STRONG IDEA: Contemplate, Commit, Succeed
By Emily Stapleton on November 26, 2013
Most research shows that people think about starting a new exercise program for quite some time before actually doing any exercise. They might mull it over in their heads; possibly discuss it with a friend or spouse. They probably consider the time and energy commitment necessary before deciding whether the new exercise venture is feasible.
Well, consider the next week your time to contemplate…because I’m offering you an exercise challenge that starts in one week -- on December 2.
The 12 Days of Fitness is a challenge to perform some type of physical activity everyday for 12 days in a row. The challenge, named for the 12 Days of Christmas, is designed to take place during the holiday season. I know; I know you couldn’t possibly find time to exercise during your busy holiday schedule. But this program is different. You can exercise for as little as a couple minutes each day and still benefit. As with all exercise programs, you have to tailor the program to your own schedule and fitness level. I’ll give you lots of options.
The Challenge: Physical activity everyday for 12 days (from 12/2 – 12/13)
What does this mean for you? The idea is to meet you wherever you are in your fitness journey. As you read on, think about how fit you are right now, how fit you’ve been in the past, and what you would like to accomplish over the next two weeks. Keep in mind that a short-term exercise plan is not designed for weight loss or drastic change in physical appearance. Instead, consider this an opportunity to jump start a long term plan, manage stress during the holidays, or bump your current regimen up to the next level.
The STRONG IDEA: 12 daily posts propelling you toward your goal.
Check in at Connect-Bridgeport (or the STRONG Facebook page) from 12/2 to 12/13. I’ve put together a fun, progressive series of basic exercises. On the first day I’ll introduce an exercise and provide specific benefits and instructions. On each successive day, I’ll introduce another exercise. I’ll ask you to do the exercise of the day as well as each of the previous exercises. So on the 12th Day of Fitness my true love gave to me…and you’ll do all 12 exercises. Get it? The series will only take you from 2 to 15 minutes total and you won’t need any special equipment. Here are some suggestions on how to use the series daily and succeed over the 12 Days:
- You can do the 12 Days of Fitness series only. This is a good plan if your time is extremely limited this season or if you haven’t been doing any regular exercise lately.
- You can add the 12 Days of Fitness series to the end of your own fitness regimen. Going to Zumba? Tack a few minutes onto the end. Are you a runner? This’ll make a great finisher to your regular run.
- You can ignore the 12 Days of Fitness series all together and just do your own thing…but still challenge yourself to exercise 12 days in a row.
- If you live in the Bridgeport area, you can join our local CAMPSTRONGgroup for most of the workouts and do a few on your own. Click here for details.
So, start contemplating your new exercise plan. Next week: we commit. The following week: we succeed.
Until Next Week,
Emily Stapleton
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