Saturday, July 31, 2010

Livin' It, Losin' It, and Lovin' It

Woohoo! Just finished week 1 of the Live the Life program and I've lost 5 pounds! So that's 10 pounds on the 7 Day Challenge and 5 pounds on Live the Life = 15 pounds in all!!! And I've lost an inch off my waist and an inch off my hips!! Feeling good and going strong. I had a goal to achieve 45 seconds on the center plank hold (an amazing resistance exercise that sort of targets everything) this week and I did. I love feeling stronger each time I come back to an exercise. It's exhilarating to feel yourself getting stronger and accomplishing more and more at each workout. And my clothes are hanging on me. I went to change clothes, and forgot to unbutton and unzip my jeans and I simply slipped them off! When I realized what I'd done, I tried just pulling them up, and they came up like sweat pants! I smell a shopping trip coming up.

I'm excited about the new menu for this week. I already love the Blueberry Graham Ice Cream for meal 1. I mistakenly got chocolate protein powder, and, yum yum, is that good in this meal. I haven't run into anything I haven't just loved. Some Live the Life members have said they were apprehensive when looking at the recipes, but when they ate them, the taste just blew them away. I trust that the Kristi Approved meals are not only great for my body, but great for my taste buds. So I approach each new recipe with anticipation and excitement. I'm loving Live the Life and losing the weight, the inches, the bad self talk, and the old clothes. I'd like to repeat, woohoo! If you want to go shopping with me, go to www.kristiapproved.com and begin living the life, reclaiming your confidence, and saving your pennies for our shopping spree!!!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Really Living the Life

Well, my new 12-week Live the Life program came yesterday. I started it today and there, at 6:25 this morning, was a welcoming and encouraging email in my inbox. A couple of the meals this week are similar to what I had during the 7 Day Challenge (and they happen to be two of my favorites) but the new ones are very delish and I think my new fave is the Apple Crunch Chicken Salad. Sooo good and filling and satisfying! The resistance training is just a little different but still the same exercises today. Still doing 3 sets but working up to 15 reps. I was a little intimidated but found the strength I'd built over the last 11 days on the 7 Day Challenge had me ready for this next step. I'm also having to speed up the treadmill for it to be a satisfying cardio session. And I feel so energized after my cardio. They have you do the resistance training first then the cardio, and boy that makes a big difference in how I feel afterwards. Like I could take on the world! I think my body is really beginning to transform. No cravings, no fatigue, sleep like a baby, and I wake around 6 a.m. without an alarm and I'm ready to go.

This Kristi Approved Live the Life program is the bomb! I'm noticing my skin seems fresher, hair shinier, body stronger, back stronger, posture better and I enjoy being busy and getting things done. Can't see a downside to this. We ate out tonight and I got grilled chicken, sweet potato, and broccoli. It was yummy, gluten free, and on the Live the Life plan! If you want to join me in transforming your life, go to www.kristiapproved.com and get all the info. Here's to living the life!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

We Are Family

So I'm still doing the 7 Day Challenge, just repeating the past week. I'm waiting for my Live the Life Program book to come in the mail so I can start it. It's more detailed and you get personal coaching over the phone or email. I've incorporated these meals into our family meals now that Darrell and Katie are back from their trip. So this clean eating thing has become a family affair.

I've watched many of the videos Kristi Approved have done on their website and You Tube, and have noticed that they use the "Magic Bullet" blender to make their smoothies. I got one and love it! It's fast and convenient and doesn't take up hardly any space on the kitchen counter top. It would even fit in a good sized purse if you wanted to take it to work or on a trip. I'm all for convenience and the Live the Life team makes everything so easy for you. Check them out at http://www.kristiapproved.com/. Happy blending!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Can It Be This Easy?

So today was a day of revelations for me. I'm feeling so good with this new way of eating that I've had energy to do all sorts of things I've been wanting to do and haven't taken much time out for reflection. But looking back, I see some very nice changes. I've been waking up around 6:00 without an alarm and feeling good! I don't seem to have brain fog in the morning, either. I noticed today after I washed my hair when I went to put the product in my hair that makes it shine, I didn't need it!! My hair has taken on a gleam it hasn't had before. There I am saving money again on hair products. And not to be indelicate, but it looks like the "gas crisis" is over in this house!!! Everything seems to be in tip-top working order.

I ran to the market to pick up some food, and I smiled when the cashier said, "You got all that food for so little money!" I told her that's what happens when you Live the Life. I knew that more processed foods cost more at the checkout, but have you thought about how it costs once it gets into you? Poor eating habits can cause all kinds of illnesses with visits to doctors and prescriptions. But sometimes you just feel bad or can't sleep, so you buy over the counter solutions like pain relievers, sleeping pills, antacids, anti-diarrhea medicines, laxatives, or any number of drugs. When all we have to do is eat wholesome foods and do a little exercise and , voila, you can push those medicines to the back of the medicine cabinet and put useful things like nail polish and lipstick in front!!

Oh, and by the way, I lost another pound today! Not that I'm weighing myself everyday, you shouldn't do that, but I was feeding the cat and the scale slid out and I thought, "What the hay." Nice way to start off a Monday. Check out http://www.kristiapproved.com/ if you want to join me on this awesome journey. Yes, it can be that easy!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Kristi Approved 7 Day Challenge Results

Well, gang, if anyone is reading this, I want you to know what a difference 7 days makes. After a week on this program, I've lost 7 (SEVEN) pounds! The best part is I was never hungry and now have more energy than ever. My metabolism is changing and I've gone from a three-toed sloth to a lemur. I'm working towards hummingbird! I didn't fight dozing off in church this morning!!! I noticed the warm sanctuary didn't bother me at all. I already had two meals before church so I was alert and engaged. Sorry it didn't improve my singing, but maybe there's a Phase 5 for that!

I love the fact that I don't have to count points or worry if something is going to put me over my total for the day. It's summer and I don't do math in the summer! Everything is written down for me, even the store list. I just go to the market, buy my good, wholesome foods, come home and pre-prepare them, and then just throw them together when I need them. So cheap and easy (sort of like a gal I knew in high school, oops). The best part is they taste so good. I thought good for you had to be expensive and bland. Apparently not!

Day 7 is a day of rest from exercising. You'd think I'd welcome it. I might do a little meditative yoga later on, because I've become fascinated with how my body is changing and what I can do after just a week of physical activity. I've lost 2 inches off my waist and 1.5 inches off my hips! Amazing!

I've joined the Live the Life 12-week program. I'm waiting for the materials to arrived. In the meantime, I'll continue on another 7-Day course. I've tweaked all the recipes and just love them. But I can't wait for the new plan to arrive. I've been receiving emails from Kristi Approved and they keep you motivated. I love the success stories. Check it out at http://www.kristiapproved.com/ and start Living the Life. I'll be back with more (or should I say, LESS).

Friday, July 16, 2010

Claudia, Kristi, and Trish

I'm sure many of you have seen the movie "Julie and Julia", well I'm going to blog about me and the Kristi Approved Program founders, Kristi Attaway and Trish Allen. No, they didn't write a cookbook about French cuisine, but they have a program for living fit when you come to your senses and realize all that butter and sugar isn't good for you. I heard about this amazing way of eating and exercising for healthy strong bodies from my son & daughter-in-law. Andy & Mary told me how much better they felt and the weight they'd lost and that this meal was easily adaptable to different dietary concerns, like mine, gluten-free, or diabetic or vegetarian. I went to the website, downloaded the Kristi Approved 7 Day Challenge and began it this past Monday, July 12th. Here I am 5 days later and 5 pounds lighter with all kinds of energy and I feel stronger than I have in years. In 5 days!!! I know my husband, Darrell, is pleased as punch (oops, sugar laden drink) well let's just say he's very pleased at my leaner body but also by the fact that this program is so economical. I am doing resistance training and cardio in the morning and I have all this energy all day. I have to admit that I was unsure about doing the resistance training because I hadn't picked up a hand weight in, oh let's see, EVER! But it's fun and takes no time at all. The food is so easy to prepare and yummy. I like to eat and this program gives you 6, yes I said six, meals a day. I haven't yet been able to experience meal 6 (I call it second dinner) but I'm sure I'll get around to it. It's a pizza dish and I love pizza, I'm just too full to eat it!!! So, I'm going to blog about my experience in hopes that it will give me accountability and maybe inspire some of you to get on the clean eating bandwagon with the Kristi Approved Program. Oh, my favorite meal is second breakfast (meal 2). It's the Southwest Egg Burrito. Since I can't have a flour tortilla, mine is a Southwest Egg Taco with a gluten-free corn tortilla. It's yummy and I don't pig out because I've had one breakfast already! Here's their website: www.kristiapproved.com. Check them out and I'll be back soon to fill you in on my progress. Now that I've joined their "Live the Life" program, I got a call from Kristi Attaway herself! You have to understand, Kristi and Trish are like healthy, genius rock stars to me. I watch their videos on You Tube everyday and here I was talking to Kristi! Now that's personal service. They really care. So, again, check them out. It'll be the best decision you'll ever make because your health doesn't just affect you, it affects your family, friends, and community. Happy clean eating!