ICEMAN AND WHOLE LIFE CHALLENGE!!

Alright folks, I've officially joined and started the Whole Life Challenge.  Originally I thought of this as just a way to jump start the new year, but I've learned that it's much more than that.  I'll be forced out of my comfort zone on a few different levels, so here's to the next 8 week adventure!!

There are three different levels to the challenge.  Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.  I've been working on my healthy lifestyle for a LONG time and know most of the basics so I was going to shoot for intermediate, but then I talked to Tiffany.  Man I love that girl, but the things she ropes me in to!!!!  Anyway, I'm going for Advanced....all or nothing right?  So you say "What's the difference?"  Well the biggest difference is the foods you are "allowed" to choose from.  ZERO artificial ingredients in the advanced level except Citric Acid (Vitamin C) and Calcium Chloride.  In today's world we all know how tough that is.  And if you don't....check out the ingredients in any bottle or box in your house and see what unknown, unpronounceable items are in that list.  I know....there's a lot more than you expected!  There sure was at my house!  I'm going to list what I CAN have instead of what I can't for every curious little person out there.  Gotta keep it positive right?

Protein: Almost any meat except deli/cured meats, bacon, anything from fast food, and anything pre-seasoned or marinated, Eggs, Seafood/Fish

Vegetables/Legumes: ANY vegetables/legumes EXCEPT corn, potatoes, soybeans/edamame, taro, and yucca

Fruits: ANY FRUITS....YUP ANY!!!!!

Nuts/Seeds: ANY EXCEPT corn nuts, corn oil, soy nuts, soy oil....NO SOY AT ALL!!!

Dairy: Butter....yup, that's it.  Butter is a fat and not "technically" a dairy.  Other dairies are very hard for your body to process.  My little dairy sensitive girl is SUPER excited that her brother and mommy will be eating the same as her!

Grains and Starches: Sweet Potatoes, Yams, and Legumes (Beans - except soy)

Alcohol, Soda, and Juice - Carbonated water, Vegetable Juice, Lemon Juice, and Lime Juice - YUM! LOL - I'll stick with my spring water!

Ok so not too bad right???  Here comes the hard part for me......

Sweeteners and sugar - THE ONLY SWEETENER ALLOWED IS STEVIA!  Not honey, maple, or any other kinds of sweeteners....just stevia, which I've never used so this will be a fun new thing for me to work with.

And the last and most challenging part of this is going to be the Artificial and Processed Ingredients.  Citric Acid and Calcium Chloride is IT.  NOTHING ELSE.  They are just too hard on our bodies and they are in EVERYTHING!  If I threw out everything in my house that had one of these, I would likely have room for the fresh fabulous foods that are going on my shopping list!

Speaking of shopping lists - here's mine.  Now keep in mind it's been a while since I've shopped and my fridge is pretty bare already and then I'm adding in all these new things to try too...here goes:

Stevia!!!
Sweet Potatoes
Chicken Stock
Chicken Breasts
Balsamic Vinegar
Bananas
Black Berries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Coconut Flour
Coconut flakes (unsweetened of course)
Slivered Almonds
Apples
Clementines
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Cucumbers
Mushrooms
Romaine Lettuce
Carrots
Black Eyed Peas
Zucchini
Sausage (to make some pizza stuffed sweet potatoes!MMMM)
Coconut Milk (unsweetened without additives)
Bell Peppers
Pumpkin Puree
Avocados (to make salad dressing)
McCormick's California Style Garlic Powder (I use this in pretty much everything!)

I'm  sure I'll be adding to this list as well, but here it is for now.  Nothing TOO out of the ordinary...well maybe a couple little things.

Tomorrow will be the big grocery shopping trip, so I'll post pictures of my before and after cupboards and fridge and will share recipes as I go.  I also plan on making my own taco seasoning, chili seasoning, salad dressing, and peanut butter.

Anyway, how does the challenge work?  Basically there are goals for each day and you get points for each goal you meet for the day.  If you don't meet that goal you lose a point and there ya go....count your points at the end of each day or beginning of next day and get as many as you can.  Points are earned for staying on track with the food list (5 points, but minus 1 for each choice made NOT on the food list), 1 point for working out, 1 point for 10 mins of mobility (stretching, yoga, etc), 1 point for drinking 1/2 oz of water per lb of weight you carry, 1 point for taking vitamins/supplements, 1 pt for getting sleep.  If you don't do any of those things you don't get the point....it should be fun to see how many points I can earn.  You can also earn bonus points for reflections/journaling each day.  It could be something as simple as "loving this!" or as complicated as a big long shpeel about how you are feeling.  Anything counts and after 5 reflections in a row you earn 2 bonus points.

Sound like fun?!?!?!  I'm sure there will be another one shortly after this challenge ends!  I'm going to do my best and get as many points as I can and I'll keep you all updated.

Oh!  IceMan!  I almost forgot....it was hard and cold and wet and super uncomfortable but I survived and lived to say I probably won't be doing that one again.  (Sorry Tiff!)

It was fun because I was with fun people, but they are the ONLY fun thing about it.  The obstacles themselves were borderline lame and the biggest obstacle was just WALKING in the snow....FORGET running!  There was very little running done by most people I would say.  The snow was deep and soft so dragging your feet/legs through the snow was LITERALLY the most challenging part.  At one point both my gloves were filled with snow and my fingers burned, but that was fairly quickly relieved thanks to the warm-ish weather we had (25 degrees or so).  HOWEVER using a porta potty in those temps was also NOT on my list of things to EVER do again.  Made me wish I was a man so I could stand up to pee.  Oh well!  It was a nice wake up call I guess.

HUGE shout out to the girls that rocked this "race" or "nightmare" (whichever you prefer) with me!!!  Made some new buddies too!  Can't wait to get to know them and continue on the healthy lifestyle journey with them all!

I just have to give a special message out to my girl, Kasey!!!  This was her VERY FIRST 5K EVER and it was one of the toughest I've done.  Excited you'll be along side me for many more to come! :)