Morgan's 21 Day Fix - getting started

So, I told Crystal I was interested in contributing to her blog … a week and a half later I’m finally sitting down to write this!

When I originally signed up for the 21 day fix I have to admit I was skeptical. I mean I’ve tried EVERYTHING… 17 day diet, low glycemic, boot camps with shakes, boot camps with yoga, just plain old boot camps! Personal trainers, the gym, Tommy Europe’s online workouts, Femsport, water sports, basketball, soccer, all kinds of sports!

NOTHING stuck…sure I’d lost a little and had some results, but then I’d decide man I feel like a scoop of ice-cream, a bowl of ice cream, a pint of ice cream…or maybe a couple chocolate almonds, a handful, a huge bulk bag full … every night of the week! Exercise has never really been the issue, I love the high I get from working out, food is my PROBLEM!

I had my son Grant in July 2014 and the whole exercise thing kind of did a nosedive! I mean I kept up my recreational sports (basketball & soccer) but actually going for runs or joining bootcamps wasn’t happening! It was much harder to get out of the house for a workout and I was not motivated to use my treadmill even!

So, when I saw all the ads popping up on Facebook for the 21 day fix just weeks before Grant’s 1st birthday it piqued my interest. I signed up, ordered my shakes and joined Crystal’s challenge group. My shakes and containers were late showing up so the first few days I was just winging it and that went okay. Then I hosted a party in town for Grant’s birthday with friends, my willpower was great, I didn’t eat any of the chocolate cake I made him, or homemade potato salad for that matter. I had a bunless burger and watched my friends enjoy the meal! That was a little tough. Tougher still was resisting the leftover cake and oreos I used for the “dirt” on top of the construction themed cake that sat in my fridge for days afterward! The workouts were going great… that part I love, I’m competitive and push myself and was finding success with those.

Then my family came to visit and we headed to the lake for a week vacation and to celebrate Grant’s actual birthday. That is where it all fell apart … for a few days at least. I told myself I had worked hard and that I deserved a treat, so for Grant’s birthday dinner, I ate a homemade hamburger with all the fixings, had potato salad, and a big piece of cake for dessert. It tasted wonderful but half an hour later my stomach was hating me and I was hating myself! The next few days I did okay but when it came to the evening I’d have treats because everyone else was, why be left out? Pie and ice-cream my Dad bought at the farmer’s market, an ice cream cone on a walk with the kids, a chai latte here and there…etc etc…it all adds up.

The one constant; however, was the workouts! I only missed one in the 21 days and doubled up the next day. I also did extras like going for runs, swims and walks. My sister did my workouts with me when my family visited which helped me stay on track.

You can join us on our 21 Day Fix journey here!

On the final day of my first round of the 21 day fix I slipped up. My husband and I were cleaning up from holidays and I ended up spending the night at our lake property with my dog and son as he had to head back to town for work. There was no one to keep an eye on me. I had some ice-cream bars, I had a spoonful of peanut butter, or 2 or 3 or 10…. and some honey because how can one just have peanut butter and no honey?! The following day I had to pack up and head back to town so I didn’t want to buy more food…consequently I didn’t eat enough and when I returned home to an empty fridge and headed out to get groceries I couldn’t resist those chocolate almonds! I bought a big bulk bag and started eating them on the way home..I continued eating them at home … I was too tired to make dinner….chocolate almonds for dinner? REALLY!? After all that hard work?! To make matters worse I really wanted to do my measurements but couldn’t find my original ones to compare. This was enough to cause chocolate almond sugar high, overtired, HANGRY me to cry! I cried and threw a fit because I couldn’t find my measurements…what?!? I ended up taking after pictures and the comparison to my before ones made me feel a bit better. And today I found my measurements so tonight I’m going to do my “after” ones. Today was a great food day, and I did two hard workouts to make up for my indulgence last night…and today I feel great. I have decided that I’m going to make a rewards calendar based on how many days I can eat clean, NO cheating!

I do have to say that the difference for me with this program so far is the support. The online challenge group is wonderful, I share often and getting feedback from the other ladies helps me so much. Having a sense of humour when I mess up helps too! I mean, I’m only human! The days I don’t feel like working out I look at those sweaty smiling selfies and it pushes me to get my butt in gear. The days I slip up I share that and those women pick me back up and tell me I can do it. And you know what I can do it, I am doing it. I’m rocking it in fact. And my biggest reason for doing it is my son, I want him to grow up seeing his mom happy and healthy, not seeing me frustrated with my weight and gorging on unhealthy food. So….onward and upward tomorrow is a new day, and tonight my hubby owes me a massage because hey I accomplished 1

day of clean eating!