Not long ago, the Crossfit gym that I attend decided that for the new year, they would do a wellness challenge.
Insert my groan here. I have a long history of issues with food and diets. I have been severely obese and a normal size. I have been on every diet and eating program under the sun and lets just say, right now, that I was unenthusiastic. I don’t like working with other people when it comes to this. I would much rather figure things out on my own (I lost 100 lbs. in my twenties and kept it off for more than a decade with no help and no interventions. Then I GOT MARRIED. I HAD KIDS. And several stressful events had me putting my health and self care on the back burner. But that’s another post for another day).
But there were a couple of reasons why I got sucked in. First of all, my amazing trainer, Edlin, gave me the big, beautiful, brown eyes and encouraged me to join. She thought it would be good for me. Secondly, it was a WELLNESS challenge and NOT A WEIGHT LOSS challenge. Thirdly, it was a competition in teams and I really, really liked my team leader. And, finally, since becoming a special needs mom, my own wellness is a huge priority. I need to be strong, healthy and ALIVE for as long as I possibly can in order to care for my son. If you are a caregiver, you know exactly what I mean. Yes, others can take care of our children when we are gone but they won’t do it like WE would do it, even if they are amazing.
So there were a lot of reasons why this was a good idea, my cranky attitude notwithstanding (Did I really need ONE MORE THING in my life right now?). I went home and thought about it and decided that a) I would commit to doing it and b) I would lose the cranky attitude, because no one likes having to work with cranky people, myself included.
Each team was given a different eating program. I ended up on a team that was doing the 800 Gram Challenge. I had never heard of this. Immediately, my thoughts whirled. How much does a gram weigh, anyway? Am I only allowed to eat 800 grams of food a day? Am I going to go hungry? Is this going to suck? Is it going to restrict me to where I am setting myself up to binge? Wait, I have to WEIGH things (past diets surfaced in my mind)? Let us just say that I was HESITANT.
It was SO FABULOUS that even though the challenge is over, I am still doing it. I FEEL SO GOOD on it. It is easy to do, there is absolutely no deprivation whatsoever and I definitely feel healthier. Talk about a surprise!
The premise of diet programs is restriction. The premise of the 800 Gram Challenge is getting in a minimum of 800 Grams of fruit and vegetables a day into your diet (including potatoes!). When you weigh your produce, it is for the sole purpose of making sure that you EAT THE MINIMUM or more. What else can you eat during the challenge?
You can eat anything else you want. As in anything.
As in you won’t be hungry. As in your goal ISN’T changing the numbers on your scale when you weigh yourself, it is to FEEL BETTER. And, who doesn’t want to feel better?
It’s easy to do, you can go out to eat, you can eat on a weird schedule and you can eat late at night. Upset because of your child’s ARD meeting? You can eat if you want to. At the hospital again because your kid had another seizure? You won’t be doing that event drinking a portable shake or a bar that substitutes for food. Unless that’s what you want. Nothing is off limits, so you could. But why would you want to?
You can look at the link below for the full set of instructions. And I also recommend you Google it for even more information but take a look at this first. I have no affiliation with anyone and will make no money if you click on it, use it, reject it, or whatever. It’s just for your information.
https://optimizemenutrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/800gChallenge_OneSheet.pdf
Oh, a couple of more things that we added to the challenge, which you may want to incorporate into your plan. We allowed no alcohol for thirty days. It was encouraged that you drink half your body weight in ounces of water (I decided to just drink eight 8 oz. glasses a day). We tried to eat AT LEAST six different kinds of fruit and vegetables every day (eating the rainbow). Workouts were, of course, encouraged. Stretching and/or yoga for at least 10 minutes a day was separate from workouts (and FABULOUS for all of us stressed out caregivers with tight necks and backs from lifting our children, getting yanked, etc.). A minimum of seven hours of sleep was part of the challenge (As a caregiver, I often sleep that much but it is all broken up due to my son. We decided that, for me, if I accumulated 7, I was OK). And, finally, that you should try to be completely compliant to the meal plan. It is almost IMPOSSIBLE TO CHEAT on this plan. If you eat the 800 Grams, you are good, no matter what else you eat. Of course, if you want to lose weight, making healthier choices with the rest of the food will get you there. But, remember, you have already edged out some food you would normally take in during your day because of all the fruit and veg you are going to be eating.
This plan takes away everything I hate about dieting, even the focus on the scale. Because it is NOT A DIET. It is a WELLNESS PLAN. And, as a caregiver, it came along for me at exactly the right time. My goals have shifted. Yes, I would love to rock a bodycon dress and feel comfortable in a swimsuit but my real, number one goal? To be my best, strongest, healthiest self to care for my son with special needs.
Try it, for your own self care. Because when you take care of yourself, by extension, you take care of your special needs child better. And every caregiver wants that.
Want more? I have released a book! It is written especially for you to uplift you as a caregiver, soothe you, help you navigate and, most importantly, help you to be OK. Take a look!