Half an hour of Enjoyable Activity per day Challenge (May 2017)

daneejela
daneejela Posts: 461 Member
edited November 18 in Challenges
Here is the simple challenge - make a list of activities you like doing, that make you feel refreshed, calmed, excited...

Each day do one of the activities from your list for at least half an hour.
(If you can't find half an hour in your schedule, 10 or 15 mins are great also!)

It can be dancing at club or in your living room, gardening, walking in the nature, skating with a friend, playing tennis, collecting shells on the beach (if you're lucky to have beach nearby), stretching, doing yoga, surfing, swimming, mushroom picking, hiking, wood crafting, playing volleyball, searching for a perfect outdoor photo...it could be any activity that you find enjoyable :)

The main accent is not on number of calories burn - instead it's on simple doing something that you find rewarding (physically and emotionally). Something that charges your batteries and reliefs stress.

The idea behind is that activities that we enjoy bring us many benefits that directly and indirectly help us loose/maintain weight and stay healthy. Enjoyment has positive effect on our stress levels, hormonal balance, self esteem, creativity...

So, if you're interested to join, every day pick one activity you like, do it for half an hour and log it on this thread. :)
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Replies

  • wjleffi
    wjleffi Posts: 52 Member
    I love this challenge! I am in and starting my list now.
  • daneejela
    daneejela Posts: 461 Member
    edited April 2017
    Awesome! :) that makes us two for now :)

    Here is my start list, just as reminder:
    - walking (simple, but I really enjoy it)
    - dancing (I'll have to move a bit of furniture for this)
    - hiking
    - gardening
    - skating (although, I don't have skates with me here now)
    - wild asparagus "hunting"
    (I'll add more if I remeber more of a realistic/doable activities I enjoy)
  • dngallimore
    dngallimore Posts: 20 Member
    edited April 2017
    I'm in too ... tomorrow, May 1, will be my start day. See you both here again tomorrow evening! :)

    Walking the neighborhood
    Yoga/stretching
    Beachcombing (yep, I'm one of the lucky ones)
    Hiking
    Gym
    Swimming
    Gardening (more like pulling weeds right now)
    I am not a dancer, but might step out of my comfort zone and try while no one is watching
  • wjleffi
    wjleffi Posts: 52 Member
    Here's my list. Looking forward to starting this tomorrow with you.

    Walking
    Classical Stretch (recorded from tv)
    Dancing
    Yard Work/Gardening
    Grooming horses
    Groundwork with horses
    Horseback riding
    Horse driving
    Gym

    It's cold here in MN with rain and possible snow in the forecast, so might be indoor activities this week!
  • rachelsestak
    rachelsestak Posts: 2 Member
    I am in! Gardening season is upon us!
    Stretching
    A bit of karaoke with my kids
    Hiking
    Hmm....
  • janpuzzle31
    janpuzzle31 Posts: 48 Member
    I'd like to join you. For me the exercises that I enjoy are:

    running (cross country where possible)
    walking/hiking
    hoola hooping
    horse-riding
    swimming
    gardening
    trampoline exercise (just discovered this with my nephew - exhausting but fun!)
    pilates
    cycling

    Thanks for making me think about the exercises I love doing, I had forgotten about some of them.

    I'm off now to make a start and go for a walk with family.
  • daneejela
    daneejela Posts: 461 Member
    edited May 2017
    My first day check in :)
    I have been doing some gardening today. I was making supports for peas and some mulching with the straw.
    Wether was perfect, I really enjoyed it and I've totally forgot about time :) For me it's so rewarding to watch those little seeds growing into big plants.
  • wjleffi
    wjleffi Posts: 52 Member
    Well, I have been wanting to start something like this but change is hard! Finally got it done at 9 tonight, worked out with Esmeralda with Classical Stretch. Full body workout tonight and it feels great.
  • dngallimore
    dngallimore Posts: 20 Member
    Washed and hand-dried my car. It was filthy after a weekend hiking in a dusty and remote location. Took an hour and 15 minutes, but now it looks MAH-velous, I feel good about being active, and I saved $20.
  • LauraInTheWater
    LauraInTheWater Posts: 477 Member
    Hm...sounds interesting. My list is:

    -Swimming
    -Water Aerobics/Zumba
    -Walking the dog
    -Cycling
    -Shopping
    -I guess one of them should be trying out more active hobbies
  • janpuzzle31
    janpuzzle31 Posts: 48 Member
    This evening I am hoola hooping whilst listening to my favourite radio show - I have also walked lots today, so feel good!
  • daneejela
    daneejela Posts: 461 Member
    wjleffi wrote: »
    Well, I have been wanting to start something like this but change is hard! Finally got it done at 9 tonight, worked out with Esmeralda with Classical Stretch. Full body workout tonight and it feels great.

    I absolutely agree - change is hard..it's really weird how strong can be our daily habit chain to break even when it's about doing something we enjoy. I think that sometimes it's easier to do something we hate then something we enjoy. Almost like there is something bad in feeling good.

    My update for today:
    Another great gardening day. I've made space for some corn plants today, get an awesome exercise on the sun without even noticing :-)
    I'm so tired now (in a good, content way),crashing to bed soon :-)

  • wjleffi
    wjleffi Posts: 52 Member
    The sun was out! Worked with one of my horses today. Groomed and did groundwork. Felt good to make a little progress.
  • dngallimore
    dngallimore Posts: 20 Member
    I was pressed for time by the time I left work and needed to get food on the table, so I threw on some serious dance tunes and danced around the kitchen while trying out a new recipe. It was delicious, by the way. Found the recipe on my MFP feed .... grilled lime chicken topped with avocado cilantro salsa. Yum!
  • LauraInTheWater
    LauraInTheWater Posts: 477 Member
    Didn't get any "active" enjoyable activity yesterday. I did go to my book club though! Waiting for Aqua Zumba class to start, which is SUPER enjoyable.
  • laura7995
    laura7995 Posts: 6 Member
    I'm in
  • dngallimore
    dngallimore Posts: 20 Member
    Day 3 ... 30 minutes walking my sweet little Mattie girl (black lab rescue). She's a well-behaved walker!
  • wjleffi
    wjleffi Posts: 52 Member
    Walked 15 minutes twice today, once shopping and once visiting a friend at the hospital after her knee surgery. I walked while she had pt and exercised her new knee.
  • LauraInTheWater
    LauraInTheWater Posts: 477 Member
    edited May 2017
    Swam laps for about an hour today, which is usually very enjoyable but today was just ok because I inhaled about half of the pool! Still better than running though!
  • wjleffi
    wjleffi Posts: 52 Member
    Classical Stretch again today. Stiff from sitting at my desk so it felt good to loosen up and work some muscles.
  • dngallimore
    dngallimore Posts: 20 Member
    Tough day. Thunderstorms all night drove all 4 dogs into our bed. Needless to say, it was a little crowded, lol. I'm calling sleep a necessary physical and enjoyable activity this evening and turning in hours earlier than unusual ... goodnight, moon. o:)
  • daneejela
    daneejela Posts: 461 Member
    I crashed yesterday into bed, I was so tired, so here is my update: I was in the garden all afternoon. I was building this:
    https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/19/d6/27/19d6276e32abcb030c7517b05495833d.jpg
  • wjleffi
    wjleffi Posts: 52 Member
    daneejela wrote: »
    I crashed yesterday into bed, I was so tired, so here is my update: I was in the garden all afternoon. I was building this:
    https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/19/d6/27/19d6276e32abcb030c7517b05495833d.jpg

    Cool! What are you going to/did you plant in it?
  • daneejela
    daneejela Posts: 461 Member
    wjleffi wrote: »
    daneejela wrote: »
    I crashed yesterday into bed, I was so tired, so here is my update: I was in the garden all afternoon. I was building this:
    https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/19/d6/27/19d6276e32abcb030c7517b05495833d.jpg

    Cool! What are you going to/did you plant in it?

    Thanks! On one side I already planted strawberries..For the other side I plan to plant muskmelon on the top wining down the planter.
    So it will end up as a melon/strawberry combo :-) I looove the fruits. :-)

    My update for today: short but sweet walk by the sea.
  • dngallimore
    dngallimore Posts: 20 Member
    Today I helped a friend move what seemed like a hundred small boxes from her house to a storage facility for over 2 hours ... not necessarily what one would normally term an enjoyable physical activity, but in this case the opportunity to catch up, laugh ourselves silly, and drinks beers after it was all done made the work feel more like play.
  • wjleffi
    wjleffi Posts: 52 Member
    Crazy work day! Got some exercise tonight moving stuff in and out of the horse trailer getting ready for this weekend, and hustling around Fleet Farm and Walmart getting needed items.
  • LauraInTheWater
    LauraInTheWater Posts: 477 Member
    Yesterday I went shopping (definitely fun!) and did some stretching (semi-fun!) and some planking (felt like a bad *kitten* after bc I reached the 2 min mark on a forearm plank, so...fun!).

    Today we are going hiking to a waterfall my husband found recently!
  • junodog1
    junodog1 Posts: 4,792 Member
    I love the idea of this challenge, but I can't do it right now - due to other challenges. They are keeping me busy exercising. I may hit 30 minutes a day but not all of it is taking me to my happy place. I'll look for this in the future when my term at school is up.
  • wjleffi
    wjleffi Posts: 52 Member
    Beautiful day. Worked my horse all day at a clinic, lots of groundwork so lots of walking. I will sleep good tonight.
  • daneejela
    daneejela Posts: 461 Member
    LauraInTheWater wrote: »
    Yesterday I went shopping (definitely fun!) and did some stretching (semi-fun!) and some planking (felt like a bad *kitten* after bc I reached the 2 min mark on a forearm plank, so...fun!).

    Today we are going hiking to a waterfall my husband found recently!

    Oh, waterfall sounds beautiful :love: take me with you :lol:

    My update for yesterday: gardening, planted some tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and a two honey melons :)
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