Keys to Success from our 30 Day Challengers
I made the 30 days because I have been blessed to be surrounded by friends and
family that reminded me that I signed up. It was this group that held me accountable
and even participated in my workouts so I would get them in!! Proof that I keep
good company!! Thank you for the incentive Fairhaven Runners!!
It helped that it was never an issue of how fast or how far - just that I did it. There
were several mornings where I just pretended I was in a race with myself... As long
as I got out there and gave it my best - I was guaranteed 1st place.
I Key reason for success -having a training goal (a marathon on 2/16) AND setting
the expectation that every day doesn't have to be huge. So, non-running days were
often "just" core work or an extra walk. Going into 2014 feeling great!
I did it! My inspiration for working out every day comes from my "5:15am every day
running" husband, the Awesome Fit School Women, and the Gs. I love our running
community!
Staying active got easier when my kids started getting involved
The accountability kept me going and seeing everything people were doing to stay
motivated and active!
Thanks to Tate at northwest fitness.
Training for a marathon and then a few fun runs kept me going. And doing the
challenge with my sister.
FitBit goal setting really helped motivate me along with my hubbie and kids who
cheered me on!!!
Working towards fitness goals kept me going - I ran a 5k race yesterday faster than I
ever have...that gives me motivation to keep this up long after this challenge is
complete!:-) Thanks for the gentle shove in the right direction!!!
Knowing I made this commitment kept me going to the gym & helped keep me
moving even with an injury.
Commitment to the challenge was a helpful little thorn prodding me on every day.
Adding core and strength training has helped my running immensely and I wouldn't
have done it without this challenge. Thanks for the opportunity!
I wanted to prove to myself that I could move ‘n groove every day and love it!!!!
The key reason to keep going was to stick with the commitment. Thank you
Fairhaven Runners for continuing to inspire!
I did it! Thanks to my husband.
I appreciated that this month wasn't very rainy, even if it was cold. Lunch walks,
evening walks and half marathon training with friends gave me a bit of extra
motivation.
Thanks to E2 Fitness Center, best gym around and working out at home when I
couldn't make it to the gym.
Success was the amazing group of women to run with.
My husband inspires me.
I woke up every day and made it a rule...no turning on the television or breakfast
before getting on the treadmill...I got your post which helped.
Having a training goal (a marathon on 2/16) AND setting the expectation that every
day doesn't have to be huge. So, nonrunning days were often "just" core work. Going
into 2014 feeling great!
I got this done and as a matter of fact this is the first challenge i have participated in
my entire life (that I remember anyway). It was hard on some days but come week 3
it just got better and better and toward the end it was more a routine than a
challenge. Yahoo!!!
I did it because of my calendar: seeing myself progress and keeping me accountable.
I did it because of my workout buddies. I did it for brooks shoes!
Keeping the weight off kept me going!
I am a 65 year old Grandmere of 2 young children( aged 3 1/2 yrs and 20 months).
Two days before Christmas I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia- with extreme pain
in my knees and lower back after 3 years of all-over pain body pain due to an auto
accident. After much reflection and prayer I made the decision not to become a
"couch potato" and pop pain pills , but became determined to reclaim my body to
return to my favorite activities of traveling, dancing, hiking, and horseback riding.
My husband and I are retired and last year purchased a 24 ft. RV for Family visits
and Serendipity Adventures. It awaits us in the driveway.
My doctor suggested water aerobics, yoga, and lots of physical therapy. Your 30Day fitness challenge gave me a reason to sign up for the local YMCA Silver
Sneakers Classes - Water Aerobics and Yoga. Off to the Lynden YMCA with my new
"water shoes" without fail and through the pain. (MWF- YMCA Classes and T,TH,Fri,
Sat, Sun-Stretching, dancing, and short walks). Yes, I did it and along the journey
formed a new daily habit- Fun and Fabulous Fitness!
I appreciate your challenge and encouragement, as well as your personal and
friendly customer service when I have visited your store to purchase shoes and
clothing for the outdoors.
Making doing it every day a habit -- feel better when I work out then when I don’t!
One key motivator was having a circle of active friends to be workout buddies with! Those hours of
running and biking go by a lot quicker with a friend by your side. Not going to lie, another motivator? My
tri coach checking my workout log daily. I don't know if I could have pulled some of those days without
that pushing me.
I love to run and work out and try and share that enthusiasm with my family and
friends –and last week when I had a great workout and was telling my parents all
about it my 79-yr. old Mom mentioned she was going to take a Zumba class—I knew
then that my love for fitness had hit home (literally!). Thank you for the challenge
and weekly inspiration and encouragement! Look forward to an awesome year of
fun and fitness! Many thanks!
I joined Weight Watchers in May 2013 and lost 24 pounds. A big key to that
successful accomplishment was an increase in physical activity.
Your 30 Day Challenge gave me the motivation to stick with daily exercise building
on the success that I've already felt.
It also has helped to make winter go by faster, as it is not my favorite time of the
year.
And on the 30th day, I finally found the exercise DVD's I've been looking for since
December 31st.
I did it no matter what! I have had a year and 4 months of unbelievable family health
issues. I know other people have worse, but this past time has been something I never
imagined. Thank you for the 30 day exercise challenge idea...not only was it good for my
body...it was great for my mind.
I wondered what would happen if I rode a bike at least 30 minutes/day every day
for a year. So far so good, except this weekend when I substituted 7 hours of cross
country skiing up at Whistler Olympic Park. So far that has been enough of a reason
to exercise every day, and since I’m a month and a half in I have to keep going right?
1) Having my husband who is also my running buddy. If I did not want to move, he would motivate me
and vice versa.
2) Living in Kuwait there are two options of things to do -- consume, consume, consume or get out and
move. We have always chosen the second option.
3) I am VERY competitive and to sign up for a challenge is a great motivating tool. I can't be the one to
quit.
4) Even though I live on the other side of the world, this was something I "did" with my sister who lives in
Ferndale. A great way to stay connected through our passion of running.
Friends and family are my support for my success in achieving daily workouts
because they know it is important to me and let me go in the direction I need go that
on that day. Often they come along too!
Knowing that I will get an email every week asking me if I am still in helped to keep
me going,
Also two friends also did it and it helped to check in with them. i didn't want to let
them down.
Finally the sun has been out a lot this winter!
Thank you guys so much for this challenge! It has literally saved my life!!
My name is Katie I turned 34 midway through this challenge. My dad suffers from heart disease and
diabetes and so have many of my other family members. His heart had stopped and his implanted
defibrillator had brought him back for the third time a few days before I learned of the challenge. I have
“known” for years that I needed to do something or I will suffer the same fate. I was at work when I
received the email from our a woman in our HR department informing us about the 30 day challenge. I had
been worried about my Dad all day and what could I do to “fix” him and make everything better and all I
kept thinking of was my own prevention. Then the email came in I read the part about how if you do
something every day for 30 days how it makes it a habit something like brushing your teeth. This made
sense to me it was a no brainer I replied right away that I was in.
The magic that has happened since is the best part. I joined a gym because I knew that even with as much
as I enjoy walking on all of our amazing trails here in Bellingham if the weather was too nasty I wouldn’t
get out and do it. I told many people about what I was doing and drew off of their encouragement. I posted
everyday on my Facebook page what day it was and what I did for that day for exercise. I wasn’t really
sure I could do it but I just did.
I feel great honestly I feel better than I ever have and this isn’t the end of my exercise challenge this is only
the very beginning. I took Monday the 10th off because my Dad had a surgery to have his
pacemaker/defibrillator replaced and I needed to be there for him, but I was back at it yesterday and will be
again today. So I guess what I am trying to say through this long drawn out email is Thank You So Much
for changing my life and giving me a chance at a long, happy and healthy life.
a key reason for my success was wanting to finish what I started and accomplish
this challenge...and to look good with my shirt off.
A key reason for my success is my determination to get into better shape so that I
can play tennis with improved speed and stamina on my USTA team through Bham
Tennis Club! A gluten free whole foods diet has given me increased energy so that I
can work out everyday:-) I need to continue to work toward my goal, but I am
moving in the right direction!
I was successful because I have an AMAZING group of running buddies!
Last year was the diabetes scare and "I did it" then. This year was the heart
attack/stroke scare, so I really needed to do it again. Thank you for challenge.
I learned to take a closer look at my schedule and find a way to make movement a part of my day. While I
love running, I don't run in the dark. During the challenge, I spent more days exploring/learning yoga. I
was delighted to find my flexibility increase and that I recovered quicker following a run. (I can't afford a
gym so I explored less expensive means of exercise.)
Thank you for encouraging the experience!
Boy, that went quick! It got me outside in the evening knowing that I
felt a lot better, slept a lot better and knowing there were others doing
the same challenge! Thank you!!!
Sanity! It was so nice to have a great excuse to get out, even on the frozen days. The
dog appreciated it too!
Skiing, hiking and running, snowshoeing where all part of my month. Thanks to a
active dog it was easy getting out everyday.
Knowing others were doing this same challenge.
my workout room - it’s a terrible time of year for outdoor exercise and having an inside space dedicated to
exercise is very enabling.
variety - to make it 30 days straight I knew I had to keeps the workouts fresh. From iPhone/iPad workout
apps to treadmill workouts to P90X to weightlifting. As they say, "variety is the spice". It kept me looking
forward to the next day.
I can proudly say that I did it! Thank you so much for sponsoring this challenge. It
has been incredibly beneficial to me, personally. I was able to average over 15,000
steps each day during the challenge (I wear a fitbit to keep track). I also lost 10
pounds and feel amazing. My husband was a big help to me during the challenge.
He was able to make it until the final week (work got in the way for him). I am
easily able to get to the gym during the week, but the weekends seem more difficult
for me. My husband motivated me and we made sure that we got our steps in on the
weekends. In fact, even our dog has lost some weight during this challenge since we
have walked him every weekend averaging 5 miles per walk. He now can't wait to
take his weekend walks with us!
I'm still marking off days on the calendar and plan to continue to do so all year long.
Thank you again for getting me started on a fit, active year! I greatly appreciate
your incentive to do so!
DID IT! thanks so much for the inspiration!!!!!
i found some inspiration and admiration in myself for myself. THANKS. Now to keep it going!!!!!!!
It felt really nice to think that all over Bellingham others were taking the challenge along
with me, moving all of our amazing bodies in space. I appreciate you for
pushing/checking in/encouraging. What about a Full Year Challenge? Why stop at 30
days?
Thanks very much for "sponsoring" my exercise this past month,
This is the year of change for me. Real change. Change that takes work, consistency and day by
day action – like this challenge. This challenge just jump started my accountability with 30 days
of success…Now I’m on to the next 30 days of 40 minutes of physical “workout” activity, eating
mindfully & recording my food intake and journaling my gratitude in life.
Thank you for putting this together. I made it the entire time including yoga on the beach in
Hawaii. A key to success is the feeling I get after exercising. It’s a feeling of accomplishment and
natural “high” from getting the body moving.
Thank you for motivating me! I plan to keep this going, I recently saw a
commercial on TV, aimed at children, a campaign for 60 minutes of play every
day. After starting your challenge and using my lunch hour at work to walk/run
every day for 60 min I feel it is just as important for me to do the same.
My key to my success is having the support around me to keep me motivated and I
am darn stubborn and when I put my mind to do something I do it!
Knowing that I was part of a committed community helped give me motivation!
I recently moved out of Mount Vernon so doing the fitness challenge was a great way to stay in
touch with my running buddies and gave me a great reason to explore my new neighborhood.
Most of the days were great, I had work friends doing the challenge with me and
great people to walk with. There were a few days were I really struggled and would
not have exercised if I had not been participating in the Challenge. Thanks for the
motivation.