OPERATION GET HEALTHY: Day 16

Before I get goin' on what I've got to say today...I want to share some info & ENCOURAGEMENT for the people starting a challenge on Monday. This is easier if you can get someone to do this with you. It has been VERY helpful to me to have a couple people I call/text and ask and/or share things with.

With the SPARK...I used 10 ounces of water instead of 8, because I can't handle REAL sweet stuff. 10 ounces makes it perfect & Strawberry Mango is my favorite. If you haven't ordered your stuff yet....get the Peaches & Cream Fiber Drink...It was delish & I had no trouble drinking it, but I had friends that weren't crazy about the other flavors. On the shakes....I add ice, so I put less water than what it calls for, so it doesn't taste watered down. When you do them right...they taste pretty good. My favorites: Chocolate Mocha, Chocolate, & Berry.

Also...if you aren't used to cooking healthy. Cook A LOT of healthy food, so all you have to do is warm it up during the week and you don't have to think so hard.

I did not feel the ENERGY other  people were feeling from the Spark right away, which concerned me, but once I got MORE sleep I TOTALLY did. Also...if you are sensitive to caffine....(which I didn't think I was..but am....) don't drink a second Spark right before bed....even though I was tired... I couldn't shut it off. I like to have my second (if I feel like I need one) no later than 4:30. It'll be different for everyone, but maybe this will help some of you. Here's the link to where you can order things (CLICK HERE), BUT if you decide to do this PLEASE call or message Ashley Farris...my coach: ashley_farris@hotmail.com  or 979.966.3372.

Here is the coolest thing from The Daniel Plan Journal from yesterday. My answers are based on the 24-Day Advocare Challenge & the OVERALL get healthy journey I'm on.

"Write down some  of the mistakes or setbacks you have had so far on your journey toward better health. Use just one or two words to identify them. Then write 'NO CONDEMNATION' next to each entry on the list. Pray through the list, and thank God that you are forgiven and that he goes before you."

Here are mine :):

Ate more carbs than recommended. NO CONDEMNATION
Skipped snacks. NO CONDEMNATION
Skipped supplements. NO CONDEMNATION
Questioned plan. NO CONDEMNATION

"God doesn't expect us to be perfect. In fact, he uses our failures to show us that we need him and to drive us into his arms of grace. ... This means that no matter how bad you blow it in life or on The Daniel Plan, God will never condemn you." - The Daniel Plan Journal

OPERATION GET HEALTHY: DAY 7

Today was a different kind of day. I had to go to Austin for a training. I had originally planned to meet some people for lunch, but I was running a little behind and wasn't positive where I was going. So...I had lunch in my car. LUCKILY I planned ahead in case that happened, so I didn't have to either:

A) Hunt for a place I could find something healthy & probably be late OR

B) Not eat & then me SO hungry I could barely stand it.

Now...I was movin' when I walked out the door & had to b\pack enough for a couple snacks too, so it was not the most delicious lunch: Planters NUTrition Heary Healthy Mix, jalapeno cheese stick, and some sun-dried tomatoes. Sometimes...you gotta work with what you got. I brought a banana along for snack. The fam was getting ready to eat supper when I called, so I thought...CRAP. I'm HUNGRY & what am I going to find. So I thought......Taco Bell! They have a Fresca Menu.....negative. No wheat tortillas & I totally could not even see the Fresa menu on the drive-thru (at least the one I was at), so I found the nearest Subway & got me a small sandwich. So I did it. Ate healthy, on the go. PREPARATION is the key to making this whole thing easier....just gotta get there.

Today The Daniel Plan Journal urges us to throw out anything in our fridge or pantry that has ingredients that we do not recognize as food. (I wish I knew how to insert a smiley face here with those HUGE eyes). We got a lotta stuff that oughta go. We've got some Little Debbie, some SPAM, some Manwich, some Ramen.... I'm tellin' ya... It ain't lookin' good in there, BUT we didn't buy any of that the last two times we went grocery shopping & after reading a few articles, some of that food is going straight into the trash. Seriously... The Food Chapter is long in The Daniel Plan, but totally worth reading - just so you can see how much certain foods can help you & how others work against you.

Since I have one sick little one & my allergies were bothering me the other day, I've been trying to drink all the recommendations for Spark & add the Rehydrate, that are part of the Advocare plan...mainly to get more vitamins in my body that can fight away the flu. Well...I have to tell you... Since I've been eating better food & drinking drinks with vitamins in them and not sugars my clarity was for real. I'll sit through training classes & about 30 minutes in: feel tired, have trouble focusing, not really listen & I was literally ALL-IN. The last time I remember being that vocal in a class was Mr. Chilton's English class at Blinn. I was asking WAY more questions than I normally do. I mean.....I learned a lot today & I know it was because of how engaged I was. Also....even though that lunch I had wasn't the most mouth-watering meal I've ever eaten...I was satisfied. So satisfied that I didn't really feel like I needed that banana, but they brought the cookies out & I just did my best to not even look at'm and ate it, so I wouldn't think about it. I really like those sweets. Now the BIG question for me is if I can REALLY continue this journey PAST the 40 days? I have HOPE that I can & enough FAITH to get me there...and the SUPPORT.

One question it asks us in the journal is: "How do you need to change your thinking so that your health is more important than your convenience?" My answer: Look at my body & my family members' bodies as long-term investments...& the most important ones at that.

I think everyone's answers will be different based on the way they think & visualize things. I get real caught up in the business tasks that I know need to get done, & learning the things that I want to know, so I can help my clients....BUT I'm learning fast...that I'm not helping anyone to my full potential, if I don't MAKE AN EFFORT to keep this vessel moving & keep it moving for as long as my body & The Good Lord will allow. The more you learn about how so many chronic conditions can be CURED by a better diet...the more you realize that the POWER is still in our hands. If we can't change our habits overnight, what makes us think doctors can change hundreds of people's habits, by putting a band-aid on it. They can treat us & they can even do miraculous things, but there are some things they wouldn't have to fix, if we didn't take ourselves there.

BUCK UP BABY & Ride With Jesus! He'll go with you as you open that pantry door & chunk it!