Fitness challenges

I had a very long and exhausting day yesterday.  We had a college workshop yesterday in our counseling department of the high school where I work, the first one for our year.  With the help of one of our former students, we put together a workshop with other graduates to give advice to our juniors and seniors based on their experiences in college.  We had a huge turn-out, but there was a lot of work that went into it.  First off, I must say that the heat and humidity does not help someone who is larger.  You sweat more, that's just a fact of life.  I wasn't exactly wearing the lightest outfit either.  Add that to medication that makes you sweat as a lovely little side affect and you can use your imagination.  Oh, and our air conditioner at the school wasn't working in the room we were in.  So, imagine, 300+ bodies in a room, only fans available and I was constantly moving back and forth before the event for help with things that were coming up.  I finally went back to my office, turned on my fan and just sat there for a while during some of the workshop.  I did work at my desk, but I just couldn't stand it another minute in that hot room!  Don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to complain.  I'm just expressing how uncomfortable I was.  By the time I got home last night, I had worked over a 12-hour day, I missed half the food I was supposed to eat because I was so busy and I was just ready to plop into bed.  This morning, thankfully, I'm going into work later, partly because I'm taking comp time and partly because I have a doctor's appointment.  So I was able to get in some good sleep.

Now, on to my fitness challenges.  Since joining Jenny Craig again, I decided that I was not going to "hide" behind a computer screen (which is so easy to do).  I decided, instead, to get involved with the online community in addition to my individual meetings with my consultant.  This way I know that I'm being active in my program and doing the best I can to give it my all.  The things that I have learned in my journey is that I need to honor what is going to keep me honest and the most successful in being healthier.  So, I am involved in one fitness challenge and am about to start another one.  The first fitness challenge is that a group of people online at JC's website are participating in a Halloween challenge.  The premise is that you determine what your goal will be - whether that is a certain weight loss, size or whatever - and post daily to support each other in how we are doing to achieve that goal.  That started yesterday and ends on Halloween.  So I put my goal as losing thirty pounds.  It's a lofty goal, I know, but it also feels more tangible than all the weight I need to lose in total.  My JC consultant advised me to set smaller goals since they all contribute to the overall weight-loss goal.  If I lose 30 pounds, fantastic!  If I don't, then I will be closer to achieving that goal.
My second challenge is inspired by what a few friends are doing on Facebook.  They are participating in a 30-day challenge that involves squats and lunges.  While I can't do that because of the pain in my legs, I thought that I could work on another body part.  So, starting today, I'm going to participate in a 30-day crunch challenge.  Because I have back issues, strengthening my core will be a really good thing for me.  Of course I'll continue doing my walking or other exercises that suit me, but I think this challenge will be good to keep me moving and consistently taking care of my body.  Here's what the challenge entails.

There is a website that shows how to do the challenge and the proper form for the crunches.  They let you break the crunches up so you don't have to do them all in one fell swoop.  That's good because look at how many crunches I have to do on day 29!  Now off to start my day.