Turkey Day Challenge

Earlier today I ran across a challenge on GPP's website that is intended to help clean up your eating, become more committed to exercise and improve health. The challenge is intended to run from October 29 to November 21st. All the details for the Turkey Day Challenge are below and are taken from GPP's website.

Commitment

1. You may eat NO ADDED SUGAR - no white sugar, no brown sugar, no high fructose corn syrup (you'll have to check labels for this sneaky beast). Honey and agave are ok. Unprocessed fruits are OK.  You can have Splenda and Asptartame, but why the H would you want to?  Basically, anything that is a sugary sweet eaten for pleasure alone is off limits.  Just until Thanksgiving day.
2. You must complete 5 GPP workouts per week PLUS three extra 30 minute cardio sessions per week.
3. You are to pick a health related challenge to stick to.  Once picked, you should post this healthy challenge and how you will be accountable for compliance to it.  For example: you may choose to begin a few rounds of BCD & post (daily) whether or not you stuck to it.   Below are a few suggestions of health related challenges you may consider:

• Comply strictly with a GPP meal plan.
• Get 6-8 hours of sleep per night.
• 50 extra burpees per day.
• Pray/meditate daily
• No unhealthy snacks.
• Take a daily multi vitamin.
• 5 servings of fruits + 5 servings of vegetables per day.
• Eat .9 g of lean protein per lb of lean body weight daily.
• Eat healthy & correct portions of breakfast/lunch/dinner.
• Weekly community service.
• Weigh & measure weekly.

The Teeth

If you are going to commit to any of the above, you have to be committed enough to put some teeth into it.  In other words, it has to HURT if you break your commitment.  So here is how that works:

1. You must commit to, and define your intention to complete the challenge to comments.
2. You must post daily results of your challenge to comments.
3. There are penalties for not following through.  Each time you miss a workout, indulge in a sugary treat, or mess up on your personal goal (your observable, measurable & repeatable one) you are to pay $1, or 1 can of food for every offense!  Strictly enforced by HONOR.  These are to be dropped off at GPP HQ (or your local food bank).  Questions or exceptions are to be voted upon by those in the challenge.  Majority rules!  

My Personal Commitments

1. No added sugar except for the small amount found in foods that I feel are healthy. My goal of this challenge is to not eat candy, cakes, chips, or anything deemed unhealthy by most people. No tastes or samples of these foods allowed!
2. Completing 5 workouts a week, GPP or not. I have other workout routines that I sometimes follow so these do not count against me.
3. Health Related Challenge - take a multivitamin everyday and drink more water.

I am not going to blog daily posts each day about the results of this challenge but will offer an update every now and then. 

Motivation

Running is hard work and takes a lot of commitment, practice, and motivation. In order to get better at running you have to run. As most runners know, it is not easy to get up out of your warm, cozy bed and put on your running shoes and go outside and run. As the seasons are changing, the weather has gotten colder, wetter, and gloomier, making going for a run even less desirable.

In order to push myself and make myself train for future races I thought up some ideas for motivation. I want to raise awareness for ovarian cancer by raising money and donating it to a person struggling with this cancer so they can use it for medical expenses or to an organization dedicated to finding a cure.

I personally know an amazing woman who is one of the most caring, selfless, and strongest women I have ever met. She always goes out of her way for people even when she does not feel her best. She has been fighting ovarian cancer for a few years and has underwent countless chemotherapy sessions. I feel that out of anyone I know, she deserves it. I think that her family, friends, and acquaintances would all want to give back to her as she gives so much to others.

One of the slogans for ovarian cancer is "Fight like a Girl," which is where I got my motto, "Run like a Girl" for the race!

First Post!

Hello! My name is Danielle and I am new to blogging but something I am not new to is running. I have been running for the past 8 years and have competed in several 4 mile and 5k races. This past year I joined the running club at my college where we run daily and compete in different 6k races throughout the region. Many of the runners in the club have ran in half and full marathons and because of this I have been motivated to push myself and to run a half-marathon. My college roommate has also decided to train with me and compete with me in the race. A few weeks ago I did some researching and found the race I want to run in - the Indy Mini-Marathon. This is a 13.1 mile long course so it is definitely going to be a challenge as I have never ran more than 7 miles at once!



Over the next few months I am going to blog about my training, tid bits of daily life, and some of my interests. Within the next few weeks I hope to add several other features to this site!


I hope you enjoy following me over the next few months and seeing where my training takes me!