The Disabled Diva’s Fitness Buddy October Challenge – Scaring up healthy habits for your body and mind!

This month we are scaring up healthy habits! No tricks just a bag full of treats for your body and mind.

Are you ready to make some simple yet effective changes to your chronic life?

October Challenge

This month’s challenge takes place in the form of a bingo game!!

The purpose of this challenge is to create and/or reinforce healthy habits.

It is easy to get bored doing the same things over and over. Sometimes we need to be reminded that part of being “fit” means caring for our mental as well as our physical health. This month’s challenge will help you address both!

*Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. Meaning that at no additional cost to you, I receive a commission when you make a purchase through my links.

Start Making Healthy Habits Now!

There are 31 days in the month and 25 squares to keep you on your toes!

For every five consecutive squares you complete, you get a bingo! Your bingo must be in a straight line. The line may be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal.

Squares do not need to be done consecutively, meaning one day after another. You may conquer them as you want when you want.

You do not have to participate every day nor do you have to start on the first. Do what you can, when you are able!

Healthy Habits BINGO

Below are further explanations of the bingo squares.

B

1. Eat at least one serving of vegetables. Share what you ate!
2. Ever felt the need to have a good cry, but you held back because you didn’t want to feel or appear weak? Just let those tears flow!! Seriously, sometimes allowing for a good cry helps us to let go of what is holding us back. Other times we just need a moment to mourn what our illnesses have stolen from us. Whatever the reason (you are not obligated to share), just release the floodgate!
3. Challenge yourself to get up and walk or stretch for five minutes for every hour that you are awake. Set a reminder on your fitness tracker or an alarm on your cellphone so you don’t forget. Share how it impacted your day, if it was easier or harder than you expected, and if it is something that would help you on a regular basis.
4. Curb the amount of time you spend on social media. Limit the thoughts of others from your daily life. Share how hard or easy it was to do. If comfortable doing so, share what you missed and/or what you gained from not having the world’s opinions and emotions flooding your brain all day long.
5. Put down the chips and step away from the cake! Opt for a healthy snack. Share what you ate! Oh and if it was something that required preparing, share the recipe and any tips you might have!

I

1. Sleep for 8 hours! If you would like to, you could share what helped you fall and stay asleep.
2. Modify an activity. Frustrated by not being able to do something the way you used to? Make some modifications to make it easier to do! For example. With my knee injury, I am currently unable to walk my daily mile by only using the dog stroller for stability. Instead of giving up, I modified my activity by using crutches to keep weight off of my leg and to help me with balance. Can’t do standing exercises? Try seated ones! Unable to stand at the sink while washing dishes? Grab a tall chair or bar stool and sit at the sink!
3. Watch your water intake for a day! All you need to do to complete this square is to drink a minimum of 32oz of water! Share if it was easier or harder than you expected, what obstacles you ran across, or tips that helped.
4. Invite a friend to the group! This is an easy one! You can invite a friend by using the invite button in the group or press the share button and share it to your profile, page, or to a friend through messenger. FYI I never approve members who don’t answer the questions. So do not worry, your friends will not automatically become members if you invite them using the invite tool on Facebook.
5. Make someone laugh! Share how you made someone laugh. Could be by sharing a silly meme online, doing something silly, etc. And as long as what you have to share isn’t X-rated and you are comfortable sharing it, please do! We could all use a laugh!

N

1. Achieve 30 minutes of physical activity. Share what form of activity, when and how you spent that time, plus if it is something that you think you could incorporate into your life at least three days a week or not.
2. Socialize!! It is too easy to become isolated from the world outside the walls of our homes. Get out or invite someone over. Either way, the person you get together with cannot be someone who lives with you because no effort has to be made to see them. Share what you did and how you physically and mentally felt afterward.
3. FREE SPACE
4. Write an uplifting or motivational message to yourself! I spend every day sharing encouraging words to make others feel better, but I fall short in directing them at myself. Sound familiar? Take a moment and address yourself as you would someone who was struggling with their goals. Take what you would say to them and make it personal as you turn it into a message for yourself! After you write it, step away from it, return later to read it as if it were sent from a friend. While not mandatory and only if you are comfortable in doing so, it would be great if could share it with the group. Whether you share your message or not, share how it felt to write a message that was directed at yourself. Was it weird? Which was odder, writing to yourself or reading it later with fresh eyes.
5. Dance baby!! That’s right! Crank up your favorite tunes and dance for three songs in a row!! Keep that body moving!! This can be done even if you are struggling to stand or walk. Instead, dance while seated on the couch or bed! All that matters is that you moved for the entire time. When checking in share what songs you chose and how it felt to let loose for a few minutes out of your day.

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G

1. Write down three things you like about yourself. When you are done, don’t throw your list away. Hang it on the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, or place it in your wallet. Put it somewhere where you will see it often as a reminder on days when you’re struggling to see any self-worth. Share your list and if it was easy or difficult to come up with it.
2. Spend 15 minutes of your day doing yoga, Pilates, or stretching. Even on our worst chronic pain days, we can spend 15 minutes doing gentle stretches in bed. Share what you did.
3. Take a walk! It doesn’t have to be a long one, just get outside and go for a walk. Even if the farthest you go is to the end of the street or driveway, getting out and moving your body for a few minutes is a great gift for your body and mind.
4. Go to bed at a reasonable hour! As for what is reasonable, only you can decide that. Personally, I consider anytime before midnight to be reasonable for me. To complete this square share what time you went to bed, what helped you go to bed at that hour, and how you felt the next morning. Click here for some sleep tips!

O

1. Avoid drinking sodas or any other sweetened drink for one day. This includes both naturally and artificially sweetened beverages. You can have more than water or black coffee as long as the flavor from the beverages you do choose only come from fruit/veggies. No added sugar or sweetener of any kind. Share your experience and what you chose to drink instead.
2. Take a nap!! I used to feel guilty about taking naps. That is until I stopped accepted and recognized that when I allowed for them (when my body demanded) I felt better and was more productive than when I fought the urge. Share why you took a nap and the effect it had on your day.
3. Spend some time outdoors! Get outside and soak up a little vitamin D! You don’t have to be outdoors all day, just a few minutes can make a world of difference. Share what you did. Did you sit on your patio and listen to birds or did you secretly spy on your neighbors (haha)?
4. Share three things that you are grateful for. When turned into a daily habit, thinking of three things that you are grateful for helps you see the good in your life, especially when chronic pain is trying really hard to blind you from it.
5. Forgo traditional desserts and pick up a piece of fruit instead. Share what you chose.

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