And so it begins. Post C-section Project Slim Down, that is. My doctor cleared me to start walking 4 weeks ago as I wanted to start 3 days after I got out of the hospital. However, I never actually got around to it. And, I don’t have any excuse since Pops Wei is at home helping, he takes night shift so that I get plenty of sleep, AND we have an angel baby who sleeps 1-2 hour stretches easy. However, I’m not beating myself up because … ya know … new baby. LOL! I know that there is still a new, dependent little person in the house and a new routine is needed. And, since hers is the most important, everything else needs to be worked around it.
All that being said, it is definitely time to start getting it together as I’ve putting weight on after having dropped all but 3 of the 25-26 pounds I gained. In full disclosure, I’ve also been eating horribly, so I’m up 10 pounds from my weight prior to pregnancy. My current weight is 147 lbs at 5’1″.
So, at my 6 week post-op appointment yesterday, I got the all clear to resume working out, albiet with the caveat that I need to start slowly.
My goal is to get at least 10 minutes of exercise daily, to regain my fitness and flexibility levels, and to get rid of the excess weight, of course. Hopefully, this stomach and back fat will go as I’ve never carried too much weight in my upper body (I’ve also been wearing a Bellefit corset and lubricating my stomach daily as I know the skin and abs needs assistance retracting).
That being said, today was Day 1 of another 10 Minutes A Day for 28 Days of Fitness! How apropos that my starting weight is only one pound less than it was when I did this in 2013 and turned it into 365 Days of Fitness. Hence the title of this post, “Here We Go…Again!”
This post is a few weeks overdue. I really planned to post it on day 366 … but I just never got it together. I mean, I posted the above pic on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. But, I am aware that a good number of you don’t follow me on those platforms. So, I did mean to do a blog post for those who only follow here. Butttttt … yeah, I just have not been motivated to write more than a caption!! And, I have so many posts that I want to write … but after work, I’m just tired. And on the weekends … still tired?!?!? Blame it on the cold and snowy weather in NJ? I blame it on my self-diagnosed SAD (seasonal affective disorder), although … I’ve been pretty happy. LOL!! Oh well … no more excuses.
So yeah, I finished 365 Days of Fitness with a minimum of 10 minutes of exercise/activity every day on February 17th. The last week was pretty lackluster as I was in Ireland for “holiday” (love that term for vacation) with my mom, sister, and niece.
We had long, cool, rainy, castle and green field filled days and I never managed to get up and workout in the morning. So, I mostly just finagled in 10-20 minute of yoga stretches for hip flexibility each night. Gotta say though, I think that’s what I needed as we spent a minimum of 4 hours driving in the car each day and it was more like 6-8 hours on a couple of occasions. So, I was very stiff and sore and the stretching was welcome!
Anywho, we returned from Ireland the evening of February 16th and so my last two days of 365 Days of Fitness were also quick and sweatless. Add to that, I’ve put a good 10 or *mumble muble* so pounds since the wedding … let’s just say, 10 Minutes a Day is still in full effect. Seventy-five minutes of hot yoga this morning made Day 385.
LESSONS LEARNED
So, what I have I learned over this 365 Days and Then Some? Welp, I can’t say that it was anything earth shattering because I’ve worked out off and on, hard core and moderate over the last 20 years. But, I did learn a few things.
10 Minutes of exercise a day is better than 0 minutes, no matter how little it may seem. And 10 minutes can easily turn into 20-30 minutes with enough time. But, if it doesn’t, it’s okay. Because tomorrow is always another day.
I discovered I can do just 10 minutes of exercise a day and not feel guilty that I didn’t do more. See prior bullet!
I love green smoothies!! LOL!! During this journey, I started drinking green smoothies after my in-laws (no more *future* in front of that ;)) gave me a NutriBullet for my birthday last year. I used it daily for months … until I broke it by constantly overfilling it (overflowed and burned out the motor, I think). I got another one at my work bridal shower and finally broke it out a couple of weeks ago. So glad to have green smoothies back in my diet!! It just feels good to start most days with my breakfast smoothie (see here).
Eating badly is not an excuse to not work-out! This one was HUGE for me!! I use to always fall off of the wagon of exercising when I ate badly a couple of days in a row. I would feel like I had no energy and that I was sapped and bloated. Well, I learned that I can eat Wendy’s, a crapload of food on a cruise, cupcakes, pancakes, burgers, candy, what-have-you, and STILL workout! In fact, I often have MORE energy and get great workouts due to the calorie boost! Given that I often work out in the morning on an empty stomach, working out fully fueled feels a lot easier!! Now, that’s not an excuse to eat junk, it just proves that eating junk is not an excuse ;)!
I ♥♥♥ yoga!!!!! I mean … really, truly! Although my body is not as young and nubile as it used to be, although I have aches and pains in my 40s that I never experienced in the past, I still find myself learning how to do new things with my body … things I couldn’t even do when I was “young and nubile!” This is all because of yoga. So, last Sunday, I started a 30 Day Yoga Challenge by DoYouYoga on YouTube! It’s comprised of 10-20 minute videos that I do daily, usually in addition to some other exercise. I feel like it has already paid dividends as hot yoga was awesome this morning!! I had a great practice and everything was flowing, my breath, my flows, my inversions! Can’t wait to see what I feel like after 23 more days!!
Okay, time to wrap this up! So, on the anniversary of the day I began 365 Days of Fitness (I was just trying to make it through 28 Days back then!!), I recommitted myself to eating well and staying active. I plan to continue to work out daily by doing at least 10 minutes of activity a day. I don’t have any “end game” in sight. I’m still working on getting my eating habits FULLY back in order (I’ve improved over the last couple of weeks, but I’ve still got work to do to be consistent). However, I know that with just a little focus and discipline, I can get these extra pounds off. It’ll be a lot easier this time as I never fell off the fitness wagon! So, though I’m not where I want to be weight -wise, I will not give up. There is no finish line for being healthy and active. It requires a LIFE change. But, I’m up for it.
Yesterday was the day!!! It was the end of our 28 Days/10 Minutes a Day Fitness Challenge!! So, how did you guys do? Was it harder or easier than you thought? If you missed a day, did you get back to it the next? Do you want to do it again? Are you going to set a longer goal? Time to update us with your Week 4: Days 22-28!!
I’m still not going as hard as I have in the past, but I was mostly back to morning workouts this week, if I remember correctly. They were just short ones though … but hey, that’s the point right? Even 10 minutes a day is worth it!! So, this week, I decided I really want to work on improving my hip flexibility for yoga as I felt like I had kind of plateaued in my practice lately. I really want to be able to do the cross-legged full lotus pose. So, that was somewhat my focus this last week.
WEEK 4 RECAP
Day 22 / 342: Hot Yoga / Vinyasa Flow at Younique Yoga studio in Sparta, NJ (75 min).
Day 23 / 343: Lauren Brooks Kettlebell Joint Mobility Warm-up and 12 Minute Full Body Blast. But, I switched it up. Since I didn’t have time to do 2 rounds of the short routine, instead of taking the 30 second rest between each 1 minute set, I jumped rope during that “breaks” instead. This kept my heart rate up through the entire 12 minutes.
Day 24 / 344: Jump rope (5 min – whew!), 12 reps x 3 sets of rows with door jam “suspension trainer,” 12 reps x 3 sets of “superman” back extensions, Developing Lotus Flexibility video (10 min), forearm tripod inversion for 30 breaths (total: approx. 20-25 minutes).
Day 25 / 345: Developing Lotus Flexibility video (10 min). I did the video in the morning with plans to get some cardio in the evening. Well, I’m sure glad I did that in the a.m., because I was on the road for 4 hours for work and when I got home, passed out on the couch at 8:30 p.m. I woke up, thinking it was 10 or 11 … it was almost 2 a.m.! Needless to say, I hit the sack, counting myself lucky that I had done the video in the morning!!
Day 26 / 346: Developing Lotus Flexibility video (10 min) and Lotus Hips video (20 min).
Day 27 / 347:KeiraLashae Kickboxing video (10 min), jump rope (5 min), and Developing Lotus Flexibility video (10 min).
Day 28 / 348: Angie Miller Kettlebell Bootcamp sets 1-3 plus 32 alternating hand swings and 16 two-hand swings (22 min).
So I’m also going to include a little of Day 349 / 29 (Hot Yoga Vinyasa Flow – 75 min) in this post, because …
Yeah, I know the video is kind of crappy, but I didn’t have any help today!! LOL! But, the point is, those hip opening stretches are already paying dividends!! Today was the first time that I’ve even come close to this one leg arm balance (Koundiyanasana)! Usually, I can’t even get that front foot off of the ground!! So, I’m kind of excited and, after I finish this post, think I’ll be doing some more hip opening stretches. Hey, I’m home alone while many are starting to enjoy Superbowl parties, small and large. So, why not? Think I’ll catch up on last week’s Justified and Community too ;).
Lata Gatas!
(p.s. Don’t forget to check out our FB Events pagewhere many folks update daily! You can find lots of ideas for home, outdoors, YouTube, DVD, app, and gym workouts to mix it up and beat boredom!! If you aren’t on Facebook and/or want more ideas, check out the Fitness Playlist I created on my YouTube channel to share fitness videos that I like!)
And don’t forget to check out our FB Events pagewhere many folks are updating daily! In a work-out rut? You’ll can find tons of ideas for home, outdoors, YouTube, DVD, app, and gym workouts to mix it up and beat boredom!! If you aren’t on Facebook and/or want more ideas, check out the Fitness Playlist I created on my YouTube channel to share fitness videos that I like!
As for my week, the struggle continues. I’m still not getting up as early as I’d like. A 5:30 am wake-up can be beastly in the winter when it’s still very dark and cold and especially when it seems to be snowing EVERY OTHER day in NJ! Ughhh!! So, I was still fighting the time crunch most of the week and ended up doing late night workouts on Friday and Saturday.
WEEK 3 RECAP
Day 15/335: Hot Yoga / Vinyasa Flow at Younique Yoga studio in Sparta, NJ (75 min).
Day 16/336: Tamilee Webb’s Abs of Steel (10 min). In my defense, I cleaned house ALL day … well, I mostly dealt unpacking (ummm … see, what had happened was … Okay. I have no excuse. I just fully unpacked from the honeymoon on MLK Day. I know. Sad. But, whatcha gonna do?). So, I sorted, organized, and shred a lot of mail/paperwork and washed, folded, and put away a crap-load of clothes.
Day 17/337: 10 Minute Kickboxing with KieraLashae (don’t get it twisted, you will get your sweat on with these 10 minutes, IF you give it your all).
Day 18/338: Lauren BrooksJoint Mobility Warm-up and 12 Minute Full Body Blast x2 (29 min).
And don’t forget to check out our FB Events page!! The home, outdoors, YouTube, DVD, app, and gym workouts continue to roll in!! I tried a new 10 workout myself last night!! And, if you aren’t on Facebook and/or want more ideas, check out the Fitness Playlist I created on my YouTube channel to share fitness videos that I like!
As for my week, I’m getting back into the groove of morning workouts … but still not getting up as early as I’d like. I went from a 6:30 am rise time to 6 am. So, that was good. But, my goal this week is to get back to 5:30 am. If you remember, I’m also doing a personal 365 Days of the Word challenge with YouVersion’s One Year Bible. So, I do my reading and prayer first (along with my cup of coffee ;)), then workout.
WEEK 2 RECAP
Day 8/328: Hot Yoga / Vinyasa Flow at Younique Yoga studio in Sparta, NJ (75 min). I hadn’t been to hot yoga in 2 months, so I was bit nervous. But, I didn’t do too badly! I definitely was tighter than I had been, but I’ll work out the kinks soon (I hope ;))!
Day 9/329:Lauren Brooks Joint Mobility Warm-up and 12 Minute Full Body Blast x2 (29 min).
Day 10/330: Run on treadmill – 5 min warm-up; then 5 min at 5 mph and 10 min at 5.5 mph at 1.5% incline; 5 min cool down (25 min total). I would have liked to run longer, but I was short on time. I know it’s better for me to get a shorter workout in the morning than try to wait until after work for a longer one and end up doing NOTHING!
Day 11/331: Angie Miller Kettlebell Bootcamp with 15 and 20 pound bells (45 min). I was using the 15 lb bell for the entire workout, but am progressing and working towards using the 20 lb bell for the whole routine.
Day 13/333: 60 seconds x2 sets of bicycle exercise for abs, 15 recline leg lifts, and 20 “superman” back extensions in the am (5 min); Tamilee Webb’s Abs of Steel in the pm (10 min)
Day 14/334: Cardio Crush Workout by BeFit on YouTube (10 min)
Feeling good!! I’ve been thinking about what I’m going to do when my 365 days are complete. Will I keep going or start taking off days? Hmmmm … I’m feeling like I’ll keep going. But, I’d like to challenge myself in a different way. Maybe run 365 miles in a year … or, what I’ve really been thinking about is doing a different fitness challenge each month for 12 months. Or … maybe a year long daily yoga challenge as it’s amazing to be able to do things with my body that I’ve never been able to do in my life! Hmmmm …
Now, a lot of you have been updating our FB Events pageand that has been absolutely awesome to see the variety of things everyone is doing to get in their 10 minutes!! If you haven’t checked it out, please do!! The variety of home, outdoors, YouTube, DVD, app, and gym workouts is great!! And, if you aren’t on Facebook and/or want more ideas, check out the new Fitness Playlist I created on my YouTube channel to share fitness videos that I like!
Okay, now let’s get to my update! But, before I do, let me preface this by saying that I was oversleeping this week, because what I thought was my 5:30 alarm was my 6 o’ clock alarm!! And then, when I figured it out … I still slept in a couple days. Ummm … yeah, so, I ended up just barely getting in my 10 minutes several days this week. And, when I got them in, I didn’t want to do anything that made me sweat because I didn’t want to have to take a shower late at night and have to take another one the next morning. Because, the plan was always to workout in the morning … ended up being the failed plan most days last week.
Anywho … here’s my quick run down … remember, I’m doing this concurrently with my 365 Days of Fitness, which I haven’t yet completed.
WEEK 1 RECAP
Day 1/321:10 Min. Fat Burning Kickboxing with KeairaLaShae– I got this one from one of our challenge ladies who posted it on my FB page on Day 1!! It’s not the most polished of videos, but it got the job done! I broke a NICE sweat!!
Day 2/322: 60 secs x 2 sets of bicycle for abs in the morning; 20 min walk on treadmill (5 min warm-up; 5 min @ 3.8 mph w/4% incline; 5 min @ 3.8 mph w/8% incline; 5 min cool down).
Day 3/323: FitSugar Treadmill Pyramid Intervals workout (as pictured above) (30 min). I got this one from my sister who was a varsity runner in high school and just did a half marathon in December! She was impressed with how it improved her performance. I was fine the first half, but once those “rest/recovery” intervals picked up to 5.5 mph, I had to take them down to 4.0 in order to recover from the 7, 8, and 7 mph again sprint intervals!! And, I added 5 minutes of additional cool down to the end! 4.0 mph is a cardio walk pace! It is NOT a cool down!! LOL!! And, anyway, I did the first minute of the program cool down at 5.5 mph and the second at 4.5 mph. You can always increase or decrease the speed to accommodate your fitness level when doing any High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
Day 4/324: Tamilee Webb’sAbs of Steel (10 min)
Day 5/325: The Biggest Loser Cardio Max Level 2 Workout (40 min)
Day 6/326: Tamilee Webb’s Abs of Steel (10 min)
Day 7/327: Tamilee Webb’s Abs of Steel (10 min)
And that was my “Week 1!” Started week 2 pretty well with a 75 minute hot yoga class this morning! So, hopefully, that will be the kicks I needed to get back into waking up in time to exercise in the morning, before going to work!! Wish me luck!!
I often get asked about what I do for abs. I’m hourglass shaped and tend to hold most of my excess weight between the area beneath my navel to mid-thigh. So, my upper body and abs are the first to show the results of weight loss/strength training. If you are more apple-shaped/top heavy, then it will likely take more work for you to see results in the abs just like it takes me more time to results in my legs/glutes. With that caveat, here are the things that I do to get defined abs!
1. LOSE WEIGHT/FAT: Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym?” It’s true. 90% of getting defined/tight abs is losing weight/fat. You’re not going to see muscle covered by fat. If you do a lot of ab work, but still have a tummy/gut/Dunlap disease (your waist “dun lapped” over your belt … LOL!), then it’s likely your six-pack is hiding under subcutaneous fat and losing weight will make them come out of hiding. Cardio is a necessity to burn calories and strength training helps boost base metabolism. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an effective way to burn calories and boost base metabolism! A simple 25-30 minute HIIT treadmill workout for beginners is: warm-up walk for 5 minutes; 1 minute sprint (fast as you can) followed by 1.5 min walk/jog, repeat 6-8 times, cool down walk for 5 minutes. I used this C25K week 1 treadmill workout as my time guide.
2. ABS OF STEEL by TAMILEE WEBB (VHS): I’ve used this tape for 20+ years. It has three 10 minute workouts and I’ll do it 3-5 days a week (abs don’t need rest/recovery every other day. 1-2 days of rest in a week is adequate). I recently found that the VHS I use can be found on sale on eBay (pink box/blue leotard) and you can download it to your computer at TamileeWebb.com!
3. BICYCLE EXERCISE FOR ABS: I just added in the last few months because my lower abs were not progressing in strength the way I wanted or had experienced in the past. I realized that this was likely because I wasn’t doing the Captain’s Chair lower leg lift exercise that I used to do 1-2 days a week when I worked out at a gym. I corroborated with some online research that this is one of the top three effective exercises for abs as proven by EMG testing (see article here). So, I started to think about buying a Captain’s Chair for my home gym. But then I looked at the #1 exercise (Captain’s Chair was #2) and discovered it was something that required NO equipment, can be done anywhere, and is the most effective for the total core (upper abs, lower abs, AND obliques). It was a no brainer. I started incorporating one to two 60 second sets (60 sec rest between sets) into my workouts 1-2 days a week. I saw my lower ab strength increase within a week or two and that resulted in improved performance during running and yoga (especially inversions).
So yup! That’s what I do for defined abs. But again, remember number one is the most important!! Case in point, I’ve been doing Abs of Steel almost every day for the last several weeks, but barely doing cardio and still eating like I’m on the cruise! So … the abs aren’t looking like they did in December!! So, it’s definitely time to get the eating back in order and cardio back in effect for real! With that, time to get on the exercise gear and hit the basement for The Biggest Loser Cardio Max for Day 325 of 365 Days of Fitness (and Day 5 of 28 Days of Fitness).
So, some of you have embarked upon the Hairscapades28 Days/10 Minutes a Day Fitness Challenge. And among a variety of goals, one of the most common is to lose excess pounds to improve health issues, energy, and/or self-esteem. As you may know, that is partly what motivated my 28 turned 365 Days of Fitness challenge almost a year ago. I started at 148.5 pounds (I’m 5’1″) with a goal to get back down to my preferred weight of 120 pounds and ultimately, I did reach my goal. So, I often get asked, “Did you have to change your diet?”
Ummm. YES!! LOL!
I have never been a person who lost weight with only diet or exercise. I have to do both. There is no way around it, in order to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you eat. Simple. Truth. You can work out 4 hours a day. If you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you eat as many calories as you burn, your weight will remain the same. I can’t tell you how many people I saw in the gym REGULARLY who always looked the same … overweight. And I’m not talking about the folks who only seemed to go to the gym to socialize. I’m talking about the people really breaking a sweat who looked the same year … after year … after year.
So, I’m telling you this now. You can get stronger, you can build more muscle, you can improve your endurance, and you can improve your health with exercise alone. But 80-90% of weight loss is diet. You will not lose weight if you don’t know/understand how much you are eating and how much you are burning. So, if your goal is to lose weight, you need to look at your diet and figure out how to eat enough to fuel yourself while still creating a calorie deficit. Also, you can’t tone fat and muscle is already toned. So, if you are looking to get tighter, leaner, lose the jiggle or the spare tire … you HAVE to increase muscle mass and lose fat weight.
All that being said, I’m not going to tell you what to eat. But, what I will do is share a very simple food fact and then what works for me.
THE SIMPLE FOOD FACT
FOOD IS COMPRISED OF THREE SOURCES OF CALORIES ONLY! THREE.
FAT (9 cals per gram)
CARBOHYDRATES (4 cals per gram)
PROTEIN (4 cals per gram
That’s it. There’s nothing else. Most people can readily identify protein and know the difference between lean and fatty cuts. And we know whole fruits and vegetables are mostly low calorie and the good for us carbs (fresh or frozen). So, if it’s not protein or fruits and veggies, it’s fat or carbs and often both (and dairy has all three). Reduce the fats and non-fruit and vegetable carbs and you’ll probably lose weight. Because, seriously, I don’t know anyone who binges on grilled, skinless chicken breast, broccoli, or apples. LOL!! And, even if they did, the damage would probably be minimal to none. Oh, and don’t think I’m saying fruit and veggies are the only good carbs. I co-sign on whole oat oatmeal, rice (particularly brown), white potatoes, and sweet potatoes (my faves).
Okay, so that’s my spiel on that.
Now, on to my diet when I want to lose weight. As some of you may know, I am not a fan of cooking and rely heavily on Lean Cuisines and Healthy Choice frozen meals for lunch and dinner when I am “counting calories.” Because of that, I’ve coined my diet, “The Lazy Woman’s Diet” aka “Cooking? Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That!” LMBO!! That being said, this is what it typically looks like
MY LAZY WOMAN’S DIET
Breakfast:
Green smoothie (1-2 c. kale or spinach, 1/2 frozen banana, handful of frozen sliced strawberries, 1 c. almond milk, 1 scoop Vanilla Bean or Strawberry Mousse Nectar Whey Protein Powder), or
1/2 c. old-fashioned oatmeal or 1/2 cup cooked Grapenuts with 1/2 cup blueberries (Dole frozen/thawed) and 1/2 c. plain almond milk
A cup of instant coffee w/2 packs of Truvia, 1 tsp Agave and a little powdered skim milk.
Snack:
Fage yogurt (fruit variety/2% or 0% fat)
9-10 almonds or handful of walnuts (occasionally)
Lunch:
Lean Cuisine (chicken turkey or fish with rice, potatoes, whole wheat or orzo pasta)
1/2 to 1 c. added frozen vegetables (spinach, broccoli, sugar snap snow peas, mixed veggies)
Lean Cuisine (chicken turkey or fish w/rice, potatoes, whole wheat or orzo pasta) w/added vegetables (spinach, broccoli or sugar snap snow peas)
A piece of fruit (occasionally)
Post work-out: NectarWhey Protein Shake (w/banana if after yoga) (I only do this if a regular meal doesn’t immediately follow my work-out)
My bucket of un-entered Lean Cuisine Rewards Codes. Told ya.
If you are concerned about the amount of sodium in my “diet plan” due to the frozen meals, check out this post I did earlier last year about Sodium and Weight Loss.
So that’s it. Wait. No it’s not. One tip that I would give on “dieting” is to not worry about the amount of calories when you start watching what you eat. Think about the QUALITY of the calories instead. Rather than jumping into reducing your calories to 1200-1500 or whatever, just get rid of food that has little to no nutritional value, ESPECIALLY calories that you can’t chew (except green smoothies ;)). Seriously, soda, juice, milk shakes, lattes, etc. … squash them. Replace those empty calories with nutritious ones so that you don’t feel like gnawing off your arm by noon!! Fruits, veggies, low fat/sugar yogurt, whole grain crackers, granola, nuts, brown rice, low fat popcorn, etc. are all options. Get your body adjusted to eating a healthier type of calories. Then, you may find that you are naturally able to reduce your calories because you won’t find yourself overeating whole, healthier foods. And, because you are eating every few hours, you’ll reduce cravings and be able to start cutting back on calories without losing your mind.
WAIT!!
(Who remembers Uncle from Jackie Chan Adventures? ;))
MODERATION IN ALL THINGS!! At least, that’s what I believe. As I said the other day on FB, some healthy foods taste great, but I don’t care what anyone says, nothing makes my toes wiggle like buttercream icing!! LOL!! That being said, I believe that we can indulge in our favorite bad foods every now again and still lose weight. It might take a little longer, but it’ll happen. So, enjoy your life along the way ;)! Because this is the thing. You can’t go back to eating the way you did before you lost the weight and expect to keep it off. Therefore, it’s important to learn to eat in a way that you can sustain a lifetime.
Hey ladies!! Just coming on here really quickly to OFFICIALLY kick-off our 28 Days/10 Minutes a Day Fitness Challenge and to let you know that I created an Event Page of Facebook!! So now you can join the “event,” share updates, progress, pics, workouts, information, links, words of encouragement, inspirational stories, etc. with your co-participants all in one place!! Just click the pic above to go to the page!!
As many of you know, in February 2013, I committed to working out for at least 10 minutes a day for 28 consecutive days (see why here). Upon successfully finishing my first 28 days, I decided to do it again … then again.
After working out a minimum of 10 minutes a day, every day, for 84 days, I realized that I wasn’t tired or burned out or anything. In fact, I felt great and I was making progress towards my goal weight, but I had not yet achieved it. I also wanted to break a cycle of falling off the wagon after 6 months of a consistent exercise routine and yo-yo weight gain/loss. So, I figured, “Why not turn my 28 Days of Fitness into 365 Days?” I love a challenge! Well, not all of them ;). But, having a goal (and a public one at that) always helps keep me on target. So, as of today I have worked out every day for 318 days, completed a 9 week C25K running program, ran a “Superhero 5K” that was my first straight 5K, completed the 12 week Strong Curves At-Home Bodyweight program, did a Warrior’s Dash and a Diva Dash (5K obstacles courses), participated in a Making Strides Walk, accomplished several yoga poses for the first time, reached my goal weight for my wedding, and worked out on my wedding day and every day of my 10 day honeymoon. Now, with less than 50 days to go, I am sooo close to the end game!!! And … it all started with a personal 28 Days/10 Minutes a Day Challenge.
Jan 2013
Dec 2013
Now, although I wasn’t doing this with anyone or for anyone other than myself, I’ve been encouraged, supported, and cheered on by so many of you on the blog, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Some have told me they have been inspired to start their own fitness challenges due to my many workout posts (I’m pretty sure I’ve lost some IG followers due to all the boring, sweaty selfie posts though *LOL* ;)). I have received messages/comments from ladies telling me that they have started their own 28, 30, and, yes, 365 Day Fitness Challenges because of seeing my posts and consistency. To all who have liked or commented on even one status, please know that I appreciate you. Your support keeps the fire in my heart to get this done. I don’t want to let myself down, but I also feel a responsibility to reach this goal knowing that someone out there may be inspired/motivated by what I’m doing, even if it’s just to get that workout in that one night that they saw my post.
So, when a young lady named Jasmine on FB suggested that I start a 365 Day Fitness Challenge for the new year, it gave me pause. I mean, I’m not done my own challenge, so how could I start a new one? And, I thought, 365 days might be overwhelming and a lot to commit to doing for someone who is just trying to get off the couch or the person struggling with consistency. But, a 28 Day Challenge is so much more doable. I mean, it’s what I did when I started. So, I thought, that might be a more palatable goal and just the thing to get someone to give it a go. Plus, since I have 47 days to go, I’d be doing the 28 days too.
28 Days/10 Minutes a Day Fitness Challenge
Sunday, January 5th – Saturday February 1st
♦
So this is for anyone who is up to it and willing to give just 10 minutes of their 24 hours each day to get active. Who doesn’t have 10 minutes??? I don’t think anyone can make an excuse to not give that much time to their health and well-being each day.
The physical activity can be ANYTHING! It can be walking, running, climbing stairs, aerobics, abs, yoga, pilates, stretching, weight training, kickboxing, calisthenics, jumping rope, bodyweight exercises, high intensity interval training (HIIT), kettlebell, hiking, roller skating, ice skating, skiing … ANYTHING. As long as its gets your body moving for 10 consecutive minutes, it counts!
TO PARTICIPATE:
COMMENT below with your name, age, and how often/long your work out currently (ex. 3x a week, 30 min a day), as well as why you want to do this (e.g. improve health, lose weight, increase muscle, stress control, self-improvement, etc.). Please feel free to include anything else that you would like us to know.
EXERCISE for at least 10 consecutive minutes every day for 28 days (see above for activities and/or check out my Health & Fitness posts under the Miscell. tab for various the routines, programs, and DVDs I use, if you need ideas!).
UPDATE us with your progress on the 28 Day Fitness Challenge Weekly Update post that I will publish each Saturday through the challenge. List what you did and for how long each day in the comments ( (i.e. Days 1-7; Days 8-14, Days 15-21, Days 22-28). Don’t forget to include your name!
TAG your workouts on IG/FB if you post there (we can only see public profiles): @hairscapades, #hairscapades and #28DaysofFitness!!
Progress: Jan 2013 – May 2013
TIPS/HOW I DO IT:
EXERCISE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING(or prior to work) – This has been so important as I am often so tired after a long day of work and lose motivation. I think many of us start the day with the best intention to work out (“TODAY, I’m going to start!!). But, by the end of the day, we are worn down and that motivation wanes and/or distractions arise. So, why not capitalize on that energized and focused feeling when it’s immediately present?
EXERCISE AT HOME – With a few relatively budget-friendly purchases (i.e. kettlebells, hand weights, floor mat, exercise DVDs, a jump rope, a computer, internet and Youtube) and a little room, one can easily create a workout space at home. This is not only convenient, but a HUGE time saver (no packing and unpacking a gym bag, no time lost driving to and from the gym, no distractions due to conversations with others, etc.). And it also eliminates excuses (“It’s winter. It’s too cold. It’s too dark. There’s a blizzard out there.” ;)) when you don’t have to go anywhere but a room in your own house to work-out!
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MINIMUM – Some days, 10 minutes is all you have the time and/or energy to do. So, take advantage of it! I did!! That’s why it’s there!! Oftentimes the hardest part is getting started! Once you do that, you WILL feel like doing more some days! Trust me!!
PUBLICIZE – Tell others what you are doing!! Tell your family, tell your friends, post it on your social media platforms. Post your workouts and see how much support you get and how you begin to inspire others!! Those cheers and encouraging words can be just the fuel you need to get that workout in that day when you aren’t feeling it.
SET A GOAL – Set a physical/athletic goal like finishing a work-out program, running a 5K, getting that challenging yoga pose, losing a realistic amount of weight for an impending vacation, etc.
So, that’s it. Right now, there is no “grand prize” other than your own sense of accomplishment. That being said … I am trying to figure out what I can raffle away at the end of this by choosing a winner from the participants who complete the challenge. I have some hair products for sure, but was thinking that you guys might be more interested in a fitness related prize? Let me know your preference on that in the comment below too (i.e. hair or fitness product prize).
hairscapades 