30 Day Fitness Challenges

  I am so excited to share this fitness challenge with anyone willing to try read it and possibly try it too.  Michelle introduced me to this 32 days ago and I am really thrilled with the results from the first challenge.  Out of all of the sisters, I feel like (and look like) I have had the hardest time losing baby weight after each of my 3 children.  I am usually able to lose about 1/2 of what I gained in the pregnancy and then it just stops and piles on again after the next child.  I just experienced this AGAIN with my 3rd child and FINALLY after 8 long months, I am starting to see a change again.  I know I am not the only one who has this difficulty even though it feels like it sometimes, so I hope this will give someone else out there hope and support as I have needed it!

So, 32 days ago, I started the 30 day ab and 30 day squat challenge found at the 30 Day Fitness Challenge site.  They have 18 different challenges to choose from, basically for any part of the body that might be a problem.  They start out small and by day 30, you are doing crazy amounts of things.  When I first looked at it and saw the day 30 challenge, I thought, good luck.  It actually was quite manageable and I was able to finish it no problem!  A piece of advice is to measure yourself on day 1, day 15, and again on the final day so you really can see where you are.  I tell you, my day 15 measurement got me very motivated as I had already lost 2 inches at my waist, and another 2 inches between my legs!  My final measurements were 3 inches off my waist, 1 inch off my hips, and 3 3/4 inches off my legs.  Grand total 7 3/4 inches!!!  I only lost 3 pounds, but I am not letting that defeat me.  Muscle burns fat, right, so it should show in the pounds shortly.  I will be happy to report when that happens too!  I also have gotten comments (really good ones) about 4 times in the last 2 weeks about my legs and how I am looking so YAY!!!

So here is the chart, directly from the 30 Day Fitness website for the ab/squat challenge:

   If you have an android or iphone, you can also download their apps for each challenge.  I also added 2 things to my routine.  First, when I did my squats, I would also do 30-60 calf raises.  I have 3 positions for it.  1.  First is just with toes pointing forward.  2.  Next, toes pointing in toward each other.  3.  Finally, heels touching and toes pointing out.  I would do either 10, 15, or 20 in each position.  If the squat day was light, I would do 10, after 2-3 days, I would do 15, and the last 2-3 days I would do 20.  You can either do these all in a row, or space them out in between squats.  For instance, on day 12, it calls for 60 squats.  I would do 20 squats, then 15 calf raises, 20 more squats, 15 more calf raises, etc.  It worked awesome!  

   The next thing I added was leg lift ab crunches.  I would just do as many as it said to do with the sit-ups.  This is the one where you lie on your back with legs out straight.  Lift your toes straight up toward the sky so your body makes an L. 

   This month, I am definitely continuing to do a 30 day challenge.  I am using their push up challenge, found below.  

  I am also going to continue doing 20-40 squats everyday with 10-15 calf raises in-between each group of squats.  I am also going to continue doing about 20 sit-ups and 30-40 crunches every day.  I am also adding a butt and hamstrings challenge and it is one I have created on my own.  I will explain the exercises and then give the plan at the end.  

  Hamstrings:  If you have an 8-12 pound hand weight you will hold it horizontal with each hand holding one end.  You simply bend over until your hands touch the ground, and then stand back up, squeezing your buttock.  If you want to make it more challenging, stand on the edge of a stair or chair or bench and allow your hands to go BELOW your feet.  It will add more resistance and you will feel it more the next day!

Buttock:  This one I am using from an old tae bo workout I used to do.  There are 4 steps, each one building on the last and getting a little harder.  You will do a set on each leg, so alternate from one leg to the next so your bottom has time to relax a minute in between!  You will be down on hands and knees for all of these.  

1.  Lift your leg (bent knee) straight up in the air, and heading to your head, then back down to the ground.

2.  Lift your bent leg up to the side like a male dog would to a tree.  Your leg should be straight with your back at it's highest.

3.  Lift your leg like in step 2 and hold this position while you stretch and straighten your leg back and then pull back to the bent position.

4.  Lift you leg (like in step 1) up in the air, curve your leg into the bent knee position as in step 2, and continue rotating down until your knee is on the ground again.  You will be making a circle with your leg.  

I really don't like pictures of myself right now, but I will post video clips to help explain these steps a little better as soon as I can see Michelle to tape them!  I just wanted to post this now because I am so excited about it. 

Here is my flow chart for this month incorporating the push-ups, hamstrings, and buttock.

Day 1:  Push ups- 15 / Hamstrings- 25 / Butt-10 Each Leg/ X 4 positions (see above)

Day 2:  Push ups- 16 / Hamstrings- 30 / Butt- 11 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 3:  Push ups- 17 / Hamstrings- 35 / Butt- 12 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 4:   Push ups- 18 / Hamstrings- 40 / Butt- 13 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 5:   Push ups-  19 / Hamstrings- 45 / Butt- 14 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 6:   Push ups- 20 / Hamstrings- 50 / Butt- 15 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 7:   Push ups- 21 / Hamstrings- 55/ Butt- 16 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 8:  Rest

Day 9:   Push ups- 22 / Hamstrings- 20 / Butt-  17 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 10:   Push ups- 23 / Hamstrings- 30 / Butt- 18 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 11:   Push ups- 23 / Hamstrings- 40 / Butt- 19 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 12:   Push ups- 24 / Hamstrings- 50 / Butt- 20 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 13:   Push ups- 25 / Hamstrings- 55 / Butt- 21 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 14:   Push ups- 26 / Hamstrings- 60 / Butt- 22  Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 15:  Rest

Day 16:   Push ups- 27 / Hamstrings- 25 / Butt- 23 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 17:   Push ups-  28 / Hamstrings- 35 / Butt- 24 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 18:   Push ups- 29 / Hamstrings- 45 / Butt- 25 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 19:   Push ups- 30 / Hamstrings- 55 / Butt- 26  Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 20:   Push ups- 31 / Hamstrings- 60 / Butt- 27 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 21:   Push ups- 32 / Hamstrings- 65 / Butt- 28 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 22:  Rest

Day 23:   Push ups- 33 / Hamstrings- 25 / Butt- 29 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 24:   Push ups- 34 / Hamstrings- 35 / Butt- 30 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 25:   Push ups- 35 / Hamstrings- 45 / Butt- 31 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 26:   Push ups- 36 / Hamstrings- 55 / Butt- 32 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 27:   Push ups- 37 / Hamstrings- 60 / Butt- 33 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 28:   Push ups- 38 / Hamstrings- 65 / Butt- 34 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 29:   Push ups- 39 / Hamstrings- 70 / Butt- 35 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Day 30:   Push ups- 40 / Hamstrings- 75 / Butt- 36 Each Leg/ X 4 positions

Good luck and please send a comment back if you do this.  I'd like to hear how others do!  Thanks for reading.

~Stacy~