The Healthy Holidays Challenge 2012

It’s here!  Its time for the Healthy Holidays Challenge that I promised you all.  I had really wanted to start on November 1st but with the crazy hurricane, that just wasn’t happening.  Instead, we’ll start on Monday, November 5th because who doesn’t like starting on a Monday!

HealthyHolidaysLogo

Here’s how it works.  There are going to be group challenges and personal challenges:

Group Challenge #1: Weekly Focused Challenges
Each week, I will provide a challenge for the team.  It will start off a bit easier and amp up as we go through the holidays.  The point of these challenges is to help build healthy habits.  Also, by only focusing on one thing at a time, it won’t be so overwhelming.  I hope that what you learn each week will be carried on through the end of the challenge but it is not required.

Group Challenge #2: Daily Challenges
Every day, I will post a new challenge for everyone in the group to achieve (notice I didn’t say “try” but “achieve”!)  It will vary each day from fitness related to mental health to nutrition.  I will try to post them the night before so you are prepared for the next day.  If the goal interferes with your regular plan/workout, then feel free to bump it off to the next day but make sure you finish all the challenges each week!

Also, I need you all to do some work for yourselves for this challenge.  Here are your personal challenges.

Personal Challenge #1: Set a Goal
Set an overall personal goal that you would like to reach by December 31st. Remember to make it challenging but achievable (realistic). Make it something specific that can be objectively measured. For example, maybe you want to lose 5lbs or maintain weight through the holidays. Perhaps you have more fitness related goals like “Increase my deadlift by 5%” or “Run my first 5K”.  Pick something important to you.

Personal Challenge #2: Make a Plan
You can’t just make a goal and then ignore it. You have to plan for it, strive to achieve it. Once your make your goal, you need to figure out how to get there. To run a 5K, you can use a training plan like C25K. To lose weight, you need to exercise and eat healthy but be specific (like “Cook at home 5 nights a week and exercise 4 days a week for 30 minutes”). Whatever your goal is, make a solid plan to get there.

Personal Challenge #3: Keep Track
Finally, below is a weekly report card for you to fill out and share with the group.  You can do this on the team page or in your own blog.  If you can’t do either of those things, you can always email it to me at chickenscoopgirl@gmail.com to have at least one person for accountability!

HealthyHolidays

You can track however you like.  Water can be in ounces, liters, or glasses.  For “Healthy Eats”, you can check off each day you felt was a success or you can add up the number of healthy meals you ate (with a maximum goal for the week).  For Exercise, you can just check off the day every time you exercise or you can keep track of minutes or calories burned.  The rest of the boxes are there for you to track how the weekly and daily challenges I’ll be giving you.

So that is it!  Sounds pretty basic but the key is that we will all be working together to finish this challenge.  It lasts a total of 8 weeks and we will all report our results on December 31st. Right now, I just need you guys to start thinking about your personal goals that you want to achieve over the next 8 weeks.  You goal could be as simple as “Stick to the Healthy Holidays Challenge” and you plan would be “check in each day for the challenge and report my results each night”.  I will post my personal goals over the weekend and the first challenge on Sunday night!

Finally, I created a group on Facebook for those of you who would like to post to a group setting!  Just click on Healthy Holiday Challenge 2012 and request to join!

7 thoughts on “The Healthy Holidays Challenge 2012

  1. I really want to participate! You know my situation…do you think the weekly or daily group challenge would work better for me? I can’t do personal, I wouldn’t hold myself to it.

    1. I think that you should definitely participate and POST on the facebook group. Those girls are a great support group from another fitness group I am in. They will help you be accountable.

      I am not sure the challenge will be “enough” though as I don’t want to kill anyone in addition to their normal workouts (unless that is what they are expecting?) so I think your goals should be like mine. I am going to commit to working out at least 4 days a week for at least 20 minutes, tracking my food everyday, allowing myself only one treat per day (small) and one cheat meal per week. My goal is to lose up to 10lbs or 5 % body fat. That is a pretty lofty goal for me and it terrifies me but go big or go home right? What do you think???
      ~Ang

  2. So glad you guys have power once again and can think about getting into some healthy living! I’m working on November and working out at least ten minutes a day. (Normally I start with 10 and end up going an hour or two…. haha) Can’t wait to read about your goals next week! Have a wonderful weekend.

Leave a Reply to genkikitty Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%d bloggers like this: