Background Info:

I originally decided to do the 21 Day Fix because my hubby was looking to lose some weight post holidays, and I wanted to be supportive because I knew deep down that he wouldn’t be able to do it alone!

{Let’s be real here–I was the one grocery shopping/prepping/cooking/leaving post-its in the fridge labeling how many of each colored containers each meal was worth}

I began the 21 Day Fix thinking it would be good to probably lose a few pounds, especially right after the holidays when I felt like I ate Christmas cookies every day. However, now that the 21 days are over, I’ve realized weight loss wasn’t the only thing I got out of this program. 

The First Few Days…

They were a little rough! I wanted to throw my free weights at Autumn because the workouts were tough! I also hated that I could only have 2 of these little yellow carb containers a day. The biggest craving I had was for chocolate. I was starting to get a little crabby without my chocolate fix!

After the First Week:

The workouts were getting easier, and my body was beginning to get used to eating smaller meals throughout the day, so I didn’t feel as hungry in between meals. Tom & I were also enjoying the 21 Day Fix *approved* meal ideas I had found on Pinterest!

Originally we had said we weren’t going to weigh ourselves until the very end, but by Saturday of that first week, I just had to know if all of the meal prepping and no chocolate treats was really working. Sure enough, I had lost 5 pounds!

Week 2:

We bought this cute decal for the refrigerator to help us plan out our meals for the week. I had also begun to actually look forward to grocery shopping on the weekend to prep food for the week! The workouts weren’t as painful either. {I love that the workouts are only 30 minutes long and they are different every day! They are something that I’d like to keep up now that the fix is over since they were quick & easy to do at home!}

I also began to get creative with how I could incorporate chocolate into this. I started off by making *21 Day Fix approved* chocolate chip oatmeal cookies–yes, COOKIES!! We also purchased some chocolate protein powder to use in our protein shakes.

Now that I had some chocolate back in my system, I was a much happier Gina 🙂

By the end of Week 2 something else had changed. I was beginning to realize how much I loved coming home after school to cook dinner. I have never really been one to take time to cook meals during the week, and always blamed it on the fact that I had so much school work to do that there just wasn’t enough time. However, I have come to LOVE that hour or so when I get home from work and cook dinner. I’ve found that it’s actually relaxing, and takes my mind off of the stress from work! 

I’ve also learned that there’s no way this would have been possible without meal planning/prepping on the weekends. I would do my grocery shopping on Sunday and prep lunches for the week. I would also be sure to have all of the ingredients ready for my dinners for the week so I wasn’t having to run out to the grocery store mid-week. 

This was also the week I discovered that the organic/gluten-free aisle at Jewel has healthier versions of some of my favorite foods 🙂            

Week 3:

They say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. By week 3 I could see how accurate this was. The workouts were definitely easier, and I was loving trying out new recipes that I found on Pinterest! I was also beginning to add baking back into my routine. These chocolate chip muffins are both healthy & yummy! Definitely a win in my book!

Results:

Let me preface this by saying that for me, when talking about weight, it’s never been about the number on a scale. After 21 days, my clothes fit SO much better and overall I simply feel {AMAZING!} For those of you wanting a number, over the past three weeks I’ve lost 10 lbs. 

Takeaways from the 21 Day Fix:

1. Cooking is now a hobby I enjoy.

I had always been the baker and loved making sweets. I have now come to love cooking because it’s both fun to try new recipes and it’s a great way for me to unwind after a long work day.

2. I feel AMAZING!

Sure it’s great to lose a few pounds, but the biggest difference for me was how much more energy I have now! I just feel so much better and I owe that to clean eating and working out regularly. 

3. It’s OK to cheat a little.

If I didn’t have chocolate at all for 21 days, I may not be here writing this blog right now. You can still go out to eat {just make healthier choices}, you can still have a drink once in a while {I had a few vodka water limes when we we went out with friends one weekend}, and YES I tried a few *healthier* cheez-its one night before bed!

What’s Next?

Well, for starters the hubby & I will order some deep dish pizza tonight to reward ourselves & I’ll probably have a Reese’s or two 🙂 In all seriousness though, this wasn’t just a diet that we tried for 21 days and then we’ll go back to our old habits. This was the kickstart we needed to get on the path to living a healthier lifestyle. Knowing how much better I feel now, why wouldn’t I want to keep that up?!

I won’t be as strict with measuring out my portions every single meal, but by now I have an idea of how much of each food group I should be eating daily. {I learned that I eat too many carbs and not enough protein & veggies!} My hope is to continue with cooking healthy dinners at home during the week, and then we can treat ourselves to a dinner out every once in awhile. 

I would HIGHLY recommend the 21 Day Fix to anyone looking to lose a little weight or get on track to a healthier life. I will be posting some of my favorite recipes soon 🙂 

I’d like to thank all of our family and friends for their support the past 21 days. I know I definitely would not have been able to do this on my own. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions for me!