Get Pretty Health Bootcamp: 3 Month Spring Challenge

Beloved, I wish among all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prosperith. 

3 John 1:2

I like to believe that I eat healthy for the most part, but I'm sort of like a seesaw. One week I'm eating really healthy,  and the next week I end up sneaking in some fast food. So, I've decided to go on a 3 month challenge. During these three months, I will eat within in my caloric goal and exercise at least 4 days per week(alternating cardio and strength training). I am not going to say that I want to loose a certain amount of pounds, but I would just like to see how I would look and feel after three months of eating and exercising correctly. I am also trying get some self-control over my horrible eating habits. I hate diets, and this is basically my way of learning healthy habits.  I feel like if you do something for at least three months, you will create a positive habit. These are my challenge rules:

• Eat heavier earlier in the day(carbs, and natural sugars)
• I normally eat yogurt, fruit, and granola for breakfast, but I think that I'm going to eat that at the end of my day.
• Eat lighter towards the end of the day(more veggies and fruits)
• Only whole wheat brown pastas and breads( no white rice, bread, or pasta)
• look for the breads that say %100 WHOLE WHEAT
• Eat double the amount of veggies as carbs and meats together
• example: If your pasta and meats altogether are 6oz, then eat 12oz of veggies
• Eat three meals and two snacks( because I like to snack a lot)
• Have one unhealthy meal during the weekend (maybe Saturday, grab a giant shake, burger and fries lol)
• Drink a lot of water in between meals(I find that this keeps you full)
• NO fast food, sugary foods, fried foods, junky foods.(potato chips, honey buns, cheese fries, etc)

Calories

Now as for calories, every person's caloric intake is different. You can find out yours by clicking here. My caloric intake is 1200. I divided that by 4, and I got 300. This means that I can eat (4) 300 calorie meals. Since I am going to have two snacks, I take one of those meals and split them up.  This means that I can have two snacks that are 150 calories each. If you are trying to loose weight you can lower your calorie intake, but you have to pick a caloric intake that it still healthy for you. If your intake is too low, you will slow down your metabolism, and it will be really hard to burn fat.

The Scale

I really don't like the scale. I look at it at times, but for the most part I focus on just being healthy. Some people gain muscles really fast, and on the scale it looks like the person has never lost any weight. If you would like to measure your self some type of way, I would use a measuring tape or just take pictures. Maybe at the end of every month.

Exercise

Now when you exercise, you will have to eat a little more because you are going to be burning calories.  You should add an extra  healthy snack for after your workout, (oatmeal and fruit, smoothie, etc.) Something with natural carbs and sugar. And never exercise on an empty stomach, you will be loosing muscle instead of fat.

Multiply  calories by your weight to see how many calories you will burn by doing each type of exercise.

I know that this may seem really overwhelming, but once you get in the habit of living healthy, you will be doing this without even thinking about it. Many of us were not raised eating a healthy diet, so this is like learning to walk for some of us. This will not be easy, and there may be days that you mess up. Just start fresh the next day. Your body or health is not going to drastically suffer from one bad day. You may even have to take baby steps where you eliminate one thing every week. 

TIPS

• The fool proof way of doing eating right, is to PREPARE in advance. Sit down, maybe on a Saturday, and write out ALL of your foods for the week. 
• It would be even smarter to cook up a big batch of healthy food (chicken and broccoli). 
• Always keep a large amount of raw greenery(romaine lettuce, spinach, baby kale)
• Get rid of all of your unhealthy junk food. Out of sight, out of mind.
• Make snacks accessible
• make little baggies of healthy snacks(whole grain crackers and light mozzarella) 

You have to start somewhere. It's your body, and you only get one. Don't hesitate to ask me any questions, and you can check out my recipe section for ideas. I will be starting my challenge on April 8th. Check often back often my to see how I am doing on my challenge!