Happy to run up and down the stairs again!

Maybe some people can relate to this... when I was eating a lot of junk food (sugars, bread

products) I had to hold on to the railing to go up and down the stairs to my second floor. My knees were sore, my whole body was stiff.


Now I can literally run up and down the stairs without holding on to the railing!!!  I also literally jump out of bed in the morning with no stiffness! The power of good food (vegetables, healthy fats, proteins and delicious chocolate Isagenix shakes) is magical. 

I am (unfortunately) not doing any exercising now so my new found abilities are all due to the healthier food I am feeding my body. I was going to the gym 3x/week and bike riding a lot two years ago and I miss that but a more demanding work schedule is taking its toll. I will find a way to get some exercise in to my schedule.

I am still very overweight but being able to regain my health is priceless and feels way better than a piece of cake tastes.

Sugar free, wheat free 16 days...

I started eating sugar-free, wheat-free* on May 28 so it's been 16 days. The Isagenix shakes are perfect for this. I am not going to weigh myself until it's been one month so I am about half-way there. I really can't tell how much I've lost but I can almost run up the stairs without holding the railing whereas before I had to hold the railing and slowly walk up.

It seems extreme to totally eliminate sugar and wheat but they are only contributing to ill-health and have not one ounce of anything positive to offer me.

Over the 16 days these foods have been placed in front of me...
apple cider donuts (a favorite)
  birthday cake
    ice cream
      chips
         homemade bread
          pasta
            bagels
              fresh baked cookies
to name a few.

I didn't eat any of these because I knew that one bite would lead to another. It was pretty easy to physically resist all this, even when it's in my own kitchen, because the cravings disappear within a few days. But I still know I love these foods and it's hard... hard to beat an addiction like this when it's everywhere.

*The only wheat I had was croutons on my salad a few times and my lifesavers are the IsaDelight dark chocolate squares (as much sugar as 1/4  of an apple). They are the ONLY dark chocolate that I can eat -- one small square satisfies me. More info about these amazing chocolates.

Three days no sugar...

It's been three days with no sugar and very little white flour (I had a little bit of rice pilaf and a few pretzels). But the key for me is not having sugar. Once I go about 5 days I'll be OK but it's getting past that point to get it out of my system so I don't have a relapse. 

I've already lost 7lbs in two days because I started drinking more water again and eliminated the bad carbs. Of course I AM able to have IsaDelight dark chocolates (about as much sugar as 1/4 of an apple or something like that) -- dark chocolate is mood enhancing, love it and these don't trigger sugar cravings.  Apparently they now have a milk chocolate version for people who don't like dark (for me the darker the better :)

Jill Birth - Isagenix IsaBody Winner 2011

I can never hear enough of people who overcome their food addictions and succeed. Tonight I listened to a call with Jill Birth, the 2011 winner of the IsaBody Challenge in the 35-49 year old age group. At Celebration she'll find out if she is the grand prize winner of $120,000 cash! - update... she DID win the $120,000!!!

Watch this inspiration video to see how she transformed from a size 22 to a size 4. She went from 263lbs to 131 and weighs less now than she did in 3rd grade when the school nurse told her at 140lbs she was too fat. After many failed diets she thought getting on The Biggest Loser would be the ticket... after she didn't make the show a friend challenged her to commit to Isagenix. She had been a user of the products for years but would binge and cleanse.

She mentioned that the extra IsaSnack wafers (6-8 per day) and IsaPro in the shake helped her lose a lot of weight.

Oprah Magazine Shakeology, May 2011 Issue

I get Oprah magazine but rarely have time to read it, I save them and hopefully get to read them at some point...

But when I got the May issue of Oprah the other day, something on the cover caught my eye:

6 Superfoods that Will Change the Way you Eat

Of course I had to find out what these where but I was pretty much already sure they are in the Isagenix super foods I already take.

On page 214 it talks about Darin Olien - he traveled around to get all good stuff to eat then made a shake out of it - sounds familiar, doesn't it? That's what our founder, John Anderson, did.

I am so glad to see this article because it will help to educate people about what great health benefits we can get from plants!

Is it sold in stores? No, it appears to be a similar set-up to Isagenix: "...you can't buy it in stores, but you can purchase it from one of our thousands of authorized Coaches."

Shakeology vs Isagenix: I can't say I know everything about Shakeology but I can say Isagenix products have even more ingredients with all 90 nutrients the body needs plus Chinese adaptogens and way too much to write here.  The Shakeology site doesn't say where their whey protein comes from, ours is from New Zealand where the cows are 100% grass fed; no chemicals put on the grass AND the whey is undenatured (very important to preserve the nutritional benefits). I also appreciate all the other stuff I get from Isagenix; the Cleanse for Life, which is aloe vera juice, the Ionix with shilajit... I could go on and on.

Lastly, a Shakeology shake cost $4.00 per serving, an IsaLean shake costs $2.75!

Dr John Gray Marriage Smoothie on Dr Oz

Link to more product info

Dr John Gray (Men are from Mars/Women are from Venus) was on the Dr Oz show today (April 6, 2011) talking about relationships. The audience was comprised of all married couples. As usual, Dr John Gray has the insight to why men come home from work and want to veg on the sofa and how our hormones affect our relationship with our spouses.

He talks about a super "marriage smoothie" that has all good stuff in it from the health food store (save yourself the time and money and buy the shake he has designed that is sold through Isagenix). It maintains blood sugar all day and is a great health booster.

These are John Gray's products that are exclusively sold through Isagenix. I have seen people with mood/brain issues get fantastic results!

Is a shake real food???

Lots of people don't view a "shake" as "real food."  I was probably one of those people, thinking that you have to chew something for it to be FOOD.  Of course this isn't true, when you consider that the best "food" on the planet is mother's breast milk and it's liquid. It sustains newborns for many months - helping them to grow strong and healthy.

What do you eat for breakfast? Many people believe that eating a bowl of this TOTAL Blueberry Pomegranate Cereal with some skim milk is an ideal breakfast food.  Although it claims "100% nutrition" it doesn't have nearly the nutrition of one IsaLean shake and doesn't contain any fruit!

While the cereal contains no actual blueberries or pomegranates, it does contain eight different sweeteners: Sugar, Corn Syrup, Barley Malt Extract, Brown Sugar Syrup, Malt Syrup, Sucralose, Molasses and Honey. The blueberry-like appearance of small bits in the cereal are accomplished through the use of artificial colors like Red #40 and Blue #2, combined with various oil sand sweeteners such as soybean oil and sugar.

The IsaLean shake on the other hand has ALL 90 essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids PLUS live enzymes to transport all that nutrition. Don't forget the whey protein (from New Zealand - better than organic standards here) plus the balance of healthy fats and carbs. I also add a scoop of Isagenix Greens and a scoop of Isagenix Fruits to my shake (delicious!) so I am getting MANY servings of leafy greens and the best anti-oxidant fruits on top of it. No wonder I feel so good after I drink it!

Milestone approaching...

My 50th birthday is fast approaching - Feb. 1st.  I AM going to reach my goal of losing 100lbs by this milestone, then I still have an additional goal of 20-25 more lbs to go!  Posting it here brings me that much closer to accomplishing it (the reason I started this blog) because putting something in writing/saying it out loud/committing to it makes it more likely to happen - "what you think about you bring about."

Yesterday was Christmas and I didn't have a shake all day (we had a special "waffle Santa" breakfast) - how did I feel at the end of the day? Yuk, my body was not smiling inside.  Luckily today is a new day and I have everything I need to continue on... 

I have the New Year's Resolution "Solution" with Isagenix but I need to commit to a few other things...

1. going to bed no later than 11:30pm to ensure I am getting at least 7 hrs of sleep (as simple as this sounds in comparison to eating healthy, it's the hardest for me)

2. getting at least 8 of my 20oz water bottles each day - this is close to my body weight in ounces (relatively easy for me, I always get at least 1/2 my body weight in ounces but want to get more)

3. watching my snacks (make them more frequent and lower in calories)

Other things I am trying are mixing IsaPro with the regular shake and taking the IsaPro with IsaCalcium at night before (the later is not something I've been able to do - don't like the taste of the strawberry taste of the calcium, too sweet) but that has been reported to be a boost in stubborn fat loss.

I am also going to do the Peak 8 workout - I heard about this from a few places and my friend Dale's son (a personal trainer) told us about it. It's only 20 minutes 3x per week but it will get you in top shape - click above to view a video that makes it easy to understand.

Weight Watchers Changes Point System

I have been on the Weight Watchers system many times in my past and it did work temporarily but all the fat free WW muffins, desserts and fat free cool whip just kept me addicted to sweets. And now I know that all the chemicals and preservatives in all that processed food were not doing my body any good.  Plus, in my opinion as a professional dieter, I have seen that cleansing is the missing link in the weight loss mystery!

Anyone who has been on WW (and who hasn't) knows that things like almonds and olive oil (extremely healthy) are not encouraged because the points are too high (due to the fat). The world of WW is basically lots of artificial sweeteners and with high points for fats like nuts and olive oil.

So news that they have updated their point system to address this was encouraging. An article in today's NYT talks about the changes, they are "based on scientific findings about how the body processes different foods," in other words, processed, fake foods are not as good and therefore are higher in points.

On the old point system, they would consider a large apple (2 points) = to an Oreo(R) pak (2 points).  Under the new point system the apple is 0 points and the cookies are 3 points.

No wonder a lot of people embraced the WW program (including me) - we could eat lots of sugar free pudding with fat free whipped cream, cookies and muffins and think we were in diet heaven.Yes, we lost weight but did it teach us to eat healthy food?  It sure tasted good but had little or NO NUTRITIONAL value.

WW now acknowledges that the type of food you eat will affect energy and feelings of hunger and fullness.  

I have to admit when I was on WW that I thought eating their muffins, cakes, frozen dinners and snacks was too good to be true, I think they have addressed some of this now with the point changes although they still produce lots of processed foods.

13 Month Progress: 85 pounds and 86.6 inches

I have to take a new photo - this is from last month!

This month FLEW by!! I lost a few pounds but have basically been hovering from 80-89lbs lost.  Although I've been working out religiously 3x per week (strength training and cardio) I have only lost 1 inch (from the locations where I am measuring). 

My body is comfortable here but maybe it doesn't realize that I'm not stopping here - I have other plans. I have to keep remembering that it's been a long 22 years since my body has been this size.  

So it seems that all this working out would lead to pounds/inches LOST, right? I would think so.  I have to assume it's the non-Isagenix food I'm eating. 

I know I have gotten off track a little with grabbing chips (even healthier cracker versions) because it's about 150 calories for 12 chips and I usually have more than that. Plus a few Sunday nights that I just went crazy on carbs (English muffins, bread, bagels - stuff I never crave all week). I definitely have to be more mindful of what I'm snacking on.  The IsaDelight chocolates are a LIFESAVER - they are the ONLY chocolate I can eat one of and be satisfied -really!

I have ordered the Accelerators again (didn't have them for a while but in the past it didn't seem to tilt the scale either way but other people swear by them and I did use them religiously in the beginning) plus I am going to use the IsaPro more regularly. I do sprinkle some in my shakes everyday but now I am going to always do 1 scoop IsaLean and 1 scoop IsaPro (the extra protein is supposed to help stubborn weight loss - hello).  I've also heard lots of people say they use the IsaCalcium (I have some of that but don't love the taste - a little too sweet). I will figure out a way to incorporate it.  From what I've learned, there is some nutritional component that people find that gives them that extra boost. For my last plateau it was the IsaOmegas. I still take them. 

Will I STOP TAKING ISAGENIX because I am not losing weight?  Absolutely not - if I stop what has worked it's obvious what would happen. TEMPORARY EFFORTS GET TEMPORARY RESULTS no matter what you do.  I will always have to be mindful of what I eat - especially when I get to my goal weight. The great thing is that I have a low calorie - but super nutritious - food with Isagenix.  Your body doesn't mind fewer calories as long as it's getting the nutrition it wants.

Headache on Isagenix Cleanse

I can count on two fingers the number of headaches I ever have in any given year so I guess I am lucky because lots of my friends/relatives complain of headaches. So when I started using Isagenix it was no different - not one headache.

Of course everyone is different but 90% of everyone I've coached through cleansing has been fine. Some have extra energy from the B vitamins (like me), some are more tired as their body is working hard to cleanse and some do have headaches during the Isagenix cleanse.

A friend of a friend is doing her first cleanse today and I heard she has a headache... so it prompted me to write this blog about Isagenix Cleanse Symptoms. The body is releasing toxins at a much quicker rate than normal and is going through withdrawal (especially if you had a diet which included caffeine, sugar). As with any addictive substance when you stop putting it in your body, your body reacts in ways that aren't always positive.  I don't think anyone has every had headaches when they stopped eating broccoli (haha).  Unfortunately, the more junk that's in your body, the worse you may feel.  The good news is that any unpleasantness should pass within a few days and your body will thank you in the long run.

4 Simple Breakfast Rules for Shedding Pounds

From Realage.com (Dr Oz and Dr Roizen's site)... more proof that the right breakfast is crucial to losing weight.  Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons (author of Potatoes, Not Prozac) has four simple rules for using breakfast to counterbalance the biochemical mechanisms behind sugar cravings, obesity, and depression. (LINK)

Dr Desmaison's Rules:
1.Do it daily. Your goal is to make it a daily, automatic habit. The reward? You can kiss late-day low blood sugar and sugary snack cravings goodbye -- permanently.

2.Do it sooner rather than later. For the best results, eat breakfast within an hour or so of waking up -- even if you're not hungry. Morning-time low blood sugar produces a brain chemical designed to mask hunger pangs -- but can cause sugar cravings later in the day.

3.Make it complex. We're talking complex carbohydrates -- the fiber keeps blood sugar on an even keel and helps you feel full longer.

4.Power it with protein. Protein slows digestion, helps prevent spikes and dips in blood sugar, and can even give you a dose of depression-fighting tryptophan. DesMaisons recommends that you get a third of your daily protein at breakfast.
 
I already know that an IsaLean shake is the BEST start to the day and it certainly supports  theses four rules.  It has 23 grams of the best protein plus healthy fats and carbs PLUS all 90 minerals and vitamins our bodies need. Add a scoop of FiberPro and/or IsaPro and get even extra fiber and/or protein! Link to product info.

Plus, knowing you have that canister of shake helps you from spiraling out of control after a "bad" day.  I really ate too much at a cook-out yesterday so I actually had a 1/2 shake later last night when I got home then decided to have shakes all day today with healthy snacks in between.

CONFIRMED - Omega 3 + Exercise = Weight Loss!

In yesterday's post I surmized that my ability to finally get past my 7 week plateau was the combination of omega 3's and the more regular exercise.

Today I Googled omega 3 and weight loss and immediately found this research by the University of South Australia which corroborates my own theory:

It has now been proven scientifically that omega-3 fish oil helps you lose weight. Studies at the University of South Australia have found that taking omega-3 fish oil combined with moderate aerobic exercise boosts weight loss.  Over a period of 12 weeks, researchers gave a group of obese adult’s daily doses of omega-3 fish oil and supervised moderate aerobic exercise three times a week. The researches compared the results of this group with other groups that were not given omega-3 fish oil and exercise three times a week.  More info...

I recently found another great article from Natural News that supports this theory.
Of course Isagenix has the best quality Omega 3 supplements!  IsaOmega Supreme is the "purest and most advanced" on the market!  Link here to the facts which support that.
Thanks again to Dale for recommending this!!

Consumer Reports: What's in your protein shake?

I am so glad to have found a company that has a no-compromise promise to produce superior quality products. Not so for other companies.... check out the unexpected "extras" found in many other protein shakes. LINK to article in Consumer Reports.  (Note, the IsaLean shakes are different than the typical protein shake because they are a balanced meal of 40/30/30 Carbs/Protein/Fats.)

How the heck did those Skrek glasses sold at McDonald's with the cadmium get past testing??  I guess they didn't test or trusted the glass manufacturer - never trust another company with something that important - do the testing yourself!!   That's what Isagenix does - they have total control over the manufacturing process. Click here for a link that explains the testing that Isagenix does.

I have to say that when I worked with Hasbro they were insane about testing everything (this was a few years before the scandals over the toys made in China). Now I know why they were unbending in their rules for testing - they have never had a toy recalled. 

I know lots of companies claim to have the best products so it's natural that people will be skeptical. But there are a LOT of facts to back up the superiority of Isagenix products.   Ask me, and I can show you, why IsaLean shakes are the most absorbable by the body and why our whey protein is FAR superior to anything else out there!

ISAGENIX on HOUSEWIVES of NJ!

If you don't watch HOUSEWIVES on BRAVO then maybe you are doing something more productive with your time but these are my "don't miss" shows. Starting with the Housewives of OC, I got hooked and while I watch very little TV now, these are my favorite shows.

So tonight I was excited to see a canister of chocolate IsaLean Shake on Caroline Manzo's kitchen counter! It was about 2/3rd through the episode when she is talking to Jacquie and Teresa.  I was really excited that it was the Manzo's - they are a loving, close knit family. Caroline is a smart businesswoman, mother of three and married to Albert for 25 years.

UPDATE (June 25) - it is now all over the Internet that Caroline Manzo dropped 20 pounds. Here is the before and after photo from the Internet. She says she is drinking gallons of water, eating food earlier in the day, no soda, only 1 cup of coffee per day and working out. She does not mention Isagenix so it's purely speculation that she used it to lose the weight but she does look great so congratulations to her!

Prevention Magazine - Metabolism Boosters... need to break this plateau!

So I weigh myself on Saturday mornings and I am still STUCK at 71lbs.  I am not panicked but DO want to continue the weight loss to reach my goal of 100lbs!!

I saw a TODAY SHOW segment this week with Al Roker and someone from Prevention magazine spoke about 10 Diet Blunders that Slow Metabolism (especially for us older women as our metabolism naturally slows down as we age).

There is a link to watch this segment above or here is the list and you can also find more info on each item on the magazine's web site.  I reviewed each item to see how I am faring...

These are Prevention Magazine's list that SLOWS METABOLISM:
1. You don't eat enough - not a problem with Isagenix, it is NOT an ultra-low calorie diet
2. You avoid caffeine - I do avoid caffeine (the founder John Anderson has some research on this plus coffee is highly acidic) but I have stopped taking the Accelerator and that is a natural metabolism booster with green tea - much better and does have a tiny bit of caffeine*
3. Your carbs are white - I have already eliminated most white carbs
4. Your water is room temperature - I ALWAYS drink iced water, love it
5. Your food is covered with pesticides - YES! they've recognized a MAJOR cause of stubborn fat - they explain that Canadian researchers report that dieters with the most pollutants from pesticides (which are stored in fat cells) experience a greater than normal dip in metabolism as they lose weight and that pesticides can trigger weight gain. Isagenix is WAY ahead on all this, enter their Cleanse for Life.*
6. Your meal lacks protein - got that covered with the superior whey protein in the IsaLean shakes
7. Your diet needs to pump iron - my diet has iron so I am fine with this - let's also add to that resistance training (not doing that yet)*
8. You're missing this crucial vitamin - Vit D - I am already taking 1000iu each day
9. You've had one tipple too many - don't drink alcohol so that's not an issue
10. You're not getting enough dairy - they are talking about calcium, I've been trying to incorporate IsaCal into shakes (this strawberry powder is a little too sweet for me)*

*My action steps to bust this plateau:

• start taking the Accelerators again (I did in the beginning but stopped), I already ordered them
• I am due for another 2-day cleanse so my body has the chance to really release toxins from my fat (then the fat loss follows)
• I will more consistently take the IsaCalcium
• I will "pump iron"/add the weights for my upper body
• plus, I recently spoke to Larry Fuchs Jr - the first person in the Isagenix 200lb club (he's kept it off for 6 years). I sought his advice and, too much to detail now, but is a very caring person and I appreciated the time he spent talking with me

President's Panel - Chemicals Cause Cancer!!!!

Hopefully everyone reading this already knew or at least suspected that many of the cancers people are getting are from exposure to chemicals.

From today's New York Times... "the President's Cancer Panel has joined ranks with the organic food movement and declared: chemicals threaten our bodies."  Read this groundbreaking news...

41% of people will get cancer in their lives (almost half of us). Our liver is desinged to filter out toxins and impurities but has a difficult time with the onslaught of chemicals we are exposed to everyday (increasing dramatically over the past 50 years). 

Stop eating for a day (or two) and give your body the chance to cleanse itself (Isagenix is not a colon cleanse, and you won't be starving your body).  The Isagenix Cleanse for Life helps to support your body to rid itself of harmful impurities while nourishing it with 27 vital nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Plus, the IsaDelight dark chocolates are part of the cleanse day - can't beat that.

I told you this stuff isn't "diet" food - it's super nutrition.  Everyone should give their body the chance to cleanse! Toxins are also believed to be the reason why people have stubborn fat (see prior post on that from the Dr Oz show).  Thank you to John Anderson, the "mineral man" and true visionary, who developed this product!

Link to short video on Cleanse For Life

The only time you could have gotten colostrum was when (if) your mother breastfed you at birth... until now

When babies are born, their mothers produce extremely nutritious milk for the first 24 to 48 hours after giving birth. This “first milk” is called colostrum.

Colostrum is naturally packed with nutrients to help an infant survive outside the womb. This is the only time we get this immune-boosting substance. 

I knew Isasgenix had a product called Isamune but didn't know that much about it until I went to research it for a friend whose child has low immunity. I saw that it had the highest quality bovine colostrom and that it was helpful for people with seasonal allergies so I sent it to my friend. She listened to the podcast and told me it was fascinating so I listened to Dr Andrew Keech, the inventor of Isamune, tell about the fantastic benefits. Click here to link to the page to listen to the podcast.  (Click on the speaker symbol above Dr Keech's photo)

Lots of scientific studies prove that colostrum’s nutrients support healthy immune functioning. Isamune is recommended for all ages, even babies of course.

We don't get sick much here so I never thought of buying this product but after hearing more information in the podcast I added two bottles to my next order and can't wait to try it!

Diet Can Prevent Cancer

A quote from Dr Oz* -- "the food we eat may actually have the ability to turn on and off the genes that allow our cells to turn into cancer."  "Your diet can reduce your risk of cancer." 

His guest on the show, Dr. David Katz (founder of Yale University's Prevention and Research Center), said "If you eat optimally, at least 30 and as much as 60% of all cancer can be prevented... improves the health of cells, boosts immune system, better removes toxins from your body."

They talked about the value of GREENS - I have the Isagenix Greens but really havn't been taking them on a regular basis.  I am going to start working them into my daily schedule in addition to the greens I usually eat everyday (because I would never get the number of servings that's recommended).

* this show aired 2/24/10

Down 28lbs in 6-1/2 weeks - thank you CLEANSE FOR LIFE

I just finished a two-day deep cleanse (I didn't plan to weigh myself until Sat am - marking 7 weeks using Isagenix) but I peeked this morning. I am now down 28lbs. 

Friends ask questions about "cleanse" days... here is some information:

• On cleanse days I have four "meals" of the cleanse drink plus some approved Isagenix snacks throughout the day (to get the maximum fat burning effect) - don't want to start throwing all kinds of other foods into the digestive system when my liver is working 100% on filtering out toxins.
• Alfalfa is a key componant of the Cleanse For Life juice and one of the most nutrient-rich plants known to man. It contains a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and other nutrients that are crucial to human health.
• Alfalfa has been used as an herbal medicine for over 1,500 years. Alfalfa is high in protein, calcium, plus other minerals, vitamin A, vitamins in the B group, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.  The reason that alfalfa is so nutrient rich is that its root system can reach upwards of 60 feet into the subsoil to reach prime mineral and trace element content that is otherwise unavailable to most other plants, vegetables and fruits.
• Of course the geniuses at Isagenix use a special ionic alfalfa (some of the smartest formulators/scientists are part of the Isagenix team)

The cleanse is not a colon cleanse and I am not tired or hungry (really, seriously). I actually have more energy on cleanse days due to the B vitamins in the juice.  This is proof positive to me that when my body has the proper nutrition (and it can't get any better than Isagenix) that it will not cry out for food. I was used to always eating large portions until everything was off my plate, now I am able to eat less and feel satisfied.