I’m sure you see all of these 3 day, 10 day, and 21 day challenges all over social media and you’re thinking:  “What’s up with that?  Is that worth my time?  Did someone really lose 5 pounds of fat and gain 1 pound of muscle in 3 days???” (I actually saw that and shook my head)

The answer to that question is:  NO.

I don’t think all challenges are bad.  As a matter of fact I think they can be beneficial and a lot of fun IF the person who is running the challenge is doing it correctly.

Someone who is promising miracles in a short time span is selling wolf tickets and you should avoid them like the plague.  I think if done correctly challenges can provide many benefits.

Challenges can:

  • Provide Opportunities to get into a new routine
  • Learn new strategies to help you towards your goal
  • Form Communities
  • Learn more about your body and what works for you
  • Try New activities
  • Throw some life back into your Eating Plan/Exercise Program
  • Avoid the March to Nowhere

Provide Opportunities to get into a new routine

I don’t believe in dieting.  I believe in Eating Routines.  Most women I know have an eating routine that is not working for them.  It goes something like this:

Eat little to no food all day because they are being good and then EAT ALL THE SUGAR AND FOOD AT NIGHT!

This shows the eating routine I used to follow and I know I’m not by myself on this one!  what-are-we-fat-what-do-we-want-to-start-our-diet-and-exercise-when-monday-today-is-monday-next-monday-funny

 

Challenges can provide us with new eating routines that can give us new habits which will give us our results.

Diets don’t work because they are unsustainable.  You do it for a while, get sick of it, and then go back to default mode.  Diets also don’t work with your individual lifestyle.

A GOOD challenge will help you develop routines that work for YOUR lifestyle so that you will comply and stick with them.

 

 

 

Learn New Strategies to help you towards your goals

As a health coach, one of the reasons I am always going to conferences and workshops is so that I can learn new strategies that will benefit my clients.  During challenges, you can also learn new strategies whether it’s something as simple as increasing protein for your breakfast so that you stay full and don’t reach for the candy drawer at work.

You could be someone who doesn’t like to go to the gym all the time so if you do a challenge where there are  home workouts available, then you find that works better for you.

Forming Communities

Doing challenges with other people makes it more fun.  You can share ideas, strategies, tips, and encourage each other to stay on track.  I think it’s fun to share in each other’s successes as well as confess when you need encouragement to not give up.

Learn more about your body and what works for you

There is no perfect diet.

There is no perfect workout.

Every BODY is different

With that being said, everyone needs to find out what works for them so that they can be compliant and their sustain their lifestyle.  With a properly run challenge, you will soon learn what DOES and DOES NOT work for you.  You’ll also learn more about your body and what you needs to function at optimal levels.  Doing challenges makes you more aware of what habits you need to change.

Try New Activities

A well run challenge will take you out of the comfort zone and provide you with an opportunity to try new activities.  You may find something that you enjoy and add it into your rotation.  It’s great to get out of the comfort zone and CHALLENGE yourself to do something you haven’t done before.

Throw some life into your eating plan/exercise routine

A challenge can spice things up if you’ve been bored to death at the gym.  It happens to the best of us.  Last year I was so tired of Chicken Breasts, Broccoli, Cardio Machines, and the gym.  What I needed was some life injected into my health and fitness routine. I think a challenge can really give you that motivating spark to focus on something and get your excitement back about being healthy.

Avoid the March to Nowhere

I will admit this is where I was last year.  This is why I do not train clients on a march to nowhere.  Every month I’m asking them what they want to focus on that month and at the end of the year we go through the list to see where they are.  Because of this, there’s always improvement and we can all stand to improve somewhere.

I think for many people having a short term challenge such as 21 days, 30 days, and even 60 days lets them know that they will be evaluated at the end of the challenge and it keeps them motivated towards the next step.

I think a challenge done well will end and people will be ready for the next one.

What a Challenge should NOT be

It should not be seen as a quick fix to get miracle results.  Will you get results from a challenge?  More than likely you will but it helps you to see there’s a process to your results.  Rather tahn focusing on outcomes, you begin to focus on your behaviors which will lead to your success.

Again if someone running a challenge is promising miracles or telling you about a miracle supplement that will help you lose weight quickly, go in the opposite direction!  Our bodies are not meant to lose weight quickly so if you’re signing up for challenges in the hopes of a quick fix, then you need to get your mind right.  It’s not going to happen.

These routines, strategies, and awareness that you’re building during your challenges are what will lead to long-term and sustainable results.

The Fiercely Fit Lifestyle is about building awareness, good habits, and sustainable results!  No dieting, quick fixes, or magic beans!