Pre-Challenge Activity #1: INFORMATION and YOUR INPUT! ℹ️🔠
kaliswalker
Posts: 1,316 Member
On behalf of the overall leadership team as well as the leaders of our eight individual challenge teams, 👋WELCOME👋 TO THE 💐2023 SUMMER 5% CHALLENGE💐!! We hope that you take some time to read about and take part in the pre-Challenge activities as they are designed to help you get prepared for success.
For the several hundred of us that join the Seasonal 5% Challenges from season to season, we come here because we are looking for friendships, support, structure, continuity. Most of our 5% Challengers have followed us from SparkPeople after they closed their site in the summer of 2021, but with our visibility, we’ve managed to pick up a few new Challengers from the MFP site. No matter how you found us, we are so happy that you did!!
In doing some research to write these activities, an older article was found on the internet that discussed Team Challenges and our own 5% Seasonal 5% Challenge was highlighted. Our own @kaliswalker (Lynn), one of the original founders of the 5% Challenge, was interviewed ~ here is the link to the article. It discusses the importance of teams, but our own 5% Challenge was in the spotlight in this article that was written in 2016: https://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=memberrun_challenges_can_help_you_find_success
When SparkPeople closed, we, the current Overall Leadership Team, realized that without SparkPeople and its team spirit, we (and hundreds of our 5% Challenge friends) would be lost and struggling. We sprang into action and searched for an alternate site where we could continue our journey; our story. Although many sites were considered, MyFitnessPal was ultimately chosen as our 'new home' with the start of the 2021 Fall 5% Challenge.
Bringing the 5% Challenge to MFP was a true labor of love, and with full disclosure was not smooth sailing as we had hoped, but the Overall Challenge Leader Team put their heads down and worked hard to continue. At this point, our Challenges are enjoyable and are doing what they were intended to do ~ to provide a space where you could practice healthy habits and where you could chat with other, like-minded MFP members and where you could chat with and meet a new friend or two!
🗬🤔 Now that you have been provided with a bit of a background of the 5% Challenge, please think about what you need and how you are going to be approaching the Summer 5% Challenge. Will you continue to practice healthy habits that you have already learned and are working for you? Are you looking to begin something entirely new? Are you still trying to identify where you are right now and what you would like to get out of the next 8 weeks? There are no right or wrong answers here as everyone’s healthy lifestyle goals/journey are unique - like we all are. 🤔🗭
📓Your assignment: Countdown & Pre-Challenge Activity #1: INFORMATION and YOUR INPUT!
😊Your FIRST Countdown Activity for this Challenge will be for YOU to decide where YOU would like to go on YOUR Seasonal 5% Journey. Everyone's reason for joining this Challenge is different. We would like you to dig down deep to share what your motivation is for coming here. We would like you to share what brings you here, and even more importantly - what keeps you coming back! Perhaps there are things that you would like to get out of your personal 5% Journey that we haven't discussed and/or researched. Why don't you write down some of YOUR ideas ~ we might even be able to incorporate some of those things in this or future Challenges!😊
✍️Feel free to add your comments to this thread outlining your exercise plan for a successful 2023 Summer 5% Challenge (if you blog, you may add the link to your blog here or you may simply wish to copy/paste your writing here - or do both!), but please consider sharing!!
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PLEASE NOTE: The Seasonal 5% Challenge Teams are very active. You will be expected to participate to the best of your ability.
ALL challenge weeks run from Saturday through Friday - you will be expected to record your exercise and Living the Good Life (Healthy Habit) points based on weekly Challenge Themes. You are expected to record these points daily or at least as often as you can during the week but no later than 11:59 pm each Friday (your local time). In addition, you are expected to weigh in one time per week by 11:59 pm every Saturday (your local time). Your individual team leaders and/or team mates will help to answer any and all questions about where to record your points.
🔮Our individual Summer 5% Challenge Teams are currently being set up.
✉️You will be invited to your individual team in time to get to know your team leaders and team mates. Until then, get to know some of the Challengers here that will be participating right along with you.
📢Announcements will be made when invitations to your individual teams are sent. Please visit this team, the 2023 SUMMER 5% COMMUNITY TEAM often as this will be the best source for up-to-date information.
For the several hundred of us that join the Seasonal 5% Challenges from season to season, we come here because we are looking for friendships, support, structure, continuity. Most of our 5% Challengers have followed us from SparkPeople after they closed their site in the summer of 2021, but with our visibility, we’ve managed to pick up a few new Challengers from the MFP site. No matter how you found us, we are so happy that you did!!
In doing some research to write these activities, an older article was found on the internet that discussed Team Challenges and our own 5% Seasonal 5% Challenge was highlighted. Our own @kaliswalker (Lynn), one of the original founders of the 5% Challenge, was interviewed ~ here is the link to the article. It discusses the importance of teams, but our own 5% Challenge was in the spotlight in this article that was written in 2016: https://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=memberrun_challenges_can_help_you_find_success
When SparkPeople closed, we, the current Overall Leadership Team, realized that without SparkPeople and its team spirit, we (and hundreds of our 5% Challenge friends) would be lost and struggling. We sprang into action and searched for an alternate site where we could continue our journey; our story. Although many sites were considered, MyFitnessPal was ultimately chosen as our 'new home' with the start of the 2021 Fall 5% Challenge.
Bringing the 5% Challenge to MFP was a true labor of love, and with full disclosure was not smooth sailing as we had hoped, but the Overall Challenge Leader Team put their heads down and worked hard to continue. At this point, our Challenges are enjoyable and are doing what they were intended to do ~ to provide a space where you could practice healthy habits and where you could chat with other, like-minded MFP members and where you could chat with and meet a new friend or two!
🗬🤔 Now that you have been provided with a bit of a background of the 5% Challenge, please think about what you need and how you are going to be approaching the Summer 5% Challenge. Will you continue to practice healthy habits that you have already learned and are working for you? Are you looking to begin something entirely new? Are you still trying to identify where you are right now and what you would like to get out of the next 8 weeks? There are no right or wrong answers here as everyone’s healthy lifestyle goals/journey are unique - like we all are. 🤔🗭
📓Your assignment: Countdown & Pre-Challenge Activity #1: INFORMATION and YOUR INPUT!
😊Your FIRST Countdown Activity for this Challenge will be for YOU to decide where YOU would like to go on YOUR Seasonal 5% Journey. Everyone's reason for joining this Challenge is different. We would like you to dig down deep to share what your motivation is for coming here. We would like you to share what brings you here, and even more importantly - what keeps you coming back! Perhaps there are things that you would like to get out of your personal 5% Journey that we haven't discussed and/or researched. Why don't you write down some of YOUR ideas ~ we might even be able to incorporate some of those things in this or future Challenges!😊
✍️Feel free to add your comments to this thread outlining your exercise plan for a successful 2023 Summer 5% Challenge (if you blog, you may add the link to your blog here or you may simply wish to copy/paste your writing here - or do both!), but please consider sharing!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE NOTE: The Seasonal 5% Challenge Teams are very active. You will be expected to participate to the best of your ability.
ALL challenge weeks run from Saturday through Friday - you will be expected to record your exercise and Living the Good Life (Healthy Habit) points based on weekly Challenge Themes. You are expected to record these points daily or at least as often as you can during the week but no later than 11:59 pm each Friday (your local time). In addition, you are expected to weigh in one time per week by 11:59 pm every Saturday (your local time). Your individual team leaders and/or team mates will help to answer any and all questions about where to record your points.
🔮Our individual Summer 5% Challenge Teams are currently being set up.
✉️You will be invited to your individual team in time to get to know your team leaders and team mates. Until then, get to know some of the Challengers here that will be participating right along with you.
📢Announcements will be made when invitations to your individual teams are sent. Please visit this team, the 2023 SUMMER 5% COMMUNITY TEAM often as this will be the best source for up-to-date information.
Heidi (hicim705)
Overall Co-Leader, Seasonal 5% Challenges (hosted on MFP)
Overall Co-Leader, Seasonal 5% Challenges (hosted on MFP)
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Replies
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My exercise tends to lag over the summer; it’s just too hot here in Florida. I’ve recently discovered mall walking. I have a Sparkfriend in South Florida who goes all the time who inspired me. I never shop there so it hadn’t crossed my mind. Question: can someone explain in simple terms the easiest way to post pics on MFP?1
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Now that the weather has warmed up I aim to get outside everyday and do some gardening. I hope to pick up my walking as well.2
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I enjoy being outdoors more with the warmer temps and Sunshine.2
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Looking forward to the summer challenge to strengthen my exercise routines and track my food intake daily in the food diary. Seasons come and go, the 8 week challenges are key to keeping my healthy goals first and foremost in my life.
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Now that the weather has warmed up I aim to do some gardening. I will be doing more hiking this summer and getting more weight training in1
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I plan to walk every day. Now if it gets too hot outside, I will do a walk at home video. I might throw in some swimming 🏊♂️ .1
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I plan to add more exercise and water.2
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Now that school is out I plan on being more active on here.
my plan is 50 pushups/ 50 squats/ 5min on my bike/plus 10k steps a day.
Make sure I eat healthy, I am vegetarian but I eat too much junk, plus juicing and smoothies and of course get my water in.1 -
My Goal is to drink more water I am terrible at that, prefer tea. I am going to aim for 2 - 3 litres a day and hope that it becomes a habit. Starting with a target of 1 litre a day in week one.
My goal is too increase my fitness and strength in 2023, I started Apple Fitness + in December, and been building up top 20 minute classess. So I am going to aim to complete 30 minute HIIT twice a week and weight resistence 3 times a week and staying active in the garden, walking/cycling on the weekends. I have also bought a skipping rope and want to build up my stamina, I can just about do 30 seconds at moment 🤭
My goal is too follow a Mediteranean diet, avoid ultra processed foods and reduce the carbs I eat using healthy alternatives.3 -
I plan on exercising in my neighborhood pool every other day and increasing my walking!2
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I plan on utilizing my local gym as well as my neighborhood for outdoor walks. I want to work on eating mindfully while not putting strict diet restrictions on myself.4
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WOOHOO I actually maintained my weight during the Spring 5% Challenge!! I am so thrilled I was able to do it!! With so many health issues, it is not easy, but it IS doable!! My main goal will be to maintain my weight. But, also to on healthier versions of food I enjoy. I NEED this challenge because I NEVER EVER want to regain the 117 lbs I've lost!! Maintaining long term will be so new to me.5
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I used Spark People successfully from 2014 to 2017 to lose 50 # and keep it off. When then I got busy and did not stay as active as I should have while I left a job and opened a business and had just so many things to do. The weight crept on then came streaming back. I tried to reconnect with Spark People in 2021 and was starting to make progress on a weight loss journey when they announced they were closing. I did join MFP but it just did not feel the same. I could find short blog posts but not the longer articles and I missed the people and encouragement. I found myself last month, 10 pounds heavier than I have ever been. I was so discouraged. I have been on blood pressure medicine for a couple of years and thyroid medicine and I really wanted to lose weight and made some attempts and just could not stick with it. I asked my doctor if there really were any medicines that could help me lose weight safely. She said yes and prescribed something for me. I went home and read the information sheet and all of its warnings and that it was somehow related to the opiates family....and I said that is not for me. No way. I did not want to add more pills to my daily life. I refocused on healthy eating, daily tracking, and increasing my activity. I have come through the first month which can be the fastest part and lost 5% of my beginning weight and the first 10 pounds...so yeah!! But now I need to keep it up. I found the 5% challenge and I hope this will help give me the accountability and encouragement that I will need to continue the journey consistently.5
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You asked about exercise. Early this year my brother announced that he was going to walk the entire Appalachian trail this year beginning in April. I thought I would make it a goal to walk that many miles this year on flat level ground from the comforts at home. I started paying attention to my fitbit steps and found to my surprise that I was averaging between 1200 and 1500 steps a day. Honestly it should not have been a surprise I sit all day in my work and was coming home and sitting all evening. I tried getting to 10,000 steps a day and actually did it a few days and then hurt so much I did not want to walk any more. I knew you do not jump from 1200 daily steps to marathon walking and had tried it anyway only to discover that it is not a good idea to increase your activity too quickly.
Beginning last month I gave my self a goal of walking at least 4,000 steps a day. I did it all but one day...so time to celebrate. for this month, I am raising the goal by 100 steps a day. This week my goal is to walk at least 4500 steps a day and so far the lowest day has been 5,420. So small goals are working.
I understand that the goals in the 5% plan is to track minutes of exercise. So beginning today I will be adding some basic exercises and plan to do just one of each. I think that will take me about 5 minutes. That may seem like a small goal for very active exercisers. But when starting out, I am learning to start small and grow slowly. By the time the 5% challenge starts in a month, I hope to be at 10 or 15 minutes a day to start and challenge myself to continue increasing each week for the 8 weeks. That may only get me to 30 minutes a day. I figure if I can go from zero to 30 in 12 weeks I am building a sustainable path that can last me a lifetime.
Looking forward to the challenge.3 -
I am so glad all our leaders got together and provided this space after Spark People closed. It has been a god send for so many myself included. I am in maintenance but need to take off a few gained pounds. I hope to do that this summer 5% challenge.2
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Plan to up my daily steps to 7500.
Not eating after 1630
Walk dog daily
During july and aug to up swimming to 3 or 4 times per week. More upper body machines at gym.2 -
My goal is to increase my motivation and stay consistent with strength training. My family is joining the YMCA and I want to also add Pilates to my routine.2
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I've been somewhat off track, and have had some regain as a result. Then, as a result of that (see that pile up happening), I've been back to being pretty hateful to myself. I need to unload this baggage along with the weight that's causing me misery. I'm looking for where ever my motivation went. Considered not rejoining the challenge, as I don't feel very helpful to my team, but I know that has only made things worse in the past.3
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For the summer challenge I need to sort out my mindset.
Stop making life issues my go to reason for failing. Life won’t go away so I need to get real.
I need to
Be relaxed enough at bedtime to get 8 hrs sleep
Refreshed enough each morning to be in control of my eating
Do real exercise each day not just functional housework tasks for at least one hour
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It seems I am still recovering from my back surgery last summer because it's still difficult for me to do the simple things I used to do. My main goal is to get up early enough to take my dog for a walk before the heat and humidity roll in. Right now I'm able to walk 1 mile often sitting at least once during the walk. By the end of the Summer Challenge I want to walk 1.5 miles without having to sit at all. I would also like to increase my days at the gym from 2/week to 3/week.2
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My grandson is leaving for the Summer July 2 returning August 26. I will have no excuse for not doing what should be done while he is gone. I like the challenge because it keeps me accountable. I’m hoping mon, wed, fri mornings Shirley walks with me before it gets too hot. find a plan for silver sneakers2
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I sure hope to be better from my back/leg problems so I can get back to walking at least. I have not been able to go to the gym and I really miss it.
I don't even have the energy this week, due to the pain meds, to even be on the computer so praying it gets better soon!2 -
I was hoping to find my 'Spark' but never did for various reasons for the 5% Spring Challenge. BUT I absolutely hope to be able to 'find it' for the 2023 Summer 5% Challenge. I may even try 'Metabolic Renewal' or 'Noom' or 'Weight Watchers' to help get me back on track. Does anyone have any stories about any one of these?
I would love to be able to say that I will commit to losing my first 5%, but at this point, I'm actually happy with **any** progress I can make in the 'right direction' relative to weight loss. I need to 'focus' and 'get my head in the game' ...
As an Overall Leader, I should lead by example ... quite frankly, you all inspire me to keep trying.4 -
I'm finally in a place where adding small steps slowly is sticking, and this summer I want to start incorporating exercise. I tried going for daily walks at the beginning of the year and could barely make it ten minutes without getting winded. I'd like to start getting in shape so my walks can be longer and maybe even evolve into hikes and runs over time.
By the end of the summer challenge, I'd like to be able to walk a full mile without breaks. I'd also like to start going outside and getting sun more often. Our patio is north-facing, so I have to actually leave my house to get any direct sunlight, which has been hard to do with work and school every week.1 -
I was short on my goal for the spring and hope to be able to reach my 5% in the summer. I know it will be harder since I have been restricted to no exercise due to back problems but I will work hard to get better.
Challenges keep me accountable and I am also following WW which I find help with tracking your food intake.1 -
I’m here because I have PCOS and losing just 5% of my body weight can help me get pregnant with my second child. I have really struggled with my mental health the last few years and have used that as an excuse for my poor choices related to my physical health. It’s a vicious cycle. I need to form better habits to break that cycle. By the end of the 8 weeks, I hope to be more mindful about nutrition, more intentional about exercise, and more responsible about rest. If I’ve lost 5% and end up pregnant, that will just be a bonus! It’s been a little over 3 years since my first and time has flown. That’s over 156 weeks. 8 weeks is a drop in the bucket compared to that.1
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So my plan for this summer is to incorporate some form of routine fitness. Like strength workouts and circuits. In lieu of a gym (and overcoming childcare challenges), I can start by doing sets of squats/lunges/planks/pushups/situps every day and then adding cardio on a bi-weekly basis. I feel like first I need to research some premade plans or just make up one of my own. This summer 5% challenge will be my first fitness focused challenge. I've conquered the 5% weightloss, now it's time to kick it up a notch.1
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Thanks for posting the history of the challenge, and the link to the SparkTeams blog article. Interesting reading!
(I also signed up at one if the other challenges mentioned, that sjso migrated from SparkPeople 😎)
Stopping at that point for now. I'll be back for the actual Pre-Challenge Activity #1 👏
Cheers!
- mk
(Maine 🌧️☔) 0 -
I agree with Pam…thank you leaders for getting this program up and going…💐
I had a hysterectomy with a sacrocopolexy in April, and was prescribed estrogen, which has several side effects. Being cranky is probably the most annoying. Or is it always being hungry. Maybe it’s . . . . My goal for this summer is to adapt to these nuisances, because that is all they are: nuisances. 😎1 -
Looking to continue on my weight loss journey and trying some challenges to keep me motivated. Found this one and thought it sounded interesting; can't wait to get started.1
