Everything is Transforming!

Complete Transformation Week 2 Updates!

I am absolutely loving the changes we have made! I'm feeling better than ever and seeing my body changing in a great way! Today my patient asked why I got bigger yoga pants if I was "on a diet". (#1 my patients know I'm super lazy and wear yoga pants everyday! #2 those yoga pants were the same ones I wear everyday, they are just so much looser now because I've "debloated")

Last Monday my Texas Fit Chicks Trainer took my measurements after 1 week eating clean and the changes I felt were on paper! I lost 3 pounds and 2 inches all over!! In one week! 

Now, I'm going to say it again....the Complete Transformation plan is not designed for weight loss and I'm by doing it to lose weight! The CT is to clean up your eating habits and help you create better habits for a healthy eating lifestyle. However, if you stop eating things that are bad for you (soda, refined sugars, gluten to name a few) you will naturally lose weight (if you have extra weight to lose!). 

Now I don't expect to lose 3lbs and 2 inches every week, I know that I am on the right path. This week I actually felt fuller and more satisfied after meals and ate more food, but lost body fat! I think the majority of what I lost was part of a detox and I'm good with that! I love how I feel and how my body is changing. 

I didn't do my measurements yesterday because our workout class was canceled because of a winter storm here in Dallas. So next Monday will be a real test and I'm sure have interesting results! I will have had 3 thanksgivings, and several cheat days during my visit to St. Louis for Thanksgicing! (Oh I can't give up St. Louis style pizza just yet! And provel cheese..... YUM! I'll just double up on my JP+ and do a few extra burpees!)

Yes I said cheat days! That's why I love the CT plan. It's ok to fall off the wagon if you don't lose your path!  We will splurge on our favorite things, but make sure to compensate during other meals and keep eating clean, drinking lots of water, and filling up on healthy foods and sampling the bad ;-) 

I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving this year! I'm looking forward to celebrating to my family in St. Louis!  

Complete Transformation-Week 1

Hunter and I have been doing the CT for one week tomorrow!  I know we are only 1 week out of 6, but I can't even tell you how good I have been feeling!  We have cut out gluten, refined sugars, and most importantly soda and fast foods! I wouldn't say that I felt badly before we started the CT, however I know this week has shown to me there is always room for improvement.

I thought I was not going to make it without a Dr. Pepper all week, but it was only hard on Tuesday and Friday night. I think Tuesday I was detoxing and going through withdrawl, I had a pretty bad headache Tuesday, but I powered through and went to a great wellness presentation about gut health and it reinforced my decision to stick with the CT!

A few friends have been referring to the CT as my "diet" or "cleanse" so I want to clarify again, Hunter and I aren't doing either of those! The CT is a jumpstart to a healthier way of eating. There may be days that I want to "cheat", and I will.  But I have so much information and education about why clean eating is so beneficial to our health, I just have terrible addiction to breads and soda! It's awful, I know!

One of the best experiences of this week has been cooking together! Tonight we tried a tortilla-free chicken tortilla soup with gluten free cornbread.  The soup was pretty good, but needs some recipe tweaking because it was a little bland, but the cornbread was soooo good! Didn't even miss the gluten :-) We have gotten pretty creative in our recipes and are looking forward to trying new ones! The best part of the CT is there is a lot more to eat than what NOT to eat! You are actually encouraged to eat a lot on the plan! I'm making a point to eat lots of snacks during the day to keep any cravings at bay.

So far I've made homemade granola bars, post-workout protein snacks, and LOTS of smoothies! We've made lots of different salads, smoked a turkey, and baking chicken in different ways to add to our salads.  I have felt more full than I ever did when we eat out. Plus I don't feel that awful "stuffed lets just pass out in bed" feeling!

This past Saturday night I hosted a Healthy Thanksgiving Girl's Night with some friends at my house and we had a great time! I was proud of my self and really tried to stay on track. Before everyone came over, I made sure to have a protein smoothie to help keep my cravings at bay! I cheated and had some cranberry bread, spinach dip, a cocktail, and some of a delicious pastry wrapped baked apple! Even though I cheated a little bit, I made sure to not eat too much of the Non-CT approved and I was extremely satisfied! Usually I would have more than over indulged on everything carb-loaded and wine! Instead I over indulged on the yummy pumpkin smoothies we made, fruit tray, and quinoa salad!

The party was great and I really enjoyed catching up with my friends! They brought some great recipes that I can't wait to share here on the blog!

Tomorrow morning my trainer does my measurements again and I look forward to seeing how my body has changed! I can already tell my body is changing each day. My clothes are fitting better and I feel like I have more energy for my workouts!

Here's to week 2!

Complete Transformation

You have probably seen me posting on Facebook, Instagram and twitter about starting a "Complete Transformation" and have wondered what the heck I'm talking about!

It's simple, Hunter and I are completing transforming our health! We are using a 6 week program developed by Juice Plus+ to jump start a clean, healthy, and nutrition packed diet. To keep things simple, I'm going to refer to it as "CT". 

The reason for starting the CT is for Hunter and I to get out of the bad rut of eating fast foods, processed foods, soda, excess gluten and start a diet that's plant based, with less animal products and reduced gluten. 

The CT isn't a diet. It doesn't focus on what you CAN'T eat. The CT gives you guidelines to help you decide what you SHOULD  eat! That's the difference between a diet and the CT, the focus is of the CT is on things you CAN eat vs the things you CAN'T eat. 

So how does it work?

I'll keep it simple! There are 6 weeks, but at the end of the 6 weeks, you don't have to stop, you can keep going because its a lifestyle, not a diet!  The reason Juice Plus+ products are included and a critical part of it is because Juice Plus will provide you the the variety of produce we need daily, increase the amount of nutrition your getting each daily, promote good digestive health, and give you the benefits of vine ripened produce we just can't get at the grocery store. Also, the Complete powder gives you a greater variety of important plants that are rich in fiber, protein, and other nutrients that help you stay full longer, balance your blood sugar, help your body recover post work out, prepare your body pre workout, and increase your variety of fruits, veggies and grains. 

What you need to get started:

Juice Plus+ capsule trio

Juice Plus+ Complete (vanilla or chocolate, or both if you prefer). 

Week 1: Eat 2 clean meals a day, have one meal replacement smoothie with JP+ complete powder. Have lots of healthy snacks throughout the day! Eliminate or reduce your intake of caffeine, artificial sweeteners, processed foods, and gluten. You can continue to eat dairy, meats, and other gluten free grains, just make sure they are organic, GMO free, lean, and keep the portions small (more plants than animal!)

Weeks 2-5: Enjoy 1 clean meal a day and have 2 meal replacement smoothies each day. Continue to eat lots of healthy, yummy snacks during the day! This is where you will want to get creative in your smoothies! Be sure to use the Complete powder for added protein to stay full longer! Make sure you are drinking half your body weight in ounces of water each day! Getting dehydrated can be mistaken for being hungry. 

Week 6 and on: Same as week 1, eat 2 clean meals a day, 1 Meal replacement smoothie, and lots of yummy healthy snacks! After week 6, if you would like to re introduce gluten to your diet, do it slowly as your body may have changed how it processes gluten (in a good way!!)

If you have questions or are interested, reach out to me and let me know! I've given just a short abbreviated version and would love to share more with you! Hunter and I could really use a buddy in this to help us stay on track, so let me know if you would like to be that buddy!

I'm a recovering carb addict and Sod-aholic and could really use all the kind words and support you would like to give as I go through my detox phase!  

If you want to know more about the JP+ products and how to get started, check out this website and ask me questions! 

Www.LaurenJarvisForJuicePlus.com 

Thanks for taking the time to read this! Check back each week for status updates, recipes, confessions and more!

Tomorrow I'll be posting my day one starting measurements. I'm not doing the CT for weight loss; I'm doing it for health gains. If along the way, I lose weight, that's an added bonus, but my goal is to BE a healthier me!! I want to feel good with lots of energy! I want my body to be strong so I can do powerful things with it! I want my body to be healthy to carry a baby one day. I want to inspire other people with the same lifestyle habits I have to make one small step and change towards improving their health. If I can do those things in 6 weeks, I will have achieved more than a weight loss diet or weight loss program could have ever done! 

Here's to good health!

God bless and Gig'em!

That's the Jarvis form of a house welcome sign! 

Hunter is a true, die hard Aggie. He lives and breathes for Aggie sports and Aggie traditions.  On Sundays and Wednesday nights he records a radio show with his friend that you can listen to on Mondays and Thursdays at www.AroundAggieland.com 

Yes, my 30 year old dear hubby follows every twitter account, blog, and recruiting website for the latest Aggie sports scoop so he can blog and do his radio show. It has nothing to do with his Aggie obsession. (Insert Sarcasm)

I mean it doesn't mean you're obsessed with the Aggies just because you had a grooms cake made to look like your college ring?  

Now that I've prefaced my Husband's obsession you will understand why this weekend was one of Hunter's best weekends! Last Sunday Hunter so sweetly asked if we could go to College Station on Saturday and see Johnny Football's last game at Kyle field. 

I'm glad we went because we had a great time! We love road trips together! We spend the time in the car talking, uninterrupted and not distracted by our phones or TV. This time we spent a lot of our conversation about our career and family goals and how they match up, but that's another post!

We stopped in Waco on our way and dropped the dogs off with our sweet parents to be spoiled and swim all day, and we headed out to College Station! 

Road trips wear this baby out! 

By the time we got to Northgate area near the Texas A&M campus the place was packed with tailgaters! We met at a bar to get a pregame beer and lunch with some newly friends and Hunter's college roommate. 

Hunter and his friend Michael 

Newlyweds Michael and Kacie

Me and the Husband decked out in our Aggie gear!

The game was great! So much energy in the Stadium and it was a PACKED stadium! It was also the last game before they begin renovations to build a bigger and better Kyle field!

Check out that sunset at the game!

Hunter had a good time teaching me all the "yells" and different Aggie football traditions (my favorite is when the guy kisses his girl after each touchdown). I enjoy making these kinds of memories together! We had a great time together at the game just the two of us! We have so much fun and I enjoy sharing in his Aggie world (even if I only cheer for the Aggies just because I know if they lose, I will have a really cranky husband)

Thankfully the Ags won so it was smiles all around!

After the game I convinced Hunter to help me jump the wall so I could get down on the field and touch the grass the police made such a big deal about not touching. 

Living like a rebel down on the track at Kyle Field. It was so cold! I was wearing flip flops and my toes were numb!

We were both tired from standing and walking across campus we picked up pizza from the same place we ate late night on Northgate the day we got engaged. Sorry no pictures, we ate it too fast, but I can tell you Antonio's pizza didn't let us down!

The day was fun reminiscing about Hunter's college days and remember how 3 years and a couple weeks ago when Hunter asked me to marry him on the Texas A&M campus under the century tree! Loved making new memories and remembering the old!

October 16, 2010 Hunter asked me to marry him at the Mizzou vs. A&M game! Best part was having our families there for the whole thing! 

As the weekend wraps up I am enjoying thinking about our next football game back in Columbia for Mizzou vs. A&M at thanksgiving! It's going to be great reliving the college days with my best friends and family! Can't wait!!

Jarvis Yogis

This week I'm celebrating my 1 year anniversary on starting my health journey! Go me! 

In the past year I've made lots of small changes that have built into big awesome changes in my life! One of my favorite new healthy habits is YOGA. 

I think I'm addicted to yoga! It all started with Hunter having a Yoga DVD and trying it at home.  We had so much fun looking silly together! We would look up crazy videos online and try weird poses. We never got into the humming and the "oohhhmmmm"ing. That was too weird for us! 

I really got into yoga this spring when the park by my house offered a free class on Saturday mornings outside. I went to the first class alone, then recruited my neighbor. From there I started inviting all my friends to come with me! I turned yoga into a fun social event with my friends! That kept me accountable to keep going and motivated me to keep getting better. 

Unfortunately Yoga in the Park ended last week. (That's after my friend and I showed up to no class! Haha!) But yoga doesn't end there for me! I love a good bargin and found a Groupon for 10 yoga classes near my place, so I got one for Hunter and I. 

Now for the next 10 Mondays we have a standing date night for yoga! It's been really fun doing it together again and we have been going out to our favorite salad bar after each night! I love making new routines with my hubby and I love that this is a healthy new routine! (Much better than our former Sunday night pizza night!) 

I must end with the fact that I continue to be completely terrible and awful at yoga. I look weird and uncomfortable, I sweat a lot, I don't do the yoga breath correctly, and I tip over a lot.  But I enjoy it, it makes me feel good, so looking goofy and all, in going to keep doing it! 

I hope you reading this made you feel a little less scared of trying a new fitness routine or exercise program. It's ok to not be good at it or to look silly doing it as long as you have fun! So, get off your computer try a downward dog pose, child's pose, or my favorite shavasana. Look that last one up, it will be your favorite too! 

I'm A REALLY, REALLY Bad Blogger!

However, I'm here to change that starting TODAY!

I think we are all allowed to set goals for ourselves, then fail miserably, but are allowed to give it a try again!  I think I'm a walking advertisement for trying something, completely flopping at it and going forward! Some may say that makes me silly or oblivious to real life, but I think its one of my best characteristics! If you know me pretty well, you know I'm up for "almost" anything (nothing life threatening or that goes on past midnight, I get tired early these days!)

So, in short, I'm back to blogging and would love for you to follow my blog and help hold me accountable! I love reading my friends blogs and I love sharing what's been going on in my life with Hunter. Our lives are extremely blessed by our families and friends and I'm extremely grateful for that, so I love to share!

I stand by that all blog posts should have fun and fabulous pictures, so let me indulge you with a few!

I've laughed at this picture more times than anyone ever should. It makes my day everytime I see it!

Hunter and I went to Hawaii for 2 AMAZING weeks this summer! It was truly a dream vacation!

These two were the reason Hawaii was even better than we could have planned! 

(Seriously, how cute?)

Cooper was in my sister's tummy while we were in Hawaii, but I got to spend a week a week in St. Louis with him. He's perfect!

My best friend got knocked up and had a beautiful little girl! 

(OK...She's 26, married, with a master's degree so it's not really "knocked up")

Hunter and I are enjoying the 2013 football season! I tried to get him to relive our proposal, but he only agreed to a picture!

LOTS of my friends had babies this year! It's been so fun watching them transition into mommy-hood! 

(Isn't Connor adorable?)

Also, Aggie Wives Club held many wine filled "meetings" this year!

My Mom was diagnosed with Breast Cancer this fall, but she is currently kicking its ass! So proud of her and keep the prayers coming her way!

Well that's just a BRIEF synopsis since my last post. So much has happened and is happening now, I can't wait to share! I look forward to having you be a part of my new blogging journey and I hope to hear from you in the comments!

~Appreciate your blessings everyday~

Lauren