Can a picky eater complete the 3 Day Refresh?

Are you a picky eater? Pickier than me? I honestly think that might be impossible! 

When the 3 Day Refresh came out in June of 2014, I was sure that I would never be able to do the program because of my food "issues". Most of the "healthy" foods just don't mix well with me.

I was pleasantly surprised when I got my box, read the directions, and the recipes for the food. Now this program is one of my favorites! It's short, simple, and works!

The 3 Day Refresh is derived from Beachbody's bigger cleanse, called the Ultimate Reset. That program is 21 days long and is designed to cleanse your body from all toxins. I completed that back in June and it changed my life!

After the reset, I realized that it's virtually impossible to eat clean 100% of the time, so every-once-in-a-blue-moon, I complete the 3 Day Refresh to give the body a good scrub from the inside out :)

The one thing that really worried me about this program were the dinner recipes and that dang fiber sweep. I had heard some not so good things about it. Luckily I did a little digging and found the BEST way to drink it!

So - here's what you can generally expect on the Refresh:

• Each morning you drink a big glass of water.
• You follow that with your vegan shakeology and fruit. Did you really think that this program would leave out the shakeology???
• Mid-morning is the Fiber Sweep. The trick is to use 5 ozs of COLD water, mix it, and IMMEDIATELY drink it!
• Lunch is the Vanilla Fresh drink, fruit, veggie, and healthy fat.
• Mid-afternoon snack is a veggie and healthy fat.
• Dinner is another Vanilla Fresh and a meal from the recipe book (my favorite is Moroccan Carrot Salad).
• Snack is green tea, with stevia if needed.

I always pick the Moroccan Carrot Salad for dinner because I will eat all the ingredients. I've also thought about trying the Asparagus dinner - it looks DELISH! Some of the other recipes have spinach and tomatoes in them. I don't do spinach because of the texture and I don't do tomatoes because my body doesn't tolerate night shade vegetables very well with my Lupus.

So - all in all - this program is VERY doable for someone who is a picky eater. If I can survive, so can you.

My team and I are currently in the middle of this program. We didn't wait until after Thanksgiving, mainly because I needed this now. My eating has been out of whack and I have been a SUGAR MONSTER for quite some time. The 3 Day Refresh has kicked my bug for sugar and put me back on the path to not being bloated!

We were just talking in my group about how none of us are hungry on this program! We are full and satisfied. I'm sure that some of it has to do with the fact that we KNOW we aren't supposed to deviate from the program so instead of eating out of boredom, we are finding other things to do or dealing with our emotions. That's HUGE!

I can't tell you how much weight I've lost because I threw out my scale. What I can tell you is that I FEEL better. No more bloat. No more digestive issues. My pants are really baggy on me.

From this point forward, I'm going to remember this hard work I've put in and I'm not going to give in to temptation. I will keep these results up and turn them into even something bigger. 

If you are unsure about how you are going to get the Thanksgiving bloat to say goodbye, please reach out. This program, combined with Shakeology and clean eating after, can help you to lose 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas instead of gaining those holiday pounds!

Shoot me an email at kellylevere@gmail.com if you would like more info on my 3 Day Refresh group starting Nov. 27th. It will run for 8 days and you can start your Refresh anytime within those 8 days! We will participate through a closed Facebook group and be cheering each other on.

I hope you take the time to take care of yourself this holiday season. You are 100% worth it!

Talk to you soon!

Kelly

What are the differences between the 21 Day Fix and the 21 Day Fix Extreme?

In February 2015 Beachbody launched it's follow up program to the 21 Day Fix, called the 21 Day Fix Extreme. I've done both programs and the #1 question I get from clients is...

What are the differences between these two programs???

Before I tell you the differences between the two, I have to tell you what is the SAME about both programs.


In the 21 Day Fix and the 21 Day Fix Extreme:

1. Workouts are right around 30 minutes each day.
2. Workouts are a mix of cardio, weights, yoga, and pilates.
3. Color-coded, portion-controlled serving containers are included.
4. Shaker bottle is included.
5. Very detailed eating plan is included.
6. Modifier for each workout.
7. You choose the amount of weight/resistance you use.

Here's how the 21 Day Fix Extreme is different:

1. Modifier is lower impact, but still intense.
2. Shorter breaks between exercises.
3. Most moves are weighted or use the resistance band.
4. NO Cheats!
5. Some of the foods from the bottom of the lists have been eliminated.
6. Includes the Countdown to Competition plan.

In case you are a visual learner, here's a picture comparison chart :)

My favorite parts about this program are that they WORK! You aren't going to lose 30 pounds in 21 days. You can realistically expect to lose 5-15. If you want to keep losing, then keep doing the program(s) for another round or two. Want to maintain, follow the maintenance plan. Want to mix it up? Check out one of Beachbody's other amazing programs!

I always have accountability groups starting. They are done online through Facebook and we get RESULTS! Fill out the application below to let me know you want in my next group! 

Fill out my online form.

Caramel Cocoa Shakeology

I found this recipe on the Team Beachbody blog and had to share it! It's perfect for this time of year (hello FALL!) and is MUCH cheaper than the expensive coffee drinks from coffee houses!

Total Time: 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
1 cup brewed coffee, chilled
1 tsp. pure caramel extract
1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup ice

Preparation:
1. Place coffee, extract, Shakeology, cocoa powder, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

Nutritional Facts (as per teambeachbody.com blog):

Why I'm going the Beachbody Ultimate Reset

This is the program. The ONE Beachbody program that I have avoided for the past 2.5 years. to be completely honest, it scared me. Everyone told me that it would take a crazy amount of dedication and will power to complete it. I was afraid I would fail.

Two weeks ago, I decided that it was time that I committed and completed the program. Here's why:

2014 was an insanely difficult year for me and my family. I read somewhere that you can only really handle one big life event in a year. We had so many in 2014 that I lost count - from my dad having a mini-stroke and major eye surgery, to my daughter's mystery illness which turned into Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, to an unexpected pregnancy followed by a scaring miscarriage, to my step-dad being diagnosed with cancer and passing away 6 months later - it seems like everything that could go wrong did so last year.

For those of you who don't know me very well, you need to know one thing. I am an EMOTIONAL EATER. I stress eat and drown my feelings. Nothing makes a girl feel better than a big old bowl of ice cream or some candy. Wait - lots of mashed potatoes. That might top the ice cream - unless that ice cream is cookie dough. Nothing can top cookie dough.

See??? I am a junk food foodie at heart. So, needless to say, I was not too kind to myself this past year.

Back in 2012-2013 I lost 65 pounds with Shakeology, Clean Eating, and Beachbody programs. Last year, I put back on 30 of those pounds. Yes. 30.

I am ashamed. I am angry. I know better than this. I KNOW how to eat well. I KNOW what bad food does to my body. Yet, I still turned to my old, trusty friend.

It wasn't until April of this year (2015) that I realized something had to change. I started having some BIG health issues. My left shoulder was a MESS. I was in Physical Therapy for 6 weeks with no progress. I developed this HORRIBLE, ITCHY rash on my hands, arms, face, neck, chest, and upper back. At the time of writing this blog post, I've had this rash for over 2 months with no answers. I'm also super tired. All The Time.

If you know me, you know that I am a "crunchy" mom and person. I cloth diapered my kids. I breastfed for 2+ years with each child. I don't feed my kids food dyes. I didn't have drugs during my VBAC. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFC) is a big NO NO in our house. GMO's are the same. We avoid them like the plague. I don't like to take advil or tylenol for a headache. So for me to say that it took a cortisone shot in my shoulder to finally be able to move, workout, and conduct my bands, you know I was hurting bad.

The rash - well, we are still trying to figure that one out. I've had blood work upon blood work. Skin biopsies. Stopped medications. New eczema wash and lotion. Oatmeal baths. Organic Coconut Oil. Olive Oil.

You name it, I've tried it. Nothing is helping.

My dermatologist is now thinking that this rash is related to some type of auto-immune disease. With the history of AI in my family, I am starting to agree with her. My mom has hashimoto's and alopecia. My daughter has JIA, which falls under AI diseases. It makes sense that I have some AI disease. Now we are starting to do the testing to find out just what it is.

But I still can't help this little feeling I have in my gut. What if I have developed an allergy? Gluten and dairy are two HUGE offenders in the allergy world. Many people have allergies or intolerances and don't even know about it!

You see, ever since I lost our baby in May of 2014, I have been punishing my body. I have been treating it like a failure. It let me down. In a BIG way. I see all my friends having their babies. My niece was born on my DUE DATE. It's not that I don't want my friends and family to be happy. It's not that I'm not happy for them. I'm just sad for myself.

Enter the Beachbody Ultimate Reset.

21 days. Ultra clean eating to vegetarian to vegan. Challenging. Emotional. A chance to prove to myself that I CAN do this!

By making the decision to complete this program, I have made the CONSCIOUS CHOICE to TAKE CHARGE of my own health. I am going to make sure that this rash isn't caused by gluten or dairy. I am going to TRUST my own body again. I am going to treat it the way it DESERVES to be treated. My body hasn't failed me. I have TWO gorgeous children to prove it! My mind knows this and now it's time to PROVE to my heart that it's true.

It's only 21 days. I can do ANYTHING for 21 days. I am changing my habits. I am changing my patterns. I am changing my way of eating. I am healing myself from the inside out. When I am done with this program, I am 100% confident that the "old" Kelly will resurface. The girl who loves live. The girl who is happy. The girl who helps others reach their goals. The girl who smiles all the time.

So, for the next 21 days, I am asking you to follow me. I am asking you to keep me accountable. One gallon of distilled water a day. 3 meals. 1 snack. Lots and lots of body cleansing supplements. 

I will be posting my journey on my Instagram account @kelly.levere and on my Facebook Like Page - find me and follow me. Encourage me. Heck - do it with me if you want to. It's going to be a wild 21 days and I can't wait to share it with you!

Cize release date

By now, I'm sure you have heard about CIZE - "the end of exercize", the new workout from Shaun T. and Beachbody. It's being released at Summit  in Nashville in July 2015, probably somewhere around the 16th. 

Now, you need to know one little piece of info. It's a dance program. I know. I know. You CAN'T dance. Yeah Yeah. Whatever. Shaun T will TEACH you how to dance and have fun. And the best part, you are doing this at HOME so no one's gonna see you do it but you! YES!

Here is the official Beachbody video about CIZE. It kinda makes me wanna get up and dance...

If you want to be one of the first people to know about CIZE when it's released, click HERE and put your info in. It's that simple! You can also contact me and let me know that you are interested in CIZE and I'll make sure you are on my list!


Here is a great article by Rebecca Swanner, Beachbody Blogger, about CIZE:

Have you heard? Shaun T has a new program on the way! CIZE is a dance program that’s going to help you melt off the pounds. We chatted with him all about it. But first, Shaun wants to prove it to you—right now—that you can dance….even if you don’t think you can. Just follow the moves as he teaches them to me.

Shaun T: Right now you might think I’m crazy, but I want you to do this for me as I talk you through it.

Uh, I’m in an all glass conference room.
You don’t have to stand up. You can do this very discreetly. Cross your arms, then open them. Then put your left hand on your right shoulder as if you’re wiping something off. Then open your arms and put your right hand on your left shoulder. Then open your arms again. So cross, open, left shoulder, open, right shoulder, open cross.

These are all things you’ve done. You’ve crossed your arms when you’ve waited for somebody. You open up your arms when you’re like “what?” And you’ve put your hands on your shoulders, just to wipe something off your shoulders. That’s how dancing happens. You’ve done so many of these movements before, you just have to remember what you did and put it to the beat.

A lot of people come up to me and they’re like, I don’t have rhythm. I’m like do you have a favorite song? Yes. You might not sound good singing that song, but when the song comes on, you can sing to the song, which means there’s rhythm in your mind. You just have to put it into your body.

That’s true. But, have you always been a good dancer? 
I was a natural at dancing, but when I started to learn other people’s routines, there was a struggle with being able to memorize them. I learned it’s like that game Simon, where the lights would pop up and you would have to press this and press that and you would have to remember the order as they added on lights. That’s basically what dance is.

I got into dancing in college. I changed my major to sports science and learned that group exercise is the one thing that will set you apart from any other personal trainers because, number one, you know how to be in front of people. Group exercise is in every gym and if you’re able to take a group of people through exercise, it makes you more marketable. For me, I didn’t want to do Jane Fonda aerobics or do a step class. I was like, I want to dance.

I watched the Grind Workout with Eric Nies and I was like, I’m teaching this. And like 90 people showed up to my first class. It was almost like I was forced to be able to dance. And to not only dance, but to teach people how to dance. But I realized that dancing–and teaching dance–was where I was supposed to be, and I just loved it.

You’re a natural, but what about the people who aren’t? Could they still get something out of CIZE?
Yes. You shouldn’t be afraid because it’s in the privacy of your own home. You don’t have to worry about people watching. The other thing is that this is not a program where you have to move forward, like with T25’s ALPHA and BETA rounds. Each time you finish your routine, you mark yourself. Are you the backup dancer? Are you front and center? You get to judge where you are in the process. The minute you feel like you mastered that dance, that’s when you move on. You don’t just move on because the calendar tells you to move on. You can do that workout, or routine, as much you want until you feel like you mastered it.

How do you know for sure if you’ve mastered it?
You know you’ve mastered a CIZE routine if you don’t need to listen to me. If you can just listen to the music and do the routine. The way I queue it, I’m like go up, go down. Move right, move left. Dip it down, push it up. If you can do the routine just by listening to the music and watching the TV, or if you can put on your favorite song outside of the video and do the routine, then you know you’ve mastered it.

Sounds like it’s good for beginners too. What sort of workout can someone expect? 
Your cardio will skyrocket if you actually really work it out and push yourself. With dancing, you can, like anything else, be lazy or you can go for it. So if you go for it, you’ll lose weight and get toned. Like in some of the hip-hop routines, your quads start to burn and you’re on the balls of your feet, so you’ll gain more definition in your calves, and you will definitely lose inches around your waist. It’s an overall cardio and toning program where you won’t be using weights or doing push-ups.

How is it different from your other dance workouts, like Rockin’ Body and Hip Hop Abs?
One difference is that these routines are made to the songs, where as in Hip Hop Abs and Rockin’ Body, it didn’t really matter what song you were listening to or what track was on. It was just how you did the routines, where these routines are specifically made to CIZE up to these particular songs.

I see what you did there. Any final thoughts?
When you Press Play, you just got to go for it. You can’t walk into this program being nervous. If you, mess up or if you go left and I’m going right, just keep on going, because you’re eventually going to get it. You have to move with as much intent as possible. Every movement you do should have energy and purpose behind it. Just go for it. Go all in.

S'mores Shakeology

Yeah. This is awesome. You had me at S'mores. I mean, who doesn't love toasted, golden, warm marshmallows with smooshy, gooey, creamy dark chocolate, topped with graham crackers.

Here are TWO recipes for this S'mores Shakeology that you are GUARANTEED to love. The first uses coffee (hello - I love my coffee!!!) and the second doesn't use coffee (I guess you people don't need to be awake...).

Love it? Share it on Pinterest and please link it back to me! 

Need to get some Shakeology? Contact me and we will get you hooked up!

S’mores Shakeology (with coffee)

Total Time: 5 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
½ cup brewed coffee, chilled
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
2 tsp. ground whole wheat graham cracker crumbs, divided use
1 cup ice

Preparation:
1. Place almond milk, coffee, extract, Shakeology, 1 tsp. graham cracker crumbs, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour into a serving glass and garnish with remaining 1 tsp. graham cracker crumbs; serve immediately.

S’mores Shakeology (without coffee)

Total Time: 5 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
2 tsp. ground whole wheat graham cracker crumbs, divided use
1 cup ice

Preparation:
1. Place almond milk, extract, Shakeology, 1 tsp. graham cracker crumbs, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour into a serving glass and garnish with remaining 1 tsp. graham cracker crumbs; serve immediately.

21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme Challenge Group

In February 2014, Beachbody launched a highly anticipated new program. In the company's words, they were "cautiously optimistic" about how the program would be received.

Two days after its launch, it sold out. Completely. Gone. It was back ordered for THREE months. The only way to get it was if you were a coach. Have you heard of "The 21 Day Fix" with celebrity trainer Autumn Calabrese? Yeah. That's the program I'm talking about!

What made this program so different than all the others?

• Well, for starters, it's only 21 days long. ANYONE can do a program for 21 days - right? (the answer is yes...)
• Second, each workout is only 30 minutes long. 30 minutes?!?! ANYONE can dedicate 30 minutes a day to themselves - right? (again, the answer is YES!)
• Third, the workouts are an amazing variety of weight lifting, cardio, pilates, and yoga. It's the best of everything, all rolled into one.
• Fourth, and this is probably the most important, this program came with FOOL PROOF nutrition. Color-coded, portion-controlled containers and a list of foods you can put in them. Then you use a simple formula (in the book) to determine how many servings of each container you get each day.

I'm telling you - it's GENIUS. It's the easiest way to learn how to eat clean that I've ever seen. I wish it had been around when I started my journey! Life would have been a lot easier!


Ok - so great. WHY am I telling you about a program that launched almost a year ago? Well, that's simple.

I'm telling you about the original program because the NEXT LEVEL of the program, The 21 Day Fix Extreme, launched last month. I am running a VIP test group with some ladies and let me tell you about their progress. One is down 9.5 pounds in two weeks. Another is seeing AB DEFINITION for the first time in her life. A third has the endurance and stamina to keep up with her 18 month old daughter, oh and she lost 7.5 pounds in two weeks too! I lost 3.5 pounds in my first week alone!!! I'm telling you. If you follow the plan, THIS PROGRAM WORKS!

Now there are a few things you need to know:

1. This new program is NOT a program for beginners. It's for people who can at LEAST handle the intensity of Focus T25. It's for graduates of Insanity, P90X, P90X3, the 21 Day Fix. 
2. There are TWO options for your nutrition.
• The Extreme Meal Plan - sorry - no more waffles or pancakes.
• The "Countdown to Competition" (C2C) plan. This is the plan Autumn uses to prep for her bikini competitions.
• You can EASILY switch in between the two plans. 
• Disclaimer - I've done BOTH plans. C2C is hard. It's a mental game. But those Extreme eating days you get - they feel like CHEAT days!
3. You will need a few pieces of extra equipment for this program
• Weights - a light and heavy set. I have weights ranging from 2-20 pounds. I use the 20's for my heavy leg exercises and my 5's as my lights for my arms. 
• A 15 pound resistance band. This is absolutely necessary.
• A yoga mat. This will help your knees during yoga and pilates!
4. Shakeology is a VITAL part of this program. It's built in as one of your proteins and it's just a non-negotiable. 

So - you like what I've told you so far. Now what???

Now you need to fill out the form below to apply for my next 21 day challenge and accountability group. We start on the March 16th, 2015 and I only have about 3 spots left! I want to help you change your life but you have to be ready to commit. I mean, come on, you can do ANYTHING for 21 days. I know you can.

***If you want to participate but think that the 21 Day Fix Extreme is TOO challenging for you, you can also complete the original 21 Day Fix in this challenge group***

If you have ANY questions before  you fill out the form, just send me an email. Click on the "contact me" button at the top of this blog!

<3,
Kelly

Fill out my online form.