The Challenges of October

About a week ago I decided to hop on the challenge bandwagon. This led to a ridiculously tiring, excuse-filled week...
Last Saturday I had a great workout. I did one of my Asylum vids and went for a run. All was happy and fall-ish. Sunday came and I took a rest day. Monday came and I took another rest day...you can see where this is going.
Thursday was the first day I finally worked out via bootcamp ran by a phenom instructor in a local community center. Friday I went for a run...in the morning! Yesterday I participated in an almost 5 mile trail run (with obstacles!).

So- you might ask- what do challenges have to do with this?
1st Challenge: Presented about a week ago--Starting October 1st cut out added sugars. Limit to 25 grams or less per day.
2nd Challenge: Presented a day after the first--Also starting October 1st cut out alcohol for 30 days.
During the time I was pondering these challenges (after agreeing to them) my mindset shifted to a dark, dark place. A place of "when I start this challenge sugar will disappear for.ev.er". DUH. This led to me consuming more junk and sugar in the following days than in a year total beforehand...which led to severe stomach issues (am I getting the flu?)...which led to cranky me in the morning...which led to me failing a challenge presented later that week.
3rd Challenge: Presented by my hubby on Tuesday night at approximately 10 pm---starting the next day we would attempt to get up at 5:30 (yes, in the morning) and go running for half an hour. Due to the darkness of the a.m. that fall brings this means walking to the gym at 5:45 (yes, in the morning). Due to my reaction of the earlier challenges I failed the first two days of this, shamefully. Did I mention that we wagered $5 a day on this. So after day 2, I owed him $10 already. Nice.
4th Challenge: I signed up for this yesterday. I am challenging myself to stay off the scale for 2 months, blog about my clean eating, anti-scale, consistent-exercising self along the way. Goal: a shift of my scale-obsessed, fad-diet hopping, every-day exercise addict mind, to a more self-loving, look in the mirror, feel good on the inside type of person.
5th Challenge: Under Armour is running an outstanding program now called "What's Beautiful". It allows women to post a challenge to themselves and track it using their website through videos and photos. There are challenges posted from UA as well as some you can post yourself. I did it. I am motivating myself even more to meet the 4th challenge by tracking it on UA as well. My hope is to inspire others to do the same...see yourself as beautiful through your strengths, energy, and radiance rather than through some digits on a scale.
6th (and final) Challenge: Complete my challenges.
The short version...
No added sugar (25 g or less) or alcohol.
Get up at 5:30 and to the gym
No scale. Eat Clean. Work-out consistently.

Care to join me in any (or all) of these challenges? Let me know!