This is it.  The last few days of the Spring Clean/Drop-10 Challenges. 

Hopefully you have cleaned up your diet/daily routine and/or learned some new things along the way.  

Pick one or all of the following RULES for clean eating.  While these are great habits for every day, do as many as you can until next week.  

If you truly want to feel lighter and leaner by Tuesday (for Drop-10 participants final weigh-in numbers due Tuesday), do ALL of the below. 

NO wheat.   This does not mean no gluten, but no wheat whatsoever.  Why?

1. Replace all wheat in your diet with non-starchy veggies and/or lower carb/sugar fruits.  (Note: NOT with corn, potato, rice and other grains.)  As you can see in your “Choose Your Foods” book, you can have 3 full cups of non starchy veggies for the exact same carb count as ¼ of a bagel, 1/3 cup of rice, 1 slice of bread, etc.  And the veggies have “jobs” to do inside your body – they supply nutrients your body needs to thrive. 
2. This simple practice of giving up wheat for a period of time is a great “wake up call” to how much extra energy we’re really consuming.  It’s also a great way to focus on veggies and lean protein to fill you up.  Unless you are truly expending a LOT of extra energy (running a marathon this weekend, etc), your body won’t miss the grain. 
3. Tis the season for graduations, etc.  If you are purposefully avoiding wheat, you will purposely avoid cakes, cookies, crackers, and other empty calories. 
4. You’ll jump-start weight loss and feel less bloated Monday!
5. TIP:  Bring a veggie or fruit tray to your get-togethers so you’ll have something to eat and get OUT of the kitchen/food area.

Drink WATER.  If you have fallen off the water wagon, starting right now, drink ½ your weight in water every day.  NO sugary drinks.

SWEAT.  Every single day until Tuesday, make it your goal to break a sweat with a good workout.  Need workout ideas?  Get outside and walk/jog/run, bike, jump rope, dance, do a workout video (I have tons at home I’d be happy to lend you if you need one), try a circuit workout – I get workouts from magazines like SELF and Runner’s World – just visit their websites for good workouts to do – or try an app like Nike Training Club.

SLEEP: You're busy, it's staying light late, etc, etc. Just do yourself the favor of going to bed at a decent time.  It's very hard to stay "clean" without sleep.