I began my journey with beachbody by doing the P90x3 program. While i LOVED the program i learned something pretty important in those 90 days, I was learning to commit myself to short workouts each day, but my eating sucked! I ate way to much, and of mostly all the wrong things. I am not new to the world of trying to live healthier and control my food habits. I have done weight watchers in the past with success, but it just wasn't enough for me to continue with it long term. After a while, i would stop wanting to count points and found it a little difficult to follow long term and was looking for something more simple! something perfect for busy moms like myself!
Now let me share me "why". why do i need to be healthy? why do i need to do better for myself and my family? ill tell you why, because i have a beautiful 2 year old daughter who not only needs her mom long-term, but will look at me to learn whats good for her and what she should do. I also am becoming a nurse, so I know dang well the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and am determined to be the one helping patients, not needing help because I didn't take proper care of my body!
In the booklet is a way of calculating what your calorie target will be for these 21 days (dont worry, no calories actually need to be counted!). i was in the first bracket which is 1,200 to 1,499. I ate 6 meals a day (breakfast,snack,lunch,snack,dinner,snack) and spread them out to every 2 hours. I didn't eat any carbs or fruit after dinner, and drank my shakeology faithfully as my lunch which i chose was the best time of day for me.
When i first saw those containers all i could think was oh my ... I will be hungry! let me tell you most days i had to force myself to eat snacks because i wasn't hungry, but i knew it was good for my body to eat every 2 hours! After the first workout on my first day i couldn't walk for 2 days straight! like literally, pulling my legs to get up the stairs! this was the only time i felt like this, once my body got into the swing i felt awesome after all the workouts, and empowered to push harder the next time!
My secret to my energy for workouts, my positive feelings and my quick recovery you ask? Shakeology! I am so glad i took the plunge and started drinking this daily. It took a few days to feel the benefits, but by a week in i found i woke up quicker and in a better mood, had more energy throughout the day and felt hungry dramatically less. To find out more about shakeology click here.
I really want to share a few critical things i discovered about myself along this 21 day journey..
1. I am ADDICTED to carbs! like really ask me to come up with any meal of the day previously and i literally couldn't do it without some kind of bread or carb being involved. This was very challenging for me the first few days, and than i found that i could make so many amazing meals without it. I haven't wanted them like before even once since week 1!
2. I am way to guilty of giving myself to many excuses. excuses of why i can eat something awful (you know, the whole i ate fruit this morning so sure i can have a whole chocolate bar). This also goes for working out. I wouldn't push myself, i would sweat or feel restricted and make so many excuses of why i was allowed to quit- thank goodness that's improving greatly!
3. I really overate. I ate when i was tired, sad, happy, bored,thirsty you name it. never really because i was hungry, but i sure did for every other reason in the books.
Now you may ask what was the MOST challenging part of this whole experience? for me it was the 3 day fix! the 3 day fix is a completely optional 3 day meal plan that is great for toning and burning fat quickly for any occasion, and is usually used as the last 3 days of the 21 day fix. These 3 days consists of very high protein meals every 2 hours, only 2 carbs in the morning, no fruit, no salt, no sugar and LOTS of vegetables! you have 6 meals a day (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack). This was hard for me because I love fruit, and also because i really missed my shakeology which isn't part of the 3 day fix! but nevertheless I pushed through and completed it which was another huge accomplishment!
curious for some ideas on what i ate? here is an example meal chart i used and visit my previous blogs for some ideas! also feel free to add me on facebook, id be glad to help give you tips and ideas for your 21 day journey :)
And so im excited to finally show you my results! in just 21 days I lost 7 lbs and 7 1/2 inches!! most importantly i feel amazing, more comfortable in my own skin, happier, and am loving the new changes in my life. I was NEVER looking for a fad diet, ive had my share of those and they only bring me back to the start leaving me to start all over again. I wanted something to teach me to deal with my emotional eating, something that would guide me with how to control my cravings for food and that's exactly what I found! I would highly recommend this program for anyone! My grandmother who started this journey with me never worked out a day in her life, and successfully completed her first 21 days losing 7 lbs and 10 1/2 inches! Anyone can do it, especially you :)
