Information about the September 11, 2016 Slimdown for Health Physique, Fitness, and Bikini Competition.

-- Details are coming... Details will be on the website by Wednesday June 15, 2016. If you have questions about the competition before then you can email us at info@slimdownforhealth.com.

Is there a Slimdown for Health 12 Week Challenge Contest in December 2015?

-- No, there will not be a contest this December 2015.  I have cancelled the 12 week challenge contest for now. I did the 12 week challenge for three years. If I decide to start back, I will post it online through social media and on the Slimdown For Health website, but until then keep eating healthy and taking care of your body.

I’d like to wait a while before I start the 12 Week Challenge, is that OK?

-- Yes, that is fine. Just remember you must complete at least one 12 week round. Start before all the rounds are finished.

Do I have to sign up to participate in The Slimdown for Health Challenge?

--Yes, you do have to register.

Do you offer workout classes?

--Yes, we offer FREE workout classes on Monday 6 pm - 7 pm,  Thursday 6 pm - 7 pm, and Saturday 6 pm - 7 pm. Location 355 Georgia Ave, Atlanta, Ga. 30312. Location near the Atlanta Zoo.

What do I concentrate/focus on?

--On the Slimdown for Health 12 Week Challenge, you will need to concentrate on exercising 6 days out of the week for best results. You can walk, jog, run, jump rope, do the treadmill, bike, gym, exercise class, dance class, swim class, etc. Eat a super clean and healthy diet each day. Getting your proper amount of water and sleep each day. This may sound easy, but it is not. Being consistent is key. That’s the hard part. You will need to be consistent for 12 weeks straight. In order to see results, but once your body gets through doing the 12 weeks, it will feel awesome and refreshed. Hopefully by then you would have trained yourself into living healthy.

What happens if I fall off the challenge, mess up eating something unhealthy, or miss a workout?

--That’s okay. Don’t give up. Just get right back on the challenge. Don’t make it a habit with falling off the challenge. If you do, it will show up on your “after” pictures. Your goal is to get your body in shape and healthy. Try your best to stay on course and complete a 12 week round.

Suppose I do this challenge and nothing happens?

--Are you kidding? If you follow the program, eat super clean, exercise 6 days a week, drink your correct amount of water each day, proper rest, something great should happen, you should lose weight and tighten up. Weight lost will vary with each individual though.

How do I know if this Slimdown for Health Challenge is for me?

--Only you can answer that, but if you want a transformation in body and mind. This is the Challenge. Take the chance and do something different for your body.

Do I need to do this alone or can I ask others to join me?

--You can do the Slimdown for Health Challenge alone. However, it is always easier and better to have a partner or others doing this along with you. This will help you stay focus. When one gets weak the other person can pull the other up. It will balance out. You will have support/encouragement from others if you don't do it alone.

Why do I need to keep a journal?

--Writing it down helps you see the vision, it helps to solidify your commitment and to help encourage you to stay on task. Once it becomes second nature and you have adopted a healthy lifestyle you will not need to write it down.

What if I am on medication, have a medical condition or under a doctor’s care?

--Always check with your doctor BEFORE embarking on any special dietary, fitness, or fasting program. DO NOT stop taking any of your medications without your doctor’s approval. However, on this Slimdown Challenge you will not need to stop taking your medicine. Fasting is not required for this program, just eating healthy. You want to eat as close to the Eden’s Diet as possible in order to get great benefits. If you are diabetic, pregnant, or have any other health issues, get your doctors approval before you start this Slimdown for Health challenge.

What cooking methods are allowed for the 12 Week Challenge?

--Steaming, boiling, grilling, baking, and raw are allowed. Raw means not cooked, pasteurized, or processed in any way, not of an animal, but of herbal (plant) origin. You can eat foods from your garden, fresh fruits and veggies. No frying allowed. A food steamer is strongly recommended, but not required. It can be purchased at many stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, department stores or ordered online. They average price of a steamer is from $19-$49.  Wal-Mart sell rice cookers/food steamer combos for about $20. Food steamers can be found easy online.

I would recommend steaming your food over all other methods.

--Steaming has a major benefit. It hydrates the food. A steamed sliced potato is moist (thinly slice potatoes before putting them into the steamer). A baked potato is dry. Steaming adds water to food which makes it easier and faster to digest. Steaming adds water to your diet and makes the food easier to eliminate. ***Therefore, steaming is the 1st food method for preparing your food. For the best results, only steam your veggies for the whole 12 week challenge to jump start your metabolism.  I would recommend steaming all veggies along with your veggie patty and grilling your fish, chicken, and turkey. Portion control is important with the meats and starches, but you can eat as much vegetables, fruits, whole grains, & fiber rich foods as you would like. For people who can’t get/buy a steamer then you can prepare your veggies on the stove. Try to not overcook them. Don’t make them soggy or too soft. That will take out a lot of the nutrients. Do not use a lot of seasoning on the vegetables. Use only natural seasoning, if you have to season your food. We are trying to help you clean out your taste buds.

What about juices?

--It is best to make your own fruit juices and it is best to use a blender instead of a juicer. A blender will give you the whole fruit, including the pulp. Most of the fiber which aids cleaning your digestive tract is in the pulp. If you just squeeze the juice out, you throw away the cleansing fiber. Each morning make a delicious smoothie by putting fresh apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, grapes, or whatever fruit combination you like into a blender and blend it (frozen also works if you don't have fresh fruit). Don’t add any sugar, ice cream, yogurt, soda, or any other sweetner, just the fruit and water or a little apple juice to help it blend up. Vegetable juices are somewhat different. For example carrots, celery, beets, oranges, and other vegetables don’t work well in a blender. So use a juicer for those veggies and fruit. FRESHLY MADE vegetable juices are allowed and strongly recommended.

What about coffee and all those pick me up types of drinks?

--They are not allowed.

What about vitamins?

--Unless you have a particular medical need, you can take vitamins. Vitamins can energize and can provide some nutrition.

I have been eating fruit for breakfast, but I’m hungry so fast again after eating. What do I do?

--That’s not a bad thing. What you must realize is that foods straight from nature are usually processed by your body much faster than modern foods. People often complain of the same thing from Chinese food, that it “goes right through you” and you are soon hungry again. Oriental food prepared in the American style with heavy frying, grease and oil “sticks” much longer. The sticking to you really means hard to digest. Fruits and most natural plant foods that are non-processed are easily and quickly digested by the body. That’s why you feel hungry faster. A heavy breakfast of meat, eggs, toast, potatoes or grits (usually all heavily cooked and greasy) is very difficult to digest and therefore sits with you for quite awhile. Man in the natural ate a series of short meals constantly, (picking fruit from trees and vines) so it wasn’t the standard three meals per day. The faster the food is digested, usually the better it is for you. It’s a feeling that you must get used to. The bloated super full feeling for a long time is the unnatural one.

What about dried foods?

--There are many types of dried foods, but try to limit foods that don’t have high water content. Dried fruits, seeds and nuts fit this category. Remember you want to cleanse out your body. To cleanse you need a lot of water and high water content high fiber foods. Dried foods absorb water and can dry out the intestines if not heavily fiber laden. If you eat a lot of dried foods, make sure that you drink extra water.

Can I eat nuts on the Slimdown for Health Challenge?

--Yes, you can. Go easy on the nuts though. Nuts are concentrated protein foods and are rather difficult to digest. In addition, there is not much water in nuts. High water content foods are a necessity since they are the foods that flush the body out. If you need nuts to snack on throughout the day, that would be the best choice compared to snacking on junk.

What about eating citrus fruits?

--Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and tangerines all work within the body to neutralize the toxins and get them out of the body.