FAQs
caradae
Posts: 743 Member
1. Do I have to lose weight in order to win The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge?
No. You just need to exercise every day, eat within your calorie budget every day, and track everything you consume every day for a month.
2. If I'm trying to maintain or gain weight, can I join The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge?
Yes. I figure most people who join this challenge will be aiming to lose weight, so the wording of the rules is geared toward them. But if you want to use this challenge to gain weight or to maintain, you're welcome to do that. You will still need to exercise, you'll need a calorie goal, you'll need to track everything you eat, and you'll need report for every day of the month.
3. What counts as exercise?
Anything, pretty much. Walking. Cleaning the house. Playing tag with the kids. This doesn't mean you should do the bare minimum every day if you're capable of much more. If you want results, you have to challenge yourself. But for the purposes of The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge, 20+ minutes of any kind of exercise will do.
4. What if I only go 5 calories overbudget? Or 1 calorie overbudget?
You've lost the challenge.
5. What if I forget to track something I've consumed, but I remember later and update my food diary?
Tracking, or keeping a food diary, is the most important part of your fitness plan. You should diligently keep track of absolutely *everything* you consume. If you're not near a computer after you've had a meal or a snack, then you should write down your caloric intake on a piece of paper and keep it with you until you can update your MFP food diary. If, for whatever reason, you forget to include something in your food diary, but you later remember, you should add the item to your food diary. If the remembered item puts you overbudget for the day, then you've lost the challenge.
6. How long will The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge be around?
I'm going to host this challenge every month until I meet my goal, which is to lose 100 pounds, and possibly longer. So, this challenge will probably run for at least two years, beginning June 2013.
7. Will you be mad at me if I "slip up" and have to be removed from the group?
No. I understand mistakes happen. The challenge is to work your fitness plan perfectly every day for a month. If you slip up for one day, you've lost the challenge. Removing you from the group isn't a punitive measure; it just helps me more easily keep track of who's still eligible to win the challenge. There's no hard feelings if you slip up. I will respect your honesty and will welcome you back with open arms if you choose to participate in future rounds of The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge.
8. What if you, caradae, slip up?
If I slip up, then I will admit my slip-up and continue to moderate the challenge without participating in it.
9. What do I get if I win the challenge?
You get the satisfaction of knowing you worked your fitness plan for a solid month. You also get your username posted in the "Winners' Circle" thread, which is posted on the 1st of every month. The more months you win the challenge, the higher your username will be in the Winners' Circle.
10. What if I get sick?
If you get sick, you need to follow your doctor's orders. To remain in the challenge, you must continue to keep track of your consumed calories and check-in every day. When recovering from physcial illness, we can't always stick to our calorie goals or exercise. When you check in, state that the reason you didn't exercise or stick to your calorie goal was because of illness. If you're sick for more than 5 days during the challenge month, you're out. As much as I would like The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge to accomodate everyone, if you're frequently sick you should find a more specialized challenge.
11. Don't you think it's cruel to remove people from your group when they slip up? Isn't that when they need the group's support the most?
The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge isn't a support group; it's a challenge. There are many support groups on MFP and I encourage all participants of The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge to become members of one or two of those support groups. If The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge becomes an intregal part of your support system, 'friend' some other participants so that you can message them for support if you're ever removed from the group.
12. If I exercise a lot, can I eat more calories than what MFP budgets for me?
Your calorie goal is entirely up to you.
13. Is there a minimum calorie goal?
Yes and no. If your diet dictates you should fast once a week, I won't remove you from the group. But if I perceive that you're using my group to damage your body (for instance, if your calorie goal is regularly at anorexic levels), then I will remove you from the group. I don't want the group to become a tool for people who want to harm themselves.
14. Is there a maximum calorie goal?
No. But keep in mind that if you're trying to lose weight, you should choose a calorie goal that will enable you to achieve that.
15. Can my calorie goal change from day to day?
Yes. It just can't change from hour to hour. In the morning, pick a calorie goal. If you exceed your goal during the day, you're out.
No. You just need to exercise every day, eat within your calorie budget every day, and track everything you consume every day for a month.
2. If I'm trying to maintain or gain weight, can I join The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge?
Yes. I figure most people who join this challenge will be aiming to lose weight, so the wording of the rules is geared toward them. But if you want to use this challenge to gain weight or to maintain, you're welcome to do that. You will still need to exercise, you'll need a calorie goal, you'll need to track everything you eat, and you'll need report for every day of the month.
3. What counts as exercise?
Anything, pretty much. Walking. Cleaning the house. Playing tag with the kids. This doesn't mean you should do the bare minimum every day if you're capable of much more. If you want results, you have to challenge yourself. But for the purposes of The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge, 20+ minutes of any kind of exercise will do.
4. What if I only go 5 calories overbudget? Or 1 calorie overbudget?
You've lost the challenge.
5. What if I forget to track something I've consumed, but I remember later and update my food diary?
Tracking, or keeping a food diary, is the most important part of your fitness plan. You should diligently keep track of absolutely *everything* you consume. If you're not near a computer after you've had a meal or a snack, then you should write down your caloric intake on a piece of paper and keep it with you until you can update your MFP food diary. If, for whatever reason, you forget to include something in your food diary, but you later remember, you should add the item to your food diary. If the remembered item puts you overbudget for the day, then you've lost the challenge.
6. How long will The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge be around?
I'm going to host this challenge every month until I meet my goal, which is to lose 100 pounds, and possibly longer. So, this challenge will probably run for at least two years, beginning June 2013.
7. Will you be mad at me if I "slip up" and have to be removed from the group?
No. I understand mistakes happen. The challenge is to work your fitness plan perfectly every day for a month. If you slip up for one day, you've lost the challenge. Removing you from the group isn't a punitive measure; it just helps me more easily keep track of who's still eligible to win the challenge. There's no hard feelings if you slip up. I will respect your honesty and will welcome you back with open arms if you choose to participate in future rounds of The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge.
8. What if you, caradae, slip up?
If I slip up, then I will admit my slip-up and continue to moderate the challenge without participating in it.
9. What do I get if I win the challenge?
You get the satisfaction of knowing you worked your fitness plan for a solid month. You also get your username posted in the "Winners' Circle" thread, which is posted on the 1st of every month. The more months you win the challenge, the higher your username will be in the Winners' Circle.
10. What if I get sick?
If you get sick, you need to follow your doctor's orders. To remain in the challenge, you must continue to keep track of your consumed calories and check-in every day. When recovering from physcial illness, we can't always stick to our calorie goals or exercise. When you check in, state that the reason you didn't exercise or stick to your calorie goal was because of illness. If you're sick for more than 5 days during the challenge month, you're out. As much as I would like The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge to accomodate everyone, if you're frequently sick you should find a more specialized challenge.
11. Don't you think it's cruel to remove people from your group when they slip up? Isn't that when they need the group's support the most?
The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge isn't a support group; it's a challenge. There are many support groups on MFP and I encourage all participants of The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge to become members of one or two of those support groups. If The Ultimate Accountablity Challenge becomes an intregal part of your support system, 'friend' some other participants so that you can message them for support if you're ever removed from the group.
12. If I exercise a lot, can I eat more calories than what MFP budgets for me?
Your calorie goal is entirely up to you.
13. Is there a minimum calorie goal?
Yes and no. If your diet dictates you should fast once a week, I won't remove you from the group. But if I perceive that you're using my group to damage your body (for instance, if your calorie goal is regularly at anorexic levels), then I will remove you from the group. I don't want the group to become a tool for people who want to harm themselves.
14. Is there a maximum calorie goal?
No. But keep in mind that if you're trying to lose weight, you should choose a calorie goal that will enable you to achieve that.
15. Can my calorie goal change from day to day?
Yes. It just can't change from hour to hour. In the morning, pick a calorie goal. If you exceed your goal during the day, you're out.
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Replies
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The most frequently asked question is: "Do I have to follow MFP's calorie goal, or can I set my own goal?"
I'm sure you already know the answer, but in case not (the answer has changed since June), it's:
"If you want to go by MFP's calorie settings, that's fine. If you want to set your own calorie goal, that's fine too. If you want to "eat back" your calories after exercise, that's also fine.
Also, your calorie goals can change from day to day. In other words, if you want your calorie goal to be 1300 one day and 2000 the next day, that's fine.
Your calorie goal can change from day to day; what it can't do is change from hour to hour. So, pick a calorie goal first thing in the morning when you wake up, and stick to it. If you don't, you're out."0
