Love Your Health: Feb Challenge-Week 1 (2/1-2/7)

baconslave
baconslave Posts: 7,018 Member
Challenge blurb. :+1:
Let's show some love to ourselves by selecting a goal that is going to further your health in some way, whether it be physical health or even mental health.

You could make sure your electrolyte levels are better.
Or commit to more exercise.
Or decide to forgo a bad habit you KNOW is hampering your health from being what it could.
Or start a good habit you've been putting off.
Or simply continue to focus on whatever health-conscious New Year's Resolution you made for last month.


You decide.
Love your health by "sprinting," (focusing hard and giving your all) for the whole month. It's only 29 days.

I've got a thread stickied to the top of the group so you can find the weekly challenge threads, even if they are buried in the feed.

Join this thread to post your goals and get started.
«134

Replies

  • cottagegirl71
    cottagegirl71 Posts: 167 Member
    I AM IN! :)

    Goals - daily/accurate logging, up my water, stay within my cal/carb range, "some" form of exercise EVERY day, and daily flossing! Trying to keep it simple and attainable. Losing 5lbs + would be awesome....
  • Hi, great Challenge :)

    I'm returning member so my goals will be simple to get me started.
    I have 3 goals.

    1. is to stay below 50g of carbs
    2. is to drink over 2l of water
    3. is to exercise minimum 60 minutes a day.

    Sounds really simple but let's see how I get on ;)
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    I'm in :) my goals:

    1. Get in a workout at least three times per week
    2. Stay below 80g carbs per day (below 60 most days would be awesome)
    3. Allow only one cheat this month (oldest child's bday)
    4. Drop 4 lbs by February 29
  • BRobertson23
    BRobertson23 Posts: 150 Member
    Very excited to do this again!

    SW: 195
    Prior W: 189.8 (1/22)
    CW: 187.2 (1/29)
    GW: 160-165

    I've committed to running 2-3 times each week with at least 2 weight training/body weight training sessions weekly as well.

    I will be continuing to keep my carbs to 20-22 net carbs for at least another 1-2 weeks, then will start adding in 5 carbs each week, so I suspect by the end of February I will be at 30-35 carbs.

    I am HOPING that I will be diligent enough to reach 175 (or less) by my birthday (2/23), which was my goal last year and I was at least 10 pounds from it then....what a great gift to myself to reach it this year!!
  • beckers80
    beckers80 Posts: 133 Member
    Great find! I am in!
    Goals:
    Workout 20 days this month.
    Stay below 50g of carbs
    Drop 7 lbs by March 1st, Drop 15 by April!
    My birthday is 3/30 would love to be at 170.
  • krazyforyou
    krazyforyou Posts: 1,428 Member
    OK
    Stay below 50 carbs daily
    Drink more water at least 1 liter daily
    Not loose my mind with this new job.

  • ChoiceNotChance
    ChoiceNotChance Posts: 644 Member
    Here goes:
    Go to bed earlier!!!
    Get up on time and be more consistent with exercise. (I prefer to exercise in the morning).
    Keep logging.
  • Lillith32
    Lillith32 Posts: 483 Member
    Lets Do It!
    1. Minimize restaurant trips and food waste. If a restaurant can make it, so can I, and Starbucks is becoming a bad habit lately. No more than two trips a week excluding Sunday breakfast and coffee stop.
    2. Better sleeping habits - In bed by 10:30 pm 5 days a week.
    3. Drop 3-5 lb this month. Usually I am not about weigh goals, but I want to see 155 lb or less on the scale in mid March, because I would love to wear a really skimpy outfit to a music festival I am heading to.
    4. Re-double my new employment finding efforts. Send out at least one resume a weekend.

    I think that's enough for the next 29 days.
  • Kahelnet
    Kahelnet Posts: 11 Member
    I'm in!
    1. Sleep at least 6 hours a day
    2. Wark no more than 10 hours a day (internship sucks!)
    3. Stay below 30g carbs
  • slimzandra
    slimzandra Posts: 955 Member
    edited February 2016
    1. Keep on keeping what I'm doing (3 pounds in January gone!)
    2. Commit to more exercise. - This made a difference last month.
    3. Continue with carbs under 30g
    4. In for Five in Fabulous February.
    CW: 147.5 (on 2.1.2016)
    GW: 142.5 (on 3.1.2016)
  • DianaElena76
    DianaElena76 Posts: 1,241 Member
    I really want to push myself this month and hopefully keep my thighs to myself (i.e., not overflow into my neighbors' seats) on my flight in March.... :wink: Getting into size 12 pants would be nice too, but I'm not in a hurry.

    I've been making too many allowances--it's like every time the numbers start to go down and hit or get close to a new low, I hit a bit of a wall and start eating everything in sight. Well, not everything--I usually still only eat foods that are technically acceptable, but I overdo it. For example, having 6 tbsp of peanut butter in a day or eating 10 pieces of dark chocolate instead of 1-2.

    So this month I'll be keeping it simple (last month I bit off more than I could chew and couldn't wait for January to end so I could stop admitting defeat on my weekly check-ins):

    1. Minimum 64 ounces of water per day.
    2. Under 50g carbs per day.
    3. 8,000 steps at least 5 days a week.

    That's it.
  • justbreathesrw28
    justbreathesrw28 Posts: 39 Member
    I'm in... Just started logging again after almost a year hiatus... 11 days in and down 7lbs. Would love to loose 12 more pounds by Feb 26 as that is when I leave for a 17 day vacation to California.

    Goals
    1. 20 carbs or less - doing induction until I reach my goal of 159lbs, currently at 187lbs.

    2. 30 min or more each day on my elliptical. I'm on an eight day streak so far.

    3. 2L of water a day.

    4. Being kind and patient with myself and stay committed to "this is for me because I'm worth it"
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
    I'm in!
    My goals ... hmmm ...
    * I'd love to lose another 3-5 lbs.
    * Some form of exercise for at *least* 10 mins 6 days/wk.
    * Stay within my calorie and carb limits.
    * Get more sleep!! I need to work on going to bed earlier more consistently.
  • miche173
    miche173 Posts: 50 Member
    Count me in!

    In honor of National Heart Health Month, I commit to exercising at least 4 days/week.

    SW:222.5
    CW:175.5
    GW:142
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I am eating too many nuts and cheese lately. My body is off. Too any raw veggies too. Carbs are creeping up again. I need a big change.

    My change for health will be to go mainly carnivore this month. No nuts. No veggies. No fruit (except for the 3 avocados I will eat because no one else will and I can't waste them LOL).

    I will eat meat, eggs, and some full fat dairy like 14% sour cream, a bit of heavy cream, butter, and measured cheese because breaking off a chunk is just TOO MuCH! My one concession will be coconut oil and a bit of coconut cream I am finishing off.

    I won't be full carnivore but close. I plan to extend this into March since I will be easing into it and I want a full month or two as coconut carnivore before I judge how well it works for me.

    I still want to lose another 10 lbs so if this helps me in that direction, great. If not, that is okay too.
  • motown13
    motown13 Posts: 688 Member
    I'm in for 180 minutes of exercise.
  • kimbo8435
    kimbo8435 Posts: 129 Member
    I want in too!
    1. keep logging
    2. exercise at the gym 2-3 days/week
    3. exercise at home 2-3 days/week
    4. try out 5 new recipes
    5. one active activity with the fam each weekend
    6. Lose 4-6 lbs
  • Lillith32
    Lillith32 Posts: 483 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I am eating too many nuts and cheese lately. My body is off. Too any raw veggies too. Carbs are creeping up again. I need a big change.

    My change for health will be to go mainly carnivore this month. No nuts. No veggies. No fruit (except for the 3 avocados I will eat because no one else will and I can't waste them LOL).

    I will eat meat, eggs, and some full fat dairy like 14% sour cream, a bit of heavy cream, butter, and measured cheese because breaking off a chunk is just TOO MuCH! My one concession will be coconut oil and a bit of coconut cream I am finishing off.

    I won't be full carnivore but close. I plan to extend this into March since I will be easing into it and I want a full month or two as coconut carnivore before I judge how well it works for me.

    I still want to lose another 10 lbs so if this helps me in that direction, great. If not, that is okay too.

    I'll be following your progress! I am trying to go zero carb for two meals a day (say, breakfast and dinner), and slowly transition into full zero carb in a few months or so. We shall see how it works out for me, now that most veggies taste sweet to me, I want to eat them all.
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 7,018 Member
    edited February 2016
    Goals for February:

    Physical:
    -Move up a kettlebell size by the 29th. I just started using the 20lb. Hopefully I'll be ready to start the 25lb by the end of the month.
    -Keep my calories in maintenance consistently. I've been going over here and there due to having STARVING ALL THE TIME issues. Got to ratchet that down.
    -Cut down the coffee. I have 2 cups every day in addition to 1 caffeinated diet soda. The coffee doesn't even help my energy level at all, so I'm switching one cup out for tea. Why jack up my cortisol if it doesn't me no good whatsoever? It's also extra calories I don't need to waste.

    Mental:
    -Stopping the daily weighing. It's driving me nuts right now while it bounces up, down, and around. And up more. It's crazy. I'm done with that for awhile. It's making me neurotic...MORE neurotic, I mean. I have enough problems. Like chronic dry eye keeping me from seeing and sleeping. So only weighing once a week. This morning I woke up 1.6lb heavier at 156lb. I've been as low as 150.6 last week. This is nonsense. Meanwhile, my stretch jeans now require a belt to keep from mooning people when I bend over and I can pull them up and down without unfastening. Something ain't matching up.
  • SamandaIndia
    SamandaIndia Posts: 1,577 Member
    MAX 15 Nuts a day for when I am v fatigued/hungry
    Max 40g seeds a day.
    Max 100g dairy.
    Max 20g net carb.



  • NovaSur
    NovaSur Posts: 44 Member
    1.Do yoga 4 days a week.
    2. keep logging and stay under calorie goal.
    3. get to 189.9lbs.
    4. ride my exercise bike 15 min a day at least.

    SW:220
    CW:199
    GW:189
  • BRobertson23
    BRobertson23 Posts: 150 Member
    Just completed my first run - 1.72 miles at an 8.5/mile pace. Can tell a major difference in my energy depleting about half way through the run, since I'm pulling from fat, not carbs...I really pushed myself though. But it feels good! Heart pumping. Breaking a sweat. It's awesome!!
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
    Feb 1
    SW: 153.4
    CW: 131.8
    GW: Trying 128.

    Cals: Under
    Carbs: 13 net/20 total
    Exercise: Rest day due to back injury. (Should be fine in a week or so if I'm very careful.)
    Sleep: Went to bed somewhat earlier last night and DH let me sleep in because of my back problem, thankfully, so I got a decent amount of sleep. Aiming to be in bed by 10:15 tonight.
  • yamilethfreethinker388
    yamilethfreethinker388 Posts: 8 Member
    edited February 2016
    I like this Self-Love challenge! Count me in:

    50 gr of carbs or less
    More Omega3 intake
    More consistent excercise routine
    Less Facebook
    Intermittent fasting
    Go to sleep at 10 pm
    Meditate every morning
  • reblazed
    reblazed Posts: 255 Member
    FEB 1

    SW: 247 (12/12, started keto)
    SW: 219.8 (Feb 1)
    CW: 219.8
    GW for February: 215
    GW for 12/31: 180
    Calories under 1200: yes
    Carbs Under 30: yes
  • LowCarbInScotland
    LowCarbInScotland Posts: 1,027 Member
    I'm about as sedentary as you can be. That has to end. My mom is coming to Scotland to visit me in May and I want to be able to go out walking with her without needing to take a break every 10 mins.

    My goal in February is to log 29 miles on the treadmill.
  • DianaElena76
    DianaElena76 Posts: 1,241 Member
    edited February 2016
    2/1 summary:

    1. Minimum 64 ounces of water per day. CHECK--I had 128 ounces yesterday!
    2. Under 50g carbs per day. CHECK--35g total, 20g net.
    3. 8,000 steps at least 5 days a week. Nope. Yesterday I only walked 5,280 steps.

    SW: 236
    2/1 Weight: 176.4
    Today: 174.6
    3/1 Goal: 170
  • fangirlish
    fangirlish Posts: 100 Member
    I'm in as well. To Love my Health this month, I'm going to commit to riding my recumbent bike a minimum of 3 times a week, for at least 20 minutes each session. Other than that, keep on with my LCHF diet - I lost a total of 5.8 pounds in January and think it could be even more with consistent exercise.
  • fangirlish
    fangirlish Posts: 100 Member
    @PaleoInScotland, that's me too! I'm planning a trip to Italy next year, and I want to be able to enjoy the trip and not feel exhausted. Good luck on your 29 mile goal.
  • glossbones
    glossbones Posts: 1,064 Member
    My goal for this month is NOT to track my intake or weight and see how I do "free range."

    February 23rd will be my 1 year lowcarberversary (no cheat days whatsoever, highest carb intake in a single day over the past year was 80g - stupid tortilla chips), so I know I won't go off the reservation in sight of such a momentous streak.

    Currently I am primarily, but not strictly, carnivore. For example, onions and garlic in my food is fine. There's spinach in my ground beef lunch that I brought today. I haven't eaten a side dish with a meal since vacationing at Christmastime (I ate a lot of green beans in Disney). Well... sometimes I eat my meat with a side of meat!

    Anyway, my biggest problem seems to be that I'm not listening to my hunger cues, eating everything on my plate because it tastes good, or because I put "a serving" on my plate and I already logged it.

    I'm hoping to get in touch with the signals of my body this month instead of worrying about numbers. It's seriously freaking me out at this point. I'm afraid I had a lot of protein with my breakfast, and not enough fat. But if I don't track it? Schrodinger's Macros.

    I weighed in this morning: 140.6. Down from the weekend (where I politely ate spinach dip with celery at our friends' house and got two pounds of inflammation water weight for my trouble). Higher than where I wanted to be at this point (I started the year below 140). My goal is still 125 by early summer, but I know that if something doesn't change I'll remain in this homeostatis where I'm just bouncing the same pound on and off. That'll be fine for maintenance, but not so fine for getting to where I want to maintain.

    And then there's the whole "the scale is a lying liar who lies" aspect. I do believe that an unhealthy obsession with the scale is bad for your brain, and if you're damaging your psyche by "dieting" then you're missing the point of the benefits you can gain from eating low carb/keto/ZC.

    I caught myself, this morning, considering a ketone breath analyzer. This brain, she wants her metrics! But no, the idea is to be fully human and not plugged into tracking this month. If I gain weight or inches when I re-weigh in March, then I'll reevaluate. Besides, ZC ≠ Ketogenic.

    To give myself something to focus on, I will be continuing the Principia Carnivora lifestyle, and I will try to reach my step goal daily (5,000 steps - I cut myself some slack since I have a standing desk). If I can reach it daily for a week, I'll increase it. I typically do not reach the goal (usually ending between 3,500 and 4,500). Today, I have to run to Stop & Shop for dinner ingredients, and Wal Mart for other things, so I may do a couple extra laps of each store.

    Evaluating myself right this moment, I would initially tell you that I'm currently hungry. But when I take a moment, I realize the sensation of "fix this" is in my chest. That's anxiety. Hunger doesn't come from the chest, it comes from the stomach (also not the intestines). So I'll feed myself with some music and try to tune out my noisy office mates. Anxiety and cortisol can also get in the way of progress.

    I just drank a cup of bouillon broth, so now that I know my sodium is pretty much covered for the next 6 hours, I'll fill up my water bottle.

    To further the connection with myself, I'm also not going to track my water intake (OMGSHE'SCRAZY), which for me means I will refill my water bottle before it empties so I can't keep track by the marks on the side of the bottle. Maybe I'll even get myself an opaque bottle at Wal Mart. I won't drink water to reach a number, I'll drink water when I'm thirsty. Which may not be much today because I burned my tongue three days in a row and it's kinda not talking to me right now. But that's okay.

    TL;DR: I will eat when I'm hungry. I will drink when I'm thirsty. I will confirm hunger sensations before acting upon them. I will try to reduce my stress. I will try to move more. I will avoid carbs in general. I will not weigh or track food, water, or macros again until March (with the exception of taking body measurements for a baseline because scales aren't the whole story). I will make the choices I know are healthy and trust myself to be OK.

    Which probably means my 'check-ins' will be lengthy, like this, as I will be talking in more abstracts than check boxes. Apologies in advance!

    I'm looking forward to this experiment. It's scary, but I hope that listening to my body gets me the results I want rather than focusing on tables and tallies.