Journal Challenges are now all located here in one page. Scroll down to find the weekly challenge you are currently working on, thanks. Each week a new challenge will be added.
Each week you will be given a new topic to focus on toward changing your eating habits and including more healthy choices. From the topic you will choose a goal each week that you will then strive to complete for an entire week. At the end of the week you will reflect on your food journal and identify choices you could make that would increase your healthy eating habits.
The first step is to begin keeping a food journal of what you eat each day. It will also be helpful to note the time you are eating. You will then return to the journal and use the challenges/goals to adjust your eating and include alternative choices.
Journal Challenge--Week #1 Reflection
Last week we began a new addition to the blog. You were challenged to begin a food diary/journal. The challenge last week was to focus on reducing bad fats and increasing good ones. After tracking your eating habits for the past week you can now reflect on your journal and identify the foods you ate and how you could make better choices. Try to make healthy adjustments to eating better or
healthier fats in the future.
Ask yourself the following:
---Did I eat more good fats verses bad?
---Did I include olive oil and/or coconut oil in my cooking/baking?
---Did I eat more chicken and lean red meat?
---Did I add nuts in my diet in place of potato chips and fatty sweets?
Adjustments can be made by including some of the above suggestions into your eating plan. Making simple adjustments or baby steps will help you move toward healthier eating.
Journal Challenge #2
This week we will focus on whole grains
and replacing "white" foods with "brown-whole wheat" food choices.
Remember the information presented throughout the blog concerning
choosing "brown" over "white" foods such as whole wheat bread instead of
white, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice to name a few. These little
changes can impact your overall health.Some examples you might use as a goal for this week are as follows.
*I will eat more brown bread(whole wheat) instead of white.
*I will eat sprouted grain chips and crackers.
*I will eat whole wheat snacks (pretzels).
*I will eat brown rice in place or white.
* I will eat more brown, whole-wheat pasta in place of white.
*I will bake with whole wheat flour in place or bleached-white flour.
Challenge yourself by setting one weekly goal or one of those suggested above. Keep track of your eating in your food journal. At the end of the week you can reflect on the food you recorded and think how you could adjust to include even more healthy choices.
Next week we will focus on a new topic to increase your healthy eating habits. This journal will help you take baby steps toward changing your eating habits that you will be able to maintain into the future.
Journal Challenge Week #3
This weeks challenge is to eat less sugar. Sugar is your number ONE enemy and it is a big step toward healthier eating and weight loss to lower your sugar intake. Try one or several of the following challenges.
*I will eat honey in place of sugar. Honey is twice as sweet as sugar and provides health benefits that sugar does not.
*I will not drink soda. Soda is a real enemy for it contains large amounts of sugar. Try green tea iced or hot. You can make your own with green tea bags. Water is the best choice.
*I will not eat candy. Try a handful of nuts or a piece of fruit instead.
*I will bake my own cookies, cakes, etc. When you bake your own you are able to use honey in place of sugar and you know what is in what you are eating. Remember to begin slow with portion control. Instead of eating three cookies eat one. Instead of the huge piece of cake try a small slice or a piece of fruit. Try some of the recipes on the blog. They contain little or no added sugar. I make a pumpkin pie and keep it in the frig. to eat throughout the week. The rice pudding and muffins are also great additions as healthy snacks.
*I will read food labels and check for less or no sugar. Watch for the sugar in breakfast cereals and canned sauces.
Challenge yourself by setting one weekly goal or one of those suggested above. Keep track of your eating in your food journal. At the end of the week you can reflect on the food you recorded and think how you could adjust to include even more healthy choices.
This week your challenge is to reduce your intake of sugar. This will include trying to buy products that contain less sugar or no sugar. This can be a real challenge for almost everything we eat or purchase contains sugar.
Journal Challenge #4
This
week is going to be a simple challenge for all you will be doing is
including some fat burning foods into your diet. You can find more
details about each food listed under the posts on the home page. The
posting was older so you need to search and locate it within the older
postings. It was posted on Tuesday, April 17. Try to include as many
of the following top 15 foods within your diet as possible. Be creative
and keep your diet fresh and simple. Visit some of the recipes
included in the blog for ideas. 1. Avocados- I buy "Wholly Guacamole" in the produce section near the organic vegetables. I like the classic version for it has some added spices for a nice flavor. I add this to my omelets and on salads. You can also slice avocados and add them into your garden salads or on top of a hamburger.
2. peanut butter--I eat a tablespoon while watching television. After about 15 minutes you will have reduced cravings. I also include peanut butter in my baking (cookies, avocado fudge,).
3. healthy oils-I like using extra light olive oil in my baking and frying. I use this olive oil in all recipes that call for liquid vegetable oil. Olive oil mixed with a little apple cider vinegar is great on green salad. I supplement coconut oil for vegetable shortening (crisco) in all my baking to include cakes, cookies, bread, muffins. Coconut and olive are the only two oils that I have in my kitchen.
4. vegetables--Eat a variety of vegetables especially green leafy.
5. omelets--Eggs are a great source of protein and low in fat. Eggs will help you have energy and stay fuller longer.
6. dark chocolate--The best chocolate to eat when trying to lose belly fat is 60% cocoa or higher. The higher the cocoa level the better it is for you. You can also find 60% and higher semi-sweet chips to use in baking cookies.
7. oatmeal--This is an important food to eat at least two or three times a week. Add cinnamon and honey for extra health and fat burning power.
8. green tea- This is my #1 drink of choice. I enjoy it cold (homemade from green tea bags) or hot with a little honey. If you have trouble sleeping try a cup of green decaf. tea with two teaspoons of honey about a half hour before bed. This is wonderful and really helps you sleep better.
9. beans-Black and kidney beans are my favorite.
10. berries-All berries are healthy and benefit your diet. Include a handful of blueberries to your oatmeal or eat with Almond milk as a healthy dessert. They are also great baked into your muffins.
11. chili peppers- Add these to your favorite recipes for added belly fat burn.
12. cinnamon--This is an important belly fat burner. I use cinnamon in as many recipes as possible and on top of oatmeal.
13. yogurt- Watch out for added sugar when you buy yogurt. Greek yogurt is best however can also contain added sugar and flavorings so beware. I buy plain and add my own fruit (berries) honey, and nuts.
14. wild salmon-This is a great fish and contains important omega oils. Try to eat fist 2 or more times each week.
15. turkey/chicken/lean meats- When you buy your meats look for lean choices such as these. You can even buy lean hamburger with less fat. When buying your meats try to locate choices that do not contain added chemicals or hormones.
Challenge yourself by eating as many of these foods within your diet as possible. Keep track of your eating in your food journal. At the end of the week you can reflect on the food you recorded and think how you could adjust to include even more healthy choices.
Journal Challenge #5
Challenge yourself by eating more healthy snacks. Keep track of the snacks you eat in your food journal. At the end of the week you can reflect on the snacks you recorded and think how you could adjust to include even more healthy choices.
Snacking is an important part of your everyday eating. In the past we have discussed the importance of small mini meals and healthy snacks that need to be included throughout the day. Remember you should be eating 5 smaller meals about 3 hours apart and healthy snacks between your meals. It is important to your health and weight management that you include healthy snacks. Always keep in mind that sugar is your enemy. Single ingredient foods are the best snacks so try to include fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains in your healthy snack plan.
Happy snacking!!
Journal Challenge #6
Last week we focused on eating healthy snacks. This week you will be challenged to include those snacks within your scheduled eating plan. You are challenged to eat 5 smaller-mini-meals 3 hours apart. These meals will replace the 3 large meals you are use too. Within this eating schedule you may include some of the healthy snacks you discovered from last weeks challenge. Include the healthy snacks between your meals when desired to curb your appetite.
This new way of eating smaller meals can be a real challenge for you may be use to eating large meals or large portions. Portion control is key to reducing belly fat and balancing your weight. Once your body becomes use to the smaller meals you will begin to see your belly shrink and you will not have the desire to eat large meals. You will actually begin to shrink your stomach to where you will not require the large meals or portions. I have noticed this after I began practicing the mini meal schedule. I now cannot finish my portion when I am eating out at a restaurant. Keep in mind that it is perfectly fine to eat less when you are out and bring the rest home for another meal. Once you get your body conditioned to eating less but eating more often throughout the day you will see a difference in your appetite and cravings.
Journal Challenge #7
Your new challenge this week is to include exercise within your healthy eating plan. It is important to do resistance exercises along with strengthening your cardio by exercising at least 3 days each week. As I have noted in the past, I exercise 3 or 4 days each morning for 15 minutes.
For increased fat burning it is important to exercise in the morning before you eat. This requires the body to pull from your stored fat to burn for energy. You will keep burning fat long after you stop working out giving you twice the results from your short workout. Try doing some exercise prior to eating in the morning even if you just start in the beginning with stretches for 10 minutes. Some exercise is better than doing none. You will have increased energy and feel better mentally following exercise.
Keep track of your efforts in your journal to compare at the end of the week. The following week you can include more exercises and possibly a longer workout.
I will also try to get some stretching and exercise pictures posted so watch for those.
Journal Challenge #8
Your journal challenge this week is to include as many of the healthy condiments as possible in your diet. Limit your use of the worst condiments as mentioned in my posting. In your journal post how often and how much of each condiment you use. At the end of the week reflect on your choices and see if a more healthy condiment could take place of the bad ones.
NOTE: Try making your own dressings and using tomato slices and guacamole on your sandwiches and burgers in place of ketchup and mayo. Give these choices a week and see how you like them.
Journal Challenge #9
This week the journal challenge will focus on planning out a week of healthy mini meals. You are now at the point where you have been working to get your healthy eating in control and balanced. After 8 weeks of following healthy eating tips you should be able to plan out a full week of mini meals.
In your journal start planning what you will eat each day (mini meals-- 5 meals spaced 3 hours apart)and remember to keep them around the 300 calories mark each. Follow your plan and don't eat anything that you haven't planned for to include healthy snacks. At the end of the week reflect on your progress and how well you followed your plan. Good Luck, you can do it!
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