I’m recapping my final week of the Tone It Up Bikini Series, which also happened to be the 7 Day Slim Down. I only followed the Slim Down for 5 days, so keep that in mind when reading through this post!

WHAT I ATE
Monday-Friday:
Meal 1: Egg white scramble with red bell pepper, onion, and spinach
Meal 2: Grapefruit
Meal 3: Spring mix salad with tuna, tomatoes, and apple cider vinaigrette
Meal 4: Hummus with peppers and cucumbers
Meal 5:

• Monday: Salmon, Quinoa, and Green Beans
• Tuesday: Spicy Shrimp, Quinoa, and Brussels Sprouts
• Wednesday: Zoodles with Lentil Tomato Sauce
• Thursday: Taco Salad
• Friday: Chickpea Burger in a Lettuce Wrap with Cucumber Salad

Saturday (I did NOT follow the 7 Day Slim Down over the weekend)
Meal 1: Lemon Poppyseed Protein Pancakes (from the Thug Kitchen cookbook- they’re amazing!)
Meal 2: Nectarine
Meal 3: Tomato Pie
Meal 4: Homemade Chex Mix (also from the Thug Kitchen cookbook)
Meal 5: Vegan Brownie with Arctic Zero

Sunday
Meal 1: Whole wheat bagel with peanut butter
Meal 2: Iced coffee
Meal 3: Leftover tomato pie (…we had a lot of tomato pie)
Meal 4: None
Meal 5: Buffalo Cauliflower Burgers + Cucumber Salad

Before I began the 7 Day Slim Down, I knew I could only commit to 5 days. Over the weekend we had some family events to attend and I did eat relatively healthy, but was not in compliance with the slimdown. I love the food on the regular Nutrition Plan, but the food on the 7 Day Slim Down is NOT my favorite. I’m all about healthy eating, but I’m also all about flavor. I tried to spice up my dishes a little, but they were still a little boring for my taste. I found myself feeling hungry a lot throughout the day, especially at night before bed. I generally wake up and go right into my workout and then eat breakfast when I’m finished. A few mornings I felt a little light headed and had to drink some orange juice mid-workout. This usually helps to bring my blood sugar up and lets me finish the last few minutes. I “cheated” on Tuesday and had a Clif bar about an hour before my run because I was so hungry and wasn’t sure I would make it through. I can see why the 7 Day Slim Down is for 7 days ONLY and you are not supposed to continue to eat this way. For someone who eats pretty healthy regularly, this felt too restrictive for my liking. I signed up to do Round 2 of the Bikini Series, but Week 8 falls the same week as my vacation to Punta Cana, so I may be skipping the 7 Day Slim Down (or completing it early- but there is no way I’m doing it while on vacation. Sorry not sorry.)  I can’t say I would do it again for any other reason. This week I learned that it’s good to stick to the plan and stay motivated, but it’s also good to listen to your body and add some extra healthy calories in when you need them. An extra bar here and there can make a huge difference in your energy level!

TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE NUTRITION PLAN: Overall, I LOVED starting my day with a smoothie and eating something a little heavier (like a serving of overnight oats) mid-morning. This is something I am going to continue to do long after the challenge is complete. I have also noticed a difference in how I feel at night if I limit my carbs at dinner time. My body seems to handle starchy foods much better mid-day, which is good to know because I can plan to eat whole wheat breads/pastas for lunch and keep my dinners a little lighter. My favorite recipes from the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan are the Blueberry Bombshell Smoothie, Perfect Fit Pancake/Waffle, PerfectFit French Toast, and the Lemon Honey Overnight Oats. They are all M1 and M2 recipes and I will definitely be rotating them throughout the summer. I also like the Slim Down Scramble for a savory breakfast option.

WHAT I DID:
Monday

• AM: Cardio Abs + Bikini Body + 10 minute walk
• PM: Upper Body Total Toner + 20 minute walk
• TOTAL ACTIVE TIME: 80 MINUTES

Tuesday

• AM: None
• PM: 30 minute run + 30 minute walk
• TOTAL ACTIVE TIME: 60 MINUTES

Wednesday

• AM: HIIT Me Up + 10 minute walk
• PM: Toned Abs + 20 minute walk
• TOTAL ACTIVE TIME: 70 MINUTES

Thursday

• AM: Kettle Flow
• PM: Legs for Days + 20 minute run + 10 minute walk
• TOTAL ACTIVE TIME: 70 MINUTES

Friday

• AM: K & K Slay
• PM: Booty Workout + Toned Arms + 20 minute walk
• TOTAL ACTIVE TIME: 75 MINUTES

Saturday

• AM: Cardio Abs + Total Body Tone Up
• PM: 20 minute walk
• TOTAL ACTIVE TIME: 60 MINUTES

Sunday

• AM: 5 mile hike
• PM: none
• TOTAL ACTIVE TIME: 100 MINUTES

I’m still loving the workouts. I have been really consistent with getting all of the workouts in. I only missed one day of workouts in the entire 8 weeks, and it was the day after we attended an out of town wedding. I opted for a nap instead of a workout, but that’s what my body needed! I think there were 2-3 days during the Bikini Series that I slept in instead of doing my AM workout (see Tuesday), but I always made sure to complete the workout in the afternoon so I really never “skipped” any other workouts. I also liked adding on some of the shorter free workouts (under 10 minutes) from the website when I had extra time.

TAKE-AWAYS FROM THE WORKOUT SCHEDULE: I love doing two shorter workouts a day instead of one longer one. It feels more manageable in my schedule and less overwhelming. You may see a 10 or 20 minute workout and think it must be easy, but I’m telling you that some of these workouts are TOUGH. I love the HIIT workouts, but they really do kick my butt every time. I will continue doing an AM and PM workout after the Bikini Series because it’s really been working well for me! I might incorporate some variety though instead of doing all Tone It Up workouts and running (like some of my other favorite at-home workouts or incorporating a few classes). I have more time in the summer since I’m working less, so I’m able to be more flexible with what I do.

OVERALL REFLECTIONS ON THE BIKINI SERIES:
I truly love this program. I’m not saying it works for everyone, but it really does work for me. It keeps me accountable and motivated. As I mentioned previously, I signed up to do Round 2 of the challenge, which goes through most of the summer. I’m excited to keep the momentum going and experiment a little more with the next challenge. Are you doing Round 2?! Let me know!