Discovering Isagenix

While I've never been overweight by a doctor's standards, I have been unhappy in some respect with my body since my senior year in college. I've also struggled with IBS since my junior year in college.  While I'm not a health expert by any stretch of the imagination, it wasn't rocket science for me to figure out that something was wrong in my diet. I, along with doctors, just could not figure out what it was.

On a random day in May, I kept seeing posts about a product called Isagenix.  I was seeing before and after pictures and claims that you can lose a lot of weight from ridding your body of toxins.  Out of curiosity, I inquired about the program.  What I learned was that it was about so much more than losing weight (though that's what drew me in).

The thing with Isagenix is that it's not a weight loss program. It's a health cleanse, and the weight loss is just a side effect of cleansing toxins. Our bodies recognize toxins, and to protect the organs from those toxins, it pads them with fat. When we cleanse out the toxins, the body releases those cells, and the result is weight loss. Real weight loss--not like the water weight you lose with programs like Shakeology, Visalus, Nutri system, etc. The products are from New Zealand, who has the highest food quality standard in the works. No chemicals or flavors--just pure whole good ingredients.

The shakes are clinically proven to change the body from acidic to alkaline in just two days. Being alkaline is what breaks addictions and cravings, and it’s why you start to crave the shakes because your body recognizes the nutrition they contain.

What are toxins?

Toxins are harmful to your health and live inside many of the foods and drinks we consume.  Removing them from our diets makes a tremendous effect on our bodies.  Some examples of toxins are: 

• Artificial sweeteners (saccharin, NutraSweet, aspartame). 
• Refined sugar
• MSG
• GMOs
• BHA/BHT
• Sodium Nitrate and Nitrate
• Caffeine
• Brominated vegetable oil
• Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
• Pesticides

Isagenix vs. Diets

Diets do not fully work because they are calorie restrictive, and they are actually taking nutrients away from the body. The body craves those missing nutrients and goes out of balance and becomes more acidic. If it is significant calorie restriction, the body will recognize it as starvation and will begin to produce more fat to compensate. The metabolism slows down to prevent and fat stores from being depletes too quickly so less fat is burned. This is the main reason why diets don’t work. The more of these diets you have tried, the more damage you have done to your body

Isagenix is not a diet, and it does not restrict nutrients. The shakes actually flood the body with the purest nutrition available. We aren’t taking away from the body; we are adding to it. The body receives the best nutrition it’s ever had, goes from acidic to alkaline, boosts metabolism, and releases toxins and deep stored fat.

Unlike diets, you will “release” a lot of weight in a small amount of time.  And this concerns some people thinking it’s unsafe.  It's not weight loss, it's fat loss. You flush toxins which pull the visceral (deep) fat out with it. When you lose weight from dieting, you are losing muscle mass. When you flush fat, you're only losing fat which is why rapid fat loss is safe.

Why Cleanse?

It's recommended to do 1-3 cleanses a year to keep your body healthy because no matter how healthy you eat, there are toxins everywhere--cleaning products, air pollution, and toxins in your home and food. When I say “cleanse,” I’m speaking of cellular cleansing which is the premise of Isagenix. 

So, on Memorial day (of all days), I started a 30 day challenge.  

Guys, in my first week I lost 3 pounds and 8.5 inches.  Um hello!  This is actually working!

I had motivation to keep going.  I was seeing results, and I was starting to gain this crazy energy level and sleep better.  In my second week, I lost another 1.6 lbs, and then in my third week another 3 lbs.  It was craziness.  And that's just the weight loss.  The inches were flying off and by the end of my third week, I had lost 15.5 inches across my body.  My tight clothes were not tight anymore...and in fact, they were loose.

I started taking those self-portraits that some people do, but I uh...never do.  Well, I became one of those people.

My legs were starting to lose inches and take form--coupled with the exercise I was doing.

Let's talk about energy.  Because I was eating "clean," I had the most ridiculous energy.  I was taking conditioning and boot camps, taking hour walks, doing workout DVDs, and even doing yard work.

Let's talk about sleep.  My body was actually capable of sleeping through the entire night and waking up rested.  If it weren't for a certain three-year-old who is having issues sleeping lately, I might get more of those opportunities. ;)

Let's talk about overall health.  I'll put this simply.  I haven't had a single IBS symptom since May.

Have I cheated along the way?  Yes, I sure did.  Pizza and beer and a few other snacks during my last week.  However, I made it until Week three until it happened.  And guess what...I still lost weight that week.

Regardless of the weight loss (which has been a huge perk for me), I honestly love these products.  I was not a health nut or a huge advocate for organic food either, but this forced me to start to pay attention.  While I'm now more conscious of food choices and food labels, I will probably never lead a fully "clean" diet.  I'm just keeping it real.  However, I know how Isagenix products and eating clean makes me feel, and I'm on board, folks.  

I had a lot of nonbelievers following me along the way.  I'll state this simply.  I was/am not malnourished or doing anything bad to my body.  Quite the contrary actually.   Need more proof?  I can give you a ton of testimonials, before/after pictures, and personal experiences.

As of today, I am 20 lbs, 3 pants sizes, and 20 inches lighter.  Happier.  Healthier.

And before long, you'll be trading in your clothes for smaller ones ;)