Fall 2011 Health Challenge

Welcome to the Fall 2011 Health Challenge! I am so excited that you decided to take steps to lead a healthier life. The goal - at the end of 12 weeks you have adopted a few healthy behaviors that will become a permanent part of your every day life. Hopefully, you will learn a little bit about yourself and feel better and make steps towards your health goals.

Here is a recap of the challenge guidelines:

Basics

Start Date: Monday, November 7
End Date: Sunday, January 30

12 week challenge

Behaviors are self monitored and self reported on the Monday of each week. You can send me an email, Facebook message, or text.

Buy-in is $5 and is due within the first two weeks of the challenge. Standings will not be released until all buy-in monies have been collected.

The Challenge

Core Behaviors (You will get a point for completing each of these, everyone does these 5 behaviors):

Each day you eat 2 cups of fruit (or one average size piece of fruit, 1/3c of dried fruit)
Each day you eat 3 cups of veggies (1/2 cup of cooked cruciferous vegetables, 2 cups of leafy vegetables, you can count beans as well, but not potatoes)
Each day you drink 64oz. of water
Each day you do at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (these can be done 30 consecutive minutes, or broken up in to 10 or 15 minute segments)
Each day you do at least 20 minutes of strength training (only 3 points possible a week)

If you have a "perfect" week, you can get 31 points each week.

Everyone will pick at least ONE additional behavior (you can have as many as you want), that they want to work on. This additional behavior is a personal goal of something you want to do or something you want to give up, in addition to the core behaviors. For example, my extra behavior goals are; doing yoga once a week, eating 2 or less desserts a week, not drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks in a sitting. Each time you break this behavior you owe $1 to the pot that will be split by the winners.

Winning and Prizes Awarded

The winner will be determined only by total points from core behaviors at the end of the challenge. The top three people with the most points will split the money at the end.

Whoever owes the least amount to the pot in the end will be a prize (whoever breaks their "extra" behavior the least amount of times).

Both Thanksgiving and Christmas week, the person with the most points in that individual week, will win a prize.

(For all prizes, I don't count. While I will participate and share my scores, I can't win :)).

Weekly Blogs

Weekly blogs will include standings along with the total in the pot. Each week a health-related topic will be covered. I will not be sending out weekly emails, so please follow the blog or bookmark it. Also, if you use Facebook, as me as a friend and I will add you to the Health Challenge Group. I will post standings here as well as links to articles, tips, etc.

As always, please feel free to ask me any questions, suggest topics, or talk with me about challenges you are having. Use the group as a source of motivation, competition, challenge, and support. I'm looking forward to the fall challenge with all of you! Good Luck!!

Becky