Fitness Challenge V: Come Join Us!

**Cheyenne** · 11-28-2011 04:47 AM

As with all the other fitness challenges, this month will be about becoming a better, healtheir you. Since it is only a few days until December, and then a few weeks until Christmas, I want all of us to stay on track and not let the temptation of sweets and candies overcome us.

This month, these will be the Challenge:

1: As with the others, post your height, weight, mesurements (waist,hips, bust) in your first post, and don't recheck until the end of the month.

2: In this month of the fitness challenge, I do want everyone (if you can) post every night of your calories, fiber, nurtition, and exercise.

3: Even though it is almost freezing outside for a lot of people, still try and get outside when possible. The vitamins from the sun make your skin glow and can help look and feel refreshed.

4: With this fitness challenege, I'm not to have everyone do a certain exercise or two a day. Except one thing. I want everyone to lift weights before your workout. Weight lifting before working out has been proven to help burn calories. I do want everyone to step outside with their comfort zone and try new exercises. If it's hard, keep working at it! Practice makes perfect!!

5: Since the holidays are creeping up on us once again, I want all of us to take extra care of our nurtition. Eat more fruits and vegetables. If you're not able to because of money or because your store doesn't carry it, freezed fruit and vegies are about the same as fresh. Try to have 5 different colors a day, and if you can't, try to have at least two.

6: Watch your fiber and protein. I don't know how much fiber/protein a person should have a day, but I do know that it should be at least in the 20's for fiber and 30's for protein.

7: Have some "me" time. With your daily and weekly activities, it's hard to find half an hour just for yourself. So, once a week, I want everyone to take at least 30minutes to themselves. No husbands,kids,school,work, anything! Just you. It can be a bubble-bath, reading that book, or just curling up on the couch to watch something.

8: This kinda goes along with 4, but I didn't want to post it together. If your region normally gets snow, take advantage of it! Take your kids outside to make snow angles or build snowmen, or help shovel the driveway/sidewalk. Snow is a great way to get a workout in without realizing it.

9: Exercise can be hard to fit in with your daily scheduale, but you need to do at least half an hour of something. It doesn't always have to be a big, long workout, but try and get 30minutes in a day. If you want to add in extra calories burned, do repitions of something on oppisote days. For example, on Monday, Wendsday, Friday do 2 sets of 10 push-ups and on the other days do 2 sets of 10 squat-thrusts. It can be your choice of reps,sets, and exercises, but do try and start exercising on oppisote days.

10: Water, water, water!! Drink at least 8 cups a day. If you drink coffee, you need more water. If you drank a cup of coffee, and 8 cups water, you only drank 7 because the one cup water countered the coffee.

The holidays are a time for visiting family and having a good few days. It's ok to have that extra peice of pie or an extra serving of whatever you want, but realize your limits and what your body really needs.

Let's begin Fitness Challenge V!!

**Beautiful Disaster** · 11-28-2011 06:27 AM

Yay Cheyenne!!! So proud of you! I've been keeping up with you guys on the last Challenge, but unfortunately have been and still am too busy to participate. 3 more weeks until I take my exam then I PRAY that I pass and can get back to doing things I enjoy more.

I love all your guidelines for Challenge V. You rock!! I'll be checking in on you guys.

PS. Oh, and on your protein, for your height and weight, you need to be up around 50-60 grams of protein per day, and 30 for fiber. I TRULY believe this is key. Good luck rocking it out this month ladies!!!!

**gibson8026** · 11-28-2011 11:06 AM

I'm in for challenge V

my stats are....... i'm 5'6 tall. i weigh 391 (down from 398 from the beginning of november) and my measurements are 64, 56, 71 (i did all my measurements at the beginning of the month including my arms and thigh's and belly, and in total i lost 4 inches) so thoes are my stats and i'm happy that last month i lost and i'm looking forward to an other perductive month. i'd also just like to give myself a pat on the back and say that sence august i've lost a total of 24lbs

it's not a ton or anything but i think it's better to loose it slow and have it stay off instead of a lot at once and then just end up gaining it all back and then some. anyways good luck everyone on an other sucessfull month.

**Aeryn Sun** · 11-28-2011 11:50 AM

5' 106lbs Goal: 100
Measurements: 32-24-35
I work with a nutritionist and have personal trainers to use at my gym. I may not follow this exactly, but I can participate by going above it and posting at least. It might hold me more accountable.
The husband has already set up a date for the first week of December for us to go ice skating, and we have a sledding date for the last week. I am hoping to add in snow shoeing in some time, I hope I can urge the husband

**Aeryn Sun** · 11-28-2011 11:57 AM

I want everyone to lift weights before your workout. Weight lifting before working out has been proven to help burn calories.

From everything I/Google gather, It really depends on what you are trying to accomplish. I agree with the urge people to get up and move, but keep in mind what results can be accomplished by doing weights before cardio, and cardio before weights. Overall, it is best to do weights on one day, cardio on another, but if you must, keep in mind what is getting worked, and what is going to be exhausted for the next round if you do both on the same day.

If you just want to move, and keep moving- You can do one, the other or both at the same time without much of a difference.

Cardio performance Increase - Cardio first, weights second.

Muscle size Increase - Weights first, cardio after (if you must). Cardio will deplete your energy, potentially weaken your form, resulting in sloppy sets, and less reps.

Calorie burned increase/ Fat loss - Cardio first, Weights second. Weight lifting can burn more calories faster than cardio, but people fatigue faster as well. If you do cardio first, you can last longer, and therefore burn more over all, if you are short on time. If you only have 30min, and can lift weights at the same pace and repetition without slowing down, then it may be the better calorie burner for you but, you aren't gaining anything by doing it first.

**Cheyenne** · 11-28-2011 03:23 PM

BD, Good luck with your exams!! Crossing my fingers for you that you pass! I saw you popping in every now and then. Are you going to be able to pop in on this one?
I love them too, lol! Thank you for the fiber and protien! I knew it was something like that, but I couldn't remember exactly. Now, for the height and weight on the fiber and protien, is that for everyone? Sorry, I just got home and my brain is a mess.

Gibson, I'm so glad to see you back for another month!! Great job on the weight and inches lost! 24 pounds over around 4 months may not seem like a lot, but it is a great start! And like you said it's better to lose it gradually rather than lose it all at once and gain it all back.

Aeryn, the ice skating and sledding sound so fun! It's great that you have a personal trainer and a nutristionist. Just out of curiousity, if you don't mind me asking, how long have you been using them? Have they helped you any with your weight loss?
About the weight lifitng, it's your personal choice what days you decide to weight lift. I never said that you had to do weight lifting the same day as cardio, just that I would like you to do weights before a workout. If you don't wish to do cardio and weight lifitng the same day, you don't have to.

**Aeryn Sun** · 11-28-2011 03:47 PM

how long have you been using them? Have they helped you any with your weight loss?

I have had access to a personal trainer since 2006. The way my gym works is that the instructors for the classes are the personal trainers as well. When you sign up, they go over your current work out objectives and check in every few months if/when you want to change your goals. I haven't had to have an 'official' check in since the first year, but I talk with them weekly.

There are four desks spread out through my gym, that they sit at through the day for reference while you are working out. I have never been overweight, but they do keep me in line with maintaining correct form and maintaining my results.
When I started, I talked to the nutritionist at the time, and I went over the details of the Zone Diet. Everything checked out, and I stuck with that for a long time. I slack off on it a bit, but I am still maintaining a balanced/nutrient/calorie observance when I do eat. My husband was told he had high blood pressure and high cholesterol last year, and I did another overhaul of the diet. He didn't want the medication, so he requested a dietitian who worked with us to help him understand what he eats, and where it goes and how it was negatively affecting his body. Within about 3 months of a new work out routine, and structured diet, he got off the medication. I would say that for both of us, yes having a dietitian and structured monitored work out routine has helped us.

**Cyndie32** · 11-29-2011 07:39 AM

yea. lets rock challenge V. i am starting at 136lbs. measurements 39-33-36. i was sooooo sick yesterday. what i ate i did not digest. so i will not explain more. i am back at work today. feeling somewhat better. had half an apple this morning and i have kept it down. so thats a good sign. got the chills and a baaaddddd headache tho. gonna go get me another glass of water.

omg gibson, i am sooo happy for you. you got great results. slow and steady is the way to go. keep it up girl! we are gonna work it hard this month!!!!

**gibson8026** · 11-29-2011 08:34 AM

thanks Cyndie i'm excited that i did that well

I hope your bug doesn't last long, Feel better, nothing worse than a cold/flu.

**Cyndie32** · 11-29-2011 02:51 PM

i had a good day today. walked for an hour and 40 minutes. gonna go home and make firecracker casserole for dinner and do some muscle building. my back has been killing me. don't know if its the tail end of this flu or cold i got or what but wow is my body sore. feeling a little better this afternoon. thanks for the get well wish gibs! will chat at ya all later. hope you have an awsome evening.