Okay, as we gear up for our 1 year Band Anniversary, and focus on hitting our goals (some of us are at goal, and some are still trying to get there), it time to make exercise a part of life.

Challenge begins January 7th, 2008 (Monday). I would recommend taking a before picture, just so you can compare it.

You can weigh in and post your weight here, or keep track of it yourself, that is your option.

Also, take your measurements, a lot of time with exercise, you will lose inches first. I would recommend measuring every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks so you can compare your results.

What to measure:

Chest area - I measure around my breast area -just be consistant on where you measure

Waist - I measure around my belly button area

Hips - I measure the largest part of my hips

Thighs - measure your right or left, just be consistant

calves - again, the left or right and be consistant on where you measure and which side you measure.

Okay - there you go. If you want to join, just chime in and say your in the challenge.

We can update every day, or once a week, or whatever. Remember, this is a challange to ourselves. We have to keep our promises we make to ourselves and our commitment. You deserve it!

The challenge will run for 12 weeks - Begins 1/7/08 to 3/30/08.

If you exercise at least 4 to 5 days a week, I promise you, when 3/30/08 comes around, you will not stop. It will become a part of your life and you will learn to LOVE IT.

Best wishes to all, now put down that piece of pumpkin pie, or whatever leftovers you may have after xmas, and get to the gym, or something. :rose:

Okay, Tonya, which one of those poses can you do? I worked up a sweat just looking at them.

LOL - not many for sure. They are hard core stuff for sure!

Starting to feel results in my jeans.

Great! I always notice in my jeans and clothes first, then the scales show up later.

Sigh. No budge in the scales, but I'm not giving up! What is it about having some success, then starting to slack off a bit? LOL!

In revolt of my scale, and it's decision to go up a few pounds, I have also stepped up - my workout routines. I have committed to make it to the gym for 5-6 solid days this week. And I have devised a new plan of torture and sweat on the elliptical! Actually, I really like it...it keeps my HR way above the 80% cardio range. Just shy of 100%, which may be too much...but I get a power surge at about 90%! Anyone else get this?

I do 1 hour on the elliptical, and then the 5 minute cool down. I start at level one, and each minute, I up it one level, all the way to level 25. At each 5 minute interval (5, 10, 15, etc.) I reverse direction (climb 'backwards'), for the next 1-2 minutes. Then go foward again, always increasing 1 resistance level per minute. Then I stay at level 25 for 5 - 10 minutes. Then I do the same, backwards, bringing it down a level each minute. By this point, I can pick up the speed fairly well. Throughout, I keep it between 3-6MPH, but that gets HARD at level 25.

Probably too much detail, but I love this little workout...and it burns in the neighborhood of 650-850 calories in that hour.

On days with the treadmill (days I do strength training/weights) I've been HIIT'ing it hard, for 30-45 minutes (always after the weights). I don't necessarily go fast on the treadmill...not a runner! I do it by climbing those hills in spurts.

Also, I bought a stability ball and medicine ball for home. I don't do much 'core' work at the gym...prefer to sweat the machines. Hopefully this will help...the kids seem to like playing with it - not in a workout kind of way, if you catch my drift!

Oh well, that's all my news. Just trying not to get discouraged. Been kinda quiet here...what's everyone up to???

Cindi - you really are woman, hear you roar! The elliptical is my favorite machine. I love it. Last nite my DD and I headed to the gym and I did about 20 minutes, and really worked up a sweat. I then did another 15 min on the recumbant bike. I left the gym feeling like I had a real workout. This is the first time I have felt that way since last August.

I am still working on getting up in the am, just have not been able to do it for some reason. However, if I don't get up, I make myself go in the evening. The good thing about going in the evening, I can go with my daughter. I want to teach her the benefits of exercise, even though she is not overweight, I do want her to be healthy as she continues to grow. (she is 15).

I hate the scales! I really do! They have not been kind to me in the past 6 months - but I think I haven't been kind to myself either, so I probably deserve the numbers the scales give me. :Dancing_chief:

I'm on day 3 or 4 I think without chocolate. I have a real battle with head hunger, but I am winning so far this week!:rolleyes2:

I'm keeping my vacation in mind, it motivates me to keep exercising. I know I will want to look good in my bathing suit!

Bathing suit! You just reminded me, I'll need to buy a new one this year I guess. The 26's won't fly...

Don't talk about chocolate. Particularily stressful day at the office (we own a funeral home). I ate about 20 almond M&M's. They weren't even terrific...it was nervous/stress eating. Then popcorn tonight. Guess today needs...to be over!! I'll punish myself at the gym tomorrow:rolleyes:

Well, I got up this morning and went to the gym! It was hard, but I did it. I'm working hard to get back into my 5 AM routine. I really like working out in the AM, and I seem to do better during the day when I do, however, Its just so hard to drag my butt out of bed at 5:00 am.

Did the Recumbant bike for 30 min, and then worked out my lower body. I would love to do the BFL intensity level, but so far, my knee just can't handle it. Just the little bit of weights I did, it is burning this morning. I'm about to ice it down and hope that helps, it usually does.

Well, I'm off to heat up my egg white omlet made with turkey sausage and canadian bacon.

Have a great day!

PS - My jeans are getting looser on me. :frown:

I thought I would share the following article I received in my email today from Shapefit.com:

How many people do you know that constantly make excuses for why they can’t exercise? Chances are you know at least one. Maybe you are one of them? I know at times I have been guilty of thinking up some lame excuses. But let’s get one thing straight … excuses are not reasons.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more than 50% of American adults do not engage in the required amount of physical activity for health benefits, and 25% of adults are not active at all.

That’s a lot of people making excuses! Constantly making excuses for things will never get you anywhere in life. It is time to ditch the excuses and find the real reason behind not wanting to do the things you are making excuses for.

Here are some of the excuses I hear most often when it comes to people not wanting to exercise. Maybe some sound familiar to you, or maybe you’ve even used some of them yourself.

1. I don’t have time to exercise.

People will always find time to do something they enjoy doing. Saying you don’t have time to exercise is just an excuse to get out of doing something you can’t be bothered doing. Now, I’m not saying that you are not a busy person. Maybe you are. But I am pretty certain that almost every person can find 30-60 minutes, somewhere in their day, to exercise. Make an appointment with yourself to exercise.

2. There is no gym close to my house

You can get in great shape without ever stepping foot into a gym. Buy a set of dumbbells and some resistance bands so you can exercise at home. Stability balls are another great ‘home gym’ piece of equipment. An at home cardio workout only requires a good pair of running shoes, a jump rope, or even bike. No gym? No excuse!

3. I don’t know how to exercise

Exercise is not rocket science. If you really have no idea how to be active, go and buy a fitness magazine, ask a friend who exercises regularly for some tips, or hire a personal trainer. There is absolutely no reason why people can’t engage in some form of physical activity. Unless your doctor has specifically told you that you should not exercise at all, start by taking a jog or a walk around the block. There are also hundreds of exercise DVD’s and workout videos available that will take you through entire workouts based on your fitness level and goals.

4. I have no energy to exercise

Of course if you sit around all day doing nothing you will feel lazy. I know for me, the less I do, the lazier I feel throughout the day. Exercise has been shown to increase energy levels and leave people feeling better about themselves and more energized. Get up off the couch and get moving. Start with just 10 minutes of activity each day. Soon you will have the energy to do more.

5. I have no one to work out with

Do you really need someone to workout with? For most of us it would be nice to have some company. What will happen to your motivation though if your workout partner is not as motivated as you when it comes to exercise? What if they start skipping workouts and you’re left to workout on your own anyway? Would you stop too? Unless you have someone you know is totally committed to exercising with you, you really don’t need a workout partner. If you absolutely cannot workout alone … hire a trainer, participate in an exercise class, or take your furry friend for a walk.

As you can see, there are solutions to each of these excuses. Don’t let excuses get the better of you and keep you from reaching your goals. Focus instead on the benefits you will get from engaging in a regular exercise routine. You will be thankful you ditched the excuses in the end.

Hi All,

Thought I'd give you a quick update! Since I started working out regularly my weight loss has picked up. I also just went in for another fill, and I have officially lost more than half the weight I want gone! 85 lbs down, 80 to go!

loridee - that is GREAT! Keep posting so you can help encourage us!

No budging the scale but the tape measure is singing for me. I hit the ellipital this morning..first time in a while.

Cindi...I was just pondering the same thing. I work out like mad and eat right for a while, then just slack off. Aargh!!! I was thinking about my past year of workouts. Very sporadic...I'd walk 20 miles one week and nothing the next...then back at it, up down, up down. I think I need to take a close look at this lack of consistency and see if I can figure it out. I feel great when I workout. I don't really mind it all that much. But I keep having to go through the pain each time I start up again. Sigh. Old habits...are hard.

Well, I did great last week at the gym, but my knee is swollen again and really hot to the touch, so I've slacked this week and hoping it goes back to normal. I hate not making it to the gym, when I don't make it the gym my eating sucks!

Anyhow, hoping by tomorrow it will not be so hot to the touch, I'm icing it down and hoping that will help.

I'm avoiding the scales, haven't weighed in awhile. I get a fill next week and hoping this one will finally get it right. I'm so sick of fills/ unfills, fills, unfill. I'm at 3.0 cc's but I know I need right at 3.8 so hoping next week will do the trick.

Not much posting going on here...how is everyone doing? I"m working out, but not as hard I as I need to. I'm trying to get some daily consistency....like, do something everyday, six days a week. I did a pilates/yoga dvd yesterday and probably will repeat today due to work schedule. TOM started yesterday and I feel really achy and crampy. That happens about every three months. Blah. But I'm working on it.

Not much posting going on here...how is everyone doing? I"m working out, but not as hard I as I need to. I'm trying to get some daily consistency....like, do something everyday, six days a week. I did a pilates/yoga dvd yesterday and probably will repeat today due to work schedule. TOM started yesterday and I feel really achy and crampy. That happens about every three months. Blah. But I'm working on it.

I'm in the same boat as you - I do good for a week, then fail for a week. Im trying to get some consistancy going in my life. I don't want to use my knee as an excuse, but I swear it gives me problems if I exercise more than 3 or 4 days a week. Then it sets me back for a week. It is feeling good today, so I have no excuse to not go to the gym!

I just got my fill today, so I'm really focussed again. Its a mental thing I think with me. When I know I don't have restriction, seems I just don't try - I eat bad, and I don't exercise. Now that I have restriction, maybe my head will be right!

I'm finding that the days that I most dread heading for the gym, is when I really need to go. I seem to get the best workouts on those days! Strange, I know :/

Consistantly going 5 days a week, this morning was a short, 45 minute workout tho, because I went to get my haircut (at the gym's spa/salon). They did a great job, and figure I made up for the short workout by cutting so much hair off...I mean, it had to weigh something...right?

WoW! I woke up this morning and the scale finally started moving again. I am still on track. I had hurt my back for a few days but I didn't give up. Went to the Chiraprator and I am feeling better.