Wow! We have so many of you ready to dive into this challenge. I am praying for you all often throughout the day, so know that you are not in this alone. Let’s not waste anymore time!

There’s A LOT of info in this post to print and read today, so stay with me! Grand prize packages will be announced later this week! Also, I wanted you to know the two winners from the Moms into Fitness pre-challenge giveaway…Mary K. and Melanie S. I will be sure to email you. Congrats!

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Let’s get going!

Print off this calendar. This is an easy way for you to keep track of the exercising you’ve done for the week and the scripture memorizing!

Now, onto the spiritual part….

We are going to be discussing some key points that God has given us in His “Living and Active” Word that will help you through your health journey.

Key # 1: TIED TOGETHER

Scripture Memory (aka, “Soul Food”) Ecclesiastes 4:12 and/or Proverbs 27:17

Click here for printable that you can cut out. (Here is a jpg you can download if you prefer that to a pdf)

And here is a little insight and challenge for you about this Key! (You don’t have to print this. Click on image to enlarge!)

I have been adding a new passage of scripture for those of you who have done the challenge before and have already memorized the original ones. So drum roll please….we are memorizing a passage in Colossians! I was back and forth on about 3 passages and it was so hard to choose.

2 things about the scriptures:

1. I don’t care which bible version/translation you memorize them in
2. If you are already in a study and memorizing scripture and this is too much to add on, you can use the scriptures you are memorizing and count them instead! The whole goal is getting the TRUTH in your mind so I’m not going to picky about it!

Now for something NEW this year!

It appears that every year I add onto the challenge and this year is no different. Part of this challenge is getting us into the Bible and we have been doing that by a weekly memory verse. Over the years I have been asked for more devotional or daily scripture content and haven’t had a chance to add it. Well, this year, we are going to do just that.  Introducing a (very basic) Bible reading plan! Each week I will take you through a different book of the Bible and will give you a portion of scriptures for each day. I am also going to give you some questions you can ask yourself and journal out. This will be a tool you can take with you no matter what you are reading in the Bible. I know that many of you here already are in a good devotional/quiet time routine so keep on with that. No need to jump into this, but for those of you interested in learning more about the Bible, or perhaps you don’t have anything you are in, then I would love for you to join us! We will alternate going from a New Testament book to an Old Testament one. Remember, this is NOT part of the necessary part of our weekly check-in. It is only here as a supplement. (Just the exercise + scripture memory verse is what you will have to “check-in” on!)

I know you have a cute (or maybe practical!) journal laying around that you have been meaning to write your scriptures in. I want you to dig that out, or buy one, and use that over the next 5 weeks. These are the questions I want you to ask yourself every time you read the passages. Click here for a PDF version of this document!

Now onto Week 1 of the Bible reading. We are going to start in Ephesians. Click here to print off a pdf version of this document.

Let’s get physical!!!

You can keep your own workout routine OR take this guided routine I have below. (This will be the routine for Weeks 1, 2 and 3) Feel free to mix and match as you don’t need to do them in this order. (just avoid strength training same muscle groups on back to back days) This is a pretty basic routine. If you’ve been exercising for any amount of time, it may not be as challenging, so add on as needed! (Use my “Alive” video as a good warm-up!)

Need lower intensity? Check out these workouts! Don’t forget about walking, swimming, or biking for your exercise. These are great lower intensity options that may work for many of you.

– Chair Workout: Overweight & Obese (youtube video from Revelation Wellness)

– Low Impact Cardio Workout for Beginners: Cardio & Toning (youtube video from FitnessBlender)

Poke around at these youtube accounts for free, challenging videos:

Revelation Wellness, REFIT Revolution and FitnessBlender

Here it is in detail:

Workout 1:

30 Minute Total Body Treadmill Workout (Video and Printable) : Click link for details and video demo!

-or- if you don’t own a treadmill….

Clare’s Fav Full Body Workout (Video): 3 times

Workout 2:

“Your Choice” Cardio Day (25-35 minutes):

Choose between running, walking, kickboxing, swimming, your favorite cardio DVD etc. There are no intervals, hills or sprints here. Just keep yourself at a hard enough pace through the whole time that would make it hard to keep a long conversation.

-and-

“Good Time” Weighted Ab Routine (Video and Printable)

Workout 3:

Quick Jump Rope Bodyweight Circuit (2-3 times) : (Printable)

-and-

J.Lo #2 (video) (1 time) + “Stomp the Ceiling” (as detailed in post!)

Workout 4:

Crazy Cardio:

Go to an outdoor track, treadmill, elliptical, stair climber, bike, or even a big hill outside. Warm-up for 5 minutes, then do intervals where you sprint/run or move faster, then slow down. Start the intervals with 3 minutes steady state, then 1 minute of going all out. Repeat those intervals for a total of 15-20 minutes. Feel free to adjust the ratios if you need more or less recovery time. (Check out this post about how I incorporate sprints!)

– and-

“Frozen Flutters” (Video)

Now for some accountability…

Our first official CHECKPOINT will be next Monday, the 21st. This is where, IF YOU WANT TO BE CONSIDERED FOR PRIZE, you have to check in. (I will detail that out next week what you have to complete for this) If you could care less about that, then no need to sign in each week, but I suggest that it will be a great source of accountability for you! Also, if you are on Facebook, here is an accountability group!

I also hope to make use of Facebook live and for those of you who aren’t on FB, I will try and get that video in a blog post each week!

Don’t forget about instagram! I want to see what you are eating! Make sure to tag it #livingandactive and #claresmith

Finally, the food portion that many of you asked for! First of all, you will not be “graded” on this part with our weekly check-ins. This is just a guideline to help you throughout the next 5-weeks. Each week I will add on a new layer, but it is cumulative, so what you did in week 1, you will continue on for the rest of the time while adding on new habits each week! Here we go for week 1!

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Here is a video I did on facebook earlier this week giving you some insight into the challenge and things to consider! Click here if you can’t see video.

WHEW! This is a ton of info, so please feel free to ask any questions you have! Which brings me to one final question…some will ask, “Is it too late to join?” No!! You can join at any time. The only stipulation would be if you didn’t exercise 4 times/week and memorize the weekly scripture for entry in the grand prize package.

p.s. I added a new tab at the top menu so that you can access all the living and active challenge info in one click!