And, I have a few words of advice for those who struggle with lack of time to exercise: Pick one or two exercises that you can do in just a few minutes a day, then do them every day. My posture also improved, which speaks to my increased core strength.Īs part of this process, I realized that consistency is key. These results are nothing to scoff at from just 30 days of a one-minute workout. My final plank hold was 1 minute and 15 seconds!Īll in all, I lost two inches from my waistline and four inches from my belly. With this mindset, I was able to meet my goal of crossing the 60-second mark. I found the hardest part of planking was simply remembering to do it.ĭuring the third week, my motivation began to falter, and I realized that I really needed to prioritize my planking in the morning, before the day got away from me. The exercise took less than a minute per day and used no special equipment. While I continued to be motivated, there was one Saturday that got crazy, and I forgot to plank. I was motivated by my commitment to this challenge, and I even exercised a bit more, in addition to the planks. My personal goal was to hold a plank for over a minute by the end of the 30-day challenge.ĭuring the first week, I increased my hold time relatively quickly. Laying out my schedule, I aimed to increase my plank hold by five seconds each day, with a rest day once a week. I used to be able to hold a minute-long plank easily, so I knew I had room for improvement. On Day 1, I started the challenge with a "max hold" plank to set my baseline: 20 seconds. It seemed relatively simple, and I could squeeze it into my busy life as a mom, wife and full-time writer. I decided to take on a 30-day plank challenge.
I know that having a stronger core can help me lift my kiddos, carry the groceries and have overall better balance when trying to juggle it all. Having a strong core reduces back pain, improves posture and helps build functional strength for day-to-day activities. Your core muscles affect almost all movement. I decided to focus on abdominal strength because this area on my body was the most affected by my back-to-back pregnancies. Now, finding the time to exercise consistently is a definite challenge, but I know I need to be more fit so I can keep up with my two boys. I wanted to do something to get my strength and stamina back, not to mention set an example for my kids of how to create healthy habits for life.īefore having kids, I regularly exercised and had strong core muscles. On top of that, a complication during my last pregnancy means I've been mostly immobile for the last four months. Having two kids in two years has left me with extremely weak abdominal muscles. Best of luck on your own first day and all the days that come after it. Always ask your doctor before trying a new exercise regimen. We reached out to Ana Reisdorf, writer and mother of two, to show what a commitment to a 30-day plank challenge could do. Strength and stamina support your body physically while boosting your mindset on healthy habits for life.
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