31 Days of Fitness

Have you heard about our FREE 13 Day Clean Eating Challenge? It includes a sample meal plan, workout plan, plus much more. Learn more and join today!

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How is it already almost 2018?! Blows. my. mind.

We can't start a new month, definitely not January, without a new workout challenge! This one is a little different than what we normally post. I want to encourage you to move every single day of the month. You have designated strength training, cardio, yoga/walk, and rest days included in the challenge. If you are doing any of our workout plans you are already covered (as long as you follow it!). We always recommend having a workout plan in order to meet your goals (find out why here) but if you don't you can choose your own strength training and cardio workouts (we have a ton of free resources for those!).

The goal here is to make exercise a habit. I don't want you to go so hard in January that you get hurt or lose interest by the time February rolls around (I've seen it happen over and over again!). Make exercise a daily habit and something that you look for in the normal routine of your day (taking the stairs, parking far away, etc.). It's also important to switch things up, which is the reason we have different forms of exercise listed. You don't need to run every single day, keep your body guessing by incorporating different exercises!

Be sure to check out all of our other challenges here. We have weight lifting, cardio, and core challenges galore! Tag us on Instagram and use the hashtag #heandsheeatclean so we can follow along!

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Looking for a printable version of this challenge? We've got you covered! Join our newsletter and you will be taken to a black and white printable version right away! Grab the printable challenge here.

Thanksgiving Day to New Year's Day Workout Challenge

Have you heard about our FREE 13 Day Clean Eating Challenge? It includes a sample meal plan, workout plan, plus much more. Learn more and join today!

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I've never released a challenge specifically for this time frame but I'm super excited to do so! I know that this is a very busy time of year so this challenge will not take very much time. While I would like for you to be doing this in addition to your normal workouts (we have quite a few...wink wink) if this is the only thing you have time for it is better than nothing! The goal here is to just get into the habit (or keep the habit) of working out.

There are two workout plans that I would suggest for this time of year if you are looking for something more structured. One is our Busy Body 4-Week Workout Plan. You will only spend 3 days a week in the gym (or your home workout space) for 40 minutes or less! Learn more here.

Another one is our She Sweats Extreme 4-Week Shred. This one is a little bit more advanced so it is not recommended for beginners. This plan is focused on strength training and HIIT in a circuit-based workout. The four weeks are structured to optimally shed fat and help retain the muscle you have worked so hard to build. Learn more here.

For 40 days, from Thanksgiving Day to New Year's Day, you have two challenges to do each day. They can even be split up if you prefer. The cardio challenge is just ONE mile of any type of cardio you choose to do. In a perfect world, you would be doing these outside to get the benefit of being in the fresh air and you would be switching things up and doing different types of cardio but I understand that can be hard sometimes. The core challenge is also the same each day, you hold a regular plank, with good form for as long as possible. As I mentioned, the goal here is just to get moving or keep moving through the holidays but I've also included a "notes" section on each so you can record your mile time and plank time if you would like to try and improve those over the course of the challenge. You could also use this column to check off each day that you complete the challenge!

Looking for a printable version of this challenge? We've got you covered! Join our newsletter and you will be taken to a black and white printable version right away! Grab the printable challenge here.

Need a little encouragement and support? Join our He and She Eat Clean Facebook Group!

Be sure to check out all of our other challenges here. We have weight lifting, cardio, and core challenges galore! Tag us on Instagram and use the hashtag #heandsheeatclean so we can follow along!

4 Books That Every Single Person Should Read

As we go into the new year, I wanted to take this time to share with you a few of our favorite books. As you may have noticed over the last year or two, we've moved away from being a website totally focused on clean eating and working out to a website that also incorporates another very important part of our lifestyle which we refer to as minimalism. You can read more about what that means to us here and here. Not all of these books are new books but they are the ones that we personally love. Take our word for it when we say you should read them...they are definitely worth your time!

I've shared these books a few times on Snapchat (hesheeatclean) and Instagram Stories and always get a lot of questions so I wanted to do a "real" post here too. Enjoy! :)

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won't cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support! 

Here's Rambo in front of the books, not pictured is Better Than Before because I only have the Kindle version of that.

4 Books Every Single Person Should Read

*single: not as in relationship status ;-)

The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own - Joshua Becker

If you are new to the concept of minimalism or even just living within your means this is a must-read book. If you already consider yourself a minimalist this is still a must-read book! I was able to get an advanced reading copy before it was released (and it was signed!) and I could not put it down. I finished the book in one day which is almost unheard of for me. The author, Joshua Becker, is a father of two and the creator of BecomingMinimalist.com and one of my favorites because he is so easily relatable. Minimalism doesn't necessarily mean living out of a suitcase, living in a tiny home, only having white furniture, etc. He shares his story and shows you how you can also find the life you want under everything you own!

This book helps you (as seen on the back of the book and I can attest to as well):

• Recognize the life-giving benefits of owning less
• Realize how all the stuff you own keeps you from pursuing your dreams
• Craft a personal, practical approach to decluttering your home and life
• Experience the joys of generosity
• Learn why the best part of minimalism isn't a clean house, it's a full life

Essentialism - Greg McKeown

I'll admit, this was my favorite book before Joshua Becker released his book The More of Less. Now I can't truly pick a favorite! I know I've mentioned numerous times that I think that the best way to live your life is to not care about what other people think of you and quit being a "people pleaser". I remember reading this book the first time and thinking...I've said that a million times. ;-)

As found in the book, essentialism isn't about getting done in less time. It's about getting only the right things done. If you feel any of the following questions pertain to your life, you definitely need to read this book ASAP!

• Have you ever found yourself stretched too thin?
• Do you simultaneously feel overworked and underutilized?
• Are you often busy but not productive?
• Do you feel like your time is constantly being hijacked by other people's agendas?

Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits -- to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life - Gretchen Rubin

This book is everything. If you truly want to change your life, you must change your habits. This book will help you learn how to make your habits work for you. Many times, it's best to embrace who you are and how you do things instead of trying to change. This book has made me completely obsessed with learning everything I can about our habits. In order for us to be better parents, sons or daughters, friends, teachers, coaches, etc we must learn how people react to certain things and form habits. We can’t just expect everyone to be like us.

• Do you know those people who train for a half marathon or marathon and then never run again?
• Do you know those people who will do something that someone else wants them to do but nothing they want to do for themselves?
• Can you really wake up early to workout if you are not a morning person?
• Can you even train yourself to be a morning person?
• Why can some people develop habits that others can’t?
• Why do some things seem so easy to some people, yet so difficult to others?

Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! - Robert T. Kiyosaki

It has always frustrated me that our schools typically do not teach kids how to manage their money. Kids go all the way through high school maybe taking one or two classes on finances. Then they go to college and unless their major is related, they still do not take any classes on how to manage their money. This HAS to change. I see it all the time where people don't know how to do a budget, they don't know how to balance their bank account, they have no idea that they don't have to live paycheck-to-paycheck. 

Rich Dad Poor Dad will (as listed on the book):

• Explode the myth that you need to earn a high income to become rich
• Challenge the belief that your house is an asset
• Show parents why they can't rely on the school system to teach their kids about money
• Define once and for all an asset and a liability
• Teach you what to teach your kids about money for their future financial success

Chime in and let me know what your favorites books are. Have you read any of these?