My 15/100 Challenge
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Somehow challenging myself helps me accomplish my goals. And as far as challenges go, this one is fairly simple. Lose 15 pounds and be able to complete 100 consecutive pushups by the end of the year. I guess the reasons are more complex than the challenge.
Recently I have lost more than twenty pounds; however, I’ve lost weight before. Yet, each time those lost pounds have managed to find their way back; and sometimes, they even brought some friends along with them to keep them company!
Maintaining a sensible eating regime is difficult, and even more so during this time of year. You know, the season for yummy Halloween candy, delicious turkey dinners, scrumptious Christmas cookies, and the list goes on. One study suggests that during the six week period from Thanksgiving to New Years, many will gain about five pounds of extra flab, accounting for 51% of annual weight gain. Of course, I don’t need to read that study, past experience proves it true for me.
So this year I plan to be proactive. With the start of a new month comes the start of a new program. During the 8 remaining weeks in 2008, my goal is to stick diligently to a 1200 calorie per day diet and run 30 miles a week. If I can lose two pounds each week, I should make my 15 pound goal.
But why 100 pushups? Well, according to this article in the New York Times, “The push-up is the ultimate barometer of fitness.” And while I managed to score in the “good” range on this Washington Post table, I want to improve so I can score in the superior range. That’s where the Hundred Pushup Challenge comes in.
The Hundred Pushup Challenge is a 6-week program designed to help you work up to being able to complete 100 consecutive pushups. So what does my program look like? Here’s the plan:
I admit it looks challenging (hence the name), but I am totally in. Perhaps sharing the plan with the world will help me stick to it. And, in case you’re wondering, I already did my 45 pushups for November 1.
