My 1st time with the 3 day refresh

The 3 day refresh is a wonderful new product from Beachbody.  It's main purpose is to provide people with a safe and easy way to either kick start a new healthy lifestyle, for a monthly "tune-up" or just anytime you feel like you had far too many cheat meals that turned into cheat weeks.

It consists of 3 daily shakes, a fiber drink, plenty of filtered water, plus a large assortment of fruits and vegetables and healthy fats.  You definitely have plenty of variety so you are not eating the same things over and over.

My experience with is was very positive.  I am usually pretty restrictive in what I eat, but lately I have been indulging in far too many in the healthy fats category and way too many almonds. So I was ready to try to break myself away from that bad cycle of eating.

I decided to start on a Friday.  I am usually at my worst when I am at home on the weekend, so this was a great way for me to concentrate on eating well even with food all around me.

Day 1 started as usual, I am almost always in a rush to get to work, so Shakeology is a perfect way to start. Once I got to work I did find myself watching the clock a lot, but I passed the time with drinking lots of green tea and water.  I had the fiber sweep as scheduled and I found that I really enjoyed it, the texture and the taste.  You must drink it fast otherwise it gets quite thick, but I enjoyed it for the most part.

My lunch was quite filling, especially adding in the Vanilla Fresh shake with the fruits, veggies and healthy fats.  The Vanilla fresh shake was delicious, but I still love my Vanilla shakeology a little better :)

Once I got home I had my afternoon snack of a veggie and healthy fat, I chose hummus.
It was fine, but then I had a huge gap of time from that to my dinner due to a scheduled play date for my son. By the time I got home I was famished and I did have a bit of a dull headache all day.

I decided to skip my workout for the day, I usually workout in the morning, but since I woke up late, I skipped it all together, due to the lack of energy I had by the end of the day.

Day 2 started off with the continuation of the headache, but it seemed to slowly go away after I enjoyed my Shakeology with fruit for breakfast. I definitely felt lighter by day 2 and felt a lot less cranky and groggy.  I had a busy day with my kids, running around doing some shopping and other errands at home and I had enough energy for all of them. No workout today either, I slept like a baby and I woke up the next day feeling excited to finish.

Day 3, I found myself looking forward to following this program.  I enjoy being put on a strict regimen and I am pretty good at following them, so this is definitely something for me.  I had a great day 3 and even had enough energy to do 2 workouts from my P90X3 program, Pilates and Eccentric lower, and then play with my kids outside.  I was surprised that I actually felt that way since my calorie intake was so low.

To sum it up, I would totally do this again.  I am pretty strictly following my 21day fix eating plan, but I know once the fall starts and school starts for myself and my kids, that I will be falling off the wagon and needing another "tune-up".

My results are as follows: 2 inches and 6.4 pounds!!!
I couldn't believe it...I really loved maximizing the results of my P90X3 program that I am winding down and making that transition into PIYO.  If you want some quick results to jump start your healthy lifestyle or just need to get back on track from a minor setback I highly recommend it.  It's easy, safe, healthy and not very time consuming.  Give it a try!!

Here is my before and after:

Greenberry Cherry Shakeology

1 scoop of Greenberry Shakeology
8 oz unsweetened almond milk
6-8 sweet cherries
2 teaspoons unsweetened almond butter
1 1/2 cups ice

Blend and Enjoy

Green Beans with Lemon and Thyme

Green Beans with Lemon and Thyme

The fried onions, cream, flour, and butter of a green bean casserole have been replaced by more refreshing fare. Lemon and thyme pair beautifully with green beans.

Total Time: 14 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 9 min.
Yield: 12 servings, ¾ cup each

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2½ lbs. green beans, trimmed (about 10 cups)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ cup water
1 tsp. finely chopped lemon peel
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh thyme

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add green beans and garlic. Season with salt; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Add water; cook, covered, for 2 minutes.
4. Remove lid; cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until water evaporates.
5. Add lemon peel, lemon juice, and thyme. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 42

Fat: 1 g

Saturated Fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 101 mg

Carbohydrate: 7 g

Fiber: 3 g

Sugar: 3 g

Protein: 2 g

Pumpkin Coconut Custards

Pumpkin Coconut Custards

Step into fall with these pumpkin custards made with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a touch of coconut extract.

Total Time: 1 hr.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 50 min.
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. fine sea salt
4 large eggs, beaten
½ cup pure maple syrup (or raw honey)
½ tsp. pure coconut extract
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree
¾ cup canned coconut milk
¾ cup unsweetened almond milk

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 300° F.
2. Combine cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
3. Combine eggs, maple syrup, and extract in a large bowl; whisk to blend.
4. Add spice mixture and pumpkin.
5. Gradually add coconut milk and almond milk; whisk to blend.
6. Pour mixture evenly into eight 6-oz. custard cups. Place cups in 13x9-inch baking pan; fill pan with 1-inch hot water.
7. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until knife inserted in custard halfway between center and edge of ramekin comes out almost clean. Cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 153

Fat: 7 g

Saturated Fat: 5 g

Cholesterol: 93 mg

Sodium: 202 mg

Carbohydrate: 19 g

Fiber: 2 g

Sugar: 14 g

Protein: 5 g

Heather's Roasted Cauliflower Mash

This twist on mashed potatoes is made with a non-starchy veggie, no cream and butter—and yet, it's every bit as yummy as your traditional mashed potatoes.

Total Time: 50 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 45 min.
Yield: 8 servings, ¼ cup each

Ingredients:
1 (2-lb.) cauliflower, cut into small florets, discard stem
4 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. granulated garlic (optional)
2 Tbsp. low-sodium organic vegetable broth

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Wash cauliflower and pat dry.
3. Place cauliflower in large baking pan. Drizzle with oil; toss gently to coat. 4. Season with salt and garlic.
5. Bake, stirring halfway through, for 40 to 45 minutes, or until tender.
6. Place in food processor; add vegetable broth. Pulse until smooth.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 46

Fat: 3 g

Saturated Fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 319 mg

Carbohydrate: 5 g

Fiber: 2 g

Sugar: 2 g

Protein: 2 g