Thursday, July 18, 2013

I'm published!

I was asked by a friend of ours if they could run a story about my Isagenix journey and of course I said yes!! Here it is!

My name is Katy Crumpton, I'm a stay at home mommy of 3 incredible boys ages 8, 3, and 2.  I've been married to my best friend Philip for 9 1/2 years.  We met at Hardin-Simmons in the music department.  Our home is always loud, fun and full of excitement!  I've always enjoyed exercise.  I was a varsity tennis player in high school and have worked out 5 days a week for years.  And I've been overweight for as long as I can remember.  Even in high school, I weighed over 200 lbs. Last year I turned 30 and decided to do something I've always wanted to do: become a runner. Specifically, run a half marathon.  I had NEVER run before.  So I started Couch to 5K and when I completed that, kept going.  After several months of training 6 days a week, investing in the right gear, getting up at 5am on Saturdays to do my long runs before it got hot and before soccer practice, I completed my first half marathon (Marathoning for Miracles in November) and ran it the whole way!  What a fun accomplishment!!  However, even putting in 20+ miles on average on the pavement a week, I only lost 5 lbs.  

Our family rarely eats fast food, or even at restaurants (remember, we have 3 kids!), we eat whole, organic foods.  So why wasn't I able to shed some pounds exercising 6 days a week??  In January, my husband, me, and our best friends decided to do something together to help get all of us healthier.  I needed to lose 50 lbs and had no idea how to get to where I wanted to be and where I should be!

We decided to try Isagenix after I remembered a friend I had met several years prior in a business roundtable endorsed it.  Her name is Kelli Calabrese.  She is a fitness expert, personal trainer, bootcamp owner, and has won many awards in her field. She was also sought out to interview for Jillian Michaels' replacement several years ago on Biggest Loser.  So when she talks fitness and health, I listen.  When I met her, I actually didn't even know she did anything with Isagenix.  I just knew of her other business ventures and reputation.  Now I know that in her bootcamp facilities, she encourages all of her clients to supplement their workouts with Isagenix products to get the maximum results possible and to help people achieve their goals.  What attracted me to Isagenix also went along with our approach to food in general.  We already held a belief about organic foods being best for our bodies and limiting toxins as much as possible to ward off disease and sickness, and Isagenix holds the same belief.  All of their products are natural, organic when possible, and of the highest quality.  This was a major plus for us! 

So January 8th, we started our first 30Day system.  The 30Day system involves drinking shakes twice a day, eating a nutritious, balanced meal at lunch and doing cleanses 4 times throughout the month.  The shakes are made from undenatured whey protein from New Zealand cows and include active enzymes that aid in digestion.  They are full of botanicals, vitamins, and amino acids that most of our food is lacking in.  There are several products that really work together in the system as a whole.  It is designed to provide your body dense nutrition as it detoxes your body.  Once your body is freed up from the junk that gets in from everyday life, it is able to function so much better and you're left with so much more energy and vitality than you had before! You really don't know how bad you feel until you start feeling good!  Within 10 days, I had lost 10lbs and I was completely shocked!  I felt great, had enormous energy, and couldn't wait to keep going!  

At the end of 30 days, I had lost 18.5lbs and Philip had lost an amazing 22.5lbs! We were new people!  My husband, who hadn't exercised in years, took up running because he just felt so good!  I still had weight to lose, so I kept doing 30 Day systems back to back.  At the end of 6 months, I'm now down 40lbs and Philip is down 50! That's 90lbs less in the Crumpton house!  We're down several sizes and I'm smaller than I ever remember.  

On a trip Philip and I took recently, we hiked Enchanted Rock near Fredericksburg and it wasn't tough at all.  This would not have been the case just months ago.  It's always been my dream to have an active family, going on hikes, bikerides, playing basketball together and now I can actually see that happening. I still have a goal to meet- 10-15 more lbs, but now I have a plan and that's the best feeling.  

For a long time I thought weight-loss was an unattainable idea.  I didn't want to do it by unnatural means, not that it's wrong.  But it doesn't scare me any longer to get to where I want to be.  Even if I take a vacation and completely eat terrible (although those foods are less tempting now), or I have an indulgent weekend, I know now what to do.  I can take a day or 2 to cleanse and get that junk out of my system and feed my body right again.  In actuality, the feeling of being healthy far outweighs the fleeting satisfaction of downing 10 buffalo wings and a basket of fries.  Isagenix will be in our kitchen for a long, long time.

Isagenix really is a solution-based company.  Whether you're looking for weight loss, more energy, greater performance, better quality sleep, joint pain relief, healthy skin or healthy aging, there is a natural solution for you.  It's fun when people notice how different you look and ask what you're doing.  It's fun putting on jeans that have been on the shelf for 7 years thinking someday you might be able to fit in them and them being 2 sizes to big.  It's fun hugging your spouse and not having so much to get around.  It's fun having a solution that can help people.  And that may just be the best part.  If you need a jumpstart to weight loss or need more energy or any of the problems I listed above, please contact me.  I would love to introduce you to this awesome company and personally coach you to achieve your own goals. 

www.katycrumpton.isagenix.com
katycrumpton@gmail.com
(325) 428-6755

Friday, June 14, 2013

If you're gonna pay the money, know what you're buying.

I get asked a lot what is the difference between Isagenix and Advocare, Body by Vi, Shakeology, Herbalife, etc...

I will be the first to admit that I don't know the ins and outs of all of these companies, but looking only at nutrition, this is what stood out to me as the most pertinent information.  I'm a huge advocate for non-GMO, all natural, all organic foods, so if a person doesn't have a revelation about the toxicity that is in these kinds of chemically-laden foods, I can't make them have an epiphany about it.  Watch some documentaries.  Do some research.  Eat an organic apple, for Pete's sake.  It'll be the best apple you've ever tasted!

I'm just going to say what Isagenix DOES have to offer you as far as nutritional value and purity, not what others don't.

A) Isagenix has formulated an undenatured whey protein that is far superior to anything you'll ever see in lets say... Popeyes.  Isagenix protein is gluten-and soy-free. It is sourced exclusively from New-Zealand grass-fed cows that have not been treated with hormones or antibiotics. Isagenix  protein contains a high concentration of branch-chain amino acids to boost muscle growth and maintenance and help speed post-workout recovery. Here are four key facts that you should know about Isagenix protein.

(Information provided by Isagenix)

1) Pure and Natural: Whey is extracted from milk by numerous methods, the most common is using acids or salts and heat, which denatures the whey. Denaturing breaks down the protein and strips the whey of its natural, high quality benefits. It also destroys bio active compounds that have multiple benefits for humans.  Isagenix uses more scientific processes that ensures the whey in their shakes is 100% undenatured. 

2) Key Amino Acid ProfileUndenatured whey contains numerous amino acid pairs and amino acid triples that fit specific genetic locks in the body to turn on protein functions. Studies show undenatured whey also supports production of glutathione, a key antioxidant for battling oxidative stress and guarding telomere health (telomeres are associated with aging).
3) Better Than Soy: There are a number of meal replacement shakes out there with soy protein. Research shows that whey protein surpasses the results of soy-based shakes for fat burning and muscle retention and growth. Whey protein increases your ability to stay full longer and stimulates the production of heat in the human body so you can burn more calories.
4) Benefits of Isagenix Whey Protein: Isagenix whey protein is sourced from New Zealand where standards exceed USDA organic and is put through an ultrafiltration process that keeps the whey intact (Undenatured). Its superior amino acid profile, with a high concentration of branched-chain amino acids, supports lean muscle growth.


B) The shakes include added active enzymes that help to break down the carbohydrates, proteins and fats for maximum absorption of key nutrients.


C) There are no artificial flavors, colors, ingredients or sweeteners. Some other shakes include sucralose, which is a chemically derived sweetener.  AKA Splenda.  Here's just one article on why sucralose might not be the best idea. http://www.womentowomen.com/healthyweight/splenda.aspx  Isagenix uses fructose, a naturally occurring sugar found in fruits and vegetables.

D) It's safe for kids, pregnant and breastfeeding women.  Not EVERY product Isagenix has to offer is safe for all categories, but the majority of them are.  For instance, since during pregnancy it's important to have a healthy intake of calories for proper growth of the baby, shakes are wonderful compliments in a normal diet.  Children, bf and pregnant moms are not advised to cleanse, for obvious reasons.  Here's a chart that shows commen allergens and age requirements for all the Isagenix products. http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/file.ashx?id=b30716c7-2d96-4c9a-85b8-45661457316d

Have any other questions? Look here for answers to the Top 25 FAQs. 


www.katycrumpton.isagenix.com



6 months down the road...

Well, here I am again! 6 months into Isagenix cleansing and I finally reached a huge milestone- 40 lbs!!! FORTY! Someone told me that I should stop, that I look beautiful, but I still haven't reached my final goal to weigh 150 lbs, which is a normal weight for my height. I am taking a couple months off to learn how to maintain and just enjoy the summer.  I've been doing this for 1/2 a year, ya know.  Don't get me wrong.  I feel AMAZING.  Love having a flatter stomach, muscles I've NEVER seen before, and lots of energy!

So here are some fun before and after pics to share in the fun!

Oh, and my darling hubby is 2.5 lbs away from his goal of FIFTY POUNDS lost!! Amazing! I'm so proud of him!!




www.katycrumpton.isagenix.com

Monday, February 18, 2013

It's a process...

Since we finished our challenge last week, and next week (Tues), I start the next 30day challenge, this week was a little weird for me. For the most part I stayed pretty much on target... sorta.  I typically had 2 shakes per day and a healthy lunch, but I slacked on my supplements, drank a little too much coffee, and once Valentine's Day came, I really let loose. BUT I knew it was coming, and I gave myself permission to do so.

The cool thing about all of this is, I feel like I have a plan now.  If I want to indulge a little, I do.  Ad I typically won't enjoy it as much as I think I will anyway.

We went out to dinner on Thursday night, had wine, pasta, bread, coffee...and it was fun! Friday night we had a Valentine's dinner with our best friends at theirs house, and we had more wine, bread, dinner, and dessert! And today (Saturday), I had a shake for breakfast, but then we had our son's 2nd birthday party! So, my plan has been to do a cleanse tomorrow and start the week off on a good foot.

And you know? I haven't been as excited about a cleanse as I am right now ever.  I just know how good I'm going to feel! And I'm even more excited to get back into routine and start losing weight again!! Woohoo!

I watched a documentary (one of my favorite things to do-especially when the hubby is away) tonight, called Killer at Large: Why Obesity is America's Greatest Threat (on Netflix).   It was just describing the woes of American culture and how we are doomed in so many ways and how money is the major factor in everything, and oil industry, corn industry, and pharmaceuticals are the 3 major components to the epidemic of obesity in America.  Oil is in the fertilizer that we use to grow the corn to feed the animals(which they shouldn't eat anyway)/or highly process it to put in 95% of most packaged or not-real food that we eat, then we're consuming this nasty garbage that gives us terrible diseases like diabetes or whatever that we need medicine for to just function.  It's absolutely insane.

But one quote I heard from someone on that documentary was talking about the desire we as humans have to eat rich foods, whether high in fat, sugar, whatever.  Because we were created to eat real, whole foods.  So when we came across something that was rich, there was no way for it to be in high quantity, so it was good for our bodies to take in small amounts of these rich foods to store for later.  Well, the innate desire for that is still there.  It's part of our make up.  But it's actually an unfortunate situation for us because the odds are all stacked against us.  We are more stressed, more tired, more busy, and our desires for these non-foods are so readily available.  So it's really the fact that we are in the wrong place and time for where we are... If that makes sense.

So, fight those urges, teach your children, and do some research into what's the best for you.  You won't regret it.

Results!

So turns out, we ended up winning 2nd and 3rd place in the New Years 30 day Slim Down Challenge!! And we even were 2 days short! Take that!! Philip ended up winning $400 and I got $200!!

How fun and romantic to even share in the winnings... :)

Here are our "official" pics that they posted of us.




Not bad, eh?  It's still amazing that this was only 1 month of progress.  I'm SO excited to see what another month will accomplish!!

Since then, I have gotten a call from a trainer and owner of Argyle Adventure Boot Camp, wanting to do a short feature of my story (average housewife and mom loses weight), in a local newspaper with her regular ad.  How cool!!!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Day 28- Before and After

The Before and After Pictures!!!

Starting Weight - 217
Ending Weight - 194.5
Total Weight Loss - 22.5lbs
Percentage of Weight Loss - 10.36%
Total Inches Lost - 27.25" 
Beginning BMI - 28.6
Ending BMI - 25.7



Starting Weight - 199
Ending Weight - 181 
Total Weight Loss - 18lbs
Total Percentage of Weight Loss - 9%
Total Inches Lost - 30.5
Beginning BMI - 31.2
Ending BMI - 28.3


So, here we are! Day 28! We are super excited with our results.  I'm planning on going at least another 30days, and Philip is going to maintain with a goal of maybe losing a little more and getting more fit.

For more info: go to www.katycrumpton.isagenix.com  or email me at katycrumpton@gmail.com

Day 27

I'm surprised we're almost done with this month! It's been amazing. I am fully convinced at the quality and success of this product.  MOSTLY because I've seen such a tremendous change in Philip! Not only does he look amazing, but he says he is more clear-minded and focused in the mornings -without coffee (thank you, IonixSupreme), he's exercising without me suggesting it (meaning he actually WANTS to!), and he's convinced, and he's a very practical, needs-proof kind of guy.  Him being on board only fuels my excitement.


I was out shopping for groceries today and we decided to meet together for lunch at Quiznos. We both had a turkey sandwich on focaccia bread with tons of veggies, water, and no chips or side or anything.  It was really tasty!!  

Shortly after, we learned that we would need to submit our final measurements and pictures and such with everyone else on the challenge (we're 2 days behind), so we're interested to see how our losses compare with others that have gone 2 extra days.  Looking forward to after-pics!

Day 26

These past couple of days I've cheated a little.  I ate a few girl scout cookies, I ate some crackers not thinking about it, I finished my sons' really yummy pizza slice that had pepperonis and bacon and chicken -oh, my. And I felt bad about it.  I knew that this is our last week and I'm started going back to mindless snacking.  But the good news is, I know I can just hop back on track tomorrow with no worries! :)


So I did! 

Monday, February 4, 2013

Day 25

We spent the day loving on each other and spending time as a family this morning instead of going to church. It had been a busy week and we needed to invest in each other....

Did regular morning routine and played with the boys...

Philip had stated weeks ago that he really wanted wings on SuperBowl Sunday, so we attempted to make it work... Using organic, free-range, "happy" chicken breasts (we will never go back... it's so much yummier not even talking about the health benefits...), I cut them into little nuggets, covered them in almond flour and cooked them in coconut oil.  Now, I know it's still frying them, but hey, you gotta please the hubby.  Then we used Frank's Original sauce, but only a little bit! And I roasted up some brussel sprouts with olive oil and vinegar for a side.

We had a light serving (compared to what we USED to eat), and it was good.  But I still felt sluggish afterward and for the rest of the day, really.  Philip felt great... hehe. I think it's our blood type though.  He's an O, meaning that meats do him really well.  I'm A+, meaning that I could easily be vegetarian and they make me feel like a million bucks.  I could have eaten those sprouts all day long...

Feeling fabulous! Philip's pants are continuously falling down! And I put on some pants from a stack of too-small clothes someone had given me... and they all fit perfectly! Woohoo!

Day 24

As the kids grow a little, they're sleeping later, so it's allowing us to sleep in on weekends! So much fun! :)

So we weren't up and at 'em until about 8:30.  Had my IonixSupreme and coffee, then shortly later my shake.

Lunch was leftover WhyTheChickenCrossedTheRoadSantaFeTasticSoup (recipe following)... Oh my, this soup is a staple and it is SO SO good! One advantage of only having to prepare one meal per day is that it lasts us several days! (Sometimes I just reheat what I make for lunch for the boys to have for dinner.)  I added a few organic blue tortilla chips and greek yogurt to top it.

Afternoon activities included shoveling horse manure from a local ranch to bring to my garden.  I'm so excited about the possibility of growing my own organic food, and I've researched what I think is the very best way.  We have an area to the back of our yard that isn't used for anything, so I've laid newspaper, what compost I had... not much (but I did have a TON of leaves!), aged horse manure, and I will lay mulch or wood chips (which the city gives out for FREE) on top of that.  Keep it moist, let it sit, and when time comes to plant, it should be perfect! Yay! I'm brand new at this, so I'm learning practically everything as I go.

Dinner was a chocolate almond shake, and we went to bed (after IsaFlush).

Here's the awesome recipe: Thank you, Rachael Ray.



Ingredients

  • Vegetable or corn oil, for drizzling, plus 2 tablespoons -- 2 turns of the pot in a slow stream
  • 3 ears corn on the cob or 2 ears fresh-frozen cobs, defrosted
  • 1 red bell pepper, split and seeded
  • 1 pound chicken breast tenders
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1/3 palm full
  • 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/3 palm full
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 small to medium zucchini, small dice
  • 1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 to 2 chipotle in adobo peppers (medium to hot heat level), chopped -- available in small cans in Mexican and Spanish food section of market
  • 1 can stewed tomatoes, 28 ounces
  • 1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces
  • 3 cups chicken stock, available in re-sealable paper containers on soup aisle
  • 4 cups blue corn tortilla chips, broken up into large pieces
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Optional garnishes:

  • 1/4 red raw onion, chopped
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves
  • 1 ripe avocado, diced and dressed with the juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

Heat a grill pan to high and a soup pot to medium high. Drizzle oil on corn and place on grill. Add red pepper to grill with corn. Char vegetables 10 minutes, total, turning occasionally. Remove to cool, 5 minutes. Remove charred skin from the pepper.
While vegetables cook, dice chicken. Add 2 tablespoons oil to hot soup pot. Add chicken to pot. Season with poultry seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Lightly brown chicken on each side. Add zucchini, onions and garlic and chipotle peppers. Cook vegetables with chicken 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock. Bring soup to a bubble, reduce heat to medium low.
Scrape corn off cob and add to soup. Chop grilled red pepper and stir into soup. Add chips to soup in handfuls and fold in. Serve soup immediately with scatter of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Top with any or all of the suggested garnishes.

Day 23

Oh my, I'm falling behind...

Let me just get to the point.... It was weigh-in day... here are the results!

Philip-
Total weight loss so far: 17.5 lbs!
Total inches lost so far:  17 inches!

Katy-
Total weight loss so far: 15.5 lbs!
Total inches lost so far: 16.5 inches!

I tell you what, we're having fun!

(Ben and Lacey are taking a week off for obvious reasons. He's doing much better, by the way. :)

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Day 22

Last night was a late night for Philip, working on some freelance work, so we woke up more tired than usual. After having our IonixSupreme (which we are beginning to really love), he made an OrangeJulius shake (1/2 a stick of WantMoreEnergy in a vanilla shake), and I had a chocolate almond shake.


Then, I decided to try something out... I pulled out my skinny jeans....and they FIT! I haven't worn these in about 7 years!  And even then, they were tight! I only really wore them a few times.  

Philip continues to look so skinny, it makes me so proud.

We had a lunch date today at our local Natural Food Center. Their food is SO good and SO good for you! One thing we keep forgetting that we just can't eat as much. I ordered a chicken, Swiss, asparagus, and sprout sandwich. Philip ordered an all-natural, grass-fed beef burger.  We also ordered a small cup of tomato basil soup to share.  And waters.  And we were absolutely stuffed.

Philip ran tonight on the treadmill while Deron was in karate. And we went to an honor roll reception afterward for Deron.  The kiddos had cookies and punch and we resisted! (I did want one, though...) :)


The Isagenix Vision

I found this movie online today.  I'm still waiting to hear anything negative about this company.  I have learned so much in the past year about toxins, nutritional depletion, the extreme value of eating whole, organic foods, and so much more.  This feels like they really understand that and want to help people.


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Day 21

Our friend Ben is doing much better today.  He's still in ICU and they are monitoring his heart rate among other things, but hopefully he'll get moved to a regular room tomorrow.  Praise God!

This morning I did intervals again at the gym.  1.5% incline (that's important, you know- so you're actually doing some work and not letting the machine do most of it for you), 1 min sprint at 7.3mph/ 2 min rest at 3.2mph- 5x  Then I lifted weights, shoulder emphasis.  I felt great!  And as I walked in to the gym today, the trainers at the front desk commented on how good I looked. :) :)  That'll make you feel good!

I went to see Ben in the hospital after that, which put me in a rush to make lunch, but I managed to whip up some turkey burgers with grated zucchini and carrot in them and salad on the side.  Ask me for this recipe.  I make it all.the.time.  I got it from a RealSimple article years ago, but it's a staple!

Today was a big day for Philip! He is now in ONEderland!  Meaning, he's in the 100s! That means, he's lost almost 18 lbs!  We're both super duper excited!! What a great goal! And, I am below 185, which means I've lost almost 15 lbs! And, 185 is the lowest I've been in a very, very long time.  10 years! And before that, it was much higher than that for many many years.  So this is a huge goal number for me.  Well on our way to hitting the 20 lb mark and still plenty of time to do it!

Oh, and I made the best shake yet this evening.  It was chocolate with a few almonds and honey in it.  Wow.

P.S.  My hubby looks HOT! :)

Day 20

1/3 of the way through! We feel so in the groove of things now!

Last night our dear friend was admitted to the ER and had an emergent surgery, so we are taking care of their most prized possession, and my son's best friend. :)  She's a bundle of joy and we love her so much.  We're so thankful that our friend is ok and now on the road to recovery, though it could take time.  He and his wife are doing the challenge with us, so they are obviously on hold for now- although Isagenix will be the perfect thing for him once he's out and recovering.

Due to the events of the day, I went by Subway to grab lunch: a turkey sandwich filled with veggies.  And NO chips, and water!  And I even took the kiddos to Chic-fil-a for chicken! (I might've snuck a few fries from Solomon's bag..shh)  Oh! And did I tell you we bought FIVE boxes of girl scout cookies from a girl we've invested in? I nearly fainted when Philip said that's how many he wanted to buy, knowing we'd have them in the house and we wouldn't be eating them. I am the one who has to divvy them out to the kids, get my fingers moist with warm chocolate from sweet thin mints... but who hasn't had ANY?! This girl!  And I'm ok with that!

Another momentous thing happened tonight as well! Yesterday Philip randomly said, "When we take Deron to karate tomorrow, I think I'll just stay and work out." I. was. flabbergasted.  I checked his pulse.  I checked his temperature.  I checked his teeth. (Inside joke)  Philip will do what he needs to when he knows he needs to do it, but golly-gee, I was surprised! He said it just feels right to exercise now.  Like his body WANTS to.  So he did! And he enjoyed it!  He's going to start doing Couch to 5K which is what got me running a couple of years ago.  I'm not going to lie.  I am SO excited for this.  I love working out and getting out and getting sweaty, and I've always wanted him to have that same passion.

Day 19

I decided to try some different things to get over this little hump I felt like we were in.  I was at the same weight all last week, so we decided to try to implement the following: make sure to drink more water, don't add extra calories to my shake (no more pb and banana), and eat our dinner shake earlier in the evening (we had started to drink it around 7:30 or 8).

And lo and behold, our weight started dropping again! Yay! We felt pretty hungry going to bed last night, but in the good way.

Today we ate leftover Greek pork loin gyros and tzatziki (cucumber, dill, yogurt dip), and Greek salads with feta and cherry tomatoes for lunch.

Day 18

I must say, it has been fun having shakes over the weekend! We've finished our cleanses for the month, and although we've seen most of our weight drop off during the cleanse days, it's fun to have something to eat!

We did have one big breakthrough today! When we got home from church, we scarfed down lunch (yet another crunch wrap) and jumped in the car to go to Philip's grandmother's 80th birthday reception.  There was a table full of punch, varied cookies, cheese, grapes, cake, and pretzels! Yummy! BUT, we ate nothing! (Actually, I did in fact eat 3 grapes...) but I still consider that a huge victory!!! Yay, us!

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Day 17

Philip and I were ready to get back to having our meal at lunch today. We've just felt heavy having dinner at, well dinner. :)

We slept in, I enjoyed a cup of coffee, and we didn't have our morning shake and Ionix Supreme until close to 9! We went to the park with the boys and took them to get a special present, then came home and ate lunch. We had crunch wrap supremes again and some guacamole.

Then we had our shakes for dinner and called it a day! Oh, and I finally got an iPhone today! After years of not being cool, I have officially 'made it'! You all can cheer now. :)

P.S. my goal for the rest of this month is to lose another 10 lbs. that would be awesome, and I think it's feasible.

Day 16 - Weigh In!

Tonight worked the best for all of us to weigh in and get together, so get ready for some fun numbers!

Friday night is typically pizza night in our house, so we decided to try to research to find low-calorie, healthier options. I decided on a cauliflower crust topped with homemade organic pizza sauce and some veggies. Philip chose a regular, organic crust topped with sauce, chicken, turkey bacon and cheese. Lacey chose a yummy portabella mushroom overturned with roasted tomatoes, sauce, and cheese, and Ben had the 'man' crust with BBQ chicken. It was a fun night!

We weighed before we ate... Haha... And here's the results!

Philip lost 7 lbs- total 14 so far!
Ben lost 6.5 lbs- total 13 so far!
Lacey lost 5 lbs- total 11 so far!
I lost 5.5 lbs -total 10 so far!

Not too shabby!

Day 15

Spa day!!

Today I had the extremely rare, but wonderful blessing of getting to spend the day pampering myself!

I dropped Jude off at MDO, Deron was in school, and Grandmama came to hang out with the Solliebug. I had a shake for breakfast, went to get a haircut, came home and made a shake to-go and took it with me while I met a friend for our pedicure. It was my way of keeping away from the Starbucks drive-through, where I would normally stop before getting my toes done.

Then I went to my afternoon massage which was wonderful!

Philip and I had a date night planned to end our day, and we chose where to eat carefully. We went to Outback. He ordered a small filet mignon and steamed green beans and I ordered a grilled salmon with steamed veggies. I love Outback's veggies!! We both had water and a house salad with a light vinaigrette dressing. And yes, we split the loaf of bread. But at least we just had that one! :)

We went to see Les Mis, enjoyed it very much and came home! Wonderful day, wonderful date and we feel good!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Day 14

Another good day!

Had my shake shake this morning, went to the gym, did a 2 mile run on the treadmill, then lifted weights- lower body focus, so lots of legs. I felt great afterward. Drank lots of water and WantMoreEnergy? while working out.

Spent the rest of the morning grocery shopping with my little 2 boys and came home for lunch. Philip made some salsa, I made guacamole and we enjoyed that with a low-calorie "crunch wrap". It's chicken shredded with Cojoto or other white Mexican cheese on top of a large tortilla with lettuce, tomatoes, a little light sour cream, black beans, and a few chips thrown in for the crunch. Then you fold it all up and grill it. We were stuffed!  We are still learning how much food is too much and everything....haha

Was full through the afternoon and evening, and feel good!

Only thing I need work get back into is keeping track of how much water I'm drinking... It needs to be more.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Day 13

We're rolling now... We know the routine, we're feeling great and we're seeing results. Yay!!

I think I indulged a bit today unfortunately though. I had an extra cup of coffee and I did a little research on the amount of calories in my normal chocolate, pb, and 1/2 banana shake. Turns out, the pb, in 1 Tb is around 100 calories! Ouch! And the 1/2 banana is around 50. So, it's probably a fine shake once a day, or definitely when I'm maintaining, but I want to try to keep the calories low.

BUT, since that shake is pretty hearty, I typically don't have a desire to eat my IsaSnacks in the morning, so that is an 80 calorie tradeoff- if you're just talking calories.

For the next little while though, I'm just going to be very light in my add-ins and see if my weight loss is any quicker. (Not that I'm complaining.)

The weirdest feeling though is feeling full and like you've eaten a lot, but the scale goes down. Weird.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Day 12

Today was a great day!

We had a rough night with our eldest son getting sick, but he woke up this morning feeling better, so we had a relaxing day being lazy and trying to keep everyone pretty still.  I enjoyed a cup of coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 and a little agave. It was divine, but I was ready to have a good filling shake for breakfast!  I did my traditional chocolate, 1/2 banana and 1tbsp peanut butter. YUM!

For lunch, I cooked a Greek-style meal we enjoy roasting pork loin, making tzatziki (Greek yogurt and cucumber) and a Greek salad with cucumbers, tomatoes and feta. It filled us up so fast! But was So tasty!  Glad there are plenty of leftovers!

This afternoon I only started feeling munchy about 3pm. I wanted to warm up another cup of coffee, not for the energy,  just for a treat- but I didn't! I ate a couple of IsaSnacks and drank more water.  I think I did eat a few grapes as well.

For dinner, I had a strawberry chocolate shake and it really hit the spot.

Yay!

Interesting Article I Stumbled Upon Tonight

As I was searching around about healthy alternative snacks and other things about Isagenix tonight, I stumbled upon this blog.  It is an interesting article comparing Shakeology and Isagenix shakes (nothing more).

One thing is for sure: the more I research, the more good I find.  It is just simply difficult to find negative response about this company.... that sure piques my interest a little more.  The only negative things I've read are a few people's personal tastes for the shakes or other products, but you can find that with anything.

Anyway, read if you'd like!
http://mickalemagness.blogspot.com/2012/06/isagenix-vs-shakeology.html?m=1

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Day 11 Cleanse

Another cleanse day down! I'm convinced now that the 2nd consecutive day is easier than the first.

I woke up and had a green tea just to have something warm, and my Isa-stuff. And it left my tummy feeling weird. Not sure what the deal was with that, but mid-morning came and I ate my snacks and it made me feel much better.

We did our regimen, cleanse, IonixSupreme, snacks, water, and felt pretty good most of the day. Wasn't even really hungry! I also had the opportunity to take a bath (a luxury for this mommy!), so I decided to double-detox my body and pour some magnesium flakes in. It was nice!

I spent the glorious afternoon outside with the boys creating a 'lasagna' beginning (that's really what they call it) to what will be our garden this spring. We have a nice area that already has a barrier, so it makes the perfect area. The lasagna method takes the place of tilling up grass that is already there.  You lay down wet newspaper right on the grass, then layer leaves or brown mulch, then green compost on top of that. It all decomposes into a really fertile soil (basically a huge compost pile) to begin your garden. We have 2 giant pecan trees that have produced so much yard waste, so it was easy to spread out. I didn't have much compost built up from the summer, but I used what I had and will hopefully find more somewhere.  I'm getting more and more excited about this though!!

Tonight I had an apple, since I did some physical labor today and needed a little boost.



Saturday, January 19, 2013

Day 10 - Cleanse

There were some ups and downs today. Some really hungry moments and some feeling great moments!

It is the weekend, so Philip being home all day kept me strong and focused, especially when he talked about today being pretty easy and he hasn't felt hungry!  Not the case with me. Oh well....

I tried taking my Cleanse for Life hot, as the directions say is an option, and it was pretty decent. Tasted a little medicinal, but I enjoyed having a warm mug in my hands. I did cave this evening and ate a quarter of an apple (I'm only calling it caving because Philip didn't even eat his snacks! and sometimes I just want to make something a competition). :)

Otherwise, I kept myself busy cleaning out my eldest son's room and finishing off the SEVEN loads of laundry there was to do.

One of the highlights to today was stepping on the scale (nekky), and it was the lightest I've been in years! I mean, it was 6 lbs less than Thurs night, and throughout the day it's been higher than that, with clothes and all. But to me, that number seems attainable now after actually seeing it on the scale! Honestly I'd love to see that number by next Thursday, but we'll see.

I'm treating myself to a nice tea tonight while I read.

I'm reading Re_Orient by Kevin Weaver, by the way.  It will knock your socks off. Check it out: www.thereorientbook.com



Friday, January 18, 2013

Day 9

Today was a harder day than I was anticipating for some reason. We woke, had our IonixSupreme, shake, and I took the kids to the gym.  My shake this morning was an experiment: steamed carrots, vanilla mix, cloves and cinnamon.  I read somewhere it was like carrot cake.  It wasn't bad, but I don't think I'll make it again.  Vanilla just isn't my thing.

I needed time to myself and to do some planning and thinking, so I decided to run outside (even though it was cold and windy!).  I did 1.5 miles and then lifted weights.  I mixed up some Want More Energy? to have with me and it was incredible! The taste is great, and it's very satisfying as you need refueling.  I felt like my workout went really well and went home.

Philip and I ate fish tacos with roasted corn, zucchini and black beans.  My favorite!! It was delish! And I tried to eat slow knowing that tomorrow and Sunday we cleanse again, so no more savory dishes for a few days.

I don't know if it was because I was home all afternoon or because I had a relatively substantial workout, but I wanted to munch!! Anything! I took my accelerator pill and a couple of IsaSnacks, but was still aching for more later in the afternoon.  Finally, I caved and ate a little bite of peanut butter (gasp!).  It actually did the trick.  But I sure was ready for my dinnertime shake!

I tried a new flavor tonight: chocolate powder, frozen organic strawberries and a little honey.  Not too bad! Philip thought it was gross, and the honey definitely needed to be included to lessen the tartness of the berries, but I enjoyed it. :)  He tends to just like things plain.  Maybe that's why he lost 7.5 lbs and I only lost 4.5 last week.... or maybe it was the fatty turkey burger, fries, and peppermint mocha that is still haunting me. haha...

Well, pray for me tomorrow.  I'm not excited about cleansing.  I know I'll be fine, and I've made a list of projects to get done to keep me busy.  Philip being here will also make it easier.  And I know it's so good for my health.  I can do it!

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Day 8! Week 1 down!

I guess Week 1 "technically" ended yesterday, but tonight's the night we all took measurements and weighed in to see how we did... before we get to the good stuff though...

I woke up and had NO coffee, only IonixSupreme (that packs quite a punch energy-wise), later had my shake, and got ready to take Jude to MDO and hit the gym.

Did 1 hr on the elliptical machine... yawn... I'm ready to start running again.  And I will soon.

I tried the Want More Energy? drink today because I worked out and it wasn't bad at all.  Tasted just like a gatorade or powerade.

I made turkey burgers with grated zucchini and carrot in them, with pepperjack cheese, tomato, lettuce, organic BBQ sauce, on organic ciabatta bread.  YUM. One of my favorite dishes.  I had mine with a small bowl of chicken soup and Philip had a salad with his.  We were very full.

This afternoon being home, made me want to munch.  I had an apple later in the afternoon, but otherwise was successful in curbing those cravings... and I realized I forgot to take my accelerator pill in the afternoon- that would've helped.

We had our best friends over who are doing the system as well and here are our  results!!

Philip (the winner this week!) lost 7.5 lbs
Ben lost 7 lbs
Lacey lost 6.5 lbs
Katy lost 4.5 lbs

Philip and I both lost 10.5" also! Amazing!

Day 7

I woke up this morning a little tired, only because I went to bed so late talking to my incredible mom and sharing a room with my 2 smaller boys.  We woke up later than usual, downed my IonixSupreme and had a cup of coffee.

I drank my shake for breakfast, feeling good about everything and got ready to pack up our things and pick up my friend about 45 mins away.  After I picked her up, we met my mom at a downtown headstart program where she was playing her instrument for some 3-4 year-olds. Jude and Sollie had fun watching her dress up as a tortoise as they played and narrated the story of Tortoise and the Hare.

We wanted to try something yummy for lunch, and close before we headed home.  So we decided on Twisted Root, a burger joint that has been made famous for it's food in Dallas that we had never tried.  So, I was convinced I could find something relatively low calorie that would work.  I settled on a turkey burger with guacamole, pepperjack, and grilled chilis on it.  It was fantastic.  And it came with fries.  Which were fantastic.  Oops.  I ate them.  Double oops.  This meal definitely wasn't the healthiest option out there, but we stumble and we get back up, right?  At least I had water!

Then we started heading home.  After a huge meal and getting gas (for the car-heehee), we did, in fact, stop at ye olde Starbucks and I did, in fact, order a grande peppermint mocha.  And I did, in fact, drink it on the way home.  I was getting groggy with mid-afternoon full-belly.  No excuse.  I drank it, not feeling guilty, but realizing how bloated I felt afterwards.  I am definitely not accustomed to the sugar load this week, and it just did not make me feel vibrant, healthy, and energized.  Now I know.  Remembering these things will make it so much easier when I am faced with that again.

When I got home, I was greeted with family life once again- hectic, noisy, fun.  I tried an apple cinnamon vanilla version of a shake for dinner. It was ok, but not a favorite.

Getting back on track tomorrow for sure.

Day 6

Today was a relatively busy day for this stay-at-home mom.  I woke and drank my IonixSupreme shot and had a divine cup of coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 and a teeny bit of agave to sweeten.  Being lazy all morning, I didn't drink my shake until almost 9am!

I knew dinner would be out with my family tonight, so after getting ready to meet some friends throughout the day, I drank my 2nd shake for the day.  It was about 1pm, but it was difficult getting the whole thing down because I was still pretty full from breakfast.  I like knowing what's coming, so I've gotten into a routine with my mix.  I use the chocolate mix, a 1/2 banana, and a teeny tablespoon of organic peanut butter, and ice and water of course.

I had no need to use any snacks today, I simply wasn't hungry for anything else.  After meeting up with my wonderful friend Kevin Weaver, I met my parents at Corner Bakery where they conveniently have an "Under 550 calorie" menu.  Easy choices! Yay!  So I picked a chicken pesto sandwich with tomato basil soup and water.  And I might've nibbled on some of my kid's fruit. :)

After that, I met up with my long-time amazing friend Erin (who is probably the only one still reading this blog! *wave*) at Starbucks.  Now, any of you who know me, know that I was a fan of Starbucks before most people were fans.  I tasted the magically delicious coffee treat on the Northwest Coast in Portland long before it came to the Lone Star State.  I dreamed of it being available down the street so I could indulge in a mocha frappuccino on a whim.  20 years later.... I can! And I still love the place.  I know it's terribly fattening, over caffeinated and very commercialized now, but I don't care.  They've marketed well, and I love going.  I am definitely not a stop-by-every-morning-after-I-take-kids-to-school, or an after-workout-let's-undo-everything-you-just-did, or even a multiple-times-a-week drinker.  I try to only go about once a week, and it's a special occasion.  But, truth be told, I will put your Starbucks giftcards to use.

So, we met at Starbucks.  Sometimes you just need a place to sit!  And I did something I never do.  I ordered TEA!  (Which is approved doing the 30-Day System, by the way).  I got a refresher hot tea that tasted a lot like spearmint and sweetened it with honey and I enjoyed every last drop! I consider this a giant victory for myself and honestly, I didn't even yearn for the pepperminty-mocha goodness that I usually do.

So yay! I was able to sleep AND I didn't have a bloated tummy.  Onward to Day 7!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Day 5

It's hard to stay focused when you're out of your routine, that's for sure.

I woke up bright, refreshed, and feeling really good!  I did have a small cup of coffee this morning because that's one of the things I treasure about being here with my mom.  Early, dark mornings with a warm cup of coffee in hand. And, although Isagenix as a company says no coffee, one of my coaches said coffee is fine and has as much caffeine as their new energy shots anyway.  Just don't flavor it with anything refined or go overboard...or drink it lack. And also, stop at 1 cup.

I had my shake at breakfast and felt so full!!  The last 2 days of cleansing sure shrank the 'ol tummy!

Lunchtime I ate a bowl of chicken noodle soup with a fruit salad and a piece of toast. Again, so full. It was wonderful to have something savory in my mouth though.  I'm getting a little tired of sweet.

The afternoon was spent playing with the kids and just hanging out, so not a lot of calories were burned ,so I didn't want/ need any snacks.  For dinner, I had my next shake and a salad and some fruit with the family.  I'm feeling very full still.  I think tomorrow it will be easy to lesson my portions during meals.  I can still tell I'm losing weight! And I finally feel in the groove!

Day 4- Cleanse

Today was a new kind of challenge. After waking up feeling well and taking our IonixSupreme, water, and cleanses, me and my 2 little boys drove to Irving to see my parents.  The trip went well, ate my snacks and an apple on the road to help curb any cravings.

By the time I got there, I drank my Cleanse for Life and had a long relaxing afternoon.

Then, my amazing sister and brother-in-law came down with a fresh bag of beautiful produce and plans to make homemade French bread with our spaghetti dinner. I wasn't hungry per se, but the yummy smells of fresh bread, tomato sauce, roasting brussel sprouts and fresh fruit was tantalizing! I called my coach to see if, by chance, I could indulge in any of this savory food since I had done so well up to that point, and surprisingly she said I could eat the veggies and fruit, if it wasn't bathed in butter (which it wasn't), and if the fruit was low in sugar like apples, pears, or berries (which it was!) I had a small plate with fruit and sprouts and thoroughly enjoyed spending time at the table with my family. And it filled up my tummy!

And shhh.... I did sneak a piece of French bread.  It was homemade fresh out of the oven!! I mean, I didn't want my sis to feel bad! :)  Back on track tomorrow, and I don't feel bad at all.

My coach also let me know, that if you are exercising, it is perfectly fine to have veggies on your Cleanse days and egg whites in the evening as well. I will keep this in mind next week for our 2nd set of cleanses.

I can already tell I'm down several pounds already and my skin even looks better, in my opinion. All good news!

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Day 3 - Cleanse

I was worried about today.  No food on the docket, except several doses of IonixSupreme (tonic, as my bff says), a natural cleanse drink, a few IsaSnacks, lots of water, a few "accelerator" pills and a "flush" pill.  Oh, and I can have an apple.  I was prepared, but not too excited.

We woke up and had our IonixSupreme, and the other things we were supposed to have. Honestly, there's so much to remember on these cleansing days, so keep your schedule handy!  I was very surprised I wasn't craving coffee.  Surprise #1.  And when I started to get hungry, it was time to have a snack or an accelerator pill.  And it really worked! Surprise #2!

Philip felt great all day and didn't seem to get lethargic.  But he didn't have to go to the grocery store.  Some advice here: don't plan a grocery trip while you're on your cleanse.  I walked down the chip aisle and my mouth literally started watering!  It was necessary though, since I am leaving town in the morning and needed to stock up for a few days for the hubster and 1 kid.

I did have an apple today.  It was tasty!

Today's big task was - finally- taking down Christmas decorations, cleaning, and putting up other decor.  It took all day and I am thankful for it.  It kept me busy and not thinking about food.  So my second piece of advice is to stay busy!

You'll get through it, and there's only one more day to do it all again!

Friday, January 11, 2013

Day 2

Today we woke up feeling lackluster. Philip fell back asleep for awhile and we were both moving slowly until breakfast. We drank our shakes, his with apple and cinnamon (tasty!) and mine chocolate with 1/2 banana and a little natural pb. After that we both felt much better.

I lifted weights today, mostly arms. And ran 2 miles on the treadmill. Had a 1/2 banana for a morning snack.

Philip ate his IsaSnacks at work and we had a yummy bowl of spinach-noodle spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce, a green salad, and a piece of whole grain toast. It was too much food. I didn't finish and Philip was full for the rest of the afternoon! No snacks for him, he didn't want any. I had 1 IsaSnack and an apple in the late afternoon.

I felt tired in the late afternoon as well, but then realized I forgot to take the Accelerator pill. After I took it, I felt great! (Kinda surprised me!)

Fridays are our pizza days as a family, so we were prepared to face this temptation head-on. I'll admit, we cheated with a few bites, but it wasn't even worth it! So we had our shakes and called it a day.

Tomorrow is our first cleanse day and I'm kinda nervous... We'll see how it goes! We're feeling good, despite occasional mild headaches or stomach cramps.

Day 1

After anticipating our 30day system for almost a week, we finally got it and opened it all up, examining the products and materials that are supposed to change our lives over the next month.

Philip and I wake up early every morning to spend time with each other before the kids get up and usually drink our -strong- morning coffee. This morning, since our coffeemaker is in chains for the duration of this month, we had to settle for a nice, cold glass of water and an ounce of terribly strong Ionix Supreme, a tonic that is supposed to boost your immune system, flood your body with good stuff and get things off to a good start. A word to the wise: chug it. :)

For breakfast we both had our shakes, with nothing added, and they weren't terrible. Thicker than we expected, but tolerable.

Did 45 mins on the elliptical at the gym. Roughly 3.5 miles.

Philip had a turkey burger on lettuce for lunch, I had a bowl of chicken vegetable soup. We were very much looking forward to lunch.

Afternoon got us both feeling hungry and wanting to munch. We both had 1 or 2 IsaSnacks and later I had an apple.

For dinner we decided to mix strawberries and blueberries into the vanilla shake for Philip and I had 1/2 banana and a tbsp of organic peanut butter in my chocolate shake. It was far better and more filling than this morning. We also ate a piece of whole grain bread alongside to fill our bellies just a little more.

About 8pm, I started having a headache probably from caffeine withdrawal, but was surprised I hadn't had more symptoms of withdrawal throughout the day as I normally drink 2-3 cups of coffee everyday. We both felt a little lackluster throughout the evening, but got through it. I could tell Philip was lacking his usual pep, but didn't make a big deal out of it.

We took our IsaFlush and went to bed. Overall, it was a long day of remembering to do everything, but we got through it and already feel lighter.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Isagenix - here we go!

Philip and I and our best friends have embarked on a 30day (or longer) challenge through a company called Isagenix.  It's natural, it works (so I've heard), and it has integrity.  So we're up for it.  I wanted to keep track of my experiences over the month for my records and to help anyone else who might want to lose some extra pounds or just get healthy.

I was very skeptical.  I would MUCH rather eat healthy (which is such a conflicting issue anyway- vegetarian, vegan, GF, Paleo, ahh!) than do a "program", but I work out 4-6 days a week, I do strength training and cardio, I even trained and ran a half-marathon only a couple of months ago, yet I'm still overweight.  We eat healthfully, we don't eat much refined sugar (with the exception of December! sheesh!), we don't drink sodas, we drink lots of water, and lots of vegetables, but somehow something's not adding up.  So, enter Isagenix- a kick-in-the-pants to lose some weight from a very credible friend who is a fitness mogul and trainer and loves the product.  I'm excited, especially to do it with my husband and friends (and we all love to eat!) and see us all transform!

Today we ordered, so we should be starting in several days once it gets here. Yay!

Impact

Here's an update:

3rd kid - Solomon Jedidiah-Knox (he's 22 months now)
homeschooling Deron (which is probably why I haven't blogged in 2+ years)
homeschooling Deron is ending (come Monday)
Jude will be starting MDO (maybe he'll get into a nap routine -another reason I haven't blogged in forever)
Philip is now a web developer at a design firm (with the best office space in Abilene- helloooo 20th floor!)
I've completed a half marathon and turned 30

Among other wonderful things...we only have T minus 53 minutes to finish this and take a shower before little-bit wakes from his nap.

The title of this post is Impact.  Impact is what I want this year to be about.  Last year it was all about health and change.  Many things changed in many areas of our lives, and this year it's going to go forward and reach further.  I'm excited to expand my horizons to people outside of my church, my friends, my neighborhood, my children, my family.  Just make my circles bigger.  Be love to people outside of my comfort zone and actually make an impact on the world. Go and do, right?