Wow! Apparently, I’ve been taking a little blog break. Don’t you love how I give you advanced warning? I was thinking about you though!
Here are my thoughts today. Summer is coming. Yes! What is it about summer that makes one feel like they should tone up a little.
Shorts?
Swimsuits?
Sure, it’s great to be fit all year. But a little extra motivation never hurts either. One of my favorite ways to give myself a little boost in the fitness department is to do a round on the 21-day fix. I’ve talked about my results before and shared tips and tricks with you. Then, I got to thinking, I have learned a lot about and through the 21-day fix. It would be a shame not to share. I have 6 simple steps that are going to have you feeling great. So, here we go!
1. Calculate your calorie need.
This one is easy! Simply multiply your current body weight times 11. This is your baseline. Now add 400 to that number to reach your daily calorie needs. Then, subtract 750 from that number. You now have your calorie target. Knowing your calorie target helps you know how many containers (or the amount) of food you will be eating. For example, I fall into the 1,200-1,499 calorie range. That means that I get 3 green containers, 2 purple containers, 4 red containers, 2 yellow containers, 1 blue container, 1 orange container, and 2 “teaspoons”.
2. The Containers.
Next, decide on what you will use for your containers. I realized, after a brief google search, what the measurements are for each container. I was too thrifty at that point to buy the whole program without knowing if I would like it:-) So, now that I know what I am doing, I have continued with my DIY approach. You can, if you like, buy just the containers rather than the whole program. Here are the official 21-day fix ones.
However, these containers by Meal Prep Haven are an even better buy and they come with a protein shaker!
You can also do the 21 Day Fix without containers at all. If you want to DIY it, here is the breakdown on the portion sizes:
- Green = 1 cup
- Purple = 1 cup
- Red = 3/4 cup
- Yellow = 1/2 cup
- Blue = 1/4 cup
- Orange = 2 1/2 Tablespoons
You may be wondering what exactly you put in these cute little containers?! Here is a handy little visual to help you out.
3. The Food List
Ok, next up….what exactly can you eat anyway?? More than you think! I’ve found that sticking to real, whole food makes “the fix” super simple. I have full lists of the foods you can eat pinned on my fitness pinterest board, but here are a few of my personal favorites:
Green
- spring mix – my favorite salad-making superhero
- spinach – in smoothies, or sautéed with scrambled eggs
- squash
- peppers
- onions
- broccoli
- carrots
Purple
- berries (my fave!)
- banana – for protein shakes, or sliced on steel-cut oats
- peaches
- grapes
- apples – great with a little almond butter
- cherries – yummy with greek yogurt
Red
- cottage cheese
- eggs
- veggie burgers
- protein powder – my favorite
- salmon
- tuna
- ground beef
- chicken
- plain greek yogurt (sweetened with a bit of stevia)
Yellow
- steel cut oats
- brown rice
- sweet potato
- black beans
- whole wheat mini bagels – I have these less often, but they can be a nice change.
- whole wheat tortillas – occasionally, as well.
Blue
- avocado
- almonds
- walnuts
- cheese
Orange
- sunflower seeds
- salad dressings
Teaspoon
- olive oil
- coconut oil
- almond butter
Head over to Pinterest and print out a food list. You can pick out your own favorite foods and you’ll be all set for grocery shopping.
4. Prepare.
Once you’ve done your shopping, give yourself a leg up by prepping whatever food you can. Wash and chop your veggies and put them in ready-to-eat containers. This can work with some fruits as well. Grill up a batch of chicken breasts and they’ll be all ready to go for a salad. Make some overnight steel-cut oats if you’ll need a quick and easy breakfast or snack. Plan for success!
5. The Workout.
Diet plays a large part in a healthy lifestyle. If you wanted to do just one thing, changing your diet is a huge step. However, exercising will provide wonderful benefits as well. The more you exercise the better you will feel! I have not used the 21-day fix workouts. I’ve heard good things and I am rather curious. That said, I am so thrilled with what I am currently using that I have not seen the need. I use Suzanne Bowen Fitness and I LOVE the workouts. The are very challenging, yet low impact, which I like. I tend to have a bit of trouble with one of my knees if I do high impact workouts so this has been great. I did the monthly streaming for a bit, then once I realized I was hooked I went ahead and purchased a year of streaming for around $80. It has been SO worth it! I think one of the major highlights has been the huge variety of workouts. I never get bored because there is always a new workout to try. I’m also able to save my favorite workouts so I can do them over and over if I choose. Suzanne has a few DVD workouts as well, if you want to check them out. I have not done them because I really like the variety I get by streaming the workouts.
Set yourself up for workout success!
- Neoprene Weights – I love these! I have them in 2, 3, and 5 pound pairs and I’m thinking of adding an 8 pound set.
- Gaiam Print Yoga Mat – Great for working out on hardwood floors.
6. Keep Motivated.
Lastly, stay motivated! One of the great things about the 21 Day Fix is that it feels so doable. It’s only 3 weeks! Of course, if you’re like me, you’ll want to do more than 1 round:-) But, having a short term goal makes the process less intimidating.
So, do what you need to do to stick with it! Grab a friend for accountability. Focus on your goal. Find an activity to replace bad habits. Is it the time of night you usually scoop yourself a big bowl of ice cream? Plan to take a bubble bath instead. You can do this!!
Wow, that was a lot of information! Hopefully it was broken down in an easy to implement way. I feel strongly that the 21 Day Fix is not just another diet. It will familiarize you with healthy, real foods and shows you appropriate serving sizes for various foods.
Help yourself to my other 21-Day Fix posts (click on an image below) if you’re looking for more! Have questions? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!
