Posted in Events, Healthy Eating, Injury Prevention, News, Performance Enhancement.
Breaking Down the Whole Life Challenge
So, the Whole Life Challenge starts on Saturday. If you’re like most of the Finish Line PT staff, you might have signed up without really knowing what you’ve gotten yourself into. (Peer pressure anyone?)
We’ve put together a quick guide to the Whole Life Challenge – both for those who are already registered (welcome to our team!) and for those who are still considering. If you’re on the fence, just do it! [MORE INFO & WHY WE’RE DOING THIS] [REGISTER]
“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”
- Let’s start with a few general things to remember:
- The WLC is not designed for perfection. It is designed to create awareness. The WLC isn’t as much about the specifics (although there are rules to follow), as much as it is about how people make choices in their daily life.
- You are supposed to lose points! The points system exists to create clarity about what is worth it and what is not. Again, this is about PRACTICE, NOT PERFECTION. It’s about trying to create long-term, effective habits. Read Lauren’s blog for a great perspective on this point.
- With that said, what if you could change one area of your life that seems impossible? Take cream in your coffee, for example. It’s easy to think, “There’s no way I can go without cream in my coffee.” But what if you tried for one week to replace the cream with almond milk? Or drank your coffee black? You’ll never know your capacity to change—and to feel better as a result—if you don’t try.
- Set a goal. Pick one area of your life—small or large—where you want to do things better. Most people think the WLC is all about Nutrition and what you can or can’t eat—but it doesn’t have to be. Your goal could be to incorporate 10 minutes of stretching into your daily routine, or get off the subway one stop early and walk the rest of the way to work.
Studies show that people who share their goals with at least one person and then send weekly updates to that person are 33 percent more successful in achieving their goals.
Here are a few other questions we’ve gotten recently:
How does the point system work?
Really, the best thing you can do is to thoroughly read the Official WLC Rules. They’ll take you through the various elements of the Challenge, step by step. As a baseline, you can earn up to 11 points every day. And it’s possible to earn bonus points! Check out the Official Rules for a complete explanation.
How do I track my scores?
You have to log into the web site every day of the Challenge and report a score for your activities from the day before. Scores must be entered by 11:59pm every day for the previous day. You can choose to use a “mulligan” if you happen to forget. Check out the Official WLC Rules for complete explanation.
Do I have to take my body measurements or test my current fitness level?
We recommend it. If anything, it provides a baseline that you can use as a comparison to see what improvement you’ve made over the course of the 8 weeks.
Team Finish Line will be following the Official Whole Life Challenge Workout (which is explained in the Official WLC Rules).
Will my measurements be visible to everyone?
They don’t have to be. You can adjust your Privacy Settings depending on what information you want made public. You can’t adjust whether or not your daily score is visible. Everyone WILL see how many points you get in certain categories. But that’s part of the group accountability, right?
In terms of Nutrition, what are the requirements for each body level?
The very best place to get all of this information is the Official WLC Rules (seeing a theme here?). There is a handy Cheat Sheet that you can print out and post on your fridge.
If I decide to consume a whole pizza and a whole bottle of vodka in one night, does that only count for 2 points?
Nice try. No, portions size does matter. 1 piece of pizza counts for 1 point that you lose from your score, 2 pieces counts for 2 points. A whole, unsliced pizza is not one piece! The same rule applies for alcohol, soda or juice. One drink counts as 1, two counts for 2. And ANY amount of alcohol counts for 1 point, even if it’s just a sip of wine or beer.
What events will Team Finish Line be hosting?
We are still in the process of determining the exact format of 3-4 group workouts and social events that we will host throughout the Challenge. Stay tuned for dates.
What we WILL provide is daily inspiration, recipe ideas, videos, an ear to listen if you have questions, a word of encouragement if you’re struggling and WEEKLY PRIZE DRAWINGS for those who achieve certain milestones.
You still have time to get in the game! The Challenge begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 3 – so register before then!
Still have questions? Need help registering? Email Sara at sara@finishlinept.com.
