Countdown & Pre-Challenge Activity #1: INFORMATION and YOUR INPUT! ℹ️🔠
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Where I would like to go on my Seasonal 5% Journey
I want to do all the things on this 10 week journey, but I know if I try to do too many things I will get overwhelmed and fall back into my bad habits. I would love to lose more than 5% and if I do that is bonus for me. My biggest goal is to get back to how I always took care of myself and was always consistent with my eating and working out. I used 'life getting in the way' as an excuse and refuse to let that happen again. These challenges really help keep me above water. I wish I would not have stopped doing them.
How I would like to begin to write my 2024 STORY
2024 is gonna be the Best Year Ever. I have all my ducks in a row and have God's strength to get me through any obstacles that come my way....they always do.
My ducks consist of having a journal, printed out templates for meal plans and groceries, planning meals for the next week and using my daily planner for all the to-dos.
Being consistent with working out took a tailspin this past year, due to moving and letting alcohol take control of me. Now that I've told alcohol to take a hike, I have the desire to lift them weights and take care of my heart.
The past me would let these be a challenge/hindrance since I will be wintering in Florida for two months and will be away from my new home. There is no excuse for not taking care of myself (unless something seriously bad happens).
I do have a long term goal for 2024 and that is to hit my goal weight by June which is losing a total of 35 lbs. That may be a high expectation, but I'm a go big or go home kinda gal.
I want to wish everybody much success over the next 10 weeks.2 -
The last few months of 2023, I have been all over the place. So my first goal in 2024 is to regain some focus. I had been attempting to be more plant-based but I let myself overthink and make it complicated and naturally, I have returned to not good for me eating habits. The holiday season was just another reason to eat poorly.
Goal #1: Return to tracking meals and exercise.
Goal #2: Make at least one meal a day plant-based.
Goal #3: Add one day of strength training per week.2 -
I need to focus more on food and restart daily morning walks. For some reason I’ve lost my GUNG HO it has gone bye-bye. I like the challenge because it keeps me accountable. Find a plan for silver sneakers or rejoin the Y2
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My goal for 2024 is to get back to healthy habits. In 2023 I let some of it slip so back to basics for me - track everything I eat, exercise every day, drink enough water, get enough sleep.2
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Since May of this year there have been many things happening to my DH and it has been time consuming as I am his care giver and many doctor's appointments. Very stressful months and I have not been doing as well as I should have been.
I need to focus more on me and to get healthier by eating better and doing more exercise and strength training. I need to have a more positive attitude about myself and what I know I can do. So new year and new me. I appreciate all of the support this team gives me now and back to SP days. It is because of this that I continue doing these challenges.3 -
My goal for 2024 is to really buckle down and finally get this menopause weight gain off for good! I did so well in the summer challenge because I had a trip to Ireland on the horizon and wanted to look, and more importantly, to feel good! I was inspired and I did well. After i got home from Ireland the holidays hit and i totally blew it! I'm determined to get back to the healthy eating habits, exercising more, eating out less and feeling better about myself. I'm ready to rock the winter challenge!!2
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My goal for 2024 is to let go of the demons around food that still haunt me once and for all. I got serious on Sparkpeople Sept 9, 2019 and hit my goal August 8, 2020, down 60+ lbs. I continually lost weight until Sparkpeople closed. I maintained for quite a while then gained a few pounds. Life hit hard this year (2023) and I reverted to my old (food) habits and gained 20lbs. If it wasn't for the 5% Challenges, my leaders and teammates I would have gained it all back.3
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My Goal for the new 5% Winter Challenge or 2024: I need to focus on my macros. This is something new I have never done before. I was always a calories in, calories out person. After seeing the Bariatric Center Doctor she explained that while Calories in, calories out will work for short term you need to eat properly to get the best results. So this year I am focusing on my exercise again and my macros. I am using the Bariatric Center as a wealth of knowledge to use and learn. This year is the year for change and learning. That is what I am going to do this Challenge and this year. I am going to learn and I am going to change and hopefully I will actually hit my 5% weight loss goal this year.2
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Reading through the comments reminds me each time I do, each member who posts here is of high value. We keep coming back because it works. My fitness PAL is just that-- a Pal friend. We help each other to be FIT.
TY each for posting. Please encourage your teammates to do the same here. You are ALL truly inspiring.2 -
I am traveling to onederland for my journey--or at least toward it. LOL I want to be off of various health-related medications. I am trying to get healthy so I am around longer for my kids and maybe grandkids. I have been struggling to be active on MFP the past few months, hoping this will get me back in gear.
I plan to do a mix of the Mediterranean Diet/whole foods plant-based, exercise 20 minutes each weekday morning and 10 minutes at each weekday lunch. I'd like to add in at least one weekend hike, but not sure the weather will cooperate. I also plan to do intermittent fasting, from 8 p.m. to 12 p.m. with an eating window of 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. each day.1 -
Goals - In the new year it's always to lose the few extra pounds that come to visit during the holidays - and to make them disappear quickly since most are water or bloating weight. I do want to make a greater effort to follow the "Whole Body Reset" where I am achieving set protein and fibre goals which each meal, because I know that will help me with weight loss and satiety. Increasing freggies will help with this and limiting sweets and simple carbs. I am determined to get to my goal weight this year - I seem to be able to get within 7-8 pounds and then stall. This is the year to break down that wall.1
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doing my best while being kind to me- goals set/plan in place/ now to focus ....1
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Goals - add in a plant based lunch once a week, green smoothies, track calories, keep up my workout schedule and meditate in the mornings. Losing weight would be great too - I have 20-25 extra lbs just hanging out, I would like to reduce the stress on my knees and hips. 15 lost this year would be amazing.1
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I don't have my specific goals yet. I want to lose weight, lower my A1C, and move more. Now I need to break those down to specifics. My only specific goal right now is to finish this challenge. No more quitting mid-challenge.1
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My goal for 2024 or by May 25th, my 65th birthday, is to lose 20 pounds, 16 of those that I gained back after losing over 60+ pounds over 2 years. 4 of those pounds are to get below 140. I got to 141 last December.
I am pretty good about keeping up with the challenges, do daily exercises, or at least 5-6 days a week. I started eating chocolate with almonds last year and found it to be quite addictive (surprise, surprise) so I gained weight. I also found that I was just doing my aerobics (Walk Away The Pounds) faithfully, but slacking on my calisthenics and free weights, including my elliptical, which really slimmed me down.
Unfortunately, due to all the walking and aerobics, I've reignited plantar fascitis in my right heel, so aerobics is on the back burner for now. I am now trying to build up on my elliptical, so far only 5 minutes twice a day (was at 20 minutes twice a day, don't know how I go to that) and reintroducing my calisthenics and weights.
My goal is to continue to keep my calisthenics/weights routine into my week along with building up on the elliptical. I am hoping with all the stretching exercises I'm doing for the plantar fascitis that I'm back to aerobics by the end of the month, if not before. My overall goal is to get back to the 70-90 minutes of exercise 5 days a week at least and more when I walk around my complex, weather permitting. Right now, with the little elliptical and just calisthenics and weights I'm barely at 40 minutes.
My goals are precise so that I can achieve them. In addition, I am doing my best to stop eating chocolate. I intend to achieve my 20 pound goal, or I will be depressed on my 65th birthday, and we don't want that. 65 is bad enough! The holidays and all the sweets are almost over for me.1 -
As the researcher/author of the 2024 Winter 5% Challenge Pre-Challenge activities, you would think that I would have already done all 8 Pre-Challenge activities and would be all ready. However, I sit here at my highest weight and feel a little deflated. The good news, however, is that I'm energized by the comments I've been reading here and many posts are inspiring and hit home in a sense that I'm not the only one that has experienced feelings of being a little 'lost'. That is exactly the reason that I researched these topics and wrote them to help you; to help me!
In this FIRST Countdown Activity for the 2024 Winter 5% Challenge, I've asked everyone to decide where they were and where they wanted to go. I've already disclosed where I am; I'm actually at my highest weight and I really, REALLY need to get a handle on this. I'm getting closer to the time where I might be able to retire (at least semi-retire) and I don't want to use those years nursing 'this ache' or 'that pain'.
I've used this first week of 2024 to think about where I am and what my 5% Challenge Journey has been since I found SP back in 2008 and joined the Challenges in 2010. When I updated my profile on MFP some time ago, I took care to add some special dates so that they are not forgotten and are always available for me to reference:
~~ ** My SparkPeople 'Special Dates: Joined 8/31/08 ~ Actually started on 9/2/08.
~~ ** My MFP Special Dates: Joined 6/28/14 (did not come here regularly). Back on 6/8/21 as the notice of SP closing forced me to take a '2nd look'. Started logging in daily here on MFP on 7/24/21 as we explored the possibility of moving the Seasonal 5% Challenges to this platform**
I've already written some of my personal 'healthy lifestyle' journey story ... in 2024 my story WILL continue! I hope to continue participating in the 5% Challenges and I hope to continue to learn from all of you who inspire me. I will research (and continue to research) plans that will help me to become the best possible version of myself. Yes, my weight is up to where I don't want it to stay. Losing weight will be an additional benefit of the healthy lifestyle that I want to lead.
I come here every day to offer support to those that may need it; to receive support when I need it. I come back day after day, month after month, season after season, year after year because I feel that I've received so much more from YOU than I could ever give to any one of you. You lift me up when I'm down; inspire me when I hear about those that continue to get up and keep moving despite tremendous obstacles.
I get many notes/messages from 5% Challengers telling me that I've somehow given them support; given them hope; given them a reason to keep going and that I've inspired them. I'm humbled by those messages and know that it is truly YOU, the 5% Challenge and it's wonderful community that keeps me coming back and never lets me give up. I'm happy to have inspired but it is YOU that inspire me to keep going.
I'm still working out the 'logistics' of my 2024 Winter 5% Journey and the next 10 weeks, but I do know that consistent exercise and a healthy eating plan are the basics and I plan to work on making these basics a part of my daily life once again in 2024 and beyond! (I feel that I've lost sight of the **basics** ~ I know WHAT to do, I just haven't practiced what I know quite the way I should have).~~~~~~ HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2024!! Together we can help each other to achieve our goals; together we are better than we are standing alone. Lets stand together in this bright and shiny New Year!~~~~~~Heidi (hicim705)
Overall Co-Leader, Seasonal 5% Challenges
2024 Winter 5% Challenge ~ Captain 🔴🌡️RED HOTS🌡️🔴Co-Leader, Seasonal 5% Challenges ~ ✍️🖊️📓💻Bloggers✍️🖊️📓💻!!
Co-Leader, In Between Leader Team for the 5% Challenge
Co-Leader, In-Between Challenges (IBC) 🐦🔥Phoenix Team🐦🔥0 -
Countdown & Pre-Challenge Activity #1: INFORMATION and YOUR INPUT!
😊Your FIRST Countdown Activity for this Challenge will be for YOU to decide where YOU would like to go on YOUR Seasonal 5% Journey (as an added bonus, how YOU would like to begin to write YOUR 2024 STORY). Everyone's reason for joining this Challenge is different. We would like you to dig down deep to share what your motivation is for coming here. We would like you to share what brings you here, and even more importantly - what keeps you coming back! Perhaps there are things that you would like to get out of your personal 5% journey that we haven't discussed and/or researched. Why don't you write down some of YOUR ideas ~ we might even be able to incorporate some of those things in this or future Challenges!😊
My motivation is the accountability of the team. It helps to be a part of a competition
✍️Feel free to add your comments to this thread outlining your exercise plan for a successful 2024 Winter 5% Challenge (if you blog, you may add the link to your blog here or you may simply wish to copy/paste your writing here - or do both!), but please consider sharing!!
I am focused on walking every day plus 3 times a week doing a strength training set. I did accomplish that this week and intend to keep it going through the challenge0 -
For me, the 5% Challenge forces me to consider various aspects of my health regime. I have determined my "okay" weight (129-131) which I should not exceed to prevent my health markers from deteriorating. A 5% loss in 10 weeks would take me down to my happy "fighting weight" (where on-the-rack clothes fit easily), but generally I can attain that only if I can boost my cardio intensity and work on strength training. I review my blood pressure and heart rate behavior daily to identify what I should attempt for that day.0
