leangreen.org recycled renovation on a low-budget ration

Since competition and the threat of public humiliation spark motivation, we have decided to share our Wall of Shame. In the spirit of New Year’s resolutions, January 2010 marks a renewed commitment to The Official Wheeler Street Fitness Quest 2000 Chalkboard Wall of Shame. Formerly recorded on our kitchen cabinet, back when we had a kitchen, this friendly competition tracks a completed set of various fitness exercises.

Here’s how it works: each time you do a set, you get a check. For instance, in December (above image), Jen (yellow checks) completed 10 sets of sit-ups while Brian (red checks) only did 1. If you get twenty checks in any exercise within the month, you get an “all-time” point (on right). In December, no one got any all-time points but somehow Brian had points from November when we weren’t even really playing yet. But by January (below image), Jen scored three all-time points in the Sit Up, Push Up and Balance-board Squat categories. Brian also chalked up two points for 20 miles of running and 20 sets of push-ups. The first person to get twenty “all-time” points decides the destination of our next trip…plus bragging rights. To equalize handicaps and keep it challenging, we’ve decided that each time you achieve an “all-time” point, you have to up the ante on your set. So Bri’s Push-Up set went from 30 to 35 this month, while Jen’s went from 15 to 16.

So far, it’s a close race with no clear indication of a leader, although we’re developing our own favorite categories. Of course we’ve convinced ourselves that being healthy and fit is an easy win for our lean and green goals. Yet questions remain: Can the chalkboard fitness quest save us a gym membership? Can we stave off the next flu scare with our outrageously healthy immune systems? And can Jen finally prove to Brian that she’s the real athlete in this relationship?