December 05, 2016
Christie Mandia/For PhillyVoice
It is helpful to make certain vegetables ahead because it will save you the aggravation of cooking during the week and make it less likely for you to reach for a faster, less healthy option. Above, peppers and onions, asparagus and roasted carrots with broccoli can last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
The holidays are always a very difficult time to stick to your regular diet and exercise routines. It is also a time where you want to treat yourself to certain things that you may not have throughout the year. I am a big believer in enjoying yourself during the holiday season; after all, good quality of life is a very big piece of maintaining your overall health.
Having said that, in the past few weeks, “treating myself” has somehow turned into doing minimal exercise and having wine and dessert with every meal.
After we finished the last of the Thanksgiving stuffing last Sunday, my husband looked at me blankly and said, “What are we going to do?” We had fallen down the rabbit hole of unhealthy patterns, and suffice it to say, we were not feeling like the optimum versions of ourselves.
It wouldn’t be enough to just resume our regular, mostly healthy, lifestyle. Something dramatic needed to be done to jump-start this journey and undo the damage that had been done in the two weeks prior. Also, who doesn’t want to feel their best going into the holiday season and the new year?
So we put together a plan to get us both back on track quickly. Adapted from Dr. Oz’s two-week diet. See approved and banned food lists below.
Hot water with lemon
Vitamins (multi and folic acid – after lunch or dinner)
Exercise (Rotate cardio and resistance every other day; days 8 and 12 are rest days)
Green Tea
Eggs
Smoothies (with 1/2 banana & fruit/veggies/plant protein)
Lean meat (turkey, chicken)
Fish
Beans/hummus
Veggies
Fruits & dried fruit
Nuts
Avocado/olive oil
Greek or coconut yogurt
Sweet potato (in moderation)
Hot sauce
Low-sodium broths
Salt, pepper & miscellaneous spices
Coffee (black or with coconut creamer)
Bread/rice
Sugar
Dairy
Red meat/pork
Alcohol (Red wine or vodka soda if you must – limit 1 for women, 2 per men daily)
Lunchmeat
Canned food
To rev this up a bit during these two weeks, I am also cutting out coffee and alcohol. This is optional (my husband isn’t), but I am replacing both with hot lemon water and green tea, respectively, because I need to cleanse my body. See the many benefits of hot lemon water here. If you know nothing else about your body, know that your liver is essentially your body’s filter; everything you put in your body goes through it. Substances like alcohol and caffeine can be especially hard to process, which is why I am staying away from them.
We are exercising for 12 of the 14 days of this challenge, alternating cardio and resistance training each day. (Days 8 and 12 off)
We are now halfway through this challenge, one week down and one to go. I have to tell you I am feeling MUCH better already, and my husband is, too. Stay tuned for next week for the conclusion of our two-week emergency challenge!
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I will continue to keep you posted on my health journey. Please feel free to share below or tweet me @christiemandia.
