lol u were right carla it makes a great coat rack! esp. when u fold it up and put it against the wall!

Day 7 of crunches complete, I did 10.
Running will have to be later, I'm still hoping we can go to the mountains... it's rather cold, wet and cloudy, so it'll be FREEZING there (just like it was last weekend, when I had to drive in very dense fog as well). The fact that I don't have proper shoes and only have semi-proper clothes doesn't help.

Carla, it's not about whether I'm afraid of the rain - just don't have the proper clothes, and can't buy them at the moment (need to get new running shoes anyway, the old ones are falling apart, and prices here are really high! I really don't feel like spending $100 on a pair of shoes, especially since the ones I have right now cost $20, and I've been very happy with them...). And I need a tennis racket of my own, or else no hope of progress with my tennis. The great thing is that it'll never get cold here - or at least not for many months to come!

Fishwoman- You are very brave to consider a no caffeine challenge! I will not give up my coffee!!!!

Caffeine is a good thing!!!!!! I'm with you coffee is something I refuse to make a bad guy. I hear that folks who drink coffee are happier. Okay, I admit I do not remember where I heard this but Ii's true really, really!!

Day 2 water challenge complete

Yeah Red!!!! Sometimes persistance pays off!!!
I'm proud of you!!!!

My last successful challenge involved a caffine redux, I had been up to 4 mugs a day and I felt it was a bit excessive. So I started drinking less and sneaking in decaf beans, down to half-caff. At little head achy at the beginning, but it worked! Now I'm back down to 2 mugs. Usually. I don't think I NEED the caffine all that much, I'm just into the comfort of a warm cup, and I'm not really into tea unless I'm sick...

Hi!
At my perfect weight, I run about a size 8 and am 5'2" so at 169 pounds (earlier this week, now at 165, whew!) I look pretty "full figured". I hate this look and want to get back to where I ought to be!
Today is day 3 and I am on track, I'm proud of myself.
I hope you are ok Marble. Sounds like you had some serious trouble!
By the way, I think I have a torn rotator cuff and just keep refusing to admit I have a proble and am avoiding the doctor's office!
Linda

Hello everyone, I am CBETA.
After reading several threads I think I am ready to join in the challenge.
But first let me use this paragraph to introduce myself to those who have not seen my post in the Rush to 199.

I am almost 28 year old (turning this month) and currently single. During normal week I work fulltime, and often can stay at work way past the hours, as I simply don't want to be home alone. Yet, even when I am at home, I am mostly reclining or laying down with my laptop. I do not own a tv and that's a consious choice to avoid sitting in front of it, but over the last few months I noticed that I have hard time letting go of my computer.
I am a very social person and I'd hate to spend my life alone, I love life and it is a waste of time how I spend it now. For years I've said I need to change, and I had other attempts, one of them quite sucessful, but even then I managed to destroy my efforts. In two years I will be 30, I am scared. Looking at a big picture it is important for me to be loved and be with someone. So the answer is yes I need to make a change.
Furthermore over the last 4.5 years I've had multiple injuries: I broke my left ancle and torn liagements in the left knee very badly in 2001, this year in August I fractured my right foot, and just yesterday I slipped and fell again bruising and may be fracturing my left foot. My legs cannot carry my body weight, I need to do something fast.
Currently my weight is 271 pounds.
My ideal weight is around 140 pounds or slightly below it.

=========OK so it goes for the challenges=========

My 1st step as I understand is to loose the 30 pounds that I gained back. I think it is a doable goal by end of January.
The 2nd step I think I'd like to make is be uder 200 pounds. And knowing that it will take a lot of work I am willing to allocate until June 1st, 2006 (i.e. a few days before my sisters graduation and my next visit home)

My major problems are:
a. Return to drinking 3 16.9oz bottles of water per day at the minimum. (one in the morning, one during the workout, one after workout)
Challenge A: Level 2

b. Go to the gym for approximate 1.5 hours at least 5 times a week. My plan has been to visit the gym daily, and if I cannot make it it is my free day. On average in 3 weeks I would be in the gym for 16-17 days
Challenge B: Level 2 (i.e. the plan to be at the gym no less than 16 days, no pause days in this one, as they are already calculated in)

c. No food after 7pm. That includes no food when visited by friends after 9pm (very important, as that made me gain most of that 30pounds)
Challenge C: Level 3

d. Lunch prep by me rather than bought at the cafe at work (important by I will introduce that as last step) in the mean I will try to watch what I choose for lunch.
No Challenge for that one for now. I think 3 challenges will occupy me well.
------------

Now allow me to return to my intro, as the second important message in here is that I am glad to be here and I look forward to working with you.

p.s. I live in San Jose and if anyone is local I'd love to meet and/or perhaps workout and support each other.

Hello CBETA! You sure have a lot of challenges and I wish you the best of luck. We're here to support you and I really hope you can reach your goals. Thanks for the intro! Actually, only your A and C challenges fit this plan, as you have to do something EVERY DAY for 21 days. That said, it's fine to do something else and come in here for support, but in order to maintain the structure of the thread and keep it clear and simple, please count with us for something every day. You can do that with your water and not eating after 7 p.m. Like I said, though, and I don't want to discourage you at all!! many of us, including myself, are doing other things in addition to our actual 21-day challenge, but do state your days or whether you're having to restart or not (meaning...back to Day 1!!) We do it a lot!


CBETA, don't be scared. You can make the changes you want to. Just take it slow and easy. Don't panic. Have you seen some of the success stories in the success forum? They are so inspiring!

I hope to see lots of you here and I hope you'll lend your suppport to others. We are a talkative bunch. I am here to keep people in line, especially some of our more "wayward" ones such as carla.... and I go through ups and downs and people have always stuck with me. We'll do the same for you!!

Apple, thanks for your congratulations. Your being "proud" made me feel great and I mean that sincerely!

Thank you.
So I am ready. My first day will be Tomorrow, I will report how I do.
If anyone else is up for joining me in "no food after 7pm", let me know....
CBETA

Hi, Im sarah. I think im going to do a 21 day challenge starting monday. Im going to make it a level 3 because it will be pretty hard for me. Im going to make my lunch every day. Its hard for me to wake up in the morning, i barely have time to grab something out of the fridge so most of the time i just buy something. But i want to start making it the night before and have a good lunch and maybe even a breakfast! that would be a 6 challenge hehe. I have not started a diet yet or anything but i will. i just ordered the 6 week body makeover so please no one talk bad about it or it will just make me think its just like everything else and wont work anyway so why try it. But im going to try to try it because i hear its very strict and guided. and i need guided. Anyway. Thanks for letting me type a bunch
-Sarah

Hi cbeta. I would love to join you in the no food after 7pm although i will have to make it 9pm because i get off work at 7pm so i guess 9 pm is okay right? im a bad night eater just because i get so bored.

Wow, nice to see some new faces again. At this rate we will be a very long thread and Red will use up one page admonishing, encouraging and pointing out the error of our (read Carla) ways.

Got my abs/crunches done at the gym this morning during the body balance class. New Instructor, more sadistic. Actually I didn't really enjoy the class that much but hey, you have to take the rough with the smooth and that one was rough. I hope they even it out a bit before the next time it is delivered. I found it hard to follow and didn't flow. But then the sweat was flowing so maybe it took me out of the comfort zone and that's always a good thing.

I had to spend at least two hours at the gym this morning since I put the 'crittur' bombs around the house and you can't go back in for at least two hours. When I got back the dying bodies were coming out of the cracks and fissures and now I have to sweep them all up. Such fun, but has to be done or the 'critturs' would run the world downunder.

More gym tomorrow and then out to a 'Belated Bierfest Barbeque' and no I won't be drinking the beer. I'm a complete clutz when it comes to beer and the only time I will ever touch it is on a stinking hot afternoon after a day in the garden, the beer has to be nearly at the slush puppy stage and then I might have one. Beer has been known to go off in my fridge!!!

So on to the Christmas letter and then post all the cards and letters overseas and locally. My NZ niece has beaten the lot of us - but then she was always organised - and I got her card yesterday. I wonder if life will ever get quiet and tame and I can rock in my chair on the verandah and knit!!! - Nah, no one to knit for anymore.

Haera Ra