The 2025 Autumn/Fall 5% Challenge begins SOON ~ on Sunday, October 12, 2025 (with our Pre-Challenge Week to begin on October 5, 2025.  We hope that you have enjoyed the ‘Pre-Challenge Activities’ that have been shared with you.  When considering a journey such as this, there is just SO MUCH information out there.  At the end of the day, the over abundance of mixed messages is what we all need to deal with.  It is our hope that we have been able to formulate the pre-challenge activities to appeal to the overall Challenge Community.  Additionally, we hope that many of the activities we have done have been interesting and have helped you to think about your own journey and that these activities prompted you to explore some additional things that may pique your interest:  figuring out the things that resonate with you so that you can formulate your own healthy lifestyle plan(s) accordingly.  

Please remember:  We are all individuals and we are all knowledgeable in various areas but there is no way that we can be ‘experts’ in every facet of the steps needed to achieve a healthy lifestyle.  We also all have unique health challenges that contribute to how we’ve gotten to where we are today.  Recommendations from healthcare professionals are absolutely paramount when formulating a healthy lifestyle journey, you MUST discuss your plans with your physician to ensure that you don’t try anything that may endanger your health and well-being.  

For most of the pre-Challenge activities, we have painted a picture with a 🖌️broad brush🖌️ allowing for you to think about some of the activities while giving you permission to execute whatever plans you have made.  There are a few suggestions that have been discussed that can help you ‘get ready’ for Day #1.

First - please review the plan that YOU (& your healthcare professional) have developed for YOUR healthy lifestyle journey.

🍽️ Do you have plates ready (if you use special ~ or smaller plates for your meals).  Do you have a food scale (for weighing food), measuring cups/spoons (for size and portion control)?  Do you have a water bottle handy?  We are made up of mostly water; most diet/exercise plans stress the importance of hydration.  Do you have a good, comfortable pair of 👟sneakers/trainers👟 to use for your exercise(s) of choice?  If so, do you have them where you can easily find them?  Take a look at them ~ are they in disrepair and need to be replaced?  Do you have resistance bands and/or weights?  These will enable you to add strength training to your daily routine, should you choose to do that.  Have you added the 5% Challenge to your 📅calendar📅 so that you are reminded that this is an appointment that you have made with yourself?  Have you written down your plans for nutrition/exercise?  Have you researched your nutritional goals and written them down (and/or consulted your physician for guidance)?  While you are at it, why not tidy up your kitchen.  A kitchen that is clean and organized will ensure easier delicious and healthy food prep.  Replace ‘bad’ (baked goods/chips/dips) foods/snacks with healthier options.  Clean out your refrigerator and get rid of foods that are expired (or unrecognizable!).  👁️Look👁️ in your pantry ~ besides replacing salty and sugar-laden snacks with healthier options, take a look at some of those packages and discard items that may be expired.  

📔Ensure that you can reference all of the pre-challenge activities that you wrote about📔.   Your successful participation will be based on ensuring that you follow through with your plans.  Remember the Plan-Do-Check-Act that we discussed early on.  Work your plan but make adjustments as you may need to so that you can start and finish the challenge and be able to feel great about YOUR JOURNEY!  

⚖️📏 You might also want to think about if/when you would like to take/record your weight and general measurements.  When the 2025 Autumn/Fall 5% Challenge is over, you might want to take your final measurements/weight and carefully record those.  Now you have a ‘before & after’ comparison! 📏⚖️

💭Please think about the suggestions of this exercise and let everyone know that you have committed to the Challenge.  Having family/friends that support you will help your self-esteem and will help you to continue with your journey when your mind and body sometimes just want to give up.  

Feel free to add your comments to this thread outlining your healthy lifestyle plan for a successful 2025 Autumn/Fall 5% Challenge.  Spend a little time summarizing all of the plans that you have made ~ (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 encouraged and asked to participate to the best of your ability.

ALL challenge weeks run from Sunday through Saturday - you will be asked to record your exercise and ‘Healthy Habits’ points based on weekly Challenge themes. You will record these points daily or at least as often as you can during the week but no later than 11:59 pm each Sunday (your local time). In addition, weigh-ins are requested one time per week by 11:59 pm every Sunday (your local time). Your individual team leaders and/or teammates will help to answer any and all questions about where to record your points.

🔮 Our 2025 Autumn/Fall 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 teammates. 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 Autumn/Fall  5% COMMUNITY TEAM, often, as this will be the best source for up-to-date information. 📢

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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!!
🧮 Countdown & Pre-Challenge Activity #1: CHALLENGE INFORMATION and YOUR INPUT & PARTICIPATION! 🧮
Here is the link:  
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10946619/countdown-pre-challenge-activity-1-your-input-participation#latest

🧮 Countdown & Pre-Challenge Activity #2:  SET SOME GOALS! 🧮
Here is the link: 
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10946749/countdown-pre-challenge-activity-2-set-some-goals/p1?new=1

🧮 Countdown & Pre-Challenge Activity #3: MEAL PLAN 🧮
Here is the link:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10946890/countdown-pre-challenge-activity-3-meal-plan#latest

🧮 Countdown & Pre-Challenge Activity #4:  EXERCISE PLAN 🧮
Here is the link: 
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10947098/countdown-pre-challenge-activity-4-exercise-plan#latest

🧮 Countdown & Pre-Challenge Activity #5:  HAVE YOU MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOURSELF? 🧮
Here is the link: 
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10947102/countdown-pre-challenge-activity-5-have-you-made-an-appointment-with-yourself#latest