Fit for Fall: 30 Day Workout Plan and Healthy Eating Challenge!

Fall is the perfect time to tackle a 30 Day Workout Plan and Healthy Eating Challenge to feel great, get in shape, and boost your confidence before the holidays. This flexible exercise routine and clean eating meal plan is the ultimate fitness inspiration that you've been looking for. Let's get Fit for Fall!

I don't know about you, but I feel like the summer is such a hard time to maintain any sort of routine. While I appreciate a less demanding schedule (and no early morning rushed school drop-offs), it also feels like I'm not nearly as productive as I could be.

With my older two boys headed back in school last week, I figured it was the perfect time to share this fitness challenge that I've been working on for a loooooong time. It's the perfect combination of structure and flexibility so that it will appeal to just about everyone.

I feel very strongly about supporting other women, investing in ourselves and our own wellbeing (even when we're overwhelmed by responsibilities for others), and practicing self love. I hope that you'll join me on this little adventure!

There are two components to this Challenge, so let's start with a quick overview.

If you choose to join the challenge, you can jump into:

• The 30-Day Workout Plan (below); and/or
• The Healthy Eating Challenge (with a flexible meal plan that I will discuss below).

Okay, so first: The 30-Day Workout Plan.

I based these routines on my experience with personal trainer Mark Arrington and the collaborations that we have worked on together for this blog. In my opinion, the most important aspect of any fitness routine is finding something that YOU LOVE. If you dread doing it, it will never become a habit, right? I'm much more motivated to wake up early to exercise when I'm genuinely excited about what I'm about to do! That's why I've tried to build plenty of flexibility into this program.

If you're a fan of long walks with a friend, that counts as your cardio! If you love to zone out on the elliptical and listen to podcasts, that counts as your cardio! Do you like to strength train on the circuit machines at the gym for an hour? Awesome -- there's your strength training! If you feel like you've been doing these things but haven't seen any progress or changes over a long time, then maybe try to mix it up and add some intervals or hills into your routine. Change your speed, change your walking route, or just try something new. If you're not happy with where you are, then do something to make it better!

And if you have no idea where to start, then I have provided a variety of new and different workout options in this Workout Plan. These give you a balanced routine and they keep your mind and your muscles challenged -- no boring exercises here! Plus, they fit into YOUR busy life. You don't need a gym membership or any fancy equipment to participate in this Challenge and get healthy. Just some support, motivation, and a PLAN!

If you're working out efficiently, you shouldn't need to spend hours every day at the gym in order to get fit. These routines are a mix of strength and cardio to help build muscle, burn fat, and maximize your calorie burn in a short amount of time.

Please note: I am not a doctor or a fitness professional, so please check with your own personal physician before starting any exercise routine. And always, always modify the workouts to suit your level and listen to your body. These are not individualized workouts for each reader -- merely my own suggestions. Most importantly, do what you enjoy, have fun, stick with it, and work hard!

TO DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE PDF COPY OF THESE WEEKLY WORKOUT PLANS TO TRACK YOUR PROGRESS AS YOU GO, JUST CLICK HERE.

FIT FOR FALL: 30-Day Workout Plan

WEEK 1:

☐ Day 1: Time-Saving Total Body Strength Workout OR Killer Shoulders, Tri’s, Butt and Thighs Workout

☐ Day 2: 30-Minute Fat-Blasting Treadmill Walking Workout OR 30 minutes of your favorite cardio (walking, running, elliptical, swimming, biking, etc.)

☐ Day 3: Recovery Stretch, Walk, or Yoga such as this 12-Minute Yoga Workout to Calm Stress and Anxiety

☐ Day 4: 10-5-10-5 Fat-Burning At-Home Workout OR 20-Minute Bodyweight Circuit Workout

☐ Day 5: The Living Room Workout

☐ Day 6: 45-60 minutes of steady cardio (walking, running, hiking, elliptical, biking, swimming, etc.)

☐ Day 7: Recovery Stretch, Walk, or Yoga, such as this 10-Minute Evening Yoga for Beginners

WEEK 2:

☐ Day 8: Total Body Strength and Cardio Workout (for the gym) OR Total Body At-Home Strength Workout

☐ Day 9: Energizing 30-Minute Indoor Cardio Workout OR 30 minutes of your favorite cardio

☐ Day 10: Recovery Stretch, Walk, or Yoga such as this Quick Morning Yoga Routine

☐ Day 11: The Do-Anywhere 20-Minute Workout (no equipment necessary)

☐ Day 12: Intense At-Home Circuit Workout

☐ Day 13: 45-60 minutes of steady cardio (walking, running, hiking, elliptical, biking, swimming, etc.)

☐ Day 14: Recovery Stretch, Walk, or Yoga such as this Morning Yoga for Beginners

WEEK 3:

☐ Day 15: Low Impact Resistance Band Workout OR Busy Mom’s 10-Minute Total Body Workout (repeat 2 or 3 circuits for a 20- or 30-minute workout)

☐ Day 16: 20-Minute Fat-Burning Cardio Circuit Workout OR 30 minutes of your favorite cardio

☐ Day 17: Recovery Stretch, Walk, or Yoga such as this 20-Minute Home Yoga Workout for Beginners

☐ Day 18: 15-Minute Jump Rope Workout

☐ Day 19: 30-Rep Home Workout

☐ Day 20: 45-60 minutes of steady cardio (walking, running, hiking, elliptical, biking, swimming, etc.)

☐ Day 21: Recovery Stretch, Walk, or Yoga such as this Flexibility and Range of Motion Beginner Yoga Workout

WEEK 4:

☐ Day 22: Playground Workout OR Equipment-Free 30-Minute Total Body Workout

☐ Day 23: At-Home 30-Minute Cardio Workout OR 30 minutes of your favorite cardio

☐ Day 24: Recovery Stretch, Walk, or Yoga such as this Yoga for Beginners Class

☐ Day 25: 10-20-30 At-Home Workout

☐ Day 26: 30-Minute Total Body Workout Plan (for the gym) OR 20-Minute Living Room Workout

☐ Day 27: 45-60 minutes of steady cardio (walking, running, hiking, elliptical, biking, swimming, etc.)

☐ Day 28: Recovery Stretch, Walk, or Yoga such as this Gentle Yoga Flow

WEEK 5:

☐ Day 29: At-Home Bodyweight Workout or 30-Minute Cardio Sculpt Workout Video

☐ Day 30: At-Home Intense Cardio Workout OR 30 minutes of your favorite cardio

☐ Day 31: CELEBRATE!!! CONGRATS!!! Now treat yourself to a special reward…and then get right back at it for another month!

**Remember, you can print a copy of these workouts to track your progress as you go by clicking HERE.

And now, the Second Part of this Challenge: The Healthy Eating Plan.

You can do a zillion sit-ups or run ten marathons, but you will never reach your true potential or feel your best if you don't fuel your body properly. That means eating wholesome, real food as much as possible in the right portions. I know...easier said than done, right?!

But listen up: a Healthy Eating Plan does NOT mean depriving yourself of everything that you love. I won't tell you to give up chocolate, wine, or chips and salsa for 30 days. Why? Because if you're going to make healthy eating a sustainable lifestyle, then it needs to be realistic. And who wants to give up all of the good stuff? Definitely not me.

BUT, I will suggest that you pick your favorite treats and figure out how to work them into your healthy diet in moderate amounts. Whether it's a glass of wine a couple of times per week, a little bit of dark chocolate after dinner each night, or a weekly ice cream date with your kids, the key is prioritizing and deciding what's important to YOU. Don't give up everything that brings you pleasure in life (NO WAY!!!), just feed your body nutritious meals and snacks most of the time and enjoy your indulgences as well. Think about the treats and decide whether or not they're "worth it."

So what does that look like in practice? Lucky for you, I have spent months putting together a comprehensive cookbook full of the nutritious and DELICIOUS recipes that my family and I love. These are the meals that we make regularly for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They're quick and easy, they're kid-friendly, and they're made with ingredients that you can easily find at any grocery store. They're all in Fast, Fit and Fresh: Healthy & Family-Friendly Recipes for Busy Lives.

I planned the release of my first eCookbook to coincide with this program for a very important reason -- I am incredibly proud of the recipes in this book and I think that it's the perfect resource for someone who is looking for a simplified approach to incorporating more whole foods in her diet without sacrificing taste!

This guide includes:

• Recipes for 10 new breakfasts, 10 new lunches, and 10 new dinners that are some of our family's go-to quick-prep meals for a healthy lifestyle (including vegetarian options, seafood options, and slow cooker meals);

• Nutritional information for each recipe;

• Instructions on how to prep ahead and freeze many of the recipes to make busy mornings and weeknights easier;

• Serving suggestions with appropriate pairings for each dish;

• Recipes that only use pantry staples and easy-to-find ingredients;

• Healthy no-prep snack suggestions (because who has time to whip up a batch of homemade bars when you're making carpool runs?!);

• My Weekly Meal Plan template and my Grocery List template, along with tips to make shopping for your food quicker, easier, and cheaper!

Some examples of the recipes that you will find in this book include:

Almond Joy Overnight Oats

Baked Blueberry Pancakes (the easiest way to serve pancakes to a crowd...or to enjoy them all week long!)

Easy French Dip Sandwiches

Oven-Roasted Barbecue Shrimp

Sticky Peanut Skillet Chicken

GET INSTANT ACCESS TO ALL THESE RECIPES AND MANY, MANY MORE NOW!

I'm so excited that you can purchase your copy of the Fast, Fresh & Fit! eCookbook today! It truly is the ULTIMATE guide for healthy eating and the perfect companion for the workouts in this Challenge!

Please let me know if you decide to join this challenge! I'd love to offer support, feedback, or accountability if you're interested!