All right, I’m ready to start this 100-day challenge!

Of course, I’m new around here.  I started listening to the podcasts and joined MTM back before Thanksgiving, but I couldn’t figure out how to seriously get going during the holidays.  Now I can’t find any excuses not to get started.  Don’t really want to come up with any excuses, either.

Here’s my introduction thread that tells a little bit about where I’m coming from.  My ultimate goal is to get down to around 180, a weight I’ve never been at my adult life.  (Actually, I’ll be totally psyched when I break the 200 mark.)

I actually started working out last week for 2008 but wasn’t very consistent with it, so I’m calling today my official Day 1.  I also downloaded the Start Moving Stay Moving program and began listening to that today as well.  Being stuck at school all day and half the night, I’m not quite sure what to do about my diet yet, so my goal right now is just to keep moving every day.

Day 1
There are three different workout books I’d like to work my way through.  The first is the Body Sculpting Bible Express, and I want to make it through the 3-week break-in routine.  (I’m adding extra cardio, though; it makes me feel like I’m actually exercising.)

One-arm rows & incline chest press w/20 lb. dumbbells (2 sets of 20 each)
Curls & lying triceps extension w/15 lb. dumbbells (2 sets of 20 each, although I tried the first set of curls with 20 lb. dumbbells and could only do 15.  I have very little upper body strength.  :( )

35 minutes on elliptical

One down, 99 to go!

Nice job...Keep up the good work.

Yea Jeff!  Great Job on Day 1, also great title!

HI Jeff!!! Welcome to MTM land and the 100 Day Challenge!!!!  Glad to see that you made this committment to your health and well, there is no better time than now to do it!!!! During your stressful times (wow, grad school!!!) you will find that exercise will be a welcomed distraction!!!  Keep us posted on your successes!!!! Glad to have you here.

Hi Jeff, welcome to the challenge.  It sounds like you are off to a great start.

Looking forward to getting to know you.

Great job, Jeff! Have fun with the next 99!

Bree

Day 2

I totally forgot to weigh myself yesterday to start, but I weighed in at 272 this morning.  Today was a cardio-only day; 30 minutes on the treadmill.  Forgot about ab work today, but I’ll pick that back up tomorrow.

Thanks for the encouragement, folks!  I’ll keep plugging away!

Keep plugging.  Nothing wrong with a cardio only day, especially if you decide to increase the abs tomorrow. 

Two days down, only 98 more to go....

Ah, see, here’s where it gets tough.  I’m three days into the new semester and I’m already finding it hard to rearrange my schedule to find time to work out.  I need to find a 24-hour gym or something.

Day 3

Day 3 inadvertently ended up being a rest day, partly because I had to use use the time I wanted to exercise to do some last-minute work instead, but mostly because I was dead-tired and fell asleep!  Oh, well.

Day 4
Today I made up the lower-body workout I missed yesterday.  2 set of 20 each - squats, lunges, shoulder press, and calf raises.  Only used 10 pound dumbbells this time, because I worked out from home and that’s all I have at home, but I carry so much weight in my legs already that I think the dumbbells are probably superfluous.  No extra cardio today, but the weight workout was practically cardio in itself.  Then ab work - 2 sets of reverse crunches, 3 sets of regular ones.  I’m feeling good!