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!  :)