It's 2013! A new year.  A new chance for a new start. So I am getting back into routine and reinventing myself I guess you could say.  I plan on blogging more often this year and continuing with my organizing and life change.  I am so excited about what the new year has in store for me and mine. What are you doing to improve yourself this year?

And Time Marches On......

I hate that periodically I get distracted by life and don't update here, but what can you do?  I had a very busy summer, a few mini-trips with the family since April. I stayed busy with the yard and gardening and even got some major cleaning and organizing done around the house. Then in August school started back.  My little Tasmanian devil (who BTW, is NOT so little anymore, has grown probably two feet this year) returned to homeschooling on August 13. Angel decided to go back to public high school this year for her senior year. My Issabug continued with public high school in the tenth grade this year as well. Then most recently I began keeping one of my newest nieces during the day while her parents work. Lots of changes since the beginning of the year.

Some things haven't changed. I am still working from home; still sewing, maybe a little more than before. I still sell Visalus shakes and still drink them as well. Homeschooling and keeping house are each full time jobs in themselves but somehow I am making it all work.

 I have resolved to be a little more organized with homeschooling this year so that I don't have so much end of year catch up to do.  So far so good; I've designed a pretty good routine for us and it seems to be working. As with anything, there are good days and there are bad, but I consider the system a success if it works 90% of the time.  I use http://www.homeschoolskedtrack.com/ for my record keeping. This will be the third year that I have used it and each year I get more proficient.  I have created "courses" that are not graded, but that remind my Taz to save his completed work for the day and even have him check off the attendance sheet. We opted to not use the printable schedule from the site, but instead I copy and paste the information onto a daily template that I created. We found that he does better with each task separated by spaces so that the words don't all run together. Unfortunately spacing isn't an option with homeschoolskedtrack but the template only takes me a couple minutes to fill in and print. We have also made it a habit for him to put all papers in his binder and I can grade them from there versus handing them to me. I am finding that while I check the schedule daily and have to work on laying out lesson plans a few times a week, I only get to grading a few times a month. Making him responsible for organization is preparing him for high school and makes it simple to find things when I do get around to the grading. I will elaborate a little more on my routine in later posts.

I have also been focusing on becoming more organized with my household duties. I created a weekly cleaning schedule in July that I just love. I am still tweaking it a bit so that my week flows more smoothly but I am loving how it is working so far. I don't follow the schedule to the letter, but instead treat it as my reminder. Next I plan to create monthly and yearly cleaning lists.

Over the summer I also took on some major cleaning and organizing tasks as well. I cleaned out our attic, our garage, and our storage shed. Each project took me at least one, if not two days to complete with a handful of misc things left to be completed as time or money permitted. For example, in the attic I had to purchase additional containers and go back after the initial cleaning was done to transfer items from boxes and shelves to their new homes. Also, by doing all the storage areas of our house in the same general time period it allowed me to condense and organize our belongings. I was able to remember that I had pool/spa chemicals in both the shed and the garage, so I got them all to one central location. Same thing with the camping equipment. Those three areas were sources of major stress for me, so I am so glad they are finally behind me.

I like the new organized me better and in turn I am not as overwhelmed with  all my responsibilities. I am taking control of the part of my life that I actually can control and letting go of what I can't.

Hate and Bigotry are on both sides of the Fence

I will not debate politics and since the purpose of this post is not to debate Amendment 1, I will not give my opinion either way. However the debates on Facebook are seriously getting on my nerves.

This is what I see.  I see posts about "right-wing freaks" who are "ignorant" and are spreading "hate and bigotry."  I see people being attacked because of their beliefs and bible verses being posted completely out of context and some of the wording has even been twisted. I see people using fear and confusion to sway people BOTH ways!

Bigotry is the state of mind of a "bigot", a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one who exhibits intolerance or animosity toward members of a group.

This means that if you are using derogatory terms to group Christians and portray them as ignorant or uncompassionate jerks...then you are exactly what you hate the most. You are contributing to the hate and bigotry. If you are spewing hatefulness from your mouth and you are a Christian then I fear that there is even deeper seeded problems at the heart level.

I recently saw a situation where a group of my daughter's friends created a group page on FB geared toward stopping bullies and they were trying to bring awareness to the issue. Unfortunately the same kids apparently didn't realize what bullying is since about a week later a group of the most active kids in the group ganged up on a friend's daughter about an unrelated issue and the cruel mean things they were saying had her in tears. She even missed school to avoid the razing. So when it suited them, the anti-bullying group bullied another child.

The point I am making is this; if you have to call people names like freaks or take Bible verses and twist them to mean what you want them to mean then you may want to look deeper in yourself then the issue you are debating. You are not swaying anyone to your beliefs. In fact you are perpetuating the exact thing you detest the most; bigotry. To make an educated decision about anything you have to be willing to see both sides and hear both opinions. Name calling and insults should have been left in school a long time ago. After all if you are old enough to vote then you are an adult the last time I checked. Right, wrong or indifferent, let's remember that we live in a country where we have the right to our beliefs, but we don't have a right to make anyone feel inferior or bullied because their beliefs are different from our own. And this goes for BOTH sides of the issue.

A few more pounds lost!

So slowly, little by little, the weight is dropping. Last week on Monday morning weigh in, I was at 196. Then after a couple days the scale dropped to 195. After sitting between 196 and 198 for a month I was ecstatic to see 195. I seem to have finally passed the plateau I had hit.

Then low and behold this morning, I had a nice surprise; 193. I wish you could have seen me jumping up and down! I had to step on the scales a few times this morning just to make sure I read it correctly. That is 15 lbs from my highest weight ever of 208 and 14 lbs lost on just Body By Vi.

I read an article the other day that talked about plateaus and Body By Vi and they recommend sticking with it. They say you could plateau for up to 5 weeks before you see a drop. In the last 5 weeks, I had only lost 2 lbs total and it was at a rate of less then half a pound a week. So 3 lbs since last Monday means I have finally broken through! It's  motivation to keep working at it. I have about 3 weeks left on this challenge and I plan to really finish strong and work hard to make my goal of 20 lbs lost in 90 days.

Are you ready to join me in the challenge yet?  www.teresacur.bodybyvi.com

I have heard EVERY excuse in the book.

I like food.
I don't like exercise.
I want to lose weight faster then that.
... I don't have the energy to exercise.
It's expensive to eat healthy.

In fact, I have uttered most of these myself.

I love food, and the shakes taste amazing so they kill my sweet craving, my chocolate craving and I don't even want sodas or junk food 90% of the time.

I don't LIKE exercising either. I have only been working out 2-3 times a week and only 20-30 mins at a time. Anyone can do this!

Look at these pictures....this was done in less then 60 days. Is that fast enough for you? I've lost 12 lbs of fat and obviously gained leaned muscle. If you wait another 60 days to get started then you will still be where you are.....or maybe even heavier!

Energy is one of the greatest perks of the shakes. I feel so much better and have so much more energy!

You can get your shakes for free after the initial order. Is FREE too expensive for you?

What are you waiting on?
teresacur.bodybyvi.comSee More

Someone else's opinion of Visalus

I read this person's posting on a review forum of Visalus and the shakes in response to someone saying that the same results could be acheived through the correct nutrition and that the shakes had no fiber. It's so funny to me when someone makes a comment without doing their research to know what they are saying is true. He says this so much more eloquently then I could ever say it.

"I've went through all the motions before discovering Visalus. And I didn't just jump on board either. My "discovery" was based upon really wanting to know the truth. Hands down, the runner up product in this industry is a far away 2nd place.
Why do you need to stay on this? Where are you going to find the nutrition your body needs, especially if you don't want to gain your weight back? After my research, this product will always be a staple in my house. Besides, my kids love it. I'm happy to hear them whine for this instead of the freaking $3.00 milkshake at the nearest drive through. Talk about "affecting your health"? And expensive too.
We found a way to "eat right" before visalus. After the carb diet, the counting calories diet, the shake mix from the health store, we discovered the real answer, a nutritionist.
We drove to a real nutritionist an hour away. We paid her 150 bucks apiece to get assessed. She wrote customized diets for both of us. We spent 3 hours a day preparing the meals. We paid her 50 bucks a month (apiece) to go back every two weeks to evaluate us. And it worked. It really worked!!!
The groceries cost more, and the time spent preparing the meals made it inconvenient, but it worked. Of course I gained all my weight back because we couldn't keep up the tedious pace and the expense.
Sure it was initially cheaper to buy some protein powder and cheap it was. And, upon adding up the real cost I had to reevaluate the value. Great shoulders, arms and legs. But what to do with my mid section and face that doesn't benefit from the same muscular definition. I was swollen like a dang tick and I stayed hungry. Fill in the hunger gap with a energy drink or canned shake and the "less expensive" suddenly takes on a new, over expensive aura. For what it was costing, why not invest in a nutritionist? So we did.
Your protrusions about fiber have me wondering if you even tried the product. I've never been this regular in my life. NEVER. Regardless, there's a reason they call this a "90 day challenge."
What new thing in life do you try for 3 weeks? A new job, a new relationship, new clothes, new business. Imagine the corporate world making 10 year decisions based on 3 weeks of stats. Changing eating habits should be a life long decision. If you eat, you are spending the money anyway.
Sure it don't taste like a milkyway, but you can make it taste that way if you want to. Sometimes I just spoon it in. It's a little clumpy that way....okay a whole lot clumpy. But, I didn't do this for taste or to enjoy, I'm on this for my health. Let me iterate that it was a tasty VI shake that got my attention first.
I do believe your "probably" proves your research is just assumption based.
Few things are more belittling than bad health. Walking out of that life alone always finds you walking back into the darkness but with more excuses to stay there. A "clean and swept house" is still and empty house. You just can't clean out the old, you have to replace it with the new.
Did I get in for the money? Not at first. But, when friends saw my results from the carb diet, they all ran to it. I made zero money. When friends so my results from counting calories, they ran to that next. And some went to the nutritionist. Now we did get 50% discount per new person per month, from her. She really appreciated the business. Before all that, no one would touch the healthfood store shakes.
Look around you. The sofa you sit on, someone made money. The very computer you're looking at, someone made money off of you. Gee, someone is making money off of the under paid, hourly wage you get. You just can't escape that. I ask you, which one of those offers you an opportunity to make a real financial change? Talk about a pyramid.
Of all things pyramid, how do you escape that philosophy in the world of capitalism? Free enterprise is the cog of a capitalistic society. It brings rewards for my determination. Even communist China is beginning to understand, revenue from capitalism is the only way to feed over a billion people. Man, I'd like to throw a VI party there.
It's the rewards of freedom, available to any who want to pursue it. It's what makes the United States the most desired place to live. What is the breath of freedom without rewards for determination.
If I may "danapharse" Emma Lazarus, "give me all of your tired, give me all our your poor, give me your huddled masses yearning to breath free. Give me your rejected from overflowing shores, the homeless tossed by storms of life, light beckons at freedom's door." What would any of that mean without opportunity? Opportunity is what Visalsus is about and it's about one more thing.
In summary, there really is stuff in the VI shakes that "affect your health" but, what a marvelous affect. I feel GREAT!!!"

When at first you don't succeed, try, try again!

I didn't mean to go so long without posting, but I have had a very busy week. I had two 3-for-free parties over the weekend and several one on one's. I have been busy all week making phone calls, following up with leads and signing people up for the challenge. It's amazing how fast this business is growing. I am getting more and more excited about what is to come in the future.

I have been sitting between 196 and 197. Sometimes I have fluctuations up to 200 but it never lasts more then a day. Yes I am seriously obsessed with the scale reading. I can't help it. I have to check it every day to make sure that it's not going the other way and there is a comfort or encouragement in not seeing the higher numbers any more. I am getting anxious for the scale to drop below 197 and stay there though.

My intent with this post was just to encourage everyone who has been on the challenge and at a point of discouragement and frustration to push through. I was thinking about it last night. I think the majority of people who start a diet or life change give up by week 3 or 4. I know that I have in the past. Your body needs that long (and sometimes even longer) to adjust to your new routine and caloric intake. If you are making good lifestyle changes then the scale will have to show the results eventually. Sometimes it is just slow in coming.

I have been where you are at. I have felt the same way. Recently though every time I have considered quiting or getting discouraged something has happened to give me hope. My blood pressure goes down another point or 3 and I can decrease my BP meds again. Sometimes the scale will do a sneak peak of an upcoming weight. The other day it dipped all the way down to 195.5. It didn't stay there but it gave me  hope that I was still seeing a down hill trend. In the past I have even had physical road blocks like broken bones and herniated disks. They seem impossible to overcome. I think the thing that I am learning now is that I shouldn't have given up so easily. Take a break, take care of yourself, and come back to the routine as soon as possible. Keep trying...over and over and over again! Continue with as much of you routine as is humanly possible while you do what you have to do. Just don't give up! The only way you fail is if you give up and don't try!

You can do this. If I can, then I know any of you can!

It's been a great week!

So this has been a pretty good week for me.  I finally dropped down to the elusive 197 and have stayed there for the last 3 days. I even saw one morning where it dropped down to 195.5 but of course it didn't stay there. That is ok though. The scale is slowly but surely dropping little by little.

I have managed to get 2 hour long workouts in this week and I hope to get at least one more in. My original goal was to work out 4-5 times this week, figuring on 30 minute work outs. So 2 one-hour workouts still fits that goal, huh? As long as I am improving each time then I am not stressing at all.

Business wise this week was slow. I haven't made any phone calls so I didn't really expect much. However I plan to end out the month strong since I have 2 more 3-for-Free parties scheduled. Hopefully I will hit my first rank promotion.

How are you doing with your journey to become healthy?

Week 6 begins!

Ok, starting the second 30 day period of my 90 day challenge. This is actually week 6.  I am still holding at 198 lbs, but I just had to take up my jeans an inch on each side because throwing them in the dryer was no longer doing the trick to shrink them down to fit me. It's a great problem to have though.

I am still on the 1/2 dose of my BP meds, but have had some days where my BP dropped really low and I have skipped a dose or taken a 1/4 dose. I am keeping a really close eye on it. I am just waiting on the day when I can drop down even more for good or come off the meds completely.

I managed to work out 3 times last week. This week my goal is 4-5 times. I am surprised at how easy the walking/jogging and Tae Bo have been. In the past I could barely get through anything that raised my heart rate because of shortness of breath and just a general heaviness in my chest. I have actually had pain running down my arms and swelling in my fingers before when walking. I am having none of that now.

The inflammation in my body has decreased 100%. I am still off my diuretics. No swelling of my hands or face in the mornings. My rosacea is still 100% improved. I did have a flare up last week but it improved in just a couple days with no need for meds and I believe that it was triggered by several meals in a row that I probably shouldn't have had.  In the past though, I could not distinguish between triggers because my face was ALWAYS showing symptoms of severe peeling and redness. Now I am beginning to recognize my triggers. I also had nerve pain running down my right leg that I have been living with since back surgery in 2009. That has completely went away since starting the Body By Vi Challenge. I believe that is because of the inflammation in my body causing swelling with the nerves and in joints. I do not have to live with that any more!

Less measurable then other things but noticeable to me is my energy levels. I have more energy in my day to day activities. I actually want to work out.....actually dragging family members with me. I have less cravings and want to eat healthy. It's a great place to be! I am even drinking more water and have only had a handful of sodas in the last month.

Ready to give it a try?  What have you got to lose?  teresacur.bodybyvi.com

Seriously, check it out or email me with questions.  sewrtess@aol.com

30 days on the Challenge

Today was Day 30 on the challenge. I was feeling a little discouraged earlier this week but I am feeling infinitely better today and I am getting excited again about the changes I am seeing.  I think it's pretty normal to have ups and downs and get occasionally discouraged and frustrated.

I don't want to deceive anyone about my weight loss. I started this journey at 207 lbs. I rapidly (in the first 2 weeks) lost 10 lbs, then the 3rd week gained 2 lbs back. I saw the scale dropped to 197 on a few different days but it never stayed there for more then a day. However it was still hovering between 198 and 199 with occasional days where it would jump all the way to 203. I even had one day when the scale dropped as low as 194 but I am not claiming a 13 lb weight loss just yet.  Unfortunately with my water retention that is just par for the course, but frustrating none the less. As long as it didn't stay there then I haven't worried about it too much. Within the last week I have finally seen it consistently staying below 200 and it's been 198 for the last 2 days.  So a solid 9 lbs in 30 days is not bad at all, and actually a very healthy weight loss. I am still watching for the next drop but I am very, very excited that my higher 5-6 lb fluctuations have decreased  and I now only have a 1-3 lb fluctuation from day to day.

On top of the weight loss, I have completely quit using my diuretic and have seen no signs of my normal water retention (waking up with my fingers and face swelling, shortness of breath, etc). My rosacea has improved 100%, with only sporadic reactive peeling and redness, usually AFTER I have eaten a really bad meal. That I can deal with and it's not usually necessary for me to use my Metrogel on it. This week I have also been able to decrease my blood pressure meds and cut the dose in half. I am still seeing some really low blood pressure and may be able to decrease my dose even more soon. These changes are even more exciting then the weight loss and I believe this is reason enough for me to continue the Body By Vi system and challenge indefinitely.

To top off all of this, I made a decision to become a promoter of the Body By Vi challenge and I am not regretting that decision 1 ounce. My first week pay was a small check, enough for a nice new shirt or mid-priced meal for 2. This week I have already doubled my commissions and the week isn't over yet. My monthly commissions are growing each week and that will be a nice little bonus check at the end of the month. At this rate I will completely make back my investment in the first 2 months, if not sooner.

Are you ready to join me in this life change journey yet? Would you like to start a relatively inexpensive home based business venture? Message me so we can talk about your options and your goals.

teresacur.bodybyvi.com

Make the decision that will change your life today!