I was scrolling through Pinterest about a month ago looking for inspiration to get fit. Since I have more free time this summer, I promised myself that I would do all I could to work out more often.

I found the following picture:

I have very strong legs, but I have neglected to strengthen my arms and core. I decided to try the ab challenge (why not?) and challenged a friend to do it with me. Having someone else to cheer me on held me accountable.

I knew that I would not get rock-hard abs in 30 days, but I knew that doing something like this would definitely make me stronger.

On the first day, I was discouraged. I struggled to do 15 sit-ups. If I couldn't do 15 sit-ups, how the heck would I be able to do 125 sit ups by day 30? Despite my disappointment, I promised myself I would continue the challenge. I told myself that it would get easier with time.

I was right.

I had no idea what amazing things my body was capable of during these 30 days.

At first, I had to take breaks in between sit-ups, but by day 30 I was able to do 125 sit-ups without stopping. The process was painful. At some points, I felt like giving up.

When I reached the final day, I felt so proud of myself. I realized that my body could do more than I thought it could, even though I'm not "ripped."

The more you train and the more you push yourself, the stronger you will become.

I'm doing the 30-day push-up challenge next. Push-ups have always been my weakness, but I know that if I can do 125 sit-ups, I can definitely do 50 push-ups.

You may be wondering what I'm going to do for an ab workout now that the challenge is over. I'm going to continue to push myself. That may mean doing the challenge again with weights or using an abdominal weight machine. Either way, I'm not going to stop now that I've gotten this far.

30-day fitness challenges are just what they sound like: challenging. However, they shouldn't end at day 30. Doing a 30-day fitness challenge taught me that my body can do amazing things.

No fitness goal is impossible.

I may only be slightly more toned than before, but I feel stronger and better. That's all that matters. Doing this challenge taught me that looks aren't everything when it comes to fitness. Having a six pack is nice, but it doesn't define you.

How your body feels is what's important. Progress matters more than appearance.