NAPLES, Fla. — Have you been moving this month? Blue Zones Project Southwest Florida is in the middle of its '30 for 30' Challenge: 30 minutes of movement a day for 30 days in July. And if you need motivation to keep moving, here's your accountability check-in.
“It used to be about 50 percent of the population was overweight. And now where are we getting higher, into almost two thirds,” Megan Greer, the Executive Director of Blue Zones Project SWFL, said.
If you signed up for the '30 for 30' Challenge online but you're starting to lose steam, she said to remember to keep it simple.
“You can break it down into you woke up and walked 10 minutes. And then at lunch, you did 10 minutes of some squats and a little bit of yoga, and then 10 minutes at the end of the day for another walk, and there's your 30 minutes,” Greer said.
She said many times, if we start one healthy habit, it can snowball into another.
"So you might have done your 30 minutes, and think, 'Well, I did this exercise, I'm going to make a healthy choice for dinner,' and have a healthy meal," Greer said.
She said the mental and physical components of fitness go hand-in-hand.
"So sometimes when we're telling yourself we're too tired, we may not actually be too tired, we're just telling ourselves that. So we have to be conscious of what our body is hearing us say to it, right? If you tell somebody you're tired, or tell yourself you're tired, like, you're going to think you're tired,” she said.
If you're overwhelmed and wondering how you'll make it through the 30 day challenge, Greer said to take it one day at a time.
“Listen to how I feel today, how much energy do I have. Don't focus on tomorrow yet, focus on today and your commitment is 30 days in a row, and today's a day that you still need to check off the box. So that way, it simplifies it a little bit. You don't have to look at it as 'Oh my gosh, I have to do this 30 days in a row.' Just for today. I'm going to do it today. And then when you get to tomorrow, you can you can worry about tomorrow,” Greer said.
She said if you're down because you haven't seen results just yet, remember that it takes time for your metabolism to get revved up if you haven't exercised in awhile.
Greer said to stick with it because developing healthy habits has benefits that last a lifetime.
"We hear from them two months down the road, and they're like, 'I'm still going. I haven't skipped a day yet.' Or people who are struggling with depression, and just getting up and moving started to alleviate that a little bit. So there's so many good things that come out of exercise, we're really encouraging people to try this," she said.
If you complete the '30 for 30' Challenge, you'll be entered into a drawing to win a free dinner for two at any Blue Zones-approved restaurant.
If you're interested in an event to keep you moving, Blue Zones Project Southwest Florida is having a a Wellness Triathlon at the Naples Pier on July 22nd. Click here for more information.
