Day Twelve is My Day One

One of the latest trends on Facebook is the 30-Day Challenge.  For example, I’ve seen the ab challenge, the arm challenge and the squat challenge.  These challenges scream my name – structured time frame, small time commitment, concise direction on exactly what to do.  I can print out the calendar and make a big X on each day as I complete it.  Is this perfect for me or what?!?!  Love it! 

For the past several months I’ve been ready to jump on the 30-Day Challenge Bandwagon with the Ab Challenge.  Crunches, planks and leg lifts - I’m in!  My calendar is printed out.  My marker is ready to start crossing off those days.  I’m ready to go!  Then, the next thing I know it’s the third of the month. 

“Oooops.  Missed that start date.  I’ll start next month,”  I tell myself. 

The next month it’s the same thing.  I’m in!  My calendar is printed out.  My marker is ready to start crossing off those days.  I’m ready to go!  Then, all of a sudden it’s the fifth of the month. 

“Oooops.  Missed that start date.  I’ll start next month,”  I tell myself. 

Here I am today – August 12, 2013.  I can physically feel my pudgy belly rolling over the waistband of my pants and am mentally feeling extremely frustrated with myself. 

A lesson that I learned after a conversation I had with my mom a couple years ago when I was ready to quit the Couch to 5K training program pops into my head (as recorded in My Story Part 3):

Lesson #3 - Make your exercise schedule work for you.

At one point in my training I became very frustrated because I was always too busy and tired on Tuesdays and kept skipping the workout.  I was ready to give up.  Talking to my mom about it, she asked me "Who is telling you that you have to run on Tuesdays?"  That question made me stop and think.  "The schedule on the paper," I quietly answered.  "The paper?  Do they have a day to rest on the paper?" she asked.  "Yes, on Sundays." I replied.  "Why don't you rest on Tuesdays and run on Sundays?  Don't give up.  Just make a simple change to make the schedule work for you."  I always knew my mom was a wise woman!  Making that switch was a huge mental turning point for me.  I had been trying to fit myself into the training schedule, when what I really needed to do was fit the training schedule into my life.  It worked - I didn't quit!

It dawned on me . . . Just because the idea is to start day one on the first of the month, is there some crazy law out there that says that that's when I have to start?  If I start today - on the 12th - is the 30-Day Challenge Police going to show up at my door ready to cart me away?  I don't think so.

So today, August 12, 2013, I am starting Day One of the 30-Day Ab Challenge because it works for me!  (If you are on Day Twelve and dying - don't tell me!).