The Healthy Challenge: Fruits and Veggies!!

Posted on by kia

I know a crazy Canuck named Janice (@fitcheerldr)who really does not seem to have all that much weight to lose but she went and lost over 4 pounds last week with swimming and half-marathon training. She also fitness trains clients so has a thing or two to say about healthy living. As an extension of a program going on at her work right now she is pushing people to take on a fruit and vegetable challenge to get their recommended daily servings (according to Canadian recommendations. ha!) For women that is 8… for men 10. And yes, the US RDA is less than these numbers if you were not sure.

Head to fitnesscheerleader.com to sign up for this challenge. She is awarding prizes the next four weeks to top finishers.

I had reservations about signing on at first because it is not the best growing season where I live in Colorado. I make an effort to eat local, sustainable produce but have had to give some of that up this winter. I canned and froze some produce but not enough to sustain my cravings for this pregnancy.
I have made an effort to eat US produce so that I am not contributing to the plantation-like natural resource degrading processes of US interests on foreign soils. I stray from Chilean fruits and other countries as much as I can for resource degradation and carbon footprint reasons. Last night I did find some fair practice Chilean grapes so bought them but other than that it has been a lot of Washington State apples and California greens. In my stash all I really have left are local canned peaches.
Eating 8 may not be that hard of a challenge for me… but I will make an effort to record the challenge this week. Also if you are looking for the U. S. program here is the evolution of the 5 A DAY program via the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). As an FYI, the Canadian program does recommend more of the good stuff.
Monday = TEN: 1 roma tomoto (1), 1 pound grapes (4.5), 1 apple (1), 3 celery stalks (1), 2 pickles (1), 1 cup salad (1), and 1/2 cup fresh salsa (.5)

Tuesday = EIGHT: 2 banana (2) beans (3) SALSA (2) avocado (1)

Wednesday = ELEVEN 4 c. juice (8), salad (3)

Thursday = SEVEN grapes (3) bok choy (3), carrots (1)

Friday= EIGHT grapes (3), broccoli (2) banana (1) tomato (2)

Saturday= SEVEN grapes (2) tomato (2) broccoli (2) banana (1)

Sunday = EIGHT 1.5 c. strawberries (3), 1.5 lg. bananas (2), chard (2) orange juice (2)

**guesstimates based between canadian and us recommendations… one actually said each celery stalk was a serving… sheesh… I don’t think so! I am looking for a standardized resource and am awaiting word from Janice.