Glutamine, flaxseed and poop oh my! Welcome to the healthy habits challenge! This challenge is a challenge I’m participating in at my gym. I was hesitant at first because the challenge started after the New Year
and there is a lot of pressure on New Year’s resolutions and such.

However, let me preface this post with this little nugget of truth:
This is NOT a New Year’s resolution, this has been a healthy lifestyle adjustment.  It’s 6 weeks and has nothing to do with how much weight one can lose, or inches, or all the aesthetics that go with many of these challenges. It’s about incorporating one healthy habit each week. At the end of the challenge, you’ve incorporated 6 healthy habits into your life.

The challenge was created by Dawn Cameron, a professional chef, and nutritionist and owner of Eat, Thrive, Move. After reading and educating myself on what the challenge entails, my #rideordie #partnerincrime #accountabiltypartner #swolemate, #husband and I decided, let’s do this.

Here are the guidelines:
Every week for 6 weeks, add one healthy habit to your routine.  
My thoughts: I was reluctant because I didn’t know what the challenges were and I was thinking they would have to do with something that is not easily maintained. So often we go on diets or new exercise regimens and they aren’t sustainable and we wind up reverting back to what is comfortable. However, after receiving the challenges, I discovered this challenge is do-able and it's something you can maintain without upending your entire world!

Challenge #1
Upon waking up, drink 12 ounces of water. My thoughts: I would drink
water for the most part in the morning but not like this. Now I’m making sure I do;
I’m more cognizant of it. I make sure that before I eat anything, do any exercise,
even before I brush my teeth, I’m dropping some serious H2O into my system.
In fact, I even “water prep” the night before! #notjoking - To be honest, after a week, I’m digging this healthy habit. It’s simple yet I feel like before I even get my day started I’ve accomplished something! I know I drink water throughout the day but now for some reason, this means something. It’s kind of hard to explain. Crazy but it just feels good!

There are opportunities incorporated within the challenges to help you.

Opportunity #1 - Learning about poop...that’s right, poop. We attended a Digestion Seminar by Eat Thrive Move where we learned all about digestion and what you put in your body is integral to your overall health.  And your poop tells the story that you truly are what you eat; that can be a good thing and a bad thing! For me, it’s been bad!  I’ve always had a sensitive stomach, but I never really read labels or worried about what was “in” my food, until now. I’ve read more labels in the last two weeks that all told I’ve probably read a mini novel!

The Digestion Seminar taught me that digestion is key! I know that gut health is definitely a buzz word and it seems like wherever you look, commercials, social media, magazines, etc., there are pills, powders, and magic potions promising to get you healthy.  

What your poop is telling you
There is no quick fix, I feel like we all know this yet, we want instant results; I am included in that “we”. I’ve tried everything and anything. Shoot, the last year I didn’t eat “bad” I didn’t eat perfectly “clean” however, my body decided what I was eating sucked, for lack of better words. I couldn’t figure out why those pills or shakes that promised you would lose weight and feel better didn’t work. Why was I actually PUTTING ON WEIGHT!?!?  And how the hell is everyone else dropping pounds like it’s nothing yet here I am doing everything the program says and gaining weight! It’s because my body rejected it. I had to get to the root of my gut and by the root it meant drilling down into my digestion. My body wasn’t digesting food properly, it wasn’t absorbing the nutrients or using anything I was eating for what it was supposed to do which was provide nutrition. I’m talking about chicken, turkey, protein shakes, none of it! Enter the plant-based life and educating myself on digestion and nutrition.
Healthy Habit #2 starts Monday - Stay tuned!