I’ve been noticing in the last few years these insane workout challenges that are meant to give you shredded abs in two weeks or reduce belly fat in no time. I mean, really? That all sounds too good to be true. Who comes up with these challenges, anyway? 

But exercise is a great thing to incorporate into your life, it’s just not the only thing you need to get to your ideal body goal. A better diet not consisting of refined sugar is a great place to start, and getting better nights of sleep is also important. 

I want to take the time to reevaluate these workout challenges and turn them into something that is less of a chore and more of a fun activity to do with family or friends. But how exactly do you get started with a workout challenge? Let me help you with that! 

Attempting any workout challenge can be a daunting task. I suggest starting small, like I did, with a one-week challenge. I literally typed into YouTube’s search bar “easy workout” and came upon MrandMrsMuscle’s 30-day Challenge! I told myself that going for one week would be good enough for me. I thought of it  as a way to ignite a fire in me, to finally get my butt moving and to take my health seriously. 

I had gained a few pounds during the pandemic, and my breathing along with my stamina had gotten worse. I also have asthma, so it would be good for me to finally get back to the old workout routine. I wasn’t trying to lose weight to look good. That was the least of my worries. I simply wanted to lose weight so I could feel good and not out of breath every time I went up a flight of stairs. With a clear goal in mind, I was ready to hit play and take on the challenge.

Day 1 

This day was fun, a bit of a challenge, but not impossible. The worst thing was the military planks. Those are absolute torture for a plank novice like me! My favourite thing is anything where I get to lie on my yoga mat, and bicycle crunches fulfilled that role beautifully.

Day 2 

The dreaded wall-sit. I struggled immensely with this one. I just couldn’t hold for the 45 seconds my lovely instructor was asking of me. I promised to do better next time! I also experienced jumping jacks for the first time in a very long time. They were actually quite fun to do!

Day 3 

This day was even worse with burpees. Oh my goodness I hate burpees! Thankfully the instructor offers a modified version for us weaker beings. Curtsy lunges were also introduced to me and I really liked doing them.

Day 4 

This was a breeze. I’m getting the hang of this now. I even improved my military planks. Go me!

Day 5 

I made the addition of butt kicks to my rotation of no-equipment-needed exercises. Once again, I breezed through the workouts, keeping up with the instructor!

Day 6 

This one comes after a rest day I decided was crucial to my success. My body was begging for it, so I decided to do the right thing and listen to it. I was tasked with a 30-second plank, jumping jacks, incline push-ups, squats, bicycle crunches and jumping squats. Doing jumping squats at the very end was an absolute killer, but I felt proud having made it through the day’s exercises.

Day 7 

This was the final day for me, and thankfully it was an easy one. I completed the wall-sit like a pro! By the end though, I was losing steam for the 30 sit-ups the instructor asked of me. I think I only managed to make it to 23. I just couldn’t take it anymore. But hey, at least I tried my best! 

I think I’ll definitely continue this challenge on my own time; it’s been a great motivator to get my body moving. Since finishing, I’ve been using my treadmill more and even going out for leisurely bike rides in my neighbourhood. I’ve been sleeping much better, and my breathing has improved. I also want to highlight that my mood is always much better when I work out consistently. That feeling of accomplishing the workout left me feeling much more positive about myself. 

So, which workout challenge will you take on? Try to find the right one for you. It can be anything from swimming laps in a pool and increasing the number each day, or doing jump rope every day. Whatever you decide, make sure it’s something that excites you!

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