🏅 Challenge Week #2 ~ United States: July 27 - August 2, 2024 🏅

hicim705

🌎️ Challenge Week #2: Saturday, July 27th - Friday, August 2nd, 2024 🌎️
✈️DESTINATION: United States - 6,000 Miles ~ Water & Meet Your Cheerleaders✈️

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Welcome to Week #2 of the 2024 Summer 5% Challenge. If you are one of our *new* Challengers, it appears that you have made it through Week #1 and are planning to continue your 5% Challenge journey; if you are a *seasoned* Challenger, we are so happy that you are here once again!!

Weigh-Ins are due **EVERY** Saturday by 1159pm (your local time). We encourage you to weigh-in on time (if not, early). Weighing-in early is always acceptable. If you will be away for a weigh-in, consider posting your weight any time before you leave; if that is not possible, please reach out to your Baggage Handler/Leader to report that you will be away. Together you will come up with a plan to weigh-in early or to have your absence excused.

. Since we allow team members to join at any time, if you are late in joining the Challenge, you will still be required to record your weights. Reach out to your leadership team for instructions if you are not sure where to record your weigh-in(s) and/or your weekly exercise/LTGL. THANKS!!


This posting is for information only. PLEASE POST YOUR RESULTS ON YOUR CHALLENGE TEAM PAGE. Each team has a similar ‘set-up’, yet each team also has their own ‘look & feel’. Any and all questions will be answered by your team’s leaders. Another good source of information will be from your fellow team mates on your team’s discussion board.


🌎️ Challenge Week #2: Saturday, July 27th - Friday, August 2nd, 2024 🌎️
✈️DESTINATION: United States - 6,000 Miles ~ Water & Meet Your Cheerleaders✈️

We began our journey by visiting France and will likely end our Summer 5% Challenge with France again (since they are this year’s Summer Olympics host). France has hosted the Olympic games 5 times: two of those were the Paris Summer Olympics of 1900 and 1924 and our current Olympics for the Summer of 2024.

From Paris, we board our individual team planes in the wee hours of the morning of July 27th for our flight to the United States of America. The US has been the host of the Summer Olympic games four times. In 1904, St. Louis, MO was our host city. Los Angeles, CA hosted twice in 1932 and 1984. Atlanta, GA was our most recent summer games host city in 1996. Since Los Angeles hosted the summer games, twice we will begin our week-long journey here.


Did you know that the Olympics of 2028 will also be hosted in Los Angeles ~ and I found pictures of what their logo/brand will likely look like:



The 1932 Olympics took place in the middle of the Great Depression. In addition, the games were held in a remote region of California and as a result, participation in the games was the lowest since 1904. Between 1900 - 1928, the summer games usually lasted 79 days. With the 1932 Olympics this was cut to 16. The summer games have remained between 15 to 18 days ever since.

The Games of the XXIII Olympiad were also held in Los Angeles in 1984. President Ronald Reagan called California his home state and officially opened the games that year. These games were the first Summer Olympic games under the IOC presidency of Juan Antonio Samaranch. Boycotts and controversy were part of the make-up of the 1984 games by Eastern Bloc countries including the Soviet Union and East Germany (Romania was the only Soviet Bloc state that attended). These boycotts were in response to the American-led boycotts of the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow, Russia which protested the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Three other nations that boycotted the 1984 Games (for unrelated reasons) were Albania, Iran, and Libya

1904, St. Louis, Missouri Games are remarkable as this was the first time that the Olympic Games were held outside of Europe. The 1904 Games had their share of problems including difficulties traveling to St. Louis from outside the US and Canada. There were also tensions caused by the Russo-Japanese war.
651 athletes participated in these games. They came from 12 nations and participated in 95 events in 16 sports at these games.



Here is a representation of the poster of the 1904 Summer Olympic games

Finally, we explore Atlanta, Georgia - the site of the 1996 (and our most recent US Olympics).



The Summer Olympics in Atlanta in 1996 enjoyed the distinction that for the first time in Olympic history, all 197 recognized National Olympic Committees were represented. During the Olympics in Atlanta, Hubert Raudaschl (Austria or AUT) became the first person to ever compete in 9 Olympic Games. Competitions that were added in the 1996 games were: beach volleyball, mountain biking, lightweight rowing and women’s football.

The games in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996 took place July 19 - August 4, 1996. Atlanta was selected over Athens to host the Centennial Olympic Games. These games cost nearly $1.7 billion and became the first Olympics to receive no governmental financial support. Although Atlanta took extra security precautions, a pipe bomb explosion in Centennial Olympic Park resulted in 1 fatality.

Whether you plan to stay in California for the week or choose to take excursions to St. Louis or Atlanta, please enjoy our United States of America! A nation that is the world’s third largest country in size and has nearly the 3rd largest in population, the US is located in North America. To the west is the Pacific Ocean, to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. Canada borders the US along the northern border and Mexico is along the southern border. ENJOY your week in the USA and enjoy exploring the Olympic destinations that hosted four of our Summer Olympics!


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~ ~ ~ ~ The following is from post(s) written by Lynn ( @kaliswalker ) ~ ~ ~ ~

The challenge begins on Saturday morning, July 27, 2024.
Water & Meet Your Cheerleaders done before SATURDAY DOES NOT COUNT!!!!


🏁 Race 🏁
You must exercise to earn air miles to get your team to the destination.
1 minute of exercise = 1 air mile. DAILY MAXIMUM 120 exercise minutes/air miles.


📝Living the Good Life - Water & Meet Your Cheerleaders 📝



Living the Good Life – Drink your Water, daily maximum 8 cups to record, but drink what you want.
To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn. How does drinking Water help you lose weight?

1. Calorie control - If you drink more Water, chances are you’ll simultaneously reduce your intake of calorie-laden liquids – like sugary drinks or creamy coffees. The calorie reduction can really add up.
2. It can help manage your appetite - Water fills the volume of your stomach, signaling to your brain that you’re full. Therefore, Water can act as an appetite suppressant. Drinking a 16-ounce glass of Water prior to a meal can increase fullness or satiety, which in turn can decrease overall calorie consumption at that meal by up to 13%.
3. It can increases your metabolism AKA ‘Water-induced thermogenesis’ an increased energy expenditure - more calories burned as fuel. Drinking 16 ounces of Water can increase metabolism by 30% for an hour following the drink.
4. It breaks down fat - Water intake has been associated with increased fat cell breakdown in the body, called lipolysis, the conversion of fat tissue to fuel. An uptick in metabolism (see above) can also increase lipolysis, and increased Water intake affects the hormone insulin in a way that speeds up this fat breakdown process.
5. It keeps you hydrated - Proper hydration is essential to many body functions that go hand-in-hand with weight loss. When you’re dehydrated, you may experience sluggish digestion and increased Water storage which tip up the scale. Plus, dehydration usually correlates with a lack of energy, and fatigue has a slew of negative side effects on your healthy habits.

When you’re hydrated, your body is optimized and, so is your motivation to exercise and eat well. Except for oxygen, there’s nothing your body needs more than an adequate supply of Water. Consuming enough Water slows down aging, prolongs a disease-free life and lowers the risk of being bWaterMeiologically older than your chronological age, according to a National Institute of Health. Water has zero calories.

About 60% of your body weight is made of Water, which is needed to:
• Regulate your body temperature.
• Lubricate and cushion joints.
• Flush toxins.
• Relieve headaches caused by even mild dehydration.
• Look younger with healthier skin that is properly hydrated.
• Digest food.
• Maintain regular bowel movements.
• Deliver oxygen throughout your body.
• Reduce kidney stone formation and bladder infections


The sensation of thirst decreases with age, as does the amount of Water in our bodies, which makes seniors more at risk for dehydration. Dehydration symptoms can include: A dry or sticky mouth or a swollen tongue. Did you know a routine blood test can detect dehydration, because the serum sodium levels are higher?

How to know if your skin is dehydrated? Your skin typically looks dull and can show premature aging, like surface wrinkles and loss of elasticity. Try the pinch test - pinch the skin on your arm or the back of your hand, and if it stays tented after you let go, this indicates moderate or even severe dehydration. Water moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity. Be the best version of yourself, stay well hydrated!

Even mild dehydration can be a physical stressor to the body. You can experience tiredness, nausea and loss of appetite, and may find it difficult to concentrate and perform physical tasks, like carrying groceries or lifting weights. Or you may think you are hungry when you are actually thirsty or dehydrated. Before reaching for an unplanned snack or eating between meals, drink a glass of Water first and wait a few minutes. Often, the Water will hit the spot if you're only thirsty, but hunger will intensify the longer you wait. When you stay hydrated it’s easy to keep your appetite in check.

While it may not always be practical to count up ounces during the day, for most of us, using a combination of thirst as a guide, as well as looking for a pale-yellow urine color, can indicate that we are well-hydrated. It's normal to have to urinate about six to eight times in a 24-hour period.

🌟Build healthy forever habits - have a glass of Water on the table each time you eat and make a point of drinking it all. Ideally drink Water before a meal to 'fill you up' so you eat less. Have a glass of Water at your bedside to drink when you wake up, or drink Water while your morning coffee is brewing. Anchor your hydration habit to a location you’re in a few times per day. Or carry a Water bottle with you throughout the day for easy access to Water.

Don't drink all of your daily Water at once, divide it into several glasses of Water throughout the day. This is especially important if you engage in lots of heavy exercise.

NO SODAS! Count 100% zero calorie drinks or herbal teas, but Water is what you should try to drink if you can. Aim for 64 ounces (8 glasses) of Water each day.

Water: The Wild Card of Weight Loss
https://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=54

12 Tips to Drink 8 Cups a Day
https://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1014

Drinking Water During Workouts
https://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=101

✔️To score points this week
1. Drink Your Water - 1 cup = 1 point. Daily MAXIMUM 8 Cups to record
2. Meet the Cheerleaders = For each day you participate in Team Chat, score 10 points for the day. If you do not chat, you earn no points.


🏆 Summary
🌠Record all exercise minutes. It's 6,000 Exercise Minutes/Air miles. DAILY MAXIMUM 120 exercise minutes/miles. Scoring: 1 minute of exercise = 1 air mile🌠

⭐⭐ Living the Good Life - Drink Your Water & Meet Your Cheerleaders ⭐⭐
🚰1. Drink Your Water - 1 cup = 1 point. Daily MAXIMUM 8 Cups to record🚰
📣2. Meet the Cheerleaders = For each day you participate in Team Chat, score 10 points for the day. If you do not chat, you earn no points.📣


We will record this on one thread. (example)
Saturday (Please also note the day that you are reporting about)
My Exercise: 40
My Water: 8
My Meet the Cheerleaders: 10

🌟Build healthy forever habits - Practice ‘Drinking Your Water’ and ‘Meeting Your Cheerleaders🌟

****Remember if for any reason your health does not allow you to participate in a challenge please do not attempt it. Always follow your doctor's orders****