January 'Body Springclean' Challenge!

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year's, sharing delicious food and special times with your family and friends. We've enjoyed having family here for the holidays, it's been a fun time. (Well, except for the tummy bug that popped in for a visit for a couple of days, but let's not dwell on that...)

 

Mum preparing the gluten free cornbread stuffing for the turkey

 

Christmas dinner was lovely. We had a homegrown turkey (from our neighbour) stuffed with gf cornbread stuffing, gravy made with slow-cooked chicken stock, roasted crispy-skinned duck with orange-cherry sauce, homegrown ham (from a friend), and lots of veges. So blessed.

 

I was very careful not to go 'overboard' with sweets and breads over the last week, but I still feel like I've had enough to last me for a fair while. Well, I guess I did have a few cinnamon scrolls over the last month (all in the name of recipe testing, you know!)...

 

 

Then there was my mum's cherry and pecan pies, with my cashew-vanilla ice cream...

 

 

 

And my decadent chocolate coconut cream ice cream...

 

 

 

Plus a little bit of Christmas cookie making at Grandma's house...

(I only ate one - I promise!)

 

 

 

And a few nibbles of maple syrup & rapadura butter toffee... Hmmm, I guess all those little 'bits' add up, don't they.

 

Well, enough is enough. My body is telling me it's time for a 'spring clean' and I think I'd better listen. We've been discussing this on my Facebook page today, and over 100 people have agreed to join me in a 'body springclean' challenge this month! What about you? Want to join in too?

January is a good time to re-focus on healthy eating and healthy living. Let's share our goals for a January 'Body Springclean', and throughout the month we can keep each other updated on how we're doing - encouraging and inspiring each other to stay motivated!

Here's how:

1. Write down your 'body springclean' goal/s for this month. What's the main thing (or couple of things) you want to focus on this month to change your habits for the better? Write your goals out, nice and big, and stick them up on the wall or the fridge where you will see them every day. Then share them with us, either in the comments on this post, or on my Facebook page. If you're on Twitter or Instagram, you can share them there, using the hashtag #bodyspringclean.

If you like, take a photo of your goals and share it on my FB wall; or you can just leave a comment, either on my FB page, or on this blog post. (And don't worry if you didn't manage to start on January the 1st - begin where you are. Every day makes a difference.)

Remember the K.I.S.S. principle - Keep It Simple, Stupid! I have a tendency to make great long lists of things I'm going to do, which makes me feel very pleased with myself for being so organised. Then I put my list away and forget about it because it's too overwhelming to do all at once. I'm not going to do that this month! So these are my goals...

They might not look like much, but I get so busy I forget to drink enough water and exercise... and it's time I kicked out the sugar again! Keep your goals simple and doable and they're more likely to happen. You can always add more next month. :)

2. Every day, take a photo or write a comment to demonstrate how you met your goal that day. For example, if your goal is to have a green juice each day, let us know what you're putting in your juices, which ones you like, which ones you don't, any benefits you're noticing, etc. And take a photo now and then and post it on my FB page, or Instagram, or Twitter.

I have started a special album on my FB page, called 'January Body Springclean Challenge'. I'll post my photos there each day, and if you post your photos on my page I'll share some of yours too! It'll be fun :D

3. At the end of the month, if you've stayed motivated and shared photos and/or comments, you'll go into the draw to win a prize! (YES, there's PRIZES!!) Here's what you can win (one prize per person):

- 1 of 3 vouchers from Organics on a Budget for $25 to spend in their online store

- 1 of 2 ebook bundles from Blue Sky Health & Fitness, valued at $89, which include:
* Healthy Lifestyle Guide
* 6 Week Clean Eating, Healthy Lifestyle Recipe & Meal Plan (dairy, wheat and sugar free)
* 6 Week Exercise Plan

- 1 x 28 Day Body & Mind Transformation Bootcamp, from Mummy Bootcamp @ Home, valued at $149

- 1 of 3 Regenerating Night Creams from Cosima Skincare (Certified Organic Cosmeceutical Skincare), valued at $49 each.

- 1 400g container of Organic Barley Spirulina Blend from Nutra Organics, valued at $49.95.

- 1 280g tin of Coconut Sugar from Loving Earth

- 1 250g packet of Lucuma powder from Loving Earth


Thank you for the donations, guys!!

 
So come on and join in the fun, and do your body a favour. Let's do this!! Who's in?

 

 P.S. If you need some ideas of where to start, here's a few - but don't try to do them all at once!
- substituting natural sweeteners for refined cane sugar
- getting rid of wheat
- bye bye dairy
- going grain free
- starting to menu plan
- 10 minute a day workout