I stepped on the scale with WET HAIR. What was I thinking?

I stepped on the scale with WET HAIR!!

Anyone who has obsessed over their weight knows that WET HAIR increases the scale by at least a 1/2 pound (especially if you have lots of thick hair like I do!). 

And that 1/2 pound can be the difference in a good day and a bad day.

But I stepped on the scale with wet hair after a swim workout.. which meant no sweat pounds lost (another no-no for scale crazed peeps) and I had LOST a 1/2 pound. 

And  that's when it hit me. I've changed. Yes, I've lost a lot of weight over the last few years. But my mind and my metabolism have finally changed.

Every single day, I feel stronger and better than I have ever felt. Okay, maybe not ever felt, but at least have felt in the last 25 years.

Why? Because I am eating.

I am eating real food. Often.

When I feel hunger, I eat. Which means, I'm not hangry.

I'm taking a ton of vitamins and am eating superfoods.

I feel great and I'm still losing inches and pounds.

Yeah. I'm still shaking my head.

It's hard to break a cycle that was created in early teen years. As a sophomore in high school, I would make a slimfast shake and make it last for two meals by drinking 1/2 for breakfast and freezing the rest and eating it super slow for lunch. Then I would do a two hour workout after school and then be lightheaded and dizzy for dinner. No wonder.

I had major body image problems.

This food deprivation killed my metabolism and wrecked my psyche.  This cycle of deprivation and binge eating went on for years and years. 

But today, I feel like I am finally finding out who I am meant to be and just how strong and fit I can be as well.

I think part of this transformation of my mind comes in the form of peanut butter. :) 

Really. 

Cause for the first time in my adult life, peanut butter isn't taboo. 

My go to morning breakfast after a workout is a Isagenix Creamy Dutch Chocolate Shake with a scoop of Isagenix Greens (powdered superfood), a banana and a scoop of peanut butter. It's amazing.

Here is a picture of the ingredients, along with my morning vitamin pack and my morning drink of Ionix Supreme.

Look at this. That is one thick and rich this shake!

And there isn't any reason to make this last all day. I drink it first thing and then even have a mid-morning snack, lunch and an afternoon snack! 

Yep, that's crazy talk. Eating regularly scheduled meals without guilt.

I also really love that Isagenix makes chocolate candy! Let's be honest, I'm going to eat candy anyway. And candy is becoming less of a crave because it's not off limits anymore.

And even when I eat candy from the convenience store, donuts for breakfast or any number of non-healthy choices, I'm not beating myself up about it anymore.

I feel a freedom and peace of mind that I don't remember ever having with or about food.

And that is priceless.

I so desperately want my friends to experience this freedom. But it's not cheap. And their journey is not my journey.

So, I'm just going to say this.

I'm here. I'd love to answer your questions.

The products are guaranteed. There is no commitment. 

If you are interested, check out my website.  

http://emilymclemore.isagenix.com/ 

If you aren't interested, I promise to not become that person you avoid in person or block on facebook.

Isagenix products have taken over my kitchen counter, have become a regular part of my lifestyle and I wouldn't have it any other way!

My 30 day Isagenix report.. a successful start!

In the midst of the chaos of January/February, I decided to finally try Isagenix. I blogged about my decision to make the commitment to myself a few weeks ago.

Anyway. In the last 30 days, here are a few of the tidbits I have learned.

1. Cellular cleansing: I am way more self controlled and diligent on cleanse days.  How can I have more energy and feel awesome only drinking Cleanse for Life and water and eating a few wafers? I don't know. But I do. I can feel the toxins leaving my body. it. is. crazy.  I do this once a week and I don't need to cheat or add extras to my plan. I even work out on these days. I am still shocked each week when it works.

2. The products work: The success of the plan is not dependent on my ability to be hard core. I know. That doesn't make sense either, but I have yet to make it on a "shake day" without eating something that is not plan friendly. Like my glass of wine. Or a bite size chocolate. Or lets be honest.... over the last 30 days, I have had a number of fast food meals and donuts.

3. I feel too good to stop. I'm so going to do another 30 day challenge. Maybe this month I can be a little more focused.. there is no telling what I can do if I am diligent!

So all that to say, how did I do?

Well... see below!

Here I am this morning in my classroom. 

You know, I'm starting to like the way I look in pictures. And that is huge. My waist is noticeably trimmer, my clothes are comfortable or even loose and I feel good.

Interested?

Send me a message at emilymclemore@yahoo.com or check out my website at http://emilymclemore.isagenix.com/ and then send me a message. There is a lot to take in and I'd love to tell you about it.

These products work.

Life

We all have crazy seasons in life. And not every day can be overwhelming. I've been trying to remind myself of these facts.

Life can NOT be just one insane moment and I need to stop and enjoy each day and be present within each moment.

It's easier to do this and remember this when I'm not under a ton of deadlines and stress. January and the first week of February are not those times.

But, in the midst of the chaos of life, I am making healthy choices and taking time to play (a little).

To recap the last month..

January has been a month of sickness in our house. All the girls have been sick. Lots of days of missed school and lots of doctor appointments. Even last night, Super Bowl Sunday, Maddie had a contrast MRI done at the hospital an hour a way from our house. What was supposed to take about two hours took FOUR! We are hoping that we get some answers for her constant pain. A relatively "simple" procedure for the rest of us is scary and unsettling for someone with kidney disease and severe allergies.

Professionally for me, January to early February is a tough time. So many deadlines! Results come in from the huge national contest as well as two major state contests are the same week. It's always a relief when these contests are completed.

In the midst of this, my diploma came in the mail!

That was a nice pick me up!

To keep sane in these weeks, I have really ramped up my activities. I know, it would be easier to just let it go and get more sleep, but then the stress would push me over the edge I am afraid!

So the little girls and I have been swimming a couple of times. I really want to improve my tri time and Lexi wants to join the swim team. So we are braving the cold indoor pool. It may be "heated" but it isn't warm!

We also went hiking one Saturday at Mineral Wells State Park and loved it! Lexi wants to learn how to rappel and we want to foster all outside activities! (I had some great pictures, but I got a new phone and even though we synced and all that jazz, I still lost a ton. ugh!)

Thankfully Doug got a picture of Kylie and me!

Between running, cycling, strength training, and swimming as well as a few random other things like hiking and rowing, I logged 35 activities in the month of January. And all but about 4 or 5 of those were logged at 5am!

So that wraps up my January. Tomorrow wraps up my 30 day Isagenix challenge. I can't wait to tell you about that!

Choosing to focus on Health and Wellness

Over the last few years, I have spent a great deal of time changing my mindset about food, nutrition and exercise. It hasn't been easy. The voices in my head about how I looked, what I should eat and how I should feel about myself were very comfortable and very much in control.

Every time I tried to make a lasting change, these voices in my head would start picking at my successes so that the negative thoughts quickly drowned out the good feelings and thoughts and I would go back to the same comfort foods that got me into trouble in the first place.

What I have learned is that the closer I get to my "goal" weight the more pressure the negative voices put on my soul. I realize that it shouldn't be that way. One would think that with each success the negative voice would shrink. But it doesn't. And I truly believe that is why people struggle with a healthy body image so much. Every success is suspect. At least for me. Maybe you don't have the same negative thoughts. I hope you don't.

But I am learning.

I am learning that every single day is an opportunity to make better food choices.

Every single day I can choose to be happy about where I am on my health and wellness journey.

The journey is long and full of mountains and valleys. But I have learned that fueling the journey correctly is important. Without healthy eating habits the mountains seem insurmountable and the valleys become pits of despair.

In 2012 I was exhausted. Physically and emotionally.

I just love that these "before" pictures of me include the food and drink that I consumed all of the time. Sugar in the form of a sweet tea and sugar in the form of a piece of cake.

 

And I still look at this picture and shake my head. I can't believe how wide I had gotten. And this is me a couple of weeks into Weight Watchers and I had lost almost 10 pounds. WOW.

From there I started really eating many more vegetables and fruits and working out, but my mind could not grasp that this was a real life-long change. In the past, I would diet for a little while till I got to a comfortable size and then pick up my sweet tea again.

But this time I did better.

Because I learned to occupy my mind and negative thoughts with goals and purpose. Instead of focusing on counting points, I started counting miles.

But I still couldn't keep those last 10-15 pounds off. I was roller coasting within a smaller range, but I would still eat well and then give up for a few weeks and then get back on the wagon and so forth.

Then last year, after reading and researching, I started eating a nutritarian diet more and saw great results. I learned that forgoing cheese wasn't that hard, but keeping all of the sugar out of the diet was difficult.

I even challenged myself to mastering handstands.

I had made it to a place where I was for the most part happy with body, I still was frustrated with the scale, but not enough to make any further changes. I had two stress fractures in my left foot in 2015, so I gave myself some grace for the extra 10 pounds that I couldn't shake.

So as I looked at 2016, I decided that I was ready to take the next step into health and wellness. I had been researching and watching Isagenix people for a while. It requires an investment. But I was ready.

Well, I joined a 30 day challenge and we started on the 11th.. I expected to be hungry and unhappy. Cause diets are supposed to be that way. right?

Nope. I am eating MORE food than I had been before. I feel better. I did my first cleanse and I wasn't grouchy or grumpy. I've lost pounds and even more inches and I feel good!

What? How can this be?

I don't really know.... the science behind it says lots of stuff... but I'm just going to say YIPPEE.

So, if you looking for a lifestyle change and ready to make a commitment to yourself, go look at my website and then send me a message, I'd love to tell you more about the products. Feel free to do like I did, take a look at the website, ask questions and then a year later decided to take that important first big step.

And where is the AFTER picture?

Well, not here yet! I'm still a work in progress!

But I can't wait to show you!

http://emilymclemore.isagenix.com/ 

2016 Resolution: Follow Through

My resolution for 2016 is to overcome one of my greatest struggles.

And what is my greatest struggle? Well..

I would say my short attention span, but I can focus on hard things or interesting things forever. Give me a thousand piece puzzle and I'm good for the day. 

But if it doesn't force me to engage, I move on. Even when I am so close to being finished with something that it doesn't make sense.

So really, I'd have to say that my greatest struggle is my inability to just finish off things.

As I have blogged about previously, I am a fantastic starter! I can get whipped up into a frenzy and live in a state of euphoria about something for days or even weeks, but once the adrenaline wears off, or I have figured out the process or whatever, I am done. Even when I'm not really done.

This works fine in the art classroom. My student's count on my energy as they are getting started. They need my starter projects so that they can see the process. The problem is, I don't finish the projects. At school I don't have time. My student's don't need my finished pieces. By the time I can get back to my starter clay piece, it's bone dry and often broken.  By the  time I can get back to my drawing/paintings, I often can't remember what my motivation/inspiration was in the first place! 

As you can imagine, I have lots and lots of starter projects at school.

I have even more at home. With no excuse. 

So this year, I am going to finish things.

My word for the year was going to be FINISH, but I know that my healthy journey can't be finished.. but I sure can follow through. I need to get a mindset of just following through with projects, ideas, training and eating.

Therefore, that is my mantra for 2016: Follow Through.

Here is a glimpse of a few of my unfinished projects...I included my girls in the picture as they have as many unfinished projects as I do!! What an example. ugh.

And I have gotten right to it. The girls finished their lingering paintings for the county art show (finally.. they only started these in July!) And I finished my first loom knit scarf today!

I am also going to refocus of healthy eating. I had been doing great, then I got the stress fracture in my left foot in October and had to shut down the workouts. With life and stress and me not eating right, I have gained 10 pounds. Bummer. But if I will just FOLLOW THROUGH and eat real food. not processed drive-thru crap, I'll be fine. Just gotta follow through.

So this is my year of nothing new except for possibly a house if we can ever get something found/worked out. But other than that, it's a year of finishing..not starting!

How is that for a resolution!! I know that there are a lot of you that need a resolution like this!!