90-Day Challenge & Tips

Inspired by shows like NBC's The Biggest Loser and MTV's I Used to Be Fat, I came up with a program that is challenging but still allows you to indulge in your favorite foods often. On "down" days, you will drink shakes and/or low calorie meal replacements to keep your calorie intake around 500 calories. On "up" days you will be able to eat whatever you want, but do not binge or go too overboard.

Challenge 1

Challenge 1 places a heavier emphasis on exercise. You will follow the Alternate Day diet. Furthermore,  every day for 90 days you must do a 4 mile interval walk/jog (takes approximately 50 minutes and can be completed using the DVD listed below). Every other day you will do a weight training exercise for 15 minutes (DVD suggestion is below).  This may sound a bit much, but remember, the contestants on The Biggest Loser and I Used To Be Fat workout 4 to 6 hours a day!

Challenge 2

Challenge 2 places more of an emphasis on diet for faster weight loss, although exercise will play a role. By the end of the 90 days, you will have completed 9 weeks of "liquid" dieting, and 3 weeks of eating whatever you want--though neither phase will be consecutive. On your first week, you will do all meal replacements, mainly shakes or meals with 100 calories or less, for a total of 500 calories a day. The next week you will switch to the Alternate Day diet, then after that you will alternate again to liquid dieting for a week.  On the Alternate Day diet weeks, you will run 4 miles a day. On the liquid diet weeks, you will try to workout for at least 15 minutes every other day. You will keep alternating weeks until the 90 days are over.

Before beginning either challenge, you'll need to get your hands on a few things first. Here are my suggestions, although you're free to come up with comparable substitutions.

1. To become familiar with the The Alternate-Day Diet. Information can be found on the founder's website, and you should also order the book to get more information on how the program works, recipes, etc.
    

2. The challenge will also involve meal replacement shakes on your "down days" and weeks. I would suggest using the shakes and meal replacements offered by Take Shape For Life, but if cost is an issue, you should check out DietDirect.com.
    

3. This wouldn't be a challenge without exercise. For this challenge, I'm using Leslie Sansone's Walk Slim - 4 Fast Miles (2-Disc Set) every day for 90 days (takes about 50 minutes to complete), and The Science of Fitness with Tamilee - I Want That Body! every other day for strength training (15 minutes).
    

4. On down days, meal replacements (strongly suggest shakes) should be used in order to achieve a total of 500 calories or less. On the other days, you are free to eat what you want!
    

5. Optionally, you may be interested in supplements to enhance your weight loss. See which supplements I recommend on my Products & Links page.
    

6. Finally, you should join the Alternate Day Diet support group on sparkpeople.com.

Additional Tips

1. Weigh yourself right before starting the challenge, but then lose the scale. Check in every 30 days, or wait until the 90 days are completed.
    
2. Keep a journal of what you're eating. Many sites have a database full of every food imaginable and will count the calories for you (like sparkpeople.com). Sparkpeople will also keep track of your exercising!
    
3. I've found that it's best to workout in the morning, before eating breakfast. Not only do you burn more energy that way, but you don't get to procrastinate all day until you decide not to bother.
    
4. Make sure you are drinking enough water.
    
5. Don't worry about whether you can make it through the entire 90 days or not. Each day you do will bring you closer to your goal. Even only making it half way through will yield tremendous results.
    
6. If you get really bored, you may "shake" things up by doing shakes for the first part of the day, and eating normally the second half of the day.
    
7. For people who ended up with stretch marks, you should try this creme which works wonders.
    
8. If you fall off track, just start back the next day!

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