Better U? Better Me!!!

Tomorrow is game day. The American Heart Association has a new 12-week challenge called BetterU. It starts tomorrow. Here's how the AHA describes the program:

Go Red BetterU is a FREE 12-week online nutrition and fitness program that can makeover your heart. Each week will focus on a different area and provide step-by-step guidance. You'll receive everything from daily expert tips, an online journal, and a downloadable BetterMe coaching tool. Get started.

Get started! That's the plan.

Why am I doing this? Well, other than the fact that I can't pass up a challenge, I've been a member of the American Heart Association advocacy network for four and a half years. They, along with the American Stroke Association provided wonderful information to me - free of charge! - after I suffered my stroke in November, 2004. I've written dozens of letters to my state and federal Representatives and Senators advocating the passage of countless bills that will help make you and me healthier - and will strengthen the services available to all of us if and when (God forbid!) we have a heart or brain attack.

But the biggest reason I'm taking the BetterU challenge is that I need to be heart-healthier. I need to lose weight. And, it's SO much more fun when there's a group involved.

I can't think of a more fun group than the one I'm in with this challenge. I'm part of Joshilyn Jackson's posse. You know Joshilyn - she wrote those fabulous books gods in Alabama, Between, Georgia, and The Girl Who Stopped Swimming. (If for some reason you haven't read these books, go get them. Now!) Joshilyn is a blogger - er, international spokesmodel - for the AHA BetterU program. And, if you've read her blog (Faster Than Kudzu), you know she's going to make a great, funny leader of the posse. (If you haven't read her blog, do it. Now. But come back here!)

Twelve weeks. Eighty-four days. Two hundred and fifty-two meals. One hundred and sixty-eight snacks. Sixty workouts (I'm committing to five a week - but will try to get in at least thirty minutes of exercise the other two days, too.)

So, what are my goals? I'm going to lose at least twenty-five pounds. My waist measurement will decrease. My fitness test numbers will double ( timed push-ups, sit-ups, holding plank, measured run/walk...the run/walk will decrease by at least 1/3).

I have some other goals, too. I'll talk about those over the next several weeks in my Better Me blogs.

In twelve weeks, I'm definitely going to be a Better Me! What about you? Will you be a Better U? C'mon, join the party! You'll thank yourself later.