It’s the latest health craze. You should definitely try it. There are tons of them out there. Several are free. It’s health challenges.
What is a health challenge. It's like test driving a car, except it's testing a new habit change. A good health challenge usually has several different options or ways to change your life for the better. Each day or week, depending upon the challenge, has a different idea. These different ideas are meant to see which ones fit best into your individual lifestyle.
It is definitely not meant for you to implement all of the changes. If you do, you will find they will not stay permanently. One good lifestyle change per week is more than enough. Otherwise you may get overwhelmed.
Making one change on one day can be easy. The challenge comes in managing to keep that change permanent. Yes, it does take 30 days to make change permanent. Some people say it takes even longer.
Why don’t people keep changes? It's not a personal failure. In every day life, we get distracted or have things come up that interrupt a lifestyle change. That call from a principle about your child or a car breaking down are just temporary. The important thing to remember is that it’s OK, if you forget or don’t have time for a change that you’ve made. Like a forever friend, a habit change is always there waiting on you to pick it back up. Just remember, some habit changes just won't fit your life. Let it go; and pick another to try.
Once you've completely incorporated a new habit into your lifestyle, it becomes automatic. It really takes a load off your brain when it’s a permanent habit. You don’t have to think your way through performing the action like you do with new habits. And this is why lifestyle habit change can seem so difficult. At first, you have to think your way through it each time. Through repetition, it becomes automatic. Your brain gets to rest. It seems easy because it’s familiar to your brain. If you would like more information, I highly recommend reading "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg about how habit change influences all aspects of our lives.
Let’s all get up off the couch and try a new healthier habit. If you struggle with what changes to try, I personally I like the challenge being run by Health line, the "Fit It In Challenge" on www.healthline.com (look for the tennis shoes 1/3 of the way down the page to sign up). The name implies that these new habits should fit into our daily lives. If cooking more at home is one of you habit change goals, here’s this week’s recipe...
Ingredients:
4 cups brussels sprouts, steamed
2 cloves of garlic, minced & sautéed
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, sautéed
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons Braggs Liquid Aminos soy alternative
6 teaspoons Braggs Coconut Liquid Aminos
butter flavored cooking spray
Directions:
1.) In a medium size pot to steam the brussels sprouts for 20 minutes.
2.) Pull them out and let them cool for five minutes and then cut them in half.
3.) While the brussels sprouts are cooling, heat up the coconut oil in a small saucepan on medium low heat. Add the sesame seeds and garlic. Sauté until the garlic browns roughly 5 minutes.
4.) Preheat the oven to 400°.
5.) Mix the Braggs Liquid Aminos coconut and soy together in a mixing bowl.
6.) Put the saucepan to the side while you cut the brussels sprouts in half and toss them in the mixing bowl.
7.) Add the cool sesame seeds and garlic to the mixture in the bowl and mix.
8.) Use butter spray to coat a loaf pan; and add the brussels sprout mix to it.
9.) Place in the oven cooking for 30 minutes, making sure to flip them midway through.
10.) Turn the oven up to broil for 5 minutes to crisp the Brussels sprouts.
My personal challenge is adding more exercise to my lifestyle. I like to walk in parks when the weather isn't too chilly. That way I get to enjoy the wild life above, despite taking three dogs along on my walk. I also enjoy lower blood sugar after walking a mile or two.
I hope this week's recipe helps you with your blood sugar control to have the energy to increase your exercise. Who knows? Maybe I'll see you on the trail... Please comment, like, share, and come back next week for more recipes, ideas, and tips. Subscribe to the website, you will receive a weekly email reminder when a new recipe comes out.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice, but a compilation of research from medical sites. Make sure to see your doctor and have up to date lab work.
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