“Renew You” Challenge – Be a part of my Weekly Challenge (I mean, opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot for bringing health to your week.

So here we are right smack in the middle of another cold and flu season, and all I can hear in my head is mom telling me to eat my fruits and veggies. Why? Well, you know how a lot of folks take multivitamins every day? Fresh fruits and vegetables are like nature’s multivitamin—chock full of important nutrients and natural antioxidants proven to boost immune function and help keep you healthy—which brings me back to cold and flu season.

The best way to ward off seasonal illness is by being proactive. Don’t wait until the first sign of a sneeze or sniffle, but instead practice good habits all year long, and that includes (and you knew this was coming) eating more fruits and veggies. So that’s your challenge this week!

Now before you start to groan, just bear with me. The CDC has this great new website that helps you calculate how many servings of fruits and vegetables you need each day based on your age, sex and activity level, and from there it’s just a matter of being creative. And parents, pay attention—getting kids to gobble up their fruits and veggies may not be as difficult as you think. Just plan ahead, spend a little time at the beginning of the week slicing and storing, and soon the whole family will be on their way to better health. Here are some tips to help you get started!

 Dip bite-size veggies in low-fat dressing
 Spread natural peanut butter on celery sticks
 Spread hummus on celery, carrots or even whole-wheat pita
 Add pre-sliced veggies and even fruit to sandwiches & wraps
 Prepare individual salad servings for a quick grab-and-go lunch
 Top natural tortilla chips or pita chips with fresh, homemade salsa
 Mix berries or other fruits with yogurt, oatmeal & cereal
 Keep frozen fruit on hand for shakes & smoothies

For more simple, healthful snack ideas and recipes using fresh fruits and veggies, be sure to visit www.fiber35diet.com.

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“Renew You” Challenge - Be a part of my Weekly Challenge to help set you off in the right direction for bringing health to your week!

Sure it’s easy to talk about healthy eating, but sometimes actually doing it is a different thing altogether. Maybe work gets too busy, or your daily to-do list gets so long that by the time you even think about lunch it’s easier just to head to the nearest fast food joint.

And if you have school-age kids, forget it! Along with worrying about after-school activities, homework and everything else, planning and packing lunches every day can seem nearly impossible. But the reality folks is that we’re trading in our health for an easy shortcut, and over time the consequences can add up.

Most fast food options—including many of our nation’s school lunch programs—are loaded with processed sugars, unhealthy fats and unnecessary additives and preservatives that can take a serious toll on our digestive system and our overall health. America’s growing obesity problem is just one example! So I say it’s time to make a change for the better.

This week, let’s all do our best to brown bag it. You may need to plan ahead and make a grocery list, but I think taking a little extra time out of your week is worth it for better health in the long run. And don’t be fooled by pre-packaged meals and snacks that claim they’re good for you but really aren’t any better than what you’d get at the drive-through! Your best bet is to stick with fresh raw foods, whole grains and lean meats, and whenever possible, opt for organic. Here are some ideas to help you get started!

• High-fiber fresh fruits and veggies
• Homemade hummus or low-fat cream cheese
• Whole-grain breads/pita (no high-fructose corn syrup)
• Organic peanut butter (no sugars/trans fats)
• Lean protein sources such as chicken, turkey and fish
• Low-fat cottage cheese and yogurt (watch sugar content)
• Homemade quesadilla slices (great for kids!)
• Natural trail mix, granola, and snacks
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Air-popped popcorn
• Hard-boiled eggs/egg salad

Once you get started, you’ll see just how easy it can be to make a few healthier choices every week, and soon you’ll be a brown bag expert!

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My Weekly “Renew You” Challenge – I can’t tell you how many times I hear people say things like, “But I just don’t have time to exercise during the day…” so here’s a little tip that’s worth repeating: Stop over-thinking it and get practical!

Little things like taking the stairs instead of using the elevator can make a BIG difference. Don’t believe me? Just try it! And if it’s only one or two floors, why not go back down and then climb right back up? It only takes minutes, and even if you feel silly, chances are nobody will see you—they’re probably all taking the elevator!

Another good tip? Whether you’re going to work or to the grocery store, try parking at the far end of the parking lot instead of right up close to the door. Adding those extra steps is a great way to fit some exercise into your hectic day. So come on folks, get practical!

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“Renew You” Challenge – If you know anything about me, you know that I like to challenge you to look at your diet—and pretty often. Why? Because being mindful of what you’re putting in your body is a powerful tool for change. 

So…what am I getting at today? Well, I’ve talked about cutting out sugar before, but this week let’s take a step back. For a couple days during the week, I want you to jot down everything you eat or drink that has sugar in it. Don’t change anything, just make note of it. Simple, right?

Then, after two or three days, take a look at the list you’ve made. Notice any patterns? Like maybe you need a chocolate fix every afternoon, or it could be that you can’t get out of the house without three scoops of sugar in your coffee every morning. Well, I won’t lie—those patterns are going to be the most difficult to break, so let’s focus on the more random sugar intakes first, since they will be the easiest to manage.

For example, maybe you had dessert at lunch one day even though you usually don’t have dessert. No problem. The next time you have the opportunity to eat dessert at lunch, you’ll realize that it’s not normal for you and it will be easier to decline. This is all part of eating mindfully. And the more you practice, the easier it becomes—I promise! And the best part is that your diet will begin to change as a result, which means a healthier body overall.

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‘Renew You’ Challenge – It may sound like funny advice when we’re talking about taking a trip to the grocery store, but “stick to the perimeter” is one of the simplest and smartest things you can do to make sure you’re eating the right foods for your body.

What am I talking about? Well, think about it—if you stay out of those middle aisles in the grocery store (you know, the ones stocked high with processed foods and sugary snacks) and just go around the perimeter of the store, what do you find? It’s where all the fresh foods are!

So this week, your challenge is to do just that… and ONLY that. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store and don’t even go down those middle aisles. Make it an unprocessed week and be creative with meals and snacks. Try new things and see what you come up with!

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Renew You Challenge - Uh-oh… it’s the dreaded “e” word. No matter how many people I talk to, everyone seems to cringe when I mention the word exercise. But the truth is, working out doesn’t have to feel like, well, work… as long as you keep it fresh!

At least once this week, try mixing things up a little when it comes to your exercise routine. Add a few new moves to your normal workout, take a new class you haven’t tried, or be daring and experiment with a whole new sport that you’ve been interested in – the sky’s the limit!

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