Unless you've been living under a rock for the past six months, you've heard of Beachbody's 21-Day Fix. Who DOESN'T want to be "fixed" in 21 days (ugh, I hate this name... more on that later)? Like the rest of you, I was hooked by the ease of what the program seemed. And believe me, it IS easy if you've got the willpower of a padlocked steel door. Before starting, I researched a little bit, but like most other things... I dove right in. I found a few nay-sayers, but the majority was overwhelmingly positive. The 21-Day Fix works for lots of people, but it just wasn't for me... and here's why.
1. Food allergies. A huge part of Beachbody lovers tout Shakeology. And once upon a time, I did too! Until I started getting sick almost every time I drank it. You see, Beachbody tells you that Shakeology is gluten-free, but what most people don't know is it's not manufactured in a gluten-free plant and Beachbody does not feel confident in certifying their products gluten-free. They talk about it here on their website. For me, this was a large deal breaker -- either be certified gluten-free or not at all. The halfway seems a bit half-assed -- for lack of a better term -- if you ask me.
2. Portion control. I am the first person to tell you that portion control and working out is the name of the weight loss game, but my issue lies in something a little bit greater here. If I want to have something not on my "safe food" list, by God I'm going to eat it. And it shouldn't be called cheating, it should be called eating. Typically when you eat something that is less healthy, there is plenty of time to make smarter/healthier food choices for the rest of the day. You see how I phrased that -- less healthy... not bad, cheating or any of the other condescending bullshit it is sometimes associated with.
And that brings me to #3...
3. 21 Days is just what they call it -- a fix. To maintain a healthy weight and mentality, you need to make a lifestyle change. I don't like the idea that the name deceives you a little bit here. Come on Beachbody, you know that people are looking for long-term -- why else is Insanity two months long?! But really, of course you're going to see results in a rigorous 21-day program (umm, how else do you think The Biggest Loser contestants lose weight?). But the trick is maintaining, and that's a lifetime's worth of 21-day increments.
4. I wake up at 3 a.m. and my day ends at 9 p.m., so I was feeling hungry when I shouldn't have been, though I fully admit this has everything to do with my schedule and nothing to do with the program.
5. I will never not eat LUNA bars, and by day six I was seriously considering whether or not I could fill my fruit container with wine. Additionally, we go out to eat about once a week so I really struggled there. If you have any sort of social life, this "fix" is not for you.
In the end, I lost 7 inches overall and .5 pounds. I truly believe that this is because my diet already consists of all the foods they recommend and I work out one or two times per day. In fact, I actually noticed better results the week I gave up sugar.
When it comes down to fitness and eating, it's all about what works for you.
This content originally appeared on CommuniKait.com. All opinions are those of the author.