Fat Fighters Yearlong Fitness Challenge
Towards the end of last year I knew I wanted to run a group challenge but couldn’t figure out how to structure it. I didn't want it to be solely focused on pounds lost since we all lose at different rates. Having participated in a few of those challenges, I’ve always found the slower/non losers were more depressed, frustrated and likely to quit early.
Then I thought, “Make it activity related.” But what kind of activity? We all don’t have the same stamina and maybe some people can’t run or hate biking. Then I whittled it down to walking.
Now the question was, how to cater to the new walkers while challenging the experienced ones?
I suppose I could do it in levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced. Bingo.
I searched online for walking programs that could accommodate all 3 levels and ended up finding 3 separate programs differing in lengths. One was 8 the other 10 and the final 12 weeks. I wasn’t too thrilled, but was willing to use it. Until yesterday when the perfect walking program stumbled into my hands.
I was at Target buying a pedometer and with it I got a free Benefits of Walking booklet. Towards the end of the booklet there is a 10 week walking program in 3 levels, perfect for a group fitness challenge since it covers all fitness levels and is fairly short.
The good part is, unlike most weight loss challenges that run a set length of time and leave people flying solo, this challenge will be year long. Every 10 weeks another round will start, and with 50 weeks left in the year, means there’ll be 5 rounds.
You may start in the beginner level, stick with it for another round because you got sidetracked, move up to the intermediate level and by end the year do the advanced program. Or you can jump right into the intermediate level and do that for a few rounds.
I had two requirements for this challenge; make it flexible enough that anyone can join in as the year progressed and make it group friendly. Now that I got the flexible part covered, to keep it group friendly, I’ll launch a forum, more details later, to support the walkers. I hope along the way you’ll buddy up in the forum and cheer each other on.
And lastly, because I’m not above bribing people to get fit, there will be prizes. Not for the first round because I need to see how this plays out, but I will come up with some sort of giveaway for the latter rounds. To support the activity part, there’ll also be a food challenge, though not so much telling you what to eat, just a creative FYI about foods in general, with a few recipes and interesting tidbits along the way.
Posting this on a Thursday is too short notice to start by Sunday, plus next week is a holiday week for most folks and I still need to set up the forum, therefore Round 1 of the Fat Fighters Yearlong Fitness Challenge will launch on Sunday January 22nd and goes until Saturday April 1st.
Quickly followed by the Make-Me-Hot for Summer Challenge that’ll end on June 10th, then the Dog-Days of Summer Challenge that’ll end on August 19th, then the Fit-By-Halloween Challenge that’ll end October 28th and finally the No-More-Holiday-Weight-Gain Challenge that’ll end on January 6th of 2007.
You now have a week and a ½ to dust off your walking shoes, get thee to a gym, scout out a walking route, find a pedometer and/or remove the clothes from the treadmill. 
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10 Comments
01.12.06 | renee commented: It's going to be miles goals. I think most pedometers translate steps into miles. If not, I can find online calculators to do the conversion.
The pedometer suggestion was for those with no access to a treadmill or preset walking route to be able to clock their mileage.
I need to reread the booklet and write it out to so I can plan it better, official guideline should be ready by next week.
01.12.06 | Shelley commented: Hi Renee....whatever the challenge is, I am in! I used to be a walking fiend...and lately, not so much. So, I would love the motivation.
01.12.06 | angie commented: I am in. I am looking for ways to boost my exercise also I am doing pualene's challenge to so this is perfect I need to keep me in line. Will be looking out for the details. And oh yah, nice to final put a face to the name renee.
Have a good one
Angie
01.12.06 | 
01.14.06 | amy buser commented: I am new to this site, and very eager to become involved. However, I will be curious to see how the "beginner level" is set up. For some of us walking is calculated by steps, and 1/8 mile is a goal. Granted we all have to start somewhere, but I think the challenge needs to concider that in some instances of weight loss,and exercise, baby steps, translate to baby steps. I also want to say I encourage anyone to just take one more step today than yesterday.
01.14.06 | Barbi commented: I am totally in! We just bought a new treadmill today, and this will be GREAT!!!!
01.17.06 | renee commented: Cool ya'll. I'll have the specifics up by Friday.
Amy, I hear ya. It's going to be a challenge in and of itself to tailor this to a broad group of people. I tried to find something that was generic enough that the majority could follow along. I hope this fits the bill.
If not, and people need to modify their own plan in order to follow along, that's fine too. Say someone can only walk 1/4 mile a day, they can still check in weekly to say they got their walking in.
I'm more interested in people being active by any means necessary vs. them following any challenge to a tee.
01.17.06 | Amy Buser commented: Understood, I just wanted us Lolligaggers to be able to partiipate at our modest, but challenging levels. Thanks for the follow up.
01.21.06 | Jake Silver commented: i'm definitely in for this challenge, even though my exercise routine does not center around walking... hope that's okay.
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So is it going to be based on pedometer steps logged?
Oh... and a trick... if you're on a stationary bike you can clip the pedometer to your sock to log "steps" when you're on the bike. I wouldn't do it on a road bike though, since sometimes it falls off.