A recounting of my successful start of finish of the 21 Day Fix program!
Dates: 2/27-17 – 3/19/17
Day 1/21: ✅ Done
And today begins a new adventure in regaining my health.
The hardest part for me today was the nutrition. I’ve been eating like CRAP lately, so adjusting to eating healthy again is always hard, but well worth it. My cravings for salt and sweets were met by Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and by my chocolate/coconut oil dessert. Thank goodness!!
Day 2/21: ✅ Done
Upper body focus today. I have a feeling my arms will be sore tomorrow….
Day 3/21: Done!
Today’s workout is brought to you by The Nightmare Before Christmas (notice the shirt)…..
Santa: “Well, what are you going to do?”
Oogie Boogie Man: “I’m gonna do the best I can!”
Why does it always seem like days 3-5 are the hardest to keep going when starting a new workout program? I start off with great motivation, and once I get a week into it, I can keep it up. It’s the somewhere-in-the-middle that sometimes I get lost. NOT THIS TIME! As my trainer told me this morning, “If you’re tired of starting over, then quit stopping.” Great plan!
The workout was excellent (leg day, and it kicked my butt), and my nutrition was ON POINT today!
Breakfast: Chocolate Shakeology, with almond milk, coconut extract, spinach, 1/4 banana, and almond butter. No better way to start my day!
Lunch: Steamed asparagus, edamame, and pita bread chips.
Snack: Red and yellow peppers, with edamame hummus.
Dinner: Stuffed pepper (quinoa, black beans, and chicken).
Dessert: Raspberries with yogurt.
Servings:
Proteins – ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Veggies – 💚💚💚💚
Fruits – 💜 (and 1/4)
Carbs – 💛💛
Healthy Fats – 💙
Oils/Nut Butters – 
Day 4/21: Phew….
So glad today was active recovery with some Pilates, especially because I’m hitting the gym later today with my hubby. Man, my core is going to be SORE tomorrow…but not as sore as my legs are today.
Day 5/21….. ✅
“You can do anything for a minute.”
– Autumn Calabrese
Today was a cardio day! It was nice to give my muscles a break, but my mild headache kept getting in the way. I powered through it, nonetheless.
Now it’s time for dinner 🙂 – Just in time, because I worked up an appetite!!
Day 6/21: Kicked it! ✅
“Four or five moments – that’s all it takes to become a hero. Everyone thinks it’s a full-time job. Wake up a hero. Brush your teeth a hero. Go to work a hero. Not true. Over a lifetime there are only four or five moments that really matter. Moments when you’re offered a choice to make a sacrifice, conquer a flaw, save a friend – spare an enemy. In these moments everything else falls away…”
I harnessed my inner Deadpool to give it my MAXIMAL EFFORT for Dirty 30 today. It seemed fitting that Deadpool represent for this workout (especially with my Renegade Rows).
Now it’s time to refuel, hit the library with the kids, and perhaps go on hike with the family.
Here’s to awesome Saturdays, and living a life by design!!
Day 7/21: Yay for Yoga!
Yes, I hate battling the dog hair at home whenever the yoga mat comes out. But I strapped on my metaphorical ribbon around my neck, harnessed my inner Mary Poppins, swept ‘er up, and got my Yoga Fix on!
It felt so good to spend time, after a long week of challenging my body strength-wise, to challenge myself flexibility-wise. Far too often I skip stretching, which leaves me being probably the most inflexible person I know. All the more reason to work on it!
Time to get a little work done, hop on a webinar to build myself mentally stronger, and spend some time with the kiddos making our bond stronger.
Day 8/21: #raw and #unfiltered
One of the best parts of working out at home, is that I can just throw on my sweats, throw my (horrible messy) hair in a pony tail, and get to it. Not brushing or primping needed.
One of the “awesome” side effects of brain surgery and radiation is my unruly hair. I have a huge bald spot on the left side of my head from radiation, and three inch hair all around my surgery scar (and 12 wonderful spots all over my head that were used for mapping my tumor). Wonder why I wear hats most of the time these days?!?
Today I tight I would show you the unfiltered and raw Jenni. This is how I look most days when I work out, totally unkempt and quite the hot mess. But, I got a great sweat on this morning, and I am proud of that!
#21DayFix #nomakeup #nohairbrush #6MonthsPostBrainSurgery #messyhairdontcare #thisishowinormallylook
Day 9/21: Heck yea!
There is something EMPOWERING about getting a good workout in.
This morning I was feeling a little sad and overwhelmed by the things I was choosing to accomplish today. I had goals I wanted to reach, and was working hard to meet them, but I was feeling like I just wasn’t going to get to where I wanted to be.
What’s a girl to do when she feels defeated by the world? Grab the weights, and give it a go!
After my workout, I felt SO MUCH BETTER. I felt like I could conquer the world, and hopped to work. I ended up making huge strides in the projects I was working on, and felt even better yet!
There’s nothing like a little endorphins and catecholamines to get your blood flowing, boost your confidence, and put a little spring in your step!
Day 10: One step/day at a time….
Day 13/21: Done!
Just to be honest, I missed the last two days of working out. I was gone from my house on Thursday from 5:00am-11:45pm, and just didn’t fit it in. Yesterday? Just to be honest, I didn’t want to work out. I was so tired and emotional from the day before, I just didn’t have it in me.
How did I feel about missing my workouts? Well, sometimes life is just like that. No need to beat myself up about it. Instead, I just strapped on my sports bra, pulled my hair back in a bun, and got it done today.
Why focus on what I didn’t do yesterday, when I can focus on what I can accomplish today?
#21DayFix#Dirty30 #strongereveryday #dontgiveup #newdecisioneveryday
Day 14/21: Holy sweat fest!
I skipped yoga today, and made up a cardio workout that I missed earlier this week. Can you see the sweat dripping on the ground?!?
One more week to go, and I will have completed my program. I love the little progress that I’ve made each workout. My weights keep moving up a little, and I get a little faster each time. As I was reminded today, you don’t have to go from A to Z all in one day, you just have to move from A to B.
Here’s to enjoying the little steps along the journey!
Day 15/21: In the Nick of Time
It may have taken me until 11:30pm to get it done, but at least I did it.
I woke up feeling absolutely miserable. I had a headache and was nauseated most of the day. Someday are good and some are not so good. Today was a not so good physical day. I managed to get a nap in the afternoon, though, and rebounded a little.
I spent a wonderful evening with the family, celebrated my husbands and mine dating anniversary, had a great soak in the hot tub, and then got my workout in (now that I was finally feeling better).
Now it’s off the bed, so that I can be refreshed for the morning, and make sure to follow through with my #nosnooze pledge.
Day 16/22: #upperfix done!
I swear there muscle somewhere in there….
Day 17/21: Forgot to take a picture, but I did it!!!
Day 18/21:
Sometimes all you need is a different perspective
I was having kind of a cruddy day. I didn’t want to work out. But, then I remembered that sometimes you just need to change your view to change your mindset. So, I laced up my sneakers (wow that makes me feel old), busted out my mat, and spent my evening looking at the ceiling while doing Pilates.
30 minutes later, and I’m feeling rejuvenated with a fresh perspective, and am so glad I convinced myself to get active.
I’m in the home stretch now, and am already thinking about my next workout program.
Hmmmmm……what should it be?
Day 20/21: Cardio!
Worked hard today to make up for yesterday. I wasn’t feeling well at all yesterday, and couldn’t work out. But, I got my sweat session on good today!
Only one more day to go!! I can do this!!
Day 21/21: Feeling accomplished!
Not only did I complete my program today, but I worked hard over the past three weeks to be able to get my heel up over my knee for this tree pose. I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot today!
