Day 1 (of 90!!!)

Sooooooooooo, I turned 37 last November.
I’m 125 pounds, but only 5’3″ on a big hair day.  I realize that I am not overweight, or unhealthy, or anything, but I also know that I’m not overjoyed by what I see age doing to the image in the mirror.  One of my biggest fears is accepting my current state as “part of the process” because then what was an exception becomes the rule, the status quo, the norm.
I enjoy working out, but I love cooking, baking, and hosting get-togethers that are centered around food much more.  I think I’m pretty active, but I also choose to curl up on the couch with a good book over most any other activity every chance I get.  The past 12 months have also taken a toll on me because of this house-building nightmare (which is another topic to dissect when I finally decide to face it…).  I know dealing with it has made me a little depressed at times.  I see the worry lines and sullen color on my face.  I feel the changes this “adventure” has wrought in who I am.  I see the worry on Coach’s face when he looks at me, and that breaks my heart.
Ultimately, I know that I want to be more CONSCIENTIOUS about how I feel and how I look, and I am doing something about it!  I am taking a 90 day challenge.  Yes, you read correctly.  NINETY!  As in 9 x 10, the number after 89…as in A WHOLE LOT OF DAYS!!
I heard about this nutrition challenge through my friend Tammy who I totally respect and admire when it comes to healthy, beautiful living.  The plan is pretty basic. I purchased enough of her Vi-Shape Nutritional Shakes to replace two meals per day for the full 90 days.  I also eat one regular meal and have two “smart” snacks throughout the day.  After the 90 days, the company recommends continuing with one shake per day, but I think I will be all shaked out at that point 🙂

So, today was DAY 1.
I think I did pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.  I had my first shake (2 scoops of shake powder, the chocolate flavor packet, one banana, 7 oz. skim milk, and 7 oz. ice) for breakfast.  After taking the kids to school, I headed straight for the Y so I could not be tempted to climb back into bed.  The classes I choose were a nice little mix of several exercises I like: abs for 10 minutes, toning for 30 minutes, and power yoga for an hour.  By then, I was starving, but had forgotten to bring a “smart” snack with me, so I grabbed a Protein Bistro Box from Starbucks.  I love this little box!! It comes with a few apple slices, natural peanut butter, a hard boiled egg, some red grapes, two cheese triangles, and a scone.
I ate half of my Bistro Box while I ran errands, including going to the tanning salon.  I know, I know…it’s bad for me, it’ll fry my ovary (I am down to only one anyways!), and it’ll make me look like leather, but I HATE being so pale and sickly looking.  I feel energized and healthy and young and vivacious with a tan, so I went to the tanning salon…
By the time I got home, I was ready for a shower, which was heavenly. Then, I did a load of laundry, replied to a couple of emails, I cleaned up the kitchen, and I made a few phone calls (in an attempt to stop the house-building nightmare, so keep your fingers crossed!).  I even laid down for a 20 minute cat-nap that extended itself into a 40 minute snooze, which was also quite heavenly.  Now I was getting hungry again, and since it was dinner now or dinner at 8:30 pm, I heated up my TX Roadhouse leftovers from yesterday: grilled BBQ chicken, sweet potato (yes, loaded, but it takes a stronger person than I to turn THAT down), and baked beans.  Oh yeah, and a roll, but WITHOUT the perfect cinnamon butter that I had brought home solely to doctor that roll.
That lasted me through the rest of the afternoon (while I fed my poor kiddos frozen pizzas that they both loved and devoured) and an incredible Zumba class with the awesomest Zumba instructor EVER, Susan B!!  PS: Thanks for playing my song: Ropah 😉

My precious babies were a little hungry before bed, so I made my 2nd shake for the day while they each had a bowl of cereal.  This time, I used the strawberry flavor packet and 6 fresh strawberries with my powder, milk, and ice.  Both shakes were good!  I’m not quite on the “shake that tastes like cake” bandwagon yet, but they were not difficult to drink and  didn’t taste chalky or vitaminy (I hope no one is counting how many words I have officially made up in today’s post!).
So, tomorrow’s DAY 2…hopefully I’ll be proud of my progress at it’s end as well.
Good night, sweet friends.