Cleanse tablets
Days 4-7:
- Wake up: 1 serving of Spark mixed in 12 oz water + Probiotic Restore + 3 Catalyst, wait 30 minutes
- Breakfast + OmegaPlex pills
- Morning Snack
- Lunch
- Afternoon Snack + 1 serving of spark + 2-3 catalyst (if I was working out at night)
- Dinner + OmegaPlex pills
- Before Bed: Herbal Cleanse tablets
Days 8-10:
- Wake up: 1 serving of Spark mixed in 12 oz water + Probiotic Restore + 3 Catalyst, wait 20 minutes
- Fiber Drink mixed with 8 oz water + 16oz of water, wait 30 minutes
- Breakfast + OmegaPlex pills
- Morning Snack
- Lunch
- Afternoon Snack + 1 serving of spark + 2-3 catalyst (if I was working out at night)
- Dinner + OmegaPlex pills
On mornings when I worked out I would wake up, drink the Spark and take the catalyst prior to it. Once finished I would then continue the regime (because taking a fiber drink prior to running when you already have an iffy stomach does NOT sound good!).
So thoughts on the cleanse phase, the good and the bad:
Pros:
- Honestly, I FEEL FABULOUS. I feel lighter. I am not bloated. My clothes are back to feeling normal.
- This has not by any means effected my training. Still taking Body Pump 2-3 times a week, running about 30 miles and never felt off during this period.
- The realization that I honestly do not really CRAVE the sugar and fatty food. I forgot how much I love fueling my body to perform vs. for quick satiation. I gave myself such a pass and ate what I wanted for the better part of 3 months and had a few pounds to show for it. Not cute.
- Listening to my natural body hunger cues. I honestly usually didn't want to snack. I would eat a couple almonds or half a banana to have the bare minimum but it was nice to wake up HUNGRY. Cause, you know, I stopped snacking before bed which I have a bad habit of doing out of boredom. I am remembering what hunger feels like. A good thing!
- My runs have been better. Better fueling = better performance. Easy as that.
- TMI moment BUT I am finally pretty "regular" in the bathroom. That fiber drink will help as will eating up all the fruits and veggies. I'm even going multiple times per day. Sorry for sharing but from the girl who can never go (unless in the middle of a run/race) this is GOOD NEWS. Test will be the half marathon Saturday for just how well I hold up.
- Money saved. Yes there is the initial investment. However, I am meal planning, bringing my breakfast/snack/lunch mostly cooking dinner and not drinking at happy hours or drinking coffee. Umm hi my bank account is super thrilled!
- Realizing - I don't necessarily really need to drink alcohol when out. I have been to a handful of social events and was totally FINE with water!
Cons:
- Well I could lie, but the truth is there was some sips of wine on 2 separate occasions. What is date night without wine? I actually have no regrets for either. It did not derail my food choices or my workouts or the rest - and we are talking about not much, I didn't go on a bender. For once I did not beat myself up and just moved on.
- The supplements. Oy. I barely remember to take my multivitamin and vitamin D (that this vitamin deficient girl is supposed to take, oops). So yes I did find it cumbersome. The good news is I am more used to it so that is helpful as is the daily checklist to aide in remembering.
- I think less coffee somehow made me a tad sensitive to caffeine. A couple times post spark and catalyst I felt very very energized more than I have EVER felt with coffee.
- I miss coffee. The taste. But I have also learned that I do not NEED coffee. No caffeine withdrawals (probably thanks to Spark) and also my wallet thanks me for those 2-3 trips a day.
- The fiber drink - as helpful as it is to get things moving...it was NOT my favorite. However I must be a sick person because I am contemplating using it a few times a week to help me. It is just the worst texture. Ugh.
For a look at what I am eating take a peak at this post.
So here we are now in the Max phase! I'm feeling good and excited to see the progress once I am finished! Hoping that I continue to lean out. I will be in Miami the last few days of the challenge which I think is actually a good thing! Who wants to be bloated in a bikini? Plus I am visiting my sis who is a trainer/group fitness instructor and soon to be FLYBARRE!!! instructor. There will be running, flywheeling and barring and her class while I am down there. I will totally earn my lounge chair pool side bum status ;-)
Today Lauren who runs the great facebook group for those on the challenge and beyond; had a great blog post with tips for getting the most out of the 24 day challenge. Take a look over there, she is a wealth of knowledge - and ahem has amazing results!
So there we have it. Any questions please feel free to contact me!
I should mention I am so impressed with the products that I have purchased a few from the performance line to test out (what was I saying earlier about not liking to take supplements...) and am stoked to see how they work with my marathon training. I am already thinking beyond the challenge portion - this has all put me back in line with my goals.
Happy Friday all!!
ReplyDeleteHello, Just come across this site. I use Rubbing alcohol (Dab it in cotton wool) to clean my braids, twist etc, What is your recommendations on that? Thank you.
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