Our 100 Day Challenge UPDATE

We really messed this up so we decided to start over!

 "Fail to plan, plan to fail." That's a no-brainer and yet we never sat down together to WRITE out the details of our 100 day challenge. We discussed vague ideas and goals but never put anything in writing.  So here is our plan in writing!

We will create a sense of teamwork while focusing on these 3 aspects of a healthy lifestyle: nutritious  foods, ample exercise, & adequate sleep.

Nutritious Foods: follow 21 Day Fix-portionology guidelines, create a weekly meal plan, go grocery shopping weekly, record food intake daily
Exercise:  create & follow 4 week exercise plan,  stretch pre/post workout, take measurements & pictures at the beginning & end of the 100 days
Sleep: get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Asleep by 10pm up by 6am

For fun we'll complete 2 items from our fitness bucket list each week (these activities are underlined on the 4 week plan).

Pleasure or Pain?

For YEARS, Ivan has voiced his belief that raising a puppy/dog is no different than raising a child.  He has never raised a child but he HAS raised a puppy Rottweiler named JD.

I fought him for months on this topic but despite our differing beliefs on parenting we eventually got married and 4 months later, we got our first puppy, Noa.  Isn't he charming?!

Pretty soon, Ivan had won me over to his philosophy: raising a puppy IS like raising a child.   I too have not raised a man child.  (So, you can all laugh at our ignorance and assume we'll both be in for a surprise when we decide to have our own man children).

As our spoiled only puppy child developed some very not so charming habits, I found an audiobook-The Loved Dog by Tamar Geller.  She explains pleasure and pain in regards to training a dog.  Instead of focusing on punishing a dog for bad behavior,  focus on rewarding a dog for good behavior.  In the words of Tamar Geller, "When you coach your dog using The Loved Dog method, your wishes will become his favorite behavior because he will associate it with great pleasure—not pain" 

If raising/training a puppy is like raising a child then surely these same principles apply to the "other man child" I am raising/training....my husband! Eureka! Raising a puppy is like raising a child but raising a puppy is ALSO like raising a husband.  My husband not only responds better to pleasure, he's MOTIVATED by pleasure not pain.  So, nagging (pain) about how we never get outside and move, doesn't get the results I desire. Pleasure driven...pleasure and exercise? Does it even exist?! I know it does, but convincing Ivan of this, is the challenge.  Here's my best attempt to make fitness pleasurable-our fitness bucket list.

The goal is to complete 2 a week.  We are starting week 2 of Couch to 5K Training tomorrow.  We are planning on running a 5K Color Run on June 6th!

Our 100 Day Challenge

I admire couples who are able to work TOGETHER to achieve their goals.  It is no small feat! Ivan and I have set many goals but sadly, have accomplished only a few together!
Anyone else know this struggle?

We have set the goal to "improve our health by eating healthy and exercising" SO many times. 

Furthermore, we both fall into the, "I'll try" trap. "I'll try to eat healthy" "I'll try to exercise 5x's a week" "I'll try to make a healthy meal plan" I'll try... I'll try... I'll try...

I think I'll buy a little Yoda as a reminder of this great quote.  I am tired of trying and getting NO WHERE! I am ready to DO this and enjoy the reward of hard work and persistence! 

I'm ready to face this challenge with Ivan to achieve a healthier happier life together.

Since we've never achieved a goal together.  I'm not quite sure yet on how we'll do it but I'll post a monthly update on our progress along with the things that work for us as I find and practice them!