on your mark, get set, GO!

getting ready for their big debut....

does anyone else hear  the chariots of fire 

theme song in the background?!

Alright, the votes have been cast! The tallies are tallied! The assignment has been submitted, reviewed and approved! My lifestyle transformation challenge is.....

...240 minutes of cardio activity per week--and I am pumped!!

For those who don't know, I have a semester-long assignment in one of my courses to choose a personal lifestyle behavior that needs improvement which I will challenge myself to change. Currently, my cardio is like zero (unfortunately), so I've chosen to step up and get in shape!

As I explained to my professor in my proposal, I often get into "workout kicks," where I'm super enthusiastic about pursuing a workout regimen...and I do, but only for like three months. Then I let life get in the way...don't workout for another three months...and then randomly pickup new motivation to go at it strong for a few weeks again.

With my super cool LTC project, however, falling off the wagon is seriously not an option--I'm getting graded for this, gosh golly! Oh and how dumb is it that my grades motivate me more than...ya know...my well-being?! Well I've decided to divorce myself from that way of thinking and really push hard to make this assignment a new way of life--something that will extend passed December when the course is over. And I definitely know that in order for it to continue passed semester-end, this challenge will not be, as it's been in the past, a guilt-laden activity for me. I want to get active because it's fun, not because I'm feeling down on myself or pressured to do so!

All this to be said, it's gonna be hard. And I know I'm gonna get sick of it, get frustrated and just want to fudge my way through documenting my progress...but as my blog readers, I know you won't let me  :) Admitting to the cyber-world that I struggle with weight loss/gain + physical activity in general is not exactly easy...it's a little embarrassing (especially as a health communicator!). But that's part of why I want to be successful at this: I really want to be put to the test, experience the trials and tribulations (which sometimes include losing face) and still triumph in the end!!

Since I have to log my progress for the course, it'll be easy to keep you guys updated, too. I hope that with that knowledge (whether it be good or bad) that you will encourage me and hold me accountable! And...I hope that some of you will join me  :) Even if it's not for the same challenge that I'm taking: you could drink more water, get more sleep or take the stairs more often. It's always easier if a friend joins you on these types of challenging adventures, so I hope some special reader out there will jump on this train and keep me company! (Let me know if you do so I can send ya encouraging notes!!)

Good health is not a privilege, it's a right--and I think I'm gonna start taking full advantage of it from here on out!! And I can't wait  :)

say cheese (but only like the super low-fat ones!),
katy