Food heavily influences our physical and mental health. Eating the right food (for YOUR body) optimizes  performance and recovery. Food gives you a clear mind, makes you happy, and improves your memory. Food provides energy for you and for you to to care for others, and it can extend your lifespan. Food has the ability to make you feel good! So, let’s learn what makes YOU feel (both physically and mentally) your best with a little Nutrition Recharge!

For those new to Daybreak (and as a reminder for you Daybreak vets), our nutrition recharges are never about crash diets, temporary habits nor unsustainable routines. It’s about educating and exposing you to different ways of eating so that you can CHOOSE the best nutritional structure for you.

While we’ll be more structured during the next four weeks by throwing in some points to keep you accountable, we’re hopefully creating some habits that can last you long after the recharge is over. If the structure we provide seems overwhelming, choose one or two EASY habits you can change and CONSISTENTLY execute from day to day.

GOALS OF THIS CHALLENGE
Like our last recharge, there are NO eliminated foods and NO loss of points. Yes, that’s right, you can only EARN POINTS!! Points are earned by making healthy choices like eating fruit and vegetables, drinking water, working out and getting sleep. Plus, NEW to this challenge are MINDFULNESS bonus points. Let’s dive in!

Challenge Runs:
Start of MON 1/9 through end-of-day SUN 2/5

You can eat ANY FOODS you’d like there are NO RESTRICTIONS. However, to help guide you in making better decisions for your overall physical health, performance, and mental health, there will be daily accountability points

EVERYDAY guideline:

• Eat 4+ cups of fruit and vegetables
  • Spinach, kale, swiss chard, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, potatoes, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, bananas, berries, apples, pears, kiwi, citrus, melon, papaya, mango, etc.
• Drink half your bodyweight in ounces of water
  • 120lb x 0.5 = 60# = 60 ounces of water per day
• Get 7 hours of sleep
  • Naps count toward your total for the day
• Move your body
  • At Daybreak, at home, anywhere!
• Limit the Junk
  • That includes: added sugar (maple syrup, fruit and honey are all natural and not considered added sugar), alcohol, processed foods (ex: cookies, candies, chips, cereals, fried foods, frozen novelties, etc.,)

WEEKLY MINDFULNESS BONUS POINTS
Every week there will be a MINDFULNESS challenge. Why mindfulness?  you can do daily to throughout the week (Mon-Sun)  3 POINTS per WEEK! Once you complete the movement challenge for the week, write your name on the designated whiteboard and Mel will add three points to your account by the end of the week (Mondays)

• WEEK 1: At 2 or more meals per day, put your utensil (or food item) down between bites to extend your meal time to 20 minutes or more.
• WEEK 2: Get outside! Take a 10 minute (or more) walk outside daily
• WEEK 3: Eat 2 or more meals without any distractions. That means no phone, driving, computer or tv while eating. And better yet, try to eat WITH someone to make your meal an experience!
• WEEK 4: Meditate for 5 minutes or more, daily. If you’ve never mediated or aren’t sure where to start, try apps like headspace or calm

Head over to Triib registration link HERE. You should use the same login information that you use to RSVP for classes.

Then, to keep track of accountability points, you simply log into your Triib mobile app (yes, the same one you use to RSVP) and click on the 3 horizontal bars in the upper right and scroll down to “Events” and you’ll see the recharge. Click on it and  you’ll be able to enter your food points. If you miss a logging your points, sign into Triib on your computer. You’ll have access to prior days and can update your score!

Bonus points are awarded at the end of the week by Mel. Put your name on the “Announcement” board in the designated area if you completed the mindfulness challenge for the week.

Aside from tracking your points, keep a personal log (does not have to be on the app) with updates on energy, performance, sleep, hunger, skin quality, emotions, and how your clothes feel. And, take a picture at the beginning of the four weeks and at the end. The log will help you feel the changes occurring in your body and the picture will help you to see your progress!