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!

21 Day Fix Week One Meal Plan (and why I put P90X3 on hold for now)

Week 3 of P90X3 was a major challenge for me. I got sick so I didn't meal plan. And then we were getting ready to a conference so I didn't meal plan and just ended up eating what we had so we didn't come home to a fridge full of gross. And I diligently packed my X3 DVDs. And they sat on the dresser in the hotel room for an entire week.

While away, we indulged. A lot. But we were also crazy busy and walking everywhere (which really helps.) I came home pretty much on par with where I was when I left. Except when I came home I had something waiting for me. Yep....The 21 Day Fix.

Now this program is huge. It sold out in 3 days. I didn't want to be the person who couldn't answer my challengers' questions. I wanted to be able to give my honest opinion and struggle through figuring out a brand new program with them. (And I was geeked about the idea of color coded containers. My self diagnosed OCD kicked in and I started making color coded meal plans immediately.) So I am afraid that my poor P90X3 dvd's will continue to collect dust. At least for the next 21 days.

Here is my meal plan for week one of the 21 Day Fix. Now I struggled with this quite a bit. I try to eat a mostly plant based diet (with local eggs from happy chickens and occasionally some fish) but if you are not happy eating soy based vegan protein then this will be a challenge. The red container is now my nemesis. But since my husband was home for most of the week, I made his carnivorous appetite happy and made some things with local grass fed meats.

Now this week wasn't perfect. I was missing some red containers for sure. And I know I need to work on variety...but variety is hard when you are cooking for one and a half! So that is something I am going to work on in the upcoming weeks.

P90x3 Week One and Meal Plan

Today is the day of truth....the day that real life comes back and the holidays are OVER. The tree is down. Ornaments and decor is packed away. (My house looks barren!) My family is back to being scattered all over the country and no longer crammed in my little one bathroom house (8 adults and one bathroom -- super scary!) And, for the most part, I am over my post New Year's Eve sickness I caught from my little one. And it's a monday. The first Monday of the New Year and it is time to get it together.

Over the holidays I slacked. (Total confession -- I took a week and a half off. No workouts at all!) I had a few too many dinners out (that were totally worth it -- catching up with friends I haven't seen in forever.) And I enjoyed every minute of it. Isn't that why I am doing all of this. All of the eating real food, working out, being the best me I can be -- so that when it comes down to it I can enjoy an awesome dinner out and a glass of wine (or 3) with friends and family? I think that all of these things that we view as "cheats" are vital to living and enjoying life. Our resolve to stick to our "diet" should not restrict our willingness to live and savor our lives. It should be the exact opposite! I am committing to eating this way and taking care of myself so I am around to enjoy my life and I have the energy to do it. 

But....all things in moderation. I am not willing to throw all my hard work out the window either. I have learned to pick my treats (so much better sounding than a cheat, right?) well. If it isn't something totally amazing, then it so isn't worth it. No more M & M's or Hershey kisses when I am want chocolate...I am going for the good stuff. The rest isn't worth it. I want it to be something I can completely enjoy. I am going to pick my moments and bask in the joy of living. I want to totally savor my life. 

So that is why, instead of focusing on what I could have done better over the past week and a half, I am focusing on what I gained. Mornings spent drinking coffee and talking to my family (as we all wait patiently for our turn in the shower.) Dinners out with friends talking and laughing. Really great things that can't be measured and calculated. 

And while I am not going to dwell, I am going to move forward full force. I am diving into a new program (P90X3) and am super excited about it. I am also going to really focus on meal planning this time....one of my vices. I am a terrible meal planner. But yesterday I put some time into really getting it said so that it will help me later this week. And I am going to share that meal plan because there is nothing like sharing things to keep my accountable (lesson learned!) 

I am also going to be running a new challenge group starting on January 20th. If you would like to join me in a New Year New You challenge or would like more info please fill out the application here. 

Happy New Year! 

How I am Staying on Track when My Body is Saying Hell No (thanks to my loving and overprotective dog)

 Injuries suck. Big time. And none of them are the same so how you approach exercise when you are injured is going to vary greatly based on your injury. But whether you are too injured to work out or just  need to take it down a notch, there are things you can do to make sure your injury doesn't throw you completely off course.

This is what I tried to do after my 80 lb dog  and another large dog decided to not play so nicely at the park. I was knocked down and drug around on my back by two very angry, very large dogs. I ended up being bumped and bruised and sore for almost a week. I knew bouncing around with Chalene Johnson was not going to be an option when I woke up the day after our little party and my back ached.

Keep your schedule in tact 

This might mean taking your typical work out time and going for a walk or changing your workout routine to something your doctor advises (like low impact modifications.) Whatever you do don't use the time to sit on the couch and play games on your tablet or phone (or watch bad tv) because the more of a bad habit you build here, the harder it is going to be to get back into your workout routine when you are back to normal.

I walked. I did yoga because it actually helped my achy back. Don't do anything your doctor doesn't recommend or that causes you pain but talk to him or her about what they recommend. And listen to your body. Mine was telling me to stretch and not sit still (it hurt more if I sat for long periods of time) so I listened. No, I didn't burn crazy amounts of calories with a intense workout like I was used to and that was okay. My body was recovering. I did however keep the good habits I've built these last couple of months in check. And that makes all the difference.

If any exercise is off the table use the time you would exercise to do things like cleaning out the pantry, catching up on your meal planning, reading about health and wellness, planning what workout program you are going to tackle next or to set new goals. Do something that keeps you focused on getting started again as soon as you are cleared.

Eat at the times you typically eat. Keep that meal schedule in tact. I know when I don't feel well all I want to do is eat pizza or mac and cheese (hello comfort food) but giving in to these cravings now will make it that much harder to get back on track later. Besides, let's build some new habits and maybe break the I-got-a-boo-boo-I-deserve-a-cookie habit that was so lovingly formed in our youth.

Tighten up on your meal plan

I looked at my meal plans and saw where I could cut and trim. No extras the week I was off my normal workouts. I wasn't burning the calories to allow the expenditure. I made sure there were no little slip ups with cheese (the one dairy vice I can't quite seem to quit completely) and no extra bread at dinner. I upped my veggie intake and lowered my fruit intake. I tried to eat around 1200-1300 calories a day instead of 1500-1800.  And while I didn't lose any weight, I didn't gain any either. That for me is a win.

Look at what you typically eat and cut out the obvious (and easy) things. No alcohol (which if you are on pain meds or anything like that you probably shouldn't have anyway) no dessert, the little treats we allow ourselves for having a great week need to go when you aren't working out.

Get lots of good quality sleep

Look at your sleep habits and try to improve them while you are healing. Sleep is a luxury in this house (by morning I have a toddler and a terrier fighting for space in my bed!) but sleep can make you feel so much better while you are healing (and our bodies need it!) Plus banking some shut eye also helps with the food cravings and cheats. I know I am much more likely to go off the rails when I am cranky and tired. Being super sleep deprived also has me craving pizza like a crazy person, so sleeping (as well as I can) is a tool I try to use whenever possible.

I was extremely grateful my injury was not severe and I started feeling better within the inside of a week. I was able to walk and do yoga and am looking forward to jumping, punching, squatting and kicking with Turbofire in a few days. I also know that by working really hard to keep my days structured the same as they were when I was working out has really helped me stay eager to jump back into my scheduled workouts (and miss them too!)

Always always always talk to your doctor (or physical therapist) about any injuries and exercise you may want to continue doing or new exercise you want to try. These suggestions are based on my own experiences and what worked for me, personally and are not in any way medical advice.