Holy Victory, Batman!!

So last week I determined to post at least one victory each day on Facebook.  While week is over, I have post this one here because it's a dozy!


So I'm home, looking for something that I lost.  I think, I'll look behind the TV stand even though there's no way anything fell back there.  And what to my wondering eyes should appear?!?  A massive mess of spider web, left over bug parts, and five egg sacs!!!


I remained calm, grabbed the vacuum and went to work.  I started by getting the SOB.  Then I got his web, and the pile of debris under it.  I sucked up the egg sacs with some effort, but with determination.  My life my depend on this!!


OK, his home is destroyed.  But of course, he's still alive crawling around in my bagless vacuum.  So off to the bathroom to flush him.  This is the moment.  This is "cutting the red wire."  Let me break it down for you.  First, I have to remove the vacuum trap.  Then, live spider inside, I have to remove the filter, and dump the contents into the toilet.  Oh, and did I mention that the spider is currently crawling on the filter and when I try to knock him off, I find that he's anchored himself to the filter with a bit of webbing.  Deep breath... don't rush it...


I finally get him off the filter, and everything goes in the toilet.  I watch to make sure he's indeed in the water.  Once I locate him, I flush.  But... he doesn't go down!!  So I flush again.  This time, he's gone... But I flush two more times because I've seen this #@*$%&# movie, and I'm not that dumb!


Now the spider, egg sacs, etc are in the pipes, but zombie lesson #2, double tap!  So I rinse the freaking crap out of the vacuum trap, and even the filter.  Just to be extra sure that nothing unseen is getting out of there, I reassembled the vacuum without letting it dry.

I hate spiders!  But I did it!  I'll be itchy and paranoid for at least a week, but I did it!  I am officially badass!!!

Because Life's Too Short Not To Be Yourself!

I've learned so many things through my divorce.  God is so good at using all things for the good of those who love Him.  (Romans 8:28)  Going through this ordeal has made me more confident, and I'm more convinced that I am enough as I am.  I still love helping people, and I'm highly relational, but I'm less worried about pleasing people at my own expense.

That's not to say that I'm jaded, or that I've made it my mission to displease people.  I'm not bitter, but I have learned that it's OK to take care of myself.  This is not a "Dear John" letter saying that you have to either like the new me, or get out of my way.  This is simply my realization that life is too short to live it for anyone other than God.  It's too short to be anyone but who God made me to be.

On that note, here are a few things about me:

• I love kids' movies.
• Harry Potter is the first fictional book I really got into, and it's never left me.
• I don't like It's A Wonderful Life, or Star Wars
• I do like Star Trek, but not the original or Deep Space Nine
• I love science.
• I get along oddly well with teens.  (I'm a high school teacher.)
• I really enjoy TV and junk food.
• I'm not good at keeping my house tidy.
• I believe Plexus can bring about positive change for just about anyone.
• I love my friends, but I almost always wait for them to reach out to me to make plans.
• People say I'm easy to talk to, but small talk terrifies me.
• My mom is the only person I enjoy talking to over the phone.
• God loves me.
• Compassion and empathy are two of my greatest strengths.

The best part?  By being open to loving myself more, I've been able to love others more deeply!  Thank you, Lord!

For more information, please comment below or go to my Plexus page at http://shopmyplexus.com/kimhammons/

Getting Real About Grief

I told you a little about this in my first post on this blog, but I wanted to tell you a little more about how I began my Plexus journey.

As you may know, I am divorced.  The process started about a year ago.  If you've ever been through a divorce, you know that it's devastating.  You feel like the world is ending except that no is running around screaming and seeking shelter like they should be.  Somehow everyone else seems to walk about as if they don't see the sky turning red, and rain turning to fire.  I felt so inconsolable.  Despite an amicable divorce, I was still losing a loved one, a future, and a dream.

I would go to work, teach all day without a single student knowing that I wasn't OK, and then I'd come home and collapse.  During this time, I have received daily emails from a group called DivorceCare.org.  One email talked about energy disruptions during grief.  “Emotionally you’re spinning,” says Dr. Jim A. Talley. “You are going round and round. It’s like you are running your engine wide open, but you’re in neutral and not going anywhere, yet you can’t shut the motor off. Eighty-five percent of your energy is being consumed in the whole emotional area. That leaves you 5 percent mental, 5 percent spiritual, and 5 percent physical. Mental difficulties include the inability to make decisions. Physically, you are totally exhausted. Spiritually, you have a loss of faith; you are not sure God exists, and you’re not sure if you even care if He exists.”

Imagine living on 15% of your normal energy.  I ate out pretty much every meal.  I didn't have the energy to cook.  I could barely do my grading, let alone plan for and execute a meal.  I knew that if food wasn't brought to me, I wouldn't eat at all.  I'm amazed that I didn't gain more weight than I did during this time.

I also didn't exercise.  By which I mean, I didn't make any unnecessary physical effort.  I had no energy, no motivation.  They say that exercise is really good for depression, and I know that it's true.  But I just couldn't do it.  And the truth is, I didn't care.  I was surviving.  That was my daily victory for months.

Eventually I came out of the fog just enough to realize that I needed to start taking care of myself.  I knew I couldn't do it all at once.  Taking care of my body seemed more daunting than I can express.  There's nothing like the combination of depression and the feeling of failure that comes with carrying yet another pizza box to the dumpster.

About that time, I started to notice a difference in my mentor.  She was slimmer and overall looked healthier.  Her skin looked great, and her clothes fit better.  I asked what she was doing and she told me about Plexus.  I decided to try it.  It was the first step in taking my body and my life back!

I woke in the morning and mixed my Slim.  I took my ProBio5 and BioCleanse in the evening.  It took so little effort that even in my weary state, I could do it.  I could be proud that I was doing something, anything for my own well-being.  The simple act of taking that step changed my outlook, and the Plexus products changed me health!

Am I completely over my divorce?  No.  I may never be.

Do I credit Plexus for the progress I’ve made?  In part.  I never would have made it this far without my amazing therapist, my loving mentor, my extraordinary friends and family who never gave up on me, and the Lord of the universe who holds me in His hands and writes my destiny.

I have come a long way.  I’m so proud!  And while the worst has past, I will never go off Plexus.  It has literally changed me inside and then out.  Now I’m actually motivated to eat better and exercise!  I look forward to it.  I don’t fear breaking some sort of strict routine, because I know that my metabolism is now so stable, that my diet doesn’t have to be as stable.  This is freedom!  This is physical health that doesn’t cause mental shame.  I am so proud to stand behind the Plexus line.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.  It’s nice to share more about my personal journey, and to finally feel comfortable in my own skin.  It’s been a long time!

For more information, please comment below or go to my Plexus page at http://shopmyplexus.com/kimhammons/

Plexus Ease and Body Cream (Pain Relief and Skin Transformation)

There are three things you should know about me and my Plexus journey before reading this post.

1. I seriously trust Plexus as a company and all of the products they put out.  They put their customers before their profit and have done extensive studies on all of their products.  So why it's Plexus FDA approved?  Because it's a supplement and the FDA does not investigate the claims of supplements based on US law.  Because I trust the company, I am eager to try any product that could benefit me.
2. I am way more likely to recommend a product if I've tried it myself.
3. Good news for you is that I love Plexus so I've trying lots of stuff!

Plexus Ease

OK, so let's talk about Plexus Ease.  Some of you may know that I developed an allergy to NSAIDs (Advil, Aleve, aspirin, etc.)  When I'm in serious pain, I'll take the NSAID anyway and then regret it half an hour later when I'm suffering the pain and itchiness of hives everywhere.  I could go on, but let's just say that this sudden allergy has left me in an uncomfortable spot (literally).

You may be thinking, OK but I'm not allergic to NSAIDs...  But how often are you bothered by pain that's rough but bad enough to keep asking your kidneys to process these medication?  Ease can help!  Ease is made from New Zealand green lipped mussels.  It's been used by locals for years to fight inflammation.  Plexus sells it in capsules, and as a cream.  I take the capsules when my muscles are screaming.  I use the cream on my feet almost nightly.  I love it!

The main thing to keep in mind with Ease is that the New Zealand green lipped mussel is a shell fish.  If you're sensitive to shell fish, this product may not be for you.

Plexus Body Cream

I've been using the Plexus body cream for about a month.  This stuff contains some seriously awesome ingredients.  Almond oil, aloe, watermelon extract, grape seed oil.  These ingredients provide serious moisture without trappings of mineral oil which is in most lotions.  Mineral oil traps in moisture but also keeps new moisture out.

To me, the best ingredient is active carbon (charcoal).   Active charcoal is know for its ability to draw out and bind with toxins.  Many people have seen clearer complexion in their face, tighter skin, and my favorite experience has been with reduced stretch marks.  I will post pics soon.  I'm loving this product, and a little goes a long way.

For more information, please comment below or go to my Plexus page at  http://shopmyplexus.com/kimhammons/

Why Do I Share?

I'm back!  I'm sure you've missed me :)

I want to start today's post telling you why I've decided to share Plexus.  Have you ever used a product, gone to a restaurant, or seen a movie that you liked so much that you found yourself telling all sorts of people about it?  There's a restaurant here in Colorado that's awesome!  It's owned by a married couple.  She's from Greece, and he's from Italy.  Their menu consists of Greek food, Italian food, and some really cool fusions of the two.  Anytime I hear someone say that they like Mediterranean food, I ask if they'd tried Bucci's!

Plexus has literally changed my physical life.  I feel so much better!  I'm losing inches and looking better, but for me it's all about how I feel.  I won't go into specifics here since my other posts cover that.  So when people ask me what I'm doing, I tell them!  Or when I hear someone say that they're frustrated with weight loss, or they're bloated all the time, or they have no energy, I can't help but ask if they've heard of Plexus!  I don't share all of this to make money, but I joined because I was sharing anyway, so I might as well make money at the same time.

So I never share to pressure people into buying, but I share because it's changed me and it would be weird not to share that with anyone who's dealing with the same issues I was.

For more information, please comment below or go to my Plexus page at  http://shopmyplexus.com/kimhammons/

What If...

I've been on Plexus for five months now.  I've seen my health improve, and my waist line shrink.  It's taken very little effort, and no real change in my life style.  Here's what's awesome though... It's motivating my to change my life style!  You know how you start to exercise, but it's hard to stay motivated without results?  Plexus has given me a jump start on the results!

I'm already feeling better about myself.  I have more energy.  I can't help but think, "If I've seen such a difference with just Plexus, what could happen if I added exercise?!"  I've never been so excited to start exercising.  There's less pressure to make the exercise alone work.  I may even start doing 5k's.  And if you know me, you know that I HATE running.  Plexus has literally changed my life.  Here's to saying yes to me, yes to my health, and yes to my future!  Yay!!

For more information, please comment below or go to my Plexus page at  http://www.plexusslim.com/kimhammons

Then and Now

I'm not at my goal yet, but I'm healthier than I've been in a long time.  Anyway, here's an idea of me "before" and me "now."  I'll keep adding pics as Plexus keeps changing my body and my life!

These two are from a few months before I started Plexus.  August 2014.

 







Here's my about a month ago.  You can't tell much about my waist size, but look how thinner my face looks!

For more information, please comment below or go to my Plexus page at  http://www.plexusslim.com/kimhammons

Plexus XFactor Information

Plexus XFactor Vitamin Supplements

Plexus XFactor is a multivitamin that includes aloe and New Zealand Blackcurrant.  This patented blend vastly improves absorption and assimilation of vitamins and minerals for optimal nutrition and wellness protection.  You may have heard people call multivitamins "the ingredients for very expensive urine." (Big Bang Theory)  This is because most multivitamins are not absorbed well by the body and are simply expelled.  The aloe and blackcurrant may this vitamin truly different, because it includes both the vitamins and the ingredients to help your body absorb them!

I have found a serious difference in my skin!  My chin and nose tend to slough a lot.  I have to exfoliate these areas frequently.  Since I began XFactor about two weeks ago, I've had less sloughing, my hair is less greasy, and other people have even commented in it!

Features and Benefits:

• Delivers several B vitamins, vitamins D, C and E, the antioxidany protection of New Zealand Blackcurrants, and the impessuve nutrient profile of Aloe.
• Oxygenate the body, safeguarding against deamaged/dysfunctional cells
• Provides super-potent antioxidant protection
• Delivers support for whole-body wellness
• Supports the body's functions, processes and systems
• Super-charges the body's various immune activities 

For more information, please comment below or go to my Plexus page at  http://www.plexusslim.com/kimhammons

Non-Scale Victories

I have more posts coming with information about more Plexus products, but I have to share about some of my recent non-scale victories!

My favorite victories so far:

• I dropped two inches in my waist and I'm wearing my pants from last year
• My skin is clearer
• I feel good!  I have more energy, less cravings, and zero bloat!  For the first time in my life, I have no bloat!
• People are starting to notice the difference in my shape of my face
• My rings are looser
• I'm more confident in many ways!
• I like myself again!

For more information, please comment below or go to my Plexus page at  http://www.plexusslim.com/kimhammons

Plexus Information - TriPlex

Plexus Information

I am amazed at the responses to my Plexus journey.  Many people have asked me for more information about the products, so I’m doing a series of posts about them.  This post will include the basic history of Plexus, the philosophy of the products, and the TriPlex option.  TriPlex includes the “pink drink,” ProBio 5, and BioCleanse.  This is the package that I started with, though they can be purchased separately.

Philosophy of Plexus

While Plexus has been used by many for weight loss, the key to its success is overall health.  Weight loss is a natural byproduct of a healthy gut.

All of the products sold by Plexus are designed to work together.  That’s part of what makes the Plexus system so simple.  Your Plexus ambassador (me) is well trained and can help you figure out the right product(s) for you.  Every body is different so Plexus does not take a one-size-fits-all approach.

Plexus Slim (Pink Drink)

Plexus Slim was originally designed to stabilize blood sugar and improve insulin efficiency for those with diabetes.  Plexus realized that Slim could benefit anyone.  The same ingredient that helps stabilize blood sugar (chromium) has a host of benefits for the human body.  It is not a meal replacement.  It is not a shake.  And it tastes great!

Key Ingredient: Chromium.  Here are some general affects of chromium in the body.

• Maintains healthy blood sugar throughout the day, which curbs cravings and stabilizes your mood.
• Promotes health cholesterol and blood pressure
• Helps metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and protein more efficiently
• Slows the loss of calcium
• Facilitates the absorption of glucose in the brain.  Glucose is the only source of energy for the brain, so a steady supply is important for brain function.
• Improves sleep

ProBio 5

ProBio5 is a probiotic and enzyme combination.  Probiotics support digestive health but are most effective with paired with the right enzymes.  So why are probiotics so important?  Your body has a balance of bacteria (biotics) and fungus (yeast).  Without enough positive bacteria, yeast can over grow.  An overgrowth of yeast can cause:

• Skin and nail fungal infections
• Feeling tired and worn down, or suffering from fatigue
• Digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea
• Difficulty concentrating, poor memory, lack of focus, and brain fog
• Helps maintain healthy levels of yeast
• Strong sugar and refined carbohydrate cravings

ProBio5 is specifically designed to break down the stubborn forms of yeast.  Yeast is important in the break down of our bodies after we die.  While that’s an important role, we don’t want it to do its job before its time.

Key Ingredients: Proprietary blend of probiotics AND enzymes

BioCleanse

While ProBio5 promotes positive bacteria and the death of excess yeast, BioCleanse makes sure that those toxins and yeast gets removed from the body.  On top of the cleansing aspects of BioCleanse, the key ingredient (magnesium) has many other affects.  Please note that BioClease is not like other "cleanses" on the market.  It does not simply flush you out indiscriminately.  In fact, if you're taking the right dose for you, you shouldn't spend unwanted time in the bathroom.  Your ambassador will help you figure out what that dose is for you.

Key Ingredient: Magnesium.  Here are some general effects of Magnesium in the body.

• Needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body
• Regulates digestion
• Promotes better sleep
• Helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function
• Supports a healthy immune system
• Regulates blood glucose levels and aid in the production of energy and protein.
• Facilitates oxygen uptake which promotes energy and muscle function

Purchasing Options

Plexus has a 60-day money back guarantee.  You can try any product and receive a refund if you don’t like it.  This guarantee is unique because you can try a product for longer than 60 days and still receive a two-month refund.  For example, you can try the Plexus Slim for six months and if you decide that it isn’t working for you, you still get two months refunded to you.

You can purchase though http://kimhammons.myplexusproducts.com.  There are three options that affect your price.  You can make a one-time retail purchase, which is the most expensive option.  You can sign up as a preferred customer, which comes with automatic shipments every 30 days and a discount.  These automatic shipments can be canceled at anytime.

The third option is to become a wholesale shopper.  This will get you the deepest discount for an annual fee of $34.95.  You also get commission of your own purchases if you buy more than $100 in a month.

If you have further questions, please contact me!  I’ll post about other products as the week progresses.

Sources:

http://www.amymyersmd.com/2013/04/10-signs-you-have-candida-overgrowth-and-what-to-do-about-it/

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002423.htm

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tc/chromium-topic-overview

I Don't Like Me When I'm Hangry

The struggle is real, people!  For as long as I can remember, hunger has made me short tempered, whiny, and unfocused.  There have been times when I would snap and Nathan, and would just ask "When did you last eat?"  The worst part with that he was ALWAYS right!  He knew when I was lashing out from hunger.

Blood sugar naturally fluctuates throughout the day, but mine would cause that all too familiar feeling of deep seeded disdain that hunger brought out in me.  These extreme fluctuations were caused partly by my diet.  I didn't realize how much they these bouts were affecting me until they stopped.

How did they stop?  You guesses it!  Plexus!!  The "pink drink" helps to maintain healthy blood sugars.  I no longer find myself moody in the afternoons.  Though I still get hungry, I don't feel extreme pangs of hunger or serious urgency.  My sugar cravings have gone way down.  And I can walk past a plate of cookies in the teachers' lounge without even flinching!!  These result are due mostly to the chromium in the product.


I am thrilled not to experience such irritability anymore.  I'm pretty sure my friends are thrilled about it too! ;)




For more information, please comment below or go to my Plexus page at  http://www.plexusslim.com/kimhammons

Regularity - AKA Poop... You've been warned

So without getting into much detail, I've been having certain digestive issues for some time now.  I chalked it up mostly to poor eating habits and stress.  Digestive distress makes me cranky, and no one likes cranky Kim.  However, since I've been on Plexus, my tummy and its colleagues have been happy.  They are working together instead of feeling like they're fighting against each other.

I was talking to a fellow teacher and Plexus user the other day, and we were saying how wonderful it is not to worry about passing gas in front of a room of teens.  No one should have to worry about that sort of thing.

And though I mentioned this in my last post, my bloat is way down.  I lost at least an inch in my first week without losing a pound just from losing all that gas.

So there's my crazy open and honest report on my digestive system.  At least it was sort!  LOL

Next time, how Plexus has changed some unexpected areas of my health.

Have a great day!!

For more information, please comment below or go to my Plexus page at  http://www.plexusslim.com/kimhammons

My Journey to Plexus

About a month ago I got my hair cut and realized that it was the first time I had seen my stylist in about two years.  I was suddenly hit with the reality that my hair was a metaphor for my life.  I had been neglecting myself for years.  I was holding on to the past (the ends of my hair) despite that fact that it wasn’t healthy.  And most of all, I was ready to let go of that past and to seek out healthier life (and hair).

You see my life had seen many changes, and I had put my needs (especially my physical health) on the back burner.  As my divorce began, I knew that I wanted to invest in myself again, but I also knew that I had very little margin in my life for exercise and diet.  I dear friend of mine recommended Plexus to me.

As a rule, I’m not very trusting of supplements.  FDA rules about supplements are very lax, and they seem to come in and out popularity.  So I did what I always do.  I went home and researched for hours over multiple days.  Plexus lists all of its ingredients online and on their packaging so I looked up every ingredient separately as well as their combined effect.  I asked questions and the more I researched, the more excited I became!  This stuff is scientifically sound!

So I began taking three Plexus products.  It was the first step in my road to taking care of myself.  I woke up, drank my Pink Drink, and took my ProBio and BioCleanse with meals.  It took very little effort, so despite my lack of physical and emotional energy, it was easy to stick with it.  I didn’t change my eating habits or exercise at first, but I saw changes quickly.  My skin was smoother and softer.  My pants started to feel loose.  I hadn’t lost much weight yet, but my after lunch bloat was gone!  I know what you’re thinking.  TMI!!  Tell More Information!  My energy, my mood, and my sleep improved.  I began to feel more confident that I really could turn my body around.

One of the things that drew my to Plexus other than the testimonies of my friends was the way in which Plexus began.  Plexus did not set out to be a weight loss formula.  It was originally designed for diabetics to help regulate blood sugar.  While it helps many lose weight, the top priority of Plexus is overall health!  Plexus is very open about what goes into their products, and how they test those products.  While there are a ton of testimonials, Plexus doesn’t rely on anecdotal evidence to sell their products.  The science and nutrition behind every ingredient tested and well founded.

I can’t wait to see how far I can go with Plexus.  For now, I know that I feel better than I have in a long time.  I’m taking care of myself again, and Plexus has been a pivotal part of that change!

For more information, please comment below or go to my Plexus page at  http://www.plexusslim.com/kimhammons