THE RULES
This is a competition to motivate participants to live a healthier lifestyle. It is open to anyone age 14 or older who sincerely wants to establish habits that promote overall wellness.
DATES:
This will be a 6-week challenge starting November 7, 2011 and ending on December 19, 2011. You must commit to the full six weeks and be prepared to give your health a serious effort.
WHAT YOU NEED:
You will need a scale. Weight loss can be tracked in whole pounds or down to the tenth of a pound, if your scale allows that option. You will need a method to measure your body. That could be a tape measure or a string you wrap around yourself and measure with a ruler. And you will need an internet connection. I will do almost all of my communication with you through the blog, www.rainbowteamrules.blogspot.com. You will report your points for the previous week to me via email on Mondays, I will post the previous week's winner on Tuesdays, and I will post your next week's challenge on the blog on Fridays. Other questions or comments can be directed to me most easily by email. Other than that, Excel (or the open office equivalent) on your computer will be helpful because I will send you a spreadsheet just before the competition starts to easily track your points, weight, and inches. If you don't have Excel, that isn't a problem but you may need to ask more questions to make sure you're scoring properly. Or you can download a free open office program. If you need help with that then let me know.
POINTS:
There are a few ways you earn points, so read thoroughly:
WEEKLY POINTS--Each Monday you will report your weekly points in six categories totaling 135 possible points.
1. Exercise: You can earn up to 35 points each week for exercise. You earn 5 points for doing 30 minutes of exercise and 7 points for doing 45 minutes of exercise up to 5 days per week. If you do more than 45 minutes of exercise or more than 5 days per week, WAY TO GO! But you do not get any additional points, and you can't carry the points or minutes over to future days or weeks of exercise. 7 points x 5 days = 35 points possible each week
2. Sweets: You can earn up to 30 points each week for not eating sweets. Each day that you eat no sweets, you get 5 points up to 6 days per week. Each day that you eat one sweet, you get 2 points. If you eat two or more sweets in a day, you get 0 points. What constitutes a sweet? Brownies, cookies, cake, ice cream, candy, donuts, or anything sweet that's preventing you from being healthy. HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE THAT EACH WEEK YOU GET ONE "SWEET DAY" THAT DOES NOT COUNT AGAINST YOUR POINTS! Special occasions do not get extra free sweets, so use your sweet day accordingly. If you don't use your sweet day,
DATES:
This will be a 6-week challenge starting November 7, 2011 and ending on December 19, 2011. You must commit to the full six weeks and be prepared to give your health a serious effort.
WHAT YOU NEED:
You will need a scale. Weight loss can be tracked in whole pounds or down to the tenth of a pound, if your scale allows that option. You will need a method to measure your body. That could be a tape measure or a string you wrap around yourself and measure with a ruler. And you will need an internet connection. I will do almost all of my communication with you through the blog, www.rainbowteamrules.blogspot.com. You will report your points for the previous week to me via email on Mondays, I will post the previous week's winner on Tuesdays, and I will post your next week's challenge on the blog on Fridays. Other questions or comments can be directed to me most easily by email. Other than that, Excel (or the open office equivalent) on your computer will be helpful because I will send you a spreadsheet just before the competition starts to easily track your points, weight, and inches. If you don't have Excel, that isn't a problem but you may need to ask more questions to make sure you're scoring properly. Or you can download a free open office program. If you need help with that then let me know.
POINTS:
There are a few ways you earn points, so read thoroughly:
WEEKLY POINTS--Each Monday you will report your weekly points in six categories totaling 135 possible points.
1. Exercise: You can earn up to 35 points each week for exercise. You earn 5 points for doing 30 minutes of exercise and 7 points for doing 45 minutes of exercise up to 5 days per week. If you do more than 45 minutes of exercise or more than 5 days per week, WAY TO GO! But you do not get any additional points, and you can't carry the points or minutes over to future days or weeks of exercise. 7 points x 5 days = 35 points possible each week
2. Sweets: You can earn up to 30 points each week for not eating sweets. Each day that you eat no sweets, you get 5 points up to 6 days per week. Each day that you eat one sweet, you get 2 points. If you eat two or more sweets in a day, you get 0 points. What constitutes a sweet? Brownies, cookies, cake, ice cream, candy, donuts, or anything sweet that's preventing you from being healthy. HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE THAT EACH WEEK YOU GET ONE "SWEET DAY" THAT DOES NOT COUNT AGAINST YOUR POINTS! Special occasions do not get extra free sweets, so use your sweet day accordingly. If you don't use your sweet day,
you do not get any additional points. 5 points x 6 days = 30 points possible each week
3. Fruits/Vegetables: Each day that you eat at least 5 fruits or vegetables, you get 3 points. Each day that 3 or more of those are vegetables, you get 5 points. Generally speaking, one serving is approximately 1/2 cup, although leafy greens are approximately double that and dried fruits are about half that much. 5 points x 7 days = 35 points possible each week
4. Water: Each day that you drink at least 64 ounces of water, you get 2 points. 2 points x 7 days = 14 points possible each week
5. 9 p.m.: Each day that you stop eating before 9 p.m., you get 2 points. 2 points x 7 days = 14 points possible each week
6. Team: Each day that you are in contact with a team member by any method (email, phone, blog, text, voice mail, telegram, Facebook, U.S. Postal Service, etc.) you get 1 point. Through personal experience I've found that encouraging, motivating, sharing experiences, and staying accountable to others helps us to be more successful as individuals and as teams. 1 point x 7 days = 7 points possible each week
WEIGHT LOSS POINTS--Each week you will report your weight loss points. Please do your initial and weekly weigh-ins at approximately the same time and under the same circumstances each week (empty/full stomach, before/after exercise, etc.) First you must decide which of the following two plans you want to do:
1. Weight Loss Plan: If you are trying to lose weight, you will choose the "Weight Loss Plan." At the end of each week when you weigh in, you will get 5 points for maintaining your lowest previous weight and 10 points for each whole pound and 1 point per tenth of a pound you have lost beyond your lowest previous weight. For instance, if you gained weight, you will report 0 points, AND you don't get any weight loss or maintenance points in future weeks until you return to the lowest weight you had already achieved. If you maintained your previous lowest weight, you report 5 points. If you lost one pound, you would get 5 points for maintaining plus 10 points for that pound, so you would report 15 points. If you lost 2.1 pounds, you get 21 points plus 5 maintenance points, so you would report 26 weight points.
3. Fruits/Vegetables: Each day that you eat at least 5 fruits or vegetables, you get 3 points. Each day that 3 or more of those are vegetables, you get 5 points. Generally speaking, one serving is approximately 1/2 cup, although leafy greens are approximately double that and dried fruits are about half that much. 5 points x 7 days = 35 points possible each week
4. Water: Each day that you drink at least 64 ounces of water, you get 2 points. 2 points x 7 days = 14 points possible each week
5. 9 p.m.: Each day that you stop eating before 9 p.m., you get 2 points. 2 points x 7 days = 14 points possible each week
6. Team: Each day that you are in contact with a team member by any method (email, phone, blog, text, voice mail, telegram, Facebook, U.S. Postal Service, etc.) you get 1 point. Through personal experience I've found that encouraging, motivating, sharing experiences, and staying accountable to others helps us to be more successful as individuals and as teams. 1 point x 7 days = 7 points possible each week
WEIGHT LOSS POINTS--Each week you will report your weight loss points. Please do your initial and weekly weigh-ins at approximately the same time and under the same circumstances each week (empty/full stomach, before/after exercise, etc.) First you must decide which of the following two plans you want to do:
1. Weight Loss Plan: If you are trying to lose weight, you will choose the "Weight Loss Plan." At the end of each week when you weigh in, you will get 5 points for maintaining your lowest previous weight and 10 points for each whole pound and 1 point per tenth of a pound you have lost beyond your lowest previous weight. For instance, if you gained weight, you will report 0 points, AND you don't get any weight loss or maintenance points in future weeks until you return to the lowest weight you had already achieved. If you maintained your previous lowest weight, you report 5 points. If you lost one pound, you would get 5 points for maintaining plus 10 points for that pound, so you would report 15 points. If you lost 2.1 pounds, you get 21 points plus 5 maintenance points, so you would report 26 weight points.
2. Weight Maintenance Plan: If you are trying to maintain a healthy weight which you have already achieved OR if you are pregnant, you will choose the "Weight Maintenance Plan." This challenge is for EVERYONE trying to be healthy, not just those trying to lose weight. If you are maintaining your weight, you must decide what weight you are maintaining, and for each week that you are at or below that weight, you get 15 points. If you go over that weight, you get 0. If you are pregnant, please don't worry about the scale, but you must get at least 121 weekly points (90%) to get your 15 weight points per week.
BONUS POINTS—Every other Friday I will post a bonus challenge to push you a little further or get you thinking about your health a little bit more. Each week the bonus challenge is worth 35 points. I will give instructions how to score your bonus with the challenge instructions.
INCHES POINTS--At the start of the competition and again at the end of weeks 3 and 6, you will measure your right bicep, chest, waist, hips and right thigh. For each 1/2 inch you have lost, you will get 5 points. It is important when you are measuring that you measure in the same spots. I have included a visual to help. The thigh will be easiest to measure in the same spot if you measure where your middle fingertip falls next to your thigh.
INCHES POINTS--At the start of the competition and again at the end of weeks 3 and 6, you will measure your right bicep, chest, waist, hips and right thigh. For each 1/2 inch you have lost, you will get 5 points. It is important when you are measuring that you measure in the same spots. I have included a visual to help. The thigh will be easiest to measure in the same spot if you measure where your middle fingertip falls next to your thigh.
POINT REPORTING: READ CAREFULLY
You will report your points at the end of each completed week (on Mondays) via your team color on the website. Points must be reported by 10 p.m. on Monday night. I will deduct 10 points from your team's total for each person who reports late. If your points are not reported when I declare a weekly winner on Tuesday morning (usually before 8am), your points from that week will not count at all.
When I declare the team that wins each week, I will NOT be posting the points each team reported. Weekly results are not cumulative from previous weeks. At the very end of the competition, you will get to see the point grand totals, and I will rank the teams and declare an overall winner.
You will report your points at the end of each completed week (on Mondays) via your team color on the website. Points must be reported by 10 p.m. on Monday night. I will deduct 10 points from your team's total for each person who reports late. If your points are not reported when I declare a weekly winner on Tuesday morning (usually before 8am), your points from that week will not count at all.
When I declare the team that wins each week, I will NOT be posting the points each team reported. Weekly results are not cumulative from previous weeks. At the very end of the competition, you will get to see the point grand totals, and I will rank the teams and declare an overall winner.
The way to win this competition is not by being on the team that loses the most weight. It is to get your entire team to commit to getting perfect or almost perfect weekly points. One team member not giving his or her very best can lead to the whole team losing because of that person's low points. Also, I ask that everyone please be honest in your point reporting. Your integrity is not worth a few points, and your health will reflect your commitment to living the rules of this competition.
WINNERS:
Obviously, everyone wins when you implement these sensible lifestyle habits. But at the end of the competition, I will post on the blog the TEAM with the highest points! I will also let everyone know the person who earns the highest point total (weekly points only), the person with the highest percentage of weight loss, and the person who loses the most inches.
ARE YOU READY TO PARTICIPATE?If you want to participate, please contact me at kim@burke-works.com by November 2, 2011. I am not limiting the number of participants, so get your friends and family involved. When registering please be sure to include any requests you may have for teammates. I will do my best to honor those requests.
Obviously, everyone wins when you implement these sensible lifestyle habits. But at the end of the competition, I will post on the blog the TEAM with the highest points! I will also let everyone know the person who earns the highest point total (weekly points only), the person with the highest percentage of weight loss, and the person who loses the most inches.
ARE YOU READY TO PARTICIPATE?If you want to participate, please contact me at kim@burke-works.com by November 2, 2011. I am not limiting the number of participants, so get your friends and family involved. When registering please be sure to include any requests you may have for teammates. I will do my best to honor those requests.
MY CONTACT INFORMATION:
Kim Burke
kssburke@gmail.com
