Well, here it go. It’s January 1st. I’m sure a lot of us are taking this day to recover. I actually didn’t get turnt last night. Like, at all. I had every intention to go hard in the paint and have a classic, sloppy NYE.
But, it was really rainy and cold in LA (I’m not being a little SoCal bitch, either, it was actually decently cold– 44 degrees fahrenheit, when I checked at one point last night). My enthusiasm for partying waned as the day went on.
By night time, I decided it wasn’t worth slick roads and drunk drivers, and I realized I would be happiest at home in sweatpants, with my dog. I popped over to my friend Gavin’s place for a small get-together, while everyone else there was pre-gaming. And, I was back home by 11pm.
Anyway. Up Your Game 2017! I teased it in the video below on why people need to stop with the whole #FUCK2016 thing, and now it’s time to get started with our fitness and health challenge, to start the year off right.
Challenge begins Monday, January 2nd and ends on Sunday, March 26th. Yes, you read that right. We’re going for 12 weeks, y’all!
This has two benefits.
1.) 3 months is a long time. (Wait, is that a benefit???) It’s certainly long enough to make significant changes both in our habits, and in our bodies.
2.) It gives people who find out about the challenge later on to still join in, and feel like they have a good amount of time to get something out of it.
Last year’s challenge rules were very loose, in that I left it up to each of us to come up with our own rule(s) for the duration of the challenge. Mine was simply “28 in 28,” meaning 28 workouts in 28 days, which nearly killed me.
This time around, I’m setting up something a bit more specific that I think is doable for anyone, while still being scalable for your own activity level and diet.
But, as last year, the goal is to step things up from whatever you’re doing now, and UP YOUR GAME in your workouts and commitment to eating healthfully (whatever that means to you). Rules time!
- 4 workouts each week, no excuses. Workouts must be challenging enough to break a sweat, and must be at least 20 minutes long.
- Drink a glass of water (not a puny 8 ounce glass, give me 12 or better) upon rising, before each meal and at bedtime.
- No added sugars. That means exactly what it says.
- IF YOU CAN HANDLE IT, one cheat meal per week. NOT one cheat *DAY* per week. If you tend to go off the deep end, like I do, ZERO CHEATS, unless it is a special occasion. (My birthday will fall during the first week of month #2, so I’m definitely going to cheat for that.)
- If counting calories, no going over your daily budget for the entire challenge. If your cheat meal puts you in the red, you have to “earn it” by burning extra calories that day. (I haven’t been counting calories for the past several months, and I have not yet decided if I’m going to start again. I probably will have to, to some extent, since I’m finally going to experiment with tracking my macros.)
- Participants must designate one physical challenge/feat of strength that (s)he cannot do currently, then devise and follow a plan to work toward being able to accomplish said physical challenge by the end of the 12 weeks.
And, thanks it! So, now the question is, who’s coming with me?
nappyheadedjojoba 
I’m here for it!!!
My main concern is food planing. I made buffalo cauliflower and sweet potato hash for the new year, I need to eat consistently like that during the challenge.
Pushing myself workout wise as well, so I need to start off small and build up. I have knobby knees I want to work of that if its possible.
Lets Get It!!!!!
I’m nervous about food planning, too, but we can do it! It’s day 1 today, and I’m just going to take it step-by-step in the first month, focusing on eliminating the crap from my diet and being consistent with my workouts. Then, in month 2, once I’m adjusted, I’ll really go after it with meal prepping and alladat. Let’s DO THIS.
This sounds so hard lol. BUT I’m going to do my darndest to keep up until the 26th of March (and hopefully keep it up until forever)!!!
That’s all any of us can hope to do! We’ll do our best, and hope to maintain these habits and behaviors far beyond the challenge. I’m ready!
So I’ve joined previous challenges of yours, and even tried to do a personal one, but I always seem to ungraciously fall off the wagon. But I want to try again! I’ve been eating so much junk lately, and in general feel like crap, so I really need this. Hopefully I’ll make it all the way through to March.
I hear you! I have moments of wanting to get a slice of pizza and “just start over tomorrow,” nearly every day. I recommend taking it one step at a time. Diet-wise, I’m only eliminating sugar to start. Then, week by week, I’ll remove the other things that I know I shouldn’t be eating (dairy, grains, etc.). I think an incremental approach is a much more realistic way to achieve long term success. We can do this!
Yeah, I completely agree that taking it one day at a time will make it more feasible.
I am so ready to crush this challenge!
You’re the best! I’ve moved to a small town with no friends (workout buddies) so I joined a gym and was looking for an online challenge to join. I love your videos and I’ll be joining both the fitness and #protectyaends challenge (mainly due to ease with working out, I hate having to worry about sweating out my twist&curl). I think my goal for the end of this challenge is to get my 100m sprint time to 14s or less and do 5 full pull ups (I have no upper body strength lol). Thanks and happy 2017!
Sounds like a great plan! And, you may make friends at your new gym. I’ve made some great friends through my old gym (though I work out at home, nowadays), and I’m still in touch with them. Be sure to keep in touch, during the challenge, and let me know how you’re progressing.
I’m a little late but heck I’m joining anyway!
We’re just getting started! We still have 2 1/2 months to go, which is a ton of time to make changes!
I want in
I’m getting into this game really late but I still want to participate for the remainder of the time. My biggest struggle is bread. I can eat 8-12 slices easily any day. I’m not too overweight, I just haven’t gone back to my pre baby weight (125) and my son is now 15 months old. I did go down to 135 but then I got pregnant again and started gaining weight but I had a miscarriage at 11 weeks and that threw me into depression and guilt and I have been trying to eat my troubles away. I’m now at 152-155 and I’m done!!!!! I am ready to get back to the old me. That was a bit much but I just wanted to get that off my chest a bit.
I’m in too! I kinda started my own personal regimen last month, but I admit I haven’t been as strict with it as I should have been. These rules will help me stay on track hopefully. We got this!
Yesssss!!!