As far as I'm concerned, the past is the past. Every success or failure I've had in the last 2 years on this site, all have led me to this point. I've gone extreme, I've kept it simple. I've had short term challenges, long term challenges. I've had group challenges, non-weight related challenges, food challenges ad nausea.
I start 2007 with 2 basic challenges that'll run the duration of the year.
One night while doing my fast, I took some time to clean out my email box and came across the quote I posted to mark the New Year. It's an oft repeated quote, and as much as I've read it before, I really read it that night.
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." - Chinese Proverb
The thousand miles part kept playing in my head.
I did a quickie calculation to see if that can be done in a year. It's a bit under 3 miles a day and if 10,000 steps roughly equals 5 miles, 3 miles should be +/- 6,000 steps.
That's goal number 1.
Goal number 2 came to me the last week in December.
Stumbling across a site that said you can try anything out for 30 days and later reading two people who made a goal to exercise every day for an entire year, I figured, why not me?
Just to clarify, in this example I really mean being physically active on a daily basis, not necessarily busting out an intense workout every day. Workouts are what I'll do on a regular basis w/rest days and all.
But when I'm resting up, I still commit myself to doing 30 minutes of some physical activity.
It can be 30 minutes of running, weight lifting, a 30 minute walk around the park or it can be a Sunday stroll through my neighborhood w/Callie. The sole requirement is that it's 30 consecutive minutes.
In the next few weeks I'll share some rewards I'll be working towards, my annual tradition of posting my quarterly goals, though for the Oh-7 they've been reformulated.
In '05 I was on the right track deciding to get fit. Somewhere in '06 I was all about pounds & the weight. It consumed me. The goals I once had, to be a runner, to be athletic, disappeared.
Which meant, working out felt like a chore and if the scale didn't budge, my mood soured.
This year, I want to get back to focusing on things I can control. I can't control if the scale'll move. I may truly lose weight every 9.5 days so it'll take 2 weeks for my weekly weigh in to reflect that. But, I can control whether or not I walk 2.8 miles or being active 30 minutes.
If I've learned nothing else in the last 2 years on this site, the best laid plans go up in smoke. I also learned I'm not a quitter. Who knows what emotional rollercoaster '07 will bring, I'm up for that challenge too.
Have a wonderful new year to all my readers, listeners and viewers ![]()
Be fit!
Comments: 6
hey renee good luck with your goals. i know you will be a sucess. we are all right here with you in your journey. weather it be on our own or just cheering you on from the side lines. hope the new year brings you lots of happiness and you make all your goals. angie
Hey Renee - I think the best thing of all is that you keep going - it's certainly an inspiration to me!!!
I am also shooting for non-weight-related goals (this week I'm focusing on 2 cups of water and a piece of fruit, brushing/flossing each night, and taking my vitamins!), and I think the success will be much easier to accomplish.
Thanks for all you do to keep our community going.
Hey Renee! I'm working toward the same goal of a minimum of 30 minutes os something a day. So far so good! If I want to watch Buffy, it's on the treadmill. And I want to watch Buffy!
I love your 1000 miles idea! One year I ran 1000km, and for the life of me can't find the challenge site. I can't find the t-shirt even!
Regarding your weigh in... have you thought of the Google 15 http://www.red-bean.com/fitz/ig/google15/faq.html ? It tracks your weight, but also shows the trend, and when your weight pops up a few pounds in a day, it takes that into consideration and shows what would be your 'real weight'. I started using it on Dec 31 ![]()
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i think a daily workout challenge is an excellent idea... i'm fortunate enough to have a gym in the bldg. where i work so mon - fri, i can go during lunch... the weekends are much harder for me... its almost like i'd rather NOT plan anything and then if i do exercise, i feel better... crazy...