24 day challenge details

I did a few things completely different this time. Instead of not telling anyone and trying to lose weight, I told everyone especially the kids. I told them that I was spending 24 days teaching myself how to eat healthy again and feel better and not (cranky mommy).

Obviously the thought of happy mommy excited them as they helped me make a paper chain that hung right in our family room/kitchen.

Let me tell you, I had no idea how much I would need that paper chain the first week. Actually the first 3 days were the hardest, but I would look at that chain and see Phoebe's little sweet eyes asking if I stuck to my "plan" for the day. Every day they tore off a chain we did a little victory dance. That really helped keep me accountable despite cravings.  Honestly, by the second week I would forget to tear off a chain, the days just kept going so quickly and I was feeling great sticking to my plan. I pulled off the last 3 days all together at once. ha

The second different thing I did was post on my fitness page my starting weight. WELP. That was NOT easy. I'm not a light girl. My weight has been a huge source of shame for me for the last 15 years. I finally want to weigh what's on my driver's license! The irony is is that when I renewed my license I did post my real weight, only to gain 20 more pounds in the next 6 months. bwahahahha. cruel irony, she is my favorite mistress.

Those two differences, along with the products really helped me. I wasn't trying to do something exactly the same, I was trying NEW ways and letting the SHAME go. I also had Heather and BJ Faas, my coaches support me all the time. Heather sent me email after email of encouragement, texts and instagram love all the time. That support was essential for me. I know they are weightlifters, parents and human and knew I would need support. That is just totally different than anything I've ever tried before.

I also cleared my schedule of stressful stuff for the first week. I have four kids, that's enough excitement and stress on a plate despite trying to start a new leaf with eating and addictions. That helped a lot.

The first 10 days is the cleanse part. I made sure to drink all of the water needed and stuck to the plan like glue. I followed all of the directions completely. The next two weeks was the max phase with the vitamin pack. I worked out more during this phase than the cleanse. I ate 3 meals a day and the 3 snacks. If you follow the plan you are GUARANTEED success.

So now that it's over here are my final two cents:

I had been taking all of these supplements for 2 years. I would buy them (along with protein powder) at costco, GNC and amazon whenever on sale. This doesn't have my BCAA that I was taking in the picture either.

So now, I am just taking these supplements (along with protein powder- although I'm ready to order the meal shake again from advocare bc it doesn't make me gassy like regular whey protein) and still having success. I weighed myself this am, after a week of finishing the challenge, Easter AND some fair food and I was down another pound. That is just huge success for me. The MNS has all of the supplements I was taking, plus a probiotic that helps keep me regular. 

I have some people ask about the caffeine in the spark. Yes, there is caffeine in it. I'm not a soda/coffeee/tea drinker at all so this was a worry of mine too. But I never got the jitters and with one spark a day I stay on my healthy eating all day long. Before the spark I would eat junk food all day (sugar/carbs) to get through the day. So for me, taking one a day and working out and eating healthy is a much healthier lifestyle change for me. I also don't take a pre-workout anymore for my heavy weight lifting days and those have a lot of caffeine in it. 

I don't think this plan is for everyone, it is pricey and you have to be willing to put in the work and follow directions. But it was totally worth it for me and exactly what I needed. It took me 3 weeks to save up to buy the challenge. I didn't realize it but the money that I saved by not eating junk was worth it alone. And if I was a soda drinker I would have saved twice as much. Ty now takes 1-2 sparks a day, usually one, and has completely cut out soda and monster drinks. Yay!!!  Ty isn't quite ready to do the challenge, but I'm so grateful he isn't drinking all the crappy sugar and stuff in soda and energy drinks.  As for me I feel amazing and I'm so happy that I found these supplements to support my healthy eating and workouts.