My 30-Day Slim Down Challenge Results

Have you ever noticed that it's a small world? Mindy Buxton used to live down the street from me when she was a kid & she babysat my children. Fast forward a few years . . . now she's teaching me how to eat & exercise smarter. NOTE: Even though her program is all about healthy eating, it's do-able & not crazy restrictive like some diets I've heard about!

To be honest, my biggest goal is to have a healthy body. I want to have less fat & be strong. That's what I have loved about Mindy's program. It's all about healthy eating and honoring your body. PS - at the end of the post I'm sharing my pounds & inches lost! {Click the blue bar below to read more!}

OK - true confessions. The first time I talked to Mindy about trying her program I was pretty much in tears. I felt FEAR. Fear of failure, fear of having to go hungry, fear of having no way to deal with my emotions {other than Diet Coke & sugar}, fear of . . . fear! Ha ha! Oh dear. This may just be one of those things that you just have to plug your nose & jump in. That's what I did.

1 - Exercise is important, but if you want to see a change in your body, you have to eat differently. I had heard this before, but I didn't want to change my eating habits. I tried it out for myself by spending four months working out - one hour a day 5-6 days a week. I got stronger & in better shape, but - as far as I could tell - made no progress getting rid of fat. 

2 - Limit fruits & eat lots of veggies. Honey & I always had a policy that fruit was OK any time & that {since God made it & it is good for you} we could have as much as we want. With Mindy's training, I still eat fruit every day - but I limit how much. Luckily, I also love vegetables. So I try to fit them in all day long. It has made a difference in my body!

3 - Strength training is key. Mindy has us doing strength training 2-3 times a week. Which is why I am happy with my weight loss. It was done the right way & I've been building muscle. I'm hoping that will help prevent health problems along the way.

- Working out with my close, personal friend Alex Boye' -

4 - Watch the sugar! Label reading is essential. On this program, we try to eat way less {& she teaches you how}. Mindy & I did a shopping trip {you can see the video on my Facebook page here} where we discussed that there was a yogurt setting on the shelf with as much sugar content as a candy bar! I still splurge on desserts, but I make sure it's something that is worth it. It's not "all or nothing" & I'm so glad to get away from that kind of thinking.

5 - Don't weigh yourself everyday. I am shocked to report that this was one of the hardest things for me to change. But it has been incredibly freeing! I try to only weigh once a week now. It's so much better. My other big challenge? Drinking 8 cups of water a day. {Let's just put it this way, if I didn't know where every potty in town was before, I do now!} 

I still have a ways to go, but I have lost

5 lbs & 15 inches 

in 2 months! 

I'm so happy!

Mindy let me try her program in exchange for my {HONEST!} opinions. I recommend her challenge because you can have a healthier body, get quick results, & you don't have to go hungry. I also didn't count calories at all! I will continue incorporating a lot of the things I've learned into my every day life. Anyone can participate in this challenge via the internet, so if you want to learn more, click here.