45 Day Beach Challenge Update!

For all those tuning into our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/FitTo100/ and https://www.facebook.com/myroadmystory/ note we kicked off a 45-Day Beach-Ready Challenge 8 days ago. We have a family vacation coming up in January and want to look our best and have been using this personal challenge to get in better shape. This comes on the heels of Anita and I both sustaining serious injuries (I tore my ACL four months ago) and (Anita broke her ankle 7 weeks ago) so we are both in injury-recovery mode and facing an uphill battle.

It definitely hasn’t been easy. We must confess to slipping on our diet last night. Craving carbs after a long week of work and working out, we broke down and both had a Mini Turtle Pecan Cluster Blizzard from Dairy Queen (“with extra pecans,” Anita embarrassingly just added). Most of the 431 calories come from fat (41%) and carbohydrates (51%) so we were pretty sugar-saturated by the time we made it home, but…we did make up for it later, having only a mildly-generous serving of pistachios for supper.

Anita continues to struggle a little more than I do, she has a very-demanding job and IS still mending from a broken ankle. I have to give her ‘props’ because she’s been walking on her injured leg since week two, got a thumbs up from her doctor that she can wean off her boot cast within the next 2 weeks, and walked about 1 mile (no cast) this morning up and down steep hills at the park. If you have read the story https://www.myroadmystory.com/grandmas-memory/ recall Anita “never does anything half-speed. It’s always full-tilt or go home,” and this morning was no exception.

Minus yesterday’s “Blizzard” mishap, our overall diet has been pretty consistent with lean meats, fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein drinks and only two other nutritional supplements (BCAA and a daily vitamin, plus extra calcium for Anita’s ankle). Anita is a huge water-drinker and I love unsweetened natural tea (and still slip on the occasional Diet Coke…in fact I am sipping on one right now, for shame :-().

Overall, I have found this very basic diet and exercise plan easy to follow. In fact, I posted a brief 7 Day Update yesterday on our FitTo100 Facebook page:

“If you’ve been following in my footsteps since Saturday’s 45 Day Beach Challenge, here is what you and I have achieved in <7 days: ?‍♀️

– Noticed your cloths fitting looser
– Lost 3 -7 lbs.
– Felt the tightening of abs
– Pinching less fat on the stomach
– Aches and joint pains starting to disappear”

Most of my exercises have been low- to no-cost techniques (a blend of in- / out-doors), that are both time-saving and very flexible to meet any lifestyle.  I HAVE included running (slow jogging) as part of my workout schedule, but one could just as easily supplement walking, hiking or biking in place of running. Two days this week, I did complete interval training, along with running hills for both workouts. The interval training included:  multiple series of push-ups, burpees, jumping squats, leg raises (knees to chest on a park bench) in-between my running. I have used this interval training for years (where I run for several hundred yards, then drop and do 10-25 push-ups, etc. before continuing on with running) and have gotten in really great shape.

It’s been mostly mild this winter, perfect weather for getting off the couch and getting started with that new exercise routine. As the old saying goes, “Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired…” so perhaps you would like to get moving and follow along so we can cheer each other on at #myroadmystory.com and #fitto100!!!?

Where are some of your favorite places to work out?

What exercise techniques are part of your daily plan?

Who is your biggest motivator?