Day 1: 3-Day Cleanse

My groceries for today and the next two days! Yes, this my cleanse. It's not the best or the most accurate but I've seen it work. I did it a few years back with my very good friend who was experimenting with the Medical Weight-Loss Program. I don't eat red meat but I will during this cleanse. Honestly, there isn't all that much I need to cleanse ( my healthy eating is a lifestyle). While I'm away training though, I can't control what the Army decides to feed me and I usually have to eat a lot of what I don't eat if I want to maintain. I would pass out if I didn't eat the food they give me.

So after my training, I didn't want to go grocery shopping because I'm going to be moving in a day or so. So I was basically eating fast-food, snacks or not eating at all these last few days. I pizza, cookies, candy...everything I don't eat. So as a punishment to myself for not keeping my discipline in check, I am going to do this very depressing 3-day cleanse.

It consists of water, eggs and half of an orange ( I use grapefruit too) for breakfast. Lunch is water, green vegetables, the other half of your fruit and red meat. Eat as much as you want until you are full. Dinner is the same as lunch, minus the fruit. <------The most depressing 3 days ever!

Basically, drink water, eat green vegetables and red meat until you dispose of all the unhealthy foods you decided to stuff yourself with lately. I bet you I won't eat any pizza/cookies again. That is unless I end up losing 20lbs that I don't want to lose.

I will also start my consistent workout schedule today. I did my workout this morning and will do another if I have time after work. Two workouts a day are not required, I just have to feel any down time I have and prefer to feel it getting in better shape.

Good luck with your experiments or new lifestyles!

p.s Keep a smile on!

NEW GYM CLOTHES!

Ahh, we meet again. I do apologize for my long disappearances. Between work and the military, my camera barely has time to come out the bag. I have been wanting to simply write to you. I think I might make an inspiration/motivation blog for those interested. It will be long, detailed posts about certain life situations that we all go through and how I think we handle them versus how we should handle them. I don't want to take away from my book series but I want so badly to share with you the many thoughts I have.

I promised to show you my latest workout/relax gear. So here it is, minus some. I am in the process of moving so a lot of things are packed, including some of my new workout clothes. I got the little booty shorts! Yes! I will explain why it's important that we own a few of those and get ourselves comfortable to run/walk in public. While I love my legs/butt and have a fairly toned stomach (most days), I am not comfortable wearing just a sports bra but that is my goal.

I haven't been working out as much because I'm planning a 34-days of fitness plan. The fun starts Saturday! Don't be alarmed, rest is important. I will be working out everyday but some days will be less intense. Clean eating is a must during this process! This is a no-bull time period which is why I chose July. While it's busy because I'm moving and have other personal things going on, It's my only month off from the military. My months are only getting more hectic after July.

I will try my very hardest to post everyday! Most of the time I am alone so I have nobody to take pictures or record. I know, it sucks. I am really going to beg people to be by my side during this journey so you all can see the before and after and really see what I do and how it works.

p.s my friend got "Insanity" so expect some insane posts!

Stay encouraged! Failure is not moving!

MY GROCERY LIST

I hate grocery shopping!


I'm sure it's because it's so expensive and the cheap food is the food that makes you fat!

Okay, enough of my problems. I've decided to write a grocery list. I have sort of a rough draft and wanted to go to all the stores (Whole Foods, Kroger, Meijer, Target) in the area and put a price on things. I am also going to start using coupons as much as I can to save more money. I am going to post my grocery list. It is not complete and I am not a vegetarian or on a diet.

Although, I am considering becoming a vegetarian.

Here it goes...

Fruits              

Apples
Oranges
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Strawberry
Grapes
Avocado
Tomato
Coconut
Peach
Pear
Mango
Banana

Vegetables

Amaranth
Broccoli
Celery
Lettuce
Spinach
Kale
Peas
Asparagus
Carrot
Artichoke
Black beans
Green beans
Onions (chives, garlic) (joint lubricant)
Sweet Potatoes
Peppers (all)

Herbs/Spices

Basil (anti-bacterial capabilities, treat constipation, cramps, colds, indigestion )
Cilantro
Dill
Lemon Grass (digestion, relaxation, constipation, acne, rough skin..)
Oregano
Parsley ( relaxes stiff muscles, flushes excess fluid, control blood pressure)
Rosemary ( improves memory, mood elevator, migraine help,
Sage (helps w/ allergies, anti bacterial inflammatory, digestion)
Thyme ( cleanse organs, helps PMS symptoms)
Garlic ( anti bacterial inflammatory, detoxification ,weight management)
Turmeric ( weight management, immune booster
Cayenne pepper
Cumin (anemia fighter,
Lime ( relieves constipation,
Cinnamon
Ginger
Lemon

Meat/Poultry/Protein fats

Chicken
Turkey
Fish (Salmon, Tuna, Tilapia, Swai)
Shrimp
Tofu
Veggie Burgers
Eggs
Almonds
Pecans
Pistachios
Walnuts
Peanut butter (real)
Whey protein powder strawberry/vanilla
Genisoy natural protein powder


Grains/Cereal/Rice

Whole grain waffles
whole wheat flour
granola
Quinoa
Brown rice
Whole grain steel oats
Special K almond cereal
Greek Yogurt

Oils/Dressing

Olive Oil
Canola Oil
Apple Cider Vinegar ( thermogenic)
Low fat  Balsamic Vinaigrette 
Low fat Caesar
Coconut oil

Liquids

Water
Almond Milk
Green Tea
Crystal Light

Enjoyment

Skinny Pop Popcorn (don’t eat the whole bag in one serving)
Multi Grain/Sweet Potato chip (Food Should Taste Good)



Still in Progress, but this is typically what you will find in my kitchen...

What's in your kitchen???

Things get better with time

A LITTLE MOTIVATION!

These are my scale readings since the end of March. It was 158lbs the beginning of March and I knew I had to do something!

As you can see, the days get better.

Saying Hello

Hey!

I'm exhausted from my workout and long day at work. I would apologize for the mess on the floor but, I'm in the process of moving...my excuse :)

I just wanted to show you my body at 140lbs. Of course, it's smaller when I first wake up before food gets in my system. My stomach is poking out here because that's where most all of my water and food sits throughout the day. I have to cherish that first hour after waking up when my stomach is flat.

I've recently lost 18lbs since March...I'll tell you all about it later.

Until next time,

Allante'

Drink Water!

As the temperature rises we tend to focus more on shopping for summer clothes when we should be focused on the liquids we put into our bodies.

Summer Barbeques, open houses, birthday parties, weekend wine downs.... pop, juice, energy drinks, alcohol...

As much as I would love to tell you what you want to hear by saying...It's okay, drink whatever you want as long as you stay hydrated. I have to tell you the truth and assure you that water is the best and only thing for you.

Why? 60% of your body is composed of water. That includes all your saliva, absorption, digestion, nutrients and much more. Think of all the times you use the bathroom, sweat, go hours without drinking anything or drink energy drinks and alcohol... or just fail to drink water. At that point your body is being deprived of what it needs to survive properly. Which is why people faint, or feel dizzy/light-headed among many other side affects.

Your body knows when you haven't been hydrating properly, it triggers the "I'm thirsty" cell in the brain which should cause you to get something to drink. (Alcohol will only make matters worse because it interferes with the communication between the brain and kidney and will cause you to stay dehydrated.)

Water won't cause you to lose weight...it is your weight. Substituting water for pop is how you lose weight. If your use to drinking coffee, juice, pop and alcohol and one day decide that all you want to drink is water, you will then see major weight loss because water has no calories, cleans your system and is part of your natural body weight. Drinking other liquids besides water will cause you to gain weight...drinking a lot of water will have you feeling "bloated" but all you have to do is ...sweat it out, drink more water and SLEEP it off.

Don't believe the hype about energy drinks, water will provide you with the energy you need. During military training we drink water to keep us awake (can't fall asleep if you have to constantly use the bathroom) and we drink water to keep our muscles in tact. 

Drinking water helps you use the bathroom regularly, we all need to keep a clean system. 

Best thing about water besides the fact that it keeps you alive, it keeps the skin clear which helps your image over the years...we all want to look young when we're old, right? Drink water.

Also, I wouldn't suggest coffee but it isn't all bad for you. Just limit yourself to one cup a day if you can't live without it. (I believe it makes people happy, I wouldn't want to dull your happiness.)

It's a lifestyle

When I first started my journey everyone wanted to know what I did and how I did it...

1. I became diciplined
2. I made a schedule (Workout days/times)
3. I found partners
4. I did my research
5. I did what I had to do...

Honestly, It involved me changing my lifestyle..

1. Be up at 5a, no later than 8a
2. Morning workout because as much as you don't want to, it'll make your whole day better
3. Always do something that will target the abs (Can't go wrong with any cardio routine, just hold your stomach in during the workout to target and tighten the ab muscles)
4. Eat breakfast (the most important meal of the day, if you skip it....just go back to bed)
5. Work
6. Workout and stretch as much as possible (I had a factory job..I was standing in one spot for 8+ hours, I would walk in place and lean from side to side working my obliques...If I wasn't tired at night or couldn't sleep...I went to the gym...it became my therapy)
7. Lunch and snacks are just as important as breakfast... I ate breakfast by 9a, lunch by 1p, Dinner before 8p (close to 6p if time allowed) Snacks in between but dinner was the last meal.
8. Sleep by 10p (remember SLEEP is just as important as breakfast and water...if you don't get the right amount of sleep, nothing else matters)
9. Remember this lifestyle is a rewarding one...

I bet you're wondering about the specifics...

1. No salt (on anything)
2. Water, water, water and more water...only water..
3. That means, No pop, no juice, no crystal light, no tea, no coffee, NO ALCOHOL
4. No bread
5. Fruits with breakfast and lunch...
6. No fruits after 5/6p
7. Vegetables and proteins with every meal
8. I've never weighed my meals, I believe in eating until I'm full
9. Surprisingly, I started getting full quicker and my usual servings became too much after awhile
10. No candy, no chips, no ice cream..NO CANDY,CHIPS, ICE CREAM, BREAD, CHEESE...or anything else good..
11. Yes, everything that you love is causing you to be overweight and unhealthy (I don't know why it had to be this way)
12.  No fast food period. I've worked at Taco Bell and McDonalds..trust me, it's not good for you.
13. No pork or red meats ( I also recently cut out beef but it can be useful sometimes so it's up to you)
14. Organic/natural foods only
15. No eating after 8p


Okay so...I'm not suggesting you do this all at one or at all. Everyone is different. This is just an example of the life I live...Most of the time

As you get comfortable and it's not all a struggle, the gym becomes a habit, your body is moving faster and looking slimmer and you just feel better inside and out..things change...

Currently, I put apple cider vinegar and lemon juice in my first 32oz of water...I drink crystal light sometimes and smoothies are the best!

I don't use salt on my foods but I eat organic chips now and sometimes they have salt among other things I eat..

Instead of ice cream, I eat frozen yogurt every once in awhile.... I have cut out bread and cheese and I go weeks without dairy products.

 I only drink almond milk, I only eat Special K cereal, egg whites...the list goes on.

Some days I don't have time for lunch...some days it's dinner...Some days I have to eat after 8p (Ideally If I was being more strict I would prepare all my meals and pack them with me so there would be no excuses and I could control what goes in my body and when..)

You'll be surprised to know...everything has salt, carbs, sugar, fat etc. You have to get creative and spend a lot of money to eat healthy...

All in All, it's only hard when you start craving things you know are wrong for you and you can't find a healthy substitute...at that point...grab an apple w/peanut butter or just go to sleep.

Seriously, I'm here for you, whatever you wanna know I will find the answer for you. If I'm in your area and you wanna workout, let me know...It's a lifestyle!

I will be posting individual blogs about thing alone...like the benefits of apple cider vinegar, running, the steam room, resistance bands etc.

I hope this has helped you at least a little bit.

-Allante'