Hopeful :)

I think that the word Hopeful, is an amazingly powerful word. Especially when it seems to be absent from your vocabulary for any amount of time.

Its amazing to me how much feeling better can effect your life. I have been generally unhealthy for so long that it makes even the smallest change noticeable right away.

I feel like someone turned on a light in a dark part of me. I can't really describe it in a way that would make sense to someone who has never been there, but for the first time in a very long time, I WANT better for myself. I used to write a lot, I sort of stopped for a long time, but this is something I wrote recently. Thought I would share.

(stock photo)




The Train

Picture sitting in a train, watching as the world passes all around you. You interact with the people on the train, and admire all the beauty of the world outside. You eat the meals provided for you daily, and have the stretch of the train to walk up and down, but you never actually go outside. You exist only in the safety of this train, your not really sure why, but its always been that way.

You watch as people continually board the train, some stay for awhile, some only ride for a day or two, and you admire them because they can leave, you daydream about what it would be like to be outside, to have no fear, but at the end of the day, you are just as glad to curl up on the chair of the train with a good book.

And then, one day, you decide to just step off for a moment. Just to get a breath of fresh air, and you realize maybe its not that scary, but you return to the train because you get all nervous and afraid. And then every few days you venture out again, and its always scary, but you have had a taste of it, and all of a sudden you realize the colors of the fall leaves are so much brighter when you can touch them, and that you are feeling angrier and angrier at how much time you have wasted riding the train.

So, you continue riding, trying to make your stops longer and longer in between while you gather the courage and strength to leave the train for good.

Because everyone deserves to feel the rain on their face, the warmth of the sun, and the grace to dance to their own music.

Hey all!

So...

I have just completed my second week doing "Cinch".

Cinch is a Shaklee product, used to help us to maintain healthy weight, or lose weight.

I purchased a starter kit that gave me the shakes, some snack bars, the Cinch vitamins, a pedometer and a measuring tape.

So it has been 14 days, I have lost almost six pounds, and 7 inches!!! The 7 inches part I am really, really excited about. Have you looked at how much 7 inches is? I am not a genius, but I have done a zillion diets, and so far I am really noticing a few things with this that totally stand out in my mind..

I have more energy-even though I'm not into superwoman mode, I can definitely feel a big difference.

My headaches are less frequent (I am a constant sufferer)

I NOTICE when I decide to substitute, let me explain...Sometimes as a woman, I want more variety so I say, Julie, you don't want a shake this morning you want a bagel. So I eat the bagel, and then, miraculously one hour later I am hungry, shaky, and generally feel crappy.

My appetite is less. With Cinch you can eat a full dinner, and while they recommend a very balanced, healthy meal, I don't ALWAYS manage that, but even when I don't I do not need nearly as much food to fill me up.

All these things aside, I have had a few struggles, unfortunately like last nights stressed out Oreo eating marathon, but, I just turn the page, and today is a new day! I know I could be losing faster if I was following it to a tee, but I am already sooo impressed by what I have accomplished so far! As a pretty much professional dieter I am feeling pretty optimistic!

The science behind Cinch is very compelling, and Shaklee has done a great job of putting together something that is easy to follow and that creates great results! If you want more info please feel free to contact me!

As with all Shaklee products, its backed by a 100 percent money back guarantee.

Check out Cinch here:

I truly think this closet keeps me up at night. One of these days I am going to paint it. I realize that painting cedar is a silly idea, BUT its TOO dark! I don't like it!

Now, you may wonder why I would let it get like this. Good question, but you see, I have this YOYO thing that goes on with my weight, about 20 pounds worth. I go up, I go down, I go up, you get the picture. So, I have a SUPER OVERABUNDANCE of clothing. It gets overwhelming.

So, I packed up all the stuff I am no longer wearing, anything that was in there for "when I fit into it again" and tossed anything that was crap. Leads to a much more ZEN like closet, wouldn't you agree? ;)

Next up...

THE DRESSER....duh duh duh.

Ok guys! This is NOT my finest hour. If you know me, you probably know that I am a) a bit scattered/disorganized, b) procrastinate and c) have trouble sticking to a routine.

So, I have decided that starting today, Sept 16- till next week is FALL CLEANING WEEK!

So, I will attempt to post photos every day of my progress, but for today, I will show you the first thing I tackled. My work desk. I have two desks, but I only took a picture of the REALLY messy one, the one with my monitors stays quite tidy, but the one beside it sort of became a catch all.



Here is my before and after! Feels much better! Tomorrow I am tackling a BIGGIE, my closet. Shudder. You really have no idea. I feel like I could be on HOARDERS. Seriously, I have a clothing problem.

Congrats Michelle! Must be a bonus since its your birthday!!

Ok folks, to kick off my new venture into Shaklee products I am going to give away, one free membership to Shaklee (15 dollar value) and SCOUR OFF, my FAVORITE cleaning product! The membership does not expire, and allows you a fifteen percent discount on all Shaklee products, a shipping discount, and access to all kinds of monthly and promotional specials!



To enter you must be a Canadian or American, and not currently a Shaklee member.

To win: simply comment on my blog (make sure you leave your email, or that it is in your profile.

To get an extra entry, post this on your facebook page and let me know you did!

I will draw for the winner Wednesday the 8th at 8 am!

GOOD LUCK!!!

I just recently became an Independent Shaklee Distributor. Have you heard of Shaklee? I had heard of it, mostly because I already run in home party circles ;), but also I had heard that Oprah had endorsed it a couple years ago, in her "My favorite things" show.

Which to be honest, didn't exactly make me want to run out and try it, haha.

So, how did I, someone who really knew nothing about this company, go from that to now being a Global Ambassador with the company?

Well, its kind of funny, actually, it all started at the Green Living show in Toronto....

I was RUNNING to go another booth (because Colin Firth was speaking, and I wanted to get back to him, since I knew he would miss that I was gone) and literally stopped in my tracks and did a double take. This woman at the booth looked a lot like a friend of mine, so I naturally swooped in for a closer look!

And then, the inevitable happened, she sold me stuff! ;)

I purchased the Shaklee Scour off, and the Laundry set (detergent, fabric softener, brightener) and off I went, sort of wondering how I just parted with my money without intending to (I am sure we all do that sometimes)

Included with my purchase that day was a membership, so shortly after I got home I received an email from the company and some more information on Shaklee, and its products.

The first thing I wanted to do was try the Scour off, on my ceramic stove cook top. If you know me, you know that I HATE that thing. I had literally used EVERY cleaner, razor blade, etc etc to get that sucker clean and short of my friend Stacey scrubbing it for an hour with the aid of razors, I had never been able to get it clean.

So, I opened the Scour off, and rubbed it on (and at the same time marvelled that it smells like Twizzlers) and to my SHOCK, it rubbed right off. All that baked on grime and crud, I was SOLD!

I knew right then and there, that I would peddle this stuff on the street corner...Anything that made my life that much easier, and my stove shine was good in my books.

What I didn't know, was that when I tried the Laundry products, I would have similar results. My whites, often dulled by my well water, were bright! My clothes smelled great and the stuff went a lot longer than the original 32 loads it was supposed to make.

So, I naturally started to think these would be products I would both use, and promote. I did some research on the company, and asked the poor girl I bought everything from literally a zillion questions, and decided that a company that produces such amazing products was a great investment!

So, I have now ventured into the world of Shaklee, and its a great world! Let me tell you why!

Shaklee is the first Climate Neutral Certified company with the achievement of a net zero impact on the Earth's climate.

Shaklee's products are eco friendly, and good for you! They don't have all of the chemicals that most of the products we are currently using do!

Anyway, I have rambled enough for now, but I do plan on sharing more as I discover the many uses for the products and also as I get started with my supplements and the Cinch plan. I have a lot of weight to lose, and am excited to give Shaklee a chance to help me accomplish that.

If anyone would like more information, or would like to try these products, I will offer them at my discount so that you can try them. You can view the products on my website, or contact me via sudburycleanandgreen@gmail.com