Second Time Around (Journey to a healthier self!)

Going into Arbonne's program this second time (September 9th was Day 1 for us), I was already 22 pounds LIGHTER than when we did the program for the first time back in March of this year. (If you followed my previous posts about the detox, you may remember that I lost 11.5 pounds and 13 inches in just the 30 days we were on the program the first time!) Being 22 pounds lighter, it goes to show that I did NOT gain any weight back after we went through the program the first time, but even continued to lose weight. Woot!

Nick began our current 30 days at the same weight he ended the program last time (15.5 lbs that he has kept off for 6 months!). And he will tell you that he probably continued to lose inches even though he didn't lose pounds because his clothes fit differently (and he needs a new wardrobe desperately...lol!).

So with that bit of history, neither Nick nor I have had much weight to lose this time around. We're 16 days into Arbonne's program for a second time and Nick has lost a few more pounds. He weighs UNDER 200 now which he is incredibly PUMPED about! And I am SUPER excited for him and so PROUD of him! Me? Well, I think I've lost maybe A pound this time around... So it will be interesting to see if I've lost any inches at the end of the program.

The meals have come together much more easily this time. I don't think I've stressed over a single meal which is HUGE! We've even tried some new recipes from other friends whom I've coached through this same program. Each meal has turned out DELICIOUS, but I always say when I'm trying a new recipe this time around, "If this meal doesn't turn out good, PLAN B is to go get Chipotle!" Fortunately, we've never had to put 'Plan B' into action. In fact, cooking and eating 'healthy' has really become second nature to us. It's easy after you've had some practice!

My little helper!

The avoiding these 9 ingredients for 30 days is still hard:

1. Gluten
2. Wheat
3. Yeast
4. Soy
5. Alcohol
6. Coffee
7. Vinegar
8. Sugar
9. Dairy

Nick would say it's even harder for him this time. His reason: he didn't really have any goal he was working toward this time through the program. In fact, he is really just doing it a second time to support and encourage me and some other friends who are going through it with us this time. So you can see he is an AMAZING husband and friend and he loves to help and encourage people!

For me, the avoiding sugar is just as hard as it was the first time through, but I wouldn't say it's any 'harder' for me this time. I just want that occasional cookie...but NOT for another 14 days!

We did SO GOOD after the program last time and we had really great self-control for a while and stayed on top of our 'healthy habits'... but we took a 2-week trip out of town in June, I had a surgery in July, then I had another surgery (on my wrists) in August. And when the stresses of life set in, we seem to default back into some bad and unhealthy habits such as eating late in the evening or eating out a lot or running to a cup of coffee when I'm feeling low.

Figured it be good to force ourselves back into the rhythm of the healthy habits before we were 'too far gone' and started gaining weight back. So I'm happy Nick decided to go along with me on this again! I was also curious to see what benefits I would notice without the preoccupation of my weight loss looming in my view.

The truth is, Arbonne's program isn't a 'weight loss' program - it's a 'Healthy Living Program'. If you have weight to lose and aren't in the habit of eating nutritionally-balanced meals, you will most likely lose weight on Arbonne's program. But if you're already 'trim and fit', you may consider doing the program for benefits other than weight loss.

About a week into the program, I got a bad head cold and I've always had seasonal allergies. So it's been a bit hard to notice some of the benefits I would normally see had I not gotten 'sick'. I do seem to have more energy than I normally would with a cold. Today I got back to exercising (which I haven't done much of over the last few months because of the surgeries and other life conflicts). It felt so good to RUN 3 miles and then bike about 5!

I had really gone back to drinking a lot of coffee the last couple months before we dove into the program again, and my stomach hurt and cramped all the time (and does if I drink too much coffee). But because coffee is one of the things we avoid on the program, I haven't had any 'relatable pains!' And to me, that is GREAT!

I'm not sure if I will post on the program again, at least not for a while. I may follow up with a short post about our 'final' results this time around, but that is yet to be seen. If you have any questions or want to know more, you can always leave a comment below or contact me personally. Healthy living has truly become important to me and it is my pleasure and privilege to be able to coach people through this same program and be able to sympathize with them having already been through it once, now twice, myself. Blessings on your life and YOUR health!