21 Day Fix Update (Days 1-3)

I have completed 3 days of the 21 Day Fix so far and I am loving the program! Using the containers is so much easier than counting calories or points and having to weigh and measure everything. It has pretty much taken the guesswork out of "Am I eating too much?". Because of my weight, I am in the high calorie range and am having some issues with getting all of my food in. Because I was staying between 1300-1600 calories before I started, it has been difficult eating all of my containers. It makes me a little nervous to start eating so much food but I am determined to follow the program as closely as possible to produce maximum results. So far, I am done 4 pounds (this is including a 2-day Shakeology cleanse). Can't argue with that!

What I have noticed...
1. The containers really give you more than enough food for 1 meal if you use a variety.
2. I have to have at least 1 red, 1 green, and 1 yellow for breakfast to avoid feeling hungry.
3. I like peanut butter more than I thought...PB and crackers have quickly become my favorite meal (snack).
4. WATER, WATER, WATER is the key. It helps with filling me up if I don't have a variety of colors for my meal.
5. This is so much easier than any other program I have tried to drop weight.


The Workouts
The workouts have been fairly reasonable. On the first day, I did the Cardio Fix instead of Total Body Cardio Fix. I just changed them out on my schedule. There is a person who modifies the exercises so this helps if you need modifications. I did the modifications for some of the exercises but was able to do full out for the other. I have been completing additional exercises each day so I have really been getting a workout and have probably burned more calories each day that the eating plan allots.

Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe - 21 Day Fix

Ingredients
1/2 cup   chopped asparagus
1/2 cup   chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup   chopped red pepper
1/2 cup   chopped green onion (scallions)
2 tsp       olive oil
1-2 tsp    21 Day Fix all-purpose seasoning
10           jumbo shrimp (peeled, deveined and detailed....already cooked)
~1 cup    cooked brown rice (1.5 yellow containers)

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a wok or skillet.
2. Add veggies to oil and sauté until crispy tender (about 2 minutes).
3. Add shrimp to veggie mix and sauté for approximately 2 minutes.
4. Add cooked (preferably cooled) brown rice to mixture and continue to sauté.
5. Add seasoning to taste while still in pan (you can add the seasoning sooner but I waited until everything was almost cooked).

Nutrition: 2 Green Containers, 1.5 Yellow Containers, 2 tsp, 1 Red Container

I basically just used the veggie stir fry recipe from the eating plan guide but I doubled it and added rice and shrimp. It was very tasty...even my hubby cleaned his plate and he HATES veggies. He plugged it into his calorie tracker and the calorie count was less than 400 and it was A LOT of food...I couldn't even eat it all!

Counting Mini Successes

So, I have been working really hard to live a healthy life! In the past, I have given up when I have not seen progress on the scale. I am always frustrated and discouraged when I work my behind off and don't see any results. This time, I am determined to count mini success. So as of today, this is my list of mini successes:

1. I have increased the amount of weight I can lift.
2. I don't have to unbutton my pants while sitting.
3. I can do at least 5 burpees.
4. I resisted eating a slice of pizza.
5. I am drinking at least 3 bottles of water each day.

For me, this means a whole lot more than the number I see on the scale. I am fed up with giving up!!!! If I continue on this path, everything will fall into place but I am celebrating each little success towards a healthier life.

I Don't Want to Lose Weight

I came to the realization today that I don't want to lose weight. You may be thinking "Wait a minute...isn't this a weight loss blog?!" The answer is yes and no! I have been on several diets in the past. I have had some success and some failures. When I think about my most successful journey, my focus was on improving my life and not dropping the pounds. This time is no different! I have embarked upon this journey as a necessity to improvement of life! My mom would have been 50 this year if she hadn't passed away in 2009. She was 45 at her untimely death and her mother, my grandmother was also 45! The odds are not in my favor! If I want to have a long, prosperous life, I need to  make a change. While I may be fit for my weight, I am still in the danger zone and I am not satisfied with what I see on the outside. For this, I don't want to lose weight. I want to get healthy. I want to gain confidence. I want to be happy. And with that, my journey will continue...

A Little Update

It has been a long time since I blogged so I am checking in! The most important thing when trying to start living a healthy lifestyle is to understand that it is a lifestyle change. Many people begin the journey with the sole purpose of losing weight; however, losing weight should be the end result, not the reason for the journey. Like most people, I stress over the number on the scale! If the scale isn't going in the right direction, I get frustrated and am ready to throw in the towel. Because of this, I continuously fall off the wagon and never am able to drop the pounds.

One of the hardest things for me has been trying to eat clean! I have always been a stress eater and for the past few years, I have had my share of stress-related events! I have been logging my food for the past few weeks and notice that some days I am eating within my calorie range and other days I am not. What can I say, I LOVE food. However, I must say that I am eating alright and have been altering my favorite foods to make them a little healthier.

This time around, I feel more determined than ever. I am not stressing over the scale and I am not giving up. So far, I have done most of what I feel needs to be done to get down to a healthy weight. My clothes are fitting and some inches are dropping so I figure I am going in the right direction. I have been working out about 4-5 times each week! I haven't worked out to my full potential yet but I just got a new pair of sneakers so my feet don't hurt when I push myself (yeah...another excuse).

So, what's holding you back? What's impeding your progress?

New Personal Best

So, I did 65 push-ups last night!!! Who knew I had it in me? Yes, they were modified push-ups this time but I can still feel myself getting stronger each day and it feels great!

Ouch!

So, on Tuesday I did more strength training and felt pretty good. I can feel myself getting stronger and I am definitely doing better with my eating. I also ran a little bit with a 2% incline...can you believe that? With that said, the scale hasn't gone down since the first week. This happens every time I commit myself...I get frustrated and give up. Luckily, my hubby is taking the journey with me and has been very supportive. I am still working towards a healthier me and now I am a Team Beachbody Coach...more on that later.

Below is my workout from Tuesday:

Monday...Beginning a 21 Day Challenge

So, I am starting a 21-day challenge and am dedicating a little bit more to becoming health and fit! Today was Zumba with my ladies. After Zumba, we did a strength training workout. I downloaded the Multi Reps app for my Kindle Fire and used it to keep up with the basic workout. I a still using my Chameleon Filofax, but the app keeps up with the reps and sets. Because I don't have a lot of space in my boxes on my tracker, I can keep specifics on the app.

My Full Workout:

Zumba (45 minutes)

45 Pushups 

108 Crunches 

51 Squats 

25 Chest Presses 

25 Bicep Curls