Throwing Down the Gauntlet...

Hey, hey!!  I wanted to put out a quick post to share a little about the "Fit For Fall" 24 Day Challenge.  I'm really excited about this one and I'm hoping to get a few folks on board to do this with me {come on, you know you want to}!  Here's a little more info about the challenge and the products in the bundle...

The 24-Day Challenge® is a comprehensive supplementation and nutrition program designed to give your body the jumpstart it needs to help you reach your goals. There's something for everyone – whether you are looking for weight management, energy, overall body composition or overall wellness.

The 24-Day Challenge Bundle will Include
·24-Day Challenge Daily Guide
·One box of Herbal Cleanse
·One box of AdvoCare® Fiber
·One bottle of OmegaPlex®
·Two boxes of AdvoCare Spark®
·One box of MNS® 3, C or E
·One box of Meal Replacement Shake 

Along with the bundle of goodies, you will have access to meal planning and nutrition, a grocery guide, a daily planning guide, access to the 24 Day Challenge App and ME to help encourage and support you along the way!!  As a thank you, for each of my friends who take on this Challenge and purchase a bundle, I will send you a copy of the AdvoCare's workout series, CU24 (Level 1) Workout DVD's!  These workouts are perfect for those who are on the go and don't have a log of time to the gym.  Each of the workouts are 24 minutes long and there a great way to get your body moving!  I've done them and I love them all!

If you're ready to take on this awesome challenge and feel better in the fall, message me at kamemories@aol.com or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/krista.artis) and lets get you going!  You can also go to my site to learn more.  Go to www.advocare.com/140858759 and click on "shop", then click on "24 Day Challenge".  This really is an awesome program and AdvoCare has changed my life in more ways that I could have imagined.  

XOXO,

Krista

H20...

Water...water...water!!  We've all been told that we need to drink our daily dose of water to be healthy.  There's quite a bit of research and even more "opinions" published about exactly how much our bodies need.  It can be confusing when you scroll through the pages and pages on the internet, do I need it, how much do I need, when do I need it?  These are all great questions.  These are my thoughts...each of our bodies are different, but yes we all NEED to stay hydrated.  How much your body requires may not be exactly the same as what I need, but with all the hot temps around the country, its even more important for your body to stay hydrated.  If you're sitting still most of the day or active, the one thing remains...ya need to fill your cup!!  Wanna know how much should you drink?  Here is a suggested formula...

Daily Water Requirements:  

Drink 50-75% of your body weight in ounces.  

Sedentary people: 50%;  Active people: 75%

Have trouble drinking straight water? Here's what works for me!! Get yourself a cute little cup!!  I swear it makes the water taste better {insert silly smiley face}.  My husband "loves" it when I come home with another cup...NOT!  I have quite the stash {I do share sometimes}, but my favorites are my tall 24oz. Turvis for when I'm headed to the gym {Bed, Bath and Beyond has a great selection}, my sassy pink or purple Hydroflask and my Yeti {Dick Sporting Goods carries both} for when I'm at home.  I personalized my Hydroflask and my Yeti and they just look so cute!!  Another suggestion {for real now} is to add a little something to your water.  Some like lemons, some like to infuse their water with various fruits.  I like to add a little Spark to my water {especially the new Blue Raspberry...shameless plug, I know!}  The point is, try to find something that you like that makes drinking the water a little easier, preferably something with no or low in sugar.  

FYI, in case you didin't know, water is not just consumed by drinking it...yes, you can eat it too.  Lettuce, Broccoli, Watermelon and Grapefruit are just a few foods that have a high amount of water in them!!  So go ahead, give it a try...take a leap and fill up your cup!!

Happy Hydrating!!!

XOXO,
Krista  

Eating for Life...

Several years ago, a friend introduced me to the Body For Life program by Bill Phillips.  I really liked the program and it helped me to loose quite a bit of weight.  One of the things I liked the most were the recipes that were complied in the companion book, Eating For Life Cookbook.  I am always looking for quick yummy and health things to fee my family and I so I thought I would share one of our favorites.  Its super easy and great for a busy night when you just need something fast yet delicious and nutritious!  

Sloppy Joes

Servings 4

Prep Time 25 minutes

Ingredients:

4 portions lean ground turkey (about 1 lb)

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 can (8oz) no-salt added tomato sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 bbq sauce

1 tsp chili powder

Dash of hot pepper sauce 

4 wheat buns or rolls 

4 lettuce leaves

Directions:

1.  In a large skillet, combine ground turkey, black pepper and onion.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is no longer pink.

2. Stir in tomato sauce, ketchup BBQ sauce, chili powder and hot pepper sauce.  Simmer for about 10 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened.  

3. Place a wheat bun on each plate.  Top each with a lettuce leaf and a portion of turkey mixture.  

Serve and Enjoy!!

I love feedback so comment below if you give it a try!!  :o)

XOXO,

Krista

I'm Still Alive...

Hello, I'm back!!!!

It's been a long time since my last post and I really didn't intend to drop the ball like that!!  So much has happened and I would love fill you in and share some thoughts at the end!

Since my last post was May 1st, we will start there.  Mid-May brought the beginnings of change for our family.  We found out late last year that our plans of staying in Texas, retiring and planting some "roots" was going to change.  When we got that news, I felt like I got hit by a truck.  I was devastated and my attitude wasn't all that great.  I struggled with why this was happening, why did I have to leave my family and how on earth could I be happy anywhere else?  I did a lot of crying, complaining {internally} and had plenty of moments of bitterness and fear.  I knew the possibility of us moving was a real one as we were only "promised" two years, but our family was ready to stay put and stick around and I had gotten used to that idea.  Long story short, my husbands job in the area wasn't going to extend, so we had to start looking for our next set of orders.  In talking with his detailer, the Hubs was given the opportunity of a lifetime.  The Navy offered him the opportunity to get his Masters which is something that he has always wanted.  This was an offer that he couldn't resist and it would keep him off the boat!  {we were trying desperately to avoid another carrier tour}  The downside for me was that the school was going to take us to the DC area.  I wasn't excited about that, but it would be life changing for the Hubs and my sweet girl still has lot of friends in that area making the transition a little more bearable.  So, I did what military spouses do, I put on my big girl undies, wiped the tears away {for the moment} and worked on adjusting my attitude.  I had to trust that God has something there for me too!  

Fast-forward to June...We got to enjoy seeing my eldest nephew graduate from high school.  I even got to help with his grad party...that was fun and a great distraction from our pending move.  The Hubs fired up the smoker and smoked a TON of meat!!  It was such a wonderful time for our family and I was so glad we were able to be there to see him graduate.  The rest of June was spent being with family as much as possible and we enjoyed every minute of it!  June 28th, we said a very difficult and tearful goodbye, loaded up the suitcases, the dog, the cat, the kids {yes, KIDS....we kidnapped my younger nephew :-)} packed the final box in the car and headed east.  July 1st, we arrived and received our household goods at our new home in Virginia.

 Two weeks later, my nephew and I headed back to Texas. AdvoCare National Success School was the second week of July and I was pumped to be able to attend.  I learned so much in the 3 days and left Cowboy Stadium feeling refreshed and energized!  

After Success School was over, I was able to stay several more days to spend more time with family.  Mom and I got to celebrate our birthday's together and checked an item off our bucket list...Dad took us on a trip to the Magnolia Silos...oh my goodness...it was amazing!  If you don't know, Magnolia is owned by Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV's Fixer Upper!  

We didn't happen to see them at the Silo's but it was still SO much fun!!

So, now here we sit at the end of August.  Hubs is about three weeks into his Master's program.  It's a lot of work for him, but in the end, it will be so worth it.  My girl and I have spent a lot of time at the gym.  We got ourselves on a routine and have done a good job at staying committed to our workouts. My daughter is such an encouragement to me and inspires me to keep going and keep working at making my health a priority.  She goes back to school September 6th and I'm going to miss her!   Its going to be a busy year for her as she has a full load of Honors and AP classes.  She is such a smart cookie, I know she's going to kill it this year!  

I'm going to wrap this up and get this posted, but wanted to leave you with this quote that I found...

There have been so many times when I was motivated....motivated to find a better me, motivated to work out, eat right and take care of myself.  I have learned over the years that being motivated isn't always permanent and often times just not enough!!  Life gets in the way and the motivation fades.  The process doesn't really work until you commit...commit to change!!  Two years ago I was fed up, I'd had enough.  I was tired of feeling bad and I was ready to really commit for the long haul.  Something was different this time.  I knew it meant that I had to give some things up, change my mindset and commit to giving myself the time and grace to run this race in the long term.  It hasn't always been easy and I have fallen off the wagon a time or two, but only for a minute.  I have always been reminded one way or another of my commitment.  I've had to get myself up, dust off the discouragement, doubt and fear and get back to it!  I'm certain there are going to be more times where life throws my a curve ball, but I will get back up because I am worth it...I am commited!! 

Have a great weekend...until my next post!

Enjoying the Process!

XOXO,

Krista

Getting Over the Numbers

It's 1:00 am, I'm in bed trying desperately to fall asleep and I just can't.  There are so many things swimming through my head right now.  This happens occasionally when I'm excited or worried about something.  I've been wanting to make a post for the past week and it just kept getting moved down on my "To Do" list.  I simply can't wait any longer, I have to share.

When I started this process to find better health, I started at the doctor's office.  I needed to have all my numbers looked at.  I thought maybe its my thyroid, or maybe there is something else making me gain weight and the reality was, it was ME that was making me gain weight.  All my numbers were good and it was a reality check right smack to my face.  I had to start making changes and I needed to do it now!  I knew it was going to be hard and I was going to have to put aside some things I love, cake, donuts, breads and more.  I started on a low carb diet along with my AdvoCare supplements and off I went.  I go each month to my primary care physician for a weigh in and a "mini" check up just to see how things are going.  From my start date, I have lost weight at every appointment.  At first I started of with significant numbers and slowly that tapered down to about 2 lbs a month.  Well, two months ago, that changed and I FREAKED!!  I knew that I hadn't been as good as I could be about food, but that was about the time I really dedicated to making time to work out.  At that appointment I gained 4 lbs.  In talking it over with the doc, I told her that I had increased my exercise tremendously and she said that I was gaining muscle and that she wasn't worried.

Fast forward a month and I gained another 2 lbs...I am being honest with you, my heart sank!!  Again the doc came in and we talked about what I was doing and again she said "it's muscle" and that I need to look past the numbers.  She asked how my clothes were fitting and quickly whipped out a graph {one I get every month}.  The graph shows my weight loss progress everything month and she pointed out that in November of last year, I weighed in at 139.  Again, I am being brutally honest and open here {no judging allowed}, at that time {November 2015} I was in a size 8, not all that comfortable, but an 8 no less.  Last week, I weighed in at 139 and I am in a size 4, a comfortable size 4!!  I realize the difference and I really should be good with that, but I still struggle with that stupid number the scale shows me when I jump on!!  Its so hard sometimes to let the numbers go and just focus on what happening with my body.  I know I can eat better and I am stepping up my game with that {I'll share on the next post}, but the bottom line is, my body HAS changed and the numbers on the scale shouldn't define me.  I hope by me sharing this {very} personal information that you will not only decide to stop letting the scale define you, but if you haven't already, take that first step.  Make a small change even if its just a change in the way you are thinking.  I won't lie, its not always easy.  I don't "love" to workout yet, but I know I have to "pay myself first".  I have a vision and I am the only one who can get out and make that happen.

Here's to a better way of thinking and "Getting Over the Numbers"!!

Enjoy the process...always!!
Krista

The Right Fit

Happy Tuesday!  I wanted to share a little of my heart today and hopefully a little encouragement.  This past Saturday, I was fortunate to be able to attend a ladies only conference put on by AdvoCare called Ladies Alive.  It was so inspiring to be in the room with over 3000 women of like mind.  To hear some of the life stories was just so motivating and inspiring.  One of the best part about living in this area is that I get to hear from some of the leading ladies of AdvoCare and their stories are just as powerful.  The one that stirred me the most was the last speaker who happens to be a pastors wife.  She gave an object lesson that really hit home for me and gave me some perspective on my journey and struggles.  She started with a large pink beach ball.  She asked us to view that ball as our journey/life.  Next she picked up another smaller ball and suggested that was our husbands, then picked up another and said it was our kids and so on until her hands were so full that she had to drop the big pink ball.  As women we tend to pick up everyone else's things and neglect our own.  Its so easy to fall into that trap and we don't "pay" ourselves first because we simply don't have time or energy.  That was huge for me.  How can I be at my best for my family when I can't even take care of myself?  This was part of my reason for being uncomfortable and something I still struggle with.  Always something that needs to be done, but I have committed to paying myself first!

Her message was two fold and I love this next part...she held up a tank top.  She talked about how her husband is always trying to get her to wear his t-shirts and that her response is always the same, "I don't dress like that and I don't like wearing clothes that are made to fit YOU".  She related that to us as women, she suggested that not everyone in the room would wear her tiny little tank top, for various reasons, but mostly because it was not meant to fit everyone!  Are you getting the visual??  Whatever "tank-top" I might find myself wearing may not be the same as yours and that is OK!!!

I will close with this... what's YOUR focus?   Its time to find your focus, set some goals and chase them!  Make "the fit" yours, make it fun {yes its possible for it to be fun}, but make it yours!!

Keep Calm

Emotional...that's the word of the week.  This week has been a trying week for me, and my emotions  got the best of me a couple of times.  My poor husband, he was so loving and was very patient with my tears.  He tried everything he knew to make it better.  I'm usually not a teary person, I have emotions just like every other gal, but my emotions are not generally accompanied by tears.  This week, there were tears!  There are several things that are the cause of my tears and I won't bore you with all those details.  One of the things I realized this week is that I try so hard to keep my feelings in check {and to myself} that I often don't deal with them.  When that happens, they compound.  Kind of like a balloon, when it gets too full, it pops!!  That's where I found myself this week!  Long story short, after some wise council and some much needed "fussing", I put on my big girl undies and moved on.  Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I choose happiness...and this great little thing they call...OASIS!!  Y'all, if you are finding yourself emotional, stressed out, anxious or just needing some balance, this is for you.  In addition to the Oasis, I have added in our Clear Mood.  

Here is just a little bit about this Dynamic Duo!!

Oasis 

This solution for a stressful environment helps bring balance back to your life through adaptogens, berry extracts and B vitamins. Oasis is easy to take on the go, caffeine free, and can be combined with other AdvoCare products.  

Key Benefits 

• - Helps your body adapt to physical and other sources of stress* 
• - Contains a combination of super fruits known to contain antioxidants (Vitamins C, A, and E) and polyphenols* 
• - Provides immune and cognitive support* 
• - Contains B vitamins for energy and immune support* 
• - In a convenient stick pack

Clear Mood

Clear Mood facilitates brain and nerve cell function by providing important neurotransmitters that help lower the effects of occasional stress, nervousness and worry. One such agent, known as 5-HTP, is vital for the production of serotonin necessary for the brain and nervous system.

Key Benefits 

• - Helps brighten mood from the occasional blues 
• - Supports sense of well-being
• - Provides support for relaxation

I can't talk enough about the importance of taking care of yourself first {and I'm talking to myself too}.  Its important to my family {and to myself} that I am in the best shape, 

not only physically, but mentally as well.  

Sometimes life asks a lot from us and when we don't have the right tools, we fall short.  

It doesn't have to be that way!

XOXO

Krista

OK, here it is...my first post!!  I am so excited to get this blog off the ground.  I am going to share things that inspire me, things have worked {and haven't} for me, products I love, some of my fav recipes, and just try to be an encourager.  I hope to inspire my readers who are looking for something, anything to help get them started or keep them motivated and on track for better health and happiness.  I am certainly not perfect or anything special, but there are people who have encouraged me so I am paying it forward.  

I will start with a simple picture.

This is my "why", my reason to take steps to better my health 

and be the best me possible...

My family...these two are precious gifts given to me and I don't want to miss one single moment of the beautiful life that is being lived.