November Week 3 Mini Challenges
luvs_choc8
Posts: 788 Member
Monday November 16
FOOD: Today is the start of the April Life's New Journey 2015 challenge. So I would like to take this week to review a few food basics. If you want to lose weight or adopt a healthier lifestyle, then the most important first step is to remove or reduce sugars and simple carbs from your diet. These foods stimulate the secretion of insulin the most. If you didn’t know already, insulin is the main fat storage hormone in the body. So, your food challenge this week is to reduce your carb intake especially refined carbohydrates like sugar, white rice and flour, etc.
EXERCISE: Though the general advice is to do at least 30 minutes of exercise 3 to 5 times a week, it is best to incorporate exercise into your life....take a walk during lunch, if you have a desk job get up every 15 to 30 mins and stretch or walk a few steps (see if your employer will pay for a stand up desk)...simply just move!! Your challenge today is to look for at least 3 ways to incorporate movement into your life. If you have an active job then amp up your intensity!
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: It’s not that some people have willpower and some don’t. It’s that some people are ready to change and others are not. ~James Gordon **Hope you all have a fantastic Monday everyone!!*
Tuesday November 17
FOOD: So, you want to eat healthier, but you do not know where to start. Here is a bit of advice...start small! Make small choices daily or weekly and ease yourself into eating healthier. An example I recently read about is to swap half (not all) of the potatoes in mashed potatoes for cauliflower — they’ll still taste like delicious mashed potatoes, but will be way healthier! Give it a try this week as you cook...see where you can make small changes. EXERCISE: As of the time I am writing this...I got 12,783 steps in today...how many do you have? The goal is to become more active and move around. As for strength training...I recently read that for better functional fitness, squats are one of the best (if not THE best) exercises....challenge yourself and do 100 squats today (or tomorrow for whom today is over). Do a set of 10 every time you use the bathroom or right after a meeting at work...do 25 when in the shower...get creative and post where and how many you did!!! INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer. - Marcia Wieder **I hope everyone has a great action filled Tuesday!!**
Wednesday November 18
FOOD: new research suggests that foods rich in anthocyanin antioxidants, dietary nitrates, potassium, and probiotics can significantly lower blood pressure. Some examples are blueberries, bing cherries, strawberries, arugula, baby spinach, beetroot juice, avocado, sweet potato, tempeh, greek yogurt, and cultured cottage cheese. So, make sure to pick up some of these items the next time you go to the supermarket. EXERCISE: The environment you workout in can affect not only your intensity but also how long you continue your workouts. A study from a university in Quebec found that those who workout outdoors, when compared to those who do the same workout indoors, felt more tranquil, less depressed, and stuck to the workout longer. As the weather improves get outside and do your workouts in nature...you may be surprised with how you feel. When you workout today, challenge yourself by upping the intensity...doing a 3.5mph walk...push yourself for 30 secs to 4.0mph...then slow down, then go faster. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake. - Henry David Thoreau **Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!!**
Thursday November 19
FOOD: Raw food is great...but raw milk may not be so good for you. Many people drink raw milk since it has the normal bacteria that reside on the udders of the cows which may be beneficial. However those udders may also be colonized with E. Coli. According to the CDC there are more diarrheal illnesses associated with raw milk being reported as more people drink it. So, if you are drinking raw milk, just be careful where you get it from and if you are pregnant, the risk is not worth the benefits you may be getting from it. EXERCISE: High impact exercise such as running is good for your bones. The impact breaks down the bone on a microscopic level and your body rebuilds that bone to be stronger. So, take a look at your cardio work outs and see where you can increase the impact. Add 3 sets of 20 jumping jacks...that gets your heart rate up and gives you that high impact!! If your knees can't take it then consider a fast paced walk. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: We are still masters of our fate. We are still captains of our souls. - Winston Churchill **Hope all have a terrific Thursday!!**
Friday November 20
FOOD: There are many types of protein powders out there and they are not all the same. Take a look at the labels before you shell out big bucks for a protein powder. If you are allergic to lactose, then you can try egg white which is one of the best dairy free protein. Pea blend is a good soy-free vegan option, soy is the most absorbable plant based protein, and then there is whey which is best overall absorbed protein. If you supplement with protein powder, then any of the above choices are great! Just make sure there are not too many other additives! EXERCISE: As we head into the weekend, it is important to allow for recovery time. Rest goes hand in hand with exercise in order to build fitness. How much recovery time you require depends upon a lot of factors including your fitness level, how hard & long you train, your diet, the quality of your sleep, other life stress, and your own unique personal habits. Take these factors into account and make arrangements for resting this weekend after you have an all out workout today. Do the following moves: Do 3 sets of the following, Jumping jacks for 20 sec, followed by a 10 sec break; jog in place for 20sec, then 10 sec rest; mountain climbers for 20 sec, then 10 sec break, and finally 20 sec of push ups. Rest for 1 minute then repeat. that is one tabata!!! INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. - Mahatma Gandhi **Hope you all have a great Friday and wonderful weekend!!**
FOOD: Today is the start of the April Life's New Journey 2015 challenge. So I would like to take this week to review a few food basics. If you want to lose weight or adopt a healthier lifestyle, then the most important first step is to remove or reduce sugars and simple carbs from your diet. These foods stimulate the secretion of insulin the most. If you didn’t know already, insulin is the main fat storage hormone in the body. So, your food challenge this week is to reduce your carb intake especially refined carbohydrates like sugar, white rice and flour, etc.
EXERCISE: Though the general advice is to do at least 30 minutes of exercise 3 to 5 times a week, it is best to incorporate exercise into your life....take a walk during lunch, if you have a desk job get up every 15 to 30 mins and stretch or walk a few steps (see if your employer will pay for a stand up desk)...simply just move!! Your challenge today is to look for at least 3 ways to incorporate movement into your life. If you have an active job then amp up your intensity!
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: It’s not that some people have willpower and some don’t. It’s that some people are ready to change and others are not. ~James Gordon **Hope you all have a fantastic Monday everyone!!*
Tuesday November 17
FOOD: So, you want to eat healthier, but you do not know where to start. Here is a bit of advice...start small! Make small choices daily or weekly and ease yourself into eating healthier. An example I recently read about is to swap half (not all) of the potatoes in mashed potatoes for cauliflower — they’ll still taste like delicious mashed potatoes, but will be way healthier! Give it a try this week as you cook...see where you can make small changes. EXERCISE: As of the time I am writing this...I got 12,783 steps in today...how many do you have? The goal is to become more active and move around. As for strength training...I recently read that for better functional fitness, squats are one of the best (if not THE best) exercises....challenge yourself and do 100 squats today (or tomorrow for whom today is over). Do a set of 10 every time you use the bathroom or right after a meeting at work...do 25 when in the shower...get creative and post where and how many you did!!! INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer. - Marcia Wieder **I hope everyone has a great action filled Tuesday!!**
Wednesday November 18
FOOD: new research suggests that foods rich in anthocyanin antioxidants, dietary nitrates, potassium, and probiotics can significantly lower blood pressure. Some examples are blueberries, bing cherries, strawberries, arugula, baby spinach, beetroot juice, avocado, sweet potato, tempeh, greek yogurt, and cultured cottage cheese. So, make sure to pick up some of these items the next time you go to the supermarket. EXERCISE: The environment you workout in can affect not only your intensity but also how long you continue your workouts. A study from a university in Quebec found that those who workout outdoors, when compared to those who do the same workout indoors, felt more tranquil, less depressed, and stuck to the workout longer. As the weather improves get outside and do your workouts in nature...you may be surprised with how you feel. When you workout today, challenge yourself by upping the intensity...doing a 3.5mph walk...push yourself for 30 secs to 4.0mph...then slow down, then go faster. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake. - Henry David Thoreau **Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!!**
Thursday November 19
FOOD: Raw food is great...but raw milk may not be so good for you. Many people drink raw milk since it has the normal bacteria that reside on the udders of the cows which may be beneficial. However those udders may also be colonized with E. Coli. According to the CDC there are more diarrheal illnesses associated with raw milk being reported as more people drink it. So, if you are drinking raw milk, just be careful where you get it from and if you are pregnant, the risk is not worth the benefits you may be getting from it. EXERCISE: High impact exercise such as running is good for your bones. The impact breaks down the bone on a microscopic level and your body rebuilds that bone to be stronger. So, take a look at your cardio work outs and see where you can increase the impact. Add 3 sets of 20 jumping jacks...that gets your heart rate up and gives you that high impact!! If your knees can't take it then consider a fast paced walk. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: We are still masters of our fate. We are still captains of our souls. - Winston Churchill **Hope all have a terrific Thursday!!**
Friday November 20
FOOD: There are many types of protein powders out there and they are not all the same. Take a look at the labels before you shell out big bucks for a protein powder. If you are allergic to lactose, then you can try egg white which is one of the best dairy free protein. Pea blend is a good soy-free vegan option, soy is the most absorbable plant based protein, and then there is whey which is best overall absorbed protein. If you supplement with protein powder, then any of the above choices are great! Just make sure there are not too many other additives! EXERCISE: As we head into the weekend, it is important to allow for recovery time. Rest goes hand in hand with exercise in order to build fitness. How much recovery time you require depends upon a lot of factors including your fitness level, how hard & long you train, your diet, the quality of your sleep, other life stress, and your own unique personal habits. Take these factors into account and make arrangements for resting this weekend after you have an all out workout today. Do the following moves: Do 3 sets of the following, Jumping jacks for 20 sec, followed by a 10 sec break; jog in place for 20sec, then 10 sec rest; mountain climbers for 20 sec, then 10 sec break, and finally 20 sec of push ups. Rest for 1 minute then repeat. that is one tabata!!! INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. - Mahatma Gandhi **Hope you all have a great Friday and wonderful weekend!!**
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