Diet Trend (review)

  Trying out the trend of meal replacement.  I work out somewhat regularly but never add the additional supplements, proteins or vitamins to my daily routine.  However due to a clearance at our local box store I am trying them out.

  I picked up 3 flavors: strawberry, chocolate and vanilla.  Each box is for a 14 day supply.  The strawberry and vanilla drinks provide 16 grams of protein and are 130 calories, chocolate drink is 17 grams of protein and 130 calories.  All of them do have 3 grams of sugar and a fiber content of 3- 4 grams.  All drinks do contain milk.

  Your option is to either blend the mix with milk or water and ice.  For my first drink I choose water to blend with the chocolate.  Might as well try with the basics and fluff it up with milk next!

  Day 1 done.  I choose to drink it in place of dinner.  The directions state to add 8-12 oz of liquid.  After its blended it makes about 4 cups.  The mixture is a thick consistency like a milkshake.  The first cup was pretty hard to chug down.  I didn't like the smell and it doesn't exactly taste good.  It does have a hint of chocolate flavor and of course is the right color but it is not a glass of chocolate milk.

  The second glass seemed to be easier to drink and even tasted good mid way through surprisingly.  I did feel full.  I have had some small releases of gas via burps which I know is from the drink but nothing to uncomfortable or annoying.

  Well day 1 is done I am interested to see what the results will be after a few weeks.  I will continue to work out, eat healthy and just replace one meal.  The had part will be which meal.  I keep thinking ahead of what meal I could lose out on.  Breakfast could mean anything from a bowl of cereal, waffles or muffins.  Lunch and dinner could be anything and then a dessert could be involved in one of those as well as interrupted snacks.  This will be an interesting journey.

Day 18 of 30

  Do you know what is greatly appreciated?  I never knew it before. Never thought this is great!!! Wrinkles! I am not was not a very large person but I like a lot of women had some baby weight lingering around.  I can honestly say after my 3rd child I was less physical then with baby number 4 it was random.
 
  I apparently do better if I'm active.   So anyways my clothes were fitting a little tighter and tighter. I was slowly losing clothes.  Not just pants but shorts too.  It starts with no being able to button them to not being able to squeeze them over my thighs.  I was down to one pair of shorts because I could still button them after I fought to pull them up.  I have worn shorts all week.  I still have a muffin top but, I am able to pull up the shorts better and button all of them so far this week.  The pair I had on today had wrinkles.  Not wrinkles like I needed to iron them but wrinkles as in room in my shorts.  As in I was not a sausage squeezed into my shorts with little room to even slide a finger in between thigh and material.  There was obvious, noticeable roominess. I wasn't even pulling down the crotch every 5 minutes because they stayed!  I know I am not the only one to suffer these issues but I am just sharing with you my victory.

  I still have a little less than 2 weeks left.  I can not believe how a small tweak in my diet can actually make a difference.  I have increased my workouts to though.  I used to workout about 3 or 4 days.  I'm now at 6 days and it's a focused hard workout.  So my motivation ad attention to that area is probably helping too.

  I didn't concoct a number I wanted to reach as most want to.  Why bother because then you get focused on that and the obsession becomes disappointment when you don't make the number.  I am however happy and thrilled that #1 I don't need to go buy bigger clothes and #2 I can see the difference in how my clothes fit.

  I would have never thought I could actually complete this challenge. 30 days is a long time to skip desserts and eat a healthier cleaner diet.  I did eat fruits and vegetables but not to this extent.  I am sure my diet consisted of more not so healthy items than healthy items.  I do feel confident that I can maintain this healthier way of life.

  I would love to help, encourage or motivate anyone that is considering this challenge.  I am not a professional but I am a normal plain mom that has seen light at the end of the tunnel.  I can hold the flashlight as you travel down it.  I am working on making some quick fitness videos,  can post random training for you to do on a daily basis and you can easily Google healthy meal ideas or skim through my various dishes.  After this challenge ends I will still continue to post recipes both the good and the bad but maybe more of the good now.

Good luck in your future in wherever it takes you.  Of course please stick around and see how I finish this challenge and then maybe I will start another and you can join in.

Breakfast: peach, muffin
Lunch: spinach with chick peas and black beans and carrots.
Dinner: leftover salmon. ( always leftovers here- still potato salad - I'll eat tomorrow.
I have been out everyday this week is reason I miss meals or eat bad. But leftovers or eggs like last night help.
water 75 oz
workout: walked about 3 miles in trails. (Outside cardio all week so far)