21 Day Fix: Day 10 - Mushrooms are my friends

Did MUCH better yesterday with my eating. I kept my to my containers for sure, even when I went over to a friend's house for dinner. I measured out my yellow container of rice right there by her stove!

Alas, I did struggle yesterday because I didn't eat enough. By the time I got home it was going on 9 PM and I hadn't had all of my greens or purples, or my blue. I wasn't particularly hungry, but I know that my body probably needed those nutrients, especially since I did a little more work in the weight room than usual yesterday morning. Calm down, there weren't actual weights involved. My body weight exercises are quite challenging enough at this point!

I did have a dream last night that I was at my friend Bethy's wedding (with Neapolitan cake) and it was attended by everyone I know from my home town (hmmm) and it was also a small CrossFit competition and Rich Froning (Fittest man on EARTH) was there competing... and so was I. And there was some weird thing where we had to scootch around on our backs while holding a barbell.. and I totally beat him (at the women's prescribed weight). It was a great feeling, but I still walked around feeling like I was a fraud, lol.

But I digress.

Yesterday here's what I ate (no pictures though, sorry!)

Breakfast: 1 Veggie Burger - 1 Red
Morning Snack: 1/2 Chocolate Shakeology with Cherries - 1/2 Red, 1/2 Purple
Lunch: Some root veggie soup from Bethy, a Turkey Burger (plain, just the meat) and some spring mix - 1 Yellow, 1 Red, 1 Green
Afternoon Snack: None, I totally forgot to eat
Dinner at Bethy's: Jambalaya and rice - 1 and 1/2 Red, 1 Yellow
Special Treat not allowed in 21 DF: 1/2 White Chocolate Raspberry Daiquiri from Dove Chocolate Discoveries. 

Workout from yesterday:

-25 minutes on the treadmill. Still no running, but I cranked up the incline and walked quickly and got myself out of breath.
-Incline push ups on a barbell in the squat rack (yes, I'm that girl). 3x10
-Hanging row things from that same barbell 3x10
-Cable tricep extensions 2x10
-Assisted pull ups 3x8

It's short, but sometimes a girl's only got 45 minutes before she goes to work! OH, I also stopped for a cup of coffee. No fancy stuff, just coffee with a drizzle of cream and sugar. I'm so bad. 

STILL feeling optimistic about yesterday though, and today is off to a good start as well!

21 Day Fix - Days 8 and 9 - Keeping Momentum is Challenging

So heyyyyy,

I've been remiss. 

Monday and Tuesday I didn't get my workouts in and I only hit the diet properly about 75%.

While this could derail me, I've decided today to refocus on why I'm doing the 21 Day Fix. I want to love myself, and so I need to complete something. No giving up this time! Two rough days rounded out by kicking butt last week and committing to kicking butt the rest of the Fix.

I've learned how to handle weekends full of chocolate:

PRIOR PLANNING

If I'd taken the care to prepare food ahead of time and have easy snacks and meals on hand all weekend the way I did last week, things would be going much differently. I'll limp along through the rest of this week and a trip up North for not-Thanksgiving with my family. There will be food, but only what fits in little colorful boxes. 

Today I am back on track and have worked out with Bethany at the gym. I've got a written To Do list that I am knocking out, and I'm generally taking care of business all over the place.

Better things to come!

21 Day Fix - Weekend Update

The weekend did not go as well as planned. I am a part time chocolatier. Need I say more?
I'm pretty proud of my display, even though I'm not as proud of my will power.





I did go out to dinner on Friday and took my containers to Leo's Coney Island and measured out my salad. It was vaguely embarrassing, but I made a point to make my dining company more embarrassed of me than I was of myself, and that helped, haha.

The salad mostly stayed in the container boundaries, although it's difficult to separate the cheese from a salad once it's already applied.









After all the crappy eating over the weekend and feeling like a 21 Day Fix failure, I decided to pick up again fresh, and it all started with kale. I'm not giving up, and I'm going to keep doing the Fix until I get the results I've been dreaming of! I'm still proud of myself, and it's not over.

21 Day Fix - Day 5: Getting Out of Bed

Good Morning! It's another chilly morning here in the apartment and the Librarian insists on sitting on my lap (awww!). I'm just having some tea and waiting on Bethany to come pick me up to hit the gym this morning. Yesterday the Fix went quite well. I'm finding it easy to stick to my containers and not cheat, which feels really awesome. I'm sure there aren't any physical changes yet, but I feel more confident anyway.

Yesterday my sweetheart was over and so it was really difficult to get out of bed when there are so many warm cuddles happening, but I did! I got some me stuff done and went about my day. When I came home later the dishes were done and he'd made the bed and laid out my snuggle clothes. <3

For my workout, I did PiYo Sculpt. DO NOT DO PiYo Buns followed by Strength Intervals, followed by Sculpt. Holy Hell, the're ALL legs days. I feel like my lower body is made out of a rusty erector set.

Please observe my recovery face. I refuse to do another legs day. 

Food for yesterday:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with sauteed mushrooms and spring mix and feta - 1 Red, 1 Green, 1/2 Blue, 1 Tbsp.

AM Snack: 1/2 Shakeology (chocolate cinnamon) and mixed cut fruit - 1/2 Red, 1 Purple

Lunch: Paleo meatloaf and spring mix salad with spicy chili dressing - 1 Red, 1 Green, 1/2 Orange

PM Snack: 1/2 Shakeology (chocolate cinnamon) and then a few hours later, another serving of chopped fruit - 1/2 Red, 1 Purple

Dinner: Paleo meatloaf, sauteed mushrooms and baked sweet potato (orange and white) with butter and a drizzle of ketchup - 1 Red, 1 Green, 2 Yellow, 2 Tbsp, 1/2 Orange 

I was short on 1/2 a Blue, but I'm ok with it, I just can't eat that much feta. I went over on my Tbsp of butter anyway. I DID use ghee though, so at least it was clarified butter. :)

21 Day Fix - Day Four: Doubles!

It's bright and early here on day four of the 21 Day Fix. I tell you, it's very difficult to get up and find my Zen at 5 AM without my French press full of coffee. I don't mind drinking tea instead (I know that coffee is allowed on the Fix, but what's the point if I can't have it with my sugar and half n' half?) but I really miss my quiet cups of coffee with the cat.

I don't get up at 5 in the morning to work out. Let's make that very clear. If a workout is waiting for me on the other side of my toasty covers, I'm not getting up. Then I end up sleeping until seven, busting my buns to get to work, and having an unproductive day.

I get up at 5 to work on ME projects. Things that will further my life in some way, or enjoying a good book, or blogging! I feel like if I can take control of my morning, have a leisurely healthy breakfast and sip my coffee (tea *sigh*) and putter around the house, I've broken a cycle of negativity. I just can't stand the thought of getting out of bed and going directly to my job. It's like then my whole day and my whole life belongs to them because I get home too tired and lazy to do anything other than cook dinner and play with the Librarian (that's the cat again, you'll be hearing a lot about him).

A morning where I've had my 5 AM Club moment (some of my girlfriends also get up in the morning and we chat a bit online) I can walk into work and feel like I'm in control of my life. No matter what happens to throw me off, at least I took the time to take care of me before taking care of others. It's like in an airplane. I must put on my own oxygen mask before assisting the person next to me. Then if I can get my workout in during my lunch break, my hours at home in the evening are ENTIRELY mine to relax and take care of little things. I don't feel guilty for a wasted day. 

This is a mask of pain... in a cubicle

Yesterday I was beating myself up a bit about being a broke in-dept young person, and lamenting my life choices that have led me here. One thing I'll say about the 21 Day Fix, I'm saving money on food. I typically buy X amount of groceries, but I can see clearly that the food goes a lot farther when I'm not just compulsively eating all the time!

Here's how yesterday went:

I worked out at 7 AM with Bethy at the gym and even ran into a man who had gone to the same Crossfit box that I love! (He was wearing their shirt) and it made me smile as we chatted a bit.  Bethy and I did an abs workout because my legs were killing me from PiYo Buns on Tuesday. THEN I did PiYo Strength Intervals with my Lab Manager at lunch! Didn't realize that it was another intense leg burner. Oh god. 

Food:

Breakfast: Shakeology (chocolate) with banana, PB2, coconut milk, water and ice - 1 Red, 1.5 Purple, 1 Tbsp, 1 Blue
AM Snack: Chopped fruit (pineapple, melon, blueberries) - 1/2 Purple

Lunch: Paleo meatloaf and salad with spicy coconut chili dressing - 1 Red, 1 Green, 1/2 Orange

PM Snack: 2 hard boiled eggs - 1 Red

Dinner: Paleo Meatloaf with curried cauliflower and some tortellini (snatched from Andrew's dinner!) - 1 Red, 2 Green, 1 Yellow, 1/2 Orange

 

Special treat!!: I replaced my remaining yellow container with a blue container full of Dove Chocolate Discoveries cinnamon dusted chocolate covered almonds. YUM. My special treat was totally allowed in the program and I enjoyed it SO SO much on date night. It made it seem kinda special as we cuddled up and watched James Bond last night. 

So look at those pictures for a second. That was a TON of food. I struggled to eat everything. Let me reiterate that I'm not going hungry on the 21 Day Fix. I'm still trying to find a balance where I'm not eating so much for dinner, but some days I get home and have 5 containers left! Clearly I need to be eating more throughout the day. 

Gee, twist my arm.....

21 Day Fix - Day 3: Lunchtime Shennanigans

Today was day 3 of the 21 Day Fix. So far so good. I'm feeling very optimistic about the program and I'm really hopeful that I'll finally start seeing some results. Referring to the Fix as a "program" comes off a little cultish to me. From the outside looking in, it may seem like I'm attempting some sort of quick detox weird diet thing. NOPE.

I'm eating the same stuff I always do, only I've cut out most of the sugar, and I'm eating it in specific quantities. Some of you may now be thinking that I am just cutting a ton of calories. NOPE AGAIN.

I'm actually struggling to eat all this stuff. I tell you, finishing the day with 2 green and a red is really difficult and I feel like I've overdone it with food. There's no worry that I'm going to waste away here.

Anyway, yesterday I worked out during my lunch break, and did PiYo Buns. It was a toughie and boy, I tell you I'm feeling it today. I'm moving around like an old person and if the zombie apocalypse showed up today, I'd be toast.

I took the time to tidy up my office's classroom in order to make myself a "studio" where I can work out. I've been doing exercises in there for ages, notably with the company of my Laboratory Manager, but actually clearing out the tables and chairs and putting the DVD up on the projection screen really made the workout a tranquil experience, especially with the fluorescent lights turned off. 

Plenty of room for flailing.

Yesterday's meals:

Breakfast: Breakfast burrito with eggs, feta, spring mix, and sauteed mushrooms, along with a fruit cup and sweet & spicy tea. (1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Blue, 1 Yellow, 1 Purple, 1 Tbsp)

AM Snack: An Apple (1 Purple)

Lunch: Veggie Burger and quinoa (1 Yellow, 1 Red)

PM Snack: 2 hard boiled eggs (1 Red)

Dinner: Meatloaf with ketchup and roasted Brussels sprouts (1 Red, 1 Orange, 2 Green, 1 Tbsp)

Before

After! Nommmmmm

21 Day Fix - Day Two. Brussels Sprouts!

Good morning!

I think day one of the 21 Day Fix went fairly well yesterday. For those of who aren't familiar with it, the 21 Day Fix is a Beachbody program that uses daily 30 minute exercise videos, color-coded food containers (for portion control), a careful diet plan, and Shakeology. (You can learn more here.)

I have a daily allotment of containers:

3 Green - Vegetables
2 Purple - Fruits
4 Red - Protein
2 Yellow - Carbohydrates 
1 Blue - Cheese/nuts/avocado
1 Orange - Seeds/salad dressing
2 Tablespoons - Nut butters/cooking oils

I also must drink tons of water every day, which isn't too much of a problem for me, fortunately.

Yesterday here's what I ate:

Breakfast - Cup of Tea and Ginger Orange Shot (1 Purple) and Spinach/Celery/Cucumber/Apple juice (1 Green, 1 Purple)
AM Snack - 2 Hard Boiled Eggs (1 Red) and Pumpkin Seeds (1/2 Orange)
Lunch - Veggie Burger and Quinoa and a tiny bit of leftover garlic mashed potatoes (1 Red, 2.5 Yellow) (I just couldn't resist the potatoes!)
PM Snack - 2 Hard Boiled Eggs
Dinner - Baked salmon with coconut chili glaze and roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic and olive oil (1 Red, 2 Green, 1/2 Orange, 2 Tbsp)

I did not eat a blue container, but I feel okay about it, since I went over on my yellow. I am not supposed to substitute like that, as the container amounts are set a certain way for a reason, and I should really try to eat all the colors in order to make sure my body gets all the nutrients I need! :)

Here's a photo of my dinner, which was actually so big, I struggled to finish it. I guess I'm just glad that I wasn't left hungry at the end of the day. I usually eat so much more than this! 

Nom Nom Nom

21 Day Fix - Kickoff!

It was a very busy weekend, but I managed to go grocery shopping and prepare for today's kickoff of the 21 Day Fix.

Yesterday's meals were humble, but I enjoyed some treats that I won't be having for a while. I took the time to hard boil some eggs and make up some quinoa. I'm going to keep the menus very simple for the next three weeks in order to avoid getting overwhelmed.  This morning when I was packing my lunch and snacks, I was already confused, so I downloaded a simple free App on my phone to help me keep track of things.

I feel so healthful!

Orange Ginger Shot!

I made up some fresh juice this morning as well after spending part of the weekend watching health food documentaries in order to get inspired. ALL THE JUICE! Then I hit the gym with Bethany. We did a lighter day since we were both running late, but it still felt good to be up and moving around before work, and it's nice that it's brighter in the morning, although I'm sure I'll be annoyed when I drive home in the dark later.

I've been good all day at avoiding the cupcakes and blondies leftover from our Halloween party at work, but I'm being very very challenged by the arrival of an unexpected care package from my mother... containing her delicious zucchini bread! My only consolation is that it will freeze beautifully and be waiting for me at the end of the fix. 




I've had plenty of water today and a cup of tea instead of coffee. I'm feeling pretty optimistic about the Fix, and I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of writing. November is going to be a very busy month for me what with studying for the GRE (Nov. 28th!!) and working to launch my Dove Chocolate Discoveries business (talk about a temptation! At least when I cheat, I'm having the good stuff.) So it's a bit of a struggle to do all the things I want to. Tonight I'm going to cook some Paleo meatloaf and do some organizing around the house to help me feel confident in my ability to get everything done.


I wish the zucchini bread didn't make my cubicle smell so good....