New Year, New You! FREE Healthy Living Challenge - Week 2

Join me in the New Year, New You! Two-Week Fitness Challenge to get you back on track! Perfect for beginners, this includes both a clean eating family-friendly meal plan for the week, as well as workout suggestions to get you up and moving. Form healthy habits and have fun as we do this together!

Hi, friends! Welcome back! This is the second in a two-part series, so if you’re joining me for the first time you can jump in right now, or you can check out Week 1’s Meal Plans and Workouts HERE.

I have included a suggested workout schedule for the week, as well as plenty of healthy recipes. The idea is to get up, get moving, and get your diet back on track. You don’t need to count calories, and you don’t need to exercise for hours each day. Aim for 20-30 minutes of exercise 6 days per week, along with a clean diet that is free from as many processed foods as possible (lots of lean protein, fruits, veggies, and complex carbs!). If you keep these two goals in mind, I promise: you will feel so much better after just two weeks that you’ll be itching to keep it going!

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU: WEEK 2 WORKOUT SUGGESTIONS

(you can download a printable copy of these Workout Suggestions HERE)

WORKOUT 1: CARDIO

Get up and get moving for about 30 minutes! You can choose to walk, jog, or use your favorite cardio equipment at the gym (StairMaster, Elliptical Machine, etc.); OR choose between this 20-Minute Living Room Workout or this 30-Minute Fat-Blasting Treadmill Walking Workout.

WORKOUT 2: STRENGTH TRAINING

Try this Total Body Workout Circuit; this Beginner Body Weight Workout (no equipment necessary); OR this Total Body Dumbbell Workout

WORKOUT 3: CARDIO

See Day 1 – try something new, or repeat your favorite exercise!

WORKOUT 4: STRENGTH TRAINING

See Day 2 – try something new, or repeat your favorite workout!

WORKOUT 5: CARDIO

See Day 1 – try something new, or repeat your favorite exercise!

WORKOUT 6: YOGA/STRETCHING

Stretch those muscles for about 20 minutes, take a deep breath, and spend some time relaxing! You can try this 15-Minute Morning Yoga Routine (video); these Soothing Yoga Poses for Sound Sleep; OR add a new DVD to your collection, like this Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown (which has two different 30-minute routines).

Pressed for Time? Something is always better than nothing! If you only have a few minutes, try to squeeze in one of these 4-Minute Tabata Workouts…there’s one for every day of the week!

Okay, so now that you’ve got your exercise routine planned for the week, let’s take a look at your meals. These are only suggestions! Feel free to enjoy your favorite healthy meals and adapt these ideas as necessary. Remember: keep portion sizes in check, eat three meals per day, and enjoy reasonable snacks in between meals whenever you feel hungry. You should be eating every 3 hours (or so) to stay energized and to avoid overeating at your next meal. Keep that metabolism humming by fueling it with plenty of nutritious options! And please understand that this is NOT about perfection! If you overeat at one meal, or if you indulge a bit too much on Friday pizza night, that’s okay. We’re working towards overall progress, so get back on track at your next meal and aim for better decisions going forward. You can do this!!

 NEW YEAR, NEW YOU: WEEK 2 MEAL SUGGESTIONS

 BREAKFAST:

• Make-Ahead Option: Cranberry Baked Oatmeal (feel free to substitute with raisins, diced apple, or any other preferred fruit/dried fruit of choice)
• Make-Ahead Option: Zucchini & Parmesan Baked Omelet
• Whole Grain Toast with about 1 teaspoon of butter or peanut butter (or other nut butter); Light and Creamy Apple Salad (make the fruit salad in advance); 1 egg (hard-boiled, fried, poached – however you like it!)
• Homemade Breakfast Sandwich: Use two whole grain waffles or a Whole Grain English muffin, toasted. Top with 1 slice of organic cheddar cheese, one fried egg, and pop back in the toaster oven until cheese is melted. I like to drizzle with maple syrup for a salty-sweet combo, but you could also use salsa or hot sauce.
• Make-Ahead Option: 5-Minute Swiss Muesli or The Best Nut-Free Granola. Both of these options are delicious served with Greek yogurt or milk.
• Make-Ahead Option: Whole Wheat Banana Blueberry Muffins or Morning Glory Muffins. Pair these with a protein source like eggs, a baked omelet, or a protein smoothie for staying power.

LUNCH:

• Healthy leftovers from dinner the night before always seem to be my mid-day go-to!
• Make-Ahead Option: Chili con Carne
• Make-Ahead Option: Skinny Polynesian Chicken Salad
• Skinny Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Sandwich
• Healthy Cheese Plate: Whole grain crackers; 1 ounce cheese; grapes; 1 serving almonds
• Chicken Chickpea Chopped Salad

DINNER:

• Grandmother's Hamburger Soup
• Dump-and-Bake Skinny Chicken Parmesan Casserole
• 4-Ingredient Baked Salmon
• Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu
• Whole Wheat Pita Bread Pizza
• One Skillet Skinny Shrimp Alfredo
• Balsamic-Glazed Filet Mignon
• Skinny Slow Cooker Burrito Bowls
• Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Whole Wheat Biscuit Crumbles
• Dump-and-Bake Smothered Parmesan Chicken

SNACKS:

• Cake Batter Healthy Smoothie
• Flourless Chocolate Cake
• Apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and dipped in 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• My Favorite Homemade Granola Bars
• Carrots dipped in 2 tablespoons hummus
• Greek yogurt with a handful of berries
• Whole grain crackers topped with 1 ounce of cheese or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
• 1 serving whole grain cereal with non-fat or low-fat milk
• No-Bake Cheesecake Fruit Dip with fresh strawberries
• Frozen Cookie Dough Bites

Need even more healthy recipe ideas? You can enjoy some of your favorite recipes from the Week 1 Meal Plan as well!

So what do you think?! Are you in? Have you finished your first week? If so, how did it go?

If you’re just starting out, I would suggest that you pick a day to begin your Challenge and prepare yourself in advance. Select a few new recipes to try, go to the grocery store to make sure that you have all of your ingredients on hand for the week, and schedule your workouts into your calendar. I love to plan social dates with my girlfriends to walk or exercise whenever possible, so that’s another great way to squeeze it in while still having fun. Enjoy, work hard, and FEEL BETTER this season!!

I can’t wait to hear how it goes!!