Posts Tagged ‘cleanse

06
Jul
12

Drink Water Like it’s Your Job

I saw some helpful hints about getting back on track after a holiday, lets face it, not everyone is perfect all the time. 

“Drink water like it’s your job” was at the top of this list.  This one really stuck with me.  I’ve been at this fitness and nutrition thing for a while and I love it when an idea hits me like it’s brand new. 

Maybe it’s because I work at my day job really hard.  Putting the water into that perspective is a dead ringer for accomplishing it.

We are creeping up on another weekend already and I aim to keep this like it’s my job mindset for the entire weekend. 

Have a safe and well hydrated weekend!

Drink water like it’s your job!

21
May
12

Results Nutrition Cleanse Experimenting

Before I get to the nitty-gritty and completely lose your attention, I want to talk about aftermath. 

Most people are geared toward instant gratification and the thought of what’s next rarely crosses their mind.  Until the aftermath has come and gone.  What do I mean by aftermath? 

It’s been my personal experience in the beginning and middle of my transformation that any time there was extended strict discipline it was usually followed by a make-up date with the things I missed.  Not binging, but just over indulgence for multiple meals and snacks  for two or three days.   So my advice is to think ahead to how you are going to manage your food the days and weeks following a nutritional cleanse.  It serves no purpose if you are going to go get a burger and fries for lunch the Monday after you finish. 

Again, that’s my experience and part of being caught in the emotional cycle of deserving success but being scared to death of actually becoming successful.  It’s so much easier to fail and stay mediocre.  Seriously.  When you do that, you are just staying stagnant in the comfort of where you are.  It takes courage to move beyond your comfort zone and change those cycles when you become aware of what you are doing.

Ok, on with the good news.  On the program you measure both arms and legs which to me makes the results a bit higher than I normally qualify so I’ve done it both ways just because I don’t want anyone saying “well that’s just BS”.

Standard Measures in my norm:  Neck, Upper Arm (right), Chest, Waist 2# below rib cage, Abs at hip bones, Buttocks, Thigh Upper (right), Calf upper (right)  Total inches lost 14.5

Using the measurements included with the program the total is 21.4 which includes both arms and the extra measurement of upper knee and diaphragm.

Total pounds lost 10 on the money.  Even if 5 of those pounds are water weight, that’s still a 5 pound loss over all.

I’m an optimistic realist.  I believe in looking for the bright spots in this life.  I also know from a realistic stand point there are no miracles in weight loss.  This is no miracle.  This is strict dietary discipline for 11 days.  It’s taught me that I have work to do dialing in my whole foods and healthy fat portions and it’ s taught me that stimulants may cause me to hold on to fat that I’m trying to lose.

There are benefits no doubt.   I feel better, my skin is very clear, I’ve been sleeping like a rock, and my cravings have been for eggs and fresh veggies.  The most notable result is that even though I’ve been in caloric deficit, my workouts haven’t suffered.  

I don’t necessarily think that the “two-day” cleanse cycle is best for me because of my personal goals for building muscle.   On future cleanses I will rotate with one day a week cleanse days.  I spend on average 1.5 hours per day working out for my specific goals.   That takes balance.  I don’t eat a lot of processed foods and when I do they are usually in the form of ice cream, dark chocolate and red-wine.  With the occassional cup-cake thrown in for pleasure.  

Off to another challenge!  Have a great day.

19
May
12

Experimenting Day 10

As the last day of the cleanse approaches, I find myself deep thinking about the whole process.  I have learned a lot about myself, my willingness to get uncomfortable and my willingness to learn.

True progress in making changes doesn’t just show up the day after you decide to change.  True change happens over time.  Most folks want to know “well how much time?”

I have learned that it takes as much time as you have stubbornness.  By that I mean if you are stubborn and so rigid that you won’t change things and are so comfortable in your zone, then your stubbornness will work against you.  If you are as fit and healthy as you want to be then you don’t really need to be reading this unless you are just bored to tears.

If you aren’t happy with where you are and you have been doing the same thing over and over and getting no results then your stubbornness is working against you.  This has always been a problem for me.

I’d say that 90% of my food time through this experiment has been spent totally in the positive and the other 10% more in the curiosity as opposed the negative.  Negative wasn’t an option for me.  Not because I am stronger than anyone else, but instead because I honor my self promises.

I promised myself that I wouldn’t judge any part of this process.  I would only analyze the data.

Has it been a cake walk?  Some of it yes.  Has it been a  challenge?  More so because of my poor planning on my start date by my own doing.  I have learned some lessons that will help anyone I know that wants to try it.

Tomorrow is the last day and I plan on listing the things I have learned about myself on this journey.

Monday will be results day. 

Have a great day!