AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge Meal Ideas - Days 1 to 10

The first 10 days are the most important days of the 24 day challenge.  These are the Cleansing days.  These ten days are going to remove all the toxins and other waste from your body.

Think of your body like a car.  If you stopped at a crappy gas station and filled your tank with bad gas,  your tank is full of all kinds of debris.  Even if you stop using the bad gas, and start using premium, there are still debris in the bottom of your gas tank that can and will decrease the gas efficiency.  This cleansing phase is like going and getting your gas tank totally cleaned out.   The flush is ridding your car of all the bad gas and debris.  Once the fuel tank is clean, your engine is ready to take on and efficiently burn the clean gas.

The cleanse phase does the same thing as cleaning out your gas tank for your car.  It cleans all the toxins and waste from your body so that your body can properly digest and  take in the nutrients it needs to function the RIGHT way.  Now if you are cleaning out your system, you don't want to be counterproductive and fill it back up with garbage.  You want to fill it up with foods that are rich in nutrients and vitamins.   This is why I have decided to prepare some meal plans that are full of nutrients and good "fuel" for your body.

Some of these meals are very basic and some take a little more planning and experience.  Most of the items can be made ahead of time and warmed up when needed.  I have created them this way because I am an on the go kind of person.  Even though I love to cook, I don't always have the time to sit down and prepare the most nutritious items.  These items will be filling and nutritious.  I won't use any added salt or sugar so if you are a salt or sugar addict, you will have to get used to using fresh (or dried) herbs for seasoning.

I am good with eating leftovers, so I will most likely be making one of the soups and having that at lunch.  Dinners will be different since I don't believe in cooking separate meals.  The family will get to enjoy healthy dinners.  They might even suggest that I put the meals on our dinner rotation. 

Breakfast

• 1 Large Hard-boiled egg & Almond banana breakfast oats
• Make ahead eggs on whole grain toast, (please note, I only make a few at a time to ensure freshness)

Lunch

• Grilled Chicken or Beef over Spinach (or salad greens), with plenty of vegetables.  You can make dressing from oil and vinegar and many dried spiced and herbs.  Be creative!
• Tuna, spinach and cucumbers on a whole grain wrap.  Use the dressing option above and have vegetables on the side to help fill you up. 
• Chicken and Lentil Soup - plenty of leftover for days
• Kale and Potato Soup - also good for leftovers
• Leftovers make the best lunches! Remember that when cooking the night before.  Cook a little extra and package it from lunch the next day. 

Dinner

• Fajita Chicken with Brown Rice (see recipes)
• Pan-fried tilapia or cod, sauteed green beans, roasted red potatoes 
• Turkey Chili over rice 
• Crock-pot Roasted Chicken with steamed broccoli and rosemary roasted potatoes 
• Taco cups with seasoned black beans 
• Spaghetti with tomatoes and shrimp- substitute regular pasta for 100% whole grain pasta and add a side salad
• Kenyan Braised Collard Greens and Ground beef - with all the other flavors going in, you can surely omit the 1 tsp of salt
• Crockpot Thai Peanut Chicken served over brown rice

Snacks - Keep snacks to 150 calories or less. Pack your snacks soon after you bring them home to help you stay on track.  I always find it easier to snack healthy when items are quick and easy to grab

• Nuts and seeds (raw or roasted - no added sugar, salts and oils) - 1/4 cup servings
• Raw fresh fruit
• Rice cakes with raw or natural nut butter

Let me know if you have any other recipes for this challenge.  I'd be interested in learning what keeps you full and satisfied.

Advocare 24 day Challange

2015 is the year of ME.  I need to seriously work on being the best me that I can be.   I love being a wife, mother and business woman, but it can be draining on your emotions and spirit.  Let's not forget the strain it puts on your body.  It's hard to find time to work out when you have sports, church, family time and work to do.  When I get home, it's time to cook, eat, clean and go to bed. 

I do fairly well at eating healthy and unfortunately my family has to deal with the my crazy meal plans.  There are times I fall off the wagon and eat some not so great things.  I have learned how to eat terrible.  If I want the cookies or cake or fried foods, I'll eat at lunch so that I have time to burn off the extra calories.  This is not a good way to live and at times eating that during the day just makes me feel sluggish.  After much debating with myself, I decided it was time to really do what was right for my body.  Having overcome Stage 0 breast cancer, it is time for me to get everything else in tip top shape. 

I have seen what the 24 day challenge can do for a friend and I am very excited for the opportunity and ability to be able to finally join in on January 7, 2015.   This woman not only dropped weight, she's also gained the energy to go out and run (something she hasn't done in a long time).  She's even taking boxing classes a few times a week.  I am so very proud of her and her accomplishments. 

Although it's a nice perk, losing weight is not my goal.  I am interested in getting my energy back.  At the beginning of this year, I was into working out and even started running.  When I received my diagnosis, that slowed, but I still had the energy to go out and run because it helped with stress.  After each (three total) surgeries, I feel as though I have lost more and more energy.  With the last surgery, that was earlier this month, I felt completely drained.  I am still very drained and most days take a nap when I get home from work and get eight hours rest each night.   I try to push to work out.  Sometimes it works, but other times I just end of crashing from exhaustion.  I am 34 years old and shouldn't be this tired.

I became an AdvoCare distributor, not only for the discount, but as a way to help others who also suffer as I do.  I don't need  to lose weight, I NEED to gain energy.   If you are interested in following along with me, please feel free to pick up your 24 day challenge before December 31st to receive some wonder perks. 

• Free expedited SHIPPING. (so it arrives prior to Jan 7th)
• Free blender bottle.
• Free wristband.
• One-time free shipping on your next order of $250+ (retail, not out of pocket with your discount) in January.
• Daily virtual coaching and a new, updated 24 Day Challenge app with daily reminders for taking supplements.
• Meal & snack ideas, recipes, & tips.
• Pre-orders that won’t process/charge on your card until after Christmas.

Challenge :: Lunch for under $12 PT 2

Here is what I managed to purchase this weekend for lunch.  It doesn't look like much, but I can tell I will be full everyday after lunch.   The bread smelled AMAZING.  It's Garlic - Herb French bread from Wal-Mart.  I also picked up "Cracker Pepper" turkey breast.  There were so many different types of turkey at the deli case.  My husband was eying up the Buffalo turkey breast

Cost breakdown:

	Est. Cost	Actual Cost
Canned soup (2 servings per can)	1.50	1.88
French Bread (used for sandwiches too)	1.00	1.00
Cut carrot sticks	1.00	0.75
Lettuce	1.50	0.00
Tomato	1.50	0.92
Chunk cheese	2.00	1.98
Apples (bagged)	2.00	1.94
Tuna (canned in water)	1.00	0.74
Turkey (deli sliced)	3.00	2.51
Totals	$14.50	$11.72

After unpacking and organizing, I did some prep work.  Carrots had to be peeled and cut into sticks.  I also cut the cheese (LOL!) into small cubes and separated them into baggies.  Doing a little bit of prep work helps when I have busy mornings.  Sandwiches couldn't be made ahead of time because I didn't want the bread to get hard.   Eggs were boiled and tuna salad was made.

This challenge was fun.  It made me think about what I was purchasing and how much I could eat each day. I'll update you later this week to let you know how everything went.