The weekly Mini-Challenges

                                             The Weekly Mini-Challenges

Here are the mini-challenges (you do not have to do all of these, just pick one per week):

1. Adding healthy things:

• Eat one vegetable at lunch/dinner (pick one meal)

• Add one more vegetable to lunch/dinner (pick one meal)

• Eat fruit for breakfast

• Eat fruit and raw nuts for a snack

• Eat veggie with hummus for a snack

• Eat a healthy protein for dinner/lunch

• Eat a fiber-filled breakfast

• Drink green tea in the morning or afternoon (pick one)

• Add whole grains to your meals.

• Eat a hearty salad for lunch every day.

2. Changing your approach:

• Learn a couple new recipes this week

• Eat at home more (add a couple of nights to whatever amount you normally eat at home)

• Decide on healthy items to order before you go out to eat with friends.

• Bring healthy food to a pot-luck party or work gathering.

• Cook your healthy food in big batches and eat during the week.

• Eat slowly and stop before you’re full.

• Don’t eat after 8 p.m.

• Set portion sizes and try sticking to them.

• Don’t eat if you’re not actually hungry.

• Try for high-volume, lower-calorie foods: vegetables, beans, fruits rather than white starches, meats, and fried foods.

3. Cutting out unhealthy things (look at what you do now, and set a target that’s lower):

• Eat fruit instead of one of the sweets you normally eat.

• Drink tea instead of soda.

• Cut out sugar.

• Cut back on the number of alcoholic drinks you have each day by one.

• Eat less pastries, bread and other white flour.

• Eat less fried foods.

• Switch from white rice to brown rice.

• Eat less fast food.

• Bring a healthy lunch to work instead of eating fast food.

• Switch from processed meats (sausages, bacon, etc.) to real meat, or fish.