You guys….. I did it!
I completed the 21 day fix and reached my goals. When I set out on this adventure my goals were not numeric and not easily measurable, but I accomplished them and more!
Take a look at some insights through my second half of the journey, glean some insights and stay tuned for my tips at the end of this post!
I found my favorite way to drink my shakeology about halfway through. I either have it in one helping around lunchtime or in two helpings at lunch and before bed.
I use one scoop of chocolate shakeology, 3/4 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk, a teaspoon of PB2 or peanut butter, and about a cup of ice. And if it’s my lunch I add 1 cup of spinach! This really helps fill me up and includes a veggie. I actually prefer the texture that way. (I also tried the vanilla powder towards the end of my 21 day fix and can do it the same way with vanilla. I however do you prefer chocolate… )
It was about 18 days in when I realized I had my calorie intake set too high… Just user error so I decided that in week three I would decrease my calorie intake and double my work out with the program. Inline with what it suggested for me.
I had quite a few caffeine headaches in the first half but they really subsided and went completely away by the start of week three. I did occasionally have a cup of loose leaf tea in the morning. Cutting this addiction was one of my goals, as was as creating the habit of eating breakfast. I did both!
It was also at this point that I started to feel stronger. The scales did not necessarily note the same differences I was feeling, but it was there nonetheless! I also realized I was sleeping the best I’ve slept in years. When I hit the pillow at night I was out and did not wake until a kiddo came to get me in the morning. Prior to this 21 day fix I would literally awake in the middle of the night with crazy cravings like for a glass of milk, fruit juice or just random food… Those are gone!
My husband also started to pick me up healthy snacks or when he was getting food for the family for a quick meal he would remember to snag things within the parameters of my new eating habits. This really encouraged me! Rather then bring me a treat like a candy bar, ice cream, or bag of favorite chips he’d walk through the door with a green smoothie and salad. I love him!
I also noticed that because I was working out daily it got easier to just carve out the time. It was hard to fit in a full hour when the workouts went to double, but most days I was able to do all or three-quarters of the workout in terms of timeline. Some days I had to really crunch them in, but I did it! I liked how they were paired together and the intentional pairing of the variety of workouts really made them doable.
I also discovered that I like an iced Americano with just a bit of honey and cinnamon. This ended up turning into a real afternoon treat for me.
One thing is for certain I had to be more intentional and plan ahead in order to really be successful. One day we had a first birthday party at a friends house so I packed this lunch. It included spinach, tomatoes, onions, black beans and corn, and cottage cheese. I found the cottage cheese was a real favorite protein for me and often served like a dressing on my salad. It made it a lot easier to go without fats and unnecessary seasonings like salt.
I was proud of myself that even on a family trip to the zoo I stuck to my spinach, cottage cheese, and grape tomato lunch and that the kiddos are seeing me eat make healthy choices and stick to my goals. This was the first day that I have felt fully like myself in a really long time.
I did try this fun gluten free chocolate muffin recipe. Stay tuned for the details. They were tasty, but to be honest just triggered my desires for sweets more. I think as a whole, while doing the fix, it is better for me to stay away from all these kinds of treats. That being said when I am between fixes and just doing a maintenance schedule I think a small treat hear there is acceptable and these were tasty.
One day I forgot to take a work out photo but it was fun to even take a regular clothing picture with my accountability partners as I am starting to feel different in my clothes and even in my own skin.
This yummy fajita dinner really hit the spot. I use the 21 day fix southwestern seasoning and added extra veggies like cauliflower which turned out delicious! It really took on a meaty texture and flavor and I think I would try it in curry and other things to add a vegetable.
Again this iced Americano is a real treat! It’s amazing how I was able to go from a full sugar and milk latte to something so much simpler and healthier.
Another double work out day and I did a cardio and lower fix. I mentioned this before but they really do a good job of pairing two workouts together that are doable.
I definitely found that I have my favorite go to meals. And tried to remind myself to not always go to those… But to also look for variety. This shepherds pie is a quick dinner that my husband makes and I added a bunch of steamed vegetables to make it an even better option for me. It’s important to me that I’m able to eat dinner with my family so I work hard to keep my lunch low-carb so I can have a carbs at dinner. I don’t want my kids to see me “dieting” or obsess over food and weight. In fact I don’t really want to do that, not just that I don’t want them to see it… This is very very important to me so I have to stay balanced.
Another double workout in the books!
Family favorite is Japanese chicken curry. I went light on the rice, heavier on the curry and included a healthy fat with avocado. Delicious!
Graphic Tee says, “Her success is not my failure” and was perfectly appropriate for the final day of this challenge.
Here I am at the end of the 21 day fix doing one of the recovery day workouts. The yoga fix is still a workout but is very peaceful and a great recovery. It was the perfect way to end this first bit of adventure.
This concluded the 21 day fix and that afternoon I celebrated with my son’s fourth birthday party. I indulged in some cotton candy. It felt awesome! I achieved so many of my goals and feel more like myself than I have in a long time.
There ultimately were great changes in the numbers, but truthfully that was not my goal. I started drinking water more, I am eating more frequently, made healthier choices, started a breakfast habit, my kids started joining in with workouts and even became my stretching buddies. As a whole this was a huge success! I begin my next 21 day fix on Monday and I’m going for the extreme workout. I’m proud of myself! Let me know if you have questions.
tips
1. Keep those accountability partners. Share!
2. Take before pictures and measurements. Then do the after ones too. These were incredibly motivating for me.
3. Notice your patterns. Write things down if necessary. This will help you notice if you are only getting in certain kinds of foods, and will keep you on track with things like eating frequently.
4. For me trading a treat for a yellow container once or twice a week just wasn’t worth it. It seemed to increase my cravings for sweets. So try this out and see if it’s worth it for you. Maybe having a treat once or twice a week as a reward will help you and keep you motivated. Or maybe you’re like me and just need to stay away from them during your 21 day fix. Not to say I’ll never have my treats. 🙂
5. And like I said have a buddy. If this was this there was only one tip I could tell helped me the most it was this. Friends who are doing something similar or the exact same program can really help you stay focused and motivated.