I was going to call this the “30-Day Fitness Challenge for the Overworked and the Lazy” (which is me) because no matter what the reason, a lot of us are slacking off. I want to encourage myself and others to find a place for some sort of fitness in our daily routines—and I don’t think it needs to be dreadful or time-consuming.

The American Heart Association recommends “at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least 5 days per week for a total of 150 [minutes].” Assuming we’re meeting just that bare minimum—through everyday activities like household chores, or getting to work—that’s still a low bar. Nevertheless, it can be a difficult bar to reach if you’re cramming too much into your days, or overwhelmed by the thought of working out. Just meeting your daily aerobic requirements can be tough, and then what about your core fitness?

Enter, the 8-Minute/30-Day Fitness Challenge. I’m introducing this challenge for myself and am encouraging others to participate as well. The plan? For 30-Days, spend (at minimum!) 8-minutes each day engaging in a mini fitness routine. Try to extend the routine, where possible, but just start with 8-minutes a day. That’s it. Do you have 8-minutes?

Why 8-Minutes?

Anyone can spare 8 minutes, right? We humans don’t have a tremendous attention span. We get bored easily, and can wear out quickly. An 8-minute routine can fly by with ease (before you know it, your workout is over!), and can also be squeezed between short 10-15 minute breaks throughout the day.

• 
• 

  HIIT Workout

• 

  8-Minute Arm Workout

• 

  8-Minute Ab Workout

• 

  8-Minute Leg Workout

• 

  The 100 Workout

What Can You Do in 8-Minutes?

How you use your 8-minutes is entirely flexible. The point of this challenge is to make exercise work for you and your preferences, so feel free to fill these 8-minutes with any exercises you desire. For some guidance, though, I’m providing some sample sets below.

The 100 Workout

100 Jumping Jacks
90 Crunches
80 Squats
70 Leg Lifts
60 Jumping Jacks
50 Crunches
40 Squats
30 Leg Lifts
20 Jumping Jacks
10 Minute Cardio

The 100 Workout

8-Minute Abs

10 Crunches
10 Reverse Crunches
10 Bicycle Crunches
10 Army Crawl Pushups
10 Toe Touches
10 Knee Touches
10 V-Ups
10 Russian Twists
10 Plank

8-Minute Ab Workout

8-Minute Legs

20 Squats
30 Lunges
20 Calf Raises
50 Second Wall Sit
100 Jumping Jacks
40 Sumo Squat
30 Leg Raises

8-Minute Leg Workout

8-Minute Arms

30 Tight-Arm Circles (forward)
30 Tight-Arm Circles (backward)
30 Bicep Curls
20 Tricep Curls
20 Push-ups
30 Second Plank
30 Big-Arm Circles (forward)
30 Big-Arm Circles (backward)

8-Minute Arm Workout

HIIT Workout

High Intensity Interval Training (30-sec. each)

Jumping Jacks
Wall Sit
Push-Ups
Crunches
Jump Squats
Plank
Squats
Lunges
Side Plank
Mountain Climbers

HIIT Workout

Bonus

If there are a lot of healthy habits you want to create, try not to tackle them all at once. Focus on one, master it, and then introduce another. As you participate in this challenge, however, it would be good to introduce these supplemental healthy habits:

• Hydrate: Drink adequate water! It’s advised that we drink 1/2 our body-weight in ounces each day.
• Journal: Monitor and log your activities. Note how you’re feeling, how well you sleep, or anything else you noticed. Track your progress, but don’t focus on numbers, inches, or pounds. Think about how you feel, not about whether you look one way or another.

July Challenge

I’m sharing this challenge to kick-off in July. (Yes, I know there are 31 days in July, feel free to use the extra day for a cheat day or a bonus workout!) And I’d love for others to participate with me. Use the comments below to share your progress, any comments, give support, etc. And look for my own check-in email at the end of the month!

Good luck!