I decided to join a 3 week fitness and health challenge, nothing fancy, simply a group of women on a whatsapp group sharing our workout tips, meal plans and cheat treats, and a coach keeping us on track. Yes, it sounds very much like another "new year, new you" cliché, but sometimes that's exactly what you need. A light-hearted way to keep yourself accountable and to both get motivated and motivate others to get out and run, walk, get to the gym or do a workout at home. Basically to find motivation and a reminder to look after yourself and to find a way back to healthy routines that perhaps had been left behind in 2022. Having had one too many things to worry about lately I felt that this challenge grounded me and stopped me from feeling overwhelmed both physically and mentally. Working out is for me very meditative and it's a fact that endorphins (the happy hormone) are released, so no wonder it helped me get through this rather drab month. The challenge focused a lot on what we eat; to make sure we fuel our bodies properly, eat enough protein, start with a filling breakfast and add healthy snacks in-between meals. As I'm a little obsessed with my oats porridge by now the breakfast was not a problem, but I had to make sure my snacks were not all sugar or salt! I was able to get 5-6 workouts in per week, from short walks to full body strength workouts and I'm feeling physically stronger, but in the end this challenge became more about my mental wellbeing than my physical, and how they depend so much on each other. By focusing on my physical health I saw how my mental health benefitted. It's perhaps also a cliché but you can't pour from an empty cup and we need to remind ourselves to fill up our cups. The 3 week challenge ended today, but looking after your physical and mental health should never stop!
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