FOREVER!? - It better be forever!

How long is FOREVER? Forever is for ever of course but how long is ever? For ever and ever amen?Forever and a day? For ever after? Who knows...

What I do know is that ever growing organisation 'Forever Living' is becoming more and more talked about. This Summer alone I have gone from not EVER hearing about it to being exposed to it by several individuals who are indeed either working for the organisation or using it's products. It's all over social media, its being talked about amongst friends and personally I only need to mention the word 'Forever' to a friend and they are already all over it like a kiddy in a sweet shop, whether in an approving or disapproving way. It seems people are aware of it and have opinions of it. 

I am bringing you the nine day diary so that we can together experience one product in particular. The C9 diet. Already the name implies this is a 'serious' product, a product of high importance. The name is strong, its powerful, it almost sounds a bit robotic. Am I sceptical? Yes, I am in all honesty. I don't tend to believe in fad diets/weight loss plans. I have always believed and still do that a healthy well balanced diet and regular exercise is the key to a healthy temple. Allowing oneself to indulge every now and then with friends, on Fridays and when your favourite programme comes on TV...so pretty often I guess. I am definitely the type of person that if I'm told to do something or if I try and cut something out of my diet/life...I will rebel and want it even more...BUT before I continue...let's find out what the C9 diet actually is...come on...lets find out, hold my hand we'll go together...

C9 - Designed to kick-start the programme and cleanse your body, this provides the perfect starting point for transforming your diet and fitness habits. Based around Forever’s bestselling Aloe Vera Gel drink, this nutritionally-balanced programme will allow you to see real results in just nine days.

So...there we have it. The C9 arrived at my house in a box which looked to me like it should have a computer console inside. However when I looked within all of the ingredients I needed for the next 9 days of my life were neatly placed side by side as well as a drinking bottle, a tape measure and a book for me to log everything and find my daily plan. 

DAY ONE 

This morning I rolled out of bed, miserable I admit due to a two and a half year old who is going through a bit of a sleep regression...Also, Tuesdays are nursery days which means single handedly I have to try and get two small children up, dressed, fed and kept happy whilst I also get ready for work and try and get us all out the door by 8.30am. Sometimes I manage this sometimes I don't. We also had a mouse situation this morning...but that's another story. So, having stupidly not read or fully understood just exactly what the C9 entailed I hastily tried to figure out what there was for my breakfast! 

Before starting, I measured the body areas that are listed in the log book and weighed myself...Not always a great idea directly after celebrating your best friends hen weekend in which an abundance of chocolate, crisps and prosecco was consumed. Nevertheless, fun was had by all and my synchronised swimmming session must have burnt off at least half of the calories...

NOW I don't care what anyone says, Aloe Vera Gel is not pleasant to drink, in fact its like drinking lumpy, gunky, vegetable water which has been jellified and then mushed up. It's not pleasant. So that for breakfast with some tablet supplements didn't exactly boost my enthusiasm for the hour ahead! However, I am told that by leaving the gel in the fridge makes it slightly more pleasant! Note has been taken! 

The book states that I should have then proceeded to do 30 minutes of exercise...well, I didn't have time for that but I had been rushing around with my boys so I logged that as light exercise instead. So, Breakfast DONE! TICK!

By 10am I was struggling to think about anything but food. Usually on Tuesdays I treat myself to something nice from my work cafe as I get a good discount and their chunky chips are DA BOMB! By 11.30am a sweat broke out on my brow as the smell of chunky chips starts to ascend on me from my office window...by 11.45am I was biting my nails...I needed to do something...Then I remember, I am allowed a snack! YAY! Now when I think of snack I think of a banana initially, maybe a packet of crisps, a biscuit? Slice of cake perhaps, or even a cup a soup if I'm in the mood. My C9 snack came in the form of a small sachet with 'Forever Fibre' written on it...'Hmmmmm' I think, maybe if I mix it with liquid it will turn into a sponge cake???. Referring to my booklet, I have to add the contents of the sachet into a glass of water or other beverage...Not being allowed to drink anything other than water reallllyyyyy, I decided to make a detox tea and pop it in there. I can tell you in all honestly, hand on heart, I know what a snack is, I would consider myself to be a snack expert in fact...this I am afraid to say, was not a snack and should not offend snacks by calling itself one. It should be called...'Fibre Dust' or 'Fibre Fuzz'...basically it went into my tea. I couldn't taste it and I wasn't pleasantly satisfied in the way that say...a Fondant Fancy would have pleasantly satisfied me. 

Lunch time was a little better, the chocolate shake was actually not bad at all and the cold aloe gel was indeed better than at room temperature, however, I suspect we will never be friends. Dinner was more aloe gel and supplements and this evening I've been allowed more aloe gel and water. I have referred to page 11 of the booklet to where 'free foods' are listed, these are foods that are naturally low in sugar and are OK to eat if you feel you need to. So I treated myself to a small orange and a tomato (I have to admit I feel like a tit even just writing that). 

It may have been a struggle today, the flavour of the Aloe and the hunger has been the biggest challenge, but I'll be damned if I haven't lost 5 pounds and 3 inches already!!! HOT DIGGEDY DAWG!!!...Ok, I'm only joking. I have found it hard, yes indeed. This post is has an underlying tone of negativity for a reason...it's day one, and I always knew the first two days would be the hardest. No point in sugar coating it. Of course I would like to eat something! When I get to day 3 I can start having an evening meal...that will be such a TREAT! 

On a positive note, I genuinely wanted to do the C9 cleanse. I wasn't asked to do it. I have had bad habits over the years...too much salt for sure, my husband works away and at times I do fall into the 'ready meal for one' faze which I know is BAD! But I do eat them more than I should. I have had my party years! Nights of binge drinking and and not giving a thought to what I'm putting into my body...I often think that I should look into getting a 'Colonic Irrigation' treatment to cleanse my pipes...if you will! But let's face it, nobody really wants a sucker pipe inserted up their bottom, and if they do then...well, fair enough! Life always gets in the way of such things. If this C9 cleanse actually works and can be done in the comfort of ones home without having to insert any objects up ones back passage, then you have my attention. I appreciate that this can be seen as a weight loss plan, for me, not so much. To shift a few pounds would be welcome, I'm 5ft 7in and 140 pounds, a healthy weight. My intention is to feel 'cleansed', refreshed and have a kick start to a new healthier and energised me, IF that can be done in 9 days...well then I'll eat my own hat!