Day 15-18

Hi everyone!

It's been a few days since I have posted, which I felt a bit apprehensive about, but I didn't feel the urge to post about how I was doing.

As I mentioned to a friend (who is looking into Advocare products - YAY!), I don't feel like the 24-Day Challenge is a "challenge" anymore. It has not been feeling like a struggle. It hasn't been feeling different. It's just the new "normal." It has been feeling GREAT!
Let me give you an update ..

So, Days 15-18 (Tuesday 1/22-Friday 1/25) have been great. The meal replacement shakes have been ok - I definitely encourage people to add a bit more water than they suggest.

The taking of the supplements (one pack + catalyst before breakfast, 2 packs with breakfast, one pack + catalyst before lunch) is no longer confusing, but it's just TOUGH to remember to take them! Most of the time it is because I never know when I am going to be eating lunch, until I eat it. Then, it's like, SHOOT! I didn't take the supplements before! Oh well.

Updates on food ...

Tuesday's lunch was leftovers from the BBQ Rotisserie Chicken from Wegmans that was dinner on Sunday night. I also had a baked sweet potato with that. YUM. Dinner was a big salad with ground turkey.

Wednesday's lunch was eggs with chopped peppers, and oatmeal. I just love oatmeal - and I am really enjoying the raisins. I had a surprise on Wednesday when I came home before making dinner. When Matt and I moved into our new apartment in August, his grandma wanted to buy us a "housewarming" present. I suggested something that I've wanted for a while, a cast-iron skillet. Long story short, Nana forgot about it, as did Matt's mom, as did Matt. I had put it on my Birthday List on Pinterest since I still really want it. I came home to find the perfect one on my kitchen table.



This was PERFECT timing, because I had planned all day to have steak for dinner. The steak I got had been marinating since Sunday. OM NOM NOM!

The marinade I used was something I made up myself. I only had one steak, so in a sandwich-sized plastic bag I put some olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire (pronounced "Wooster") sauce, minced garlic, dried minced onion, salt, pepper, agave, crushed red pepper, and the kitchen sink! :)  It had been marinating tightly for a few days before I decided to make it.

All I did with the steak was sear it (in my new pan) on both sides until it was cooked to about Medium.

One thing I HATE almost as much as olives is raw onion. BUT, I absolutely LOVE carmelized onions. I had half of an onion left, and I sliced it very thin. I sauteed them for a long-ass time, probably about 20 minutes in the end, low and slow, with some oil, a lot of salt, and a bit of pepper, to get them nice and cooked down and yummy. Towards the end of the cooking process (when my meat was almost done), I added some of the same things I had added to my marinade - garlic, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and some Wooster sauce (hehe). I absolutely LOVE onions like this. UGH! So good.

As my other side dish, I had some spinach. It sounds boring, I know, but I made sure this had a lot of flavor. I used just some frozen chopped-leaf spinach. I sauteed it in a pan until it was defrosted. Then, I added some salt, pepper, garlic, and dried onion, as well as some of the chopped peppers that I have been using for breakfast (it's so easy to just throw a handful in). When it was almost warmed through, I added some sunflower seeds (nice crunch), some of the same liquids I had put in the marinade and onions, and a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It gave it lots of flavor.

I had a small side salad to start, with some olive oil and fresh lemon juice as a dressing. I served the DELICIOUS onions on top of the steak. I did bring some A1 Steak Sauce to the table with me, but there was absolutely no need for it.



It's a bit blurry, so it doesn't look very appetizing... but it was delicious!

LOOK AT THE YUMINESS OF THOSE ONIONS. OMG.

I am feeling absolutely WONDERFUL. I have lots of energy, even with only one Spark a day (in the mornings). I am LOVINGGGGGGGGG having coffee in the mornings! It really makes a huge difference for me. I have been in a much better mood lately. For example, when people used to ask me "How are ya?" or "How's it goin?", my answer would always be "not bad." Now it's always, "Great! How about yourself?"

I have more energy during the day and am much less cranky.

A related story ... Last winter, I took a course called Interpreting Frozen Texts. We would learn songs, prayers, etc. and had "recitals" every week or two to "perform" these songs we had learned that week. Every time I wore my Express gray dress pants (Size 10) for a recital, I always got the feedback that they were too tight to wear for a formal event. I constantly explained that it was because they fit around my waist, just were tighter on my legs, but my professor refused to sympathize - she always said they were too tight.

Let me tell you that these days, I am still wearing those same Size 10 gray dress pants. I already had them altered over the summer to eliminate the gapping that occurred when they were the right size around the butt and legs (damn my big ass). The pants are LOOSE - not only around the waist, but they also are getting looser on the LEGS. For ages I have been saying that "this is my body," and that my legs and ass are always going to be big. It's just how I'm built - I have a soccer player's body, and that is not going to change. While this is still true - my waist is about 2 feet smaller than my hips and legs - I am noticing my pants are looser.

Similarly - when I was caught pulling my jeans (Size 12) up at work. My boss said, "Lauren, I think it's time for new jeans, honey." Another employee said, "Lemme see? Ya, um... I think you're gunna have to let 'em go." It's a great feeling. I have been a Size 10-12 for a while, and I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping to be able to get back down to the Size 8-10 that I was in high school. If not, no biggie - I know that it is muscle - but it would just be nice to be able to fit into some smaller pants!

On a side note, if anyone knows a good brand of jeans/pants to buy for BIG butts and LITTLE waists, please let me know. Every single pair of pants I own either fit great on the legs and are super loose at the waist, or fit at the waist and are super tight on the legs. My mom always tells me to ask black girls where they buy pants, because they always have jeans that fit their butts perfectly. I am constantly in search!

I apologize for the 3-day haitus (is that spelled right?). I'm back for now, and giving you the update that I am feeling GREAT and am no longer at all skeptical or regretful that I spent money on this challenge.

I am hoping that I can inspire other people to make changes in their lives, or join the Advocare 24-Day Challenge!

If you're interested in looking at any of the pricing, here is the website you can use:
www.AdvoCare.com/130110236

... and contact me with ANY questions you have.

THANKS FOR READING! :) HAPPY FRIDAY!