How many times have you abandoned a new program or approach because you broke a “rule” and ate something that you weren’t “supposed” to? Well, I already screwed up, you might think, so it doesn’t matter now! And maybe you go from having one extra drink at happy hour to a whole weekend of indulgent food and drinks. Or maybe you don’t even want to try eating a healthier diet, because you know you can’t live up to that stringent vegan/paleo/no-added-sugar diet your sister or friend or co-worker is touting. This kind of black-or-white thinking drives me crazy! I’m much more interested in the healthy changes you can sustain for the rest of your life than in dramatic shifts you stick to for just 14 or 30–or even 60 days. From my perspective, cutting your overall added sugar intake by 25% for good is much more powerful than doing a zero-sugar challenge for two weeks.

GETTING TO GOOD ENOUGH
I’m a big fan of the “good enough” diet. In fact, that’s what led to the 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade™ program. Unlike other 30-day nutrition “boot camps,” the 30 Day Nutrition Upgrade doesn’t ask you to eliminate entire food groups or follow a rigid or restrictive protocol. You don’t have to avoid restaurants, cancel social plans, or pack special food to bring with you everywhere. You’ll just keep on living your regular life…only a little bit healthier. (We will show you how.) You can even do it with your kids! (Some Upgraders report competing with their children over who can eat more vegetables during the day … and their kids love it!)

The 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade features the Nutrition GPA™ app, which was recently named by the New York Times as one of 4 best food tracking apps! Each day, you answer 10 yes-or-no questions about your diet and get a grade for the day. Your daily grades are then averaged to reveal your Nutrition Grade Point Average (GPA). There’s no grade inflation here; we’re not aiming for an A. We’re aiming for a solid B. Because a good-enough diet is healthier than a “perfect” diet, followed by a reactionary binge.

SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL
As simple and fun as it is, the Nutrition GPA is a powerful tool. As one recent Upgrader wrote: “Good news: One D day does not shift my GPA all that much. Bad news: One A day does not shift my GPA all that much. Yes, it really is the pattern of your eating on most days! The GPA is clearing up any denial I had.” The best part is that when we get to the end of the 30 days, you won’t be celebrating that it’s over. On day 31, you’ll be thinking, “Hey, that was easy! And I feel great! Let’s keep going!” In fact, 93% of previous Upgraders indicate that they will continue to use the Nutrition GPA app after the program is over. Many have been using it for years.

The next 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade program kicks off on November 8th!

This fun and flexible group challenge is a great way to kick-start healthy routines and to stay motivated long enough for new behaviors to become established habits. Over 2,000 people have now done this program and the results have been incredible! Virtually all of the participants report that the program made a positive difference in their eating habits. Half of them reported losing weight (even though weight loss is not a goal of this program). More than half also reported having more energy/better mood. Participants reported everything from enjoying their food more to improved digestion to feeling less hungry to finally bringing out of control snacking under control. But perhaps the best part is the the warm, supportive (and funny!) community…men and women from all around the world, from college age to post-retirement, sharing their questions, challenges, and triumphs.

IT’S YOUR TURN!

The next 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade group challenge starts soon! Here are the details and what it includes:

• Kick-off is on Wednesday, November 8th at 6pm CST. (Yes, the session will be recorded if you can’t join us then.)
• Cost $69
• Live one-hour online kick-off, plus Q&A for as long as there are questions.
• Access to a video recording of the session afterwards.
• Free tracking app.
• Downloadable handouts and other program materials.
• Private Facebook group for ongoing (and we mean ongoing!) connection and support.
• If you’re ready to take the plunge, you can click below to sign up.

Sign me up for the 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade

FAQ:

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?
A. 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?
A. 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.”

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?
A. 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?
A. 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!)