THE FIRM EXPRESS: FINAL REVIEW

So! Today was my 'final day' of The Firm Express!

Let's start with my overall thoughts on the program.

Look. If you need to do something every day (which - let's face it, we're supposed to work out every day in order to 'maintain') and 20 minutes is all that you have then this is the program for you.  I don't want any of you to get your hopes up and think that you're going to be like those people who drop 15 pounds and like 3 pant sizes in four weeks because...well it's just not realistic.

The end of my four weeks I am down 5 pounds (hooray!) and quite honestly, that's a lot for me.  I'm not a big woman, I'm only 5'3'', so 5 pounds means I'm now in between pant sizes, and I'm probably going to have to be wearing size sixes falling off of me for a little while with a belt before I can fit well into a size four again.

I had a rough first couple of days with the program, mostly because I was starting a new diet and getting myself back into the routine of working out - so my body was sore.  I mean SORE.  I was pumped because after only a day of a 20 minutes workout I didn't think it was possible to be as sore as I was.  The second week - if you remember, I was sick.  So that week was hard for me just because I didn't feel well at all.

And then weeks three and four, my life got busy so posting became lax but I still maintained the workout and diet.

I will say, I think my diet had more to do with my weight loss than the exercising.  I'll say this again, I thin it's great to have this 20 minute power workout but I think that it is best for MAINTAINING results, or MAINTAINING the goal weight once you have achieved it, more than anything else.

Would I recommend this program to buy? Sure.  I think it's a really good kick start to a real workout plan.  The truth of the matter is - if you want to see real results, you have to put the time in.  I'm not talking 20 minutes, I'm talking about an hour or so of a steady workout routine, at least five days a week.

I'm not done yet! I'm starting Brazil Butt Lift tomorrow and that is a combined program.  First four weeks is one schedule, and the second four weeks is the 'classic', so I'll be posting about THAT now, and after four weeks reveal my results (hopefully more than 5 pounds!) and then again after 8 weeks!

Let me know if this helps!

DOWN 5 POUNDSSSSS

Who's down 5 pounds as of today? THIS GIRL. ONE MONTH 5 POUNDS!

I think FINALLY my diet/exercise plan is working.  It's like my body decided to wake up this week and really the weight has started to fall away from my body.  My size 6 pants are really loose and I find myself having to pull them up.

That being said - last day of The Firm Express is TOMORROW. And Sunday you'll get a nice overall review of my life for the past four weeks.

Breakfast:
Egg whites w/ cheese
Lunch:
Chicken broth/chicken
Dinner:
Shrimp/Beef Teriyaki, edamame

I really needed this boost of weight loss this morning, it pretty much made my entire week better.  Anybody else working with me here? =)

Sorry about the brief hiatus

Hey guys, sorry about not posting the last couple of days, it's been really hectic around the house.  Good news though, I started the dreaded Brazil Butt Lift (by started, I mean that I tried out one dvd monday and one yesterday, not the schedule.  Waiting til next week for that.)

I'm still doing my lovely Firm Express.  I'm closing in on my final review for that and it's going to have some positives I think, but I didn't see enough results to give it super high marks so wait for that.

I DO want to mention that my 'bum bum' (butt) is KILLING ME.  Death.  Dead butt..muscles in my butt I didn't even know I have hurt.  But I'll save that until next week.

Today my food was boring but stable so I'm fine with it.

Breakfast: Eggs
Lunch: Soup with chicken!
Dinner: Leftover London Broil (yummmm) with asparagus and soy beans.

London broil is my fave.  Dunno why it's just super delicious.  No comments about my stellar Cauliflower mash? So sad!

Rest day!

Well hello my lovely followers and readers!

I was so excited about today.  I know that this sounds really really super lame but I'll tell you all about it.  I'm not a huge veggie person and I have been looking on the internet to try and find interesting ways to cook things.  The texture of broccoli is gross to me. I mean GROSS.  The tops sort of pop and squish in your mouth and I don't do well with that.  So I've been eating asparagus pretty much every night and don't get me wrong I love asparagus, but it was time for something new tonight.

Guess what I did?

Boring normal day.
Breakfast:
Cheese eggs
Lunch:
Chicken soup/chicken
Dinner:
London broil, soy beans. WAIT FOR IT...CAULIFLOWER MASH.

Okay.  So here's the awesome part.  IT TASTES LIKE MASHED POTATOES.

Put it in a bowl and heat that baby in the microwave for 8-10 minutes until fork tender.  Thennnnn put it in a blender (yes, a blender). Add ingredients that you'd add to your mashed potatoes.  For me it was a little seasoned salt, a little bit of milk, and some pepper.  BLENDDDDD. And BAM. Mashed potatoes.  They only taste like cauliflower when they're cold. So there. Make some yumminess.  Have kids? Swap out their potato mash for cauliflower. MUCH HEALTHIER. They'll eat their veggies without knowing! Add a potato in with skins to trick them (with love).

Two days before midnight? Oh it's a good day.

Tomorrow is a rest day! THANK GOODNESS.

I'm pretty excited about Monday and I think that this 'rest day' I'm going to try out some of the Brazil Butt Lift DVDs.  I can definitely use some extra cardio seeing as I may have had some pizza today.  Yes, pizza. I haven't had that in like a month?  So I am pretty excited!  Also, I think the fact that I ate pizza today makes me not want it..pretty much ever again.  I think the next 'cheat day' I'm going to just mix it up with a couple of pretzels or a cookie, or something, instead of having any 'cheat meals'.  I think it's part of the problem with the weight loss so it's about time to fix it all up, change it a little bit, and get the weight loss thing under control.  Mostly because I'm getting too bored with not seeing that many results!

Breakfast!
Cheese eggs
Lunch:
Bagel bites
Dinner:
1 slice Pizza hut pizza, 3 breadsticks

Tons and tons of water, I'm probably the most hydrated person in the world.

Before midnight? I count that as better =)

I get to have pizza tomorrow.  Monday I start Brazil Butt Lift WITH the last week of The Firm Express, and Tuesday I have a career fair at my school!  Oh man it's going to be a good week.  I feel a job interview in the making I think. POSITIVE THINKING. I'm also going to use that positive thinking as motivation to get my butt into shape (literally).  I think that The Firm Express has mostly helped with my arms.  I feel more muscle tone but still no more weight loss than the 2 pounds (womp womp).  If I can get to 5 pounds by the end of next week I'd be happy, I'm hoping that the added cardio will help boost that.

Plus then I can review Brazil Butt Lift! =) I know you're all excited.

Breakfast:
Eggs
Lunch:
Chicken broth/chicken
Dinner:
Teriyaki Shrimp and beef, soy beans, carrots.

Is anyone else working out along with me? I'd love to hear about your progresses!

Okay I'll do better next time.

It was another hectic day in the neighborhood.  I've been applying for jobs left and right and let's cross our fingers that this one pulls through.

It's pretty bad because I'm really bored with The Firm Express.  Again, I think it's because I'm not really seeing very many results from it.  I think I'm stronger overall, but that's about it.  My diet is controlled, and I'm trying to plan my next round of workouts.  I'm still thinking about Brazil Butt Lift.  If I do that and on the rest days do Zumba, I think that would be good for round two.  I'm sort of excited to be done though, I mean hey, I'm hoping to lose 4 pounds total, and four pounds in 4 weeks isn't too bad, right? RIGHT.

Breakfast:
Eggs
Lunch:
Chicken Soup
Dinner:
Pork Tenderloin, soy beans, asparagus

I'm thinking about doing cauliflower mash tomorrow and eggplant for veggies..looking for some good cauliflower mash recipes because apparently they can taste like mashed potatoes! COOL.