21 day fix extreme mistakes and how to fix them

Can you believe it’s August?!?  It seems like the older I get, the faster time goes.  Is that true for you, too?  I don’t know about you, but having the kids home really throws my schedule off track. We all sleep in a little later, I feel like I’m constantly in the car running kids around, the house is usually messy, and all these extra distractions make it easier to slip into vacation mode and let healthy eating and exercise slip. We have been eating healthier but we have found ourselves to be in a bit of a rut when it comes to working out and we wanted to try something new.
So my husband and I actually decided to do the 21 day fix program together which was so much fun because it kept us both accountable and motivated! I will be honest with you…I figured we’d be eating teeny tiny portions in teeny tiny containers, boy was I wrong!  

The first week took a little tweaking to make sure we were eating all of the food we need to plus working out together is something we haven’t really done before. Actually, we have never worked out together before until now.

There is a reason why the 21 Day Fix is the most popular Beachbody program….because it not only gives you a variety of no-excuses, effective 30 minute workouts that you can do in the privacy of your home, but it give you a foolproof portion control meal plan system.  Not dieting, but simple clean eating that can be continued for a lifetime. The 21 Day Fix focuses on portion control and the workouts are only 30 minutes a day which honestly I think we can ALL find time for!  Even the busiest of moms should find time for themselves for at least 30 minutes a day and if you don’t already do this then this is something I challenge you to try! 

You work hard and deserve it.

The 21 Day Fix Extreme was an amazing experience. So amazing, in fact, that I’m going to do it all over again! This time though I’m going to do a few things differently but before I get to “how we did” I want to share with you some of the mistakes we made along the way.

1. Choosing the wrong program.  When the hubby and I decided to give the 21 day fix a try I had assumed that we would be doing the original one that was created for anybody and everybody – whether you’ve been working out for a long time or are new to fitness. We however did the 21 Day Fix Extreme. This program is meant for someone who is already exercising and has a baseline of fitness. It is not designed for someone new to working out, or just getting back in shape after sitting on the couch for 15 years.
2. We skipped taking out body measurements and took crappy before pictures with our cellphones.   I will be the first one to share that the thought of sharing my love of imported beer and cheesy nachos with the entire planet is embarrassing but the proof is in those snap shots. It’s hard to see where the inches have melted away when you have nothing to compare. Plus, they are motivating in and of themselves!  When we start our second round I am going to make sure those photos are done right!
3. We didn’t take advantage of the free Beachbody coaches or the online support. This person is there to guide you, encourage you and answer any questions you have every step of the way.  We just found one and have already  signed up to be a part of a Facebook Challenge group starting in a few short weeks. 
4. Relying on the bathroom scale a little too much.  This next round I will be hiding my scale so I am not jumping on it ever day. It’s discouraging and honestly those numbers are just numbers! 
5. Not planning ahead. Silly right?  I have been to the dark side of the 21 day fix people and it’s not pretty. When hard boiled eggs are flying around the kitchen because the shell won’t come off it’s too late to plan out what your going to nibble on when your peckish and just want to eat a bag of chips.  
6. Taking Cheat days! This time I’m not going to cheat. Yes, I cheated! We went out to eat a couple of times and we didn’t plan for how we were going to eat when we were on the road picking the kids up from camp so we ended up at a gas station with a bag of Doritos and some sour candies and well, you know how that goes! Once you have “just one” it’s hard to stop. Other than that I did pretty good and really stuck to it but I still felt disappointed in myself for not doing it 100%.

If you’re looking to achieve maximum results on 21 Day Fix, my best advice to you is to follow the program as best as you can. But don’t forget that you’re human, and you’re going to slip up. You’re going to cave into your cravings, you’re going to skip a workout, and you may even indulge in a cheat meal or two. It’s okay, and it’s not the end of the world. Just give it all you’ve got for the next 21 days, and you’ll be amazed at the results you can achieve.

So, how did we do?   Since we didn’t take any measurements I can’t give an exact number of inches lost but, I can say that my clothes are fitting differently than they did at the beginning of summer.  I have shorts I couldn’t slip into at all that are now too big.  I only lost 3 lbs but my body looks a lot different than it did in my before picture. I’m sleeping much better at night and one of my favourite parts of the day is having my shake after a kick ass workout.  As for my hubby he has shed 10 lbs and is looking forward to starting our next round plus both of us are looking for ways to get our children more active!  

Have you tried any beachbody programs before?  I would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.