Still not sure whether the 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade program is for you? Here are answers to some of the questions I got about the program this week. If others are wondering, maybe you are too! And if you have a question that I haven’t answered here, feel free to email me.
Q. I can’t make the live kickoff session. Can I watch it the next day?
A. Yes, I will be recording the entire thing in dazzling HD Video and will send a link the following day. Those who are with us for the live session will also have access to the recorded video, in case they’d like to watch any part of it again. Although it’s not essential that everyone start their 30 days on the same day, I encourage you to watch the video and start your challenge as soon as you can. It’s just more fun that way.
Q. I’m not ready to start the program right now. Can I just register when I’m ready to start and watch the recording then?
A. Although you can watch the recording and start your 30-days whenever you like, you must register before the program begins.
Q. I have a vacation/work trip/special celebration coming up. Won’t this interfere?
This isn’t some extreme 30-day detox that will interfere with vacation plans or holiday celebrations. It’s a simple yet powerful approach that will fit easily into your (and your family’s) daily routine. The whole idea here is to develop habits (and attitudes about healthy eating) that are flexible enough to accommodate life’s little ups and downs, instead of going on and off various regimens.
I loved this comment from a previous participant: “Our family went to Disneyworld right in the middle of my 30-day challenge. Being on the challenge didn’t ruin my vacation. Even better, being on vacation didn’t ruin my challenge!”
Q. I live in Europe/England/Australia/etc. Is the program geared around things only available in the States or is it suitable globally?
A. We have folks participating from UK, Europe, Middle East, and Australia! There are no specific products or brands involved. The challenge focuses on entire food groups. As long are there are vegetables, nuts, and so on where you live, you’ll have what you need! And although there’s not a lot of measuring involved, when I do offer guidance on portion sizes, I always provide metric equivalents.
Q. What foods do I need to give up to succeed with this program?
A. There are no forbidden foods in this program and the goal is not to get a “perfect” score every day. The more healthy choices you make, the more room there is for a little indulgence. The goal is to find a healthy sustainable balance between the two.
Q. My diet is already pretty healthy. What do I have to gain from this program?
Here’s what one of the participants from September’s group told me:
“I wasn’t sure that the program would be worth it to me because I eat pretty well already. But the program revealed a couple of “blind spots” that I had about my diet. I did end up improving my diet and it was a very enjoyable process.”
Click here to read more reviews and feedback from past participants.
Q. I’m pregnant/breast-feeding. Would it be safe for me to do this challenge? Will I have trouble getting the calories I need?
There is absolutely no calorie restriction involved. We focus on shifting food choices to healthier choices and trying to be more consistent. You should have no problem getting enough calories…it’ll just be from more nutritious foods! People who want to lose weight frequently do lose a few pounds during the challenge, but it’s definitely not the focus of the program.
Q. I’m vegan/vegetarian. Will this program work for me?
A. The challenge is based on ten aspects of your daily diet for which you earn/lose points. Vegetarians and vegans have a slight advantage in that they presumably will never lose points for eating cured or processed meats! But that still leaves 9 other aspects to work on. We have had vegetarians do the program in the past with great success (and I’m a about 90% vegetarian myself!)
Q. Can I do the challenge if I don’t use Facebook?
Participation in the private Facebook group is completely optional–and you always have direct access to me via email. But to be perfectly honest with you, the interaction and support in the Facebook group is pretty awesome and continues long after the 30-day challenge ends. (The group from 2015 is still active!)
Still not sure? Drop me an email.
The daily questions and responses seem like a great way to gather information on people and their diets. What kinds of information do you track and how is it used or shared?
You’re right: the information on eating habits could be very useful from a research perspective. At present, however, none of the information is collected or shared. I would only do so with the permission of participants, and even then any information would be stripped of any personally identifying details. Feel free to email me if you have further questions!
Hi Mónica
Are all the daily questions and healthy tips related to nutrition?
I mean, are there any other healthy tips (fitness, stress…) in the challenge?
Hi Luis, the ten questions all focus on aspects of diet. During the last challenge, we talked about the pros and cons of having additional questions focus on other lifestyle aspects such as exercise, stress, sleep, etc. All of these definitely play a role in a healthy lifestyle. But having to answer 15 or 20 questions a day instead of just 10 might undermine the simplicity. However, it would be possible to add that into your own challenge. I’ll work with any participant to modify the program to match their personal goals.
Hi! Do you need a smartphone, or are the plans and updates all online? I guess you miss out on the app, but anything else? Thanks!
Hi Jo! You do not need a smartphone. For those who don’t use the app, we provide a special spreadsheet for tracking. Everything else happens either online or via email. Let me know if you have further questions!
Do participants have access to the app after the 30 days without further charges?
Absolutely! I hope it’s something you continue to use on an ongoing basis.