January 2017 Fitness Challenge – Lunge Challenge

While everyone else is busy hanging their stockings and singing Christmas carols, we are over here working on some really amazing and really BIG changes! We are still going to have our Facebook page (you have liked it right?) but we are breaking things down a little more to create some awesome communities. If you are on this post, then I know that you will absolutely love our It’s a Fabulous Healthy Life Facebook group!

This group is meant to encourage you and help support you on a healthy lifestyle journey. Living a healthy lifestyle is one of my goals (for 2017 and beyond!) I’m not an expert, but I wanted a place where we can all come to a safe place, join together and help support each other’s goals whether that is to lose weight, to eat healthier or just have an overall healthier lifestyle. It will be filled with fun challenges (no pressure to join!), tips, tricks, ideas, giveaways only for our group, a place to ask questions, find support in one another and for accountability if you need it. We would love to have you join! (It’s definitely free! This is not a group to sell you on a program or supplement! 😉 )

If you are in our group, then you’ve seen our January 2017 Healthy Living Challenge calendar! This calendar is full of small things you can do each day to live a healthier life. These are great things to try. I think, for me at least, saying I was going to start living a healthy lifestyle was kind of overwhelming. But really, it’s a lot of small changes that add up. If you follow the calendar, this is a great way to think about what small challenges you can make!

As you can see, Sunday January 1st the first thing on the list is to start the lunge challenge. That’s this! Each month not only will we have a healthy living challenge, but we will also have a fitness challenge.

For January, it’s all about the lunges. This isn’t meant to replace your workouts, but it’s a great way to supplement your workouts. Each day, you will see a number of lunges to do each day (per leg). There are lots of different lunges. I like to mix it up. So I am doing:

• Forward lunges on Sunday
• Side lunges on Monday
• Lunge kicks on Tuesday
• Reverse lunges on Wednesday
• Jumping lunges on Thursday (These are the hardest for me!)
• And lunges of my choice on Friday
• Saturdays are the day off! WOOP WOOP!

If you need to make the lunges more challenging, try adding dumbbells.

If you are having trouble, you can try breaking up the number of lunges. While you should push yourself, keep in mind that you know your body best. Do your best and as many as you can, even if it isn’t the number on the calendar. Progress is progress. And if you are making progress than that is what is all about!!

Not sure how to do lunges? Here is a quick guide and how to videos:

How To Do A Forward Lunge

Stand with feet hip-width apart, engage core, and take a big step backward. Engage glutes as you bend front knee to lower body so back knee lightly taps floor while keeping upper body upright. Drive front heel into floor to return to starting position.

How To Do A Side Lunge

Stand with your feet and knees together. Take a large step with your right foot to the right side and lunge toward the floor. Make sure your right knee does not extend past your toes and keep your left leg relatively straight.

How To Do Lunge Kicks

Stand straight, face front, keep your core tight and your back flat. As you lunge, keep the front knee aligned with the ankle and keep your weight loaded in the front heel. Exhale as you kick, and then return to the starting position or go directly into a new lunge.

(To do a reverse lunge follow the instructions above, but omit the kick!)

How To Do Jumping Lunges

Start standing tall with your feet staggered, your left foot slightly in front of your right. Making sure you’re not too stiff, keep your stance active with your knees bent in a slight but not full lunge. Engage your core and push off the bottom of both feet into a jump, switching the position of your feet in midair, landing in a basic lunge with your right leg in front. Without rest, repeat this movement alternating which leg is in front. To prevent injury, make sure your back leg is bent directly underneath your body and your front leg is bent at 90 degrees at the knee and hip.

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Looking for more free printables?

• Healthy Living Challenge
• Body Measurements Progress Tracker
• Fitness Level Tracker

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