It may be small, but it's progress...

The last few weeks have been rough, but awesome.  It started about 3 weeks ago when we went to Relay for life.  Being outdoors and not having much to eat I ate almost 2 boxes of protein bars.  The next few days my little man was a total mess!  That's when the lightbulb turned on.... He's sensitive (allergic to nuts).  I just thought he had come out of his "I'm the perfect baby" stage and realized he had a voice, but little did I know the poor guy was in pain and uncomfortable.  So I cut out nuts (which by the way are 3/4 of my diet I think) And that fixed him most of the way.  When I couldn't figure out what was still bothering him I decided on the total elimination diet (chicken and rice only for a bit and then slowly adding things back in) Oh.. And spark (because unless vital to his well being I am not willing to give up the only thing that helps me not feel like a zombie)  and boy... If you ever need motivation not to cheat on a diet, do it for someone who depends on you, knowing that one little cheat may cost you a full night of sleep.  With 2 kids a full night sleep is pretty important..... 

It was tough.....

And then....

I started to feel better and better and better.

And then....

I woke up 2 days ago and put on (and buttoned) a pair of pants that I couldn't get past my thighs after Andrew... One of the best feelings in the world

and then...

I stepped on the scale and had lost 5lbs in a week.

So the just of the story is... I am delighted and surprised to find out that many of the things in my diet, things that are considered healthy are the things that have been dragging me down and making me feel bad.  I am excited to continue on this journey, not only to enjoy my new baby (who is happy most of the time now) but to learn more about myself and to put more in my bank of health knowledge so I can continue to encourage and inspire others to take control of their health and their life.   I am currently walking a path I never knew I could walk, and I'm doing it with a sense of accomplishment and pride.  Here's to continuing to discover myself and my potential.  

I get knocked down...

Two years ago I started the journey to becoming a fit and healthy mom for my, now, 2 year old.  Through many ups and downs, I fought hard to lost 52 lbs and to feel amazing.  Well... today I feel like that journey is beginning again.  Here's the story of the last few months, especially weeks of my life:  

I found out I was pregnant with baby #2 last summer, and I was super excited.  I was really excited to see the difference that eating healthy, being active, partnered with AdvoCare could make in a pregnancy.  The beginning of the pregnancy went great, I felt fantastic.  Other than the emotional roller coaster this little man put us through at the beginning (facing the possibility of having a baby with special needs and/or one that might not survive) I felt great physically.  Then the 24 week mark hit, and my blood pressures started creeping up.  I kept going with my exercise and feeling, ok.  Then at almost 33 weeks I found out my blood pressure was super high and I was in pre term labor.  I was put on meds that made me feel horrible and also put on restricted activity... which means... no working out...  So after almost 3 weeks of bed rest little man decided to come 4 weeks and 1 day early. He's perfectly healthy (praise God) and although I didn't get to experience the fit, active, healthy pregnancy I had hoped for, I'm thankful everything went as well as it did.

After delivery I felt fantastic, my body really was ready to be done being pregnant.   However.... That was the week that almost did me in...  I had baby Drew on Monday morning, went home Wednesday, my 2 year old had her tonsils out on Thursday and came home from the hospital on Friday.  Luckily we were blessed with help from my MIL who came to stay with us for 2 weeks.  From Friday to the next Saturday we were recovering from tonsil surgery, which meant lots of crying and pain, meds were a bear and had to be taken every 4 hours, drinks every hour, drops in ears 3 times a day and waking up every hour or two during the night.  On top of that we had a newborn who was just figuring out how to nurse, so he was up every 2 hours eating for an hour.   Needless to say mommy didn't get much sleep....  I feel like all my time was spent nursing, changing diapers, giving hugs, then nursing again.   

As we end the recovery phase and everyone seems to be on the mend, it's time again to get back on the horse and start the journey to getting active and healthy.  Its' been hard eating a good diet with very little sleep and very little time to prepare meals.  Thankfully our support system has blessed us with meals and we are sooooo grateful. 

As I start my journey to losing my baby weight and getting active again I will be continuing my AdvoCare supplements (the ones that are safe for nursing), walking (eventually running and training for a half marathon in November), doing Zumba, and doing AdvoCare's Can you 24 workout videos.   I would love encouragement and prayers, but most of all I would love to have anyone who is ready to take hold of their health, increase their activity level, and transform the way they look, feel, and perform to come along side me and partner your journey with mine.

I'm starting from scratch, working my way up from walking. If I can do it then you can do it too. It's easier to do with accountability. Who is willing to join me and experience what a new you can look and feel like?

Goodbye 2012

So here I sit with only a few more hours in 2012 and I cannot help but get excited for 2013.  This has been a great year, but the anticipation of 2013 is so exciting to me.   Why? you ask...

Well let's start with the obvious.   2013 is going to bring about great change in our lives.  We are starting off with a bang and instead of a 24 day challenge with AdvoCare we are doing the new 72 day challenge involving the new workout DVD.  I'm pumped about this mostly because at my last ob appointment I found out that I gained 10lbs in a month.  I guess the holidays got ahold of me to say the least.  I haven't been feeling so stellar so I'm so excited to get recommitted to my health and to see what true health and wellness can do for a pregnancy.   Speaking of pregnancy, baby BOY is coming in May and he is HEALTHY and I would like to keep it that way and give him as much nutrition and health as I can while I have complete control over what enters his little developing body.  An unborn child is such an amazing gift and it has really hit me in the last few days I'm the only person in the world that can impact his development and I want to give him the best not only after he has entered this world but while he is growing and getting ready.   May will be a big month.  And the other adventure for this year is COMMITTING to running my 4th half marathon in November.  I'm so excited to once again see what taking care of myself and working out through pregnancy can do for getting back on the horse after the baby is here.  A half marathon is a HUGE commitment but I'm ready (ps I always love running partners.  Nate will be training and running as well.  We would LOVE to have a large group of people committed to run with us so let us know if you would like to join us)

The other excitement for 2013 is of course our AdvoCare business.  Most of you know that this is our passion.  Our desire is to help change lives and help people realize what they are capable of.  I am speechless as I look back to 2012 and the number of people who decided to jump in and change their lives, health, and circumstances.  Nate and I together lost 84 lbs, felt better than we ever imagined, and we paid off enough debt to cut our 4 or 5 year plan down to a 2-3 year plan (and if things go as we are praying a 1 year plan)  The idea of being debt free and truly realizing what financial freedom is excites me so much.  I also get the privilege of cutting down my hours at work to spend more time with Ava the last few months of my pregnancy and becoming a (mostly) stay at home mom once this baby comes.  AdvocCare has changed our lives in unspeakable ways and is helping us change the lives of others.  God has blessed us with an opportunity to help people dream again and see it is possible to live the life that you once dreamed of.   2013 is going to be GREAT.  Yes there will be roadblocks and bumps, but the God of the universe is on our side and will help us through the valleys as well as help us celebrate the "hills"  After all you can't make a rainbow without a little rain.  If you are ready to join people who love to dream and are fired up to change lives we'd love to have you come along side us on this journey (it's been an awesome one) as we find out just what God has in store for 2013=0)

I pray all of you have a fantastic 2013 and a safe and happy New Year

New Year New __________

Can you believe it's December already?  It's so hard to comprehend since especially here in Indiana it's been in the 50's and 60's every day.  As I sit here getting ready for work, doing my devotions and reading about how Jerimiah didn't believe that he could do the things God asked of him and I read a challenge from Joyce Myer to accept the purpose God gives to you, quit saying you can't and ask for strength, I begin to think about where I am and what I am being called to.

To think of where you are you have to think of where you've been, so I begin to think about this past year as it winds down and, man has it been a crazy one.....   From January and getting 12 people started on the 24 day challenge to Febuary and realizing we had a 1 year old.  To the Spring and the explosion of people that we encountered and made a part of our lives.  To July and going to Success School and not only being challenged in my Advocare business, but challenged in my Faith and challeged to humble myself and seek out where people are and where in their lives I can serve them.   August brought the challenge of getting struck by lightning and living in a hotel really realizing the basics of what our small family needed.   The Fall has brought lots of challenges and celebrations.  Finding out we are expecting another baby, waiting to find out if that baby will be healthy or have some medical issues (praise the LORD it will be healthy)  Lots of growing in both Faith and relationships.   The last month or so has been a month of total humility realizing that I have to pour into others more than myself to feel as though I am serving God fully.   My marriage has grown, my relationship with Ava has grown and my business has grown.

Seeing all the challenges and the periods of growth make me so excited for the possibilities in the next year.  January 1st is like pushing the reset button and this year I refuse to do what hasn't worked any other year.  I will devise a new plan, I will be diligent in carrying it out, and I will see results.  My fill in the blank for New Year New _____________      Is new year, new possiblities, I'm so excited to see where new levels of commitment and new phases of life will take my family.  Here's to a fantastic and SPARKling 2013

14 Weeks

It is amazing to me how different each pregnancy can be.  Today I went in for my 14 week apt and everything looked great.  That felt so good to hear after the last 3 1/2 week wait that we had to go through thinking something might be severely wrong with the baby.  The baby sounded great and everything looked really good.  My doctor was asking me about how I was feeling and it was strange telling her that other than being exhausted (which is to be expected being pregnant with a toddler at home) I have felt great.  With my last pregnancy I felt horrible for 3/4 of it.  The other surprise today was that I have only gained 3 lbs since my first apt.  While I had gained a little before getting pregnant 3 lbs is pretty amazing.  With my last pregnancy at this point i had gained at least 15.  I'm convinced that my new lifestyle has a lot to do with why this pregnancy is going so well.  Taking supplements that feed my body all the core nutrition that it needs allows me not to have major cravings and not to eat like I'm eating for 2.  While I do indulge occasionally I have had great control over what I eat and I am able to feed my body nutrient rich foods instead of empty calories.   I have also started to do Zumba at home.  It is a lot of fun and a good way to get myself up an moving.  I have noticed a huge difference in how I feel and my energy level since I started.  It still takes a lot of willpower to lace up my shoes and push play, but usually after drinking a Spark I feel amazing and working out is a lot easier.

I am incredibly exicted to track this pregnancy and compare it to my last one before I began to actually take care of my body.

I hope everyone has a great day.

Stacy

Welcome Back

It's been a while since I've been on here and I just wanted to say hello to everyone.   The last several months have been a whirlwind of blessings and challenges, many of wich will show up in later posts.

I don't have much time to chat tonight so I will say a quick hello and catch you up a little on my crazy life.  I'm still working full time as a labor and delivery nurse which I love.  Our Advocare business is going fantastic and is allowing me to cut down to part time in January and very part time in May.  I love helping people and serving people so the last year of being a nurse and changing lives through Advocare has been amazing.  The little lady is almost 2 and is a bigger blessing than I could every imagine.  I never imagined a little creature adding so much life and exitement to our lives.  We are having so much fun watching her grow, and I'm so thankful that I have found how to live a healthy life and I feel good enough to fully enjoy her and participate in her life.  The last big thing is....  after a little scare of the possibility of some serious issues we found out earlier this week we are having a HEALTHY baby in May.  God has blessed my family beyond belief and I cannot wait to get back to sharing my journey with others.

Stay tuned, buckle up, and join me for this ride called life =0)

Kony 2012

In 2005 I heard of the organization "Invisible Children" and was deeply moved.  I participated in some of their events and last year a big even occurred to send some troops over to Uganda to help out.  Yesterday I saw the newest video and was deeply saddened and motivated.  This year is supposed to be my year to change the world and this is another way that I think I can help.  I encourage all of you to watch the 29 min video and to get involved.  These children deserve more!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc