Living The Lifestyle Monday 7/29/19

imastar2

We meet here to explore, share, celebrate and (sometimes) agonize over how we do (or don't) incorporate weight loss guidelines into our daily lives. "It's a lifestyle, not a diet" is easily and often said, but sometimes not so simply put into practice.

This is a thread for everyone. If you're new to GoaD, or to weight loss, your questions and comments are always welcome. If you're maintaining, or a long-term loser, your thoughts on the topic may be just what someone else needs to hear. If you're reading this, join in the discussion!

Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion.

Monday - Imastar2 (Derrick)
Tuesday - GavinFlynn1 (Gavin)
Wednesday - Wildcard (Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?)
Thursday - misterhub (Greg)
Friday - Wildcard

Today's Topic: Challenges: There literally are challenges with Weight Loss / Weight Management out there for everything.

1. Are challenges something that you like to participate in? and have you had any success with any of them?

2. What do you think was your most successful & useful challenge.

3. Other there being a low participation with GOAD / MFP does anyone think more challenges would increase our interest or anyone else's interest?

imastar2

1. I like challenges and personally participated in a few of them. I tend to like a daily challenge which tends to be in front of me with a daily focus.

2. I believe my favorite was the Daily Accountability Challenge. This was where you posted your daily point count and weekly weight. It really helped me to focus on the points daily.

3. On the MFP board there seems to be tons of challenges with literally thousands sometime participating. I wonder though since I haven't participated in any if I could focus on any of them. I can't imagine that I'm the only person who wouldn't participate in a weight loss challenge daily, weekly, or monthly?. I would hope eventuality it could or would increase numbers on this board. 🙂

whathapnd

In theory, I like the idea of a challenge, but the parameters really need to resonate with me. I tend to like challenges that focus on behaviors more than a particular outcome. My assumption is the desired outcome will eventually be reached if I stick with the behaviors. I've said before that I'm bad at firming new habits, so agsin, short-term behavioral challenges are more beneficial for me (at the moment.)

My younger self loved a challenge and just wanted to do well for the sake of doing well (no matter what the topic.) My current self seems to be stuck in a lackadaisical rut.

That said, I did join a six-month Dietbet challenge a couple weeks ago. I'll make a separate post about that. The bet requires losing 10% of your weight by the end of six months with monthly goals along the way. The six-month mark is reasonable. We'll see if the monthly goals are. I didn't go into this expecting to win a lot of money, but it will be interesting to see whether " not losing " money provides any motivation.

Al_Howard

I'm not much for challenges, but look at the number of posts on the Weekly Goal Thread. Seems many do like an "accounting".

cakeman21k

Yeah I like the weekly goal thread although I have been off of it for the last 2 days, back to tracking today. As for other challenges; not so much!

podkey

I got started on bike journal because of a WW buddy. I got hooked into a 250 day a year bike challenge I ended up doing 331 days, 346 days and 337 days for 2016,2017, and 2018 respectively. So far as of Sunday I have done 208 out of a possible 209 days but have some trips coming up. I also did a minutes challenge. You don't have a mileage or step goal but just minutes a day. I like to have at least 90 minutes every day of something whether it's lawn mowing walking or biking. Typically I exceed that by quite a bit. I do that by combining activity with what I have to do and bike for errands etc. I don't do food or weight challenges.
The nice thing about the minutes of moving per day challenge is that you don't have to do some specific thing and get to make a daily choice. Helps a lot with stablilizing blood sugar and mitigating pre-diabetes.

GavinFlynn1

I do like challenges, and at the same time, I’m not great at sticking to them. When I first joined WW, I kept having to restart my string of days that I named myself King of Starting Over.

misterhub

I am coordinating a $20 summer challenge here at work. It is motivating to have a group of others with whom I share a common goal, and whom I see daily.