Autumn Leaves November '11 Challenge

One day til we begin! I've just completed my first challenge here on MFP, Costume Changers. It was started by Elana, and I thank her for all the encouraging words. Good job! I based some of the Autumn Leaves ideas on her challenge. It's the first time I've ever done anything like it and it was definitely worth it! I was able to achieve the mileage part of the challenge. We were to try for 100 miles and I made it to 101.69. The weight loss goal was to lose 5%. I didn't quite make that, but the fact that I didn't quit is my victory. It's not about the number so much as just keeping going. I started at 241.8 lbs and ended today 235.6 lbs. I had a loss of 6.2 lbs, in six weeks. I celebrate that! To have gotten to goal, 229 lbs, I admit would have been nice, but I'm still feeling good about what I did do. I've been too hard on myself in the past and I'm starting to absorb the fact that it's really about consistency, keeping going, pushing, trying, struggling, enduring. I am trying to embrace these thoughts. This past challenge helped me do that. That's a victory. Now, I'm excited for all of us to start a fresh tomorrow.

How will y'all be getting in your strength training? At home? A gym? Videos? I'd love to hear. I'll be doing a combination of a local community college gym, (joining tomorrow), and some work on my TRX....which I am committed to figuring out!

I'm just learning the advantages of "High Intensity Interval Training"....and am beginning to incorporate this concept into my exercise. If I understand it correctly, you just mix up your cardio with low interval and fast intervals to help boost your metabolism. So, for me I can get it one of two ways. My recumbent bike in my garage is one great tool. I've had that old Schwinn bike for over 10 years and its still going strong. The other is by using my iPhone app for a C25K walk/run.

On the recumbent, I warm up for 5 minutes, then push super fast for a minute, slow down for a minute, then go super fast again....It's not nearly as hard as it sounds and from what I'm hearing it's supposed to help rev up your metabolism. I do 30 minutes total with a cooldown at the end of 5 minutes of slower pedalling. It's kind of fun pretending I'm speeding down some trail like a mad woman!

The idea of C25K is very similar...especially the "Week 1" routine. Warmup by walking for 5 minutes, run/jog for 1 minutes, walk for 1.5 minutes, then alternate runs with walks til you get through 8 runs total then cool down with a 5 minute walk. The app on my phone tells you when to run and when to walk...in her very proper British voice!

Anyhoo, I'm so jazzed that we now have 33 team members! Power to the people and yer muscles! I love that you're starting to use colors to define your row too!

Tomorrow, here we come!!!!!

If anyone would like a copy of the background leaves photo I used, feel free to message me with your email address. I'll send you an email with the pic. It was taken a few years ago when I was staying with friends on Long Island. It was Fall and it was beautiful. I'd walk from their home to the train station at Copaigue to ride into the city for rehearsals. I remember walking home one day after rehearsing and seeing this tree just full of color. The pic has lots of detail, thank you mother nature! I've put it on my desktop for this month so I see it everytime I open up my laptop. It'll be inspiring me every day of this challenge.

I'd be glad to share!

okay ?? I don't have a mac. How do I do the check mark for Microsoft base??

You could try using a slash instead, like a hash mark ///

Tomorrow is "do day"....let's do it!

My friend and I went to a State Park today and took a nice long hike along a rather hilly trail. I was so proud of our dog...we let her off leash and she did great. She'd run ahead a little bit, then turn around and wait for us til we got to her, then she'd run on ahead again....our little trail dog! We got in a coupla really good miles with a nice variation in the terrain to make those legs work!

My plan tomorrow is to go join that gym so I can start the strength training. If it's affordable, I might look into a training session or two. Maybe if they're students they'll be a little less expensive? I'm thinking a brushup on form and technique couldn't hurt.

Welcome to our newest team members. We've got 36 now! Everyone be sure to weigh in tomorrow! Thank you all for joining in. Here we go!

Grrr....was up and at the gym by 5 am, and the morning person no-showed. Waited around for 20 min and came home. Unfortunately I don't have a scale at home yet, so will use my last weigh in from Sunday as my start. Plus, I'm getting 3 wisdom teeth out after work today, so may not feel up to going to the gym tonight or tomorrow morning. What a horrible way to start this challenge. I can still get in at least 3 days before next Tuesday though!!

Hope you all are having a better day one!!!

I'm growling with you! 5am and that person didn't show up? Grrrrrrr! I know the next few days are going to be an extra challenge for you, but it will eventually pass. Remember, this is all about consistency and getting back up and going again if you have to take a day or so for other reasons. Heal well and quickly and don't push any harder than you feel is right while you're recovering.

Thinking of you! And thinking you're one tough girl for even being up at 5am!

I'm in!!!!

Excellent! Here we go!