Explanation

Hopefully this will answer any questions you may have about the chart. :)

Dietary clarifications:

Fruits & Veggies
*you can eat a variety of fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruits
*it's a good idea to eat lots of different kinds of veggies--the easiest way to do this is eat lots of different colors (dark green, orange, etc.) Dry beans and peas also count in this category
*fruit and vegetable juices are also acceptable, but unless you are blending whole fruits at home, you'll want to limit this

Stop eating at 7:30
*studies show that it is better if we don't eat too close to bed-time, but if you are really hungry you could eat an apple, a few carrots, or other low-calorie, easily digested food and still get this point

No fried food
*we don't mean you can't have scrambled eggs for breakfast, or browned meat in your spaghetti :) this means, no french fries, potato chips, chicken fingers (unless they're baked) it's about cutting calories (and especially trans fats!) that come from a lot of oils

Emotional Clarifications:

Goals
*In the first post on the blog, I addressed the importance of making (and succeeding with) good goals. We want to encourage you to make a personal goal each month. Every day you do something to get closer to your goal, give yourself a point. (More on this in the Bonus section.)

Cleaning
*I'm not sure that emotional health is the best place for this, but it seemed to fit. AND, I know I feel better when I've done something to catch up on my ridiculous house! So, for clarification, this includes regular house-cleaning (laundry, dishes, etc.) as well as organizing, gardening, shoveling snow, etc.

"Me" time
*We are not trying to tell you to be selfish, just to recognize the importance of doing something you enjoy each day. Spending 30 minutes doing something you like (reading, cross-stitch, puzzles, running, whatever!) can relax and energize you, and really make a difference in how you feel about that day.

Physical Clarifications:

Cardio
*You get one point for every 30 minutes you are doing something that gets your heart rate going. This doesn't mean you have to go do power aerobics at the local gym. Walking is a great cardio workout--as long as you are walking fast enough to increase your heart rate. If you can carry on a slightly breathy conversation, you're doing okay. :)

Toning
*You get one point for every 20 minutes of toning you do each day. The most obvious example of toning is lifting weights. Lifting weights is awesome for your body, and if you can do it, you should, but this also includes any resistance workout. Whether you are using an exercise band, or just your own body weight (for example, yoga or pilates).

***It is possible to do something that fits both categories. If (for example) you spend half an hour doing a particularly intense yoga workout that really gets your heart rate up give yourself one point in each category.

Bonus points:

Weight loss
*We'd like to encourage you not to weigh yourself too often. Once a week is plenty, and once a month is not such a bad idea. Give yourself 2 points for every pound you lose.
*If you are already at your ideal weight, and you did not gain any weight this month, give yourself 2 points for the month.
*For our pregnant participants, give yourself 2 points this month if your weight gain was within what your doctor thinks is acceptable. (But do NOT beat yourself up if you gained more that you "should" have. Just keep making good choices, and don't worry about it too much.)

Goal bonus
*At the end of the month, re-evaluate the goal you set at the beginning of the month. Rate your success on a scale of 1-5. Give yourself 5 points if you reached your goal, 4 points if you came close, 3 points if you think you could have done better, 2 points if you sort-of gave up half-way through the month, and 1 point if you really didn't try.

If you have other questions, just leave a comment, and we'll do our best to answer. :) Check back in to the blog for great tips to help you get your points, and reach your goals.