One Month Wellness Challenge

Alright – 2020 is over (phew!), and it’s time to start the new year on the right foot – i.e., the path to internal success.  So let’s cut out the bad habits and make room for the good.  For the next 31 days, we challenge you to put your health and well-being first.  We hope you accept the challenge! 

Required Wellness Activities 

1.      STAY SOBER (31 out of 31 days)

“I’M OUT!” – kidding ;-)  Probably the most common and mandatory activity for a wellness challenge.  After the party-filled holidays, give that brain of yours some time to recharge.  No alcohol, drugs (e.g., weed, anything illegal, or that you don’t have a prescription for, you get the point).  After one week, you’ll be surprised how much sharper and energetic you feel.

2.      Each Morning Write Down Three Things You Are Grateful For (31 out of 31 days)

 If you’ve been following our @made4LA IG account, this should be no surprise to you.  We start each day by writing down three things we are grateful for to condition our minds to think positively.  Positive energy is magnetizing, whereas negative energy can be polarizing.  Plus, studies show that your brain performs 31% better at cognitive activities when in a positive state vs. negative, neutral, or stressed.   Give yourself the advantage of gratitude!

3.      At Least 5 Minutes of Meditation Per Day (31 out of 31 days)

Some of you might roll your eyes at this one, but meditation (or even just breathing deeply with your eyes closed in a quiet room) can significantly decrease stress and increase focus.  Being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions can turn them from an impediment into an observation, allowing you to control your body (rather than letting it control you).  

If you are new to meditation or otherwise looking for additional guided material, there are plenty of free options on YouTube (e.g., Allan Watts Guided Meditation (with or without background music), Dr. Joe Dispenza, etc.).  And if you are looking for something more programmatic or long-term, the app “Ten Percent Happier” was recommended by a close friend @pattersonrl (and her wellness site, The Daily Wellspring).  Ten Percent offers a one week free trial, followed by a ~$100 annual subscription. 

4.      At Least 30 Minutes of Exercise Per Day (21 out of 31 days)

Boost your energy and natural endorphins with at least 30 minutes of physical activity.  You don’t need to kill yourself, but make sure you are breaking a sweat.  For folks new to the exercise game, be sure to give yourself a full day to recover per every 3-4 days of intense training.  (Fitness buffs, see below under “Recommended Wellness Activities” for a more intense elective workout challenge.)

5.      At Least 20 Minutes of Yoga or Intense Stretching (10 out of 31 days)

Yoga or intense stretching with deep breathing can do wonders for your physical and mental health.  Staying strong and limber will take the pressure off your joints and speed up recovery time following your increased exercise routines. 

Aside from free options on YouTube, we fancy certain fitness class subscription services, such as “CorePower” on-demand yoga classes or “Alo Moves” yoga/barre/fitness.  CorePower currently offers a one-week, and Alo Moves a two-week, free trial, followed by <$20 per month.  Peloton and Apple Fitness + are also offering free two-month and one-month trial subscriptions, respectively, and seem to be all the rave (although we have not tried them personally).  Apple Fitness + requires that you own an Apple Watch, and for Peloton workout classes no equipment is necessary (unless of course you want to spin).

6.      Start and Finish One Book 

Probably the most time consuming/demanding for most, but there are few greater feelings of accomplishment than reading a book from cover to cover.  Make it a topic of interest, or ask a like-minded individual for their favorite novel to facilitate this process. Your mind is a muscle that needs to be exercised just like the rest of our body – and reading is price of admission to the gun show! ;-) 

7.      Healthy Diet and No Added Sugars (31 out of 31 days)

Clean eating is hard, but we can assure you that after your first week of avoiding processed foods and added sugars, you won’t miss it.  Everyone’s diet is different, so we put the ball in your court to decide what is best for you.  We suggest fruits and vegetables as the primary servings for each meal, and if you must add meat or dairy, try not to allow them to be the main event.  A common diet that works well for us is sticking to whole foods and avoiding anything processed at all costs.

8.      In Bed by Midnight (31 out of 31 days) and In Bed by 10 pm (16 out of 31 days)

Every night your body performs the equivalent of modern-day health miracles.  From muscle recovery, to improving memory, to relaxing the central nervous system and decreasing blood pressure, sleep is ESSENTIAL to your wellness.  Give yourself an early bedtime so that the odds of getting a full 7-9 hours are at their highest.  Even if you normally wake up after only 5-6 hours, the likelihood of falling back to sleep for a couple extra is much greater when it is dark at 3-4am vs. light at 6-7am.  Try blacking out and removing electronics from the bedroom, and a cool 65-67 degree air temperature with warm blankets at the ready for the early a.m. hours.

For those wellness aficionados who want to track and monitor their sleep patterns, try the WHOOP bracelet or the Oura ring, which provide powerful data and analytics to optimize your daily readiness based on your ZzZzzZzz.

9. One Gallon of Water Per Day (31 out of 31 days)

According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water, so it’s no surprise that increasing water intake increases overall health and wellness.  In fact, every cell in your body needs water to build and reproduce additional cells, making it a vital nutrient for survival and optimal performance.  A gallon of water per day should be plenty to flush out the toxins in the body, while lubricating the joints for the intense exercise that this wellness challenge demands.  

10. No More than One Cup of Coffee Per Day and No Energy Drinks (31 out of 31 days) 

Many of us need that first cup of Joe to get the engines started in the morning.  It’s when life forces you onto that second (or third) cup in the afternoons that you begin to run the risk of reliance (e.g., headaches), high blood pressure, and/or insomnia.  So, if caffeine is part of your daily routine, try to cut if back to the mornings only, and in no cases should you be drinking coffee past 2pm if you are going for a restful night’s sleep.  

Studies do show, however, that one cup of black coffee in the morning can help manage symptoms of, or even prevent a number of health problems, including Alzheimer’s prevention, cancer risk reduction, diabetes management, and reduced risk of cirrhosis of the liver.  It is for these reasons that we suggest one cup of black coffee per day.  And if you can’t stomach the bitter taste, consider adding a splash of almond, oat, or coconut milk for creamer. Remember, NO ADDED SUGARS! 

11. Don’t Criticize, Condemn, or Complain (31 out of 31 days)

Back to the positivity kick, removing negativity from your daily routine can only benefit you and those around you.  For it is the positive relationships in our lives that contribute to our overall wellness.  How to do that?  Well, the Godfather of interpersonal skills, Dale Carnegie, says in his book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” that you should start by removing criticism, condemnation, and complaining from your daily interactions.  

Criticism can put others on the defensive, creating hostility and jeopardizing morale, and causing some people to wonder whether you talk similarly about them when they are not in the room.  Condemnation demonstrates a lack of empathy.  There may be a reason why someone chose to do something the way that they did.  So before jumping to condemnation, first try to see things from the antagonist’s perspective.  Finally, complaining can lower your own self-confidence and also put a toll on your inner support system.  Self-pity comes fairly close to paranoia, and your inner circle/support system probably has enough stressors to deal with in their own lives, so try to avoid adding to them whenever possible.  

If you follow these principles of treating others the way you would want to be treated, you will quickly find that others will admire, and be drawn to, your positivity, and will rally around you in times of need.  

Recommended Wellness Activities (Choose 4 out of 7, or More!)

1.     At Least 60 Minutes of Exercise Per Day (28 out of 31 days)

This elective is for the fitness junkies that rolled their eyes when they saw “30 minutes of exercise per day” above.  Instead, up your workout to a minimum of one hour per day, with only two days off, for a maximum wellness challenge.  Remember, this does not include the required yoga and stretching!

2.     Less Than 20 Minutes of Social Media Per Day (31 out of 31 days)

Nothing kills productivity more than scrolling through Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram for hours on end every day.  Instead of spending your time looking at what you are not doing or what you don’t have, try putting the time into being present throughout your day and appreciating what you do have.  Gratitude and genuine face-to-face (or virtual) interactions are the foundational blocks to mental wellness.  Follow the instructions on this page to limit your social media app screen time on your iPhone or iPad. 

3.     No Nicotine (31 out of 31 days)

This might not apply to everyone, but if you are a smoker, try to kick it for the entire month.  Pretty self-explanatory and not much to add here.

4.     Ice Baths – At least the Lower Body Submerged (8 out of 31 days)

There’s a reason why professional athletes like Tom Brady and Lebron James submerge their entire bodies in cold tubs, followed by hot tubs, after strenuous physical activity.  At lower walks of life, like ourselves, injuries are commonly treated with application of cold ice, followed by heat, to facilitate healing.  

The theory behind cold water immersion is that the cold constricts the blood vessels and flushes waste products (e.g., lactic acids) out of the affected areas, and reduces inflammation, leading to reduced muscle soreness and a speedy recovery.  For those new to this process, try three 10-pound bags of ice for a bathtub filled up to your waistline, and submerge your lower body for at least 10 minutes (the pain will only last for ~2 😉).  Then, for immediate relief, refill the bath with hot water and mix in some Epsom salts to increase the blood flow back into the affected areas, and further relax your muscles.  You will be surprised how much better you will feel after an intense training session.

5.     No Caffeine on the Weekends (10 out of 31 days)

Want to pull back on your caffeine intake even further?  Try cutting out coffee on the weekends, and instead substituting it with a Saturday or Sunday morning workout.  Sometimes, getting the blood flowing from exercise and boosting natural endorphins is all the rush you need to jumpstart the day.  You may feel tired, but stress and blood pressure should be at an all-time low on a Sunday night after a weekend of no alcohol and no caffeine.  

6.     Four Random Acts of Kindness

Kindness is mostly an act or a behavior that can be expressed by offering a rewarding experience to someone without expecting anything in return. A simple compliment to a stranger,  or giving praise for a job well done, generally requires minimal effort but can be the catalyst to making someone’s day.  Whether you are recipient or giver or merely just a witness you can feel the benefits of an increase in oxytocin.  Oxytocin is commonly called the “love hormone” and this helps to lower blood pressure, improve overall heart health, increase self-esteem and optimism. There are no rules here other than to give without any strings attached. One weekly random act of kindness should be all you need to feel good about bringing positivity into the world.  

7.     Take up a New Hobby that you Practice ~1x Per Week (4 out of the 31 days)

Many of us dream of taking up a new hobby, such as playing our favorite instrument or an attention-grabbing sport, or fluently speaking a language… but who has the time?  Try something that you’ve always wanted to do, but felt like you never had the time for.  Sometimes all it takes is a few weeks of consistent practice to get the ball rolling. Not sure where to start? Check out this article from Shape on COVID friendly hobbies.

We will be providing updates as we go through this month-long challenge on our social media pages. Follow along our journey on Instagram @made4la and make sure to tag us if you are participating! We will also be journaling our daily activities to keep ourselves honest. Make sure you do what works for you, this month is about getting 2021 started on the right foot.

Best of luck!

-R & R