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30 Days to Wellness
A Healthy Times Product Review for Bodyworks by CJ
By Mike Bundrant

When I started Healthy Times more than two years ago I also had the goal in mind to reach my ideal weight. I’m 6’1” tall and, according to my calculations, 190 pounds was a number worth shooting for. At that time I weighed in at 260 lbs. With body fat soaring over 30% that made me a textbook case of clinical obesity.

I was motivated, though. I had just witnessed my father’s demise. He passed away as a result of his unmanaged Type II Diabetes. Over a six-month period of time I watched his docs chase an infection that we assume entered his body through the diabetic ulcerations on the bottom of his feet. The more they chased, the more of his body they amputated. It was an awful scene. Ultimately, their valiant efforts were not enough. I sat next to him as he took his last breath. His name was Leo Bundrant. He was 66.

My father’s final months were important to me. They taught me that health and disease are not matters to be taken lightly. I learned from Dr. Neal Simpson of Hemet that any particular disease may remain on a plateau for years and years. We think we’re doing fine in spite of varying degrees of commitment to our health. Then, when the disease decides to take us, it can happen in a matter of days or weeks and there is simply no turning back.

So, having stared my own potential future in the face, I went to work on my health. From books I determined my proper caloric intake. I started an exercise program. I bought supplements. I worked my tail off and lost 50 pounds in a little over a year. Then I hit a wall, gained back 10 pounds and got stuck at 220. I stayed right there for 9 months, unable to continue my progress in spite of continued efforts.

Then I met Carolyn J. Dean or “CJ” of Bodyworks by CJ in Hemet. CJ is an Advanced Wellness Consultant and Sports Nutritionist with a fabulous reputation in the area. She told me about her 30-day Wellness Programs and mentioned that I might consider a screening for the Candida Program.

Candida is a variety of yeast that is naturally present in the body. I learned from CJ that the biological purpose of Candida is to help decompose the body after death. When we have too much of it, it causes a plethora of problems such as allergic reactions, indigestion, fatigue, headaches, yeast infections, gastrointestinal distress and bloating, “fogginess” and depression to name only a few. Roughly 80% of people who suffer from Fibromyalgia have a Candida condition.

CJ and I speculated that my inability to continue to lose weight might be related to Candida. Candida feeds on the kinds of foods that tend to make one fat. Once the Candida organism gets out of hand, it craves high sugar content foods. It’s as if we have a parasite within us that is demanding certain kinds of foods and fights our every effort to avoid those foods. After a comprehensive screening, CJ and I discovered that I was a candidate for the Candida program.

The concept behind the program is simple. Candida feeds on certain foods and cannot survive without them. So, the goal is to avoid those foods and with the help of herbs intended to support, cleanse and detoxify, starve the Candida and sweep it from the system.

The program is rigorous. Be prepared to make a commitment to yourself if you are taking on Candida. You will be avoiding all sugars (refined and unrefined, including fresh fruit and fruit juice), dairy products, yeast, coffee and tea, fungus foods (mushrooms, blue cheese), peanuts, red meat, all processed foods and artificial sweeteners.

CJ showed me dozens of recipes and provided a shopping list of products that are approved for the program. She also provided me the name of a personal chef that specializes in making meals for people on the Candida program. Since cooking isn’t my forte, I took this option. Well worth it.

Exercise is also part of the program. I was to do one hour of aerobic exercise 4 times per week and two 45-minute weight training sessions with lower weight and higher repetitions.

I officially began on December 20, 2006. I weighed in at 219 lbs, with 26% body fat.

Here is a snapshot of my journey:

December 21, 2006. I already have a nagging headache, fatigue and a case of diarrhea. Symptoms of detoxification have begun.

December 23rd. I am beginning to feel better but severely regret my overly optimistic decision to begin such an undertaking right before Christmas!

December 25th. I eat a healthy portion of turkey breast, boiled potatoes and green beans and am openly proud of myself as I watch my relatives stuff themselves into oblivion with an assortment of chips, dips, sodas, Jello, nut breads, candy and pie. Many of them are sick the day after Christmas while I’m feeling great.

January 1, 2007. I’m figuring out how to survive New Years Day without tortilla chips and Diet Pepsi (yep, no corn on this program – difficult to digest and promotes mold growth)!

January 2. At my weekly body comp analysis with CJ I discover I’ve lost 11 pounds in 12 days! My goal was to lose 14 pounds in a month and end up at 205 lbs. We reset the goal to lose 20 pounds and end up at 199.

January 5-8. I enjoy a brief vacation with my 3 older kids in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Ever tasted authentic southwestern cuisine? It’s fabulous. I'd live in Santa Fe again just for the food, much of which I need to forego on this trip.

January 9. On the way back from Santa Fe I total my car on Interstate 40. Miraculously, none of us are hurt. Later, a friend told me that angels were watching over us and I can’t say that I can argue with her. It is at this point, however, that I lose my resolve. I completely “forget” or “forget to care” that I am on a health program and find myself chowing down pizza and chugging Diet Pepsi with my kids one evening while stuck in Winslow, AZ.

For the next couple of days while we are trying to get home, I am more mindful but still eat higher food quantities than I would have if I were solidly on program. I completely forget to take my supplements during this time. Needless to say, I am worried about my next weigh-in.

January 12. At weigh-in with CJ I find I’ve lost 3 more pounds. What a relief! My body at this point is in fat-burning mode and regardless of my temporary mishap I am feeling very good, more energetic.

January 14. I totally “smoke” my friend Ryan Timpson in racquetball. Usually I do beat Ryan, but this time I just decimate him. I feel so much stronger, quicker and more energetic than usual - Ryan didn’t have a prayer. He’s been ducking me since then.

January 18. At weigh-in with CJ I find I have lost more weight – now down to 201 pounds! I haven’t weighed so little in a long time. I’m back in my size 34 jeans. I can see my ribs. At this point we have a concern: this is the first week in which I show a significant loss in lean body mass. And I actually gained a little fat, even though I lost overall body weight. CJ and I determined that I had slacked off on my protein intake and wasn’t eating early enough in the morning. I also begin to supplement with L-Glutamine to preserve lean body mass.

January 26. Final weigh-in. The results? I now weigh 199 pounds with 20% body fat. I lost 20 pounds total, 12 of which we pure fat. I lost 25 total body inches. All this in just over 30 days.

There is more to this program than is practical to write in a review such as this, but there is one more thing worth mentioning. CJ’s programs typically include body wraps by M’lis. I had 3 of these wraps in the course of my program, along with two full body massages. M’lis body wraps are not typical. These wraps are actually detoxification systems. They use herbal crèmes that penetrate the skin and encourage toxins to be released through the lymphatic system. The inches lost during wraps are not just water weight and they do not cause sweating. I lost 12.5 total inches due to body wraps alone. This inch loss endures from week to week.

I’m unsure how to wrap up a story in which I chronicle progress toward goals that are so deeply held - toward which I was making little progress, until now. Suffice it to say that I am grateful. I appreciate what CJ has done for me and what she is doing for our community. I’ve personally spoken to several of her clients who have completed this program. They seem to feel as I do, that what we once felt to be impossible is now real. And it feels pretty good.

If you’re wondering if you can handle a rigorous health program or whether you’re willing to make the sacrifices required to take your health to the next level, then I have something to say to you. I completed this program during Christmas, New Years, a family vacation and the stress of totaling my car at midnight on the frozen tundra of Eastern Arizona. I’m a single father with 6 kids (ages 6-16) that live with me 50% of the time. You'd be hard pressed to convince me that you can’t do it.

I did it. So can you. Thirty days from now I’d like to hear your story.

For your free Candida consultation and screening, call Bodyworks by CJ at 951-765-1484.


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30 Days to Wellness A Healthy Times Product Review for Bodyworks by CJ By Mike Bundrant When I started Healthy Times more than two years ago I also had the goal in mind to reach my ideal weight. I’m 6’1” tall and, according to my calculations, 190 pounds was a number worth shooting for. At that time I weighed in at 260 lbs. With body fat soaring over 30% that made me a textbook case of clinical obesity. I was motivated, though. I had just witnessed my father’s demise. He passed away as a result of his unmanaged Type II Diabetes. Over a six-month period of time I watched his docs chase an infection that we assume entered his body through the diabetic ulcerations on the bottom of his feet. The more they chased, the more of his body they amputated. It was an awful scene. Ultimately, their valiant efforts were not enough. I sat next to him as he took his last breath. His name was Leo Bundrant. He was 66. My father’s final months were important to me. They taught me that health and disease are not matters to be taken lightly. I learned from Dr. Neal Simpson of Hemet that any particular disease may remain on a plateau for years and years. We think we’re doing fine in spite of varying degrees of commitment to our health. Then, when the disease decides to take us, it can happen in a matter of days or weeks and there is simply no turning back. So, having stared my own potential future in the face, I went to work on my health. From books I determined my proper caloric intake. I started an exercise program. I bought supplements. I worked my tail off and lost 50 pounds in a little over a year. Then I hit a wall, gained back 10 pounds and got stuck at 220. I stayed right there for 9 months, unable to continue my progress in spite of continued efforts. Then I met Carolyn J. Dean or “CJ” of Bodyworks by CJ in Hemet. CJ is an Advanced Wellness Consultant and Sports Nutritionist with a fabulous reputation in the area. She told me about her 30-day Wellness Programs and mentioned that I might consider a screening for the Candida Program. Candida is a variety of yeast that is naturally present in the body. I learned from CJ that the biological purpose of Candida is to help decompose the body after death. When we have too much of it, it causes a plethora of problems such as allergic reactions, indigestion, fatigue, headaches, yeast infections, gastrointestinal distress and bloating, “fogginess” and depression to name only a few. Roughly 80% of people who suffer from Fibromyalgia have a Candida condition. CJ and I speculated that my inability to continue to lose weight might be related to Candida. Candida feeds on the kinds of foods that tend to make one fat. Once the Candida organism gets out of hand, it craves high sugar content foods. It’s as if we have a parasite within us that is demanding certain kinds of foods and fights our every effort to avoid those foods. After a comprehensive screening, CJ and I discovered that I was a candidate for the Candida program. The concept behind the program is simple. Candida feeds on certain foods and cannot survive without them. So, the goal is to avoid those foods and with the help of herbs intended to support, cleanse and detoxify, starve the Candida and sweep it from the system. The program is rigorous. Be prepared to make a commitment to yourself if you are taking on Candida. You will be avoiding all sugars (refined and unrefined, including fresh fruit and fruit juice), dairy products, yeast, coffee and tea, fungus foods (mushrooms, blue cheese), peanuts, red meat, all processed foods and artificial sweeteners. CJ showed me dozens of recipes and provided a shopping list of products that are approved for the program. She also provided me the name of a personal chef that specializes in making meals for people on the Candida program. Since cooking isn’t my forte, I took this option. Well worth it. Exercise is also part of the program. I was to do one hour of aerobic exercise 4 times per week and two 45-minute weight training sessions with lower weight and higher repetitions. I officially began on December 20, 2006. I weighed in at 219 lbs, with 26% body fat. Here is a snapshot of my journey: December 21, 2006. I already have a nagging headache, fatigue and a case of diarrhea. Symptoms of detoxification have begun. December 23rd. I am beginning to feel better but severely regret my overly optimistic decision to begin such an undertaking right before Christmas! December 25th. I eat a healthy portion of turkey breast, boiled potatoes and green beans and am openly proud of myself as I watch my relatives stuff themselves into oblivion with an assortment of chips, dips, sodas, Jello, nut breads, candy and pie. Many of them are sick the day after Christmas while I’m feeling great. January 1, 2007. I’m figuring out how to survive New Years Day without tortilla chips and Diet Pepsi (yep, no corn on this program – difficult to digest and promotes mold growth)! January 2. At my weekly body comp analysis with CJ I discover I’ve lost 11 pounds in 12 days! My goal was to lose 14 pounds in a month and end up at 205 lbs. We reset the goal to lose 20 pounds and end up at 199. January 5-8. I enjoy a brief vacation with my 3 older kids in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Ever tasted authentic southwestern cuisine? It’s fabulous. I'd live in Santa Fe again just for the food, much of which I need to forego on this trip. January 9. On the way back from Santa Fe I total my car on Interstate 40. Miraculously, none of us are hurt. Later, a friend told me that angels were watching over us and I can’t say that I can argue with her. It is at this point, however, that I lose my resolve. I completely “forget” or “forget to care” that I am on a health program and find myself chowing down pizza and chugging Diet Pepsi with my kids one evening while stuck in Winslow, AZ. For the next couple of days while we are trying to get home, I am more mindful but still eat higher food quantities than I would have if I were solidly on program. I completely forget to take my supplements during this time. Needless to say, I am worried about my next weigh-in. January 12. At weigh-in with CJ I find I’ve lost 3 more pounds. What a relief! My body at this point is in fat-burning mode and regardless of my temporary mishap I am feeling very good, more energetic. January 14. I totally “smoke” my friend Ryan Timpson in racquetball. Usually I do beat Ryan, but this time I just decimate him. I feel so much stronger, quicker and more energetic than usual - Ryan didn’t have a prayer. He’s been ducking me since then. January 18. At weigh-in with CJ I find I have lost more weight – now down to 201 pounds! I haven’t weighed so little in a long time. I’m back in my size 34 jeans. I can see my ribs. At this point we have a concern: this is the first week in which I show a significant loss in lean body mass. And I actually gained a little fat, even though I lost overall body weight. CJ and I determined that I had slacked off on my protein intake and wasn’t eating early enough in the morning. I also begin to supplement with L-Glutamine to preserve lean body mass. January 26. Final weigh-in. The results? I now weigh 199 pounds with 20% body fat. I lost 20 pounds total, 12 of which we pure fat. I lost 25 total body inches. All this in just over 30 days. There is more to this program than is practical to write in a review such as this, but there is one more thing worth mentioning. CJ’s programs typically include body wraps by M’lis. I had 3 of these wraps in the course of my program, along with two full body massages. M’lis body wraps are not typical. These wraps are actually detoxification systems. They use herbal crèmes that penetrate the skin and encourage toxins to be released through the lymphatic system. The inches lost during wraps are not just water weight and they do not cause sweating. I lost 12.5 total inches due to body wraps alone. This inch loss endures from week to week. I’m unsure how to wrap up a story in which I chronicle progress toward goals that are so deeply held - toward which I was making little progress, until now. Suffice it to say that I am grateful. I appreciate what CJ has done for me and what she is doing for our community. I’ve personally spoken to several of her clients who have completed this program. They seem to feel as I do, that what we once felt to be impossible is now real. And it feels pretty good. If you’re wondering if you can handle a rigorous health program or whether you’re willing to make the sacrifices required to take your health to the next level, then I have something to say to you. I completed this program during Christmas, New Years, a family vacation and the stress of totaling my car at midnight on the frozen tundra of Eastern Arizona. I’m a single father with 6 kids (ages 6-16) that live with me 50% of the time. You'd be hard pressed to convince me that you can’t do it. I did it. So can you. Thirty days from now I’d like to hear your story. For your free Candida consultation and screening, call Bodyworks by CJ at 951-765-1484.