Sunday, June 1, 2014

Challenge Week #4: Time to Check Your Progress!

We're halfway through the Strength and Flexibility Challenge, and that means it's time to check your progress. 

Are you consistently making healthier choices? Looking for opportunities to infuse stretching into your day, practicing your push-ups and planks, and eating out less? When you put together a bunch of small steps towards healthy living, you get dramatic change!

Here are some ways to track your progress in this wellness challenge:

Strength and Endurance
The best way to tell whether you are getting stronger is to test yourself! How long can you hold a plank? How many push-ups can you do? Consistency pays off quickly with strength training, so keep at it.

An important element of strength training is also recovery. Resting between workouts gives your muscles a chance to repair themselves and prepare for your next workout. It's expected and normal to feel sore after a workout, but feeling pain or chronic soreness is a sign that you're doing too much. Take a day off between each heavy workout, or alternate major muscle groups so you don't wear them out.

When you're busy, it's time to deskercize! Click here to learn 33 Ways to Exercise at Work!

Flexibility
Sit down and reach towards your toes. Are your hamstrings feeling looser? Reach your hands behind your back and touch your fingers together. Are they closer than they were a month ago? If you are consistently doing these stretches, they should be. 

Click here to read more about 7 Surprising Ways to Improve Your Flexibility.

Body Fat
Body fat changes can take time, and one month could mean losing five pounds or one pound based on your current weight, diligence, and genetic makeup. If you've been consistently scaling back portions and eliminating or reducing fast food or restaurant meals, your clothes should be feeling looser. If they're not, track your meals in www.MyFitnessPal.com for a few days to get a reality check about your calorie intake. Remember, Coach Heather is here to help customize your plan so email heather (at) wellnesswithoutpity (dot) com for help!

Take time this week to check your progress and remember, help is just an email away. Take the challenge!

 

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