Change is Hard - Janille Does Detox

Change is hard.  Life is all about change.  Nothing ever stays the same really.  Babies grow up and parents grow older.  People move like we did half way across the states.  Birth, school days, marriage, motherhood and of course with any big life change, there is a period of adjustment.  Not even weight stays the same unless you are one of those rare people who are just blessed with amazing metabolism.  

I knew this detox bootcamp would be a big change.  I knew it would be hard going through caffeine and sugar withdrawal.  I prepared myself mentally or I thought I did.  I HAD NO CLUE.  This week has been very difficult and very discouraging.  I have starved.  My tummy has growled and growled.  I have cried.  I have wanted to sleep around the clock, impossible to do when you have a busy 2-year-old.  I have stood on the scale and almost pulled out my frizzy red hair.  I have loved drinking my apple cinnamon shake and chocolate coconut shake.  I have gotten nauseated with all this water sloshing around my tummy.  Really, if we had to drink so much water to be healthy and stay alive, why doesn't it taste better?!  I have taken my fizzies and felt my brain snap to awareness, but my body still stubbornly says, "Go back to bed."  The lemon Fit Chew is very good and tastes like a chewy Lemonhead and in the afternoon, I have enjoyed it.  It is sweet and sour so it takes away a little bit of the sugar craving.

I have hated drinking the detox tea.  I have discovered I am very partial to strong tea, not tea that tastes like water with a faint mint tea flavor.  Being desperate, I have experimented with that detox tea putting a splash of almond milk, vanilla extract and liquid Stevia.  I can finally tolerate it now that I have found that combination.  Drinking it makes me miss good tea like the strawberry-peach tea with the wonderful name of Summer Regatta.  It's my favorite tea and the only place that sells it is in San Jose, California at Lisa's Tea Treasures.  The detox tea can't compare, but it is necessary.  

I have experimented in the kitchen making my first gluten-free, dairy-free chicken spinach pizza.  Surprisingly, it was good.  It certainly wasn't an extra cheesy, pepperoni, jalapeno, olive and pinapple pizza, but it was satisfying.  I never thought I would ever eat, much less like, dairy-free cheese.  It is a little weird and there is a different smell to it, but melted on a brown rice tortilla or pizza, it's okay.  I used mozzarella shreds by Daiya for the pizza.

I ran across a recipe on Pinterest called Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken and Black Beans.  I don't like black beans so I added organic pinto beans.  It was very good in our brown rice tortillas.  I added a bit more salsa than the recipe calls for because I don't care very much for chicken unless it is Mamo's fried chicken smothered in country gravy!  Yeah, I am every bit of an okie when it comes to fried chicken!  Salsa Chicken is a very easy recipe, but I did manage to overcook the chicken a tiny bit.  The recipe said for the chicken to cook in your crockpot for 6-8 hours.  I thought overnight on low would be fine and it would have been if the moment I got up in the morning, I had turned it on warm.  Even though, the chicken was a tad dry, the extra salsa and pinto beans helped and I added a few slices of avocado on top.  I also melted pepperjack shreds by Daiya on the tortilla.  All in all, it was pretty good!!!!  I love Mexican food so anything with tortillas and cheese, I am a happy mama.  If you follow me on Pinterest, it is pinned on my Arbonne Bootcamp board.   Here is the link for ya'll!   http://www.pinterest.com/janillerose/arbonne-bootcamp

So, you're probably wondering if I have lost any more weight.  I have reminded myself over and over that this journey isn't primarily about weight loss this week, but who wants to feel like they're killing themselves without losing weight? LOL!!  Every Monday, we weigh and send our results to the admin of the FB group.  Monday I was down 3.6 pounds.  My plan was to hit the exercise hard and really try to lose more this week.  I have exercised this week by walking on my treadmill with an incline and Pilates.  It has taken all of my self will to walk on that treadmill.  I have used MyFitnessPal to track my calories and have made sure I didn't go over 1200 calories.  Despite these efforts, I have only lost 1 pound as of today.  This week, I have wanted to scream as I would lose 6 ounces and gain 2 ounces and lost 2 ounces and gain 2 ounces.  I'm not sure what is causing my body to stubbornly hold onto these pounds.  You would think with only taking in 1200 calories and exercising and having no sugar, gluten or dairy, the pounds would fall off.  Again, I am perplexed; is it my thyroid or hormones?  

The first week of detox, our FB group lost a total of 75 pounds combined with most losing well over 4 pounds.  In fact, a couple lost 12 pounds and 8 pounds.  And then there is me, struggling over two stubborn ounces.  I said I was the exception to the rule, right?  This is another reason why we aren't supposed to compare ourselves to each other!!!  I was discouraged reading all their weight loss stats.  I texted a vent text to my friend Heidi telling her my little sob story.  I tell you, it is a blessing to have wise friends who have been here, done this.  She pointed out that maybe the others aren't dealing with thyroid issues and haven't dealt with medical issues like I have.  She very wisely pointed out that I am an overachiever with losing 3.6 pounds in one week.  After all, 2 pounds is super healthy to lose in a week in the long run with keeping the pounds off.  She then texted back telling me to cut myself some slack and "a pound or two lost all adds up if you keep going."  She also told me she didn't start working out until the third week because her withdrawal symptoms were so extreme and she cried every day.  Good to know that although nobody on the group seems to be going through what I'm going through, I have a friend who has experienced all this before me.  What an inspiration for me in that over a year and half later, she is still going strong and let me just say, her abs are my dream abs! LOL!

We weigh in again on Monday.  While I may not be thrilled at just 4.6 lost, at least I haven't gained 4.6 pounds!  The glass is half full right?!!!  Hey, at least I'm not craving Dr. Pepper!

13 days down, 15 to go!  Have a great weekend, ya'll!

Detox Boot Camp Day 6!

Last night, all night long, I dreamed of Alfredo sauce.  It was a VERY long night! In my very vivid dream, there was a huge vat of bubbling, garlic Alfredo sauce and I was this tiny cartoon character who attempted to climb up this huge ladder all night long in order to have one taste - just one taste!  The problem was the bread stick I was carrying was ginormous and kept making me fall into this white, fluffy, cloud that I can only describe as flour.  One time I finally made it all the way up and was about to dip that fresh bread into the luscious vat of deliciousness and as luck would have it, my daughter fell out of bed (this was NOT part of the dream!) and hit the floor with a ka-thunk.  Of course, I was running before I was fully awake to see if she was okay.  She was, but very awake, and so from 4:00 am to about 7:30, she thought it was time to play.  At least I was spared from my endless climbing and pursuit of that perfect bite, but who really wants to be awake at that hour?  I lay in bed watching my daughter play, and tried not to think about Alfredo sauce and bread sticks.

The sugar and caffeine withdrawal symptoms have not been kind the last few days.  Normally, at almost a week of detox, a normal person is starting to feel better.  In fact, there are several members in my FB group who have commented their tummies are flatter, they aren't dragging, and some are even exercising.  Just the thought of walking on my treadmill and I feel faint.

My mornings consist of waking up, and stumbling around as I am make my morning fizzie; I literally guzzle it down.  I make my shake and then for a couple of hours, I attend to Journee's needs, do laundry, clean the kitchen and make the beds.  Usually, I clean the kitchen, dining room and family room before my body starts shaking and the fuzziness in my head gets too much.  I have decided it is better for me to eat food at lunch rather than have another shake, so after lunch I have my second fizzie.  The mornings tend to be better than the afternoon.

By afternoon, it is all I can do to just play with Journee and take care of her.  I was worrying about it this morning and Mom commented it might take me longer to detox and get rid of these pesky symptoms because I went into boot camp after a month of sickness.  Another friend suggested that since I have indulged my sugar and caffeine for years on end along with chemicals associated with numerous medications, it might take longer than a week to detox all those toxins.  It hasn't been fun.  What is that saying, "you gotta get the hurtin' in to get the hurtin' out?"  Yeah, doing that right now!

You might be thinking I am considering quitting or wondering if I should throw in the towel.  No way!! "Why," you ask? One reason is even though I am suffering with these symptoms, I notice I am still getting through all my mommy and wife "chores" without that Dr Pepper and how many glasses of tea.  It takes me longer and yeah, I take breaks laying on the couch, but I am still taking care of Journee with music time, playtime, story time and my husband has come home to dinner and a clean house and almost all his laundry done.  Who knew I could exist without Dr Pepper and sweet tea??!!

Another reason is I am seeing results! This morning I stepped on my scale and guess what??  I have lost 3.2 pounds!!!  Yes, I know this journey isn't primarily about weight loss, but it is a big part of it.  Yes, we aren't supposed to be stepping on that scale, but come on, for years now, I have programmed my mind that every morning or every other morning, I weigh.  I just can't help myself! LOL!  So. maybe you are sitting there reading this thinking, "So what?  I can lose 3 pounds in a week if I tried!"  Well, good for you!  I am happy for you!  I'm not one of those fortunate people who can cut out little things and increase exercise and wa-la-la, be fit.  I have been earnestly trying since February to lose 10 pounds and haven't lost 1 pound!  Three pounds is like I hit the jackpot!!!!!  In fact, this morning I didn't believe my eyes especially after so little sleep. I weighed THREE TIMES just to make sure my scale hadn't lost its mind!  I have a long way to go, but Monday will be the start of the second week and I am relishing in these 3 pounds.  It is a great start and when these withdrawal symptoms do wane, I am going to hit my treadmill running.

This week, I have enjoyed chicken and brown rice, shredded chicken with homemade guacamole in a brown rice tortilla, scrambled eggs with rice and veggies and more yummy guacamole.  I have snacked on almonds and occasionally a fit chew when I needed a snack.  The fit chews through Arbonne are designed to give you a sweet fix and help curb your cravings for a couple of hours.  I ordered chocolate thinking tootsie roll and while it isn't quite the same, it is still good.  My next order of caramel and lemon fit chews will be here Tuesday and I can't wait to try the new flavors!

Yesterday, I wanted to try something different for lunch.  An awesome lady had posted a recipe for homemade organic spaghetti with zucchini noodles.  Now, I love my Italian food and my noodles!  So the thought of zucchini noodles was intriguing.  I decided to try my hand at slicing a zucchini with a knife although usually you use a handy vegetable slicer.  I did not have one so a knife would have to do.  I got my meat  cooking with sauteed garlic and other spices.  Then, for the first time in my life, I sliced a zucchini into long "noodles."  It turned out great!!

It wasn't soft, chewy pasta, but it was good and more than that, Journee loved it!  She ate almost half of my portion on my plate.  That is amazing!!!!!!

Yesterday evening, I was enduring some very strong cravings for sweets.  To compensate, I made a pumpkin pie shake.  My recipe called for my protein powder, unsweetened almond milk, 1/4 cup of pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice to taste and Stevia if you need that additional sweet taste.  Ya'll, it completely satisfied my sweet craving!!!  It was SO good!  I will definitely be making the pumpkin pie shake again!

Monday is our official weigh-in and I'm hoping next week will bring great results!!  It would be wonderful to completely feel great next week, but if it takes my body a little longer than normal, that's okay.  I've always been the exception to the rule!

Meanwhile, enjoy your weekend and be healthy!!!

We are on day 3 of boot camp!!!!  I am completely shocked and surprised at how well I am doing without caffeine or sugar!!! 

Day one was definitely a challenging day.  I had woken up with one of my most severe migraines and I knew it wasn't due to detox or boot camp.  When I wake up with one of those migraines, it is always due to high humidity and heat.  Needless to say, I wanted to cry my head off because it was day one without caffeine to help the headache!! Normally with one of those migraines, I guzzle down the Dr. Pepper as soon as I get up along with pills!  So Monday, I fixed my fizzie and drank it down.  You put it in 8-10 ounces of water and ice.  My tummy was already upset because of the severe migraine and I had to sip and breathe and sip and breathe to get it down.  What happened next shocked me!!!  I am SOLD on Arbonne's Fizz Sticks!!!  I NEVER have energy and I walk around always feeling like a seriously sleep-deprived half-dead person.  It is normal for me to be in such fatigue and brain fog even after 6-8 hours of sleep that sometimes my sentences do not make sense.  I am always mixing up words and half the time I go around calling items "that thing" because I can't think of the word.  This has been the normal for me since Journee was born. Since we have lived in Texas, this has worsened with my heat intolerance.  In 20 minutes, I literally felt my brain fog lift despite the migraine!  My mind became crystal clear!! 

While I was on a roll, I thought, "No better time than the present to make my first protein shake!"  I have to tell you, I had been so excited about boot camp, but equally dreading the protein shakes.  All my life, I have had texture problems with certain food items.  Yogurt, cottage cheese, pot roast and anything with a chalky texture, you can almost guarantee I will be gagging!  I have tried protein shakes by Body by Vi and all those nasty protein shakes you can get at the vitamin shop.  I always got maybe 2 swallows down before the taste and texture would cause me to gag.  So understandably, I was pretty nervous about Arbonne's protein mix.  My wonderful upline, Anna, had told me the protein mix was made with pea protein mix and all vegan.  My hubby was concerned about my texture when we made this decision and he asked me if I thought I was really going to be able to handle it.  My mind was made up.  I was trying it!!!  After looking at all the recipes posted on our awesome Facebook group, I decided I would try the Almond Joy.  It called for protein mix, our daily fiber boost, almond butter, unsweetened almond milk, pure unsweetened cocoa powder (my protein mix was vanilla flavor) and handful of slivered almonds.  I put all this along with ice in my blender and blended.  I poured into my glass, got a straw and sipped fully expecting to be completely grossed out! OH MY GOODNESS, IT TASTED WONDERFUL!!!!  No aftertaste!  No chalky texture!!!!!!  It tasted like liquid chocolaty, coconutty goodness!!!!  I immediately got on my phone and texted at 6 people that I was loving my shake!!! I am completely sold on the protein mix by Arbonne!!  Even after boot camp, I think I will still have a morning shake because it is so good!!!!

Sadly, the migraine totally messed with my tummy and I became very sick which is normal with these types of migraines and I lost all my fizzie and my yummy shake!  While I was being sick, Journee left me and I wondered where she was going, but obviously couldn't run after her.  After things had settled, I gingerly walked into my family room and there on the couch was my pillow and Journee grabbed my hand and said, "Mama, I bring your pillow so you lay down."  So sweet!!!!  I laid down and she pats me and asks, "Mama, you need wa-wa?  You sick, poor owie."  Then she proceeds to get her baby dolls and lay them beside me.  Have I mentioned how much I adore my daughter??!!! 

The rest of the day was spent on the couch with Journee being my loving nurse, all cuddles and kisses.  Mom came and finished our chicken and rice soup for dinner.  It also was very good and detox friendly!!  That night, i was so much in pain, I had to take painkillers and my hubby had to handle Journee's bedtime routine.  After bedtime story, kisses and prayers, Journee looked at me and closing her eyes says, "Mama sick, amen."  I love it when she prays!

Thankfully, yesterday, the migraine was gone and my tummy was in its normal right place.  We aren't supposed to weigh ourselves during the week, just once a week which will be Mondays.  I couldn't help myself though!!!!  I had to know!!!  And to my delight, i am down 1.5 pounds!!!  WOOHOOO!!!!!!!  What a wonderful way to start the day!!!!!

We have made several different shakes.  Almond joy is still my favorite, but yesterday I made Nutty Apple Cinnamon and my husband loved it!  I'm not much of a fruit person, but it was still good.  This morning, we made our shake with strawberries with gluten-free oats and it is SO good!!!  Again, most of my life, if I drink any kind of berries in a smoothie or shake, I will spend hours doubled over in pain with my tummy!  I stay away from strawberries even though who can seriously resist strawberries dipped in chocolate??  I always lick the chocolate off!! LOL!!!  It has been several hours and my tummy is fine and I am not sick!!!  Can I say again, I am LOVING my protein shakes!!!

I am equally absolutely thrilled with my fizzies.  I don't care much for the taste, but it is fine to drink down and the results are AMAZING!!!!  I have tried everything for energy - B12 vitamins, 5 Hour Energy, coffee with double shots, insane amount of Dr Pepper along with ACE and Xtreme 5000 that my cousin sells!!  None of it ever gave me energy or lifted my brain fog!!!  I can literally feel the fizzie working to lift my fog and fatigue.  I am tired, but I can feel it boosting my energy.  My thoughts are clear!  It is not overwhelming to think about doing laundry.  I am AMAZED!!!!!! I am dealing with a caffeine and sugar withdraw headache today and I don't feel like running a marathon yet, but I can tell when I get over this first week and most of the withdrawal symptoms, I am going to do great with my fizzies!!  Have I mentioned they are all natural??  Yes, they are!! Arbonne's products are botanically based with no chemicals or preservatives!!  So I am not putting harmful toxins in my body to feel good!!  Win-win!!!

Our dinners have been good as well.  The first night was chicken and rice soup and last night, we fixed shredded chicken tortillas with brown rice (GF) along with organic beans and I whipped up an all-natural guacamole with avocados, organic cilantro, onion, minced garlic, Roma tomatoes, salt and pepper!  It was so good and we were both full and satisfied with our dinner!

I can tell I am detoxing as I am craving my green tea with honey and the headache from no caffeine or sugar, but I am happy to say it is going way better than I expected.  I am not working out this week as it is not recommended because all my extra energy is going to detoxing my body. I don't think I would last during a workout session so I am glad for the rest this week.  I am hoping this headache doesn't get worse, but I know headaches are just one of many sugar and caffeine withdrawal symptoms and I am okay with that as the end result will be wonderful!!  Sometimes you have to get through unpleasant days to have the best days of your life! 

I will be checking in again Friday or Saturday.  Three days down, 25 more to go!!!    

Janille Does Detox Bootcamp!

After a short year and a half hiatus, I'm back on my blog and embarking on a new adventure!! 

We made the decision almost a year ago to move to Texas from California for the job opportunities for my dad and husband.  What a move!!!!  It is never an easy thing leaving family, friends and everything familiar, but we have been so blessed.  I found my "fairy Godmother" in the small Texas town where I live now.  I would have never imagined she actually existed and I would ever find her, but she has blessed our lives so much.  Justin has been blessed with a great job and I'm so glad he is happy given the very long hours he usually works.  My dad is the only plumber in our town and several neighboring towns and he usually has more work than he has time for!  

Despite our blessings, it has been quite challenging for me to handle the heat and humidity.  I have joked especially in the last couple months that I'm a step away from hermit status.  I have always had migraines my whole life, but they have been almost daily.  For the last month, I have been so sick!  Most of you that know me personally know I have had my share of medical issues with endometriosis which worsened after Journee's birth, migraines and an out of whack thyroid. 

After the last month, I knew my life had to change somehow.  I'm on medication for my thyroid, but it doesn't seem to be working.  Sometimes  life calls for drastic measures!  After all, there's a quote that says, "Health is wealth."  I'm there.  I have had way too many sick days and I don't have time to be sick on the couch when my adorable 2-year-old is growing up.

Today, I'm starting my journey to get healthy!  Along with my husband, I am starting a 28 day bootcamp through Arbonne.  I know people personally who have undergone bootcamp or something similar and had fantastic results with their health and weight.  Over a year ago, one of my friends decided to change her life and as a result, lost 65 pounds and has energy to burn!  The change in her is unbelievable!!  I decided if she could do it, so could I!  So, I found out more information and I signed up for Arbonne which offers the 28 day bootcamp along with supplement support and group support on Facebook.  The first time I logged onto my Facebook group, I felt like saying, "Hello, my name is Janille and I'm addicted to sugar!"

This isn't for the faint of heart, but my mind is made up!  For the next 28 days, I will be eliminating gluten, dairy and sugar along with all processed foods.  My refrigerator is full of organic veggies and fruits.  My freezer is now stocked in free-range chicken, grass-fed beef and organic eggs.  The goal is to detox my body of all toxins while eating a clean, pure diet.  My diet will be packed with protein.  Thankfully, this isn't a "diet" where you limit your calories to some crazy number in order to lose those pesky pounds. For example, the HCG diet you only eat 500 calories for 20 or 40 days - yeah, been there, done that, survived.  My focus is start a lifestyle that will be healthy for myself and my family for years to come.  Most of our food has become so processed with chemicals and preservatives!!  I would imagine our food tastes nothing like the food of the ancestors!!  It really is horrifying that sugar addiction is compared to having a cocaine addiction.  Most of us would never even ever try cocaine, yet every day we guzzle our energy drinks and Dr. Pepper to jolt our minds awake!  When we experience the inevitable crash, we drink or eat more sugar.  So I'm borrowing an old slogan from my generation:  Just say NO! 

I would also like to tell ya'll my OB/GYN is 100% supportive of me undergoing detox and bootcamp.  I saw him on Friday and told him about it and his only concern was if it included an unhealthy limit of calories.  He said 1200-1400 calories a day was perfect and healthy.  From symptoms, I think it is safe to say my hormones are completely unbalanced and if you research how to help an imbalance, every article talkes about diet and eliminating sugar and processed foods especially! My doctor said he will be very interested to see the results and how my body will respond to cleansing out all the bad toxins!

Several of you have told me you have missed my blogs, so I thought I would document the next 28 days while I detox, go through sugar withdrawal and hopefully at the end, I will emerge on my way to a healthier woman and mama!  Ya'll will be my captive audience and since I love my morning Dr Pepper and Tradewinds Green Tea with Honey, I'm sure this journey is going to be an eye-opener!  I will try to spare you as much as possible as I'm sure this first week without sugar, I will be a crazy woman with her red hair standing on end.  One lady who has already went through bootcamp said by the third night, she was so craving sugar and crazy irritated, she grabbed her fizzie, detox tea and chews (more on those later) and locked herself in her basement!  By the next morning, she was fine.  Now I must warn ya'll as I have warned my family, I don't have a basement or cellar or attic.  I have a shed, but since it is without cool air, that would only make the heat-intolerant redhead worse.  So those of you who pray, pray fervently, Saints, for the crazy, sugar-deprived redhead mama in Texas!!  Oh wait, maybe the prayers should be for Journee and my husband!!  LOL!  If you're in my area and happen to visit and I look like something the cat drug in and nothing I say makes sense, a hug will be much appreciated!

I will be posting more details about how well the fizzies work, if the chews really help curb my 24/7 hunger and if I have managed to drink my smoothies without gagging since I have a texture problem!  

As for Journee, my miracle baby girl, she has blossomed into a happy, social 2-year-old who loves her bongos and feels my days with so much joy.  She is everywhere all the time, rarely walking, and the house is never quiet unless she is taking a rare nap.  She loves music and goes around singing, "Oh Happy Day" at the top of her voice and my piano endures her banging happily.  She checks her baby dolls for fever and gives them the diagnosis of "constipated."  Her daddy taught her that word!!  She is her daddy's girl, her mama's sidekick, her Nene's musical partner and her Papa's "all-the-time girl!"  She talks all the time stringing together 8-9 word sentences that make perfect sense and at church, I regret to say she loses the victory quickly when she realizes she cannot "pway dums!"  She lives up to the meaning of her name very well!!!    

Thank you for joining me on my journey to get healthy and prayer and great positive thoughts are appreciated!

If ya'll have any questions, you can find me on Facebook or email me at janilleandarbonne@yahoo.com!