It's a Lifestyle: 24 Day Challenge - Part I

We are about to start our 2nd Advocare 24 Day Challenge. Aboy and I are already getting into mental readiness mode. 

The challenge starts on April 6th. 

For the first 10 days, we will do the cleanse portion. It's not a violent or volatile type cleanse... it's more of a gentle scrubbing of the flora in our digestive track. This helps prepare the body for the "Max" phase which is high in nutritional intake and absorption. 

It's a Lifestyle: Better than Mom's Cooking!

We went to NY this past weekend for our Niece's wedding. It was so much fun to go and enjoy family time. 

The trip was short but well worth it!

We took lots of pictures with our new #selfiestick. 

We really had a lot of fun! 

*****

Part of the requisite of visiting home is to indulge on phenomenal food. 

We spent more time in the car than we did visiting and doing stuff - but, we did eat!!

1. I had a slice of Pizza and an Eggplant Parmesan hero
2. I had Zeppoles
3. I had Rice & Beans with Steak
4. I had an Empenada
5. I had Fried Chicken Wings
6. I had a Leggios Hero
7. I had a Cinnamon & Raisin Bagel w/ Cream Cheese 
8. I had a couple hunks of Italian Bread
9. Not to mention, Subway and Zaxby's on the ride up. 

I weighed myself today...

I lost 2 lbs this week. 

Since January we drastically changed our eating habits - but going home is a treat and we definitely "treated" ourselves to some awesome food. We stuck with our #Advocare regimen while we traveled and got right back on the meal plan wagon when we got home (I did have some leftover Rice & Beans for lunch on Monday tongue emoticon ).

Journal Entry: Zumba - Aye Carumba!

Some of yous may have forgotten (or maybe yous didn't even know)... I took dance lessons with Ms. Kay and Mrs. Cousins from Kindergarten until 9th grade. My specialty was Tap Dancing and then later, I started doing Tap, Ballet and tried Toe Dancing, too.

I'm also married to a black man. That means there is a lot of pressure on me to show my rhythmic side. Every major family event (BBQ's, Reunions, etc...) includes some form of music and alcohol, which we all know = get up and dance!

My hey-day of the club scene was in the 80's. We did a lot of drinking and a lot of dancing in the 80's. I enjoyed every bit of it. We had great dance music and a bevvy of styles to choose from.

And here we are today. 

Now, I Zumba.

They offer Zumba classes at the YMCA I go to. I mostly make the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday classes because of my work schedule. It's a lot of fun and it's really helping me with my general overall body toning.

I laugh a lot. I make up my own moves when they do shit I physically can't do (remember the trick hip?). I've made some "gym friends". It's a great time. I guess you could call it the modern day club scene for middle-aged women!

******

The other night, we had a substitute instructor.

Have you ever watched the movie "Bring it on"? Basically, it's about 2 cheerleading squads. One squad has been stealing the other's routine for years and once it has been brought to the attention of the Captain that their routine was stolen, she goes out and hires a consultant to help them construct a new routine.

It's a Teeny-Bopper type movie - but, if you're bored, it's cute.

So anyways, the consultant tells them to use Spirit Fingers throughout the entire routine and SMILE!

The squad gets to Nationals and realizes this consultant has been instructing other squads with the same exact routine.

I told you that to tell you this.....

I mentioned the other night we had a substitute instructor. I swear on all things holy - she is the Consultant from Bring it On.

I am compelled throughout the entire Zumba work out to use my spirit fingers. None of her routines flow - so we all look like we're doing our own thing. She smiles and stares into space as if she's making the shit up as she goes along.

I just do a lot of this:

I'm not being mean because it is a great class in the fact there is a lot of jumping around, my heart rate stays elevated and I sweat... but I cannot for the life of me get the Spirit Fingers image out of my head!

I really wish I could have worn a body camera. Everyone at different points ended up doing what came natural. 

*****

On a serious note - if you are looking for a way to get out of the house, move your body and make new friends - find a Zumba class. You don't necessarily need rhythm - you just have to have a good sense of humor!

And my Latino/a friends and family will be proud of how I hold us down with my Merenque, Salsa, Rumba and Mambo moves!!! 

Andale, Andale! Arriba, Arriba! 

It's a Lifestyle: 60 Day Check-In

What's up Party People??

J/K! I am just so amped about how great I feel. Plus, I did my measurements this morning and it's all good in the 'hood! 

Woop! Woop!

If you've been following along with my dysfunctional life - you know that I made a few New Year's commitments. Part of the New Year, New Me determination was to lose #50poundsBy50years and I am happy to report that it is March and I am on a great path to achieve that goal.

On January 7th, I began that journey doing the Advocare 24 Day Challenge. I lost 11 pounds in 24 days. Well, today is day 60. I continued to use the Advocare products and I'm happy to report my total weight loss to date is 17 pounds.

Now, that number may not sound like much - so let me explain why.

As part of the New Year, New Me initiative, I also joined a gym. I have yo-yo dieted most of my life and over the years have not just lost weight but a lot of muscle mass as I put my body through different starvation methods to drop some pounds.

So, 17 pounds lost would probably equate to 30 pounds lost if I wasn't building all this lean muscle.

The truth is in the measuring tape. I have lost 33 inches off my body. Notably 6.5" off my waist and 4.25" off my chest. My thighs are losing their saddlebags, sag and old lady dents.

I think what is the most phenomenal change... and I'll have to give you some history before I disclose what I am witnessing...

As yous know, I claim Caucasian on the "what race do you identify with" surveys. I have been afflicted by a genetic deficiency... most specific to white women (although I have seen other races / ethnicities that suffer as well)... 

It is called "NoAssAtAll"....

Yup! I admit it - I have a pretty extensive "back".

No ass; just back.

The conversation generally goes like this:

Me: "Aboy - how does my ass look in these jeans?"
Aboy: "You mean your back?"


Yeah. Like that.

Well, guess what Exercise + Advocare = ???

ASS!!!

I texted this pic to my Cousin Kathy the other day. She didn't believe it was my ass! I had to send her the full picture for her to believe me! Even then - she thought it was a butt pad! 

This is 100+ squats a week. I started off slow, but hard work is paying off! I am lifting and separating - all over my body!

So - now you know why I've only lost 17 pounds! I'm building muscles YO!!

I am not prepared to show you my total before and after pics. I want to get a little closer to my weight loss goal before I do that. 

I have another blog post to follow on how I stay on my meal plan and motivation to work out.

In saying that, I have to wrap up this post because my Line Dancing Class & Zumba Class are starting shortly and I don't want to miss it!

Make it a great one!

No pain, No gain!

Last night I did Kettle Bell and Zumba again. I think both instructors had a bad day in their real life because both classes were extra intense.

During Kettle Bell we worked every muscle group and in Zumba it seemed like every song was 160 heart beats per minute speed! It was two hours of constant movement with barely enough time to squeeze in sips of water!

Lucky for me, soreness is temporary. Before I left the house, I drank a glass of Arginine Extreme. Then, just before I got in the bed - I took the Nighttime Recovery supplements. 

I have been doing this regimen for about a week now and when I wake up in the morning, I'm not "body-won't-move" sore. I do feel like I worked out, but in a "slim" kind of way. And I sleep GREAT! 

This is not a sales pitch in the least... this is an affirmation that Advocare products are working! 

I have put off working out for years because it hurts. I don't like sweating. It all seems like martyrdom. 

I do know that in order to be a better farmer, have fun with my grandsons and to enter my golden years with minimal health issues - just like everything else in my life - I have to take control of my physical health.

They say that a great body doesn't come in a pill... maybe not, but this bottle helps me to go to the gym everyday. I know the next day I am not going to have all the soreness and stiffness. That is a big mental and physical relief!

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