This
week brings us a 5-day fitness challenge! I was contemplating what to
offer you this week, and came upon a blog that had a great idea for a
5-day challenge. I tweaked it a bit, and here you go! It's a
progressive-type of week so get ready!
MONDAY:
* Limit yourself to less than 24 grams (women) or 36 grams (men) of added sugar.
*Add a 1-minute plank to your workout routine.
Tips: For 5 days, start noticing where that added sugar comes from! Definitely leave out the soda, candy, pastries and dessert (it’s just for 5 days) – and start checking your food labels to see where the rest of your sugar is coming from.
Don’t add sugar to your coffee or put it on or in anything you’re ingesting (great alternatives include cinnamon, a little full-fat coconut milk, steamed almond milk, sprinkle of cacao powder)
Don’t eat foods with added sugar (not sure? Read your food labels. If sugar or any kind of sugar derivative is listed – even natural sugars – skip it).
It’s okay to eat fruit, and a little honey per day is also okay.
TUESDAY:
*Drink a serving of Shakeology or make a green smoothie; limit added sugar.
*Do bicycle crunches for 1 minute; plank for 1-minute
If you don't use Shakeology, here's a recipe idea:
Green Smoothie:
1.5 cups Baby Kale (a little more tender and sweeter than mature kale)
1/2 cup parsley
1 apple (cored)
1/3 cucumber
5-6 strawberries
1/4 lemon (de-seeded and squeezed)
3 T hemp seeds or 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1-1.5 cups water
Put all in a food processor, blender or smoothie maker and pulverize. Add ice to desired consistency.
Why Shakeology or a green smoothie? Well, number one most of us just don’t get enough greens in our body on a daily basis. If you haven’ t done your weekly food prep and you’re too busy to cook it’s easy to order take out or eat whatever is in the pantry. I’m guessing that your pantry isn’t stocked with raw kale, micro greens and carrots – and if it was, cooking them can feel like a job at the end of a long day. But tossing them in the blender with some fruits and spices – that’s another story!
Number two, any flavor of Shakeology or green smoothies deliver a powerful dose of nutrients right into your body. They contain all the healthy, natural fiber from the fruits and vegetables you blend, so you’ll digest slowly – keeping your blood sugar stable. Juicing is also a great way to get the nutrients into your body, but it will eliminate the fiber. I consider both juicing and blending wonderful additions to a well-balanced eating plan.
WEDNESDAY:
*Meet your water requirement; drink Shakeology or a green smoothie; limit added sugar.
*Do 1 minute of jump squats, bicycle crunches for 1 minute and a 1-minute plank.
So, how much water do you need to stay hydrated? The Food and Nutrition Board recommends general guidelines by age and gender as follows:
Women: between the ages of 19-70 need 2.7 L per day (avg)
(slightly higher during pregnancy and significantly higher during nursing)
Men: between the ages of 19-90 need 3.7 L per day (avg)For example, 2 L of water is roughly 9 (8 oz) glasses of water. And 3 L of water is about 13 (8oz) glasses of water a day.
So if you’re trying to meet your water needs and you’re aiming for 2 L of water a day, that’s refilling a 600 mL water bottle 3 and a half times. That’s refilling a 32 oz water bottle a little more than twice.
A slightly different approach is to divide your ideal body weight by 2, and drink that amount in ounces of water. For example, if you weigh 120 lbs, drink 60 oz of water a day. This amount does not include the fluids you absorb from other foods and liquids, although I typically drink my full amount in water and let the water I get through my foods and coffee be "bonus" .
THURSDAY:
*Bring food for the day; meet your daily water requirement; drink Shakeology or a green smoothie; limit added sugar.
*Do 1 minute of push-ups, 1 minute of jump squats, bicycle crunches for 1 minute & a 1-minute plank.
When we were kids, our moms packed lunches and snacks for us. When we were babies, they never left home without a bottle and our baby food. That’s because Mom knew that we needed a steady supply of nutrients to get big and strong, and to thrive! But somewhere between high school and our first job, it got ‘cooler’ to go out to eat with our friends and Mom had to pack our thermos and lunchbox away.
Tip: Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail!!
FRIDAY:
*Find a new healthy recipe or food to try; bring food for the day; meet your daily water requirement; drink Shakeology or a green smoothie; limit added sugar.
*1-minute of Lunges; 1 minute of push-ups, 1 minute of jump squats, bicycle crunches for 1 minute & a 1-minute plank.
Eat seasonal! Since it's spring, focus on tender, leafy vegetables that represent the fresh new growth of this season. The greening that occurs in springtime should be represented by greens on your plate, including Swiss chard, spinach, Romaine lettuce, fresh parsley, and basil.
Remember, variety is the spice of life!
Good Luck!! And thanks to www.thebettyrocker.com for my inspiration for this week's challenge!
MONDAY:
* Limit yourself to less than 24 grams (women) or 36 grams (men) of added sugar.
*Add a 1-minute plank to your workout routine.
Tips: For 5 days, start noticing where that added sugar comes from! Definitely leave out the soda, candy, pastries and dessert (it’s just for 5 days) – and start checking your food labels to see where the rest of your sugar is coming from.
Don’t add sugar to your coffee or put it on or in anything you’re ingesting (great alternatives include cinnamon, a little full-fat coconut milk, steamed almond milk, sprinkle of cacao powder)
Don’t eat foods with added sugar (not sure? Read your food labels. If sugar or any kind of sugar derivative is listed – even natural sugars – skip it).
It’s okay to eat fruit, and a little honey per day is also okay.
TUESDAY:
*Drink a serving of Shakeology or make a green smoothie; limit added sugar.
*Do bicycle crunches for 1 minute; plank for 1-minute
If you don't use Shakeology, here's a recipe idea:
Green Smoothie:
1.5 cups Baby Kale (a little more tender and sweeter than mature kale)
1/2 cup parsley
1 apple (cored)
1/3 cucumber
5-6 strawberries
1/4 lemon (de-seeded and squeezed)
3 T hemp seeds or 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1-1.5 cups water
Put all in a food processor, blender or smoothie maker and pulverize. Add ice to desired consistency.
Why Shakeology or a green smoothie? Well, number one most of us just don’t get enough greens in our body on a daily basis. If you haven’ t done your weekly food prep and you’re too busy to cook it’s easy to order take out or eat whatever is in the pantry. I’m guessing that your pantry isn’t stocked with raw kale, micro greens and carrots – and if it was, cooking them can feel like a job at the end of a long day. But tossing them in the blender with some fruits and spices – that’s another story!
Number two, any flavor of Shakeology or green smoothies deliver a powerful dose of nutrients right into your body. They contain all the healthy, natural fiber from the fruits and vegetables you blend, so you’ll digest slowly – keeping your blood sugar stable. Juicing is also a great way to get the nutrients into your body, but it will eliminate the fiber. I consider both juicing and blending wonderful additions to a well-balanced eating plan.
WEDNESDAY:
*Meet your water requirement; drink Shakeology or a green smoothie; limit added sugar.
*Do 1 minute of jump squats, bicycle crunches for 1 minute and a 1-minute plank.
So, how much water do you need to stay hydrated? The Food and Nutrition Board recommends general guidelines by age and gender as follows:
Women: between the ages of 19-70 need 2.7 L per day (avg)
(slightly higher during pregnancy and significantly higher during nursing)
Men: between the ages of 19-90 need 3.7 L per day (avg)For example, 2 L of water is roughly 9 (8 oz) glasses of water. And 3 L of water is about 13 (8oz) glasses of water a day.
So if you’re trying to meet your water needs and you’re aiming for 2 L of water a day, that’s refilling a 600 mL water bottle 3 and a half times. That’s refilling a 32 oz water bottle a little more than twice.
A slightly different approach is to divide your ideal body weight by 2, and drink that amount in ounces of water. For example, if you weigh 120 lbs, drink 60 oz of water a day. This amount does not include the fluids you absorb from other foods and liquids, although I typically drink my full amount in water and let the water I get through my foods and coffee be "bonus" .
THURSDAY:
*Bring food for the day; meet your daily water requirement; drink Shakeology or a green smoothie; limit added sugar.
*Do 1 minute of push-ups, 1 minute of jump squats, bicycle crunches for 1 minute & a 1-minute plank.
When we were kids, our moms packed lunches and snacks for us. When we were babies, they never left home without a bottle and our baby food. That’s because Mom knew that we needed a steady supply of nutrients to get big and strong, and to thrive! But somewhere between high school and our first job, it got ‘cooler’ to go out to eat with our friends and Mom had to pack our thermos and lunchbox away.
Tip: Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail!!
FRIDAY:
*Find a new healthy recipe or food to try; bring food for the day; meet your daily water requirement; drink Shakeology or a green smoothie; limit added sugar.
*1-minute of Lunges; 1 minute of push-ups, 1 minute of jump squats, bicycle crunches for 1 minute & a 1-minute plank.
Eat seasonal! Since it's spring, focus on tender, leafy vegetables that represent the fresh new growth of this season. The greening that occurs in springtime should be represented by greens on your plate, including Swiss chard, spinach, Romaine lettuce, fresh parsley, and basil.
Remember, variety is the spice of life!
Good Luck!! And thanks to www.thebettyrocker.com for my inspiration for this week's challenge!
