21 Day Fix Day 4!

21 Day Fix Day 4: Pilates Day!

Thursday was one of those days in which I woke up and every ounce in my being wanted to stay in bed and not work out. Are we noticing a trend here?! ;) It's such a common misconception that since I'm a Beachbody coach and preach on exercising and eating well that I actually want to all the time, and that is just so false! I have bad days and weeks just like everyone else. I guess the difference is that I lived in darkness for so long- hating my body, hating how I felt, and making up excuses day in and day out of why I didn't want to start my journey back into health. When I finally found the mindset and tools I needed to get started and stay consistent once and for all, I don't let myself fall back into those dark holes anymore. I recognize that just because there are days I wake up and don't feel like exercising, doesn't mean I actually shouldn't exercise on those days. There's a difference between your body physically telling you you need a break, and just flat out feeling lazy, lol. Exercising and eating healthy has become such a habit to me, that it would be VERY hard to break me of it at this point. Sure I take rest days and cheat meals, but it's not what it used to be. 

Point blank... I got my work out in. And like always, I felt like a million bucks afterwards. We need to sweat and get our heart rates up every day! It's what we were meant to do and how we were meant to feel! I encourage you to join me and reach out if you ever need any help on starting. Starting can be the hardest part. But once you do, I'll bet you'll be hooked and on your way to a new you!

Yesterday was a bit too many smoothies and not enough cool meals to show you guys, so I'm going to do better! Already making a salad for lunch today! Haha. As always, I'm putting real, raw fruits and veggies in my smoothies though. I am just always on the go and trying to work to help my challengers and coaches, so sometimes the meals that I can slurp down are the easiest!

I woke up to a grumbling tummy, so a protein shake was on the menu!
A scoop of whey vanilla protein, scoop of powdered PB2, and ice.
{1 Red, 1/2 Tsp}

Pilates Fix and 4th workout DONE! It was nice to lengthen and strengthen my sore limbs for 30 minutes! One of our active recovery days in the 21 Day Fix series.

Post workout smoothie! This was a big ole guy because I tend to not eat til later in the day, by accident!
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, lots of spinach, mixed frozen fruit, PB, unsweetened cocoa powder!
{1.5 Red, 2 Green, 1.5 Purple, 1 Tsp}

For lunch, it was a bit of leftover egg salad on a whole wheat wrap with sriracha drizzle and a piece of cheese!
{1 Yellow, 1 Red, 1 Blue}

I stocked up on food and had to show off my glorious goodies... this coming week I have so many options!
*Maybe turkey burgers, spaghetti squash lasagna, grilled italian chicken, potatoes, and beans... so many possibilites!*

To finish off my carbs for the night, I tried to replicate a delicious Columbian dish I used to get all the time at Super Perros in Tallahassee! That was our Seminole hot spot. :)
Rice, black beans, with a fried egg on top! Don't worry- I didn't eat all of this! lol
{1 Yellow, 1/2 Red}

Since I only had half a protein left for the day but lots of veggies and fruits, I just did half a scoop of my Shakeo but added some more cocoa powder to it, since it's a freebie!
1/2 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, spinach, fresh berries, 1/2 tsp PB, ice!
{1/2 Red, 2 Greens, 1.5 Purple, 1/2 Tsp}

I only had a few bites of the cookie dough flavor, but I had to share this with whoever is following me on this health journey! Guilt free ice cream stuff. Lactose free, gluten free, and 150 calories for the ENTIRE pint of cookie shake, and 300 for the cookie dough! Such a win for the sweet tooth!

That's all from me today, so I hope everyone has a blessed Friday! Enjoy one cheat meal this weekend and don't let the rest of the time ruin your hard work from this past week!

With love,

Amanda James

21 Day Fix Day 3: Gotta love LEG day!

Yesterday was so refreshing!

 While I still didn't have my full appetite back yet, I got to have an incredible dinner with an incredible friend, so that made it much easier to get all of my containers in! I swear blogging everything has been the best way to hold myself accountable this go round, as well as the ladies in my online support group with me!

Wednesday is Lower Fix day, or leg day, and that video is tough you guys! I've always been kind of whimpy when it comes to my legs. They're the biggest muscle group, so the hardest to work out and for my body, the hardest to get the definition that I want. But, over time and with consistency of really pushing myself out of my comfort zone and working hard, I have become pretty proud of the stems!

Again, the video is only 30 minutes, so there are seriously no excuses. It was another day of plugging the headphones in and kicking booty til the end! 

I've been all work, work, work lately outside of exercising, so I got a little bit of "me" time and it was nice to spend the evening with a friend who so sweetly cooked us a 21 Day Fix approved meal, as she is in a challenge group with me and doing the program with me! Surround yourself with people that will left you up and support you, y'all. I have such an amazing group of friends and fellow military spouses here, I am so thankful! Our pups got to play together, too! I also got to talk to two of my best friends from afar, one in south FL and the other currently living in Spain. I love the sense of comfort that they bring no matter how far apart we are, or how long it's been since we have talked!

Here's to wishing everyone an amazing Thursday! It is sunny and warm here, so an impromptu day to the beach may be in order! Workout and Shakeology are done, what more could a girl ask for?!

Still definitely have a "white girl booty"... but I'm doing my best to get it better! Haha. It takes time and dedication, that's for sure! 

Post workout shake- my favorite daily tradition!
1 Scoop Chocolate Shakeology, organic spinach, frozen assorted fruits (mango, pineapple, berries), 1 tsp. natural PB
{1 Red, 2 Green, 2 Purple, 1 Tsp} <-i already="" because="" big="" calories="" catch="" day="" eat="" first="" going="" had="" i="" in="" it="" knew="" late="" much="" on="" pretty="" shake="" so="" stuffed="" t="" td="" the="" this="" time="" to="" today="" up="" wasn="">

I copied Tuesday's lunch, again! And I swear I didn't eat all of that PB! haha
Egg salad sandwich with celery and PB.
{1 Yellow, 1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Tsp}

I got hungry later for a snack and had a piece of Munster cheese and maybe like 3 tortilla chips, so I didn't even count the yellow. Or MAYBE I went a half over for the day- ha! But it was leg day, so whatevs. ;) [most people carb load on leg day!]
{1/2 Blue, maybe 1/2 Yellow}

A little something sweet to hold me over for dinner... Shakeology cake! I cut out the peanut butter since I had already had so much already! And I could only eat about half of it, and I saved the rest for today.
{1 Red}

Dinner with Mackenzie! So many noms! Pesto mozzarella grilled chicken with peas and quinoa! and then a fresh kiwi for dessert, Don't worry, we split what was pictured! lol
{1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Yellow, 1 Purple}

As always, stay Happy & Healthy, friends!

Amanda James

21 Day Fix: BACK in FULL Force!!!

So, I'm pretty stoked. 

Since it is officially the month of May, that also means it's OFFICIALLY getting dangerously close to my husband getting back from his deployment! :) I am beyond excited but that also means, needing to get my booty into gear and tip top shape to welcome his arrival!

As most of you that have continued to follow my Facebook and Instagram know, I have still been eating clean and exercising very regularly, but I haven't been following a super strict workout schedule or meal plan. I pretty much always try to go by 21 Day Fix guidelines, but when I don't follow something full force, I let cheats slip here and there a bit too much.

Therefore, to hold myself extra accountable, and also give everyone an honest feel of what it's like to go through the 21 Day Fix program, I'm going to document my meals and workouts here for everyone! Posts will likely be short and sweet, but you will get the idea and hopefully understand why everyone loves this program so dang much and almost ALWAYS gets incredible results!

So today, as Day 1 of my journey, was Total Body Cardio Fix as the workout! Yep, we all get to start each Monday with this... "pleasant" workout. lol! I only say it like that because I'm not the biggest cardio fan, and it's also cardio with weights which is even more tough... but my gosh, does it get every part of your body! And it's only 30 minutes, so who can really complain that much?!

I personally plug my headphones in with my favorite music and the workouts FLY by. I'm very thankful for that! In and out and on with my day!

I'm on the 1,200-1,499 calorie bracket plan (the lowest one- yep, you don't get below 1,200 calories around here!) so here's my food for that! This is NO starvation plan and I seriously feel like I'm eating all day. Lots of people on calorie brackets above this have a hard time even consuming all of the food they're supposed to in a day, so I can assure you... you won't be hungry if you're eating the correct foods on this plan and drinking plenty of water!

Sometimes I wake up SO starving and have to get a little preworkout snack while I'm getting some work done!
1 slice of whole wheat toast with 1 tsp. of all natural peanut butter
{1 Yellow, 1 Tsp.}

Stoked to be done with Day 1 workout: Total Body Cardio Fix! 30 minutes of cardio with weights- a crazy full body exercise!

Mid morning tea! English Breakfast with a bit of Stevia. Total freebie, thank goodness!

Post workout snack!
Brown rice with some grilled chicken wings marinated in herbs & seasonings.
{1 Yellow, 1 Red}

This salad was DELICIOUS! I'm going to be munching off of it for a couple of days!
Spring mix with feta cheese, organic craisins, sliced almonds, and homemade balsamic dressing.
{2 Greens, 1 Blue, 1/2 Purple, 1 Orange}

Dinner is served!
Turkey meatballs and steamed broccoli with a tiny bit of homemade salsa.
{1 Red, 1 Green, 1/2 Purple}

Needed a little something sweet... :)
1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, handful of frozen mixed berries, a tiny bit of plain Greek yogurt, and ice!
{1 Red, 1 Purple}

And another shake a few hours later- I always have to have it for dessert, and it's typically the only thing that appeals to me late at night!
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 1 tsp. peanut butter, tiny bit of ricotta cheese, handful of spinach, and ice!
{1 Red, 1 Green, 1 Tsp.}

And the magical system itself! These containers are what keep me sane, and know that I am PERFECTLY portioning out my food every time! And the worksheets help me cross of containers throughout the day as well! I just love it.

As you can see, even on the lowest calorie bracket, I am by no means robbing myself of any food group or any amount of food at all! There's no calorie counting, nothing. I still get carbs, cheese, chocolate, peanut butter, wine, you name it! It's just all about the right portion sizes. Just like any other aspect of life- balance is key!

If this is something that interests you, and you'd like to hear more about it, please never hesitate to email me or fill out this application form to join our next 21 Day Fix online fitness group!

I'm out to finish out DAY 2!

With love,

Amanda James

How I FINALLY Kicked My Bad Eating Habits!

Something you may not know about me, is that I have a slight addiction to bad foods. I am not being sarcastic, but totally serious. Honestly, I'm sure about 90% of American children and adults do as well, without us even realizing it. The addicting chemicals in delicious fast foods surrounds us everywhere we turn. Don't lie- you know you can't mistake the smell of McDonald's, even if you just ordered a coke from them and it's sitting on the table! Their smell is just there, and it's there for a reason. They know exactly what they are doing when they make their foods, and it is literally addicting. That is why it is so hard for us, especially adults who have been surrounded by these addicting foods for years, to finally kick the habit.

How many of you, like me, have looked in the mirror horrified at your reflection, and said to yourself, "Ok. This is it SERIOUSLY this time! Tomorrow I'm waking up, eating totally clean, and never eating sugar again!" only to wake up and grab a Starbucks frappuccino and brownie on your way to work? Yeah. Me too. Been there done that at least 100 times. So, what helped me finally kick the bad habit?

There were a few things that played into that fact:

DEDICATION. PERSISTENCE. SHAKEOLOGY. MY FUTURE. MY BODY. MY RELATIONSHIPS.

So, let's start with Dedication & Persistence. Folks, beginning to eat clean is not a walk in the park. In fact, it's not even timed miles in the park, for crying out loud. It is the single hardest thing I have ever done in my life. But you know what? It was also the most rewarding. There are going to be nights that you are on your knees crying to the sky, "WHY OH WHY CAN'T I JUST HAVE ONE PIECE OF PIZZA!?!? Just one piece won't be too bad, right!?" WRONG. One piece of pizza compounded over time is bad news. Say NO. DO NOT eat that one piece when you are fresh on your journey to clean eating. I'm not saying to never eat pizza again. I am saying that when you are in the beginning of your walk to true health and fitness, which starts with your diet, do yourself a favor, say no, and feel CONFIDENT about it. Who cares what people think? Who cares if they tell you you will never succeed with this and you are bound to give up? Who cares if people are jealous of your new lifestyle choice? It's because of who THEY are and the choices THEY are making, not you! The longer you hold out and say no to temptations, the MUCH easier it will become.

It was also all about finding healthy foods and recipes that I truly loved. Eating clean does not have to mean giving up good tasting foods and forcing down disgusting ones! If you cannot stand brussel sprouts, don't think you have to shove them down just because they're healthy. Rather, find your favorite veggies and ways to season them, and chow down on that instead. Hide some spinach in your shakes. Do what you gotta do to succeed. Soon, your tastebuds will change and I swear to you, you will barely be able to tolerate sweets any more. The addiction will be over, and you will be well on your way to a new life of health. And abs. :)

Shakeology. Shakeology is my BFF for real. I am not joking you when I say this: the first morning that I drank Shakeology for breakfast after getting it in my Turbo Fire Challenge Pack, my cravings for sweets (my biggest weakness) were GONE! Shakeology was really the beginning to my everything for being able to eat clean. It was literally satisfying the voids that I had in my life that I used to fill with unhealthy foods. You see, our bodies are more malnourished for nutrients than we realize. There are so many vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants, etc. that our bodies are not receiving in day to day life. When we crave hot fudge sundaes and ooey gooey fatty cheese pizza, it is not because our bodies need those foods. In fact, our bodies need something else- but our brains are so addicted to our easy, yummy fast foods and quick fixes, that those foods are automatically what we revert to. However, when I started drinking Shakeology and actually receiving the nutrients that my body biologically needed, my brain turned off those switches for the bad foods, because it was finally fulfilled, for the first time, like.... EVER. Now, when I crave foods, it is real, whole foods that will serve a purpose and nourish my body, not sabotage it.

Does this mean I eat perfectly every single day and I'm just an eat clean angel sent from above? Absolutely not! In fact, this past week of mine was awful... which is why I was even more motivated to get back to it and write this post! I do still get cravings sometimes, and I do purposefully give in to them once a week! I give myself a cheat meal once a weekend to be able to let loose, and it's really (in my opinion) better for our bodies to feed them some bad every once in awhile. I think it keeps them guessing and get a little more revved up! Also, in case cravings had been particularly bad, I remind myself to hold out until that cheat meal. It helps me know that there's a finish line and time and place to be bad, which is NOT every day!

My Body, My Relationships, & My Family. I hear this phrase a lot: "just eat the damn cupcake" because this is our one life here on earth and we might as well indulge. I have to disagree. Like I said, I give myself times and places to eat "that damn cupcake," but if that was every chance I had, and my excuse was because "this was my one life to live," I would be living an extremely agonizing and miserable life for how unhealthy I know I would be, and how little I would be able to enjoy day to day activities. Our bodies are not meant to process those sugars that way. In fact, one cupcake probably holds more sugars than our recommended serving for the ENTIRE day! Do I judge others that want to eat all of the cupcakes they come across in a day? Not at all, but I ask to not have the same judgement back when I choose not to. I am doing it for my body today, and particularly for the future. I had no idea how good my body was meant to feel, until I truly started eating better and treating it the way it was supposed to be treated with daily exercise.

Which brings me to my family and relationships. I want to get in the best shape of my life that I can now, for my future. I know that may sound a little strange, but I want to have beliefs so firm in my life, that I will pass them to my future children without the blink of an eye. I want be able to bounce back from pregnancies more easily. I want to stay healthy and energized for my marriage and my family. I want to prevent illnesses as much as I can and failed bones, organs, and muscles as much as I can. I want to be that awesome old lady that is still doing her morning walks and yoga and can remember all of her great grandchildren's names.

That is why I do what I do and eat the way that I do. It was a long, hard road for me, and I now want to be able to pass on what I learned to those around me. I want to help them in their journeys, and help hold myself accountable as well!

It will not be easy, but it will be so worth it. I spent years not appreciating what I saw in the mirror, and that is such a dreadful way to live. I am not proud that I ever had negative thoughts, and still do when I see myself, but I am striving to put an end to that every day. I don't do what I do to be skinny, I do what I do to be healthy and fit and be so damn proud of myself at the end of every day, that I know I tried my best in the end!

Losing those first few pounds is priceless. Feeling light and energized has no words. Seeing those first traces of abs for the first time... there is nothing else like it in the world!

Want more help on the track to a fitter, healthier you? Join me as I continue my own journey each and every day!

Fill out my online form.

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.