Food Focus: So Fresh and So Clean Clean...

October is off and running and I've already posted the details of my #Fall500 Fitness Challenge.  But if we've heard it once, we've heard it a thousand times: "You can't out-train a bad diet."  We hear it so much because it's true.

Look how excited I was this summer when I first read about the Eat-Clean Diet.  But last month I got off track with way too many cheat meals and not enough clean eats and my weight-loss and measurements hit a plateau. So during the month of October, my food challenge will highlight different aspects of eating clean to help me regain my focus.
Click here for Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet Nutrition Rules

Week One (October 1-7): #LeanNCleanProtein
Focus on eating 6 servings of lean proteins each day.  As a vegetarian, it is relatively easy to get in clean proteins, since my protein sources are not animal products, but meat-eater or vegetarian, everyone can focus on making leaner, cleaner protein choices. 

Here's Tosca's list of Eat-Clean Diet approved protein sources:

Week Two (October 8-15): #CleanNGreenSmoothie
I have really been wanting to start making smoothies again.  (I haven't even unpacked my blender from when I moved a year ago!)  But green smoothies are so convenient, filling and packed with nutrients, I decided to replace one meal a day with a green smoothie starting next week. 

But I need your help, since I have never made "green" smoothies (mine were more like strawberry-coconut milkshakes with a little spinach thrown in; very creamy and very pink.)  Email me your favorite simple green smoothie recipes (FreshFoodieFitness@gmail.com) or tag me (@gozosa1980) when you see a good one in an instagram post!

Week Three (October 16-24): #CleanCarbs
During the entire month of October, Tosca Reno and the Eat-Clean Diet Team are focusing on Clean Carbs with the #cleancarbs photo contest on instagram.  I will only choose clean carbs during week three.

Week Four (October 25-31): #NoCheatWeek
During the other weeks of this challenge, I will allow myself two small cheats (or one entire cheat meal) per week.  But #NoCheatWeek is entirely clean. Not even one complimentary butter mint, one pita chip or one sip of  a trenta green tea lemonade/no ice/one pump classic shall pass my lips.

If you decide to join me in any of these eat clean food focus challenges this month, don't forget to use the hashtags and/or tag me in your posts to instagram and twitter. Encouraging one another and sharing ideas is such a great way to keep it fresh!

XO,

Fresh Foodie

freshfoodiefitness on youtube

gozosa1980 on instagram and twitter

- Eat Clean Meals

- Eat Clean Grocery Hauls

- Eat Clean Vegetarian Recipes

- Crossfit WODs

- Crossfit 101: Terminology for Newbies

- Monthly Challenges (current challenge: #FALL500)

... and more!

#PlankADaySeptember Results and the #FALL500 October Challenge

I'm a huge fan of the arthlete on tumblr. Her plank artwork shown above perfectly shows the spirit of #plankAdaySeptember!  I was so happy to see so many people join the challenge!  (I have to admit, this is the first time I had a challenge that anybody joined, so, needless to say, I was through the moon! Thanks so much for your support and encouragement!) Some days were better than others, but how inspiring to see some people add 3 and 4 minutes to their start times! Amazing! Whether you added 30 seconds or 3 minutes to your beginning plank time, everyone pushed themselves and encouraged one another, determined to compete only with the person they were the day before. Great job!

Yes, that's me planking in a skirt at work!

I opted to alternate between bent arm and straight arm plank.  Here are my results:

Plank Style// Start Time //Best Time (Date)//Improvement

Bent Arm// 0min 43sec//1min 43sec (9/26) //1 min

Straight Arm// 1min 14sec//  2min 31sec (9/27)//1min 16sec

I more than doubled my max hold time on both planks! I am very pleased! 

How did you all do?  Post your results below! 

(or below the instagram post that shouts out this "results" blog entry.) 

#FALL500 October Challenge

Fall is my favorite season of the year! Sweaters and boots, changing leaves and a warm mug of something yummy in my hands remind me of the only time I liked to be outdoors as a child: when the long, hot, humid, Houston Summers were finally over and the air was crisp and cool. 

But, for me, this time of year also brings loads of yummy comfort foods and rich, warm beverages; a slow slide into a sluggish winter hibernation and seasonal depression.  I really wanted to do a challenge that would keep me focused and burning calories all month long, even on my "rest" days.

October's challenge is the #FALL500.  There are only 2 main rules:

• Complete ONE workout from "THE 500s" list EACH DAY. (The option is there to choose which part of the body to work on, since the CrossFit WOD changes daily and I never know which part of me is going to be crazy sore and need a rest!)

• The 500 must be completed all in one day, but it CAN be divided up and/or included in your WOD.

THE 500s

CARDIO: Can be done throughout the day or For Time

- 500 jumping jacks; OR

- 500 single rope jumps

LEGS: Can be done throughout the day or For Time

- 500 air squats; OR

- 500 alternating lunges (250 per leg)

CORE: For number of breaks (the lower the better)

- 500 second plank (8 minutes, 20 seconds) with as few breaks as possible

(Pause timer during breaks; total plank time must be at least 8min, 20sec.)

ARMS: For Reps (must be done all at once)

500 second AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible in 8 minutes, 20 seconds) of:

- hand release push ups; OR

- pull ups

(DISCLAIMER: These are MY 500s.  I chose 500s that are challenging to ME, or that I can fit into my lifestyle. If you choose to join me, and these are too easy for you, pick something that will challenge YOU! I can't wait to see what you come up with!)

I would love it if you'd join me! Don't forget to hashtag #FALL500 if you post pictures to instagram or twitter!  Whether you decide to join my challenge, join someone else's or make up your own, do what it takes to keep your workouts fresh!

XO,

Fresh Foodie

freshfoodiefitness on youtube

gozosa1980 on instagram and twitter

- Eat Clean Meals

- Eat Clean Grocery Hauls

- Eat Clean, Vegetarian Recipes

- Crossfit WODs

- Crossfit 101: Terminology for Newbies

- Monthly Challenges (current challenge: #FALL500)

... and more!