JUICE TIME!!!

So I brought this juicer from GE (via Wal-Mart).  It was $49 and had some mixed reviews...either really good or it was really good and then died.  So I figure either way its really good, its just a matter of how long.  My budget didnt call for a Ninja or Blendtec just yet.  In due season...

I am doing a juice fast for 5 days, Saturday-Wednesday and I was tired of using the Poor Man's Juicer method. So I am excited to plug this baby up and start juicing.  I will be repeating this once a month whenever necessary.

I have to go to the grocery store and start gathering veggies and fruit to add to get started.  I always mix a little almond milk into my juices just for additional flavor and texture. YUM! 

I will eat fruit as a snack occasionally for the sensation of eating...

One thing I like about this juicer is that it can make lots of juice at once so I can make a batch in the morning and bring a couple of juices to work to get me through the day.   I will also buy some Boltshouse Green Goodness for the days I wont be able to juice.  I will plan on trying out the Naked juice line as well...I hear so many good things about it as well.

I am currently 8.2 pounds down!  Woohoo! I have been on a roll!  I have been eating within my calorie range and working out consistently.  Its amazing that its working the way it is!  A couple of weeks ago I was really struggling.  I guess once my TOM (time of the month) is over things can get back to normal.  My prayer is that I stick to this...and find reasons for the times that things arent going as planned and learn to adjust where I need adjusting. 

To get the best out of my juicing I will make sure I consume a RAINBOW everyday see my entry Reboot Your Life: Day 1 for more details...

I may even plan to do my juicing during my TOM to aleviate some of the negative effects that can come with it.  We will see...

Till Next Time

Journeying in the Juice :)

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To lose weight I should sleep more?

So I hear sleep is good for weight loss...
Experts say getting 6-8 hours of sleep each night is essential to those of us that are trying to reduce in size.  Seems strange...why would sleeping and being completely sedentary help me lose weight?

Well I turned to my friend SCIENCE...because surely there is a reason for such a statement.  Turns out that its true and heres why:

There are two hormones that are very important to how we eat: LEPTIN and GHRELIN.  Leptin tells your brain when its time to STOP eating and Ghrelin stimulates hunger.  When you are sleep deprived...leptin goes DOWN and ghrelin goes UP.  What does that mean....it means you are more HUNGRY and your body doesnt have an efficient way of telling you when to STOP.  TERRIBLE!

I will be very honest...on nights that I have been out all night....I wake up STARVING and Ive always wondered why.  Well there is a reason right there!  Its not a false sense of hunger either my stomach is really growling and saying EAT SOMETHING NOW!  We all know that its not hard to ignore hunger pangs....

I also know on mornings after I get sufficient sleep...I literally have to force myself to eat breakfast because I know I need to eat in the morning.  I end up eating something sensible because I am not ravenous...crazy right?

Dont you just love science....there is an explanation for your questions you just have to be bold enough to find it...

Oh yeah if you havent noticed on the right panel...Ive lost seven pounds!  Three more pounds until my 1st reward...NEW EARRINGS!

Till Next Time,
Sleeping Soundly :)

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Fabulous Five

My goal for each month is to lose five pounds....

Its the 24th of January and it wasnt looking so good I was bouncing up and down....my TOM was flipping things all around. 

Thanks to some perserverence and committment to walking, which to me is the absolute BEST exercise in the whole entire world...anytime I can burn 600+ calories, have my heart PUMPING and not experience nausea is a blessing.  Now when I finally stop and my legs turn to Jell-O is another thing...but by that time I am home and I can lie quietly on the floor and recover.

I digress...

I weighed in the this morning and finally Ive lost FIVE pounds...just six days short of my deadline...

Which means there is still hope to lose more than 5 this month!

Ive come up with a reward system for myself....my milestones are at ten pound increments

1st 10 - New pair of earrings
2nd 10 - M-A-C makeup (2 eyeshadows/1 lipstick)
3rd 10 - New shoes
4th 10 - New Wii Game (Rayman Origins....I REALLY WANT IT TOO!)
5th 10 - New Dress
6th 10 - Bravian Body Buff @ the Spa (so refreshing!)
7th 10 -  Spa mani/pedi 
8th 10 - Shopping Spree

These are all things I really love and I am not going to get them until I reach each milestone.  Trying to have a solid plan here...if you fail to plan then plan to fail!  I dont want to fail...I am winner...so failing would not be my character!

Till Next Time,
Going for ten by March 2! :)

Visual dipiction of my weight loss...5 down...75 to go! :)


 

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HELP! Dr. Don Colbert is trying to KILL ME!

So I went to a Health and Healing Convention at a local church in Gainesville, FL featuring Dr. Don Colbert.  Dont know him? Well he's written several books on health and weight loss, he is a Christian and combines the word of God with medicine (look him up!).  He is a wealth of knowledge and has sold over 10 million books worldwide!  

Exciting stuff.  He talked specifically to me about cutting out wheat and sugar completely out of my diet.  Excuse me? So am I supposed to eat air sir?  Now this doesnt count the natural sources of sugar in fruits and veggies...THANK GOD!  I love fruit but this does cut out bread, pasta (not too big no pasta), flour, cereal, cookies and everything else delicatable. 

That is easier said than done.  I digress...

This man is a powerful person and he knows what he is talking about.  Having a science background through my education, I know the things he is saying is true.  He assured me that I can have them in the future but until my waistline is half my height in inches...I MUST LAY IT ON THE ALTAR! AHHHHHH!

I decided to ween myself off bread gradually.  I recently brought some sandwich rounds (before the conference)....I refuse to throw them away!  They are whole wheat and 100 calories.  I dont have cereal or pasta or flour in the house.  So I wont be buying it anytime soon.  So it sounds like it will be lean meat, fruit and veggies.  I dont drink regular milk...I am a believer in Almond Breeze!  I do like yogurt..and Im not giving it up! I will still make smoothies...because I only use fruit, almond milk and yogurt. 

So we will see...

I am going to start juicing for five days next week...Sunday-Thursday! I will repeat that each month...not necessarily the same week each month but just as long as its 5 days straight sometime during the month.

I have to be five pounds down by the 31st...7 days left...one pound in a week shouldnt be so hard if I stick to the plan! 

Till Next Time,
Walking Away From Wheat :(

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RunKeeper: My Favorite Fitness App

I love RUNKEEPER!  I used to have a hard time tracking my mileage and speed when I walk.  Someone I know told me about this app when I purchased my bike.  This photo is an actual screenshot from my phone. 


I found out that it also tracks:

• Running
• Cycling
• Walking
• Hiking
• Downhill Skiing
• Cross Country Skiing
• Snowboarding
• Skating
• Swimming (I DONT KNOW HOW)
• Mountain Biking
• Wheelchair
• Elliptical
• An other option as well

Alot I know.  It operates off the GPS on my android phone and gives me a speed and mileage update every five minutes (you can adjust the time of the updates).  I love that you can place it in the background so that you can listen to music and even talk on the phone if you like (which would be hard to do if you are truly working out).  

You can also keep track of your progress on the actual website runkeeper.com and friend other fitness buffs as well.  It also gives a more accurate calorie readout on the website from each workout because it bases it off of your weight and height as well. 

I think its a great app and its my favorite price FREE!

Its available in the android market and Im pretty sure apple has it too!

So what are you waiting for...I hate guessing how much Ive done...now I know and I can even save my routes and send them to others to try out!  How cool is that!!!

GET IT NOW!

Till Next Time...

Keeping It All In Stride :)

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Birthday Time!!!

Happy Birthday to me!!!  WOOOOO!  I am 31 years old as of yesterday and I feel great!  I had one of the best birthdays Ive had in a long time...maybe even ever!  I did everything I wanted to do and enjoyed every minute.  Took the advice of a friend and didnt worry about who could make it and who couldnt and just did what I wanted to do! The train keeps rolling on...catch up if you can.  Im going to do EVERYTHING I am able to do and I wont let others life limitation stop me, they will just have to catch up later on.

I used to be the person that if certain people didnt call me or pay me attention on my birthday that I would be sad.  NEVER AGAIN!  I could care less...if my day isnt important to you...then it just isnt.  I'll make it important to me...that is all that matters.  And I will still make sure your day is important to me...being upset takes too much energy.  Ive just learned that some people are just inconsiderate and that is just who they are, I'll accept it or erase you.  Either way...I am happy.

It feels good to be another year older....its amazing that I am as old as I am!  I still feel like I am 19 years old at times but I am definitely grown! I refuse to be one of those women who is ashamed of her age....the point of life is for your age to increase...as long as you remain lively, fresh, fly and young at heart...does it really matter how old you are?  People have mistaken me for a high school student at times (I dont know how...but it happens)...so clearly I dont look old! 

IM 31 and IM PROUD!  Life has been good...and its getting better everyday.

Got through my birthday weekend...and still on my goal of weight loss too...I wont weigh in today because I had lots of SALT last night and I already know the water is lurking..

Some days I wish I could just wake up 80 lb lighter!

I digress...hard work will pay off!  CONSISTENCY CONSISTENCY CONSISTENCY!  Amen!

Till the Next Time,

Relishing in My Youth :)

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My Obsession with the Restroom :)

BE WARNED!!! This is not for the weak stomached...proceed with CAUTION!  But please read :)


So Im not ashamed to say...


I have a bit of an obsession with going to the restroom...(#2)


I know that most people are like....YUCK! I cant believe you just put that out there....but its true!  


Though its something most people dont like talking about its a VERY important part of our everyday lives!!!




In the pursuit of shedding poundage it gives me peace in two ways 

1. Anything coming out means I WEIGH LESS!
2. Makes me think my metabolism is working faster!

There is some science behind this....regular exercise allows the digestive system to work more efficiently allow more frequent trips to the restroom! Regularity is a good sign of a functional metabolism.  Sluggish lifestyles can lead to constipation....any "loser's" WORST enemy....the point is to LOSE weight and our colons can hold quite a bit!  

Eating whole grains, veggies and fruit help as well...

Easier said than done....

Working on it....

Till Next Time...

Pursuing the Porcelain :)

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Life is Good...now going for GREAT!

Life is GOOD!  I can honestly say that!  YES!

So now that I have conquered good....I want GREAT!!!

If you didnt know...I started my own business!  Its called Morning Dew Hair Products!  Im a natural hair enthuiast so I love natural hair products that work and that contains ingredients that I can pronounce.  Even as a scientist I have hesitation about putting anything ending in glycol in my hair...

My products are good for the skin and the hair....they smell delicious and they are affordable!  Want more information...please visit www.morningdewhair.com (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; I will sue you...) and please share with friends and family.  Quite honestly I havent received a bad comment yet.  The one thing...well two things that I want to tackle and get rid of FOREVER are as follows:

1. Order in my finances
2. MY DARN WEIGHT!!!

Number #2 is alot more pressing in my spirit than #1...with my business we are tackling the finances just fine.  With some more restraint...that one will be a no brainer. 


Now on to #2...Im honestly tired of talking about it...THOUGH IT ENCOURAGES ME SO!


One thing throughout this  5-6 year battle that I have acquired is ammo as far as information and different methods that I dont have to spend much money on anything new.  I have...

Weights, DVDs, Wii Fit/other fitness games, about 4 pedometers, solar belts, resistance bands, an exercise ball, a door gym, a bike, two blenders, myfitnesspal.com, android apps, receipes, a fitness trainer as a brother, a few fitness fanatic friends, two pastors that are health conscious and a praying mother who is frightened of the thought of her baby developing diabetes.  Let's just say Im prepared....

My issue isnt knowledge, equipment or motivation...its consistency.


Thats all I have to say about that....
Day three of doing the right things.  My first goal: Ten Pounds by March 2.
Pray for me.  Encourage me. 


Till Next Time
Decreeing Consistency...

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