Today’s action plan has 2 steps!  Make sure you complete both steps.

Baby Step 3

Physical

I know that this is probably what most of you were waiting for.  I bet you have been saying, “When are we going to change our diets?   When are we going to get sweaty and exercise?”  Well you can already be doing those things without me telling you to do them right?  Remember it’s ALL about choices.  You should have downloaded the free eBook to get you started by now, plus the 12 week exercise plans from the download page that was underneath the eBook download button.  If not, get it now and start moving. If you have problems with the download email me annett (at) fitmomsfitkidsclub (dot) com 

Today’s challenge is not about your workout it’s about what you put inside of your body. We all know that a lot of Americans are overweight.  You know that we eat too much processed food, meat, and sugar.  We don’t exercise enough, we eat way too much fast food, and we make too many excuses.  Hardly anyone eats enough fruits and veggies.   No surprise right?  Well we need to do something about that.  We CAN do something about this.  (see positive thoughts)

Here’s where we’ll begin.  You are going to start to add more fruits and vegetables into your diet.  I hear some of you saying, “But I don’t like vegetables.”  My answer to you, is so what.  This is about your health ladies, and you are not a little girl anymore.  If your desire is to truly be healthy then this is something you just have to do.  You’ve entered the No Excuse Zone. (In my Dolvett on the Biggest Loser voice)

Why are we adding more fruit and veggies to our diet?

(The following facts are from the Choose My Plate website)

• Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.

• Eating a diet rich in some vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers.
• Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as some vegetables and fruits, may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

• Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, and vitamin C.

• Dietary fiber from vegetables, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.
• Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant should consume adequate folate from foods, and in addition 400 mcg of synthetic folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.

How are we going to add more fruit and veggies to our day?  The easiest way is to make sure that 1/2 of your plate is filled with fruit and veggies.  Yes HALF of your plate.  I do this by picking two vegetables to cook at dinner time.  For lunch having a side salad and a piece of fruit.  Another easy way is to eat raw veggies (broccoli, carrots, celery) and a piece of fruit with your lunch.  When I eat breakfast I add fruit on the side, on the inside (like blueberries in my whole wheat pancakes),  or fruit on top of what I am eating.

Baby Steppers that is your task.  I want you to be intentional about filling half of your plate with fruit and veggies.  The Big Steppers are going to do a juice cleanse.   Feel free to join us.  If you want to know more about juicing in general and why I will be making it a part of my regular every day life make sure you read the Big Step post later today.  FYI, you don’t have to do a full fast, you can just add juice as one of your meals a day for the weekend to kick start your system.  I’d love for all you Baby Steppers to add juicing to your daily routine as well.

STEP 2

This weekend I want you to watch the movie Forks Over Knives.  You can get it via Netflix instant stream or on HuluPlus.
(*by the way you can get a FREE 1 week trial to HuluPlus, so that you can use it to watch the movie this weekend )

After you watch Forks Over Knives let’s talk about it!  I’d LOVE to hear what you think. Leave your comments below about what you thought of the documentary.  If you want to get extra credit you can watch Sick, Fat, and Nearly Dead.  This gave me the extra push I needed to make me do a juice cleanse. This weekend feel free to come by our Facebook Page and ask questions about the challenge, health, fitness, the movie, whatever.  Here’s a link to our page, make sure you like us. 

Have a Healthy Weekend!

Annett Davis, Olympian & Founder of Fit Moms Fit Kids