Our Isagenix Journey

Week Two Report:
Well, we have reached the end of week two, with Easter in the middle, and I'm delighted to report that the net loss continues - albeit a little more slowly now that the 'easy-pounds' have been released. But a little more about that later because first up we have.........

The Week in Review:
I think it's fair to say that we found week two much easier to handle than week one! This is attributable to several factors which I shall cover off as follows.

1) Improved General Outlook - One of the key benefits of this program is just how much better you feel overall. It's not something you can measure like weight loss or reduced inches but rather a constant and pleasurable background feeling that something good is happening to your body which results in a much sunnier and positive outlook on life. It's a really nice feeling and people tend to notice the difference.

2) Huge Energy Gains - If we had an instrument to measure energy gain then it would simply be off the chart. This past Easter weekend for example found us biking every day as well as me putting in a couple of 2 mile runs. Normally we would be found asleep on the sofa after such exertion but instead we are alert and energized and spending great evening's together simply relaxing and planning our next day activities. And it's not a frenetic, artificial energy but is part of that general feeling of well being referred to in point one.

3) Increased Mental Clarity - No question about it - we're sharper. For example we were right in the middle of a rather complex real estate transaction which had been a source of great mental and physical stress. However over the past couple of weeks we have been able to see things more clearly and make better strategic decisions related to this challenge. Suffice it to say that we have now solved this chronic problem and I firmly believe that an increased mental acuity contributed enormously to this positive outcome. Decisions and choices now come quicker and issues that previously would have caused a great deal of angst are now simply bumps in the road.

4)Economic Benefits - The 30 day program we're on replaces a total of 68 meals and we are already well ahead of the game financially on food expenses. Trips to the supermarket for salad, veggies, fish and lean meat are not only less frequent but are also coming in at about half of what we would normally spend. Add to that the absence of LCBO expenses and multiple daily coffee hits and the savings are mounting while our waistlines are shrinking.

5) Apologies to Goodwill - Like most folk we are having a bit of a spring-clean during which I planned to donate a bunch of pants and jackets that didn't fit anymore. Well that plan has been cancelled as I tried on these clothes over the weekend and guess what, they are now fitting me again and by the time I hit my goal of 15 lbs. they will look fantastic. It's like living the dream of "I'm not going to throw that out as I really like it and I'm going to lose weight so it fits again". How many of us can say we've achieved that goal?

6) The Challenges - Let's face it we are human and basically creatures of habit so there are going to be some challenges to face along the way. My biggest challenge after week one and the attendant weight loss was to stay the course and remain focused. As I saw the great results I was experiencing I took my eye off the ball at dinner and let the portion sizes creep up so I was exceeding the recommended 600 calories. Tasted great at the time but I began feeling bloated again and my weight started creeping back up so I was losing the gains I had already worked so hard to achieve. Fortunately I recognized the problem and dialled back my food intake while increasing my water intake and reversed the trend to get back on track. An easy trap to fall into and one to be aware of.
The second challenge relates to what I will call 'office treats'. Like a lot of people I am currently working in an office where kind-hearted co-workers will bring in baked cookies, cakes and other treats for everyone to enjoy - not to mention the odd box of Tim-Bits. These were particularly hard to ignore during week one when hunger was rampant but I found a good solution was to have some healthy snacks like celery or carrots or nuts handy to munch on instead of the sweet, sugary stuff. As I'm now into my 3rd week and really focused on the Isagenix program it's much easier to ignore the siren call of the calorie demon and chug a glass of water and a couple of small carrots instead. And man you will feel virtuous!!

To wrap up and getting back to the weight loss track you will remember that I released 8 lbs. in week one to go from 195 to 187. As mentioned above I gained back a pound but have lost that again plus 2 more to be at 185 at the halfway point (day 15) of the program. This represents a net loss of 10 lbs to date with our next weigh in on Wednesday April 7th. In essence I have released 2/3 of my target weight loss of 15 lbs in the first half of the program so perhaps the target may be recalibrated downwards after Wednesday's weigh-in. Stay tuned!