This post is part of a series titled "Twinmama's Lifestyle Challenge". For more information about how the challenge works, please visit related links here and here.

Week Ten: How Did It Go?

Wow, what a difference a couple weeks can make! Two weeks ago, I thought I was on my deathbed. Finally by this past Tuesday, I started feeling better. It was amazing to feel the combination of feeling better and not drinking caffeine not only made me feel better, but it lifted my mood and I was racing about this house getting stuff done. (Which was good since the house was looking a little rough.) What a difference. I have to admit, the caffeine withdrawal was super tough on me. I felt weak, irritable and sluggish, but once I got through it (it took a few days) and got rid of the cold and cough, too, I am a new woman!

So, what else can I tweak in my diet? Let's see...

Week Eleven...cue Mission: Impossible music...

Category?: Personal/Family

What?: Consider sodium. It is time to get serious about lowering my sodium intake. There are many complications that can occur by consuming so many salty foods on a daily basis and I need to be aware of what my family is consuming, too.

Why?: Sodium is tricky. There are so many types of food including so-called "diet" foods that have high levels of sodium in them. (You know, remove fat and well, taste, they have to add something to make it edible!) Frozen, diet meals are notorious for this! The USDA (see resource link below) recommends about 2300 mg or 1 teaspoon per day and suggest that most Americans consume an average of 5000 mg a day! Too much sodium can cause high blood pressure.

How Do We Go About Doing the Challenge?: According to Mayoclinic.com (see resource link below), 77% of our sodium intake is estimated to come from processed or prepared foods. Um...do you want to start there? We will limit the amount of processed foods - sauces, pre-packaged "dinner kits", frozen meals and processed snacks (this includes "sweet" items, they have salt, too.) Also, we will consider doing some research about our favorite places to dine out and see if we can obtain nutrition guidelines. We will still allow the occasional treats out to those really yummy places, but by eating healthier at home and regularly, we can enjoy the occasional trip to our favorite Texas BBQ restaurant (it's sooo good) and not feel guilty for it.

Who Does the Challenge Include?: The whole twinfamily.

Resources to Help:

http://www.health.gov/DietaryGuidelines/dga2005/document/html/chapter8.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284

TLC Weekly Challenges start on Mondays and continue indefinitely. I will post my results along with the following challenge next Sunday. Remember, you are invited to participate in my weekly challenge or create your own and tell me about it! Also, if you find better ways to accomplish a weekly challenge, please drop me a comment. Good luck, fellow TLC-ers!