What will YOU gain?

With New Year's upon us; I, like anyone else begin to think about what I will change in the new year? What will I commit to as my New Year Resolution??? Well, based on experience, I have chosen to take a different approach this year...instead of focusing on a negative, I choose to focus on a positive.  So here it is; my New Year Resolution is to be healthy in 2013! What does that mean exactly??? It means that beginning NOW (I can sometimes be an overachiever), I am going to focus on three things; eating clean, exercising, and managing stress.

Here's my plan for 2013:

1. Clean Eating:
I believe everyone knows their body best; I know that my body does best eating protein, fruits and veggies...NO dairy, NO sugar, and NO carbs! I also promise to make sure my body is in good working order, so that my body runs on all cylinders. I have gotten better at this and will continue to do my best. As a part of this objective, I will also try to maintain an alkaline balance in my system.  Learning the importance of keeping an alkaline balance, has made me seek more information and has made me realize that it is one of the key points in maintaining health and staving off disease! How will I keep that balance? First, watch what I eat! Staying away from the above foods is a great start! Second, do what I can to help maintain that balance...my favorite way to support that...GREENS! Not only do they help detox and balance one's system, but they also provide more than 8 servings of fruits and vegetables which does wonders in the energy department! Seems simple enough...*wink*

• Detoxifying, alkalizing drink powder
  
• Promotes pH balance within the body
  
• 38 herbs & nutrient-rich “superfoods”
  
• Equivalent of 8+ servings of fruits and vegetables in each serving 
  

2. Exercise:
My main goal with these New Year's Resolutions is to keep it SIMPLE! Same goes for exercise; I am also going to try to be resourceful! I don't know about you, but, I have not been very successful with the whole gym scene. I never felt comfortable and let's face it, I never found it fun either! So, here's what I've got cookin'; for those of you who don't know me that well, I used to dance...and I LOVED it!  Therefore, I found an adult tap/jazz class that starts up a week from Monday... I CAN'T wait!!! I will also be doing a few things at home; the Fluidity bar (ballet barre type exercises), pilates, and possibly some Yoga Booty Ballet (MORE dancing! ). For once, I am super excited about exercising!!! YooHoo! I guess the key all along was find something you love! What do you enjoy doing???

3. Stress
I don't know about you, but, I am horrible at maintaining stress sometimes! I don't know why I can't control it, but it can get away from me quite quickly...and I HATE it!!! The awesome part about this objective is that #1 and #2 will help me with #3! One thing I have learned about myself in the last year is my thyroid doesn't always perform well. :( When the old thyroid isn't working properly, I notice I turn into a crazy person; stressed, obsessing, and feeling like I can't concentrate on anything, no matter how hard I try. It amazes me how awful, weird, and out of control one can feel when one's body is out of whack!!! So, if the body is healthy and working correctly, this girl's thyroid should be working properly too! And of course, exercise helps release those "happy hormones"! Oh, one last thing here too! One of my new favorite "stress relievers"-CONFIANZA!!!

Confianza is a naturally based supplement that increases your energy levels while reducing stress and fatigue. Its special blend of herbs was developed to provide a safe way to enhance your ability to cope with all forms of stress: physical, emotional, or environmental.

morineb.myitworks.com

I am on a mission to make 2013 my best year yet! 

What will I gain?

Health, Contentment, Peace, Joy, Confidence, and Balance 

Will you join me? 

What will you gain?

**Stay tuned for a new FB page that will not only give inspiration, but healthy tips I find along the way!

 

I hate feeling like CRUD!!!

One of the things I hated most over the last few years was feeling like crud!!! And believe me sometimes you don't even realize how cruddy you feel until you have a lifestyle change and feel better. Our bodies are amazing things; and they adapt, as do we so we just get used to feel the way we do.  Then one day you wake up and realize, I actually feel great! What an amazing feeling! Well, this is where my journey has taken me!

For years I didn't feel well, and more so in the last few.  But, it was a hard thing for me to recognize, especially when you have a personality that just presses on, no matter what.  Now, I can safely say the crudeness did exist and now it is gone! Thank God! But this like anything has been and continues to be a learning process!

I guess it all started when I first started the HCG diet; for those of you who aren't familiar with the diet, the second phase or "diet" part includes fruit, veggies, and lean protein.  It does NOT include dairy, sugar, or wheat.  As I told you in one of my earlier blogs, I had seen a naturopath for a few years, and one of the things she told me was to stay away from all these things! But, did I learn...nooooooo! 

So, on the second phase of the HCG diet, I once again learned I felt better when I didn't eat these things! I had more energy, felt lighter, wasn't bloated and had tons more energy!  

However, like most people, I can be an idiot sometimes! After finishing the second phase of the diet, I fell into some of my "forbidden foods". Note to self: just because they are allowed on the diet, doesn't mean your body has changed it's mind! Silly me! :)

Then I discovered It Works and more things started making sense and falling into place.  Some of the same thing my naturopath had said years earlier were once again crossing my path, maybe this time I would learn.  I truly believe that sometimes we hear things and we aren't quite ready to internalize them, I think this is exactly what has happened in my life. All the things that my naturepath had told me were true! Imagine that! ;) I just wasn't ready to listen...not ready to listen to her or my body.  But, now I am!

I have learned and finally listened to what I have been told over and over again! We all have toxins that build up in our bodies; build up of toxins in the body combined with nutrient deficiencies is what causes disease.  When the body has too many toxins, the toxins build up and the body cannot successfully rid itself of all the toxins; therefore toxins begin to "settle" into areas of the body that are the most weak.  The excess toxins settle into areas like our cells, tissues, bones, or joints and there is where they wreak havoc.  

Below is a list of what happens to a body, when it has become toxic from all of the non-food foods we eat, lifeless contaminated drinks we drink, the empty calories that fill our bodies at almost every meal with hydrogenated fats, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, pesticides, herbicides, emulsifiers, stabilizers and a list of other poisonous substances. 

Can you relate to a few?

Signs of A Toxic Body

1. Chronic fatigue and lack of energy even after sleeping through the night.
2. Inability to get quality sleep.
3. Restlessness and agitation during the day and night.
4. Sudden onset of weight gain and noticeably slower metabolism.
5. Allergic reactions to things you were never allergic to before.
6. More intense seasonal allergies.
7. More intense allergies to pets, dust, pollen, etc.
8. Sudden onset of chemical sensitivities.
9. Intense cravings to constantly eat without ever feeling satisfied.
10. Constipation (don’t go to the bathroom at least 2-3 times per day).
11. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
12. Acid reflux.
13. Poor digestion.
14. Bad breath.
15. Persistent bad gas.
16. Body odor.
17. Poor circulation.
18. Muscle pains and joint aches.
19. Chronic back pain, sciatica and leg pain.
20. Brain fog and lack of mental alertness.
21. Poor memory.
22. Swollen lymph nodes.
23. Frequent headaches.
24. Irritability.
25. Yellowing of eyes.
26. Rashes and skin problems (i.e. acne, rosacea, eczema, brown spots, etc.).
27. Depression.
28. Pre-mature aging. 29. Brittle bones and soft teeth.
30. Vision impairment.
31. Fibromyalgia.
32. Cancer.

Because no one dies on the first cigarette, shot of whiskey, French fry, potato chip, soda, cookie, fried chicken dinner or microwave dinner, no one associates their stomach/digestive problems, headaches, skin rashes, nausea, fatigue, heart disease, high blood pressure, and pre-mature aging to the decades of abuse from what they ate, drank, breathed or smoked. Then we think we can take a pill when we get sick from this routine, totally oblivious to the drug side effects.

Greg Ciola

June 16, 2007

NewsWithViews.com

So what can we do about it?

Well, detox...I look at it this way, your body can either be a River of Life or a River of Disease, you choose! 

Here's what I did:

morineb.myitworks.com

In addition to the wraps I am doing to help eliminate toxins, I also have added these products to help as well! 

It's Vital is a great multivitamin; one that actually DISSOLVES!! What a concept! If you were to put one It's Vital in a glass of water, you would see it totally dissolved within 20 minutes.  If you happen to be a Centrum vitamin taker, do yourself a favor, put one in a glass of water sometime and watch it dissolve.  I hate to tell you, you will be there for about 4 days, no joke! There are so many fillers in so many vitamins on the market that they can't dissolve, so we end up passing then without absorbing any nutrients!

Greens is a great supplement to not only get more than 8 servings of fruits and veggies, but also help keep you body in a alkaline balance.  A acidic body is a diseased body, pH balance is important for health!  My favorite part about Greens is it doesn't taste green!!! I mix mine in OJ, and it tastes like OJ, good deal!

Lastly, Regular is my new best friend! Anyone who has a slow thyroid will tell you that being "regular" can be a problem...not anymore! And, no running to the bathroom, no cramps, just take 2 at night before bed and in the morning no problems! 

Here's to our HEALTH!!!

Let's make 2013 our healthiest year yet!!!

Cheers!

...And why can't I LOSE weight?!?

I'm sure if you have ever tried losing a few extra pounds and have not had much progress, you would agree that not seeing results on the scale is, to say the least, frustrating.  Well, try working with a personal trainer twice a week for 6 months and gaining 4 pounds, trying just about every diet out there to no avail, seeing multiple dietitians and having them say they didn't see much to change about my diet, seeking out the advice of a nautropath, seeing another trainer for 3 months and not seeing any results, and finally bring so dang tired that you can;t even think about exercise being on your radar! That was my story! I figured a few years ago, enough was enough...I could hear my grandmother's voice in my head saying "so, when are you going to lose weight?".  I know, not the most cuth (that's ok, I loved her anyway) but, I was starting to wonder for myself, yeah, when??? So, I came up with a brilliant idea, gastric bypass! At this point I had tried many diets over my lifetime and had a little success, but nothing major. I thought to myself, maybe it was time to be more drastic.  I did some research and found an informational meeting to attend and off we went.  I remember sitting there thinking "this could be it"! But after being denied by insurance and not willing to pay the $25,000 price tag, it was again time to look for other options!  I felt yet again defeated, but being the person I am, picked myself up by my boot straps and tried to find another solution.  Not long after that I joined a local gym (again) and hired a personal trainer.  I figured I needed someone to kick my butt into shape and motivate me, and she was cheaper than surgery! 

So my journey with Dory began, twice a week we would meet and in between I would try to do my workout on my own.  It worked well for a while, I was pretty excited to work myself up to an hour on the elliptical machine; in the beginning all I could do was about 10 minutes!  But after working with Dory for 6 months (who was a great trainer, by the way),  I had lost inches and felt more toned, BUT had gained 4 pounds! I was thankful for the lost inches and being more toned, but REALLY?!? 4 POUNDS GAINED?!? Talk about discouraging!!! Not long after that, being so discouraged I quit the training and the gym...

I don't know about you, but, when I'm struggling with something, I will give it all I've got...well, until I'm so exhausted that the only thing left to do is give up. And believe me, I HATE giving up!!!! But after almost 3 years of active battle, and being so drained of energy, I had no other choice. I couldn't do it anymore, physically or mentally! 

So, after being told about the HCG diet, I was awfully skeptical...but what did I have to lose? I am so thankful to have found the diet and Dr. Riegg.  But, in addition to both of them, I also have gone back to my original philosophy of everything, including our bodies work well, when it is healthy and well maintained.  I have never been one to like medical "band-aids"...I would much rather take a natural supplement instead of a pill with a laundry list of side effects! 

 Please don't get me wrong, I do believe modern medicine is completely necessary, however, I also think there is more than one way to "skin a cat".   After finding out my thyroid wasn't working properly, I decided to do a little research to see what else I could do.  That's when It Works was placed in my path, and I couldn't be happier it did!

morineb.myitworks.com

The whole philosophy of the company is to have your body in great shape, when your insides are healthy and in optimum condition, not lacking anything, they work their best! And when they work their best, you are healthy! Imagine that!  So that is now the mission I am on!!! So far, I have discovered a few things...

First, my naturopath wasn't crazy, just kidding; I loved her and I totally agreed with what she said (much of what she said is the same philosophy of It Works), I also find it funny, that certain things she said keep coming across my path time and time again! One of them is body pH. I am amazed at how important that seems to be...but, more on that later.

Second, hormones...they can be amazing and evil things. :)

Third, we all know our bodies, c'mon, we live with them each and every day! We know when something isn't right, why don't we listen more??? Listening more to my body is one of my goals!!! 

Fourth, there are some things I am not meant to eat, EVER.  I have learned time and time again, the correlation between food and how I feel, again another goal!

So how does this all fit together? Well, 2013 is all about this body and treating it like a temple instead of treating it like a dirty dive! Here we go! I hope in the next few posts, you can gain some inspiration and maybe a little knowledge from my discoveries. As always thanks for listening!

Cheers!

Who doesn't like PERKS?!?

Since I have joined the It Works Global family, I have wanted to spread all the good things I have experienced. In the past, I have tried everything from seeing a Naturopath, buying expensive vitamins, working with personal trainers, and nothing has been as successful as what I have experienced in the last few months as far as feeling my best! I am happy to share it with you!

 So what are the perks of being a Loyal Customer???

Well, here they are! It Pays to be Loyal!

• Being a Loyal Customer is an EXCLUSIVE membership
• Get Loyal Customer Pricing for LIFE, after completing your 3 month introductory membership terms. LC Pricing gives you a 20-50% discount on all products.
• After your 3 month introductory membership you will receive FREE SHIPPING for LIFE on your monthly orders!
• All LC orders over $125 receive FREE SHIPPING!
• Perks Points
• Perks Points (10% pre-tax) are earned on the LC price of your entire order; shipping and tax excluded
• Perk Points are available to redeem for product anytime after your 4th monthly shipment
• After 6 months of your LC monthly orders, you will receive 50 Bonus Perk Points
• After 12 months of your LC monthly orders, you will receive 150 Bonus Perk Points
• Fit Tips
• As a Loyal Customer you will receive  health advice from our experts once a week

                  Feel free to contact me with any questions, I'd love to help you on your journey!

 It's an amazing one!

Why the heck can't I get out of bed?

Hi Friends!
Over the last few years, I have experienced a great shift in my life; and for quite some time I had no idea what the heck was wrong with me! It was beyond frustrating! Well, on this weight loss journey that I have been on the last 6 months, I finally got some answers...even when I didn't expect it!

First of all, when I first started exploring the HCG diet, I did some research online. I found a doctor that had a lot of qualifications I liked; first she was female, she was also highly regarded and studied in her field. So, off I went for a consultation. My first appointment with Dr. Riegg was quite interesting, within the first few moments of talking with her, she said to me "based on what you are telling me, I can almost guarantee your thyroid is out of whack", well, maybe not those exact words, but that is what I heard.  I was a little dumbfounded because within the last few years, my thyroid had been checked a few times with "normal results", hmmmm......  But, I liked this doctor! She didn't just jump on this HCG bandwagon, she was a pathologist by trade and in her "previous life" had diagnosed breast cancer.  While diagnosing cancer, she started to notice a pattern; most of the people who had breast cancer, also had hormone challenges, and of those who had abnormal hormone levels most were overweight.  One day she realized she no longer wanted to be on the diagnostic side, but she wanted to help prevent cancer, if that was possible.  After some research, she decided to switch her approach to helping people; she now helps people lose weight and balance their hormones.  Again, so far I liked her, but I was a little wary of her accusations about my thyroid.  But, I had tried just about everything else, what did I have to lose? ....besides all this excess weight! :)

Before Dr. Riegg would prescribe the HCG I had to go get a physical and a complete panel of blood work. So, off I went to a general practitioner to have the physical, turns out not my favorite GP, but I figured how can you mess up a physical?  In her office I asked her to run all of the blood tests that Dr. Riegg had asked for.  She was happy to run most of the tests, however, the one she was apprehensive about was the Vitamin D.  Apparently, in her opinion she felt that because we live in Wisconsin, everybody here is Vitamin D deficient on some level. But if I still wanted her to run the test she would, even though she thought it was a waste of money.  A few days later, I was called by the doctor's office; I was to give them a call back to discuss my blood test results. "WHAT?!?  ok, calm down and call", I told myself.  To my surprise, my Vitamin D was low (glad I made her run that test!!!) so, off I was, on a 12 week regimen of 50,000 iu of Vitamin D.

At my next appointment with Dr. Riegg, I was surprised and relieved when she saw my test results and told me I had hypothyroidism! Wait a minute....WHAT do you mean?!? I thought my numbers were normal?!? Well, as it turns out, most medical doctors go by a "range" of numbers; apparently the American Board of Endocrinology advises that any TSH level above 2.5 is considered hypothyroidism.  So, there we were, the number don't lie! I was in the hypothyroidism bracket; at least we had some answers.  Dr. Riegg also told me that the 2 most common reasons for high TSH is low Vitamin D and abnormal cortisol levels.  Well, we knew for sure I had one of those, but what about the cortisol? Why not test that too! Aaaand...it's abnormal!  Off I went on my regimen of Vitamin D and a supplement for my thyroid support...it seemed to be getting a little better. But, we all know our own bodies and we know when we still aren't running on all cylinders.

When I first found It Works Global, I was interested in their wraps to help tighten and help tone my tummy and arms, but when I dug a little deeper I learned that the company had more than just wraps.  And their philosophy, I LOVE the company philosophy!!! Instead of putting the proverbial band-aid on health issues, how about making sure the body is running at it's optimum level, then there shouldn't be any other issues! While my continued journey to health I have also started taking a supplement for stress (to help with my cortisol levels), a multivitamin (that dissolves completely in 20 min, instead of it getting flushed down the toilet), a supplement to boost metabolism, and finally a "greens" supplement (which thankfully doesn't taste green, and balances the pH of our bodies....more on that later).  A month into all of this, (I know it seems like a lot, but I guess my body needed it desperately!) I am once again wide awake and out of bed at 5:30/6:00am....No alarm clock!!!  I am no longer taking a nap on my days off and have plenty of energy to tackle my to do list! If only I could find a supplement to make my days a little longer to get it all done!

To be continued....


Check out It Works Greens....I love I can actually read the ingredients list!

morineb.myitworks.com

Here are some of the benefits:

 SUPER GREENS TO THE RESCUE!!!