What to eat and not eat

Paleoithic Food Pyramid

The most common questions we get on the first 30 days of the Simply Fit program have to do with what to eat. The first 30 days is the most stringent and it is to help us shed and eliminate toxins. Toxins are stored in our body fat, so once we shed the toxins, it is easier to shed the fat, especially around the middle of our body. All high allergen foods are removed and will slowly be added back in. It is important to figure out any food sensitivities that we might have so that we can eliminate them and function at a more optimal level of health. This is what we are doing for the first 30 days and people are having great results. I know, most people panic about all the things they can't have, but it is only for 30 days. Also, the benefits are so worth while. You will have a great amount of increased energy and mental clarity. I personally have no desire for coffee anymore and that was huge for me, I was drinking so much and now I don't need it at all. You will notice when going through a detox that there will be foods you will never go back to. We never buy white rice now, the whole family PREFERS brown rice.

“Simply Fit”

Eat This – Not That

This is a Do’s & Don’ts for your first 30 days on the “Simply Fit” Program

What to take out of your Diet and What you can have during the first 30 days:

Eat This Avoid That

Brown Rice Gluten

Brown Rice Cakes White Flour

Brown Rice Tortillas Flour or Corn Tortillas

Brown Rice Pasta Wheat, Rye, Barley

Gluten Free Oatmeal Bread

Green Tea Caffeine, Coffee

Water with Lemon Red Apples, NO dried fruit

Arbonne Fizzy Tabs Soda & Diet Soda

Stevia Sweetener Alcohol

Xylitol Sweetener Nitrates

Blue Agave Nectar MSG

Green Apples Artificial Sweeteners

Berries Soy

Almond Butter Vinegar Products

Raw Coconut Flakes Mustard, Pickles, Etc.

Leafy Salad Dairy, Milk

Steamed Veggies Cheese

Lean Proteins Cream, Sour Cream

Bananas, Melons, Grapes

Simply Fit Week 6

Simply Fit week 6: Last night we had our 6 week meeting for the Simply Fit hub in Boise. It is kind of nice that at the chiropractic office, we have a machine that measures the toxins in our bodies, our healthy cells, fat content, internal health etc. What I love is that the evidence is so tangible. At this 6 week mark, most everybody has a marked improvement in their internal health age, much less toxic, more healthier cells and a higher ratio of muscle mass. One man has lost 6% body fat in just 6 weeks! As a group, the average weight loss is 10 pounds! It was quite exciting.

I was worried about one woman who has never missed a meeting, but her numbers had not improved. I expressed my concern to her and she just smiled and said that she had decided to try NOT using Arbonne's products and just eating the foods on the allowed list. This was great information to learn because it so tangibly showed how Arbonne's products enhance the weight loss, the shedding of toxins and the increase in muscle mass. She said she has really been watching the improvements in the group and is excited to now add the Arbonne products into her dietary plan.

I will keep you posted on how the group continues to improve! If you want more information about the plan, please email me at vonda626@msn.com or check my website: www.nicolesanchez.myarbonne.com

Simply Fit update

About five weeks ago, I started a Simply Fit Hub here in Boise, Idaho. It was with great hesitation that I decided to do this. My biggest concern is my own personal difficulty with losing weight, which I now refer to as releasing pounds. In 1999 I had thyroid cancer and radiation that killed off my thyroid function. Ever since then, I have steadily been gaining weight and been unable to release it. I decided to fully embrace this system as a complete life change for myself. I want to nourish my body and spirit by living in alignment with what I know to be true. I know how I need to eat, what I need to eat and that I need to make taking care of myself more of a priority. I also strongly mentally link up my determination to change my exercise and eating habits with my success in business and life in general.

Coming up on week 5, I would love to share with you my favorite things about doing this program. There is simply no price tag you can put on how I FEEL right now. I have had the best attitude and mental clarity, energy and positive spirit ever this past 5 weeks. I know that I must shed toxins in order to release pounds, so the first 30 days, we eliminated all high allergen foods. Well, surprisingly enough to me, I believe I have some sensitivities to certain foods that I was unaware of. Now when I have dairy, my stomach really reacts. The heartburn I had for this past year is completely gone while I am on the program. When I do "cheat" and eat something not on the plan, certain things really give me heartburn again. So, I am becoming aware of how various foods affect my body. This is quite empowering.

I am just beginning on this journey, but I will say that I see changes in my body already. I am almost to my first goal which was what I weighed three years ago. I had been very upset with how my arms were looking and this morning I was noticing how much better they look already. I can fit in clothes that were tight. I look in the mirror and I like seeing the improvements and I am eagerly anticipating more improvements.

Even if you don't need to release pounds, this program is great for detoxifying your liver and kidneys and we all need to take good care of ourselves to live our best life. We definitely want to do all that we can in our power to keep disease and obesity at bay. If you would like more information, please contact me. This is a structured program with lots of information and guidance. I would love to help you on your journey to wellness and living your optimal life.

Love is all you need

    I know that I don't blog too often, but yesterday was such an exceptionally good day, that I wanted to share a bit of it with you. Yesterday was one of those days that is just so filled with love that my heart feels like it is going to explode with warmth and happiness. It was my husband's birthday yesterday and I think he had a great day, nothing extravagant, but lots of well wishes and people that called him, patients that said nice things to him etc. We had a nice lunch together and a busy day at the office. In the evening, it was a couples Bunko night because it is February and in honor of Valentine's Day. We had a cake and sang him happy birthday last night and there was silliness and fun.

Happy 55th Birthday, Victor.

Couple's Bunko happens twice per year.

     So much of the love happened right at the end of the day, close to midnight. We got out of Bunko late and I picked Cassidy up from babysitting. She really wanted to see her boyfriend and I ran her by his house for a quick hug on the porch. Yes, I am sucker for love. She has it so bad, it's quite cute. Yesterday was all about The Lady and The Tramp and how much she thinks their story is similar. I watched her hug her boyfriend and was thinking about the future, wondering if they will make it, how long it would last. My daughter gets back in the car with me and continues talking to me about how much she loves her boyfriend and why, all the sweet things he says, she reads me his texts. We go to the grocery store to buy a cake for daddy's birthday and we get stuck reading all the sweet Valentines  Day cards. I loved my time with Cassidy. It almost felt surreal. We actually sat in the car in the parking lot just talking. She tried to talk me into McDonald's, but I said no way, I draw the line there :)

Cassidy reading Valentine's Day Cards

     When we got home, there were several kids waiting up for us. I went in the guest room to get tissue paper out of the closet and there were more girls in the guest room bed. Now, I had been getting this room ready for company on Sunday and didn't want the room to be used, I had washed all the bedding and had everything in there perfect. I had a split second of my stomach dropping and realizing I had not conveyed that the room was off limits enough, but I looked at the girls, one was sleeping, one was awake and I was so happy that they were there. I felt this overwhelming love flow through me that I haven't felt in a while. I often feel that that feeling must be the Holy Spirit. Whatever it is, it is rare for me to feel that encompassed and it just washed over me, so much warmth.

The ones awake sang Happy Birthday

More got out of bed for cake :) 

      After we sang happy birthday and the kids were getting ready to go to bed, I hugged every single child, mine and all the extras and I held them tight and told them how much I loved them. It was different last night. These kids are always yelling I love you to me and I yell it right back, but last night as I held each one of them, I thought about how much I do love them and I love having them here. This is their weekend haven. Some of the girls were commenting that they spend every weekend with us. I hadn't realized it, but it is true. I truly meant the I love you's last night and I felt my heart expand. The fact that we have more love in us and it doesn't diminish for the ones we already love is just incredible. What a gift we have, this capacity to love. Sometimes I feel like I have five kids, how could I have more, how could I love more, but last night just showed me how much our hearts can stretch and expand and make more room. Love is such a fantastic gift. It makes like worth living. I often say people and relationships are all that really matter, as I went to bed last night thinking of everyone in my life yesterday, all the friends, hugs, love, fantastic conversations, dynamic energy, joy, warmth, peace, calm, trust, all of those great emotions, I think I answered my own question that I had posed to a dear friend on Thursday. All of my life, I listen to my mind, I am so logical, thoughtful, my mind always wins. I have debated the topic of the mind over the heart many times. Last night, I figured I should just let my heart win the battle every once in a while.

     Wishing you a heart filled with joy, love, gratitude and grace.

January 1st, 2012

It is said by some cultures that how you spend your first day of the new year is how you will spend the rest of your year. What an interesting thought and it really makes me think about how I spend today, January 1st, 2012. I need to make sure to exercise, cuddle with the kids, have meaningful conversations with friends, incorporate some business and personal growth reading and much more. What I don't want to do at all and what I need to do the most is work on my taxes! I am normally not one to procrastinate, but I seem to do so much better if I am in the mood for something. I am working my way up to doing taxes. Then, I think, do I want to spend the rest of the year doing taxes? Well, I have decided to think about it this way, doing the taxes today will show that I am efficient, on task, not procrastinating, willing to do what needs to be done, even when I don't want to do it, determined, focused and stronger than my emotions that want to be lazy today. So, no, I will not be adding columns of numbers the rest of this year, but rather doing what needs to be and what is most important every day for the rest of the year. I will start my year off right today with minding my mind.

It's a Wonderful Life

Tonight I had a very interesting encounter with a friend that I met about 5 years ago. She had come over for a class that my husband was conducting. She wanted to thank me for "everything". She was telling me that I had touched her life in so many ways and that I touch the lives of many in such a positive way everyday.She said she has learned so much from me and our relationship has encompassed more than just our Arbonne business.  My response was that I don't do anything special. Then, she said, "Yes, you do, you are just like the movie It's a Wonderful Life, you have no idea how many people you impact."

This conversation is very special to me because sometimes I have a hard time seeing my own successes or that I do anything particularly well. I tell my husband, Victor, regularly that he is so lucky that his gifts are so obvious. He has helped and healed hundreds or thousands of people. When I first married him, patients just wanted to rave and tell me so many stories about how he had helped them or their family members. I always tell him that he is just like the movie It's a Wonderful Life, he touches the lives of many. I would think, what is my gift? What is my calling? What is my purpose?

This friend of mine has no idea because I don't talk about it to anyone but Victor, how much I always associate that movie with him. So, to have someone be so kind and "sing my praises" so to speak and to actually reference something that I have referenced many times felt like God was really sending me a message through an earthly angel.I feel so humbled and my spirit is just overflowing tonight. I feel like God just told me that I do matter, that I do help others, that I am appreciated. I am still processing this. I had a day of extreme highs and lows due to outside circumstances and I felt pretty exhausted tonight. How good to know that when we are struggling, tired and weak, God can manage to get a message to us and lift our spirits once again. We are never alone.

Arbonne Essentials Immunity Support

Arbonne’s Immunity Support. I had to do a mini blog on this because Facebook and Twitter don’t give me enough space to rave about this product :) My husband is a chiropractor with a huge knowledge and interest in nutrition, he can help so many people not just with spinal issues, but any health conditions. We have so many vitamins and supplements at our disposal, but when Arbonne discontinued the former Get Well Soon, I found NOTHING worked as well. I was madly writing to Arbonne. I have five kids, I run 3 businesses, I am a neat freak and won’t let my house or yard go, I need to be there for my kids, I CAN’T get sick!!! I was begging for them to return the Get Well Soon as I know many others were doing the same thing.

I am so happy to announce that the exact same formula is back with a new name and new packaging. This product retails for $24 and is well worth every penny! When I am getting sick, I take this frequently and I don’t succumb. I can have a child come home with a fever and really sick, give him or her this regularly and have them be all better in the morning. I can’t possibly recommend this highly enough!!!

If you decide you love Arbonne products, I can help you become a Preferred Client where you can get a 20% discount for a whole year with no obligation to buy monthly, just whenever you want to order, you can get online and reorder products on an as needed basis.

Feel free to contact me with any questions. And, a big THANK YOU to Arbonne for listening to our requests, I will always appreciate that about this company so very much!!