Today's Small Change: Compete against yourself.
Your Chief Competitor: You!
Through the Healthy Living With Ellie program, you are making fitness a healthy habit. You are walking or performing other kinds of physical activity regularly, and I hope you're feeling the benefits, such as having more energy and getting better sleep. But if you're looking to add a new spark to your regular routine, why not try competing against yourself by training for a fitness event?

If you're ready for a new challenge, try signing up for an event like a walk or run. Nearly every community offers a slew of such events, and participating in one is a great way to stay motivated and test your fitness in a fun way.

How can you find an event to participate in? Check the local papers for upcoming events or ask at your local health club or running store, which usually have flyers and information about fitness events. Choose one that's close to home and that's a reasonable distance for you to cover; 5K (3.1 miles) and 10K (6.2 miles) races are popular. Write the date on your calendar and let people know you'll be participating — there's nothing more motivating than seeing people you know (and hearing them cheer for you!) when you're out on the course.

You don't need to be competitive — most of the people at fitness events don't stand a chance of winning, they're only competing against themselves. They may have registered to support a cause they believe in (many events are fund-raisers for charities or nonprofit organizations), or they may simply have wanted to participate in a community event.
Finally, consider asking a friend to participate with you — if you can train together ahead of time, even better.
Go to: www.healthylivingwithellie.com for more information.

DANIELLE'S COMMENTS: Having a specific event to look forward to, gives you a goal, outside of simply getting in shape. YOU will feel an amazing sense of accomplishment running a race. I signed up for a 5k race immediately following my transformation process. It makes working on a daily basis fun and competitive. Even though you are competing against yourself, you benefit from becoming faster and stronger. Competing is a natural progression to getting in your best shape ever!