Life + Weight Loss + Advocare

Well hey there kids.  It's been a minute since I've been around these parts and I can't say I miss it that much.  Life is, as usual, busy.  I'm working hard on school so I can finally be done with my Associates degree in July.  Then, I'm going to take a few months off until I head into the Bachelor's program, which will be another two years of school work for me.  As they always say, the time will pass anyway... right?
I figured I'd stop in and just update you guys on what's been happening lately.  So here we go!

• I'm updating this from my brand spankin' new MacBook Air thanks to a nice little refund I got in the mail from my financial aid.  Since I'm technically graduating this year and didn't do a full year of classes, I had just enough to get a (much needed) new computer and I always said the next computer I'd get would be a Mac.  So ta-da!
• I knew this all along, but more than ever I've discovered that gastric bypass IS.NOT. a cure all for being overweight.  Those pounds will come back.  Your body will eventually readjust to foods you never thought you'd eat again.  You will get on the scale one day and be like, where the hell did those 12 pounds come from?  It takes effort people.  It is a non stop struggle and will be for my whole life.  I'm not disappointed in myself or let down, but I do have to get back on track to work hard, eat (way) better, and let others inspire me like I want to inspire them.
• This is where Advocare comes in.  When I did the 24 Day Challenge, it was a lot.  I think I wrote about how I probably wouldn't do it again because the fiber drink was nasty (but it really was), the vitamins were so overwhelming, etc... But I found myself replacing my fattening Dunkin Donuts coffee with Spark every morning and taking some supplements that help to curb my appetite.  So I decided to become a distributor for the discount and have also sold to some friends of mine, which is pretty cool.  Over the past few weeks, I've become obsessed with carrying my blender bottle with me everywhere so I can whip up some Spark at a moment's notice.  Fruit Punch is my favorite and I have it every.single.morning.  I also bought a month's worth of the appetite control vitamins, got a neat little app for my phone to remind me to take them, and another appetite suppressant pill to go along with all that.  The awesome thing about Advocare is that it's natural.  It's not like, insane crack-like pills that will make you shake and convulse, but rather natural ingredients that work with your body.  After my gastric bypass, I feel totally comfortable taking these!  (Not sure if I'd recommend them for someone who had gastric bypass until about 12 months out, just to be sure, but you could always ask your doctor.)  I feel confident that all of these combined will help me get back on track with my weight loss and get these damn last annoying 50 pounds off my body!  Now if I could just get my food prepping back in order... if it's not one thing, ya know!
• A lot of y'all have reached out to me about missing my blog and God knows I love you all so much, but I don't see myself coming back to blogging full time.  I got a wild hair today and wanted to just update you, but I can't promise how regularly I will do that.  I am constantly on FB, Instagram and sometimes Twitter, so please feel free to add me on all of those!  I really do love talking and connecting with you guys, and just because I'm not here doesn't mean I'm not somewhere-  because I am.  (and if you ask my husband, I'm everywhere.  mwahahah!)

so much love, hugs and kisses to you guys!

thank you for always being there for me.

all my love, always!

books and stuff

Oh hey. So me and Ben have been on this book kick lately. It started when I bought some books for the honeymoon and only read one of them. Then I started the other one, which was The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks, and in typical Meighan fashion I never even finished it. In fact, I'm not even sure where the book is at this point.
I felt like the beginning was so depressing! An old man trapped in a car after he ran off the road in snow?  Jesus!  How sad.  I cried within like, the first two pages and then I just couldn't bring myself to read anymore.

So fast forward like, a month or so, and my co-worker was talking to me about this sci-fi book called Timeline.  Obviously, I have never read this, or any other science fiction book. Wait- does Divergent or Hunger Games count?  Anyways.
So he bought me the book for my birthday and I've been reading it (very slowly) and trying to get into it. So far not so good.  I'm still trying though. I love to read. Ben, on the other hand, hates to read.  Like, would rather do anything than read a book. So the other night when he said "let's go to the book store" I was like, wait, what???
He bought not one but two books and is actually enjoying reading them!  I'm so proud. My BFF, who was an English & Journalism major in college, always told me that there is no one left who appreciates a good printed book, and I think she's right.  So I stopped buying books on my iPad and started buying actual books.

I bought two more books at B&N the other night, and just ordered four more from B&N online!
Truth be told, I may never finish all these books, but at least I will never run out of good reading material! Hopefully this summer I can put them to good use at the beach. *hint hint wink wink* Who am I kidding, my husband doesn't read this blog. Ha! Okay, so I'm going to update my book goals list for this year if anyone is even interested in that.
I keep telling myself I will not buy anymore books until I have finished the ones I have, but we all know that's a lie.  At least books are cheap, right? I mean, I could have a Coach handbag problem or something...  oh, wait...  Happy Sunday!! P.S.  since we are talking about it, are there any books you guys want to recommend?  Because at this point, I'm on a buying role... Half.com is my weakness. P.P.S  has anyone ever read Timeline?  if so, tell me it gets more interesting! P.P.P.S  Ben would like to know if y'all have any good apocalyptic/robot apocalypse book recommendations? And go!

it just got real(ly intense)

So yesterday was the last day of Phase 1 of Advocare, which was the Cleanse Phase.  Thank GOD I do not have to take that nasty, nasty fiber drink anymore.  If anyone wants to know what it tastes like, just throw up into a cup and let it get room temperature, then drink. (that may be an exaggeration, but still.  that's what it felt like to me.) YUCKY.
Today, I start the Max Phase. Last night, when I opened up the boxes for this phase, I literally was like WHAT IN THE ACTUAL?????  There are like, vitamins out the wazoo!  (Ben said it looked like some kind of AIDS cocktail, which he was sort of right.)  Color packs, white packs, both packs, take before breakfast, take before lunch, take at lunch, etc...  *blank stare* *still blankly staring into space*
Once I pulled myself together enough to figure out what was happening, I legit put them into huge freezer bags and threw them in a tote to carry around with me.  How am I supposed to keep up with all of this?!  Thank God, once again, for the 24 Day Challenge app on my phone.  I'd be a hot mess, taking the wrong vitamins at the wrong time and jacking everything up.
I'm about to start my period, so I'm super bloated and moody. This does not help with weight loss, in case y'all didn't know. I find myself wanting to just eat every last thing in the house.   I can't even right now.
I'm still sitting at 204 and if I'm being honest, I was really expecting to be under 200 by this point in the challenge.  But hey, it's okay.
I still have to remind myself of the old saying that no one wants to hear or talk about, "muscle weighs more than fat."  And I have been hitting the gym pretty hard, so hopefully that's what's happening.
Not much else has been happening around these parts.  I've been working late because a girl changed departments and I've been doing her job and my job until the new girl starts next Monday.  I really like being busy, so I've actually enjoyed it.
I also feel like it's time for a new look around this blog, but what else is new.  I reallllly need to learn some basic design skills so I don't have to pay every time, but oh well.  I guess it's okay for now, but every time I look at someone else's design I really want to change mine.  I have such a finicky personality.
Ok loves, I guess that's all she wrote for today! (no pun intended...)
SW:  311 CW:  204 -107 GW:  150 54 to go. (but seriously, hurry up.)

I have nothing to talk about, but here I am.

Maybe that's only half true, because let's face it, I could talk circles around myself at any given time. *big fat sigh*
So I've been doing this Advocare Challenge and I'm on Day 5. I will admit, I feel different. BETTER.

It may be purely mental, who knows, but I feel great. My mood is a thousand times better than a week ago. Last week I was grumpy and ill and tired all the time.
And this week, I have energy.  Like, a lot.  And I'm happy. Maybe it's both the challenge and the fact that I'm back to being active after 4 months of being extremely stationary.  Talk about depressing, y'all. and did I mention that I've lost 4 pounds in 4 days?  because I have.
Let's see, what else is happening in my world... Ben and I worked out for two hours last night. TWO. That has never, ever happened in my entire life. Not even when I was working out with Gene The Personal Trainer.

Speaking of personal training, I talked to my trainer friend Brett at the gym last night about getting back into it, and after our conversation I realized it is going to be several months (like, maybe six or more...) before I will be cleared by my doctor to work out with a trainer.  Thank God I remember all the stuff Gene taught me.  I'm glad that Brett said that though.  I would never want to think that a trainer took my money (because trainer's are damn expensive) knowing I had a healing knee injury and let me go jump around and run and get crazy without my best interest at heart.  So I know when the time is right, my doctor will clear me and I will be able to actually afford a trainer.  When you don't work for two months and then work part time for two more months, there isn't a whole lot of money coming in.  So I'm putting all of my injury/health/fitness/recovery goals into perspective and just pushing forward.  What else would I do, anyway?
(the answer to that is lay in bed and watch endless episodes of Vanderpump Rules.  because it's my favorite piece of trash TV ever.)
I also tried to make a video this morning before work about everything happening in my world (see above, duh) and the fuh-reakin' batteries died on me AT THE VERY END OF THE VIDEO.  So I'm not going to post that.  Plus. I still don't know how to edit a video, sooo.... 
#hotmessexpress. love, love, love!
SW: 311 CW: 204 -107 GW: 150 54 to go

pudge.

Does anyone remember the movie Shag? It's from 1989, when I was 3, but when I was older I would watch it on VHS nonstop. I wanted to be Pudge so bad. I never thought she was fat, but everyone around her thought she was chubby. She was so insecure until she found the right guy to Shag with.
Man, I just loved that movie.

Now, I haven't seen that movie in a few years (which is a real shame, to be honest) but I still use the word "pudge" quite often. Today, when I was looking in the mirror, I found my pudge. My stomach from below my boobs to mid belly is flat, and then there's a damn pudge!
This has to go.  It just simply is not welcome here anymore.
I'm really looking forward to being back in the gym and working on my fitness.
Oh, also, does anyone watch Total Divas on the E! channel? I'm obsessed with that show. I never thought I'd like it because, let's be honest, I don't like the WWE. But this is more about the lives of these girls, and there is one girl in particular who I am using as my fitness goal. She's FREAKING gorgeous and I feel like we would be BFF's in real life. This girl, Eva Marie:

Okay, now am I ever going to look like that? Maybe not. But I'm damn sure going to try! I can't even help but say it:  that girl is just hot! I totally can appreciate another beautiful woman, and I even really like her fire red hair!
So I got Ben to take my picture, because I thought what better time for an updated progress picture?
Starting Advocare, getting back in the gym, and eating clean is making me feel great. So I'm going to keep tracking my progress as I go. And try to get rid of that freaking pudge...  *wink*

SW: 311 CW: 207.5 -103.5 GW: 150 57.5 to go