21 Day Fix: Week 3

I'm well past week three of the 21 day fix and am starting it all over again today because I loved my results so much! 

I also didn't take a ton of pictures this week so you are getting some personal pictures as well.

First off, my boyfriend Tim and his softball team came in first for the third year in a row in their league! So proud of him! :)

Here's a sweaty selfie halfway through the week. I found that as I did the workouts I was much stronger in the third week. I'm very proud of my progress during this journey and have some skills about healthy living that I didn't have before!

Friday was my (and my co-workers) last day in our office. Cheryl left for good, quitting the company entirely and I have moved on to a different job within the company. The treats were tempting but I can tell you honestly that I didn't have one bite of any dessert! Before I would've definitely eaten something, but now I can hold out for other foods that I prefer to these sugary treats. I would much rather save my cheat for a bowl of pasta!

This is one of the cats that lives at Tim's house, Blue.  I just thought I would include this picture because she's super sassy and cute and soaks up every bit of love I give her. It must be hard to live with all boys!

Finally, on day 20 I had my first coffee- a small chocolate chai as I met with my Beachbody coach. I loved my journey as a participant to much that I have decided to become a Beachbody coach myself!

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/MELISSAPEARCE57

I would love for you to check out my website because I want to share this journey with as many people as possible! Let me know if there's anything you have questions about!

21 Day Fix Week 2

Happy Saturday everyone!

I'm popping in today to share with you week 2 of my 21 day fix. I'm actually just about to finish up the third and final week but have yet to share what I thought of week 2 so it's time to do that now!

My number one tip for those of you doing the 21 Day Fix is to drink ALL of the water they recommend! I honestly have been so full because I make sure I get my nine cups in each and every day. 

I'm also getting better about planning out my lunches because of this routine. I make sure I bring a salad, lots of vegetables and fruits to work with me so I won't be tempted while I'm working to eat the other treats that so often find their way into our office. I also bring cashews as a snack and while I was completely distraught to find out that they consider 8 cashews a serving, I have to say that it satisfies me as a morning snack almost every day!

My shakeology has become my favorite meal of the day. Score for it also being the healthiest meal of the day. I mix chocolate shakeology with fat free milk and ice in a blender and have a delicious chocolate shake. I usually try to make this in the morning, but if I have a particularly early day at work I will have it for dinner after my workout as well.

The best part about these workouts is I set up a beach towel, use my weights and put on my sneakers and that's all I need! I don't have to spend the $48 a month I was spending at the YMCA each month. I get my workout in right at home and don't spend the extra time and money I would have put in driving back and forth from the gym either!

                

                                                

Each day I check in with my challenge group and it has been so motivational. Although my sweaty selfies aren't the most attractive pictures I have of myself- they are real. You need to work hard and get sweaty to see results and I feel confident in posting these pictures because I know that I am working harder then I would be sitting on the couch!

I rewarded myself with a new water bottle from Kohls :) My next reward I think will be new weights- the 5lbs are just not cutting it anymore ;)

I have also signed up to be a Beachboy Coach and while I'm still starting the process I would love to hear if you have any questions or are interested in programs at all. It has truly changed my life- I am already down 7lbs, and have lost an inch and a half off my waist!

Have a great weekend everybody!

21 Day Fix Week 1

My first week on the 21 Day Fix has officially ended! I thought I would share this journey with you since I figured it would be very difficult for me. I grew up being able to eat pretty much whatever I wanted. I never gained a pound. Throughout high school people would comment that I was "too skinny" but quite honestly I ate like a pig. I could out-eat most of the guys I knew and still would be a twig. I thought I was lucky, I thought that I had great genes!

During college I continued to not gain weight. Cookies, cake, pasta, pizza- I downed it all. I ate like crap and danced constantly with the dance company I was a part of and never gained a pound. Once I graduated and worked at the dance studio full time I gained a tiny bit of weight. I started filling out which I considered a good thing. Then last year when I started my office job I noticed a major change in my body. I started gaining weight, particularly in my stomach! I finally decided to do something about it and was considering asking one of the girls I knew who coach for Beachbody when someone I knew from high school, Marcy contacted me and asked me if I would be interested in joining her next challenge group!

My game plan was to use the 21 Day Fix portion containers to eat portion controlled meals and snacks throughout the process, complete Autumn Calbrese's 21 day fix workout program, and drink Shakeology daily.

So last Monday I began...

The first thing I did was go grocery shopping. Fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts and ice were on the menu! I didn't want to buy too much because I am only one person and I know things will go bad if I leave them too long so it's easier for me to shop once a week for fresh items.

My lunch and snacks all packed for the day! I was a little nervous when I saw I could only have EIGHT cashews. Who knew that was a serving size?!

Shakeology for breakfast! When I first tried Shakeology I could barely choke it down. Over the week I figured out that I could add fat free milk with the powder and ice and make it taste like a chocolate milkshake. It's gone from something I dreaded to my favorite meal of the day!

I found this quote and thought this is so true. I am trying to commit to myself. I need to make my body and myself a priority every single day!

Now for the scary part...The before pictures...

As scary as it is for me to post these pictures on the internet I want to remember why I was so unhappy with my body eating carbs all the time. My stomach has so much extra fat on it that I look pregnant! I know I need to get this under control before it gets worse.

My first sweaty selfie after my total body cardio fix. I struggled through this first workout and was pretty miserable with the lack of food I ate (days 1 and 2 were very difficult for me!) but I did it!

My workout area in my bedroom :)

My mom made me these delicious treats that are 21 day fix approved (for the most part). They do have chocolate chips in them to help me with my chocolate craving, but also contains old fashioned oats, applesauce and cinnamon. They were delicious! They are worth a purple container and a yellow container for 3 cookies. I enjoyed these every day last week they were so yummy =)

On Tuesday night I cheated a little bit for my moms birthday dinner. I ate a turkey sandwich with french fries. I downed every little bit...

After two full days on the 21 day fix it tasted like the best thing I've ever eaten. Sometimes it's okay to eat a little something that's not on your meal plan- plus turkey not the worst thing in the world to eat either!

Plus we enjoyed a beautiful view while we celebrated my moms birthday!

Taking a "sweaty selfie" every day for my group has motivated me to check in and complete my workout each and every day. I don't have an excuse to not exercise or eat healthy. I need to check in every day and tell the other people in my group what I've done that day- it's kept me accountable- another great part of the 21 day fix and working with a coach.

Another part I love? The app! This app helps you keep track of what you've eaten and how much water you've had throughout the day. It has made it really easy for me to see what I can eat and how many portions I have left for the day.

Here's an example of a dinner plate with one serving of protein and two servings of vegetables. It's a pretty full plate. This plan isn't about starving yourself, it's about feeding yourself the healthy foods.

Another sweaty selfie.

Here's another meal that I got while out to eat and had leftovers for lunch. It is a southwest salad from a local restaurant called Billy Hills. It was a nice twist on getting my vegetables in as well as some chicken for protein, shredded cheese and corn.

A quick breakfast idea. Each slice of bread counts as one yellow container (although pumpernickel bread wasn't on the list I'm including it because it is definitely healthy for you!). Two teaspoons of peanut butter are allowed and I tend to add a little bit more because it's delicious. It also helps to fill me up a little bit.

Some more sweaty selfies.

On Saturday I had a sad occasion to attend but I was already starting to fill more confident in my body! After one week I have already lost 1 inch off my waist and 2 pounds!

Have you tried the 21 day fix?

Seafood Festival Weekend and An Announcement!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Although I'm bummed the weekend is almost over, I am excited that next weekend at this time I will be in Boston for a couple of days!

So to recap the weekend, I started it off volunteering at the Seafood Festival. If you've never been to Charlestown Seafood Festival and live somewhere near Rhode Island, you should put it on your calendar for next summer. It's an awesome event that the Charlestown Chamber of Commerce sponsors each year. I've been volunteering there for the last eleven years since my friend Brittni is the volunteer coordinator.

This year I got my volunteer t-shirt in a gorgeous bright blue and a budweiser hat out of the deal =)

This year I poured the wine. Here's my little set up in the beer tent. I am always happy to volunteer because it's always such a great group of people. While I'm not a fan of seafood at all, there are plenty of other options for food and drinks. There are plenty of other things to do besides eat; concerts, fireworks, rides, shopping, etc...

Brittni and I in the beer tent, she stopped by to visit during her volunteer coordinator rounds. I also am now sporting a lobster necklace.

On Saturday Tim and I headed to Ocean Mist for breakfast with his parents, brother, and brothers girlfriend.  Since it was almost noon time we ended up eating a lunch instead of dinner and I enjoyed a yummy grilled cheese and curly fries!

Later in the afternoon we headed back to the Seafood Festival. It was nice to experience it from a guest standpoint instead of working the entire time. We grabbed some snacks and made our way through the crowded park. There were exponentially more people on Saturday then there were on Friday.

It was a lot of fun hanging out and watching the ACDC Tribute Band perform. We ended up leaving during the fireworks and managed to beat all the traffic which was a terrific idea!

Now for my announcement!

Today I posted this selfie on instagram for the no makeup challenge. I rarely take pictures of myself or go out without makeup. I also rarely take pictures of myself with my glasses on because I don't feel confident in them. I want to start feeling more confident without my contacts and makeup which is why I decided to take this picture.

Shortly after posting it a girl I went to high school with messaged me about joining her Beach Body fitness group. I have officially joined the 21 Day Fix through Beach Body and will start my plan next Monday. I can't wait to get started eating healthier, working out, and getting in shape. I will bring you guys along for the journey, show you what I'm eating and what my workouts consist of. I hope you'll enjoy all I have in store.

I've also been working on several organization posts for you which will be coming- I promise!

Alright I'm off to enjoy what's left of my weekend, I hope you do too!

Weekend Workouts

This weekend I tried out some new-to-me classes. The reason I chose to join the gym that I did was because of the wide array of classes they offer so I'm determined to try out as many as possible.
(I should also mention that on Friday night I took Zumba class- something I've done many times- and of course I loved it!)

On Saturday morning I woke up really early to attend Step and Sculpt. My friend Kaitlin recommended this class to me and I'm so glad she did. When I entered the class I followed another gym-goer inside and watched them put together their step so I would know what I was doing. We also were required to have weights during class which was a nice bonus.

I loved the choreography aspect of the class- following the steps that the instructor provided us. I also am extremely competitive when it comes to classes like this and get very frustrated when I mess something up. From what I understand we did a basic step class and just incorporated weights into the routine. Overall this was an amazing class and I will definitely go back again!

I went back to the gym on Saturday afternoon and met up with Laura to do an arm workout.

20 mins elliptical
20 Seatbelts each arm
60 Seated rows
60 Crunches
60 Ab Twists each side
60 Pectoral Flys
40 Overhead Presses
40 Bicep Curls
30 Lateral Raises

I have been enjoying incorporating weights into my workout routine and can feel myself getting stronger every day!

On Sunday morning I woke up with some extreme soreness in my legs (probably due to Step class) but I pulled myself out of bed and off to the gym to meet Laura for Cardio Sculpt.

I wasn't sure what to expect at all during Cardio Sculpt but I walked into class 15 minutes early, the class was already packed! I quickly set up spots for both Laura and I because I was worried there wouldn't be any spots left (and I was right- the class was full!)

The class consisted of three circuits. Each circuit started with a resistance band, then heavy weights, a weighted pole, light weights, and cardio using an exercise ball. Each circuit changed up the exercises but we used the same equipment each round. It was an intense class but there were a lot of modifications that could be made to each exercise. The instructor gave us ideas of what we could do if the exercise was too hard or too easy. I grabbed extremely light weights since I wasn't sure what to expect but next time I will definitely try the next weights up.

Overall, this weekend was amazing for workouts and I can't wait to do these classes again! =)

What did you do to workout this weekend?

Weekend Workout!

Happy Monday everybody!

Today I'm trying something new and I'm going to share my workouts from this past weekend with you.  I have really been sticking to my fitness routine and making sure I get to the gym as often as I can. This weekend I had two really great workouts...on Saturday I ended up at the gym for over two hours and Sunday I was there just about an hour. I have really been enjoying my workout time and also have enjoyed being able to eat what I want and still feeling good about myself. I also feel like I get a ton of frustration out when I workout and it's easier for me to wrap my mind around sitting at work all day when I'm able to get some workouts in during the week.

Overall, I've been trying to get to the gym about 4-5 times a week. So far it's been a month and I've managed to keep to that goal! Hopefully I can keep it up- how are you doing on your fitness resolutions?

Anyways, here is what I did this weekend....

The top workout was inspired by one Julie at Pbfingers.com posted, but I did add other things to it and changed it a bit! The bottom workout was just my gym ADD as I jumped from machine to machine.

What were your workouts like this weekend?

I Joined A Gym.....Pure Barre

So one of my New Years Resolutions was to create a balance of health and fitness. This is something I constantly struggle with. I have been a dancer all my life- taking and teaching dance classes for six plus hours six days a week. Since I've changed jobs and am now sitting in a chair eight hours every day- I have a tough time keeping myself in shape. So last night...I joined a gym.

I have never been a "gym member" I have always simply danced my heart out and never needed to workout regularly. I have done workout DVDs and taken a few Zumba classes- I have run on a regular basis and then on a not-so-regular basis but nothing has worked for me. I have a free membership with the gym at work so I thought maybe that would motivate me- it didn't.

I need classes- I need dance cardio. I need to motivate myself by committing myself to attending classes. So I joined and went to my first class last night- something I've been dying to try ever since Julie over at PB Fingers mentioned her love for it! Pure Barre.

I pictured plies, grande battemas and tendues at the barre. That wasn't quite what we did- but it was definitely a muscle workout.

We started with a warm-up that included quite a bit of arm work. We worked out our arms, legs, gluttes, and abs. I liked the concept of working the same section for an entire song; however each section of my body were quickly exhausted. We used weights to work our arms and a ball for numerous exercises- although I found the ball to be more irritating then anything else since I couldn't keep it where I wanted it to stay and it kept rolling away!

My favorite part of the class was when we actually went to the barre and worked on plies. It was the easiest part of class for me and I found it to be the most enjoyable- gotta love a good leg workout =)

I think I will try this class again the future- It was a very crowded class since it was the first night of it- but I think I will get a better idea of what the class is when there is more room at the barre. We spent most of the class time in the center on mats which I've heard is not typical so hopefully next time there will be more barre work!

I am planning on heading back to the gym a few more times this week and trying some different classes- I can't wait!

Have you ever tried Pure Barre? What do you think of it?

Zumba Fitness Party for American Diabetes Association

I had a blast yesterday afternoon at a local Zumba Fitness Party!

 This fitness party was actually located at the middle school that I attended as a student which meant it was nice and close. I don't get to attend Zumba often since I work weird hours but I'm always thrilled when I do. I enjoyed a nice afternoon of booty popping and gained over 12,000 steps just while at class!

It was also a treat to see the CHS Dance Team. I know a bunch of the girls since I previously had them as students. They are all so grown up now! They did a terrific job during the intermission of keeping us entertained. It was also nice to chat with them throughout the break.

After the afternoon was over, I left with sore muscles, and 6 m&m cookies. I only bought a package of two, but someone I know was selling them and continually handed them to me. I did donate the money back to her, despite her protests. They are delicious cookies!

Now, I've got some sore muscles and a few of the songs stuck in my head =)

Did you workout over the weekend? What did you do?