Introductions!
Mrs_Hoffer
Posts: 5,194 Member
Welcome to the January 2022 Ultimate Accountability Challenge!
Some of you have been with this challenge for months and some are brand new. This is one of the hardest challenges to stay with throughout the entire month.
FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!! Log every BLT (Bite, Lick, Taste). Stay strong and stay true to yourself....YOU WILL SUCCEED!!
Please feel free to share as much information as you feel comfortable sharing about yourself with the rest of the group. We look forward to getting to know all of you a little better.
GOOD LUCK!
Some of you have been with this challenge for months and some are brand new. This is one of the hardest challenges to stay with throughout the entire month.
FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!! Log every BLT (Bite, Lick, Taste). Stay strong and stay true to yourself....YOU WILL SUCCEED!!
Please feel free to share as much information as you feel comfortable sharing about yourself with the rest of the group. We look forward to getting to know all of you a little better.
GOOD LUCK!
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Replies
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Ok , I am in. I am closing my eyes and going fo it. January 1st is going to be the day!8
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John here from Texas , new to this group and mfp.
Goal to lose 70-80 lbs12 -
@Ginharbe and @johnwayne1789 it's great to have you both! 😊4
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Count me in, aiming to start the New Year strong8
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Hi!!! I am new to the group but excited to be here
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Hi all. Terri here. Good to see both returning and new members with us for January 2022.
I've been with UAC since 2017. This is such a great motivational space, where you get valuable support from the kind, caring members. It has helped me finally reach my UGW (just before Covid hit the world for six) and stay there for the duration. Posting everyday helps build solid habits which will help you on your quest for better Health and Fitness.
Although my focus shifted from weight loss to fitness/health when I went on maintenance, I'm delighted that, in October I fell below my original UGW. Who knows what November may bring!
Bring it on!!!
Potted Bio - 2022Terri: Female; 76 next birthday; living in Northern Ireland; married 55 years; ex Maths teacher; volunteer group leader for U3A (University of the Third Age, life-long learning charity)
SW: 227 (Mar 2014)
CW: 137.2 (Dec 2021)
GW: < 145
Daily Habits Update - January 2022 (Things I aspire to, but don't always achieve)1. Log ALL CI/CO (Daily)
2. Stay under goal (Daily)
3. Balance macros/micros (Daily)
4. Hydrate adequately (Daily)
5. Choose healthy options (Daily)
6. Steps > 7500 (Daily)
7. Stretch before/after workouts
8. 15+ minutes Cardio > 5 days a week
9. 15+ mins Strength > 5 days a week
10. 15+ mins Flexibility > 5 days a week
11. Active hours > 6
12. Practice self-care (Daily)
13. Stay up to date with accounts (monthly)
14. Mindfulness Practice/meditation ((Daily - morning/evening)
15. 1 > 15 mins Declutter sessions (Daily)
16. Be creative
17. Purchase essential items only
18. Read > 1 book from 'to read' pile
19. Complete > 2 ongoing craft projects (monthly)
20. Learn something new (daily)
21. Actively Build Better Habits
https://www.random.org/colors/hex
THERE ARE NO QUICK FIXES OR SHORTCUTS to achieving permanent change.
REMINDERS: One or two thoughts which might give heart to some of you.Stick with the process. It DOES work! But it does take time, effort, and most of all, patience!- Daily weight fluctuations are normal, and can be as much as 2 lbs a day for no apparent reason.
- A general downward trend is what we are looking for.
- Eating out can cause apparent weight gain because of high sodium levels, but usually goes quickly. Drinking extra water helps with this.
- The human body does not react instantly to what we do to it. Sometimes it can take several days to see results.
- Plateaus are a normal part of the process. The body is consolidating and adapting to your new way of eating/exercising.
- The closer you get to your goal weight, the more difficult it becomes to lose weight, as your body becomes more efficient at using what you feed it.
- When you exercise you build muscle, which takes up less space than fat, so use measurements as well as weight to assess your progress.
- Getting/Staying fit and healthy requires a lifestyle change for most people.
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Hello! I'm new, and this is exactly what I need!! Last year I survived. I got COVID in February and it messed me up for a very long time with my diabetes. This New Year, I'm going to THRIVE!!11
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@Ginharbe
@johnwayne1789
@roma7774
@ealbers83
@ForeverFitNHealthy
We're so excited to have you join us in January! If you'd like to give us some stats about yourself, please feel free! (i.e. how long you've been on MFP, your SW, your GW, or any other 'goals' that you have. We'd love to get to know more about you! 3 -
Hi, I’m Nan from Scotland and new to this challenge.
Looking forward to trying to meet the exercise and sticking to the calories for Me.5 -
Hi all! Been with the UAC for a good portion of 2021.
I joined MFP on Jan 28, 2021 weighing in at 293. I am currently down just over 100 pounds and ready to lose the last ~25 or so.
The principles of this group were my foundation before I found it and being part of it reinforces them day to day. I love the accountability.
I live in Alberta, Canada, am in my mid-30's, no kids, one dog, and I work full time in a managerial role.
I love getting back to my athletic self so I'm really enjoying the exercise portion of this challenge. I love food so my key is just to set my limit and stick to it.
Welcome to everyone and looking forward to spending the month together and starting off 2022 with a bang!6 -
Hello, this is my third month of trying the UAC. The second half of December I didn’t post much. I am encouraged by the daily posts and that is why I signed up for another month.
I started my weight loss journey in July of 2019 with Noom. I am still with Noom. I signed up for MFP because my dietitian has helped me. At the end of 2020 I was down 80 pounds. 2021 I gained weight and have maintained a 65 pound loss.
My goal for 2022 is to lose 20 more pounds.5 -
I'm back for month #14. My primary issue in the past was exercise rather than food or logging so UAC has kept me on the path of regular exercise to the point it has become second nature. It's rare that I miss a day these days.
Welcome to all new and returning members. My only advice is to report everyday regardless of whether or not you have three "yes" responses. It's the best way to create the habit.5 -
Hello everyone! My name is Chris, hailing from Kansas, USA.
My health journey started in 2007 with a focus on reigning in cholesterol and diabetes based on whatever the science at that time showed most promising results for those conditions, which led me to adopting a whole foods plant based diet.
I was a bit "too" militant at first, which I actually intended, as my thinking was that I was taking on a "diet" and that if I could just "lose 100 pounds in one year" I would make such a huge impact on my cholesterol and diabetes, and then could just simply lead a more reasonable lifestyle afterwards. While this militant approach resulted in me losing over 60 pounds and also quickly corrected my cholesterol and A1C numbers, the actual end result was burnout.
On the upside I learned a LOT about the benefits of whole foods which has stuck with me even through today. Over the next few years I ate less and less healthy, even going through a few years of eating like a "F#&$@! idiot", and eventually gained all that weight back and had to start again!
I lost that weight again in 2014 focusing on both diet as well as exercise in the form of running, with the peak of my running being running 3 full marathons in a 30 day span (Marathon Maniac #12019). My diet was a less militant but very much "whole foods mostly plant based".
An injury (which is still haunting me) ultimately stopped that level of running and I switched to strength focused exercise, building muscle, which led me to a "Primal Diet" which was not much different from how I was already eating, just with higher protein, which I found success with.
After basically walking away from fitness in 2019 (too busy, etc), I was still eating similarly, but wound up gaining all my weight back by early 2021. I was eating healthy, but obviously overeating and the lack of exercise did not help. (ETA: Also drinking, drank a whole lot in 2020, which is likely most to blame and didn't help a freaking thing)
So I started again in 2021, this time spreading the exercise focus across running and strength (as well as balance and mobility) and in order to speed the fat loss along I set my diet to ketosis using a whole foods based "primal influenced" diet with a goal of fewer than 30g net carbs/day. This ketosis was only meant to last while I lost weight, not he my diet "for life". It worked very well for me, dropping over 60 pounds and also getting the most healthy blood labs in cholesterol and A1C since starting all this back in 2007.
Ok, great, so what makes this time any more special? I found this place.
Seriously!
Look, while I can clearly plan a diet and exercise regimen which I can personally follow to lose weight, get fit, move my blood labs to healthy ranges, etc, what I lacked all this time was the ability to "stick with it". While each period resulted in better long term eating habits for me, if left to my own devices I will eventually overeat and stop exercising at some point (maybe injury, maybe too busy). I still suffer from some condition that causes all that to be allowed to come undone
This challenge is the antidote to that condition.
I'm currently in such a strange transitional period where in the past I might have walked away. My plantar fasciitis has come back hard this year, taking away running again, and for that matter even walks have been on hiatus since October (it's a beast this time around, but I am treating it). This place has helped me stay on track with exercise, which is now strength focused out of necessity. Thank you UAC!
I've also decided that it is time to transition out of ketosis since my cardio is essentially out the window at this time. I'll be switching back to a whole foods mostly plant based primal type diet in January. UAC will help keep me on track for this change as well!
The biggest lesson I have learned since 2007 is that setbacks only happen when I stop watching what I eat, or tracking how much I eat, or stop exercising. Usually after quitting all three! This challenge is exactly the sort of thing to prevent such a thing from happening. All I have to do is continue doing what I would normally do, but then also check in here with my progress. Even if I had to take a pass day, by checking in here it makes me remember how far I've come, how hard I literally busted my butt to get here, what happens when I quit, and how hard it is to come back each time. And I'm not getting any younger so I have ever fewer opportunities!
A healthy life is being healthy for life! Not just for one month. That's how this place helps me the most. It is beyond each month. It's the day to day accountability that wins over any month, or year even. That's the biggest lesson I learned, sticking with it. This place gives you that opportunity to do something to keep you focused on your health goals even on the days you missed, by simply checking in.
I look forward to a healthier January 2022 and beyond with all of you!6 -
Hello, all. I am BeeJ ( @BMcC9 )
I used to be a long time UAC member, then I dropped off the face of UAC (and MFP itself) back in March of this year for ~ 7.5 months. But I returned to the fold Oct 30. My goal for Nov. was to become a Champion.
Just Show Up and gather data (no matter how good vs not-so-good vs downright ugly the data was if I assigned "emotional value" to any of it).
NO JUDGEMENTS. Just log / report / close.
What Gets Measured DOES Get Changed (because you are paying attention to it)
Turns out .... restarting the logging /reporting habit boot-strapped the self-awareness subroutines of "intentional activity" and "accountable snacking" (being in Canada, I didn't have to face the Thanksgiving Day / Leftovers Grazing Days that US members did.) I shocked myself (in a good way) and made the Nov Winner's circle.
December's goal was to double-down and make it past 60 for my sign-in streak. Be a CHAMPION. Period. Making WC for the 2nd time would be the TARGET and a BONUS, but not a "succeeded / failed for the month" scenario
Today (Dec 29) marks 61 days consistently logging in to MFP (and may-as-well log food and activity while I am here anyway)
(Turns out, I am also managing to hold at 3 pass days used - depending on how Dec 30 and 31 turn out, I MIGHT make Winner's Circle again.)
My goal for January is going to be to extend that sign-in streak to 94 days as of Jan 31st. That's it. Be a CHAMPION. Again.
I am am also going to try diversifying the TYPE of exercise to include more balance practice, functional strength, and functional flexibility along-side my cardio exergame (target 6000+ steps per day - often exceeded)
As a going-on-64 yr old female empty-nester (no grandkids) who will be retiring two New Years from now, it is PAST time to pay more attention to these additional factors. Use 'em or Lose 'em. Losing them especially later in life has a major impact of potential Quality of Life.6 -
Hi, I’m Nan from Scotland and new to this challenge.
Looking forward to trying to meet the exercise and sticking to the calories for Me.
@Lessennan Hello Nan! It's so nice to have you! We can do this!! 4 -
Hi, thanks for inviting me to share. So my journey can be described like this: I have been with MFP for 6yrs, and up and down with my size I go by kilos so my goal for right now is 65kg, and I am on 68.800, It's sooo hard to loose those 3kg. So, I have been exercising for years lots of cardio, zumba, weights on and off, walking all summer and it was ok, and it shows(+-), but I have that round look. The problem I have is consistency, I can't stick to one thing, MFP is pushing me again and this time I have to do it. Another thing, I cook, I cook and keep on cooking, I love it , I eat anything, for real, my luch meal at work is notorious everyone wants me to cook something, always, I am also a professional snacker and that's the culprit of my failure. All that, yep that's me.
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hey all!
i started getting back into fitness in mid-December. i am a starting nursing school in mid-January, so i want to solidify my exercise and nutrition schedule before school gets busy.
i am working to exercise everyday and watch what i eat. in the past i’ve limited my calories too much and it lead to unsustainable weight loss. this time around i’m working on forming healthier habits and taking care of myself better4 -
Hi! I'm back. I think this will be my 6th or 7th month? December was a s*** show all around. November wasn't much better. I'm holding onto hope that I'll be much more focused in 2022 (and hoping it's not "2020 too." Glad to still be around.7
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Hi! I started in this challenge in August just in time to catch covid and end up in the hospital to which they found a large tumor, I named him Norm. Had Norm removed December 15th. Praise the Lord it was a benign lipoma in a very rare spot in the body. I want this year to be a rebirth of sorts. I want all the struggle of the past to fall away and let me fly. I just have a long recovery still ahead before I can get back to serious business for lifting. I already have plans to learn how to figure skate. I also have plans to dive the Chazawiska River in March. I can not wait to see how far I go once this belly is mended back together!6
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Ok - I tend to overshare...but I'm trying to reign it in. Bottom line - I'm currently doing the intermittent fasting thing, seems to be working...so - I'll keep it rolling... Aiming for 130 lbs loss at ultimate goal - currently at 23. My first mini-goal is to hit my lowest point since 2007 by March 31st. That means about 15 lbs. Very doable...just need to stay focused. Another "goal" is to try a new exercise out each month...with the idea to do it 6 times being a soft target. It can be things I haven't done in years...so - knowing me...it will be a mix of things. Bottom line...keep moving more! I'm not a breast cancer survivor and will be striving to stay on track with weight loss regardless of the med impact. Best to all.7
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I've been in and out of this group for many years, even before our beloved Ranger Rick was leader. Took a break from MFP for a bit, porked on some pounds, now ready to get after it in 2022! Glad to be back. Good luck everyone!!9
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Aussie mum of a 19 month old. Been a part of UAC for 14 months. Reached my goal weight 3 months ago and now ready to push it a lil further and loose another 2.4kg. I plan to allow myself days where I eat at maintaince and then others at a deficit so i dnt feel deprived.
Above all though the most important thing for me this month is to track honestly. I am in the kitchen alot so a taste test here and there adds up and there are times I dnt realise I'm even doing it!
I look forward to waking along side my UAC friends and would like to welcome all the newbies! Trust me wen I say u will not regret joining up to this group. No one here is perfect and there are days u will find it hard and want to give up but once u see all the improvements u will know that it's worth it! Good luck guys! Xox5 -
I am back for my 4th month of UAC. The group support here is important and helpful to me. I am trying to lose about 60 more pounds, continue to reverse metabolic syndrome, to lower my insulin levels and A1c (that is just into prediabetic range now). I retired from seeing psychotherapy clients at the end of October this year and am focusing on self care now that it is just my husband and I at home and we are both retired.
I really enjoy the group but am a little uncertain how I should handle the ¨excercise actively for 20 minutes every day¨part this month. Up till now that has been the easiest part of the challenge for me becuase I normally swim, walk or do weights quite a bit longer than that. I am using intermittent fasting, mostly 16/8, but some 24 hour fast days and just listened to an expert who advised against anything more than resting on the 24 hour fast days. So I have been thinking about whether the best thing to do would be use a pass day on those days if I decide to take his advice or if there is some type of exercise like gentle yoga or stretching that would be good to do and that I would feel was ¨active¨ enough. Either way, I decided I would keep participating in the group. I know some others have just planned on taking pass days when something like a surgery prevents exercise so I would be happy to hear others thoughts on how they look at the ¨exercise actively¨part on days of longer fasting.3 -
Hello all I am new to the group and excited about the challenge looking forward to getting to know all of you and a successful journey ~ Twinz5
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Technically it is up to the individual to decide. There are no strict guidelines on what activity counts, just to do 20+ minutes of activity intended to keep yourself active and healthy, or "intentional activity" to keep it short. While someone might choose to call a pass day when all they did was "activity X" to another person that may not be something to scoff at and is actually their chosen/preferred activity. Likewise some people are highly active most days and take a "rest day" once per week, perhaps just doing some stretches or light yoga those days. All UAC wants to know is, "did you meet your own goals for 20+ minutes of activity on this particular day"....I really enjoy the group but am a little uncertain how I should handle the ¨excercise actively for 20 minutes every day¨part this month. Up till now that has been the easiest part of the challenge for me becuase I normally swim, walk or do weights quite a bit longer than that. I am using intermittent fasting, mostly 16/8, but some 24 hour fast days and just listened to an expert who advised against anything more than resting on the 24 hour fast days. So I have been thinking about whether the best thing to do would be use a pass day on those days if I decide to take his advice or if there is some type of exercise like gentle yoga or stretching that would be good to do and that I would feel was ¨active¨ enough...
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My name is Marilyn and I have just joined this group. Look forward to giving this challenge a try.
I am 73 will be 74 in February, have mobility issues, have over 100 pounds to lose and am following a very healthy eating program. Look forward to meeting all of you as we work this challenge together7 -
I am ready for this, Yes!2
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WhatMeRunning wrote: »
Technically it is up to the individual to decide. There are no strict guidelines on what activity counts, just to do 20+ minutes of activity intended to keep yourself active and healthy, or "intentional activity" to keep it short. While someone might choose to call a pass day when all they did was "activity X" to another person that may not be something to scoff at and is actually their chosen/preferred activity. Likewise some people are highly active most days and take a "rest day" once per week, perhaps just doing some stretches or light yoga those days. All UAC wants to know is, "did you meet your own goals for 20+ minutes of activity on this particular day"....I really enjoy the group but am a little uncertain how I should handle the ¨excercise actively for 20 minutes every day¨part this month. Up till now that has been the easiest part of the challenge for me becuase I normally swim, walk or do weights quite a bit longer than that. I am using intermittent fasting, mostly 16/8, but some 24 hour fast days and just listened to an expert who advised against anything more than resting on the 24 hour fast days. So I have been thinking about whether the best thing to do would be use a pass day on those days if I decide to take his advice or if there is some type of exercise like gentle yoga or stretching that would be good to do and that I would feel was ¨active¨ enough...
And depending on your core fitness level (not an issue for ideas2, but maybe for some other newbies) ... the 20 minutes don't have to be all-in-one-go.
So if being intentionally active is very new to you and you have little stamina .... divy it up during the day to 4 X 5 minute sections.
Or walk-in-place only during tv commercials. Over time, as your stamina improves, gradually switch to 3 x 7 minutes; 2 x 10 ; 15 + 5 etc. until you find yourself able to do MORE than 20 minutes in one go.
(when I had a very bad cold one time, I did several sessions of "zombie shuffle" through the day to make the 20 minute total).
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Bill70sStrong wrote: »I've been in and out of this group for many years, even before our beloved Ranger Rick was leader. Took a break from MFP for a bit, porked on some pounds, now ready to get after it in 2022! Glad to be back. Good luck everyone!!
@Bill70sStrong it's good to see you back again! You were around when I first joined up with the UAC. I'm glad you made your way back to us! 3
