Weight-Loss SELF magazine challenge
- Thread starter Korrie
- Start date
Weight-Loss
MoonGoddess
New member
Anyone else doing the SELF challenge this year?
Thought this could be a good thread to talk about our success and/or frustrations & most of all encourage each other along.
Starts today SELF.com.
GOOD LUCK to those of you who are taking on this annual challenge.
I know we will finish this year!
Thought this could be a good thread to talk about our success and/or frustrations & most of all encourage each other along.
Starts today SELF.com.
GOOD LUCK to those of you who are taking on this annual challenge.
I know we will finish this year!
I signed up for it again but my biggest problem with it last year was the interface - and it hasn't changed - the interface still stucks...
let's see how the downloads are
let's see how the downloads are
MONTH 1 GOAL: Do three 25-minute cardio sessions a week.
Workout 1: Get slim, gain energy
Ready, set, go! This easy-does-it trimming routine will give you a healthy burst of power by improving your body's ability to absorb oxygen.
TRY IT Warm up for 5 minutes at a moderate pace. On a scale from 1 to 10 (where 1 is climbing out of bed and 10 is climbing Mount Everest), start at level 4 or 5. Then increase your intensity to level 6 or 7 and hold that for 15 minutes. Cool down for 5 minutes at level 3 or 4.
Calories burned 114 (for walking) to 274 (for jogging)*
Make it harder Add 5 minutes at level 7 or 8 to the 15-minute sustained effort for a 30-minute workout.
Make it easier Subtract 5 minutes from the 15-minute period.
*Calorie totals based on a 135-pound woman
Workout 2: Fight stubborn flab
Watch that pudge finally budge. This sweat session combines short, high-intensity bursts of activity with recovery periods, which means you can work harder for longer—and torch big-time fat and calories in a flash.
TRY IT Warm up for 5 minutes at level 4 or 5. Go faster for 2 minutes, working at level 6 or 7; then recover for 4 minutes at your slower pace. Repeat the entire 6-minute cycle twice for a total of 3 times. Cool down for 2 minutes at level 3 or 4.
Calories burned 99 (for walking) to 271 (for jogging)*
Make it harder Up the intensity of your go-faster bursts to an 8 or a 9.
Make it easier Adjust your intervals to 1 minute burst, 5 minutes recovery. Hang in there, hot stuff!
*Calorie totals based on a 135-pound woman
Workout 3: Speed up your slim-down
Today is a fat-zapping day. Starting at a steady pace for an extended time prepares your muscles to work harder during subsequent intervals. The result? You scorch calories faster.
TRY IT Cruise at level 5 for 10 minutes. Maintain your pace and do intervals for 12 minutes: Add resistance or hills for 1 minute so you're working at level 6 or 7; lose the resistance or hills and recover for 2 minutes at level 5. Cool down at level 4 for 3 minutes.
Calories burned 95 (for walking) to 266 (for jogging)*
Make it harder Adjust your intervals to 2 minutes high intensity, 1 minute recovery. Your reward: Additional calories, gone...poof...see ya!
Make it easier Skip the final interval and cool down for 3 more minutes
MONTH 1 GOAL Do two 10-minute strength training sessions per week.
The plan Do one set of the exercises twice a week. Rest for up to a minute between moves, as needed. You can do the routine before or after your cardio or on a different day.
You'll need A pair of 3- to 10-pound dumbbells
Make it harder Add an additional set of each exercise.
Make it easier Decrease the amount of weight you lift or the number of reps you do per set.
how much is too much?
Make like Goldilocks and pick a pair of dumbbells that's not too heavy, not too light, but just right. If you can barely eke out the last two reps of each set without sacrificing your form, you've found a perfect match.
Workout 1: Get slim, gain energy
Ready, set, go! This easy-does-it trimming routine will give you a healthy burst of power by improving your body's ability to absorb oxygen.
TRY IT Warm up for 5 minutes at a moderate pace. On a scale from 1 to 10 (where 1 is climbing out of bed and 10 is climbing Mount Everest), start at level 4 or 5. Then increase your intensity to level 6 or 7 and hold that for 15 minutes. Cool down for 5 minutes at level 3 or 4.
Calories burned 114 (for walking) to 274 (for jogging)*
Make it harder Add 5 minutes at level 7 or 8 to the 15-minute sustained effort for a 30-minute workout.
Make it easier Subtract 5 minutes from the 15-minute period.
*Calorie totals based on a 135-pound woman
Workout 2: Fight stubborn flab
Watch that pudge finally budge. This sweat session combines short, high-intensity bursts of activity with recovery periods, which means you can work harder for longer—and torch big-time fat and calories in a flash.
TRY IT Warm up for 5 minutes at level 4 or 5. Go faster for 2 minutes, working at level 6 or 7; then recover for 4 minutes at your slower pace. Repeat the entire 6-minute cycle twice for a total of 3 times. Cool down for 2 minutes at level 3 or 4.
Calories burned 99 (for walking) to 271 (for jogging)*
Make it harder Up the intensity of your go-faster bursts to an 8 or a 9.
Make it easier Adjust your intervals to 1 minute burst, 5 minutes recovery. Hang in there, hot stuff!
*Calorie totals based on a 135-pound woman
Workout 3: Speed up your slim-down
Today is a fat-zapping day. Starting at a steady pace for an extended time prepares your muscles to work harder during subsequent intervals. The result? You scorch calories faster.
TRY IT Cruise at level 5 for 10 minutes. Maintain your pace and do intervals for 12 minutes: Add resistance or hills for 1 minute so you're working at level 6 or 7; lose the resistance or hills and recover for 2 minutes at level 5. Cool down at level 4 for 3 minutes.
Calories burned 95 (for walking) to 266 (for jogging)*
Make it harder Adjust your intervals to 2 minutes high intensity, 1 minute recovery. Your reward: Additional calories, gone...poof...see ya!
Make it easier Skip the final interval and cool down for 3 more minutes
MONTH 1 GOAL Do two 10-minute strength training sessions per week.
The plan Do one set of the exercises twice a week. Rest for up to a minute between moves, as needed. You can do the routine before or after your cardio or on a different day.
You'll need A pair of 3- to 10-pound dumbbells
Make it harder Add an additional set of each exercise.
Make it easier Decrease the amount of weight you lift or the number of reps you do per set.
how much is too much?
Make like Goldilocks and pick a pair of dumbbells that's not too heavy, not too light, but just right. If you can barely eke out the last two reps of each set without sacrificing your form, you've found a perfect match.
I like the pledge
Make a promise to yourself today
The Challenge pledge
On this date, ___________________________, 2008, I made a commitment to myself to take care of my amazing body.
I joined the three-month self Challenge, and I promise to…
Love myselLf! It’s my body. No one else can take care of it for me, so I’m going to make time to exercise, even on busy days.
Nurture myselLf! I know I need healthy food—and plenty of it. I will eat well. And that includes dessert, because moderation, not deprivation, is the route to being healthy and happy.
ChallLLenNge myselLf! I recognize that working hard to achieve my goals will make me a stronger person, and I want to be able to do whatever I set my mind to, now and in the future.
CelLebrate myselLf! Every step I take toward being my healthiest deserves a little applause. That’s why I will pause to recognize my success and feel proud of my accomplishments.
__________________________________________________________
Signature
You get only one body to live in and love during this lifetime, so vow
to yourself right here, right now, to
keep yours healthy and strong.
Sign this pledge, then hang it where
you can easily see it. You’ll always
be reminded of the moment you decided to become your best self.
Make a promise to yourself today
The Challenge pledge
On this date, ___________________________, 2008, I made a commitment to myself to take care of my amazing body.
I joined the three-month self Challenge, and I promise to…
Love myselLf! It’s my body. No one else can take care of it for me, so I’m going to make time to exercise, even on busy days.
Nurture myselLf! I know I need healthy food—and plenty of it. I will eat well. And that includes dessert, because moderation, not deprivation, is the route to being healthy and happy.
ChallLLenNge myselLf! I recognize that working hard to achieve my goals will make me a stronger person, and I want to be able to do whatever I set my mind to, now and in the future.
CelLebrate myselLf! Every step I take toward being my healthiest deserves a little applause. That’s why I will pause to recognize my success and feel proud of my accomplishments.
__________________________________________________________
Signature
You get only one body to live in and love during this lifetime, so vow
to yourself right here, right now, to
keep yours healthy and strong.
Sign this pledge, then hang it where
you can easily see it. You’ll always
be reminded of the moment you decided to become your best self.
MoonGoddess
New member
I just printed it & signed it.
Think I will post it on my wall at work to remind me to PLAN to get my butt on the treadmill or do something as soon as I get out of this office!
I agree about the online tracking part. It could be easier to use, but I will try.
Think I will post it on my wall at work to remind me to PLAN to get my butt on the treadmill or do something as soon as I get out of this office!
I agree about the online tracking part. It could be easier to use, but I will try.
I figure it's not about the technology -it's about me... so whether I choose to use that tool or not -doesn't really matter... long as Id o the work needed
so whether I choose to use that tool or not -doesn't really matter... long as Id o the work needed
MoonGoddess
New member
Ok I knocked out the 25 minutes of cardio as soon as I got home tonight... one down and two to go!
Hope everyone else had a great day.
Hope everyone else had a great day.
I shoudl get double points for gyming it whilst under the weather.. but I did 40 minutes on the treadmill and some extra stuff as well..
MoonGoddess
New member
you get double points in my book! take it easy so you don't get to feeling any worse.
...but nice work!
...but nice work!
the first 10 minutes I felt like grandpa wheezey...
Have you downloaded the strength training video? i seriously want to feed the model a big old hamburger and double order of cheese fries - she's too skinny...
keepitoff83
New member
I totally agree!!!!!!
keepitoff83
New member
did you follow their cardio routines?
I've been doing a variation of that cardio routine for a few months now - so theoretically yes i did
keepitoff83
New member
I got in 30 min cardio 15 min strength training yesterday....hoping to get my butt back to the gym today. It's weird how the amount of exercise used to seem so much to me on these challenges.....now it doesn't seem so bad! Making progress, I guess