The 21 Day Fix is an amazing program that helps you learn how to eat clean foods, in the correct portion sizes, without the madness of counting calories. Here are some real comments from real people.
“My scale finally went down after only one week on the program–I’m down 3 pounds! I’m a happy girl!”
“Lost 2 pounds last week and my energy has skyrocketed! I love the results when I get in all my containers.”
“I can feel a big difference in my energy. I have gone from 230 lbs to 215 in 6 weeks. I’ve been able to sleep better at night, my mind is less foggy and more focused.”
“Thank you for all you are doing. I have never felt so empowered and that real change is possible.”
“Day 7 0f 21 Day Fix. I’ve already lost 6 pounds and 8 inches!”
“I just finished my 3rd round of 21 Day Fix and I’m 35 pounds lighter!!”
However, it’s not uncommon for some people who start the program to stop seeing progress. If that’s you, keep reading because I’m going to suggest some tweaks you can make to help you start to see results.
First of all, I don’t recommend making any changes until you’ve done two full rounds of the program. This allows your body time to adjust to the workouts and to give your metabolism a reset. Often women come into this program after trying diet after diet, many of which are low in calories. If you’ve been operating from a dieting mindset that fewer calories is the way to lose weight, it’s likely that your metabolism is sluggish and confused. Our bodies operate efficiently when they get the calories they need.
Things to consider:
- Your body is putting on muscle, so you’ll likely see inches lost before you see the scale go down. So make sure you’re tracking your measurements as well. You don’t need to take measurements or step on the scale every week. At the beginning and end of your program is enough. It’s hard for many people when they step on the scale and don’t see the results they are expecting. It can really throw them off track, so put away your scale. Just trust the program, and know the results will come.
- You’ll likely experience soreness the first few weeks on the program, and every time you increase your weights as well. This type of soreness is thought to be caused by tissue breakdown or microscopic tears in muscle tissue. When this happens, the body protects the tissue. The muscle becomes inflamed and slightly swollen due to fluid retention. This temporary retention of fluid can result in a 3- to 4-pound weight gain within a few weeks of a new program.
- Make sure you’re drinking all of your water. Every function in your body, weight loss and muscle repair included, requires water.
Tweaks you can make:
1) Eat your yellow (carbs) and purple (fruit) containers earlier in the day.
2) Eat fruits that are lower in sugar. Choose berries, apples, pears, peaches, cherries, plums, and oranges. Limit bananas, watermelon, mango, pineapple, dates, and dried fruit.
3) Consider eliminating dairy. Dairy causes inflammation in many people and they don’t even realize it.
4) Replace one of your yellow containers with another red or green container.
5) Make sure you always have a protein (red) and healthy fat (tsp., blue, or orange) with every yellow container. This will change the speed at which your body assimilates the sugar into your bloodstream.
6) Try to avoid eating fruit (purple) alone. Add some healthy fat or protein.
7) Don’t go to bed hungry. Save one of your red containers to eat as an after dinner snack.
8) Make sure you’re eating all of the healthy fats (tsps.) that you’re allowed. Healthy fats speed up the weight-loss process.
9) Eat one bigger meal each week. Don’t use this as a “cheat meal”. Stick with the foods in the program, but eat a few more calories for one meal during the week. This gives your metabolism a boost and keeps your body from thinking you’re starving it.
10) In each of the food lists, the foods are listed in order of how healthy they are for your body. So, pick foods toward the top of the list most of the time.
11) Make sure you’re not just going through the motions when you exercise. Boosting intensity can increase fat loss, so push yourself. If you’re modifying, try the full exercise for a few seconds before lowering down to the modification.
12) You should be slightly sore after each workout. If you’re not, consider increasing the size of weights you’re using.
13) Avoid processed foods. If you’ve let some processed foods slip in, this can really halt your progress. Make sure you’re eating foods as close to their natural form as possible. Brown rice, steel-cut oats, wholegrain bread, whole fruits, fresh vegetables, etc.
14) Be wary of using a lot of canned foods. They always have extra sodium which can affect water retention.
15) CHEW your food. You miss out on a lot of nutrients and make digestion hard on your body when you don’t adequately chew your food. Put your fork down between bites and focus on enjoying, and thoroughly chewing, each bite.
Tweaking your mindset:
Mindset plays a HUGE part in weight loss. Be very careful to stay away from a controlling mindset. If you constantly feel stressed and wonder if you’re doing everything “right,” it’s time to relax. The program works. I have hundreds of client stories that prove it. And none of those clients have eaten perfectly or never missed a workout. Do your best, but don’t stress about every little thing.
Anytime you start to feel that controlling mindset slipping in, breathe, then ask yourself what you could do in that specific situation to feel more supported. Make the best decision you can in that moment for your physical, mental, and emotional health. Sometimes that means missing your workout, or going to bed early, or having a treat. Do the very best you can, and let that be enough!
Avoid the perfection trap and having an all or nothing mindset. It’s impossible to be perfect and you’re setting yourself up for failure if you try. This program is very flexible and works even with a few bad days here and there. The key is to focus on always making the healthiest choice, and if you mess up, or have an off day, just get right back up and keep on moving. If you miss a workout, there’s no need to do two to make up for it tomorrow. That goes back to trying to be in control.
Have the mindset that you’re making a lifestyle change. It’s not just a diet for 21 days.
Also, remember that changes happen from the inside out. Remarkable changes are taking place on the inside that you can’t see:
- “Good” enzymes are increasing
- Energy-producing mitochondria are multiplying
- Your cholesterol is falling
- Your arteries are clearing
- Your blood vessels are becoming more efficient
- Your muscles are getting stronger
- Your bone density is improving
Clearly, the scale is not a sufficientway of measuring success. As these internal changes happen, your external progress accelerates. Some people just start out needing more internal changes than others, because of their prior lifestyle, long-term yo-yo dieting, and other factors. Please understand that if you’re following the the program, the progress is happening, whether it’s obvious or not.
So don’t force the numbers. They’ll come. Your job is to follow the plan and do your best each day. And if you do that today, see that as succeeding. If instead, you insist on measuring your success by whether or not the scale shows progress today, you’re creating a game you can lose. In Steven Covey’s words, “you’re putting yourself in the position of trying to manage consequences rather than actions.”
Remember–the program works. Have faith and do your part. Do troubleshoot. Do review your workouts, food choices, portion sizes, and meal plans. But make every day a game you can win.
Other posts you might like:
How to create a 21 Day Fix meal plan
21Day Fix Snack Ideas
Meal planning templates for each calorie level
Tips for creating your 21 Day Fix Extreme meal plan
How to combine Intermittent Fasting and the 21 Day Fix
21 Day Fix Recipes
