Fit Fun Tina

21 Day Fix For Moms Support Group

fix for moms

 

Join our new group on Facebook, created especially for moms! Whether you are a new mom, a toddler mom, or a teen mom, if you are on the 21 Day Fix then this is the group for you!

This group serves to be a support group for moms on the 21 Day Fix.

We offer each other support with:
– Recipes
– Easy Family Meals
– Breastfeeding and Pregnancy
– Support for the little picky eaters (and also the husbands!)
– Creating healthy families

Come join us by clicking here: Fix for Moms

Related Posts:

Clean Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

This Clean Crockpot Beef Stroganoff brings the ease of cooking and combines with a comforting meal that is 21 Day Fix approved! And the best part? My three year old daughter LOVES this meal. For more recipes and 21 Day Fix resources, head to www.fitfuntina.com

When I first got married, my stepdaughter’s favorite meal was Beef Stroganoff – the Hamburger Helper edition! Packed with sodium and preservatives, the meal provided a creamy comfort dish! If you enjoy this meal, but would rather have a healthier, cleaner version, I’ve gone one step further and taken it to the crockpot! This Clean Crockpot Beef Stroganoff brings the ease of cooking and combines with a comforting meal that is 21 Day Fix approved! Yahoo! And the best part? My three year old daughter (who eats a diet of dairy, ketchup, and occasion chicken) LOVES this meal.

 Tina’s Pro-Tip

The mushrooms are pretty optional. I know it’s standard for this dish, but I’ve got a family of picky eaters! This meal will still taste AMAZING.

21 Day Fix Count

Measure out 1 red of the meat mixture and count as red. Measure and serve noodles as a yellow.

Clean Crock pot Beef Stroganoff

10 minPrep Time

8 hrCook Time

8 hr, 10 Total Time

Save RecipeSave Recipe
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs top round steak
  • 1 medium diced onion
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried dill
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional - we skipped this due to picky eaters!)
  • 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup low sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt

Instructions

  1. In crock pot, place all the ingredients except for the flour, broth, and yogurt. Mix ingredients.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine flour and broth and whisk until flour is completely dissolved. Pour into crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
  3. Turn off crock pot and let cool for 10 minutes. Mix in greek yogurt (the steak should be tender and shred as you mix).
  4. Serve over whole wheat noodles.

Notes

21 Day Fix Count: Measure out 1 red of the meat mixture and count as red. Measure and serve noodles as a yellow.

7.8.1.2
15
https://fitfuntina.com/clean-crock-pot-beef-stroganoff/

Related Posts:

21 Day Fix Meal Planning Printable

21 Day Fix Meal Planning printable

For those of you planning our your 21 Day Fix meals one day at a time, here’s a printable to help you plan out your day.

21 Day Fix Meal Planning Printable

 

Here’s the PDF file:

meal planning sheet

 

Related Posts:

21 Day Fix Tracker iOS Official App Walk-through And Review

IMG_9322[1]

When I first started the 21 Day Fix, I wanted to find an app to help track my containers. I found this app, and it has been EXTREMELY helpful in tracking my progress. The app, originally developed by Fat Chicken Studios, was recently obtained and republished through Beachbody as an official app! I’m very excited about this!

This app is currently only available on iOS, so it can be used on either your iPhone or iPad. While there are no official Beachbody 21 Day Fix apps in the android app store, it is only a matter of time before it will come to pass. The app is also now free, whereas before I had to pay a couple of bucks for it (I don’t buy apps, but this was money well spent for the development of this app!)

IMG_9316[1]

Here is the main menu for the app. Pretty self explanatory. If you are in maintenance mode for your weight, it will automatically calculate the containers you need to maintain your weight. The settings tab is actually where you track your measurements, pictured below.

IMG_9320[1]

What I like about the measurement tracker is that not only will it automatically tally your inches (yay!), but it as a before and after so you can tab back and forth to see how you’re doing it in each category. Here’s my tip: as I end each round, I take a screen shot of my “after” measurements so I can have it recorded when I go to put in my new measurements. I’ve kept my original before measurements as my before so I can see how far I’ve come over time.

Containers

IMG_9318[1]

 

This section is great for when you are grocery shopping and looking for ideas. Also, some of the foods are not container friendly, so it will list the portion for that specific food. My only suggestion would be to have some kind of indication of what foods are not 21 Day Fix Extreme friendly.

Tracking

IMG_9317[2]

 

This is the part that is the best part of the app! The tracking! At the top, you can update your weight (if you weigh yourself every day. I don’t recommend this because of THIS  reason).

For the workout, day 1 will always start with Total Body Cardio Fix. You can change the workout if you’d like, then mark the circle next to the workout to show you’ve completed it. With this app, day 1 will always start with Total Body Cardio Fix and then go in order. I actually started my first day 1 on a Wednesday, and I have never actually started day 1 on a Monday. Why does this make a difference? Because no matter where I am, I like the days of the week to match up with the workout. So for me, Monday is ALWAYS Total Body Cardio Fix, whether I’m on day 1 or day 3. It’s just easier for me to remember, but that’s my own thing. So, you can always change the workout in this tab, but it’s not going to change any of the other days’ workouts.

Remaining portions. You can also adjust the amount of containers you get throughout the day. This is great if you are pregnant or nursing, or otherwise recommended by your doctor. In this field you will be able to see how many portions of what containers you have remaining.

As you click on each meal, you will be able to input what containers you are using for that meal. You can track in increments of .5 or full containers. Also, you can either track your water with your meal, or in it’s separate category.

3 Day Quick Fix

If you decide to do the 3 Day Quick Fix, the meals (along with specific foods) are already listed for you. All you have to do is mark off the meal as you eat it.

My closing thoughts

This app is an amazing supplement to assist you with the 21 Day Fix. It takes the useful information out of the book and puts it into the convenience of your phone. If you’re out and for some reason something comes up to alter your eating plan, you can easily adjust by determining what containers you have left, so you can make controlled decisions without blowing your progress.

Related Posts:

NEW Autumn Calabrese: Fixate

(Affiliate links used in this post! Thanks for your support!)

For those learning the ropes of the 21 Day Fix, sometimes it’s hard to find good, healthy recipes, and figure out how to use your containers to measure them out. Autumn Calabrese, the creator of the 21 Day Fix, has come out with a solution to make your transition into a healthier lifestyle much easier.

The latest from 21 Day Fix® creator Autumn Calabrese: a 21 Day Fix – based cookbook called FIXATE (Amazon affiliate link) coming July 14, 2015. This cookbook takes her simple color-coded container portion control system and applies it to 101 of her favorite family recipes.

This game-changing product is designed to help you blast past your fitness and nutrition goals.

Each FIXATE recipe lists color-coded container equivalents and nutrition facts. Plus, FIXATE includes Paleo, gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian recipes along with Autumn’s personal tips for preparing meals quickly, and stocking your kitchen with absolute must-haves.


PERSONAL PASSION

Autumn reached into her family history for inspiration. “My family was in the restaurant business, so I basically grew up in the kitchen,” she explains. “I was able to take my family’s recipes and make them healthier.”

“We took our time, tested the recipes and I love every single one of them,” she says with pride. “It’s not fancy cooking; there’s a variety of everyday go-to recipes and special recipes for special occasions.”

How many recipes are in the book, you ask? Try 101. Some were creations of a chef very close to Autumn’s heart: her brother. “That makes it even more sentimental for me,” she says.

Each of the recipes comes complete with detailed instructions, mouthwatering photos, nutritional information and container equivalents. What’s more, Autumn has added icons to each recipe that will let readers know if they are paleo, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian.

TARGET AUDIENCE

“This book is for everybody,” says Autumn. “You don’t have to be graduates of 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix EXTREME®. You also don’t have to be a chef or great in the kitchen. It’s for anyone who wants to make healthier versions of the foods they love.”

According to Autumn, “Everyone will use the book differently. For some, it will become their “go-to” cookbook they use every single day. Others may use it when they’re going to a special event like a barbeque or party.”

And in addition to all the amazing recipes, Autumn has also included a detailed checklist for her absolute must-have kitchen and pantry staples, as well as the basic utensils and tools that every cook needs.

COVER TO COVER

Inside Fixate you’ll find a section for every possible meal you can imagine: simple breakfasts, on-the-go lunches, sit down dinners, soups, salads, as well as healthy snacks like kale chips and protein bars.

Autumn insisted that all the “on-the-go” lunch recipes be easy and fast for working moms. “I based all of the lunches off leftovers from dinner and even breakfast,” she reveals. “I turned them into delicious, easy-to-make lunch recipes.” Autumn adds, “I also included a few of my favorite Shakeology recipes—even some Fix-approved skinny cocktails.”

And then there’s the desserts. “I have a big sweet tooth so I was really pleased with them,” she says. “I especially love the brownies (made with chick peas), peanut butter cookies and cake recipes, and the desserts are all gluten-free so absolutely everyone can enjoy them.”

Want a sneak peek? Click here for a pdf of 5 of the recipes coming out in the book!!!!


My Review

The book is GREAT! The recipes are simple to make, and having the 21 Day Fix container calculations was greatly helpful. (Plus, the spiral bound made it easier to use. Why don’t ALL recipe books come spiral bound?!?) The only drawback is there were a few printing errors, which I was able to resolve by contacting Beachbody (they sent a pdf of the corrections which could easily be printed, cut, and attached to your current book). Hopefully future printings of this book will have those errors corrected, but it’s still a great addition to my kitchen!

Related Posts:

21 Day Fix Food Lists

21 Day Fix food lists

The following is a list of approved foods for those who are using the 21 Day Fix. The list is presented in a hierarchy – so the foods at the top of the list are better options than the foods at the bottom of the list. However, all foods within the list are acceptable. I would advise to printing this list and putting it into a 21 Day Fix binder that you can take with you to the grocery store. Also, check out my 21 Day Fix Shopping List so you can fill in your favorites for easier shopping.

Green Container

Kale, cooked or raw
Collard Greens, cooked or raw
Spinach, cooked or raw
Brussels sprouts, chopped or 5 medium
Asparagus, 10 large spears
Beets, 2 medium
Tomatoes, chopped, cherry or 2 medium
Squash (summer), sliced – Includes yellow squash, zucchini
Winter Squash (all varieties), cubed  – includes acorn squash, pumpkin (fresh, not canned), spaghetti squash
String beans
Peppers, sweet, sliced
Carrots, sliced or 10 medium baby
Cauliflower, chopped
Artichokes, 1/2 large
Eggplant, 1/2 medium
Okra
Jicama, sliced
Snow Peas
Cabbage, chopped
Cucumbers
Celery
Lettuce (NOT iceberg)
Mushrooms
Radishes
Onions (chopped)
Sprouts

Purple Container

Raspberries
Blueberries
Blackberries
Strawberries
Watermelon, diced
Cantaloupe, diced
Orange, divided into sections, or 1 medium
Tangerine, 2 small
Apple, sliced or 1 small
Apricots, 4 small
Grapefruit, divided into sections, or 1/2 large
Cherries
Grapes
Kiwifruit, 2 medium
Mango, sliced
Peach, sliced or 1 large
Nectarine, sliced or 1 large
Pear, sliced or 1 large
Pineapple, diced
Banana, 1/2 large
Papaya, diced
Figs, 2 small
Honeydew melon, diced

Canned Pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix), tomato sauce, and salsa fall into the purple category.

Red Container

Sardines (fresh or canned in water) 7 medium
Boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breast, cooked, diced
Lean ground chicken or turkey, cooked
Fish, freshwater (catfish, tilapia, trout), cooked, flaked
Fish, cold water, wild caught (cod, salmon, halibut, tuna) cooked, flaked Game: buffalo (bison, ostrich, venison) cooked, diced
Game: lean ground, cooked, diced
Eggs, 2 large
Greek yogurt, plain 1%
Yogurt, plain 2%
Shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster) cooked
Clams, canned drained
Red meat, extra-lean, cooked, diced
Lean ground red meat, cooked
Shakeology, 1 scoop
Tempeh
Tofu, firm
Pork Tenderloin, diced cooked
Tuna, canned light in water, drained
Turkey slices, low sodium, fat free, 6 slices
Ham slices, low sodium, fat free, 6 slices
Ricotta Cheese, light
Cottage cheese, 2%
Protein powder (whey, hemp, rice, pea) 1 1/2 scoops
Veggie burger, 1 medium patty
Turkey bacon, reduced fat, 4 slices

Yellow Container

Sweet Potato
Yams
Quinoa, cooked
Beans, cooked drained
Lentils, cooked drained
Edamame, shelled Peas
Refried Beans, nonfat
Brown Rice, cooked
Wild Rice, cooked
Potato, mashed or 1/2 medium Corn on the cob, 1 ear
Amaranth, cooked
Millet, cooked
Buckwheat, cooked
Barley, cooked
Bulgur, cooked
Oatmeal, steel cut, cooked
Oatmeal, rolled, cooked
Pasta, whole-grain, cooked
Couscous, whole wheat, cooked
Crackers, whole grain, 8 small crackers
Cereal, whole-grain, low sugar
Bread, whole grain, 1 slice
Pita bread, whole wheat, 1 small
Waffles, whole grain, 1 waffle
Pancakes, whole grain 1 small
English Muffin, whole grain, 1/2 muffin
Bagel, whole grain, 1/2 small
Tortilla, whole wheat, 1 small
Tortilla, corn, 2 small

Blue Container

Avocado, mashed or 1/4 medium
12 almonds, whole, raw
8 cashews, whole, raw
14 peanuts, whole, raw
20 pistachios, whole, raw
10 pecan halves, raw
8 walnut halves, raw
Hummus
Coconut milk, canned
Feta cheese, crumbled
Goat cheese, crumbled
Mozzarella (low moisture) shredded Cheddar, shredded
Provolone, shredded
Monterey Jack, shredded
Parmesan, shredded

Orange Container

Pumpkin Seeds, raw
Sunflower seeds, raw
Sesame seeds, raw
Flaxseed, ground
Olives, 10 medium
Peanuts
Coconut, unsweetened, shredded
21 Day Fix dressings

Teaspoon

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
Flaxseed Oil
Walnut Oil
Pumpkin seed oil
Nut butters (peanut, almond, cashew, etc)
Seed butters (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame [tahini])

Related Posts:

Setting You Up for Success with 21 Day Fix

*Affiliate links have been included in this post. Clicking these links are of no charge to you, but help to keep this blog of 21 Day Fix resources in operation. Thank you!*

Setting you up for success on the 21 Day Fix

You’ve ordered and received your 21 Day Fix….and now what? Here are some tips to help set you up for success with the 21 Day Fix.

1) Read through the book.

It seems like that should be a no-brainer. I’m the type of person who typically skims through the instructions on any manual, get the big points, and figure it out as I go. This is NOT one of those manuals. The nutrition guide is filled with all of the information you will need to be successful on the plan. It helps you to calculate your calorie goal, tells you how to use the containers, suggestions on what to each for each container, and recipes. A lot of questions that I frequently see are addressed in this book, so take the time to read through it and help familiarize yourself with how the plan works.

2) Determine your calorie range/food goals

Calculate your calorie range with the given guide. This is going to be important, because that range is going to determine how many containers you will get throughout the day. It will be easier to plan out your food once you have an idea of how many servings you get.

3) Make a plan for your first week, and set a start date

Give yourself a definite start date. While you may be so excited to get started right away, allow yourself a few days to prepare to get started. For the workout plans, I do the workouts based on the day of the week, not by the day I started. Yoga Fix is always on a Sunday, etc. This way I don’t have to worry about remembering what workout I did the day before.

4) Speaking of plans…make a meal plan!

As for meal planning, that’s where it gets a bit complicated. You want to spread out your containers throughout the day (dinner is NOT the time to eat whatever containers you skipped throughout the day! I learned this the hard way). For me, I typically have a red and a green for each meal, purples as snacks (except for the one in my Shakeology), etc. Find a way to make your eating work around your schedule. If you have a job working 12 hour shifts, then it would make sense to pack snacks that are convenient to carry and eat. If you shop on a budget, plan your meals around what is on sale in the grocery stores.

Meals & Planning Resources

FitFunTina’s Index of 21 Day Fix Recipes

Simple Clean Fix – Ebook filled with 39 Easily Printable Recipes

21 Day Fix Meal Plan – Crockpots and Salads

21 Day Fix Meal Plans (sorted by calorie brackets)

 

4) Create a binder to track your documents.

I typically love storing stuff on my phone, but sometimes nothing beats having everything together on paper. There are lots of printable documents you can fill your binder with:

Measurement tracker

Container Tracker

Food Lists

Meal Planning Printable

5) Grocery shopping

After you have an idea of what you’ll be eating throughout the week, now you can make a list to buy whatever you will need. You can use this list HERE  to write out what you will need. Keep in mind that the first shopping trip will likely be the most expensive trip, as you may be buying staples that you don’t already have.

6) Meals and snack prep

Set aside a time when you can prep some of your snacks throughout the week. A great thing about doing your prep all at the same time is that you can make multiple servings of items that are pre-measured and ready to go. These Bento boxes are a great way to portion out several meals at once, and you can grab it and go! This will save a lot of time and stress. Walmart and Target both sell colored sandwich bags. As an alternative, you can use a sharpie to write the color of the food on the baggies. If you are prepping meals, you can also write on the plastic containers what color(s) is within the container.

7) Workout prep

For the workouts, you will need some equipment to get started:

  • Two sets of weights (I recommend 5 and 10 pound weights for those just starting out) OR a resistance band (Amazon). I recommend getting separate weights (as opposed to the adjustable weights), because there are many times that you switch back and forth between exercises.
  • Yoga mat

8) Take measurements

Before you start the 21 Day Fix, you should take measurements. The scale is not always an accurate representation of your progress, because as you build lean muscle through the workout program, your measurements may tell you a different story from the scale. Remember 1 pound of muscles takes up less mass than 1 pound of fat, so if you lose 1 pound of fat and gain 1 pound of muscle, the scale will show no change, but your measurements will.

9) Join a Challenge Group!

If you decide to use Shakeology and purchase a challenge pack, then I would seek out an active Beachbody Coach to join one of their challenge groups! Challenge groups are a great way to have people starting their journeys together with coach support. In general, the use of Shakeology is required for most of these groups. However, if you’d like to join a FREE support group, then come find me on Facebook! I’ve got a group for moms doing the 21 Day Fix.

10) Ask your coach

If you still have questions, please don’t be afraid to ask your coach! If you don’t have a coach, or if you just want answers to your questions, feel free to join one of the facebook groups above (see #9). We’re all friendly people!

11) Be sure to check out the rest of my resources available, including TONS of recipes (with container counts) to make this new lifestyle a lot easier!

FitFunTina’s Index of 21 Day Fix Recipes

Related Posts:

21 Day Fix Shopping List

Here’s a list you can use to prepare for grocery shopping with the 21 Day Fix!

Just remember the following:

1. Read ingredient lists for any:

  • added sugars, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, sucralose
  • check sodium content

2. Go for as unprocessed as possible (the fewer ingredients, the better).

21 Day Fix shopping list

Related Posts:

21 Day Fix – Unsweetened Almond Milk

21dayalmondmilkThere have been rumors floating around the 21 Day Fix (my review of 21 Day Fix) as to whether unsweetened almond milk is classified as a yellow or considered “free”. Here’s a video of Autumn Calabrese telling her thoughts:

 

 

So here’s the deal:

Officially, the book states that 8 oz of unsweetened almond milk is considered to be a yellow “cheat” (meaning you can have it three times a week in place of a container). Officially, that is still the designation.  The nutrition guide was created by nutritionists, who planned out the 21 Day Fix based on macronutrients (proportions of proteins, fats, and carbs).

Autumn Calabrese, the trainer for 21 Day Fix, does not agree with the designation of the unsweetened almond milk. Her stance is that it is only 30 calories, holds a trivial amount of sugar, and therefore drinking a cup every day at 30 calories is not going to hurt anything.

Here’s my take:

Obviously, it’s going to be your call on this one. The containers have a built in calorie range so it could easily be accounted for within that range. However, there are two points to consider:

1) Over the course of a year, it *could* make a difference of 3 pounds. (30 calories x 365 days = 10,950 calories / 3,500 = 3.12 pounds).

2) You know yourself better than anyone else (it’s true!). Is not having almond milk a deal breaker for your long term lifestyle? Would 3 pounds over the course of a year be a deal breaker for you? What will your strictness level be?

I don’t want to be the coach who ever says “You’ll never eat this or drink that again!” This is truly a LIFESTYLE change, not a diet. Part of that lifestyle is figuring out where the regular daily stuff fits into the long-term. Daily Cheetos? Maybe not such a hot idea. (I know, it *could* be done…). Daily Unsweetened Almond milk? It’s really your call. How will you make it work into your daily counts? Will you be more strict with everything else to help compensate? Or perhaps you can set limits to either a smaller amount of milk (or not every day).

UPDATE:

Autumn has returned to clarify her previous video. She still considers 8oz a cheat yellow as per the book, but for lesser quantities (ie. 4 oz) she does not count it.

Related Posts:

A Day in the Life of 21 Day Fix

If you’ve ever been curious about what the nutrition portion for the 21 Day Fix looks like, I can tell you – it looks like many different things! For myself, I’m a simple eater. I don’t like a lot of different veggies. With three kids I don’t have a lot of time, so much of my food is either grab and go (or repeats). I struggle with meal prep, but if you have easy-grab foods always on hand, it can be just as simple!

Yesterday, I decided to snap a picture of everything I ate. Here’s the all-in-one shot:

21daysample

My calorie range is 1,500-1,799 range.

Do you notice that there are no salads? Healthy does not always mean a salad. (I like salads, they’re just a lot of prep work!). Also, I repeated the red peppers because 1) I like them and 2) I’m overdue for some grocery shopping. I also didn’t include my water intake for the day!

Here’s the breakdown of what I had:

IMG_8071

Breakfast: Vegan Chocolate Shakeology (Mexican mocha – coffee with cinnamon and cayenne pepper!), 1/2 banana, kale (1 green); Carrots (which were actually a snack)

IMG_8072

Midmorning Snack: 1 apple and unsalted peanuts

IMG_8074

Lunch: Two scrambled eggs with shredded cheese (1/2 blue), slice of whole grain toast with a teaspoon of coconut oil

IMG_8073

Lunch #2: Turkey burger with cheese

IMG_8079

Mid-afternoon snack: Red peppers and cherries

IMG_8080

Dinner: Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef – recipe to come!!!) over brown rice with red peppers.

IMG_8083

After dinner snack: 1 Slice whole grain toast with 3 tsp of homemade peanut butter.

So there was my day!!!!


Related Posts: