Saturday, May 8, 2010

Day 1: 10-Day Fitness Challenge 5/7/2010


I started a 10-day fitness challenge today (technically yesterday). It started on a Friday, which at first I thought would be difficult for me since it's Mother's Day weekend. I thought about it a little more and realized Friday is just a day like any other day - BUSY - and this weekend is just the same as any other weekend - BUSY. I realized that at this point in my life, there will never be a "perfect-heaven-opening-up-angels-singing" moment for me to take on a fitness challenge. I'm going to have to just make it with I've got and do my best. If I give in to some temptations along the way, so be it. I'm not going to just quit and give up. This challenge is a great way to jump start the workouts I'm already doing. I'm excited because the bulk of this challenge is online for me. I can check in with my accountability, log my calorie intake, log my exercise - all while I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off (my normal state of being). Ember is awesome! She is really encouraging and knows great ways to fit exercise into a hectic schedule. Another plus about this challenge is that ten days from now will be 5 days away from my 30th birthday. What a great birthday present to myself - working out/getting healthy/feeling great! I can't wait.

So enough of my blabbing. Here are the details of the challenge:
  • Drink 72 oz of water everyday
  • Count every calorie that goes into your mouth
  • 10 day challenge - 10 days of working out - plan ahead!- include push ups in every workout
The hardest part of the challenge for me today was drinking the 72 oz of water. I must be part camel, because I don't drink much. It's not that I drink other things instead of water. I just don't drink much period. So getting all 72 oz was tough. I really had to think about it, and consciously make myself drink a glass of water. Will it ever not hurt my stomach to drink so much water is what I want to know? Guess it is one of those things that I need to get used to.

Counting calories was probably the next biggest challenge. Who really wants to know the calorie content of the cheese burger they just ate? We haven't been to the grocery store this week, so I'm trying to use what I've got and either making healthy dishes with what I have or reducing the serving of the not-so-healthy stuff. I stayed in my calorie window as determined by Sparkpeople.com, but it really wasn't the greatest food. Breakfast and dinner were pretty good. Lunch was another thing. My girlfriend brought me lunch from McDonalds. I was in a hurry, so I just chose the hamburger Happy Meal with a diet coke. Not the greatest choice in the world, but it did keep the calories down. Someone was also kind enough to bring us some cake. Wasn't that sweet of them? I gave in and had a small piece. I'm just happy I didn't devour it like I really wanted to ;-) I did pass on one temptation, though. Chas and I went to go do a ticket giveaway for the ministry on Friday night. The church we went to had pizza for the group. It looked and smelled so good, but I passed. I opted for a plain ice snowcone instead.

While I'm on the subject of counting calories...can I just mention that there is a national chain of fast food restaurants with a meal deal that you would probably think was healthier because it's smaller portions - Ok I would think that because it's smaller portions. I went to their website and realized that that one meal from a few days ago was my entire calorie count FOR THE DAY! The moral of the story is, look before you eat.

Here are my stats for the day:
  • drank 72 oz of water
  • took in 1667 calories
  • 30 minutes of yoga (outdoors)/20 crunches/10 push ups
Blessings!

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