June's Challenge

It's time to introduce a challenge for June! This time it will be a nutrition challenge! For May it was my Pushup Challenge, which I'm rounding out today. Those that were taking the challenge with me - how did you do? I fell behind because of injury and then illness! Blech! I found a way to catch up without totally burning myself out, though, by just doing so many every couple of hours. My maximum limit was 12-15 at one time (unmodified) when I started the challenge, but now I can do 20-23 before I hit my limit! I'm so excited! :)

So, for June we'll be doing a nutrition challenge! One of my friends happened to invite me to one of hers, and it's perfect, so I'm hopping on board and hope you will join us, too! It's the "Get Your Greens on Challenge." I challenge you to eat AT LEAST one green thing every day in the month of June. That green thing must be a fruit or veggie. I'd really love to see us all strive for a green veggie every day. There are so many fresh and local green veggies available to us this time of year. Visit your local farm stand or farmer's market. Why not come home with something you've never tried before?



Green vegetables particularly have SO many health benefits yet is one thing we don't think to have daily! Green vegetables are:

• Loaded with vitamins and minerals. Dark leafy green vegetables are one of the best sources of nutrition, and they’re low in calories to boot. Greens such as spinach, kale, broccoli, and dark-green lettuce contain minerals including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium as well as vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. Vitamin K alone can help regulate blood clotting and may help prevent and reduce inflammation, protecting us from inflammatory diseases including arthritis. A cup of most cooked greens such as chard or kale provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of vitamin K, and one or more servings of greens a day has been associated with a lower risk of diabetes.


• They keep our immune system functioning well!Green vegetables also contain many phyto-chemicals and beta-carotene. These nutrients help protect cells from damage, improve immune function and can help protect our eyes from age-related disease, and some studies suggest that lutein and zeaxanthin may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer such as breast and lung. Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli are rich in substances that also help guard against colon and other cancers. And green veggies are loaded with folate, a B vitamin especially important for women of childbearing age (remember how they always tell us to take vitamins with extra folic acid?). The Centers for Disease Control and the FDA currently recommend that women take in 400 micrograms of folate daily, twice as much as was previously recommended.


• They're a great for any nutrition regiment (I hate to use the word "diet," but that might be what you call it). Greens are naturally low in carbohydrates and rich in fiber, making them slow to digest, so you’ll feel full longer. And the good news is that in order to get the most out of your green vegetables you should eat them with a little fat, such as olive or walnut oil, so you can sauté, stir-fry, and make tasty salad dressings for your greens and enjoy!

So what do you say? Will you be joining us for this challenge? If so, she even set up a support group on Facebook! Join here!

Are you up for another challenge? Join me at my sister site Pea of Sweetness for this challenge as well as The Love Dare!

Happy New Year!

I'm not usually one to make resolutions, but I'm making one now to update and add content to the site more often! I bet you thought it was going to be a health and fitness one, didn't you? ;-)

OF COURSE I have health and fitness goals for the new year, so I guess ultimately that's a resolution, too! The truth is since our move from the Washington DC area down to Fort Hood, TX I DID get out of routine - ALL routine! I haven't been having meals on my usual schedule, and my workouts have been sporadic! I'm human, and I slipped! So now I can either dwell on it and get down on myself or take it as a lesson and get back to routine! So get back to routine I will! I'm starting P90X2 on Monday as well as picking up homeschooling with the kids again on Monday! ALL breaks are over! It's also going to get our household overall back onto a routine - including meal times! I've been feeling tired and sluggish, and I know that's why! Especially with Fibromyalgia it's easy to fall into that trap, but I NEED to get back into routine, and I know my energy levels will pick back up, too!

My health & fitness goals for 2012 (in addition to getting back in routine):

* Lose 10 lbs
* Tone up
* Work out at least 5 times a week (and log all workouts live in WOWY)
* Successfully complete P90X2
* Successfully complete Couch to 5K
* Participate in at least two 5Ks
* Build strength
* Cut down on meat and dairy
* Cut down or eliminate food dyes, artificial sweeteners (sucralose & aspartame), and gluten
* Get my children involved in physical activity and good nutrition

Health & Fitness Related Business Goals:

* Get involved with a Fit Club and connect to other Beachbody Coaches in our new area
* Continue to lend support to my clients and contact them frequently
* Obtain a certification in Nutrition
* Become a Certified Personal Trainer

So what are YOUR health and fitness goals for 2012? I'm here for support - to push you, encourage you, workout with you (even if it's only online), connect with you, and truly listen to you! I WANT to help, but I can't help if I don't know what you need! Please don't hesitate to contact me! :-)

I hope 2012 brings you many blessings!