A Commitment to Health and Fitness [and 31-Day Clean Eating Challenge]

With the increase in mileage for training this week's menu was planned around what and how much to sustain longer runs. On running days I ate 1 less protein added an additional carb.

Sunday
Breakfast: Protein Fruit Smoothie
Snack: 1/2 c fat free cottage cheese, fresh pineapple, toasted walnuts, cinnamon
Lunch: Tuna Lettuce Wrap (P90X recipe)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Grilled Romaine Chicken Caesar Salad

Monday 
Breakfast: Spinach Scramble, 1 Ezekiel
Snack: Easy Energy Almond Smoothie
Lunch: Ultimate Turkey Sandwich
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: grilled chicken, grilled corn, green salad, 1 1/2 cup grilled fruit salad with walnuts (My family will have other choices for our annual July 4th cookout.) 

Tuesday
Breakfast: Spinach Scramble, 1 Ezekiel
Snack: Kashi Go Lean, almonds, cranberries 
Lunch: Curry Chicken Salad lettuce wraps (using leftover grilled chicken), 1 1/2 c fruit
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Chicken, Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza, green salad

Wednesday
Breakfast: Protein Fruit Smoothie with Flax
Snack: Roasted Edamame
Lunch: Chicken, Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza (leftovers)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Turkey and Avocado sandwich on Ezekiel 

Thursday
Breakfast: Spinach Scramble, 1 Ezekiel
Snack: 1/2 c fat free cottage cheese, fresh pineapple, toasted walnuts, cinnamon
Lunch: Tuna Lettuce Wraps (P90X recipe)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Grilled Sun Dried Tomato Chicken, Cannellini Salad

Friday
Breakfast: Protein Fruit Smoothie with Flax
Snack: edamame with sea salt
Lunch: Mediterranean Chicken Salad lettuce wraps
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: OUT (pasta)

Saturday
Breakfast: whole wheat bagel, 1 tbs almond butter (pre-long run)
Snack: Easy Energy Almond Smoothie
Lunch: Grilled Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Wrap (use leftover chicken)1 1/2 c fruit
Snack: Roasted Edamame
Dinner: Green Salsa Chicken, Cumin Corn

 

Training for Chicago and loving it...the early morning long runs, feeling stronger, training smarter! Also, tweaking the strength/cross training plan to allow for optimal energy on run days.

Sunday: X Stretch (a rest day that is actually a rest day and not a do-less day!)
Monday: Run (LEHS July 4th 5k), Abs/Core
Tuesday: Legs & Back (a.m.), Shoulders & Arms (p.m.)
Wednesday: Run, Ab Ripper 
Thursday: Run, Abs/Core
Friday: Chest & Back, Ab Ripper
Saturday: Run- 17, Ab Ripper
(all strength training, cross training and core workouts are P90X or P90X Plus)

Week One 31-Day Clean Eating Challenge || Summer 2011 

I know from experience. The key to a successful completion of the challenge is in the planning each week.

I found a few online resources that were a lot of help when I joined a clean eating challenge in May. Most of them I have adapted to what works for me and my family, but having resources to use as a starting point made the challenge less overwhelming.

Clean Eating Magazine Meal Plans
The Eat Clean Diet Grocery List (pdf)
Clean Eating Starting Out - The Nice and Easy Approach (Not quite ready to jump in with both feet, try this link.)
Or try this approach, Clean Eating Starting Out - The Dive Right In Approach
If you're familiar with P90X then you've probably heard of Michi's Ladder. I focused on the top 2 tiers when I was starting out.

Don't forget! While you're making changes and eating healthy there is also a giveaway! Details here Frigidaire $30 Gift Code.

Hope some (or all) of this is helpful! Enjoy! 

Coming Soon: joining 3 summer fitness challenges, clean eating recipes and guest bloggers on goal setting, health and nutrition plans, going from being a smoker to training for a first marathon.

Comments

[MonicaB]

Thank you for the wonderful links. My diet is the biggest downfall for me. I've read the Clean Eating books and I get the magazine. I understand what I need to do but I'm not great at planning meals. That is one of my goals this year - better planning so I don't eat junk. Have a great 4th of July!

[Kelsey @ Go Girl]

Hey Jill,

Thanks so much for the follow and the comments. I just made a post about Fitness Friday and look forward to it this week! Love what you are doing! :)

Kelsey!

[Heart and Vein Center]

Interested in health related topics. Thanks for the nice tips and advices shared. Keep posting and do stay in touch with more informative posts like this.

[Sam]

Wow this is alot of great info. I have been trying super hard to get my diet plan on track but I always seem to fall off the wagon after about 7-8 weeks. The working out is fine, just the diet plan get messed up when some event like a wedding comes up. I am going to look into this clean eating thing. I am on my second round of P90x, which is going good....now just less bad snacks..

[jillconyers]

Thank you Monica. Good luck with your meal planning goal for the year. If it's any help, I post a weekly menu every Sun. 

Jill Conyers
My Blog: http://jillconyers.typepad.com/
How often in life we complete a task that was beyond the capability of the person we were when we started it. ~Robert Brault

[Amy]

I am impressed with your clean eating plan - it's something I would love to do, but not sure if I can work it into cooking for my family as well. There is a lot that sounds great for me to eat in your meal plans, but I'm afraid my family would riot. How do you get the rest of everyone on board? I would like to try this, I'm just not sure of the logistics.

[jillconyers]

Thank you Amy. It can be  tough to get the whole family on board. Fortunately clean eating was not that big of a change from the way we have always eaten. A few things that worked for me...

When I started the first challenge I convinced my husband and son to try the challenge for 1 week. It's hard for them to resist a challenge.
I never made a big deal about what everyone ate, clean or not.
I made small changes in recipes that they didn't even notice.

Take baby steps with the family. However much change you're able to implement will be so worth it! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Jill Conyers
My Blog: http://jillconyers.typepad.com/
How often in life we complete a task that was beyond the capability of the person we were when we started it. ~Robert Brault

[Jeanne]

Thanks for the great ideas Jill. I'm a new reader, but interested to learn more. I also get the Clean Eating magazine, and my goal is to try at least one new recipe a week. It keeps me motivated and exposed to some new ideas!