Fit for Life: Why Challenge Yourself?

Fit for Life: Why Challenge Yourself?

Good morning, Coach Matt here touching base with an interesting concept.

I am just finishing up with a 2-week challenge that Providence Fit Body Boot Camp competed in with 8 other boot camps across the country, (we are dominating BTW) and I noticed something different in how we conduct ourselves when we are “challenged.”

This challenge was based on a heart rate monitoring system we use called “My Zone.”

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We have this system in the gym where folks can keep an eye on their heart rate while they work out.

The system awards us with MEP’s or exertion points, meaning the harder you work out, the more MEP’s you earn.

Everything is logged in a database, so when we run challenges with this system, it ranks all individuals based on the amount of MEP’s earned each day.

Personally, I am a competitive person, so this challenge has made me work out nearly twice as hard as I usually do and more frequently. I have been getting at least 2 workouts every day while participating in this challenge.

However, what I am noticing is that EVERYONE that entered this challenge is becoming competitive.

My quiet, low-key members are crushing it, then coming into the gym and enthusiastically talking about their placing, and how they are moving up in the ranks.

Then I started thinking that when we get into our everyday routines, we don’t challenge ourselves to the level we can reach.

 

Therefore, I made a list of why we should periodically challenge ourselves and step out of our comfort zones.

Here it is.

 

    •    Challenges motivate you externally to complement your internal motivation. Many people workout regularly including myself, however if we are seeing results, feeling, and looking good, we generally get complacent and stop pushing ourselves harder. Many have that internal motivation to get to the gym and workout, however, a challenge will provide external motivation and make you want to push just a bit harder.

 

    •    It dials in your focus, as opposed to just doing something. A few weeks ago, we ran a Paleo challenge and after 2 weeks, I felt more energetic and leaner. I always eat well, however that challenge was nutrition-based, so we cut ALL processed food from our diets, as opposed to just cutting back. It raised our level of focus, so we honed in on better nutrition to a level we wouldn’t have without the challenge. I usually cheat a bit on the weekends, but by not doing so, and eating clean for 14 days made a BIG difference.

 

    •    It gives you a goal. We don’t expect people to eat perfectly and push the limits with their exercise every day of the year. That’s nearly impossible to sustain and sets folks up for failure, however when you set a goal from 2-6 weeks, you are very likely to accomplish what you set out to do.

 

    •    It builds Camaraderie amongst competitors. Even though we are all competing against each other as well as other gyms across the country, we still cheer each other on throughout the challenge and have made a few friends along the way.

 

    •    You increase accountability because other people are watching you. In many cases, we become more accountable to others than we do ourselves. We seek approval for our efforts, and when we get praise, it propels us to do even better. Again, external motivation takes us to new levels.

 

    •    It works & gets results. That’s the bottom line. At Providence Fit Body Boot Camp we are launching our Fall 6 week challenge, starting September 20th, and our challenges have gotten people legendary results safely and effectively. We have folks lose anywhere between 10-50lbs during our challenges, and many lives have been changed due to folks seeing what they are truly capable of.

 

So, whether you are a super athlete or the average Mrs. Jones, challenging yourself has many benefits. It will turn you into someone you never thought possible, and make you feel a sense of accomplishment when you complete it.

 

So, if you are looking for a way to challenge yourself and get in better shape, just visit www.provfitbody.com now and reserve your spot before we sell out. Again.

 

Committed to your success,

Matt