Working out as a couple on vacation

21 Day Fix Couples Edition – Working Out & Meal Planning with my Hubby

My husband, Jeff, and I decided to do the 21 Day Fix program together for the last three weeks. We knew things were going to be crazy with vacation and the kids getting ready to head back to school. Plus, we both wanted to be looking good when we headed to the lake. Being able to support one another was one way we could stay on track with our meals and workouts, plus it is glorious having your accountability partner living with you. I wanted to share our experience for the benefit of anyone looking to start the 21 Day Fix or considering taking on a workout program with their significant other.

We found the key to success with this program is PLANNING. Here’s a run down of how we prepared and what worked (or didn’t) for us.

Meal Plans

Grocery Store List

It is really important to have everything you need for the week in your house. If the food you should be eating isn’t at the ready, our tendency is to grab for whatever is available when we are hungry.

  • Lettuce (GREEN CONTAINER) – Mixed Greens, Spinach, Kale
  • Veggies (GREEN CONTAINER) – Broccoli, Green Beans, Asparagus, etc
  • Fruit (PURPLE CONTAINER)
  • Chicken (RED CONTAINER)
  • Lean Meats (RED CONTAINER) – Fish
  • Grains(YELLOW CONTAINER) – Quinoa, Eziekel Bread
  • Eggs (RED CONTAINER)
  • Coconut Oil – I use this to cook everything
  • Nut Butter – Almond Butter, Peanut Butter, etc. I like to get the kind that has 1 ingredient. Getting my husband to switch off of JIF was a HUGE win! After a few days of reluctantly eating it, he fell in love. I think I’ve permanently converted him.
  • Sunflower Seeds (ORANGE CONTAINER)
  • Dressing Ingredients – Our favorite is the Asian Citrus Vinaigrette

Pre-Meal Work in the Kitchen

Part of getting prepared is doing all the grilling, slicing, cooking, measuring and portioning ahead of time. I found that if I invested the time and energy to do the prep, then it was almost painless to stick with the program. Getting all the work in ahead of time allows for grab and go when it’s time to eat a meal.

  • Lettuce (GREEN CONTAINER) – Wash/Slice/Measure/Bag it
  • Veggies (GREEN CONTAINER) – Wash/Slice/Measure/Bag it
  • Fruit (PURPLE CONTAINER) – Wash/Slice/Measure/Bag it
  • Chicken (RED CONTAINER) – Grill/ Slice/Measure/Bag it
  • Lean Meats (RED CONTAINER) – Grill/ Slice/Measure/Bag it
  • Grains – (YELLOW CONTAINER) – Quinoa (Wash/Cook/Measure/Bag it)

Tips

  • Pack lunches for the Busy Business Man. It might seem a bit girly, but it works. Jeff took salads in a large glad plastic container with dressing in a separate container and shook it all together when he was ready to eat at the office. Since nutrition and portion control is key to success, this is a must!
  • For Salads – premeasure the greens and add your red container (usually chicken for Jeff), I like to include a yellow container of Quinoa, ½ purple container of grapes and some seeds along with my dressing. If taking dressing to go, make sure your container is sealed well. Day 1 for Jeff his dressing didn’t travel very well. If needed, just put a small piece of plastic wrap under the lid to help seal it closed.
  • I like to use Shakeology as a snack. I blend together Chocolate Vegan Shakeology (Red container), ½ banana (purple container), water and ice for a frothy treat.
  • Keep it real (life) – Even with all the prep and holding each other accountable, allowing a splurge meal helped to keep us on track. We chose Rubio’s and had a Baja Steak Burrito during week 2. Just don’t get the chips!
Jimmy John's Unwhich

Jimmy John’s Unwhich

Making It Work On The Go, Dining Out Options

Everyone is different, so it is important to find solutions that work for you. If you are out and you absolutely have to select a fast food option, look at Wendy’s Strawberry Field’s Chicken Salad (but be sure to ask for a low calorie dressing). Another choice is Chick-Fil-A Griled Market Salad. I suggest getting the low calorie Italian dressing instead of the one that comes with it. If you’re looking for a salad alternative, you could grab a Jimmy John’s Unwhich, where they just leave off the bread and wrap your sandwich “innards” in a lovely lettuce leaf.

Workouts

We either woke up early in the morning before kids, around 6am, to workout together, or I waited for Jeff to come home from work and we did our workout together before dinner. It was enjoyable when the kids joined us, although they could get in the way, we chose to look at the bigger picture and know that we are demonstrating a healthy way of life for them.

Where We Struggled

  • For Jeff, the hours between 3pm – 6pm are his hunger times. To combat this, we ensured he ate a larger healthy snack in the early afternoon and that enabled him to push through the 3-6pm hours and have enough energy for our evening workout.
  • I’m a “night grazer” and struggle not to snack between 8pm until bedtime. If I started to feel snacky I would drink lots of water or save a half of my Shakeology for the evening.

Summary of Our 21 Day Fix Couples Edition

We both loved having a motivator and accountability partner.

  • It’s very handy to have someone to set the alarm clock and actually help get each other out of bed
  • Offering encouraging words to each other during workouts, for meals, and anytime we were struggling genuinely made it a better experience
  • For me, my desire to support Jeff reach his goals helps keep me honest and accountable to my eating and workout routine.

Do you have questions about our experience or wisdom to share from your own couples workout program adventure? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

 

About Lee

I am a 44-year old married mom of 4. I love my family. If you’re a mom, then you know kids and a spouse keep you busy. It’s easy to forget yourself in the process of taking care of your family. My mission is to help other moms take care of themselves so they can be more available to their loved ones and lead more fulfilling lives.