Starting Round 2 of the 21 Day Fix (with a twist)

In my head I had it all planned out. I had 3 weeks before I went to a conference with my husband. I was going to rock the 3 weeks of the 21 Day Fix without skipping a workout or having a cheat meal (except for maybe a glass of wine---WHICH IS ALLOWED so technically it's not cheating!) I was going to take pics and measurments and get some killer results.

And week one and week two were awesome.

Then I got sick. And then my kiddo got sick. And then I went to Texas to attend a work conference
with my husband (which is kind of code for dressing up, drinking a lot and talking buisness. And then drinking more. There was also a lot of Mexican food late at night since conferences just serve appetizer things that I never feel the need to eat. So we left all the events STARVING -- and yes it is clean eating 101 not to skip meals but friend empeniadas wouldn't have made the cut anyway. There was also a part of the mom in me that wanted to go out to eat at 11 because we could....without having to orchestrate an entire plan of attack for who was going to care for, feed and put our child to bed. So there was that whole novelty idea of freedom. But much like when my poor lab/chow gets loose, I quickly learned that all of that freedom is for someone FAR younger than me and I gladly returned home and spent my final child-less Friday night cleaning out closets and watching my backlogged DVR.)

I am well aware of the excuse trap I fell into the last week of the Fix. Being stronger than our excuses is a huge step in moving any health and wellness journey forward. I can come up with an excuse to allow myself to skip my workouts and eat junk on the spot....and I gave that up a long time ago. But I did let the I can't breathe and breathing when you do cardio is important excuse and the I was up all night cathcing my kid's puke in bucket excuse take me out for a spin.

You live. You learn. You keep going.

So today I began the Fix again. And if there was anything I learned from the first round it was that I don't love lifting semi-heavy wieghts for a minute doing as many reps as I could. I really missed the lift super heavy, max out at 12 (or 8) reps that Chalean Extreme gave me in the fall. I also know that my body responds well to lifting that way. It makes me feel powerful and strong. It motivates the hell out of me.

I spend a few minutes thinking about how I wanted to do the Fix, finish P90X3 and then maybe I could get another round of Chalean Extreme in....and then I remembered in two weeks I am heading across the country again. There is nothing quite as demotivating as moving a bunch of your stuff and jet lag. So I decided that one of the best ways to ensure I was going to keep going was to mix in my favorite strength videos. And if you are working out it should be something you absolutely love doing. While I am getting readjusted to Pacific time, leaving my girls and my youth behind, and rearanging my life once again....I NEED 45 minutes of something I love doing every day. And adding some Chalean Extreme is better than coping with choclate. Or popcorn (I have an addiction.)

Here is what I am doing this week:

I am starting a new 21 Day Fix challenge group the 24th and a general 60 day support group April 7th. 

If you would like to join me in either of these challenges please message me or fill out the application here.

I would love to have you!

Making my Grandma's Meatloaf 21 Day Fix approved!

I don't eat a lot of meat. And I refuse to eat the soy substitutes that offer themselves up willingly as meat alternatives. It is just not my thing. After being on the 21 Day Fix for two weeks, I have found myself eating more meat than I typically do. (That and a ton of eggs.) Like so many things, there is an emphasis on protein and veggies. And despite the fact that there is protein in beans and quinoa....those things still fall into the category of complex carb. So I am left with trying to fill my red container with things I like eating (so not chicken.)

I do love my grandma's meatloaf recipe and despite it's tastiness, it is not the healthiest thing you can eat (which probably explains a lot.) But we are Pennsylvania Dutch in descent and I was raised with grandparents that believe in eating meat and dairy and fresh produce from the garden. And really, that isn't that bad of a belief system. If it is all about eating real food then this totally qualifies. I usually save making her meatloaf for a holiday or other special occasion. So as this was cooking it really smelled like something special....like Christmas. It made me all warm and fuzzy inside.

All warm and fuzzy feelings aside, I knew in order to have it fit into my ratio (which is kind of how the fix is set up....) I had to make it over a little bit. So I painstakingly cut the ketchup (except for a teeny tiny squirt on top) and cut back on the cheese. I also cooked it in muffin tins so it was immediate portion control. (And let me tell you I squealed with delight when two of my little meatloaf muffins fit in that container!)

So here is what I did:

2 lbs lean grass fed beef
1 cup cheese cubed* (I used sharp cheddar)
2 eggs- beaten
1 small onion diced
1/2 cup finely diced mushrooms
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ground mustard
coconut oil
Ketchup (preferably Heinz and organic)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin tins well. (I used coconut oil)

Take a teaspoon of coconut oil and heat in a large skillet. Add diced onions and mushrooms (and any other veggie you would like to add - like peppers) saute for a few minutes and remove from heat. Allow to cool.

In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.

In a large bowl mix together the beef, eggs, cheese cubes and sauteed veggies. (Just suck it up and use your hands. Gross but it works so much better.) Once well mixed add the tomato paste mixture and keep mixing until well combined.

Spoon into muffin tins.
.

Squirt a teeny tiny squiggle of ketchup on top (or completely skip this step, but seriously the cooked ketchup on top is worth a little cheat.)

Cook for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

And dinner is on the table.

I love that it only takes these little guys a fraction of time to cook as the big meatloaf in the bread pan (which takes an hour and half to cook.) And of course they are way cuter. Eating tiny size food is super fun (and my preschooler loves it as well. She is so much more likely to eat mini anything.)

21 Day Fix Container Conversion:

1 Red 
1 Blue
1/2 Green
1 teaspoon (oil)
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*Do not cheat this and use shredded cheese. So not as good. Not even worth having cheese in it at that point!