Need motivation? Here's a FUN way to get moving!

bjohs

A couple weeks ago, I just couldn't get my head back in the game after the holidays. I sat in front of my laptop and played around on MFP, Pinterest and Facebook... but telling myself I really needed to get up and start working out again. It just wasn't happening. On a whim, I knew I needed someone to give me a swift kick to get moving again and decided to post the following to my Facebook wall:

"For every person who LIKES my status in the next 15 minutes, I will do 1 minute on the elliptical. You have to click LIKE not comment with the word. There... I said it. I can't take it back now!"

I received 15 LIKES in 15 minutes and knew I had to keep my word. I went downstairs and put in my 15 minutes on the elliptical. The funny thing was that once I got started, I pushed for a few more minutes and ended up doing 23 minutes! I usually do 45-60 minutes but the holidays had made me VERY lazy!

For the past couple of weeks, I have been posting challenges for myself regularly. For every LIKE, I will do 2 push-ups, or 3 crunches, or 1 squat, etc. It's been a really fun way to motivate myself. On those, I posted it in the morning and set a deadline for something like 5PM (CST). Surprisingly, it has also motivated others to do the same and now I have many friends who are posting their own challenges. And their friends are catching on and posting their own challenges. Looks like it might be a new fitness movement! LOL

Because of the interest I received in these challenges, I set up a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/offthecouch. Please feel free to like the page if you want to match the challenges, post your own challenges or just follow along until you are inspired!!! Some of us then come back over to MFP and post the same challenges here or compare workouts. It's been great!!!

http://www.facebook.com/offthecouch

MandaJean83

That is such a cool idea!!! I will definitely like your facebook page!!

Alanakrahenbil

Awesome idea! I think I might have to try that right now!

katiebythebay12

Really good idea.

aerdna88

That's awesome!!

sofy993

I loved the idea ^^
i'll like the page for sure =D

bjohs

There are a few challenges going on today! I decided to match one for 2 push-ups and my friend is already at 50+ LIKES! Looks like I'll be doing over 100 push-ups tonight, yikes!

limismith

I saw something similar to this a couple of days ago and decided to challenge myself to 1 miles walked or ran for each like. Almost have 30 likes!! Walked the first 3 this morning, it will definately keep me moving in the next couple of weeks!!

MichelleKMo

LOVE it! I just 'liked' the page Great idea! and THANKS for motivating us!!!

jlw4newme

This is an awesome idea. I am going to try this just to give me more yo look forward to. Thankuou so much for more motivation. Hope it is going great for you

bjohs

My friends motivated me to do 120 push-ups, 60 bicep curls and 40 straight arm flies tonight. Woohoo!!!

clkuchtyn

What an amazing idea!

bjohs

What an amazing idea!

Thanks! Since I have Taekwondo class tonight, my challenge for myself is to do an extra 20 minutes doing some sort of cardio before class. Having the extra push has really helped keep me accountable!

Alanakrahenbil

I posted on MFP and Facebook and for every like/comment I got I was going to do 2 crunches. I only had to do 76 so I decided to do 200!

bjohs

I posted on MFP and Facebook and for every like/comment I got I was going to do 2 crunches. I only had to do 76 so I decided to do 200!

That's awesome that you pushed yourself harder! I'm doing 200 crunches tonight too! How funny.