Verdict

30 days down and here is where it stands;

1.) Weight lost: 8.5 lbs

*NO that is not my actual stomach... but you know #Goals*

2.) Skin: 100% clear for the first time in my life

3.) Sleep: 2 out of 7 nights no need for Rx to sleep (first time in 7 years)


4.) Stomach Issues: NONE

5.) Energy Level: higher than ever, to the point where hubby has told me to slow my roll a little, I am making the rest of the world look lazy (LOL)


6.) Coffee: Did I miss it, yes, for the first 5 days. I no longer crave it and after trying a small cup this morning, no longer have a taste for it. FREE!


7.) Sugar cravings: GONE. This is a huge milestone for me. I was the girl sitting in bed at night eating gummy bears by the handful (true confessions here, LOL)


8.) Menstrual issues: resolved like 75%

9.) Mood: 100% better, even my Nanny noticed over the phone that I sound "light and airy"


10.) Confidence: Weird, but totally increased.

**Yes, I LOVE Dodos!

11.) Rx: I am down to half of the Mgs of medicine that I was previously taking. After researching why this is, I have come to know that the healthier the alkaline levels and ultimately the cells and tissues are in your body the better the absorption of medication is, thus I need less.

Other unintended consequences:

De-Tox MY LIFE: While on this journey I have detoxed a lot of things: clothes, shoes, purses, people, vices and relationships. It has been very freeing. Hoping that my heart will feel as good as my body does. I have gotten rid of material things that carried around bad memories that I wasn't even aware of. Letting go of those things has helped me let go of the past that was woven into them, HUGE. There is one primary relationship in my life that has really been draining my peace and energy for the last three years, but because of the history and position that this person has in my life, I was not able to let go, until now. I still have to maintain a friendly connection with them, but I no longer had to allow this disappointing relationship drain me. I am not sure why it took a full nutritional program for this to dawn on me, but it happened.

In Full Bloom: Kind of cheesy, but true. I ahve started doing things that I never would have otherwise. I invited someone over to my house (total Hobbit here.) That may seem small to you, but to me it is a huge step. I stood up for myself recently and it felt good.

Wanting to share: this has been such a life-changing experience for me that I cannot stop talking about it... I feel like a Body Re-Boot Missionary! "Hi, My name is Holly, have you heard of the 30-day Body reboot?" LOL

Summary: Try it, do it, be better, live better. This process will change you 100% in the best ways.

Quick Note:

I am starting a New-Year Body Re-Boot Jan 2. If you are interested, email me: birdbonne207@gmail.com.

I will be sharing daily inspiration, facts and tips and also recipes to help you get rolling.

If you are interested in seeing what Arbonne has to offer: http://HollyManiatty.arbonne.com/

I am always  available for a chat over FaceTime if you are considering jumping in and want to ask questions.

#ItsOnLikeArbonne

#SnapTheThread

Day 17... I realize it's not just about the shakes.

There is an African parable about the captive elephant. One day a man found a baby elephant and stole it, took it home and placed a chain around it's back leg and attached it to a spike. The elephant could only go as far as the chain allowed. As the elephant grew, it learned the length of the chain and the length of it's freedom. At some point along the way, the captor took the chain off, while the elephant slept, and replaced it with a thread. When the elephant awoke it was none the wiser. When it moved and felt the tug of the thread, and went no farther. The elephant remained trapped by this thin thread, the habit of the tug.

[Stop it... I'm not crying, YOU'RE crying]

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I am a little over half done this de-toxing process and I have come to see a huge change in myself. Felling better physically has really made me face-up to some other "junk" that has been hanging around in my life, the threads that I am bound by:

Material Possessions: Yes, I am a pack-rat. Never know when you are going to need that sweatshirt from 12 years ago- keep it. Those shoes you bought for a hideous costume ball- can't live without them! Just to be clear, I am not ready to be featured on Hoarders, but I had things to could let go.... and so I did. Bags and bags of clothing that I had been holding on to for years, gone or passed on. Beauty products that I never used, gone. Shoes, books, even pens  (gasp, I know!) all gone and donated. I feel better, I feel lighter.

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Relationships: We all have those people in our lives that are as pleasant as a colonoscopy and equally impossible to avoid. While scrubbing my floor (very Zen, BTW) I thought to myself, I don't need this hurt any more, I don't need this junk in my heart any more, it is taking up space for something good. And with the next "wax on, wax off" it was gone. 

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Hang-ups: As a woman, I have many hang-ups (confession time here) I don't like my feet to look big, I have acne scars, my hips are wide, no thigh gap, I have baby bangs that drive me crazy. I hate the way I can look cross-eyed in pictures sometimes. I could go on, but I won't, mostly because I have let many of these things go, not all - but I am on my way.

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Bad Habits: Some of my worst habits are my thought patterns, "I am not worthy," anger, lack of self-confidence or that snarky monologue that can play in my head when I am feeling vulnerable. GOODBYE... well goodbye at least 75% of the time so far. These things were holding me down, these were threads.

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So this whole process is not just about the shakes. It's about me changing me. It's about me snapping those threads and walking away. One by one I feel a little more free and wanting people that I care about to feel the same. #snapthethread

It costs....HOW MUCH???

So I asked myself:

Am I worth $109.00 to myself? YES

Do I want to feel better? YES

Do I feel better doing this program? YES

Is my skin clear? YES

Am I sleeping better? YES

Have I had one stomach ache since starting this plan? NO

Have I taken as many pain relievers since starting this plan? NO

  <----------- Nerdy Birdy




Being the nerd that I am I wanted to know what the daily cost was for this "Investment in My Health," like per day what was I spending on myself outside of my regular $157.00?

$3.63 a day !!! 

Yes, I am worth it.
(and so are you)

DETOX FOR THE MIND TOO

I have a headache....

This morning I have a headache......

So this would normally be something that I would just pop a few NSAIDs and be on my way. Not the case this morning. I laid in bed for a minute and tried to practice the same detox to my thought process as I have been applying to my body. So I lay there quiet and considered; "Why do I have a headache?"

Possible Reasons:

1.) It's early and DeafDoggo has to pee every morning between 6:01 and 6:06 am, like clock work. while slightly annoying on the one morning that I can sleep-in (by 45 minutes) this is not the reason for the headache

Exhibit A
(DeafDoggo known as: Bub, Cash, Cash Money, Bro or (in ASL) SHAKE#10)

2.) Water, am I drinking enough water? Yes, more than ever (thank you reboot!) Not that.

3.) Ohhhh, detox is still happening. This is good. So I have decided to embrace this headache as a salient reminder of what I put in my body. Remind myself that what goes in my body may not always come out and do I want whatever poor decision I made hanging out in my body like a skeevy ex you can't fuigure out how to delete his number because your cloud and google are fighting over the sync (argghhhh am I the only one that can't figure that out???) umm no thanks bad choices, not again.

So what does all this rambling bring me to (an actual point, I swear) that this process is not just about the supplements or the shakes or the things "you cant eat for 30-days." It is about changing the way you think about your body and (for me) my life.  How am I approaching my home and health? My relationships? Am I carrying around material things that I don't need? What am I carrying around in my heart that I don't need? What am I letting into my life that is not healthy?

One week into my re-boot, ten things that I notice:

1.) My face is clear for the first time in my life. That is not an exaggeration. I have been plagued with breakouts my entire life. I am not even wearing foundation. My husband said to me last night: "Wow, your back is totally cleared up." HUGE.

(Exhibit A)

2.) Sugar cravings are gone, G-O-N-E. This is huge for me.

  

(Exhibit B)


3.) 90% of joint pain is GONE, yes gone. In my line of work body and joint pain is a daily issue. Since starting this program my joint pain has greatly reduced and I feel great. I am taking less than half of my normal dose of Rx NSAID. My liver thanks me.

4.) Lost some weight, this was not the original intention, but it certainly is a really nice added bonus.

5.) Tons (I mean, TONS) of energy.

6.) My mood is 100% better. Yes, even my husband would agree (LOL.) He said all the changes have been so dramatic that he is considering the re-boot.

(Exhibit C)

7.) Not missing coffee at all any more. Happy with my teas and feeling great. 

8.) Yerba Mate is a go, and delicious hot or cold.

9.) THINGS TASTE DIFFERENT!!! I ate a bar two days ago and I was like... "Yuck, this is horrible, why did I think this was good?" and then it happened again, and then I was like..."Oh I am going to try this..." and it was delicious. So I propose that all these toxins in my body have been blinding my taste. THIS IS TRAGIC PEOPLE. If you know me, I live to cook and can and bake and make yummy food for myself and people that I love. To think that I have not been really tasting all the foods that I have been making makes me mad and also grateful that I am on this journey.

10.)  Please take note, this is a fact. For more than 10 years i have suffered from severe insomnia for two weeks twice a year. I have to take an Rx to sleep every night and usually double during these times for the last 4 years. I slept without any Rx! I woke up and cried. If you have any hesitancy about trying this re-boot, please consider it. I hesitate to say life changing, but not pumping my body full of chemicals just to sleep IS LIFE CHANGING.

Couple of quick notes:

I am doing a re-boot group in Novemeber. If you are in Maine... please LMK if you would like to join for the "Wine and Wellness Evening:" There is also a brunch the next morning, if you are more in that groove :)

I am going to get a group together in November and we can support and celebrate each other, swap recipes and get on track as a tribe!

Here is the info about the kit:  https://www.arbonne.com/discover/promotions/asvp/nutrition.shtml

If you are interested in ordering, lmk or you can go to this link. But let's have a facetime date and do it together: http://HollyManiatty.arbonne.com/

And also a Healthy Living Overview  to Support the re-boot here:  https://embed.widencdn.net/pdf/plus/arbonne/jda5vxux67/US-EN_ArbonneEssentials_30-DayGuide.pdf

Day 3

Day 3 was awesome

After sleeping in a bit, 8:05. I made my shake and spent some time with the pups relaxing, it was pretty great. Alas, the large pile of wood in the driveway that needed to be heaved over the fence for stacking the next day beckoned me to get going. So I did.

I made a Fizzle Stick drink and started in. I was AMAZED with the amount of energy I had and how happy I was to be doing this chore, like genuinely happy. (This is new for me) Throwing wood and hanging out laundry to air dry (that is the best, right!) was the mode. On one trip in I remember the hair mask that I was given for my order over $300.00 and thought; MULTI-TASK! So I wet my hair and put the mask in and continued on with the wood. One thing I noticed- my joints did not hurt at all. I have recently been plagued with some severe leg pain and it is dissipating quickly over the last few days. 

Wood all moved, I took a shower and rinsed out the mask- ALERT- GAME CHANGER. My hair has NEVER felt so amazing, for realsies. 

Dinner was grilled chicken w/adobo and Braggs. Stir Fried Green beans with Plant Butter and a small amount of wild rice. Came out delicious.

So............feeling grateful to have a body that can throw wood and feeling better through the journey...I have decided to do this completely without reservation and buy-into a new me. I am taking the plunge.... Yes that is right... here are my "Before" pics.

Yep, So this is what I look like, for now.

I think I am going to end it riiiiight here :)

Summary Thoughts Day 3:

1.) I feel strong

2.) I am grateful to see my mood improve.

3.) This is a good thing to do

Day 2

Hello headache.... is it me you're looking for?

I am still feeling the effects of no sugar, however the cravings for  sugar have lessened greatly. This is surprising considering I would normally mow down 10 milk duds at bed time, pausing only to be sure that there were an even number, yes I eat only in even numbers....wait - doesn't everybody?

I made a really great smoothie for an afternoon snack, posted that on my InstaGram account if you are interested: @BirdBonne.

And then it was Friday night... and I didn't want to cook. So we ordered Thai. This was surprisingly easy. Turns out my favorite dish is GF, VEGAN and can be made without soy. So I was happy as a pig in mud. 

Everything was going swimmingly, hubby and I watching Breaking Bad (yes, he finally agreed to try watching it and can't stop- sigh. It only took 3 years of telling him he would love it and it wasn't about the meth!!) and then I heard it "ice cream.... iceeeee creaaaam... ICEEEEE CREEEAAAM!"

that little inner-child that lives in the back of my mind screaming out cravings- well she was full on Toddlers and Tiaras tonight. So I got to work... "Hmm wonder if the chocolate shake is any good frozen- let's try it." [SPOLIER: its amaze-balls]

Super Simple to make, I have an ice cream machine (Inner-child won on that purchase) but it is easy to do with just a blender. Here is the link to my recipe on FB: https://www.facebook.com/pg/BirdBonne/posts

Hubby tried some and said it tasted like mousse. Yes, folks I am a genius! 

Summary of Thoughts for Day 2:

1.) I am feeling better, way better than I have in years...with the exception of the sugar headache.

2.) Ice Cream can be a thing- I will survive