July Fitness Challenge anyone?

[LillethTheCat]

I have been thinking about doing a 30 day challenge throughout July for a couple of weeks now. I have been running for just over a year now and looking for something to add to it.

I was thinking of doing the squat challenge, but after advice from here I thought about a press up challenge. So after a bit of googling I found another challenge that combines sit ups, press ups and planks.

So does anyone fancy joining me in a challenge? It doesn't have to be the same one.

[Mitchy1nge]

I will definitely join you! If you don't mind! Am doing insanity and month 2 starts in the 2nd week of July but I have plans for recovery week too which I hope to continue with throughout the following thirty days. I do a fair amount of exercise every day but I get distracted or seduced by new activities so my goal is to work consistently.

Ok so Recovery Week = core cardio and balance, Monday to Saturday. Have previewed and think it's still quite a good workout. I have a little Rip60 program to do at the gym, using the TRX thing (suspension thing?) which would like to do three times. It doesn't take long but it's fun and instructor thinks goes well with insanity. And then just for my own sanity I like to run or at least walk jog some evenings so I might pick up the later weeks of a c25k program, like getrunning, they are well paced and might be easier on my elderly joints?

So those are my goals. And I want to eat well so am going to organise the kitchen to make things as easy as possible.

[LillethTheCat]

So it could just be the two of us then.

Tomorrow I get to do 10 sit ups, 5 press ups and 10 secs Plank.

Talking of eating Im also on a mission to make sure I drink enough water as I hardly drink at all. Though I thought I was doing well and found that Im still drinking less than I should. Perhaps there needs to be a water 30 day challenge to help me get into the habit of drinking a lot more.

Good luck tomorrow and onwards.

[Mitchy1nge]

Hope I didn't put anyone off I know I have the insanity thread to help with accountability for that, but it's the general overall fitness (eating, other exercises) that made your thread so appealing!

Refillable 500ml water bottles or just actual bottled water can be a good way of upping/monitoring water intake? Have one absolutely everywhere - car, desk, gym bag, all over the house - and make sure you drink each one? (I don't know how much people are supposed to drink, I take medication that makes me inhumanly thirsty so am always drinking) but the little bottles can't be too intimidating?

My challenge for tomorrow is the insanity recovery week workout, the Rip60 thing in the gym and a 30 min walk/run - the run:walk ratio to be determined when I know how I feel tomorrow evening :)

How often do you run? Do you have a sort of set routine, do you compete, run with a club?

[LillethTheCat]

Maybe no-one else wants to do a challenge? Or maybe I should have posted this in chat so more people would have seen it. Oh well. I might think of doing something else next month and posting that earlier and in chat to get a few more people going. maybe no one likes me

I have a big drinks bottle that is kept in the fridge with some juice in (Im not a fan of water), its only a small amount of juice just to give the water some flavour. I was thinking one of those a day, but oh no I think I need 4 which seems a lot to me. Today though because Ive been at work Ive managed to drink a full 750cl bottle water and some juice too. Have some more water for tonight (I go on a course on a Mon night so will take the water there) I will bring it up enough.

I did my sit ups, press ups and plank this morning. The sit ups were easy, the other 2 not so much so. I didn't time my plank so just counted slowly to 12 (should have been 10 sec, but I wanted to make sure)

I officially run 3 or 4 times a week, but sometimes I must admit its only once or twice. I do go to a club, last year I saw an advert for a beginners group so joined then. It has really helped me stick at it. I started running a few weeks before the club by downloading a C25K podcast and following that. I often compete in 10K runs and really enjoy them. The atmosphere is really good. Plus there is nothing like that post-run buzz. Love it. While Im actually running I sometimes question why I do it, but in reality I do actually enjoy running.

Hope the Insanity workout goes well. I quite fancy the insanity work out, but I can't afford a gym membership and I know I wont stick to DVD's as I haven't in the past. Its too much effort either getting up before everyone else or shoving people and animals (have a cat and a dog) out of the room to give me space.

[LillethTheCat]

Should have said tomorrow is:

10 sit ups, 5 press ups again, but 15 secs plank.

[Mitchy1nge]

well done and good luck with the press ups tomorrow! Insanity has so many I'm surprised I don't dream about them - but I can't do loads at speed, unless I do them badly, they are getting easier though

I want to compete, just a 5k to start with, there are a few over summer - last time I ran 10k was 2006 have smoked a lot of lucky strikes since then, it takes me about half an hour to run 5k now which is maybe not too shameful I don't know? BUT my whole self stiffens the more I run so I hope c25k type program will help. And I must keep up the yoga but there isn't enough time for everything. Stuff keeps getting in the way!

I achieved: insanity recovery disc (quite tough in places) and the rip60 back rows and chest press (2 sets of 15 reps each) and then (and this is just a gimmick I think but I like balancing) on the flat bit of a bosu ball: overhead press, 2 sets of 5 (5kg hand weights, I know it's not much but is challenging to get on and off the bosu with them!) and 2 sets of 5 hammer curls. I can't do bicep curls because one of my wrists refuses to turn that way while bearing any weight :(

anyway didn't get a run, forgot an appointment and just simmered all the way through it, wishing I was at the gym, but I have eaten more or less within the plan's guidelines - so tomorrow:

core cardio and balance (recovery) again
my run!
combat class with daughter - with drum and bass and lasers, should be fun!

sleep well :)

[Mitchy1nge]

how did it go? Lightning fast check in to log: insanity recovery workout, combat class, run (garmin thing not working but think the route is around 3k, happy with it anyway) and did v well with all FIVE meals

hope you had good day :)

[LillethTheCat]

Sorry I didn't get back on yesterday. It went well, I found the press ups much easier. It's a rest day today, but tomorrow everything goes up. Not sure the figures ATM bu will check for tomorrow.

Well done on yesterday's day. I want a garmin for my running, but haven't got round to getting one yet.

[Mitchy1nge]

hope you enjoyed rest day, I had an unscheduled one because my knees were so painful (they are happier for the day off) I just had a walk and did upper body stuff in the gym instead. Will attempt the recovery workout gently and modify it around my knees, no jumping, and try to make time for some yoga as therapy.

What are you putting yourself through today?

I want my own garmin too, the one I borrow has me added as a user but I don't really know how to work it. All I want to know is pace and distance really, but sometimes it doesn't pick it up? It works for its owner so definitely a user error type situation.

[LillethTheCat]

Today I did 15 sit ups, 7 press ups and 20 secs plank. It wasn't too bad. Tomorrow it's the same, but with 25 secs plank. It's not so bad building it up slowly.

Sorry to hear about the knee, hope it gets better soon.

I was just thinking about gamins while I was just out with the dog. I also fancy a fitbit, which apparently is a pedometer, but with more too it. You can track distance, steps, calories burned among others.they are not cheap though. I would just wear it all day knowing me.

Going to running club tonight too so that should do something too.

Hope you have had a good day

[Mitchy1nge]

hi lilleth hope you're enjoying the sun and keeping up the good work!

I am still here, spent much of weekend lying in the sun drinking wine and devising more realistic patterns of exercise for next week. No classes, not so much gym and a tiny bit more running (and a modified insanity).

[Mitchy1nge]

are you still there? :)

somehow it took me twenty minutes to run a little over 2.5k this afternoon - it was warm and more up and downhill than usual and my 'trail' shoes kept picking up all the cut grass but I enjoyed it, my only exercise for the day