Advocare 24 day challenge- The Cleanse

So, I hit a plateau.  I was struggling with the same 3-4 pounds over and over for a month.  Also, Christmas hit, and as much as I told myself I wouldn't go overboard, I just kind of did. Christmas cookies are my thang, ya'll.  I bake them for the neighbors.  I bake them for family. I eat them and eat them and eat them.

I digress.  My good friend got into Advocare a few months ago. Her and her husband were quite successful in losing weight and they signed up to sell the product.   I had completed Couch to 5K, and signed my ass up for a real, live, 1/2 marathon (more on this later).  My friend introduced me to a few of their Performance Elite products, and I honestly fell in love with them.  But as far as the weight loss stuff goes, I had just kind of ignored it all.  I was plugging away at weight loss on my own, through healthy, clean eating (with the occasional treat meal/day/weekend) and exercise.  Surely these supplements are meant for someone who can't do it on their own. Right?  So, I ignored.

Then the plateau.  I felt stuck, I felt frustrated, my eating started to slide. I texted my friend and said ok, yes. I will try it.  And thus, here I am.  Smack dab in the middle of an Advocare 24 Day Challenge.  And so happy I decided to go for it.

Go here to read more about the 24 Day Challenge

This challenge starts off with a 10-day cleanse.  The cleanse is basically really clean eating, and some supplements.  I am writing this about a week after the fact, so don't have pictures of everything, but let's do this day by day, shall we.

Days 1-3

First thing in morning: Drink Spark (energy drink)  Take (optional) Catalyst.

Wait 30 minutes.

Drink Fiber drink, extra water, and eat breakfast (or drink the optional Meal Replacement Shake)

Morning Snack: fat and fruit

Lunch: protein, vegetable, complex carb

Afternoon snack: fat and fruit (optional: drink another Spark and take Catalyst)

Dinner: Protein, Vegetables, Complex Carb (if needed).  Take OmegaPlex.

Bedtime: Take Herbal Cleanse caplets (optional: Take more Catalyst)

Here is my Day 1-3 in food:

Days 4-7

Pretty much all the same as above with these exceptions:

NO Fiber drink (cause for celebration for many)

Take ProBiotic Restore Ultra in the morning with your Spark.

Here is my food in pictures:

Days 8-10

Add that Fiber drink back in!  Keep taking ProBiotic.

No more Herbal Cleanse caplets before bed.

Summary of my 10 day cleanse.  

Overall, I felt good.  I was a little worried about cutting out my morning coffee.  I knew I was replacing it with the caffeine in Spark, but it is just routine for me to drink a cup of coffee every morning.  I ended up doing just fine without it.  I had plenty of energy throughout the day, I was able to keep up with my workouts.  

My eating was really not very different from how I was already eating.  In fact, nearly identical actually.  So that part was good.  I am not sure if this is why, but I never felt like I had any magical cleanse happen.  I'm not sure what I was expecting (probably more pooping if I'm being honest, because let's face it, isn't that what you think of when you hear the word cleanse?).  

I was kind of hungry a few days.  And as you can see in the pictures, while I didn't go overboard and never felt like I was necessarily cheating, I did eat things that were not on the official approved list (namely: protein drinks and that delicious Kind bar).  I did my best and I think overall, I ate clean.  I didn't break any of their major rules.

My results in numbers:

Pounds lost- 2.5

Inches lost- 0

I am excited to get started with the next 

14 days.  I am told this is where the magic happens.  

So.  I'll let ya know. ;-)