Skinny chicks and a rooster November challenge (closed)

lombrica

OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE:

I did go to a class on my own... no one with me. That was a change... I plan to go back tomorrow, but know that I will have at least one person going.

Also... went shopping on Black Friday and actually went into another store to buy clothes for me! It's a change... I always used to order clothes - couldn't really shop anywhere in my real life. So, it's fun to be in a store and looking at clothing that IS NOT the largest size they carry! Plus - I have bought a couple of tops that have patterns on them and are kinda fun... It's a bit out of my comfort zone. Even moreso - my mother was here. She has all kinds of questions and judgements and I still went AND bought something for myself.

Best of all... I have been doing some things for myself. I did crochet enough to get this afghan finished for my niece. I also bought a package of the things you heat in the microwave and then on your shoulder or sinuses, etc. They are all filled with different herbs and stuff... so they are aromatherapeutic. I bought a couple essential oils and have been trying them. Relaxing for sure!

Oh... and I bought sheets. Yep, sheets. I love them! I don't usually spend much money for myself and on things like that... but I found some on Black Friday that were Cold Weather Performance. It's been a bit chilly in Montana and my room is in the back of the basement... making it colder yet. I love these sheets! So, this morning... I slept in and just enjoyed my bed and the sheets and the extra sleep!

I love this week of stuff Steph... LOVE it!

StaciO

I will take February and maybe we will walk across the United States.

andilynn82

Ack! I admit, I totally forgot about the spreadsheet Not that I've done that great at my daily goals...I'm planning to keep those going through December, in addition to the new challenge. I did meet one of them though - my goal was to lose 5 pounds this month, and I've lost 5.8 with 2 days to go!

I took a little bit of time for myself last week - I got a new haircut! It's shorter than I would normally go, but everyone seems to really like it so far.

My exercise only consists of walking and a stationary bike, (and I don't have a gym membership) so I'm going to pick up a new exercise DVD to try out tonight and get out of my comfort zone

Icewolf_The

eh I am sorry I have been ****e this month in the challenge.

I increased my workout this week in swim from half a mile 40 laps to 48 laps in same time. The breathing thing is working, and also apparently the muscles are firing. I'm sure it helps that I'm not stopping every 4 laps, but swimming 16 lap blocks.

I also managed to complete the other challenges for this week. So apparently I'm not total ****e, and I have another day and a half to lose another lb, which given thanksgivings evil head, isn't going to happen, oh well.

Stephanie thank you for your leadership in taking the reins this month. You did a fantastic job

I won't be doing next months challenge Becky, and no. I won't be guilted, cajolled or shoved into it. I don't have the time. Sorry.

As for spreadsheets. I really don't have time in the next day to do those either. I'm sorry. You're welcome to take ones I've done of past challenges and use them for whatever you need if that works. Good luck.

Sorry everyone. I hope that you've met/exceeded your goals

I will post an easy recipe that might help you all in your endeavors. (abeit a bit late )

Honey lime chicken

1 tbsp honey
juice of fresh limes & zest enough to equal 1/2 cup of liquid and all the good zest you can get!
4 chicken breasts (or turkey, or tofurkey, or whatever protein source of your choosing)

add honey to lime juice and zest in a ziplock baggie. (if in another country, use a glass dish or another plastic mixing tub or preferably like the ziplock a flat pack plastic baggie that has an airtight (reasonably liquid tight) sealable lock that will let you put in the meat & liquid and marinate in the fridge. As that's what you're doing... Marinating and in this case with the lime juice, actually cooking a bit the outside of the meat. Any other seasonings you care to add at this time are appropriate!

I have added in the past
cilantro, chilies, spearmint for a thai feel with a bit of xo or even fish sauce (nam pla)
wasabi, ginger, shoyu (soy) for a japanese feel
crushed tomatoes, minced fresh garlic, minced fresh oregano for an italian feel

And of course if you're going old school english, when you're done marinating. Get out a good cold beer, a bag of batter, and mix it up good and frothy and batter that **** up and fry it in the fatter box so you can have a proper chippy night LOL.... LAST one definately NOT on the dietary list, but every once and a while you have to live a little.

Good luck everyone It's been nice meeting you. Sorry I wasn't a better flat mate

stephaniezoundi

Flash challenge: 200 squats, 200 calf raises, 100 jumping jacks....GO!!!!!

inkredibleshrinkingwoman

I will take February and maybe we will walk across the United States.

from Ireland???

i will take your flash challenge steph, but F squats! i can barely bend down to pick up something i dropped let alone do a single squat - they KILL my knees!!! maybe in another 50 lbs

as for me time - i had to forfeit my pedicure to go see the chiropodist for something wrong with my damn toe and there went my pedicure budget - so my me time will be this weekend when i go to the amazing craft show on the planet in Dublin

ok just finished 45 minutes on the Gazelle and hitting the showers....what's the link to the damn spread sheet again? sorry!

lombrica

Cyndi... I am NOT guilting anyone into December's challenge... and I already have the spreadsheets done. So, no problems there! Glad to hear about the 48 laps!

carhicks

Thanks Becky for setting up December. Also, Bobbie thanks for signing up for January. I can not believe how much more I have done with these challenges. I look forward to this and hope to get an A, so will have to see how to go about that one.

Steph, I did 100 squats, 100 crunches, 100 arm raises and 100 crunches for the flash challenge. I can't do jumping jacks unless I do them in the pool or in the bathroom if you get my drift.

Looking forward to weighting in and taking my measurements tomorrow. I think I have lost a lot of inches. Thanks for this month.

KnottyNCrotchety

I am going to be taking December off from the challenges. I am just so insanely busy and then we go on vacation for two weeks at the beach and I am pretty sure we will not have wifi, so I will only have my phone. I am looking forward to doing some active things with the boys while we are on vacation, but don't want to be feeling confined about what we do and feeling pressure to do sit ups when they want to go for a bike ride, etc etc.

Thanks for leading this month Steph! You did an awesome job and I am really proud of you. I am sorry I wasn't more particpatory and helpful, but I think you did just fine without me! (and you should totally aknowledge and accept this compliment so you don't get all outta practice Stitch Sister!)

stephaniezoundi

Well folks, this is the last day of the challenge. Personally, I have really enjoyed it. Having a focus each week really helped me. Thanks to all those who participated! I must confess I posted the flash challenge and only got 200 calf raises, 60 squats and 40 arm extensions in - all snuck in between appointments with parents (I kept thinking I was going to be caught mid-squat!).
Will post accomplishments later - I'm off to the gym in a bit and then joining the strike day here to protect our pensions. Toodles all!

inkredibleshrinkingwoman

i'm doing the flash challenge today - as that's been my MO all month, late but accomplished

not sure how much i lost this month, but definitely met at least the 5lb goal

i'm at 70.5 gone today which is better than i expected by this point, and i think a lot of it has to do with the challenges

thank you steph! i am IN for december as best as i can - we go up to the inlaws and then home to america in january (where i will probably NEED a challenge to ward off all the eating i'm going to do!) so please keep me informed!

x

RENAEJAE

I'll keep popping in here for December challenge details. Not quite sure what the plan is but if I know Becky she will be sending us all the 'skinny' on it.

No lbs dropped for the entire month of Nov -gggrrrrr - but I have lost several inches so no complaints.

stephaniezoundi

MY GOALS FOR NOVEMBER:

1. Lose minimum 5lbs
2. complete 20 days of the 30DS (I'm away for a week which is why its not the whole thing!)
3. Burn 10% more calories than I did in November (again away for a week so this is a real challenge!!!) (23498 cals)
4. Be 10+/- cals of my daily allowance (currently 1500)
5. Try 4 new foods this month

1. Lost 7lbs so I am pleased - that said 2 days after Nov 1st weigh in I was up 7lbs so I have relost those 7 and no new ones.
2. Fail - it will be great on the days I can't make it to the gym but I would get bored doing it everyday
3 . No clue to be honest!
4. With the exception of my week away yep I have done this 6 out 7 days in the week
5. Yep - I tried 5: dried apricots,mango, passion fruit, three bean salad, and something else I can't remember at this time!

I have also lost a total of 6inces...very unevenly...3 off 1 thigh...that said it now is the same as the other one!!

carhicks

My goals for November:

1. Log everything I eat. Even those things I eat late at night after I have signed out for the night.
2. Lose 10 pounds
3. Do at least 5 different fitness things each week (i.e. Zumba, water aerobics, weight training, swim lengths, bike, walk the dog etc.)
4. Be under my calorie goal 6/7 days each week.
5. Do the weekly challenges during November.

I did log everything I ate, sometimes the next morning, but I did log it. I realized that if I didn't log, I was only cheating myself, not fooling anyone else.
I lost the 10 pounds I had hoped. It took until this morning, but I made it.
I did 8 or so different things for exercise each week. I found it made me want to exercise more often and not get bored.
I was under my calorie goal all but 3 days for the month, so that was awesome.
I did the weekly challenges for the most part. I was not successful at them all, but I did try.

Overall I felt really good about the month. I also put in 215 miles this month running/walking/swimming/elliptical. These challenges really keep me motivated. Thanks for the mini challenges also Steph. I did not do squats, crunches, arm extensions etc. before these challenges and now they are part of my regular routine. Thanks

k2quiere

Goal check for November:

1. Lose 10 lbs....only lost 5.4, saying only regarding goal, but I am very happy with this fact because it feels like much less!
2. Increase water to 16 glasses every day...TOTAL FAIL!! I have drunk less water since we started this challenge than I ever have before
3. Complete 15 minutes on elliptical.....Did 16 minutes today just for good measure!!
4. Walk the lake trail at least 3 times.....Would have made it 4, if not for the time change. The 3rd time was only 5 miles because I had to turn around so as to not get stuck in the woods in pitch black.
5. Lose another half inch in all areas....I lost at least .25 in all areas but my thighs (I think they're now building muscle up because I use them so much), and I lost 2 inches in my waist!!!

Thanks for this challenge Steph!

Oh, and as for the flash challenge, the only thing I didn't get was the jumping jacks just because I was lazy after my regular workouts. 200 calf raises and 100 squats plus 200 crunches.

andilynn82

November goals:
1. Lose 5 lbs
--I lost 6.2!
2. Drink 10 glasses of water per day
--Nope. I'm definitely drinking more on average though, and I've pretty much cut out my morning Diet Pepsi.
3. Do at least 15 minutes on the exercise bike per day
--Not even close.
4. To get more sleep
--I didn't do a good job keeping track of this, but I'd say no, overall I didn't get more sleep than usual.
5. Be under my calorie goal 6 days/week
--Looking back, there's more days than I thought when I didn't log (or didn't finish logging), so I probably didn't meet this goal.

Since I did so badly, I'm going to keep these as goals for December in addition to the new challenge. I'm pretty excited about the 6.2 pounds though, especially since I lost the last pound or so over the week of Thanksgiving!

Thanks Steph for an awesome challenge! I really liked the mini challenges too - I didn't always get them done, but they got me moving more than normal

inkredibleshrinkingwoman

Goals:
1. lose 5 lbs
i'm trying to go back and figure it out, but it's 7 (or more?)

2. truly try to mix up my cardio, not just do the same thing every day
um, well, i quit the pool last week so it was just walking and my Gazelle - so half fail

3. make an effort to do more strength training
fail - damn,i definitely did more the month before

4. make an effort to cook more involved meals for myself
yes

5. try to get to sleep earlier!
super fail, what's wrong with me that i can't go to sleep before midnight, it would certainly help when i wake early to exercise!!!


thanks again steph for this challenge, i appreciate all your effort!

and congrats to everyone on their weightloss and goals being met

i cannot believe it's December!! - i feel this will be the hardest month of all with all the parties and the holiday - good luck to all!!

penny_eclipse

Goals:
1. lose 4 lbs *fingers crossed*
I lost 6.5lbs and am now just 1.5lbs from goal

2. to really try to work out at least 5 days a week...even when I have tons of coursework on
Havn't managed this, but have managed to do more cycling/walking whenever I can, and have gone to a few extra and new classes so overall my exercise has gone up

3. try to make an effort to do things like sit-ups/press ups on cardio only days
hahahaha no...this hasn't happened, I've been too sore and tired from exercise...

4. keep my protein levels high, and my carbs in check...
definitely been on this one. changed my goal ratio thing to 30% protein, and it appears to have worked.

5. try to keep sleep a priority as it helps everything
ish...whenever possible (she says after pulling an all nighter on monday and only getting to bed 40hrs later so is still recovering...), but generally i have been a lot better with forcing myself into bed...

Thank you steph! It's been so helpful, now I just need to get over the december issues and try to get at goal for xmas...eeek!?

Good luck everyone and Happy December xxx

meerkat70

I don't think I managed any of my November goals, but I feel quite sure December will be better! (Can someone point me at the thread?)

inkredibleshrinkingwoman

I don't think I managed any of my November goals, but I feel quite sure December will be better! (Can someone point me at the thread?)

yes me too, is there a thread??

meerkat - hope your mom is ok....look at you at 92, you're so close!! well done even if it hasnt been a great month

and Bobbie - love your new photo

someday i'll post a photo for now, enjoy the lovely view here in Ireland