A Better Way

For most of my life, when others have talked about foods they can't have on a diet I have either been right there joining in the conversation with them...or feeling guilty that I'm not currently on a diet, knowing I need to lose weight.  Well, not any more...I have found a BETTER way!  :)  And it doesn't involve counting calories or fat grams, a list of forbidden or limited foods, "cheat" days, or hours at the gym!  I've said it before, and I'll say it again...it is BY FAR the easiest AND most effective thing I have EVER done to lose weight!  :)

The above picture is a perfect example of what happened with me this past Thursday night!  I was helping out at an event at our church, serving pizza before the event.  Next to me was a lady whom most would never imagine was on a diet or even needed to be...but as the night went on, I realized she was because she was talking with one of the other ladies from our church about the diet they were both currently on...one that involves powdered and/or pre-packaged meals and apparently (by what I gleaned from their conversation), only allowed ONE "cheat meal" per MONTH!!!  I have been on diets like this...and I can tell you from experience, there's nothing in me that would ever want to try that kind of diet again!  Just way too much temptation (which is something I don't deal well with), which means that the risk of failure is WAY too high!  All the while, we are serving pizza to those in attendance at the event...which means handling it (with gloves on), smelling it, seeing it...all those things that tempt the most.  When we were done serving, the other lady walked away, most likely feeling deprived...while I grabbed a slice of cheese pizza.  With the meal came 2 slices of pizza, chips and a drink.  I did have one more slice of pizza (because I don't like the edges, part of my first slice was still on my plate & later went in the trash) and a bottle of water...but that was it!  Once I had my almost 2 slices of pizza, I was completely satisfied and had NO desire for the chips (or anything else for that matter)...and neither did I feel the desire to have anything to eat once I got home after the event (which was several hours later).  AND...I lost weight!  :)

In fact, I've lost almost a full 4 pounds since my last blog post!  I am now at 27.4 pounds lost...I have now lost TWO POUNDS MORE weight than my 15-month old weighs!  It's not a fast weight loss, I'm averaging about a pound a week at this point (sometimes more, sometimes less)...but everything I've every heard or read about weight loss says that the healthiest (and most lasting) way to lose weight is to lose an average of 1-2 pounds per week.  So...I'm still on track!  :)  This is no fad diet!  It's not even a diet in the weight-loss sense of the word!  If I want pizza, I eat pizza (granted, I eat a lot less of it than I used to...but that's a GOOD thing)!  If I want cookies, I eat cookies.  NOTHING is forbidden and is only limited by me paying attention to my body's signals.  When I feel satisfied, I stop eating.  Of course, if I eat past the full point, I'm not going to lose weight.  This isn't a miracle pill where I could continuously eat more than my body needs and still lose weight...it just helps me to listen to my body's signals better by taking away the cravings and keeps me from feeling deprived.  As a result, food no longer has the control over me that it used to have, and I lose weight.  As far as I'm concerned, that's a win-win!

There are people taking Plexus that lose weight a lot faster than I am and a few that lose it a little slower.  Everyone's body is different...and that's OK.  That's exactly why you see on every weight loss product advertised with testimonials the disclaimer "results not typical, your experience may vary."  They do this to cover themselves.  They can't promise you will lose 30 pounds in 30 days because everyone is different.  By the same token, Plexus doesn't promise anything crazy like that, either.  BUT they do offer you a 60-day MONEY-BACK guarantee if you aren't satisfied for ANY reason!  I haven't seen too many other weight loss products offer that kind of guarantee!  Some offer a couple of weeks, maybe even as much as 30 days, but most offer no guarantee at all!  With 60 days, you have two whole months to see for yourself how Plexus works for you!  :)

I do sell the products...but I only do that because I believe in them and have seen the results myself!  I will not sell anything that I feel isn't a good value for the money...I don't believe in taking advantage of someone else just for the sake of a sale.  But, when I consider how much my health and energy has improved since starting Plexus, I can tell you, it's worth EVERY penny we spend on it!  I originally started selling Plexus simply so that I could buy it at wholesale...but when others started seeing how it was working for me, they wanted to know what I was doing and how they could get it, too.  And so...I started selling to others!  Now, I have two other people on my team who are doing what I do...getting their own product at a discount, and one of them has had such success she has long passed me!  :)  I love that I get to help others make something better of their lives by getting healthy, and for those who want it, earning an extra paycheck every month!  :)  If you are interested in Plexus, let me know!  You can order the products directly from my website (www.plexusslim.com/karaj) and they will be shipped to you in a few days.  If you'd like to know how you can order them at wholesale and even earn an extra paycheck by helping others, just contact me at karaj.plexus@gmail.com and I'll be happy to answer any questions you have and help you get started!  :)

Best Thing I Have EVER Done To Lose Weight!

Yes, I know...it has been a whole month since I last wrote my blog.  No, it's not because I stopped losing weight...it's just that life has been busy and I've been spending more time with family and less time on the computer.  As I mentioned last time, I watched the little guy I used to babysit for a week and then our homeschooling year began...and it's a busy one!  My 4th grader and I are both working on Memory Master with our Classical Conversations group...this means we will be memorizing 161 timeline events, as well as 24 weeks worth of History, English Grammar, Geography, Latin, Science, and Math memory work...and will recite it all at the end of the school year!  In addition to that, he is also taking the Essentials class that is part of Classical Conversations.  It's an intense Language Arts and Math program that will further prepare him for Challenge when he reaches 7th grade.  :)  So needless to say, that's where a chunk of my attention goes...not to mention my almost-15-month-old (and he demands as much Momma-time as he can get)!  ;)

So...that's why I haven't been writing...unlike previous times when I stopped writing because I stopped losing.  ;)  In fact, I'm now at 23.6 pounds lost!  I've said it before...and I'll say it again...this is BY FAR the EASIEST and MOST EFFECTIVE thing I have ***EVER*** done to lose weight!!!  Only twice in my lifetime have I lost more than I have this time around...and both times, I was strictly following a diet plan and exercising 5+ days per week!  And BOTH times, when I stopped exercising & dieting, I gained every pound I'd lost and then some...and much faster than I'd taken it off, too!

But with Plexus, I'm not following any strict diet plan, not counting calories or points, not watching fat grams, not suffering through fat-free and low-fat versions of foods just so I can stay within my food plan, not giving up the foods I love...and what's even better, no longer struggling with cravings!  What I AM doing is eating foods I love when I'm hungry, stopping when I'm full...and not eating if I'm not hungry!  I am continually amazed at how little amount of food fills me up sometimes!  Earlier this week, I went out to eat with a friend a restaurant famous for their wings.  My usual order at this restaurant is 10 boneless wings with fries and a side salad...and I've never had any problem finishing it...usually would even go for ice cream or something afterwards!  But, this night, it was 50 cent boneless wings night...so I just ordered 10 wings and a side salad.  I ate my salad and a few of the wings and felt completely stuffed, so I took the rest home.  It wasn't until I got home that I checked how many wings I had left and realized I had only eaten FOUR wings before feeling very full...and I didn't even get fries!  Today was another example...I wasn't very hungry at breakfast, so I just had coffee (I don't become human without my coffee!)...then when I went to do my grocery shopping, I realized I was hungry, so I got a chicken tender wrap (one of my favorites) at the Publix deli.  I sat down to eat it and after finishing half of it, realized I was full!  I didn't even have chips or anything with it (other than my Plexus drink)!  About 3 hours later, I realized I was hungry again, and finished the other half...and was completely satisfied!  SOOOO not like me before Plexus!  I'm still retraining my brain to pay attention to my stomach's signals...so, sometimes I eat too much before I realize it...and feel Thanksgiving-Dinner-full on less food than I would have normally eaten!

Another thing that still amazes me is that this former Diet-Coke-a-holic no longer likes the taste of Diet Coke or any other soda, for that matter!  I used to buy a 6-pack of 20-oz. bottles at the grocery store every week, not to mention all the Diet Coke I would drink when eating out, pulling through the drive-thru, or going somewhere like Target's Cafe.  Well, today, we cleaned out the fridge and found 5 Diet Cokes that expired in April...which was when I started taking Plexus!  I just don't care for them anymore!  And what's even more amazing...this formerly water-phobic girl (i.e. wouldn't drink water unless it was the only option or necessary for saving money) now CRAVES WATER!!!!  WHAT?!?!  Yep...I actually PREFER to drink water over any other beverage!  Occasionally, I'll have an unsweet tea or I'll put either lemon juice or Crystal Light in my water...but for the most part, I drink it plain...just ice and water!  :)

Also, the other two times I lost a significant amount of weight, I was serious about exercise!  The most weight I've ever lost was 80 pounds on a program through my church called First Place.  My cousin (who is an exercise fanatic) had already had me walking with her and became my personal weight-loss coach!  I loved hanging out with her, so the exercise didn't seem so bad.  We started by walking around her neighborhood (pushing her little girl in the stroller) several times a week...and eventually progressed to working out at the YMCA five days a week in the wee hours of the morning (this is when I discovered that 5 o'clock does indeed come twice a day)!  ;)  I did great with it all...until my cousin moved a couple hours away, and I eventually moved to a different state.  Slowly, the weight came creeping back on (though not nearly as slowly as it had come off)!  The other time was a few years ago when I decided to give Weight Watchers another go.  I was doing it secretly...planning to surprise my family at Christmas.  I was exercising at least 45 minutes per day on the elliptical (because it produced the most activity points, which meant I could eat more) and going to the gym at least 4-5 days per week...more if I could fit it in.  This worked well for a few months and I lost about 30 pounds...but then I lost my motivation and the cravings started to take over and the best I did after that was maintain for awhile...losing a few tenths of a pound here, gaining a few there, etc.  Eventually, I gave up.  I made a few more attempts at WW, but none were very successful because the motivation just wasn't there!

But with Plexus, there's no motivation needed!  I get up in the morning, take my accelerator and drink my pink drink...then just listen to my body for signals that I'm hungry or full!  That's really all there is to it!  In the pictures above, you see my "Before" picture that was taken at an Avon President's Club Recognition Luncheon.  I had NO idea just how fat I was then until I compared that picture with some my son took this morning!  I had him take the pictures this morning because I realized that the shorts that used to be too small and the belt that wouldn't even make it around me a few months ago not only fit, but I could put my fists in with the belt on the LAST hole!  I don't always realize how well I'm doing...and sometimes it seems the scale just won't move as fast as I would like it to move (or as fast as it seems to move for others)...but I just keep reminding myself of the moral of the Tortoise and the Hare...slow and steady wins the race!  As a dear friend reminded me today...we are running a marathon, not a 500 yard dash!  :)

So...if you would like to know more about this wonderful product that is literally transforming my body, email me at karaj.plexus@gmail.com, check out my Facebook page, or visit my Website (just click on the links).  If you think you can't afford it, consider becoming an Ambassador.  The annual membership is only $34.95/year and you can get your products at wholesale, as well as earn more money when others order from your website!  And trust me...when others see what Plexus is doing for you, they will want to know what you are doing - you might as well let them order from you and earn 15-25% of what they order!  It takes just 5 people ordering the combo and it's like getting your own product for FREE!  :)  Let me know if you have questions or want to get started!  I'd love to have you on my team!  :)

Weekly Weigh-in

Yep, it's FRIDAY!!!  For many people, that simply means the end of the work week and the beginning of their weekend.  For me, it's weigh-in day!  :)  Time to face the scale and see what it has to say about my progress for the week.  But, before I reveal the results, let me tell you a little about my week.

This was the last week I had completely free from responsibilities other than the normal everyday stuff of being the mom of two amazing boys.  Next week, I'll have the little boy I've babysat for the last year and a half (since he was 3 months old) while his mom goes back to work (she's a school teacher) and his new babysitter is on vacation (I will be the back-up babysitter this year so that I can focus more on homeschooling my oldest).  The week after that, we begin our first week of homeschooling for the new school year.  So, summer is officially over!  LOL!  But, we made the best of it!  :)

Monday I had lunch with a long-time friend at our favorite Mexican restaurant.  I ordered my regular meal (steak fajita quesadilla with the white cheese dip appetizer)...but ended up bringing most of the cheese dip home and half my quesadilla!  Monday night, I had a meeting at church for new middle school leaders and we were served sub sandwiches, chips, and a double-decker cookie cake for dinner (yep, had the cookie cake)!  Tuesday, the boys and I headed to the pool and had a relaxing day with friends.  I had some of the left over sub sandwich for lunch..and then we had Taco Tuesday at home for dinner!  Wednesday we had fun with friends at the park (i.e. the boys ran and played and I sat and chatted with my mommy friends) and then grabbed some lunch at Target while we got a birthday present for a party we will attend tomorrow (ya know Target has Pizza Hut pizza, right?).  Then we had Wednesday Night Dinner at our church...and since I'm not a fish eater (the main meal was crab stuffed sole), I opted for the alternative meal...cheeseburger and fries (and for some reason, they made mine a double!).  Thursday we had a MOPS playdate & ice cream social...but I had no desire to eat the ice cream...even when my 1-year-old was done after eating only half of his...so I gave the rest to my 9-year-old (who was happy to oblige!).  :)  We came home after that and had some leftover pizza that my hubby had brought home from a youth event after church the night before (I'd come home right after church to put the baby to bed).  Thursday night was my night out with a couple of friends before we attended a group meeting at church, and I had Chicken Teriyaki at the Sushi Thai restaurant where we went.  So...that will give you an idea of what my diet has been like this week before I weighed in this morning.  ;)  As far as exercise...I got in 30 minutes on the elliptical ONE morning this week (I think Wednesday) when I woke up early on my own.  THAT IS IT!!!!

Why did I tell you all that?  Well...you see, in spite of all of that, I still lost a pound this week!  I am now at 19 pounds total...and I have NOT done ANY dieting and VERY LITTLE exercise!  Yes, I know I could have lost so much more if I had actually made better choices in my eating and put in a few more days at the gym...but the great thing about Plexus is that I don't HAVE to do that or feel the least bit deprived while losing weight!  I'm certainly eating less than I was before taking Plexus (like bringing home part of my lunch) and some things have lost their appeal (like the ice cream at the social) - and that IS making a difference.  But, I'm not struggling to do it...it's happening naturally!  I'm not beating myself up over every bite I put in my mouth.  I'm not counting calories or killing myself at the gym.  And yet, I'm still losing weight at a healthy rate (roughly 1-2 pounds per week).  And even though it's been a few months, I'm STILL amazed at what Plexus is doing for me!  :)

If you would like to know more about Plexus, you can email me at karaj.plexus@gmail.com or check out my website: www.karaj.myplexusproducts.com.  If you'd like to know how you can earn money while you lose weight, I'd love to help you with that!  Just email me for more information!  :)  I also have a Facebook Page that you can check out if you are on Facebook - I post information, testimonials, and links to my weekly weigh-in blogs there...and sometimes I offer deals and/or contests!  :)  

Putting Things In Perspective

As I shared with you in my last post, we've had LOTS of junk food in our house the last couple of months...not to mention, Blue Bell ice cream was on sale TWICE (and was even BOGO last week!)...and if you have ever eaten Blue Bell ice cream, you totally understand what that means!  Oh yeah...I bought it and I enjoyed it!  :)  If you haven't tried Blue Bell, just think HOMEMADE ice cream...that's exactly what it tastes like!  It is by far the BEST store bought ice cream I have ever put in my mouth (second only to my grandfather's homemade peach ice cream, which I can't get anymore)!  But, we only buy it when it's on sale because it's six-something a half-gallon and that's not quite budget-friendly!  So, usually store-bought ice cream isn't a big temptation for me...but Blue Bell totally is!

Having said that...I HAVE been eating less junk this week and listening to my body's cues a little more...and it shows!  I lost 1.6 pounds this week...so I am now at 18.2 pounds of total weight loss!  Looking forward to that 20 lb. weight loss!  :)  I have not, however, gotten much exercise this week.  I did spend about 45 minutes playing Wii Sports on Monday...but then I was dealing with some monthly physical issues (trying not to be too TMI) this week and didn't feel up to doing much more than was necessary to get through the day. So, exercise did NOT happen after that.

I'll be honest with you...I was totally starting to get down on myself when the scale wasn't moving like it had been...or really, at all like I wanted it too!  But once I took a hard look at what I was doing and realized that part of that was related to how I was eating and what I was doing (or more accurately, NOT doing...namely, exercise!), then it started to make sense.  I have said before that you don't HAVE to follow a diet plan or exercise to lose weight with Plexus...and that is still true.  But, you DO have to be smart about what you eat and listen to your body, not just stuff whatever tastes good in your mouth and keep stuffing it past the point of full just because it does taste good.  Plexus is NOT a magic pill.  It will NOT cause you to lose weight regardless of what you do.  But, it WILL help you...if you are willing to do your part!  It takes away the cravings for unhealthy foods.  It helps you to feel full on less food.  But, you have to listen to what your body says in order to lose the weight.  Weight loss is both biological (as in eating correctly) and behavioral (as in making wise choices).  Plexus does help with both...but it doesn't do all the work for you.  You have to be willing to do your part...and that's the very important lesson I learned over the last few weeks.  Now...having said all that, I do want to add that if I had not been taking Plexus, rather than having maintained my weight, I totally would have gained some, if not all, of the weight I have lost so far.  So, I would say that is still very much a victory!  :)

By the way, I asked a friend who is also doing Plexus and who had previously done another product that is geared toward weight loss (Advocare) what the differences are between the two since I have friends and family who are doing the Advocare.  She told me that first of all, Plexus is a LOT less expensive and has been FAR more effective for her.  She told me that Advocare was geared more toward athletes, so unless you were willing to work out for hours each day, you wouldn't see much change.  She told me that other than when she did the cleanse with Advocare, she never lost anything on their products (and she used the products for quite some time).  She has lost 20 pounds so far on Plexus (since May) without dieting or exercise!  I think that says a lot for our products and am very glad to know her personal comparison!

For those of you who think Plexus is too expensive, it really boils down to just a little over $3/day.  That's about how much I used to spend on one soda at a restaurant or one coffee at a local coffee shop!  Since I now pretty much only want to drink water after my morning coffee (that I have at home), I have saved that much and more!  And, if you sign up to become an Ambassador, you will get your products at wholesale and can actually EARN money while losing weight!  You only need to find 5 friends to join you on the journey and order through you, and then your product is basically FREE every month because your commission will cover the cost of your product (and then some)!  :)  If you want to learn more and don't already have a Plexus Ambassador, contact me via email at karaj.plexus@gmail.com for more information and with any questions you may have.  :)  I would love to tell you more about how Plexus can work for you...and even how to earn an extra income while losing weight!  :)  If you just want to go ahead and order or check it out yourself, you can visit my website at www.karaj.myplexusproducts.com.  :)

Talk to you next week!  :)
Kara

Time for an Update! ;)

Sorry for the delay in posting updates...I have had a lot of "life" going on lately!  As I mentioned in my last post, my dad has been in the hospital.  He's home now, but he's still dealing with the health issues...most likely a life-long thing for him at this point.  My birthday also happened in this time span...which brings with it a whole host of issues (both good and bad)!  ;)  So, to just say "life happened" is probably a huge understatement, but is better than burdening you with all the crazy details!  LOL!

Anyway, my point being that no matter what you do to lose weight, life is going to happen.  You are going to have birthdays, parties, events, special occasions, sad times, stressful times, crazy-out-of-control times, etc.  You can't let that sidetrack you completely from the big picture!  If you do, then you fail.  BUT...if you pick yourself up (yes, I must say it...by your bootstraps!), and keep going, then you succeed!  You might not get there as fast as you would like, you may not do all you want to do...BUT, you will get there if you don't give up!

That's where I am today!  We have had a constant stream of cake and/or cookie-cake in our house since my son's 1st birthday in June...and I have enjoyed every single bite, I'm not gonna lie!  ;)  But, as a result, my weight loss the last couple of weeks has not been what I would like it to be.  On more than one occasion, I have eaten past the point of fullness...sometimes to the point of feeling stuffed (think: after Thanksgiving dinner stuffed)!  The good news is that I've felt this stuffed on far less food than I would have in the past!  I felt stuffed on less food than I would have normally eaten in a given sitting just 3 months ago!  And I'm thankful for that!  That, in itself, is progress!  And now that the eating out and sweets in the house period is over for the time being, I'm getting myself back on track!

So, while the scale hasn't really moved for me the last couple of weeks, I still feel like there has been success.  I'm more conscious of what I eat, I'm full (or even stuffed) on far less food, and unlike years prior to this, I have not gained significant weight eating as I have the last few weeks!  I usually gain 3-5 pounds during my birthday week...just from all the eating out (LOVE those free birthday meal coupons I get in my email inbox!) and cake!  But, in the last two weeks, I've only gained a pound (when I weighed in on Friday)...and by Monday, I had lost that pound.  I can only attribute this to the Plexus Slim that I've been taking!  There certainly hasn't been any exercise happening in my life lately...unless you count parking a little further away from the store from time to time, just because it was the first parking spot I found!  ;)  But, each day is a new day and I'm working myself up to actually getting some exercise into my daily (or at least weekly) routine!

I know two things happen when I actually do get regular exercise: (1) I feel better, and (2) I lose weight faster!  So, even though I'm still at an average of 1.5 pounds per week of weight loss, I really wanna ramp it up!  But, in order to do that, I've gotta drag my lazy butt out of bed at 6am...not something that comes easy to this non-morning-person gal!  I'd much rather exercise mid-morning...it's when I'm more awake and have the energy to go...but, that doesn't work well for my schedule during the week.  In order to get to a gym that has child care, I have to drive across town...and I have to get there and complete my workout before noon. Between my 9-year-old who shares my aversion to mornings and my 1-year-old who takes a mid-morning nap, this makes doing this nearly impossible.  So, if I'm going to fit this in on a regular basis, I either need to resolve myself to getting up earlier (and missing out on that precious last-minute morning sleep while hubby showers) or go in the evenings after hubby gets home...but that would make my exercise sporadic at best because of the things I'm involved in that meet in the evenings and my desire to spend time together as a family when we are all home.  So...mornings it is!  Please pray for me!  I'm gonna need it!  ;)

God bless you all...no matter where you are on your journey!  Regardless of whether you don't really need to lose weight, are in the process of losing weight, or need to lose weight but haven't found the motivation...I pray that you enjoy reading my blog and find some enjoyment/encouragement from it!  :)  Feel free to leave comments or contact me at karaj.plexus@gmail.com for more info.  :)

Weekly Weigh-in Report

My hubby was off today, so we slept in and I weighed in a few hours later than I usually do...but it was still before I had breakfast, so I'm going with it.  :)  I am down another 2.6 pounds this week, which makes my grand total 17.4 pounds since April 19th.  :)

In addition to the loss on the scale, I also had a non-scale victory.  Wednesday, I put on a size 22 jeans and not only did they fit, but they were actually a little loose.  :)  While some people would be sad about that size, it actually was a victory for me!  You see, before my Plexus journey began, I couldn't even fit into a size 24...and I refused to buy any size larger than that, so I just bought pants with elastic & vague sizing so that I didn't have to face how big I was getting.  But, Plexus is changing all that!  :)  I knew I needed a belt with those size 24 jeans I was finally fitting into, so I decided to give my 22's a shot...and was pleasantly surprised that they fit!  Later that evening at church, a friend noticed me hitching them up and said, "Pants getting loose?"  I was happy to report to her that not only were they loose, but they were at least 2 sizes smaller than what I'd worn before!  :)

It's been a crazy week...my dad went in the hospital Tuesday night with many health issues.  I'm 650 miles away, so I'm having to rely on family for updates.  Thankfully, they've been pretty good at keeping me posted.  But, I'm having a hard time focusing, as you can imagine.  Sorry for the short post, but I am literally worn out from worrying about him.  If you believe in God, please say a prayer for my dad.  <3  

God bless!

Two-week Weight-In Report

Sorry I didn't get a blog post done last week.  It's been busy, busy around my house lately.  Last weekend, we celebrated my youngest son's 1st birthday with a huge party!  I got all Pintresty with our Very Hungry Caterpillar Theme (seriously...all the cute ideas came directly from Pintrest!) - so I was busy re-creating what I found on Pintrest & ordering/shopping for the things I couldn't do myself (shirt, cake, plates, etc.).  Also, my parents came in town for the big event, so I wanted to spend as much time with them while they were here as I could!  :)  Shortly after they left, I had a 3-day all-day Practicum to attend for homeschooling.  So, while I have weighed in every Friday, I didn't have much time to blog about it until now...which may turn out for the best, because as tired as I was last week from all that was going on, if I'd tried to blog, it probably wouldn't have made much sense or been very good at all!  ;)

To be honest, my scale hasn't exactly been my best friend the last couple of weeks.  Last Friday, I had actually gained 4/10 of a pound and this past Friday, I lost 6/10 of a pound...so, the scale hasn't moved all that much lately.  And yet, my belt moved in another hole (now on the 3rd hole of the belt I couldn't even get all the way around me a few weeks ago!)...so, I know I'm losing inches, even though I'm not really losing much in the way of pounds lately.  And, to be quite honest, that's really all I care about.  I want to be healthier and to be a more "normal" size...and that's happening!  I know I'm healthier because I have far more energy than I used to.  Yes, I still get tired after a long, busy day...but I don't need sodas to get me through the day like I used to!  And I still don't even desire to drink them!  I also know I'm healthier because I'm sleeping better at night and my breathing isn't as labored as it used to be!  I also don't feel the need to snack all the time!  As I mentioned earlier, I had a 3-day Practicum for Classical Conversations (the homeschool model we use) last week and I took a ziploc baggie full of chocolate-covered raisins with me for a snack (the Practicum was 9am-4pm all three days, with an hour for lunch)...but I never actually ate them!  I was never hungry during the day except for lunchtime.  All I really wanted during the meetings was water...and I had plenty of it!  :)

So, while the scale hasn't moved much for me the last couple of weeks, there are still plenty of non-scale victories that make me happy!  And people are starting to notice!  Whenever I see someone I haven't seen in awhile, they always say, "Wow!  You look great!"  That has got to be the BEST feeling in the world!  :)

If you are interested in finding out what Plexus could do for YOU, just visit my website and check it out!  There is a 60-day money-back guarantee...so the only thing you have to lose is weight and inches!  Try it for a month...if you don't like what you see, return any unused portion for a full refund!  You won't be sorry!  Everyone I know who has tried it loves it every bit as much as I do!  If you want to get it at wholesale, email me (or contact me directly if you know me) at karaj.plexus@gmail.com and I'll answer your questions and/or tell you how to get started!  :)  If you've got a lot to lose, this is a great way to make extra money, because as others see the weight come off, they will ask you what you are doing and be interested as well!  :)

Saying Farewell To Diets FOREVER!

For as long as I can remember, I have either been on a vicious never-ending cycle of getting ready to diet, being on a diet, getting frustrated with a diet, giving up on a diet, getting frustrated with my weight, getting ready to diet...well, you get the point!  But all that is over!  I have come to the decision that I will NEVER diet again!  No more counting calories, fat grams, and/or points!  No more measuring out portions!  No more feeling deprived!  No more feeling discouraged!  I finally broke up with diets FOREVER!!!

What brought me to this decision?  Well, let's just look at my last week.  I have been working Vacation Bible School at my church this past week and part of my responsibilities was to stop by Dunkin' Donuts every morning on my way in and pick up donut holes for the workers.  A few of the mornings, I even got a donut for my son and his friend who was riding with us.  But not once did I order one for myself...it didn't even cross my mind to do so!  And what's more...I didn't have a single donut hole that sat in the resource room with me!  Not because I COULDN'T have it...but because I really didn't WANT to have it!  The first morning, I looked in the box to see if there were any left once VBS got under way and there were two little donut holes sitting in there.  For about half a second, I contemplated whether I wanted to eat them or not, but I really didn't have any desire to do so...and after that, I didn't even give them a second thought after putting them out!  To help you understand how big this is, the old me would have had at least a handful of those delicious bites of dough and sugar on the way in...and a few more once I got there and opened them up!  But I didn't even have the slightest desire to eat them.  That, my friends, is simply amazing to me!

So, after being in the resource room with all sorts of wonderful goodies (besides the donut holes, several people brought in an assortment of goodies from home to share), the old me would have been terrified to step on the scale Friday morning.  But, the new me was excited to do so...and rightfully so!  I lost 2.4 pounds last week, bringing my grand total to 14.6 pounds!  It's been eight weeks...and usually by this time on a diet, I've lost interest and just trying to hold on by my fingernails or will have totally given up!  And never have I lost that much weight this far into a diet...usually I'm doing good to lose a whole pound at this stage of the game!  I usually do really good in the beginning (when the excitement is still there), but as my interest in following the diet wanes, it also begins to show on the scale with a minimum weight loss (usually tenths of a pound) or with a weight gain.  But here I am with an average of 1.825 pounds per week and going strong!

Why is this different?  Well, to be quite honest, I'm not dieting.  I'm not writing down what I eat.  I'm not measuring anything.  I'm not even avoiding any food group!  I simply eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full.  I eat whatever I want, when I want to eat it.  Sounds a lot like my "off diet" phase of the above vicious cycle.  The main difference between this and when I'm "off" a diet is that I'm steadily losing weight!  This happens because I'm not hungry as often, and the food I desire is very different from what it used to be.  I attribute this to the changes Plexus is making in my body.  Since it works to regulate blood sugar, cholesterol, and lipids to normal levels, it curbs the cravings for unhealthy foods.  I actually crave healthy foods and water...something I prayed for many times, but never thought I'd ever really do short of a miracle! I guess Plexus is my miracle...because it is all that has changed!  :)

I know diets work for some people...I've seen it happen.  But, they just don't work for me.  And thanks to Plexus, I can work my way to a healthy weight in a healthy manner without feeling the least bit deprived!  So, thanks to Plexus, I can say GOODBYE TO DIETS FOREVER!!!!  :)

Exercise - Part 2

No, it's not Friday yet.  Not quite time for another weigh-in update...but I do have some news to report and I just couldn't wait!  ;)  After my post on Friday about exercise, I got a little convicted.  And so...when my hubby asked if I was going to work out on Saturday, I told him I would.  Then I got up on Saturday and well...everyone else was taking it easy (it was our first lazy Saturday in weeks!), so I thought I would too.  Then my hubby made the fateful mistake of saying, "I thought you were going to workout."  Yeah...you guessed it, I didn't take it so well.  He didn't mean to, but he hit a hot button for me.

BUT...I did get up, get dressed, and headed out to the gym.  I was armed with my pink drink (I had been finishing my coffee when hubby made his statement), my book, and my phone with my tunes (and earphones).  I got on the elliptical and I worked out for 30 minutes, but I wasn't ready to stop reading, so I decided to get on the treadmill and walk for awhile...never looking at the timer.  Before I knew it, I'd finished my book and when I looked at the timer, I realized I'd been walking for over an hour!  An hour and ten minutes to be exact!  And I wasn't exactly strolling along on the treadmill, either!  I mean, I wasn't running or anything, but I was at 2.5-2.8 for my speed level.  I couldn't believe I'd been on the treadmill for over an hour...especially after spending about half that amount of time on the elliptical!  I will tell you, I have noticed on the times I have gone to workout while drinking my pink drink, I get more of a workout.  Partly because I have unlimited time, but also partly because I didn't get tired as quickly!  And with my book to keep my mind occupied, I was good to go!

I also had a non-scale victory this morning!  I'm helping with Vacation Bible School this morning, so I was up and getting dressed this morning when I realized that my shorts were loose.  So, I grabbed a belt...one that wouldn't fit me just a few weeks ago.  But today, I was able to get it buckled...and comfortably so!  YAY!  Gotta say, I was pretty happy about that!  :)

Since I'm helping out with VBS this week, I probably won't get much "official" exercise in this week.  I may be a little more active than usual, but not sure how often or if I'll even make it to the gym this week, but I do want to go more often and make it a habit.  But, I'm thankful that I don't HAVE to work out to lose weight with my Plexus!  :)  Perhaps now that it's no longer a "have to" I can some day turn it into a "want to"...maybe!  ;)

By the way, in case you are wondering, yes, I did apologize to my hubby after my workout for my bad attitude earlier that day.  ;)

OH...and another non-scale victory I had today...my "job" at VBS is to pick up doughnut holes from Dunkin Donuts every morning on my way in and then to be in the resource room to help the other workers in case they need anything (which is also where said doughnut holes and other snacks are kept).  After the mad rush of the first morning was over and everyone was in their classes, I checked the box of doughnut holes to see if they were gone.  There were TWO left.  Now, the old me would have totally snatched those two up and scarfed them down in no time flat (and probably would have snatched a few before they even made them into the resource room in the first place).  But as I looked as those two lonely little Munchkins in the box, I had absolutely NO DESIRE to eat them...and simply walked away without the least little tinge of deprivation.  What a great feeling!!!  :)

Looking forward to the scale on Friday...SERIOUSLY!  I actually look forward to my weigh-in days now! Hope you are having a fabulous week!  :)

Exercise and My Weekly Weigh-In

I cannot, for the life of me, get excited about going to the gym.  Once I'm there, and get into it, I can usually keep going.  It's the getting there that is so hard!  I am sooo not a morning person, and yet the best time to fit exercise in my day is early in the morning before my hubby leaves for work.  Last January, when my hubby got a bonus from work, I talked him into letting me get a year-long membership to the fitness centers offered by our county parks & recreation.  I promised that I would workout three mornings a week...and I did really well at first, but lately, not so much!  ;)

Why do I tell you this?  Well, because on every single other weight loss program I've ever been successful on, exercise was pivotal in my success.  If I got my workouts in,  I lost weight that week.  If I didn't, well...let's just say the scale was NOT my friend!  Yes, what I ate also played a part in how I did each week, too...but it seemed exercise was the key!  But, that has NOT been my experience on Plexus!  I am just flat out amazed at how well it works!

This morning, I got on the scale and discovered another 2 pounds gone!  That makes a total of 12.2 pounds in the last seven weeks - an average of 1.74 pounds per week!  In those seven weeks, I think I've met my goal of exercising three days per week all of ONCE!  I've gotten in a day or two on some other weeks, but only once did I hit all 3 days...and this past week, I have yet to find my way to the gym!  And yet, because I have more energy, I'm probably more active in my everyday life than I was before I started taking Plexus...so, I may be getting in more exercise than I realize!  ;)

For weight loss to truly be successful, you need to find something you can do consistently and that you can stick with.  I cannot avoid carbs and sweets forever...I still enjoy them from time to time.  I cannot make myself exercise every day...no matter how hard I try, there's always a reason (read: excuse) why I can't (usually followed by a promise to do it later that rarely gets fulfilled).  But, I can take my accelerator every morning with breakfast and I can enjoy my Plexus Slim drink every morning after I finish my coffee.  And...I can make the choices I've known all along are the right choices to make because my body no longer fights me on those choices and I no longer feel deprived!  I stay motivated because (A) it's easy to do, and (B) I keep losing weight!  I actually look forward to stepping on the scale for the first time in my entire life!

I'm so thankful for the friend who introduced me to Plexus!  If you would like for me to do you the same favor, just let me know!  You won't be sorry!  And while I'm very vocal about Plexus and what it's doing for me (I can't help myself!), if you want to try it on the "down-low"...your secret is safe with me!  :)

Just Keep Going!

Yes, I weighed in on Friday.  Was it what I wanted to see?  No, not really.  I lost half a pound.  Not the best loss I've ever seen on the scale, but at least the scale is moving in the right direction!  And, if you have been following my blog, you'll remember that about this time last month, I GAINED a pound...so to LOSE even half a pound around this time of the month (especially considering how bloated I feel...ladies, I KNOW you understand!), really is bigger than it seems!  :)

And as the picture above says, let's be honest here!  I did NOT gain this weight overnight and, consequently, I'm not going to lose it that fast, either!  And if I'm really honest with myself, I don't really want to, either.  I've done more than my fair share of fad diets and have lost weight really quickly only to see it come back on just as fast.  If I really want this weight loss to last, I need to take it off in the same manner it came on...little by little!  :)

One of the times when I was doing Weight Watchers, a leader once told the group that a healthy weight loss is anywhere between a half a pound and two pounds, with the average being 1-2 pounds per week.  In the last 6 weeks, I've lost 10.2 pounds.  While that may not be Biggest Loser type results, it IS real-world results and I'm thankful for it.

If you have been following my blog, you know I can never say enough good things about Plexus!  Others have started noticing a difference as well, and have started asking me about this new-found "miracle."  But, Plexus isn't magic.  Yes, it makes losing weight easier - but it doesn't make it magically disappear.  In order for it to really work for me, I had to make some choices.  Plexus helped me feel full on less food, but I have to make the choice to stop eating when I'm full.  Plexus has removed the intense cravings for carbs, sweets, and soda...but I have to choose to eat/drink them in moderation.  Plexus gives me more energy, but it is my choice how I use that energy.  It is true, I haven't followed a diet plan and I haven't even exercised that much since starting Plexus and my results have been at least equal to, if not better, than the times I was following a strict diet plan and trying to exercise.  But, I am making choices to eat healthier, which is so much easier without the cravings.  And the more I choose to eat healthy, the more I actually WANT to eat healthy.  And I know that if I were more consistent in my exercise, I would probably have even better results.  But, I am thankful for the results I am getting and, even more importantly, I'm thankful for the way I feel!  I love having the energy to do things with my boys and that food no longer controls my life!

If you have struggled to lose weight like I have, perhaps you would like to give Plexus a try and see how it will work for you.  You don't have to commit to a whole month.  There are 3-day and 7-day trial kits you can order from my website to see how you like it.  If you find that it's something that will work for you and you would like to use it regularly, there are several options for how to order.  You can place an order each month and pay the full retail price, you can sign up as a preferred customer and get it at a discount, or you can sign up to become an Ambassador (like I did) and get it at wholesale!  If you are interested, let me know and I'll be happy to help you decide what's best for you without any pressure to do anything you don't want to do!  :)

A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words!

It's true...the picture above says it all!!!  When I took the picture on the left, I had joined a weight-loss group on Facebook & everyone was posting their "Before" picture, so I figured I'd do the same.  Good thing, too - or I wouldn't have a "before" picture!  ;)  Between the time that picture was taken and when I actually started on Plexus (19 days later), I had GAINED five pounds - so while this is close, it's not an exact representation of how I looked the day I started Plexus.  ;)  So much for the weight-loss support group on Facebook, huh?

For the last 5 weeks, I have steadily been losing weight...roughly 1-2 pounds a week, which is what is said to be best for a healthy weight-loss.  All in all, I've lost just shy of 10 pounds (9.8, to be exact).  However, never before has 10 pounds looked so good off of me!  I was actually surprised when I put today's picture up next to the picture I took on April 1st...seriously seeing a difference!

With something that is this simple to use and produces this kind of results, it's easy to see why I love it!  When I think back to a couple months ago when my friend Jami was trying to convince me to try it, and how skeptical I was of it - I only wish I'd tried it sooner!  Now, I can't imagine a day without my "pink drink" - Plexus Slim!  I have more energy than I've ever had before...and eating less just comes naturally to me now! That's something I NEVER thought I'd be able to say!  I had come to the point where it was beginning to feel like I would never lose weight because they were all too hard for me to stick with.  Something had to be counted, something had to be cut out or seriously reduced, and always there was measuring & keeping a food journal of some sort involved...as a friend of mine says, "Ain't nobody got time for that!"  LOL!

So, here I am...after years of trying every diet known to man (some of them multiple times...as if something was going to change), finally finding something that REALLY works for me!  Is it any wonder I love telling you about it?

But, not only do I have an opportunity to lose weight and get healthy, but I also have the opportunity to earn money by helping OTHERS lose unwanted poundage!  ;)  When I signed up five weeks ago to sell Plexus, I'm not gonna lie to you...I seriously ONLY did it so I could get a discount on my own product.  But, as others have seen me lose weight, they have also become interested in this product.  Some are buying from me...and one just converted from a customer to a team member!  It happened when she met a friend for coffee...and that friend said, "You look GREAT!  What are you doing?"  After raving about how she felt on Plexus, the friend was convinced and my friend/customer asked me about selling it herself...and now she's my very first team member!  :)

YOU could do this, too!  All it takes is posting pictures, testimonials, comments on Facebook and sharing with others what Plexus is doing for you!  If you are interested in learning more about either purchasing or selling Plexus, please contact me on Facebook or check out my website. :)

Until next week...

Time for another weigh-in!

There used to be a time when I absolutely HATED the scale.  I dreaded stepping on it each week, never quite sure what it would reveal.  I always judged my progress, and even myself, solely on what that scale revealed!  But now, I'm excited to see what it has to say...partly because I know it doesn't tell me the whole story...even a gain on the scale (as I saw a couple of weeks ago) doesn't mean what I'm doing isn't working (especially, if you'll remember, I lost 4 inches from my waist that week & 2.8 pounds off the scale the following week)!  So, I try to take what my scale tells me with a grain of salt, so to speak.  ;)

That being said, I was seriously expecting a BIG weight loss on the scale yesterday.  I had dreams of dropping 5, or even 10 pounds (not very realistic, but that didn't stop me from dreaming)!  After all, I had worked out three times on the elliptical...30 minutes at a whack, using the arm things that go back & forth the whole time, even!  That should account for something, right?  ;)  After all, it's the first time in 4 weeks that I've actually exercised at all.  So, when I stepped on the scale Friday morning and saw the result, I'm not gonna lie...I was slightly disappointed.  One pound...that's what I saw.  One little ole' pound.  Humph!

But then...I got to thinking - muscle weighs more than fat. If I was exercising, I was probably building some muscle, even as I lost some fat.  And besides, we know that ole scale can be fickle from time to time.  So, I pulled myself right on out of that pity party and began to celebrate that pound.  After all...it was a pound in the RIGHT direction...DOWN!!!!  ;)

I think anyone in any kind of weight loss program can get into that mindset...getting frustrated because the loss wasn't what we wanted or thought it should be.  It's too easy to get frustrated because the scale doesn't properly reflect the hard work we know we've put in.  But, the scale is just a single measurement tool.  There's so many other things we can use to measure our success!  Sure, there's also the measuring tape...and I probably should have pulled that puppy out - but I didn't.  Instead, I focused on not only the one pound LOSS...but also on the other successes I see happening!  There are probably 6-8 Diet Cokes sitting in my refrigerator - cold and waiting to be enjoyed...and have been for the last several weeks!  But, instead of reaching for one of those when I'm thirsty, I actually PREFER to drink water.  In case I've failed to mention this before, let me just tell you how HUGE that is...water has NEVER been my first drink choice.  If I'd had too much soda, I'd opt for iced tea...or lemonade...ANYTHING other than water!  But now - more often than not, I'd rather have water than anything else!  I do believe the Plexus actually causes me to CRAVE water!  I'll be flat honest with you...that's one craving I NEVER thought I'd have!  LOL!  ;)

Some other measures of success include choosing to eat less, making wise choices in the foods I do eat, and desiring to exercise more!  I was telling a friend just yesterday that one of the things about Plexus that I think helps me most is that it gives me the opportunity to make more wise choices.  Could I choose to eat unhealthy while taking Plexus?  Sure!  Plexus doesn't wrestle me to the ground and make me eat more healthy or eat less.  It just helps me not feel deprived when I make those choices!  I can literally look at a cupcake and pause long enough to actually think, "Do I really want that?"  More often than not, the answer is now no.  Could I still eat it?  Sure...but why do that?  Why eat something unhealthy that I don't really want to eat in the first place?

To help you understand this a little more, I'm going to reveal something about myself that I have previously always tried to hide (sometimes more successfully than others)...I am a BIG eater!  I really, really LIKE to eat...and eat large quantities of it, if it tastes good!  And when I don't eat as much as I'd like of something, I feel deprived...which, unfortunately, often ends in a private binge eating session later.  This, I think, is primarily why most diets fail for me.  Sure...I can play the game for awhile - count those calories, points, fat grams, or what have you!  I'll be very militant about it...for awhile.  But then, it's not fun anymore, the weight loss starts to slow down, and I start feeling deprived.  At that point, it's just not worth it to me anymore, and I give up.  There's not a lot of gray area for me when I'm dieting...I'm either doing it to the letter - or I'm not doing it at all.  The only in between for me is when I'm pretending that I'm doing it (lying to both myself and others) when I'm really not.

That's where I feel Plexus helps me most.  There is nothing I can't have...and there's no limit on how much.  I don't have to count anything and I don't have to write down what I ate.  I just don't have time for that in my life.  With Plexus, I simply take my two accelerator pills in the morning with breakfast and then drink my pink drink (Plexus Slim) when I finish my coffee, sometime mid-morning.  That's all there is to it!  It helps me pay attention to what my body needs and wants.  It keeps me from being so hungry all the time that I just want to fill the hole with whatever tastes good.  It takes away my cravings for carbs, sweets, and soda!  And since I don't have to fear being hungry later or feeling deprived, it gives me the freedom when my husband asks me how many hot dogs or grilled cheese sandwiches I want to say, "I just want one, thanks!"  And that, my friends, is a HUGE success in my book!!!

I have always heard it said that if you wanted to be thin, you should eat like a naturally thin person.  For the life of me, I could never understand what that meant.  When I've observed naturally thin people, I noticed that they didn't eat salads at every meal, they didn't write down everything they ate, they didn't drink protein drinks instead of eating a meal, and they didn't count calories or points.  And yet, that's what most every weight loss program boils down to - one or more of those strategies.  What I noticed instead was that they would eat whatever it was they wanted to eat (and nothing else)...and they stopped eating when they were full.  Plexus has helped me do just that.  If I want pizza or cake or whatever, I can have it...and I can have as much as I want.  But with Plexus, my desire for it is less and the amount it takes to make me feel full is FAR less!

Getting back to what the scale has to say...even though this week was a single pound, over the last 4 weeks, I've lost a total of 8.8 pounds - that's better than a 2 pound per week average!  Everything I've read says that a healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week.  So, I'm in that general ball park...and that makes me feel good!  :)

If you are interested in how Plexus could help you, please visit my website at www.karaj.myplexusproducts.com or contact me via my Facebook page.  There are also testimonials on both my website and Facebook page of how Plexus has helped others.  :)  You can order a 3-day or 7-day supply of Plexus Slim (with or without the accelerator) from my website if you want to see first hand how it works for you.  There's a discount on the 30-day supply if you sign up as a preferred customer and always a 60-day money-back guarantee!  Or, if you would like to get it at wholesale, you can sign up to sell it - just contact me for more details!  :)

Weekly Weigh-In...a tad late

I did, in fact, weigh in on Friday...just didn't get a chance to blog about it until now!  It's been a bit of a crazy week - and the weekend followed suit!  ;)  But now, the house is quiet and I know if I don't blog about it now...well, it could be NEXT Friday before I get a chance to sit down and blog about it. ;)

If you read my blog last week, you know that I had a one pound gain...but lost 4 inches in my waist.  Well...this week, I lost another 2.8 pounds when I stepped on the scale Friday morning.  That means, I've lost a total of 7.8 pounds in the last 3 weeks (with one of those pounds being lost twice!  LOL!)!  That in itself is pretty impressive to me...that's better than an average of 2 pounds per week!!!  But what's even MORE impressive to me is that, other than taking my Plexus Accelerator pills with breakfast and drinking my Plexus "pink drink" mid-morning, I haven't really DONE anything to lose the weight.  I have not followed an eating plan or even really watched what I ate.  The ONLY exercise I have done (aside from keeping up with 3 active boys...two of my own and one that I babysit) is ride my bike ONCE about a week or so ago around my neighborhood and to the grocery store (which is in my neighborhood).

I've been meaning to get back to exercise...really I have!  After all, I have a year's membership to the park & rec fitness centers that's just going to waste.  But, the best time for me to go is at 6am while my hubby is getting ready for work and the boys are asleep...problem is, I am so NOT a morning person...so when 6am rolls around, it's all too easy to roll over and go back to sleep with promises of exercising later that never actually materialize.  And yet, I know when I do exercise, I feel so much better!  :)

So...I'm making a goal of working out at least 3-4 days this week.  :)  I actually already acquainted my body with the gym this weekend.  I went yesterday morning.  It started with a message I got from a very dear friend who is almost to the end of her weight-loss journey.  It was a very simple message..."Hey...how have you done with your exercise this week?"  It convicted me...and encouraged me, all at the same time!  So, I mustered up all of my determination and took my little happy self to the gym.  Since it was late Saturday morning, there weren't many people actually in the gym...most of them were lined up for the pool.  ;)  So, I got myself situated and climbed up on the elliptical machine.  This particular machine has poles that move back and forth to exercise your arms, as well as stationary arms for a lighter workout or to check your pulse.  Usually, I'll do the poles that work my arms for a short bit (maybe 5 minutes or so)...but the majority of the time, I'm holding on to the stationary ones.  However, this time, I grabbed those poles and pretty much used them the WHOLE 30 minutes!  I only used the stationary ones when I was turning a page of the book I was reading!  I did notice that I was sweating a lot more while I was working out than I usually did...but it really didn't dawn on me what I'd done until I was almost done!   I don't think I've ever used the arm poles for the whole time before!  :)  I was drinking my Plexus "pink drink" while working out...so I wonder if that might have had something to do with it...maybe it gave me the extra boost I needed to work a little harder!  :)

I am looking forward to see what kind of affect exercise might have on my weight loss.  Of course, that means I really do have to get up at least 3 mornings this coming week and follow through on my commitment to use that gym membership!  ;)  To be continued...  :)

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

You know, whenever I'm on a diet, I live by the scale.  If I'm down a pound or two, I'm happy.  But if I've gained even a tenth of a pound, I'm frustrated.  And sometimes, it makes me want to give up.  For the most part, I know what caused the fluctuation...a certain time of the month, too much salty food, wrong food choices, not enough exercise, etc.  The list could literally go on and on!  But, it doesn't matter the reason why...if it's not less than it was the week before, I feel frustrated...discouraged even!

I've put a lot of stock in what the scale says...and have often let it determine my mood for the day.  Lost a pound?  WOO HOO!  Time to celebrate!!!  Gained a pound?  Feel like a complete failure, beat myself up for not doing x, y, or z...sometimes, give up completely and drown my sorrows in the most fattening, sugary, junky food I can find!  Sometimes, lots of it!

SOOO...today, I step on the scale to check out my progress for my second week on Plexus.  Imagine my surprise when I notice I've gained a pound!  After all, I'd lost SIX last week!  So...I start the same ole' pattern of trying to figure out what I did "wrong" - not realizing at the moment that the only thing I really did wrong was putting all my trust in a scale to gage my efforts.  Sure, I had a couple of sodas this week, and some junk food...and yeah, that could account for the weight gain.  But, it could be attributed to other things, too.  Besides, I feel so much better in general and I'm noticing that my close are feeling a bit looser on me.

THEN I REMEMBERED...just a few days ago, I'd seen on Facebook where my friend/upline thought she had hit a plateau until she measured herself.  After seeing the results of her measurements, she went to the store to buy a new pair of pants to celebrate...and discovered that she had dropped from a size 11/12 to a size 7/8, even though she'd only dropped 3 pounds!

SO THEN I THOUGHT...hmmm, maybe I should check my own measurements!  ;)  Now, imagine my surprise when I discovered that I had lost FOUR INCHES from my waist since last Friday!!!

So, while it might not be what I wanted to see on the scale, I'm so glad I listened to my friend and got those measurements last week so I could see that there really was a measurable difference!!!  :)

Update 5/6/13:
Just as an update...got back on the scale this morning and not only had I lost that pound I gained, but another one as well!  There was a reason for the weight gain...and if you are woman, you'll know what I mean - but if you are a man, you'll think it's TMI! LOL! 

My First Week on Plexus...WEIGH IN DAY! :)

Well, I started this blog on Friday when I weighed in...and came back today to finish it up.  Unfortunately, one of the curses of being a fast typist is that if you accidentally hit the Ctrl button and the A button at the same time in the midst of your typing, you lose EVERYTHING you have typed.  Yeah...that's exactly what happened to me!  BOOOOO!!!!  :(

Yes, I did have a mini temper tantrum when it happened (Why yes, I did stomp off into the other room muttering that I hate computers, why do you ask? <wink, wink>)...but I'm better now.  And while I won't try to re-type everything I'd written (not sure I could if I wanted to), I'll get you the gist of it anyway.  After all, sometimes less is more...right?  ;)  Anyway...

You already know from my previous post that I think Plexus is amazing...and the scales on Friday proved it! I lost 6.2 pounds in one week!  WOOT!  And I didn't exercise one bit that week...didn't even pretend like I was on a diet.  The ONLY thing I did was take my Accelerator capsules at breakfast and my pink drink after I finished my coffee (usually mid-morning).  Now, even on my best diet behavior, I've never been able to lose that kind of weight in a single week!  So...this is even MORE amazing!  :)

I even went to CiCi's Pizza for lunch!  Yep...all you can eat salad, pasta, pizza, and dessert!  And in case you've never been...their cinnamon rolls and Bavarian cream dessert pizza are AH-MAZING!!!!  I usually get my money's worth and then some whenever I eat there and end up leaving stuffed to the gills!  If I do happen to go while trying to diet, then I end up leaving feeling deprived!  But this trip was different!  I only went back to get seconds for the babies (my 10 month old and a 17 month old I babysit).  And here's the most amazing part of all...I had NO desire whatsoever to get ANY dessert!  Nope...not the first cinnamon roll...not even a sliver of the Bavarian cream dessert pizza I love so much!  And when I walked out the door, I felt satisfied...not the least bit stuffed or deprived!

My hubby noticed a difference when we were at an end of the year program for my son's homeschool co-op group.  There was a dessert social after the program..and we hadn't eaten dinner yet.  I went up and got an assortment of desserts to share with my hubby...but ended up only having a couple bites of each of the two different puddings and a couple of orange slices.  I licked a little bit of the cupcake icing off my fingers - but had no desire to eat the actual cupcake (and it was GOOD!).  Anyone who knows me knows that my all-time favorite cake is either yellow or white cake with decorator icing (you know the kind - powdered sugar and shortening, with a dash of vanilla extract).  Yeah...that's what this was, in cupcake form!  David looked at me and with disbelief in his voice asked, "Are you done?  You're NOT going to eat a cupcake?"  He wasn't being mean...he just had never seen me turn down a cupcake before!  ;)  But after just the few bites of pudding, I felt like I'd eaten so much sweet that even another bite would have simply been too much!  So...for probably the first time in my life, I put a delicious cupcake in the trash because I just couldn't eat it.  I was still hungry...I just couldn't eat any more sweets.  We went out for dinner afterwards and I enjoyed my meal, but again, had ZERO desire for dessert!

I think the thing I love most about Plexus is that it changes my desire for the foods that are not healthy for me.  I don't even like Diet Coke anymore...and I was a Diet-Coke-a-holic before getting on Plexus!  But now, I'd much rather have water or unsweet tea!  Now, don't get the idea that I don't eat sweets at all anymore...I do.  In fact, those same cupcakes I'd turned down on Tuesday evening at the dessert social showed up at a playdate (the leftovers, anyway) two days later.  I had one and it was every bit as good as I thought it would be...and yet, after one, I was done.  I didn't even want any more!  And for me, that's the biggest part of the battle!  I hate to feel deprived...so, when I feel I can't have something, that's really all I want.  When I've been on diets in the past, even diets like Weight Watchers - where there are no forbidden foods, but there are limited amounts, I always end up feeling deprived and give up.  But with Plexus, I don't have the desire to overindulge in unhealthy foods, so I naturally eat less.  And as a result, I lose weight.  

For me, this is as win-win as it gets in the diet world!  I don't have to take a lot of supplements or remember to take them at a certain amount of time before eating.  I don't have to count calories or have forbidden foods.  I just take 2 Accelerator capsules with breakfast and mix one drink mix with water after I've finished my coffee (and it even tastes good, too)...and I'm done for the day!  This is by far the easiest thing I've ever done to lose weight (and it's all-natural, too!)!  I'm so thankful I gave it a try!  :)  

Looking forward to getting on the scale next week (yeah...I can't believe I actually said that, either!)!  ;)

Plexus Slim...My New Best Friend!

A couple days ago, I told you how I tried a new product and loved it so much that I ended up signing up to sell it to get it at a discount.  Now...before you worry, I'm not writing this to try to sell you anything.  I just want to keep a record of my experience with it so that when the time comes (and I really believe it will) to write a testimonial, I'll be able to look back and remember how it was from the beginning!  :)  If you are interested, read on...if not, no worries.  This post is mostly for me!  ;)

So...you're still with me, huh?  OK...well, here's what the last couple of days have been like.  My welcome kit arrived late Thursday afternoon.  So, I started back on the product Friday morning.  I noticed on the bottle & package that you could take one or two of the Accelerator and/or Plexus Slim drink - so I took 2 Accelerators and 1 drink (because there were 60 pills, but only 30 drink mixes).  I didn't feel much different on Friday...but I slept VERY well Friday night!  I didn't have a lot of energy by Friday evening and ended up taking a nap while David fixed dinner.  ;)  I did get on the computer a bit after dinner, but ended up laying back down and drifted in and out while attempting to watch a movie on TV.  I think my body must have been storing up some energy, because that's the ONLY day so far I've felt that way!  :)  David even joked yesterday morning that I should take 4 pills to give me more energy...but I only took 2!  ;)

The big difference came yesterday as I noticed some very significant differences in how I felt about food.  We had toast with All-Fruit jam for breakfast...and that's it.  Now, under normal circumstances, that would never have been enough to fill me up, but it was.  I even went to Publix to get sandwiches for lunch and a few other necessities and didn't feel the need to buy junk food (other than BOGO muffins for the boys)!  I did try the sample of the recipe they are promoting that they always have around lunch/dinner time...and for those of you who know me best, here's a real shocker - it was tilapia!  Yep, I tried fish...and LIKED it (WITHOUT any vinegar or tarter sauce)!  ;)  But, I don't think that was a Plexus thing...I just think it was prepared very well and didn't taste fishy at all!  ;)  The reason I mention that is because it was the ONLY thing I ate at the grocery store (and it was just a couple of bites)...you'll see in a minute why that is significant!  ;)

After I got home and got the groceries put away, David and I sat down to our sandwiches for lunch.  BOTH of us were satisfied after eating only half of our wrap sandwich!  Let me just say, this is a HUGE deal for me (not so much David, as he has always been more in tune with his hunger cues than I am)!  I have NEVER left half of my wrap uneaten before unless I had really snacked and snacked just prior to eating it (which is why the one sample is such a big deal - that never would have had ANY effect on my hunger before...except to make me want MORE!)!  ;)  I did NOT feel deprived when I put half my sandwich away...and I didn't desire to eat again for many hours after.

Yesterday afternoon, I made a very yummy dessert for our Bible & Life Group's (BLG) Pizza on the Playground social after church last night.  I had seen the recipe on Facebook several weeks ago and shared it on my wall...and had a request to make it for our social.  This dessert has cookie dough on the bottom, a Reese's cup or oreo in the center, and brownie on top...instant sugar coma!  ;)  Here's a picture that accompanied the recipe on Facebook:

Yummy...right?  I'm not posting pictures of my cookies because they are not so pretty.  LOL!  But, according to Christopher and those at the social last night, they are delicious!  Now...here's another amazing thing...not once did I want to eat the cookie dough (HUGE!) or lick the spoon/bowl of the brownie mix while I was making these.  I had a few bites of the first batch that basically fell apart because I forgot to grease the pan while making them...but that was it.  Christopher got to lick the bowl AND spoon and even got to eat some of the crumbles from the first batch that were left in the pan after I scooped out the few I could salvage (the rest of the crumbles are in a plastic container and will most likely be used as topping for ice cream or something).  ;)

David and I planned to eat our other half of our sandwich before church since the social didn't start until 8:30pm (after our BLG class).  However, neither of us were hungry enough and were just fine until we got out to the playground...and I even chatted with friends before actually getting out there!  Unlike previous socials like this, I was NOT starving when I got out there!  I had a few pieces of pizza and some carrots with ranch...and had NO desire for any of the desserts out there (again, another HUGE deal for me!)!  And though I did have one soda with my pizza (the only one I've had since Thursday), I had no desire for a second one...and chose water instead!

We were on the playground until 10pm and I was able to focus on conversation with friends instead of filling my stomach!  It was wonderful!  When we got home, I caught up on Facebook and played a few games on my phone, then went to bed and had a GREAT night of sleep!  I usually wake up 4-5 times during the night...and last night I think I only got up once or maybe twice!  And this morning, though we did sleep in, I didn't feel as groggy as I usually feel in the mornings (regardless of how much sleep I get)!

I don't know about you (if you even struggle with your weight at all)...but for me, not having the desire to eat is half the battle!  Feelings of being deprived or having to eat differently than those around me is my greatest obstacle to weight loss!  I've always heard that if you want to be a skinny person, you should eat like a skinny person.  I've watched many naturally skinny people in my life...and they seem to eat whatever they want, but in much smaller amounts than what usually satisfies me.  Plexus allows me to eat what others are eating, but seems to change my desire for unhealthy foods and desire more of the healthy foods (like carrots over dessert!)...and if that's all Plexus does, I'm happy with it!  For me, my struggle with weight loss has NEVER been about not knowing what to eat...I know all the right things to do...I just haven't been able to have a consistent desire to do them (and lately, no desire at all other than in theory)!  In the last several months, I would make a plan in my head that SOUNDED good...but when the next meal time arrived, that plan flew right out the window!  But with Plexus, I don't even plan...it just happens because the desire isn't there.  That amazes me!

A few days ago, I mentioned the study I'd seen where Plexus was originally tested to help those with Type II Diabetes (with weight loss a secondary consideration).  Here is the study, in case you are interested:

Like I said at the beginning of this post, I am NOT writing it to sell you anything...but, if this journey intrigues  you at all and you want to know more, please feel free to ask me or check out my website: www.karaj.myplexusproducts.com.  :)  Otherwise...just stay tuned as I look forward to my first weigh-in and measurement check!  ;)

Yeah, I know...it's been awhile! ;)

I did not even want to look back to see how long since my last post, but I did.  Yeah...it's been a few months.  ;)  And I've had a few questions from people who see me on a fairly regular basis...thank you for keeping me accountable!  Even though I've just been playing around with weight loss lately (translation: not even pretending to take it seriously), I do appreciate you asking me how it's going.  It reminds me to keep going.  :)

I've done some exercise here and there, but not nearly as consistent as I should be.  I've found some pretty convenient excuses for why I can't...headache, up too late the night before, I can go later in the day (but never do), not feeling well, etc.  And I'm not even going to pretend that my eating has been anywhere near what it should be...with the exception of a single week.  The funny thing is...it was the very week I usually binge the most...and I'm pretty sure every woman knows exactly what I mean - that lovely week that shows up once a month and wrecks all kinds of havoc on our bodies and emotions!  Yeah...I see those heads nodding in agreement!  You have those too, don't you?  ;)

So...you may be wondering what was different about that week this time around?  The ironic thing is that there was only ONE thing different...and it was something I never would have suspected would actually make a difference!  A friend of mine sent me a little packet of a new product to try.  The packet included 3 sticks of a drink powder similar to the Crystal Light On-The-Go sticks, and 3 little pills.  She had told me about this product several times before and I'd watched the weight literally melt off of her via Facebook (she lost 35 pounds in 3 months)...so, although I was skeptical, I was also intrigued!

Now, let me say, I've tried just about every weight loss plan, fad, supplement, etc. out there with not much luck or success (obviously)...mostly because I just enjoy eating good food WAY too much and I usually end up feeling deprived when I try to diet.  I'm also not a fan of adverse side effects...so if a supplement causes stomach cramps or excessive visits to the bathroom, it's not going to happen for long (translation: the first time it happens, I'm done!).  I just don't have time for that.  So, I really wasn't holding out a lot of hope for this product...but, Jami took the time to send it to me and I knew she'd want a report, so I was at least willing to give it a try...totally expecting to tell my friend it didn't work, but don't feel bad because nothing does for me.  ;)

Well...I was in for quite a surprise!  My first surprise was when I fixed the first drink mix...it actually tasted REALLY good!  I found myself looking forward to it each morning (and wanting to drink it more than just once a day).  I started noticing some other things, too...more energy, less hunger, fattening food and sodas losing their appeal, and I just generally felt better about myself (most likely due to the increase in energy and lack of junk food).  At the end of the three days, I'd actually lost a whole pound.  Now, a pound might not sound like much to you...and certainly isn't much in the grand scheme of the total amount I need to lose...but considering the ONLY thing I consciously did differently during those three days was take the product, I find it quite amazing!  I didn't restrict my diet at all...but I noticed I got full faster.  I didn't exercise...but I did notice I had more energy, so instead of laying down to relax while the little boys took their afternoon nap, I was up getting things done.  I didn't plan to give up fast food or sodas...but I lost my taste for them.  I really was pleasantly surprised!  :)

When my samples ran out, I actually missed them.  Most of all, I missed how I felt while I was taking them.  I told my friend how much I enjoyed the samples but wasn't sure I could afford it.  That's when she suggested I start selling it, and consequently could get it at a discount.  I told her I'd think about it and talk it over with my hubby...and then I started doing some research.  What I found out was that this supplement was originally designed to help diabetics get their blood sugar under control.  It was not originally developed as a weight-loss supplement (that was a secondary consideration).  In their study, all seven of the diabetics in the trial not only lost weight, but lowered their blood sugar to a normal range.  This was of particular interest to me because diabetes runs in my family and considering my current condition, could be an issue I could have to deal with down the road if changes aren't made.  I also found out through my research that the company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and I couldn't really find anything negative about it online.  So, I talked it over with David (who had also noticed a change in me while I was on the supplement)...and we decided I'd go for it!  :)  David said he'd like to try the product too.

What is this supplement?  It's called Plexus Slim and it is all-natural.  The 3-day trial I had (and what I'll be doing again starting tomorrow, now that my starter kit has arrived) is the Accelerator and the Plexus Slim drink mix combo.  The best part of it is that I take the Accelerator with breakfast and then drink the drink mix after I finish my morning coffee (usually mid-morning).  That's really all there is to it.  So many times, I have gotten frustrated with products that required me to take it 30 minutes before every meal.  That's just not practical for me...I'm barely awake 30 minutes before breakfast and I never really know what time I'll get to eat lunch or dinner.  And, I'm basically a rule-follower, so if I can't do it right, I pretty much don't do it.  But this, I can handle.  :)

I've seen some of the testimonials on the Plexus Facebook testimonial page of others who have taken the product...and the average weight loss is about 1-2 pounds per week, which is really where it should be.  There are people who were 300+ pounds a year ago who are now at a healthy weight because of how Plexus has helped them.  :)  This really encourages me...and I can't wait to give my own testimonial!  :)  If at any point you are interested in trying the product yourself, let me know.  Otherwise...just stay tuned!  I'm hopeful that my posts on this blog will become a lot more regular in the near future!  :)