7 Day Run Down Challenge
The Classic Run Down Scenario: Can’t shift that niggly cold, got mouth ulcers and a slightly sore throat, eyes scratchy, black shadows, constantly tired and you can’t remember the last good night’s sleep. Feeling down in the dumps. Constant fantasies about lying by on a deck chair around a pool in the tropics.
It would be hard to feel any worse really. You are not alone! What you need is an Actionable Action Plan.
So here’s a challenge with 7 Rules for 7 Days (all the rules apply every day) and I am interested to hear the results. This is not about weight loss, this is about reclaiming gut health, exposure to nature, living by natural rhythms and giving yourself a wee bit of focus:
Rules: 1. Kombucha daily (home made or bought) and at least 7 glasses of water.
2. No booze – 7 days won’t kill you
3. Make an early lunch the big meal of the day and include a decent plate full of bitter greens (spinach, rocket, chrysanthemum leaves), if you can eat minimally before then or fast, all the better. (coffee is the exception)
4. Get outside just after sunrise and get into nature for 30 minutes with no screens (not saying it’s exercise, not calling it meditation, just an adventure on foot/bike/water. Explore, see who’s selling, renovating, what flowers are in season, get into the bush and find a gorgeous view). Get active again at least once in your day – sneak it in. The sunshine will get you that illusive Vitamin D and activate your wake up hormone, cortisol,
5. Get rid of the screens by 8 pm and into bed by 9:30. Remove all devices from your bedroom, I'm talking about the telecommunicative ones!
6. Drop the sugar to 5 teaspoons per day or under per day (beware of juices sweetened yoghurt, chai lattes, tomato sauce – the teaspoons add up)
7. All home cooked meals for this week, nothing processed, no takeaways, healthy oils, organic ingredients if you can afford it. If you do eat out, choose the simple options, no fries. Remember, half the workers in the cafes and restaurants are coughing and spluttering at the moment too.
8. I’ve added in a sneaky optional no. 8. Start growing some lettuce/rocket near the clothesline or on the window sill. Get your hands in the dirt and forget the manicure. Each day, just pluck a couple of leaves, shake and eat - your gut bacteria and your mood will love it.
This is not a no. 9 and it is probably a topic for a series of blogs but attempt to get rid of some of the toxins around your house. e.g wrap the lunches in paper, no hand sanitizers, no anti bacterial cleaners, no weed killers, use natural toothpaste (in Coles), use coconut oil as a body lotion, go fragrance free and deodorant free (I have a policy that BO is beautiful – hey at Chocolate Fitness we are in the great outdoors and who cares. Same goes for hairy underarms too btw)
Let me know how you go!
