exercise

Wednesday Challenge: Maggie’s Goals

In 2011 I’m going to be 30! It’s not old, but it’s a whole new decade, and I’m excited about it. I’m not having a hard time; I still feel young (most of the time), and the only thing I’m going to miss is hearing how young people think I am. Now, when people ask my age and I respond with “20-anything,” they always say, “Oh, you’re so young.” I think I may hear that a little less.

I was trying to decide what I wanted to do to celebrate being thirty, and I decided I wanted to challenge myself. My goal is to be in the best shape of my life this year. Matt thinks this is going to be a challenge since I was pretty fit in my youth, but I’m going to try. I haven’t worked everything out. For example, I’m not sure what I’m going to base the status of my shape on–weight, BMI, etc.

I would say that I was in the best shape of my life between eighteen and twenty. But at […]

Wednesday Challenge: Maggie’s GoalsMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:32:03-04:00

Wednesday Challenge: 30 Minutes

Okay, it’s Thanksgiving week. We all know we’re about to consume more than usual, so let’s combat that with a little extra exercise. It will help keep the pounds off and the stress at bay. So here in the challenge:

Starting today for seven days straight do at least 30-minutes of exercise. Any exercise of your choice, but get that body moving. If you want a harder challenge, consider adding 30-minutes a day to your regular routine.

Wednesday Challenge: 30 MinutesMaggie Downie2014-08-04T18:02:58-04:00

Wednesday Challenge: Only Stairs

For one week only take the stairs–no elevators, no escalators. This may mean you have to walk a little further in a building to get to the stairs, but it will be worth it. Maybe by the end of the week you’ll want to take the stairs forever.

Do you work in an office building with some stairs? On your lunch break walk up a few flights–maybe five, maybe ten, maybe fifty. Listen to your body.

Have stairs in your house? At least one day a week make a point to go up and down them (carefully) five, ten, or fifty times.

Make notice of how many times you typically go up and down the stairs in your house.

Wednesday Challenge: Only StairsMaggie Downie2014-08-04T18:02:58-04:00

Working Out Good for the Brain

Exercise is not only good for the body, it’s good for the brain. A recent study published in the Journal of American Geriatrics claims that young women who are physically active experienced less dementia as they aged.

So Moms grab your daughters and find a fun class or physical activity you can enjoy taking together.

Working Out Good for the BrainMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:32:05-04:00

Wednesday Challenge: Plank

Do plank every day this week. You get to decide how long to hold and what position is best for your body. Remember, if you feel pain in your back or shoulders, stop and take a break. To make it more fun grab a friend or relative and challenge each other to see who can last the longest. Make it a little plank Olympics.

Here is how to get into plank position:

On Knees

Lie down on your stomach, propped up on your forearms like you are reading a book at the beach. Bend your knees and lift your hips slightly off the floor. Hold for as long as you can.

On Toes (More Challenging)

Lie down on your stomach, propped up on your forearms like you are reading a book at the beach. With your legs straight curl your toes under and lift your hips off the floor. Hold as long as you can.

What is your longest time?

Wednesday Challenge: PlankMaggie Downie2014-08-04T18:03:16-04:00