Week 2

Januart 11 - 17

End of Week 1 Check-In:

  • What is your current point total?

  • How are you feeling with the workouts? Do you need help making adjustments with the weights/equipment you have available or any modifications for certain exercises?

  • What days and times are you planning to workout for Week 2? If you are planning to come to any of the livestreams, make sure you register through MINDBODY.

  • Plan out your meals for the week ahead. Take the time now to set yourself up for success for the week. When you plan ahead you take out the guess work. Feel free to use the blank weekly meal sheet. As you write out your meals, write down what ingredients you need and make your shopping list.

  • How are you doing with the daily water goal?

  • How did you do with the nutrition goal of a green smoothie a day this week?

  • On a scale 1-10 (1 is horrible, 10 is amazing), rate your sleep for the last week.

  • On a scale 1-10 rate your nutrition for the last week.

  • On a scale 1-10 rate your stress/stress management for the last week.

  • On a scale 1-10 rate your exercise for the last week.

  • Reflecting back on your sleep, nutrition, stress, and exercise, what can you do differently to set yourself up for success for Week 2?

  • What has been the hardest part of this challenge so far?

  • What can you do differently to set yourself up for success for Week 2?

  • What is one goal you would like to accomplish this week? (this can be anything - like clean out your closet, not buy Starbucks, add in more home cooked meals, get to bed 30 minutes earlier, etc.)

  • Is there anything else you would like to share? I’m all ears!

Nutrtion Goal

The nutrition goal for this week is no dairy and no gluten (sprouted grains are okay)! Each day you succeed, give yourself a point!

Why are we focusing on dairy and gluten?

The top two most common food intolerances are: lactose and gluten. Eating foods that irritate your digestive system causes an inflammatory response in your body. That’s never a good thing for our health or our waistline. Prolonged inflammation can cause all kinds of issues from chronic colds, migraines, joint stiffness, bloating, weight gain, colitis, asthma, eczema, depression, anxiety, Multiple Sclerosis, Pancreatitis, and Type 1 Diabetes.

Dairy

The case can be made both for and against dairy products and their place in our nutrition needs - ultimately we are all have our own bio individuality and can tolerate different foods. Most of us (upwards of 75% of people) lack the intestinal lactase enzyme, the enzyme that digests lactose (milk sugar). The main protein in milk is casein and in overloaded digestive system breaking down the casein becomes an even greater task and simply serves as a further irritant and cause of inflammation.

I highly recommend you eliminate as much processed, fat-free, low-fat dairy products as possible - and focus on getting calcium from greens, wild salmon and legumes. Great alternatives are nut milks!

Grains and Gluten

Gluten is a protein in grains, including wheat, rye, spelt, and barley. The problem with the gluten protein is that it is extremely hard to break down and we are not designed to eat the amount of gluten-containing foods that the typical American diet consists of. There really isn’t anything “wrong” with it as a food - it’s just hard to digest and is often prepared incorrectly. When gluten passes through the stomach undigested, it can irritate and inflame your digestive track (and lead to discomfort, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, and a number of other symptoms).

Grains also contain a variety of enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with digestion and put stress on the pancreas, sugar complexes the body can’t break down and irritating tannins. These substances are not meant to harm us, they are part of the plants’ protective adaption to ensure they do not sprout until conditions are favorable. Ultimately grains just need a little warmth, time, and a bit of acidity to sprout properly. To utilize all of the nutrients they contain, simply prepare them in a way that imitates Nature’s process – with a little warmth, time, and slight acidity by soaking, sprouting or fermenting them. All of these simple processes allow the phytic acid to break down, and effectively begin predigestion of the gluten protein - so that your body can easily digest, absorb and assimilate the nutrients and fiber and deliver long-lasting stable energy to you.

To help make this goal more attainable, sprouted grains such as Ezekiel bread are okay even through it technically isn’t gluten free.

The main focus is to shift into proper preparation of grains to help absorb them better! How to prepare grains the healthy way:

  • Soak grains in an acidic medium (AVC, lemon juice)

  • Cook oats overnight or on the stovetop (using Old Fashioned or Steal Cut - never quick or 1 minute oats)

  • Look for sprouted of fermented grains

  • Look for GF options such as almond flour, coconut flour, cassava flour, or GF oats

  • If purchasing GF products, always read the ingredients and check for added sugar - we will be talking more about this next week!

If you need help thinking of replacements, email me! There are TONS of yummy GF recipes out there!

Daily Bonus Points

Jan. 11 - Lemon water in the morning

Jan. 12 - Green smoothie

Jan. 13 - Meditate for at least 10 minutes

Jan. 14 - Spread good vibes. Text/call/tell 3 people that you appreciate them, recognize their hard work, are thinking about them, etc. 

Jan. 15 - Stretch for at least 10 minutes

Jan. 16 - Journal

Jan. 17 - Make your bed