21 Day Fix: Week 3 Review

It’s the end of Week 3! Its flown by and as the weeks have progressed, the good definitely outweighs any bad, as you will see in this week’s review:  

THE GOOD

1. Budget. One thing I’ve been really encouraged by in this whole process is that my grocery bill has not increased at all being on this program. I really thought I would have to spend more because I’m buying healthier ingredients. But thankfully that has not been the case. I spent about $75/week on groceries that fed me, Josh, and Anniston. We also do a big Costco trip every 3 months or so and stock up on meats, so almost all the meats I’ve made throughout this program I had stored in my freezer. Still though, I’m really pleased with this. The only thing that had to change was the frequency I go to the grocery store. I used to go every 2 weeks that coincides with our paychecks, but I’ve switched to going every week now that I’m buying fresh produce that has a minimal shelf life. I think the best way to budget for weekly grocery shopping is to take out cash on payday to be reserved for groceries so I can make sure I still have enough money to buy food the second week of our pay period. Working Dave Ramsey’s plan ya know…”cash is king” as he says…
2. Shakeology. I’m one of those people that easily gets tired of a certain food. Like I don’t like to eat leftovers because I just ate that yesterday…you know what I mean? So I’m shocked that I’ve made 3 straight weeks of having shakeology and not complaining about it- honestly not even thinking about having the same thing. I guess it’s because there are so many combinations you can make with shakeology that it mixes it up to satisfy me. I also am really drawn to the simplicity of having this for lunch. I don’t have to plan for a meal, I don’t have to cook/prepare much of anything, just pop everything in the blender and I’m all set. And its superfood nutrition that is better than anything I could cook- fiber, probiotics, protein, etc. Love shakeology!
3. Acne. I have struggled with adult acne. Constantly. It’s so frustrating to still be covering up pimples in my mid-twenties… Being on the 21-Day Fix has cleared my acne- its truly remarkable. Even though I’m sweating every day in my workouts, I’m not breaking out.

THE BAD

Food Cravings. These kicked in hard core this week. Maybe seeing the light at the end of the tunnel made me think more of food I could eat at the end of it if I wanted. But to be honest, I want to achieve my goals more than I want to eat certain foods. The satisfaction of success lasts much longer than the temporary taste on your tongue.

OTHER THOUGHTS

In case you are interested in doing the 21-Day Fix yourself (and if you are, please let me know- I will get you all hooked up), I have compiled a Top 10 list of grocery items to stock up on. These are must haves to survive this 3 week program. I suggest buying in bulk at Costco (or Sams) if you have a membership there:

1. Eggs and Egg Whites- I could get 3 red servings per small carton of egg whites. Costco has a 6-pack of egg white cartons that I’m so glad I purchased. I think we also used about 5-6 dozen eggs too
2. Mustards- Mustards are a FREE food so make sure you have them on hand- I had yellow, deli, and djion mustard
3. Vinegars- Another free food! Whoop whoop. Balsamic and Red Wine Vinegar go a long way!
4. Extra Virgin Olive Oil- You will use this for all cooking (the super-practical 2 teaspoons a day, lol) as well as making salad dressings (orange containers)
5. Meats- Chicken Breasts, Ground Turkey, and Pork Loin can all be bought in bulk and work great with this plan.
6. Garlic Powder- I used this in almost everything I cooked. Good thing its only like $1!
7. Ziplocs- Buy stock in these! Remember you only have 1 set of containers. And almost every container gets used more than once per day, especially if you are doing this with a buddy. I used the containers more or less as measuring cups when chopping and prepping, then transferred everything into Ziploc bags for the rest of the week. We probably went through 200 in 3 weeks.
8. Natural Peanut Butter- Great on toast, celery, in shakeology, etc.
9. Frozen Strawberries- Put a couple of these in your water everyday for a fruit-infused refreshment
10. Variety of Produce- Emphasis on variety. You don’t want to feel like you’re stuck in a rut and restricted to only carrots. Having a variety of fruits and vegetables allows you to mix up your meals every day. And its extra helpful when you are pressed to find a dinner recipe at the last minute to have a variety of vegetables to choose from. Remember you can split your green containers into different vegetables. For example, you can fill 1 green container with mushrooms, onions, peppers, etc. Same goes for fruit. Having different fruit options also contributes to your daily Shakeology variety.