Back in the groove

I've avoided the scale lately knowing I haven't been eating as well as I should. Finally, two days ago I decided to check it out, and my goodness. I set up the DVD player that night and worked out in the morning. I realized for a week straight I had said, "I'll just workout when Mark gets home." Mark gets home. We eat. We watch tv. We do not workout. I slowly gain more weight. 

Now I make sure to workout in the morning. If I start off my day working out, I don't have to worry about forgetting or being too exhausted to workout. I realized too that I have WAY more energy when I workout in the morning. I feel great, I am less hungry. 

I try to inspire others to be healthy and workout, and luckily I have friends who post about their struggles and personal thoughts about working out that keep me going as well. Sometimes I get so excited when someone's story comes at the right time, I go overboard and share way too much haha. It's nice to know I'm not the only person who struggles with weight - even after losing 20-30 pounds. I just get excited. 

I know I look and feel much better, but I have high standards for myself and know I haven't been doing all I can. If you think your story doesn't matter, you are wrong. You never know who needs your story!

3 Day Refresh - Honest Review

I completed day three of the 3-Day Refresh yesterday, and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised! It was the easiest "diet" I have ever completed. Here's a break down by day:

Day 1: Didn't notice too much change until the night (I won't elaborate haha - read the Refresh for more info on that ;) ). Each time I would think, "Okay, I am hungry now", it was time for the next step of the Refresh.

Day 2: Felt a little light-headed, but nothing concerning. I also felt calm like nothing could bother me. I didn't find myself hungry at all and actually tried to spread out my meals so it would go later into the day.

Day 3: I was a little grouchy, but I wasn't hungry today either. I went to a dinner at a restaurant held by BeachBody coaches, and I wasn't tempted at all to eat food or *most importantly* dessert. I'm not saying I didn't stare at the dessert longingly and may have tried to smell it, but I didn't take one bite! I was very proud of myself. And if you knew my sweet tooth and sugar addictions, you would be impressed too :P

The next day, I took my pics and ate a big breakfast lol. However, half way through the day, I am not hungry at all.

Can you see the difference?

I lost 4.3 pounds and 2 inches from my hips, 2 inches from my belly button, and 2 inches from my waist. If you are interested in trying the 3-Day Refresh, go to SaraRudin.com, click on Shop, and look for the 3-Day Refresh. The best deal is the Challenge Pack with a month supply of Shakeology. 

Don't forget to add me on Facebook! www.facebook.com/SaraSru

Starting and Sticking to the 21 Day Fix Meal Plan

I don't know about you, but I have started the 21 Day Fix meal plan at least 15 times. I have only successfully followed the meal plan (for the most part) the very first time I opened the box. I also completed one week two months later right before I went on vacation. It is so easy to go from one cheat day to completely obliterating the entire thing a week later, so here is what worked for me.

First, get a sheet of notebook paper. I write out the total number of containers I can have in a day. For example:


Green
Green
Green
Purple
Purple
Red
Red
Red
Red
Etc.

I usually make 2-3 similar sheets - one for Monday, one for Tuesday etc. considering most of my meal plans are going to be the same considering I don't have much time to get TOO creative :) Next to each color, I write the corresponding food I plan to eat that day.

MondayGreen: Broccoli
Green: Romaine Lettuce
Green: Carrots
Purple: Strawberries
Purple: Blueberries
Red: Shakeology
Red: Chicken
Red: Tuna
Red: Turkey
Etc.

If this is your first time, I don't recommend halving your container yet (meaning don't do half a green for carrots and the other half for broccoli). This is just my opinion, but I feel it's easier to keep everything on track.

After you create your meal plan, make a list of what you need from the grocery store. When you get home, measure out everything according to its container, and put it in a zip lock container or sandwich baggie. This way you can easily grab the food throughout the day and follow the plan perfectly. This also makes it easier to see what you will be eating throughout the day, and in my mind, it makes it easier to spread out perfectly. 

If you have any other advice on what has worked for you, leave a message in the comments! 

Healthy 21 Day Fix Breakfast: Lazy Oatmeal

One of my go to recipes for the 21 Day Fix was my version of Summer Oats. There are a few modifications, but this is the bare basic version for the lowest calories, least amount of containers, and still has a great flavor! It will keep you full until your next meal.

1/2 Cup Rolled Oats

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

3/4 Cup Water

1/2 Small Banana

1/4 Cup blueberries

Place Rolled Oats in a bowl. Sprinkle in the Cinnamon and Nutmeg. Fill with 3/4 Cup water (I usually just wait for the oats to float - you'll figure out how much water works for you as you make this more). Chop up the banana and mix it into the bowl, and then add the blueberries. 

Cover the bowl and stick it in the fridge overnight (if you want to make it the day of, it usually takes a couple of hours to soften). Heat up the bowl the next morning (if you want it warm) and voila! 

21 Day Fix Containers

1 Yellow Container* 

1 Purple container 

I have been told that 1/2 Cup of rolled oats expands to greater than 1 yellow container, but the water does not increase the size of the oats greatly, so it all fits in the yellow container after the process happens. 

Variations: You can add sweetened or unsweetened almond milk to make this a little thicker - but you may need to calculate the container measurements differently. The oats also might expand more with any type of milk. 

Secondly, use any fruit you would like. Bananas naturally sweeten the Oatmeal, but you can use 1-2 tsp of honey or a packet of Stevia to sweeten it as well. 

Lastly, I add chia seeds to the mix occasionally. I believe this counts as some of my orange container. They have a weird gelatinous texture, but they are really good in the oatmeal! 

SaraRudin.com

I am so excited to announce the launch of my site, www.SaraRudin.com. I made it easier to find, and now it's easy to remember.

Also, I wanted to give an update on the fitness group! We have so many people interested in participating, and we have many people looking to help host. A few fitness and dance instructors have offered to teach a class each month, and I currently am working with a few dietitians to come speak to the group about nutrition during fitness.

If you're in the area, and you're a female, come check it out!

Fitness Group

I am beyond excited. In less than a month, I will be launching the women's fitness group at Redemption Church in Tempe. It's amazing that I have been given this opportunity. I have come so far in my weight loss journey, but the conversations I have had with other women continue to push me in new directions. Many of my friends and family have purchased BeachBody workouts, and many have come over to work out with me too! I have committed to working out at least 5 times a week for at least 30 mins, so I love when I am not doing it alone.

Right before I discovered the magical world of BeachBody and Shakeology, I talked to SO many women about weight loss struggles, being a first time mommy, wrong expectations, and postpartum depression. How do we explain to our husbands that we're struggling with depression after one of the most amazing experiences in our life? How do we explain that we completely understand many women would trade places with us in a heartbeat, but we can't stop the tears? What happened to my body? Will these stretch marks be this big and dark purple FOREVER? I didn't know many moms to ask. I had my own, but she didn't really develop stretch marks. Who could I talk to about these issues?

I realized I needed to have women in my life. Actually IN my life. Once I met my BeachBody coach, Shannon, I knew God had placed her in my path. I followed her on Facebook for a month, completing her free challenges and asking her question after question before I dropped 10 pounds. In a month. I knew I need to share what I knew with everyone!

I do sell BeachBody products, including Shakeology, but I joined because it created so many opportunities for me. I am continually looking better, but even better than that, I have been able to help my friends and family achieve weight loss and exercise goals. I believe I will reach many women and create many needed connections between women with this fitness group. If you're interested in joining my team, or simply buying products, click the link below. Stay tuned for more information on the fitness group and weight loss/fitness updates!!

www.beachbodycoach.com/frombride2baby

     

21 Day Fix Complete!

I don't know what happened to the entry, but I completed the 21 Day fix, and it was amazing. I was seriously shocked at the difference! I couldn't really tell a difference just by my own body, but that's the beauty of taking pictures! It was a great difference! I lost 4 pounds, 4 inches from my waist, and that pooch that never goes away DEFINITELY reduced. The day I finished, I was still 15-20 pounds heavier than I want to be, but I have never felt so good being that heavy!

My advice:

Take "before" pictures often! You won't realize you're losing inches based on what the scale says. I never realized the importance of this before this workout!

When you don't feel like doing a workout, DO YOUR WORKOUT! I've heard it takes 21 Days to make a habit, and only 3 days to break it. I was glad I had something to do every day because I knew it was only 30 mins. Even if you're doing another form of exercise, AT LEAST go out and walk for 30 mins. You'll thank yourself later.

Get accountability partners. It's easier to lose the weight when people are doing it with you.

21 Day Fix Day 7!!

I have made it one week! I took starting pictures a week ago, and I looked at the difference today. In one week, I am already noticing a huge difference! I have been working with others to help achieve their weight loss goals, and I notice a lot of people struggling or they explain why they couldn't work out or eat right throughout the week.

I hope to help change that. I will start small - I cook almost every Sunday for the week, so starting next Sunday or Monday during the holiday, I will encourage others to come over and bring an item to cook, and then we'll divy up everything and hopefully have set meals for the week.

As far as the workout, it actually seemed longer today which is strange because it wasn't that hard. I have always blamed my short torso for my lack of ability to complete Yoga, but I tried, and it was not too bad. I cannot for the life of me touch my toes without bending my legs. I swear physics is against me, so my goal is to one day bend over and touch my toes without bending my legs. To top it off, I want to give my legs a hug. I'll have to remember to write again once I do this!

I screwed up my Shakeology this afternoon thinking peppermint extract would be good in the vanilla. I need to remember peppermint extract only goes in VERY few things. I downed it, but then I had a ton of water to make up for it. I still cannot wait to try Strawberry, but I hear it is fantastic! I want to have a Shakeology party for some of my friends soon!

Day 5 and Day 6

Day 5 and Day 6 were not too bad. I am getting used to the diet, but I have to get better at spacing each meal throughout the day. There were moments where it was hard to stand up quickly, but today was much better.

I have been shopping for new clothes after some of my other clothes are a little loose now. I took pictures today in the same outfit I had on a week ago, and it was a very noticeable difference. I went from no ab definition to some definition, and the roundness of my stomach is going down in all directions.

I had a friend working out with me today too, and I realized the excercises go a lot faster! I couldn't believe it had already been 30 mins by the time we finished.

Day 4!

Today was rough. I did not want to get out of bed. I put in my DVD and realized not only did I still have my glasses on, but I looked down at my bare feet and sighed. I walked to the kitchen with a walk similar to Frankenstein's monster, and I ate an apple. I put in the contacts, put on my shoes, filled up the water bottle, and finally I was ready.

After the warm up, I felt wide awake. I struggled through the work out, and had to pause for a minute after my son woke up briefly. I went right back to the workout. I didn't realize how much I struggle with crunches. I am definitely the person who pulls on my neck with all my strength until I hear "Don't pull on your neck". I know I have a short torso, but that only hinders me with touching my toes, and you would think it would help with crunches? As much as I struggled, I didn't even realize I was down to the last excercise because I was so focused on how weak I felt today. When I realized it was the last excercise, I realized it wasn't so bad, AND I got my workout in for the day, so I didn't have to struggle later or make excuses for not working out like I usually do.

I think the best advice I have seen lately was, "Workout in the morning. Get it out of the way!". Plus, you might be so tired you won't even realizing how much work you're doing. Unless you aren't doing things to your full potential, then yes, that could be bad.

Honestly, still - telling myself, "One minute at a time!" has been my savior. I hope everyone is having a great morning!

21 Day Fix Day 3

www.beachbodycoach.com/frombride2baby

The dreaded "Leg Day". Luckily I can still walk as of right now :) It wasn't so bad, but I did need to take a couple of breaks during the workout. I thought, "No one will know if I stop", but I shut down the excuse immediately thinking "I will know!". There were many excercises I wish I had known years ago. I spent so much money on the gym and personal trainers. Sadly, about the cost of a 2 hour session took more than paid for all of the 21 Day Fix.

I am seriously amazed at all the food I get to eat! I made Summer Oats last night, and it kept me full most of the morning. Although I cooked Sunday, it looks like I'll need to cook a few more veggies and meat to get me through the week.

I haven't subbed a yellow container for a dessert yet. I did however try a piece of cookie yesterday because it was my birthday. BUT! It was just a tiny piece. No more cheating :)

A tip for today: HAVE YOUR SHAKEOLOGY READY!! I was beat after my workout, and I never made my shake so quickly. If you have it ready to go waiting in the fridge, you'll thank yourself!

21 Day Fix Day 2

Today was a lot easier! It was still pretty hard, but I didn't have to stop as much as yesterday. I have had a pretty busy day with work and my birthday! I'm so excited to make the last year of my 20s the first year I start focusing on health and fitness.

During today's workout, the most motivating thing I could tell myself was, again, "One minute at a time". This helped tremendously. I already feel fantastic after both yesterday and today. I was a little sore this morning, and I know I will definitely be sore tomorrow.I am very proud of myself for not cheating on my diet. I haven't really been tempted either - with all the food I am eating on the plan, there isn't a point in my day where I am starving. I am excited to see my results!

Hope everyone has a great day!!

21DayFix Day 1

www.BeachBodyCoach.com/FromBride2Baby

One word: Intense. After the first two minutes, I thought to myself, "This isn't so bad". Then I realized it was the warm up. I have been working out about 3 times a week for the past month, so I thought I would jump right into this program. Thank you for Kathy (sp?) with the modified version. I feel like we're BFFs now.

Multiple times throughout the workout, I kept thinking "I can't do this!" Then I remembered my reasons for getting into shape. Here are some mid-workout thoughts while I completed my first day!

1. I can't do this! Oh, good, that minute is done. Okay, I did that one! Oye, I can't do this again! Oh wait, that minute is done. Wait, I can do this! One minute at a time!!

2. Don't cheat! Keep with the modified, and do what you can!

3. Don't stop! I got this. Remember why you're doing this. It's almost over!

4. One day at a time....er...One minute at a time!

It's so important to know your reasons for working out! I kept thinking about all the food I ate for Mother's Day weekend, and how I put off starting my workout because I knew I would be tempted. It definitely helped push me through this workout.

If you need motivation, find me on Facebook and join my challenge group. The only thing more motivating than my support system is knowing I am helping others achieve their fitness goals as well.
Now off to drink my first post workout Shakeology. :)

21 Day Fix

I am so excited to begin the 21 Day Fix tomorrow! Stay tuned for updates and pictures.

Today I cooked veggies, chicken, and ground turkey. I measured out the servings for many of the meals I'll make this week. 

One of the staples in my meals will be a spin on something called "Summer Oats". There are many ways to make it, but this is quick and easy and works for me:

1/2 Cup Rolled Oats (not instant)

1/2 Cup Water

1 Tsp Cinnamon

Stick this in the fridge overnight, and in the morning, add 1/2 banana or 1/2 cup any type of fruit. I stick mine in the microwave for 30 seconds and it's amazing. It keeps me full for a long time too which is always a plus when you're cutting food from your diet. Wish me luck and well wishes for the next 3 weeks :)

If you need that extra push or more encouragement, find me on Facebook and I will add you to my fitness group. It's a positive community that promotes being active and healthy daily. We also do challenges every couple of weeks to get you jumpstarted on your weight loss journey. This Monday we begin the Better Booty Challenge. Just another perk of having an amazing support system with BeachBody.