20 Minutes for 20 Days Yoga Challenge!

January 14th, 2019
Posted in Adult Fitness, Busy Mom Fitness, Featured, Fitness, Healthy Living by Melissa Halas, MA, RD, CDE
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With the start of the New Year, it’s the perfect time to try the 20 minutes for 20 days yoga challenge! Give it a go, and you may be surprised by how much more energy you’ll feel.

Do you often have sore muscles, neck pain, or feel stressed, anxious, or like your mind is on overdrive? Do you hold tension in your shoulders or feel uncomfortable after spending long hours sitting at work? Bringing yoga into your life may be just the solution. All you need is a yoga mat, comfortable clothes, and 20 minutes of your day. You will ease into fitness in no time! Keep reading for tips to help you successfully complete the challenge!

Find the Strategy That Works for You.

There are several different ways to tackle this yoga challenge. Here are two different options. Choose the one that will work better for you!

Strategy A: 20 minutes of yoga, every day.

Are you the type of person that needs consistency? Then this is the strategy for you! Making those 20 minutes a part of your everyday routine will help keep you on track.

Strategy B: Yoga most days, averaging to 20 minutes a day.

Is your schedule all over the place, with some busy days and some lighter days? Then this may be your ideal strategy. With this strategy, you average your yoga minutes. Maybe you attended a 50-minute yoga class one day, practiced for 10 minutes the next day, and missed another day altogether. Don’t fret- your 3-day average is still 20 minutes! It will still feel like a manageable way to workout smarter in less time!

Customize Your Practice.

Doing yoga doesn’t have to be expensive, and you can even do it at home! While attending a regular yoga class is an excellent option if you have time and money to go, developing a yoga practice at home can be a more affordable and feasible option for some people.

Are you a yoga novice and want to do yoga at home, but aren’t quite sure where to start? There are TONS of fantastic yoga routines online. Stream from YouTube, Hulu, or Amazon. Amazon’s Yoga for Inflexible People is one excellent option for any skill level. Another option is to try out a yoga podcast.
Do you already have a solid yoga foundation, but aren’t quite sure how to get started? Pull out some index cards and write down three 20-minute yoga practices. Make sure to include a mixture of challenging and restorative poses. Spending the whole 20 minutes in savasana, or corpse pose may be a wonderful way to meditate, but will likely not help stretch out those sore muscles. However, do include some savasana at the end- it is an excellent way to end your practice and allows your hard work to sink in.

Keep Track of Your Progress.

This can be as simple as writing a ‘Y’ on your calendar each day you get those 20 minutes in. Visually seeing your success and keeping track of your progress can help you hold yourself accountable.

Have an Accountably Buddy.

You don’t have to do it alone! Enlist in a friend to take the challenge with you, and regularly check in on each other to make sure you’re both staying on track!

Celebrate Your Successes.

Reward yourself for your achievements and dedication! This will give you extra motivation to stick with it. After you successfully complete your challenge, do something that’s special and relaxing to you. There should always be time for self-love! Maybe it’s an afternoon dedicated to reading your favorite book, a girl’s night out, or an evening watching your favorite show and painting your nails.

Share the Love.

Reflect on how your yoga practice makes you feel. Then, share your thoughts with those in your life who might find joy in yoga too. Maybe you’ll inspire them to give this challenge a try!