NO-vember Challenge: Making The Grades

As November comes to an end, it is time to take stock and see how everyone did with the NO-vember Challenge.  The rules were simple, we were to exercise, eat a nutritious diet, get plenty of rest, set a fitness goal as well as a reward, indulge only on occasion and get rid of negativity.  Of course there were exceptions to the rules, there had to be, mastering self-control in one month isn’t an easy thing to do (unless of course you are D).

As corny as it sounds, I live by “everything in moderation”, so fitness aspect aside, this challenge was not an easy one for me…I am weak, I admit it.  I can say no to dessert but not to Lays barbeque  chips.  I may not have gone to Starbucks very often, but when I did I was overcome by eggnog lattes.  I was even somewhat forced to go to Starbucks on Sunday after a rainy morning on the track, and when the person next to me ordered a steamed eggnog, I caved under the pressure, making it three for the weekend. Grade: FAIL.

I have to say that I have ‘rested’ more this month than I have in quite a long time (Grade: PASS), training will do that to you, as well as getting rid of negative energy, people and of course the leopards in your life.  Really who needs them anyway and perhaps they should just worry about themselves, or find a hobby.  I wouldn’t say that I completely cleaned house this month, but I was able to let go and/or move on from a few situations, and hey, I even extended a couple of olive branches.  Nobody is going to put Baby in a corner again.  Grade: PASS

Weekend wine only…I did add the desperate times clause, but any wine that was consumed this month out of the weekend criterion, was not consumed out of desperation, but out of pure enjoyment.  I go back to everything in moderation, and the definition of weekend is open for interpretation.  Grade: DEBATEABLE.

I have been making a concerted effort for the last few months to cook more from scratch.  It really is shocking to see what unpronounceable ingredients as well as the outrageous amounts of sodium that go into short cut and processed products.  Although it says it is organic, I cut out my stand by chili seasoning package and used chili powder instead, duh.  And there is nothing like the flavor of butter, shallots and garlic simmering in vodka (vodka cream sauce) to impress your weekend dinner guests.  Grade: PASS.

The fitness goal was easy and kind of already in the works, it is also serving as my reward and will be addressed in an upcoming post. Grade: PASS.

Four PASSES, one DEBATEABLE, one FAIL…while there are areas that could be improved upon, in accordance with NO-vember, I am choosing to focus on the positives and am giving myself a strong B as my final letter grade as well as giving myself a big hug and a pat on the back, and maybe have a glass of non-weekend wine.

So how did you do with NO-vember?

NO-vember Challenge

Chances are you have had more candy in the last few days than you have had in the entire year and your stomach is gurgling.  Today we embrace NO-vember, a month to take back our health, waistlines, and self-control, the month where we make amends with our indiscretions from Valentine’s Day (because really everything goes to pot after Valentine’s Day) until today.

NO-vember rules:

• Move your ass!  Quit making excuses!  Start now and get ahead of the inevitable holiday weight gain.
• Healthy choices, plenty of fruits, veggies and water, it’s not the jeans that make you look fat, you can only blame so much on poor pocket placement.
• Say “NO” to negative people, energy and leopards, you know they will never change their spots.
• Set a fitness goal, register for a race, stay accountable and put your money where your mouth is.
• Weekend wine only (your definition of weekend is open for interpretation).
• Make something from scratch every week that you would normally buy.  Also a great excuse to buy a cute little apron, my crafty friend Lysa recommends Smok’n Hot Designs or you could make one yourself.
• One specialty coffee indulgence per week (I had to add this because eggnog lattes start today at Starbucks).
• Go to bed early, what you do from here is your business but according to WebMD sex relieves stress, boosts immunity, burns calories, improves heart health, self-esteem and intimacy, reduces pain and risk of prostate cancer, strengthens pelvic floor muscles and helps you sleep better!
• It’s a long month, so choose a suitable reward for the end.  Maybe new jeans, the one’s with the great pockets, or a nice pair of riding boots?  Think about all of the money you are going to save by saying NO!

Exceptions to the rules:

• If you leave the country.
• Christmas parties in November.
• Thursday November 24^th – American Thanksgiving.
• Out of town house guests.
• Desperate times.

You in?  We start now.

September Challenge: Week 4, The Final Recap

I bought a ceramic tile in when I was on vacation with my fam in Hawaii a few years ago that sits on my kitchen counter, it reads “If life gives you lemons…make a mai tai!” It kinda summed up the trip and also the final week of my challenge.

• 100 push-ups a day – with only 5 days remaining in the challenge I woke up feeling like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. There was no way I could do a push-up. Short story, I owe the challenge 500 push-ups which will be done as soon as my shoulder is 100%. Will you take an IOU?

• 25 miles/40.2336 km per week – apparently I must run a like a bobble-head because my I wasn’t able to run either All was however not lost, because I broke my mileage goal before my shoulder issue started. Total mileage for the month 106.22 miles (170.95km)!

• Weight Room Certification – done and in the mail!  Thanks Christine for being such a fantastic evaluator and Soraiya for not being too difficult of a “client”

September Challenge: Week 3 Recap

Well, my game face is on and I finally feel like I have made some real headway this week.

• 25 miles/40.2336 km per week – this week was a crazy week, with a very limited amount of time to run over the weekend, I got up early for not just one but two 7am runs. I am not a roll out of bed and into my running gear kinda girl either. I don’t leave the house until all systems are a go, so I am giving myself a big pat on the back for getting up at 6am BOTH days of the weekend, and they were rainy days to boot.  Weekly mileage was 28.76 miles/46.29km, bringing my total mileage for the month to 93.65 miles, I’m so close I can taste it!

• 100 push-ups a day – although they are getting easier to do (I am up to 50 consecutive now) I don’t know why I wait until 9 0′clock every night to do them. I was pleased to find out that I have had a few takers on the challenge, welcome Kimberley and Soraiya…of course Soraiya is doing them from her toes.

• Big progress on my Weight Room Certification this week.  My 12 page exam is complete and has been delivered for marking, three of my five training plans are complete, my evaluation date has been scheduled and little miss push ups from her toes has agreed to be my “client” for my evaluation.

One more week to go!

September Challenge: Week 2 Recap

It’s recap time! Two weeks down and two to go…

• 25 miles/40.2336 km per week  – easy peasy!  The sun was out and knowing that week 3 would be a busy one I decided to take full advantage of it logging a few extra miles.  Weekly mileage was 33.26 miles/53.53km.  Bringing my total to 64.88 miles.

• 100 push-ups a day – I thought on day 10 and 11 that this might become a family affair.  I guess it sort of has, they sure like to remind me to get them done.  I dedicated day 12’s push-ups to Adam Levine and hope that he noticed the gun show coming from row 9 during the Maroon 5 concert. Day 13 almost didn’t happen, but the thought of doing 200 on day 14 was enough for me to suck it up and get ‘er done.

• I finally made some good progress with my Weight Room Certification.  There is still plenty to do, and the clock is tick, tick, ticking.

September Challenge: Week 1 Recap

With Week 1 of my September challenge completed, it’s time for my first recap:

• 25 miles/40.2336 km per week – Check!  According to Garmin (with one minor adjustment, Garmin said that the Grouse Grind was only 1.45km and that I was only moving for 26 minutes, I called bullshit and made the necessary changes) I ran/hiked 31.615miles/50.88km.  Only 68.38 miles to go!

• 100 push-ups a day – Check, although it was pretty touch and go for the first few days.  Day 1 had to be the hardest; I struggled to do 25 in a row with good form and it took me the full day to complete the entire 100.  I saved my final 20 for Nadine’s ball class (which will be an upcoming post) and ended up doing 102 for the day, but I was told in no uncertain terms that I could not carry the extras forward towards day 2.  I could hardly move my arms on day 2 and day 3 but soldiered on. Day 4 was unmemorable but I can assure you that my 100 were completed.   Day 5, I completely forgot to do my push-ups until 10 o’clock at night and was told again, in no uncertain terms, that I could not do 200 instead on day 6, so I spent the first segment of RHNY on my bedroom floor getting ‘er done.  Day 6 and 7, I was back in the Studio, and really enjoyed completing my daily challenge with my clients!

• As of day 7, I had not made any progress on my Weight Room Certification, what can I say…I was busy running and doing push-ups.

September Challenge

And just like that it is September when all that I really wanted was another August. Back to work, school, making lunches and some semblance of routine. Although I still have another few sacred days of vacation left, I thought that it was time to make some ambitious September goals.

I like the number 100. It’s kind of a whole number, especially when you are thinking about money.  I remember as a kid saving my allowance, birthday money and whatever change I could scrounge up and taking it to the bank and exchanging it for a cool and crisp $100 bill so that I could take it to the mall and go shopping with it.  Kind of funny now as it would be tough to find a store that would even accept a $100 bill!

The 100 push-up challenge has been on my radar for a few months now and today became one of my September goals. Meh, who can’t do 100 push-ups in a month you say?  Ah, but the challenge is that you have to do 100 push-ups everyday!

As I found out very quickly after 2 weeks of vacation, a trip to the PNE that included a whale tail, and several visits with Stella, Kim and Karl, 100 push-ups in one go just ain’t going to happen.  So I have decided that they can be done over the course of the day,  and I don’t discriminate, they can be done from the toes or the knees, with or without props, Pilates or regular style, with the goal to complete the 100 in succession on September 30^th (so far I have completed 55 of my 100 for the day, not sure if I will be able to move my arms tomorrow).

I would also like to run 100 miles, wait, wait, wait, over the course of the month.  I know that there are some who run 100 weekly miles and some who can run 100 miles in a day, I say “Goooooood for you”!  It will be 100 miles for the month of September for me thank you very much.  Doing the math, 25 miles/40.2336 km per week, plus 2 buffer days just in case.

Nothing to do with 100, but I also have one last challenge to take on and it is sitting on my desk beside me.  I have been putting it off for the last 11 months, doing a little here and a little there over the summer, but as my October 3^rd drop dead deadline rapidly approaches it is time once and for all to finish my Weight Room Instructor Certification.  No wow factor there, but what a relief to have finished it, even if it took me the full allowable time to complete it.

So there are my goals, what are yours?

Surprise!

Last night we welcomed Mary Ann home from the Biggest Loser Ranch with a little surprise party…

Mary Ann looks FABULOUS. She was so full of life and energy, I don’t think that she stopped smiling all night. Her stories were fantastic as were the appies she brought (she thought she was having dinner with her daughters).

Thanks Shannon for having us all over, again in two weeks?

Mary Ann’s Adventure: Biggest Loser Ranch – Day 13 – Results Are In!

Hi Everyone,

Weigh in Statistics!

• lost 8.8 lbs
• 5 inches on my tummy
• 1.5 on my chest = 6.5 “overall
• 3% Body fat
• 1.5 BMI

Woo Hoo!!
See you all soon!

Mary Ann’s Adventure: Biggest Loser Ranch – Day 12

I bundled up and headed out for a solo walk this morning. The training coordinator gave me a 6-mile course map so I wouldn’t get lost. The wind was howling and it sounded like thousands of coyotes singing in a desert choir. It was eerie and beautiful. It was also nice to be alone. It was good practice for the ‘real life’ when I get home…I plan on walking 5 miles a day, 4 days per week and a longer hike, as per Keri’s instructions, on Sundays.

I hiked up to the Red Mountain Spa (www.redmountainspa.com) and popped in for a little peek at their facility as well as a much-needed glass of water and powder room stop. I was interested to see the difference in resorts. The Biggest Loser Fitness Ridge is a results driven core program with adequate facilities and amazing staff. The Red Mountain Spa is a bit more luxurious and everything is optional. If you tend to be lazy, you could relax all day. If you are adventurous and energetic, you could have a great workout hiking with their guides in Snow Canyon in the morning and in the fitness facilities and pools in the afternoon. You can visit the spa for any number of days, whereas, at Fitness Ridge the programs run from Sunday to Sunday. The least expensive days at Red Mountain are Sunday though Wednesday. It would be perfect for a quick girl’s getaway, especially if you can manage to find one of Allegiant Air’s $58.88 flights out of Bellingham, Washington. Woo Hoo!

I took two back-to-back classes of Zumba after lunch. It’s so much fun and a super 90-minute workout. I finished my last class with CARDIO on the Nu Step Machine, a cross between an elliptical and a recumbent bike for 40 minutes plus Stretch. AND It’s Over!

We will complete our program on Saturday with a 2-hour hike in West Canyon or Cardio Blast. I chose the hike as it does not entail too much uphill and we all walk at our own pace. I am hoping to complete trail to the 4 mile mark and back = 8 miles. We’ll finish the day with dinner and our Graduation party where we will view another video of our week’s work.

This experience has been one of the best things I have ever done for myself and I would encourage everyone who has weight or fitness issues to come. It has been a life changing two weeks that I will cherish. The Biggest Loser, Fitness Ridge has been a safe place to regain self-esteem, self-confidence and newfound strength in every form. I have had the privilege of meeting and working with amazing, strong women from all over North America.

Oh yes, last but not least…. drum roll please …the big weigh-in is on Sunday Morning at 7:45 AM. I’ll keep you posted of this last little tidbit of personal news.

Thank you, everyone, for all your support and encouragement over the past two weeks. It has made a rather painful physical and emotional journey so much easier.

Cheers,

Mary Ann

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