Burn Baby Burn

B2B W12: 250/250, -*****, 10 stairs

Today I ran around the track FOUR times!!! I did one whole and two 1 1/2 laps. I tried to do 2 in a row, but I'm not ready...YET :-D

I feel like Christmas. I've been itching to reveal, no unveil, no present, oooh, so excited....I've been itching to unveil - yes, that sounds right - the next challenge.

The next challenge is called Burn Baby Burn. The purpose of the challenge is to kick my metabolism into high gear. I want my body to be an efficient fat burning machine. To that end, I'm kicking up my cardio intensity and adding strength training to the routine.

The Challenge will run from April 6th to July 5th. It's going to get me through Memorial and Independence day holidays. I'm looking forward to that. Memorial day I'm usually in Miami with family. This year DBF and I are contemplating a cruise. It's going to be fun:-)

Burn Baby Burn Challenge

• Exercise 3900 minutes (includes strength training)
  
• Complete 35 30-minute strength training workouts
  
• Increase running to 10 track laps
  
• Eat on plan every day

Eating on plan means I:

• Eat within my points
  
• Drink at least 48 oz of water
  
• Eat at least 6 servings of fruit and vegetables

I'm going to take the stairs as much as possible. I'll be accruing them during this challenge for use in the next challenge.

Everyone is free to join. Let me know in the comments if you're game so we can keep in touch and cheer each other on.

The next challenge you ask?

Yes, I'm already thinking about the 3rd quarter challenge. That challenge is going to be dedicated to eating optimally, if I don't accidentally do it during this one:-) I'm thinking that I'm going to use the stairs accrued during Burn Baby Burn for a Stairs to Starch program in Heading to the Beach (South Beach, that is).

Why don't I do that now you ask?

Well, I want to win. I already have enough changes going on in this challenge. I'm upping my exercise goal from 3300 minutes to 3900 minutes. I'm introducing strength training. And I'm starting the running program early. I think that's enough.

Food is going to require concentrated effort to move from healthy choices to optimal eating. Right now, I'm comfortable with my food. I am upping the fruit and veggie intake from 5 to 6, but I do that now anyway. I am still changing my food lexicon and the way I view food. I'm still consciously choosing healthy, wholesome foods. I would like, during this challenge, for that choice to be unconscious. In other words, I want the healthy choices habit installed completely before I start letting go of the training wheels.

The Heading to the Beach challenge will be a precursor to taking off the tracking training wheels. I've said all along that I want to develop a healthy lifestyle. This year is about transitioning to that. It's all about making healthy choices and being active. The weight will melt of as a result of making healthy choices and being active. I'm thinking beyond that point. I have no intention of tracking every morsel I eat or obsessing over what food I'm eating for the rest of my life.

Being healthy will become like driving a car for me. Sure I pay attention to signals and sounds when I'm driving, but I can also talk on the phone, listen to the radio, or speak to a passenger (sometimes all at the same time) while driving because driving itself is an installed habit.