Julie's Before/After Pics Posted!

*As of 3/26, I have posted our new Before/After pics and taken those swimsuit and Nathan's shirtless pics off of here! :D


Can't believe I actually put those horrible, embarrassing, gosh-awful pictures on here! Nathan has been on me to do it for weeks now, since I put his on here, and I just kept putting if off...I so terribly HATE that swimsuit.  I normally donate my no-longer-worn clothing to Goodwill but this one went straight to the garbage!! NO ONE should EVER, EVER, EVER wear that swimsuit.  EVER!!! ha! It's HIDEOUS! And so were those thighs, butt, gut! ICK!! Anyhow, there up on my page now, out there to hopefully inspire someone and not make anyone ill. :)

Product Spotlight: Suddenly Slim Cleansing & Weight Loss Program

When Nathan and I decided we were tired of carrying around extra weight and feeling run down all the time, we decided what was best for us was to try the Suddenly Slim! Cleansing & Weight Loss Program from First Fitness Nutrition.  We didn't just happen upon this product and say "Hey, let's give this a try!" Rather, over a span of two to three years, we watched some friends of ours totally transform their bodies and keep the weight off.  So we knew it could work, but could it really work for us?  After researching it further and asking MANY questions from our friends who'd used the products, we too decided it could work for us.  This is something we could do! We decided that we could commit to 30 days and just see where it took us.  After THREE days, we were completely amazed! In as little as three days, we were seeing changes in our bodies and on the scales.  AND we were getting to eat real food, REAL BUTTER PEOPLE!! :) We weren't having to count calories or fat grams, and we weren't going hungry-we were satisfied and feeling great.   We would get up in the mornings, look in the mirror and say "Holy cow! It's melting off in our sleep!!"  It was great!

Now that we have lost the weight (I JUST BOUGHT MY FIRST SIZE 6 JEANS SINCE HIGH SCHOOL!!)  we have so much more energy and actually want to be active!  We feel better about ourselves, have more energy and have a renewed zest for life.  -and shopping!! :)

Here's the "skinny" on this kit:

Dieting is a multi-billion dollar industry. And the problem with most diets is that they provide only temporary solutions to weight challenges. Another ongoing issue is that many diets may require you to drop out of life, while you fulfill the requirements of a strange new, fad diet, that is unrealistic and that you cannot incorporate into your daily life. Therefore, once again you have only a temporary solution. But to maintain a healthy weight loss, one must adapt the basic tenets of a healthy diet, improving your metabolism, and ridding your body of excess toxins.

The Suddenly Slim Cleansing and Weight Loss Program is a proven and effective method to lose weight and maintain your weight loss. Developed by nutritional experts, scientists and medical doctors, Suddenly Slim is designed to produce results-fast!

3 Powerful Products:

The Suddenly Slim! Program is made up of 3 Powerful Products designed to cleanse and detoxify, reduce hunger, increase energy and provide optimal metabolic function.

-Reneu-

An advanced inner body care formulation using all natural herbs to support the cleansing and detoxification of the body, which helps optimize your weight loss

-Slim 'N Up!-

 A nutrient-rich herbal formula that helps reduce hunger

 and increase energy. Enjoy increased vitality—while losing excess stored body fat.

-Body FX-

A delicious, meal-replacement “shake” with scientifically

 balanced nutrients for optimal metabolic function. Available in Tropical Crème & Chocolate Paradise

Product Spotlight: Gone 4 Good

Here's another product spotlight! This is an awesome product called Gone4Good.  It's a weight loss accelerator that has really helped me to take the weight off.  This is also a product I am SO GLAD I have on hand with the holidays coming up.  It'll soon be my BEST FRIEND when I'm getting ready to partake in the holiday spread of endless goodies! :)  So here's what it is and what it does:

Are you:

• Frustrated with your weight loss efforts and want

quicker results?

• Thinking about giving up, since all of your weight loss

efforts are not giving you the body you want?

• Dieting and exercising, yet you still cannot seem to lose

weight in certain places?

The Problem:

Losing weight can be very frustrating. However, for some people, there

are just areas where they cannot lose, despite their intense weight loss

and exercise efforts. This leaves them discouraged that they cannot

change their body image, no matter what they do. Eventually, after all

their efforts, they see no difference and they give up altogether. Thus

begins the added weight and inches, and the frustration cycle just keeps

going. In the meantime, their overall health continues to diminish as they

add even more weight and are too discouraged to try dieting again.

The Solution:

Gone4Good is the perfect solution for those who struggle with stubborn,

hard-to-lose fat. It accelerates weight loss and helps you lose unwanted

pounds and inches permanently.

Gone4Good is specifically designed to work synergistically with both the Suddenly

Slim 10-day and 30-day programs.

With its unique ingredients, Gone4Good changes the way your body

digests and metabolizes the foods that you eat to help you lose weight.

Gone4Good is a unique weight loss product that practically every

overweight person can benefit from using.

The Results

Gone4Good is designed to:

• Lower the Glycemic Index of foods at mealtime

• Helps reduce the absorption of fats and carbs

• Boosts the metabolism process in the body

• Help diminish hunger

• Improves glucose tolerance

• Support increased lean body mass and help reduce calories

• Helps get rid of stubborn fat

Before/After Pictures!

Check out Nathan's page by clicking the tab at the top! He let me post his before and after pictures! :)
I've not posted mine yet...unfortunately, I took my before pics with NO makeup on, yucky hair and it looks AWFUL! (Because I said it really didn't matter, no one would EVER see the pictures!) When I can figure out how to edit in some makeup and clean, fixed hair, I'll post them. Let me take a little time to get my pride and ego in check first.  :-D

The Holidays Are Quickly Approaching! Eeek!!!

Did you know...
There are only 2 months and 17 days until THANKSGIVING?! Only 3 months and 18 days until CHRISTMAS??!!!
And only 3 months and 25 days until we start a NEW YEAR?!

It seems unreal how quickly 2011 is passing! The holiday season is knocking at our back door.  I am so glad that I am entering the holiday season and winter months with all that extra weight I was carrying LONG GONE! 

During the fall and winter season, I always add on a few (or QUITE A FEW!!) extra pounds, as do many people. This year Nathan and I will be starting the season with a leg up on the scales!  And if we do start to see the pounds creeping up on us, we will have our FirstFitness products right there to help us shed them just as quickly as we put them on.  It's a great feeling knowing that I'll be entering my favorite time of year with all the tools I'll need to keep those pestering pounds away!

There is still time for YOU to lose that extra weight too and enter the holiday season feeling great and loving your new appearance AND your smaller clothing! :D  I've said all along, if I can do it (a sugar junkie, carb addict, food's #1 fan) anybody can!!  And, GREAT day in the MORNING, I've been proven right over and over again by our fellow travelers who've also been meeting their goals and losing those pounds and inches! 

Don't wait till the "right time" because it'll never come.  Start today and be "Suddenly Slim" tomorrow!

Product Profile: Body FX!

There are so many great products that FirstFitness Nutrition offers, not only for weight loss, but also for general wellness and exercise enhancement.  In this post, I want to spotlight one of their weight loss enhancing products called Body FX. 

Body FX is a delicious meal replacement shake, scientifically formulated to give you the nutrition of a complete meal.  It provides a healthy "fast food" option that tastes GREAT, is good for you, and fills you up!  It is an absolute FAVORITE among those who are currently doing the Suddenly Slim program.  I can't tell you how many people have commented on how great they taste and how much they love them! Everyone I know, who has completely their 30 days, has decided to keep this product on hand and continue using it as a quick breakfast or even to use as a replacement at lunch or dinner time when they're trying to cut back on calories.  They are THAT GOOD! :)

Aside from just TASTING good, they are also good for you! "Body FX supplies the ideal amounts of biological usable proteins, low-glycemic index carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals for weight management and optimal health."  They are also perfectly formulated for diabetics or people who have issues with their blood sugar levels.  The sugars in Body FX are time released, thus eliminating that burst of "sugar high" that leaves you "bottoming out" within a couple of hours. 

Before starting the Suddenly Slim program and using the Body FX shakes that come with it, I was having trouble with my sugar on a daily basis.  No matter what I ate for breakfast, within about two hours I would start feeling weak, shaky, and just SICK.  My sugar would drop too low and I would have to grab a snack right quick (something sugary) to help bring it back up quickly.  Since starting these shakes for breakfast, I've not had that happen one single time! 

The Body FX shakes are part of the Suddenly Slim 30 day weight loss program.  To see more about the Suddenly Slim program or Body FX, you can visit the website at www.firstfitness.com/julieholland

Just a few other facts about Body FX:

• Body FX helps people lose weight by providing a controlled amount of calories and fat in a recommended portion.
• Biologically usable proteins with the optimal ratio of essential amino acids help the body form healthy new cells and tissues.
• Low Glycemic Index carbohydrates assist the body in generating sustained energy without causing an excessive amount of insulin secretion.
• Essential fatty acids enhance the production of beneficial Eicosanoids or short term superhormones, that control virtually every physiological function in the body.

Testimonials and Other Updates

A new "Testimonials" tab is up! I have had so many great responses from everyone who has started the Suddenly Slim 30 day program since we have.  I have  shared a few of the emails and messages I've received from them under this "Testimonials" tab.  It's SO GREAT to hear how this is working for others like it has for Nathan and I, and to hear how excited they are about their weight loss and their "new" bodies!  It's such a great feeling to know you're helping others feel great about themselves and also to hear how they've found the motivation and energy to start exercising!!

Nathan's tab has been updated with his measurements now.  He lost a grand total of 16 inches! I have also updated more totals on the "Fellow Travelers" page.   Some of these have just blown me away! "19 lbs in 11 days; 20 lbs in 18 days; 16 inches in 11 days!" WOW!!

Nathan and I are starting our second phase this week so that we can get to our goal weights.  Nathan will be there this week, as he only has a few lbs to go to get there.  I should reach mine in a couple more weeks. :D    SO EXCITING!!

DAY 30! WOO-HOO!!

Today marks our 30th day on the Suddenly Slim program! Although we have completed this phase and have had AWESOME success with it, we're going to keep going and lose even more!

Here are my stats as of Day 30!
Weight lost: 12.2 lbs
Inches lost:  16
I've gone down 2 pants sizes and from a large top to medium!  IN THIRTY DAYS!! :D 

Nathan's stats as of Day 30!
Weight lost: 15.8 lbs
Inches lost:
He has gone from wearing XL shirts to L.  He hasn't bought new pants yet but he will have to soon, as his are very cinched up with his belt.  His measurements aren't listed because he left for work this morning at 4am and his "measurer" doesn't do 4am! :) Updated inches coming soon!

We are really excited about our "new bodies" and look forward to the coming days when we get to our goal weights!!

Feeling blessed and grateful for FirstFitness Nutrition and to Bryan and Penny Fox for giving us this awesome opportunity!

You too can join us and the other "fellow travelers"on this journey! It's easy and fun! -never heard losing weight described THAT way before, have you! :)  If you're interested in hearing more about the Suddenly Slim program or any of the FirstFitness Nutrition products, send me a message on facebook or to julieholland1@gmail.com.

Check out our Fellow Travelers tab-several updates made there with current stats.  They are all doing GREAT!! Nothing quite like getting a message from them with their new "totals" and seeing their excitement!!  "THIS STUFF IS AWESOME!" :)

Updates!

I finally found some time today to make some updates to the totals on our personal pages and also for our "fellow travelers!"  

Today is mine and Nathan's 26th day on the program so yesterday was our day 25 weigh in day.  Nathan was out of town yesterday so he didn't get to measure yet but he has lost 13.8 lbs!  He is no longer wearing size XL shirts, he is now wearing a large. Hasn't been there since college! He hasn't bought new pants yet...just cinching 'em up with his belt. ha! I have to fix the creases in the back to try to hide it.  I am so proud of how well he has done even with being on the road and away from home so much with work and the Guard.  He looks great!  

I have lost 11 lbs and 14 3/4 inches.  More exciting to me is that I've gone down 2 pants sizes!! TWO!! AHHH!!! I'm also not wearing size large in tops anymore, yes, you heard me right...I'm a medium! :) I'm really excited about it, if you couldn't tell.  Not long ago, before starting this program, I was rubbing my elbow and felt this little pooch of fat...ON MY ELBOW! WHAAAT??? HOW? LORD, WHY THERE TOO? -my thoughts.  I've said goodbye to those tag-alongs! Also, women can relate to me with this one-men, stop reading and scroll down...you remember waking up one morning and realizing that your pillows had attached themselves to your back?  Just above or below (or BOTH!) your bra strap? Those mean, ugly pillows that make your shirts look bumpy in the back? Yep, I had them too.  Key word "HAD"...My "pillows" are back in my bed where they belong...not sneaking up under my shirts anymore! :D (big smile for that one!!)

I'm just in awe that it has been possible to make this kind of  change in our bodies in 25 days! And it's been easy! When you're literally seeing the weight and inch loss right before your eyes, it's so motivating to keep it up.  And also watching our "fellow travelers" experience it too has been just awesome! Hearing how great they are feeling and how they're seeing a difference in their clothes just gives Nathan and I such satisfaction and joy.  We have one who is a diabetic and has been able to decrease her insulin by half!! That's even more gratifying than the weight & inches she's lost.  Nothing else I can say about it...just EXCITING!

Way To Go Peeps!!

I'm not sure there is anything more exciting to me right now than watching Nathan and I drop pounds and inches and begin to look good in our clothes again...EXCEPT being able to see the same results in others as well, and being able to share in their joy of their new, slimmer bodies!  Every update I get, it's like it's happening to me too.  I am so proud of our "Fellow Travelers" and their success stories in the making! And I'm thrilled to know it has been an easy process for them, like it has been for us. 

WAY TO GO GIRLS & GUYS!!

Nathan & I  get to weigh and measure again on Saturday.  That will be our day 18.  BUT, we've actually been getting on the scales every morning- 'cause we're impatient like that. :) This morning, before starting our day 16, Nathan was down 11.8 lbs!!  I was down 10 lbs! Anxious to see the inch loss too on Saturday.  Yesterday I tucked in a shirt for the first time in like FOREVER! And I wasn't self conscious thinking my belly was sticking out. :-0 I'm also beginning to actually LIKE my upper arms! Really?!? Sleeveless shirts have been a no!-no! for me since, I don't know, 10th GRADE!! :)

Day 10-Down AGAIN!

So, you're beginning to see a repetitive theme going here on this page...isn't it GREAT?!?! If you're doing this with us, you know exactly what I'm talking about because you're feeling the excitement TOO!!  EEEEEEE!!!!!!  :) (That'd be a high pitched squeal...NOT resembling that of a pig, not anymore anyway!!)

Today starts our 11th day.  That means this morning was our weigh and measure day again.  After 10 days, (TEN DAYS, I TELL YA!!!) I'm down 7.4 lbs and, get this!, 11 1/4 inches! And I still have 20 days to go.  
The plan encourages you to exercise daily, and I did ATTEMPT to walk one day. Loaded the "littles" in the double stroller and the two big girls got on their bikes.  We made it about two houses down and a bike tire was too low to ride, (whine,whine, whine) so we came back home and put it up; she decided to walk so the other one got on a scooter.  Off again...this time we made it about 4 houses down and the scooter rider decided she didn't want to ride it anymore, the handle bars were "NOT WORKING RIGHT!" (tears and wailing!).  All the while the other one is crying because it's "just SOOOO hot" and she "just can't go ANY further!" So, back home once more!  You see why I've been a bit hesitant about getting out and walking again...

Updates on Nathan coming soon! He's still doing great too!

ONE WEEK DOWN!

Tonight we're wrapping up our 7th day on the program!  It's still going great! We feel awesome and are consistently losing pounds and inches daily.  Each day I look in the mirror and I'm amazed at the visual difference I can see.  Nathan & I just look at each other with big grins and go "Seriously?! Can you BELIEVE this?!!"  We've been surprised that we've not missed some of the bad eating habits we had become accustomed to either.  We are loving the changes we are seeing in ourselves!  Today I tore apart chick-fil-a chicken nuggets for Macy to eat, and though it was very tempting to take a bite, I did NOT! I ate my own NON-FRIED chick-fil-a lunch and I S U R V I V E D !!!  And I was still happy! It was an accomplishment. :)

I love how we're getting down to our goal weight quickly (nothing like instant gratification!!) and learning in the process a better way to eat.  Once we've reached our goal weight and move on to maintenance, we will know exactly how we need to eat to stay healthy and maintain our (skinny :))weight.

I've updated our totals on our individual pages to show today's weight & measurement checks.  I've also added a new page of "Fellow Travelers" ...those who have decided to do this with us and I'll be posting their progress for you to see as well. 

For more information on the program & products we're using, feel free to contact me any time or visit the website www.firstfitness.com/julieholland

SHOWDOWN! Julie VS Roadhouse Rolls!

We like to go out to eat on Sundays after church. We try to make the decision of where we're going to go on Saturday night, so that when we're leaving church Sunday morning with hungry tummys, we can just GO and not have to discuss it or decide who wants what, etc...(cuts down on arguments & irritations!) 

We started talking about our options and realized that really, we could go anywhere-our options weren't that restricted. We settled on Roadhouse because WE CAN HAVE STEAK ON THIS PROGRAM!! :)  Not long after making that decision, it hit me...those HUGE, warm, butter slathered rolls that they'll bring to the table upon our arrival.  "We'll just tell them not to bring them, thus eliminating the temptation and possible caving," I reasoned to myself. DONE! Problem Solved!  Sure, we'd have to talk the kids into being okay with no rolls; but they'd be okay with just eating the peanuts.

We get to the restaurant, "Holland, party of 6, one highchair, one booster seat, please & thank you."  There's no line (yay!) but we're told they only have one table they can put a highchair at and it's taken.  No problem, we understand we're a group, we'll wait.  30 minutes later, we're still sitting there wrestling with the agitated little ones and we're getting not so patient any more.  So they bring our whining babies a few packages of crackers.  Those keep them occupied for a few more minutes but not long.  FINALLY we're seated with big apologies from the manager.  Then our waitress comes over in a rushed fit and says "I'm sorry but they just sat me with several large tables, y'all are gonna have to wait a few minutes before I can get your drinks and orders!"  Before we could protest, she was GONE.  Nathan and I just look at each other in amazement.  Seriously?!?! Well, in an attempt to make up for it, the waitress sends the hostess to the kitchen & she comes back to our table with TWO overflowing baskets of...ROLLS!! I'm thinking "NOOOOO, DON'T DO IT TO ME!!"  I know our kids are really hungry at this point and we're about to have a few major melt downs so we say thank you (and to myself, LORD give me strength!)  **Let me interrupt right quick and say, we CAN have bread on this program, but not yet.**

I'll spare you the rest of the story of our not-so-great-experience at Roadhouse...yes, there were MORE blunders and mishaps that occurred, leaving us in shock that so much could go wrong with ONE table, while we just sat there, watching it all unfold in amazement.

ANYWAY, we left full and happy AND without putting one bite of those luscious rolls into our mouths! (those steaks & grilled veggies were the best things we've ever eaten! We were REALLY hungry! :) )

We were proud of ourselves for resisting the temptation.  I believe part of what helped me to resist it was the fact that I am already losing weight & inches, and seeing a difference in my clothes and in the mirror!! after only 4 days of this program.  It's just amazing and so motivating to keep going when we're practically watching the pounds and inches fall off every day! Also, knowing that we're not putting any "drugs" into our bodies to do it and we're eating things that are good and also good for us!  Where's the "PRAISE" button on this thing!?! 

Starting Day 6 today! BRING IT ON! Can't wait to take a look at the scale tomorrow morning! ...did I REALLY just say that??

Starting Day 4 with a WEIGHT CHECK!

Never thought I'd EVER say "Whoo-hoo, it's weigh in day!" -well, sarcastically maybe, but not SERIOUSLY.  This morning, I did!  I had a hard time going to sleep last night just thinking about it and getting so excited.  The reason I was excited was because I KNEW I had lost pounds and inches just from the difference I was seeing in my clothes.  (IN 3 DAYS!!)

Nathan likes to sleep in a little later on Saturday mornings usually.  Not this morning...he got up and went straight to the bathroom scale. Ha! He came back & said "Get up! Go weigh!" So I stopped hiding my excitement, jumped up and headed for the scale.  Afterward, we both stood there in the bathroom looking at each other with cheesy grins, like "Are you believing this?!!" Then I took off to get the measuring tape-the part I was MOST looking forward to!

Okay, here's the part you're probably waiting for.  I won't stall any longer and tell you all about how we argued... "NO, my WAIST is HERE-not there!! This is where you measured me the first time!" etc... SO, we've been doing this for three days; today started our fourth day and Nathan is down 4.6 lbs and 6 inches! I am down 3.4 lbs and 5 3/4 inches!  THAT'S JUST IN THREE DAYS!! We are really excited about our progress and how easy it has been.  (ahem, no exercising! ...well, actually I did walk a little one day but that was it.)

Aside from being thrilled about our own progress, I am SO looking forward to seeing the others who've decided to join us in the past couple of days reach their weight loss goals too.  It's going to be awesome celebrating our accomplishments together!!  This is SO MUCH FUN!!

We're About to Lose our Britches!

Not much was new on Day 2...except...MY SHORTS WERE LOOSE!! AHHH! Is it possible to see a difference in your clothes after only two days of the program?? YES! I was thrilled when I got dressed to go to a friend's house last night and my shorts, which are usually snug and hugging my behind and upper thighs, probably a bit too tightly, did not hug so tightly this time! I immediately noticed a difference as soon as I put them on.  So exciting!! <<Happy Happy Joy Joy>>

Gettin' through day three today.  Nathan and I were excited to start today because 1. we haven't cheated, and it hasn't been hard not to...we've SO got this! and 2. we get to eat MEAT today! whoop whoop!! (sigh...it's the little things...) :)

We're also starting a new product tonight called Gone4Good. (Love that name!) It's an all natural glycemic regulator, calorie reducer and fat metabolizer.  We take it before dinner and basically it will lower the glycemic index of the food we eat, reduce the absorption of carbs, enhance our metabolism, enhance lean body mass and reduce calories.  Just another step that'll get us closer to reaching our goal!

Goodbye Day 1!

We have made it through day one successfully! :) No cheating...and it was easy!  There was one moment when I really REALLY wanted to make just a tiny little exception...as I was putting Doritos on the kid's lunch plates, one little chip fell off the plate in front of me, as if to say "Here you go, EAT ME!" But, I didn't! Yay me! :) And then there was also the Fruit Loop incident that ALMOST happened.  All in all, it was a good day, I didn't feel slighted in the least as far as food was concerned and I had lots of energy.  So did Nathan...and poor thing was stuck at his desk most of the day.  Pretty sure he either had a pen tapping or a knee bouncing. :)

Day 1 Underway!

Nathan woke me up this morning, apparently excited to get going with our first day.  It was before 7am, raining outside, and I was not so eager to get up in those conditions! (brief interjection: I'm not opposed to being up before 7am, or when it's raining, but NOT when I've had to be up several times during the night with children.) So after about three times of him coming and trying to wake me up, I dragged it out of bed and staggered to the kitchen.  NOT to start making his breakfast...first things first COFFEE!!

We were both pleasantly surprised with the shakes we drank for breakfast...they were SO GOOD!! (And I don't like shakes-unless they're from Sonic and chocolate and contain enough calories to last you two weeks.) It was filling by itself, but we also got to have a piece of fruit with it, so by all means...  I'm anxious to see how this first day goes & how we're feeling by the end of it. 

I'm going to have to watch myself though...this morning I grabbed the box of Fruit Loops from the pantry for Macy, noticed another child had left the box open, so to make sure they weren't stale, I got one out and popped it in my mouth.  About mid-chew I realized what I had done.  I raced to the trash can and spit it out as fast as I could! CRAP, I almost  sabotaged it before I even got started good!  (OK, I don't think ONE fruit loop would've "sabotaged" the whole thing, but I'm OCD like that. Got to do it RIGHT!)

So, we're off! On our way to losing pounds & inches and to a healthier, feel-better us!

Here we GO!

Tomorrow we will begin our adventure to a healthier, THINNER, us! We can hardly wait to get started and are excited to see how much we can lose and how much better we're going to feel...even within the first few days! We are looking forward to seeing how FirstFitness Nutrition is going transform us! 

We will attempt to update this blog daily, or every few days, with how things are going, how we're feeling, etc... These updates will be posted here on the home page.  More  personal "stats" such as weight & inches lost will be posted on our personal pages, listed "Julie" and "Nathan", on the tabs above.  You can also find out more about the products we're using to help us reach our goals on our personal pages.

If you'd like to know more about FirstFitness Nutrition, visit our website at www.firstfitnessnutrition.com/julieholland