30-Day Fitness Challenge (Week #2)

Welcome back to Week 2 of the #HWHFitnessChallenge!  I have to give y’all a huge thank you for joining in with such enthusiasm!  It’s contagious and because of YOU, I haven’t missed a workout yet and I’ve been eating so much better. I’m actually already starting to feel a difference in how I feel!  Today starts DAY 8 and I’ve got some at home workout ideas to share with you using an ottoman!  Let me know in the comments how it’s going for you!

at home workout ideas workout wear

Best Jog Bra • Similar Shorts 

If you’re just now learning about this challenge and want to join in, it’s not too late!  Catch up on Week 1 here.  Then follow me on Stories for video check-ins throughout the week.

To recap, here are the challenge details:

#HWHFITNESSCHALLENGE

Exercise 20 minutes every.single.day (LOG YOUR EXERCISE here

Drink 64 oz. of water a day

No fried food • No desserts • No alcohol (1 “cheat day” per week)

Meditate • Pray • Gratitude Journal

Get adequate sleep

30-day fitness challenge

FREE PRINTABLE : Honey We’re Healthy 30-Day Fitness Challenge

at home workout wear

Racerback Tank • Sneakers • Crop LeggingsSports Bra (2 for $60)

at home workout wear

Similar TankSports BraSneakersShorts

LOG YOUR EXERCISE DAILY

Use this #HWHFitnessChallenge Form to log your exercise daily.

Simply enter your email, log your minutes for that particular day, and hit submit.  DO NOT submit minutes for days in the future.  You are not logging what you INTEND to do, you are logging what you’ve ACTUALLY DONE.

You won’t be able to see your previous days logged, but they will be tracked! 

You can click “view previous responses” for a summary of everyone’s minutes.  It’s awesome to see how many people are logging in and how many cumulative minutes we’ve been exercising.

What if I accidentally enter a day more than once?

No worries! Each day you exercise is 1 entry to win the giveaway at the end of the challenge. If you enter a day twice (or 3 or 4 times) you still only get the one entry. We will handle that on our end.

NEW 20-MINUTE BENCH WORKOUT

For the next workouts, I have something very exciting for you! I’ve gotten in touch with fitness expert Cari Shoemate and she agreed to create personalized workouts for our #HWHFitnessChallenge!

Cari is in Houston and is also a fitness model and contributor for countless fitness and lifestyle magazines.  She has been featured on TMZ.com and Dr. Phil with some of her celebrity clients and she has her own fitness dvd, Long Lean Legs. Among her many projects, she is currently a brand ambassador for Oakley, runs Houston’s popular Bombshell Bootcamp and trains both NBA and NFL cheerleaders.

You can find her on Instagram and on her blog, Cari-Fit.com.

You don’t have to do this particular workout, any workout at least 20 minutes will do! And if you don’t have a bench, ottoman, step or stair, you can do the workout from Week 1 that requires no special equipment or weights.

at home workout ideas

FREE PRINTABLE : #HWHFitnessChallenge – 20 Minute Bench Workout

at home workout ideas

at home workout ideas

Shorts • Similar TankSports Bra • Sneakers

MEAL PLAN

I include my MEAL PLAN in my newsletter.  The HWH Weekend Edition will be delivered to your email bright and early Saturday morning, so you can make your grocery list and prepare for the week! If you need more food ideas, check out Week 1 of the #HWHFitnessChallenge.

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Is coffee out?

Heck No! Have we met?  I still can’t start my day without my coffee and creamer!

How do you define cheat day?  

Toddler Swimsuit

Toddler Swimsuit

“Cheat Day” is a time to have whatever meal/drink/dessert you’re missing – but don’t go overboard. Allow yourself the treat, but keep yourself on track. Don’t blow your progress for a day of chocolate cake and french fries! Have a glass of wine with dinner one day. Eat ice cream with your kids on a hot summer day.

I ate pizza on Saturday (and Sunday!) and had a Pina Colada on Sunday.

Do you have suggested Calories & Nutrients goals?  

I’m not a nutritionist, but I did provide the calorie and nutrient guidelines I use in Week 1 of the #HWHFitnessChallenge.

How do you avoid snacking or having dessert at night?

Go to bed early or drink a cup of hot tea!  I also like Skinny Pop popcorn with truffle salt or Greek Yogurt with fruit for an after-dinner snack.

Skinny Pop with truffle salt

What are your favorite sports bras for running? 

If you are going running or just want extra support for the girls, this is the sports bra to wear.  The awesome thing about this sports bra is it’s sized according to your bra size with hook and eye closures in the back so you can get a very accurate and comfortable fit.  I find they run TTS.  I wear a 34D bra, and I buy 34D in this sports bra. The shoulder straps are thicker and padded so they don’t cut into your shoulders or hurt while you’re wearing it. And they are adjustable with velcro, so you can lengthen them or shorten as necessary.

Before I got this bra, I used to double up sports bras when I would run, but I hated it because I always felt constricted in my chest and like I couldn’t breath as easily.  Once I found this it was like the heavens opened!  Running is a breeze now and I only have to wear one bra!

Best sports bras for running

I also swear by these no show socks! They feel amazing on and cover more of my foot than my Nike no-show socks.  But, if your shoes rub your ankles or you want your socks a little higher, I love this pair by Zella.

How much does it cost to join this challenge?

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about how much it costs to join this fitness challenge and the answer is there’s no charge!  I don’t earn anything for creating this fitness challenge for you.  You already help support my blog by subscribing, interacting with my posts, pinning my images to Pinterest, clicking on my affiliate links when you shop, and just stopping by, but that’s not the point of this challenge.

I want my blog to be a place that inspires you to look, feel and be your best!  I’m hoping that this community of women will encourage and support each other towards reaching our fitness goals.  I know that when we’re healthy and fit, we feel better and that is one of the best ways we can take care of ourselves and our families.

Is it too late to join?

No! If you haven’t yet joined the challenge, but are feeling that nudge inside that’s telling you, “you really need to do this”, it’s not too late!  Start today!

Print out the challenge, put it on your fridge so you’ll see it  everyday.  Then print out the workout and do it!  Don’t wait until you FEEL like doing it, just do it!

Then log your exercise!

Sign up for my newsletter so you’ll also get next week’s meal plan on Saturday.

Okay guys, let me know in the comments how it’s going for you! 

How are you feeling?  Are you starting to notice changes in your body?

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Meet Megan

Hi! I’m Megan, mom to a thoughtful teenager and spunky young girl. We call Houston home and recently moved into our dream home. I traded my lawyer hat to become a full-time blogger in 2010. I love sharing my passion for affordable fashion, home decor, organization, & fitness to help inspire you to take care of you!

41 Comments

  1. I’ve lost 4lbs! Thank you so much for organising this challenge. I admit Ive not been the best with the food and definitely not the best with the alcohol. However I did eat and drink less than I normally do at a weekend so that has to count for something! So looking forward for this week to see how we all do 🙂 Such a lovely motivation when there are so many of us doing it!

    1. That’s awesome Aileen! How did you lose 4 pounds and have alcohol?? I’m sure everyone wants to know! Good for you for sticking with it! I love that we are all doing this together!

      1. Probably because I normally drink more than what I did 🙂 I normally drink wine which is full of calories but I decided to drink spirts and diet coke which is less. I will have to be a lot better this week though as I know that the first week is always the easiest 🙂

    1. I always get them done- shellac so that it lasts at least 2 weeks. I usually get OPI- this white is called Alpine White or Alpine Snow- I always forget the exact name! 😉

  2. Feeling great! The daily workouts and logging my food in my fitness pal have been an excellent reset for me! Ultimately, my goal is to lose 25 lbs by fall.

    Can’t wait to try the bench workout- I killed my legs with squats yesterday though! I may need a couple days to recover.

    Keep posting on insta to keep us all motivated! ?

    1. You can totally do it Heather! I used to track in My Fitness Pal too and it really helps if you have a specific goal in mind. This workout kicked my butt! Let me know what you think when you try it!

  3. It’s going well! I’m more mindful of what I’m eating and find that I’m encouraged to get my workout done because of this challenge- thanks Megan!

  4. Loving this challenge so much! The best thing about it is that I am making my fitness a priority and that is huge! As busy moms, it easy to put off working out, but I am committed to making this top of my to do list for the whole 30 days! I have been good about working out and drinking the recommended water (which has been it’s own form of challenge for my teeny bladder?) but not so great about the food and will admit to a few more cheats … nothing outrageous but I am going to do better this week! Thanks again for organizing this Megan! ?

    1. I hear you about the teeny bladder. I have to say I am good at drinking water (I think because I don’t drink tea or coffee) but my bladder is wrecked after my baby sat on it for 9 months. 5.5 years later, I am still paying for it!! I cheated a bit this week but I was happy with my results! Good luck for this week 🙂

      1. Those babies do wreak havoc on our bladders! I have 3 kiddos and my middle was 10 pounds 6 ounces!! No wonder I have never been the same! Good luck to you too! We got this!

    2. That’s so awesome Kerri! I totally understand. I think it’s great that you’re doing this for yourself! You’re off to a great start, let’s finish this out together. ☺️

  5. Ditto to all above comments! I’m 10 months post – partum and needed this gentle nudge to get myself back to a healthier routine. Thanks! Oh and quick question- I haven’t been posting the minutes I’ve worked out, just the workout. Will those days still count as entries or should I go back and re-enter?

  6. I was on vacation when this started so just began on Friday. I’m already feeling better! It’s the nudge I needed to do a quick workout each day and I made better food choices over the weekend but I didn’t feel restricted since it’s not very strict. Thanks for doing this!

  7. I didn’t workout as hard as I’d like, but I did workout every day for 20 minutes! And I’m eating better too! At the end of the week I lost 1/2 a pound which is better than nothing right? 🙂 This challenge has been very encouraging and motivating for me. I love it! Thanks for putting it together. I’m excited to try the next exercises you provided for this week. I like to change it up!

      1. This week’s exercises are awesome! Tough, but awesome! I loved the incline pushups on the stairs because I can’t do regular ones. I was so sore the next day, but when doing them I felt SO strong!

  8. So I totally started working out last week and did not decide to do the challenge and of course the weekend hit and I did nothing so the couple of lbs lost were gained back. Today I committed. Thank you for starting this and just you being you. I know there’s a lot behind the scenes (and a great assistant!) that help contribute, but it’s refreshing and encouraging to see a confident, motivated, positive, family oriented, caffeine-addicted Christian woman just being herself and encouraging others! Keep killin’ it! ????

  9. One thing for sure is that I feel energized after the workouts. I haven’t lost any weight yet, but I’m still glad that I’m doing at least 20 minutes of exercise every day because before I wasn’t doing anything.

  10. I woke up at 5:30AM three times last week (and today!) to exercise before work. I have so much more energy after exercising, and I can feel the effect throughout the day. After a week of exercising every day I was inspired to sign up for a 10k. I haven’t ran that much in 6 years, so the training has begun!

    1. That is amazing Mary!! I agree, getting those workouts in early changes your day for the better! Thank you so much for letting me know! You will kick butt in your 10K!

  11. I’ve really been enjoying this fitness challenge! I also started weight watchers last week (tuesday!) and I’m down over 5 pounds and haven’t really changed my eating habits! Woohoo!

    Anyway, thanks for organizing this Megan!

  12. So happy to be part of this! I am exercising more than usual, eating well and most importantly, doing something for myself! As a mom of 4 boys, I rarely take any ” me ” time, and with one boy who has autism and non verbal, I tend to get caught up with everyone else’s needs . I was feeling a bit tired and definitely not energetic. Now, I am excited to get started in the morning,exercise,yoga, walking…eating healthy meals and snacks…and a little ice cream on cheat day! Ben taking a little time to read more book! Thanks for the inspiration!ni plan to continue long after the challenges has ended.

  13. Megan, I’m using this challenge to commit to a workout schedule and look my best at a fall wedding. Six days of solid workouts (alternating weights with spin) and a Sunday walk (because I’m a more ‘seasoned’ follower). My biggest challenge is my husband’s knack of being a diet saboteur. He does the food shopping and he buys lots of snacks and treats. I had him put them in his office last week. He whines when I ask him to forego his goodies. I may need to have him travel for the rest of the challenge.

  14. I love you more than you will ever know for getting this Mommy motivated ?❤️?? I’ve lost 4 lbs since this challenge started and all while working day & night (you know how I operate) 3 weeks straight!!!
    Almost gave up thinking I didn’ Have a chance. I’m so excited – I’m logging my progress now!
    Thank you so much for the inspiration to stay motivated ?????? ??

  15. I love you more than you will ever know for getting this Mommy motivated ?❤️?? I’ve lost 4 lbs since this challenge started and all while working day & night (you know how I operate) 3 weeks straight!!!
    Almost gave up, thinking I didn’ Have a chance ?
    I’m so excited – I’m logging my progress now!
    Thank you so much for the inspiration to stay motivated ?????? ??

  16. Megan, I’m subscribed for your newsletter but I did not receive the meal plan. I’m receiving all of the others. Otherwise I’m loving the challenge. It keeps me motivated to exercise more! But I’m struggling with healthy eating, always been my problem 🙁

    1. Did you get the email on Saturday? I put 5 recipes you can make this week in there. And I asked Cari Fit to help us with a healthy meal plan for next week, so there will be a new one this Saturday too!

  17. Hey there! So I am loving this challenge. I started June 1st because I’m going on vacation on July 1st. My goal is to feel for confident and fit in my body before going to the beach! Last week I walked my dog everyday as usual but I did change my diet. I upped my water to the amount you recommended and then I changed my food to only meats, dairy, veggies, and fruit. I cut out grain, bread, pasta, chips, sweets, no soda, all the yummy things you know? I did notice I had a hard time with giving up ice cream so I bought some Halo Top ice cream so that I could have a few bites daily and still be on track. I had a cheat day on Friday when I had a baby shower at work and a church event after work, I stuck to my no grain, no sweets, no chips, and no soda but I had some dips and sauces and boy did I feel bad. So now I think no cheats except my Halo Top!
    Yesterday I tried the bench work out and I am really enjoying that I can actually do some of them!!! I will be doing them the rest of the week as well as my usual walking of the dog! 🙂
    Also a plus, I have lost 1-2lbs!!! Maybe I can reach 5-6 by the end of the month?

  18. Hi! I have a question. I read on your blog at some point about a procedure to tighten the extra skin on your belly. I can’t find it now. What was that procedure, what did it entail, who did you consult for it? I would love to get rid of that extra skin and have done EVERYTHING fitness and nutrition-wise to do it. I am 5 feet tall, about 97-98 bounds, and am a marathon runner but I HATE that extra skin above my belly button. Thank you so much! I love your blog and all of your posts.

    1. Girl! I totally know how you feel! I did a few procedures at my dermatologist’s office – Dr. Seymour Weaver in Houston. It’s called “skin tightening” and they do it with a laser- doesn’t hurt at all. I saw a little bit of improvement, but still have that stubborn loose skin too. I’m not sure it will ever fully go away!

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