21-Day Fix Extreme: The Final Week

I can understand now, why people do several rounds of the original 21-Day Fix. Once you head into week three, you really start to understand how the whole food and work out combination start to affect your body. I was feeling much stronger with all of my workouts, and I had gotten into a routine with my food. I will say that I will probably never go back to eating that much fish and asparagus, no matter what. As much as I like cod and haddock, I just cannot eat it three times a day for several days in a row. However, it is nice to know that by tightening up your diet so extremely, you can get unbelievable results.

I really noticed my physical gains the first day of week three with Plyo Fix Extreme. This was probably the hardest workout for me when I first started the program. It's an extreme amount of jumping and if your legs aren't very toned, it can be very difficult. Getting through this workout made it really evident of the gains that I had made over the last two weeks. I had decided at the end of week 2 that I was going to extremely tighten up my diet until the end of week 3. However, as the week went on I realized that I needed a day where I could eat more carbs and add some fruit. It is as though you can feel your body screaming for extra carbohydrates. And when I did eat them, I certainly noticed the difference in my energy levels, and my workouts. There is definitely a reason why you need to insert a couple days out of the week with an increased sugar intake and increase carbohydrate intake.

I will say, that week three is the week that you will notice your most gains. Even though I didn't drop any weight, according to my scale, I definitely saw some real muscle tone poking through the little bit of fat I had left on my body. I wasn't sure what my total gains were going to be at this point, and I also wasn't sure how my pictures were going to turn out.  I was positive though, that I was going to see some serious gains because of how my body felt. I was stronger and I knew it.

Food at this point really did not vary at all after two weeks of eating the same things. There was no need to feel like I need to reinvent the wheel in week three. It was more important for me to stay on track and make sure that I made it through this entire week on schedule, and with my food exactly as it had been over the last two weeks. In reference to doing more than one round, it was at the beginning of this week that I realized I knew I was going to end up doing this program for another 21 days. Although I was getting a chemical peel, which does not allow me to work out for 48 hours, I would take one full day off and make sure that I got back on track as soon as I possibly could.

These workouts have been more efficient, and I have seen more results in 21 days, than I had with some 3 month programs.  A huge amount that has to do with the fact that I tightened my diet up as much as I did. I do truly believe that each and every program has amazing results, but these workouts combined with this diet plan, certainly helps even the most overweight and out of shape person stay focused on their diet and nutrition in a far easier fashion then any other program with which I have worked . Energy levels have increased, muscle tone has increased, and my overall general attitude was extremely high. Typically in this time of year, with winter in New England it can be difficult to be motivated, but knowing this program is only 21 days made it a lot easier to commit to every day when I woke up. The more loss and gains that you see, the more motivated you are to complete the 21 days. It really wasn't until the end of the week when I took my after pictures that I was completely blown away by the gains that I had made in the short amount of time. Anyone who actually does this, take their pictures, and  track all their food, will realize how amazing this program is. It will motivate you to do 2, 3, or four rounds just to see how far you can go.

That being said, I did miss dinners out with my boyfriend, and making lasagna, but the results that I had always been looking for were right around the corner, and these are easy sacrifices to make for what I wanted. I think it's important to stress that here. It is about what our goal is, and what we are trying to achieve. We are willing to sacrifice so much for so many other things in our life, but when it comes to our own health and fitness we so often push it aside. If you want to get in the best shape of your life it takes focus, commitment, time, and the mindset of knowing that you're going to complete this, and go as far as you can until you get as far as you can. It is certainly not a lifestyle you can live on forever, eating fish and very little carbs, however it will get you as close to this goal of definition and muscular build as you can possibly get. Especially if you dedicate yourself 100% to the program

I am excited here to share with you the results that I have gotten from this 21-Day Fix Extreme program over just 21 days. My chest was smaller, my arms were more toned, my abs defined, and my butt lifted at least 2 inches, and my thighs had lost almost an inch on both sides.

My beginning measurements were as follows:

Chest: 36.5"
Waist: 32"
Hips: 39"
Arms: 11.5"
Thighs: 22.75"

Weight: 148.4 lbs.
Body Fat: 29.1%
Muscle Mass: 30.8%

My final measurements are 21-days are as follows:

Chest: 35"
Waist: 30.5"
Hips: 36.5"
Arms: 11"
Thighs: 22"

Weight: 143 lbs.
Body Fat: 26.5%
Muscle Mass: 32%

My dream has always been to get in the 130's with my weight, but I'm realizing that this may not be a realistic goal with my build and body.  That being said, I couldn't be more thrilled with the results that I have gotten.  Most important, this program has retrained my mind on how much time you need to dedicate to your workouts (not as much as I had been previously), and how prepared you need to be when it comes to nutrition.  After two weeks, I didn't really need to think as much about what to prep and cook, and I wasn't missing the way that I felt after eating crap.  That's not to say that I didn't immediately have a cheat day when I finished the program, but I certainly felt like crap after I ate everything I wanted to.

I hope that this inspires you to make the necessary changes in your life.  Whether it's with a Beachbody program, a personal trainer, or a nutritionist, if you want big changes in  the way you look and feel, then you need to make big changes in your life.  I have continued to eat on my Competition Meal Plan for the most part, and still work out daily.  This is something that can never change if I want to keep improving my strength and losing any excess fat.

I'll leave you with this picture, taken from four years ago when I started P90X, but before I quit drinking.  You can change your life, you just need to decide to do it!

If you're interested in trying any of our Beachbody workouts, or need advice on nutrition and exercise, please contact me at:
www.beachbodycoach.com/mlbarclay 
or
mariassuperfittraining@gmail.com

DECIDE. COMMIT. SUCCEED.

Maria

21-Day Fix Extreme: Week 2

DAYS 8, 9, 10 & 11

DAY 8: PLYO FIX EXTREME

Leaving for vacation, was going to prove difficult when it came to my nutrition. I know how difficult it can be to eat out, even when I'm just trying to be somewhat healthy, never mind when I'm on a restricted diet. I would be lying if I said I wasn't at all worried about how the next three days in the Florida we're going to go. I had thought over and over again about what I was going to do from the time I got on my flight, until I landed in Florida. I also knew that I would be staying at a Disney resort, which meant there was going to be more indulgence, then there was healthy food.

My first step, was to make sure that I was all set from the time I left my house in the early morning until I landed down south. Most people worry about what they're going to wear, I was worried about what I was going to eat over the next five hours. The best thing that I could think of, was to pack food for when I boarded the plane. There was some debate over whether or not I would be able to carry food on the plane, but I figured I would try my best, pack a cooler and hope for the best. The worst that could happen is they would make me dump out my food, but at least I had tried. It turned out that I didn't have to worry about that, and so I still had my ground turkey, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and coconut oil. It was essential that I had that entire day planned so that I didn't have to worry about what I was going to eat until dinner. 

It proved a very successful, as I was able to eat every two hours up until we got into our hotel room. That is not to say that it wasn't difficult to decide what I was going to eat for dinner. As we had flown all day, I really didn't want to travel for food. That being the case we decided to dine at the Maya Grill in the resort.  Although I wasn't able to get the leanest cut of steak, I did manage to stay to proteins and steamed vegetables, even though the server looked at me like I was crazy. It was nice to know that the next two days wouldn't be quite as bad as I thought they'd be. I just knew that I was going to be very diligent about what I ordered and how I ordered it.

My attack for the started with two egg muffins, a planned Shakeology with avocado after that, and three protein servings of ground turkey and three servings of steamed sweet potatoes. I had also cut up two red peppers, and half of a cucumber, so that I would have a couple snacks in case we couldn't find healthy food right away. As we were attached to another couple, this made it a little more difficult to travel outside of the resort if they needed the car as well. That entire day was very successful, no matter how weird everyone around me seem to think it was that I was eating ground turkey and steam sweet potatoes on a plane, or by the pool.

My workout was less of a concern, because I knew that, no matter what, I would make it down to the hotel gym. Although some people have a difficult time working out on vacation, I find it very easy to get out of bed put on my sneakers and attack the gym. I planned on bringing my laptop down that evening and following my regular routine which was Plyo Fix Extreme. I got that done around 5:30 in the evening, which left plenty of time for us to relax and get ready for dinner. Although there was limited space in the gym, it didn't stop me from setting up my own spot and making sure that I give 150% to my work out that day. If you're traveling, you need to let go of the concern of other people around you, and what they think about your workouts. I went in there give it everything I had, and could barely walk up the stairs to my room. That being said much like my food, it's important to have a plan, know what you're going to do, and then follow through.

DAY 9: UPPER FIX EXTREME

Day 2 was a little more complicated because I didn't think that I could get egg whites from room service. We went down to the cafeteria and I found oatmeal, and added some almonds. Although I didn't really get protein in for breakfast, I knew I could make up with for it with lunch and dinner. I also brought enough Shakeology to make it through every day of the week, so I didn't have to worry about one of my proteins every day. I managed to have salads and add egg whites and also ended up out to dinner with the couple we traveled with having a filet, a sweet potato and steamed vegetables. Where I normally would not eat anything outside of broccoli and asparagus, I couldn't afford to be that picky and had settled myself with the fact that I was going to have to eat vegetables that I hadn't been eating up until then. That being said, I couldn't be disappointed by that fact. I had chosen to go on vacation knowing that I would be attached to a dietary restriction, and I was going to succeed no matter what. Day 2's workout was a little more difficult, as when I went to the gym it was fully packed especially with big guys who wanted to lift heavy weights. But like I said before, I wasn't going to let that stop me and I carved out my own space, and attacked my workout. It was a great feeling to know that I could be traveling, and still stay on track both with my nutrition and my workouts.

At this point, I also couldn't wait my weigh myself daily, so it made it a little difficult to know where I was making gains. I trusted in the fact that as long as I stayed on top of my diet and exercise, I wasn't going to have anything to worry about. This was very true as I had lost some weight when I returned home.

DAY 10: PILATES FIX EXTREME

Day 3 of vacation ended up turning out much better than I had anticipated. I had called down to room service and found out that I could get egg whites and oatmeal with water. I ordered two orders of egg whites, as I knew that I would want to take them home, if the portion sizes were decent. This was probably the best decision I could have meat for traveling home the next day. I started my day strong with protein and carbs, and had already picked up a salad to bring back to the room the night before. This made me feel very confident, as I knew I would be getting all of my greens and all of my proteins in for the day. Chad and I had already made reservations to have dinner at a seafood restaurant, so I knew I would be able to get some white flaky fish with some steamed vegetables. I was disappointed that it took me this long to feel this confident when having dietary restrictions on vacation, but I certainly learned a lot through the process.

I did Pilates Fix Extreme in my hotel room, as all I needed was a resistance band and a little bit of room.  The gym at the resort was small, and I didn't want to run into the same problem I had the day before.  I cleaned out the space in front of our sink vanity, threw a towel on the floor, and attacked my workout, no excuses.  I had been laying out in the sun all day, and we had turned the AC off in the room earlier that morning, so I sweated out every ounce of fluid I had by doing Pilates that afternoon.  That workout is always an ab and butt burner, and I loved every second of it!

DAY 11: LOWER FIX EXTREME

Our flight out of Florida was relatively early, so I knew I wouldn't get my workout in before we left.  I had learned so much over these few day about how to pack for flights, and how to be prepared to execute my workouts. I also now know what to order before I fly out at the end of the week, to make me prepared for my flight home. I knew it was going to be daunting to have a workout hanging over my head after we got home. Having to fly early in the morning, and then travel home, to get back to a work out was certainly hanging over my head. Despite any thoughts I had of not completing my work out that day, I mentally had told myself that I had committed to the these 21 days. I repetitively said to myself 21 days is not that long to work out every day. I had also told myself that I wanted it more than I didn't. I was not going to let a little travel get in the way of the goals that I had set over the last two weeks. I had made so many gains this far, and I wasn't about to lose them on one weak moment.

I saved my egg whites, in my oatmeal from the day before, and also made sure that I had some veggies to travel. Additionally, I had my Shakeology in case worse came to worse and I needed something quick in my system. Flying can be very hard when you're trying to make sure you eat every two hours. You are never guaranteed a nutritious meal in an airport, not that it can't be found, it just is difficult when looking at the food choices.

Once we returned home, I made sure that I took a little nap, and woke up feeling better and ready to attack my workout. It was difficult, and it certainly wasn't what I wanted to do at the time, but it I got it done and I pushed through. It's another example of how mentally preparing yourself for something will help you physically accomplish it. I wasn't going to let my week will win over my strong mind. 

PROGRESS:

I was going to take pictures while I was on vacation, but when I started to do it, I realized that I couldn't get the right angles and it certainly wasn't showing the same lighting that I had at home. For that reason I decided to wait and do my pictures when I got home. I was amazed by two things. One, that I was so pasty white before I went to Florida, and I had absolutely no idea. Secondly, I saw some serious progress over a 10 day period. I couldn't believe that I had seen so much tightening in my body in such a short amount of time. It is very motivating to know that our body is so resilient and bounces back so easily, and that by focusing on our diet and exercise, we are able to change our bodies in under two weeks. That is not to say that I am not attacking this thing with 150% of my energy and focus, but even decent changes to our diet will drastically affect how we look and feel. 

These are my Day 12 Photos:

When measuring myself, I also saw great numbers. My starting numbers were:

Chest: 36.5"

Waist: 32"

Hips: 39"

Thighs: 22.75"

Arms: 11.5"

My Day 12 numbers were:

Chest: 35.5"

Waist: 31"

Hips: 37"

Thighs: 22.25"

Arms: 11" 

This was amazing to me! An inch off my chest and waist, 2 inches off of my hips, and half an inch off of both my thighs and arms. These are huge, huge losses in 12 days. Especially considering that I was traveling for four days at the beginning of the week, and didn't have access to the food that I necessarily would have at home. I can't believe that I have seen this much loss on my body in less than two weeks. It has certainly taken some mental strength and dedication, but when you see results like this, it makes it all worth it.

If you are interested in trying 21 day fix extreme, or any beach body program, remember that you can order through me to receive a free DVD and online coaching at www.beachbodycoach.com/mlbarclay 

FOCUS.  COMMIT. SUCCEED. 

Maria

21-Day Fix Extreme: Days 2 and 3

DAY 2

I can honestly say that day two of 21-Day Fix Extreme was extremely hard on me nutritionally.  I'm here to be honest, and that is what I'm going to be.  Although I am a relatively clean eater, the elimination of fruit, dairy, and most carbohydrates on the Countdown to Competition Meal Plan, sent me into a bit of sugar withdrawal.  Fruit is one of my main substitutes for processed sugars, obviously, so having none at all was a bit of a shock to the system by day 2.  Also, getting only one serving of carbs on those days creates a complete depletion of insulin spikes, so my body was burning red hot from the workouts, and really just burning off of the fats on my body.  This is the idea, clearly, but when you're going through it, it just doesn't feel so pleasant. Protein and veggies, protein and veggies...that's about it.

OK, now that I'm done whining, the things that I have learned thus far.  Planning, planning, planning.  When my body was burning like a furnace, I really only had about a two hour window before I was starving again.  So, if I didn't have food prepped already, it was an additional 15-20 minutes that I had to wait to eat, and that just made me hangry.  Fish, eggs whites, turkey, and lean red meat.  Buy it, prep it, and cook a ton of it.  Have it sitting in the fridge for when your stomach starts to speak.  Otherwise, you'll find yourself standing with your refrigerator doors open, hating that you ever made the decision to start down this path.  Same thing for veggies; broccoli, asparagus, peppers, cucumbers, green beans. Buy them, clean them, steam them, portion them.  It's survival in order to make it through the C2C Meal Plan days.  I also tend bar on Tuesday nights, and hadn't accounted for the extra calories that I would burn from running around the bar area, so I learned my lesson there.  Bring more food, eat more often.  Overall though, I loved the Upper Fix Extreme workout, as I LOVE to push weight, and the 10 min. Hardcore video that you can add on is quickly becoming one of my favorite add-ons to the program.

DAY 3

Ahhh, 2 extra carbs, and 3 servings of fruit?!?  I didn't know I could be so excited about this, but it was seriously like a mini celebration when I woke up.  My favorite Chocolate Shakeology recipe has Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, banana, and peanut butter, and I can't have that on my C2C meal plan days, so when I woke up at 5:30 am (yeah, I couldn't freaking sleep, and my stomach was GROWLING), and knew I could have my favorite breakfast. there was a sigh of relief.  It's the small things people...otherwise, you'll end up shoving a donut in your face.  This was a bit of a relief in my day, knowing that I wouldn't be feeling like I was having a totally restrictive food day.  

Poached eggs over steamed asparagus, Cashew n' Oats Pancakes, Turkey Meatloaf with sweet potato and steamed broccoli; all this made my day a little bit better.  Even my boyfriend was surprised by how good the meatloaf was, and it will most certainly make it only my food blog.  

When it came to approaching Pilates Fix Extreme, I went at that workout with the wrong mindset.  I have done Pilates in workout programs before, and thought, "I totally have this, NBD!"  Yeah, add a resistance band to anything, and it'll make you realize you were barely doing any work before.  Autumn Calabrese brings Pilates to a whole different level, so if you think your arms and legs are safe, they are not!  I don't think I've ever been so exhausted from floor work in my entire fitness career.  My favorite move of the day, had to be the Circle Teaser.  The abdominal work, and the leg work are insane, and the burn is AWESOME!

It never ceases to amaze me how a new move in your routine can change how you look at the previous work that you have done.  I've done this move plenty of times before without resistance bands, but add that little bit of resistance, and you entirely change what muscle groups that you engage.  Give it a try, and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.  

STATS

So on day three, what had changed?  Well, I had gone from 148.4 lbs. on Day 1 to 146.6 lbs. on Day 3.  That's almost 2 lbs. in three days.  This is a huge loss, as most people would find difficulty in losing a pound a day, and it certainly can't be maintained for a lengthy period of time.  But, this is the point of 21-Day Fix Extreme and the Countdown to Competition Meal Plan.  Extreme results in less than 30 days, as long as you stay committed to your nutrition and exercise; it's not impossible, it's just hard.  As they say, it's supposed to be hard, if it wasn't everyone one would do it.  My Day 3 photos:

I am excited to see this change over 21 days.  This is the first time that I have taken photos this often, as most programs have you do it once a month, as you progress through different stages of the program. If you folks have any questions or comments, throw them my way.  I would love to hear suggestions and concerns that other people have also faced.  So far, I FREAKING LOVE THIS PROGRAM!!! 

Remember, if you want to try ANY Beachbody program, including this 21-Day Fix Extreme, you can order it through me right HERE!  For ordering through me you will also receive an additional FREE DVD,  Don't miss out!

DECIDE. COMMIT. SUCCEED.

Maria

21-Day Fix Extreme: Prep Day for Success

Starting a new program or nutrition plan can be very overwhelming, especially when you're starting from scratch.  The last nutritional plan that I followed to a "T" was when I did P90X, 3 years ago.  After that, I had cleaned up my diet enough that when I was working out regularly, I didn't really need to be particular about my food, as long as I didn't eat a ton of garbage.  Overall, I am a very clean eater, so it's rare that I track my food religiously, or weigh myself daily.

The problem was, of course, that I was never getting the results that I could have gotten if I had stayed really focused on what I was putting in my mouth.  For that reason, I decided to try Beachbody's newest program, 21-Day Fix Extreme.  I have had several customers who had great results with the first program 21-Day Fix, and I was especially interested in the Extreme program because it offered a 'Countdown to Competition' Meal Plan.  I had often researched what body builders ate to prep for competition, but there is so much information on the web, and I wasn't quite sure where to start.  This program offered me the opportunity to start fresh, focus on my macro nutrients, and launch me into new workouts.  As I am religiously a P90X, X2, and X3 program participant, it was nice to think about trying a new program, and trainer, all the way through.  AND, it's only 21 days...how hard could it be???

Well, preparation for any life change is where you need to start.  I tell every client and customer that they need to first go through all the information that is provided.  Read the 'Start Here' Guide that explains the workouts, and what you need to execute them.  Then there's learning how to correctly utilize the portion control containers that come with the program.

STEP 1:

The first step I needed to take was figuring out how many calories I was going to need to consume to fuel my body for my daily activities, including my workouts, but also make sure there was a caloric deficit that would allow me to lose weight and tone my body.  Luckily, they provide this formula for you in the 'Eating Plan' so it was easy for me to see that I fell between the 1,500-1,799 calories per day.  This directly led me to how many of each containers (proteins, veggies, fruits, healthy fats, seeds and dressings, and oil and nut butters) that I would need to eat each day. 

STEP 2:

Knowing that I wanted to try the Countdown to Competition Meal Plan, I then referenced the packet for that to see how my nutrition was going to change.  For two days I would be on a "carb depletion" or Countdown to Competition Meal Plan, and the following day would be a regular Extreme Eating Plan.  In order to track the difference in my foods those days, I printed out the Team Beachbody provided 21-Day Fix Extreme Countdown to Competition Tally Sheet.  

As you can see, on my Countdown to Competition (C2C) Meal Plan, I have the same amount of veggies as my Extreme days, but I have 0 fruits, 3 more proteins, only 1 carb, no healthy fats, no seeds or dressings, and 3 tsp. of oil and nut butters (or a substitution of avocado for one of my tsp. of coconut oil).  Because I wanted to follow Autum's C2C plan to a "T" this drastically decreased the choices I had for these categories, (as she only eats certain things on her plan, and eliminates dairy all together), so my third step was to make a concise list of everything that I could eat, which would help me build my meal plan.  

STEP 3:

This meal plan has me eating 7-8 times a day, which is a challenge, and eating a lot of protein on my carb depletion days, which can be difficult when you're limited in your protein choices, and eliminate dairy all together.  However, I am a creature of habit, so as long as I know what I was eating when, I can eat the same thing almost all of the time.  

STEP 4:

With that in mind I set up my own meal plan.  As helpful as the Tally Sheet is, it doesn't allow for room to write out your meals for the day, so I created my own meal plan sheet. 

For me, once I have a basic meal plan like this, it's easier for me to visually substitute my proteins and veggies by just looking at the previous list.  If on my next two C2C days I don't want fish, I just reference my allowed foods and substitute a different protein.  Likewise for every other food group.  Then, when setting up my 'Extreme' eating days, where I am allowed more fruits, fats and seeds, I can still stay within the same guidelines, but add in my extra carbs and sugars with the foods that I want.  If you're not setting up your meal plans some way, you're going to have a harder time staying on track with what you're eating when.  Being prepared keeps you focused and on track, so just do the work up front, so you don't find yourself standing in front of your fridge in full rage not knowing what you're going to eat.  

STEP 5:

I cannot express the importance of taking your 'Before' pictures, and tracking your weight and measurements.  With this program, I wanted to track day-to-day for 21-days exactly how my body changes.  I want to show people just the results you can get when you're focused for only 3 weeks.  I am going to track my weight and pictures daily, do my beginning measurements, and then again once a week to track my progress.  If you think you need more than 3 weeks to have extreme results, I am going to prove you wrong.  If you are on track with your nutrition and exercise, you'll be shocked at the results you can have in such a short period of time.  

My Measurements:

Chest - 36.5"

Arms - 11.5"

Waist - 32"

Hips - 39"

Thighs - 22.75"

Weigh-In:

Weight - 148.4 lbs.

Body Fat % - 29.1%

Muscle Mass - 30.8%

Water - 50.5%

*I use a Weight Guru Scale that calculates everything.  You can find apps and equations online to do the same.  Although it's not always 100% accurate, if you use the same equation over time, it will track your gains and losses just the same.

Day 1:

*Outside of cropping my pictures, I did not use any filters or alter the pictures at all.  I want to stay true to how much body looks, as is, not as I want it to be.  That's the whole reason I'm starting this process to begin with.

So, these are my starting points.  I'm actually surprised that my Body Fat is so high, but I'm excited to see the change over time, and I take into consideration that my scales calculations are based on an electrical pulse that goes up and through my body, and often times where you hold your fat will have an influence on this.

No matter where we start, we must remember that starting is the most important part.  It's not to be discouraged by what we see, but rather to be excited about where we will be at the end.  21 days of laser-focused nutrition, and 21 days of solid workouts.  We will see just how far I can go, and what results I can get in 21 days.  

Remember, if you want to try ANY Beachbody program, including this 21-Day Fix Extreme, you can order it through me right HERE!  For ordering through me you will also receive an additional FREE DVD,  Don't miss out!

Work Hard.  Eat Right.  Stay Focused.

Maria

WHAT TO EAT WHEN YOU ARE EATING OUT

WHAT TO EAT WHEN YOU ARE EATING OUT

Why does the general restaurant industry have to make it so confusing to make healthy food choices when you are dining out with family and friends?  It seems to me, that any good restaurant not only has options for those guests who would like a healthy meal, but also has servers who are trained in how to modify current dish options in order to accommodate those guests who are looking to stay on track with their clean eating.  What I would like to do here, is offer my advice to ordering your food exactly how you want it, so you’re not questioning your caloric intake every single time you dine out.

I have worked in the restaurant industry for 13 years, and I have seen food prepared in ways that would terrify you; ribs dipped in bacon fat, chickens rubbed in butter, sticks of butter in rice, salmon cooked in butter, bacon bits in green beans, whole cream in mashed potatoes.  Although most ‘high-end’ restaurants create a very farm-to-fork menu, providing a much fresher, healthier version of dishes to offer, the reality is fat tastes good,  and it’s usually in every meal whether you recognize it or not. 

The advice that I am going to offer here is addressing a restaurant that is offering a wide array of choices, and restaurant menus that can be modified to fit your current nutritional needs.  What I am not addressing, is how to eat healthy at your favorite burger joint, or the English Pub down the street.  Ending up in one of those restaurants will drastically limit your healthy food choices (although not eliminate them), and ending up there is only going to increase your likelihood of making bad food choices.

WHERE TO START

Protein

When you enter any restaurant, sit down, receive your menu, this is your opportunity to start your search for your healthy meal options.  Start with your protein.  What are you going to eat for protein?  The obvious choices come to mind: chicken, turkey, salmon, halibut, shrimp, beef.   What are the protein options that your restaurant is offering?  Now pick one.  I don’t care if it’s a composite dish already put together, or it’s a topping on a pizza.  If it’s offered somewhere on the menu, they can usually accommodate you if you ask for it to be prepared differently.

Now, let’s talk preparation.  I’ll share a restaurant secret with you: almost EVERYTHING is cooked in some kind of fat.  Whether it is butter or olive oil, it’s most likely being cooked in excess calories.  The upside is that with the amount of allergies we see in the industry today, almost every restaurant has been forced to cook everything from scratch, so you can usually modify the cooking prep no matter what the protein is. 

If you want any protein healthier, ask your server if it can be prepared baked, broiled, or grilled.  Let them know that you do not want excess fat in your cooking process, and they will most likely be able to oblige.  

One preparation to be VERY aware of is any protein that is already in a marinade.  A larger amount of restaurants pre-marinade their chicken and steak, and I’m going to share another secret with you: those marinades typically have excess sugar in them.  Just ask your server if you can order them without the marinade, and if you can’t, either make a new protein choice, or recognize that you are choosing to include refined sugars in your diet.

Your Sides

The next place on the menu you want to look is your Side Dish options.  I’m not just talking about the sides that are listed in that one spot, but the sides that might be offered with composite dishes that are not offered under your side options.  Most of the time, if it’s on the menu and you ask for it, they’ll get it for you. 

Again, almost every side is going to be prepared with some type of fat, whether it’s butter, olive oil, bacon fat, or cream.  Choose your sides wisely, and then ask for them to be steamed.  Yes, your vegetables will come without seasoning, however you can add salt and pepper at the table, and you also get to control just how much sodium you ingest.  You can always choose to have your sides prepped in olive oil, but keep in mind that even if you ask for it with just a tablespoon of olive oil, you have no idea how much the chef behind the line is actually putting on your vegetable. 

A go-to for most people is a baked Idaho or sweet potato, and I think it’s important to address the prep here.  Most restaurants dip or roll their potatoes in butter or margarine.  WHAT?  Yup, that’s what makes it so fluffy and moist.  So if you’re going to order one, ask how it is prepared, and if you feel it’s a must regardless, avoid eating the skin.

So You Chose a Salad…Aren’t You Healthy

Or not. Most chain restaurants offer salads that are far too large, and they are topped with items that should not appear in a healthy salad.  If your go-to restaurant item is a salad, make sure you’re getting all veggies (cucumber, tomato, carrots, etc.,) and you’re ordering your dressing on the side.  It’s always important to add that you would like no croutons, no cheese, and dressing on the side.  I will always tell people to go with oil and vinegar, however, any vinaigrette is better than a cream based dressing (ranch, blue cheese, parmesan peppercorn), but they often have sugars in them.  Be aware of what your dressing options are, ask for it on the side, and dip your tines in the dressing and then in the salad.  You’ll be surprised how little dressing you really need when you’re not dumping it all over your salad.

If Worse Comes to Worse

I hate to be an advocate for this because there is nothing more annoying than the guest with an allergy, but if you’re concerned about the preparation of your food, or it’s easier for you, then tell your server you have a food allergy.  Break it down very simply: “I want the (chicken, steak, shrimp, etc.) grilled without marinade and my vegetables steamed. I am allergic to butter and (whatever else you’re trying to avoid), so could you please make sure that this is a possibility?”

Be warned, that in a restaurant today this is most likely going to elicit a visit from the manager, so be prepared for a little attention.  It’s typically company policy to ensure the safety of the guest, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself talking about your “allergy” with the manager on duty. 

Portion Control

My last words of wisdom are to be aware of your portion sizes.  Most proteins are somewhere between 6-8 ounces, whether it’s chicken or salmon.  Steak will usually be marked in ounces as well, although there tend to be larger sizes with this protein choice.  For the most part, it is unnecessary to eat more than 3-4 ounces of protein at any meal, so be prepared to take half of what you order home.  When your meal arrives, ask for a take home box right away, and place half of your meal in the box.  Americans have become accustomed to extremely large portion sizes, so don’t fall into the trap of eating your whole meal just because you have made the effort of modifying your dish to its healthiest version.   

All the Frills

In regards to appetizers, bread baskets and desserts, you don’t need them.  Ask that they not bring bread to the table, and when you’re done eating ask for the check before they offer dessert.  A lot of places will place dessert options on table tents so you’re forced to look at them while you’re waiting for your dinner.  Move them aside, and don’t even browse them.  If you are someone who has a sweet tooth like myself, keep fruit at home in your fridge.  A couple of strawberries and some pineapple will be enough sugars to help you feel like you are getting a bit of dessert at the end of your meal.  Typically your brain doesn’t care what kind of sugar you ingest; it just wants you to satiate that sweet tooth. 

Dining out is meant to be an experience.  From the atmosphere to the menu choices, you are probably not finding yourself eating out alone.  You should be able to enjoy the company you are with, without compromising your diet.  Often times we are going out for a celebration, or to spend time with loved ones, so remember why you are really there.  It usually has very little to do with the actual meal, and more to do with spending quality time with the people we care about, so enjoy!

Easy Guidelines for Choosing your Macro Nutrients

Although I am neither a dietitian nor a nutritionist, I have done some serious reading when it comes to Clean Eating and Superfoods.  I often find myself confused as to why people have such a difficult time simply choosing healthy foods over fatty, unhealthy foods and I have to remind myself of two things.

One, most people are not going to take the time to do the research themselves. The amount of time it took me to read the 12 books that educated me on the whys and hows of eating clean, is not the amount of time that the average person working 40-60 hour weeks is going to have to educate themselves about their food choices.

Two, as a Beachbody Coach I have had the opportunity to thoroughly read through multiple program Nutritional Guides, which has armed me with the knowledge of portion sizes, and appropriate healthy food choices.  Order any program, and Beachbody provides you with an arsenal of information on which foods land at the top of Michi's Ladder, and which ones fall short on providing the most nutritional value to your daily diet.

*circle = carb, triangle = fat, square = protein

That being said, one program that breaks down good macro nutrient food choices particularly well is Hip Hop Abs Nutritional Guide.  Although I know I am stealing this information from the book, I think it's important to share here, so that others can benefit from how easy it can be to make the right food choices. So, here are some guidelines when choosing your macro nutrients.

PROTEINS:

• Choose lean meats (turkey, chicken, pork) over fatty red meats.
• The portion of meat in a meal should be no larger than the palm of your hand (around 3-4 oz.)
• Broil, grill or bake--never fry!
• Avoid cream sauces and gravies.
• If you don't eat meat, substitute tempeh, tofu, low-fat dairy products, and legumes.

VEGETABLES:

• A large salad is great, but try to limit the amount of dressing to one or two tablespoons; using too much can blow the whole reason for eating salad in the first place.  Clear dressings like vinaigrette tend to be less fatty than creamier, cheesier ones.  Also, try dipping your fork tines in dressing to get flavor without pouring on too many calories.
• Steamed or raw veggies have so few calories, you can pretty much eat them until you're no longer hungry.  A plateful of raw veggies has about 100 calories. Indulge!
• Avoid butter or cream-based sauces. Lemon juice, soy sauce, and mustard are good options for adding flavor to your veggies without adding fat calories.

BREADS, PASTAS, RICE, AND FRUITS:

• Be sure to eat whole grains and brown rice instead of refined grains and white rice.  Remember, fiber slows down sugar absorption, helping your body to better process those sugars instead of just storing them as fat. 
• Always eat whole fruits over fruit juices.
• Foods in this category are calorie-dense, so limit your intake to three small servings per day.

FATS:

• Avoid saturated and trans fats in red meats, full-fat dairy, and processed foods.
• Avocados, raw nuts, flaxseeds, and olive oil are great sources of essential fatty acids--just keep the portions very small, since fat is extremely dense and has more than twice the calories per gram as protein and carbs.

Using a food tracker like MyFitnessPal will help you track your caloric intake, and also provide you with a chart on the ratios of your macro nutrients.  I cannot express how important it is to utilize free sites like this one when learning to control your caloric intake, and balance your macro nutrients.  

When I saw Jillian Michaels live at Lowell Auditorium she kept reiterating the importance of tracking your food when making a lifestyle change to eating healthy and clean.  The importance of doing so for at least 30-days helps one to identify their food habits, and make modifications in those habits, while at the same time creating a new habit: food awareness. As she states, most people eat the same 50 things over and over again.  We are creatures of habit. Tracking your food for a 30-day period allows you to see what those foods are, and creates a general outline of what foods will be in your diet on a daily basis.  After 30-days. you should have a pretty good idea of what foods you like and dislike, as well as the caloric base of each meal should you chose it to be in your diet on any given day. 

If you have never tracked your foods, I highly suggest starting here.  It will be startling to see how much you're over eating, and where your lacking not only in your macro nutrients, but also your vitamins and minerals.  Always be honest with yourself when it comes to portions sizes.  Lying to your food diary does not hurt anyone but yourself.  Don't cheat yourself!

One last suggestion I'll give here is to find yourself a good meal replacement shake.  Something that provides you with all the superfoods that you would NEVER be able to get in your daily diet, even if you ate all day long.  If you haven't checked out Shakeology, you absolutely MUST.  There is no other product on the shelf that does what this does, not as a whole anyway.  Putting your health and fitness first should be a life priority, and you're worth the investment, so why not make sure you're doing everything you can to ensure the most well-rounded healthy lifestyle that you can? 

As always, I would love to hear any questions, comments, or concerns, so feel free to contact me at any time!

Be super...like your food!  Hehehehe!

<3 Maria

THE FIRST STEPS IN EATING CLEAN

At least 80% of how we look is what we eat.  For those people who spend thousands of dollars a year on a personal trainer, this may be one of the single most depressing realities EVER.  It's not unusual for a client or customer to tell me that they've been working out, but they can't seem to stay on track with their nutrition, and therefore, they see absolutely no changes in their body.

I myself have been one of those people.  No matter how many push-ups, pull-ups, or crunches you do, if you eat a pint of Ben & Jerry's at end of the day, you're not going to lose a single pound.  In my own journey, I started with a set Nutrition Guide that accompanied my P90X program.  This was the catalyst for learning how to manage my macro-nutrients in the right proportions, and also introduced me to health foods that I could eat on a regular basis that didn't taste like cardboard.

That was all great, and menu plans can be AWESOME, but at some point, we progress beyond them, and have to learn how to eat healthy on our own.  So, where does one start???

The first step in learning what to eat, is to EDUCATE YOURSELF about food.  Scare tactics work fantastically.  Find out where your food comes from, how it's cooked, and what it does to your body.

3 of my favorites:

In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto by Michael Pollan
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser

Even if you only skim these reads, which is not what I'm suggesting, you will learn enough about today's food, that you'll at least probably never eat at McDonald's again.  This should be your starting point, and this is where you will learn about all your food basics.

NOW that you know what's happening to your food before it gets to you, learn what it does for you by learning what foods actually help your body. I suggest the book series by Dr. Steven Pratt:

SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life
The Superfoods Rx Diet: Lose Weight with the Power of SuperNutrients
SuperHealth: 6 Simple Steps, 6 Easy Weeks, 1 Longer, Healthier Life
SuperFoods HealthStyle: Proven Strategies for Lifelong Health

After you've read these four books, you'll know what foods are best for your diet, hopefully have incorporated them into your day to day life, and know how to put together a meal plan.  These books not only teach you about Super Foods, but how to put your food together from week to week.

So here you are, full of knowledge about what not to eat, what to eat the most of, and how to organize your food on a daily basis. But, there are only so many recipes in those books, so where do you find new recipes?

I'm a HUGE Tosca Reno fan, however I do find the Eat Clean Diet can sometimes seem a bit overwhelming when it comes to the seemingly obscure ingredients that some of the recipes have.  For that reason, I always direct people to The Best of Clean Eating 1, 2, and 3.  All three of these recipe books have easy to make recipes, and the ingredient lists tend to be pretty general and familiar.  You'll find yourself excited to try new foods in new ways, and you will be able to finish your meal without feeling guilty about the choices that you've made.

There is a wealth of information out now about how to "diet" and lose weight.  The most common problem that I see is people wanting to get a quick fix and lose weight easy, and fast.  Well, I'm here to tell you the same thing that you've read one thousand times, in dozens of different magazines:  there is no quick fix to being healthy and looking fit.  If you eat right, and workout hard, you'll lose weight...PERIOD.

3 Rules for Staying on Track

"We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ~Aristotle 

Today, for the most part, I would say that I have a harder time not working out, than I do working out, so I had to ask myself, "Where, and when, did this shift happen?"  I have been overweight for the majority of my life, and I was never any good with nutrition.  It certainly was not over night that this shift happened, but instead, it happened gradually as my lifestyle change became habit, and those habits began to turn into natural behaviors.  However, for the newbie, who's looking to stay on track, who needs some place to start, and needs some guidance, it's impossible to say, "Here you go.  Just do it regularly, and eventually it will happen for you too!"  It would be nice to think that we all have that focus and motivation, but it's just not the case.  For this reason, I'm going to boil it down to three factors that helped (and still help) me stay on track day after day, month after month, until one day I woke up and the idea of eating crap and not working out was just an absolute turn-off.

1.  Have a Plan and Show Up

I don't care if it's hiring a personal trainer and coming up with a schedule, or ordering a program that tells you what DVD to put in that day, you absolutely have to have a plan in order to succeed in your fitness goals.  Actually let me reword that; you absolutely must have a plan in order to succeed with any goals in your life.  Period. End of story.  Need some help with this?  Look into Chalene Johnson's 30-Day Push Program, it has the potential to change your life.  Putting your wishes and dreams out there into the great abyss doesn't accomplish anything. Write down your fitness goals, the steps you are going to have to take to achieve them, and then SHOW UP!  Oh my goodness people, just show up.  Don't feel like working out?  Show up.  Long day and you're tired? Show up.  Favorite show is DVR'd and you really want to watch it?  Show up.  You'll have good workouts, and bad workouts, but either way both of these are better than no workouts.

2.  Nutrition

At least 80% of how we look is determined by what we put in our bodies.  Wouldn't it be delightful if all we had to do was workout five days a week for 30 minutes on the treadmill and then we could get a Big Mac and a large fry and stuff our faces, and still lose weight???  Well, we can't.  Much like working out, you absolutely must have a plan. Know what you're eating, and when you're eating it.  And, don't tell me you don't have time to eat.  Lame. Lame. Lame.  And, total excuse.  Learn how to plan your meals, and learn how to plan your days.  A lot of programs come with nutrition guides.  There are apps for almost everything in the nutrition world.  Educate yourself about how your body works, even if it's on the most basic, elementary level.  Google why hydrogenated oil is bad for you, and what it does to your body.  Once you find out, you'll rethink stuffing your face with fried food.  Utilize your resources and stop making excuses.  One last thing I want to address here is the alignment of diet and exercise.  I've run into this myself, and had friends discuss it with me also.  Why is it that when we work out, we are super conscious of what we eat, but if we skip our workout we'll have no problem eating crap?  Don't let this happen.  Weight loss and maintenance comes down to one thing: calories in vs. calories out.  Pretty simple.

3.  Accountability

Shout it from the roof tops!  When I finally decided that I was going to become a personal trainer, worked on my goals, and created the steps that were going to get me there, I didn't just sit on these pieces of paper.  I posted notes everywhere in my house.  When people used my bathroom, they saw notes on my mirror that said,  "People who succeed have goals, and people who have goals succeed."  I told my mother, husband, friends, co-workers, and of course launched all my new goals and dreams into the Facebook world. When we are accountable to someone other than ourselves, when we have put ourselves out there and there are other people watching if we fail, it makes succeeding a much larger priority.  Plan your weight loss journey with a spouse, family member, or group of friends. Create an accountability group.  In the Beachbody community we create private Facebook Challenge Groups where we share our successes, failures, nutrition tips, etc.  Whatever your avenue, be accountable to someone other than yourself.  This is part of the reason most people want to hire a personal trainer.  Yes, they want someone who knows what exercises to do, in what order, and when, but for the most part, it's that someone is checking in on them to make sure they're staying on track.  When other people are watching us, we feel the need to perform at our best, and we desire to succeed.  

If you do these three activities daily, I promise you that one day, you'll wake up and they'll be second nature.  It won't be something you think about, or struggle with.  You'll wonder how you ever lived any other way.  That slouched, slow-moving, snail-paced life that you once lived will seem like a different person in an alternate universe.  We must first create habits and then turn those habits into a lifestyle.  It can, and will happen.

Keep Strong.  Keep Moving.  KEEP PUSHING PLAY!

Maria