Tuesday, July 3, 2018

A Longer Day

We've all said it... 

If I could add more minutes to the day, I'd:
  • Mow the lawn.
  • Have no more laundry left to do.
  • Wash the car.
  • Volunteer in my community, kid's classroom, my church.
  • Spend more quality time with my family.
  • Spend more time in worship, or prayer (or do my devotions)

If we answer truthfully - we have ALL been there, thought one of these to ourselves or said it to a spouse.  We get so bogged down with our everyday lives, taking on more and more, that we fail to keep up with the important things around us.

That was me until just recently.  I was tired in the morning, tired in the evening.  I struggled to accomplish tasks when I got home from work each evening.  I felt as though I had worked all day and need to relax when I got home.  It had been ages since I had worked out.  There were so many things about my body that I was unhappy with, but I was too tired to do anything about it.  I wasn’t eating well and drank very little water. With a liquid intake made up of mostly carbonated beverages and iced tea, I consumed very little water.  My dose of sugary caffeine awaited me daily as I turned the corner on my way to work each morning.  And if I wasn't tired when I got home, I didn't feel well (no thanks to the pop that I refilled at lunch)!

After being introduced to THRIVE by a friend, I saw an increase in my activity and attitude and was enjoying the results.  Unfortunately, I had to take a brief break while in the hospital for my appendectomy.

I've been back using THRIVE for almost 2 weeks now and the difference is truly incredible.  THRIVE has increased my energy, my mood (and patience with my children), and has given me the drive to get up and get going in the mornings.  I haven't had one of those "bad mornings" yet, where I really, really wanted to stay in bed.  Some personal discipline has been included with my investment, to ensure that I see some successes and getting up at 5:00 AM is a new routine I have added. I have been putting my extra energy to good use by adding some FOCUS T-25 (aerobic dvd series) to the routine.  I have found that I am eager and excited to wake up and get going each day.  I am becoming a MORNING PERSON, something my husband will easily admit - he never expected to see.  I work hard during my workout but I'm not exhausted afterwards.  I look at each day with excitement - and look forward to being busy.  When I get home in the evenings, I still have a surplus of energy to play with my three children, our two goldens (Penny & Ike), and enjoy a walk or some chores after the kids are settled for the night.  When my head hits the pillow, I crash hard and wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day!  I can easily say that each moment of the day has been spent well!

Chores on the ranch are never done...and yes, that is a litter of 10 puppies in
the background.  Life here has been busy.  If you're in the market for a puppy,
please let me know!

I love the increased energy I feel - and am excited to put that into exercise or an outdoor activity with my family.  If you're not into hardcore workouts, that isn't a problem.  Put your own spin on it.  Literally!  Ride your bike.  Talk a walk.  Go for a run.  Lift weights.  Row.  Go kayaking. Swim..  Take a hike.  Work on some kickboxing.  Do whatever works for you!  Everyone is different.

THRIVE is not a miracle system.  It is a tool to HELP fill your nutritional gaps and help YOU feel better!  It suppresses appetite, improves mood, balances your nutrition.  I rarely have the desire to open my desk drawer for a snack.  I do try to eat healthier but I also don’t starve myself.  I haven't added more minutes to the 1,440 that already exist in today.  But I have increased my energy and efficiency, helping me to accomplish more - thus making time for the important things in my life that I have neglected.  

For the week following my surgery, I couldn't exercise. I simply stuck with what I could and followed Thrive's 3 simple, daily steps:  Capsules, Lifestyle Mix, DFT patch. During that recovery period, I found myself tired at times (as one would expect after surgery), but not completely exhausted. I was able to bounce back after the appendectomy quicker than I would have thought possible, returning to work wiithin just a few days.

THRIVE is so easy to fit into your schedule - and the results are incredible!  Why not ask about a 3 or 5 day trial to see how easy it is and experience the benefits for yourself!

Sunday, June 24, 2018

Finding My Why...and Doing Something About It!

Summer had hit and our family's crazy schedule of activities had begun, leaving our calendar with zero empty space and my list of house chores at an all time, never ending high.   I work full time, so when the work day was done, my responsibilities at home were far from over.  I would arrive home each evening tired, grumpy (sometimes really grumpy), and quite honestly lacking motivation to knock out some of the things I knew needed done.  By the time I pulled in the driveway, my energy was completely shot.  I realized that I was no where near the wife and the mother that I wanted to be for my family.

I decided that something HAD to change.  I wasn't sure what it was - or what I was going to do to change my life, my activity level, my health...but I was determined to find change!  I was starting each day by filling my body with the  junk I consumed on my way to work or as snacks once at work.  A pop in the morning and/or one in the afternoon - not to mention the unhealthy substitutes I was consuming in place of meals or healthy snacks.  I felt as though I had no time to pack lunches, so I resorted to greasy gas station pizza, a Lunchable upon occassion, or chips.   I would tell myself that I didn't need a soda on the way to work, but by the time I arrived in town, I had talked myself out of talking myself out of it.  We have all been there - and I had been there for a while.  Enough was enough. For me, leaving this behind purely came down to will power and a new strategy...I wanted to feel better and have time for those who mattered most to me.

My Why!


About that same time, a friend of mine kept posting about this THRIVE "stuff" on her Facebook page.  I had never heard of it.   Skeptical, I read a few of her posts and asked a lot of questions.  She then recommended a 3 day trial of her "Go Juice."  I had spent more money on soda and snacks in the last week, so I was willing to give it a try.  She got me set up and a few days later, my package arrived.  Inside were the three components. It consisted of capsules, a shake, and a patch.  It sounded easy enough...Capsules w/ water before my feet hit the floor, shake 40 minutes later, followed by sticking a patch on my skin.  That seemed truly realistic and manageable for a working mom!  I was excited to give it a shot.


Capsules
Lifestyle Mix
DFT Patch
    



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Day 1: 1 Capsule + Lifestyle Shake
Followed my friend's directions for taking both.  By the time I left for work, I was blown away at how alert and buzzing with energy I was.  I felt ready to take on the day!  Impressively, that energy carried through the day - and i found myself with plenty of energy to knock out a bunch of chores at home that night.  
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Day 2: 1 Capsule + Lifestyle Shake + Patch
I felt great - but wasn't sure that I was feeling the same "feeling" I had the day before.  I did have energy though, which was a huge plus for me!  Tasks at home felt as though they were getting done after work, including laundry, watering plants, etc.
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Day 3:  2 Capsules + Lifestyle Shake + Patch
I was excited about the results - but disappointed that my trial was nearly over.  As with anything, it can take time to see changes.  I was sure I wasn't seeing the maximum benefits yet, and wanted to see what those would be and what they would feel like.   It was time to make a decision.  Was it worth spending the $$$ to see continued results?  I was convinced that it was.  

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I also decided that if I was going to go "all-in" then I was going to give it my best! If I was going to invest in making myself feel better, I was going to eliminate things that kept me from being just that.  After reflecting on what those were, I determined that the culprits were pop, junk foods, certain stresses, laziness all to name a few.  In order to see the best successes, I also determined that those culprits needed to be replaced with more positive things, such as better foods, exercise, support and accountability, and drinking water!!!

After deciding on my game plan, I decided to turn my 3 day trial into a month long adventure and ordered my first month's supply.  It soon arrived in the mail and my new routine began.  Here is a run down of how I made it work:  After kids were in bed each night, I would pack my lunch for the next day, mix up my shake, and set out my capsules and water for the next morning.

Mornings began at around 5:00.  Capsules were taken before my feet hit the floor and moments later I was sweating it out to T-25, focusing on a different workout each day.  A quick shower after that was followed by my lifestyle shake. As soon as that was gone, I would slap on a DFT patch and finish getting ready for work.

It truly was that simple.  Notice I said SIMPLE and not easy.  New routines are never easy, especially when they involve pain of a new workout.  It takes motivation, encouragement, and determination to suck it up and keep on keeping on.  I say simple because these three steps were not difficult ones to implement.

And then, for me, it happened!  I'd like to share with you, what I shared with my friend.

"OMGoodness!!!  We spent all day yesterday out at an estate sale in 95 degree sunshine. The kind of day where you are constantly drinking water but it still isn't enough...after wegot home I should have been completely wiped out - but I wasn't!  I knocked out a ton of laundry and some activities with the kids.  It wasn't until almost 10 last night that I was wiped out from our day.  I popped out of bed this morning ready to go!  Did my STRETCH session and am running around the house like a crazy woman knocking down one task after another in preparation of being at a conference this week.  NONE of this would have happened before THRIVE, without killing myself to get there.  Thank you for introducing me to this life changer!"

I was noticing big changes taking place - and was seeing an entirely different side of myself.  I noticed that I was becoming:
  • someone that didn't want to crawl into the recliner and relax once I got home.  
  • someone that had patience with mychildren and energy to play with them and complete chores when I got home.  
  • someone that didn't crave soda and other sugary junk daily.  Don't get me wrong - I'm sure a SNICKERS candy bar would have still tasted A-MA-ZING, but I didn't feel as though I HAD to have it.  
  • someone that had the energy to get up at 5:00 A.M. or early to work out and knock out a few chores before work.  
  • someone that still had enough energy after work to stay busy around the house until nearly bedtime.

I made the choice to join THRIVE because of the difference it has made in my life and in the lives of those around me.  If you would like to learn more or try it, please let me know!  3 Day Trials are available at a small cost - without fully committing to a month's supply.  I will preface by saying  that when it comes to these kinds of things - everyone experiences them differently.  Some may notice changes on Day 1, while others may need longer to experience any change.  More than anything, I encourage you to take advantage of the 3 Day Trial to see how simply you can make THRIVE fit into your daily routine!