This post is a high-level breakdown of the “21 Day Tone Challenge” by Blogilates and the motivation behind why I joined the program. Reintroducing fitness and body-positivity back into my lifestyle!
Some Quick History
Now, I’m no marathon runner and I’m not someone who typically goes to the gym 5 days a week. However, I grew up very active and really valued my physical health all throughout high school and college. I played competitive sports, ran, and lifted weights. After college, I continued to stay physically fit, taking live classes at the YMCA, lifting weights, playing ball with my husband, and doing online workouts like kickboxing and pilates.
Sometime in 2014, I found a YouTuber named Cassey Ho who had created a program called Pop Pilates. Her website and YouTube channel, Blogilates, were full of free workout videos that used no equipment and were founded on pilates and cardio. As soon as I saw the first video I was hooked. Working out with a very friendly, energetic instructor to the beat of pop songs, in the comfort of my own home was totally my niche. I worked out with Blogilates, year after year, printing out the free monthly calendar plans whenever I knew I needed to get back into a routine.
I maintained relatively good physical fitness levels until 2020. Apart from the apparent downers about 2020, there were actually some positive life changes for us. Caleb’s career moved us and I was able to keep my job, but that also meant, like many people, I started working completely from home. In 2020 I fell into a fitness slump unlike I had ever experienced.
My Motivation and Body Positivity
Taking the leap back into a fitness routine seemed very daunting after I had become lazy with my physical health. The #bodypositivity movement has been very popular recently; with people on both sides of the love/hate spectrum. For me, body positivity means that I am advocating for a healthy body, based on my own personal needs. It means that I’m aware of my health statistics and the science behind these numbers.
It means that I am gracious with myself, motivate myself for the right reasons, and reward myself when I achieve goals. Mentally and physically, that’s where body positivity aligns for me.
Here are the main reasons (in no order) why I knew I wanted to get back into an exercise routine this January:
- my energy level was too low
- my heart health needed attention
- I didn’t feel strong
- mentally, I was craving the challenge
- my clothes were uncomfortably tight
- my body and mind needed consistency
Adding all these things up meant that I needed a change. I went back to the place and people I had trusted for years: Cassey Ho, the “Pop Army” of Pop Pilates, and the entire Blogilates community.
What is the 21 Day Tone Challenge?
The 21 Day Tone Challenge is a brand new program that Cassey put together. It is 21 days of workouts that are around 21 minutes long. Each day emphasizes a different target area and the program is meant to be completed consecutively. The idea is that it takes at least 21 days to form a new habit, so staying consistent with exercise each day will tell your mind and body to keep it up once the program is complete. For this challenge, you are encouraged to take Before and After photos so that you can track changes. I didn’t do that. As you can see from my main motivators, losing inches wasn’t it for me.
This is the exercise equipment that we have for our little space at home!
Tone up for 21 days in a row?
Piece of cake. At least that’s what I thought before I began Day 1. What I soon realized is that after going so long with no consistent exercise, it actually was difficult to carve time in my day for intentional exercise for 21 days in a row. Even with the workouts being less than a half-hour, I wasn’t truly prepared with planned time to devote to it each day. And that meant that some days went missed (Hint: the 21 Day Challenge took me 24 days).
Some days, I would end up doing two days-worth of sets to make up for what I missed. But my big takeaway and piece of advice if you do the program is this: Before you begin, get your calendar and set reminders at a specific time each day. You don’t want to let them pass you by because after all, a big part of this program is geared toward resetting the habit.
This program is helpful for people like me, who really need positive, bubbly personalities for instructors, as well as non-boring workouts as motivators, to get back into the groove. The workouts are short, targeted, and effective (just because they’re shorter doesn’t mean you won’t get sore!). On top of the exercise part, Cassey also provides recommendations for making simple switches to your diet to maximize fat loss results — if that’s what you’re going for. This challenge is available on the Body By Blogilates app which you can download to your phone.
Working Out at Home
Every workout by Blogilates can be done at home, in your yard, in the gym, wherever you have a floor and a little space. Most of the time, her workouts involve no equipment other than a mat. The 21 Day Tone Challenge is a little different as it introduces small weights into the program.
*Side note to say that it has been so fun to watch Cassey’s Blogilates business grow through the years. She is truly talented. She designs her own line of activewear called PopFlex Active, which has several incredible collections. She makes water bottles, accessories, special fitness journals, and more. Just this past month, her brand new collection hit the shelves at Target! The 21 Day Challenge definitely makes good use of her new equipment like the resistance booty bands, sold in this kit at Target, and the dumbbells.
Don’t have any equipment but want to get started? Don’t worry, Cassey is careful to display modifications for each move that uses equipment, leaving no one behind.
What’s Next for My Fitness Journey
Now that I feel set back into the habit of incorporating healthy exercise into my routine, I want to keep it going. For me, it’s really about keeping a healthy mind along with my body. Another amazing this about the Blogilates community is that each month, Cassey still creates free workout calendars with designated videos that you can complete each day. Her entire library of videos is on her Youtube channel, but the plan she creates for each day makes all the difference.
You can sign up to receive your free calendar. The month of January happens to feature the 21 Day Tone Challenge, but each month will provide a different collection of workouts for each day. These are the calendars I have used since 2014 and will continue to use going forward!
If you browse around the Blogilates website, you may see a program called the 90 Day Challenge. I am highly considering joining the program but it would be such a huge challenge for me; I really struggle with the idea of letting certain foods go, and the 90 Day Challenge is geared all toward diet. What do you think, should I go for it?
I want my fitness to be only one part of my holistic wellbeing. It’s about balance, right? In recent months I have taken steps to better my mental/emotional health, my physical health, my relationships, and my spiritual health; and I’m really proud of myself for taking those steps.
Little steps in the right direction with God’s help and support from family and friends reforms good habits and that’s what I’m looking for this year. I truly hope you find your own motives and take positive actions this year too. I know you will thank yourself once you get going!
Xo, Laura