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Hi guys! Before we jump into today’s post, I wanted to tell ya’ll that I’m SO excited for the Fit and Festive challenge, and so excited that so many of you are too. We’ve already got more than 300 #fitandfestive challengers signed up, and I can’t wait to get started next week.

Remember, in order to be officially signed up, you should have received a confirmation email that you’ll need to click the confirmation link. If you did NOT receive one, please sign up again  by clicking HERE.  After you receive it and click the link, you’re good to go! 

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So if you’ve ever participated in one of my challenges, signed up for one of my boot camps, or have hired me as your online trainer and coach, you know that I highly value the simple activity of walking.

It’s always been a goal of mine and my clients to get in as much walking activity outside of your workout as you can on a day to day basis. If it’s not part of your workout, it’s part of your NEPA (remember, non-exercise physical activity?) which, aside from our BMR is the biggest contributor to our daily caloric burn!

That’s why I’ve joined the Shape & Men’s Fitness FitBit Blogger Challenge, where 10 east coast and 10 west coast bloggers take on the challenge to see which group can get in more weekly steps with the new Fitbit Charges.

West Coast/Best Coast!! 😉 Ok, we may be down a few steps at the moment, but we’ll catch up; I have faith. I’m going to do my due diligence to do my part today 🙂

We’re all using the new FitBit Charge, which tracks everything from steps, stairs, distance, sleep, and calories burned. Oh, and get this – it syncs up with your phone and even has caller ID! Most of the clients I train in the gym are back to back, so if I’m expecting an important call, and don’t want to carry my cell around with me (I don’t,) then the FitBit will vibrate and let me know who’s calling. Pretty cool, right?

Hi mom!

Make sure to check in with the scoreboard each day to see who’s ahead – and to win your own FitBit Charge! Men’s Fitness and Shape is having a weekly sweep for a chance to win.

Anyway, each week, the the Blogger Contest poses weekly challenges, and this week it’s to get in 10k steps a day with a hike or a trail run – perfect!!

So yesterday while I was working on some #fitandfestive stuff, I took a mid-afternoon break, laced up my hiking boots, and went on a short hike.

I have to be honest: if it were not for the challenge, I probably would have been perfectly content sitting at my desk with my hoodie, hot cup of tea, and snuggly dog all afternoon. But it was SO nice to take that mid-day break.

Plus, I definitely met the 10,000 steps a day goal:

That’s from 45 minutes of lifting + a 10 min. finisher, my mid-day hike, and a late volleyball game, plus other movement throughout the day.

This challenge actually happened to fall into my lap at the perfect time. I was just telling a fellow-fitbit-wearing friend that my steps have suffered lately. I’ve been barely making my 10,000 step goal, if making it at all, thanks to that temperature plunge that mother nature has blessed us with 😉 I miss my trail runs dearly!

So, over the next week, I’m going to be coming up with some creative ways to get my steps in, and I plan on sharing those with you all next week. Stay tuned!

*If you’re signed up for #FitandFestive and have a FitBit or other step-tracking device, make sure to keep it handy for the challenge! ;)*

Regardless, I invite you to join in on the fun this week! Try and get outside this week for a hike or a trail run, and get your 10K steps a day!

Do you wear a fitbit? What’s your daily step goal?

And more importantly, east or west coast?! 😉

This post is sponsored by the Shape/Men’s Fitness FitBit Charge Challenge.