THE CHALLENGE IS OVER WHAT NOW?

Congratulations on wrapping up an awesome challenge. For many of you, there’s a big question lurking on the near horizon about where and how you will keep up with this new healthy lifestyle. I’ve put together a brief overview of a handful of great options for you to consider. This isn’t a comprehensive list, but it should serve to at least get you thinking about your options.
Re-up with another Challenge:
One thing you might consider, if you really enjoyed your experience with the 365 Challenge, is another round of clean eating and exercise with us. Each time we run a challenge, we update, iterate, and improve the content we deliver. You can expect new meal plans, new workouts, unique blog content. You can even upgrade the loading on your Torpedo at a discount for being a returning challenger. Sometimes staying with something you’ve tried and tested is a smart way to keep the ball rolling.
Pros: You know what you’re getting into. You know it works.
Cons: The possibility of redundancy.
Endurance athletics:
Sports like running, swimming, biking etc. are fantastic, low cost ways to keep your exercise going. Endurance sports tend to be almost exclusively aerobic in nature, which is very different from the anaerobic training we did most of the time during the challenge. There’s nothing wrong with this and sometimes it feels good to change it up for a while. Check out local running stores for tips on various endurance groups that might meet and train together in your area.
Pros: Low cost, great fat burning potential.
Cons: Likely a solo effort, loss of strength if done without supplementary training.
Do-it-yourself:
Gyms like Snap Fitness, Anytime Fitness, Lifetime Fitness are great for people looking for a do-it-yourself model to invest in. Many of these businesses offer 24 hour access to the gym and have locations all over the country. Generally, the majority of the equipment is machine-based and not overly functional, but newer versions of these gyms are popping up with ketlle-bells, Olympic lifting platforms and squat racks actually used for squatting. You have to be good with motivation to make the most of this membership option work and should really have your formed dialed in.
Pros: Accessibility; cost is usually fairly low and hours of operation are extremely liberal.
Cons: Easy to get distracted and lose motivation.
Group Fitness:
The last few years have seen the uptick in the number and quality of great group fitness training environments. There’s no shortage of different training styles either, from strongman training, to aerial fitness, there’s something for everyone. There are three big names, however, worth considering as a starting point.
Alchemy:
Of course, I’m partial and biased, but I do think that Alchemy’s blend of simple, thoughtful yoga sequencing, blended with the shorter duration, high intensity conditioning bodes well for experienced fitness enthusiasts and novices alike. Alchemy is currently only found in the Twin Cities but will be expanding into new markets toward the end of 2017 so keep your eyes peeled.
Yoga:
Businesses like CorePower Yoga are leaders in the group-yoga department but others such as YogaFit and Moksha are growing. They offer various levels of class with lower complexity sessions for newer yogis. CorePower has also introduced a conditioning class called YogaSculpt which includes “pulsing” to the beat in a high-energy environment.
CrossFit:
CrossFit affiliates can be found an every other street corner in most cities. The popularity of the brand the associated workout regime has skyrocketed in recent years. The facilities tend to be more bare-bones, with the focus being placed more on the training and community building that the steam rooms and lockers. Often perceived as dangerous, the programming is generally safe, so long as you have a coach and community to prioritizes quality movement and smart modification. Do your homework if considering CrossFit. Not all affiliates are created equally and the lack of corporate oversight from CrossFit Inc. has led to a very inconsistent level of quality from gym to gym.

The long and short:
The important thing, regardless of what route you choose, is that you keep up with your training. Hopefully, the 365 Challenge helped you to recognize the joy you can get out of exercise and clean eating. There is no bad choice here. The only enemy is returning to a life void of physical activity. So, now that the challenge is over, get to work finding your next home base for healthy living. The 365 Challenge is always here if that’s what you choose, but don’t be afraid to explore a few other options as well.
Good luck, challengers. Let us know how we can help!