Are you up for a challenge? Join in on the #35daychallenge!

There is nothing like a good challenge to get the competitive juices flowing, right? My BIL and I have devised a 35 day challenge focusing on mind, body, and mental resilience that we are starting today. Join in with us? See if you can stand up to the challenge!

I was listening to a podcast the other day -- "Vegan Goddess Podcast" for those interested...no I'm not a vegan so I have no idea how I got there but anywhooo -- she had an episode that talked about the 75 Hard Challenge. From my research it is a challenge created by Andy Frisella and is known as a "mental toughness program." Full disclosure there is some controversy about whether that challenge is actually good for you. And I'm not surprised about that because this is what the 75 Hard Challenge requires:

1. Drink 1 gallon of water per day.
2. Follow your choice of diet with NO cheat meals or alcohol (doesn't matter which diet--paleo, keto, low carb, low sugar, whatever).
3. Work out 2x per day for 45 minutes each time AND one of the workouts must be outside (a walk; jump roping, etc).
4. Take a 5 minute cold shower.
5. Take daily progress pictures.
6. Read 10 pages of a self-help book every day.

The challenge is, of course, 75 days long. Intense right? Yeah, I think so too. Because I know with 1000% certainty that I would fail at the 75 Hard Challenge we created our own challenge to be something more reasonable for the time we have. I make no apologies that I do not work out for 90 minutes daily -- that's amazing but your girl can't do it. I think what we came up to will be great for anyone who wants to try it.

So what is the 35 Day Challenge?

For 35 days you must do the following:

1. Drink 90 ounces of water per day. I am fully prepared for all the bathroom visits this will require. Lol. Mo' water mo' health, right?

2. Complete two workouts per day. The workouts can be anything you want and there is no set time requirement. It can be a dog walk + a spin class, or two different home workouts, etc. Whatever you feel like doing. 

3. Follow your choice of diet with NO cheat meals. This can be any diet you want: paleo, keto, low-carb, WW, etc. My diet will be to limit added-sugars to 24 grams per day. My brother in law chose to follow his WW points. No cheat meals so whatever you choose you will have to stick with consistently for 35 days.

4. Weekly progress pics. You don't have to share these anywhere. However, feel free to tag #35daychallenge on instagram so we can see how we're doing! I'll be sharing my weekly progress pics on here.

5. Complete 10 pages of reading per day or 70 pages per week. Any book. Check out my August reads to see which books I may be reading!

6. Complete 35 minutes of stretching per week. This can be 5 minutes per day or however you do it to reach the 35 minutes. If you do one session of 35 minute stretching than it can also count as one of your daily workouts. We wanted to include this because we never stretch enough.

I hope you join in with us. And even if you don't feel free to follow along with me as my BIL and I take the challenge on. If you started today, the official end date will be: September 15, 2021. Wish me luck!