Learn more about Chicago Food Day as vegan restaurant owner Karyn Calabrese and Tess Boghossiana, State winner in Michelle Obama’s Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, share a healthy recipe on WGN: http://wgntv.com/2014/10/22/everything-you-need-to-know-about-chicago-food-day/
Do you have what it takes to eat real foods for 5 days straight? Of course you do! This helpful guide will put you on track to accomplish the challenge. You’ll find out how easy it is and how great you feel once you start eating real!
Why is Eating Real a Challenge?
Our culture has embraced fast foods, processed foods, convenience foods, instant foods and many other quick and easy meal and snack options to an unhealthy extent. These foods are most readily available, quick, easy and often times most affordable for consumers. Unfortunately, these foods are also generally devoid of nutrients that keep your body strong, energetic and healthy.
What You Need – Real Food!
Real foods are whole foods that come straight from plants or animals including fresh vegetables and fruits, dried fruits, whole grains, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, eggs, fish, seafood, white meat and dark meat. Eating whole foods insures consumption of the maximum amount of original natural nutrients in the right proportions.. These foods are filled with the nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants and enzymes that our bodies need to thrive. Stay away from soda and sugary drinks, frozen meals, processed meats and foods that are fully prepared for you (cereals, crackers, snack bars, cookies, etc.) If it’s processed, it isn’t real!
Where to Get Real Food
Check out local farmers markets, community supported agriculture (CSA) and co-ops. If your best option is a grocery store, shop at Whole Food Markets or smaller fresh-food shops. And, remember, when buying fruits and vegetables, organic selections are generally the healthiest and most sustainable! Read the labels on all products you purchase – if you see any ingredient that you have never heard of there is a good chance the product is processed and made with ingredients that are not “real foods”. Chicago, always innovative, also has a great selection of services that will deliver real foods or even meals prepared with real foods right to your door.
Make an “Eat Real” Commitment
Announce to your family, friends and co-workers that you intend to eat real for 5 days. Post it to your favorite social sites. Letting others know your commitment helps you stick to your intentions, even if temptation starts to pull you away. Use #ChicagoEatRealChallenge with your online posts.
Make Eating Real a Taste-Full Experience
Get excited about eating real food by finding delicious recipes, either from the Food Day Eat Real recipe book or online (just search “best real food recipes”). There are thousands of great recipes easily within reach to get you through the week – and perhaps keep you eating real permanently.
Revel In the Improvements To Your Health
After eating real for a while, you’ll notice you have more energy, and feel sharper or just feel indescribably better overall. You may even lose some weight. This is a great indication that if you will eat real more regularly, you’ll improve both the quality and duration of your life.
Celebrate Your 5-Day Accomplishment!
All those people you made a commitment to? Now’s your time to tell them you are a Real Food rock star. You crushed it. Post your accomplishment and how it feels to be processed-food-free for 5 days straight with #ChicagoEatRealChallenge.
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