Hello, hello! Can you believe we are entering into our LAST week of this challenge?? For me, the past 3 weeks FLEW by… I literally cannot believe Christmas is in just a few days.
In case you’ve missed the other weeks of the challenge, you can find them here:
Here are the 3 final challenges for the week and series:
*Monday 12/22: Go to bed 15 minutes early. At this point in December, I’m sure you’ve had plenty of weekend parties and after work get togethers and are generally pretty beat. For this challenge, all I ask is that you go to bed 15 minutes earlier than you normally do. I am REALLY looking forward to this!
*Tuesday 12/23: Plank challenge. Planks are one of my favorite core exercises because they target so many muscles and increase your general core strength, balance and stability. I posted this plank workout a few weeks ago (Wednesday Workout: 4 Minute Plank Series {Video}), so if you tried it then, it’s time for round 2 today 🙂
Remember that there are always modifications and you can do the planks with your knees on the ground, you can do an elevated plank on a coffee table and if you’re looking for a more advanced option, try lifting a leg!
*Wednesday, 12/24: List 5 things you’re thankful for. I’m really looking forward to this challenge and to see what you’re thankful for. This time of the year is full of so many crazy things that can cause us to be stressed and overwhelmed and to lose sight on things that make us happy, that we are thankful for and that we couldn’t live without. So, I ask you to share 5 of those things with me!
Good morning! I wanted to pop in quickly to see how the Happy, Healthy, Fit Challenge was going for those of you who are participating. I know I tend to lose some steam after the initial “newness” of a challenge wears off, so in case anyone else is like me, hopefully we’ll all get amped up again to finish off the challenge with a bang! The biggest motivation thus far has been seeing YOUR check-ins, posts, pictures, emails, etc. The fact that I’ve got so many of you participating along with me is sometimes just what I need to check off a challenge for the day. Let’s recap!
Week 1
Push-up challenge– You guys. No matter how many push-ups I do, they never seem to get easier! With that said, this was tough!
Take the stairs– I may only be on the second floor, but I made a lot of trips up and down as I forced myself to use the bathroom on the first floor.
No Equipment Workout- I did this body weight workout and loved it!! Looks simple enough, but it kicked my butt!
Give a compliment- I complimented one of my associates on her sweater and complimented my downstairs neighbor for her involvement with charities and a Christmas toy drive.
Pay it forward- Ha! I was so nervous for this challenge. I’ve always thought it was cool to buy someone a coffee or a drink or pay their toll, but I had never done it… at least for a stranger! My first experience was a little rocky, as there were misunderstandings, but I was able to pay for the person behind me so it all worked out.
Full body workout- I went to the baby gym at the Exeter Inn and completed some running, walking and weight lifting.
Go through your clothes & donate- Well, the clothes may still be sitting in the back of my car, but I did go through my draws and closet on the day of the challenge! It always feels good to weed through some clothes and remove what I don’t wear anymore.
Week 2
Burpee challenge- Love this one, of course 😉 Rocked them out in the 6am hour after a run
Lower Body Workout– I did this booty burner workout. Gets me every time!
Bring your lunch to work- I packed it, although I ended up finishing at my client site early so I ate it at home. That counts, right?
15 minute HIIT workout– I did something similar to this HIIT workout
Morning yoga/stretching/foam rolling– This was such a nice way to start the day! I really should try to do it more often because not only is it great for my body, but my mind, too!
Donate– I kept thinking I would see a Salvation Army stand or get asked at a store, but sadly, it never happened. We did, though, donate from the back of a ketchup bottle, which was to support Veterans.
Try a new recipe– I didn’t get a chance to try a new recipe from a book, but I DID make these beauties- interested in me putting together a recipe?
Ok, SO! Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, who wants to know what the prizes are for the top 2 participants?? Here’s what goes into picking those people:
Active engagement on Social Media! It’s easiest for me to see you participating when you do this and it also creates a group atmosphere. You can do this by posting on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Remember to tag me (@Burpeestobubbly) and use the hashtag #happyhealthyfit !
If social media isn’t your thing, feel free to email me or comment on any post letting me know you’ve participated.
How many challenges you’ve completed- I have a tracking sheet that I’m updating based on check-ins, so, again, if I don’t know you’re participating, you won’t get proper recognition and credit 😦
And for the prizes…. New Balance has been gracious enough to donate 2 awesome gym bags! I don’t know about you, but I can NEVER have too many gym bags. This one looks like a great size, too!
**DRINKmaple has also agreed to provide each winner with a 2 pack of their Pure Maple Water drink. I was luck enough to get a chance to try a sample and I have to say I really enjoyed it! I’m not a big coconut water fan, so this was a great substitute.
**A caddy of 16 mixed larabar bars. Larabars have been a longtime favorite bar of mine- have you tried them? Most of the flavors are made up of only a few ingredients, which is key for me. When I look at ingredient labels of other bars, I’m always astounded at how many ingredients there are! A 16 pack should keep you happy for a while 😉
**Lastly- a customized workout and/or workout video from me! The workouts I post on my blog normally may not be what you’re looking for, so with this, you can tell me exactly what you like/don’t like/want to work on and I can go from there! I can even do a real time workout video for you to have and use.
All I need you to do now, is comment below or in some other form (twitter, instagram, facebook, email), telling me how many challenges you’ve completed up to this point- I’ll check back in at the end 🙂 Stay strong for the remainder of the challenge- we’ve only got a handful of days left!!
Good morning! How did you do with Week 2 challenges? I’ve been enjoying the small, daily “task” or challenge as it helps me stay more present and gives each day a purpose. I want to recap my challenges thus far, so hopefully I can do that later this week. For now, let’s talk week 3!
*Monday 12/15: Give up sugar for the day. Ugh. I have a HUGE sweet tooth, and while I may have enough self restraint to not eat 4 cookies at once, it’s still an issue. Today, I challenge to you remove all sugar from your diet. This is probably going to be the hardest challenge for me, because although I try watch and limit my sugar intake, it still creeps up on me. Read your labels, make food yourself and make sure you’re not adding any sugar in your coffee or tea. I know this is a tough challenge for all you fellow sweet-toothers, but we can do it!
*Tuesday 12/16: Try a new workout class. There are so many amazing fitness studios in and around the Boston area (and I’m sure there are just as many in other states/cities, too!) just begging for you to try one of their classes. The beauty about almost all fitness studios, is they offer a free first class, or at least a discounted one. Also, if you chat with them and explain what you’re interested in and how much you’ve been wanting to try a class, you may even be able to get a free one! If you’re in the Boston area and looking for a new class to try, I list a bunch of great studios in this post. My plan is to take a morning class at The Club as I’ve never taken a full class there. Maybe some gym friends would like to join?!
*Wednesday 12/17: Meditate. Remember how I added 10 minutes of meditation/quiet time time during Lent? Well, it was great throughout those 40 days, but unfortunately I don’t think I’ve done it once since then. It’s always something I’m telling myself I need to do, but, like yoga, it just doesn’t happen enough. Today I challenge you to take 10 minutes for yourself to meditate or just sit quietly and breathe. Try not to focus on your thoughts- let them come in and go right back out. RM gave me a few meditation apps to suggest to you guys. He does this almost daily and enjoys all of these- search for them in the App store: Simply Being, Yoga Nidra, Power of Mind. There are dozens of other free ones, too. Let me know what you do!
*Thursday 12/18: Walk during lunch- This is something I try to do every day, but sometimes (and more often than not recently) work just gets the best of me and I don’t make the time to sneak away for a short walk. Today though, I’m challenging us to step away from our desks and get outside for some mid-day movement. It’s a littler harder when the weather is cold, but I always feel so much better after!
*Saturday 12/20: Treat yourself! I think I was most looking forward to this challenge 😉 Today is all about treating yourself. What’s something you’re currently lusting over? New workout top, new mittens, a massage, manicure… you get the idea. It doesn’t have to be anything big (it is holiday season, afterall, so I’m sure extra money is being spent on gifts), but it’s about getting yourself a little something that puts some extra pep in your step. I’m thinking a Fitbit is something I’ve been lusting over… hmmm…
*Sunday 12/21: Core workout. Sunday’s tend to be lazy, lounge around the house days, right? The beauty of this workout is it can be done in your pajamas in front of the TV 🙂
Good morning! How did you do with Week 1’s challenges? I had so much fun seeing your check ins and participating in the challenges myself! I’m finalizing a few more pieces of the prizes with companies for the top 2 participants, so make sure you’re tagging me (@burpeestobubbly) or posting to my facebook page, otherwise I won’t be able to see you’re participating!
*Monday 12/8: 1 minute burpee challenge– Yup, a full minute of burpees! Set your timer and see how many you can complete in a minute. You can decide the level of intensity you want to do- you can step back into the high plank and step back in and skip the jump at the top, you can just jump back into a plank and back in with jump at the top, you can add in a push-up or drop your chest all the way to the ground OR you can get fancy and try one of these variations. Have fun!
*Wednesday 12/10: Bring your lunch to work. For those of you who work outside of your homes, it’s so easy to just grab lunch somewhere, right? I challenge you today to take the time and pack yourself a healthy lunch to bring to work. This is a way to help you save money AND save calories. By packing your own lunch, you know exactly what goes into it and can intentionally leave out the chips/soda/treats/etc. that are all too easy to grab when you’re getting lunch out. Try making a big salad filled with lots of healthy fats and proteins: nuts, chicken, avocado, goat cheese, etc.
If you’ve done these and are looking for something new, try this:
45 seconds on, 15 seconds rest. repeat 3 times:
squat & overhead press
weighted squat jumps
lunge & bicep curl (alternating)
push-up w/ knee tuck
burpees
*Friday 12/12: Get up 15 minutes earlier for some light yoga or stretching. If you’re like me, foam rolling and yoga are two of those things I know I SHOULD do, but rarely do. Today, I want you to specifically schedule time to do one or both of these. Maybe do some sun salutations (check out this video. It’s a slow moving flow, but really great to wake yourself up! Beginner 10 Minute Yoga Flow) or just foam roll. Maybe you just lay in savasena for the 15 minutes and welcome the day slowly and quietly. Whatever you do, I think you’ll notice you start your day on a softer, quieter note, which is always a nice thing on a Friday, right?
*Saturday 12/13: Donate. There are so many ways to donate, but I’ll be honest and say I don’t do this nearly enough as I should. Here are some ideas:
donate at Walgreens/CVS/etc. as you’re cashing out- they always seem to have a cause they are asking you to donate to
donate to the Salvation Army door welcomers at various stores. Throw in your extra change or even a few bucks!
go online and donate to a cause you are passionate about
donate your time by volunteering
throw your spare change to a homeless person
*Sunday 12/14: Try a new recipe. I have so many pages in various magazines and cookbooks dog eared as a “must try”, so many print outs from the internet and so many blog posts favorited, but somehow, I’ve barely made a dent in all of these recipe resources. Today I challenge you to pull out a recipe that you’ve been wanting to try and give it a shot! If you need some ideas or recipes to try, feel free to check out my recipe page.
For those of you participating in this challenge, here is your first week of challenges with more details than I gave you on Friday. For those of you who are not participating in this challenge, feel free to skip this post 😉
*Monday 12/1: 1 Minute push-up challenge- The goal today is to get your heart rate up a little with some push-ups. I love push-ups because they are a super versatile exercise, working lots of different muscles, and there are so many variations to try. If new to push-ups, feel free to do these on your knees, in table-top position or against a wall. More advanced? Try to do a full minute of push-ups on your toes! Whatever variation you choose, make sure your core is engaged the whole time, your head/neck/spine are all in a straight line (no butts in the air and no saggy hips!!), and you lead with your chest, keeping your gaze either straight down or a little ahead, so that your eyes and hands make a triangle shape on the ground. Inhale on the way down, exhale on the way up. Remember to focus on form instead of speed- if you’re barely bending your elbows when doing push-ups on your toes, drop to your knees so you can get your chest just inches from the ground. You’ll benefit so much more from the exercise by making that change.
*Tuesday 12/2:Take the stairs today! Whether it’s from the parking garage, in the T station, at work, at the gym, etc., choose the stairs rather than the elevator or escalator.
*Wednesday 12/3: No Equipment Necessary Workout- For today’s workout, you’ll be doing a No Equipment Necessary Workout. I’ve got a number of these on my At Home Workouts workout page, but if you’re looking for something new, try this:
10 push-ups
20 jump squats
30 plie squats
40 mountain climbers
50 burpees
60 second plank.
How many rounds can you do in 20 minutes? Work up and down the ladder if you want and modify as needed.
*Thursday 12/4: Give someone a compliment. We all have thoughts about what people are wearing, how they smell, how they’re doing at work, but sometimes we end up keeping it to ourselves. Today, I want you to give someone a compliment. It’ll make both of you feel pretty darn good!
*Friday 12/5: Pay it forward. Buy the person’s coffee behind you, pay someone’s toll behind you, bring someone a treat at work, you get the idea. A little act of kindness can go a long way!
*Saturday 12/6: Full Body Workout. Most workouts in this challenge will be under 20 minutes, but this one is a bit longer (or, it can be longer if you want it to be). Here are 5 suggestions for full body workouts that will leave you feeling sweaty and beat!
*Sunday 12/7: Go through your closet and/or draws and donate a bag of clothes that you haven’t worn in a year. Chances are, if you haven’t worn something in a year, it can’t be that great, right?! So, give your closet and draws some space! Who knows, Santa may have some things come to you that will take place of the old things you’ve donated 😉 I usually drop off my clothes to a yellow planet aid box. If you don’t know where one is near you, check out this site.
Don’t forget to share your challenge pics on Social Media by using the hashtags #happyhealthyfit and #burpeestobubbly. I want to see how you’re doing 🙂 Let me know in the comments if you plan on participating!
Burpees to Bubbly 