My new favorite place.
Photo Source: Me

I’m sitting in the cafe I described way back in my blog post about Day 3. It’s about 10am on Monday morning and I’m waiting for my friend Heather to arrive so we can pow-wow and knock out a couple of hours of work. I know it’s the norm these days for people to take over public spaces with their computers and claim them as their own rent-free office areas, but this is my first experience going to get some work done in a  commercial space with my computer other than at the public library. I find it kind of weird yet comforting at the same time as we simultaneously share this communal space while being completely disconnected from each other. As if we are in a not-so-secret club, busily tap tap tapping  on our keyboards, either working towards a goal or at least pretending to be. And there’s always at least one person who just stares at the screen, clearly just browsing the internet or social media sites, perhaps only there for the fresh coffee and the free internet.

Working and blogging.
Photo Source: Me

I don’t have much of an appetite this morning, but that’s not unusual. I usually can go without breakfast, even though after years of struggling with my weight it’s been drilled into my head that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I debated about ordering a smoothie or a vegetable quiche, and I opted for the quiche. I lived off smoothies for the majority of last week when I wasn’t feeling well, so I thought it might be nice to try something different. It was delicious, but I still could only eat about half of it. I guess my stomach is still getting used to having more food coming its way. So now I’m just sipping on my Pomegranate green tea and listening to the clatter of the busy cafe intertwined with Adele’s “Rolling In The Deep” piping through the ceiling speakers. So far, I haven’t experienced any temptation to partake in any delicious sugary treats.

Almost twelve hours later,  I’m wrapped up snug as a bug in my fuzzy robe resting on a sea of pillows half-listening to a rerun of “Fraiser” as I find the time to finish this post. My appetite didn’t seem to really make an appearance today as I had hoped. Since I was able to eat easily yesterday I thought for sure today I would be back to my usual appetite. Without an appetite, there really hasn’t been any desire to eat desserts. Even now as I think about the frozen Thin Mints in the freezer, I have no desire to eat one. What?! Ridiculous.

Cat Mug
Photo Source: Me

All I can do is hope to finish my Sleepytime tea (in my cat mug), have a restful night of sleep and hope (fingers crossed) that I feel much better hungrier in the morning.

My love for food is slowly returning and it’s not alone. Riding shotgun is sweet temptation of delectably delicious desserts.

I stopped by Corner Bakery for a quick lunch on my way to an appointment. I usually order a salad, but I figured since I hadn’t really eaten all week (except for the amazing pasta last night), that I could splurge  calories on half a panini and side of caesar salad. Usually, I have trouble resisting the display of cookies and sugary sweets that Corner Bakery is known for, but temptation had yet to grace me with her presence.

Corner Bakery display                        Source: Corner Bakery

It wasn’t until after dinner (half a turkey and provolone sandwich), that I thought breaking into the Girl Scout cookie stash. I mean, I had a horrible week being sick. I totally deserved a treat, right? Normally I would have rewarded myself with a couple of frozen Thin Mints and happily been in sugar heaven, but tonight I just drank more water and then played with the cat.

My cat is just like me. She’s always hungry (and is on a special diet), so I try to distract her with play in order for her to focus on something else other than food. It works most of the time. I thought that maybe I could distract myself from thinking about cookies, if I focused on playing with her. It worked…. until I wrote this blog entry.

Now, I want those Girl Scout cookies. But I’m going to be good and not eat them. Besides, I’ve already brushed my teeth. Toothpaste and Thin Mints do not mix. Although they are both minty so maybe…

No. I will be strong and resist the urge to stuff my face with delicious chocolatey minty goodness.

At times we can serve God out of routine and expectancy. Meaning that we only serve God because of a hopeful ending result of a “seen” blessing or out of just “going with the flow,” or “going through the motions.” God is to be served because we just simply Love and obey Him, we have already received what we never earned nor deserved, which is unlimited grace through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. One thing for sure God ministered to me was that i personally not go so hard setting bars to spiritually high where i can’t maintain them on a daily basis. This type of exertion of energy for servitude toward God will eventually become forced and like a job and we all know after awhile when things that are meant to be enjoyable turned into a job we tend to get burnt out and want to quit. God showed me that His yoke is easy and the burden He requires is light! (Matthew 11:28) This applied to me deeply and i was able to cope with knowing that i don’t have to set unreachable standards to be maintained daily due to my competitive nature and yearning to just please God in complete submission, service, love, and obedience. These 21 days have been phenomenal and in reality a habit was created and since sunday March 3rd its been hard to break the habit i just formed, i witnessed this account in how i truly disciplined myself to sacrifice all things pleasant to my flesh for a more deeper spiritual connection with God.

I’ll end with the notion that fasting is not to be perceived as a goal or a form of human achievement, but more of a vow and divine accomplishment. Fasting is not a commitment for an ending result in being blessed materialistically at the end or to spiritually discipline your body, denying yourself, and bringing self under subjection just to come off and go back to what you were doing as to why God led you to fast in the first place. Fasting is an oath to God that your willing to forfeit pleasure to gain a more profound, sensitive relationship with God. Furthermore fasting is not something you just wake up and say, “hey i’m going on a 40 day fast!” No my friend you have to be led by God or recognize that your flesh is getting out of control and time to tame it. God truly blessed me in these 21 days and i pray my 21 day fast testimony be a blessing and encouragement to you as well. I found that there is much POWER in 21!!

~PHILLYTF~ BOND SERVANT OF CHRIST

Today, my hunger continued to grow. I actually was looking forward to tasting food. Hot tea for breakfast. Jamba juice smoothie for lunch. And wait for it… prosciutto and mushroom fettuccine in a marsala cream sauce for dinner. I didn’t eat a huge portion of it, but it was more than I had eaten all week and it was delicious!

I didn’t take a photo, but if I had, then this is where I would post it. Instead, just close your eyes and imagine your favorite pasta dish. Did you see it? So scrumptious, right?

I was so full with pasta that when the waiter proceeded to ask if we wanted dessert, it was easy to politely decline. So 12 days into my “No Sweets Challenge” and it’s been a breeze. My health on the other hand, is another story. I’m just happy to finally being able to feel better.

This Challenge is designed to take your nutrition to the next level, by stimulating your body to burn stored fat for energy while sparing your lean muscle mass.  This is NOT a “cleanse” or a “diet” – it’s a LIFESTYLE CHANGE and it is not a quick fix. 

Over the next 3 weeks you’re going to witness something incredible in yourself : DEDICATION.

The first step is perhaps the most difficult, but it is the most important.  Commitment.  You MUST commit to yourself, to the challenge, and to the people who are on this journey with you!  You have to be doing this for the right reason : for YOU.  Do it because it’s the right thing for YOURSELF, not because someone else told you to.

The 3 components are as follows :
♥Diet (not “A” diet)
♥Exercise (not negotiable…exercise is an integral part of this)
♥Supplementation (LSF will provide suggestions, but you are not *required* to purchase anything)

Ready to get started? Great!  Let’s do it…

Getting Started :
♥DECIDE on a start date…be firm on your start date, and remember that your initial commitment level will determine your ultimate success!
♥”Like” Lifesaving Fitness on Facebook…it’s where we will be posting and sharing the Challenges, successes, recipes, etc.
♥The day before you begin take it easy – get plenty of sleep, drink plenty of water, and eat as you have been eating.  The night before you begin the challenge you are to eat a dinner rich in protein but ALSO rich in simple carbohydrates (we will discuss the difference in simple and complex in just a little bit).  Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, white rice, or semolina pasta are perfect examples.  Keep it reasonable, this is not a license to free-for-all at the pizza buffet.
♥Take your “before” pics – these are really just for your own edification so that you can see what’s happening to your body.  So, have fun and take them in that “goal” bikini that doesn’t quite fit you yet…it will soon enough!
♥Measure the following : waist circumference (measure around your mid-section at navel, under your clothes, pulling the tape snug but not cutting yourself in half), right and left bicep, right and left thigh, and hip circumference. (You will take measurements and photos on days 8, 15, & 21)
♥The first morning of your Challenge you should wake up and tell yourself that today begins a journey to a healthier you!  (The first 3-5 days are going to be the hardest – your energy levels WILL decrease as you cleanse your body of the glycemic drive which we ALL have.  STAY WITH THE FIGHT – it DOES get better and it DOES get easier…days 7-21 you should see your energy soar!)

The 1st Component : DIET :
♥Women : 5-6 meals a day, smaller than you’re probably used to but nutritionally dense.
♥Men : 6-7 meals a day, smaller than you’re probably used to but nutritionally dense.
♥Macronutrients – Count THESE not calories
♥What the heck is a “macronutrient?” Macronutrients, or “macros,” as you’ll see us refer to them are the smallest component of your diet – Protein, carbohydrates, and fats (YES FATS). You’re going to want the appropriate ratio of these 3 macros every day – the largest portion of your calories should come from PROTEIN each day, followed by CARBS and lastly, FATS.  The ideal protein:carb:fat ratio is different for EACH person, and is based on your personal goal.  Protein grams should be 0.3-1.5 gm/lb of body weight for women and 0.5-2.0 gm/lb of body weight for men. (A 100 lb female would therefore take in between 30-150 gm of protein each day, and a 100 lb male would take in 50-200 gm of protein each day.)
♥Carbohydrates : during the 21 day challenge, you want to limit your extra carbs…get the majority of your carbs from leafy green veggies, green beans, etc.  Don’t freak out – you’ll be getting plenty of carbs  Staying between 40-100 gm per day
♥Fats : you NEED fat in your diet…just make sure it’s the right kind – omegas 3.6.9 – you’ll get these fats from nuts, avocados, and fish.
♥HOW do I know how much protein I need?  What is your ultimate goal?  Are you trying to add muscle mass as you challenge?  You’ll need to get closer to the higher end of your protein intake to do this.  Most people need to be between 0.5-1 gm/lb to maintain muscle mass that they’ve worked hard to gain.
♥A ratio example : Calorie % from protein : 47% (160 gm), Calorie % from fat : 32%, Calorie % from carbohydrates : 21% (72 gm)
♥WATER – 1 gallon a day at least.  That is it.  Not negotiable  drink more when you work out, but never drink less.
♥Oh yes, and no alcohol.  If you drink alcohol during the challenge your results will be really slow.  But if you do it, don’t beat yourself up about it.  It’s not that big of a deal.

The 2nd Component Exercise :
♥30 minutes of activity AT LEAST – EVERY DAY.  Yes, EVERY DAY – this is the single most important part of the 2nd component —– SCHEDULE your workout like you would any other important meeting.  This is your “YOU” time…the time you get to spend thinking only about yourself.  The ultimate selfish time
♥Complete the 21 Challenges – they will get progressively more difficult as the 3 weeks progress, but stick with it and I promise you’ll feel great about yourself afterwards.
♥Start (if you’re not already) lifting weights…3 days a week lift weights – get in a BODYPUMP class, hire a trainer, or buy yourself a shake weight ;0) but just lift some weights…your body will thank you for it and you’ll burn way more fat by building muscle.
♥On the days you lift weights, follow your weight session with a longer cardio session.  At least 45 min if you can, or an hour if you’re able is even better.  Get in a group fitness class – trust me it’s way better than an elliptical  It is imperative that you cardio AFTER lifting weights as you’ve reached your anaerobic threshold and everything after that is gravy…burning pure fat stores.  Heck yes.

The 3rd Component Supplementation :
♥The only 2 NON-NEGOTIABLES here are : multi vitamins and a protein shake (whey, soy, blend, etc).  You can drink any protein you like but I personally prefer Gaspari Myofusion.  The ratio of protein and carbs makes this one awesome.  Dymatize ISO-100 is good too, but not as tasty
♥Additional supplements to consider : Omega 3.6.9 capsules, ZMA fuel (taken at night, helps you recover), a pre-workout supplement like Purus Labs’ Condense (my personal favorite), a thermogenic like Purus Labs’ Fat Smack (my other favorite), and an amino acid supplement (I personally choose ALR Industries HumaPro and Optimum Nutrition’s Amino Chews – lemonade flavor is AMAZING).  You may also want to look into a fiber/probiotic supplement, Milk thistle, and a calcium/vit D supplement ESPECIALLY women.

Check back tomorrow as we have challenge number 1 and 3 sample menus!!

Until then, I will leave you photos of my adorable cat. You’re welcome.

Spuds

Photo Source: Me

Source: http://www.icanhas.cheeseburger.com

I missed posting yesterday, but there really wasn’t much to report so I guess it all works out. I’m still not feeling well and don’t have much of an appetite, so the siren song of sugar has no affect on me whatsoever.

Other than feeling horrible, this challenge is becoming a breeze.

Here’s to hoping I regain an appetite soon!

I’ve sung songs about God calling me by a “new name”, but I’ve never quite understood what it meant. I’ve always thought it was kind of strange for God to be like, “No, you do not look like a ‘Madison’, I shall call thee ‘Jessica’!”

But I get it now.

Names back then actually meant something. (Although names nowadays do too, most people aren’t named their name because of its meaning.) The names in Abraham’s day seemed to have power behind them, almost like they would become what their name was. When Abraham introduced himself to people, it’s not like they just heard him say “Hi, I’m Abraham”… they heard him say, “Hi, I’m ‘Father of Nations”.

How stinkin’ radical is that?!!

God saw Abram and knew that his name didn’t suffice for who he WAS going to be. He WAS going to be a father of nations.

I think that’s something cool about God. He gives us new names. New futures. He doesn’t see my past as who I am.

I have a new name!

I’m not the same person I used to be!

How cool is that?!

And it’s not like this whole “name changing” thing is Old Testament! Jesus changed Simon’s name too, ” Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (Matthew 16:18)

I like that God’s a name changer.

It takes approximately 21 days (3 weeks) to break bad habits or create new habits. 21 days is about the amount of time required for new neuropathways to be fully formed in your brain. It’s time to “retrain your brain”.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/5535-need-breaking-bad-habit/

http://personalexcellence.co/blog/cultivate-a-good-habit-in-21-days/

Who does that? Apparently *points thumbs at self* this lady. Maybe I had a dream about swimming in eating lots of chocolate. Mmmm chocolate…

Anyway, I chewed on a piece of gum while I talked myself out of digging through the freezer in pursuit of a chocolate ice cream sandwich for breakfast. I decided to make a smoothie instead. Thankfully the idea of a homemade smoothie was just as appealing as a sweet frozen treat.

I had just set up our new Vitamix the day before, but hadn’t used it yet, so a smoothie was the perfect opportunity to give it a try. I followed a simple berry smoothie recipe that was included with the blender. I didn’t have any frozen raspberries so I just doubled up on unsweetened frozen strawberries. The result was delicious,  and even though it was more tart than I prefer, it kept me from thinking about going in search of chocolate. Success!

Triple Berry Smoothie

The rest of the day went by smoothly without any more sweet cravings. However, that doesn’t mean I was successful in making healthy decisions for myself. I had a late lunch, so by the time I finally got around to eating, I was super hungry and miscalculated the space in my stomach and ended up overeating. At that point, eating another bite of anything, even delicious sweet chocolate, was far from appealing.

Dinner time rolled around and I promised myself that I would eat light to make up for the gluttonous lunch. Yeah, that didn’t work out as planned. But hey, I didn’t have any sweets and went to yoga earlier today, so that kind of counts right? Alright, maybe not.

At least there’s always tomorrow.

Photo credit: me

For those who might be interested in the smoothie recipe I used, here it is:

Triple Berry Smoothie by Vitamix

Dietary Interest:  vegetarian, gluten-free, high fiber, low cholesterol, low fat, low sodium

My pal Misa and I made a pact to give up our greatest temptations for 21 days. Misa is giving her vice, sugar, and I’m giving up mine, salty/crispy things.

Some would say that my vice is not as well defined as “sugar” and they would be right.

Since there seems to be no established programs for my savory downfall, I am going to have to create my own.

Here’s the list.

Potato chips
Corn chips
Basically any kind of chip
Crackers
Salted rice cakes
Cheesy toast from Sizzler
Salted nuts
French Fries (!)

Anything that is salty and crispy at the same time.

Perhaps this is a tasty alternative?

Attending my first formal meditation class in the past few weeks has helped getting into the swing of things. So far so good.

What’s your 21 and 40? Has this processed helped you before?

OrganisedB

“ Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.”  -Genesis 5:23-24

These few verses are LOADED. 

I mean who is this guy?! Why in the world isn’t there an entire book written about him in the Bible?! Enoch’s story is so mysterious. He walked closely with God and then God just took him home to heaven.. Enoch just disappeared. He was here, then he was gone! Seriously, there should have been at least a chapter written about him. 

It’s weird though because I wish I knew more about Enoch and his life, but I also kind of like the mysteriousness of his story. I like that his story is only two sentences. I like that his life story is thrown in the list of descendants as if it is no big deal that God took him to heaven. 

But seriously, when I get to heaven me and Enoch are going to have a nice loooong conversation about his life. 

So right now I am on my last week of the Reset. Thursday will be my last day! So crazy how fast it went! i have to be honest with everyone, I took a cheat day!! I know, I know, it is only 21 days, but I got a really bad cold and the thought of a salad was the farthest thing from my mine! I had some chicken noodle soup, and peanuts butter toast that day. I didn’t eat terrible, just something  a little easier on the stomach.

I took a picture on day 11, I have a comparison here for you!! I lost about 7 pounds so far I only see a little difference in the picture, but I don’t think the picture does any justice!

Day 11 Weigh in. Down 7 pounds

The only picture I have right now of food is day 14 or 15 dinner. It was a baked sweet potato, quinoa, and garlic veggies! Although I do really like the reset, I will be happy when I can make my own decision on what I want to eat! I know that i can tweak the meals, but I am trying my hardest to stay as close to the meal plan as possible. I figure that they made it like that for a reason! hahaha I am starting to miss my eggs and fish! I don’t really miss the meat too much. Well I would have a Buffalo Chicken Pizza as a cheat meal, I DO miss that!! It is just hard when you are craving other healthy foods, but they are meats or dairy. But I know that this is so worth it!

Dinner!

Things I have noticed:

1. I have lost about 3 pounds by the end of week one.

2. Woke up sore 2 of the morning, stretched and was A-OK to get on the move!!

3. Breaking out a little in the chin area, its getting a lot better though.

4. Have had cravings for pasta three times, a lot less than I thought I would!

5. Fall RIGHT asleep at night!

6. Wake up well rested.

7. If I don’t drink at least 60 fl oz of water each day I get a headache.

8. Almost all meals can be made to eat on the go!

9. Put the Detox Supplement in the BLENDER!! I plan on starting this tomorrow! i am going to get a water bottle and drink 1/3 of it 30 mins before each meal.

So since I don’t have a bunch of time (again ) here are some of the pictures I was able to take!!

Day Six Dinner

Day 7: Breakfast

Day 7: Lunch

Day 8: Breakfast

Start of Week 2: Day 8: Dinner

Day 8: Lunch

Day 9: Breakfast

Day 10: Breakfast

Day 10: Lunch

Day 10: Dinner

Day 11: Breakfast

My food prep for Week 2!! I decided to put my salads in bags! It made things so much easier!!

I wanted a space where I could focus my daily intentions, feel inspired, mark my growth, and strive to better my life in manageable 21 day increments! These first 21 days are going to be all about finding my voice, my structure, and seeing what works for me with the goal of eventually focusing on a different area of my life every 21 days after! So please bear with me until I get this all organized and up and running! Wee!

I’m allowing myself to keep certain things for the kids, certain mementos I currently have no way to scan, and seasonal items until I’ve gone through that season, but I’m trying to be ruthless.  Trying…

Life is a gift.  These things are a gift.  All of it belongs to God and if I’m having a problem giving it up, then maybe I need to let go of it even more.

The early church, as shown in Acts 4:32-35, were extremely generous and had no real issues with ownership.  Everything belonged to everyone.  They were able to be of one heart and one mind because there was no jealousy over possessions. 

How would my life be if I wasn’t defined by my possessions?  If I didn’t care about what I owned, how would my life change?

Time to let it all go. It’s not mine anyway, right?  By Matthew 25:14-21, I am just a caretaker anyway.  Am I hoarding what I’ve been given instead of using it wisely for God?

I’m grateful for what I’ve been entrusted with, but it’s time to share that wealth.  I pray for peace today as I give up ownership.  What I have isn’t mine.

God is a creator, he created, he is creative.

I have a few favorite trees that I always point out to my folks, literally EVERY time we drive past them. I think they are absolutely beautiful.

and God created them.

I wonder if He knew that I would flip out every time I see them.

It’s kind of cool to think of God as a creative genius.

He literally made something out of nothing.

I’d like to focus, instead, on generosity.

Matthew 25:34-40 is the story of the followers of Christ who either served Him by serving the poor or didn’t serve Him with their finances.  The moral, clearly, is that we should be motivated to be generous by thinking of others as a representation of Christ.

It’s not the representation I have a problem with; I love to be generous.  The problem is that my debt makes it highly irresponsible for me to be as generous as I’d like.  I’ve been selfish and spent money on myself (or my kids) and can’t give it to others who might need it more.

Luke 12:41-48 (especially verse 48) says that whoever is given much will be expected to give much.  I have been given so much.  No, it’s not always financial, but why am I not giving my gifts, my intellect, my talents?

I need to find a way to increase my generosity.  This may take some time to work out.

I was able to unpack eleven boxes last night.  I haven’t figured out everything I’m getting rid of, but I’m at least making progress.  I just told myself this was someone else’s stuff.  I got rid of things like someone else would… mostly.  I’m still going to have to work at it.

I’m praying for my finances tonight and giving up control of “my” money (that isn’t mine in the first place).  I want to do a full day fast soon, but not right now.  Next week.  Sunset to sunset.

I’m grateful for all the gifts God has given me.  Have I mentioned lately that, in spite of this process, I’m blessed?

What am I afraid of?  What am I holding onto?  This is stuff I haven’t used for well over a year and have used minimally (if at all) in the last four years.

Well, for one, I’m afraid I may actually start getting my life together and then I’ll need that stuff.  I certainly won’t have the money to buy new things if/when I’m able to move out on my own.   So a little bit of hanging on isn’t such a bad thing. 

I’m also afraid of letting go of the memories.  My memory is very associative.  Items trigger entire days in my mind.  If I get rid of the trinkets my kids made for me, will I forget exactly how they looked when they gave it?

Finally, I think I’m afraid of not having that buffer.  Stuff is a buffer.  Books, especially, but also movies and music to an extent, are an escape from the life I’m currently stuck in.  I shouldn’t be doing that, first of all.  I should be finding the growth in this life.  But even if I do feel the need to get away, I can get books from the library for free, music on the radio or an app, movies from the library, Netflix, Blockbuster, RedBox… so why hold onto the one I own?

I read Proverbs 30:7-9, which basically says to not make me rich (so I’d think I don’t need God) or poor (so I’m tempted to steal).  There’s a balance somewhere in between there, where I have enough and, maybe, give away the extra.  How do I get there?

1. No credit cards and no debt.  It’s easier to get from paycheck to paycheck when you don’t owe half a paycheck (or more) to your creditors.
2. Own less.  What you own, in a way, owns you.  You have to worry about upkeep, payments, providing space for it.  I have no home to upkeep, no car to perform maintenance on.  Those are huge bills that I don’t have to worry about.
3. Keep a budget and stick to it.  If I ever get to where I have enough money, then some of it should be going to charity.  Right now, I’m stuck largely being my own charity project, but I can, on occasion, help out those who have even less than I do.

Greed is idolatry.  It’s the worship of money over God.  Covetousness is the step-brother of greed.  I don’t want to give into either of those.

I am thankful today that I’m not starving, not homeless, and can occasionally do nice things for my kids.  I’m giving up these fears and going to tackle my boxes.  I pray for the strength from God to hold true to this.

Not so I can say, “HEY GUYS. I’VE READ THE ENTIRE BIBLE. stuff it.”

But because I want to know God.

Like really know him.

There comes a point when saying “I want to do (fill in the blank)” needs to be put into action. I WANT to know God, but if I don’t read about him and spend time with him, then the want is pointless.

Want without action does no good.

I guess I’m telling you guys this because it will be more set in stone AND  I might write about some of the stuff I’m learning about God on here.

So I’ll write some more stuff.

Bye!

How about we start off with Day 5. Day 5 was yesterday, Feb. 5th, 2013. It was a Tuesday and I was SUPER BUSY! I woke up and noticed my leg muscles were a little sore and tight. I did a little stretching and felt good as new!! I then made breakfast. Okay, breakfast was AMAZING!! I seriously found a new favorite food/recipe. So simple too, oatmeal, walnuts, and maple syrup!!! ( and a serving of fruit!!) I ate that and packed my lunch since I only had an hour lunch break I wasn’t going to spend 40 mins of it walking back and forth to campus!

Day FIVE Breakfast: Oatmeal, maple syrup, walnuts

So then I walked up to my first class, Intermediate Digital Art, where class was from 9:30-12:00. I took my supplements around 11:30-11:45 so that by the time class was over and I got to a place to eat I would be able to eat!! I was to take a little side note, just to get everyone ready!! I have an AWESOME project I am working on in my digital art class. I am making a self portrait out of text! YAYA! So excited!! Okay, so anyway, back to the reset! Class was over and a left a little after noon. I went to one of the dining places on campus and grabbed a fork!! I picked a table with a nice view of the FREEZING, COLD outside and enjoyed my lunch! I had quinoa, veggies and hummus!!

DAY FIVE LUNCH: Quinoa, veggies with hummus

I finished my lunch and still had a little time to spare. I posted this beautiful picture on Instagram (follow me: alyssaraeb) and just relaxed and let my food digest. Soon enough it was time to go to my painting class. Then back home, I think I had a snack yesterday, saltines possibly, ( I can’t remember ) hahha! Then I was making dinner, which was also FABULOUS!!!!

Day Five Dinner: Rice, Stir-Fry, Mico soup

After dinner I had A LOT of homework to do! i went to bed way later than I wanted to! I was just getting tired and cracky. That of course had nothing to do with the detox, I go to bed early ALWAYS, or else I get a little cranky haha. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was OUT!! So little things I picked up on throughout the day, that may or may not be related to the detox. First I noticed I am breaking out on my chin. This could be because of the reset, or because since I am a girl we have our “friend” come once a month, so it of course could be that. YAY for perfect timing  (-__-) Then my sore muscles I mentioned earlier. I think that is from the detox, I know we are not recommended to exercise while doing the Ultimate Reset, and even though I do not intentionally exercise, my campus is on a hill, I live on the 3rd floor of an apartment building ( always take the stairs of course –we don’t have an elevator anyway! haha), and all my classed are on the 2nd or 3rd floor of their buildings. So, it is almost like going to the gym and spending some time on the StairMaster :p Other than basically those two things, I haven’t noticed anything else.

Day 6: Wednesday Feb 6th

So today was the real day 6. Today was crazier than yesterday. I don’t have too too much to talk about for the reset today besides food! I had the same thing for breakfast today as I did yesterday. That is not what it class for, but I did not have one of the main portions of today’s breakfast. For lunch I had some left over quinoa and a micro salad. i worked crazy on school work in between my two classed and only took a break to eat my lunch. I came home and went grocery shopping for Week TWO!!

I think everything I bought was a fruit or a vegetable!! Well I did have a spice and some coconut milk haha! But still, I can eat for a whole week off of JUST fruits and vegetables alone! This is so crazy! People think they need to buy pounds and pounds of meat per week to feed their families. Right here is all you need for a perfectly balanced diet! So yummy and satisfying too! After I put everything away I decided I would make dinner. I am so glad that I was not STARVING! Because I did not have tonight’s dinner prepared yet. Of course it was the ONLY meal so far that has a decent amount of prep work that had to be done. It wasn’t too bad, I just was ready to relax! … and I couldn’t. So I started to make a few of the ingredients and parts that needed time to cook or soak. As that was going on I decided to shower and do a few other things for some me time. Like clean up my bedroom and gather stuff for tomorrow.

Dinner tonight was interesting. I had some Zucchini and Cashew Soup, Millet something…, and Roasted Beet Medley( or something like that!) Everything was good. The soup was reallly good!! I over cooked the Roasted Medley concoction, so that was a little burnt, otherwise really good. The Millet was .. different. I don’t think I cooked it long enough, it was a little hard; or maybe just harder than I expected it to be.

Day Six Dinner

It has been a LONG two days and I am SO READY to call it a night!! tomorrow is the last day of Phase 1!! Friday I will do a weigh in, some measurements and pictures!! I have;t decided if I am going to post the pictures yet or just wait until the end and show a before and after and then another pictures with the phases. I am open to suggestions! Goodnight!! <3

So far this year, I’ve been in my word every day. I start my day in complete solitude, nobody but me and the Lord. I grab my iPhone (I use it for the bible challenges), my NIV bible (I have the need to read and highlight my hardcopy) ,my journal and I get to work. Spending that time with God has truly been a blessing to me and I could feel a change in myself. I have finally allowed myself to hear from the Lord and what He has to say concerning me. When I first started, I was so excited and so pumped! I couldn’t wait until my husband got home so that I could share with him what I felt God was saying to me or a new scripture I was trying to meditate on and memorize. Boy, I was on fire!

At around day 23, I was starting to get into a bit of a slump and I wasn’t starting my days as I had the first 22. As opposed to starting my day off in solitude, it would start with something else and then something else and then when I got around to it, I’d read my word, journal and pray. Indeed, nothing like the first 22 days. At day 21, I felt so excited; I was thinking “Hey Now! I’ve started a new habit, I’m on track and nobody can stop me!” That overconfidence I was feeling didn’t prepare me for the hard blow I’d take a couple of days later. I was starting slip back into my old self.  I started letting my thoughts take over, allowing a little procrastination to settle in and I began offering up a few more excuses than I had allowed the first 22 days of my new journey. I realized that I was in a slump and there was this ethereal version of me watching over my real-self trying to help me press on but I just couldn’t.

While this self-battle was in full effect, I never stopped reading my bible because I was determined to stay on track, but I wasn’t studying or committing the time and effort that I had 22 days prior. Finally I said “enough is enough!” “You’ve come too far to give up now.” I had to encourage myself in the Lord, I had to remember that faith without works is dead (James2:20) and no matter how much faith that I had in my ability to be better, if I didn’t actually do better, it didn’t mean anything.

I had been encouraging others to stay on the path, to stick with it, telling them the Lord would bless them just as he’d done me over the last few weeks. I quickly came to know that I can’t encourage anyone, If I myself am not being encouraged nor putting for the effort to do what I’m supposed to be doing. How could anyone take me seriously?

I’m happy to say that I’ve moved past the 21-day slump and am working my way back to the place of solitude that I had found. I’m working back to that place that has allowed me to learn and grow in Christ in such a short period of time. It’s not always easy to establish good habits, but if you stick with God, keep yourself encouraged, anything is possible. I even found that having a family member or close friend to hold me accountable is quite beneficial as well.

There may be something that you’ve been working toward and you’ve found yourself in a slump like I had. I want you to know that you can press forward, you can keep going, it’s so much better when you don’t give up. If I can do it, so can you! Be encouraged to continue establishing new habits, you will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish!