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2012 Summer TypeC Health and Exercise Challenge

MacGuffin

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Hello! I hope Zoom doesn't mind the copypasta from the last Exercise Challenge thread.

For those new to this, the idea of this thread is to offer encouragement and incentive to exercise. Plus, it is May! That means bikini season is almost here! (Why yes, I do wear a Speedo, why do you ask?)

There is a contest portion that starts on Tuesday, May 1st, and will go until only one person remains or we make it 6 months.

Now I know you're saying, "Dammit MacGuffin! That's today!" I know, I was slack in getting this started early, so you have a free pass this week. This week I want you to state your exercise goals in this thread, and get ready to start in earnest next week.

{SUBJECT TO MOD APPROVAL}: Any user participating in the exercise challenge portion will get to have green usernames for the duration of their involvement, which shall change back to the normal color if the participant falls out of or leaves the contest for any reason.

You don't have to partake of the contest portion - feel free to join in just for fun at any time!

Finally, the rules. The spirit of the law is preferred vs. the letter, but we do need something.

Rules for the 6 Month/Last Man Standing Contest

1. The contest runs May 1st, 2012 to October 31, 2012 (Halloween!), or until there is only 1 remaining participant.

2. Share your exercise goals with us before the contest begins in this thread, and:
  • Have a goal(s) that is both reasonable and challenging to you on some level.

3. Report your exercising one of two ways:
  • At the end of the week, post what you did for the week in this thread. Each week begins on Monday, so please submit by Wednesday at the latest.
  • To avoid cluttering up the thread, I suggest making a thread of your own in this subforum, and once a week posting a link to your new post outlining all that you did that week.
  • For example, in your thread after exercising, make a quick post stating what you did: "I just used the treadmill for 30 minutes." Then at the end of the week sum up what you did and any cheat days you used.
  • Will I be keeping a checklist of who has done what? Probably not! I'm no J, you all are on the honor system.

4. As mentioned previously, there will be a prize, or prizes, but not one worth cheating for*.

5. There will be allowance for vacations, injuries, etc, where exercise is not possible. Prior notification for vacations and notification of injuries and sickness, with a speedy return to the program will be fine.

6. Each person will have 13 cheat days. You lose a cheat based on the number of days you are short of your weekly goals. Example: if your goal is 4 days of cardio per week, and you only exercise twice, you lose 2 cheat days. If a cheat day is used, please make a note of it in the thread. Please try to do at least 3-4 days of exercise, 1 day a week isn't in alignment with this contest.

7. Changing exercise goals is allowed, assuming it consists of exercise. Just post the modifications here.

Participation Option: This is for those who wish to join late or are unable to stick with the stricter schedule but find the thread to be motivating. All who take part in this thread (contestants or not) will have green usernames, it is simply a distinction of whether one is a member of the competition or not. Disqualifying oneself for the prize doesn't mean you can't participate. Please do make a specific note when you post your goals if ye do not wish to be a part of the competition.

Additional information in regards to healthy foodstuffs and any discussions regarding such can be found in the Exercise Challenge: Healthy Eating & Recipes thread.

Please feel free to offer suggestions, questions, or comments.

Also, please note that this OP will be modified if/when needed updates and alterations become apparent.

*The prize will most likely involve the adoration of all, as we didn't give out a prize the last time either.
 
A

Anew Leaf

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I shall join in!

Exercise goals: 3-4x/week with 2-3 days of weights and 1 day of cardio

Future Issues:
Business trip/vacation: June 18-June 28
Business Event of Death: August 3-19 (will probably be lucky if I can get 2x/week during this hellish event)
 

prplchknz

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I'm sort of interested, but not really motivated. I need to lose 10lbs and get in shape, but i like being a fatass.
 

Aquarelle

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I want to participate for the motivation, but not for the contest. I will think on my exercise goals and edit this post later.


Okay, we're having problems with our gym right now and trying to figure out what to do about that, so I am not going to put anything about the gym. But luckily it's nice weather season, so I can do more stuff outside. Here are my goals:

-Track diet at least 5 days a week using Calorie Count, obviously trying to stay within my allotted calorie range, but mainly trying to make sure I get enough of all the things I need, and not too much of the ones I don't.
-Go running 2x per week
-Take a long (at least 45 minutes) walk 2x per week
-Do what muscle-building work I can at home 3x per week
 
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violaine

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*placeholder for decision* I'm thinking about it. :rly???: I want to but I have to make a trip for work almost immediately. And then another pretty quickly on the heels of that.
 

Usehername

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Joining!

Goal: show up to the gym 3-4 days per week
Run for 1 mile and do some sort of weight training OR Use the rowing machine and do 500k x1, rest, 400x1, rest, 300x1, rest, 200x1, rest, 100x1

Also: drink a lot of water. Lots and lots of water. I keep waking up with headaches because it's so hot and I'm not in the swing of hydrating yet.
 

Xenon

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Agh. I've just started seriously looking at gyms to join in my area. I think I'll participate, but I'm not sure in what form, or when I'll seriously start. I'll think it over.
 
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violaine

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May is going to be a mess for me. I will do a healthy eating challenge instead and I may join the exercise challenge in June. I won't be in the comp but as motivation I will still track my goals alongside the comp participants.

Now to decide the parameters of my diet. I'm thinking of giving up sugary chocolate. I don't even really enjoy it but I nibble on it because it's there. Maybe dairy too as I am horribly intolerant and it makes me feel yucky. I would like to include more raw foods and drink much more water than I do. I'll refine these goals in a day or two.
 

Udog

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What a pleasant surprise. I'm in.

First month goals:
1. Exercise 4x a week. This will be easy, since I'll be playing tennis 3-4x a week.
2. Keep a food journal. I'm using a pocket-sized moleskine notepad. (These: http://www.moleskineus.com/cahier-pocket-ruled.html)

The food journal will be the basis for me to analyze and improve my diet. I'm starting off modestly, and will be increasing the difficulty of the challenge as we go along.

Fun fact: The Exercise Thread Proprietors actually gave out a prize the first time for the 7 or so people that made it. I think that green user names is a pretty good alternative "prize" though for those that stick to it.
 

MacGuffin

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May is going to be a mess for me. I will do a healthy eating challenge instead and I may join the exercise challenge in June. I won't be in the comp but as motivation I will still track my goals alongside the comp participants.

Now to decide the parameters of my diet. I'm thinking of giving up sugary chocolate. I don't even really enjoy it but I nibble on it because it's there. Maybe dairy too as I am horribly intolerant and it makes me feel yucky. I would like to include more raw foods and drink much more water than I do. I'll refine these goals in a day or two.

You can always alter it, it's not like you have to stick to the same thing all the way thru to the end. Like say, "For the month of May, due to travel, I'm just going to do cardio 1 day a week and stretch the other 6 days" or something like that, then start a more intense workout in June.
 

kyuuei

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I'm sort of interested, but not really motivated. I need to lose 10lbs and get in shape, but i like being a fatass.

:laugh: For me, I'm trying to do looser goals that will allow for wiggle room (the army doesn't always give you much food choices.. sticking to a strict diet is nearly impossible) and exercise goals are changing as my environment changes. (Like in the summer I'll start climatizing for Desert Survival school and up the cardio and endurance, and focus less on weights.. but until then, weight training and building muscles are key for me.) So maybe goals like "I'm going to eat 5 servings of veggies and 2 fruits a day" would work? Or even something as simple as "I plan to eat a bowl of oatmeal everyday sometime for a healthy snack."

You can always alter it, it's not like you have to stick to the same thing all the way thru to the end. Like say, "For the month of May, due to travel, I'm just going to do cardio 1 day a week and stretch the other 6 days" or something like that, then start a more intense workout in June.

:yes: Good, in this case, I am in!

My goals for May and June:
- Become more limber and do physical therapy on my joints (particularly my hips)
- Build muscle
- Pick healthier options (salads, lower carbs/processed foods, more raw foods, healthy fats) as the chow hall permits. At least half of my meal should be paleo-inspired
- Consume around 1,500 calories a day of actual food (not counting gatorades, drinks, etc.)
- Strive for consuming food more regularly everyday (supplementing later meals with snacks until the meal comes so my body is expecting food at certain times)

I'll probably just take some before/after pics for the muscle building, and ensure that I do some form of physical activity a day and make time to stretch out afterwards (something I am bad at doing right now..) and annotate that I did indeed stretch.
Look up some work out routines I can stick to and take those with me to Uganda.
I'll try to make a food diary of what I eat. Im bad with regiments like this, but I'll give sample meals and claim my 'bad' choices.
(In Uganda, it will be easy. Breakfast: whatever the hotel serves, hopefully oatmeal.. Lunch: A few pieces of dried fruit, a protein shake, and maybe a bowl of rice, some soup, or a kabob of meat from the local market) and dinner: whatever the hotel feeds us again. Mandatory "Screw up your metabolism and eat what you want" days will change, but they'll stick to being once a week. I find if my food is TOO regimented my body adjusts to it REALLY fast, and then when the army's scenery (and food) changes I get sick feeling.
 
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violaine

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You can always alter it, it's not like you have to stick to the same thing all the way thru to the end. Like say, "For the month of May, due to travel, I'm just going to do cardio 1 day a week and stretch the other 6 days" or something like that, then start a more intense workout in June.

Hmm, I just felt like that would be cheater-ish. I am planning to do a ridiculous amount of walking while I'm away, so I'll make that my thing for May/June. I guess I'm in! Thanks for the advice.
 

Randomnity

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Does it have to be exercise, or can we extend it to other health-related goals?

I don't really want to up my exercise level, but I still want to join! Even though I failed miserably last time. :dry:

Don't care about the prize, though, unless it involves adoration.
 

MacGuffin

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Does it have to be exercise, or can we extend it to other health-related goals?

I don't really want to up my exercise level, but I still want to join! Even though I failed miserably last time. :dry:

Don't care about the prize, though, unless it involves adoration.

No need to increase anything, just commit to what you're already doing for the next half-year.
 

DiscoBiscuit

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I've kinda already been doing it, but I'm in.

I had been running 4 or 5 times a week, but the impact was too much for my body strangely.

I've switched to biking, and I can get a much better workout that way.

I've no need to build muscle, so my goals are pretty much limited to losing some weight, and building up cardio.

The ultimate goal is to get back to MMA.

As of right now I'm riding 10 miles a day, but that is liable to change, as crazy schedule stuff comes up.

My commitment will be, at least a 10 mile ride 5 times a week.

I've also been eating better. Incorporating more fruits and veg, and more lean meat.

I was 232lbs this morning. I would like to get back to around 205 before MMA.
 

Randomnity

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No need to increase anything, just commit to what you're already doing for the next half-year.

Bah no point, I plan to exercise this summer only through sports and biking to work, both of which aren't really things that are optional for me (sports teams count on me + too cheap to pay transportation). So that's not a useful goal for me. I'd rather focus on my eating habits (or something else) than try to shove more exercise in. I'll just watch from afar then. :)
 

DiscoBiscuit

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About to go on my bike ride.

I haven't missed a day since I got the bike last Friday.
 

JocktheMotie

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I'll do this, however next week I'm on a business trip followed by a vacation so I'm taking that week off. DEAL WITH IT.

Goals:
Exercise 4x a week minimum, maybe 5.
Cook a meal every day.
Gain weight.
Increase Bench, Deadlift, and Squat weight maxes so their cumulative weight is 1000 lbs or more. Right now I'm at 265, 305, 355 respectively.
 
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violaine

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Oh, I went for a two hour walk yesterday. I'll start a fitness blog soon, just wanted to confirm that I've started.
 
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