End of Challenge Photos!

We're back from Sin City! We just got done wrapping up a couple days of having a good time with 2 very close friends of ours in Las Vegas and I didn't have time to post these pictures before we left (was post-call and rushing to get ready for the flight!). But Kristen took these photos of me right after we checked into our hotel on the afternoon after the last day of our Advocare 24-Day Challenge. My final weigh-in on the morning after the challenge was 195 lbs, which comes out to a 19 lb weight loss! Kristen's starting weight was 132 lbs and her last weigh-in was 125 lbs for a 7 lb loss (pretty awesome given how slim she was starting out if you ask me!).

Day 1 vs. Day 24

So the challenge is over, but I'm not done trying to lose more weight. My goal is to get below 190 lbs before we head out to Cancun in a few weeks. To help accomplish that, I'm going to keep on going with the Max phase of the challenge and I'm going to continue to eat right and exercise. Kristen's already in great shape, so she's just going to stick with the diet and exercise a little.

I'll keep you in the loop for how the next few weeks go!

P.S. My mom is down 12 lbs after 3 weeks on the challenge. Keep up the great work mom!


If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 24 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

Day 24 means that the challenge is over and our results have been amazing! My weight before I left for work this morning was 197 lbs, which means that my final weight loss total was 17 lbs! Kristen's final weight was 125 lbs, which ends up being a 7 lbs weight loss! I'm working a call shift at the hospital tonight, so I'm going to wait until I get home tomorrow to take my final challenge photos and to get the final measurement on my waist. Honestly, the best part of this challenge is that I don't feel like the challenge has come to an end. Let me explain...

The last weight loss program that I completed was the Insanity exercise program. I loved the Insanity program and the results were great, but I really didn't change my diet. Also, those workouts are grueling (and long) and continuing them indefinitely after the 60-day program just wasn't realistic for me with my work schedule. So when the program was over, my diet was still crappy and my exercise routine really dropped off...and you guessed it, the pounds found their way back as well.

So that brings me to the Advocare 24-Day Weight Loss Challenge. Today, I feel great and my energy level is as high as it has been since college. My dietary habits have also changed significantly. I have also worked my way into a very manageable exercise regimen (15-20 minutes on the treadmill before dinner 4-5 times per week). Also, just because the challenge is over doesn't mean that I'm going to stop using the Advocare supplements. I won't be repeating the 10-day cleanse phase for a while, but I am going to continue the majority of the products from the second 14 days (Max phase). The Metabolic Nutrition System (MNS) has become a staple of my daily routine. I am going to continue to take OmegaPlex with dinner to fulfill my omega-3 fatty acid needs. The other product that I think has made a big difference for me is Catalyst. Kristen and I both feel that the biggest difference for us has been in the waist line. My waist has decreased by at least 3 inches (I'll know the final number tomorrow morning) and Kristen's has also decreased by 2 inches. Kristen mentioned to me this morning that she definitely can tell that her abs are more defined and she feels better in her swimsuit.

As I promised yesterday, here is my final review of the Advocare 24-Day Challenge:

I'll start with the Cleanse Phase. The 1st 10 days are definitely harder than the last 14 days. The first two days were a little tough because I had a mild headache while going through what I think was caffeine withdrawal. The Spark drinks have caffeine in them, but I don't think it's quite enough to completely fend off the withdrawal if you're a heavy caffeine drinker (like I was). The fiber drinks are also a little tough to put down, but I actually kind of liked the citrus taste and and definitely "enjoyed" them much more than Kristen did. There were a few very pleasant surprises about the Cleanse Phase. First of all, I never had trouble with being hungry. Five healthy meals/snacks per day was plenty to keep the hunger cravings away. Secondly, my energy level really started picking up by about day 2 or 3. Finally, I never had a problem with excessive urination or defecation. Part of the reason might have been that I drank a ton of pop before the challenge and caffeine is a diuretic, so I was definitely not urinating any more than usual. The other notable and expected part of the challenge is that the bulk of my weight loss came during the first 10 days while I was flushing my system of toxins and waste (13 of the 17 lbs during the cleanse).

After getting used to the Advocare system during the cleanse, the Max Phase was truly a breeze. By the second half of the challenge, I had established a healthy eating plan and a stable exercise regimen. Occasionally it was a little hard to coordinate the supplement schedule for the MNS (during this phase you will take one pack 30 minutes before breakfast and 30 minutes before lunch), but really only with the lunchtime supplementation (30 minutes before breakfast was easy...just took the pills when I woke up and then ate breakfast 30 minutes later on my drive to work). The Catalyst capsules seem to be more effective when you take them right before you workout, so that part was easy and convenient. The hardest part of the second phase for Kristen and I was that the "real world" temptations started to creep in. There were dinners with friends, a trip to the casino, and a 3-day bachelor party extravaganza for me (while Kristen had a 3-day girls' weekend at the same time). But these temptations are ALWAYS going to be there whether you are in the middle of a weight loss program or not! The other thing is, I partied for 3 days straight in the middle of the max phase and I still kept the weight off!

All in all, Kristen and I are extremely happy that we took on the challenge. I still want to lose more weight and try to get under 190 lbs, so I am going to continue with the Max Phase for a while longer. Kristen is in awesome shape and feeling great, so she's going to try to maintain solely using the diet principles that we learned during the challenge.

Thank you Advocare! You absolutely helped me reclaim my body and life!!!



If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
http://www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com/

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 23 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

I really can't believe how quickly the 2nd half of the challenge has flown by. I think my results have been incredible and I am very happy that I chose to take on the Advocare 24-Day Challenge. Before the bachelor party weekend, I was down to 197 lbs from a starting weight of 214 lbs. This morning, before I left for work I weighed in at 198 lbs, so I've already knocked off a couple of the pounds that I put on during my 3-day party with the boys! My plan for tomorrow is to give a nice, long, comprehensive review of the program to sum up the last 24 days.

The most notable change for me over the course of the last 3 weeks is that I feel like my mindset has completely changed. My self image has improved and I am now approaching my meal choices with a new set of eyes. The hospital where I work has a nicely stocked fridge with a plethora of drink choices, including Diet Dr. Pepper, and the cabinet in the lounge has a big selection of chips, including Doritos. If you remember back to my earliest posts, Diet Dr. Pepper and Doritos have been my staple junk food for YEARS. I can honestly say that I have very little interest in consuming them now. I'm sure I will try to work them back into my life in a modest fashion (cookouts and parties with friends for instance), but the days of hitting up the hospital supply on a daily basis for breakfast, lunch, and every snack in between are long gone!

Like I said, the big review comes tomorrow, but if you've been following my experience, you can tell that I'm happy with Advocare. The diet results have really validated my belief in their system. If you've done the research and you think the challenge is right for you, click here and visit our Advocare website to place your order.


If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
http://www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com/

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 22 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

The weekend of the Big Cheat is over! The bachelor party was awesome and some priceless memories were made. I gained back a few of the pounds that I've lost, but I was eager this morning to get back on track with the challenge. Getting back into the swing of it was actually quite easy, which I think is a testament to the way that my mindset towards eating has changed.

I wanted to share a few status updates on how some of the other people that I know are doing with the challenge. Kristen is still holding steady with a 7 lb weight loss. She did tell me today that she was very happy with how she felt in her swimsuit when she was out at the pool over the weekend! My mom is doing very well and she has lost 8 lbs through the first 2 weeks of the challenge! She feels like she has more energy and she's also noticed that her knee hasn't been hurting her as much as it usually does. My friend, A.M., is 8 days into the challenge and she has lost 5 lbs so far for a nice start. Another one of my friends, M.W. (who was in pretty good shape already before starting the challenge), is 6 days in and has trimmed a half inch off of his waist. He also thinks his abs are better defined.

I have 3 days left in the challenge. My major goal is to quickly take back the 3 lbs that I put on during the bachelor party and maybe lose another pound or two before it's all said and done!

If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
http://www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com/

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 19 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

I wasn't sure that I'd have the time to make a post today, but I have a couple things that I really want to share with everyone before I head out for an epic weekend! First, I have reached a new low weight for the challenge...I'm down to 197 lbs! That makes 17 lbs lost in 19 days. The second phase of the challenge is going very well and I have really gotten into a groove with my daily routine. The MNS system is very easy to follow (supplements before and during both breakfast and lunch) and I'm still taking the OmegaPlex with dinner. I added in ThermoPlus to my program a few days ago (take it in the morning when you wake up) and I'm still taking Catalyst to help with my muscle tone and definition. I have modified my Catalyst use a little bit in that I now try to take one of the Catalyst doses 10-15 minutes before I exercise.

Secondly, my friend Matt is a few days into the challenge and he shared with me a good tip that I want to pass along. As I've mentioned previously, the Fiber Drink during the cleanse phase does not taste great. During my cleanse, I basically chugged it as fast as I could. Yesterday morning Matt decided to mix a Spark with the Fiber Drink and he said that it made the Fiber Drink taste WAY better! Passing along this tip is one of the great things about the Advocare system. I talk and trade emails regularly with Dave (Kristen's cousin) and his friends (Matt and Greg) that helped get me started with the challenge. Kristen and I have also tried to keep regular contact with the people that have followed us in starting up the challenge. When you start the Advocare 24-Day Challenge, you are not alone. You are not out on an island left to work off the pounds by yourself. It really helps to pass along ideas and tips with friends and the support system really helps to fortify your will power to stick with the challenge.

Well, that's about all I have time for today...I'll give you all an update when I get back on Monday!


If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
http://www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com/

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 18 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

Today is the last day before the Big Cheat. Tomorrow I will be going out of town for a bachelor party that is going by a very telling monikor, The Death of Super Zak! This will be the "challenge within the challenge" and it will test my will power the most by far. I'm jokingly going to refer to this trip as the Big Cheat because I know that we will be going out to eat for every meal and enjoying a plethora of adult beverages. I have no intention of ruining all of my hard work over the last 18 days, so I'm going to have to choose wisely from the restaurant menus. I'm also hoping that the hotel has a small gym with a treadmill because I would love to go for a quick run in the morning. It also might be feasible to go for a run outside near the hotel, but I have no clue what kind of neighborhood the hotel is in and whether or not that would actually be a safe option. From a diet standpoint, my major goal is to come back on Monday weighing the same as when I left!

Until today, I hadn't realized just how many professional athletes are Advocare endorsers. I knew that Drew Brees is a big endorser (he has Advocare listed on his personal website right next to the other products he endorses...Nike, Verizon, Vick's, etc.). There are pro athletes in pretty much every sport that are using Advocare to increase their energy levels, recover from workouts, and enhance their performance...legally of course! If you're curious, click here to see all the pro endorsers. The football list is particularly long.

I'm not sure whether or not I'll have the time to fire off a blog post before I leave town tomorrow, but I'll definitely give you an update on Monday of how I navigated through the Big Cheat!

Product of the Day:

Herbal Cleanse

Part 3: Herbal Cleanse Tablet

The Herbal Cleanse Tablet is the final component of the Herbal Cleanse Kit and it is taken at bedtime for the first 7 days of the cleanse phase. This tablet contains a complex combination of ingredients that help to detox your body through both your GI tract and your urinary tract. I'm going to paraphrase the product description from the Advocare website to give you an idea of what's in the tablet.

Senna leaf extract, commonly used as an herbal medication individually to treat constipation, is included in the tablet to move waste through the GI tract. It also has some appetite suppressant properties to it as well. Beet root power and wheat grass juice are included to help reduce metabolic waste byproducts. Cranberry juice powder helps to flush toxins through the kidneys. Milk thistle extract, with its active component silymarin, has antioxidant properties and is reported to have protective effects for the liver. There are also several ingredients that are included to boost your immune system (echinacea, astragalus, garlic, zinc, and vitamin C) and to improve your energy level (B vitamins).

So as you can see, Advocare attempts to pack a mighty punch to drive your weight loss during the cleanse phase of the 24-Day Challenge. I have heard from some people that the Herbal Cleanse Tablets can cause you to go to the bathroom more frequently and based upon the tablet's mechanism of action, I'm really not surprised. I slept through the night pretty soundly during the 1st 10 days of the challenge, so I never had a problem with waking up in the middle of the night to urinate. I did notice that I was going to the bathroom a little more frequently than usual during the cleanse phase, but it really wasn't an inconvenience or significant interruption during my daily activities.


If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
http://www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com/

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 17 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

Kristen and I have decided to formulate a plan for introducing "cheats" back into our lives. What are we calling "cheats?" These are food and beverage choices that don't fit within the guidelines of the 24-Day Challenge. My plan is to continue the Advocare supplements and healthy eating choices after the challenge officially ends, so it's going to be very important to have a gameplan for cheats. Our plan is to limit them to twice per week with an effort to save them mainly for social events with friends. We're also going to save alcohol for social gatherings. Limiting the frequency of the cheats is going to be a key factor in maintaining and improving upon our achievements during the challenge.

I learned something interesting today that may help you to relate Advocare's Spark drink to a product that is more well known. Advocare's Spark and the Crystal Light energy packets share a lot of the same ingredients. The two products both contain many of the same vitamins and both have caffeine. The main difference between the products is that the Spark drinks also contain several amino acids so they help provide "heightened mental focus and performance."

Product of the Day:

Herbal Cleanse

Part 2: ProBiotic Restore Ultra

The probiotic is taken in the morning before breakfast during days 4-10 of the challenge. The reason that the probiotic is included in the cleanse is because it supports your immune system, supports intestinal health and function, aids in digestion and enhances your weight loss. ProBiotic Restore Ultra contains 6 strains of "good" bacteria: 3 species of Lactobacillus and 3 species of Bifidobacterium. This ensures coverage of both the large and small intestinal tracts.


If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 16 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

I decided to have a little fun today and I created a logo for the blog. It's pretty simple, but I've never claimed to be a graphic designer! The 214 refers to my starting weight for the challenge, so the white triangle is supposed to represent a scale...and 214 is a number that I never plan to see on my personal scale ever again!

The other exciting part of my day as it relates to the challenge is that I found a great recipe for chicken tostadas when I was at Meijer today. I stopped by the store on my way home from work to pick up some chicken and while I was walking through the meat department I saw a rack of free, healthy recipes on notecards. A dozen or so recipes caught my eye, but the one that I chose to make for dinner tonight was "Lightened-Up Chicken Tostadas." To make a long story short, they turned out to be fantastic! Kristen can be a tough critic when it comes to new recipes that I try, so for her to love it adds a lot of credence to the dish in my book. Furthermore, the tostadas were only 350 calories per serving. I tried to quickly look for a link to the recipe on the Meijer Mealbox website, but I couldn't find the exact recipe that was on the card I picked up in the store. Keep an eye out for it the next time you head to Meijer!

Product of the Day:

Herbal Cleanse

Part 1: Fiber Drink

The Herbal Cleanse encompasses the major components of the first 10 days of the challenge, called the Cleanse Phase. The Herbal Cleanse system helps to flush the toxins and waste from your body. There are three parts of the Cleanse Phase: Fiber Drink, ProBiotic Restore Ultra, and Herbal Cleanse Tablet. Today I will focus on the Fiber Drink.

As the name implies, this drink is loaded with a mixture of fiber. Each serving contains 10 grams of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. As you would expect, the Fiber Drink helps to move toxins and waste through your GI tract while simultaneously improving intestinal nutrient absorption.

You will have the Fiber Drink in the morning with your breakfast on days 1-3 and 8-10 of the challenge. The drink is pretty thick and "grainy," but the citrus taste helps to make the drink reasonably palpable. I'll put it this way, it doesn't taste great, so you just have to put it down quickly. So far, it really is the only part of the challenge that doesn't taste well, but the benefits from flushing your GI tract with this drink is more than worth it! I am confident that this drink played a huge part in my quick weight loss.

One other notable point with regards to the fiber drink, there are some reports that the 24-Day Challenge can be particularly helpful for people with conditions like IBS. If that is truly the case, I am sure that the fiber drink plays a central role in helping to regulate your body. Just a thought...

Tomorrow and Thursday I will highlight the other 2 pieces of the Herbal Cleanse kit.
If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
http://www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com/

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 15 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

Picture day! After multiple requests, I have decided to post pictures of what I look like now. I wasn't planning to take pictures until the end of the challenge, but I have no problem sharing halfway point pictures.

In case the tape measure is hard to read in the new picture, it says 39.5"! So that's 15 lbs and 2.5" lost in 2 weeks! Skinny mini Kristen is still holding steady with a 7 lb weight loss. She measured her waist and, surprisingly, she has cut 2" off of her waist (31" to 29")!

There is one more interesting tidbit that I want to share today. I had an insurance physical performed today and my blood pressure was 104/66 with a resting heart rate of 50 bpm. Those are some pretty perfect vitals. If only my patients all had preoperative numbers like those! I really wish that I had checked my heart rate and blood pressure before the challenge for comparison. I have never had problems with high blood pressure so it's not like that number was any surprise, but I am fairly confident that my resting heart rate probably was higher than that before the challenge (I'm pretty sure it was in the mid 60s the last time that I checked).

As I promised yesterday, here is the new segment that I'm going to add to my posts...

Product of the Day:

Spark Energy Drink

The Spark energy drink is one of the staples of the 24-Day Challenge. Per their website, this is Advocare's #1 seller. On the back of the packet, it is described as "a sugar-free source of long-lasting energy and heightened mental focus and performance." Advocare actually sells Spark in 7 different flavors and you can buy a box of packets or one big cannister. The 24-Day Challenge comes with 2 boxes of Sparks (14 packets per box) with one box of fruit punch Sparks and the other box being mandarin orange Sparks. So far I have tried 5 of the 7 flavors and fruit punch is my favorite. I think the mandarin orange flavor is one of the best as well (so it's a good thing that those are the two that come with the challenge!).

Spark is only 45 calories per serving and is packed with 21 vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Spark does contain caffeine (180 mg), so I found it to be particularly beneficial during the early days of the challenge while I was "withdrawing" from my Diet Dr. Pepper habit. The energizing quality of the Spark comes from  the caffeine teamed with the multitude of vitamins. The effect lasts a while because of the B vitamins and the mental enhancement appears to come from the amino acids added to the mix.

I think the Sparks are awesome. Since there are 28 packets for a 24-Day Challenge, I try to limit myself to one per day. Early in the challenge I used them to help get me going in the morning. But as the challenge has progressed, my baseline energy level has really improved. So I have been saving the Sparks to drink for the rare times that my energy has waned. But since those times truly have been rare, I've typically been drinking my daily Spark with lunch or dinner because it tastes so good!


If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 14 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

We're now two weeks into the challenge, so I decided to take a look back at the first post that I wrote the day before the challenge started (http://reclaimyourbodyandlife.blogspot.com/2012/03/advocare-24-day-weight-loss-challenge.html). After rereading that first post, I have to say that I'm a little surprised by how my attitude towards Advocare and the 24-Day Challenge has changed in two short weeks. In retrospect, I definitely had a healthy dose of uncertainty regarding the efficacy of the products. Now, I truly have no doubts that the Advocare supplements work and I have the proof to support this. In two weeks, I've lost 15 lbs and my wife has lost 7. My mom has already lost 5 lbs by her 6th day of the challenge. If you stick to the program, your weight will improve (that line feels like a cheap knockoff of the famous Field of Dreams line..."If you build it, they will come!").

There are also two big events coming up in my life that I want to mention. First, one of my really good friends is having his bachelor party in Atlanta next weekend! I'm very excited for the trip down to the ATL, but I know that this trip is going to put my will power to the test. I'm sure the unhealthy food options will abound and it'll be my challenge duty to make health-conscious choices. Don't get me wrong...I won't be a saint and I'm not going to abstain from enjoying the festivities of the weekend. My main goals are going to be portion control and smart choice selection. For instance, if we go to a burger joint, instead of french fries on the side, maybe I'll choose steamed veggies or another reasonably healthy alternative. I am also hoping that there is a free gym at the hotel. A few morning runs on the treadmill could really help combat some of the food choices (and help sweat out the alcohol from the night before!).

The other big event around the corner is that we are going to be heading out to Las Vegas soon! This trip will be right after we finish the challenge, so it can serve as our reward for leading a healthier lifestyle and successfully completing the 24-Day Challenge! I'm sure the weather is going to be awesome and the pools are going to be open. Two weeks ago, I would've been embarrassed to take my shirt off around the pool, but by the end of the challenge I think I'm going to be looking pretty darn good! Heck, I'm not afraid of ditching the shirt now without feeling self-conscious, so I know I definitely won't be when I shed another 5 or 6 pounds.

There's another completely different idea that I want to share with you all...

I don't want to sound redundant by reiterating my belief in the effectiveness of the products day after day afer day, so I am going to shift gears a bit for the remainder of the challenge. When I have enlightening tips for the challenge that come to mind, I'll definitely still share them. But starting tomorrow I am going to add a new element to the daily posts called the Product of the Day. The goal will be to try to provide some detailed reviews of the Advocare product line to help everyone get a better feel for the contents of the challenge. I am going to explain how the product is supposed to be used in the challenge along with any relevant background  that I think you'll want to hear about.

I'm excited to add this new wrinkle to the blog, so I hope you'll like it too. Happy Easter everyone!



If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
http://www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com/

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 13 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

According to the dictionary, a goal is "the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end." Everyone's weight loss program starts with one or more goals in mind. People usually formulate a series of results that they want to achieve. It may be a specific goal weight for which you are shooting. Maybe you want to look better in your swimsuit during an upcoming vacation. Or you may be in a competition with others and your main goal is to be the "biggest loser."

My pre-challenge goal was to get below 200 lbs. Starting at 214 lbs, I thought that it would be quite an accomplishment to lose 14 or 15 lbs in a 24 day period. A little over 3 weeks...lose 4 or 5 lbs a week. Seems tough, but possible, right?

With the help of Advocare, I broke through the 200 lb barrier on DAY 12! That's 15 lbs in 12 days using the Advocare supplements, healthy eating, and moderate exercise.

I was definitely somewhat skeptical 2 weeks ago at this time, but I am now completely convinced that the Advocare system teamed with a little hard work and self restraint produces results.

I now have a new goal for the next 11 days of the challenge: I want to be down to 194 lbs by the end of the challenge. Based upon the weight loss I've experienced so far, I may be selling myself a little short. But if I get there early, then I'll reassess and shoot for a lower goal! My ultimate weight loss target is 180 lbs. I definitely don't expect to get anywhere close to that number in 24 days, but I hope to get there by the end of June.

What are your goals? Do you have a weight loss goal in mind? Do you have a vacation right around the corner? Or maybe a wedding? No matter whether you choose the Advocare 24-Day Challenge or another weight loss program, make sure that you set goals and reassess them frequently. Aim big and shoot for the stars, but don't forget to set some intermediate milestones to reach along the way.



If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 12 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

So I fell asleep last night while starting to type up yesterday's blog post. I was going to write something about making goals and reassessing them as the challenge progresses. But then I heard some horrible news before leaving for work this morning and all of a sudden blogging about weight loss became a lot less important today.

Chris "Slaughterhouse" Smith was a guy that I had met on a few occasions. I had met him through my friend, Dan, and Chris' personality was infectious. He was always happy and fun to be around. Chris was the kind of guy that, after a few minutes of talking to him, you could have sworn you had been friends for years. Last night, the unimaginable happened and Chris was taken from us far too soon. He was the innocent victim of a senseless act of reckless driving by another person. Here is the link with the details of the crash:

http://www.examiner.com/mma-in-cincinnati/professional-mma-fighter-chris-smith-killed-car-crash

When I first met Chris, he was a big guy that wasn't in the best shape. However, shortly after that first meeting he started mixed martial arts (MMA) training. He soon took on the Slaughterhouse moniker and got in amazing shape (you can tell from the picture in that link). Kristen and I actually went to see him fight a while ago in an amateur event and he completely manhandled the guy he faced. His MMA career was still on its way up when this tragic accident happened yesterday.

I'll get back to blogging about our challenge experience tomorrow, but I wanted to use today to talk about a great guy who lost his life far too soon.



If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
http://www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com/

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 10 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

The cleanse phase is over and our results have been excellent so far! I have lost 13 lbs (from 214 to 201) and Kristen has lost 7 lbs (132 to 125).

Now it's time to begin the Max Phase. This phase will last for the remaining 14 days. For the remainder of this post, I want to talk about the most common question that I've received over the last 10 days, "So what is this 24-Day Challenge? I've noticed what you've been eating. Is this just another low-carb diet?"

I think the best way to describe the 24-Day Challenge is to say that it is a supplement-based weight loss program. The supplements improve your metabolism (burn more calories), increase your energy level, and help provide appetite control. Then, you follow their recommendations for diet modification to facilitate those goals. Finally, like any good weight loss program, they want you to exercise on a regular basis. So the supplements are the engine that drives the weight loss, but then you do your part by improving your dietary habits and working out frequently.

The dietary recommendations are structured in a way that provides a fair amount of flexibility; however, I do not have a ton of imagination, so my meals have been pretty similar on a daily basis. Fruit for breakfast, fruit or the occasional hard-boiled egg for mid-morning snack, salad +/- chicken for lunch, fruit or peanuts for mid-afternoon snack, and chicken with veggies for dinner. What can I say? I'm set in my ways. If you look at the Advocare Shopping Guide though, you'll notice that there are plenty of other options than this.

Eating well will result in weight loss, but not 13 lbs in 10 days. Eating well will make you feel better, but it definitely won't boost your energy level like I've felt these last 10 days, and eating well has never really suppressed my appetite. In the past, after several days my appetite would slow down. But with Advocare my appetite has been in check from day one.

Two other things that I want to mention before I close out this post:

1. I talked to my mom yesterday and she's doing well after 2 days. She said that she can already notice an improvement in her energy level. She has completely weaned herself off of her morning tea and she actually hasn't drank a Spark yet. So she's stopped her usual source of an energy boost (tea), hasn't used Advocare's energy boost (Spark), and she still has more energy after only 2 days on the challenge.

2. The distributor kit comes with extra Spark and some Slam (their version of a 5-hour energy drink). My wife tried a Slam recently and she noticed that she had some flushing on her face. I looked a little closer at the bottle and it contains niacin, which was probably the source of the flushing. Niacin is one of our body's essential nutrients and it has a lot of health benefits (in particular, it improves your HDL level, which is your "good" cholesterol), but it's major side effect when taken as a supplement is flushing. If you're prone to flushing from other exogenous sources of niacin, then I wouldn't recommend using the Slam energy drink.

That's all I've got for today, talk at you more tomorrow!


If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 9 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

Only one more day left in the cleanse and it's been an overwhelming success so far! I'll share my 10-day weight loss results tomorrow on the final day of the cleanse phase. The weight isn't coming off at a meteoric pace like it did during the first 5-7 days of the challenge, but I am still shedding pounds. In reality, I knew that the pounds would slow down a bit as I get in better shape. That just seems natural to me. The key is going to be keeping the weight off and working hard to continue dropping weight.

Kristen's cousin, Dave, sent me a helpful document today. It's an Advocare shopping guide to help you decide which food is good for the challenge. There is also a section at the end that talks about foods to avoid. The best part though is that it only reconfirmed that I was on the right track...because virtually all of the food that I have been eating is in the approved section! I wanted to attach the file directly to this post, but I haven't figured out how to accomplish that yet. If I come across a web link that takes you directly to the Advocare Shopping Guide, then I'll add it to this post later.

Today is the first day of the challenge for my mom, so I'll try to keep you updated on her progress. Also, my brother-in-law's fiancee has decided take on the program. Good luck to her as well!

If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 8 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Challenge

Tonight's entry will be rather short. I've really fallen into a pretty reliable daily routine. Today I tried salmon on my lunchtime salad instead of chicken. A little variety is crucial to Challenge success because you don't want your food choices to get stale and repetitive.

The cleanse phase is almost over and I'm hoping that I can break through the 200 lb barrier by the end of it. That would've been unfathomable to me at the start of the challenge. I would've said something like, "214 to 200 in 10 days? Get real!"

The other big news is that my mom will be starting the Challenge today, so I"ll keep you updated on her progress as well!

Well, it's getting pretty late, so I'm going to short-change you guys tonight, but I'll make sure to make tomorrow's post a little lengthier to make up for it...


If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.

Day 7 - Mike & Kristen's Advocare 24-Day Weight Loss Challenge

At this point, it's pretty clear to me that the keys to a successful challenge are will power and perseverance. I guess this is true of any weight loss program out there. As I've mentioned in previous posts, the Advocare challenge is structured in a way that allows you to have 5 meals per day (plus an optional nighttime snack). With this frequency of eating, I can honestly say that I have not had problems with being hungry for the majority of the challenge. However, the temptations to fall off of the wagon are beginning to mount. On Friday, one of my coworkers asked me to go down to the cafeteria to have breakfast with him. Even though I had already eaten my breakfast on the way to work, I obliged. Then I proceeded to sip on some water while he wolfed down biscuits and gravy, bacon, and fried potatoes! A little over a week ago I probably would've eaten the exact same thing. That is just one example of where will power and perseverance to stick to the challenge was crucial. If I had given into temptation in that instance (or a few others that presented themselves in the last week), then I would never have achieved the 12 lb weight loss that has ensued in the last 7 days!

My wife and I are notorious for making bad meal choices and then trying to make up for it later . If we weren't in the middle of this program, I may very well have grubbed up on some biscuits and gravy with the intention of eating a lighter lunch. Then, when lunch comes around I make another poor choice with the plan to exercise after work and eat a better dinner, and so on.

With the monetary commitment to buy the challenge and with a 5 meal per day diet structure to follow, I have some much needed help in the will power department.

A couple other random items that I've noticed in the last day or two:
- The fruit that I've been eating seems to be tasting better. I bought several apples at the beginning of the week and I swear that the apple I snacked on today was better than the first one I ate a week ago.

- I think I'm starting to have more energy throughout the day. I worked a 24-hour shift yesterday into this morning and today, on my post-call day, I still haven't drank my Spark for the day. Now granted, I did get about 5 hours of interrupted sleep last night, but usually I'm pretty gassed during my post-call days even when I do get some sleep at the hospital. To top it off, I have already worked out today and I mowed the lawn and I still don't feel tired. My plan is to drink the Spark during dinner because it's a lot more tasty than plain water.

- Lastly, unsalted peanuts are my new friend. I've never been big on peanuts, but now I really look forward to eating them for my afternoon snack!

Well, time to fire up the grill and start cooking some chicken with veggies. We bought a new lemon pepper sauce that I'm going to marinade the chicken with and I"m excited to see how it'll turn out.

Oh yeah, Kristen's still doing well with the challenge too...down 6 lbs in one week and she's still not exercising at all!

If you want to explore the Advocare site more for additional details, here's our link:
www.reclaimyourbodyandlife.com

As with every post that I'll make, here's my disclaimer:

I am a physician and protecting my medical career is of paramount importance to me. I have researched the Advocare products thoroughly and my wife and I have chosen to use them for our own personal weight loss endeavor. However, I will not provide an official medical opinion with regards to the safety and efficacy of the products for others. I've put in too many years of hard work to put my medical license at risk. Basically, I've chosen to use Advocare products for myself and you'll have to decide for yourself or consult with your personal physician to figure out if these products are safe for you too.