Isagenix 9 Day Deep Cleanse Review

So I clearly don't blog often anymore, but it's nice to still have it available when I need/want to document something.

I made this crazy decision to try out a cleanse.  I drink the Isagenix IsaLean Meal Replacement Shakes on a daily basis anyhow, so I decided that the Isagenix 9 Day Cleanse was probably the best option for me.

Here is a link to the Cleanse package so you can see what all is included in it.

I'm going to just keep track of my days here.. for fun and for those searching the inter-web for feedback on the cleanse.
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While this cleanse is technically a 9 day cleanse, they do advise a 2 day pre-cleanse to get your body ready for what it's going to go through.  I think this is most important for people who rely on fast foods, eat a lot of fried things, and drink a lot of coffee and/or soda... or at least that is what I assumed.

The 2 types of days are:
Shake Days - you replace 2 meals with a shake and eat one 400-600 calorie low-glycemic meal.  You are allowed to eat the Snacks! that come with the cleanse package as well as celery, carrots, an apple, 1 hard boiled egg a day, and other approved snacks to get you by between meals/shakes.

Cleanse Days - you drink Cleanse for Life 4 times a day and limit your snacking to the Snacks! wafers, celery, cucumbers, and lots and lots of water.
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Day 1 (Pre-Cleanse - Shake Day):
Initial weigh in this morning.
I didn't follow the rules specifically on today, but did somewhat.  I drank 1 cup of coffee in order to try and cut myself back.  I replaced breakfast and lunch with shakes and had healthy snacks between meals.  I also had a balanced meal for dinner following the suggested guidelines.  I did not take the Accelerator capsules today simply because I forgot to bring them to work with me.
I drank a ton of water today, and it was easy to do.
I felt fine today, by the time I was due for my 400-600 calorie meal at 5pm, I was famished and couldn't eat fast enough.
Day 1 survived.

Day 2 (Pre-Cleanse - Shake Day):
Weigh in - down 3 pounds
Today was a bit harder - but I followed it to a T.  I took the capsules, I replaced 2 meals with a shake and I ate a balanced 400-600 calorie meal for dinner.  I didn't feel any different today other than tired... I allowed myself to drink 1 cup of green tea in the late morning.
I drank a ton of water today and it was easy and helpful when I felt hunger pangs.  I decided to add lemon to my water to help with the boredom of a otherwise bland day of food.

These Pre-Cleanse days have not been that bad, I just watch what a eat a bit closer, but I'm still able to eat real food, so that's dope!

Day 3 (Cleanse Day):
Weigh in - down .8# from yesterday (3.8# down total)
I was scared to drink the Cleanse for Life.. thinking it would taste like cough syrup, but surprisingly it wasn't that bad.  I drank it straight and chased it with water.  I felt full until I was due for my first snack at 9am... I devoured that wafer, and it wasn't that bad.  I'm learning that if you let it sit and absorb some wetness from your mouth, it's less chalky to bite into.  That helps.  The morning is dragging on this day.. I keep checking the schedule to make sure I'm not missing some food milestone.
Several times I've told myself to just quit.  I want food.  My water is depressing, even with lemon in it.
I made it to 'lunch', which is just another 4oz of Cleanse for Life... yay.  Oddly, it does take away the hungry pangs, not sure if it's supposed to or if I'm just so desperate that I imagine that it is... maybe it's the wafer.
I took my lunch break and went for a walk at the park, even just a quick 10 minute walk in the sunshine was helpful.  I'd never want to do this cleanse in the winter when I can't be outside.

After work I came home and cleaned both bathrooms, keeping busy is helping.  Steve sat next to me and ate dinner while I watched.  That was hard.  In his defense, he did ask if he could eat at home or if I wanted him to leave.
It's Thursday night and football is on... I've never paid so much attention to pizza commercials.  Damn, that shit looks so good!

Today's lesson: celery tastes AWFUL without ranch, blue cheese, or PB.

I went to bed at 8:45pm (my normal goal bedtime is 9:00pm).

Day 4 (Cleanse Day):
Weigh in - down 1.8# from yesterday (5.6# down total)
I weigh in each morning and have to do a double take... I step on the scale over and over to be sure that it's not just messing with me.  Sure enough, each time it reads the same.  I'm fearful that whatever I lose will just hog-pile back on once I am back to a normal routine.  However, everything I've read and from what I've been told this cleanse is telling my body that it's okay to burn fat... so hopefully what I'm losing is all FAT!

On to the day... today is the second cleanse day and I woke up feeling pretty okay, I don't feel like I'm sleeping any better or worse.  I decided to not follow the timeline that I was given in the schedule, and by that I simply mean that I moved the times around.  I start work early and the timeline didn't give me my first intake until long after I woke up.  So it was helpful to do it on my own timeline.  I'll remember this for when I have my next 2 cleanse days next week.

It's Friday and I worked until 11:30am; I came up with this grand plan to come home and pre-make all my meals for the next 5 shake days.  So, I drove to the grocery store and purchased everything I needed to plan.  Surprisingly I wasn't tempted by ANYTHING at the store.  Hell, I even bought $15 worth of groceries for the food drive that was happening at the store (canned veggies and cereal, as requested on the list).  I came home and started cooking... normally on a Friday, I come home and nap.  Today... I was cooking and realized I felt amazing.  I felt energized.  I felt alive.  So I continued to cook.  I made a Southwest Turkey Meatball Skillet (meatballs from scratch) and a really yummy looking Quinoa with Feta and Tomatoes (I added Black Beans) and I also cooked up a few chicken breasts.  Enough for 5 meals plus some leftover for Steve to eat too.

I hate giving up my naps, so I decided to try and sleep.  I was successful for about 30 minutes (which is short for me).

I'm still feeling pretty good.  The hunger pangs haven't been as bad today.  I'm honestly surprised by how much I feel that I CAN complete these 9 days.  It's a complete 180° from my mood and mindset yesterday.

Oddly, I like today.

Day 5 (Shake Day):
Weigh in - down 2.2# from yesterday (7.8# down total)
Sorry for the long ass post yesterday, I was riding a high, for sure.  I went to bed at like 10pm and woke up at like 9am today.  Not bad.
I feel good today, not hungry at all.  I thought for sure I'd wake up and crave that breakfast shake like it was the last meal I'd ever eat.  Not so, I woke up and made the shake and drank it like any other day I have a shake.  It didn't taste overly good to me, but it was welcome in my tummy.  I drank my daily cup of green tea this morning while Steve had delicious looking eggs, sausage and toast... not to mention coffee.  I'm definitely jealous of his being able to drink the joe... I love that stuff.
Dinner is right around the corner and I'm excited to eat, just to have some normal food and feel stuffed.
I don't have as much energy as yesterday, but I still feel good.  I thought about maybe trying to do some yoga, but ... I'm not sure I have it in me.  Not the energy, but the patience. Not a patient person and yoga is a patient practice.

Day 6 (Shake Day):
Weigh in - down 0# from yesterday (7.8# down total)
Today was hard, but mostly because I went to a Twins Baseball game... and it's hard to not drink beer and eat hot dogs.
I had my 1st shake for Breakfast and opted to eat my meal for lunch, thinking that if I went to the ballpark stuffed, it would be easier.  It was for the most part.
We went out to a bar afterwards (my own choice, I knew I could resist alcohol).. the only problem here was that we were there so long my dinner shake ended up being like 3 hours late, which... sucked.  Other than that it was a normal day.
Based on my weigh in of nothing up/nothing down in pounds this morning, I did decide to jump on my elliptical for a half hour this morning, so it felt good to do something (I'm nursing a foot injury, so it was a trial workout).

Day 7 (Shake Day):
Weigh in - up 0.8# from yesterday (7# down total)
AM Update: It was super frustrating to have worked out yesterday, restrain from eating garbage and drinking a bunch of beer only to be up in weight this morning.  I know it's only .8#, but I did NOTHING yesterday that should warrant being up.
It's Monday, so I'm back at work, I'd barely been here for 20 minutes and I'm getting emails and phone calls about shit, my boss called in sick (which means I have to cover)... I feel like I'm already crabby today.  Everything just isn't starting out on the right foot.
This cleanse is harder to do at work... I'm so easily distracted and it's so easy to want to snack and be bad.  We have candy everywhere.
The one thing that could be factoring into this is I think my lady time is due in a few days... which usually causes some flux in weight, typically up, never down.  Sometimes my mood is affected by it.
Early PM update: I still feel crabby today.  I, again, decided to eat my meal for lunch, I just think it's easier to feed myself mid day vs. waiting until the evening.  I'm convinced that it's not the cleanse making me crabby, but I guess you never know.
I feel tired today too... I stayed up late last night watching football.  I lost, or will lose, both of my fantasy match ups this week and I'm sure that's not helping the mood at all.
Blargh.  This is all I'm going to type today, no point in dwelling on it.

Day 8 (Shake Day):
Weigh in - 0# difference from yesterday (7# down total)
Tuesday today... nothing major to report from today other than I feel like my life is falling apart, but not because of the cleanse.  I have posterior tibial tendinitis from running and at my Doctor appt today, I was put in a walking boot.  neat.
This day is dumb.
Still on the cleanse, going fine, on the homestretch! (<-- there was no honest enthusiasm behind that exclamation point)

Day 9 (Shake Day):
Weigh in - down 0.4# from yesterday (7.4# down total)
Morning Update: First full day in a walking boot.  Turns out this blog isn't so much about my cleanse, but my actual life - sorry to anyone coming here just looking for cleanse facts.
Today is my last shake day, after today I get to cleanse for 2 days and then I'm done and can eat whatever the hell I want.  I'm so excited to not have to think so hard about meals and to not have to worry about is it 'time' for my shake/meal yet, I'll just be able to be a normal person in a walking boot.
While my gut (no pun intended) wants me to eat chicken wings and huge breakfast feasts... I don't think I'll be up for it when the time comes.
However, I do want sushi... and I want it first thing Saturday Morning - breakfast sushi anyone?
Afternoon Update: I'm crabby.  I seriously cannot wait for this crabbiness to go away.  PMS?  maybe.  Cleanse?  possibly.  Walking Boot?  Absolutely.

Day 10 (Cleanse Day):
Weigh in - up 0.2# from yesterday (7.2# down total)
My spirits are much improved today.  Again, not sure if it was the cleanse or my monthly visitor being around the corner or my foot thing.  All combined, I'm sure.
Whatever - that was the past.
Today is a new day... this cleanse day hasn't been as bad as last Thursday.  Tomorrow is another cleanse day, and even if it's the worst day of my life, I know that I'm not going to quit.  So I've pretty much already beat this thing... (can I have some pie now?)

Day 11 (Cleanse Day - FINAL DAY!!):
Weigh in - down 1.2# from yesterday (8.4# down total)
I had a dream last night about food.  I could finally eat again, and the first place I go is McDonalds... and I order Chicken Nuggets and French Fries.  oy vey.
I've decided the thing I'm most excited for is coffee.  I haven't had coffee in 10 days.  It's not a huge deal, I've been fine without it (I gave up coffee for 11 months about 2 years ago), but I LOVE it so much that I simply can't wait to take a sip.  Just one itty bitty sip will make my life complete.
So it's early when I'm typing this, but I feel really good today.  My mood is still way better than earlier this week, I don't feel hungry, the boot is becoming more... livable.
Today is my last day, so I know I've got this... but I'm REALLY excited to just be a normal meal eater again.  I'm not gonna splurge, just gonna eat.
I'll do one more check in with totals.

Day 12 (FINAL NUMBERS):
Weigh in - down 2# from yesterday (10.4# down total)
Measurements:
down .5" in the neck
down 1.5" in the bust
down 1.5" in the waist
down .5" in the abdomen
down 1" in the hips/buttocks

My arm and leg measurements didn't change enough, up or down, to note, so I'll save you the reading.

Overall, I'm glad I did this cleanse, if for no other reason than to show myself I can do it and can be disciplined.  Being down 10# is huge, for anyone, but I'm not getting my hopes up yet, until I see if any comes back on from normal eating.

I will say that as a rule, I don't eat a lot of fast food and over the last year of trying to lose weight I've cut back a lot on how much fried foods I eat.  I've also been getting in more activity on a regular basis, so I think my results on this cleanse are probably different than someone who eats fast food and never gets exercise as part of their regular life.  Meaning, I already had my metabolism kicked up, so this just gave it the extra boost.

I'm happy to answer any question that people may have, so please, feel free to ask!  

Thanks for reading, and sorry for the super long post!

Posterior Tibial Tendonitis

So ... here's me:

Over the summer I've taken up running... I ran a couple 5k's:

I've continued to run and have 2 more 5k's coming up (Halloween and Thanksgiving).

In the process of this I obviously go for runs... well, one run was just too much.
Afterwards I was in quite a bit of pain... in my left heel area.  I automatically assume Planters Fasciitis and think great... all this training and commitment and this is what I get.  To be honest I worry about getting PF quite often, my mom and my brother both have it and it seems to be the common ailment for people these days.

I decide to wait a week and see if the pain goes away on it's own.  It doesn't.  Steve told me I need to go in.
I couldn't even walk up or down the stairs like a normal person.

So I go in.

I'm diagnosed with Posterior Tibial Tendonitis - yay.
There are 2 ways of dealing with this:
1. Custom Orthotic Inserts (longer healing time)
2. Walking boot (faster healing time)

I'm leaving for NYC in like a week... I opt for the boot.  Essentially it immobilizes the tendon so it doesn't move at all, allowing it to heal.  I have the orthotics on order anyhow, as the doc suggested wearing them when I run, and I will likely take them to NYC with me.  But until the morning I leave to get on that plane... I'm in a boot!

That's all.  Just wanted to share.

Thoughts for Tuesday...

For some reason I got to thinking about my past relationships last night in the shower... maybe it's because I was texting with an ex.

For the most part I've managed to end most of my relationships on good terms; no bad blood, no dirty laundry, and able to truly remain friends; we just understand that it's time for the relationship to be over on that level.  I have a few exes that I've remained in contact with and there are certain things I miss about the relationship, sure, but it's never enough for me to desire having that relationship back.

The reason I'm writing this is I got to thinking about my very last relationship before Steve... it would have been happening during my years of blogging... I don't think I wrote much about it or about the guy, but he entered my mind last night and I realized that I miss nothing about him or that relationship.  It dawned on me that it probably wasn't the best relationship to begin with if I didn't grieve over losing him .. I think I was sad for like a week, if even.  I think there are several factors that play into that; he lived in a different state being number one.  I was used to not having him around, so what's the difference now?  We just don't talk on the phone or email anymore.

It wasn't an abusive relationship, but I think him being older than me made him want to change me into someone sophisticated enough to be with him.  That isn't how I roll.  At the time, I thought I was in love, and maybe I was, so I went along with it and wore the clothes he wanted when we were together, or acted a certain way in a certain setting... overall, everything about that was not me.  I've never been one to confirm to anything .. for anyone!

Needless to say, I'm very happy that relationship has ended and he and I have exchanged hello's a few times over the years and he seems to be happy in his life, I'm very happy that he is.. what person doesn't deserve happiness, right?  It's probably the easiest end to a relationship I've ever been a part of... it's always sad to part ways, but when it's truly not meant to be, it's so much easier.

Anyhow... I'm not sure I have a point here, it's just something that felt good to acknowledge to myself and thought it was worth documenting.  It's hard to know it at the time, but usually things that come to an end do so for a valid reason.

I Feel Stuck

I know that some people are still subscribed to my blog, but not nearly as many people are reading it as what used to.  I'm so okay with this.  I like the idea of having my blog back to the simple days.  I like being able to write and not have a ton of people reading or feeling like I have to produce some epic post to get blog hits.

Somewhere along the line I lost my blog to my readers.

I'll be honest, I don't read any blogs anymore - I may happen across one or two from time to time and scroll a page or two in, but I just don't have the desire for the 'community' aspect of it anymore.

This, however, is not what I wished to write about when I first opened this new post.

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I feel stuck in a rut.  I get in these from time to time and I always get out... but I feel like it's been a LONG time since I've been here.

I've been trying to lose weight for a few months and I was doing a good job for the most part - not dropping too much, but enough to notice a difference.  I've been counting my calories and trying to workout more.
I feel like I've been doing some serious emotional eating the past 1-2 weeks and, while I've tried to make good decisions of what I put in my body, I'm eating more calories than I should be.
I might chalk some of this up to my monthly visitor, but overall, I know what I'm doing is within my own power to stop.

The other thing is that I'm not sleeping well as of late.  It's been a pretty emotional couple of weeks for me with my Gma's passing... for some reason I just can't get to bed at a decent time and when I do, I simply don't sleep well.  Today at work, before I even had my first cup of coffee, someone said to me "You look tired today"... real nice.  I've felt tired all week and it's just made me super crabby.  I feel like I have no real interest in seeing or spending time with people... I don't want to be crabby towards others.  I just want to be a hermit... curled up in a ball in the corner somewhere.  Sadly, every day this week I've thought long and hard about having a cigarette; I haven't smoked since 2009.

To top it all off I can't wrap my head around the fact that my gma is gone.  Some moments I want to bawl, other moments I want to be around as many people as possible, and sometimes I just want to run away and be alone.  More than anything I just want to cry... but I don't because I feel like I need to be strong.

Maybe this is grieving?

Love

At what point do you realize you love somebody in your life?  I'm not talking about falling in love, but the family or closeness kind of love that you feel for a new family member or a best friend.

I feel like I want to tell people I love them a lot.  Maybe that's because my heart is so open and full, I have a lot to give in that department (I owe that to my Gma).

I have friends whom I've had forever and I truly love them - I know this to be true.  Not sure at what point I crossed over into that world of love, but my feelings for them are so deep and true.

Then you have people who come into your life through family measures - maybe you have a relative who begins dating someone and ends up getting married to that person, when do you form a love with that person, again, not being in love with them, but just having love for them?

How do you know what love is when it's not being in love?

Heaven has a new Angel

Gloria
1924-2015

I can't even begin to express in words how much this woman meant to me.  

My entire life I had a special relationship and bond with my Grandma.  It all started with my middle name... once I was old enough to understand that her and I share the same middle name I felt like she was my guardian angel, here on Earth.

I remember being little and spending a lot of time and my gma's place with my brother.  I guess my parents liked to go out and have a good time!  We'd spend New Year's Eve with her and she'd always buy those little champagne bottle poppers and I thought "Man, we must be so special to have these" as if we were the only kids to pop them at midnight.  Gma's place was always a magical one.  She was strict, but let us do a lot of fun things.  She'd serve us a half grapefruit in the morning, with a cherry in the middle... and it was up to us how much sugar we put on it!

We never lost this bond over the years.  Our family has always been close and we see each other often.  I remember being little and asking my dad "will Gma live until my golden birthday?"  My golden Birthday was my Sweet 16, so I wanted so badly for her to be there and be a part of it.  Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she always gave gold gifts on golden birthday's...

I don't remember what year it was that I started cleaning for my grandma, but her normal cleaning lady had quit and I was available and always looking to earn some extra money.  I cleaned her apartment for years... during these cleaning visits, we'd talk and talk and talk (mostly her telling me stories from the good old days), but it just solidified that we were soul mates.  I loved hearing those stories as many times as she wanted to tell them.  She loved having the company.  It worked great for the both of us.

In recent years her memory started to fade, and it was very sad to see, but through it all she knew the love I had in my heart for her.  She told me often how she could feel my love in every conversation, every hug, and every kiss.  I'm glad that my love conveyed so strongly to her.

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Gma lived to be 90 years young.  When I say she lived... she really LIVED everyday.  I swear I've heard so many stories about all the things she did as a youngster... the good, bad and the ugly!

She lost her mother at a very young age and her father was hospitalized with TB (he passed when she was a teen) so was raised by her grandparents.  She often told me about how strict her grandma was, but how she learned so much from her.
I believe she was 17 when she went to The Glen Lake Sanatorium with a diagnosis of Tuberculosis.  She spent 5 years there and met my grandpa, who also had TB (My grandpas died on Mother's Day {5/14/1972} at age 49.  My Gma died on Mother's day {5/10/2015} at age 90).

She smoked for many years and quit, she drank (to excess) for many years and quit.  There was no reason her body should have made it to 90 years old other than her spirit wasn't ready to quit.

The one thing I always loved about my gma was her smile and positive outlook on life.  She was a gem on a daily basis.  Up until her last breath she never complained.

If I can live my life half as optimistically as she did, I know the world will be a better place.  My heart breaks knowing what I'll never get to say and do again, but I'm comforted by the fact that she's been reunited with those who've passed before her, including her sister, and by the fact that 90 years old is no small feat.  I truly feel she was ready to meet her maker.

So Gma, go off and fly with the angels... look down upon me and send love as often as you can.  I will miss your hugs, your triple kiss, your little giggle when I put my cold hands on your neck, your candy dish which always had my favorites as well as suckers for Steve.  I'll never forget your stories, your positive nature, and the way you used to go deep into character when you'd read me nursery rhymes as a child.  Thank you for all the love you given me, the lessons you've taught me, and the little ray of sunshine you brought into so many lives you've crossed along your journey.

I love you with my whole entire heart and I know you know this.  I will miss you terribly and remember you every day.  Please tell Elaine, Gary, Donna, Betty, Bill, and Gpa that I say hello and love them all.