Its Not Just a Shake Thing

I have joined the Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge! (crowd roaring in wild applause in background) I started two weeks ago and have lost 7 lbs. already. From Monday the 31st to Monday the 6th (yesterday) I lost 1.5 inches from my waist, 1 inch from my hips and chest, 1/2 inch from my thighs. I LOVE how I feel!! I have more energy, I kick butt at my work outs.. oh.. did I mention I'm going to the gym now - at 4am? Yes. I am becoming a fitness freak. Never ever ever thought that would happen. But once I broke through the difficult first couple of weeks, I found that I really enjoy working out and I love how I feel afterward!! My arms are becoming toned and firm, and my waist and back are slimming down. I see the difference in my shoulders and neck, under my chin, my legs.. why stop now?? I dropped a whole dress size.. I'm NOT stopping now!

Back to the Visalus. I feel great. The shakes taste REALLY good and I love coming up with new ones. My favorites are Angel Food Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, (cake, cake, cake) and Dreamsicle. And there's nothing in them that is bad for me. 2 shakes for breakfast and lunch, then a sensible dinner. Easy! I DO snack in between for those of you who think I am suffering between liquid meals. I eat low-fat or fat-free yogurt, reduced-fat cheese, whole grains (crackers, bread, etc) a small bowl of Special K cereal, fruit, raw veggies, nuts, fat-free cottage cheese, etc. There's no reason to suffer when there are plenty of logical options for snacking.

One step beyond joining the Challenge: Mike and I discussed it at length, and we decided to become distributors as well. I was surprised at how easy it is to bring people into the challenge - they want to lose weight and become healthier too! While we do this for extra income, we are doing our best to help those who can't easily afford to start this challenge as well. We feel so strongly about these products and about helping others increase their overall health and wellness that we want as many people as who want and need it to be able to do it! And the Lord is blessing us. In two weeks we have been blessed with 6 clients and several potentials.

If you read this, and you have been invited to a party, please don't feel as though I'm trying to profit from our friendship. I want to share the success I'm finding, build my home business, and strengthen current relationships, not run all my friends off. If you are not interested, I will not take it personally and I won't beat you over the head with a pouch of shake mix, I promise.

I had a mindset for years that had me shaking my head at people who exercised a lot and watched what they ate carefully. I hated infomercials about fitness gadgets, got sick of dieting scams. I wanted a quick fix. Well, I'm here to tell you that there IS NO QUICK FIX. Not even Body By Vi. (Keep reading.) I realized that the reason why I was shaking my head and avoiding those people is because they made me feel guilty for the condition I let my body get into. I had to accept responsibility for myself and my poor choices and lack of motivation to get off my butt and get some exercise and then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. My blood pressure is high and metabolism is low thanks to my family genes. But it doesn't have to stay that way. I decided to do this challenge, put myself out there, and be an example to others like me who lack motivation and have 1001 excuses like I did as to why they can't diet or excercise.

I stepped down some stairs wrong and broke my ankle and leg in four places and dislocated it four years ago - while pregnant with my now 3-year-old son. They put the dislocation back into place with no anesthesia (pain medication) and without xrays first. I went through seven hours of surgery and had plates, screws and wires installed in my lower left leg. I spent 4 months in a wheelchair. When Mike was not with me I had to crawl on my hands and knees to get to the bathroom because there was an 8 inch step at the bathroom entrance. (Try jumping up a step that high with staples, stitches, broken bones, torn ligaments and tendons, while pregnant, and on one foot). I had no physical therapy because I was uninsured at the time and could not afford it. I did my best on my own, but to this day I tend to limp badly when I first get out of bed. The tears to my ligaments and tendons permanently damaged my foot and ankle and chances are I will never walk right again. Sometimes it takes me a good hour to get my ankle moving and flexible enough to walk without pain and without limping noticeably. I have been clinging to this injury for the last 4 years as the reason why I could not exercise. Fear, mostly, of reinjuring myself or that I might have pain during any rigorous exertion. I also have asthma. Who wants to exercise when within 30 seconds of any type of cardio they can't breathe?

The point in telling my sob story was this: If I can do it, you can do it. Two months ago I decided enough was enough. I started going to the gym with my good friend Sandy who lives in the house right behind me. It was hard. Very hard. I hadn't exercised in years.. even back then I didn't really commit. I knew that if I didn't push through the difficulty that I'd never lose the weight and I'd never be physically strong and fit... and the risk for heart disease (also hereditary) and diabetes would loom over my head. So I chose exercises that won't hurt my old injury. The eliptical whoops my behind but there is no pressure or pain to my joints or to my ankle. I started out only being able to do 5 minutes, and that was a stretch. I am up to 30 minutes now, and next week I go to 35! I also tone with weights. I worked through the asthma issues and carried an inhaler. I used it at first, but I am very proud to say that my lung capacity has increased as has my stamina and I only need it every now and then. Am I proud of myself? YOU BETCHA!!!!! Now I use ViSalus as a tool to help me reach my goals. It isn't a crutch or an easy way out... believe me, having a shake while my kids eat pizza or my very favorite lunch, Kraft mac & cheese, is NOT easy. It is a way to help me lose the weight steadily, learn discipline, and do it in an insanely healthy, wellness-enhancing way.

Whether you choose to join me on the 90 Day Challenge or not, do SOMETHING to better your health. Remember, just because you are small or slim does not mean your body is healthy. If you need to lose a good amount of weight, set short term goals and celebrate smaller victories, that way the big goal doesn't seem so far away!

To my loyal readers: A shake for breakfast and lunch means I still cook for dinner.. yay for more recipes! :D