You know how much I love a challenge. You also know how much I love a challenge that requires tracking! Introducing The 7-Day Health and Wellness Challenge. But it’s not like anything we’ve done before.

Every day you’re going to track 5 areas relating to health and wellness:

1. Movement
2. Water
3. Fuel
4. Sleep
5. You Time

Each area will have specific daily tasks, and you just have to check off if you completed each one. The tasks are the same daily; there aren’t any add-ons or surprises. Simply answer the question.

The purpose of this challenge is to get you focused on healthy habits in general vs. following a diet, program, or plan. I don’t care how you move or fuel your body; I just want you to get into the habit of moving and thinking about how you fuel. It also makes you focus on areas that might be problems, such as sleep or doing things that make you happy.

You can check off your daily accomplishments on this tracker or simply do a check-in by asking yourself these 5 questions at the end of every day. There’s no start date for the challenge; just get going when you’re ready!

Did you move your body intentionally today?

Our bodies work best when we keep them moving, so it’s let’s get going! 30 minutes is a basic benchmark, and it can be achieved through walking, hiking, biking, yoga, stretching, swimming, weight lifting, boxing, etc. It can also be done in 10 or 15- minute blocks of time. There aren’t any hard and fast rules.

Note: if you wish to change your body composition, compete, or have a specific goal, this movement should be tailored to the goal, and the time commitment will increase. But for many people, staying fit and healthy is the goal, so aim to check this off daily.

Did you drink enough water today?

People assume that drinking 64 ounces of water is the “right” amount. But it actually varies based on the size of your body, what activities you participate in, if you eat a lot of watery fruits or veggies, etc. So how do you know if you’re drinking enough H2O? Tip: Don’t rely on thirst! Instead, check to see if your urine is a light yellow color.

Note: If you exercise, are out in the heat, humidity, or in extreme hot or cold temps, increase your intake and/or utilize electrolyte drinks such as Nuun, Gatorade, and LMNT to help prevent over-hydration. Dehydration happens quickly and can be deadly. Read more hydration info here.

Did you fuel your body correctly?

Food is tricky, people’s diets are tricky, and diet culture is real. So for our exercise, focus on the following things to think about instead.

1. Did you eat foods that provide energy for your daily activity?
2. Did you eat enough food to be satisfied, but not too much to make you feel full and uncomfortable?
3. How did the food make you feel?
4. Did you enjoy your meal?

This quick analysis is beneficial/vital if you have had a complicated relationship with food. We’re not labeling food good or bad (because it’s just food), but we ask that you take a minute to determine what’s best for you at any given point. Listen, some days, you might just want cookies. And that’s ok.

Did you have a good night’s sleep?

Being well-rested is really important for good health. If you have sleep difficulties, it not only affects you at night but will have severe ramifications for the next day or so.

So if your sleep sucks, I encourage you to try meditation, deep breathing, remedies (check with your doctor first), a cool bath, cold tart cherry juice, reading, listening to music, etc.

Tip: If you wake up and can’t fall back asleep, close your eyes and just think about being relaxed. You may not fall asleep, but your body will be much more rested than if you keep tossing and turning.

Did you do something for 15 to 30 minutes that brought you joy, peace, or was relaxing?

Read a book for fun, dance, watch tv, nap, doodle, call your best friend, watch TikTok videos, or make a TikTok video. The only rule is this: nothing can be done for self-improvement, business, or otherwise deemed a “responsibility.” Oh, and exercise does not count.

Now go run!

Keli 🙂

PS – this is a great challenge to do on vacation too!