30 Day Glow up Challenge Pdf: Feel Amazing in a Month (2024)
30 day Glow Up Challenge is a new holistic challenge to transform your total well-being. But while others focus on outside appearance, our well-rounded approach improves all aspects of health and wellness.
Beauty runs more than skin deep.
*Don’t miss the free 30 day challenge pdf at the end!
30 Day Glow Up Challenge Plan
1. Hydrate For Glow
You’ve heard it before. Your body needs water to thrive.
So, how much should you be drinking?
According to mayoclinic.org, women should drink about 11.5 cups of fluids a day. (Adjust based on your level of activity, size, the weather, and your overall health.)
Pro Tip: You are drinking enough water if you rarely feel thirsty or your urine is colorless or light yellow.
Fill a water bottle first thing and keep it with you all day. There are many great water bottles that track how much you are drinking throughout the day.
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2. Embrace Your Blessings
Gratitude is the appreciation for what we have in our lives.
Research in positive psychology shows that being grateful makes us happier and better at handling tough times. (Harvard Health Publishing)
- Write something down you are thankful for each day.
- Look around. What are three things you see that invoke beauty?
- Cultivate gratitude in your family. Share at a family meal what you are grateful for.
Read: 21 ideas to practice daily gratitude
3. Elevate Your Strength with a Glow-Up Workout
Women start losing muscle mass by the age of 30. Plus, 80% of Americans diagnosed with osteoporosis are women.
While cardio is beneficial for the cardiovascular system, adding strength training 2-3 times a week as you age provides amazing advantages.
Strength training:
- increases metabolism, builds lean muscle, and burns body fat
- reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and injury
- helps with bone density
- boosts mood and reduces stress
Glow Up Tip: Check out the group fitness classes at your local gym. This is a great place for beginners. Or find good exercises here.
4. Get Glowing Skin
Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It protects the body by keeping out toxins and infections. Keep your skin in the best condition possible!
- Wash your face before bed to clean off makeup, dead skin cells, and dirt from the day.
- Apply a facial sunscreen every morning to prevent sun damage.
- Moisturize your face and body to keep your skin hydrated.
- See a dermatologist once a year to screen for skin cancer. Early detection is key. Schedule this appointment today!
Remember: Diet, exercise, sleep, and water intake influence the skin’s glow!
5. Bask in Fresh Air & Sunlight
Being outside in nature promotes calm within you. In fact, a recent study found that people who spend two hours outside every week were more likely to report good health and well-being. (Yale)
That’s a little more than 17 minutes per day spread across the week.
How can you incorporate this into your daily life?
- Take a brisk walk with your family after dinner.
- Walk with your kids to school and back each day.
- Walk to the local park and enjoy time together there.
6. Get Lost in A Book
A friend once said that her goal is to always be in the middle of a good book. What an awesome goal! Reading has stress-reducing benefits, supports memory health, and aids in sleep.
Pick up books often so that you always have something ready to read. In fact, today is a great day to stock up on your selection.
Learn other ways to read more with reading challenge ideas >>
7. Feel Better With Whole Foods
Whole foods are unprocessed foods. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and seeds improve health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
If it doesn’t exist naturally in nature, it’s not a whole food.
Build your plate around these foods for a healthier diet, more balanced blood sugar, and a healthier gut. All of these things will make you feel better and improve your wellness!
8. Escape the Social Media Trap
Although there are positives to social media, it makes you feel down and unfocused.
Try a social media detox challenge for a day. Simply don’t get on any social media. (Yep, you heard that right.) Delete your most tempting apps from your phone for a day!
Chances are good that you’ll want to make this a regular part of your routine.
Instead, carry that book with you that you’re reading!
9. Embrace Positive Words
Affirmations are simple, positive statements you repeat to yourself daily.
Affirmations guide you to create the reality you want and focus on the positive aspects of life. Build confidence, and optimism. Plus, motivate yourself to become healthier in mind and body.
Write down one or two affirmations and repeat them a couple times daily. Be consistent and believe what you are affirming.
- I am building new habits that make me stronger and feel more alive.
- I am more than capable to face this day.
- I love myself just the way I am. I will continue to grow and learn.
Check out more morning affirmation examples >>
10. Stretch For Mobility
Daily stretching increases the range of motion in your joints, alleviates muscle tension, and improves blood circulation and posture. It also improves your mental health by reducing stress. (Forbes)
Remember: Never stretch past the point of comfort. If it hurts, pull back!
Use this video for a great post-workout full body stretch.
11. Connect to Feel Happy
Maintaining a strong network of family and friends enhances your mental and emotional well-being.
Use this day of your 30 day glow up challenge to reach out to someone you love. If possible, schedule to meet up for a meal, coffee, or even a walk to connect.
12. Sleep Like a Baby
Most of us know the importance of sleep to our overall wellness, but few of us get enough of it.
Busy schedules, work, kids, and stress get in the way!
Restful nights lead to:
- Better weight management
- Lower risk of disease
- Higher functioning immune systems
- Better focus and clearer thinking
- Fewer signs of premature aging
- Set a nightly bedtime and daily wake up time. Keep it as consistent as possible to regulate your body’s internal clock. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
- Get off electronic devices at least 30 minutes prior to bed. Leave your phone charging out of reach!
- Consider purchasing a satin pillowcase to help keep your skin smooth and your hair healthier. Try this one out!
13. Boost Nutrition With a Smoothie
Best-selling author and nutritionist Kelly LeVeque encourages you to start your day with a blood sugar-stabilizing Fab 4 smoothie. Each smoothie keeps you full and manages your blood sugar.
Her book offers many varieties of this smoothie. Here is one of my favorites:
Whatever your favorite smoothie is, start your day with this hydrating and nutrient-rich meal.
14. Transform Your Posture (& Confidence!)
What is good posture?
- chin is parallel to the floor
- shoulders rolled back and down
- neutral spine
- abdominal muscles braced
- hips even
- body weight evenly distributed on both feet (Harvard health source)
Core and flexibility exercises can improve posture. Improved posture reduces low back pain and headaches, and improves digestion and lung capacity. Plus, you will look taller and slimmer!
15. Say No
Is there something pressing on your to-do list or calendar that you just aren’t that into? Say no! It will benefit your health if you protect your schedule and your time. And you don’t need to feel bad about it.
No one can do everything and still do it well.
Repeat after me: It’s okay to say no. It’s okay to say no. It’s okay to say no!
Related: Start a Not-To-Do List
16. Clean Up Your Words
Is there a word you’d love to remove from your vocabulary? Maybe it’s a filler word or phrase like “um” or “you know”. Or perhaps it’s a swear phrase that slips out easily.
Today is the day to start consciously eliminating the word. Find harmless replacement words for swear words. Be okay with silence instead of using fillers when you speak.
17. Make Your Smile Radiant
Oral health is vital for overall well-being, and it may reduce the risk of heart disease. Take measures to care for your teeth today.
- Brush your teeth three times a day.
- Use an electric toothbrush.
- Floss before bedtime. Consider using a water pick for easier flossing.
- Use a tongue scraper to get rid of bacteria and improve your breath.
- Use a mouthwash
- Try a whitening kit for whiter teeth.
- Schedule your next dentist appointment.
18. Reach For a Healthy Snack
Today’s glow up challenge: choose a healthy snack. Instead of reaching for processed sugary or carb-filled options, grab fruit with nut butter, veggies, or a handful of almonds.
Look here for healthy snack ideas for your entire family. >>
*Eating apples and crunchy vegetables can help you avoid cavities too.
19. Journal (30 Day Glow Up Challenge)
Journaling improves your health and overall well-being. Plus, it inspires confidence and personal growth.
You do not have to spend a lot of time writing to get something positive out of journaling. In fact, my favorite journal right now is this One Line A Day journal.
It is perfect for starting a journal habit, but doesn’t require a lot of time. I write about one thing I want to remember, one thing I am grateful for, or one thing I am hopeful for. It’s a quick personal habit I have been able to stick with for almost two years.
To start journaling, read How to Start a Journal >>
20. Pray or Meditate
Find a quiet spot to sit and pray or mediate 2-3 times. Try it in the morning, midday, and before bedtime. Start with 1-3 minutes of quiet prayer or meditation.
These practices invite peace into your life, express gratitude, and let go of worry.
Learn how to mediate for beginners.
21. Create a Budget
Do you cringe when you hear the word “budget”?
Wherever you are in your financial journey, figure out a) if your current budget works well OR b) if it’s time to start a new one.
Either way, understand your expenses and find the right budget plan for you.
22. Call a Family Member
Have you had a real conversation with a family member lately? Speaking on the phone, not just texting or emailing. Having a phone conversation can strengthen bonds and foster a deeper sense of connection in relationships.
Give someone important to you a call to catch up and reconnect.
23. Take a Daily Probiotic
Probiotics promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria and have been linked to many health benefits, including better digestive health and immune function.
You can get probiotics from a variety of foods or supplements. More studies are showing that the balance of gut bacteria has been linked to a wide range of health benefits. (Healthline)
*Talk to your doctor before starting a new supplement to be aware of all effects.
24. Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community. Plus, it helps you center outside of yourself, which reduces stress and improves mood.
Pick a cause you care about and show up. Donate blood, help out at a local animal shelter, or participate in a food drive. Challenge yourself to give back and it will make a difference in your life and the life of others.
25. Write a thank you note
Our daily lives are filled with texts, emails, instant messaging, and social media. We operate with quick and easy communication. But handwritten notes of gratitude have a long history and are still important today.
I have a friend who writes simple, but lovely thank you notes often. It’s touching that she takes the time to do that.
*Buy blank notecards to always have on hand for quick and easy thank-you note writing.
26. Walk with your partner
Get your steps in while connecting with your partner on a walk. You will have one-on-one time to talk and get away from life stressors.
27. Take a minute to breathe
I recently read a book called Get Your Life Back by John Eldredge. In this book, he discusses what he calls the “one-minute pause“. While his book discusses connecting with a higher power, the idea can be used by anyone who wants a moment of peace.
Set a timer on your phone three times during your day to remind you to pause and breathe for one minute.
Use Belly Breathing:
- Lie on your back.
- Place one hand on your upper chest and one hand below your rib cage
- Inhale slowly through your nose as your stomach raises your hand.
- Exhale through your mouth.
- Repeat several times.
*Note: When completing deep-breathing exercises, you should not feel light-headed.
28. Cut Back on Caffeine
Don’t panic! You don’t need to give up coffee. Take a day to switch out one caffeinated beverage with a non-caffeinated one.
Cutting down on caffeine can lead to less anxiety, better sleep, and whiter teeth. Feel less jittery today!
*Skip sugary drinks and choose decaf tea or sparkling water.
29. Pick a Form of Self-Care You Enjoy
Pick something to do today that you can incorporate daily or weekly. Ideas include:
- taking a bath
- getting a massage or pedicure
- listen to a motivational podcast
- complete a random act of kindness
- take time for a hobby you enjoy
- make your favorite meal
30. Set a New Personal Goal
You have made it to Day 30 of your Glow Up Challenge! Congrats! Now it’s time to reflect on the past 30 days. What habits did you enjoy? What habits would you like to keep doing?
Continue to Glow Up naturally by setting one or two personal goals or specific wellness goals. Learn how to set a SMART goal and successfully track it.
How To Have a Glow Up Naturally
When you do a 30 day glow up challenge, you journey to create new healthy habits. These give you benefits beyond the month. You’ll:
- Look and feel better now (and for years to come)
- Do things that you thought were out of reach before!
Free 30 Day Glow up Challenge Calendar pdf
Need a different time frame?
Modify for 7 days, 21 days, or a 60 days glow up challenge!
Or turn your month-long challenge into a daily self-care checklist or weekly self-care checklist.
Other 30 Day Challenges You May Enjoy
Sources For the 30 Day Glow Up Challenge List
“Water: How Much Should You Drink Everyday?” (mayoclinic.org)
“Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier” (Harvard Health Publishing)
“Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health” (e360.yale.edu)
“Why You Should Do Stretches Everyday” (Forbes)
“10 Reasons Why Sleep Makes Us Happier and Healthier” (canyonranch.com)
“Why Good Posture Matters” (Harvard Health Publishing)
“8 Health Benefits of Probiotics” (Healthline)
Eldredge. John. Get Your Life Back. Nashville, Nelson Books, 2020.