Advocare 24 Day Challenge Prep

So I am starting my 2nd Advocare 24 Day Challenge tomorrow. I have spent the last few days prepping. I am through day 4 of planning and I'm hoping I'll have a written game plan of Day 5-10 by tomorrow night. After going through my first challenge at the beginning of the year I learned a lot about how to make sticking to the challenge easier and most of it has to do with prep and planning. 

I essentially write out my entire food plan ahead of time including all meals, snacks, required products for the challenge like spark and fiber, and I plan out my caloric intake along with it. I count everything (except vitamins). I even put it into MyFitnessPal ahead of time. Then all in have to do is follow the plan layed out.

I also make my grocery list according to my meal plan and I do not buy anything extra... Unless it's something my kids have to have. (I still do not by cookies, chips, etc. unless it's something I know I won't eat like gummy snacks. I don't want the temptation atleast during the first 10 days.) On day 3 of my last challenge I ended up boxing up all of the "bad" foods and putting them in the garage. 

I bought bins from the dollar spot this time around and a pack of cheap baggies. Last night I divided up all of my spark, fiber, protien shakes, and pills for the 24 days and labeled them. I have 5 bins so I will do 4-5 days at a time. I put anything I can in the bins (bananas, almonds, powdered PB2) so that I have what I'm eating that day ready and divided.

I also cut up my fruit ahead of time. I find this helps me from forgetting about it or opting for something else because I don't want to cut it at the time. We don't waste as much this way. At night I prep what I can for breakfast down to measuring and pouring the OJ (I mix this with fiber) so that it makes the morning smoother. I also pack lunches if I know I won't be home or won't have time. I will be home tomorrow so I didn't bother with it today.

A note on the OJ. I am not a fan of drinking the fiber drink.. So I buy TROP 50 from the grocery store and mix the fiber drink with 4 oz of OJ and 2oz of water. Goes down faster and easier!

So on the last card of each day I put a little check list of pills or other products I need to take and I list how many water bottles of water I need to drink. I have a 25oz camel back bottle and I need to drink 3 every day to get my water intake for the day. I aim for more of course. I think it's really important to find a water bottle you enjoy drinking out of. I know that sounds weird. I hated water before I started Advocare. I would choke it down. Well I adjusted and found the right bottle and I easily drink my needed intake now. I even keep fresh lemons in the fridge and squeeze some in when I need flavor. I crave water now. All the time!

During the first 10 days I completely withhold from sweets, soda (always now), alcohol, "carbs" that are simple, and most dairy. I will use cheese sparingly because my family loves it so it's not something I feel we need to cut out all together. Just limit it.

Tomorrow I will start posting everything I do in a single blog post at night. That way you can go back and look at my meal plan and recipes and see the activity level.

This weeks dinners will consist of meatloaf, steak, fajitas, tilapia/grilled chicken, and kabobs. All recipes will be posted! Lunches for us are pretty basic and simple to allow for a more elaborate dinner. 

This weekend I indulged beyond a normal cheat meal. I actually wanted to go off our new way of eating so that I could experience the challenge the way I did the first time so I could accurately describe it. And it was horrible. We went to a movie and took a few bites of buttery popcorn and felt so full and we just didn't want it. 4 months ago we would have crushed the whole tub! I even had a beloved diet coke and it tasted horrible and just burned. So in other words... I can't wait for tomorrow!!!

If you want to join me on the challenge go to www.choosethechallenge.com/mommyhatesrunning

If you order tonight your challenge will arrive in time to start with most everyone who has already ordered (Thursday). 

While we understand the concern with the cost of the challenge we found that we actually saved more money than we spent because we no longer eat out whenever we want, our grocery trips are well planned, and we don't buy junk. For

us it was well worth the price to feel the way we feel now!

If you have any questions, please message us!!

Okay guys! Ready to roll! :)