I love life!

Hi, I am Jo and this is my blog about my life. Here you will find entries on cooking, gardening, food safety and the interesting things happening in my search for an inexpensive and healthy way of living. My home is located in North Florida and I am relearning how to take care of myself at almost 50. This is the deep South so my garden and season may be a bit different than yours. I look forward to seeing what you have to say as time passes. Read on and have a beautiful day!
Jo

Friday, April 12, 2013

Military Fitness Challenge









Although my blog has not had a new post in a couple months it is still getting lots of views. Go figure - so a big thanks to my readers!!!

This year will be my 45th Birthday. In a nutshell- I freaked out!!! Completely and utterly fell apart.
And this drama from someone who said, "Why color your hair?" and "What is wrong with aging gracefully?"

Then I resolved to have an awesome birthday. To that end my hair has been cut and colored and we have reservations at a beachfront hotel in Naples for the night. O.k., so we have a friend getting married there as well. Two birds....and all that.  

So you ask what is the Military Fitness Challenge and the answer is ...the final step of my breakdown.
It is an idea from the depths of my age addled brain that actually seems possible the more I think about trying it out.  20 some years ago I completed basic training on Parris Island. That short stint in Basic gave me a smokin' hot body.  I must admit it was torture of going through everything to graduate as a Marine but time diminishes the pain as it passes.

Parris Island is not getting me back- ever- but what I did while I was there can be applied to my life now. Albeit with some modifications for my age. There will be no "pogey bait." Snack foods high fat and high calorie, sodas, candy and ice cream all constitute "pogey bait." Beverages are water only as we carried canteens everywhere. Coffee, milk, juice and tea were and  will remain acceptable. In basic we had no alcohol or cigarettes either. Since cigarettes have been out of my life for 13 years that is a non issue. Alcohol, however is another story. Sigh. First I am going down to one drink a day - as soon as we get back from Boston - on Tuesday.

The key to the whole thing, however, is the dreaded exercise. We worked out for hours a day! Sadly, I do not have hours a day. I do have extra hours on weekends and those will go towards long runs and bike rides. The end goal is the U.S.M.C. Fitness Test adjusted for age.    
                                                                               
                                                        
That translates into a 3 mile run in 33 minutes, 45 crunches and a 90 second arm hang or 3 pull-ups.
Basic on Parris Island when I went through was 13 weeks. 13 weeks from now is July 5 2013. Thus on July 5, 2013 I will be able to run, crunch and pull my way up into fitness. For the sake of full disclosure I must admit I can run 2 miles comfortably now, which is better than when I went to boot camp.

If you would like to join me you can look up your favorite branch of the military and their fitness test requirements. All can be adjusted for age. If you are already in the military you are all set though you should try an ass kicking yoga class as your challenge.

Anyone interested??