Only a few more days left in the Fat-Free for Christmas challenge. We are so close!

This next assignment involves you telling me what you eat throughout the day. I need to know what you are putting in your mouth when you’re not doing my challenges. This assignment will be tedious but it will also be an eye-opener, giving you great insight into why you are not where you should or want to be.

Challenge #5:  Log 6 meals that you eat this week. Write down everything you consume during that meal, including beverages and desserts. Also, include details about size and calorie content, if you know it. All meals and snacks are eligible. Note: If you go back for seconds, you must log that additional serving.

If you are more digitally inclined, you can send me photos of what you’re eating. Send these to fitandhungry @ gmail. com. If all items don’t fit into one shot, take individual pics and label them, ex. lunch#1_1, Lunch#1_2.

If you are logging these by hand, you need to reply to this post with all of your meals. An example of a proper response would be: 12/22/11 breakfast: 1 whole scrambled egg, 1 piece wheat toast with 2tbsp peanut butter, 2 mocha latte. 12/22/11 dinner: huge bowl of pasta with tomato sauce, 2 glasses of wine, 3 bread rolls, 1 piece of chocolate cake

Alright, you best start now. I need your log of 6 meals by Sunday. You eat at least 4 meals a day so if you don’t accomplish this challenge, I know it’s because you’re ashamed.

Make me proud, people.

And for your listening pleasure, Show Me What You Got by Jay Z.

This challenge will encourage you to consume more protein earlier in the day. If you’re a “Can I have mocha latte and bagel?” girl and the morning crew at Starbucks knows you by name, this will be a challenge for you. If you are the “I’m never hungry in the morning” person, this will be a challenge for you. If you don’t know what protein is, this will be a challenge for you.

Your assignment: Consume at least 20 grams of protein by 10am every morning for 4 mornings. There are no restrictions. I don’t care what else you eat with it or whether or not you use a fork. You have six days to complete this challenge.

I’m going to give a tiny bit of help and let you know the protein content of popular items. This list is not exhaustive so I expect you to do research to find other items that will help you win this challenge.

How much protein is in that?
1 egg 6g
1 scoop whey protein 10-22g (depending on brand)
1 cup black beans 14g
1 tbsp almond butter 3g
1 chicken breast 20-40g (depending on size)
1 plain greek yogurt 15g
1 lowfat cottage cheese 14g
1 dannon yogurt 5g

If you need incentive to step up your protein game, here:

• The recommend daily allowance for protein is 7 grams per 20 pounds. Therefore, a 140lb person needs at least 50 grams of protein per day.
• Proteins are long chains fashioned from building blocks called amino acids. Because our bodies are constantly making new proteins and because we don’t store amino acids as we do fats, we need a daily supply of protein.
• High-protein foods slow the movement of food from the stomach to the intestine. Slower stomach emptying means you feel full for longer.
• Protein’s steady effect on blood sugar avoids the steep rise in blood sugar and the harsh fall that comes after eating rapidly digested carbohydrates like white bread and cookies.

Do you eat plenty of protein? Tell me how. Share your meals so others can get ideas.

This is the final week of challenges. These challenges will be lighter in volume but still high in the intensity. Today’s challenge (#3) is about turning an indulgence into something more reasonable.

Challenge #3

Your assignment is to pick an item (food or drink) that is considered a treat because you tend to go overboard when you are around it. This can be something that you consider your weakness or it can be something that you believe you should have less of. For some people, this could be cookies. For others, it could be alcohol, pizza, chips, or pork. You are to take that item that you love (or overindulge in) and make it healthier.

Instructions: Name your indulgence. Then explain how you will make it healthier. If you don’t know how, do the research and share it with us. If you found a low-cal version of a meal, put the link in the comments. If it’s a product you discovered, you can tell us about it or put the link. If it’s something you made up, explain it to us in detail. Note: You cannot use an idea you found on this site. It has to be something that I haven’t told you.

Here’s an example of how you might comment: “I love candy bars. Even though I am sensible all day, I cannot resist a Snickers. But I did some research and I found a recipe for ___ that includes peanuts, cocoa, and almond butter. It tastes just like a Snickers but it’s healthier, creamier, etc. etc.”

Remember, this isn’t just about junk food. It could be a “healthy” item that you make unhealthy because you eat/drink to much of it. If that applies to you, respond with a way to fix that.

This assignment is due Friday.

What food or drink do you love? How will you make it healthier?

Next week will be the final week of challenges. You are to keep working and keep pushing until December 24th when you can do whatever the heck you want and forget you ever met me.

To reward you for your steadfastness, I am giving out prizes to extraordinary individuals. This is not necessarily the person who has executed the most repetitions. Rather, this award will go to the person who has participated in comments, contributed to this community, worked hard, and pushed themselves.

Fitness Challenge Prizes:
Two 30 minute coaching calls with Angel Stone (For details, go here. In short, I’ll answer any of your fitness/nutrition questions.)
One Team Eshe sweatshirt or tee (The sweatshirt is seen in this video. The gray t-shirt is seen here. Baby blue t-shirts are also available.)

To be considered for the prize, respond to this post telling me if you want a sweatshirt or a tee and whether or not you’ve ever stuffed your bra.

I am an instructor at Revolve, a new cycling studio in Arlington, VA. It’s the only indoor cycle studio in the area and it’s a must see. They have a huge room with surround sound, mirrors, new bikes, fresh towels, and exceptional customer service.  I teach on Tuesdays and Wednesdays evenings so stop by if you’re in the area. I promise not to waste your time.  Want to know more? Here’s a great write up about it here and in the Washington Express where I was quoted telling my students “Don’t let me catch you. I like catching people.”  Yes, I am a fool.

One of my readers, Yannii, put me on to SBTRKT. I had never heard of them before so I went searching through their songs. I was immediately drawn to Right Thing To Do. It’s good and sexy. Ow. This is going on my workout playlist.

(I have updated each option and added a video so please read to make sure you are current.)

Challenge #2 

By the evening of Sunday, December 17th, you are to complete three of the following items:

#1. Do 30 x 1 minute sprints. This can be in the form of running, cycling, swimming, or any other cardio activity. How will this work?  Let’s say you go out for a 3 mile run. During that run, you are to sprint for 1 minute running as hard as you can. When the minute is over, you walk for 2 minutes (to catch your breath) or resume your normal running pace. That counts as 1. Once you’ve recovered, you do it again, running for 1 minute as fast as you can. You can do this drill on a bike, on the elliptical, or on the stairmaster. It doesn’t have to be running but it has to be hard! The idea is to work at a high intenstiy for 1 minute, take a 2 minute break and then repeat. You have to complete 30-1 minute sprints by the end of the week.

#2. Eat 8 green meals. A green meal is a meal that includes vegetables and a lean protein. Fruit and beans are acceptable additions. Vegetables must be present for the meal to count. No other items can be present an hour before or after that meal. (Yes, I’m putting the hammer down.) Same restrictions apply: no grains, no cheese, nothing fried or breaded. Examples of acceptable meals would be an egg omelet with spinach, a salad with black beans, or mixed veggie medley with fish.

#3. Do 180 squat thrusts with a  jump. Modification options in video.

#4. No eating after 10pm for 4 days.  The days do not have to be consecutive. If you must eat or have a late work dinner or something, the meal must be a green meal. No exceptions. And unless dessert is made up of vegetables, you can’t have it if it’s after 10pm.

#5. 100 Deep Reverse Lunge with twist per leg. Modification options in video.

You must complete a minimum of three of the items listed. For advanced people, try to do more than three items. Also, don’t pick items that are easy for you. This is a challenge. Do something that will make you better!

Okay, people, which ones are you going to do?