Need some help from this group...I am running a weight loss challenge with some friends. Rather than just the usual challenge of the winner being just the person who has the highest % of weight loss at the end, I have added weekly challenges where everyone can earn additional points. I have made them a mix of physical and non physical. For instance, the first week is to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night and the second week is a squat challenge (5 days of squats - 25 1st day, 30 2nd day, 35 3rd day, 40 4th day and 50 5th day). I am short a physical and non physical challenge. Any ideas? Physical ones have to have an alternate for some people as I have one person who is going to have shoulder surgery so something like push ups would have to an alternate for her. Thanks!

@Janet - You rock girl! That's an amazing accomplishment. It's even more impressive when you consider how cold the first couple days were.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. Yes, we do have people call the pet psychic. Most of the time I just channel the penguins. "Smile and wave boys, just smile and wave."

@sufferlandrian - that is one of them!! So great idea! LOL!

Here is what I have for non physical - (1) get at least 8 hours of sleep every night (2) track all calories for one week (3) drink at least 6 glasses of water a day (4) no meat for 3 days in the week (5) give up one bad habit for a week and the last one will be to tell the group your biggest NSV for the length of the challenge.

Physical challenges (1) squat challenge (2) try a new exercise or one you haven't done for years at least twice in a week (3) desk workout (not sure how much I like this one or what it will entail just yet) (4) burpee challenge or run in place for those who can't burp (5) move at least 20 minutes every day (could be walking or sitting in front of the tv doing curls with a small weight) (6) one minute plank each day or wall sit if you can't plank.

I am not really happy with some of them and would swap them out for better ideas.

TIA *kitten* movers!

@vhuber - TRX is bodyweight exercises with suspension straps (google for pics if you've never seen it) I've been doing that for about 4 years, one of my favorite things to do because there really isn't a limit to what you can do with it and you can make it as hard or as easy as you like, you can go deeper in moves like squats and lunges. I've done yoga on and off since college (got an A in that class). This was the first class so some bugs need to be worked out, but we did a variety of stretches and poses using the straps. An example is downward dog, you normally have hands and feet on the floor with your butt in the air. This time your feet are in the straps. Another is the lizard pose. One leg bent in front of you, with the other straight and behind you while you try to lean to the floor. This time the back leg was in the strap and OMG that was a great stretch, I may have gotten taller! This class is going to be given once a month with the other three weeks being an established yoga with weights class (light ones). I'm looking forward to trying that, since I like doing weights. This instructor likes yoga fusion classes. I've been meaning to do more yoga on a regular basis and this seems like a good way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I find I'm busy concentrating on a pose/sequence of moods and trying to breathe properly and I forget about what's going on outside the door. It's not a calorie burner, but it's a mental boost.

@lisah8969 My gym does a challenge like this, this year's was a grid of boxes and you try to make bingo by doing the tasks. They also incorporate some emotional/spiritual tasks too. Ideas - no alcohol for 24 hours, no refined sugar for 24 hours, write down 10 things you love about yourself (I kept getting stuck at 9), workout with a buddy, meditate for 10 mins, 50 of (they picked three exercises), jump rope for 10 mins, go a week without fast food, shoot a basketball 25 times. (the rest were gym related).

adding 2 miles of walking laps, then running them and the stairs during boot camp. My plantar fasciitis heel is mad at me.

6.5/35 miles

@ Janet: You are amazing! I just signed for the Pittsburgh Challenge to do the 5k and half. I will end up running with my kids too so it will be 4.1 on Sat. And 13.1 on Sunday. I cannot imagine my knees holding up to that many miles. As I said, my Galloway friend ended up crashing on mile 18 because he got sick. The balloon lady came rolling by him.
Jan. 7: Missed recording yesterday because I was on the phone with my pet psychic. So adding 10 miles of cycling because she she said I could. Yikes... what nutty folks.
Jan. 8: Adding 11.5 miles today. shoveled snow after work for an hour for my elderly neighbor. Thankfully my hubby came to the rescue with our tractor and plow blade.
My pup went through round three of chemo today. He did not want to leave because he was eating up all the attention from everyone. I also did a few miles of running along with walking today. Despite a quick 4 inches of snow, we are warming up to the 30’s and will be in the 50’s by the weekend. Isn’t weather so fickle.
TTD:81miles







@Lisa: Here is some things I have done with my kids or staff at school.

Plank Challenge: Start with 30 sec. to a minute and add 15 to 30 sec. per day. (I have my kids see if they can hold a plank through an entire commercial break of television.)
Different plank a day Challenge. Give them seven different planks and hold a different one each day.
Wall Sit Challenge: Sit against a wall for 10 sec. and add 10 sec. a day.
Balance Challenge: Balance on alternating feet or a Bousu ball for a set amount seconds per day or increase by 10 seconds.
Take a one minute walk every hour that you are sitting at work or at home. Set a timer.
Invisible jump rope: Jump rope without a jump rope for so many minutes per day.
Bicycling: Lay on your back and cycle for one minute each day

Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day
No sweets for a week
No munching after 7pm for a week. (I have done this through an entire challenge.)
10 servings of fruits and veggies each day. New studies show that there is a big increase in reduction of disease, increase in life expectancy when upping your intake.
Stress/decompress: Be aware of stressful moments and do deep breathing for 30sec.
Pay 10 people a compliment each day. When we make others feel good, we feel good.
Tell 1 person a day how much you appreciate them.
Eliminate sugary juices and drinks for a week, or no soft drinks including sugar free.
(I have had people do this for a month and they don’t drink it any more.)
No texting for a day or using cell phone for anything but making or answering a call.

1/1- walked 3.44 miles
1/2- walked 4.61 miles
1/3- walked 4.26 miles
1/4- walked 3.59 miles
1/5- walked 1.07 miles
1/6- walked 1.00 miles
1/7- walked 4.14 miles
1/8- walked 4.16 miles
26.27/ 85 total miles

7 Jan 18.33 miles
8 Jan 8.57 miles
9 Jan 4.2 miles

MTD 80.4 miles

@janet congrats
@dean thank you for the work you do with all the animals and putting up with difficult owners