21 Day Fix Extreme RESULTS!!!

The day has finally come…I have finished 21 Day Fix Extreme!  I'm so excited about my results and can't wait to share them with you!  If you have never heard of 21 Day Fix Extreme, check out my very first post that explains all about it HERE.

PIYO Results and Review

I have just finished my first round of the program, PIYO and in these next few paragraphs I'm going to tell you all about the program and show you my results.  What is PIYO?  It's a Low-Impact workout that mixes Pilates and Yoga.  It's great for people who have had injuries in the past or are looking for a workout that doesn't involve a lot of jumping around.  However, PIYO is not an easy workout just because it is low-impact and doesn't involve a lot of cardio.  It's main focus is flexibility and strengthening your core by using only your body.

How i live my life working out and laying in bed

Today, instead of posting a healthy recipe or giving workout advice, I've decided to offer a glimpse into my daily life.  As a disclaimer, i don't think my life is Reality-TV worthy or anything like that, but i do think i know the value of hard work, and learning how to create a life you have always desired.  While I am not where i would like to be yet, everyday i am working towards a future that I believe God has desired and equipped me to pursue.

What is a Beachbody Coach?

What is a Beachbody Coach?  It's possible that you know somebody who is a coach, or maybe you have just completed a Beachbody Program, had fantastic results and want to learn more about it?  I can't wait to tell you all about how it's changed almost every aspect of my life.

PIYO Month 1 Results

Can i just start out by saying this workout is a game changer!  I consider myself to be a pretty fit person in general, but i never thought in a million years that a low impact workout like this one would define my body like no other workout has.  This is the strongest and most ripped i have ever been in my life.  The best part is that since it is low impact it's great for everyone, all fitness levels, and those that have injuries or back problems.  It will build up your core strength and help your body become more flexible which in turn means your joints will thank you!

What does a healthy diet look like?

Living in America, where portions are way too big, most foods are processed, and even natural products aren't really always natural, it can be difficult to figure out what to eat, how much to eat, and what brands even.  While i do not consider myself in any way to be a nutrition expert, i have been eating healthy for a long time, and have learned a lot along the way about what to eat, how much to eat, and what brands are good.  So in this post, I would like to show you exactly what I eat on a daily basis, how I come up with the correct amount, and what brands I love to buy the most.

Let me start off by saying that I am 32 years old, weight 116 pounds and live a very active lifestyle.  I workout 6 days a week, chase around a 2 year old all day, do martial arts a couple nights a week, and play in a band, so my calorie count is pretty high.  Of course there are many different ways to calculate calories, but i follow a very simple equation.

First to calculate your caloric baseline take your current weight in pounds times eleven (116 x 11).  That equals 1,276.  Next you will take that number and add 400 calories (we call these maintenance calories.)  I'm currently at 1,676 now.  The last thing is to subtract 600 from that last number, so now my final number is 1,076.  If the number is ever below 1,200, you need to round up, because eating any less than 1,200 calories isn't healthy or recommended.  By eating too little calories, you may find that you have trouble losing weight too.  My final number is 1200, but because i am so active, i personally add a couple hundred more, so i will stay around 1500-1800.  At the stage i am in my fitness, i'm not looking to lose weight, i'm looking to just maintain, so what you need to understand is once you get to your desired fitness/weight loss goal, you want to eat to maintain your weight.  It's unhealthy to always have a deficit.  I won't get into all that in this post, but just want you to be aware.  Now remember, this is just an example and one way to easily calculate out how much you need, in no way is this the standard or the perfect equation.  It is what has worked for me, and many of the people i have helped to lose weight.

The next thing i would like to show you is how i plan out my diet for the week, based on what i have just explained.    I will be using the nutrition guide from the program PIYO, because it tells me how much one serving is for any food item I choose.  Sidenote:  All of the beachbody programs come with nutrition guides, tell you how to calculate calories, and give you pages of food to pick from with the servings laid out.)  Based on the equation for calories, it's showing me that i need 1200.

As you can see I will be under Plan A.  The rest is easy, simply choose the correct amount of each food item from the following pages.  If you do not own a program that has all of the servings figured out, you will just have to check the label on your packages for serving sizes.  Here is an example of vegetable choices to pick from.

Next, I will show you an example of what i eat each day for at least a week, then i will switch it up.

Breakfast

                                                   1 Scoop of Shakeology       1 Protein

                                                   1 Banana                             1 Fruit   

                                                   3 tsp. of Peanut Butter         2 Healthy Fats

                                                   1 Cup of Spinach                 1 Veg.

                                                   1 Cup water/ice

Snack #1

                                                   1 Cup of Sliced Carrots       1 Veg.

                                                   1 Tbsp. of Hummus             1 Healthy Fat

Lunch

                                                   2 Slices of Bread                  2 Grains

                                                   1 Cup of Tuna                      2 Proteins

                                                   1 Apple                                 1 Fruit

Snack #2

                                                  10 Large Asparagus Spears    1 Veg.

Dinner

                                                  4 Slices of Turkey Bacon       1 Protein
                                                  1 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes     1 Veg

Remember this is an example for someone who is eating between 1200-1399 calories.  The other reason I love the way this is laid out is because, we hear so much about low-carb, paleo, protein heavy diets, and so on and so forth.  Every year scientists and dieticians come up with a new diet plan.  Well i'm here to tell you that MODERATION is key.  It's ok to eat all of these things, and yes while you may lose weight on a low carb diet or whatever else you have tried, you often gain it back as soon as you quit, because nobody can live a life constantly depleting out certain foods.  This way is balanced and you don't need to rid anything, except high sugary, refined, enriched processed foods, which are never good for you anyway.  I will also tell you that I will eat 1 or 2 cheat meals a week, just to reward myself, and let's face it, no one can eat super healthy all the time!  Let's be real!

Lastly here are some of my favorite brands!

  

I hope that you found this information helpful on your journey to losing weight, or just becoming healthier.  If there is anyway i can help you, please let me know!  I'd love to help you set up a meal plan and exercise routine that will help you to reach your goals, if that interests you, please click the link below to sign up.

http://Natalie.AutomaticCEO.com/go10

3 Day Refresh Review

You may or may not have heard of a brand new product by Beachbody called the 3 Day Refresh.  Notice i said Refresh and not cleanse.  Why you ask?  Well, it's meant to help you feel refreshed, and not drained as many cleanses will make you feel after a couple of days.

So what's in the 3 Day Refresh?  Well, there are a couple of options.  You can get a 3 Day Refresh Challenge Pack, which comes with a whole bag of Shakeology on top of the Refresh, you can get just the Refresh with 3 Shakeology packets included, or just the Refresh with no Shakeology included.  I recommend that you pick one that has Shakeology in it.  Each day you drink a total of 4 shakes, 1 Shakeology, 2 Vanilla Fresh (which are actually quite tasty), and a Fiber Sweep.  Each of these shakes will be supplemented with either fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and the option of drinking green tea or black coffee.  There are even a couple of different healthy dinner recipes for you to pick from.  It's very simple and easy to follow.

So why the 3 Day Refresh over any other cleanse?  Well, most other cleanses, such as juice cleanses really tax your organs, whereas the 3 Day Refresh delivers all of the essential vitamins and nutrients to your organs and body to help them function and full capacity.  While i cannot vouch for every other cleanse, i can vouch for this one and say that there is nothing artificial or fake in any of the shakes.  Everything is 100 percent natural.  The shakes are all plant based, so even people who are vegetarians can do this cleanse (just be sure to order the Vegan Shakeology bag if you choose to go that route).

So what kind of results can you expect?  Well most people lose at least 3 pounds, and i've even heard so much as 9 lbs lost.  However, this is not just a system for people who are looking to lose weight, it is for people who are looking to start into a healthy lifestyle, or someone that has just had a bad month of eating and wants to get back onto a good diet.  It's great for everyone, and your body will love you for it. 

The other thing i love, is that you can do this in a weekend to get ready for a wedding, or a trip, or some special occasion.  If you just need to lose 5 pounds and you don't have a lot of time.  This is your HEALTHY solution!

I personally did the Refresh last week, after a bad month of eating and lots of traveling.  It's hard to eat healthy on the road, so i was excited to get my body back in gear.  I lost a total of 2 lbs doing it, and I really felt and noticed a difference in my body.  It helped me to get back on track.  I've posted a pic below of my before (on left) and after (on right).  

To buy the CHALLENGE PACK, which comes with a FULL SHAKEOLOGY BAG, and is on sale through July 31, CLICK this link https://www.teambeachbody.com/checkout/-/bbcheckout/challengepack.  It should say 3 Day Refresh Challenge Pack.  This is the one you will need to get for my REFRESH AND SUMMER SHAKE CHALLENGE beginning July 21.  If you would like more details about that challenge, please click below.

https://www.facebook.com/events/777103792342540/?context=create&ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming&source=49

To just purchase the 3 Day Refresh without a Full Shakeology Bag, click the link that is just under the Challenge pack link, at the top right hand corner, or click below.  Be sure that the coach listed is me Natalie Hoang, before you checkout.

https://www.teambeachbody.com/checkout/-/bbcheckout/challengepack

Check out the video below, if you still have questions.