It’s that time of year again! That time when everyone puts off their health and fitness goals until the New Year, sigh. We understand that allure of starting fresh in a new year. But, we want to challenge you now, to get a kickstart your journey to a healthier life.
That is why this year we challenge everyone to the “12 Days of Fitness. Start on Thursday, Dec. 19 and proceed until Dec. 31. Follow along and each day, and as you progress, you will add another fitness challenge to your routine. Just like the song, as you progress you will also complete the previous day’s challenges. For example, on day 4 you will complete the challenges for days 4, 3, 2 and 1—just like the “12 Days of Christmas” song: “Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.”
So keep this paper handy and somewhere you can see it daily.
The challenges consist of both exercises and overall healthy habits that everyone knows we love. Most of these challenges have been discussed in previous articles.
Day 1: Plank for 1 minute
Simple and straight forward. This can be either a high (hands and feet) or low (elbows and feet) plank. If you are just starting out and you need to break this into two sets of 30 seconds that can be a great place to start. Work your way up and try to get to a full minute before the end of 2019.
Day 2: Compliment 2 people
Spread a little holiday cheer. Find two people a day and give them a compliment. Be careful complimenting an ugly Christmas sweater unless you’re at an ugly Christmas sweater party.
Day 3: Do 3 burpees
The exercise everyone loves as much as holiday traffic…
Day 4: Write down 4 things that make you happy
Take some time and think about what makes you happy. It can be something simple like a cup of coffee in the morning or being able to spend time with your family. Try to write down four different things every day.
Day 5: Do 5 minutes of meditation
Find a quiet place, set the timer, focus on your breathing and allow yourself to decompress this holiday season.
Day 6: Eat6 servings of fruits and veggies
It’s time to listen to your mother and make sure some fruits and veggies make their way onto your holiday dinner plate each day.
Day 7: Get 7 hours of sleep a night (at least)
ZZZZZZ…. I really shouldn’t have to elaborate on this one. Let your batteries recharge so you can get the most out of the holidays.
Day 8: Drink 8 glasses of water a day
This may be difficult at first, but it’ll help set up a truly great habit for all your health goals. A glass of water is 8 ounces.
Day 9: Do 9 pushups
Again, breaks are ok, as needed. It will get easier.
Day 10: Complete 10 minutes of stretching
Make sure your muscles are at least a bit warm before starting and go slowly.
Day 11: Take 11 deep breaths every hour
(There is an app for that!)
Day 12: Do as many jumping jacks as you can
(You only have to do this one once, so make the most of it!)
Kyle Finneron is the owner of Studio Fitness in Rutland, studiofitnessvt.com.
