CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK: Learning to Split Challenge  

You heard right!  The challenge this week is to work on your SPLITS! 

First, let’s talk about some basic benefits of stretching: 

• Stretching increases overall flexibility, which makes almost every single aspect of daily life easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable.

• Improves the range of motion in joints, which enhances both balance and stability (decreasing your risk for injury)

• If an injury does occur, a person who stretches regularly has a much faster recovery period.

• Increases circulation, which will give you more energy!

• Helps reduce muscle tension

Splits are a great way to work on hip joint mobility, hip flexor and hamstring flexibility, and many more muscles in your body.  

Start by practicing the stretching exercises pictured below. 

Use yoga blocks under each hand for more support.

Once you feel ready to dive in and practice full front splits, go for it!

Be gentle. Listen to your hips and hamstrings. With splits, slow and steady wins the race.

 Practice daily, and you will see improvements before you know it! Hold each exercise 3 times for 30 seconds daily.

Remember to focus on your breathing.

Consistent and even inhalations and exhalations throughout flexibility training are crucial.

The muscles, tendons and ligaments will relax and lengthen when your breath is relaxed and lengthened.

Who's 'IN' for practicing SPLITS this week? 

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK: The CHOCOLATE Challenge 

For some of you, this may just be the best challenge EVER.

In its raw form, chocolate is actually the #1 food in the world for longevity. 

It has the highest concentration of antioxidants out of every other food, and it’s one of the most vitamin C rich containing foods you can put in your mouth. 

This means it’s going to help protect your body against free radical damage, reduce your cholesterol, protect against heart disease, reduce inflammation, and strengthen your immune system!

The only catch is- it has to be in its RAW form called cacao (or cocoa).  (You can find this nearly anywhere these days- especially at any health food stores.)

If it has been heated or processed, it loses almost all of its nutritional benefits.

So what’s this week’s challenge!?  Try a new HEALTHY chocolate recipe! (or just eat some really good dark chocolate ☺)

If you’re going for a chocolate bar, the darker the better- 70% and higher. 

Maybe you want to try some Heavenly Chocolate Avocado Pudding!? 
Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients: 2 ripe Avocados (not over-ripe!), 1 cup pitted dates, 5 Tablespoons of raw cocoa powder, ½ cup purified water, 1/2 Tablespoon raw organic honey, a pinch or two of sea salt

Directions: Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor and enjoy.  (This is great when chilled for a few hours before you eat it!)   (makes about 3-4 servings depending on the size of the avocados)

So, do I have to twist your arm?  If you’re IN for this week’s challenge, let me know! 
(and if you’ve got a great recipe, please share it with the rest of us!)

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK: Creating Your Morning Ritual Challenge 

 

Do you have a morning ritual?  

I bet you do… even if you’re not aware of it! 

That “ritual” may be something like shutting the alarm off on your cell phone, then immediately checking your email or facebook.  Next, you take a quick shower and get ready for the day and start your daily grind. Sound familiar?

That is what MOST people’s morning routine looks like. 

What YOU do in the morning can set your entire day up for success- if you do it right. 

It can lead to a much more productive, energetic, and purposeful day. 

What if you got up just a few minutes earlier, and did something EVERY day that made you feel empowered? 

What if for just 5 minutes right after you wake up, instead of checking your email you:

• listen to your favorite energetic music

• listen to a motivational book on tape

• read something spiritual 

• think about all of the things in your life you have to be grateful for

• take a few minutes to journal or foam roll

 How do you think that would affect your day?   I’ll give you a hint- it makes a MASSIVE difference.

Your challenge this week is to create a NEW morning ritual….

One that will set your day up for success and help you focus on what’s truly important in your life.

Are you willing to accept this challenge!? 

Let me know if you’re up for it and what it is that you’ll be working on this week!

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK: Plank-5 Challenge

Plank is one of those core exercises (pun intended!) that will make almost every exercise you do easier and more efficient.  

It’s a great way to train your core without putting strain (if done properly) on the lower back. 

Your core muscles all work together to stabilize and support your spine and the rest of your body. 

You already know all of the benefits of having a strong core- like maintaining a healthy back, better balance and stability, and better posture.  
 
It’s a great tool in the toolbox to pull out for this week’s CHALLENGE! 

This week, your challenge is to perform plank this week as follows:

• Monday (today): 2 total minutes in plank

• Tuesday: 4 minutes

• Wednesday: 6 minutes 

• Friday: 8 minutes

• Sunday: 10 minutes

Here’s the deal:  You can perform plank on your hands, on your forearms, or even a side plank for this challenge.  You can switch it up and break it into as many sets as you need to be able to keep good form.  

Need a little help with form?  Here’s a great link: greatist.com/fitness/perfect-plank 

Are you willing to accept this week’s plank challenge!?  Let me know in a comment below

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:  5-Minute Reflection Challenge  

Did you know that there are 1,440 minutes in a single day?

How about taking just 5 of those minutes for yourself for a little self-reflection?

All too often, we’re running around doing everything for everyone else.

We’re on overdrive.  We’ve got massive amounts of responsibilities and obligations each and every day.  

We’re on the go from the second we wake up until the second we go to bed.

This week, your challenge is to MAKE time for yourself… even if it’s just 5 minutes.  

Reflection is very personal, and it really helps to get you in touch with yourself. 

John Maxwell says: “Reflection turns experience into insight.”  

You don’t learn from experience, you learn by reflecting on those experiences.  

This week, at some point each day, your challenge is to take at least 5 minutes and reflect on your day and on your life.  

Here’s a quick article you can check out for tips on how to make the most of your self-reflection time: http://www.myrkothum.com/self-reflection-how-to-do-it-right

It’s pretty amazing what can come out of just 5 minutes ☺

Are you committing to this week’s Self-Reflection Challenge!?  Let me know! 

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK: Share your favorite gadget

There are a million-and-one gadgets out there that claim they can help you to get-in-shape faster, lose more weight, or track this, and do “that.”

Even though there are a ton of gimmicks available, there are only a few AWESOME gadgets or pieces of technology that really can make a difference and help you reach your goals faster.

These can include anything you can use in the kitchen, to track your food journal, to help you drink more water, to make workouts more exciting, to anything else you can think of!  

You may know of the PERFECT solution to help someone else in our group with something they have been struggling with.  

Your challenge this week is a fun one… 

Simply share one (or more) gadgets, tools, or tech device that has helped to make YOUR life easier or has helped you to reach your goals faster.

Here are a few cool ideas to get your wheels turning:

• The “Wherever Water Lemon” water bottle can help you squeeze fresh lemon juice right into your water bottle.
• The Nutribullet smoothie maker that uses a mug as the blender bottle so you can blend it, put the top right on, and head out the door with no clean-up.
• Maybe you have a fav sweatband, heart rate monitor, or fitness tracker?

Hopefully someone will share or post something that can make your life easier, too ☺  

I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with!  Please share your FAVORITE healthy gadget!

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK: The Go-to-Bed Early Challenge 

Studies have shown that people who go to bed earlier and get more sleep tend to be more productive, have a stronger immune system, have better memory, and even have a better sex life. 

Got your attention?

Getting enough sleep is so incredibly important.  It allows our bodies to function optimally. 

We need it to recover properly from our workouts and restore the balance in our hormones. 

People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to experience weight gain, get more stressed out, and even find themselves with an increased risk for developing certain types of cancer and other diseases.

Your challenge this week is to go to bed EARLY! 

I know it’s not an easy thing to do, so here are a couple of tips:

• Set your bedtime! (8:30-9pm is usually a good start)

• Set a soft alarm on your phone to remind you

• Take a nice warm shower or bath before bed

• Turn off all electronics about an hour before you go to bed

• Have a small cup of herbal tea