6 Reasons Why You Should Join A Challenge Group

1) It’s a supportive community.

Many people aren’t able to commit to workouts long term because they aren’t receiving enough support from home.  If they are new to exercise, then they will feel sore and it can be uncomfortable and discouraging.  When you reach out in the small challenge group and find out that other people are going through the same discomfort, then you are more likely to continue your workouts regularly.  You can talk about what you are doing to ease the soreness (icing, stretching etc.).  More importantly, your supportive community also holds you accountable.

2) A coach will lead and guide you.

If you are smart enough to join a challenge group with a coach (like the kind I run), then you have direction and focus within your group.  You will also have someone to convey your emotions, pains and joys to.  Someone will be there to answer your questions and guide you if you need a little extra help.  If you have a coach, you will feel like you have a responsibility not only to yourself to succeed, but to your coach, and to your challenge group community.

3) Keeps you motivated and focused.

When you first join a challenge group, you are going to realize that everyone has one goal in common, whatever the reasons, and that is to finish the program.  As you continue your program, you will come to realize the reasons behind the goal and develop relationships with each other.  And that keeps you focused and motivated.  Your new friends will be there to encourage you, motivate you and remind you why you started.  Do you need to change your blood pressure or cholesterol?  Do you want to be a role model for your children? Whatever the reason, between your friends and your coach, you will always feel inspired.

4) A challenge groups is for anyone and everyone, no matter where they are in their health journey.

I can see some of you now rolling your eyes at me.  “It’s not for everyone, I can’t do that.”  Of course you can.  There are programs out there for all levels and comforts, like Slim n’ 6, P90, P90X, Insanity, Tai Chi, Focus T25, etc.  I know for a fact that people of all shapes, sizes and abilities have followed through with all of those programs.  It’s easy with the support network of a challenge group and a coach (like me).

5) It will challenge you.

Let’s face it, we’ve all at one point and time said things like, “I wish I could do that,” or, “I wish I could just stick it through, but I know I can’t.”  Changes and challenges can be scary.  But, you know what?  You CAN do anything!  When you join a group or a community that sticks by your side and encourages you every single day, you CAN make it through, and you WILL!  Join one of my challenge groups and let me help you realize what you can accomplish. 

6) Results will happen.

I guarantee that if you were to follow a challenge group through to the end, you will notice a difference.  You will have more energy, feel better, and feel SO accomplished.  And in the end, your accomplishment is something NOBODY can ever take away from you.

If a challenge group sounds like something you would be interested in but you don’t know how to get started, click the link below and contact me for further information.   One of the greatest benefits you will get by signing up with me is a personalized nutrition and meal plan.

www.beachbodycoach.com/JACKIEHAMM1

You can also check out www.myultimatereset.com/JackieHamm1

www.shakeology.com/jackiehamm

or you can follow my fitness page www.facebook.com/JackieFitness2k14

or @jackieceleste2o on Twitter.  

The Cat's Out of the Bag! The Goal Is...

As many of my blog posts mention, I’m a self-appointed poor runner.  I like running at about 5mph.  Any faster than that and my short stubby legs just refuse to move and time stops.  Running at 5mph is my sweet spot.  I don’t really lose my breath and there are days when I feel like I can run forever because time ceases to exist.  However, forever is usually no more than four miles at this point and time, but it’s a deeply enjoyed and effortless four miles. 

That being said, I’m attempting to pick up my speed and maximize my endurance…by February.  Why?  Because I need a goal.  I need to focus my attention.  And I need to win the Glass Slipper.

In general, people lose interest in their exercise programs (if it’s not an effortless, habitual routine) because there is a lack of focus.  You get to a point where you ask yourself, “well now what?”  Maybe you’ve hit a plateau; maybe you’re incredibly bored with the same ol’, same ol’; maybe your not seeing the same speedy results that you were seeing a month or two ago.  Whatever the reason is, people quit.  And it’s not just with exercise programs – it’s all sorts of “extra curricular activities.” 

The only thing that people don’t seem to quit is the TV shows that they are watching.  I know I’m guilty of this.  There are a few TV shows that are running that I find myself, “WHY AM I WATCHING THIS? THIS IS SO STUPID!”  Usually I dislike shows because the writers seem to have run out of plot ideas, and so you just watch things happen that don’t really make sense or seem a bit jumbled.  Why do we watch these TV shows?  Because we’ve invested so much time and effort into the programs that we feel like we are a part of their fake lives and we want to see this through.

Why don’t we apply this same loyalty to health and well-being?  Because, let’s face it, it’s not as interesting…right?  No. Incorrect.  When you devote a lot of time and effort into your health and wellness lifestyle, you see results.  You notice differences.  You feel better.  You can run farther.  You can lift heavier objects.  So how do you keep it interesting?

By setting goals.  Think of your personal goals as the overarching theme of a TV show.  Today is the beginning, death will be the end.  Shake up your workouts by adding “plot twists” and unexpected challenges.  I mean, that’s why we love “Game of Thrones,” right?  Unexpected challenges question our capabilities.  It focuses us to try harder and to eventually succeed at something that we thought to be impossible.

Earlier I mentioned that I have recently focused my attention, but it wasn’t my doing.  It was an unexpected plot twist.  Next year, we are going to celebrate my sister’s and my niece’s birthday by earning a Glass Slipper medal.  In order to do this, you need to run a 10k on Saturday and a ½ marathon on Sunday and finish within a certain time.  And just for the fun of it, we are going to do the 5k the Friday before.  So it’s three days of running, the last day being the worst.  Honestly, I think this is bat-shit crazy, and I’m in a state of disbelief that I will be able to survive that weekend.  BUT.  I am following my program.  I am being consistent.  I am trying to run a little faster on my short run days, and happily maintaining my 5mph pace on my long run days.  I should be able to run a half marathon by November if my training goes smoothly…but I know there will be twists and turns and other obstacles that will threaten my consistency.  (Like moving back to the US, a wedding in South Dakota, followed by a short visit to Colorado.)  Never-the-less, I am going to be as consistent as possible and earn that Glass Slipper medal!

Exercising Abroad

       As some of you lovely readers may know, I have recently fallen into the job of teaching English in China.  There are many, many challenges connected to teaching in China, but I am going to focus more on my personal health journey here, and the various factors that affect that.  While I mainly want to focus on physical health, mental health is a big part of that, so I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of my future posts turned out to be rambling and off topic. 

While in the United States, I educate people about healthy lifestyles through Personal Training.  Physical activity is great for stress reduction, self esteem, and internal health.  While I'm training other people, I also try to provide easy tips for an overall healthy lifestyle.  I enjoy training those who, like myself, had it rough in PE growing up.  Because of the bullying when you are little, exercise later in life becomes constant head game.  It's a battle that you fight with yourself whether you want to or not.  Each and every exercise session has to be planned, scheduled and forced.  When I know that I want/need to exercise, I usually have to mentally prepare myself for it at least a full day before, maybe even more-so depending on what I am about to do.  I have found that I don't always have to prepare myself; I thoroughly enjoy weights and look forward to a bodybuilding workout.  BUT being in China (and slightly refusing to cough up the cash for a gym membership), I find that I am struggling, again, with my workouts.  It's incredibly annoying, especially because I was making such good progress before coming here.  However, I am trying to take this in stride as a character building experience and to prove that you don't need fancy equipment to stay in shape (although I would absolutely love a pair of 10 lb dumbbells).

Running:

I have been running semi-consistently for about a year now.  I ran my first 5k last June, my first 10k in January, and I plan on running my first 1/2 marathon 5k combo in February 2015 (the races are two separate days, but back to back).  There are a lot of people I know who wouldn't necessarily be impressed by that because it is quite spread out over time (they run athons and have always been serious athletes), but I am super proud of myself.  I don't run very fast (seriously, I'm really not lying about this), but my personal goals do not include speed rather I focus on constancy.  Whenever I choose to run I want to run the full distance, I don't want to have to pause for a couple of minutes while I catch my breath - it takes that much longer to finish!

  Right now, three miles is my sweet spot.  I can run three miles and it's not challenging, but it feels far enough.  I'm not good at running, but I enjoy it.  It took about 6 months for me to be able to say that.  I'm pretty sure it's because I finally reached the point where I can lose myself and "meditate" while running.  But any longer than that and I start to say, "okay, I'm done now."

Now, however, I am facing the challenge of running outside.  In China.  I'm sure that thought may gross you out to some degree.  It should.  BUT not everywhere in China is super air polluted.  In fact, the air quality here in Rugao compared with other cities is down right clean.  Of course if you bust out the AQI and compare here to home (Portland, USA, Keep it weird y'all!) it's like a full 70+ numbers higher on any given day.  So I'm running in not the cleanest of air.  But at least I'm working out, right?  Well according to the internet, the weather last week was over 100 for 2 days, and in the high 90s the rest of the week.  It was 90 degrees at 9:00am on one of those days.  Just, eww.  It's unnatural.  So instead of running in the morning like I had been, I changed to running at night.  Well, that worked for a little bit.  It was much cooler, not too polluted and I felt way better.  But now, I don't know what magic conspired against me, but the pollution is now worse at night.  The town goes to sleep between 9 and 10pm, and when I went running at 10:00pm yesterday, I about died.  It felt like I was running with a straw in my mouth - I couldn't do it.  So now, I'm incredibly annoyed.  I run three or four days a week, not too much, but now I can't even do that because I can't breath.  *Glares at air.* 

And I can't help but think of what the polluted air is doing to my insides, which by running I am trying to keep in prime condition.  According to the literature that I've found on the subject of running and pollution, there is no long term study.  :(  As much as I want to be cheap, and I want to prove to myself how far I've come along, I need to realize that it's not a failure if I buy a membership to a gym while living here in China.  It's continuing on my goal and my journey of health and wellness. 

So tonight I am going to go with my friend and he is going to show me where the gym that is close to my work is located.  I haven't decided whether or not I am going to sign up for the gym for sure because honestly, I'm unsure as to whether or not I will remain in Rugao for much longer.  The people of China are great, but this training center is terribly managed and operated.  It's been a battle these last two months, and just when you think you're safe, they find another way to rile you up - but that's a tale for a different time. ;)

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