I’ve signed up for Tommy Vallier’s Twitter Pushups Challenge. It’s based on the Hundred Pushups site, where the goal is to work your way to complete 100 good-form pushups in about 6 weeks. It’s a great challenge, and the program looks achievable. I’m pretty certain I can get there, even though the most pushups I’ve ever been able to do is 30 (at the height of my karate training about 3 years ago, back when I had abs and biceps).

Last year I lost a bunch of weight (about 28 pounds and 6 sizes) strictly through diet. I’ve managed to put back on about half of that, and realized recently that if I don’t do something soon I’ll be grown out of all my clothes again and be right back where I started (or worse).

This time, I’m not only going to cut the fat and calories, I’m going to get back to being more physically active again. That means daily power walks with the dog, yoga and yes, 100 pushups. Not only will I be thinner, but I’ll be in shape too (there’s a dramatic difference).

So why blog about it? Because if I tell everyone I’m doing this, I’ll be less inclined to make up excuses why I can’t. It’s like the world is watching this time. Well at least my 5 or 6 readers are. 🙂

And this time, I’m not going to weigh myself. Weighing oneself is not effective if one is also doing strength training like pushups and yoga – because you are building muscle too, and muscle weighs more than fat. The scale is not an accurate representation of your real fat/muscle ratio.

It’s not about what the scale says. I am 5 foot 8. I am not a small person (for a female). I will never be 120 pounds. I will never be a size 2. (Nor do I aspire to be either of those things).

The secret to a successful exercise and healthy eating regimen is not what the scale says. It’s about how you feel physically and mentally. It’s about bringing your body, mind and spirit into balance.

Anyone want to join me? I’d love to hear your thoughts. And sign up for the Twitter Pushups challenge today!