PiYo Review: Sticking to something till the end!

I have been filled with such an incredible sense of accomplishment these past couple days. Yesterday I completed the two month PiYo program. I have never ever completed a workout program from start to finish. Even though there were ups and downs throughout the past two months, I did each workout every day and completed the program! 

I am so grateful to God that, even though these past two months have been nuts, He gave me the motivation and determination to finish this program!! I am definitely going to incorporate PiYo into my weekly workout schedules because it has been the best thing I have ever done for my mind, soul, and my body. 

Let me first say that I used to hate anything low impact, and I especially did not enjoy yoga or Pilates. This program completely changed that for me! I looked forward to pressing play every single day, and I felt amazing during PiYo. So if you think you are not a yoga person, you should try this program because you may surprise yourself!  

I also got great results! The left photo is from week 3, and the right is from my final week, week 8! 

I have never had definition in my abs, let alone the confidence to post my abs! This workout gave me confidence in so many aspects of my life. I finally completed a program in its entirety, which is such a huge confidence boost! I also became a beach body coach in the process, because I wanted to be able to coach others through this program so they can experience what I have. Now, I feel like I can do anything I set my mind too! 

To close, I know you all are interested in details. So here is it. I lost 10-12 lbs during PiYo, I stuck with the workout calendar, and I also added about 2-3 cardio days consisting of slow run/walks ranging from 20-40 mins. Most importantly, I stuck to a mostly clean eating lifestyle. I never starved myself, I did indulge on Easter and a few other occasions, and for about 80% of the 8 weeks, I ate whole, real foods, lean proteins, tons of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and a good amount of healthy fats. Nutrition is the most important part of the entire equation! We cannot workout enough to outweigh a poor diet...that's for sure! 

If you would like me to coach you through this fitness program and help you get on your way to living a healthier lifestyle, please contact me! I have a passion for helping people reach their health and fitness goals and would love to work with you. Email me at TveenRD@gmail.com to get started! 

Food and Fitness Plan: 13 days till the Wedding!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a lovely Easter with your loved ones. My Easter weekend was great! I had a fun time with both my fiancé's family and my family. We also celebrated his birthday, which was on Friday! So lots of fun family time, and LOTS of yummy and not so healthy food. But I am working on leaving that part of the weekend in the past, and focusing on all the fun I had with my loved ones, as well as the true reason for the day, which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

I also found time in my busy day yesterday to meal prep! The picture looks gross (I really need a nicer camera!) but the dish I made was a quinoa pesto with tons of veggies! So easy and delicious, I will share the recipe soon!

After our Easter celebrations, my fiancé and I headed to our apartment to set some things up. I got to wash and organize all of our "pop" containers! SO IN LOVE WITH THESE!! I am a kitchen nerd!

My wedding...is 13 days away. 13!!!! I can't believe it! I am so excited, but also nervous about how everything will go. But I know that in 14 days, it won't matter, because we will be married, and finally start our life together!

So this week, my focus will be on getting good nutrition and working hard at my workouts. As many brides can relate to, I really want to look good on my wedding day! I am hoping I will lose the bloat from all the treats I ate this weekend (apple pie, Chinese food...twice) and feel strong and confident on our wedding day! So here is my tentative meal plan for the week:

Breakfasts:

Shakeology

Scrambles with vegetables

Lunches:

Quinoa pesto with vegetables

Turkey burger

Salads

Dinners:

Out with friends and family! This week is so busy, I will probably have to be eating out in the evenings. But I am planning on sticking to lots of vegetables and protein. Lean, clean, and green dinners!

Snacks:

Fruits

Vegetables w/hummus

Nuts

As far as workouts go, I can't believe it is my last week of PiYo!  I finish the program this Sunday, so only 5-6 more workouts to go! I plan on finishing strong, while including some more runs/cardio and some of the new Beach Babe 3 DVD I got from the Tone it Up girls! Their bikini series starts next week, and I am so excited to incorporate Beach Body programs and the bikini series workouts! And what perfect timing before our honeymoon!

Monday: I did PiYo Drench this morning and sweat was dripping off of me, per usual

Tuesday: PiYo Buns, Beach Babe 3 workout

Wednesday: PiYo Sweat, run/walk

Thursday: PiYo Core, Beach Babe 3 workout

Friday: rest day from PiYo, I will probably do a Beach Babe 3 workout!

Saturday: PiYo Sculpt, run/walk

Sunday: PiYo Drench, the last workout of the program!

That's about it for this week. Keep up with my meals and workouts on my Instagram page! @tveen_RD

Have a wonderful Monday everyone!

PiYo 1 month results: More than you think!

Good morning everyone, and happy Friday! We made it through another week, praise the Lord! I am so excited for this coming weekend! Tomorrow is my bachelorette party so I get to spend the day with some of my favorite ladies! And today is exactly 30 days away from my wedding, AHHHH!!!! I can't wait, I am just so excited!! Today, I thought I'd share my 1 month PiYo results. As many of you know, I started PiYo a little over a month ago, and it has completely changed my life and the way I view my body and my capabilities. I am going to share a before and after (something I have never done!) but I'd like to focus on more than just the physical/weight differences that I have experienced.

The first picture was taken February 16th, my first day of PiYo. And the second picture was yesterday. I've lost 10 lbs and my smaller jeans zip up perfectly, but the biggest difference to me is that look on my face. The girl in the first picture was tired, run down, and felt like she couldn't move her body like she used to. You can just see it on her face. I was dealing with my knee injury and feeling slightly depressed that I wasn't able to run anymore. I felt lost when it came to workouts and didn't know what would be effective for me anymore.

The girl on the right is BEAMING with happiness. Look at that smile! I have seen such changes in my body, from my physical appearance to my abilities. I am able to do the moves in PiYo now and feel strong and beautiful while I do them. I've never experienced anything like that! I never thought yoga or pilates would be something I am so passionate about, but it's completely changed my body and my confidence in what my body can do. I just can't stop smiling.

Now, as a dietitian, I have to mention that nutrition is 80% of the equation when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle! I've really been eating healthier the past month and incorporating as many whole foods as possible. I've also been drinking shakeology every day for the past month, and it has completely changed my life as well! See my previous post "A Dietitian's Take on Shakeology" for a more detailed review. All I can say is I feel like I am having brownie batter every day, and I'm losing weight. Win-win in my book!

Lastly, I have been filling my belly with whole, nutritious foods. I am craving vegetables and big 'ol salads! Last night, I made a yummy tuna salad in a huge mixing bowl with arugula, kale, spinach, tomatoes, and bell peppers! It was DELICIOUS! The more whole foods you eat, the more on top of the world you feel. Having whole fruit, vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, and whole food carbs make a world of difference when it comes to your health, weight, and energy levels.

I'm so excited to see what this second month of PiYo will bring me. And I will end the program 3 days before my wedding...PERFECT! I will definitely post those results too. If any of you are interested in doing PiYo, please contact me at TveenRD@gmail.com! I would LOVE to be your coach and help you get the results you want. I can't keep this workout to myself and would love to see everyone experience the changes and confidence I have experienced in the last month. So don't hesitate! Email me and we can get started together!

Food & Fitness Plan: 3/9-3/15

Food and Fitness Plan: March 9-15 Hello world!! Ready for a new week? I sure am. I love the beginning of a new week. I like to look at my planner, figure out what’s going on, plan out my workouts, and see what food I have on hand to be as efficient as possible with my meal prep. I did some recipe development this week, and have some leftover BBQ chicken from dinner with my parents a couple nights, SO I am off to a good start with food! I always make sure to have good food and ingredients on hand so that when hunger strikes, I reach for something nourishing and healthy.

I am also on week 4 of my PiYo workouts and loving every minute of it! I plan to continue following the calendar and supplementing with some additional cardio throughout the week. This is my tentative workout plan:

Monday: PiYo

Tuesday: PiYo + cardio 30 mins (either run/walk or elliptical)

Wednesday: PiYo + cardio 30 mins (preferably outside)

Thursday: PiYo x2 (in the AM by myself and in the PM with my friend!)

Friday: Run/walk 45 minutes

Saturday: PiYo strength intervals

Sunday: PiYo + cardio outside

Food-wise, I have a ton of veggies and fruits in the house, plus some good protein options. I also have been doing some recipe development for a special project (eBook of recipes!) that I am working on, so that has been fun too! Here are my meal options for the week:

Breakfast:

Shakeoogy

Eggs

Lunch/dinners:

Taco breakfast bake (can really be eaten with any meal of the day!)

Salads with protein (today will be leftover bbq chicken…yum!)

Lentil Vegetable stew (recipe in the making)

Going out with parents/friends/family (i haven’t been doing much of this lately, but when I do, it’s usually always a healthy choice!)

That about sums up my week! Now I’m off to get ready for MONDAY. I’m hoping this day goes by smoothy and quickly for all of us!

PiYo Meal Planning: Portions, NOT Calories

If you have been following my blog for a while now, you'll know that I have struggled with calorie counting. I decided to give it up a few months back, but have missed the structure of it all. I'm a huge planner and organizer, so when I feel kind of "on my own" about something, I tend to get anxious. While I have dabbled with counting calories again recently, I still stand by the fact that I don't like the effect it has on my brain! I'm not going back there, no matter how much I love to micromanage my life! That's where PiYo comes in.

I'm ending my third week of PiYo workout program and loving every minute of it. I also have LOVED the food plan that it comes with. I tend to follow my own kind of meal plan, but the fact that the PiYo plan counts portions and not calories is huge. The PiYo eating plan places you in a calorie bracket based on your starting weight, but after that, you don't need to count calories. You just tally up how many portions of each food you have for the day. It tells you how much of a certain food counts as a portion, and makes sure you are balanced and well fed throughout the day.

The food choices are endless, and the lists have actually helped me see how many different vegetables, fruits, or proteins I could be eating! I've been looking at my meal plans through this lens lately and it's helped me still have some structure (type A personality anybody?) without getting fixated on the numbers. It's also easy to plan my week by knowing how many portions of each food group I'll need to plan for the day. Usually, I'll plan breakfast, lunch, and snacks, and whatever portions I have left over, I'll have as my dinner. I also don't restrict my vegetable intake. My new mantra: Vegetables make us feel like Wonder Woman....so eat those babies up!

Veggies and berries have been my go-to snacks lately.

I also LOVE that Shakeology counts as a protein. Sometimes, I just can't handle having chicken, turkey, or eggs at every meal. It's just too much protein and chewing, and frankly is not fun 4-5x/day! Shakeology is delicious, chocolately, and jam-packed with nutrients and superfoods, NOT just protein. I usually have this as my mid morning snack (which is 9am for me haha morning person over here!) and it really helps keep me full while allowing me to slurp on delicious chocolate.

As a disclaimer, I am not crazy strict on these portions either. Being too intense about something is not a way to live a lifestyle. I am all for following a plan to a T for a few weeks, but always keep the fact in that back of your mind that you WILL have to go back to normal life, filled with healthy food choices as well as special events and splurges now and then. If I don't have enough protein portions in one day, too many fruits, or a double serving of my gluten-free toast, I don't freak out about it. I just continue with the day and keep on making healthy choices. I just love the framework of the PiYo eating plan and think it is GREAT for people who are trying to get their nutrition in check.

I'll end this post with my meal plan for today, and how I tally up my portions PiYo-style! Again, I'm not being too strict on myself, just trying to see where my portions lie in relation to the recommendations in the eating plan, and use up whatever food I have in the fridge for this week.

Breakfast: Shakeology, blueberries (1 protein, 1 fruit)

Snack: hard boiled eggs, sliced cucumbers (1 protein, 1 veggie)

Lunch: beans and rice salad (2 grains, 2-3 veggies)

Snack: nuts (2 healthy fats)

Dinner: toss up!

Total without dinner: 2 proteins, 2 grains, 1 fruit, 3-4 veggies, 2 healthy fats

I know I have 2 protein portions left for the day, veggies, and fruits! So I will probably try to have a combination of protein and veggies for dinner and eat till fullness, NOT stuff my face with 8oz of steak just to reach my goal. That is why this plan is helpful; you can tally your portions and see where you are for the day, but you DON'T have to ignore fullness or hunger cues. If you want that extra scoop of rice, have it! If you don't feel like having protein yet again, don't worry about it! It's good to be aware, without being too hard on ourselves. As long as our food choices are healthy and mostly vegetables and whole foods, we are well on our way to nourishing our bodies.

BIG Announcement & Stepping out in Faith

It's so crazy to me how often we fear ourselves. What we are or are not capable of. Our story. How we got to where we are. I was having a phone chat with someone yesterday who encouraged me to "share my story" and not be afraid of it. In the moment, I didn't think much of it and thought "oh yea, sure, I can do that," but the more I thought about it, the more scared I became. I don't like being vulnerable (ask my fiancé, he will attest to that!) so the moment I feel that I am going to put myself out there with the possibility of failing or getting hurt, I run and hide, or I just shut down entirely. Call it a self-protection mechanism, but I am always trying to protect myself. I realized that, while there are always boundaries which how much you share on social media or to the internet world, being real is the most impactful way to inspire and reach those around me. Shutting down or separating myself causes me to remain stagnant, to stay where I am, to cease growing, and to stop being effective.

Action is required to step out of fear and step into faith. I am a follower of Christ, and I believe that I was  made for more than fear and timidity. God calls us to power, not fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 states "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."

So I am going to step out and announce that last week, I officially became a Beach Body coach! AHHHHHH!!! I can honestly say that this decision has been life changing for me, even thought I am in a basics training program at the moment with the awesome Inspire Joy team run by the lovely Anna Locke. I am just getting my hands dirty in all of this, but ever since I signed up to be a coach, I have felt this wave of energy, excitement, and...what's the word...RIGHTNESS. I just feel so RIGHT about this decision, that it is what I was called to do, and that I WILL be able to achieve my goals.

Beach Body has done so much for me over the years. I have done workout programs like P90X and Insanity, and now my current favorite, PiYo. These PiYo workouts have changed my life the past couple of weeks. Not only do I feel myself growing longer and leaner, my posture has improved dramatically, and I have more confidence as an overall person. 3 weeks into it and I am already seeing improvement on many of my yoga poses and sequences. And, it's INTENSE work. I am dripping at the end of each workout and enjoying every second of it.

I can't wait to share my journey with Beach Body as I grow more as a coach and as a person. For the first time in my life, I am stepping out of fear and into faith and following my dreams. Motivating and encouraging people to live a healthy lifestyle is the top reason I became a Registered Dietitian. This new adventure with Beach Body will help me combine my passions of fitness and nutrition, while motivating, encouraging, and inspiring those I connect with. I can't wait to see where God takes me with this journey. I have surrendered my goals to Him, because, as I always say, His hands are the safest place they could be!

If anyone has any questions about Beach Body, please don't hesitate to email me at tveenRD@gmail.com. Also, you can follow my journey on my Instagram: @tveen_RD

Now I am off to do my PiYo workout for the day! Have a happy Tuesday everyone, and try to do one thing today that scares you, by stepping out of fear and stepping out in faith!

PiYo Review Week 1

I am so excited to be writing this post. In the past 7 days, I feel like my life has turned upside down in the best way possible. After weeks and weeks of researching the PiYo workout program, I decided to finally give in and order it 2 weeks ago. It finally came on Monday, and I began the program immediately. I can honestly say that this was one of the best decisions of my life.

This workout is unlike any workout I’ve ever done before. It has a Pilates and yoga feel, but is SO intense and pushes my limits each time. And the plus side? My knees and hips aren’t sore afterwards.

Here is the schedule for the first week:

The first day was the Align Fundamentals workout, which isn’t exactly a workout but more of teaching you the correct positions and postures for each move. This DVD is crucial to making sure that you are doing the workout right. I highly recommend doing this DVD before starting the program!

The next few workouts were the define lower and upper body workouts. These workouts were each about 20-25 minutes and gave me such a good workout in a short amount of time. Short and sweet is definitely what I need these days! I'm doing early shifts at work, as well as planning a wedding and trying to maintain some kind of sleep, rest, and relaxation! I loved the length of these workouts because I still finished them feeling like my arms and legs were on fire, but didn't have to drive anywhere or do anything else. Just popped in the DVD and that was it!

Next, on to my favorite workout of the week, SWEAT. This workout was crazy. I was dripping all over my yoga mat! This workout was 35-40 minutes long and all I can say is...wow. After this workout, I became fully convinced that PiYo is the program for me. I loved the intensity of it, without all the jumping and smashing my joints.

Some added benefits to the program is that I have already felt it improve my posture. I am a big sloucher, and this program has helped me with my flexibility, strength, and just being more aware of my body's alignment. In just one week, I feel more flexible and am sitting a little straighter. This program just goes to show that you don't need to run 6 miles a day to get strong and fit. Granted, I DO love to run, but I also love the change that this program has brought into my life. I am challenging myself daily with endurance and pushing my boundaries. I have never had much confidence with yoga, but now I am willing to try harder every day.

As always, nutrition is a key component to any health and fitness journey. What you eat is about 80-90% of the equation. I have kept things pretty healthy his week, but still delicious. Meals ranging from eggs to oats, to thai green curry to sweet potato fries. I've been able to eat healthy and in moderation and really fuel my body. I love the saying that you can't outrun your fork, and this is so true. No matter how much you workout, be sure to be feeding your body good, whole foods that you energize you and bring health to your body.

I really hope you all get a chance to try this program. I will keep you posted on my thoughts as the program progresses, and I can't wait to try some of the new workouts on the schedule for this coming week!

Changing Things UP!

Good morning everyone! It really feels like Monday today, even though it is Tuesday, and for that, I am grateful! This long weekend was just what I needed, to not only rest but also get a ton of stuff ready for my bridal shower coming up. I am getting married in 62 days and can't believe all the things that still need to get done. But I know that everything will happen in time, and in a little over two months, I will be in Hawaii with my hubby and we will be beginning a new phase of our lives together. I can't wait! So many things have changed about my food and fitness routine in the past couple weeks. I am really trying to discover what works best for me, my body, and my mind. I've dialed back the intensity of my workouts and have been doing a lot more light walking. I also ordered PiYo, which came in the mail yesterday! It was perfect because it arrived on a Monday, and the program calendar starts on a Monday with their Align fundamentals workout, so I did that yesterday.

I am looking forward to this program because I feel that it is exactly what my body needs at the moment; some hard core toning work without jumping up and down and killing my knees. I've had so much knee soreness and pain lately, even thought I haven't been running nearly as much. My cardio has been walking, elliptical, very SLOW and SHORT runs (like 5.0 mph for 10 minutes or so), walking, and more walking. Did I mention...walking? I've been walking outside, on the treadmill, and on my breaks from work. It's really helped keep me active and motivated with my steps (I bought a Fit Bit a few weeks back and love it!) and it's been easy on my knees. This is me taking a nice sunny walk last week on my 10 minute break at work!

Like I said, I bought a FitBit and it has been really fun to use! I love seeing how many steps I've taken and how active I've been. This morning's workout set me up pretty good, all before 7am! I did a 40 minute elliptical workout and did a slow 12 minute run. I plan on doing the PiYo lower body workout tonight when I get home from work!

Food wise, I've been letting myself have a little too many treats and sweets lately, which is ok in moderation, but not ok every day! I'm trying to move forward and have been keeping things pretty healthy the past few days. My fiancé and I did get Pinkberry this past weekend on Valentine's Day, but hey...we were celebrating!

As many of you know, I've been on a journey of no more calorie counting. I can't help but think that maybe I need that structure back in my life, especially with my wedding coming up and all the stress eating/not eating that tends to happen around this time! I've been playing around with the idea of keeping track of myself again, but I'm not too sure about it yet. But that's another post for another time...

Lastly, I bought this new journaling Bible that I am IN LOVE with. I am a huge margin writer, underliner, and highlighter when it comes to reading my Bible. I love that this Bible leaves room for me to write!

Life has been great lately. Things have been good, and I am looking forward to my wedding in just a couple short months! But things have also been stressful. Which is normal when you are going through any exciting time in your life. I've just learned that I can't rely on my own strength to get through. I definitely need Jesus and the people around me. Don't think you have to do things all on your own...we have a God who loves us and wants to strengthen us, as well as a God who puts people around us to help us through our stressful and exciting times!

Well, I am off to work and to conquer this busy day ahead of me. I plan on writing up some meal plans and recipes this week, so I will hopefully make the time for that soon! Happy Tuesday everyone!