Chalene Johnson's PiYo - COMING SOON!!!

The news a lot of us have been waiting for finally became official this week!!! 

If you follow Chalene Johnson, you know that she's been hinting at this for a while now. We knew she was going to have another workout program coming to DVD and everyone kind of "knew" what it was going to be...we just had to wait for the official word.

And we got it!!!!!

PiYo is going to be released this year at Beachbody's Coach Summit!!!

So, what exactly is PiYo??? It's a unique program that is designed to build strength and gain flexibility. The moves fit perfectly together to form workouts filled with intense choreography that’s fun, challenging and will make you sweat. It’s about energy, power and rhythm. Think sculpted abdominals, increased overall core strength, and greater stability.

With Beachbody's Coach Summit being at the end of June, I expect (do not quote me on this because we haven't been given a release date) that PiYo will be released at the end of June or beginning of July.

I am going to be all over this program. Chalene's programs are my favorites and I can not wait to add this to my routine. Want to be in the know for when more information comes out??? Just click HERE and enter your info. I'd love to have YOU by my side as we go through the program TOGETHER!!!

21 Day Fix - Week 3

This was it - week 3 of the 21 Day Fix!

I knew this would be my toughest week - mentally and physically because in week 3, you have the OPTION to switch things up a bit. I was in this for the long haul, so I went for it.

The first thing that would be different this week was my workouts. Week 3 is an OPTIONAL DOUBLES WEEK. I was still fighting this cold/sinus infection, but I wasn't going to let it win. I was going all in. Doing doubles was challenging for a lot of reasons. I was still sick. As a busy mom, let's face it, it's much easier to make 30 minutes for exercise than it is to make 60 minutes. This meant some early morning workouts to be able to squeeze it in. These workouts alone - just 30 minutes - are INTENSE. But, I always tell myself, "suck it up...it's just 30 minutes." And it's much easier to push yourself REALLY HARD for 30 minutes than it is for 60 minutes. Hopefully, for Round 2 of the FIX, I won't be sick, so doubles will be a little easier.

The second thing that was going to be different this week was something called the 3 Day Quick Fix. Again, this is another OPTIONAL aspect of week 3. There's no way to sugar coat this...the Quick Fix is hard...and it's all a mental game. Why is it hard? Well, your meal plan changes. You're eating 6 times a day (every 2 hours), so hunger wasn't a factor. In fact, I was stuffed on these 3 days. But it's WHAT YOU'RE EATING that packs a punch. Essentially some form of lean protein (egg whites, chicken, fish & turkey), 2 healthy carbs and 4 veggies. Plain and simple - it's really boring, but really SIMPLE, so it makes meal prep a breeze. 

• Meal 1: Egg whites & oatmeal
• Meal 2: Chicken & yams (I don't eat yams, so I substituted quinoa)
• Meal 3: Fish & steamed green veggie
• Meal 4: Chicken & steamed green veggie
• Meal 5: Fish & steamed green veggie
• Meal 6: Turkey & steamed green veggie

It may not look like a lot of food - but I was so full. You're also drinking a gallon of water a day. I had done something similar to this a few years back (but I only did it for 2 days at a time)...so I kinda knew what I was in for. I warned my husband ahead of time that I was going to be cranky & moody. The first day wasn't bad. I got through it with no real issues - except peeing every 10 minutes ;)  Day 2 was a little harder. I was more tired & going through carb withdrawl at that point. There were cookies in our kitchen that were screaming my name. I'd go in, open the box and sit there and smell them. Frequently. By day 3, I was ready to throw in the towel and eat a cookie. Again, I wasn't hungry...I just wanted carbs....ALL OF THEM. Like I said, a lot of this 3 day portion is all mental. It's knowing you CAN'T have something that makes you want it more. I knew what my weight was prior to the 3 Day Fix & all I kept thinking was that I better see a drop on the scale to make this worth it. And it was...

I got up this morning, went into the bathroom, took a deep breath and stepped on the scale. I was so excited!!! I didn't believe what I was seeing, so I got off, and got back on just to make sure. Yep - it was accurate. I hadn't seen a number like this since July.

Before I get into my actual results, I want to comment on something that may be obvious, or may not be. Why does this program work so well? Well, yes - it's proper nutrition and effective workouts. But, beyond that.... I think the answer is that "it's only 21 days." Mentally - that's something easy to wrap your head around. Beachbody has numerous other programs - ranging from 6 weeks to 90 days. I'll be the first to admit - when I see that 90 days - it seems like an eternity away. But, with this, you can START AND FINISH in the same month. That makes this program perfect for so many people. Maybe you're new to exercise and you want to start with something shorter. Maybe you've completed other programs, but want to switch things up for just a few weeks. Maybe once you've completed this, you will see that anything is possible and that 90 days of another program seems much more doable now.

Now to my results :) I lost a total of 9.8 pounds and 9.5 inches!!! This program came along at the perfect time. In the fall, I was dealing with some injuries, along with my mom being sick (more on that in another blog post to come soon). Seeing my mom sick had sent me into a downward spiral. I was depressed and just ate and ate in an attempt to numb the pain. I would sit alone and eat an entire box of donuts or cake. I just kept eating and eating. I then became ashamed that I'd let emotions win. I didn't want to leave the house. I lived in my pajamas (or anything with an elastic waist band). I felt like I had let myself down and like I had let others down. The 21 Day Fix gave me focus. It was simple nutrition. I'm not hungry on the fix. I can have chocolate. I can have wine. I can have bread. I can even have pizza. Everyday? No. But, it's allowed. Having a program with flexibility like that is what I needed. The workouts were great. 30 minutes and I was done. A new workout everyday left me feeling good and never bored. I'm starting to see my muscle definition come back & clothes that didn't fit 3 weeks ago, now fit just fine. This program helped pull me out of a horrible funk that I had gotten myself into and to Autumn Calabrese, I'm eternally grateful.

Yes, today is a bit of a treat day for me. I'm drinking a non-fat white chocolate mocha from Starbucks as I write this. I'm going to have a cookie later & my husband is going to make me dinner. And then tomorrow, it's back to the FIX for ROUND 2!!! I still have a ways to go, but I couldn't be happier with my results thus far. 

If you want to join me for your own journey on the FIX, please contact me here. I have groups forming for March & April & I'd love to have you as a part of it :)

Week 2 on the 21 Day Fix

Another successful week on the FIX is in the books. I've lost a total of 6.6 pounds & I can't believe I'm now in my final week. Week 2 definitely had it's share of ups and downs - literally and figuratively.

I'll start with some of the things I struggled with this week. 

• I still have this darn cold/sinus infection which had drained my energy. The very last thing I want to do is workout. But, all week, I just kept telling myself, "It's only 30 minutes and you can modify if you need to." So every day, I have put on my workout clothes, gone downstairs and pushed play. And it's funny, my competitive side comes out as soon as the DVD is in. My mind shifts from "I don't want to workout" to "If I'm going to to this, I'm going to push as hard as I can." So, I crank some good music and have at it. And surprisingly, I even beat a majority of my calorie burns from the week before. 
• At one point this week, the number on the scale went UP. Say WHAT???? This is the EXACT reason I tell people to not go by the scale alone. Take progress pics. Take measurements. Did it still freak me out. Yeah, a little. But, I knew exactly why. One - I'd been upping my weights this week, so I knew I was putting on some muscle. Two - while I was sticking to the plan, I wasn't always making the best choices. For instance, I was having turkey bacon frequently. And while, yes, it's allowed on the plan, it's the protein that is at the very bottom of the list. Meaning - it's not the best choice. It's got a lot of sodium & I know it was making me retain some water. 

But, with struggles, there's also triumphs...

• After seeing the number on the scale go UP, I immediately went into our bedroom and took my measurements. They were definitely down. I looked at myself in the mirror. I was seeing positive changes. And I tried on some clothes - that at the beginning of the fix were too tight...well, now they fit fine. Ok - mental crisis averted. 
• I cut back - well - eliminated turkey bacon for 2 days...and what do you know...the number on the scale went down. I have been choosing higher quality protein & my body was thanking me for it. 
• Despite having a cold and feeling like crap - I feel really GREAT! Huh? Yes, I'm coughing and sneezing and am somewhat of a hot mess. But, I'm starting to feel like the old me. The one who ate for fuel her body. Not the girl who ate her feelings. My body is starting to feel solid. I'm seeing muscle being built back up. I'm sore from my workouts, but am having less body aches & pains. My neck & back are feeling fantastic. My hip pain is all but gone. My left knee still gives me problems, but I can feel it getting stronger each day.

I am so excited to dive into week 3!!!! I still have ONE SPOT left in my March Fix group, so if you want to take that coveted 10th spot, just message me here.