Weekly Diet Challenge - 3rd - 9th October
By Tracey Tester in Fit for Life 3!! · Edit Doc · Delete
WEEKLY DIET CHALLENGE:
REDUCE YOUR SODIUM INTAKE BY 10% THIS WEEK....
FOR MOST OF US, OUR DAILY ALLOWANCE IS 2500mg... SO MAKE THAT 2250mg....
Weekly Challenge 12th - 18th September
By Tracey Tester in Fit for Life 3!! · Edit Doc · Delete
In an effort to expand on our healthy lifestyle we have decided on our next weekly challenge.
1. Take one thing food related in your diet/eating habits that you can substitute for something plant based.
Sandwich....substitue a healthy salad
Toast....substitute a banana
2. Add in at least one more serving of fruits or vegetable each day
Add a snack, such as an apple, on your ride in to work
Munch on some celery and peanut butter after a workout
3. Try one new food this week that you have never had before. Make sure to post it to let us know what you tried and if you liked it!
Endamame
Wheat grass
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/story?id=7095647&page=1Make sure to keep us updated, things you have added in or tried might inspire someone else to do the same!
Keep up the great work everyone! We are all in this together!
Weekly Challenge - 5th - 11th September
By Tracey Tester in Fit for Life 3!! · Edit Doc · Delete
This week we wanted to change it up a little bit. Everyone has been working really hard on their workouts and calories, and we (The Admins) know it can be a bit hard to add in the extras that we put out as a challenge. Keep up the hard work though - you are all doing amazingly well !!!
So for this week we want to hear the one thing you want to IMPROVE on... It can be eating habits, workout habits, personal... whatever you want it to be. We are a secret group so don't worry about who's gonna see it. It's just us FFL members.
Either comment on this to add your IMPROVEMENT. One of the Admins will then edit the document and add your Improvement to it so that it is easier to see (we will probably also delete your comment once it has been put into the doc).
Then our mid-week challenge will be to check back on this to make sure we are holding ourselves accountable. We can also do this through the week as well.
Keep up the hard work!! Remember the scale is just numbers, it's how you feel and look that's what counts
You're all so wonderful, you work hard, and you're amazing!!!
~~ There are many people out there who will tell you that you can't. What you've got to do is turn around and say 'watch me' ~~
Weekly Challenge - 30th Aug - 5th Sept
By Tracey Tester in Fit for Life 3!! · Edit Doc · Delete
In an effort to get all of us moving more, this week's MC exercise portion is burn 750 calories on top of your normal workout for the week. If you work out 6 days this breaks down to an additional 125 calories a day. Look back through your MFP diary and see how many calories you tend to burn in a week. The Calories burned report under the reports tab can be helpful for a broad view. This week challenge yourself to burn more through the work out of your choice. Take an spinning class, go for a 2 or 3 extra runs in the evening, hit the pool. Whatever it takes to get you moving.
Excerpt from WebMD Article "8 Ways to Burn Calories and fight fat"
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/8-ways-to-burn-calories-and-fight-fatFor years, products have been marketed with the promise of helping you burn more calories. But is there really anything you can do to increase the number of calories your body burns each day?
Well, yes and no, experts say. The truth seems to be that the No. 1 way to burn more calories is the old-fashioned way -- by moving more.
"Essentially, we know of no way to burn more calories or up our metabolism than to move more," says Barry M. Popkin, PhD, director of the Interdisciplinary Obesity Program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Still, research suggests that there may be a few other ways you can increase calorie burn. Here are eight possible ways to burn more calories and fight fat:
Exercise to Burn Calories
Christopher Wharton, PhD, a certified personal trainer and researcher with the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, put it simply: "The more time spent exercising and the more vigorous the exercise, the more calories will be burned."
Indeed, obesity expert George Bray, MD, with the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La., believes that taking a brisk walk every day is probably the single most important piece of advice for anyone wanting to burn more calories.
Obviously, when you exercise, your body burns calories to fuel your activity. But exercise is the gift that keeps on giving. That's because even after your workout has ended, your body is still burning more calories.
While it's hard to pinpoint just how long this effect lasts (it varies depending on body composition and level of training), "itâs safe to say metabolic rate can be elevated with aerobic exercise for at least 24 hours," says Wharton.
If you want to prolong this calorie-burning effect, Wharton advises exercising for longer periods.
"Studies have shown that with increases in exercise time, the elevation in resting metabolic rate is prolonged," he says.
For the nutrition portion this week we are focusing on the importance of staying hydrated, so we're going to increase our mid-week challenge to a whole week. Let's increase our water intake a day by 16oz. That's 2 extra glasses or an extra bottle of water over what you're already drinking.
Top 11 Health Benefits of Drinking Water
1) Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories.
2) Natural Remedy for Headache: Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration. Although many reasons contribute to headache, dehydration is the common one.
3) Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.
4) Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrated.
5) Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. That means you’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises. Water also helps to fuel your muscle.
6) Helps in Digestion and Constipation: Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can have your daily bowel movement.
7) Less Cramps and Sprains: Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, so you’ll less likely get cramps and sprains.
Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy: Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc. In another words one of the benefits of drinking water is that it can improve your immune system.
9) Relieves Fatigue: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If your body lacks water, your heart, for instance, needs to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so will you.
10) Good Mood: Your body feels very good and that’s why you feel happy.
11) Reduce the Risk of Cancer: Related to the digestive system, some studies show that drinking a healthy amount of water may reduce the risks of bladder cancer and colon cancer. Water dilutes the concentration of cancer-causing agents in the urine and shortens the time in which they are in contact with bladder lining.
Mid Week Challenge 24/25 August
By Tracey Tester in Fit for Life 3!! · Edit Doc · Delete
Let's increase our water intake today by 16oz. That's 2 extra glasses or an extra bottle of water over what you're already drinking.
Top 11 Health Benefits of Drinking Water
Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories.
Natural Remedy for Headache: Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration. Although many reasons contribute to headache, dehydration is the common one.
Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.
Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrated.
Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. That means you’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises. Water also helps to fuel your muscle.
Helps in Digestion and Constipation: Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can have your daily bowel movement.
Less Cramps and Sprains: Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, so you’ll less likely get cramps and sprains.
Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy: Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc. In another words one of the benefits of drinking water is that it can improve your immune system.
Relieves Fatigue: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If your body lacks water, your heart, for instance, needs to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so will you.
Good Mood: Your body feels very good and that’s why you feel happy.
Reduce the Risk of Cancer: Related to the digestive system, some studies show that drinking a healthy amount of water may reduce the risks of bladder cancer and colon cancer. Water dilutes the concentration of cancer-causing agents in the urine and shortens the time in which they are in contact with bladder lining.
Weekly Challenge 22nd - 28th August
By Tracey Tester in Fit for Life 3!! · Edit Doc · Delete
Okay people .... please don't hate me for this one LOL !
EXERCISE CHALLENGE
This is an ENTIRE core workout. To do all the exercises it should take no more than 10-15 minutes a day. Some you'll hold for 30 seconds and others maybe 12 reps and repeat twice. So this should be perfect to fit in with everyone's daily schedule.
Working your core muscles
Stability exercises work the abdominal muscles that are most visible – including the ones that make up your six-pack.
Rotational exercises target all your abdominals, with an emphasis on your obliques.
Hip flexion exercises target your hip flexors, external obliques and lower abdominal muscles.
Plank:
(Stability Exercise)
Start to get into a push up position, but bend your elbows and rest your weight on your forearms instead of your hands.
Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
Brace your core by contracting your abs (as if you were about to be punched in the stomach).
Hold this position for 30 seconds while breathing deeply.
(If you can’t hold the plank for 30 seconds, hold for 5 – 10 seconds, rest for 5 seconds, and repeat as many times as needed to total 30 seconds. Each time you perform the exercise, try to hold each repetition a little longer so that you reach your 30 second goal with fewer repetitions.)
Side Plank:
(Stability Exercise)
Lie on your left side with your knees straight. Stack your feet on top of one another.
Prop your upper body up on your left elbow and forearm.
Brace your core.
Raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders.
Breathe deeply for the duration of the exercise.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Turn around so that you’re lying on your right side and repeat.
Mountain Climber:
(Stability Exercise)
Assume the push up position with your arms completely straight.
Lift your right foot off the floor and slowly raise your knee as close to your chest as you can.
Touch the floor with your right foot.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat with your left leg. Alternate back and forth for 30 seconds.
Russian Twist:
(Obliques)
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat.
Hold your arms out in front of your chest with your palms together.
Lean back so your torso is at a 45 degree angle to the floor.
Brace your core and rotate to the right as far as you can.
Pause, then reverse your movement and twist ll the way backto the left as far as you can.
Weighted Russian Twist:
As you get better at this you can introduce a dumbbell or medicine ball. With both hands, hold the ends of a dumbbell or a medicine ball as you perform the Russian Twist.
Elevated Feet Russian Twist:
To really work your core you can raise your feet a few inches of the floor and hold them there as you perform the Russian Twist.
Reverse Crunch:
(Lower Abs)
Lie face up on the floor with your palms facing down.
Bend your hips and knees 90 degrees.
Raise your hips off the floor and crunch them inward.
Pause, and then slowly lower your legs until your heels nearly touch the floor.
For a stronger workout, bend your knees so your heels are close to your bottom. The closer you can keep your heels to your bottom the harder the crunch.
DIET CHALLENGE
Try to reduce your Carb intake by 10%. Take what you're current carb is at divide by 10, and then subtract that from the site
How's that sound. I know a little complicated but everyone is different. That's decreasing carbs by 10%
MID-WEEK CHALLENGE 18th AUGUST
By Tracey Tester in Fit for Life 3!! · Edit Doc · Delete
THE PLANK !
Have a look at this video which shows you how to do The Plank;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHQmRINu4jUThis is an excellent exercise for your core and stomach muscles ! Keep your body as straight as possible - don't sink down to the floor and don't stick your butt up in the air lol !
Have a go and let us know how long you managed to hold position for !
PS: If you can't manage a full plank you can always put your knees down and do it that way. But remember ...... try to keep the rest of your body as straight as possible !
Mini Challenge 2 (8/15-8/20)
By Krystal Davidson in Fit for Life 3!! · Edit Doc · Delete
Dates: 8/15-8/20
Exercise: Yoga
30 mins per day.
Any type: Stress releaving, fat burning, power yoga, or just plain stretching.
Don't know what to do? Here are some videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEFo5_eg7AgHere is Part One of a 4 part video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf1MtRZx_J4 OR
Start Level 1 of Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred.
At least 6 days.
It may look hard but try your best and see how you feel.
Don't give up! Just do what you can and follow the breathing!
Watch how in 5 days you've improved
Diet: 5 Fruits and/or Veggies a day!
Can be in juice form.
Smoothies should be ALL fruit and NO fillers such as milk, yogurt, etc.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!!
Mini Challenge 1.5
By Tracey Tester in Fit for Life 3!! · Edit Doc · Delete
So this is a MINI MINICHALLENGE and shall last only a day. It's just meant to spice up your day a bit and make you do something out of the box.
SO HERE GOES-
Do 20 Surya Namaskar cycles! 15 slow and 5 relatively fast
There's a video you can follow:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuvfHTaftLQSurya means 'SUN' and Namaskar means 'Salutation'. So together, it means salutation to the Sun. Needless to say, its best to be done in the morning on an empty stomach, but can be done at any time of the day.
The best thing about surya namaskar is it strengthens your whole body up. PLUS Youl lose a whopping 14 caloried per cycle. And once you get used to it, each cycle will take you like 30 seconds.
All the best. Im sure everyone can do this!
End date: 12th August
MiniChallenge 1
By Krystal Davidson in Fit for Life 3!! · Edit Doc · Delete
Exercise part of the MC- Distance goal- 2.5 kms per day! (about 1.5miles). walk it, jog it, run it anything! No slacking, no crawling, no dawdling. Be brisk and take a STEP UP! If you feel comfortable at 5mph, push yourself to do 6 mph for a while. Try to go one mile per hour higher than your body is used to!
end date: 14th August.
Diet Part of the MC- Brace yourself. NO CHOCOLATE! not a bite, not even a whisk
all week!
End date: 14th August.
Remember, only if you complete BOTH parts will you have successfully completed the MC!
--We know you guys can do this! Now go DO IT!
--Krystal
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