Mix-It-Up Mondays

Helllloooo World!!!

So, last month most of you guys attempted Meatless Mondays and there was lots of upset carnivores but you made it thru!  I'm so grateful for the support from you guys!  There were wrestlers, fans, friends and family that participated and seriously you all made an impact.  I hope lots of you will choose to keep incorporating the Meatless Monday to help the animals, the earth and your own little universe.

Now, on to this month.  I'm hoping to get Mix-It-Up Mondays going.  I'm challenging you to detox from sugar for the day.  The only sugars allowed are all natural (i.e. fruits, honey or agave).  For some of you this will be more difficult than it sounds.  This takes away processed foods, refined sugar and lots of juices unless they are homemade.  You'd be surprised how dependent some of us are on sugar and after the weekends (which is when everyone has the most fun) your body will welcome the break.

Refined sugar can be sneaky.  Lots of people are unsure of what it actually is.  It's actually made from sucrose which is extracted from raw sugar cane or sugar beets.  It's also known as granulated white sugar, brown sugar, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, malt syrup, and high fructose corn syrup.  On an average most Americans consume about 355 calories from sugar each day!  It's usually recommended that the average person only consume half of that if a male and a little less than half for females. 

With this over consumption of sugar we're looking at health issues ranging from obesity, tooth decay, hypoglycemia, diabetes and vitamin and mineral depletion.  With that being said, let's make a change!  Let's embrace a sugar detox once a week.  And if you're feeling frisky let's have both Meatless Monday and Mix-It-Up Monday! 

Thanks for the support and can't wait to hear how well everyone does!
XO

Why "Meatless Monday"

So most of you know this month's challenge from me to you is to give "Meatless Monday" a try.  I promise it's not because I love the catchy phrase, which of course I do!  It's because if we start on a Monday, the beginning of the week, hopefully the healthy trend will carry through the week.  Not necessarily the meatless part but conquering the challenge of controlling your eating habit you can keep it rolling!  With that being said, let's take a look at the environmental and health impact of participating in "Meatless Monday". 

Environmental

We'll be cutting down our carbon footprint in so many ways! Think of the land and natural resources used for the livestock and housing the livestock.  The gas used to transport animals and the product. Studies show that 1,800-2,500 gallons of water go into the production of 1 pound of meat. This is just one example!  Not to mention you can help prevent animal cruelty.  How many of you change the channel, get misty eyed or turn away during the ASPCA commericals?  This is another way to help! 

Health

The vegetarian diet has numerous effects on your health.  Starting with reducing your risk for cancer, heart disease and diabetes to name a few.  Incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet will help increase fiber and other nutrients in your body which help with fat loss, boost energy levels and living longer. 

Now I know the meat industry isn't going to cut down their production or the demand is going to disappear but just 1 day per week will actually make an impact!  And making  better decisions when choosing your meats throughout the rest of the week will help too.  So let's give this a try!

-Look for locally raise, grass-fed, free-range organic meats and poultry. 
-Leave the small things out (i.e. bacon bits)
-Buy sustainable fish. (not from anywhere that might overfish)
-Organic eggs, milk and cheeses
-Add more veggies in your meals