Reclaiming My Health

I am reclaiming my health.  One step at a time.

This is long, but bear with me.

Growing up I was very athletic.  I was in amazing physical condition and my weight was never truly an issue for me.  Sure I let my weight conscious friends get to me from time to time, but it never really stuck.  Once I became a mother, then divorced at 21, depression and hormones kicked in.  Fast forward to age 35, I am obese.

Back in 2004 and 2005, I worked in a gym.  I was overweight, but I worked out with the members, and we all shared in our results together.  It really was a win-win situation.   The owner was an AdvoCare distributor.  She started out by telling me about all the products, so that I could sell them. I was immediately in love with the Spark.  It is an energy drink, composed of all vitamins, but the reason I was hooked, was the mental focus it provides.  I also began using Catalyst.  It aids in protecting the muscles, post workout so that the fat is attacked and the muscle is able to recover faster.  Just using those two products, I lost the most weight I had lost since having my son.  Eventually the gym closed up, the owner moved to Florida, and I took as much Spark and Catalyst with me as I could.  After my daughter was born, I could not find the owner/distributor, so I was at a loss.  I would see a car with a AdvoCare logo on it, but never could get the number off of it.

So from 2006-2010, I tried diet after diet.  None stuck. Add to that frustration that as I was starting to feel results in the gym, toning wise.  I was diagnosed with melanoma.  I had incisions in my right arm, left calf, then later my left arm, right thigh, abdomen.... Working out at the gym has become almost nonexistent.  I would do yoga, Zumba, belly dancing, walking.  Nothing worked like strength training.  Just having muscle burns fat.  I needed muscle, but couldn't work out to get it.

In September, I was at a festival, and there was an AdvoCare booth.  As I got closer, it was a friend of my aunt and uncle.  I ran up and said "You sell AdvoCare, I need Spark!"  As soon as I got that first canister, clarity began to return.  I felt better, I got things done that my husband was always frustrated with me for not doing.  I was happy, not tired all the time.  I even finally managed the transition from night owl to early bird that my children's schools required.  I don't nap during the day anymore. It is great.

So how does melanoma tie into all this?  In December, I had a biopsy done from the top of my original melanoma scar.  It came back as lentigo maligna.  It was described to me as an age spot, but as I did my own research, I found that it is actually a precursor to melanoma in situ.  In the exact spot my melanoma was removed from!  Whether they were concerned or not, it freaked me out.  Over the course of the past 2 years, by changing eating habits (paying attention to how each food made me feel and adjusting accordingly), I had lost from a size 24 to 18, but had drifted back up to a 20 through the holidays.  I decided that if the beast was trying to worm its way back into my life, I needed to be as healthy as possible to fight it.  Maybe I was being alarmist and exaggerating, but it was definitely motivation.

So in January, I did AdvoCare's 24 Day Challenge.  I was in a very tight size 20 when I started.  By day 9 I had lost 6".  At the end of the challenge I had lost 6 lbs and 10.25".  I was comfortable in a size 18.  I had a head cold the entire time, so I did not exercise.  I just took the supplements, which are not diet pills, to balance out my nutrition and ate smart.  I can say one thing, even had I not lost inches or pounds, I felt so amazing.  Let me repeat that, even sick, I have felt AMAZING.  As a result, my husband is now drinking Spark and taking the supplements. One of my friends is doing the challenge now, not to lose, just to become more healthy.  My cousin is about to do it too.  I noticed something yesterday.  My newest spot on top of my scar was itching.  As I rubbed it, I realized that my arm underneath was feeling firmer than it had in a while.  I looked closer, and the scar is not as puckered up on the ends as it was, my skin isn't as stretched.  It's the little differences that will add up into one big difference...

I know this has been long.  I wanted to share what is going on with me, what I am excited about, and why I have neglected this blog and my facebook page the past few weeks. I'm getting healthy again. I can share about melanoma being a motivating factor for me.  I am really happy.  Don't worry, I wont be pushing product or anything like that.  I do want you to know that this opportunity is out there.  I will have a link to my AdvoCare store on my blog.  I may occasionally update on my personal progress but I'm not going to keep bringing it up.

So if you are curious about the Challenge, you can learn more here.  If you want to learn about Spark or Catalyst you can click them, or contact me.