3 Day Refresh

On February 18, 2016 I started the Beachbody Product, 3 Day Refresh.  I’m not going to lie; those 3 days were TOUGH!  I considered giving up, but realized that wasn’t an option anymore!  I had started this thing and I was going to see it through.  It was ONLY THREE DAYS!  I knew I could do it!  The most difficult things were eating according to the plan and drinking those darn drinks!  I take that back; the drinks were the absolute hardest! 

Allow me to break down the details of the 3 Day Refresh.  Start your day right with a big glass of filtered water!  Breakfast: Shakeology with a fruit option.  You’re allowed to drink some morning tea if you desire.  Mid-morning: Fiber Sweep (this is the tough one).  Lunch: Vanilla Fresh Shake with fruit, veggies, and a healthy fat option.  Afternoon snack: veggie and a healthy fat.  Have another cup of tea.  Dinner: Vanilla Fresh Shake, one serving from the dinner recipes list, and an optional organic veggie broth.  Want more tea?  Go ahead. 

PRODUCT DETAILS:

Shakeology is packed with superfoods that your body craves!!!

          I used my shaker cup that came with my kit to make my shakeo… big mistake.  While it still tastes good, blending it with water AND ice is SOOOOO much better!  It took me a while to have my taste buds acclimate to the refined taste, but it is so good to me now.  I expected it to be sweeter than it is, but like that I can add fruit without it being OVERLY sweet. 

Fiber Sweep gently and naturally eliminates waste from your digestive system with its patent-pending blend of whole ground flax, chia, and psyllium seed husks. Psyllium can help lower cholesterol, support healthy blood sugar levels, and may even reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, as part of a healthy diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.                Again, I found this drink to be very difficult to swallow… literally.  I also used my shaker cup the first time which made it kind of clumpy and harder to handle.  My second day it was easier to handle and I credit that to blending it and CHUGGING it!  By the third day I got it down so quick that it didn’t bother me at all. 

Vanilla Fresh Shake is a protein-rich formula that helps curb your hunger with more than 20 grams of wholesome plant-based protein, 22 essential vitamins and minerals, probiotics for digestive health, and a patented potato protein extract clinically tested to satisfy your appetite.

          This shake is quite different from shakeology.  While both of them are packed with nutrition, I think I initially liked this shake better.  ONCE AGAIN, I used my shaker cup the first time and it was alright, but once I put it in the blender with a couple pieces of ice… it was A-mazing!!! 

Overall, I enjoyed the 3 Day Refresh!  It helped jump start my weight loss and helped me see how important it was to eat specific to the plan.  You will find my results below that I am very proud of. 

Was it worth it?  Absolutely!!!  Would I do it again?  I’ve already placed an order for my second one and will start it within the next month… I’ll share why I’m waiting for a specific time in an upcoming post.  If you’re interested in this Beachbody product, I invite you to check out my website: teambeachbody.com.  If you have any additional questions, please leave them in the comments below!

My Fitness/Weightloss Journey

I have struggled for the past 3-4 years with my weight.  I’ve tried multiple diets and started running this past summer.  I really enjoyed running until I started suffering from shin splints.  Those nasty, aching pains in my shins had me sitting back in my recliner after every run with an ice pack and a bottle of ibuprofen.  The pain got so bad that I had to stop running as to not injure myself further.  Recently, my doctor suggested I lose weight to help with a health issue.  I consulted with a friend who is a Team Beachbody coach.  She gave me some suggestions and tips to help get me started.  I’m going to start sharing this transformation I’ve seen in myself with you.  

Monthly Bills Due Dates

I like to be able to see all my monthly bills due dates for when I either creating a calendar, or using my paycheck budgeting worksheet. 

This is simply a list of bills that have to be paid, their due dates, and amount to be paid.  I leave most of the minimum payments clear because they change.  The amount I have entered is for rent because it typically doesn’t change (unless, of course we move AGAIN). I put this sheet and the paycheck schedule sheet in a page protector.  A copy of my monthly bills due dates is available in my ETSY store.

Paycheck Budgeting

In conjunction with my Paycheck Schedule, I use my paycheck budgeting worksheet to try to… you guessed it, budget for each paycheck. 

I write down what bills need to be paid using that paycheck and what other categories I need to put back money for, like gas, groceries, etc.  I get cash out of the bank for those instead of using a credit/debit card.  I find I’m more cautious of how much I’m spending when I have to pay in cash versus using a credit/debit card. A copy of my Paycheck Budgeting worksheet is available in my ETSY store.

Paycheck Schedule

I found a Paycheck Schedule for 2015 online somewhere, but couldn’t find one for 2016, so I created my own. 

This gives me a snapshot of how to plan out paying my bills, since I can just look and see when I or my husband will get paid.  I place this page and my monthly bills due dates sheet (I will share that one at a later date, but from the title I sure you can figure out what it is) in a page protector.  A copy of my 2016 Paycheck Schedule is available in my ETSY store.

Password/Bills Info sheet

I found a similar “Bills to Pay: Account Information” on a different blog and I re-created it to go with my color scheme. 

I love having my bills account information all in one place.  This is a place to keep track of a bill account address, phone number, online username and password, other notes.  I typically write the security question answers in the notes section the exact way I type it, so I have it should I need it.  I also tend to forget username and passwords, so this was an excellent solution to that problem.  I laminate a double page to help save paper and ink!  I write on the laminated paper with permanent marker and after I pay off a bill (I tend to wait a couple of months after I’ve received a final statement showing a zero balance) I wipe off that account information with a magic eraser. A copy of my Bills to Pay Account Information sheet is available in my ETSY store.

Bill Ledger

I started my love of ledgers in a high school accounting class.  I now use what I call a “bill ledger” to keep all my transactions balanced.  If I’m out and happen to write a check, I write the information in my checkbook and later transfer it to my bill ledger (kind of like a receipt so I don’t forget).  My bill ledger is suited to the information I deem important.  In addition to a date, description, amount, and balance, I have a column for check/confirmation numbers, depending on my method of payment.  A copy of my January – December Bill Ledger is available in my ETSY store.

Calendars

The best way to stay on top of bills is to have a calendar.  I have a portrait style, one-page calendar complete with holidays and I type in what bill is due on what day. 

Regardless of whether or not I know how much the bill will be, I do not put an amount; I write it in after I receive the bill.  I write in the amount the second I receive the bill.  I do so I can keep in mind how much the bill is and when it’s due.  Sometimes I get lazy and just stick the bill in my bill binder.  If I do that, the next time I sit down to work on bills, I write it on my calendar. 

My calendar is very basic and I like it that way.  I get too caught up in trying to make it “pretty” and waste time doing that and never feel satisfied with the way it looks.  I leave it at a bare minimum, so I can focus on my next project. *I just recently added a pop of color to each of my documents to have them match.* A copy of my one-page, portrait style calendar is available in my ETSY store.

Additionally, I have a generic weekly calendar that my printer can generate that I laminated and put in the front of my bill binder.  I rarely use the calendar unless I have a lot going on that week and need to keep myself on track.  I write on it with a permanent marker and use a magic eraser to get the permanent marker off.

Organized Bliss

I pride myself on being an organized person.  I’m not like I want to be in every aspect of my life, but when it comes to bills, I’m on top of it!!!  I started on Pinterest and found several blogs that have organizational binders and printables that got me started.  Over time I’ve developed a multitude of refined worksheets that work for me and my family.  I will share my printables and tips I’ve learned along the way.

The Problem with China Dolls

Growing up with a little sister with brittle bones was difficult to say the least. 

I was the big sister and I wanted to do all the cool things that big sisters got to do.  I wanted to hold my sister, pick her up, change her diaper, etc.  That wasn’t possible though.  My parents were still trying to figure things out with her.  They couldn’t teach me how to handle her, if they had yet to perfect the process.  Over time, they learned and I was finally able to pursue my big sister role.  I knew I had to be careful in holding her and moving her.  One wrong move and she could get hurt.  I was so proud of myself for not breaking her… until… oops!  I honestly don’t remember how I broke her, or what I broke, but it happened.  She forgave me quickly, but she NEVER forgot and she would remind me of it from time to time.  I know one thing, I didn’t break her femur.  If I broke her femur, I would NOT forget it! 

You can see both legs are wrapped.

She did, however, break her femur (if you’re not familiar with bones, the femur is the largest bone in the body) a handful of times.  When she broke her femur it was so painful!  My mom was resilient when it came to caring for Miranda’s broken bones.  Due to the nature of her bones, they couldn’t put a cast on her breaks, they could only wrap them for stability.  After the doctor showed my mom how to wrap her breaks, and knowing that was the only treatment, mom would simply wrap the break instead of transporting her to the hospital or doctor.  For the first half of her life, she was given ibuprofen and Tylenol with codeine to help with the pain.  Those medications aren’t very effective with a femur break and it often left Miranda screaming and crying in pain and my mother and I praying for the pain to subside long enough for her to get some rest.  “Praise God, Praise God, Praise God” was our motto during those difficult times.  Miranda would often say that phrase over and over while mom cared for her.