Preparation IS key!

One of my mottos is "Preparation is key!"

I like to be prepared, and my purse is usually full of MacGyver Mom items! However, the older I get the less prepared and the more frazzled I have become.

However, I have learned that when it comes to meal planning that preparation really is THE key to your success! Let's say you are getting that hangry feeling around 2:00. If you have a container of carrot sticks handy in the fridge you will hopefully grab that. If you don't have those handy snacks hanging around you are most likely going to jam your hand into a bag of chips or something.

Let's not sabotage ourselves here. Let's plan, prepare and execute!

Last week I answered some burning questions about The 3-Day Refresh---->Click here to read it!
And the countdown is now officially on to the Titanium Nation Team Refresh. So as I promised to a few first timers, here is my meal plan and shopping list...and a few more tips!



DAILY MEAL PLAN:
Wake up: glass of water & cup of hot water with lemon (to replace my coffee)
Breakfast: 1/2 banana & Vegan Chocolate Shakeology with water & ice
Mid-Morning: Fiber Sweep mixed well into a small 'cocktail-size' glass of COLD water. (slam it)
Lunch: Vanilla Fresh shake. Mix of Strawberries (6) and Grapes (1/4 cup), Celery Sticks(1 stalk) and Carrot Sticks(1/4 whole) and 2 Tbsp. Plain Hummus.
Afternoon Snack: 1/2 Apple OR 1/2 Red Pepper and 1/4 Carrot
Dinner: Spinach Salad (recipe here), 1 cup Organic Vegetable Broth with herbs like Tarragon, Parsley, or Basil, and Vanilla Fresh Shake Mixed with Water and Ice OR with just Ice and a little water in the Ninja to make it like an ice cream treat!
Before Bed: Sleepytime Tea

SHOPPING LIST:
2 Bananas
2 Apples
Strawberries
Purple Grapes
2-3 Lemons
2 Tomatoes or a box of Grape Tomatoes
1 Box of Sprouts
2 Red Peppers
3 Cucumbers
1 box of Spinach
1 container Plain Organic Hummus
1 Box Organic Vegetable Broth
9 teaspoons worth of Unsalted, Unroasted Pumpkin Seeds

HOW TO HYDRATE:
The goal is to drink a gallon of water a day.
I like to keep a gallon in the fridge so its cold and I try to drink the top 1/3 by about 9am. Then the halfway mark by 11am. The next 1/4 by 2pm and finish most by the end of dinner, leaving the last cup or so for my Sleepytime Tea.
You can always add fruits to your water for flavor or Decaf, Unsweetened herbal or green Teas....not the powder kind, but the brewed tea leaves kind!
The reason I have so many lemons and cucumbers on my shopping list is so that I can use them in my water. (p.s.-Cut out the seeds from the cucumber to reduce the chance of gas!)



A FEW MORE TIPS:
-I choose to eat my 1/2 banana rather than mix it in with my Shakeology in the morning because I like to chew! It makes me feel 'full' more than just having a shake.
-Some people like to enhance the flavor of the Vanilla Fresh shake by adding PURE Vanilla, Almond, Coconut or Peppermint Extract (NOT imitation), Cinnamon, Ginger or Nutmeg.
-If you are not a fan of shakes you can always just blend the powder with ice and a dash of water to make it more like ice cream.
-The shakes are best 'Shaken NOT Stirred'. Either use a shaker cup or some type of blender.
-The Fiber Sweep gets thick quick. Drink it quickly, this isn't a sipper! Keep it small and keep it cold. Some people like to add some fresh squeezed lemon, lime or orange to enhance the flavor. (Don't worry about the name of the product, you are not going to get a big ole 'sweep' from the fiber.)
-Start prepping your body NOW! Add a salad or veggie serving over the next few days. Start drinking more water now so its easier to build up to a gallon.
-HIDE the things that tempt you the most!!! For me, its crackers and candy!!! Its also resisting the urge to snack as I make the kids' lunches in the morning. So I am planning to pre-bag all of their crackers, cheese, cookies etc for school on Monday.
-When it comes to choosing your 'healthy fats' keep the quantity in mind. 1 1/2 teaspoons of Almond Butter gets eaten up pretty quickly. If you're like me, you want more time to savor the snack. I need to CHEW! So after my first experience on The Refresh, I learned that I need that Hummus instead!
-When choosing your Shakeology flavor, remember that you will be having 2 Vanilla shakes later in the day. So consider another flavor for breakfast if you get bored easily.

I hope this all helps you on YOUR journey and I can't wait to hear about everyone's success!!!!!

xo
Darby

YOUR questions answered about The 3-Day Refresh Mini-Cleanse

The Team I work with as a Beachbody Coach (Titanium Nation) is hosting a big 3-Day Refresh Challenge Group starting Tuesday after Memorial Day. I have ordered my kit and I have been talking about it a lot and so I have had a lot of people ask me this week about the 3 Day Refresh and what is involved.

So let me answer some of your most popular questions:

#1 Can you eat?    The answer is YES!!!!

#2 Can I have coffee (or other non-water drinks)?     You CAN have coffee or tea if you must, but no adding things like milk and sugar. Stevia is OK. Diet Soda? Um, no. Caffeine-Free teas, plain, no problem. I suggest at least trying to go without and then if the withdrawal headache or other side effects are too much, then have your coffee or tea....but resist that darn soda with every fiber of your being!!! It's only 3 days people!!!!! I actually ended up enjoying my coffee black and have not gone back!

#3 Will I be in the bathroom all 3 days?     Nope.     This is a gentle cleanse, not a full-on colon clean out! You may experience some gassiness if you choose gas-producing foods (but they plan highlights the fruits and veggies that are typically 'low gas-producers'. Another reason for experiencing gassiness on this mini-cleanse is if you do not already have a diet that is high in fiber via fruits, veggies and whole grains. On the other hand, the gas is a sign that things are happening! When you add probiotics, fiber and other good-for-your-gut things you likely will be gassy unless you introduce them slowly. That said, adding some extra fiber to your diet in the days before you Refresh is a smart plan! A simple extra salad a day can do the trick! (not a bad idea anyways, right?)

#4 Can I still exercise?    Yes, you can....but Beachbody recommends keeping your routine mild to moderate. Why? So that your body can 'focus' its energy on the clean up and clean out that is happening.

#5 I don't really like shakes, do I have to drink them?      That's a tough one. Again, its only 3 days. But if you can't stomach the thought of drinking so many shakes then consider turning them into 'ice cream'!! You can blend the Shake Mix with Ice and maybe a touch of water to make an ice cream-like texture. There's an idea for ya!

#6 Won't I get tired of eating the same stuff every day?      The 3 Day Refresh Kit comes with a Meal Plan. There is a long list of Fruit and Veggie options and the correct portions. You are allowed some 'Healthy Fats' throughout the day too. You could do Almond Butter for lunch and Hummus for Dinner, change it up! And for dinner there are NINE different veggie recipes to satisfy your tastes! I learned that the more the better for me so I ended up doing a big spinach salad with peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes with pumpkin seeds every night. Then I always made sure to have my Vegetable Broth too and added fresh or dried herbs for flavor.

#7 Does it really work?      Again, YES....but only if you follow the rules! If you eat only what you are allowed, no cheats. And you drink, drink, drink your water then on Day 4 you will look and feel better and weigh less.

These changes are not starvation slim down changes. This is NOT a 'crash diet'. This is NOT a 'quick fix' or a 'Magic Pill.'

The 3-Day Refresh has been designed to give you a jump start on your weight loss and a chance to clean up some bad habits. We all get of course sometimes, I know I do! It can be hard to get back on course and just start eating better again. With The 3-Day Refresh you clean up your act quickly and teach your body to crave the good stuff again.

Both times that I have done The Refresh I have craved carbs all 3 days. I go on and on about on Day 4 "I am having a bagel for breakfast with an egg and a big hunk of melted cheddar cheese!!!" And then the morning of Day 4 comes around (quickly) and I want fruit and maybe an egg, but nothing big. I stay 'clean' because it feels good, it feels right and plus, I don't feel like ruining all that I have just worked so hard for!

As I mentioned in the beginning, my team is hosting this big Group Challenge in a few weeks. I am really excited about it because I know that its going to be a big success for everyone!! When you have a big group of people doing the same program, eating the same foods, following the same plans all with the same goals in mind you are all destined to have GREAT success! The motivation of the end result is plenty, but on top of that my team is offering up a $50-$100 Amazon Gift Card and I am also offering a few prizes to the Coaches and customers from my Team Evolve!

So let's review why you would want to get involved:
-clean up your diet in time for summer!
-lose 3-5 pounds on average of bloat and grossness
-possibly kick a few bad habits
-chance to win a $50-$100 Amazon Gift Card
-chance to win Shakeology packets
-chance to win other prizes

The final question I am asked every day:
How much does it cost?????
The 3-Day Refresh Kits are on sale this month (May)!
The Complete kit comes with a single flavor (your choice) of Shakeology for the 3 days. This kit is normally $70, but this month it is $60.
The kit without Shakeo is normally $60, but is on sale for $55.
**So your best deal is the Complete Kit for an extra                                                                                     $5!
                                                                               Shipping is about $8 on either kit.

If you want to participate in the Group Refresh May 26-28 then you really should place your order by noon on Monday May 18.

I will be posting my shopping list over the Memorial Day Weekend to give an idea of what you need, or so you can just copy me. (Why reinvent the wheel?)

Contact me with any questions you may have either on my Facebook Page or you can email me at EvolveWithDarby@gmail.com.  There ARE other bundled deals that involve a Fitness Program AND The 3-Day Refresh so please contact me before purchasing if you want more info. I hate seeing someone order 2 things separately when they could have bundled to save!!! If you know that you want to do this (and only this) and you are ready to order I will post the links below.
3-Day Refresh COMPLETE Kit
3-Day Refresh WITHOUT Shakeology Kit

Click here to read about my first experience with The 3-Day Refresh back in October!