21 Day Fix-An Explaination

This week marks 90 days until I cruise away into the sunset on Royal Caribbean.  This also marks (just over) one week that I have been doing the 21 Day Fix.  I am making it my goal to stay away from sweets, treats and alcohol until the cruise.  I might slip up a little bit, but I am trying REALLY hard to make it.

Do you like my drawing? hahaha. I drew this on an envelope that I mailed Clarissa

I lost 2.5 lbs last week thanks in part to the 21 Day Fix and also walking a few nights a week at Memorial Park.  Meal planning has really helped keep me on track, but I have had a few times where I was out and about and stopped to get something. 

Did I ever tell you how the 21 Day Fix works?  It’s really simple way to portion control your food. 

THE FOOD

There are six color coded containers that each represent a different food group.  Green=vegetables, Purple=fruit, Red=protein, Yellow=carbs, Blue=cheese, Orange=Seeds and Oils.

I am in the 2^nd tier of containers and I’m allowed the following:

4 Green Boxes-Vegetables

3 Purple Boxes-Fruits

4 Red Boxes-Proteins

3 Yellow-Grains

1 Blue Box-Healthy Fats and Cheese

1 Orange Box-Seeds and Oils

Honestly, it is a lot of food and I’m not hungry!  By the time I get hungry, it’s time to eat again.  The difference is I am eating ‘better’ foods and smaller portions.  Portion control (and Taco Bell) has always been my downfall.  I have been overweight most of my life.  I gain weight in my mid section and upper body, but have great legs.  I look like a football player (without the SuperBowl ring) and my shape is called an inverted triangle.  However, I will change all that with this program!!

 

The Plan comes with an entire booklet to explain how to successfully complete the program

Throughout the day the goal is to eat all of your boxes.  You measure them out in the box and then put them in a to-go container or a plate, like you would normally do for your meals.   For instance, for lunch I would eat a salad and it would work out like this in my boxes:

2 green container of spring mix lettuce

1 green container mixed vegetables (l cut up beets, celery, carrots, bell peppers, and onions)

1 red container of lean ground turkey (keep in red container and microwave when ready to eat)

1 blue container of shredded cheese

1 orange container of olive oil and then I pour on the vinegar

Then I mix it all up together (when I am ready to eat it) so the dressing gets on everything and then I seriously enjoy it!  My mouth is watering right now typing this! :)

It makes for a really big salad that I add to my to-go container and bring to work.  I do measure out my olive oil and vinegar and add it to a sealed Tupperware type container to bring to work.  The containers aren’t air tight (or is it water tight?) and I don’t want olive oil and vinegar to leak on everything.

Measure it out and then put it in a baggie.  In the mix: celery and rainbow carrots, chopped

For a snack I usually have some cut up veggies, 2 boiled eggs, 1 container of mixed fruit, or a red container some cottage cheese with salt and pepper.  I measure whatever it is in the container and then transfer it to a snack baggie or Tupperware.  The booklet says that boiled eggs are a red container, so I don’t measure them.  I usually leave the cottage cheese in the container so not to dirty another container.  I guess you could leave the everything in the container if you aren’t using it to measure another food. 

THE WORKOUTS

There are several different workouts that you do on this program that are all 30 minutes long.  There is an ab workout that is 10 minutes long that you can do at the end of your 30 minutes, but so far I have not done so.  I think there are more workouts that come with a certain challenge pack, but I didn’t get them with mine.

The workouts are great and quick.  I did dread doing them (because I’m lazy) but then my very wise friend (Krista) said “it’s only 30 minutes” and I snapped out of it and did it.  Each workout works out different body areas, so you aren’t too sore the next day.  I did the Total Body Cardio workout last night, but today I will do Upper Body. I know my legs are going to buuuuuuurn later today, so I will feel a relief when I don’t have to work them out again.  The first time I did that program, I was soooooo sore for a few days after in my legs that I didn’t want to do it again. Haha.  I did though and feel great about it!  (ask me about how I am feeling later today or in the morning though)

My goal is to lose 5 lbs per week for my cruise, it may or may not be achievable, but I am striving for it!  I have just under 90 days left til I cruise, wish me luck! 

 

I had 90 days left when I made this!

If you want to do the 21 Day Fix with me as an accountability partner, go here and order it today!  It is about $60 for the program by itself (you can get shakes too, but I haven’t been using them).

Do you have questions on how to do the 21 Day Fix?  Write a comment below and I will do my best to answer them!  Or I will get Krista to answer it. :)

**I have not been paid to write this, I just LOVE it and want everyone to try it too. I do not get any credit or $$ by you clicking the links, so this is an honest testimonial of how awesome I think the program is.

Strong Body, Ageless Body DVD Review

Strong Body, Ageless Body by Erin O’Brien purchased from Amazon.com

Time:

45 minutes total or you can just do specific parts of the DVD

Equipment needed:

Set of hand weights (any weight-I started with 3 lbs, but should have moved up to at least 5.  Erin uses 9 lb weights)

Yoga mat or towel (if you are on carpet you don’t need one)

Water (not really equipment but she does allow a water break)

Overall:

I really like this workout DVD!  It is hard enough that you ‘feel the burn’ but not too difficult to where you feel like you are going to pass out and it is only 45 minutes long so you really feel like you have been working.  The DVD has lots of different moves where you work your entire body, not just one portion; however it does not have any cardio (other than doing the moves quickly).  The studio where she does the routine seems to be at a house so it’s not a ‘typical’ workout set (which I liked!) and the music didn’t seem as loud as some DVD’s out there. I also liked that the DVD showcased only her and not two or three other super muscular, “I hate any food but protein and despise cupcakes” kinds of people.  The DVD was just her in her home (I’m assuming it’s her home) and you, making it feel like a one-on-one personal training session.  The menu on the DVD has an option where you can go through the entire routine, or just do one section and stop.  This way you don't have to fast forward to get to what you want.

The instructor:

I hadn’t heard of Erin O’Brien before I purchased the DVD, but she was great.  She is great at explaining the moves and lets you know what is good or bad form so you can be sure not to hurt yourself.  Sometimes I had to laugh at her facial expressions when she says ‘you can do it’ with the utmost sincerity.  She is quick to move, has lots of energy, and is overall adorable!  She promises not to say awesome again at one point in the DVD, but then says it again later-I actually would have never noticed her saying it until she pointed it out.  I think it’s nice that she made a point not to be that annoying trainer in her workout DVD.  She has an Earthy but not hippie vibe to her, and she seems to really care about you and women everywhere, encouraging them to ‘be strong’.

Daily Review:

Day 1-(Wednesday) I didn’t realize until halfway through that the exercises on the top right of the screen were harder than the ones she was doing (side note-on Day 4 I noticed the box has ‘harder version’ written underneath it. Haha!).  Usually the trainer does the harder exercises the entire time on the main shot, and then the small shot (or person in the background) does the original or modified version. This video was opposite so I got confused a bit.  I am surprised that I actually sweated as much as I did today!  There really isn’t any cardio in this video, but I was sweaty.

Day 2-(Thursday) Today the exercises felt easier, except for the dreaded pull your knees in and sit up routine.  Still don’t like them! I felt a bit sore today in my upper arms and also my thighs, but overall I felt good.  I actually did all of the modifications in the top right of the screen the entire time today. I realized today that the office where I do my workouts was a bit stuffy, so that might be why I was so sweaty at the end. I need to bring a fan to put in there with me.  I watched another portion of the DVD with her bio in it and noticed that her husband is a famous actor from Desperate Housewives! 

Day 3-(Friday) Good workout today!  I felt like it should be longer, but the 45 minutes whizzed by.

Day 4-Skipped Monday (feeling blah) and today was great!  Each time I get better and better at the exercises.  I have been doing the DVD with 3lb weights (all I had!) but I just purchased some 5lb weights and will try and remember to bring them in tomorrow.

Day 5-(Monday)This is my last review day, but I know I will keep doing this DVD since I loved it so much!!  I didn’t bring heavier weights to work with me, but today I felt it!  I guess it was because I skipped so many times I had to start back at square one.  I did bring a fan in the office with me, but I still sweat!