AdvoCare Challenge Day 1

There are lots of ways that I could do this, but I decided the best way to really let you see what the AdvoCare Challenge is like would be to break it down and tell you exactly how each day goes. Note that this is NOT an advice page and that I am NOT an AdvoCare coach. I am not an expert on how this challenge should be done. I am learning about it as I go, so I am sure there are days when I will mess up. In other words, don't follow my diet as your plan. Make sure if you start AdvoCare that you get a good coach to help you out! Most of the AdvoCare coaches that I know are awesome, so I am sure that you will be able to find a great one to help keep you motivated and on task to reach your goals.

Today's Devotion - Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?"

I am going to be spending a lot of time over the next 24 days thinking about what I am eating and drinking and what is going on with my body. I am serious about seeing a change in my body, but it is important that I don't lose focus on God and His plan because I am too concerned about such insignificant things. There are lots of reasons that I want to lose weight and get healthier. I want to feel better and look better and have more energy. Those reasons are partly selfish. But I need to keep my focus on God's plan. How much better can I serve Him if I am healthy? How much better of an example for Him will I be if I feel better and have more energy to help others and share His love with others? I may be worried about what I am eating and drinking, but God is concerned with bigger things. I know that I can trust in Him and that He will help me be successful in this journey as long as I keep my priorities straight and rely on Him.

Today was my first day on AdvoCare. Here's how it went...

7:45 a.m. - I am not a morning person. At all. I am also not a breakfast person. I usually don't want anything to eat until I have been up for a couple of hours. I know that isn't good and that you need to eat in the morning to get your metabolism going, but that doesn't mean I like it. This morning, I was supposed to drink the AdvoCare Fiber Drink and eat breakfast. I did drink the Fiber Drink, but I didn't make it to eat anything (mostly because I was running late this morning). Also, the Fiber Drink totally filled me up and I really didn't want anything else. Now, I better warn you about this Fiber Drink. I mixed mine with water. It actually tasted okay (mine was the citrus flavor), but the texture (it was kind of gritty) was a little hard for me to get past. I am a really picky eater, so I basically just chugged the drink like it was medicine. It wasn't the worst thing I've ever had, but I am glad that I don't have to drink one every day for the next 24 days.

8:45 a.m. - I got to class, planning to eat some fruit for breakfast when I got there. Like I said earlier, I was running late, so I didn't really get an opportunity to eat anything because we dove right into some group work as soon as I got to class (I am in my student teaching semester and am currently taking my seminar class with all the other teacher interns). Despite not eating anything for breakfast, I wasn't hungry (which didn't really surprise me, since that Fiber Drink was so filling and since I usually skip breakfast anyway).

10:45 a.m. - Our instructor let us have a little break, so I mixed up a Spark in my water bottle. It tasted great, and it was great to have the caffeine since this is about the time of day that I start craving my first Dr. Pepper of the day.

11:30 a.m. - Lunch break! Being in these seminar classes (we get about an hour for lunch each day), I typically run through a fast food place and grab a burger or chicken tenders for lunch.

 My typical lunch...which probably has enough calories for an entire day in it...

Last night, when I got home from the grocery store, I went ahead and fixed all my fruit and veggies in little snack sized portions so they would be easy to pack. I grabbed a few bags of veggies and a bag of fruit and tossed them in my lunch box with a turkey sandwich that I made on a whole wheat sandwich bun. It was actually way more filling than what I normally eat, and since I planned ahead, it didn't take that much extra time to pack it.

My AdvoCare lunch

 Oh, by the way, check out how cute my lunch box is! I love Vera Bradley! :)

2:00 p.m. - The afternoon is one of my worst times when I am trying to diet! I always get hungry around this time of day and start scrounging around for something to eat. I had tossed a little 100 Calorie Pack of almonds and walnuts in my purse this morning, so I grabbed that while I was listening to a lecture this afternoon.

3:30 p.m. - I mixed up another Spark, mainly because I could tell that I was needing some caffeine (my addiction to Dr. Pepper is no joke, apparently).

6:00 p.m. - I finally got home from school and was a little hungry, but not starving. I probably should have waited (you're not really supposed to have 2 snacks between lunch and dinner), but I grabbed a little bowl of fruit (strawberries, fresh pineapple, and kiwi).

8:00 p.m. - I have always been a late eater, so I waited until now to eat supper because I knew if I ate earlier I would be starving before bed. I took my OmegaPlex Fish Oil pills and had a lemon and herb pork chop with steamed broccoli and carrots and a piece of wheat bread. You can find my recipe for lemon and herb pork chops here.

Now I just have to take my Herbal Cleanse Caplets (Holy cow, they are huge! Haha.) before bed.

Day one of my AdvoCare challenge is in the books, and I can honestly say that I have not felt hungry or deprived at all. I really think this plan for a healthier lifestyle is going to be a great thing for me and I am looking forward to the next 23 days!

Blessings,
Christina