Unfamiliar Territory

This is the first time in my life that I'm trying to simply be healthier instead of trying to lose weight.  Honestly, before this, I was either dieting to lose weight or regretting what I was eating because it would make me gain weight.  This whole experience is new to me.  Being comfortable and even feeling beautiful in my current body is new to me, but I'm getting more and more used to it.  I can't even begin to explain how refreshing it is!

First, there's absolutely no stress involved.  I'm starting to not feel guilty when I eat something unhealthy.  I enjoy indulging, actually.  More importantly, though, I'm enjoying the new, healthier habits I'm forming.  For example, today, Mom Laurie brought over sandwich stuff for lunch.  I had a sandwich, but instead of bread, I used roasted, sliced sweet potato.  It was soooo good, and since the texture of the potato is softer, I didn't even need mayo.

I'm still human.  I will always be human.  I will eat cheesecake and chips when I want to.  What I have been noticing, though, is that I am starting to "want to" less and less. My body is responding very positively to the good things I've been putting in it.  I actually crave my Arbonne shakes in the morning, and even packed with kale, probiotics, and other veggies and fruits, they seriously taste like milkshakes!

Well, goodnight!  I hope this is encouraging for those of you who may be enslaved to the horribly frustrating endeavor of trying to lose weight.  I've been there.  I was there the majority of my life.  Hugs to you all.

The Point System

I'm a very competitive person.  Like...losing-my-crap-over-a-sand-volleyball-game competitive.  I like competing...but most of all, I like winning.  It has been ingrained in me ever since I watched my first Green Bay Packer game and realized how badly I wanted my team to win.

Recently, Bobby and Katie started a point system.  Basically, they get a few points for healthy choices that they make, and lose points for making unhealthy choices.  Once they reach a certain level of points, they get to reward themselves with something of their own choosing.

Naturally, I decided to join in.  Nothing makes healthy living more fun than making a game out of it AND getting a prize if I win!  I'm basically competing against myself.  I have decided to reward myself with a pedicure once I reach 500 points.  That way, I can look down at my increasingly unkempt toes and remind myself to keep on going.

For the past few weeks, I have been trying to cut dairy, gluten, and processed sugars out of my diet with no success, so I decided to deduct points every time I take a bite with one of those yummy yet evil ingredients in it.

How do I gain points?  Well, basically by doing things that are healthy for my life, such as drinking an Arbonne shake blended with fresh kale, or drinking 32 oz of water.  Also, since I tend to live on the messier side of life, I give myself points for things like cleaning the kitchen and vacuuming.

I'm really excited.  Let the competition against myself begin!

Time to Change

It's time for a change.  I really want to get physically healthy, but that's not the change I'm talking about.  The change that needs to happen is in my own attitude and feelings of self worth.

The need for an internal makeover hit me hard yesterday.

I decided to wear a casual maxi dress for the day since it was hot out.  Maybe some of you can relate to what went though my head when I looked at myself in the mirror...

"Ugh!  I must have gained weight since the last time I wore this dress.  I look so disgusting!  My arms have visible dimples and my back fat is hanging over the back.  I can see my muffin top and my butt looks really flabby.  I feel so bloated!  I really have no business wearing this dress, but  then again, I don't look good in anything I wear right now.  I'll just wear it anyway.  I'll make sure to wear my hair down to hide my ugly shoulders.  I really wish I was more tan.  Why can't I just stop eating cake and brats and pizza?  How come other people can eat whatever they want and be so skinny?  I'm so ugly!  I've never been this ugly before!  Having children really took its toll on me.  I wish I didn't have to go anywhere today.  Ugh, ugh, UGH!"

After deciding to wear the dress anyway (mostly due to the fact that I didn't have anything else clean to wear in this heat), I walked upstairs.  As soon as my three-year-old daughter saw me, she got a HUGE smile on her face and said, "Mama!  You look so beautiful in your pretty dress!"

I just stood there and broke into tears.  Years upon years of feeling ugly, chubby, embarrassed, inadequate, and frustrated were just washed away by my daughter's sweet voice.  In her eyes, I'm beautiful.  She doesn't look at magazines or watch movies yet, so she doesn't know what society's version of beauty is.  To her, I look like a beautiful princess, even if I'm not wearing makeup.  Even if I'm not a size 5 anymore. Even if the sagging skin on my tummy hangs over my pants.  Even if I have stretch marks.

What in the world have I been thinking?  What kind of example have I been setting for my sweet, innocent daughters?  What sort of mental pain have I been bringing upon myself?  Why in the world do I feel like I have to fit into a box...or look like anyone else's version of "pretty"?

Well, no more.  If you know me personally, you can hold me accountable for this.  I'm quitting cold-turkey.  I will never again complain about my physical appearance.  I will never again compare my outward appearance to anyone else.  That's just nonsense.

I am going to re-commit to being healthy and making better choices, but this time it's going to be different.  I am not going to weigh myself or take any "before and after" photos.  I'm simply going to blog about my healthy living journey so I can show how these products help me feel better...on the inside.  I have been feeling sluggish, tired, sore, crabby, and just blah lately.  I know for a fact that it's related to what I have been eating.  That's going to change.  I want to feel healthier and more energetic so I can be more present for my life and my little girls.

I'll post my first blog tomorrow, but this change is effective immediately.  It's time.

Thank you for reading, and thank you all for your support!

* Due to the nature of this post, I didn't use a filter for this photo. :)

Sarah

Day 27

Dear blog followers...

My sincerest apologies for my lack of posts!  Turns out that when my amazing company has their conference in Vegas, I have way too much fun and forget to blog.

I was definitely not perfect in Vegas.  I had a volcano burger (chili, guacamole, Frito's, etc.), the best sweet potato fries I've had on my life, some yummy mixed drinks, Mexican food, Chinese food, etc, and for crying out loud...they had a Haggen Dazs smoothie factory right in my hotel!

I also attended the Arbonne new managers celebration, where they provided free food and drinks for everyone.  It was the fanciest party I have ever been to and MAN did I indulge!

But guess what...

I came back and I had not gained a pound!  We walked a lot while we were there and I was still replacing two meals a day with the Arbonne shakes.  I was so happy that I could just relax and not worry about what I ate in Vegas and still maintain my weight!  Thank you Arbonne!  Also, they came out with two new weight management products that I samples while there.  That definitely helped :).  I will blog more about them when they come in the mail :).

Well, in going to go downstairs and walk on the treadmill for a bit.  For your viewing pleasure, here is a photo of some of the food I had in Vegas:

~ Sarah

Day 17

Even though I didn't blog yesterday, I have to post a photo of yesterday's breakfast.  It was just so beautiful!  I had an organic fried egg over wilted spinach with avocado, organic mango peach salsa, and cilantro. It was absolutely delectable.

Today, Katie and the girls and I got our for a walk.  It was so nice to get some fresh air and exercise.  We have a lot of hills by our place, and E made us carry her half of the time, so I got plenty of exercise!

Ok...I just have to take a few moments to go on a mini positive rant about this plan I'm on.  I absolutely love the Arbonne healthy living products and here's why:

- I'm on a tight budget while I'm on maternity leave, and replacing meals with the shakes is saving me a bunch of money.
- I love the taste of the shakes and the different recipes I can try just by blending them.  I never get bored!
- I can use the shakes for a long period of time because there's no crap in them.  They're actually good for me.
- I don't have to eat perfectly all the time.  I really haven't had to give up anything.  I've lost weight even though Easter weekend and my anniversary both happened in the first two weeks of this plan.
- I would be on this plan even if I wasn't an Arbonne consultant.
- You all already know how much I love the fizzy energy drinks!

Anyway, thanks for reading today!  I'm off to snuggle some babies.  Hubby is coming home which makes me happy.  Until the next blog!

~ Sarah

Day 15

Hello world!

I was 173.4 lbs this morning for my weigh in.  That puts me at about 8 lbs of weight loss so far and I'm at the halfway point!  I'm very excited about that!

Today, I made some healthy treats for myself.  I made some more sweet potato chips and some homemade chocolates using coconut oil, honey, and cocoa (Katie...yours are still better).  I also made some protein bars for Hubby using the Arbonne protein shake mix, oats, peanut butter, honey, a pinch of salt, and some ground up chocolate covered peanuts.  There's a ton of energy in this recipe!

This evening, I had the pleasure of bringing my Arbonne healthy living products into the home of some lovely folks!  I had so much fun sharing the information and making protein shakes for them to sample. It was a lot of fun!

Once E is in bed tonight, I'm going to hit the treadmill again.  I felt so energetic today after working out yesterday.

Oh...and since I'm at the halfway mark, I figured I would put up another picture to show you my progress.  Until the next blog!

~ Sarah

Day 14

I feel really good about today!  I made a batch of my favorite cookies in the world, and even though I wanted to eat five or six (which, I'm ashamed to say, is pretty normal), I only ate one.  After that, I spent 30 minutes walking on the treadmill.

I had two shakes today, and for dinner I made some beef stew with veggies and potatoes.  I ate a little bit of it over rice.  I also enjoyed a cup of Detox Tea.

I'm really hoping to get back on the treadmill tomorrow.  It feels really good to exercise like that again!  I'm definitely starting to feel more energized on this plan.  Also, I'm super excited that my Dad is joining me on this journey starting tomorrow!

Until then...

~ Sarah

Day 12

In the Arbonne community, we often refer to the 80/20 rule, meaning that if you follow a good healthy living plan 80% of the time, your body is able to maintain good health even if you stray once in a while.  Well, yesterday was my anniversary, and I definitely took advantage of the 80/20 rule.  My husband made pancakes in the morning, thus starting my "20% day".  Before leaving for dinner, I popped two Metabolism Boost pills.

Rich pasta, Redd's, chocolate cake, onion rings, and a bit of the hubby's burger made their way into my tummy yesterday.  It was very enjoyable, but I was happy to be back to drinking shakes today.  I feel better when I'm eating well.  For your viewing pleasure, though, here is photo of my anniversary dinner.

Tomorrow morning, I will weigh myself. I'm also going to get on the treadmill to stay increasing my cardio strength.

Until tomorrow!

~ Sarah

Day 10

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to weigh myself this morning because I woke up feeling sick and needed to eat something right away.  Oh well!

This morning, I was really in the mood for banana bread, but I didn't want all of the calories that goes with it, so I decided to create my own healthier version of banana bread.  I just tried it, and it was so good, I had to share it with you all!

Healthier Banana Bread Muffins:

- 1 cup all purpose flour (I would have used whole wheat flour, but I'm all out of it)
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Dash of salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1/4 cup agave nectar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°.  Mix dry and wet ingredients separately and then combine.  Grease cupcake pan with coconut oil.  Fill cups almost to full.  Bake for 18 minutes.

Today is an odd day.  Everyone in the household is under the weather, so I'm a little outside of my routine.

I'm going to go make a shake for dinner.  This time, i'm going to try blending watermelon in with the vanilla.  Hope it's tasty!

~ Sarah

Day 9

Well, I woke up this morning weighing exactly what I did the day before.  Party: 0.  Me: 1.  Yay!

I have to say, since adding the Fiber Boost to my diet, I have really noticed a difference in my digestion.  They say that if you added the Fiber Boost to your diet and didn't change anything else about your diet or lifestyle, you would lost nine pounds in a year just from the "chimney sweep effect".  Pretty cool :)

We had an amazing dinner tonight at the in-laws'.  Cod, salmon patties, quinoa, and roasted asparagus.  Eating healthy tastes amazing!  I may or may not have had a very large bite of cardamom bread with a buttercream glaze, but we won't talk about that part.

Tomorrow, I'd like to see what adding exercising to my day does for my weight loss.  Wish me luck!

~Sarah

Day 8

Hello!  Well, it has officially been one week since I started.  I knew I would fluctuate in weight a bit, and this morning I gained back a tad.  I blame the hummus binge from last night.  It's just a lesson learned.  I'll slowly get better at portioning :)

Today was a hectic day, getting ready to have some people over.  I was so busy sampling the food I was preparing that I didn't really follow any rhyme or reason for eating.  I tried to stick to somewhat healthy foods, so we shall see.

Anyway, here is my one week picture to track my progress.

Well, i'm pretty exhausted so you all get a pretty lame blog tonight.  Back to more structure tomorrow!

~ Sarah

Day 7

This morning was a great morning!  Not only did I lose another pound (175.2 lbs now!), but I also made THE BEST protein shake I have ever had!  It was so good, I have to share the recipe with all of you.

Tropical Green Vanilla Smoothie

- 6 oz water
- 6 oz almond milk
- One handful of spinach
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1/4 cup chopped frozen pineapple
- 1/4 cup chopped frozen cantaloup
- Four cubes of ice
- Two scoops Arbonne Vanilla protein powder
- One scoop Arbonne fiber boost

Just blend and enjoy!  So delicious... I felt like I was vacationing on a tropical island.  The pineapple adds a little bite and the cantaloup adds just enough of a cool flavor.

Tonight I had a bit of a splurge with hummus and sweet potato chips, so we will see how tomorrow's weigh-in goes!

Also, I'd like to take a minute to have a mini celebration since today was my last day using the 7 Day Cleanse.  I feel like a brand new person!  Hands down the best, most effective, gentlest cleanse I have ever tried!

Signing off

Day 6

Day six started out on an amazing note when I stepped on the scale and saw that I had lost another 1.4 lbs, weighing in at 176.2!  Exciting stuff!

Today, I rediscovered my love for the sweet potato.  Sweet potatoes are so tasty and soooo good for you!  I decided to make some sweet potato chips to snack on, and they were so delicious, I wanted to share the recipe with you all.  It's pretty simple...

- One medium sweet potato
- Coconut oil
- Cajun seasoning
- Garlic salt
- Ground black pepper

I preheated the oven to 400°.  I used a mandolin to thinly slice the potatoes and then coated them with coconut oil before placing on the cookie sheet.  I then seasoned them and popped them on the oven.  Ten-fifteen minutes later (sorry...should have paid more attention to the time), they were crispy and delicious!  I would recommend them to anyone trying to eat healthy but wanting a yummy snack!

Anyway, I am pleasantly surprised with how easy it is to follow a healthy living plan with the Arbonne products.  They taste fantastic and are actually good for you, which is a definite must for me.

Hoping for more weight loss tomorrow morning!

~ Sarah

Day 5

Woke up this morning and weighed myself. Lo and behold... 177.6 lbs!  That means that I managed to only gain a tiny .4 lbs over the holiday weekend.  I'm very happy about that!

And now...an ode to the Fizz Sticks!  *ahem*

Dear sweet pomegranate energy Fizz Sticks: I would surely be lost without you!  Your delicious taste and vibrant color make me forget that you are only thirteen calories, but when I remember, I love you even more.  I don't know how you do what you do; having no artificial flavors or sweeteners at all.  All I know is that when my eyes are droopy, or when my tummy is rumbly, you give me exactly the pick-me-up that I need.  I'm looking forward to blending you with frozen fruit this summer and drinking you through a straw.  Without you, healthy living would be much more boring.  Thanks for adding a bit of sparkle to my day!

Well, it's time for dinner.  Leftover salmon, potatoes, and broccoli!  Looking forward to my weigh-in tomorrow morning.  I added much more water to my diet today.  I also added a scoop of the Arbonne Fiber Boost to my morning shake.  We shall see!

Until tomorrow...

~ Sarah

Day 4

Happy Easter!  What a great day!  Spending time with family us the best. I did pretty well not going overboard on the food and was still able to enjoy myself.  It's kind of freeing when not everything revolves around food!

E, on the other hand, managed to sneak all of her Easter candy from basket number one, and quite a bit more from basket number two.  She takes after her mama :).

The food today was delicious!  Here's a peek into what I ate today:

Breakfast:

- Arbonne vanilla protein shake and fruit

Lunch:

- Scrambled eggs with almond milk and goat cheese, fruit, smoked turkey, and a homemade bran/flax muffin

Dinner: Baked salmon, ham, scalloped potatoes with yogurt, sweet potatoes, and broccoli

Okay, okay, okay... After dinner I had a glass of wine and two slices of amazing homemade sweet bread (Dad just makes such great homemade bread!), but it's Easter!

Well, goodnight everyone!  Back on the scale and down to business tomorrow.

~ Sarah

He is risen!

Day 3

Today (or technically yesterday) was pretty successful overall.  During the holidays in the past, I typically would abandon all diets and healthy eating habits.  Tonight, Bobby, Katie, Jesse, and myself are staying at my parents' and had a mini pre-Easter party.  I'm not going to say I didn't indulge a little, but I behaved much better than usual.

Backing up to this morning...

Morning weight: 177.2 lbs.  Down .8 lbs from yesterday!  I had some Kashi Go-Lean cereal for breakfast with almond milk. It was delicious.  After breakfast, baby Z slept for a while, so little E and I made some clean eating apple muffins.  Well... I made them while E ate the "snakes", or apple peels.  They tasted really good and made for an excellent between-meal snack.

For lunch, I happily consumed a chocolate peanut butter Arbonne shake and finished E's muffin.  I had a Luna bar for a snack a bit later (thanks Mom!).

Throughout the day, I drank my cleanse and a cup of Detox Tea as well.  I can really tell my body is detoxing now.

When I got to my parents' house, I was so excited to see Katie's famous corn, avocado, and black bean salsa.  I quickly decided to have that for supper instead of the shake I had brought along.  Luckily, there were some sweet potato chips that I could eat instead of corn chips.

I promised myself I would only have two pieces of Easter candy and two crackers with crab dip (oh man, yum).  I surprised myself by not only following my own rules, but also by only eating one piece of chocolate!  Pats self on back.

This evening, I took a Metabolism Boost, a Digestion Plus, and drank a fizz stick and a bunch of water to avoid over-eating.  Even though I ate the CRAP out of that salsa, I'm still happy with myself.  I'm not planning on losing weight this Easter weekend, but it would be nice to maintain.

Well, Z is finally asleep and I should be as well.  Goodnight world!

Day 2

Day 2 is coming to an end.  I was extremely encouraged this morning when I stepped on the scale and saw that I had dropped 3.6 lbs!  That gives me so much motivation to keep going. 



Today was a little more difficult than yesterday. I am seriously addicted to sweets and am having some cravings. Thank GOODNESS for the Fit Chews! I would be lost without them.

I started the day out with a relaxing cup of Herbal Detox Tea (detoxifies the liver and kidneys and tastes fantastic) and a delicious chocolate, peanut butter, banana smoothie.  It tasted like dessert!  Here's the recipe I tried:

- 5 oz almond milk
- 5 oz water
- 4 ice cubes
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1 tbsp PB2
- 1 handful of spinach
- 2 scoops Arbonne chocolate protein powder

Between meals, I had a couple fit chews and the 7 Day Cleanse.  For lunch, I had a straight up vanilla protein shake.  A bit later, I had a snack of "Beanitos" chips and hummus.

For dinner, I prepared roasted potatos (white and sweet) with caramelized onions and baked chicken.  I took a Metabolism Boost pill beforehand because I chose a chicken thigh (more fat than white chicken).  I'm curious to see what tomorrow will bring regarding weight loss.

So far, I haven't really had time to fit in much exercise.  I'm pretty busy with the two tiny humans in my life.  Hopefully I can get on a few walks once the weather is a bit nicer.

Anyway, I'm signing off for the night.  Looking forward to what tomorrow brings!

~Sarah

* To get started on your own 30 Days to Fit journey, contact me at teamschweisthal@gmail.com

Day 1

Pre-baby weight, here I come!!!

I am so extremely excited about starting the Arbonne 30 Days to Fit challenge.  Today was my first official day and it went much better than I was expecting.  I thought I would feel hungrier throughout the day, but it wasn't bad at all!

The 30 Days to Fit challenge is a progra that includes goal setting and the Arbonne essentials products to acheive health/fitness/weight loss goals.  I am using the following Arbonne products to reach mine:

- Arbonne protein shakes (I'm replacing two meals a day with the shakes)
- Fit Chews (for the occasional sweet tooth craving between meals)
- 7-Day Cleanse (to kick-start my weight loss and clean out the drain)
- Energy Fizz Sticks (to regulate my blood sugar, eliminate cravings, and give me energy)
- Digestion Plus (to help break down my food and eliminate the "muffin top")
- Metabolism Boost (to help me out when I eat a meal that's less than perfect)

Today went very well!  I started out my day with a blended vanilla shake.  It was delicious!  Here's the recipe I used:

- 5 oz almond milk (unsweetened original)
- 5 oz water
- 4 ice cubes
- One handful of spinach
- 1/4 cup frozen berries
- 2 scoops almond protein powder

I love our protein shakes because they don't have any artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners and they taste delicious!  I also love them because they only cost me $1.41 per meal with my consultant discount.  That works perfectly with our strict food budget!

Between meals, I had a fit chew and some water, as well as started my 7-day cleanse.  I'm so excited to feel the results of the cleanse!  The last time I did it, I felt cleaner than I ever have in my life!  I also lost a bunch of weight :).

For lunch, I had a grilled chicken and cashew salad.  Yum!

I continued to snack on a couple of fit chews and finished my cleanse between meals and had a chocolate protein shake for dinner.  I added some PB2 (powdered peanut butter...less fat!) for dinner. 

For a snack, I had some Bean-itos chips with organic salsa.  Also delicious. All of this tastes so good!  The last time I did the 30 Day challenge, it was very successful.  I lost 12 lbs. and felt amazing!  Soon after, I found out I was pregnant with baby Z, so had to put my weight loss on hold. 

I'm starting this plan 16 lbs heavier than my pre-baby weight of 165.  I currently weigh about 181 lbs.  I want to lose some weight before Katie and Bobby's wedding so that I can fit into the dress I bought :). 

Well, day 1 is complete and I'm feeling very motivated!  Here's to completing the journey!

Me today, weighing 181.6 lbs.

~ Sarah