The Ultimate Reset Complete... Results are Here!

So I've officially completely the 21 Day Ultimate Reset!  Yay to me!  (Although, I did cheat one night and cave on the fro-yo.)  I have to say, overall I was pretty pleased with most of the meals, though there were one or two I hope to never see again (until my next Reset).  Sure, there were times that I was hungry, but it was nowhere near the horrible hunger that I've felt on some of the other detoxes or cleanses I have tried.

After 21 days, thanks to The Ultimate Reset I have have had a complete body "makeover" - however although I am seeing results on the outside (I'll get to those in a minute) it's the ones on the inside that have really thrilled me.

I have an increased amount of energy.  In the beginning it was difficult and I did feel a little bit more tired then I had, but as the first week progressed I noticed my energy increase.  And now I'm feeling full of it on a daily basis.

I am sleeping through the night.  On average I am getting 7-8 hours of SOLID sleep!  This is compared to the 4ish hours I'd be able to get throughout the night prior to this.  I used to wake up multiple times during the night - now I'm only waking up if one of the minions wakes up calling for me or my husband.

My system is more regulated.  Without getting too graphic let's just say that I'm hitting the bathroom twice a day, and you could actually set a clock on the times that I have to go!  That's really different from the "maybe" once a day and issues I had prior.

Now for the information everyone has been weighting for - go ahead, ask... How much weight did I lose?  Well I'll tell you.  In the 21 days, I lost a whopping 13 pounds!  And that's with my "monthly friend" making an appearance this morning - ugh!  And here's the visual too with a reminder of my before and an after side by side.

So what now?  Well for the next 21 days I'm going to slowly start reintroducing more grains into my diet.  I'm still on the fence about meat.  Honestly I didn't miss it during this Reset, so I haven't decided if it's something that I'm going to regularly eat or not.  I may just stick to fish on occasion.  I guess we'll see what happens there.  I also will still be using the Vegan Shakeology for the next few weeks - they say to stay with that form for another 21 days.  Then I will be switching back to my regular chocolate flavor.

Until Next Time...

Get Your Water On!

Your body needs water to survive.  Afterall, water makes up 75% of the brain and muscles as well as 83% of your blood!  And astonishingly up to 60% of the human body is made up of water!  Water keeps your energy up, your weight down, joints supple, muscles strong, and your whole system in physical balance.

Proper hydration is essential for the health of your entire body throughout the year, regardless of the season.  So here are a few tips to help keep you and your family hydrated throughout the year.

Travel wisely. When outside the house make sure you bring a bottle of water with you.  You never know when you are going to need something to drink, and it might be at a time where you can't find somewhere to purchase some.  Also, it allows you to sip throughout the day, rather then guzzle down a bottle when you get to the point of extreme thirst!  If you’re planning a day outside the house, be sure to bring a bottle of water you for the road.

 

Eat your water. In the colder months, soups and warm veggie salads are another great way to stay hydrated. Also, fruits and many vegetables (such as cucumbers or peppers) have water in them, giving your body some additional hydration. 

 

Variety is key! Most of us get bored with plain old water, but you can enjoy water in a variety of flavors and combinations – just be creative! Add some excitement and flavor to your daily fluid intake by filling a pitcher with water; add a splash of your favorite flavor and toss in slices of lemon, oranges, berries, or cucumbers for a refreshing treat. For kids who refuse to drink enough, jazz up their waters by freezing berries into ice cubes and drop them in their drinks for a fruity surprise or pick a fun reusable carbonating bottle that your kids enjoy drinking from to make staying hydrated more fun.

 

Have more tips to share?  Feel free to share them in the comments section below!

 

Until Next Time...

Fun Weekend Outings

Often when people are looking for something to do with their children, or somewhere to go for a couple hours it often revolves around food.  We live in a society where food is such a focal point in our day to day lives, it makes sense.  Even when my husband and I plan a "date night" if usually involves food at some point (and often some form of MMA too, but that's a whole different story...). 
But this past weekend since it was pretty nice I wanted to get the family out and moving around.  So I planned an exciting weekend of activities - complete with family time as well as "date" time. 

Friday as soon as the boys got home from school I took them apple picking!  Since my husband is a VP at a high school he was able to be home early enough to come along.  Taking the boys out to a small farm and having them wal

k around the orchard looking for "perfect" apples was a fun activity that got them moving and shaking - and also super excited about their perfect apples that they picked.  Let me tell you, they want to eat those things nonstop right now!

Then on Saturday, we decided to take the minions to LEGOLAND in Yonkers, NY.  This past summer we went to the one in Florida, but since there was a Star Wars theme this weekend, we thought we'd go check it out.  It was a really fun time walking around in there.  The little minion was too scared to go on the ride when you first got there, but the big one and I rode it.  The structures there built were amazing!  I was seriously in awe.  And because it's an indoor place (think Crayola Factory) there was a giant climbing apparatus the boys had a blast playing in. 

As for the highlight of my time there - one of the Storm Troopers was walking around and I really wanted to take a picture with him - but I get so embarrassed about things like that, so after two attempts I actually asked him to not only take a picture with me, but asked if I could hold his gun during the picture as well!  I LOVE THIS PICTURE!  And even better, rather then just having junk there to purchase for the boys to eat, (since you couldn't bring your own food in) the concession stand had sandwiches on whole wheat rolls, apple slices, and water as some of the options for people to choose from for their meals.  How cool is that!

Now only Sunday.  Sunday was my husband and my "date" afternoon.  However, rather then hang out just by ourselves, some of our friends came out with us for a really entertaining afternoon of paintballing.  At first, I'm not going to lie - I was pretty hesitant.  But after a few hours (I think we played for like 4 hours) I was running all over the place shooting like it was going out of style!  It was so much fun and a fantastic way to spend some time with my super supportive hubby - who puts up with all my craziness, all of the time. 

So as you can see, this weekend was incredibly jammed pack with so much fun I need another weekend just to recover from the AWESOMENESS!  And more importantly, I was able to have an entire weekend of pure entertainment without any of it focusing around food.... well apple picking doesn't count! 




Until Next Time...

14 Days Down - 9 Pounds Gone!

I am now 15 dad into The Ultimate Reset, and with that 9 pounds (that's right, 9) lighter!  I'm still enjoying lots of the meals on the plan, though ill be honest - I have 2 things that I wish were different...

1.  I wish I didn't have to eat such HUGE salads...
2.  I wish there was fro-yo somewhere in there...


HOWEVER, finally getting my hands on some Vegan Shakeology (the only type you can use on the Reset) had been a huge help in dealing with my fro-to cravings.  If anyone knows my obsession with fro-yo you'll understand how the fact that I'm not eating it anyway is huge!
  I have to say, there are a LOT of meals I've had during the past 2 weeks I'll be adding into my regular meals after the cleanse.  My favorite this week, Coconut-Kobocha Squash Soup!  Oh my God!  It was so thick and delicious!!!


Also, I'm not late night eating.  I'm spending time during this plan to really work on my emotional vs. physical hunger.  And it has really been so useful and down thing I will take with me after the program.

If this is something you have planned in your near future it is important to remember that you need to be willing to exercise your will power and inner strength.  Of course it's not going to be the easiest thing you've ever done - but after all it is only 21 days to a better and healthier you.  So in the grand scheme of things, isn't it worth it?  Don't you owe that to yourself?
 
For anyone who is considering doing this program I would SERIOUSLY consider adding Shakeology and going for the Challenge Pack.  Comment here if you'd like more details or email me at Kimmie0270@gmail.com.

Until Next Time...

How to Curtail those Nasty Binges

As many of you already may know, I'm a recovering bulimic.  I was bulimic for over 10 years before getting my shit together and entering into the frustrating and exciting world of recovery.  Never in a million years did I think that I could actually lose weight in a healthy way, yet here I stand before you, living proof that you can.  With that being said, I was an awful, awful, AWFUL binge eater.  Sometimes to the point where I wouldn't even remember what I had consumed except for the empty boxes and wrappers I'd find later.  I may be in recovery (262 days without purging baby!) but that doesn't mean I still don't struggle with a desire to binge.  So a few days ago, when an article was sent my way from an awesome blog Lift Like a Girl about how to break free from binge eating I started thinking about how I've been dealing with my desires to binge and thought I'd share my TOP 5
with you.

1.  There is NO SUCH THING as an off limits food.  This is something that I personally struggle with.  I call these foods "fear foods" because for me they were foods that often sent me into an awful binge.  However, rather then looking at foods as something dangerous, in my house I've begun to teach my children about "sometimes" and "everyday" foods.  Sometimes foods are treats, maybe processed, but things that we shouldn't eat everyday.  It doesn't mean we cannot have them, just in moderation and not all the time.  Everyday foods are those whole foods  (such as meats, veggies, fruits, etc.) that are perfect to eat on a daily basis.

2.  Do not let the scale dictate your life.  I used to allow myself to get so caught up in the number I saw when I weighed myself, that a slight fluctuation meant, "fuck it, I'll go eat whatever I want" or the other extreme, "time to starve."  All that number really means is your gravitational pull to the Earth.  It does not determine your beauty, value, or worth.  The same goes with clothing sizes.

3.  Forgive Yourself.  Have you really ever stopped and thought about the way you speak to yourself.  Would you want to be friends with someone who spoke that way to you?  If you slip up, (and hey, it happens) just let it go.  I once read about how you wouldn't smash your iPhone with a sledgehammer just because it fell.  Same goes true with your eating habits, don't let one overindulgence stick with you.  Forget about it, and just move on.

4.  Get rid of the scale.  I can't honestly do this one.  Since I compete in tournaments that create divisions based on weight (kickboxing and grappling tournaments) I've had to keep mine.  However, I do not allow myself to check my weight nearly as often as I used to.  And I no longer allow myself the scale for 2 days after a slip up.  There's no reason to beat yourself up.

5.  Find Support.  I have some amazing friends and family who I know I can go to when I'm dealing with "feeling bingy."  My husband has learned that he needs to let me go for a drive and get away from the temptation.  My friends are great to text with back and forth or even go for a drive with me if I need it.

***Help others - Post below in the comments section with some of your tried and true way to help curtail those nasty binges!

Until Next Time...

Finding your Willpower...

Typically I like to say that it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change.  I'm not going to finish my weight loss journey and then go back to eating like crap.  Rather I'm going to continue this healthy journey for the rest of my life.  With that being said, for the next 2 weeks I am on a "diet" of sort during this Reset.  And so, I do have to practice additional willpower  I found this Action Step for practicing it and I thought that it was a really good reminder. 

For example, this past weekend
 I was at a birthday party with my children.  At the party they were serving some super yummy-looking food that I could have seriously just dived right into.  And then, the birthday cake had seriously thick frosting and chocolate mousse filling, two of my favs!  I could have easily given in and just said, "Screw it!"  But because I've been practicing my willpower on a regular basis, something like the main meal was easy, and the cake with the frosting, though difficult to pass on, I was able to accomplish it!

You see, willpower is not something that's just there.  We need to actually work at exhibiting our willpower in order for it to become a powerful tool in our day to day life.  When we practice saying no to things that might create a detour in our journey, we are strengthening that "muscle" so to speak.  Now I'm not asking you to start with something crazy, like passing up on your favorite dessert at Thanksgiving, but start with something small.  Perhaps it's your second serving of dessert after dinner, or the munchkins in the teacher's room.  It might be the leftovers fr...om you child's breakfast plate, or even something as simple as not picking up a candy bar at the 7-11 when you stop for your morning coffee.  Remember, this is a process and Rome wasn't built in a day!

Until Next Time...

The Ultimate Reset: 1 Week Down, 2 More to Go!

So I'm not going to lie, yesterday was a little rough - I was hungry!  But other then that I can't really say that I have much to complain about regarding this cleanse.  Actually it's quite the contrary, I'M STILL SLEEPING, have lots of energy, am pretty even tempered, and as of today I have lost 7 pounds in 7 days!!!  Holy Crapola!  And that includes the fact that last night, in my hunger, I wound up eating some frozen fruit that I shouldn't have really had!

I have to say, Beachbody does a great job with the support that they offer.  I found a group on Facebook for each Phase of the program that helps.  And some of the meals are sooooo delicious! 

This lentil-lime salad was absolutely amazing!!!  So I thought I'd share this one recipe with you that you could also enjoy!

Lentil-Lime Salad

1 cup cooked green lentils
1 medium carrot, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients and toss gently to blend.  Then refrigerate for 2 hours.


OMG!  I cannot stress how delicious it is!

Until Next Time...

 

Is Sleep in my Life ACTUALLY Possible?

Is it possible?  Could I have possibly found some solid sleep in my night?  Now, I'm not trying to get my hopes up or anything, but today is Day 4 of The Ultimate Reset and I'm ACTUALLY SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!  And not just like 3 hours either, but from like 11-5!  I don't want to jinx it, but I have to say, 6 hours of sleep a night is pretty amazing for me!  And I'm not waking up during the night at all.  This is seriously crazy.

So why am I so obsessed with the fact that I am sleeping?  Well for starters, I am an awful sleeper.  I've been know just not to bother going to sleep because I tossed and turned in bed for so many hours it's gotten to a point where it's a waste of time.  My average amount of sleep during the night is usually about 3 hours.  This always bothers me because there have been studies that connected being overweight with not getting enough sleep during the night.

So you may be wondering how The Ultimate Reset is going for me so far.  Well, I'm not going to lie, I am a little groggier then I usually am.  However I'm shocked to be able to say that I am not hungry and moreover, I'm seriously enjoying the food that I'm supposed to eat on this plan!  So if this Reset has helped fix my sleeping issues to some degree, then that alone is a great benefit!  But I've also lost 5 pounds already this week too!  Crazy, huh?

I'll continue to keep you all updated!

Until the Next Time...

The Ultimate Reset - Here I Go...

So we all know that the summer is filled with fun and sun - and with that lots of "reasons" why our health and wellness may take a backseat to the Summer Freedom.  Although I was pretty good throughout the summer the amount of BBQs, vacations, parties, and other things that came up has left me feeling less then where I want to be.  So I decided that I was going to do the 21 Day Beachbody Ultimate Reset program.  And, since I want to be able to give my readers & customers the most accurate information regarding the Beachbody products I've used I've decided that I'm going to share what is happening with me while I partake in this journey.  Yesterday, Sunday, was my Day 1.  So, as I do with any new program I'm beginning, I've taken some before pictures that I'm sharing with you all. 

 

Now onto the important stuff.  Whenever I hear "Reset" or "Cleanse" I automatically think "uh-oh... here comes the starvation diet."  See, when I was drowning in my bulimia I'd look to "cleanse" by doing severe restriction diets.  However, as you can see in the pictures , that is NOT the case in this Reset. 

Each one of my meals was very filling and satisfying.  And honestly, I can't remember the last time I ate bread or potatoes!  I also have the option of a snack in the afternoon everyday.  And I did have that snack, but ate it before I remembered I wanted to take a picture... oops!  My snack was cut veggies and humus, YUM!

There are 3 phases in the Ultimate Reset beginning with Phase 1: Reclaim, followed by Release, and Restore.   Each phase lasts 7 days and brings your body one step closer to the ultimate goal of rebooting your system!  Reclaim focuses on slowly starting to remove the stress on your digestive system and getting you pH balance back on track.  Release focuses on removing those harmful toxins from your body - the ones clogging your intestinal track and blocking proper nutrient absorption.  Phase 3, or Restore, introduces essential enzymes and probiotics into your body.  Through this last phase you are bringing your body back to maximum efficiency.

I will keep everyone updated with my progress as I continue through my 21 days - probably posting on this subject once a week or so.  And for more details about this particular program you can click in the link above in this post or the link on the right hand side of my page.


***And don't forget, it's not too late to get in on my "Any Beachbody Workout" Facebook Challenge Group that is starting on September 16th.  If you'd like more details about that you can leave me a comment here.

Until Next Time...

 

The Benefits of Bananas...

Bananas are one of my children's favorite fruits!  They love them in all sorts of ways... cut up into fruit salad, dipped in chocolate or nut butter, blended into smoothies, right out of the peel, etc.  But we always seem to have an issue the minute there is the TINIEST of brown spots on the peel.  And I'll admit I was like that too as a child.  But there are benefits to the banana, brown spots included, that are very helpful.  And believe it or not, it goes so much further then the fact that they're full of potassium!

• when bananas are green they are an anti-diarrheal
• provide energy
• help with hangovers
• help circulation
• fight infections
• protect skin against damage from UV-light
• anti-ulcer
• suppress prostate-gland enlargement
• supress Oxalate kidney stones
• anti-diabetic
• enhance nutrient absorption
• fight obesity
• heartburn remedy
• help maintain regular heartbeat
• reduce risk of stroke
• reduce symptoms of nicotine withdrawal
• lower blood pressure
• help body deliver oxygen to the brain
• fight depression and anxiety
• reduce menstrual pains
• anti-inflammatory
• may prevent kidney cancer
• helps curb sugar cravings

Some benefits that I find especially interesting...

• those darker patches on the skin mean that it has a higher immunity enhancement quality - therefore better anti-cancer quality!
• rubbing the peel of a banana on a bug bite can help reduce itching and pain of those bites!
• those same peels, when rubbed on pimples, can help reduce or eliminate them!

And have I mentioned how yummy they are frozen? We have a YONANA in our house.  What this awesome machine does is turn frozen bananas (and you can add other frozen fruits in it as well) into ice cream!  Can you say YUMMY!!!

Until Next Time...

Join the Challenge

What would you do for your health?  Would you be willing to dedicate yourself for 21 days to help eliminate that tired, clogged, or bloated feeling?  To detoxifying your body in a way that will eliminate your dependency of sugar, caffeine, and/or alcohol?  Would you be willing to flush toxins out of your system as well as heavy metals from your vital organs and rejuvenate your digestive tract in the process?  Would you spend 21 days establishing new healthy habits of sound nutrition and hydration?

The Beachbody Ultimate Reset is NOT a starvation plan, an abrupt cleanse, or a laxative-focused program.  It includes real foods along with supplements that will help get your body back on track in ways you never thought were possible!

Benefits include...

• reclaiming your body's natural balance
• releasing harmful materials you may be storing within your body
• restore you system back to its maximum health
• flush toxins from your organs
• lower your cholesterol
• improve your digestion
• increase your energy
• have a more positive mood
• have better focus
• eliminate caffeine and sugar dependencies
• improve overall health

Better yet, you will not only be getting the support of the Participant Portal by I will be hosting a Challenge Group through Mom's Fitness Time on Facebook.  You can use this program (along with me) in my "Any Beachbody Workout" Challenge group starting on September 16th.  Although this is not a workout, it's a very helpful program to use in your health and wellness.

Until Next Time...

Bell Pepper Slaw Salad

 

Are you looking for something super yummy, refreshing, AND healthy to bring with you to tomorrow's BBQ or picnic?  Well this is a super easy salad that is bright and colorful, tastes yummy, and is seriously so easy to make that even I could do it!


Ingredients:

• bag of green salad mix
• bag of slaw mix (just the shredded cabbage)
• red bell pepper
• green bell pepper
• orange bell pepper
• yellow bell pepper
• pint of cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• tsp sea salt
• tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp oregano

Instructions:

• seed and thinly slice peppers
• slice cherry tomatoes
• combine slaw mix, peppers and tomatoes in a large bowl
• in a small bowl combine olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano
• pour over vegetable mixture and let sit for a couple hours
• right before serving combine with bagged salad mix

See, so easy I didn't even have to make my husband make it for me!  And soooo yum!

Until Next Time...