If you’ve been following the blog for a little while, you’ll know that I just recently finished my first full round of the 21 Day Fix. This will be the last of the posts in this series. I do intend to use the fix again in mid March (after my trip to South Carolina!) but I won’t be doing weekly meal shares with that one because I have something else in mind for accountability. I did want to offer a few tips and tricks I learned along the way. These are geared towards the 21 Day Fix program but you could easily adjust it to fit your program as well!
This last round of 21 Day Fix was my fifth attempt. Why did I keep attempting it and why was this round different? I kept attempting it over and over again because I invested money in the program and I had heard so many good things about it. This round was different because I was flexible with myself. That flexibility meant a lot of “mistakes” along the way but I still managed to lose 5 pounds in three weeks, so I’m not complaining.
Here’s the tips and tricks that helped me to achieve success in this round!
1. Have a plan.
I was already a fan of meal planning before the program, but it becomes super important with the program. It can be done without a plan (which is how I did the 3rd week), but I don’t recommend it. Planning in advance really helps you stay on track! Here is my free meal planning tool that I used during the program.
2. Take time to prep.
Prep comes in many forms. It might be preparing food ahead of time for the week. This is especially helpful for lunches and snacks. It could be portioning out veggies and fruits to make them easier to grab. It could also be as simple as setting out your workout clothes for the next day. Prep comes in many forms. Prep helps you on your busy days when you need grab and go options.
3. Remove temptation.
If it’s not in the kitchen, then you can’t eat it. Before starting the program, get rid of your bad food. I’m not an advocate of throwing it away so I recommend giving it away to coworkers, neighbors, and whoever else will take it. (Maybe donate it to a shelter if they’ll take it.) It’s a lot more work to run to the store for a bad choice than it is to grab a healthy alternative from your own fridge.
4. Be flexible.
Be aware that some days won’t be perfect and that’s okay. There were days where I missed a container or accidentally ate an extra container. These little mistakes are going to happen and it’s okay – just keep moving forward.
5. Forgive yourself.
Don’t dwell on the past. What’s done is done and you can’t go back and change it. You can only change your future choices. Give yourself a break when you make a mistake and use it as a learning experience. For example, I learned that I have a really hard time staying on track on the weekends. As a result, I’ve learned to make my weekdays super healthy to allow for my weekend moments.
6. Set goals.
Set goals for yourself. Determine what you’re hoping to gain from the program. I mentioned that I lost weight on the program but that wasn’t my main goal. My main goal was to make a lifestyle change. I’m still working on the food but I’ve seen a lot of improvement in my food choices and my thought process for food choices in the day. I’m no longer eating carbs all day long. I did make a very positive change in my fitness routine. I’m now working out 5-6 times a week consistently. It would be 7 days but I know that rest days are important. The even bigger thing is that I’m enjoying my workouts and feeling stronger each day.
Like I mentioned above, I fully intend to use portions of the 21 Day Fix from here on out. I’m even hoping to introduce my family in South Carolina to some of the meals that I enjoyed during the program (crockpot zucchini lasagna, anyone?).
If you are interested in more information about the 21 Day Fix program, I’d be happy to talk to you about it! Please send me an email at hodgepodgepam@gmail.com so that we can chat!
