Day 64: Cardio Flow

I’m totally feeling those Cardio Flow vibes today…especially after yesterday.  Don’t be surprised if you’re feeling a bit stiff after the past few days (hello, hamstrings!). From that very first inchworm, take it slow and give your muscles a chance to warm up. It’s a 47-minute workout, so you have plenty of time to crank up the intensity!  I promise we will all be drippy (if that's even a word) by the end of this.

Changing topics to nutrition. You’ve heard of matcha, right? It’s pretty trendy right now. But did you know how good it is for you? It’s got amazing health benefits—and it’s one of the newest ingredients in Shakeology!  I love that they keep making it better and the cost of Vanilla Madagascar Bean has gone up SIGNIFICANTLY since they created Shakeology, and they haven't increased the price even a penny!  LOVE THAT! 

The formulators are constantly looking for new ingredients and ways to make Shakeology better. If you want to learn more about matcha and other rare ingredients that go into Shakeology, this video has some helpful info. (Darin Olien starts talking about matcha at the 3:15 mark.)  If you see him talk about this live, he could really talk for DAYS about it, but I personally love that kind of passion behind what I'm drinking and feeding my family.

Day 63: AAA

OMG Week 11…we are closing in on the finish line! WHOOT WHOOT!!   Who is noticing some non-scale victories?? I want to hear them!!!  it's so exciting yall and really makes my day!

This is our last week of 3 sets and 10 reps and it's 58 minutes long. We will never do Phase II with 10 reps again!  So challenge yourself to push harder knowing that this is it! Whether you increase you weights, use a harder resistance loop (if you're using green, switch it in for blue!) drop further in your lunge, you can do something to make these videos harder.  Don't play it easy, you have the same 60 minutes as everyone else and want to know that you gave it your all and then... YOU'RE DONE!  

If you are still curious about our Beachbody Performance Line, you can go online and order the sampler pack which includes: Energize, Hydrate, Recover, Recharge, and Creatine and see which you love and which you don't.  You might love them all like most do!  Buying in tubs is cheaper because you get bulk pricing, but I also order 10 packs of Energize and Hydrate to take on the road with me when I travel. 

Rest Day

How do you feel about rest day?  Are you really observing it?  It's so so so important for our muscles to rest, but it took me years to believe this and actually do it!  Autumn knew we would need it and that some would be stir crazy, so if either are you, try the Stretch & Release or Roll & Release today and then watch the new Weekly Obsession when you finish. If that's not enough, do a yoga video. We have an entire Yoga Studio library so you won't get bored during these 80 days. Believe me!

THOSE OF YOU WITH KIDS… Have they noticed your progress? Not just if you’ve lost weight, but have they picked up on the fact that you have more energy? Or you’re more confident? Do they want to live healthier just like you? If they’re eager to jump on the health train, have them try Daily Sunshine. It’s a nutritious smoothie formulated just for kids that will make them feel like they’re getting healthy right alongside you! If they’re already loving Daily Sunshine, snap a photo and share it with the group!  My boys love both flavors so usually one gets chocolate and the other gets strawberry.  

Day 62: Booty

We’re back to burn out our boo-tay today!  The workout is a little longer than last week’s, at 54 minutes. It’s a heavier weight day because we're only doing 10 reps again, but this time we are hitting all the exercises THREE times before we move on, so make sure you’re fueling your body properly before AND after your workout.

Speaking of post-workout fuel, who’s addicted to the taste of Beachbody Performance Chocolate Recover? I know I am! But have you guys tried Orange Recover? Mix it with water, ice, and a small orange for a super refreshing treat! Think creamsicle ;) 

We are in the homestretch yall.  Shread phase is coming and we are all going to be so proud.  No giving up because we all want stories like Emily's! 

Day 61: Cardio Core

Friday Food for Thought

I hope your abs are ready for Cardio Core today!  Same deal as last week; grab your Beachbody Resistance Loops, Strength Slides, a mat, and lets rock the next 42 minutes together!  We have 30 seconds cardio, 30 seconds HIIT, and an active recovery core move. Really focus on your lower abs and engage them when you pull your legs in. This workout is so great for your lower abs, but it's easy to ignore them and move quick. Try to slow down and really focus today and let me know if you feel it any differently. 

Day 60: Total Body Core

Wow, we are at Day 60!  Yall, that is 75% of the way to DONE!  There is no giving up now, do you believe what you're already accomplished? I was proud at Day 10, but Day 60 is too close to the final goal!

Today is Total Body Core and it’s almost 60 minutes. This has proved to be my favorite for Phase 2 I think.  Usually I'd chose the shortest (just being honest) but I really love this one and feel it everywhere!  Consistent with this week, we’re going to increase our weights slightly from last week.  Also grab your Beachbody Resistance Loops and Strength Slides.  

Remember if you are using the app and don't have wifi access, you can download up to 3 videos at a time to use offline.  So, sorry, no excuse that you couldn't get a signal.  haha  ;) 

Day 59: Leg Day

Who’s ready to feel that lower body LEG burn?  For today’s 51-minute leg workout, you need weights, Beachbody Resistance Strength Slides, and mat.  Go a little heavier, with the exception of the plyo moves (jumping). I have had a few of you ask me how you know what weight is right.  I always say, if after 10 you can do 5 more, you went too light.  But I'm also worried to injure myself so I never push it too hard and I know my form gives when I do.  Better form and lower weight is better than lifting crazy and doing the move incorrectly.  

Also, a few questions came in about supplements.  The key is they supplement a healthy diet. Do you have to take them? No. Do I honestly believe they will help you achieve your goals? Yes and the results prove it!

Autumn explains the importance of supplementation in this video. If you have specific questions, you can always ask me, Beachbody Customer Service, registered dietitians, certified trainers, or other experts at BeachbodyExpertAdvice.com.  You don't have to blindly trust me, but I find them amazing and feel more confident in the fact IronMan chose Beachbody supplements for their races.  That speaks volumes.

Day 58: Cardio Flow / Refeed Day

These Chocolate Chip muffins will give me fuel and energy for Leg Day they say. OK, SURE, YOU BET. No questions here. 🙋🏼‍♀️🤩🙌🏻🍫

45 minutes of Cardio Flow - who's ready?

Can I be honest with you for a second? Don’t tell Autumn, but I kind of go into “autopilot” mode with this workout—even though we switched up the rep patterns last week. To shake things up, I’m planning on taking my workout outside. My kids don't have to work out with me, but when I'm outside, they usually sneak in a few reps, esp since this one has such fun names!  Oddly enough, my 5 yr old enjoys exercising with me more than my 9 yr old.  Another thing I do it turn Autumn OFF! What??? yeah, I write the exercises down and power through with the music cranked and just let sweat fly and have fun!  This far in, we don't need all the tips on this one, although I still listen for them on weights.  Form is so important. 

Don’t forget the Purple in the post-workout supplement can be 100% fruit juice today. Note: 1 Purple Juice = 4 oz.

Day 57: AAA

Shakeo today, refeed treat tomorrow!

Welcome to Week 2 of Phase 3! I don’t know about you, but after rest day I’m feeling strong and ready to crush AAA today!

This AAA workout is a longer one right at 57 minutes. Honestly AAA seems to drag out for round 1 and then it gets better and round 3 we drop the extra fast set and we are flying through it. Hand in there!  Since it's only 10 reps, it’s time to increase your resistance. We want to be sore, not sorry!

NUTRITION CHECK-IN: it's that time again - tomorrow is Refeed Day. If you need some ideas, check out the FIXATE recipe guide for satisfying, energy-inducing carbs like Double Chocolate Cookies, Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls, Melon Sorbet, and more! Just make sure the recipes work with your personal meal plan. What’s everyone planning on eating? I can't wait to read some ideas and drool!  I'll share what I make tomorrow. 

Rest Day

Finally, a much needed (and deserved) rest day!

After all the leg work we’ve done this week, I’m looking forward to getting my Stretch & Release video in, wrapping up my meal prep, relaxing, AFTER I watch the new Weekly Obsession video.  Does anyone else find the crew funny at times?  Or is it just me?!? 

Earlier this week, we talked about how hard consistency can be with long programs. It’s natural for some healthy habits to slack, like getting enough sleep, snacking, or eyeing dessert. Now that we’re nearly 57 days in, make sure you’re still getting 7–8 hours a night. Adequate sleep is crucial to muscle growth and repair, so make it a goal this week to focus on getting enough z’s! And since we have refeed days, you'll get to satisfy those snacking / dessert desires as we will eat more food and there are "refeed approved" Fixate desserts to enjoy!  DId you see the chocolate chip chickpea brownies.  ummm... 5 of those in a day?  YES. PLEASE. NOW!  Check out these tips on how to get a better night’s rest.

Day 56: Booty

Booty day is HERE.  Whoot, whoot!! Time for some J. Lo. #bootygains.  You'll need Beachbody Resistance Loops, Strength Slides, a mat, and of course, weights. You might not want to go too heavy since we have 15 reps of each exercise and repeat that round twice before going to the next section. Also, you might notice there’s a lot of leg work in this 47-minute booty routine. That’s because it’s Phase 3! These past 2 months have prepared us for these workouts that will challenge multiple parts of your body. So, dig in and give it your all! We are building muscle mass and going to shred after that and have amazing results to share on Day 81!  I'm just giddy to see what we've all accomplished.  

Have you started thinking about your meals for next week? Are you planning to try anything new? Share your meal plan with the group and upload a photo of a recipe you plan to make for bonus points (and to make me drool). Everyone loves a good food pic and maybe it will inspire someone to make that same recipe too!

NUTRITION TIP: Let’s chat about that orange container. Are you only filling it with salad dressing? Don’t forget you can use one of your teaspoons to drizzle olive oil on your salads and save those oranges for something like unsweetened shredded coconut, sunflower seeds, or hemp seeds. You don’t have to eat the same thing ALL the time. Mix it up, so you don’t get stuck in a nutrition rut! It's easy to forget to use it, but it's important and you want to eat all your containers.  Cutting calories doesn't = faster weight loss!  It can, but it can also lead to burning muscle instead of fat. No one wants that!

Day 55: Cardio Core

Cardio Core is back!  You know the drill—the workout is 40-ish minutes with 30 seconds of a cardio move, 30 seconds of a HIIT move, followed by an active core recovery move. As for equipment, you’ll need your mat, Beachbody Strength Slides, and Resistance Loops. If you’re struggling a bit with the new workouts during this phase, slow down and pace yourself. You’ve got plenty of time to master each workout and you can always hit pause!  You are in the driver's seat.  If this feels like it's getting too easy or you aren't sweating as much anymore, add a 3 lb weight to the cardio part. I promise that will spike your heart rate.  DO NOT USE HEAVY WEIGHTS on this. I don't care how strong you are, these are fast moves and it's cardio focused so give your limbs a break and don't get hurt.  

Time to check in.  Is everyone still drinking the same flavor of Shakeology or have you mixed it up? Why do you want to be healthy? Are you doing this for you; for your family; for your insurance (did you know some give you a discount for losing weight - look into it)? Our health and nutrition feeds all aspects of our life and give us the best possible days.  Energy and sleep are the stepping stones to everything we do and affect my mood 110%!

Day 54: Total Body Core

Ready for some total-body action? Today we’ve got nearly 60 minutes of Total Body Core with the usual equipment: weights, Beachbody Resistance Loops and Strength Slides, and a mat.  I found I was the sorest from this workout last week.

One thing to note, on the last move, she will modify it next week, so I want you to know this today to protect your back and shoulders.  When you lift one weight up and one down and work your obliques, go lighter in the arms in the air.  For example, my arm raised up holds a 12 lb and my arm reaching down holds a 15 lb.  It's much easier and SAFER!

I’m so proud of all of you for sticking with it. I know it can be hard to stay consistent with such a long program, but reminder yourself, the time will pass anyways. Might as well have something to show for it!  Here are a few tips for combatting burnout. And if you have any tips you don’t see on this list, please share in the comments below! I know I’d love to hear ‘em and others would too!

Day 53: Legs

Welcome to your first leg day of Phase 3. Today’s workout is pretty tough, but we are so much stronger now that I know we’ll crush it!

You need weights and Beachbody Strength Slides for this lower body burn. This time, Autumn gives us 12 moves, for 15 reps, two times through. The workout is 52 minutes and we’re really going to exhaust those muscles, so today’s a good day for some post-workout foam rolling. Here’s a great blog post that describes the benefits of foam rolling and some mistakes to avoid.

Remember, Energize is not just for cardio days, today you will want it!!  Don't think about it, scoop, add water, stir, drink and 30 min later press play.  You're welcome ;) 

Day 52: Cardio Flow

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m SO glad we don't use weights today. Holy batman - I am sore!

We’re still sweating it out though, don't think no weights = no calorie burn! Not. The. Case. Cardio Flow is our poison and it will bring all the animals to the room ;)  There's good news and bad / hard news - good news: we’re only doing 4 reps of each move. The “bad” news? We’re doing 8 sets straight at the end.  Should I warn you this up front or let you be surprised???  It's 45 min and we will be drenched, but that's good, right?  We are here to make some changes!

Cardio Flow requires a lot of energy, so make sure you time your pre-workout nutrition accordingly. Eat your pre-workout meal at least 1 hour before exercising to give your body time to digest because we don't want any pokers! Beachbody Performance Energize always helps if you need a boost and I am pretty addicted if I have to admit it. Just make sure you take it 30 minutes before your workout so it’s got plenty of time to kick inh!

Day 51: AAA

Hello, Phase 3!

Phase 2 was all about cranking up the intensity, and by now, you should be seeing some pretty amazing changes in your body and your strength. So, it’s time to go all out! Autumn’s got fresh challenges on deck starting with today’s workout.

First up, we’ve got AAA. Autumn’s switching it up a bit and throwing a couple tweaks into the mix—including a brand-new warm-up, 3-second holds, and some brutal (in a good way) exercises that combine weights, Beachbody Resistance Loops, and Strength Slides. It’s going to be a tough 54 minutes, but use this workout to really focus on your form and get accustomed to the moves.

NUTRITION CHECK-IN: Did everyone recalculate their calories yesterday? If you have any questions, hit me up and we’ll get you on track for Phase 3!

Who is this program good for? And not good for?

In this video, Ilana shows everything you get with the challenge pack and for the launch, everything 2B Mindset related is $20 off!  Don't wait, sale ends June 2nd. 

Lets talk about who this program is good for, and NOT GOOD FOR!  Umm... yep. I want to make sure that you are a good fit for this program if you decide to jump in!

So many of us have these issues, so if you answer YES to any of them, don't feel bad, you are the NORM!  Do you binge eat?  Do you eat when you're not hungry and more out of boredom?  Do you feel stressed when you travel or eat out because you can't control your meals?  Do you emotionally eat?  Do you overeat? How about wanting to lose weight, but not count points, calories, containers, weigh food or exclude food groups? Did you say yes to any of those?  If you did, this program will bring you so much f-r-e-e-d-o-m while still getting to eat delicious, flavorful foods that the whole family will eat.  Yes, I know it sounds too good to be true, and honestly, I thought that too when I ordered.  What's the catch????  But, I've lost over 3 lbs in the first week and I'm full, satisfied and I enjoyed cookies and banana bread this week.  

Rest Day

It may be "rest" day, but nutrition is still on point.

Congratulations, Phase 2 is behind us!!! Take your progress photos and upload them to your My Challenge Tracker app and / or comment below so we can celebrate you! 

Don’t forget your self-care today! You need to be ready for brand-new workouts starting tomorrow. Phase III is our "shred phase" and we will be working just as hard!  4 weeks left y'all!  WE CAN DO THIS!

You should also do your Calorie Calculation again to make sure you’re eating in the right bracket for your goals. Let me know if you have questions or need help with that.  Watch the Weekly Obsession episode on Beachbody On Demand and I'll see you guys tomorrow for Week 1, Phase III!

Day 50: Cardio Flow

It’s our last time doing 6 reps of Cardio Flow; next week it will change again! It's not getting easier, that's for sure, but we are getting stronger.  I know Autumn says that a lot so it sounds cheesy to type up, but y'all, WE ARE!  We are getting stronger and what we struggled with in Week 1 of Phase II, is not doable and we might be pushing even harder.  How are your mule-kicks looking?  Mine still look like a dying donkey, but I AM DOING IT AND KNOCKING OUT ALL 6 no matter how different they look than Autumns :)  Anyone else laugh when she says "the longer hang time you have, the more rest you're giving yourself"  AS. IF. AUTUMN.  puh-lease.  If I could hang, I don't think I need the rest, my core is so strong this is nothing.  But, I'm not there yet to make that statement!  

Watch this video where Autumn shares her strategies for eating out when you have goals.

LET’S TALK EATING OUT AND SOCIALIZING: Do have trouble sticking to your eating plan once the “honeymoon phase” is over? Did you feel like you crushed Phase I nutrition and got results so you could slack off a little?  How do you deal with parties and other social events? Even though you have fitness or weight-loss goals, life is too short to avoid all the fun stuff! So share with the group how you stay on track while socializing because we don't want to become hermits for 80 days.  Get out, be seen, socialize, enjoy life, and find a way to stay on track. It might take planning, but it's doable!

Here’s an article with some tips for staying on track in any situation.

Vegan vs. 2B Mindset Vegan

A lot of foods that are “healthy” are not necessarily healthy for weight loss. The 2B Mindset will teach you how to sustain a plant based lifestyle while seeing the results you’re after!

Pictured on left: 1/2 cup almonds and 4 dates= 590 calories, 14g protein.

Pictured on right: Vegan vanilla shakeology & 3 strawberries & 3 blueberries 160 calories, 16g protein

Both are vegan, but one will help you hit your goals much better than the other, without compromising any taste and keep you full.