21 Day Fix - Day 1

How do you know when it has been far too long since you have had a good cardio workout?  You are following the modifier almost the whole time, and you still feel like you are DYING.  Yeah, that was me today!  I would like to say that I have been working out over the past month or so, but I really haven't.  I would manage to fit in a few workouts a week, but my focus has been on workouts like PiYo Define Upper or lower (both are only 20 minute workouts), and 10 Minute Abs Fix.  Definitely good workouts, but not nearly enough cardio to get the blood pumping. 

Today I jumped feet first into the 21 Day Fix program.   Not familiar with the 21 Day Fix?  Here is a VIDEO CLIP of the program.  Here is a link, if you would prefer to see what is in THE PROGRAM.  Day 1 is Total Body Cardio Fix - my second favorite workout of the entire program.  This workout is great because it combined cardio moves WITH weights.  Example - holding a dumbbell with both hands and pushing it away from your chest and pulling it back in, all while  running in place.   I am not a fan of cardio, but I really like the strength/cardio mix of this workout.  So, I knew I was a little rusty when I began today, and I tried to keep up with the program, but on the 3rd exercise in, I had to drop the weights and modify for the remainder of the workout.  To top it all off, my muscles are feeling REALLY tight this evening.  I foresee some major stretching in my future before bed, so that I am not super sore tomorrow.    

HONESTY TIME:  I have run a support/challenge group on Facebook for this program monthly, since the program was released last February.  EVERY month, the group participants have had AMAZING success when following the Fix.  I'll be honest here....I LOVE the 21 Day Fix workouts (most of them), and they have been my "go to" workouts for the better part of the past year, BUT, I have NEVER been able to follow the meal plan for a full 3 weeks.  It isn't that the the portion control system is hard to follow (because it's SUPER easy), but because I just want "other" foods, rather than the specific number of portions from each food group, that the program has SPECIFICALLY designed to maximize your nutrition, so that you will lose weight and NOT feel hungry.  I suppose that is it no secret that I have never lost much weight doing this program...or rather just the workouts from this program. 

THAT IS CHANGING TODAY!!  I am sticking to the meal plan for the next 21 days, and I WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.  More honesty time here...I sent my coach this message earlier today.  "I went up a bracket since the last time I did the Fix. It's A LOT of food. I'm having trouble fitting it all in. Wow! I need to drop this weight so I don't have to eat so much".   LIGHT BULB GOES OFF IN MY HEAD.  Guess what?  You will NOT starve on this program.  I am still trying to figure out how I can fit another whole meal in AFTER dinner, so that I make sure I get ALL of my containers in.  You might be saying, "Isn't it good, if you don't WANT all that food"?  The truth is, this program is designed to have maximum nutrition.  Not the fewest calories, but the proper amount of servings from each food group that will help your body to function at its best capacity for maintaining energy, while trying to lose weight.  It is all about the macros.  That means, it order for it to work, you have to eat ALL of your containers.  Not sure what that means?  See the links above :).  

Ok, this mama is going to go and stretch now, and then try to figure out how to finish eating my food for the day!