Cinchspiration-My Journey to a Healthier Me

The year 2012 will be known as “The Year I Took Care of Me”. This isn’t a selfish statement at all, it is an important one. As a busy, working, homeschooling mom my life has focused on my kids, my husband and my ministries for years. While these are all great and admirable things, I let myself go.

A Recap of My Story

In January of 2012 I weighed close to 240lbs, I was anemic and had been for about 3 years, I had female issues (which caused the anemia) and I had honestly given up hope of ever being the vibrant, healthy woman I had once been. In January, I finally found a doctor who agreed that my female issues were probably the cause of my anemia. On February 29th I had a hysterectomy after about 6 weeks of recovery, I felt MUCH better than I had in years. My iron levels were back to normal after about 2 months and I was deemed no longer anemic by my doctor.

The beginning of May I started exercising for the first time in years, because I was no longer always tired from being anemic. On May 24th I saw a post online about Shaklee Cinch looking for 50 female bloggers to be a part of a 6th month weight loss program. I researched the Cinch products and felt that this would be a program I could commit to so I applied. The deadline for applications was May 25th, my 48th birthday!

On June 2nd I signed on to Twitter and saw a tweet from a friend of mine congratulating me for being chosen, along with her, as a Team Cinchspiration blogger! Sure enough, my life was about to change for the better. My first box of Cinch products arrived the day before I flew to Charlotte, NC for Type-A Parent Conference. It was a bit of a stressful start but it was great to meet our teams faithful leader Sommer Poquette at Type-A.

During the first 3 weeks of the program, I was awesome! I was eating well and exercising daily. I totally felt like a new woman. Then on July 11th I was involved in a freak accident. A 100+ pound television fell off its cabinet and hit me on the head. Due to that injury I wan’t allowed to exercise at all for a week and then only walking, no lifting or strength training. My doctor told me this week I can finally add some resistance training back into my workouts, 5 months after my injury! I know that this lack of weight/resistance training has hindered my weight loss and inch loss efforts but I know it has been much more important for my neck and shoulders to heal properly than it was to disobey doctor’s orders and possibly do permanent damage.

Six months later I still LOVE my Cinch Shakes, Meal replacement Bars and Snack Bars. I’m in the process of re-working my food budget so that I can continue to have my favorite Cinch products as a part of my daily routine. Six months later and I actually enjoy exercising! It is a great stress relief and energy booster. For Christmas I actually have an exercise DVD and a Wii game on my wish list so I can change up my exercise routine in the new year.

If you are new to my Cinchspiration Story you can click the link and read all the details!

What I’ve Lost

When I started the Cinch program my goals for this 6 months were to lose 30 pounds and complete my first 5k. I have lost 17 pounds and I have completed my first 5k and I am doing another one this week! Slow and steady wins the race has been my mantra through this part of my weight loss journey. I haven’t lost as much weight as I wanted but my accident seriously help up my exercise goals. I have gone from a size 22 to a size 18…almost 16!

What I’ve Gained

I have gained a self-respect that disappeared when I hit 200lbs many years ago. I have gained a love of exercise, something I never thought would happen. I have gained a love of new foods, my palate has changed a lot in the last six months. Several unhealthy foods that I used to love now don’t even taste good! I have gained control over my eating. I have gained new friends. The other ladies who have been part of the Cinchspiration Bloggers have become friends in a way that can only happen when you share a life changing experience. I have gained health. My cholesterol levels are better, I don’t have the exact numbers though.  I have gained energy and stamina. This has been most evident on our frequent trips to Walt Disney World. My family no longer has to slow down or wait for me as we walk through the parks. I can now keep up the pace with my teenagers throughout marathon Disney days! I don’t feel like I have failed in any way. I have stayed on program, I will continue on program and I will continue reaching towards my goals in the new year.

Cinch

No weight loss program is a quick fix. I have tried several, some multiple times. No matter which “program” you choose you need to be committed to changing your life. For me, Cinch meant making shakes for breakfast and sometimes lunch, switching form 2% milk to vanilla almond milk, eating a meal replacement bar for lunch and a snack bar when I got the evening munchies. It meant continuing to drink water and lots of it and changing what and how much I eat at dinner. It also meant rearranging my schedule so that I can add exercise. Cinch is easy to do and the products are delicious so that is the easy part. After six months on the program I am a believer, if you need to get healthier I would love for you to join me on the Cinch journey.

Thanks

Thank you to Sommer Poquette and Shaklee for choosing me for this opportunity. Thanks to my husband for his unwavering support and always greeting me outside when I come home from a jog. Thanks to my kids who have supported me and cheered me on. Thanks to my church friends and family who tell me how great I look each week :-). Thanks to my online family who has left me comments on my blog, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube cheering me on. To each of you I am forever grateful for the role you have had in literally giving me my life back. Words cannot express the gratitude I feel in my heart.

This is a sponsored post as part of the Shaklee Corporation’s Team #Cinchspiration Campaign. I have received free products, online support and incentives for participating. My opinions are my own.  “Results and experiences are unique for each person, so results may vary. People following the weight loss portion of Shaklee 180 can expect to lose 1-2 pounds a week.”