30 Day Challenges

[Millie]

Oh man, it is just nasty here today...so still procrastinating.

[Julie]

OK you slackers .... I'm checking in for today: 1.5 hours of tennis! I lost, but I still get credit for the exercise challenge.

Haven't joined the gym yet ....still considering it. Thanks, Tim, for the advice - yes, I can negotiate a better deal now rather than at Jan 1 . And I do agree that you're keeping "in the spirit" with your doubling it up every other day ... so, go you!! I plan to pass on the chainsaw exercise, and second John's vote for the brisk walking to be considered exercise. I think if we just get up off the couch and move it's all good .....

Millie - move, just move ........

Sylvane - you are my inspiration!

[Millie]

[QUOTE=Millie;4251]Patrick has continually reminded us that stopping drinking or drugging is just the beginning. We also need to work on personal growth. Many of us have expressed the need to figure out ways to fill the time we previously wasted intoxicated or hungover, as well as ways to live fearlessly and authentically. I think we all just need to start somewhere. As we succeed, we will gain more confidence.

So, to begin, Erin and I have decided to do a thirty day exercise challenge. The rules for this challenge are simple. We must exercise every day for at least 20 minutes, no matter what. No exceptions. We are on day one. If we miss a day, we have to go back and start over on day one.



Tim,
First, as i stated in very first post on this thread quoted above, the rules are: must exercise everyday for at least 20 Minutes, no matter what. No exceptions. If you miss a day, you are back to day 1. As the queen of excuse makers, i am not buying the no time/mental exhaustion thing. I say you should exercise at least 20 minutes everyday, but if you think you need to up it to at least 40 minutes three times a week, do it, but still get your twenty minutes in the other days. The reason the rule requirement is only twenty minutes, it is hard to say you can't find an extra twenty minutes (of course, I have now managed to do just that for months and months. Lol), and having to do it everyday makes sure the saboteur in our heads doesn't have wiggle room to negotiate...the ole.."I don't feel like doing it today, I will just make it up tomorrow by doubling up". When I did the challenge, there were a couple of times I got out of my snuggly bed at 11pm at night, because I realized I had forgotten to get my exercise in and didn't want to go back to day one.

So, a challenge is a challenge..and the rules are the rules... No just keeping in the spirit, if you want bragging rights...


Second, ok already, I'll get off my lazy butt and get started tomorrow, if you do it too. You never know, it just may help our mental exhaustion thing.

By the way, where the heck are you Erin.. Are you ready to start again???

[Millie]

Julie, what day are you on???

[Millie]

Sounds good. On your "rest days", my suggestion is you just walk or do other cardio, or focus on your abs, only, or do yoga, or something else that still let's your body recover from any weights you did on the hard days. A twenty minute walk a day may not transform your body, but I bet it will help you feel better and more energized that day.. After the 30days, if you decide you prefer the every other day better, you can go back to it and start some other thirty day challenge. . Part of the challenge is just committing to doing something every day, cause some days it really is a challenge to get it in and you have to be creative.

All this talk really makes me realize what a lazy bones I've been. I have just as much trouble fighting the voices in my head trying to talk me out of doing something good for me like exercise or eating right, as I do the ones trying to talk me into drinking.. Good grief.

I hope you don't have trouble getting back into your exercise routine. In the past I've started an exercise routine and was doing great until thrown off track by illness or vacation, etc. You are right, it is often hard to get back on track after interruption, so the challenge will do you good.

[Julie]

Day three - check. Brisk walk for an hour, but it sounds like it fits into Millie's criteria.

And Millie, like Tim says .... lots of talk. Get moving ....

[Millie]

30 minute brisk walk. Day 1 done. Doesn't compete with 6 hours of chainsawing, but it is a start.


Erin, where are you?????

[_Erin_]

Alright, alright... lmao I'm in tomorrow, unless I sneak something in tonight! Thank you for continuing to nag me! Millie, I just read on the main thread that you made it through your party AND enjoyed yourself! So proud of you, girl. That and seeing that you and Sylvane are back in gave me that little push I needed to get off my ass. Tim, too, but no one can keep up with that crazy British dude.

And great to see you're back, too, Julie! And John still in here somewhere? Just realized we now have TWO guys in the challenge, where no men have dared to go before...

See you tomorrow!

[Millie]

Erin's back. Wooooooohoooooooo. I am back to day one today. I forgot yesterday. I need my workout buddy.

[Millie]

P.s. Erin and sylvane, I think we can keep up with the crazy British dude, if he is counting "shopping" as his exercise.. Shopping YES (I can shop for hours and hours and hours without breaking a sweat).. six hours of chainsawing...maybe NOT.

P.S.S.
Tim.... Be forewarned... We like to talk smack on here when we get going... . Keeps us motivated. Lol

[_Erin_]

Wrote out a post and it didn't show up, so if I posted twice, I apologize!

I doubt he'll have any problem in the smack-talking department, and I mean that in the nicest way. Just seems to have a way with words! lol

I have a company coming on Friday to pick up our office's old electronics, so I just spend three hours testing/moving/picking up several monitors, computers, faxes, scanners, printers, battery backups (which are VERY heavy, by the way), network switches, etc... cleaning, rearranging, pushing carts, and taking out trash. To give you an idea of how much stuff we just gave away, I condensed three offices that had been being used as storage into 1/2 of a room of storage. Downsized a lot over the years, unfortunately.

But... I worked up a sweat a few times and I am WHOOPED, so Day 1. Now I'm going to go eat my lunch.

[Millie]

I don't care how many hours you put in.....shopping on Amazon does not count. So cyberMonday out, but black Friday, depending on how many shoppers you fight for the latest "hot" item probably does. Lol

[Millie]

30 minute walk around the neighborhood. Day 1 done.
Tomorrow is day 70... The day of my demise last year.

Wednesday I leave for the conference.......

It will be a week of milestones, if all goes as planned.

[_Erin_]

I spent another hour of cleaning today here at work, more than 20 minutes but no Jillian Michaels workout, still counts. Day 2!

[_Erin_]

Day 3! I got out of bed and did the 30-Day Shred today! Woohoo! Now where are the rest of my peeps? lol :P

[_Erin_]

LOL I'm trying very hard not to use it for that purpose! Get well soon, Tim! Don't push it until you're feeling better. We'll still be here. And if we're not, then you can motivate us to get back off our lazy rear-ends and get back to it.

[_Erin_]

This dude is amazing. Found this and thought maybe it would help motivate you guys, too (If you click on the picture you can view it larger.)

[_Erin_]

Good morning... Day 4! Shred! Hope you're all doing great...

[_Erin_]

I just got an email from The Ohio State University Extension about another weight loss challenge - this one is the Zero Holiday Weight Gain Challenge. I didn't read it all the way through before I joined, then I realized it was over the holidays. My thoughts were, "Oh no, I'll never make it..." lol But I'm still in. Any other takers? The only qualification, according to the details, is that you are an adult with an active email account.

I have details and the email address to sign up. If you're interested, just message me and I'll send you the details!

**I probably should note that the challenge begins Monday, Nov. 19 (next Monday) and runs for 7 weeks, ending on Jan. 6... so if you're interested, don't procrastinate. **

[_Erin_]

So walking but not counting days, Sylvane? Fine with me

Day 5 for me! Shred! Hope everyone has a great day.