Can you really see results in 21 Days?

I had seen the informercial and promos for the 21 Day Fix and the 21 Day Fix Extreme, and even I wondered what kind of results someone could really get in that short a time frame. Heck, I am a Team Beachbody coach and I was skeptical!

I wanted to put it to the test.

I was in great shape and by no means needed to lose weight. I had also been pretty solid with my nutrition, but not always on point. I wanted to see what my body could really do, and how it would respond if I followed the 21 Day Fix Extreme Nutrition Plan and just did the 30 minutes a day of workouts (modifying them to take all impact out for my knee). I wanted that killer before and after picture that the infomercials are made of!

The 21 Day Fix Extreme has 2 nutrition plans to choose from. The Fix Extreme or Countdown to Competition Plan. The countdown plan follows the regular plan 2 days a week, and then 5 days a week it changes it up some (mainly taking away fruit and carbs, but then adding in some other areas).

I chose the Fix Extreme Plan. I was honestly worried I would lose too much weight if I followed the other plan.

Why is this plan so effective?  

• It is easy to follow.  I needed easy!
• You eat the right proportion of foods in relation to each other so you feel fuller longer.
• The plan makes it easy to eat the correct serving size.
• You eat plenty of food to be satisfied and not starving all day.
• The plan is eliminates processed foods from your diet.
• It incorporates Shakeology, the most amazing nutrient dense super food shake ever.

I was even surprised how much I enjoyed the workouts.  There was tremendous variety, and my body got a different focus every day. I was only doing 30 minutes of work, but it was an intense 30 minutes that got my heart rate up, worked all my muscles, gave me a good stretch, and then let me go about my day!

I followed the nutrition plan to a T! I did not “cheat or treat.” The furthest I strayed was adding an extra half to full serving of veggies on one or two occasions.  Sticking with the plan was not as difficult as I expected it to be.

There were several reasons I was able to do so well:

• I was not starving.  I was able to eat plenty of food so I didn’t “need” to cheat.
• I had a specific goal and focus.
• I did this program with a group on FB, so I had accountability, support, and encouragement.
• I drank Shakeology every day!  This curbed cravings so I did not “need” to snack.  It kept me full during the “trouble” times in my day, and gave me energy and focus throughout the day.

My results:

I was blown away by my results.  I couldn’t believe I lost weight (I didn’t know I even had to lose), but the inches were more impressive to me.  I even got the popping abs that I didn’t believe my body could ever do!

This program, more than ever, solidified the fact that abs are made in the kitchen. I knew that in my head, I read it all the time, but now I have experienced it first hand!

I chose the 21 Day Fix Extreme, however, I fully believe that if you follow the nutrition plan and do 30 minutes of working out a day, you will see and feel crazy results as well.  I  have had several ladies go through my various groups and are blown away at the inches they have lost, the energy they feel, the confidence they have gained and the numbers consistently going down on the scale using the 21 Day Fix and other programs.

Proving the Kitchen makes all the difference

I wanted to prove again that abs and transformations are made in the kitchen regardless of program, so I chose a low impact 30 minute a day Country Dance workout called Country Heat. I literally did this program and nothing else for the 30 days. No extra push-ups or pull-ups...NOTHING! I started in good shape but ended in great shape becuase I dialed in the nutrition and followed the plan (without starving). I drank Shakeology EVERY.DARN.DAY (this is a must), and I had the support and accountability of a group!

If you are interested in getting started on a program that fits you, LET'S CONNECT! 

Can I Really Lose Weight with a Low Impact Program?

YES, YES, YES!

In July of 2014 I knew I needed to really focus on losing a little weight. I had enjoyed success with p90x and Insanity years before, but was finally facing the fact that I couldn’t be doing high impact workouts on my knee anymore and was looking for something that wasn’t going to take an hour a day.

I was in a bad place with my fitness and nutrition and in a worse place mentally. I knew I needed to do something but felt at a loss. I saw a few people enjoying PiYo and I figured I should give it a try. If it didn’t work, I was no worse off then if I didn’t try!

I was intrigued by the idea of changing the shape of my body with no weights, no jumping and no impact. To be totally honest, I was a skeptic for sure! I decided that in order to give this program a real chance, I would need to drink my Shakeology daily and follow the nutrition plan the best I could.

To say I was blown away by the changes in my body, my increased strength and flexibility, renewed mental clarity and better mood would be an understatement. I think I was most excited to finally have a nutrition plan that was super easy to follow and one that really taught me about proper nutrition. I had limitations within the plan, but not so many that I felt restricted. I think too often we want plans that give us way too many choices that we become overwhelmed. PiYo’s plan streamlined it perfectly for me!

I wasn’t working outside my home, so I had time to get workouts in, but knew I probably wouldn’t do them if they were too long. The biggest questions I had were how long were the workouts, was I in too good or bad shape, and how they heck was a low impact workout going to really get me results.

How long are the workouts and How many days a week is the program?

The workouts range from 25 to 45 minutes, with the majority clocking in around 30 minutes. PiYo is a 60-day program with workouts scheduled 6 days a week. And, because PiYo involves intense cardio, you can get results significantly faster than with traditional yoga or Pilates.

Who should be doing PiYo? Do you have to be in shape?

PiYo is for people of all ages, fitness levels, and body types. You don’t even need experience with Pilates or yoga. Chalene (One of Beachbody's Super Trainers) will walk you through everything you need to know in the first video, Align: The Fundamentals. There is even a modifier to follow in every workout, so you can focus on form and advance at your own pace.

How can you get high intensity results with a low impact workout?

PiYo takes you through low-impact stretching, strengthening, and bodyweight resistance-based exercises that promote lean muscle development, while the fast, flowing pace increases the intensity so you’re not just sculpting and defining every muscle—you’re burning major calories and fat!

PiYo strengthened my core like no program I have ever done. I felt stronger and literally did better every single time I popped in the dvd. My body felt great after each workout, but believe me, I worked, sweated (even cussed), while getting in a great workout!

The real Secret Sauce
The real secret is in your nutrition and proper supplementation. PiYo got me stronger and more flexible, however, my real results came from the incredible and easy to follow nutrition plan that came with the program and adding Shakeology into my daily routine. The combination of these 2 things in combination with PiYo is a killer combination! 

I am so mad at myself for not taking my before measurements (I honestly didn’t believe I would have any change) because the inches lost would have been incredible. I lost a solid 10-12 pounds and was well on the way to enjoying a much happier and healthier life. PiYo literally changed my life!

For more information on PiYo our to discuss any other programs, LET'S CONNECT!

What Program Will Give Me the BEST Results?

The question I get most often from people considering a fitness program is “What program will get me the best results?”

Who doesn’t want to know what program will get them the best results? I have done 13 Beachbody programs all the way through from start to finish, so I actually have some thoughts on this topic.

My honest answer is that it is going to be the program you actually do, but more importantly, it will be the one whose nutrition plan you stick with!  I did Insanity years ago and had good results, but didn’t follow the nutrition plan. Insanity is an extreme, high intensity, MAX interval training program that will allow you to burn up to 1000 calories in a workout.

Then in August of 2014, I did PiYo, a completely different kind of program that has very little to no impact at all.  This program utilizes  functional yoga/pilates type movements to help you lose weight and define all areas of your body with no weights or jumps.  

Both programs were 60 days, and neither program uses weights.  I found that my results were very similar.  Most people looking at the two programs side by side would probably guess that you would get far better results with Insanity, however, if you stick with the nutrition plan and drink Shakeology daily, you can achieve fantastic results with either.  

You don't need to do an extreme program to get extreme results!

You don’t need to beat up your body to get great results!

Please don’t misunderstand, I am not saying PiYo is a better program, what I am trying to say is that if you stick with the nutrition plan, and if you drink Shakeology daily, you will get great results, regardless of the program.  

I often wonder what my results could have been like had I been drinking Shakeology and eating properly during Insanity!

I started with the question “what program will get me the best results".  Well, if you don’t like a PiYo type program, don’t buy it!  If you are an adrenaline junkie and love the high intensity, then go for an Insanity type Max Interval program.

The Honest to goodness key to your results and your real transformation is going to happen in the kitchen. It is going to happen by following the plan that comes with your program and drinking your Shakeology daily.

I have had great results with every program I have done through Beachbody, when I have followed the nutrition plan and drank Shakeology.  The better my nutrition was, the better my results were, regardless of the kind of program I was doing.  

Why have I done so many programs?  I don’t like doing the same program over and over and over again.  Our bodies need a change every once in a while, but the biggest reason for me is that I start to get bored, I stop giving each workout the full effort it needs, and I find myself dreading it!  I also like doing different programs so I can give honest answers about those programs.  

When choosing your program think about the following questions:

• How much time do you have to fit in a workout?
• What is your current fitness level?
• What kinds of workouts do you like? 
• Do you need something with low or no impact, or a good modifier?
• What are your goals?

Once you have thought about those things, we can figure out the best program for you to begin or continue your pursuit of better health and fitness!  There is literally a program and/or nutrition plan for everyone, the key is finding the right fit for you!  

LET'S CONNECT and get you going!