(OPEN) 21 Days No Junk Food Challenge!

VeganGal84

This challenge is October 10 - October 31 (You may start a day early if eating candy on Halloween can't be avoided) :bigsmile:

I'm doing this as a personal challenge, but thought that others may want to join in. :drinker:

Not everything on this list is a junk food for everyone. For example, natural peanut butter is very healthy! But I'm still planning to follow this challenge as written, because I have been eating a lot of PB lately and I think that it will be good to expand my horizons a bit.

Some things are junk foods and NOT on this list. For example, is soda a junk food? Just use your best judgement in what you want to add or subtract from this list to suit your own definition of "junk food".

This challenge isn't about weight, size, or exercise. It's simply about learning new eating habits, habits that don't include junk food. Some of us (ME!) have allowed these foods to creep into our otherwise healthy food journals far too often, and could really use a break.

The idea is that it takes 21 days to form new healthy habits or to break old bad ones. I'm not sure whether or not that is true, but this should be an interesting challenge, and it's totally do-able.

We can use this post to share tips and ideas as well as for basic commeraderie. :flowerforyou:

Who's in?

sundancer1966

Hi, Count me in!

For the peanut butter, I have been cuting it out of my diet because i was told it inhibits weight loss. Just tried Sunflower butter. OMG is it good. You want to try that for expanding your horizons.

Onesnap

Hi, Count me in!

For the peanut butter, I have been cuting it out of my diet because i was told it inhibits weight loss. Just tried Sunflower butter. OMG is it good. You want to try that for expanding your horizons.

Good for you for jumping on board! I have a friend outside of MFP that is doing the very same thing...he was explaining he needs a kick-start to get back on track this fall!

Peanut butter in moderation is shown to help with weight loss. Check out this article! They call it a dieter's best friend. If you are looking for an alternative check out almond butter. Almond butter on apple slices is a great combo!

http://www.prevention.com/health/nutrition/smart-shopping/healthy-eating-why-you-should-eat-more-peanut-butter/article/e61dc7043c8a4110VgnVCM10000013281eac____/

VeganGal84

I believe that almost any food can inhibit weight loss if eaten in excess. I think that's probably why the challenge creater (whoever writes that tumblr blog, linked at the bottom of the picture) included peanut butter in this list. She/He probably overeates on PB, which I can totally understand! Give me a spoon and a jar, and I can easily eat 1000+ calories in a few minutes.

futuregill

I'm in and I'll start today.

DEEDLYNN

I'm game.....I haven't eaten out in about 3 weeks, other than once a week I allow myself Subway (even though...I know it's got tons of sodium and not as good for me as something I make myself). I guess I will cut that out too. Many of these things I have already cut, but occassionally will endulge. It will be nice to see if I can make it 21 days without any of it.

sjmgde

I am goin ot start tday as ell and i wi see wha ti a do and i will post it on my wall. UFF DUH< no junk food. Do my fiber one bars count. They are oats adn choc, chips but they are good.

milaxx

I'm in. Not much of a junk food eater anyway.

JustQue

I'm down. I was considering a similar challenge on my way to work today!! Q

Punkedpoetess

This will go prefectly with my eating cleaner initative I started doing for myself yesterday. Going to start this on Sunday so that I can have chocolate on halloween. Count me in.

oh and I agree about sunflower seed butter. Haven't had it in a long time, but it is awesome. Great with bananas on a sandwich. Bought a jar at trader joe's today.

arispawild

I am so IN! This sounds greeeaaat.

zsesteacher

I'm in...I really need to boost my weight loss...I still have a long journey to go...

Yvette

VeganGal84

I still haven't decided if I will start on Sunday or Monday. My birthday is Friday, so I guess it depends on if I still have leftover birthday cake on Sunday! :laugh:

tracyg86

Im in.. wish me luck

RangerSteve

Who made that list?

No chocolate? Dark chocolate is a super healthy food.
No peanut butter? Whaaaat?
No ice cream? Milk and sugar is unhealthy now?


I don't get it.

VeganGal84

Who made that list?

No chocolate? Dark chocolate is a super healthy food.
No peanut butter? Whaaaat?
No ice cream? Milk and sugar is unhealthy now?


I don't get it.

Yes, dark chocolate and natural peanut butter are healthy in moderation, like anything else. However, the person who wrote this list (I assume the person who wrote the tumblr blog linked on the picture) probably is one of many people who have trouble with portion control with those foods.

You don't have to get it unless you plan to participate in the challenge.

RangerSteve

Yes, dark chocolate and natural peanut butter are healthy in moderation, like anything else. However, the person who wrote this list (I assume the person who wrote the tumblr blog linked on the picture) probably is one of many people who have trouble with portion control with those foods.

You don't have to get it unless you plan to participate in the challenge.

Whether I get it or not doesn't mean it's sad to see such healthy things being labeled as "junk food" for no other reason than someone not being able to control themselves.

I find celery to be a junk food. I like to eat a lot of it. Please add it to the list so people don't eat it.

Seriously though, they sell peanut butter and chocolate in small single serving or double serving containers for people with such problems.

MartiTennisMom

I am IN!

This is great! I love it. I will substitute healthy nuts for the peanut butter I occasionally have. The candy will be a killer for me, I indulge in york peppermint patties, or kraft caramels almost daily, and I need to get out of the habit. I love that it's over on Halloween, because I don't think I can pass up a little raiding of my kid's bags on that day.

KokomoJoe

I am in as I don't eat junk food, but I will not give up my almond butter which I make myself or my protein muffins which are gluten free and home made. Then also contain cacao which I am fine with. Commercial muffins from a donut shop, chocolate bars in corner stores are the problems.

Just read your average store bought peanut butter: Peanuts, corn syrup, sugar and soy protein, hyrogenated vegetable oils, salt, mono and diglycerides etc...

Juniper88

I am in!!! I plan to start tomorrow.

My goal is to avoid and/or substitute these foods with healthier versions/optiions (ex: potatoe chips replaced with lentil chips).

I am a sugar addict! This is going to be VERY challenging for me...!

SnazzyTraveller

In!

hanaibo

In! I use leftover calories as an excuse to eat crap too often...I won't be excluding natural peanut butter (like some of you) because sometimes I just *need* the protein and fat it provides in a convenient form. I'm a total sucker for the processed kind though...I will be avoiding that one for sure.

Both excited and scared....I'm pretty much addicted to anything processed and carb-y, like sugar and white bread

estelle74uk

I would like to be in please, although I have never done a challenge before, so what happens and how do you keep each other posted?

Going to be hard as I have two birthday dinners (including mine) in this month! ie for the desserts!!

Also the peanut butter, as I have a terrible issue with that too haha so maybe its a blessing in disguise!

x

VeganGal84

so what happens and how do you keep each other posted?

Basically, I will open a new thread around the 9th for this challenge and it will then become closed (no new members past the start date). I will link to it here, so it will be easy to find!


You can check into that thread as often as you like, sharing how your progress is going and any struggles and/or triumphs you may have.

estelle74uk

Ok thanks alot. Looking forward to it

VeganGal84

PRE-CHALLENGE TIP: Please don't use the last few days before this challenge begins as an excuse to overeat on junk food! That is not the point of this challenge. Just continue to eat as usual (everything in moderation) until you begin the challenge.

I only mention this because I have done that before. :embarassed: If I know that come a specific date, I am going to be restricting certain foods from my diet, my first thought has always been to start cramming as much of the "forbidden" foods into my mouth as possible before that day.

However... this is obviously counterproductive. And this is just a challenge, this is not "NEVER EVER EAT THESE FOODS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" It's only 21 days.

We can do it! :flowerforyou:

VeganInTraining

I'm in....but I'll be eating natural peanut butter

jlemoore

I want in!

FitJ1210

I think I might give it a shot? PNB and sweet breads are my down fall.. We have two loaves of BB bread given to us yesterday sitting on the kitchen counter. Lots of descussion on PNB.. is it allowed in this challenge?

estelle74uk

PRE-CHALLENGE TIP: Please don't use the last few days before this challenge begins as an excuse to overeat on junk food! That is not the point of this challenge. Just continue to eat as usual (everything in moderation) until you begin the challenge.

We can do it! :flowerforyou:

haha i have done this before!!

VeganGal84

Lots of descussion on PNB.. is it allowed in this challenge?

If it's a health food for you (as in, do you choose natural PB? Can you eat it in moderation?) then peanut butter is allowed. :happy:

It's become such a staple for me, and I think that I've been overeating it some days, and for me, it will be a good challenge to give it up for 21 days, even though I don't agree that it's a junk food. I hope that made sense!

To each their own, regarding the list. Basically, whatever you consider to be a junk food, stay away from it for 21 days!