Y’all, it’s time to turn up the heat on the dance floor… and in the kitchen with this Country Heat meal prep! This comfort food-inspired meal prep is sure to satisfy your craving for down-home cooking. Love warm and spicy? We can’t get enough of the Sweet Potato Veggie Hash. Crazy for creamy? The Avocado Chicken Salad is simply divine!

This meal prep menu uses Portion Fix color-coded portion-control containers to measure the amount of food you get to eat, so you never have to count calories. Green is for veggies, purple is fruits, red is protein, yellow is carbs, blue is healthy fats, orange is for seeds and dressings, and oils and nut butters are measured in teaspoons. Stock up on Mason jars or your favorite air-tight storage containers to store your meals.

This menu follows the Country Heat at the 1,200-1,500 calorie level and can be used by anyone following the Portion Fix eating plan. (Scroll to the bottom of the post to find out how to adjust this menu for the 1,500-1,800 calorie level). At this calorie level, each day you get:

• 3 green containers
• 2 purple containers
• 4 red containers
• 2 yellow containers
• 1 blue containers
• 1 orange containers
• 2 teaspoons containers

We combined all of those containers into three satisfying meals and two snacks each day for you, so all you need to do is shop, prep, and enjoy your food. Take the comprehensive grocery list below to the store, and then use our step-by-step instructions to get busy in the kitchen on meal prep day!

Not familiar with Portion Fix? Find out how Portion Fix can make losing weight simple.

 

These are the Healthy Meals You’ll Eat this Week:

Breakfast (M/W/F): Veggie Egg Muffins on Whole Grain English Muffin with Orange Slices

Breakfast (T/Th): Sweet Potato Veggie Hash with Turkey Sausage with Red Grapes

Shakeology Snack (DAILY): Vanilla Chia Shakeology Smoothie

PM Snack (DAILY): Apple with Peanut Butter

Lunch (M/W/F): Cilantro Lime Shredded Chicken with Black Eyed Pea Salad

Lunch (T/Th): Avocado Chicken Salad on Toasted Whole Grain Bread

Dinner (M/W/F): Roasted Pepper Tuna Melt

Dinner (T/Th): Roasted Chicken over Wilted Spinach Salad

MEAL PREP BREAKFASTS

M/W/F: Veggie Egg Muffins Served with ½ Whole Grain English Muffin

(2 eggs, ¼ cup spinach, ¼ cup sliced mushrooms, 2 tsp. green onion, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp. onion powder, ½ whole grain English muffin, 1 medium orange = ½ green, 1 purple, 1 red, 1 yellow)

T/Th: Sweet Potato Veggie Hash with Turkey Sausage and Red Grapes

(½ cup sweet potato, ½ tsp. olive oil, ½ tsp. chili powder, ¼ cup onion, ¼ cup red bell pepper, ½ cup spinach, 4 oz. lean ground turkey sausage, 1 cup grapes = 1 green, 1 purple, 1 red, 1 yellow, ½ tsp.)

MEAL PREP SNACKS

DAILY SHAKEOLOGY SNACK: Vanilla Chia Shakeology Smoothie

(1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology mixed with water, 4 tsp. chia seeds = 1 red, 1 orange)

DAILY AFTERNOON SNACK: Apple with Peanut Butter

(1 medium apple, 1 tsp. peanut butter = 1 purple, 1 tsp.)

MEAL PREP LUNCHES

M/W/F: Cilantro Lime Shredded Chicken with Black Eyed Pea Salad

(½ cup black eyed peas, ½ cup broccoli, ¼ cup red bell pepper, ¼ cup red onion, ¼ tsp. garlic, ¼ tsp. dijon mustard, 1 tsp. olive oil, ½ lemon juiced, 4 oz. chicken breast, 1 Tbsp. cilantro, ½ lime juiced = 1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 tsp.)

T/Th: Avocado Chicken Salad served on Toasted Whole Grain Bread

(¼ medium avocado, 4 oz. chicken breast, 1 slice whole grain toast, 2 Tbsp. celery, 2 Tbsp. red onion, ¼ lime juiced, ¼ cup sliced tomato, ½ cup spinach = 1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 blue)

MEAL PREP DINNERS

M/W/F: Roasted Pepper Tuna Melt

(4 oz. tuna, 1 bell pepper, ¼ cup sautéed kale, ¼ cup white onion, ½ tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ cup cheddar cheese = 1½ green, 1 red, 1 blue)

T/Th: Roasted Chicken over Wilted Spinach Salad

(4 oz. rotisserie chicken, 1 cup wilted spinach, ½ tsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar = 1 green, 1 red, ½ tsp.)

Here is what all of your meals will look like on M/W/F:

Here is what all of your meals will look like on T/Th:

Follow this step-by-step guide to assemble your meal prep:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Begin by preparing the chicken breast for baking; trim the raw chicken breast of any excess fat. Spread raw chicken breasts out in a large baking dish and add water to cover the bottom of the dish; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover with aluminum foil and place in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and pulls apart easily. (Pre-cooked chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken can be purchased to save prep time). Allow chicken to cool in baking dish, then place on cutting board; use two forks to shred chicken into bite-sized pieces and divide between two large bowls for later use (one bowl will contain 12 oz. shredded chicken, the other will contain 8 oz. shredded chicken).
2. While the chicken breasts are baking, prep the vegetables for the week. One at a time, wash, cut, and set each vegetable aside in separate bowls or piles. Remove the skin from the 2 onions (1 red and 1 white) and dice into small pieces; store in separate bowls. Brush off any dirt from the mushrooms (8 oz. container) and cut into thin slices. Rinse spinach leaves and allow to air dry. Rinse bunch of kale, allow to air dry, and shred ¾ cup. Rinse 4 bell peppers. Remove seeds from the red bell pepper and chop.  Cut the remaining 3 peppers (in color of choice) in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Rinse and chop 1½ cups broccoli. Rinse and cut sweet potato into bite-sized pieces (peel first if desired). Rinse and thinly slice ½ cup tomato. Rinse and finely chop 4 Tbsp. celery. Rinse and finely chop ¼ cup green onion. Rinse and loosely chop 3 Tbsp. cilantro. Peel and finely chop 1 clove of garlic. Store any unused portion of vegetables for future use.
3. Prep the Veggie Egg Muffins. Prepare a six-cup muffin tray by coating cups with nonstick spray. Note: If using a 12-cup muffin tray, coat the inner 6 cups with nonstick spray and fill the outer 6 cups with water to help evenly distribute heat. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ¾ cup sliced mushrooms to the skillet, cooking just until softened (about 5 minutes). Next add ¾ cup spinach to the skillet, cooking until wilted (about 2-3 minutes). Remove vegetables from heat and divide between the 6 coated muffin cups. Crack 6 eggs into a large bowl; add 3 tsp. Italian seasoning, ¾ tsp. onion powder, salt and pepper to taste, and whisk to combine. Ladle the egg mixture into the muffin cups and top each muffin with 2 tsp. green onion. Place on a baking sheet (to prevent spills) in preheated 375°F oven for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool, then divide muffins among three containers (two muffins in each container) to refrigerate. Serve with ½ whole grain English muffin and 1 medium orange.
4. Next, make the Roasted Pepper Tuna Melts. When the Veggie Egg Muffins are done, increase the temperature of the oven to 400°F. Add ¾ cup diced white onion to a skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray; cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent (about 5 minutes). Add ¾ cup shredded kale to the skillet and cook until just wilted (about 2-3 minutes). Remove skillet from heat and set aside. Open and drain 3 cans of tuna. In a large bowl, combine 12 oz. drained tuna, sautéed vegetables, and 1½ tsp. Italian seasoning. Divide tuna mixture between 6 bell pepper halves and arrange in baking dish with tuna facing up. Bake for 20 minutes or until peppers have softened to desired texture. Divide ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese among the bell pepper halves and return to oven for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese has melted. Note: Peppers will soften further when reheated; if you prefer a crispier texture, remove from oven earlier. When cool, divide pepper halves between three storage containers.
5. Prep the Sweet Potato Veggie Hash. Place 1 cup diced sweet potato in a microwave-safe bowl and add a splash of water; microwave on high for 5 minutes (or steam sweet potatoes in a steamer on the stovetop until soft). While sweet potato cooks, heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove sweet potato from microwave and toss with 1 tsp. chili powder; transfer to preheated skillet and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes or until softened, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, heat a separate skillet over medium-high heat; coat pan with nonstick cooking spray and add ½ cup chopped white onion and ½ cup diced red bell pepper, cooking until onion is translucent and peppers have softened. Add 8 oz. lean ground turkey sausage to skillet, cooking until meat is browned and no pink remains. Add 1 cup rinsed spinach to skillet, cooking until just wilted (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Divide sweet potato and sausage mixture between 2 storage containers and refrigerate. Serve with 1 cup washed grapes.
6. Make the Cilantro Lime Chicken. To the bowl containing the 12 oz. shredded chicken that was set aside earlier, add the juice from 1½ limes and 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro. Toss until well combined and divide between three storage containers. Next make the Black Eyed Pea Salad. In a small bowl, make the dressing. Whisk together ¾ tsp. minced garlic, ¾ tsp. dijon mustard, 3 tsp. olive oil, and the juice from 1½ lemons; set aside. Open, drain, and rinse can of black eyed peas. In a large bowl, combine 1½ cups black eyed peas, 1½ cups chopped broccoli, ¾ cup chopped red bell pepper, and ¾ cup chopped red onion. Drizzle salad with dressing and toss until well coated; season with salt and pepper, if desired. To the three containers with the Cilantro Lime Chicken, evenly divide the Black Eyed Pea Salad and refrigerate.
7. Prep the Avocado Chicken Salad. To the bowl containing 8 oz. shredded chicken that was set aside earlier, add 4 Tbsp. diced celery, 4 Tbsp. diced red onion, and juice from ½ lime; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Mix until well combined and divide between two storage containers. Place 1 cup spinach, ¼ cup tomato slices, and one slice whole grain bread or toast in each container. When ready to eat, add ¼ chopped avocado to the chicken mixture and layer chicken and vegetables on toast to make an open-faced sandwich
8. Make the Wilted Spinach Salad. In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp. olive oil over medium-low heat. Add 2 cups spinach, cooking until just wilted (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and divide spinach between two storage containers. Next, remove skin and breast meat from the rotisserie chicken. Add 4 oz. of chicken to each of the containers with spinach and place extra meat in a freezer-safe bag to use in a future week (or to make soup!). When ready to eat, drizzle Wilted Spinach Salad with 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar.
9. Snacks do not need to be prepped in advance. Make the Vanilla Chia Shakeology Smoothie each morning by blending 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology with 4 tsp. chia seeds, water, and ice. Serve one medium apple with 1 tsp. nut butter each afternoon.

 

Use this Grocery List to Make Your Country Heat Meal Prep:

Fruit
5 medium apples
2 cups grapes
3 medium oranges
2 limes
2 lemons

Vegetables
1 large sweet potato
8 oz. baby spinach leaves (4¾ cups)
8 oz. package mushrooms
1 medium red bell pepper
3 medium bell peppers (in color of choice)
1 bunch kale
1 bunch green onion
1 medium white onion
1 medium red onion
1 medium tomato
1 stalk celery
1 medium avocado
1 bunch cilantro
1 head broccoli (or 1½ cups chopped)
1 head garlic

Protein and Dairy
½ dozen eggs
1 rotisserie chicken (or 8 oz. cooked chicken breast)
1¼ lb. raw, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or use remaining rotisserie chicken)
8 oz. lean turkey sausage
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
5 scoops Vanilla Shakeology

Dry and Canned Goods
1 loaf whole grain bread
1 package whole grain English muffins
1 (15 oz.) can black eyed peas
3 (5 oz.) cans light tuna packed in water

Pantry
Italian seasoning
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt
pepper
Dijon mustard
peanut butter
chia seeds
chili powder
onion powder

To increase to 1,500-1,800 calories: 4 green, 3 purple, 4 red, 3 yellow, 1 blue, 1 orange, 4 tsp.

On M/W/F:
Add 1 cup roasted cauliflower in 1 teaspoon olive oil to dinner (1 green, 1 tsp.)
Add ½ English muffin to breakfast (1 yellow)
Add 1 tsp. additional peanut butter to PM Snack (1 tsp.)
Add 1 cup mango and blueberries to dinner (1 purple)

On T/Th:
Add ½ cup extra veggies to breakfast (½ green)
Add 1 tsp. additional peanut butter to PM Snack (1 tsp.)
Add 1/2 cup roasted sweet potatoes in 1 tsp. olive oil to dinner (1 yellow, 1 tsp.)
Add 1 cup of strawberries over wilted spinach salad dinner (1 purple)
Add ½ cup extra spinach or other veggies to dinner (½ green)

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You’ve been trying to lose weight for weeks. You’re dieting. Working out. Making mindful choices about everything you do, from the amount of sugar you stir in your coffee to skipping that extra glass of wine at dinner. But then you step on the scale and your heart sinks: The number is the same as last week. Or maybe you’ve lost a couple of pounds, but you feel like you’ve worked so much harder than that. What gives?

When you’re on your weight-loss journey, it’s easy to get caught up in the numbers game. But there are plenty of non-scale victories indicating that your hard work is, well, working. So instead of focusing on that flashing number on the scale, look for signs that you’re moving in the right direction, even if the scale’s not budging.

“Chances are, positive changes are happening that you’re not noticing if you’re obsessively checking the scale,” says Devin Alexander, a weight loss coach, cookbook author, and chef for NBC’s The Biggest Loser. “There are other ways to see results.”

So how do you tell if you’re achieving those non-scale victories? When it comes to improving your health, the following six signs reveal that you might be doing better than you think.

Non-Scale Victory #1: You Feel Stronger

That endless set of stairs in the subway station that you dread climbing? Well, after a couple of weeks following the workout and eating plans in 21 Day Fix, you’re walking up them with a lot less huffing and puffing. “If you feel less winded after exercise or have more energy as you go about your day, that means your heart is getting stronger,” says Alexander.

It’s also a sign that it may be time to up your fitness game even further. “Your body is amazing and has the ability to maximize performance and minimize energy expenditure,” says Dr. Ralph Esposito, a men’s health expert and functional medicine practitioner at Armonk Integrative Medicine in Armonk, New York.

The more you perform an exercise, workout, or fitness program, the more efficient your muscles and nervous system become at doing it. That’s why you might notice your progress start to stall if you always do the same workouts — and why you need to regularly switch things up to continue to adapt.

So, once you’ve finished your first round of 21 Day Fix, why not try 21 Day Fix EXTREME? Or, pick a different program altogether. With more than 50 programs available on Beachbody on Demand, there’s always something else to try when you’re ready for a new challenge.

Non-Scale Victory #2: Your Clothes Fit Differently

That bodycon dress isn’t as, uh, revealing as it once was. Or maybe there’s a little more room in the waist of your jeans, or you notice they’re getting a bit saggy in the seat. If your clothes are looser or fit differently than they did a few weeks ago, that’s a non-scale victory.

If you want more concrete evidence that your efforts to lose weight are working, break out the measuring tape. Each week, measure your natural waistline (just above your navel). If you see that number shrinking, then you’re losing fat mass. “Sometimes instead of losing weight, we lose inches,” says Esposito. And those lost inches might not be reflected on the scale as dramatically as they are on the tape. The reason: You are gaining muscle as you lose fat, and muscle weighs more than fat by volume. So even if your dimensions are shrinking, your bodyweight might not follow suit as quickly.

Non-Scale Victory #3: You See More Muscle Definition

You might not have six-pack abs or bulging biceps, but look for clues that your muscles are more defined than before. A simple way to do this? Go into selfie mode. “Take pictures of yourself from week to week. Keep them in your phone so you can quickly compare each picture,” says Alexander, who suggests striking various poses, like flexed biceps, shots of your stomach, or profile views of your midsection and backside. “You should be able to see some subtle changes in the photos that you wouldn’t necessarily notice while you’re staring in the mirror.”

Non-Scale Victory #4: People Are Noticing

A couple of colleagues have mentioned that you look slimmer. And then you bump into a buddy who asks if you’ve been working out. Chances are, they’re not just being nice: They’re being honest. “Other people can often see subtle physical changes in you before you see them,” says Alexander. “If someone compliments you, embrace it. It’s a sign that you’re doing the right thing.”

Non-Scale Victory #5: You’re Happier

We tend to focus solely on outside appearances, but there’s a lot to be said about the shape of your inner self, too. Take a step back and analyze how you feel as you go through your day. Is your mood lighter? Are you more confident? Are you getting better sleep? These factors are flashing indicators that positive changes are happening.

“When you get in the habit of making better, healthier choices, it becomes easier to replace all of that negativity you tend to pile on yourself with happier thoughts,” says Alexander. “Plus, the release of endorphins from exercise are a proven way to combat depression and stress.”

Your Health: More Than Just A Number

Sure, the weight you’ve lost is an obvious way to track success, but it’s not the only — or even the healthiest — way to measure progress. “What people usually forget is that you’re really only supposed to lose one to two pounds a week, which may seem insignificant. But that can add up to 52-plus pounds a year,” says Alexander. “Dropping 15 pounds a week is just not realistic in a normal setting.”

Instead, appreciate other milestones you reach along your journey, and celebrate the efforts you’re making to improve your overall health.

“Use the scale as a general guide, but don’t let that weight define you,” says Alexander. “There’s so much more to what makes us healthy than that number.”

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Finding your soulmate is no easy task. Someone to have and to hold, from this day forward… but there are more soulmates in your life than just your spouse.

There’s your work husband/wife—that person in your office whom you tell everything. Then you have your book club bestie who loves the same characters and hates the same novels you do. And of course, your workout buddy—the one who keeps you on track with your meal preps and daily sweat sessions.

But when it comes to choosing your partner in squats, there are certain qualities that are crucial to possess—and a few you want to avoid at all cost. Here’s a guide to the different workout buddies you’ll encounter, and the best attributes of a true swolemate.

1. The Cardio Fanatic

“Wanna spin? Kickbox? Dance? Maybe go for a run?”

She’s always up for an energizing class—it doesn’t matter what it is as long as it gets the heart pumping and the sweat pouring. It’s beyond motivating to be moving and grooving next to this Energizer bunny—if your spirits are sagging, he’ll keep you going.

2. The Debbie Downer

Working out is hard enough as it is—you don’t need a negative attitude making it even harder. Avoid pairing yourself with someone who brings down morale when you’re trying to stay positive through a tough training session.

Studies actually show that social interaction plays an important role in your interest in an activity, even beyond experience of the activity itself. So make sure you not only find an activity you like, but a partner you favor, too.

3. The Constant Chatter Box

Trying to maintain a conversation while you’re lifting weights or powering through a cardio routine is no easy task. You don’t want to be rude and ignore the Chatty Cathy, but forcing yourself to respond can prevent you from getting the most out of your workout.

In fact, an inner dialog can be more helpful to your workouts than having someone else talk your ear off. This tactic, called “self-talk,” is useful for both motivational (i.e., mastery and drive) and cognitive (i.e., skill-specific and general) purposes, according to a study in the Journal of Psychological Sport and Exercise. So don’t let someone else’s talk get in the way of crushing your PR.

4. The Friendly Competitor

It doesn’t hurt if your workout partner is a bit competitive. A study of head-to-head cycling competition showed that it encourages participants to increase their performance. Having some friendly competition in the weight room or on the track will push you to be better than you thought you could be on your own.

5. The Flake

You make plans to go running at 7 a.m., but it’s 15 minutes past the hour and they’re still fast asleep. If only you had a dollar for every time The Flake has stood you up. It’s important to recognize these people for what they are—enthusiastic, fun friends who, when they do show up, add a lot to your workout. But they’re not people you can count on. So invite them to join, as long as you have someone else whom you can really rely on to be your workout buddy for the day.

6. The Muscle Head

He knows the best pre-workout supplements to improve your performance. She can tell you the difference between your gluteus maximus and your adductor longus—and which exercises work each. This buddy is a terrific partner, but only if you’re willing to put up with all the technical jargon.

7. The Drama Queen

There’s always something wrong with this workout buddy—the room is too warm or it’s too drafty. The machines are too old and broken down or they’re too new and complicated. No matter how hard you try to appease The Drama Queen, something will always be off. This will inevitably delay the act of working out for who knows how long, so it’s probably best to ditch this brand of buddy and find someone who’s not as high maintenance.

8. The One-Trick Pony

We all know that person who thinks whatever they’re doing—be it a diet or a workout plan—is the only way to do things. Sure, a low-carb diet may have helped her drop a few pounds or minute-long planks helped to strengthen his core. But just because it works for your friend doesn’t mean it will work for you. Figure out what kind of workout plan is best for you, and take this kind of buddy’s advice with a shaker of salt.

9. The Recovery Pro

Some days you just need to recover, sit on the couch, and binge on Netflix. A great workout buddy will know when to let you chill out and how to maximize your recovery time so your muscles can fully recharge. They’re always pushing you to foam roll, and they always bring the best healthy snacks to enjoy on rest day.

10. The Motivator

But you can’t sit on the couch for too long! On those days when you’re just not in the mood to workout, it’s crucial to have a support system to keep you motivated. When you can’t get going on your own, the best workout buddy will know just what to say to get you moving.

It’s a tall order finding your perfect workout buddy, but it sure beats working out on your own! What qualities do you look for in a workout partner?

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Originally created in the 1950s to provide diabetics with a sweet, fizzy beverage to guzzle, diet soda was soon marketed to weight watchers as a way to sip a virtually calorie-free drink (debatably) tastier than water. Beverage corporations replaced the sugar (from various sources, one of which is high fructose corn syrup) with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin to create so-called healthier versions for people addicted to the great flavor and sparkling pop of soda, and sales soared.

But, research is beginning to show that diet soda is not the panacea of packing on pounds.

“Studies have looked at how diet sodas can stimulate sweet cravings, how people can compensate for the calories they save when drinking diet sodas with higher-calorie food choices afterwards, and how diet sodas can change our intestinal microflora,” says Elisabetta Politi, M.P.H., R.D., L.D.N., C.D.E., nutrition director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center.

The artificial sugar substitutes used to drop calories are now thought to affect the body in multiple ways that may actually lead to weight gain.

But, Is Diet Soda Bad for You? What the Science Says

Aspartame, which is one of many artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas, has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration as: “safe as a general-purpose sweetener in food.” The other three artificial sweeteners that are approved by the FDA and often found in diet beverages these days include: saccharin, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), and sucralose.

“There are many studies done by other investigators [outside the FDA] that indicate that sugar substitutes may be somewhat detrimental in terms of our overall health,” says Richard Hodin, M.D. “But… the data are somewhat confusing. However, generally it appears that these sugar substitutes are failing to do what they are designed to do in terms of preventing obesity, diabetes, and other aspects of the metabolic syndrome.”

Aspartame, for example, was found in a study conducted on mice by scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital to block an enzyme called intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), a gut enzyme that has been shown to prevent metabolic syndrome in those mice. “IAP normally functions in the gut to block inflammation and maintain a strong gut barrier,” says Hodin, a senior author of the study. “Aspartame gets broken down into phenylalanine in the intestine. Phenylalanine blocks IAP, which normally acts to protect from obesity and diabetes. So by inhibiting IAP, the aspartame ends up predisposing individuals to those disorders.”

A paper published in PLoS ONE that looked at the artificial sweetener consumption of nearly 1,500 people over 28 years revealed that those who consumed aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium, or sucralose regularly (and not just in diet soda) were more likely to have higher body mass indexes and higher incidence of abdominal obesity than those who didn’t use low-calorie sweeteners. Authors noted that the mechanisms for the association between use of these sweeteners and the increase in abdominal obesity are still unknown. However, they hypothesize that low-calorie sweeteners can mess with people’s satiety signals in the brain, suggesting that users may be compelled to overeat because their brains were expecting satiety, but their bodies got a super-sweet, low- or no-calorie food or drink instead.

Another study found that people who regularly consume the artificially sweetened sodas may compensate for the lack of calories by consuming a higher amount of calories from food that’s high in sugar, sodium, and fat. The researchers looked at almost 22,000 U.S. adults from 10 years of data culled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The survey revealed that those who drank diet beverages consumed a larger percentage of their daily calories from energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods like cookies, ice cream, and fried foods. However, these individuals were already obese or overweight. Diet-beverage consumption appeared to be protective for adults at a healthy weight; they ate 73 fewer calories from solid food on a typical day, whereas overweight and obese adults who drank diet beverages consumed 194 more calories per day.

Scientists from Imperial College London released commentary on the lack of information showing that artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) are healthier than sugar-sweetened sodas. “The absence of consistent evidence to support the role of ASBs in preventing weight gain and the lack of studies on other long-term effects on health strengthen the position that ASBs should not be promoted as part of a healthy diet,” wrote the scientists. Mic drop….

4 Ways to Wean Yourself Off of Diet Soda

It’s not easy to just stop and drop the soda habit, diet or not. Many types of soda contain caffeine, which is addictive itself, as well as flavors that have been market-tested to provide maximum enjoyment and cravings.

“While the jury is still out when it comes to absolve-or-accuse diet sodas, I think the most sensible approach is to limit its consumption as much as possible,” says Politi. “Water definitely should be our beverage of choice,” she says, “and if we want carbonation, choose sparkling water.”

And our taste buds are adjustable, so it is possible to wean yourself off of the diet brew as long as you follow a few simple steps to cut your consumption down gradually. Just don’t switch over to regular soda, Politi says. “With 10 teaspoons of sugar and about 140 calories in a 12-ounce can, a regular soda is not a healthy choice.”

Here are ways to get both your caffeine and sweet fix without expanding your waistline:

1. If your diet beverage of choice contains caffeine, dealing with the effects of caffeine withdraw can be one of the toughest parts of dropping the diet soda habit, but thankfully coffee is ubiquitous in our society. Instead of drinking a caffeinated soda, sip half a cup coffee, or drink caffeinated tea (such as black or even green) if coffee isn’t for you.
2. Add a bit of real sugar to your coffee or tea to give you a sweet rush without resorting to the fake stuff. “Adding one teaspoon of sugar can add enough sweetness to satiate you, but only has 16 calories,” says Politi. Placate your brain by giving it a dose of the sweet stuff once a day, but don’t go over a teaspoon.
3. Get a boost of energy from a non-jittery source: Beachbody Performance Energize. You’ll get a low-dose of caffeine that comes from green tea and coffee bean extract that can improve your focus and reaction time.
4. Switch to sparkling water to get that fizzy kick. If plain-old bubbly water is too boring for your taste buds, trying going for the flavored, unsweetened versions — but double check the ingredients list to ensure it’s free of added sugar or sweeteners. You can also add a splash or two of your favorite no-sugar-added fruit juice, or mix in flavors like mint, lemon, ginger, and cucumber, says Politi.
5. Try timing your diet soda substitutions for those parts of the day when you really crave one. If the mid-day slump is when you usually go to the vending machine for a fix, pour a cup of coffee, brew up some strong tea, or mix up a sparkling cucumber mint mocktail to satisfy your craving.

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Do you have a soft spot for fingerlickin’ fried chicken or double (bacon) cheeseburgers?

You know habitually eating fast food can put you on the fast track to poor health and weight gain. Over a decade ago, two teenage girls sued McDonald’s for making them fat. Morgan Spurlock suffered “Mc-twitches” on a month-long fast food diet to prove a point in Super Size Me. Michelle Obama made it her fight to stop the obesity epidemic by trying to steer America away from fast food and frozen dinners.

Fast forward to present day: We’re still fixated on fast food. It’s normal to get that itch now and then, but if you scratch it too often, you can kiss your weight-loss plans goodbye (not to mention overall good health). But, never fear; if you don’t want to quit eating fast food cold turkey, you should first understand what makes these foods so craveable so you can make an informed choice if you decide to indulge.

What Makes Fast Food So Addictive?

Ask someone what their favorite cheat food is, and I’ll bet they won’t say a grilled chicken salad (unless, they’re making these salad mistakes). Highly processed junk food and fast food likely top the list. Me? I like a hot plate of crisp French fries, and I’m a dietitian. What can I say? Few people are above the influence of hyperpalatable foods, defined by researchers as foods rich in fats, sugars and/or salts and often comprised of synthetic combinations of many ingredients.

If the deck feels like it’s stacked against you, that’s because it is. Here’s why:

• Fast food is tasty by design. Experts recognize that we crave sugary, salty and fatty foods by evolutionary design. The double-whammy is that food scientists build upon this by optimizing the smell, taste, and feel of your favorite burger down to the crinkle in its packaging.

• Fast food is cheap and ready to eat. This is music to anyone’s ears, especially a working parent’s. Fast food clearly wins out over other dine-in restaurants as a convenient, low-cost option. Not to mention most fast food joints will reward you with better value for sizing up on a meal!
• Fast food uses slick marketing. Children are key targets for fast food marketing. About $4.6 billion is spent annually to convince kids to nag their parents for the latest happy meal toy. The positive emotions we have sipping cola and munching on chicken nuggets with our families build memories that can influence our future decisions to eat these types of foods again when we are stressed and want to feel comforted.

It’s still controversial to that say fast food is absolutely addictive. But, there are scientists out there arguing that highly processed foods can trigger artificially high levels of reward similar to other addictive drugs. Obviously, we all react differently to food. But, if you crave fast food beyond the occasional indulgence, it may benefit your health — not to mention waistline — if you cut back on your consumption.

8 Signs That Your Love of Fast Food May Be Unhealthy

Fast food is tasty — we get it. But, at what point do you roll from sporadic enjoyment into indulging at a rate that’s not healthy? Here are a few signs that fast food is more of a routine than a once-in-a-while cheat/treat:

1. You crave specific fast food items often.
2. You go out of your way to buy fast food.
3. One bite of this type of food can launch you into a full-on binge.
4. Being full doesn’t stop you from eating more.
5. Your fixation on fast food is a source of guilt, depression, anxiety, or self-loathing.
6. You want to eat less fast food, but have been unsuccessful.
7. You eat fast food often even if you know it can harm your health.
8. Withdrawal symptoms (such as headaches, anxiety, and sadness) may happen if you don’t get your fast food fix.

4 Strategies for Kicking Your Love of Fast Food to the Curb

If your consumption of fast food is standing in the way of a healthier, fitter, trimmer you, it may be time to make some changes. These strategies can help.

• Set boundaries between you and the trigger food. Write down the specific fast food item(s) that can trigger you to overeat or binge. Consider these foods blacklisted for a while. Don’t allow yourself to purchase them again until you’ve established a better relationship with them.
• Find non-food ways to deal with emotions. Food can be an emotional band aid for anger, depression, and stress. You can trade in your greasy pizza for journaling, meditation, or exercise to deal with negative feelings.
• Be prepared when you get late-night cravings. It’s 2 a.m. but you have a hankering for some popcorn chicken. A fast food craving can hit with poor timing, so make sure your fridge has a few healthy snacks like any of these 55 snacks under 150 calories. Better yet: Make it a rule not to eat in the middle of the night. If you have trouble sleeping, meditate, read a book, take a warm bath, or relax with low-key yoga instead of eating.
• Fill up on faux fast food. To kick your fast food habit, you may mentally slap a B-A-D label across all fast foods (not just the trigger foods mentioned above). This black-and-white way of thinking is restrictive, and can make it hard for you to rewire your relationship with fast food. Instead of going cold turkey entirely, try cooking healthier versions of your favorite fast food.

7 Healthier Fast Food Alternatives, Remade by Beachbody

Lucky for you, we have plenty of fast food and comfort food makeover recipes that can not only satisfy your craving, but can also move you toward your weight-loss goal. Beachbody recipes are designed to compliment the workout plans, such as 21 Day Fix, Body Beast, and P90X, that are available on Beachbody on Demand.

A small word of wisdom: If you’re someone who regularly eats fast food, the following remakes may not be to your liking right away. You’ll need to give your tastebuds time to adjust to lower levels of fat, sugar, and salt. Don’t worry, you will get there. Now get cookin’:

1. Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Burger – Temper your burger craving with homemade beef patties. These are made with 95-percent lean ground sirloin that’s spiked with grated zucchini for extra moisture and fiber.
2. Cookies & Cream Smoothie – Sip on this lighter version of a vanilla and chocolate cookie milkshake. You can settle your sweet tooth without overdoing the calories, fat, and sugar.
3. Buffalo Chicken Tenders with Blue Cheese Dip – Enjoy spicy chicken tenders without the grease-soaked breading of traditional chicken wings. Cool your mouth down with a blue cheese dip made from yogurt.
4. Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard – And… if you’re really into crispy breading, we’ve got you covered, too. This chicken nugget alternative is a treat your kids will also love.
5. Broccoli Tater Tots – Just like tater tots except they’re baked and filled with nutritious broccoli instead of starchy potatoes.
6. BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza – Instead of stringy cheese, this pizza oozes with lean protein from chicken breast and black beans.
7. Spicy Sweet Potato Fries – Baked sweet potato fries are a tasty take on traditional fries, plus they deliver a good dose of vitamin A.

But… Is Fast Food Cheaper Than Healthier Food?

In addition to cravings, another barrier some people need to overcome in order to eat healthier is the perception of value that fast food can have.

Contrary to popular belief, fast food isn’t cheaper than a simple homecooked meal. Obviously, energy-dense foods (think: chips, cookies, fast food) will appear cheaper than low-calorie and nutritious fruits, veggies, and whole grains. But, this method assumes it’s quantity of calories that makes us full, when, in reality, satiety also depends on the quality of calories consumed.

A great example of this concept: fiber versus sugar. Which fills your stomach more: One ounce of jellybeans (105 calories and 20 grams of sugar) or a medium-sized apple with the skin (95 calories, 19 grams of sugar, and 4.4 grams of fiber)? Even with roughly the same amount of sugar and similar calorie counts, the apple is more satiating because of its fiber and water content (not to mention it contains beneficial vitamins and minerals).

If you’re a savvy shopper, you can make cheaper fast food alternatives at home. It doesn’t take hard science to prove this — just a pinch of common sense. Mark Bittman argues that you can feed a family of four with $28 at McDonald’s (2 Big Macs, 1 cheeseburger, 6 chicken nuggets, 2 medium fries and 2 small fries, 2 medium sodas and 2 small sodas), or a family of six for $14 (1 roasted chicken plus cooked veggies, a side salad, and milk) at home. And 21 Day Fix creator Autumn Calabrese destroys the argument that fast food provides greater value than cooking at home in this video, where she makes dinner plus leftovers for the next day for herself and her son for just $15.

It’s a challenge worth trying!

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The double chin reigns supreme with hilarious nicknames, but for people who have one, that bulge of skin and fat hanging out above their collar rarely conjures up laughs.

Like other tough-to-cure problems such as cellulite and stretch marks, “remedies” to get rid of a double chin abound: Like that medieval-looking torture device you ordered from a late-night TV infomercial. Or when you Googled “double chin” and voila — 37 million “guaranteed” solutions! And let’s be honest, you’ve probably seen that YouTube video of the lady doing neck exercises that make her look like a chicken scratching for worms — and did a few of those moves yourself.

So…how’d those work out for you?

FYI, You Cannot Spot Reduce

Before we get to the good stuff, let’s be clear: You CANNOT spot reduce. But with a combination of a healthy, balanced diet and exercise, you can reduce your overall body fat, which can then help reduce any wobbly bits.

What Is a Double Chin?

So why do some people have it and others don’t? First off, a double chin is technically called submental fat and it’s basically a compartment that’s filled with fat.

But what causes a double chin in the first place? A variety of factors can contribute to the appearance of a double chin, among them: weight gain, aging (your muscles in the area can weaken, fat accumulates, and skin loosens as you get older), and genetics.

“For most people, a ‘double chin’ is a combination of fat deposition, excess loose skin, or both,” says Lara Devgan, M.D., M.P.H., a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in New York City. “The single most common reason for someone to have a double chin is a genetic predisposition to storing fat in the submentum, or the area under the chin. This means that a person’s age, weight, and physique matter less than his or her genetic tendencies.”

For this reason, people are more prone to ask plastic surgeons for help, says Devgan. “I receive many inquiries from men and women concerned about excess submental fullness or double chin.”

Devgan’s strategy involves one of three options: injecting deoxycholic acid into the fat to melt it (*requires multiple treatments), performing micro liposculpture to suck out excess fat, or a surgical necklift.

How to Lose Weight in Your Face

But if you’re not genetically predisposed for extra chins, you may be able to address unwanted weight in and around your face with good ol’ old-fashioned diet and exercise.

“Nutrition is a major factor for fat loss, no matter the area on the body,” says Max Zeumer, personal training manager at the New York Health & Racquet Club. First up: Dial in your eating plan. If you’re following a Beachbody program, most of them have a calorie calculator to help you figure out your daily calorie goal for weight loss.

And remember, you can’t cut your calories and expect to lose fat while still eating junk food. Your eating plan should be filled with an abundance of nutrient-dense, whole foods in the proper proportions.

In addition to getting your nutrition and fitness on track, getting enough ZZZZs can also help reduce body fat. “We often neglect one of the most basic ways to aid burning fat — getting a good night’s sleep of seven to nine hours,” says Zeumer.

When you’re lacking in the sleep department, your body produces more of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, in order to get the energy it’s not getting from sleep. And when you’re bumbling around in a drowsy haze, you’re probably not going to be making the healthiest food choices.

Can You Reduce a Double Chin With Exercise?

Yes and no. (And no, we’re not going to make you do the chicken scratch dance.) In the same vein as “you can’t spot reduce fat,” there are no exercises that will “tighten and tone” your neck muscles — or the sagging skin, for that matter.

But since your double chin is basically a fat hot pocket, a better tactic would be to focus on… (say it with me): reducing. overall. fat. To activate your body’s fat-burning superpowers, combine high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training with a program like 22 Minute Hard Corps.

Bottom line: Yes, you may be able to get rid (or reduce the appearance) of a double chin, but not by using a ThighMaster for your neck or doing a facial workout. If you really want to reshape your body, you have to put in hard work, consistently, and in the right way. You’ll be surprised how many of those “problem areas” may disappear with a little sweat equity.

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When you’re trying to eat healthier, meal prep can make it easier to stick to your plan — just cook a big batch of nutritious food at the beginning of the week, and you’ll always have a healthy meal ready when you get hungry.

But eating the same few foods, day after day, can get old pretty quickly. And once you feel like you’re stuck in a salmon-and-steamed-broccoli rut, you may lose interest in meal prep altogether. “If you get bored with what you’re eating, sooner or later you’ll give up,” says Benjamin L. White, PhD, MPH, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian at the weight-loss center Structure House. Here’s how you can keep meal-prep burnout from getting in the way of your healthy eating plan.

Think streamlined, not boring.

Okay, this might sound like a “potato, po-tah-to” thing — but while eating the same thing every day may sound dull, the upside is that it can keep you from having to rely on willpower every time you open the fridge. (Social psychologist Roy Baumeister believes willpower is a limited resource and you can suffer “decision fatigue” when you make too many decisions in a day — this is why Mark Zuckerberg wears the same gray tee every day and Warren Buffet eats the same breakfast every morning.)

“Very few people want to spend a lot of time thinking about — or preparing — every meal, every day,” Dr. White says. “Having some simple, quick building blocks for meals can really help.” And just because you cook a pound of chickpeas on Monday, for example, it doesn’t mean you have to eat plain chickpeas every day — you can make chickpea curry on Tuesday, chickpea burgers on Wednesday, homemade hummus on Thursday, and roasted chickpeas on Friday.

Add color to your meal prep.

Photo by @meowmeix

Picture a plain chicken breast on a bed of brown rice. Drooling yet? No? We don’t want to hate on beige — plenty of important staples come in blah colors — but let’s be honest, bright colors just make a meal more enticing. (You’ve probably heard the saying “eat the rainbow.”) When you’re grocery shopping, add more color to your meal prep with brightly-colored produce like red berries, yellow peppers, dark leafy greens, and purple onions. Even carbs can be colorful — try sweet potatoes, yellow corn, or purple yams instead of the usual grains.

Stop overcooking your food.

If culinary skills aren’t exactly your strong point, it can be hard to get excited about a week’s worth of overcooked meat or mushy veggies. (Not surprisingly, research shows a lack of cooking skills can be a major barrier to healthy eating.) But you don’t need to be a sous chef to prepare meals you actually want to eat — with a little practice, anyone can master the basics. Here are a few links that can help level up your cooking skills:

• Avoid the most common cooking mistakes.
• Brush up on basic cooking terms so you won’t feel intimidated by new recipes.
• Learn to bake a chicken breast the right way — no more dry, chewy meat.

Use your freezer wisely.

After you batch-prep, stash one or two servings in the freezer — you can rotate them into your meal plan whenever you feel like you’ve hit a rut. So if you make a veggie lasagna or slow-cooker chili on Meal Prep Monday, set a portion or two aside now and you’ll have a backup meal when you need it. “It’s also helpful to keep a few frozen meal starters around for quick cooking,” Dr. White says. “Two good examples are frozen cubes of pesto or tomato sauce — combine one of these with fresh whole grain pasta and salad greens, and you have a healthy meal.”

Try a new recipe every week.

Obviously you’re going to have a few standbys you rely on every week — hello, Taco Tuesday! — but try to incorporate one new recipe each week to keep from getting burnt out on your go-to foods. Switch up your daily smoothie, try a new one-pot meal, or make over a favorite meal with a new flavor — like swapping out your Southwestern black bean salad for a tangy white bean salad (or vice versa).

Switch up your fruits and veggies.

Research suggests eating a variety of veggies may help you squeeze more veggies into your diet than simply sticking to your tried-and-true faves. In one study, participants were given half a plate of veggies — either a blend of veggies, or just their favorite. The group who got the variety consumed more veggies overall than the group who got their veggie of choice. Try adding a veggie you don’t usually eat to your grocery list this week — or change the way you use your favorite fruits and veggies, like adding strawberries to a spinach salad or blending kale into your breakfast smoothie.

Try a new protein.

When you think of lean protein, chicken and fish may be the first foods that come to mind, but there are plenty of other healthy protein sources. If you need a change, skip the meat aisle this week and get your protein from eggs, quinoa, tofu, beans, cottage cheese, or yogurt.

Spice up your staples.

There’s no reason to eat bland meals when you can usually add flavor without making a dent in your diet. “Almost all spices, peppers, and herbs are low-calorie, as are most vinegars, citrus zest, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, and even dry wine after it’s been cooked,” Dr. White says. Get to know the spices in your pantry, and use them to keep your pre-prepped meals from getting monotonous.

Add sauces.

Sauce is a game-changer — can you imagine zucchini fries without marinara, or salad without dressing? And while many sauces are loaded with hidden sugar and Frankenfood ingredients, it’s usually easy to whip up a healthy homemade version (like this recipe for non-syrupy barbecue sauce.) “It’s also easy to make different delicious sauces out of plain Greek yogurt that go with many styles of cooking,” Dr. White says. “Add minced garlic, chives, salt, and a little mayonnaise for a good dipping sauce or sandwich spread. Or make a Mediterranean version with chopped cucumber, mint, lemon juice, and salt, or a Latin version with blended chipotle peppers in adobo.”

Stock up on meal prep containers.

Nothing screams “boring leftovers” like storing your meal prep in empty takeout containers you found in the back of the kitchen cabinet. Using drab, random containers can make meal prep feel like a chore — especially if you’re constantly rummaging around for a clean container. Stock up on functional meal prep containers that make the meal prep process more visual and organized. (And it never hurts to keep an extra set or two handy, especially if you like to store portions in the freezer.)

Meal Prep Recipes You Won’t Get Tired of Eating

Need some new meal prep ideas to shake up your usual routine? These recipe ideas can help you get inspired:

15 Healthy Breakfast Ideas
5 Lunches You Can Make Using Portion Fix Containers
15 Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
Meal Prep Ideas from the Pros
Buffet-Style Meal Prep
21 Snacks for Easy Meal Prep
Mexican-Inspired Meal Prep
19 Quick and Simple Meal Prep Recipes

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Craving potato chips or chocolate? Your job may be to blame for why you’re not losing weight… seriously. If you’re doing work that you aren’t passionate about and are feeling uninspired and bored at work, there may be a science-backed reason you reach into the candy jar or hit the vending machine for cookies or potato chips mid-afternoon.

One study found that people are more likely to eat fatty, sugary foods if they are bored. One of the study’s authors suggests that we experience low levels of dopamine, a brain chemical, when we’re bored, and this could drive us to compensate by eating fat and sugar.

Yep, I can’t wait to share this little nugget with my husband, who might actually turn into a tortilla chip one of these days, especially during football season. Thanks alma mater for your boring season that’s obviously contributing to our junk food cravings.

So, if you find yourself mowing through a bag of chips or noshing on sugary snacks on the regular, consider your mood. Are you antsy? If so, here are some practical tips to help you avoid shoveling food in your mouth when you’re bored.

Not Losing Weight? 4 Things to Try When You’re Bored (That Don’t Include Eating)

1. Sip some seltzer.

Sugar- and alcohol-free, of course. If I had a glass of water for every time I was told to drink more water… I’d probably be down a few dress sizes by now. But really, this strategy does work. Next time you’re tempted to snack when you’re not really hungry, drink a fizzy glass of seltzer (or plain water if that’s your thang). The fluid will fill you up enough so you will (hopefully) pause long enough to think before you reach for that pint of ice cream.

2. Keep your hands busy.

If you’re tempted to snack when you’re watching Netflix, do something to keep your hands engaged… and we aren’t talking about putting hand to mouth here, people. Try adulating with a coloring book, playing crossword puzzles, knitting, or even catching up on emails to keep your hands occupied and out of the chip bag.

3. Set physical boundaries.

My hunch is you know the circumstances in which you engage in bored eating. It usually goes down when standing in the kitchen, sitting at your desk in front of the computer, or cozied up on the sofa. Rarely does it happen when you’re sitting at the table, eating intentionally with a fork.

Set physical boundaries around food; it can work wonders to keep emotional eating at bay. For example, if you tend to snack on the couch while you watch Netflix at night, make it a rule that you don’t eat on the couch. Portion your food, put it on a plate, and eat it at the dining or kitchen table. Then, you can leave the table and watch your show. Not only will you break the pattern of snacking mindlessly in front of the television, but you’ll also learn that making eating a more formal affair can help you focus more on what you eat, why you’re eating it, and how much you consume.

4. Get some fresh air and do something active.

Get away from your desk and take an afternoon walk to keep your mind off snacking. Take your tablet, laptop, or phone outside and stream a quick Beachbody on Demand workout. Good options to get your heart rate up quickly during your lunch hour: 22 Minute Hard Corps, FOCUS T25, or INSANITY MAX 30. Not only will this serve as a distraction from boredom eating, but sun exposure and being active may also help with boosting “feel good hormones” like serotonin. That’s a triple whammy for combating mood swings.

The key to managing eating when you’re bored is to understand how compulsive it can be. It’s a sneaky habit that can keep you from losing weight. You may not even realize that you snag a thin mint each time you walk by the kitchen area at work to take a break. But, those cookie calories can really add up over the course of the day. Keep these strategies top of mind to fight the compulsive habit to snack when you’re bored.

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In the simplest definition, plyometrics refers to jump training. A key component of many sports, such as basketball, soccer, and tennis, plyometrics can enhance athleticism, strengthen the most powerful muscles in your body, and more.

Here’s a breakdown of the benefits of plyometrics, and how to safely add them to your workout routine.

The Benefits of Plyometrics

In order to propel your body off the ground and land safely, a lot has to happen in your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. “Plyometric training targets your type II (a.k.a. fast twitch) muscle fibers, which are the largest, strongest, and most powerful in your body,” explains Trevor Thieme, C.S.C.S., Beachbody’s Fitness and Nutrition Content Manager. “It doesn’t matter whether you are a seasoned lifter or a strength-training newbie—studies show that plyometrics can help you build muscle as effectively as conventional weightlifting, and that combining the two can help you reach your goals faster than focusing on either one alone.”

Not only that, the impact your body absorbs from landing has benefits for your bones, spurring them to become denser. And if you’re an athlete, plyometrics can improve your agility and explosiveness when it comes to fast-response moves, such as sprinting, quickly changing direction on the field or court, and, of course, jumping (say, to rebound in basketball).

How to Get Started With Plyometrics

If you’re new to plyometrics, as with anything you should start small. This is especially important for plyo moves because correct form is so crucial, as you need to both lift your body off the ground and control the landing.

This dual-action makes plyo exercises more difficult and complex than most exercises. If you have a movement dysfunction, it will be magnified when the speed and power of a jump is applied to it.

Thieme suggests incorporating plyometrics into your training plan by adding a plyo element to exercises with which you’re already familiar. “So you might do the jump squat instead of a conventional squat, or the split jump to compliment a conventional lunge,” he says.

When learning a new plyometric move, you can first perform it without the jump to get a handle on the form, strength, and stability that is required to do it correctly. Once you have all of that, you can then add the jumping movement.

Another way to start small is to choose lower-impact plyo exercises, such as jumping jacks, jumping rope, skaters (hopping side to side from one foot to the other), and even some martial arts or boxing activities that involve punching and kicking.

And don’t ignore the upper body: plyo pushups (where you “jump” your hands up on the press, either off the floor, an incline surface, or even the wall) and medicine ball throws are great for building explosive power above the waist. Just always be aware of your form. When you become tired, form tends to suffer, and risk of injury increases.

Is there anyone who shouldn’t do plyometric exercises?

The short answer is no, as long as your doctor hasn’t identified a reason why you shouldn’t (such as deteriorating joints or bad knees). However, “if you’re significantly overweight, add plyometric exercises to your training plan gradually, and stay away from high-impact moves like box jumps entirely,” says Thieme. “Doing too much, too soon—or doing advanced exercises before you’re ready for them—can stress your joints, increasing your risk of injury.”

Try These 5 Plyometric Exercises

Although many people think of plyometric exercises as a lower-body workout, they can target your upper body as well. Here’s a representative sample of plyometric exercises that effectively work many of the body’s large muscles. To absorb some of the impact of these plyo moves, consider using a plyometrics mat.

Alternating step jumps

Stand tall with your arms by your sides and your left foot on a bench so that your hip, knee, and ankle are all bent 90 degrees. Keeping your chest up, shoulders back, and core braced, drive through your left foot while swinging your arms up and pushing your body up with enough force for the left foot to leave the bench. Switch feet in the air, landing with your right foot on the bench, and your left foot on the floor. Continue alternating legs with each rep.

Plyo push-ups

Assume a plank position with your feet together (or separated slightly), your body straight from head to heels, and your hands in line with (but slightly wider than) your shoulders. Squeeze your glutes and brace your core to lock your body into position. Keeping your elbows tucked against your ribs, lower your torso until your chest is within a few inches of the floor. Pause, and then push up with enough force for your hands to leave the ground. Land softly, and transition immediately into your next rep.

Skater jumps (from 21 Day Fix–Plyo Fix)

Start with your right leg slightly bent and your left foot tucked behind it. Push off your right leg to move your body to the left, landing on your left leg, and tucking your right leg behind it. Continue the lateral jumps, landing softly and with bent knees each time.

Wide in & out abs (from INSANITY–Max Interval Plyo)

Assume a plank position with your hands in line with (but slightly wider than) your shoulders, and your feet wider than hip distance. Squeeze your glutes and brace your core to keep your body in a straight line. Keeping your hands on the ground, jump your feet in to come under your hips, keeping the feet shoulder width apart. Then, jump back to the starting position.

Scissor kick jumps (from P90X3–AgilityX)

Stand on your right leg, with your left leg lifted straight out in front of your body. Moving to the left, jump to your left leg, lifting your right leg straight out in front of your body. Switch once more to your right leg, and then once more to your left leg. Then reverse the direction jumping to your right, still alternating legs.

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When you walk into a gym for the first time, it’s hard to know what to do first. Hit the cardio machines? Sign up for a class? Lift one of those newfangled cannonballs?

Relax. Whatever you do—whether it’s learning to lift, getting your cardio on, or dancing yourself fit—will be infinitely better than staying on the couch: “Most of the benefits of exercise come when you go from doing nothing to doing something,” says Dr. David Katz, founding director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center.

The biggest pitfall right now? Getting discouraged, intimidated, or overwhelmed. That’s why we’ve assembled a few tips for getting through those first tentative trips to the gym, so you can stick to your guns and meet your fitness goals.

1. Don’t Rush

Fitness nuts envy gym newcomers like you: that’s because you’re poised to make faster progress than most of them have made in years. Muscleheads call this concept “newbie gaining.”

In fact, about the only thing that can keep a new gym-goer from improving is exercising too much, too often—which is also the mistake rookies make most often.

So your first few weeks in the gym, do less than you think you need to. Way less. Planning on 45 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of strength work your first day? Slow down, do less, and lift smaller weights than you think you can—your muscles first need to adapt to the new stresses you’re putting onto them. If you lift too heavy too fast, your muscles may feel so sore that you can’t walk for a week, or you may injure yourself. Both scenarios can squelch your enthusiasm, and your motivation to get back to the gym may go right down the tubes.

Instead, repeat an exercise using a moderate weight for a few days and once your body gets acquainted with the exercise you’ll be able to exert more effort (i.e. burn more calories) and lift heavier weights—at a gradual pace. Everybody responds differently to exercise, so be patient and listen to your body to know what is too much and what is not enough.

2. Nail Form First

32-year-old powerlifter Richard Hawthorne is famous for lifting close to five times his bodyweight in competition. But whether he’s lifting 45 pounds or 450, his focus remains on his form: “I don’t grunt or scream when I lift,” he says. “I focus on the feeling of the weight and executing the lift perfectly.”

Make that your priority, too: once you learn the basics of a movement—be it a squat, a lunge, a plank, a pushup, or a pull-up—concentrate on controlling your movement and feeling the exercise. If your balance is off, your spine twisted or misaligned, or your knees buckling inward, you’re courting injury. Back off, use a lighter weight, or choose an easier version of the movement. You’re in this for the long haul: there’ll be plenty of time to add weight to the bar in the months ahead.

3. Befriend the Fundamentals

Some gyms are like the cantina scene in Star Wars: all manner of beings engaged in all manner of alien-looking activities. Massive lifters curling enormous dumbbells; petite housewives doing gravity-defying yoga moves; or near-comatose businessmen pedaling away on exercise bikes.

Don’t let them distract or discourage you. Assuming strength training is on your workout menu, your mission in these first weeks is to get good at a handful of movements: the squat, the lunge, the pushup, the row, and the plank. Next month, you might add the assisted pull-up, the overhead press, and possibly the bench press.

There are thousands of moves you can work on in the gym, but those are the staples of your new endeavor. They work major muscle groups, build the most strength, and burn the most fat of anything you can do in the gym. You’ll learn other moves over time, but you’ll never stray too far from those basics. When you’re a beginner, get good at the basics, because they work.

4. Don’t Forget Fun

Sound frivolous? In fact, this is the most important tip of them all.

Despite its name, working out shouldn’t feel like work. Take it seriously—it’s one of the most important things you can do for your health and well-being—but once you learn the basics, be sure it’s fun. Maybe not trip-to-the-Caribbean fun, but engaging, rewarding, and invigorating fun. If it isn’t—if you dread your workouts or leave the gym feeling worse than when you came in—you need to make a change. So work with lighter weights or heavier weights or bodyweight; do something faster like martial arts or slower like yoga; add music, friends, silence or solitude. Make a small change and see if you enjoy your workouts more. You’re unlikely to stay with an exercise routine you dislike—so find a program you love—or at least, like—and throw yourself into it, one hundred percent, one day at a time.

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from Millionaire Hoy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2hRTiEdowo
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When you’re armed with a list of foods to choose from, and Portion Fix‘s color-coded containers to measure your portions, eating healthy one day at a time is no sweat. But what about planning healthy meals for a whole week? With the simple meal plans that follow, we’ll show you how to keep things simple and surprisingly fast.

Tips for Quick and Simple Meal Prep

How can preparing a week–or even a few days–worth of meals be quick or simple? We used shortcuts to create menus that require almost no cooking. You’ll notice that each of these meal plans combine a handful of quick-cooking ingredients, like a big batch of oatmeal, ground turkey sautéed in a pan, or a variety of vegetables roasted at the same time. The rest of the meals rely on combinations of raw ingredients, like salads, fruits and nuts, or prepared items like hummus and peanut butter. To mix things up, two of the menus incorporate one easy recipe that makes enough servings for several days.

Use these shortcuts and simple menus to inspire your own meal prep. You can easily swap in different fruits or vegetables, ground beef or tempeh instead of turkey, and starches like sweet potatoes or quinoa in place of rice or corn. Get creative! If you are comfortable in the kitchen, why not add one of these easy meal prep recipes, or a simple crockpot dinner?

Quick and Simple Meal Prep for the 21 Day Fix 1,200-1,499 Calorie Level

Even at our lowest calorie level, 21 Day Fixers get plenty of food: 3 green containers, 2 purple containers, 4 red containers, 2 yellow containers, 1 blue container, 1 orange container, and 2 tsp. per day. See how we divided that up to make six meals and snacks to keep you fueled from morning until night. In fact, this menu includes even more food than what is shown in the photos. Add two hard-boiled eggs or ¾ cup of lowfat plain Greek yogurt with breakfast, and drink a Shakeology smoothie blended with water and ½ cup blueberries with the second snack!

These are the daily meals for this meal prep menu:

Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal Cups with Blueberries with 2 hard-boiled eggs or ¾ cup plain lowfat Greek yogurt (Not shown) (½ purple, 1 red, 1 yellow)

Snack 1: Whole grain rice cake with 2 tsp. peanut butter (½ yellow, 2 tsp.)

Lunch: Mason jar salad with 2 Tbsp. vinegar-based dressing, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup bell peppers, ¼ cup onion, ¾ cup cooked chicken breast (about 4 oz.), ¾ cup baby spinach (2 green, 1 red, 1 orange)

Snack 2: 12 almonds and Shakeology blended with ½ cup blueberries, water, and ice (not shown) (½ purple, 1 red, 1 blue)

Dinner: ¾ cup seasoned ground turkey with 1 cup sautéed zucchini, and 1 cup strawberries (1 purple, 1 green, 1 red)

Snack 3: 1½ cups air-popped popcorn (½ yellow)

 

Quick and Simple Meal Prep for the 21 Day Fix 1,500 – 1,799 Calorie Level

Look at all of the bright colors this hearty meal prep has to tempt your taste buds. A sweet breakfast of Pumpkin Protein Pancakes is the only recipe in the bunch. For the lunches, cook lean ground turkey in a pan coated with nonstick spray; you can cook the vegetables or save time by leaving them raw. Buying precooked chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken makes this meal prep even easier to assemble. People eating at this calorie level get 4 green containers, 3 purple containers, 4 red containers, 3 yellow containers, 1 blue container, 1 orange container, and 4 tsp. per day.

These are the daily meals for this meal prep menu:

Breakfast: Pumpkin Protein Pancakes topped with 3 oz. lowfat Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup fresh betties(½ purple, ½ red, 2 yellows)

Snack 1: Chocolate Shakeology blended with water, ice, and 1 large banana (2 purple, 1 red)

Lunch: ¾ cup seasoned ground turkey with ¾ cup red bell peppers, ¾ cup orange bell peppers, and ½ cup corn (1 red, 1 ½ green, 1 yellow, 2 tsp )

Snack 2: ¼ cup hummus with 1 cup baby carrots (1 green, 1 blue)

Dinner: 6 oz. grilled chicken breast served with ½ cup spinach, ½ cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup broccoli, and 2 Tbsp. vinaigrette dressing (1½ green, 1½ red, 1 orange, 2 tsp.)

Snack 3: ½ cup mixed berries (½ purple)

 

Quick and Simple Meal Prep for the 21 Day Fix 1,800 – 2,099 Calorie Level

No recipes are required for this colorful meal prep, just a few basic cooking skills, like boiling water for oatmeal, roasting vegetables, and cooking a steak (psst… if all else fails, swap in burger patties). People eating at this calorie level get 5 green containers, 3 purple containers, 5 red containers, 4 yellow containers, 1 blue container, 1 orange container, and 5 tsp. per day.

These are the daily meals for this meal prep menu:

Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal (made from ½ cup rolled oats) with 3 tsp. peanut butter and 1 cup fresh berries (1 purple, 2 yellow, 3 tsp.)

Snack 1: Avocado Toast with Tomatoes made with 1 slice whole grain toast, with ¼ avocado, ½ cup cherry tomatoes (½ green, 1 yellow, 1 blue)

Lunch: Mason jar salad with 2 Tbsp. vinaigrette dressing, ½ cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup purple cabbage, ½ cup bell peppers, 6 oz. seasoned ground turkey, ¼ cup white onions, ¾ cup spinach (2½ green, 1½ red, 1 orange)

Snack 2: 1 cup cucumber, ¾ cup lowfat Greek yogurt mixed with 1 Tbsp. fresh dill (1 green, 1 red)

Dinner: 6 oz. steak with ½ cup new potatoes sautéed in 1 tsp. olive oil, ¾ cup steamed green beans, ¼ cup mushrooms sautéed in 1 tsp. olive oil (1 green, 1½ red, 1 yellow, 2 tsp.)

Snack 3: 1 scoop Shakeology blended water, ice, and 1 large banana (2 purple, 1 red)

 

Quick and Simple Meal Prep for the 21 Day Fix 2,100-2,300 Calories Calorie Level

Does more food mean more cooking? Not necessarily. To make this higher calorie meal prep just as quickly as a menu with less food, simply toss some brown rice in a rice cooker, hard boil some eggs, and sauté mushrooms and then ground turkey, you can even use the same pan. We suggest baked oatmeal cups for breakfast, but if you want to cut corners, you can eat oatmeal with blueberries instead. Our menu for this calorie level includes 6 green containers, 4 purple containers, 6 red containers, 4 yellow containers, 1 blue container, 1 orange container, and 6 tsp.

These are the daily meals for this meal prep menu:

Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal Cups with Blueberries with 2 hard-boiled eggs (½ purple, 1 red, 1 yellow)

Snack 1: 1 scoop or packet Shakeology blended with water, ice, 1 large banana, ½ cup strawberries, and 2 tsp. almond butter (1 red, 2 ½ purple, 2 tsp.)

Lunch: Mason jar salad with 2 Tbsp. vinaigrette dressing, 6 oz. seasoned ground turkey cooked in 1 tsp. oil, ½ cup black beans, ½ cup corn, ¾ cup bell peppers, ¼ cup white onion, 1 cup spinach, ½ chopped jalapeño (2 green, 1½ red, 2 yellow, 1 orange, 1 tsp.)

Snack 2: 1 cup cucumber, 1 cup cherry tomatoes (2 green)

Dinner: 6 oz. bison (or lean ground beef) burger with 1 slice (1 oz.) cheese on a bed of ¾ cup spinach, side of ¼ cup green beans and 1 cup mushrooms sauteéd in a pan coated with nonstick spray, with ½ cup brown rice (2 green, 1½ red, 1 yellow, 1 blue)

Snack 3: 1 medium apple with 3 tsp. peanut butter and ¾ cup plain lowfat Greek yogurt (not shown) (1 purple, 1 red, 3 tsp.)

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