Here are a few questions I have received about the challenge:

• Q:  If I don’t add sugar, does it count as no added sugar?  For example: Is it okay to eat ice cream as long as I don’t add sugar (aka sprinkles) on top?
• A:  “No added sugar” means you don’t have to count sugar that naturally occurs in fruits, vegetables, milk (lactose), and other natural healthy foods.  In packaged foods, read the nutrition labels and make sure sugar is not in the first few ingredients.  Also look at sugar grams.  Remember that anything over 10g of sugar per serving is likened to a candy bar.  For this challenge lets keep added sugar under 5g per serving in packaged healthy foods (protein bars, cereals, etc).

 

• Q:  Can I eat a low calorie, sugar free Fudge-Popsicle?
• A:  Sorry.  While it’s sugar free, it has no nutritional value and would be considered junk.  For this challenge we are eliminating junk food as well as sugar (just for 5 days in a row… twice)

 

• Q:  I don’t have any weight room experience, how do I safely earn the weight lifting medal?
• A:  If you have no experience in the weight room, I don’t want you in there with free weights without guidance.  If you have a friend or relative that lifts, ask them to go with you.  If that is not an option I will allow you to use pin driven machines to count for this medal.  At the Family Life Center they are located in the front weight room.  They each have a picture with directions for use and position your body for correct form in the movement.  I will count the leg press machine for the dead lift and the chest press machine for the bench press.   There is no real substitute for a squat so grab the heaviest dumbbells you can safely hold and just squat with those.  However, if you do have weight room experience and are able, use those barbells and get your big on!!!

 

• Q:  Do I have to spend all 120 minutes of the weight lifting workout on squats, deadlifts, and bench press?
• A:  Nope.  Count all the time you are working out in the weight room regardless of the exercise you are doing.  Just make sure those basic Olympic lifts are included in your workout.  120 minutes is too long for one workout so make sure those lifts are included in each of your weight room workouts for this challenge and don’t lift using the same muscle groups two days in a row.

 

• Q:  Does the driving range count for golf?
• A:  Yes

 

• Q:  Do I have to play in a real game of basketball, volleyball, or soccer?
• A:  No.  Shooting around, playing H-O-R-S-E, kicking the ball around with kids, etc all counts

 

• Q:  Does sitting on a float and paddling with a pool noodle count as rowing?
• A:  You know it doesn’t 🙂  But nice try!!

 

• Q:  Does tea or other water based drinks count as water?
• A:  Sorry only water counts as water.  I’m ok with added lemon or other fruit/veggies (berries, cucumbers, etc) for an infused flavored water, but tea and coffee does not count.

 

If you haven’t already committed to the challenge, it’s not to late.  Join us in jumping out of our comfort zones and going for the gold together!!!  We got this!!!