Thirty Days of Active with Just Du Pree is on and poppin' friends! Yes, I just said on and poppin'...don't judge me. I got the inspiration to do this after making an effort to do something active every day after a long hiatus from the gym, biking, and working out in any capacity. Sometimes life happens and you just don't make the time to be physically active like you know you should. However, I always feel so much better when I make an effort to move my body; not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. When I first started working out consistently it was because I didn't like my body, and I wanted it to be better; I wanted to have my idea of the perfect body. I was following a strict workout plan which involved lifting three times a week and doing some sort of cardio at least twice a week. My body was definitely changing, and I loved it, but like I said, life happens.
Moving home for health issues, I had a lack of motivation to make it to the gym, I was constantly tired and fatigued, and most of the time I didn't want to leave the house because of the way I looked. Last summer I tried to get back into my hardcore gym habits, but ended up fatiguing my body even more and gaining weight. I spent the last year recovering from adrenal fatigue and avoiding sweating because it irritated my skin. Now, I'm at a much better place mentally, emotionally and physically and I'm ready to be active again. Instead of working out from a place of hating my body, this time around I want to focus on loving me and being physically active in a way that makes me happy. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy lifting weights, but I want to explore other ways to be active so I'm not always holed up in a gym. And what better way to stay active than with a network of people who want to do the same thing? So I challenge you to join me for 30 Days of Active! The purpose isn't to share before and after pictures to show how much we've toned or lost. I'm not promising to give you your dream body or even giving you specific workouts. I'm challenging you to be active for at least 20 minutes for the next 30 days so that you can lay the foundation to build healthy habits in your life. When I work out consistently I have more energy, I'm more focused, and I have more discipline in other areas of my life. I truly believe that making the commitment to stay physically active is going to help you in other areas of your life as well. So here's the plan! For the month of November we will move our bodies for at least 20 minutes EVERY day. I challenge you to explore different ways to stay active. The goal is to find different activities we truly enjoy that we can maintain after the 30 days are over. So go to a dance class, take a pole class, go for a run outside, ride your bike, try a boxing class, do Zumba or MixxedFit, go for a hike, or go for a walk. Just do something new! And most importantly, trust and listen to your body. I'm not going to tell you how hard you need to workout, because I don't know your fitness level or experience. If you're feeling fatigued, go for a restorative yoga session rather than running intervals on the treadmill. Safety comes first, and I want to make sure that we're challenging ourselves, but also taking care of ourselves. Along with staying active, I encourage you to keep a journal every day as well. Take note of how your body feels, how you're feeling mentally and emotionally, which activities energize you and which ones leave you drained. Or you can just jot down whatever thoughts you have that day. We are complex beings, so while this challenge is to encourage physical fitness, we have to take care of our mental, spiritual, and emotional wellness, too. For my personal challenge I'm cutting out television and Netflix as well. I fall down that Netflix black hole far too often, and for these 30 days I want to focus my energy in a more productive place. You are free to join me in this aspect, but it's not officially a part of the challenge. Last but not least, post your workout photos and tag me in them on Instagram: @justdupreetheblog, Facebook: www.facebook.com/justdupree89 and Twitter: @justdu_pree using the hashtag #JD30DaysOfActive! Be sure to follow my social media outlets where I'll be posting tips, some of the workouts I'm doing, and featuring others on the 30 day challenge. I'm also starting a GroupMe dedicated to the challenge so download the app on your phone and join the group here: https://app.groupme.com/join_group/26261105/g2NaKk This is where we can encourage each other and hold each other accountable. I'm super excited to get started with you guys and can't wait to hear your feedback!!! And can I just say, the interest for this challenge after I posted the idea on Instagram was so encouraging. Love you guys! Can't wait to knock out 30 Days Of Active with you!
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I'm Lauren, aka Just Du Pree, and I want to thank you for reading. This is a space where I share my very personal journey healing from eczema and topical steroid withdrawal (among other things), life lessons I've learned along the way, and occasionally the thoughts of an awkward Black girl (no Issa Rae). I'm a performer and filmmaker, so if you feel so inclined, pop over here to see what goes on in my mind on the regular. If you like what you see, you can stay up to date with my work here. Much love, friends!
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