Has anyone else been personally victimized by the Quarantine-15?? I went into the stay-at-home order thinking that I was going to workout and cook myself healthy meals every day since I’ll be at home… NO! It’s so much harder than I thought it was going to be. Now I get bored at home and I start bored eating because I’m so close to all of the food! It’s all just right there in the kitchen so easily accessible and waiting for me. BUT I’ve been doing a lot of research and experimenting and getting into a healthier routine and so I thought I would share my favorite weight loss products that I’ve been using!
1. Motivational Gallon Water Jug
First on the list is my Gallon Water Jug. It’s super important to drink a lot of water, especially if you are trying to lose weight. I’ve noticed that when I drink a lot of water each day, I rarely ever feel “snacky”. All of the water keeps me really full and I don’t get that 3pm have-to-snack feeling. Plus drinking a gallon of water every day helps to reduce cellulite, improves skin hydration (think chapped lips, dry feet, ashy legs, etc.), and helps flush out toxins. And, when you’re drinking a gallon of water every day, there’s less room to drink sugary coffee and sodas and unhealthy drinks. It comes in a lot of different colors so it’s much cuter than carrying around a milk jug full of water every day.
Another one of my favorite weight loss products is my Sweet Sweat waist band. I always wear this when I’m working out, going for a run, maybe even while I’m doing yard work outside on a hot day… This thing snatches the waist big time. Usually the waist doesn’t sweat a whole lot while you’re working out, unless you’re in an unairconditioned room doing cardio or something, so it’s harder to get rid of that stubborn tummy fat. But having the Sweet Sweat band on while you workout really focuses on that area so it’s like every workout is an ab workout or a cardio workout!
And to go with the Sweet Sweat band is the Sweet Sweat Stick. This is like a Vaseline-type substance that you roll on like deodorant and it helps to make you sweat more. You put this on your “target areas” like your stomach obviously, your thighs, love handles, upper arms, booty maybe, etc. You put this on the stubborn fatty areas that normally don’t sweat. It just helps to tone and tighten the area and sweat out the toxins and stubborn fat that lingers in that area.
One of my most important favorite weight loss products is the Portion Control Containers that I’ve been using. I eat pretty healthy 75% of the time, I just always eat too much. When I started the BeachBody On Demand’s 21 Day Fix program, they really honed in on the portion control containers that go with it and I now understand why. I did the first 21 Day Fix without the portion control containers and I got a lot more toned, but didn’t really lose any weight, which is fine. But this second time doing the 21 Day Fix, I’m actually using the portion control containers and the weight is falling right off. However, I didn’t buy the more expensive ones from the program. Instead I found the exact same ones on Amazon for only $10!!
The portion control containers are pretty simple to use. You just calculate your calorie target for weight loss, which looks like this:
Your current weight x 11 = your caloric baseline
Caloric baseline + 400 = your maintenance calories
Maintenance calories – 750 = your calorie target
Then it shows you a chart of how many containers you eat per day to stay within your calorie target. There is a veggie container, fruit container, protein container, carb container, healthy fats container, and two seeds/dressing containers. For example, I am in the 1200 calorie range so I eat 4 veggie containers per day, 2 fruit containers, 4 protein containers, 2 carb containers, 1 healthy fats container, and 1 seed/dressing container. It’s pretty easy to follow, I just make food like I normally would and then when I go to plate it, I just put the food into the containers first then move it to the plate or bowl. And when I want a snack I go for fruit or veggies and fill up the container and that’s my snack! Highly recommend getting these if you’re trying to lose weight.
After dinner, my boyfriend and I will watch whatever show we’re into at the moment and I typically get really snacky whenever I sit down to watch TV. So, at night I’ve been drinking Sleepytime Tea instead of eating snacks and it has been really helpful. The tea fills me up and keeps me in the motion of snacking, because I’m not hungry, I just want something to do with my hands while I’m sitting and watching TV. It’s like eating popcorn at the movie theater, you’re not really hungry, you just need something to do with your hands. But the sleepytime tea does just that and it’s a lot less calories than popcorn, chips, or candy. Plus it helps me sleep better.
I know you’ve heard of Apple Cider Vinegar and its benefits. Everyone is crazy about ACV lately and it really does help. I like to drink warm water with juice from half a lemon and a little apple cider vinegar FIRST thing in the morning. It helps to get the metabolism up and running first thing. Plus it always gives me a little boost of energy.
7. Meal Replacement or Protein Shakes
When I first started drinking protein shakes, I was going about it all wrong. I would drink a protein shake after a workout IN ADDITION to my regular meals. I ended up gaining weight. Why? Because I’m not a male bodybuilder. And because I was using protein powder that was very high in carbs. BUT, when I started drinking protein shakes as a meal replacement, I started losing weight. Protein shakes after a workout are good for “gains”, meaning you’ll make your muscles bigger. However, if you still have fat over those muscles, you’re just going to get bigger and gain weight. At least that’s what I’ve learned from my experience. If you are at your goal weight and just want to tone up your muscles then a protein shake after a workout is ideal for you. BUT if you are trying to LOSE weight, then drinking a protein shake INSTEAD of eating breakfast will help you with that goal. Or you can drink a protein shake for breakfast and lunch and really get the weight loss ball rolling! Just make sure you find one with low carbs.
Trust me, I have probably tried every workout/weight loss tool there is and so far, Beachbody is the best one I’ve found. It’s been around since 1998 and is home to P90X, 21 Day Fix, Insanity, Shakeology, PiYo, BodyBeast, CIZE, and a lot more. In fact, if you have watched the Netflix hit show Down To Earth with Zac Efron and Darin Olien, you might have learned that Darin worked with Beachbody to help create the recipes for Shakeology and Ultimate Reset 21-Day detox. If you have seen the show, you would know that is a pretty big deal and those recipes have to be EXTREMELY healthy and nutritional.
I paid the $99 for an entire year subscription for BOD (Beachbody on Demand) and I have access to all of the fitness programs, nutrition programs, a fitness coach, and all of the different apps. I can download the workouts to my phone and then watch them while I’m camping or travelling even if I don’t have cell signal. I just finished the 21 Day Fix program and I am getting into the “Yoga Studio” program now since September is National Yoga Month. I can also stream the app on my phone to my TV and do the workouts in the living room off of the big TV instead of trying to watch my little phone. It’s also a community with Facebook groups and you can post directly to the app about your progress or struggles. And the “faces” of BOD encourage you to reach out to them on Instagram and message them if you’re having trouble or need some motivation or encouragement. It really is a great program and I am loving the fast 30-minute workouts and the results that I am seeing!
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