One of the more difficult parts of starting any new diet or nutrition program is figuring out portion control. The color-coded 21 Day Fix containers were created to help solve this problem and make portion control easy and intuitive and get you away from the hassle of calorie counting. If it fits and it’s on the approved food list, you can eat it!

How the 21 Day Fix Containers Work

There are six colors corresponding to six different types of foods:

The green container is for vegetables. These can be cooked or raw, sliced or chopped. Some examples include lettuces, kale, squash, peppers, mushrooms, and onions. Go ahead and really squish the lettuce into there to create a voluminous salad!

The purple container is for fruits. Berries can easily fit into this container as can grapes and cherries, but you’ll want to cut larger fruits like watermelon, or fruits with pits, like peaches.

The red container is for protein. Fill it with chicken breast, yogurt, eggs, tofu, or shellfish. For some of the other protein, consult the food list in your guide.

The yellow container is for more caloric carbs, as well as starches. This is where you’ll fit in foods like rice, beans, sweet potatoes, and whole-grain pasta into your diet. For foods that don’t easily fit into your container such as waffles and tortillas, the portion amounts are in your 21 Day Fix guide.

The blue container is for healthy fats. Mashed avocado, nuts, cheese, and hummus are just a few of the things you can put in this container.

The orange container is for seeds and dressings. It is the smallest and is used for calorie-dense foods like seeds, olives, coconut, and 21 Day Fix-approved dressings.

There is also a teaspoon measurement included in the 21 Day Fix program, and this is for oils and butters, such as olive oil and peanut butter. A teaspoon is not provided with the containers, so you’ll need to use your own. (And who doesn’t have a teaspoon in their kitchen?)

How To Use Them

Now that you know what goes in the containers, it’s time to use them. Although you don’t have to count your calories each day, you should use page 4 of your guide to figure out approximately how many calories you need in a day. Once you do, take a look at the 21 chart on page 19 that will let you how many containers of each color you should eat each day for your calorie range. If you’re paying attention to macronutrient percentages, you’ll notice that the plan is roughly 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat.

Although the guide contains recommendations for how much of one type of food can fit into a container, you can mix and match foods of the same category to fill a single container. For example, if you don’t want to use a whole green container for spinach, then you can fill one half full of spinach and the other half full of carrots, and it will still equal one green container.

As convenient and transportable as the containers are, you don’t have to eat out of them. You can measure out the portions in the containers and then empty the container out onto a plate or into a bowl.

Why the 21 Day Fix Container System Works

You don’t have to count calories. You only count containers. And it’s a lot easier to keep track of three green containers than x number of calories.

It’s definitely enough food. Often when people begin this program, they find that they’re full even before they’ve finished all their container portions for the day. That’s because healthy food has more volume than junk food. If you find you find this is the case for you, only eat what you can, but make sure to eat a little from all the containers instead of just filling up on your favorite kind and avoiding what you like the least.

It’s practical. Portion control is about moderation and being aware of what you’re eating. The containers help you do this. After you’ve completed your first 21 days, you’ll have a good idea of how many fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats you should be eating every day.

The 21 Day Fix system works! It takes 21 days to create a new habit or break an old one. Find out how easy it is by joining my next 21 Day Fix fitness and nutrition online group where we'll walk through the system together, one step at a time. You'll get meal plans, recipes and grocery lists to solve all your meal planning problems, and you'll get tons of support and motivation from me and the other members of the group. This is a no fail - "yes," I did it - system!
Questions? Email me any time: brendalajay@gmail.com

There are tons of Wufoo features to help make your forms awesome.

Brenda

The Ultimate 21 Day Fix Tool Kit!

Bored with 21 Day Fix fitness routine? If you love country music and 21 Day Fix meal planning, you'll love Country Heat! Country Heat is an all new country inspired dance workout by Autumn Calabrese. The program follows the same 21 Day Fix meal planning system.

Join our next Country Heat Dance Party right from the comfort of your own home!

The 21 Day Fix fitness and nutrition program is the easiest way to lose weight and gain strength - the healthy way! It's the #1 selling fitness program in America and it works, but let's be honest, it's not a quick fix - if you want results that last, you have to work for it. It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. It does not end at day 21. Once you get used to eating whole, natural foods each day and making fitness a part of your everyday life, you will get results and you will not fail!

If you've reached this page it's most likely because you're curious about the program and probably ready to give it a try. But if you're thinking that it seems complicated or overwhelming - I promise you it is not! I've been using the program for over a year and I have learned lots of tips and tricks to help make it an easy transition for you. This page is a good place to start. Download and use these printable tools to make meal planning easier than ever!

Interested in another Beachbody program like Cize, Focus T25, P90X or Insanity? I can show you how to incorporate the 21 Day Fix eating plan with the fitness program of your choice. Beachbody has over 30 fitness programs to choose from and I'm glad to help you find one that you will look forward to completing each day.

Check out these tips on 21 Day Fix Meal Planning Made Easy!

Need help? Join my next 21 Day Fix/ Fix Extreme challenge group and I'll walk you through the system step-by-step. You will not fail! Ready to give it a try? CLICK HERE to answer a few questions to tell me a little more about yourself and your goals.

The Ultimate 21 Day Fix Tool Kit!

1. Use this measurement tracker to keep track of your progress. Remember, success isn't always measured on the scale!

2. Wondering how many containers you can use each day? You can follow the formula in this article about container basics to get an exact caloric target or just use this simple quick-start guide for a good estimate.

3. Print a bunch of these 21 Day Fix meal planners out and start calculating some of your favorite recipes. You'll be surprised to see how easy it is to make some of your favorite meals Fix approved. Need help converting a recipe to FIX? Email me a copy of the recipe and I'll convert it for you. brendalajay@gmail.com

4. Here is the latest 21 Day Fix food list from Autumn Calabrese. Lots of good choices here, so print it out and keep it on hand when you visit the grocery store.

5. Never forget a thing with this DIY grocery list. Print it and fill in all the ingredients you need to prepare your meals for the week.

6. The piece de resistance.... a weekly menu planner in Excel format that you can edit right on your desktop!!! Download this file and fill in all your meals and snacks for the week. Keep a folder on your computer to collect each meal plan. That way you can easily go back and repeat the ones that you liked best. Need help? Email me for some sample meal plans to try brendalajay@gmail.com

Are you ready to give the 21 Day Fix a try but are feeling overwhelmed? Join us this month for the Ultimate 21 Day Fix Boot Camp for Beginners. We'll take you step-by-step through the workouts, meal planning and preparation and we'll have a lot of fun doing it!Joining is easy, just fill out this form to get started:

Use Wufoo integrations and get your data to your favorite apps.

Brenda

21 Day Fix - How do I know how many containers I am allowed each day?

The #1 question I get asked about 21 Day Fix is How do I figure out how many containers I can use each day? Like everything with 21 Day Fix, it's easy. Here's the whole scientific, mathematical formula if you want to get technical. Or you can just skip to the bottom of the paragraph and use the cheat sheet. Here's the thing - when you're starting the program for the first time, don't get stressed out by counting containers. If you make a mistake and eat an extra purple, it's not going to kill you! It won't even wreck diet, just keep going. Don't try and make up for it tomorrow by having one less purple. Just stick to the count the best that you can and KEEP GOING! You will get used to it and eventually not even need to rely on the containers at all. Healthy eating will become automatic. That's your goal. You've got this!

Here's the scientific, mathematical formula:

Calculate Your Calorie Level and Daily Container Count

Whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain weight, or gain weight, calculating your proper daily calorie goal is essential to reaching your goals. Here’s how:

1. Multiply your current weight in pounds x 11. This number is your Caloric Baseline.
2. Add 400 (The Fix Calorie Burn) to your Caloric Baseline. The resulting number represents your Caloric Needs to maintain your weight.
3. Subtract 750 (the caloric deficit) from your Caloric Needs. This number is the Caloric Target you should eat to lose weight.

Using your 21 Day Fix Eating Plan Guide, look up the corresponding container count on page 15. Your calorie bracket will determine how many containers of each color you should eat each day.

Here’s an example using a 150-pound person who would like to lose weight.
1. 150 x 11 = 1650 (Caloric Baseline)
2. 1650 + 400 = 2050 (Caloric Needs to maintain weight)
3. 2050 – 750 =  1300 (Caloric Target to lose weight)

Note: If your Caloric Target is less than 1,200, round up to 1,200. If it’s more than 2,300, round down to 2,300. If you are trying to gain weight, add 750 instead of subtracting 750.

Don't feel like doing the math?
Use this cheat sheet!

Now some helpful tips to get you off to a good start!

Write Down A Sample Day of Meals

Now it’s time to start planning. Go to the food lists on pages 24-39 of the 21 Day Fix meal planning guide that was included with your fitness program. Read through the choices and mark down some of your favorites under every container. Then, using this meal planner, plan a sample day. Think about what types of food you would like to have at each meal and include some of your favorite healthy snacks. Don’t be afraid to keep it simple.

Before you move on to the next step, think about what you would like to eat for the next 3-5 days. Do you want to eat the same thing for breakfast each day, or do you want to switch it up? What about your snacks, lunches, and dinners? Do you have time to cook meals, or would you prefer to eat simply? Write down the variations you’d like, which “free foods” you’d like to add (page 37) and any treats you’d like to substitute for a yellow or orange container this week (page 38 & 39).

Make a Grocery List

Set yourself up for success by writing out your grocery list and sticking to it. Base your list on the foods you chose for the next 3-5 days. It’s okay to buy a surplus of these foods so that you have a little extra on hand, but try to stick to the amounts that match your calorie level. Remember that one green container holds about 1 cup or more of vegetables, and that a serving of protein is about 4 ounces (before cooking). If you plan to eat 4 red containers of boneless, skinless chicken breast over the next few days, you would buy 1 pound of chicken. Click the image below to download your Fix-friendly grocery list.

10 Time-Saving Tips

Buy pre-cooked chicken breast or fish from the deli section.
Choose canned tuna for quick meals.
Buy pre-cut vegetables. (Just make sure nothing is added to it!)
Hard-boil several eggs at once for quick, high-protein snacks or to add to salads. Here are our tips on how to cook perfect hard-boiled eggs.
Bake all of your sweet potatoes at once.
Pre-cook enough quinoa or brown rice for the week.
Chop all carrots, cucumber, bell peppers, etc. at once for healthy snacks and ready toppings for salads.
Mornings can be hectic. Have your breakfast ready to go by prepping a large batch of oatmeal or these simple egg cups.
Stock up on berries or fruits that don’t need to be cut like apples, oranges, and bananas.
Raw, unsalted nuts make a great, portable snack.

The best tip of all:

Join an online challenge group! It's the best way to get kickstart your fitness journey. Simply choose the fitness program you like best - like 21 Day Fix, PiYo, T25 P90X, Cize, Insanity and more! Then workout at home, at your own pace. Check in with us through a closed Facebook group throughout the day to get motivation and encouragement from your coach and fellow team members. You'll also find helpful tips and advice, recipes, games and special offers. It's a fun way to keep one another accountable and celebrate in each other's successes. Ready to join? Fill out this request form. It will tell me a little more about you and your goals so I can help direct you to a fitness program that best suites your own personal needs.

Are you ready to give the 21 Day Fix a try but are feeling overwhelmed? Join us this month for the Ultimate 21 Day Fix Boot Camp for Beginners. We'll take you step-by-step through the workouts, meal planning and preparation and we'll have a lot of fun doing it!Joining is easy, just fill out this form to get started:

Fill out my online form.

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.

Brenda