Okay guys...and gals...what's with the sweets?  We have noticed that since Easter, the sweets have been a problem for A LOT of you.  We get it...we REALLY get it.  They're so delicious and it seems wasteful to throw them out and maybe your co-workers are doing their best to test your resolve by bringing tasty goodies to work every.single.day.  It is hard...we'll give you that.  But, think back to why you decided to join this challenge.  Maybe someone forced you to do it, but most likely, you were looking for a change...a reason to live better.  I know you haven't given up on that goal, but you may have momentarily forgot?  So, I want you to try something different this week.  It's REALLY simple, but it could make a big difference.  I want you to change your vocabulary.  The next time you are tempted by a mouth-watering indulgence, instead of saying, "I can't have that" or "I shouldn't have that," say, "I don't want to eat that."  In four studies published in the August 2012 Journal of Consumer Research, researchers found that the effect of changing your wording when you refuse temptation can make a HUGE differnce in your ability to stick to your decision to walk away.  They found that saying, "I can't" leads to a feeling of being deprived or having to go without something you really desire and only works 10% of the time, but saying, "I don't" leaves you feeling empowered and in control of the situation and is effective 80% of the time.  That's quite a difference!  The other benefit to changing your wording is, it leaves little room for argument.  If someone offers you their homemade brownies and you say, "I can't eat those," they will probably attempt to convince you that you CAN eat them and that you DESERVE it just this once.  If, however, you say, "I don't eat those" or "I don't want to eat those," there is very little left to say.  So, if you're struggling with sweets, give this tip a try.  You CAN do this.  You are STRONGER than your cravings and YOU are in control of your choices.  Let's finish this challenge STRONG by walking away from the extra portions of sweets!

Now, on to what you're really here for...Week 5 Results!!  

It just seemed appropriate, with tomorrow being Valentine's Day, that today's post feature a recipe that is a bit indulgent and most importantly, chocolate!!  If you're looking for something that feels decadent but is healthier than the store bought treats you usually splurge on, give this crock=pot fudge recipe a try.  Whether you're getting all dolled up and sharing this treat with your sweetheart or snuggling on the couch in your sweats watching Mr. Peabody and Sherman on Netflix while sharing with four crazy kids like me (my hubby will be working on Valentine's Day), you will not be disappointed (at least not by the fudge...you may be disappointed that it gets ground into your carpet or smeared on your couch cushions, but the fudge will deliver)!!  I found the original recipe at SkinnyMs.com and tweaked it just a little (I basically left out the sugar since I didn't have any and I felt like the chocolate chips contained plenty on their own - to be honest, I didn't miss it much at all - and shockingly, neither did my kids).

1.  Power Pack your Breakfast

Plan to have at least one serving of vegetables each morning.  Throw spinach, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, onions or tomatoes (or all of the above) into your omelets.  It's delicious! Well, except those mushroom things, blech! ;)   Try sneaking kale, spinach, carrots, fennel or cucumber into your smoothie for a quick veg option.  Fruits are super easy to add to oatmeal, yogurt, whole-grain cereal, Cream of Wheat or my favorite pre-workout breakfast, wheat toast with natural peanut butter and banana slices on top.  mmm....  Just be careful to avoid the canned varieties of fruit.  They are often packed in heavy syrups and the calories/sugars add up fast.  Whole fruit is the ideal, but frozen is a good option, too.

I have grown to really love oatmeal over the past few years.  I didn't always.  As a kid, it always seemed ultra sticky and I would tend to grumble and complain whenever my mom made it for breakfast, begging for Cap'n Crunch instead.  My poor mom.   As I've grown, I've discovered the health benefits of this breakfast food and also some tips that improves my overall oatmeal experience without having to add all the preservatives, chemicals, SUGARS, etc found in the prepackaged varieties.

PROTEIN PUNCH

One half cup of old-fashioned oats has 5g protein.1  Protein is important to every single cell in the body, and is the building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood.  These proteins are also fundamental to enzymes, hormones, and vitamins. 2

A few challenges ago, I believe it was last summer, we had a Question & Answer weekly bonus.  Each team member had to ask the team one health question and then their teammates had to answer that question, either with their own experiences or by researching.  I was reading through some of these question/answers the other day and I found some gems that I think are worth sharing.

If you're participating in the current March 2014 Challenge then you're already aware that we've switched up Week 2 by doing a bit of a mashup with menu planning and food journaling.  As I went through the week I found myself seeing some pros and cons from the switch.  I've decided to take today and do a bit of a review of my experience with our Week 2 Bonus this round.

When I first decided to start exercising, one of the reasons I wanted to get fit was…I wanted to be able to eat anything (and everything) I wanted.  Sounds like a really effective weight loss plan doesn't it?  I mean, once you are exercising regularly, you can eat cake every day, right?  (And monster cookies...and LemonHeads...and Raspberry Fritters and...well, you see where I'm headed here).  Needless to say, that has not worked out so well for me.  Apparently, that's not really how this whole "get fit" thing works.  Sadly, it has become quite clear to me that the saying..."YOU CAN'T OUT EXERCISE A BAD DIET" really is a true statement.  This is disheartening to me because it is easier to find the determination to make myself exercise 45 minutes a day than to force myself to eat well 24 hours a day (okay, more like 16-17 hours if I'm getting a decent amount of sleep).

So, let's think about this logically...I could easily figure out how to consume 800-1500 calories in 15 minutes or less by getting a large popcorn with butter and a gigantic Coke at the movies...or by picking up fast food at Wendy's at the end of a long and frustrating day instead of taking the time to prepare a home-cooked meal...or by relaxing with a good book and a couple of KitKat's, Butterfingers and the above mentioned (and all-time favorite of mine) LemonHeads!!  There is, however, NO WAY I could burn the same amount of calories in 15 minutes or less.  That would take me 1 or 2 hours.

Back in 2008 I was diagnosed with insulin resistance.  My physician gave me the book, The Insulin-Resistance Diet, by Cheryle R. Hart, M.D. and Mary Kay Grossman, R.D. and suggested that I use it to learn more about insulin resistance and how my body responds to glucose.  I have to say that at first I was skeptical because I really hate the word "diet".  I always imagine a LOT of restriction with short-term gains, I'm just not into that.  I prefer slow progress that is actually sustatinable for a lifetime!  That said, I learned a lot from the book and though it says "diet" in the title, I think it was more of a "selling" point than a reflection of my idea of what the word "diet" means.  I'd like to share what I hope will be helpful to those who may be fighting insulin resistance.

I love fresh fruit.  I truly believe that most days, it can stand all on it's own to satisfy my sweet cravings, but there are those other days when I just want a little extra flavor to go along with my apple or banana.  As much as I would love to allow myself to gorge on a vat of caramel dip....deep down I just know it won't end well if I do.  Oh,I can just hear Valerie now..."DON'T DO IT!".  So began my quest to find a flavorful addition to satiate my current snack attacks.  I had 3 personal requirements for such a find.  It had to be:

Packed with Protein

Be sure to read tomorrow's post about the benefits of linking foods.

Flexible

I want a recipe that can be changed according to my mood...add a dash of this...a pinch of that...

EASY!!  

Ain't nobody got time for crazy complicated stuff! 

Lifetime Wellness Challenge is not just about ways to lose weight, but since the overwhelming majority of us are trying to do just that, today I want to address an issue that many struggle with:  

Eating Breakfast