Throughout my life, I have tried many things. Therefore it goes without saying that I have failed at many things too. I have been very lucky, in that I have an incredible support group. My parents and siblings have always believed in me. Often more than I believed in myself. I was lucky enough to marry one heck of a supportive husband who let me try new things even when he didn’t understand them. I’ve had supportive people in my life from a young age, but even so, there have been times that I’ve had to deal with unsupportive behaviour from others around me. It made me think about those of you reading, and if perhaps you fall into any one of these ‘maybe’s’. I wanted to share what I’ve observed over the years, and how I push through, no matter who isn’t cheering for me.

Maybe you have that one family member who makes jokes about what you do. That business you want to start, the fitness routine you are on or the healthy eating lifestyle you are committing to. They poke fun at it or make sarcastic comments here and there. All in all, they make you feel shitty about whatever it is you have set your mind to do.

DO NOT. I repeat, do not let them get to you. I’ve had this happen to me, and what I can say is that it’s hard at first. You want to defend everything you’re doing, you want to show them all the facts about why this is a good idea, you want them to be on your side. Because, you know, they’re family. Aren’t they all supposed to support you? Truth is, no, not all of them will. In my case, it was one, in your case, it might be many who stand against you. No matter what, fighting back is exactly what this person wants. They may secretly want to see you fail so that they can feel better about never giving it a shot themselves.

“Look, I knew she wasn’t going to finish that workout program, that’s why I didn’t start, I knew it wouldn’t work” Do you see how sad this person’s life must be, that THIS is the monolog in their heads?

Nowadays I choose to focus on the support and love I receive from the rest of my family. And it’s a big family! Because they are louder. It just depends on who you choose to listen to! If you do fail, because we all know failure goes hand in hand with trying new things, they’ll be the ones saying “I know you’ll succeed next time, I believe in you,” rather than “I told you so.” They are the people that matter, they are your support group. Don’t let their voices be drowned out by the negativity of one sad human being.

Maybe you have that close group of girlfriends, and in your mind, they should be your biggest supporters! They know all your secrets, they know what you’re like at your best and worst times. Why then, when you tell them you’re starting a home business do they refrain from cheering you on, or even supporting your business if they’re in the market for something you offer/carry.

Home Businesses have grown dramatically over the last few years. It seems like everyone you know is making or selling something now, and guess what, this isn’t a bad thing at all. There are these large movements to support local shops, to stay away from big box stores and support those mom and pop shops because we’ll be helping our local community’s economy. Well, guess what, your friend’s business is just that. It’s a place where your dollars go towards their little girl’s ballet class fees or their next family vacation.

It still shocks me when I tell someone about how amazing I think (blank) is because of what it’s done in my own life and have them blow me off when they hear they can get it through me. But then turn around and buy it from Walmart or Amazon. (WHAT?) When one of your closest friends does this, I’ll admit it, it hurts. If you take it personally it can seem like a clear statement that they don’t believe in what you do. That they don’t support you as much as you originally thought, and that at the end of the day, they don’t want to see you win.

Don’t let this negative train of thought ruin the plans you have for your business or service this month. Don’t waste your precious energy on trying to figure out WHY they did it, just take it as a learning moment. Were they clearly aware they could have bought this product from you? Did they just see it at the store and were reminded of your recommendation and picked it up without any malice in their actions?

You see, it isn’t all about you. It’s about the end result. If your friend is now eating healthier because of something you recommended, or they are getting a better night’s sleep because of an essential oil mixture you endorsed, just be happy for them. Yes, it hurts sometimes. But when we focus on why we do what we do, all of this negativity goes away. When you focus on helping people and making their lives better, no matter what goods or services you provide, you will feel more fulfilled with all you accomplish.

You can’t control what other people do, but you can control how you react to it. And this is by far the best way to let icky moments pass and prepare yourself for all the goodness that is to come!

Here are some tips to help you stay motivated no matter what unsupportive behaviour comes your way:

I wrote a post about dealing with unsupportive people in general. In it I break down many of the reasons people choose to be unsupportive. I wrote it after receiving some messages from women in my wellness online group about their family or friends playing these unsupportive roles in their lives. If you liked this post you may find some more insight in this ither one too. Check it here: Dealing with unsupportive people.

Remind yourself of your Why.

Why are you doing what you’re doing? Focus on that and only that. With a strong enough why you can achieve anything no matter what life throws your way.

Write down your goals and don’t let anything or anyone sidetrack you.

Push that negative family member’s comment aside. Brush off the fact that your friends don’t support your business and keep going. A goal that is not written down is just a dream. Read up on how to make the most out of your month and crush those goals!

Read personal development.

I recommend Personal Development often.. Show me a person that is not succeeding and I will show you a person that isn’t reading personal development.

Connect with others doing what you’re doing.

Find other entrepreneurs, bakers, business women. Whatever your field, there is a group out there waiting to be found. If you really can’t find one, then make one, you may be what other’s have been waiting for.

Believe in yourself.

Because at the end of the day, this whole thing depends on you and how much you care about it. Believe, be positive, be efficient with your time, work hard, and work from a good place in your heart. The rest will come as it must. I wrote this post about moving on from failure. It may help you learn to believe in yourself again.

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5 Favourite Personal Development Books

I like to read. Though, I scrunched up my nose when I was younger at the idea of reading non-fiction books. I just thought if it wasn’t fiction it was an autobiography and I didn’t care about real people. I cared about wizards and Hogwarts and Hagrid… yes, I basically only read the Harry Potter Books on replay. Every time I picked up a fiction novel I’d start it and endlessly compare it to J.K. Rowling’s way of writing and the story and I always made my way back to re-reading my beloved series. I still have yet to read a biography but I have a couple on my list of books I want to read.

Personal Development books weren’t even on my radar. But when they got on my radar… girl you better believe I read them all. (Well not all, but I’m getting close, haha) I have gained SO much from reading personal development books and I have compiled a list of my ultimate top 5. The 5 that have changed my life in some way, taught me lots and pushed me forward, closer to my goals.

I read Personal Development books with a highlighter in hand. Gasp! You mark up your books? YES. Personal Development books are TOOLS. And as such, they should be used and abused. I dog-ear and highlight like nobody’s business because when I don’t, I have to re-read the whole book to remind myself of what I’ve learned. When key pieces of information are highlighted you can skim through a book you’ve read and quickly point out what you felt was worth remembering. Say you were studying for an exam (a life event) and you had your textbook full of information (personal development book). You wouldn’t want to aimlessly search the textbook for answers, you’d want your notes clear and jumping out at you, that’s the goal.

Also, I’m a quote lover, hence the highlighting, so I have also included some of my favourite quotes from each. The best part about it is there isn’t a book over $15 on the list, so it’s not going to break the bank either, and they have been some of the greatest investments I’ve made recently.

The Slight Edgethe slight edge

This book is just awesome. It kicks you in the butt and gets you into high gear that’s for sure. It awakens that lion inside of you that WANTS that goal real bad. It makes you question what you do every day and reassess your priorities. It shines a light on your procrastination and guides your focus to the right places.

Favourite Quotes:

♥ “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.”

♥ “The truth is, what you do matters. What you do today matters. What you do every day matters. Successful people just do the things that seem to make no difference in the act of doing them and they do them over and over and over until the compound effect kicks in.”

♥ “The journey starts with a single step—not with thinking about taking a step.”

♥ “Instead of writing down what you’re going to do (chances are you’ve been doing that your whole adult life anyway, and it doesn’t make you any better at doing them), write down at the end of the day what you did do that day.”

You are a Badassyou are a badass

Man, how I love this personal development book. It’s like having that person in your corner telling you that you can do it! Jen Sincero writes like a friend in your living room. She tells it how it is, a wonderful blend of life experiences and client stories. There are so many points to think about in here. Seriously it’s hard to not highlight entire paragraphs, I highly recommend this if you’re in the need of a reminder that you CAN do it and that the Universe has your back! You CAN live an amazing life. Energy is real y’all. read this book to find out how to use energy to your advantage.

Favourite Quotes:

♥ “You are loved. Massively. Ferociously. Unconditionally. The Universe is totally freaking out about how awesome you are. It’s got you wrapped in a warm gorilla hug of adoration. It wants to give you everything you desire. It wants you to be happy. It wants you to see what it sees in you.”

♥ “You are responsible for what you say and do. You are not responsible for whether or not people freak out about it.”

♥ “If you’re serious about changing your life, you’ll find a way. If you’re not, you’ll find an excuse.”

♥ “Because if you base your self-worth on what everyone else thinks of you, you hand all your power over to other people and become dependent on a source outside of yourself for validation. Then you wind up chasing after something you have no control over, and should that something suddenly place its focus somewhere else, or change its mind and decide you’re no longer very interesting, you end up with a full-blown identity crisis.”

7 habits of highly effective peopleThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Personal Development hits full steam with this book. There is some serious information in here. This one comes from a recommendation from an old manager and I’m so grateful I got a chance to read it. It’s really insightful and does make you look at yourself a little differently. There are some real action items in this book, so if you’re looking for fluffy PD, this is not the book for you. But if you’re looking for a super clear guide you can start implementing now then this is the book!

Favourite Quotes:

♥ “But until a person can say deeply and honestly, “I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday,” that person cannot say, “I choose otherwise.”

♥ “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”

♥ “Two people can see the same thing, disagree, and yet both be right. It’s not logical; it’s psychological.”

♥ “It’s not what happens to us, but our response to what happens to us that hurts us.”

the compound effect The Compound Effect

This is the first Personal Development book I read. A few dozen boss babes in my network read it, and it was so eye-opening. This is the book that hooked me into PD forever. To me, learning from books was restricted to school’s textbooks and that they were boring, real boring. I used to read to escape reality and jump into magical worlds but now I love reading to learn, so that I can take a hold of my reality and immerse myself in making it work for me every day!

Favourite Quotes:

♥ “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”

♥ “It’s not the big things that add up in the end; it’s the hundreds, thousands, or millions of little things that separate the ordinary from the extraordinary.”

♥ “Forget about willpower. It’s time for why-power. Your choices are only meaningful when you connect them to your desires and dreams. The wisest and most motivating choices are the ones aligned with that which you identify as your purpose, your core self, and your highest values. You’ve got to want something, and know why you want it, or you’ll end up giving up too easily.”

total money makeoverTotal Money Makeover

Oh Dave Ramsey. This guy, all I can say is I’m obsessed. If you owe anyone any money, you need this book. Credit cards? Loans? Car Payments? Student loans? A mortgage? Everyone in the world needs to read this book. Get out of debt. Get Gazelle intense and just knock it out and give yourself a raise by doing just that! Sve for retirement, pay off your home way early. Pay cash for everything, and never use a credit card again. He goes over 7 baby steps that are honestly so simple you’ll be looking around thinking you’re getting pranked. Yes, it’s THAT simple.

Favourite Quotes:

♥ “We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.”

♥ “You must walk to the beat of a different drummer. The same beat that the wealthy hear. If the beat sounds normal, evacuate the dance floor immediately! The goal is to not be normal, because as my radio listeners know, normal is broke.”

♥ “The enemy of “the best” is not “the worst.” The enemy of “the best” is “just fine.”

♥ “You have to live like no one else so that then you can live and give like no one else”

I hope you enjoy the list, and that you pick one of these great reads up, do it and see how your life changes!

Love,

Mariangelica

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I finished it! The entire program is DONE. All 30 days of sweat and heart racing workouts. 30 days of strictly following my meal plan every day at every meal. It’s honestly been a rollercoaster. Some days I felt amazing, and others, I felt like giving up. My husband, shout out to him, did the ENTIRE program with me also! It’s been quite the journey, and we’ve both lost 😉 and gained so much!

This experience has been life changing. To know we can set a goal and commit to finishing it and then achieving that goal has shown us that we CAN do hard things, and that we are stronger together. All the girls in my private fitness group have also hit their 30 day goal and I am honestly SO SO proud of each and every one of them. This online community has been amazing for giving me motivation on days I didn’t have it. We had to send the group our sweaty selfies after each workout and that kept us all checking in on one another!

30 Days are done, and just in time too. We leave on our amazing cruise vacation February 10th and am so excited to rock those bathings suits proudly. There is still a long way to go still, I know fitness doesn’t end because a vacation comes around, so I commit now to starting and finishing the 21 Day Fix EXTREME. I WILL be doing the workouts on the cruise! Though, forgive me if I don’t follow the meal plan as closely while I’m away. Life is about balance you see, and some long island iced teas await me on the ocean. Let’s take a look at this last and tough week!

If you missed week one’s review, make sure you give that a read first! I go into more detail explaining what Core de Force is all about! Core De Force – Week One Review .  Core De Force – Week Two Review . Core De Force – Week Three Review. I have a goal this year to workout for 100 days in a row. And I’m now 30 days IN! I can’t believe I’ve stuck with it every day!  Core de Force is NOW my favourite program.

Here’s how week four looked like.

Stats:

Measurements are my favourite way of tracking progress. Though I do weigh myself. Simply because I have a scale and I don’t have anxiety about the number on the scale. Though if you do, stick to measuring!

Starting measurements 7 days of Core De Force 14 days of Core De Force 21 days of Core De Force 30 days of Core De Force
Neck 12.75″ 12.5″ 12.5″ 12.5″ 12.5″
Chest 35.5″ 35.5″ 35″ 34.5″ 34.5″
R. Arm 11.25″ 11″ 11″ 10.75″ 10.75″
L. Arm 11″ 10.5″ 10.5″ 10.75″ 10.5″
Waist 35.25″ 32″ 31″ 30.75″ 30″
Hips 41.5″ 41″ 40.5″ 40″ 40″
R. Thigh 20.75″ 20 20″ 19.75″ 20″
L. Thigh 21 20 20″ 20″ 20″
Total Inches 189″ 182″ 180.5″ 179.25″ 178.25″
Weight 150lbs 145lbs 144.5lbs 144.5lbs 142.5lbs

 

Total Inches LOST since day one: 10.75″ – Guys I’m just in shock. My body changed so drastically in just 30 days. I have no words but just to tell you to do it. Do it, follow all the steps, trust the program, trust the process and you will amaze yourself.

Total pounds LOST since day one: 7.5lbs I’m so happy to be back in the low 140s, I hadn’t been here in years. I honestly don’t foresee much more change in the weight department, My body is now ready to tone some muscle which is why I’m leaving the cardio behind with Core de Force and embarking on the extreme journey that is the 21 day fix extreme. Weights, resistance band. Here we come!

What I ate:

Week 4 we went pretty simple again along with a few favourite recipes from Fixate that keeps the portion fix in mind! I share my complete meal plan so that you can see every step of the journey. This is a meal plan with the Portion Fix Containers in use that come with this program! It’s super simple so my portions are easy to follow with these colour coded containers!

Monday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini, cherry tomatoes and strawberries | Lunch: tomato Soup x2, tuna and quinoa x2 | Snack: strawberries | Dinner: avocado, salmon, cucumber salad, quinoa x2

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini, cherry tomatoes and strawberries | Lunch: zucchini salad x2, lentils, corn x2, dressing | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: salmon quinoa sushi (recipe from Fixate) x2, mixed veggies x2

Wednesay:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: salmon quinoa sushi, caesar salad x2, dressing | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: stir fry x2, tofu, avocado, rice noodles x2

Thursday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: maple glazed brussels sprouts (recipe from Fixate), asparagus, tuna | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: greek salad x2, lentils, rice noodles x2

Friday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: shrimp, mixed greens x2, quinoa x2 | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: cucumber dill salad, lentils, quinoa x2, brie cheese

Saturday:
Breakfast: pancakes x2, banana | Snack: shakeology | Lunch: zucchini noodle lasagna(recipe from Fixate), asparagus, garlic bread, avocado | Snack: dill cucumber salad, 1 hard boiled egg | Dinner: sweet potato mash x2, 2 hard boiled eggs, sautéed kale

Sunday:
Breakfast: eggs, arepas, fruit, | Snack: shakeology | Lunch: salmon quinoa sushi, mango salad | Snack: kale chips | Dinner: zucchini lasagna, gluten free toast

If you want to see some of the meals in action, here are some of my instagram shots, for more of these and to follow along in my journey make sure to follow my instagram account @coachmariangelica !

The workouts:

 

  • Monday – MMA Plyo (47 minutes)Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – Haaard day. Plyo s intense and then those 16 minutes of core work feel like a break after all that cardio! Fat burning day!
  • Tuesday – MMA Power (47 minutes) + 5 Min. Core on the floor (5 minutes) – 12 rounds my friends, 12 rounds of MMA explosive moved. Fast paced cardio, but the rounds fly by. Get ready for some jump rolls! 5 Minutes of core is basically a 5 minute plank with variations.
  • Wednesday – MMA Plyo (47 minutes)Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – Monday repeat, it’s like they know this is the hardest combo.
  • Thursday – Dynamic Strength (47 minutes) + 5 Min. Core on the floor (5 minutes) – Low on impact, but high on intensity. You can really feel yourself carving out your shape with all the twists! 5 Minutes of core is basically a 5 minute plank with variations, some side planks, plank steps, plank everything. Get ready to feel that core BURN.
  • FridayMMA Speed (24 minutes)Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – This is such a nice welcome. We haven’t done Speed since the first week, here’s your chance to see ho much better you’ve gotten! And of course, love that core work.
  • Saturday MMA Shred (37 minutes)Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – Get ready to SWEAT. Shredding everything and it seems like Core won’t get any more breaks!
  • Sunday – Active Recovery (21 minutes) – 10 minutes of slow conditioning work that definitely made me break a sweat, quickly followed by the most relaxing stretch session ever for the remaining 11 minutes. It’s the shortest workout but not one to skip over lightly.
  • Monday (DAY 29) – MMA Power (47 minutes) + Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – 12 rounds my friends, 12 rounds of MMA explosive moved. Fast paced cardio, but the rounds fly by. Get ready for some jump rolls! Core Kinetics is intense but so amazing for really forcing you to engage your core, love those 16 minutes just hard after 47 minutes of intense work!
  • Tuesday (DAY 30) – MMA Plyo (47 minutes)Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – Hardest workout for your last day, seems fitting! THAT’S A WRAP!

 

Non-scale Victories:

NON scale victories of core de force

  • I completed something I started!
  • Every day happened!
  • NO excuses were made
  • It happened, I put myself first
  • My husband stuck with it every day and together, we finished strong.
  • I feel like I can accomplish anything now!
  • Bathing suit wearing does not make me nervous! and I actually ENJOYED shopping for one!

Get your Core de Force:

Join me:

If you’re nervous about starting this alone, here’s the deal, you don’t have to! I run monthly challenge groups and I’d love to help you through it and share tips I learned during my first go at it! If Core de Force looks too intense for you, fill out this form to tell me what kind of goals you are trying to reach and I’ll help you find the perfect program for you, and work along side you as your accountability partner!

I hope you found this review helpful and that if anything it gets you excited about starting a new fitness program where the hard work has been done for you in calculating when to work what muscle group and what to eat and how much. All you have to do is show up, and by show up I mean press play! Workout at home, get amazing results. It’s possible.

Love,

Mariangelica

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Core de force week three review

Three weeks down, can you believe it? I’m sitting here completely in shock that these 21 days have flown by! It’s honestly insane how different I feel in comparison to week one. I really do feel that my mental health is affected directly by my activity levels. If I workout, I feel proud, strong, healthy and confident, and when I go days without it, I feel pretty down, defeated and I can be pretty hard on myself. It’s something I’m working on, but it really reminds me how important this is for me. I see how much I change when I’m working on bettering my health.

If you missed week one’s review, make sure you give that a read first! I go into more detail explaining what Core de Force is all about! Core De Force – Week One Review . And to follow that, here’s Core De Force – Week Two Review . I have a goal this year to workout for 100 days in a row. And I’m now almost a quarter of the way there! I can’t believe I’ve stuck with it every day! Basically, Core de Force has slowly become one of my favourite programs. I love the intensity, and I looooove the results.

Week three of the program is rough!! They were just warming us up before. This is the greatest thing I can say about this program. It grows WITH you. You’re not trying to hit 10 reps or 12 reps, you’re trying to fit as many as you can before the bell goes. So in week one, you’re more comonly slower and weaker than in week three. So although it could seem like it would get easier, you now can move faster and fit more reps in, which is extra work you weren’t doing before! Hence why it gets tougher too. Not just that but there are so many variations you learn on how to make something already hard like a push up even harder! Love it. Ok, let’s get to the week review.

Here’s how week three looked like.

Stats:

Measurements are my favourite way of tracking progress. Though I do weigh myself. Simply because I have a scale and I don’t have anxiety about the number on the scale. Though if you do, stick to measuring!

Starting measurements 7 days of Core De Force 14 days of Core De Force 21 days of Core De Force
Neck 12.75″ 12.5″ 12.5″ 12.5″
Chest 35.5″ 35.5″ 35″ 34.5″
R. Arm 11.25″ 11″ 11″ 10.75″
L. Arm 11″ 10.5″ 10.5″ 10.75″
Waist 35.25″ 32″ 31″ 30.75″
Hips 41.5″ 41″ 40.5″ 40″
R. Thigh 20.75″ 20 20″ 19.75″
L. Thigh 21 20 20″ 20″
Total Inches 189″ 182″ 180.5″ 179.25″
Weight 150lbs 145lbs 144.5lbs 144.5lbs

 

Total Inches LOST: 1.25 inches lost this third week! It still shocks me how much I can shape my body by working out from home and eating REAL food.

Total pounds LOST: No pounds lost, but honestly at this point I’m not sure I have much more to lose, toning will happen and inches will continue to shift and drop but it’s amazing to see it in action.

What I ate:

Week 3 we went pretty simple again along with a few favourite recipes from Fixate that keeps the portion fix in mind! I share my complete meal plan so that you can see every step of the journey. This is a meal plan with the Portion Fix Containers in use that come with this program! It’s super simple so my portions are easy to follow with these colour coded containers!

Monday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini, cherry tomatoes and strawberries | Lunch: tomato Soup x2, tuna and quinoa x2 | Snack: strawberries | Dinner: avocado, salmon, cucumber salad, quinoa x2

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini, cherry tomatoes and strawberries | Lunch: zucchini salad x2, lentils, corn x2, dressing | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: salmon quinoa sushi (recipe from Fixate) x2, mixed veggies x2

Wednesay:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: salmon quinoa sushi, caesar salad x2, dressing | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: stir fry x2, tofu, avocado, rice noodles x2

Thursday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: maple glazed brussels sprouts (recipe from Fixate), asparagus, tuna | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: greek salad x2, lentils, rice noodles x2

Friday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: shrimp, mixed greens x2, quinoa x2 | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: cucumber dill salad, lentils, quinoa x2, brie cheese

Saturday:
Breakfast: pancakes x2, banana | Snack: shakeology | Lunch: zucchini noodle lasagna(recipe from Fixate), asparagus, garlic bread, avocado | Snack: dill cucumber salad, 1 hard boiled egg | Dinner: sweet potato mash x2, 2 hard boiled eggs, sautéed kale

Sunday:
Breakfast: eggs, arepas, fruit, | Snack: shakeology | Lunch: salmon quinoa sushi, mango salad | Snack: kale chips | Dinner: zucchini lasagna, gluten free toast

If you want to see some of the meals in action, here are some of my instagram shots, for more of these and to follow along in my journey make sure to follow my instagram account @coachmariangelica !

core de force meal plan

The workouts:

 

  • Monday – MMA Power (47 minutes) + Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – 12 rounds my friends, 12 rounds of MMA explosive moved. Fast paced cardio, but the rounds fly by. Get ready for some jump rolls! Core Kinetics is intense but so amazing for really forcing you to engage your core, love those 16 minutes just hard after 47 minutes of intense work!
  • Tuesday – Dynamic Strength (47 minutes) + 5 Min. Core on the floor (5 minutes) – Low on impact, but high on intensity. You can really feel yourself carving out your shape with all the twists! 5 Minutes of core is basically a 5 minute plank with variations, some side planks, plank steps, plank everything. Get ready to feel that core BURN.
  • Wednesday – MMA Power (47 minutes) + Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – A repeat of Monday! Work it!
  • Thursday Power Sculpt (36 minutes) + 5 Min. Core on the floor (5 minutes) – total-body burner. You will feel this everywhere and with the mixture of interval training, Endurance will be built! And as usual 5 minutes core on the floor is killer. I have not been able to stop taking small breaks through this one. 
  • FridayMMA Plyo (47 minutes)
  • Saturday – Dynamic Strength (47 minutes) + 5 Min. Core on the floor (5 minutes) – Repeat of Tuesday! Nothing easy just because it’s a weekend!
  • SundayActive Recovery (21 minutes) – 10 minutes of slow conditioning work that definitely made me break a sweat, quickly followed by the most relaxing stretch session ever for the remaining 11 minutes. It’s the shortest workout but not one to skip over lightly.

Non-scale Victories:

NON scale victories of core de force

  • Um, that it’s been 21 days and i’m still showing up. Huge win. Period.
  • Didn’t stop even on the days where I was in pain from cramps. Just pushed through with lots of water! No excuses!

Get your Core de Force:

Join me:

If you’re nervous about starting this alone, here’s the deal, you don’t have to! I run monthly challenge groups and I’d love to help you through it and share tips I learned during my first go at it! If Core de Force looks too intense for you, fill out this form to tell me what kind of goals you are trying to reach and I’ll help you find the perfect program for you, and work along side you as your accountability partner!

I hope you found this review helpful and that if anything it gets you excited about starting a new fitness program where the hard work has been done for you in calculating when to work what muscle group and what to eat and how much. All you have to do is show up, and by show up I mean press play! Workout at home, get amazing results. It’s possible.

Love,

Mariangelica

Follow:

If you missed week one’s review, make sure you give that a read first! I go into more detail explaining what Core de Force is all about! Core De Force – Week One Review . I have a goal this year to workout for 100 days in a row. Thanks to this program I have now worked out 14 days in a row! Basically, Core de Force has slowly become one of my favourite programs. I’ve always been a 21 Day Fix girl! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t get overly excited about doing a 47 minute workout followed by 16 more minutes of core work, but the results are so worth it. I still hate cardio though. If they make me jump one more time…

Week two of the program is definitely tougher. We get introduced to our first two days of double workouts. The Core Kinetics video is INSANE. I swear I feel my obliques, abs and butt all getting toned as I go, it’s nuts. This is an at home program, but with the feeling of a personal trainer in my own home. I really am so impressed by all that’s happened in two short weeks.

Here’s how week two looked like.

Stats:

Measurements are my favourite way of tracking progress. Though I do weigh myself. Simply because I have a scale and I don’t have anxiety about the number on the scale. Though if you do, stick to measuring!

Starting measurements 7 days of Core De Force 14 days of Core De Force
Neck 12.75″ 12.5″ 12.5″
Chest 35.5″ 35.5″ 35″
R. Arm 11.25″ 11″ 11″
L. Arm 11″ 10.5″ 10.5″
Waist 35.25″ 32″ 31″
Hips 41.5″ 41″ 40.5″
R. Thigh 20.75″ 20 20″
L. Thigh 21 20 20″
Total Inches 189″ 182″ 180.5″
Weight 150lbs 145lbs 144.5lbs

Total Inches LOST: 1.5 inches! I am pleasantly surprised to see in one week after such a dramatic first week that I lost any at all!

Total pounds LOST: .5 pounds! This is the best example as to why I do measurements.
I might have been pretty upset with a .5 pound loss if it had been back when I tracked solely with weight but my waist is an entire inch smaller than last week.
And that feels better than a .5lbs loss.

What I ate:

Week 2 we decided to add in a few recipes from a book called Fixate that keeps the portion fix in mind! The recipes are honestly SO easy and it wow’ed a few family and friends when they came for dinner! I want to share with my complete meal plan so that you can see every step of the journey. This is a meal plan with the Portion Fix Containers in use that come with this program! It’s super simple so my portions are easy to follow with these colour coded containers!

Monday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini, cherry tomatoes and strawberries | Lunch: tomato Soup x2, tuna and quinoa x2 | Snack: strawberries | Dinner: avocado, salmon, cucumber salad, quinoa x2

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini, cherry tomatoes and strawberries | Lunch: zucchini salad x2, lentils, corn x2, dressing | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: salmon quinoa sushi (recipe from Fixate) x2, mixed veggies x2

Wednesay:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: salmon quinoa sushi, caesar salad x2, dressing | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: stir fry x2, tofu, avocado, rice noodles x2

Thursday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: maple glazed brussels sprouts (recipe from Fixate), asparagus, tuna | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: greek salad x2, lentils, rice noodles x2

Friday:
Breakfast: Shakeology | Snack: zucchini,  cherry tomatoes and an orange | Lunch: shrimp, mixed greens x2, quinoa x2 | Snack: asian pear | Dinner: cucumber dill salad, lentils, quinoa x2, brie cheese

Saturday:
Breakfast: pancakes x2, banana | Snack: shakeology | Lunch: zucchini noodle lasagna(recipe from Fixate), asparagus, garlic bread, avocado | Snack: dill cucumber salad, 1 hard boiled egg | Dinner: sweet potato mash x2, 2 hard boiled eggs, sautéed kale

Sunday:
Breakfast: eggs, arepas, fruit, | Snack: shakeology | Lunch: salmon quinoa sushi, mango salad | Snack: kale chips | Dinner: zucchini lasagna, gluten free toast

If you want to see some of the meals in action, here are some of my instagram shots, for more of these and to follow along in my journey make sure to follow my instagram account @coachmariangelica !

The workouts:

  • MondayMMA Shred (37 minutes) + Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – Kick things up a notch with Muay-Thai-inspired elbows and kicks for a head-to-toe shred. Prepare to sweat! Core Kinetics is intense, but so amazing for really forcing you to engage your core, love those 16 minutes just hard after 47 minutes of intense work!
  • TuesdayPower Sculpt (36 minutes) – A total-body burner. You will feel this everywhere and with the mixture of interval training, Endurance will be built!
  • Wednesday – MMA Shred (37 minutes) + Core Kinetics (16 minutes) – A repeat of Monday! Work it!
  • ThursdayDynamic Strength (47 minutes) – Low on impact, but high on intensity. You can really feel yourself carving out your shape with all the twists!
  • FridayMMA Power (47 minutes) -12 rounds my friends, 12 rounds of MMA explosive moved. Fast paced cardio, but the rounds fly by. Get ready for some jump rolls!
  • SaturdayPower Sculpt (36 minutes) – Nice to do one you’ve already done on a Saturday.
  • SundayActive Recovery (21 minutes) – 10 minutes of slow conditioning work that definitely made me break a sweat, quickly followed by the most relaxing stretch session ever for the remaining 11 minutes. It’s the shortest workout but not one to skip over lightly. 

Non-scale Victories:

NON scale victories of core de force

  • I hit that stage in every program or goal where I wanted to quit and I didn’t.
  • I’ve been working out in the morning this week and it has been a game changer for feeling more relaxed during the day and less of the dreading of the workout is happening.
  • I’m not going to bed early enough as I’d like yet, but I’m hoping that changes in week three. I am sleeping deeper and waking up more rested though!
  • I have not been bloated since about my fourth day into the program and THAT is just such a win for me. Honestly. I have a feeling it’s a mixture of too much gluten/dairy.
  • I bought a bodysuit, yes those tight ones, and wore it as a shirt to work with a loose button up.
  • Wore that very same bodysuit one day and lounged around in it at home while we cooked and felt completely ok!
  • I’m starting to see the progress daily in the mirror, I feel smaller. I love finally being able to SEE the results and FEEL it in the way my clothes fit.
  • None of the girls in our private online group have quit and are all hitting their weekly goals! It’s so exciting to see what a group of women can help each other achieve!

Get your Core de Force:

Join me:

If you’re nervous about starting this alone, here’s the deal, you don’t have to! I run monthly challenge groups and I’d love to help you through it and share tips I learned during my first go at it! If Core de Force looks too intense for you, fill out this form to tell me what kind of goals you are trying to reach and I’ll help you find the perfect program for you, and work along side you as your accountability partner!

I hope you found this review helpful and that if anything it gets you excited about starting a new fitness program where the hard work has been done for you in calculating when to work what muscle group and what to eat and how much. All you have to do is show up, and by show up I mean press play! Workout at home, get amazing results. It’s possible.

Love,

Mariangelica

Follow: