Tag Archives: 30 day challenges

15 of 30

15 May

Today was Day 15 in both of my 30 Day Challenges. To see a day by day tracking of my progress go to the page at the top of my blog titled 30 Day Challenges, I update it every day with how it is going. ๐Ÿ™‚

Today was really hard! I’ve been sick since yesterday which doesn’t help but oh well, I’m not gonna let being sick turn in to a reason to skip a day or quit altogether. I just worked through it, modified things a bit, and kept going. By modify I don’t mean do less work, I just mean taking slightly longer breaks between sets and doing the squats and abs at different times of the day to ensure I don’t max out my body all in one go. It seems to have worked because both days I managed to do everything I was supposed to.

What I reeeeally want to know is this: What sadist came up with these things?!?! And why was I dumb enough to decide to do them?!?!

I only sorta mean those two questions lol. ๐Ÿ˜›

cat sit up

These challenges are hard, and not like I thought I’d breeze through them but I don’t think I really grasped the concept of doing 140 squats, 70 sit-ups, 90 crunches, 42 leg lifts and a 60 second plank all in one day…what’s scary is that is just today, it’s just gonna keep getting worseย more challenging from here on out, eek!

I don’t regret doing these challenges at all, even though all I’m doing right now is bitching about them lol They bring a bit of order to my life, which is weird, I know everyday I will at some point be in my living room doing my squats and my ab work (except for rest days of course!) and I am finding comfort in that. I’ve had days where I was so busy I didn’t get the exercises done until ridiculously late at night, and if I hadn’t been involved in these challenges I wouldn’t have done anything active those days, just shrugged it off as I didn’t have time blah blah blah and that is that. But I can’t do that for this month, I have to do the work! And by having to find time to fit the exercises in I am showing myself that no matter what you really can always find the time to work out. Sure, maybe you won’t always have the time to go for a 30 minute run, or hit up the gym to do some weight work but there is always something you can do.

Some things that I can always do?

– ride my exercise bike

– pop in an exercise dvd (I own like a hundred of the stupid things but never use them)

– do any of the various exercises I know that can be done at home (this includes core work, stretching, yoga moves etc)

– pull out my Wii Fit (don’t judge! that thing is so much fun and can really get you sweating!)

– if there isn’t time for a 30 minute run there might be time for a shorter run around the neighbourhood

– if I’m at work stay after my shift and run up and down the 11 flights of stairs a couple of times

– pull up a youtube exercise video

– play some music and dance while cleaning (you might be surprised how sweaty this can get you)

So right there, off the top of my head I came up with a list of 8 things I could do. You could probably do the same things, or mostly the same, so why not make up your own list? I know for myself, when I am tired, or don’t feel like exercising, or would rather be doing something more entertaining I draw a blank at exercise options that could fit in to my time frame, I think it is selective amnesia lol. To counter act this I am going to write out my list, and hopefully think of other things I can add to it, and stick it to a wall, or on my fridge, somewhere I can’t miss it so when I start to convince myself I can get away with no exercise for the day I will have right in front of me a list of things I could easily do, right then and there, and boom! can’t be a slacker if the list of activities is staring me in the face can I? Well, in all honesty I most like could, but hopefully I won’t! lol ๐Ÿ˜‰

 

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Day 8 of 30

8 May

You may or may not have noticed I have ย a page (just up top there) called 30 Day Challenges, on that page I keep track on a daily basis of my progress on the two 30 Day Challenges I am doing. I figure once a week or so I’ll do a little recap here to give my overall impressions of these challenges…and to let you know I haven’t quit or died. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Today is Day 8, and for both challenges it is a rest day. The first rest day came at Day 4 and I felt that was too early but decided to follow the rules and not do the squats or abs that day. This time around, I am happy for the rest day, Go Rest Day Go!

Each day I convince myself that of course I can do the number of squats, sit-ups, crunches, leg lifts and planks that are required because it’s just a little bit more then what I did the day before and I managed those right? So far, that mentality is getting me through this, that and I hate failing at anything so at this point I won’t quit unless I sustain serious injury, or get way sick…hmm…is that a cough coming on? Dammit it isn’t! sigh.

Doing these challenges with a friend has made all the difference. It’s nice to go through something insane with a buddy. We text daily when we’ve completed our exercises for the day and help psych each other up for what is coming. He had to quit the Squat Challenge cause he hurt his knee at work so I’m doing them for the both of us – don’t mistake this as I am doing double, just that I am now even more resolved to not quit. (insert warrior chant here)

Even though the amount of exercise is increasing to a level that is hard I think this challenge is a good thing. I never would have thought I could do 80 squats in a day, let alone in one session! And yet, yesterday I did. I am pushing myself past self-imposed boundaries that I hadn’t even realized I put up, crazy awesome! Part of me thinks there is no way I will be able to accomplish Day 30 of either challenge, that day will be 125 sit-ups, 200 crunches, 65 leg raises, 120 second plank and 250 squats, oh and all of that is on a day I have dragon boat practice as well. When I think of that now my automatic thought is nope, not possible, I won’t be able to do it buuuuuut a little tiny part of me thinks that maybe by then I will be able to do that, and how great would that be? So for now, I am looking no farther ahead then the day I am on, tomorrow I will deal with how much I have to do that day, for today? I am just enjoying it was a rest day.

betcha the lion doesn't stress about it's abs!

betcha the lion doesn’t stress about it’s abs!

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