Detour Finished

I meant to get this up yesterday but things were just crazy around here.  Better late than never though.

This week marks the half-way point in my challenge.  After the past two weeks I was extra curious about what was in store for this week.  My weight this week was 64.1 kg.  It was down 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) from last week.  My waist measurement stayed the same at 29.5 inches.  So far, since I started with the shakes on February 15th I've lost 1.7 kg (3.74 lbs) and 2 1/2 inches from my waist.  I'm pretty happy with the results.  I'm curious to see what happens over the next six weeks.

Honestly, the things that I'm most pleased with don't even have a lot do do with my weight or measurements.  I've mentioned before the improvement in energy and digestion with the vitamins I've been taking with the shakes.  It's nice to look good but it's even better to feel good.

I've also noticed that I'm not as hungry in the late mornings.  I used to do a lot of snacking during the morning.  Even if I had eaten breakfast, I was still really hungry by about 10:30.  Since I've started having the shakes I find that I'm not getting hungry until about 11:30.  I still have the snacking habit but I'm not hungry like I was.  I also find that I seem to fell full faster, even at lunch and supper.

Why I Prefer Measurements

Okay, I'm not sure what's going on.  Well I have some suspicions.  Anyway, my weight actually went up this past week.  I was really bummed out about that . . . until I took my waist measurement.  I weighed in at 64.6 kg.  That's 0.2 kg heavier than last week (just under 1/2 lb).  My waist measurement went down though by an inch.  Last week it was 30 1/2 and this week it was 29 1/2.  There are a few things that I think might be at play.

One is that muscle is denser than fat so at some point there will be a bigger difference in size than in weight.  The second thing is that even though I didn't want to make any changes besides using the shakes for breakfast, I ended up making one big change.  I night-weaned my son this past week, it was overdue.  Thankfully it went fairly smoothly and my sleep is much less disrupted now.  The big issue is that my milk production is still getting worked out.  Also, since I don't need to produce as much milk, my calorie intake requirements will be less as well.  I'm sure it will all get sorted out in the coming weeks but I think it threw things for a loop this past week.

One last thing, the promotion that was supposed to end on the 15th has been extended till the end of the month.  The company I'm working with has more than just shakes as well, thank goodness.  I think I'd get sick of just shakes after a while but maybe that's just me.

My Past Has Caught Up With Me

I was determined when I started this challenge that I the only change I would make was having the shakes each morning and I've kept that resolution.  One thing that I've learned as a result is that attending (and pigging out at) a chili-fest in the middle of a challenge like this might not be the best idea.  I'm not sure if I should be disappointed that I'm the same weight this week as I was last week or if I should be impressed that I'm not a couple pounds heavier.  My waist measurement is the same as last week as well, 30 1/2 inches.

I've been taking the shakes for a month now and for the most part, I've really enjoyed them.  They're quick and easy in the mornings and for someone who tends to not have time for breakfast, I really appreciate them.  They taste good and they're filling.  I love the variety of flavours, especially the chocolate flavour that I just got.  I also love mixing the chocolate and strawberry - so good.  That said, I don't see myself having a shake every day for the rest of my life.  The fact is that I really like food.  I like having pancakes or eggs and toast or bacon and eggs or a bagel and cream cheese or oatmeal or (rarely) cold cereal or a whole host of other things that aren't shakes.  While doing this challenge I've committed to having the shakes every day and I'm content with that.  I'm not "cheating" at all so that I can see the effect that the shakes are having on my weight.  When I'm finished the challenge I will likely continue to have the shakes on a regular basis as well.  I really do like them (which is actually quite a surprise).  I have to admit, though, I will enjoy not feeling tied to the shakes.  I really don't think I would have it in me to have a shake every day for the rest of my life.  It's like Death by Chocolate ice cream at Kawartha Dairy.  It's soooooo good but I don't think I could have a cone of it every day, sometimes I just need to get mango instead.

If You Want to Join Me, Now's the Time

First, the report on my progress.  My current weight is 64.4kg or 142lb.  I've lost 0.4 kg since last week or 0.88 lbs.  That's just over 3 lbs since I started having the shakes 3 weeks ago.  My waist measurement is now 30 1/2 inches which is 1/2 inch less than last week.  So I would say that the shakes definitely seem to be living up to my expectations.  This month I ordered chocolate as well, my order should be here today.

Now for the exiting part (as if chocolate wasn't enough).  I'm doing this challenge mainly so I can try out products first-hand and see what the results are.  If I'm going to recommend a product to anyone, I want to have first-hand experience with it.  While I'd love to have people try them out with me (and some of my friends have taken up the challenge themselves), that isn't my main objective in doing this.  That said, my company is having a great promotion until the 15th of this month.  If you're at all interested in trying the shakes for yourself (or trying any of the other 350 products), now would be a great time.  Comment on this blog, post on Facebook, send me an email or call me and I can show you some more information.  

Wow, It's Still Working!

Well, I thought for sure I'd have to report that I hardly lost anything this past week.  I made cabbage rolls on the weekend and ate more than I really should have.  Happily, I was mistaken.  Once again I lost 0.5 kg (1.1 lbs).  I also lost another 1/2 inch from my waist for a current measurement of 31".

I've always been a little (well a lot) skeptical of weight-loss shakes.  While I used and loved so many of the other amazing products from my company, I always avoided the shakes.  I was worried that I'd always feel hungry or that they wouldn't really work anyway or that I'd get sick of them.  And, until now, I hadn't really felt the need to lose weight anyway.  After the past couple of weeks I've realized how much easier they make my morning.  Now that I'm having the shakes, breakfast is one of the first things I do rather than being an afterthought.  I'm imagining the results I'd be getting if I started exercising too.  I'm also finding that the food that I eat later in the day fills me faster and I don't have the same cravings (like for bread).  Overall, I'm noticing an improvement, not just in my weight, but in overall well-being - and it's only been two weeks.  Now I'm wondering what took me so long.

Tomorrow I'll be ordering the chocolate shakes and perhaps the strawberry ones too.  While I've enjoyed the vanilla shakes, I'll be happy to have other flavours too for a change.  Also, a couple of my friends have decided to start their own challenge and I'd love to have more company.  Who's up for it?

It's Working!

I've just finished the first week of my 90 day challenge and it looks like things are off to a good start.  My weight after the first week is 65.3 kg (roughly 144 lbs).  That's a loss of 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb.  Considering that my goal was to lose about one pound per week, I'm right on target.  My measurements are pretty much the same.  My waist is down about 1/2 inch from 32 to 31 1/2.

I love having the shakes for breakfast.  Breakfast has always been the hardest meal for me.  I know that it's important so I always try to eat something.  I just find that my stomach likes to wake up before being bombarded with food.  The shakes are a great first food in the morning.  I also find them remarkably filling so I'm not hungry again by 9:30.  It's also nice that they're quick and easy.  With having to deal with 4 kids and their routines each morning I often put off having breakfast and then get doing a bunch of other things so that it's almost lunchtime by the time I remember to eat.  With the shakes, they're so convenient, it's much easier to have them even when things are hectic.

One other major thing that I've noticed this past week is improved digestion.  I have two theories and what's really happening is probably a little of both.  One is that I believe that I have gluten sensitivities and since the shakes are gluten-free, my digestive tract is healing.  The other theory is that since I'm taking the vitamin pack that includes the probiotics, the flora in my gut is becoming healthier.  Either way, I'm happy.

So, who wants to join me on the road to better health.

Getting Started

Okay, this post was supposed to be done a couple days ago but it didn't happen.  Wednesday ended up being crazy and then the phone lines and internet here were really messed up yesterday.
First with the good news.  My friend Nicole was really nice and gave me a scale.  It's digital and, more importantly, it's accurate.  Like the Wii, it measures in kilograms so I'll just multiply it by 2.2 and round off to get pounds.

On Tuesday evening I took my weight and measurements and discovered a few things.  One is that I really need to find a safe spot for my tape measure (after spending 1/2 hour trying to find it).  Next is that my camera weighs about 400 grams, which throws the scale off if I'm holding it while weighing myself.   And lastly, now I realize just why my jeans have felt a bit tight lately.

Upper arm 11"
Bust 37"
Chest 31"
Waist 32"
Hips 39 1/2"
Thigh 24"
Weight 65.8 kg or 145 lb

With the Camera

Without the Camera

Before Pictures - yes those are Christmas trees still decorating the door.

Making the Shake - I could have just made it up in my shaker bottle but we got that little blender for Christmas (the kids love making smoothies) so I figured I'd use it.  I will say here that the directions say that the shake powder can be mixed with either water or skim milk.  I'm using 2% milk.  Space in our fridge is at a premium and we buy 2% for the family so I'm using 2% as well.  It's day one and already I'm changing the experiment slightly but that's just how it is.

First Impressions - The shake tastes pretty good and is surprisingly filling.  It's easy for breakfast.  I just have the vanilla flavour right now.  I'll try out the chocolate and strawberry flavours at some point too to see how I like them.