The 30-day Mindfulness Challenge

Lose 15 pounds. Lose 2 inches. Shed 5% of body fat. 

Most health and fitness goals are number-oriented. Which makes sense. With numbers, you can accurately track progress and measure your results. 

In my last post, I told you I was giving up on fitness apps and everything to do with health numbers. I had a case of number numbness and these numbers have nothing to do with my new health goals. In fact, the numbers were impeding on my goals.

So, what are these goals?

My goals are about mindfulness; being more aware of my body's needs and honoring its desires. That means honoring its desires in terms of food, exercise, rest and even sex. They say your body is your temple, and I want that to ring true. I want my body to be a part of me that I nurture instead of a part of me that I'm trying to control or change. 

This prairie dog is livin' that balanced life

CC Image courtesy of yischon on Flickr

Getting to that state of mind is a pretty lofty goal. Sometimes I feel like I'm there but it's not consistent. I'm hoping that by making a few specific goals, I can make progress. Now, without further ado, I present to you...

The 30-Day Mindfulness Challenge

1. Eat Mindfully

What does that mean? Specifically, it means two things for me. First, it means that before I eat anything, I will check in with my body. How hungry am I? What does my body want to satisfy that hunger? An apple? Pizza? Whatever it is, I will honor my body's intuition. Secondly, it means I will not multi-task while eating. If I'm eating, I will be focused on the food. Not the TV, computer or my phone. This will prevent the stuffing-my-face-mindlessly-because-why-not saga we have all done. I also hope it will help me enjoy my food more and have more gratitude for my food.

2. Meditate Every Morning

My typical morning is not-so-zen. My alarm is obnoxious and I snooze a couple of times before rushing around to get out the door. That's not the best way to kickstart a day. So I'm setting my alarm clock earlier to get up, focus my awareness on the present, what I'm grateful for and what my intentions are for the day. 

3. No Screens After 9:00 p.m.

Since I'm getting up earlier, I need to go to bed earlier. And nothing keeps me up later than a rabbit hole on the Internet or the new season of Orange is the New Black. So I'm giving my screens a 9:00 p.m. curfew. 

That's it! 

I'd rather not set a time limit on it, because I'm hoping to adapt some form of these goals as lifestyle changes. (I say "some form" because I know my routine will evolve as I figure out what works best for me.) That being said, I want to share how this goes with all of you and invite you to join me in this challenge. Therefore, let's slap a time frame on it. We'll say 30 days. The 30-day mindfulness challenge.

Anyone care to join? I'd love to connect with you guys for support! Challenges are always better with friends. :)