3 Day Refresh Adventure

I decided to give the 3 Day Refresh Program a try because I have been hearing great stories about it and I got to a place where I really needed some extra help trying to reach my goal weight and just get back on track with my eating habits. I normally don't like the all shake approach as I know I can't stay on that long since I love food WAY too much but I figured 3 days wouldn't be too much to commit to.

Cucumber Salad

Day 1: Excited and ready to start. Got on the scale, took photos and knew I was really ready to start. My stress eating had crept up on me! Had my water then Shakeology and strawberries for breakfast. Lunch was Red peppers, almond butter and my Vanilla Fresh shake with an orange, snack was carrots and almond butter, Dinner was Cucumber salad with tomatoes and a shake with cinnamon. I drank my tea and the Fiber sweep in the morning. It doesn’t look good looking but it actually tasted good and you drink it pretty quick. I did some walking today but tried to keep it low key. Went to bed feeling good.

So Much Green it has to be Good!

Day 2: Woke up to my water, Shakeology with dark cherries and a healthy #2 so I know things are working. It was a busy day so I made sure I had my eating/drinking times in my phone calendar so it would tell me what was next. I had planned a run today with a friend so I was feeling a little more on the hungry side but stuck with it. I kept telling myself it is only 3 days! Lunch was Spinach salad with red peppers and olive oil, shake and 1/2 apple. Snack was celery with almond butter. Dinner was roasted asparagus with almonds and the shake.

Flavor your shakes to change them up!

Day 3: Ok I am ready for some real food but I am staying strong. Water, them Shakeology with 1/2 apple this morning. Got my fiber drink a little late because of a social event that I really didn't feel like whipping out my unflattering looking drink at. Lunch was cucumber salad with olive oil and oregano and shake with an orange again. Snack was celery with almond butter. Dinner was Spinach salad with asparagus and pumpkin seeds. Then I went to bed and was done.

Morning of Day 4 I weighed in…..5 Pounds lost! Now I know that some of that is water weight but you know what I don’t care. I found that the 3 day program was just what I needed to get me back on track and help me lose that bloated feeling. I didn't experience any yucky side effects like extra gas or bowel movements (TMI?)

 

 

A few key things that worked for me:

• 

  Favorite Tea on Ice!

  Having a great flavored tea made it a treat to look forward too. I changed it up each time for something different. Some cold and some hot too.

• Keeping busy. It helped that I planned activities to keep my mind of food but not too much so it was a pain to always be at home to make my shakes.

• Mix up your foods. Having something different everyday gave me something to look forward to.

If you are looking for help to lose a few pounds or to get your eating habits back on track, Email me at sarah@lifestyleforward.com and I will support you for YOUR 3 Days!

Let's Get Running

When people hear the word running they either groan or yell with glee. I have a love/hate relationship with running so I do a little of both. I used to be made to run in high school for sports. Then I took a long resting period. After my second son was born and I decided to stay home with him, I needed something to fill in our times together and long walks soon turned into runs. Running became my escape in the day. While my son was exploring the world from his strapped in seat, I was lost with my thoughts. I soon discovered that without the stroller I could go even faster and my competitive streak took over. Today I never thought I would be one of those people that look forward to races and training with friends. During a race I always tell myself never again and then I cross the finish line and can’t wait to sign up for my next one.

Here are some things I learned along my running journey that may help spark yours.

Low Equipment Investment
Sure there are a lot of things out there that are promoted to help you run longer or faster but in the end you only need a good pair of shoes (and some would even agree you could run barefoot). I always invest in a quality pair of shoes from a place that will fit me to the type I need at least twice during the running season. Your feet will thank you.

Mix it up
I found I enjoy my runs the best when I discover new places or terrains. Have a couple of known areas and paths that you can go to but don’t be afraid to try out new towns or change it up from inside to outside. I found that my love of running is much greater if I don’t do it all the time. Cross train with strength training and weights, core exercises and flexibility moves to make sure your body is using all of its muscles.

Set a Goal
When you start to run figure out your WHY behind doing it. Are you trying to get to a certain distance, have a weight loss goal or want to get faster in races? Once you know your WHY, set a goal to work towards it.

Get Support
I like to run alone with my own thoughts but I get pretty boring to myself after a while. Running is a great way to meet new people and learn new ideas. Join a running group or online support group to share your ups and downs of running.

If you are looking to get off the couch and get walking or running this spring I would love to help you. Connect with me at sarah@lifestyleforward.com to learn more about local resources and support groups that can help you along your running journey. Together we can change your hate of running to be a love (or maybe at least a like).

Why I went Paleo

Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes with Nuts and Bacon, Oh My!

Normally I am not a big fan of fad or extreme diets. I like to stick to clean eating and portion control to keep my body in check. But recently talk of the paleo diet as occurred between friends and family and I decided I would give it a go. My usual diet is pretty close to it anyways but I was finding lately it has been more dirty than clean. I set up a 21 day challenge group and recruited a mix of paleo virgins and more experienced players to the group. It was fun to learn from each other and I know the challenge setup would keep me honest.

The first few days went pretty well. I kept to the basic rules and even gave up coffee. I wasn't hungry because I let myself eat whoever I wanted as long as it was paleo. The key was planning ahead and trying some new dishes to keep things interesting like:
Cauliflower Crust Pizza
Butternut Squash Soup
Almond Milk

The hardest part for me was the coffee. I was feeling tired and sluggish. By day seven I caved and I felt so much better with my first sip.

Week two went pretty well except I felt myself slowly getting thicker. Lack of portion control and too many paleo treats did it. Also I was eating too many nuts and bacon.  Some of the treats included:
Almond Butter Banana Muffins
Paleo Granola
Date Bars
Chia seed pudding

By week three I had enough. The lack of variety and my sugar cravings got ahold of me. I ended the challenge weighing the same and not feeling any different. In the end I felt that the diet has some good key features for people to help focus on the clean eating but not enough variety for me.