Hi friends and readers! Today marks DAY ONE of another Advocare 24-Day Challenge. It's ironic because today is my first day. My 30th Birthday is in 24 days!! My birthday lands on the last day of my challenge. I couldn't think of a better birthday present I could give to myself than the next 24 days of getting back into a strict regimen of clean eating and continued exercise.
Little backstory. I did a Challenge earlier this past January, and you might be wondering why would I be doing another? Did the first one not work? Strange to be doing it again, right? Well, Advocare 24-day challenges include a "cleanse" phase that in a sense, puts your body in a position to absorb nutrients better and to simply kick off the challenge right. I say the word "cleanse," and my husband's face says it all. You think BLECH what in the world?!? Cleanse? It's really quite simple. A combination of a morning fiber drink, an evening herbal capsule, in addition to a probiotic supplement is about the extent of it. Pair it with eating clean foods and portion control. Throw in some exercise. THAT is the start of Advocare's 24-Day Challenge.
Last challenge I had, what I consider, to be good results! I lost 8.4 pounds and a total of 7 inches off my body. I'd say that's a good start! I'd like to do the same, no, BETTER.
OFFICIAL CHALLENGE GOALS:
1. Lose 10 pounds.
Yep, that's about it. Ten is a nice sounding number. Realistically I have about 40-50 pounds I need to lose to consider myself "HAPPY." Is that possible? Sure, it probably is. Yet I need to factor reality into the mixture. I like to eat, I enjoy the taste of food. I have muscular legs, muscle weighs more than fat. Losing 40-50 pounds would put me at my high school weight. Is that realistic? I'd LOVE to be there, but I honestly don't know if I could do that! I feel like I would need to literally starve myself, and that does not sound appealing to me.
I have been planning on starting this challenge for a few weeks. I ordered my products (HERE) and had every intention of starting as soon as I received them. (which I did) ....yet I received an extra little "push" lastnight.
I went to my ceramic pottery class before going to the gym. Imagine not wearing any make-up, having my hair pulled back tight and ugly, wearing an AWFUL skin-tight stripe shirt. Then my instructor asks to take a picture. I agonizingly agreed, photo snaps, and then she says she's going to put it up on Facebook later.
Ask yourself this. Would you scramble over to that person and beg and plead them not to post that picture because of your own self consciousness? Well, I was tempted to. But I thought, "it couldn't be that bad, right?!?"
It was.
Horrendous. I asked my husband if THAT PHOTO is what I look like. The person in that photo is not what I see when I look in the mirror. I've made so many excuses and found the best angle to look at myself in the mirror so that I almost have convinced myself that I look pretty good! But to see a photo of myself from someone else's angle? I felt like I was punched in the face.
I'm tired of feeling self-conscious. I'm tired of it!!! SO SICK OF IT!
I've been exercising for months, thinking that results have got to be showing by now. It has to be paying off by now. Right?!? I ran 4.5 miles a couple days ago. I can actually see my muscles working when I lift free weights in front of the mirror at the gym. I feel like I can see results.... yet, not. My clothes haven't started to fit looser. That photo?!?!? Kill me now.
Enter the start of another 24-day Challenge.
I promised myself last year that by my 30th Birthday I was going to be in the best shape of my life. Well, that quite simply is a work in progress. I have a list of real reasons why I've been having trouble, but I'm tired of them!!! Hormones. Medication. Physical limitations. Blarg.
It's time to put some dedicated effort into losing weight. I mentioned earlier "strict regimen." ....after my last challenge I floundered when I was done. I flapped around in the breeze and slowly slowly found myself eating what the kids were eating again. Having more snacks. Comfort eating. Drinking WINE and BEER on the weekends. Hell, even a few weeknights. Apparently as much as I hate the confines of a regimen I literally have success when I am on one.
So let's get back to my goals for this challenge
1. Lose 10 pounds by the end of this challenge.
2. Feel proud, not conscious of my body.
3. Be completely weaned off anti-depression medication
Last little paragraph before I wrap up my novel. I am already starting to wean off my Bupropion (generic of Wellbutrin). Started Monday, in fact. I have come to the conclusion that I was put on anti-depressant medication post-pregnancy from suspicions of post-partum-depression. In all actuality I believe I was undergoing severe hormone imbalances. After having a test done in December and saw actual results of my body having hardly any Progesterone or Estrogen, it became very clear. So! In about a week and a half I my "wean-down" dosage from my doctor will be out. and I will not be taking daily medication for the first time in multiple years. I'm kinda looking forward to that. :)
Okay, that is all for now folks! Crickets? I hear crickets. lol
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