Prepping for the Challenge

Kevin and I have been discussing this Challenge quite a bit.  It became apparent pretty quickly for us that preparation is going to be the most important part of this equation.  Not just meal prep, but lifestyle prep.  Our kits will arrive on Thursday, and we will start the Challenge on Monday.

This week, we're doing what we can to prepare ourselves for the next few weeks ahead.  How?  Well, I'm so glad you asked!

1.  I'm weaning myself off coffee.  Kevin will continue to drink his, but he likes it black.  I'm a cream-and-sugar girl, and if I can get my hands on flavored creamer, I'm all over it.  But that's going to be a no-go on the Challenge.  So I'm drinking less coffee in the morning, and I'm putting less and less creamer in it every day.  

2.  We are drinking LOTS of water!  The Challenge instructions tell you to divide your body weight in half, and the number you get is how many ounces of water you should be drinking every day.  Let me tell you, this is tough!  Kevin is a fish.  He drinks water like it's his job.  I'm actually impressed.  But I am not a fan.  I don't particularly care for water.  Normally I put something in it, like Crystal Light.  Our sponsors (shout-out to Ashley and Jeremy!) don't recommend it.  Ashley suggested Mio Fit, which I picked up the other day.  It's delicious, but it's not my Crystal Light Lemon Iced Tea.  So, today I'm trying to chug down the water.

I picked up these Rubbermaid water bottles the other day.  They are 32 oz, so I just need to drink 3 of them to be over my requirement for each day.  Kevin needs about 3 1/2.  Notice mine is only half empty?  Yes, well, it's 11:00 AM and I've only had half of one bottle.  I need to get moving.

3.  We will be cleaning out the fridge.  And the cabinets.  And the secret hiding places.  If it's there, it will be a temptation.  Kevin is pretty good at avoiding all the yummy things that I bring home.  Are you noticing a trend here?  I have a feeling this will be much easier for him than it will be for me.  I'm impulsive.  If I see something yummy looking, I will snatch it up and feed it to my face.  And if I get a craving for chocolate, I'll sniff it out and devour it.  No chocolate is safe.  And grocery shopping... forget it.

I'll be taking the common advice of shopping the perimeter.  I can't even handle the rest.

4.  I'm setting reminders.  It may seem a bit excessive, but I have a full time job, two kids, a house to maintain, after-school activities... I could go on.  Kevin's commitments are just as intense.  So I've set up all of my reminders as alarms in my phone.  Yes.  My phone will be going off at an alarming rate (see what I did there? :)).  But it's the best way to keep me on track.  I've changed the name of the alarm to reflect what I need at that particular time.  The only alarm that isn't set for the weekend is my wake-up, but the rest of my schedule is the same.  On the weekends, I plan to get up when my next alarm goes off.  One of my goals is that with this challenge, I will become more productive in other areas of my life.  If I can get up at 6:00 on the weekends and have a little down time before the kids get up, then BONUS!  Plus, Kevin works on Saturdays, so I can spend a little time with him in the morning before he heads off to work.

5.  We are discussing it.  If you are doing the Advocare 24 Day Challenge with a partner (and I certainly hope you are), I cannot stress this enough.  Talk about it.  It's so important to us that Kevin and I are in this together.  That our commitment is the same, and that we hold each other accountable.  We've talked about portions, about workouts, about schedules.  Sometimes I worry that he's getting sick of me talking about it, but I know it's important to him, too.  Talk, talk, talk!

6.  I'm praying.  I can't do this on my own.  That's why I'm doing it with Kevin.  But I can't do anything without God.  So, I pray for strength, to avoid temptation, and to follow through with my commitment.

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.  1 Corinthians 10:31