Day Seven.

My nine day cleanse will be different then your standard nine day cleanse because in all fairness, I should be cleansing Monday and Tuesday but because Monday is the holiday and everyone is on holidays, I'm working so my last two days will be Tues. and Wed for my two day cleanse.

I've just got up and have to be at work by ten so Iwill get ready for work. I'll post later.

I'm not home from work and am so excited. Someone I know who hasn't seen me in two weeks held my hands and said, "Look at you! You look fantastic!"I smiled and thanked her. I told her I had lost 20 pounds.

If you are interested in learning more, watch this video and ask me if you want to learn more!


C.

Gym Days and Day Six of Nine Day Cleanse.

I have been to the gym the last three days after work. I have NEVER done this. I am amazed but I did it. I have eaten clean all week except today: Shake at 6:00 Am, breakfast (food), lunch was sensible and then dinner shake. I have continued to stay away from food that does not support my plan. Yay, me!

Tips to making it to the gym:

1. If you plan to go after work, then pack your gym gear with you and keep it in the office or in the car.
2. Plan your time. Today, I was finished at 3:30 and I knew the gym was closed at 5 so I focused all my energies on getting there on time and doing my 60 mins. workout.
3. Be prepared. Make sure you have everything so you have no excuses to go! Ie, towel, workout gear, runners, water, socks, etc. You'd be surprized at how fast you can convince yourself that you can't go because of... well, cos...
4. Bring a reward for making it to the gym. I celebrate my trip to the gym with the Isadelight tucked in the pocket of my purse.
   
5. Don't let anything stop you! Nothing.

I've noticed that tonight I wasn't that hungry after the gym so I sat down to drink my shake. That was at... 6 PM and now at 8:30 I'm hungry (is it the extra exercise?) so I made a single shake. It filled the gap and I feel satisfied.

9 Day Cleanse. Day Five!

Recap:

First cleanse day, cakewalk. Second Cleanse day quite grueling around 3 PM when the jackhammers from the construction came out and while surfing the internet all I saw were pizza ads and cravings overwhelmed me. Made it through to Weds. and did not accept cupcakes or pizza! Yesterday, tough day. Very tired in the morning and my seasonal allergies are bothering me. Made it through the day and got my butt to the gym. Sweat like a pig, came home to a shake and restless. Tried to got to sleep early with no luck and woke up this morning feeling foggy headed.

Plan for today: Stay on plan and workout after work. I have started off with 2 oz. of Ionix Supreme to get my day started. I'm going to go to bed early tonight with 1 ounce of Ionix to see if that calms me down.

Victory is mine!

Today while at my meetings they passed around brownies, tarts and cakes. I said no every time and then took a deep breath. That's when I grabbed a Isadelight and I forgot about what I was saying no to! I quickly noticed that the person handing them out didn't have any either!

Also, I ended up serving pizza to 100 people at an event and not once did I crave the pizza! Folks, I LOVE pizza! |There was even dipping sauces! I didn't even want it!

This morning, I had my morning shake. Two Isasnacks at 10:30 and then a one scoop shake at 1200 PM. Then, I had a chocolate at 2 PM and my meal at 400 PM. I ate a snack in the evening and when I got home form work at 945 I had a one scoop shake.


I feel great!

Hesitation.

Today I hesitate to post but I will for a few reasons. Firstly, its for me to own what I am feeling and secondly, it is for those who read these blogs and can learn from what I experience. However, do not deny yourself your very personal own experiences!

Yesterday was my Mother's birthday and after talking to her later the night before I found out that they were going to Tony Roma's for lunch and eating ribs. Not so good for me so I thought I would meet up with them later. My niece was accepted into college and we were going to meet at their house for takeway Chinese food. Again, not so good for me. So, instead of going I opted for sending my wishes along with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. I called her that evening and she was thrilled with the flowers, thanking me and understood that I have been battling weight all my adult life and if this is what will help me then she is ok with that.. So, yes, I have some"nay sayers" along the way.

So, instead of going to visit them I totally focused on me. I continued to reorganize our living room, purged stuff for the recycle, Goodwill and donation boxes.I also did some research for our trip to Vegas, planned my week in my daily planner and have all my meals ready for the week. Yes, I even MEASURED them so that I can guage the calories as per the Isagenix Welcome Manual. I have to admit, until now I haven't! So, all my little bento type boxes are stacked in the fridge. I have salmon, chicken, turkey, couscous, green beans, mixed salad, carrots, and brocolli ready to go! Also, I did my 30 minute walk. So, on all accounts I stay true to my two days of cleanse. I did not document well on the first day and I believe that I should have been eating my snacks every two hours. I can't recall if I did.

I am working late so today I will go on a 30 mins. walk on my break. Also, I had committed to going to the gym today and did not get there. I will be going Thurs.-Sunday instead. I will go every day after work and on Sunday I will do my workout at home. I have not done this before so I will record my results.

Second Day of Nine Day Cleanse. MMMMM, Isa...delight!

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• 7:30 AM Got up and drank one ounce of Ionix Supreme. Waited five mins. and drank water to take 2 Accelerator Capsules.

• 8:00 AM Cleanse drink and water.

• 9:00 AM Isasnack and more water.

• 11:00 Am Isasnack and water with lemon.

• 1:00 PM Cleanse with water.

• 2:00 PM Isadelight Chocolate and water.

• 3:0O PM Isasnack and water.

• 4:00 PM Isasnack and water.

• 5:00 PM Cleanse and water.

• 7:00 PM 2 Isadelights with water

• 8:30 Cleanse with water

• 9:30 I took a hot bath and conditoned my hair with this and used this on my feet! If you haven't tried the Volcano, its a MUST!!!

• 10:15 Pm Drinking water and going to sleep.. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  

The 9 Day Cleanse.

Today I am doing the nine day cleanse and today is day one of two full back to back full cleanse days.

Until now I have been doing one cleanse day per week which is your 30 day cleanse.

You also have the option if you are starting out for the 9 day cleanse which for for someone completely new to the program is two full cleanse days, five shake days and ending with two full cleanse days again.

I find it hard to believe that people make their way in the beginning with the nine day program! Its the rapid program in the Isagenix world.

I knew it would be hard starting out to jump right in for me with two initial cleanse days so I eased into the program. Now that I have done about.. 6-8 cleanse days I find them MUCH easier. My opinion, if you are starting out, start with the 30 days cleanse! Not to mention, you get more product and more value for your money. Yes, it does cost more but it totally worth the investment in.. YOU!

• It's 5:30 AM and I have today off from work but I have had to get up early to go the the Passport Office so I have drank some water with two accelerators and when I first woke up I took 1 ounce of my Ionix Supreme. I'm currently sipping on 4 ounces of my Cleanse for Life mixed with 8 ounces of water. I have no idea when I will be back from the Passport Office so in the fridge I have a premixed Cleanse for Life with water in the bottle ready to go for when I return. Remember, four of these today on your cleanse days! I will take along my 1 Liter of water, Isasnacks, Isadelights and a book to get me through my waiting at the office. I will update later.

• Second cleanse done at 12;oo PM from my premixed that was in the fridge. Snacks every two hours. Drinking more water.

• It's now 240 PM and firstly, I pickup the passport on Sept. 9th! Four friggen days before we leave. The woman there was awesome and I was in and out in 20 mins.~! There is someone looking after me. |Thank you!!!!

• I spent most of the morning walking and looking around downtown. I got my Vision Board laminated and it will be put on my fridge of on my mirror to inspire me. I waked through the drug store to pick up something and a strong smell of popcorn passed my nostrils. My stomach almost immediately began to growl. Its smelt soooooooooooooo good! I got out of there and picked up a day timer to record my measurements, cleanse days and plan my days. I browsed the stores and didn't buy anything. Saving my money for Vegas!

• Then, as I walked down the street, I smelt fresh baked bread from Subway. Ugh, that was killer so I sucked on an Isadelight. When you haven't had those for awhile they are so tasty. Right now I'm beginning to get hungry so I'm drinking water and eating an Isasnack to curb the feeling. I have now drank 2 liters of water as well as done two cleanse drinks with water.

• This afternoon, I tore apart the living room and have moved all the furniture! Organized, dusted and cleaned the entire room! Hubby came home and said, "What the heck?!" and I pipe up, "Surprize!" I should mention that the furniture includes two coffee tables, end tables, a leather love seat and a leather couch! I listened to some of my favourite cds and felt inspired.

• Evenings are tough on cleanse days for me so tonight I have a tub soak planned with lavender and orange..Maybe even a Isadelight!

• Third cleanse done at 5:30 and final cleanse at 8:00 PM. Total amount of water drank: 4 liters not to mention water mixed with cleanse drinks. I've now done starting measurements and also committed to going to the gym on my shake days.

• I've just had a hot soak in tub and am now going to flip through the Fall Vogue Magazine. It's massive! I know, I'm such a princess! Getting tired. I suppose, I have been up since 5:30 AM.

We Are Now Pausing The Current Program For A Brief Music Interlude

Miss Grumpy Pants.

I'm going to admit something out loud.



I'm jealous and right now I'm pissed off, annoyed and just plain grumpy. I have to get over this. I wish the fat would melt off my body, I wish I had results like other people, I wish I could lose inches or pounds like other people and it ain't happening. This is making me frustrated, pissed off and just plain tired. Yes, I'm tired too. I've felt completely yucky yesterday and today. I'm actually really exhausted. Incredibly tired.

Today my mood really sucks and I am Miss Grumpypants.

I think I'll go to bed early tonight and try to sleep off the funk.

Anyone else ever feel like this? Suggestions? Ideas?

Hatha I Have The Time?

Today I went into my Fit Assessment and I have to admit I was disappointed with how rushed everything was. Basically she whipped the measuring tape around some parts, hopped me up onto the scale and juggled answering the phones, signing people in and helping new members. I already knew where i was at so it was no big surprise when she told me I had lost inches and pounds.


It wasn't until later I got to talk to Candy who was there from the beginning and we talked about my results, the program and she gave me some suggestions for my training sessions to break things up. I have been concerned about my legs and knees so she suggested I do a few light stretches before I hop on the bike if I don't walk the 1.5 KM to the gym . If I walk briskly to the gym like I did today then I can go right into my routine. She suggests I stretch before I leave the gym. I realize that my weight is what's putting pressure on my legs and knees and that's why I'm at the gym. Inside I had to smirk when the other trainer told me

"I'm not going to sugar coat it for you, your knees hurt because of your weight".

In 11 days since my 30 day measurement, I have lost an additional :

2 inches off my upper arms
.5 off of my neck
1 inch off my diaphragm

Whoo! Whoo! Yay, me!

All other measurements are the same and weight wise. The time of the cycle so we will see how things go and I am going to focus on more veggies. I am going to increase weights on my leg exercises, focus on abs and take some of the Hatha Yoga Classes that are available. A good idea is to record every time I go to the gym, cleanse and any other notes I need to record on a calendar. Until now I haven't used anything other then the blog or writing a few notes in my Isagenix System Guide which I received when I first began Isagenix. I also need to plan the days I will go to the gym with my schedule and be accountable.

I am feeling great and even though the weight isn't pouring off me like other people I am determined to do this successfully and incorporate exercise into my lifestyle.

Remember, every BODY is different so don't compare yourself to anyone!

Acting Instead of Reacting

For those of you who know me, you know that we have been planning a holiday for Sept. and are still waiting for one of the two passports. So, I've booked the hotel and flight for Sept. 13th. After speaking to several different agents at Canada Passport I have a couple of options to ensure that it will be here before that time comes so.. stay tuned.

Secondly, I'm on the day after my cleanse. Was yesterday easy? Nope, but then it wasn't horrible either. I would say.. uncomfortable. But, here I am the day after and feeling great! In fact, I'm off to the gym for my evaluation and a workout so I will post about that later..

OSC

Its All Greek To Me!

Today is a cleanse day. I will give you some tips to help you save your sanity. :-)

If you are out of the house, make sure to carry some Isagenix snacks or the Isadelights in your purse or bag. I use mini zip lock bags in the snack size. Very handy and ready for the growling in your stomach. Today I was told they are the |"tigers in your tummy eating away at the fat reserves". I had to type that so I wouldn't forget that comment, too good! Thanks Rob!

If you are out of the house, carry your water bottle with you and Need More Energy mixed in. I alternate that and love lemon sliced in my water. If I don't have lemon, I use limes but right now I'm onto lemons BIG time. Refreshing and tasty!

When cleansing there are a couple of different ways to take the Cleanse For Life elixir.

1. Mix four ounces with water and drink.
2. Sprinkle Need More Energy in your water and elixer. Don't forget your ice!
3. Drink the Elixer as a shot chased down with the water. If you are brave, drink the shot and then wait until it digests and following with water.

Right now it is +30 degrees and I have had to shut all the windows because the neighbors who own a Greek restaurant are barbequing downstairs! It smells sooooooooooooooo good. I find my senses heightened during cleanse.

Oh yes, get a pedicure when you have a cleanse. Its wonderful! The Olympics were broadcast on their plasma tv and I started to cry when I saw the Canadians bring home silver medals in the Equestrian and Women's trampoline. Did I mention that one of the things that could happen when doing a cleanse is that you could become very sensitive. Folks, I don't cry at such things. Sure, I'm happy for them but I know nothing about trampolines or horses. But I do know I do LOVE Greek food!~Sigh

Liquidating Your Assets

Moo-ve along now!

Consider first when looking in your freezer or fridge if what's inside is helping you in your quest for a greater life, healthier living and a successful plan. If you want to know where you can start, here are some ideas How To Inspire A Conscious Kitchen.

Lately, I have to admit that I have been putting off cleaning out the freezer and fridge for many reasons. Then, today I thought I should see what has been stockpiling in there. My husband pointed out to me on several occasions that I had four boxes of Skinny Cow fudge sickles, Breyer's Fruit Bars as well as other bits from early April and it is now mid August! I encouraged him to eat them because I have virtually given up all the frozen treats and I'm not really a eater of ice cream or novelty desserts even when its supposed to hit the mid thirties today. That's hot! He on the other hand loves ice cream. Me, I'm quite happy with my Isadelights!

I noticed as I hauled out the cardboard a couple of things. Spenda and in other cases the treats were loaded in sugar! Sure, low calorie but filled with many things that I have given up. What was I thinking? I was misguided by the low calorie blurb on the package and enticed by the pretty Skinny Cow on the package. I then realized that I had bought into Skinny Cow back in my Weight Watchers days and grew really fond of the sundaes that were only 2 points! I have just learnt that Skinny Cow is under the Weight Watchers umbrella and now endorsed by Oprah's Good Life Program as well. The Skinny Cow has her pockets lined with cash no doubt.

I also found frozen tomato sauce, 2 sausages, shrimp so that means that my husband is having Jambalaya for dinner tonight. I did some alterations by adding more veggies and using brown rice.

Yes, I'm making it while on a cleanse! It can be done. Am I hungry for it? Nope. Drink your water, drink your cleanse, keep busy, and you will be fine! Hey, and while you're at it, don't be surprized if you feel the need to clean or tackle cleaning the garage!

Milestones.

Part of my reason for blogging this is that

if you don't keep track of where you were then how will you know how far you have come ?

I looked at my chart while I was at the workout today and I have been officially exercising for two months! My Isagenix Anniversary was one month on August 8 and the gym was two months Anniversary on June 7th!

I am going for my evaluation this Tuesday at 9:30 AM for my fitness assessment and evaluation. This will check my BMI, weight, measurements, etc. Of course I have an idea about that!


What did I learn today?

Pick a cooler time of the day to walk then at 2:45 PM on a hot sumer day when the temperature is 28 plus degrees! The brisk walk to and from the gym is 3 KMS. Holy crap did I sweat. I learned also the benefits of Want More Energy? mixed with water. Lemon lime and refreshing to restore the body!

The last time I was at the gym was two weeks ago! Not great... I paid for it. I had cramps in my abs big time and quads were really tight.

I have to pay more attention to my stretching before I exercise and its something I should do daily! I need to stretch my quads so one of the trainers showed me a few stretches I can do at home. That might make it easier on my knees.

I'm also impressed. Over the last month, I am able to lift double the weights I could in the beginning. This is amazing!!! That's called personal best, now isn't it?? !

Have to run, off to go get my Ionix Supreme from UPS. Oh how I've missed thee!!

Additions to the Blog.

I'm using the blog as a learning tool. So far I have added:
A counter of how many people have visited the page, the countries of origin, a poll and the opportunity to suscribe to my blog. Fun stuff!

Honesty

One thing I have promised in my blog is that I will be honest.


Sure, I could say that the weight came off effortlessly and I followed the program 100% of the time. I could but that would be a lie.

I have major PMS and ate my way through a bag of Lindor Chocolates (70 calories each!!) and I was so hungry yesterday that I had a shake, a meal and then instead of another shake I had a meal that wasn't so sensible.

Its been commented to me that I am going through a cleanse. I have been having cravings I haven't had for weeks and in some cases MANY months. At one point last night I actually smelt hot dogs. We haven't had those for .. well since last summer. I have not eaten any for many months! I was craving cheese and I haven't eaten cheese since.. well, several months other then some on the odd individual sized pizza. I've given up my dairy mostly.

So, here is my plan for today. Today is a new day. I'm going to brush myself off and get back at it today. I have today off so I plan to get some meals ready for the rest of the week since the others are now gone. As well, take a trip to the gym and as my warmup I will walk there. I think I'll get them to show me some different equipment today for a change. I've been using the same equipment for almost two months now..

Have a great day!

Peaks and Valleys.

Yesterday was a cleanse day and unlike other cleanse days, it was very different. I was anxious, crabby, irritable and grumpy. I think that by recognizing this and knowing some of my triggers it will help me deal with these situations.

In the morning, I had planned to go with the group for the River Valley Exercise session but instead I had diarrhea and fatigue which are signs of cleansing throughout the morning. If you experience this, make sure to drink lots of water. It will see you through! I am sure that I contributed to this by eating a individual sized Tuscan Pizza the night before which was a Satuday night. I have not eaten cheese or dough for.. I can't remember how long. I am sure my body was confused by that.. I rested for most of the morning and was anxious to get on with the rest of the day because I wanted to spend time with my husband, relax and enjoy some of the weekend before the summer is over.

I took a bottle of pre made cleanse with me in a travel bottle as well as a bottle of More Energy with me. Both bottles looked like they had Iced Tea in them.. We walked around the park area, to the ponds, watched the geese, chatted and continued through some of the park trails. I found that when I am cleansing, my senses are very aware. I could smell the hot dogs barbecuing in the picnic sites as if they were right beside me! Approximately 3 KMS. and my energy was depleted. My legs felt tight and lead weight. I have not been using Ionix for a week now and am seeing the difference I can see why people usually start with this product. It is amazing! Soon I was hungry so I drank my drink and had a snack..

Later on we decided to visit my parents who live in the area and were invited to stay over for dinner but declined because I was on a cleanse day which meant no solid food. Nearby I noticed a HUGE bag of potato chips and wanted to dive my head in.

I continued to drink my cleanses, waters and snacks.. To keep me busy I went out with my Mom in a quest for new pants that fit and I'm happy to say I have gone down a size! It was a good reminder to stay strong and determined.

That evening, hubby made dinner for himself and I had to leave the room and keep myself busy because I was hungry. I have now done...about five cleanses and this one was the hardest. Before going to bed I made two hard boiled eggs which I ate while watching Canada's 50 year old fencing champion beat the woman from Tunisia.

I went to sleep to rest my body.. today I wake and feel good. Now I have a nasty cold sore on my lower lip.

That shake this morning tasted sooooooooooooooooo good!

Fat Pants Are Not Phat!

Every day at work, we wear black pants and over the last few days I felt enormous in them because I had to hold them together with a safety pin. Today I went out and was thrilled to find a pair of pants that fit! Yes, and.. they were a smaller size! The good thing about shopping at this time of year is that you can buy clothing for 50% off the clearance price so it they are too big in another month.. Believe me, I won't feel bad at all!

Yes, I'm smiling!

How much do you want this? Working your way through cleansing.

What I write is of my own personal experience..

One of the questions you have to ask yourself when beginning any program and throughout a program is:

How much do I want this?

Also, any program is only as good as the effort you put into it.

Today is a challenging day for me. I have chosen today as my cleanse day and to save anyone from reading this, too much information, lets just say... I have a few side effects and my body is in full cleanse mode today. My day now looks differently then I originally had planned it but.. isn't that life in a nutshell?

If you read about cleansing, the body cleanses and various things happen.

If for example, you drink cofee then obviously caffiene withdrawl which might include headaches. Me, I don't drink coffee enough to go through withdrawls. Some of the side effects can include tiredness, irritability and hunger.

I remember the first day I had my cleanse, I went though it all: irritability, hunger, headaches, fatigue, stomach growling, and mood swings but I made it though. Then, I talk to some people who are on the program and they have no problems with the cleanse. In fact, they have little or no symptoms. I had to remind myself that I shouldn't compare my body or experiences to anyone. I am unique. We are all different and our bodies deal with cleansing differently.


Another time I went through, minor hunger pangs which I pushed away with a boiled egg or celery sticks. When I did a two day cleanse, back to back, it was effortless and the majority of the next day was! The majority of it was. I even cooked and prepped meals on days where I was on full cleanse and wasn't hungry! One day I even went out with a friend and little did I know she was doing her grocery shopping! Instead, I bought some cleaning supplies and when I got home I cleaned!

If you are cleansing and need relief:

Read a book
Watch a movie
Go for a walk
Get some extra sleep or rest
Drink more water
Drink More Energy
Eat one Isasnack
Eat an Isadelight
Get a massage
Have a hot soak
Get a pedicure
Stretch
Yoga
Eat a hard boiled egg, five almonds, celery, or small green salad.

Some key elements in a successful cleanse day are rest and water.

I cannot promise it you is easy but if you take the time to listen to your body, there is much for you to learn!

Feedjit.

I found this application purely by accident by seeing it on someone else's blog. Quite cool to see on a map where the readers are from! I had no idea if anyone even read my blog besides me and a couple of friends. Blogging is very new to me so I am learning....


Don't be shy, say hello!

30 Day Meaurements and Weigh In.

After using the 30 day Cleansing and Fat Burning System by Isagenix, I have lost:

18 Inches!


That came from my chest, (largest change) diaphragm, waist, buttocks (second largest change), thighs, calves, knees. I actually gained one inch in each of my upper arms. Remember, I have been exercising at the gym as well since the middle of June so of course this is changing my body as well.


I have released 15 pounds of fat! ~That my friends is the most I have managed to get off since I had Gallbladder surgery 2+ years ago! I didn't need to step on the scale to have it tell me the numbers. I could tell from how my clothes were fitting and when it got time to use a safety pin to hold up pants that I wore everyday to work, I knew something was happening!
I feel great with that. It is a comfortable level for me and not too radical that its an unhealthy amount of weight to lose in 30 days. I noticed the weight came off in the first 10 days and then evened out midway through and then dropped off towards the end of the month. Now that I've been on the program for a month, I have now more knowledge about the program and how my body is working.

Portion control is a big thing for me. I will not weigh the food or count the calories but I can live with eating 1/2 cup - 1 cup of rice instead of 2 cups! Same with pasta. I also have to remember to get the greens in on a daily basis. Veggies aren't as hard for me. I can thrown them in salads, etc.. If you have been reading my blog, you will notice that I had a rough time going with parties and such. I've been figuring out how to eat healthier and make those times more manageable.
How do I feel? Health wise and Emotionally?

Joint pains have lessened. Skin is not as dry and any dry patches have cleared. Other then minor bouts of allergies from construction going on, I have not had problems breathing and have not had problems with wheezing while exercising. I have been monitoring my blood pressure and that has lowered. I sleep better and wake up rested. I am not as agitated and can handle pressures more easily. I have more of a social life and have been doing things I normally wouldn't have. I am putting myself out there more..


How did my 30 day kit last? Everything will hold out until the auto ship arrives except for the Ionix Supreme. Remember, I was doubling to 2 oz. instead of 1 oz. and gobbling too many Isadelight chocolates down. Now, I take them on cleanse day or as a treat. My current box is lasting me.

Yes, I will continue with Isagenix to reach my goal weight and I am happy with my results so far!

People are starting to ask me what I am doing to lose the weight and its really starting to show. This is only the beginning of my transformation.

08/08/08

Tomorrow is in the Chinese culture, a lucky day~! For brides, it is THE day to get married. For me, its 30 days on the Isagenix Plan. Stay tuned, measurements and weigh in! Yesterday, I actually had to keep my pants on with a safety pin! Usually, I have problems keeping the button on!

Eight. The sign of perfect balance.

My Favourite Isagenix Product

My favourite Isagenix product is Ionix Supreme. I take it first thing in the morning before I eat anything. I drink it in a shot glass and it now replaces my morning coffee. Each morning I have been drinking 2 ounces but have been running low so now I have only drank one ounce per day.

Day Two of Second Cleanse.

Today wasn't bad until 9 PM tonight. I've eaten four IsaSnacks and three IsaDelights today. Right now, I feel light headed and hungry. Plain ol hungry. I have drank over three litres of water today with lemon as well as my four cleanses. I am contemplating another chocolate or some almonds. Hit with diarrhea as well tonight. Haven't had that since I first started almost a month ago. I will go to bed soon and see how I feel in the morning. I will start back to my shake for breakfast.

Update: Ended up eating two Isasnacks and some More Energy in my water. That calmed me down somewhat but felt nauseated. Ate five almonds with water and went to sleep.

Fattouch Salad. Chrstina's Version.

Fattouch Salad

We had a version of this at Heritage Days and as I ate it, I thought I can make this and here is my version! This Middle Eastern Salad is a treat. This will serve eight but if you like salad like we do, you can always cut down on the dressing to lighten things up.

• 2 x pita breads (if you want to use one only, separate the halves)
  
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground grated lemon rind or sumac
• 1/2 tsp crumbled oregano
  
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup sliced red onions
• 3 x green onions, sliced
• 1 x green pepper, diced
• 1 x English cucumber, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup each chopped fresh parsley and mint
• 4 cups torn romaine lettuce

1. Toast pita breads in 375 degree oven , about 10 minutes or grill on the BBQ until marked and crisp, about 3 minutes. Cool. Break in to bite sized chunks. Reserve. You could also use a flat bread, Spelt Pita or your choice. You have the control.
   
2. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, lemon rind, oregano, salt and pepper. Add red and green onion, green pepper, cucumber, parsley and mint. Toss to coat. Add pita bread chunks, lettuce and tomatoes to bowl. Toss and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

I will take this for lunch. You could also add a few chick peas for protein. I will take the salad dressing in a separate container, drizzle it in my portion of salad and break a few pieces of pita before eating to mix well with the dressing. A nice side of carrot sticks, celery and cherry tomatoes with humus would be nice too!

Things to do on a cleanse day! Cleaning Up My Act In More Ways Then One

Every buy more of what you thought you had run out of? Sure, we all have. Instead of thinking about food, I decided to reorganize the kitchen, pantry, cupboards. I grabbed a recycling bag, a donation box and a box for the Food Bank. I thought of this yesterday while walking around Heritage Days and watched everyone eating. We are fortunate and live in a society of excess.

I am getting rid of clutter! I have cleaned all my cupboards of excess dishes and knickknacks which are going to be donated to a charity. I have gone through my pantry and got rid of the foods I no longer eat because they are not benefiting my body. Those too, the Food Bank. I have taken stock of my pantry and ask myself, Why do I need four boxes of Inca Red Quinoa?!

My husband and I have made a pact. No groceries purchased until Sept! Sound weird? No way. We have pantry items and freezer items that need to be eaten. The only exception to groceries will be Veggies (Fresh), Milk for him (I am not eating dairy) and Cheese (again for him). I compromised....

It took us three hours to go through and see what was there! It certainly kept my mind off food and reminded me that I was being wasteful.

Isagenix on a busy Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday

A one day shake day. Should have been a two shake day but so much going on. Remember, it is designed to work within your lifestyle.

I spent most of the day with my Mom, Sister and her three daughters at Heritage Days. It was a cool day with low lying clouds so it kept the sun away. It was nice because it wasn't packed and it was the first day of the festival.


We watched the African performers who were excited to be there and it showed in their performances. We also watched the lion dance and Japanese drummers which were my favorites.

The kids meandered through the pavilions while eating elephant ears, churros, meat on sticks, and sechuan beef. (Misspellings and spell check isn't giving me an alternative.) Me, it was challenging to know where to eat because many of the places I wanted to eat at weren't opening up their food until later after noon or for the evening. Not sure why... It seemed that everywhere I looked it was deep fried dough, sugar, meat on sticks and more deep fried stuff. I got frustrated and hungry so I sucked on a Isadelight. I did choose food from Greece which was pita, carrot sticks, cellery sticks, hummus (with LOADS of Garlic in chunks) and thick white sauce (I gave that to someone). Two Samosas with Chutney from Pakistan. Green Papaya Salad from Lao. My sister also tried the chocolate dipped banana which just look too funny but I have a warped sense of humor. She gave up trying to eat it and gave it to the kids after we both couldn't stop giggling.



Throughout the Festival I kept bumping into people I know. At one point on Sunday, a woman came up to me and said, "Hi Christina! So good to see you! Isn't this great. Are you having fun, etc"and in the back of my mind I am thinking.. WTF, who are you?! I was trying hard to control the blushing because I do that when I get flustered. I smiled and grinned. So good to see you and that.. I came to the conclusion that it must have been a customer. Until then, I saw about 20 people I knew and knew them but this person had me totally confused. On Saturday, before I knew it I had someone come running up to me to hug me while I was looking at the Mendhi. She pulled us over and my niece got Mendhi done on her forearm. I didn't want mine there and she did it on my ankle. Ten minutes later, I was had ran together. Not sure why.. Heat. Heat from me. Or perhaps my muscle on my ankle from walking.. Then, Sabrina went to pull up her purse on her shoulder and smeared half of hers. I tried everything to remove the henna but it looks like I have a weird orange type birthmark on my ankle/foot for 2-4 weeks.

We stayed for a visit after we got home to my parent's home and before we knew it they were back on the road to Drayton Valley again. I miss them already.

Sunday

Two shakes today and Heritage Day offerings!

I drank 1 litre of water before I left and had my morning shake, Ionix and Accelerators.

I have heard about the River Valley Workout on Former Fat Guy Weight Loss Forum for the last year and Mike and I decided we'd give it a go. Its not too often that Mike and I are both off on a Sunday for this. It was great that Mike wanted to come along to support me. I thought it would be good to get out in the River Valley for some exercise.. Now when I think about it, it was mentioned as a "little boot camp". I felt like a contestant on the Life Channel's X-Weighted.
Oh, we had walking, squats, lunges, pull ups, push ups, planks, side planks, etc. and 'the stairs'. These are stairs that go up the hill, wooden stairs. I looked up and verbally said, "Holy... Mother!" Then, it was pointed out that firemen were training on the same stairs with hoses. At one point I looked up and all I could see was firemen fineness! :-) Legs incredibly tight and intense cramping. 3:40 Mins. But, even though the cramping sucked and the stairs sucked bigger, I did it! We were there for 1.5 hours and I was spent.


What did I learn about myself: I can do more if I push myself. I can talk myself into it as much as I can talk myself out of it!


I was incredibly sore and drank a Litre of water mixed with More Energy. That calmed everything down. Mike went off to bed and slept for two hours. Me, I had a hot soak. Before you know it I was showering, getting dressed and we were off to Heritage Days to meet with Darlene and Rob. We hopped into the car and then onto the shuttle bus.

Thank goodness for Darlene's notes on places to eat healthy or somewhat healthy. I tried:

Fattouch Salad A medley of fresh vegetables, tossed with sumac, lemon, olive oil & garnished with crisped pita bread

Kamundele BBQ beef with green pepper, onion and spices, Congolese way

Timtmo Lentils with onions, peppers and spices

Beef Skewer beef marinated in lemongrass, oyster sauce and soy sauce on skewer and a few pieces from the fruit cup (melon)

I think I remembered everything! Of course, water to go with that.

We watched Latin dancers, Cuban Entertainment, Dragon dance, Ethiopian Dancers, Tanzanian Dancers, and so much.

What I enjoyed about this was that when you meet new people, you get to see things that you might normally not see or look at. It gave me the chance to look at things through someone else's eyes and to try foods I haven't tried before. I like to try new things and see different things. I'm really easy that way.. That's what makes life interesting.

. What a busy, fun, interesting day and a chance to get spend some time with people who I never get to spend time with or have had the chance to get to know! Mike and I both had a fantastic time yesterday.. I just realized we took no pictures to have as souvenirs of that day.

Today, I have chosen as one of two of my back to back cleanse days. Quite honestly, there aren't many parts of me that aren't sore from the workout! Joints in my toes, back muscles, thigh muscles, lower legs. I will drink lots of water to ease me through the cleansing process. Cleansing begins .. NOW.

The eggs are calling me!

Right now I am sitting at my parents computer and my Dad is making his breakfast. Toast, bacon, eggs, etc. God, it smells soooooooooooo good and I am missing my eggs in them morning that are now being replaced by a shake. I am going to finish here and then go get some water with lemon that I can sip on and I am sure it will stop this feeling.

Last night, I came to stay over and my neice came home from work. Tim Horton's: Ice Cap and Boston Cream donuts. I smiled and said no thanks. Then, I went off for some water and boiled a egg which helped me sleep last night.

Our plans are to go to Heritage Day today and I sat with the menu last night. I have opted for veggie dishes that aren't deep fried or floating in batter/dough. Believe me, out of all the tents I found about four dishes. Each tent has at least five dishes. If I do want to stray, I could have meat on a stick which everyone has. :-) I will post some of my results.

Last night I was supposed to go to a movie with a friend but that didn't pan out. I haven't heard why I never got a call.. Anyways, it saved me from Joeys which I have to say has some of the most high caloric menus I have ever seen. One dish had 1800 calories alone! That would be my sensible meals for 2.5 days on Isagenix.

Here are pictures when I started!

Day 22 Pictures.

Here are the pictures after 22 days on Isagenix.