A friend by any other name...

Howdy all! It's been too long since my last blog -  my brains going to explode.

So the other day, someone said to me: "Wow, you have so many friends!"
    
And I thought: "Wow Pam, you do have a lot of friends. I must be really likeable!" Then I thought: "But wait Pam, those people aren't all your friends - we're just friend-ly." I have lots of acquaintances, co-workers, associates, partners, friends of friends, etc….I think we use the word friend because it's easy. One syllable that flows off the tongue; those other words are just to difficult to slide in easily into casual conversations. So let's take a moment and delve lightly into the meaning of this word: friend.

Just as some of us (read: me) want to think we're easily likeable because we have so many friends, it's also a compliment to others when you call them friend. You instantly convey the impression to them that, hey, I like you and I'll be there for you - welcome to my circle of trust. A friend of a friend instantly becomes your friend. Parents of your children's friends are automatically your friends…we're friends with the family… our family likes your family. But what happens after the children are grown up or they themselves are no longer friends? What happens when one of the kids (yours or theirs) acts like a spoiled brat and ruins it for everyone? Behave yourself - the whole family friendship is at stake! Those friendships definitely serve their purpose, but are rarely lifelong. And what about all those other categories of friendship? Best friends? Sister friends? Bromances? (LOL - gotta love that one). Frenenemies anyone???

When does an acquaintance cross that invisible line into friendship? Apparently, for a lot of people, it's upon drinking and/or eating with each other. Having one light and entertaining conversation will suffice, thank you. Does this mean that person will hold your hair while you puke? Don't think so. They may do you the favor of looking for your friends who will rush to your side. (Although, that does bring up a story about a total stranger on a boat who got seasick and I was the only one who would hold the bucket for her and the towel over her head to give her some privacy…but, that was just because she was 90ish and I was stuck next to her…and I definitely wasn't looking to be her friend; I just wanted to get her off the boat in one piece.)

Friend has just as many complications as the word love (i.e., - I love that movie, this car, my dog, my husband, child, and I really love that purse!). Seriously, English is one of the most complicated languages on earth and we can't come up with better words to define our friendly relationships? Or is it that we don't want to define those relationships to closely? If you call someone friend - doesn't it make it so? Doesn't that mean they have to be there for you? Nope. Call them anything you like. We all know what a true friend is - hey there's an idea: true-friend - trufend… uhhhm, let's keep working on that one.

I'm now involved in a new business that is all about making new friends - learning how to connect with others - people in your new network, strangers and reconnecting with family and friends you've lost touch with. I'm all for this as it opens up my world for new friends, but I'm pretty darn loyal to my real friends (and you know who you are); the people who stuck with us through our financial devastations from this economy, who've watched us lose our businesses and home and still called (frequently) to check on us, invite us to dinner, provide a shoulder to lean on, took us out for fun events, offered to help us move, you name it - we could be confident that if we needed help their was always someone on the other end of the phone who would come at a moment's notice. We're blessed with a wonderful circle of friends.

As Dr. Wayne Dyer says, "Circumstance don't define a man. They reveal him." This is true of your friends too.

That's the definition of a trufrend. And I love them.

Bear hugs,
Pam
P.S. We're at 105 pounds lost between us, 5 more pounds and we'll have lost our daughter-in-law.

"Hey - you can use that in your blog!"

Great mood today; yesterday, not so much. You just ever have one of those days when you can't quite put your finger on what it is, but you feel like you could internally combust and just leave a smoking hole in your office chair? Mind you, it wasn't all day, just the first half. Even lunch (which I usually look forward to as yummy!) was disappointingly bland. My taste buds were on hiatus, and that's as rare as seeing the northern lights from Vegas. But, as always happens, a new day dawned and I'm back. Taste buds anticipating tasty lunch.

Anyhoooo, I thought I'd share with you today some of the comments I've been getting from my friends/family/acquaintenances on their ISA experience. Lately, I keep hearing the phrase "hey - you can use that in your blog!" which delights me - give me all your random thoughts, happenings, and feelings and I'll transform them into the written (pat self on back) word. As you know by now, Lendall and I have been on Isagenix for 2 1/2 months. He's lost 45 pounds and I hit 26 today. Yay! Several of the comments relate to our personal experience with the product, but it's so much better when others affirm our journey with personal stories. So here we go:

Stamina:

"I can't believe how much quicker I'm recovering from my hot yoga classes at night. I was so groggy afterwards." (Little thing; size zero. I felt so sorry for her inability to withstand the pretzel poses for too long…breaks your heart.)

"I've been parking farther and farther away from wherever my destination is to get some walking in, it feels great just to motivated to do that!" (doing that too)

Skin:

"My skin feels fantastic! I haven't had a zit in ages."

"I think my skin feels better already!" (This was after two weeks of IsaWater)

"I haven't had an outbreak of eczema in weeks. I didn't relate this to the Isagenix until last night. After using it for months."
(This is my experience too; eczema runs in the women in the family on the back of our scalps - and I didn't think about it until this other person commented on it. I haven't had an outbreak in weeks either!)

General stuff said to me:

Personally: my gall bladder doesn't hurt anymore (one attack for no apparent reason). For this I am very thankful….

"I feel so good, that if I didn't have my water and a blender or IsaShaker bottle handy I'd just eat the powder!" (This one totally cracked me up as it came from someone who's generally pretty quiet and not easily excitable.)

"My allergies aren't acting up at all! Yay! I can easily be around the family cat now and didn't even realize how much better I was for a while." (You all know from my last post how I'm doing with allergies.)

"I got out a bag of steamer cauliflower and left over potatoes, cooked it and mashed it all together. This is weird. I didn't go for a burger or anything else bad. This is just weird for me - to want cauliflower!" (This friend is new to sticking to the 30-Day program and she's still hungry quite a bit. Another person said the other day that he's full for hours after drinking the shakes. When he was on SlimFast he was drinking up to nine (9!) shakes a day to try and stay full!)

"I work out all the time (duly noted; he's buff!), but I couldn't get rid of a couple of small areas of fat packs - I'm much leaner and ripped now." (Once again, my heart goes out to you dude).

"I'm sleeeeeppppinnnnng - only woke up once last night to pee!!!" - she was imitating Oprah Winfrey.
(Totally can relate to this one; and, I give all credit for that to my Ionix Supreme - I call it my "shot of dirt" - loaded with minerals, adaptogens, etc. - if Isagenix was a one-shot wonder with just a "magic juice" they could have built the whole company on this product).

"I hate the shakes, they're took thick and slimy. I'm trying all kinds of ways to change them up, so I can get the gorp down!"
(To which one of the doctors on our team, when told, replied, "Just get over it and get them in your body!" This is where I picture that Scottish guy in Austin Powers "Get into my belly!"

"I love the shakes! Especially the chocolate ones - they're just like a Frosty!"

"I hate the chocolate; love the vanilla."

"Don't like the vanilla, all we order is the chocolate."

"Don't like the IsaDelights; they taste like vitamins and there's an aftertaste."

"Oh my god! I love the chocolates (IsaDelights); dark chocolate is my favorite and these taste just like a high-end chocolate." (I agreeeeee! - my own O.W. moment)

"I eat the IsaDelights on my full Cleanse days with a handful of raw almonds, what a treat."
(As a reminder, always indulge in the IsaDelights on an empty stomach; not with your shake. The "brain food" needs an empty tummy to activate properly.)

Obviously, everyone's so different and our reactions, tastes and opinions of the products are as different as we are.

For me, I was addicted to food, now I'm addicted to Isagenix - must not go back...

TEST PASSED

Picking up where I left off - the test is over and Isagenix passed. My sinuses feel 100% better. Switching back to the daily cleanse really seems to have helped, but I want more! I still have a little bit of itchiness and sniffiness. So, I'm going to try the IsaMune. It's a vanilla flavored spray that Isagenix formulates from cow's colostrum. For those of you who don't know what colustrum is - ask your mama. No, seriously, breast-fed babies receive an important benefit by getting colustrum which is the pre-cursor liquid to actual mother's milk. So, anyhoooo, it's supposed to be full of natural antibodies to help build a newborn's immune system. Sounds good to me - I'll give it a whirl to hopefully ward off the remaining allergy symptoms. It will also be interesting to see how I do right around Thanksgiving when I always (always!) get sick. I'll be going moooooo!, but hopefully I'll bypass the season of "your sick again? Every year you can't do this or that because you're sick!" And I really don't want to hear any cow jokes. I do have feelings you know! LOL

An Isa Test

I'm not feeling great for the first time since I began this program. My allergies are acting up. Sniffles, sneezing, itchy eyes, dry cough… you know. So, I'm thinking why now? What's up? Then it dawned on me - I haven't been taking my the IsaCleanse daily. My hubby told me I was "doing it wrong" - for the 30 Day Weight Loss & Cleanse you're supposed to do a full-day cleanse once a week. So a couple of weeks ago, I quit taking the cleanse daily and switched to the weekly full-day cleanse. I have lost more weight, but now I'm wondering if that's why I'm feeling a little ooky (technical term). What to do? Weight vs. allergies? Is it really affecting the way my allergies affect me? Therefore, a test is called for! I'll switch back to the daily cleanse and see if the allergy symptoms abate. I'd rather lose the weight a little more slowly than have these allergies bugging me. I'll let you know what the outcome is!

Exercise: A four letter word in disguise.

I hate exercise. Period. Finite. 'Nuf said. I know it's good for me. I know every function of my body, brain & soul is dependent on moving my arse. I've been told over and over and over. But, and this is big, it's dangerous for me to exercise. Don't laugh, I'm serious. Exhibit No. 1: went for a walk with my husband, fell on a crack. Splat - down like a sack of wet cement, right in front of the neighbors three doors down out working on their lawn. Painful & embarrassing. Exhibit No. 2: Bike ride with kids, son with asthma decides to stop (for inhaler user) right smack in front of me, on a narrow sidewalk with a busy road on one side and a row of sharp looking bushes on the other. I did get my bike stopped just as it tapped his rear tire, but the son behind me did not stop. You can imagine the rest, I still have the scars. Exhibit No. 3: Packed gym, muscle-headed trainer, room spinning….she's down! Again, painful and embarrassing. You get the picture yet? I could go on if you like. The DVD's, rubber bands, exercise balls, weights, it's endless. What's a girl to do? Dr. Oz (the holy grail of TV doctors) says we need at least five minutes of being outdoors in nature everyday (preferably with green areas and water) and 20 minutes a day of exercise. I live in the desert. So here's what I need: A beautiful park with plenty of trees, green areas, a lake or fountain to walk around, no children, cushioned paths, a sky-dome to keep the temperature at about 70 degrees, said dome should incorporate shade and a sun-blocking agent because I hate the stuff (it makes me sweat). And since this is my fantasy, I'd also like unicorns, deer and other woodland creatures grazing by and faeries flitting around to bring me iced water and blot my brow. Anyone know where I may locate this place?

P.S. - I just bought a kettle bell. I can't get hurt with that. Right?

New Mantra: Make Better Bad Choices (now repeat)

Learned a good lesson this past weekend. I've learned this lesson before, but I seem to have a short retention span. Lendall's birthday arrived on Saturday, and we thought "yay, let's go have a great dinner at Olive Garden and eat whatever we want!" Yipee. Ever had a food hangover? We were so full of creamy, breaded, meaty, and then sugary stuff that we literally were groaning the whole way home. And then, the headaches hit. Needless to say, we suffered for a full 24 hours. And what do you think my email box had in it? An email from Isagenix stating "Make better bad choices. Yes, go celebrate birthdays and holidays, but if you're going to eat pizza at least pick thin crust pizza." You get the drift. Next time (and there will be a next time!) we'll split everything and make better bad choices. Today I'm back to feeling fantastic, and I've got to tell you I love feeling hunger pains now. The fat is being used up! And I don't feel like I'm going to pass out from lack of sustenance. Isagenix is my new food, the rest is the supplement. Big hugs! Me

OMG - pregnant or menopause? Isagenix doesn't help this!

Okay, so by now I've realized that Isagenix is not the "miracle cure" of the new millenium. There are still some things, i.e., the wicked pain from hitting my little toe on my bedpost last night that are not instantly relieved by some antioxidant, adaptogen racing through my cells to the injured pinky. And, at the tender age of 40ish I'm experiencing womanly things that I've only vaguely heard about around the campfire after the men have snuggled into their cold sleeping bags. But, the stories were so scary (especially with my mom holding a flashlight up to her face in that ghoulish manner) that I've always ran off into my tent to snuggle with hubby in said sleeping bag. However, I must state emphatically that overall I feel fabulous darling! I'm so pleased with my extra energy, smoother skin, and better sleep that I'm certainly on the road to being a fan for life. Yes, the weight loss is slow, but it seems to be more of a by-product of the healthier living than the main focus. My digital scale keeps showing increments of weight loss instead of pounds of gain; and the tape measure is showing even larger numbers of shrinkage. I can live with this. In six months I'll definitely be a much smaller, healthier version of me - Pam, Queen of the Hot Flash

Still plugging along, trying not to get bored.

Hey all, still plugging along. It's been 30 days now. I've lost 10 pounds and Lendall's at 20; we're both down in inches overall; and feeling great! I feel so good, but it's tough to keep eating the same thing over and over, so I bought a cookbook the other day to get some inspiration on healthy (but delicious) ideas for our lunches. Speaking of healthy and delicious, we ate at a small, fast-food type restaurant in Huntington Beach, CA over the weekend called Malibu Fish Grill. It was totally awesome! There are four of them in the area, so if you run across one check it out! I had a chicken & shrimp kebob with brown rice, grilled zucchini, and a wheat tortilla. Fab, fab, fab! Yum. Lendall had grilled salmon on a Mediterranean salad and said it was wonderful. We need a few of those places scattered around Vegas! Come down on Malibu Fish Grill. If anyone knows of places like that here, please let all of us in on the action! Ciao!

Welcome friends - email request for followers

I sent out the blog info to a bunch of you. I love you all and appreciate the support! Lendall and I are doing our best to start over in life, and we're beginning it by doing our darnest to get healthy. Lendall's belt is on the tightest notch and yesterday he was able to pull them off all done up...what a sight! That's my guy, back off ladies! LOL

New discoveries coming up

First monthly coming up that I'll have been on the Isa products - we'll see how this goes. TMI? Just want to be up front with all of you. The cravings should begin soon....!

Coffee paranoia

Something's wrong with me. I reached for my water bottle instead of my coffee cup. I'm not sure I like this. I love my coffee. The world may be ending.

It'll be 30 days on the program this coming Sunday, and I've dropped a few more pounds. The inches have been going too. I know that no matter what, in the end, my body cannot sustain this weight working the program. Several people have noted that my energy level is much better. My skin is definitely softer with all the hydration; Lendall (the hubby) says he doesn't have to use chap stick anymore (what a crack up!) Weird little side benefits that you don't think of - but, I guess it's all a total picture of what's going on inside.

In the Beginning (of the 639th attempt)

A straight-shootin' blog about one couple's experience with Isagenix. My husband and I have been doing the Isagenix weight loss / cleanse program for two weeks now. I just completed my second full cleanse day. Admittedly, it's been tough. When you're a lover of food, as we both are, giving it up is simply akin to hell. Especially when you enjoy it so much together. But, what we've experienced so far is surprising. We both feel great, my skin is feeling better, appearing clearer and smoother, and both of us are sleeping much more soundly. Lendall's lost 12 pounds and I've lost 5 - which sucks! But, I've lost almost double the inches he has to date: his - 6.5 / mine - 11.5 --- almost a foot of me gone - poof.
As for the business side of Isagenix, the jury is still out. I know that the claim is you may make a nice amount in residual income, but frankly at this point, I'd just like to get enough people on the program to help cover the costs of our own products. If it goes better than that - excellent! If the people I sign up are as happy with it as we are with the products (to date), then they'll sign people up. Healthy, wealthy and wise - that's what we're shooting for...