Category Archives: #Cinchspiration

Cinch Update ~ Fall Edition

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Well, it’s been 4 months since I’ve started the Cinch and it really has been life changing for me. I’ve learned so much about myself, losing weight, and how a support group is key that I just can’t say enough about it. It is awesome!

I’m at the point right now where I’m kind of stuck though… I want to get down to 150lbs but seem to be hovering between 157 – 160 (depending on the day). And for those of you following along that is a loss of over 20lbs and almost 40lbs since I started back in May with Wendy and her #iwillrock this challenge. Not bad, right?

Aside from losing the weight there are some major successes as far as I’m concerned and some of these might just be the best part about the program.

  • I look pretty damn good for the first time in a while. Yes, I know it sounds vain but after seeing what I looked like last winter and seeing myself now I think it’s okay.
  • I weigh the lowest in a long time. So long I don’t even remember.
  • I drink a lot more water and a lot less pop (soda for those of you not from Michigan).
  • I feel better about myself & don’t hide behind clothes that are to big.
  • I exercise more then I ever have in my entire life.
  • I really think about what I’m going to eat, the calories involved in it, and if I really need it or not.
  • I’m healthy!
  • I like shopping again!
  • I am encouraged to keep the weight off and work towards my goal no matter how long it takes!

I may have said it before but I’m going to say it again. Cinch works. It truly is an great program and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is ready to start their own weight loss journey.

So let’s take a look at some pictures!

June 2012

june 2012 june 2012
Hmm… Not so happy looking and kinda lumpy.

October 2012

October 2012 October 2012
Ahh.. that’s better! Thinner and smiling.

There is one thing that I wish I would have thought of a long time ago… one of my friends and #Cinchspiration team mates, Maribel, has a series called Wear it again Wednesday where she pulls something out of her closet that she hasn’t been able to wear in a long time and well… she wears it! I got rid of all my smaller clothes because I never thought that I’d fit into them again. Aside from that she’s a great cheerleader and is always doing something to inspire me to keep on going! You need to check our her post today! Go… do it!

I have to mention Sommer! She is our brave leader and is there for all of us on the Cinch program to support us, to challenge us, and to lift us up when we think we just can’t do this anymore. I was so incredibly lucky to have met her earlier this month along with two other Cinch ladies who I am so happy to call friends as well, Jennifer and Maggie.

Cinch Group

Me, Sommer, Jennifer, and Maggie

I have to thank Sommer & her sister for taking this pretty awesome picture of us! We had a really fun weekend together and I hope that we can all get together again.

If you’re interested in getting started on your own weight loss journey and are interested in Cinch let me know. I’d be happy to answer any questions that you have and help you get started.

Update!

I did some measurements this morning and I finally have seen some dramatic changes in the numbers!

So here are the June measurements…

Chest: 34
Waist: 36
Hips: 44
Thighs: 25 1/2
Arms: 13
Weight: 180
BMI: 27.4

And here are Octobers…

Chest: 32
Waist: 30.5
Hips: 40
Thighs: 24
Arms: 12
Weight: 157
BMI: 24.0

So that is a total loss of 23lbs and 14 inches!

This is a sponsored post as part of the Shaklee Corporations’ Team  #Cinchspiration Campaign. I have received free products, online support and incentives for my participation. However the opinions and pics are my own! 

Weight Loss Tips, Myths, and Pointers with Shaklee!

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No. No, they’re not from me! I only have a few and they’re things that most all of us already know and should follow anyway. You know… things like drink lots of water, count your calories, cut back on the sweets, processed foods, and fast foods.

But there is so much more and if you’re just starting your weight loss journey or have been on the road for a while now then join Dr. Jamie McManus and Pam Riggs from Shaklee will be holding a live chat. On Monday, October 1st at 2pm EST they’ll be helping to dispel myths, give you some great tips to help with your weight loss, and of course answering any questions that you might have about the Cinch weight loss program.

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So who is Dr. Jamie McManus? Here’s her bio from Shaklee.

Chair of Medical Affairs, Health Science, & Education
Dr. Jamie McManus is an acclaimed author, board-certified family physician, and highly regarded educational speaker who has been featured in numerous radio and television shows. She is responsible for ensuring best practices in clinical research, scientific design, product development, and product messaging. A longtime advocate of preventative medicine, Dr. McManus is most passionate about inspiring others to take charge of their health through simple lifestyle changes and proper nutrition. In her downtime, she enjoys running, hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing, and playing with her 3-year-old granddaughter.
She doesn’t go a day without taking her Shaklee products, starting her day with a Cinch® Shake and Shaklee Vitalizer™.

Oh, and Pam Riggs? She’s been there for us on the Cinch program to answer any questions or concerns that we might have. Here’s her bio from Shaklee as well.

Pamela Riggs has been a registered dietitian for Shaklee for 15 years and counting. With her extensive, up-to-date knowledge in clinical nutrition and public health, she provides valuable expertise for product formulations and the production of health-communication pieces to ensure scientifically accurate, informative and responsible messaging. When she’s not on the road educating others about the value of good nutrition and wise supplementation, this long-time runner enjoys pounding the pavement in her running shoes, experimenting with healthful recipes, and racing around the neighborhood with her husband on their cruiser bikes. And when she’s on the go, she says her go-to Shaklee products are the Cinch® Meal-in-a-Bars and the Cinch® Snack Bars. “You’ll find them in my pantry, in my purse, in my car, in my luggage, and in my desk drawers,” she says.

Join us Monday, October 1st at 2pm EST for some great information!

Discussion topics and questions {ask questions live too}:

·         Why do ordinary diets fail?
·         What makes the Cinch plan different and what is leucine?
·         Common weight loss mistakes or myths.
·         How to help cravings and emotional eating.
·         How much water and exercise is enough.
·         Does sleep play a part in healthy weight loss?
·         What is a safe weight loss a person should see on a weekly basis?

Oh, did I mention that there are giveaways too?

cinch starter kit

We will randomly draw 2 participants to win a Cinch Starter Kit with$228 value!! Details on how to enter for the giveaway during the live chat will follow.

Here’s the how to…

Shaklee Ustream Channel or Shaklee Facebook Ustream Tab

I hope that you’ll join us for a great chat!

 

Update!! If you missed the live chat yesterday you can see it now.. Look below!

From then to now….

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I thought that I’d share some more stats from my weight loss journey and a few pictures. Now, these are some horrible pictures and at one point I thought that I didn’t look at that bad in them… but when going back through some of them (what few there are) I realized that I was fat and that I didn’t look good at all. Some how I had convinced myself that I didn’t look that bad and while I knew that I had gained some weight (baby weight… HA) the full realization of how much didn’t hit me.

me - Christmas 2010

 This was me at Christmas 2011. Not looking my best.

me - May 2011

And this one is from May of 2011 where I look slightly better. My sister and I took a picture together (she’s cut out for security purposes) so we can track our weight loss from year to year and help encourage one another.

In both of these pictures I can see the weight in my face, around my middle, and in my hips & thighs. I was also wearing a size 16 in both of these pictures. These will serve as a reminder of where I was and where I am now and more importantly where I am heading in the future.

me - September 2012

This is me now! I took this picture this past Friday (yes, in the bathroom at work) to share with my sister because she is one of my biggest champions. Those jeans… those are my brand new size 12 jeans that aren’t saggy in the butt, don’t need to be held up by a belt & aren’t puckered because of that belt. Those jeans fit perfectly and I love them!

I think that this is a comfortable size but I’d like to get to about 155 pounds or so and a size 10. But I’m happy with the results and am working on toning up some of the flab! By summer I will look pretty damn good for a 40 year old mom of 4 kids!

Here’s a little update…

These are the measurements that I shared with you when I started the Cinch program.
Chest: 34
Waist: 36
Hips: 44
Thighs: 25.5
Arms: 13
Weight: 180
BMI: 27.4

And here are my stats as of August 6th.
Chest: 33
Waist: 33
Hips: 43
Thighs: 24.5
Arms: 12
Weight: 167.5
BMI: 25.5

Measurements today
Chest: 32.5
Waist: 32.5
Hips: 42
Thighs: 24.5
Arms: 12
Weight: 163
BMI: 24.8

That makes the total inches lost 9 and a loss of 17 pounds total. I’ll be honest… I was hoping that the numbers would be better. But I think what’s more important is how I look and feel.

Are you interested in Cinch? To stay informed of new review programs or other offerings please sign up for the blogger newsletter.

I have been provided with Cinch products by Shaklee in return for taking part in their program for 6 months. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Linking up with Seven Clown Circus & Parenting by Dummies for Wordful Wednesday and Shell from Things I Can’t Say for Pour Your Heart Out.

A new me… thanks to Cinch!

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Sometimes you can’t see the changes in the way you look until you see a picture of yourself or someone says something. Then you tend to take a harder look and think… ‘huh, you’re right!’

Well, that’s where I’m at now. People are really noticing that I’ve lost weight and are mentioning it to me! I love it! They want to know what I’ve done to lose it, how much I’ve lost, and how I feel. All of it is so encouraging and makes me really feel great about myself and all the hard work that I’ve done.

I truly believe that without the Cinch program I wouldn’t be where I am today!

Okay, so remember how I just said that you don’t realize what you look like until you see a picture? Let’s take a look at the progress that I’ve made.

winter 2011

august 2011

Take a look at these pictures…. in both of them I thought that I looked pretty darn good. I didn’t think that I was that overweight… guess I was blocking it from my head. In all reality I was wearing a size 16 and was pretty…. round I guess.

Early in the year I went to the doctor for some cold or ailment and as always they have you step on the scale. The number that stared back at me was horrible. It was a number that I refuse to share because I can’t believe that I ever let myself go that much. It was a number that was higher than when I was 9 months pregnant. I knew that something had to change.

When I applied to be part of the Cinch Blogger Program I never expected that they would actually select me, but they did and I was ecstatic about it! I can’t say enough about how great the program is and how well it has worked for me.

june 2012 june 2012

This is me (obviously) when I started the Cinch program in June. The fact that I had to actually take pictures like this scared the crap out of me because it would really show all my flaws and how I really looked. But I did it… I posted the pictures for the world to see.

sept 2012sept 2012

And now here I am 3 months later. Smiling, slimmer, trimmer, and in much better shape than I’ve been in a long time. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t do some sort of exercise even if it’s just a short walk and lately I’ve dusted off that 30 Day Shred dvd that I bought a few years ago and have been doing that too.

Losing the weight isn’t easy and it takes time but in the end it really is worth it. I won’t say that I haven’t cheated… because well that’d be a huge lie. I do cheat, but I’m human and really like food…. I’m careful about it though and try to count the calories of what I’ve eaten. I work out a little bit more and I don’t go overboard and besides everything is okay in moderation.

Are you interested in Cinch? To stay informed of new review programs or other offerings please sign up for the blogger newsletter.

I’m linking up with Seven Clown Circus and Parenting by Dummies for Wordful Wednesday too!

#Cinchspiration Update!! You’ll want to read this one… it’s great!

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Well, I figured that it was about time that I updated everyone on my weight loss journey since it’s been almost 8 weeks. So let’s get started with the important stuff…

These are the measurements that I shared with you when I started the Cinch program.

Chest: 34
Waist: 36
Hips: 44
Thighs: 25 1/2
Arms: 13
Weight: 180
BMI: 27.4

And here are my stats as of August 6th.

Chest: 33
Waist: 33
Hips: 43
Thighs: 24 1/2
Arms: 12
Weight: 167.5
BMI: 25.5 (I am SOOO close to the healthy range!)

I have to say that I am very happy with the results so far! But that’s not to say that I am slowing down or stopping because there is more weight to be lost, toning to happen, and goals to be met!

So with all that said there is a lot that I have learned over the past few weeks and it’s been great. So here’s my list…

Weight Loss – Lessons Learned

  1. Knowing the difference between eating when you’re hungry and when you’re not. OMG… this right here has been the biggest eye opening thing yet and if this is the only thing that I learn while taking part in the program then it’s well worth it. I am one that has always just eaten whenever I felt like it whether I was hungry or not OR I would wait to long and be starving and then just pig out on whatever I could find within arms reach. Bad…bad…bad! This has really changed the way I think about food and eating. More often than not when I think I’m hungry I reach for the water and drink it down and TADA! hunger is gone. Part of this is knowing how long ago I just ate, what I ate, and of course how active I’ve been. Understanding this has really helped me cut back and get a great jump start on my weight loss.
  2. Exercise. Yea, I’m slow getting to the game I know… I would do a little bit here and there but nothing daily, no routine, and no plan. Well, I figured it out…. walking, running, or doing something makes the weight move faster. So I’ve been walking almost every day and my goal is to get my average walking time to 15 minutes per mile. Now, I’m getting closer every time I walk unless I take Andrew in the stroller and then my time slows down a bit but it’s helping out a lot!
  3. The more you exercise the more you want to do it! If I skip walking one day the next day I really feel the need to get out there and do something no matter how warm it is! I’ve been getting out and walking no matter what the temp is and for me that is huge! I hate the heat.
  4. One day, all of a sudden you’ll notice that your clothes are to big!
  5. Most of important… it takes time. The weight didn’t appear overnight and sure isn’t going to disappear any faster. For a bit I felt defeated because the weight wasn’t going away but now I’m seeing great results!
One of the best things happened recently too! I went shopping with my daughter and wanted to get a new pair of jeans…. well we all know how difficult jean shopping can be. I didn’t come home with a new pair of jeans but what I did come home with was a new size! I’ve been wearing a 14 – 16 for a while but now…. I can wear a 12! I have no idea when the last time was that I wore a 12… seriously people this is a big deal here! Because of this I am totally renewed and determined to keep at it and lose those last few (ok so it’s more than a few) pounds and be a solid size 10.
me12

Trying on the size 12’s at American Eagle!

If you ever wondered about Cinch and if it really works I will be the first to tell you YES! Yes, it works. Just look at me smiling in that picture!
This program is sponsored by Shaklee and while I am using their products and being compensated for it I will be sharing my honest opinions throughout the 6 month program.

 

#Cinchspiration! Week 2 Update

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cinch

Alright! I have made it through the 2nd week of my weight loss journey and I am happy to say that I have lost weight! I am officially less than 180 now which makes me happy… on my weekly Tuesday weigh in for #iwillrockthis the scale told me that I was 175. For a while I was stuck and just couldn’t seem to get the scale to move but things are back on track and I’m working towards my goals.

One of the hardest things about losing weight is exercise. I’m lazy…. there I said it (at least I’m honest right?), but I’ve been making efforts to get out and walk twice a day while at work, get up a littler earlier and hit the treadmill, play in the pool, and just be more active all around. I even bought Zumba Fitness for the Wii…. I’m pretty excited to give that a try when I get it! I’m sure the kids will get a kick out of watching me flail about while doing it too.

The only thing that I am missing is eating food… I’m not hungry like I used to be though which is what led to my waiting until the last minute to eat and then snacking on whatever I could find within arms reach. I’ve given up my beloved Diet Coke and have been drinking a TON of lemon water and once in a while an iced sugar-free chai tea latte.. Mmmmm!

Gaining all this extra weight was pretty easy…. making it go away… not so much! But I’m doing it and that’s what counts!

I would really love it  if you would like to join me in my journey! Check out the #cinchspiration hash tag on Twitter and join us in the conversation!

And to make it better you can get 15% off your first Shaklee Cinch Inch Loss purchase! I promise that you will love the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Meal bars!

Interested and want to know more Shaklee and what they can do for you too! Here are a few links that you can check out!

Website
Cinch Science
Cinch Success Stories
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

Today it starts!! #Cinchspiration

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cinch

There you have it! Me…. at the starting point of this journey with Team #Cinchspiration! I am looking forward to meeting and possibly even exceeding my weight loss goals!

I know that I will never be where I was before kids and seriously… if I did the cost to replace ALL of my clothing would be astronomical! Not that it wouldn’t be fun to shop for all new clothing, don’t get me wrong, it’s just not budget friendly.


June Measurements

All measurements are in inches.

Chest: 34
Waist: 36
Hips: 44
Thighs: 25 1/2
Arms: 13
Weight: 180
BMI: 27.4

My goal is to be healthier and at a weight that I can maintain.

My Goals
Weight: 155
Clothing size: 8 – 10 (currently I’m at a 14/16)

I’m not alone in my journey either! There are 49 other great women who are sharing their stories and blogging through this with me and you can check out some of their blogs below in the linky.

I’m a Shaklee Team #Cinchspiration Blogger!

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It’s official and I could not be more happier to share my news with you!!

cinchI am one of 50 bloggers selected from over 270 awesome entries to be part of the Shaklee Cinch Weight Loss Plan which alone is an honor, but what makes it even better is that I will finally reaching my weight loss goals! I’ve been making some pretty decent progress with an incredible group of women that Wendy assembled, but I need to get past that dreaded plateau.  And if there is any doubt let me help you set that aside… being part of a group is so helpful when it comes to losing weight. There is complete accountability, support, and friendship. This is another great group of like minded women who are there to support one another!

cinch2Now, I’m sure that you’re wondering what it’s all about and does it really work. I know that I wondered the same things and then I started reading and there are so many success stories that it’s hard to not want to try it out! The program is super simple too… actually, it’s as easy as 1 – 2 – 3 and helps me keep muscle I have (which is little), burn fat I don’t need (which is a lot), and lose inches I don’t want (also a lot).

I would love it if you would follow my journey and be part of the #Cinchspiration team cheering me on towards my goal! I’ll be blogging, vlogging (yikes!), posting those scary pics, and everything I can think of to share my journey with you for the next six months!

This program is sponsored by Shaklee and while I am using their products and being compensated for it I will be sharing my honest opinions throughout the 6 month program.