It's For Your BeneFIT

Coming to you late, (but better late than never!) I am so beyond pleased with all those who participated in the Clean+Lean in January 2015 Challenge! Now before I announce the winner(s)...

Each participant endured (and perhaps suffered) through a month-long, 31 days of #lean15 and #eatclean challenges. Each challenge was designed to get you thinking, not solely about what you should be giving up, but rather about the healthy lifestyle strategies that you can implement into your life ongoing. Each challenge and each day pushed you to try a new type of workout or some form of physical activity; to test out a new way of eating or a healthy nutritional choice. I personally loved trying to act upon, do and POST about each strategically designed challenge and enjoyed seeing all of the participant's posts each day!

I cannot tell you how fun this challenge was for me and one of the best things that I noticed was how it inspired others. There are people in this group that may not have participated formally, joined the challenge late or just didn't have time to really commit. My own family and friends who were not a part of the challenge started to jump on board, cooking family meals that were vegan on one of our many vegan days or ensuring that group activities were planned around the workout challenge of the day. It was the participation of EVERYONE, even those who were not formally a part of the challenge that will lead to healthy choices on a permanent basis. That is all I can hope for, that is all I can work towards inspiring in those around me. I am certain that most would agree that their husband, boyfriend, mother, friends and family all joined in on at least one of the healthy challenges and maybe, just maybe, some little piece of that challenge will stick with them. If we take care of our bodies, our bodies will take care of us. So cheers and I hope the participants (and YOU) have been inspired to change at least one element of your lifestyle, if not more! Amazing job, what a great month we had and I am so excited to bring you many more challenges in the months to come!

Drum roll please....

When morning hunger strikes, try a Tim Horton's regular size berry oatmeal, hold the sugar! (you know...that giant tablespoon of "brown" sugar that is heaped on top of the standard mixed berry oatmeal?) Some of my other favorites include quinoa and fresh fruit from the Longo's salad bar or a smoothie from Jugo Juice.

Snacks include running into any local grocery store to purchase some roasted, unsalted nuts, dried fruit, fresh cut-up fruit, yoghurt or when I am really craving something salty...mixed olives!

Typical lunch or dinner options can lead me to Swiss Chalet where I recommend ordering a quarter chicken, grilled with a multigrain bun and steamed vegetables or salad on the side. Also try a 6-inch veggie sub from Subway or Mr. Sub on whole grain bread, vegetable sushi, Vietnamese spring rolls, a veggie or lean meat wrap or my fail-safe, go-to...Longo's salad bar! I love their green salad topped with walnuts, avocado and cheese and a light drizzle of olive oil, hard boiled eggs, tomato and cucumber salad and many of their flavorful quinoa or couscous salad options!

So here we are, Day 2 of the Clean+Lean in January 2015 Challenge, and I decided to throw our first (of a few) GO VEGAN! days into the mix. So what exactly is a vegan diet? Well, Veganism in a nutshell can be defined by The Vegetarian Resource Group as follows: "Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products."

So today, we went without meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products. Now for some, this may seem CRAZY! Especially if you are someone who has absolutely no idea what to eat in the absence of all of the above foods/food groups.  So I thought what better way to show you how easy it really can be, than to post what we ate thus far today. So here it is...

Breakfast:

Hot water with lemon

Fresh fruit (prisimmon, strawberries, blackberries, orange and banana)

Multigrain rye toast with natural peanut butter

(WORKOUT!)

Morning Snack:

Post-workout shake (blueberries, banana, coconut water and ice)

Lunch:

Shitake mushroom couscous with steamed kale

Afternoon Snack:

Olives and unsalted roasted corn nuts

Dinner:

Vegetable pasta with creamy avocado sauce (organic spelt spaghetti with onion, garlic, zucchini, green peas and chick peas, covered in a creamy avocado dressing made up of fresh avocado, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and parsley)

Dessert:

Pan-seared yellow delicious apples, cooked in coconut oil, pure maple syrup, cinnamon and a touch of rye

So there it is! I survived my first day EVER of testing out the vegan lifestyle, and so can you! Now that I'm a pro, I have a few more GO VEGAN! days to sample out some other amazing recipes before this month and this challenge are over! #eatclean #veganism #beneFITpro

By February 2015, only 8% of New Years Resolutions will have been successful.  Do you want to be part of the 92% failures? I don't think so. You may now be asking yourself: "why do virtually all resolutioners fall flat so quickly?" The answer is simple, we use guilt or fear as motivation, or resolve to stop doing something. So here we are, on the brink of 2015 with a fresh start at our finger tips. Let's use support and common goals as motivation, let's opt to start doing something new, for the 31 days of January! Join the #beneFITpro CLEAN+LEAN IN JANUARY 2015 Challenge! Ready to get started?

Step 1: Shout out loud "I'm in!"

Step 2: Contact BeneFIT Pro Personal Training and Fitness at [email protected] or on our website at www.benefitpro.ca and confirm your registration into the challenge! The cost? $20.

Step 3: Join the Clean+Lean Private Facebook Group and join the group of other like-minded resolutioners ready to be in that 8%.

Step 4: Review the daily #clean challenges, all related to trying something new or testing out a new dietary tactic. Step outside of your comfort zone! Continue doing some of the clean eating practices that you like, on-going! Who knows, some things may stick long-term.

Step 5: Get pumped for the daily #lean15 challenges designed to get you off your butt! Exercise doesn't have to occur by going to the gym for 2 hours, 7 days per week. Getting fit and healthy doesn't have to mean that you purchase an expensive membership or buy a pricey at-home workout program on DVD. Any physical activity is better than no physical activity at all. The best part? Doing some form of physical activity or exercise for 1 hour in a day accounts for only 4% of your day, so what have you got to lose? Only your holiday weight!

Step 6: Get started, stay connected! How? Sign up for My Fitness Pal and track your daily caloric intake and energy expenditure. View my personal daily meals and get ideas. Post photos, motivation or qualms on the private Facebook group and on other social media. Follow BeneFIT Pro on Twitter and Instagram for posts that will help you out along the way. Your success will come from the motivation behind power in numbers. 

Step 7: Stay committed, because at the end of the month, one lucky participant will win a cumulative dollar amount dependent upon how many others decide to join. So tell your friends! The more people who jump on board, the larger the pot will grow and thus the larger your reward will become! How will the winner be decided? Based on the participant who demonstrates their participation in each daily challenge best and shows their commitment to being healthy in 2015.

Still trying to come up with excuses as to why you won't be joining us? Give it up. I look forward to hearing from everyone out there and getting started on January 1st along side you all! Cheers to getting Clean+Lean in January 2015! #beneFITpro #eatclean #lean15