21 Day Fix - Why It Works
I want to take a minute to talk about something that changed my life. Something that started my journey to confidence, happiness and finding my spark again. Something that in fact led to the creation of this blog!
It's the 21 Day Fix. I get a little intense about this program, and I want to talk about it today and explain why.
What It Is
The 21 Day Fix is a combination of guided nutrition and at home fitness designed to create a healthy lifestyle...for life. It's the real deal folks, and can result in huge changes if followed correctly.
The philosophy behind the naming of the program is that it takes 21 Day so break a habit, AND it takes 21 Days to form a new habit. It's about forming new habits, and learning how to eat to fuel your body. The idea is that the happier you feel about yourself, the better life you will live. In the end it's about a not a quick fix, it's a LIFESTYLE and about committing to long term changes. In order to see those long term changes you have to make a long term investment in yourself and your health.
Nuts and Bolts
This program consists of a few key components.
Nutrition:
In the 21 Day Fix package, you will get a nutrition guide, and one of the things you do to start is to calculate your calorie range. This will determine how much you can eat for optimal weight loss and health during the program.
Portion control containers are also a key component of the 21 Day Fix package, and correspond to your calorie range. The container system is SO helpful to understanding which portions are correct for your body. Before I did the 21 Day Fix I had no idea what the right portions were for my body type, and this system nailed it. It took about 3 days of practice, and then I was able to eyeball my portions, and still pull out the containers when I need to get back on track!
For example, I am in the 1,200 to 1,499 calorie range! That gives me 3 green (veggies) 2 purple (fruits), 4 Red (protein) 2 Yellow (starchy carbs) 1 Blue (nuts, ect) 1 Orange (nuts and dressings) 2 spoons (nut butters, olive oil).
Each container is broken down in the manual with a list of foods that you can eat. I love it because I can easily pick from each list and create a meal plan for the week. The foods are listed in order of importance. So the higher on the list the foods are the more nutritionally sound they are! Of course you should have a variety of foods from the lists to give you variety of nutrients for your body.
There are also treats allowed as well. The plan includes a list of treat ideas that replace a yellow container.
One day of Fix-approved meals. No deprivation here!
Recipes! There is also a list of seasoning mixes that you can whip up to prepare your food with! There are container recipes for your veggies, protein and starchy carbs as well. I love the recipes for your shakeology and the home made dressing recipes!!!
There is an awesome restaurant guide as well. I like that they give you a list of restaurant foods and what containers that they will check off. For example cheese and veggie pizza (1/4 of 12inch slice) is 2 yellow, 1 orange and 1 green! In my opinion that would not be worth it to me! I'm all about getting the most out of the foods that I eat!!!! The one I would go with is lean meat tacos (soft corn) with cheese, lettuce, and salsa (2 tacos) is 1 yellow, 1 red, 1 green and 1 blue! Now that is worth it and filling!
Shakeology is also a component of this program and provides one completely balanced meal a day, that can be prepared FAST. I've described this before, but being able to get so many different superfoods, vitamins and nutritients all in one shake has saved me tons of time, has helped cut my cravings, gives me more energy and is now something I can't go without. I've even got my husband in on the game and my kids!
Exercise:
Next up let's talk exercise. Home workouts in the past for me have been painful. An hour (or more) of trying to follow along to a DVD in my basement is just something that never really appealed to me and frankly I'd gave up pretty quickly. The fact that these workouts are just 30 minutes, have a Master Trainer like Autumn Calabrese and are varied for each day and workout are a TOTAL game changer. Not only did I not get sick of the workouts, but I followed along and was amazed by the changes in my body! The addition of weights also adds an extra element of challenge and muscle definition.
I started at 3 pound weights, and am now up to 10!
Support:
Finally, there is an extra element of support that I want to talk about. As a coach, I offer monthly online 'challenge groups' that are a form of support to help my clients through programs such as the 21 Day Fix, which is by far my most popular program. Anyone can buy a DVD or even a meal plan, but having guided assistance for 21 Days and the encouragement and positivity of peers is kind of everything. It was for me, and some of the women in my initial challenge group have become close friends. I also share meal plans and many recipes with my clients, which can be a helpful way to really start putting clean eating into practice.
Results
The results from this program can be dramatic. In face, you can lose up to 15 pounds in 21 days or even more. A lot depends on your size. If you have more weight to lose, you will lose more pounds in a program like this. It also depends on the EFFORT you put in. You have to push hard in 30 minutes, follow the nutrition and use containers properly.
If followed correctly, the program builds lean muscle and results in more muscle definition and contributes to more energy, better sleep, weight loss and more.
In sum, it relates to a HAPPIER and healthier life...all in one program. It's something that can be maintained for your whole life or a launching point for living your best life. For me, I lost about 5 pounds and many inches. More importantly, I GAINED a renewed sense of purpose, confidence and belief in myself that I had lost after becoming mired in caring for my young sons and the challenging pregnancies.
If you are already to try this amazing program, it's on SALE this month! Email me (bcortell@gmail.com), leave a comment here or let's chat on Facebook and I'll add you to my next challenge group starting JUNE 13th, one week away!
