800g Challenge

The 800g Challenge

What is it?

It’s a way to eat better without restricting your diet. The goal is to eat 800g of fruit and/or vegetables every day for 30 days.

I’ve seen this done as a competition style challenge and while this may encourage some people to do well, continuing after the 30 days doesn’t hold the same appeal so we’re not going to have leader boards and winners.

Why do it?

When dealing with nutrition, two of the biggest things to avoid are wholesale changes and elimination diets. With the 800g challenge, we avoid both of these.

We get the best of both worlds; we continue to eat as we have done and get the benefits of eating better.

Why this? It was designed by EC Synkowski. EC is a Level 4 CrossFit Coach and part of the CF Seminar staff. She runs OptimizeMe Nutrition and as a CrossFitter, understands our needs and wants more than the usual bodybuilding type diet coaches.

If you want to find out more on the health benefits, you can go here.
https://optimizemenutrition.com/2018/01/07/putting-a-metric-on-quality/

So, I just eat 800g of fruit and veg a day?

No, this is as well as your normal days eating.

When will we do it?

We’re going to start this on the 1st April

How will we do it?

It’s pretty easy. Weight and consume at least 800g of fruit and vegetables every day.

What does it cost?

The Challenge itself is free.

Great, how do I sign up?
Stick your name down here – https://forms.gle/mL6t59u3eJStMTTx6

The “Rules”

Only fruits and vegetables count towards the 800g total
Total calories (and macronutrient grams) are up to the individual based on their fruit and vegetable choices, as well as the other foods in their diet
It does not matter if the item is cooked, canned, frozen, or fresh
Dried fruits/vegetables and juices do not count towards the total
You cannot count fruits or vegetables in processed or packaged foods. Potatoes as Crisps, peas in a chicken pot pie, apples in apple pie, do not count.
You can count fruit and vegetables you weigh before making a recipe applied to the serving you consume (i.e., veggies in a chili, ingredients for blending in a smoothie).
Canned items are ok if canned in water and/or spices only, like canned black beans, and you weigh the drained solids.
Refuse (peels, cores, or skins) that are not consumed should not be included.
The expectation is that you weigh and measure at home, work, etc. You can eyeball fruits and vegetables from restaurants (no need to break out the scale for ordering broccoli). We expect you to use a restaurant’s website nutrition information where available. Be sure you estimate appropriately: leafy greens do not weigh much (~25g a cup) and most restaurant vegetable portions are often ~75-85 grams.
You can cheat any diet or system. Go with the spirit of the challenge and when in doubt, do not count it.

The “Yes/Nos”

Hopefully, we don’t have to list all the existing fruits and vegetables!
Here are a few exceptions that can be confusing:
Avocado: A fruit! Count it.
Coconut: A fruit! Count it if you eat it as the fresh meat. Liquid (milk and juices) and dried (flakes) coconut products do not count.
Corn: As in corn on the cob or whole kernels, count it! Corn derivatives (i.e., cornmeal, popcorn (derived from dried kernels)) do not count.
Fermented/pickled foods (e.g., kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles): Assuming its just vegetables and weighed (relatively) drained, these count. If the brine includes sugar, it does not count.
French fries: No. Commercially fried anything is out for the 800g total. Cut up potatoes roasted at home are fair game.
Grains (like quinoa or buckwheat) do not count.
Legumes (beans) and peas: Except for peanuts, count them!
Olives: A fruit! Count them.
Nuts: Do not count towards your total.
Tomato derivatives (e.g., salsa, tomato sauce): If the entire ingredient list is vegetables and spices, count it. Most tomato sauces, salsas, etc., however, include water, oil, and/or sugar in the ingredient list, such that they do not count.
Per above, you can cheat any diet or system. If you are questioning if something counts, it probably does not.