What is this challenge about? Why did it start?
What do the levels look like?
How do I get signed up? How does this work?
I forgot to check in or I missed a walk or I didn't lose weight or I missed a week. Will you be mad?
You guys are in week XX, I just found this site. Is it too late for me to join?
I hate walking, do I have to walk?
Do I need a blog, be on the FitRoll, WebRing or listed in the directory to participate?
Should I check with a doctor before I start this or any other exercise program?
Do I have to reveal my weight?
What's the real point of this?
What do I win?
When does it start/end?
Who are you?
Are you a doctor or trainer?
Can you give me specific exercise advice?
Why are you doing this?

What is this challenge about? Why did it start?
After seeing and participating in many one-shot challenges, I decided to start an ongoing one called The Fat Fighters Yearlong Fitness Challenge, FFYFC for short. It runs every 10 weeks and there are 3 levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced.

Roughly 5 challenges will go on this year. Conceivably you can start round 1 as a walker in the beginner program and by round 5 be a walker in the advanced program. Or start round 1 walking in the beginner program and by the end of the year, still working the beginner program but as a runner. It's very flexible.

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What do the levels look like?
Read this post for specifics about the challenge and also to see what the levels look like.

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How do I get signed up? How does this work?
For the purpose of the challenge, the week starts on Sunday. An entry listing the goals for week will be posted. If you wish, use that entry to check in by telling us what team you are on, beginner, advanced or intermediate. And as a bit of mental exercise, restate (commit) to how many walks you plan to do and that you will lose 1lb that week.

On Monday evening a check in entry will go up and stays at the top of the home page for the entire week. Use that entry to check in when you finished a walk or wait until Saturday to list all your walks in one shot.

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I forgot to check in or I missed a walk or I didn't lose weight or I missed a week. Will you be mad?
Um. No. Life happens, It's why this challenge is yearlong. Don't worry about it. As for me being mad, we are all adults, I'm not going to chase anyone down for their stats or demand they check in. It's all optional. That being said, don’t avoid the place if you fell off track, though I understand why you may want to. Contact me offline, and I’ll try to motivate you back on track.

If you feel you have missed too much time and are wondering if you should scrap it all and wait till round 2, my advice would be to keep on going on. Go back to week 1 or 2 of your particular program and do that till the end. Don't let the habit you worked on building go to waste.

When the next round starts, you can synch back up with the group. Say we are in week 6, just keep doing week 1 or 2 for the remaining time of the current round. Something is way better than nothing.

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You guys are in week XX and I just found this site. Is it too late for me to join?
Not necessarily. Look over the programs. Either join us in our current week or start with week 1 and follow along until we start the next round. This way you are still working out.

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I hate walking, do I have to walk?
No. Some people are running, another will use an elliptical machine. Walking was just the safest exercise for a broad group of people to do. You can modify the exercise to do anything you see fit, swimming, biking, roller blading. The idea is to follow along week by week, if there are 3 walks for 15 minutes, ride your bike 3 times for 15 minutes, if you can.

Use the programs as guidelines. Notice how they increase a small bit each week and tailor those increases to your exercise program of choice. All the walking levels increase a ¼ mile/5 minutes every week or two.

That may be too much of an increase on say an elliptical machine. Instead you can increase it by 1/8 of a mile or 1 minute. Keep it reasonable and realistic and you'll keep at it.

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Do I need a blog, be on the fitroll, webring or listed in the directory to participate?
No.

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Should I check with a doctor before I start this or any other exercise program?
Yes.

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Do I have to reveal my weight?
No.

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What's the real point of this?
The point is to get people moving and if a group setting and challenge motivates them, they are in the right place. It's not about being perfect, or trying to keep up with others. Walk whatever level you are at. Stick with it for a few rounds and over time you will improve.

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What do I win?
Round 1, your health. In future rounds prizes will be given away. I haven't decided what or how just yet. Round 1 is also a trial for me running a group challenge. No guarantee it’ll be in place by then, but by round 2 I'll have a better idea of how this all plays out and how to fairly give out awards or prizes. I’m not Oprah, you won’t be getting a car

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When does it start/end?
The dates are on the left side of the home page. As well as the week we are currently in. Each round last 10 weeks, there'll be a 1 week break for all to recover and a new round will start that following week.

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Who are you?
Me? Why I'm Renee.

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Are you a doctor or trainer?
No on both counts. I'll never be a doctor, but I am interested and becoming a certified personal training sometime this year.

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Can you give me specific exercise advice?
No and I'd rather not. For one, I'm not certified nor can I evaluate some virtually. What I can do is help you make your goals doable vs. telling you to drop and give me 20. Your major goal may be to run 5 miles a day but you don't know how to break it down so you don't get overwhelmed. I can help you strategize and build up to it over time.

The difference is, I'm not telling you to run 5 miles to lose weight as a professional or doctor would. Rather you are coming to me with your own exercise program and just need help implementing it. Think of it in the same way as how life coaches help people get their personal lives in order.

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Why are you doing this?
Over the years I've always had a weight loss blog and/or participated in some sort of exercise forum. I like challenges and group participation. This is a natural combination of the things I already like to do and now that I want to be a trainer, I can practice my motivational and organizational skills, albeit virtually.

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More questions? Leave them in the comments, and be sure to check the “notify me of replies” box, as I’ll reply to all questions in the comments section. I'll add them to the master list later on.