Review of the 3 Day Refresh: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

When I was 21, I went white water rafting 88 miles down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon with my parents and a bunch of strangers.  We would raft during the day, and at night, we camped in sleeping bags in the open air.  We didn't shower and we definitely didn't use toilets, although the guides packed amazing food options and portable stovetops and grills to use for dinner.  On our 5th and last day, we docked our rafts at Phantom Ranch and proceeded to hike the 9 miles out of the canyon up to the South Rim.  It was over 100 degrees.  There was little to no shade.  We were carrying all of the gear we had used over the last five days.  I drank over seven liters of water and there were only two places to go to the bathroom.  I had blisters on my feet and on my shoulders where my bags were.  In the beginning it wasn't so bad, but by the end, I literally had to talk myself into continuing, placing one foot in front of the other.  Nothing I have ever experienced was as difficult mentally or physically, as that hike.

Until the 3 Day Refresh.

Ok I exaggerate... a little.  Here's the breakdown:

Morning 1 weight:  Here we go!

I ate the same things all three days.  A shake and fruit for breakfast, a fiber shake for a morning snack, a salad, fruit and a shake for lunch, veggies and hummus for an afternoon snack, and a salad, a shake and veggie broth for dinner.  The shakes are special for the 3DR and are all provided for you in the 3DR package.  Also included is an info booklet that tells you what fruits and veggies are allowed. I followed everything to a T.  I even did light workouts on Day 1 and 2.



Day 1 ended up being a snow day.  Sooo the whole day I just sat in the house and stared at the Chex Mix on the counter in my kitchen.  I would say Day 1 was the hardest mentally.  I wanted to eat #ALLTHETHINGS.  I wasn't even that hungry!  Honestly, the meal plan up until dinner is a lot of what I already eat on a daily basis, minus the animal protein.  Also, I was peeing like an animal the whole day AND  (tmi right here) I got my period.  So that was awesome.



Dinner... was a different story.

When I first decided to do the 3DR, I looked at the food options to make sure there were enough veggies that I could stomach (I am NOT a veggie girl.  I like about 2.5 veggies and I eat them every day.)  I saw a tomato cucumber salad that looked eatable and decided on that.  Problem was, I had never actually had a cucumber before.

Cue shocked faces and mild mocking.

Whatever.  I tried one a few weeks ago just to make sure and affirmed that they were not deadly.  Until I tried to eat an entire salad of them.  I was literally gagging them down.  Rachel came over and was pleasantly chomping away on her spinach, tomatoes and sprouts while I was making a scene next to her, whining, "I just can't do this, Rachel!  I just can't do this!"

Dinner, before I realized the agony it would cause me

Drama city over here.

I managed to ingest ALMOST all the salad.  I probably left 3 or 4 bites at the bottom.  Rachel told me if I lost more weight than her, she was going to blame it on the fact that I didn't finish my salad.

That night I slept like a log.  I don't remember sleeping like that in a long, long time.  I woke up feeling refreshed (haha) and ready to start Day 2, the memories of my gag reflexes of the night before having all but faded away.

Morning 2 weight

Day 2 was definitely the worst day physically.  I was back at school, so that kept me occupied as I tried to figure out how to time my food and shakes with my schedule.  I was never hungry, but I had a slight headache throughout the day, which progressively got worse into the afternoon (the meeting I had to go to after school probably didn't help).  Then dinner time rolled around and I was faced once again with my arch nemesis:  the cucumber.  I manned up, and managed to get down the same amount of salad as I had the day before, which I considered a #win.  Again, I slept like a log.

Morning 3 weight!

Day 3 was a roaring success.  While I still wanted to eat #allthethings, it was only because I wasn't allowed to, not because I was hungry.  I never had a headache and never felt tired or lethargic.  I had a great day at school, followed by a fantastic meeting with my coach AND a long call with a new coach who I know is going to do great things.  My husband was home from a business trip, so we were able to spend some time together and catch up and I wasn't an angry mess. AND my biggest success of all?!  I FINISHED THE CUCUMBER SALAD.  Take that!

I learned a lot about myself during these three days.  I learned how important accountability is.  I truly believe I would have never gotten through without a cheat if I hadn't blogged and posted about doing it.  I knew that everyone was watching me, waiting for my results and an honest update.  I also feel like I was able to put myself in the shoes of someone who is truly trying to change their eating habits cold turkey.  My eating habits have adjusted and improved over the course of years, as I noticed my body changing.  The way I eat now, which is pretty healthy, is something that I have grown into.  However, people who never ate healthy before or have never made exercise a priority and who are jumping into an entirely new way of life probably feel a lot like I did these last three days.  They see temptation everywhere.  They feel like they are eating foods that they don't like, or aren't satisfying them.  Maybe they feel like it's not enough food or that they are tired or have a headache.  But just like my Day 3, eventually my body adjusted and I felt fantastic, AND I even acquired enough taste to finish the cucumbers!  The 3 Day Refresh is NOT the way that you should eat every day.  But it was a huge change from the way I had been eating, and so that was a struggle for me.

Obviously you're ready for my final results, taken this morning:

After!!  Bye bye bloat!

A total of 5 pounds lost (even during my period) and obvious bloat from my stomach gone (hopefully) forever!

*****

When I woke up the morning after my hike out of the canyon, besides being wildly excited that I had free range of a toilet, I remember thinking, "Yeah I could probably do that again," despite the incredible struggle I felt during the actual hike.  The brain is funny that way.  Maybe it's because you would know what to expect the second time around.  Would I recommend the 3 Day Refresh to someone?  Absolutely.  Would I do the 3 Day Refresh again? Maybe once I get a better handle on my cucumber game :)

What is Beachbody On Demand?

On January 9, Beachbody made a HUGE announcement at their Super Saturday events (of which I was in Pittsburgh for!).  Beginning in the spring, Beachbody would offer instant digital streaming of ALL of their fitness programs! You can choose workouts by fitness level, type of exercise, or celebrity trainer.

Obviously, this is huge for so many reasons.  The ease, mobility, the SAVINGS!  No longer do you have to cart around a set of DVDs, or even MULTIPLE sets of DVDs if you’re not sure which workout you want to do.  You don’t need to remember to bring them on business or vacation.  You don’t need to be this guy:

Yeah.  This was me.  Bringing my LAPTOP to the gym everyday for years.  Because that was the only way I could workout with my DVDs and use the weights at the same time.  It was the only way I could have the space and ability to jump around and not bother the people on the 5th floor.  If I could’ve used my phone instead… Yeah, that would’ve been much better.

Instead of paying sometimes over $100 for every workout program, you could pay a quarterly fee that is LESS than $100, and have access to thousands of dollars worth of Beachbody’s most popular programs.

You could be THIS guy instead:

Previewing my workout for the day in bed!

See my phone?!  That's Tony and P90X3 and the Dynamix workout!

I was lucky enough to be able to test out On Demand for the month of February, as a reward for hitting a goal in my business during January.  There are so many amazing features of the program. But, in order to have access to Beachbody On Demand, you first have to become a Team Beachbody Club Member.

What is Team Beachbody Club?

• Team Beachbody Club is an online membership community that offers expert nutrition, fitness, and support tools to help you reach your goals faster.

What are the benefits of Club (also known as VIP or paid) membership?

• Access to Beachbody® On Demand, where you can stream hundreds of workouts in the Beachbody digital library. That means you'll never miss a workout, because you can take them with you! It allows you to work out anywhere you have an Internet connection: at home, at the gym, outdoors, even on vacation.

• Online access to all the step-by-step program guides, workout calendars, and nutrition plans that come with the streaming workouts. You get the workouts PLUS the materials that make Beachbody programs the #1 home fitness programs on earth.

• Personalized meal plans that you can customize for your lifestyle and preferences. Learn proper nutrition to help you reach your goals and maximize your results.

• 10% discount on purchases in the Team Beachbody store. Yes, even Shakeology®!

• VIP access to live monthly chats with your favorite trainers, like Shaun T, Tony Horton, Autumn Calabrese, and Chalene Johnson.

• 3 FREE bonus digital workouts as a members-only gift for joining the Club (a $70 value). Sample workouts from some of our hottest programs.

• Your own personal Coach for guidance and support (That's me!)

• Access to the online SuperGym®, where you can schedule and log your workouts and easily track your progress.

• Message Boards and chatrooms to help you find new friends and workout partners, and get advice and support from the entire community.

Why should you join Team Beachbody Club?

• With unlimited access to hundreds of workouts in the digital library, Beachbody On Demand is a one-stop shop for all your fitness needs.

• You can stream workouts from Beachbody's massive collection of world-class programs, such as P90X® and INSANITY®. And you get access to all the program guides, meal plans, and workout calendars that make these programs the best in the world.

• You can choose workouts by fitness level, type of exercise, and celebrity trainer, then stream them right on your desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device.

• Never miss a workout! Now it's easy to take your workouts anywhere you have an Internet connection—at home, at the gym, on vacation, even outdoors. Plus, you can try out fitness programs before buying the DVDs!

• New content is added each month, so there will always be fun new workouts to try. That means you can keep getting results, and never get bored!

• Beachbody programs are proven to deliver results. Millions of people have gotten healthy and fit with Beachbody products, and millions more are staying fit every day.

• You save 10% on purchases in the Team Beachbody store—including fitness programs, gear, and supplements, even Shakeology!

• Team Beachbody Club is your health solution. You get workouts, tons of expert fitness and nutrition advice, Message Boards to help you connect with thousands of other members for friendship and accountability, and meal plans customized to your specific goals and lifestyle.

• People who join the Club often get better results than those who try to go it alone. That's because you get so many tools and great support from the entire community, so you're more likely to stay motivated and stick with your program.

What workouts will be available through Beachbody On Demand?

• Beginning in March 2015, Team Beachbody Club members can stream every workout from THE FOLLOWING programs:

- P90X Base and Deluxe Kits

- P90X2® Base and Deluxe Kits

- P90X3® Base and Deluxe Kits

- P90X ONE on ONE® Volume 1

- INSANITY Base and Deluxe Kits

- INSANITY: THE ASYLUM® Volume 1

- TurboFire®

- Brazil Butt Lift® Base and Deluxe Kits

- ChaLEAN Extreme®

- 10-Minute Trainer®

- Hip Hop Abs®

• Club members also get insider ''sneak peeks'' of new releases, so you can sample a workout before you buy the DVD program:

- 21 Day Fix® ''Total Body Cardio Fix''

- 21 Day Fix EXTREME® ''Plyo Fix Extreme''

- PiYo® ''Sweat''

- FOCUS T25® ''ALPHA Cardio''

- INSANITY MAX:30TM ''Sweat Intervals''

- Body Beast® ''Build: Chest & Tris''

- P90® ''Sculpt A''

PLUS, any workout program you purchase that is not included in the Club Membership streaming WILL be available to you! Awesome sauce.

Ok, now that I've got you super pumped, you're going to ask me how much this is going to cost you. Frankly, I think Beachbody is practically giving this stuff away. Club membership costs $2.99 a week, billed $38.87 quarterly in advance to the credit card you use at sign-up. Most gyms can cost as much as this or more A MONTH. And you're getting immediate and unlimited access to thousands of dollars of workouts. I wish I had this before I purchased P90X. And Chalean Extreme. And P90X3. And Brazilian Butt Lift. Oops.

THE THING IS, the price is almost definitely going to be a limited time offer. Once On Demand becomes available to everyone, I expect Beachbody to raise the price of this amazing offering. So in order to lock in the Club price, you'll need to sign up now!

Is Team Beachbody Club and On Demand streaming right for you?

-Are you someone who wants to take your workouts on-the-go or don’t want to be limited to DVDs? You can take your workouts anywhere you have an internet connection.

-Are you someone who travels a lot or wants to work out on vacation?  You don’t have to pack your DVDs, just use your laptop, tablet or mobile device to stream your workout.

-Are you someone looking to maintain your fitness results and try different workouts?  You can choose from hundreds of workouts in the Beachbody digital library.

-Are you someone who wants to try various workouts before purchasing a DVD program?  Sample all kinds of workouts before you commit to a specific program.  From beginner to advanced, there’s something for everyone.  And like I said before: When you purchase a new DVD program, your Club membership gives you streaming access to all those workouts too!

When On Demand finally comes out, it will be available as a Challenge Pack. For $140, you will get 90 days of Club membership, which will allow you access to all the benefits of Club including Beachbody On Demand.  After 90 days they will be charged the quarterly Club membership price.  They’ll aslo get a 30-day supply of Shakeology, which will convert to Shakeology HD after 30 Days (at 10% off)! But don't forget, the quarterly Club membership price may go up!

I know this was a lot of info. You're probably feeling exhausted just reading and trying to digest it all. So, If you still have questions, or if you got tired of reading and actually want to talk to me about it, fill in the form and get at me! I can't wait!

3 Day Refresh Planning and Prep!

I'm taking the plunge.  It took me about 7 months, but I finally feel brave enough to attempt the 3 Day Refresh.  (What is the 3 Day Refresh?  Scroll down and I'll tell you!)

On my journey to this decision, I passed through all five stages of grief:

Denial-- I don't need to do some crazy cleanse!  I'm thin!  I don't eat crap!

Anger-- Why do I hate veggies?!  If I didn't hate veggies, maybe I would try it.  Stupid veggies.

Bargaining--  I promise I'll only eat one more brownie.  One more brownie can't hurt.

Depression--  I'm so bloated and I ate so much boo hoo me.

Acceptance--  OK I'LL DO IT!

So here we are.  Rachel (obviously) graciously volunteered to "do it" with me.  She completed the 3DR once before in the fall and lost a few pounds.  I have no idea what to expect in terms of weight/inch loss.  What I am most excited about is feeling and LOOKING less bloated.  After the holidays, and the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day, I'm ready for a little restart.

Rachel and I started off our President's Day with a little trip to Whole Foods.  Rachel has very high standards for her fruit and veggies.  I like cheap.  In case you didn't realize this, Whole Foods is not cheap.  But like they say, "You are what you eat, so don't be fast and cheap," heh heh.

Here's Rachel's beautiful meal prep:

And mine!  All done!

I'm also ready to be totally transparent about this little journey.  Here are my pictures and weight from this morning, my first morning.  I'll be back on Friday morning with updates on my pictures and weight (hopefully) loss.

Just so everyone knows, the 3 Day Refresh is a three day cleanse filled with fruits, veggies and healthy fats, along with protein and fiber shakes.  It is low caloric, but you still eat five times a day, with plenty of tea and water in between.  It's a great way to recover after a particular gluttonous weekend, prepare for an upcoming event or vacation, break through a plateau, or just jumpstart a new healthy lifestyle.

I was doing pretty well with my health and nutrition  through the holidays, and then for some reason, it caught up with me in January.  By that point, I knew I was going to be doing the refresh after Valentine's Day, so I really let myself go these last few weeks.  I am excited to get back on track and ready for a few spring runs I have planned and looking great for the summer!

21 Day Fix EXTREME Review!

IT'S HERE!!

The world has literally been waiting for this program since September. When the original 21 Day Fix launched almost a year ago to the day, the Beachbody team was "cautiously optimistic." The program sold out. It is Beachbody's best selling program to date as well as MY best selling program. The commitment is short and the results are quick. What you put in your body really is 80% of weight loss, and the 21 Day Fix nutrition plan, along with the variety of workouts, really helps people see that.

The one question I have been getting from EVERYONE is, What is the difference between the original 21 Day Fix and the new 21 Day Fix Extreme?

The difference in results?  21 Day Fix guarantees you'll lose weight.  21 Day Fix guarantees you'll tone up in ways you never imagined!

What do I get with 21 Day Fix Extreme?

So much!  Seven color-coded portion-control containers and a 25 oz Shakeology shaker cup.  This is the only program that comes with the Shakeology cup because Shakeology, while considered a necessary part of success with any program, is considered a non-negotiable for the 21 Day Fix Extreme.  Do you want results?  Drink Shakeology.  You'll also get the QuickStart Guide and workout calendar and two different EXTREME meal plans.  Finally, you'll get seven EXTREME workouts (eight if you order through me!):

Plyo Fix Extreme - Lower body workout that uses jumping and resistance.

Upper Fix Extreme - No-rest upper body workout that alternates muscle groups.

Pilates Fix Extreme - Mat workout that works the entire body, focusing on the core, while using a resistance band.

Lower Fix Extreme - Your lower half will get stronger, leaner, and more defined with this resistance based workout.

Cardio Fix Extreme - Combines weighted cardio and traditional metabolic training intervals.

Dirty 30 Extreme - 7 compound moves that focus on multiple body parts at once.

Yoga Fix Extreme - Fact-paced flow yoga class combining strength, balance, flexibility, and power.

**BONUS** The Fix Challenge - Quick, resistance workout.

There is also a Deluxe Kit that you can purchase that also includes the following two workouts: 

Power Strength Extreme - 9 total-body exercises that are based on functional movement patterns. Designed to increase strength, endurance, and power.

ABC Extreme - Targets the common problem areas - abs, buns, and cardio. Designed to get your body ready for Bikini Competition!


I am anxiously waiting for mine to come in the mail!  I can't wait to try it out and be able to update this post with mine own person transformation and experiences!  If you'd like to try it out with me, I have new Challenge Groups starting on the first Monday of every month.  Click the 21 Day Fix EXTREME image below, or fill out my Challenge Group/Test Group Application so we can find the best program for you!

Classic All-American Chili

Chili.  An American masterpiece.  Is it American?  A question to ponder.

My mom always made great chili.  But a few years ago, in an effort to "forge my own way," I went searching for my own chili recipe.  Then I got lazy and found, probably, the easiest chili recipe on the planet.  I gave it my own little tweek to make it spicy (it's chili, people!) and then taught Rachel to do the same!

Classic All-American Chili

Prep time:  5 minutes

Cook time:  25 minutes

Total time:  30 minutes

Yield:  5 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground meat (we used beef, feel free to use turkey or chicken!)
1 cup chopped onion
2 TB chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans (10 oz each) Ro-Tel (OR a 15 oz can of your choice of diced tomatoes + a jalapano!)
8 oz tomato sauce (no sugar added)

Instructions:

Stirring occasionally, cook the ground meat and onion in a large saucepan on medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink.  (I like to drain the fat into our notorious "fat can" in the fridge.  My husband would rather not talk about it.)  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.  Serve with shredded cheese and maybe a little plain greek yogurt?  An avocado maybe?  The possibilities are endless.

Rachel and I also tried our hand at some baked zucchini.  While tasty, I wouldn't call these a #win, based on the fact that they never got crispy!  Looking for some advice here:  how do you make your zucchini crisp up?  Ours were sad and limp :(

Clean Steel Cut Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

I tried so many new recipes this week!  Thankfully, none of them were failures, but I'm not quite ready to share them with the world!

Sooo I decided instead to share my favorite snack in the whole wide world, aside from Oreos, Clean Steel Cut Oatmeal Raisin Muffins.  It sounds like an exaggeration, but it's true.  These muffins are densely packed with all things whole grain, with a touch of sweetness and warm cinnamon.  I originally found the recipe at Chew Out Loud, but I wasn't 100% pleased with it.  The biggest issue was I found that the blueberries got a little rank in the muffins if I didn't eat them fast enough.  I tried to freeze them, but the blueberries didn't thaw real well.

And then I remembered the most perfect combination in all the land:  Oatmeal and Raisin.

Add to that my desire to "clean up" the recipe a little bit and WA-LAH (sp?)!  A star was born.

Of course, I headed over to Rachel's to teach her about my magic little muffins.

Clean Steel Cut Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Total time:  35 minutes
Yield:  12-15 muffins

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 TB dry flax meal
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 TB cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/4 cup honey
1 1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 pure maple syrup
1 TB vanilla
1 cup leftover, cooked steel cut oatmeal (I cook a big batch and keep it in my fridge for when I need it!)
1 cup raisins


Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Oil a muffin tin with coconut oil spray.  If you're feeling extra culinary (and you don't forget like I always do), try soaking your raisins in the vanilla for about 15 minutes before adding them to the recipe.  It really plumps up the raisins in the muffins and make them extra flavorful!

Combine the first six ingredients in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and honey until well incorporated.  Add the buttermilk, olive oil and maple syrup and whisk again until well combined.  Next add the leftover cooked steel cut oatmeal.  I find that it's usually pretty clumpy and gets stuck in my whisk.  I'm not afraid to dig my hands in their and break up the clumps.  Although, it's not a bad thing to take a bite of a muffin and get a clump of oatmeal :)  Next add your raisin and vanilla mixture.  Finally, combine the wet and dry ingredients together in one bowl.  DO NOT OVER MIX.  I fold slowly from the bottom up until I don't see any flour.

Spoon batter into the muffin tin.  I like to make the batter just even with the top of the muffin tin.  Play it by ear depending on how many muffins you want.

I freeze these bad boys to ensure long-lasting freshness.  It's so easy to just pop one out in the morning and either heat it up in the microwave for a few second, or throw it in my lunchbox, where it defrosts naturally and is ready by the afternoon.  

I totally see myself trying to turn this into some kind of pumpkin miracle, come next fall!

21 Day Fix Extreme Launch

Happy Monday!  If this isn't motivation, I don't know what is!

21 Day Fix Extreme, the follow up program to Beachboy's BEST SELLING program 21 Day Fix is set to be released in just a few hours!!  Not only that, but it is only available through your coach (that's me) for the next two weeks!  I plan on doing a total review on Thursday of what you can expect with the program.  The image above will take you right to order the 21 Day Fix Extreme Challenge Pack (on sale for $140) WHEN THE PROGRAM IS LIVE!!!  I expect this to happen around noon TODAY!  Keep checking back!

The Program Is Live!!  Order NOW by clicking the image above!

My next Challenge Group starts on March 2 and I can't wait to have you be a part of it!