New Challenge...

With the Candida cleanse behind me, I'll write more about that in a bit. I've entered the Commit to Be Fit challenge at Chiropractic USA (Dr. Chris Moore). I'm hoping ths new twelve week challenge will get me back into the good habits I formed during the cleanse, but without the extremes.

Overall during the cleanse I lost a total of 30 lbs and several inches all over, though mostly in the upper body.  I did go down enough to get into size 12s (down 1 size). However, during the last 8 weeks I've been off the cleanse, and with my busy schedule, I haven't been eating very well and have gained about 8 lbs back. This new challenge comes with meal plan, shopping lists, and a recommended training schedule. The plan I'll be following is meant for athletes in training, which is perfect as I'm beginning to train for the Doxa Threelay (a triathalon relay) and the Zion Red Rock Relay in August and September. I'd also like to run a half marathon this year, if finances allow.

The 12 weeks began as of Friday when I had a Bod Pod body assessment. The assessment measures your body fat percentage and extimates how many calories you are burning at different activity levels. I am currently about 1380 at rest (so laying down and basically sleeping). If I stay within 200-300 of the recommended calories based on the estimate for the amount of exercise I am doing I should lose weight. At least that's what I've been told.  Dr. Moore said he has lost up to 30 lbs on this program without doing much exercise, which is about what I'd like to lose to be within my goal range of 130-140. I think the "optimal" weight for my height is 136.

With Summer coming I should have more time to blog and exercise, athough I'll be working most of June. I would like to blog at least once a week about this and also the switch to a project-based classroom I hope to create. Here I'll be posting about my favorite recipes, workouts, and successes.  I'll also be posting weekly weight updates, and bi-weekly measurements.  I have a fat % and BMI monitor (although I've been told it can be off by up to 5%), so I'll also post those amounts weekly.

I hope that by blogging about my experiences with weight loss, eating, and exercise I can inspire others to do the same.

To finding and releasing the inner goddess!

Candida Cleanse Day 10

I started a Candida Cleanse on Dec 27, 2013.  It's hard to believe I'm already almost two weeks into it.  When I weighed in at the beginning of the cleanse I was a whopping 198 lbs! I haven't weighed that much since I was pregnant with my second child 2 1/2 years ago.  It was scary to think I hand't followed what I wanted to do at all. I am working through the Club Reduce Candida Cleanse, through Elite Health Utah.  Let me explain a little about what a Candida Cleanse is for those of you who may not know.

We all have candida albicans yeast in our bodies naturally, but through the use of antibiotics, birth control and a few other things this naturally occurring yeast can overgrow becoming a fungus. The yeast leads to cravings for high amounts of sugary and yeasty foods (baked goods especially).  It can also cause many symptoms such as fatigue and weight gain (the two I show), along with many other symptoms.  To cleanse the body of yeast a strict diet cutting out sugar and yeast must be followed.  The Club Reduce method allows for veggies, poultry, seafood, lentils, and brown rice for 12 weeks.  Fruit can be added back during the 3rd week on Day 23 of the cleanse.

The plan also includes body wraps, whole body vibration therapy, chiropractic, supplements, and self-management technology.  As mentioned earlier, I have been on the plan for 10 days now.  At my last appointment (Day 5) I had lost 9 lbs, and after my wrap 7.5" off my whole body. I will keep you posted on if I maintained the inch loss (which they say I will) with the diet I've been on.

Eating this way has been a big challenge for me, but I have found several sites that provide candida cleanse friendly recipes and am trying my best to keep it up.  My cravings for bread (mostly tortillas actually) and sugar come and go, but I have been feeling very good and trying to just stick with it.  I think it is the hardest when my family is eating something I really like, but I cannot partake.

At this point in the game I am on a 5 day juice detox, similar to the master cleanse.  I, however, have had poor experiences with the master cleanse (lemon juice, maple syrup, water, cayenne), so this detox has been modified to cranberry juice, maple syrup, water.  I am on day 2 of the detox and have had some mild hunger.  Nothing I can't deal with though, and I think part of the hunger comes from not consistently drinking the juice and water today.  I was very consistent yesterday and had no problems.

Weight this morning (according to my Wii) 182 lbs.  I know my Wii is generally off about 5 lbs from other scales, so I will say I'm at 187 which is a 2 lb loss.  I will post all of my stats and new pics next week, since all my records are currently at Elite Health Care.  I haven't been taking measurements and such, since they do it when I have my weekly visits.

One more thing...I have set all of my goals for the year, then broken down what I think I can handle in January. I'll get those posted next time as well, and let you know my progress on them.

Hope you're finding your inner goddess!