Day 6- Hump Day

extra virgin... 
Today was a beautiful day. I started my morning with a great kickboxing class taught by Lisa. (hehe) On any normal Saturday, I'd plug my workout into 'myfitnesspal' and get excited that I could consume 680 extra calories that day. Not today. Not during the cleanse. Since I've been eating such a clean and structured diet, feel great, and am already seeing the result of that, probably  not ever again. Seriously. The eating isn't really an issue. I'm not hungry since I'm eating every 2 1/2-3 hours and eating nutritious meals. Because of that, I have energy to spare.
I did have a slight hurdle to jump today, though. Like I mentioned, I wanted to visit 'Tastealotta' this weekend... so we did. I made sure I packed sippy-cups and snacks for Piper... And me. I made my spark, zip locked my catalyst (for right before lunch) and ate my fruit and nuts in the car on the way down. *preparation, preparation!  

It was such a fun, little pit stop. They infuse olive oils and vinegars with different flavors and allow you to sample them. From the dark chocolate balsamic to the Tuscan-herb olive oil, we had a good time. I LOVE vinegar. Add a little sweetness to it, and I'm sold. I ended up with a coconut wine vinegar for my salads (DELISH!) amongst a bunch of other 'sample-size' flavors, like raspberry and orange. Eddie got some infused oils for meat marinades and cooking with. Overall, a win. 

If you are local, I definitely recommend taking a short ride to Lemoyne and trying it out. Cute little day date-trip :) 

Since Eddie accompanied me to my vinegar tasting, (he enjoyed it though)  it was only fair that we stop at one of his favorite places up there on the way back, DUKES on the River. That is where the hurdle came into play. I'm adjusted to the clean-eating menu the cleanse outlines, but ordering off a restaurant menu left me dumbfounded for a minute. I thought, 'I'll order a big salad with no cheese or croutons with oil and vinegar.' They didn't have anything
 on the menu I could easily adjust for ordering- just overly topped salads with things like roasted walnuts and craisins or FRENCH FRIES. Really? So.. I got creative. (or so I think)

I ordered the broiled Salmon with steamed veggies and a side salad with no croutons, oil and vinegar. I ate the side of veggies first, then boxed half the salmon to avoid over eating (you are allotted 5 oz. fish or meat on the cleanse) and put the other half atop the salad and went to town. I commend myself, because it was so hard to not order the buffalo chicken sandwich and an alcoholic beverage... Which is exactly what Eddie ordered. Jerk. And Miss Piper slept through the whole meal. 

Still holding strong. Have a second half of broiled salmon for dinner later, and of course, a bunch of prepped sides and veggies.

Until tomorrow, friends... 

..don't be shy, and thanks for stopping by!.. 

*follow me on instagram: everyonedeservesflowers* 

'Like' on facebook: everyone deserves flowers.

 

Whooaaa- were halfway there!

Cleanse day 5, prep day 2... 

Today marks Day 5! Today also marks Lisa's birthday. And she better not eat cake (hahaha) 

**Note: Lisa has been 'commenting' at the end of my day-to-day blogposts and filling us in on her daily musings of the cleanse. Scroll down to ready how another cleanser has been doing during the challenge for some more input.

So, today I started off my day great. I weighed myself. I'm not going to tell how much Ive lost so far (I know I'm a tease, but you're   gonna have to wait until the end.) I am definitely not one to showcase my body. I truly NEVER walk around with a bikini top and shorts. I always wear a cover up or tank top. Even at my thinnest. (drunk is an exception to that statement- lol.) I've been consistent on a workout regimen with my sister for about 9 weeks now. I have been getting my diet [fairly] in check throughout that time, and now have taken on the cleanse and challenge. This morning was the first time I looked at myself and actually SAW and FELT results. So, I took a picture. Embarrassing enough, but I'm proud of my hard work and new found willpower, so I am going to share it. This is me. All of me. Biceps and all: 

If Eddie saw I posted this, he would make fun of me for daysssss ;)

Well, after I realized results are showing, I hit the gym for 'Bodypump' and I went harder than usual. I had sustained energy and it felt amazing. I took a little trip over to Lisa's to go over some more meal options for the rest of the cleanse, and to deliver this:

Her daughter, Olivia, ordered it for her from 'everyone deserves flowers.' I've gotten so consumed in the cleanse and watching my diet, I had to take a short break from promoting my business, but please, if you haven't yet, stop by 'everyone deserves flowers.' official Facebook page and 'like' it. *THERE WILL BE A CLEANSE-RELATED GIVEAWAY POSTED SOON, AS IN, KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED SOON, AND IT WILL BE POSTED ONLY ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE! 

Since the meals we prepped for the last 5 days did the job, we 

decided to pretty much stay with the same menu, just prepping more steamed veggies for grabbing and chicken fajita strips for salad. So I hit the grocery store. 

Prep Menu:

Meal 1: 8 egg white scramble with 1/2 c red potatoes and peppers

OR oatmeal and egg white garden omelet (make fresh) OR oatmeal and hardboiled eggs

  Meals 2 or 4: bag nuts and fruit OR peanut butter and fruit

  Meals 3 or 5: chicken and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice, chicken fajita strips for salads, grilled chicken diced for salads, grilled chicken, sweet potato, and vegetable + extra veggies to grab as hungry

So, while Lisa was home getting a nice birthday 'sensual massage' from the hubs, my night looked a little more something like this: 

Ahhh! But we're prepped and ready to go onto day 6! BRING IT, 

..don't be shy, and thanks for stopping by!.. 

*follow me on instagram: everyonedeservesflowers* 

'Like' on facebook: everyone deserves flowers.

 

Day 4: Fiber Break

is fruit considered a cheat?....

Last night, I felt a little extra hungry. Eddie goes to the gym around 7 p.m, so he eats later (like 8-8:30... sometimes 9) after Piper is put down for the night so he can 'relax'... Must be nice. But, sitting here watching him devour [healthy] tuna melts with chips, dip, all followed by a candy bar was HARD. I did amazing all day... I was prepared with my foods, supplements, and check off list. My day went so smoothly. Then he killed it. I ended up grabbing another portion (1/2 c) of cantaloupe out of the fridge and ate it while chatting with him about his day. Is an extra portion of fruit considered a cheat?  (Hahaha) It's so funny that I am worried about eating too much cantaloupe when my 'cheat' on a normal day was, oh I dont know... a half jar of Nutella or a king size candy bar. I guess I shouldn't worry, because I hit the gym for a good arm day... So maybe it 'll even out?

I spoke to Lisa (doing the cleanse with me) yesterday and she had a harder day than me. She pushed through, didn't cheat (like I did) and is such a good source of motivation. But, I see now how outside forces can cause you to make bad decisions. She had lunch with her co-workers... on the third day... And she's trying to deplete herself of SODA! (Evil four letter word) Baddd idea, Lisa. She said she felt very tempted, but I'm proud that she didn't reach for it. Lisa is a nurse and works long hours. To keep herself awake, and probably just as a force of habit, she drank soda throughout the entire day. (when we started, on day 1, she said she was tempted to drink what was left in the fridge when she woke up in the morning, but chose to dump it instead. She wakes up at 4:30 a.m!) This is more than a simple cleanse for her. She is not only getting on the road to a clean-eating lifestyle (a huge change) but also breaking bad addictions, like soda... and bad carbs, which a lot of us probably have or do consume, and don't realize how awful is it for you and the impact it has on your body. I know I've been there. 
**doing the cleanse with a partner is so much more helpful to keep going strong. If you are considering doing it, talk to friends and co-workers and get someone to join you. From prepping foods, night texts to see how each other did that day, and the fact that next time you see each other and step on the scale, you want to kind of impress the other, will keep you motivated to not cheat! 

On days 4, 5 and 6, you don't have to drink the fiber drink in the morning. (You go back to drinking it on days 7, 8, 9 and 10) Thank God because I needed a break from that gross-ness. So that was a plus. Other than that, I've had no 'cleansing' effect at all today. I thought I'd be emptying out more often. When they say gentle, they mean it. I stuck to the meal plan to a 'T' and feel GREAT! Truly. Maybe it's the fact that I've found my willpower, maybe it's the Spark, or maybe it's the clean eating, but I'm energized and just overall in a good mood [today.]

Today's Cleanse Menu:

Breakfast: an 8 egg white scramble with 1/2 c red potatoes and peppers, 2 tablespoons salsa

Post workout: shake- 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder with 1 banana

Snack: cashews and 1/2 c cantaloupe 

Lunch: 'big-ass salad' with tons of veggies, 1 hardboiled egg-white, turkey-taco meat, 1 tblspoon oil and 2 tablespoons chipotle infused vinegar (Thanks Lisa!)

Snack: apple and 2 tablespoons peanut butter

Dinner: 3/4 cup chicken + 1/2 cup vegetable stir-fry in low-sodium soy sauce with 1/2 c brown rice

And Piper had... SPAGHETTI! (her favorite)

Stay tuned for tomorrow's update. I'll be posting a grocery list to kickstart the cleanse or to stock your fridge with different clean-eating choices.

..don't be shy, and thanks for stopping by!.. 

*follow me on instagram: everyonedeservesflowers* 

'Like' on facebook: everyone deserves flowers.

 

Day 3.. Breezin' by

third times a charm...

The day-by-day updates are probably going to get a little boring from here on out. Today was the same thing as the last two days: wake up, grab my prepared ziplock of Advocare products, pop some supplements, eat clean, pop some more supps, fight the urge to devour Eddie's peanut butter egg he has hidden in the back of the fridge like I don't know it's there (I'm like a hound dog hunting a coon when it comes to chocolate) brush my teeth to stop the salivating, and get my butt to bed! 

Seriously though, today has been a breeze for me! Eating pretty clean and on track most of the time definitely has helped me stick to the diet part of the cleanse. If you haven't started cleansing yet, try to get into a meal-planning and eating clean routine before jumping right into it. 
The fiber drink goes down A LOT smoother when you mix and chug. It took me 8 gulps to get it all down (I'm a pretty good chugger- learned that during my flip-cup days.) 

I went hard on cardio today and was a little afraid of my energy level because of the condensed food intake, but I did better than I have in a long time. (I tend to steer away from cardio whenever I can because, well, it sucks.) The Spark energy drink really plays a role in my workouts and overall daily function. I do drink Spark even when I am not cleansing. Eddie likes it too. The mango flavor is the bomb! 

When you are dieting down or cleansing, all you think about is food though. Not exactly in a 'I could go for a burger' type of way, but a 'what time is it? One more hour and I have to at meal 3' kind of way. I am loving the prep work we did for this. Meal 3 (lunch) came, and I just grabbed my small container of 1/2 c. brown rice and ziplock bag of chicken stir fry with veggies and 4 chunks of pineapple, cooked in low-sodium soy sauce... heat and eat! No thought. And it was delicious. Great meal option for those of you who have to feed a family. Everyone will enjoy it! There is a more in-depth recipe here. 
**If you are following along, don't forget to follow me on 'myfitnesspal' to see what I am really consuming each day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My name is: MissPipersMommy.

Tonight I am going to have a large, veggie stocked salad with turkey-taco meat and salsa. Would I love to have some cheese and sour cream on there? Heck yes! But, you can't have cheese... or much dairy at all. So I'll deal. 

Lisa (who is cleansing with me) dropped off some flavor infused oils and vinegars I could play with and put on my salads (allowed to have just 1 tablespoon oil/ salad) and they are delicious. The are from a place in Lemoyne, PA called TASTEALOTTA. Apparently, they infuse oils and vinegars and you can go have taste samples, learn different recipes on their site, and use the oils and vinegars for different mixtures for different flavors. Since it's supposed to be a beautiful weekend (sunny weather just means my margarita cravings will be on high force) and I'm cleansing, I'm going to drag Eddie up there as a little date/ road trip. So, I'll take pics and keep you updated on some yummy mixtures! 

 Well, I guess that's it for day 3's updates. If you're following along, keep going strong! 

..don't be shy, and thanks for stopping by!.. 

*follow me on instagram: everyonedeservesflowers* 

'Like' on facebook: everyone deserves flowers.

 

2 down... 8 to go!

Preparation is key...

The Advocare 'cleanse' is very mild, to say the least. I'm going to touch base on this very personal issue, only because I know everyone who reads and hears about this cleanse is wondering how 'effective' it is. I suppose I had my first 'cleansing' effect this morning, and was expecting, well, to be blunt, a shit-tas-trophy. But not at all. I felt replenished (lol) but, it did make me go more often than normal. Last I spoke with Lisa, she had yet to have any effect. I guess it will determine on how much 'cleansing' you need. By the way I ate this past Easter weekend (knowing I was going to be doing this for the next 10 days, I was on a peanut butter egg eating marathon) I'm suspecting I needed more cleansing. But, enough of that talk...

The fiber drink (UGH) is... awful. I didn't think it was as bad as I heard it was when I had it yesterday morning, but today it did not go down as smoothly. I mixed it and started replying to an email (you know, my morning iPad session) as I sipped it, and when I went to drink it again, it turned into almost a gelatin! I had to add more water, mix, and chug. That is, by far, the worst part so far. And keep in mind, I ate nothing but fruits and veggies all day yesterday!

I cannot stress enough, when taking on this cleanse (and then challenge), how important it is to prepare and be organized. I want to touch on that a little bit more to help those who are following along with the mealplan or plan on purchasing the cleanse supplements and doing it the future. 

First off, there are several times a day you take Advocare supplements and products. Mornings can be pretty hectic around here, being I have a 19-month old and am trying to get up and out to the gym, so I cleaned out a drawer in my kitchen, and dedicated it to the cleanse. First, I read the outline of when to take supplements and ziplock-bagged my fiber drink, spark packet, catalyst (I chose to take as an add-on) and my omegaplex that you take with breakfast. I wrote the day on them and its much easier to grab a ziplock in the morning. Behind them is my container of 'Spark' for the afternoon, and behind that is my portioned out nuts (healthy fats). 

At night right before bed, you are to take another 2 omegaplex and the herbal cleanse packet (3 pills).  I took a little container and put all my herbal cleanse packets and filled a pill box with my omegaplex and put them right on the nightstand. When I go up to bed, I bring my 'jug' of water, as Eddie calls it, and swallow all my supplements while I watch 'King of Queens' repeats and pass out. Then, guess what I do in the morning... I wake up, go downstairs, and grab my prepared ziplock to start all over again. Having everything handy will help out a lot.

We know I prepped our foods for this week. So today at lunch, without thinking, I opened the fridge, grabbed a zip locked chicken breast, green beans, and 1/2 sweet potato. Heat and eat! At 'snack time,' I grabbed a 1/4 cup portioned bag of cashews and banana. If you are on-the-go or work during the day, the preparation is crucial to stay on track. 

Today has been a much easier day than yesterday! Although the thought of not being able to eat anything but fruits and veggies was more terrifying yesterday than actually following through with it. After getting creative and making a '#bigasssalad' (as us Instagrammers say- hehe)  with fruit and tons of veggies, I felt a lot more fulfilled and did not go to bed hungry. 

**Don't forget to follow #mandalisacleanse on Instagram for ideas and to follow our journey!

Don't be nervous friends! Hop on the bandwagon and get clean! 

..don't be shy, and thanks for stopping by!.. 

*follow me on instagram: everyonedeservesflowers* 

'Like' on facebook: everyone deserves flowers.

 

Day 1 of torture

just as I suspected...

Today marked Advocare cleanse: day 1. Almost a completed operation...

I hosted Easter yesterday at my house for the family. It was a really nice time, and the kiddos made out like bandits between our Easter egg hunt and traditional game of LCR. I loved Piper's little dress (Target) because it reminded me of a flapper girl. Let's just say the 'Target Bunny' was very good to her this year. (hehe) 

 

I was exhausted after cooking, hosting, and cleaning all day yesterday, but then found myself prepping all my and Lisa's foods for the next four days this morning. I was in front of the stove for almost 3 hours cooking portioned meals. (1/2 c carb, 3/4 c protein, 1 cup veggie) Like I had mentioned, I normally eat a balanced, pretty clean diet, but the cleanse and challenge menus are to be on-point, strict with portion size, and you add in Advocare product supplementation. Theory is, you could loose 12-15 lbs. depending on how closely you follow the diet plan, so I woke up roaring and ready to get going with this.

Luckily I prepped the meats and stocked up on veggies prior, so it was just the preparing to do. 

On the first day of the cleanse, when you wake up, you are to drink a fiber drink that comes in the cleanse package, followed by a tall glass of water, proceed to eat your breakfast (protein, carb, veggie) and then say 'sayonara' to pretty much anything else of substance for the rest of the day. All you are supposed to eat (for the first day only) is fruits and vegetables. Working out is not suggested on the first day either. I ate lots of fruit in the beginning of the day, and ended with a large vegetable stocked salad and fruit on the side. I dressed it with tons of vinegar (if you know me you know I love vinegar) and sprinkled a dash of Splenda on top for a little sweetness to get me through. I'm thinking I may even have another one of those salads to end the night and keep me from feeling hungry. The 'Spark' energy drink Advocare sells is truly energy of the Gods. It doesn't make you jittery, but wakes you up and enhances your alertness (I swear) as well as aids as an appetite suppressant. It helped a lot today.

So, this is the MENU through Saturday:

Meal 1 (protein carb veggie): 1/2 c oatmeal, egg white scramble with veggies (broccoli or peppers) OR I prepared an egg white scramble with peppers and 1/2 c red potato diced OR meal replacement shake 

Meal 2: (snack- healthy fat + fruit) cashews/ almonds and 2 cuties, banana, or any fruit of choice 

Meal 3: (protein carb veggie) large vegetable rich salad with chicken/ tuna and vinegar OR chicken stir fry (3/4 diced chicken, 1 c vegetables) with low- sodium soy sauce and (1/2 c) steamed brown rice

Meal 4: (snack- healthy fat + fruit) peanut butter (2 tbls) and apple

Meal 5: turkey taco meat (3/4 c) lettuce wraps OR grilled chicken, sweet potato, and sweet green beans (recipe on blog) 

*Meal 6: (post-workout meal) protein shake with banana

As you can see, the plan itself is not much different from a normal clean-eating diet plan, but I can say this, I over eat! I use 'myfitnesspal' and track calories, but portion control has always been an issue with me. Hey, I like food! When Lisa came to pick up her meals, she had me laughing because she couldn't believe 4 days worth of food fit into a Nordstrom shopping bag. You don't realize how small 3/4 c of protein is until you measure and divide it. *We also weighed and measured ourselves today as a kickstart to the new us! I gained back 5 pounds over the last week by falling off track with my meal plans. Let that be an example as to how eating plays such a large role in dieting and maintaining weight.

How am I doing so far? Remember  how I mentioned I had this conception cleanses were for wackos? Well, I must be a wacko. Even after my 1:30pm freak out that I was not going to be able to do this, simply because I was famished by then (I wake up at 6:30am), I hung in there and am going strong. (Haha- makes me laugh because this is only day 1!) The fiber drink is like drinking liquid-y, citrus oatmeal in a cup, but I drank it fast and am dreading doing it again tomorrow... But stay tuned! 

Remember, follow me on Instagram or search "mandalisacleanse" to see what we're eating and how we're doing along the way! 

..don't be shy, and thanks for stopping by!.. 

*follow me on instagram: everyonedeservesflowers* 

'Like' on facebook: everyone deserves flowers.

 

march feature: Mack Made.

strike a pose..

This month was a month of promotion dedication. I chose to dabble in some things I never have with my floral business before. For example, today my friend and I modeled dresses ON THE NEWS for the upcoming 'Dress for a Cause' event I have posted about being held at Blondie's Bridal Salon this Saturday 4-7:00.

I encourage everyone to attend! All the money raised will be donated to a great cause, and the cutest part about it all... my little Piper and my niece Ava will be walking in the fashion show!

 'everyone deserves flowers.' got a little attention on the news feature, and I got to wear this gorgeous dress.

**WATCH HERE!**

I also provided florals for a growing 'alternative wedding marketplace,' Smitten & Bitten, which is held out of the beautiful, local venue Historic Shady Lane. As a promotional event, they held a very different and creative photoshoot with gorgeous models, staging, and even a videographer. This is some of the preview work that has been released, but I encourage you to visit the team's sites that have put it all together, especially if you are a local bride planning an upcoming wedding. They are extremely talented, I would reccomend each of them to a bride of my own, and I look foward to working with them more in the future.

florals by, yours truly: everyone deserves flowers.

photography by: With Love & Embers

videography by: Matt Stambaugh Media **WATCH VIDEO HERE**

staging assisted by: Pretty Pink Peonies

make-up and hair done by: Serenity Spa

vintage rentals provided by: weddings by borrowed & blue

Now that I've boasted my business enough (hehe) let's move onto my feature this month. I chose to feature a good friend of mine and her business, Mack Made.

Shea is one of the most kind-hearted, genuine individuals I have ever met. I had the honor of providing her flowers for her big wedding day last June, which was completely DIY and the most chic, rustic, and beautifully put together wedding I have ever been part of. She has true talent with crafts, and I 100% support her in her new business journey with her new hubby :) Plus, I love anything that could be custom ordered:

Hi, I'm Shea Mack! I have been friends with Amanda for about 5 years now. We worked together at Golds Gym. We easily connected with a love of creativity + crafts. Since, I know how hard it can be to put yourself out there, I'm impressed with Amanda's dedication to her blog and marketing her new business. She is very talented with flowers, and I'm proud of her embarking on this journey. When Amanda asked me to be a feature on her blog, I was super excited!

A little bit about me: I have always loved making things by hand, whatever it may be. I enjoy the company of my husband (and our new pup, Blue), being outdoors, loving on others, sending things in the mail, and learning to sew. Some would call me thrifty, and I'm okay with that. I find inspiration at flea markets and junk shops. I love things that have character and the potential to have a new purpose. I'm told I got my crafty genes from my great grandma, Ruth. Creativity and kindness were just two of her many gifts. I strive to live a legacy of depth like she did.

Last June, I got married to the love of my life, Adam. We had a complete DIY wedding with so much detail involved. Amanda did my flowers which turned out perfect with our style! During that process, It was fun, yet stressful. Adam and I spent countless hours of planning. But in the end it turned out perfectly, and all the work completely paid off! Having that time spent together creating things inspired us to work together as a team.

We started our business last summer called: Mack Made. Our business began because ultimately we wanted to have something that we could pursue together. We've loved being able to bring our similarities + opposites to the table. Mainly, we LOVE to create things out of overlooked & old goods. We make all kinds of upcycled items: from spoon bracelets to mason jar tumblers to garden markers..you name it. Everything we do is one of a kind, which makes it extra special. 

You can check us out on etsy: etsy.com/shop/dearmackmade

 & follow us on our blog: mackmade.blogspot.com

..don't be shy, and thanks for stopping by!.. 

*follow me on instagram: everyonedeservesflowers* 

'Like' on facebook: everyone deserves flowers.