Last Weigh-In Before Vegas!

Whelp, my friends, this is my last full weigh-in before I go to Vegas.  First, I want to fill you in on what I’ve been up to since I last blogged.  I (barely) completed the 30-day Isagenix Cleanse on August 15th.  I say “barely” because at that point I was so ready to be done with the shakes, Ionix Supreme, Cleanse for Life, Snacks!…pretty much anything associated with the Isagenix name.  Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the way this cleanse made me drop the weight and start feeling more confident, but the last few days were rough!  As you may remember, the weekend before my 30-day mark, was my sister’s birthday party so I cheated…a lot…and gained some weight back.  I was able to drop a little more before my final Isagenix Weigh In.  Here are my 30-day results:

Autumn – 26

Starting Weight: 197.7 lbs

Ending Weight: 185.2 lbs

Weight Lost Since Last Weigh-In: 1.3 lbs

Weight Lost to Date: 12.5 lbs

Inches Lost Since Last Weigh-In: 7.5 inches

Inches Lost to Date: 26 inches

I haven’t been able to get my mom’s final results yet, but once I do, I will post them as well!

I am very happy with the results of this cleanse, however, I think next time I may just do the 9-day cleanse.

So I finished this on Thursday, August 15th, had a binge weekend; and on Monday August 19th I started Chris Powell’s: Choose to Lose Carb Cycling.  I, once again, got my mom and also my sister on this bandwagon.  We’ve been on it for 3 weeks now and absolutely love it!  It has been the perfect transitional diet from Isagenix.  Today I weighed myself and took my measurements.  Here are my results from the end of Isagenix until now:

Autumn – 26

Starting Weight (since Isagenix): 185.2 lbs

Current Weight: 182.5 lbs

Weight Lost Since Last Weigh-In: 2.7 lbs

Weight Lost to Date: 2.7 lbs

Inches Lost Since Last Weigh-In: 10.5 inches

Inches Lost to Date: 10.5 inches

As you can see, with Carb Cycling (and working out 3-4 days a week), I’ve only lost a few pounds, but have been losing inches like crazy!  My original weight goal for Vegas was 175, but I’m way more excited to be down 2 pant sizes.

In case you’re interested in knowing where I lost the inches from, here are the numbers from start to finish:

Area	Start	30 Day	Current
Neck	15	14	14
Left Upper arm	15	14	14
Right Upper Arm	14.5	14	13.5
Chest	44.5	40.5	39.5
Diaphragm	39	37	36
Waist	38	35	34
Abdomen	46	40	39
Buttocks	45.5	44	43
L Upper Thigh	28	26.5	25.5
R Upper Thigh	27.75	26	25.5
Left Calf	16	15.5	15.5
Right Calf	16.5	15.5	15
L Upper Knee	17.5	16.5	15
R Upper Knee	17.75	16.5	15
Total Inches	381	355	344.5
Total Inches Lost	0	26	39.5

MAYBE I will post my before and current pictures….maybe….

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good:

First, I want to start out by saying that my mom and I were both doing great with the Isagenix program.  Thursday is our last day on the program and we have stuck with it and had some pretty amazing results thus far.  Well,  this past weekend, we had planned a surprise birthday party for my sister’s 33rd birthday; which, by the way was a HUGE success!  She had absolutely no idea that we were planning a party and we had over 30 people show up.  My mom and I both knew that we were going to have a few “bad” days this weekend because of the party, and also a reservation at The Garden Terrace Restaurant in The Inverness Hotel for their famous mimosa brunch buffet (OMG SO GOOD!)  So I was completely prepared to gain a few pounds….

The Bad:

Saturday morning started out like any other day – I woke up, had the Ionix Supreme, Cleanse for Life and my shake.  I had a full day of pampering planned for my sister so we started at Sweet Cheeks to get her eyebrows waxed and then went to Mane Edge to get her hair colored, highlighted, cut and styled.  I also got her a new outfit (complete with a purse and shoes) and some new makeup.  Because of this busy day, I didn’t eat my “lunch” until around 3PM.  I ate half of a Garbanzo chicken plate and was stuffed.  My mom had ordered hot wings from Woody’s Wings and little cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes for that night’s party.  Even when I was serving our guests their food, I didn’t touch anything and wasn’t even hungry!  What I wasn’t anticipating, is all the drinks my friends were going to buy me!!  What I also wasn’t anticipating is scarfing down hot wings and cake in a drunken haze on the ride home with my mom.  So the next morning, I woke up 2 pounds heavier!

The Ugly:

Sunday morning, I woke up feeling so tired and gross!  At around 8AM, I remembered that my daughter had a haircut and mani/pedi scheduled at Jack and Jill at 10AM.  Well, since we had left my car at my friend’s house the night before, my mom drove us.  Before we left, I drank the Ionix Supreme, Cleanse for Life and my shake and once we got to the kids salon, I felt great (despite feeling a little groggy).  I think all the vitamins from the Isagenix products helped fight off the onset of a raging hangover!  (I suppose that last statement should have been filed under “The Good”).  After her appointment, we raced over to the restaurant for our late brunch and ate like there was no tomorrow.  Holy smokes, that food was so damn good!  Although, since we all drank a lot the night before, no one ordered a mimosa.  After brunch, we all came home and took a nap – EVEN MY DAUGHTER!  She NEVER naps, but she was up late with her babysitter playing games, and with a full belly she crashed out for a good solid hour.  We all woke up around 5:30, so my mom and I went to get my car; and when we came home (around 8PM), we ate some leftover hot wings and cake…then went to sleep.  I woke up this morning to the horrifying realization that I gained a total of SIX POUNDS from a weekend of binge eating and drinking.  Needless to say, I have made today a Cleanse Day….possibly even tomorrow too, depending on the results I see today.

Before I abused my body with delicious food and booze, I was down to 183.4; I am now back up to 189.6 *le sigh*.  So now my new goal is to get down to at least 184 by the end of our 30 days, which is in 4 days.  I know this was a planned cheating weekend, but I am so bummed that I let myself indulge as much as I did.  Oh well, you live and you learn…and then you do a Cleanse Day!

Day 18 Results

Saturday was our 18-day mark so we weighed ourselves and took measurements.  Here are the results so far:

Autumn – 26

Starting Weight: 197.7 lbs

Current Weight: 186.5 lbs

Weight Lost Since Last Weigh-In: 2.8 lbs

Weight Lost to Date: 11.2 lbs

Inches Lost Since Last Weigh-In: 5 inches

Inches Lost to Date: 18.5 inches

Kim – 51

Starting Weight: 152.3 lbs

Current Weight: 145.2 lbs

Weight Lost Since Last Weigh-In: 1.4 lbs

Weight Lost to Date: 7.1 lbs

Inches Lost Since Last Weigh-In: 5.75 inches

Inches Lost to Date: 13 inches

Pretty awesome numbers, huh?  It’s funny because I’ve lost more numbers than my mom, but you can definitely see more of a change on her.  Yesterday, she was wearing these shorts that, last year gave her a muffin top, and are now hanging off her butt!  Sadly, most of the inches have been from my girls, which is normal for me.  Whenever I lose weight, I see it in my face first, then the boobs, then the diaphragm and it slowly goes downward.  The only bad thing about this, is because I have the mommy kangaroo pouch, it makes it sag more as the weight loss continues.  Not complaining though, so long as I’m losing it SOMEWHERE!  At this point, I am finally noticing a change in the way my clothes fit.  Nothing dramatic, but I put a shirt on that used to be skin tight on me and it was a little loose at the top.  When my mom and I compared our inches lost numbers, we noticed that she loses weight in the opposite direction as I do – I lose from the top down, she loses from the bottom up!

We’ve been doing pretty good with staying on track with everything, especially since our second shipment finally came in!  This time, we received the powder of Cleanse for Life and Ionix Supreme; I was so surprised at how different they taste like this!  I have found, that I actually really like the Ionix Supreme in powder form, but hate the Cleanse for Life powder.  So, if you are considering ordering this product (and have the option to choose) I highly recommend the Ionix Supreme powder and Cleanse for Life liquid.  Another recommendation, is to get the 2 canisters of vanilla and 2 canisters of chocolate.  Just when I start to think that I have a “favorite” flavored shake, I taste the other and it’s a refreshing change – especially when you take into consideration that you’ll be on this program for 30 days.

With Vegas only 39 days away, I have set a goal for myself for myself.  I would like to lose 10 more lbs so that I will be at 175 lbs.  I would also like to be in a size 10; right now I wear a 12/14.  Also, we have booked a trip to California in October, so by then I would like to be 165 lbs and a size 8.  I’ll keep you updated!!!

This program has been extremely easy to follow and I never really feel deprived, but I am pretty excited for this to be over.  My daughter hates the fact that I don’t eat with her anymore so it will be nice to have meals with her.  Also, I’m just excited to feel the sense of accomplishment once this is over.

Just Checkin In!

So today is day 14 and so far things are going great.  My only complaint is how boring this can be at times.  Last night, I took my daughter to Noodles and Co. for dinner while I sucked down some water.  I had worked out in the morning, which was making me feel unusually hungry and her mac n’cheese with meatballs was making my mouth salivate.  When we got home and I was putting her leftovers in the fridge, I opened the container, grabbed a meatball, held it within inches to my mouth and…PUT IT DOWN!  I cannot believe I actually had the willpower to say no after I had gone so far.  Instead, I made a small salad.  Small victories can sometimes give you the greatest satisfaction.  I’ve also noticed that junk food that would normally make me all giddy inside, has no affect on me whatsoever.

I also ran into a little bit of speed bump with my refill order of the 30-day cleanse.  I ordered on Saturday and it should have been here today, which would have allowed me and my mom to continue the remainder of our 30 days without interruption.  Well, at 11PM last night, I received an email that they did not have anymore in stock so my order was cancelled.  I ordered from a new seller on Amazon today and should receive it by Thursday *sigh*.  This means I will not have any Ionix Supreme (not entirely sad about this), Snacks! or Cleanse for Life for the next few days.

I will be posting our current weight and measurements tomorrow!

Holy Slacking, Batman!

Let me clarify, Holy BLOG Slacking, Batman!  Isagenix wise, I’ve been kicking ass!  Actually my mom and myself have both been kicking ass.  So first, I’m so sorry for not writing for a few days; I’ve just been crazy busy with work and *drum roll, please* HITTING THE GYM!  Booyeah!  Ok, so today was only my 2nd day there, but it’s a pretty cool gym.  It’s called KoKo Fit Club.  There was a LivingSocial deal for a month membership so I tried it out and I’m loving it.

So…now for the part I’m sure you’re all waiting for – THE NUMBERS:

Autumn – 26

Starting Weight: 197.7 lbs

Day 8 Weight: 189.3

Total Weight Lost: 8.4 lbs

Total Inches Lost: 13.5

Kim – 51

Starting Weight: 152.3 lbs.

Day 8 Weight: 146.6 lbs

Total Weight Lost: 5.7 lbs

Total Inches Lost: 7.25

Not bad for the first week, eh?  I may sound pretty calm, but trust me, I was super excited when I saw those numbers.   It’s pretty amazing to me that my mom, who is twice my age, has lost almost the same amount as me.  She, also, has a lot less weight to lose than I do so that may be affecting the results as well.

Also, you know how I kept saying that the Ionix Supreme is horrible?  Well, during the days past, I was wondering if I was just getting used to it or if it was tasting better because it was slowly becoming tolerable.  It’s still not my favorite, but I no longer feel the urge to projectile vomit immediately after.  Well, I was reading some tips on the Isagenix cleanse and it said that if it has a metallic taste, you have a lot of toxins in your body; and as you start to rid your body of those toxins, it will start to taste better.  I don’t know if that’s true or bull, but I thought it was interesting considering the taste has changed considerably.

*****BOWEL MOVEMENT ALERT*****

Watch, one of these times I won’t warn you and will just type “HERSHEY SQUIRTS” to see if you’re paying attention.  After Sunday, which was my 2nd Cleanse Day, I didn’t have a solid bowel movement for a few days.  My mom was experiencing the same thing so on Wednesday, we decided to try a daily dose of the Cleanse for Life – worked like a charm!  After discussing it with my mom, we decided to no longer do cleanse days and just stick with the daily cleanse.  We made this decision based on a few reasons.  First, we used almost all of our Cleanse for Life last weekend (remember we only purchased 1 30-day supply to split for the first two weeks; our 2nd 30-day supply should be here Tuesday).  And, secondly, we’d like to start focusing on exercise.  We did, however, discuss doing a cleanse day (or 2) if we happen to have a bad week.

That’s where we’re at so far!  Again, I apologize for not writing for a few days.  I will continue to keep you updated on anything new or different that happens.

Oh!  Before I go, here are a few new things I’ve tried this week:

1. Adding Want More Energy to the vanilla shake – DEEEEELICIOUS with a nice pick me up!
2. I just tried the Hummus Sandwich recipe (with a side salad) on Isagenix’s website and it was super tasty and filling.  Here’s what’s in it:

• 2 Slices of whole grain bread
• 2 Tablespoons of hummus
• 2 slices of tomato
• and I added 4 slices of cucumber, which isn’t on the recipe

That’s all for now!

Day 7

Nothing new to really update.  The only thing I’ve noticed is ever since the cleanse, my mom and I have not been hungry.  When it was lunch time yesterday, I could only eat half of my chicken and rice – didn’t even touch the veggies, apple or almonds.  I felt so full!  My mom only ate her veggies and few bites of the rice and chicken.  Same thing today; it’s 11:30 and all I’ve consumed is the Ionix Supreme (which believe it or not – doesn’t taste AS bad anymore!) and my morning shake.  The fact that I’m not craving anything (especially on my period) is pretty awesome!

Last night, I took my daughter for a bike ride (I walked) around our neighborhood and tracked it on the Map My Ride App.  We were out there for 35 minutes and went a mile – we made a lot of stops to looks at bugs, birds, bunnies and to talk to neighbors.  I think this will definitely become an every night occurrence.  It was a nice relaxing way to get my daughter’s energy out and talk about each other’s day.

Tomorrow is our 8th day, which means we have completed a full week of Isagenix!  Only 3 more weeks left!  Weight and Measurements to come!

Day 6 – An Isagenix Shake Never Tasted so Good!

First, I would like to say that I am extremely proud of my mom and I for making it through our first Cleanse weekend without cheating!  Last night, we were both drooling at the thought of our shakes and lunch that we would get to eat today.

Second, here are the weight loss updates:

Autumn – 26

Starting Weight: 197.7lbs.

Current Weight: 190.1lbs.

Weight Lost: 7.6lbs 

Kim – 51

Starting Weight: 152.3lbs

Current Weight: 146.7 lbs.

Weight Lost: 5.6 lbs.

I am super happy with our results thus far and I will definitely continue out the rest of the 30 days.  I feel great, as far as energy and just not as bloated.  I haven’t really noticed a difference in the way my clothes fit yet, but I do feel lighter overall.  My mom is on the fence on if she wants to do anymore cleanse days; she is considering just doing the daily cleansing with the shake days.  Because we’re both in real estate, and don’t really have a set schedule (especially on the weekends) this might work best for her.  It is very rare for both of us to be home all weekend, like we were this weekend.

I just prepared our lunches – 5 oz of chicken, 2 cups steamed broccoli, carrots and cauliflower, 1 cup of brown rice, 12 almonds and an apple.  Funny thing is, I’m really not hungry.  I know it’s barely 9:30 and I just finished my shake, but I thought for sure I’d be ravenous for my lunch at this point.

Today, I am going to start incorporating some light cardio into my routine.  I will start taking walks in the evening with my daughter around the block, which will benefit both of us.  I am also toying around with the idea of wearing my sauna suit while I do this to help rid my body of even more water weight – we’ll see.

Also, I’ve been thinking about how I want to proceed after the 30-days are over.  I really love the convenience of the shakes; so I’m thinking of still replacing my breakfast and/or dinners for long term.  Except I wouldn’t do the Cleanse Days (unless I’ve had a “bad” week), I would do the daily cleanse and also eat more substantial snacks since I would like to get back into kickboxing and weight training.  I would start those work outs now, but I usually burn anywhere from 800-1000 calories during those workouts and I’ve read that if you workout too hard during this program, you will have to take a third shake.

As we approach the end of my first week, I may slow down on the posts. Or not, I haven’t decided yet.  I’m sure it’s becoming repetitive for anyone reading this, but it really helps to keep me accountable for my actions.  Knowing that whatever happens today, good or bad, I will report it for the whole world to see.  Which, by the way, if anyone is thinking of starting this (or any other) strict program, I highly recommend blogging!

Have a Happy Monday Everyone!

Day 5, Cleanse Day 2

It is now 6PM on my last cleanse day for the week and I am so excited to eat FOOD tomorrow!  It’s amazing to think that my last “meal” was Friday afternoon.  When I think of how it’s been over 48 hours, it makes these small tummy growls feel like nothing compared to what I thought it would feel like after not eating for that long.  Today was exactly identical as yesterday, as far as consumption.  However, I was way more active – I cleaned the kitchen, living room, dining room and did laundry…all while playing with my daughter.  I was amazed at how much energy I had today!  All this energy I expelled, though, made me waaaay more hungry today than yesterday.  I ate a 1/4 of an apple, which is suggested as a snack on a cleanse day if you feel your blood sugar lowering.  It really did the trick and it almost felt foreign to chew again!

I just took my last cleanse (until next weekend!) and I’m sitting here chugging water, while my sister and daughter eat an amazing smelling dinner of spaghetti and turkey sausage.  Mmmmm!

*****Bowel Movement Alert*****

So I noticed today that the cleanse was really running right through me.  Yesterday, I was only in the bathroom twice; but today, it was more like 5-6 times!

Our actual 1-week mark will be Wednesday, July 24th, but I am pretty anxious to weigh myself tomorrow morning after this cleanse.  I think what I will do is post our weight and measurement changes for both the 1-, 2-,3- and 4-week marks and post just the weight changes after the weekly cleanses.

I can’t believe how excited I am to have a shake in the morning!

I MADE IT THROUGH MY FIRST CLEANSE DAY!

I almost posted this earlier, but I decided that I would rather continue the day and not jinx myself.  I don’t know if maybe I read too many “horror” stories about how bad the first cleanse day is, but I felt GREAT!  I’ll admit, there were some off-and-on moments when I felt hungry, but it wasn’t overwhelming.  I, also, lucked out that my sister took my daughter to go see Monster’s University (which I’m kind of sad I missed), lunch and now they are going to our friend’s house for dinner.  Tomorrow, I may not be so lucky, but at least I will know what to expect.  Oh, and that Ionix Supreme that I detest so much?  Helped SOOOO much with keeping my stomach satisfied.  I still hate it and get chills down my spine when I think about drinking it, but I think that’s what got me through the day.

My mom, ended up taking a long nap so she slept through most of our cleanse day; she also feels great!

**Warning: Bowel Movements Discussed Beyond this Point**

So…have you ever heard that saying, “never trust a fart?”  Keep that in mind during your cleanse day – you’ll thank me later!  With that being said, I was surprised to find myself in the restroom only twice (for that) today.  Of course, I was running in the bathroom every half hour to hour to pee.

Tomorrow is my 2nd cleanse day and first weigh-in.  Stay tuned….(If I didn’t gross you out with the above information!)

Day 4, 1st Cleanse Day – God’s Sense of Humor

Good morning!

My mom and I are starting our first cleanse day and I was pretty excited to see what it was all about, until I was presented with God’s sense of humor – I started my damn period.  So not only will I be dealing with the “starvation” feelings of going through a cleanse, but I shall also be experiencing my usual bitchiness and sweet/salty cravings – joy!  I’m trying not to think about any of those feelings and am attempting to stay occupied with other things.  I have already bribed my sister to take my daughter out to eat for lunch and dinner so my mom and myself will not be tempted.  I am a little worried, though, because my sister (especially on the weekends) is a constant snacker.  I have read several other blogs and reviews that Cleanse Day #1 is AWFUL, but Cleanse Day #2 is a breeze (here’s hoping!)  Here is what I have consumed so far:

8:00AM 4 oz of Cleanse for Life, 1 Natural Accelerator and 2 glasses of water

• I took this right when I woke up.  I was very nervous to try the Cleanse for Life after my repulsion towards the Ionix Supreme, but it wasn’t bad!  The consistency is more like a juice, whereas the Ionix Supreme is kind of gritty.  The flavor, also did not linger in my mouth for eternity.  This is a plus since I will be drinking 4 servings of it today.

10:00AM 1 oz of Ionix Supreme and 2 glasses of water

• Yuck!

10:30AM 2 Snacks! Tablets

• My tummy is growling, but it’s manageable at this point.  I am, also, surprisingly alert.

That’s where I’m at right now.  I will let you know how the rest of the day goes!