~instagram questions answered~

Wow! You guys really blew me away with all your kind comments and "likes" It's always a little intimidating putting your photo out there for all to see. What a wonderful group of followers/friends I have! I wanted to take a minute {or 60} to try and answer all your questions. First I want to say, I am no expert. This is just what I have been doing, and what has worked for me. We are all different and I know you will have to tweak things according to your likes, dislikes, and lifestyle. So, let's start with the before. And, of course I am having trouble loading the photo! Darn! Well, the before was actually 5 months into my routine. However, it wasn"t until the beginning of June that I decided to change my eating habits. I kept reading all this stuff about how "abs are made in the kitchen" etc. and thought I'd give it a try. I stopped reaching for the ice cream {even if it was within my calorie budget for that day} and started making fresh fruit and veggie juices and loading up on veggies and hummus. I have also slowly transitioned from reg. nonfat milk to almond and soy milk, in my lattes. However, with anything, I don't think you should do something that you can't can't reasonably continue for the rest of your life. It's not realistic for me, at least at this time, to give up my mexican coffee creamer, or my midnight scoops of nutella right out of the jar. :) Do everything in moderation. I drink a ton of water, gave up sodas and anything carbonated, and in June I started taking advocare. Reason being this. I had heard great things about it and my body was kinda "stuck" I was doing the same thing, going to the gym, and eating healthy, but wanted that little extra nudge in the right direction. I posted a link where you can buy it. Look on the top right side of this page. I don't know if the results I am getting are just from eating cleaner, or are a combination of that and the advocare, but I like what I see, so I will continue to take it! Her is a list of what I am taking: Every morning with breakfast I take a multi vitamin and a fish oil pill {not advocare} Throughout the day I take: carb ease plus thermo plus catalyst and fibo-trim I also like the pink lemonade Spark drink, but gave it up to save $. Ok, onto answering questions! I will try to do my best to answer them all! karigrousepointfarms: Help, I need your regimen stat, no gym workouts though. ANSWER: You don't need a gym, really. Half the time I work out, I just run. I also am a firm believer in push ups. You can do jumping jacks, you can run up and down the stairs, anything to get your heart pumping! jensmith70: I am right where you are 5 lbs ago sister. I need an example of a daily menu. ANSWER: It changes daily, but I usually burn right around 300-400 calories working out, so I try to eat around 1600 calories a day. If I don't work out, I'll eat around 1200. Daily menu, well, I'll give you what I ate yesterday: Breakfast: coffee and creamer {something I won't give up just yet!} strawberries and blueberries and greek yogurt and water. Taken with carb ease, daily vitamin, and fish oil. Snack: pure protein bar and water with fibo trim pill. Lunch: protein spinach salad {yesterdays post} water, and taken with thermo plus. snack: fresh fruit and veggie juice, made in my juicer, and coconut almonds. water, water, water. 1 oreo stolen from son. Dinner on the go: 2 pieces cinnamon raison Ezekiel toast with can't believe it's not butter spray. 1 tall vanilla soy latte {decaf} from Starbucks. 8 pm soccer game with 3 bottles water. come home and scrape the sides of a nutella jar and have a decaf coffee with more of my yummy creamer. Jodiannlor: pls share more on clean eating. ANSWER: I don't know much. Just trying to eat fresh, fresh, fresh. Nothing processed and I am trying to stay away from packaged foods. However, I do love my protein bars. Torigilliam: pls. do a post on clean eating/workout tips. ANSWER: clean eating tips~see above question. Workout tips: I'd say just try and do a little each day and gradually increase time. And, lift those weights! You will see a huge difference in how your body looks! Amyvermillioninteriors wrote: I so agree with the possibilities. I've seen incredible results without even exercising! ANSWER/COMMENT: So true! I wish I would have known this sooner! lovelylittleparties: wow. 7 days a week? ANSWER: Yes. Not that I will beat myself up if I don't work out, but I like to eat, therefore I work out. I do take days off though. There are days when I am sore, or just too busy. You can't get mad at yourself if you miss a day. Thechroniclesofhome: whoa. A month?! ANSWER: YES! :) kcsnead: love it!!! What's your new blog? ANSWER: you found it :) annmarie19804: where do you get your clean eating ideas/recipes from? ANSWER: I have a blog list on the right side of this page. I also follow a lot of clean eating people on instagram. They post a lot of recipes etc. Plus, I like to just make stuff up in the kitchen. I love to cook! lucki19: what program are you on? ANSWER: no program, don't think I could stick to one. sanctifiedpearl: do you mind me asking how often you are at the gym and how often you do at home workouts? ANSWER: Not at all. I don't really have a set schedule. If I get up and feel like running, I'll do that. If it's raining and crappy, I'll go to the gym. I also play soccer, so that counts for one day of exercising. I'd say I'd average 4 days at home and 3 at the gym. Hope that helps! ciaomarezy: any suggestions for food and exercises to get started? ANSWER: start slow. Do what you can and increase over time. When I started I would get winded running down to get my mail. Since then I have ran a half marathon. Baby steps, don't think things will change overnight. It takes time, but time passes by anyway, so might as well make the most of it. With food, same thing. Don't go overboard on eating all clean at first because chances are, you won't be able to keep up with it. Gradually add in fresh fruits and veggies. I used to HATE veggies, now I crave them! Ok, I hope I answered all your questions! Any more, leave them in the comments section here and I will reply there as well! Thanks again for all your kind comments! Melaine