30-day weight loss challenges are hot - but can they really help you lose weight? It depends on you.
Do you love a challenge? Do you get busy when there's a deadline? Are you thrilled by the idea of healthy competition?
Then a challenge to lose weight in 30 days could be right up your alley!
On the flipside, if deadlines and competition stress you out, a weight loss challenge might not be a good fit for you.
But let's not make any hasty decisions and take a closer look at what the right challenge could do for you and your good health (not to mention that sexy summer beach body!)
To Create or To Join?
The first thing to decide on is whether to create your own weight loss challenge or join one that's about to start or already in progress.
Let's talk about the benefits of each one.
Benefits of Starting Your Own
- You have complete control over every single detail
- You can start your challenge whenever you want
- You can do it by yourself or invite others to join you
- You don't have to share your progress and success with anyone
- You can do some research and pick and choose things to include in your challenge, making it 100% unique and perfect for your personal needs
- All the details will be laid out for you; you don't have to create anything - just start!
- You'll be supported and inspired by other members of the challenge group
- The energy of friendly competition might push you to work harder and break out of your comfort zone
- You get to meet new people and make new friends
- You'll learn from other group members, often learning tips that work for them that could work for you
How To Create Your Own 30-Day Weight Loss Challenge
If you do decide to create your own 30-day challenge, here's how:
- Decide what you want to accomplish - also known as goal setting, this is the first step. What do you want to do in the next 30 days? Remember, keep it specific and reasonable (but be willing to push yourself a little.)
- Create a plan for accomplishing your 30-day weight loss goal - now that you know what you want to do, develop a plan for achievement. Detail what and how you intend to eat. Decide what you'll do for exercise and when you'll do it.
- Write down your starting stats - the only way to track your progress is to know where you came from, right? So find out what you weigh, take your measurements, make a note of what size clothing you wear, and take starting photographs so you have a tangible representation of where you are right now.
- Plan a reward for completion - what will you do to celebrate when you finish your challenge? Ideally, you'll choose a non-food reward. Some ideas for you are: a new outfit, an appointment at the hair salon, purchasing something that will take your health and fitness journey to the next level, or doing an activity you've never done before.
Top Picks for Joining a Weight Loss Online Challenge
The 30-Day Shape Slim Down Challenge
Shape has a great DIY weight loss challenge for you! 30 days of fitness moves and diet tips to help you lose weight in a month. This would be a great jump start for shedding some pounds in four weeks. You get a challenge calendar, which tells you which exercise - and how many reps - to do and which weight loss tip to refer to for that day. For an added boost, you could easily add in 30 minutes of your favorite cardio 4-5 days each week and that would give you a total program to lose weight in 30 days.
You can check out the Shape Slim Down Challenge here.
The SkinnyMs.com 4-Step Weight Loss Challenge
The SkinnyMs.com 4-Step Weight Loss Challenge gives you four things you can do to lose up to 10 pounds in 30 days. The four steps are pretty simple: drink plenty of water, avoid sugars and artificial sweeteners, control your portions, and exercise. Each step is detailed on the challenge web page. This is a very simple program to follow and is something anyone can do - no matter your fitness level, you can customize this plan to fit your needs.
Click here for the SkinnyMs.com 4-Step Weight Loss Challenge
Lose Weight in 30 Days with Health.com
Health.com offers a simple, interactive 30-day weight loss program. Not as detailed as the other challenges discussed here, the Health.com challenge provides tips and advice you can easily incorporate to get started on the path to weight loss. This challenge is also good for you if you've noticed your health and fitness program getting stale - these tips might be just what you need to breathe new life into what you're already doing. Print out the 30-day weight loss checklist and feel that sense of accomplishment that comes from checking off the items you do!
Get the Health.com 30-day weight loss program details here.
Looking to Get Massive Results?
Hopefully these suggestions have you taking a look at 30-day weight loss challenges that can help you get - or stay - on track for getting healthy and creating the body you want.
If you are looking to be motivated by a challenge and want a step-by-step guide for losing weight and getting fit in an easy-to-digest 30-day format, I recommend checking out Josh Anderson's 30-Day Weight Loss Program.
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