Tips



Slowly but surely

After a week on the Challenge, how close are you to Objective 30? Did you manage to include some activity in your daily routine? If so, don’t forget to congratulate yourself! This will motivate you to continue. If not, don’t worry: go slowly, go step by step and take the time to get used to the changes.

It will also be easier to reach your Objective 30 if you choose an activity that you can do at any time, such as walking.

  • You can walk in the morning to get your day off to a good start, go out during your lunch hour at work, take a walk while your children are at after-school activities, or go out in the evening after dinner.
  • If you are very busy, start with 15-minute sessions. It’s sometimes easier to walk 15 minutes at noon and 15 minutes again in the evening than to fit one 30-minute block into your schedule.
  • You can also combine business with pleasure by taking advantage of all the opportunities you can to walk: go to work or to school on foot, walk the dog, walk to the video store or to the corner store… You’ll see that 30 minutes adds up very quickly!

Mix and match!

By practising at least two activities per season, you’re less likely to get bored. A second activity also makes it possible to work on different parts of the body, to develop other skills… and to have even more fun! For example, combine walking (that you can do every day of the week throughout the year) with an outside sport (that you would mainly do on weekends) or an indoor activity (whether at home or in a sports centre). All you have to do is decide what your favourite activities are and vary them from season to season.


Stay motivated

After 3 weeks on the Challenge, is your enthusiasm starting to wane? To be active and stay active, you have to stack the deck in your favour.

  • Think about the benefits you’ll derive from the physical activity (more energy, better mood, less anxiety, better sleep, feeling more relaxed, etc.). This is often a powerful motivator.
  • Choose activities that you like.
  • Schedule time to get out and move… and then do it!
  • Get out and get moving with friends, relatives or colleagues.
If you have difficulty reaching the objectives that you set yourself, try to figure out why and look for concrete solutions adapted to your personal situation. At times when you’re really busy, you can allow yourself to fall back a bit, but be careful not to let it drop completely.


Be active at the office

"I can't take the time to do any physical activity… I'm always on the run!" What with work, family, and our many other obligations, the primary obstacle to regular physical activity is the lack of time. Do you want a hot tip? Take one or more 15-minute blocks of time in your day, in the morning going to work, at lunchtime, during the health breaks, or in the afternoon going home. Here are a few more tips:

  • Take a noontime walk. In addition to being good for your body, you can pump some fresh air into your brain!
  • Adopt an active form of transportation to get to work. If you live close enough, you could walk or ride your bike from home to the office and back. If you use mass transportation, get off a stop or two early and walk the rest of the way. If you must take your car, try to park a bit farther away from the office.
  • Exercise during your health breaks.

Get the family moving

For many people, the Easter holiday is an opportunity to get together as a family. Why not take advantage of the occasion to practise a sport or do an outdoor activity together? Who knows? You may have so much fun that you’ll start doing it more often!

  • Go hiking in a park in your area. If you want to make it more of an outing, bring along a picnic or a snack!
  • Weather permitting, get out your bikes and explore the Route verte cycling network or a bicycle path in your area.
  • Even though the outdoor rinks have closed for the season, find out what times you can skate at your local arena or go swimming.
  • Organize a soccer, football or baseball game in the park.

Taking stock of change

After 6 weeks on the Challenge, are you less out of breath? Do you feel less stressed? Do you have more energy? These changes are signs that your efforts have paid off. If you maintained your Objective 30 throughout the Challenge, you’re heading in the right direction! You stand an even greater chance of maintaining these results. You could even consider doing a bit more; for example, by increasing the frequency, intensity or duration of your activities.

If you have not yet reached your Objective 30 or you’re coming up against too many obstacles or off days, whatever you do, don’t give up: instead, take stock of the situation and try to find new solutions. And don’t forget to congratulate yourself for all the steps you have taken in the right direction.

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