Challenge Club! June 2024

MargaretYakoda
MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,994 Member
Other groups have a challenge. Usually monthly.
There’s teams sometimes. And other stuff to keep it interesting.

So I think it’s time to start one just for us.

Set your own challenge and check in here either daily or weekly.

Each month I will start a new discussion for that month.

I have set myself a goal of 3 miles daily average on my NuStep.

Set your own goals. Be it logging in daily, or a weight loss (or gain if that’s your thing) or whatever goal you’re aiming for.

My May total is 122 miles.
Average 3.9 miles daily. So I definitely missed a few days, mostly at the beginning of the month.
I ended the month able go do 10 miles, and able to do 7 miles relatively easily.
I also bumped the resistance from 4 to 5.

Maybe I will get to the point where I can do 10 miles most days, at a 5 resistance.

Everyone is welcome to join.

Replies

  • Zebra_Aitch
    Zebra_Aitch Posts: 28 Member
    Great idea … if only I remember it! And to flag the post this time 😁
    I did manage to stick to my May goal of getting regular with my physio exercises, so June is a good time to step them up a bit and add more repetitions and after seeing new physio in a couple weeks possibly add a few new ones .
    I also aim to get out and do more walking , I will aim for say 3 times a week ( goals are something I often feel are pointless and even have a negative effect on self esteem as a person with chronic health conditions as more often than not I don’t achieve them , but I do want to dangle the carrot so to speak ! So will keep self compassion in mind ❤️‍🩹
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,994 Member
    Glad to have you join the challenge @zebra_aitch!

    Yeah. The forum can be a learning curve. And it’s clunky on my app..
    But here we are. My newsfeed blipped out on the first. So this is the socialization avenue on MFP.

    Groups can work. But it takes a level of active participation, and for that it takes more members.. I suspect eventually we’ll attain some momentum. I hope…

    I too need to remember to do my physical therapy exercises. I’m not great at being consistent with that. It’s the usual stuff. Lifting small weights. Pulling therapy bands.
    I was better about lifting the weights a couple months back.

    Anyway. I didn’t do NuStep today (June 1st)
    The whole family attended a Mariners game. It was GREAT. Lots more walking than I’m used to.

    There was a special give away that I needed to wait in line for. Yowza that line was long! And my hip started hurting about 15 minutes into waiting in that line.

    Here’s my Apple Watch exercise for just the time I waited in that line…

    Yep. One hour 24 minutes to go a little more than a tenth of a mile. (.18 km)

    ts17rzix0cc7.jpeg

    The special jersey is really sweet though!

    But next time I’m going to see if a team employee can pick up the special event item for us. Because we had a large group today, and so I could leave my husband with others while I was picking up the jerseys.
    nkm8uq1ki3bn.jpeg

  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,994 Member
    Yep.
    Post big outing malaise.

    I did manage a couple miles though.
  • claire2lose
    claire2lose Posts: 2 Member
    Hello! After many, many years of trying to lose those last 50 pounds, I’m committed to getting that done. No, this is not my June challenge 😁. It’s my year’s challenge. For June, I’m dusting off my fitness pal app and am committing to log food for the month. Being honest with myself! A second commitment is to try and close my Apple Watch exercise ring most days of the week. I set it at 40 minutes of exercise, daily. Good luck everyone and am exiting to be in this challenge and group. Cheers!
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,994 Member
    Hello! After many, many years of trying to lose those last 50 pounds, I’m committed to getting that done. No, this is not my June challenge 😁. It’s my year’s challenge. For June, I’m dusting off my fitness pal app and am committing to log food for the month. Being honest with myself! A second commitment is to try and close my Apple Watch exercise ring most days of the week. I set it at 40 minutes of exercise, daily. Good luck everyone and am exiting to be in this challenge and group. Cheers!

    Hello and welcome to our little group!

    I’m trying to hit a 3 mile a day average. And maybe close all my Apple Fitness rings for the month.

    So I gotta get on that NuStep today!
  • claire2lose
    claire2lose Posts: 2 Member
    Yesterday I closed all my rings. It’s pretty cool seeing the notification that you closed all your rings. I’ve ramped up walking after work and use my standup desk more often than I usually have. Small steps but, dedicated to keeping those completed and adding more when ready. I’m still posting all my food.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,994 Member
    Yesterday I closed all my rings. It’s pretty cool seeing the notification that you closed all your rings. I’ve ramped up walking after work and use my standup desk more often than I usually have. Small steps but, dedicated to keeping those completed and adding more when ready. I’m still posting all my food.

    I have been trying to close all my rings and have a perfect month for a couple years.
    :D:D:D:'(:#

    One day it will happen.

    I just learned that Apple is going to give us the ability to pause a streak so we can take a day or two off once in a while.
    That’ll be an improvement.

    I’m also hoping for the ability to set our own goals. Or at least turn off goals that are difficult or impossible.

    Example: the stand goal has a 6 hour minimum. Standing for two minutes is difficult for me. It’s actually the ring that I find hardest to close. And I can’t set it below six…. It’s ruined my perfect month so many times.

    I’ve asked Apple to give us better accessibility options. I’m not sure they will listen. But this change to being able to skip a day every so often gives me a little hope.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,994 Member
    “Motivation”?

    I should just call it Elvis. Because it has left the building.

    This is where the rubber hits the road.
    I need to do it not because of the magical dopamine driven energizer bunny we call motivation.
    I need to do it because if I don’t? I will deteriorate even more. Probably even faster.
    Because as long as I am pushing myself, doctors will actually take my symptoms seriously. (probably)

    Harsh truth
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,994 Member
    I got on my NuStep and, even though I didn’t want to, managed to do 7 miles. At resistance level 6. And, yeah, it took 100 minutes. But I did it. And it wasn’t anywhere near as hard as it was a few months back.

    When I first started this whole exercise and weight loss thing it was probably 20 years ago. I could walk back then. But turns out I couldn’t walk a quarter mile.
    And I wasn’t weighing myself, but I couldn’t buckle the seatbelt around myself in our Ford 150. At my height (5’ 8”) I’ve estimated that to be over 300. Potentially over 325.

    No doctor mentioned my weight. I was struggling with thyroid issues and my doctor at the time mostly just dismissed me and refused to adjust my meds until I had gained 50 pounds or more.

    Anyway. On a whim I bought a treadmill. “For my kid” but it turned out I really liked it.
    I was absolutely shocked when I couldn’t walk a quarter mile. So I got stubborn and just pushed myself. Soon enough I could walk a mile. Then two. Then I could fast walk. Then run.

    I almost got down to a normal weight when some stuff happened and derailed my progress.

    I gained slowly for years. And became more and more disabled.

    I have been on and off the weight loss and exercise wagon a few times. Each time regaining, but never more than I had weighed previously.

    This current round I began at “only” 220, back at the end of February. I’d observed that my pants had become very tight. So instead of buying a larger size I got back on the path. Started logging my food again, and got back on the NuStep.

    At first two miles at resistance level 4 was rough. But I knew that would be temporary.
    I did ten minutes. Worked up a sweat. And then rested. Then did it again, three times a day for a week.

    Then I was able to do two whole miles by mid March.
    Two and a half miles by the end of April.
    In May I was regularly doing three miles. And one day I got a wild hair and tried ten miles.

    I managed it but was very tired!

    Now, four months later, five to seven miles is a breeze.

    Do I always feel the motivation?
    Nope.
    But I do it anyway. Because it’s worth it.
    I’m worth it.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,994 Member
    Still here. Got 5 miles in yesterday.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,994 Member
    edited June 17
    Still here. Did another 5 miles.

    I’m gonna be honest. I’ve tried to grow this group. Got some interaction going, and then MFP killed the newsfeeds. And it’s been mostly just me here.

    I mean it’s been mostly just me most of the time anyway. But it’s been even quieter now.

    I think MFP is losing their customer base. And they never really did much for disability support.
    I mean, they didn’t have to…. But a pinned group or something like that would have been awesome.

    Over on My Net Diary blood glucose levels integrate seamlessly.
    They have a TON more nutrients in the log.
    I spotted an incorrect/out of date nutrition label today and there’s a system there to report it and the MND staff updates their nutrition database within 24 hours.

    And they have a small, but active group for disabled individuals to discuss the issues specific to us.

    It’s not looking like MFP is the better option for me anymore.

    If you join there, send me a friend request.
    I’ve chosen the name Maarva Andor on that app. A nod to my favorite Star Wars character.

    3z022f335uux.jpeg