...that's what these NatureRich Chocolate Energy Shakes taste like! (No, I am not kidding!) Again, here is how I recommend to make these for the BEST taste because let's face it...if it doesn't taste good you won't keep up with it.
Wendy's Chocolate Frosty Recipe
Get a Magic Bullet -- they are worth their weight in GOLD!
-Put 2 scoops of the chocolate shake into the Magic Bullet
-Add 5 large (or 6-7 small) ice cubes
-Pour in unsweetened vanilla almond milk (I use Blue Almond brand) until it reaches near the top of the container...with room enough to put the bladed bottom on the cup.
Blend for about 15 seconds, remove and shake (to get the ice back down to the blades), blend for another 10 seconds, remover and shake, blend for another 10 seconds...and VIOLA!
Consistency should be thick with little ice "grains" throughout which add a "little" crunch. Enjoy within 15 minutes for the best consistency and taste.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
13 Pounds in only 5 Days!!!
I was at the Lab this morning to have blood drawn (to measure post-kidney transplant levels) and I decided to step on the scale for the first time since I began 5 days ago...13 pounds (the amount of a heavy bowling ball) is completely GONE! What a feeling!
I am wearing a T-Shirt today that just 6 little days ago I could not wear because my GUT would hang out the bottom (YUCK, right?). Today it fits GREAT and it has put me in a great mood ;)
Yesterday I was in a bind as I went with some business partners to St. Cloud to speak at a meeting...no juicer, no ingredients, etc. A friend of mine brought in organic cucumbers that he and his wife grow on their hobby farm. Now, I usually do NOT like the taste of cucumbers...I always took them off my salads. To eat a whole, raw, cucumber was quite a daunting thought to me BUT I did need something for "dinner".
Did I like the cucumber? Although it wasn't as bad as I thought the answer is still no. But do you know what I don't like even more? BEING FAT! NOT FITTING INTO MY CLOTHES! BEING TIRED! So the cucumber was cheerfully eaten and my body rejoiced :) I am also very grateful to my friend who offered the cucumbers because not eating at all would have been even worse and temptation would have mounted.
I am wearing a T-Shirt today that just 6 little days ago I could not wear because my GUT would hang out the bottom (YUCK, right?). Today it fits GREAT and it has put me in a great mood ;)
Yesterday I was in a bind as I went with some business partners to St. Cloud to speak at a meeting...no juicer, no ingredients, etc. A friend of mine brought in organic cucumbers that he and his wife grow on their hobby farm. Now, I usually do NOT like the taste of cucumbers...I always took them off my salads. To eat a whole, raw, cucumber was quite a daunting thought to me BUT I did need something for "dinner".
Did I like the cucumber? Although it wasn't as bad as I thought the answer is still no. But do you know what I don't like even more? BEING FAT! NOT FITTING INTO MY CLOTHES! BEING TIRED! So the cucumber was cheerfully eaten and my body rejoiced :) I am also very grateful to my friend who offered the cucumbers because not eating at all would have been even worse and temptation would have mounted.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Battle With Popcorn!!
$1 for a large bucket of popcorn and $1 for a large soda pop - what a deal! My natural justification mechanisms kicked in with: skip the pop, get the popcorn, skip the salt and butter...and hey, it's not that bad. It's almost better than a salad! ;) Sound familiar? And so the Battle with Popcorn went all the way to the location, at the location, and as I left the location...BUT I WON!!!
I wasn't noble in the victory as I had myself convinced that a "little" "air-popped" "unsalted" blah blah blah would actually be GOOD for me since I only had 430 calories today. I was literally standing in line with my dollar in hand ready to make the purchase. Would it have killed me? No, but the THOUGHT that allowed the little exception, compounded over time, would bring me RIGHT back into fat pants! It isn't the little single action that gets ANYONE it is the mental allowance, the THOUGHT, the philosophy that creates a broken system of standards that will absolutely kill you over time. It's the Slight Edge (ala Jeff Olson).
I won tonight NOT by forgoing the popcorn, but by overcoming the thought that would have cracked the foundation of my persistence, my determination, my everything causing grand failure over time. In that I celebrate a strong victory. YOU can too!
Day 4 - complete success! I look forward to day 5 with aggressive anticipation!
I wasn't noble in the victory as I had myself convinced that a "little" "air-popped" "unsalted" blah blah blah would actually be GOOD for me since I only had 430 calories today. I was literally standing in line with my dollar in hand ready to make the purchase. Would it have killed me? No, but the THOUGHT that allowed the little exception, compounded over time, would bring me RIGHT back into fat pants! It isn't the little single action that gets ANYONE it is the mental allowance, the THOUGHT, the philosophy that creates a broken system of standards that will absolutely kill you over time. It's the Slight Edge (ala Jeff Olson).
I won tonight NOT by forgoing the popcorn, but by overcoming the thought that would have cracked the foundation of my persistence, my determination, my everything causing grand failure over time. In that I celebrate a strong victory. YOU can too!
Day 4 - complete success! I look forward to day 5 with aggressive anticipation!
Hungry? Hardly!
I was at work today doing a call blitz having a good ol' time when I realized that it was already 3:30 pm and I didn't have my noon'ish lunch'ish chocolate shake! WOW! I literally had to force myself to take a break and drink one down (I knew I'd probably become a ravenous madman later if I didn't...eating everything in sight!).
I am excited that my body is adjusting so quickly to this program and the hunger is not an issue. I remember from Journey I that as I gave my body proper nutrition that hunger literally never reared it's ugly head. The way Dr. Angie explained it (paraphrasing) was that hunger was a signal given when the body was short on raw goods to "mine" for essential nutrition to accomplish what it needed to accomplish. When the raw goods were healthy and chock full of great nutrition (opposed to dead, processed, salty, nasty, empty "food") then there was no need for the body to use the hunger signal to function. I am experiencing that RIGHT NOW! How cool is that!?
To see the nutritional label of the chocolate shake I recommend click HERE and then click on the VIEW LABEL link on the right-hand side.
I am excited that my body is adjusting so quickly to this program and the hunger is not an issue. I remember from Journey I that as I gave my body proper nutrition that hunger literally never reared it's ugly head. The way Dr. Angie explained it (paraphrasing) was that hunger was a signal given when the body was short on raw goods to "mine" for essential nutrition to accomplish what it needed to accomplish. When the raw goods were healthy and chock full of great nutrition (opposed to dead, processed, salty, nasty, empty "food") then there was no need for the body to use the hunger signal to function. I am experiencing that RIGHT NOW! How cool is that!?
To see the nutritional label of the chocolate shake I recommend click HERE and then click on the VIEW LABEL link on the right-hand side.
Day Four and Feeling Great!
I woke up this morning and had a terrific, healthy chocolate shake along with the thought that "this is easier than I thought it would be!" 3 days behind me...42 ahead of me...I can (no, I WILL) do this!
42 days of pain for a lifetime of gain! One body, one life.
42 days of pain for a lifetime of gain! One body, one life.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Setting Up for Success FAIL!
Day Three Dinner:
Ok, I failed tonight as my busy, hectic day did not allow me time to get to the natural store to pick up the ingredients for my juicing so I replaced the juice with 1 serving of Dr. McDougall's Vegan Vegetable All Natural Soup (75 calories) and a handful of green beans. Tomorrow I will shop and get right back on track.
Ok, I failed tonight as my busy, hectic day did not allow me time to get to the natural store to pick up the ingredients for my juicing so I replaced the juice with 1 serving of Dr. McDougall's Vegan Vegetable All Natural Soup (75 calories) and a handful of green beans. Tomorrow I will shop and get right back on track.
Chocolate Shakes Taste AMAZING!
...especially after a two day water fast! I couldn't wait to get in to work today and drink down this wonderful, healthy chocolate shake! The temptations over the last two days were intense but the personal reward for mental toughness far exceeds the temporary taste of any nasty "food". If you are questioning the healthiness of my chocolate shake then please check it out by clicking HERE. Yummy! I can't wait to have another at lunch time...maybe I will throw in some bananas or raspberries this time!
My Chocolate Shake Recipe (aka "Brownie Batter")
2 scoops of NatureRich Chocolate Energy Shake mix (found here)
5 ice cubes (I used alkaline, filtered, micro clustered, energized water from an Amega water machine)
6 ounces of unsweetened Blue Almond vanilla almond milk
My Chocolate Shake Recipe (aka "Brownie Batter")
2 scoops of NatureRich Chocolate Energy Shake mix (found here)
5 ice cubes (I used alkaline, filtered, micro clustered, energized water from an Amega water machine)
6 ounces of unsweetened Blue Almond vanilla almond milk
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Setting Up for Success
This is the key.
If you do not set yourself up to succeed in a journey like this then you are planning on failing...hard. Besides the mental and spiritual side of setting up for success I will document some of the physical things I (and you, if you are reading this) will need to be set-up to succeed:
-Juicer (I use a Lexen)
-Blender (I use a Magic Bullet for the shakes)
-NatureRich Chocolate Shake mix
-A supply of Unsweetened Blue Almond almond milk
-Ice cubes
-Fresh, organic ingredients for juicing (with scheduled resupply times)
-LOTS of water around at all times (to put out hunger or cravings)
Mentally and Spiritually you have to start with the END in mind. Don't let ANYTHING distract you or move you from THE END. Stay focused and true to yourself. The mental and spiritual strength you gain from this journey is indescribable and truly allows YOU to become a better YOU through the process. There is a lot that I could say (and will in later posts) but my "mantra" for Journey II is: 45 days of pain for a lifetime of gain. As I "knock out" one day I change the mantra...today's mantra is: 43 days of pain for a lifetime of gain.
Another saying that encouraged me on Journey I was: One Body, One Life.
If you do not set yourself up to succeed in a journey like this then you are planning on failing...hard. Besides the mental and spiritual side of setting up for success I will document some of the physical things I (and you, if you are reading this) will need to be set-up to succeed:
-Juicer (I use a Lexen)
-Blender (I use a Magic Bullet for the shakes)
-NatureRich Chocolate Shake mix
-A supply of Unsweetened Blue Almond almond milk
-Ice cubes
-Fresh, organic ingredients for juicing (with scheduled resupply times)
-LOTS of water around at all times (to put out hunger or cravings)
Mentally and Spiritually you have to start with the END in mind. Don't let ANYTHING distract you or move you from THE END. Stay focused and true to yourself. The mental and spiritual strength you gain from this journey is indescribable and truly allows YOU to become a better YOU through the process. There is a lot that I could say (and will in later posts) but my "mantra" for Journey II is: 45 days of pain for a lifetime of gain. As I "knock out" one day I change the mantra...today's mantra is: 43 days of pain for a lifetime of gain.
Another saying that encouraged me on Journey I was: One Body, One Life.
Day Two
Inspired by a reminder about the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead", armed with the knowledge passed on to me from Dr. Angela Pogioli, determined with the confidence from recently doing this successfully, and totally fed up with my current weight, energy level, and the lack of fitting clothes in my closet I have decided to start a second journey into wellness.
This adventure will begin more aggressively than the first as I feel more aware of what works, what doesn't, and how the body acts and reacts to certain items thrown into it's "pie hole." This part of the journey begins with a 45 day juicing and healthy shake fast with the first 2 days a strict water fast to prepare my mind, body, and spirit for the next month and a half.
My plan is to mix up 2 scoops of NatureRich Chocolate Energy Shake (extremely nutritious) with 5 ice cubes (alkaline water) and 6 ounces (or so) of unsweetened almond milk (I use Blue Almond due to it's availability). I put the scoops into the Magic Bullet container first followed by the ice and then the almond milk. About 15-20 seconds later I have breakfast and, later in the day as I repeat the process, lunch.
In the evening I will juice a combination of Kale, Spinach, another optional green/red/purple leaf lettuce of my choosing, ginger root, cucumber, lemon, and a little pineapple to cut the bitterness of the Kale. I have to admit that I have never developed a taste for this mix - even after having done it daily (sometimes two or three times a day) for around 10 months straight. HOWEVER, I know that it is one of the most powerful things I can do for my body so...I do it (with nose plugged 1/2 of the time!). If you like this sort of thing then 'good on ya' as they say. You are probably the sort of person that could climb Mt. Everest in a bathing suit walking backwards with your eyes shut!
Next post: Setting Up for Success
This adventure will begin more aggressively than the first as I feel more aware of what works, what doesn't, and how the body acts and reacts to certain items thrown into it's "pie hole." This part of the journey begins with a 45 day juicing and healthy shake fast with the first 2 days a strict water fast to prepare my mind, body, and spirit for the next month and a half.
My plan is to mix up 2 scoops of NatureRich Chocolate Energy Shake (extremely nutritious) with 5 ice cubes (alkaline water) and 6 ounces (or so) of unsweetened almond milk (I use Blue Almond due to it's availability). I put the scoops into the Magic Bullet container first followed by the ice and then the almond milk. About 15-20 seconds later I have breakfast and, later in the day as I repeat the process, lunch.
In the evening I will juice a combination of Kale, Spinach, another optional green/red/purple leaf lettuce of my choosing, ginger root, cucumber, lemon, and a little pineapple to cut the bitterness of the Kale. I have to admit that I have never developed a taste for this mix - even after having done it daily (sometimes two or three times a day) for around 10 months straight. HOWEVER, I know that it is one of the most powerful things I can do for my body so...I do it (with nose plugged 1/2 of the time!). If you like this sort of thing then 'good on ya' as they say. You are probably the sort of person that could climb Mt. Everest in a bathing suit walking backwards with your eyes shut!
Next post: Setting Up for Success
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