January 18, 2016. 161.4 lbs. Day 1 of Round 2. Instead of giving myself a week off I jumped straight into round 2. I mean, I was already prepping my meals and found ways to fit exercise into my schedule so why stop? Plus, I was so excited by my results that I felt I had to keep going while the motivation was there! I made some gourmet meals this time around, stuffed bell peppers, bun-less bison burgers, a big batch of caramelized onions…yum! Being on the 21 Day Fix is about eating the right foods in the right amount, not about starving yourself or eating plain food. If you’re going to make a lifestyle change, you need to find healthy recipes you want to make over and over again and create “new backups,” those easy recipes you can whip out when you don’t feel like cooking anything fancy. Baked chicken (With lemons and balsamic vinegar) and steamed veggies; poached eggs on zoodles (zucchini noodles), stir fry bowls, Mexican bowls, etc. Those have become my new backup meals.
I also started getting stronger. My 6 lb weights were feeling easy. I could do 14 burpees in a minute. I could do more pushups and my flexibility was improving. I also knew that February was around the corner, and I was motivated to wear a dress from high school that *almost* fit again for a fancy party the week after Valentine’s day. Though I had healthy cookies on week 2 and a big container of lasagna as my cheat meal on week 3, I kept up the regimen of container portions and my exercise. On days when I had time I’d throw in the extra ten minute ab workout and sometimes do double workouts- when my schedule permitted. Overall however, I did find myself more active, even if it was just shoveling snow during our crazy blizzard.
Another change this round was that I started drinking Shakeology. I got the variety pack of chocolate, vanilla and cafe latte so I could vary the flavors. My favorite way to drink it still is to blend it with blueberries and almond milk. I add other things and sometimes just shake with water and go, but to me it is nice when it reminds me of a Starbucks frappuccino. I would highly recommend checking it out and purchasing it here. Because I had been leaving a red protein container empty several times a week and all of a sudden started adding in a nutrient dense drink, I gained half a pound that week, though one my body adjusted I started losing again rather quickly. (I went from gaining half a pound in a week to losing 2 pounds in half a week- bodies are interesting that way.) My energy levels did keep increasing with the Shakeology addition, and I can tell my concentration is better on the days I drink it.
Though my results were not as dramatic this time around scale wise, I lost 5 pounds and made it into the 150 range! This was as low scale-wise as I had made it post children before bouncing back up the scale, but this time I was fitter, had a better routine, and a motivational coach and accountability group to keep my fire to succeed alive. I also decided to take the plunge and become a coach myself so others could benefit from my journey and I could use my effervescent personality to inspire others. There was no turning back now. My clothes fit better, I had lost so many inches that people were starting to notice my change and I was getting a nice endorphin release of happiness everyday. Life was changing for the better now that I was taking care of me.
(To be continued…on to Round 3!)
chaotic~gal 