I did it (AGAIN) I made it through not one, but TWO entire weeks without my kids food, without Girl Scout Cookies AND no wine! I was tempted though, do not get me wrong....there was a lot of self talk going on in the evenings.

Struggles: It is still a challenge for me that I have 44 days left without treats or wine. I am starting to tell myself that after 21 days, I will allow myself one treat and then get back on the wagon for another 21 days. It sort of helps me feel better...but do I really want to do that? Should I do that? I mean, I know I shouldn't...but I am all about setting smaller short term goals and that is why I LOVE 21 Day Fix. But don't get me wrong, I love these workouts, I am just struggling more mentally with the strict meal plan!

Here is a look at some of my food from week 2, it was all yummy! Again, people seem to think you have to starve yourself to get results. This is far from true!

Most of these recipes are on my blog...they are totally worth making too!

Workouts: Well, we didn't miss a workout. I am however skipping any of the days where we are supposed to add on the 10 minutes abs. My chiropractor told me I have diastasis recti and I am really trying not to make it worse! Workouts are still not my problem area. I have gotten myself into the habit of getting up and getting it done.

Just a peek into our workouts last week!

Performance Line: I am seriously obsessed. I LOVE our Energize, Hydrate and Recover. I seriously look forward to using it each day to enhance my workout, improve my recovery and in turn, improve my results because I can push myself harder! I do like the Recharge, I really think it has helped my muscles recover even more by using both the Recover (immediately post workout) and the Recharge (before bed) however, I am having a hard time with the texture! I read that a lot of post workouts have a thicker texture, but my gag reflex isn't a fan...just saying! I chug it anyways, if I drink it fast, it isn't as bad, plus the actual taste is REALLY good!
**Update: If you use the Recharge, mix it with 10oz of water, totally fixes the texture issues I was having. Gag reflux = no longer a problem! Glad I solved that! **

Have I told you about our performance line yet? I was NEVER a girl who used supplements before. I didn't want anything that made me feel jittery or shaky. And I didn't want to put a bunch of crap in my body if I didn't know where it was from...so it is a good thing Beachbody and our Scientific Advisory Board developed this line with that in mind.

The board consists of Sports Medicine Dr's, Nutritionists, Botanical Scientists & a Microbiologist with a background in food safety! I can bet you that the supplements you go grab from your local store do not have the level of detail and science behind them that went into creating our line.

Yep, only safe, effective ingredients from nature, that means no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives in our products! Beachbody wants to make sure you are maximizing your performance and getting results in the healthiest way possible!

Last round of Hammer & Chisel I used our Energize and Recover. Now I am using the entire line minus the creatine. The Energize helps me push harder, do more reps and gives me that "get shit done" feeling. :) I didn't use Hydrate during my workouts before, just water and I can tell a 100% difference. I don't wear out as easily because the Hydrate is designed to account for the loss of electrolytes and water lost during my workouts therefore it has improved how effective my workouts are, I can tell that I am not tiring out halfway through because of dehydration. The Recover has totally reduced my muscle soreness immediately after a workout but the Recharge before beds helps my muscles recover overnight when my body is in the most optimal state for recovery. It is amazing how different I feel this round using all 4 of these combined. You can truly tell they were designed to work together in the most effective way so you can get the best results possible. I mean, can you tell how much I love it? I have AT LEAST two of each supplements on my shelves in my pantry. #issues

I just realized I haven't really been sharing as much about my Hammer & Chisel journey as I originally planned to do! Maybe because I have been slacking in the nutrition department? I mean, don't get me wrong, I am not off the wagon completely, but I have had found my foot dangling from it a time or two...or three. What has been hard for me is no wine or treats! One of the many reasons I love the 21 Day Fix is you can have wine and treats, which are staples in my life. If I was in a different spot in my journey, I would say screw the meal plan from the program and follow my 80/20 rule but the problem is, I am not to my goal yet and I still have work to do which means I need to get my mind in the right spot stat and follow the meal plan because I know that is essential to results! Plus, summer is only 4 months away!

Phew, now that I got that off my chest, let's talk about the program in general. To say I was afraid to commit to this program is an understatement, the workouts TERRIFIED me! I mean, 60 days of weight training? That was definitely not something I was used to doing. But can I just say, I LOVE LOVE LOVE these workouts. Today is my rest day and I am actually sad about it! The workouts challenge me, they make me push harder and they make me realize I am capable of more than I was giving myself credit for....

I know as women, we get scared to lift. We don't want to be "bulky" and believe me, I get it. I ha those same exact thoughts. After all, looking like Sagi is not my goal. That is the great thing with this program though, you can pick the meal plan that aligns with your health and fitness goals! If you want to tone, slim down, bulk up or even maintain, there are options for you. I can tell you that I am definitely seeing where I have lost inches on my body or built more muscle, but I am far from bulky.

And ladies, do you want to know something about lifting? Did you know that it helps to:
--> Burn fat faster
--> Burn more calories
--> Feel stronger mentally
--> Increase flexibility
--> Strengthen your bones
--> Ease any joint pain
--> Improve your running (if you run)
--> Improve your heart health
--> And the one to prove all you ladies wrong, you may drop a size or two: Women tend to think they will bulk up but the more your weight comes from muscle, rather than fat, the smaller you'll be. Now, your body weight may go up due to the muscle but your pant size will go down & I can personally attest to that!

The combination of resistance training and cardio in The Master's Hammer & Chisel will get you summer ready & this is the type of lean, defined muscle every hot mama deserves! Plus, other than the fact that you are supposed to not have wine or treats, you can eat all the normal foods you love! I mean, we have pizza, taco night, spaghetti on the menu next week!

I am hosting a second accountability group this month starting on 2/22 and if you are interested in joining, message me, there are 4 spots left and I would love to chat! We can find the right program for you and get you all set up!

PS - if you are interested in seeing a short peak into any of the workouts, I post them on my YouTube page!

Hammer & Chisel, Round 2, Week 2

Week 7 of Hammer & Chisel