OCTOBER Challenge

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retirehappy
retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
Yes, it is time to set yourself challenges to work on for October.

Let's see'em.

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  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Ok, I am going to do the 333 project. Details are here With my downsize of body, I need to get a grip on my wardrobe and this sounds like a great way to do it.

    My other goal is to continue to maintain (that will be my challenge every month going forwards).

    Learn to do side planks properly and do 3 reps at least twice a week, in addition to the squats and regular planks I already do.

    So there are my challenges for this month.
  • Mariang165
    Mariang165 Posts: 2,115 Member
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    Retirehappy: Good luck this month with your challenges. Congrats, You did great last month so I have every confidence you will successful this month too!

    This month I also plan on focusing on exercise. Nothing as accomplished as retirehappy though!

    My goal is to walk 5 out of 7 days per week. To qualify, my walk must be a minimum of 25 minutes. This will be a real challenge for me because October I have committed to working double the hours that I usually work at my little part time job. The company controller wanted to take a 3-week extended holiday (unheard of for him), so though I am supposed to be retired, I said I would back up for him on some of his time sensitive duties, what was I thinking!! Oh well, he better have a great vacation!

    So, some days I may have to walk after dinner so that may add to the challenge, but all I can do is try!

    Good luck everyone with your October challenges, cheers, Marian
  • CrisEBTrue
    CrisEBTrue Posts: 454 Member
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    I am trying to make exercising more of a habit and not a second thought.
    With the cooler weather I'm trying to go for walks.
    That's been a bit difficult because I'm having some stupid foot pain and one knee likes to
    remind me that I'm not 20 years old. Bah

    I am trying to not be continually frustrated by...the whole thing.
    We're going on a cruise later this month; I was trying to lose 15 lbs before then.
    Then.. 10.
    Then.. 5.
    HAaaaAAAAaaaahaaaaa. :o

    I may have lost 3; but I'm afraid to weigh myself.

    So my goal, as always, is to eat healthy without obsessing about the hard reality that as a type2 diabetic, I have to analyze every single stupid bite I put into my mouth.

    A strange and frustrating dichotomy.
    One becomes obsessive about not obsessing.

    I get tired of feeling slightly hungry or unsatisfied and still not losing weight.

    That's all.
    I don't even want to talk about it.

    But there you go, I did.



    (I read an interesting article this morning somewhere about some people.. somewhere.. whose diet is totally unprocessed foods, very little carbs, they're very healthy; they exercise 7-9 hours a day.... Well isn't that just dandy. What they failed to point out is that these people live in the jungle and for 7-9 hours a day their 'exercise/activities' are centered around providing food for themselves, and efforts for basic survival.

    I mean, scientific point taken. They don't eat burgers and fries or mashed potatoes & gravy, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese or chocolate cake.. but that kind of extreme example is totally useless unless we all go back to growing and hunting our own food.

    I laughed and laughed.)

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  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
    edited October 2017
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    Ah Snoopy and the Big Pumpkin, yes, autumn is here.

    Marian, I think you have chosen a good challenge. If you can't get outside to walk, make a "walking track" in your home. Put on some music that makes you want to move and walk in the house. Remember, taking backwards steps count and they help with balance. You got this.

    Cris, you have lovely grounds to walk, break your walks up, 10 mins. or so, that should help with the pain issues? Also do you have any dumbbells? You can sit and do exercise with those you don't have to be on your feet at all. There are a lot of videos out there for sitting and staying fit. You deserve to get better, so take care of yourself. You can get better and feel better for it. Hugs.
  • CrisEBTrue
    CrisEBTrue Posts: 454 Member
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  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
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    We're heading North at the end of the week to see my Mom in the nursing home. That means about 10 days of restaurant meals with no calorie counts, too much sodium, and no scales. My main goal for October is to end the month where I started. That is to say, I want to end the month with eating at a calorie deficit and low sodium to be, once again, an entrenched new normal. If I can end the month a couple of pounds down, that would be gravy!
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Welcome HeidiCooksSupper. Sounds like a doable challenge to me. Good luck, just take care when you order out, be sure to ask about anything iffy on the menu.
  • Mariang165
    Mariang165 Posts: 2,115 Member
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    Good luck Heidi. It really will be a challenge. Restaurant meals are a challenge that is for sure! The meals are always too large. Yes, if you ask about each meal, I sometimes ask if they can reduce the serving size, yep, they will charge the same price but it is our health that is important. Sometimes when the meal arrives I immediately remove some of the food on to side plate and ask that they immediately take the plate of excess food away. When I try to just eat so much, and the plate stays in front of me I eventually start back nibbling and then why am I surprised I end up eating the entire plate full! Hope you find your Mom in good spirits!
  • Mariang165
    Mariang165 Posts: 2,115 Member
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    Well this month's challenge so far has been a complete wash out! Long story but I have only been able to get in 1 - 15minute walk, which does meet my minimum 25 minute walk to count! Well, the weekend has arrived so I better get going!
  • mxchana
    mxchana Posts: 666 Member
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    Getting a REAL slow start on chiming in here this month, which has been quite busy... However, I am continuing with my basic goals:
    (1) Check in on here every day
    (2) Walk every day, minimum of 30 minutes is my goal
    (3) I never made it into the pool at all in September, so I am adding the goal of getting some water exercise at least TWICE during this month. Just to get the pump primed...

    Thanks, Joell, for keeping this challenge going for us - and thanks Marian, Heidi & Cris for inspiration! ~ Kathy
  • mxchana
    mxchana Posts: 666 Member
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    ok, halfway to one of my new goals: I made it into the pool at a hotel yesterday and did 40 minutes of water exercises. Felt so good! Now I have to get myself over to my local YMCA and get in a water class... trying to keep the momentum going by doing it this week!

    Not getting 30 minutes of walking every day, but SOME walking every day so far... and I have been checking in. That's my story mid-way through the month! ~ Kathy
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Who knew side planks would be sooooo much easier at a normal weight than when you try them at the obese level???? I have nailed those side planks.

    Still maintaining my weight loss.

    I'm slowly working my way through the 333 project. I really need winter shirts. Got my pants done. Nice dressier pair, jeans, casual but not jeans.

    Kathy glad you are checking in regularly again. Some walking is way better than no walking. Yeah for the swimming.

    How is every one else going?
  • Mariang165
    Mariang165 Posts: 2,115 Member
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    Congrats Kathy and retirehappy on your mid month successes, well done!

    Not doing very well with the walks, so far this month as I have only managed 4 walks in 17 days! I guess you know that this is sure a challenge for me. Well, I will keep trying, maybe I set too high of a challenge for the month?

    So, let's see if in the remaining days of this month I can get in more than 4 walks! Nobody said it would be easy!

    Cheers, Marian
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Marian, just get in any walking time you can. Even 10 mins. here and there can add up over the week. Any walk is a good walk as far as I am concerned, it beats sitting on the couch.
  • mxchana
    mxchana Posts: 666 Member
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    And, even 10 minutes of walking is very beneficial if it happens immediately after a meal ... helps keep blood sugars level from what I understand. My doctor told me I should try to walk after every meal if at all possible. Huh, now there is a goal to aspire to...
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,467 Member
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    Hi, Ladies! Can I join you? Read the first post, looked up 333 project out of curiosity, and I am hooked. I was reading on line about other ladies my size wearing smaller sizes and thought "Why do I still wear such a large size?". I looked in the mirror, and my knit pants looked like they were falling off. (They felt fine) Well I dug in the closet and found some size 16 and tried them on. They looked good! So I went through and took out all my size 20s and bigger to sort through later for give away or throw away. Then I saw the 333 project. You're right! When you've just lost weight is a perfect time for this project.
    To introduce myself, I am Corina from Oklahoma. Single, 67, 5'10", 210ish, losing very slowly, aiming for 170 for now. I love swim aerobics, Lots of action with no pain, I want to get back to walking this winter, have a great indoor walking track nearby. I also do yoga once or twice a week.
    Looks like a great group here, very encouraging.
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Welcome Corinasue1143. Congrats on getting into the correct size of pants. Glad you found 333 helpful. I have some shopping to do and I hate shopping so much I keep putting it off, but my closet has gotten pretty darned skinny these days. With winter coming, I must find some tops that fit. I'm good on the jeans and dress pants, found those in boxes in the basement.

    I'm a big fan of walking and yoga, too
  • mxchana
    mxchana Posts: 666 Member
    edited October 2017
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    Finally got around to checking out the 333 project. I made a note to read more detail later but, no problem for me - I am willing to be I already regularly wear 33 items or less. Granted, it came about because I:

    (1) lost a lot of weight
    (2) donated my "fat" clothes
    (3) gained back most of the weight I lost

    Therefore, I have a limited number of items in my closet that fit me at this time. :# However, I naturally tend to favor certain outfits over and over. I don't dress up much. I work at home so casual works every day.

    Still, I DO have all those clothes in my closet that are smaller - that SOMEDAY I will fit into... so I am not sure I can let go until I can maintain a stable (much lower!) weight for some time.

    How am I doing this month?
    (1) *!* I have checked in on MFP every day. Within the last week I have AT LONG LAST gotten back to writing down my food & exercise every day.
    (2) *!* I have walked every day except one, so I count that as success. I could still do better with hitting my planned minimum of 30 minutes daily.
    (3) ..... I have made it to the pool just once so far. Still a few days left in October, that goal remains!!

    Results: I have lost 7.4 pounds since Sept. 10, and 9.4 since August 19. You can see there that I got off to a slow start but, the momentum is starting to build as I am tipping the scales toward healthier choices more and more as October goes on.

    That the beauty of a monthly challenge, now isn't it?
  • Mariang165
    Mariang165 Posts: 2,115 Member
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    @HeidiCooksSupper hope your visit to your Mum went well and she is keeping in good spirits. Hopefully with the trip you were able to maintain your weight! Good thoughts sent your way!

    @mxchana congrats on your very successful October challenge, you have worked very hard to get back in the groove and are getting great results, and I would surmise you are feeling very good indeed, good job!

    @retirehappy - hope you had success finding some new tops, you certainly deserve some new clothes due to your great effort and successes with your weight and health journey!

    @corinasue1143 - sounds like you do indeed enjoy activity, pls send some of those genes my way! Hope you are doing well!

    Well, I did not set a blazing pace with my walk challenge. 4 walks in the first half of the month and I improved to 5 walks in the second half. Heck, I did show some improvement over the 2nd half! Yes, moving seems to be a challenge for me, too much iPad, books and tennis on tv! So, will continue with the same challenge next month. The fall weather has finally arrived so maybe I will use more energy walking in the cold? One can only hope! Cheers, Marian
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Marian, Progress not perfection. That is a great motto when doing any endeavor. You got yourself up and moving more than before.

    So glad to see everyone here moving forward in their weight loss Journey. I'm off to start the Nov. thread, almost forgot about it with the Halloween activities.