Day 20: Cardio Flow

Spider Pushups - one of the many fun animals you encounter at The ZOO aka Cardio Flow

Cardio Flow for great Saturday vibes and a great sweaty session.  Believe me, when you sweat like this, you won't WANT to get derailed from your plan because you just worked for hard for results!

I love that it’s only 30 minutes—perfect for crazy busy weekends and my kids think it's so fun so usually they'll join me!  Do you love that or does it annoy you?  I have days where I want space, but mostly I love it because the are seeing me live life, not just hearing me tell them diet and exercise are important.  Do as I do, not as I say, right? 

Speaking of weekends, do you find it hard to stay on plan? Remind yourself that food doesn’t equal fun. The fun is in seeing family or friends and the time together is what you'll remember and talk about, not the appetizers or dessert. Food is just fuel and helps me be a better, happier person.  When I look at it that way, staying on track is a no-brainer. What are some of the ways you stick to your plan on the weekends? 

2 Ingredient Ice Cream

Ice cream can be a treat, and be delicious and be on the plan.  It is possible and add to that list, it can trick your kids.  By that I mean...this ice cream which is bananas and peanut butter is a favorite in my household.  And my household consists of two boys that HATE bananas, but they will eat this in 30 seconds flat and take down a Shakeology with banana blended in it like NOBODY'S BUSINESS.  Try it.  And feel free to laugh at overheating my blender.  Since I made this video, I slice my bananas up before freezing them so this hasn't happened again. But, my Au Pair and I got a great laugh from the video :) 

Day 19: Legs

Oh Leg Day.  Funny how I can love you and seriously dislike you all at the same time.  Actually, if I'm being honest, I usually love you afterwards and dislike you, maybe even have choice words with you, all the way through. So today, that will be 50 min of all the feels.  :) 

This is one of those workouts where you can really challenge yourself, so don’t be afraid to lift heavy—as long as you can maintain proper form. There's a sweet spot for me that if I do any heavier, I don't reap the benefits because my knee can't touch the ground in the lunge, or other things, so I think I benefit from dropping 2-3 lbs and getting more benefits from my efforts. 

LETS TALK ABOUT ZZZZZZ'S! You know you need sleep, Autumn even went as far as to tell you what time to go to bed on her example of what your day looks like!  Talk about obsessed alright!  haha Are you getting enough? If you’re not well rested you’ll have a harder time getting through workouts, tend to be hungrier, graze, snack, etc, and it's harder to stick to your nutrition plan. You worked too hard to give up now!  You're already 19 days in!

Make at least 7–9 hours a night a non-negotiable! Beachbody Performance Recharge can help your muscles recover overnight. It’s formulated with key ingredients and plant-based nutrients to support your body's own muscle repair and help support your results. If you use it, do you notice a difference in how you feel? I like to add a sprinkle of cinnamon to mine. It’s kind of like sneaking a treat right before bed.

Day 18: AAA

Who's ready for 55 minutes of AAA? You know you are…and I am too so grab a VARIETY of weights, Beachbody Resistance Loops and Beachbody Strength Slides, and let’s start the clock.  I feel like I use ALL THE WEIGHTS in this from 5 - 25 lbs so make sure you have a few to work with. If you don't, I highly encourage you to save money and buy an adjustable set of weights. I like most of them except Powerblock.  I'd look at You Tube before you go shopping and see the reviews.  That one seems to take too long to adjust and the mechanism you use to switch weights is flimsy.  I was worried I wouldn't have it set right and it would take too much time. Just my thoughts. 

SHAKEOLOGY: Now that you’re establishing healthy nutrition and fitness habits, lets talk about Shakeology. It really is one of the best ways you can invest in your health, because it’s such a dense source of superfood nutrition in just one glass. Where else do you get 70 SUPERFOODS FOR $4.15?? And 16-18 grams of protein? I spoke to a dietician recently and she said the hardest challenge she sees is elderly getting enough protein because the amount they need is just "so much food" for them so she's suggestion protein shakes to all her clients.  hummmmm, well isn't that interesting :) Check out this delicious bowl!!  Greenberry Shakeology, coconut, chai seeds peaches, raspberries, and walnuts.  See, doesn't even have to be in a glass to be delicious and amazing for you!  What changes have you noticed since you started drinking Shakeology?

Day 17: Cardio Core

Check out this video of Autumn’s favorite pre- and post-workout snack. Just make sure the recipes will work with your personal Meal Plan before you make them!

Great pre-workout meal and 1R, 1G, 1Y and top it with PB for 1 tsp

My favorite thing about Cardio Core is that it's only 35 minutes (don't get used to this, in the next two phases it gets longer!). Drink your Beachbody Performance Energize, get your Beachbody Strength Slides, and get ready to press play!

NUTRITION TALK: How are you doing with the Timed-Nutrition? What challenges are you having, if any? Let’s share some ideas about our favorite meal combinations and help each other out!

Also, now that you’ve been eating this way for 17 days, you’ve probably got a good rhythm, or getting bored. Check out Autumn’s cooking show FIXATE on Beachbody On Demand for some recipe ideas.  It's free to use and a great resource!  I love taking Fixate desserts to parties, no one is the wiser!  Check out 80 Day Obsession Approved recipes HERE and try this one! I love adding vanilla Shakeology to it for a little sweetness that's approved :) 

Dirt & Worm Bars

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You guys...MAKE THESE!!!  This is all the things we don't encourage on 21 Day Fix, but they are all the things kids want...oreos and marshmellows and gummy worms.  What's not to love?!?!  And the best part is that these ingredients don't tempt me AT ALL so I can make these and own that I have no willpower and still not get derailed!  YES!!!  

The ingredients are in the picture below.  These literally take 5 minutes to make, from start to finish.  Dump all your Oreos in a gallon ziplock bag and SEAL!  Do not forget this step or you will hate me when you have Oreos all over your kitchen!  Hand the bag off to your kids and put them to work ;)  We use a meat pounder and play hot potato, but you can do whatever.  Then melt the butter and marshmellows in the microwave for 30 second intervals so they don't burn over blow up.  Another direction to follow because believe me, that is messy as heck to clean up! 

Combine your melted butter, marshmellows and Oreos together and pour into a greased 8x8 pan and put in the fridge.  Once they're cooled and you can easily cut, slice into 16-24 depending on portion sizes you want and put a gummy worm on top!  ENJOY!!!  

PS - these are not just for kids.  Grown ups love them and I've found dad's devour them!

Day 16: Booty

Anyone seeing booty gains already?  I'm not yet, but I'm feeling the muscle building and that feels great and I know change is coming!  

We are going to rock this 50 minute workout and keep rocking week three!  Grab your Beachbody Resistance Loops and be ready to  engage those glutes, lift and sculpt that bum and sweat. If your loops are rolling or it feels easy, you need to go up a loop. Remember yellow is easiest, green is harder and blue is the hardest.  You got 2 sets with your order so make sure you're using the right length so you're not wasting your time.  We are here to challenge ourselves!

FREE CONE DAY!!! April 10th!

You are welcome for saving you $5.75 a cone!  Isn't that crazy?  While you're paying for it, YES, but while you're eating it, you're like...oh sweet friend, you are so worth it all!  Ok, maybe that's just me.  Sorry not sorry.  My favorites...A Cookie Affair, Brownie Batter, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Fudge Brownie (I've eaten an entire pint by myself WHILE DOING TAXES before.  Don't eat ice cream and do taxes, JUST. DON'T), The Tonight Dough, Strawberry Cheesecake (and I don't like fruity ice cream - this is the ONLY strawberry cheesecake ice cream  I will eat).  Who ever hear of a picky ice cream eater?  ME!!! RIGHT HERE! If I'm going to eat the calories, I want them to be yummy and worth it.  Like VG's, Leucadia or Krispy Kreme donuts.  I WILL NOT eat any others.  You won't even tempt me, but those...I might eat till I'm sick. True story. #notproud

But, heres the kicker with all of those scrumptious flavors...they have dairy!!!  I know you're thinking...DUH!  Well, I know these things and when I have no willpower, I eat them anyways and then I, and those around me (who are usually the ones I love most) pay the price.  

But guess what this wonderful company did...the designed 4 flavors that are made with Almond Milk.  YESSSSSS!  And I tasted one yesterday, the Peanut Butter & Cookies and it's legit good y'all.  You wouldn't even know except that after I eat it, everyone is happy and stays happy.  No tummy ache at all and no bloat so right back to the beach in my bikini and didn't miss a beat.  

You need to try these on April 10th!  Yes, I teach clean eating, yes I believe it's important, yes I also believe that you can't deprive yourself of things or then you binge. I'm not saying go all week.  Go on the 10th, save some money, treat yourself and on the 11th resume daily self control.  We can't have it all the time ;) 

Day 15: Total Body Core

It's that time again, 60 min of sweat and hard work.  Grab your weights, Beachbody Resistance Loops, and a mat as we move to 3 sets of 10 reps this week.  You might be able to lift a little heavier since we do less reps, but we will also repeat the set of exercise before moving on to the next so there will be a different, harder, kind of burn, but it also makes it go by faster.  Anyone else counting down their workouts?  I'm like... ok 1/4 done... 1/3 done... 3/5 done... haha.  Challenge yourself because you can always lower your weights if necessary, but track them so you know where you left off next week. 

Trip to Sydney - Happy 40th to me!

1) Social Brew Cafe - Darling Harbor Sydney - The Deli Plate

It's no secret that I eat clean and I love food. I've been living this "clean" lifestyle for 2+ yrs now and it started all from sleeping issues, depression, anxiety (and being medicated for both) and having gas all the time.  it's my blog, I can share my TMI with the world :) I don't have it now so that's what matters right?  GI issues run in my family and I never knew how to fix it, so I tried clean eating + Shakeology and couldn't believe the radical changes in ALL OF THE ABOVE!  Sleep, energy, digestion, tooting...all way better!  But, my husband loves RICH food so that makes it hard when we travel. I've learned how to make choices and what to request so that I'm not hating life all night, and those around me aren't either.  Read this article for tips I shared.  Given in 2017 I traveled more than I was home, I got in a LOT OF PRACTICE at eating on the road, so these are tried and true recommendations.  Plus, back in my CPA days I did business travel 60% of the time so I can say...been there, done that. And gained a lot of weight trying to figure it out!  Learn from my mistakes!

Am I going to really tease you with all my photos? NO. I only saved one from each restaurant we frequented, all are mine except the waffles (couldn't be further from clean eating - wait till you see it) and the Kangaroo Filet.  That was Tyler and Travis's respectively and I nibbled on the filet, but wasn't crazy about Kangaroo. 

1) Social Brew Co.  DELICIOUS in every since of the word.  The kind of meal that you don't want to talk to anyone, you want to close your eyes and savor every bite and stab anyone that tries to take a sample of your plate.  Because I love my family so much, I shared my mushrooms & buffalo cheese with Tyler, BUT he lucked out I was feeling very generous.  My plate was empty.  I asked them to hold the bread (again, read tips on the article linked above) and wanted to go back again.  But, this was the last day, so at lease we went out with a bang!  You need to go here, not because you'll miss out if you don't, but because you'll REGRET IT if you don't!  But learn from us, bookings are encouraged :)  If you forget, they have loaner picnic blankets you can use on the lawn next to them.  We didn't realize this till we left or would have gone that route. 

2) Fishmongers, Manly Beach - Squid Salad

3) Makoto Sushi, Sydney CBD - Salmon Belly Sashimi 

2) Fishmongers. We got off the ferry and headed straight there at some local's recommendations. Yum-O.  Kids and hubby had greasy fingers and big smiles so that means it was a hit, right? I went for healthy-ish. Could have done without the teriyaki sauce, it was a little heavy for me and we left here to run around the beach and swim, so it kind of left us feeling like beached whales, but we made do. I think this is a chain because I swear we've eaten at Fishmongers in Byron Bay and I thought the same thing. 

3) Makoto Sushi. Thank you YELP!  This was a win, but also the most money we've spent in the least amount of time at ANY restaurant.  We were all hangry and it was the "conveyor belt sushi" style so we could just grab and eat and that's what we did. Over and over again so $140 and 25 minutes later we were leaving the restaurant STUFFED.  But, this was worth every penny for 2 reasons.  1) best conveyor belt sushi in my life, and y'all, I've eaten some sushi! 2) most importantly, Tyler gave up sushi for lent which is amazing to me. He's 8 and this is his favorite food in the world. He's asked for it since he was four every year on his birthday and if he died while eating sushi, I think he'd be ok with it.  He really really likes it :)  So, we wanted to treat him the day after Easter to as much sushi as he wanted.  We accomplished that :) 

4) Celcius Cafe, Kirribilli - Super Green Breakfast (asked them to hold the bread)

5) Homemade eggs, bacon and rocket in my living room with a view of the Opera House

4) Celcius Cafe. I heart you. This is the cutest dang breakfast joint I ever did see.  It's literally on the ferry pier and super small so go early. And by early, I mean get there when they open.  Our 1st time we were rookies and didn't know this and showed up at 8:15 when they opened at 8.  We waited 30 minutes and then divided and conquered.  Matthew and mommy sat together and Tyler and daddy sat at a different table.  The option of leaving was no option at all.  Not for a second.  I got the super green breakfast and asked them to hold the bread. This avocado-lime spread was to. die. for. Everyone else's plate looked delicious too, but I was too full to nibble. 

5) Home is where the heart is, right?  Especially when you're staying water front across from the Harbor Bridge and Sydney Opera House.  We did this 3 mornings to save money, time and calories.  These breakfasts were so perfect, but they were huge portions and I was feeling uncomfortably full all day long. I know you are thinking, "well don't finish it all" and all I can say is those are silly and crazy thoughts. If you ate it, you would too! 

6) Kirribilli Seafood, Kirribilli - Fried Calamari, Grilled Platter: Baramundi, Scallops, Octopus, Calamari

7) Celcius Cafe, Kirribilii - Waffles (with peanut butter cream, fruit and edible flowers)

6) This was the most memorable dinner.  We got seafood takeaway and my first oaky Australian Chardonnay (and it was actually good!) and we had a picnic dinner. I didn't get the scenery in, but we got to have adult conversations while we watched the kids run around, play tag, and wrestle in front of the Opera House while we ate and watched the sunset.  This restaurant loans you picnic blankets which was a cool touch.  We did have veggies, I promise!  We had a Caprese Salad and a Greek Salad, but were a hit!

7) If it's not broke, why fix it, right? On our last day, it was mommy's choice. I mean, we were there for my 40th right?  Seems fair. So back to Celsius Cafe for The Vining's!  I got the exact same thing because when I like something, I could do that for days! And Tyler got this.  How beautiful is this?  Belgium waffle covered in fruit and edible flowers and topped with a peanut butter cream.  Tyler told me he didn't want that and I told the waitress "oh yes he does." haha  When it arrived Tyler as thanking me profusely.  All mouths and bellies were happy. Note, I've never seen Matthew eat so much food in one sitting.  He. loved. it. all.

8) The Rocks Cafe, Sydney CBD - Kangaroo Filet

9) Street Market Asian Tapas, Kirribilli - Salmon Carpaccio

8) The Rocks Cafe reminded me of Italy a little.  We sat outside on the cobblestone street as people walked by and there was history all around.  This was Travis's plate as I was so full from previous meals, I got a rocket & parmesan side salad and was perfectly content. It was a little gamey for me, but that plate was clean as a whistle, so that's a thumbs up I think. 

9) Our 1st meal when we arrived was at Street Market Asian Tapas.  Kids eat free for lunch and dinner, which is cool, but my kids didn't want the "kids options."  Somewhere along the road we went wrong and our kids think it's normal to order carpaccio and $20-25 entrees.  The salmon and beef were my selections and they were talked into noodles and such.  Delicious, but too heavily sauced for me.  Only place that didn't sit well for me, but the rest of the family marked this as a favorite. 

10) Fitzroy Food Co, Kirribilli Forgot to take pictures, even if you don't believe me and the menu link doesn't work, so you'll have to read and imagine.  Watermelon, Goat's Feta, Mint, Red Onion, Pomegranate, Rocket, Balsamic.  Did that do it for you?  Imagine it? It was mouth watering good and my husband ordered it for himself. He might have gotten 1-2 bites of it and I ate the rest.  

Day 14: Stretch & Release

Ahhh, Rest Day! I'm starting to look forward to this day. It's not as hard as it was week 1 because my body is like...GIVE ME REST ;) 

Have you tried Roll & Release or Stretch & Release yet? They're only 15 minutes and a great way to stretch sore, tired muscles. They need a break, and your body deserves self-care so it's ready to tackle Week 3!

CHECK-IN: Remember what I said in the beginning of this program—the scale should not be your only tool to measure progress. You’re building muscle, which means your body is changing in a way that may not show up on the scale. Are your clothes fitting differently? Do you feel stronger? Be proud of your hard work, and be patient—the results will come if you’re sticking to the program!  Autumn chatted with coaches in the Test Group and said she didn't even want us to weigh ourselves for the first two weeks because your body is adjusting to a different workout, different way of eating and with all those changes, it might be holding on to fluff that will soon get shredded.  I didn't see any results till week three and then I was a fan and a believer.  Don't give up before you get there!

On Sundays, make sure you watch the Weekly Obsession episode to see what the cast is up to. I look forward to these snippets and sometimes there are changes from how the program was originally planned out.  I don't like surprises so tune in.  You also can subscribe to Autumn's You Tube channel so you don't miss out on anything 80 Day Obsession.  I love the Fixate tips she shares too!

BEACHBAR snack bars ARE HERE!!!

Do you love snack bars like my family does?  They are SUPER convenient and a filling snack, so often we find ourselves grabbing one as we run out the door to soccer, beach, run errands, etc.  Since I'm allergic to coconut, my options are very limited, but for my kids, I usually buy RX bars, Kind bars, Larabars or Clif Bars (FYI - I've found the kids version to be the same as the adult version.  It's just more expensive when you say it's specialized for "kids" - smart marketing ;) ) 

But, y'all, they are LOADED with hidden sugars and definitely aren’t considered whole foods or clean eating. I’m stoked Beachbody is launching their OWN line of nutrition bars, called the BEACHBAR!!  YAYYYYYY!!  They are packed with 10 grams and protein, only 150 calories, no artificial flavors or preservatives, and they’re gluten-free.

BEACHBARs will be offered in two flavors: Peanut Butter Chocolate and Chocolate Cherry Almond. And my customers are most excited that they work with our Portion Fix containers - .5 R, .5 Y, 1 tsp.  I am way to excited about these and I'm not the only one. I bet these will sell out in the first month!!

BEACHBARs are a crunchy, chewy snack bar that is protein dense, fruit base packed with nut pieces, nut butters, real chocolate chips, and whey protein crisps – but only 5-6g of sugar per bar. That means they have a better protein-to-sugar ration that most other leading snack bars! Whoo-hoo!! 

INGREDIENTS:
--Nut Butters – protein, fiber, and adds a creamy texture
--Dried Cherries – dietary fiber & phytonutrients
--Whey and Pea Protein Crisps – 9 of the essential amino acids
--Real Chocolate Chips – phytinutrients known as flavonoids, but y'all...CHOCOLATE (need I say more about this???)
--Diced Peanuts & Almonds – beneficial monounsaturated fats, protein, and fiber
--Pomegranate Juice – tart, fruity sweetness

Who will enjoy BEACHBARs?

• People with a busy lifestyle, eat on the go, have lots of surprises in their day and find they might skip meals
• People who want more protein and fiber in their diet, while reducing their sugar intake
• People who are GF, have a sweet tooth, snack between meals, or follow the Portion Fix nutrition plan

Do ANY of these sound like you? I can relate to almost all of them except that I don't eat GF.  Beginning of April, you can order these, so let me know now which flavors you want to try and I'll place a pre-order as soon as they launch! Each box contains 15 bars and you will be able to purchase bundles of 1, 2, or 3 boxes through ME!  As long as we are connected, they'll be linked you your customer account and I'll remain your coach and accountability leader.  

3 Day Refresh - Day 4

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You can do it!  3 days!  I don't even want chocolate today and I'm still staring at the chocolate Bilby they haven't even opened yet.  AMAZING!  I am the queen of no-willpower too!

I DID IT!  Don't you love when you accomplish something and it feels so good, even if it wasn't that hard to do?  During these 3 days I served BACON and CHOCOLATE KOALAS (in Australia they don't do bunnies for Easter LOL), and my kids asked for Baskin Robbins. The last one I had to say no to...I know myself well and that would just be stupid. I might use the line "I'll only have a sample" and then 4 samples later, I've blown a vegan, plant based cleanse.  And if I'm feeling this good, why blow it?!

Results...slept way better on night 3 than I have in a WHILE. My pillow proved it because it was wet with drool in the morning. LOL  I felt less bloated and my shorts were loser around my waist.  Nothing is more uncomfortable than feeling your stretchy shorts, feel maxed on their stretch ability :(  And, I realized just how much I snack on my kids' food.  Y'all, it's almost embarrassing.  My oldest son said the other day "hey mom, I need to go potty, can you not eat my lunch while I'm gone?" OH MY GOODNESS!!!  From the mouth of babes, right?  WTH is my problem. My poor kids have to ask me not to eat their grilled ham and cheese sandwich...when I'm not even hungry?  Those bites, they add up y'all and if you tell yourself they don't.  I have 4 words for you: YOU'RE LYING TO YOURSELF. 

Drum roll please ;) Weight before...126.2 Weight after 122.8. Change of 3.4 lbs in 3 days and really, today, I'm kind of sad to be eating regular meals again.  I really enjoy this!  See you later this month for my Refresh accountability challenge!

Day 13: Cardio Flow

My little cutie and my favorite shakeo recipe.

Back to Cardio Flow today!  Who's excited???  It’s only 30 minutes, so give it all you’ve got then go have a fun, active weekend! You know the moves and know what to expect so I like to turn Autumn down and crank the music up!  If you still need her cues, then listen up! Form is always most important!

Do you know how to integrate Shakeology into your meal plan? Timed-Nutrition takes dedication, so it’s great to know that at least one of my meals — the one I fill with Shakeology— is going to be super-easy, and delicious.  On crazy busy days, I drink two.  I'll have one as a post workout meal (I add spinach to get my veggies in) and then for “Meal #1”. I mix: 1 scoop vegan vanilla or vegan chocolate, 1 purple of berries, 1 C unsweetened almond milk and 1 C ice. Thats 1 red, 1 purple, 1 tsp. ENJOY!

3 Day Refresh - Day 3!

OMGGGGGG how is this the final day already?  I really like the Vanilla Fresh shake and so many ask if they can buy those al-a-carte, but the sad answer is...you can't.  Sorry!  It's only sold as a kit and only has 3 Shakeology packets, the rest are special formulated shakes with plant based protein so you stay full, but still detox.  Let me know if you want to try it and join my next accountability group on April 16th!  I run groups every month if that week doesn't work for you. 

Meals today:
breakfast: vegan vanilla Shakeology w/ blueberries & strawberries
am snack: fiber sweep
lunch: vanilla fresh w/ strawberries, celery & PB
pm snack: tomatoes w/ avocado
dinner: vanilla fresh, spinach salad w/ lemon & olive oil dressing (yes I did this all 3 nights. it's that good)

This was pretty easy and I'M ON VACATION! Most people wouldn't do a clean on vacation and if they did, they wouldn't follow through with it, but when you want a system reset and to change your habits, you just grit your teeth and push through.  Too bad this is so easy that it didn't require teeth gritting, but I was ready just in case :) 

We've talked about sugar cravings and water intake and how important drinking enough water is, but we didn't talk about emotional eating or GRAZING.  I hate that word because I do it all the time and it sounds like you're referring to a cow.  Right?  I mean I'm not in a pasture constantly eating, but it seems that way when I walk around the kitchen nibbling on this, finishing that, tasting this... you get the point.  Do you do this?  Those calories all add up.  Do you know the average Costco shopping trip costs a customer 400+ calories in just those tiny swish containers.  I mean, they are so tiny...how is that possible??  BECAUSE IT ALL ADDS UP! 

So, breaking habits is a huge reason to do the reset.  In 3 days it will be quite evident where you are gaining the extra calories. It might be finishing your kids plate, because really, it's a kids' meal so it's already small, can't hurt?  WRONG!  Or sampling food while cooking and getting almost a meals worth of food before you even plate it and sit down.  Yeah, that's happened in my house once, or ten times.  NOT GREAT!  I hope you reap all the benefits I did because in three days, even if the scale doesn't move, I've had huge take aways, and feel better, more rested, and more focused on FOOD = FUEL, not emotions.  And I want to change how I reward my kids from ice cream and sugary treats, to non-food items.  They are not dogs.  I don't know how that habit started, but I know how it will end.  I feel in control again!

Day 12: Legs

Lean, strong LEGS—here we come!

Today we are doing 3 sets of 10 reps for 50 minutes. HOLY HECK I'm overwhelmed just readying that!!  But we can do tough things right and you have to HUSTLE FOR THAT MUSCLE!  Make sure you track your weights each week so you know where you left off and can try to push yourself at least 2 lbs more every week.  Remember you had 6 days of hour long strength training, you are stronger than you once were, even just a week ago!  

Remember to use Beachbody Performance Recover after each of your workouts. With timed-release protein, carbs, and pomegranate extract, it’s shown to help accelerate muscle recovery and reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness. That’s a good thing on leg day! If you don’t have Recover, let me know and I’ll show you how to get it and you can save money and shipping by bundling it with Energize!  Whoop whoop! 

According to your Timed-Nutrition plan, you’ll be having Recover plus a fruit after your workout. Feel free to enjoy them separately, or blend them together.  Banana or cherries has been a yummy combo with Chocolate Recover.  Let me know if you have other combos you love!

3 Day Refresh- Day 2

Was super excited to have my son join me again fro Day 2 of 3 Day Yoga!  He practiced yoga in Kindergarten back in CA and loves to show me how well he knows the poses.  He also has other names for them like "sitting in chair" is "sitting on the potty going #2" but he's 8 yrs old, all boy and pretty darn cute, so I let it slide. 

I made it out in the rain to get groceries, YAY!  We have variety now :)  We also endured an Urgent Care stop because as we walked in, my 4 yr old tripped and fell on a huge shard of glass that got stuck in his arm and as blood went everywhere, he was crying and my 8 yr old was about to throw up.  I hope you're laughing and saying to yourself "it's always something with little ones, right?" because that's what I said. really....just a grocery store run in the rain.  Why?!  Did I tell you he JUST got his stitches out last night from falling out of the tree and landing on a stick?!  This one.  Sigh.  

Anyways, so far so good.  Still not starving and finding this very doable!  Yay for that.  I'm more than half way through too!  One thing I want to make sure and stress is how much water you need.  DRINK ALL THE WATER! Your body is trying to rest, recover and release toxins so help flush them out with the correct amount of water.  If you get bored, add some lime, lemon, cucumbers or mint to it and it will make it more flavorful.  

Meals today:
breakfast: vegan chocolate Shakeology w/ 1/2 banana
am snack: fiber sweep
lunch: vanilla fresh w/ strawberries, 2 stalks celery w/ PB
pm snack: tomato w/ avocado
dinner: vanilla fresh, spinach salad w lemon & olive oil dressing

Tomorrow is Day 3! I can't believe how fast this is flying by and how great I feel.  Y'all, I even resisted BACON this morning after cooking it for my kids. I mean, that is the true test for me!  Don't even show up with dark chocolate chips or I might have to ask you to leave :) Just. Don't.

Day 11: AAA

Be on your AAA game today! 

Today we're using weights, Beachbody resistance loops, Beachbody strength slides, and a mat. It’s 55 minutes of focus on the hardest ares for most women and we're doing 3 sets of 10 reps.  We can do this and at min 56 we are going to feel on top of the world!  

HYDRATION CHALLENGE: We haven’t talked about drinking enough water yet, but it is SO IMPORTANT!  How much do you drink each day? Here's a calculation to help you figure out what the right number is for you, but basically you want to drink 1/2 your body weight. So, if you weigh 140 pounds you should drink at least 70 ounces of water each day. Lets challenge each other to drink more water!

Being well hydrated is also important to your energy levels and endurance. Dehydration can make you feel tired, rundown, hungry and cause headaches. If you want a good source of hydration during your workouts, try Beachbody Performance Hydrate. It has electrolytes to help replenish what you lose during your workouts and can help improve your endurance better than more sugary sports drinks. It's like a healthy version of Gatorade and my kids drink it for sporting events too.  Our entire family loves this and it's a lemony flavor. 

How to go on vacation without losing all you've worked for!

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Hotel gym post Upper Fix Extreme (30 minutes)

Exercise:

I try to stay on top of exercise when I travel even if it means choosing a shorter program because when you get home, it's much easier to eat right again, but it's harder to get back into an exercise routine.  After 3 straight days of no working out, it's hard as heck for me to start again. And I enjoy exercising ;)  I find it pretty easy to fit something in, whether it's in my hotel room while kids are napping, showering, while they ask the front desk a question, whatever. 

Most places you stay will have gyms, walking paths mapped out, but bring your 80 day obsession loops & sliders, resistance bands, jump rope, frisbee, etc. that are easy to pack and get you moving.  These can be fun with the kids too.  Pack exercise clothes because if you don’t bring it, you definitely won’t do it!  None of these ideas take up a lot of space!

The following programs require NO EQUIPMENT so you don't need the hotel gym, your hotel room is sufficient:

• Insanity Max 30 (cardio / body weight)**
• Focus T25 (cardio / body weight)
• PiYo (barre)
• Core De Force (martial arts)
• Cize (dance)
• Country heat (dance)
• most abs (10-15 min)

Dining out / Road trips:

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Vacation should be relaxing and restful, but you take the vacation, your diet does not. Of course you won't be perfect, but don't bring desserts, chips, etc. from home which add fuel to the fire.  JUST DON'T! I ALWAYS take Energize and Shakeology whenever I leave home; Energize more because I feel sluggish when traveling because I'm not eating my best and need the pick me up (I don't drink coffee, this might not apply to you). I take Shakeology because I believe in it and that it's important for my body every day. I feel worse when I don't eat / drink it, crave more sweets, snack more, I'm not as regular, and it's hard to get enough veggies when traveling so I find it even more important to get those 70 Superfoods in. 

If I can drink Shakeology + exercise, I feel like I'm winning; anything else is a bonus.  Try to make food a PART of the trip, not the PURPOSE.

Stay on your "3 meals and 2 snacks" plan every day. By doing this you regulate your blood sugar which will help your metabolism.  Watch for next months' featured tip on Low vs High GI foods. 

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If you're driving, pack a cooler with these, if possible:  boiled eggs, string cheese, hummus-to-go-packs, cherry tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, carrots, KIND bars, Larabars (STAY TUNED, BEACHBARS LAUNCH IN APRIL), fresh fruit, Greek yogurt tubes (freeze and they double as ice packs), oatmeal balls (pictured), non-buttered popcorn and pumpkin muffins. They are filling and healthy.  Invest in a double walled tumbler (Yeti or the like) and your Shakeology will stay cold for hours so you could even pre-blend your shake and have lunch / breakfast / pre-party snack in the car or hotel (lots of hotels will make your Shakeology for you! Their continental breakfast has everything you need for it!).  **The 1st ingredient in a snack should never be potatoes.  They are just disguising that it’s really a potato chip by calling it “veggie straws” or something.  Read the back of the bag, not the front!

When dining out, tell them you don’t need bread or chips.  The typical restaurant chip is 25 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.  We don’t count calories, but why blow your yellows on that when you could chose wine or other carbs all day long?!  If you are starving at a Mexican restaurant, ask for a corn tortilla (~50 calories instead).

Ask concierge or travel agent for healthy restaurants (mention Paleo as a guide, even if you're not).  Although 21-day fix is not that restrictive, it’s a pretty healthy alternative and most restaurants know what that means. 

Avoid buffets if at all possible, and the free cookies in the lobby (I know they look tasty…reminds me of Otis-Spunkmeyer cookies and I can almost smell them now!)

I try to chose EITHER alcohol OR dessert, and I don't have them every day. I try to omit carbs as much as possible, not because we can't eat them, but they are everywhere so naturally I'll get them in through snacking on kids stuff (yes 😫) or save for an unplanned surprise. 

If I order a salad, I ask for Balsamic vinegar on the side, or olive oil, vinegar and lemon wedges. Restaurants typically don't mind modifications! So far, no one has spit in my food (that I know of).

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I asked them to replace the Sourdough with veggies.  Those tomatoes look way better and I won't crash afterwards from having high GI foods. Portions are always larger at restaurants so make wise choices where you can or split a dish with someone!  You save calories and money! They are willing to work with you, but you have to ASK!

Hotel:

Avoid the mini-bar. It will help your wallet and your waist! Ha!

Think about renting a condo, Air Bnb or VRBO and bring food rather than booking a hotel and eating out for every meal.  Again, gentle on the wallet and waist and allows you to splurge a little more when you really want.
 

Flying:

Drink 1 glass of water for every hour of flight to prevent dehydration and jet lag.  For every 1-hour of travel you lose 1 pint of water.

Cruises:

Fill your plate with 50% vegetables, salad, etc. and only for back for seconds for steamed veggies.  

Ask them to prepare a sack lunch for your day excursions. Boiled eggs and fruit are usually an option.

Ask to order from the Spa Menu, which is smaller portions, and tell them you don’t need to see the dessert menu. (Seeing the choices is all that much more tempting) 

Chose a ship that offers lots of activities.  The average person gains 15 lbs. on a week cruise.  YIKES! Think of coming home to all!  All tan and bloated??!  No thank you.

If you don't ask, you won't receive.  This is your vacation and coming home feeling like crap and sluggish is no fun and harder to get motivated to jump back in.  You are paying for it so gain control of some of your daily choices.  You'll thank yourself at the end :) 

Power Muffins!

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I don't know if you're like me, but if you shop at Costco, then chances are, you might be. Lots of times I have a veggie for dinner in mind and then I change my mind because there's zucchini, spinach or some veggie that 'needs to be eaten stat'. There are multiple ways to make these so feel free to use that veggie that just needs to go ;)  When I made these I did zucchini and carrots, but I've seen broccoli, spinach, carrots, zucchini, and every combination in between.  As long as you're measuring your veggies with your green container, you're staying on track. 

INGREDIENTS:
-¾ C quick oats
-1 large zucchini and 3 medium carrots (use a cheese grater or food processor to grind them up)
-6 eggs
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all together and spoon into a muffin tin.  Makes 12 and 4 are a serving so yields 3 portions.  Bake 375 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Another variation is to add Shakeology to them.  If you do this, cut the eggs by 2 for every scoop / packet of Shakeology you use. I personally wouldn't add more than one because you lose some of the nutrition in Shakeology when it's heated over 175 degrees so no need to waste it.  But the flavor of vanilla Shakeology is delicious in these.  let me know what you try!!

These are an excellent pre or post workout meal.  If using as "pre-workout meal" then just top with creamy peanut butter or coconut oil and you're good to go.  If you're eating them as a "post-workout meal" then add peanut butter and a fruit on the side.  How easy is this?  And it makes 3 servings so the next two days you can relax knowing you just wake, heat, and eat.  30-90 minutes later you are ready to exercise.  

21 Day Fix & 80 Day Obsession containers: 1R, 1G, 1Y, 1tsp (with nut butter or oil on top)