What I Learned By Completing a "Diet Bet"

     I decided to invest in myself and complete a diet bet! I will walk you through my thought process, the feelings attached to weight gain and loss, how alcohol can sabotage your results, and the rewards when you finish what you set out to accomplish!

     The premise of Diet Bet is simple- you select a game, pay to play, lose the weight, and split the pot. Sounds easy right????

     I'll let you know why my first game came as a struggle, but why I decided to roll right into the next game!

Deciding to Start-
       Let me just say, that the conversation with my neighbor started like this. We are at the kitchen table, both on our phones scrolling through Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. We are sipping wine and from time to time, we'll show each other a funny picture or start talking about a healthy recipe we want to try. "I really want to lose weight," she says. "Me too. Me too," I say. We start throwing around ideas....."Maybe I should: join a gym....buy another workout program....eat healthier.....drink more shakes.....work on portion control....buy some of those home direct meals....." So we share some recipes and the idea of a diet bet comes up. "I'm in if you're in" and so it begins. We paid our $30 and then we had to lose 4% in 4 weeks. For me, that was a little over 6 pounds.

Starting-

        The day of weigh in and I'm the heaviest I've been in a long time. I was 160 pounds when I delivered my daughter----that was 8 years ago. I had climbed to 158.6 and that was WAY TOO close to 160! (Before you freak out and say it's not that much- keep in mind I'm only 5'2....ok, ok, I'm 5'1 and 3/4 of an inch...so I round up)- The point is, my BMI was 29.8. I was overweight.....I honestly hadn't been on the scale in a while, and I can see why. I wasn't happy with that number and it was easier to avoid the scale than to do something about it. I was sporadically logging my meals into My Fitness Pal, but every day I was going over my recommended calories, so I just stopped logging. I didn't like seeing the message telling me, "If every day was like today, in 4 weeks you would weigh 'xyz'."  I was even more sporadic with my workouts. I "work" as an independent beachbody coach but I had no desire to reach out to others because I myself was struggling. (I say "work" because I was not actively "working" just enjoying the discount on the products that were sitting on my shelf collecting dust).... I had given up. I thought to myself, "If I can't do this, how on Earth am I going to get others to join me and trust me with their results?"  Truth is, it wasn't the programs or the apps or the nutrition that were  failing me...."I" was failing "me" by not being consistent. I had all of the tools necessary to win this thing but I just wasn't sure if I was strong enough to believe I could do it.  I got on the scale that morning on 5/8/2016 and weighed in at 158.6 and I decided I would never see that number again....ever! But I wasn't going to starve; I wasn't going to hurt myself with a crazy workout regime; honestly, I wasn't sure if I would make my goal. I wasn't even sure if I cared enough about the money...I mean it's only $30 right? But the diet bet was more than just the money....it was the thought of "winning".....not just the competition but the idea that I was a "winner" instead of a big, fat, loser.

For the actual weigh in, you are given a "code" word to prevent cheating. My "code word was "lily" and since I started at 158.6, I needed to weigh in at 152.3 in order to "win". That gave me 4 weeks to lose 4%.



The Process-
      At first, I decided to record my weight just so that I could see how much it fluctuated from day to day, and literally from night to day! What I learned was, some mornings I weighed more than the night before! This was usually when I ate right before bed, but still...I never thought I would gain weight in my sleep!!! When I logged my meals daily into My Fitness Pal, I wasn't surprised at what I saw. I logged everything, and I mean everything....that little scoop of ice cream....logged....that shake of PB2 in my shakeology....logged. That 10 minute bicycle ride....logged. At first, I though this was going to be easy, especially when I hit the threshold between losing and winning after day 7. I just have to maintain.....I can do this I thought. But after 4 days, my weight went up a little....not too much, but anything over 152.3 meant I lost...so even 152.4 deemed me a "loser". I felt a little pressure- stress I put on my self.

• "What if I fail?"
• "What if I lose the money?"
• "This is just great...I put it on my credit card...now I have to pay even more....with interest"
• "I should have never even started this"
• were all thoughts going through my head.

I noticed that when my weight was down (around the winning number) I felt energized; I felt great; I felt like I could do this! When my weight went up (and it did- especially when I was stressed- it was the end of the school year by the way and I was busy, busy, busy!), I felt worse; I left like I should just pour another glass of wine; I felt anxiety about failing; I felt depressed for not wanting to do more; I felt like it might just be out of my control. If you look at My Fitness Pal, the days I drank- whether it was wine or beer, I consumed more calories- sometimes over 1,000 more than recommended (my calorie range is around 1,300- and no one is recommended to dip below 1,200 calories despite how much weight you are trying to lose- no starving and no dropping too much weight too fast too soon only to gain it back and more!!!!) With these added calories from alcohol, I was eating more and feeling more and more depressed. Believe me, I love a glass of wine or a cold beer on a hot day, but drinking was doing more harm than good, especially in my problem area- my belly! I noticed that even one drink was causing me to bloat up and the weight would stay up for at least a day or two- sometimes 4 or 5 days! I decided that last week, no more drinking....I could earn one after the last weigh in (and I did indulge....and feel the bloat... and the number on the scale went up!)  But, I made it.....I "won".

Finishing Up-

      I had pretty much decided that this was going to be a one-time thing. I set out to accomplish what I said I would do, and I pretty much went on an emotional roller-coaster- I put myself in a place I didn't really want to be. The game was supposed to be fun, but I turned it into more than just a game...it was a mission. Some missions are good, but some are bad. The fact that I was weighing myself every day and night was not healthy, and the feelings I attached as my weight fluctuated were down right emotionally destructive. I finished my diet bet under my goal- I had lost 8.8 pounds and weighted in at 149.8. I should be happy now, right? No, I'm not...because that's not where I want to be.....but its' a start and I'll take it! :) I thought long and hard about sharing my journey and my struggles- it's not easy. But, I know I'm not alone.....I know there are people out there
that are unhappy with their weight....they attach their feelings to the scale, and they get down when the scale number is up- I know I'm not alone. But, by putting myself out there, I can share in this journey and mission to becoming #InshapeForever with others. I never said it would be easy....I never said you weren't going to have to work.....but your health is worth it.....you are worth it!

Rewards-
     It took me getting out of my comfort zone and trying something new to learn about myself. I now know how my body responds to what I put into it. I wouldn't recommend recording your weight every day like I did- but I did learn that I put way too much pressure on myself and that I put way too much emphasis on what I weigh and how I look. But I know that it's up to me to do something about it and to be a positive role model and lead my daughter into achieving goals in a healthy way....that means physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I decided to do another diet bet, but this one is going to be different- not only because it's only $10 instead of  $30, but because I'm going in with a completely different mindset. I'm recording my weight (for observation and blogging purposes only) and I'm removing my negative feelings. I'm more than I number on the scale.....I am a teacher, a mother, a friend, a coach, and if I can reach my goals....then you can trust me to help you reach yours!

Bio-
The author, Julie Freeze is a high school teacher, independent team beachbody coach and a certified PiYo instructor. In addition to her degree in education, Julie has completed a program in personal nutrition, sports nutrition, and child nutrition as well as personal weight loss.

You can contact her at coachfreezeframe34@gmail.com.

If you would like to follow her on Instagram, she is @:in.shape.forever

You can also follow on FB: In Shape Forever- with Julie Freeze at https://www.facebook.com/freezeframe34/

While she is in no way shape or form promoting for or against Diet Bet, and makes no money off of their diet bets, if you want to join in a game, message her and she may play. If you hit her up at the right time (and the right amount of wine,) she'll definitely be in :) She is currently doing Summer Slimdown which runs until July 3rd. All bets are off July 4th as Julie will be celebrating the wonderful USA in many ways :) She plans to start a healthy round of 21 day fix on June 13th which will end on July 3rd, and she will start up a round of ultimate reset July 11- July 31st. Look for those blog posts to follow after completion of the programs or join in with her! It's never too late to start!

Want a better look at what Julie has been eating?
Send her a request at My Fitness Pal: FreezeFrame34.

Cheers to starting a new diet bet right where the first one left off!!!!

P.S. Many people want to know how much money I won through the diet bet-The pot was $304,410, and there were 10,146 players. Remember you have to lose 4% in 4 weeks to "win" the pot. The company takes 25% to pay their referees, other employees, and adminstrative costs. But if everyone wins, the will eat their costs and you will earn your money back. So if you "win", you'll never lose money. My payout was $48. Since I paid $30 to play, I won $18 and I lost 8 pounds! But, remember, it's not about the money...or the weight...it's about being a winner, learning about yourself, and becoming a better version of you. (But a little extra money is ok too!) 

An Honest Review of Beachbody's '3- Day Refresh'

When the box first arrived at my door, I have to admit....I wasn't exactly too sure I was going to love doing the 3-day Refresh™, which is a program designed by the company, Beachbody®.

A few of my friends had plans to complete the 21 day program called "Ultimate Reset" ™, but I wasn't ready for that yet....I was used to taking baby steps towards my fitness goals.

I had never completed a "cleanse"...."detox"....or any "juice diets" before so I wasn't really sure if I was going to like it....let alone complete the whole thing. But, I had been feeling tired, bloated, and just plain miserable so I decided to give it a try....it's only 3 days, right?

I read over the booklet which came with the program, and I started to feel like maybe I can do this! I wouldn't be starving....I would be eating clean for 3 days....it was something that my body, mind, and soul definitely needed....a break from all of the junk I was feeding it!

I planned to start the program on a Monday; although, I would recommend starting on a Friday so that you have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to complete the program....But, ultimately, the choice is yours! Choose whatever day works best for you!

I went shopping for the foods I would be eating during the program. I was surprised that I didn't spend a ton of money. The foods I purchased were foods that I normally buy; although, they usually go bad before I eat them! This program would be make me be accountable for my spending and food intake! 

The items I bought for myself and used throughout the programs, include:

1 cantaloupe;

3 bananas;

1 pack of grape tomatoes;

1 red onion;

1 package of celery;

1 package of carrots;

2 cucumbers;

fresh green beans;

5 lemons;

water (a gallon of purified water for each day)
1 box of organic green tea 

1 ginger root 

1 container  of hummus

1 avocado (which I learned I do not like!)

The other ingredients I already had available at home, included:

vinegar (apple cider; red wine; balsamic)

Extra virgin olive oil;

Coconut oil;

Himalayan sea salt;

seasonings- chopped basil; chopped parsley; garlic

The 3 Day Refresh™ kit included: 

The program guide (the FYI's on the program as well as lists of allowed foods, recipes, and the daily meal plan.

3 packets of vegan chocolate Shakeology™(the program is also available without shakeology if you already are a Shakeology™ consumer. (If you want to know more about Shakeology™, you need to contact me!) Shakeology™ is consumed for breakfast each day.

3 packets of Fiber Sweep (a blend of soluble and insoluble fibers designed for a healthy digestive system), which is consumed mid-morning each day.

6 packets of Vanilla Fresh (a high protein shake which is dairy and soy- free to help satisfy hunger) , this is consumed with lunch and dinner each day.

The Night Before '3 Day Refresh' ™

I would not recommend what I did the night before "3 day Refresh' ™. Most people would start implementing small changes into their lifestyle, but me? I stayed up late watching tv, snacking on chips and indulging in a few adult beverages....AGAIN....I would not recommend doing that, but I'm only human...and being honest.

When doing the program again, which I definitely will, I will be implementing changes so that my body isn't in too much of a shock going from processed to clean!

Day 1-

8-10 oz. of water after waking up. 

At breakfast time, I wasn't too hungry....remember how I stayed up late, eating and drinking? Yeah, that's why I wasn't hungry...I was still full from the night before :(  But, I decided that I was going to stick with the program, so I made my shake (shakeology), and followed the program from here on out. I also had a banana, which is an approved fruit, followed by a morning tea (organic green tea) and my mid-morning Fiber Sweep. 

Lunch- I had my fruit, vanilla fresh shake, vegetable, and healthy fat (I discovered I REALLY don't like avocado!

Snack- I decided to try the "juice option" and even though it tasted fine, about 10 minutes later, I was wishing I ate something......so I settled on sipping my tea....and waiting until dinner time! 

Dinner- My biggest mistake was making my dinner the night before. I let the tomatoes and cucumber soak in vinegar ALL night. The cucumbers tasted like pickles....about 20 minutes later my stomach was upset because of all of the vinegar (once again...my fault!)

Evening Tea time- I thought I would be in bed early; I started to get tired, but decided to take a bath, and I got a second wind. I then decided to savor my tea and go to bed and be ready for day 2!

Day 2-

8oz. of water after waking up. Today I added freshly squeezed lemon to the mix! 

I didn't complete any workouts during day number one- so I decided I would do a little bit of exploring on #BOD (beachbody on demand). The program suggests light to moderate workouts,  so I decided I would do a little bit of PiYo. The stretching was good and was needed. My body was sore from all of the detoxing.

Breakfast- I was doing better with having shakeology and fruit for breakfast. In the past, I wasn't able to "just have a shake for breakfast." I usually have an upset stomach because of all of the vitamins and minerals...But I think that having the water as soon as I wake up is making it a lot easier on my body! 

Afternoon tea- Organic green tea

Followed by the mid-morning Fiber Sweep. I learned the faster you drink it, the better.....Think mix.....and drink....drink.....drink....The longer you let it sit, the clumpier it gets....

Think drinking sand is awesome???? Yeah me neither! 

P.S. Shake your fiber sweep in your Shakeology™ or other mixing cup....don't try to mix in a water bottle like I did! Adding more water only adds to the amount you still have to swallow, so less water and less waiting...just mix and drink....Trust me....Mix and drink! 

Lunch- Vanilla Fresh shake and lunch options- 1 fruit; 1 vegetable; 1 healthy fat. I opted for cantaloupe, an assortment of vegetables (so I could share with my daughter (and save the rest for snack time), and hummus. I was feeling pretty good after this meal....and had to force myself to eat the snack later on! 

  

Snack- leftovers from lunch: 

Dinner- I was on the go- so I stopped at the grocery store. I should have done better planning for the others in my household for what they would be eating while I was on the 3- day Refresh™ but I didn't. So I decided to hit the store. It was actually easier shopping than I expected. I was in...and out...and I made myself a salad. I didn't use dressing, but added a little bit of salsa on top (although salsa isn't on the list- but it's a lot better than some of the other alternatives.) 

Vanilla Fresh- I consumed around 8pm since I was out and about. I started to get really hungry.....all because I skipped the vanilla fresh. This is one reason why I would not recommend doing a 3-day cleanse without specifically designed products! 

I had my tea late this night- around 11pm and wasn't in bed until around 12:30. I woke up early....around 5am with a bunch of energy....but I was really sore. I decided to drink water, soak in a warm bath, and I took a nap from around 6:30am to 7:30am and I felt a lot better! (More of a reason to try this over a long weekend!) 

Day 3- Last Day! Wahooo! I woke up after my nap feeling like I was going to finish this NO matter what! 

Water after waking up.

Breakfast- I was in a habit now and loving the convenience of having Shakeology™ and a fruit option for breakfast! 

Tea about an hour later. 

Fiber sweep an hour after that. 

Lunch- Cantaloupe, vanilla fresh, water, celery and hummus 

Snack- Home made juice

Afternoon Tea time 

Dinner- Dinner was a little bit of a struggle. I had lemony green beans (recipe from the program guide) and  I was at a function at my church. There were a lot of temptations there- a litany of my favorites: pizza, chicken wings, cookies, salad (with bacon, cheese, and croutons!), and chocolate! But, I was strong and consumed my vanilla fresh shake and green beans knowing that this was the final day and hours....and I was so close that I was not going to give up! 

Evening tea- I decided to work out a little more heavily this evening and I completed a video from my collection of 21DayFix ™ dvds with my friend. After the workout, my friend offered my an adult bevearge, and I politely declined. I was looking forward to seeing my results in the morning, and I wasn't going to let a little (or a BIG) drink get in my way! I had gone this far and I wasn't turning back now!

The next morning! 

Getting on the scale, I was excited to see that I had dropped 3 pounds but I was even more excited to see 4  inches lost overall!  

What I Liked-

I like that the program is focused around teaching you to make healthy choices. I'm not a huge vegetable and fruit eater, but the program made me realize how much my body loves...and even craves healthy foods, not just junk!

I also liked the flexibility; there was numerous meals to chose from; you don't have to eat the same things for 3 days straight. I decided to keep my recipes simple and stick to things I like, but for the next round, I plan to venture out and try something new!

I liked that the program was simple, and that's the way it should be. It was literally fool proof.

My Recommendations-

First, learn from my mistakes, and don't stay up the night before bingeing! Make small changes daily, swap out that burger for a salad, or start drinking Shakeology™ for breakfast!

Write out your meal plan so you know exactly when, where, and what you will be eating! No surprises... and no telling yourself you'll figure it out later! (that's when you're most likely to cheat!)

Get some sleep! Go to bed at a decent time and wake up feeling refreshed! I did the opposite! I tried to stay up late and sleep in....Enjoy this time of "resetting your body" instead of trying to run on "E"!

Don't plan to travel while doing the first round! You don't have to stay confined to your house, but if you are venturing out, make sure you have a plan so you don't give in to temptations...because there will be some....there will always be some! Stay strong! You got this!

Join an accountability group!  You don't have to do this on your own! Take advice from someone who has done the program before! (Like me!) (Want an accountability partner?- Email me! Coachfreezeframe34@gmail.com 

My Results!

Want to join me on my next round of 3-day Refresh ....or learn more about the other programs BeachBody® offers? 

Leave your e-mail below and I'll be in touch!

(OR else Email me- Coachfreezeframe34@gmail.com) 

If I can do this...you can too!

Sharing Equals Success!

This has to be one of the top scariest thing I've ever done.

Oh, I've taken "before" photographs in the past.....many......many, times.

And I usually hope that no one sees them. I keep them until I've hit my "goal" or my "after", and then I share....and then if things don't go as planned, then I delete, delete, delete!

But, this time is different!

Honestly, the only thing scarier than taking "before" pictures and hoping that no one sees them is actually knowingly and willingly sharing them!

Yes, that's why it's one of the top scariest things I've ever done.

Why is it SOOOO scary?

It's scary because there in no "after" picture.....yet!

Why would I want to share my "before" pictures before I have my "after" pictures?

My Top Reason- There isn't anything in the world that will make you more accountable than knowing that you're sharing your story and pictures in real time!

I am SO sure that I will have amazing results that I'm not waiting until the "after"; I'm sharing the "before" and the "currently"....

I am ready to complete my programs the way they were designed to be completed. And that means for me:

• Working out when I would rather not

• Making smarter decisions and eating cleaner

• Realizing when I am hungry vs- stressed, bored, tired, thirsty

• Making time instead of trying to find time (If you're looking for extra time, you'll never find it....Believe me, I've looked for it everywhere!) 

• Sharing my successes and failures with others who may have been in the same situation before or are currently struggling.

 I know I've been personally guilty of looking at "before" and "after" pictures and wondering if they have been altered, re-imaged; if they were really done in the time frame they said; or if the pictures were even the same person.

I'm hoping that when I have my "after" pictures, I won't be the same person.
I won't be the same person who is tired of being tired.
I won't be the same person who is asked by strangers if they are pregnant.
I won't be the same person who is told the only way to lose their belly fat is to get a tummy tuck.
I won't be the same person who is destined to be a certain shape.

I am ready to work hard and see REAL results in REAL time!
If you want to follow my journey, and see my daily pictures....starting today 1/1/15, then feel free to follow on instagram at: instagram.com/in.shape.forever/

Don't be afraid to share your journey from start to finish!
Don't wait until you hit your perfect "after" pictures to share your story!

 No matter where you are starting from....or where you want to go.....success will happen when you share!

Even if you're not ready to share pictures, don't be afraid to:

• Share your ideas
• Share your goals with family and friends
• Share inspiration
• Share motivation
• Share recipes! 

Thanks for joining me on this mission to become #inshapeforever!

Happy New Year!