May 1 is almost here! For most of us, that means the start of a new (or first) 30 day challenge.
Remember:
1) you can do anything for thirty days
2) it takes about 3 weeks to establish a habit so it will take effort to remember...reminders (visual or otherwise) are helpful
3) keep doing it even if it is something that you don't think you will continue after the month...it will give you confidence for future challenges
I would love to hear from you about how it is going...feel free to write an entry for the blog and email it to me so it can be posted.
My April challenge is coming to a close and once I returned home from the conference, I started doing much better again. Overall, my body is feeling much better. In fact, I went for a run today and most of the creaking aches and pains were gone! Even if I don't keep stretching up on a daily basis, I think that I will try to do it several times weekly.
For my May challenge, I am going to go for a tough one this month...to work out at 20 minutes on 4/5 weekdays + weekends. This has been something that I have really wanted to be more consistent with all year and have really kept making excuses.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
Change of Pace
I am so excited that so many of you have embraced the challenge and look forward to May and supporting each other!
I have yet to come up with my challenge for me so please sent ideas my way!
Over the past 5 days, I was in San Diego for a conference. It was great to have a change of pace and get out of the daily routine of working, parenting, etc. I missed my family greatly but that is the good thing about being apart you remember how important they are too you.
I have to admit it was difficult of sticking with my stretching goal while away. I was completely out of my routine and normal environment. The daily clues and reminders that I typically use were not there. So even though stretching daily had been making a huge improvement in my life, that was not enough to keep it up while gone.
So back on the band wagon for me...I am looking forward to my stretch when I finally get home tonight (gosh darn Spring FB practice).
A reminder to us all to be patient with ourselves as we go through these challenges and to take extra effort when we are away from our home environments to keep with it.
Please post any ideas you have about how to keep us with a routine or a daily reminder to do something! I could use the ideas! Do you sent an alarm on your phone? Write something on your bathroom mirror? Have someone else remind you?
I have yet to come up with my challenge for me so please sent ideas my way!
Over the past 5 days, I was in San Diego for a conference. It was great to have a change of pace and get out of the daily routine of working, parenting, etc. I missed my family greatly but that is the good thing about being apart you remember how important they are too you.
I have to admit it was difficult of sticking with my stretching goal while away. I was completely out of my routine and normal environment. The daily clues and reminders that I typically use were not there. So even though stretching daily had been making a huge improvement in my life, that was not enough to keep it up while gone.
So back on the band wagon for me...I am looking forward to my stretch when I finally get home tonight (gosh darn Spring FB practice).
A reminder to us all to be patient with ourselves as we go through these challenges and to take extra effort when we are away from our home environments to keep with it.
Please post any ideas you have about how to keep us with a routine or a daily reminder to do something! I could use the ideas! Do you sent an alarm on your phone? Write something on your bathroom mirror? Have someone else remind you?
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
May Challenges
Are you up for the challenge?
May is right around the corner and now is the time to think about a new daily challenge to set for the month.
Good challenges to start with are goals that:
Post your ideas in the comments!
May is right around the corner and now is the time to think about a new daily challenge to set for the month.
Good challenges to start with are goals that:
- Don't take a lot of extra time
- Occur (or don't occur) daily
- Are concrete and measurable (For example "no eating after 8 PM is a good goal" vs. "eating healthier" which is hard to measure).
- No electronic devices during dinner
- Calling or emailing a friend every day
- Drinking x ounces of water each day
- Eliminating Soda
- Walking for x amount of time daily
Post your ideas in the comments!
Thirty Day Challenges
Over the last several years, I have struggled to maintain life balance
(well I think that I may have always had a problem with this :)).
However, this year as been particularly rough with the challenges of my
fellowship, living in a new city, being a parent and wife. I am sure
that you can all identify with this and the thing that I have really
given up is a regular workout routine. This has certainly affected my
health and well being.
On a daily basis, I talk to my patients about making small changes to improve their health. I usually talk with them about one strategy that many people have had success with..."thirty day challenges". Basically, every month you set a goal that you intend to do for the rest of the month. For example: eat 5 servings of fruits/vegetables per day, eliminate soda, less than 30 minutes of TV/day, walk for 20 minutes/day, call a friend every day, read for fun every day, no cell phones during dinner, etc. It can basically be anything that you feel would increase your well being. It takes about 30 days to create a new habit and small changes lead to big things.
There is even a Ted Talk on 30 day challenges:
http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html
So in January, I decided to take my own advice and do a year of "30 day challenges". In January, I decided to be more patient with myself on a daily basis, in February I drank 40 ounces of water throughout the workday, in March I didn't eat after Evie went to bed, this month I am stretching for 10 minutes/day. All of these are little things but they build on each other.
I will be posting about my challenges every month and if you are interested, will be asking that you take part. The more people that participate, the more ideas and support we will all have. Let's Go!
On a daily basis, I talk to my patients about making small changes to improve their health. I usually talk with them about one strategy that many people have had success with..."thirty day challenges". Basically, every month you set a goal that you intend to do for the rest of the month. For example: eat 5 servings of fruits/vegetables per day, eliminate soda, less than 30 minutes of TV/day, walk for 20 minutes/day, call a friend every day, read for fun every day, no cell phones during dinner, etc. It can basically be anything that you feel would increase your well being. It takes about 30 days to create a new habit and small changes lead to big things.
There is even a Ted Talk on 30 day challenges:
http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html
So in January, I decided to take my own advice and do a year of "30 day challenges". In January, I decided to be more patient with myself on a daily basis, in February I drank 40 ounces of water throughout the workday, in March I didn't eat after Evie went to bed, this month I am stretching for 10 minutes/day. All of these are little things but they build on each other.
I will be posting about my challenges every month and if you are interested, will be asking that you take part. The more people that participate, the more ideas and support we will all have. Let's Go!
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