Hello and welcome to the first challenge!
Whether you use gym machines or use a pedometer or an app to track your mileage and calories burned, the first challenge is to not look at the numbers.
*** MY UPDATE IS BELOW ON MY CHALLENGE RESULTS
Sometimes we tend to focus on starring at how many calories we're burning. Instead, work out as long as you can and as hard as you can on one exercise and don't focus on any numbers. Just focus in on the moment of working out, no goals set, no time to beat and no obsessing over counting the numbers.
BTW: Gym machines aren't always accurate. It is better to count calories with a heart monitor.
It's easy to go outside for a run and leave the pedometer in your pocket without looking at it. But, if you use the treadmill, stationary bike or elliptical, the numbers stare right back at you. So, bring a small gym towel and throw it over the screen after turning your machine on.
Your challenge, and mine, is to push ourselves beyond our comfort level.
So, if you normally bike for 20 minutes on a low incline and that's it, after 20 minutes you're done knowing you could've worked out longer, now your challenge is to up the incline and peddle faster for as long as you can without looking at the display. Then, take the towel off the machine, or the pedometer out of your pocket and surprise yourself with the results.
*** You may be surprised at how much work you put in when not paying attention to time or other numbers.
Feel free to leave a comment below. Did you try challenge #1? If so, what were your results?
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10/15 UPDATED RESULTS: I completed the first challenge today! I threw my gym towel over the display after I got on the elliptical. I just kept going until I felt like I had enough on that machine.
I must admit it was hard not looking at the numbers, because I kept wondering how many calories I burned. I also had to force myself not to look at the gym clocks that are around on the walls, that would be cheating. No worries, I didn't look.
I realized I listened to quite a few gym songs while on the elliptical and guessed that I burned around 200 calories. So when I took the towel off and realized I worked out for 34 minutes on the elliptical, completed 3.2 miles and burned 367 I was impressed with my results!
See my complete workout from today HERE.
How did you do on the first challenge? Post your results below. Challenge #2 will come shortly.
I will try tomorrow! I am guilty of doing that. I look at the timer and then I get depressed when I see how much time is left and cannot WAIT until the clock runs out. I will cover it with a towel or my Kindle depending on the machines they have here in the hotel!
ReplyDeleteHow did it go? Did you try it? I'm going to try my challenge today and post the results in an update in this post.
DeleteI wanted to try it but couldn't. The placement of the screen was in a place where I couldnt cover it without covering my Kindle I was reading lol. So I kept glancing down :-(. I did however push myself to go longer than I planned so that is a plus.
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