The focus of this month-long nutrition challenge is to become more aware of your nutritional choices. Many people know what to eat (and what not to eat) but are on "auto-pilot" most of the day. For the month of May, we want the primary focus of meals to be the food you are eating and the people around you. Unlike our fall nutrition challenge, the points are not about quality or quantity of food, but your awareness and behaviors around food. We are confident that as you become more mindful about eating, your diet will change for the better.
Here are the 3 rules:
1. All food & beverages (other than water and coffee) must be consumed at a *table.
No eating while standing, cooking, in the car, at your desk, or
on the go.
*Table: A piece of furniture who’s primary function is to sit and have a
meal at it (no coffee tables, desks, etc. )
2. No screens while eating.
No phones, computers, iPad, TV.
(music playing is okay, but no visible screens)
3. No alcohol.
When drinking alcohol, we are not as mindful of our food choices.
Scoring is golf-like so we are aiming for low scores. A zero is a perfect score for the day. Give yourself a point each time you eat anywhere other than a table, eat with a screen on, or drink alcohol. For example, If you eat a meal on the couch in front of the TV with a beer, give yourself 3 points!
*BONUS*:
For days you rack up points, there are 2 ways to lower your score but zero is the lowest possible score.
-1 points/day: 5 minutes of meditation and/or prayer, or breathing (no screens, no music, no reading, no talking, no sleeping)---- just time alone with your own thoughts.
-1 points/day: 1 device-free hour at home during waking hours. Spend time instead reading (from a book), engaging with family or friends.
KEEP TRACK OF POINTS ON YOUR OWN CALENDAR OR DEVICE AND RECORD THEM ON THE BOARD AT THE GYM.
Anticipated FAQ’s:
Can I drink anything outside of meals when not at a table?
Yes, you can drink water, coffee, tea, or sparkling water.
Give yourself a penalty point anytime a soda, diet soda, recovery drink, smoothie, protein shakes is consumed when not sitting at a table.
What if it’s lunch time and there is no table available?
Don’t eat, or eat at your desk and give yourself a point.
How many times a day can I / should I eat?
Eat as much as you want as often as you want as long as it’s at a table, no screens, no alcohol. Hopefully by bringing mindfulness to your eating, your food and beverage choices will improve and the quantities you consume will be in control.
Will there be prizes?
The prizes are so big and so amazing that we can’t even talk about them yet.