21 Day Fix Day 20

So close to the end I can almost taste my reward of chocolate Shakeology with actual lactose free milk, a touch of peanut butter, a half cup of coffee, and a teaspoon of maple syrup, the real stuff that you get in Vermont.  That's right I had these grand ideas of what my reward would be after the fix was over, a fancy photo shoot, an expensive haircut perhaps, or maybe even a new wardrobe.  But then I came back down to earth and realized all I want is my Shakeology.  I have come to love it and I cannot have it for one more day.  That's right I am on the final fix and I am not allowed any sugar.  I have been so good on this program, that I cannot stop now.  I have to see it all the way to the end.

Today started out very good.  I got up on time did my hair, got ready for work as usual.  I did not forget my morning meditation because that is so important to me on the days that I have to work.  It makes me feel more centered and at peace.  There are so many health benefits to meditation, I wish more people would do it.  But for spiritual as well as health reasons I make it a point to meditate whenever I have time in the morning.  Now being on the three day fix they require you to eat every two hours.  I found it difficult with work to follow that schedule very strictly, I have to say it was not easy for me to do.  I did the best that I could and ate whenever possible.  At most there was an extra hour between meals.

Drinking water was also difficult for me today.  Life was just in the way and I had to drink as much as I could within the time that I could to not have terrible sleep in the evening, and not drink so much that if I had to leave the house I would not have a terrible urge to use the ladies room.  Water does run right through some people and sometimes it is not always so convenient especially on the weekend.  So I did the best I could drank about 3/4 of a gallon.  I did not beat myself up as usual, because I don't have time for that either, life is about doing better in the present than the day before.  My food was very good today although I ended up eating well into the evening which was expected since I was running around in the afternoon.  I ended up not eating one of my containers of vegetables, which I plan to eat tomorrow.  The reason my schedule was off was really because I had forgotten about an appointment that I had scheduled at 5:00 p.m. and I had completely forgotten.

My workouts got done today I had the Dirty 30 and Pilates which I love more and more every time I do it.  On the Dirty I used my heavier twenty pound weights for the rows, it was a struggle and I moved a little slower than usual but I got through it.  I did better today on triceps as well, the sting at the end was fantastic.  After I finished with my Pilates, I did an additional two sets of squats with my twenty pound weights which ended up being about thirty five total.

 All in all the day was a success.  Food preparation was done later on in the evening.  I am hoping that at some point I will be able to get into the habit of doing it earlier, but up till now it has been difficult.  The worst thing would be not to be prepared at all.  Having your meals pre-packed is the key to success on the program.  So for tomorrow's menu chicken breast, Mahi Mahi, broccoli, red bell pepper, my harmlessly doctored up sweet potatoes, steel cut oats, egg whites, coffee and another attempt at an entire gallon of water.

I looking for you if you have an interest in changing your life for the better and need that support system that is what I am here for.  My Challenge group for the 21 Day Fix will be starting on the 2nd of June and there is still time to get into that size smaller.  If you are ready for that commitment please fill out my online form.  I want to hear from you.  

21 Day Fix Day 17

This morning as I was driving to work I was having a moment of prayer, and as I reached the corner of Westwind and Escondido, I was very blessed to see this.  It was so enchanting that I had to take a picture.  When I was sitting there waiting for the light to change I was thinking to myself. "what are the chances that I can sit here long enough to capture what I am seeing?" and I took the chance.  I am glad that I did.

My entire journey with this program was me taking a chance to reach my fitness goals, and I was worried that I may not make it to the end, in fact I am still not there.  I still have a few days left.  But I made a promise to myself that if I was to become a coach that I would give this challenge 100%.  So far I have been true to my word.  I have been able to pull out that inner strength that I thought I had lost.  I found the discipline that I needed so much for this challenge that for the entire year of 2013 I had struggled so much to find.  I believe becoming a Team Beachbody coach gave me that reason fight.  Knowing that I had to be accountable to myself as well as to the new members of my team, really forced me to find my strength.  I have to say for that I am grateful.

Today was good day.  My mood was off because I had a lot of stress at my job.  I got home feeling a bit drained and discouraged.  It wasn't really an option though for me to miss my workout so I got to it.  I really pushed myself on the lower fix.  It was quite strenuous and I got through all of the leg exercises with the fifteen pound weights.  Curtsy lunges, and sumo squats were tough but I got through the entire workout, even though it burned.

My food was on target, I have to say I wish I had packed another red container portion of meat instead of the eggs because towards the end of the day I was hungry and the meat satisfies me more than the eggs.  I did save one egg for the evening so I had a late breakfast.  I love eating breakfast anytime of the day.  I ate it with spinach mixed into it, along with a slice of toasted Ezekial flaxseed bread.

Food was prepped for tomorrow.  I also began prepping food for the three day quick fix which is a series of small meals that have to be eaten throughout the day the last three days of the program.  I bought a ton of vegetables, and meat, which I began washing and cutting up in pieces.  Blueberries were on sale at Sprouts so I bought two large containers.  When I saw them I was like a child in a candy store because blueberries are expensive.  My vanilla Shakeology I mixed with fruit to change it up a bit.  In all honesty, my favorite flavor is chocolate and I have some heading my way because I just ordered another thirty day supply.  But for the three day fix I am not going to have any.

All in all today was a good day.  I came to many realizations and I am happy to share them with you.  I want to announce that I am putting a small group together for a 21 Day Fix Challenge group starting the second of June.  If you are interested in participating please fill out my online form.  Spaces are limited.

21 Day Fix Day 13

What a day I am exhausted so I am going to make this one kind of brief.  I always try to be true to my word as much as possible.  A long time ago I have to admit I was terrible about keeping my commitments, and it had a price tag that came along with it.  Not only did I lose credibility with some people but I also did not feel good about myself.  I felt like a failure to say one thing and never do it.  Now we seem to be really busy these days, at least it always feels like I never really take a moment for myself to relax, but now I am going to get off to bed.  Before I go to bed though, I am going to write a bit about my day today because that was a commitment that I made to myself so I am keeping it.

Today was a great day I got my fair share of exercise, with the Dirty 30 after work.  After I headed over to my sister's house to celebrate her birthday with her.  On our agenda was a family workout session in which we did a round of High and Tight from the Brazilian Butt Lift videos, and my daughter and I did another 10 Minute Ab Fix workout to make sure we got everything covered.  It was great but now I am super exhausted.

My water intake and meals were very good although everyone else ate pretty healthy this evening I ate the food that I planned for myself and nothing else.  There was some pasta at the gathering but I passed, as well as the cupcakes.  After exercise the day was spent in the kitchen and visiting, I love that we can talk about fitness quite a bit.

Although I am extremely tired I still took the time to prep and pack my food because I never want to leave anything to chance.  I am pretty much eating the same thing that I ate yesterday so it didn't take much time to get that done.  All in all the day was another success.  Till tomorrow lovely people.

21 Day Fix Day 9

Here I am at day nine! I am so happy to say that I am almost at the halfway mark of this program.  I can't believe that I have made it this far with the kind of discipline that I have been missing from my life for the last three years.  I knew it was in there somewhere and from the changes that I am beginning to see and feel I will get some great results.  I have posted a few pictures of myself, but my final pictures I will show at the end the way that they are supposed to.

So today was a little different because I did not get up at my usual time in the morning of 5:00 a.m. and start my day.  I got up this morning and got the kids breakfast and ready for school, but soon after I went right back to bed.  Today I had the day off from school and the day off from work so I finally had some time to really catch up on sleep that I felt I needed.  I can't emphasize enough how important it is to be rested.  The body needs to rest in order for the progress you are making to work.  So I got up at about 10:00 a.m. which really got me off to a late start.  I had my coffee and water, and then I grabbed a banana half and my Shakeology and took off to school to get my final grade and my project.

When I got home I got ready right away to do my workout, which today was the Upper Fix.  Now today I tried to lift a little heavier on some of the exercises, where last week I lifted fifteen pounds today I tried twenty pounds.  The reason I did was to push myself.  I got through one of the sets with the heavier weights but on the second set I went back to the lighter.  It's OK to switch out your weights if you are failing to complete the exercise the important thing for me was to get through.  Today's workout, and I don't think I mentioned it the last time, was a lot of floor work on abs, chest, and push ups.  It was just as tough as the last time and I didn't expect it to get any easier.  The most important thing is that I got through it.

Today I had scheduled the Extreme Abs workout from Chalean Extreme's videos but instead I decided to do the 10 Minute Ab Fix from the 21 day program that I was dying to try out.  It was pretty intense and I am glad I did it.  This workout was non-stop for the full ten minutes and we switched exercises every thirty seconds, so she really worked out all areas.

Eating today was on target again.  My meals consisted of 96% lean beef, yams, eggs, olives cheddar cheese, Shakeology, spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, coffee, water and a banana.  Eating these kinds of clean foods are making a huge difference in the way that I have been feeling, and I am getting quite used to the smaller portions as well.  Up to this point I have completely left out salt from my diet and granted my foods can taste pretty bland at times but sacrifice will be a huge part of my success.  If I ever get a hankering for salt I definitely look forward to eating some green olives which are allowed on the eating plan.  My last comment is that I have gone the entire program without alcohol.  I am so happy that I have made it this far without it.  I will continue to push myself through without it.

On top of smashing my finger today in between my two fifteen pound weights and forgetting that I put my shakeology in the freezer too long, today was another great day!  I hope you will stay with me because tomorrow I want to share my story with you and how my life has gotten me to this point and on this journey.

I know that there are people out there that are thinking of starting a fitness journey or are thinking about changing your life with a healthier lifestyle.  It is a process and it takes time, commitment , even having some ups and downs on the way.  It's OK were human, and we make mistakes.  We fall down but we get back up.  If you want support, or a cheerleader, advice about nutrition, and a new fitness routine that works with your time and schedule don't be shy.  Please contact me and I will help you.  I am having a 21 Day Fix challenge group on the 26th of May and I would love to have you join.  Please fill out the online form and I will get back with you as soon as I can.  Thank you.

Fill out my online form.

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.

21 Day Six Dirty 30

I've made it to day six successfully so far.  Up to this point I have stuck to the eating plan as strictly as possible, because I have no intention of self sabotage.  I have not had any added salt to any of my food just spices and herbs.  My determination is so strong that I am even drinking tons more water than yesterday.

For my meals I had cauliflower, free range ground turkey, half of a banana, an egg, a little bit of cheddar cheese, olives, cherry tomatoes, coffee, water, mashed sweet potatoes, and my Shakeology.  I still have an egg, sweet potatoes, and half of a banana left and I am saving my banana for last.  Today I decided to have my shakeology midday because I needed to save it for when my sweet tooth hit me.  It was a great idea on my part because not only did it satisfy my need for something rich and sweet but it gave me the boost I needed to get through the afternoon.

Today was the dirty thirty workout, and let me tell you it was awesome.  It was really tough and as usual I was pleasantly surprised at how hard I had to work.  These workouts make me work very hard, and that is how change will come for me.  I am, at my age realizing through these programs that nothing in life comes easy and I am grateful that Calabrese is kicking my butt!  Better late than never I say.  In the dirty I used eight, ten, and fifteen pound weights.  We had quite a full body workout and I really enjoyed it.  I started the exercise after work which was at 12:45 p.m. but then I realized I wasn't going to finish it 15 minutes in because I had to take my daughter to an appointment.  So I stopped, went to the appointment and when I got home I started the workout from the beginning with the same intensity as the first time.  I didn't mind and I got through it, because I can't get enough of the exercise.  So I left it at that, I skipped Extreme Abs because I was already super hungry when I was done.

I am noticing more strength in my legs, and my shoulders.  I can see definition when I look in the mirror and I love what I see and how I feel.  Overall it has been a good day today.

Reminder:

May 26 2014
21 Day Fix Challenge Group
Fill out the online form if you are interested or want more information

Fill out my online form.

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.

21 Day Fix Preparation

I am preparing myself for the 21 day fix program.  There are several things that I need to do before I get started.  First thing's first I am looking to see what is expected of me.  I am looking at the time frame for the program and making sure that I have the 21 days marked off of my calendar to make sure that I know exactly what is going on.    

       

This program is all about portion control and with that it will teach you to the proper amount of food you should have on your plate.  Along with the program you receive a package of small containers that are different colors.  (purple, green, red, yellow, blue, and orange to be exact)  The colors represent certain food groups that you will be able to choose from as your food selections for the day.  For example the purple container would represent the fruits food group and depending on your intake plan you would have a certain number of servings in this container.  Some fruits listed are raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, figs, banana, papaya and apples.  These are only a few for there are quite a few to choose from.  

Green-veggies

Red-meat

Yellow-starches and carbs

Blue-good fats 

Orange-nuts seeds

The plan is designed so that you will get 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat, the balance you need for weight loss proper energy levels.

My plan is to make lists of acceptable foods for the household since I do have two teenagers to feed as well as myself.  Fortunately I have two teenage girls who like to eat their fair share of healthy foods, and begin to prepare some batches on Sunday to make sure I have what I need to get through the next three days.  I chose six foods from each list to have variety and Saturday I will go grocery shopping.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this meal plan is a clean eating plan.  For twenty one days I will not only be eating foods that will bring me back to a completely balanced diet, but I will have to do away with some items.  

SALT (some 21 day recipes allow a small amount)

COFFEE CREAMER
SUGAR
HALF AND HALF

CREAM

SYRUPS

can all say goodbye because I will not be able to have any of these.  I can live without this for 21 days after all I have made this commitment to myself that I have to do this right.  I don't have to give up coffee and green tea is okay to have too, but if you add anything from List B (1-2 tbsp. nonfat milk, or 1-2 tsp. of raw sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup, agave syrup, or stevia) you are limited to two cups a day.  Now if the program said no coffee I would rethink it.  I am a coffee addict and I need it in the morning.  I am willing to compromise although I use a stevia that has zero calories, zero carbs, zero sugar.

Now what I love about this program is  that it's not so strict that you don't have room for cheat treats.  You do have some cheat treat options to choose from should you need a fix.  This eating plan is so clean that a cheat treat given, not abused, can be eaten in their proper portions.  Some examples that I can live with are chocolate covered almonds, potato chips plain kettle, tortilla chips and oatmeal cookies.  Now knowing how I am, and I am far from perfect, if I give myself a treat and I think I have been good I may over-indulge.  I am going to do my absolute best to be good.  I have done it before on past cleanses and I can do it again for 21 days.  I always remind myself that 21 days from now chocolate, wine, chips will still exist and we can live without each other.  

Last but not least, water water and more water.  It is crucial to this plan to drink enough water.  They cannot stress it enough.  They give you a ton of great ideas for creative ways to drink water.  Now I find that as I have gotten older I have a harder time with water because it runs right through me, and I have a pretty busy and hectic schedule most days.  But it is not going to be an excuse for me to fail on this program, so I will make sure to consult my physician to see how I can get this resolved.  Drinking water is so important to your overall health that I plan on making it a priority.

Shakeology is a part of this plan.  This part of the plan I am looking forward to because since I started using this product I have felt so amazing.  Because I will be eating at a calorie deficit I wont miss out on any nutrients with this product.

I almost forgot to mention that you do get some spice recipes that you can use to bring flavor to your foods, they are listed in the free foods page as well as things like ginger, fresh garlic..the usual suspects.  

With all that being said next time I will touch on the caloric part of it.  I plan to write about my journey on this program in hopes to inspire others to have the courage to try and get healthy and fit!!

Ciao amores!!

If you would like to be a part of a 21 Day Fix Challenge group please fill out the application below. There will be one beginning on the 12th of may and there is still time to participate if you think this is something that you would like to do.

contact me at lulu_love13@yahoo.com

Site URL -http://www.beachbodycoach.com/lululove13 

          

21 Day Fix

OK so I should be receiving my 21 Day Fix challenge pack today.  I am hoping that there won't be any delays with my package.  I am going to commit to this program and I am super stoked about what my results are going to be.

I am a work in progress and I still need to get those few extra pounds off, but I have been working my fitness since mid January and I have lost inches and a few pounds.  When I started my fitness journey I was 132 pounds, and already doing regular cardio.  I did not however, have a structured fitness program until I started Chalean Extreme on the 13th of January.  I was also not going to get a new gym membership because I felt it was a waste of my money and time, since you really do need a trainer to get results.  Chalean Extreme was all done for me.  Oh I failed to mention as my friend and I got half way through the Chalean program we decided to add in Brazilian Butt Lift workouts to our routine for variety.  We wanted to do more leg work as well as build strength.  Busy mom slash student slash employed I just did not have the time for that.

As a result of Chalean Extreme and Brazilian Butt Lift combination I lost:

Thighs 2 inches

Arms  1 1/1 inches

Waist  2 inches

Hips   2 inches

Bust   1/2 inch

Weight loss 4 pounds

Now Sadly I have a teenage daughter with a camera that uses the same card as my little digital camera so my day one pics are gone forever because she somehow managed to delete them.  That made me really sad because even I can't tell what a huge difference I made in my progress.  So if you have a teen in your home and likes to get into your stuff be sure to keep your day one pictures safe.  At least, I have another starting point for my 21 Day Fix challenge that I am very much looking forward to!!

I will be having a challenge group on the 12th of May if you would like to participate please feel free to contact me via email, or Facebook, or my coaching site!  I would love to see you reach your fitness goals for the summer!! It is a 60 day challenge so you will definitely feel great and see results.  I will be working along side Melanie Mitro on this challenge!! So come and join me!!

Contact Lucia Perez

949-272-6878

lulu_love13@yahoo.com 

please put in the subject line: May 12 Challenge Group

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