Then and Now

Tuesday marks 4 months since hubby and I embarked upon a commitment to bettering our health and our lives.  Time has flown so quickly.  I've been reflecting on various aspects of my life, and found myself thinking about the great changes that have taken place as a result of a few small changes we made back in March.

Then (3/2/2013):   I was carrying baby weight from two babies and about 6 weeks away from returning to work.   NONE of my pre-pregnancy clothes fit and I was already feeling sad about returning to work and leaving my precious babies in somebody else's care.   Once again I was having to confront the reality of not being able to be a stay at home Mom.

Before the 24-Day-Challenge

Now (6/30/2013):  Today life is very different.  I blew through my weight loss goal of getting to my pre-baby weight and am now rocking my high school weight; something I haven't seen on a scale since those long ago high school days when I was swimming 5 hours a day!   That's pretty awesome in my book, but not nearly as awesome as having the energy levels of high school me and feeling better than I ever have!

One other surprising aspect of the decision to get healthy was the resulting business that is exploding before my eyes.   Hubby and I decided to give it a go as the weight started melting off and began to intentionally share these fabulous products here and there that we'd been keeping to ourselves (shame on us!).   But as the physical transformation continued the interest began to grow and so did a business.   Now people are seeking me out to find out what I had done to get such great results in such a short period of time.   Along the way, I've discovered I have a heart for serving others in a way like I had never imagined.    And the biggest change is that my lifelong dream of being a stay at home Mom has been reawakened as not only a possibility but a soon to be reality.   So you're hearing it here first!   June 2014, I will be walking out of the classroom (something I love) to work from home and pour into my own babies (something I love even more).  

Today! Down 26 pounds and 5.5 inches!

So I close today's post with thank you!  Thank you to those of you who have been following this journey and for your continued support!  Thank you to God for blessing our healthy and the business and giving me the heart to serve others.   And thank you to Andrea for having a heart to help Kevin and I take the first steps to changing our lives in dramatic and exciting ways.

P.S.  Hubby is also rocking towards his health goals.  He's down 26 pounds but is shedding inches right before my eyes.   After trying many different ways to lose weight and watching him get frustrated over lack of progress, I am so happy to see him making permanent progress towards better health!    Not so bad on the eyes either!

The Results Are In (Day 24)

Post Challenge! (12 weeks post baby)

Well, it's final here......the end of the 24-Day-Challenge!  What an awesome journey this has been and thanks to everyone who has been following my blog and our journey!    So here are the final stats:

Abbey lost 7 pounds and between 1.5 and 2 inches all around!

Kevin lost 6 pounds and between 3/4 and 2.5 inches all around!

Not too bad for just 24 days!

We are both feeling better than ever with tons of energy!   New words are entering our vocabulary such as leaner and stronger.  It's such a nice change to be able to keep up with our two kiddos and to actually enjoy running around with our 2-year-old at the end of the day as much as the beginning of the day.

And for those of you wondering....BFF lost 6 pounds and between 1-2 inches all over!

For those of you who like numbers the stats for Kevin and I are below!

Abbey's Revised Measurements:
Weight:  158.8 lbs.
Chest:  38.5"
Waist:  31.5"
Hips:  37.5"
Thigh:  23"

Kevin's Revised Measurements:
Weight:  280.6 lbs.
Chest:  49.5"

Waist:  47.5"
Hips:  38.75"
Thigh:  27.25"


Want to get amazing results with your own 24-Day-Challenge, just Click Here!

Almost There (Day 22)

Wow!  It's the end of Day 22, already!    I've been tempted to jump on the scale or whip out the measuring tape just to see how far I've come.    I've never been so excited to check my weight.  In my experience the number doesn't seem to go down as often as it goes up.   And I can't remember the last time I lost inches.   So while I might be a little crazy, I'm actually looking forward to quantifying the success I've been feeling over the last several days.

To be perfectly honest, I don't even care what the numbers are.   The extra energy I feel, and the fact that my clothes not only fit better but are looser than before I was pregnant is enough success to keep me going for a lifetime.   But, numbers talk too, so I say bring on the quantification of this successful journey.

Stay tuned and get ready to celebrate.........

Remember When........ (Day 20)

11 Weeks Post Baby

Do you remember the last time you looked in the mirror and were truly happy with what you saw?    

I was pondering this idea this morning, as I put on my pre-pregnancy jeans again today and discovered that we have taken it beyond fitting and are moving into the land of "they're too big."  And as I did up the button, and fastened the now necessary belt, I took a look in the mirror and smiled as I reveled in liking what I saw.   I didn't care about the pounds or the inches that have been coming off in the last 20 days, because that feeling of being happy with what my body looks like in the clothes I own is priceless.

I'm not exactly where I want to be physically, but the progress I've made will keep me motivated and encouraged to keep going with this new lifestyle, especially as I prepare to go back to work in a few weeks. The investment I've made in me is paying off in a big way!


So do you remember the last time you looked in the mirror and were truly happy with what you saw? Do you want to?

Celebrating Successes Along the Way (Day 19)

Wow!  We are already at Day 19.   The days have flown by and the successes with teh challenge are starting to pile up.  I realized that I've spent a lot of this blog talking about my journey (and triumphs) on the challenge.   But I didn't start this challenge alone.   My hubby and best friend joined me on this journey and though they haven't been featured here, they are absolutely rocking their challenges too.  So today, I want to celebrate my challenge buddies for their successes, too!

Hubby came down the stairs yesterday with a big smile on his face because he had to pull his belt in a notch!   This is a new belt from his first challenge which reached the point where he had to start drilling new notches in it because he couldn't pull it in anymore.    Today, he was frustrated as he got dressed for work...........because his pants were too big!   I told him that was a good problem to have, and an exciting one on his journey.   In eight years of marriage, and trying multiple different diet or eating plans, I've never heard those words come out of his mouth.   Hooray Hubby!

My BFF and I got together for lunch yesterday.  Due to busy schedules, I hadn't seen her since we started the challenge, though our days have been filled with texting recipes and pictures of food on our plates.   We've also been texting our successes as we've noticed them.   To date, she'd been reporting a significant increase in energy, looser clothing, and most exciting for her was that other people were noticing her results as well! (Nothing beats a compliment when you've been working hard on yourself).   So when we got together for lunch yesterday, I was very excited to see just how awesome she was looking.  And if the number of times I watched her (and joined) her in hiking up the pants so they would stay up, I'd say we may have to schedule a shopping trip for some new clothes for our next get together.  Hooray BFF!

So with 5 days left in the challenge, we are all making sure we are staying super focused so that we can maximize our results, and getting ready to celebrate our success over the last 24 days.  And in looking forward to continuing this path of more energy and better health we are all preparing our maintenance plans to help us continue working towards our individual goals!

Mini Muffin Top (Day 17)

10.5 Weeks Post Baby

Last month, I felt brave enough to try on a pair of pre-pregnancy jeans.......and they buttoned up.   I was rocking a ridiculous muffin top, but was so blissfully happy that I could get into them I didn't really care.   A carefully chosen top covered most of the muffin top, and carrying my infant daughter took care of the rest.

Today, I put on the same jeans again (I haven't worn them since) and was stoked to discover that the jeans were not only noticeably looser but that my muffin top was significantly diminished.  Now it's a mini muffin top!  Sure, it's still there, but nothing like it once was.  But I don't think I'm doing to shabby 10.5 weeks after delivering my daughter.  After all, it took me 9 months to get that muffin top in the first place, and while it is a badge of honor from my pregnancy it has served its purpose and it's time for it to go and be replaced by the energy to keep up with my kiddos.

I can't wait for the day when the only muffin top I see is sitting right on top of a muffin I'm about to eat!

Want your own success story to share?  Click Here!

More on my Pants (Day 16)

Just a quick update......

Back on Day 9, I shared my excitement that my pre-pregnancy pants were fitting significantly better than they did before we started this challenge.   7 days later, they are even looser.   In fact, I may need to consider taking my belt in a notch to keep them up.  I have to say my favorite thing about the challenge is that if you follow the plan you will get noticeable results pretty quick, which is just what I (and many others I suppose) need to stay motivated and keep going.   I've never been this dedicated to eating healthy and exercising, but now that I am, I can't imagine going back to eating/living the way we did before we found Advocare.

Click Here for my Advocare Website

Half Way There (Day 12)

When we started this challenge, I admit I was a little worried about all that I was giving up.  But I told myself that it was a "challenge," and by definition I would need to make a few sacrifices and accept that it might be difficult.  For me, that sacrifice was no dairy for 10 days.  If you know me, you know that I LOVE milk and all other products derived from it (cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc).  In spite of all that, and relying on having success like Kevin did with his first challenge, I decided that sacrifice was worth it.

Now, it's 12 days later and I'm starting to wonder why they call it a challenge at all.  In my opinion, it should be called the "I've Never Felt Better and Why Didn't I Do This Sooner" bundle package.   Perhaps it because that name would be way too long..........

But seriously, I have never felt better than I do right now.  And considering I have a 2.5-year-old and a 2-month-old who still eats in the middle of the night that's saying something.  And it's only taken 12 days.   It almost seems to easy and too good to be true.   My friend Andrea would say it's too good not to do it.  And she would be right.

I'm excited that I can now have milk again, but I realized this morning that I wasn't even missing it (a first for me).  And it's nice to add a little bit of cheese to a sandwich or salad, but I realized that I was adding far less than I used to because I've grown to love the flavor of the other ingredients just as much.  

Even more exciting is how happy I am with what I am seeing in the mirror.  Sure, I am still sporting the trademark post-baby pooch (from my first baby), but it's noticeably smaller after just 12 days on the 24-Day-Challenge.   And my clothes are starting to fit comfortably again.

While looking in the mirror and smiling at my success is reinforcing, nothing beats the increased energy and overall feeling of well being I am experiencing.   I feel leaner, stronger, and energized like I have never been before.   If this is the product of a little bit of sacrifice, then sign me up for life!

So, bring it on next 12 days!  Let's see what else we can do on this challenge!

P.S.  A neighbor I haven't seen in a while told me I looked amazing today!  Big boost to my confidence!

They Fit! (Day 9)

Today is the first official day of daylight savings time.  In preparation I put my clocks forward and set two alarms so we would wake up on time for church.  And since finding clothes to fit post baby has been a bit of a challenge, I put some cushioning on the time for multiple outfit changes. 

So you can imagine how stressed out I was when the dog became the unplanned alarm clock and I discovered we had only 1 hour to get two adults, one toddler, and one infant out the door.   Panic set in!   And so began the great rush to Spark, eat, and get out the door in order to be at church on time to serve.

But in the midst of my panic, I got an amazing blessing that was just what I needed to stay focused and keep motivated with the Challenge.  MY PANTS FIT BETTER!    That's right, my jeans that created a not so attractive post-baby muffin top, were noticeably looser and way more comfortable.   Don't get me wrong, I'm still rocking a bit of a muffin top (it took me 9 months to get that body that produced my daughter), but it is nice to be able to sit down without the jeans digging into places you'd rather them not.  

After savoring this blessing, with a big smile on my face and facebook shout out to the world, I rocked me jeans all the way to church........on time, I might add!

I realize that I have only been posting my experience though this journey, but wanted to update you all on Kevin as well.  He is just wrapping up his Cleanse phase and is beaming as he reports he is feeling better than ever.  Onward to the Max phase!

Amazing! (Day 7)

A close family friend of ours stopped by for a visit this afternoon.   Shortly after making the appropriate fuss over the kiddos, the next words out of her mouth were "You look amazing!"   It totally made my day.    I've been sticking to the 24-Day-Challenge pretty closely, and feeling absolutely great on the inside, but haven't looked in the mirror and seen "amazing."   And after looking at the scale when at the doctor's office yesterday (I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS 6 DAYS INTO YOUR CHALLENGE) and not seeing any difference in numbers, I was wondering if the great feeling on the inside was only in my head.

So thank you, thank you, to M. for validating the hard work I've put into this challenge thus far and giving me the motivation to stick with it for the remaining 17 days.  Eating clean, phenomenal products and the support of my hubby (and friends) through the challenge leave me feeling "Amazing" and ready to take on the world.

Day 5

If you know me, you probably know that I don't stick with diets.   Historically my sweet tooth has always gotten the best of me.  Any time I've tried to eat better or eliminate junk from my diet, I've lasted a very short time before the craving for something sweet and tasty has taken me down.

Today is Day 5 of our challenge!   Kevin and I are both feeling great.   We have been trying lots of new healthy recipes and sharing our meals with our friend who is doing the challenge with us.   We've even given the Can you 24? DVD  a go, but have had to take a brief break as our DVD player broke.

Here's what has surprised me thus far on this challenge?   I'M NOT CRAVING SWEETS!   This is huge for me.   Easter time means that the Reese's peanut butter eggs are stocking the shelves.  They are one of my favorites and I can eat more than I can count during the holiday season.  In fact, I struggle to go into Target without buying a bag.   So a couple of days ago when we walked right by them I and I didn't even pause until two aisles later (after I realized I'd walked right by them), I was feeling pretty excited.


I can't wait to see what the next 19 days will bring!

Want to take your own 24-Day-Challenge?  Just click here and let me tell you how you can experience the same great feelings.

Can you 24?

Today was Day 1 of working out with the "Can You 24?" video.  I was a little nervous since I haven't had a real workout since delivering A. 8 weeks ago.   I love the fact that there are multiple levels and that you can see models for each exercise.  It let me pick and choose how much to push myself when I could and pull back when I needed to so that I could really customize my workout but not overdue it.    And since my endurance levels are really low these days, I was definitely feeling it.

And though it did feel good to get up and get this body moving again, it was even more fun with my little workout buddy H.  Who needs a personal trainer when you have a 2.5-year-old to inspire you to get fit and have more energy?   Plus, I got hugs on every 10-second rest break, something I don't think any trainer would offer.  I'm looking forward to "getting pumped" as H. would say and being a good role model living an active lifestyle.

Day 1

Before the Challenge (4 days post baby)

Hooray, our challenge day is here.   The fridge is stocked, the menu plan for the week is made and our products are all lined up ready to go!   Bring it on!


Preliminary Stats:
Abbey:

• Weight: 165.7 pounds
• Chest Measurement: 39.5"
• Waist Measurement: 33"
• Hip Measurement:  39.5"
• Thigh Measurement:  25"
• 14 Push Ups (Girly Style) in 24 seconds

Kevin:

• Weight: 286.6 pounds
• Chest Measurement:  51"
• Waist Measurement:  48.25"
• Hip Measurement:  51.25"
• Thigh Measurement:  28.5"
• 11 Push Ups in 24 seconds

We had a great first day, though we also learned a little lesson.   We are both feeling great, and managed to make mostly good eating choices throughout the day.   We did learn a little lesson about timing our meals.  We had an appointment in the morning that ran long.  Thankfully I had packed some healthy snacks to tide us over, but it ended up making our lunch much later than anticipated.   As a result we were very very hungry and scrambling around the house to find something quick and easy for lunch.  And because we had not yet done all of our shopping to stock the house with only good choices, we had to cheat just a little to get some food in our bodies.  Fortunately, most of the junk is out of the house so the cheating was minor (eating a chicken salad made with yogurt and cheese).    Needless to say, the grocery shopping was done so this would not happen again.  My advice:  stock your fridge before the challenge starts so you're not scrambling around at the last minute!

Kevin and I also decided to try out the "Can you 24?" workout video that accompanies the 24-Day-Challenge.   We both would like to be better about incorporating exercise beyond walking the dog into our lives.   I inputted our start date into the website (Can You 24? DVD) and it gave us a schedule of when we should do what types of exercises.   And we both laughed (but secretly loved) a workout scheduled that gave your the weekends off, especially when you are starting the challenge on a Saturday!

Click Here to Join us on the 24-Day-Challenge!

The Challenge Begins Tomorrow.......

Our 24-Day-Challenge begins tomorrow, so naturally we feel compelled to do a little last minute binging tonight.   I'm sure that's totally the wrong approach when the goal of the challenge is to jump start our way to healthier eating habits.   But, I challenge you to say you wouldn't do the same.

And so on the eve of our 24-Day-Challenge, Kevin and I will be eating the last leftovers (followed by an trip for frozen yogurt) before we are super conscious about what we put into our bodies.  You would think we were going to be asked to relinquish any good tasting food for the 24 days.    In reality, from the last time Kevin did the challenge, we ended up finding some fantastic new recipes and eating things we had only talked about eating before.   Pretty good trade off for eliminating a bunch of junk from our diet (at least temporarily).

But they don't call it a challenge for nothing.   The Cleanse phase calls for super limited dairy......I drink about as much milk as I produce nursing the baby so that's a little scary.  But I guess that's why they call it a challenge.  And if I can get rid of the last few pounds of baby weight then it will be well worth it.

Look out for initial stats tomorrow, so that in 24 days we can see how far we've come!

Do you "Sparkle?"

My friend Andrea introduced us to Spark.  I have never been a fan of energy drinks, mostly due to the carbonation and the sickly sweet smell of them.    And I've never been liked coffee, though I do love the smell of it brewing.    So when I learned about Spark while pregnant with my second child and chasing a toddler around, and found out it wasn't carbonated (I hate carbonated drinks!), I was intrigued.

Andrea raved about it and called it her "Nice Mommy Drink."  I thought that sounded pretty good to me.   And so I tried it.    And I've never looked back!  I got my hubby and my best friend hooked on Spark because I couldn't resist sharing this fabulous feeling with them.   My best friend says it makes her "sparkle."

Being pregnant, I check with my OB/GYN before I made Spark a regular part of my morning routine.   She called it a prenatal vitamin with caffeine and said I could have one a day.

At first, I just had one here and there, but that quickly changed to having one first thing every day.   I noticed that the days I drank Spark were way better than the days I didn't.    I had more energy for playing with my son, didn't feel exhausted an hour after waking up and even manged to get a few things done around the house.  Andrea was right.  With Spark, I was a much nicer pregnant Mommy!

When the school year started last fall, I was especially glad to have Spark.  Balancing work, my home life and growing a little person inside were all a lot.  Some days I wondered how I ever managed to get it all done.    I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to do it without Spark.


Now, I'm on maternity leave and spend my days looking after our infant daughter and chasing around my son.   Spark is the first thing I drink in the morning and am off and running!  It makes the lack of sleep that comes with this season of life a whole lot more manageable and even gives me enough energy to enjoy every minute of it.    Double bonus........when nursing you can have 2 Sparks!   This makes the afternoon energy slump virtually disappear, leaving this Mommy ready to play and savor every minute of my time at home with my babies.  

Getting Ready for the Challenge.....

     March 2nd is just around the corner.    For the Butcher family this is 24-Day-Challenge kick off day!   We've got our Advocare products and are gathering tasty recipes to make sure we stay on track throughout the challenge.

This is Kevin's second time doing the challenge and after the success he experienced the first time around, he's excited to have even more success working towards his ideal weight.

I gave birth to our second child 7 weeks ago and am eager to kick start getting back to my pre-babies body.   Since I'm nursing, I'll be doing a modified version of the challenge as many of the herbal supplements are not recommended for pregnant/nursing Mom's.

I'm looking forward to doing the challenge together with Kevin and sharing in this journey towards better health.   We have been so inspired by the other members of our Advocare team and the support that they have given us that we can't wait to share our journey and inspire you.

If you found my blog by mistake and are wondering what the 24-Day-Challenge is, check out this website for more information on the 24-Day Challenge:  Click Here!   If you are excited and want to know more you can contact me at TheButchersWife0129@gmail.com.   I can't wait to share these fabulous products with you so you can enjoy more energy and better health.