My friend Dawn, a dietitian, introduced a new program wherein she sends people a healthy text challenge every day for 30 days. I was intrigued, so I signed up. How feasible are her challenges? Some are easier than they seem and others surprisingly challenging. Here are some highlights and lowlights from my month of health texts:

(Challenge #1) Drink a mug of hot water with fresh lemon today.
I did this. What I was most proud of was how I got my lemon, since my office was not very close to a grocery store and I didn't want to go buy a single lemon. I went to the frozen yogurt place next door and asked if I could just have some lemon if I bought a beverage and dude at Red Mango hooked me up with a big container of sliced lemon.

(Challenge #4) Make a pitcher of infused-water. Get creative! Try Mojito Water w/ limes & mint or Sweet-Tart Water w/ strawberries & lemons.
I loved this. I have an infusion pitcher that I haven't used for years--in fact it was all encrusted with the remains of Steve's Crystal Light (yes, I am married to a man who drinks Crystal Light and we are very comfortable with his lifestyle.) I had some leftover jalapeno pepper in my fridge and so I made jalapeno lime water which I found delicious (one friend poured it out becaus she found it too spicy.) Next up was cinnamon and plum. It felt like I was living in a spa! One where I don't have to hide my underwear beneath my robe.

(Challenge #5) Buy a - thinking of you - card and send it to someone. Creating joyful moments for other people increases YOUR happiness.
This was fun. I adore snail mail and I also liked that this didn't involve eating or exercise. I sent Dawn a card to be funny and a birthday card to my friend Tracy.

(Challenge #6) Eat all of your meals & snacks from a PLATE while SEATED at a TABLE. Mindful eating helps you eat less & enjoy it more. #TablePlateChair
Basically the opposite of this happened. This was the day of my neighborhood block party and I don't remember if I used a plate the entire time. In fact, at one point, while I was eating a hot dog, Paul informed me he had to use the potty urgently. Some neighbors let us into their house and I put my hot dog down on top of the toilet to help him. Pretty sure that #ToiletHotDog is the opposite of #TablePlateChair.

(Challenge #9) Shut off all screens (TV, phone, computer, etc.) 2 hours before bed. The bluelight of electronics decreases sleep quality.
I did this. I was legitimately worried that somebody was trying t contact me urgently (Steve was out of town) but I was happy I did it and made a mental note to do it again. (I have yet to do it again.)

(Challenge #11) Do 50 push-ups total throughout the day.
I think I did like ten.

(Challenge #14) Clean out old plastic containers from your kitchen. Anything old or discolored can leach unhealthy compounds into food. Glass storage is best.
I was glad I did this. I needed someone to tell me to do this. Now I have a reasonable amount of plastic and it's all in pretty good condition. But I have yet to buy new glass containers. They get so hot!

(Challenge #19) Compliment someone today. Making someone else feel good, makes YOU feel good.
I told Steve he looked nice. He seemed pleasantly surprised.

(Challenge #21) Actually stop & smell the roses. Find a flower outside or in a store and smell it. Taking time to appreciate small joys increases happiness.
I did this while out on a walk with my family. Paul couldn't believe it. He thought what it was crazy.

(Challenge #23) Keep a tally of how much water you drink today. Aim for at least 72-100 ounces each day. "You aren't sick, you are just dehydrated."
I didn't do this. I resent water tracking. I'll drink what I want to drink!

(Challenge #29) Dance & jump around to your favorite song. Movement decreases stress & gets creativity flowing.
This felt cheesy but I did indeed dance around to some Passion Pit while putting the dishes away, which helped make one of my least favorite tasks more enjoyable.

So would I recommend Dawn's challenges? Sure, I think it's a good $10 to spend! I didn't do all of her challenges but some were just a matter of practicality (one involved chopsticks and I didn't have any on-hand) but it was a good mix of actual challenge plus "take a moment for yourself" prompts that I found fun.