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

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