Quite often when embarking on a body transformation or health related journey, there can come a point where we find yourself kind of just moseying on through or just going through the motions, especially if we’re tackling it on our own. 

You know how it is. At the start, we’re full of determination and drive. Nothing is going to stand in our way. The motivation is at an ALL TIME HIGH. At the beginning, we are totally committed. Then, life happens. Perhaps you lose focus due to work or family commitments. Or maybe you begin to lose a little belief in your goal and your ability to achieve it because at first it seemed easy but once you begin you realise that you actually have to work hard. Or, the results we initially attain begin to stall so you become discouraged. Whatever the reason/s may be, it can be an all too familiar trend. 

The good news is, a challenge could be exactly what you need to kick your butt into some new found motivation and drive, therefore, RESULTS! In my experience, regardless of fitness levels or years training etc, EVERYONE will have some shit they don’t like and want to WORK ON, that will not only provide a spark to our inner drive, but more than likely kickstart some new body shape changes. And how good would that feel?! 

But is it only about the physical? Is it only about what the scale says? Is it only about body fat percentage or muscle gain? NOT AT ALL! A good quality transformation challenge, like the Technofunc 8 Week Challenge, will delve a little deeper. It should focus on setting solid foundations of health. By that I mean it needs to have you focus on mastering the basics. The basics are what lead to amazing results. The quick fixes may (and I use that term loosely) work in the short term, but where do they leave you in the long run? Usually back where you started. Or worse, even further back from where you started. They are NOT sustainable

So what are the basics? I’ll tell you what they aren’t… they aren’t complex! It could be as simple as hitting a daily step target, drinking enough water, getting enough quality sleep, tracking the food you eat, increasing vegetables and fruit or showing more gratitude. All of these things are setting you up for better health, in the long term. And THAT is crucial! 

So what are some benefits of getting involved in a challenge? Well, as I stated above, it could provide the small spark you need to get your butt into gear! Let’s say you’ve been doing ok. Your training is going well, nutrition is pretty good but deep down you know you could ’tweak’ a few things to make it better. A challenge is perfect for this!

So here are my top reasons why challenges are good and can help you find that health and fitness spark:

Speaking of Your Goals

People are more likely to follow through on objectives when they’ve thought about them, collated their ideas and written down their goals. If you take this major step and give yourself some concrete achievements to work towards, you’re much more likely to see them through.

Challenges Are Habit Forming

Why? Because they last weeks or even months. Getting into the routine of working out and building new patterns can take weeks. At first you dread it, you slog through, then a place has been made in your schedule, in your life, it’s what you expect to do everyday–it’s part of the plan. Once you work it in and plant it deep, you’ve got something you know how to sustain and your body will ask for each day–a habit.

Positive Reinforcement 

Goal setting is an important part of any transformation challenge because it gives you milestones, small accomplishments to celebrate along the way, and who couldn’t use some positive reinforcement when they’re really working hard to make changes in life? So, celebrate the milestones and let them spur you on!

 Your Going To Learn New Skills

You’ll get tips on eating healthy, new ideas for workouts, you’ll probably take some classes you hadn’t looked at before. You’ll get a variety of new tools for the tool box, so that when the challenge is over, you can keep building, keep the momentum going, instead of stalling out when your routine starts to feel stale and uninspiring. 

The Community

When you join a transformation challenge, often you do it with other people, you form teams and compete against other teams. Committing to a team or even one other person to do something on a regular basis gives you a sense of accountability, and accountability is a very good thing in your get-fit, weight loss goals. Research shows that people who have workout partners succeed in their fitness and weight-loss goals MUCH more often than those who go it alone. You don’t want to let down the team, right? You want to contribute! Be accountable and stay the course, and you’ll see results!

All Those Friends You’ll Find in The Trenches Will Lift You UP

They’ll encourage you when you think it’s just too hard, you don’t have time, you’re too tired, etc. Those people will be your biggest cheerleaders and you’ll be theirs. There’s nothing like being fully supported to help a person succeed. 

You’ll Have Such a Feeling of Accomplishment 

You did it! You stayed the course, worked harder than you thought you could, lost weight and took a big step toward a healthier future. What could be better than that?!

Last But Not Least… YOU’LL BE HEALTHIER! 

And really, isn’t that what this is all about? With health comes a sense of well being and lessening of stress. Think of that morning run as a chase after your healthier self and pick up the pace!

So whether you’re at the start of your health journey or a seasoned campaigner looking to re-motivate yourself, a challenge could be just what you need!