How to combine the 21 Day Fix with Tone It Up

This post is for my fellow health and fitness girls!

It's been brewing in my head all week, and I've been putting it off because it's something I care about SO much right now, and I have been intimidating myself with the concept of getting all my thoughts out of my head and onto paper. Er, screen. 

Lately I've been following two healthy eating plans and I love them both. I don't have to count calories, I eat treats without feeling guilty, I have tons of energy (like, Ben is kind of scared of my energy), I am never hungry, and I am in the best shape of my life.

I've struggled with body image and self esteem since I was in 7th grade, and to finally have reached this point of confidence and be able to eat intuitively, with just enough structure to keep me sane without having to obsess, is an incredible feeling and I can't keep it to myself!!

I have been on-and-off following the Tone It Up nutrition plan since last August (which I talked about here), and have been also following the 21 Day Fix portion control system ever since I finished the program in March (you can read all about that experience here!) 

Full disclosure: I am not compensated in any way for promoting Tone It Up, but you can purchase the 21 Day Fix through me and I will personally coach you through it!

I don't really use the portion control containers anymore since I'm now able to eyeball my portion sizes, but I've been eating my allotted number of "containers" (e.g. fruit, veggies, carbs, fat, protein) every day to make sure I'm getting the perfect combination of protein, carbs, and fats. I love the 21 Day Fix container system because you can eat whatever you want (mainly healthy food but treats too!) as long as it fits into your portions, so it's really easy to adapt to the TIU plan!

What's the difference between Tone It Up and the 21 Day Fix?

In one sentence, I would say that the Tone It Up nutrition plan is a healthy lifestyle diet focused on changing your life for the long haul, and the 21 Day Fix is a fitness and nutrition program for short-term results that teaches you portion control and workout habits you can incorporate into the rest of your life. 

The TIU plan is $150 and you get a set of digital files with the "rules" and hundreds of recipes, and you can access workout plans for free at www.toneitup.com. If you share your meals and workouts on social media you get the support of thousands of other women who are also TIU plan members.

The 21 Day Fix is $160 and comes with a nutrition guide, portion control containers, Shakeology, and a different 30 minute workout for every day of the week. You get to participate in a small, private motivational Challenge Group (led by yours truly!) for accountability and support.

Yes, you have to shell out some cash. But you are investing in your health, and although it seems like a lot of money at first, the value you receive from purchasing either program is in my opinion worth so much more. Plus you will probably save on your grocery bill from all your meal planning!

Six months of following the Tone It Up nutrition plan and sticking to a daily workout routine with the support of the  Instagram community whipped me into pretty good shape, but let's face it. It's easy to get off track and go down the delicious yet guilt-ridden slippery slope of comfort food, and after this horrible winter full of pizza, pasta, and Polar Vortex Happy Juice (yup that's what I call wine...) I was looking for a way to really take it up a notch and actually see results from all my workouts. My friend Deidre (who I actually met through Tone It Up), promised me that the 21 Day Fix would do the trick!  AND IT DID:

. 

The 21 Day Fix was literally a game changer for me in my health and fitness journey. I gained so much strength and muscle tone in just three weeks from following the eating plan and ONLY working out for 30 minutes a day! I feel re-committed to the TIU nutrition plan as well, because I discovered that consistency and buckling down on your nutrition even for a short period of time will get you results, especially if you've been sitting in a "healthy living plateau" for months! You just need to make small changes to shock your body!

I've been running Challenge Groups on Facebook twice a month for other women who are doing the Fix. These Challenge Groups are small and private accountability and support communities and I have TIU girls in almost every group. We've been having a blast and everyone is seeing amazing results! 

The two big questions I've been getting lately from my TIU girls are:

"Can I do Tone It Up and the 21 Day Fix together?"

and "Can I do the 21 Day Fix and still do the Bikini Series?"

The answer to both these questions is a big ginormous 

YES! 

If you are currently a Tone It Up girl who has been feeling lost, plateaued, hungry, or if you just want an extra level of accountability, the 21 Day Fix might be perfect for you!

(Some of my Tone It Up + 21 Day Fix approved meals)

Why the 21 Day Fix and the Tone It Up nutrition plan are AWESOME together:

-The TIU nutrition plan tells you what types of food to eat at certain times of day, and the 21 Day Fix tells you how much!

 The 21DF fills in the gaps of the TIU plan--it's like the missing link. With the 21DF you will automatically be hitting your perfect calorie range and macros based on your personal goals, whether they are to lose weight or gain lean muscle! 

-If you are on the TIU plan, you already have a strong nutritional baseline, which makes the 21 Day Fix a lot easier!

You also have an enormous database of clean, healthy recipes that are 21DF approved. Basically all TIU recipes are 21DF friendly!

-The TIU community is amazing, but the small group atmosphere of the 21DF Challenge Groups adds a more personal dimension. 

My favorite part of running Challenge Groups is building deeper relationships with other likeminded women who are a positive influence on my life. We also keep each other on track with the TIU plan and Bikini Series while we're at it :) 

-The 21 Day Fix adds structure into your day, helping to eliminate mindless snacking and cravings.

For me, it's hard to stick to the TIU plan perfectly, but the 21 Day Fix adds an extra layer of motivation and structure. Fuel and nourish your body with quality, nutrient dense whole foods and you will have more energy, feel lighter, and fall in love with your body because no matter what it looks like you know you are treating it the best possible way you can!

-You can easily switch out the 21DF workouts for the Bikini Series workouts, or mix it up and add the 21DF workouts into your normal routine!

The 21 Day Fix workouts were designed to complement the portion control component and help fitness beginners establish a daily workout routine. However, Tone It Up girls are already fitness rockstars! As long as you are working out for at least 30 minutes a day, pushing yourself to the max, keeping consistent, spending each day on a different body part, and incorporating an active rest day of stretching and yoga, you will get the same results on the 21 Day Fix. Plus, you know that you will be meeting your highest potential because your nutrition will be on point just like your workouts!

(How I track my 21 Day Fix containers at each meal)

Let's face it:

anyone can follow a fitness routine, especially if it's only 30 minutes a day. It's the other 23.5 hours of the day that make or break your results. Tone it Up and the 21 Day Fix are perfect complements to each other, and work together seamlessly to teach you how to establish and maintain a healthy relationship with food. You will learn how to keep on track for life, beyond the 8 week Bikini Series Challenge or 21 days.

Here's what some of my TIU/21DF challengers had to say: 

“The 21 Day Fix is a perfect companion for the Tone it Up Nutrition Plan. It’s great for people who need structure and more specifics on portion sizes. Also, the small challenge groups really keep you motivated in addition to the Tone it Up community. The 21 Day Fix is also good for those who have reached a plateau. It will definitely get you over the hump!”

— Hannah R.

“I think its a really easy transition into the 21 day fix because we are so used to eating clean. It helps you see how much of something you should be eating, which I think is important. Both for those who eat too little or too much .. sadly too much of anything is not good for us ha. But, overall, I like how it got me off of relying on bars such as luna or kind for a meal throughout the day. i realized that after the fix I am capable of eating something healthy and non processed. Yes, bars and things of that sort are great when I am running around doing 80 things at once, but if I plan my meals out and try to stick with it, I find myself not relying on the bars as much.”

— Christina Z.

Q: How is Shakeology different from Perfect Fit Protein?

Again, I get no compensation for recommending Perfect Fit, but I do for ShakeO! I love and use them both!

I am literally addicted to Shakeology. I drink it everyday and it is a critical part of the 21 Day Fix, and also a great addition to a healthy active lifestyle! ShakeO is a complete meal replacement shake, which includes superfoods, phytonutrients, vitamins and enzymes, pre/pro-biotics as well as protein. It comes in 6 flavors, four have whey protein and two are vegan with brown rice protein. It blends up like a milkshake and I haven't ever tasted a protein powder that comes close. Perfect Fit is a straight-up clean vegan protein powder sold by Tone It Up. Personally, I am not a huge fan of the taste and chalky texture of Perfect Fit in smoothies, but I use it as a replacement for flour to make protein pancakes and waffles that keep me full all morning! I have Shakeology for my morning snack every day, and have a Perfect Fit pancake about twice a week for breakfast. 

ShakeO!

Perfect Fit tropical waffle

So...that basically sums it up!

I hope you've been able to gain a better understanding about what it is that I "do!" Yes, I am obsessed with eating healthy, but I still make sure to get in my splurge night every week. Last night I ate pizza, two glasses of wine, and a huge bowl of froyo and enjoyed every bite guilt-free, because this morning I got right back on track!

If you want to chat more about either Tone It Up or the 21 Day Fix, I would LOVE to answer your questions! You can contact me HERE.

And if you are interested in applying to my next Challenge Group, 

I want to help you reach your goals and be a happy, healthy, strong, and confident version of your BEST self! This is your year!

Love,

Anna

twenty-seven

Last weekend I turned 27. A new age, a new year, a blank slate to fill. My birthday snuck up on me and then slipped right on by, just like all the days of April this year. 

I ushered in the first half of my birthday by myself, in central eastern Illinois, at an environmental educators conference. It was warmer than it's been up here in Chicago, the magnolias were in full bloom, and it felt nice to relax into nature, hundreds of miles away from the noise and chaos and cement of the city.

Then I drove back to Chicago and spent the rest of the day with Ben, quietly and filled with all my favorite foods. Lunch at Panera (where I got a free birthday cookie!), an afternoon nap, and a deliciously indulgent dinner at an amazing Columbian steakhouse, followed by a late night trip to the grocery store, giddy and tipsy on wine and rum, to pick up some cake and ice cream. 

Three years ago on my 24th birthday, I also ate lunch with Ben at Panera, after hiking in the mountains of Central Pennsylvania. He had just asked me to marry him on the side of an ancient mountain, and I was overwhelmed and giddy with excitement. So much has happened since that particular birthday.

Twenty-six was a year of big grown-up transitions. My first full year of lots of big things: marriage, holding a full-time job, owning an Etsy business, and making friendships that already run deep and have impacted the course of my life.

I'm looking forward to 27. My mom says that was her "ideal age" when she reflected back on her twenties--it's kind of a transient year between your early adulthood and the next phase of life, the big scary one that includes mortgages and babies. 

This is getting deep way too fast...so I will end with some pretty pictures from my wetland boardwalk tour in Kennekuk County!

I am looking forward to seeing what comes next in this new year of life! I have a feeling it's going to be a big one.

how to establish an early morning workout routine

Gradually over the last couple weeks, the days have been finally finally FINALLY getting lighter and warmer again! I've literally been waiting for this moment for months on end. I spent way too many dark, subzero pre-dawn mornings delicately tiptoe-ing around sheets of ice and mountains of snow on my way to and from the gym this winter, and to be honest it sucked. A lot. But if I skip a workout I'm cranky and have anxiety issues, which is all the motivation I need to stick to my routine. (Although the motivation of my Tone It Up community on Instagram helped too!)

This spring and summer I promise to NEVER take a 6 am sunrise, chirping robins, or 45-degree temperatures for granted! Have you been trying (or wishing) you were one of those insane morning people who could fit in a workout first thing in the morning? Now is the perfect time to establish that routine, since the sun and weather will be on your side!

If I told you that I wake up at 5:00-5:30 am every single day to work out, how would you respond?

The usual reactions I get are always something along the lines of

"You are CRAZY!"

"I could never do that!"

"I am definitely not a morning person..."

etc. etc.

Come on, people! You're stronger than you think! Confession/rant: hearing people make blanket statements or assumptions about their personal limitations is one of my pet peeves. I am a strong believer that you (yes, YOU!) can do anything you set your mind to, if you are willing to put in a bit of effort and determination. It's all about priorities.

If you want to establish a regular workout routine, let me break it to you with some tough love. Morning is the BEST time to work out. Getting it done before you are distracted and drained by all the other commitments of your busy life is the best way to become consistent and make it a habit. Don't give yourself a chance to make excuses. Plus you will have more energy, you'll sleep better, you'll feel oh so good about yourself and exude a sense of superiority and confidence that will drive your coworkers bonkers, and you'll be more motivated to make healthy choices throughout the rest of the day! And don't we all want to be more fit, happy, and energized?

I realize that establishing an early morning workout routine is much easier said than done. In a perfect world, we would all be getting ten hours of sleep every night and would wake up naturally, without an alarm, bright eyed, energetic, and excited to take on the day with the first chirping of the birds. Does this sound like your life?? I'm going to assume it does not. Mine either! 

Let's be real.

The first five minutes after you wake up are going to be rough, and it doesn't matter if it's 5:00 or 7:00 or 9:00. Trust me when I say that exercise is the FASTEST way to wake up your body and mind, so you might as well set that alarm a few minutes earlier and fit it in!

Full disclosure: it took me a while (as in, weeks) to get into the habit of consistent morning workouts. I've discovered several tips and tricks that I can play on myself in order to keep me motivated and on track, and since I've established a routine I almost never cave into the temptation to hit snooze or sleep in. 

I challenge you to fit in an early morning workout three times a week for the next three weeks. It takes 21 days for a habit to fully sink in, and the first two weeks are the hardest. If you can make it 14 days, you've got it in the bag. Remember: consistency is KEY!

How to begin

Baby steps! You need to start slowly so you don't burn yourself out, especially if you're a fitness beginner. Begin by setting your alarm 10 minutes earlier than normal and doing a short routine in your living room first thing before you shower. You can find oodles of effective, short, and fun workouts for free on YouTube, for literally any fitness level!

Some of my favorite fitness channels:

Blogilates

POPSUGAR Fitness

Tone It Up

Jessica Smith

Once you've successfully completed a morning workout, you will probably notice how much better you feel throughout the day and will be motivated to do it again! Slowly increase your wake up time by 5 minutes a day, until you have enough time for a full 30-60 minute workout.

Here are the steps I take EVERY SINGLE DAY to make sure my workouts happen

One: Set your intentions the night before. Visualize your workout. Visualize what you are going to do when your alarm goes off. Write yourself a note, or label your alarm on your phone with a friendly or kick-butt reminder to yourself. When your alarm goes off, remember that at some point in time, you WANTED to do this. Do not even give yourself the possibility to wimp out! If I tell myself "I'll see how I feel in the morning..." guess what? I'm going to sleep in.

Two: Have a workout plan. Know exactly what you will do when that alarm goes off, because you won't be able to make decisions in the morning. If you're working out at home, lay everything out the night before. Move the coffee table, put your weights out, stick the DVD in the player so you just have to push play. If you're heading to the gym, have your water bottle, gym bag, keys, etc. waiting for you at the door. NO EXCUSES!

Three: Put your alarm/phone on the other side of the room, so you physically have to get out of bed to turn it off. If you use your phone as an alarm, disable your snooze feature!

Four: Have a glass of water ready in the fridge or kitchen to chug right away. Most of the groggy feelings we experience when we first wake up are a symptom of dehydration, since we just spent several hours in a warm bed without eating or drinking. Have a quick bite of a banana or energy bar if you're hungry. Also, splash cold water on your face when you go to the bathroom.

Five: Get moving before your brain realizes what's happening. Don't think, JUST GO. The first five minutes after waking up are the worst--if you can make it through five minutes you're good to go and I promise you will never regret a workout!

Six: Set your coffee maker on auto-brew so you wake up to the smell of fresh coffee. Have a cup if you need the extra boost!

Seven: Establish a routine--workout at least 3-4 days a week, but also give yourself "off" days or easier workouts so your body and brain don't burn out!

Extra credit bonus steps

Eight: Get to bed on time! Surprisingly, this is not essential. Shoot for 6-8 hours of sleep as many nights as you can, but do not let a late night be a deal breaker! Exercise will energize you much more than an extra 30 minutes of sleep. 

Nine: Sleep in your sports bra, or even your entire workout outfit. This is a great trick, because putting on a sports bra at 5 am is struggle city, but if you wake up wearing one you can't NOT work out! Even if you end up snoozing through your alarm, you'll still have to take the damn thing off--fit in at least 10 mins of jumping jacks and crunches before you shower! I know, genius!

Ten: Find an accountability buddy. This can be an actual friend, partner, or neighbor who will workout with you or meet you at the gym for a class, or even an online community of like-minded active women. Support is a critical component to success, because it will keep you accountable to your goals! If you're on Instagram you can find me at joyofanna. 

Good luck! I believe in you. Get out there and MAKE LIFE HAPPEN!

Were these tips helpful? What do you do to motivate yourself?