April Mini Challenges
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luvs_choc8
Posts: 788 Member
Hey everyone...this is the first group post for the Life's New Journey 2015. I put these out every weekday to all who are friends with me. Please friend me if you want to see it. Regards,
ahanksa
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!!**
ahanksa
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!!**
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Thank you luvs_choc8!!0
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Wednesday April 1, 2015
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!!**0 -
Thanks Luvs-choc! My first outdoor run with the "terrible runners" group--it was nice to be outside!0
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Thursday April 2
Ahanksa wrote:
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!!**0 -
Friday April 3
Ahanksa Wrote:
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!!**0 -
Monday April 8
Ahanksa Wrote:
FOOD: Generally the Mediterranean diet is one of the most healthy ones out there. Mind you with globalization of fast food many people in the Mediterranean no longer eat this way, but for those who do, this is a great way to stay healthy. It emphasizes: eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts; replacing butter with healthy fats, such as olive oil; using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods; limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month; eating fish and poultry at least twice a week; drinking red wine in moderation. Look at your diet and see where you can adopt some of these healthy eating habits. Can you limit your intake of red meat and have more fish? Can you use more olive oil? How about a glass of red wine in the evening? EXERCISE: I have a challenge for you this week...it is for the whole week. Try to make it to 50,000 steps this week...that is 10,000 steps a day which generally correlates to an active lifestyle. Use your pedometer or app on a phone...either way...50,000 steps this week!!! INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: A healthy attitude is contagious but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier. - Tom Stoppard **I hope everyone starts out this week with a great attitude...Have a wonderful Monday!!!***0 -
Great read!0
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Tuesday April 7
Ahanksa Wrote:
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!!**0 -
Wednesday April 8
Ahanksa Wrote:
FOOD: So much of our food choices are sometimes tied to our emotions and the situation in our lives. For some food is not sustenance but is for entertainment or for relieving boredom or emotional pain. Take a look at your feelings towards food and ry to break yourself of this cognitive habit by consciously evaluating food in terms of what it can do to keep your body healthy. Ask yourself if what you're about to put in your mouth is good for you, and if it will help your body function as it was designed to. Something key to your bodily function is making sure you drink enough water...I know I have not said this in a while...but try to get your 1.5 to 3 liters a day today! EXERCISE: How is that walking and moving coming along? For those following this challenge this week...by the end of today you should be at 30,000 steps or above. If you are close, take a quick walk after dinner. Yesterday, you did squats, today, try to do the other great exercise for the upper body...the push up!! Do 3 sets of 10 push up today! INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: Nothing is worth more than this day. You cannot relive yesterday. Tomorrow is still beyond our reach. - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe **Happy hump day everyone!!**0 -
Thursday April 9
Ahanksa Wrote:
FOOD: Mindless snacking can kill a good diet...so, next time you feel like snacking, try drinking a full glass of water first. Some people confuse thirst for hunger, and eat a 400- or 500-calorie snack when a glass of water would have helped them feel satiated. If you're still hungry 15 minutes after your drink, then it's time for a snack. This way you will also get enough of your daily water intake. EXERCISE: How close are you to the 50,000 step week's challenge!! Close i hope!! Today for your workout do a core strengthening move...try to do 3 sets of plank for 1 minute. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: This is a wonderful poem: No longer forward nor behind I look in hope and fear; But grateful take the good I find, The best of now and here. John G. Whittier **I hope everyone has a terrific Thursday!!**0 -
April 20
Ahanksa Wrote:
Thank you everyone for your support and encouraging words last week. I am back in Pakistan to do my last few months of my posting here. With the Almighty's help my family and I will finish this one year separation stronger!! FOOD: When it comes to your attitude to eating and maintaining a healthy relationship with food, it is important to focus on finding something that will work for you in the long-run. It’s not what you can do now — it’s what you can keep up for the long run. Look at your eating habits and decide what you can and cannot live with or without. Do you need a chocolate fix every day...then factor that in. Do you need a juicy cheeseburger and crispy fries every once in a while...well go for it as long as it is every once in a while. EXERCISE: A recent study in the Journal of Applied Physiology looked at the question of how long do you have to stop working out to lose all gains you made by consistently exercising. The study results suggested that easing up on your workouts for just 14 days can significantly reduce your cardiovascular fitness, lean muscle mass, and insulin sensitivity. Your challenge this week is to make an exercise schedule and stick to it! Even when you do not feel up to working out...or your day is too hectic...carve out a 5 or 10 mini workout by doing 50 squats, or 1 minute plank, or 100 sit-ups, or 1 min of jumping jacks. Anything so that do you not lose your momentum. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: In honor of Earth Day...What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives? E. M. Forster **Wishing all a wonderful week and Happy Monday!!**0 -
April 21
Ahanksa Wrote:
FOOD: If you are finding yourself tired, hunger, and not satisfied after a meal, take a look at your protein intake. Remember that protein is an important nutrient to build all your organs like the brain, heart, liver, kidney, skin and muscles. Take a look at your calorie counts and make sure you are getting enough protein into your diet while staying within your limits. EXERCISE: I hate mountain climbers...no matter what I visualize or how much I try to motivate myself...I do not like them! I was so happy to find an alternative for them called Toe Dips. You do them by laying on your back; then take a deep breath and focus on contracting near your belly button to activate your transverse abs, the deep muscles you use to push air out or go to the bathroom. Alternate driving your knees up toward your chest—your feet won't touch the floor in between reps, unless you need to modify—feeling your hip flexors controlling your knees while your core stabilizes your pelvis. Don't allow your ribcage to arch away from the floor or your lower back to flatten out. Give it a try by starting with 15 knee drives on each side. Then repeat after a 30 second break. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you. Fred Devito **Have a terrific Tuesday!!**0 -
April 22
Ahanksa Wrote:
FOOD: We all learned some where along the way that dieting or weight loss is all about calories in versus calories out. This is a great over simplification because while a calorie is a calorie, they are not all as beneficial or good for our health. Generally eating fewer calories doesn't necessarily mean eating less good quality food. To be able to cut calories without eating less and feeling hungry, you need to replace some higher calorie foods with foods that are lower in calories, that are good for your body and fill you up. In general, these foods contain a lot of water and are high in fiber and nutrients. Watch your calorie intake today and stay within your limit but also make them count in terms of being good for you! EXERCISE: Core exercises are often neglected when working out. It is important to train the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen to work in harmony for better balance and stability for many daily activities and for playing sports. Strength your core by doing these exercises: Hold a bridge (lie on your back with your knees bent then tighten your abdominal muscles and raise your hips off the floor until your hips are aligned with your knees and shoulders) for four 30 sec bursts; followed by four 20 sec elbow planks with 10 sec breaks in between; lastly try the toe dips I wrote about yesterday....you will be surprised how sore you will be after this routine. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. - Buddha **Be good to yourselves my friends and have a great Wednesday!!**0
