100 Mile Challenge Wrap -Up and New Beginning!

Between January 1 and March 31, Trish ran the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge at her blog with the same name. I decided that I was going to participate because I had ballooned to 152 pounds and was busting out of my clothes! I absolutely hate exercising. I live in Texas where it is ridiculously hot for most of the year, and I'm originally from the mountains in Northern New Mexico so I have just never acclimated. So, that being said, I have not been motivated to exercise since I moved here 12 years ago (in fact, I've been unsuccessfully petitioning to move to a more temperate climate). Well, I've finally given in and decided to embrace the sweaty Texas lifestyle and overall I did pretty well.

I did complete the 100 Mile Challenge and actually surpassed the goal with a total of 123 miles done. The challenge counts all walked and run miles. Biking and exercise videos count differently with 15 minutes of biking or exercising counting for a mile. I did exercise videos and was pretty diligent about walking my dogs. Last month, I started getting tendonitis in my left shoulder which left me unable to lift my arm very much so I stopped doing the videos but continued walking. Though it was "winter" here in Texas, I really enjoyed being outside. There were very few days where I was uncomfortable with the cold (I no longer own a real jacket or have mittens so it did get a little chilly some days for me) and I was super motivated to walk because of it. Even my allergies didn't keep me down! I have been diligently taking my allergy meds and going every two weeks to get my allergy shots, and I think it's really helped! So, when all was said and done on March 31 I felt I had succeeded at least becoming more active. During the three months, I lost 7 lbs. without doing my with my diet (I tried to eat less but still chowed down on cake and cookies and the like).

Because all of this was such a success, I'm signing up for Round 3 of the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge which is being run by Allie (Enriched Mom) and Jill (Softdrink) this time around. It's only April 3 and they have already posted a mini-challenge to get in a day of exercise for the first day of the challenge (which actually shamed me into exercising--I was so going to skip that day). I'm going to give myself a little stretch goal and say I want to do 150 miles this time because I was able to do 123 miles last time. I say it's a stretch goal because summer is coming up and like I said above, I hate the Summer heat. I'm going to do it though for my health and to help keep my dogs healthy and happy as well! Will any of you join me in sweatiness for the challenge?!! I'd love it if some of my followers did and updated me on their progress. I love reading all the progress comments each week on the progress report. They are so motivating and so real! Some people are super achievers and some people are normal (like me...hehe). I like that everyone shares their struggles and triumphs because really, we are all in it together.

If you plan on joining, leave a comment here for me so I can check in with you and see how you are doing on the challenge every once in awhile! Click HERE to join the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge for April 1 - June 30.

100 Mile Fitness Challenge

Trish at 100 Mile Fitness Challenge has been running (no pun intended) her quarterly fitness challenge between January and March this year. Recently, she posted a giveaway for the participants of the challenge to help motivate us through our last few weeks of the challenge. I thought that was really great of her and Dana (who is providing the prizes for the giveaway from her Etsy Shop called Words to Sweat By) to have this giveaway because honestly, I really don't enjoy exercising very much even though I ALWAYS feel better when I exercise.

For the giveaway we are supposed to tell people what motivates our exercising and how we can help motivate others. So here it goes:

I am really motivated to exercise when I am held accountable by friends or from the 100 Mile Fitness challenge weekly progress report. I don't want to let them down or quite frankly, I would  be embarrassed to admit that all I did is sit on the couch and read or watch TV all week long while others are working their butts off to be active. I'm also more motivated to exercise when my clothes stop fitting like I want them to, and when my clothes become too baggy and I need to buy new ones! I would like to motivate people to join a fitness challenge because it has been quite a bit of fun to participate in this one. We are all at different fitness levels and everyone is really honest about their successes and failures so I don't feel alone if I only report two or four miles for the week. Lately my tendonitis has come back in my shoulder and I haven't been able to lift any weights for my exercise videos, but I don't feel bad about saying that I have had to take it easy because there are others that are struggling with the same things. It's just nice to know you're not alone! I also feel so much better and energetic when I exercise on a regular basis, and I secretly think in my head that I'm as awesomely fit as the ladies in the video! It's not true at all, but maybe someday I'll get there! Hehehe!

Please check out Dana's Etsy Shop called Words to Sweat By. She makes super cute towels that you can take to the gym with you or just keep by your side when you are doing your exercises at home.  If you are interested in the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge, please visit Trish's blog as well and sign up for the next round. It's really great fun and motivating! I haven't been trying to lose a whole lot of weight, but I've managed to lose five pounds by just exercising (not changing my diet at all). My goal for the next round is to be more consistent about exercising and start to eat a healthier diet so that I'll continue to lose weight.

Do you have any weight loss or fitness goals? What motivates you to become more fit? I'd love to hear your answers because if you know me, you know that I love to sit on the couch all day and eat bad food and watch movies! I am always open to some extra inspiration from you all!