I want to encourage you to join our Titus2 fitness challenge. I decided to participate with my family in the February pushup challenge although I had no expectation of being able to improve my ability to do pushups.
On our trip last fall, I had done pushups as part of my on-the-road exercising. I started the trip being able to do seven pushups and ended the trip being able to do seven pushups.
On the first day of February when we tested how many unbroken pushups we could do, you guessed it – seven for me.  Throughout the month as a family we encouraged each other in the challenge and reminded each other to do our pushups, usually doing them either before or after dinner. We groaned together with sore muscles at first, laughed trying to find a place on the crowded living room floor for all of us to fit in when we did them at the same time, critiqued each other on our form, and decided pushups were easier upstairs on the carpet than downstairs on the tile.
Each day, except Sunday, I did three sets in a row of all the pushups I could do at one time. At the end of the month when we were to again test how many unbroken pushups we could do, mine was 21. Not only did my number triple, but my form improved as well.
I am sharing my pushup challenge story because if a fifty-five-year old mother of eight  and grandmother can do pushups and significantly improve through consistently doing them, then I think you could as well. The pushups don’t take any equipment.  You can do them anytime of the day. Your children can do them with you, and it doesn’t take very much time.
If you would say that you couldn’t even to one normal pushup, the Jan. 28th post on this blog has information on a beginner way to do pushups.  It is the post that started the pushup challenge. Then on Jan. 28, there is a post that gives suggestions if you can’t even do one beginner pushup.
I encourage you to go to the Titus2Fitness blog and join the current fitness challenge. This month we are doing lunges while keeping up our pushups. We are only doing the pushups twice a week, but you could combine both last month’s pushup challenge and March’s lunge challenge by doing pushups and lunges every day – except for our full rest day on Sunday. I think you will be pleased with how simple it is and the amount of quantifiable progress you can make.  The lunge post was on March 1. It will give you the information you need to begin the lunge challenge.
If you started the challenge in February but didn’t finish it, pick it up again. Post on the new Titus2 Fitness blog and let us know what you are doing. We will be encouraged, and you will be too. You will also find it is a good time together as a family.
Teri
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.†3 John 1:2
Thanks Mrs. Maxwell for your encouragement! We’re having some really busy weeks to keep up to, thanks for your encouragment to keep up with our push-ups and lunges!
That’s great improvement Mom! 🙂
Way to go Teri!
First of all, I must say that I looked at the picture of Teri without her glasses and saw so much of Sarah. It amazed me that I never noticed before with all the pictures that have been posted. Being the same age of Teri, I feel encouraged although I detect a weight difference. All the more that I should take on the challenge. We will be praying for your trip North.
Way to go Teri! Thank you for writing a great inspiration. Frequently, the hardest part is to start. But once you do, you feel so much better. Praying for your safe travels!
Thank you for this post, Teri. I have been inspired. I had seen the push up challenge but I thought” not for me, I can’t even do one”. But after reading this post I went and tried and still can’t do one , but I can do some leaning agaist the wall and I tried lounges and I could do several. So tomorrow I will officially start doing both every day, (except on the Sabbath). Thank you again.
Many Blessing,
Nitza
Teri,
Thank you for your words of encouragement. As a mother only to two, a couple of years ago I found myself in a position health-wise that I wasn’t doing so well. My back hurt, my knees hurt, my doctor told me that I needed to lose weight but I was stymied by life. One night I went to bed and in pain felt the need to pray: and asked God “Is this what you want of me? Is this where I am supposed to be at the age of 41?” I don’t remember hearing back but the next morning I woke up and felt convicted to change my eating habits, felt convicted to cook differently for my family as well. I also felt a need to exercise and learned to push through the pain when it arose, rather than let the pain be my excuse for failure. In six months I lost 50lbs, my husband lost 30lbs, and as a diabetiic his blood work moved out of the high risk category. We made/make exercise not only a time for our personal selves, but a time for us as a couple, and a time to share our love of the Lord. It’s been almost a year and we’ve kept off the weight, increased our exercise and are more connected as a couple. I went from a size 12 to a size 6, my husband went from a 38 inch waist to a 33. And I trully with all my heart believe God led us to where we are now, that somehow without direct instructions He led us to feeling better. So that’s why I say kudos to you Teri and God Bless. God is good is He not?