Hey fitness freaks....and wannabe freaks. Time for the November installment of the fitness challenge. To try to be more inclusive and get more participation, I'm going to open things up in a new way.

The point of this challenge is to set a goal for yourself for the month of November. A fitness goal which will be challenging.....slightly more than you know you can do, more than you did last month. The goal needs to be a concrete measurable goal. The goal can be miles run, walked, biked, swam, ellipted or paddled....or a combination of all of them. But it can also be a goal of hours of exercise. 30 hours of exercise in a month is a challenging goal for many people. It can also be a specific exercise if you prefer....like 3000 squats and 1000 push-ups. Whatever it is, make it challenging, not easy. As I always say, growth and comfort cannot coexist. You want to be slightly uncomfortable. The goal should challenge you...make you slightly nervous as to whether or not you can reach it. Then....GO FOR IT!

Introduce yourself and spell out your goal for the month. Then come back here everyday or as often as you can and update the group as to your current progress toward your goal. Whether or not you make your goal is not the point. The point is to push yourself just a little further than you thought you could go.

I'll start. I'm only 4 weeks post op from my TT so not back to 100% yet, but I anticipate getting stronger as the month goes on. So my goal for November is to walk/run 60 miles. That's double what I'm going to do this month, so a challenging goal. Wish me luck.

Please join in and get moving.

I'm in again this month! I'm going to aim for 125 miles again this month. I would like to increase my mileage/month but the October challenge was really difficult for me to stay on top of meeting my goal. BUT...I am going to start the couch to 5K program. I have never been a runner. Even when I was in high school and in great shape, I couldn't run a single mile! I want to push myself and make November about starting my goal of being able to eventually run a 5k. Has anyone on here tried the couch to 5K?

There's a whole thread on here on people who are doing c25k. I will see if I can find it but it says "Started couch to 5k" or something.

I'm in! I'm Chris. In October I managed 150+ miles walking and biking thanks to some beautiful autum weekend mornings where I was able to get in long rides. With the cold weather and earlier darkness upon us, I don't think I will reach that this month. I'm aiming for 100 miles. Good luck everyone!

Hi, I'm Jenny and I really need this! My goal is 20 hours and the ablity to hold a 1 minute plank and do 30 consecutive push ups. These are no where near as big as all of your goals but I'm really just starting to get back to the gym. So, I'm a weakling - I'm just going to say it! This will challenge me and keep me motivated.

Hi' date=' I'm Jenny and I really need this! My goal is 20 hours and the ablity to hold a 1 minute plank and do 30 consecutive push ups. These are no where near as big as all of your goals but I'm really just starting to get back to the gym. So, I'm a weakling - I'm just going to say it! This will challenge me and keep me motivated.[/quote']good luck! You can do it. One suggestion that helps me is to make mini goals when working out or when working towards a goal. A 1 minute plank might seem insurmountable right now, but a 15 second plank hold may not seem so bad. You can break that 1 minute plank hold into 4 15 second plank holds with a short break in between. Next, try 20 seconds and then 30 seconds until you reach 1 minute. I bet it will only take 2 weeks of practice to get to 1 minute and then you will be thinking bout 2 minutes, even before the month is over!

good luck! You can do it. One suggestion that helps me is to make mini goals when working out or when working towards a goal. A 1 minute plank might seem insurmountable right now, but a 15 second plank hold may not seem so bad. You can break that 1 minute plank hold into 4 15 second plank holds with a short break in between. Next, try 20 seconds and then 30 seconds until you reach 1 minute. I bet it will only take 2 weeks of practice to get to 1 minute and then you will be thinking bout 2 minutes, even before the month is over!

Thanks for the tip, Fiddle. I'm going to try that. I used to work out with a trainer (2 years ago) and I was pretty strong even for a "big girl", lol. And now I'm just a jiggly mess! I miss my muscles. Planks and pushups have always been my measure of how fit I am and right now I can only do about a 10 second plank and 10 pushups.

Edited October 28, 201312 yr by Jen35

Hi! I'm Jay. I'm a year and 8 months out, surg 2/12/12 and went from 272.5lbs to 154.4lbs....I've gotten quite lazy with the working out so am in, my goal for Nov is to run 1.5 miles daily and work on strength training 3 times a week....Lord give me strength!

I'm in again this month! I'm going to aim for 125 miles again this month. I would like to increase my mileage/month but the October challenge was really difficult for me to stay on top of meeting my goal. BUT...I am going to start the couch to 5K program. I have never been a runner. Even when I was in high school and in great shape' date=' I couldn't run a single mile! I want to push myself and make November about starting my goal of being able to eventually run a 5k. Has anyone on here tried the couch to 5K?[/quote']

That's how I started....with C25K. If you wanna start running, I cannot recommend C25K highly enough. Just download it and do what it says do. And I suggest you advance each week as it suggests. If you cannot complete a workout, then take a step back. Many people look ahead and feel they can't do the next workout so they don't move forward. But you should at least try to move forward, you will surprise yourself. Good luck.

I am in! I had surgery 12/2012 and I have lost 135 lbs without really exercising. I had said I would start when I lost enough and I just never did. I have not lost weight in about 3 months I think and have been eating a lot more things I know I shouldn't but I am maintaining. I have decided to throw my excuses out the window and just get moving! My goal is to continue the c25k I started on Friday and also begin doing ab workouts and I think some kickboxing. Just need to find a workout video I like. If anyone has beginners advice for me I would love it! :-)

I'll throw my hat in this ring. I'm only two weeks post op, and should still be walking mostly, per my doc. I wear a pedometer every day, and I've still not achieved a monthly average of 10,000+ steps (about 3 miles for me).

So my goal for November is to reach or exceed 10,000 steps per day.

I'm in. I'm Carson and I didn't "officially" join for October even though I am trying for the 100 mile mark. I am at 93 miles and some change so far so I should make it, I started out strong but then we got some rainy weather and had some busy days at work and blah blah blah. It doesn't matter. I'm shooting for 125 miles walked/run/elliptical (I'm doing couch to 5K as well, just can't seem to get through the week 1 completely and I alternate that with my elliptical). I also am going to shoot for a resistance work out 3 days a week. Let's GET IT y'all!

Wow....alot of new faces this month. That's great. Everybody welcome. Glad to see so many of you wanting to reach for new heights.

Wow....alot of new faces this month. That's great. Everybody welcome. Glad to see so many of you wanting to reach for new heights.

You inspire!

Yup...I'm in! Big goals to hit by Thanksgiving...need all the tools I can muster to get there.

GOALS:

1. Complete Fun Run November 16 (doing a 1 mile run with my kiddos).

2. Exercise for 30 hours in November (Jillian Michaels, running, Zumba) at least 1 hour per day.

I've been thinking about this thread since Butter first posted it, so I'm finally putting my goals out there.

1. Maintain a minimum of 3 gym workouts a week.

2. Increase weight by 10 lbs on each exercise.

3. Complete the 30 day plank challenge. (I'm going to print this out & tape it to the TV cabinet so I remember every day.)

I've been thinking about this thread since Butter first posted it' date=' so I'm finally putting my goals out there.

1. Maintain a minimum of 3 gym workouts a week.

2. Increase weight by 10 lbs on each exercise.

3. Complete the 30 day plank challenge. (I'm going to print this out & tape it to the TV cabinet so I remember every day.)[/quote']

Great to have you. I'm loving all these various goals that everyone is setting.

This is going to be the best month yet.