Mindfulness and the 21 Day Fix
While on a life safari, we often encounter several different paths we can take to get to where we want to go. Among the many different goals people have, weight loss is often one that folks say they want to achieve more than anything else. I was one of those people: in June of 2015, I was 6 months away from getting married and knew I wanted to get healthier and tone up before I had to wear the big dress. That was when I found the 21 Day Fix.
I had heard from a few people how much the 21 Day Fix helped them lose weight and get healthier, so I decided to check it out on my own. The program is exactly as it states - 21 days long - and involves a regimen of daily exercise and healthy eating using colored, portioned containers for measuring food. The containers are meant to take the guess work out of calorie counting, and I found them to be very easy to use.
The exercises are intense, but manageable, and at around 30 minutes per day, are easily able to be incorporated into your busy daily schedule. Each day has a different theme, with two "active rest" days interspersed throughout the week to give your body a break. The other five routines, though, are no joke, asking you to give it your all for 60 seconds per exercise with only short 15-20 second breaks in between. Especially if you're new to working out at this level, it can be extremely challenging.
Although I did not lose as much weight as many other peoples' experiences, the 21 Day Fix taught me about something I was not expecting to learn: mindfulness. Jon Kabat-Zinn, an expert in the subject, defines mindfulness as “...paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” In other words, mindfulness means living for right now. This practice is something often recommended to individuals who suffer from depression and anxiety, two diseases that predispose a person to mentally being anywhere but in the present moment.
However, applying principles of mindfulness when it comes to weight loss can be extremely beneficial, and this message is found throughout the 21 Day Fix. Mindful eating is not a new concept, but the 21 Day Fix helps you learn how to do that because it requires you to do planning well ahead of time in order to stick to the routine. Concepts of mindfulness, however, are most prominently featured in the 21 Day Fix exercise videos. Autumn Calabrese, the brains behind the 21 Day Fix, is constantly emphasizing mindfulness whether she realizes it or not. Throughout these videos, you will hear her repeat the same general mantra: "Don't worry about what came before, and don't worry about what's next. Focus on this exercise, right now." When engaging in these exercises, because of their intensity and difficulty at times, a person might feel like they want to give up. However, Autumn's words encourage you to stay in the present moment, just get through THIS exercise right now. When one ends and the next one begins, she implores you to "let it go."
Letting go and focusing on the present moment is not an easy feat. It requires discipline and emotional fortitude, and it takes a lot of practice in order to get it right. But as the 21 Day Fix tries to establish right from the beginning, these ideas are not meant to be a quick fix - they are meant to be a lifestyle change. And while weight loss is the main focus of the 21 Day Fix, people using the program might be pleasantly surprised with what else they learn along the way.
These concepts of mindfulness can be so helpful to anyone trying to live a more purposeful life, but also to someone struggling with long-term or short-term specific goals. When Autumn talks about creating new, healthier habits, she isn't referring to just physical health, but mental health, as well. Pretending that the two are not interconnected or mutually exclusive would be irresponsible and ineffective when helping individuals make a true change to their unhealthy lifestyles.
I had heard from a few people how much the 21 Day Fix helped them lose weight and get healthier, so I decided to check it out on my own. The program is exactly as it states - 21 days long - and involves a regimen of daily exercise and healthy eating using colored, portioned containers for measuring food. The containers are meant to take the guess work out of calorie counting, and I found them to be very easy to use.
The exercises are intense, but manageable, and at around 30 minutes per day, are easily able to be incorporated into your busy daily schedule. Each day has a different theme, with two "active rest" days interspersed throughout the week to give your body a break. The other five routines, though, are no joke, asking you to give it your all for 60 seconds per exercise with only short 15-20 second breaks in between. Especially if you're new to working out at this level, it can be extremely challenging.
Although I did not lose as much weight as many other peoples' experiences, the 21 Day Fix taught me about something I was not expecting to learn: mindfulness. Jon Kabat-Zinn, an expert in the subject, defines mindfulness as “...paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” In other words, mindfulness means living for right now. This practice is something often recommended to individuals who suffer from depression and anxiety, two diseases that predispose a person to mentally being anywhere but in the present moment.
However, applying principles of mindfulness when it comes to weight loss can be extremely beneficial, and this message is found throughout the 21 Day Fix. Mindful eating is not a new concept, but the 21 Day Fix helps you learn how to do that because it requires you to do planning well ahead of time in order to stick to the routine. Concepts of mindfulness, however, are most prominently featured in the 21 Day Fix exercise videos. Autumn Calabrese, the brains behind the 21 Day Fix, is constantly emphasizing mindfulness whether she realizes it or not. Throughout these videos, you will hear her repeat the same general mantra: "Don't worry about what came before, and don't worry about what's next. Focus on this exercise, right now." When engaging in these exercises, because of their intensity and difficulty at times, a person might feel like they want to give up. However, Autumn's words encourage you to stay in the present moment, just get through THIS exercise right now. When one ends and the next one begins, she implores you to "let it go."
Letting go and focusing on the present moment is not an easy feat. It requires discipline and emotional fortitude, and it takes a lot of practice in order to get it right. But as the 21 Day Fix tries to establish right from the beginning, these ideas are not meant to be a quick fix - they are meant to be a lifestyle change. And while weight loss is the main focus of the 21 Day Fix, people using the program might be pleasantly surprised with what else they learn along the way.
These concepts of mindfulness can be so helpful to anyone trying to live a more purposeful life, but also to someone struggling with long-term or short-term specific goals. When Autumn talks about creating new, healthier habits, she isn't referring to just physical health, but mental health, as well. Pretending that the two are not interconnected or mutually exclusive would be irresponsible and ineffective when helping individuals make a true change to their unhealthy lifestyles.
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