Pages

Sunday, January 5, 2014

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!

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Weekly Update

Weight: 187.1 lbs

Well, I failed at all of my goals this week.  I didn't work out at all, do yoga, or eat six times a day.  I did meditate a couple of times in the morning, but nothing regular. However, even though I didn't meet any of my goals I did loose 2 lbs. I have also decided to go ahead with the gym membership, as it seems to have the best options for me to train.

I am going to set the same goals this week as last week, so I can get in this habit.  Although I'd like to see lots of results toward my weight loss goals, I am more concerned with getting in healthy habits right now...

Goals:  Drop 2 lbs, Work out 5 days, Yoga/Meditate 6 days, Eat 6 times a day (smaller portions)

Monday, November 11, 2013

7 Months Later...

I have had some successes and some ultimate failure in the last 7 months since I wrote last.  The failure being I've gained all of my weight back, plus some.  According to the Wii Fit (I know not the most accurate, but it's what I have right now) I am at 189.3 and back to "obese" BMI status.  I hate the way I look, and feel like I'm constantly sick with something. Successes I've had...I've completed 2 RAGNAR's (approx 200 mile relay race, 12 runners, over 2 days).  I felt great after this last one (2 days ago) and am itching to keep running and working out.

Here are the challenges I'm facing:  Working full time, spouse works 2 jobs, 2 kids, and it's quickly becoming winter (= COLD and crappy inversion).  Where will I find the time and motivation to workout?

Possible Solutions: Run/workout in the early morning, run/workout in the late evening (after 8 pm), get a gym membership to avoid the cold, suck it up and just dress warmly

Of these options, I would really like to have a gym membership again.  I like having access to the weights and pool to swim. I also like stretching in the sauna, and the health benefits that gives me. Hmm....decisions, decisions. I'll keep you posted on these...

Moving on to Goals: 1. Lose 60 lbs (Weigh 130-135)by my 30th birthday (Sept 2014) , 2. Get in the habit of exercising every day (easy days 1-2 days a week for better recovery), 3. Run a 1/2 marathon in April/May, 4. Get my running time down under 10 min in the next year, 5. Eat mostly fruits and veggies (less processed food), 6. Eat out no more than once a week, 7. Track my progress through blogging, pictures, and measurements, 8. Yoga and meditation at least once a day (probably before bed) to reduce stress, 9. Eat 5-6 times a day in smaller portions, 10. Be happy and love myself. 11. Read 1 fitness/diet/motivation/non-fiction book a month for the mind. (Starting with finishing You: The Owner's Manual)

I know this is a lot of goals, but I think they all kind of go together.  If I'm going to really change my lifestyle to be a healthier one, I need to start from the inside.  I need to keep myself motivated, and not look to others to motivate me.  I need to feel good about myself and my accomplishments, for example I feel amazing after RAGNAR Vegas and want to keep it up. I need to have a goal and stick with it.  I hope the photo documentation will help me keep up my motivation, becuase I can actually see the changes happening in my body.  Although I don't know that anyone will read this, I think sharing my journey will keep me motivated, even if it doesn't motivate anyone else.

I realize these are a couple of weeks old, but I think they're still pretty close to what I am now.
Starting (again) pics: 10.27.13

Starting Measurements: 10.27.13
Weight: 189.3lbs
Chest: 39"
Waist: 40.5"
Hips: 42.625"
Butt: 47"
R Thigh (Top/Mid): 28.25"/26.875"
LThigh (Top/Mid): 28.5"/24.25"
R Calf: 15.625"
L Calf: 15.625"
R Arm: 14"
L Arm: 14.25"

Week 1 Goals (mini goals): Drop 2 lbs, Work out 5 days (T-S), Yoga/Meditate 6 days, Eat 6 times a day (smaller portions)

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Post Fast

Weight: 169.3lbs (total loss: 10.2 lbs)
Measurements are all down between .25" and .5", with the exception of my waist which is down 4"!

Back to food today, and I feel ok. Also ran 2 miles. My pace was slower than usual, which could be because I was running in the dark without a good flashlight. I feel good to be out running again though. I was leery to run during my fast because of the headaches I've experienced in the past with no exercise. I also took about an hour walk yesterday. Unfortunately I forgot my phone and so didn't get a distance for it. I felt I was walking a quick pace though and uphill too.

Overall, I feel the at was a success and plan to eat healthier (and smaller) amounts of food now. With running I'll need to keep my calories up a bit, but with more plant based foods in my diet I hope the weight loss will continue.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Juice Fast Day 4

Yesterday: 174.5 lbs (total loss of: 4.8 lbs)
Today: 172.5 lbs (total loss of: 6.8 lbs)

Yesterday was a good day. Biggest down side was my energy dropped off about 3. I did have a minor headache off and on.

Today was great. I had a few more food cravings than I've had the other days, but I just had some juice or water and bye bye craving. Today marks the down hill of this fast. Only 3 more days to go. I'm excited it's been going so well. In the past I have suffered terrible headaches and hunger. This time around I've had a few mild headaches, but with water, juice, or sleep they have gone away. No headaches today I'm happy to report.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Juice Fast Day 2

Weight: 176.2 lbs (loss of 3.3 lbs)

I was shocked this morning when I weighed myself and found I had lost 3.3 lbs in one day!  I know most of this is water weight, but it's still exciting to see such a rapid loss.

Today was a great day.  I had tons of energy this morning, but I think I pushed it a little to much and was pretty drained this afternoon.  I took about an hour nap, and woke up feeling very refreshed.  I tried recipes from www.rebootwithjoe.com.  If you haven't seen the movie Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead with Joe Cross, I recommend it.  It's hard to believe the great change a juice fast can have on your life.  I'm testing the theory now.  I have done several juice fasts before, but only 2 days here or 3 days there, never for a full week as I'm doing now. The last few I have done I used Odwalla brand juice instead of making my own.  I find making my own much more satisfying, and have enjoyed this so far.

For the negatives, I have had a minor headache off and on today, but some juice or some water have quickly dispelled it.  I also noticed I haven't had the dreaded bowel movement (bm from here on out) that I've read about. I decided this morning to add a salt water cleanse to my fast.  To do the cleanse you add 2 tsp of salt (preferably sea salt or other natural salt) to 4 cups of water, heat on the stove to a warm temperature, then drink the salt water in about 5 min.  Because the water is close to body temperature when it goes in little to none of it is absorbed letting it flush out the intestines.  With the addition of the salt water cleanse I spent my morning in the bathroom.  I did the cleanse before my first juice of the day, and felt energized by it.  I have noticed my thirst (for water) has increased throughout the day, and this could be from the cleanse.  It could also be my body's way of saying, "Hey trying to clean out toxins here, a little water would be helpful."  Time will tell.

I am also proud to report that although I have made 2 meals today for the family, I have not had cravings for food!  YAY!  I'm sure, however, by Saturday's BBQ that may not be the case.  That is my last day, so I know it will probably be the hardest in resisting food.  I'll keep you posted.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Juice Fast Day 1

I have decided to start a 7 day fast today. I am hoping to cleanse my body and retrain my cravings to be healthier foods. I already crave more fruits and veggies now that I'm exercising more, but still crave sweets and such. I'm hoping to curb this craving. Today for my last juice, I had a full fruit juice which was kind of like dessert for me. I loved it. (2 apples and 1 orange).

My beginning stats are as follows:
Weight: 179.5 lbs
Chest: 38.75"
Waist: 36.75"
Hips: 42.75"
Butt: 45.5"
Thighs: 28" (top) 25" (mid)
Arms: 15"

Today I have felt very good. I had a slight headache this afternoon, but think that is due to lack of water. I realized about 2pm I hadn't had any water since early this morning. Once I got some water in me the headache dissipated.