Yesterday was Day 28 for the group of us who completed The 28 Day Kick Ass Challenge, where we each made ONE “Diet Fix” and we added in ONE exercise every day for 28 days.
We DID IT!!!
I wanted to share a bit about what I learned in those 28 days.
Week 1: We started out strong and we were committed! There was a good number of us and we KNEW we could stick to our goals. We were excited, feeling good and we knew we could do this. We encouraged our fellow Challengers and we were a strong community.
Week 2: We made it through our first weekend but things started getting a little tougher. We were tempted, but we pushed through and used our tools. At about Day 8, we started to lose a few of our fellow Challengers. This had two effects: for one segment of the group, it strengthened our resolve. For the other segment, it made us feel like we could drop out, too.
Week 3: Things started getting tough...really tough. We had to dig deep to keep on the path. Some worried that they couldn't do this for 28 days. Over that second weekend, we lost more of our Challengers. Only a handful of us were left.
Week 4: The core group was going strong. Those of us who committed were feeling great about things because we could see the light at the end of the tunnel. We knew we were going to make it and so we continued to push on.
On Day 28, we felt AMAZING!!!! We had crushed our goal and many of us have decided to keep going or make another diet fix and get started once again. We will continue with our exercise routine and we look forward to more insights to come as we continue to prioritize ourselves and our health.
The Take-Away
The bottom line is this: Those who committed--the ones who made a DECISION and killed off all other options--they are the people still standing tall. They are the ones who are feeling incredibly proud of themselves because they did what they set out to do.
They knew temptation would find them, but by knowing that, they also knew that they could avoid failure...simply by being prepared.
Because failure was not an option.
And failing to plan is planning to fail.
Because we are wise enough to know that without the tools, the strategy and the plan, we can't possibly fight against the laws of biology or the power of our habits.
Here is what I mean:
Biology says we will get hungry. Let's say someone's diet fix was to cut out chips and dip for 28 days. If they had a cupboard full of chips, things would get pretty dicey around day 3. The committed person ridded the house of chips or else put them all in one spot and told the family not to eat them in front of him or her. They didn't rely on willpower, rather they created systems. This person would make sure to load the fridge with healthy snacks so that when they might want to reach for a bowl of chips and dip, they found it just as easy to reach for celery sticks, carrots, cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices dipped in home made tzatziki.
Our habits want to keep us comfortable. They will tell us "we don't want to work out!" "This is not who we are!!" "We don't like this ONE BIT!" "We need to get back to the way things were!" The committed person will tell themselves that they committed to the plan and they would do their 22 reps of the exercise first thing in the morning so that they could get it over and done with. If they forgot, they'd see all of our posts in the group, and, in their pajamas, they'd do their crunches or push-ups or whatever the exercise was that day. Because they were committed. They had decided. And they wanted to keep trusting themselves.
It was truly awesome to see people make and stick to their goals and it was a fascinating experiment to see human nature at play. I know how hard it is to something new and challenging, so I couldn't be more proud of this stellar group.
And even though we have finished our Challenge, feel free to join the Facebook group and start your own Challenge! Perhaps you'll even want to bring a friend. Just let us know the diet fix you're making. We will cheerlead you and help you reach your goals!
Or, find a way to challenge yourself. I've shared a few other ways to exercise in a past blog post that you may want to try.
There is no better feeling than the self-trust and self-respect that comes with setting and achieving a goal, especially a hard one like giving up something you crave! Or moving our bodies when we would rather just skip the workout. But once you catch your stride, it's all downhill, baby...and the taste of victory is sweet!
So, if YOU want to make a change and challenge yourself to achieve a goal, please know that it is all within your reach. It takes a decision and a plan. But you can do it!
I believe in you.
Because I want you to love your life one bite at a time.
P.S. If you'd like to stay connected, let's do so on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Plus, if you haven’t already subscribed to my blog, you should! That way, you won’t miss anything. For joining, you get my personal meal plan, shopping list, and a week’s worth of easy, tasty recipes. https://sarahtalksfood.com/
P.P.P.S. To learn more about my story and to order your very own copy of my book,The 28 Day Kick The Sugar Challenge, visit KTSC28.com.
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