Wednesday, May 28, 2014

A new path

I sent out an e-mail to some friends + family last night, and figured this would make a great blog post too!


I'm always up to something, aren't I??

Well, this time, I keep telling myself I need to wait to share, but I'm so pumped up about it I can't wait!

So we all know I'm queen of ingredients + organic whole food, clean eating, etc. It's my thang. Well, we also know I've had some ups and downs with my weight and keeping it off since Layne, and even before that- trying pretty much everything. From HCG (3 times) to Weight Watchers to 21 Day Sugar Detox to Paleo, low carb- you name it! For me, and my lifestyle and the way my life is at this point in time with 3 kids, and focusing so much on feeding them clean + healthy, nutritious meals - I needed something convenient AND healthy for myself.

A few weeks ago, a good friend sent me a link to this company I knew nothing about, Isagenix. It was for their 30 day cleansing and fat burning system. I clicked away at each and every item incuded in this pack (4 cans of IsaLean shakes, 2 Cleanse for Life, 1 Ionix Supreme, Natual Accelerator, Isa Flush + Snacks, plus Want More Energy electrolyte drink mix, PLUS samples of other goodies). And I was pleasantly surprised by what I discovered. The ONLY questionable ingredient, for me personally, was maltilol because it gives me a tummy ache when I have had foods that included this in the past. And this ingredient was found in all of their bars, and a few other items. When I questioned this ingredient, I was told it came from non-GMO tapioca, so maybe this would make a difference since most comes from GMO corn. We shall see.

I took the plunge and ordered the 30 day system and received it last Tuesday (5/20/14). Today is day 7, and all I can say is I feel super awesome, have TONS of energy and have lost a few pounds (7.2 to be exact). The thing with Isagenix is they have this 30 day "kit", but also so much more. The company is all about fueling your body + healthy aging- whether you need to lose weight, GAIN weight, or want to increase your performance and build more muscle. Kind of like when I did Juice Plus- high antioxidants, reduce oxidative stress, slow the aging process. Things we can all use a little bit more of, no matter how clean we eat.

With this 30 day system, I replace 2 meals a day with an IsaLean shake- it's a complete meal- and it's balanced. Then, I eat two 100 calorie snacks of my choice (greek yogurt + berries, rice cake + smoked salmon, hard boiled egg + some nuts), and either for lunch or dinner a balanced 400-600 calorie meal (including protein, fat, grains, veggies + fruit). You also include a tonic (Ionix Supreme) each morning that is loaded with good stuff like berries + herbs. And an accelerator capsule, to help the fat burn + boost your metabolism. THEN, you have the option of the DEEP CLEANSE where you follow a specific schedule for 4 days out of the 30 for DEEP fat burning + cleansing. OR, you can simply take the Cleanse for Life daily.

Needless to day, I completed my 2 days of DEEP cleansing yesterday and was AMAZED how I felt, and how I wasn't really hungry at all. Today, I'm back to my shake day, and feel so satisfied and ready to keep going. Keep in mind, I have had ZERO coffee or caffeine in a week- and I truly feel like my eyes are beyond wide open all day long. I have never experienced this before.

For me, I was always SO worried about what I was eating and when, that it drove me a little nuts, to be honest. This simplifies things. If I want to meet someone for lunch, then I wil shift my 2nd shake to dinner time. Or, I can enjoy nightly dinners with my family by having my shake for lunch. AFTER I get to my goal weight, then I will continue with ONE meal replacement shake a day and take it from there for the maintenance phase.

I know this kind of seems out of the norm for me, perhaps. But I'm just truly amazed at how I'm feeling so far. And Bryan even jumped on board (super supportive as always!) with the performance and energy pack , then will follow it up with the 9 day cleanse. There is so much to pick and choose from: digestive enzymes (which I take daily currently), omegas, kids vitamins, sleep aids, skin care, greens powder (similar to Juice Plus), NATURAL caffeine energy shots (bye bye red bull), electrolyte powder (bye bye gatorade), even chocolates! As much as I "think" I know about nutrition, I've learned so much more in the last week just reading up on the company and what all of the products are about. The chocolate has green tea extract, amino acids, antioxidants, b vitamins + minerals. Crazy, right?? And this sample I got of t+ chai - has adaptogens which reduce stress + calm your nerves. I hadn't heard of an adaptogen until now.

What I have also learned is that not all whey is "made" the same, and the whey in IsaLean is 99% lactose-free AND is UNdenatured keeping the protein structure intact, where most whey protein is denatured (using acids, salt + heat). What is available is IsaLean meal replacement (24 grams of protein per serving), IsaLean PRO meal replacement (with 36 grams of protein per serving), for even greater fat burn, or if you are an athlete; or IsaPro, with 18 grams of straight up whey protein, not a meal replacement. And the Isagenix whey comes from "happy grass fed cows" in New Zealand, not treated with any bad stuff. Best of all, there is a NON-dairy whey protein powder option, and Kosher as well.

If you break it down, it comes to $11/day for the 30 days-but you are also replacing 2 meals a day AND getting other tonics and supplements to help you along. Best thing of all, there is a ...
30 day money back guarantee! 
So, you have NOTHING to lose, and only a ton to gain.

I've been obsessed with the success stories- I am part of a private Facebook page of 13,000+ members, who just talk all day long about their lives and the lives of others that are changing. If you are curious, I can add you to the group to check it out. Or you can just ask me questions. For example, I literally just found out that my neighbor has a friend who has lost 200 pounds on Isagenix, has tried EVERYTHING, and only this worked, and he has a whole new life!!!

If you have 6 minutes to spare, watch the ARE YOU TOXIC? video on my site here: http://jodybarton.isagenix.com/?sc_lang=en-US

As you may or may not know, alex+von is coming to an end in a few short days after two great years, and I'm excited this fell into my lap just at the right time. The stars were aligned. YES, this is also an MLM (just like Juice Plus was), and you know what? I scream from the roof tops when I love ANY produts, and share share share- and have made many other businesses more money with my "referrals". I see nothing wrong with social selling, to people you love and care about, when I am passionate about something. And we all know how passionate about I am about nutrition and health. It's a win-win for me on so many levels. My goal is to one day be a certified holistic nutritionist, and if I can help even ONE person reach some personal health + fitness goals, then I will be SO happy!  The reality is, even though this may be "packaged" food, it's a lot better than what the majority of people eat most days, I'm guessing. It's a nice transition, and/or addition to whatever you are doing currently to lose weight, gain muscle, and slow down the aging process, which eventually leads to disease.

Thanks for listening... and I will share my 30 day results in a few weeks! I may even sign up for the IsaBody 90 day challenge, you never know! xoxo