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211. Ready to Stop Skipping Workouts During the Holidays? How a 30-Day Plank Challenge Can Help You Get There, Fast

Thanksgiving is about a month away, and if your calendar is already filling up with school stuff, church stuff, travel and birthdays, this episode is for you. Shaela talks about why health is usually the first thing busy Christian moms push off during the holidays, and how to stay consistent through November and December without adding one more thing you dread.

She shares the story behind Strongsgiving, The Stronger Collective's second annual 30-day daily plank challenge, and why you might catch her wobbling in a few of the plank videos. She filmed them last year right before her breast cancer diagnosis, when she knew something was wrong in her body but didn't know what yet. That wobble is tender to her now, and it's the heart of this episode: a plank, even a wobbly one, is something you can show up for in a hard season.

Then she gets practical. It's not the holidays that derail us, it's busyness. And busyness will always win unless the habit is small enough to survive it. You'll hear how to decide your minimum before the week happens, why a plank is one of the lowest-barrier ways to build core strength, improve your posture and boost your mood, and how to attach a simple workout to something you already do so you only make the decision once.

Shaela also shares her favorite part of Strongsgiving: pairing movement with gratitude. Instead of counting down a hard hold, you turn it into a moment of worship by thanking God while you plank. And she explains why accountability without pressure, even texting one friend, is often the difference between "I did it this week" and "I didn't."

If you want simple workouts, healthy habits and more energy through the holidays, this episode will help you get to Thanksgiving and say, "I moved my body every day."

Key takeaways

  • It's not the holidays that derail your health habits, it's busyness.
  • Busyness always wins unless the habit is small enough to survive it, so decide your minimum (not your ideal) before the week starts. 
  • Attach your workout to something you already do, like brushing your teeth or waiting on the coffee, so you make the decision once. 
  • Pair movement with gratitude: thank God while you hold a plank, a wall sit, or even stand in line at Target. 
  • Don't do it alone. Accountability without pressure, even one friend you text, keeps you showing up. 

Join us for Strongsgiving

Want simple workouts through the whole holiday season? Join The Stronger Collective for $29/month and you'll get follow-along strength workouts, flexible options for busy seasons, a community of Christian moms, and Strongsgiving, our 30-day plank challenge starting the first week of November. It's members only, so join before it starts: www.thestrongerco.com/membership

Not ready to join? Grab the free 5-day Faith Fitness Fuel Challenge in the Vault: https://www.thestrongerco.com/christian-women-health-fitness-resources

Come hang out with other Christian moms building simple health habits in the Simple Fitness Habits for Christian Women Community, and tell Shaela how you're staying consistent on Instagram @sdfitwell.

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