Getting Ready for Summer! 8-Week Fitness Challenge!

[MightyPen]

A few of us have participated/posted in a Fitness Challenge thread for the past 5 weeks. That Challenge will end on March 31st.

 

We're interested in keeping it going; hence a new Challenge that will start on April 1st and stretch until Memorial Day.

 

Regardless of your specific fitness/weight loss goals, EVERYONE is welcome.

 

The preference is that you have some objective goals to set for yourself, because that way you can measure your progress. (e.g. it would be preferred that someone not just say, "my goal is to get in better shape," as that would be hard for you to measure).

 

Goals can be anything measurable! Weight loss...decrease in body fat %...added muscle...pants size or dress size going down...your 5k time getting faster...lifting heavier weights...etc etc

 

Please consider joining. Everyone is supportive and nice. Sometimes, gentle accountability can be a good thing.

 

And I'll add this: If you're struggling with a bad break-up, divorce, NC, or any other relationship problem, this might be a good thing for you. It has definitely helped me get my mindset corrected in recent months.

 

If you're interested in joining, just post a "Hello!" and share your goals (if you know them yet). Again, the Challenge starts formally on April 1st!

 

Hope to see you here!

[fitnessfan365]

Good week of exercise so far :

 

Mon - 60 push-up burpees and 5 minutes of running high knee jump rope. In addition to 40 pull-ups, mountain climbers, and hanging leg lifts toe to bar.

 

Tues - A massive 60 minute hill run workout. There's a loop I like to run with five different hills ranging from 20-35% inclines and 100-300 yards long. I rotate between them running each hill and walking down and the flats between.

 

Wed - GREAT stair workout. Place near me has 15 LONG flights of stairs with 250 stairs per trip. Did ten round trips in 50 minutes! Briskly walked every other step to get more of a lunge component.

 

Today - Did a variety of plyomtric push-ups, battle rope exercises, and core movements. Went for 45 minutes and TIRED. However, the weather is starting to be really nice and it feels good to get outside with my shirt off again and start feeling the sun.

 

Much needed rest day tmrw. Will workout again on Sat!

[NewLeaf512]

I'm joining.

 

Goal: lose the stone I put on over the winter

Goal: Gym 6 days a week

 

I'm new to all this so happy to take workout insights, especially about women and lifting weights

[Zippity-Doo-Dah]

Well, I'm starting my own challenge, so I think I'll join in on the whole group support thing. I have been way too sedentary this winter (as I am every winter) so it's time to get moving again.

 

My goals

1. Move every day. Swim three days and do fav DVD three days. Try to walk every day.

 

2. Stop obsessing over food and just eat clean. No more limiting certain food groups. Try new foods. Cook more

 

3. Repeat until people stop asking me when the baby is due.

 

(I'm relatively smallish. From the back you would think I was in good shape. My arms and legs are fine, small butt, narrow hips - I almost look boyish with my short hair. But - when I turn to the side - yikes. All belly. Like seven months pregnant belly - and that's not a good look on a 48 yr old woman.)

 

Zip

[kat2008]

Welcome Zip!

 

I had to laugh when you mentioned your belly!! I too had a devastating experience some years ago when I was standing talking to an ex's mother. A friend of hers came up and congratulated her on becoming a grandmother! We neither of us knew what she was talking about until she turned to me and asked 'when is it due?'. Oh god I thought I was going to die of embarrassment! I was very curt and told I was NOT pregnant, she apologised but I never forgot the experience.

 

Sadly it didn't really make me lose weight, it just made me walk taller and breathe in more!!

 

Now I am really mentally ready (at 46) to do something about it.

 

Good luck!

[NewLeaf512]

Welcome Zip!

 

I had to laugh when you mentioned your belly!! I too had a devastating experience some years ago when I was standing talking to an ex's mother. A friend of hers came up and congratulated her on becoming a grandmother! We neither of us knew what she was talking about until she turned to me and asked 'when is it due?'. Oh god I thought I was going to die of embarrassment! I was very curt and told I was NOT pregnant, she apologised but I never forgot the experience.

 

Sadly it didn't really make me lose weight, it just made me walk taller and breathe in more!!

 

Now I am really mentally ready (at 46) to do something about it.

 

Good luck!

 

We are both 46 and ready to go!

[Summer3]

We are both 46 and ready to go!

 

Cool. I'm 47. I guess this is the Fit at Forty Club.

[NewLeaf512]

What I am working to:

 

For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” Eric Roth

 

Gym yesterday. Passed out in bed after at 10pm. Was in the gym this morning at 8:30. Might go back!

[fitnessfan365]

Today was BRUTAL.

 

120 yard round trip Prowler sled pushes (Sled weight 205lbs)

8 pull-ups

30 seconds battle rope slams

 

Went through this rotation 5x in about an hour. Every part of me is absolutely trashed. Especially from pushing the sled 60 yards each direction. Such a long distance is REALLY taxing mentally.

[Zippity-Doo-Dah]

So I went to the pool today and was super proud of myself. Now I ache. That's a good thing, right?

 

I love that Eric Roth quote. No idea who he is, but I like what he said. Off to google him.

 

Mush.

 

Z-

[NewLeaf512]

Today is my day off.

 

And I had an Easter cupcake. Back to the mine tomorrow

[NewLeaf512]

Food: veggie omelet

Poached chicken and steamed spinach

Beef, mashed cauliflower and spaghetti squash

 

Cardio (run/walk) 60 minutes

Kettle Ball workout 45 min

50 crunches

 

Pass the fk out

[MightyPen]

It's great to see new people in here already! This Challenge officially starts on Friday, and I'll probably ask the mods to close the old Challenge thread at that point so no one gets confused about where to post.

 

My goals for Challenge 2 remain the same: Cut 10 lbs of fat, work out at least 28 times (average of 3.5 workouts per week over the 8 weeks) and shave 3 minutes off my 5k time.

[NewLeaf512]

I need to add to my list: not to break any furniture or harm any living creatures with my kettle balls

[fitnessfan365]

It's called a "kettle-bell"

 

But it's funny because you can do at least 80% or more of kettle-bell exercises with a dumbbell. It's that just that dumbbells have been around forever, and a new type of strength training equipment is more exciting. However, there are a few kettle-bell exercises that I am a fan of.

 

BTW - NewLeaf - If you're really doing an hour of general cardio exercise and then 45 minutes of strength training on top of that regularly, make sure you're not under-eating. Ask MP and he'll tell you. He was increasing his exercise like crazy and taking in way too few calories not getting results. It wasn't until he started eating more that it happened. I bring this up because you didn't take in that many calories with your three meals you listed.

[NewLeaf512]

Hahahaha

 

Thanks for correcting me. To further horrify you mine have a pink rubber handle!!

 

All I want to do is get toned and lose a stone and not hit my dogs, the furniture or throw the kettle bell through the telly.

 

That's what I ate, but add 5 spears of asparagus and water and peppermint tea.

 

Should I weigh more than once a week?

 

It's called a "kettle-bell"

 

But it's funny because you can do at least 80% or more of kettle-bell exercises with a dumbbell. It's that just that dumbbells have been around forever, and a new type of strength training equipment is more exciting. However, there are a few kettle-bell exercises that I am a fan of.

 

BTW - NewLeaf - If you're really doing an hour of general cardio exercise and then 45 minutes of strength training on top of that regularly, make sure you're not under-eating. Ask MP and he'll tell you. He was increasing his exercise like crazy and taking in way too few calories not getting results. It wasn't until he started eating more that it happened. I bring this up because you didn't take in that many calories with your three meals you listed.

[fitnessfan365]

Good workout today.

 

-250 battle rope slams (5 sets of 50)

-60 push-up burpees ( 5 sets of 12)

-10 stair sprints (really long set of five flights)

[MightyPen]

Challenge starts on Friday! Be sure to weigh in, or measure your body fat, or confirm your waist/dress size, or whatever other "starting" numbers you want to work from over the next weight weeks.

 

I'm on vacation starting today but I'll check in when I return later next week.

 

And I really I look forward to reading everyone's goals and progress updates! I've never been able to exercise and eat cleanly on vacation before - I plan for this to be the first time I stay on track while away from home.

[jasmineb]

I just joined so I hope it is no longer late for me to join this endeavor. I have begun since the new year and have lost some over 20 pounds so far but encouragement would be a help to me.

[fitnessfan365]

Splitting my workout up today.

 

Part A - Max treadmill incline of 15%. Speed 7.5mph. Just finished ten 40 second hill sprints over 30 minutes. Both my legs and lungs are taxed. BRUTAL!

 

Part B - Tonight my goal is to do ten sets of slow dead hang pull-ups @ 6-8 reps per set. Followed by some core exercises.

[fitnessfan365]

An update to my workout post yesterday.

 

I had originally planned just to do ten sets of pull-ups and core since I had done hill sprints earlier in the day. But I wound up doing an intense hour workout last night instead. Just stuck to body weight exercises - pull-ups, lunges, bar dips, and hanging leg lifts toe to bar. But I did this circuit style rotating from one to the next non stop with only 30-45 seconds rest between exercises for the whole time. REALLY challenging.. I was proud of myself though for being able to do a workout like that after sprints earlier.

[Ellie35]

I am joining up. My goals are to get super toned and much stronger. I hope to do five to seven fitness classes a week and get back into jogging too. I started Saturday as I was very sore on Friday from Thursdays boxing class. Saturday I did 45 minutes cardio class and 45 minutes spinning and now Sunday , I have soreness everywhere!!! but I feel amazing too!! What's that all about?

[Robert Z]

I am just now back on my program after a long lapse due to a shoulder injury. Had two decent workouts and feeling good.

 

I need to knock off about an inch of winter belly [really due to my injury], and then I'm just back into continuous improvement. Some years ago I knocked off 70 pounds. I have kept it off, added a lot of muscle, and keep shooting for less body fat. Before my injury I was shooting for 10%. I may or may not go that hard but want to keep seeing improvement in my bmi and my performance.

 

Note to men: I cured my need for Viagra by hammering the elliptical! It is a sex machine. [i'm in my fifties]

[TheFinalWord]

I am just now back on my program after a long lapse due to a shoulder injury. Had two decent workouts and feeling good.

 

I need to knock off about an inch of winter belly [really due to my injury], and then I'm just back into continuous improvement. Some years ago I knocked off 70 pounds. I have kept it off, added a lot of muscle, and keep shooting for less body fat. Before my injury I was shooting for 10%. I may or may not go that hard but want to keep seeing improvement in my bmi and my performance.

 

Note to men: I cured my need for Viagra by hammering the elliptical! It is a sex machine. [i'm in my fifties]

 

Hope your shoulder feels better soon! Nice job losing 70lbs, that's a real accomplishment.

 

I purchased a recumbent bike for home. I do cardio for at least 20 minutes, 5 days a week. But I bought this bike so I could get in some extra cardio while writing. So my new goal is to add in an extra 20 minutes per day, starting next weekend (traveling at the moment).

[amaysngrace]

I'm back on. I was doing really well but then my son came home from college and I had to feed him proper but my willpower sucks balls and I couldn't make him meatballs and raviolis and not eat any.

 

So today starts it back up again for me.