Day 15: Lose Weight = Change your Mindset

Out for a fun run!!

Starting today I have joined a group of friends via Facebook from all over the world doing a new challenge. We are calling it “the eight week weight-loss/get healthy challenge” - catchy, I know. It is a group competition that gives you points daily for completing eight different criteria for the challenge. The more you complete the more points you get and whoever has most points at the end, wins (I'm not sure what yet, it's a surprise)! 

A nice long road for running
on a cool early autumn day!

I figured since I am already two weeks into the better body blog project and that I am already doing most of the things on this list of the challenge that it was good time to join in the fun, and get a good source of added motivation!
When you are trying to implement new habits it is always best to have someone or something keeping you accountable and giving you motivation. So far I have found that writing this daily blog and knowing that there are those of you out there that are reading it every day gives me amazing accountability, because I don't want to get to the end of the day and say that I ate half a chocolate cake for laying in bed watching cartoons all day.

Look at this gorgeous produce, fresh from the garden.
Eating healthy and fresh has never been so delicious!

So the criteria for this challenge?

 1. Contact a team-mate daily (for accountability). 

2. Drink 64 ounces of water. 

3. Stop eating before 9 PM. 

4. Eat two servings of fruit each day.

5 Eat three servings of vegetables per day.

6. No eating sweets or sugary treats (6 days a week, you get one off day). 

7. Keep a food journal. 

8. Complete 30 to 45 minutes of exercise only five days a week. 

That's it! You get points for each of the items on this list, tally points at the end of each week and report your points to your team leader. I have done something like this before and being on the team and having the element of competition also added my success. A lot of these competitions have weight-loss in the mix but we had decided not necessarily count those points since not everybody has a lot of weight to lose.

Ultimately with the point of the B3 project is to be healthier and that is what I am trying to do. One of my girlfriends and I went running today and we were talking about this very idea. I have tried to make changes and lose weight before and have been successful - to a point. Once you reach your goal weight there is always the temptation to give yourself a treat or reward - namely food and over time you gain the weight back - which is frustrating. But WHAT IF what you want for yourself is long-term health then it's a lot easier to stick with healthy habits of eating and exercise because they go along with your ultimate goal of ultimate health.

For example I stopped drinking soda because it made me feel bloated. I went several months without drinking any and then one day thought I have one, thinking it wouldn't affect me that much. It did. I felt so bloated and disgusting for the rest the day felt like I had swallowed a whole tank of hot air and I was horribly sick and uncomfortable feeling. That did it for me, and I haven't drink soda since. It's amazing how when you stop and pay attention to how food or drinks that you consume make you feel, you're so much more prone to treat your body well, and make good choices.

My running buddy has the same situation but with certain food categories, like wheat or dairy. When she eats those things she feels horrible and get sick for several days and she has learned to listen to body signals very well. To her and to me it's just not worth it to eat something that is going to make us feel sick.

Rollin' with my Homey!!

Tip of the Day

It's a whole lot easier to stick to your goals when your overall health is more important than losing weight. With trying to lose weight you may reach your goal weight and gain it back or worse still, you may never reach your goal weight. But if every day you were making small changes and good choices with food then you can feel good about your choices because you aren't dieting. You are just eating according to your goals. And with that mind-set, you will see results!!

Food for the Day
Breakfast: fruit salad, toasts and fruit "jam", and a small protein shake
Lunch: roasted chicken and honey mustard, sweet bell peppers
Snack: small apple and half of a Luna bar
Dinner: Rice Thai noodles and green beans

Exercise

My neighbor and I went running! We are training for the Mud Factor on September 29^th, less than two weeks away! We did a 5k in 50 minutes! Not our fastest time, but we went the distance00!! 

After exercise, remember to stretch and have a little recovery snack to fuel those muscles!

Thanks for reading friends!!

Shout-out to Heather and my challenge peeps! 
I hope you killed it on your first day! Keep up the good work!!