In the fitness industry, when clients tell us they want to lose weight and get healthy, we like to say that such goals require a "lifestyle change". People panic when they hear this. They think they need to quit their jobs, grow their own vegetables, live on protein shakes, and spend 2 hours in the gym everyday. It's just that kind of reaction that keeps people from even trying.
The truth is that small changes can make a big difference. Most human beings don't deal very well with change, so we have to trick ourselves into doing things in a new way. The 10 Week Total Health Challenge doesn't demand much from you. Each week, we will focus on simple behavior that we want to modify. The ten goals are simple and easily achieved, because nothing motivates us more than success!
We will implement each new goal on a Monday. If you successfully maintain the new behavior for five out of seven days, that is great! Six out of seven days is even better, and seven out of seven is fantastic. You might not even need all ten goals: maybe you already have some good, healthy habits. If you live in the real world, though, chances are you could use a little motivation.
We will have a chart in the studio for those of you who want to participate. Those who complete the challenge will get a prize!
Let's get started! Our first week officially begins November 2nd. Until then, I just want you to contemplate our first goal and plan for how you will make it happen.
Goal One: Eat a great breakfast
I told you this would be easy. At least it should be. However, I have plenty of clients who eat haphazardly. If I see you for a training appointment at 2 PM and you tell me that all you've eaten today is a banana and some coffee, you need to take this goal to heart!
A great breakfast should include some protein, healthy fats, and carbs. You need all three to get your metabolism revved for the day! I'm not going to make recommendations as to how many grams of each or how many calories total, because that's going to vary widely based on who you are and what you do. Livestrong.com has a great tool to help you figure out exactly what your body needs: http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/
If you are not someone who normally eats breakfast, don't get bogged down in details, though. Listen to your body. If your breakfast makes you feel stuffed or icky, it might have too much fat. If you eat breakfast at 7 AM and are hungry by 9 AM, you might need more protein, which keeps us sated longer. If you exercise in the mornings, you might need more calories than most people to get you through a workout and keep you feeling strong. Experiment. To help you out, here are some suggestions:
Good Proteins:
Egg White Omelet
Scrambled Tofu
Low-fat or fat-free soy or dairy yogurt
Low-fat cheese
Good Carbs:
Fruits or veggies
100% whole grain bread
Oatmeal, millet, or quinoa
Whole grain packaged cereals
Good Fats:
Olive oil (use instead of butter on toast)
Flax oil or flax seed meal (stir into cereal)
Nuts or nut butters
Friday I'll be posting some sample meals and great recipes! Be sure to come back and take a look before you do your weekend grocery shopping.
