More than a month ago, I wrote a column about a fitness and wellness challenge I proposed to some friends of mine. Twelve accepted the challenge to make improvements in healthy living habits – from getting more fruits and veggies in the diet to daily meditation. I promised to keep readers posted on how the challenge is going, and offer tips and methods participants have used to remain strong during the 12-week program.

For those who may be new to the column, or need a refresh course, here is a brief review of what is involved. Each participant is required to keep a journal to log daily nutrition and keep track of points earned for completing the following tasks:

• 10 minutes of meditation daily;

• Consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables (more vegetables than fruit);

• For men, consume no more than seven alcoholic beverages per week; for women, no more than four;

• Moderate to vigorous-intensity exercise at least three hours per week, not to exceed five hours;

• Improve the number of push-ups and pull-ups as well as mile-run time (to be tested once per month);

• Improve body composition (changing ratio of body fat to muscle; determined at the end of competition) and

• Drink enough water to maintain hydration levels.

Each person provided a $20 entry fee which will be used toward a gift card prize, awarded to the challenger who makes the greatest improvements.

On Saturday, April 12, several of the participants met for the one-month fitness challenge checkup. Each person was tasked with increasing the total number of push-ups and pull-ups he or she could accomplish, as well as knocking seconds off his or her mile run time. The difficulty with this challenge is that each was required to find ways to make improvements on their own, with only a few helpful tips and techniques as guidance. Each challenger stepped up to the plate and made significant improvements. Regarding push-ups, several participants upped the ante and bested previous records. Luke, Andrea and Armando managed to increase their number of push-ups by at least 10 repetitions! I made the greatest improvements in pull-ups, going from 20 reps to 24. Zakiya, Marcela and Rafael smoked their previous mile-run times by almost a minute. Special kudos goes to Zakiya who managed to run the entire course without walking or stopping – a first for this stalwart challenger!

After six weeks, only eight of the original 12 challengers remain in the game. One of the most difficult components of the challenge, for some, was the limited consumption of alcohol. This group enjoys working hard and playing hard. I admit to enjoying my fair share of alcohol (I’ve got Irish roots … what can you do?!). This aspect of the challenge proved to be most difficult for me to overcome. Rafael also had trouble and had to scratch off a few points from his weekly tally. Zakiya and Luke, however, met the challenge head on and dropped weekly booze intake without much trouble.

Another significant roadblock to success involved meditation. “Meditation is still a problem,” says Zakiya. “It seems almost ludicrous to say I don’t have time for a 10-minute meditation when I can find time for hour-long workouts.” Luke agrees. “The meditation part was probably my hardest part of all this. Like everyone else I have a million things running through my head constantly, and trying to block it all out or put it on hold to find some peace and relaxation was difficult.” In the subsequent weeks, however, Luke hit his groove and got a bit creative in adding daily meditation. “I found meditation in the park, at the beach and in the sauna, and it’s really becoming easier to block things out. Maybe all it took was practice and the willingness to let things go.”

For me, this has been the least difficult and most rewarding aspect of the challenge. I’ve really enjoyed upping my daily intake of fruits and veggies, and I have noticed a significant difference in how I feel. I’ve had more energy and, compared to how I felt with my previous protein-heavy diet, have not felt as bogged down. Andrea, who says she has also enjoyed this aspect of the challenge, agrees. “I’ve made a point to eat at least one big salad each day. It’s really amazing how different I feel these days.”

The challengers didn’t elaborate on their progress with other aspects of the competition and, despite the loss of four participants, I am excited with the progress each person is making. Everyone has been forced to make significant lifestyle changes which means breaking habits. Fortunately, everyone understands with a bit of patience and determination these changes will stick and become healthy habits. Each day provides another opportunity to make progress and to solidify the resolve to continue to face the challenge and make important lifestyle improvements. “I’ve received a few comments about weight loss and my clothes are fitting better,” says Zakiya. “Obviously, this isn’t just because of the fitness challenge – I’ve been working on making healthier choices for months now. But the challenge has been a great way to quantify things and motivate myself to do more than I would have otherwise.”

Are you, your friends, colleagues or coworkers participating in your own health and fitness challenge? If so, I’d love to hear about it. Your program might be featured in an upcoming Fit for Life column. E-mail editor@uptownpub.com to share your story.

Ryan Halvorson is a certified personal trainer, author and speaker.