2014 Health Challenge: Week 5-6 – Keep asking Why

I’m doing a health challenge with my group PT instructor Lauren from Phyzique to start 2014 off.  This challenge follows five years of slow sustainable progress and you can read more about this period of my life here:  Health & Fitness – Week 1 and a follow up in my food diary in Week 2 – 4.

I’ve just finished week 5 & 6 of this 10 week challenge and am feeling great about the increase in raw & whole foods in my diet.

Keep asking why

The thing is, to make positive changes that are sustainable, I have found it’s important to have a deep focus for why. Why? Why? Like a four-year-old, you have to keep asking why to find it.  It’s easy to focus on the surface — I want to lose weight — and by doing that: missing the reason that underpins it all; the reason that makes for sustainable change.  I’ve learned this the hard (and long) way.  If I was to write it down the why? progress, this is what it might look like:

In terms of health and fitness, it’s the deep why that gets me out there running every week, even when I don’t feel like it. Because I know, that it’s the consistent investments that add up to the freedom to live fully so I can give back to those around me.

It’s freedom. Freedom from anxiety. Freedom to throw on my clothes and go. Freedom from relying on drugs for back pain; sustained a chronic injury when I was pregnant with my fourth child and keeping my core strong has made a huge difference.   It’s the freedom to live and give. Freedom to live and give.  

I learned this the hard way and if you’re struggling with health and fitness, I encourage you to forget the focus on weight loss and keep asking why until you find the real underpinning. For you, it might be different to me but keep asking why until you find it.

Progress

I tried chin-ups this week. Hard. HARD! Did 3 pretty poor ones but it feels good to challenge myself. 

I’ve noticed that my clothes are looser, especially on my waist line, which after four children, is a nice change.  My PT often says to me that you can’t outrun a bad diet and I know that’s where the changes are coming during these last 6 weeks.  I’ve had a good exercise routine for a good year now, and although my diet was relatively healthy, I know I needed less refined carbs and more whole foods and raw veges and fruit in my diet.  Really happy with the changes to my diet I’ve made so far.

Week 5

Notes:

• It’s easy converting family meals to my own meals.  If I’m making a creamy chicken dish for the kids, I’ll keep some chicken aside for me and grill it with salad.
• I eat nuts instead of biscuits.
• I add seeds and fibre where I can.  
• I try and always serve a portion of veges or fruit at every main meal.  
• Most of my meals are served on a smaller plate.  
• I usually have an indulge day each week.

Day 29

Breakfast: Porridge with psyllium seed husks, blackberries & natural yoghurt

Snack: Ryvita with vegemite

Lunch: Celery & carrot soup

Snack: Pear & Ryvita with ricotta cheese

Dinner: Rice, tuna, lettuce, tomato, carrot

Other: –

Day 30

Breakfast: Porridge with cranberries & almonds

Snack: Date & oat ball

Lunch: Vegetable soup with bok choy, carrot

Snack: Ryvita with tuna

Dinner: Pumpkin soup

Other: natural yoghurt with blackberries

Day 31

Breakfast: Porridge with sunflower seeds & blackberries

Snack: Beetroot, carrot, ginger & celery juice

Lunch: Greek salad (lettuce, fetta, olives, tomato, low fat dressing)

Snack: Pumpkin seeds

Dinner: Tuna, sprouts & tomato on a barley wrap

Other: –

Day 32

Breakfast: Egg, mushroom, tomato, spinach

Snack: Date & oat ball

Lunch: Ryvita with peanut butter & banana with 2 carrots

Snack: Brownie (small) – with 70% cocoa chocolate

Dinner: Vegetable soup with crackers

Other: 

Day 33

Breakfast: banana & egg pancake with kiwi fruit (Pancake = 1 egg with half mashed banana – makes 2 pancakes)

Snack: –

Lunch: Barley wrap with cottage cheese, bean sprouts, carrot, ham

Snack: Macadamia nuts

Dinner: Lemon petter grilled chicken with broccoli, crushed tomatoes & mushroom

Other: –

Day 34

Breakfast: Avocado on 1 piece of wholemeal toast

Snack: Wholemeal crackers

Lunch: Spinach, grilled chicken, mushroom, tomato, cottage cheese

Snack: Pistachio nuts

Dinner: Lean mince with beans, salad & tortillas 

Other: 

Day 35

Breakfast: Porridge with linseed, sunflower seeds, apple & crushed almonds

Snack: –

Lunch: Lasagne & beans (out – yum but not part of the plan)  😉

Snack: Corn chips

Dinner: Ryvita with vegemite & cottage cheese / spinach & tuna

Other: Small brownie & piece of brie cheese

**bit of an indulge day**

Exercise

• 3 group PT sessions
• 2 x 6k runs

Week 6

At the point now that I’m looking for a bit more variety.  I enjoy the foods I’m eating but I am looking for a bit more variety so hopefully will be able to make a bit more time to try a few more recipes.

Day 36

Breakfast: 1 high-bran weet-bix with linseed

Snack: Macadamia nuts

Lunch: Grilled chicken, cucumber, avocado, broccoli, tomato

Snack: Half a banana & blueberries

Dinner: Tuna, broccoli, beetroot, cottage cheese, cherry tomatoes

Other: –

Day 37

Breakfast: Porridge with linseed & blueberries

Snack: –

Lunch: All Natural Berry Protein smoothie

Snack: Macadamia nuts & strawberries

Dinner: Zucchini, egg & tomato slice with spinach.

Other: 

Day 38

Breakfast: Porridge with sunflower seeds & berries

Snack: Almonds & cranberries

Lunch: Barley wrap with grilled chicken, avocado, sprouts, tomato, cottage cheese

Snack: Macadamia nuts

Dinner: Lean mince with beans & corn with beetroot, tomato, mushroom & lettuce

Other: –

Day 39

Breakfast: Beetroot, carrot, celery & ginger juice

Snack: Ryvita with only-peanuts peanut-butter

Lunch: Quinoa & white bean patty with grilled chicken, avocado, lettuce & tomato

Snack: Macadamia nuts

Dinner: Grilled chicken salad (with cucumber, carrot, purple cabbage & tomato)

Other: 

Day 40

Breakfast: Avocado with lime & cracked paper on 1 piece of wholemeal toast

Snack: Green vege juice

Lunch: Barley wrap ham, beetroot, cottage cheese, tomato, lettuce & a ginger nut biscuit with tea

Snack: Dried apricot

Dinner: Tuna, pasta, lettuce mix, tomato

Other: –

Day 41

Breakfast: Porridge, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds & berries

Snack: Ryvita with cottage cheese

Lunch: Barley wrap with tuna & spinach

Snack: Chocolate bar

Dinner: Lean mince with beans, salad & tortillas 

Other:  Dried apricots

Day 42

Breakfast: Egg, lean bacon & spinach

Snack: Green apple

Lunch: Chicken, raw coleslaw (no dressing), beetroot, tomato, cucumber

Snack: Macadamia nuts and 2 Date & oat balls

Dinner:  Ryvita with tuna and cottage cheese

Other: Small brownie & piece of brie cheese

**bit of an indulge day**

Exercise

• 3 group PT session
• 2 x  6k runs 
• 1 x 15 min run / 15 minute circuit / 5 min warm down (35 min total)

Health and Fitness Challenge

Week 1

Week 2-4