Lean porridge hot!

Today started with a rather cool morning in the midst of our hot spell and it had me warming up some left over buckwheat cereal for breakfast. Blending in a scoop of Lean and fresh pears made a wonderful sweet & hot breakfast, the Lean adding a creaminess and it's vanilla flavour adding that cobbler taste; just yummy as I guess I noted earlier in the week ;) It's so easy to make four servings of cereal and put three of them into containers for later. Adding in fruit and the Lean later is a snap for a quick breakfast, whether you're eating it at home or taking it to work for later. I was listening to one of the calls and they spoke about cooking with Lean, so I might add it to my pancakes next.

Lunch was left over pizza, thank heavens for the Cheat! I absolutely love cold, left over pizza.

I've added a small note to my blog on the upper right corner listing the weekly call schedule. On each call there is always a testimonial or two, and the calls are led by top people in the company and are great sources of information. I encourage you to call in and hear the excitement about this rapidly growing company that CNI has become, as well as to hear from other's like me who are losing weight and inches, feeling better and stronger mentally, and getting a handle on their health as they start moving more and seeing results and feeling good about themselves. Of course it's also fun to hear about the money :)

Chocolate, Green & Lean

I often make green smoothies for breakfast and add in a scoop of Lean, they are sweet and satisfying and keep me full all morning as I have probably mentioned a dozen times. But today I wanted something more, something rich, and the urge was for chocolate. So I still made my usual smoothie but added in 2T of rich dark cocoa powder. My sister had given a plethora of dark chocolate for Christmas last year and so I have a supply in the cupboard. I was delighted to discover that with the Lean in the smoothie I didn't have to add any additional sweetener to the chocolate; it was the perfect rich chocolaty breakfast that I was craving. Thinking about it later, I realize that this was the pre-menopause 'time of month' that I use to crave chocolate - how wonderful to be able to indulge in that craving using the dark cocoa powder that is full of antioxidants without having to add any of the damaging sugar! Yum and hooray!

More loose bottoms

I felt thinner again this morning getting dressed to walk, my walking pants fitting on me instead of stretching around me. I've been sort of unfocused this past week, wrapped up in Farm Town and not taking care of business! But I have been walking regularly and getting out to the driveway to shoot my bow, and even gave an impromptu Core4 presentation to the AT&T gentlemen who dropped by (yes, we're converting from Dish to their fiber optic network!) One of the things I love about sharing the products is that it can be a spur of the moment affair as I move through my life; much better than sitting at a desk for hours at a time as I use to do.

I wish I had taken the time for food pictures today. My breakfast was so pretty (buckwheat cereal with Lean stirred in and chopped fresh pear on top) and lunch would have made a good picture too (garbanzo's smashed with avocado, green olives & onions & chopped kale wrapped up in a corn tortilla with some shakes of cheat.) But it's a busy day so far and I've miles yet to go! I love spending Friday getting ready for the weekend and straightening up after the week :)

Time for an Accelerate, a big glass of water, and running errands!

Chips and Dip for Lunch

Taking the time to make healthy meals has been a priority for me over the past couple of years, helping me out of a depression and getting me back in the saddle, so to speak. And over the past year home made salads, soups and dressings have become an integral part of my life; I make sure I am eating for nutrition most of the time. I have learned to take the time I need to shop and prepare foods that I know will give me the fuel my body craves, I am worth it (as they say.) But having this good foundation of nutritional knowledge does not keep me from craving foods that are not the best choice for me, and when I can take a favorite and make it healthy I am very happy. Like my lunch today. Chips and dip for lunch, how decadent! But I made the refried beans and they are full of veggies and low in sodium, and the corn chips are baked not fried. I made the guacamole this morning using fresh ingredients and the tomato is from my garden.

Having the Cheat to use with this lunch is great, because I was able to portion out just what I should eat for a serving and know that I would be satisfied instead of reaching back into the bag again ...and again ... and again all afternoon until the chips were nothing more than a few crumbles of corn left in the bottom of the bag! No, I had my beautiful little lunch, drank a glass of water with it, and got busy around the house. Here it is hours later and I have no desire for more even though I love it and it's right there in the kitchen. Of course the Accelerate is a part of that too, helping to curb appetite and keep my energy level high.

I guess what I am trying to say is how wonderful it is to eat foods I love without binging on them - to just enjoy them in moderation and be able to have them in the house. Lets hope this holds true with the peanut butter I just bought yesterday ;)

Pancake with Lemon Date Frosting (&Cheat)

Another cool morning considering it's still August, and I wanted a warm breakfast. There was just enough Oat Bran pancake mix left for one pancake (half a batch) so I mixed it up with 1/2oz ground walnuts for that iHop Harvest Grain effect. I was out of honey, and maple sugar too, so I started thinking about what to dress it with and my eye landed on the little baggie of fresh lemon juice. A strong memory popped up of sprinkling pancakes with powdered sugar and then squeezing lemon over the top - a childhood favorite - so I started thinking what I could do for sweetener when I saw the bucket of dates in the fridge. In the end it was 3 fat dates blended in my magic bullet with 1T brown sugar and 2T fresh lemon juice that made the sweet\tart frosting that you see here. And of course my sprinkles of Cheat on top. In the 2nd picture you can see how the Cheat has started changing and how the frosting is now glistening. This was quick to make, so delicious, and very filling. I got in my omega 3's early, fiber and micronutrients from the dates and lemon, and the Cheat will take care of the sugar ;)

A delicious and warm way to start the day, I know I will be doing this many times in the coming cold season!

Birthday Cake and walking

Today was fun, a friend's daughter turned two and we went to celebrate. The morning had gotten away from me and I missed my morning walk, but that was okay - every routine needs a break now and then. At the party I had a tomato sandwich, lots of grapes, chips & watermelon plus a piece of yummy dense cake. And wine, two glasses! I had forgotten to make breakfast so the wine hit me hard and when we came home I was tired and woozy. I lay down for a minute intending to watch a movie and nap, but my Farm Town addiction pulled me to the computer before too long. And then I remembered my Accelerate, so grabbed one from the kitchen and had a big glass of water. An hour later it felt as though I hadn't had any wine at all, my head was clear and I was back to normal. I felt so good that as twilight started to set in I grabbed my iPod and Kaley and off we went for our daily walk after all. I was out of audio books and in my library saw "You on a Walk" and decided what the heck and loaded up the iPod. While the techno dance music didn't do a thing for my appreciation of music, it did keep my feet going at the pace they wanted, and I shaved some time off of my normal route. I think I'll start using this a couple of times a week to make sure I am really walking and not strolling.

And the stretches - OMG! - I never remember to stretch, and as I followed their guidelines I felt how tight my thighs & calves were and how inflexible I was. I don't like what I felt, and I am determined to add stretching to the end of my walks from now on. I think that is a good place for me to start getting ready for Yoga this winter; I want long lean lines! So a good day. Oh, and I made a Green Lean Smoothie for dinner (frozen mango, a little V8 Fusion, two dates, 3oz of fresh spinach and a scoop of Lean) before I left for my walk. It was fun hearing on the audio book how the goal of a healthy body is to build and then maintain lean muscle; I mean, I know this, but using the Lean and knowing that is what it is specifically formulated to do made me feel good about my dinner.

So another good day, my only regret is that I forgot my Cheat to put on the cake!

Another new low!

192.8 !!!
It's always such a tease to get on the scale and see a lower number just before it settles in at your weight for the day. But today was no tease, and the scale stayed at a new low. I am really into new territory here. In the early 2000's I had used another product to lose ten pounds and saw 195 briefly. I was walking 5 miles a day and developed plantar fasciitis because at 200 #'s that is not necessarily a good thing to do for your feet when you have high arches like I do. I was in pain for a year before getting relief from The Good Foot store and wearing inserts in my shoes. And I quit walking. So this time I am walking in moderation, enjoying taking my little dog out most days and usually keeping it to about 35 minutes. As I learn to trust my feet, this time around I am sticking to a shorter distance and walking faster to make sure I get my heart rate up and feel like I am getting a good work out without putting so much stress on my feet until I get a little lighter. Combined with my shooting and the occasional bike ride and intermittent push ups I feel I am working out enough without going crazy. I want to be fit without being a slave to exercise, I want to enjoy it so that I keep doing it; fitness is for life :)

So back to my original thought, it feels really good to see a number on the scale that is a couple of pounds lower than I have been in six or seven years. And I can really feel the downward momentum now, like I am on a path and this is not a fluke. I'm enjoying things I haven't eaten in years, but in moderation. Which brings me to another thought. I have had a jar of vegenaise in the fridge for over a week and I don't feel compelled to use it every day. In the past year that was one of my guilty pleasures, using it to make thousand island dressing, eggless egg salad sandwiches & potato salad. I would make everything in the same week, polishing off that jar of mostly fat like I was on a mission from God. But now I seem to be able to have it in the house without going crazy. Same with the Lite butter\canola spread that my honey bought to use on the corn he brought home; I've had two half cobbs using that butter but haven't felt compelled to nuke some potatoes to melt it on. For me really strange. But this relief from those compulsions is wonderful, like another weight has lifted off my shoulders, and it's really nice to still be able to eat for nutrition most of the time while throwing in some decadent and unhealthy choices some times without the fear of gaining back any weight. Another big Thank You to Core4 this morning!

10 Weeks on Core4

193.8 : Still the same weight this morning as last week despite all the swelling from the fries I had for 'dinner' yesterday so I am thinking I am lighter again. The shorts I wore to the archery tournament yesterday became so baggy during the day that they were really uncomfortable - I need to get the sewing machine out and do some 'taking in' before the next shoot in September. Some of these shoots we have a dress code and I don't want to invest in smaller clothing yet since I intend to keep shrinking :) So I will just take in the blue shorts I have and make do until the 14's in the garage fit me! My inches are about the same, but I lost so much so fast I am not surprised. I'll watch my salt this week so my measurements are more accurate next week.

This past weekend was great as we traveled north for an archery tournament, even though the fridge in the motel froze my Sunday breakfast smoothie and I drank it for lunch instead. I had scrambled eggs for breakfast(which I haven't eaten in over a year at least, maybe two) and didn't have a great morning energy wise. But in the afternoon after my Lean smoothie at lunch (with lots of spinach in it) I shot a personal best at the last distance and came home with a 1st place medal. Next time I'll just keep the cooler stocked with ice so I can start out both days with my nutrient dense breakfast of choice. The Lean has a full complement of vitamins and minerals, plus the fruit and greens I blend in make it a powerhouse breakfast (lol, of champions!)

Lots of energy this morning catching up chores around the house, getting in a brisk walk with my darling little dog & then playing my new favorite game on the computer. Now I'm ready to start a 'work' week of sharing Core4.

ps The new little 'to go' packets of the Cheat are perfect for taking to a restaurant; they are small and fit into a pocket or purse easily.

"Everybody's working for the weekend"

(lol, you sang that, right?)
We're heading off to another archery tournament this weekend, and I have my two green smoothies blended up with Lean and ready to pack in the cooler. My Accelerate and Flush are in my am & pm vitamin containers and I'm ready to go. It's all such a habit now, and I remember most of the time to take everything because I see such a difference when I am consistent, seeing results daily instead of weekly. But what I really wanted to say this morning is that we are leaving a day early for the tournament so we can get some practice in today and already be there tomorrow instead of getting up at the crack of dawn on Saturday and driving. That works, but we are always a little tired and rushed from the drive when we do that. And being able to do this is a great motivator to work from home; to work around my schedule instead of someone elses is a great blessing. So no more 'working for the weekend', instead I am looking forward to working for long weekends and week long trips and traveling more to compete and being able to take my work with me. All I need is a phone and the occasional internet connection ;)

And I can hardly wait to see some of my archery friends this weekend, lots of them I haven't seen for over a month and it will be fun to see if they notice the differences in me. Because face it, however silently it might be done, we do tend to do some critiquing when we see each other. Does size matter to friendship? Absolutely not. That being said, it does make a difference in the quality of your time together, because when your group of friends is healthy you get to play more together. So bottom line, I love feeling better and want to share this with them so they can feel this way too!

Signing off until Monday, everyone have a good weekend!

Another Core4 Morning

I have company coming for lunch today, and so I was doing all those little grooming things we tend to let go when we are home so much. And while shaving my legs I noticed that the shape of my calves have changed, actually curving in behind my knees instead of just blending into my thighs; not so surprising given my new leg crossing ability!

And then putting on my new shorts fresh from the wash and they still fit! I was so sure that they would shrink from their first washing, but I have them on and yes, I am sitting down and breathing :)

I put frozen peaches in my Lean shake this morning, what a thick yummy smoothie that made! Enough boasting, back to getting ready.

2 Months on Core4

Here are my pictures at the start of my Core4 journey, at 1 Month in, and this morning at two months. At first I was disappointed in the latest pictures, but then I really started to look at details and noticed that my top is hanging lower on my hips because it's not stretched so tight around me,I think my arms have more definition, and my posture might be better - like I can stand up straighter now. So I'm happy about my progress. I keep remembering that it took me a year to lose ten pounds just before starting on Core4, and now I have lost five in just two months. I haven't 'dieted' or skipped dessert, I've had buttered popcorn at the theater and mac n cheese from the deli, and I really don't want to think about all the potato chips and cheetos I've eaten in the past two months. And yet here I am smaller and stronger and feeling healthy. It's true what they boast at CNI, I can Cheat and Eat!



My total inches lost using Core4 is at about 18 inches now; I measure my arms, upper and middle thigh, waist, bust, hips & chest and each week I am smaller somewhere. And it's not just my body that is changing, my ideas about how I want to live my life are changing too and I find I am much more positive than I have been in recent years. Of course it helps that I have shorts I can no longer wear because they fall off of me, and that I don't return home exhausted from my morning walks - each day there is something that reminds me I am changing for the better.

So yes, continuing on to my third month using Core4 to lose weight, to get stronger, and to clear out my closets and drawers of the rest of my fat clothes. Goodbye 18's, 14's here I come!

Crossing my legs

I wanted to keep this journal updated daily, but when you are full of energy it's sometimes hard to remember to sit down and write! We spent some more time out at the stadium in Stanford watching friends compete, and while shifting around to get comfortable, I did have a personal moment up in the stands that I would like to share. I can cross my legs! I mean, I could cross them before, but would have to make sure the foot of my top leg was braced against something to keep it from sliding off the bottom leg. I realized all of a sudden that my top leg was resting comfortably and staying in place and my foot was swinging free! Whoo hoo!!! All the way home I kept crossing my legs, first this way and then that, and sure enough my legs are just enough thinner to make this a comfortable and easy position. I think of how many times I have grabbed my shin or pants to pull one leg over the other and then cramming myself into a position where it would stay put ... and I let the gladness of this new ability wash over me. Funny how it's the small simple things that bring home the reality that I really am getting smaller. So noticing last week that my legs were thinner wasn't a fluke, and this week I have the proof :) Oh, and feeling lighter this morning I did weigh and saw 193.6 for the first time - goodbye 194.8!!!

ps Blending 1/2C orange juice, 1/2C cold water, 1/2C frozen blueberries and 1 scoop of Lean is my new favorite fast and easy shake.

Gold!

What an exciting weekend of Archery! I've been training for the National Senior Games for about a year now, and really stepped up the shooting over the past couple of months. I started really noticing a difference in my accuracy about a month ago, and I know that it's the Core4 that helped with my strength and endurance to enable this. I started doing push ups as part of my exercise so that I could pull arrows from the target easier, and that extra strength has also helped in holding my arms up when aiming. I just didn't have the energy before starting on Core4 despite my motivation to do well at the Games; I think it really gave me an edge. And even though I was tired yesterday I found myself catching up on all the housework I had let go, having spent my time shooting instead of cleaning. And oops, I forgot to weigh and measure myself yesterday and today so I think I will just wait until the two month mark at this point, coming up on 8/8/09.

So for the competition Saturday & Sunday I started each morning with my green smoothie plus a scoop of Lean and an Accelerate, and then took my 2nd Accelerate each noon with fruit since we didn't stop for lunch until about 2pm. Then off to a big meal, Cheat on mine, and then a little something later for dessert since we didn't really need dinner - which was banana cream pie Sunday night to celebrate our Gold Medals (my honey set a record.) Yes I ate too much pie and yes I used Cheat on both pieces - being careful to drink lots of water too. OOPS, now that I think about it I don't think I used my Flush over the weekend, we were so tired by the time we ate out with friends then drove over an hour home; it was into the hot tub, jammies, dessert and bed!

Nothing really of note in yesterday's food except lunch; I cooked up a batch of sweet potato fries and made a guacamole dip for them and sprinkled the Cheat into that. Delicious. And dinner was one of those little 6" spinach pizza crusts from Trader Joe's with some soy mozzerella and sun dried tomatoes and of course Cheat. Today I need to get some raw greens in, I just didn't take the time to do that over the weekend.

It felt good to get out for a walk yesterday and stretch my legs, and I noticed that my 40 minute walk is more like 35 minutes now. I love feeling stronger and more fit. I love feeling positive about the future and knowing I have this tool, these Core4 products, to help create a better life. And I love how much more positive I am about everything ♥