5-a-day 21 day challenge…

A few months ago I set and completed a 21 day challenge which was inspired by iamluca. I decided to curb my lavish dessert eating and was quite successful (will be doing a follow up post shortly).

As Summer approaches although it’s getting sunny and bright, my energy levels are buried somewhere. I believe they may still be wrapped in 5 layers of clothes under a duvet in front of the fan heater, but in order to coax them out I shall attempt to change the way I eat. I’ve realised that I probably eat 5 pieces of fruit over the course of the whole week, probably a little bit more veg as I tend to have it with dinner most of the time, but I know for a fact that I don’t eat fruit everyday and don’t come anywhere near to 5 a day. So I challenge myself, and anyone who’d like to join me to eat 5 pieces of fruit or veg a day. Actually easier then it sounds… I’ve also added 2-3 trips to the gym and more water (haven’t given it a quota, but more can’t be bad right? Lol) my energy levels are seriously sucking and I’ve had a cold for nearly 2 weeks.

So I started today…

I got this portion size information from the NHS website:
Small-sized fruit One portion is two or more small fruit, for example two plums, two satsumas, two kiwi fruit, three apricots, six lychees, seven strawberries or 14 cherries.
Medium-sized fruit One portion is one piece of fruit, such as one apple, banana, pear, orange, nectarine or sharon fruit.
Large fruit One portion is half a grapefruit, one slice of papaya, one slice of melon (5cm slice), one large slice of pineapple or two slices of mango (5cm slices).
Dried fruit A portion of dried fruit is around 30g. This is about one heaped tablespoon of raisins, currants or sultanas, one tablespoon of mixed fruit, two figs, three prunes or one handful of dried banana chips.

Breakfast was oatmeal and raisin cookies and half a punnet of grapes. Lunch was sushi and an apple. Dinner was fish, butterbeans, avocado. Snacks - strawberry, mango, melon fruit pot. Mango, pineapple, passionfruit smoothie. Glasses of water 4.

Not a bad start. I think all of that adds up to 5 or at least very close to.

And once the 21 days are up I hope the ‘habit’ is instilled and I keep it going….