#BeastMode

I promise, I will be getting my monthly progress pics together this week and posting soon (I know...its almost the middle of March).  March always seems to be a difficult month for my nutrition.  I have two kids with birthdays in March.  My winter baby, born on the 16th is turning 8 this year, and my Spring baby, born on the 25th (during a LATE snowstorm) will be 13.  Yup, I will have a teenager....trying to wrap my head around that one.  Anyway, between the birthday parties with their friends, and birthday parties with our families, and a special day ON their ACTUAL birthday, I feel like there is always "party food" happening.  ALL. MONTH.  LONG.   I think my goal during March is always to just NOT gain weight.  So far, I have been making lots of good food choices.  My almost 8 year old had his friend party last Sunday, and I did indulge in some cake.  The good news is that we managed to finish the cake on that day (with a little help from the grandparents, who we (my husband, Jeff, and I) forced to have a piece...so we wouldn't be tempted.  Jeff was finishing up his last week of Insanity Max:30 this week, and he wants to have amazing AFTER photos, so he has been heating super healthy this week.  I can't wait to take the pics...his transformation has been pretty fantastic!! 

So, even though I really enjoyed doing the 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts, I didn't really want to do another round of them...they are pretty intense workouts, and I need to slow down a bit this month.  Last summer, I took advantage of a sale on the program Body Beast.  I have a habit of purchasing new Beachbody workout programs (because I like to have options at my finger tips), but not actually starting them.  Body Beast is one of those.  It has been sitting in my workout library for months, and I never really bothered to take it.  Honestly, the workouts are longer than 30 minutes...in my brain, I just don't have the time for that.  This week, I decided that I need to do some lifting, and it was time to pull out my Body Beast.  I was still skeptical about the length of time of the workouts, but the truth is that the cardio intensity is not there, so 30, 40 or even 50 minute workout really does not seem to be a 'long' workout.  There is downtime during the workouts too, as you track the amount of weights you are using (you don't know if you are getting stronger, if you don't track your progress), and as you switch wour weights up.  I have to tell you, I REALLY like these workouts!!!   Even the leg day workout...and I don't ever care much for leg day.  Best part of the program....because it is serious strength training, you are building muscle...which burns more calories...which means I get to eat more calories ;).  I would say that is a win, win for March!!  I plan on doing the first phase (3 weeks) of this 90 day program, and then switching to a something with a little more cardio focused for a few weeks.  If all goes well, I hope to alternate between Body Beady, and other programs every 3 weeks.  I am hoping the alternation between weights and cardio will keep my metabolism on it's toes, and encourage my weight loss progress....and encourage some good muscle definition.