#EatToNourish Not Starve

#EatToNourish Not Starve

Back in 2015 when I was at my all time low in life, 6 months postpartum with my first born and thinking that I was failing at being a mom,wife, friend, basically failing at life, I finally reached out to a friend who seemed to have it all together and literally it changed my life. It was like the equivalent of my ‘wellness rebirth! That’s when I was introduced to Autumn Calabrese, the Portion Fix plan and her new program, 21 Day Fix. When my friend first suggested it though, I remember thinking "ugh just another "diet on the FAD wagon that will deprive me of all the things I love and once I stop I'll just go back to "me again"" But BOY, was I wrong about that one... 

Let me explain…

Before those little color-coded portion control containers, I was basically clueless when it came to nutrition, hell, I was clueless about everything and HATED working out! 

Starting with this program not only made me see that I could, in fact, enjoy the foods I loved but in moderation and fitness wasn't super hard. It was 30 mins a day and believe me when I say I started out modifying the modifier. Yep, all beachbody programs do have a modifier so you can start where you are at with what you got! But we are talking about the nutrition part here aren't we?

The Portion Fix system was a LIFE CHANGER!

It’s crazy to think that it’s been six years since the launch of the uber-popular 21 Day Fix and portion control system. So many lives impacted. So many pounds and inches shed because of this simple approach to eating that is so much more than a diet that you do for 4,6,12 weeks. it is a lifestyle change you just take 21 days at a time! 

Beachbody took note of the impact the portion control containers were having and they incorporated them into nearly ALL of the nutrition plans for Beachbody programs that have launched ever since. BOOM BABY! 

The best part?! This new program can be done without any workout. Nutrition is such a KEY component to overwell wellness that it is crucial to understand.

What is the Portion Fix System?

For those of you new to Beachbody and the portion control containers, let me break it down for you.

Each color-coded container represents a specific food group.

• Red = Protein
• Yellow = Healthy Carbs.
• Green = Veggies
• Purple = Fruit
• Blue = Healthy Fat
• Orange = Seeds & Dressings.

You’ll also need a teaspoon (not provided) for your healthy oils and nut butters.

Each container also represents a portion size.

They give you a visual on what a correct portion should look like on your plate that helps you get the right macronutrients in.

Every program specifies how much of each container to eat.

Every fitness plan has an accompanying nutritional guide which advises you on how many of each color container you should eat daily. This number depends on the program you’re following, your calorie zone, and fitness goals. This way there is no calorie counting, figuring out macros on your own or wondering if you are eating the right amounts. 

And NO you cannot fill your containers with just anything.

The goal is to educate you on what’s clean and what’s not. So, you will be following a list of approved ingredients. If it’s on the list, go for it. If it’s not on the list, then more than likely it wouldn't be the best choice for you. But there are always exceptions and we still can't deprive ourselves of all the goodies in life so there are even ways to incorporate treats into your life. 

I love the structure this system provides! I love how straight forward it is. This system has truly helped me remain consistent and satisfied with my nutrition for years now. For the first 21 days, I ended up losing nearly 21 lbs in 21 days just from adding 30 mins of modified workouts into my daily life and cleaning up my diet a bit. 

But about a year ago an overhaul was made! 

Even though the container system works like a charm, an overhaul was made and born was the the Ultimate Portion Fix (UPF), which released last spring! 

Autumn Calabrese has compiled 5 years of feedback, experience, and even complaints by talking with clients about their challenges, helping them use the meal plan effectively to get the best possible results. Let’s face it; nutrition will never be one size fits all. That’s why Autumn is so committed to investing in herself and her knowledge of nutrition. Autumn even became a Certified Holistic Coach to bring more value, depth, and diversity to the program! Lucky us — and she’s taking all that new knowledge and wrapped it up into this new premium nutritional program!

I was pumped to deep dive into understanding the importance of portion control, learning about food addiction including why sugar is in EVERYTHING and how to look for it and break the addiction, how to read labels and how to incorporate this way of living into our family structure. 

Why Try this Nutritional Program?

This is not a diet, this is a lifestyle change, nutrition plan, and learning experience designed for EVERYONE (including husbands and kids). The plan will teach you how to eat better, not just tell you what to do and what NOT to do. I don't know about you but when I am told what I can't have I gravitate towards it... By the end, you’ll have a whole new way of thinking about food! Plus, it’s a simple and sustainable plan that will keep you wanting to eat healthy in the long-term.

You’ll banish that sugar addiction: You’ll discover why sugar is so addictive and how to break the addiction.

It’s designed for the entire family: There’s a big emphasis on kids and how to get them to eat healthy, not just you! Yes, even with my good eating children (until my oldest went to school and got influenced there...) I get the “I want chicken nuggets” argument, and I’ve got strategies to win now! Of course we still enjoy eating out as a family once in awhile but we enjoy without feeling guilty.

Create your own custom meal plan: You will learn how to create your own eating plan based on your specific goal and dietary restrictions, like vegan, gluten-free, or paleo! It takes a little bit to get used to but like anything, the more you do it the easier it will get and soon it will just be second nature to you!

What’s included with the program?

• 30 New Videos. There will be no guessing here. These videos explain everything from how to use the containers to the main principles of the plan.
• Fixate Volume 2 Cookbook: Including 102 brand new deliciously healthy recipes.
• Lunch Ideas for Kids: I LOVE that this is for the whole family! This PDF contains 75 healthy options for kids’ lunches to help them eat a balanced diet.
• Nutrition + App Tracking: You’ll have access to Beachbody’s nutrition app which allows you to track your container consumption, water intake, weight, and so much more right from your smartphone!
• Portion Fix Containers: You can’t do this program without them!
• Beachbody Insulated Tote Bag: Which comes with containers, ice packs, and lots of storage to help you eat healthy on the go!

How much does the Ultimate Portion Fix cost?

That depends on what you need! There are multiple Challenge Pack & Kit options depending on what you already have and what you might need to make the most of this program!

If this seems like a good fit for you please fill out this form! Our next group starts May 11th for a 2 week prep period before we deep dive into it! 

Mindful Eating

"Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, and non judgementally." 

Optimum Nutrition is essential for overall wellness. It is the process of providing the body with sufficient nutrients through food to maintain proper health and wellness.These nutrients include, water, enzymes, minerals, adaptogens, vitamins, essential fatty acids, carbohydrates and phytonutrients.  A proper diet provides us will all of these in the right portions for our ever changing bodies. There is no fixed diet that will work for this. 
It is so important to LISTEN to our body and what it needs, but listening is much different than turning to comfort food, reaching for the easiest thing as we react to the emotional unfulfilled needs. 

Now a days we are always on the phone, watching TV, listening to music and not really paying attention to what we are actually doing or putting into our bodies. More so WHY we turn to certain things over others. We are living in the multitasking world and as some people pride themselves on being wicked multitaskers, it isn't all that great to do for your overall wellbing.

Creating mindful eating habits will greatly help with providing your body with what it needs most: to be nourished properly. 

Here are some simple guidelines to help you distinguish between mindless and (more) mindful eating and bring our bodies and minds back together.

1. Let your body catch up with your brain - eating rapidly past full and ignoring your body’s signals vs. slowing down and eating and stopping when your body says it is full. Slowing down is one of the best ways we can get our mind and body to communicate what we really need for nutrition. The body sends a satiation signal about 20 minutes after the brain, which is why we often unconsciously overeat! So, sit down to eat, chew each bite 25 times, set your fork down between bites, etc!

2. Know your body’s personal hunger signals - are you responding to an emotional want or responding to your body’s needs? Often we listen first to our minds, but we actually might be MORE mindful if we tune into our bodies first. Rather than just eating when we get emotional signals (whether that’s stress, sadness, frustration, loneliness, or even just boredom), we can listen to our bodies. Is your stomach growling, energy low, or feeling a little light-headed? True mindful eating is actually listening deeply to our body’s signals for hunger!

3. Understand your motivations - eating foods that are emotionally comforting vs. eating foods that are nutritionally healthy. This is another tricky balance and, ideally, we find nourishing foods that are also satisfying and comforting. As we practice eating healthier and a greater variety of foods, we are less inclined to binge on our comfort foods, and more inclined to enjoy healthy foods, ultimately finding many foods mentally and physically satisfying as opposed to just a few.

4. Connect more deeply with your food - Considering where food comes from vs. thinking of food as an end product. Unless you’re foraging for your food on the regular, there’s a good chance you’ve become disconnected from your food. Many of us don’t even consider where a meal comes from beyond the supermarket packaging. However, eating offers an incredible opportunity for us to connect more deeply to the natural world, the elements, and to each other! As you consider everything that went into what you’re eating, it becomes effortless to experience and express gratitude to all the people who gave their time and effort, the elements of the universe that contributed their share, our friends or ancestors who shared recipes, and even the beings who may have given their lives to a part of creating this meal. With just a little more mindfulness like this, we might begin to make wiser choices about sustainability and health in our food, not just for us but for the whole planet.
   
   What has really helped me with all this is using portion control containers + learning about the proper food groups, figuring out my emotional connection with food and facing my bad relationship with it. Once I was able to get that under control I was really able to create the mindful eating habit.
   The Ultimate Portion Fix is program that helps with that EXACTLY.  
   You’ll learn so much to make it more than a strategy to help you lose a few pounds.
   Portion control is just the beginning. Autumn Calabrese makes it so compelling that you will achieve a whole new, more MINDFUL way of eating and thinking about food.
   This includes strategies that have helped her win trophies in competition, heal her own health issues, end sugar addiction for thousands of clients, and serve hundreds of thousands of customers in losing weight and achieving their healthiest selves.
   The Ultimate Portion Fix is about giving your body exactly what it needs to operate at its best! No starving. No random points that disregard food source. No fasting. No trendy fad. This is how you enjoy food, and get the most out of it because it feeds your body what it needs in the right ratio!
   And finally, the biggie: This program is going to help you stop poisoning yourself with so much heavily processed food.
   The tools shared will help you:
   • Break your sugar addiction: You’ll learn WHY you’re addicted to sugar (because knowledge is power) and how you can break the addiction. I’m talking grocery lists, meal plans, and easy-to-make recipes that emphasize whole-food ingredients, so you can finally cut down on processed foods without cutting out the joy of eating.
   • Get the whole family healthy: Those days of prepping one meal for the kids and one for the adults are over. With The Ultimate Portion Fix, you’ll learn everything from what and how much your kids should be eating, to getting them to eat enough fruits and veggies, and even how to end the “I’m only eating chicken nuggets for dinner” battle once and for all.
   • Feed yourself for performance: You’ll find out how you can customize your eating plan to your goal, whether it’s to lose those stubborn last 10 pounds or build muscle. These proven nutrition strategies are designed to maximize your nutrition so you can maximize your results — whether you’re paleo, vegan, or gluten-free.
     
     The entire program is explained in 30 new videos covering everything about the containers with deep dives into the principles of the plan so you can really grasp each concept. No more food guessing, only results.
   • Full set of color-coded containers
   • The Ultimate Portion Fix Program Guide
   • Tracking: On iOS, users can find container, weight, and water tracking in the Beachbody Nutrition+ App. On Android, users can track these items within the Beachbody On Demand App.
   • Fixate Volume 2 Cookbook with 102 new recipes for a total of over 300 recipes including the Fixate Cooking show
   • 75 Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids PDF, a quick-and-easy resource for parents who want to make sure their kids are getting a variety of healthy foods and not eating the same things over and over again.
   • Access to more than 200 Fixate Cooking Videos
   • Beachbody Insulated Tote Bag with containers, ice packs, and plenty of storage so you can meal prep and take your food with you to stay on track
   Oh, and one more thing…
   When you purchase The Ultimate Portion Fix program in the month of March, you’ll get an invitation to join Autumn Calabrese via livestream as they reshoot  21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix EXTREME workouts — live and in real time! You do not need to be a Beachboy on Demand Member to access the videos.
   
   
   
   If you would like to join our #EatToNourish Group to get all the deeds leading up to Launch Day March.18, just fill out this form and I will be in touch VIA email. 
   *By joining the group for info there is no obligation to purchase. It is just meant to be an informative group to share the ins and outs of this program.