Saturday
Meal Replacement Shakes
Meal Replacement Shakes are part of the 24 day challenge. The Plus Plan (the original plan with some optional add-ons) includes the shakes for all 24 days. The original plan only includes them for the MAX phase (Days 11-24).
As far as protein shakes go, these are the best formulated and best tasting protein shakes on the market. Each one has a perfect balance of 24 grams protein and 24 grams carbs. The protein is pre-digested, which means your body's metabolism is ramped up within 20 minutes of drinking the shake (vs. up to an hour an a half with a normal breakfast). They are convienent, quick and on-the-go and gets your day off to a great nutrional start.
I have been drinking these shakes every single morning for about 6 months and here is the best way that I have found to mix them up.
- Get yourself a blender bottle like the one pictured to the right. The wire ball helps mix up the powder and break up the clumps. You can get one for about $5.50 on my website. Just go to www.AdvocareForAll.com and click on Shop Now, then click on Accessories. I also recently saw them at my local grocery store in the health foods section, but they $8 instead of $5.50. I bet any vitamin shoppe or GNC type of store would also carry them.
- Start with 9 oz of water (any temp) in the bottle (wire ball at the bottom).
- Add your shake powder.
- Add a few ice cubes on top.
- Put the lid on and shake until you no longer see any clumps (usually about 20 seconds).
- Open the top and drink through a straw (I don't know why the straw makes it so much better, but it just does).
- Enjoy!
Days 11-24
Day 11 starts the MAX Phase. The product in the Herbal Cleanse box should be gone, and you'll add some new AdvoCare products to your daily regimen.
Meal Replacement Shakes
As far as protein shakes go, these are the best formulated and best tasting protein shakes on the market. Each one has a perfect balance of 24 grams protien and 24 grams carbs. They are convienent, quick and on-the-go and gets your day off to a great nutrional start. They are thick like a milkshake, and also quite filling - I don't feel deprived or like I need additional food with these.
Click here to see my tips on the best ways to mix them up.
MNS (Metabolic Nutritrional System)
Regardless of whether you have MNS Max3, MaxC, or MaxE, the packets should be taken the same way. Each strip of supplements has 4 packets joined by perforations so you can tear each one off.
Catalyst (This is an Optional Add-On and is part of the Plus Plan)
The product regimen for the rest of the Challenge now remains the same.
Here is what your day should look like for Days 11-24:
Meal Replacement Shakes
As far as protein shakes go, these are the best formulated and best tasting protein shakes on the market. Each one has a perfect balance of 24 grams protien and 24 grams carbs. They are convienent, quick and on-the-go and gets your day off to a great nutrional start. They are thick like a milkshake, and also quite filling - I don't feel deprived or like I need additional food with these.
Click here to see my tips on the best ways to mix them up.
MNS (Metabolic Nutritrional System)
Regardless of whether you have MNS Max3, MaxC, or MaxE, the packets should be taken the same way. Each strip of supplements has 4 packets joined by perforations so you can tear each one off.
- The first pack should be taken 30 minutes before breakfast or your first meal (I take it as soon as I wake up)
- The second should be taken 30 minutes before lunch (I set an alarm for this so I don't forget)
- The bottom two packs can be taken with either breakfast, lunch, or one with each. (I take both of the bottom packs with my Meal Replacement Shake for breakfast)
OmegaPlex
Essential Fatty Acids are, well, essential. You can drop down the number of OmegaPlex you are taking to 1-2 at dinner time, depending on whether you are eating foods with essential fatty acids in them. The MNS contains one OmegaPlex already.Catalyst (This is an Optional Add-On and is part of the Plus Plan)
You can take a varying amount of Catalsyt. As per the instructions for the challenge, I took 3 in the morning with my first MNS pack and Spark, and another 3 mid-afternoon. Catalyst should be taken on an empty stomach. This is a key product for retaining muscle while you lose fat!!
Diet
Now that the Cleanse Phase is over, you can start to incorporate some of the foods you stopped eating back into your regimen, but you cannot start eating larger portions, or change the amount of carbs you eat at one time! To optimize your results, you should continue to stay away from anything "white" - white rice, any bread that isn't whole grain (including wheat), white potatoes, pasta (except for brown rice pasta), etc. You're not doing yourself a favor by eating any of these things, whether you are trying to lose weight or not.
Diet
Now that the Cleanse Phase is over, you can start to incorporate some of the foods you stopped eating back into your regimen, but you cannot start eating larger portions, or change the amount of carbs you eat at one time! To optimize your results, you should continue to stay away from anything "white" - white rice, any bread that isn't whole grain (including wheat), white potatoes, pasta (except for brown rice pasta), etc. You're not doing yourself a favor by eating any of these things, whether you are trying to lose weight or not.
The product regimen for the rest of the Challenge now remains the same.
Here is what your day should look like for Days 11-24:
- Upon waking:
- MNS first packet
- Spark
- 3 Catalyst (if you are on the Plus Plan)
- Breakfast:
- Meal Replacement Shake
- MNS third packet
- MNS forth packet
- Water
- Mid-morning Snack
- Water
- 30 min before Lunch:
- MNS second packet
- Lunch
- Water
- 30 min before Mid-afternoon snack:
- 3 Catalyst (if you are on teh Plus Plan)
- Spark (if needed/wanted)
- Mid-afternoon Snack
- Water
- 1-2 OmegaPlex + Dinner
- Water
- Optional Snack
Day 10
Day 10 is the exact same as Days 8 and 9, except that today is your last day of the Cleanse! Tomorrow starts the Max phase and you should be feeling great by now. Remember, the purpose of the Cleanse phase is not weight loss, it is to detoxify your system. However, I will be very surprised (shocked actually) if you followed the program and have not lost any weight by now.
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the Max Phase products (the below video is a great way to do that) and the Max Phase instructions. While you can be a little more flexible with your eating in the Max Phase, it is VERY important that the carb count and meal size stay the same. NO more than 30 grams of carbohydrate at a time. You can add in dairy, wheat and maybe a tiny cheat meal.
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the Max Phase products (the below video is a great way to do that) and the Max Phase instructions. While you can be a little more flexible with your eating in the Max Phase, it is VERY important that the carb count and meal size stay the same. NO more than 30 grams of carbohydrate at a time. You can add in dairy, wheat and maybe a tiny cheat meal.
Day 8-9
The Cleanse tablets should have been finished the evening of Day 7. So, on Days 8 and 9, you will resume drinking the Fiber Drink (mixed with Orange Juice) in the morning. You should also continue to take the Probiotic Restore in the morning and Spark up to twice a day.
Days 8-9 should look something like this:
Days 8-9 should look something like this:
- Upon waking:
- Fiber Drink
- Spark
- Probiotic Restore
- Breakfast:
- Meal Replacement Shake (if you are on the Plus Plan)
- OR a healthy breakfast
- Water
- Mid-morning Snack
- Water
- Lunch
- Water
- Spark + Mid-afternoon Snack
- Water
- 4 OmegaPlex + Dinner
- Water
- Optional Snack
Days 5-7
Days 5, 6, and 7 are just like Day 4. As a reminder, your commitment during the Cleanse Phase is essential for your success during the second part of the Challenge. It prepares your body to better absorb the nutrients taken during the Max Phase. Your ability to stay focused during the Cleanse Phase will directly affect the physical results you see in the Max Phase!
To recap, here are the products you should be taking on Days 5-7:
To recap, here are the products you should be taking on Days 5-7:
- Upon Waking: 2 Probiotic Restore + Spark
- Breakfast: Meal Replacement Shake (if you are on the Plus Plan)
- Mid-afternoon: Spark
- Dinner: 4 OmegaPlex
- Bedtime: Herbal Cleanse tablets
Day 4
Day 4 uses different products from the Herbal Cleanse box than days 1-3.
You don't have to drink the Fiber Drink again until Day 8. Instead of the Fiber Drink in the morning, you'll take two small white capsules (Probiotic Restore). You can take these with your morning Spark when you wake up. Everything else stays the same, so you should end up taking the following products today:
You don't have to drink the Fiber Drink again until Day 8. Instead of the Fiber Drink in the morning, you'll take two small white capsules (Probiotic Restore). You can take these with your morning Spark when you wake up. Everything else stays the same, so you should end up taking the following products today:
- Upon Waking: 2 Probiotic Restore + Spark
- 30 minutes later: Breakfast or Meal Replacement Shake (if you are on the Plus Plan)
- Mid-afternoon: Spark
- Dinner: 4 OmegaPlex
- Bedtime: Herbal Cleanse tablets
Days 2-3
Take your AdvoCare products on Days 2 and 3 just like Day 1. Here are some more snack/meal ideas:
- 1 cup of strawberries with Splenda or balsamic vinegar (let the vinegar sit for about 20 min on the strawberries for a super sweet snack!)
- Smoked salmon and goat cheese on a brown rice cake (rice cakes are a great crunchy, salty alternative to chips/bread/crackers)
- Diced tomato and eggplant with goat cheese on a brown rice cake - stick in the microwave...pretty darn good.
- Tomato, cucumber, and red onion with vinegar and oil, sprinkled with walnuts
- Salmon/cod/tuna/tilapia/flounder blackened with spices topped with artichoke hearts
- Avocado slices with hummus on a brown rice cake
- Field greens salad with chopped hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, avocado, pecans/walnuts/almonds, cucumber, kidney beans, and red bell peppers
- Easy dressing: olive oil mixed with balsamic vinegar, Herbes de provence (crush in your hand before adding) and a small amount of Truvia/Stevia if you like to make it a little sweet
- Upon waking:
- Fiber Drink
- Spar
- Breakfast:
- Meal Replacement Shake (if you are on the Plus Plan)
- OR a healthy breakfast
- Water
- Mid-morning Snack
- Water
- Lunch
- Water
- Spark + Mid-afternoon Snack
- Water
- 4 OmegaPlex + Dinner
- Water
- Optional Snack
- Bedtime: Herbal Cleanse Tablets
Day 1
Day 1 starts with the Cleanse Phase! This post will walk you through what do eat/take/do for the entire day, so read carefully :)
If you have read the instructions you will already know what food and drink you should try to eliminate from your diet during these 10 days. Remember that the goal is to be 80-90% "on" - not to be perfect! But also remember that the better you commit, the better your results will be...
The Cleanse Phase should be "uneventful" - you should be able to go to work and do your normal routine as always. Some people find that they feel a little yucky during the first few days - I did not experience this, but this can be normal...the body is doing some cleaning! Here is how I took the products and followed the eating regimen:
Upon waking: Fiber Drink + Spark
The best way to mix the Fiber Drink is with 8 oz of Orange Juice (and you get a fruit serving in - two birds, one stone!) It will taste like thick, pulpy orange juice. Then, mix your Spark with at least 8 oz of water. Follow your Spark with another 8 oz of water. Talk about full! You should plan on eating breakfast about 30 minutes to an hour after this step.
Breakfast:
If you are on the Plus Plan, have a Meal Replacement Shake. If not, eat a healthy breakfast like oatmeal with fruit or rice cakes and a 2-3 hard boiled eggs.
**DRINK WATER**
Mid-morning:
Snack time! You need to eat something no sooner than 2 hours after previously eating, and NO LATER than 4 hours after eating. This is very important. Here are some examples snack examples:
- a handful of nuts + apple wedges
- 2 or 3 hard boiled eggs chopped up with hummus (can go on top of a brown rice cake)
- veggie sticks and hummus
- raw fruit
- rice cakes with peanut or almond butter
**DRINK WATER**
Lunchtime:
All of the meal portions should stay small, with your carb count coming in at no more than 30g per eating time. For complex carbs, like brown rice, that's about what would fit in the palm of your hand. You should have mostly vegetables and protein and a small amount of carbohydrate. Examples:
- Grilled Chicken Salad with Balsamic Vinegarette dressing
- Tuna Salad made with Olive Oil or Canola Mayo on a bed of Spinach leaves
- Grilled chicken with steamed veggies and hummus
- Grilled fish and steamed veggies
I was shocked when I looked back on how much I had been eating at one time, and what that was doing to my body chemistry. Eeek! Also, it's TOTALLY possible to go out to eat still. I found though that what I would normally eat in one sitting was probably 2 - 3 meals worth of food. Good news - one meal became three...plan on taking part of whatever you order back to work or home!
**DRINK WATER**
Mid-afternoon: Spark + Snack
Snack time again! This snack time is similar to Mid-morning. If you are feeling tired, mix up another Spark!
**DRINK WATER**
Dinnertime: OmegaPlex + Dinner
For Dinner, keep the carb portion to under 30 grams again - read labels! I ate vegetables like zucchini and eggplant, green beans, broccoli, kidney beans, and lima beans, mixed with tomatoes and sometimes topped with some goat cheese. I would also sometimes fix a small portion of brown rice or brown rice pasta - it has the same consistency as regular pasta but contains no wheat and doesn't give you that barfy full feeling that eating regular pasta can give you.
**DRINK WATER**
Optional Snacktime:
If you are still hungry, you can have another snack later - just make sure it's been a few hours since you had dinner.
Bedtime:
Take the Cleanse Tablets that come in the Herbal Cleanse box.
You should try to drink water mostly in between meals. Try to drink small amounts of liquid with meals, but large amounts in between. This keeps the stomach acid from getting diluted when you eat so that it can do its job of breaking down the food you eat.
All in all, you should have taken the following products today:
If you have read the instructions you will already know what food and drink you should try to eliminate from your diet during these 10 days. Remember that the goal is to be 80-90% "on" - not to be perfect! But also remember that the better you commit, the better your results will be...
The Cleanse Phase should be "uneventful" - you should be able to go to work and do your normal routine as always. Some people find that they feel a little yucky during the first few days - I did not experience this, but this can be normal...the body is doing some cleaning! Here is how I took the products and followed the eating regimen:
Upon waking: Fiber Drink + Spark
The best way to mix the Fiber Drink is with 8 oz of Orange Juice (and you get a fruit serving in - two birds, one stone!) It will taste like thick, pulpy orange juice. Then, mix your Spark with at least 8 oz of water. Follow your Spark with another 8 oz of water. Talk about full! You should plan on eating breakfast about 30 minutes to an hour after this step.
Breakfast:
If you are on the Plus Plan, have a Meal Replacement Shake. If not, eat a healthy breakfast like oatmeal with fruit or rice cakes and a 2-3 hard boiled eggs.
**DRINK WATER**
Mid-morning:
Snack time! You need to eat something no sooner than 2 hours after previously eating, and NO LATER than 4 hours after eating. This is very important. Here are some examples snack examples:
- a handful of nuts + apple wedges
- 2 or 3 hard boiled eggs chopped up with hummus (can go on top of a brown rice cake)
- veggie sticks and hummus
- raw fruit
- rice cakes with peanut or almond butter
**DRINK WATER**
Lunchtime:
All of the meal portions should stay small, with your carb count coming in at no more than 30g per eating time. For complex carbs, like brown rice, that's about what would fit in the palm of your hand. You should have mostly vegetables and protein and a small amount of carbohydrate. Examples:
- Grilled Chicken Salad with Balsamic Vinegarette dressing
- Tuna Salad made with Olive Oil or Canola Mayo on a bed of Spinach leaves
- Grilled chicken with steamed veggies and hummus
- Grilled fish and steamed veggies
I was shocked when I looked back on how much I had been eating at one time, and what that was doing to my body chemistry. Eeek! Also, it's TOTALLY possible to go out to eat still. I found though that what I would normally eat in one sitting was probably 2 - 3 meals worth of food. Good news - one meal became three...plan on taking part of whatever you order back to work or home!
**DRINK WATER**
Mid-afternoon: Spark + Snack
Snack time again! This snack time is similar to Mid-morning. If you are feeling tired, mix up another Spark!
**DRINK WATER**
Dinnertime: OmegaPlex + Dinner
For Dinner, keep the carb portion to under 30 grams again - read labels! I ate vegetables like zucchini and eggplant, green beans, broccoli, kidney beans, and lima beans, mixed with tomatoes and sometimes topped with some goat cheese. I would also sometimes fix a small portion of brown rice or brown rice pasta - it has the same consistency as regular pasta but contains no wheat and doesn't give you that barfy full feeling that eating regular pasta can give you.
**DRINK WATER**
Optional Snacktime:
If you are still hungry, you can have another snack later - just make sure it's been a few hours since you had dinner.
Bedtime:
Take the Cleanse Tablets that come in the Herbal Cleanse box.
You should try to drink water mostly in between meals. Try to drink small amounts of liquid with meals, but large amounts in between. This keeps the stomach acid from getting diluted when you eat so that it can do its job of breaking down the food you eat.
All in all, you should have taken the following products today:
- Fiber Drink
- Meal Replacement Shake (only if you are on the Plus Plan)
- 1-2 Sparks
- 4 OmegaPlex
- Cleanse Tablets
Getting Ready
Before you begin the 24 Day Challenge, the following things should be done:
1. Order your AdvoCare products. You can get them by clicking HERE. The products and program were put together by an AdvoCare distributor who is also a nutritionist - hundreds of people have achieved fantastic results with this particular combination of products, including me! I lost 10.5 overall inches and I feel better than I ever have before. Hooray! If you stumbled upon this blog and haven't actually talked to me about it, you can contact me HERE. I'll be happy to tell you more about it.
2. Review the eating instructions on the Cleanse Phase sheet and these Meal Suggestions/Recipes. Think about how you want to structure your eating at least one day ahead of time until you get used to it. Most people have to eat more often than what they are used to - this part is essential!
3. Decide if there is anything in your pantry or refrigerator that needs to be thrown out. Make room for new things!
4. Go grocery shopping with your plan in mind. It can be difficult to stay on track if you don't have any of the foods you can eat ready to go. Some people find it best to take an afternoon and pre-portion some food out and freeze it/store it so that you can quickly grab it on your way out for the day. Since you are eating more often, you'll need to plan ahead, especially if you have a long work day.
5. Be sure to have some sort of water bottle - drinking lots of water is a big part of the process. I have an AdvoCare blender bottle that can be used for drinking water as well as for shaking up Meal Replacement shakes and Spark. Yours doesn't have to come from AdvoCare, just make sure you have a plan for having water available at all times.
6. RECORD YOUR MEASUREMENTS and WEIGHT. Write the information down the Assessment Form. EVERYONE who skips this step regrets it - it can be very reassuring to see what you have lost! I was frustrated with the scale when I did my 24 day challenge because I felt great, looked great and I was finally wearing clothes that I haven't been able to get into for 4 years but the scale said I had only lost 5 pounds. Then, I measured myself and was so pleasantly surprised to see that I had lost over 10 INCHES!!! That tells me I lost a lot of FAT and not very much muscle. The AdvoCare products in the 24 day challenge are designed to help your body preserve the muscle and therefore you end up with a lot of fat loss. These are the results everyone wants, but since fat doesn't weigh nearly as much as muscle, the scale can be misleading on how you are actually doing.
7. Take a moment to become familiar with the products you have chosen.
The next post will explain how and when to take them, starting with DAY 1.
1. Order your AdvoCare products. You can get them by clicking HERE. The products and program were put together by an AdvoCare distributor who is also a nutritionist - hundreds of people have achieved fantastic results with this particular combination of products, including me! I lost 10.5 overall inches and I feel better than I ever have before. Hooray! If you stumbled upon this blog and haven't actually talked to me about it, you can contact me HERE. I'll be happy to tell you more about it.
2. Review the eating instructions on the Cleanse Phase sheet and these Meal Suggestions/Recipes. Think about how you want to structure your eating at least one day ahead of time until you get used to it. Most people have to eat more often than what they are used to - this part is essential!
3. Decide if there is anything in your pantry or refrigerator that needs to be thrown out. Make room for new things!
4. Go grocery shopping with your plan in mind. It can be difficult to stay on track if you don't have any of the foods you can eat ready to go. Some people find it best to take an afternoon and pre-portion some food out and freeze it/store it so that you can quickly grab it on your way out for the day. Since you are eating more often, you'll need to plan ahead, especially if you have a long work day.
5. Be sure to have some sort of water bottle - drinking lots of water is a big part of the process. I have an AdvoCare blender bottle that can be used for drinking water as well as for shaking up Meal Replacement shakes and Spark. Yours doesn't have to come from AdvoCare, just make sure you have a plan for having water available at all times.
6. RECORD YOUR MEASUREMENTS and WEIGHT. Write the information down the Assessment Form. EVERYONE who skips this step regrets it - it can be very reassuring to see what you have lost! I was frustrated with the scale when I did my 24 day challenge because I felt great, looked great and I was finally wearing clothes that I haven't been able to get into for 4 years but the scale said I had only lost 5 pounds. Then, I measured myself and was so pleasantly surprised to see that I had lost over 10 INCHES!!! That tells me I lost a lot of FAT and not very much muscle. The AdvoCare products in the 24 day challenge are designed to help your body preserve the muscle and therefore you end up with a lot of fat loss. These are the results everyone wants, but since fat doesn't weigh nearly as much as muscle, the scale can be misleading on how you are actually doing.
7. Take a moment to become familiar with the products you have chosen.
The next post will explain how and when to take them, starting with DAY 1.
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