The 30/30






SAVE THE DATE!

What: The 30/30 Walking Challenge

When: The minute you finish reading this post!


Where: Anywhere your feet take you!

How:  All you have to do is walk thirty minutes a day, for thirty days.  Here is the best part, you can walk at any pace you want, snail slow if you want, or train for the race walking Olympic team (if there is one?) just walk for thirty minutes.
(You could apply this challenge to any activity.  It is all about creating a short attainable goal.)
So what is the 30/30?

All you have to do is walk thirty minutes a day, for thirty days. Here is the best part, you can walk at any pace you want, snail slow if you want, or train for the race walking Olympic team--if there is one? Basically, just walk for thirty minutes a day, for 30 days straight.

I wish I could take the credit for this program, but I learned about it on, "The Doctors" TV show.  They had an episode full of different diet and exercise challenges. The 30/30 Walking Challenge was the one that really resonated with me.  With this program you can lower your heart attack risk, lose weight, add years to your life, sleep better and of course, better your over all health and mood.

IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS!!

Don't believe me? Here's the actual clip from the Doctors Show:




I love that th3 30/30 Challenge requires no gym membership, diet or personal trainer screaming at you. No excuses. Just you and your feet meeting a short 30-day goal.


Just think... in two weeks you could be sleeping better, reducing your cholesterol and chances for a heart attack, losing weight, and become a healthier, happier person. How could you not want to at least try?

I am tempted to just call it the 30/15 challenge, because I have faith after you walk for thirty minutes for 15 days straight, you will want to keep walking. 

                                              


So, here is the plan for the October 2015 30/30 Challenge: Start Walking October 1st. You will finish on October 30th. This means, on October 31st, you will be feeling so great, you may not want to eat that entire bag of candy after all.  And well, if you do eat it, there's always a November 30/30 challenge...

It's important that you find a way easily incorporate 30-minutes (total) of walking into your day. That will help make the walking stick after the 30/30 is over.

In an effort to help you get creative, I have come up with a few ideas to help easily blend the challenge into your day!

1. If you take public transportation to work leave 15 minutes early and walk to the next stop or station. (I know, for those non-morning people this is a stupid suggestion)
2. At lunch, walk 15 minutes away from your desk, eat, then walk back--maybe even the long way back.
3. On the weekends, go explore a new (historic) town or nature trail with the family.
4.  New mothers on maternity leave, make it a point that this challenge is CRUCIAL for you. Go for a walk by yourself every evening when your partner gets home.  Of course you can take the baby, but getting out for some alone time will kill two birds with one stone for you!
5. Only need a couple things from the store? If one is close enough, walk there!
6. Walk the kids to school for the month.
7. On rainy days, clean or organize a closet for 30 minutes, better yet, go to an indoor mall for some retail therapy--Again, kill two birds with one stone!
8. Go walk through an outdoor mall.
9. For a week straight, walk out of your front door and take a different street or path and see what you find!
10. Download an awesome mystery ebook to listen to while you walk. TIP: Only let yourself listen to the book when walking, this might get those walks stretched out well past 30 minutes.

Once you decide to commit to the 30/30 Challenge, tell as many people as you can that you are doing this to add accountability.  Get a support group to help encourage and hold you accountable!  YOU CAN DO THIS!  It's just 30 minutes for thirty days.  It's not hard, or an on going commitment.  This is a challenge that you know you can do.

     YOU CAN DO THIS!


                                



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Here is a recap of the first ever FTM&D Challenge we did in October of 2013....




WEEK 1 Recap!


Week one started with me being SO excited for the challenge to start!  I could not wait to take that first step.  I had the very best intentions and most of all, my eye on the goal.  By the end of the week... ugh. I wanted the challenge to be over.  Walking everyday is not easy. There I said it!  It is not easy to make the time, or on a rainy day find the energy.  The last day of the week, it took a team effort--Note the toddler helping mommy push the stroller.  As I mentioned, I have been walking nearly 5 times a week for over a month, but not every day. It is certainly different! But, once I take that first step I feel better, and by the end of the walk I feel GREAT!  Even empowered.  Here I am on day 9 waiting for the man-child to get up from his nap so we can walk.  Dammit, I will make it!  One week down and three to go!  I can do this... and SO CAN YOU!

Week 2 RECAP !

Week 2.  This week was much better in that, it was not such a chore to get out. Everyday it was more a matter of when, not if.  Also the weather was fantastic for walking.  With Winter around the corner, I am trying to spend as much time outside as possible. As for feeling better... CHECK!  and weight loss.  CHECK!  I was so amazed to put on my pants and not feel squeezed in!  I guess the daily walking is keeping my metabolism in a good spot.  Still, No sugar coating, it is definitely difficult to get out and walk everyday between bad/cold weather and schedules, I expect it to be a challenge long term... well, given that I lack a gym membership and treadmill.   Who knows, I am only half way through...


Week 3 RECAP!
This week I started to fall in love with the foliage changing....

In the last three weeks I have lost a half size (or more), stand taller, hold my flabby-- c-section wrecked--belly in as I walk, and am trying to focus on my diet as well. (Sorry no weight loss numbers because I do not own a scale; they are evil bitches. I just go by how my clothes fit.) Most of all, I really do feel great all around. I feel lighter, more relaxed as a whole, and happier.  This challenge is really living up to the expectations that I had.





Week 4 Recap!
This week I started to fall in love with the foliage changing....
I also became a mall walker thanks to cold rainy weather.
 I have a confession to make...

My name is April, and I am a mall walker.

That's right. A. Mall. Walker.

One of the malls in my area has an indoor playground that Ollie loves. So on the last day of the challenge, the forecast called for a miserable day, so I took a girlfriend's advise and took Ollie to the mall for a walk and play.  It was AWESOME!!  At 8:30 in the morning everyone at the mall is a walker, or mom with a kid on the playground, so no shoppers to slow you down.  If you live in a cold climate, I really recommend this.  I was completely blown away by how great it was.

I digress...

The final wrap up...

I feel so good. I am walking taller, leaner and with pride.  All of my clothes fit well, and my self esteem is has even had a boost.  I really feel great.  Hard work pays off for sure.  Will I keep walking everyday?  I don't know.  I did walk today, and hopefully will tomorrow.  I do know this for sure. I feel so wonderful there is no way I will just stop exercising all together.

For those of you who took me up on this challenge, I hope you feel as great as I do...  For those of you who did not join in... it's never too late...