[SDS]

Join me for the 1 week walk-and-squats-challenge

Hi,

I've been using Darebee in short bouts and off for many years.

I am motivated to stick to my health and recovery goals, by challenges and commitments with others, and seeing everyone's updates. Therefore would be delighted if you joined this challenge.
It can run in addition to your own personal check-in thread(s).
And of course also together with Darebee challenges, e.g. a squats or daily walk challenge.


Challenge:

12 minutes brisk walk, with a set of squats every 2 minutes, for a total of 4 squats sets
Daily for 7 days (extension always possible)


Inspiration & explanation

for the challenge comes from the ytb video "Try This 12-Minute Routine for 30 Days“ by Doctor Alex . EDIT: trying to put the link here without being marked as spam

I'm aiming to get to 30 days, but am more motivated in weekly increments. Plus I’m recovering at the moment, and have to watch and adjust my energy envelope often. 1 week at a time is more realistically foreseeable for me than 30 days. Together with others it’s more fun as well, and a one week challenge is easier to join.


Rules:

- start & join any time
- can do lunges of any kind instead of squats, or mixed
- early morning gives extra points; full early morning streak (completed daily before 9am) earns morning sun emoji
- number of squats/lunges is up to everyone's preference. Minimum number 1 per interval

- Check in daily providing proof that you did it, by sharing 1 image or observation from your walk. And include which day you're on e.g. "day 2/7“

- Who reaches 7 days completed and daily checked in has won, and shall post their reward for all to behold

If motivation exceeds 7 days, I could create a level 2 post, or continue in this one simply adding days and leveling up.


Ok, now I'm super curious if I'll be posting my progress here alone or have your esteemed company checking in as well. Anyhow this forum is more motivating than a corporate app challenge

 

[SDS]

fancy challenge progress table for extra motivation

day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
done?							️

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check-ins:

day 1/7
(= also day 1 for the daily-walk challenge )
As it was pouring outside, I got the ‚sunlight‘ part from gardening on the balcony, and did the walk on the walking pad. Picture proof:

 

[aku-chan]

Good luck!

 

[SDS]

Good luck!

thank you!

 

[SDS]

day 2/7
(= also day 2 for the daily-walk challenge )

It was starting to drizzle a little and I felt special rugged to be going outside. Ha! Nothing can stop me! (except actual rain)

 

[SDS]

submitting for yesterday: day 3/7
(= also day 2 for the daily-walk challenge )

6am morning walk around the lake with very easy squats and lunges

won’t let me upload an image rn
anyway, it got done, followed by a ZUMBA class , this is me:

 

[SDS]

day 4 & 5 /7
(= also day 3 for the daily-walk challenge )
Altered the challenge rules to suit autoimmune condition.

Wednesday, yesterday, the day after ZUMBA class, I skipped the walk. So technically lost the challenge. I did step outside in the morning, but only on the balcony.
The day was recovery only, as I couldn’t even *think* straight. That’s what autoimmune does, and I have no issues with choosing recovery over sending myself into a crash.
So, in the spirit of the challenge, and *because* I was reasonable enough to rest, I continued today and was able to do a nice walk around the same old lake, with 5 lunges per leg every 2 minutes, and 5 squats to park bench. proof image below.

So the official rule of my challenge is now, as for every reasonable self imposed challenge I guess: pause for health reasons does not break the streak of achievement.

 

[SDS]

day 6/7
In the morning I went outside just short enough to make it count, and for a glimpse of the sky. Was quite wobbly on my feet, so went right back inside.
The walk-with-squats was done inside on the walking pad when circulation and sense of direction had returned. It was fun (as in: 50/50 stupid and exciting) hopping back onto the running walking pad after the squats every 2 minutes.
It was a good example how a day turned completely around by keeping calm, doing what I know is helpful and not straining, and taking good care. This way, some reasonable community work, and a lot of darebee exercises in the breaks, got done, and I am grateful.

 

[SDS]

day 7/7 (yesterday) and challenge reflection
I did not do the walk yesterday. It was raining. While I actually like walking in the rain, when the mood is already exhausted and brainfogged, gloomy weather eats all of my remaining 3 dopamine. It was difficult enough to muster up the energy for overdue bookkeeping. I did a few low energy darebee exercises, and 1.5 hrs cleaning which I count as movement.

Bottom line: I failed my own challenge, and am pleased with it.

Would I do it again the same way? - Absolutely. I wouldn’t make the rules so loose that it’s not really a challenge any more, e.g. ‚walk outside except when you are tired‘ or ‚walk outside 3 days a week‘. And I also am not in need to overwhelm myself unnecessarily when I am following the general spirit that is the reason for the challenge. Here the reason is: I want to go outside and be active even when I don’t feel like it, because it is an excellent mood medicine. I did this on more days than I would otherwise have, and am therefore on a good way. Doing it on all days no matter how brain fogged, would not be the signal I want to send to myself coming out of long covid and having had a background in perfectionism.

Today starts a 14 days challenge in an ADHD online community to
- Drink enough water every day deliberately
- Move body for at least 20 minutes
- Spend 15 minutes outside
which I joined, and already did my morning walk today at 6am. New challenge = shiny object = free dopamine

Thank you for reading, your likes really motivated me

 

[Dyneti]

I failed my own challenge, and am pleased with it.

This brought a big smile on my face. Sounds like you are on a good path, if you can challenge yourself and then reflect on it this way! Impressive!

 

[SDS]

Quick Update after 4 weeks: 10/10 recommend

I really got into the habit and just skipped only one day in the last 3 weeks. On two days or so, when the weather was bad, I walked indoors , but of course summer weather and early sun in the morning helped with motivation.

- My knee strength and stability (senior citizen here) have increased noticeable, which was very surprising , after a lifetime of training and at a certain age, to see happen within just these few weeks. I am deconditioned, so the ‚beginner gains‘ may have re-applied, but still. This better stability now helps me do other exercises that are fun and good for me, e.g. careful jumping lunges, which wouldn’t have been safe before.

- Mental health and mood stability increased by the morning walk. Two weeks ago I added a daily evening walk, which is further working wonders. From both walks I get a noticeable improvement of sleep quality.

- I started with 5 and increased the number of lunges per break 1 count for each leg per week. Now I am at 9 per leg per set, and am already noticing improved metabolic conditioning. It’s such an atomic exercise, not a big deal, etc. bla bla - but it did compound over time. Now my pulse no longer shoots up from a set of walking lunges, I find them fairly easy, enjoyable even, and can carry on slow jogging a few seconds later. Four weeks ago I needed two minutes to even catch my breath after ten lunges. For old challenged in the cardio department me, this is a big win.

Overall, this experiment, especially keeping it going, has taught me to trust in the power of small exercise and listening to my body. That was only possible through staying fully out of overwhelm zone. Slightly uncomfortable zone - yes, but only at the beginning while it wasn’t a habit yet. By now I feel bored if I’m not doing some lunges in the morning.
Thank you for reading. Have a great day!