With Baby Box Kendalll due early next year, I won’t be able to host another round of my Real Food Challenge in January. Instead, I’ll be leading our Healthy Holiday Nutrition Challenge over the holiday season.

Throughout this 50-day challenge, participants will keep track of their food intake and work towards eating within their predetermined macronutrient targets.  Instead of eliminating certain foods, they can enjoy everything the season has to offer without going overboard and getting on the holiday gain train!

What are macros & why should I track them?

“Macro” is just an abbreviation of the word 'macronutrient' and refers to one of the three building blocks of our diet: carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Most of us are aware that counting the calories you consume can help you understand if you're eating the right amount of food. However, tracking calories alone doesn't necessarily ensure that you're getting the appropriate nutrients for your health and training goals (i.e. lean muscle gain or improved body composition). In a calorie-focused diet, you can still eat plenty of sugar and junk food devoid of any real nutrients while still remaining within your desired calorie window. 200 calories of broccoli is the same as 200 calories of cake but which do you think offers more bang for your buck in terms of nutrient density?

A macro-based diet, on the other hand, looks at the ratios of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in your daily diet rather than the total calorie count alone. Instead of counting calories directly, you count the number of grams of each macronutrient you consume (as each macronutrient provides a certain number of calories). As a result, tracking macros means you’re automatically tracking calories but you’re ensuring a certain number of those calories come from protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

Your macronutrient target is calculated by first determining your Total Daily Energy Expenditure and then using this information along with your health and training goals (i.e. gain weight, maintain weight, lose fat) to determine the percentage of each macronutrient you need to consume each day -- what we term your “macro split”. By tracking macros, you can ensure you're eating the amounts of food your body needs to function optimally.

Sound like a lot? I'll take the guesswork out of all of this by calculating your macronutrient needs and adding your targets to the Joy Health Tracker app you'll be using throughout the challenge.

Cost: $175
15% discount for Elite Training Clients & Prime Members 

Includes:

• 2-month subscription to Joy Health Tracker app to use during challenge with Sara as your manager. You can continue your subscription for use of the app and full access to your health reports and data for a minimal monthly cost afterward. 

• Access to private Titan Holiday Nutrition Challenge Facebook Group for more tips and information, recipes, encouragement, and accountability from Sara and fellow challengers.

Cashback opportunity!

Not only can you expect to keep your nutrition on track over the festive season and prevent holiday weight gain, but you can accumulate points throughout the challenge to receive cashback at its completion!

• 1 point for every day you log your food intake

• An additional point for each day you meet your  macronutrient target

• Bonus points available from Facebook tips and mini-challenges

35 - 69 points = $50
log minimum 5 days/week for all 7 weeks

70-99 points = $75
log intake AND meet macro target for minimum 5 days/week for all 7 weeks

100 points = Full Refund!
log intake AND meet macro target for all 50 days of the challenge

**Register Early so I can get started calculating your macro split and setting up your Joy app profile. Look out for the November Titan Talk to register! 

By tracking your macros throughout the challenge, you can prioritize nutrient-dense foods while enjoying little indulgences here and there as long as you stay within the predetermined amounts of your macronutrient ratio. This challenge will teach you how to eat the right amounts of food for your body, eventually fine-tuning your ability to self-regulate and achieve the right balance of nutrients on your own. 

I look forward to working more closely with you this holiday season!

Health, Happiness & Holiday Cheer,

Sara