21 Day Fix Extreme - a day in the life...

Many of you have seen my posts in Facebook about the 21 Day Fix, which I first started about a year ago.  I have recently started the follow up program to that one - the 21 Day Fix Extreme.  I have had lots of questions about what I've been eating - so here is a sample day for you!  I use these containers to measure my portions.  I still have them from the original program (this is an old pic). 

Yay for fun colored tupperware!

Each color corresponds to a food group, and you have an allotted number of each color for your day, depending on your calorie needs (which you calculate in the booklet).  Yes, it's counting, but much less work that looking up calories/carbs/fat/etc for every item you eat during the day.  There are lots of options for each color, so if you have restrictions, like no dairy or gluten or nuts or whatever, or if you just want to do paleo or low carb, this can easily adapt to that. Going out to eat?  That is covered, too.  

For breakfast, I start off with a red of eggs (you get 2 whole eggs) most days.  I added a yellow of roasted sweet potato fries, and green of roasted broccoli.  I roast veggies in bulk and reheat in my toaster oven.  Yummm.  I capped it off with coffee, with a touch of unsweetened almond milk and liquid stevia.  I don't normally do that, but was in the mood. :)

Pretty collage - isn't it pretty?? :)

A few hours later, I had my first snack.  A purple container of berries and an orange of toasted coconut flakes.  I have a thing for crunch.  I sometimes add almond milk to this also - reminds me of cereal.

Love me some berries

These coconut flakes are awesome.  So great for homemade trail mix, or topping oatmeal, yogurt, or a healthy dessert.  LOVE THEM.

Basically healthy crack

Lunch was a green of spaghetti squash and a red of sauteed shrimp.  I added lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and salt.  It was fabulous.  

Can you taste it through the screen?  Cause it's AWESOME.

Mid-afternoon snack is when I like to have my Shakeology.  Pre-Beachbody, that had become my time of day to go to the pantry and shovel handfuls of chocolate chips in my mouth to avoid tending to the children.  So, this is my answer.  I blended it with unsweetened almond milk and ice.  12 cubes.  I told you I like numbers.  Creamy chocolate goodness...my kind of snack.  I drink the vegan formula, which is dairy and gluten free.  WIN FOR ME. And  it counts as another red protein.

ALL THE CHOCOLATE

For dinner, I had a red container of grass fed ground beef with sea salt, yellow of roasted sweet potato fries, and green of baby kale (measured before cooking - greens shrink up a ton). 

Simple.  Yummy.

Dessert was 1/2 a frozen banana and almond butter.  Oh yes.  It was as good as it looks.  I put a tiny dash of salt on my almond butter.  Nom nom. 

I could eat this every day.  And I pretty much do.

It really is plenty of food, and I was never hungry.  Or hangry (when hunger and anger join forces).  You ladies know what I'm talking about.  And you'll notice I didn't have any grains or dairy, but you can definitely have them.  You just trade out for some of the choices I made.  Like greek yogurt instead of meat, or corn tortillas in place of sweet potato.  It's all about balance and finding what works for you and your lifestyle.  And that's what I love to help people do!

One of my favorite trainers.  Except when she tells me there is a "bonus round."

I met the trainer who designed the program, Autumn, at our annual Beachbody Summit last June.  I learned a little about her, and she was a very genuine person, and a mom, so it made me love the program even more.  

So, there you have it!  Add in your 30 minute workout (super effective, and there is a different one each day), check in with your coach, get a virtual high five from your online support group, and you have a day in the life of a challenger on the 21 Day Fix (or Fix Extreme).  

Need help with your health and fitness journey?  Contact me HERE!  I would love to work with you!

 

The Little Date Night That Could

So, now that my hubby and I are both on pretty restricted diets, going out to eat is a very different experience for us.  There are not too many restaurants that meet our needs, and those that do are generally pretty pricey.  So, on top of spending $15/hour to get out of the house, we end up going broke over dinner.  We do love movies, so often times, that is what date night will be.  But sometimes, there just aren't any good movies out (Wedding Ringer?  Jupiter Ascending??  Yeah....hmmm).  So, I'm making it my mission to come up with at least five other awesome date night options that are not centered around food.  Here we go!

1) See a live show (comedy club, concert, musical, opera, ballet....hubbies, we go to your games - you can handle some singing and dancing sometimes)
2) Visit an art museum.  Admire the artwork and/or make fun of each other for having no idea what it "means".
3) Go ice skating or roller skating together.  I challenge you not to laugh a lot.
4) Check out different, local coffee shops. 
5) Go bowling (and try not to get huffy when you are losing....not that I would do that)

So, there you go.  Five solid ideas when you need something different to do for date night!  We have a sitter booked for Friday, so I guess it's time for me to pick one!

The cutest, little ice cream sandwich you ever saw

Yes, the title is a little gratuitous, but it really is so cute.  This tiny sandwich came about because Luke wanted donut holes, and I wanted him to have salmon and broccoli.  So, we settled in the middle, with this easy recipe for grain-free, dairy-free donuts (so Mom could eat them, too).  They popped out so perfectly, and then I noticed that a slice of frozen banana would fit just right, and voila!  Clean ice cream sandwich.  Tiny things make me happy.

Clean Donuts (makes 24 donut holes)

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

6 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/8 cup coconut oil (melted and cooled)

32-40 drops liquid stevia (or sweetener of choice: 1/2 cup honey, or 1/2 cup organic cane sugar)

Optional: add in chopped pecans, walnuts, chocolate chips…all would be yummy.

Note: I went light on the stevia (as compared to honey/sugar equivalent measurement), because if you overdo it, it can have a bitter aftertaste.  Also depends on brand – I used the Whole Foods generic brand.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Blend all dry ingredients together, work out lumps as much as you can.
3. Whisk together wet ingredients.
4. Combine dry and wet ingredients together and whisk until there are no more lumps.
5. Scoop into mini muffin tin with a mini-ice cream scoop.  This part is fun.
6. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
7. Eat as is, or slice in half, spread on nut butter, and add a slice of frozen banana.  YUMMO.