The Weekly Health Challenge: Rice and Exercise

Weekly Challenge (Level One):

Dump the white rice

If you're planning on a meal that includes rice this week, try brown rice. Brown rice hasn't been stripped of its nutrients or processed to such an extent as the white variety. Plus, it has more fiber, which means you absorb fewer calories.

If you're not planning on rice this week, switch out your bread or pasta for the whole wheat variety. Just make sure there's not a boat load of high fructose corn syrup or sugar in it, or you'll be shooting yourself in the foot.

Weekly Challenge (Level Two):

Do fifteen crunches and pushups five days this week

We're upping the intensity some this week; make sure your form is correct or you could cause yourself more harm than good, especially as you add more to your full lineup. If your form suffers, take a short break before continuing. Improper form can hurt you. If you can't, to save your life, maintain proper form, then scale back to ten again.

Extra Challenge:

If this is too easy for you, then add fifteen squats to your exercise lineup. You can see how to do them here. Again, proper form is important!