Santa Sprint 2020 Challenge
baconslave
Posts: 7,018 Member
There's a statistic that's always going around that something like 25% of people will gain weight between Halloween and New Year's. It's Holiday season. In 2020. The MONSTER of years. We're busy with work and school (regular or virtual). With all the stress and uncertainty it's easy to just say to heck with it and cave. And wake up on New Year's Day and looking in the mirror, unhappy with what extra weight we've gained. It happens to the best of us.
Last month we focused on the basics in an effort to avoid gaining during a hectic time of year. But many of us managed to hit our goals and not gain. Some of us even lost a few pounds, and/or gained insight into our own patterns when faced with pressure.
Planning ahead and keeping an eye on the basics are two of the most important focal points if we want to keep on the up and up in the face of all the junk and goodies rampant this time of year.
This month there's lots more treats around. And maybe some more stress. This month we are again going to focus on the low-carb basics. Yes, again.
They really are so important to success. And keeping tabs on them reinforces good habits that will serve us through our weight loss journeys and beyond into Maintenance Land.
We are going hardcore and going to sprint for 31 days! We'll be Nose-to-the-grindstone, pre-planning, LC bada$$es!
Some people choose to handle this time of year completely on-plan, supplementing low-carb recipes for all our bad-ol' favorites.
This may not be realistic for some. After all, there are many temptations in our faces this month. And a lot of celebrations. What I have done in the past was pick 1 or 2 events that were most important, enjoy them that day, and the next day was immediately back on track. No guilt, but no excuses. Every other time, I planned ahead. Eat before going to a carby event or bring plan-approved goodies. I actually lost weight in December of 2014. It can be done. Every other year I have easily maintained.
You can pick either strategy, but in this challenge monitoring our plan Basics and becoming a Master Planner are what makes the difference.
Consistency + Persistence + Time = Success
I really can't parrot that cliché formula enough. Because it's true.
Any low-carb plan is welcome. Just post your monthly goals and/or beginning weight, or if you are just planning to maintain through the month, or have NSVs to achieve, check-in daily or weekly with how well you did.
The Basics:
Planning ahead!!!
Staying under carbs
Staying under calories
Logging and measuring
Getting in exercise/movement if that's one of your goals
Keeping an eye on electrolyte levels
Getting enough water
Planning ahead!!! Oh, wait. I said that already? Yes, I frickin' did. Because this is the holidays! You must!
Share recipes, problems, thoughts.
So tie your sneakers tightly folks and prepare to own the Santa Sprint!
We are DETERMINED to maintain, and maybe even lose, this year.
We are DETERMINED to not let December run rough-shod over us, right?
We CAN do this.
DO THA THING!
Last month we focused on the basics in an effort to avoid gaining during a hectic time of year. But many of us managed to hit our goals and not gain. Some of us even lost a few pounds, and/or gained insight into our own patterns when faced with pressure.
Planning ahead and keeping an eye on the basics are two of the most important focal points if we want to keep on the up and up in the face of all the junk and goodies rampant this time of year.
This month there's lots more treats around. And maybe some more stress. This month we are again going to focus on the low-carb basics. Yes, again.
They really are so important to success. And keeping tabs on them reinforces good habits that will serve us through our weight loss journeys and beyond into Maintenance Land.We are going hardcore and going to sprint for 31 days! We'll be Nose-to-the-grindstone, pre-planning, LC bada$$es!
Some people choose to handle this time of year completely on-plan, supplementing low-carb recipes for all our bad-ol' favorites.
This may not be realistic for some. After all, there are many temptations in our faces this month. And a lot of celebrations. What I have done in the past was pick 1 or 2 events that were most important, enjoy them that day, and the next day was immediately back on track. No guilt, but no excuses. Every other time, I planned ahead. Eat before going to a carby event or bring plan-approved goodies. I actually lost weight in December of 2014. It can be done. Every other year I have easily maintained.
You can pick either strategy, but in this challenge monitoring our plan Basics and becoming a Master Planner are what makes the difference.
Consistency + Persistence + Time = Success
I really can't parrot that cliché formula enough. Because it's true.
Any low-carb plan is welcome. Just post your monthly goals and/or beginning weight, or if you are just planning to maintain through the month, or have NSVs to achieve, check-in daily or weekly with how well you did.
The Basics:
Planning ahead!!!
Staying under carbs
Staying under calories
Logging and measuring
Getting in exercise/movement if that's one of your goals
Keeping an eye on electrolyte levels
Getting enough water
Planning ahead!!! Oh, wait. I said that already? Yes, I frickin' did. Because this is the holidays! You must!
Share recipes, problems, thoughts.
So tie your sneakers tightly folks and prepare to own the Santa Sprint!
We are DETERMINED to maintain, and maybe even lose, this year.
We are DETERMINED to not let December run rough-shod over us, right?
We CAN do this.
DO THA THING!
4
Replies
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Im in! I feel ready for a sprint.
Will firm up goals tomorrow.3 -
I am in .... I have gained 10.5 lbs the last couple of weeks ... I am ready to turn this around .... I turn 50 on the 29th of this month ...so my goal is to lose close to 10.5 lbs until my birthday
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I don't have any holiday events that I need to worry about, may not even be doing anything on Christmas day! My niece and her partner may come up for the day, but that's actually fairly easy to work with, food-wise.
Goals for the month:
The Basics, as above
My biggest challenge is going to be summer fruit. Cherries will appear shortly before Christmas, and watermelon not long after (NZ is currently, thankfully, bereft of watermelon, because both Tongan and Australian melons can't be imported ATM due to insects we don't want here, but NZ melons will be making an appearance by January, I think). I may well bump my carbs up a bit come January to accommodate these.
I had hoped to get below 80kg by the end of the year, but with not losing as much as expected in November, that's off the table. I know I can't sustain enough of a deficit to lose 4+ kg in a month. So, we'll go with 3kg down from whatever I am tomorrow morning.
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Count me in!3
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Sounds wonderful..I am in too
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Megan_smartiepants1970 wrote: »I am in .... I have gained 10.5 lbs the last couple of weeks ... I am ready to turn this around .... I turn 50 on the 29th of this month ...so my goal is to lose close to 10.5 lbs until my birthday
My bday is the 30th, cheers to us!
Dec goals
-CW 173, GW 169
-30 min activity daily (instead of focusing on steps)
-Continue staying between 40-50 total carbs
-Strength training every Mon and Thur.3 -
I’m in as well. Plan to refocus on my food, looking at my snacking triggers. I also enjoyed the half marathon I ran last week (well, once it was done!) and would like to run another one after Christmas. So I plan to continue with running 3-6 miles 5x week and will start to bump the distances when I register for another race. Hopefully my speed will increase as well as I’m pretty slow!4
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I think the food and activity goals that i currently have are solid.
What would make a big difference is if i really rev the uumph factor way up in meeting those goals every day..
So the goal is to be able to check both areas off each day for 31 days. Thats the sprint.4 -
Hey hey. Still after the same thing. Getting off the last 10ish of the Quarantine 15. This last month didn't get me much on the scale but I am looking slimmer in places. This is just the way my body does me. I should see some progress this month that was lagging on the numbers. It is the way.
I'll post my weight numbers on Saturday as that is when I weight for the week.
It snowed on us last night. We got about 6 inches in places on the deck, but looks like maybe 2-4 inches in the yard depending on where you measure. I heard the snow plow go through a minute ago.
I have most of my Xmas shopping done already. No party plans as COVID spread is the worst here it's ever been, and we are strictly quarantining to protect my 76-year-old Dad. So I need to go hard as there's Christmas and then my birthday on New Years.
Anyway, blah blah. Off to snoop around MFP.
(Rando ornament just because! )
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I’ll be sticking to the basics and what goes in my mouth- trying to stay with a calorie deficit, keeping protein high and carbs at a level that doesn’t make me achy. Movement is good but I still track daily. No effort here needed in that space.3
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I'm sooooo done with 2020. That being said, I didn't gain the quarantine 15, I gained the quarantine 50! This year has been so hard on me as I live with chronic pain and was not able to get any procedures done the first 8 months of this year. Now I am trying to make up for lost time. First things first, I need to get my food under control. So goal #1, is log everything from now until the end of the month and then reassess.7
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I love reading everyone's goals! We got this!!
My December Goals:
Stay under my calorie goal every day (of course, track every.single.thing)
<50g net carbs per day (*I've lowered this from last mo and NEED to do better on this one)
13k steps every day (I've raised this from 10k last month)
40 mins walking
20 mins some other exercise (other than walking!)
Weight Goal: to lose 9 lbs in Dec.
SW today 184.7
GW: (12/25) 175.0
(My first mini goal is to weigh in at 175 on Christmas Day 2020)
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Hi, can I join? Been pretty much not focused on fitness this year (since mid March). I've had having lots of trouble with my mood and mindset overall, but finally managed to get back to it in mid November (and now need to ditch the covid weight). I'm focusing on getting my basic activity and workouts/cardio back to where it used to be in a slow and steady way, and then just being consistent with food and calories (with a little room for some holiday stuff). I'm currently not sure whether I will just keep with low-ish carb (I'm around 80 g net most days at the moment) or reducing. Like nony, fruit will be one of the reasons I might find it tough to do the latter, but it's winter here, so might be a good time to do it.
December is usually a tough month for me (my birthday is this coming Monday, so between that, Thanksgiving, all the extra treats at work, parties, and then the actual holiday, I basically figure it's my off month), but this year it should be pretty easy. I am attending a work Zoom party with food that is being sent out to all, am hosting another party on Zoom (a replacement for my usual holiday party), but have control over what I eat for that one, and then am probably cooking on Christmas, but just for my sister and maybe her SO (and since I'm cooking, shouldn't be too hard). The most challenging thing is likely to be not food but exercise (specifically, my running, which I've just gotten back into, and walking), should the weather get too bad. (Today it was mid 30s and partially sunny, and was a lovely day for a run, or even a brisk walk, but that cannot be counted on.)
Goals:
(1) Log every day at Cron and hit calorie goal (within a reasonable margin)
(2) Eat 80ish g net carbs (and maybe less depending on what I decide), and at least 85 g protein
(3) Get at least 10K steps/day, and close all rings on Apple watch
(4) Check off all planned workouts in weekly schedule (I have this planned out)
(5) Meditate every morning and journal every evening (part of my plan for addressing the mental stuff I've been struggling with these months, and part of what helped me lose weight originally)
No specific weight goals, as my focus is just getting consistent with activity again and consistently logging.6 -
In.
As we all know, it's been a nutty year. Eating has been okay, but fitness took a hit when we transitioned to working from home.
I've been slowly been creating new fitness habits.
Goals:
10k steps a day
Close all rings on Apple Watch every day this month, and get December award.
Do at least one timed workout a day either treadmill, outdoor walk, or VR fitness.
Eat slow carb every day.
Don't let the discretionary calories creep up over break as they sometimes do (this includes wine).8 -
No training yesterday because I had to get up early to take the car for its MOT - cost me £100 for the test and new wiper blades which was... irritating as they seemed to be working just fine as I drove down there but hey ho! The little beast of burden is at least legal for another year so let's be thankful for small mercies!
Have set up my plan for workouts for next week as I need to do my fasting blood test on Friday, so won't be doing anything on that day except stressing about whether the buses will be too full to get on. Then trot into town to go to the bank, mop-chop on the local parade to give smaller businesses my custom (and also - MUCH cheaper than going into town and having to get it all done there at a massive chain).
As a freelancer, whose income came to an abrupt halt in March, I appreciate the trials and tribulation independents go through so would rather support them than give double the money to a huge chain.
Within 4lbs of getting to 10st which is a MASSIVE step forward for me after a couple of weeks of gaining and losing the same weight.
Today's dinner is a Heck Vegan Sausage and Sweet Potato bake, and also will do some Thai Sweet Potato and Courgette soup for next week.
Can I just say I am loving being part of an active group here on MFP with a bunch of fellow diabetics. I am active in the UK Diabetic Forum, but having come to MFP many years ago it will always be my go-to for logging my meals and being able to scan UK products for accuracy is amazing... I wouldn't want to go through any other app!
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Yesterday (12/1):
(1) Logged and under goal.
(2) Eat 80ish g net carbs and at least 85 g protein -- yes.
(3) About 12K steps and all rings closed.
(4) Did planned 30 min run.
(5) Meditate every morning and journal every evening -- did this.4 -
12/01
My December Goals: (12/01 - 12/05)
Stay under my calorie goal every day (of course, track every.single.thing) ✅
<50g net carbs per day (*I've lowered this from last mo and NEED to do better on this one) ❌
13k steps every day (I've raised this from 10k last month) ✅
40 mins walking ✅
20 mins some other exercise (other than walking!) ✅
Weight Goal: to lose 9 lbs in Dec.
SW: (12/01) 184.7
CW: 183.2
GW: (12/25) 175.0 - (My first mini goal is to weigh in at 175 on Christmas Day 2020)2 -
12/1
30 min activity 😁 50 min outdoor walk
Keep total carb between 40-50 😁 27!!!
My house is decorated, doing some shopping today and picking up my holiday baking supplies. Getting as much done as possible this week while I'm on 'stay cation'.3 -
12/1
Calorie deficit 👿 ate more at maintenance today but I should have still had a small deficit.
Carbs/protein both okay but room for improvement for sure!2 -
12/1 Food was okay....walked by myself with my husky since my German Shepherd had to have a drain put in his ear and is wearing a cone on his head ..I do not want him left a lone since he can't fit in his kennel so my daughter stayed with him and did her homeschooling ...Aspen and I walked 6.16 miles yesterday 3
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »In.
As we all know, it's been a nutty year. Eating has been okay, but fitness took a hit when we transitioned to working from home.
I've been slowly been creating new fitness habits.
Goals:
10k steps a day
Close all rings on Apple Watch every day this month, and get December award.
Do at least one timed workout a day either treadmill, outdoor walk, or VR fitness.
Eat slow carb every day.
Don't let the discretionary calories creep up over break as they sometimes do (this includes wine).
Day 1, may have been over in calories, but the rest was spot on. I got about 11k steps, I did 2 timed workouts, one was a treadmill walk, one was Supernatural on VR. Slow carb, yep.2 -
Welcome to the new folks!!!
@Megan_smartiepants1970 Poor pupper!
It's my youngest daughter's 12th birthday. Most of her presents came just in time. She's elated. Snow still on the ground.
12/1:
logged and on-plan:
exercise: strength and a mile walk video to break steps out of sedentary for the day. Ended up with over 8k thanks to transporting packages all over the house to hide or bring back out for my oldest son to wrap. They were just all high maintenance. Which I guess is good for my health. 1 -
baconslave wrote: »
Welcome to the new folks!!!
@Megan_smartiepants1970 Poor pupper!
It's my youngest daughter's 12th birthday. Most of her presents came just in time. She's elated. Snow still on the ground.
12/1:
logged and on-plan:
exercise: strength and a mile walk video to break steps out of sedentary for the day. Ended up with over 8k thanks to transporting packages all over the house to hide or bring back out for my oldest son to wrap. They were just all high maintenance. Which I guess is good for my health.
Thanks ... He has always had problems with his ears (infections) this time his ear flopped over and was very swollen (she called it a cauliflower ear what wrestlers get ) ...he has to be in this stupid cone for 3 weeks ...on 2 steroids and 1 antibotic..Good thing I have a credit card just for the Vet... it is costing a pretty penny LOL3 -
Joining!
Goal is to stay active!
Close circles on Apple Watch every day!
Focus on keeping low carb!
With the snowstorm and cold weather, outdoor activities are pretty much not happening.
Focusing on OTF and the TRX I bought for myself last month.
And meal prepping is a thing now. I’m going to keep it up ✌🏼😆3 -
Well, the cherries are here
Not in the supermarket yet, but there was a stall up at the village shops (I usually get my cherries at the stall pre-Christmas, then the supermarket later in the season once the price drops). I didn't go over to see how much they are (they will be hideously expensive currently). I will likely get a 1kg box for Christmas, it's a little tradition of mine, and some years literally the only Christmas thing I do.
Oh!! Big news - I snuck on into merely overweight today - huzzah!
Food good yesterday and today, though not quite hitting my full 750 cal deficit - 710 yesterday but will only hit around 500 today due to not much movement (super fatigued, though I did manage to pull out a 30 minute tortoise walk).2 -
Swipey (Libre sensor) drew me pretty pictures of mountain ranges yesterday despite normal low-carb options... which was... vexing.
Settled down with a well-placed Metformin about half an hour before bed-time... Jardiance did not seem to make ANY difference at dinner time. And it's pretty solid strength so... that will make for a good chat with the GP.
Waiting for my cave-dwelling lodger to go to work, and then going to brave the Noah's ark type weather in Londinium just now to go suss out whether I stand a chance of getting a bus to the hospital tomorrow for the blood-letting.
Have to scoff my dinner by 8pm tonight... and MUST remember nothing until I get the blood test done on Friday morning.
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12/2
Calories: another maintenance type day however my activity level may have given me that deficit I’d like more often.
Carbs/protein: protein was great but carbs too high (thanks, Saboteur!) so that is a focus today.3 -
Yesterday (12/2):
(1) Logged and under goal -- check.
(2) Eat 80ish g net carbs and at least 85 g protein -- bit low on protein.
(3) Over 13K steps (goal 10K) and all rings closed.
(4) Did planned workout (strength training plus 15 min bike trainer ride).
(5) Morning meditation/evening journal -- check.3 -
12/02
My December Goals: (12/01 - 12/05)
Stay under my calorie goal every day (of course, track every.single.thing) ✅✅
<50g net carbs per day (*I've lowered this from last mo and NEED to do better on this one) ❌✅
13k steps every day (I've raised this from 10k last month) ✅✅
40 mins walking ✅✅
20 mins some other exercise (other than walking!) ✅✅
Weight Goal: to lose 9 lbs in Dec.
SW: (12/01) 184.7
CW: 183.2
GW: (12/25) 175.0 - (My first mini goal is to weigh in at 175 on Christmas Day 2020)
Im in a weekly group challenge on fitbit with someone who I don't know who is really giving me a run for my money this week! Her profile says she "averages" 10k steps per day, and by Wed we (her and I) were already up to just under 60k !! No matter how many steps I get, when I check, she's 1500-2k ahead of me! Even overnight! Not sure how that is possible, but I'm becoming OBSESSED! Got 20k steps yesterday and am shooting for 30k today. I just (in the last 10 minutes) pulled ahead of her, but not by much. I'm heading back to the treadmill NOW! (This obsession can't be healthy -- not to mention that it's crackin my hubby up!!)
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Ok. What obnoxious Christmas thing should I use today?
Ah-hah! That's perfect!
@weatherkin2019 Welcome! I'm in a similar place with weather this week. Stuck working out only inside. It should warm up, but then rain is going to roll in.
@rfsatar Hope your test goes well. Sorry about the wonky numbers.
@Nony_Mouse Cherries! Uh oh! There are worse treats I suppose.
@taylok23 You know I'm feelin' you. We love our Saboteurs but
@Mrs_Hoffer That's a lot of steps.
12/2:
logged and on-plan:
exercise:5.5 miles of Sansone vids
3
This discussion has been closed.