Bring It On, 2011!

I hope everyone had a happy New Year and a Merry Christmas!

Though I wasn't really good over the holidays, I could've been MUCH worse. The good thing is that I did one work-out in the week of Christmas and one more over New Year's. I'm not saying that working out once a week was the best I could do, but it could've been worse! I'm down to 51 days before the Disney Princess Half-Marathon on February 26. I'm absolutely determined to finish it this year and not end it at 10 miles like I did last year.

So it's the start of a new year and I am starting something new! Seems like every time I'm writing one of these things I'm trying something new. Hopefully this one will stick. Here's what I'm doing:

I started this 7-day cleanse from GNC on Sunday. It came highly recommended from my sister and her personal trainer. After hearing about what all it entails, I figured, it couldn't be a bad thing! Like every other cleanse, you take pills with meals in order to help your body flush out the bad. But this cleanse actually comes with a diet plan. And it's a diet plan I've never tried before, and it's not bad at all! A big focus of this cleanse is to eat all natural foods and flush the toxins from processed foods out of your system. You also have to cut out dairy because of the hormones in it. It sounds bad, but soy milk, yogurt, and cheese have all been really yummy. And did you know that soy milk has more protein and calcium in it than regular milk? Go figure.

I've felt really full for the most part on this diet. It has a snack factored into it, and nothing goes over 1,600 calories a day. It's great! And I've never been so stocked up on produce in my life! Yes, the grocery bill was a little higher, but I think it's worth it! And most of the stuff I bought I have plenty of, so I'll be able to make it again soon. It almost makes me want to plan my own garden, but that's not gonna happen. The real test of all of this will be what I do next week, after the cleanse is over. Right now I'm thinking, "Once I flush all that crap out, I don't want it back in!" Also, from what my sister has been telling me, after you go through the whole cleanse (and if you do it like it says to), your pretty much have no more cravings for the bad stuff. How exciting is THAT?! If there is anything I've been wanting to get away from, it is those self-destructive cravings that happen once every few weeks. And especially after it's been a long stretch of dieting. I know some of y'all know what I'm talking about. You're doing so good and then someone brings Chick-fil-A into work and all you can think about for the rest of the day is, "DANG...I remember how good that was." And on your way home you just gotta grab it. Well, I'm not saying this will totally eliminate that, but I'm hoping it will help! I will say that by the end of day 1, I could already tell a difference in my energy level. I've been all over the place cleaning or getting more meals ready for the next day. Even at work I feel like I'm being more productive.

I also wanted to outline my exercise to be ready for the run, so here is what I have:
Every other day I'll be either on a track running outside (getting used to the cold) or I'll be on an ellyptical machine (working on my cardio). The facility at the apartment doesn't really have a whole lot of weight-lifting equipment, but I'll do what I can for my arm flab as well. I hear weight lifting is supposed to help kick up your metabolism.

So pair all that with the new ipod shuffle I got for Chistmas - one that actually has buttons on the outside. YAY! - and I'm even more ready to go! Yesterday I had lost 2lbs already, but today I was the same weight. No big deal. As long as I'm not GAINING anything, right?

Oh yeah, and the main thing that everyone always wants to know about cleanses...Does it make you crap your pants? I have not had a problem with this cleanse at all with bathroom urges, though my stomach does make a lot more noise throughout the day. Today was the first day that I was really gassy, but nothing has made me bolt for the bathroom. I was worried when I read the packet and it said what it was going to do to. Just in case you're wondering, it cleans out all sections of the colon, not just the final threshold...if you know what I mean. Apparently that makes a difference. I thought since it was more cleaning, I'd be spending more time on the pot, but alas, NOPE. This is the first cleanse I've ever done, so I don't know anything about the others, but this one is working GREAT for me.

I'll try and be better about checking in more! It should be easier now that I got my internet hooked up today. I've been living off someone in the apartment's wifi for a while, and I guess they moved or something, because the connection hasn't been there for the past 2 months or so. So I broke down and am finally paying for my own. :-) Ah well!

Also, now that I'm trying this new All Natural thing, I'm really just running on what suggestions the packet has for food and meals. I know there has to be plenty of other ones out there as well, and I'm all about variety. Do any of you have any suggestions of healthy, all-natural meals? Breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack...ANY would be appreciated!