Life After the 21 Day Fix

Life after the fix you must be wondering where do you go from here?  I have to say that my journey on the fix was a real eye opener.  Not only did the reality set in of what not to eat, but it also made me realize that you just can't get past seeing results if you are not eating the right foods.  So when you are finished with the program you know what the consequences are going to be if you drink, eat processed foods, consume large amounts of sugar, and basically eat too much.

I am happy to say that I  can live without a lot of these foods.  I know that a lot of people become very attached to these kinds of foods because they are made with the intention to have people hooked on them, but for the longest time I have been living without them.  I would have my moments of weakness, I am not going to lie last year in 2013 I was in the regular habit of not cooking myself breakfast and going to McDonald's in the morning because that was my favorite meal.  Sausage, syrup, pancakes, fried hash browns, yes that used to be my favorite thing to get before a stressful day at work.  I knew deep down inside that I should not be eating there but I know now that I was drowning my stress in food.  I had a lot going on in fact too much.  I look back on it now and I remember the stress I was under working a full time retail job.  Especially in a store location that was being run down to the ground by an inexperienced manager.  Fortunately, I was smart enough to walk away.  The clarity from not being there made me slowly come back to who I have always been, a healthy individual with real goals and dreams.

My journey has lead me to the present moment.  I have had success with this program after not giving up on it and everything that I started from the beginning of the year. I am happy to say that my mindset remains the same only with success in mind.

So now that I am done with the fix I am going to make a new workout schedule.  Since I have been finished I have continued to work out at least once a day.  I do have the option to maintain and eat the amount of food I need to do that so I don't lose anymore weight, or I can continue to eat the way the fix designed it to so that I can continue to lose weight.  The beautiful thing about this program is that after you are finished you are taught how to maintain according to way you decide to exercise.  That's right the program goes so far as to think it through even after you are done.  How can you not appreciate that?  The best part is that you do not have to sit there and write your calories nor track them on the popular programs like My Fitness Pal.  I was using that program to track my calories and it was very time consuming.  It was helpful to know how much I was eating but the fact is you have to eat the right foods.

That being said I have been working out all week the day after I finished I did allow myself a cheat day after three weeks of being good.  My day started with my Shakeology which I had been craving for three days.  It was the most enjoyable treat that I could possibly have.

 

I mixed it with peanut butter, banana, and milk.  We had some red meat, and vegetables we also worked out that day for more than an hour we did Sculpt from the Brazilian Butt Lift and Zumba.  With our dinner we did enjoy a margarita.  A small cheese tray with olives, it was a very nice reward considering how well I did.

Now I am back on track my eating has not changed.  Today I did the lower fix and the cardio fix with my daughter Gloria.  Yesterday I did the upper fix which kicked my butt because I went heavy with my twenty pound weights.  My plan is to continue a plan for another two weeks and then possibly try the new Chalean Johnson Piyo program that is coming out real soon!

Summer Challenge groups are also just around the corner and spots are filling up.  If you want to get the results that you deserve please join me in a challenge group it will really change your life.  If my story hasn't demonstrated that real results are possible then I don't know what else to say about it but it is possible to get to where you want to be in terms of fitness and health.  Contact me for more information.  Please fill out the online form. 

21 Day Fix Day 19

Here I am at day nineteen of the fix.  Today was a little different in the sense that the food I had to eat was a little more strict.  Because of my life and my schedule I was not able to eat every two hours although I did try to plan it out that way.  My morning shift at work got in the way a bit, and when I got home I was very tired so I fell asleep.  I took a nap because my body really needed one.  My daughter woke up at 4:45 a.m. for some reason so I was up super early.  By the time I got home around 1:00 p.m. I was exhausted.

After my nap I did stay true to my scheduled workout, and I got in the upper fix and the ten minute ab fix video.  I loved the boost it gave me afterword, because it was just the energy I needed to go run errands and pick up a few odds and ends for my food prep for the evening.  During  the upper fix I went as heavy as I could since it will be the last upper fix for the three weeks.  I want to make sure that I get the best after picture possible.  Twenty pound weights were the heaviest for this workout.

For the final three days they recommend an eating plan that will cleanse your system.  One of the requirements is to drink a full gallon of water for the day.  This is to ensure that your system gets cleansed.  Unfortunately, I was not able to finish mine.  I left at least two cups at the bottom.  I was not too hard on myself about it because I did drink quite a bit and spent the entire day flushing it out.

Because you are not having any sugar at all the last three days of  the fix (and by that I mean fruit) I decided to make my sweet potatoes with a combination of the ingredients you see above.  This way I get to have something a little sweet at some point in the day.  I am able to eat this for my second meal and it is quite delicious.

The one thing that I wanted to mention in my challenge group but for some reason got shy about and retracted, was that for the first time today I looked at myself naked in the mirror and I felt very good about my body.  Since the birth of my children, I haven't felt the full confidence about myself the way a woman should.  I never imagined in a million years that I could achieve the fitness level that would boost my self-esteem as much as this program has.  I had already been working out from the beginning of the year but finally with the right combination of diet and exercise I am near my goal weight and feeling better than ever.  Today for the first time I really looked at myself, my stomach, my bum bum, and legs and I really felt beautiful.  I guess I could say I am proud of what I have accomplished so far.  If I could see another person feel just what I felt today I would truly be blessed.

I am looking for a small group of individuals who are ready for that change, and that journey to a different lifestyle.  If you are ready or think you are ready to make that commitment to a healthier you then I invite you to contact me and join my challenge group for the second of June.  There is still time and I would be more than happy to guide you through your 21 Day Journey.  Please fill out my online form. 

21 Day Fix Day 16

I have to say that today was a very good day.  Let me begin by saying that I had scheduled a doctor's appointment because I wanted to voice some concerns.  Knowing that I was going to see the doctor early in the morning was exciting because I know that the best time to weigh yourself is in the morning.  I refused to get on a weight scale the entire time that I have been on the program simply because I was afraid and nervous that I may not see the any change in my weight, which had been a problem for me since the beginning of the year.  Since the beginning I say physical changes in my body but no change in weight.  This was a cause of concern.  To my surprise when I got on the scale I was already down five pounds.  I could not believe my eyes when I saw the number, and after the visit from the doctor I asked if I could get on the scale again so I could get a picture for proof!  They were more than happy to allow me back onto the scale. And as it turned out I grew a couple of inches as well, how that happened I have no idea.

Since starting the program I came to several realizations about what I was doing wrong for the last three months since I began my fitness journey.  One thing was realizing that I had been using way too much oil to cook my food.  Even though it is olive oil, it is still not good, to use too much of it.  Probably from using close to a tablespoon to cook food I have gone down to one teaspoon maybe one time a day everyday.  I have also realized that the amount of dairy such as cheese I was eating way too much of.  I was eating an entire avocado some days when you are limited to half for the entire day.  Finally, I was eating way too many sweets thinking that my workouts were significantly more important than the food.  So lesson learned, there is a lot of truth to the 70/30 fitness rule.  This program has taught me so much in a very short period of time.

Today was my sleep in day following with the doctor's appointment, so I got off to a later start with my food.  I ended up eating my meals later than I would have liked to but I ate everything that I had planned out for the day.  I got a significant amount of water, in fact the recommended amount for the day, as well as my Shakeology. All in all it was a great day.  

Workouts for today were the Upper Fix, and Cardio Fix.   Upper Fix was a killer, I used heavier weights on some of the first rounds to really push myself.  Bent over rows, for example, I used twenty pound weights, and then switched to fifteen pounds on the second round.  Push ups were super hard but I was able to beat my record and do thirteen on my toes instead of twelve.  It may not seem like a lot but it was quite challenging.  On the Cardio Fix I was already feeling tired but I had to push through because this is the final week of the program and I only have this time to really prove to myself that I can do it.  I got quite winded but all of the exercises got done.  Later on in the evening I invited my daughter to do the ten minute Ab Fix with me and she was more than happy to.  Tomorrow I will do a workout later on in the evening so that I can invite her again because the workouts really help her self-esteem.

Food preparation for tomorrow is done.  My menu consists of 96% lean pork, eggs, spinach, green onions, broccoli, mini heirloom tomatoes, red bell pepper, strawberries, blackberries, papaya, coffee, water, shakeology, Ezekial flaxseed bread, sweet potatoes, cheddar cheese, almonds, and allowed two teaspoons of oil and I may just use one.

As I am trying to figure out what plan I am going to do next, I do want to remind that I am putting together a small group of people for my next fitness challenge.  I am hoping that I can get a 21 Day Fix Challenge group together as well as a general challenge group.  If you are interested in participating in my group please contact me the spaces are limited and my groups are small.  Till tomorrow goodnight everyone. Please fill out the form below.

  

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21 Day Fix It's Go Time!

Here we go everybody it's go time this week.  On this scheduled week I had two workouts scheduled everyday till the very end so that is ten days left of hard work.  I have no intention of taking it easy.  The way I see it is I am fighting for my life here.  I am running that marathon and I plan to come in first, and the best part about it is that the only person in the race is me.  What Jane, Joe, or Hilda thinks really doesn't matter, the only thing that matters is that I challenged myself to the fullest extent and said YES on every single exercise.

Today I got through every exercise.  I made sure that I got the appropriate weight that would allow me to get to the end.  Last week on the Total Body Cardio fix I went a little heavier and I failed during some of the exercises.  Now in my mind failing is usually a good thing it means you just woke up your body and it is has been successfully shocked, but then I thought I really wanted to get through the entire minute.  Changing the weights out to lighter was still challenging but got me through to the end of the minute.  I found myself out of breath and heart pounding.  It was great.  

After total body I jumped right into the pilates workout and that was perfect because it is a recovery workout and felt very good on my muscles.  Don't get me wrong it wasn't super easy, it just wasn't as intense as the cardio.  I certainly did feel the stretching and the planks are deceptively intense.  Last but not least I just had to do the ten minute ab fix.  I figured I would go hard or go home. That is just me, my tendency is to go big, to really push myself in certain areas of my life.  Other areas of my life require baby steps, but I have to say that I am working on it.  

Today I realized that I only had five days of my Shakeology left of the packets.  This time around I got the bag because you get more days worth in the bag than in the packets.  I won't get the packets again.  So I made sure to stay ahead of the game by not being in a position where I will run out of it.  Shakeology is the most important part of my daily eating because I get all of the nutrition that I am not getting from my meals.  Now I like that the eating plan is balanced for us and allows us to pick healthier choices for ourselves but at the end of the day I want to make sure that I have complete nutrition.  As well as my shake I also take fish oil.  

Food today was on target and prepped in the evening.  I chose almonds today instead of olives.  I am going to leave out the olives for the rest of the fix so that I wont have any extra salt.  For tomorrow on the menu there will be lean turkey, cheddar cheese, Ezekial flaxseed bread, papaya, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, coffee, water, and shakeology.  I am looking forward to the day because it will be another day of very hard work.

I am looking for some individuals to create a challenge group if you are interested in the 21 Day Fix program pleas contact me I would love to get you through with all the support to help you succeed.  You will be able to track your progress, and receive the help you need to succeed.  If you are ready to change your life let me help you.  Please fill out the online form.  Looking to create a group for June.

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21 Day Fix Day 12

Hard work is all that I have to say.  I have made it this far in the program and I am past that halfway mark.  I am not going to lie the workouts have not been easy.  They have been tough and I have had to really push myself.  Even in the moments when I have to stop for a second I remind myself in less of a second that it's only one minute, so I push through to the end no matter what.  Even if I stopped for five to ten seconds I jump back in there and finish because that's what it takes to succeed on this or any program.  Pushing yourself beyond what you're used to is the name of the game.  I have been pushing hard since January and it has been challenging all the way.

After work today I was feeling a bit down for some reason.  I am not really sure why or where the feelings were coming from.  For a few moments I looked around my room and I said to myself that I didn't want to do anything.  As though my body had control over my mind I put on my exercise outfit.  I got past whatever funk I had going on and I started my workout.  I was so happy that I made that choice because after I was done I felt amazing.  I felt as though I conquered whatever bad feelings I had prior to working out and laid it to rest.

Today was Cardio Fix and it was just as tough as the first time I did it.  I love that these workouts are designed to keep your body guessing.  So I got through with a major sweat, and I was feeling great.  I had my serving of shakeology afterwords, and when my daughter Gloria got home from school I invited her to do a Brazilian Butt Lift workout with me.  The reason that I invited my daughter to workout with me is because she has the tendency to be very stressed and exercise helps her to relieve it.  She is very much like me in the sense that she needs an outlet for that stress and through exercise it's perfect.

Food today was on point.  I came into this personal challenge with every intention of committing to it, and up until now I have remained true to it.  Food choices for the day were papaya, blueberries, strawberries, cucumbers, spinach, 96% lean beef, eggs, cheddar cheese, broccoli, olives, water, coffee, Ezekial flaxseed bread, and Shakeology.  Water consumption today was also on point.

The best part of my day today was getting the changes in my body noticed.  I attended a birthday party for my daughter's friend this evening and everyone was noticing the changes in my body.  One lady that I saw on Thanksgiving was feeling my arms and telling me how much I have changed since then.  It was such a wonderful experience to be able to feel confident about myself and only at the halfway point.  I can't even imagine what it will be like at day 21.  Trust me I cannot wait.

Well I am very tired at this point, tomorrow starts the cycle over again but this time I will be pampering my sister for her birthday along with the help of the kids.

If you think you are ready to make a commitment to change and would like to start your 21 Day Fix journey I am ready to help you out.  Please fill out my online form and I will get back to you as soon as possible. There is still time for the May 26 challenge.  I am here to help.

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21 Day Fix Day 10

Here I am almost to the halfway mark and I am going strong.  I have to say it's nice to be out of school because my mind is more clear and I have more time to focus on the little things.  I know life can get hectic for most of us but I realize that we live in a place where we are busy!  From the time we get up to the time we get to sleep the things that need to get done seem endless.

So today was a great start I woke up feeling rested.  I have been noticing that I am not drinking as much coffee in the morning as I used to.  I would seriously drink approximately four cups in the morning everyday with creamer and my liquid leaf stevia.  It seemed like I was going through pot after pot of coffee.  I would even drink it in the afternoon.  Since I have started the program I have naturally weened down to about two and a half cups in the morning and about one cup in my shakeology per day.  For me that is a lot, but I find that I am not sluggish or tired throughout the day anymore.  I can attribute that to the change in diet, and adding more water to my day.

Today was a successful workout I did the lower fix earlier in the day.  I went with my fifteen pound weights for the entire workout and I felt that with all of the movement involved it was right for this round.  I may push myself to try the twenty pound weights next week in the final round but I am not decided yet.  Pushing myself is something I always try to do.  We tackled a variety of squats, lunges, and leg work on the floor.  It was a relief to get to work on the floor after doing the harder exercises first but alas I powered through.

Eating was great.  I managed to stay on target with my meals.  I have been making my shakeology about midday and only drinking half of it and saving the rest for later.  It is working as my sweet treat since I have been using the chocolate packets for the fix.  I am saving the vanilla packets for when I can add more food to my plan and have that shake with almond milk.  So for now I am just having the chocolate flavor.  My meals are getting more creative.  I find that whatever I have packed for myself in my box I can create meals with what I have in there.  To keep from getting sloppy or I pre-pack everything the night before as you see here and that is all I eat the next day.

I do not have time in the day to fuss with fancy recipes I find that I am too busy for that.  So doing this helps me to not only save time but to stay on target with the plan.  I don't eat anything that I don't have in my box.  That takes discipline and that is what is going to bring me success.  The foods that I pack are fresh vegetables.  I try to eat them as fresh as possible because this is going to make a huge difference in the my skin and how I feel from day to day.

So I did my workout earlier in the day after I got home from work and I thought I was done for the day. Then later on in the evening my beautiful daughter Gloria wanted to workout, so I challenged her to do the lower fix with me and we got to workout together.  We not only did the lower fix, but we also did the ten minute ab fix as you can see at the top of the post.  It was so much fun to work out with my daughter.  She is so much like me and I love having that time to bond with her.  She was in some serious pain but she kept on saying "oh beautiful pain" so I know that she loved the workout.  

So I have been inviting you to join me in a 21 day fix challenge group.  I am really looking forward to helping you get into the best shape of your life.  I love being a coach it brings me so much happiness and I would love for you to feel the same way I do.  Please fill out the online form and let me help you reach your fitness goals.

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.

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21 Day Fix Day 8

So I have made it to day number eight and I am pretty excited.  I am getting off to a good start.  My workout today was the Total Body Cardio which is what I was supposed to do on the Monday that I started but I didn't look at my DVD's closely enough.  No biggie I got the workout done.  In my workout though I did find that I had to switch from my ten pound weights to my eight pound weights.  I really pushed myself very hard so I had to stop for a second two times altogether.  I didn't beat myself up I just kept going with it.  The worst thing that you can do is throw in the towel if you are getting tired.  The best thing to do is catch your breath and keep going.  My belief is that if you stop you will tell yourself it's OK to quit and you are only giving up on yourself.  Change takes hard work it takes getting out of your comfort zone and going against the grain.  If you never stop to tell yourself that you may always be stuck.

When I finished my 21 Day Fix workout I decided to add in High and Tight from the Brazilian Butt Lift DVD's I know I created a certain calendar of workouts but I wanted a little extra work on my legs.  The High and Tight in my opinion is the gold nugget of the Brazilian Butt Lift because it really targets those areas in a woman's legs that need to get the work.  For me, that workout goes by fairly quickly and I really enjoy it very much.  I could even do it twice but I don't want to overdo it.

After that I had my Shakeology midday again, with ice cold water and coffee.  It gave me the boost I needed to get through the afternoon.  Although I didn't really have any homework or anything because school is out I still had a busy day.  I found that I had food left over at the end of the day which for me is good and not so good.  The reason I thought it was good was because I am reassured I have enough to eat, but there is the factor of eating late in the day.  I made sure I ate just about everything, but the only thing that I had left was some shredded cheese.

So for my meals tomorrow I have 96% lean beef with garlic and pepper, yams, shredded cheese, eggs, olives, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, spinach, coffee, water and Shakeology.  Now this may seem like a boring meal plan, as I am typing it looks that way, but the great thing about prepping and packing your meals this way is that you can get creative with what you have available to eat.  For example, I will crack an egg over bell peppers and spinach that I have cooked slightly in the pan with my one teaspoon allowance of oil.  Have that freshly cooked with pepper is very tasty to me in the morning and filling till my next meal.  If it tastes bland you can add cheese from your allowance to spruce it up, so it's all about being creative.  When it comes to the kitchen I am far from that so if I can do it anybody can.

So put a fork in me I am done for the day.  I am ready to get some sleep.  Till tomorrow.  

There is still time to join my challenge group on the 26th of May if you would like to do the 21 Day fix in a private group with all the help and support to get you through I am here to help you.  There are some spots available and I would love to offer the support you need to succeed.  Please fill out the form below and I would be more than happy to contact you.  I am in this for all the right reasons and ready to help you succeed.

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21 Day Fix Day Seven

So I am happy to say that I survived Mother's Day and what I mean is that I had the greatest time with my family and got royal treatment from my kids and my sister.  They bought me flowers and we had a fantastic alcohol free water bar to enjoy.  My sister sliced up oranges, lemons, and cucumbers very thin, and placed them in the glasses along with fresh mint leaves and it was fantastic.

Let me backtrack a little on my day.  I had already prepacked my meals for the day today so I had it in mind to stay on track with the eating plan.  I woke up early as usual to get to work, and I had the good fortune to get out early today.  After I left I came home and got ready for my work outs.  Today was an recovery day so we for the 21 Day Fix program, but I was feeling a little anxious to do more so I threw in the Brazilian Butt Lift Bum Bum workout before I did the yoga.  Every now and then I get impulsive with energy and I want to do more so I do.  Yoga was great, I felt the stretch in my entire body which I felt I needed from the intense work I have done this week.  Tomorrow we start the program again, so with the same intensity or better I will go for it.

After finishing the workout I was pretty hungry so I decided to boost up with my Shakeology.  Today I worked so hard I felt like I earned it and it was so good.  I don't currently have a blender so I mashed up a banana half and added it to my shake.  It hit the spot it was just what I needed midday.  It also satisfied that urge for sweets that I had the last few days.  Now I have to say that today I woke up with more energy and I felt rested.

At about 2 p.m. I headed over to my sister's house and we had a great time visiting.  My daughters painted my nails and I ended up taking my meals from home to heat up and over there.  I am fortunate that both of my sister's are on the same wavelength as me.  They are both on a weight loss and fitness journeys of their own so it is easy for me to be around them.  I feel fortunate because in some families if you have a dream, or a goal they may not always understand and not really support you or understand you.  I have also experienced jealousy from from friends and boyfriends that don't want you to succeed so they have sabotaged me.  Clearly I have moved on from those relationships because they did not serve me.  So I am happy that I am surrounded with like minded individuals at the moment.  These are people that are in my tight circle of trust.

Today was a success for me, and my food has been prepped for tomorrow.  On the menu I am having free range turkey again, yams, broccoli and cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, two large eggs, a banana, cheddar cheese, olives, coffee, water and my chocolate shakeology.

I hope you had a great Mother's Day I sure did! Till tomorrow!

If you would like to try the 21 Day Fix please contact me, I am having a challenge group on the 26th of May and I would love to guide you through this process with nutritional advice, and support.  It's never too late to get fit and healthy.

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21 Day Fix To Drink or not to Drink

OK so the weekend is here and yes it is a holiday as well, and typically I would be hitting up the local grocery store for a bottle of wine to relax and wind down the week.  I am going to be very real in this post because I have my thoughts about alcohol and weight loss.  Now before I go there to the deep personal stuff, I want to mention that on the 21 Day Fix program you are allowed alcohol three times a week if you choose.  That seems like a lot to some people and it sure seems generous to me, in fact if I were really attached to alcohol I would do the program just for that.  But the good news is I can let go of the idea of drinking for three weeks straight.  When I started the program I made a commitment to myself that I would stick to the plan for the entire three weeks.  So far I have been true to my word.  I couldn't be happier that my commitment to me is important this time around because in the past I have failed, gotten back up, and then failed again.

When I say failed, what I mean is I will start an exercise routine stick to it for a few days, then I will say to myself OK great job lets celebrate this weekend with some wine, or lets go have some drinks.  A few drinks may not be too bad, so I have a couple of glasses of wine big deal!  A margarita won't kill my progress right?  Well it's not really the drinks that kill my progress, it's what happens afterwords.  So I have been seduced by that second glass I am feeling pretty good, I am relaxed, on top of the world, and the next thing you know I am looking for food.  You see for me alcohol not only makes me feel good but it also makes me feel hungry.  Once the alcohol is in there I am doomed to ruin my progress by attacking the kitchen.

Hunger always hits me after I have had a few drinks.  It's at this point that I may look for something salty, then sweet then a little more salty then sweet.  I really don't think about the consequences in that moment.  I am a free bird, if you will, eating till my hearts delight.  So I guess it's safe to say it's not really the act of drinking that gets me in trouble it's what happens after.  A glass of wine only has usually 125 calories for 5 oz.  That's not really too bad for calories, but after the next glass and all of the food I have consumed it adds up.  Foods I have been known to go for are chips, chocolate, cheese, olives or anything that goes well with wine.

So I have decided that I can live without alcohol.  I don't really want to be anywhere near it.  I only have three weeks to really see some changes in my body and if you ask me it's not asking a lot.  I mean that much to myself to stay away from alcohol while I am doing my program.  I know myself, I know what I will do if I drink and I think I have worked too hard to sacrifice my progress for a couple of glasses of wine that will lead me to a disastrous night for sure.  So this Mother's Day holiday I will refrain from drinking and I am perfectly happy with that decision.  I feel that it's the best decision for me.

I am fortunate to be surrounded with like minded people and there will be no alcohol where I go to celebrate tomorrow.  We are committed to our fitness goals and want to succeed.  And come to think of it when I am done there will still be alcohol available for me to purchase.  It won't disappear from the earth while I am on my program and it will still be there when I am done.


21 Day Fix Challenge Group
May 26th 2014
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Fill out my online form.

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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

The Potential Workout Slump

So I have days where I am not in the mood to workout, today happened to be one of those.  I think everybody has days like that lets admit it!! I am grateful for my daughter Gloria who also has a love for exercise like me.  Today after we saw that winds were too strong with dust I asked my daughter if she wanted to work out and she agreed.  The Bum Bum workout from the Brazilian Butt Lift series really kicked our butt and we loved it!  If you are feeling like your in a slump get a hold of someone who can push you along.  Make sure that this person gives you 100% support and encouragement.  If you know the people in your life will do everything but that then you need a coach, and that's me!! If you need support please click on the right hand side for my contact information...If not make sure you are surrounded with people with a "you can do it" attitude!!! Happy Workout!!!