3 Day Shakeology Cleanse: What I learned, What I lost, What I gained

Why  the 3 Day Shakeology Cleanse?

For me it was to boost a few pounds of weight loss I'd been looking for and to re-energize myself after a busy weekend in Las Vegas.  I'd heard about other people doing it, and I know Shakeology is filled with such goodness that it couldn't hurt.  So I gave it a try and this is my story (and I'm stickin' to it).

Click here to learn more about Shakeology.

See below for a snapshot of what the cleanse entails.

What I learned:

The first day was hard because I didn't get my coffee and my body was a little shocked by the decrease in calories for the day.  I survived.

I have to have coffee in the morning.  Yes, it's true.  I'm an addict and I'm not willing to change.  So, to try and keep it as clean as possible I swapped my creamer for honey and that did the trick.

I also learned you must consume your calories on a very scheduled basis or your gonna be a cranky pants :)  This includes making sure you eat dinner no later than 6pm! Yikes that can get ugly. 

I never lacked energy or felt sleepy.

What I lost:

3 pounds overall and 1 inch off my waist. Who doesn't love that?  Hello bathing suit season!

What I gained:

A reminder of what good food is for my overall health.  What I can still cut back on (I heart Dutch Bros. lattes but I don't need them more than once or twice a week) in the way of processed food...and the beloved bread!

The knowledge that I don't need creamer in my coffee anymore!  I've made the switch to honey...It's better for me and my wallet!

A new favorite dinner recipe:  Turkey burger with spinach and mushrooms. OH.MY.WORD.

Flavors include:

Chocolate

Chocolate Vegan

Vanilla

Strawberry

Strawberry Vegan

Greenberry

To break it down quickly:

• Green Tea in the a.m.
• Shakeology mixed with ice, water, & fruit for breakfast
• 1 serving of fruit for a mid-morning snack
• Shakeology mixed with ice, water & fruit plus a cup of green tea for lunch
• Shakeology mixed with ice and water for afternoon snack
• White/lean meat, veggies, and salad for dinner
• Drink a lot of water throughout the day

Glorious Bodies

It is very important to me to balance my Facebook page with a variety of posts, and while health and fitness are a big part of my life there are other areas that have priority as well and deserve the same attention.  My page is called "The Balanced Life" for a reason. How easy it is to get so hyper focused in one area that the others fade into the background.  

One of my intrinsic priorities is to be "fit" in my relationships starting with my walk with God. This morning I was reading Philippians 3 and verses 20-21 really popped out at me:

But there's far more to life for us.  We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthly bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.

I don't know about you, but I kinda took a deep breath when I read this.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy challenging myself physically, and seeing the results of how I feel and what it does for my body.  There was just something satisfying about knowing that it doesn't end there.  What an incredible moment to pause in the thought that one day Christ will transform my body, no matter what shape it is in, into something my mind can not begin to comprehend!

So, I will continue to be a good steward of this earthly body God has granted me for this time on earth, and look forward to the ROCKIN' body that is yet to come!  Can you imagine running on streets of gold?

SWIM * BIKE * RUN

I completed my first open water triathlon this past weekend.  It has been a goal of mine for a couple of years since I watched my husband compete in them.  I decided this year that I would make it happen. At the invitation from my friend Steph I signed up for the Blue Lake My First Tri in Portland, OR.

On the drive home Steph asked me two questions, and although I gave her an answer right away the questions are still rolling around in my head, and my answers have evolved, so I decided to write it out...

What could I have done better?  

• The day of the race I needed to eat a better breakfast, but I had been nauseous during the night so all I could stomach was dry toast and half of a 7-Up.  Needless to say I was really hungry on the bike, which made the nausea return in a big way.  I need to work on anti-anxiety techniques for pre-race jitters!
• Leading up to the race I should have been attending the Masters Swim class to strengthen my weakest area.  I will now put my intimidation of that class aside and start swimming with them once a week.

What did I do right?

• The day of the race I really felt I left it all on the course.  I had never swam in a wet suit before let alone swim that distance in open water.  My goal was to not panic in the water and I didn't!  Another goal of mine was to finish in 1hr 30min and possibly come in the top 10 of my division.  Not only did I hit that goal, but I came in 5 minutes faster and got 3rd in my age group!
• Leading up to the race I trained well in the bike and run, figured out what nutrition while racing worked for me, and stuck FIRMLY to the training schedule my wonderful trainer, Khiva, put together. She also ran us through a mock-transition which enabled us to be calm and organized in both the swim/bike transition and the bike/run transition.

The best part of this experience was completing this with Steph.  She had some obstacles to over come herself and knocked the race out of the park!  She's hooked I think.  Steph, thank you for pushing me out of my comfort zone and inviting me to do this with you!  

We all need people in our lives to challenge, encourage, and partner with us and I feel so blessed to have people like that in my life.  I have to say I didn't feel the same elation that Steph did upon finishing that day, but now as I look back I feel good about accomplishing something I set out to do. It's like child birth, it doesn't take long for the pain of the moment to disappear to want to do it again :) 

Failure to Launch

Teddy Roosevelt "The Man in the Arena" Paris 1910

Oh, to be this person who is marred by dust, sweat, and blood and still forges ahead.  I write this as I think about all of the things I want (or think I want) to be doing different and new.  I can not quiet the voices in my head that drown out my dreams and ideas.  My quick, short bursts of confidence melt into a paralyzed fear.  It is an odd place to be in, and keeps me in limbo.  I have yet to commit to one idea or dream and go with it. 

Fear of failure.  This blog post speaks directly to the subject.  I urge you to read it.  One of the blog author's statements that have stuck with me is this:  “I’ve come to learn is this:  the seeming failures over time, seem to bring more fruit than the successes”.  He, Morgan Snyder, goes on to say,  “and each time failure comes, it’s not that the failures hurt less.  It’s that they hurt better.” 

We succeed and fail in life, all the while esteeming success over failure.  “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  Both are essential.”  Morgan says then goes on to ask, “(am I) choosing to live in a way that requires God to show up?” Good question! Am I timidly making safe choices every day and/or shying away from challenges all together?  What choices could I be forging ahead with that would require my God to show up in my weakness? 

Baby steps.  I say all this to encourage those that want to do more, but either don’t know where to start or are afraid to take the next step.  Let’s not live a life without risks. I’ll close with this last question posed by Morgan:

"Are you risking enough to be acquiring a healthy mosaic of failures?"

 

Creating Goals and Bringing Them to Life

Can 30 days really change your life?  Well, of course it can.  For good and for bad. Expected or not.  But, I'm not looking to go that deep I just want to share with you a  30 day challenge that is helping me navigate my life right now.

I joined this challenge partly out of curiosity, and partly because a month ago I was really feeling intimidated by all of the thoughts and conversations I was having about what I want to do with my life.  I'm a slow learner, deep thinker, and a Type A list maker.  This program has helped me focus in on what I need to pursue and change in my life to get to where I want to be.  I'm not finished with the process by any means and honestly will be taking some time to review everything I've learned, what I've written to myself, and most importantly bring it before God for His direction.

The online service is FREE!  It is a daily video that really doesn't take very long...I'd say at the most 10 minutes.  The first few days of "homework" take some time, but then it gets easier.  Honestly, this challenge took me longer than 30 days because I didn't watch the videos everyday, but today I finished Day 30.  

I don't know if it will help you or not, but it doesn't hurt to check it out.  I've realized that personal development is very important to me right now and this has been a great first step in my journey.  I wanted to share it with you in case it was right for you as well! Like I said it is FREE so no harm no foul ;)

Click here for Chalene Johnson's 30-Day Challenge to master organization and achieve your goals!  Then comment on my Facebook page A Balanced Life with Sandi Hull and let me know if your in or not! I'd love to cheer you on!

Road Etiquette 101

Today my training called for a 15 mile bike ride.  I knew what route I wanted to take, but wanted a visual of the mileage so I drove the road first.  While on the back road of the route I was coming to an  incline with a "do-not-pass" stripe in the middle. Coming towards me IN MY LANE were two runners. I slowed as I got closer, yet neither one moved over.  I was forced to cross the center line even though I could not see if another car was coming at me up and over the hill I was on.  Needless to say it was dangerous on the runners' behalf to not pay attention to their surroundings.  

I went home, grabbed my bike and headed out.  About 10 miles in I came upon the same two runners. One was literally running in the middle of the lane.  Her running partner was close to the white line, but not in the bike/run lane.  Again as I approached neither one of them moved over to the side! I couldn't believe it.  I was forced to ride the center line to go around them. This road does not see a lot of traffic, but is not completely remote either.  For the life of me I do not know what these runners were thinking.  

Basic Rules of the Road:

Road Runners:  Run against the flow of traffic.  Stay as far to your left as possible, but remain visible.  If you must pass someone, announce "on your right" then safely pass and get back to the left.  Remember, this is for road running.  Trail runners stay right, as the trail allows, and pass on the left as you are able.

Road Bikers:  Bike with the flow of traffic.  Stay as far to your right as possible, but remain visible.  If you must pass someone, announce "on your left" then safely pass and get back to the right.  Again, this is for road biking.  Trail biking is like running, stay to the right, as the trail allows, and pass on the left as you are able.

Please use common sense, and be respectful of others.  For your safety and mine.

Fully Alive

Lately I have been actively pursuing some desires God has given me. It has been a long journey. Partly because I needed a heart change and some time to grow in my faith, but also because I have doubted and just plain ignored the desires for a long time. In my Bible reading this morning this jumped out at me fresh and new. I wanted to share it with you:

Matt 27:65

“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.”

66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

We live like this sometimes in our walk with God.  I have heard God give me direction, and out of fear, insecurity, or lack of faith I have rolled a stone over my heart, sealed it and posted the guard of disobedience.  I know the end of this story though.  Jesus comes right out of that sealed tomb.  Nothing can hold Him back.  If I don’t let Him use me I will miss out on joy and blessing in this life, and He’ll give the job to someone else.  I pray that when I want to roll a stone over what God’s doing in my life, I will resist the temptation.  Instead I want to stand fully alive outside of the tomb of disobedience.

What about you?  Are you living fully alive?  We've been created with gifts and purpose. Let's not waste our lives worrying about what others may think, or believe the lies we listen to inside our heads about not being smart enough or good enough to do what it is we long to do.  Remove that sealed stone from your life and do something crazy like live, REALLY LIVE, your life!