Fitness Challenge

Summer Ready Health Challenge


There are 6 categories in which you can earn 1 point per day.　　

1. No Soda (even diet!)
2. No Treats: We are being realistic with this since I want this to be something we can really stick to or at least help change some bad habit and not simply do for 8 weeks then give up on.　 It’s not NO SUGAR altogether.　 Honey, Jam, cereal, granola bars (even the kind with chocolate chips) . . .　 are okay types of things.　 By treats we are talking candy, cookies, brownies, baked goods, ice creams　 . . . . the stuff that we all love and tend to overindulge in that really don't offer much (if any) health benefit to our bodies.　　
3. Water Intake: 80 ounces of water a day.　 It’s not just 64 ounces, since that’s what everyone should be getting at the very least . . . since this challenge will also include more exercise . . . we should be drinking MORE water than the average person.　 80 ounces of water a day.　 That is 10 cups.　
4. Fruit & Veggies: 5 servings (1/2 – 1 cup each) a day! :)
5. Spiritual Goal: This challenge is about healthy living and our Spirits are　KEY!!!　 This should be something you can do DAILY . . . and it’s also personal.　 No one else has to know what it is.　 Examples are: daily prayer, scripture study, meditation, act of service, act of patience, whatever you choose for yourself . . . .　 something you can do daily to earn your point.　　
6. Challenge Point: There will be a new challenge every week.　 It’s something you will have to do daily . . .

Week 1:　 Take a multi-vitamin every day
Week 2:　 Floss every night.　 Flossing is a good habit to get into and having healthy gums is important too!!
Week 3:　 Eat a healthy Breakfast every day.　　
Week 4:　 Get 8 hours of sleep each night.　 Most of us have kids and cannot control how often they wake us up.　 But if you know you have to be up at 6am, you need to be in bed by 10pm with the　intention　of 8 hours of sleep.　
Week 5:　 50 push-ups a day.　 You don't have to do them all at once or the exact same type for all 50, but pushups are great for the body!
Week 6:　 Daily food/calorie log.　 This one is hard but eye opening.　 My Fitness Pal is a great app that makes it pretty easy!
Week 7:　 No eating after 8pm.　 A good habit to get in to!
Week 8:　 Complete a 1/2 marathon!!!　 Doesn't have to be all at once, but walk/jog/run/skip 13 miles this last week - to earn your 7 points at the end of the week.　 Hopefully the weather will be nice enough this week to enjoy some time outside for this one!!! We will end our challenge with a BANG!!!

There are 2 more categories:

1. Exercise:　 You get 1 point for every 30 min of exercise.　 The cap for this category is 14 points a week - so you don't get credit for any exercise over 7 hours a week.　 Moderation in all things right?　 So keep a total of what you do each day and add it up at the end of the week.　 It does not have to be consecutive exercise.　 10 min. 3 times a day is as good as 30 min. all at once.　 So on those hard and busy days, break it down and you can still get those points!

2. Weight Loss category:　 Weigh yourself at the end of each week and you will add your weight loss PERCENTAGE to your weekly total points.　 Example.　 I weighed 153 lbs and went down to 151.5.　 My weight loss percentage is .98.　 If you got ALL your other points for the - 56 - you add .98 to your total for your weekly total at 56.98.　　
If you need a weight loss calculator - there is probably an app for that :) - you can use:　　www.fitwatch.com
Go to　www.fitwatch.com　 Find the tab: Calculators and Tools, then go to Weight Loss Tools and Calculators, then Calculate your weight loss percentage.

As you can see weight loss is not really an emphasized part of this challenge.　 If you have weight to lose, then that will be a nice benefit to getting healthier.　 I don't recommend losing more than 1 - 2 lbs a week because anything more is hard to maintain.　 Our goal is to be all around healthier and feel good about ourselves, and scales don't necessarily reflect that all the time.　　

FREE DAY!!!　 We all need a free day to indulge ourselves and have something to look forward to! :)　 You get 1 free day a week - doesn't have to be the same day each week.　 You automatically get all your points for that day.　 The only things that don't come free are the exercise and weight loss points - those must always be earned.　

This competition is a PARTNER competition.　 You pick a partner and your totals for the week will be added together as your partnership competes against the other teams. We are always more accountable to someone else instead of just ourselves and this will make us all be a little stronger.　 Partners can encourage each other - or just have someone to vent to when it’s an extra hard day to be healthy!　 :) 　 If you want to participate and don't have a partner let me know and I can match you up or let you know who else is looking!　

Every Monday you need to email or text me with your point total - and I can send out the standings for the week.　　　 To join the competition it will be $10 person/$20 per team - so once again we have more incentive to really do this and the winners (at least 1st and 2nd place, may be more depending on how many teams participate) will receive the cash prizes!

The challenge will start Monday, April 1st and end on Sunday May 26th.　 Perfect timing before the lazy days of summer!!　 Please respond ASAP - teams and money are due this Sunday March 31st.　 I will send each participant a spreadsheet they can use to track daily points before Monday April 1st.

I am really excited and hope you are too!　　 It is fun doing things with a partner and in groups to stay motivated and have support!!!　 Anyone can participate if you have other friends or family that are interested!　 Let me know if you have any questions!!!　　

Thanks friends!!!