Foo - The Great 2009 Foo Challenge!

Ok, sounds like some of us (or maybe just me) have some physical things we'd like to see changed about ourselves. It's always easier when you have a training partner and as much as I'd like to ride or run or ski or whatever with each and every one of you, that's not feasible, so instead, let's train together virtually.

Here's the rules.

1. Pick out an objective goal to reach by June. That is, lose 15 pounds or lower my BP or place 3rd, not look good in a swimsuit or be able to post a pic with my pants unbuttoned and look good. ;) Subjective goals tend to never be achieved and make you lose hope after a while.

2. Tell us how you're going to achieve or attempt to achieve your goal. Make it something reasonable that you're pretty sure you can do each and every week. If it's saddle the kids up and do a 5 mile ride 3 times a week, or get on the trainer for 2 hours a day, it doesn't matter, but make it something that you feel will help achieve your goal.

3. Report back often. Let us know how you're coming along. Be honest, if you didn't get to exercise a day or week, let us know. If you ended up losing 5 pounds when you wanted to gain it, let us know. If you worked out extra because that hot person in the gym asked about you, let us know. This is about support and not feeling like you're the only one struggling.

4. Don't be a dick. If someone hasn't done what they said they were going to, use some common sense, be supportive, but try to push them to get back into it.

Anyway, this is mainly for me. I still haven't found anyone to work out with and pushing myself while constantly feeling like crap is really tough. If I have someone I can talk to about my goals, it'll be much easier. Yeah, I'm selfish. ;)

Oops.

Goals: Lose 25 pounds by June. I'm at 210 right now, I'd like to weigh in at 180-185.

Workouts: Serious riding is off the table right now due to bike issues and lack of money. I started a running program. 3 times a week initially and once get the bike issues sorted out, 3 days of biking. I'm using a program I found on beginnertriathlete.com (http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/). It's the couch to 5k program, tailored for slow, fat people. :D

Today: Walked 30.03 minutes, ran 4. Avg HR 140 BPM

ok - I'm going to get my heart rate monitor working.





















and after I get it working, I'm going to try like heck to make the "Century A Month club", losing at least 15 pounds by June (182-15=167). The other goal is to ride 200K, 300K and 400K rides in March and May.

I am going to try and go all around and do stuff, and things.

I weigh about 204. I lost about 15 lbs since August but have been stuck since thanksgiving:notamused:

I wanna lose 54 lbs by September....so I guess that means *gulp* about 165 is about right for June.

Now excuse me whilst I go have my jaws wired shut.

6 pack. The only goal pretty much. Gain some weigh,maybe.

lose some...well, alot

I don't have a weight/speed/fitness goal that I've identified yet. Mine's pretty simple: Get to 1 5:30 AM spin class/week. (this may be revised for something else when spring comes).

Reason being: It starts the whole week off on a good foot. Its easier to get up early and get to the gym before work the next day (1 turns into 2, then 3...) I feel better, I have my evenings free to get other productive things done.

Here's what I'm doing.

Currently 204lbs, lost 4lbs since October 2008 while weight training.

Goal
1) Lose 20lbs by October 2009 to improve race performance, so if you just want to go just to June, for me, it'll be 12lbs.

2) Started w/ a phone health coach through my organization, plus have been reading Friel's "The Mountain Biker's Training Bible" and creating a training plan, plus other cycling training/weight training tomes. Currently doing intervals w/ a low end heart monitor on the trainer for 40 minutes three times a week, while doing core exercises and lifting (alternating upper/lower body exercises) twice a week to develop and maintain strength w/o bulking up. Limiting calorie intake and making sure that what I do eat doesn't have empty cals or is garbage. Drinking lots of water. Getting out one of those Carmichael interval training dvds to do intervals to. I want to do this so I can race the way I want to race.

Is this just for weight/health stuff?

Is this just for weight/health stuff?

Nope! If you have a goal you want to accomplish, post here. :)

I've been riding enough that the legs are fine, it's the upper body and gut that could use some sculpting.
I've been under 200 for about 9 months now (yay), but would like to see 190. --I'm 6'3, no need to go lighter than 190. I also have lifestyle scheduling issues that make it tough to have a routine. That's the hard part, getting past my head.

Goal: Bench 300lbs. and ride 100 mi/week.

Tactics: It's ski season, so weekends are on the hill. I'm already riding the rollers a couple times a week, and ice hockey once a week. What's missing is strength training. Yes, Scott, get to the gym. Ugh.

I want to be able to do a stinkin' pullup. The overhand kind that uses your lats. I have a pullup bar in my house. It is in a little hallway. It was in the house when I bought it, and I left it when I did my remodel, thinking that it would act as a motivator for me. Well I've been in the house almost 2 years and I still can't do one pullup.

So my goal for June is to do at least one pullup, hopefully five. If I can do ten then a round of drinks (Romulan Ale or margaritas) will be on me! :p

I want to be able to do a stinkin' pullup. The overhand kind that uses your lats. I have a pullup bar in my house. It is in a little hallway. It was in the house when I bought it, and I left it when I did my remodel, thinking that it would act as a motivator for me. Well I've been in the house almost 2 years and I still can't do one pullup.

So my goal for June is to do at least one pullup, hopefully five. If I can do ten then a round of drinks (Romulan Ale or margaritas) will be on me! :p

:thumb: So what's your plan to get there?

i would like to lose about 20 more pounds, but i really need to have it done b4 Assault on Mt Mitchell, which is 5/18.

how do i propose to do this? make better choices for eating...maybe just eat more cuz i tend to eat on the low side, calorie-wise. maybe make sure i eat, say, 1500cal/day instead of 1100-1200.

i would like to be riding 150-175mi/week, maybe get some running in a couple mornings (20-30min), and work up to 50 pushups & 100 crunches.

i think i can do all of this once my thumb has healed. i sorta need someone to tighten the leash on me sometimes and tell me to slow it down a bit. i tend to go all out. all the time.

I want to be able to do a stinkin' pullup. The overhand kind that uses your lats. I have a pullup bar in my house. It is in a little hallway. It was in the house when I bought it, and I left it when I did my remodel, thinking that it would act as a motivator for me. Well I've been in the house almost 2 years and I still can't do one pullup.

So my goal for June is to do at least one pullup, hopefully five. If I can do ten then a round of drinks (Romulan Ale or margaritas) will be on me! :p

A good way to build up to that is to start in the "up" position, and hold it as long as possible, eventually ending up in the "down" position. Every few days, try it the other way - starting down and attempting the pull up.

I want to be able to do a stinkin' pullup. The overhand kind that uses your lats. I have a pullup bar in my house. It is in a little hallway. It was in the house when I bought it, and I left it when I did my remodel, thinking that it would act as a motivator for me. Well I've been in the house almost 2 years and I still can't do one pullup.

So my goal for June is to do at least one pullup, hopefully five. If I can do ten then a round of drinks (Romulan Ale or margaritas) will be on me! :pone of my friends is training to climb a 5.13 this summer... he does 5 pull-ups every time he eats, and will gradually increase from 5 as he becomes stronger. Granted, he started with quite a bit of upper-body strength, but implementing something like that might get you going.

i would like to lose about 20 more pounds, but i really need to have it done b4 Assault on Mt Mitchell, which is 5/18.

how do i propose to do this? make better choices for eating...maybe just eat more cuz i tend to eat on the low side, calorie-wise. maybe make sure i eat, say, 1500cal/day instead of 1100-1200.

i would like to be riding 150-175mi/week, maybe get some running in a couple mornings (20-30min), and work up to 50 pushups & 100 crunches.

i think i can do all of this once my thumb has healed. i sorta need someone to tighten the leash on me sometimes and tell me to slow it down a bit. i tend to go all out. all the time.

Sprint intervals (riding, but more so running) burns weight off like nothing else.

and after I get it working, I'm going to try like heck to make the "Century A Month club", losing at least 15 pounds by June (182-15=167). The other goal is to ride 200K, 300K and 400K rides in March and May.

I'll help hold you to the Century-A-Month and the 2/3/400 series, since those are both on my list for the year.

Before the start of 2009, I went through the bikingbiz and SiR ride calendars to put together my long-distance calendar for the year. So far, this is what I've got. I need to pick a 300k

Sun Feb 22 Chilly Hilly bike ride - Bainbridge Island (ride to/from start for century)
Sun Mar 8 SiR Urban Populaire 100k - Downtown Seattle (ride to/from start for century)
Sat Mar 21 SiR 200k ACP brevet - Kent,WA
Sat Apr 4 Daffodil Classic Century - Orting, Washington
Sun May 17 Tour de Cure Century - Redmond, WA
Fri May 22 7 Hills of Kirkland Century - Kirkland, WA
Sat Jul 25 SiR 200k ACP brevet - TBA
Sat Aug 22 SiR 400k ACP brevet - TBA
Sun Sep 6 SiR 100k Mountain Populaire - Issaquah Highlands (ride to/from start for century)
Sun Oct 4 Kitsap Colour Classic - Kitsap Peninsula

Sprint intervals (riding, but more so running) burns weight off like nothing else.

i'm crazy....i love intervals.

A good way to build up to that is to start in the "up" position, and hold it as long as possible, eventually ending up in the "down" position. Every few days, try it the other way - starting down and attempting the pull up.

About 10 years ago I was really into weightlifting and could do about 10 of them. I've slacked off on the weights greatly in the last few years. :(

I know how to train to do them, I just need get off my rear and get to it. :)

Oh, at the office, some co-workers are getting together some "Biggest Loser" type pool. US$10 to get in, a dollar a week per weigh in. Figured I'd participate, since I'm training already, anyway, but no crash diets or cessation of weight work.

I'll help hold you to the Century-A-Month and the 2/3/400 series, since those are both on my list for the year.

Before the start of 2009, I went through the bikingbiz and SiR ride calendars to put together my long-distance calendar for the year. So far, this is what I've got. I need to pick a 300k

Sun Feb 22 Chilly Hilly bike ride - Bainbridge Island (ride to/from start for century)
Sun Mar 8 SiR Urban Populaire 100k - Downtown Seattle (ride to/from start for century)
Sat Mar 21 SiR 200k ACP brevet - Kent,WA
Sat Apr 4 Daffodil Classic Century - Orting, Washington
Sun May 17 Tour de Cure Century - Redmond, WA
Fri May 22 7 Hills of Kirkland Century - Kirkland, WA
Sat Jul 25 SiR 200k ACP brevet - TBA
Sat Aug 22 SiR 400k ACP brevet - TBA
Sun Sep 6 SiR 100k Mountain Populaire - Issaquah Highlands (ride to/from start for century)
Sun Oct 4 Kitsap Colour Classic - Kitsap Peninsula

I'm going to attempt 50 laps of an office park on Saturday - which should put me right at 100 miles. Can take a lighter bike and put extra food, water, layers, etc in the car.

After that:

DC Randonneurs Events:

200K March 28
300K May 16
400K May 30

and maybe ???

600K June 13

Nope! If you have a goal you want to accomplish, post here. :)

Hmmm, okay. I still have to figure out how I'm going to work this. It is an odd one.

Hmmm, okay. I still have to figure out how I'm going to work this. It is an odd one.

Maybe you could set a goal for banning people, or swallowing seals whole or something. :o

I am in the same boat as UA. 210, wanting to be 185. Of course, I gain every winter, and lose every spring. Weird, and bad for you I know.

Anyway, as I am losing this year, I am focusing more on weight training. Since we are expecting our first child, I have stopped weight training and I have gained some 'sympathy weight'. Anyway, muscle burns more calories than anything else (you even burn more calories when sleeping), so I am adding more of that to my cycling and cardio.

6 pack. The only goal pretty much. Gain some weigh,maybe.

Yeah, I'm down to 144 myself. I need to pack a few on.

I am in the same boat as UA. 210, wanting to be 185. Of course, I gain every winter, and lose every spring. Weird, and bad for you I know.

Anyway, as I am losing this year, I am focusing more on weight training. Since we are expecting our first child, I have stopped weight training and I have gained some 'sympathy weight'. Anyway, muscle burns more calories than anything else (you even burn more calories when sleeping), so I am adding more of that to my cycling and cardio.

adding more sleeping?!? That's a killer workout... :p

Absolutely, I plan to sleep off at least 10 lbs. Ha.

Absolutely, I plan to sleep off at least 10 lbs. Ha.

Dang, I'm totally gonna add that to my training schedule! :p

upper body strength and endurance. though I don't think I'd ever get around to those.

6 pack. The only goal pretty much.$5-7 at the local supermarket. The idea is to set goals that will take a bit of effort, you know... :P

Lose 60 pounds.

Go on a date sometime.

Lose 60 pounds.

Go on a date sometime.

:wtf:

:wtf:

I want to become a better climber.

Get a girlfriend?:crash:

i would like to lose about 20 more pounds, but i really need to have it done b4 Assault on Mt Mitchell, which is 5/18.

So how'd you score a slot for AoMM? That ride is on my cycling goals "to do" list, but I guess I'll have to settle for doing Marion this year, in order to get my AoMM slot for next.:notamused:

Don't be a dick.

But really Alpine, what else is there?

But really Alpine, what else is there?

You do make a very persuasive argument, sir. :p

You know, if I lost 60 lbs, I think I'd still be too fat for this sport.

So how'd you score a slot for AoMM? That ride is on my cycling goals "to do" list, but I guess I'll have to settle for doing Marion this year, in order to get my AoMM slot for next.:notamused:

dont have one yet, but since i did AoM, i should be getting one in the mail. those pass codes arent mailed out to previous yrs riders till sometime this month. not worried about though....there were tons of slots for sale last year....

I'm currently 210 lbs, 6'-3" tall, 42 years old. My target weight is 185 lbs by June. Actually your timing with this challenge is good. I started tracking my progress before Christmas with my target goal date as June. My only exercising will be done at home on my trainer, skipping (sounds a bit prissy, but it's a great workout), some free weights, traditional situps, pushups, etc. I've also cut out most of the sugary foods I eat ... which was a long list :p

I'm currently 210 lbs, 6'-3" tall, 42 years old. My target weight is 185 lbs by June. Actually your timing with this challenge is good. I started tracking my progress before Christmas with my target goal date as June. My only exercising will be done at home on my trainer, skipping (sounds a bit prissy, but it's a great workout), some free weights, traditional situps, pushups, etc. I've also cut out most of the sugary foods I eat ... which was a long list :p

Ahhh....sugary food...I gotta work on cutting that out, too. It's certainly not helping any...:p

skippingAs in tra-la-la skipping merrily down the road, or skipping rope?

my main goal for 2009 is to get a job 2nd ride alot
the 2nd will be easy

I want to become a better climber.

but you already are good. you'd be all skin & bones if you lost 60#!!!!!

As in tra-la-la skipping merrily down the road, or skipping rope?

Would you judge me differently if it was both?

Would you judge me differently if it was both?Not really. If you got completely ripped by skipping merrily down the road with a pink jumprope, I think it might actually be cooler.

Even more so if you did so while wearing some of those shoes with flashing lights in the heel that were all the rage fifteen-ish years ago.

but you already are good. you'd be all skin & bones if you lost 60#!!!!!

I could have said something "reasonable," like six pounds, but how underachieving does that sound?

What day (of the week) is the Assault on Mitchell this year?

I'll join this challenge.

Goal one: Join a gym and work out at least 1-2 times a week on my core and upper body. Aim to gain about a kg of weight.

Goal two: become a stronger rider by either: going on a long ride or a hill ride, or go tramping (hiking) at least once a week.

Goal three: Go tramping once a month.

Goal four: Join a dating website or service and hopefully go on several dates.:(

Goal five: ride lots.

I am going to struggle with the riding towards June as it will be heading towards winter. I will need to buy some more winter cycling gear.