Healthy for the Holidays Challenge - 9/06 - 11/22

MayLan

I have yet to try to the Group function of MFP because I havent' had time, and I'd love to try the Group. I think it would just be easier to find.

have an awesome day, all!

opalmel

I vote for groups too! I love the group format and like the idea of having separate threads for each topic.

Opal

ceejay000

I like the idea of the group as well .

alacarte

Ready to try "Groups".

Huskeryogi

I vote groups too. We can still start a new challenge with a fun name every time, but it will be way easier to find the weekly challenges.

Biggest problem with a group is making sure we invite new members from the general forum. I'm so glad I found this group

SallyCC

Whatever we do for the next round is fine with me.....I just don't want to lose this group of people. You have been great. I am looking forward to our next round!

inshapeCK

I went "hard core" with my exercising today. On top of doing the Wii Fit Plus, I also did all of this week's exercise challenges.

I did 1 minute of push ups. I did 30 of them instead of 20 of them but most of them were modified as I don't have enough arm strength as of yet to do 30 "proper" push ups. One day I will though! I have increased my strength and enurances in other areas so I will get there in time with push ups too.

I did 1 minute of jumping jacks. I did 60 instead of 50 jumping jacks as this is an area that I have worked on and have increased my endurance.

I did 90 seconds of plank but in 30 second increments and I had to modify for about half of the 90 seconds. I still need to work on increasing my endurance with this exercise but I previously couldn't even do a plank at all so I do still show improvement.

I did the stairs for 5 minutes in my house but I walked at a decent pace instead of running as walking the stairs for 5 minutes took my breath away enough!

Did the 1 minute of sit ups with not too much problem, other than the burn, but this is another area where I have been increasing my endurance and have been showing improvement.

I am also a part of a team challenge and we have daily fitness challenges
so I have also done the following challenges this week:
Sat.: 30 minutes of cardio (did more)
Fri.: 5 minutes of tricep kickbacks (I had to do them without weights though, it was our choice to do with or without weights)
Thurs.: 35 push ups
Wed.: 45 jumping jacks
Tues.: Any exercise

I think oliviawink borrowed some of our challenges! She has been doing some of the daily challenges with us.

As for the food challenge, I did 63 minutes of exercise and then I ate 2 tablespoons of Chipits. I am totally fine with my caloires but it sent me over my sugar. Can't be perfect in all areas though!

tammihart

Oh shoot, I totally lost track, I think that maybe I was supposed to do the last challenge, but I forgot because I had done one earlier. Ok, off the cuff, here I go....

Exercise: add the following to your regular workout. You can spread them out, 1 for each day all at once, break them up throughout the day, or do them all at once as a circuit - whatever you want. Report in when you do them:
20 push ups
50 jumping jacks
90 seconds of plank
5 minutes of running up and down stairs
1 minute of sit ups

Food: I just went with a work buddy to weigh-in for my work's "hold the holidays" challenge (meaning you want to maintain not gain during the holidays), and as we were walking back she said "if only my hubby and I didn't drink a bottle of wine each night as our wind-down routine I wouldn't be putting the weight back on." I gave her this suggestion that I have used a lot in the past, but have slacked on lately:

Burn the extra calories from alcoholic beverages and/or dessert BEFORE you consume them. This causes you to think about your junkfood and plan ahead. it's also a great habit to get into before the holiday challenges are up you and help you exercise a bit of self-restraint when the temptations are there and you don't have the extra burned cals to spare.

And word-to-the-wise: this doesn't have to be big burns well in advance, for example, even if I want 2 oreo cookies, I make myself jog in place or around the house when picking toys to get that little extra burn in so I can eat those 2 little cookies guilt-free.

I want to be able to find this so I can do it all after church today

oliviawink

Ok, groups is it.

inshapeck gave me a great idea: make these challenges more of a challenge with points that can be earned for doing things in the challenge. What do others think? We could change it up periodically but how do people feel about starting with a few weeks of team challenges? i think it might help us stay strong over the holidays, as we will be accountable to a team. If not, we could start with individual. Let me know what you all think of this...

aab1

I like the idea of earning points. Will it be too difficult trying to form teams? What if new people join our 'group'..how do we manage the assignment of them to a team? I'm on board for doing whatever...geesh...I need some variety to kick me back into full workout mode. I just want to be sure we don't create too big of a monster to manage.

- Ailene

hopelyss

Okay I'm up for a group, but who is creating it, and will that person post on here the group name so we can find it an join? I'm like you Ailene, I need to shake things up to get me motivated through the holidays.

Hope

SallyCC

bump....don't want to lose this group!

Leanz

Don't want to lose the group!

emariec78

Using teams sounds like a fun way to add some motivation, but I agree that could be hard to manage. I suppose if someone joins they could just be added to a team to start with the challenges the next week.

Final weigh in tomorrow......feeling nervous as I really want to at least report a little bit of a loss. Must be extra good today!

oliviawink

stared the group shell at: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/944-challenge-yourself-to-be-your-best-you
tonight or tomorrow I will put up some information via posts
Please let me know if you would like to be a moderator, which will allow you to create pages and monitor content to ensure it's all appropriate.

Big weigh-in tomorrow then we start a few group strong.

Sounds like we'll ease in with an individual competition. I'm thinking we'll ave weekly winners and overall winners (1st, 2nd, 3rd). Helen, would you be willing to do the spreadsheet for weight and I will track the point system?

If you are a "friend" who's logged in in the last week, I sent you an invite. I might have made typos, though. If I'm not your "friend", I would LOVE to be! and you can go to the page with the link posted above

aab1

Thanks for creating the group, Olivia!!

1erica60

Ok, I am a little confused by how this all works with groups but hopefully I'll catch up!! I want to stay with you all! Love this crowd!!!

Michelle228

lol Finally I found the new post ! i havent been on in a few days and lost the thread . I read something about continueing progress with maybe groups? ill have to read up a bit more but i have enjoyed doing all of this with all of you and i would love to get the chance to continue my journey with all of you as well !

MayLan

so excited about the groups and the final weigh in. I hope I lose...!!!!!

LeslieRoyale

Thank you Olivia for setting us up in groups :flowerforyou:

So....I went to the doctor today, for the first time in, ohhh, about 17 years! :noway:
Everything seemed to be pretty good :bigsmile: but I'm anxious to get the blood work back...just wish I had something to compare it to...but it will be a good way to start off the new year! My next challenge is to quit this...:smokin: ...and I know it's going to cause me to gain a bit back...:ohwell: ...which is really scary to me, when I'm just beginning to really understand the behavior and triggers behind the food. But having the doc say quitting smoking is more important to my health than losing weight...well, that kind of lit a fire in my pants. So NOW I'll just have to work on mastering TWO demons in my life, LOL!!!
I will let you all know when it happens, cuz Lord knows I will DEFINITELY need extra support!!!

Hope to see you ALL on the Groups side!!!

alacarte

Bumping to track

ceejay000

Hey all. I'm at work and thought I'd stop in and say hello. I like the idea of weekly challenges with points, though right now I would prefer to stick with individual challenges so I don't drag my team down. :ohwell: However, maybe having a team that to which I'm responsible will get me to do more of the weekly challenges. Who knows. Anyway, Olivia, thanks for inviting me to the group, and I hope to see you all there!

alacarte

Last check in for H4H Challenge:

Last Week 144
This Week 144

No change, again! This just reinforces the fact that I am pretty much at my goal weight. So I hope that the point system in the next challenge will bring out my competitive side, which will help me reach my ultimate goal of 140.

Have a great day ladies!!

Steph

SallyCC

This week 194.7
I am very happy with that...My goal was 194 and I feel so happy in seeing this number... I know I wouldn't have gotten this close without the focus of this group. I am so ready to set the next goal!!

emariec78

Final weigh in 154.6.

So I've been bouncing around the same weight for months and it is time to get serious! Can't wait to get started for the next challenge.

kris1085

I am checking in this week at 182.0 pounds . I cannot believe this challenge is over already . Looking forward to the other challenges !

jenniferjgayfield

I did terribly, ending the challenge at 129.8...I let stress get to me a bit too much, and exhaustion with the baby has set in, I feel as if I am sleepy all the time, so tired, complete lack of energy. Really hoping to do well in the next challenge, I am looking forward to the group!

hopelyss

Final weigh in...(drum roll please)

169.6!!! Yay! I hit the 160s. :happy: This is the first challenge I've actually met, much less surpassed.

Now ready for our next challenge in our new group format.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Hope

Huskeryogi

Final weigh in - On Friday I was still at 166.9 so I'm going with that as my final because I don't think a TOM weight should count as final for the challenge.

I definitely leveled off at the end of this challenge - my desire for comfort food goes way up when it gets cold out - I didn't realize until this year that cold is definitely an eating trigger for me.

I went back and looked at my NSV's and I did pretty good on those.

1 - Wear my old dance costume for Halloween (ice skater). I did and it fit great. Love wearing something left from when I was 15!

2 - Stuck to my 10 mile training program and ran in a 10 mile race on 10/29. Final time 2:07.42. I was most excited because I managed to maintain the pace I set from start to finish (I didn't run the whole thing I ran/walked in 5 min/ 2min intervals).

3 - Post before and afters - I haven't done this yet but maybe I'll have time over the long weekend.

Anyway congrats to everyone who hit there goal!

For the next challenge I'll chime in from time to time, but my goal from now until the end of the year is going to be to maintain. Work is too crazy to workout (although I get more exercise at work than normal) and it's harder to plan meals.

Michelle228

No weight loss for me this week .. I have been really slacking on the exercising ! I need to get motivated. Santa is bringing a Wii with Just Dance 3 though for Xmas ! woot thats some serious motivation there im gonna be dancing the weight right off ! Weight is still at 296.