21-Day Challenge January 2020

Jan 13, 2020 | Healthy Activity

Welcome to the 21-day challenge! It’s fantastic that you have selected this opportunity to improve your health and fitness in the roaring year 2020. I am looking forward to seeing how well you do over the next 31 days. Your commitment to your health is outstanding!

Use your calendar to help you to keep track of your movement activity. Record your daily activities and the approximate total time you spent. At the end of the month you will submit your calendar. Then we will make rewards based on your level of participation. 

Each week I will send you some suggestions for types of activities that might be beneficial for you. Remember that everybody is different. 

This is about a way of life. It is a way of being to challenge for yourself. It’s known that it takes 21-days to create a habit. 

As promised, when you selected to participate, you will receive reminders and suggestions as to a workout plan for the week. Remember it’s best to participate in a variety of activities that you enjoy most including aerobics, strength training, flexibility, and balance training.

Here is one suggestion to jump start your first week (days 1-7): 

Daily aerobics. 

Aerobics or endurance-based activities are vital to heart health and mental well-being. Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming are all aerobic activities that are great to improve your endurance and energy level. Aerobics have also been shown to help with sleep patterns if done early in the day.  

1. Start at your level of ability. You should be able to perform the activity you select and talk at the same time.
   
2. Breathing is important. The activity can be done is small bouts of 5-10 minutes or continuously. In other words, every step or activity counts.
   
3. You may want to set a goal and gradually increase your activity toward your goal. For example: A goal may be to walk or run or swim or cycle 30-minutes 5 days a week.
   
4. Perform your activity of choice 5 minutes at your usual pace, then 5 minutes at a moderate to a fast pace, then 5 minutes at your usual pace. Gradually increase the bouts of your activity over the next month by 5 minutes per week. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 5 days of aerobic activity per week for heart health.
   
5. Your body responses best to changes in exercise intensity and type (e.g. cross training). So slow and faster bouts of aerobics can help your heart adjust to a wide variety of challenges.
   
6. You may be “sore” so listen to your body! Make sure it is muscle soreness and not an injury. Delayed onset muscle soreness appears 24-48 hours after exercise.
   
7. You may also experience shortness of breath. If so slow down a bit. Try pursed lip breathing. Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try slowing your breathing down, for example: Inward breath for 3 seconds and outward breath for 6 seconds. 

If you have any questions at anytime, I will be available to answer them. Either text or email me.

Good luck and way to bring in the roaring 20s!

Best health always!