21 Day Sugar Detox completed

Good morning!!! I am pleased to report, that I am now officially done with my 21 Day Sugar Detox. It really wasn't all that hard to follow, even if I was on level 3. Level 1 would have been harder for me to follow because that allows the rice and dairy items, which I have cut out so many months ago!!

Within the 3 weeks that I was on the 21 DSD I lost 7.8 pounds and 3.25" in the waist. Not a whole lot of weight for the inches lost if you ask me!! :) I think it's wonderful! This was something that I needed to do to get my body back in sync and re-kick started to lose a little more weight.

I'm getting so close to my goal! If you remember back when I started I said that I wanted to get to 175. Well, I've added to that as well. I feel that with my body structure and height, that size 10 is a good size for me. Well, that's not that far off either! I'm currently at 206 pounds (31 lbs away from my goal) and I am in a solid size 14. I do currently have 2 pairs of pants that are size 12 that fit comfortably! :) I'm also in a size L shirt, which is right were I wanted to be in a shirt as well. Yes, I'm still hung up on weight. It's one of those things that is just so hard to get out of. That's why I added some 'size' goals to it as well. I think if I added some size goals for once I get to 175, then the weight thing won't be as big of an issue as long as I stay in that size 10!

So now that the 21 DSD is over where does that leave me? Still on a Paleo Lifestyle. I'm just able to have my fruit back. Like I have said before, Paleo is my new lifestyle. It will never be anything that I will change. Not only because it has helped me lose weight, but because it has gotten me so healthy. It has made my kids so healthy as well. It's unbelievable! Besides a small little cold here and there, Nic and Ellie have not had to go to the doctor in about a year, except for their routine yearly check up. I haven't been to the doctor for being sick in over a year as well. My belief??? It's because of the food that we are putting into our bodies! I'm not allowing the family to eat 'crap' food like we used to. Yes, they still have dairy... yes, they still have to occasional wheat product. But other then that....

That leads me to my new adventure! I have decided to help contribute to the 'family farm/garden'. My aunt and cousins have had a garden going on for a few years now. IT'S HUGE!!!! (They've always had a farm!) Well, this year, I'm getting my hands dirty and helping out with this garden to get a share of the fresh fruits, veggies and herbs it's going to produce! Kim got everything planted in the starter kits and most of them have started to sprout! Steph and I got the ones that were big enough moved down to the green house. I think it was 5 flats we moved down with about 10-12 more still sprouting up at the house. Then we headed down to Big R to get some transplanting pots and baby chickens!!!

We got 16 of the little girls!!! 8 reds and 8 whites. They are both good for eggs and meat. However with a slight difference. The white females get up to 4.5 pounds and produce 280 eggs a year. The reds get up to 6 lbs and produce 180 eggs a year. Once these little ones get big enough to thrive on their own, we will be releasing them out next to the pond so they can free range and grass feed. My cousin wants 'organic/free range' chicken where I want 'grass fed' chicken... so it will be the best of both worlds! They will be out with the ducks and geese!

What better way to start out my first FULL summer as a Paleo geek having a fresh garden to eat from, grass fed, free range eggs (with meat later in the year) ... I'm so excited about this new journey and new chapter starting in my life! It's going to be just awesome!!

Till next time...

Almost done with 21 DSD

I'm on day 2 of week 3... Which means only 5 more days to go. If you are a sugar craver and what to cut it out, I would totally recommend this to you! There are 3 different levels. Level 1 is for the the 'non-Paleo' person. For you are still able to have dairy and some grains. I have only lost 2 points in the past 16 days. Those 2 points where for 1 day of no workout and I had a shot on my birthday this past Sunday. :) Other then that, I've been able to not only stick with the detox, but I've been able to stick with the challenge.

When I started the detox, I thought, hey this is going to be easy. And to be honest, the first week was easy for me. It's been last week and so far this week. Last week I was wanting to eat some of my dark cocoa. (Which I didn't) and so far this week, when I go into the store and see all those fruits coming out, I want to eat some of those fruits. I think that is what I'm really looking forward too when I get off the detox, is getting some of my fruits back.

I thought I was slowing down in my weight loss but I guess I haven't now that I have looked back these past 16 days. I have lost 4.2 pounds as of this morning. So, I'm still on my 2 pounds a week trek! I've also lost 1 3/4" around my waist in the last 2 weeks. It's unbelievable. My small 14's are all fitting now. I even have 1 pair of 12's that I can fit into without struggling!!!! I have been able to get rid of all the 16's in my closet and I'm fitting into L shirts. I've been weeding out all the XL shirts that are too big. I'm starting to work on my summer wardrobe. I have had to get rid of all my summer clothes because they were to big, now I have to stock back up on some clothes. I've started with some summer dresses and a couple pairs of shorts. I do have some t-shirts and some 'summery' shirts. But now I need to work out some summer shoes (because my feet are no longer wide!!) And a swim suit!!! That I know I need to get in the next week because Ellie is having a swimming party for her birthday on April 1st!

As of this morning, I am at 210.4!!!! I'm almost out of the double digits, then it's just singles till I'm out of the 200's ... I can't believe it! I can't believe how far I have gone in the last 9 months!! I've lost weight, I got married to a wonderful man, I have a new vehicle, I am a model for a local photographer, I have amazing children, and I feel wonderful about myself and the way I look!

Till next time...

Week 1 on the 21 DSD

Today marks the end of week 1 on the 21 DSD. That means only 2 weeks left to go. It really isn't all that long of a time on the sugar detox. And to think this is going to help rid any bad habits of sugar cravings!

In this week, I haven't had any cheats and I've been able to do some sort of workout everyday. Either at the gym or getting out and walking or jogging! Yes, I have started to jog! It feels great to be able to go out and jog. I can do about 15 minutes of jogging right now. With a 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down, it gives me about 1.5 miles that I can do! Why jogging? Because my goal is to do the 5K race on Memorial Day weekend here in Moses Lake! I haven't done with race since I was 12, with my dad. I want to do this again, and maybe in the years to come, have my kids do it with me! That would be my ultimate goal. Maybe I can even get my dad to run in it for another year or 2.. :) (Hint hint dad!!)

I am staying pretty stable on the 21 DSD. I am down to 214. Which it seems like I'm at yet another plateau or I'm just losing weight super slow now. I only have 39 pounds to go to reach my final, long term goal. I knew that once I reached my last 50 pounds I would probably have to work harder at it and that seems to be the case. In 7 weeks I have lost 6 pounds. Not as fast as I want it to be, but as long as I'm still going in the right direction, it's OK! I lose a pound and then nothing for a week or two, then lose another pound and nothing. At least I can stay consistent though. :)

On the 21 DSD there is a recipe index with some new 21 DSD approved foods and recipes. This is just one that I have made this past week. It is  chicken in a mustard sauce. Oh boy was it good. We of course had it with green beans with bacon and a nice green salad. I've had fun working with the new recipes and plan on working with some more of them in the next couple of weeks. Even using them beyond the 21 DSD. :)

Till next time...

A new Challenge

If you all remember back in October, Charissa had given me a pre-holiday accountability challenge. I did that and had wonderful success. Well, there is a new challenge in the air. Starting Monday march 5th, I (along with several other people) will be starting the 21 Day Sugar Detox nutrition/workout challenge. I'm super excited for this one!! As you know, I've been at a small (OK, HUGE) plateau over the last month. I've been super busy and haven't been able to do a whole lot of gym time, so my weight has hardly moved, if at all! This 21 DSD is just what I am in need of to get me kick started again!

Charissa now works with The Balanced Bites. Which is an amazing website and podcast by Diane Sanfilippo. Diane is the one that created the 21 Day Sugar Detox. Teacher you in several levels how to eat and cut your sugar cravings! Well, I bought and downloaded the e-book and have now read through it all and I am psyched!!! Granted, I don't have those sugar cravings like most people out there do, only because I've been Paleo for 8 months now, but it will be a nice little reset button for all those little 'cheats' I do once in awhile. I think this is exactly what I need. Not only that, but I need to get back into the gym on a regular basis. I've been going, but only about 1 or 2 times a week to my workout class. I haven't been going in on my own and just working on machines or walking.

So, starting Monday, I will be working on my points :). Taking waist measurements each week, of course sleeping for 7+ hours a night, drinking 8 or more cups of water a day, posting about how I am feeling 3 times a week on the 21 DSD facebook page. I will also have to log all cheats and take a point away for a cheat and log all the days I don't workout and take a point away from that as well! I can only eat foods that are on the Yes list and can't eat anything that is on the No list. So, as of right now, I have introduced myself on the 21 DSD facebook page which is worth 10 points. :) That's what I have when I go into this on Monday!

There are prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places and I'd LOVE to get one of the prizes!! So, that is what I am working towards. This means over the next 3 weeks... I'm going to make it a point to hit the gym everyday and not have any cheats!!! I don't want to lose points! It's only 3 weeks! I can do this! I know I can!

And for those of you that are watching me and keeping track..... As of this morning I'm at 215.8!!! I'm down 83.2 pounds! That means that I have 40.8 left to go! It has been slow, like I said the last month, but I have been able to maintain and keep going. I'm super excited and will make sure I continue to blog about my progress on the 21 DSD.

I hope you all take the time to look at the links that I left up above. They are some great websites and have helped me out tremendously! I love listening to the podcast. So very informative!

Till next time...