Ok people, you know how it goes.  The holiday season approaches. You start getting busy. You go off your workout plan (if you even had a workout plan) and holiday food abounds. You promise yourself you’ll be good but ..

Next thing you know, you’re eating everything in sight.

 

Pumkin pie .. cranberry bread.. stuffing … Christmas cookies.. candy canes .. ham … eggnog .. wine .. beer … hot rum toddies – you name it, you ate it.  And before you know it…

 

It’s January and you feel like this.

So let’s skip that and try something new!

Head off the holiday blubber build up with Kim’s Solstice Step Up Challenge (“Solstice” so we can encompass everyone’s winter holiday of choice)

Here’s how it works:

1)      You set exercise goal that you want to meet between now and January 1, 2013.

2)      You pledge actual cash dollars for not meeting that goal.

3)      You choose where you are going to donate your pledge.

4)      You state it all out loud, right here in the comments.

Here are the details:

Your Goal:

It doesn’t matter what kind of workout you do ..

Must be stated in measurable terms of effort, not results.  In other words, give me kilometers, miles, minutes, flights of stairs, trips around the block, times you’ll do your workout video, etc.

Should not be stated in pounds lost or gained. We aren’t playing that game.

Can be any kind of good aerobic work: running, kickboxing, workout tapes, walking, swimming, stair climbing, biking, dancing— or just a combination aerobic exercise.

Has to work for YOU.  Should be achievable with some effort. Not too easy. Not out of reach.

 

As long as it’s something you can count.
Your Pledge:

Choose a baseline dollar amount you will donate to a cause of your choice whether or not you meet your goal. No reason they shouldn’t get something anyway, right?

Then choose an additional amount you will pay for not meeting your goal. It can be a single all-or-none amount or can depend on how much you miss your goal by.

Just don’t try to do too much at once
Your recipient

Any thing, person, organization you want to give to is fine. Totally up to you.

Feel free to goad others to support your cause.

Saying it outloud

Yes, you have to say it out loud! That’s what makes goals, goals!

So let’s hear it – who’s in??

Family, I’m looking at you. I know there are at least 2 treadmills among you. And a gym membership. Let’s get those machines humming. And no, I don’t care if you are 84 years old or have just had knee surgery, this is a good thing! Fun for the whole family!

CM-ers (and other writers), you know who you are. Before we get to Christmas dinner and it’s too late, are you in? No,  cleaning your garage doesn’t count nor does having the whole thing “worked out in your head.”

Science people, you know darn well we’re all supposed to be exercising. You’ve been harping on it forever. Now let’s see it happen!

Isn’t peer pressure a great thing!

And besides folks, there’s no downside.  There are some awesome causes out there that would be thrilled to see you totally fall off the wagon and send a nice pile o’ money their way. So either way, it’s a win!

Anyone?   Ok fine, I’ll go first.

Goal:  50km on the treadmill, running, jogging, sweating buckets, gasping for air by January 1.

Pledge:  $20 + $2 for every km I don’t complete.

Recipient: I will select a science project to sponsor at Donorschoose.org  (feel free to lobby me if you have a pet project over there)

There, I said it.  Next?

 

Run with me!