It’s the ninth month of the year already. If you have not managed to stick to the fitness plans you made at the beginning of this year, it’s still not too late. You can join me and others who will embark on simple challenges of sorts for this month. We will undertake daily health moves that can become habits that positively impact overall well-being: physical, mental and emotional.
The challenges will be simple but effective. Today we begin with seven steps the average person can begin to take immediately.
Reset – If you haven’t already, refresh or reset your physical or mental space before starting your day. Try not to overcomplicate it. It could be as simple as tidying your kitchen, your work desk or making your bed before leaving in the morning or trying a few minutes of meditation as a mental refresh before starting work. Setting ourselves up at the beginning of the week sets the tone for the remainder of the week.
Go for a walk outside – One of the simplest and healthiest habits is a simple walk outside. There is almost nothing a walk outside can’t fix.
Make a nutritious meal – It does not have to be fancy. Maybe fix breakfast. Make a shake using protein powder; try some oats with fruit; have a yogurt; or some peanut butter and banana and a coffee (or tea) of course.
Move your body – Outside of your walk in the morning, you can finish the day with a gym session, some cardio and some stretches. Feel good this week with consistent movement, good food, lots of steps and sleep.
Hit your water intake goal – Take a hint. Why not get up right this minute and have a drink of water? In this heat, hitting a water intake goal of 2-3 litres should not be a task. Especially if you are active and on the go. Also remember that the body is mostly made up of water. Adequate hydration is needed to function optimally.
Focus on a positive affirmation. This week’s affirmation: I am attracting only powerful and positive energy into my life. Remember, a positive mind = a positive life. Try to see the cup as half full rather than half empty.
Hit your step goal – If you have a smartwatch or smartphone, this will be simple with a step tracker app. The average person walks around 3,000–4,000 steps a day or roughly 1.5 to 2 miles. It is a good idea to find out how many steps a day you walk now as your own baseline. Then you can work up towards a goal of 10,0000 steps by aiming to add 1000 extra steps a day every two weeks.
Next week I will present more challenges for the month of September.
