GBKD Fitness Challenge
I challenge you to challenge yourself in the GBDK fitness challenge!
What: A competitive-with-yourself fitness program
When: Labor Day to Halloween (8 weeks)
Why: To be in better shape
Why expanded: When I wore a pedometer in the spring as part of a state employee fitness program, I took more steps, felt better and lost weight. After a summer of riding in a car and eating hash browns, I need something to prompt me back into shape. I will exercise more regardless, but know that I did more (even though we set our own goals and didn't show anybody) because I was part of a program. Being part of a program also made it easier to explain why I was wearing a pedometer (in ten weeks, only one student noticed, who was also part of the program). Anway, I would like some group support and figure some of you might also.
What expanded: The easiest is to do a stepping program. Set daily, weekly, and 8 week minimums (e.g. my spring goal was a minimum of 7,000 steps every day, but a weekly goal of 70,000 steps and a grand total of 560,000 [at least averaging 10,000 a day] [I did not make all of the daily goals, and missed two weeks, but did make the grand total, by quite a ways--- an interesting look at averages and minimums]). I will pass out score sheets/excel files to record them on. At the end of 8 weeks, turn them in and be eligible for great prizes.
If just plain moving more is not your thing, set your own goals and record them. The month of August is so that you can find a pedometer if your are going to and wear it enough to figure out what reasonable goals are. NO BONUS FOR SETTING LOW GOALS AND MEETING THEM or SETTING UNREASONABLY LOFTY GOALS. 10,000 steps/day is a suggested goal from the AHA or someome similar.
Bonus: I will buy your pedometer if you need the external force, but then I will demand results.
Reward: Wonderful prizes in Novemeber. Suggestions? Oh, and, of course, stress relief, lower blood pressure, better lipid profile, better shot at longevity, fun with friends . . .
Takers?
9 comments:
Count me in! I think this is a great idea and would love to participate. Where do you get the pedometer?
I would bet that Target/Walmart/etc. have pedometers. I saw them for sale at the drug store here, I think it was $7 (until then I had thought that the state was doing its employees a big financial service getting them for us). Ours were digital but super-basic (only counted steps, not miles or heart rate or anything) and nothing that you could fiddle with (I guess they used to require calibration) which I thought was great-- one button for re-set was all it had.
Count me in too - just visited the MD who told me to try to exercise more and lose a few pounds. Not what you want to here but this will be easier if I start now.
This sounds like a great idea. I'd also like to take part.
I'd like to participate as well.
I'm happy to participate too! I've fallen off the "going to the gym" bandwagon now that I'm working full time, but what with having a moderately active job, walking to and from the train station, and also walking if I go out for lunch, I'm curious how many steps I take per day.
I so wanted a Nina Tote'n'bag (with Nina Totenberg image!) to be the big prize, but it turns out that they were a hot seller at the NPR shop. http://shop.npr.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10051&storeId=10051&productId=24539&langId=-1
I got my pedometer at REI today. It's a "micro" one, so that I can wear it inconspicuously at work.
I spent some time this evening testing it out. It's very accurate if I'm walking fast and straight, less so if I'm walking at a slow or even moderate pace, or if I'm turning a lot (like if I'm walking around the house, as opposed to down the street).
I figure that just means I can feel good knowing that I did even more walking than the "official" number!
I'd like to do this, as well. Instead of a pedometer, though, can I hike up Pima Canyon twice a week? Maybe I'll look into getting a pedometer, too. I think I'll soon be starting to walk to U of A a couple of times a week or more, too.
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