Day 7 - June 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

7. Chocolate Craving Fix!

More women find themselves craving chocolate than men. Eating chocolate doesn’t always make you feel good, with those guilty after pangs and the physical side effects: weight gain, blood sugar imbalance and coming down after the high. Satisfaction can be very short lived. How can we cure our craving for chocolate?

So what is the cause of chocolate craving?
Recent research shows that craving for chocolate can indicate a nutritional deficiency. Chocolate cravings may be caused by a deficiency in magnesium. Many women crave chocolate with PMS; when magnesium levels are usually lower.

Chocolate contains not only caffeine (obviously addictive) but also alkaloids; the same addictive compounds found in alcohol and cocaine.

Chocolate can give a high similar to orgasm. Why? It contains mood enhancing substances which precipitate the release of super feel-good neurotransmitters. As the chemicals stream though your body you experience great pleasure: for some it’s better than sex.

People may self-medicate with chocolate, when they do not have other effective of reducing anxiety. This is because tryptophan, an amino acid, is essential in the production of the calming hormone serotonin.

The power of your chocolate craving may be increased by ‘psychological reversal’. You know theoretically that too much is not good for you, but feel helpless to resist.A complicated network of neural pathways, (habitual thought patterns), reinforce the action of getting chocolate, over resisting.

How to cure chocolate craving

Eating chocolate is only a problem if you are trapped in a cycle of binge eating. You know there’s a problem if you can’t resist, even if you want to, and if you feel guilty afterwards.
What can you do about it?

1) Look at the emotional states and thoughts which accompany the craving; are you feeling anxious, frustrated, sad? How do you feel afterwards? Use an emotional healing technique like EFT to release these emotions which trigger cravings.

2) Visit a naturopath, kinesiologist, or specialist doctor who can test for allergies and nutritional deficiencies like magnesium.

Day 6 - June 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

6. Lunch Break Walk!

Health and fitness is all the rage—and we all know more physical activity is better--but it's always a question of finding time for exercise. Taking a walk can be a great way to spend your lunch break while also helping you move towards a healthier lifestyle. Whether it is a thirty-minute power walk or a ten-minute leisurely stroll, taking a walk is a great way to spend your lunch break. As is the case with most exercise, walking at a steady and consistent pace is the best.

Day 5 - June 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

5. Make New Friends!

Support is a great weight loss motivation technique. Surrounding yourself with people you care about and who care about you will help you to stay motivated. Tell your family and friends about wanting to lose weight. They will be your best weight loss motivation. Make sure your group is supportive and not drill instructors. You want their support not their disappointment.

Sometimes dieting can be a real pain. That's when we need a diet buddy to turn to.
Someone to remind us about the benefits of losing weight. Someone to help us stick to our diet plan.

Many dieters don't bother with this kind of weight loss support. They try to lose weight on their own. Which is one reason why they quit dieting and stay overweight. Don't make the same mistake. Get a diet buddy.

Choose someone with a motivation to lose weight that is equal to or higher than yours. If your regular diet buddy is losing interest in losing weight, find someone else.

If all else fails, join a weight loss forum and find an online diet buddy. It's well worth doing, because having a diet buddy makes a huge difference to your general motivation and weight loss.

Day 4 - June 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

4. Low Calorie Meals!

Ingredients

* 6 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
* 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 4 chicken cutlets (3/4-1 pound total), trimmed
* 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 1 10-ounce package mushrooms, sliced
* 3 large cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup white wine
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
* 2 teaspoons butter

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.

Meanwhile, whisk 5 teaspoons flour and broth in a small bowl until smooth. Place the remaining flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and dredge both sides in the flour. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; keep warm.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their juices and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add garlic and wine to the pan and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved broth-flour mixture, lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in parsley, capers, butter and the reserved mushrooms. Measure out 1/2 cup of the mushroom sauce. Toss the pasta in the pan with the remaining sauce. Serve the pasta topped with the chicken and the reserved sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 401
Carbohydrate 3
Carbohydrates 46 g
Protein 30 g
Fat 8 g
Saturated 2 g
Cholesterol 57 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3 g
Dietary Fiber 4 g
Sodium 477 mg
Potassium 750 mg
Exchanges
2 1/2 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 3 1/2 lean meat


You can find more here.

Day 3 - June 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

3. Stress Eating!

One of the major obstacles in your journey to lose weight and stay thin is stress eating. We, as people, have a tendency to overeat whenever we feel tension or other negative emotions. Some of us eat out of boredom, other out of loneliness, and some out of stress. This is all emotional eating and you need to overcome it to have any chance to really get or stay thin.

So what are some possible stress eating solutions that you can put into practice today?

1. You need to write down your stress triggers, the situations in which you become stressful and turn to eating. Unless you know your weaknesses, you will never overcome them.

2. You have to eliminate all possible stress triggers. Naturally, if you get stressed out at work, you can't quit your job, but there might be other situations which are easy to eliminate from your life.

3. Practice the breathing method before eating. Once you begin stress eating, you will not stop until you've stuffed yourself silly. To give yourself a chance to not overeat, you must pause before turning to food. You do that by counting to 30 and breathing deeply in the process.

4. Each of us has his or her comfort foods which make us feel good and calm. The problem is that these foods are usually very fat and unhealthy. To make sure you don't succumb to temptation, eliminate the foods you eat the most, or cut them down drastically. If it's not in the fridge or cupboard, it's much harder to overeat.

5. Practice yoga, meditation, and workout regularly to reduce overall stress and tension. This is a process which will take time but will have tremendous results.

If you do the 5 tips I've written above, you will gradually overcome your stress eating and never be controlled by food again.

Day 2 - June 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

2. 5 Minute Workouts!

Fast & Effective Five-Minute Workouts

Time is in short supply for almost everyone these days but it’s still important to include physical activity throughout your busy day. Most people believe that to get a good workout, you must exercise for thirty minutes or more without stopping or else you don’t get anything out of it. Wrong! Research proves that short, intense segments of activity spread throughout the day are just as effective as one long workout, so there are no more excuses about not having enough time. Everyone can spare at least five minutes somewhere and there are brief workouts that challenge your whole body in that amount of time. To get you started, here are some fantastic workouts that really only take five minutes!

Workout 1: Fast and Furious Cardio & Conditioning Work

Have hand weights nearby and ready to use.

0:00 – 0:30: Warm up by briskly walking in place.

0:31 – 1:00: Increase the pace to a power-walk speed.

1:01 – 1:30: Keep walking and add a simple overhead reach by raising your arms straight up with every two steps.

1:31 – 2:00: Change the arm movement to reaching in front and then pulling back. Continue walking.

2:01 – 2:45: Pick up the hand weights and perform as many bicep curls as possible while you continue your walk.

2:46 – 3:30: Change the movement to pushing the weight directly overhead and then lowering as you keep the pace.

3:31 – 4:00: Put the weights down and slow down to your original pace.

4:01 – 4:30: Perform as many squats as you can by sitting back and keeping your heels pressed into the ground.

4:31 – 5:00: Walk slowly as your breathing and heart rate return to normal.

This workout increases your heart rate quickly and conditions the cardiovascular system with the high speed of walking in place. Using weights for arm work while you walk maintains the aerobic work while you build muscle at the same time. By gradually slowing down, you allow your body to return to a normal state slowly but still fit in muscle toning by doing squats. The steadily decreased demand on the body allows the body to stabilize comfortably. By combining aerobic conditioning with muscle toning, you get twice the benefits in one brief workout – what could be better?

Workout 2: Steady Muscle Work

0:01 – 0:30: Warm up by walking gently and moving your arms at the same time.

0:31 – 1:00: Begin working the lower body muscles by doing as many squats as you can for thirty seconds. Make sure your body is properly aligned with your knees forming a right angle with your thighs and your back staying centered over your buttocks. Keep your heels pressed into the floor for support as you slowly lower and raise the body.

1:01 – 1:30: Stand up straight with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. With hands on hips, lower your body into a pliè and then raise for as many repetitions as possible in thirty seconds. At the end of the time, lower your body one more time and hold.

1:31 – 1:45: Stay in your lowered pliè position and move up and down very gently, no more than an inch or so. This helps isolate the inner thighs and tone them up.

1:46 – 2:15: Stand with your weight on your left leg, point your right foot behind you, and lift your right leg as many times as possible in thirty seconds. This helps tone the muscle at the back of the leg.

2:16 – 2:45: Switch legs, stand with your weight on your right leg, and lift your left leg behind you as many times as possible in thirty seconds.

2:46 – 3:15: Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width apart and then bend from the waist until you are slightly more than at right angles with your lower body. Stretch your arms in front of you and then raise each arm back. Repeat for thirty seconds. Be sure to hold your abdominal muscles in tightly. This tones the arms and upper back as well as the abs.

3:16 – 3:45: Stand up straight and place hands at shoulders. Begin reaching arms up and bringing back down to shoulder height. Repeat for thirty seconds.

3:46 – 4:15: Drop to the floor on hands and knees, and then ‘walk’ your hands forward several inches. Begin performing modified push-ups and do as many repetitions as possible.

4:16 – 4:30: Lay on your back, knees bent, with arms behind head and fingertips just touching the back of the head. Use your abdominal muscles to pull your upper body towards your knees but not too far. Lower down slowly for maximum muscle building.

4:31 – 5:00: Still lying on your back on the floor, stretch legs out and raise arms above the head, inhale deeply and stretch. Let your breath out slowly and let your body relax.

This workout focuses on building muscle and strength all over. The variety of exercises works dozens of muscles all over the body for an overall toning effect. Switch between the two workouts for maximum results in your weight and muscle tone.

Day 1 - June 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

1. Rewarding Yourself!

Here is a list of ideas to reward yourself after hitting small and big goals on your weight loss!

1. Manicure/Pedicure
2. Spa Day
3. Get A Massage
4. Buy New Clothes
5. Buy A New CD or Some MP3/Itunes Downloads
6. Buy A New Pair Of Shoes
7. Get A New Hair Style/Cut
9. Buy Some New Earring/Jewelry
10. Buy An Ultimate Thermal Spa Bath Mat Massage
11. Got To A Movie/Rent A DVD
12. Go To A Cosmetic Counter & Ask For A Makeover
13. Buy A New A Bra
14. Buy A New Cookbook
15. Buy A Smoothie Maker
16. Buy A New Charm Bracelet, Then Add A New Charm For Each X Pounds You Lose
17. Subscribe To A Magazine
18. Hang A Pretty Ribbon Around Your Rear View Mirror & Add Pretty Beads To It As You Go
19. A Bouquet Of Flowers
20. Put A Set Amount Of Money In A Safe Place (Don't Have To Be A Lot $1.00, Or Whatever You Choose), And Add To It Every Time You Lose 1 Pound, So In The End When You Reach Your Final Goal You Have A Big Money Reward!

Day 30 - June 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

30. Create a 30 day Self Challenge for the next month!

Here are the three different categories
orange/happiness,
green/nutrition,
blue/fitness.

1. Rewarding Yourself!
2. 5 Minute Workouts!
3. Stress Eating!
4. Low Calorie Meals!
5. Make New Friends!
6. Lunch Break Walk!
7. Chocolate Craving Fix!
8. Boost Your Happiness Emergency!
9. How To Keep Exercising!
10. Eat A Rainbow Of Foods!
11. Eat More Weigh Less!
12. Motivation - A Thinner You!
13. Fitness Online Programs!
14. Celebrating My Your Birthday!
15. Boredom Eating!
16. Fun Workout Ideas!
17. The 12 Commandments of Goal Setting!
18. 10 Questions To Ask Yourself!
19. Going Out Of The House!
20. Self Respect!
21. Play With The Kids!
22. What's In Soda!
23. Exercising Before, During & After Pregnancy!
24. Counting Points, Calories etc!
25. Journal Your Thoughts & Feelings!
26. Swimming!
27. Eating At A BBQ!
28. Clothes Shopping!
29. Hitting A Goal!
30. Create a 30 day Self Challenge for the next month!

Day 29 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

29. Self acceptance!

Self acceptance is being loving and happy with who you are NOW. Some call it self-esteem, others self-love, but whatever you call it, you'll know when your accepting yourself cause it feels great. Its an agreement with yourself to appreciate, validate, accept and support who you are at this very moment, even those parts you’d like to eventually change. This is important...even those parts you'd eventually like to change. Yes, you can accept (be okay with) those parts of yourself you want to change some day.

The Motivation Behind Your Lack of Acceptance

If acceptance feels so good and is so good for us, then why don’t we accept ourselves? The answer is motivation. We use our lack of acceptance (punishment - cause it feels bad) as motivation to get us to do, not do, be, and not be what we think we should. Many people believe that if they accepted themselves as they are, they wouldn’t change or that they wouldn’t work on becoming more of who they want to be.

Typically, we judge ourselves unfavorably with the hope it will motivate us to change. We hope if we feel bad enough about ourselves, that maybe that will motivate us to change. Does this work? Sometimes, but only short term. Most times all it does is cause us to feel bad which saps the energy you might have used to make changes. It can be a vicious cycle. It works exactly counter to what you wanted to do.

“Acceptance allows change. The 'acceptance mode' includes everything, even my judgments. It allows me to be okay now, even before I reach my goals.”

“When you begin to accept yourself the way you are right now, you begin a new life with new possibilities that did not exist before because you were so caught up in the struggle against reality that that was all you could do.”

- Traveling Free, Mandy Evans

So if it doesn’t work, why do we keep doing it? Because we hope it will work. And if you don’t know any other way to change, what options do you have? We’ve been trained to believe that in order to change, we need to first feel bad about it. That if we’re accepting and loving of that particular quality, that we won’t do anything to change the situation, which is not true! You don’t have to be unhappy with yourself to know and actively change those things you’d like to change about yourself. Acceptance is actually the very first step in the process of change.

Think of acceptance of yourself like being okay with where you live now. You may want a bigger house one day. You may dream about that new home. But there ARE advantages to living in a smaller home if you only took the time to think about it. It is possible to be happy with the home you're in now, while still dreaming and working to make your new home a reality.

Process Of Acceptance

Acceptance exists at the core of your being. It is your default status. In order to reach this base level of acceptance, you need only remove the items laying on top. To do this, you must first identify all the things you do not accept about yourself. Then, one by one, eliminate them by examining and questioning your beliefs around that issue.

• Know yourself and your beliefs
• Take a good hard look at your honesty level
• Know you are doing the best you can
• Relax your value judgments
• Examine guilt
• Understand your motivations
• Ask yourself questions about what you don't accept

Day 28 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

28. Pamper Yourself With This Easy-To-Make Facial!

Ever though of making your own facial? I never really thought about it, but I'm going to try it. Here is a list of links of different kind of facial recipes to try!

All Skin Types

Homemade Clay Mask for All Skin Types
This clay mask will make skin super soft.

Yogurt Face Mask for All Skin Types
This refreshing face mask is made up of only 2 ingredients.

Oatmeal and Yogurt Mask for All Skin Types
This is a great basic face mask that includes just 3 basic ingredients.

Homemade 'Cat Litter' Mask for All Skin Types
We got this recipe off a TV show years ago. The beauty expert (Diane Irons) swore cat litter is made of the same ingredients as special clays found in $100 spa facials. We tried this and loved it.

Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Banana Mask for Oily Skin This recipe requires super-ripe bananas and a bit of honey.

Homemade Juice Mask for Oily Skin
Strawberry and lemon juice contain natural astringents.

Green Clay Mask for Oily Skin Types
This clay mask will help draw out excess sebum from pores.

Homemade Clay Mask for Oily or Acne-Prone Skin
Clay masks help neutralize skin. You can pick up clay from any health-food store.

Simple Mask for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin
Recipe adapted from Paula Begoun's 'The Beauty Bible.'

Combination Skin

Homemade Face Mask for Combination Skin
A rose-based mask is perfect for balancing out the oily and dry areas of your skin.

Dry, Chapped Skin

Homemade Face Mask for Dry Skin
Avocados and honey are particularly moisturizing.

Homemade Milk Mask for Dry Skin

Aging Skin

Homemade Face Mask for Aging Skin

Homemade Face Mask for Dry Skin
Avocados and honey are particularly moisturizing for mature skin.

Sensitive Skin

Homemade Face Mask for Sensitive Skin
This soothing mask is great for chapped, sunburned or irritated skin.

Day 27 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

27. Burn and extra 1000 calories!

1000 calories can be burned in a day easily by planning correctly. You can burn 1000 calories a day in divided sessions or at one time. However burning 1000 calories in 2 or 3 divided sessions will be wiser than to struggle at one time. The type of activity you choose is important than just how to burn 1000 calories a day.

For example you can burn up to 900 calories in sauna just in 30 minutes. But will the calories burned in this way contribute to weight loss or more importantly body fat loss? No, so you need to be practical if you want to lose 1000 calories per day. If you choose other aerobic exercises like running, jogging, swimming, stair treadmill, dancing, tennis, basketball, rollerblading, or hiking then it will prove beneficial.

Supposing you weigh 160 pounds and practice rollerblading twice a day for just 35 minutes you can easily burn 1000 calories per day. If you jog once in the morning and once in the evening for an hour at the speed of 5 miles then you can burn 584 calories per session. This means you burn more than 1000 calories a day. Stair treadmill can burn around 657 calories in an hour, so if you are unable to take time out twice a day, you can walk on a treadmill for a long period of time to burn 1000 calories at one go. Swimming in laps is also a good idea, swimming just for an hour can burn up to 511 calories at a time. You can even combine 2 activities together to burn 1000 calories. If you feel swimming or jogging twice a day is boring then you can swim for an hour in the evening or jog for an hour in the morning or vice versa. There are many ways to burn 1000 calories that can be healthy, provided you plan your activities in a healthy way.

Cutting back 1000 calories in your diet or being on a 1000 calorie low carb diet is a very drastic change. This diet should only be followed if you want quick weight loss results or want to start a long term weight loss plan.

Even if you are on a 1000 calorie diet for quick weight loss, it should ideally not be followed for more than a week under correct guidance and supervision. A 1000 calorie diet is not only low in most of the vital nutrients but it also restricts food consumption to a greater extent. When you are on a 1000 calorie low carb diet and want to burn 1000 calories a day, your body is convinced that it is in a middle of a famine or in other words your body goes in the starvation mode. Once your body perceives this, the body metabolism rate slows down in order to hold each calorie for as long as possible to conserve energy. When you are keen to lose weight a decreased metabolism is the last thing you want to happen. This is the reason most of the health care specialists recommend to lose not more than 2 pounds in a week with a balance of both calorie intake and calorie output, in other words diet and exercise.

Day 26 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

39!

26. 39 Day's Before Vacation!

I only have 39 days left before my vacation in July, and I don't think I will be hitting my goal weight. Though I do feel I will lose some, which is better than none, or even gaining. We take a lot of pictures when we're on our vacation, and I look awful. Plus, my mom seems to get a good butt shot every year of me. Ohhh, I always hate that picture. So, my hope is that I lose at least 10 pounds by vacation. That I think is a reasonable goal.

Day 25 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

25. 2 Mile Walk!

Ok, so my walking path is a little short from 2 miles, but close enough. My mom and I take this route when ever the weather cooperates. It's a really nice walking route in a peaceful neighborhood town. You can make your own routes too. Check out MapMyRun.com.

Day 24 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

24. Breakfast Is The Most Important Meal Of The Day!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After an 8 hour sleep, our bodies are starving!
A healthy breakfast is essential in refueling and recharging our bodies. The components of a healthy breakfast include carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of fats.


Some recommendations are:

Whole Grain Cereals
Eggs
Peanut Butter
Oatmeal
Fresh Fruit
Orange, Grapefruit or Pineapple Juice

Click on link for healthy breakfast recipes

Day 23 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

23. Clear your home of clutter!

I found this article from and how this could be me!

Click the link below and check it out...

How Clutter Hinders Weight Loss
Organizing Your House Helps You Lose Weight

Day 22 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

22. Cook A Healthy Pizza Recipe

Here's a website that gives a list of different kind of Healthy Pizza Recipes. It also suggests pizza cooking tips. Check it out.

Healthy Pizza Recipes

Day 21 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

21. Plan A Vacation!

I found this at www.dietbits.com

Vacations come few and far between, so concentrate on enjoying every moment of the magic! Even when dieting.

Just think about this for a moment. How many times have you been on a diet when a special occasion has rolled around? If this shoe fits, you probably passed on the luscious celebration goodies and that didn't feel very good, did it?

On one hand, you felt proud because you'd passed up the naughty treats and your willpower had won out. On the other hand, you were frustrated that you had to do such. Then two days later, you may have gotten off your diet. Again, you missed the magic of the moment.

Why couldn't everyone just have been born thin? But they weren't.

Atmosphere, the company, the decorations - all of these elements help comprise the magic of a special occasion - particularly when we're on vacation. And while on vacation, it's important for you to relax, let your hair down, and enjoy!

If you are fixing to head out for vacation, and you are on a diet, please DO enjoy the magic. Three or four days isn't going to make or break your diet scale. YOU are in charge. YOU are in control. YOU are focused. YOU are on track and will just be taking a short, and cautious, break.

Here are a few tips that will allow you to enjoy your vacation without overshadowing you with guilt:

Eat a very light breakfast and go easy at dinner. Try to make lunch your biggest meal of the day.

At the restaurants, if the appetizers are irresistible, as well as those baskets of chips and bread that arrive before your meal, then consider ordering another small appetizer rather than a meal. Go easy on the butter, sour cream and cheese.

Mixed drinks are very high in calories, so carefully decide if you'd rather have some spirits or something solid.

Avoid the salty treats if at all possible. Salty foods tend to make us crave water, thus adding false pounds to the scales. In turn, this may cause a dieter to 'falsely feel' as if they have blown their diet plan.

Make healthy choices, but if there is something that catches your eye on the menu, then go for it.

Be aware of what you eat, but don't obsess. If you think a treat will cause you stress, then pass it up because it's not worth that. The trick is to enjoy your vacation without going on a total binge. This is a great exercise in control that has many benefits for the dieter. Listen to your wise thoughts. Enjoy, but don't binge.

Try to save a bit of room for sampling throughout the day for goodies you may run into along the way.

Buy a cute water bottle and keep it close by during your vacation. Sip from it very often; this will keep you hydrated and quench your thirst. Remember, when you opt for water rather than sugary drinks, your body will naturally crave water rather than the sugary drinks. It's all about adjusting.

You're probably going to be a lot more active on your vacation than your normal daily routine. This will help spend a few of those extra calories.

Enjoy the sights, take a long walk along the beach, or tour a museum. When you move, you burn. If you're with your lover, turn on the heat! Dance, boogie, and enjoy lots of whoopee for a super calorie burn.

Put on your new bathing suit and wear it with pride! Who cares what anyone thinks? You'll probably never see the people on this beach again! And even if you do, who cares? Do you actually sit around thinking about how someone looks in a bathing suit? Of course not! We're all too busy worrying about how WE look. Besides, you're going to donate your bathing suit to a charity anyway, because next summer you're going to need one that's a size smaller, right? Yes.

When you return home, get right back on track with your diet.

Summing it up:

Enjoy your vacation, take in plenty of fun activities, choose foods wisely, get back on track when you arrive home, and don't forget the souvenirs!

Day 20 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

20. Get Your Daily Of Calcium!

An adult requires 800 milligrams per day. To get your calcium you can drink all milk & other dairy products such as cheese, yogurt & ice cream. If you don't like milk, eat foods that contain milk such as pudding, custards, milk base soups & sauces. You can also add unreconstituted nonfat dry milk to meatloaf, casseroles, mashed potatoes, meatballs and croquettes. Or blend ice cold milk with sweetened fresh or frozen fruit.

Main dishes such as cheese pizza, macaroni and cheese, cheese souffle, quiche, chili con carne with beans, and even spaghetti and meatballs topped with cheese provide significant amounts of calcium. Bread products prepared with milk, such as pancakes or waffles, also add to your calcium intake.

If you need to increase the calcium in your diet, seek ways to add cheese, milk or yogurt to the foods you prepare. Instead of a hamburger, have a cheeseburger. Top your baked potato with yogurt or cottage cheese instead of butter or sour cream. Not only does this add calcium, it reduces calories.

Day 19 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

19. Have A High Fiber Meal!

Need some recipes for High Fiber Meals
Check these out..

Frozen Chocolate Bananas Prep: 5 min, plus freezing time.

• 4 large bananas, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices
• 3/4 cup light hot fudge topping

Freeze bananas. Dip in topping and place in freezer until topping is firm. Serve immediately.

Per serving: calories 376, fat 2.0g, 4% calories from fat, cholesterol 0mg, protein 4.2g, carbohydrates 92.9g, fiber 10.8g, sugar 75.5g, sodium 63mg, diet points 6.0.

Dietary Exchanges: Milk: 0.0, Vegetable: 0.0, Fruit: 4.2, Bread: 0.0, Lean meat: 0.0, Fat: 0.0, Sugar: 1.5, Very lean meat protein: 0.0




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Banana Date Nut Salad in Pastry Prep: 10 min, Cook: 10 min.

• 4 frozen puff pastry shells
• 2 bananas, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 8 dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Bake puff pastry shells according to package directions.

Combine bananas, dates and walnuts in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice and toss. Just before serving, spoon fruit mixture into baked puff pastry shells.

Per serving: calories 574, fat 23.2g, 34% calories from fat, cholesterol 0mg, protein 7.2g, carbohydrates 92.6g, fiber 13.1g, sugar 56.0g, sodium 119mg, diet points 11.3.

Dietary Exchanges: Milk: 0.0, Vegetable: 0.0, Fruit: 4.5, Bread: 0.0, Lean meat: 0.0, Fat: 4.2, Sugar: 1.4, Very lean meat protein: 0.2



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Spicy Cuban Chicken Prep: 15 min, Cook: 15 min, plus refrigeration time.

• 2/3 cup nonfat Italian dressing
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
• 11 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 inch-thick strips
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1-1/4 medium green bell peppers, chopped
• 3/4 medium onion, chopped
• 3/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 3 cups cooked rice
• 1-1/4 lbs. canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-1/4 lbs. canned, diced tomatoes
• 3/4 tsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine dressing, garlic, and red pepper in a glass measure or medium glass bowl. Place chicken in large glass bowl, pour dressing over chicken, cover and refrigerate 30-60 minutes (or overnight). Remove chicken from marinade, drain well, discard marinade.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken, cook 5-7 minutes, stirring until chicken is slightly brown, spooning off any excess liquid. Add bell peppers, onion, oregano, pepper, and cumin. Cook, stirring 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add rice, black beans, and tomatoes. Cook 2-3 minutes more, or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with cilantro, serve immediately.

Courtesy American Dry Bean Board.

Per serving: calories 522, fat 6.5g, 11% calories from fat, cholesterol 66mg, protein 38.4g, carbohydrates 76.6g, fiber 13.1g, sugar 14.3g, sodium 596mg, diet points 8.9.

Dietary Exchanges: Milk: 0.0, Vegetable: 2.0, Fruit: 0.0, Bread: 3.9, Lean meat: 0.0, Fat: 0.7, Sugar: 0.0, Very lean meat protein: 3.0




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Fresh Fruit Salad Prep: 15 min.

• 2 large peaches, sliced
• 2 cups blueberries, picked over
• 2 firm bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 lb. Bing cherries, halved and pitted
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur (optional)
• 2 cups plain or vanilla nonfat yogurt

Combine fruit with sugar and Grand Marnier in a large bowl. Toss and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with yogurt.

Per serving: calories 336, fat 2.5g, 6% calories from fat, cholesterol 2mg, protein 10.8g, carbohydrates 76.3g, fiber 8.7g, sugar 65.2g, sodium 100mg, diet points 5.7.

Dietary Exchanges: Milk: 0.7, Vegetable: 0.0, Fruit: 3.6, Bread: 0.0, Lean meat: 0.0, Fat: 0.0, Sugar: 0.8, Very lean meat protein: 0.0



You can find more high fiber recipes here.

Day 18 - May 2009 30 Day Self Challenge

18. Wii Run With Music

If you don't have the Wii Fit, you should check it out! I just recently unlocked the Free Run.

Free Run lets you change the channel on your TV as you still participate in the Wii Fit Running game! Yes, that’s right-you can literally watch your favorite TV shows or listen to your favorite music while running in place in your living room.

All you have to do is place the Wii remote in your pocket or simply hold it in your right hand.

You will hear the sounds of your Will running through the Wii remote, and you will hear it as you get faster or slower (just like you were watching it on the screen). You will occasionally hear a voice through the Wii remote telling you to keep a steady pace, or that you’re keeping a nice pace. The voice will also let you know when it’s been five minutes, and then at two minutes, one minute, and then down to ten seconds, etc.