…these guys took on the challenge, and wow, that must have been intense!

As you probably know, based on the premise of this blog, my biggest find over the last 10 years in my quest to eat & live healthy was primarily eating single ingredient foods (i.e. fruits, and vegetables, true fruit juices – thank you SunHarvest!, and sticking with grains, nuts, and so forth).

I do a fairly good job of sticking to that routine, but I’m realistic when it comes to eating out, or at parties.

It’s my goal to eat ‘real food’ at least 80% of the time…

With that in mind, I’m not 100% sure I could stick to a 28 day Real Food Challenge, could you?

Be sure to read the entire CNN article for more information.

…to feel the best I can.

I’ve realized over the last few years, that there are multiple things to consider — such as:

• Assuring I get enough sleep.
• Assuring I eat the ‘good for you foods’.
• Assuring I continually have balance (work, and play!)

Recently, I’ve discovered three web sites that have really helped me gain a higher level of understanding of taking my quest to the next level.

I’m going to share them with you, here’s 3 Sure Fire Ways to Feel Better:

1. www.Lef.org – LifeExtension – specifically visit the Health Concerns section, they have top-notch health information.
2. www.VRP.com – Vitamin Research Articles – be sure to visit the Research Center, they’re passionate about nutritional science.
3. www.SparkPeople.com – This is still one of my favorites, because not only does it have great resources, it has a great community you can get involved in as well.

Do you have any other web sites that you reference for hints, tips or techniques on feeling the best you can?  Please share them below!

Thanks so much,

Charly

…called FitBit, and it tests & measures all crucial data regarding fitness & sleep!

FitBit tracks:

• calories burned,
• steps taken,
• distance traveled, and
• sleep quality.

It contains a 3D motion sensor (like the ones found in the Wii controllers) and tracks your motion in three dimensions and converts this into useful information about your daily activities.

You can wear the FitBit on your waist, in your pocket, or on your undergarments.

At night, you simply need to wear the included wristband to track your sleeping patterns.

The coolest part?

Anytime you walk by the included wireless base station (within 15′), data from the FitBit is silently uploaded to the base station!

Learn all about the FitBit by visiting their web site at: www.FitBit.com.

Like me, you probably need a reminder every once in a while about what NOT to eat.

ThisIsWhyYoureFat.com is the perfect place for that reminder!

Primarily showing:

• highly processed foods,
• hefty quantities (definitely an American thing!),
• loads of cheeses,
• tons of potatoes,
• lots of refined sugars, and
• tons of white bread…

‘This is why you’re fat’ seems to sum up one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the last 10 years – eating these types of things continuously really did make me fat.

If you’re interested in learning more about what to eat, and what not to eat (and most importantly, WHY), be sure to check out these books:

• Eat This Not That
• Eat This Not That for Kids!
• Eat This Not That – Supermarket Survival Guide

I’ve read each of these, and find them very informative for letting you know why certain foods may seem better for helping you maintain or lose weight, but in reality, aren’t!

Here’s to living healthy, having energy, and getting most out of each day!

Charly

It comes down to three things – what you put:

1. in your mouth,
2. on your skin, and
3. in your lungs.

If you want to find safe, healthy, green products for you and your family — you have to check out:

GoodGuide.com.

GoodGuide offers you the ability to:

• see ratings,
• find the best products, and
• compare & save!

It also provides a great way to learn about issues, news and product recalls — AND, they even have iPhone App!

Here’s to living the good life, and being an informed consumer!

Thanks, GoodGuide!

How you ask?

It’s a known fact that tracking what you eat results in weight loss.  I’ve lived it, as have thousands of others…

If you’re overweight, and are looking for a way to lose weight now – tweet what you eat!

To get started:

1. Create your Twitter account.
2. Notify your friends and family that you’re on Twitter (have them join, this will work much better if you’re accountable to more than just yourself!)
3. (Optional) Register yourself on Tweet What You Eat (this will help you be even more accountable)!
4. Configure your cell phone (if possible) to Tweet.
5. Everytime you eat, send out a tweet!

If you’re a calorie counter, be sure to create your tweets like this:

Kashi Roasted Almond Crunch Bar – 180
(name of food – calories)

at the end of the day, you’ll be able to quickly tally your total calories by reviewing your Twitter feed.

Remember, you’ll have to document everything (no sneakin’ in a candy bar, or snack on the side .

I suggest trying this lifestyle for a few days, and seeing how you do.

Here’s to being the best you can be!

I do, and I have — and the benefit to me has not only been feeling better, but losing a ton of weight in the process!

Here are 7 Ways to Track What You Eat:

1. TheDailyPlate.com: With a database of nearly 500,000 foods – it will not only help you track what you eat, but calculate calorie, protein and carbohydrate intake as well.  It even suggests healthy alternative foods based on your nutrition goals.  It’s free!
2. MyFitnessPal.com: A completely free service that has a user-generated food library to calculate nutritional information of food.  Also has forms, and allows users to blog about their experiences.
3. MyFoodDiary.com: It provides the services the others do, but it focuses on the long-term.  It allows you to track short and long term impacts of your eating habits.  It’s $9/month.
4. TweetWhatYouEat.com: Using the power of Twitter with a twist — you answer the question “What did you have to eat today?”  It uses free Twitter updates to track what you’ve eaten, how many calories it had, and how much you weigh.
5. MyPyramidTracker.gov: This free government sponsored food tracker offers basic calculation of nutrition based on a food diary.
6. FitDay.com: A free diet & weight loss journal online!
7. SparkPeople.com: I definitely saved the best for last. One of the best online communities wrapped around tracking what you eat, living healthy, and enjoying life.  I highly recommend it!  I like it because it takes your activity level into consideration as well.

I hope you enjoy these sites as I much as I have.   If you want to track what you eat the old fashioned way — feel free to use my:

Daily Food Log Template (PDF)

Here’s to enjoying our grandkids kids!  Cheers!