12 October 2009
Shape Up for… Winter?
Starting around March, fitness magazines come out with a bevy of articles all about “looking hot in your bikini” and “shaping up for summer.” But what about us snow bunnies? Can’t we look cute in our… snow pants sweaters? Going beyond the superficial, with the dwindling light and chilly temps, winter can be downright depressing. Seasonal Affective Disorder, anyone? I went to college in Minnesota, where SAD was actually a huge issue. One surefire way to combat it is getting enough physical activity and making sure your nutrition is on point. Lots of white carbs combined with cold darkness can make anyone feel pretty sluggish.
Anyway, I was chatting with my friend Eric, and we decided that we want to take our fitness to the next level this winter. He says he’s reached a sort of stand-still in terms of his weight loss/fitness goals, and I’ve managed to pack on a few pounds this summer from all the eating I’ve been doing for my half marathon training (which I found out is pretty common). So we made a little bet, Biggest Loser style. Who can lose the biggest percentage of weight by December 31st? Keep in mind, we’re doing it in a healthy way (kicking booty in the gym and eating well). And it’s not just endless weight loss… Our goal is to lose between 5-10% of our body weights.
This is where I need to stop and make the point that this challenge is NOT just about weight loss. We’ve both been slacking in our own ways lately, and we want to make sure we don’t slide down the slippery (icy!) slope that winter can become. So we’re taking action. Even if you don’t want or need to lose weight, having the goal of staying fit, healthy, and energized during the cold winter months is a good one.
So on that note, who’s with us? Your goal could be weight loss, or just making sure you get enough exercise to prevent the sudden onset of SAD. For anyone who does want to take part in our weekly weigh-ins, we’re recording our starting weights on Oct. 19th (the day after my half marathon and Eric’s triathlon) and weighing in every Monday after that until the end of December. We made a friendly bet and the winner’s going to get $50 worth of prizes courtesy of the loser (though really, we’ll both be winners, right? Right.).
I thought I’d extend the offer to my lovely readers. If you take part in our Shape Up for Winter challenge, you could win a $50 gift card to a store of your choosing (provided they sell gift cards online).
There are a few ways you can participate:
- Weight Loss: Report your weekly percentage of weight loss to me by doing your first weigh-in on Oct. 19th and then sending me an email each week with the stats, starting on Oct. 26th. I’ll be posting percentages lost here, but I won’t post anyone’s actual weight. In your weekly email, you can also report how you felt that week, and ask any nutrition or fitness questions you might have for me.
- Fitness: If weight loss isn’t your goal, you can report your physical activity progress to me also starting on Oct. 26th. Every Monday (starting on Oct. 19th), you’ll decide your fitness goals for the week and the following Monday, you’ll report to me via email how you did. I’ll be posting fitness progress here as well.
- Nutrition: If you already do well with your fitness but want to make it a goal to eat better, you can do that, too. Similar to the physical activity goal, you can set small weekly goals for yourself (that I can help you determine) and report to me weekly, beginning on Oct. 26th. Goals can be things like eating more fruits/veggies each day, or simply cooking your own dinner a few nights a week instead of going out. It’s really up to you, but I’m here to make sure you stick to it!
You can choose one, two, or all three ways of challenging yourself. The only criteria for being in the running for the $50 is that you email me weekly and show that you’re making progress. Only people who manage to report to me every Monday (regardless of what happened that week) will be entered to win the grand prize. This is a great way to keep us all accountable. A week from today, I’ll remind you guys about the challenge and to do your first weigh-in/create your first set of weekly fitness goals. I’m happy to help you create your weekly goals. I’ll also be posting plenty of workouts, healthy recipes that will warm your body and soul, and other tips for beating the winter doldrums.
Who’s excited?!
