Face Lift

This month, I will be twenty six years old.

I remember vividly when I was a kid, riding in the back of my friend's family's old green station wagon as her older sister brought me home from one of our countless sleep overs. I watched from the back seat as her sister, who was in college and maybe 21 at the time, navigated the car through the winding back roads of my hometown, effortlessly driving with one hand on the wheel, the other flicking through the limited radio stations. I remember thinking "wow... she's so grown up" and having a hard time imagining how I could ever get that old. It's difficult for a nine year old brain to grasp that. 

So here I am, five years older than she was on that sunny summer drive, and I'm still wondering when I am going to feel "grown up." I have done a lot of growing, that is true. I am no longer the insecure little girl in her group of friends because she's "too tall" or "too big" or "too strong" - I now embrace those qualities. I am no longer worried about what others think of me when I wear a bikini or a crop top because "I'm not skinny enough" - instead, I rock it with confidence. I am no longer always looking for approval, afraid to make anyone upset or hurt feelings - I now speak my mind and stand up for myself, right or wrong, and able to admit when I am the latter. I have definitely grown, but I don't feel as if I'm "grown up" yet. You know, that adage of looking around for an adult and realizing you are the adult? That's my life every single day. 

Earlier this month, I hit my breaking point. My car has been in the shop for almost a month, something that is going to cost us a ton of money we don't have to spare, I'm sure. I've had to rely on others to get to and from work, which is embarrassing and frustrating. Luckily, I have a great group of people who don't mind helping me out, but it's still makes me feel like I'm not "adulting" right. On top of that, I discovered a blood clot in my leg a couple of weeks ago, which warranted a couple of trips to the Emergency Room. Thankfully, it was not serious, and has since improved greatly, but it was a wake up call, and a terrifying one at that. 

Blood clots are caused by a number of things. I was on a particular type of birth control that has a heightened risk of causing blood clots. Couple that with my already existent varicose veins and being overweight, stressed, and always on my feet - perfect storm. They say when it rains it pours, and August was most definitely a month of storms and torrential downpour, one I feel like I barely go out of with my sanity intact. Although, it's not all rainbows and life rafts now. 

I blamed myself. For going to college and allowing myself to get into debt. For picking a lemon car that has been nothing but issues since we got it. For gaining weight back and allowing my health to become so unimportant to me that something like this could happen. For not exercising, for not paying enough attention to warning signs something was happening to me (see my last post) and for just generally allowing my life to get so out of control. I fell back into those patterns I'd become so familiar with; obsessing over weight, calories, the number on the scale, as if controlling that could help me regain control of my life. I started a ketogenic diet, which is super low carb and high fat/protein based diet designed to help you drop weight fast. (Before anyone starts lecturing me on why keto is not a maintenance diet and I shouldn't do it, I'm aware. Thank you for your concern.) I started weighing myself again multiple times a day, obsessed with every ounce lost or gained and letting it completely determine my mood. Sounds a lot like how I started out in the first place, doesn't it? Funny thing about patterns; they repeat. 

That's why, entering into this new month, and my next chapter of life in my "late twenties", I am changing the view of this little corner of the internet I call my own as well. I will be blogging about fitness and weight loss still, of course, but also focusing more on what it's like to be a plus sized woman in today's world. What it's like to overcome insecurities and body shaming as well as my struggles with both. What it's like to feel good about myself despite everything else this world has to throw at me. I will be sharing fashion tips, tricks, yummy recipes, and overall empowering information and experiences for others on the same road as me. I am determined, in this twenty-sixth year of life, to break the cycle of feeling like I need to be a number on a scale to be happy, because most days that is absolutely true. I'm working to make the only number I care about to be 100% comfortable and confident as often as I can, and hoping you'll join me. 

That being said... I am thinking I need a new name for this space. So, I will be holding a contest to name my  new blog! Everyone who comments with a name will be entered in the drawing, and the prize will be a handmade sassy cross stitch of your choosing if I pick what you've suggested. Keep in mind, this is going to be a body positive, plus sized safety zone full of humor, hacks, fun, and freedom to be who you want to be. 

Deadline is September 30th, or as we in my house like to call it, the D.O.B. (Day of Brooke) You may comment here, in a personal message on Facebook, or a DM on Instagram (brookiknowsbest) with submissions. In the meantime, I will be revamping this blog to reflect it's new purpose.

Here's to a new chapter! 

xoxo 

Fight The Best You Can

You know when it just seems like everything is working against you? You finally almost have all your ducks in a row and then WHAM! A huge wave comes and almost drowns you, and when you finally surface and catch your breath, you see all of the ducks you've worked so hard on corralling ass-up, dead in the water. 

That's how this week has felt. I am exaggerating, it's not like everything has crumbled to pieces. I have an awesome job and a partner in life that loves and supports me, an incredible family and friend group that has my back, the best little fur baby around, food on the table and a roof over my head. I am well aware I have it way better than most, and for that I am thankful. 

That being said, I've been struggling for a few months now, and this week has really been the straw that causes the camel to become a paraplegic left shriveling in a sand dune somewhere in the Sahara. The combination of being overworked, exhausted, and stressed has left me with little more energy than it takes me to drag myself out of bed every morning and fight through another work day. Which means, you guessed it - exercise and eating right have been at the very bottom of my list of "To Do's" lately. 

This hasn't been a problem until recently. I have been feeling very body positive and good about myself, despite putting on a few pounds in recent months. I bought another bikini this summer, one that is incredible and I seriously want to live in it because it makes me feel beautiful. I've controlled my nit picking and criticizing of myself from a day to day basis to just once in a while, which is a huge step for me who has always been so critical of every lump, bump, fold and imperfection. I know everyone has bad days, and mine have been few and far between. 

Until recently. 

I think,  partially, my lack of scrutiny is due to the fact that I've been legit living in scrubs for the past few months, which are really just professional pajamas and are super flattering when it comes to hiding a little weight gain. I have been pulling 40+ hour work weeks, commuting to different sites to help cover vacancies, and getting home well after 8pm most nights. This leaves me just enough time to scarf down something quick and, often, microwaveable if I haven't already picked up something fast food related on the drive home. And then I collapse into bed, passing out well before The Mister gets home, and waking up early the next morning to do it all again, often substituting breakfast with the biggest coffee I can find at whatever drive through is on my commute. I haven't been weighing myself, tracking my progress, or sticking to anything that I know I should be. Because life happens, and no one is perfect. 

The past few weeks, I have noticed that my scrubs have been fitting a little tighter, and that does not feel good, considering a few months ago I was almost ready to trade in for a smaller size. Last week, while in the middle of a patient intake at work, I began to feel light headed and nauseous. (I know what you're thinking - pregnant. Trust me, I work at Planned Parenthood... I'm not.) I hadn't really eaten much since lunch the day before, because I got stuck late at work and commuted an hour to get home, let out The Queen and passed out on the couch until The Mister came home to wake me up, at which point I stumbled up to bed and continued my coma. I ended up having to leave the the patient in the room halfway through intake, find my way into another exam room, and keep myself from passing out. Head between the knees, deep breaths, the usual routine. I used to pass out a lot when I was a kid so thankfully, I was aware of the signs, or else that would have been terrifying for the poor patient who was already stressed out about whatever was going on in her life. 

Clearly, it was time to get my priorities in line. I started ushering all those little ducks back in a row - bought a whole bunch of healthy, whole foods from the store. Packed a gym bag. Started drinking less coffee, more water. Baby steps until after the weekend, where The Mister and I finally had some time off together for a wedding and we planned on taking full advantage. 

I bought a dress at Torrid, my favorite store and place of part time employment. After the clearance price and my 40% employee discount, I paid around 25.00 for a gorgeous maxi dress I will wear again and again and again. However, I purchased a black dress, because all of the fun, floral, colored, patterned dresses made me feel like a walking couch. I hadn't realized how far I'd backslid, as most don't, until I'd tried on clothes. Thankfully I know I can always leave Torrid with something I love, so I didn't get too frustrated, but it only solidified the fact that I needed to start really making some changes again. 

We get to the wedding, which was at a gorgeous, private venue on the Connecticut River in Southern Vermont. We drank and ate and danced and had an excellent time with old friends. We watched two people who love each other enter into union forever. We googly-eyed each other all evening, dreaming of the day when we finally get married. And we took pictures. 

Now, obviously I am aware this is an excellent photograph. First of all, look at my arm candy. How can you not be smiling with that handsome gentleman next to you? Second, the scenery is GORGEOUS. One of my coworkers told me it looks like we went to Sears and got portraits done in front of a fake background because it is so picturesque. Third, clearly I am ecstatic to be there (and a few drinks in) so I have a huge smile and am having a great time. Which is the point of a wedding, after all. 

I did not see this picture until after I got home from our weekend getaway, as one of my friends took it and sent it to me later on. Upon initial inspection, I was so happy with it. Overall, it is a gorgeous picture of a couple in love, having fun celebrating another couple in love. 

And then the nit picking begins. 

My hair is so flat. My eyebrows are out of control. Look how thick I am. Why am I holding my hand like that? Ugh, I'm lumpy. Look how big my arm looks.

It's always a picture that becomes  your turning point. If you take a look back at the first post in this blog, that was my turning point picture for this whole weight loss journey. It's a picture I look at often to remind myself how far I've come, even if I'm not where I want to be yet. Even if I backslide and put on a few pounds, I know I will never go back to where I was in that first picture. 

This picture is a turning point picture, but not in the same way. This one helped me see that, although I've put on a few pounds and have fallen out of my routine, it doesn't mean I can't still have fun. It doesn't mean I'm not beautiful, or that I don't get to experience love or happiness. It also doesn't mean that I can take that away from myself, as I did after picking apart this picture, because now all I see when I look at it is a lumpy lady in a black dress who hasn't been sticking to her goals and using the excuse that "life got in the way." 

Which brings me back to Ms. Klum's quote at the opening of this post: 

"I think you always need to try your best, but at the same time you can only do what you can do." 

If sleeping until the last possible second I can in the morning because I worked a 12 hour shift the day before and skipping the gym is the best thing for me at this moment, great. Fine. Good. Is it forever? No, and I know that. If eating an entire pizza after I get home from work because I'm too exhausted to fix anything else is what I do once in a blue moon? Fine, I just can't make a habit out of it, as I have been lately. If walking The Queen when I get home for the 10 minute poop loop we do around our neighborhood is all the movement I get in a day other than running around at work, at least I'm moving. 

"Don't beat yourself up about it." 

Nothing is 100 percent. As long as  you're giving your 100 percent from where you are, right now, that's all that matters. You get no where berating yourself for skipping the gym or eating that fried chicken or looking "lumpy" in a dress that everyone else thinks  you look great in. The world beats on us all enough without our input. 

Put up the gloves and fight the best you can. 

Awake and Flying

The scene opens on a young woman, dressed in silks and laying on a stone slab. She is breathing steadily, her golden hair flowing around her in waves, undisturbed by time passed. Her eyelids flutter, opening like delicate wings of tentative butterflies. As her vision slowly comes into focus, she sees the screen of a computer in the distance, casting a pale light upon her porcelain skin. She leaps from the slab, eyes growing wide, and races across the room, crying only two words at the realization of what she's neglected to do during her slumber;

"MY BLOG!"

-----

Okay, okay. Although I am no Aurora, I have been in a bit of a "sleep" the past few months. It's called life, and it cast a spell on me that, until recently, has been hard to break. It's incredible how easy it is to fall into the everyday routine, the mundane in and out of getting up, going to work, coming home, and collapsing into bed. Wash, rinse, repeat, right?

It's especially hard to focus on anything but the basic routine when you aren't sure if your job is going to be getting cut hours or when your partner is having trouble finding/staying in work. Thankfully, although it was a rough few months, The Mister found a job that allows him to be the creative food genius he is in a year-round position that fits his experience and credentials. I, after initially being told that my already part-time job would be getting cut back by 4 hours, will be getting full-time hours instead starting in June. Since things have been getting back on track, I've been able to wake up from my "keep it together" trance and focus on things that make me happy, healthy, and whole. Like writing this blog. Cooking. Exercising. Anything, really, beyond the mundane.

Let me update you since I last visited my little corner of the internet in June:

- I stopped Herbalife, at least for now. The cost proved to be too much for our current financial situation, which was disappointing, as it was really easy and seemed to be working.
- I became obsessed with counting calories and the number on the scale again, which only frustrated me and sent me further into my hypothetical "sleep", causing less motivation to eat right, go to the gym, or do anything that I really love. I felt like I was failing, which made me not want to try at all. A vicious cycle that caused me to gain back almost 15lbs from where I was in June.
- After a brief "fuck it" stint of going back to my non-healthy ways (read: holidays) I was able to get back on track using the If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) model. More on that in a bit.
- The Mister and I have (somewhat) seriously started wedding planning, which is very overwhelming and exciting. Shooting for Fall 2016. Eek!
- We adopted a dog! At the end of July, a little pitbull/daschund (yes, you read that right) mix became available through Alpha Dog Rescue, and has filled our lives with so much joy, happiness, snuggles, poop and chewed socks, it's incredible. Definitely the best decision we've ever made. Meet our baby Khaleesi, as in Mother of Dragons, or Khali for short.

Focused on food. Just like her momma.

That's kind of it in a nutshell. At least the big updates. 2015 has been a bit of a rough start, but it can really only go up from here, I think. The poor Mister has had it much worse than me. Between an abscessed tooth, an allergic reaction to Snuggle Fabric Softner (damn, that Snuggle Bear!) and most recently, a crippling cold/cough,

Now that we're all caught up on my life happenings, lets revisit that thing I mentioned that helped get me back on track. If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM), or flexible dieting.

I first heard of IIFYM through @dallasrae on Instagram, who is a national bikini competitor and a HUGE fitspo for many women out there. Now, I am quite aware I will most likely never have her incredible physique, nor is that really my goal, but she posts lots of workouts, recipes, and inspirational content that help me through some tough days.

So when she started doing and talking about IIFYM, it interested me, because as you know bikini competitors typically have a pretty restrictive diet. But she was eating frozen yogurt, and pizza, and burgers! HOW?!

IIFYM allows you to incorporate those foods into your diet while still hitting your weight and fitness goals. It takes the "macro" components of everyone's diet - fat, protein, and carbohydrates - and balances them in a way that is conducive to your personal goals. In @dallasrae 's case, she uses it to bulk up, then lean and tone as it gets closer to competition time. In my case, I am primarily focusing on weight loss, so I utilize it in that way.

How can one program do ALL OF THIS, you ask?

There are a few different formulas for calculating IIFYM that are used, the most common is the Harris-Benedict. It takes into account your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), or calories burned per day at rest based on your height and weight, and your activity factor. So, for someone like @dallasrae who is constantly up in the gym workin' on her Fitness (heyyy, Fergie!) her IIFYM number is going to be MUCH different than my semi-sedentary, quasi-office job, 30 mins of cardio and light lifting maybe 3 times a week number.

When you use the Harris-Benedict formula, it calculates your caloric number for weight maintenance. From here, you can adjust accordingly based on your goals, which is why it works for literally EVERYBODY. There are a few apps out there to make it easier, if you're mathematically challenged like me. I use MacroCalculator and Macros, two apps both found on the GooglePlay store, but there are HUNDREDS out there. You can also simply Google IIFYM and a whole bunch of options come up.

Since starting IIFYM about three months ago, I have lost all of the holiday/hibernation weight I gained AND an additional 10 lbs or so. I say "or so" because since starting IIFYM, I have (almost) completely lost my obsession with the scale. Last time I checked, I was at 229, which is a full 51 lbs down from where I was September 2013. Most days, it's not about the scale anymore, it's about how I feel from day to day. For me, I know when I have a diet heavy in carbohydrates, I am sluggish and sick, and I gain wait fast and furiously. I calculated my number based on the Harris-Benedict formula, then selected a low-carb plan option to keep me feeling at my best. Not no-carb, like Atkins, because I also know that for my body, that only works as long as I keep it up, and eventually I binge and eat a whole loaf of bread or an entire pizza and it's all over.

My three meals a day consist of 40% proteins, 35% fats, and 25% carbs. This makes it easier for me to plan my meals accordingly, instead of just shooting for a calorie goal that leaves me trying to eat as many "bad" things as I can cram in before my calories are used up. I can actually visualize what each meal should look like on the plate based on my percentages, and being a spatial thinker, that sets me up for success. I picture it like a pie chart, or the plates with dividers you get as a kid. (Mine was a frog, I think.)

I am still new to this whole thing, so I might not be doing it "right", but for right now, it's working. I am always open to suggestions if someone has more knowledge, so please feel free to leave tidbits of wisdom in the form of comments. We are all here to help each other, and I am no exception to that rule.

-----

As her fingers flew across the keyboard, words appearing on the screen before her, something stirred in her chest that she hadn't felt in months. Fluttering wings beat against her ribcage, trying to escape. A smile crept to her lips, slowly at first, then spreading and splitting her face in two. Her frenzied typing continued as the bird attempted to fly, each passing moment causing it to flap harder and harder against it's cage. For the first time in a long time, she felt fully awake.

The frantic typing slowed to a stop. She inhaled deeply, poising her finger above the keypad for a final stroke, the bird in her ribcage fighting ferociously to fly. She closed her eyes, jabbed the keyboard one more time, and exhaled, feeling pride flow from her on the wings of a newly freed bird.

POST SUCCESSFUL.







Fire Starter

Treat others the way you want to be treated. 

For most of us, this was one of the first lessons we learned in school. Or maybe daycare. I know I learned it as soon as I was old enough to understand what it meant; be nice and others will be nice back. Act like an asshole, and... well, you know the rest. 

My entire life, I have done my best to follow this adage. Of course, some people missed the day this valuable lesson was taught in school - we have all encountered them. "Negative Nancy" or "Debbie Downer", always with a raincloud over their head. The insecure, emotionally injured, overly anxious, utterly unbalanced people that seem to suck the joy right out of a room. A naysayer, always looking for the dark, the drama, and the downside of anyone and everything in their paths. 

At first, it's something you can brush off. They must be having a bad day. I'm not going to let it get to me. Can't get me down!

Then it starts to seep into your very being, like a dark ink stain on your favorite shirt, until you find yourself scowling for no reason and feeling the Negativity Knot deep in the pit of your stomach. Why is she looking at me like that? Ugh, that shirt is so ugly. She's too fat for that. Why can't I be that confident to wear whatever I want? I really suck. Why do I even bother?

So on and so forth. 

The worst part is, once you are tainted by that ugly ink of Negativity, you then become a pen yourself, staining others in your wake. 

The quote at the beginning of this post is from the movie called "The Secret" (you can find it if you search it on Youtube.) It is an excellent watch, and I recommend it to anyone. We watched a clip of it in the last Herbalife coach's meeeting I went to a few weeks ago. The basic theory? 

You guessed it - the Golden Rule. 

What I found interesting, though, was it wasn't in relation to others, as was taught to us in gradeschool. It was in relation to yourself. 

Trippy, right? How does that even work? 

The basic principle is this: treat yourself the way you want to be treated, send out positive vibes into the universe in everything you do, and the universe will give you that positive energy in return. 

For example, thinking "I don't want to be fat anymore" is actually a negative idea. You are drawing attention to what you don't want, therefore opening doors of energy for negativity to come through. How many of you have said this? All of us at some point, I'm sure. And what does it do for your well being to think that way? 

Not a damn thing.

It perpetuates the negative feelings you have for your weight, thus causing you to spiral deeper into feeling negative overall and continuing the cycle. Instead, you have to change your thinking to positive, such as "I want to lose weight," or "I want to get healthy." Take it a step further, and affirm things about yourself you want to be true, or already know to be true. 

"I am beatiful"... "I love myself"... "I deserve to be happy"... "I am perfect just as I am"... "I have a killer ass"... "I am grateful for my health" etc. etc. 

Go beyond the physical - what are you good at? What are your goals? Where do you want to be in a year, 6 months, next week? Visualize, verbalize, conceptualize, and actualize! It's all about your mindset, and positive thinking is the biggest step towards getting what you want in life. 

This is something I have really begun working on in the past month. I have always been "that girl" - heavier than all my friends, taller than any other girl in my social circle. The boys didn't look at me like they looked at other girls, probably because I could beat most of them up until Sophomore year of high school. Even then, I was seen as a "buddy", an athletic tomboy who wasn't "sexy" or "pretty" or "hot" in the conventional sense. I carried that weight, was tattooed with that negativity ink, throughout the majority of my adolescent and young adult life. It wasn't until the past year that I've really worked on letting go of what I "should" look like and embraced what I am - a badass, beautiful, brilliant, breathtaking woman who is not defined by how others view and evaluate me on a scale of 1-Megan Fox (or Scarlett Johanson... I've always thought she was a babe.) 

It's a struggle. Anything worth having is. Positive thinking is a lifestyle change, just like changing your eating habits or exercise routine. It is part of the total wellness package, and something you must strive to achieve even through the tough, awful, overwhelming times where you just want to lay down and quit. It's something you have to fight for every. Single. Day. Until it becomes routine, and then you are suddenly finding positivity and gratitude in everything you do, everything you see, and everyone you know.

So, now I challenge you! A simple exercise in gratitude... right now, stop and think of three things your are grateful for. 

No, really think about it. Picture it.

Feel the fire in your chest? That burning at the edges of your ribcage that feels like it's going to explode? That's graditude. That's potential, positivity, and purpose. All that lives inside of you. Every single second of every single day. 

Challenge yourself to do this exercise once a day, whenever you think of it. Whenever you need it. Take note of the changes happening around you once you start, because they will happen. In little sparks here and there, so small you might not even notice them if you weren't looking. They are there, and they will continue to grow. A fire is inevitable when you rub two sticks together long enough, right? 

It's amazing the fire you can ignite with a little bit of gratitude. 

Herbalife - The Quick and Dirty

Let me just start this post by making it very clear that I do not intend this to become a platform for Herbalife sales. I do not want this little corner of the internet I call my own to be "that kind" of a place. However, it is part of my weight loss journey, at least at this point, and so I believe it needs explaining.

Those of you who follow me on Instagram and/or Facebook have undoubtedly seen my recent blasts for Herbalife products. Many have reached out to me within the past few days, looking for an explaination of products and how to get started themselves. Even more have simply asked for information, which I have realized can be a daunting task for a number or reasons. One, because there is SO MUCH information on these products, I just want to tell everyone EVERYTHING about them. Two, because all those who have inquired about Herbalife have done so via Facebook, Email or Text, which is my preferred method of communication and easiest for most. That, as you can imagine, becomes difficult at times, especially due to the aforementioned fact that I want to tell EVERYONE EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERYTHING AND YES YES YES PLEASE PURCHASE THESE PRODUCTS AND START FEELING BETTER BECAUSE IT'S AMAZINGGGG!!! 

And so, at the request of a few loyal followers of this blog, this post will be dedicated to describing my Herbalife experience so far, hopefully answering any questions you may have along the way. Most importantly, if at the end of this post you are interested in starting your own program, I will be more than happy to assist you in ordering your products to get started ASAP. 

I think the best way to attack this is to do a Q and A of some of the questions I have been asked over the past few days. 

Q: How did you hear about/get started on Herbalife?

A: My Herbalife journey started a couple of months ago. I knew that we would be moving to the Dover area, and so I hit up Craigslist to start looking for work. In the Health/Fitness/Spa section, an add for "Wellness Coaches Wanted" struck me as intersting, and so I applied. I ended up in a small Health Club in Concord, NH, where I was introduced to Herbalife. 

My guess is you can't throw a stone without hitting someone you know who has tried Herbalife. You definitely know someone who has heard about it. So why aren't more people doing it? 

Like myself, at first, most people are skeptical. I figured I would order some products, give it a try, and see how it went. I signed up right then and there and waited anxiously for my starter kit in the mail. A few days later I had my products, and was instantly hooked. 

Q: What do you like most about Herbalife?

A: For me, I love how easy it is to follow the program. Two shakes, two snacks, and one meal a day. I typically do my two shakes as breakfast and lunch, have a snack around 10:00am and 2:00pm, and then make a healthy meal for dinner. I'm not much of a breakfast person, so being able to blend up a shake or pop some powder and water into a shaker bottle and go is my best chance at eating a meal before noon. The eleven different flavors of Meal Replacement Shake, teas, protein bars, and countless other goodies Herbalife offers are definitely positives as well. 

Q: What do you use?

A: I use the Formulas 1, 2 and 3, Protein Powder, the herbal tea, and mango aloe concentrate. I also purchase LiftOff and protein bars, for energy boosts and on-track snacking purposes. 

Q: ... what the heck did you just say?

A: Here is where it gets tricky to do via text message, as you can imagine. So, if you're wondering what these products are and why they work, THIS SECTION IS FOR YOU!!! 

Herbalife's basic idea is "Nutrition is as easy as 1, 2, 3!" which refers to their Formula 1 Healthy Meal Replacement, Formula 2 Multivitamin, and Formula 3 Cell Activator. 

Formula 1: The powder. Throw this stuff into your smoothies that you already make for an added protein boost. Blend it up with some ice and water on it's own, because it tastes delicious. Seriously. Like cake. Or candy. And there are literally HUNDREDS of combinations and ways to prepare your shake so you never get bored. Chocolate covered cherries? No problem. Peanut butter pie? Bring it on! Pistachio, which happens to be The Mister's favorite flavor, strawberry cheesecake, blueberry cheesecake, orange creamsicle, grasshopper pie, key lime - the list is literally endless. And everything I just listed is NOT the actual powder flavor. Those are all just incredible creations that Herbalifers have come up with over the years. 

Formula 1 is best when combined with Herbalife's Protein Powder, which comes in either Chocolate or Vanilla. I know you're probably saying "why do you need to add more protein to something that is already packed with protein?" You don't <i>need</i> it, but it aids in easy blending with just water in a shaker bottle, which is usually how I prepare my breakfast on the way out the door. It also gives you that extra boost of protein to help keep you full and satisfied until your first snack of the day. Because protein keeps you full. And helps you burn fat. And build lean muscle. And create general awesomeness and bad-assery all around. 

Follow me so far? Great. 

Formula 2: The vitamins. You take one three times a day with each meal you have (two shakes, one meal.) They are specifically formulated so each vitamin is only milligrams different from the next, as opposed to store-bought vitamins that can vary significantly. They give you 21 vitamins and nutrients, including folic acid, calcium, and Vitamin C. 

Formula 3: The cell stuff. These little pills are taken at the same time as the vitamins, which makes it easy to remember for those of you who are as scatter-brained as I am. These guys wake up the mitochondrial membrane in your stomach to aid in complete absorption of nutrients you're pumping in there with the multi-vitamins, the shakes, and whatever else you decide to eat during the day. 

Those are your basic baseline products. Still with me? Alright. 

Herbal Tea and Aloe Concentrate: The herbal tea comes in original, lemon, raspberry and peach flavors. 1/2 teaspoon per 8 oz of water and you have a delicious, metabolism boosting beverage to sip on all day. Pair it with the aloe concentrate, in either original or mango flavored, and you have the "drink and shrink" combo that not only busts fat but aids proper digetstion. I put this healthy cocktail into my Nalgene bottle and drink it all day, or throw some fruit infused ice cubes into a glass and pour it over. You can add mint or basil, blend it up with ice to make a slushie, or make it into an energy-packed Tea Bomb with some LiftOff.

LiftOff: Herbalife's answer to energy drinks. One little tab dissolved in liquid gives you the energy of a big-name brand, high-octane energy drink without the heart palpatations, jitters, or crash afterwards. To quote The Mister on it's energy boost, "I feel like a squirrel in a coffee can." LiftOff comes in Lemon-Lime (tastes JUST LIKE Mountain Dew), Ignite-Me Orange (Orange Soda), Lemon-Cola Kick (Lemon Coke), and Tropical Fruit (Hawaiian Punch). It fizzes up, like Alka Seltzer, so it gives the illusion of carbonation, and is a great alternative for when you have a soda/caffeine craving and want to stay on track.

In addition to these products, Herbalife offers just about anything else you could every want. From protein bars and other weight loss products and supplements, to pre and post workout aids (Herbalife 24 Fitness Line), lotion, shampoo, soap, sleep aids, clothing, cups, shaker bottles - the list is almost endless. It's kind of crazy.

Q: Okay, so what should I order?

A: I always recommend the "quick start" option, which includes your choice of Formula 1 flavor, a bottle of Formula 2, a bottle of Formula 3, and a bottle of the Herbal Tea mix, also in your choice of flavor. That goes for $113.00. After that, I suggest you purchase a canister of Protein Powder, your choice of Chocolate or Vanilla, for $47.95, and a bottle or two of the Aloe Concentrate $29.80. So, for a grand total of $220.55, you have more than enough to begin your own journey.

Does that mean you need to order the extras? No. If you are more comfortable starting out with the "quick start" package only, that is completely fine. You can always add on the extras at a later date. Or, if you prefer, you can make your own program.

Q: How do I order?

A: In order to get the products, you have to go through a consultant. If you go to Herbalife.com, you can search for a consultant in your area. Or, if you prefer, you can order directly through me, as I am a consultant!

All you have to do is email me at brooke.crane89@gmail.com to get started. We can work together to put you on your own path to whatever it is you want to focus on through Herbalife as soon as possible.

Q: Is it worth the cost?

A: That is up to you. If you are like me, who has always struggled with weight, has a hard time staying on track, and wants to make a positive change that allows you to actually see results, then I say yes. Yes, it is absolutely worth the cost. Because really, what price can you put on your health?



As always, if there are additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am more than happy to answer anything I can to help put you at ease about starting a new program, as it can be intimidating. Or, for those of you who are skeptical of this entire idea, reach out. I was there, and now, I am proud to say that I lead an Herbalifestyle, and have not felt this good in a long, long time.

Hopefully, this was helpful for those of you interested. I hope you're as excited to get started as I am to show you the way!

Thanks for being interested, supportive, and inquisitive of this lifestyle change of mine. I really do appreciate it more than you will ever know. <3

Trading In The Green Mountains

So I know I promised that I would reveal our little secret like... a week ago. You will have to forgive me, as The Mister and I have been running around like crazy for the past couple of weeks making sure things are in order.

Since my last post, many of you have been contacting me with questions about whats going on in our life. We are already engaged, so that's off the table, meaning there have been some pretty creative scenarios for our big secret. Of them include:

Baby (or babies... like suddenly I'm going to be Octomom.)
Aquired a pet (exotic or otherwise.)
Eloped in either Mexico, Canada, or Las Vegas.
Married by someone named Midnight Elvis during aforementioned elopement.
Married by Midnight Elvis during aforementioned elopement due to Octomom babies.
Purchased an island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, where we will be living out the rest of our days high on the hog from our successful bank robbery, which is the only way we would every be able to purchase an island.

Well, my dear friends and followers, I am pleased to inform you we have not eloped, we will not be welcoming the pitter patter of little feet into our lives any time soon, there is no island and there is no Elvis. Or Vegas. Or pets (YET!)

So, what is this big news?

Our big reveal.

Of what's going on.

That we are finally ready to share.

With you.

The masses.

ARE YOU READY?!



Although we will not be purchasing an island or moving to an exotic land, The Mister and I will be moving at the end of the month! On May 26th, we will me moving from Burlington, Vermont to Dover, New Hampshire. The Mister was offered an amazing job as director of catering for a high-end catering company in the area. He will be starting in the beginning of June.

Let me just put this into perspective for you - about a month and a half ago, The Mister got the offer. We were unsure of if we wanted to leave, to take that leap of faith, pick up and relocate in a whole new state. We went back and forth, explored all possible options, decided to stay. Then go. Then stay. We drew more pro-con lists than we could count, which varied depending on the day. We just about drove ourselves crazy. Then, while reading my horoscope at the gym, I got this -

 

Anyone who knows me knows I believe in signs. I believe in the idea that "everything happens for a reason." I believe that what is meant to be will be, whether you feel "ready" for it or not. And this was a huge, flashing, cosmic green light.

 

Since we made the definitive decision, it is remarkable how fast the pieces have fallen into place. We decided to move in with my childhood best friend, who already lives in the area. We found an apartment that is affordable, adorable, and HUGE compared to our current tiny living space. We gave our notices at our respective jobs. We upended our life here within a matter of weeks.

 

 I did the math. I've lived in the Burlington area for seven years. Seven. I have called this place home since I left my parents for my first year at UVM. It is the only place I have known other than where I grew up. I should be terrified to move, or even apprehensive at the least. Especially since I do not have a job yet. And we are moving in just over a week.

 

On the contrary, it is absolutely liberating. I feel excited, ecstatic, and completely certain, something I haven't felt this strongly in a long time. Some may be saying "you're leaving a salaried job with no plans or anything lined up to move to a new state and start over? What's wrong with your life here?"

 

Nothing. Nothing is wrong with my life here. My life is beautiful, wonderous, and full. But why can't it be that way somewhere else?

 

I do have some stuff "in the works" but it's not anywhere near ready enough to share yet, so I am going to keep in under wraps for a bit longer. (Those of you that know me also know I am super sueprstitious, and so I don't want to jinx anything!) I can say that it is going to be incredible when it finally comes to frutition, and I can't wait to really make it happen.

 

So, this weekend we are moving all of our belongings into our new place, setting up, then coming back to tie up loose ends and finish out our final week in BTV before we call somewhere new our home.

 

Here's to leaps of faith, cosmic go-aheads, and new adventures!

 

 

Leaps Of Faith Are How We Get Around

So, the Mister and I are taking a leap of faith. I can't quite reveal what that entails yet, but I can tell you big changes are on the horizon for us. Big, exciting, wonderful changes.

That scare the bejeezus out of me.

Isn't it always so tough to come out of our comfort zones? To look something that terrifies you in the face, then slap it repeatedly until it succumbs to you? Take for example, this particular health journey I have found myself on. Publically admitting my story, my shortcomings, my failures, my strengths and accompishments- my life to whoever may be reading... it was a leap of faith. Thankfully, I have been caught in the arms of so many supporters, but it was still hard to do.

This next leap is a little higher up. It's a little further to get on solid ground. It's a little tricker to let go.

But it will be okay. And when we are ready to let the proverbial cat out of the bag, it will be glorious.

Part of this leap of faith has included looking into employment opportunities to "expand my horizons" and "get my feet wet" in a new area of interest to me - nutrition.  More specifically health and wellness coaching, like my fabulous coach from Your Fountain of Health, LisaRenee. I have been exploring getting my certification for Health and Wellness coaching, as it is something I am recently passionate about.

Before dumping the dough into tuition costs for the Integrative Institute for Nutrition (IIN), which would be the program I would like to complete, I decided it was best to strike out on my own and figure out what the world of nutrition looked like. As I mentioned before, the desire to "get my feet wet" while working part-time for a wellness club or something similar sounded appealing. I immediately began searching for something in that wheelhouse and came across a Craigslist ad for "Wellness Coach."

Sounds like something to be interested in, right?

I went to the interveiw, where I was given an herbal tea, a shake, and educated on the benefits of the Herbalife line.

I'm not going to lie... the shakes were damn good. As was the "drink and shrink" tea, which was enhanced with mango aloe to aid the stomach with digestion. I sat with my shake and listened to the history of Herbalife, the way it was founded and continued to grow. testimonials from other wellness coaches and those at the health club. I got a free wellness evaluation and stood on a scale that measured my body fat percentage, muscle persentage, and (the scariest of all) metabolic age. Which was 50. Years. Old.

I am 24.

I was shocked. I know I'm not the most in-shape person in the world but I feel like I've really taken some serious steps towards personal health. Which makes me think - what was I before I started on this journey? More surprising was my not-quite 30 year old Mister clocking in at a metabolic age of 80.

Clearly, we both needed a change.

I took a leap of faith. I signed up to be an Herbalife distributor immediately. I figured, why not? I can sell some stuff, make a little side money, maybe more. I can get a quality product for a discounted price and start adding it to my shakes, etc. to try it out. I got the starter pack and left to go home and anxiously wait for it. It wasn't until after leaving the warm glow of the health club that I decided to look at Herbalife reviews,of which about 50 percent were positive and 50 percent not so positive.

Most negatie reviews reflected on the pricing, the "pyramid scheme" marketing, and the way in which Herbalife was viewed in "caring more about the sale than the person buying it." Postiive reviews came from Herbalife-stylers with a success story, most of them focusing on how the Herbalife meal replacement program was NOT their only way of "eating" but that it helped them in finding a routine and making better choices with the food they chose to eat. As someone who has been attempting to make that switch for some time now and replaced my first meal of the day with a shake myself, I can relate.

Which brings me to the question I want to ask you, the readers: what do you think? Is it a scam or is it a tool? Is it something legitimate or is it a way to make a quick buck? Have you tried the Herbalife-style? If not, have you tried any other meal replacement programs, such as Beach Body or Advocare? What did you think? (I looked into comparisons of meal replacement programs a bit here for anyone who is not familiar with the aforementioned product lines.)

As I am someone who cannot back something unless I give it a good try, the jury is still out on my end. I will be ordering some Herbalife shakes/protein/other goodies (Liftoff, for example. My Mister is hooked already!) and having a go at it. Who knows? It may change my life, as it has done for so many others in my shoes. I can say that I am well aware it is NOT a replacement for food, for exercise, for doing the hard work myself. It is not a "quick fix" or long-term solution to weight loss or "healthy" when utilized alone - NOTHING IS. But, if it will aid me in becoming a happier, healthier me, in reaching my goals both physically and mentally, then it's worth a shot.

Or, at least, a fair shake.