Every healthy lifestyle journey starts ‘at the beginning’ ~ usually with a strong awareness that YOU want to make a change. This could in fact, even include an urgent need to change (for health reasons, for instance). The goal of some of our Pre-Challenge Activities dealt with YOU taking a look at your own circumstance and deciding on the effort that you wanted to put into this as well as what you wanted to get out of it. Our previous activities dealt with giving sincere thought about where you are today and where you want to go as well as how you want to get there. Suggestions were also provided with regard to Meal Planning/Exercise Planning and we also explored Mindful vs. Emotional eating. We even suggested that you dig out your workout clothes/shoes/hydration bottles ~ replace anything that is old and needs replacing and have them ‘ready’ for the first day of your healthy lifestyle journey (and the first day of the rest of your life). This exercise strives to ‘check’ your progress in a meaningful way.

⚖️ Many of us dislike the number on the scale; the way we look in pictures and/or the fact that our ‘favorite outfit’ just doesn’t fit like it used to. Sometimes we take the attitude to ignore some of those things. Hey, if we ignore them - they don’t exist, right? WRONG!! The truth is, the best way to get a handle on these things is to take a deep breath and decide to do something about the things that you aren’t all that happy with!

⚖️ 📏NOW is the time to do some of the things that you may have been avoiding. Check your scale. Does it work? Does it need a battery? NOW is a good time to take care of ensuring that it will work throughout the Challenge, so change that old battery!! It is also the time to pull out that tape measure and take some measurements. (Sorry, I couldn't find an emoji of a bathroom scale or tape measure!)

There are plenty of really good trackers online, but since we are here on MFP, why don’t we explore what it has to offer. I’ve done screen-grabs of my settings, yours may look slightly different, but you will all get the ‘idea’...

When you sign into MFP, you will see the MFP logo, to the right you will see your MFP name, mail, help, settings and this is where you can log out. This is shows up on MY screen looks like:

Please view the TOP line of the page that you have just reached. You will see:


Between ‘Help’ and ‘Log Out’, you will see ‘Settings’. Please click on that. Your screen will now look similar to this:



From here, you will want to select: ‘Update Diet/Fitness Profile’. Enter your current information (or check to see that your ‘beginning information’ contains pertinent information that describes you). If you make changes, please ‘Update Profile’ at the bottom of the page. If you made changes and saved them, you will see a confirmation window that pops up and says:



The next window will have a heading that looks like this:


You may log any/all other areas that you would like to review and/or change.

Once you are finished, underneath the banner, you will be able to see your suggestions (although, I know with the recent changes that have happened with MFP, some of these items are ‘locked’ but if you are on the free
~ Daily Nutrition Goals
~ Micronutrients
~ Calories by Meal
~ Fitness

Also toward the top of the page, next to ‘Goals’ there is a section for Check-In. This is where you put your measurements and you can choose what to track from: Waist, Hips, Arms, Chest, and Legs. You can choose to track all of these or some. This is also where you can track your weekly weigh-ins.

From research that I have done, it seems that it is best to do your weigh-ins at the same time of the day after the same routine. But here is a great YouTube video on measuring success without getting caught up with the ‘numbers game’ on a scale. Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfmKGg6YrZc&t=9s


> > > > Of course, any and all of these recommendations NEVER EVER supersede recommendations from your healthcare provider. We are all individuals and are all at different stages of life (and health) which sometimes dictate what we can and can't physically do. If you are under a physician's care and are unable to exercise or you must limit your exercise to accommodate your specific needs, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't continue following your doctor's orders! < < < <

For this Pre-Challenge activity, please jump on that scale and take those measurements! Make this your ‘starting point. If you want to, take a picture of yourself at this point. Find that cute outfit that is just a little snug and pull it out of the closet, perhaps take a picture of you in that outfit.

Weigh yourself - at the same time and under the same circumstances, if at all possible. Some choose to weigh-in daily; some weekly. There are no right or wrong answers here - just don’t get caught up with the numbers (but the numbers ARE important so that you have a ‘starting point’).


Measure yourself at the beginning (with this Pre-Challenge Activity or even at the beginning of the Challenge (1/11/25 at the latest). Perhaps ½ way through the Challenge, do this again and then one final time at the end. (At the very least consider this exercise at the beginning of the Challenge and then again at the end).

How does that favorite outfit look/feel after 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, at the end of 8 weeks? Are you noticing a difference? Are you able to fit into that particular piece of clothing / outfit a little better? Now THAT’s progress and a NSV (non-scale victory)!!

Feel free to add your comments to this thread outlining your plan for a successful 2025 Winter 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’ 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 Saturday (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 2025 Winter 5% Challenge Teams are currently being set up. 🔮

✉️ You will be invited to your individual team soon, in enough time to get to know your team leaders and team mates. Until then, get to know some of the Challengers in the 5% Challenge Community 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 2025 Winter 5% COMMUNITY TEAM often as this will be the best source for up-to-date information. 📢

=========================================================
Please be sure to set yourself up for S-U-C-C-E-S-S!! Why not start by taking part in **ALL** of the Pre-Challenge Activities? Here they are listed (along with their links) so you can find/participate in all of them!!




Pre-Challenge Activity #1:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10928679/countdown-pre-challenge-activity-1-information-and-your-input#latest

Pre-Challenge Activity #2:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10928752/countdown-pre-challenge-activity-2-set-some-goals/p1?new=1

Pre-Challenge Activity #3:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10928832/countdown-pre-challenge-activity-3-meal-plan#latest

Pre-Challenge Activity #4:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10928863/countdown-pre-challenge-activity-4-exercise-plan#latest

Pre-Challenge Activity #5:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10928892/countdown-pre-challenge-activity-5-mindful-eating-vs-emotional-eating/p1?new=1