Hey there!
Today I'd like to talk about ViSalus. Here is their official website link: www.visalus.com
I heard about it from my sister-in-law, and then I also have a friend I've known for 5 years who sells it. At first, I was very, very skeptical. I'll be honest, there are a lot of negative reviews online.
Luckily, I had a real life person I could talk to, my friend Christan. She is VERY health conscious. Her sons have some severe food allergies, and she is very picky about what they eat, with regard to food dyes and she tries to feed them as organically as possible. So I trust her judgement and opinion.
Basically, you take the ViSalus shakes twice a day, as a meal replacement. I asked if it was okay to do this type of diet while nursing, and it is, as long as I add in some snacks so I don't have too huge of a calorie deficit. Nutritionally, the shakes are very sound and packed with chelated vitamins. I didn't fully understand what that meant, so I did what any person in the 21st century would do... I googled. :-D
And here is the simplest answer I came up with: it's when they bond a mineral with another element to make it easier to break down and absorb into the bloodstream.
This is totally starting to sound like a paid presentation. I promise, it's not. I'm not being compensated or anything, but I am blogging about it because I seriously hopes it's the weight loss answer I need.
As you know, in the past when I've had a significant amount of weight to lose, I've turned to HCG. And it worked. And I kept the weight off. But since I'm nursing Nora, HCG isn't an option. And, honestly? I don't think I'll ever be able to do HCG again. I honestly don't know how I managed to do so many rounds of it before. It's just SO restrictive. I had fallen into a pit of despair over my weight. It was a constant shroud around my shoulders, this black cloud of stress and hopelessness. I'm the highest I've ever been, not pregnant. I went into my pregnancy with Nora expecting to not gain more than 20 pounds, as I hadn't ever gained more than that in my 3 previous pregnancies. And I started out the lowest weight of all of them. So I figured I'd be back to my pre-pregnancy weight in no time!
HA.
I gained double that. 40 pounds. FORTY. And after having the baby I only have lost 10. *SAD FACE* So that means I've got a good 30-35 pounds to lose.
Now, I know there are some LUCKY LUCKY LUCKY women who burn through calories like crazy and drop weight faster than you can say "breastfeeding is a miracle cure"! But. I am not one of those women. In fact, I'm the opposite. I don't lose weight until I stop nursing. And I'm not willing to stop nursing this little beauty until she's good and ready.
So ANYWAAAAAAY...
Long story short, (ok, it's not that short) ViSalus is the spring in my step. The wind beneath my wings. My pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. At least, I hope it is!!!
Christan said that she started drinking the shakes for the nutrition. She is naturally very thin and didn't need to lose weight. However, she did lose a pants size. And she wasn't even "dieting" or restricting calories. So I have high hopes that the shakes are the answer I'm looking for.
I got a free sample of the shake mix. It's Sweet Cream flavored. I mixed it with a banana, spoonful of peanut butter, unsweetened vanilla almond milk and chia seeds. AND OH MY GOODNESS. It was delicious. So good.
I am currently stalking my front porch waiting for my shipment to arrive. I plan to blog regularly about how it's working for me. I'm going to erase and start over with my weight loss ticker at the top, and on my side bar.
***Here is where it gets to be semi-paid-productiony*** The shakes are $99 a month. $109 with shipping. But for me, totally worth it, as long as I can make it work. Which remains to be seen. But if it works, I WILL find a way to keep ordering it. If I get 3 people to order it every month, then mine is free. So if it works as well as I hope it does, then I will start trying to recruit others. (I'm looking at you MB, even though I don't really believe you need to lose weight!!) Because guess what? We can make the shake taste like REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS!! Chocolate almond milk, spoonful of peanut butter, shake mix, BAM. PB Cup weight-loss shake. Packed with vitamins and nutrients. *Mind Blown* (And I really won't ever, ever pressure you into buying anything. Pinky swear, cross my heart).
So anyway, that's the newest thing over here. I'm really excited, and keeping my fingers crossed that it isn't too good to be true.
MaryBeth-I think you need to start a blog and just write about your life!!! I'd totally read it. I didn't know your birthday was in November too! We really are long lost friends.
