My 24 Day Challenge

My 24 Day Challenge

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Day 20....I think

Hey there!  What a day!!!!  I think today is Day 20 of my challenge.....I could get off my ass and look at my calendar but instead I'm going to assume that I'm correct!   I'm not feeling as successful over the past couple of days, but I think part of that is just a little bit of stress.  I had some pizza and a beer Friday night and really didn't feel well Saturday....I think that could be a good thing...maybe it'll keep me from eating that crap!!  But, every now and then we all need a treat!  Today I feel like I'm a bit more on track.  In fact, I just made a super yummy dinner......baked chicken breast, roasted asparagus, butternut squash risotto....and a glass of red wine.....all after taking my FiboTrim and CarbEase of course! 

I have not exercised for two days.....and I had EVERY intention of doing a run today....BUT, things got a little more complicated last night.  I had a stupidly, annoyingly, childish, hectic day at work and after 12.5 hours of dealing with craziness I went to get in my car, realized it was making a really weird noise as I backed out of the parking lot.....thanks to a completely flat rear tire!!!  So, I marched my ass back inside to call AAA.  Yes, I am thankful that I have AAA.....and yes, I am thankful that I noticed this while still in the hospital parking lot......yes, I am thankful that I wasn't in an accident or stuck on the side of the road....but after the day I had all I wanted to do was GO HOME!!!!!    So, the nice tow truck guy changed my tire, and I kept him updated on the score of that Pats game from my ESPN alerts, then drove about a mile down the road to a gas station to put air in my spare tire.....the AAA guy didn't have any left.....how can that be?? It's AIR!!!!  But, after stopping for air, I made it home.  Watched the rest of the Pats game (Go Welker!!) and went to bed. 

This morning, I had to stop at the pharmacy and pick up a new inhaler.....apparently needing air seems to be the theme of the last 24 hours!!  I now have to use an Advair inhaler twice a day for four weeks and see if that helps me function while exercising.  I did a 12 mile bike ride Sunday afternoon and although I used my inhaler twice I still felt short of breath......so, we'll see if this new one does the trick!

I then went to Sam's Club to see if my tire could be patched and put back on my car......and of course, the location of the nail does NOT allow for a patch job.  Naturally!  So, I need to buy all new tires!!  All I can vision are $$$$  and I remember this costing me a big chunk of money almost 5 years ago.  ( I experienced my first flat tire while living in Slidell, LA and had very limited options from which to buy new tires....but am suddenly VERY thankful for Sam's Club).  Because I had purchased the tires at Sam's I was able to receive a credit for the remaining life of the tires.....I was told the treads would "probably" pass my upcoming inspection, but really shouldn't be on my car much longer.....so, after getting the good news that I actually was getting a $356 credit......I take out my debit card to pay for the remaining balance.....and it was DENIED!!!  He ran it as both a debit and credit card....both of which were denied!!!  Pretty embarrassing.....and I know there's no point in saying "I know there's enough money in the account" since people probably say that every time this happens.  There were 2-3 people in line behind me, and the guy told me I could go to Walmart, get a gift card for the amount of the tires and come back to pay.  So, off I go......only to find out at Walmart customer service that my debit card AND credit card were denied!!! WTF?!!    And the cashier actually seems annoyed!!!  WHO SHOULD BE ANNOYED HERE?!!!  ME!!!!

So, I step to the side, call my bank, wait ten minutes to get a live person on the phone and find out that there was a suspicious charge on my debit card and they had been trying to call me to ask about it.....but they had my old NH phone number from about 5  years ago!!!!  UGH!  So, I get transfered to another person in the fraud department, who allows the purchase for the exact amt of the tires, and then cancels and completely shuts down my debit card......can he do the credit card issue to??  NO, of course not....that's a totally separate phone number!!  GRRR! 

Off I go back to Sam's Club with my gift card, the guy was nice enough to "keep me in line" so the other people behind me in line didn't get put ahead of me, and while I waited for just over an hour, I called and dealt with the fraud charges.....THEN, I get my car, go to the bank, get a temporary debit card, call about my credit card.....and off I went back home.......after almost SIX hours!!! 

Needless to say, I didn't get my homework done, nor did I exercise and test out the new inhaler......instead, my lazy butt took a nap on the couch!  Did a little bit of reading, a little cleaning and made dinner.....and now here I sit.....procrastinating trying to figure out how to write an annotated bibliography for my class....

I guess I better go!  I didn't have any spark yesterday or today....BIG mistake!!  But I at least had a slam while at Sam's Club.... sorry if this post is boring....welcome to my life!!! 

Thanks!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Day 16....more weight lost!!

So after a couple of emotional days I'm finally at Day 16 and today my total weight loss is 4.8 pounds!!! So excited when I got on the scale this morning!! I've had challenging days at work and personally but apparently have managed to stay on track! I haven't exercised this week like I needed to (or wanted to). Was planning to do a long bike ride today but ended ip working for a coworker who had a family emergency....then left work and babysat for another coworker so she could actually GO to work. Her son is awesome. He's 4 and totally adorable!! So, instead of doing homework or cleaning he and I walked to the park and played. Came home, made chocolate covered strawberries and watched Rango until he fell asleep. He's still currently sleeping (chocolate face an all). It's been a fun unexpected day.

I received a shipment from Advocare last night and have enjoyed my new Spark and CitriZinc. Haven't gotten to try out the post workout shakes yet but hopeukky tomorrow I can. I have a super early and long day ahead of me tomorrow. Class two hours away thatstarts at 0800 and lasts all day (followed by a 2 hour drive back home). So I'll certainly be taking some Spark with me to class....and some Slam!! I'm excited and nervous about my first Health Assessment class of the semester. It's going to be a lot of work and pretty intense. But should be worth it in the long run. I told Gina the other day "if it were easy everyone would be doing it"...I think this pertains to both Advocare AND grad school!

I'm gonna sign off before my little boyfriend wakes up from his nap! Hope you're all doing well!!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Day 13....having an "off" day

So I have not been nearly as productive today as I wanted to be.  I have been waking up in the middle of the night for about a week and having a hard time falling back to sleep.  It's getting a bit annoying.  Happens regardless of whether I take something to help me sleep, or whether I keep my cat out of my room. 

Had an appointment this morning and managed to get a few things done and then started to feel a bit lowsy.  I had my vitamins, a shake for breakfast (vanilla blended with ice, half a banana and a spoonful of peanut butter) which was very tasty!  Stupidly decided to "browse" the online dating world....got sucked into paying for a month's membership just to respond to a couple people (who, by the way, will most likely turn out to be total players/idiots).  I don't know why I do this to myself every several months.  At the end of July I had declared a "dating hiatus" and look at me now....stupid stupid stupid.  But, unless the FedEx man who delivers my next Advocare shipment is Mr. Right I gotta do something! 

So who knows if signing up for an online dating site was what is making me feel ill or not.....but I have so much to do before work tomorrow and I just can't get out of my own way.  I had a spark after my appointment and was feeling fine, but now my stomach is achy and I even opened a can of diet coke, which I haven't had in WEEKS to see if that would help settle my stomach.  It didn't...so I took a nap...and that didn't work either.  Haven't worked out today either but feel totally lethargic.  I guess I can't be on my A game every single day!  But the problem is that I want to be!!! GRRR!

Yesterday I attempted a run outside, decided to do a 3.5 mile loop.....used my inhaler about 30 minutes prior to leaving for the run and also took it with me.  I managed to get 0.96 miles in (although really had to push myself) before I had to stop and walk ....and use the inhaler again.  I walked about half a mile and then ran 0.6 miles, which was actually more difficult than I thought.  I had to walk the remaining distance home....I am discouraged about my difficulty breathing.  It's happened in the past, but not this badly.  I guess if it continues to be this bad I will call my doctor back again and see what he thinks.  I have a 10K in less than two weeks....something's gotta give....

Since I'm sounding a bit like Debbie Downer I'm going to sign off.....have tried to eat healthy today despite feeling crappy....thought maybe part of it was because it had been a few hours since I'd eaten, so I had an apple....some water, and then a snack bar.....but still feeling blah! 

Gonna go lay down and see if I can shake this thing. Haven't been out of my apartment since my appointment this morning.  Want some fresh air and a little walk, but my whole body feels "heavy" for lack of a better word.  If any of you have suggestions/ideas about the running thing I'd love to hear them! 

Thanks for reading! Hope you're having a good day!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Day 11-Measurements say it all....

So I completed the Herbal Cleanse portion of my 24 Day Challenge last night.  This morning I decided (just out of curiosity) to weigh myself and take my measurements again.  In the last 10 days I have lost 2.5 pounds and 5.5 inches!!!!  I was soooo excited to see that lose of inches!  I have to admit I thought maybe I would lose more than 2.5 pounds but am very happy with the inches lost!  I cannot wait to see how I do after another 14 days!!  I also cannot believe that I never cheated over the last 10 days....absolutely no fried food, no alcohol, no dairy, no bread.....just nice, clean eating.  Could I have done better? of course! But it was my first attempt.   So, although I plan to continue eating clean, I am happy to say that I'm glad my cleanse ended in time to enjoy a nice cold beer during the Advocare 500!!  (and most likely some Carb Ease)!

Instead of studying, I ended up printing out inspirational saying on bright paper, got out the 'ole scrapbook scissors and made them more appealing and put them all over my fridge! I want to be reminded of why I chose Advocare each time I walk by it.....and if I ever decide to grab something from the fridge I'm hoping it will help me remember my goals....and not grab too much!!

I was fairly productive today, laundry done, workout while laundry was going....only ran one mile on the treadmill before I had to walk 0.25 miles and then ran another 0.5.  I have a 10K on the 18th and I'm not sure at this point that I can do it all without walking some.....but at least I'm going to try!  The whole achilles tendonitis still seems to be a set back, even though it was the end of April.  I also decided to go through the clothes I had planned to put in a yard sale back in June....and some I have set aside to take to work in case anyone wants to "go shopping" and another large bag of clothes I placed in a donation container.  Hoping they'll find a good home!  So, that makes me feel good about myself.

I'm going to make some homemade pizza in honor of the race tonight....a little nervous to finally have something like pizza crust....but I got whole wheat, and hopefully the fact that I plan to load it with veggies will help! 

Hope you're all doing well!  Will keep you posted with more updates and weight loss!! :)

Friday, September 2, 2011

Day 9 ....and another "first day" of school....

Today is Day 9 of my challenge....and I'm feeling good.  One more day of the cleanse portion and onto the next relm!  I really thought it was going to be much harder to avoid fried foods and beer/wine....but luckily, it's been easier than I thought!  I have been much more conscious of everything I eat, and have managed to do pretty well.  I have not had anything fried, processed, no alcohol, no bread, no cheese....and yet I still want to continue!  Imagine that! I like to think of the herbal cleanse as little scrubbing bubbles cleaning all the bad stuff from my colon and making it sparkly clean for the next round of products!  Go scrubbing herbals!!

I tried to run again today, took some catalyst with a slam and after a couple puffs from my new inhaler (with spacer) off I went.  I took the inhaler it with me, just in case.....safety first!  And after just 0.5 miles I needed to stop and use it again.  I'm sure I'm not supposed to use it that frequently but I was having a tough time breathing.  I walked a few minutes and then ran another 0.5 miles....but had to walk the remaining 1.5 miles home.  Not sure why the inhaler didn't seem to help this time, but maybe it would've been worse had I not tried it!   So far so good with my ankle....and I'm thinking of maybe going for a 0700 run with the Maine Track Club.  Even though I know I'll be running alone since I can't handle long distances of any kind right now.  And the other members are MUCH more advanced than me!!! But I can catch up with them afterwards and get some good motivation (and of course, spread the word about Advocare).

I started school today.  My class was supposed to be from 3-9pm but she let us out early, and assured us it won't happen again.  Seems like it's going to be a very LOOOOONG semester!  The books that were listed for the class, which I bought a few weeks ago, are the wrong books......and the last thing I want to do is spend more money AND start off behind from day one!  Since I bought them at the actual Husson bookstore, I can only return them if I drive the two hours to Bangor on Tuesday.  It's not looking like that's possible so I may need to try selling them online.  Ugh! Tomorrow I will spend some time trying to get organized and ready for the semester.  This Rural/Community Health class will entail some reading, journaling, field work and presentations.....I think my other class will probably double this work load.  But, somehow it will all pay off right?   Right???  anyone???

I got something exciting in the mail today.....the TITLE to MY car!!!!  Never in my life have I ever actually OWNED a car!!!  I bought this car six years ago (used) and finally OWN IT!!!  yay!!!  (Dear Toyota, please keep working well for at least two more years while I finish school....I love you and would really like to be able to pay off some debt while still driving you!.  Thanks, your proud owner!)

I also placed a new Advocare order today....wanted to get my hands on some Mango Strawberry Spark....but also decided to get some post workout recovery shakes......and some Oasis (due to my stress level last night) and my upcoming school year!  Maybe it'll help me! As for last night, many thanks to both Alison and Gina for trying to calm me down!  It was a very long and chaotic day at work, followed by some info I learned when I got home that was upsetting....but I got through it, and everything will work out.  I just got a little nervous and stressed out.  I'm so happy to have friends that are helpful and sweet!  :)

Gotta go....probably should be a little more productive before heading to bed.  But I'm thinking an early night sounds marvelous!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Day 6 - The day I Spark'd my chiropractor

It's been a good day today.  Woke up with a headache (after taking my prescription sleeping pill)....thinking I'll just stick with the SleepWorks for now if I feel that I need something for sleep.  Took some tylenol, tried to enroll in a free bike maintenance clinic at LL Bean tomorrow night only to find out it is full.  I may try to "stop by" tomorrow just before class and see if I can get in...would like to know what to do if problems arise while biking alone! 

Anywho, I made an appointment to see my chiropractor today.  Decided I deserved a treat.....haven't seen her since March.  I needed an adjustment!! (in more ways than one!).  I was telling her about Advocare and gave her and her Esthitician a Spark on my way out (along with my business card of course)!  Hope they'll try it!   Then I headed off to my PCP....he was very excited to hear about my biking (but he is a huge biking fan....easy on the joints, and a great workout).  He has been my doc for probably 10 years now....has seen me through my absolute worst times.....and today he said I look the best he has seen me in years!  I can thank Advocare for that!  And all my great support system in Hawaii!  I told him about the vitamins, and the energy.  He is already starting to help me think of ways to avoid misery this winter.....even wrote down the best kind of bike trainer to look for so I can keep biking inside....and where to find one for a decent price.  He's awesome!  I'm also hoping my new lifestyle with Advocare will keep me from getting my usual seasonal affective disorder! 

I also had to admit my recent breathing issues.  I've never had asthma or hayfever, but my sister has asthma....it can be linked to genetics, but not always.  He definitely does not think I have asthma (nor do I) but he does think I have Exercise Induced Bronchospasms.  I have had difficulty breathing with certain activities for quite some time, but it was always very infrequent.  Until now.....I've had more energy, and have increased my activity level....which has led to more frequent breathing issues.....so, technically, I can thank Advocare for helping me get this diagnosis.  I don't like the fact that I may need to use an inhaler prior or during exercise, BUT it means I'm workout out and is a small price to pay!  I used it after the first two hills made me short of breath.....and it definitely helped!  Thanks to my energy, motivation and ProAir I was able to bike 18.4 miles!!!

Had a nice healthy dinner.....now off to take a quick shower and print off my school documents/syllabus that apparently have now been posted.....guess that means school is really starting.....and why do printer ink cartridges cost so damn much??  I go through them like crazy thanks to school......I could get a new printer every semester for what I pay in ink!!! 

Ok, off I go.....

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Day 4

Tonight completes Day 4 of my challenge.  Things have been going pretty well.  It was nice not to have the fiber drink this morning, but I saw a recipe from Laura for fiber (drink) muffins!  You can apparently eat two muffins a day on the days you woud typically have the fiber drink.  I decided that even though I don't "need" the drink today I would make them and see how they are.  I have never baked with whole wheat flour, and with the fiber drink wasn't sure how they would taste.....I was pleasantly surprised!!  I think they will now be a new addition to my daily snacks when I want a little something sweet, yet healthy! The apple pieces make them a bit more moist.  I look forward to making them in the future for a nice tasty fiber rich snack! Overall two thumbs up! 

I decided to do a small workout today.  Thanks to the rain and winds of Hurricane Irene I walked over to the little gym I have here at my apartment complex.  I had learned from Facebook that a few friends in Maine were already without power, but I was hoping I could work out and shower before anything flickered at my place!  So, I walked for 5 minutes and then started running......and the lights went off for a split second....which made the treadmill come to a screaching halt!!  There was one other person in the gym, on the other treadmill and he was going much faster than me and had a harder time with the abrupt stop!  The power came right back on and I finished running one mile, walked 0.25 miles and then ran another 0.5 miles, followed by another 10 minutes of walking.  This may seem like nothing to those of you who are runners.....but that is the most I've been able to run since my achilles tendonitis at the end of April.  The weekend of success school I ran 0.5 miles, walked 1 mile and ran another 0.5 miles on the treadmill.  That was the first time I had run a short distance twice in one workout.  Today was exciting!!  A whole mile without stopping!!  woohoo!!  I got slightly winded but nothing like the past two days.  I also didn't have an incline in front of me....looking forward to seeing my PCP in a couple days.

I got several things accomplished from my "to do" list.....and then took a nap on the couch for about an hour!  Nice, relaxing day!  I keep thinking I need to accomplish more before I go to bed tonight, but this is also my last free weekend day/night before school starts!!  :(  And I have to be at work at 0600 tomorrow morning!  So, it's an evening of mindless tv for me! 

The lights have been flickering for the last 15 minutes and I'm hoping I don't lose power.  I'm usually pretty lucky here at my apartment complex, but I guess you never know!  The weather doesn't seem to be nearly as bad as people were projecting.....the rain has been stopped for several hours, but the wind is pretty consistent...can't imagine what it was like in St Thomas!  Hope my islands are ok!!  Someday I hope to get back there and check it out!  ....someone's gotta do it!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Day 3

Day 3 started off well....although I woke up thirsty, which just reinforced the fact that I did not drink enough water yesterday.  After waking up at 0300 thanks to my lovely cat wanting to "play"....I kicked his furry butt out of my room, played with my phone for a few minutes and went back to sleep.  Got up, had some water, and another fiber drink and orange spark.  Still can't get used to the texture of it, so am happy to have a few days off before the next round!  I had more water, went to the store, started laundry and came home to have some oatmeal.  I made steel cut oatmeal for the first time.  Apparently when I bought it yesterday I thought it said it took 5 minutes to cook.....but I didn't read far enough to see that after the initial five minutes it needs another 30 minutes!!  Grr!  Luckily, it was good, and gave me extra time to drink more water. I put a little real maple syrup on it for flavor and sweetener.....pretty tasty!

I really wanted to take another bike ride today before we get rain from Hurricane Irene tomorrow....but after yesterday's scary breathing experience I was a little concerned.  So, I did a couple errands (while enjoying a Pink Lemonade Spark), then came home, took a dose of Catalyst and a Slam.  And off I went for a shorter ride.  Still had some difficulty breathing with the larger hills.....I purposely chose a route with short but tougher hills than yesterday as a test to see how I would feel.....note to self:  do not test out your breathing troubles while biking alone!!  Stupid stupid stupid! (and yes, as a nurse I should know better)! Luckily, nothing bad happened, and I was able to get through the ride with only taking a few very short water breaks.  I finished 8 miles and felt great after a few minutes of being home!  I think I will NOT press my luck again until I see my doc on Tuesday.  Maybe I will stick to a walk on the treadmill at the gym tomorrow! Haven't been there in MONTHS!!  But it will also be a great opportunity to put out some business cards....just in case.....

I will also admit that I was a little nervous about going too far from home in case the "gentle and uneventful" products kicked in!  I already have IBS, so I often am thinking about where the closest bathroom is.....but I have to admit that so far I am pleasantly surprised!  It has not aggravated my GI tract, nor caused any unwanted issues!  I know it's only Day 3 but so far so good......and sorry if this part contained a little TMI!! ;)

I made sure I had some protein and fruit for a snack, but I think I messed up with my dinner!  I made some 99% fat free ground turkey, more roasted asparagus (don't want it to go to waste)....but I decided to make some roasted red potatoes instead of reheating my brown rice from last night.....not realizing until I put it on the pan, that I should be avoiding white starches!!!  I hadn't even thought of it.  I had already sprinkled some olive oil, salt & pepper on them and didn't want to let them go to waste....so I made them anyway......trying to convince myself that the skins will help.....surely they add more fiber to the potatoes!!  So, I made a snafoo with my dinner....but I had my protein and veggie, a few glasses of water and only limited amounts of the potatoes.....normally I would eat a LOT of them!! 

I know I will make mistakes, nobody is perfect.....but I have been beating myself up for the past hour about about the starch portion of my meal!  :(   I keep reminding myself that I did actually exercise.....so that has to count for something!  I vowed to do this whole heartedly and that's what I want to do....so a little bummed that I messed up.  I know it could be a lot worse.....I could've bought that extra large piece of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting that was glaring at me as I walked past it at the store this morning!  But NO MORE EXCUSES!!!

I never thought I would say this, but I am going to turn on the Nascar race in about 10 minutes so I can see one of the Advocare drivers......what has gotten into me??  (besides amazing products from Advocare)!! 

I have to go put sheets on my bed.....why do I hate doing that so much?!!  It's not like it takes a long time.....but I do LOVE clean sheet night!!!  yay!!!  So, I will be taking my SleepWorks tonight in hopes of getting a better night's sleep and enjoying my very last day off before work and school starts!   Thanks for reading!  Night Night!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Small Carb Victory

I am truly excited about my 24 Day Challenge....but this afternoon and evening I really wished I could enjoy a nice cold beer or glass of wine with dinner.....and it's only day TWO!!!  I have committed to do this correctly, and that is what I plan to do....so no drink for me!  Then I decide to have dinner with sparkling water (in a wine glass for added curb appeal)!  And I put a small piece of leftover lemon-thyme chicken on my plate, along with a generous portion of roasted asparagus and a side of brown rice.....I enjoyed every morsel and went back for more asparagus....and before I knew it, I was putting more rice on my plate!!  How did that happen??  That's right, because I'm a carbaholic!!  If there had been a loaf of french bread next to me, that would've jumped on the plate too!  BUT.....when I got back to my seat to eat my second helping (and by seat I mean couch) I realized I didn't really even WANT the extra rice.  I ate the asparagus, had another glass of water and only had two bites of the rice.  I have NEVER EVER left a carbohydrate behind!  ......until tonight!!!!  I was able to sit my plate down and actually ignore the glistening pieces of rice smiling up at me.  I did not have to immediately go throw it away, or put it out of site.  I was actually able to have it in front of me and still NOT want it!  For those of you who do not know me (and my love of bread and bread products aka carbs) THIS IS HUGE!!!!!  I am amazed!!  So, it's not all about the scale!  It's these non-scale victories that I love!!  I obviously also want a decent victory on the scale...but these little baby steps make me know that I am well on my way!!  Again, it's only day two, but I said I would be honest, and here I am actually writing a blog about not eating extra rice!   And I am proud to do it!!! Renee 1- Carbs 0 !!!!!

Day 2 of "the challenge"

Hi everyone!  I will do my best not to bore you, yet try to be brutally honest at the same time.....I decided earlier this week to start my 24 Day Challenge with Advocare.  I already love several products, but was not faithful in using ANY products until a few weeks ago.  So, even though I can come up with multiple excuses why I should "wait" a few more days to start my challenge, I finally decided....NO MORE EXCUSES!!!  Have I been wanting to feel better?  Yes! Have I complained about feeling tired and having no energy? Yes.  Have I complained and felt bad about how I look? Absolutely!  So....not waiting until after the weekend, or waiting until after Labor Day....healthy choices start now!!   I'm hoping this blog will allow others to see my journey with advocare and my choice to finally eat clean and live lean!  (plus, I'm thinking it may keep me more accountable if I think people are following my story)!!

Yesterday morning I woke up to my "opportunity clock" and knew I was going to make healthy choices and start on my new 24 day journey.  I mixed a citrus fiber drink with an orange spark and drank it down......now, this is NO fault of Advocare, but I apparently have an issue with drinks that have a little texture to them.....so, mixing the fiber drink with a spark was helpful, but using a straw to drink it down was even better!  I have not heard of anyone having issues with the fiber drink, and I don't want to be the first...but I guess texture is more important to me than I thought!  And this ain't no sippin' drink! 

After the fiber drink, I had a chocolate meal replacement shake blended with a banana for breakfast, along with my OmegaPlex vitamins.  I continued to drink plenty of water throughout the day, along with a dose of Catalyst (3) during the early afternoon.....along with a Slam.  (which I LOVE)!!  It was a crazy, busy, chaotic day at work and ended up being there for 14 hours.....and I survived.    Now....I fast forward to today...

Day 2:
Chugged down another fiber drink mixed with an orange Spark (with a straw of course)......followed by a Vanilla Shake with frozen berries and OmegaPlex.  Very tasty!  I realize the shakes usually come into the challenge on day 11 but I actually enjoy the taste of them.....I won't always have one for breakfast, but yesterday and today they hit the spot!   I had some water, but not as much as I should.....so I'm trying to make up for that now. 

I went for a bike ride after taking a dose of Catalyst, water and some grape Rehydrate....and continued to drink another Rehydrate during my ride, along with more water........

I just returned from Trader Joe's (which I also love) after picking up some clean eating choices.....and realized I forgot to buy some bottled water.....Maine has been declared to be in a state of emergency due to Hurricane Irene....and I'm guessing Hannaford will be crazy busy tonight, but I may brave the crowd, after all.....No More Excuses!!

I'm looking forward to some roasted asparagus, grilled lemon-thyme chicken and some brown rice for dinner.....I'll try to post some pics soon and make my blog a bit more interesting!  Thanks for reading!