Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I don’t have a team set up but I want to play. What do I do?
A: Email us at getfitguilford@gmail.com and we’ll put you into a group of other single players

Q: I heard about this game too late! I want to play but I missed the deadline.
A: Don’t worry. We have several rounds of play that will go on until the Health Celebration in June. Just email us, letting us know you want to play, and we’ll give you the information for next round!

Q: What are the workshops?
A: During the course of a 4 week game, there will be several workshops held around town focused on wellness. Anyone can stop in and learn about de-stressing, or healthy food choices, or ways to get in shape. For those playing the 4 week health challenge, you’ll earn bonus points!

Q: I broke down and ate some birthday cake! How does this affect me?
A: Everyone slips up and that is ok. Remember you are allowed a “meal off” and a “day off” from play without losing points. If you ate some birthday cake, then you have to deduct some points for snacking. But remember, you are allowed a 100 calorie snack per day. Check the labels and if it is something without listed ingredients and calories, use the “rule of thumb” rule. If the sliver of cake or small scoop of ice cream etc is the size of your thumb, you’re probably within the 100 calorie zone.

Q: One of my wellness goals was to lose some weight. I’m playing by the rules but not seeing results!
A: Check your portion sizes. That is the most important factor in boosting your metabolism. And try ramping up your 20 minutes of exercise. Interval training is a great tool! Here is an example of a challenging interval workout: Set #1: 20 pushups! (Modified if needed); Jumping Jacks for a full minute; 20 crunches; Rest for a minute
Set #2: 20 Incline pushups on a sturdy piece of furniture etc; Jumping Jacks for a minute; 20 Crunches; rest for a minute
Set #3: 20 pushups; Jumping Jacks for a minute; 20 more crunches; rest Set #4: 20 bench ups or dips on sturdy furniture for those triceps!; Jumping Jacks for a minute; 20 more bench ups; Jumping Jacks for another minute; 20 bench ups; rest
Set #5: 20 squats; run in place for a minute; 20 squats; run in place for a minute; 20 more squats; run in place for a minute; rest
Set #6: Boxing punches (alternating punches one, two; one, two; one, two; quick speed, full force) for a minute; 20 crunches; boxing punches for a minute; 20 crunches; rest Cool down for 5 minutes with gentle stretches ***Note: this is a very intense cardio circuit. Do what you can and work up to it! Anything that gets your heart pumping for 20 minutes (brisk walk etc) counts!

Q: I don’t like water! Why do I have to drink so much of it? Why can’t I drink diet soda if its calorie free?
A: When we don’t drink enough water, our bodies go into crisis and we retain excess water. As soon as we are hydrates, our bodies respond by emptying the stores and secreting excess fluid, and that is why we lose so much weight during the first week of almost any nutritional program. Proper hydration is so important for healthy bodies, skin, mind and weight. If water is boring, spruce it up with some (washed) citrus slices, cucumber, berries or mint. Avoid diet soda as they contain extremely harmful chemicals and may even be linked to brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s!

Q: I enjoy my nightly glass of wine. Doctors tell me its fine and maybe even good for me. Why can’t I have a glass a night?
A: We want to boost your metabolism and help get you on the road to wellness. There is well documented evidence to show that alcohol inhibits weight loss, increases appetite, adds empty calories, increases cortisol (a muscle-destroying hormone), decreases testosterone (a muscle-building hormone), decreases vitamin and mineral absorption, causes dehydration, decreases quality of sleep, decreases energy, increases risk of liver disease, heart problems, stroke, increases the risk of many cancers such as liver, pancreatic and breast, and the list goes on and on. Drink some pomegranate juice or grape juice cut with water for similar health benefits of red wine. And enjoy one drink during your “meal off” and up to several on your “day off” if desired!

Q: I’m stumped on my healthy and bad habits. Any tips?
A: You can pick anything to add into your healthy life and anything detrimental to give up. Here are some great suggestions of good things to add into your life: meditation, yoga, taking your vitamins every day, stretching, floss 2x daily, take up journaling, rediscover reading for pleasure, do some form of charitable work/be of service to others daily. Some bad habits to ditch: lying, negative self-talk, cursing, coffee, texting while driving (so dangerous!!!), gossip, ordering in, buying bottled water (check www.treehugger.com to see how much this hurts our environment and for this game, use a refillable water jug to help save our planet!)

Q: I don’t know exactly what to eat. Help!
A: Read over the portion size section in your rules and below are shopping ideas and sample menus to get you on your way. As always, you can email us at getfitguilfordct.com for more help and advice!


Shopping List Idea

The best way to succeed in the eating portion of this health challenge is to be prepared! Stopping in at your local grocery store(s) 1-2x per week with a list in hand in a great way to get started. You’ll need lots of vegetables (fresh or frozen). For example: 3 cucumbers, 3 bunches of celery, 1 head of lettuce, 1 pound of mushrooms, 2 pounds tomatoes, 1 bag or bunch of carrots, 2 bags of fresh spinach, 1 bundle asparagus, 2 bundles broccoli, 1 bag of green beans

Fruits:

Apples, bananas, grapefruits, lemons, oranges, pears, peaches, plums, strawberries, frozen mixed berries

Grains/carbs:

1 package whole grains oatmeal (not instant and nothing added), 1 package whole grain tortillas or loaf of whole grain brain, 1 bag of brown rice, small bag of potatoes or sweet potatoes, whole grain (or gluten-free of course) pasta, canned beans, new grains you might not have tried like bulgar, amaranth, millet, and quinoa

Meats, seafood, proteins:

Skinless chicken breast, tuna steak or canned tuna, lean cut of topside sirloin, eggs from cage-free hens, tofu, low-fat cheese sticks, low-fat milk, natural Greek yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese

Healthy fats:

Avocados, almonds, cashews, walnuts, bottle of healthy oil like olive, flaxseed, grapeseed oil, 1 cup of fresh olives, olive oil cooking spray, all natural nut butters

Backups:

Sometimes, we all need help with one of our meals when we’re on the go. Healthy food/protein bars can be used in a pinch; look to your local, whole foods grocery store to find one with natural ingredients with a good balance of protein, carbs and healthy fats; read the ingredients and ask for help if needed!

Condiments, herbs, spices:

Basil, dill, garlic, ginger, honey or maple syrup, mustard, pepper, salt

A good tip is to rinse all your fresh produce in water with some lemon juice when you get home to remove any pesticides and chemicals. You can then chop and prepare some, store them, and make your weekly meal preparation much easier!

A note on fish:

Fish are a great source of protein. They contain healthy fats that will reduce your cholesterol and improve your health. Fish also contain omega-3 fatty acids that help keep your heart healthy and may even improve your mood. Fish have been shown to be an important diet of many long-lived peoples around the world.

The Problem With Fish

All fish contain trace amounts of mercury. Some fish contain high amounts of mercury -- enough to raise health concerns and even may damage a fetus or newborn. This is why pregnant and nursing mothers must be very careful about the amounts and types of fish they eat. However, we should all be careful about what we consume! According to the FDA, pregnant women and small children (under 6) should not eat more than 2 servings of fish each week -- and should only eat those fish with low mercury content (see below). Mercury levels can build in adults too -- eventually becoming harmful to health. High mercury levels can cause permanent damage to the kidneys and brain.

Which Fish Have the Most Mercury?

Big fish have more mercury for the simple reason that big fish usually live longer. They have more time to build up higher levels of mercury in their bodies

LOWEST MERCURY
Eat 2-3 servings a week (pregnant women and small children should not eat more than 12 ounces (2 servings):
Examples: Anchovies, catfish, clams, crab, crawfish, flounder, haddock, herring, mackerel, mullet, oyster, perch, pollock, salmon, sardine, scallop, shrimp, sole, squid, tilapia, trout, whitefish

MODERATE MERCURY
Eat six servings or fewer per month (pregnant women and small children should avoid these):
Examples: bass, carp, cod, halibut, lobster, mahi mahi, monkfish, perch, snapper, tuna (canned chunk light)

HIGH MERCURY
Eat three servings or less per month (pregnant women and small children should avoid these):
Examples: Bluefish, grouper, sea bass, tuna (canned albacore, yellowfin)

HIGHEST MERCURY
Avoid eating (everyone):
Examples: marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish, tuna (ahi)

Another problem with fish is that many of them are now Farm-raised
Farm-raised fish may have somewhat less exposure to mercury than their wild free-foraging cousins because they are usually fed a controlled diet, often consisting of more grains and soy, a cheaper and more abundant source of calories, than fishmeal. But they can still absorb mercury, since most fish farms are themselves located in the ocean, just close to or abutting the shoreline.

Farmed fish can also absorb PCBs and dioxins, as the near-shore waters they occupy are the first stop for run-off from land-based sources of pollution. And the fact that their primary feed source comes from conventionally grown terrestrial crops means that their diets can include trace amounts of pesticides and herbicides as well. Also, most farmed fish are exposed to dose after dose of antibiotics to keep diseases and pests at bay in their crowded underwater pens, much in the way “factory farmed” land animals are drugged to help them cope with cramped, unsanitary conditions. In fact, studies have shown that farm-raised fish have more toxins overall than their wild-caught cousins, though exceptions of course do exist.

They also are harmful to our natural environment and natural fisheries. Please, keep these facts in mind when buying wild, low mercury fish from your local grocery stores and fish markets!!!


Sample Daily Menus

Oatmeal Pudding:

• Cook ½ cup old fashioned oats; while hot, stir in 2-3 egg whites and cook for another minute or so; turn off heat and add in ½ cup frozen berries; add a teaspoon of olive or flaxseed or grapeseed oil and a drizzle of maple syrup if necessary

Quick and Easy protein breakfast:

• Sauté 1 finely chopped onion and thrown in a few big handfuls of spinach; cook until wilted; add 2 egg whites to the pan and cook until lightly scrambled; crumple on 1-2 teaspoons of feta cheese and season with salt and pepper. Put on top of 1 slice whole grain toast (can brush with 1 tsp olive oil)

Other simple breakfasts could include oatmeal (always old fashioned oats, not instant!) with 3-4 chopped pecans or walnuts and some frozen blueberries. Try adding some cinnamon and a few dried cranberries for sweetness. Or you could have some organic, high protein cereal with skim or 1 percent milk and sliced fruit.

“Stuffed Peppers” to Go:

• Pop out stem and shake out seeds of a pepper; take two to three slices of high quality turkey breast; spread Dijon mustard in between; roll the turkey slices up, drizzle with oil for your healthy fat and put in the pepper; enjoy with a slice of cheese on the side or glass of milk

Make your own protein bars:

• Combine 1 cup oatmeal, 5 scoops chocolate protein powder; ½ cup nonfat dry milk powder; in a separate bowl, beat 2 egg whites, ¼ cup cottage cheese, 2 bananas mashed, 2 tbs agave nectar, 4 tbs water, a dash of vanilla extract; fold the dry into the wet and pour into a 9x12 inch casserole dish; sprinkle with ¼ cup raw, crushed almonds and cook in a 325 degree oven and cook for 30 minutes; to serve, cut into 2x3 inch bars
• (or buy an organic protein bar with high protein, fiber, good carbs and healthy fats)

Super Smoothie:

• 1 cup fat free milk, skim milk or almond milk
• 1 banana (peel and freeze before hand) or other frozen fruit
• 6 almonds or 1 tsp flaxseed oil
• ½ cup fat free greek yogurt
• Puree the above ingredients, add a pinch of cinnamon and enjoy!

Surf and Turf Salad:

• Chop ½ head of romaine lettuce; add 1 green onion chopped; 1 diced tomato; sliced cucumber; 1 small carrot chopped; 3 canned artichoke hearts; small scoop chicken; small scoop tuna (no mayo)
• Dress with an 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar, dash of soy sauce, 1 tsp olive oil and salt and pepper

Popeye Salad:

• Take an entire 12 ounce bag of spinach (or any leafy green you discover you like best); add in 3 cans of tuna (water packed); a canned bean of your choice (bean medley etc); 14 crushed almonds; salt and pepper; mix in a large bowl and you have 4 large salads to enjoy over the next few days

Spicy tuna or salmon salad:

• 1 can tuna or salmon; 1 red bell pepper chopped; ½ onion chopped; 2 tbs Dijon or spicy mustard; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 pinch dill; ¼ cup beans of your choice; 1 tsp olive oil
• Combine in a mixing bowl and serve on a bed of chopped lettuce of your choice

Turkey and Veggie Burgers:

• 1 pound lean ground turkey; sweet onion chopped; ½ cup chopped peppers; 1 cup chopped spinach; 1 tbs egg whites; salt and pepper; pinch dried oregano, thyme or other spice mix; low fat feta cheese (or cheese of your choice) chopped
• Combine ingredients and make into small patties
• Spray a cooking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes (can broil for a minute or so to brown)
• Serve sliced over chopped veggie salad or roasted green veggies; add a fist-sized portion of a carbohydrate, such as a roasted sweet potato on the side for a delicious dinner

Chicken Lettuce cups:

• 2 cloves minced garlic; 2 tbs minced ginger; 2 tbs vegetable stock; 3-4 tbs soy sauce; 1.5 tsp rice vinegar; 1 tsp honey; 1 pack ground white meat chicken (or shred off a rotisserie chicken); 1/3 cup chopped scallions; chopped pepper; 2-3 drops sesame oil; pinch red pepper flakes; one head bibb lettuce
• Sauté garlic and ginger in vegetable stock; in small bowl, whisk soy sauce, vinegar and honey and set aside; add chicken to garlic and ginger and cook through; add in soy mixture, peppers and scallions; turn off heat and add seasonings; top mixture in large bibb lettuce leaves; sprinkle with sesame seeds, crushed cashews, chopped cilantro or scallions if desired

Cashew Mango Chicken:

• Soak chicken breast in light chicken stock; roll the chicken in 6 crushed cashews, black pepper, red pepper flakes and garlic powder; bake for 35 minutes
• While baking, chop 1 mango, 1 medium sized onion, some cilantro, 1 cucumber, 1 squeeze lime juice; spoon salsa over chicken once cooked; serve over steamed spinach or with a side of your favorite veggie and a small whole wheat roll

Skinny Sausage Supper:

• Olive oil cooking spray; 1 chicken sausage sliced; fist sized portion of brown rice; steamed broccoli; add some soy sauce or tsp olive oil and sauté together

In general:
After breakfast, you can have a “mini meal” of a few nuts and cheese sick and some fruit etc or a “mini meal” of baby carrots and hummus etc; for your lunch, salads are a great choice to get in your much needed vegetables

Easy, healthy dinners could include a palm-sized protein (lean pork chop, lean cut of steak, fish, chicken etc); a fist-sized portion of carbohydrate (brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat roll); and a heaping serving of vegetables that you find are easy to cook/prepare and you enjoy

You can also have something sweet every day if you need it. Kettle corn popcorn, Skinny Cow frozen desserts under a 100 calories, a scoop of frozen yogurt or sorbet (experiment with different fruit sorbets, frozen yogurts, and coconut milk “ice creams” etc found in a health food store) are good choices. Or if you only had four small meals that day, enjoy a fifth sweet meal like the ones below:

Satisfying Crunch Dessert:

• 1 cup plain, non-fat yogurt; ½ cup cottage cheese; dash vanilla extract; ¼ cup of any berry; ¼ cup Kashi GoLean Crunch with Almonds cereal (or any high-quality, high-protein cereal)
• Combine the yogurt, cottage cheese and extract and top with berries and cereal

Almost ice cream Treat:

• ½ cup low fat ricotta cheese; ½ cup frozen strawberries (half-thawed); dash vanilla extract; 2 tsp maple syrup; 2 tsp crushed cashews or macadamia nuts
• Mix together and enjoy!

Late night Tropical Treat

• 1 cup fat free Greek Yogurt
• ½ cup frozen pineapple chunks
• 2 tsp shredded coconut
• Mix and enjoy

Blue Lagoon Treat:

• 1 cup fat free Green yogurt
• ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 2 tsp crushed walnuts
• Mix together for a tangy and delicious snack