The Challenge 2012…

I am a competitive person.  I need a little friendly competition to motivate myself.  I do not run if I am not training for a race and I usually eat like a complete mess.  I am busy.  My life is busy.  I know, excuses, excuses.

However, back in December our Educator’s Health Alliance was promoting healthy living with its month long challenge...Flab on Fire.  This meant tracking the days I exercised for 30 minutes or more.  The reward, a chance to win a Visa gift card if you are compliant for at least 20 days in December.  The chance to win a Visa gift card, although slim to none, won my heart over immediately.  Plus, the upcoming holidays usually involve a lot of extra indulging so I thought it might counteract some of those calories.  So, I started setting my alarm for 5:35 a.m. (most people had to pick their jaw up off the ground when they heard this.  If you know me at all you know I am NOT a morning person), getting out of bed and heading to the gym for a little morning news and running.  I decided that I was going to become a morning person.  FYI...I’m still working on the whole becoming a morning person.  Baby steps.  I met my goal, but did not win.  Big shocker, but no regrets.

Then came January.  I kept running, but wanted to do something more.  I came across a little challenge online, but needed someone to do it with.  I sent an e-mail to a few people at school and they were all interested.  So I thought I would include anyone at school that wanted to participate.  A little modification and 24 responses later, we were ready to go.  It’s a 4 week weight loss/be healthy challenge.  You earn points throughout the week for different things such as eating fruits and veggies, drinking water, keeping a food journal, not eating sweets and exercising.  My nemesis...eating 3 servings of veggies.  I don’t mind them, but I don’t love them.  So 3 servings can be a lot. 

It has only been 5 days, but I love how excited everyone is.  On Monday there were cupcakes in the teachers’ lounge.  Normally they are gone by 10 a.m. but on Tuesday afternoon one little cupcake still sat in the container.  Now that is dedication.  Can’t wait for the coming weeks.  There is strength in numbers...and competition.

Now for some Pinspiration:

… 

TGIF...

{The Launes}