The Core

Can we make some things clear:  when does a week start and end?

If Friday was the last day, then I'm already in teh hole..

Let's check in on Fridays.  And establish that any type of honest exercise counts (be it in the gym, running, cycling, playing basketball or whatever) as long as it ends up being a real workout.   

Ok, just got back from the 5th workout this week.

5 times doing pretty heavy weights including 2 times grueling cardio of 45 mins.

Phew, hate the cardio, but getting better at as we try to keep a pretty fast pace lifting weights too.

Hey Dras, count me in on the $20 challenge

Haven't made it to the pool yet, but did my three gym sessions, albeit only weights so far. I padded out my five-a-week with planks at home. Weight-wise, I started out at 77.7Kg on Sunday, dropped down to 75.8Kg by Friday, and by this morning I was at 77.6Kg. Despite the figures, I feel a lot better for it.

Food-wise, I'm doing low GI again, so mostly meat, salad and fruit. I'm trying not to make it so strict that I resent it. After I wobbled on my quitting smoking a couple of times, I've bought an electronic cigarette, and it kicks a##. On the lowest nicotine liquid now. When that's run out (by the end of the week), I'm going to try the nicotine-free stuff.

Too late to join? I would commit to 4x/week.

I finished up the year by challenging myself to exercise 35 days straight until Christmas and was thinking I wasn't interested, but last week, as I was about to spend a third day in a row sitting on my a##, I thought, I should commit to four days a week just to keep myself honest through the winter.

If it's Friday to Friday, let's see... last week... one day rock climbing, one run, two bouldering sessions, one monster weight session... leaving me sore for two days.

So far this week..

Sat: run 4 miles, with 2.3 miles of steep uphill
Sun: Snake Dike route with my wife! 16 miles of hiking with climbing pack, 5 pitches of easy climbing (5.7 if that means anything to you folks), and 5,000 feet of vertical gain, ending at the top of Half Dome.

Alternative proposal regarding money

If it's not presumptuous for a Johnny-Come-Lately to throw out "policy" changes, I would like to throw this out (and I guess if it *is* presumptuous, too late. Sorry).

Personally, I set weekly goals this way: every week I knock off everything on my list, I put $50 into a pot for spending on frivolous stuff I don't need. Every week I miss a single thing on my list, I take $250 out of the pot. Very effective.

Since the idea of the money is to keep everyone in the game for the duration and motivate everyone to the end, giving it to the person with the best record means that someone who gets the flu and misses a week might as well give up. But I'd like to see that person get rolling again and get back on track.

So my proposal is this: for every *day* that you miss in a given week, it costs $20 (or $10 or whatever  you feel comfy with). That all goes into a pool. Everyone who misses fewer than X weeks (two?) over the course of the challenge gets thrown into a winner-take-all drawing. Person 1 generates a randomized list of names. Person 2 generates a random number. Both email person 3 to make the match and determine the winner. That way everyone who doesn't give up has a chance to win a substantial pot. And we all have a penalty hanging over us *every* week.

Just an idea for optimal motivation...

ergophobe, not too late at all, added you to the OP.

The week runs Monday through Sunday.

The money motivation sounds interesting though maybe overly complicated. Problem is we only have 3 people who want to do it so far, plus you would make 4. I was hoping if most would do it we could split the pot amongst the top top two or three. 40-60 bucks - 1 winner, 80 or more - 2 winners, over 150 - three winners.

Regardless of the money challenge, I plan to keep the OP updated with our weekly numbers.

So we start this week, and since no one has replied about the commitment duration question, this will run for 12 weeks.

Good luck!

I'm in for 4 days Dras.

Feeling like sh## today and have one very sick kid here as well. Anyhoo off to the gym for the 2nd session this week.