DAY 11

“Excessive animal protein is at the core of many chronic diseases.” ― Dr. Campbell

There’s a saying that you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. Here at Radiant, we don’t believe in diets or restrictions (no, we don’t think carbs are bad for you). Healthy eating is about nourishing your body with good food.

You might have noticed the food theme of this week’s wellness action. Our goal is to help set you on the path to healthy eating.

We’ll conclude the week with a sample 3-day meal plan to help you jumpstart your healthy eating lifestyle. 

Grab your lemon/lime juice and let’s get started!  

Day 11 Wellness Action: Meatless (Mon)day

Today, your wellness challenge is to choose a day this week to go meatless. This means you cannot eat any kind of animal flesh (fish, chicken, pork, bacon, sausage … you get the drift). But you may have eggs, if you choose!

We are not trying to turn you into a vegetarian … although, if that’s your goal, we can help too. What we’re trying to do, however, is to get you to take note of the immeasurable benefits of a plant-based diet.

In October of 2015, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a report classifying processed red meat as a Group 1 carcinogenic i.e. a cancer-causing agent in the same category as tobacco, arsenic and asbestos.

Reducing or eliminating your meat intake and substituting more plant-based foods can do wonders for your health. A more plant-based diet helps to reduce cancer and heart disease, fights and controls diabetes, helps with weight control, and improves brain health.

You can learn of more benefits from today’s Radiant Reading: Can you convince an African to give up meat for a day? You should also read our article on Red Meat, Processed Meat and the Cancer Connection.

Curious about going vegetarian? Check out these extra Radiant Reading below: 

• What Kind of Vegetarian Are You?
• Planning Vegetarian Meals That Meet Your Nutritional Needs
• 7 Tips for Making A Successful Transition to Vegetarianism
• Vegetarian Lifestyle: Dealing with Unresponsive Family and Friends

Interested in some meatless recipes?

• Fried Quinoa
• Beans and Spicy Tomato Sauce (Skip the Protein)
• Plantain and Egg Frittatas
• Sweet Potato Waffles

Day 11 Workout: Four-Way Planks

Planks are a great core exercise; they train your core muscles to work as stabilizers which is their main role in nature. Whenever you generate force with your arms or your legs, it is your core that needs to stabilize your spine so that the efforts of your arms and legs are not lost. This workout uses four plank variations performed as a time-efficient circuit.

Perform two laps resting 60-seconds between circuits.

1. Plank with forward reach

• Beginner: 20 seconds
• Intermediate: 40 seconds
• Advanced: 60 seconds

2. Side plank with twist left

• Beginner: 20 seconds
• Intermediate: 40 seconds
• Advanced: 60 seconds

3. Side plank with twist right

• Beginner: 20 seconds
• Intermediate: 40 seconds
• Advanced: 60 seconds

4. Reverse plank

• Beginner: 20 seconds
• Intermediate: 40 seconds
• Advanced: 60 seconds

Click here for full written exercise instructions. Once you have warmed up, follow the exercise demonstration in the video below to get started on today’s fitness challenge.  

Do you love eating meat or is it easy for you to go a day without it? Come on over to our Facebook group hangout and let’s discuss it! Join Day 11’s Facebook post here. 

Have a fabulous day!