As 2019 gets under way, it’s time to make progress towards our goals. Despite all the reflection and positive intentions that take place with the new year, it can sometimes feel difficult to find the motivation to get started. When your goals feel so far off, finding a place to start is often more challenging than we expect.
Many people find themselves setting goals to improve their health. We could all benefit from becoming a little healthier, whether that involves weight loss, a change in eating habits or increasing your activity level throughout the week.
Regardless of your current fitness level, one of the best ways to improve your health is to gain fitness. Gaining fitness looks different for each and every one of us, but no matter where you are starting, it’s always nice to have a little extra motivation.
What better way to stay motivated than with a fitness challenge?
These 30 day fitness challenges are designed to improve your fitness in various capacities, whether they focus on one specific muscle group, sport or the total body.
If you’re struggling to find motivation or a sense of direction as the new year begins, check out these 8 fun fitness challenge ideas! These fitness challenges will help you stay accountable while challenging you throughout the month.
Create your own workout plan for the year with these 2019 fitness challenges!

8 Fitness Challenge Ideas for the New Year
1 Week Fitness Reset Challenge
The start of a new year feels like a fresh slate with endless possibilities, but returning to routine after the holidays is always a bit challenging. After a few weeks filled with extra treats, drinks, late nights and rest days, getting back into the swing of things requires a bit more effort than usual.
This One Week Fitness Reset Challenge is a great way to reset your body, restore balance, rid the extra calories and regain energy. Completing a reset at the beginning of the year helps your body transition out of holiday mode and sets you up for ample fitness success to follow.
Check out this Fitness Reset Challenge at the start of the new year or after any extended break or set back during the year!
30 Day Plank Challenge
What’s better than drastically increasing your core strength in less than two minutes every day? Planks are a powerhouse exercise that strengthen a variety of areas throughout the body, with an emphasis on the core. Holding a plank works your back, upper abs, lower abs, thighs, ankles, shoulders, arms, chest, calves and feet.
This exercise is packed with full body benefits and core strengthening power. But the best part – an effective plank takes less than two minutes! This 30 Day Plank Challenge begins with a 45 second plank and gradually increases throughout the challenge, with rest days included, until you are able to complete a plank for two minutes.
Add a plank to your daily routine for one month to gain essential strength in hardly no time at all!

30 Day Pushup Challenge
This Push Up Challenge is unique in the fact that it incorporates a variety of different push up styles. Rather than building upon quantity with classic push ups, this challenge slowly increases quantity while focusing on strengthening the entire arm with various movements.
Push ups, like planks, also provide a plethora of strength benefits to the entire body. Learning to complete a push up with proper form is key to your success, which is why so many fail to reap the benefits when they quickly increase quantity without first focusing on quality. This 30 Day Pushup Challenge is a great place to start if you’re looking for a challenge that will push you, without feeling impossible.
See how much strength you can gain in just one month with this Push Up Challenge!

30 Day Strength Training Challenge
Strength training is essential for any athlete, regardless of their sport. Strength training helps your muscles become stronger so you can maintain continued progress while avoiding injury. This 30 Day Strength Training Challenge is designed specifically for runners looking to incorporate strength training on a regular basis without heading to the gym.
This challenge breaks consists of beneficial strength training exercises for your entire body, broken down into daily workouts that can be completed in 15 minutes or less. Each strength exercise requires no equipment, and uses your bodyweight to generate resistance.
Incorporating strength training on a regular basis is a great way to stay injury free and set yourself up for your most successful running season yet!

30 Day Running Streak
Whether you’re a beginner runner or a pro, mixing things up with a running challenge every once and a while is a great way to stay motivated and challenge yourself in different ways. During the winter especially, finding the motivation to run consistently can be tricky. The frigid air and extra darkness make getting outside feel nearly impossible.
Beginning the year with a running challenge such as this 30 Day Running Streak is a great way to hold yourself accountable and stay motivated when you need it most. This running streak is simple – run at least one mile every day for 30 days. See if you can complete a 30 Day Running Streak!

30 Day Fitness Challenge
If you’re looking for a little more flexibility in a fitness challenge, this simple 30 Day Fitness Challenge is for you. This challenge is simple: complete 1,000 minutes of exercise in 30 days. The challenge breaks time down into daily and weekly milestones to help you achieve your overall goal.
This 30 Day Fitness Challenge is great for those who like to mix up their workouts and adjust training to best suit their schedule. You’ll be able to keep your rest days, long workouts and short workouts throughout this challenge. Completing 1,000 minutes of exercise forces you to stay consistent and accountable throughout the month.
4 Week Workout Challenge
In contrast to the 30 Day Fitness Challenge, this 4 Week Workout Challenge is all about structure. This unique fitness program contains 4 weeks of structured workouts. Each day consists of various bodyweight exercises designed to target a specific area of the body, varying between the core, arms, legs, hips and glutes.
If you’re looking to get the ball rolling this year without having to think twice about your workouts, this 4 Week Workout Challenge is for you. With six 30 minute workouts each week, you’ll burn calories and strengthen your entire body without having to hit the gym. Start the year out with a bang by gaining fitness right in your living room!

30 Day Core Workout Challenge
This 30 Day Core Workout Challenge may sound simple enough, but provides an incredible challenge for your core. Each day throughout this challenge contains a 15 minute core workout with various bodyweight exercises. These exercises are designed to target different areas of the core to provide you with the ultimate core strength challenge.
While 15 minutes does not seem like a lot of time, these ab exercises will leave your core burning each day. If you’re hoping to drastically increase your core strength, this 30 Day Core Workout Challenge will do the trick. There’s no better way to improve your overall fitness level than by strengthening one of the most essential muscles in our body – the core.

As 2019 gets under way, don’t waste any more time questioning how you will begin. It doesn’t matter how you start, only that you do. Try out some of these fitness challenge ideas for the new year or use them to create your own 2019 workout plan!
All it takes is one step forward to begin a journey that could change your life. Let’s make this year the best one yet!
More New Year fitness motivation:
- 15 Ways to Make 2019 Your Healthiest Year Yet
- The Ultimate Strategy to Conquer a New Year’s Fitness Resolution
- 3 Genius Strategies to Achieve Your Fitness Goals
- What to Know When Your Goals Feel Out of Reach

30 Day Winter Fitness Challenge to Stay Motivated | Runnin’ for Sweets
Wednesday 20th of February 2019
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