Week 4 Challenge - Brown Baggin' It

OK folks, we are into week 4 of your "8-Week Challenge" from trainer April Crosby.  How are you doing?  Keeping up with that water intake?  You will find weight loss happens much easier when your body is properly hydrated.  I want to make you an efficient fat burning machine...if you are dehydrated that won't happen.  So keep up with your water intake!!

How's the daily activity coming along?  Are you getting 20-minutes of activity on most days of the week?  If you are, fantastic!!  Remember setbacks will happen so if something happened over the past few weeks, then refer back to week 3's challenge of "Life Happens".  Don't stress about it, just get back into your regular routine as quickly as you can.

Now, onto week 4 challenge.  As you saw from the title, this week's challenge is all about nutrition.  Don't worry, I'm not asking you to count calories, eat "rabbit-food", starve yourself, or do any other crazy nutrition thing.  What I am asking you is to start getting into the habit of taking your own lunch every day.  I challenge you to pack a lunch every day this week instead of going out to eat or, even worse, skipping lunch.  It only takes a few minutes each day to plan tomorrow's lunch.  It's easier to do the night before because if "life happens" when you get up in the morning, you are liable to make poor choices at lunch that day.  You don't need to get fancy when packing your lunch.  Make sure you have a well-rounded meal that includes a healthy, lean protein (chicken breast, fish, tofu, lentils, lean meat), lots of veggies (the more colors the better!!), some complex carbs (whole grains, beans, fruits), and healthy fats (monounsaturated fats like nuts, avocados, and peanut butter).  If you are limited on amenities at lunch time (i.e., microwave and/or refrigerator), it's still easy to pack a healthy lunch.  Use an "old-school" thermos where you fill it with hot water first to heat the thermos, then dump the water and add the food.  Ice packs are a great addition to keep foods cold (and at a safe/healthy temperature).

Try it...I dare you.  No wait, I double-dog dare you!!  Pack your lunch every day for your work week.  See how you feel at the end of the week.  Your wallet may be a little lighter and your belt may fit a little better.  You can do it and remember, I am here for you.  Bounce ideas off of me, tell me your favorite lunch items, tell me what you used to eat when going out for lunch. 

Brown bag it...until next time.......