Path to Health
Take The Path to Health Challenge!
Lose weight and Gain a healthier you!
By following our 21-Day Program and maintaining the healthy habits, you will earn the chance to win $100 cash or a 3-day vacation stay at The Island on Lake Travis.
Here is how to participate in the Path to Health Challenge
- Complete the online Path to Health Challenge Agreement Form. Start the program and track your successes.
- Use the information provided under “Path to a Healthy Life Style” and start this 21-Day Program.
- Record everything you eat and drink daily.
- After maintaining the diet and exercise regimen of our 21-Day Program, report accomplishments to Primero Health (using the Health Challenge Completion Form below) for a chance to win $100 cash or a 3-day vacation stay at The Island on Lake Travis.
21-DAY PLAN FOR A HEALTHIER YOU
Required Activities Prior to Day 1:
- Use a tracking log to record everything you eat and drink. Tracking Log
- Record your Body Measurements and weight.
- Record your weight loss Goal.
Day 1: Start snacking between meals, every 2-3 hours to speed your metabolism and burn more fat. Eat snacks midway between breakfast and lunch, and another one between lunch and dinner. Ideas for Snacks
Day 2: Learn to prepare a well-balanced Power Meal. Starting with day 2, you will make sure to eat one well-balanced Power Meal per day, either at Lunch or Dinner. For additional information about Power Meals, click here. For a complete list of healthy recipe booklets on our website, click here.
Day 3: Eat Breakfast as soon as you wake up. If you are on the run eat a snack and have breakfast 2 hours later, but don’t wait to eat. Eating breakfast within 30 minutes from waking up “jump-starts” your metabolism to start burning fat; not eating will slow it down.
Day 4: Beginning today start eating three well-balanced Power Meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) and snacking in between meals every 2-3 hours. In addition you will eat more healthy breads and healthy sweets and will avoid refined sugars and flour. Choose healthy breads and sweets that are not loaded with simple sugar and refined white flour. Eat unprocessed foods, those higher in fiber, such as whole wheat and sugar alternatives to increase your overall mood and energy. For information about Sugars: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, click here.
Day 5: Drink more water than what you have been drinking; work your way up to 12 (8-oz glasses) per day. There is no substitute for clean, fresh water, but if you must, the following beverages can be substituted occasionally: coffee, iced tea, herb tea,diet iced teas, mineral water, diet sodas, club soda, sugar free lemonades, and sparkling water.
Day 6: Eat more healthy fat in your foods (fish, nuts, healthy oils, etc) and reduce foods high in saturated fat (pork, red meat, and dairy products). Your body needs the good fat (mono-unsaturated or poly-unsaturated fats), which are essential for healthy hair, skin, and joints, lower the risk heart disease and help with many other processes in your body. Avoid foods that contain Trans Fats including fried and breaded foods.
Day 7: Start getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep to accelerate weight loss and for personal well being.
Day 8: Today, start exercising for 12 minutes each day. Discover fun exercises like walking for 12 minutes while listening to your favorite music. Use a cardio-video to do line dancing at home or other type of exercise video.
Click here for some fitness videos to get you started.
Day 9: Add additional nutrients (multi-vitamins) to optimize your metabolism and general health, These may include: Borage Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil), Ground Flaxseed, Protein Power. As usual, it is recommended that you consult with your physician before adding additional nutrients to your diet.
Day 10: Evaluate your kitchen and remove all products that are loaded with refined sugar or flour, those with hydrogenated and fractionated oils; high fructose corn syrup, white, bleached and enriched flour, and products with high levels of fat. Replace them with healthier versions, such as white bread with 100% wheat grain, etc.
Day 11: Today, find three new meals and snacks you love and make the needed adjustments to make them well-balanced Power Meals. Making these adjustments will keep you eating what you enjoy, keep you energized, will help you maintain your weight and live a healthy life. Remember it is all about adjusting the portion of each component (protein, fast carbs, slow carb), substituting fast carbs for slow carbs and/or adding protein power to increase the protein intake. If you love spaghetti and meat balls, replace it with wheat pasta and turkey meat. Have 1/3 serving of spaghetti and 2/3 servings of salad or other slow carb. If you like cookies, turn oatmeal cookies into a power snack by using Splenda or another healthy substitute sugar, and adding almonds or blueberries.
Day 12: Add 12 more minutes to your exercise program. Use these extra 12 minutes to perform resistance exercise. This would be any movement where your body exerts a force against some kind of resistance (such as push-ups, sit-ups, or squats). You can use weights, resistance bands, or latex exercise bands). This exercise is used to develop the strength and size of skeletal muscles.
Day 13: Eating healthy at restaurants is not difficult. Learn to eyeball portions, choose lean meats, broiled, grilled are best choices. Note that carb portions are usually loaded at restaurant but you don’t have to eat it all, share it with someone or take it home. When eating at a restaurant do the same as you do at home: Decide on your protein, fast and slow carbs and separate/remove extra portions.
Day 14: If you are following the Plan you should notice progress by now. Find a buddy to share the Program with and walk her/him through the process. Find new healthy recipes; convert meals you enjoy into well-balanced Power Meals by making needed adjustments.
Day 15: Find and do a fun physical activity for at least 30 minutes twice a week. Try, golf, tennis, hiking, shooting hoops, window shopping. Increase the frequency of the activity until you get to 5 out of the 7 days of the week. Anytime you are up and moving around, you are burning calories. When you get to a point where you are not out of breath but are beginning to perspire, you are burning a LOT of calories.
Day 16: Increase your 24 minute exercise regimen to 30 minutes a day.
Day 17: EAT ONLY THE FOOD YOU ENJOY in appropriate portions as discussed in Day 2 (see above).
Day 18: Alternate your exercise programs. Increase your workout time to 36 minutes a day. When you repeat the same exercise for a long period of time your body adapts to the stress and you will start losing less calories. It is recommended that you have a alternative workouts (different videos/routine, etc) and change it about every two to three weeks after you complete the 21-Day Program.
Day 19: Avoid Hidden Calories. When you cook a meal, go over labels very carefully. Read every ingredient; do the same with every snack. Request nutritional information at restaurants as well, if available. Nutrition Label
Day 20: Share your well-balanced Power Meals with friends, and family to promote healthy lifestyle changes.
Day 21: Check your weight loss progress and CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS!! Remember to complete and submit the Health Challenge Completion Form to Primero Health as indicated in the agreement. Click here for the Health Challenge Completion Form.
Don’t forget to use our Tools and Resources to help you succeed!
Remember to report YOUR accomplishments after using the 21-Day Program to Primero Health by completing the online Health Challenge Completion form. You may be selected to win $100 cash or a 3-day vacation stay at The Island on Lake Travis and feature your accomplishment on the Primero Health website.
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