90 Day Challenge Update

Hello friends! How many of you are "back to the grind" today after a full week off? We are over here, and so far, it's going better than I had anticipated it would. Maybe the kids were sick of being home?
Last week I weighed myself on Wednesday (before Thanksgiving!) and was down a total of 6lbs on my Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge. That was only 2 1/2 weeks into it, so I was pretty happy with my results!
Then, this happened:

That photo shows only a small portion of what our Thanksgiving feast included. And it didn't stop there. I gave myself a little bit too much freedom over the 4 day weekend when it came to eating. And by day 3, I was feeling it. I probably gained back 3 pounds, but the battery in my scale died, so I have no official weight update. That's probably for the better.
So after that food-filled weekend, I was actually looking very forward to having my Visalus shake for breakfast this morning, and have my walk planned here in a little bit. Back on track today!

If you're on a weight loss program/diet, how did you do over the weekend? Are you back on track today too? Or did you do way better than I did and stay on track all weekend?
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I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife   

Gold Canyon Giveaway, Sales, & 90 Day Challenge Update

Well, I've completed my first week of the 90 day Body by Vi challenge. So far, so good. I really like the shakes, so that makes it easy.
I lost 2.6 lbs this first week. My measurements are pretty much the same. I didn't take any photos to share this time, but I do hope to have some for next weeks update.
I did go "off track" one day, but remained persistent afterwards.
My energy levels are increased. I'm planning to increase my activity level this week. I walked only twice this past week, but something is better than nothing. I am really looking forward to increasing my activity!

Image Source

Now onto the fun stuff!

Don't wait until Black Friday to start your holiday shopping! I will be hosting specials for Gold Canyon and Stampin' Up! Between now and December 10th!
For the holiday ambiance in your home, or for fabulous gift giving, take 20% off the retail prices for Gold Canyon. These candles will fill your home with a cozy glow and the candles and warmers both offer incredible fragrances for all seasons!
For those of you who are crafty, or need to shop for someone crafty, I will offer 15% off the retail prices for Stampin' Up! products. And to sweeten the pot, I will offer a 20% discount to anyone who buys a Sizzix Big Shot machine.
To take advantage of specials from either or both of these companies, simply browse the websites, and then contact me at mynotsoglamorouslife@gmail.com to place your order! 
Let me know what you need!

Finally, today I am sharing a fabulous giveaway with you!! One lucky reader will win a Gold Canyon Black Candlestick Scent Pod Warmer and a Gold Canyon "Days of Christmas" Scent Pod.
The warmer was used during my party demonstrations. It has been discontinued, and I need a current one for parties, so I am offering it to one of my lovely readers! The warmer is a lovely black candlestick design. 
What I love about Gold Canyon Scent Pod Warmers is that they have a timer on them... you can set it for 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, or just leave it on. Also, with the Scent Pods, there is no messy wax to deal with or clean up. Once you have used up the fragrance, you just throw the pod away. If you want to switch scents, there is no wait time while your wax hardens, because you can simply take the pod off, and replace it with your new desired scent. Easy Peasy!
The Scent Pod up for grabs is the Days of Christmas scent. I just love the aroma this one provides. Gold Canyon describes it as "Spiced. Heartwarming. Sweet. Notes of Pear, Apple Cider & Spice."

Enter in the Rafflecopter form below to enter this fab giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife  

90 days to a healthier me starts now!

Many of you know that my weight/health has been a struggle for me for a long time.Well, basically forever. If you aren't familiar with my struggle, you can see that I posted about it here most recently, and here and long ago, in a place I can barely remember (I was down to 126lbs),  here.
At this moment, I am the heaviest I've ever been in my adult life (besides pregnancy) and I don't like it. I feel sluggish and slow and tired. Yet... At the same time, I feel like I don't care. This is not a healthy way to live. Change needs to happen, and it needs to happen soon.
Recently, a friend of mine posted on Facebook that he and some others were doing the 90 Day Challenge. I asked him what that was all about, and he shared with me that him and his wife, along with some others, had started a program called Body by Vi, by Visalus. He shared some info and a video with me, and I was very intrigued. Yes, it's "another shake program", but these shakes are different than many other ones I've seen. They have a good protein and fiber content, so that will fill you up and keep you full. When he told me that his wife (who doesn't like "diet shakes") was doing it, and actually enjoyed the shakes, I knew that it was worth considering. So I read some more about it. And then I asked him for a sample. Then I decided that I trusted them and didn't need to wait for a sample, so I just went ahead and ordered the kit! (My friend was gracious enough to give me a bag so I could get started while waiting for my kit to arrive. Once mine is here, I'll replace the bag I borrowed from them.)
So yesterday I started my 90 Day Challenge. I took some before pictures (YIKES!!!) and my before weight/measurements. I wont post the before pics, as they are in a pair of boy shorts and a sports bra. But perhaps I should take some that would be more appropriate for sharing...

My 1st Shake!

Then I got started on the program. The shakes are YUMMY! And you can modify them to your tastes by adding fruit/veggies and other ingredients. Awesome. That'll keep me from getting bored. Plus, you still get 3 snacks a day on this program, and a healthy dinner. Totally doable.
Today I will start walking again. I should be able to carve out time for that at least 5 days a week. I plan on starting with just the walking for a week or two, and then adding more to it. Baby steps people, baby steps!
So please join me on my new journey and watch as I transform over the next 90 days. I'm excited!
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Have you "liked" me on Facebook yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Get over there!
Are you following My {Not So} Glamorous Life via Google Friend Connect or BlogLovin'? Don't miss any of the fun! All you have to do is click "follow" on that button over there on the sidebar. Or Follow my blog with Bloglovin. Just click here!! C'mon, you know you wanna!
I can also be found on Twitter under the handle @MyNotSoGlamLife  

Fat and Happy? Probably Not. I'm Calling Myself Out.

I have a full plate. Literally and figuratively. One of the problems with my insane on~the~go lifestyle is that I tend to eat on the run. It's far too easy to pull through a drive through, or grab a bag of chips, or whatever in between activities.
Like many women, my weight is something that has been a struggle for me most of my life. I have gone up and down with it since Junior High. I've had 3 kids. I've been on and off of Weight Watchers since 2002.
I am up towards almost my highest adult weight ever. This is not ok. Not for me. My baby is almost 2 years old now, so this certainly can't be blamed on "baby weight". This is all me... lazy, complete lack of self control, no motivation. 
I've gotten into the terrible habit of enjoying cold beers in the evenings a few times a week. Now I know why they say "beer gut". Gross.
Also, I really like food. I like it a lot. When pizza night rolls around, it's no holds barred. After preschool on Friday's, it's Thai food. Baked treats throughout the week. Snacking and grazing though the day... It's a big problem. It's a really big problem...

This is how BIG my problem is. It's really, really big. (And yes... I'm still playing with the idea that I may have lost my mind for sharing this photo publicly. WHAT is wrong with me???!!!)

So here I am, back in 2008. It was good stuff.

2008. Just 10 months after baby #2. Down to about 135 lbs. From here, I lost another 8 lbs.

And here I am, this morning. Not so good stuff...

No, seriously. WHAT is wrong with me??!! Am I really about to put a picture of my big booty on the big old internet? Ack!

Ok. Now, down to the nitty gritty. Yes, I'm aware that I am not "morbidly obese". I'm probably not even to the point where if I was walking through the store someone would say "Check out the fatty!" However, I am 38 pounds overweight. And, even more importantly, I'm uncomfortable. I don't feel great.
I want to feel great again!
But I also want to feel happy and not stressing about my weight all the time.
So... is it possible for me to feel great physically and mentally? I think it has to happen.
I'm not planning on getting back down to my thinnest weight of around 2009. But... something's got to change. I'm down to one pair of jeans that fits me right now, and one pair of "mom shorts". Unacceptable.
The problem is that I don't really have a game plan right now. Mentally (and time-wise) I'm not really in a place to go to Weight Watchers again. It's just not going to happen. And I don't do well with the online program.
Craptastic.
I think the first step was calling myself out here in a public forum. I think my next step will be a simple awareness of what I'm putting into my mouth, and how much of it. And how often. Also, I'd really like to figure out some way to incorporate walking into my routine, at least a few times a week.
What next?
Obviously, I need to find my motivation. But how??? This commercial comes to mind. I hear it on the radio often.


What can you say to me to help? Please don't tell me I'm fat, please don't tell me "diet and exercise, ya moron!". Because, I KNOW that. But how do I get there? How do I juggle 3 kids at 3 schools and Dr appt's and PT/OT appts and housework and baseball and errands and still manage to give a darn what I weigh? How do I not take that cupcake, and then how do I not take that 2nd one? How do I not give in to that ice cold beer after a long, hot, stressful day?
Have you done it? How did you do it? I've done it before, I feel like I should know. But I think that part of me got lost in the shuffle somewhere...

Results!

The cleanse is done! It was easier than I would have thought giving up soda and cutting down to one cup of coffee. I followed the diet plan almost exactly, except for a few exceptions where I had to substitute because of seasonal or unavailable items. It was a pretty low calorie diet, but I never found myself 'hungry'. My biggest hurdle was wanting to eat when I got bored. Other than that, it was a pretty easy program to follow.
With that being said, I will go ahead & say that I'm proud of myself and my results. :) Yay!
So here goes:
I lost just a hair over 5 pounds last week!! And some inches overall:
Lost 1 1/2 inches from belly.
Lost 1/2 inch from each thigh.
Lost 1/2 inch from each bicep (upper arm).
Also, I discovered that some of the limits that I had been setting myself on cardio workouts were just too low, and I can do so much more than I thought I could.
So, now that I know what I can do, I'm going to keep it up. I feel refreshed and renewed after my cleanse week, and I'm ready to push myself even further...

Cleanse Update

Sooooo, I am on the final day of my "cleanse week". It has been MUCH easier than I expected. And thus far, the results are pleasing. I've gone an entire week without soda, which is something I have NEVER done in my adult life (eeewwww, I'm an adult). I have enjoyed a lot of healthy food items, a few of which were new to me. I have lost some weight, but I'll leave those results for my final weigh in tomorrow morning. After I weigh in tomorrow I'll also be taking my measurements. Then I will blog with all my before & after stats.
Overall, I'm proud of myself for sticking to it. Following the diet plan, amping up my workouts a little (can you say sweat?) and feeling empowered by my willpower and discipline. Yay me!

Cleansing Week

I feel sluggish. Not slimy, like a slug. No... not slimy at all really. Rather, I'm feeling slow. And icky. Definitely icky.
I had a relatively good week last week in terms of diet & exercise. I felt energized and was somewhat happy with the choices I made regarding what went into my mouth. I worked out several times. Five, actually.
However, there are a few habits of mine that need to be dealt with. One being my obscene intake of caffeine. Coffee & soda (diet soda, at least) are really one of my vices. Another, is eating on the go. I need to take more time to plan my meals.
Within the past few months, I have gone back to work. Coincidentally, I have gained a few pounds since then. Tragically, I have gained these few pounds (about 4-6 lbs) WORKING AT A GYM. Yes, that's right. Ironic, isn't it?
It is my belief that these pounds haven't been gained due to my working. Or my lack of doing what people do where I work (which is exercising). I suspect it is due to my new found habit of eating late at night. I get off work anywhere from 8pm to 8:30pm on some nights. I get home, say hi to the family, change clothes, settle down a bit. Maybe put the family to bed. And then, I eat some late dinner. Not only is my dinner late on these nights... but it is simply mindless eating. I am not thinking about what goes into my mouth at these moments, but merely trying to fill the void that may quiet that annoying rumbling in my tummy.
So, this week I will be starting a "cleanse". It's going to be a week of well planned out meals and very low calories (but still within a 'safe' range for female weight loss). I'm fairly active, so as long as I continue working out as usual, I don't think that I'll be needing to adjust my fitness routine. For now, that is. The diet for the week consists of a lot of raw nuts (eeeewwww, I've never been much of a nut eater), hot lemon water, TONS of raw veggies, lots of fruit, and quite a bit of fish and other very lean proteins. I'll admit, I'm relatively curious about how this diet's going to go over. But I'm pretty determined to pick up my resolve from last week. I want to feel better, and not blah. I hate blah... it's not in my nature.
So~ this week, cleanse. Reduce caffeine, eliminate mindless eating. Continue working out. Stop feeling blah. I'll be trying to do semi-regular updates (mostly for my own knowledge, comparisons & motivation) throughout the week. Here goes nothing...