Days 19 and 20 were pretty uneventful. On Day 20 I drove out to my parents home at the lake where the temptations started flowing in. Not only were we having four different kinds of smoked meats for supper, but supper wasn't until about 8:30 and the appetizer and snacks were relentless. In order to stop myself from gorging on my second last day, I made a delicious fruit salad and ate a couple of bowls before supper. I may have eaten more than my two purple containers but I figure that it's better to "pig out" on peaches and strawberries than it is on chips and chocolate!
To health and happiness!
Jordana
Sunday, 14 June 2015
Thursday, 11 June 2015
21 Day Fix: Day 17 & 18
What can I say about the 10 Minute Fix for Abs? What a strange workout. It's basically 10 minutes of straight crunches so your core is on fire but you aren't sweating or short of breath. It really doesn't feel like you've completed a workout, but at the same time you aren't sure if you will even be able to finish. A very strange workout.
I thought my core would be really sorry the next day, but it wasn't. I'm not sure if this means I wasn't working hard enough or if the workout wasn't challenging enough, or what but if I'm being perfectly honest I was a little disappointed in the 10 Minute Fix for Abs. Ab Ripper X from P90X is still my all time favourite ab workout.
This morning was Pilates Fix and tonight will be Full Body Cardio. I have a golf tournament that I have to go to for work followed by a dinner so I'm thinking my afternoon workout might be more of a pre-bedtime workout tonight.
Only one more day of early mornings! Saturday and Sunday I will still work out when I wake up but I won't have to squeeze in a workout before work which will be a nice change. I'll also be spending the weekend at my parents so I'll have to struggle through two days of eating away from home and working out at their place.
To health and happiness,
Jordana
I thought my core would be really sorry the next day, but it wasn't. I'm not sure if this means I wasn't working hard enough or if the workout wasn't challenging enough, or what but if I'm being perfectly honest I was a little disappointed in the 10 Minute Fix for Abs. Ab Ripper X from P90X is still my all time favourite ab workout.
This morning was Pilates Fix and tonight will be Full Body Cardio. I have a golf tournament that I have to go to for work followed by a dinner so I'm thinking my afternoon workout might be more of a pre-bedtime workout tonight.
Only one more day of early mornings! Saturday and Sunday I will still work out when I wake up but I won't have to squeeze in a workout before work which will be a nice change. I'll also be spending the weekend at my parents so I'll have to struggle through two days of eating away from home and working out at their place.
To health and happiness,
Jordana
Tuesday, 9 June 2015
21 Day Fix: Day 15 & 16
Holy Crap! Less than a week to go!
Today was my second "doubles" day and I have to say I was pretty nervous about the "doubles" option. You are supposed to complete two workouts each day, each at a different time. I've chosen to do my first workout at 6:00AM before I get ready for work so that I can drink a full glass of water, workout and then eat breakfast and head to work. I know there is a big debate about working out on an empty stomach or not but for me, I feel nauseas if I try to work out after I've eaten so this works best for me. I hadn't done a morning workout in a LONG time and I was feeling pretty bad for myself having to get up early to work out. Little did I know that getting up 45 minutes early really doesn't make a whole hell of a lot of difference to my morning routine and in no way does it affect my energy level throughout the day. In fact, I've felt more energized during the first half of my day.
My second workout I do at my normal time right after work. Again, this works best for me because I usually get 45-60 minutes by myself at home before my boyfriend gets home. Don't get me wrong, I would still work out if he was home before me, I just like having a little bit of time all to myself where I get to focus on me. It's a guilt-free way to be selfish.
The first day of "doubles" was nice because it combined one of the hardest workouts with one of the easiest ones. Todays workout was two challenging ones: Arms and Cardio. My two weakest areas. I was kind of dreading Cardio Fix all day at work today but now that it's over, I really do feel refreshed. It's amazing what working out can do for you! Tomorrow is Legs and new exercise called 10 Minute Fix for Abs so I'm excited to see what it's all about.
To health and happiness and my first new workout in 16 days,
Jordana
Today was my second "doubles" day and I have to say I was pretty nervous about the "doubles" option. You are supposed to complete two workouts each day, each at a different time. I've chosen to do my first workout at 6:00AM before I get ready for work so that I can drink a full glass of water, workout and then eat breakfast and head to work. I know there is a big debate about working out on an empty stomach or not but for me, I feel nauseas if I try to work out after I've eaten so this works best for me. I hadn't done a morning workout in a LONG time and I was feeling pretty bad for myself having to get up early to work out. Little did I know that getting up 45 minutes early really doesn't make a whole hell of a lot of difference to my morning routine and in no way does it affect my energy level throughout the day. In fact, I've felt more energized during the first half of my day.
My second workout I do at my normal time right after work. Again, this works best for me because I usually get 45-60 minutes by myself at home before my boyfriend gets home. Don't get me wrong, I would still work out if he was home before me, I just like having a little bit of time all to myself where I get to focus on me. It's a guilt-free way to be selfish.
The first day of "doubles" was nice because it combined one of the hardest workouts with one of the easiest ones. Todays workout was two challenging ones: Arms and Cardio. My two weakest areas. I was kind of dreading Cardio Fix all day at work today but now that it's over, I really do feel refreshed. It's amazing what working out can do for you! Tomorrow is Legs and new exercise called 10 Minute Fix for Abs so I'm excited to see what it's all about.
To health and happiness and my first new workout in 16 days,
Jordana
21 Day Fix: Day 13 & 14
This post is a little late but because I've been repeating Week 1 I haven't felt like much has changed. I can feel my endurance improving like crazy and I've noticed that moves that used to be really difficult are getting much easier and I am able to power through them for the 60 seconds.
I was pretty disappointed on Sunday (I weighed in a day early) to find that I'd only lost 2lbs. That makes a total of 6.5lbs so far. Now, when I look at it from a total standpoint, I don't feel quite so bad. 6.5lbs in two weeks is nothing to be ashamed of. I think I just felt bad because I lost half of what I had the week before. However, if I'm being totally honest. My meal plan did take a bit of a hit during Week 2. I had a weeknight work dinner, dinner and a movie with my mom, and a weekend conference in Winnipeg. Now although I tried to make healthier choices (chicken and veggies at the restaurant, water to drink, packing my lunch for the conference), I still indulged and I probably had bigger servings at each meal than I really should have. That's another thing I've noticed on this meal plan is that I never feel like I'm starving but I also never feel like I'm stuffed. I have a habit of clearing my plate, even when I'm full or have taken WAY too much food and I normally leave a meal feeling physically sick because of how much I've eaten. Anyone who has ever had a Thanksgiving dinner can relate, I'm sure.
Now that Week 2 is done I am going to refocus and push even harder to finish this last week strong!
To health and happiness!
Jordana
Friday, 5 June 2015
21 Day Fix: Day 12
Cardio Fix in a hotel room at 9:00pm on a Friday night? Sure! Why not! Today was my first ever hotel room workout. Sadly, I had more room to workout in my hotel room than I do in my own basement.
I left work early today to drive into Winnipeg where my weekend conference is so I didn't have time to work out after work (my usual workout time) but lucky for me, I take my laptop everywhere and I have my 21 Day Fix loaded onto it so I can take it anywhere. Cardio Fix had me reeeeeally sweating today and I loved it. I completed all of the workouts without stopping/ switching to the modifiers other than the bonus round (I had to drop to my knees halfway through).
I packed snacks and my lunch for tomorrow along with my morning snack of black coffee mixed with protein powder so hopefully I can stick to my meal plan (Damn you drug reps and you're delicious free catered meals!!!)
The one thing I have noticed myself craving since starting the 21 Day Fix is bread. I crave toast and peanut butter sandwiches almost everyday, which is strange because I've never really thought I liked bread that much, I guess distance really does make the heart grow fonder!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
I left work early today to drive into Winnipeg where my weekend conference is so I didn't have time to work out after work (my usual workout time) but lucky for me, I take my laptop everywhere and I have my 21 Day Fix loaded onto it so I can take it anywhere. Cardio Fix had me reeeeeally sweating today and I loved it. I completed all of the workouts without stopping/ switching to the modifiers other than the bonus round (I had to drop to my knees halfway through).
I packed snacks and my lunch for tomorrow along with my morning snack of black coffee mixed with protein powder so hopefully I can stick to my meal plan (Damn you drug reps and you're delicious free catered meals!!!)
The one thing I have noticed myself craving since starting the 21 Day Fix is bread. I crave toast and peanut butter sandwiches almost everyday, which is strange because I've never really thought I liked bread that much, I guess distance really does make the heart grow fonder!
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| Staying at a hotel is NOT an excuse! |
Jordana
Thursday, 4 June 2015
21 Day Fix: Day 9, 10, & 11
I've had a busy couple of days! We got a new addition to the family, a beautiful little girl named Ellie June!
Apart from having an exciting couple of days with the baby, I still managed to get in all of my workouts. I also had two meals out, one for work and one with my mom and tried my hardest to stick to the meal plan. I had an 8oz steak with baby carrots and roasted potatoes at my work dinner and I had chicken with portobello mushrooms and roasted potatoes at the dinner with my mom (it was on the Under 550cal menu at Applebees). I feel like my workouts have gotten MUCH easier this week and that I've really been able to push myself through the exercises without taking as many breaks.
That being said I also feel like I'm not making as big of gains as I did last week. I have a weekend conference in a neighbouring city this weekend and although I've packed lunches and snacks for while I'm away I'm nervous that my eating plan will fall to the wayside. I'll be shocked if the scale shows anything positive this week, but that doesn't mean I'm going to quit or give up!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
Monday, 1 June 2015
21 Day Fix: Meal Prep and Week 1 Eating Plan
I do all of my meal prep on Sunday to prepare for the week. I try to think of two or three meals like I would like and then make a shopping list. I'm not going to lie, the first trip to the grocery store shocked me a little bit because of the price. I bought a lot of meat which up front looks like a lot of money but my meals averaged less than $4.00/meal.
This Sunday I prepped:
- 3 different homemade seasonings
- 2 grilled flank steaks (with 21 Day Fix Southwest Seasoning)
- 1 batch of crockpot mashed cauliflower (with garlic and rosemary)
- 1 pkg ground turkey (with homemade taco seasoning)
- 1 box of quinoa
- 2 diced chicken breasts (with 21 Day Fix Mediterranean Seasoning)
- 1 batch of homemade tortilla chips
My best advice for following the 21 Day Fix Nutrition guide is to 1) Be Creative, and 2) USE YOUR SEASONINGS. There are so many great recipes out there to make your own homemade seasoning and they all count as FREE in the nutrition guide. Flavour up those "bland" fruits and veggies and get eating right!
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| The base for most of my recipes: Mediterranean Seasoning, Taco Seasoning, & Southwest Seasoning |
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| Ground Turkey with Taco Seasoning |
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| Crockpot Mashed Cauliflower |
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| 4 Whole Wheat Tortillas chopped and toasted |
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| Finished product: Mixed with garlic and rosemary |
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| My delicious homemade chips (dusted with taco seasoning and spritzed with coconut oil) |
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| Healthy 21 Day Fix Taco Salad! |
21 Day Fix: Day 8
Well today was my official Week 1 weigh in and I'm happy to report that I did much better than I thought! 4.5lbs in one week! I was pumped!
The second round of Total Body Cardio Fix was a lot better than the first. I had a good sweat on and was able to complete almost all of the 60 second sets without switching to the modifier. I've already started to notice my core getting stronger and my waistline slimming down. I'd say that's pretty impressive considering it's only Day 8!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
The second round of Total Body Cardio Fix was a lot better than the first. I had a good sweat on and was able to complete almost all of the 60 second sets without switching to the modifier. I've already started to notice my core getting stronger and my waistline slimming down. I'd say that's pretty impressive considering it's only Day 8!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
Sunday, 31 May 2015
21 Day Fix: Day 7
Week One is Done!
I can't believe I'm already 1/3 of the way done, I already feel so much better. I have my first weigh in tomorrow which I'm not very excited about. I need to remember how good I've felt the last few days and focus on that more than on the number I'll see on the scale.
Yoga Fix was the perfect way to end the week. It's active recovery so you are moving through lots of stretches to help loosen up the muscles you've worked so hard in the previous week. I didn't realize how tense and tight I was until I tried to sink into familiar positions and had quite a bit more trouble than usual. Flexibility is something I really struggle with so I need to make that a focus of mine. Maybe I'll start going to yoga a few times a week to try and loosen everything up. A big problem of mine is that I hate not being good at things. If I'm not middle of the pack, or better, I get easily discouraged and embarrassed but if there is one thing that exercise has taught me is that it doesn't take long to improve. And if I really think about it, I would never judge someone at the gym or the studio for not being excellent at something. I'm just impressed that they are out there doing it!
Well, now that Week One is over, I'm going to have to prep all of my meals for the coming week and start this all over again...At least I can enjoy my Chocolate Peppermint Mocha while I'm at it!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
I can't believe I'm already 1/3 of the way done, I already feel so much better. I have my first weigh in tomorrow which I'm not very excited about. I need to remember how good I've felt the last few days and focus on that more than on the number I'll see on the scale.
Yoga Fix was the perfect way to end the week. It's active recovery so you are moving through lots of stretches to help loosen up the muscles you've worked so hard in the previous week. I didn't realize how tense and tight I was until I tried to sink into familiar positions and had quite a bit more trouble than usual. Flexibility is something I really struggle with so I need to make that a focus of mine. Maybe I'll start going to yoga a few times a week to try and loosen everything up. A big problem of mine is that I hate not being good at things. If I'm not middle of the pack, or better, I get easily discouraged and embarrassed but if there is one thing that exercise has taught me is that it doesn't take long to improve. And if I really think about it, I would never judge someone at the gym or the studio for not being excellent at something. I'm just impressed that they are out there doing it!
Well, now that Week One is over, I'm going to have to prep all of my meals for the coming week and start this all over again...At least I can enjoy my Chocolate Peppermint Mocha while I'm at it!
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| 1 Cup of brewed black coffee, 1 scoop of Chocolate Protein Powder, and 2-3 drops of Peppermint Extract. A delicious morning shake and it only costs 1 Red Container! |
Jordana
21 Day Fix: Day 6
This post is a day late but it seems fitting to write it today because every time I move, I think about yesterday's workout. I am SORE. I had no idea what to expect with the Dirty 30: Cardio? Strength? Agility? Core? Stretching? It's entirely strength and again has four rounds with two exercises per round. I had to switch to lighter weights halfway through most of the exercises but I ALWAYS kept moving making sure my form correct. Whenever I used to get tired during my other at home DVD workouts I would either stop and take a break until the instructor and her students were finished or else just pause the DVD until I caught my breath. Now, I make sure that if I am tiring out or giving up I switch to the modifier for a few moves and then back to the original move. I've noticed that this keeps my heart rate up and lets me feel like I'm taking a break while still working my aching muscles.
On another note, after my workout, my sisters and I, along with my niece and nephew went to the first ever Pride March in Brandon, MB. It was a ton of fun and it was incredible to see this small rural community come together to support the LGBT community in Southwestern Manitoba. Not only were we showing our support and having a blast, we were also getting some great exercise in at the same time. A win-win!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
On another note, after my workout, my sisters and I, along with my niece and nephew went to the first ever Pride March in Brandon, MB. It was a ton of fun and it was incredible to see this small rural community come together to support the LGBT community in Southwestern Manitoba. Not only were we showing our support and having a blast, we were also getting some great exercise in at the same time. A win-win!
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| Picking up some goodies before the Pride March |
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| What a great turnout! |
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| Pride Mascot! |
Jordana
Friday, 29 May 2015
21 Day Fix: Day 5
New favourite snack: Smoked Turkey Mozzarella Rolls....okay so it's just shaved deli meat wrapped around a chunk of mozza but man does it satisfy my afternoon hunger! I usually have fruit for my afternoon snack but it never really satisfies me. I tried my turkey rolls today and it was great! I felt like I could have packed half of what I did and still be satisfied.
So remember when I said these workouts didn't leave you doubled over gasping for air? Ya...about that... I lied. Cardio Fix reminded me alot of my Jillian Michaels videos in that you barely felt like you caught your breath before starting the next exercise. That being said, today's workout was AWESOME! I was drenched in sweat and it felt so good to finally feel like I really pushed myself.
I've decided that on Sunday I'm going to post a chart of my first week meal plan for anyone who wants to see what a simple 21 Day Fix meal plan looks like and then on Monday I'll post about my Sunday meal prep as meal prepping plays a huge role in this program.
To health and happiness and having a great (healthy) weekend!
Jordana
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| Simple + Healthy + Satisfying |
I've decided that on Sunday I'm going to post a chart of my first week meal plan for anyone who wants to see what a simple 21 Day Fix meal plan looks like and then on Monday I'll post about my Sunday meal prep as meal prepping plays a huge role in this program.
To health and happiness and having a great (healthy) weekend!
Jordana
Thursday, 28 May 2015
21 Day Fix: Day 4
Wow, it's only Day 4? Really? It feels like I've been at this for at lease a week or two already...not sure if that's a good sign or not. Today was Pilates Fix and, if I am being completely honest, I thought today was going to be a joke. I even wore a sweater at the start of the workout because I didn't think I would warm up enough to wear a tee. The sweater didn't make it through the warm up.
I like these workouts because they are all challenging in different ways but they don't make you want to "Puke, Faint, or Die". They test your muscles and make you push yourself in each area that you are working out. Pilates Fix was focused on core, shoulders, and glutes and most of the moves I had never seen before so that always keeps it interesting. My butt is going to ache tomorrow which means I know I got a good workout in.
Apart from the exercises (which I'm loving), and the meal planning (which has been much easier to follow than I initially expected), I have already started to notice a big change in my mood and demeanour. I am always shocked to realize how much my mood is affected by my health. In the past couple of weeks I noticed myself slipping back into old habits of being negative and unable to find happiness in my day to day life and in just four days of into getting myself back on track I already feel so much better.
Here's to the next 17 Days!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
I like these workouts because they are all challenging in different ways but they don't make you want to "Puke, Faint, or Die". They test your muscles and make you push yourself in each area that you are working out. Pilates Fix was focused on core, shoulders, and glutes and most of the moves I had never seen before so that always keeps it interesting. My butt is going to ache tomorrow which means I know I got a good workout in.
Apart from the exercises (which I'm loving), and the meal planning (which has been much easier to follow than I initially expected), I have already started to notice a big change in my mood and demeanour. I am always shocked to realize how much my mood is affected by my health. In the past couple of weeks I noticed myself slipping back into old habits of being negative and unable to find happiness in my day to day life and in just four days of into getting myself back on track I already feel so much better.
Here's to the next 17 Days!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
Wednesday, 27 May 2015
21 Day Fix: Day 3
LEG DAY! I normally love leg day because I never really find it that challenging. I'm not sure if it has something to do with all the volleyball I used to play in middle and high school but I very rarely find a workout that drains my legs. Until now. Lower Fix is packed with a ton of moves I've never seen before and they all target different leg muscles that I didn't even know existed. I was shaking and quivering and could barely walk up the stairs afterwards. Note to self, don't do Lower Fix in the basement anymore.
Anyway I have some yard work and house cleaning to do and I want to do them tonight because I have a sneaky suspicion that I'll have trouble walking tomorrow.
To health and happiness!
Jordana
Anyway I have some yard work and house cleaning to do and I want to do them tonight because I have a sneaky suspicion that I'll have trouble walking tomorrow.
To health and happiness!
Jordana
Tuesday, 26 May 2015
21 Day Fix: Day 2
I am really loving these workouts! There are definitely not as challenging as Ripped in 30 or 30 Day Shred, but there are perfect for what I am trying to accomplish with this new challenge. Whenever I take a break from my Jillian Michaels DVDs, I am always left pouring sweat and gasping for air when I decide to pick them back up. Now, this certainly isn't a bad thing but it can be extremely discouraging and makes the thought of coming home after work, or getting up early in the morning to work out, very daunting. I like to be excited to work out, not nervous and afraid!
Day 2 was called Upper Body Fix and it really was focused on upper body (with a few core exercises thrown in). Almost every other DVD or fitness program I have tried always combines intense cardio with each major muscle group, but this one did not. I found that by not focusing on my heart pounding out of my chest or trying to suck in as much oxygen as humanly possible, I was able to really focus on each individual muscle group and to try and get my form as close to perfect as possible. Another thing I really like about these videos are the modifiers. I am an extremely stubborn person and nine times out of 10 I will refuse to do the modifiers, which often leaves me completing about 1/2 to 3/4 of the exercise before I burn out. In these videos, the trainer, Autumn Calabrese, really pushes you to do as many un-modified moves as possible but that if you can't finish to switch to the modifier. She also gives intermediate modifiers that are perfect for when you just need to take 2-3 moves easier before finishing strong with the un-modified versions.
I'm excited to see what tomorrow's workout will bring!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
Day 2 was called Upper Body Fix and it really was focused on upper body (with a few core exercises thrown in). Almost every other DVD or fitness program I have tried always combines intense cardio with each major muscle group, but this one did not. I found that by not focusing on my heart pounding out of my chest or trying to suck in as much oxygen as humanly possible, I was able to really focus on each individual muscle group and to try and get my form as close to perfect as possible. Another thing I really like about these videos are the modifiers. I am an extremely stubborn person and nine times out of 10 I will refuse to do the modifiers, which often leaves me completing about 1/2 to 3/4 of the exercise before I burn out. In these videos, the trainer, Autumn Calabrese, really pushes you to do as many un-modified moves as possible but that if you can't finish to switch to the modifier. She also gives intermediate modifiers that are perfect for when you just need to take 2-3 moves easier before finishing strong with the un-modified versions.
I'm excited to see what tomorrow's workout will bring!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
Monday, 25 May 2015
21 Day Fix: Day 1
Another year, another challenge. This year: 21 Day Fix.
I stumbled upon this challenge by complete accident, not realizing its popularity among the fitness community. I started noticing some delicious and healthy looking snacks on Pinterest, most with the caption "21 Day Fix Approved" and decided to check it out myself.
After obtaining the 21 Day Fix package, complete with food containers I embarked on my newest challenge. I'll have to admit, the containers were MUCH smaller than I expected and I was/ still am nervous that I won't be able to stick to the meal plan due to extreme hunger.
Anyway, back to Day 1. I was right about the containers, they are SMALL, but surprisingly you really can eat quite a bit, its just not really the food you want to eat a lot of (fruits, veggies, and protein). There is also no room for snacking, so that is going to be a challenge for me. The workout however was awesome. I loved my 30 Day Shred circuits but this video had four rounds each with two exercises which made you really push yourself as you felt like you only had two exercises to do in each round and wanted to finish each one strong.
I am excited to see what the next 21 Days will bring (hopefully some motivating before and after pictures)!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
I stumbled upon this challenge by complete accident, not realizing its popularity among the fitness community. I started noticing some delicious and healthy looking snacks on Pinterest, most with the caption "21 Day Fix Approved" and decided to check it out myself.
After obtaining the 21 Day Fix package, complete with food containers I embarked on my newest challenge. I'll have to admit, the containers were MUCH smaller than I expected and I was/ still am nervous that I won't be able to stick to the meal plan due to extreme hunger.
Anyway, back to Day 1. I was right about the containers, they are SMALL, but surprisingly you really can eat quite a bit, its just not really the food you want to eat a lot of (fruits, veggies, and protein). There is also no room for snacking, so that is going to be a challenge for me. The workout however was awesome. I loved my 30 Day Shred circuits but this video had four rounds each with two exercises which made you really push yourself as you felt like you only had two exercises to do in each round and wanted to finish each one strong.
I am excited to see what the next 21 Days will bring (hopefully some motivating before and after pictures)!
To health and happiness,
Jordana
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