The May "Merry Mayhem" Challenge!

Start date: May 1st    Duration: 30 days

Purpose of Challenge: To add a little 'merry chaos' to your workouts! Push yourself to increase your workout every day by 5 minutes! You can do this by the week (starting over each week after your mandatory rest day) or you can keep the minutes talley going through-out the month (still taking a weekly required rest day).

What kind of workouts? That is up to YOU!
Remember if you are trying to still lose weight, you should shoot for 5-6 days a week of cardiovascular exercize, with a 30min. minimum.

Yes, you can do 2 sessions per day and ADD the minutes together for that day! But each day needs to increase by 5 minutes! Be intense! The harder you work, the more efficient your lungs get and the more k-cals you burn!

If you are trying to lose body fat as well, a minimum of 2 strength sessions should be added. Do 3 sets of all exercizes with heavy enough weight to barely squeeze out the final reps. That is how you increase muscle mass and thus have a higher calorie-burn rate in your metabolism.

Pilates, stretching, relaxation yoga, and swimming are also fine forms of exercize and beneficial to your health. However they ALL burn less cals! And you cannot substitute these forms of exercize for cardio or ST!

Swimming, although cardiovascular in nature, is the least effective way to burn fat! It's true! But it is wonderful if you have joint issues or arthritus! Olympic swimmers have the highest degree of body fat to any other atheletes! (A higher-fat body makes for a better swimmer as fat floats and muscle sinks!) No matter...this is STILL an acceptable form of exercize, just not as effective in cal burning as sport walking, jogging, running, or aerobic dance.

Yoga styles are vast, some are relaxation and gentle stretch, others require great strength and cardiovascular endurance. All forms offer benefit to the body. Some stress flexibility, others can make you sweat and work harder than a good run! I highly recommend yoga!

OUTDOOR activity is also allowed!! Be aware of how hard you are working. A stroll, although lovely and good for the heart, doesn't cost as many cals as a sport-walk pace or race-walk pace. Use variety to avoid burn-out and boredom! Try using the park and the equipment there to do additional strenght moves like push-ups (off a table or path), tricep dips (off a park bench), step-ups, (using a concrete bench), monkey bars (for lats and forarms). Many cities offer "BOOT CAMP" programs in the summer that revolve around this style training!

Mandatory Rest day: Your body needs recovery! Especially now that your challenge requires you to add 5 min. each day! You can choose to do "playful rest" which I define as a gentle sport day: badmitten, frisbee throwing, catch, strolling, softball, b-ball, or even just using a stretch CD or something of that gentle nature. Be gentle on yourself once a week to permit recovery.

Optional Challenge component: If it helps you to stay 'clean and honest' continue to report your daily cals/fat grams!  I must do this to keep myself in check, maybe some of you feel as I do too! I will NOT be tracking them however.

DAILY REPORTING: Report yout TOTAL MINUTES worked out. That is the ONLY thing I am tracking daily this month for your group results. (Due to this temporary situation with my MIL, I have to make my computer time more efficient).

You are WELCOME to share your workout as it can give others ideas of things to do. And you should be proud of your accomplishments too!  I will give you group results after all are reported from our participants, so report one day after the day completed, please.

Remember: A split routien is fine, just be sure your TOTAL minutes exceed the previous day, and report only the total combination please.

OUR Mission: Lets shake-it-up in May!! Add some 'merry mayhem' to your daily workouts! Experiment, push harder, do something fresh, tweak it up to the next level! Add some MAD intention to kick it up to the next level! Get jacked to be excited about working out harder and longer, 5 minutes more each day!

Weekly BONUS goal!!!! At the start of each week, I will offer a suggestion to add to that weeks workouts! You can chose to do it or not, but if you DO it, I will add a 15 minute REWARD to your weekly total!! Don't always expect it to be a exercize goal...I've got a couple ideas up my sleeve!! (Cue mystery music now!!)

Are you ready??? It's time for May Mayhem!!

Current Participants

1.   Carol Joy
2.   Carol
3.   Deidra
4.   Jane
5.   Jayne
6 .  Kari
7.   Kelley
8.   Lorraine
9.   Lynn
10. Melissa
11. Patti 
11. Rhonda
12. Tina 

Optional BONUS Goal! This is for week 1 only, and you can earn a 15 minutes bonus at the end of the week, which will be added to your total!

Every day this week, starting TODAY, complete 200 crunches for the day! You may use any variety of crunch, curl, oblique work, leg-walks, scisors-kicks, roll-ups (pilates style), knee to opposite elbow with extensions....be creative and use EFFECTIVE form! You have 7 days to complete this goal and earn an added 15 minutes to your weekly total minutes!

Guidlines for safe and effective ab work:
1) Use a slow and controlled movement. FAST work does not work the muscles as deeply as you use momentum and typically this leads to poor form..which COULD result in injury/discomfort.

2) Do not yank your head up with your hands! Place your fingertips behind your ears, elbows WIDE and chin slightly tucked. Lift your head and neck by contracting your abs, not by pulling on your head.

3) Inhale before the lift (extention/eccentic move), exhale on the LIFT (contraction/concentric move). It is essential to use correct breathing patterns while training abs.

4) Pull your belley button IN before the lift; do not have a "lazy abdomen" or your crunches can build a little 'pouch' if the muscle gets pushed out.

5) Mix it up!~ Find new exercizes from a CREDIBLE source and learn correct form.

6) Stretch your abs after our workout. Try not to eat within 30min of training as well.

7) To build muscular endurance, start the week off with doing sets of 20-25, before you rest and continue. You may do the 200 in one session, or thru-out the day! Each day, try to build your endurance by ADDING another 5 reps to your previous set from the day past.

*DO NOT track the time this BONUS goal take to your overall daily total! You can earn the reward (15 min.) at the end of the challenge!

If you are finding this thread for the first time, and wish to join us, just post to me and I'll add your name to the list when I update! I am closing this challenge at 15 people.

Let's use May to prep ourslevs for shorts, sleevless tops, and summer sports! Have fun, be safe, take your weekly rest day, and report your TOTAL daily minutes one day after your workout! At the end of WEEK 1, please report if you made your BONUS goal challenge; I will then add your reward minutes to your weekly total!

May your month be filled with fitness!
Carol Joy

Hello Carol Joy and everyone else! My name is Patti and I am new to these challenges but not new to alli. I began alli on January 7, 2008 and have enjoyed the adventure. A little about myself. I'm 44-years-old and I am married to a fantastic man and have two children; a 20-year-old daughter who is a college senior and an 18-year-old son who is a college sophmore. My daughter goes to ASU in Tempe, AZ and my son is transferring from Mesa College in San Diego to DeVry University in Phoenix, AZ. My husband, Bill, is a C5-6 quad status post 31-years. I retired from the County of San Diego in 1998 and my husband retired from San Diego City Schools in 2005. Since his retirement I have really packed on the pounds. I am Bill's caregiver so I am always active with something. I forgot to tell you that I live in Martinez Lake, Arizona. Most of my exercise consists of walking, although I have a new aerobic DVD that I am going to be using for this challenge. For strength training I use 2 unopened soda cans as weights for my arms. I don't go to the gym because I live 45 minutes away from town. Martinez Lake is pretty much a fishing community and all we have is a boat shop, store, and restaurant. My hobbies consist of quilting, knitting, sewing, ceramics, baking, cooking, fishing, kayaking, boating, and birdwatching. If there is anything else you would like to know, just ask..I'm an open book. Good luck with the challenge!

 Carol Joy, you read my mind!!!! A couple of weeks ago, for some reason, I backed down on my abs. Then, this morning, I decided that I really needed to push those again and I needed to get back up to doing the 200/day that I was doing 2 weeks ago! That is just too funny!!!! Will definately be adding that in!

Hi Patti! Nice to 'officially' meet you! I am in awe of your CW at 147! I dream to get back there! Once you get to your GW of 135..you can start modeling!!

We share some similarities. I am 50, have been married almost 31 years, also to a wonderful man! He is an engineer and sits on the board for the company as well. We do NOT have any children, but do have 1 female cat, 2 male cats, and a cockatiel! No college education there...lol!

We live in Oakland County, Michigan but hubby plans to retire at 55, at which time we will look to relocate to a warm-weather state. One place we will check out is Sedona! Who knows...someday we may be neighbors!

You have a nice variety of hobbies! My hobies are yoga (ashtanga and jivamukti style), studying Kabbalah as well as the yamas and sutras of Hindi, exploring new places with friends, meditation, an now working to become a vegetarian! You really have to re-learn how to eat to get the right balance of protien/carbs/fats! I am educating myself on that topic, but presently still eat fish, shellfish, and SOME poultry. I gave up alcohol on Jan 1st (which in itself is only amazing because my hubby has a 6,000 bottle wine cellar!!) and gave up beef about 2 months ago, or close to.

I still work part-time as a Personal Trainer, and have a BIG gym in my lower level. I use to model in my 20's and 30's, then went into aerobic dance teaching, then in and out of retail- fine clothing stores.

I put my weight on mostly in the past 6 years. After leaving Nordstrom and before I started doing personal training, I just got lazy, and enjoyed too many of lifes pleasures...also mid-age horomonal changes, and the ever-present bi-polar meds adjustments...and I slowly went from a small 10 to a tight size 14! (Back in my 20/30's I was a 6-8). It just kinda crept on slowly as I became older and of course now, it is a slower and more challenging battle to win! I am now in comfortable 12's and a few 10's. I also lost lots of belly fat, but waist is still at 35".

I think you will feel at home on our thread! Perhaps all the others can share bits about themselves as well? We have some great success stories here!

Ladies, whatever you care to reveal about yourselves?? Some of us have been in monthly challenges since last August! But a few are relatively fresh to the group.

I think it would be nice to "reaquaint" with each other!

p.s. Patti..is there anyway you can pick yourself up a pair of 5# and 10# dumbells? You will get better results, and the low investment cost will pay off big in more visable results as well as muscle gain!

 Hi Patti, welcome aboard!

Kalola:

Ladies, whatever you care to reveal about yourselves?? Some of us have been in monthly challenges since last August! But a few are relatively fresh to the group.

I think it would be nice to "reaquaint" with each other!

I'm Jayne, a 38 year old single mom, 16 yr old daughter and a 15 yr old son. I live in NW Montana. And for those of you interested, I now have a front AND back yard! The snow is almost completely gone! Just a few piles left like at the front of the driveway and where my son and I had to shovel off the roof! I also have two cats and two dogs!

I don't really have a personal life, just me and the kids. I will have to relearn how to be an adult and individual person here in a few years when my kids graduate and move on to whatever it is they're going to do! I used to crochet until I broke my knuckle (6 yrs ago) so still have problems holding onto the hook for any extended period of time. I absolutely love to read, am completed addicted to reality tv shows, discovery channel shows like Deadliest Catch, and Battlestar Galactica. I work as a bookkeeper/member services for a Realtors Association and have been here for 3 years. Retirement? What in the heck is that?! I won't see that for a very long time! I'm a Navy Vet, spent some time in FL, CA and the rest of my tour in VA.

Family, I live right next door to my parents. My sister lives about 90 min south of us and I have a brother in Reno. I also have (sit down Carol Joy) lost of family in MI, specifically the UP. I have family in Wakefield and Lanscing (sp) and we lived in Midland for a few years when I was little!

Patti, I also have a lot of family in Arizona. My mom was born and raised in Phoenix. Almost the whole majority of her side of the family still lives there. But almost all of them come up here for a bit in the summer, have to get out of the heat!

Guess that's about it. Anyone else????? 

 

It's fantastic meeting you. I left my 5# weights at my San Diego house but I will pick them up next week when I drive over. I do lift my husband twice a day so I am getting a little bit of strength training, although I don't think that really counts as I am not doing repetitions; I'm just lifting him and putting him in his wheelchair or into bed. I love the crunches idea. I have a guest house that I use as my studio and exercise room. I'll be doing crunches while I look out over Martinez Lake! Well, speaking of crunches, off I go to begin the stomach burn.

Hi Jayne! Thank you for the warm welcome. Snow? You still have snow? The temperature here at Martinez Lake is around 80. My husband and I were to go out on the boat today but the wind gusts are up to 30 mph. Not much fun. Good luck with this month's challenge, I'm looking forward to pushing myself!

Hi Patti :) and welcome to the challenge!

Well here is a little info about myself:

I am twenty years young and recently moved to florida from michigan and ohio. I am on my journey to become a nurse. I just recently moved back in with my parents (yikes!). I now work two jobs(the gap and at a country club), am taking one summer class, and volunteer every friday. I have always been overweight for most of my life but was always active. I played water polo in highschool and ran cross country for a season. I gained the freshman 20 or so and now I finally weigh less than what I did in highschool. Besides my dad everyone in my family is skinny-except me. Being apart of these challenges and taking alli has give me a lot more confidence in my self not only by being able to buy smaller clothes but being able to push my self in different ways each month. I have been on tons of diets before and always seemed to plateau- but the way carol joy changes things up I really haven't hit one! I haven't been posting as much as I should.

 p.s carol joy- GOOOO REDWINGS!!!

Welcome Patti

I am Melissa a NICU nurse inHOuston Texas married with a 7 year old son. I delevoped a thyroid problem after my son and ballooned to over 210 and started with alli in july 2007 now down to 163 and size 8.....

my goal is still 140 but already feel great where I am at...I really love these challenges and hopefully can push past the current plateau....

 

melissa brownie1 

Kalola:

Ladies, whatever you care to reveal about yourselves?? Some of us have been in monthly challenges since last August! But a few are relatively fresh to the group.

I think it would be nice to "reaquaint" with each other!

Hi Patti,  Welcome to the challenge,  I am 49 (will hit the big 50 on June 29th) married also to a wonderfull man and have 2 sons, Bill is 31 and Eric is 25.  I also have 4 grandchildren, Kyllee is 6, Cricket is 5, Ayden is 1 and Dustin is 4 months, They are a great joy to our family.  For pets we have 1 cat and his name is Storm, he was a stray that someone dropped off in our area and he found our house to get out of the bad snow strom that were we having on the day he showed up.  So I took him in and took care of him and he has been with us now for just short of 1yr.  We live in Northern Vermont where the weather in the winter gets pretty snowy and cold, yesterday morning when we left for work we had snow on the ground.  I work for a Custom Broker firm as a Customer Support Specialist and have been there for 20yrs.  My hobbies consist of cross stiching, crocheting, sewing, gardening, camping and riding our Harley when we have nice warm weather.  I have been on Alli since January 9th and have lost 16lbs and 8 inches.  It's a pleasure to meet you and good luck in the challenge.

Tina

May 1st Total: 20 minutes (not including the 200 various ab crunches!) I did a mini yoga routien focusing on headstand, tripod stand, fish pose, shoulderstand and stretching. Atleast it will be a piece of cake to add 5 minutes today! lol!

Kind of a lame start for the first day, but had to get my MIL out of the hospital and settled at home, which I hadn't expected to do until Friday! I got home late, around 10pm.

Saturday, I will not be able to post the totals for Friday until either VERY late or possibly Sunday morning. We are spending the night in Ann Arbor for the University of Michigan Law Scholl Graduation (out niece).

Today I plan on walking  and doing the ab bonus challenge.

It has been nice reading everyones mini-bio thus far; I hope everyone else posts theirs too!

Have a great weekend!
Carol Joy

 

May 1st total: 40 miniutes. Unfortunately I was only able to walk yesterday so I went on a 1.75 mile hike. I did begin the crunches but my dog decided to join the fun and she laid on my stomach as I was trying to exercise. Needless to say, I wasn't able to finish all my crunches. We had friends arrive in from San Diego last night and they're staying in our guest house, so I will be walking this weekend instead of doing my aerobics. I will definitely try my crunches but will have to put my dog outside so she stays off my stomach! Happy weekend to all!

Hi Patti-

Welcome to the group! It's nice to meet you.

I'm Kari. I'm 28. I've been married for 3 years. No kids yet. I want to lose some weight first. I work with people with developmental disabilities. I've been heavy since I was a kid.  I started the program in October at 214 (my heaviest ever) and am now at 190. I feel great, but I have a long way to go to get to my goal of 140 or so.

30 minutes. I wanted to do at least 40 but it didn't happen. Oops

 

Kari 

Hi everyone!!  My name is Carol and I've been with Carol Joy on all the challenges since the beginning and loving it!!!   I'm 51 years old and am married with no children.  My husband and I play in a Rock N Roll band (60's 70"s 80's music) and have a great time doing that.  I've been on the Alli plan since last July and have lost a total of 25 lbs.  I wish it was more, but I have not always been faithful.  This plan has taught me some very valuable things, eating healthier and exercising regularly, which I never did before.

I enjoy, walking, riding my bike, sailing (I sail with a group once a week), going to Curves and doing DVD's for my exercise.  I NEED all the help I can get to keep on the plan and not stray.

My husband & I are leaving on a cruise Sunday and I vow to be good, food-wise and exercising, while I'm away.  My goal for this May Challenge is lose 5 lbs.  I KNOW it is doable, I just have to keep myself on track.

Welcome to everyone on the Challenge and let's work together to get this done!!!

Carol