Congratulations to Justin for winning the 2012 Health Challenge. Voting is officially closed.
You can Click Here to see the challenge details.
Who Should Win The 2012 Health Challenge
- Justin (69%, 457 Votes)
- Jennifer (29%, 193 Votes)
- Angela (2%, 9 Votes)
Total Voters: 659
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Jennifer
Jennifer, though not having a traumatic injury nor health crisis, may have the greatest transformation. She is one that most of us can relate with. That is, most of us have been taught nutrition by magazine advertorials and tv advertisements written and produced by those with personal business agendas. We have only begun to learn what real food is and have made many changes to our diets, yet probably have a long way to go. Most of us have yet to have a health crisis that forced us into a crash course of real traditional natural and organic life giving foods.
Update from Jennifer:
“I just wanted to thank Dr. Michael Haley for extending the opportunity to become part of his first 90 day challenge. The challenge, to document publicly for 3 months of exercise and daily intake of food, drink, and supplements far exceeded my expectations. When the challenge began my main concern was grasping and maintaining a convenient and productive way of making macronutrients a lifestyle of eating. What I gained was so much more:
An easier way to maintain low body fat,
Better mental clarity and muscle gain,
An improved appetite and workouts,
Much less time for prepping food, eating fresh, unprocessed, good quality food in choosing bags over barcodes, and eating reasonable portions.
The discipline of food journaling along with a combination of resistance training, cardio, and yoga absolutely affected my choices and health
Thank you Dr. Mike!”
Creamer??? Have you read those ingredients??? Water should always be first in the morning. You need to flush out the toxins accumulated from sleeping. Then in 30 minutes, you should have some quality protein. Nothing but fruit would make me shaky and irritable. You need protein to build muscles and burn fat.
Breakfast is what is says. Break the fast. Rev your metabolism by eating. Then you have energy to exercise.
1/9/2012 You’re off to a great start, Jennifer… except for that creamer… of course. But I’ll bet you knew that. Is it powder? What is in “creamer”? GMO Corn Syrup? Partially Hydrongenated Vegetable Oils? Hmmm. Of course, real unadulterated cream from grass fed animals is probably best – if you are going to have coffee. I have mine every day; sometimes black, sometimes with organic and even raw milk or cream from grass fed cows.
It’s what my husband brought to me this morning… LOL! Tomorrow I’ll tell him to bring it black.
Thanks Deloris, I tried the immediate water flush and protein this morning. What a rush! I did not expect the instant “pick-me-up”, and such a great way to get the daily water intake started.
I am glad that the water helped. I would recommend veggies with those eggs. You are getting lots of fruit but not much for veggies. Make an omlet with lots of veggies and two eggs and eat that in the morning. Or you can do the spinach smoothie. Green looks gross to start with and I have to admit that my daughter got me started on them. Use apple, banana or some fruit for the base. Then add 2 handfuls of spinach and some ice , water or coconut milk. I usually put in a little pineapple and touch of lime too. You can put any other veggies that you would like too. You will get your day’s supply in one big drink.
If you want some “Creamer” in your coffee, use Bailey’s or Mocha Kahula. It is so much better than plastic!!! And so much better tasting!! I personally hate coffee and drink herb tea but I am married to a coffee addict so I make sure that he gets good coffee!! One should have energy without coffee.
Have a good time getting healthy!! It can be a fun journey.
Your doing great Jennifer – see if you can add some cultured veggies (Kimchee) or dairy in your day – like raw cheese or Kefir…..Your off to a good start!
I will have to try the cultured veggies, as for the dairy and cheese last year I took one of those food aversion blood tests and although indicating a mild aversion… Milk, cheese, and wheat were at the top of the list which amazes me at how many foods are cut out of your diet with those three things together. Any suggestion for replacements?
I am so allergic to cow’s milk that whey is a problem. That is why I raise goats. You can get goats milk and cheese to fill in the spaces. Hubby has a wheat problem so I got the gluten free baking mix from Azure Standard foods online. It works pretty good. You cna get sprouted grain bread as it does not react the same as wheat. But I would use sparingly. It may be the GMO stuff that is causing the problems. Regular cow’s milk is full of hormones and GMO residues plus antibiotics. So milk must be raw and organic to be any good.
I use almond milk when my goats are dry and that works pretty good for many things. Some rice milk has soy so watch labels for alternative milks. You don’t want any soy, corn or canola as it is mostly GMO. Even if organic, much has been cross pollinated with GMO.
Cheese is a acidic food so use sparingly. Americans tend to use cheese on everything. Eat more veggies. Carrots, green beans, celery etc are good snacks and satisfy the chewing that we need. I found one brand of green beans in a gallon bag that was so good that I ate the whole bag in two days. That is the first time that I have ever bought green beens in the store. Usually they are wilted and horrid.
Hope this all helps.
Delores
Jennifer – I agree with Delores -Raw Goat milk or sheep milk cheeses would be great to try. We recommend the Beyond Organic raw cheese – because the cows are A1 Beta Casein free – and most people with milk in-tolerances are able to tolerate these milk products, including the Amasai (cultured dairy beverage). One more trick to add more healthy fat to your diet would be a spoon full of coconut oil – 2o minutes before each meal to satisfy fat cravings or with meals / snacks. There is a whole book that talks more about this – called Eat Fat, Loose Fat – by Sally Fallon. You will find that you feel satisfied after eating because your body actually received the much desired fat.
Try to eat your fruit with fat; like the berries with some plain Amasai and your carrots with some olive oil/vinegar dressing. You will assimilate your nutrients better and not spike your sugar levels.
PS….. pigs don’t have sweat glands……so where do you think all the toxins go???? Don’t get me wrong – I love the taste of bacon….and I do eat it SOMETIMES – but it is not a kosher food for good reason.
We get our cultured veggies at Fab Ferments.
Thank you so much! I am making my shopping list for the weekend now… Can’t wait to try all the new foods!
Kimche is a little hot if you have not tried it. It was too much for me!!
Are you on a weight loss also? You really are limiting your food.
Taking some B complex may help your appetite. Brewer’s yeast is a natural supplement. Why are you not doing rice? Lundberg rice has been organic for years and they do a wonderful job of raising their rice. Rice is so soothing to my system. Eating every two hours is good for most of us. I have a rapid metabolism and I must snack on nuts most of the time. My son is even worse than me. We had to fill his pockets with nuts and raisins so he could make it through the day.
That is a very good question. I love organic brown rice. It was part of a nutrition log that was given to me by my personal trainer I have been trying to follow. This is one of the best parts of the challenge. So much insight!
Amanda I must have missed your PS… LOL! I agree, and it has probably been over a year since my last pork taste, but having a gourmet cook for a husband seems to make me have select memory about sweat glands on occasion….
I find that rice is a really good to satisfy the system. I like the rice blends cooked and then sauted with onions, carrots, and other veggies handy. I make huge pots of rice pudding for my hubby for his snacks when I am not available.
Jennifer seems the only contestant without a cheering section. Go Jennifer stay focused and remember to eat. LOL.
You have come a long way. I see some definite improvements in your caloric choices. Every now and then (or, more accurately every day) I get in a pinch for needing (or really just wanting) more calories. I often reach for a food bar. Without judging yours… here are some of my favorite choices:
http://www.livingfuel.com/CocoChia-Snack-Fuel-Bars.aspx
and
http://www.thegoodonyabar.com/
I will have to try the CocaChia as I am so not bias to the cliff bars, think my husband brought them home from one of the warehouse food stores. I am so looking forward to this Friday night! I just found out the the yoga studio I go to tribalance.com is doing a “Everyday Nutrition Workshop”, called “Eatting well in the real world”. To learn the truth about day-to-day nutrition. They will demystify reading labels and discuss protein, fat, and carbohydrates actually do for your body. Also, the importance of water and sodium in your diet, as well as what “organic” really means. The workshop is being put on by the nutritionist I went to last year, and my yogi mentor, owner of the studio. Can’t wait to immerse what I learn into the challenge!
You are definitely getting the most hydration in the group. way to go.
Thanks! I am trying something new this year. Over the holidays I picked up one of those plasic cups with a straw that is dishwasher safe, and have been doing my best to keep it filled at least 4 times a day at 28oz each to meet the 100 oz goal I set for myself each day, that and a couple of squirts of flavored MIO have kept me hydrated, so far so good…
Good for you on the water That makes a big difference!! keep up the good work!
Thanks Delores! Your recommendation to drink your water 1st thing in the morning helps to get those 100 oz moving. I heard the strangest thing about a test recently done to the water in my area in a few towns, that the two main elements picked up in the tap water were caffeine and anti-depressants. It puts a whole different spin on drinking from the hose.
Most water is contaminated. They feel that part of the cancer problem is the excess estrogen in the water. We have always filtered our water and we live in the country and have our own well. It is needed and we need to think about what kind of water that we shower in. We absorb a lot of contaminates when we are in a hot shower. You can get carbon filters for your shower and that helps. Change every few months.
I have been told that every drop of rain has caffiene, anti-deppresants and more. Pollution is rampant in our country. Chlorine adds to the contaminants as it reacts with the chemicals and makes more problems. Quality filters are really necessary to your health.
Today I learned about muscle confusion and the protein makes you less hungry while carbohydrates make you more hungry. I never knew that…
Started feeling sick last weekend from drinking so much H2O, was closer to drinking 200 oz a day instead of my goal of 100 oz. Decided to take that down a bit this week. Also personal trainer is concerned I’m not getting enough protien in my diet, and suggested I drink 2 protein shakes a day, not just after a work out as I had been doing for now, and slowly start replacing the shakes with real food… All trail and error
Too much water can flush your minerals. You need electrolytes while exercising also. Sunrider has great ones that doesn’t use sugar, or other artifical things.
Muscle burns more fat and protein builds muscle so that is important. Keep up the good work!!
Hi Delores,
What sunrider product are you talking about?
Have you tried coconut water? Coconut water’s electrolyte content is very similar to human plasma, and therefore making it a fantastic sports drink, giving you oral rehydration. This is a far better sports drink than the commercial ones available. Also the typical rule of thumb for water is to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces. It’s been great doing the health challenge with you all! Keep up the great work!
That is so interesting, just the other day I was in a Walgreens of all places grabbing a drink for Yoga class, and saw the Coconut water, and for two seconds, having read a little something on it, almost grabbed one, didn’t want to risk it not turning out in 104 degree temps, chickened out, and went for the Gatorade instead. Thanks for the information, definitely going to go for it real soon
Electrosport. When I first tried it, I thought it would take ugly. I stared at it for 30 minutes and finally tried it and drank the whole 2 quarts that one vial makes!! I like to mix it with Fortune Delight tea. It is instant and amounts to fruits and veggies. Shake or stir well to enhance the flavor. I find that this makes it easy to sweat when exercising and keeps you hydrated. I sold tons of this to farmers in my area during the summer.
I got scolded today for not eating hardly any protein in my diet by my personal trainer. She has indicated that I will struggle building muscle and my fat percentage decreasing without the 40% protein in my diet. Any suggestions for protein outside of hard boiled eggs, ( which seems to be my staple) tuna, chicken, turkey, or beef? Or any good high protein recipes examples?
Tuna now has soy in it so I would avoid it. Quality chicken, beef or turkey should be great. Canned wild salmon works for quick meals. You must have protein to build your body so your trainer is right on.
Thanks, think I’m going to look for the canned salmon and give it a try this weekend. I was getting a little frustrated yesterday, so I put the challenge to the 7 effective steps by Stephen Covey to see what was missing, and the what I was lacking nearly jumped off the page. One of the most important pieces to the puzzle! I was not watching my caloric intake daily, (somedays falling 800 calories or less) and was paying so much attention to the 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, I lost sight of the 40% proteins, 40% carbs, 20% fats each day. Somedays having no protein at all. After speaking with my personal trainer I realised that without this important piece, it is like throwing mud at a wall and seeing what sticks, and I need a “more exact” than falling mud. So I decided to challenge myself to work with my trainer on these last few weeks to create 40/40/20 split menu’s of the purest, organic, non-regenically produced foods that I can. Any helpful hints, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I am so glad that you have realized what was missing. It does take effort to make sure that you have adequate protein. I raise goats and hen so I have lots of quality protein without too much effort. Eggs and goat milk- I am allergic to chicken meat!!!
The canned salmon will be easy to prepare and get your started. You can prepare a large amount of meat, turkey etc and freeze in single serving packages.
Have a great day!!! Here in the north we are preparing for gardening. I have 300+ tomatoes blooming in the greenhouse plus peppers and broccoli and more.
Delores
Omgosh! That is wonderful! All those fresh vegetables! I’m in the great north too, right outside Chicago, and often wonder where my organic veggies are coming from? Recently hearing and reading how Corp. America produces and re-genetically alters what is on our local grocer’s shelf’s to serve the masses… Makes me think that is the way to go. Happy gardening!
Government is helping pay for hoop houses so local organic produce can be had. So we are putting in a hoop house as soon as it gets qualified. We just have to sell $1000. per year for three years. I can do that hands down. I love growing things so it is not work!! Everyone needs to grow some basics since our food supply gets worse daily. I bought some green beans and had a massive allergic attack. Probably pesticides and I soaked them first. I wanted green beans so bad but that did me in. So plant more things today in the greenhouse!! Forecast to be 70 today!!
I am so charged today! I get to go to a free healthy eating workshop this evening at Whole Foods through my Yoga Studio Tribalance.com. Where we will learn how to efficiently prepare healthy food on a budget! I am so ready to revamp my diet with all sorts of new healthy ideas to share
Don’t change too much… except for that sports beverage, though. Once you have a few Beyond Organic Suero Viv’s, you will never want another sports beverage. Suero Viv is made from whey from the grass fed cheese. With Suero Viv, you are getting your electrolyte minerals from a living source instead of a dead fruit flavored salt water soup. But since you are drinking 32 oz. at a time, dilute the Suero Viv. 32 oz. of Suero Viv all at once is more electrolyte minerals than you want in a single serving.
I have to try that… My healthy eatting teacher created a blog of our class from last night, on what he taught at coreykelly.com for anyone who wants to check out an awesome meal on a budget. I’m exited about trying some of the spices he suggests, and products I had never heard of such a ghee, instead of butter to enhance the taste. I feel like I’ve come so far already in my knowledge of good foods, it just keeps getting better and better!
Hey Jennifer,
Looks like you did a fine job on the challenge – Way to go!
I noticed that you wanted to try some ghee. We use the best ghee on the market from Pure Indian Foods. They sell the most delicious and nutritious – grass fed, organic ghee. You can purchase it online – at http://www.pureindianfoods.com/index.shtml or call Sandeep at 1-877-LUV-GHEE.
Thank you for the web-address. It was the darndest thing? I found the ghee not by the butter at whole foods which one would think, but half way accross the store on a shelf after 20 minutes of searching and then finally asking an associate. I will say your insight web address for ghee is a blessing : )