It's Monday! I was dragging a lot yesterday but did my walking in spurts. Wearing a pedometer makes me set mental goals for myself which keeps me motivated. I am very glad I got one. It is really neat to feel worn out and then to look at the pedometer and realize why. I think I am going to be hooked on a pedometer from now on, and I think this is a good habit to get into. I did a little walking this am and will again after 4pm. I kind of have my day booked up with the kids and school responsibilities. This is the last week before my son gets promoted to high school Thursday, and my daughter's boyfriend is graduating high school Wednesday, and it's just a busy time this week with a lot of changes. I am looking forward to these changes including me being thinner!!!

Day 6 is halfway done. I did a 2.5 mile elliptical in 30 mins for 468 calories.

I'm going to try to push myself in the next workout.

Don I am thinking that this ellipitical is like running because you are burning up the calories. I walk 2.5 miles and can only burn about 150 calories according to my perdometer. I think it's wrong though because everyone said I should be burning 100 calories for every mile. I am walking fast and can do a mile in about 15-20 mins. depending on my mood. How long does it take you to do a mile on the ellipitical?

I am going to mall walk tonight because it's cooler.
Hey Stacy I am glad you are getting hooked on this walking. Isn't it great??
Tatiana phone home.... where ever you are...... LOL I missed you on the forum this weekend...
Lara glad to have you back. Unfortunately I think you are going to get a fine..
Sorry.......
Do you have a perdometer Lara?
Tiffany glad to have you back here.
Annia are you and Dawn still working tonight? Haven't heard from you yet?

I will do all that I can :P

Zina, I've added a few true "walks" into my regimen. They're fast paced walks around my neighborhood, which is mostly flat. There is VERY little in common between the feeling I get from "walking" and working on the elliptical.

The elliptical has a tension or resistence setting, to make the exercise more difficult. The setting I use for these walks is somewhere between 5-10 (out of 20). It feels like I'm walking very fast (a jogging pace) going UP hill... or maybe up a set of stairs. Plus, I use my arms and that adds to the workout quite a bit. I also sometimes reverse the direction (pedal backwards) and it feels like I'm using an entirely different set of muscles. In normal mode, I start to feel the burn in my calves and at the top of my butt; in reverse mode I feel more in my quads and in the bottom portion of my butt.

It's a workout. After 30 minutes, my heartrate is about 140, my breathing is like when you might jog, and I'm SWEATY. Much different than if I was to take a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood.

It's freaking raining so hard in Seattle. I only got 1 mile so far. I am going to see a trainer at 5 PM. I will not leave the gym without doing the rest 4 miles. I will honor Don and walk 1 mile on an elliptical. It's brutal and yes sir, I will be sweating like... that pink and plum animal, right.

Annia, sweetheart, I read your plea today (good job on reaching out and posting a blog) and I think that you may want to slow down a little. You pushed yourself to 6 miles a day... what about re-committing to only 4 or 5? Is it doable? If not, this challenge has only 15 days left and we will start another one soon. You may join after taking a short and so much needed break. You decide, OK?

Zina, I missed you too. Are you still walking? Inside your house?

Lara, I know you will do whatever you can. I am so very proud of you. It was just one day of not walking, just one. Not two, three, or four. And you are back on track, quick and ready to go.

Don, are you stretching well after your workouts? There is a greater benefit to stretch after the workout when your muscles are warmed up rather than stretch before starting an elliptical.

Stacey, how many steps did you take yesterday? Are you planning on doing more today? This challenge is really engaging and pushing to do more, more, more.

Tiffany, wow, you walked a lot. And swimming! Swimming is a rare thing on the Pacific Northwest, too cold.

Ok, to the gym in an hour. Will report on my miles later.

WooHoo! Go Tatiana!
I want to hear how your elliptical session went.

I just did another 2 mile session in 25:00 minutes for another 375 calories.

Total for the day (so far) is 4.50 miles in about 55:00 minutes. Calories burned is 843. I promised the kids another neighborhood walk after dinner so that'll put me over the top easily.

By the way, in 6 days, I've logged 31 miles and 6000 calories!!

Wow. This challenge and those of you in it ROCK!

Thank you for the information on the ellipitical. I have never tried it but guess I should some day. Sounds like a workout. I think you should show a big weight loss this week Don. 3,500 calories = a pound. right?

well I got 3 miles in at the mall didn't shop until I had my walk in. then two miles with Leslie. 10,314 steps

Lara I am proud too of you jumping right back in here and getting the walk done. You can do it.