Plexus Experiment Update

As of yesterday, I weighed 153, about 3 lbs less.  Given that I have been eating less sugar and carbs over all, I cannot give Plexus the entire credit.

The last time I checked my fasting glucose, it was 122. :(  That's not going in the right direction.  I need to call my new doctor and request an A1C test before I go in for my physical, and face reality that I HAVE to change my eating habits.  Exercise and Plexus alone will not do the trick.  The sad thing is that my habits are better than so many people.  I don't fit the type 2 diabetic stereotype.  My weight is healthy.  I exercise.  But I have felt dehydrated and the glucose meter doesn't lie unless you forget to wash your hands and there is extra sugar on your skin when you prick your finger.

I MAY be having some increase in energy and regularity... but again, not consistent.  But it has only been a week or so.

I am thrilled for my friends who think Plexus is helping them, and continuing my Slim and Probio5 Daily, but honestly... we'll see how the rest of this month goes.  I am pretty sure  there is no such thing as a magic pill or drink that cures gut health issues, if there is, show me the independent, objective scientific studies not anecdotal evidence.

Plexus Journal- one person's experiment

Ok... I am a skeptic.
I've tried MLM companies and their products and struggle because while I want to support friends' business endeavors, often the products don't deliver.  They are almost always expensive.

Well, I have prediabetes.  My last A1C test 2 years ago was 6.0.  I've dropped the ball and have not been tested since, but I have been exercising more and cut back on drinking pop and juice.

I have an appointment on March 16 for my long overdue physical.

A few friends use Plexus, most of them are not in the same downline, and then my sister suggested I try it (again... I received a sample from a friend a couple of years ago. It was ok, but not great... but what can you really tell in a week?)

So...  here goes... In the next month or two, I am going to periodically document my observations while using Plexus Slim and Priobio5 once a day.  The company touts stabilizing of blood glucose, weight loss, and gut health as benefits... this is my 1-person non-scientific study, observations, and opinions.  I have a 30 day supply of Slim and 60 capule bottle of Priobio5:

Might be TMI at times, so read at your own risk.

I may or may not respond to comments, don't take it personally if you stumble across this... I am not a professional blogger and do not aspire to be.

I am 40 years old and weigh 156 pounds as of the beginning of this experiment.


2/27- 1 glass Plexus slim.  I want to believe I had more energy in the afternoon than I normally do without my afternoon coffee.  Really, I do. I forgot about the probiotic... oops.

2/28-  The Pink Drink is not so bad.  I like the flavor better than Shakeology, but it doesn't have all the extra superfood nutrients, so....  I'm skeptical. But at least it's less expensive.
 M, B, S, E, and D all seem to love it, and don't even know eachother, and I really like them, so... I will give it a fair try.

There are MANY negative reviews online, so of course my husband thinks it's a scam and a pyramid scheme because he suspects the majority of people who sign up as ambassadors spend more than they sell of the product to non-ambassadors....  it reeks of Amway/Quixtar in that sense.... ugh. Been there, done that, don't want to go back...

Where's the precise nutritional data?  Exactly what is in this stuff??? I really do think it helped boost my energy a little. But would it be worth the monthly $132 retail?  Doubtful.... we're cheap/frugal/try to be wise with our financial choices. It seems that truly fixing our grocery purchases and eating habits would be a more cost-effective investment for the whole family. I want to believe a pill and a drink mix can help keep me from getting diabetes, really, I do...

I took a probiotic capsule before dinner... so far I still feel my usual bloat and constipation, and I've increased my water intake to at least 60 ounces today... working up to that goal of 80.

I wonder how long it's supposed to take to start noticing measurable results?

Is the insomnia I am dealing with going to get better with these products over time? It would be great if they would help that in addition to all the other awesome things they are supposed to do for my health... I've been up since 11:30 and want to get back to sleep.

3/2/17:
My fasting glucose level was 113 this morning at 7:15 a.m.  That's about what it was running the last time I checked it first thing, so 3 days in, no significant improvement yet.

Improvement- one mile at a time

January mileage (run/walk): 31
February goal: 40
February  actual mileage: 50
Mileage since last February: 400!!!!

Goals for March:
60 miles
Lower average pace to 12:00 mpm
Exercise 30 minutes 5 days per week
Drink 80 ounces of water per day
Lose 5 pounds

Reflection

I remember...

the circulatory itching in my legs that burned worse than muscle soreness

the labored breathing and necessity of keeping my inhaler with me during all attempted runs

saying that running 1/2 mile was harder than delivering a baby without an epidural

3 friends who agreed to join me at my first 5k

Running my first 10k on a Thanksgiving morning

Wondering if my family would meet me at a finish line of a race

My first 10 mile run during my vacation on an Island off the Atlantic Coast

3 friends, one of whom I had only met online, meeting me the morning of my first half marathon... 2 ran the 5k, one completed her 12 half marathons in a year challenge

Seeing my family at mile 9 during my first half marathon in June

Crossing that finish line in under 3 hours... MY pace, injury free

The elation of meeting that goal, pushing myself to follow through and achieving it.

Wondering if I really did it, getting out of the groove as the months passed

Starting over yesterday
********
Here's to Run the Year 2017... no matter what the challenge looks like for you...

whether you are doing the whole 2,017 miles, running, walking, a combo, or splitting up the miles with a team.

This is your journey. Nobody else can take the steps for you.

(originally written in the Run the Year 2017 Facebook group)

Looking back to my first Half Marathon

Apparently I never posted after my half marathon.

I did it.  6 months have passed.
It's surreal to think of now, as I dwindled and became rather sedentary.
Regardless, NOTHING can take away the fact that I trained and accomplished my goal of running and walking 13.1 miles.

Fellow Flowers swag from the pre-race expo... a splurge for me. 

The symbolism behind this color summed up my race.

Fellow Flowers made sure that even the last women across the line had a cheering section.

Ready to run 13.1!

Pre-raise pampering compliments of Her Madison and their sponsors.

Gorgeous route along the lake.

I'm not sure which lake, Madison has a few of them.

Just when I was getting exhausted, my family met me at mile 9!!!!

The only race they had ever gone to before was my first very 5k, the one in which I ran in front of our yard, the then-baby still asleep, and hubs and the older two cheered from the yard.  It was so convenient to have that one go through our neighborhood. Needless to say, having them with me was 

HUGE.  We live over an hour away, so we stayed in a hotel the night before.

Pre-finish celebration... the end was in sight.

These friends met me.  2 of them, who grew up with my husband and his family and are like family themselves, picked me up at the hotel so my family could come later. 

J and L did the 5k and met me at the finish line with my family and also B, who finished ahead of me.

B, the tie-dyed gal is one of those infamous internet friends... we met through a mutual friend, my former running buddy from down South. She ran a half marathon every month in 2016... 

I am jealous of all the cool destinations she went to.

6 months have passed already.  

With the New Year, I'm looking back at what I did and forward to what to do this year.