Emtalks: Keep Fit For A Good Cause

Saturday 9 September 2017

Keep Fit For A Good Cause

I often feel like I need to be seriously motivated to push myself to work out, I guess that's why I love fitness classes so much. I used to be really good at self motivation and some days, I can really push myself, take my spin class this morning, I totally powered through and smashed a personal best. Usually, the days when I feel like I can’t be bothered working out, end up being my best work out days weirdly. I always say the hardest bit about working out is getting yourself there in the first place! Today, I’m inviting you to get involved in something with me, something that should hopefully motivate you to work out over the next few months. I know this is going to motivate me big style to get my fitness levels up for a great cause. I can’t believe how many of you got involved with Em’s challenge throughout August (yup, I didn’t drink wine for 31 whole days!!!!) so now, I’m inviting you to do some exercise this month alongside me! See it as a challenge for a great cause and it means you can keep really fit too in the process.

I’m taking part in the Aspire Channel Swim, a swim which challenges people of all ages to swim the length of the English Channel (22 miles) over a 12-week period starting from 11 September and finishing on 4 December 2017.

It’s free to enter and people can take part as an individual or as part of a team, and can complete the 22-mile challenge at their local swimming pool, at their own pace. I love this element of it, it really is a personal challenge so you can go as hard or as steady as you wish. Make your own goals!

This is on behalf of Aspire, the charity and actually, a charity I only recently discovered.

Every eight hours someone in the UK is paralysed by a spinal cord injury. Aspire provides practical help to the 40,000 people living with a spinal cord injury in the UK, so they can lead fulfilled and independent lives in their homes, with their families.

- Aspire receive no statutory Government funding so the Aspire Channel Swim is crucial for helping to raise the funds required to support those people living with spinal cord injuries every day.

- The fundraising challenge raised £580,000 in 2016 and are hoping to raise £800,000 in 2017 and recruit even more participants than ever before! So if you want to get fit and raise awareness and possibly money too, for an amazing charity, get involved!

If you take part alone you’ll be required to complete 22 miles over a 12 week period, 2/4 miles = (80 lengths for 50m pool, 160 lengths for 25m pool) - I struggled figuring out how many I actually have to do haha. It basically means I'll be swimming 118 lengths per week which totals 1416 in the 12 week period.

I'm sure most of you are aware if you follow me on social media but this year I really wanted to do more for charity. I've been raising money behind the scenes and online for three causes very close to my heart, POTS, Mental Health and Domestic Abuse. I think it's so important to choose things close to your heart and spread a little bit of kindness/help wherever you can.

If you’d like to take part with me on this particular event, sign up here. I’m starting my swimming from next week at my local David Lloyd (the best gyms ever and the pool is beautiful too), as I said, you can do it at your own pace so it really is a no brainer! I'm also heading to Greece and Grenada this month so it'll be a nice change of scenery for my lengths.

Read about Em’s challenge - you're more than welcome to do it in September instead!

Have you done anything for charity this year? Do you like the sound of this? Do you like swimming?

You may also like:

My Summer fitness challenge

Why you should not use the scales

How to get your motivation back for health and fitness

Things I learnt from a wellbeing coach

12 health and fitness hacks

Lots of love, Em x

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