What is the 21 Day Fix?

The 21 Day Fix and everything you need to know to get you started!

Hi! If you've never been here before, my name is Stephanie and every recipe I make here on The Foodie and The Fix includes container counts for the 21 Day Fix program from Beachbody. I've been using the 21 Day Fix since 2015 and have many friends and family members who have used it with great results!

Anyway, I'm guessing you're here because you're looking for some detailed info about the 21 Day Fix and I've got you!

The 21 Day Fix is an all-encompassing way to lose weight and get fit. It’s two-part: workout videos and an easy-to-follow eating plan, with no calorie counting or macro counting whatsoever. I'm going to break it all down for you below, so let's get to it!

The 21 Day Fix Workouts

There are seven 30-minute, moderate-intensity workouts, one for each day of the week, plus a 10 minute abs workout that you can add into your day if you’d like (plus a few bonus workouts that you can access on Beachbody on Demand if you're a subscriber).

The included workouts are:

Total Body Cardio Fix
Upper Fix
Lower Fix
Pilates Fix
Cardio Fix
Dirty 30
Yoga Fix
10-Minute Fix For Abs

The variety offered not only keeps you from getting bored, but it also ensures that you’re targeting EVERY part of your body. Most of these workouts use weights - you can use dumbbells or a resistance band.

If you’ve never used weights before, there are some great benefits that, to be honest, I really didn't know until I started looking into it more. Aside from the obvious amazing feeling of becoming stronger overall, using weights can prevent or improve osteoporosis, improve cardiovascular function and reduce your risk of injury as it strengthens your connective tissues, plus the beautiful fact that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn! I’m pretty into that.

I've never worked out before, will the workouts be too difficult?

The workouts are perfect for beginners. The moves, on the whole, are very doable, plus there is a wonderful modifier to show you how to make each move a little easier.

I do want to say though, that likely no matter your fitness level, you will probably be pretty sore for the first several days and that is completely normal. Don't be discouraged by it! I promise that it only lasts a few days and it is THE sign that tells you that you are working those muscles and making things happen. Embrace it.

My top 21 Day Fix workout tips for beginners:

Do the first week with either very light weights (I'm talking 2-3 lbs) or none at all. This will help you to ease into the program a bit. I promise you'll still be working!
Use the modifier and do not feel guilty about it! Or hell, modify the modifier if you need to, with the knowledge that you're moving forward and that's what counts! Each week you'll feel stronger than the last and able to do a little bit more.
The very first move on the first workout (Total Body Cardio) is called a Surrender - lead with your weak leg, it helps!

The 21 Day Fix Eating Plan

Ok, let’s talk about the food! My favorite part of basically anything.

In the eating plan book, it will give you a simple equation that you will use to determine how many of each container you can eat each day, based on your current weight. No more calorie-counting! I want to stress the fact that, while the containers may look small, you can actually stuff quite a bit of food into those little suckers. If you can fit the lid on, you’re good to go!

The containers:

Green is for veggies
Purple is for fruits
Red is for proteins
Yellow is for carbs
Blue is for healthy fats
Orange is for dressings
Teaspoons are for oils and nut butters

You can find additional details about the containers (sizes, etc..) in my 21 Day Fix Container Guide. You can also find a full list of foods for each container on this 21 Day Fix Food List from my friend, Nancylynn!

Some other things you can have on the Fix that you may not know about:

Coffee (also options for things to put in your coffee so you don’t have to drink it black!)
Treats swaps or special drinks like juice, WINE and milk (up to three times a week)
Cheese! Goat cheese is even included, which puts me over-the-freaking-moon!

What kind of meals can you eat on the 21 Day Fix?

Oh mama! Most things you know and love have been made Fix-approved and they're so darn delicious! Here's a sample!

and so many more easy, doable, delicious recipes!!

Are there 21 Day Fix meal plans?

Yes! I have a bunch of flexible dinner meal plans and my friend, Nancylynn at Confessions of a Fit Foodie also has full-week dinner plans like this one that includes all of the day's meals and snacks!

Is there anything else I need to do the 21 Day Fix?

There are a few things that you will need that are not included and they are:

A set of light weights
A set of heavy weights
Or, you can get a set of resistance bands instead of using dumbbells, but I recommend using dumbbells for their ease of use
A yoga mat.
Oh, and if you’re a lady and don’t have one already, I highly suggest that you run out and get yourself a good sports bra. Just saying.

Does the 21 Day Fix work?

Yes! And of course you can go to Beachbody's website to see testimonials, but I personally have reached my own health and fitness goals using 21 Day Fix and have so many friends and family members who have, too! One of my friends has actually lost 85 pounds!!! It's completely doable.

Can you lose weight with the 21 Day Fix if you only follow the eating plan?

Absolutely. I know many people that have, including one of the admins from my 21 Day Fix Recipes, Tips, and Support Facebook group! This is the most important aspect of this plan if weight loss is your goal.

Can you lose weight with the 21 Day Fix if you only do the workouts?

Probably not. Unless you're using some other method that works for you, nutrition-wise. If you're just eating what you normally eat and want the workouts alone to help you lose weight, that's unlikely to work out for you. The nutrition plan is where most of your results are going to come from.

Do you really get fit in 21 days?

Well, probably not, but you will definitely feel stronger after 21 days! Plus it is the perfect amount of time to develop good-for-you habits that will get you fit in time!

What happens after you've met your goal?

There's a maintenance calculation that is in the 21 Day Fix materials that will put you in a higher calorie bracket, so you're no longer at a calorie deficit. It's recommended that once you hit your goal, you keep following the plan, but eat in your maintenance bracket instead of your weight loss bracket.

Once I hit my goal, I changed to my maintenance bracket. At that point, 21DF was just how I ate. I definitely loosened up when it came to certain things in my life, but for the most part, the habits I built by doing 21 Day Fix are still with me and I'm so grateful for that.

Where to buy the 21 Day Fix:

On Amazon - Here's my Amazon affiliate link for the 21 Day Fix/21 Day Fix Extreme combo, and it's prime!
The other option is to sign up for Beachbody on Demand, where you pay about $100 per year to have access to all of their workout programs and the nutrition materials that come with them. The only other thing you would need aside from weights and such, is to get a set of the color-coded containers for the nutrition plan, which they also sell separately at Beachbody.

Here's what comes in the kit from Amazon:

21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix EXTREME original programs on DVD (5 DVDs total)
Set of 7 Portion-Control Containers
21 Day Fix EXTREME Printed Materials: Start Here Guide, Eating Plan, and Countdown to Competition
21 Day Fix Printed Materials: Start Here Guide, Eating Plan, and 3 Day Quick Fix Guide

If you already have the 21 Day Fix or have decided to order it, please have a look around my site! I have a lot of great tips, tricks and tools to help you out. You can also sign up here for my weekly emails to get a free meal-planning printable and never miss a new recipe or helpful article!

And by the way, if you’re not interested in the program, that’s completely fine! However, I really hope you’ll stick around and try out some of my recipes. Healthy can be crazy delicious and I want to prove it to you!

I hope this post was helpful in answering all of your questions about the 21 Day Fix, and that this is the start of a beautiful friendship 😉

What is the 21 Day Fix?