EXCUSES!!! I'm Full of Them.

After a mediocre week two, I decided I needed to kick it back up for week three. And then came the flu. Apparently I can fight colds like a superhero, but the flu, not so much. The worst is that I didn't even lose any weight from it.  Even on the mend I was tired, I was weak, and I was lazy.

So along comes week four, and I have a couple of Jets shifts, and also a game to attend. I end up barely exercising in week four either. I was tired, I was LAZY.

Seriously, this is not how it is supposed to be. I am supposed to do well, I am supposed to inspire. Instead, I just suck.

On the other hand, I still see progress. I may only be down 4.4 pounds since day one (not bad in my own opinion) but there is definitely shape changes happening. I love, love, love my calf muscles. However, I HATE Jillian! She's such a bitch! I cannot possibly jump up and down for two minutes straight!!! Ugh! It's not that I get winded, it's that my legs want to collapse. I just keep telling myself that it will get better. . .and I keep hoping it does. Maybe someday. (And maybe she's not a bitch but sometimes I feel that way.)

So I just peeked back at the first month of my blog at start of my weight loss journey, and I see many ups and downs. This makes me realize that this is all part of the journey and we just have to keep going. Why? Because in another four weeks, I want to be a better me. 　

Week Two. . .Uh Oh!!!

Week two did not start off as well as week one. I had my first cheat day. . .or what I prefer to call a "self-sabotage" day! I was worse then I had planned though and I actually felt guilty after, probably because I also went two days without exercise. When I did workout after those two days, my body ached, and I had trouble completing some of the exercises! I did not let that discourage me.

Monday came and I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't gain with that cheat day, but then came another cheat day (unplanned. . .it happens sometimes). With that happening and PMS, I decided to wait until next week to weigh in again.

I am not sure why, but I am forgetting to drink my water. My first time around I drank tons of water, not sure why I haven't restarted that habit yet. Water is so important! I must make that a priority as well!

Sometimes life gets in the way of the best made plans but it is important to keep going. Don't let a bad day or two send you in the wrong direction.

Another Week One

Here I am again! Time to start a new journey (or actually continue on the old one). I must confess that I put on too much weight the last few months. I planned on many occasions to be better, but as I have always said, you have to be ready. If you're not ready you WILL fall off the food wagon. So I did fall off, a few times.

This time I have gathered a group of friends to join me on a 90 day health and weight loss challenge. They are my inspiration to succeed because I cannot fail them, and I cannot fail me.

So there I was again, experiencing ANOTHER day one! I'm not near as heavy as my first day one, and this time I am motivated to lose it. Day one was great! I decided to try out Jillian Michaels Shred again, although I was very afraid of not being able to sit down the next day (as with my first time around that I did it). I died!! Obviously not, otherwise I wouldn't be here writing this. I didn't make it. My endurance was non-existent and I actually sat and watched the end of the workout so that I knew what I had in-store for the next time.

And day two came with pain that grew greater during the day, but not awful, phew!!!

Day three was the first day that I had trouble with hunger. When I looked back at my very first time around, my blog post said "Today I did feel hungry for the first time." It must be a day three thing. I did the Shred again and made it to the end with short breaks when I couldn't keep up.

Then it was the weekend. . .and I worried because sometimes bad food and laziness come with the weekend but I did amazingly well. Day four I did a 3K walk. I did the shred on day five and it was so much better.  I still have a way to go to get through without a break, but my endurance is quickly improving. I also went for a 5K walk on day five!

On day six food became an issue and I think that was because I needed protein but in the form of meat. I am a protein addict, and apparently a protein shake is insufficient for that craving. I have added some jerky to my snack supply at work!

Day seven I realized that own my need to get exercise of some sort incorporated into my day had taken over. Still not making it through the whole workout without slowing down, but getting better every time! :)

Overall, I thing my week one went pretty well. A weight loss journey is not easy to start. . .if it was then everyone would do it. The final result of my work, 2.2 pounds, was satisfying, but I still have a long way to go!

Bumps in my Journey

My weight loss journey has been long because it never really ends. It keeps leading me through ups and downs, losses and gains. For the last 3 1/2 years I have lived this journey but as long as I stay on this path I am going to be okay. Even though I am having a hard time right now, I have never been perfect at this.

It has been a while since my last post, which was my 90-day It Works! review. I have continued on my Greens and have remained mostly healthy.  I had a brief but easy bout of the flu. While my daughter was horribly sick with the cold and flu for 4 1/2 days, I had one day of minor flu symptoms and took an extra day off to recover as it seemed too short to be true! Everyone that has had the cold and flu around me has had a hard time shaking it. Why did I get off so easy? I credit taking my Greens twice a day!

I have also continued the Fat Fighters (Formula FF) which I either take after my largest meal of the day (usually dinner), or my unhealthiest meal. They do indeed take the edge off my evening cravings.

I did not continue the Thermofit as I ran out and did not re-order. I was in a period of time that was seemingly easy so I decided that I didn't need them. Now I am thinking I need them again as one of the benefits of Thermofit is reduced appetite.

SO. . .now seems to be the perfect time to put my It Works products to another test. Or more specifically the Thermofit. Starting March 3rd I'm going to start another 90-day challenge. It's time to re-loose some pounds! Taking two Thermofit during the day will help with my daytime snacking problems, and I will still take my Fat Fighters to help reduce my evening cravings.

If you wish to join me (there will be prizes!), please contact me here or email andreasgreatgreens@outlook.com for more information on the challenge.

My Absolutely Honest 90 Day Review and My Amazing Wrap Results

I have completed my 90 day challenge and its time to give you my honest review of my journey. I'm not sure what I can say that I haven't already said in previous posts. Am I happy with my results? Yes! Am I happy with the products? Yes! Is this skeptic still a skeptic? No!

The Greens - I love the Greens! I feel great and I have been healthy. And while I do have a minor cold at the moment (possibly the "easiest" cold I have ever had), I plan to keep taking them.

The Vitamins (It's Vital Core Nutrition) - I am in love with these - I have had no cramps since I started taking them!!!

The Fat Fighters (Formula FF) and Thermofit - These helped me keep off the pounds over Christmas and lose 3 1/2 pounds since January 1st!

If you think that any It Works product is going to miraculously make you skinny, then you are mistaken. They need to be used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle. What does that mean? It means you can't eat deep fried foods for three meals a day, and expect to lose weight. However, they can help when you do make the bad choice. It wasn't until I committed to making better food choices (most of the time) that I really saw results.

Month three of this 90 day challenge involved trying those "Crazy Wrap Things".  Right up until I saw my fourth Ultimate Body Applicator (aka wrap) results I was ready to give a review that said that the wraps were just meh, but then. . .

But then I finally saw the results!!! It's hard to see our own progress sometimes, that's why before and after shots are important.

What can I tell you about the wraps? Let me compare them to a more familiar product. Think about teeth-whitening strips. . .if you use only one, you might not see results. You have to use the whole box in order to really see whiter teeth. It's the same idea for these wraps. Using one is a sample. Using a whole box (four) is the full treatment. So while I could barely see my results myself after my first wrap, I can really see them after the fourth!

Once again, the Ultimate Body Applicator is a is a non-woven cloth that is infused with a botanically-based cream formulated to deliver maximum tightening, toning, and firming results. It does not make you lose weight or fat! It continuously hydrates for firmer, smoother, more youthful-looking skin, and reduces the appearance of cellulite and skin slackening. This tightening is what makes your problem area look more toned.

Here's one more embarrassing picture for you to show you how it's not squishing you, or making you sweat out the fat, or any of the misconceptions that are common. It covers only the area you are targeting - your stomach, sides, back, arms, legs. . .pretty much anywhere except your face.

As you can see, it only goes about half way around me. No squishing! You just wear something tight over top to secure it. 

In the end, I would still not blindly recommend the wraps to everyone. If you have weight to lose, do that first. Then use the wraps to tighten and tone the skin in the area(s) that you need. If you are already fairly satisfied with yourself but are looking to tighten up an area, then yes, go ahead and use the wraps!