I've always considered myself to be a fairly physically fit person, but a few months ago, I started a 100 Day Challenge to really dedicate myself to living the lifestyle that I champion in my sportswear business. I've exercised six days a week since then, embraced the sweat and endorphins, and found lots of new exercises that I like - running stairs, for one (don't knock it until you've tried it!).
This Challenge, though, was to myself. Now I want to pose one that's a little bigger.
I'm not only a big proponent of personal fitness but also of nutrition and mindfulness (i.e. a healthy and nurtured mind). I think that when you've balanced this three-part equation, the chemistry can be electric.
I spend my professional life finding new and accessible ways to encourage women to get active and exercise. Health and fitness isn't a business for everyone, but it is (and should be) a personal reality. And thanks to the Twitters and Blogspots of the digital world, a personal challenge can become a global phenomenon in a surprisingly brief time. I've seen the collective power of positive goal-setting on Zaggora's Facebook community.
That's why I think that that my challenge--to get 10 million women working out--is completely possible.
In my experience (and in my own life), women are enthusiastic communicators and encouragers. If they like a product or service, they tell friends about it. And if they don't, they tell even more. I want to apply that same word-of-mouth principle that I see with Zaggora to the mission that our concept promotes: working out and ultimately getting fit, healthy and happy.
So how can you help? Set your own personal challenge. It doesn't have to be 'achieve a full body transformation in five days' or 'stop eating sweets forever'. Think of an incremental and digestible step that can move you in the direction you'd like to go.
Also think holistically. I find that once one aspect of healthy living kicks into gear, I naturally want to improve the others. Your challenge could involve exercise (jog twice a week), nutrition (eat two green vegetables every day), or mindfulness (take a meditation class). Or all three. Live a little!
I'll be blogging a series about these three aspects of healthy living - physical fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness - in the next few weeks. In the meantime, think of the ways that you can make small changes to your own health and fitness. Become one of the 10 million with me.