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!!!