WLW: Show Me Your Sides

Topic: What do you like to have with your favorite entrees? Do you have some great recipes for vegetables?

The easiest side, for my household, is to throw together a nice big salad. Lots of veggies, easy to do. Sometimes, a salad just does not cut it. When a salad won't do it, we typically choose roasted mixed vegetables. Yummy and nutritious. As of late, I have found myself liking baked cauliflower, and it is ok by me if I do not have to share. Other delicious sides include baked potato slices, broccoli bites, and even zucchini oven fries.

When it comes to vegetables, the greater the variety, the more I love it.

Celebrating My Sister

Today marks the day of my sister's birth, many many a couple years ago. She has been sick, I have had surgery; we are going to be quite the party animals tonight when we go celebrate. Ha!

In all honesty, I love celebrating my big sister's birth. Sure, she was a typical big sister at times, but I was also the typical bratty little sister as we were growing up. Regardless of whether or not we were being civil to one another, I can assure you of one thing: no one was ever allowed to speak ill of her in front of me. I could rant away, but if someone else so much as agreed with me, I turned on them.

My sister is one of my heroes. She's a leader, but she has no need for the spotlight. She has a quiet strength about her that I have admired for years. Her faith is unshakeable and it is through our heavenly Father's eyes she knows her value. Between the two of us, she is the introvert, the more softspoken one. Yet she also loves fiercely, is protective of those whom she loves, and I have seen her carry the weight of the world on her shoulders with incredible grace. By all counts, I think she is a walking, breathing, Proverbs 31 woman. It's true.

But it is not for accolades and pats on the back. Whether people notice or not, she remains constant, steady, and true to who God has called her to be. Her life has had its share of tremendous heartache and loss, and the circumstances that would wreck most, strengthened her faith and the relationships of those close to her. She is the friend everyone longs to have.

And, she is shockingly funny. When she chooses, her wit is quick and her laugh contagious. She makes me glad we moved here. She reminds me of what is important in this life. My older sister is one of my life's biggest blessings. My daughter will benefit from her, just as I do. Here's to the best big sister a girl could have. Happy birthday sister, I love you more than this post could ever explain.

*Proof of what she has to put up with (yes, I am on the right)!

Recovery-isms

It is not news that I am not the most patient person. It is not news that I enjoy exercise and am prone to "doing" rather than simply "being." The fact I enjoy conversing with others is also nothing of newsworthy value. None of these facts are mind blowing bits of information concerning me, if you know me, or have read this blog for a while. With that being said, me stating this road to recovery is taking a bit longer than I had expected wanted it to, is also not news. It has however provided me with a few new findings:

1. Full mobility of the head/neck is not something to be taken for granted.  Trying to have a conversation side by side with anyone is a painful and awkward endeavor.
2. Showering can be completely exhausting.  In fact, it is my current form of exercise.  Whew, gets the heart pumping and the lungs longing for some air.  Blow drying and fixing the hair and applying make-up?  Friends, that is like completing a marathon.
3. Laughing, with no sound coming out, makes me look maniacal.  However, it's the breathing in when I laugh and sounding like I am about to launch into a full blown asthma attack is just plain hilarious, which results in looking even more maniacal.
4. Having a voice that will sometimes cease to work midway through a sentence makes communication an adventurous endeavor.  I am becoming an expert in pantomime.
5. Banging on tables and such to get one's attention does not indicate a rise in anger.  Sometimes, that is just the only tool I have.
6. Phone conversations take a lot of effort, and due to my lack of volume, the caller will, at some point, end up whispering as I have to.  
7. Our AdvoCare business has been taking some great leaps forward, ever since my surgery.  It seems I lead best when I cannot speak.  Hmmmm, something to ponder.
8. Drinking without coughing is a small victory I delight in every single day.  Why?  Coughing hurts like crazy.  And sneezing?  Good gosh, that's agony.
9. Raspy voices are not at all sexy.

Road To Recovery

How a week flies when one has had surgery. Tuesday's surgery went really well, according to my doctor, he couldn't have asked for a better procedure, and the disc was definitely messed up. I slept from the time I got home until Friday morning, or so it felt. Thanks to the pain killer and muscle relaxer, I spent most of that time asleep. Whatever sleep I missed due to the pain I was having from the herniated disc was certainly caught up on! Yesterday I opted to forgo the medicines and actually stayed awake all day long. Granted, I did not move around much, but at least I was awake.

My voice has no strength to it and I can barely talk above a whisper. After a few minutes, it just disappears altogether. It is so strange. It makes talking on the phone, or in person, difficult. Plus, it is exhausting.

Swallowing is getting easier, thankfully. I have never in my life had to concentrate so hard when I swallowed, especially water. Because my throat is so agitated and a bit swollen from the procedure, it feels like something is caught in my throat, all the time. There are also times swallowing causes me to start coughing, which hurts like the dickens. Every cough sends pains through the back of my neck and shoulders (technically, my trapezoids). I am also pretty still from the way they had me positioned during surgery, so my movements are limited and slightly robotic. However, I remind myself that the intense, stabbing pains I did have are now completely gone. I am beyond thankful for that fact!

It is frustrating, this recovery thing. I cannot lift much of anything, and certainly not my own child. Last night she wanted me to carry her, and it was horrible to have to tell her "no." It is hard on everyone under this roof since I am here, but unable to do much. As my husband said, it is like I am only halfway here. Thankfully, I know this will not last forever, it's just a season. Seriously, I could be in much worse condition.

I am learning to speak only when necessary, and to listen a whole bunch. I am learning to release control and allow someone else to do the things I typically do. Some days I feel like little more than an observer, which is not easy for a "doer" like myself. So many lessons God is teaching through this.

So, for those of you praying, please pray for a continued recovery, a decrease in soreness and stiffness, for my family to walk through this well, and for us to have the right attitude throughout this little journey. Thanks friends. Be blessed today, and shout "I love you!" to someone today as you sweep them up in a giant hug.

WLW: What's For Dinner?

Today's topic: dinner.
Some people call the 3rd meal of the day dinner. Others call it supper. Either way, most everyone eats it. And when you are trying to lose weight, it can be a tricky meal to prepare a good meal that is healthy and filling. So what are some of your favorite dinner meals? What are your go to meals when you are short on time? Have you tried any new recipes lately?

Dinner tends to be the smallest meal of all for us. Dinners consist of a healthy protein and some vegetables in this house, and I do my best to vary things up a bit. I have found this cookbook to be quite helpful, especially if I know we are going to have busy evenings. Having meals prepared in advance ensures we will not make any last minute, and poor, decisions. Lately, I have also found quite a few recipes on pinterest, much to my delight. Regardless of the recipe, I find it relatively easy to make some healthy exchanges within them to improve the nutrional value.

For those interested in clean eating, I have been noting this site quite a bit. There is a lot there I want to try.

So, dinner's served friends. Enjoy!

Bionic Future?

At 10 am I will be going in for surgery. I will leave with an artificial disc, a small plate, and screws in my neck. I already have a six inch plate and seven screws in my right ankle. Slowly but surely, I am becoming the Bionic Woman. I am pretty sure of it. Watch out y'all, just watch out. *grin*

Let The Pain End

Tomorrow at 10:00 am, I will be going in for my surgery. I went in today to take care of all pre-op junk, and of course to pay, and pay some more (ouch). Everything went pretty smoothly today, and much quicker than I had anticipated. One of my favorite moments however happened as I was having blood drawn:
Phlebotomist: Do you workout a lot?
Me: Yes, well, before this injury I did. Why?
Phlebotomist: Because, those are quite the biceps you have.
Me: (laughing) Thank you.

The procedure will take about an hour and a half, with roughly three hours to recover and for them to ensure all is well so I can come home. I was told I would more than likely be restricted to liquids until the swelling goes down. More than anything, I am excited that I will not be in pain 24/7. Just thinking about that eases any nerves I may have. It will be hard when it comes to caring for my child, but even then, I married an incredible man who is quite comfortable in his Superman cape.

If you think about it, I would appreciate any and all prayers for a smooth surgery and swift recovery. Also, pray for my family as the recovery process is bound to involve some frustrating moments. Be blessed all, and thank you.

ACDF: It's Not A Band, It's A Surgery

Today I went in to meet with the neurologist. He asked some questions and then said, "Surgery." The conversation went on like this:
There are not other options?
None that will work at this point. It's already been two months.
What about therapy?
No.
What about continuing decompression?
Temporary.
Cortisone shots?
Useless for what's wrong here.
Flap my arms and spin around three times?
Entertaining, but no. We are seeing you on a non-clinical day because of the severity of this injury. We don't typically see this type of herniation.
Oh.

As he continued to explain the actue herniation of the disc between my C6 and C7 vertebrae, I asked to see the pictures. He readily agreed. We got up, walked back to a computer screen and as I looked, I began pointing out the problems. With no training, not knowing technical anything, I could point out the disc that was portruding out of the left side. Gross. He even took the time to explain it all, exactly what I was looking at and kept saying, "it's just bad, really bad." That seems to be the common reaction from everyone, shock, amazment, disgust, I am not sure, but it makes me laugh every single time.

I will be having a procedure called ACDF: Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion. As we were discussing possible dates, two were given: the 21st or the 28th. The 21st I am supposed to attend an extraordinary meeting, the 28th is my sister's birthday. The 28th would have me in pain another full week, but I really want to attend the meeting. So I asked the probability of me being able to attend it. The nurse chuckled as he said, "Zero, you will be so stoned from the drugs and anesthesia." Well, alrighty then.

So, Tuesday the 21st it is. I will be able to do cardio soon after, and will be able to begin lifting again 4-6 weeks after that. Yes, one of my first questions was, "How long until I can get back to working out because I am about to go crazy." I should have asked about lifting my own child because not doing that for a while will be infinitely worse than not lifting weights for a while longer. We shall see. But, the pain will end soon! Hooray!

Just Write

I am linking up here today:


"Play with me Mommy. Just come on and play with me."

How can I resist that curly head of hair and those big hazel eyes? She giggles and spins and dances around the room, delighted to be playing, delighted to have an audience, delighted just to be. If I do not know what I should be doing, I do not have to wonder long because she will be sure to tell me. She's nice like that, or bossy, but either way, it works.

In spite of the perpetual to-do list in my head, the household chores that need to be done, the work calls waiting to be made, setting it all aside to play with her, if only for a moment is always worth it.

Yes there are days the last thing I want to do is sit on the floor with a doll in my hand being told what to say and do. There are days it would be nicer for her to just fall into a deep midday slumber rather than beg for me to partake in her noon time play. There are days that I say no, and there are days I miss those moments.

Her laugh, the sly grin, her expressive communication, her dancing and creativity.

Even then, at the end of the day, there is always a hug, a kiss goodnight, a prayer, and the words, "I'll love you past forever." She is mine, and that is all that really matters.

Sharing Greatness

What can I say, I am a giver. And being a giver, I am giving you some links to some great posts. You can thank me later, enjoy.

1. A video from the awesome Israel journey I went on, put together by my fellow pilgrim, Larry: http://youtu.be/HCHsdIawDOs
2. Some mind blowing information on food awareness: http://moldrecovery.blogspot.com/2012/02/food-awareness.html
3. The Fit Cook blog, I will have to try these recipes: http://www.thefitcook.net/quick-fix-meals.html
4. Recipe for Cracker Barrel's Grilled Chicken Tenders (SCORE!): http://www.thefitcook.net/quick-fix-meals.html
5. Bubble Up Enchilada Recipe (easy and yummy): http://www.recipe-diaries.com/2011/05/23/bubble-up-enchiladas-weight-watcher-recipes-part-2/
6. How my friend Kelly became a runner (be inspired!): http://www.oakhouse5.blogspot.com/2012/02/i-am-runner.html

Sweeter Than A Birdsong

My Thoughts:
How would I best describe this book.  Endearing is a good word.  I found myself rooting Kate and Ben, individually and together.  The Hanby family sets an example for us all to stand up for what is right regardless of what others may say or do.  This is an excellent book that puts an emphasis on humanity and the importance of taking risks in order to do what is right and beneficial for others.  Sit back and enjoy, this is a delightful read.

About the book:
Music offers Kate sweet refuge from her troubles . . . but real freedom is sweeter.

In Westerville, Ohio, 1855, Kate Winter’s dreams are almost within reach. As the first woman to graduate from Otterbein College, she’ll be guaranteed her deepest wish: escape from the dark secret haunting her family. But with her mother determined to marry her off to a wealthy man, Kate must face reality. She has to run. Now. And she has the perfect plan. Join the upcoming musical performance—and use it to mask her flight.

Ben Hanby, Otterbein College’s musical genius, sees Kate Winter as an enigmatic creature, notable for her beauty, yet painfully shy. Then he hears her sing—and the glory of her voice moves him as never before. He determines to cast her in his musical and uncover the mystery that is Kate. Still, he must keep his own secret to himself. Not even this intriguing woman can know that his passionate faith is driving him to aid fugitives on the Underground Railroad.

A terrifying accident brings Kate and Ben together, but threatens to shatter both their secrets and their dreams. Kate can no longer deny the need to find her courage—and her voice—if she is to sing a new song for their future.

Read an excerpt here.

About Rosslyn:
Rosslyn Elliott is the award-winning author of Fairer than Morning, the first in the Saddler's Legacy series. She holds a B.A. from Yale University and a Ph.D. in English from Emory University. Her study of American literature and history inspired her to pursue writing fiction. Elliott lives in Albuquerque, where she homeschools her daughter and works in children's ministry.

For more about Rosslyn, visit her website.

Link to buy the book.

Win an iPod Nano and Downtown Abbey from Rosslyn Elliott!

Enter 2/9-2/28!


In this second in the award-winning Saddler's Legacy series, Rosslyn Elliott has written a stirring novel of hope and faith inspired by real historical people and events. With Ben Hanby, a genius composer, Kate Winter, one of the first female college graduates in America, and John Parker, an ex-slave who risked his life time and again to help fugitive slaves, Sweeter than Birdsong is full of real heroes to inspire us. "I hope readers will find a renewed sense of strength in their own lives," says Elliott, "knowing that change is possible, and our efforts matter. I want them to remember these unique, brave people in history who left us a shining example of what it means to live out one's beliefs with passion and commitment."

So to celebrate the music in all of us, Rosslyn and Thomas Nelson are hosting this "sweet giveaway".

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Brand new iPod Nano (Winner's choice of color!)
• Fairer than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott
• Sweeter than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliott

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on February 28th. Winner will be announced at Sweeter than Birdsong Author Chat Facebook Party on 2/28. Rosslyn will be chatting with guests, sharing a sneak peek of the next book in the series, hosting a trivia contest, and more! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, season 1 of DowntownAbbey, and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Rosslyn.)

So grab your copy of Sweeter than Birdsong and join Rosslyn and friends on the evening of the 28th for an evening of fun.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!

**Thank you LitFuse for sending me this book in return for my honest review.

WLW: Hey Mom! What's For Lunch?

This week's topic is…
Lunch: What do you like to eat for lunch? Do you have any favorite lunch recipes?

Oh lunch, the meal that will dictate whether I eat too much at dinner time. Really, not eating enough will have me eating too much later, eating too much is never a grand idea either. A bit of a balancing act, but a necessary meal all the same. What do I usually have for lunch? Let me be honest, it depends on the day of the week and how much time I have.

More often than not, I will have a salad (lots of greens, bell peppers, tomatos, a bit of avocado, etc) with either tuna, salmon, or chicken. It is easy, loaded with nutrients, and satisfying. If a salad just isn't in the cards for me, I will grab leftovers from dinner (which consists of a protein and veggies). I am not big on sandwiches, so these choices work best for me. A salad loaded with vegetables leaves me the most satisfied and feeling the best, so that's my first choice. If I am really short of time, I always have AdvoCare Meal Shakes on hand.

What I have found myself truly enjoying about lunch is the moments that I can sit and enjoy the quiet, take my time, and enjoy each bite. I like the days I am not in a rush and can appreciate the colors and taste of my meal. We do not do that enough, or I don't anyway.

Make good choices, feed your body the nutrients it needs, and enjoy doing so. Happy Weight Loss Wednesday!

It's The Exercise I Miss The Most

The results came in yesterday, the appointment with the specialist has been scheduled for Thursday.

I emailed my go to guy, Carter (ie: fitness guru, mentor, friend), to fill him in on what is going on and get his advice. He responded by saying, "I think you need to train to reduce inflammation first and take at least 1 week off of resistance training. Walk briskly if you want to but you must look at rest AS a critical piece to your training. Practice "functional movement" household moving with core and cervical stabilization. You have to be precise with your movement for now. By His stripes you are healed and whole in Jesus name..."

To answer your questions. Yes, it hurts. I am in pain constantly. In fact, I am not sure there is any moment in the day I am not hurting. Some moments are worse than others, but the pain is always there. Sometimes my muscles spasm, my hand twitches, and my tricep aches. It's a full on pain filled party going on. And, it stinks.

But you know what the worst part is? Not being able to exercise. When I am stressed, happy, in need of some time to process, and in so many other instances, I exercise. It is what I do, daily. Did anyway. I enjoy it, I haven't always, but I sincerely do now. I am prone to relying on my physical strength in many ways, for many things. Now? Oh the lessons God is teaching me.

I know this will be fixed, and I know my body is strong enough to endure. I know my injuries could be much worse. In fact, it could my child with the injury, which would be much worse indeed. There are many things, small moments, and little instances I find myself thanking God for, down to the doctors, nurses and technicians who are helping me. I truly am thankful, but I still miss my workouts.

Happy Valentine's Day

Thanks to some cute finds on Pinterest, we have cuter than normal Valentine's Day Gifts this year!

For my girl's classmates:

For her teacher:

The card reads, "I'm nuts about you!"

For my personal training clients:

The Results Are In

Disc herniation of the cervical spine

The results of my MRI have been reported. It appears I have a C6/C7 disc herniation that is also putting pressure on my spinal cord. What does this mean? Pain, lots and lots of pain. The guy who called kept saying, "We need to get this taken care of quickly, this is painful." You are not lying brother.

What's the next step? Off to a spine specialist (neurologist basically) I will go. They are trying to set up an appointment for me immediately. It's painful, it is anything but fun, but I am thankful I now know what is causing all of this. From here, I am praying a quick solution is found and one that will work well for me, my schedule, and my goals. And really, I just want to get back to working out!

Good times, good times. But alas, it could still be worse. I could have a broken neck, or back, or various other parts could be broken. It could be my child who was injured; I could still be wondering what is wrong, and the list goes on. On to solving this problem we will go!

From Natalie LaRue

 Website

Kickstarter Campaign

By Natalie LaRue
I am sitting on my piano bench, I take a deep breath. Time to practice. Time to be creative. I need to go over that song again, the one I keep forgetting the lyrics to because I never wrote them down. I need to stretch out my voice, I need to... ”Mama, can I have a snack?” my 5 year old daughter Ella asks me. “Sure babe, just grab a string cheese out of the fridge.”

Hmm, where was I? Yes, time to be creative, to let instinct run free and...
“Mom, why did Ella get a snack and I didn’t?” my son this time. “Did you ask me if you could have one, Noah?”
“No," 'Well all you have to do is ask permission bud, and you can have one.”

All right here we go again, deep breath, focus. My heart whispers a small prayer, asking the Lord to bless this time, to come and fill me. I begin to play, sing, words coming out with some effort but at least they are coming. My voice sounds tired. Not much sleep the night before - oh well, life is full these days.
Everything seems to be going to plan and then THUMP. I hear crying and shouting from the other room.
“MOM, the baby fell over!” I’m already off of my bench, out the room, scooping my smallest into my arms.

This is a snapshot of my world.

Ten years ago if you would have asked me where I would be now, I don’t think I could have even imagined.
Ten years ago I was in a band called LaRue with my brother Phillip.
Ten years ago I had about twenty countries stamped in my passport and a collection of plane ticket stubs and hotel keys.
Ten years ago I was months away from meeting my husband at a music festival in England.

My world after that was very much altered, in the best of ways, in the hardest of ways. Rob and I fell in love, got married shortly there after. We had our first son, our unplanned “Oops Baby” a year and a half later. If you are a mother, then you know what I mean when I say, the moment my baby was put in my arms, my whole identity shifted. I will never be the same.

So here I am now. Attempting, after a long hiatus, to step back into the world that was once familiar territory. Now I’ve got some new shoes, some old scars and a lot of perspective. I have songs that have been birthed out of the most pivotal period of my life. The transition from girl to woman, woman to wife, wife to mother. I have lots to say, and somehow, some way, out of the fog of family life - and with a little nudging from my husband - I feel ready to say it. I am ready to start a dialogue with words and music in hope that I reach the hearts of people very much like myself.
Women. Mothers. Spouses. Cooks. Cleaners. Friends. Sisters. Jesus-lovers... and oh, so much more.

Yes. I am excited about this journey toward music. It's been slow in the making but isn’t that sometimes where the best stuff comes from? The longest and the roughest, the things that surpass the test of time? I would be honored for you to be a part of it. Who knows what to expect? On my part at least, I know I can expect many interruptions.

- Natalie LaRue is currently running a Kickstarter campaign for her new CD. Please take a look: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/natalielarue/natalie-larues-6-song-ep-music-cd

This Is So Me

Source: media-cdn.pinterest.com via Tara on Pinterest

MRI, Kleenex, and Pain Medication

On January 31, 2012, I was in my first car wreck. It was not major, and so much more damage, to the car and my body, could have been done. I am thankful it happened early, my child was not with me, and that it happened at a slow rate of speed. There is so much I have to be thankful for, the pain I have had as a result however, I am not so thankful for.

My neck, back, and left shoulder and arm have been experiencing stabbing, shooting pains, constant tightness and more. It is fun, but again, it could be so much worse. I went back to the doctor yesterday, and today will have an MRI on my shoulder and spine. Good times. If you are wondering how I am going to be spending my Friday night, I will be stuck in that machine from 7-9pm. Awesome. Try not to be jealous. However, if the cause of this constant pain is found and can be quickly fixed, then even this I will be thankful for.

Yesterday, on top of my random wincing in pain, my child's nose started running like crazy, and she started coughing. When she awoke from her nap she sounded like a creaky door, which was rather comical. I would much rather be dealing with just my pain than have my child sick. Although, she is one happy sick kid. It is almost as if she inherently knows the power of positive thinking, "Act well, and I will be well!"

This morning, at 2am, I was awakened by the aforementioned shooting pains. So not fun. Two hours later, my child was in our room crawling into our bed. If you know me, you know our child has never slept in our bed and I do not believe in co-sleeping. In my delirium, and pain, I just let her crawl in. She never really went back to sleep, and trying to care for her caused even more pain. My poor husband.

Sleep deprived, sick, in pain. We're like the rejected dwarfs. If you think of it, say a prayer for us today. I am sitting here, hoping I am typing coherent thoughts as I down my morning Spark, which is my only chance of survival today. Praying the start of your day has been leaps and bounds better than ours! Happy Friday blog friends.

Words To Live By

WFW Judges 16:4-5

Judges 16:4-5:
Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.”

Here we are a week before Valentine's Day, the day many will finally go out of their way to express their love for one another. Can we be honest though? Way too often I see people mistaking lust for love. Why else do so many marriages not last? Many will fall into lust, few will invest in love.

Not all choose to invest in love which is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs (1 Cor 13). No, that kind of love requires work on more than just one day a year. It requires a daily choice, the decision to stay involved regardless of feelings from one day to another.

May I love my husband well, regardless of my own mood, regardless of what he has done, but because that is what I vowed to do.

To enjoy more Word Filled Wednesday posts click here..

WLW: What's For Breakfast?

Today's Topic: Have your breakfast habits changed since starting on this weight loss journey? What are some of your favorite breakfast meals? What do you do when you're in a hurry? I hope you'll come share with us. Afterall breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

Oh I love breakfat! Seriously, I do. Breakfast, quite easily, sets the stage for the rest of the day. Healthy choices early make it easier to make healthy choices later. Plus, failing to partake in breakfast will set me up for failure later as hunger pains cause me to become a savage beast. My favorite meal is egg whites and turkey bacon along with some fruit. My morning beverage is always Spark and Arginine Extreme. When I am in a hurry and short on time, I always have and AdvoCare Meal Replacement Shakes on hand.  Now only are these shakes are ridiculously delicious, but they are also a great balance of proteins and carbohydrates and other great nutrients.

Speaking of breakfast, it's time to grab mine now! Have a great day, fuel up with a healthy breakfast, and join us for WLW by clicking the button at the top of this post.