Ever wanted to try a 30 day challenge but not sure if it’s really worth it?
I committed myself to doing a yoga practice each day for 30 days and I received amazing results! Read on to find out what I discovered…
Before I started
I took on this challenge because I knew I had to make some improvements to my health. My motivation levels were low, I had put on a little weight and I was feeling sluggish. I was also having a few aches and pains that I knew could be improved with some stretching and strengthening.
Disclosure: We use affiliate links to monetize our content.Ā We may receive a commission on products or services that you purchase through clicking on links within this blog.
Day 1
On the first day, I rolled out my yoga mat and a spider crawled out of it!!!
I guess it had been a while…
Beginning the practice, I felt incredibly stiff and tight in my muscles. My strength was also quite bad! My first few chaturangas (a move that’s kind of like a slow push up) made my arms shake and I would flop to the ground!
On the plus side though, it did feel great to move my body again and I really enjoyed the practice.
After the first week…
It had only been 7 days but already I could feel a shift.
There was a noticeable change to my flexibility and strength and I found that I was flowing through the movements quite easily.
I also noticed a difference in my mental health. A sense of calm would wash over me as I moved through the practice and once I had finished, I found that calm feeling would last throughout the day.
Because I was feeling better, I wanted to do more and more. I would wake up and feel excited to do some yoga!
Day 8 – 15
I was really enjoying doing yoga everyday and it started to have a positive flow on effect into other areas of my life.
It felt so good doing my yoga practice that I didn’t want to spoil that good feeling by eating junk food, so my diet began to improve.
I was also seeing a change in my body. I had lost a little bit of weight and I was looking slightly more toned. Seeing these changes only inspired more good habits.
Up until this point I was doing my yoga practice in the middle of the day, but occasionally life would get in the way and I wouldn’t get to do it until the kids had gone to bed at night. Even though that was a more peaceful time, I was usually tired and couldn’t focus as much in the evenings.
So I started to wake up earlier.
I set an alarm before the kids would be up, and I quietly did my practice in the early hours of the morning. This was a total game changer! Beginning my day with yoga put me in such a relaxed and positive head space that I was enjoying my days so much more! I found I had more patience with the kids and that I was generally less stressed.
Day 16 – 24
By this stage I was in a pretty good routine. I was waking up early, enjoying my quiet practice and then beginning my day in a relaxed state. My strength had improved dramatically and I could now do a chaturanga with ease! My flexibility had also enhanced and I found that my niggling aches and pains weren’t causing me any trouble.
There were of course some days that I didn’t feel very motivated. Maybe I’d had a bad night with the kids or I was just feeling a bit off, but on these days I pushed myself into doing yoga and I always felt better for it. It is certainly a mood booster so on the days when I was feeling a little ‘blah’, those were the days when I needed it the most!
Day 25 – 30
The last few days were a breeze! I was feeling stronger, calmer and I was really enjoying the ride. I had made a calendar to keep on track and would mark it off after every day I completed. Crossing off day 30 was so satisfying!
My takeaway
This challenge had such a huge snowball effect for me in that one good habit lead to another, and another, and so on. I found that showing up for 30 days consistently took a lot of self discipline and commitment that then spilled out into other areas of my life like getting up early every day, eating better and staying calm in situations that would usually cause me stress.
The physical changes to my body were also a massive plus! I was feeling fitter and stronger, more motivated and definitely more flexible. I had more tone and had lost some weight which made me feel more confident.
Doing yoga everyday helped to improve my pelvic floor strength which is something I had struggled with since becoming a mother.
The exact program I followed:
I started this challenged in the middle of COVID lockdown so going to a yoga studio wasn’t an option! It’s also tricky and expensive to arrange care for the kids every time I wanted to practice so instead, I jumped on YouTube!
In my opinion, the best yoga instructor is Adriene from ‘Yoga with Adriene’. She delivers the best, high quality yoga in a loving and encouraging way.
I followed her “Home” 30 day yoga journey, and absolutely loved it!
If you are looking for a great beginner practice to get you into the flow of yoga, then I would highly recommend this one!
So was it worth it?
Absolutely! This journey lead to so many positive changes in my life and I believe it could do the same for you!
If you are feeling like you would like to implement some good habits into your life, or if you would just like to improve your strength and flexibility then I highly recommend taking on this challenge!
It takes discipline to roll out that yoga mat everyday, but I encourage you to make a commitment to yourself and to your body to make a positive change!
Thanks for reading!
For more healthy habits check out:
How To Create Your Perfect Morning Routine
and
8 Easy Ways You Can Clean Your Space While Clearing Your Mind