I am without a doubt the least self-disciplined person currently walking God’s green earth.
Here is my proof:
A sane person sets a goal, tries a system or method or program to attain set goal, finds a system or method or program that works, and then sticks to said system or method or program until goal is successfully reached. Not me, oh no! Definitely not me.
Lately I have been “displeased” with my weight, my nutrition, and my overall physical fitness. I don’t hate my body, I’m not being overly dramatic, I simply realize that I am not where I want to be. I find the old saying to be true: I actually AM what I eat. Therefore, I am as soft as a hot, fresh dinner roll with melting cinnamon butter, as mushy as a tasty heap of fruit dip with an oo-y, goo-y chocolate fudge brownie on the side, and as lumpy as a steaming, golden apple turn-over straight from the oven…
I have felt this way for most of the past decade. When I was turning 30 in 2004, I determined that what was once just a few pounds over my typical max weight was going to become a new normal if I didn’t do something about it. Since then, I have tried several shake systems, workout methods, and nutrition programs. Out of those efforts, I found some I liked, some I loved, and some I couldn’t stand, I met lots of great people who are now precious friends, I picked up some fabulous new recipes, and I learned a lot about my self along the way. And, yet, at the end of 10 years, basically all I accomplished was proving myself absolutely correct: what was once my worst has become my norm 🙁
On October 3rd, one month prior to my 40th birthday, I was quite put out with myself, disgusted really. How did I allow 10 years to drift past? TEN YEARS!!! I just floated along thinking that I could tackle the issues that displeased me tomorrow, and the tomorrow after that, and so on and so on. The problem now is that tomorrow is TODAY! I wanted to be my best when I turned 40, not my worst. How could I fix this in just 31 days? What could I do to be more pleased with me by November 3?
My answer came from a good friend from way back. I valued his input not only as a medical doctor, but also as a friend who has known me, seen me battle with physical fitness and extensive knee pain, and understood what makes me tick since I was in high school. In other words, he knows the 18 year old me that I realistically know I will never be again, and he also knows the mom I am today who puts top priority on my husband and kids and home and community before myself, what I eat, and if/when I workout.
He recommended a program that he’s been associated with for a few years. I replied, “If I eat clean and workout regularly, shouldn’t that be all that I need?” He agreed that ideally, yes, that should be all that it takes, but in reality, our bodies plateau…sometimes it takes a higher level of nutrition to break through that barrier. After an hour-long discussion full of my concerns about yet another nutrition program, my health concerns about restricting calories, and my mommy concerns about my 14 year old daughter and 16 year old son watching me eat shakes instead of meals, I decided to give his 30 Day Cleansing and Fat Burning System a try.
It wasn’t cheap, but it is very high quality. I especially like that it includes a cellular cleanse (as opposed to the kind of cleanse that chains one to a restroom…), and I really enjoy the “flush” tablets that I take at night to release toxins that my body has held onto throughout the day. I found the system really easy to follow, and best of all, I found that it worked. Very quickly! That’s a good thing, right??
Well, it is. And it isn’t. See, I had so much success within the first few days, that I found myself justifying a cupcake, and an extra piece of pizza, and maybe just one more slice of pumpkin pie. With Cool Whip on top. Rather than being worried about undoing my progress from the 30 Day Program, I was relieved that I could eat whatever I wanted (which meant anything and everything in sight), and then I could undo those bad food choices because I knew, without a doubt and through real life proof, that with this fabulous system I could just lose it again. I was allowing the guarantee of results to be a crutch, and in doing so I was living on the end of a yo-yo string. And that’s definitely NOT a good thing!
Needless to say, the big 4-0 arrived on November 3rd, and I had not stuck to my intentions, I had justified my way right back to where I was in the beginning (about 10 pounds heavy and thoroughly irritated with myself), and I had failed in accomplishing the goal that I had set for myself.
UGHHH! Again, I’m obviously not a sane person 🙁
<In walks my knight in shining armor, my voice of reason, my Coach>
Coach saw the vicious cycle I was allowing myself to function within. He sat me down and said, “I don’t care how much your nutrition stuff costs…if you use it! If it’s important to you, and you say it is, then do it. If it’s not, then quit buying it.”
Ouch. Why does he always have to make so much stinkin’ sense??
“I want to do it. I know it works, maybe too well… I want to be pleased with myself, and I want to know that I can set out to do something and actually finish it,” I confessed.
“Well,” he said, “you have 10 days between now and Thanksgiving. Follow it to the letter for those 10 days. Then enjoy your holiday weekend. After that, you’ll look at where you are, and where you want to be, and you can decide again where to go from there.”
<Reason #12,457 that I love my Coach: he always helps me find my way>
So here is my Day 1 of 10. I’m going to share them all to keep myself accountable and disciplined, and maybe my daily consistency will be the support that someone out there needs to take their baby steps towards whatever goal they are working and wishing and wanting to reach…
- Day 1 weight: 125 lb.
- Early Morning 1: 1 oz Ionix Supreme Dietary Supplement (Green Juice)
- Meal 1-1: Chocolate & Banana IsaLean Shake and 1 Natural Accelerator Supplement Capsule
- Meal 1-2: Tomato Basil Soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, and Potato Chips
- Meal 1-3: Handful of Green Grapes and about 20 Cashews
- Meal 1-4: Vanilla & Mixed Berries IsaLean Shake and 1 IsaFlush Supplement Capsule
Stay tuned for more results…
With hugs and love
Ashli 🙂
PS: I have provided a link to the products I am using. I am not here to sell those to you, just to share (and hopefully stick to!!) what is working for me. I will say that after signing up as a wholesale shopper to get the best price possible on my own products, my brother began using and enjoying them, too. The links take you to his website, and if you ever decide to try some of it, please consider ordering from him. You know, starving college students can use all the support they can find 😉 Either one of us can also help you with questions, concerns, finding answers, or simply getting more info.
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