My name is Rebecca and I love cheese. I’m also a digital marketing professional, freelance writer, wife, dog mom of two, and I drive 70 miles round-trip to work every day. So you could say I’m a little busy. Here is my beginner’s guide to losing weight with Beachbody.
A year ago, I was a weight-loss newbie, but even I know that fad diets don’t work. Sure, you can go on a kale-and-quinoa bender to drop pounds fast, but you can’t keep that going forever. Getting and staying healthy and fit is about a lifestyle change, not “I’m not eating carbs this month!â€
So I’m here to tell you about that time I lost weight with Beachbody’s 21 Day Fix and more importantly, how I didn’t have to give up my life cheese.
I found out first-hand why 21 Day Fix and all of Beachbody’s programs work: They help you lose weight and get in shape now AND give you the tools to stay that way for good.
How I Got Started
Last year, I was getting ready for my wedding. I didn’t have a huge amount of weight to lose, but I did want to get toned for the dress. I’d never seriously tried to lose weight before; the most I had accomplished was meandering around the gym a few times.
So, of course, I started eating lots of salad and taking a few classes at the gym. Done and done, right? Well, I did see a slight change, but I really had no idea what I was doing. I needed structure and a plan that would fit into my crazy-busy schedule: Enter 21 Day Fix.
The first step was making myself a priority. I made a deal with myself: Get serious for 21 days and if the program didn’t work, then I’d never do it again.
How it Worked
I followed the meal plan to a T, worked out every single day for 21 days (yes, that actually happened), and felt absolutely awesome.
I loved the physical results, but 21 days of eating clean and focusing on my own health did amazing things for my mind. I was more motivated at work, felt great in jeans, and I was happier in general. And the most important part I ate cheese almost every day.
After one round of the program at 100 percent and two more rounds at 80/20 (80 percent eating clean, 20 percent eating what I wanted), I lost four inches and nine pounds, which looked more like 15. During those three months, I drank margs in Mexico, ate late-night chicken fingers in Tahoe, celebrated friends’ birthdays with pizza, and all the fun things I didn’t want to give up.
That’s why the 21 Day Fix works it’s about making sustainable changes in how you eat, not a crash diet with temporary results. You can get the body you want and eat your cheese, too. If you’re ready to lose weight the right way and keep it off here’s all the info you need to get started.
What IS Beachbody?
You’re probably thinking, “Hmm, isn’t that the company with the infomercials?†Yep, that’s the one.
But here’s what you probably didn’t know: Beachbody is a fitness, nutrition, and weight-loss company that’s been around since 1998. It has produced more than 400 workout programs with Super Trainers like Tony Horton, Shaun T, and Autumn Calabrese.
It’s the company that created fitness and nutrition programs like P90X, INSANITY, CORE DE FORCE, and of course, 21 Day Fix. It’s also the birthplace of Shakeology, theBeachbody Performance line, and my favorite, Beachbody On Demand, an online streaming platform.
It’s changed millions of lives with a huge selection of health and fitness solutions for realpeople with real lives, and real affinities for eating blocks of cheddar at midnight (like me).
How Do I Lose Weight With 21 Day Fix?
The concept is simple: Eat right and work out. “But I could just do that myself,†you might say. Okay, then why aren’t you doing it? Because it’s much easier said than done.
This program takes a seemingly simple concept and provides you with two key tools:
1. A portion-controlled eating plan to lose weight.
2. Challenging and doable 30-minute workouts to get fit.
The Weight-Loss Eating Plan
It all starts with a set of color-coded containers that tell you how much fruits, veggies, fats, protein, and carbs you should eat every day for your specific daily calorie target.
I refuse to count calories, but I’m all about counting colorful containers with food inside of them. And the best thing is that it’s real food that you choose. Hate quinoa and kale? Don’t eat them. The 21 Day Fix program comes with a list of approved foods that will satisfy all palates. (Plus, you can put wine in the yellow containers. Just saying.)
The Workout Plan
The 30-minute workouts provide the perfect combination of cardio and strength training to build muscle and burn fat in 21-day intervals. Whether you’ve never worked out a day in your life or you live in the gym, these workouts are safe and challenging for all fitness levels.
When I started, I could barely do three push-ups on my knees. By the end, I was doing a full minute of traditional push-ups and couldn’t stop flexing my guns in the mirror.
What Is Beachbody On Demand?
It’s exactly what it sounds like: Streaming workouts from your laptop, tablet, TV, or mobile device. Think Netflix, but for fitness and nutrition.
Even better, you can get an annual membership for $99.95 (less than $10 a month) that includes access to every single program Beachbody has ever created. You also get access to any new programs, and they’re always coming out with more. That’s 500+ workouts and counting.
In just one week, you can do cardio, weight training, yoga, mixed martial arts, dance,tai chi, and a Pilates/yoga combo all in your living room or wherever you like to work out. That’s $100/month less than it costs for a gym or studio class membership.
Pro tip: Not so nimble in the kitchen? You can also stream Autumn Calabrese’s FIXATE cooking show, and learn how to make clean, portion-controlled meals.
What Programs Are Right for Me?
Beachbody has a huge library of programs, and if you don’t know which one to do first, there’s a “program match†tool that will help you find the one(s) that work for you. Want to build muscle? Try Body Beast or 22 Minute Hard Corps. Prefer stretching and poses to beasting out? Bliss out with 3 Week Yoga Retreat. Just starting? Kick it to your favorite ’80’s and ’90’s dance hits with YOUv2 with six easy-to-follow (and fun!) dance routines.
Or just select a category that matches your goal or interests cardio, muscle building, yoga, low impact, dance, etc. then pick a program from the list and go!
All the workouts are designed by certified fitness pros and all the nutrition programs are created by nutrition experts. Each program can produce dramatic results, but results don’t happen without hard work. Take it one program at a time this isn’t a race, it’s the start of a healthier lifestyle.
