If you want a short online challenge to help you make this summer one of focusing on health and fatfighting, why not join the challenge set up by Z of Bottomless blog?
It's called the SUMMER SLIMMIN' challenge and Z has created some
cute badges that remind us what we should be doing to slim down some and up our good health and eating habits in the coming two months.
You can get info and sign up
HERE. Or just click the badge over at the top of my sidebar on the left (see the pretty Korean manhwa gal in a swimsuit? Yeah, that one.)
Now, here's a look at what the expectations (ie summer slimmin' habits) will be for participants:
First, it's about supporting EACH OTHER, so we expect from ourselves and others in the challenge to just be
"Takin' Part"--commenting on the blogs (one or two or some or all) to keep our spirits up with encouragement. A few minutes a day will suffice.Can we do that?
Yeah, think so. :)
Next is a nutritional slimmin' basic:
"Eatin' 5+ a day" from the summer bounty of fruits and veggies. All we suggest is that you eat AT MINIMUM five servings of a variety of colorful produce. You can eat 12 servings. Low cal veggies are great for filling up. This provides nutrients, filling fiber, vitamins, minerals and visual appeal to your meals. If you have produce, this is a time to try new things and experiment. Aim for a variety of colors to maximize nutritional benefits.
"Cookin' Meals"~~~Third is an outgrowth of the previous, but is also one of those habits some of us just haven't dedicated ourselves to: creating healthful meals AT HOME, where we can control what goes in (as opposed to restaurants or takeout, where we might be 1. tempted by the offerings that are diet-demolishing or 2. don't really know what's going in there.) No one needs to eat every meal at home or prepare everything, but learning to make healthful meals, brown-bag lunches, snacks just seems to be part of losing and keeping it off (if you notice from the blogs and reports and studies of those who have lost big and kept it off.)
Fourth is another basic: hydration.
"Drinkin' It"
We suggest the usual--8 glasses of clean water a day. You can drink more, but the challenge suggests this standard minimum recommendation.
Next is one a lot of us have issues with or just plain DON'T WANNA do. (And I have issues, too, so it's not a finger-pointing, unless it's pointing right back at me.) It's EXERCISE. It's
"Movin' It."
Whether it's lifting weights, Pilates, doing aerobic or yoga DVDs, walking, swimming, biking, hiking, rock-climbing, scuba-diving, or skiing. Or marching in place while watching tv. Move. Daily.
And the last challenge category is:
"Writin' It Down." This is another one that's hard to keep up, but various studies show that it helps people be more aware of what they are eating and how many calories are consumed--and to actually make better choices and exercise some caloric restraint. It's really REAL, those cookie's calories and fat content, when you WRITE IT DOWN. Write down everything you eat and drink. Use a notebook, a diary, an online journal, your blog, SparkPeople.com, or some other online nutrition tracker. Just WRITE IT ALL DOWN EVERY DAY OF THE CHALLENGE. :) Well, that's the ideal to shoot for.
So, come on, join in.
We'd love to see your blog name in our challenge list.
The challenge runs from June 6 (that's this coming SUNDAY) through August 6th. Two months.
Let's do it!
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