Challenge Prep

The buzz is going around the office about our "Get Real" Challenge, affectionately called the "Double Chin Challenge" by some. Everyone is anxious to start and what began as just Peg and me wanting to prove a point that we have a great product has become the whole company wanting to be healthier.

You'd think working at a food company would be awesome, but it comes at a *hefty* price! People come into our main offices (where I am) each week trying to get their foods added to our product lines. While they don't all get picked, their food does. Pizzas, pretzels, falafel, challah, it's a carb-tastic adventure being here. Our company prides itself on having the best that the kosher market has to offer and is quite healthy in its offerings... Just not at the quantity I tend to consume. It's far too easy to grab a brick of pizza and eat the whole thing in one sitting. This is my chance to stop and rethink how I'm eating.

I've used the past couple weeks as a "last hurrah" for calories, eating that extra dish of ice cream, that additional slice of pizza, all in the name of "greater results" in the end. But what it has taught me is that I am ready to feel better about myself, inside and out. I have been lazy about my eating habits and I need to be proactive before it catches up to me more than it already has.

My first step yesterday was to get a water bottle to inspire me. It's worked so far. I'm more hydrated than ever before. Surprising Bonus - I get to take added breaks from my desk since I've consumed so much water (if you know what I mean)!!

Today, I bought a scale. Scary, right? Don't worry, I'm not going to get on it yet. Just let it decorate my cubicle. We'll let the suspense hover as to what my starting weight is until it's actual "get real time."

If you want to take part in our challenge too, just replace one meal a day with a Garden Lites souffle or dish, "get real" about your food intake, and find ways to work a bit more movement into your life. Oh, and track your results! We'd love to see before and afters and hear how you are getting real and inspiring others!

5 Easy Steps to Begin Eating Healthier

I'm getting really excited about our upcoming Get Real Challenge and I want to make sure the steps I take aren't just "diet" steps, but true lifestyle changes that I can stick with. In addition to replacing one meal a day with a Garden Lites, we are going to incorporate other healthy ways to be more aware of what's going into our bodies.

After all, your body is your temple, right?

Here's what I'm starting with but I'd love to hear more ideas from you!

#1. Drink more water.

Get one of those BPA water canteens and set a daily goal of how much water to drink. I've tried the CamelBak in the past, but find I'm too lazy to take it all apart and clean out the pieces. This one from Target has all the health and safety qualities I need (BPA Free and not too huge) and it's metal so it keeps the water extra cool. Plus it's a pretty blue! If I fill it up twice a day, then I'll have 50 of my 64 suggested ounces of daily water intake.

#2. Read nutrition labels.

The other day I tossed one of those "ready in 10 minutes in a skillet" meals together and two of us shared it. While it had flavor and convenience, I missed a key fact. EACH SERVING contained 38g of fat. 38?! If I had just taken the time to look at the nutritional facts I would have avoided post-dinner guilt (and a massive stomachache).

#3. Pronounce all of your ingredients.

In the biz we call it a "Clean Food Label". Basically, are you eating something you can pronounce? Sure, a product can say "All Natural" but that is not a government regulated term the same way "Organic" is. Garden Lites is not only all natural, but every single ingredient listed is something you could pick up at your local grocery store. No more of these 12 syllable "hexa-hydro-beta-zia-expialadosious" ingredients cooked up in a lab instead of a kitchen!

#4. Eat mini-meals.

Eating several meals a day helps you control your cravings and take in healthier calories. This Livestrong.com article is really helpful in how it lays out the plan. Planning ahead is key, as is stocking your kitchen with good options, instead of unhealthy treats that are "convenient" but costly when it comes to your waistline.

#5. Start by having breakfast.

It sounds counter intuitive to suggest a way to eat less is to start each day by eating. Lots of people believe if they skip meals here or there that they will lose weight, but it's exactly the opposite. As the mini-meal article states, your metabolism needs food to keep going. And to kick off your metabolism each morning you need to eat. Have an egg white omlette rich in protein or oatmeal with heart healthy oats. Try to avoid high carb items which will bring energy levels down instead of boosting them up. Just starting your day fed instead of with a growling stomach, you will see dramatic improvements right away!