Another challenge!! Am I CRAZY?!

No... not crazy... but damned determined!!

This past Tuesday was my last personal trainer session until October 23 - my PT is getting married and going on vacation for 3 weeks! And since I only see him on Tuesdays and Fridays, to me he's actually going to be gone for a month... 30 days EXACTLY!

So I'm proposing a challenge to myself:

30-day "Surprise-the-PT-when-he-gets-back" Challenge!
or the 30-day Surprise PT Challenge for short.

What is the Challenge: Technically, this 30-day challenge started on Wednesday, the 23rd (I'm only writing about it now), but for the next 30 days I will be personal-trainer-free so I wanted to take this opportunity to change up my workout and try new healthy recipes. And of course lose some weight while I'm at it!

Why am I doing it: For the last 4 months I've done most of my exercise at the gym and it's been the same thing every week...

Cardio on Monday.
Personal trainer on Tuesday.
Cardio on Wednesday.
Off on Thursday.
Personal trainer on Friday.
Cardio on Saturday.
Cardio and weights on Sunday.

It's about time for a change, don't you think?

Plus, with the accountability of a personal trainer and having scheduled sessions, I feel like I've lost a little of my own accountability and motivation so I wanna get that back! Eating right and exercising are ways of life for me, but recently I feel like I've been in a rut... just putting in the hours at the gym because I'm suppose to, eating oatmeal and fruit because I'm suppose to, drinking a ton of water because I'm suppose to. I want to enjoy eating healthy and working out again.

When does it happen: This challenge started Wednesday, Sept. 23 and will run exactly 30 days until Thursday, Oct. 22.

How will I do it: Do workouts that I haven't done in a R.E.A.L.L.Y. long time and try new recipes every week. As far as exercise, here are some of my weapons of choice:

For strength training I'm gonna rotate through a 5-day split and switch between P90X workouts and Jillian Michaels' "The Biggest Winner" series.

For cardio, I'm gonna get in more runs outside (not on the treadmill) and I'm gonna start running stairs again. If/when I go to the gym I'll rotate between machines I don't normally use, like the bike and rowing machine.

Goals for the challenge:

• cardio miles: at least 3 miles/day, 6 days/week = 78 miles
  
• weight train: 3 days/week = 15 days
  
• calories: stay between 1300 - 1600
• water: at least 72 oz/day = 2160 oz.
  
• weight: lose 6+ lbs. = -1.5 lbs./week