20 For 30…My Workout Challenge To You..Are You In?

(Note: I already changed the name of my challenge, so the pic and video call it “20 In 30″… I decided “20 For 30” made more sense. Now ahead and read!)

I gotta come clean. I have been slacking on my workouts…gasp! Yes, it’s true. Even after I bought those beautiful new running shoes, even after I told you guys not to make excuses, after all that, I have not been honoring myself and my workouts the way I have wanted to. Yes, I have been working out, just not as much I should. Life has been beyond crazy busy and I have found myself giving to everyone WAY more than I have been giving to myself. All work and no play on my yoga mat makes for a very unhappy Anita.

But I see the error in my ways and I am on it.

After getting back on the saddle this weekend, I decided to give myself a little challenge. I asked myself, “What would happen if I committed to at least 20 minutes of exercise for 30 consecutive days?” My wise self told me that I would be happier, healthier, and recommitted to my workouts. Afterall, it takes 21 to 30 days to break and make a habit; once I get back in the routine, I know I will be much more likely to keep this good thing going. And by making the minimum time 20 minutes, I get the flexibility to step out of that all or nothing mentality while still holding me accountable to being committed to my exercise program, if only for 20 minutes.

So then I thought, what would happen if I extended the challenge out to my readers? How would their lives benefit and what kind of positive impact would it have on their health?

You might be thinking what could 20 minutes really do. Well, think about this. How often have you caught yourself coming up with excuses or reasons to NOT lace up and get your workout in? If you knew you only had to do 20 minutes, wouldn’t you be more likely to get moving? And chances are, once you are dressed for the occasion and moving, you are highly likely to go beyond those 20 minutes. Why? Because you have broken free of one of the biggest obstacles to getting your workout in…you showed up! Once you do that, it’s on! (And BTW, you really can get a great workout in 20 minutes…it’s all how you use it!)

So…are you ready for a little challenge? Here’s the low-down:
1. For the next 30 days, you and I are going to commit to at least 20 minutes of exercise EVERY SINGLE DAY! (I’m already 6 days in, but the official start date of the challenge is May 19th!)
2. You can definitely go over 20 minutes…in fact, I encourage it. But this way, if you only do 20, you can still feel great that you honored your commitment to you!
3. You can do any type of exercise you enjoy….yoga, walking, running, biking, hiking. In fact, Yogis Anonymous just posted a 20 minute flow with Lauren Peterson on their On-Line Yoga Library (are they secretly reading my mind?) Just pick anything you enjoy!
4. I highly encourage you to document your progress. Write down your success on your calendar, journal, or even on here! I would LOVE to here from you and how this is working for you.
5. Congratulate yourself for taking charge of your health and relish in that kick-ass feeling your will get for every day that your honored this commitment.

Let’s do this ish together! I’ll keep you guys up to date on my progress and what’s working and I want to hear about your successes as well!

How awesome are we going to feel in 30 days? Are you in?