Day Eight on a Monday!

Today is day 8 on the 24 day challenge and I’m still alive, feel pretty good, and can’t wait to see what this 10 day cleanse has done at the end of it. (Day 11 I’ll weigh in again)

Friday was a cluster of crap and I didn’t get to post… Sorry about that, but life happens and I’ve gotta deal! I did pretty well over the weekend… Friday night the boys went to their dads and it was my oldest 7^th birthday…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AYDEN!

This year has been a whirlwind with him.  You can read about some of that here… That boy… He’s gonna be a heart breaker! We took him to dinner, I had a salad, then I dropped them off with their grandmother and off they went to OKC! This was my first year to not spend his birthday with him, so it was a little emotional.  Luckily, we had a great big Harry Potter Birthday for him the weekend before.

We had decided to go watch my sister cheer in her last football game… got there and they were cheering from the stands, so that was a bust.  We ended up leaving and heading to Lowes and Pier 1 instead. (Aren’t we a ball of fun!) I picked out a washer and dryer and picked up some clearance Halloween stuff and we were home and in bed by 9!

Saturday my aunt and uncle took me to breakfast, I kept it as clean as possible since we headed to a buffet. Fruit, some yogurt and granola and some bacon and scrambled eggs.  No biscuits and gravy for me! Aren’t you proud?! I skipped out on lunch since breakfast was so late, then headed over to get my nails filled and a pedicure from my favorite place. It kept me busy (and relaxed) so food wasn’t on my mind the whole time. It helped, but dinner rolled around and I have to say, I was pretty hungry.

We hit up the local casino, I lost $50, he lost $100 (don’t get me started) and we ate at Gilly’s.  The food was excellent, and for our waitress to not be a waitress, she did an excellent job! I had the chicken quesadillas, and while it wasn’t the cleanest of meals, it was the cleanest they had besides more salads.  And I’m a little salad-ed out. After we were done giving away all our money, we decided to hit up Sears… just to seal my decision on the appliances I had picked out. Again, home and back in bed by 9… We’re some wild ones, I tell ya!

Sunday, we do big dinners at my grandmothers.  Yesterdays menu was nothing but soups so I stuck with the chili (home raised beef and tomatoes) and didn’t stuff myself like I normally would.  I picked up the boys, we came home, discussed the appliances once more, then headed to town to actually purchase them this time.  Poor salesman… Didn’t see it coming. The appliances were already $250.00 off, but Sears was holding a friends and family event from 6-9 and were offering an additional 10% off… I made Lowes give me the same deal.  AND got my 5 year protection plan for about $300 off of the Sears price.  THEN I put it on my Lowes card and got them for 18 months no interest.  HECK YES I a saved myself about a thousand dollars and got a Big. Ass. Washer. And. Dryer. This momma of a king sized bed, two boys, a boyfriend and a dog? Happy!

The boys were starving after momma got through with Lowes and selling my soul to them… so we went to… wait for it… Hooters. Needless to say, I didn’t eat very well. *whomp, whomp, whomp* I’ll admit, I had wings (naked) and a few curly fries. I came home and took my Carb Ease Plus, though, along with the rest of the cleanse pills and I decided not to dwell on it.  A week of very clean eating, plus a Monday ahead of me? One meal won’t kill me, nor will one meal fix me.  Start again, clean it up and stick to it again this morning.

Today starts the fiber drink back… again,

I’m doing the peaches and cream so it’s not that bad… sometimes though, I wish it had small chunks of peaches in it.  Lol.  It seems to fill me up when I drink it, so I have to remind myself to eat breakfast.  Just three days left in the cleanse, then I’ll be on to start the Max Phase. I’ve ordered the MNS Max E (for energy) so we’ll see how that works.  I’ve also ordered the ThermoPlus to take as well… I’m having to get with my sponsor to see exactly how/when to take it, but I’m looking forward to seeing what all of this will do for me!

It’s definitely a manic Monday today, so I’m trying to get this wrapped up and out of the way for today.  How did your weekend go? I’m looking forward to getting past Monday, so here’s to hoping everyone has a great day!

BOOM! Nailed it! Day 4

May 24 Day Challenge day 4 has started off with a boom.  I woke up feeling great and when you have no kids to get around and ready, it goes even better! I lazied around this morning, drinking my Fruit Punch Spark and taking the next part of the cleanse…

I’m now up to 3 Catalyst caps, 2 OmegaPlex Caps, and 2 Probiotics every morning. And now I remember what is so hard about AdvoCare.  ALL. THE. SUPPLEMENTS. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I know they’re doing for me, but sometimes, I wonder if I’m not as hungry because I’ve eaten so many supplements!

All in all, it’s working.  I’m cleansing my system to prepare it for the better vitamins I’ll be taking in, and it’s going to be worth it! As a matter of fact, I was reached out to this morning via my Instagram post, and was asked some really good questions.  One of which was “How do you like supplements?” Honestly, no one likes swallowing pills.  But, AdvoCare is a great product.  I’ve known that for 15+ years.  I decided to give it a chance again, just because I felt like my system needed a cleanse. THAT’S why I started.  AdvoCare has tons of different supplements available, some for added energy, some as a probiotic, some just as a vitamin.  It’s a pick-and-choose, but it can also be spelled out for you if that’s what you need!

I’m finishing this challenge because it’s important to me. And, while I haven’t seen/noticed a major change in the 4 days I’ve been on the program, I stepped on the scale so that I could give this question an honest answer.  I’m down 2 pounds as of this morning.  Eating clean(er) foods, drinking more and more water, and this cleanse has helped already.  Why not finish it to see what it CAN do?! What *I* can do!

Yesterday I had snap pea crisps for breakfast… don’t judge me. lol. 

I didn’t want anything, but needed something, and they were close by.  They’re baked, a vegetable, and taste amazing, so I went with it.  I also ate some pistachios since I could use some healthy fats. For lunch I had some shaved, gluten free turkey meat rolled up, and a bag of steamable mixed veggies.  I love those things. And yes, when I say a bag, I mean the WHOLE DAMN BAG.  Not the greatest lunch for me, but I had it here at work, and it sounded good.  Nothing fried, nothing rolled in butter or sauces, so I call it a win.

Since the honey and I were kid-less last night, we hit up Fuji for dinner (I did steak) and then hit up Sam’s for some necessities. Back to Fuji’s--- I had the steak, I ate the rice, and all the veggies. No, steak isn’t one of the “recommended” foods on the cleanse, and neither are the sauces, but I def portioned it out and didn’t finish it.  I got leftovers for lunch today! At Sam’s, we picked up lots of fruits and I may or may not have eaten several pieces of mango before we made it home. The main reason I like Sam's... I log more steps on my FitBit Force... Added benefit. 

Knowing that I had a load of carbs for dinner, I came home and immediately took two Carb-Ease Plus capsules, and my Omega’s, then just before bed, took the 3 Catalyst and my 3 cleanse pills too. Again, this morning has gone well, and I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot already! No Fiber drink this morning (YAY!), all the supplements down the hatch, Spark-ed up, and met some amazing women on IG this morning!  (Hi Ladies!) This morning I’m having grapes for breakfast, leftovers from last night for lunch (with another set of Carb-Ease caps) and I’ve got grapes, apples, and pistachios around for snacks while I’m at work.

Is there anything specific you’d like to know? Questions about the supplements? Need a coach or want to purchase? Please! Contact me if you’ve got questions about what I eat, what I’m taking, or just about me in general.  It’s the interactions here, on IG and on FB that keep me going! Seriously! After connecting this morning, I’m even more pumped to do this thing all the way this time!

Hope you all have a great Thursday! We’re on the last of our leg to the weekend! 

Day Three! I'm on a roll!

Day 3… I’m still alive, so I guess I’m doing good!

Yesterdays breakfast ended up being a Lara Bar… PB & Chocolate.  I decided since it was all natural, gluten free, etc… that it was okay to eat while on the cleanse. It’s a serving of fruit.  Hope I was right, cause that SOB was yummy.  (Note to self… buy MORE!) Lunch was another salad, snacks were grapes and apples and for dinner last night, we went over to a local buffet so I could pick and chose.  I tried for a salad, but every dressing I wanted didn’t taste right so I gave up after plate number two and went with grilled chicken, turkey (yay!) and green beans… yeah.  Dinner def could have been better, but I just went with it.  It worked. 

We meant to go grocery shopping after, but I was so down and out about dinner that I just didn’t feel like it.  Plus, it was late enough and we had to get the one kiddo in-tow, into the shower and bed.  When I got home, I needed something sweet, so I went with some peach/apple sauce.  Hit the spot, time for bed.

Today's food hasn’t even been thought of.  What a whirlwind of a day already! I’m just now getting to my Fiber drink this morning… and it’s almost noon. At least it's the last one for a few days this week! Sometimes, I forget that I need to down it ASAP... then it gets thick. :-/ This morning I realized that I had a box of Mandarin Orange Spark that came when I signed up as a distributor.  It's not my favorite, but it's no where near as bad as it used to be.

Speaking of Spark... No-go on returning the Grape Spark packets that I got with my 24 Day challenge... so, I may be giving those puppies away.  Talk about a waste of money right there.  I really hoped for better with those.  I LOVE all things grape... just not Spark apparently! Maybe a reader has another flavor and they'd like to swap a couple packets? I'd totally be down for that! 

What are your favorite go-to dinners or restaurants to eat at when you’re trying to eat clean? What about easy breakfasts or snacks when you forget to be on time to eat? 

Day TWO!!

It’s day two, y’all! I’ve doubled up on my Strawberry-Mango Spark today ‘cause the little lady didn’t sleep at all last night!

We’re in that weird spot of the weather that it’s hot then its cold, then its rainy… It was warm when I went to bed, it was cold when I got up.  I think that had a lot to do with my lack of sleep… cause I was dog tired! Maybe I was too tired?

Anywho- Day one wrapped up pretty good.  I had apples and grapes for snacks, a salad for lunch and last night we wanted Mexican, so I did fajitas.  I probably could have cut out some of the stuff I did eat, but I still think I did well, AND took my CarbEase with dinner, to hopefully off set my largest meal of the day. Amazing enough, I didn’t want a snack last night either, so I went to bed with my 10 day cleanse pills (3 larger pills) and 3 Catalyst pills, and I was done!

Today has started with the double Spark (see above), Catalyst and the fiber drink again… and I haven’t quite gotten to breakfast yet.  The plan again is to have a salad for lunch and fruits for snacks… And dinner is a wash tonight.  I may bake some chicken, or maybe even a turkey breast, if my honey grabs one today. I’ve been craving turkey for some reason, but don’t want to pay the deli prices! Sheesh! I had also thought about breakfast for dinner one night! Mmmm… I love fried eggs and bacon. Of course, Ill probably do scrambled and turkey bacon, but it’s still eggs and bacon! Now… if I can just remember to thaw my turkey bacon.

What are some of your favorite things to eat when you’re getting healthy and eating right? I love seeing suggestions, websites, etc.  So comment or email me with them! 

Also- I've posted an amazing Transformation Tuesday pic on my Heavy Cupcake IG... It's not me (obvs) but its of my friend  Julie that I met in January in a FB group. The woman set a New Years Resolution and she. is. crushing. it!  She's down 75 puonds (SEVENTY FIVE!) and she's doing an awesome job! Go check her out, let her know how great she's doing,  and watch her progress! 

Back Again... For 24 Days at Least!

Well… I’m BACK!  (whoo-hoo, yay!- Don’t everyone cheer at once!)

I’ve fallen WAY off track lately, gained everything back that I lost at the beginning of the year, and I’m trying it all over again. This time, I’m trying it with a cleanse and actual program.

Enter: The Advocare 24 Day challenge

 

The 24 Day Challenge pack comes with a 10 day cleanse, some supplements, some shakes and a spelled out program.  Do this- Not that.  Eat this- Not that. THAT’S why I picked it. I’m the type that has to have my hand held.  I need someone to say “this is it”.  “Don’t eat that.” “You can do this”.  So… Here I am!

Day one starts with your Spark and I’ve added the Catalyst to the mix as per my coach’s recommendation. Wake up, shake it up, and drink it down.  The Spark flavors that I picked are actually something I don’t mind drinking and the Catalyst caps aren’t so big that I have to choke them down, so the morning routine is A-Okay.  I picked Strawberry-Mango for one box of Spark and fruit punch for the other. I also had some grape… and It’s terrible. Like, so bad, terrible.  I’ve been told that they will let you return them and send you a different box if you find that you don’t like the flavor, so I’m going to email them today and see what we can do about those. 

As soon as I get to work, I shake up the Fiber Drink for the 10 Day Cleanse and drink it IMMEDIATELY.  I picked the Peaches and Cream flavor (recommended by Mama Laughlin herself) over the citrus flavor because I remember the original Advocare citrus products from 20 years ago… BLECH! That’s stuck in my head, and I probably won’t try ANY of their citrus products, just because of that.

After drinking the fiber drink, I’m doing one of the Meal Replacement Shakes for today. I’ve had the chocolate shakes before, and they’re not BAD… But I ordered the vanilla shakes this time, so that I can add berries or flavors to it, if I need to.  I mix the shakes with water the first go around, just so I can make sure I know what it ACTUALLY tastes like… I may add almond milk to it one day if I feel like I need it, but right now, water is working.  Honest opinion? Vanilla is actually yummy… Chocolate is a little chalky.  Like, I want to add chocolate syrup to it to make it taste like chocolate.  *but you can’t do that Niki* 

One of the things that I don't think the Advocare (or its distributors) advertise enough? Theres an app to help you with your 24 day challenge! 

I downloaded it, plugged in my weight and measurements, and I'm checking off everything as I do it! It's SOOOO handy! The only think I wish it had? Reminders.  To let you know "Hey! It's time to take your Catalyst!" Or something along those lines.. Or tell you suggested foods compared to what you've already consumed today.  Just my two cents worth! Either way, I like having the app to help me SEE what I need to do. They have it in iTunes AND the Play Store, so download it if you're starting soon too! 

I'm part of the way through the day, and so far... I'm good.  The Spark gives you a nice jump start in the day, the fiber drink helps fill you up, the shake is filling, so yeah.  SURELY I can do this for 24 days? right? I'm hoping to do some meal prep tonight since yesterday was the birthday party of the century (more on that later) and I collapsed just in time to watch The Walking Dead and Talking Dead. (big fan's in my house, and we're Team Daryl)

If you're interested in what Advocare does for me during this 24 day challenge, then come back and I'll hopefully have some good news for you!  Also- I've still got the Heavy Cupcake Facebook page that I sometimes post things on, as well as a *NEW* Instagram just for Heavy Cupcake and starting over. Please, come look me up, follow along and KEEP ME ACCOUNTABLE! 

*Also- Just because I'm using the products, if you're interested in looking into them, here is the website where you can look, price and think about it... I don't expect you to buy from me if you already know "a guy", but I'm just throwing it out there.*

COMING SOON!

A new Heavy Cupcake is coming soon.  I've fallen off the bandwagon and I'm gonna try yet again starting 11/3/14!

COMING SOON! 

Thanks for bearing with me! 

Discouragement. It's a real thing...

So… hey.  I’ve gone MIA for a while and I really have no excuse, tbh. Life has gotten in the way and my health and my blog have gone on the back burner. Discouragement sucks. So… lets re-cap.

I will NOT hit my #30by30 goal this year. I think I may have hit it… the other way around.  Which is disappointing. And #31by31 isn’t really that motivational… since I’ll have OVER a year to accomplish it… I’ll turn 30 on the 26^th of this month. I doubt we’ll be celebrating, so there’s not much to look forward to since I won’t be hitting that goal. My high school bestie was here last week for a couple of days, which was present enough since its such a long way from her home.  My local bestie is moving the day of my birthday, so I’ll probably be packing a u-haul and crying most of the day.  Age is just a number, and it’s never really bothered me, so it’s not like I’m dreading it or anything. My mom usually forgets my birthday, so I won’t hold my breath for that, and my honey has been thinking real hard… but since I don’t have many friends, it’s pretty tough to do much. I’m just happy to reach one more milestone in my life since there are so many people who don’t get that chance.

I’ve taken a hiatus from working out, eating right, and all things healthy.  It just happened. Family reunions and camping, holidays, and work just didn’t keep me motivated. I KNOW what I have to do, but doing it is a whole other thing. I get discouraged very easily and while I know nothing can change until I absolutely make the change, something’s gotta give.  I stepped on the scale for the  first time in… well, forever… and my number is the highest its ever been. Ugh. I’m so disgusted with myself. But mentally, I’m just not there. 

So how do I get there? What do you do to “get motivated” and stay that way? I don’t want to be fat. But I also don’t want to starve.  I love food.  It’s my addiction.  I hate being sweaty. Working out is hard. But I know it has to be done to do anything about the way I look and feel. Why are we always so consumed with an easy fix? Why don’t want we ever want to work hard for stuff like that? I’ll be completely honest.  I’m always looking for the next best thing to help me in my weight loss journey. I’m not above trying drinks, shakes, pills… you name it, I’ve probably done it.  And it works for me for a while.  It’s like I need it to give me a shove and to make me think, “I can do this…” I know, I know… hard work, determination, and accountability are the only things that are going to work. Blah, blah… I just want it to be easy dammit. Why can’t it be easier?

                Maybe I’m just lazy.  I work hard at everything else in my life, so why not at trying to lose weight and be healthy? I hate the way I look, that I’m the largest person in my WHOLE family… so how am I not determined? And I can’t expect anyone else to hold me accountable if I can’t even hold myself accountable? What do you do to stay on track (or get back on track)? What has helped you the most to really get to it? What is the biggest thing that was your turning point?