30 Day Challenges

[Millie]

Patrick has continually reminded us that stopping drinking or drugging is just the beginning. We also need to work on personal growth. Many of us have expressed the need to figure out ways to fill the time we previously wasted intoxicated or hungover, as well as ways to live fearlessly and authentically. I think we all just need to start somewhere. As we succeed, we will gain more confidence.

So, to begin, Erin and I have decided to do a thirty day exercise challenge. The rules for this challenge are simple. We must exercise every day for at least 20 minutes, no matter what. No exceptions. We are on day one. If we miss a day, we have to go back and start over on day one.


If anyone interested in joining this challenge, or interested in starting a different challenge, please post. There is no reason why we can't be doing multiple challenges at the same time...or all be doing different challenges.... I think it will be fun to see what challenges folks want to undertake.. The sky is the limit.

[Samantha]

Hi Millie. Im on. It would be great for me. But my day 1 will have to start tomorrow. Just reading this now. Looking forward to this and thank you so much!!

[Millie]

Great!!!!! Like stopping drinking, folks will have different day ones!!! I am excited. I actually worked out again tonight. I've gone from not working out months and months and months to twice today. It is something about the folks on this forum, regardless of what day they are on, that gives me motivation!!

[AmandaD]

I am game! I will do the 30 in thirty but I too have to start tomorrow. Will we keep the discussion within this thread? Would be nice to keep up with others' progress. Great idea!

[Millie]

I thought it made sense to keep the discussion on this thread, so we can track and encourage each other's progress. If anyone thinks of another good challenge they can track it on this thread too.. It doesn't have to be just about exercise. Folks may want to lose weight, drink more water, spend time each day learning a language or an instrument or a recipes, or reading a book etc?, or to say something nice to spouse or someone each day...

[Millie]

It is fine that you are a few days ahead. I am impressed with your power walking. Aren't you walking 5 or so miles at a time??? Very impressive. I started today on treadmill. I am going to have to build up slowly. I am very out of shape. I did not have to walk very fast to get my heart rate way up there. I plan to try and work a little harder and longer each day. I made the challenge just a minimum of 20 minutes, so we couldn't have any excuses for not fitting something in each day. My biggest challenge is just getting off the couch and making the effort...

[AmandaD]

I'm going to copy your post to the forum I'm on. I am on day 9 of journaling one thing I am grateful for daily. Will add 30 days of gratitude to my challeng along with exercise. This is motivating!

[Mairianna10]

Hi Millie, I'm here! Great idea. Hi AmandaD, Sylvane and Samantha. I'm going to dust off my Wii Fit and start today. I will get a talking to. Have any of you used Wii Fit? If not, if you dont use it for a while it actually questions you - Where have you been, etc?

I have been walking a little but nothing consistent. Here goes ....

[Millie]

We have a wii, bit not the wii fit. I've got some zumba DVDs I need to pull out.. Fortunately, they won't ask any questions where I have been..

[_Erin_]

Good morning, all! Day 2 for me! Last night after work, I took a walk with my man and my daughter, and then met a friend and took another walk! So I'm with you, Millie, I went from doing just about nothing to getting up off the couch more than I was even on it yesterday! This morning, I got up and ran another lap. I'm in the same boat - completely out of shape - and I find myself nearly suffocating by the time I reach the end of the lap. LOL But I feel so good for the rest of the day that it is worth it. And now I'm looking forward to the day that I can run several laps in the 25 minutes I have before starting my morning routine.

Mairianna, your comment about "getting a talking to" from your Wii Fit made me giggle out loud! I've never used the Wii Fit, but I do have a Wii, so I may just have to hunt that one down.

[Millie]

First, I want to thank you Erin for inspiring this thread and all that have joined in. This morning I Was regretting making this challenge since I didn't sleep well last night, but I forced myself to go to the gym, I was planning to do the treadmill again but a zumba class was starting, so I joined in for first half. I was about to die after 30 minutes but it was fun, fun, fun. I now feel so jazzed. I have never done a live class before.

I have realized that this challenge is going to be tough for me. That little voice in my head is either trying to talk me into bad habits or out of good ones.. I am not sure what is harder...talking myself out of doing something I shouldn't, like drink, or talking myself in to doing something I should, like exercise. Jury is out. I will keep you all posted.

Day 2

[_Erin_]

Thank me?!? LOL! I should be thanking YOU! This thread was your idea, Millie. It was just the prod I needed in the right direction.

Funny, I did the same thing this morning... LOL "Ohhh, I am sooo tired..." I didn't really regret the challenge, but it took me all the way until I actually arrived at the track to actually wake up. I was a zombie the whole way. Yesterday it was a lot easier to get myself going. It sounds like I have the same arguments with myself as you do! I talk myself into sweets, or "cheating" on exercise - for example, not really putting my all into a workout, but if no one saw it, I can say I did. What does that get me? Doesn't help me get in shape, all I'm doing is hurting myself and lying to myself. I decided this time, even though no one is looking, I'm going to put forth a real effort be completely and totally honest with myself about it. I'm writing down what time I left the house and came back, how much I weigh (not that this is my focus, but it does help keep me on track), how many laps I was able to do, and soon I'm going to clock how long it takes me to get around the track. It was neat that even after one day, I made it back to the house one minute sooner than I did yesterday. I think seeing the progress will help!

Good luck everyone! I'm interested to see how it's going for you!!

[Cathy]

Millie are working for Patrick? How much do you get paid? LOL!!
I stopped myself from drinking today before the "drunk" happened. Drunk usually leads to black out.
I'm going to drag out my gazelle in the morning before my grandkids get here. 20 minutes...whew!......that sounds really hard! I weigh 135 right now, but supposed to be 125. Then we're taking off for the day to South Haven to spend the day with some family and friends.
One foot in front of the other..........

[AmandaD]

Hi ladies! Congrats to everyone for joining. Big thanks to Erin and Millie for inspiring us! I was so tired after a long day at work then home to cook dinner. Had talked myself out of exercising. I thought, "I'll start tomorrow" but couldn't stand coming here and saying that! So I walked and jogged (mostly walked) and afterward my mood was much better and I was reenergized. So a very successful first day.

Now the second part of my challenge-Thirty Days of Gratitude
Today I am grateful for Patrick's website and forums; both of which have been instrumental in keeping me clean and sober for the past ten days.

[Christy]

Thanks Millie and Erin for the challenge. Maybe I'll get on the right track again. I was doing good for awhile, but been working so much and trying to make excuses when I get home to just say the heck with exercise. I feel so much better when I do. I just got home from the Mall of America, so does 2 days of that count for anything? LOL!
I also second the second part of the challenge. Thanks Patrick for this forum. You have changed many lives of people on this forum. Kudos to you!

[rosella]

Yes, great idea Millie and Erin. I need something positive to focus on rather than just what I shouldn't be doing. It's a bit late today so I'll start tomorrow (Friday). So as well as exercise, I, like Dragonfly, am also going to meditate for at least 10mins/day for 30 days. And no excuses from me this time around.

[_Erin_]

Day 3!!! I'm already amazed I've made it this far. For me, "not a morning person" isn't even the half of it, and I used to try to walk in the afternoons. Now that I'm a mommy, I don't have much of an afternoon to myself. LOL We do normally take walks as a family after work/dinner, but I just don't feel like only walking was doing it for me. I definitely wasn't pushing myself with only walking.

I think one of the things that's keeping me going is that I do this literally the moment I get out of bed. I don't have time to wake up and talk myself out of it. I get up, get dressed, let the dogs out, make John's coffee, and out the door I go! I even woke up in the middle of the night last night, excited to get up in the morning. TO RUN. In case you missed it, I HATE RUNNING. LOL!

Only three days into it, I am already noticing a few things: I don't need caffeine to jump-start my brain. I am more wide awake, even when I don't get much sleep. I do get sleepy around 2 pm, but I read somewhere on another post that afternoon is a normal time for a sugar low, so I've been trying to compensate for that. I have lost one pound each day so far - is that even possible, or is my scale broken? I actually crave water throughout the day, so I am drinking more water without even trying. I get hungry faster, so it's actually easier (and better for me) to eat several smaller snacks throughout the day rather than just wait until after work and pig out. As far as my body, my legs are SORE, but somehow I don't notice it until after I get home in the mornings. My stomach and back muscles are a little sore, too, which is awesome because that means it's working! I find myself sitting up straighter during the day.

Who would've thought - actually taking action and DOING something is opening all the other doors I was getting so frustrated with. I, too, am very grateful for this site!!

[Mairianna10]

Well I'm back to the exercise. Said I would start Day 1 today and here I am but really have no oomph at all. Going to have a session on the Wii, have to get past the 20 questions first! Where have you been? etc.

[Mairianna10]

Actually said I would start yesterday, oops