Cinch – The end?

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Jackie

Well, this is it my last official Cinch update! It surely doesn’t seem like it’s been 6 months already, but I started the program this summer… July to be exact.

Big news!! Are you ready for it?

I have reached my goal weight!! It’s official I now weigh 150lbs and this is the lowest that I have been in a really long time. So long that I don’t remember when it was that I weighed this.

But is it the end? Heck no!!

Why you ask?

Well, I reached my original goal but I think that I can lose another 5 – 7 lbs and be right in the middle of the range suggested for my height and age. On top of that I want to tone up some of the flabby areas like my stomach, arms, and thighs. I have been working on this at the gym regularly and I’m starting to see some results but it’s going to take a while to get to where I want to be… especially after 4 kids and years of doing nothing.

So let’s take a little journey back in time…

From my teens through my mid-20’s I weighed about 130 – 135lbs.

At 9 months pregnant with my first baby I weighed 183lbs and by time she was about 18 months I was near 160lbs I think. After that my weight went up and down faster than a roller coaster and I never stepped on a scale because I knew that my weight wasn’t where I wanted it to be.

After getting married we decided to have a baby and I got pregnant and then lost the baby almost 12 weeks later. We tried again and I lost that baby around 5 – 6 weeks and after having almost given up hope I got pregnant again. We were very happy, but I gained an excessive amount of weight and by the time I was 9 months pregnant I weighed well over 200lbs.

Not so pretty here… yes, I was almost 9 months pregnant.

The weight gain was slow and steady and even after having Andrew I lost some weight but I never got back down to a healthy weight. I always thought that I looked alright…. I didn’t see that I was heavy. Most of the time I didn’t see because I avoided pictures and was the one who took them instead. There are some though and they really do show how over weight I was and after seeing those pictures again and again combined with stepping on the scale at the doctors office a year ago I knew that I had to do something.

This was me summer 2011

So my weight loss journey began and it wasn’t until that I was accepted into the Cinch Blogger program that I really got serious about it.

I’m sure that I would have lost some weight but I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it weren’t for Cinch. These past 6 months have been eye opening, life changing, and so much more than I can explain. I am so thankful for Shaklee and Sommer for selecting me to be a part of the program and for always being there to support me.

One of the best parts about being in the program has been the other 49 (less now because some dropped out & others got pregnant) women who were part of it with me. We have been there for each other since the beginning to cheer each other one, support each other during hard times, and just have fun. A support group is key!!

The new & improved me!

I bought those black pants in October and now in December they’re too big! I spent half the afternoon pulling them up and they’re the type that I would have never bought before! Slim fitting & close cut… the opposite of what I would have worn a year ago.

Thanks to Cinch I look great, I feel better about myself, I have more energy, and more motivation to keep up with the exercise program I started and my toddler.

Now, let’s take a look at some of my stats from then to now.

June Measurements

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

December Measurements

Waist: 29
Chest: 31
Hips: 40
Thighs: 24
Arms: 12
Weight: 150
BMI: 22.8

All measurements are in inches.

That is loss of 16.5 inches and 30lbs! To me that is absolutely amazing! Life changing!

I know I said this but I really could not have done this without Sommer, Shaklee, or all of the great friends that I have made though the program. So to all of you I give you my deepest thanks.

Not sure what Cinch is? Cinch is a weight loss program created by Shaklee to help you lose weight, muscle you have, burn fat you don’t need, and lose inches you don’t want. Most importantly… it helps keep the weight off and there is no more up and down with your weight.

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

From then to now….

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Jackie

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.

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

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.

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.

Cinch Update & Giveaway!

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Jackie

Well, month two is in the books for my weight loss journey!

Over the years I have tried different diets, pondered many others, and have never really seen results. With Cinch I am so happy because my weight is lower than it’s been in years, I am exercising on a regular basis, and I am inspired to keep moving and losing weight!

Not only am I losing weight but I’m toning up and building muscle which is one of the huge benefits of Cinch… lose weight, keep it off, and gain muscle!!

I won’t say that it’s been easy because any diet isn’t easy. You have to really want to do it and want to change your life. You have to think about food, exercise, and everything differently. At one point my day seemed to really center around food… what was I going to have for lunch.. or and then what was for dinner and how long before I could eat. I was obsessed. I’ve been able to turn that around and when I think that I’m hungry I really think about it… drink some water (lots of water) and get up and move a little. Most of the time I’ve found that I’m not really hungry… my body just needs more water especially when it’s only been two hours since I just ate.

One of the best things so far is that other people are really noticing that I am losing weight and telling me how great I look… that alone is a huge moral booster to me. To me that means that I am really doing something and making it work. One person even told me that I look younger! WOW… ok so does that mean when we’re over weight that we tend to look older? Well, if that’s the case then I intend to keep the weight off.

Cinch works!

My clothes are looser and some I simply can’t wear anymore. Okay, so that may be a double edged sword, because they don’t fit I have to get new ones but shopping for new clothes is pretty darn expensive! Although, shopping is more enjoyable now because my options are much greater than the were before.

Both of those pairs of pants that I’m wearing are much to big now! The jeans are a 14 and the khaki’s are a 16… the khaki’s can come on and off without even unbuttoning them. Of course I wear them both with a belt pulled tight (I hate the bulges from it though) because they’re a couple of my favorite pairs of pants but they also remind me how far I have come.

I have one concern though… and you know what? I vlogged about it! Let me know what you think.

Have you tried other diet plans and failed? Would you be interested in checking out Cinch for yourself? Well, if so then you’ll be excited to know that I am giving away a Cinch starter kit! This two week kit has everything you need to get started on your weight loss journey with Cinch and has a retail value of $228!

Included in the kit is:

Vanilla shake mix canister (15 servings)
Assorted Cinch shake packets (14 packets)
3-in-1 boost™(42 count)
Assortment pack snack bars (10 count)
Energy tea mix (28 sticks)
Daily journals (2)
Cinch program guide
Cinch logo shaker cup
Cinch pedometer
Cinch tape measure

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out some of the other great ladies that are taking part in this weight loss program with me!

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

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Jackie

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

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.
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!
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.
One day, all of a sudden you’ll notice that your clothes are to big!
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.

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.

Today it starts!! #Cinchspiration

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Jackie

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!

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Jackie

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

I 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!

Now, 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.