Hey folks. It's time for the December addition of the monthly fitness challenge. For those of you unfamiliar, the goal is to set a specific fitness goal for yourself, and then go for it. The goal should be specific and measurable, so that you can keep a running log here toward your progress. Some common goals are xxx miles run/walked/bicycled over the course of the month....xx hours on the elliptical, stationary bike..... xx workouts per week or xx hours spent exercising per week. Whatever you want, so long as it is specific and measurable.

Start off by introducing yourself and stating your specific goal...then come here each day or as often as you'd like and update your progress for the month.

The whole point is to set a goal that is slightly above your comfort level....one you have to push yourself a little to achieve. But whatever your goal, the success will come for reaching for it....whether you make it or not is irrelevant. We all have setbacks...we get sick, injured or just plain busy. If that happens, don't give up. Just amend your goal and continue on till the end of the month. This challenge will carry is right into the new year and hopefully by the time it's over all of us will be breathing easier and feeling better from the activity.

Ok....I'll start. My goals for December are to run 120 miles, swim 9000 meters and do 1500 walking lunges.

I'm at 39 miles to my (revised) goal of 54 miles. Did 3 miles on the treadmill this afternoon and burned more calories than ever before by increasing the intensity. Had a stressful Christmas Eve morning...my 14 year old son has had the flu and he fainted and collapsed in my arms this morning. We got him to the ER and everything checked out OK. Just need to keep pushing fluids and rest. I thought about what I would have done pre-op after a morning like that...I would have bagged out of the gym, I'm sure. I would have drank many coffees (light with sugar or honey) to get thru the day and eaten lots of food and Christmas goodies. Instead, when we got home, I made some scrambled eggs and turkey sausage, then headed to the gym. Came home and now I'm enjoying a strawberry protein shake and ready to wrap some presents. What a difference 6 weeks makes, huh? Merry Christmas everyone!

So sorry about your son, but glad you are making better choices

I'm at 39 miles to my (revised) goal of 54 miles. Did 3 miles on the treadmill this afternoon and burned more calories than ever before by increasing the intensity.

Had a stressful Christmas Eve morning...my 14 year old son has had the flu and he fainted and collapsed in my arms this morning. We got him to the ER and everything checked out OK. Just need to keep pushing fluids and rest.

I thought about what I would have done pre-op after a morning like that...I would have bagged out of the gym, I'm sure. I would have drank many coffees (light with sugar or honey) to get thru the day and eaten lots of food and Christmas goodies. Instead, when we got home, I made some scrambled eggs and turkey sausage, then headed to the gym. Came home and now I'm enjoying a strawberry protein shake and ready to wrap some presents.

What a difference 6 weeks makes, huh?

Merry Christmas everyone!

So sorry to hear about your son but glad everything checked out ok. Hope the rest of your holiday is better. Yes, please push those fluids...so important. :-)

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! I hope you all have a wonderful day with family and friends making memories to last a lifetime!!

Oh by the way...I am at 91.5 miles for the month...lol

44 miles MTD, 6 more to go.

45.5 MTD and I just had the best Christmas dinner ever. Nom nom nom

Merry Xmas everyone. Took a great early morning trail run before opening presents. Honestly it was the best present I could have given myself....just being able to run and move and breathe.

Mtd 85.3

I wonder how many calories he burns doing this? I read he started doing this because he was injured and could no loner run, and it allowed him to get exercise. I found his work to be truly amazing. I hope you enjoy.

http://www.viralnova.com/simon-beck-snow-art/

I wonder how many calories he burns doing this? I read he started doing this because he was injured and could no loner run, and it allowed him to get exercise. I found his work to be truly amazing. I hope you enjoy. http://www.viralnova.com/simon-beck-snow-art/

Those mathematical patterns in the snow are spectacular. I think if I tried that, the pattern would look more like those spider webs created by a spider on caffeine. Lol.

http://www.trinity.edu/jdunn/spiderdrugs.htm

I wonder if he uses a gps mobile program to help guide where he walks.

Edited December 25, 201312 yr by Fiddleman

Merry Christmas everyone! I have been keeping to at least my 3 miles a day, got in 2 more SS, and I got the eliptical/recumbent combo machine that I wanted for a Christmas gift, WooHoo! My friends think I'm crazy 'cause I wanted gym equipment for a gift, but I say if it's what you really want, why not? I have the best hubby! So MTD- 87 miles,10 yc, 8 SS.

Day 18 Insanity: It should be day 19, or 22 if I weren't giving myself a day off every week, but I did not go Insane yesterday, gave myself Christmas off. Christmas Eve I broke through a weight level that had stymied me since beginning Insanity but after the calories I ingested yesterday, I am not going to weight myself until after my next fast!!

When I take a shower I try to pick the stall in front of the full length mirror, so I can inspect for any changes being wrought by Insanity. I'm really not seeing any positive changes, if anything I look worse! My skin is actually looser, more water/jelly-like and wobbly.

My skin is actually looser, more water/jelly-like and wobbly.

That could happen if you're burning fat. Have you taken any measurements lately?

no but I take weekly side/back photos of myself in the same clothes and I have some structured clothes (non-stretchy) and none of these things have changed.

Hello peeps! I have been so off with my exercise plan. I'm going to give it another try in January! I'm still getting in some miles, not many, but I completely forgot my plank challenge!! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Ate what I wanted over the last two days and am up 1.7 lbs (which I am guessing is water weight - thank you salty pizza) but I know it will come off quickly. What has me excited is the STRENGTH I have gained in December! Not only am I going to hit my goal of 22 days of high intensity interval training this month, I also gained some upper body strength! Very excited about hitting my goal and seeing a non-scale change.

Ate what I wanted over the last two days and am up 1.7 lbs (which I am guessing is water weight - thank you salty pizza) but I know it will come off quickly. What has me excited is the STRENGTH I have gained in December! Not only am I going to hit my goal of 22 days of high intensity interval training this month, I also gained some upper body strength! Very excited about hitting my goal and seeing a non-scale change.

Same as you, I'm up 2 lbs. Probably half is real, half is water. Back on the eating wagon tomorrow. Silver lining, I did attempt to exercise yesterday, only 20 minutes but better than nada and back on my regular workout schedule today.

Well, it is the end of the month and today everyone got to choose a benchmark workout. Everyone did a different workout and naturally I did the filthy 50 (my December goal):

To reiterate, here is the workout (in case you do not want to go back to the beginning of this thread):

Do

50 box jumps with a 24-inch box,

50 jumping pullups,

50 kettlebell swings (54 #),

50 walking lunge steps,

50 knees to elbows,

50 reps of push press with 45 pounds,

50 back extensions (45 # bar),

50 wallballs using a 20-pound ball,

50 burpees (dropping all the way to the floor),

50 double-unders.

My filthy 50 time came in at 21 minutes and 53 seconds (down from 23 min at beginning of month). That would mean I met my goal of being 30-45 seconds faster. However, I see there is still so much to improve that is not time related.

I am thoroughly and unconditionally toasted. Maybe it is because of 12 days of Christmas WOD on Tuesday, maybe it is because of rich eating in the last week from holiday parties. Don't know.

I blew through the workout until knees to elbows and then started to get upper body tired. By the time I hit #30 in wall balls, I was beyond body fatigued and fell over at around #40. Everyone else (about 10 others) picked shorter easier benchmarks so were all on the sidelines, watching me as I fell over from exhaustion. They were yelling and cheering for me to get back up.

The last 3 exercises of 50 reps each are brutal in this workout. They really test your resolve. I go through the burpees and then my rope broke on the double unders so had to find a replacement quick. Luckily I picked out a good fast one and whipped out the 50 quick. I love when a jump rope makes the whirring sound when the cycles are quick. I had to modify by dropping from 20# to 14# on wall balls and my knee to elbows would have not counted in competition because knees have to touch elbows when hanging from pull-up bar for each rep. My knees got about and inch away. Next time I do filthy 50 I hope to Rx.

I also like that one of the coaches was personally helping to correct my form and offering tips as I went through the workout to complete the exercises with less effort. The more I do cross fit, the more I realize it is being really smart about coordination sand conservation of energy. These are especially important on filthy 50 because it requires so much stamina and endurance in addition to movement skill and focus.

I wonder what tomorrow holds? this month has been a challenge. Next month I am starting a pull-up and handstand push-up challenge (another thread in fitness forum) to get 50 each in a row. It may take a couple months to reach the goal as I have what seems a very high mountain to climb.