Springtime Showtime Challenge Details

For those of you interested in what this challenge consists of, read on.

This challenge is set up for success, however it will require a bit of effort (thus, the "challenge" part). Our hope is that 12 weeks will be enough time to integrate positive and long-lasting changes into our lives. As they say, fitness and wellness is a journey, not a destination. Now that you have a bit of background, let's get down to the nitty gritty. Following will provide all the details for how the challenge will work and what will be expected.

• The 12-week challenge will commence next Monday, March 17 (Happy St. Paddy's Day!) and will continue until Monday, June 9 (just in time to show off your hot new beach body!!).
• Participation will require a monetary donation that will be put toward the prize for the winner.
• You will be required to purchase a journal of some sort as this will be the primary method for keeping track of your success.
• Exercise will be at your leisure, however it is advised that you integrate both strength and cardiovascular conditioning into your weekly routine.
• Participants will meet once per month to take new measurements, improvements, etc. Ok, so now you know some of the details, let's learn about the challenges and how everything will be scored. We have come up with a "points system" that awards participants for making improvements and for satisfying each of the challenges on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
• Pushup: Each month we will meet to see how many more pushups you are capable of than the month before. An increase of 5 will get a point. An increase of 10 will garner 2 points. I think you get the point. Ha!
• Pullup (or inverted row): A point will be awarded for each repetition above your baseline. So, if you are able to do 5 at the start and you complete 7 the next month, you'll get two points. If you're hesitant about the pull-up, then your challenge will take the form of inverted rows with legs fully extended. An increase of 3 reps will get you one point.
• One mile run (parcourse loop): So, it may not be a full one mile, but you will be tested on how fast you can run the "parcourse loop." Dropping the time down will result in points.
• Meditation: Each participant will be required to complete at least 10 minutes of daily meditation. One point will be awarded. An extra point will be awarded for every extra ten minutes. Failure to complete this task will result in point deduction. Tips and techniques for successful meditation will be provided on Saturday.
• Hydration: Women will be required to drink at least 2.7 liters per day; men will drink 3.7 liters per day. This is based on recommendations from the National Institutes of Health. One point will be awarded for completing this task.
• Journal: Each person is required to log all food and drink intake. That includes creamers in coffee, honey in green tea, etc. Simply completing this task will get you one point. This journal is also used to log all points gained each day. How you add them up is your choice.
• Fruit/Veg: A point will be awarded for eating 5 servings of fruit and veg per day (more veg than fruit). Leading researchers are trying to get this changed to as much as 9 per day, but we'll stick with the current suggestion. What you eat is your choice, but do some research to determine the healthiest fruit and veg that you will enjoy.
• Alcohol: This is where you groan. The recommended weekly allowance for women is 7 drinks, and 14 for men. We've decided to cut this in half so that means 4 drinks for women, 7 for men per week. Points are awarded for completing this task. Extra points will be given for those who drink less than what is suggested. Serving sizes and general info will be provided on Saturday. No, the Bareback goblet does not count as one!!
• Exercise: It is recommended to engage in at least 3 hourlong moderate- to vigorous intensity exercise sessions per week. Meet that goal and get points. Go over that goal (not to exceed 5 sessions) and get extra points.
• Body composition and tape measurements: This will be taken monthly and points will be awarded based on improvements. We have developed a formula to make sure this is fair for everyone.