Personal Challenge
When was the last time you gave yourself a personal challenge?
I love a good personal challenge. The only one I compete against is myself. It is one of my favorite ways to test my will, my ability to stay the course and more than anything, reach my goal.
A good personal challenge has the same impact as a good secret, like a surprise party or a gift you sent someone, and you can’t speak of it or you will ruin the surprise.
This time- my challenge has been to elevate my fitness routine to feel my most confident for my upcoming photoshoot in March. I am shooting new promotional photos and a special set with balloons for my 50th Birthday.
The thought of turning 50 made me wonder what kind of results I would achieve if I gave myself an intense workout routine, a personal challenge over the 6-week timeframe.
I am currently on my final 10 days of the challenge, and I feel fantastic. Physically and mentally.
I started the challenge by increasing my weights for the first two weeks with the goal to lift double the weight I have been casually lifting in my normal fitness routine. I also added in an additional 30 minutes of cardio at the end of my workouts.
As I entered week 3 and was comfortable lifting double the weights, I was reminded that lifting heavier requires more recovery, so I factored in a 20-30 minute nap when I could. I also added one hour to my sleep time, going to bed a little earlier to give my body the extra time to recover.
After week 4, I added a “no days off” policy. I could break from weights, but I had to still get in an extra hour of activity. Core work, cardio, or just a long walk in the city.
Now, here I am, muscles awake, a constant feeling of a little sore, but like magic after my Saturday massage followed by a night of lemon water, fruit and tv – I am recharged so I added another layer, the Peloton. I will be adding a Peloton class every day after I finish lifting weights. I started today and halfway through the class totally kicking my ass, all I heard was my inner dialogue screaming at me “there are no shortcuts to success!”
This personal goal already feels like a success. Not just because I am on the home stretch, but because I stayed the course, for me. No one else. I am seeing incredible results and know I will be my most confident in front of the camera. Shaking up my workout routine, pushing myself out of my comfort zone reminded me of my physical and mental tenacity.
This isn’t something I had to do, this was just my own personal challenge to remind myself and you, my reader that age is really just a number.