Day One - 21 Day Fix Extreme

Tracking my meals and workouts with my journal.

The Food (80%)

The mantra from the fitness world is that your body is 80% what you eat and 20% how you workout.  I think this statement is also true for the amount of prep that I put into what I am eating versus when I am going to exercise.  Yesterday was food prep day, including a trip to the grocery store and what seemed like endless chopping.  Needless to say, the Super Bowl, interrupted the prep session and I will be finishing it while I make dinner for myself tonight.  For my first week on a meal plan, I am mainly following the female meal plan found here.  I am making some substitutions based on what I like to eat and budget.

Look at all the veggies and fruit I get to eat this week!

My "Hot Cocoa" Alternative

After most of a day following the meal plan, I have found the hardest part has been my crazy SUGAR cravings.  They have been super intense and are trying to trick my brain into thinking that my body is hungry when it isn't.  Sugar is so so so unhealthy for you in the large amounts the average American consumes.  

I started my day off with a Vegan Chocolate Shakeology mixed with water and ice.  Having the shake with all of its nutrients is a vast improvement on my regular breakfast routine.  I could still hear the baked goods calling my name though.  To attempt to deal with the lack of sugar and sweets I will be drinking my chocolate shakes and the tea shown below along with eating delicious fruit!

Mmm, this tea is super tasty and has a hint of creaminess due to the coconut making it an awesome substitute for hot cocoa on a snow day or cold winter night.  So far, so good with the meal plan!

Loving the lime green!

The Workout

Hello jello legs!  Today's workout was the Plyo Fix Extreme which focuses primarily on the legs via explosive muscle movements, aka jumping.  For my light weight I either used my 3 pound dumbbells or nothing at all.  My heavier weights are 10 pound kettle bells.  While the total workout is only half an hour long it is no joke and what you put into it you get out of it.  I was definitely sweating by the end of it (WARMTH - Combating Excuse #3).  I think the weights I chose were good for my starting point and I'm excited to see how this workout feels a week from now.

The Mission

I'm posting a "Way Before" photo and my current "Before" photo even though it is outside of my comfort zone.  I'm trying to be open and honest about my journey and my current 'Before' photo is a large part of that.  I miss being super fit and not having to worry about my fitness.  Worrying and missing that hasn't helped me be the best me that I can be.  I'm trying to ACCEPT where I am now and focus on forward progress rather than the past.  My goal for the end of the 21 Day Fix Extreme Challenge is to have a figure somewhere between these two photos but more importantly to FEEL HEALTHIER and have MORE ENERGY!  It is super easy to get caught up in the outward expectations when completing a fitness journey but the inward expectations are just as, if not more, important!

Left: Way Before (6 years ago), Right: Before (Current)

The Pups

Last but not least, I LOVE snuggle time with my two favorite pups!

Snug time last night after the Super Bowl!

☆ Stephanie Ann

Challenge Pack Arrival (and Excuses)

New Things, Yay!

Yesterday my official challenge pack arrived including the 21 Day Fix Extreme Program and Shakeology.  Oh man!  This is totally happening!  To give a brief description, the 21 Day Fix Extreme consists of 21 days, 30 minutes per day of intense workouts that use your entire body.  Along with the exercise there is a detailed meal plan that focuses on healthy eating.  I'm pretty confident I can handle the exercise portion of the program.  The eating part... that's what I'm worried about.  I love me some chocolate chip muffins.  Seriously, ask my sisters sometime about when I stole all of the muffins before school and hid them under my bed.  It will be a new thing for me to strictly follow a meal plan of any sort.  I'm a bit worried I'm going to be constantly hungry!  I keep telling myself "it's only 3 weeks long" and "I got this."

Serving Size Containers and Shakeology!

The DVDs and starter packet!!! Look at them abs...

Hopefully the shakes, I am trying, Vegan Chocolate and Vegan Tropical Strawberry will taste good. 

On to....

Excuses

Excuses, those pesky little reasons we give ourselves when we rationalize not doing something.  When it comes to exercising and eating well, my excuses come flowing like someone turned the faucet on full blast.  It is okay that you have excuses, what isn't okay is listening to the excuses and giving up on your goals.  On the theme of acceptance, the top three excuses that I need to accept that I have are... Being tired/feeling depressed, time, and bad weather/coldness.

Excuses, excuses.  Boo.

Being Tired/Feeling Depressed

The ultimate negative feedback cycle.  You feel tired/depressed so you don't exercise and then feel more tired/depressed about that and get even more tired/depressed.  For myself, I KNOW that eating well and exercising will help me feel better and have more energy BUT in the moment I often cave and take a nap or read a book.  If I don't cave, however, I am totally into my workout within five minutes and feel super accomplished afterwards!  Accountability folks, be accountable to yourself for yourself.  Easier said than done, I know.

Time

Where does the time go these days?  I remember when 5 minutes used to feel like FOREVER and now it flies by in the blink of an eye.  When I was part of a sports team, practice was always a priority but exercising for the sake of being healthy slowly sank to the bottom of my priority list.  It was incredibly easy to put off my workout when I had experiments to run or my thesis to write.  Do I make a healthy meal or do I use that time to sneak in a workout?  What about taking my dogs for a walk?  Or doing the laundry and cleaning the house?  I would have done my workout but my commute is too long.  Note to self:  MAKE EXERCISE A PRIORITY!!!!!  

Bad Weather/Coldness

There is nothing I dislike more than being cold (Okay, slight exaggeration but you get the gist).  Nothing seems to zap my motivation like a rainy day or chilly indoor temps.  I LOVE being cozy.  Laying in bed past when the alarm goes off, snuggling with the pups, reading under a blanket with a mug of tea, love it!  Moving from a cozy place to put on workout clothes and actually do the workout, not so much.  My positive spin on this excuse is to:  A. Start my workout with layers and B. If I'm sweating that means I'm definitely warm!

Here's to hoping that doing the 21 Day Fix Extreme will help me overcome the strength of these excuses and kick start some newer, healthier habits!

☆ Stephanie Ann