Day One

Welcome!

It's a great idea to keep a little journal of what you eat/exercise, (I use notes on my i-phone). This gives you a way to track and see what exercise and food is working best for you. It also keeps you accountable and thinking intellectually about how much you're moving, what you're eating, and how the two combined affects your weight, mood, feelings and overall health.

Exercise for today:
Do a few minutes of deep breathing, drink water with lemon and have a light, healthy snack/breakfast before you work out.  

Since it's day one first day we are keeping it simple. (It's all relative, push yourself, get outside of your comfort zone, that's how you really begin to achieve results.) You don't have to workout in the morning. I personally like to get it out of the way because as the day goes on there are more and more excuses.  Also, when you work out in the a.m., especially with some strength training added, you stoke your metabolism for the next 24 hours which equals more calories burned!

1. Minimum 45 minutes CARDIO-(walking, jogging, dancing, biking, kickboxing, tennis etc.) This means really moving, not just strolling along. I've attached a short video --Pump Up Your Power Walk-- to give you some extra drills you can do while walking to beef up your workout, burn more calories and stoke your metabolism. You can also carry a light set of weights (1 or 2 pounds) or wear wrist weights.

When you're done take a moment to stretch your muscles. Do what feels good, and stay hydrated.

2.  Now add on these few extra strength exercises:

• 10 push-ups (on knees or toes.)

• 10 squats

• 50 crunches

• 10 triceps dips

I know you can handle more so repeat the above strength section one or two more times.

Rest, stretch, breath, repeat.  (Come on, at least one more time!)

Take a break if you need it. Listen to your body and stop if you experience any pain.
Let us know how you did!  And certainly post/message me if you have any questions.

I do the above workout like a grocery list---just check off each exercise as you complete it and keep going down the list!

Your pre-made menu for today: 

(This is for those of us who want to know exactly what to eat. You can always go to the top of the site and choose from the many different menu options under the headers and mix and match.)

BREAKFAST:  (upon rising have one large glass of water with a little fresh squeeze of lemon or a few drops lemon essential oil.) Whole or sprouted grain bread with veggie cream cheese/tofu cream cheese or smear of nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut.) Small fresh squeezed juice (orange/grapefruit, etc.) OR piece of fruit. Coffee/tea with unsweetened almond milk (if desired) and only 1 teaspoon of raw sugar/cane sugar (if desired.)

SNACK:  One piece of fruit/small seasonal fruit salad (about 1 cup)

LUNCH:  Spinach/kale/leafy green salad with colorful chopped veggies, about 10 nuts and choice of palm sized protein. DRESSING Options: 
This dressing is so good on so many things! I love to drizzle it on any salad, fish, veggie burgers, etc.

** Apple Cider Vinagarette:
2 TBLS Extra Virgin Olive Oil  
1 TBLS Apple Cider Vinegar

1 TBLS Dijon Mustard

Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

(Whisk all ingredients til creamy)

**Olive Oil and Lemon:
2 TBLS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 TBLS Lemon--(whisk together)

**Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar:
2 TBLS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 TBLS Balsamic Vinegar
1 TBLS Dijon Mustard--(whisk together)

SNACK:  Carrots/raw veggies and a few tablespoons of hummus.

DINNER: Grilled fish with steamed broccoli and brown rice. All the salad you want with raw veggies and choice of dressings (see above at lunch.)

OR: Prepare Tomato Soup below. You can then have this as a lunch or dinner item over the next few days. 

Bonus Recipe of the day:

Fresh Tomato Soup:

This is an easy, tasty, healthy recipe. I serve it with lightly toasted whole grain bread/ baguette slices drizzled with olive oil (add a few tablespoons olive oil in a bowl, whisk in a tsp of dried oregano and/or basil, salt and pepper, then drizzle over the bread.)
Mix up a fresh salad with a rainbow of  veggies and you’ve got a wholesome, healthy meal.
Bon Appetite! 

6 servings
Ingredients:

4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (or one large can organic chopped tomatoes) 
1 chopped onion
3 whole cloves (optional)
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
2 tablespoons white/whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons brown sugar (optional)
Sprinkle of fresh basil leaves on top (optional)

Directions:

In a stockpot, over medium heat, combine the tomatoes, onion, cloves and broth. Bring to a boil, and gently boil for about 20 minutes to blend all of the flavors. Remove from heat and run the mixture through a food processor or blender and pour into a large bowl, or pan. Discard any stuff left over in the processor/blender.

In the now empty stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux, cooking until the roux is a medium brown. Gradually whisk in a bit of the tomato mixture, so that no lumps form, then stir in the rest. Season with sugar and salt, and adjust to taste.

Nutritional Information: 
Amount Per Serving  Calories: 80 | Total Fat: 4.3g | Cholesterol: 12mg

TIP:  Find a buddy to work out with--you can do the 7 Day Slim Down together.  It holds you both accountable, much more likely to stay committed and it's more fun.