Road to Inspiration ...

I am coming up on the final four weeks of the Isabody Challenge, and to tell you the truth, I feel like I've already won!  I have released 43 pounds and counting.  And while this number may not be as stunning as some who have released more than a hundred pounds, my transformation is just as miraculous, nonetheless!

Somewhere along the line my paradigm shifted ... I started wanting a  healthy body instead of a thin one!  Who knew that  making conscious efforts to put good nutrition in my body and surround myself with other healthy positive folks would be the key?

It's true, losing weight is a by-product.  This is the secret of the genie in the lamp ... I wished to be thin and instead got the tools to become healthy!  I just love it when people say to me, but you only drink shakes!  When you stop, you'll gain it all back again!

Oh, to you naysayers, this is my response -- first of all ... I love the taste and convenience of the shakes ... when I forget to plan ahead and all of a sudden I'm starving, some ice and a blender and an Isalean shake saves me from making a bad choice!  It's instant gratification, which, truthfully, I'm all about a lot of the time!  There I said it.  I like things quick and I like things easy!

Since I began this journey in November, I've attracted so many new and wonderful friends!  They have shared with me tips for quick and healthy eating with very little forethought and prep time! Each and every one has the same focus as myself!  - To live a healthy and prosperous life!  From them I have learned how important it is to EAT properly ... to eat organic ... to chose an apple instead of a bag of chips and to have an IsaDelight instead of a Snickers!


I eat better now that I am doing a nutritional cleanse than I ever have in my life!  And I want to shout it out so the world can hear!

Anyone feeling inspired yet?  I know I am!

Here's a link to my friend Beth's blog ... she distributes Horizon Foods meats and is a goddess of quick and easy gourmet meals!  http://bethshealthyliving.blogspot.com

Check her out and join her mailing list ...

Inspiration for the Day ...

Found this tree while looking for inspirational images ... doesn't it look like it's dancing!  Mother Nature is the most amazing thing!  She doesn't try, she just does.

(they swear it's not photoshopped!)

I'm adopting this attitude toward exercise .... I want to dance like the tree ... naturally with beauty and grace!

I've got five weeks left in the IsaBody Challenge ... so I'm really kicking the exercise into gear!  I could use a little cheering on though .. anyone got cardio that's fun and easy to do?   If you do, please share!

It's time to motivate and get REALLY CREATIVE!

100th Post

This week I celebrated my 100th post!  Not sure how much weight I've released (you know I stay away from the scales) but I know it's more than 40 pounds!

People are stopping me on the street asking me for my secret ... I tell them, no secret, it's Isagenix!

After 10,000 days of wishing, I finally stopped dreaming and started doing!  This is the first year in a VERY LONG TIME I'm looking forward to summer!

Happiness is in Your Hand

Last week was a toughie ... but then I got to a point where I'd had enough of the struggle. I decided to stop and just be happy. And you know what, I became happy. More like myself again. You see, I'd forgotten that no matter what life throws at you, happiness is in your hand. The choice is yours.

I was reminded of that. Now I choose to smile, I choose to be grateful, I choose to be happy ... Sure things are still challenging, but that's the fun of life. My friend Mona May says when we grow older, we won't remember the minutia of what our struggles were. What we WILL remember is that we kept going, we continued to participate and we challenged ourselves to live life to the fullest!

This is the juice! Your life, your way!

Hope you live your life to the fullest today!

Wish for Happiness

When I was a kid dandelions were my favorite because each one grew with a wish!

This week's wish is for happiness and smooth sailing, what's yours?

Just Because ...

Challenging Week ...

This has been a challenging week .. food-wise, work-wise, life-wise ... It felt like every possible roadblock to my success appeared! There were barriers every which way I turned.

Hot button eating emotions in my life ... doubt, insecurity, self-loathing , rebellion and more ... were all triggered - SIMULTANEOUSLY! The result was eating Taco Bell and drinking lattes for four days in a row ... I was still conscious and controlled, eating 3 crunchy tacos at 173 calories each = 519 calories ... a latte with 4 tbsp of half and half and Splenda = 100 calories ... so calorie-wise this wasn't so bad, but health-wise, well not so much ...

I recognize what this is ... SABOTAGE, self-sabotage! It's happened to me before ... I've gotten so far in the weight-release journey, but there's still a long way to go ... and suddenly, in front of me I see nothing but blocks. And, I find myself taking the wrong turns. Making small choices at first ... a latte here, a taco there ... then the next thing I know, I'm completely off program!

But this is not the case this time. This time I'm choosing a different path. Even though I had a really challenging week, I didn't let the barriers sidetrack me completely.

In fact, Saturday was my birthday and I'd given my self the option to have cake if I wanted it, only to find out, I really didn't want it. Imagine that!

Now that's some serious growth! So here it is, advice for the week ... no matter what barriers you are facing, no matter how far you feel you have to go, hang in there. Dig deep, you have it within you to keep moving forward through!

Emotional Odyssey

Small choices make a difference. Today was another potential day of emotional eating. I'm working on a memoir, which is challenging for me. My inner critic was kicking and screaming, 'you'll never be about to write 10,ooo words. who are you kidding? you suck at this writing thing. give it up.' This made me want to eat, eat, eat.

Then I realized, ah, this is self-doubt, this is inadequacy ... Couple that with the Oscars and a night of celebration could lead to massive over-eating. I ended up having my friend Poppy over ... and we had hors d'oeurves ... hummus, carrots, celery ... that part wasn't so bad, but the brie and the Ak Mak, that was a calorie extravagance. We didn't have drinks, just water and green tea. But I did break my coffee embargo and used my Nespresso machine to make lattes with half and half for desert!

Earlier in the day I'd been craving (and almost gave in to) Taco Bell. Yes, I know this is gross, but there's some times when nothing but a Taco Bell crunchy taco will do! Today would have been one of those days. In fact, I was headed to TB for a stress-induced bag of tacos when i thought, stop ... you're already planning to have brie and crackers and a latte (OMG - it was PERFECTION!!!) tonight, probably should not have tacos for lunch.

That's what I mean by small decisions making a difference. Today, even though I was battling insecurities, I didn't take the easy path and mindlessly turn to food.

Instead I made conscious choices. And in the end, this will make all the difference!

Emotional Eating

"A Clear Understanding of Negative Emotions Dismisses them." Vernon Howard

Yesterday I gave in and did some emotional eating. Only a little bit ... but still, I did it. I've been struggling and yesterday a ghost from my past snuck up on me triggered it. Major difference this time, I recognized it as it was happening. I was completely conscious of what I was doing.

I knew when I was shopping in Trader Joe's I was going to eat. I chose white cheddar popcorn -- knowing the whole bag was less calories than a bag of chips. I hadn't intended to buy it when I walked in, but it ended up in my basket anyway.

At home I talked myself through the whole process -- is this going to serve your goal of winning the Isabody Challenge? No. Ok, well then leave them alone. I repeated this conversation and circled my kitchen like a shark after blood. Opening the bag, closing the bag. Opening the bag, eating a little, putting it away. Finally I was like, "just eat the bag, do it and be done." So I did -- and you know what -- I enjoyed it, a lot!

But here's the key differences between this time and all the times before -- I didn't beat myself up. I didn't keep going. I had a shake for dinner and was right back on the program. I also recognized the feeling of inadequacy made me turn to the comfort of food. So courtesy of my friend and client Nancy Mendell ... I came up with strategies to try next time ... walk the dog, journal, do some art ... try one of these things before settling in and stuffing it down.

What strategies do you have in place for your next struggle with emotional eating?

Clear Skies

You know what it's like right after a storm? When the skies finally clear and the air is cool and crisp and clean, and the sun is not just shining, but sparkling ... That's how I felt this morning when I got up.

Like I'd weathered this dramatic storm and the reward was clear blue skies! Yesterday was just a test ...

I did not give in to the foods that were calling me. I rallied strength from my coaches and friends. (thank you Beth for recognizing the little waver in my voice and calling me right away!) Then I realized, this is the Isagenix difference. The personal coaching. The bonds you form and the friends you make over challenges that are unique but the same to all of us.

David Wood says when you're feeling doubt, uncertainty, fear or apprehension, those are signs you're being challenged. Yesterday I thanked him (repeatedly) for those words of wisdom because I was living a day FULL OF CHALLENGE! I remembered that an uncomfortable state is natural -- I call it growing pains -- "Here I grow again" is one of David's favorite mantras ... Now I understand why!

So next time you're in the middle your own personal storm, remember what I learned from yesterday ... 1. it'll pass and 2. say to yourself 'here i grow again' ... know that the bad weather doesn't last forever ... clouds will pass and skies will clear! The rewards for sticking it out are unlimited! Have a fantastic day!

On the Edge ...

Today was kind of a bad day. Well parts of it were anyway. Things got so bad they were laughable about an hour ago ... but that's when I almost went over the edge. Pizza and beer at Dino's was calling my name! LOUDLY!

You see today I did something really stupid. I weighed myself while having a horrible day, in the middle of the afternoon, after have a shake for breakfast, chicken and cabbage stir fry for lunch and a shake at 4pm. Oops! Seriously oops.

So here's something many of you may not know about me. I've had a long and tumultuous relationship with the scale. It's taken me many, many years to shrink my fat head. And just when I thought it was safe ...

Weighing myself today, while already in the midst of an already emotionally stormy day, was an interesting form of self-sabotage.

The scale said I've only lost 3 pounds in a week and a half.

This after the weekend cleanse struggle made me instantly go to the 'What's the Use' place. You know the place. It's on 'I Should Just Give Up' street in the town of 'This'll Never Work." Anyone else ever visited here?

Luckily, I had Isagenix teammates and coaches to call and they encouraged me to get out of that place right away. And while at the moment I'm still on edge, I'm no longer on THE Edge, ya know?

Their support has made all the difference!

Peace!