If you’ve been seeing #800gchallenge all over the ‘gram lately, but you weren’t sure exactly what was going on, then guys – this is the post for you.
What is the 800g Challenge?
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The 800g Challenge was designed by Optimized Nutrition as a tool to help people assess the quality of their diet, and start making daily habit changes to eating their way to a healthier lifestyle.
I freaking love that concept. It’s something I tell my clients all the time: even when we’re tracking the quantity of our food (as a tool to make a change to our body composition; i.e. losing weight, building muscle, etc.), we still have to pay attention to the QUALITY of what we’re eating. We can be just as unhealthy even when we’re hitting our macros if we’re choosing processed foods over nutrient dense, whole foods. Macros do matter, but what a lot of people sometimes forget is so do the micronutrients.
What do you eat during the 800g challenge?
Each day, eat 800g in weight of fruits and vegetables. That’s it. Simple rules make it easy to follow, right? No fruit or vegetable is off limits. You can eat fresh, canned, frozen – anything. Just only weigh what you’re going to eat (so like, peel your orange before you weigh it so you don’t get an inaccurate number including the weight of the peel/skin, and drain any canned veggies first). Want to weigh them before you cook them? Do it. Want to weigh them after they’re cooked? Go for it.
If you don’t have a food scale at home, you can still totally participate. Just know that 1 cup of food is approximately 100g, and one closed fist is about the same as 1 cup.
(If you want to buy a scale, this is the one I use. I ordered it from Amazon and it’s been my food scale for the last four-ish years).
Any food restrictions? Nope. You can eat anything else throughout the day like you normally would. If you want to learn more about the fruits and veggies you can eat (which are essentially every and any), you can find out more by visiting the Optimized Nutrition site here (there are a few things that don’t count toward your 800g, so I recommend reading through before you start!)
Will the 800g Challenge Help You Lose Weight?
While weight loss isn’t the goal of the 800g challenge, it’s definitely something you might experience. When you’re paying attention to filling your plate with lean proteins, complex carbs, and LOTS of fruits and veggies, you’re naturally going to probably see changes on the scale. Because you’re fueling your body as opposed to filling it up with processed foods, which leave us feeling bloated, hungry, and craving junk food more than ever.
Should you try the 800g challenge?
Why not? This program isn’t asking you to purchase any supplements. It’s not restricting your diet or telling you that you can’t eat a certain group of foods. It’s instead – encouraging you to fill your plate with healthier foods than we may be choosing on a typical basis.
The 800g Challenge might be for you if:
- You are someone who doesn’t eat many fruits or veggies during the day (like, none, or only one or two servings total).
- You are wanting to improve your overall health.
- You are wanting to clean up your diet.
- You are wanting to teach your family about healthy eating habits.
- You are wanting to lose weight (This challenge itself may or may not help you lose weight. But what it can do is help you start making better decisions when it comes to the foods you’re selecting to fuel your body. When you start eating healthier, you’re more likely to start adopting other healthier behaviors. Also, fruits and veggies are typically lower in calories, and when you burn more calories than you consume on a consistent basis, that’s when weight loss occurs).
- You need something healthy to focus on during the pandemic and this is something positive that you can control.
Why are Fruits and Veggies so Important?
Simply put, fruits and vegetables are jam packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Not to mention fiber and phytochemicals (which help fight off certain diseases like cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, macular degeneration, and more). Fruits and veggies also help us control our weight, and give us natural boosts of energy to help us get through our day. For reference – pizza, while delicious, does the opposite of those things (unless you’re eating a cauliflower crust pizza, that’s a little different).
If you’re doing the 800g challenge or contemplating – drop a comment and let me know what’s working for you or what your plan of attack will be! Otherwise I’ll just keep stalking the hashtag #800gchallenge on Insta.
Check out these fruit-filled recipes:
Check out these veggie-filled recipes:
Ready to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle? Join my FREE 30 day challenge below!
