Tone It Up!

So the wedding countdown is in full swing, with barely a month to go until we say "I Do". Thankfully, my dress makes me feel awesome. But really, I haven't been feeling so awesome about my body lately. I've put on weight, and lost a lot of my tone. It's not totally out of control, but definitely to the point that I need to do something about it. There's no better time than now to kick my butt into high gear and do my best to shape up a little.

My sister-in-law has raved about the Tone It Up plan, and I have to admit that the social community aspect of it is definitely a draw for me. There are Instagrams, Pinterest pins, and Twitter posts galore around work-outs and healthy meals. It's not so much about dieting as it is about a healthy lifestyle. So I decided to bite the bullet and give it a (modified) try. I still try to eat a hybrid vegan/vegetarian diet, so knew I would need to make a few adjustments. More than anything, I was hoping to find more motivation to fit in regular work-outs and more protein, fruits and vegetables into my daily meals.

I downloaded the meal plans and recipes, and did my best to wrap my head around how to make it work. Careful planning and preparation are key! I definitely have to map out what I'm eating, and when, so that I have everything I need. So far, it's helped add a better variety to my daily breakfast, and cut down on some of the carbs that we eat at night. I've lost a few pounds, and think that if I can ramp up my work-outs (that's where I've been slacking the most), I might be able to make some really good improvements.

The plan consists of a morning "booty call" (no, not THAT kind of booty call!) It's a 30 minute work out to get your heart rate going for the day. You can do cardio, a HIIT routine....really anything that gets you moving. You also eat  5 meals a day (2 of those are snack sized), and then try to add additional weight training and cardio throughout. Katrina and Karena (the Tone It Up girls) are always sending out motivational emails, links to new work outs, and healthy recipe ideas. They are so personable that they really make you feel like you're BFFs. I've really enjoyed making some adjustments, and slowly seeing results. Below are some of the meals that I've had over the past two weeks.

M1 (meal 1) usually consists of greek yogurt with fruit and ground flax seed, egg whites cooked with spinach and served over a piece of toast (with hot sauce, or course) or a protein pancake or waffle made with Perfect Fit Protein Powder. My favorite combo was yogurt, fresh pineapple and mint. Yum!!

Meal 1

M2 and M4 are the "snack" meals, usually consisting of fresh fruit, coconut water, and sometimes a protein smoothie (made with almond milk) in the afternoon. That definitely helps me get from lunch to dinner without feeling hunger pains. I also drink a ton of water throughout the day, so it's nice to have a little flavor from something like coconut water or hot tea.

Meals 2 and 4

M3 (lunch) is usually the same thing- some variation of a salad with tofu. I need to work a little harder on putting together some better things. There are a few wraps from the TIU meal plan that I could easily make- I just need to find a better tasting substitute for a collard green (what they use as the "wrap"). My first attempt was not too appetizing. I will say that I found the most amazing salad dressing, and it totally made my lunch for a whole week! I used it on a very small serving of whole wheat noodles, topped with spinach, chopped veggies, and teriyaki marinated tofu. Click on this link for the Grapefruit Sriracha Vinaigrette.

Spinach and noodle salad with Grapefruit-Sriracha Vinaigrette

Last but not least- M5 is something moderately easy to put together. I'm so tired of getting home from work and spending an hour (or more) making dinner. My recent go-to has been these Quinoa Cakes topped with spinach pesto, or cilantro chutney sauce (so spicy, and so good!) I can make these on Sunday and eat them throughout the week. I just add some steamed veggies, and Hank cooks a piece of fish for himself.

Quinoa Cake with pesto, and a kale/strawberry salad on the side.

Has anyone else given the Tone It Up plan a try? Would love to hear any success stories, motivation tips, etc.