Happy Sunday!! I don't know where all of you are from, but today is a COLD and windy day! I woke up and read that is was negative 3 degrees! YIKES! I figure it would be a good day to stay in, play with the family, and of course, write a blog post! I just completed Week 1 of the 21 Day Fix Extreme! I am really loving it so far! I am HUGE fan of the original 21 Day Fix so I was very happy to hear that Autumn Calabrese decided to come out with a new program that increased in intensity. It is perfect timing too since we will be headed to Cancun in April! So, how did my Week 1 go? Actually, it went great! I tried some new recipes, new workouts, and even increased my weights!
Let's talk nutrition first.....
A cool feature of this program is when figuring out which calorie / container range you are in, you have a few choices! Everyone doesn't use the same exact formula. You actually base it on how active your lifestyle is and even have the option of whether you want to lose weight or maintain weight. As for myself, I still fall in to the first calorie range which is 1200-1499 calories. So, my nutritional plan hasn't changed that much. There are definitely some eliminations in this program, for example, pancakes/waffles, bacon, and all treats just to name a few. As a results, there is no room for cheat meals! Ahh!!! BUT, it's only 21 days! Below is my meal plan that I followed for the first full week (ending tonight of course).
21 Day Fix Extreme Meal Plan
I have to say, there are some DELICIOUS recipes in the Extreme Eating Plan book! I just couldn't wait to try them so I did make a few last week!
Turkey Meatballs
First, I started with Turkey Meatballs. Now let me just say that #1, I am not a big fan of meatballs and #2, I am not a big fan of ground turkey. So, why did I try these? Well, I am a creature of habit and tend to eat the same things for a few weeks or so before switching it up. Guess what...it was time to switch things up! I wanted to expand my horizons and give these a try (plus, the picture in the book looked really good!). MUCH to my surprise, I really liked them!! They had the perfect amount of seasoning and the big bonus is you get to eat FIVE of them for 1 red protein container! A couple of days I stuck with just the meatballs, like my plan says, and some other days I ended up adding an extra green container and cutting them up in a small salad. Both ways were delicious!
For the past several weeks I've been eating my typical cottage cheese, apples, and cinnamon but again, the picture in the Extreme Eating Plan book grabbed my attention and I had to make this Greek Yogurt Parfait. OMG!!! I was sooo good! It is my new go-to snack with just enough crunch due to the walnut addition.
Greek Yogurt Parfait
Last but certainly not least, I gave these Chicken Fajitas a try! I've made a few versions of fajitas, all of which are good, but these are definitely going to be my new go-to dinner. Who would have thought?! I was a little nervous about my husband looking down at his plate and seeing fajitas in a piece of lettuce rather than a tortilla. He did give me that "what is this look" at first, but it turns out he really did like it! I'm actually making them again this week but using some Flank steak instead of chicken!
Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps
21 Day Fix Extreme Competition Prep
The last thing I wanted to mention was another awesome feature of this program. You actually have 2 choices when it comes to the nutrition plan. You can choose to follow the 21 Day Fix Extreme plan, which is what my meal plan is based off of, or, you can do the Countdown to Competition Prep plan. Autumn has decided to share her plan that she follows "to a T" while prepping for her fitness competitions. I can't share ALL of her secrets but I will say that you eat more frequently, which means more meals, and lots of protein and veggies. It isn't a plan that is designed to follow forever though. This plan is perfect for when you are ready to drop those last 5-10 pounds, getting ready for a special event, or even a vacation. In any case, it's nice to have that option there!
How about we chat about the workouts! I have three words....I.AM.SORE!!
WOW did these workouts pick up in intensity! I just completed Insanity Max 30 and these workouts are right up there with that! All workouts use a set of light and heavy weights and/or a resistance band. My favorite right now is definitely the Pilates Fix Extreme. There are some crazy moves with the bands and boy are they effective!!
21 Day Fix Extreme
So here is the breakdown of workouts:
Plyo Fix Extreme: Lower body workout that uses jumping and resistance to torch calories and sculpt muscles Upper Fix Extreme: No-rest upper body workout will shred your chest, back, shoulders, and arms. Let me say....JELLO arms!!
21 Day Fix Extreme
Pilates Fix Extreme: Uses a resistance band for every exercise and places emphasis on the core.
21 Day Fix Extreme: Pilates Fix Extreme
Lower Fix Extreme: 30 minutes of challenging lower body work that will get your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves a GREAT workout! Cardio Fix Extreme: Weighted cardio moves and traditional metabolic training intervals that will keep your heart soaring!
Dirty 30 Extreme: 7 compound moves focusing on multiple body parts at a time. You will burn lots of calories while defining your muscles.
Yoga Fix Extreme: A fast-paced yoga class combining strength, balance, flexibility, and power.
10 Minute Hardcore: An ab-shredding workout that utilizes a single dumbbell to increase intensity, which will carve out lean, ripped abs.
The Fix Challenge: This is a bonus workout that you will get for FREE when ordering through a Team Beachbody Coach, like myself! To be honest, I haven't given this workout a try yet but know that it is a full out intense cardio challenge!
I don't know about you, but when doing all of these home fitness programs I love having a calendar of workouts to track my progress. It's a good feeling for me to be able to check off my workouts as I go, so, like with the 21 Day Fix, I created a workout calendar for the 21 Day Fix Extreme as well! If you are doing this program, feel free to print it off for yourself!
21 Day Fix Extreme Workout Calendar
Ok so are you in? Are you ready to take the plunge and commit to 21 days of creating new healthy habits that will become a part of your lifestyle? My next Pick Your Fix group begins with a preseason week of planning and prep on Monday, February 23, 2015. I will teach you the ins and outs of either 21 Day Fix program and provide you with the support, motivation, and accountability to keep you on track to those results that you have been wanting! If YOU are ready, please complete the application below and I will be in touch!!!
