I thought I'd write to you about how the FIRST WEEK of my 21 Day Fix program is going.

What?
If you don't already know what the 21 Day Fix program is head over to my SHOP page and in the programs section you'll find a quick video on it. It's not my intention to describe the entire thing here, sorry.

Why?
Why am I doing the Fix? For many people the Fix is a weight loss program. I did it for many reasons none of which was weight loss.


FIRST, I wanted to see if I could. I find myself developing 'social ADD' where I always want to go out and do what everyone else is doing. Here I wanted to see if I could set a goal and achieve in, no matter what events, parties, and other activities came my way.

SECOND, I wanted a break from alcohol. I wasn't drinking a ton or anything but I noticed my intake ramp up a bit from a small depression I was in so I wanted to 'reset.'

THIRD, I have a video-shoot coming up for a P90X training series that I want to be ready for. Last time one of these came across my path I only prepared the last week. This time I wanted to be a little more ready.

How: Nutrition?
My meal plan is pretty simple. I'm trying to eat the same number of containers each meal everyday so that if I'm out I can stay on track easily. For example, the amount of colored containers I have for lunch is the same every day. The food my change but the colors stay relatively constant.

Here's the formula I came up with and have been following. On page 76 of the guide book I'm following the 2,300 - 2,499 calorie range chart since my workouts are extremely intense.



My Schedule:

08:30: Snack - 2 Green | 2 Red
10:30: Breakfast - 1 Red | 2 Yellow | 1 Blue | 3 Spoons
12:00: Snack - 2 Purple
01:00: Lunch - 2 Green | 1 Red | 2 Yellow | 2 Spoons
03:00: Snack - 3 Purple
08:00: Dinner - 3 Green | 2 Red | 1 Yellow | 2 Spoons
10:00: Snack - 1 Orange

How: Fitness?
WeekONE: This week I've been going all out. I've been following a modified Frank Medrano's workout schedule (find it on my ELITE FITNESS page) along with core moves every morning. If you'd like to know my exact schedule please CONTACT ME.

WeekTWO: I'm going with more rest and back to my normal routine. Mon/Tues - Rest, Wed - Calisthenics Upper Body, Thur - Gymnastics, Fri/Sat - Rest, Sun - Beach Lower Calisthenics Upper.

WeekTHREE: I have no idea yet but I'm working on adding in more oblique and lower back work and some Fasting Cardio since I've never tried that before. And for the love of Pete hopefully some stretching or Yoga routines, man I need those!

Positives.
So far this first week has been very positive. I've lost 2 pounds which I wasn't expecting and have gained a small amount of size in my arms and chest. Following the plan is pretty simple since I really wasn't changing much other then being more aware of my portions.

I've also noticed a small increase in energy which I'm not sure if it's due to a higher then usual calorie count or if I've ben caffeine free now. In the past I've noticed that sometimes the more caffeine I take the more tired I get. Thanks Universe for that fun little quark. 

I still have 2 more weeks to go but I'm pretty optimistic about it.



Struggles?
Yeah I don't like being told what to do. Ugh I hate this about myself because I hate it even if it's in my best interest. So even 'having' to follow a meal system gets in my head. Even though much hasn't changed the fast that I'm on a system now that I need to follow bugs me. Ugh but these are my own issues. 

Becoming a bit of a black sheep is tough too. Some people have the will power to go out with their friends to a fun bar or lounge and just enjoy themselves while everyone else around them has a delicious drink or something; that's not me. I get sucked in to the social setting and peer pressure and I'll cave so I've had to say no to a few social events that I would have liked to go to. It really is a small price to pay but it can be tough at the time. 

I cheat. There I said it. I workout pretty intensely but my Wednesday and Sunday workouts are from another world. These days I'm more open to taking in a few more calories then normal. Now don't get me wrong I'm not straying from the meal plan or healthy options but on these days I'll try to get into more of a 3,000 calorie range. 

Conclusion
When you start a program like this, or any program for that matter it's important to write out your goals. I've tailored this program to FIT MY GOALS. I may not be following it to the "T" but who cares. This and all programs are tools, nothing more to help you achieve goals. As long as those tools help you get there you're using them correctly. 

I think too often people get caught up in the "rules" of a program, they'll fall off course a bit and then quit completely. It's a sad thing when this happens. If the tool is helping you achieve your goals then it's working. PERIOD. How you're using that tool doesn't matter. 

Well that's about it for week 1. I'm not sure if I'll post about week two or not because sometime the in between stuff can get boring but we'll see. Either way I'll see you guys at the end!