The CFSV Healthy Lifestyle Challenge
Has winter sapped the pep from your step? Are you interested in cleaning up your eating? Join the CFSV Healthy Lifestyle Challenge for forty days of extra support and motivation – and if you rock it, maybe even a sweet grand prize. We’ll be starting Monday, 1/26. The majority of folks will be following something like the Whole 30, but you can use the food log and program to help you follow any eating program that suits your current health and goals. Want to eat by macros, or Whole 30 excluding some fruits and adding some rice? Cool, just document the individualized plan you want to follow in your application. We will have “rules” (that you can modify as needed), a food log with point tracking, and the CFSV Food & Profanities FB Group to provide you with ideas and support. You can do anything for forty days – why not try living and eating to feel your best?
The CFSV Healthy Lifestyle Challenge Rules:
1. Decide on a healthy eating plan works for you. That can be Whole 30, another flavor of paleo, macros, or whatever hybrid plan sounds best for your next 40 days.
2. Send an email with your name and your plan to ldthomps@gmail.com. We’ll send you a google sheets Log for tracking your healthy lifestyle choices daily. If you need it in excel instead, just ask.3. Track your meals, sleep, and workouts in the Log. The Point system:
– Give yourself 3 points for each “on-plan” meal (for consistency, not more than 3 meals per day)
– There are no points for snacks, but if you eat a non-plan snack, go back and subtract 1 point from your most recently tracked meal that was worth 1 point or more and note it in the log.
– Give yourself points for your previous night’s sleep: 6 hours of sleep = 1 point, 7 hours sleep = 2 points, or 8 hours or more = 4 points.– If your plan restricts alcohol, start each week with 7 “drink” points. If you don’t drink any alcohol that week, you then get seven bonus points. If you do drink that week, subtract 1 point for each drink up to seven, then subtract .5 points for any additional drinks (leaving a negative number in that field). If your plan does not restrict alcohol, then delete the drink points, so no alcohol points are added or subtracted.4. Give yourself one point for every day that you qualitatively track your energy levels and general well-being (including your workouts) in the space provided. It can be just a few words on what felt strong or what felt hard, your energy level throughout the day, etc.5. Give yourself 1 bonus point per day for a meal that you:– prepare yourself– share with a fellow human– eat without distractions or time restraints (not in front of a screen, watching the clock, etc.) – this is a great meal to share with another human, giving you two bonus points in one meal.
wait…if everyone can design their own program, how do you win?!?
By being a winner and following your own program Awesomest! Ok, and there may be some qualitative policy decisions from the coaches, so that the person who totally wins at their Oreos and Margaritas plan may be less likely to win the grand prize than the kid who follows a healthier plan and feels Results.
Here are some answers to other questions folks might have. It’s a great group so far!
FAQs:
Q. What are the general food rules?
A. If you’re doing the Whole 30, meals can include meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seafood, and healthy fats like coconut oil. That means eliminating grains, dairy, legumes, caffeine, sugar/sweetener and alcohol from your plan. For those who don’t want to eliminate alcohol (see the 7 drink points in our rules), we recommend sticking with cider, agave-based spirits, or red wine. Definitely try to avoid beer if you’re avoiding grains. More info on the Whole 30 rules can be found here.
Q. Do I have to follow Whole 30 Exactly?
A. Of course not. If you’ve tried something like this before and know that you want to continue to use whey protein, or eat some rice, or have some caffeine – whatever the modification – just detail your personal rules in your plan. This log can work with macros or other plans, if that’s where you’re at.
Q. Do I need to track my weight?
A. No! In fact, CFSV usually recommends avoiding the scale. If you really want to weigh yourself before and after the challenge, feel free. But we definitely recommend avoiding weighing yourself during the challenge, and focusing instead on performance and how you feel.
Q. Do I have to do a benchmark workout?
A. Nope! You are welcome to do Fran or another benchmark before and after the challenge for yourself, using the same scale. But we hope by tracking your workouts throughout the challenge you’ll get a more nuanced view of how your performance is changing.
Q. Do I need to do measurements or pictures?
A. You don’t. Depending on your goals, we can recommend them, though. Folks saw some pretty great improvements in before-and-after pictures (one profile, one straight-on) and bicep/thigh/waist/hip measurements during our last challenge.
Q. How do I win?
A. By following a plan that works well for you and your healthy lifestyle. Oh! But if you want to qualify for our sweet grand prize, submit your food log with point tracking at the end of the Challenge. The winner will be the contestant with the most points, with qualitative performance improvements factored in.
Q. When does it start? Can I start late? What if I’m going on vacation?
A. We’re starting January 26, but you can start when you need to – just fill in the fields starting with the date you start the program. If you go on vacation and want to go off-plan for a few days, just fill in zeroes for those points. The goal is to motivate healthier lifestyles over the next 40 days, however you can make it happen.
Q. I’m going to need help. Where can I find it?
A. Your coaches are always happy to talk about healthy eating. There are tons of good paleo recipes on-line. The CFSV Food and Profanities Facebook Group will be hosting ideas, questions, and motivation – so friend us there!