Discretionary Eating Challenge

The concept of discretionary eating was first introduced in this earlier post. Please review it so that you know what the heck I'm talking about here.

Did you read it yet? Trust me, this challenge will make a lot more sense if you read it. C'mon, it will only take you a couple of minutes to click to it. Then come on back here to sign up.

Thanks. Now, if you'd like to take on this challenge for the month of August, leave a comment after this post. Please specify which categories you'd like to tackle, and please indicate whether you'll be giving 50% or 100% effort for each one.

Note: I plan to have this challenge again in September, so if you need to ease into some of these changes, choose 50% level for August and then bump it up to 100% in September. All participants will be listed in my sidebar. If you'd like me to link to your blog, include your blog URL with your comment.

EDIT: I originally intended to only allow 50% or 100% but several folks that plan to do about 75% and one person asked for 25%. So, I will allow you to select those levels as well. I'd really like folks to aim for at least 50% to make this challenging. However, I understand that the BUZZ category includes physically addictive substances and will be the hardest change. Try to limit the 25% choice to that category only. And, if choosing these other levels, it is up to you to define the criteria for yourself (using the 50% and 100% descriptions as guidelines)!

Choose from these Categories (abbreviations will be used in sidebar)

RESTAURANTS (CAFE)

• Avoid: restaurants, take-out, prepared deli foods, and frozen meals.


• Eat instead: home-cooked meals


• Levels:
  
  50% - home-cooked meals replace at least half of the professionally prepared meals you've been purchasing.
  
  100% - eat only home-cooked meals for the month. Food cooked by family and friends is fine.

REFINED FOOD (other than sweets) (LITE)

• Avoid: highly processed & refined food stripped of its nutrients.


• Enjoy instead: whole foods that are minimally processed.


• Levels:
  
  50% - reduce your current consumption of refined food by at least half.
  
  100% - totally eliminate the refined foods.

SUGAR/SWEETS (SUGAR)

• Avoid: sugary foods & drink (includes honey and agave nectar).


• Enjoy instead: unsweetened foods; whole or unprocessed fruit.


• Levels:
  
  50% - can still use a little sugar in your tea and coffee, some jam on your toast, sweet chutney with your rice, and the rare dessert.
  
  100% - zero added sugars. (Yes, it can be done. Been there, done that.)

SECONDS ONLY WHEN HUNGRY (SOW)

• Avoid: food eaten after physical hunger is satisfied.


• Enjoy instead: only eat as much as you physically need.


• Levels:
  
  50% - limit the pig-outs considerably, paying more attention to what your body really needs.
  
  100% - eat only when hungry and needing "fuel". May result in smaller, more frequent meals.

STIMULANTS (BUZZ)

• Avoid: chocolate, caffeine (coffee, black tea, etc.), alcohol


• Enjoy instead: herbal tea, coffee substitutes, water


• Levels:
  
  50% - cut all of these back by at least half.
  
  100% - cut them out completely. (Get professional help if necessary, especially with alcohol.)

VEGAN (VEG)

• Avoid: eating animal products. This includes eggs, milk, butter, dairy products (cheese, sour cream, ice cream, etc.), and meat (beef, pork, chicken, fish, and any other animal flesh).


• Enjoy instead: any plant foods (grains, beans, vegetables, fruits)


• Levels:
  
  50% - reduce the animal products in your diet by at least half. (You'll save money!)
  
  100% - jump in and give it all up for a month.

THE WHOLE ENCHILADA (ALL)

• For the brave soul who wants to try all the categories at once!

Once you've signed up, you can put the banner in your sidebar by copying the following code:

<a href="http://chilechews.blogspot.com/2008/07/discretionary-eating-challenge.html"><img src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_2H3G4C5T6s0/SIv6dd85DHI/AAAAAAAAA7o/Cv2njsdLzso/s200/Discretionary+eating+logo.jpg" /></a>

- In Blogger, go to your layout options, and click on Add a Page Element.
- Select Text.
- Type whatever you want for the title or leave it blank.
- Click Edit Html
- Paste the code you copied in the body.
- Then click Rich Text to confirm the image shows up.
- Save.



When you view your blog, the sidebar image should now appear and have a hyperlink back to this blog.

Limiting your discretionary eating is a positive step for your pocketbook, your health, the environment, and social justice. Won't you join me today?