My 3 Day Quick Fix Results

I recently completed the 21 Day Fix 3 Day Quick Fix meal plan, and I lived to tell about it! This is celebrity trainer and creator of the 21 Day Fix program Autumn Calabrese's "secret weapon" in prepping for bikini competitions and photo shoots.

Not by coincidence, the three days I selected to follow the Quick Fix meal plan were the last three days of my eight-week PiYo workout program and right before Andi and I departed for a lovely kid-free vacation in Nicaragua. My goal was to finish PiYo strong and look damn good on the beach!

The 21 Day Fix 3-Day Quick Fix meal plan is simple really, but also strict. Meals each day are set as follows:

Meal 1: steel cut oats, egg whites, 1 tsp. extra virgin coconut oil
Meal 2: grilled chicken, steamed sweet potato
Meal 3: steamed fish, steamed vegetable
Meal 4: grilled chicken, steamed vegetable, 1 tsp. e.v. coconut oil
Meal 5: steamed fish, steamed vegetable, 1 tsp. e.v. coconut oil
Meal 6: ground extra-lean turkey, steamed vegetable, 1 tsp. e.v. coconut oil 

Seems easy enough, right?

There are a few rules: Seasonings are allowed to flavor foods, as well as lemons, limes and vinegars ... but no salt. Oatmeal can be flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg or stevia zero-calorie sweetener. The program recommends consuming broccoli, asparagus, green beans, zucchini, bell peppers or cucumbers as vegetables sources and drinking at least one gallon of water per day (132oz.). Coffee and hot tea are permitted, but the use of creamers and sweeteners is not. 

Prepping meals ahead of time was the key to following this meal plan. On Saturday (one day prior to my 3 Day Quick Fix start date), I made three servings of steel cut oats, baked six chicken breasts and purchased frozen fish fillets, sweet potatoes and enough broccoli, asparagus and zucchini for 12 meals. I also mixed together three different spice combinations from the 21 Day Fix guidebook -- an all-purpose seasoning mix, Southwest seasoning mix and a Mediterranean seasoning mix (omitting salt from each recipe) to use in flavoring the food.

So, how'd it go? Here's a run-down of my daily meals:

Day 1 -- Sunday, March 6

Meal 1: (8:00am) Steel cut oats with a sprinkle of cinnamon, egg whites with southwest seasoning, 1 tsp. coconut oil, 8oz. coffee

While the rest of my family and our lake cabin guests enjoyed a colorful vegetable frittata dish and turkey bacon for breakfast, I dined on oatmeal and egg whites ... or on Turkish prison food, as Andi was cute to point out. I'll be quite honest, my breakfast tasted the way it looked -- bland. Thank goodness for coffee to add some flavor to my taste buds!

Meal 2: (10:30am) Baked chicken breast with southwest seasoning, steamed sweet potato with cinnamon

My body's internal clock is accustomed to eating a mid-morning snack, so I was hungry for this meal. On a typical day, I'd have likely reached for an apple but a grilled chicken breast with a sweet potato did the trick. Yum!

Meal 3: (12:15pm) Steamed tilapia, seasoned with Mediterranean seasoning and baked in a foil packet, with asparagus and lemon

Have I mentioned how much I dislike fish? It's, um, not my favorite. I choked down the 4oz. fillet for the good of the program. The asparagus was tasty with a nice, lemony flavor.

Meal 4: (2:00pm) Grilled chicken breast with steamed broccoli, 1 tsp. coconut oil

This meal followed an intense 45-minute workout, and I was thankful for it! It came together quickly with a microwavable steamed bag of broccoli and re-heated chicken breast. I felt satisfied afterwards, but definitely missed my usual post-workout Shakeology protein drink.

Meal 5: (4:00pm) Steamed tilapia, steamed broccoli, 1 tsp. coconut oil

I resisted the urge to eat the pre-packaged treats my kids enjoyed during our family Ranger ride at the lake cabin, and was happy to have a meal ready to eat upon our return. The fish wasn't so bad this time. I squeezed a generous amount of lemon over the fish and the broccoli to give it more flavor.

Meal 6: (6:00pm) Turkey with sauteed butternut squash, mushrooms and spinach, 1 tsp. coconut oil

Okay, so this meal wasn't completely on plan. Andi and I had fresh-prepared Origin meals in the refrigerator and I didn't want them to go to waste. Since the meal was Paleo, I didn't feel too guilty eating it.

Water intake = 144oz.

Thoughts? - Day 1
I didn't feel sluggish or starved like others stated in many of the 3 Day Quick Fix reviews I'd read prior to starting the eating plan. I did think twice (x 10!) about mindlessly throwing back a handful of the kids' breakfast cereal, small pieces of fruit or a graham cracker while preparing meals and snacks for my family throughout the day. Those little "extras" add up to more than I realize, I'm sure.

Drinking extra virgin coconut oil wasn't a big deal for me. I warmed up a teaspoon of the oil in the microwave for a few seconds to liquify it before consuming. It didn't taste like anything, really.

Oh my goodness, was it important to be close to a restroom! I'm a big water drinker (typically 90-120oz. /day) so I knew I wouldn't have a problem downing the recommended 132oz. I'm not sure what the difference was in Day 1 of this program over the usual -- the streamlined meal plan? the coconut oil? -- that worked to efficiently flush toxins from my body, but I urinated at least 20 times the first day of the Quick Fix. Crazy!

------
Day 2 -- Monday, March 7

Meal 1: (7:00am) Steel cut oats with a sprinkle of cinnamon and stevia, egg whites with southwest seasoning, 1 tsp. coconut oil, 6oz. coffee

I seasoned my steel cut oatmeal with cinnamon and added stevia which made all the difference in the world in terms of flavor! I also heavily seasoned my morning egg whites with the southwest blend I'd prepared, which also helped to amp up the flavor of this meal. I'd clocked an early morning workout, so breakfast hit the spot on Day 2. Two thumbs up!

Meal 2: (10:30am) Baked chicken breast with southwest seasoning, steamed sweet potato with cinnamon

The kids and I drove 1 1/2 hours from our Wisconsin lake cabin to the Twin Cities on this morning, and I opted to wait and eat meal #2 upon arrival home. This was a mistake on my part because I was super hungry by the time we got there. I only had a few minutes to heat up my meal and eat it on the go as we rushed to the kids' gymnastics class. The food itself tasted great (especially since my stomach was growling!), but it wasn't the most convenient thing to eat in the car.

Meal 3: (12:30pm) Broiled pollack, seasoned with Mediterranean seasoning, steamed asparagus with Ms. Dash seasoning and lemon

Goodness, I thought the tilapia on Day 1 was bad. Blech! This meal was my least favorite. I gagged down the fish as quickly as I could and promptly brushed my teeth afterwards.

Meal 4: (3:30pm) Grilled chicken breast with all-purpose seasoning and steamed broccoli, 1 tsp. coconut oil

I lost track of time, and consumed this meal later than I would've liked. By the time I ate, I was in a bit of a panic I was so hungry. Meal prep to the rescue! I re-heated a chicken breast and microwaved a steamer bag of broccoli and had Meal #4 ready to go in under five minutes.

Meal 5: (4:00pm) Steamed pollack, steamed broccoli, 1 tsp. coconut oil

Yuck! More fish. I mixed bits of fish with each broccoli bite to mask the taste. It helped ... a little bit.

Meal 6: (7:00pm) Pan-fried turkey burger seasoned with southwest seasoning, asparagus, 1 tsp. coconut oil

I'm not 100% sure a turkey burger could be classified as ground turkey as per the meal plan, but I had some frozen burgers that needed to be used so this fit the bill. I would have also preferred to grill the turkey burger, but we were out of propane so cooking in a skillet had to do.

I was pleasantly surprised by this meal, and it was a nice change from chicken and fish. Paired with a side of steamed asparagus, I called meal #6 a win!

Water intake = 180oz.

Thoughts? - Day 2
First and foremost, I noticed a big difference in the way my stomach looked on Day 2 -- flat and toned; precisely the results I was hoping for!

Otherwise, my thoughts concluding Day 2 could be summed in one word ... boredom. Having food prepped and ready to re-heat made meal time easy, but I definitely didn't enjoy the food I was consuming. I developed a new appreciation for the wonderful foods I am fortunate to eat on a daily basis. I started to crave toast with peanut butter and my favorite crispy coconut chips. Hot tea helped add some flavor to my palette, but my enthusiasm for the meal plan was wearing thin.

Interestingly, I consumed more water on Day 2 and used the restroom less often. Perhaps most of the toxins were flushed from my system on Day 1?

------
Day 3 - Tuesday, March 8 

Guess what? I threw in the towel. Bah! I know, I know ...

I consider myself a fairly dedicated person, but I just couldn't do it any more. On the morning of Day 3, I finished the last workout of my PiYo program and weighed myself for the final result. I was down three pounds since Saturday (wahoo!) and down 0.8 pounds since I began the PiYo program in early January 2016. I felt satisfied with my results and quite honestly, I felt ravenous. I desperately wanted to eat a breakfast with fruit and peanut butter toast, so that's what I did. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite of my peanut butter toast and bowl of plain Greek yogurt with mixed berries, homemade granola and a drizzle of honey.

Yes I quit the 3 Day Challenge a day early, but I'm also pleased with the results I achieved in two days of strictly adhering to this plan. I will admit that once the doors opened to "regular eating" again, I desperately wanted to devour bowls full of fresh fruit and bread, so I had to check myself a little bit. A "normal" day of meals doesn't mean I can eat anything and everything! In retrospect, I think that's what makes the standard 21 Day Fix program so great -- I never feel like I'm missing out on foods I enjoy. I eat a well-balanced menu of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats which is the perfect lifestyle choice for me.

Now, I'm off to the beach! Let's hope my bikini-ready body sticks around until I get there! 

Finally, would I do the 21 Day Fix 3 Day Quick Fix again? Absolutely. It was a great way to get myself beach-ready and finish my workout program at my best.

Easy Vegetable Frittata

I've been following a clean-eating diet of unprocessed, whole foods for close to six months now and I look and feel better than ever. Consuming a good balance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats feels more like a lifestyle than a decision with every passing meal -- and that's a good thing! It means eating healthy, flavorful food is sustainable when it's the right kind of food.

Andi's been eating a cleaner diet alongside me, and together we've been whipping up some great meals. Our household used to be one that only used eggs for baking chocolate chip cookies and now we easily fly through two dozen eggs a week! Eating poached, scrambled or over-easy eggs for breakfast has become my go-to, and Andi likes his hard-boiled.

A few weekends ago, Andi made a vegetable frittata that had us both swooning and since then, we've made it a handful of ways using different ingredients. Here's his recipe:

 

Easy Vegetable Frittata
Serves 4-6

8 eggs
1 cup broccoli, diced
1/2 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup deli ham, diced (We like Applegate Natural & Organic)
1/4 Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. pepper
dash salt

1. Pre-heat broiler. In a bowl, whisk eggs, salt and pepper. Mix in ham and Parmesan cheese.

2. Spray an oven-proof 10-inch skillet with cooking spray. Saute broccoli and mushrooms in the pan until tender, then add into the bowl of egg and ham mixture.  

3. Reduce skillet heat to low and pour 1/3 of the egg mixture into the pan. Cook about 3 minutes until set, then add another 1/3 of the egg mixture over the top of the set eggs in the pan. Repeat step with the final 1/3 of egg mixture. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low for 10 minutes.

4. Broil in the oven for 2-3 minutes, or until the top of the frittata has a nice golden crust on top.

5. Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with a side of mixed berries. 

---

Make this recipe your own by changing up the meat and vegetables. We've tried combinations of bell peppers, turkey sausage and spinach. The sky's the limit, really!

Postpartum Update

Alright. The holidays are over and it's time to kick my postpartum weight loss into gear. Aden is eight weeks old now, so any weight loss that was destined to happen on its own has likely already taken place. The rest is up to me...

The normal (ha!) Heather usually diets by scaling back on food. I know. Sad, but true. It's not the healthiest way to lose weight, but I hate working out and it's the way I've lost weight in the past. Since I'm nursing, however, I need to keep my calories up and I want to make sure I'm passing along enough nutrition to my little guy so a slimmed down diet isn't in the cards. I don't feel the need to join a formal weight loss program either, so my plan of attack is to make healthier choices and eat sensible portions. We'll see how it goes.

The Details:
Baby was born at: 40 weeks, 6 days

Total pregnancy weight gain: 35 pounds

Total weight loss since birth: 22 pounds / 13 pounds to go

Back into your old clothes yet?: Yes, barely. All of my pre-pregnancy shirts and some of my pre-pregnancy jeans/pants are wearable, but fit tightly. Darn those giant breastfeeding boobs! I really should be wearing a size bigger in most shirts because of my chest, but luckily it's wintertime and I can get away with wearing casual pull-overs and hoodies most days. I do have two pairs of skinny jeans that still won't button but otherwise my pants/jeans fit with a little muffin top hanging over the sides.

Mental status: Honestly, I'm not expecting to drop down to my pre-pregnancy weight anytime soon. I dropped 10 pounds in the months after I quit my job and started staying home with Tory full-time. That was without even trying to lose weight; just a matter of more home cooking and portion control. That pre-pregnancy weight was the least I'd weighed since my sophomore year in college and I doubt I'll get back there for some time (if ever). I'm okay with that.

Goals: We're vacationing in Cabo in six weeks and I really want to feel confident in my swimming suit ... even if it's just a tankini. I'd also like my jeans to fit comfortably.

Reality check - Photo time:

8 weeks postpartum

...and just a friendly reminder it was all worth it ;)

So, healthier eating habits are here to stay. Tory and I have been into making smoothies lately, and I feel like that's a good way for both of us to up our fruits and veggies. I pre-assembled smoothie packets as mentioned here and that's been really helpful during the day. I've also been making quite a few Weight Watchers dinners for Andi and I and most of them have been quite tasty. Let's hope I see some results in the next few weeks.

Post-Pregnancy Update: Week 3

After posting weekly pregnancy updates for the past 10 months, it feels a little strange not to share how I'm doing post-baby. I can't say I'm nervous about the way my body will bounce back following my pregnancy; I'm fairly certain the weight will melt off - especially since I'm nursing. More than anything, I'm curious to see what my body looks like afterwards (will everything go back to where it was before?) and how long it takes to feel like my old self again.

--- Week 3 ---

Pregnancy Weight Lost To Date: 25 pounds

Goal Weight: 12 more pounds to go

Diet: Really good, by my standards. Pre-pregnancy, I lived on cereal, chips and Diet Coke and I realize I can't eat this way after baby either. I know I need to keep eating well to supplement my milk supply. But eating is hard to do (or should I say, hard to make time for) these days! I'm trying to make a conscious effort to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and make good choices at each meal period. One of the best gifts I've received from family / friends is the offer to make a meal for us. It's easy to eat then! Meals are a little more difficult to make a priority when it's just me at home. I usually find myself eating yogurt, granola bars or stuffing a PB and J into my mouth in a rare moment I have to myself. While I'm focusing on eating well at meal times, I haven't been limiting myself to snacks or desserts either. I haven't gone overboard, but I do indulge in the occasional cookie, piece of chocolate, etc. Until I hit a weight loss plateau, I don't feel like restricting myself.

Exercise: A few walks around the neighborhood with Chloe and Tory, but not much else. It's far too chilly outside (geez Minnesota, I already had to turn out heat on!) so I can't really take the baby outside any longer. I don't feel motivated enough by lack of weight loss to break out an exercise video or join a gym. I suppose I could always bundle up the baby and walk the aisles of the grocery store if I get really desperate, but that just sounds like too much work.

Wardrobe: Still wearing maternity clothes, mostly, because they're loose on my belly area. While my body is basically back to normal (no more swelling), my stomach isn't as flat as it was before. And apparently I liked to wear tight clothes prior to pregnancy? I can fit into all of my pre-pregnancy shirts, but they aren't very flattering with my muffin-top waist and uni-boob nursing bra. I can fit into my old jeans already, but they're a little tight (did I mention my glamorous muffin-top waist)? Therefore, I've been wearing maternity leggings and maternity jeans - they're a little more forgiving!

How I am feeling: More like myself everyday. Two weeks ago, I was an emotional basket-case. Last week, I felt like I finally getting this mama thing under control. I made dinner for Andi and I TWICE last week! And I took a shower every day. Big milestones in my opinion. I'm starting to feel like myself more everyday and I know this week will flow even better, especially because Andi is home for two weeks to help. Life is finally starting to take on a new normal.

Goal for next week: Making healthy meals a priority!

5 Reasons You'd Swear I'm Pregnant ...

...but I'm not!

1. I'm absolutely exhausted this week! It started last weekend when I slept far less hours than I'm accustomed to and cruised right into the busy work week of meetings. While many co-workers planned to meet after work again tonight, I graciously bowed out and came home. I have to admit, I'm a little nervous for the nearing days when I do have a baby - how will I ever function?

2. I'm craving bacon like nobody's business. How crazy is that?! I don't even like meat and for the past 6 months have attempted to eat all local, sustainable meat when I do. Yet for some reason, I haven't been able to resist ordering a BLT on restaurant menus or the yummy bacon tomato brushcetta on yesterday's lunch menu. Mmmm, bacon.

3. My stomach's the size of Rhode Island. Sure, it could be a tell-tale sign of continuous eating since Friday. Yet I find little comfort in that reality when my stomach is larger than girlfriends who actually are pregnant. Quick, I must eat healthy before the weekend gets here (and the moment at which I wear a swimming suit). That will mean omitting bacon. See #2

4. Did I mention how tired I am? Dang, I'm struggling to put this post together. My pillow is calling my name ...

5. And then there's the water works. Ultra-emotional as I'm missing my husband who's traveling yet again this week. Teary-eyed as I watch cute commercials on television. Ha! Just now, I found myself spaced out at the television as I watched a food commercial on TV. And now I'm salivating. Lord help me ...

Am I pregnant? I definitely know that I am not.

My only other diagnosis?

I am a girl.

Today it begins

Why is it when you select a date on the calendar and remind yourself for days that on [INSERT DATE HERE], I will start eating healthy and lose those few pesky pounds that have been hanging around, and the day finally arrives (despite failed attempts of wishing that date never does come) you find yourself STARVING all day long and lingering on every last thought, aroma and feeling of food? Oh food, how you play mind games with me....

Today is exactly one month until our Maui trip. Today marks the day in which I MUST begin to lose the five or so pounds I've packed on this winter. I've been going through one of those periods in life where I feel like I MUST eat everything on my plate - even when I'm stuffed to the gils - because I somehow feel like I'll never eat anything as good as the meal in which I'm consuming (and it's not even that great but I still.keep.eating until I'm miserable). Do you ever have those times? It's like Old Man Winter telling you to fatten up because layers and layers of clothing will hide that extra buttermilk biscuit that tastes so damn good right about now.

And yet, my brain knows I need to fit into a bikini in 30 days. I'll kick myself for not losing those few measly pounds when I had the chance every single time I look at our Maui vacation photos. I must do better.

This week I'm traveling for work which will be hard for me to tame my appetite. Something about staying in hotels for work without my own means of transportation or control over my daily agenda gives me the same anxiety that I DON'T KNOW WHEN I'LL BE ABLE TO EAT AGAIN which never fails to trick my brain into stuffing myself silly at work dinners.

I tried to set myself up for success. I brought a water bottle along to refill instead of drinking so much Diet Coke. And I stuffed a few granola bars into my work bag to curve off hunger strikes. I can do this. At the end of these 30 days, I'll be laying on a sunny beach, in a bikini, with my love. It's all worth it to a woman.