Ok...here we go. A new month....a new year. Time to get off our collective butts and push ourselves a little bit. This isn't about weight loss so much as it's about living/breathing/moving more...feeling better....improving the quality of our life through fitness. Not to mention pushing ourselves to do a little more than we thought we could.

As always....set a goal for yourself. Something that you know will be challenging. State what your goal is....then come back every chance you get to update your progress.

Make your goal something specific and measurable. XXX miles walking/running/cycling/ellipticing/swimming/crossfitting/weightlifting. Or XXX hours working out this month.....XXX times going to the gym this month....whatever you want.

Here's mine....120 miles running and 12,000 meters swimming. Plus I'm doing the pull up challenge every other day, hoping to work my way up to being able to do a pull up sometime soon.

Everybody join in. This is a new year. Exercise and fitness will make you feel better, help you sleep, speed up your metabolism, increase our strength and stamina, lengthen your life....and make you look better naked. Face it, we could all use that.

Edited January 1, 201412 yr by Butterthebean

Yay globe! Keep up the praise reports.

I've been doing well with my plank challenge. I'm at 60s again tonight. I didn't started feeling it until around day number 7 and my body was like "OH BOY" LOL...any who hope everyone is doing well with their January challenges as well!

wow this thread spun out of control ...

I'm super excited about my workout tomorrow, even though it will be in the dark and frozen clamshell! Excited because I lost 4 pounds in 6 days! Excited because I am only 2.4 lbs away from the lowest weight I've been since freshman year of college! I did get a dose of disappointment today tho, checked out my BMI for the first time in a long time - still overweight! In fact, I will need to lose another THIRTY TWO POUNDS in order to just barely enter the average BMI zone :/ But, I'm on it!!

That's excellent Globe. I hope this keeps working for you. Heaven knows you are do for some success. You've been working so hard.

Hows the foot?

Seela- you might find it easier to allocate smaller time blocks during the day such as 15 minutes here and 15 minutes there. 15 minutes is just enough time to benefit from the exercise and may work better until you are able to time manage larger time blocks. Also, as you spend more months working out, there is less and less of a reason to not workout and it gets easier. I think the key is to identify a plan that will work for you and then adapt it as you are able to.

Thanks. I have been going for walks around the block between clients and although it doesn't help the sore feet it certainly helps with my energy levels throughout the day.

:faint:

For me, teaching my kids that *I* matter, that *my health* matters and that we can be healthy and active and fit together matters. Yes, they are only small once, but the habits I teach them now will last long after I am gone.

I couldn't agree more! My problem is finding that balance because I feel so guilty when I've already worked all day and they just want my attention. If I don't get home too late I'm like... come on guys! And we have a blast laughing at eachother trying out all these workout tapes. But its when I'm home later that I struggle with it. I don't know what the right thing to do is or how to go about doing it. But whatever it is I need to find a way to do it that we can all do (and want to do) together.

I have been on every side of this debate…as someone who has two kids (11 and 14) and has worked almost the entire time.

The fact is, now that I work at home I am more available to them for the little day to day stuff. As I said, I've been on every side of this. I think the assertion that women who work outside the home are not raising their children, for example…something I've heard a lot over the years…is complete crap. And I also understand your desire to be with them when you are not working.

But here is the thing. This is not a long term, healthy strategy for me.

In the 3 years I have been working at home, my kids (and husband) have come to depend on me and in some ways use me for more than they ever did. I have always been responsible for 90% of the childcare, all of the cooking and housework as my husband travels a lot, but in the first couple of years I worked at home I went out of my way to try to please everyone. My employers, my children, my husband, my volunteer positions. And in some ways sealed the nail into the coffin of needing WLS, because I came dead last. Always.

So what I have decided since I did have WLS is that I NEED these 5 hours or so that I'm currently taking to exercise. I will need them when they stretch into 10 as I hope. Everybody else gets the majority of the other 163. They need to see me making good choices and putting my health first. Because then I will also be around for my kids and grandchildren for a long time to come.

I can't judge what is right for you, and I really get that your time constraints are crazy! (Been there!) But I do not find what I do to be "me first" or selfish except in the best possible construct.

Yeah.. It's tough no matter what isn't it? The me first comment I made wasn't intended to be derogatory. . Quite the opposite. I was more wondering how everyone did that and still held it all together. I need to learn how to be more me first. **damn forum one way conversations!** Thanks

So I got off early today and it will be one of the days I can get in a workout without feeling guilty. Zumba here I come!

2 mile walk today with hubby and working on getting in some miles on my exercise bike at work, 2 miles so far. 27.5/100

Butter - the foot is no bueno, i think your original assessment is probably accurate or at least mostly the case, plantar f. Every step hurts, even though I spend quality time every night rolling out the arch with a tennis ball, not a happy camper!!

I got in 2 more miles last night so I am now at 29.5/100.

I have a mini goal I am working on today. I am working a 12 hour shift 7am-7pm. I am aiming for 2 miles every hr on my bike if work cooperates. 24 miles would be awesome to add to my monthly total!

HAVE AN AWESOME SUNDAY!

Edited January 13, 201412 yr by TerryBelieves

I added another good contribution to my personal January fitness challenge of being able to do 50 unassisted pull-ups. The workout I did had 100 chest 2 bar pull-ups in it. I completed them in sets of 10 for 10 rounds and did each set unassisted and fairly quick. Each round had a 250 m sprint, 10 chest 2 bar pull-ups, a set of 4 115# push press, a set of 8 burpees over the bar (we set the push press barbell down and each burpee move was completed as a jump over it), another set of 4 115# push presses and a set of 6 ring dips. Glad that I am getting practice on pull-ups in the context of a workouts!! I want to be able to get past more than 10 in a row though.

Edited January 12, 201412 yr by Fiddleman

Did a last long run of 11 miles before next weekend's half marathon. Took an ice bath when I got home. My knee and hips are hurting!

Run: 36 (Goal: 60)

Walk: 28 (Goal: 60)

Bike: 9 (Goal: 30)

Total: 73 (Goal: 150)

6.5 hrs into my 12 hr shift and 14/24 miles down! AND MY THIGHS ARE FEELING IT!

11 hours down and made my mini challenge 24 miles on my exercise bike!!! I may not be able to walk tomorrow but I did it today!

mtd 53.5/100 miles

Edited January 13, 201412 yr by TerryBelieves

Hey there everyone! Looks like everyone is doing great...keep up the great work!

I have been staying busy, but have been getting my walking in every day. So far for the month I am at 41.85 miles.

Today my wife and I took a nice hike thru Lake Bistineau State Park. It was a beautiful day to be outside and on the trail. Even saw some deer. Here is a pic my wife shot of me without me knowing lol.

Edited January 13, 201412 yr by lsu2868