The 21 Day Fix Week 2 Recap

Another day, another week down of the 21 Day Fix. It only gets easier from week 1 (if you ask me).

Week one was very much a learning game. What's okay to eat? How much can I eat without feeling like I'm going to keel over and die? Why can I only have a tiny serving of cheese if I want cheese?

For the most part, I haven't had a ton of cheese. I did have about four mini pizza bagels total in the past two weeks, and three of them were on New Year's Eve. We always have appetizers (and a pajama party) as our meal of choice on NYE. I love traditions.

For my blue (healthy fats) container, I've basically been doing the same thing as I have been in week one. 12 whole almonds paired with one orange container's worth of peanuts to create a makeshift sort of trail mix. I have always had a mega sweet tooth and sometimes fruit just doesn't do it for me as far as "dessert" is concerned.

I have had a "cheat" meal here and there - mainly only one when I went out for brunch (at the Turning Point) to celebrate one of my BFF's engagement!! (...and that one time where I was hangry and wound up at Panera and dove face first into an Avocado Cobb Salad.) At brunch, I made sure the dish I chose had some semblance of health on the plate. It had an apple chopped up over cornbread french toast...and was drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with pecans. It was FABULOUS.

To stay on track during week two, it's important to take all you learned from week one and really focus on your end goal.

How to Keep Going During Week 2 of the 21 Day Fix

1. Meal planning. I cannot stress this enough if you want to make it through the 21 day fix without feeling like you might pass out. Slice fruits, wash and cut vegetables, make a larger batch of quinoa or brown rice at the beginning of the week so you can whip together a stir fry. Buy a large pack of chicken breasts and cut them down to a size you'll need during the 21 Day Fix. If you know you won't have time during the week to make a dinner or lunch, make it ahead the night before so you aren't tempted to grab something out to eat.
2. Buy in bulk. If you have a Costco/BJ's/Sam's Club membership, definitely take advantage of their (usually) lower prices on produce. If you can prep the things you buy and freeze them before they turn, you're going to save a lot of money (and time). I find that if I'm in the grocery store less, I'm less tempted to buy more things that are usually not a healthy choice.
3. Repeating your favorites from week one and trying out healthy and tasty options. It's easy to feel like you're being smothered by your healthy choices if you don't exactly love what you're eating. I made my grandma's pasta sauce recipe (scaled down by ⅕) and paired it with two yellow containers of gluten free pasta and a red container's worth of beef meatballs. It was incredibly satisfying and didn't leave me feeling hungry like a salad with chicken sometimes does. It's important to make sure your belly and mind are both pleased with your choices at the end of the day.
4. Making good use of your teaspoon allotments. Sometimes a teaspoonful (or two, if you have it) of peanut butter are all you need to curb your cravings for sweets. I realize that this may not be the case for everyone, but after doing the 21 Day Fix for two weeks, I definitely feel like I'm less reliant on sugar (mainly chocolate) and fat-laden foods (my beloved cheese).
5. Schedule in workouts and try to do them at the same time each day. I found that if I tried to do one workout late at night and another earlier the next day that my muscles would be a little sore. Allowing your body the full amount of time to recover is important. Enjoy that you're physically able to complete these workouts instead of treating them like a chore. Also, they're only 30 minutes...you can't beat that with a stick.
6. Enjoy the results! I definitely feel less bloated overall - the jury is still out on whether or not I lost any inches or if my clothes fit better. Check back next Monday to see my final check in with beginning vs. end measurements and recap for my first round of the 21 Day Fix!

What exercise program are you doing? Have you done the 21 Day Fix? Let me know in the comments!

Check out my other posts on the 21 Day Fix ---> Making Healthy Resolutions & the 21 Day Fix and The 21 Day Fix Week 1 Breakdown & Recap! Fast forward to the end of the fix? Check out my final week recap!