Our Isagenix Journey

INTRODUCTION:

On Monday March 22, 2010 Michele (my wife) and I started a 30 day Isagenix cleanse and weight loss program. This blog will track our progess as well as our views on the pros. and cons. of the Isagenix program.



1) WHY ISAGENIX?

As the years passed we have experienced a slow but steady weight gain despite an active lifestyle and a sensible diet. As we can no longer lay claim to being in our 50's we have found it increasingly difficult to shed these unwanted pounds and needed an intervention that really made a difference. In the past we tried the South Beach diet which delivered good results but we found it too fussy and not particularly user friendly. What we really needed was a tried and tested regime that was easy to follow, delivered the necessary nutrition and didn't require us to adopt a monastery-like lifestyle for it to be effective. From our research and user testimonials Isagenix seemed to possess all the attributes so we signed up.



2) OUR GOALS:

Fundamentally to lose weight and unwanted body mass (i.e. fat!) that was making us look chunky and feel lethargic. We were also aware of the negative impact of extra pounds on critical health issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension, heart problems etc. My personal goal is to lose 15 lbs and three inches around my waist - as well as bring down my blood pressure. Michele's goals are similar but as I'm writing this blog I shall be focusing primarily on my progress.



3) BEFORE BEGINNING:

Like most regimes of this type, getting familiar with the program before starting is absolutely key. We read the literature, listened to the CD's and familiarized ourselves with the products, their names and attributes. We also printed out a weekly usage calendar to track what we should be taking and when. This proved invaluable in setting a rhythm of regular and timely enjoyment of the various components of the cleanse program. We also relied on the experiences of our sponsor Emilie to answer questions and provide needed guidance. Another important task is the initial body-measure and weigh in which we completed and recorded to measure against our first data-point comparison on day 8 of the program.



4) WEEK ONE:

No question - the first three days were the hardest as we jumped right in at the deep end. We went cold-turkey on coffee, wine, bread, cheese and most of the 'bad' things we had become so accustomed to eating. We really are creatures of habit and when those habits are altered to replace the usual with the unusual good things start to happen. Day 1 was a novelty of trying the new products but days 2 & 3 were tough as our bodies started evacuating the accumulated toxins. Lethargy, hunger and a slight but persistent headache were constant companions but some really good things were happening inside. By day 4 we were pretty much into the swing of things and looking forward to our morning vanilla protein shake dressed up with fresh strawberries - and a chocolate shake at lunch dressed up with blueberries. Our energy returned with a venegance and when we hit the hay at night, it was 'light's-out' for a solid seven hours - waking up fully refreshed. Of course the highlite of the day was the healthy evening dinner of 400 to 600 calories which was easy to prepare as we've always been into salads and lean meats and man they tasted good. And when we ran out of ideas the South Beach menu proved to be a handy reference tool. By the time we hit day 7, our first cleanse day, we were rolling and really starting to see and feel the benefits of our strict adherence to the program. Little things like an increased vitality, looser clothing - especially jeans - noticeably clearer skin and above all - a steady drop in the reading on the bathroom scale. So we were pumped and ready to go on our first cleanse day which really performed as advertised. It was as though the 'nasties' in our system that had been missed on the previous 6 days were suddenly liberated and a proper flush took place. Side effects were fatigue and a mild return of the headache but all in all a tolerable experience and a real boost to the regime in terms of shaving off a few more unwanted 'wobbly bits'.
On day 8 out came the scales and tape measure which showed a cumulative loss of 4.5 inches on the measurement chart and a net loss of 8 lbs. on the weight chart. A very satisfactory result to date and a a great incentive to keep focused on the journey to renewed health and vigour. Stay tuned for week two.