Understanding the 21 Day Fix Portion Containers
I used to count calories.... Now, I count COLORS!! I was obsessed with the notion of calories in being less than calories burned and was constantly looking up the calorie content of foods and tallying, etc. It was exhausting!!! This was before I was I was introduced to the 21 Day Fix program of course! I have said numerous times... you can't out exercise a bad diet and that 80% of weight loss occurs in the kitchen, not in the gym! You absolutely HAVE to get dialed in on your nutrition to lose weight! This is what I loved so much about the 21 Day Fix program - it took the guesswork out of it and gave me the structure that I needed to be consistent.
The Containers Explained.....
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 simple and easy and get you away from the hassle of calorie counting. If it fits in the container 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 official 21DF approved food list will tell you, for example, that 1/2 banana or one medium apple equals one purple container, so you do not constantly have to cut these up to put them into the container.
The red container is for protein. Fill it with chicken breast, yogurt, eggs, tofu, or shellfish. For some of the other proteins, consult the food list in your guide.
The yellow container is for carbs and 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 listed 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 salad 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 understand how to use them! Although you don’t have to count your calories each day, you will need to perform the simple calculation found on page 4 of your 21DF Nutrition Guide to determine your calorie range. Your calorie range will determine your container allotment for each day (ie - how many of each container that you get each day).
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. The example below of the salad is a good example of this concept.
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 versus x number of calories!!
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.
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 that this is the case for you, only eat what you can, but make sure that you eat a little from all of the containers instead of just filling up on your favorite kind and avoiding what you like the least. But, you should really try to eat all of your containers each day as best as you can. Your container allotment has been calculated to fit YOU and Autumn Calabrese knew what she was doing when she decided how many containers you get to have each day. She gives you just the right amount of food to fuel your properly and keep your metabolism running at full force to effectively melt the fat away. If you do not eat enough food, you will stall your metabolism! So my advice.... Listen to what Autumn says and follow the plan!
But, I get sick of eating "diet food" all the time....
If you are like me, then you get sick of eating the same thing over and over again! That is what I have LOVED so much about this program! I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes and eating fun, flavorful, DIFFERENT meals often! There are so many recipes that fit into this nutrition plan! You can go on Pinterest and type in "21 Day Fix" and you will be absolutely amazed by all of the recipes that will pop up. There are literally thousands of recipes to choose from! I encourage you to surf Pinterest yourself and pick out some amazing recipes to try when you are planning your grocery list and your meals. Don't be afraid to cook your new found healthy meals for the entire family! I have prepared tons of "kid tested" and "husband approved" 21 Day Fix recipes that the whole family has loved! This is definitely one perk of the program which made it so easy for me to incorporate this as a lifestyle change rather than just another diet. The fact that I could change it up as often as I like and still enjoy the fun of experimenting with new recipes.... all without "cheating"! It's a win-win! If you are a little more old-school and would prefer a recipe book, I include an e-book of family friendly 21 Day Fix approved recipes when you purchase of 21 Day Fix from me as a special and exclusive bonus gift. I include pictures of each recipe as well as the container count per serving. The container count makes it super simple for you to incorporate the meal into your daily container allotment. Additionally, Autumn has put together a fantastic recipe book entitled Fixate which contains over 100 Fix Approved recipes (all with container counts listed). This is a great resource and I highly recommend this add-on if you enjoy cooking.
Follow me on Pinterest! I have created several 21 Day Fix boards that you can use to get started!
Still have questions??
No problem! Here is a video that I made to explain the program that you might enjoy watching. Of course, please feel free to contact me via email or Messenger if you still have questions. I am happy to help and always available to answer questions or chat!
Would you like to receive me FREE 5 Day Meal Plan to Get started?
This is a great resource with which to get started! To make it easier for you, I have created a FREE 5 day meal plan that you can use for your first week and a grocery list to go with it! This FREE meal plan will help you to understand that the 21 Day Fix doesn't have to be difficult! I am all about SIMPLE!! Just click on the button below to get your FREE 5 Day meal plan now!
Do You Want To Get BETTER Results Even FASTER?
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