4 days before the challenge

I'm embarking on a small adventure of sorts - it's part of a delayed new years resolution that included getting fit and healthy and running a 5k marathon. Since it's march, and I'm nearly 31 I thought it was about time I got started. I can't say exactly what spurred it on, but I was probably like most of you. Feeling a little unmotivated, hitting a plataeu, and starting to grow out of my wardrobe.

After the birth of my children, fitness and exercise had become a regular outlet for me and truly changed my life. Being active helped me deal with stress feel energized and good about myself. Hard work, a lot of prayers and healthy eating enabled me to lose the baby weight. However, somewhere between then and now I fell off the "healthy wagon."

I had heard about the 24 day challenge through my Zumba instructor at my gym. I've never done a true cleanse before. Most of the cleanses I've read about require you to give up things, and that didn't sound fun. Most cleanses say you should "avoid" or eliminate coffee. Seriously? Have any of these people met me? I'm in the business of working with people EVERYDAY. My job requires the utmost patience sometimes, not to mention compassion. I tend to be cranky without my jolt of java in the morning. How would I ever survive? LOL. However, as I laid aside the 5th pair of pants that nolonger fit me, I decided to give in and give the 24 day challenge a try.

I'm not in it to lose a bunch of weight and be rail thin. I want to be strong, I want to be able to do at least one push up, and I want to be in great shape. I felt so good mentally and physically when healthy eating and workouts were a regular part of my day! I'm ready to get back there, and for some crazy reason I decided to be brave and document my journey. Here goes nothing, 4 days pre-advocare 24 day challenge.