Fatsanity

One of the things that I love LOVE about my husband is that he’s my biggest cheerleader. He’s usually behind me 100% on anything I choose to do (with the exception of shopping), and will always be there with encouragement when I’m low on morale.

So, this morning as I tried to get out of bed (because I was so sore from yesterday’s 30-Day Shred workout), he said to me, “Oh my God, hon. I can really tell you’ve lost some weight!”

And I was like, “Uh, you’re only saying that because you’re horny.”

And he said, “No, really. When was the last time you measured?”

And I told him it was just a few days ago and I really didn’t want to measure again because I was afraid that if I did, I wouldn’t like the outcome.

“Trust me. You’ve lost more. I can really tell.”

So I let him get out my tape and measure me, just like they do on “Last 10 Pounds Boot Camp.” (He loves that show, and dreams of getting behind me with a bull horn and screaming at me as I run/hike up a steep hill.)

Anyway, I kept my eyes shut the whole time as he wrote everything down. Then he did this whole dramatic comparison with my “before” stats and did a lot of head shaking and it was right about then that I threw my shoe at him.

“Okay, okay . . .”

And after he showed me the new stats, I cried. Because I’ve not EVER stuck with something for this long and continued to see these kinds of results:

Weight:  281  (No change since last weigh-in)

Neck:  17.50  (No change)

Arms:  17  <1.0>

Bust:  49  <2.0>

Under Bust:  45  <1.0>

Belly/Gut:  50  <.50>

Waist:  49.75  <1.0>

Hips: 51.25 (No change)

Thigh: 31  (No change)

Calf:  18  <1.0>

Inches Lost Since Last Measurement: 6.50″

Total Inches Lost Since May 24, 2009: 13″

Total Weight Lost Since May 24, 2009:  12 lbs.

Can. You. STAND. IT?!!

The difference has been the consistent use of enlyten products, eating healthier, and my dedication to finishing the 30-Day Shred. I’ve had the DVD for a while, but I’ve never been able to get through a full workout because it’s so intense. Even the beginner workout is challenging, which — for someone who’s been sedentary for the past 10 months — makes it nearly impossible for me.

When I couldn’t finish the shred, I’d put on Wii Sports and do boxing, then hit the floor and do regular and reverse crunches. When I started to cramp up, I’d pop a couple of enlyten electrolyte strips and push through.

Yesterday, however, was the first day that I finished the entire workout (which is only 20 minutes, but it’s the longest 20 minutes of your life). And boy did I spend the rest of the day paying for it!! So I’ve decided to declare June 27th as “Day 1″ of my “30-Day Shred” Journey.

One of the things that I stumbled upon as I twittered my Shred success was a group called the “ShredHeads,” who offer tips for all three workouts on the 30-Day Shred DVD, as well as new modifications to the moves and motivation for those who find themselves in a rut. So, if you decide you want to try the 30-Day Shred, you should check out their site — I’ve been playing around in there all day!!

Now, for my big announcement.

I’ve decided to push for a seriously LOFTY goal. But I know if I continue at my current pace, I can get there.

In 80 days, I turn 37 years old. So, I declare that it is my goal to lose another 37 pounds by the time I turn 37 years old. Which is on September 17, 2009.

If I lose another 37 pounds by September, I will have lost a total of 49 pounds.

I also declare that if I lose that extra pound (for a total loss of 50 pounds), I will post my “before” pictures, which are currently being kept under lock and key. I had my husband take the pictures “Biggest Loser” style, with me wearing only a sports bra and a pair of shorts. It’s NOT a pretty sight. But I’ve always wanted to be an “after,” and I can’t be one without pictures of the “before.”

What do you think about the goal? Think I can do it?

I’m convinced that if I keep doing what I’m doing, I will probably lose more.

So, here’s to fit and healthy!

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I decided to throw caution to the wind and do weight & measurements today. I’m going to admit that I did these THREE TIMES, since I didn’t think they could be right — the numbers were THAT good!

New Weight:  281  <12>
BMI: 42.7  <1.8>
Neck: 17.50”  <.50>
Arm: 18”  <0>
Bust: 51″  <.50>
Under Bust: 46”  <1.0>
Belly: 50.5”  <.50>
Waist: 50 3/4”  <0>
Hips: 54”  <2.75>
Thigh: 30”  <1.0>
Calf: 19  <0>

Total Inches Lost: 6.25

Total Pounds Lost (Since May 24): 12

BMI Reduced (Since May 24): .96%

Can you say WOW?!!

You know what though? I know I can do better than this. My morning workouts have been getting more intense, and I’ve also cut back on my calorie intake. The enlyten™ strips have also made a major impact on my physical and mental well-being. The Electrolytes Plus strips are great before & after my workouts, and I’ve been taking the weight loss products (Appetite Suppressant & Calorie Burner strips) and the Antioxidant strips daily, which has seriously helped me with my diet and overall general health. (The Melatonin also helps me get a good night’ sleep before my alarm goes off at 4:00am!)

You have GOT to try enlyten™. This stuff really does work. I’m happy to send to anyone who asks a free sample of any or all of the products. And, if you place an order through my website by June 30, I’ll even send you an extra cassette of whatever product you’d like! I believe in it THAT MUCH. And remember, I usually don’t speak nicely about direct sales companies!

See you in a few!

Tags: Does enlyten really work, Enlyten, enlyten Delivery System, enlyten Products, enlyten really works, enlyten strips, Free enlyten samples, Health & Wellness, Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, Weight Loss, What is enlyten

So, I really did do a weigh-in on Monday. And . . . I lost another pound! But I was hoping the scale would move a little more. Better to have lost one than gained one though, right?!

To shake up my routine a bit, I decided to go out and buy Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred. Because, who doesn’t want to lose up to 20 pounds in 30 days? Actually, I’ve already grown tired of Wii Boxing and “My Fitness Coach.” So, I’m hoping Jillian can whip me into shape.

In the mean time, I can report that the enlyten™ strips are still doing a great job. The scale would be moving in the right direction if I’d just keep away from stupid food. I’m fine during the day — I can regulate what I eat at work because I bring my lunch and also pack healthy snacks. It’s dinner and the ice cream binges after the day is over that keeps tripping me up. (Who keeps buying the ice cream, anyway?!)

Oh! Someone asked if the enlyten™ appetite suppressant and calorie burner strips “kept my mind off of food.”

And, the short answer is, “No.”

Here’s how they work for me: I take one of each 20 minutes before a meal. And the portion of what I want to eat is significantly reduced. Before, I could scarf down 4 pieces of pizza. Now, I only want two. I also used to eat a whole sandwich, chips, soda, Pepsi, and a cookie for lunch. Lately, it’s been 2/3 of a sandwich, chips, and water, with a brownie or cookie thrown in once a week.

The strips have NOT ever made me forget about food. In fact, I get pretty hungry between breakfast & lunch, around 10:00am or so. Which is why packing healthy snacks is always a smart move — it keeps me away from the vending machines until lunch time. All this will pass after a while, when my body gets used to eating the right portions of the right food. (At least that’s what I keep telling myself!) I also eat carrots with ranch (low-fat, of course) at around 3:00pm, and then I chomp on an apple on the way home.

That’s enough for today . . . I most likely won’t do another measurement until the end of the month, but will continue to monitor my weight weekly. Here’s to fit and healthy!!

Tags: Does enlyten really work, Enlyten, enlyten Delivery System, enlyten Products, enlyten really works, enlyten strips, Free enlyten samples, Health & Wellness, Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, Weight Loss, What is enlyten

It’s been said that I’m one of the web’s most outspoken critics of direct sales.

Which makes my endorsement of enlyten™ all the more genuine.

My description of enlyten™ is “a brand new way to receive the nutrients your body needs in under five minutes.”

Instead of using pills, capsules, or liquids (which have about a 15% - 40% absorption rate), enlyten’s products are manufactured on what’s called “dual layer strips.” The strips are put either on your tongue (think Listerine strip) or between your cheek and gum, which gets the strip to dissolve. The active ingredients are then absorbed into the bloodstream within minutes, with an absorption rate of about 80% — nearly twice the rate of capsules or sports & diet drinks.

So, with the mini-product lesson over, here’s the background story that resulted in my enthusiasm and endorsement of the company.

When my best friend told me (after much apprehension) that she had decided to become an enlyten™ distributor, I nearly passed out. I couldn’t believe that she — someone with whom I’d shared all of my previous direct sales grief — would actually even consider throwing her hat into the direct sales ring, let alone sign up with a company to sell their products.

So, like any skeptical person would do, I hopped on the internet (and Twitter, and Facebook) to find out what I could about the company and its products. (Or should I say, find any bad or negative press so I could say, “See?! This is why I don’t do direct sales anymore!”)

But I didn’t find a whole lot of that.

Instead, I found articles that supported the company’s claims about its products. And also discovered that Shaquille O’Neal loved the strips so much that he decided to become the company’s official spokesperson. Now THAT’s an ENDORSEMENT.

Then, after my failed attempt at finding anything negative about enlyen™, I decided to give the strips a try. And here’s what happened:

After using the enlyten™ energy strips, I was able to survive several after-lunch meetings without yawning, and was even able to get through the afternoon commute without having to fight the fatigue of the day. (And, the energy strips are much cheaper than my usual afternoon Red Bull.)

I had my first full night’s sleep in six years after taking one enlyten™ melatonin strip. One strip — the size of a half-stick of chewing gum — provided me with eight hours of uninterrupted rest. There was no tossing and turning. No restless legs. And no “sleep hangover.” I woke up at 5:30am, swung my legs to the floor, and got up with no desire to go back to sleep. Which is new for me, because I am in no way, shape, or form a morning person.

When I overexerted myself playing five rounds of Wii Boxing (after months of no exercise at all), I took an enlyten™ electrolytes plus strip

Tags: Does enlyten really work, Enlyten, enlyten Delivery System, enlyten Products, enlyten really works, enlyten strips, Free enlyten samples, Health & Wellness, Weight Loss, What is enlyten

Gravity works in mysterious ways.

Okay, so, maybe it’s not so mysterious. But it does do weird things to the body.

For example, I weigh 286 pounds. But, I’m wearing it differently than I did when I weighed about the same (280 pounds) in August of last year.

It seems as though my fat has migrated to my midsection. I’ve become one of those people who can barely cross their arms. And I waddle.

Which seems weird to me, considering I don’t weigh much more than I did when I started this blog nearly a year ago. Yet, I FEEL fatter. I seem fatter. And I haven’t seen the back of my arms in months.

So, here we are again. At that decision-making crossroads that I find myself at about three or four times a year. Where I claim that this time it’ll be different. Or this time will matter.

However, there ARE a couple of new variables in the mix that give me an edge over what I had last August. And this time, it really just might be different than all the other times I started a weight loss program.

First of all, we just got a Wii. I mean, JUST got it. Last night. And I played that thing for an hour straight. An HOUR. With no real desire to quit. With the right program, I may just find myself looking forward to exercising. Should I use EA Sports? Gold’s Gym? My Fitness Coach? I haven’t decided yet, but I need to soon before I change my mind and start eating donuts for sport again.

The other variable is something called enlyten™. I’ve been using the enlyten™ Appetite Suppressant and Calorie Burner “strips” to help me lose weight.

And it’s been working.

Just last month (May 21st) I weighed 292 pounds when I went to the doctor. And now, of course, I’m “down” to 286. That’s a difference of seven pounds without even changing my diet or exercising. Can you imagine what could happen if I worked out a few times a week and put down the Carl’s Jr. Crisp Burritos?

The “strips” work much better than diet pills, since the nutrients are absorbed right into your body by placing the strip between your cheek and gum. Nothing to swallow!

I’ve also been using the rest of their products, like Energy (which is like Red Bull, but cheaper, and there’s no crash after a couple of hours) and Melatonin (which helps you fall asleep and not wake up 50 times a night.)

And, last night, after my 60-minute Wii workout, I took an enlyten™ Electrolytes strip because I’d heard it helped with muscle aches and cramping. And let me tell you –- I hurt worse than a beat-down dog. This morning I expected to feel like I’d fallen off a horse, but I had only a little bit of soreness in my arms and upper back. Nothing else.

So, I’m going to continue using the products for a little while and see how they work. My BFF sells enlyten™, and I’ve actually considered selling the product myself. (I know, right? Me – the one who is SO TOTALLY AGAINST direct sales!) But this is something that I’ve used, and so far it’s working.

My goal for the remainder of the week: Work out three more times by Sunday.

Next weigh-in and measurement day: Monday, June 15th.

Tags: Does enlyten really work, Enlyten, enlyten Delivery System, enlyten Products, enlyten really works, enlyten strips, Free enlyten samples, Health & Wellness, Obesity, Weight Loss, What is enlyten, Working out with Wii