[Fitness, Health and Happiness]

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.

31-Day Clean Eating Challenge Day 1 [and Giveaway Details]

“Consuming food in its most natural state- or as close as possible to it—is the soul of clean eating. It’s not a diet; it’s a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation, leading to health, well-being and a lean look.” -Clean Eating Magazine

For information and menu planning templates go to Clean Eating Challenge.

Giveaway Details!

Eating healthy and a chance to win! What do you have to lose?!?! The clean eating challenge will include a giveaway! Frigidaire has donated a $30 gift code to be used as you wish. I'm particularly fond of the cooking tools!

How the giveaway will work: All comments about clean eating posted during the first 2 weeks (July 1 - July 8) of the challenge will go into a random drawing. Non-challenge comments will not be included.

For extra entries: 

1. Like my Facebook Page Life As I See It [Fitness, Health and Happiness].
2. Follow my blog on Google Friend Connect (link on the right sidebar).
3. Follow me on Twitter.
4. Join my Blog Frog Community.

Finally, comment and...

1. Introduce yourself! I would love to know who is joining me for the next 31 days.
2. Let me know If you do any of the "extra entires" for the giveaway.
3. Let me know if you will be blogging your clean eating challenge experience and progress. If there is enough blogging interest I will post a weekly link-up so we can share and encourage each other. Tip: Blogging the challenge adds an accountability component. For some people, that might be helpful.

Coming Soon!

Clean eating recipes, guest bloggers and clean eating tips and information.

Enjoy!

 

31-Day Clean Eating Challenge update and Giveaway Details

The clean eating challenge starts this week. A few things that might be helpful:

Check out the Gracious Pantry for great getting-started tips. 

I highly recommend weekly menus. Download the following templates and a sample menu to help you get started. Keep in mind that my menus and templates are designed around the P90X nutrition plan.

• Nutrition Plan Template (I don't always focus on calories but when I do this is the template I use)
• Completed Nutrition Plan Example
• Nutrition Plan [Basic] (Quick and easy template for basic nutrition planning)

Getting healthy and a chance to win! What do you have to lose?!?! The clean eating challenge will include a giveaway! Frigidaire has donated a $30 gift code to be used as you wish. I'm particularly fond of the cooking tools!

How the giveaway will work: All comments and link ups (linky provided) posted during the first 2 weeks of the challenge (July 1- July 8) about how the challenge is going for you (non- challenge comments will not be included) will go into a random drawing. 

For extra entries: 

1. Like my Facebook Page Life As I See It [Fitness, Health and Happiness].
2. Follow my blog on Google Friend Connect (link on the right sidebar).
3. Follow me on Twitter.
4. Join my Blog Frog Community.

Please leave a comment between July 1 and July 8 and let me know if you do any of the "extra entires" you do.

For the challenge details go here 31- Day Clean Eating Challenge || Summer 2011

I think that's it for now.

Coming Soon: guest bloggers, clean eating recipes that I've tried and have been a hit with the whole (or at least most of) the family and before and after photos. The proof is in the pics!

________________________________________________________

I'm also joining Debbie Does Coupons for a Tues blog and Facebook hop. Continuing to connect!

 

A Commitment to Health and Fitness

This week I planned with quick and easy in mind. And looking at my menu it seems I also included anything I can wrap in a Bibb Lettuce leaf. We'll see how well that goes over with the family :)

Sunday
Breakfast: egg white fritata, 1 Ezekiel
Snack: 1/2 c fat free cottage cheese, fresh pineapple, toasted walnuts, cinnamon
Lunch: chicken burrito bowl (black beans, chicken, salsa, corn salsa and pico de gallo)
Snack: edamame
Dinner: Thai Lettuce Wraps, 1 c fruit

Monday 
Breakfast: Protein Fruit Smoothie with Flax
Snack: 1/2 c fat free cottage cheese, fresh pineapple, toasted walnuts, cinnamon
Lunch: Thai Lettuce Wraps (leftovers), 1/2 c blueberries
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Mediterranean Tuna Salad lettuce wrap

Tuesday
Breakfast: Protein Fruit Smoothie with Flax
Snack: Kashi Go Lean, 1/2 c almond milk
Lunch: Mediterranean Tuna Salad lettuce wraps (leftovers)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Chicken, Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza

Wednesday
Breakfast: Protein Fruit Smoothie with Flax
Snack: 1 oz soy nuts, 1/2 oz cranberries
Lunch: Chicken, Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza (leftovers)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Turkey and Avocado sandwich on Ezekiel (packed to take to cheer practice)

Thursday
Breakfast: Protein Fruit Smoothie with Flax
Snack: 1/2 c fat free cottage cheese, fresh pineapple, toasted walnuts, cinnamon
Lunch: Chef Salad (P90X recipe)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Greek Chicken Salad with homemade whole wheat pita chips

Friday
Breakfast: Protein Fruit Smoothie with Flax
Snack: edamame with sea salt
Lunch: Greek Chicken Salad with homemade whole wheat pita chips (leftovers)
Snack: Protein Bar
Dinner: Penne Con Salisce, green salad

Saturday
Breakfast: whole wheat bagel, 1 tbs almond butter, 1 banana (pre-long run)
Snack: Kashi Go Lean, 1/2 c almond milk (post long run)
Lunch: Turkey and Avocado Sandwich, 1 1/2 c fruit
Snack: Roasted Edamame
Dinner: OUT

Sunday: Kenpo X, Ab Ripper
Monday: Interval X, Abs/Core, Run- 6
Tuesday: Total Body Plus
Wednesday: Upper Plus, Ab Ripper, Run- 5 (+5 PU)
Thursday: Ab Ripper,  Run- 5
Friday: Upper Plus, Ab Ripper
Saturday: Run- 14, Ab Ripper, X Stretch
(all strength training, cross training and core workouts are P90X or P90X Plus)

Mark your calendar. Join me on July 1 for 31-Day Clean Eating Challenge || Summer 2011. Read the details here Clean Eating Summer 2011. I will post menu templates later this week. And did I mention a giveaway? More details coming soon.

 

 

31-Day Clean Eating Challenge || Summer 2011

Join me on July 1 for the 31-Day Clean Eating Challenge Summer 2011.

Find out more at Clean Eating Summer 2011.

“Consuming food in its most natural state- or as close as possible to it—is the soul of clean eating. It’s not a diet; it’s a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation, leading to health, well-being and a lean look.” -Clean Eating Magazine

31 Day Clean Eating Challenge || Summer 2011

I'm a big believer that how you look and feel is based largely on what you eat. After completing a 30-day clean eating challenge I could honestly say at the age of 43 I am more fit, stronger, healthier and happier than ever before. I owe that, in part, to clean eating. 

Are you interested? Are you a little bit curious? How about joining the 31-Day Clean Eating Challenge || Summer 2011 beginning July 1?

So what exactly is clean eating? After a lot of reading it seems the general consensus is there is no definitive definition of clean eating but there are very basic rules that people interpret to fit their life. 

1. eat lots of plants
2. eat lean protein, complex carbohydrates and heart healthy fats in each meal choice
3. avoid ALL processed and/or refined foods (sugar, baked goods, candies, white flour, white rice, etc)
4. avoid saturated and trans fats
5. avoid sodas, high calorie juices and other drinks that give your body no nutritional value and lots of unnecessary (unwanted) calories
6. avoid high calorie, non nutritious foods (i.e. junk food)
7. drink at least 8 cups of water per day
8. no alcohol

What worked for me?

1. I started all or nothing with clean eating but if that doesn't work for you (or your personality) or if that seems too overwhelming, try making changes in your diet with a few of the rules above and gradually add more change.
2. Plan a weekly menu (Read more on menu planning here Top 5 Benefits of Menu Planning) and grocery shopping list.You can see one of my weekly menus here Commitment to Health and Fitness.
3. Our lives are all different. Do whatever it takes to make this work for you and your family.
4. My menus are planned around 3 meals and 2 snacks as well as a recovery drink or protein smoothie.
5. Don't expect the whole family to commit 100% with you. Take baby steps with them.
6. Use free online resources for recipes.
7. Drink a lot of water.
8. Eat frequently and don't skip meals.

Those are the basics. Now, it’s up to you to decide how you will apply these basics to your life and to your eating plan.

Every Sunday I will share information, my weekly menu, recipes and thoughts on clean eating. I would love to follow your progress and answer your questions. Leave a comment and if you're using your blog as part of the challenge leave a link.

One last word. Approach this challenge with the attitude that it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change. I'm not saying it's going to be easy but it will be worth it.

Wait. Before you leave check out my new Facebook Page Life as I see it [fitness, health and happiness]. Don't forget to click LIKE!