Ironically, it has been just about a year to the day, when I was planning to complete the 21 Day Fix Extreme. This is take 2, and NOT quitting early this time!!
These are my top tips I'm implementing to keep myself on track and motivated!
1 - Make your goals public. The more you share what you are working towards, the more it will hold you accountable! Those people will be rooting you on, and be a reminder to you when your motivation fails.
2 - Surround yourself with other like-minded people, who are working towards the same goals. An accountability partner, or 10, will help you stick to your plan even when you don't feel like it.
3 - Track, track, and TRACK! Your workouts, your intake, your water...every single day! You won't want to calculate in that ice cream, chips, or big piece of chocolate cake you had for dessert...so it is way easier to pass it up knowing you will need to figure it in! And you will have a great sense of pride and satisfaction, saying NO to those temptations. We ALL have them! It's those people who are disciplined enough to know that your short term sacrifices will lead you to your long term goal, that will see results they can be proud of! I love My Fitness Pal, Sparkpeople.com, and the BeachBody 21 Day Fix trackers.
4 - Seek support from someone who has been there before you, who can relate to you and keep you accountable! As an Online Health coach, I work to support my customers to their goals, what ever those might be. And the really awesome thing is, my services are 100% FREE and included in your program(s)! You do NOT need to do it alone!!! Having the support of a free coach and group makes it so much more fun, and also increases your likelihood for long term lifestyle changes towards a healthier YOU!
5 - Celebrate small successes along the way! We all want immediate results, and it can be hard to keep going when you don't see the changes you think you should, as soon as you would like. Give it 2 weeks, 14 days, and see where you are at! Talk with your coach to see what needs tweaking if you still aren't making progress. Sometimes it can be a matter of overtraining, being in the wrong calorie bracket, or not having enough intensity with your workouts. Whatever it is, it's NEVER too late to get on the right path to health!! Better is always an option! XO
So this leads to my confession... and need to come clean. And it's something I'm so embarrassed to admit, if I'm being honest!
One of the main reasons I decided to be a health and fitness coach almost 3 years ago, was for the business aspect of what we do to help others get on a great path with their health and fitness, to establish life-long behaviors, routines and habits that will be a lifestyle change for the long term. And with every person who's life I impact and the work I do to help them to their goals, I grow my business to create a lifestyle of financial freedom for myself and family. In the process I have met some of the most remarkable people of my life, who I consider now some of my very best friends!
I am proud to say that I was able to dig my family out of some pretty serious debt in my first 18 months of working my business, part time, and in-between the mom-cracks. I have worked through diet pill-popping, binging and purging as a way to cope with sexual assault as a minor, and since I worked at a fast food restaurant during high school, eating their food became my norm and escape. I remember having ice cream shakes, soda, burgers and fries at every shift... which led to me feeling fat, ugly, and lacking in self-confidence. Good thing for me, it didn't take long for me to recognize that was not the way I wanted to continue long term. Fitness and running truly became my therapy!
Since I was already active, and a runner when I started as a coach, I didn't really see the full value of in-home workout programs. However, not everyone is a runner, or has the ability to strap on a pair of sneakers and run 8 miles/day. PLUS I learned how amazing cross-training can be for our bodies by working out in my home and adding strength training into my routine. I have completed Chalene Extreme, P90X3, Hammer and Chisel, 22 Minute Hard Corps, and Insanity, Insanity Max 30...to name a few.
So by now you're probably wondering what my confession is. Well just 2 years ago, BeachBody released the most popular in-home fitness program since I've been coaching, the 21 Day Fix. 30 minute workouts, that can be done in the convenience and luxury of your own living room, combined with a completely fool proof nutrition and portion control program. I have yet to complete the full 21 days of this program. I've stopped and started so many times, and started "over again" more times than I'd like to admit. With traveling, falling off the wagon, losing interest, or just plain excuses, I just have had the hardest time sticking it out! So I'm doing what I tell my customers to do, and that is track my progress, chart my workouts and intake daily, and share my goals publicly to help me hold myself accountable. With the number of customers I've helped see some completely amazing results using the simple 30 minute workouts, and fool proof nutrition plan, portion control system, I decided it's my turn to finally commit myself to completing the full 21 days.
I invite you to follow along in my journey!
My meals for today were pretty simple, I do that intentionally so that they are easy to calculate into the containers (no need to overcomplicate things!).
I had two Chocolate Shakeology health shakes, and the same meal for Breakfast as lunch, eggs, spinach, and oats. Almonds for a snack, and I was golden!
Eggs and Oats: one red, one green, one yellow, and 1 tsp. for coconut oil.
Shakeology Health Shake: one red, one purple (1/2 banana), and 1 tsp when I added PB, blended with water and ice.
12 almonds: a blue or orange container. I used 24 almonds, that counted towards both containers.
I am using a couple different trackers, both Sparkpeople.com as well as the Beachbody 21 Day Fix mobile app, for my nutrition and workouts. It totally will help hold me accountable along with my virtual online groups that I run for my customers!
If you are also using the 21 Day Fix Extreme and following along with the Countdown to Comp meal plan, this is the schedule for carb cycling to follow:
And because we all start somewhere, here are my "before" pics!! I cannot wait to see how my body responds to this program when I give it my 110%!!! I will be sharing my in-progress pics each week, so stay tuned!!!
ON SALE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!!! To join me on your own journey with the 21 Day Fix, Fix Extreme, or the perfect fit for what you're looking for, and to have daily accountability and support virtually on-line, complete this application to learn more and reserve your spot in my next group! I look forward to sharing this journey with you!!
