Mixer Tuesday!

Hello everyone! Sorry I have been gone for a while and will probably disappear again until next year. This is my busy time at work. I barely have time to spend with Brad and I surely don't want to spend the little time I do have "blogging". I am sure you all understand. I did want you all to know that we are still doing Advocare. I love their products so much that I don't think I will ever quit taking them. We are having a mixer Tuesday, September 28th at 6:30 pm. I really hope you will come. Eric Whitlow is going to be here speaking and I know it will be very informative. I can't wait to learn more about advocare. So far I have lost 25lbs. I still have a long way to go, but I am DOING IT! I really don't think I would be as successful if it wasn't for advocare.

Come see me Tuesday! Bring a friend...or a few! You will be so glad you did!

Oh, one more thing. Please say a prayer for my friend Kristee Dowling and her sweet baby girl Lydia!!!!!

Tired of 20!!!!!

I am stuck at 20 lbs. I will gain a pound or two, then lose that pound or two, but I can't seem to get to 21 lbs. It is very frustrating, but I am going to keep taking my MNS supplements and drinking my shakes. Maybe, just maybe it will start falling off again. Makes me MAD!!!!

Despite my complaining, I am so very thankful for the 20 I have lost!

So I have seen a photo

capital "O" capital "M" capital "G". I have just seen a picture of myself at a function that took place over the weekend. First of all, I hate being in a picture and second of all who is that girl looking back at me? I am going to "RUN, Forrest, RUN" tomorrow. GROSS. I have a looooonnngggggg way to go, but guess what??? ...that gave me my motivation to get through the week.

I am so excited that I just can't hide it!

Since Sunday I have lost 3 more pounds for a total of 20 lbs....in a month! I love, love, love advocare. I wouldn't be doing so good without their products. It sounds strange or hokey, but true. There is something magical about them. I can't explain it, but I do know that I have felt better this past month than I have in the last 15 years. I have a desire to eat healthy, fresh foods. I have NEVER EVER been like that before. Well, I still don't love all veggies, but I am definitely eating more of the ones I do like.

Falling and I MUST get back up

Goodness GRACIOUS I have been BAD. Had margaritas Friday and it was all downhill from there. My eating and exercise was terrible the entire weekend. I will say that I quickly jumped back on the wagon Monday when I got on that scale. I have lost what I gained, but I could be down even more had I behaved myself. WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!?!?!? I do love a margarita.

I will tell you all a funny story...when we were at the mexican restaurant enjoying our delicious margaritas, Brad said, "look Molly just walked it". I about choked on a chip (which I shouldn't have been eating). Not to mention the pitcher of margaritas were over half gone. He was kidding about Molly walking in, but we cracked up about it because we knew we shouldn't have been in there, but it sure was great. Those of you who don't know Molly, she is an advocare professional :o) and has lost a ton of weight using advocare's products. I found some of that weight she lost at the mexican restaurant.

I have learned my lesson...I hope.

One goal down, many more to go

Well, my first goal was to get thru the 24 day challenge and I DID THAT! My next goal is to lose 30 lbs. Hummmm.....wonder if it is going to be as easy as the first 17 lbs. Doubtful, but I am going to do it! You wait and see.

It ain't over until the SKINNY lady sings

I have officially finished the 24 day challenge!

Here's the skinny...

I've lost 17 total pounds and 13.5 inches all over. I have lost 4 inches in my waist alone. I had to measure and recalculate twice because I couldn't believe it! These measurements are only for the last 11 days, because I forgot to measure on day one of the cleanse. I am so mad at myself for not doing it the first day. This was the easiest diet I have ever done, if I should even call it a diet. If I can do it...ANYONE can do it.

What's next you may be wondering. I am going to keep doing what I am doing. Drinking meal replacement shakes, taking 3 Catalyst 2 times a day, taking Thermo plus, taking all the wonderful supplements in the MNS 3 pack, continuing to eat tons of fruits and veggies and lean meats, oh...we can't forget about Spark and Slam - I am officially addicted to them.

I will continue taking advocare products for the rest of my life. I love them so much. I have never been one that can take multi-vitamins or prenatal vitamins for that matter, because they upset my stomach terribly. I wasn't sure when I started taking advocare products that they wouldn't do the same. Thankfully they didn't. I can honestly say that I am taking the right steps to changing my lifestyle to a healthy one thanks to advocare. If I could meet Mr. Advocare, I would give him a great big hug and kiss!

This journey really has just begun...

A good way to get started

Try this assortment kit for $79

The REASONS are SIMPLE:

1. Why pay retail? This kit will allow you to receive 20% off on all orders, including your initial order. Also, the more you order the higher your discount will increase. As a distributor, you will be able to place your own orders.

2. The kit includes 10 Sparks & 12 Slams in various flavors. This is a GREAT way to try different flavors.

What is Spark? Spark is a sugar-free energy drink. It sharpens mental focus and gives you long-lasting energy. I LOVE this product and so will you. I drink 1 to 2 a day (you can drink up to 4 if you need). You will be amazed how many vitamins and minerals this drink contains. I can't live without my daily spark - it is my coffee/coke!!

What is Slam? Slam is a high-powered, sugar-free energy drink. It is a liquid vitamin and amino acid supplement. I would compare this to a 5 hour energy drink, but Slams come without the jitters or a crash. GREAT before a workout or to help you get through a slump in your day. You will want to try this one! Slam is Spark on steroids.

Order yours today!

You will be so glad you did!

http://www.doitwithadvocare.com/ then click Become A Distributor at the top

or

simply click here

https://www.advocare.com/10075980/Enrollment/MemberBasicInfo.aspx

If you have any questions please feel free to email us at:

emily@doitwithadvocare.com or brad@doitwithadvocare.com

Bummed Out

I just got on the scale and I have gained 1.5 lbs. This is not the way I wanted to start my week. The crazy part is that last night when Brad had a moment of weakness - he ordered Papa Johns pizza - I refrained and had 3 meatballs, green beans, tomato slices and 2 small red skinned new potatoes. Sorry I call you out Brad. He is not going to be happy that I am telling "his business". Hee hee. I guess if I would have broken down and eaten the pizza I could see the weight gain, but I was good. I mean I watched him eat it and I didn't even have any. This is not fair. And he probably still lost weight. I have just decided that our scale must be broken :)

Winn-Dixie Specials

These were good finds at our local Winn-Dixie:

After church, Brad and I went to Winn-Dixie for some produce since our local farmer's market ended. We ran across some good deals while we were there so I thought I would pass along. Our new favorite Nature's Own 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich rounds are Buy 1 get one FREE! I was extremely happy about this one. The things that excite me these days :o)

Winn-Dixie brand canned tomatoes were 10 for $6.00 making them $0.60 a can. We have been trying to use fresh ingredients, but let's face it, sometimes we only have time for cans. We bought petite diced tomatoes, tomatoes with green chilies, Italian style diced tomatoes, and Mexican style diced tomatoes. We weren't there to buy tomatoes, but saw they were on sale so we snatched some up. Be on the lookout for some great recipes using these tomatoes.

Broccoli bunches were Buy 1 get 1 FREE. I could have just passed these right on by since broccoli really is not my favorite. I always think the next time I eat it I will love it, but that hasn't happened yet. Maybe one day. If I could just smother it in cheese or fry it.

All natural skinless, boneless chicken breast packs were also Buy 1 get 1 FREE! We loaded up on these and froze most of them. We are eating A LOT of chicken these days.

Please know that I am in NO way affiliated with any of these brands or Winn-Dixie...just a lil' tid bit I thought you might appreciate. I didn't pay attention to when the sale ends. That would have been smart of me. Sorry.

We saved $36.00 using our Winn-Dixie customer card. Pretty good.

Meatball Spaghetti

We haven't completely made the switch to using 100% ground turkey in our meals yet. So in the meantime, we are using half ground turkey and half extra lean ground beef (97% fat-free) for our recipes. Brad made these delicious meatballs using the half and half mixture. You certainly can use all turkey and I am sure would be just as delicious - or maybe not.

We did a bunch so that we could freeze some for later.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey

1 lb. extra lean ground beef

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the above ingredients and form into balls. Our meatballs were medium sized. Feel free to make any size you wish. Place meatballs on a baking sheet about 3/4" apart. Bake for about 20 minutes.

We added Preggo traditional spaghetti sauce to our meatballs along with whole wheat spaghetti noodles and a fresh green salad to round out the meal. This was yet another good one!

We plan on using the leftover meatballs with our whole wheat sandwich rounds to make meatball sandwiches. We are going to add a little part-skim mozzarella cheese and bake the sandwich halves for a few minutes. YUM!

New Development

This is a GOOD one. This morning I thought I would try on an old pair of jeans....just to see. To my surprise, they fit! With ease. Didn't have to jump off the bed into them. They just slid right on like they should. Now this is going to be the start of a great day!

Thank you, Brad!

I am not even sure if Brad really reads this blog or every single entry. I hope he reads this one, because it is for him. I am truly blessed to have such a loving husband. I often ask myself how I got so lucky. Without out him, I am sure I would have already failed this challenge. He encourages me and helps me daily. He makes sure I stay on track and really goes above and beyond for me. He cooks the most delicious meals (expect that one with the broccoli). If I could clone him I would and give him to all my friends for Christmas. If you know him, you know exactly what I am talking about. He is the BEST!

Brad, I want you to know that I thank God everyday for giving you to me. You are my best friend and the best husband in the world! Thanks for all you do! I love you more and more everyday.

Cajun Chicken Sandwiches & Mini Pizzas

Brad made up both of these and they were delicious and something different.


You must buy the Nature's Own 100% WHOLE grain Sandwich Rounds. These are the best invention since sliced bread :o) You get to enjoy a whole sandwich without overdoing it with regular sized sliced bread...and it really is a perfect portion. Great product to keep in your pantry. 2 slices only have 20 grams of carbs.




Lil' Tid Bit: A friend of mine, who studies nutrition, says that when you are looking at how many carbs are in a product, you can subtract the grams of fiber from the grams of carbs to calculate your net carb intake.


Since these sandwich rounds have 20 grams of carbs and have 5 grams of fiber, my net carbs are only 15 grams. That makes these rounds perfect for this diet!





Now for the Cajun Chicken Sandwich Recipe...if you can even call it a recipe:





Sprinkle Sugar-free Cajun seasoning on a chicken breast and bake or grill.


I prefer my chicken thin, so we pound it out before cooking. We added a little part-skim mozzarella cheese to the chicken just before taking off the grill. We completed our sandwiches with fresh tomatoes and lettuce, as well as a little mustard. Who needs Chick-Fil-A...


We also made homemade sweet potato fries to accompany our chicken sandwich. These are super easy to make and sure helped cure my cravings for chips AND french FRIED potatoes.


To make the sweet potato fries you simply wash and slice into small fry shape pieces. Then lightly brush with EVOO and add salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place fries on baking sheet or rack making sure not to overlap or crowd the sweet potatoes. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes then turn fries and bake for another 15 or 20 minutes until golden brown.



PIZZA rounds


Today for lunch, Brad had this brilliant idea for pizza. Yeah, you heard it correctly, pizza. Using our new favorite sandwich rounds, we spread a little jarred spaghetti sauce (not even a whole teaspoon for each round) on to 4 rounds (2 for him and 2 for me). Then we built our pizzas. I added 2 pepperoni slices to each of my rounds and topped it off with part skim mozzarella cheese. Brad had to go on and get fancy and sauteed green bell peppers and onions and fresh mushrooms for his pizza making it gourmet. He left off the pepperoni which was probably the better decision, oh well - mine were delicious and 4 pepperonis really don't have that much fat (I will walk an extra mile tomorrow morning). He also added mozzarella cheese. Then we baked all 4 rounds at 350 for about 8 minutes, then turned oven to broil and watched the tops brown ever so slightly. I hearted these! Something different, yet easy and real good. We added some fresh fruit to round out our quick, yet yummy lunch.


Seriously, you should try these sandwich rounds if you haven't already.

Great Chicken Dish, thanks to Brad!

Spice-Rubbed Chicken Finger with Cilantro Sauce

This is FABULOUS!!!!!! Actually one of my faves. A must try! My friend Kim joined us for this meal and she really enjoyed it too (or at least she said she did). The dipping sauce is delicious. It is great to have such a wonderful cook in the house. Thanks Brad! We also had okra and tomatoes with this (former recipe). Since Kim was here we decided against busting out the camera like dorks and taking staged pictures. You just have to try it for yourself. I look forward to having left over chicken lettuce wraps tomorrow for lunch. YUM! The recipe is as follows. Bon Appetite!

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound chicken breast tenders

1/2 cup cilantro sprigs

1/4 cup parsley springs

1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds

1 serrano chile pepper seeded (wear plastic gloves when handling)

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons EVOO

2 tablespoons water

Sprig cilantro, for garnish (we don't do this part...garnish, smarnish)



Coat a grill rack or broiler-pan rack with cooking spray. Preheat the grill or broiler.


In a cup, combine the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Place the chicken in a baking pan and coat completely with cooking spray. Let stand for 10 minutes.


In a food processor (or blender), combine the cilantro, parsley, almonds, garlic, chile pepper, and salt. Process until chopped. While the processor is running, add the lime juice and oil through the feed tube, stopping the machine one or twice to scrape the sides of the container until the sauce is smooth. Pour the sauce into a bowl. Stir in the water, cover, and chill until ready to serve.


Place the chicken in the prepared rack and grill or broil 6" from the heat, turning several times, for 15 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 170 degrees F and the juices run clear.


Serve with the sauce and garnish with the cilantro...or not.

14 lbs.

I have lost 14 lbs. I was getting a little discouraged, but the scale was on my side this morning. And I couldn't be happier. This is the easiest diet I have ever been on!

Holding strong on day 16

No real weight change this morning. I am still at 12 lbs. I guess staying the same is better than gaining. I know that Advocare is also helping me lose inches that do not show up on the scale every morning but I am loving seeing the clothes get looser and looser. I will say that I am feeling GREAT! I am amazed, really. We can't get hung up on the lbs only, because Advocare really helps hold on to the muscle while we lose the fat. It's bath time!!! See you tomorrow.

Black bean soup

This was just okay for me, but Brad loved it.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup dried black beans
6 cups of water
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 rib celery with leaves, chopped
Ground black pepper
1 tsp celery seeds
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons

Soak beans overnight. Drain beans once and add fresh water. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and celery. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the beans and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low then cover. Let simmer for 2 hours until beans are tender.

Remove half of the beans into a food processor or blender, adding liquid from soup to cover and puree. Add black pepper to taste and celery seeds. Return pureed beans to the pot heat stirring occasionally until soup thickens. Stir in lemon juice.

Garnish with sliced lemons and celery leaves.

I HAD to add a little salt :o) It was better left over to me. Great source of protein and fiber. You can have this on the 10 day cleanse. Add a salad to this for a perfect meal (remember, no vingar on the cleanse).

Moment of weakness

I am having a moment of weakness. I really want a glass of red wine. The only problem is I think that "a glass" might turn into "a bottle". Hummmm, what to do?

From ALL black to ALL white & Halter Top

Okay, so I have decided that I am going to set some new goals for myself. One of the new goals I am going to call the "from ALL black to ALL white" goal or challenge. My goal is to go from wearing ALL black to one day hopefully, maybe, with a lot of prayer, and sweat and tears to wearing ALL white. You heard me....ALL white. Who am I kidding, other than myself, that wearing all black really hides a thing??? It definitely makes me feel better so whatever it takes, right? I know many of you out there feel the same way. I don't know how or when my challenge will come to fruition, but I have to believe that it will. Stay tuned for that one...

When I told Brad of my new goals he said what about a bikini goal....I am still laughing about that one. Those days are loooooonngggg gone. That does kind of lead me to my next goal though. I will call this one "Halter Top". I am going to expose the big guns. Well, they will be little guns when they are exposed - the arms are coming out. No bikini, but be on the lookout for a strapless something. How about a white, strapless something. The point is no more 3/4" sleeves. Can I get an Amen?

The next goal is "Off the Rack"...need I say more????

Who wants to take one or all of these challenges with me? Or make up your own challenge. Just set a goal and join me on this journey. I can not do it alone, plus it is kind of fun dreaming....wishing....hoping.....

Monday Night Mixer

Thank you to all of you that came Mondy. We had good turn out. Be on the lookout for another one coming soon!

14 days and 12 pounds

Oh happy day!!!!

Find out what it's all about

We are having an AdvoCare mixer and would love for

you (and your friends) to join us.

Monday, August 2nd
6:30 p.m.
208 N. Englewood Ave
(children welcome)

Come learn what these products can do for you and your family.

They truly are life changing!

Start your own journey...

For more information email:

emily@doitwithadvocare.com or brad@doitwithadvocare.com

Changing Habits

One thing Brad and I have been working on that is part of the Advocare nutrition program is simply changing eating habits. We went to the farmer's market and grocery store this morning and when we got home we unloaded all of the fresh produce that we love eating everyday and cleaned out some old junk that was still in our pantry. As I looked at the new and the old, I easily saw why we are in the shape we are in. I encourage you to look at what's in your cabinets and think about what you grab when you just want a quick snack (or give to your kids). I'll bet you too will realize how far off many of us are.

The crazy thing is that until I started eating all of these fresh fruits and vegetables, not only for meals, but also for snacks, I had actually forgotten how delicious they were (not to mention how great I feel compared to stuffing sweet snacks or chips in my face). Of course having a Spark to drink instead of coke or coffee is so much better!!!


Only about two weeks in and I'm loving the fresh food, the new found energy, and especially watching my weight drop and clothes get looser and looser as each day passes. This is totally AMAZING! I hope that each of you reading this will make an effort to get going on your own journey. I look forward to taking it with you. Please let me know if you have any questions or if I may help you in any way.

For More Information
Please visit: www.doitwithadvocare.com

Or Email us at:

emily@doitwithadvocare.com

or

brad@doitwithadvocare.com

I'm back...Day 13 (a few recipes in here)

Sorry I've been a little under the weather and had a busy week, but I stayed on track with my nutrition program and as I posted Thursday I was thrilled with our ten day cleanse.

Brad ended up down 9 pounds at the end of the cleanse and was down another pound yesterday.

I have not managed to exercise the past couple of days but will get back to walking as soon as my sinuses clear up(hopefully Sunday).

I will just mention a few dishes we have had since my post on Monday. I'm not going to try to remember which dish was on what day but you will want to try a couple of these. So, here we go.

One night Brad grilled delicious chicken breast with a Chimichurri sauce/marinade that use we for pork, chicken, and beef. It is GREAT!!

Brad uses the food processor
(you can just mince everything if you don't want to use FP)

Combine:

6 cloves garlic chopped, 2 seeded jalapenos or Serrano peppers chopped, 1/2 cup fresh parsley, 1/2 cup fresh oregano, juice from three limes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or just salt), fresh crack pepper to taste, 1 cup EVOO. The recipe also calls for 1/4 cup red wine vinegar. We left that out this time because you should not have vinegar on the cleanse but usually add it also.

Mix all ingredients, reserve about half the mixture for dipping then pour the other half over chicken (or what ever meat you would like). Works great in a ziploc. Only marinade for 45-1 hour because the lime juice will begin to cook the meat if it goes much longer. Grill like you normally would until desired temp. YUMMMM!

I was chickened out one night this week so we were racking our brains trying to come up with something different. I decided I wanted breakfast for supper. Unfortunately it was not cheese eggs, cheese grits, bacon, and biscuits, but it was still good and made us feel good also.

We chopped up some of the leftover chicken from above along with bell pepper and onion then sauteed them for a while. We made omelets with two eggs each adding the chicken, onion, and pepper mixture.

At the last minute I thought of making a fresh salsa to go with our dinner omelets. We diced cherry tomatoes, sweet onions, a little Serrano chili, fresh cilantro, kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, and a little fresh squeezed lime juice. Mix all that together and add to any dish for a wonderful fresh pop. The salsa really made the dinner! Add fresh fruit for desert and who needs bacon and biscuits?

The other recipe worth mentioning is a great marinade/rub Brad found (quick & easy).

We used it on a small boneless turkey breast (only about three pounds).

Food Processor time again.


Combine:

1 small onion, about 12 fresh sage leaves, a little lemon zest, 1/2 cup fresh parsley,
3 Tsp EVOO, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and rub all over turkey breast.

I bet it would be great on chicken also, this was a first for us. I'm glad we found it. Cook according to directions or however you normally would. This one said cook on 350 for about 2 hrs. We used one of those baking bags and it came out very juicy!! We also roasted carrots, onions and cauliflower seasoned with salt and pepper. We would typically roast things like this using potatoes, onions and carrots, but cauliflower is a wonderful substitution. So glad it wasn't "chicken".

Try these out and let me know what you think!

11.4 lbs. LOST in 10 DAYS!!!!!!!!!

The 10 day cleanse is now over - and I am happy about that. But I am more happy that I LOST 11.4 lbs. Time to celebrate....by going to exercise :o)

Cajun Grilled Grouper Recipe

Lightly brush grouper fillet with olive oil. Sprinkle both sides with sugar-free Cajun seasoning. Add a bunch if you want it extra spicy. Put on hot grill for a few minutes on each side. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over fish before eating.

After the 10 day cleanse, Brad will probably add whole grain rice to this meal.

...and Velveeta cheese sauce for the broccoli - now that was just wishful thinking!

Chicken and Vegetable Soup Recipe

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 carrots, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4" strips

1 cup okra, sliced

3 spears asparagus, cut into 1" pieces, and/or 1 cup broccoli florets

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (we actually added more pepper than this)

In a large pot, combine the broth, carrots, celery, onion, mushroom, okra, garlic, thyme, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the vegetable mixture to a food processor and process until pureed. Return to the pot.

Stir in the chicken, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink.

Add asparagus and/or broccoli, parsley, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, or until heated through.

Enjoy!

Taste better than it looks...

Shaker & Egg Poacher

I love both of these products. They both came from Wal-mart. The egg poacher was over where the microwaves are. I am not sure where the water bottle shaker is located since my my sweet niece let me use hers (I have decided that it is mine now - I will get you a new one, Cori - if you tell me where I can find it ). So, for the shaker, it holds 25 ounces (it measures in ounces and milliliters) and has 2 small compartments built into the top for pills and whatnots. The bottom also unscrews to reveal fairly large cup for storing things like my afternoon spark or a lunch time meal replacement drink. There is also a removable screen in the top which which allows you to simply pour in your Spark/Shake powder, add water, shake it up and go...no stirring required.

GREAT product! I feel like an infomercial. I am in no way affiliated with either of these products. Just FYI.

The Egg Poacher


The egg poacher is another neat product. You can poach 2 eggs in less than a minute. Depending on the cook time, you can either completely cook the yolk or leave it runny. I prefer the yolk completely cooked since I can't have grits right now. This is especially great for those people, who like me, are always in a hurry. All you have to do is crack the eggs into the bowls add a teaspoon of water to each bowl, close the lid and nuke it for about a minute depending on the strength of your microwave. This can also be done without buying the egg poacher (I call this the redneck poacher). You can use a bowl and a saucer/plate . Put the egg in the bowl, add water and cover it with a saucer or plate also put something with some weight to it on top. I used a coffee mug. Then nuke it!

The Redneck Version

This makes a quick breakfast with great protein and I also make them ahead of time and take to the office in ziplocks for my morning and/or afternoon snack.

A little tid bit - each egg contains about 6 grams of protein.

Day 7 Schedule

7:15 - Pink Lemonade Spark, 3 catalyst pills & 2 pro-botic restore (still no fiber drink)

8:00 - 1/2 chocolate meal replacement shake (should have drank the whole thing but I just wasn't feeling it)

9:45 - 1 small plum, 5 strawberries and 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter (I had to eat before 10:00 because for the first time I was STARVING - should have drank the whole shake...I know, I know)

12:30 - leftover chicken soup with a peach

3:00 - was taking a nap, so I skipped this meal (that is a no, no and Brad actually called it "cheating". Better nothing than a bag of chips in my opinion)

6:15 - Lettuce chicken wraps & sliced tomatoes - Brad had sugar-free Cajun grilled grouper with steamed broccoli - his meal was much more impressive than mine so his recipe for that will follow. I do not eat anything that swims (well anything that swims for a living) so his meal was yuck in my opinion. He said it was delicious!

8:30 -3 cleanse pills & 3 catalyst pills

No exercise today and boy was it nice :o)

Day 6 Schedule

7:15 - Pink Lemonade Spark, 3 catalyst pills & 3 herbal cleanse pills (no fiber drink today) & 2 Pro-botic Restore pills

8:00 - 2 boiled eggs, grapes & strawberries (I didn't measure these, oops)

9:30 - visited the farmer's market and bought delicious fruits and veggies

10:00 - 10 baby carrots and a handful of edamame (bought frozen from grocery store and just thawed in refrigerator, added a tiny bit of salt)

12:30 - turkey lettuce wraps, with tomatoes and mustard, and blackberries

1:00 - 3 miles walk (on a Saturday!!)

3:30 - apple and natural peanut butter (this stuff is finally growing on me)

6:15 - homemade chicken soup (recipe to follow), sliced tomatoes and sliced peaches.

8:30 - 3 cleanse pills & 3 catalyst pills

The Bad. The Ugly.

So for some reason I am up .8 lbs today. I don't know why since I have followed this plan exactly - not cheating even one time. I guess maybe it is just part of it. Went we to church this morning and it was the first time I was STARVING. I was so hungry that I wanted to get up and leave. I even wrote on the church bulletin "STARVING" and showed to Brad, in which he showed no sympathy (thanks a lot, honey -just kidding). Maybe it was because I couldn't drink water during that hour or because I only drank half of my meal replacement shake before.

I have decided that I do not like my shakes blended in the Magic Bullet. For the last several days, due to time restraints, I have just dumped it in this cup/shaker thing my niece bought from Wal-mart (I have just taken it over, thanks Cori - I will have to buy you a new one plus Brad wants one too). I will take pictures of it and post on here, because it really is a nifty item. I have used it from day one and love it. The Magic Bullet puts too much air in it and I just don't love the texture.

I am truly ready for this 10 day cleanse to be OVER! We are on day 7, but tomorrow we have to start back with the dreaded fiber drink. Even though, it really isn't all that bad. Hopefully, in the next few days I will loose the .8 I just gained. I will be extremely happy to lose 10 lbs. in 10 days. It will be a great bonus if I lose more. I am counting down the minutes until Thursday morning. Can not wait to add other foods into the diet for days 11-24!

Unheard of...

I have just exercised on a Saturday. Now that is unheard of.

Water, water and more water

And can I get a side of water with that? I haven't mentioned how much water you need to drink during the 10 day cleanse. At least a gallon. That is a whole lot of water and get ready to spend an appreciable amount of time in the restroom. Especially when you are trying to sleep which for me is so aggravating!

Habitat for Humanity

Brad is with the men from His Ministries (from our church, Covenant United Methodist). He took an AdvoCare Rehydrate and Spark together this morning and just called me and said he can't believe how great he feels. He also helped build a storage building for the Wiregrass Children's Home for 3 Saturdays over the last few weeks. We didn't know about AdvoCare then and he said he wishes he would have. Nevertheless, glad we know about it now and that he is feeling good because it is real hot out there.

10 lbs. in 5 days!!!!

Today is a GREAT day! 10 lbs. in 5 days. I am so happy.

5 more days of the cleanse.

I think I can.

I think I can.

I think can.

I KNOW I can.

I KNOW I WILL!!!!

SLAM is where it is AT!!!

Took my first Slam this morning and just did 6 miles of cardo. HOLY MOLY!!!!!!!!! I can't believe it! If I can do it...ANYONE can do it! Thankful for air conditioning cause I am so hot, so so hot.

Days 4 & 5 schedule

So day 4 was a good day. I was a little tired, but overall feel pretty good. I am proud of myself and so thankful for ALL my "cheerleaders" (you know who you are)!! I couldn't do it without yall. I didn't exercise this on day 4 and looking back, I wish I would have. I felt like I needed a little break. Brad and I did get in 2 miles for our evening stroll so at least I did something. So for day 5 I took a Slam walked 6 miles. Needed my cheerleaders more than ever then. Thank yall so much for your encouraging texts.

Day 4:

7:00 - 3 catalyst, 2 ProBotic Restore pills and a pink lemonade Spark

7:45 - Vanilla Meal Replacement Shake

No morning exercise - oh well

10:00 - 2 boiled egg (I have a great tip for these) and watermelon (didn't measure)

12:30 - left over pistachio crusted chicken lettuce wraps and cherries

3:00 - natural peanut butter and apple

6:00 - Baked chicken with just salt, pepper and garlic, steamed broccoli, and watermelon

7:20 - Brad and I walked 2 miles in the hood

8:30 - 3 herbal cleanse pills and 3 catalyst pills


Day 5 was basically the same as day 4 so I won't bore you with the details.

Day 4 weigh in

Only down .5 lbs. today for a total of 8.5 in 3 days. Didn't have to drink the fiber drink so I am a happy camper right now (we get a 4 day break). About to drink a spark and get in some cardo.

FOR MORE INFO visit

http://www.doitwithadvocare.com/

or email

emily@doitwithadvocare.com

or

brad@doitwithadvocare.com

Live Healthy. Live Happy.

Do it with AdvoCare!

Pistachio Crusted Chicken Salad RECIPE

This was delicious!!!! We made 2 chicken breast. We only ate 1/2 at dinner so the other 1/2 will be for lunch tomorrow.

Preheat oven to 375.

Pound out chicken breasts and lightly salt and pepper.

Finely chop pistachios - we used the Magic Bullet we use to mix AdvoCare shakes (food processor is okay)

Spread pistachios on a plate or pan and coat chicken (pressing both sides into nuts)

In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (or EVOO as Rachael Ray would say)

Lightly brown chicken for about 2 minutes on each side.

Place chicken on a cooking rack in a pan to keep off bottom of pan and cook for 15 minutes or until done.

Let it cool, slice it and serve it over salad greens.

Avocado dressing recipe:

Heat 1 tablespoon of EVOO and lightly saute 1/2 a cup of diced onions. Add a little salt and pepper and finishing cooking onions until they are golden brown.

Puree the onions with one ripe avocado peeled and pitted, 3 tablespoons of EVOO, 3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice and 1 tablespoon of water. Salt and pepper to taste.

FOR MORE INFO

visit www.doitwithadvocare.com

or email

Emily at emily@doitwithadvocare.com

or

Brad at brad@doitwithadvocare.com

Day 3 of 24 day challenge

Today was a GREAT day! Like I mentioned in my earlier post I got on the scale the morning of day 3 and LOST 2.8 more pounds. That's 8 pounds in just 2 days. I know I keep saying it, but that is 8 pounds in TWO days!!!!! I am so excited that I just can't hide it.

Since I am a picky eater, we are having to get creative on recipes. I am so blessed that Brad is the cook in the house and he is wonderful at it! I will post recipes and photos (if I can figure out how) and let you know if we will make it again or not. The following is my day 3 schedule:

7:15 - Fiber Drink (celebrated since I get a four day break), 3 catalyst pills & Pink Lemonade Spark

8:00 - Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake (today I just stirred instead of blending - I like it this way too)

8:30 - 2 mile walk

10:00 - 2 hard boiled eggs and 1 cup of blackberries

12:20 - Turkey lettuce wraps (heart of romaine lettuce) with tomatoes and a little mustard, 1 cup of grapes

3:00 - Pink lemonade Spark with an apple with natural peanut butter

5:45 - YOU SHOULD TRY THIS ONE...pistachio crusted chicken salad: pistachio crusted chicken, spring mixed greens, tomatoes, chopped boiled egg with avocado dressing (recipe and pics to follow) also, fresh okra and tomatoes from the farmers' market stewed with diced onions and watermelon for dessert.

7:00 - 2 mile stroll

8:30 - 3 Herbal Cleanse pills and 3 catalyst pills

Now just praying for a good weigh in in the morning...

FOR MORE INFO go to

www.doitwithadvocare.com

or email Emily at

emily@doitwithadvocare.com

or email Brad

at brad@doitwithadvocare.com

Days 1 and 2...

8 pounds LOST!!!!! I am in complete shock. Only 2 days and I have lost 8 pounds. Brad is down 7. So the Masons have lost 15! Unbelievable really.

This is what I did on day 1:

With dread, I mixed the fiber drink. I heard it was thick and I have a terrible gag reflux so I was NOT looking forward to this. Everything I heard was right...it was thick and had fibers in it. Not a fan of this one at this point. We blended in our Magic Bullet and that was a TERRIBLE idea. I suggest mixing with spoon, holding nose and chugging it as fast as you can (closing eyes seems to help too). So my first experience with it was a funny one. I keep gagging and taking small sips and it is just getting thicker and thicker and Brad is calling me a wuss and making fun of me. I kept adding water and after just about throwing up, I finally got it all down. That was a major feat.

Here is the DAY 1 schedule:

7:15 - Yummy Fiber Drink, 3 catalyst pills & a Pink Lemonade Spark (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this)

8:00 - Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake (mixed with Magic Bullet)

8:30 - Walked on treadmill for 2.5 miles

10:00 - Ate 1 hard boiled egg (little salt & pepper) and 1 cup of cherries

12:30 - Lettuce, 8 cherry tomatoes, 6 baby carrots, 3 oz. grilled chicken breast, 1 cup blackberries

3:00 - 1 apple with 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter (this isn't my favorite, but not too bad - getting used to it)

6:00 - Stir fried cubes of chicken breast with onions in a little olive oil, steamed broccoli and 3 tomato slices

7:00 - Short stroll around the neighborhood.

8:00 - Herbal Cleanse pills and 3 catalyst pills



DAY 2 Schedule:
Weighed in and lost 5.2 lbs on DAY ONE!!!!!

7:15 - Fiber Drink (a little easier to swallow today), 3 catalyst pills & pink lemonade Spark

8:00 - Meal Replacement Shake (today Brad and I mixed chocolate and vanilla and it was really good)

8:35 - Walked 4.5 miles

10:15 - 2 hard boiled egg and a cup of strawberries

12:30 -lettuce, 7 cherry tomatoes, 6 baby carrots, 3 oz. grilled chicken, and 1 cup of blackberries

2:30 - Pink lemonade Spark - needed a boost of energy and it did the trick

3:30 - Apple with natural peanut butter

5:30 - Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps with tomatoes & mustard, 1 hard boiled egg, cherries and grapes

6:00 - 1.5 stroll around the neighborhood

8:30 - Herbal Cleanse pills and 3 catalyst pills

Measuring, Chopping, Bagging & Labeling

Tomorrow is the BIG day! I am going to finally start the 24 day challenge. So today, my sweet husband and I, have been measuring, chopping, bagging and labeling everything we are going to eat for the week. Brad, my husband, is also doing the challenge with me. He doesn't have much weight to lose - he is mainly doing it to support me. He is truly the best!

My goal with trying AdvoCare is to lose weight - a BUNCH of weight - and hopefully be able to start a family. I know being overweight has a great deal to do with the infertility we have been battling for years.

I am going to weigh and measure myself in the morning. UGH! The dreaded weigh-in. I will not post my weight any time soon and probably only will if I start seeing huge results. I have taken before pictures so maybe one day you can see that picture next to a SKINNY, NEW me picture!!!!!

I will try to post everyday or so with all the details. I will document everything I put in my mouth and every exercise activity I do as well as how I feel, etc.

Wish me luck! (I don't know who I am talking to as I have no followers since I haven't even told anyone I am doing this - maybe one day someone will read this and be inspired!)

My AdvoCare Journey Begins...

Today is the day that I hope changes my life FOREVER! I made a decision to start the AdvoCare 24 day challenge. Well, I made the decision a few days ago, but I have the products in hand. I am scared and nervous at the same time. The box seems a little overwhelming and I think I have a whole lot to learn. My AdvoCare Journey will actually start Monday. I need the weekend to prepare myself mentally and school myself on how this process works. I can't wait to start the 24 day challenge and more importantly LOSE weight and finally gain control of my life. This is MY JOURNEY. I hope you will join me.