My 50 x 50 Challenge

Have you ever been hit by such a lack of motivation to work out that dragging your behind into the gym feels like you're planning a mission to Mars? A change in the weather, holiday parties, job stress, monthly blues or heck just wanting to Netflix & chill - it doesn’t take much to trigger it. However, once that vortex sucks you in, oh boy, it can be so hard to pull yourself out of the spiral.

Now, I think we can all recognise when we’re in a slump. The excuses are abound and our routines are no longer routine. Coming off a 2-week vacation, I recently found myself in such a predicament. Returning home, the last thing I wanted to do was get back into my normal fitness routine. As much as I tried, I could not regain the intrinsic motivation that is typically my constant companion. Instead, I found myself slacking during my workouts 🫣, consistently making poor food choices, and literally slowing down throughout the day - my Apple Watch step count didn’t lie!

WHERE'S MY MOJO?
Recognising I needed help getting back on track I started looking for the spark that would help me reframe my way of thinking. Funnily enough, I found it in my upcoming birthday 🎂! This month I will hit 49, and sure, I could have ramped up the excuse factor just by the fact that I am creeping towards that half century mark! Instead, I found myself doing the opposite.

I was excited and eager to use this birthday and the year leading into my upcoming milestone as an opportunity hit the refresh button. A chance to reprioritise and get back to basics, have fun, challenge myself, explore new things to test my limits & just as importantly remind myself that age is but a number. So, I created a series of 50 goals & challenges to be completed by or before my big 5-0!

50 X 50
Show of hands ✋🏽, how many of you have made New Year’s resolutions or health and wellness goals only to find yourself completely unmotivated to see them through a few weeks later 🙋🏽‍♀️? To see this through I knew that these 50 challenges needed to be inspirational, obtainable, fun and things I would take pride in once completed.

I began crafting my list with activities that I once enjoyed but hadn’t done in years. For instance, I used to love horseback riding and even competed as a young girl, however, it’s been almost 20 years since I was last on a horse 😮! So, horseback riding, playing tennis and roller skating became the base of my list.

Next, I focused on goals & challenges that required training or concerted effort and would potentially allow me to learn a new skill. That’s how doing 50,000 steps in one day, running my longest distance to date (10k+), mastering the double under, and nailing a handstand off the wall were added to my list.

I also focused on mind-set-oriented goals to add mental balance to all of this physical movement. I made sure the upcoming year was interspersed with moments of reflection and stillness. Meditation, yoga, stretching and journaling will all be part of my journey 🧘🏽‍♀️.

I also time-boxed some ideas by setting monthly challenges for myself. I wanted to re-establish a practice based on routine and consistency of simple movement. I actually kicked off this month with a 50 squat/day challenge. Upcoming months will see me doing a daily regime of either 50 push-ups, sit ups, crunches, pull-ups, and a bunch of other goodies 💪🏽.

With input from friends and family and a sprinkling of a few weather contingent options I am proud to say my 50 X 50 list is now complete…well almost.

Each step of the way, I was intentional about the goals and challenges that I selected. My aim was to fully embrace each idea and wholeheartedly invest in the journey ahead. While going through this process, I found a renewed sense of vigour and motivation to reframe the self-sabotaging thoughts that had been plaguing me. It reminded me that I move my body to stay fit and healthy, to participate in life, to hike, walk and explore this amazing planet, to be capable of new feats and most importantly to grow older gracefully 🙌🏽.

I am excited about the journey ahead and sharing updates on my 50 X 50 adventure. But, I do have one request 🤷🏽‍♀️. I have intentionally left item #50 on my list blank and have called it "Reader's Choice." Could you please suggest a challenge or goal you think could fit well? On New Year’s Eve 2023, I'll select the winning idea and officially add it to my list!

Thanks so much for your support and here goes!