The short answer, sometimes.

The longer answer, this is a loaded question. It really depends how you look at it, and what is actually involved in these “quick” challenges. I believe that “30 day booty challenges” and “10 Day Shreds” don’t work. They make promises that you’re going to see huge results, which may be true – but only in the moment. For example, if you are meant to restrict certain foods, to work out 2 hours every day… these sorts of things are unsustainable. Once the challenge ends you’re back to square one. You haven’t built a foundation so you fail backwards. You binge eat all of the things you were restricting, you stop working out, and you just end up back where you started — reliving all of your old habits.

However, some challenges DO work, but you need to do them right. If you’ve been following me on Instagram (and if you’re not go check me out @theleemichelle !) you would have seen that I just completed a gorgeous 6 week Glow Up challenge within The Healthstyle Emporium program. This challenge was different from other “quick fix programs”. And here’s why:

1. The challenge focuses on holistic health – just like in The HSE, our mini challenges focus on health as a whole. We share daily tips on mindset, nutrition, movement, personal development, spirituality, emotional health, and more. This most recent challenge was focused on the topic of nourishing and nurturing ourselves from the inside out. When we focus on health and wellness as something that is multidimensional, rather than just about what you eat and how much weight you can lose, beautiful lifestyle changes can begin to occur.
2. It builds a foundation of small, sustainable lifestyle changes – like I mentioned, in The HSE we focus on building a foundation for lifestyle changes. The only way this can happen is if you start small and take things day by day. In my opinion, this is the biggest reason that most challenges & diets fail. It is because so many of us are looking for that quick fix, but I’m sorry to say, that just doesn’t exist. That’s why after you lose all that weight after a month long challenge, it just comes back on. That’s why after you feel so good, your mindset goes to sh*t when the challenge is over. When you truly want to make any type of change in your health, you need to start slow and start with changing your daily habits. It won’t happen over night, but it will happen if you put in the work.
3. You have a coach and accountability – This is one of the things I find most helpful. Having a coach to guide you through a program is great because it gives you the accountability. They are there every step of the way to make sure you stay on track, to cheer you on when you step off, and to help you are reach your full potential based on your goals. You don’t have to do it alone. That’s what I would be for you if you decided to work with me in The HSE!
4. It doesn’t just end after 6 weeks – another problem with “quick fixes” and “challenges” is that they end. Yes, even this specific challenge does have an end date, but in The HSE we continue working on the habits you developed for months, years, and honestly for your whole lifetime. Again, that is what health is all about. You develop habits that help you to live YOUR life to its fullest, to be your happiest and healthiest self. These may change over time, but that’s all in the journey.

These types of challenges are also great as a reset, because we need to face the facts, we all fall off the wagon sometimes. We are human. We are not perfect. I’ve said it before and I will continue to reiterate it, health and wellness is a journey. There is no end destination, but rather it is about those small things we do each day to live our happiest and healthiest lives. Our journeys are never linear though. That’s why it’s so great to use small challenges like the Glow Up to help get ourselves back on track with those small, daily actions.

As you also may have seen, I also shared my goals and intentions for the challenge on my Instagram page. Those included:

become more conscious of the food I’m putting in my body, every single time I eat and build awareness of what feels good and what doesn’t, add in different types of movement into my routine, improve my mindset & step into a new level of who I am, up-level my spirituality + self-love, add a new morning and evening routine; something that is sustainable for me, and help keep my clients accountable with their own goals and intentions!

These intentions can help you see the simplicity of this challenge. But also, to see the uniqueness. These were my personal goals, but everyone is different. No, I didn’t set a weight loss amount as one of my goals, but some people do. And that is completely okay. There are so many health and wellness programs that focus on general goals that make you feel like you have to fit into some sort of box. Whereas in the Glow Up as well as The HSE, because we focus on health holistically, your goals really can be what you make them out to be. Some of these new goals and habits will work for you, and some won’t. That’s what also makes The HSE so powerful, because it is a lifelong program teaching you how to slowly progress in your wellness journey, but also how to consistently never give up.

So now that you saw my intentions and know what The Glow Up was all about, here is how I’m feeling now:

• I have been more intentional with the foods I choose to eat. I try to nourish myself with plant foods as much as I can (and thank god for my whole food capsules when I can’t), but I also allow balance. I eat those foods that are labeled “unhealthy” because I like them and they make me feel good too. As well, I work with my body and my gut to feel what foods are good and which are not so good, for me personally
• I’ve started moving more – I am doing dance, yoga, going for walks, and doing at home workouts from our Workout Guide
• I have invested more time and money into personal development courses
• I’m still working at establishing a morning and evening routine but for now;
  – morning: write in my 5 minute journal and do a few yoga flows
  – evening: write in my journal, stretch, read for 10 minutes, meditation (as needed, I’m just working at adding this in to my schedule)

THIS. This shows that 6 week challenges can work. The reasons that this challenge worked for me personally was because I had the accountability from my clients and fellow coaches, my goals were focused on the different pillars of holistic health, I had already built a foundation in The HSE, and I am continuously and consistently doing the do long after the challenge has ended.

The only way any type of short challenge can work is if you do and have all of the above.

I’ve been there. I’ve done a 3 day juice cleanse, I’ve been on every diet you can think of, I’ve worked out tirelessly every single day. And I hated every moment of it. Yes, they did work for the time being to help me lose weight. But, I gained it all back time and time again because these habits were not sustainable. Also, because I was always focused on losing weight, I was miserable. Now, I have learned that health is not about being skinny. It’s more about being happy with the person inside the body, and loving yourself both inside and out. I now understand the importance of creating a foundation. Of building your goals holistically. Of having support and accountability. Of continuing your journey through the rest of your life. No I’m not perfect, but I have been in the trenches, and I know how to dig my way out. And I’m here to help you so you don’t have to struggle like I did.

Have you tried every diet under the sun, every “quick fix” challenge or supplement, only to find nothing really seems to work?

Send me a message, let me know your experience, and I will help find the best way we can work together to change that.

Until next time… no more quick fixes, & instead let’s promise to create healthy lifestyle changes together