DECEMBER CHALLENGE
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Okay I did some stuff yesterday for the challenge but I felt awful. I had a horrible headache all day (and of course couldn't take anything). I did manage to be under calories, I did 20 shoulder raises and here is my grattitude (thought it all day yesterday just didn't post it)
I am thankful that I have spent the last two years dedicated to improving my health. It has meant that I have gotten my body into a place where we were finally able to make a baby. I am a fit active healthy woman who will have a fit and healthy pregnancy. I am gratreful for the loveand support that surrounds me now and always. :flowerforyou:0 -
SATURDAY DECEMBER 3 CHALLENGES
:flowerforyou: Nutrition Challenge: Eat a large salad with lots of veggies! 5 pts if you do! It's no secret that in general most people (at least in the USA) don't eat enough veggies - which are not only good for the nutrients but also the fiber. But, one of the even more beneficial reasons for this salad challenge? Because it fills you up for not a lot of calories... just watch the amount of dressing(s), cheese(s), and other high calorie items you might put on there. Skip the tortilla bowl too! This one is about the veggies - how many colors can you add to the salad?
:flowerforyou: Fitness Challenge: Calf Raises. 1 pt for every 10 up to a total of 5 pts... don't stop at 50 if you want to do 250! That's right... the challenge doesn't limit the number you can do, just the number of points. ha, ha, ha. Need to know how to do a calf raise? Check it out at: http://www.ehow.com/video_2356873_do-standing-calf-raise-exercise.html
Think 50 isn't enough? Try a variation to get in an even better, focused toning workout... You can either try to do thee with the balls of your feet on an uneven surface, such as a stair or step - leave your heels hanging off the back and try them this way just make sure to hang onto a rail for balance. OR... if you reposition your feet you can target the inner or outer calf muscle. Pigeon-toed tones the outer calf while putting your feet at a 90 degree angle or greater targets your inner calf! It also will work the inner calf the wider you position your feet. Add weights in each hand, builds even more strength in those calves! You can also try to do these one one foot then the other, tucking your leg up behind your knee... gotta do 50 on each to count your whole 5 pts, but WOW does that increase the effect! What I keep reading is that in 8 weeks you will see results if you do these 4 times per week... I'm gonna have to see it to believe it, but if it works... I'm all in!
:flowerforyou: Self-Care Challenge: Sleep an Extra 30 minutes sometime today... If you do you get 5 pts! Sleep has often been linked to weight. If you are not getting enough sleep, studies show that you WILL gain weight no matter how healthy you eat and how much exercise you do. Sleep has a big impact on our bodies balance, how the hormones run through our body. It affects our appetite control center and our ability to handle stress. So... sleep in, go to bed early or take a little power nap (or a big one - it IS the weekend!)... whatever you do, just realize the connection between sleep and weight and take advantage of being able to earn points by taking a little time out for you.0 -
I'm under cals and I am all gratituded up.
I couldn't get to the gym, so no shoulder raises, but I'll add them in to tomorrow's workout....
Every exercise was designed to be able to do at home or in a hotel, etc. So, please don't ever feel like it needs to be done at the gym! You can always do these at home... or someone else's home. I was trying to keep holidays and holiday travel in mind.0 -
I am thankful that I have spent the last two years dedicated to improving my health. It has meant that I have gotten my body into a place where we were finally able to make a baby. I am a fit active healthy woman who will have a fit and healthy pregnancy. I am gratreful for the loveand support that surrounds me now and always. :flowerforyou:
I am soooooo loving this gratitude! And I agree... you are such and active, fit and healthy woman now and I pray and believe that all will go well with this pregnancy. Tell us more, tell us more... when are you due? I am just so excited that our Skinny Chics & Roosters family is going to grow by another one! Congrats again.
The beauty of posting a gratitude is that during this journey we all tend to look at how far we have left to go and not pausing to just be thankful and aware of where we are, what we've done and what we have in our lives. By taking a moment's pause to reflect on all that we have... we will be happier in general and will tend towards a more optimistic side. Plus, it will help us realize just how full our lives are, making the desire for, need for, or lack of awareness about filling our lives with the unhealthy. By thinking about how grateful we are - we make even more room for more of that! So, focus on the positives... and... you will find even more positives to be thankful for! It's the Law of Attraction.0 -
Friday review for me... I was really trying to stay under my calories. Not typically an issue for me. BUT I am traveling and at my brother and sister-in-law's house. She's Lithuanian and they, in general, eat a whole lot of carbs and sugars. In the end - I wasn't even close on the calories. I did get in the shoulder raises, mostly done in the bathroom because when I first started I was getting questioning looks. Turned it into a stretch and decided that the challenge this trip is going to be getting creative. It's a bit amazing to me because I really thought that traveling and being away from home/routine wasn't going to be an issue for me when I refocused my life on being healthier. However, repeatedly this is the issue. I find such comfort and safety in home and routine. Kinda nice in general. And - I did post my gratitude. Like Jane, I posted it on my wall... I find that I want others to stop for a moment and find the joys in their lives -- because so often I just see a lot of negative about self, positive towards others. So, I purposely posted it there. My gratitudes were that my phone is supposedly, once again fixed - means I can better keep up to date with MFP while traveling! Also... my niece and how much I enjoy cuddling and loving up that little 3 month old. But the bigger joy was that she can actually, AND DOES, smile at me - not a reaction or natural thing, but a true honest-to-goodness smile at me. I love it... it absolutely melts my heart!
OK... I'm off for the day ahead. Remember the challenges. I may need to go to the grocery store, I think if I offer to make a salad to go with dinner, I can control a bit more of what goes into it! Sounds like an idea! The sleep, may be tricky but if I don't get in a nap I'll just head to bed 30 min earlier. Calf Raises... plan to try these on the stairs to make it a bit more difficult... I am aiming to double those up today, just because I like the idea that if I do these maybe my calves will start to shrink?!? I also want to play around with the variations and see if I can feel the difference. My legs are my biggest frustration these days - so I was glad to find all that info on the benefits of this exercise! My cousin is flying in to Denver from Houston today... we are all going to go to the Red Wings-Avalanche NHL game tomorrow afternoon. Sitting in 5th row from the glass, penalty box side just off center ice. I cannot wait! SO excited! So very, Very, VERY excited! Makes staying under sodium difficult, but dancing should be good and will have to do the asanas in the morning.
Oh... watch each evening or morning... I will review what each of the items are for the challenge that day or the next. If you don't know what something is - there will be an explanation then. Or, google it. You may find fun facts to share also! I have most of it already - just didn't want the calendar part of the spreadsheet to extend out too much! I wanted it to be printable. OK, enough rambling... Later all!0 -
Oh yeah... woops, just one more post... I did get in and changed up the stuff on the spreadsheet and made sure that the settings say anyone can edit. So - please check it out. I posted the points as far as I can see them from this thread. Add in or correct as needed!
Spreadsheet can be found at:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AgLvjeYOiHobdGR3RjhhaTExZGZlbHhzRnlQaDgxZkE
I think it's the same as the original one for address, but just in case. If you can't get it to work, please let me know so that I can adjust settings or whatever is needed. Also - keep in mind that this time we actually have the 2 pages - so the calendar is the second page/sheet of the excel document. If you need help finding that, please just let me know.
Finally... we have a really small group, I feel like. If there is anyone else - please encourage them to join up. If I missed anyone, I apologize. And, because some of us have had a late start... I am granting a bit of a repreve weekend. If you are able to complete any of the challenges before Sunday Midnight - you can go back and count the points. In other words, if you were over on calories on Friday but under today and eat a salad today - you not only get your 5 pts for the salad today but you can count the nutrition points for Friday. THIS WEEKEND ONLY... please post what you are doing! Starting on Monday - you only get the points if you earn them for that day... no make-up's... Remember - focus is what will help us get successfully through the holidays! So, I am going to try and help us do that.
THANK YOU!!0 -
Did yesterday's shoulder raises (I wanted to do them with a decent weight, and I don't have weights at home).
Today I've done my 50 calf raises, had a side salad with lunch, and a bigger salad at dinner, slept in an hour this morning - and will undoubtedly do so again!0 -
Made it through all my parts today... had a salad with dinner, which was great. I also was able to sneak in about 45 minutes of napping with my niece cuddled on top of me. Also did a gazillion calf raises. Did the pigeon toed and the outer angles. Did them on the stairs... Just kept doing them. So, I am good on points for the day!
Hope everyone else is doing well on this challenge!0 -
Did 100 calf raises
Large salad for dinner
Slept an extra hour this morning and took a 15 min nap this afternoon
I bought the Wii Zumba 2 today and had my sister come over and we danced for 106 min. We also went the theY this morning for 60 min of Zumba class
I will definately get my Dancing in tomorrow0 -
I always have a salad with soup so I was good with that yesterday lunchtime, did 50 calf raises, and I definitely did the sleeping!
What's a yoga asana? Also....dance dance dance means just stick some music on and have a boogie? Or? Ta!0 -
I slept an hour more yesterday, did 50 calf raises and had a big salad with dinner. Had a scare last night (bleeding) but scan shows I am fine but I am doing nothing otday but sleeping and putting my feet up!0
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Help, What do we do with the yoga asanas. I am not a yoga person, so I went online to see that these are postures. How many do we do? How long do we hold it? What are the beginning ones? Sorry for all the questions, but yoga is not my thing. Hurts too much on my knees when I have to kneel (or at least it did before losing the weight, maybe it is better now) Carla0
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I slept an hour more yesterday, did 50 calf raises and had a big salad with dinner. Had a scare last night (bleeding) but scan shows I am fine but I am doing nothing otday but sleeping and putting my feet up!
That sounds like the sensible thing to do. Take care of you and baby.0 -
SUNDAY CHALLENGES
Nutrition: Under Sodium, 5 pts if you are
Fitness: Dance, Dance, Dance - Just put on some music and move. As long as you dance at least 5 min, you get the points! Idea with this fitness challenge today is that exercise CAN be fun! I think we are all discovering that - but just in case, here's your reminder. Remember you can dance anywhere anytime!
Self Care: Yoga Asanas - This is a form of sitting - where you are grounded but relaxed. Asanas are used to open the energy channels, chakras, and psychic centers of the body. They are known for purifying and strengthening the body and helping contolling and focusing the mind. The idea is to hold the pose and breathe deeply, feel the stretch without any pull, strain, pain. Check out the following two poses that are good ones to try... but remember, it's not just about sitting in this position, it's about sitting in the asana, clearing your mind and breathing deeplly. Try doing this for 5 minutes or 15... what can you do? what do you struggle with? It's a mind clarifying exercise, for sure!
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2481 OR http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/488
That site has a list of the benefits of each pose... it's a neat site to play around with for sure!
Good Luck today!0 -
I slept an hour more yesterday, did 50 calf raises and had a big salad with dinner. Had a scare last night (bleeding) but scan shows I am fine but I am doing nothing otday but sleeping and putting my feet up!
I am glad to hear that things are OK... Take care of you AND baby today - my thoughts are with you... hoping that you feel peace and relaxation today.0 -
ok people i'm back
just did all my shoulder raises and wall push ups, will get the calf raises between now and the end of the evening
and dance - not sure if i'll be doing that today sorry
what on earth is a full body sigh??0 -
late on the gratitude
i'm so very grateful that we are all well and happy and healthy, i know this sounds generic, but we are, and i am grateful :happy:
glad you're ok Steph, take it easy!!!0 -
Playing catch up for Friday (which was just kind of a bad day overall)...I was under cals on Saturday instead, and I'm doing the shoulder raises today.
And I'm grateful for my very supportive husband. He doesn't complain when I cook healthier foods or try new recipes (that may or may not taste good, lol), he encourages me every day and tells me I'm beautiful even when I'm at my worst.
Yesterday I got the calf raises and the extra sleep
Will have to hit the grocery store for salad supplies, though.
So glad that everything is okay, Steph...thinking of you today!0 -
Yesterday I got the calf raises and the extra sleep Will have to hit the grocery store for salad supplies, though.
all i feel like i do is clean and chop romaine lettuce! i am getting salad supplies like every 2 days! i eat a giant salad every single day for lunch (i'm so boring - a vegetarian who is not eating wheat and has to ease up on the eggs and cheese due to cholestoral issues, so lunch for me is basically salad, salad or salad!)0 -
Danced and yoga'ed, but I'm afraid the sodium just isn't going to happen today, as we ate at nandos and I hate to think how much salt there was... but it was really VERY nice. :-)0
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Hello my friends,
I danced with Richard Simmons for 40 minutes (even though my husband and daughter laughed at me). I tried to do the yoga pose that Becky sent, but when I crossed my legs, I thought my knees would pop out of my skin and it hurt, so I just sat with my legs out in front. My dog came over and laid down beside me while I tried to clear my mind for about 5 minutes or so. I think I will do this every night and try to increase my time as well as get those legs crossed. I am way under on my sodium today. Isn't it amazing that if you do not eat out or eat processed foods you have no problem staying under. Overall considering this was my no gym day, I go in a walk and my dance so think I did pretty good. Glad to see all the rest of you doing well. Carla0 -
sodium, check
dance, check
yoga...well i really tried, despite feeling really silly...i don't think i did it right, but i did sit there (in the easy cross legged pose) and tried to breathe and focus and try to clear my mind for about 5 mins, and then i curled up with a dvd and a hot water bottle...so does that count?0 -
Dance Wii Zumba for 60 min with sister = :bigsmile:
Sodium way way over = :sad:
Yoga... no go - :sad:0 -
figures....I am at a party and dance all night but on Saturday....dancing was on Sunday challenge...my luck
Pam0 -
oh Pam, i'm sure no one would mind if you took the Dance credit!
i just caught up on the first 5 days by today! 0 -
Good Monday Morning!
Monday's Challenges are as follows:
Nutrition: Eat some fruit! Get in 1 serving for 2 pts, 2 servings for 4 pts, and if you have 3 or morn you get 5 pts. It's important to get in our fruits and veggies... make sure you are watching your choices - some fruits are higher in sugar than you can imagine. But - fruit is also a great source of minerals/vitamins, fiber and are, overall, low calorie. So enjoy some fruit today1
Fitness: Wall Sits/Wall Squats. Do these for as long as you can - and do at least 5. If you do all 5 - you get one point for every 15 seconds you average. In other words - for the full 5 points you need to do at least 5 wall sits/squats and do them for 75 seconds average each. Seems complicated - but just look at what your total length of time is divided by the number you do - and then score accordingly. This exercise is quite literally backing up to the wall and then sitting. Check out this website to see the demonstration: http://www.ehow.com/video_2359349_how-do-wall-sit-exercises.html. It is a bit difficult at first to hold it for a long time... so you can also count this as repetitions and get 1 point for every 10 that you do - if you hold them for at least 15 seconds. Just do your best and count as you feel appropriate!
Self-Care: Read a Trashy Magazine. This can be adjusted to fit your personality... but it's really about spending some time enjoying the nothingness of a trashy magazine. Nothing to concentrate on or think about... Just to sit for the 15-20 minutes and do something fun and mindless. Maybe watch E! News or read something else that is more fitting to you - with the real purpose being a way to just spend 15-20 minutes enjoying NOT thinking!
Have a great day everyone!0 -
Welp, I did 2 of 3 yesterday... I just figure that if I ate food at the Stadium last night - there isn't any way I am under on sodium! The hockey game was fun though!
Amen to the salads... I don't remember who said that they feel like all they have is salads. I used to feel that way and need to get a little more back to that point! Especially after this Denver trip... I need to refocus and get on track. Food here has NOT fit my plan whatsoever.
Gotta run... but I hope everyone has a wonderful day!0 -
Okay, I finally made it home from our cabin really late last night. It was just so pretty with the sun shining and all that we stayed longer than we planned. I did my best and got it all logged in this morning. I am liking this challenge so far Becky.0
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grapes, blueberries, banana
have watched some tv today after a whole day of work and revision...it wasn't a trashy magazine, but after looking at books all day i couldn't bare to read anything more...
squats were not on the agenda today, had a bit of a funny turn this morning fainting and my arm and fingers getting shooting pains, so it was only essential exercise today (going into uni and printing off notes and some walking).
i'll try and do the squats tomorrow if I feel back to myself x0 -
Becky and Staci, glad you both had fun on your vacations. It sounds like the weather cooperated. I have had 1 serving of fruit (blackberries) and will be eating a whole grapefruit before dinner (counts as 2) so that will be my 3 fruits. I read a few chapters in my romance novel which is rather mindless but enjoyable. I still need to do a couple more squats to get in my full 5 points so will try that later. I hope to get in the rest squats tonight to get my points. I agree with Staci, this challenge is fun. Thanks Becky.0
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