Ever since I was 12 years old, I have fluctuated in my weight. I’ve gained and dropped the same 15 pounds more times than I can count. Over the years I’ve tried every diet. I’ve tried many cleanses. I’ve joined gyms. I’ve quit gyms. I know what to eat and what not to eat. I’ve gone long stretches of living a healthy lifestyle. And longer stretches of living a lazy lifestyle. I have a ton of exercise DVDs, most of which never saw a DVD player. I’ve read plenty of books on health. I know what to do and what not to do. I feel like I’m a bit of an expert on both sides of the coin.
Now at 35 years old, I’m not only dealing with that stubborn 15 pounds, but also an additional 10 pounds I’ve never experienced before. I just want to be healthy and stop the yo-yo craziness. I am on a quest to lose 25 pounds, to exercise and get strong, and hold myself accountable for the types of food I put in my body.
Before starting, I felt stuck by three challenges that I needed to figure out first: 1) I’ve been a vegetarian for about a year now, and I felt limited by this diet but didn’t want to go back to eating meat just to get my protein. 2) I’m extremely busy and I hate cooking, so I need a plan that feels easy but is still healthy. 3) I didn’t want to go on a calorie restricted diet that would mess up my metabolism more than it already is.
It’s funny how life works sometimes. When you’re ready to make a change, the answers we need seem to come into our lives with ease. I recently was introduced to the USANA line by a friend, and decided their products solved all three of my concerns. (You can find a ton of information about their amazing products online, so I won’t get into that too much here).
I started my weight loss journey last Monday (April 9th). I decided to use the USANA Reset Program to kick things off. The Reset Kit comes with 5 days of meals (in the form of shakes), snacks (nutrition bars), and vitamins. You’re allowed 1 fruit and 1 vegetable a day. But if you’re hungry, you can have as many veggies as needed. According to my calculations, I was getting between 1100 and 1200 calories a day. You’re also encouraged to walk 30 minutes each day (which I did NOT do). After the 5 day Reset Program is over, you can continue to use their shakes, nutrition bars, and vitamins to lose weight or maintain weight. Some people use this program once or twice a year, just to rebalance their body and get off sugar cravings, then go back to their normal routine.
On the first day, I weighed 152 pounds. My biggest goal in the first 5 days was to break my sugar cravings, cleanse my body a little, and put some much needed nutrients back into my body. The 5 days was pretty easy for the most part. I never went hungry. I actually had a hard time on some days getting all my calories in. I didn’t crave junk once. I actually found myself craving salads (which is not like me). And their products taste really good. (note: I’ve read some reviews that the shakes don’t taste good… and that’s true if you don’t blend them well. You need to use a blender and add some ice… then their yummy). At the end of the 5 days, I weighed in at 148. So I dropped a few pounds, but more importantly, I feel better.
A few things worth noting… I woke up that first day with a sinus headache. I also stopped coffee because I wanted to treat this reset phase as a cleanse. So that sinus headache turned into a caffeine withdrawal headache that didn’t go away for two days. So I would suggest quitting coffee before doing the Reset Program. I would also suggest any meat eaters to do a few days of vegetarian eating before doing the Reset.
Since finishing the Reset Program (it’s been about a week), I have continued to use their products and started exercising. I’ll do a weekly blog on the progress. I’m expecting a normal 1 – 2 pounds of weight loss a week (which is the healthiest way to do it).
Below is more information on the Reset Kit that I took from the USANA website:
Health Basics
- Can lose five pounds in five days†
- Can lose two pounds a week for twelve weeks†
- Low-glycemic ingredients to control carbohydrate cravings*
- One of the most nutritional weight-loss programs on the market
- In a clinical study the average inches lost were 1.5 inches
- Provides balanced nutrition and all you need for weight-loss success
RESET Kit
- 15 Nutrimeal™ – Chocolate, French Vanilla, and Wild Strawberry
- 5 Peanut Butter Crunch Nutrition Bars
- 5 Oatmeal Raisin Nutrition Bars
- 5 AM/PM HealthPak 100™ packets
- Program guide
- Motivational fridge magnet
RESET
Change doesn’t have to be complicated. USANA scientists designed RESET™ to make losing weight feel easy, giving you a significant head-start. By following the RESET program, you can lose up to five pounds in five days. RESET has been clinically tested, and its low-glycemic foundation is scientifically based. Rethink dieting. Resolve, renew, reinvent with RESET.
†Typical results are 4 lbs in 5 days. Results will vary. As with any health or fitness program, a sensible eating plan and regular exercise are required to achieve long-term weight loss results. Results from the RESET 5-day weight-management system are achieved through daily caloric restriction and moderate exercise. It is suggested that you take these products to your physician and secure his/her advice if you intend to change your diet, begin an exercise program, are pregnant, lactating, have allergies, are taking medications, or are under the care of a physician. USANA’s RESET 5-day weight-management system is FOOD, not a DRUG.
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