Ultimate Reset Week 2 Update

I will admit that the 2nd week really flew by.  A HUGE improvement we made was how we did meal prep.  We would plan the week by prepping for a few days and and writing post in notes on the days that we had to buy fresh groceries along with what meals we had to prepare for the following couple days.  This saved us a lot of stress during the week and a lot of money on not wasting food.  Especially that we are eating fresh fruit every morning, things just need to be fresh!


Another food prep tip is buying a big tub of lettuce (spring mix...whatever) and put the salad toppings in mason jars so you can just grab and go throughout the week.

So the meals...

Still YUMMY!!  Some favorites are posted below so you can get a taste of what it all looks like and to PROVE it is NOT a starvation cleanse by any means.  It still is A LOT of food :)

Results are I am now down 8 pounds and staying strong through week 3!  I really thought I would be bitchy without caffeine and without alcohol but surprisingly I am just so happy and mentally thinking clearly!  I have found strength that I did not know I had through the yoga in the morning (ummmm Warrior 3...hello!) It is challenging and helping me build muscles I swear I have never worked before.  My balance has improved significantly, especially given that I have a week right glute. Yoga has also helped with my neck flexibility as when I sleep on my stomach sometimes, my head always had to be to one side.  Now I can face my head left or right without pain!

One HUGE physically result that I could not be happier about (especially since I will be on a beach in 10 days) is that my acne on my face and even more so on my back has cleared up!  Seriously I never have seen my back like this...even Amanda noticed and was so amazed. (and super excited for me :) )  

So...last week and I can't help but say this has only made Amanda and I closer and stronger together by sharing this journey!

Edamame and Roasted Corn Succotash with Lemon Kale

Garlic Veggies

Fresh Fruit Bowl

Mediterranean Beets with Coconut Collard Greens
(SHOCKED I liked the Collard Greens but WOW!)

Quinoa Lentil Pilaf

Week 1 Ultimate Reset Recap

First and foremost...I LOVE THE FOOD!!  And honestly this surprises me because my fiance wanted to do the vegan version for all 3 weeks.  yeah...3 weeks of going cold turkey (no pun intended) to be a vegan.

Secondly...HOW I FEEL!!

Heading into week 2:

I am down 9 inches

I am down 4 pounds

Almost 2 inches off each leg!

1 1/2 inches off my hips!

I feel happier

I feel more energetic

My road rage has gone down significantly

I am not relying upon caffeine

I am not bloated

Foods I HATED before, I actually liked this time...

For instance:
Tempeh-  thought it was nasty before but I love the texture and love the taste.  It is all about that
marinade!

Vegan strawberry shakeology- I disliked the taste, the texture...I just wanted my regular shakeology back!  But within 2 days I was enjoying this and embracing it!

Miso Soup- Still not my favorite but I can absolutely enjoy a serving of it.

Zucchini- Cashew Soup- It's all about those spices!  I add some spices to this one and BOOM it is just delicious!















About how I feel..there is a lot of food so after a meal, you feel full.  Unlike what the stereotypical cleanse is like, this one is so damn filling. It legit takes like a half hour to eat each meal because there is a lot of chewing. I have been trying to follow the beachbody tips to chug water before, but not during your meal.  They want you to fully embrace the food, taste it, chew it a lot so that you do not need the water.  I am loving this :)

Breakfast BY FAR has been my favorite!  Farina (aka like cream of wheat) with maple syrup, walnuts and green apple pieces is something I will absolutely make on a more regular basis once this is done.  Hell, I will even have it for lunch or dinner!  Two other breakfast options that were yummy and filling were Coconut Quinoa, and Oatmeal Tropical.  I felt like I was living on a beach!

So let's talk about the hardest part of it all for me personally.  It has not been cravings, not feeling like I am missing out on a social life, not any temptations, not feeling starving, not missing caffeine (well besides my preworkout energize but that is simply the fact I LOVE the taste!) , not missing alcohol...It has simply been traveling for 4 days and having to pack food/eat out and have people surrounding me understand I was serious about this cleanse.  It was not easy to explain to people but surprisingly people were supportive, including the servers at restaurants who were so accommodating to my needs.  I am always scared to customize a meal but they were super nice about it!

Lastly, the yoga.  The yoga that I hate.  Well, it has helped my body heal and honestly I feel great and relaxed.  Some mornings are hard because I feel like it makes me want to go back to sleep.  Day 3 and 4, my hips were sore and were hurting me but that did not last long.  Plenty of water and sticking to the meal plan and yoga got me through. Unlike before the cleanse, my body is not always in pain, it is not cracking, and instead I go to bed and get a sound night of sleep!  Everyone's body is different but it is important to just listen to yours.

1 thing to definitely improve upon is meal prepping in stages...Sunday, Wednesday, Friday...that way food does not go to waste!  BRING IT ON WEEK 2!!!

Core De Force

Ever since I did the workout program, COMBAT, I have been waiting for another BAD ASS program like it.  HERE IT IS!!  Core De Force is the new program being released on Halloween this year (aka Oct 31) and I am super excited for it!  I was so excited to have met one of the two trainers, Joel Freeman, in the airport coming home from Beachbody's coach summit this past year.  Needless to say, after the sneak peek workout I did and then meeting him, I was hooked.  Joel and Jericho McMatthews are two badasses that truly know how to motivate you throughout the workouts.  It is an MMA style workout that works the entire body, with the bonus of focusing on the core!

SO WHAT DOES THIS PROGRAM ENTAIL??

• 30 Day Program
• Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) inspired program, focused on the core
• No equipment
• No need to be an MMA master, they teach you the moves as you go!
• Workouts are broken down to 3 minute rounds, like a real boxing match.  
• Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay-Thai moved are all incorporated
• NOT choreographed (something I did not like about the old combat workout)
• For ALL fitness levels!

After 30 minutes I was DRENCHED in sweat!

WHO WOULD WANT TO DO THIS PROGRAM?

Seriously, this workout is for everyone!!  I love this type of stuff and particularly like that it does not go to a beat.  People like my fiance who the punching and kicking does not come as natural, she still KICKED ass in this workout as the trainers really do a great job teaching you along the way.  We both felt very comfortable through the 30 minutes and clearly got a damn good sweat going.  

There is also an option to follow the modifier so you can take down the intensity level but still get as good of a workout.  So important to have this so again, all fitness levels can do this!  And no equipment...SO AWESOME!!

THE WORKOUTS

• 30 day program
• 30-45 minute workouts
• 6 days of workouts, 1 day stretching  (total of 8 workout routines)

WHEN CAN YOU BUY IT?

The Core De Force challenge pack will officially go on sale October 31st, 2016 for customers of Beachbody coaches only. Challenge packs include a month of shakeology PLUS the program...TONS of savings! If you do not currently have a coach that you work with you can sign up with me to get the program.  I will be doing this program right alongside of you so we can support each other and motivate each other through it all.  I want to do whatever I can to help you get results and living a healthier life! To make me your coach follow this link to create a free Beachbody account 

Starting on Nov 7th, I will be hosting an accountability group to offer support and guidance throughout the program. Find me on Facebook or Email me Lynng258@gmail.com to get into the exclusive group!

YUP, I want these abs!!

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Best savings will be the challenge pack---$140 for a 30 day bag of shakeology and the program.  It will come with the nutrition guide, program manual, ME as your coach, plus the accountability group.  It truly makes all the difference being in these groups...the support is priceless.  I never found results until I entered my 1st challenge group because I had people holding me accountable every day and motivating me.  That is my job as your coach...to keep you on track to meet you health and fitness goals!

Message me today on Facebook or email me at LynnG258@gmail.com to get information on the challenge pack and get in on the exclusive accountability/support group as we CRUSH this program together!!

Day 1- Ultimate Reset

So many things that I have realized today...
1. I chew gum A LOT after meals to get a minty taste and when doing work to deal with stress.  Without it, I focus more on drinking water.  I will also be brushing my teeth more because of this!

Coconut Quinoa for bfast...paradise!

2. SO many posts on Instagram are about food...definitely will not be scrolling a lot in the next 21 days!

3. There are a lot of radio commercials for food.  Because I do not have cable, thankfully I do not have that temptation, but seriously talking about it on the radio...come on!

4. Staff members at my soccer job may not be in support but I am still going to KICK ASS anyways!


So how do I feel?
Honestly I felt great today and I am not just sugar coating it.  I was ok without my morning coffee, I enjoyed the yoga (even though I prefer sweating my ass off with a hard workout), the food was delicious, and drinking that much water was not bad at all.  (Oh and it has to be distilled water...so clearly we had to stock up!)

I was much more aware of when I was eating to chew my food, enjoy it, and taste all of it. The book says to drink water before and after the meal, not during it, so I did just that. I will say I did miss my little pre workout energize drink from beachbody performance line but I will just have to live without it.  Like I said before, I missed chewing gum but I know this is a habit that needs to get better.

This meal took me forever to finish!

The meals...

LOTS OF FOOD!!  Seriously I know it is called a cleanse but DAMN it is a lot to chew.  I am following the vegan track for all 3 weeks, more so because Amanda wanted to and it is easier to meal prep for both of us, but surprisingly the food was yummy today!  Breakfast was a coconut quinoa (YES I WILL MAKE THIS EVEN AFTER THE CLEANSE IS OVER IT IS SO GOOD!)  Then it was a microgreen salad with creamy garlic dressing and toasted pumpkin seeds plus miso soup. Snack was a strawberry vegan shakeology.  And for dinner was asparagus, baby potatoes, and tempeh.  Tempeh...oh tempeh...it is an acquired taste that is all about the marinade.

Measurements/Tracking Progress
I took all of my measurements and weight today so that I can track my progress and see how my body changes over the course of the next 21 days.  It is about the changes physically and mentally that will make it all worth it!

Looking forward to what day 2 and the rest of week 1 brings!!

Why am I doing the Ultimate Reset?

I've felt like I'm at a standstill in my journey so I'm actually going to take a BOLD step and do something about it. 

It's not about going harder with workouts. It's not about being more strict about what I eat. It's not for the weight loss. 

It is to wake up and feel refreshed. To not feel the need for coffee. To not rely upon just my shakeology for energy. To not feel bloated. To allow my face to clear up. To feel happy all the time. 

Phase 1 (aka week 1) I will be reclaiming my health. Breaking bad habits, and preparing my body for change. I will slowly eliminate animal products and dairy products. 

Phase 2 I will be releasing negativity from the inside out. I will be eating a vegetarian diet along with continuing with some supplements introduced in phase 1. 

Phase 3 I will restore my body to maximum efficiency. I will further cut back on grains but my body will fully absorb all nutrients I put in based on the previous 2 weeks of progress. 

I truly am excited to have this experience. Yoga plus the ultimate reset will surely do wonders And DAMN am I happy to be doing this with a few other coaches and challengers!! The more support the better! 

IT JUST GOT REAL!!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE

Cut butternut squash in half, take seeds out, and put face down in a baking dish.  Add 1/2 inch of water, cover in foil and bake on 400 degrees for about 40-50 minutes (until soft)

While that is baking...

Saute 1 yellow onion for several minutes, in 1 tsp olive oil.  Then add in 1 chopped green apple with skin on (I used a golden delicious but you can use granny smith as well). Add salt, pepper, garlic powder.  If you want a kick, add some cayenne too!  Cook until soften.  I added a few tablespoons of water and let it cook down some more to increase the flavor!

Take out the flesh of the butternut squash and put in blender along with the apple/onion mixture.  Add more salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder to taste.  Blend together, adding a bit of water to smooth it out as needed.  You can add a dash of maple syrup if you wish to cut the heat of the cayenne.  Add a dollop of greek yogurt if you wish.

Enjoy!

PUMPKIN BITES

INGREDIENTS
8 dates
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup syrup
1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup walnuts, then crushed
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 cup oats




1. Put dates in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Add pumpkin, peanut butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, syrup and honey.  Blend until all combined.
3. Add chocolate chips, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and oats.  Stir by hand.
4. Measure out with a cookie scoop onto a foil lined cookie sheet. Place in freezer and enjoy once they are hardened!