PREPARATION CHALLENGE 3 - MONDAY, JULY 21

ATyghter

How was week 2? Are things starting to come together a little bit with these challenges? This preparation is to get you used to making small healthy swaps so that it becomes something you can stick with. One step at a time!!!

I'm going to ask you to do a bit this week... I want you to post a few things for me.

What did you pack for lunch last week? Share what you packed in our MEAL IDEAS. Remember, the point of the group is to help and support each other. With 16 of us in the group, I'm sure we could come up with a month's worth of lunch ideas.

This week's challenges are as follows:

1) Mind - NON-SCALE VICTORIES (NSVs) - In this discussion, post 1 NSV you've had. What are NSVs? Successes you've had outside of the number on the scale. I have a serious hate/hate relationship with the scale. It doesn't tell me anything good ever. It's a good thing I take pictures often. I've seen huge changes since March alone but the scale is moving slow so I concentrate on things like fitting into pre-pregnancy clothes or running an extra minute that I couldn't the week before. What awesome Non-scale victories have you had?

2) Nutrition - TRY A MEATLESS DISH THIS WEEK! It can be breakfast, lunch or dinner. I'm not a vegetarian but I definitely eat my version of a "plant-based" diet. I make sure the majority of my diet is made up of fruits and vegetables. Post your meatless dish in our MEAL IDEAS group and if you have a link or recipe, include it!

3) Fitness - TRY your PiYo DVDs if you have them already. If you haven't received them yet or ordered them yet. YouTube a Yoga or Pilates workout to try (If you really want to work your core, try a Pilates one -- you'll feel it the next day).

It's a BUSY week.

Let's POWER through TOGETHER!

Lilymay2

I think I lead a boring life.... oh well.

here is what I eat for lunch...because I sit at a desk for 10 hours a day.... I pack salad (usually romaine, spinach etc mix.) and raw vegetables and a protein. My protein is salmon or tuna or sardines. Sometimes rice or beans. Because the only steps I get during the day are my walks to the water cooler, paper shredder and the bathroom... I do not eat heavy food for lunch.

I have a sensitivity to yeast so I don't eat bread, therefore no sandwich. I read labels lots - yeast is a preservative and is in lots of things.

I will get my mind in place to come up with meatless lunches... Breakfast already is meatless....

AWillia222

Hello everyone,
Week 2 was really good! Thanks for all of your challenges and giving me something to look forward to Monday mornings as I reset my week!

My NSV was that I was very successful last week by using it as a transition phase for getting back into my consistent morning workout schedule, in additon to fitness classes I take at the gym right after work.
I made an effort to go to bed no later than 10:30pm, and was able to wake up early Thursday to Today (Monday), yes incluing Saturday and Sunday, by 6:30am the latest

I've always been an early riser, but it takes quite a bit of motivation sometimes to get out of my very warm and comfortable bed.
I was getting grumpy falling into a routine of lazy late nights watching something on Netflix, and waking up just in time to get ready for work.

I realized that in my past, I've felt most productive and refreshed each day when I woke up early to get the blood flowing wtih a workout, or even to get some chores done around the house.
Whether it be a full 1hr workout, or a short 10 minute abdominal workout or stretch, the energy it gives me to get through my day is wonderful, and I'm even more excited to hit up the gym after work.
Morning workouts also help me to make and effort to eat well throughout the day, so that the work I put in aren't a waste.

I have my favourite fitness classes that I take at the gym, and that work with my current weekly evening schedule. But becasue they are my favourties, and that some classes, like abs, back and glutes, tend to focus on the same areas of my body week after week, I also wanted to use my morning workouts to focus on the other areas of my body that I don't work on in the evenings.

babsmckenna

Hi All,

Thanks for the great ideas. I'm just getting back on track. Did well for about 15 days eating well, water exercise.

My healthy meatless breakfast is my shakeology shake which I LOVE. Then I have yogurt with fresh fruit for a snack about 10:30. Sometimes I add bare naked granola.

Meatless meal I like is sauteed cabbage with garlic and onions and sometimes stewed tomatoes. Then I add a bit of bow tie pasta just to give it some hardiness. Excellent.

My NSV is major for last few days:

I actually weighed myself after 20 days of drinking shakeology expecting about 3-4 lbs lost. On the contrary I was dismayed when I only lost a half pound! HOWEVER, I chose to journal that night. Something I'm thankful for - which was that the small weight loss didn't cause me to "go off" and eat whatever I craved...which is what I've done in the past.

Exercise isn't going well for the last five days. I've aggravated an old injury during a walk on the treadmill with a slight incline. I now have to go to a chiropractor for severe sciatic pain. It is discouraging me but I've lowered my calories on MFP from 1880 to 1630 since my activity is going to be limited. I'm hoping the chiropractor will be able to get me back in line quick so I can get back to workout! I DONT want to miss the start up on August 4!!!!\

Great job all!