#walkthankful — Join Our November 30-Day Walking Challenge

Here in America, the founding families of Fit2B celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of each November. Everyone has their own traditions, but ours include gathering with loved ones, enjoying a feast, going for a walk with full bellies, and playing games. Social media tends to fill up with thankful posts and exercise challenges – many of which aren’t feasible for people with core dysfunction – so a few years ago, I put together my own challenge. I wanted to walk thankfully during this time of year that often threatens to steal joy instead of spread joy, and I wanted to share it with everyone – especially you!

Here’s how the #WalkThankful challenge works:

It’s simple: Just walk 30 times in November. There’s no set distance. No set location. You can do one walk a day or two walks every other day. Do it around your house, on a treadmill, on your neighborhood sidewalks, or drive to find new walking trails. Make it the same each day or different each day. Have fun and be creative, or just work with what you have! You can do other workouts, too. It can include a 1/2 mile, 3 kilometers, 5 miles, or a local official “Turkey Trot” race… these are popular in the States around Thanksgiving and often support local charities!

To support you, here’s what we’re offering:

• A free FB group with fun, daily check-in posts
• A FREE printable with motivational prompts to check off your walks
• Loads of FREE videos and walking resources to inspire your walking
• Prizes from Fit2B and others including: The Tummy Team, Library Soap Company, Busy Bee Candles, Cat Approved Quilts, Giftsy, and … maybe something from you? Got a small business? Want to be featured? Contact us today!

Join the challenge now!

The free printable (below) and the check-in posts in the support group have daily prompts like “tradition” or “hat” or “beverage” or “little buddy.” It gives you things to think about and post about along with a picture of your walk.

Also, the pictures people post of their walks to their own social media feeds help bring joy and positivity to others. We encourage everyone to take a picture of the scenery, your feet, the wheels on your stroller, the clouds, whatever catches your interest while you walk.

It’s optional, but we hope everyone posts the pictures of their walks on Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter. Include what you’re thankful for in that post and use the hashtags #walkthankful and #fit2b … Click on those hashtags on social media to see posts by other people who are participating in this challenge. It’s pretty cool to see them all! 

This is a picture I took of Battle Ground Lake which is one of my fave places to hike.The colors in the autumn there are gorgeous! Where do you like to walk or hike? Leave a comment below …

Wait, what was that about prizes?

We will be offering several prizes from our event sponsors at the end of November in the Fit2B Walking group which is where you’ll have the most fun with this event! 

You don’t have to do all the walks to enter to win. 

Note: As awesome as the prizes are, please don’t put your life on the line to walk. There is no “most dangerous” prize being awarded 😉

So you walk a little {or a lot} each day or twice every other day or however you want to get to 30 walks, and share about it – because we all know this world needs more happiness in its feed right?

And you grab one of these printables

Here’s a sneak peek at the more colorful one. There’s also a simpler, less colorful one. Copy them off and use them (or just one) to stay on track and motivated! Notice that you could actually go in any order. Check off the list in whatever way suits your walks. Own it!

#Walkthankful Printable (low color) #Walkthankful Printable (full color)

By the way, if you’re member of Fit2B then you should take advantage of TWO major resources. We have a walking workout you can do indoors, and we also have a mini-course called Walking As A Workout!

So, are you in?

I hope you’ll join me for this fun, thankfulness-inducing event — it’s not about setting Olympic records here. Even if you see this halfway through November, just jump in with us! Post pictures of your walks from around the world and collaborate with other walkers.

I’m on Instagram here, and I’m on Twitter here, and once again here is the link to our accountability group for this 30-Day November Walking Challenge!

This challenge is straightforward and grace-filled. A little walking break gets your blood flowing and re-lengthens all the muscles hunched up from sitting. And did you know that walking naturally stretches and strengthens ALL the muscles in your core and pelvic floor?

That’s right! This daily walking challenge should improve your abdominal tone and any leaking issues you’re having as well. If you’re a runner, and you’re dealing with diastasis recti or incontinence while exercising, then taking a month “off” to walk is just the thing for you … But it’s not really taking a month off, because walking is exercise.

We have got to stop seeing exercise as only the hard things. There are far too many memes out there that spread lies like, “If it doesn’t kill you, it won’t make you stronger.” Or “If your’e not sore, you’re doing it wrong.“

What about the more subtle sneaky lie that whispers that “You have to be perfect to be loved”?

Define “perfect.” My body thinks walking is the perfect exercise. It keeps me healthy, toned and in shape {not a fitness model} and my husband thinks my body is perfect for him. My children were perfectly fed by my breasts. My eyes are the perfect shade of hazel green. My huge feet are the perfect size for all the physical activities I enjoy. No more body-shaming, okay?

How is walking good for the core?

In case you didn’t know, Fit2B specializes in “TummySafe” fitness moves for those dealing with various types of abdominal injury or trauma, and burpees and planks are OUT if you’re still healing your abs or recovering from birth. If your exercising makes you leak or makes your belly bigger, read this!

We have over 20 resources to motivate your walking here on Fit2B because it’s truly amazing for your entire core. Walking is relaxing and strengthening. At certain faster paces, it can burn more calories than running. It’s low-impact, great for your heart, soothing to sore muscles, and downright enjoyable!

On the flip side, as we go through the holiday craze to avoid gaining weight while we simultaneously indulge, I always shudder at the well-meaning but far-too-unexplained and unmodified challenge memes that push people to do crazy things like the classic plank challenge or doing 10 burpees for every piece of Halloween candy you eat. No — just no.

Read why planks and burpees can sometimes wreak havoc on a healing tummy here

Planks are a VERY advanced fitness move, and burpees are planks on steroids. The traditional high plank which is done on hands and toes should be the end-product of a progression of several other simple moves like I demonstrate in this FREE video.

I don’t really want crazy fitness anymore. I don’t need it. I’ve figured out how to be strong and toned and happy with myself using a far less “rip it, shred, kill it” methodology, and you can have it all here on Fit2B in my workout videos that will equip and energize you for the rest of your life — not leave you too sore to walk, which would defeat the purpose of this challenge, right?

One day at a time, doing what you’re able to do each day, and that will be enough. Don’t forget to use the hashtags #walkthankful and #fit2b so we can easily find and follow each other AND award those prizes!

Leave a comment:

What is your favorite kind of walk? Trail? Paved pathway? Sandy beach? A rocky riverbank?