40-something Valentine's Day Challenge

[natamars]

I LOVED our challenges last year and they definitely made me more accountable, so I'm starting our first one for 2012.

V-Day is 37 days away. Post your goal(s) - calorie counting, exercise, water..whatever you want to work on. Post often to let us know your progress!!

Here are my goals:
1) Lose 5 lbs
2) Write down all food, and estimate calories as best I can
3) Try to stick to an up day, down day on calories
4) Only eat at night once/week
5) Vitamins every day
6) Exercise 5 days/week
7) Run 3x/week, working on distance and speed on diffferent days

Who's next?

[ilsita]

I'll join your challenge! I'm new here and having a really, really hard time getting started.

My goals:

:: Get started!

:: Track my food and exercise, every day, even if I eat like a 13-year-old boy for 3 days straight, on my new My Net Diary App.

:: Meditate at least 1/2 hour every day.

:: No smoking (I smoke very moderately, and not every day, but I want to quit completely. It's gross and scary.)

:: Exercise at least 5 days a week.

:: Read my new Super Foods book.

:: I don't want to make a weight loss goal, because I'm not sure how fast the weight will come off. So, I'll say that the needle should cease going up and start going down. I'll take any loss as a success this time.

[andrew80k]

I'm in!

Goals:

1. Lose 10 pounds.
2. Track 100% of my intake.
3. Get better at understanding nutrition
4. Eat 6 times a day, every day.
5. Exercise 6 days a week, no exceptions, 3 days cardio, 3 strength training.
6. Track my progress faithfully every week.
7. Support others.

[ilsita]

Andrew says, "7. Support others."

I'm adding that one to my list too.

[chicklett]

i like this too and am also having a hard time getting motivated to exercise, so that will be my first goal.

1. exercise FAITHFULLY at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week
2. strive for 10,000 steps a day
3. try to cut out white flour and focus on whole grains/whole wheat
4. eat more fruits and vegetables
5. become more disciplined in my weight loss and exercising
6. drink more water
7. support others (thanks Andrew! )

[guacamole]

Great goals everyone! Exercise, support/fellowship, eating on plan, and getting to 165lbs are my goals for V-day.

Let's do this!!

Got to 165lbs 2/9/2012!

[Moondance]

I'm in too!
My my goal date is actually a week sooner. I joined a "Maintain-Don't Gain" challenge at work. My weigh in before Thanksgiving was 193. I'd like to be at 183 by the final weigh in date of 2/7. My goal for Valentines Day will be one more pound at 182. To do this I will:

Stay with in my calorie goal of 1450.
Consistently track food and exercise on MyFitnessPal
Increase my steps taken on a daily basis. Current goal: 5000
Support others-come here every day.

[annabetterlife]

Here are my goals till Valentines Day!

Lose 5 lbs
Don't eat after 6.30 p.m.
Eat Breakfast
Bed by 10 pm
Walk 5 days a week!

[natamars]

First day on challenge going well food-wise, but my exercise buddy at work(we spend about 15-20 minutes going up and down the stairs) is away on a business trip, and I may bag the gym tonight and hang out with my family..some issues going on. I did take my vitamins for the first time in weeks.

anna, welcome, great goals!

moondance, I also plan to be on every day - the support will be great!

guac, good to see you here!

chick, what are you doing for exercise? I'm doing some running, elliptical, and body sculpt classes.

ilsita and andrew, YAY on the support! I'm adding that too.

[HoosierMomma]

I'm in! My goal is:
lose 5 pounds
Exercise minimum 5days each week
10,000 steps each day
Track my daily calories (I really have no idea)

Theresa

[chicklett]

sounds great, Nat!

i really like Jonathan Urla's Yogilates series, so i decided i will do that at least twice a week and focus on the old fashioned calisthenics (i always have had good results). i'll also be walking and riding my stationary bike too. whew, now im sweating just thinking about all that!! if i stick to doing this, i think the pounds will come off!

as for my diet, i already do pretty good, the only meats i eat are chicken and turkey. i also have been eating lots of organic fruits, veggies, etc., so this is bound to help me as well.

[kandyrews]

Here are my goals:

1. Lose 5 pounds.
2. Track my calories per day
3. Be more consistant with my eating healthier.
4. Walk briskly 30 minutes 5 x a week.
5. Lift weights 3 x a week.
6. No eating after 7pm.
7. Cut back on sugar intake.

[shiningthru]

Hi all! Im in too

I was hesitating to join this because I haven't actually weighed myself yet. Today is 6 days on my New Year, New ME plan and I think it will discourage me to weigh right now, but i see on here that I can have different goals for my challenge, so here goes

Goals:
1. Drink 3-4 liters of water a day
2. Take vitamins daily
3. Follow a healthy food plan and track it on my Lose it app (stay conscious and connected with all of my food choices)
4. Exercise 5-6 times a week
5. Take 1 day off of exercise a week
6. start meditating again
7. Support others (thats a good #7)

Thanks for this
Lets do it!!!!

[shiningthru]

Hey there Natamars,
I saw that you put up and down days for calories, are you calorie cycling? I have thought about trying that in the past and did start to do it a couple of times but not really enough to know if it was working. I think it sounds like a good idea though. If so, how has it worked for you? thx

[andrew80k]

I'm still on target with my goals. Yay! I've been reading some about calorie cycling, I'd also like to hear some input from someone doing it as well.