The 21 Day Challenge was originally posted by Katrina, from an EDiets forum.(Thanks, Katrina! ) This thread is based on that idea, but is more generic: YOU decide what behavior you want to focus on (you might want to follow WW or some variation, or may just want to commit to a certain amount of exercise -- whatever behavior you would like to make a habit) and commit to that for 21 Days. Then you might continue on for another block of the same, or you may want to add another behavior. The idea is that it tales 21 days to form a new habit. Sometimes it takes a lot of starts before you get through the first block of 21 days but if you persevere, you WILL make it. And it gets much easier as you go along, until - YES! - healthy behavior becomes a habit!
21 DAY CHALLENGE
1. Your 21 days must be CONSECUTIVE days! That is the whole point in forming new habits.
2. This works on the "honor" system...no one will monitor you...if you "mess-up", you are only cheating yourself by not beginning again! The importance behind this challenge is to have 21 consecutive days of self control!!
3. What do the numbers mean that you see by peoples' names?? They stand for DAY/POUNDS LOST/BLOCK. 1/0/1 is Day 1, 0 pounds lost, Block 1.
4. Once you have finished block #1 (the first 21 days) you will progress to block #2...
5. For each block, you should state your rules and follow them for 21 days... repeat this as many times as necessary until you are at your goal. Your rules may be as specific or vague as you want: for example, I've considered just at the end of each day, asking myself whether my behavior would lead to better health (and weightloss) and counting myself on track if it did. Or you can stipulate as many rules as you'd like - if you want to change your plan, simply start over with a new Day 1.
Good luck to you as you complete your journey! YOU CAN DO THIS!!! It all starts with a single step... and following with a new one each day!!
Eydie - Yes, chocolate velamints!! I discovered them in a Trader Joes in CA, then while standing in line at my grocery store - there they were!!!! I don't think your goal is unreasonable either - matter of fact, that's about what I'd like to accomplish too!
Babette - Hang in there! Everyone goes through the slumps, just keep hangin' around here, keep posting and you'll be back on the wagon in no time!
Amarantha - I freaked out about the bread, yeast/warm water thing too, but then learned that it doesn't have to be an exact science - THEN I quit making bread altogether because I was just eating it!
Oh, and I used to want to be a truck driver too!!!!
Well, as I posted over on the 5 pound thread - happy and sad day. I'm down 2 pounds (yeah!!!) and this morning learned that my 14 year old fishy died over the weekend. That put a damper on my happy dance, but on the other hand, how many people have a huge fish live 14 years???? She's going out in our pet cemetary this morning.
We believe Piranah was a *she* because of the shapes of her fins - she was named that because when she was little she used to give a **** of a bite if you put your fingers in her tank. She was an African cichlid called a Jack Dempsy (named for the old boxer). By the time of her passing she was about 5 inches long, blind, her spine was very crooked from a disease called "Ick" that killed every other fish in the tank about 10 years ago and honestly, I thought the 12 hour drive up here 3 years ago would've killed her for sure! No more fishies for me - I hate how they always die on you - having a fish live this long I'm sure is a record of some sort!
Apparently in an attempt to make me laugh yesterday my youngest cat, Maia, decided to show her Momma how much she enjoys eating soap - yes, soap... It's now added to the list of items that must remain locked up.
Good-morning, Royal Blockettes and challengers all!!! This is Amarantha's THIRD (yes) day on her new Green Moon Initiative Block (ok, I'll not explain all that again). Did great yesterday at Mexican Restaurant business lunch BECAUSE (dance o' joy) they had some healthy choices ... who'dda thunk it? I had a "diet plate" that consisted of a grilled chicken breast that I blotted just to be sure, a fourth of a cup of ff cottage cheese and a little cup of fruit (50 calories), nothing to drink but water, no veggies, but that lunch kept me going suprisingly well all over the mountainside, through stressful talks with publisher, until dinner. Think I will buy some chicken breast today and grill a whole bunch to freeze. I think chicken is supposed to be good for focused thought and fighting depression.
Yesterday's calories ended at 1745 or thereabouts (forget) and 70 minutes of exercise. Amarantha hath officially called a halt to the Leslie-A-Day Challenge for the time being, though she still does them some days.
Punkin o' Friday! I do think your Piranha held a record for longevity and survival through adversity. I'm sure she brought you luck as well as friendship.
My cat has never evinced evidence of soap-eating tendencies, but Old Dog really likes it. She has chewed up whole cakes of Ivory.
Elbertine Pep checked herself into a spa on the east shore of the Lake of Discarded Dreams on the Continent of Renewed Determination, where she has currently been walkabout. She saith she must discard her dreams of :donut: and before she can safely continue her Quest o' Fitness! We do not know WHAT she is fussing about, as she DOES have a verifiable 20 percent bodyfat, but there it is!
Babette/WN Arabella: How goes the war?!!
To all Royal Blockettes, have a great day and continueth the Battle o' the Bulge & Sludge until all unfriendly hath left the queendom!
Last edited by Amarantha2; 09-17-2002 at 12:33 PM.
Day 2 of the challenge, Day 4 of struggle up from the depths I really didn't go horribly off the rails, just a brief derailment. And I've managed to stay mostly OP for 4 days since, perfectly the last 2. Tonight is WI, so we'll see how I am measured on those dang scales that weigh only pounds and ounces and good intentions not at all.
Amarantha, I actually posted on the 5 pound challenge thread yesterday to say that - Nope - didn't reach my goal by target date, and that I would come back to post after WI tonight with an updated goal. But my post disappeared! I've heard of that happening to other people, but it had never happened to me unless I hit the wrong button or something. Anyway, I will update after WI (please the godess I will be able to post a loss, in any case!) Congrats on your Mexican conquest !
Punkin, many thanks for the clarification about sexing your fish. I DID wonder... Seriously, though sorry about your loss. The things cats will eat and won't is amazing. Dicken's antibiotic is banana-flavoured (at least judging from the smell ) And he will tear the place apart to get away from me when I approach with the syringe, only to sit contentedly licking his butt
So sorry to hear about your fishy friend, Punkin---You lived with her such a long time that I'm sure it'll be an adjustment to get used to not seeing her. I've never kept fish but I know the type you're talking about--I always thought they had character!
Congrats on losing the 2 pounds! By the way, my cats love to lick soap, they don't actually eat it though! Who knows what goes on in their little cat brains....?
Amarantha, good job on running the Mexican food gauntlet! And good for them for offering a healthy choice! [I'd still slop salsa all over it though and count it as a vegetable! ]
How's things at the home bakery, Kaylets? Don't give up, it really does take a while to get the hang of it. have you checked the library or bookstore for bread-maker cookbooks? There's a million of them!
Babette, glad you're feeling strong again. When you get back on track and you're feeling good do you always wonder why you'd ever go off-track? Our old devish-ish friend 'self-sabotage'! One day I'll beat him!
I'm doing really well with my full-moon challenge. I think this Saturday she's full again. And Sunday's the Equinox, so my next challenge is to go from the Equinox to Halloween! It'll be tricky because I love candy corn!
Luckily, I think my stomach remembers better how sick I made myself last time I ate the whole bag. But I got it afterwards on the 50% discount!! How crazy is that? do I buy rocket ships when they're on sale? No, because, I don't know how to fly one and would hurt myself trying-
But, more importantly, good for you Eydie!! You are doing GREAT!
You too Babette, you're doing great! Maybe a plan to have your absolute favorite "safe" food- will help make it easier.
Who say Peter Jennings Evening News tonight? A NEW study-- Most of these diet potions, pills and lotions are PHONY!! What a suprise!! But seriously, the government may limit how they can sell their snake oil. There are lots of folks who figure " Well, if its on tv, they must be ok, or they wouldnt allow it" - Just like those
Grocery store newspapers keep selling. In fact, I know someone very well, who believes every word.
Just noticed your post Eydie, loaf 3 is baking as we speak- Loaf 2 was edible but a little dry- The yeast was suspect so we are now using brand new yeast- I am going to bed before it's done so I wont know until morning!! and yes, DH found a thread for Breadmakers!!
Yo! Babette/WN Arabella, thanks for the info on the 5-pound challenge!!! Good luck on your weigh-in!
P.S. Inspired by you, I've signed up for a tai chi class starting next month (assuming no one asks me to start covering a Thursday night meeting). I considered a video but I spend way too much time doing videos all by myself. I think a class would be more motivating.
Kaylets: I just read that story on one of my newsletters and thought, "What a surprise! " I do think some truth in labeling laws need to be applied to some of this stuff, although there has been progress. As I assume you know, two brands of those ab electrifying belts have been taken off the market, but they still sell those things. That is one item that really irritates me! Phony baloney diet books out to be better labeled also (fiction), although we in my opinion should not censor anyone from writing anything they want. But it does a lot of harm for people to be misled that there is some magic reason they don't lose weight and that there's some magic answer other than a healthy reduction in calories and more activity. (Sorry Atkins people, it works but that's because ... ok, I won't go there ... just my opinion anyway). It could be some labeling such as a well-known old-fashioned brand of backache pain reliever has adopted saying that while it's an effective pain reliever, there's no evidence it relieves back pain more than any other pain. Diet pills, questionable books and plans and products could say something like there's no evidence this'll help you lose weight but if you want to try it, more power to you. End of
Eydie: Actually I did put a bit of salsa on the chicken. It was so good I wanted some tonight but was too tired to buy it! I don't really like to bring meat home, even though I'm eating it now, so I have to be strong.
Congratulations on your successful full-moon challenge! That concept really helped me develop my moon initiative and it's been successful for me, though not in weight loss. But Artemis pulled me through the "blue" moon and I hunted down what was bothering me and eliminated it (nonviolently, as always)! Now the "green" moon will help me bring forth a harvest of hope for the future in a healthier body.
Ok, maybe I'm slooooow, but I'm just now catching on to the whole "moon challenge"! What an awsome idea!!!!! If I'm getting this, you're going from full moon to full moon with your challenges? Ah HA!!!! Geez, sometimes I can be so slow...
Babette - About the cat licking its' butt - I *just* got into a similar conversation with my Mom - she was all concerned because their puppy ate cat food. I said "Mom, she eats poop, I don't think cat food's going to kill her".
Eydie - Yea, next week I'm taking down Piranah's tank. I walk past it and look purely out of habit - I'm looking forward to it being gone and into storage. I'm glad your cats like soap too - now I don't feel so bad! I think Maia liked the smell (it's a sandlewood/patchouli scent) - but there were teeth marks and puncture holes in it! Ick!
I've been meaning to ask you - your name, Eydie, it always reminds me of that old Cult song, but I'm not sure if it's spelled the same.... That's not where it came from is it??
Kaylets - I saw that on the news this morning! I thought "Oh man, you mean I can't loose 25 pounds in a weekend??? Well, heck!" It took 'em long enough to catch on!!!
Amarantha - I'll hop on to the with you - all I'm gonna say is ANY diet that tells you you MUST avoid any food or food group completely is going to make you lose weight - it's called deprivation. Ok, that's all I'm gonna say.
BTW, I love the ab belt commercials! I think it's hysterical that they have this pudgy tummy, then show them using the ab belt, then voila!!! Not only are you buff and toned, but you've also got some moles and freckles that weren't there before!!! Oh, and your belly button is shaped different... I guess electrocuting yourself causes your body to morph into a body that (ahem) *doesn't even LOOK like your old body* I feel sorry for the people they took advantage of though, seriously, they should be made to give the money back.
Guess I should do some work....
Terri
Last edited by Punkinseed; 09-18-2002 at 10:54 AM.
Hi Terri! Don't know the song you're talking about--maybe you could share a few lines....? Eydie's my real name--short for Edith, a name I've never felt comfortable with. Edith always sounds like a prim old lady--maybe I'll age into it!
And don't forget, on the infomercials they also develop these deep tahitian tan too!
I'm thinking that to really get a read on where I am, I need to weigh myself. Not looking forward to that--not a big fan of the scale! Must be done though.....
Punkin: Not only that but in Walmart they sell that Linda Evans face electrode mask thing. I can't believe they sell that there. Now, in all honesty, I'm a huge fan of facial exercise. People scoff and say you can't exercise your face, but you can. I've heard that it causes wrinkles, but if done carefully, it can help get rid of them. It feels wonderful and refreshing when you are tired and no matter what how much anyone laughs or tells you different, it WILL make your face look better because good muscle tone always looks better than saggy, baggy muscle tone. Ok! And IF you could not move your muscles (face or otherwise), electric stimulating devices could and I guess ARE useful in a medical setting. But that mask thing is ridiculous. Sorry to anyone who has one and loves it and it's just my opinion. If you put that on your face, you could get burned, just as the ab belts have burned people. Get a book that tells you how to do the facial exercises or learn from someone ... you don't need to pay out big bucks for an electrode thing or for a "program" that purports to have invented this form of exercise ... it's been around forever. I learned a long time ago from an older lady who swore by this ... need to get back into doing it and I just reminded myself.
This leads me to the next snake oil subject ... those "gurus" who act like they invented certain forms of exercise. Sheesh! The Tony Littles, the Billy Blanks, the Firm, Callentics, Walk Aerobics (my favorite) ... or the Pilates tape gurus who lead everyone to believe that Pilates is a form of yoga, which has been around for thousands of years, whereas Joseph Pilates (who really WAS an innovator) lived in the early 20th century and the exercise discipline he invented is NOTHING like yoga. (I read on fitness boards all the time that one poster will inform another that Pilates is a form of yoga ... NO, NO, NO!)!
Yipes, don't know where all that came from. Sorry, have to go do weights then cover school board. Must be cranky!
Not only the deep Tahitian tan, what about NADS (or something like that) ... sticky stuff for removing hair the inventors of which laud in emotional terms as if it's a new religion (it's sticky GOO, for heaven sake!) ... what about EXERCISE IN A BOTTLE ... oh, the governnment made them take that off the market ... what about LISTEN TO THESE TAPES AND YOU WILL TURN THAT DEVIL INTO AN ANGEL AND MAKE ANY DIET WORK FOR YOU!!! Well, self-help tapes are not a bad idea, but YOU STILL HAVE TO EAT LESS AND MOVE MORE to lose the weight!!! The tapes are supposed to make that totally effortless. It'll just happen. Guaranteed.
Ok, off now! No more . I'll stop.
Eydie: Be not afraid of the demon scale! It's only an indicator of many factors of how we are doing and in some ways it's the least reliable of all. It's just one tool! Kick it if you don't like what it says! That's what I do!
Ok, it is spelled different - but, still, ask and you shall receive... here are the lyrics and now that I reread them I seem to remember they were written about Andy Warhol's girlfriend who liked her drugs. Oh, and forgive the cursing...
Edie - The Cult from Sonic Temple album
Always said you were a Youthquaker, Edie
A stormy little world shaker
Warhol's darling queen, Edie
An angel with a broken wing
The dogs lay at your feet, Edie
We carressed you cheek
Stars wrapped in your hair, Edie
Life without a care
But your not there
Your never there
Caught up in an endless scene
Paradise a shattered dream
Why'd all the **** you took, Edie
Your innocence dripped blood, sweet child
Why did you kiss the world goodbye
Ciao Baby
Don't you know paradise takes time
It takes time, but your not there
Fade away now
But your not there
Ciao Edie
There ya go! It's actually one of my favorite Cult songs.
Thanks for the lyrics, Terri! Yikes---not too many butterflies and unicorns in that Edie's life, huh? The only similarities between me and that Edie are "the dogs lay at your feet"!
Had a little too much snacking action yesterday so I have to be alert about that. Still kept it under 2000 calories though!
Amarantha, A friend's mother does those exercise and she's almost 70 and a beauty. She showed me once and yes, some of those grimace-y ones are kind of scary--definitely something you'd want to do in the privacy of your own home!
Sheesh! I just spent half an hour composing what I thought was a very entertaining and interesting post, only to lose it through too many smileys! O why can't they find some other way to deal with that situation! Or why can't I remember to copy my post first? In any case, I'm on to Day 5, doing well. I swear I will never lose a post again! Have a good day all!
The 21 Day Challenge #9: Making Healthy Habits
) This thread is based on that idea, but is more generic: YOU decide what behavior you want to focus on (you might want to follow WW or some variation, or may just want to commit to a certain amount of exercise -- whatever behavior you would like to make a habit) and commit to that for 21 Days. Then you might continue on for another block of the same, or you may want to add another behavior. The idea is that it tales 21 days to form a new habit. Sometimes it takes a lot of starts before you get through the first block of 21 days 
but if you persevere, you WILL make it. And it gets much easier as you go along, until - YES! - healthy behavior becomes a habit!
YOU CAN DO THIS!!! It all starts with a single step... and following with a new one each day!! 
Punkin o' Friday! I do think your Piranha held a record for longevity and survival through adversity. I'm sure she brought you luck as well as friendship.
and 
before she can safely continue her Quest o' Fitness! We do not know WHAT she is fussing about, as she DOES have a verifiable 20 percent bodyfat, but there it is!
hath left the queendom!
Greetings, Your Excellencies!
I really didn't go horribly off the rails, just a brief derailment. And I've managed to stay mostly OP for 4 days since, perfectly the last 2. Tonight is WI, so we'll see how I am measured on those dang scales that weigh only pounds and ounces 
and good intentions not at all.
! 
Seriously, though sorry about your loss. The things cats will eat and won't is amazing. Dicken's antibiotic is banana-flavoured (at least judging from the smell 
By the way, my cats love to lick soap, they don't actually eat it though! Who knows what goes on in their little cat brains....?
]
Did you have to say Candy corn?
I considered a video but I spend way too much time doing videos all by myself. I think a class would be more motivating.
That concept really helped me develop my moon initiative and it's been successful for me, though not in weight loss. But Artemis pulled me through the "blue" moon and I hunted down what was bothering me and eliminated it (nonviolently, as always)! Now the "green" moon will help me bring forth a harvest of hope for the future in a healthier body.
Geez, sometimes I can be so slow...
It took 'em long enough to catch on!!!
