As I am entering my final week of the Arbonne 30 days to Healthy Living Program, I have done some reflecting on what this program has meant to me and how to best communicate that out to my followers. If you followed me from the beginning (see post 'Out with the Old, in with the NEW" post here), you know I have been on a journey toward taking back my health since January 2018. As I entered the new year, I remembered feeling just 'blah'. I was a year and a half postpartum, still wearing maternity clothes and using the phrase ' I just had a baby, my body needs time to adjust and bounce back.' I would indulge in just about every dessert that passed my way and tell myself 'next week is the week I will start', 'next week I will get my act together, start exercising again and start eating better.' How many 'next week's' had to pass by before I actually got my tail into gear? How many more times did I have to stare at my size 10 jeans in the closet and sigh before I actually did something to get me back into those jeans? Enough was enough and on January 29th, one week after my ACL surgery, I went back to work with a new mindset....a new me. Fast-forwarded seven months and I can honestly say, the Arbonne 30 Days to Healthy Living Program works. From January to June of this year, I took small steps at moving toward my weight loss goals by supplementing a protein shake for one meal each day. These vegan shakes are 160 calories, soy/gluten/dairy free with no fillers, no mineral oil and no artificial colors or sweeteners. They are made of yellow pea, brown rice and cranberry, are easily digestible and provide essential amino acids plus more than 20 essential vitamins and minerals per serving. They are also SUPER filling. Just by supplementing one meal a day with a shake, I was able to lose about 10-15lbs over the course of six months. While that may not seem like a lot, take a look at this visual of fat vs muscle. Clearly, losing fat, regardless of the amount, is more than I realized! Here is a before and after picture from January 2018 to June 2018. Same shirt, just fits a little better :o) In August of this year, after just returning from Ryan and I's all inclusive (all indulging) anniversary trip to the Caribbean, I set a goal for myself to go all in for the 30 Days of Healthy Living Program. I wanted to push myself to the limits and see just how far I could go (see blog post 'Get out of that Rut' for more info on what this means). On August 6th, I started this program which included:
Now that I am moving into my last week of the 30 day program, I am reflecting not only on the things that I have lost.....but also the things that I have gained. Lost
This is the version of me that I love. A much healthier, happier, more confident and loving version. This is the me that I want to maintain. If I have not sold you on this program yet, I hope you will see the transformation others are making as well. These are real people. Real Life. Making REAL changes. You can tell how passionate I am about this program (and Arbonne in general) because I believe in it. I have seen how it can change other's lives and I want to shout it to the world and make others aware of just how much it will help anyone looking to make a change in their health and wellness goals. As I close out this week, I welcome your encouragement to finish out strong. But I also invite you to join me . If you are experiencing any of the feelings that I have felt in the past year and a half, know that it is never too late to start. If you are feeling in a state of 'blah', or catch yourself saying 'next week I will .......' or feeling an inkling of what I felt, I encourage you to take a leap of faith and jump on board with our next group. We will be starting again on September 10th and would love to have you join us. Email me or direct message me to find out how to get started. And thanks for your continued support and encouragement along the way!
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Last weekend our family took a short road trip to Atlanta, Georgia. My oldest brother Mike, sister-in law Charmaine and niece's Ashley, Toni and Katie were in town from Texas for Katie's softball tournament and we could not miss an opportunity to see her play and visit with them. We had the best time watching Katie pitch and catching up with everyone. Rhett grew quite fond of each of them. Within minutes of pulling out of the softball field, Rhett, in his most excited voice, would say ' I saw Katie play BASEBALL'. Ryan and I looked at eachother, laughed, and knew we had a lot of baseball games to look forward to in our future. Our visit was short, but oh so sweet. Here are a few pictures captured from this occasion: To top off an already exciting weekend, we knew we could not head back to our North Carolina Mountains without visiting the Georgia Aquarium. We visited this facility over Christmas break when Rhett was about a year and a half old. While we enjoyed that visit, we knew this time would be even better. Now that Rhett is 2, he has a new sense of exploration and wonder. He takes in everything around him. Everything from the bus driving down the road, to the 6 year old playing at the tot lot beside him, to the beluga whale he saw at the aquarium, is captivating and mesmerizing to him. Of course Ryan and I had fun, but the pure joy that exeudes from him is what truly fills our souls. If you plan to head to Hotlanta anytime soon, I would highly recommend making a stop there. Here are a few pictures of some of our favorite moments at the aquarium: While we had such a great time on our short road trip down the mountain, I could not conclude this blog without touching on some of the yummy places we ate. With my newfound love for health and wellness, I knew I had to be mindful of what and where we ate (especially on the road). If you are anything like me, you know it is easy (and way more convenient) to stop for fast food or grab a snack at the gas station when you are re-fueling. It is also easy to forego exercise when traveling. I am the first to admit that hitting up the hotel gym is not on my list of priorities while on vacation. Here are some tips on eating healthy and staying fit while on the road:
It was a weekend for the books. I am thankful for our road trips, but even more so that we get to experience them together as a family. I hope on your next road trip, whether it be planned for months or spur of the moment, that you experience the same joy on that adventure and that you can maintain your own health and wellness journey along the way. And whether you like to walk, run, jog, bike, swim, etc., I encourage you to commit to that workout upon returning. Set a goal for yourself. Grab a friend to join you and who will hold you accountable. I hope you will continue to hold me accountable as well!
As I was sitting here thinking what I should write my first blog post about, I began to think about all of the things I was most proud of in my life. Believer (yes). Wonderful husband (yes). Precious toddler (yes). A job that I love (yes). The list goes on. However, one thing that I am exceptionally proud of here lately is my newfound love for health and wellness. I was about a year and a half postpartum and realized I was not the best version of myself. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a love (more like a relationship) for pasta, mac & cheese and basically anything that screams carbs....YIKES. I had just returned from Thailand where we took a group of 16 MBA students for 10 days. We ate what we wanted, we drank what we wanted and basically tried just about every authentic Thai dish that you could imagine (it was all delicious by the way). When I returned from that trip, I knew it was time for a change. It was time for something drastic. Something that was really going to kick me into gear. What Changed? First, my mindset. I knew I had to set my mind that I was going to pursue a healthier lifestyle, otherwise, it was never going to happen. Second, I needed a plan. I needed to plan out my daily meals and snacks so that when hunger would strike, I would have a plan that would satisfy that craving. If you know me, you know I am the ultimate planner so this is something I actually enjoyed. So here is what I planned for every breakfast and lunch:
Chicken Spaghetti Ingredients
Third, I needed to incorporate exercise back into my life. Pre-Rhett, I would run 10-15 miles a week. It was something I enjoyed and looked forward to. I needed to reinvent that back into my life so I started running on the treadmill again. With the recent recovery from ACL surgery, I knew I would not be able to run fast but anything would be good. I started jogging a a few days a week and eventually added weights into my regimen.
As of today, I am down almost 20 pounds. I am nowhere near my goal weight but I am a heck of a lot closer to where I want to be. I feel great, I am more confident and I am sleeping a lot better too. Here is a before and after picture. The picture on the left is from January 2018. The picture on the right is from April 2018. This is my new self......my better version of myself. I look forward to continuing this journey. I hope you will follow along, send encouragement and even tips along the way! |
I am a wife and momma to a sweet boy named Rhett. I live in the mountains of North Carolina and am saved by grace. I believe in all things family, all things food and all things fun. Archives
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